by J B Black
But no matter where his mind went, it found its way back to Jack the Knife and all he had said. Tan skin haunted him. A bright smiling set in a face he couldn’t exactly remember became Nereus’s visage with his piercing blue eyes. Bellamy ached to knot his fingers in the god’s hair, pulling him close as he claimed those petulant lips. Would the sea god melt beneath him? Flushing and nubile as the water he called home, would he part those long legs and beg to be plundered?
For the first time in his life, Bellamy took himself in hand. The hard length of his cock weighed strangely in his palm, but the ring of his fingers became the tight clutch of Nereus’s body in his mind’s eye. Again and again, he thrust into the depths as that cocky voice turned to pleasurable moans. A voice made warm with want. Perhaps he’d flood him until his belly swelled. Until softness bled into his being. Jack the Knife said it, hadn’t he? The sea was fertile, and so why wouldn’t the god of it be as well?
His head heated with the thought of it:
Pushing Nereus down in the sand, Bellamy climbed between his parted legs, revealing the hard length of the god’s cock and nearly folding him in half to lick at the musky salt taste of his untouched hole. He would suck and lick, delving into the purity of the god’s body until Nereus begged.
Flushed and wanting, the god would claw divots into the sand, pleading, “Take me! Bellamy, I-I need you inside me!”
And when Bellamy pressed his cock inside, piercing that tight warmth of the other man’s body, the god would cry out, spurting his release upon his chest as he writhed. But it wouldn’t be enough. Not for Bellamy and not for Nereus.
Over and over, Bellamy would thrust into the heat of his god’s body, taking him in a way no one ever had. Leaving a mark inside where no one could see. A mark Nereus would feel. A mark he would never escape from as long as he lived — however long that proved to be for a god.
With a grunt, Bellamy came, spraying his own release into the cup of his hand and frustration brewed in his belly. He would never plant a child in Nereus. Rumors claimed warlocks could have children, but why would a god allow himself to be bred by a worthless urchin?
Unable to sleep, Bellamy took to the streets, petitioning and selling the promised gold and ships to every soul upon the island. If Nereus needed an army, Bellamy would provide one. The god would owe his victory to him, and everything the man would build from the riches given in exchange would be well earned.
If he took himself in hand again right before dawn, biting the pillow of the bed he hadn’t slept in as he imagined Nereus painted in his cum, that would be a secret he took with him to the grave.
***
At dawn, as the golden light of the sun warmed the blue of the ocean’s waters to a cascading pathway of orange light, Bellamy stood with his coat unbuttoned on the end of the longest dock. His eyes studied the sea.
All around him, pirates murmured. Some only rose to see what the god might bring while others intended to offer their services for a share of the treasure the ocean held hostage. Whichever they walked away with — gold or a story — they would have found the early light small payment in exchange.
Sea birds called overhead, and from the depths of the ocean, ships rose. One by one, sailing in a V formation with the grandest vessel leading the way, they rose like dead returned. Not a single barnacle clung to their hull. The wood shimmered as the water dried, but there was none of the damage of driftwood or even of the wreckages Bellamy had seen near the sirens’ island. These ships looked like a navy armada coming to arrest them all, but those on the dock saw them rise from the ocean, and upon the forecastle of the frontmost ship, Nereus stood.
Just the sight of him sent a shiver of uncertainty through Bellamy to his very bones. A dozen ships, lined up for his inspection laid their anchors in the water, and Nereus descended, walking upon the water the rest of the way as the ships waited there.
“Whatever we don’t need, I can send down again,” Nereus announced, glancing at the men as if counting their number and finding them too few.
Pulling out the book he kept in his inner jacket pocket, Bellamy, opened it to show the pages of names. “Twelve might be too few.”
Those lush lips curved into a bright smile, and wanting shifted strangely in Bellamy’s stomach. He couldn’t run his tongue. Never having flirted, he had no idea how to go about it now, and if he insulted the god, he risked everything. Until the battle was one and Mar dead, he could not be certain Nereus would give him the favor he craved. Nothing mattered. Not even his growing lust for the man. Not compared to his goal.
