Chapter 12 Reef
TWELVE
REEF
The smell of her blood hit my nostrils, the intoxicating high of her savory, metallic aroma dilating my pupils. Barracuda. I held my breath and began to swim towards her scent—it was coming from my cove.
“Reef!” My name rippled from her beautiful mouth, fading towards me as I spotted her in the distance. She was halfway in the water, wearing only a wet, white t-shirt, revealing her perfect breasts. I swam slightly, hoping to remain unnoticed just like the night we first met.
“Reef, I need you!”
I need you too, baby girl. I slithered to the bottom of the ocean floor and crawled to her side, gripping her ankles.
She gasped, my hands pulling her under, positioning her legs around me as she sat perfectly on my face.
Her fingers pulled my hair, bubbles escaping her widened mouth as I stroked her center with my tongue, licking the menstrual blood from her body.
God, she tasted amazing. I thrusted my tongue inside her one last time before allowing our bodies to surface.
“Reef!” she screamed as she splashed me. I couldn’t help but laugh as she waded there, aroused and flustered. “Listen, I really need to tell you something.”
I swam towards her, hugging her close as I wrapped her legs around me. “Tell you what. I’ll listen, but after you do something with me.”
“Reef, seriously. This is—”
“Come on, Barracuda. Just one tiny little thing.” I leaned in close, touching my forehead to hers. My cock pressed against her center, bulging beneath my shorts.
Delilah gasped. “There’s nothing tiny about that.” She gazed into my eyes, the blue of her irises popping against the sea water. She was breathtaking. “Fine. What’s your thing?”
I grinned, releasing her body as I pulled back. She looked at me puzzled by what I was doing. “You swim, I hunt.” Her brows furrowed as I winked, slowly dipping back under the water.
“Oh shit!” she cried, laughing as she began to swim away.
That’s it, Barracuda, swim. I’m coming for you.
Delilah
I kicked my legs, paddling my arms and trying to swim away, but Reef was fast, even as a human. Inhaling deeply, I dove into the water and tried to swim away, but he grabbed my ankle and yanked me back to him.
Our bodies broke the surface as I busted out laughing, Reef echoing my glee. “I win,” he whispered against my ear, biting it gently.
I groaned, fighting the urge to fuck him right here in the water. “Reef, listen.” He continued to kiss my neck, his hands groping my breasts. “I really need to tell you something.”
He whipped me around, smiling as I held onto him. “Think you can tell me while riding my cock?” he teased. God, I want to ride you so bad.
“My dad and Dale are on their way to hunt you.” I spat the words, knowing I wouldn’t be able to control myself if I didn’t say it soon.
Reef’s smile faded as he stared at me, processing what I just said. “What?”
I told Reef everything. He silently helped me back to the shore of the cove so I could dress. “What are we going to do?” I asked, adjusting my shorts.
“We?” He looked at me.
“Yes, we. My dad may be the Chief, but he’s still my dad.
I don’t want anything to happen to him…no matter our past.” I crossed my arms, forcing the painful memories back.
“I mean, there has to be a way to stop them. If only there was a way we could sabotage the—” I stopped, thinking of the perfect plan.
“Reef, could you get out there? To the boat?”
He tilted his head, crossing his arms. “Of course. The real question is, can you handle how fast I am?”
I grinned. “I’ve done pretty well so far.”
As the sun fully set and began to descend into darkness, Reef swam up to me, his giant shark form magnificent and powerful.
I paddled alongside him, gripping his top fin as he began to gain speed.
He swam with a gentle eagerness, cautious of me holding onto him as we aimed in the direction of Dale’s fishing boat.
Within minutes, I could see the old, rickety boat rocking against the waves in the dark. It was a few miles ahead and anchored.
As we got closer, I tapped Reef’s back and held my breath as he slowly dipped us down into the dark depths. We quickly swam to the side of the boat, remaining undetected.
I tapped his back again, releasing Reef’s fin as I swam, and gently broke through the surface. Chum muddled the water around me, the foul smell gagging my senses as the harsh, aggressive waves knocked the bloodied water into my mouth. I spat it out, disgusted.
I grabbed a piece of hanging rope along the side, struggling to pull myself up, my bare feet slipping.
I watched as Reef swam by, pushing me higher so I could climb onto the side of the boat.
I grabbed onto the edge and pulled myself over, watching as he swam away and prepared for the next part of our plan.
Remember what Reef said, I repeated to myself, going over the information he had given me earlier as I leaned against the side of the boat, carefully inching toward the cabin, waiting for Reef.
