by Mina Carter
She looked up to find the lobster attached to Merilea’s nose, using its free claw to gesticulate wildly at the boat above them. Dualla didn’t know much lobster signing, but she was fairly sure it was a variant on the ever popular “fuck off and die” insult.
“Good, good. Hold it there.”
Dualla went back to her sawing, using the knife to cut through and then brute force to snap the weakened strands. The water filled with curses as the cord burned her fingers. She didn’t have a choice. The net was getting closer to the surface every second, and if Merilea was still in it when it arrived, then she’d be replacing Melody in a fish tank.
One by one the strands gave way under the dual assault of her fingers and the knife. Not quick enough. Dualla shot a glance up at the surface but the lessening pressure on her body told her they were way too close for comfort.
The last strand gave.
“There, now. Out!” Dualla all but dragged the smaller mermaid from the net, passengers and all. Just as Merilea slipped from its nylon clutches disaster struck.
The lobster shrieked, let go of Merilea’s nose and launched itself at Dualla. The net whipped around, and with an oomph Dualla landed in its embrace.
Just as it lifted out of the water.
Chapter Three
Edan was having a bad day. Nothing new there. Edan was always having a bad day; it was a permanent state of being for the tall dragon. Today, though, was turning out to be a particularly shitty example.
First off, his boat had refused to start, which meant an hour’s tinkering with the engine before he could get the temperamental thing going. Then his favorite supplier had been clean out of lobster. He was less than a two minute walk down the dock when an annoyed female voice sounded over the general hullabaloo.
“Touch and lose the hand, buddy…”
Just keep walking, Edan told himself as his protective instincts tried to kick in. He’d had enough of protecting people. Three long years he’d tried -- tried his damn hardest -- to protect others. What had it gotten him? A dead brother and injuries that had crippled him in dragon form, and that, in his human form, made women shudder. He would add a bad attitude, but that had been in place for years.
“Yeah, you think? Just try it and find out.”
Edan tried to walk past the boat with all the commotion. Out of the corner of his eye he could see a small crowd on deck, all men, surrounding what sounded like a very pissed off woman.
“Arrrghh, you fucking bitch!” A roar of pain drowned out the woman’s cursing. “You cut me! What the hell is that? A shell? Fucking hell, I’ll probably get tetanus now. You’ll pay for that!”
Crap. Edan sighed. That was the wrong thing to say…
There was no way his dragon, bloody, stupid, protective creature it was, was going to let a threat like that go. Not when a woman was in danger, and he was still without a fire companion. As far as it was concerned, any woman was a possible candidate.
“Is there a problem here?”
Edan’s silky drawl cut through the argument like a hot knife through butter. All eyes turned to where he stood on the gangplank, perfectly balanced despite the cane in one hand. The doctors had told him he no longer needed it. Apparently it was a mental thing -- an emotional support. However Edan ranked doctors and cockroaches on the same level so he wasn’t inclined to listen to anything they had to say.
“No problem here, mate, just move along.”
Blood dripped on the deck as one of the fishers, obviously the guy in charge, turned. His eyes were hard and unfriendly, not pleased to see the newcomer at all. Edan didn’t blame him. In this situation he wouldn’t be happy to see him either.
Injured or not, the tall Dragon knew how to handle himself and it showed. No one built the kind muscle Edan was packing without some serious time in a gym… or a ring. The vicious scars down the side of his face hinted at the latter. “Looking like a problem to me, mate.”
Edan’s eyes flicked around the silent, hostile crowd. All men, which didn’t surprise him, and all human, which didn’t surprise him either. In his experience, humans were more monstrous than the monsters they liked to deride. Something that was never truer than now; a bunch of human men terrorizing a poor, defenseless woman.
One of them strayed a little too close, and she swiped at him with the knife she held in her hand. The other was curled protectively around a lobster, of all things. Not your average lobster but a lobster built upon gargantuan lines. Edan’s belly rumbled. Now there was a meal!
