by Donna Grant
“All they ever said was that you were different.”
He would have to handle this very carefully, lest he frighten her. “We are, Livia.”
She blinked slowly. “How so?”
“This morning when you watched the divers, did you notice how long they remained underwater?”
“Yes. I thought they were going to drown.” She slowly sat up. “How far down do they have to go for the oysters?”
Achates ran a hand down his face. “About fifty feet.”
Her eyes widened. “No one can hold their breath that long.”
“That’s right. But then, they weren’t holding their breath.”
For several heartbeats, she simply stared at him. “How, then?”
In answer, he took her hand and brought it up behind his ears so she could feel his gills. But feeling wasn’t enough for her. She leaned over to look at them shifting his hair aside to get a better look.
“You can breathe underwater?” she asked, wonder in her voice.
“Aye. It was a gift from Poseidon that only our people have.”
She lifted a hand to her ears and shrugged. “But I don’t have them.”
“Nay, the Piratirans made sure of that. Orinjal children are placed in the water when they are six months old. Swimming comes naturally to them, and as they swim, they form gills.”
Her forehead furrowed. “And the ones like me? The ones who were taken and weren’t put in the water, what happens to us? Will we go through life being different?”
“Only if you want to.”
“I’m tired of being different,” she said sadly. “I want to belong, Achates. This was my home, where I was born, and where my parents died. It is where I will spend the rest of my life.”
He smiled and took her hand. “There is a way, Livia, if you’re willing.”
“I’m willing.”
“Good.” He took a deep breath and began to plan how he would give Livia her gills.
Chapter Six
Livia reluctantly agreed to meet Achates at the shore at noon. After their lovemaking, he had taken her back to the house. He had been evasive when he’d told her he had some things to take care of, but the time alone had allowed her to re‐evaluate her feelings.
It wasn’t long before she realized she had lost the pearl he had given her. Her heart ached for the loss, but she planned to return to the place where they had made love and look for it.
She kept telling herself that she was connected to Achates because he had saved her, but the more time she spent with him and learned of Orinjal, the more she wondered if there was much more binding them.
For the first time in her life, people actually looked her in the eye, offering her smiles and waves of hello. Never had she been so welcomed. The transition from slave to free woman hadn’t been as difficult as she had thought it would be. Of course, Achates had made it that much easier. She was always with him, learning the nuances of their culture, which she found extremely fascinating.
In truth, the Orinjals weren’t so different from the Piratirans, except for the fact that they had gills.
Livia couldn’t make herself stay in the house. She had gone to the shore early to sit in the white sand and watch the children play in the water. She was amazed by how easily they swam, and since she knew of the gills, she didn’t fear for them when they stayed underwater for long periods of time.
“Fascinating, isn’t it?”
She shielded her eyes from the bright sun with her arm and looked up into Achates’ face, noting that he was once more without a shirt—as he was more often than not. “Aye, it is. Are they born knowing how to swim?”
“In a manner of speaking.” He squatted beside her. “Want to join them?”
She started to say no but changed her mind. She wanted to be a part of Orinjal as she should have been, and she couldn’t do that without her gills.
“I don’t know how to swim.”
Achates gave her a grin with a wicked gleam in his blue eyes and his golden hair blowing in the wind. “You didn’t know how to make love either, but I helped you with that.”
She chuckled and took his extended hand as he pulled her to her feet. A thrill of excitement ran through her at the prospect of learning to swim.
“You’ll do better without your gown.”
She looked down at her dress, then back up at Achates. “Are you sure you aren’t just trying to get me naked?”
“There’s no doubt I want you naked, and although I’d prefer to have you in my bed right now, you need to learn not to fear the water.” His tone had gone deep, barely a whisper, letting her know that he did indeed have other things he’d like to be doing to her.
And despite the mild soreness between her legs, Livia most certainly wanted more of Achates. She yearned to explore his hard body and put her hands on his thick rod the way he had touched her.
Before she changed her mind, Livia pulled her gown over her head and let it fall to the ground. Her body warmed as Achates let his eyes roam slowly over her, touching her as surely as if his hands were on her.
“Beautiful,” he said and kissed her. “Don’t be shy of your nudity,” he said when she would have covered herself.
Livia forced her hands to stay by her sides, even when others walked onto the beach and looked at her. But her attention was soon drawn to Achates as he tugged off his pants. His wide shoulders tapered to a trim waist and narrow hips. His long muscular legs were dusted with the same golden blond hair.
She glanced at his flaccid rod, and it began to stir. Her gaze snapped to his laughing eyes.
“If you look at me with hunger in your eyes, my cock will most definitely rise,” he said as he took her hand. “I have something for you.”
Her gaze moved down to her wrist, and she saw that he had strung a pearl on a string and bound it around her arm as a bracelet. She couldn’t find the words to thank him, not when she had never known what it was to receive a gift.
“It’s the pearl from this morning,” he said. “I want you to wear it always, as a reminder of your new life. And me.”