I stared out into the dark sea, noticing his fin as it pierced through the waves and began to circle the boat.
I gripped the rope for stability, bracing myself.
Reef nudged the fishing boat, tipping it lightly as it rocked back and forth. My father and Dale both rushed from inside the cabin, immediately noticing him.
“It worked!” Dale hollered. “Chumming the water worked! Yes! Oh, see that? That’s our shark, Chief!”
“Yeah, yeah, now what do we do?” my dad yelled, wobbling.
“Now, we kill it.” Dale grabbed his shotgun, loading the barrel.
“You really think that is going to stop it?” my dad called out.
Dale cocked the weapon, aiming it as he waited for Reef to return. “We’re about to find out.”
Right on cue, Reef rocked the boat a second time, knocking both the men to the ground as I quietly snuck by and entered the cabin. They cursed, trying to stand as I did what Reef mentioned—I sabotaged the boat. My hand pulled the wires of the radio, the electrical wiring sparking as I screamed.
“What was that?” Dale whipped in my direction as I ducked, trying to hide. “Chief, did you hear that?” Their footsteps grew louder as they headed in my direction. I began to panic, searching for another way out…but there wasn’t one.
As the handle to the cabin turned, the boat rocked again, creating a small leak in the cabin as the men outside tumbled over. They rushed to the edge of the boat, wobbling to stay balanced as Dale shot at the water. No, Reef!
I crawled across the wet floor of the cabin, cracking the door and sliding out onto the deck.
Dale was shooting into the water as my father covered his ears.
The shooting stopped as Dale reloaded his gun, the empty shells clanking against the deck.
I scuttled the edge of the boat, trying to climb down, when someone yanked me back onto the boat.
“Look who we have here!” Dale shouted, pushing me down as I fell at my father’s feet. “Our own little troublemaker.”
“What the hell are you doing out here, Delilah?” my father scolded me, grabbing my arm as he forced me to my feet. “Answer me, dammit!”
“Chief.” Dale called my father to him. He continued to squeeze my arm, dragging me along as Dale lifted the sparking wires. “Looks like your daughter doesn’t want us to find the shark.”
My cheek stung as the back of my father’s hand slapped me.
I fell to the ground, water splashing my burning face.
“I’ve grown tired of your disobedience and lack of respect.
” Tears fell down my face as all the repressed, painful memories of his abuse flooded my brain.
“After your mother died, I tried everything in my power to steer you right, and yet here you are—wasting the life your mother gave you!”
“Chief.” Dale tapped his shoulder. “It’s back.” The two men rushed to the desk as Reef swam towards them. “Get the engine going!” Dale screamed, cocking his gun. “Now!”
My father shuffled past me and tried to start the boat, but he couldn’t. “Why isn’t it starting?” He tried again, his temper quickly boiling as I laughed at him. He turned around with a stone-cold expression. “What did you do, Delilah?” he demanded, tightening his jaw. “Tell me.”
“Bite me,” I spat.
My father stepped to my side. “It should’ve been your life that was taken early from this world, not your mother’s.” I knew he meant every word. I could feel it, the pain and hatred seething off his dark soul.
I leaned up, glaring at him as tears burned my eyes. “Mom was a coward. She let you beat us, every day, until she couldn’t live with it any longer. She might have held the gun to her temple, but you pulled the trigger.” He grabbed my face, squeezing my bruised, reddened cheeks tight.
Dale fired two more rounds into the water. “Chief! The engine!” My father pushed me back, kicking me in the face with his boot as he rushed to start the boat.
My nose began to bleed as the boat engine came alive. No! I grabbed my face and looked around. We were moving.
Dale cheered out on the dock, joining us. “That’ll at least put some distance between us.” He glanced at me, noticing the blood. “What happened here?”
My father stared ahead, speaking with a calm voice. “Discipline.”
Dale removed his hat, sitting on the cot as he stared at me, enjoying my pain. “Buckle up buttercup. We’re going for a ride.”
Reef
Delilah hadn't returned to the sea as we planned. The increasing fear of what could have happened to her flooded my veins as I swam through the cold water, searching the darkness for any sign of her. Where are you, Barracuda?
The motor of the fishing boat rumbled to life as the boat took off into the night. Shit. Delilah must still be on board, which wasn't ideal. I needed to stop them. No one takes my girl.
I flew through the water behind the boat, maintaining a safe distance between myself and the rudder, thoughts of her racing through my mind.
I'm coming for you, Barracuda.