Undertow (Whyborne & Griffin #8.5)

She sat on the bed beside me. “So are you,” she said, running a hand down my thigh. A whimper escaped me. “Some find land dwellers strange to look upon, but I enjoy looking at you. Can I see more?”

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. She watched avidly while I removed my nightgown, stockings, and drawers. When I was done, she brushed the thatch of hair between my legs with her fingertips, as if curious. The ketoi were all hairless and sleek, more like orcas than seals in that way. Need and anticipation and nervousness all tangled in my belly, and I parted my thighs. She dipped her finger between them, pressing the pad into my folds and drawing a sigh from me.

“I didn’t think to bring…caps, I think is your word? For my claws,” she said regretfully. She withdrew her hand and licked the moisture off her finger. “Mmm. But don’t worry. I’ll take care of you.”

“I’m more w-worried about the reverse,” I said. My face burned horribly, but I couldn’t leave the words unsaid. “I know…somewhat… but…”

She leaned over me, and my breath caught. Her eyes burned bright with desire. I slid my arms tentatively around her shoulders, and she stretched out beside me, her body against mine. Her skin felt marvelous—even more so when she threaded her thigh between mine, pushing up while I pressed down.

She ran her hands reverently over my side, shoulder, and down my arm. “No fins,” she said.

I touched the nearest fin, jutting up from her arm. It was hard, cartilaginous. “Are they sensitive?”

“No.”

I slid my hand up to her shoulder. A questing tendril coiled around my wrist. “What about your, um, hair?”

“Much more so. Like fingers or toes.” She considered for a moment. “Don’t pull too hard, though. I don’t want to sting you by accident.”

I certainly didn’t want that either, so I traced a line over her throat, across the opercula closed tight over the gills slits. She moved against me, little thrusts of her hips that pushed her thigh against the hard bud between my legs. Each movement sent a rousing shock of pleasure along my nerves, and I soon moved in time with her.

She kissed me again, her hand cupping my breast as she did so. Her thumb stroked the skin along the side, a place I’d always found sensitive in my own explorations, and I made an encouraging sound into her mouth.

She pulled back, leisurely exploring my neck, working down to my breast. Her lips sucked on one nipple, while she continued to fondle the rest of the breast. I gasped and arched into her. Delight washed through me: her hands on my skin, her thigh pressing into my folds, her mouth on my nipple. I cried out, my breaths coming in short pants as the first crest shuddered through me.

“Let me touch you,” I gasped. I wanted to share this with her, to return the pleasure she gave me.

“Of course,” she said, and rolled away, spreading herself open for me.

Her nipples were darkly pigmented against the pale coloration of her chest, belly, and thighs. Her breasts were small, but I cupped what I could, then plucked at one nipple with my fingers. To my satisfaction, she arched into me in response, her eyes slitted with pleasure. “Harder. Use your nails.”

I did so. Then inspiration struck, and I replaced one hand with my mouth. Surely teeth would be a novel sensation for her there. An enthusiastic groan was my reward, and much of my nervousness melted away. She tasted of salt and smelled of the sea.

“Let me taste you,” she panted. Our legs were intertwined again, and I could feel her wetness against my thigh as she ground against me.

Her fierce teeth gave me pause. But going by her confidence, the ketoi presumably did this sort of thing to one another without any unfortunate incidents. “Yes?” I said. “That is, if you’d like.”

She propped herself up on an elbow and grinned down at me. “I would like. Spread your legs and draw your knees up.”

I blushed, to expose myself so to her. My pulse raced, and my limbs trembled with desire. She stretched out between my legs, leaned forward, and ran her tongue through my folds.

Heat shocked through me, and I jerked involuntarily against the sheets. “Mmm. So sweet,” Persephone said. Her fingers spread my folds apart, and she set her tongue to work.

I bit my lip to keep myself from crying out. This was far better than anything I’d imagined. She licked slowly up my outer petals, one side then the other, before delving further inward.

My moans became audible when she turned her attention to my pearl, lapping first softly, then more firmly. At the same time, I became aware of her tentacle hair winding around my thighs, slithering down close to her mouth. They twined through my folds, and one slipped inside, just as she sucked—

I arched off the bed with a shout. Lights flashed behind my closed eyes, and the pleasure crested and crested, on and on until it broke over me like a wave.

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