Ocean's Surrender

by Denise Townsend

  “Oh,” she said, flabbergasted that there were, indeed, killer merfolk out there.

  “I just want to take you swimming. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

  There was something about the way he said “enjoy”, and the way he felt when he said it, that made River desperately want to take him up on his offer at the same time she wanted to run away.

  She eyed Fen, in all his golden, inhuman beauty. Then she looked out toward the sea. She’d always loved swimming.

  “Okay,” she heard herself whisper, before she knew she’d made a decision.

  Fen’s happiness radiated into her, and he leaned forward to cup her jaw in his strong hand.

  “Thank you,” was all he said, before his lips brushed hers in a feather-light kiss.

  When she opened her eyes, he was still smiling at her. Then he stood, pulling her up to her feet.

  “Now take off your clothes,” he said, as he strode away towards the water.

  Chapter Seven

  River couldn’t believe she was standing there, buck naked, ready to plunge with a stranger into the freezing cold Atlantic.

  First of all, there was the whole swimming-in-a-freezing-ocean-that-could-kill-her thing. But even bigger than that, really, was the fact of her scars.

  She never let anyone see her scars.

  But it was dark out, the moon lighting everything in a soft way she told herself wouldn’t reflect her damaged body. Indeed, as she’d slowly pulled her clothes off, she’d been delighted to see that was almost true. The burn and slash marks that covered her were almost invisible in the unearthly light.

  Almost.

  But Fen, sensing her trepidation and seeing the slow, watchful way she took off her own clothing, wouldn’t have commented on those terrible markings if his life depended on it. All the same, his eyes noticed every one, his need to know what happened to her tempered only by his sensitivity to the fact she was nowhere near ready to talk.

  Now, Fen squeezed her hand encouragingly, pulling her gently towards the water.

  “Trust me,” Fen said, knowing full well the weight of what he was asking her to do.

  Even he was a little surprised when she did.

  But Fen had seen it before–mortals who’d grown up with the idea of magic permeating their lives, only to become convinced as adults that their dreams had been lies.

  And yet a deep, secret place inside of them still believed and, more importantly, still wanted to be proven correct.

  River haltingly walked forward with him, her eyes wide with a mixture of adrenaline and natural fear. The ocean before them was relatively calm, but the waters around Maine were never gentle. Plus, as every inhabitant of Eastport knew, the Old Sow–fifth largest whirlpool on the planet–lurked just off shore. It could easily sink the largest boat, and yet it kept itself hidden, marking its presence with only an occasional swirl accompanied by the slurping noise that some said had given the Sow her name.

  When their feet hit the water, Fen paused, speaking to River gently but firmly.

  “Feel that, River? Does it feel cold?”

  River had been prepared for a blast of ice over her naked feet, and the early spring air around them was, indeed, nippy. But the water washing over her skin was warm, as it had been when she’d swum off the waters of Florida as a child.

  “No,” she marveled. “It’s not. How are you doing this?”

  “Magic,” Fen said, with a broad wink. “Ready for more?”

  This time River was the one to walk boldly forward, dragging Fen behind her.

  River laughed delightedly as the water met her calves, and then her knees, and then nipped up her thighs. Still the water was warm.

  Fen kept a firm grasp on her hand as she plunged in deeper; feeling the sea close over her hips, then move up her flat belly to her breasts. A few more steps and she was on her tiptoes. Fen smiled at her encouragingly and swam so that he was in front of her. With one gentle tug, she was off her tiptoes and treading water next to him.

  And that’s when she believed, to the core of her being, that Fen was really, truly magic, for the sea felt like it never had before. A strong swimmer, River was still used to fighting the water. Their relationship had always been straightforward: it wanted to drag her down, she wanted to stay afloat. But now? It was like the water wanted whatever she wanted. They would work together, a part of each other.

  “Is this what the ocean is always like for you?” she asked Fen, as they treaded water together.

