Page 91 of Nora's Kraken

Our place, the kraken’s voice inside of me instinctively wants to correct.Your place, for as long as you want it to be.

“Of course,” I say instead, stepping back from her embrace and taking her hand in mine. “Let’s go.”

Walking into the house with Nora, I can’t shake the feeling that this is… right.

On the days she’s not here, the rooms seem empty and quiet. My bed is too big without her, and though I’ll always appreciate the blessing of having a place like this to come home to, there’s something about it now that doesn’t feel complete without her in it.

In hindsight, maybe it’s always felt like this. Perhaps all the years I spent waiting to find the other piece of my heart made me numb to it, so blind to what was missing all along.

Beside me, Nora’s quiet as we step inside and I lock the door behind us. She was quiet on the drive here, too, resting her head against the seat and letting her eyes drift shut. I don’t know if she was truly sleeping or if she just wanted the peace and quiet, but I let her take the lead. Whatever she wants, whatever she needs tonight, it’s hers.

We walk down the hallway leading toward the bedrooms, and she passes the door to the guest room, opening mine instead.

Despite it all, the second that door closes behind us, a wave of soul-deep calm washes over me. It’s the kraken in me roaring his approval, the monster more than satisfied to have our mate safe in our lair.

“I’d like to rinse off,” Nora says, breaking the silence and startling me out of my thoughts. She gestures down at her clothes. “Just feeling a little gross after everything that’s happened.”

“Of course,” I tell her, turning to head into the bathroom. “I can—”

“Not in there.”

Without giving me a chance to ask her what she means, she takes a step toward the pool, tugging the sweatshirt she’s wearing up and over her head. I’m rooted to the spot, watching her step to the edge and slide her pants and panties down over her hips, kicking them aside.

“Nora,” I say hesitantly, even as my body sparks to life at the sight of her exposed skin.

“Are you coming, kraken?” she says over her shoulder as she wades in. “Or are you just going to stand there and stare?”

Helpless to do anything but follow, I get to work on my own clothes.

37

Nora

The embrace of the water is a welcome balm on my aching body. After our first time together, Elias adjusted the temperature of the pool to be a little warmer and more comfortable for me, and it’s just right tonight.

The tension I’ve been carrying during the last few hours finally starts to recede as I dive in and take a few slow strokes out into the middle of the pool. I’m laying on my back in the water, staring up at the ceiling, when I hear another soft splash as my kraken enters the pool.

Still, when I shift up to tread water and look over at him, his hesitation and guilt are still clear as day on his face, and in the faint pulses of emotion I can feel through the bond between us.

Like some kind of switch I turned on and can’t seem to flip back off—not that Iwantto flip it back off—I’ve been able to feel Elias these last few hours. It’s still a little confusing, a little overwhelming, but the longer I sit with it and explore it, the more natural it feels.

It just feels like… Elias. Like the steady beat of his hearts and the strength he’s always given me.

My kraken swims closer, already in his half-shift with his mass of blue-gray tentacles undulating gently below the water’s surface. He doesn’t touch me, though, and stays just out of arm’s reach like he’s waiting for me to decide what I need from him.

It’s a decision that’s as easy and natural as the pulse of our bond in my chest. “Just… hold me?”

Elias nods and reaches one of his tentacles out to curl around my waist in a gentle embrace. A few more follow, wrapping around my body and tugging me toward him. I loop my arms around his neck and bury my face in his shoulder, dragging my lips over his skin and inhaling the familiar scent of him. His breath hitches as he cradles my head in one hand and rubs soothing strokes up and down my back with the other.

I’m entirely wrapped up in him, and more than anything else, it’s exactly what I need to feel right now.

Safe. Held. Protected.

Giving my statement against Daniel was powerful. Knowing he’s locked up for tonight is a colossal weight off my shoulders. But all of it pales in comparison to the knowledge that I’m taking what I want. I’m choosing my kraken, choosing Elias and the comfort and strength he’s more than willing to lend me tonight.

Leaning into him, melting into his sturdy embrace, it’s all I need.

Still, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. Not yet. Just like last time, I know coming back from something so fucked up is going to take months, maybe years. And that was before, when I arguably wasn’t dealing with somethingthisfucked up.

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