50. Bay
Bay
“She can lack morals, she can lack control, she can lack fucking common sense for all I care, but she’ll always have me!”
Pedro’s words keep replaying in my head, not letting the pounding in my chest settle as we swim away from the city.
No one has ever fought for me, protected me like that.
What did I do to deserve this man in my life?
A warmth spreads through my whole body as I swim forward quickly, hugging his arm tightly, as if this touch is the only thing keeping me grounded, reminding me this isn’t a dream.
Maybe that inferior creature isn’t so bad after all...
“Can you shut up already?” I snap at the Guardian, gritting my teeth.
The more you hate my presence, the more I’ll enjoy bothering you.
Great. Stupid dragon!
“I didn’t say anything,” Pedro looks at me, annoyed.
“That wasn’t at you, it was the Guardian,” I clarify quickly, throwing him an apologetic look and laughing nervously.
“The Guardian? So now, because of the bond, you can communicate with him even while you’re conscious?” he asks, surprised.
I nod. “Not only can I talk to him while I’m awake, but he’s inside me now.”
“He’s what?!” Pedro’s roar is so loud by the city gates that all the guards look in our direction.
“Bay,” Alin’s voice calls from behind us, saving me from explaining. I let go of Pedro’s arm and turn to look at her as she swims quickly toward us.
“I’m sorry. You know I didn’t mean it that way,” she says, her apologetic gaze meeting mine as she stops in front of me, taking my hands in hers.
“I don’t blame you, Alin. I know the consequences of what I did.
I’m just glad I managed to keep you all alive,” I force a smile, but it doesn’t reach my eyes.
I know she has to worry about the royal lineage now, and I—I’m no longer part of that lineage.
I’m nothing more than a sea monster they need to fear every second they’re around.
The Guardian made that clear—there’s no force in the ocean that can stop us now.
I’m not sure if that thought comforts or terrifies me, but at least I know I’ll stay alive, for now. And I can stay with Pedro—I have a family that fights for me.
Alin’s gaze falls to the ocean floor, and she lets out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry, Bay. I really am. I just don’t know how to help anymore…” her voice trembles.
“It’s okay. You don’t need to help her anymore. She has me,” Pedro pushes between us, breaking Alin’s hold on me. “You’ve done enough.”
His words hit Alin like a direct blow to the chest, and her turquoise gemstone-like eyes lock onto Pedro’s furious face.
“This might be one of the only times you’ll hear me admit this,” she sighs again in defeat, “but you are the best thing that’s ever happened to my cousin. Don’t let her down. I’m leaving her in your hands.” The smile she gives him barely hides the pain from the truth Pedro just threw in her face.
“I don’t need your validation for that,” he snaps, clearly ignoring her emotions. “You coming with us, or staying behind to kill a few more family members? Maybe make it an annual event,” he scoffs, grabbing my arm and pulling me forward without waiting for her answer.
“I’m coming with you!” she calls out, not even bothering to fight back. For the first time, I’m surprised by her restraint. She never lets anyone speak to her with that kind of disrespect.
Yeah, I approve him. Is that a smile?
Great, so we’re besties now? I roll my eyes, only to feel Pedro’s gaze fixed on the side of my face.
“Now can you explain what the hell you meant by him being inside you?” His impatience and anger make it impossible for me to dodge the question.
I sigh. “He’s inside me, Pedro. He’s not physically connected to the Cor al of Life anymore. He’s a part of me now.”
Pedro looks away, muttering curses under his breath. “What the hell does that even mean for you? For us?”he asks again.
“I don’t have all the answers yet. The stupid dra—” I begin, but a sharp curse escapes my lips as the familiar burn returns to my chest for a moment.
“Alright! Alright! Sorry!” I quickly apologize to the Guardian in frustration, turning back to Pedro, who’s now looking at me like I’ve completely lost my mind—maybe I have.
I force a smile at him. “So, like I was saying, the Guardian dragon ,” I emphasize the correction to appease the temperamental creature living inside me, “said I’m now the first Black-Blooded Princess in history—we’re an unstoppable force. His fate is now tied to mine.”
As I finish, Pedro’s expression shifts from anger to fear.“I’m not going to let him take you away from me!” he declares suddenly, the fear in his eyes contrasting with the intensity of his words.
My heart aches to his protectiveness toward me, and I lean in to kiss his cheek quickly. “I know you won’t, and I won’t let him either. But if it helps, I don’t think that’s his plan.” I add when I see the kiss hasn’t quite calmed the storm in his mind.
He sighs heavily. “At least we’re out of immediate death danger. We can finally relax.”
I nod with a real smile this time. My family will be alright, and I’ll figure out what comes next—even if I have to force it out of the dragon.
I’d love to see you try, his chuckle echoes in my mind.
“Watch me,” I snap back at him.
“Yeah, I’m definitely worried about your sanity,” Alin comments from behind us, letting out a nervous laugh.
She’s been so cautious and quiet—I think we’re overdue for a serious talk to lay everything out on the table. I don’t blame her for being cautious, though. This was my choice, my idea. After all, I’m the one who approached the Guardian about Black Blooded, I came to him.
“You’ll need to ease up on Alin. This was my decision alone.
