Chapter 14
“You lied to me!”
Autumn spun around, facing the ocean and the fiery mermaid coming toward her. Soulara pushed out of the water, her tail instantly transforming into legs as she strode forward with purpose in each step.
Autumn’s heart clenched. She shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. “I didn’t lie.”
“They came today. Were you just distracting me earlier? Feeding me lies to throw me off their trail?” Soulara’s nostrils flared, her skin shimmering in the fading sunlight.
“I didn’t know they were going down today.” Autumn bit her lip and shoved her hands into her pockets. Her heart was shattering into a million little pieces and she hadn’t even known that was possible. “I promise you.”
Soulara stood over her, towering, her breath brushing across Autumn’s cheeks. But the anger softened, the hardness easing slightly. Was Soulara really mad? Or had she been…worried?
“I didn’t lie,” Autumn reiterated. “They don’t tell me everything. Hell, they barely tell me anything.”
Soulara’s lower lip quivered. “Mermaids are dead.”
“I wasn’t there,” Autumn whispered. Soulara had to understand. Hadn’t they been making progress toward that? “Can’t you use magic on me and find out? I didn’t know about the collectors going down today.”
Soulara halted. Her face morphed from angry to something aghast.
“My magic?”
“Yeah, can’t you use it or something? I swear I’m telling the truth.” Autumn reached for Soulara’s hand, twining their fingers together. The tension between them was palpable. “I promise.”
Soulara locked her eyes on Autumn’s. “Are you sure?”
“Whatever it’ll take for you to believe me.” It felt so good to be believed. She couldn’t live without that again.
“I might see something else entirely.”
“I don’t care.” Desperation clung to each of Autumn’s words.
Soulara stepped even closer. She brought her hand up to Autumn’s neck, sliding her fingers to the back and into Autumn’s hair. “This could hurt.”
“It’s nothing I can’t handle,” Autumn answered defiantly. Nothing could hurt as much as that look of pain crossing Soulara’s features when she’d emerged from the water. Nothing was as bad as Soulara thinking that Autumn had purposely done this.
“This won’t be pleasant,” Soulara whispered, her lips a breath away from Autumn’s.
“Just do it.”
The instant Soulara’s magic hit her, Autumn gasped. It was like being doused in cold and fire all at once until it subsided. Her knees buckled, and she grasped onto Soulara’s sides to keep upright.
The moment when General Chalmers gave her the orders.
Talking to Soulara on the beach.
Then working and preparing for the tour.
Marshall and his stupid jokes.
It all flashed through her mind like recorded moments that went by in seconds. The further they got into the day, the warmer Autumn became. The calmer and more relaxed Soulara was, the easier it was to stand there.
The news of the attack.
Autumn’s sorrow and anger mixed.
Her desperation to find Soulara.
Her attraction when Soulara emerged from the water.
Autumn clenched her jaw hard. She hadn’t wanted Soulara to see that, to feel what Autumn was feeling. Embarrassment stung, and she wanted to turn tail and run. But she shouldn’t be embarrassed by feelings, and if Soulara was looking for truth, there it was.
Leaning into the attraction, Autumn pushed it back into the forefront of her mind. Soulara moaned lightly, her fingers tightening on the back of Autumn’s neck as she held her tightly. Suddenly they left that day and they moved into the night before.
Soulara sprawled on the sand.
Autumn’s mouth on her breasts.
Soulara’s fingers deep inside—
“Stop!” Autumn jerked back, pushing Soulara away. Her heart raced, thundering loudly in her chest. Her cheeks were heated with embarrassment. And she closed her eyes so she didn’t have to see Soulara’s reaction. So she didn’t have to know if…
“I don’t want to stop,” Soulara murmured, her voice dripping with seduction.
Autumn took one more second before looking up and making eye contact. “What are you talking about?”
“Those weren’t only your memories of dreams, Autumn.” Soulara stayed still, the water licking at her ankles. They hadn’t even moved off the edge of the beach yet, the ocean a temptress itself, pulling Autumn toward it while pushing her away. “They’re mine.”
Shaking her head, Autumn closed her eyes again. “No.”
“I’ve seen enough to believe you.” Soulara’s tone softened. “I want to believe you—trust you.”
Autumn’s voice caught in her throat.
“Look at me, Autumn.”
It took everything in her to open her eyes and meet Soulara’s gaze. Those pale blue eyes were so dark as the sun hit the horizon.
“I nearly shattered when I thought you were one of the humans the Talons ripped apart. I nearly…” Soulara trailed off. “I might be a princess. I might be heir to the throne of Reine. But I’m also a mermaid. I have just as much desire as the next, and I can’t—no.” Soulara stepped forward and snagged Autumn’s hands with her own. “I won’t give up myself to be someone else.”
“I’m not asking you to.” Autumn’s brow furrowed, confusion swimming through her. “I don’t want you to be anyone but who you are.”
“Exactly.”
Their mouths crashed together. Soulara stepped forward, and Autumn stumbled back. Soulara’s entire body was cold to the touch but fiery in passion. Autumn couldn’t keep her head on straight. She fell down, landing on her ass on the sand. Soulara followed her down, kneeling over her. Autumn slipped her hand against Soulara’s damp back and into her wet hair.