“Wonderful. There are other ships I can collect if needs be, but let’s have you pick yours first,” Nereus said, offering his hand. He stayed upon the water, and seeing Bellamy’s hesitation, the god sighed. “I won’t let you drown.”
“I have no desire to get my boots wet,” Bellamy retorted. “Which is the fastest?”
Letting his hand drop, Nereus gestured over his shoulder at the bird third to the right from center. “That’s the fastest. Largest is center. Most guns too, but if you’re looking for a balance between canons and speed, that would be the ship on the far left.”
“Bring a rowboat, and we’ll see about those three then,” Bellamy returned, and despite the frustrated expression which flashed across the god’s face, the other man listened.
Bellamy took Simon with him, knowing the younger man had a better idea than he did what made a ship good. Up each mast, Simon climbed. He checked every inch, testing the wood and the chains. Making sure nothing was out of order.
“I’d go with the one on the farthest left. If you pushed the additional canons overboard, you might speed this up to beat that other ship,” Simon informed him.
Nodding, Bellamy pulled out his book of names. “You think you could keep a crew?”
“You offering me a ship, Bells?”
“I rather have people I trust at my sides, and I managed to get enough men to crew only ten of these,” Bellamy informed him.
With his small squinty-eyed mischievous smile, Simon leaned against the side of the ship. “Wouldn’t mind a ship, and I’ve got a few friends I could bring around to crew it that aren’t on your list.” His eyes glanced to Nereus who watched from the forecastle. “Still need one more crew then, and you’d still be running on bare bones.”
“A number of these men already have a ship, but given the chance to improve their circumstances, I don’t doubt they’d pick one of these,” Bellamy said, and he crossed over to the god. “Simon will take this one. I’ll take the fastest, and we’ll arrange with the other men which one they want. If you drop anchor, we’ll take care of the rest.”
Once more, the god held out his hand. He offered the side the cuff was not on. “Swear to it?” When the blond’s brows furrowed, Nereus explained, “Any man who intends to fight for me will swear to it. I can protect you better that way, and if you break loyalty, I will know before a betrayal gets my people killed.”
With a nod, Bellamy clasped his hand about the god’s forearm, feeling the smooth fingers against his rough skin. “I swear to fight beside you against Mar in exchange for ship, gold, and a favor.”
“And I swear my protection in addition to our agreement for however long you are in my service,” the god returned.
A rush of pleasure shot through the blond. It would be all too easy to pull the god closer — to steal Nereus’s lips, devouring them with the strange hunger that built up in his belly, but his heart raced, panicking at the depth and unfamiliar nature of the sentiment brewing inside, and with a hum, he pushed it deep inside, locking it away.
Chapter Ten
If humans were strange, pirates were the strangest of all. They accepted the supernatural quickly, but they questioned the nuances. When told it would be beneficial if some learned to fight in the water, the pirates only did so when they realized mermaids would be responsible for helping them gain their footing. Before Nereus could offer to shift their shapes, many of the pirates demanded
it, enjoying the freedom of their temporary mermanhood.
Those who stayed aboard the ships trained with nets and arrows, plotting out the plans of attacks with Nereus, Preecha, and the few scholars who had gathered to provide intelligence on Mar’s defenses.
Worst of all was Bellamy. Handsome and blunt, the pirate captain pushed every button Nereus had, and even when the sea god struggled to hold his tongue, the blond smiled deviously and said, “You don’t like me much, do you?”
“I’m not accustomed to pirate ships. I need to remain in my territory to be aware of any advances Mar might make, so I have to project a doppelganger when you or one of the captains needs me for an island visit, or I have to take ownership of the island which isn’t always possible,” the god explained, folding his arms over his chest. “It’s why I had you all swear loyalty to me. If you are my people, I can protect you and anything you own becomes part of my territory — including these vessels.”
Bellamy tilted his head as his dark eyes narrowed. “So this is the real you?”
“Yes. Of course it is!”