The fisher yelped and moved out of range with a quick hop, skip and jump. Edan hid his grin. Okay, maybe she wasn’t so defenseless after all. However, what she was doing here, naked and dripping wet, was a question he wanted answered. Her curves registered in the back of his mind, but Edan was too good at what he did to let her feminine charms distract him from the matter at hand.
“Yeah, but not your problem. I’d move on mate. Wouldn’t want you to get the good side of your face all messed up. Looks like you’ve already picked a few fights with the wrong people.”
Edan shrugged, a one shouldered movement that screamed nonchalance. He wasn’t at his best, but if this guy wanted a fight, then Edan was more than prepared to oblige. “Let’s just say you don’t want to see the other guy. Not unless you’ve got a strong stomach.”
The man snorted. “Yeah, right, that’s what they all say. Now you gonna piss off or what?”
Edan’s gaze didn’t shift from the human’s face even though he could see the woman sneaking up behind him. One of his crew gave the game away instead with a yell. “Kev! Watch it, she’s got a --”
“Arrrrrrrrrgggggh! Getitoffmeass!” Kev shrieked in pain as the lobster clamped down on tender butt cheeks with powerful claws.
“-- lobster.”
Edan burst into movement as Kev rocketed across the deck, grabbing at his ass and trying to remove the lobster firmly attached there. Two men at the back grabbed the girl, leaving the rest to meet Edan head on.
The fight was fast and furious. Edan danced between his opponents with a lethal grace and skill rarely seen on the streets. Over six foot and well muscled, most people assumed Edan would be slow and lumberous, something he definitely was not.
They tried circling him. It didn’t work. As the two sidled up behind him, Edan dropped to the floor into press-up position. His leg swept around in a vicious arc and knocked them off their feet. Seconds later a couple of hundred pounds of pissed off dragon-shifter rolled over both men, and one got a knee in the throat, the other an elbow.
Edan left them in their own private worlds of pain, using the second guy’s stomach as a launch pad for his next offensive. His fists lashed out, finding pressure points and undefended stomachs. His feet slammed into joints; ankles, knees, ribs… Edan didn’t care. He brought all the violence of an MMA cage-fight up close and personal. Probably far more personal than the small group of fishermen had ever wanted in their lives.
The girl’s whimpers of fright reached his ears as the last man fell. Edan’s head whipped around. Lips curling back from his teeth, the thin trickle of a growl escaped his big chest at the sight before him. Eyes hot with rage, he stalked over the deck.
They had her spread out between them, too absorbed to notice the fight had ended. One was groping her breasts, and the dark marks of forming bruises took Edan’s fury up another notch. The other had his cock in hand as he tried to get between her legs, a difficult task while she was struggling like a wildcat. Edan’s hand landed on his shoulder.
“Fuck off and wait your turn, mate,” he snapped, casting a glance over his shoulder. The blood drained out of his face when he saw Edan. “Fuck me…”
Edan’s fist slammed into his jaw, sending him to the deck and into unconsciousness in one simple move. “Sorry, mate, you’re not my type.”
He turned to deal the second man a similar fate, but before he could, the girl twisted in her tormentor’s hold, wrapped her arms lover-like around his neck -- and slamm
ed a hard knee right into his groin.
“Ooooopphhh!”
He curled into a crumpled heap. Edan dropped back into a defensive crouch, looking around for more opponents, but the man at his feet was the last. Only Edan, the girl, and the lobster, who had detached himself from the now absent Kev’s ass, were left standing.
She was beautiful. There was no other word for it. As soon as Edan got a good look at her, his heart faltered and stopped, only to slam back into life again when his dragon stirred itself to see what all the fuss was about.
Pretty… Want. Want now, it demanded, as man and dragon assessed the vision of feminine loveliness in front of them.
Even though she was naked, she stood without shame or self-consciousness, her hair cascading down her back in a mass of wet curls. Neither her hair or the heart-stopping beauty of her face held Edan’s attention long as his gaze travelled south, both man and dragon transfixed.