“Yes,” Soulara murmured, nipping at Autumn’s lip. “You want me.”
“I do,” Autumn agreed, digging her nails into Soulara’s back to get a better grip.
Soulara grunted and sighed. “Now that feels good. Mermaids can’t do that.”
Autumn hadn’t even really noticed that Soulara didn’t have fingernails, that every part of her finger was soft as she explored.
“Don’t stop,” Soulara said right before pushing their mouths together again.
Autumn lost herself. She held Soulara against her, pressed between the sand and Soulara. Her clothes were already itchy against her skin and she wanted to get them off. She wanted to be as naked as Soulara. Skin to skin. Touches to touches.
“What are we doing?” Autumn breathed the question.
“Exactly what we both want.”
The mental image of Autumn’s shoulders pressed into the sand, her back arched, cheeks flushed as her face pinched in pleasure, flashed through Autumn’s mind. She couldn’t keep up. Between the dreams, hers and Soulara’s, between the sensations of smooth fingers and rough sand, she was caught in a push and pull of what to focus on.
Autumn did want this. She wanted everything that Soulara would give her. Because the attention, the belief, the truth and honesty that ran through them was pure. And Autumn was seen. For the first time since she was born, she was seen. Not just as a burden or a nuisance, but as a person, a human, a whole being who had feelings and agency.
“Yes,” Autumn responded, digging her heel into the sand and flipping them over. She wasn’t going to lie down and take this one. She was going to do exactly what she’d wanted. Autumn touched their lips together, sliding her tongue against Soulara’s and nipping her lips before trailing kisses and bites down her neck and to her breasts.
Just like she’d dreamed about, just like Soulara had witnessed in her memories, she covered Soulara’s pert nipple with her lips and flicked her tongue over the hard little nub. Soulara groaned, digging her fingers into Autumn’s hair and pulling it out of its ponytail. Soulara pushed Autumn’s face harder into her.
What would this be like with Soulara as a mermaid?
Would it be any different?
As if sensing her thoughts, Soulara pushed through images of her touching herself as a mermaid. Of the slit that would open up when aroused, of the tease of her fingers over the edge before her fingers disappeared inside. Autumn very nearly combusted in pleasure at just that. Whatever Soulara was doing to her brain was the most erotic thing she had ever experienced in her life.
“What’s it like as a human?” Soulara asked, her voice breathy.
Autumn had to focus now. She thought about the last time she’d touched herself, before she’d come to this planet, knowing that she’d be surrounded by greedy men and never have any time to herself. She thought about the tease of her fingers over her clit, the pulse as she throbbed.
“That’s beautiful,” Soulara murmured, moving Autumn’s lips from one breast to the other.
Except, Autumn wasn’t done yet. She pulled away and moved right back to where she was. Soulara may know exactly what she wanted, but Autumn wasn’t quite going to give that to her yet. Autumn continued to tease one of Soulara’s breasts while brushing her fingers against Soulara’s thigh to remove as much sand as possible.
On second thought, she better just stick to her mouth.
Autumn kissed down Soulara’s stomach, reaching her hip bone. Soulara keened, writhing in the sand.
“I’ve never done this with legs before.”
Autumn looked up, making eye contact. “I don’t want to stop.”
“I don’t want you to stop,” Soulara answered, spreading her legs. “I don’t think anyone has ever treated me like you do. I don’t want to give this up. I want you.”
Autumn shivered. To be wanted, to be desired, that was something she’d never experienced the full brunt of before. People had wanted her body. They’d wanted what she could do for them. But Soulara wanted her for her, and no other reason.
“Show me.” Soulara sent Autumn a saucy image of Autumn still clothed in the water.
Autumn stuttered to a halt. Damn, that was sexy. Autumn called up the dream she’d had of this before, of kissing Soulara’s webbed toes, of using her strap that she’d left on Earth and pounding relentlessly into Soulara.
“Fuck,” Soulara whined. “What is that?”
Autumn almost asked her what she was talking about until she remembered that Soulara was seeing into her mind. Autumn scraped her teeth against Soulara’s hip, chuckling. She didn’t answer, but she kept that image in the forefront of her mind as she covered Soulara’s clit with her mouth and gave a confident flick of her tongue.
Soulara gasped. She dug her fingers into the sand and pushed her hips up. Since Soulara couldn’t do certain positions with a tail, Autumn wanted to explore that. She slid her fingers down Soulara’s thighs to her knees and grabbed hold of them. Autumn pushed Soulara’s knees up and guided Soulara’s legs until they were resting over her shoulders. She pushed into Soulara even more, sucking and licking and teasing.
Autumn had wanted this since they’d met. Damn it all if Soulara was a siren, luring her into the ocean. Autumn would gladly drown if only for another taste of the sweetness she found between Soulara’s legs. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but it certainly wasn’t this burst of sweet flavor on the center of her tongue.