The blond nodded, studying the god with that heavy gaze of his before he focused once more on the men in the water. “They’ve taken to it rather well. We should be ready soon.”
“Mar hasn’t gained territory, and he isn’t getting aid from any other god, so his army shouldn’t be any bigger than what we already know,” Nereus informed the pirate. Shaking his head, the sea god jumped to stand upon the side of the boat. “If you’re interested, I could make it so you can join them. Bless you to be a merman. Temporarily.”
“I have no interest. I’ll fight for you from this ship,” Bellamy replied.
With a sigh, Nereus dove down into the waters of his realm, joining the merfolk who aided the pirates. Already, the men could swim without problem, and they had adjusted their knowledge of swordplay and weaponry better than the god had expected. They would be a formidable army. If they could keep their hands to themselves.
Grabbing the wandering hand of a pirate who had been instructing a mermaid in the proper grip for a sword, Nereus offered a vicious grin. “If you disrespect any of my people, I will bring you to the floor and remove your gills. Am I understood?”
“Yes, Lord Nereus!” the pirate said, pulling away.
Glaring about the men, Nereus reminded them, “Any attack on my people — any law you break against them is a break of your covenant with me, and as you well know, I am a vengeful god.”
All the pirates agreed, quickly murmuring amongst each other as Nereus swam to Preecha’s side. He hated the way they talked. The way their eyes traced over every new little thing. A hunger existed in them. Most were polite, but whether it was for gold or simple enjoyment, the pirates wanted — craving more, always more.
“I fear you’ll find some children sprouting from this endeavor,” Preecha grumbled, and before Nereus could go on the offensive, the cecaelia added, “Many mermaids have been flirting back just as fiercely, my lord. I spotted Lila flirting rather brazonly with an older pirate this morning. She played with his beard and gave him a bead from her latest project.”
“I blame you.”
“Understandable, my lord. How anyone can resist the natural hedonistic aura I ooze is beyond me!” Preecha jested with a straight face and even tone.
Nereus snorted, smacking the man on the back. “You were the one who suggested pirates.”
“It was a good idea.”
Unable to argue with the cecaelia, Nereus deflated before he could take the accusation much further. “Something is wrong with that cuff.”
Preecha’s eyes narrowed. “Cuff?”
“Bellamy Drake — the pirate who brought all these men to my service — won’t come near the water. Every time he gets close, I feel like my extremities are tingling,” Nereus explained. Crossing his arms over his chest, the god shivered. “It irritates me.”
“Because he won’t enter your realm?” Preecha inquired.
Scoffing, Nereus rolled his eyes. “His ship is my realm.”
“Just barely. You’ve got enough claim to allow you to spend some time on without breaking your territory, but not enough that you can get a good read on him. He swore his loyalty. You should have just as decent a read on him out of your territory as you would if he entered the water,” Preecha pointed out, and as always, the cecaelia was right.
Not that it helped. Something about Bellamy set Nereus on edge. That cuff — or perhaps the man’s attitude — constantly seemed to push the sea god away while pulling him in at the same time. In his presence, Nereus ached to claw at the man, poke at him over and over until he could unravel the web of mystery which surrounded the captain. Even if the man was young, he stood as the major connection between Nereus and the pirates. Older captains seemed content to have Bellamy negotiate for them, speaking with him behind closed doors.
Surveying the training failed to help. Nereus huffed, rubbing the bridge of his nose before he left, returning to the ship once more. He hated not knowing.
“Why?” Nereus demanded, jumping onto the deck and storming into Bellamy’s cabin.
The man jumped, fumbling with his markers over a map of Mar’s territory. He had marked out right where Nereus described at the last meeting, and the sight of his startled eased some of the strange tension in the god’s belly, but the pirate recovered far too quickly for it to last.
“Why what?”
Nereus’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you afraid of the water? Does it have something to do with that cuff?” Storming over toward the captain, Nereus reached out. “Let me look. I can fix it if —”
Calloused hands cupped his face, drawing him into a kiss. A tongue slipped into his mouth, sliding along his own as Bellamy tilted his head. This must have been what it felt like to be devoured. Pressing forward, the pirate guided Nereus against the wall of the cabin, guiding their bodies together as he buried his hands in Nereus’s dark hair.