Her breasts were full and firm, the nipples dark against the paleness of her skin. Edan’s mouth watered at the sight. He’d lick and kiss his way around those breasts, taking his time as he worked over every sensitive inch of skin until he’d reached her nipple. A nipple he’d suck into his mouth, plying it with his tongue and teeth until she moaned in pleasure.
His gaze moved downwards. That luscious rack made her narrow ribcage and waist seem tiny. Her waist appeared small enough that Edan was sure his fingers would touch around it. Her hips flared out beneath, the perfect place to put his hands as he fucked her from behind. The delights kept coming thick and fast. As she moved to check for new threats, Edan got a glimpse of smooth pussy lips below the neat triangle of hair over her mons.
He was going to have her -- no two ways about it. Ours, his dragon agreed, our souler. Edan didn’t get time to think about the last comment. Seeing the girl waver on her feet, he stood, and in a fluid movement, wrapped his arm around her waist to drag her against him. Then his arms were full of soft, naked, curvy woman, and his body roared to life.
Blood and need surged though his veins and pooled in his groin. Within seconds, his cock was as hard as an iron bar. Fuck. He’d gone way too long without a woman. She was scared out of her mind after being attacked, and all he could think of was spreading her thighs and sliding his cock into her hot, wet pussy.
A tremble ran through her, making Edan feel like even more of a shit than he already did. Making soothing sounds he stroked up and down her back. “It’ll be okay,” he murmured. “It’s all going to be okay.”
Slowly but surely, her trembling ceased until she rested pliant in his arms, and her hands lay motionless against his chest. Despite the fabric of his shirt, he could feel the touch of her skin against his, a touch which set him on fire. She moved, just a little, and her hips brushed against his. It was the smallest movement, but it brought her soft belly into contact with the erection tenting his pants.
He felt rather than heard her gasp. Lifting her head she looked at him, surprise in her ocean-colored eyes.
Edan steeled himself. He was not this crass -- no matter what people thought of him or his single-minded campaign since his brother’s disappearance. He wouldn’t force himself on any woman.
Ever. Especially not one who’d been through what she had.
Her eyes darkened a notch, hunger in their depths, and all his good intentions went to hell. Attention riveted on her mouth, he bent his head to claim her lips.
She tasted of heaven.
Edan drove his hand into her hair to hold her still. She didn’t struggle. Instead her lips parted on a small moan of her own. Far from having to coax her to respond, her response was easy and immediate. His tongue swept out and parted her lips, exploring her mouth with a ruthlessness that came straight from the dragon part of him. He was rewarded with the tentative brush of her tongue against his.
Heat exploded like fireworks through his body. She wasn’t shy. That much was obvious from her reaction, but Edan had had enough women -- indeed in his younger days he considered himself more of a lover than a fighter -- to tell she didn’t have an awful lot of experience. Certainly not enough to play dangerous games with an aroused dragon.
Try as he might though, Edan couldn’t bring himself to end the kiss. Despite the fact they were on a boat surrounded by men he’d beaten into unconsciousness, he couldn’t stop. Every possessive and protective instinct he had crowded to the fore and urged him to draw her closer, to mold her soft curves over the harder plains of his body and kiss her senseless.
Her little moans of pleasure urged him on, as did her hands in his hair. Her small hands pulled on the tie at the nape of his neck and freed the shoulder length blond locks to spill over his broad shoulders.
Her fingers wrapped in the silken strands and pulled his head back. Edan started in surprise, but his growl of warning became one of pleasure as her lips wandered down the bared column of his throat.
“Careful, doll, dangerous games,” he warned, even though, to his confusion, he found he liked the small display of dominance. Flattening his hands across the back of her hips, he pulled her flush against his cock. “Sure you want to go there?”
Her response was to nip his throat. The pinch of her blunt teeth was erotic as hell. For a second, Edan felt his dragon rise, scales pushing against the inside of his skin. Gritting his teeth, he held on to control. With his injuries, he didn’t like to change in front of anyone. Then her warm tongue brushed his skin…
Chapter Four
“Okay, one warning is all you get.”
