Chapter 5- Reed
THE SALTWATER JACUZZI in my bathroom begins to bubble, putting a smile on my face.
I run my hand in the warm water. My skin instinctively knows it’s just like the ocean, and I shiver in delight, knowing I’m about to take a dip.
Sure, I could go to the beach, but I don’t want to risk anyone seeing me, not even at this early hour.
The disdain my parents had for my tentacle form is a knot of toxic memories that lives in my gut.
So, I strip off my clothes, ready to let my early Sunday commence.
After placing my phone at the edge of the tub, I dip my body into the exquisite seawater.
I’m grateful I splurged on the private tub that can engulf my five-foot-ten frame and then some.
What’s the point of a six-figure salary if I can’t buy things that make me comfortable?
Once I’m submerged, I feel at peace, far away from the stresses of my job.
Here in a warm pool, behind closed doors, I can be the sea monster I am deep inside.
So I let that part of me out. My skin shifts to a firmer tone, and I know I’m purple all over.
My legs morph, and I unfurl the six tentacles below.
My lower appendages reach up while my head and hair, now slick with purple skin, stay submerged.
My tentacles reach the air and fling themselves over, each one almost sentient.
But they are still very much a part of me, and the suckers feel and taste the world around me.
I breathe in through the water. My inner kraken is happy.
As I relax underwater, far from the stresses of life, the blood starts flowing.
Like most men, regardless of species, being alone with nothing better to do leads to one thing―touching myself.
The relaxation and solitude cause spikes of arousal across my skin.
My purple hands—my upper body is mostly humanoid—begin to trail up my chest and behind my neck.
Images of a certain dirty blond researcher with glasses flood my mind’s eye.
When the naughty tendrils catch my nipples, I gasp.
“Skyler,” I whisper underwater.
My tentacles outside the tub quiver while my hands don’t stop moving.
I can’t shake the thoughts of that friendly, flirtatious twink chatting with me yesterday.
He looked so good, and when he mentioned that he’s gay, my inner kraken roared with delight.
I wanted to bind him up with my tentacles, and the wine certainly wasn’t helping to control my hormones.
I was probably spiking so many pheromones that the whole damn ocean could have smelled me.
He confirmed he’s gay and wants to be my friend. It’s been so long since I’ve wanted someone or gotten along with anyone socially.
I pull back the hood of my lower tentacles to reveal my growing hardness.
My dick is usually tucked away in my nude monster form, but now it’s demanding attention.
I may not be in my early twenties anymore, but thoughts of Skyler have me rock solid in record time.
The way my tentacles desire him is so primal.
So I give in. All alone in my bathroom, I bring two tentacles down to stroke myself.
Jolts of that delicious pleasure course through my veins.
When I picture Skyler’s perfect smile, I tweak my nipples harder.
Jerking off in my human form is nothing compared to this method, one of the few benefits of being a shifter.
Next, I picture him taking off his clothes. I wonder what his chest or ass looks like? He’s so lean, I could definitely carry him if he let me. With or without his glasses, he looks equally handsome. His smile was so sly, like he wanted me so badly.
His words echo across my mind. “As your newest friend, I’d be happy to, Reed.”
“Fuhh…” I let out a guttural obscenity as my tentacles jerk faster. I play with my chest rapidly, matching my strokes below. In seconds, that beautiful climax encroaches on me. All I can focus on is the thought of kissing Skyler all over. What does he taste like…?
Just as I let out my orgasm underwater, I sense a vibration outside the tub.
One of my tentacles detects that my phone is going off.
I try to ride out the delicious climax and ignore the damn thing.
After ten seconds of living in heaven, the constant vibrations slam me back to reality.
I know it’s my job, because they and Aisen are the only ones who get a vibration tone.
My first orgasm in weeks, and it’s ruined by work. Typical.
I emerge from the water and grab a hand towel. I don’t even bother shifting back as I dry my hands and then reach for the phone.
“This is Reed,” I say promptly. One of the many department heads apologizes for disturbing me on a Sunday and spins me a tale about how one of the medical lounges had a water main break.
“Okay, why don’t you move them to the nurse’s lounge on the same floor and call environmental services?”
I can’t hide my annoyance despite literally orgasming thirty seconds ago. Work interrupted my post-nut relaxation!
As my hospital employee talks about other drama, there’s a knock on the door. “Uncle Reed?”
I bristle and try to school my annoyance at the world at large.
Aisen knows not to disturb me in my bathroom unless it’s an emergency.
But my tentacles still feel like jelly, and I kind of want to go back to sleep.
“Yeah?” I yell to the door a few yards away.
I don’t even bother pushing down my phone for this other conversation.
“We’re out of Blob Tarts, and I wanted breakfast. Can we go to Wraithmart and buy some more?”
I groan while the employee on the phone panics about environmental services not being available on a Sunday. This is why I don’t take days off. “Hang tight, Aisen!” I holler.
Gradually, I get out of the tub and shift into my naked human form.
Putting the phone to my ear again, I say, “Well, call a vendor who can do plumbing as soon as possible and tap into the emergency fund. We have a credit card in my office for that reason. And the nurses are just going to have to deal with sharing space with the doctors for a day!”
With the phone to my ear, I dry off and put on a towel. I’m not even hiding how irked I am by my employee. This is not at all how I wanted to start my day.
Two hours later, I’m driving back from Wraithmart and an early lunch with Aisen.
I used our little shopping trip to not only stock up on groceries but also buy some new clothes for my nephew.
He outgrows his pants and shoes like crazy, but being a good parent means keeping up with these adolescent changes.
We also stopped to get burgers and fries for lunch. Is it healthy? No. I’m trying to be a good parent, not a perfect parent.
“You can go back to sleep when we get home,” Aisen says softly.
“Huh?” I ask as we exit the highway.
“I’ll just, like, do homework.”
I quirk a confused eyebrow at him. “I don’t need to sleep.”
“Oh, well, you seemed really pissed when I knocked on your door.”
My jaw clenches. “Don’t say pissed. Say peeved. And I wasn’t. It’s just…work called me.”
“And you answered while taking a bath?”
Not that I would admit my self-love session, but I have no idea if the kid has discovered masturbation yet. “Um, yes.”
“Sometimes I text message while I’m on the toilet.”
I frown. “Please wash your hands. And clean your phone.”
“Why didn’t you ignore them?” Aisen asks.
I sigh. “Sometimes, being a grown-up means doing work stuff even when you’re supposed to be off.”
Aisen nods as we pull into the driveway. “That’s what Mom and Dad used to say all the time.” He gets out of the car the moment it’s stopped, and my mouth goes dry.
Aisen grabs several grocery bags and heads inside.
Meanwhile, I frown and watch my nephew stride away.
My heart aches just as it does every time he dolefully mentions his parents.
They haven’t visited in months, claiming to be on tour in Australia.
I love Aisen, but I can tell he misses his real parents.
Despite them not liking sea monsters, a part of me misses my folks, too.
Aisen needs something good in his life, and I’m praying that the MM Institute can be that for him. I’m looking forward to going there next weekend, and not just because of the super-hot White dude he’ll be working with. The same man who wants to be my friend.
When my phone vibrates, I frown, knowing it’s probably some other work drama. I don’t even have time to jerk off properly. I can’t be a boyfriend right now, so friends with Skyler Dillinger is at most all I could ever be.