Under his touch, the sea god melted. His heart sang, rejoicing at finding his mate, but before the god could even process what his magic told him, the bitterness of a curse followed. Gasping, Nereus tried to pull back, but Bellamy latched onto his neck, sucking at the sensitive skin below his ear as he rocked their cocks against one another.
The cuff was cursed. Though Nereus couldn’t tell the exacts, the way it rebounded their bond back upon him told him enough. The water of his realm was the weakness to whatever magic the cuff possessed, and for as long as Bellamy wore it, he would not be able to feel the mating bond between them. Not as clearly as he should. Not completely.
“B-Bellamy,” Nereus moaned, pulling the man tighter against him as shivers traveled down his spine. Everything came too quickly. Heat building, coiling in his stomach as the human rutted wildly against him. “Ah! Stop! We need to talk!”
Teeth nipped at the soft lobe of Nereus’s ear. “Why? I can feel you. You want this as much as I do, don’t you?”
“Of course, I do! You’re my mate,” the sea god shouted, managing to halt the pirate in his tracks. When the blond pulled back and stared at him with dark eyes, Nereus huffed. “All gods have fated partners. Soulmates. You’re mine. You would have felt it with the kiss if you didn’t have that cursed cuff on.”
Tilting his head, Bellamy gave a smile that failed to reach his eyes. “If you want to sleep with me, you don’t need to use a line. I want you too.”
Heat radiated from the pirate’s touch. Nereus never imagined meeting his mate would go like this. Bellamy pressed against, warmth making the want in the sea god’s belly curl tighter and tighter. He never thought it would be this way. Want boiling up. His mate — so untouched.
Hadn’t his father gone nearly made with want even before he had his territory? Vasant often spoke of how he recognized Thanas as his mate and could not bear to be apart, turning his first season as the god of spring into a terrible winter. Whenever they could, the two came together in desperation. Their love — dangerously obsessive as it always
seemed to Nereus — set an expectation in his heart which stole much of the heat from Bellamy’s covetous touch. If the pirate only wanted him in his bed, would he be left alone again when Bellamy had what he wanted?
Uncertainty nearly overtook Nereus’s desire, but if he could not get Bellamy to remove the cuff, he could only hope the spell might be broken by consummation of their bond, so meeting the other’s dark gaze, Nereus rocked his hips forward. “Can you keep up with a god?”
A devious smirk spread across Bellamy’s face. “Oh, sweetheart, I’m going to make a mess of you.”
And he did. His hands seemed to touch everywhere on Nereus’s body all at once. Clothes fell away. With a sweep of his arm, Bellamy sent the map and his markers flying, and he pushed Nereus’s chest against the cold wood. A knee forced the god’s thighs apart and spreading the god’s cheeks, the pirate ducked, licking across the tight furl he found there.
Nereus yelped, jumping at the touch. “What? Don’t — that’s - that’s unnecessary. I can —”
“Can what?” Bellamy nipped at the smooth skin of one round cheek. “Get slick? Are you going to drip for me?”
It was dirty, irreverent speech, but as strong as a command, Nereus found the words struck him to the core. At once, the heat building up in his belly shifted downward to his aching cock which hung dripping on the floor and back to his hole which dampened. Wetness gathered there, easy the way, but Bellamy panted against his skin, sucking and licking his way inside regardless.
“This is mine then? Hm?” A finger pressed inside along the pirate’s tongue. Every single thing he said vibrated against Nereus’s skin, leaving him clawing at the table. “My hole to fuck. Wet like a woman and just as ready to be filled with my bastard?” Moaning, the sea god flushed, burying his face in one arm.
Yes! He yearned to scream it, but he bit down on his tongue, refusing to admit how his body thrummed, desperate to be fucked and filled until it took. If this was all he would ever have of Bellamy, Nereus intended to keep any other results from this wild union a secret.