“I won’t… let you drown… “ Soulara said between groans. She threw her hands above her head, digging them into the sand as if that would hold her in place. Eventually Soulara gave up and grasped hold of Autumn’s hair, tightening her fingers sharply. “Fuck.”
Autumn continued. She wanted to slide her fingers inside Soulara’s body. She wanted to be enclosed within her heat, but she wouldn’t risk the pain or hurt to Soulara just for that.
“Autumn,” Soulara breathed her name. She cried out, her voice echoing in Autumn’s ears, filling her soul, commanding it.
Autumn licked Soulara fully, gathering Soulara on her tongue and swallowing everything Soulara had to offer. Autumn would remember this flavor for the rest of her life. She’d never let it go. Her heart hammered as she pressed kisses to Soulara’s legs, her hips, her stomach, up to her neglected breast and nipple.
Soulara calmed, her lips curled into a smile that belonged there, one that was satiated. Autumn had done that. She’d given Soulara an orgasm of a lifetime, and she was going to take that truth to her grave.
She’d fucked a mermaid.
“Oh God.” Laughing, Autumn buried her face in Soulara’s neck and tried to calm her raging embarrassment.
Soulara lazily drew patterns on Autumn’s back until she was breathing normally. “Take your coverings off.”
“What?” Autumn blinked and met Soulara’s satisfied gaze.
“Take these off.” Soulara plucked at the jacket on Autumn’s shoulder. “I want to feel you against me.”
“It’s sandy,” Autumn whined.
Soulara chuckled. “Then we’ll get you clean. Take them off.”
Autumn sat back on her butt, hating the fact that she wasn’t pressed against Soulara anymore and that she really wanted to be. She wanted to have her face pressed between Soulara’s legs again. Autumn started by pulling off her boots while Soulara watched her lazily.
Normally, Autumn would get undressed as quickly as possible, but since Soulara was there and since she was watching so intently, Autumn slowed the process down. When she pulled her undershirt off to reveal her standard issue sports bra and underwear, Soulara seemed fascinated.
“So many layers.”
“And yet you wear no clothes,” Autumn teased back.
“Is that a joke?” Soulara pulled the elastic at Autumn’s waist and snapped it.
“Yes.” Autumn stood up, looking around to see if anyone was coming before she pulled her bra and underwear off, adding them to the pile of clothes. “Well?”
“Fascinating.” Soulara stood up, matching Autumn step for step. They were nearly the same height when Soulara was in this form. And when Soulara took one more step closer and her hardened nipples brushed against Autumn’s sensitive skin, Autumn’s pussy pulsed.
Soulara stepped again, forcing Autumn to walk backward. Fear ratcheted up in her chest, grasping hold of her heart. She couldn’t see where she was going, and she couldn’t swim.
“Trust me,” Soulara whispered. “I won’t let you drown.”
With Soulara’s hands on her hips, they walked backward until they were at chest level in the water. Autumn gasped when Soulara ran her fingers over Autumn’s body, touching every place possible. It wasn’t until that moment that Autumn realized Soulara had shifted, her legs becoming one long navy blue tail, the tips a royal silver.
“Hold onto me wherever you need to.”
“Wherever?” Confused, Autumn lifted her hands up.
Soulara moved down. Her head disappeared below the water, her hair moving in the waves. Autumn was about to ask another question when she realized that Soulara wouldn’t be able to hear her. But the image shared was seductive.
Autumn gasped, spreading her legs as she was lifted up and Soulara flipped her body under Autumn’s. Autumn flapped her hands in the water for a mere second before Soulara jerked her hips down so that Autumn sat right on Soulara’s chest.
She was about to object when Soulara’s mouth covered her clit and all thoughts were gone. Leaning back, Autumn’s eyes fluttered shut as Soulara kept her mouth against her, tongue and lips moving without ceasing.
Only a fucking mermaid could do this.
Autumn groaned, digging her fingers into Soulara’s sides to keep herself upright. Her feet were no longer on the sandy ocean floor, and she knew that if she let go she’d topple over and drown. Autumn bit her lip, trying to keep herself still. She didn’t want to fall. She wanted to explode. The up and down movements of the water along with Soulara’s slow flapping of her fluke to keep them in place added to the tantalizing touch of Soulara’s tongue against her.
Jerking, Autumn held back her orgasm for as long as she possibly could. She jerked again and again, but there was no stopping it when pleasure washed through her, when her mind went blank, when she could do nothing but focus on Soulara between her legs and the water against her body.
Then she was drowning. Her entire face was covered with water, she couldn’t figure out which way was up or down, hands were all over her. She was just about to scream, when she was dragged above the water and clutched to Soulara’s chest.
“Autumn,” Soulara said, loudly. “Breathe.”
Air filled her lungs, cold and perfect.
“Breathe,” Soulara repeated, softer. “I told you I wouldn’t let you drown.”
Autumn laughed, the sound bubbling up and out of her chest as she clutched onto Soulara, who held her tightly. The sound echoed around them, filled them. Autumn grinned wildly as she pressed their mouths together, wrapping her arms around Soulara’s neck and holding on with everything she had.
Autumn whispered, “I don’t want to let go.”