  He nodded. “Aye, sweet girl. She’s mine, and I’m hers.”

  “It’s incredible.”

  “I’ll show you incredible,” the selkie bragged, winking at her cheekily as he pulled her towards him.

  Before she could react, his mouth had again found hers in a quick fierce kiss that left her lips feeling wounded when he withdrew.

  He nuzzled her nose as he gave her instructions.

  “Never let go of my hand,” Fen warned. “That’s how I’m able to lend you my power. You won’t feel the cold, nor will you need to breathe as long as we’re touching. But that last part is the hardest to adjust to, so we can swim close to the surface as long as you need to, to feel comfortable.”

  Wide-eyed, she nodded.

  “Ready, River?”

  “Oh, yes,” she told Fen, and he could feel an answering wash of excitement course through him via his empathic channels.

  “Come, then.” And with that, they were off.

  They started, as Fen had said they would, close to the surface. Coasting waves would lift them, as if they were toddlers in a mother’s arms, and River had never felt so sheltered, so protected.

  Why does he ever leave? she wondered. This is heaven.

  Initially, as they swam, River’s instincts would propel her to the surface, where she’d breathe deeply before plunging back to join Fen, who always maintained a firm grip on her hand.

  But then they started diving deeper, and those trips to the surface became fewer and fewer, until eventually River realized they’d been under the water for a very long time and she didn’t need air. She should have been gasping for breath at that point, but instead her lungs felt pleasantly half full and she had no need either to inhale or exhale.

  So she let Fen draw her deeper, until they were at the bottom of the sea.

  The truth was that Maine wasn’t Costa Rica, and there were no tropical reefs full of jeweled fish and exotic sea plants. But still there was much to see. And see she did, an aspect of Fen’s magic that she figured he’d forgotten to mention. It had been dusk when they’d met on the beach, and by the time they’d got near the water the moon had risen fat and full on the horizon. So even though they weren’t that deep, and she could still make out light of the moon above them, glimmering hazily through the water, the waters around her should have been pitch black. Instead, she could see perfectly, as if her eyes were enormous black light catchers like Fen’s were.

  Together, Fen and River picked their way across the seabed, Fen pointing out interesting fish and other animals. Lobsters abounded, skittering away on their many legs, and River thought longingly of little pots of butter. The fish were almost all grey, at least at first glance. But upon paying them more attention, River discovered they came in a multiplicity of grays, some iridescent or shiny, others matte, or speckled or striped.

  River liked the idea of such beauty, such life, hidden in plain sight.

  Another sight that River couldn’t help but like was that of Fen. The selkie’s golden body cut through the water, the elegant lines of his muscles reflected in the curve of an underwater sand dune, or the undulating frond of a sea plant. His hand in hers felt natural. He led her when she was willing, but happily followed when she pulled him towards something that she wanted to investigate.

  And every time those long, muscular limbs brushed against her she felt it like the touch of a brand.

  Then he really started to touch her.

  His free hand would brush down her back as sh
e peered at something interesting, or trace over her shoulders, or move about her heavy black hair to get it out of her eyes.

  So River started to touch him back. It started with a swirl of her thumb over his palm when his free hand brushed down her sides. Then her free hand was using every excuse to make contact. She’d get his attention by running small, dexterous fingers down his arm or thank him for showing her something with a gentle caress of his face.

  Meanwhile, the part of River that was always questioning, and fearful and angry found it had no voice under the sea. She’d already put too much trust in Fen not to believe he meant her no harm, and the whole experience of swimming like this was too magical to allow the horrid oppression of her reality any power.

  For the first time in a long time, River let herself simply be. She didn’t analyze, or criticize, or look for reasons to doubt. Instead, she simply enjoyed everything she was feeling. Indeed, she was so wrapped up in the moment that she hardly registered when those feelings went from awe at the experience to a pounding lust for the man who’d given it to her.

