Page 75 of Hunters and Prey

“Then I’m down for it if it means I get to see youout of uniform.”

Why the fuck did he say that nonsense? He must have been out of his mind. Tired. Sleep deprived.

Shit, none of those were a valid excuse. He’d heard of men landing in the office of their superiors for less—in fact, he’d had to discipline men for making foolish comments about their female comrades or the civilians at MIRAGE. He grimaced.

Before Matt could fumble out a clumsy apology, a big smile broke across Elpis’s face, bright enough to light the depths of the deepest sea. That smile was everything.

“Only if you’ll do the same.”

Thank fuck. “Of course.”

A palpable thrill of relief rushed through his veins when her jubilant smile spread into a widening grin. “Then I will look forward to it. Tomorrow. Inform your men they’re all welcome to attend. Lessons will conclude two hours ahead of schedule.”

“Is there anything we need to know about your kingdom and, ah, your culture before we proceed with this excursion?”

Her amusement didn’t fade. “Our laws are simple: touch no one without consent, cause no harm, take nothing that isn’t given, and speak with respect to all you meet. Assume most of your laws of moral decency apply to my kingdom, and all will be fine.”

“All right.”

It appeared General Cartwright would have his wish granted after all, if Elpis planned to immerse GHOST team completely and fully into Atlantian society.

In the meantime, heneeded the night to determine how dedicated he was to his mission.

Shaving his face also shaved fifteen years from his appearance, which meant Matteo avoided using a razor whenever necessary. He groomed and trimmed enough to maintain a professional appearance, slipped into trousers and a button-down shirt he’d purchased on a whim from a high-end designer during a visit with his grandparents in Italy, and then he wondered what the hell he was doing.

Was he really busting his ass to impress a woman who turned into a fucking fish?

Yes. He was.

No regrets. He looked damned good for forty-two, and no shortage of young cadets let him know it. Three young women over the last couple years had tried their luck at seducing a colonel, plus one ballsy young man who read Matteo’s signals wrong. After that, he’d withdrawn heavily into his work and avoided any situation that could potentially register as inviting trouble.

Now he was dressing up for a redheaded merwoman spitfire.

Matteo emerged from his room and met with the others in the battery where they waited to board a shuttle to the city. Most of them dressed business casual in polos and slacks, a few in pressed jeans and nice button-downs. He glanced them all over and nodded in approval.

“Looking good, Rossi,” Malcolm said.

“Thanks. Not looking so bad yourself, man.”

Banks glanced at the pair of Myrmidons preparing the transport vessel between the Anemone and Cyrene. The Atlantian ship would remain behind with its larger crew to protect the Salamander, just in case the lingering scent of Gloombeast lured another attack. “So…we gonna be good if we, ah, sample the local fare?”

“You’ve been eating it for a week. I don’t think the water and cuisine in the city will be any different than what they’ve treated us to so far.”

When a bunch of smirking faces gazed back at him, Matteo realized he’d made the grave mistake of assuming the men were thinking with their stomachs instead of their dicks.Silly him.

“He’s not talking about food, Colonel,” Matthews whispered.

“I’ve gathered that.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his curly hair, a month overdue for a haircut. “I’ll tell you what Commander Elpis said to me. Don’t touch anyone who doesn’t give you explicit and eager consent. If a souvenir is for sale, pay for it. If it isn’t, leave it the fuck alone. Mind your manners and avoid causing an international incident between their kingdom and our nation, because I swear to you, if any of you embarrass me, I’ll throw you under the bus so fast you’ll think my name is Usain Bolt. Also trust me when I say General Cartwright will be down for leaving you in whatever shark cage these fine people toss you into.”

“Damn, man. That’s cold.”

“That’s life,” Matteo replied, dead serious. “And I—” One by one, theexpressions of the men facing him changed, mouths dropping open and eyes going wide.

He smelled Elpis before he saw her, the scent of waterlily, roses, and sandalwood announcing her arrival. Belly filled with apprehension, he turned to face her.

His cock went rock hard in an instant. The embodiment of sensuality stood framed in the open alcove between the main deck and the battery, gold and red hair loose around her shoulders but decorated with a glittering, bejeweled net of emeralds. She wore silk and lace, a clinging dress with a plunging neckline and asymmetrical skirt over her usual scaled leggings and knee-high boots, though the four-inch heels boosted her to his height. She was already a woman of impressive stature with mile-long legs he wanted wrapped around his hips. Or on his shoulders. He’d settle for the latter.

Someone sucked in a breath. He agreed with their unspoken assessment.

This woman would be the end of him.

He stood to learn a lot during their visit to Cyrene, but the problem was that withevery answer he gleaned, the less he wanted to commit to the task of uncovering insights about the mysterious city; he wanted to know everything and anything he could learn about El.

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