Dualla squeaked in surprise as she was scooped up into strong arms. Instinctively, she clutched at his shoulders for support, but his grip was firm and his gait sure as he strode across the deck. She knew he wouldn’t drop her. She didn’t know how she knew, she just did. The knowledge was soul deep, as though he’d carried her in his arms many times before.
His loose hair brushed against the strong column of his throat and her gaze riveted to it. She was fascinated by her handsome rescuer, which was completely out of character for Dualla. She’d always prided herself on her independence and resourcefulness, yet here she was clinging to a guy like a stereotypical damsel in distress. Then there was the way she’d melted in his arms at the first touch of his lips, and the arousal that even now hummed through her body.
She’d never reacted like this to a man. Ever. Never wanted to take one to bed and screw his brains out as a reaction to a simple kiss. So locked in her internal musings, Dualla didn’t realize his intent until he set foot on the gangplank.
“Hey! No! What do you think you’re doing?” She tried to struggle from his arms, her voice panicked. He stopped and looked down at her, eyebrow arched in question. Heat flared across Dualla’s cheeks as she made herself meet his eyes.
“I’m not exactly dressed for company,” she pointed out, nodding down to indicate her nakedness.
Wrong move. His violet gaze dropped for a second and she felt his gaze on her breasts. Her nipples hardened into taut peaks, begging for his touch. Her pussy ached in an insistent demand to be filled. Heat and hunger burnished his eyes to the color of midnight. Then he shook his head. “Crap, yeah. You’re right. Hold on.”
He gently set her on her feet, and to Dualla’s surprise, he proceeded to strip out of his shirt. Any sense of embarrassment she had disappeared, forgotten as his fingers worked the buttons of his shirt. First one, then two and more parted to reveal his chest, hairless and solid with muscle. Dualla curled her fingers into fists as she fought the need to explore with her hands and lips.
The fabric slipped from his shoulders as he shrugged out of the garment. Her eyes widened as they followed the lines of his back. Here the skin was heavily marked and scarred. This time her gasp was audible and had more to do with shock than admiration. As soon as the sound left her lips, Dualla knew it was the wrong thing to do.
Her rescuer stiffened, his shirt caught half on and half off his shoulders. He pierced her with a hard look. “Something wrong?”
His voice was like a whip. Dualla ripped her gaze away from the mess of scars down his back but she was too late. He’d seen her look. The tension between them changed from the throbbing awareness of arousal to just plain tension.
“Seen enough?” he demanded, tearing the shirt the rest of the way off. “Or would you like me to do a little twirl as well? For fuck’s sake, cover yourself up,” he snarled, his look scathing as he bundled the shirt up in his hands and shoved it at her.
She took the shirt automatically, then scrambled into it as quickly as she could. “Look, I’m really, really --”
Edan cut her off with a vicious movement of his hand. “If you’re going to say ‘thank you’ then can it. I’m not interested.“ He snarled and stalked off down the dock.
“… sorry.” Dualla blinked, her words addressed to his retreating back. She looked down to where Levi had poked his head out from behind a coil of rope. His claws waggled, an offensive gesture if ever Dualla saw one.
“Yeah, it was a bit out of order, wasn’t it? And I thought only women got PMS.”
Her gaze followed him along the dock, his tall form easily picked out amongst the thin crowd. With a build like that, there was no way he’d disappear into a crowd, even without the limp or the scars. Curiosity filled her. What had happened to him to cause the scars and the caustic attitude?
“Well, I’m sorry. Mr. Grumpy he might be, but he did save our lives. No, don’t look at me like that. You were destined for the cook pot and you know it,” she told Levi firmly. “And he saved Melody too, so like it or not, we need to say thank you. Or at least make the effort.”
Mind made up, Dualla tucked Levi firmly under her arm. She gathered some curious looks as she walked along the dock -- after all, there weren’t many women dressed in nothing but a man’s shirt and carrying a lobster walking the dock, but she ignored them all. Confidence was the key. Act as though you belonged and no one challenged you. Inside though, she was half waiting for someone behind her to shout “Mermaid! Someone stop her!”