I knew there could be serious consequences,” I whisper to Pedro, but he immediately turns his piercing gaze on me, his eyebrows drawn together in anger that doesn’t seem like it’s going to fade anytime soon.
I wish I could know what’s running through his mind right now.
His eyes flick between my chest and my face.
“Wait!” I suddenly burst out laughing, slicing through the tension like a knife. “You’re not mad about Alin,” I let out a snort of laughter, “you’re pissed because you’re jealous of the damn dragon!”
He gently nudges me aside, careful not to hurt me, breaking my grip on his arm, and swims ahead like a sulking young merling who didn’t get his favorite fish eggs.
Knew it! Alin can’t hold her laugh behind us but wisely stays quiet, clearly not wanting to provoke Pedro any further.
“Pedro! You’re not swimming away from me!
” I shout in a threat after him, still laughing.
“It’s not what you think—the dragon is me.
I am the dragon!” I explain as I try to catch up with him,“Think of it like another alter-ego of mine. There’s nothing to be jealous of!
” I grab his arm, stopping his jealous display from going any farther.
His tail bumps into mine in surprise, and we twirl together in the current, wrapped around each other. I giggle as our faces come close, and I plant a quick kiss on his lips. He tries to keep his cold expression, but it falters as I continue to pepper his face with kisses.
“Keep that up, and you’re really going to have to teach me what we can do with these tails...” he leans into my ear, whispering in that husky voice that sends shivers down my spine, my scales lifting in excitement.
“Well, I’m glad you’re in Bay’s life, but could you not do that right in front of me?” Alin swims ahead quickly, not even waiting for a reply or looking back at us.
I laugh. “We’ve got plenty of time to experiment together now, so what’s the rush?” I stay wrapped around him, my body pressed against his. His golden eyes lock onto mine, mischief glimmering in them, making me want to be part of whatever plan that sly smile of his is hinting at.
He brushes his lips along my neck, right where the dragon mark ends.
“I’m this close to sinking my teeth into that cursed mark and ripping it off your body—the body that belongs to me,” Pedro growls, his voice thick with possessiveness as he lets his teeth graze my skin, the faint pressure both a warning and a claim.
A quiet moan escapes my lips before I can stop it, and I curse the dragon in my head.
Looks like I’ll be dealing with this a lot, huh?
Can you at least not remind me you’re here if you have nothing useful to add? You’re killing the mood. I scold the dragon internally, relieved that Pedro isn’t looking at my face to see the frustration in my eyes.
“You can bite wherever you want,” I tease, “but let’s get back home first… Alin’s already moved on ahead.”
He groans, the sound vibrating through my chest. “So now my dear sister-in-law’s keeping me from having sex? Great.”
I laugh, leaning closer to his ear and giving it a playful nip. “Who said she’s stopping you?” I whisper, teasing.
The small scales along the back of his neck bristle, and I smile in satisfaction, knowing I affect him just as much as he affects me.
Pedro turns to face me, his golden eyes still glittering with mischief and desire.
The space between us is charged, the cool water doing little to temper the heat radiating from him.
His chest brushes mine as he leans in, his bodywarm despite the surrounding chill.
His hand finds my waist, tracing the curve of my body with maddening slowness, his fingers barely grazing my skin, setting every nerve alight.
I gasp softly, my breath hitching as he moves closer, his lips hovering a hair’s breadth from mine. The ghost of a smile tugs at his mouth, his teasing deliberate, intoxicating.
“Tell me you want this then,” he growls, his voice low, rich, vibrating with raw need. The sound resonates through me, stirring something primal in my core. My body arches toward him instinctively, craving the touch he’s withholding.
A flick of his tail against mine sends a jolt through me, the friction igniting sparks that race along my spine.
I bite my lip, barely stifling a whimper, as his fingers slide lower, brushing the sensitive spot just above my tail.
The lightness of his touch is maddening, every teasing movement driving me closer to the edge.
My hands clutch at his shoulders, trembling with the tension coiling tighter and tighter inside me. His other hand finds my chin, tilting my face upward so I’m forced to meet his gaze. His eyes burn with a mix of dominance and desire, daring me to surrender completely.
“Are you going to beg for it?” he whispers, his voice dripping with seduction and possessiveness.
Before I can find my voice, his lips claim mine, hard and unyielding. The kiss is everything—demanding, consuming, electrifying. The cold embrace of the water around us only amplifies the fire raging in my veins as his hands roam my body, exploring every scale, every curve.
I lose myself in him, in the sensation of his lips and the warmth of his touch. My pulse pounds in my ears, matching the rhythm of my racing heart. It’s overwhelming, dizzying, as he pulls me closer, eliminating every trace of distance between us.
Just as the heat threatens to consume me completely, Pedro pulls away, his lips leaving mine in a rush that leaves me gasping, desperate for more.
He lingers there, his face inches from mine, his wicked grin taunting me. “Not yet,” he murmurs, his voice husky, laced with smug satisfaction.
I blink at him, breathless and infuriated, my body still trembling with unspent energy.
“You’ll have to wait till we get back home,” he mimics, throwing my earlier words back at me with a smirk so infuriatingly smug that I want to strangle him—and kiss him again, all at once.
Damn him. He won this round.