  Her desire shimmered from her in such hot waves that Fen could barely concentrate. He knew that River was granting him the sort of trust she never granted anyone, anymore, and he wanted to reward her for that. He wanted her to feel the pleasure she’d been denying herself, so she’d remember that not all submission was giving away one’s power, and that to feel anything one had to risk feeling at all.

  This time, when Fen kissed her, he didn’t tease, but took her lips with the full force of his passion.

  They were still near the seabed, picking over some relics of a sunken ship, and River had given him a look of such delight that he couldn’t help it. Fen’s mouth found hers and River had melted against him, tucking her body into his in a way that made him instantly hard, instantly eager for her.

  Their kiss was anything but gentle, but it was River who made it that way. Her mouth crushed against Fen’s, her nails raking none-too-lightly over his back as if in punishment for the extremity of her desire.

  The ocean carried them upward, Fen using his connection with the sea to let the water lead them. But River barely even noticed when her back bumped sand and the cool air crisped against her skin.

  With an adroit motion, Fen laid down his sealskin and suddenly she was lying on top of it. It was warm and soft beneath her, while Fen was so hot and hard above her.

  The selkie’s mouth found hers again, an exchange of lips and tongues that left her breathless. But now he had full access to her body, and both hands free. One of those hands fisted roughly in her hair, pulling just enough to make her arch her neck and upper back. His mouth found her throat, kissing and biting gently down her flesh till his warm mouth found her nipple. River cried out, arching into him as he suckled deeply before moving to her other breast.

  At the same time, Fen’s fingers found her aching cunt. He gently brushed his fingertips over her lust-swollen lips, before finding her wetness only to swirl it upward, touching her clit. River cried out into the night air, suddenly very glad that Jason had made it clear he wasn’t going to call the police.

  Because she really didn’t want to be rescued from this delicious need.

  “Mmm, sweet girl,” Fen groaned, nipping at her scarred belly. He considered asking her about the markings, but then decided that now wasn’t the time. Now was for pleasure, not the dredging up of what had to be painful memories. So Fen kept quiet, but his fingers left her clit to move lower, one finger dipping into her heat.

  “More, Fen,” she moaned, and he answered her pleas with a second finger. Stretched deliciously around him, River couldn’t help but pump her hips. Fen responded by stroking her slowly, in and out. She nearly wept when his thumb found her aching bud.

  “You’re so wet, River. So tight. You’re soaking my fingers.”

  Fen stroked her clit with a firmer touch, and River groaned obligingly, her thighs trembling. Fen brushed another kiss over her belly, and added a third finger.

  “Oh God, Fen. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

  Fen chuckled. “I’ve no intention of stopping, sweet girl, till you come for me.”

  His fingers plunged deeper, his thumb on her clit, his hot breath tickling her belly as he told her to come for him, over and over, until she did.

  Biting down on a knuckle so she wouldn’t scream, River shattered around Fen’s fingers. It had been a long time since she’d achieved orgasm with another human being, and she’d forgotten how intense it was to be brought by someone else. Fen used all his long experience to draw out her pleasure, until she couldn’t take it anymore and she drew him away from her and up for a long kiss.

  The selkie obliged her, letting his body drape over hers. She could feel his erection hard and hot against her belly, but for right now she needed to catch her breath. Fen, however, had other ideas.

  Grinning down at her, Fen nudged apart her knees so that he could slide his fat cock over her wet lips and let her feel the full weight of his desire without penetrating her.

  “Don’t get too comfortable, lass,” he said, as River felt waves of pleasure wracking her body while his cock brushed against her over-sensitized flesh.

  “We’re just getting started.”

  Chapter Eight

  River trembled, either at Fen’s words, at the constant movement of him against her, or both.

  “Do you have protection?” River asked, reality piercing through the haze of pleasure numbing her brain.

  Fen opened himself to River, letting her feel the truth of his words.

  “We’ve no need, lass. I am immune to human diseases, including carrying them. And we are infertile except for certain times in our magical cycle.”