She licked her lips and smiled up at him, blinking back tears. “Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now,” he said, “it’s time to swim.”
She let him lead her into the waves. The water was warm, and it swirled hungrily around her. Several times she caught herself wanting to turn back to shore, but she knew that for her to be a true Orinjal, she would need a large amount of courage, more than she’d ever needed before.
And she was determined to conquer the water.
“Trust me,” Achates said as he looked at her.
The water was now even with her breasts. Her nipples tightened and peaked as the waves teased them. Achates’ eyes gleamed with lust, but he kept his hands off her.
She would have liked to have his hands on her to help erase her fear. He had asked for her trust, and trust she would give. He moved deeper, urging her on, until she stood on the tips of her toes and was forced to tilt her head back to keep the water away from her face.
“Livia, I’ve got you.” His voice was soft and calm. He held both of her hands and waited for her to move to him. She took a deep breath and stepped toward him.
Instead of going beneath the water as she had feared she would do, he held her above the waves.
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he promised.
Achates brought her against his chest and felt her tremble. He was amazed by her bravery, especially since she had nearly drowned the day before. Her desire to be a true Orinjal must have prompted her to trust him. But he knew something she didn’t—that swimming would come naturally to her whether she had gills or not. She just had to trust herself.
Her black locks lifted about her in the water, and her lithe body went stiff with fear.
“Feel the water,” he whispered into her ear. “Close your eyes and feel it.”
“I feel it,” she said
.
Achates fought the urge to chuckle. He moved her until he held her body curled in his arms. “Nay, you don’t. Lay your head back on the water and learn it.”
For a moment, she looked up at him with her dark blue eyes and hesitated. And then she leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
It took a while for her body to relax, and when it did her arms began to float beside her. A glance at her legs showed that they, too, had begun to float. Achates smiled but never released her.
A surge of hope filled his chest when she began to hum softly. Only the strongest of the Orinjals had ever heard the music of the water.
His gaze rested on her breasts and nipples, which strained against the water and constant breeze. He ached to cover them with his mouth, yet now wasn’t the time. He swallowed and lowered his gaze to her small waist and the gentle flare of her hips. Then lower to the dark curls that hid her sex. His cock stirred and thickened as he recalled how tight and hot she had been that morning. He could hardly wait to fill her again.
Soon. Very soon.
And then it happened. She floated out of his arms. Achates stayed near her, waiting to catch her if she should falter. Her arms began to move and propelled her farther away from shore.
She swam on her back for a bit and continued to hum the song of Poseidon. Achates waited with bated breath for her to open her eyes.
When she finally did, she righted herself and looked down into the water. “I’m swimming.”
He grinned and moved closer to her. “You heard it, didn’t you?”
“The music?” she asked, brows raised. “Aye. It was beautiful. I never knew the water could sing.”
“That’s Poseidon you’re hearing. Few Orinjals ever hear it.”
Her eyes widened. “Truly? Do you hear it?”
“Aye, but then I’m their leader.”
She said no more as she took a deep breath and sank beneath the water. Achates followed her and smiled as she began to kick her feet and use her hands to help her swim through the ocean.
It wasn’t long before she surfaced, her face split in a wide smile. “I was swimming.”
“Come, I want to show you something.”
He swam slowly so she could keep up, and with her having to rise to the surface for air it took them longer. When they finally reached the rock formation, he could see how exhausted the swim had made her.
“We have to dive under.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think I can. I can’t hold my breath for that long.”
“You’ll have to hold on to me. I’ll swim you to the other side.”
She licked her lips and nodded. “All right. I trust you.”
He took her hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Take a deep breath.”
She inhaled and exhaled several times before taking a deep breath and diving under the water. Achates went under, too, and took her hand to lead her down.
Fish of every color and size swam around them and over the reef behind them. A large crab with its shell attached walked along the bottom, and a couple of stingrays glided elegantly through the water.
Achates took it all in with a glance, but his attention was on the rock and finding the cave. With Livia in tow, he moved through the opening. Once she was through the cavern, he gave her a push to the surface.
By the time he broke the surface of the water, Livia had moved to the edge of the small pool and pulled herself up on the slope of the rock.
“What do you think?” he asked, his voice echoing in the small chamber.
She looked down into the water where light from the sun filtered in. “It’s amazing.”
“It’s one of my favorite spots,” he admitted. “My secret hideaway.” He swam to her and pulled himself up on a nearby rock.
She smoothed her hair back from her face and clasped her hands in her lap. “What now?”
He wanted to tell her everything, but he couldn’t. She would have to learn it on her own. “What do you want to do?” he asked.
Her eyes lit up as she turned to him. “I want to swim. The life below the water is extraordinary. I want to see everything.”
“All right.”
She laughed then. “You make it sound so easy.”
“It is.” He shrugged and scooted next to her. “It’s as easy as you make it.”
Her brows rose. “Are you teasing me?”
