Page 19 of Taken By the Storm King

Second cock.

I froze.

My body screamed yes, but my mind---my mind was still catching up.

What the hell was I doing?

I had been plucked from my world, thrown into the depths of an ocean I barely understood, kissed by a creature who had saved my life and was now offering me something I couldn’t fully comprehend.

“Wait,” the word barely audible above the gentle lapping of waves against the shore. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

THALASSAR

Her whispered “wait” hung in the air between us. My pulse raced, but I pulled back immediately, scales shifting to cover more intimate areas.

“Of course,” I said, my voice steady despite the fire still burning through me.

Lucy’s breath came in short pants, her skin flushed, her pupils wide. The scent of her---salt and warmth and something uniquely her---still wrapped around me, but all that was important was the trembling in her limbs, not the hunger in my own.

Hugging her close, I stroked her hair. The strands, damp from our swim, clung to my scaled fingers.

“Whatever you want,” I murmured. “Whatever you need.”

She shivered, leaning her forehead against my chest. “I just... I need time.”

“Time is yours,” I assured gently, despite the restraint coiling tight within me. “Shall we return?”

She nodded against me. I shifted back to my dragon form, curling around her as she settled onto my back.

The swim back was slower this time. The water was cool against my scales, the currents gentle as I navigated the glowingkelp forests and the great coral spires that marked the outskirts of my city. Bioluminescent creatures pulsed in the dim depths, tiny lights flickering like stars beneath the waves. Lucy remained quiet, her fingers gripping my mane. Her silence pressed against me heavier than the ocean itself, but I did not press her for words.

When we reached the palace, she slid from my back as I transformed.

“I should...” She hesitated, waving vaguely toward her chambers.

“Of course. I’ll check the communications device, see if there’s been any word from your team.”

She caught my hand before I could turn away. “Thank you. For understanding.”

I brought her fingers to my lips, pressing a soft kiss to her skin. “Always.”

She withdrew, padding barefoot down the corridor. The sound of her soft footfalls echoed against the polished stone, vanishing as she disappeared around the corner.

I exhaled sharply and rested against the wall’s cold surface. What is she thinking? The question burned through me as I made my way to my study.

I didn’t notice Maris until she cleared her throat.

“You look troubled,” she said.

I dropped into my chair, absently tracing the patterns on his arm. “She asked for time.”

“Ah.” Maris settled across from me, her silver hair shimmering in the low light of the study. “And you fear what that means.”

I hesitated. “What if she--“ The words stuck in my throat.

“What if she doesn’t?” Maris countered. “Have you considered that possibility?”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

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