  “Magical cycle?” River asked, curious, yet trusting.

  “We’re creatures of the moon and the tide. Our bodies mimic the cycles of both, and our fertility is tied up with our magic. Under the right circumstances, we’d have a chance at pregnancy, together. But not right now.”

  River would rather have died than admit she believed a stranger telling her that he was magic, and that therefore sex was somehow safe, but she did. His honesty was a pure white spark lighting up his words, and everything in her believed Fen was telling her the truth.

  So she pushed herself up on her elbows to reach his lips, kissing him gently before sucking his lower lip into her mouth for a gentle nibble.

  Fen sighed, his hands fisting in her hair as he slid himself against her more ardently.

  “Oh, Fen,” River whispered. “I want you inside of me.”

  “Soon, lass. But there’s other things we’ve yet to do.”

  With that, Fen pushed her back against his still warm sealskin, kissing down her throat, down between her luscious, dark-tipped breasts and over her soft belly.

  His breath was hot against her most sensitive flesh as Fen pushed her legs apart. River squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation, taking a firm grip of Fen’s sealskin. Still she bucked, hard, arching her back and pushing her hips towards his mouth as she felt his tongue lick slowly up the slit of her sex.

  He did it again, and again, till River could barely stand it, wantonly pushing herself up to meet his mouth. Only then did Fen make his tongue into a point that slid between her folds. The new sensation made River sob, clutching convulsively at the soft fur beneath her.

  Using his thumbs to part her lips, Fen nuzzled into her sex, finding her clitoris to suckle gently. River’s answering gasp pleased him, as did her hand on the top of head, holding him to her.

  So he did it again, suckling gently with his lips before using his tongue on her, flicking her clit gently. Her hips bucked again as she ground against his mouth. Clearly she wanted more, and Fen was never one to disappoint a lady. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t tease her, first.

  Releasing her clit, Fen lapped lower, till his tongue found her tight opening. He made a stiff little cock of his tongue, before plunging deep. Coated in her sweet, salty juices, Fen tong
ue-fucked her till she begged for more.

  Fen withdrew only long enough to coat his thumb in her wetness. His tongue returned to her tight sheath as his thumb found her clit, circling in an ever-tightening orbit until he found the center of her pleasure.

  “Oh Fen, yes, please…” River begged, the pleasure nearly too much. “Please,” she repeated, “Oh please.”

  Fen rubbed her clit more roughly as River continued to beg, her soft words spurring him on. Meanwhile, River was shocked at her own behavior. Before Trevor had come along, River had always enjoyed sex. Raised with few inhibitions, she’d had no trouble sharing her body with another. But after what happened, River had suddenly grown self-conscious. She was scarred, and not just metaphorically, and those scars reminded her daily that she needed to be more cautious, more contained.

  But here, with Fen, some of the old River returned. She’d always been shameless and greedy when it came to her own pleasure, although she also enjoyed giving as much as she did receiving. Hearing her voice begging for release was almost a relief to her, despite her surprise at hearing it again. Part of her had been afraid that Trevor had torn that ardent, lusting River away from her. But there she was, alive and well.

  And driving Fen’s own desire to an almost maddening peak.

  Her soft begging made him want to give her everything he had. He wanted to make her come a dozen times, using fingers, tongue and cock, until even she could beg no more. Then he’d make her come one more time, simply because he could, and because she would enjoy it.

  Hungrily, matching River’s greed, Fen moved his mouth up back to her clit and his fingers back to her slick opening. Pushing inside of her, he gathered her wetness. River groaned eagerly when she felt those soaked fingers move to her ass, swirling more lubrication over her already soaked flesh. When he was satisfied she was prepared, Fen pushed two fingers into her cunt as she felt his thumb’s gentle pressure at her ass.

  She pushed against him, opening herself to him, and his thumb popped in to fill her gorgeously. River groaned low and deep, loving the feeling of being totally filled, feeling her orgasm rise in her belly.