“I would never,” he said and nibbled her neck. She turned her face toward him, and he captured her lips with his own. She tasted of the ocean and the wind, a heady mixture for a man who loved the water.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave in to his hungry kiss. He wanted to shift her onto his aching rod, but he knew he had to wait. He didn’t think he would ever come to understand how one kiss from her sent him into a need that spiraled out of control until he was inside her.
With his feet still in the water, he heard the call of Poseidon, telling him to take Livia as she was meant to be taken. Achates couldn’t ignore the call.
And he didn’t want to.
With just a little movement, he plunged them both into the water. Livia gripped his shoulders until she relaxed and let the water carry her. Then he kissed her. He didn’t keep her down long, but brought her to the surface where he treaded water while he lifted her in his arms until his mouth was even with her breasts.
He took a hardened nipple into his mouth and suckled on it greedily, her moans of pleasure echoing inside the cave. She wrapped her legs around his chest and ground her hips into him. Her need was just as strong as his was.
“Achates,” she whispered.
He lowered her back into the water and wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her steady while he moved his other hand between them and found her sex. He parted her folds and stroked her swollen nub. One touch of his thumb, and she cried out, grinding against him as her black hair floated behind her.
Achates kissed her neck, letting his tongue trace circles on her skin as his fingers dipped inside her before rubbing her nub once more. Again and again he repeated his movements, until her hips moved more quickly, signaling that she was about to peak.
But he wasn’t ready for that. Not yet.
He lifted her onto his cock, clenching his jaw as she slowly impaled herself on him. Heat surrounded him, driving his desire to heights he’d never thought possible. He moved inside of her, and pleasure spiked through him. He wouldn’t be able to last long, not in the water, not with Poseidon’s magic swirling around him.
Unable to deny their pleasure any longer, Achates gave in to the desire and thrust into Livia’s tight sheath. As he did, he stopped treading water and let them slide beneath the surface. He gripped her hips and began to thrust, slow and deep.
Livia was quickly running out of air, but her body was on the brink of orgasm and she didn’t want Achates to stop pumping inside her.
She forgot all about her burning lungs when he shifted a hand to cup her bottom. He gripped her tightly and rocked against her while he pinched a nipple. Livia’s lungs burned for air as her body yearned to find the orgasm just out of reach. She trusted Achates. He wouldn’t let her drown.
In and out his cock moved, quicker, harder with each stroke. Livia’s fingers clutched his shoulders as she tightened her legs around him. Her eyes opened to see the surface was just above her. A quick breath and she could return to the splendor Achates had offered her.
But when she unlocked her ankles to kick to the surface, Achates bent and fastened his lips over her nipple. Livia jerked at the amazing pleasure. And then he began to pump hard and fast.
She caught his face in her hands to tell him she needed air, and the determination she saw reflected in his depths told her something more was at work here. She tried to push away from him, but her body was caught in a web of pleasure too deep to be denied.
Livia screamed, the sound swallowed by the ocean, as a climax so fierce, so deep claimed her that she was swept into an abyss of bliss. As her body peaked,
something else sliced through her, a painful, lightening‐quick sensation that faded with the onslaught of her orgasm.
Achates still rocked against her, prolonging her pleasure. Her body still pulsed from the orgasm, and she abruptly realized Achates had stopped moving. She opened her eyes to find him watching her.
And then she noticed she was breathing. Underwater.
She raised her hand to touch behind one of her ears, and felt the three small slits that were her gills. Achates’ hand covered her shaking one and placed it over his heart. Then he kissed her, a kiss made of passion and promise, of water and magic.
Of love.
Slowly, he pulled out of her, only to thrust in again hard and deep. Again and again he teased her body with his, thumbing her nipples and urging her body higher.
She became lost in a mix of pleasure and desire. Every inch of her body burned for Achates, hungered for more of his touch. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her up against his chest. And to her amazement, she peaked again.
This time, Achates shuddered along with her as his own orgasm claimed him, the music of the sea swirling around them.
Chapter Seven
For long moments they stayed locked in each other’s arms, floating in the small pool. Finally, Livia lifted her head to search Achates’ gaze. With a kick, he propelled them to the surface, but even then he wouldn’t release her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked him.
He lifted a shoulder. “I couldn’t. It doesn’t always work. But I knew that once you heard the ocean sing, you could do it.”
“You have a lot of faith in me.”
“I wouldn’t be your betrothed if I didn’t.” He flashed her a sexy smile and kissed the end of her nose. “Are you ready to see the ocean now?”
Livia nodded, and he pulled out of her. She missed his warmth and closeness immediately. When he offered her his hand, she took it and followed him down into the water and out the tunnel.
This time, they didn’t go to the surface, but instead swam among the schools of brightly colored fish, some large and some small. Livia gloried in the eels and octopuses and seahorses she spotted. The two stingrays she had glimpsed on her way into the tunnel were back, and she even spotted a small shark along the reef. She smiled in wonder at a pod of dolphins she saw swimming in the distance.