11. Eve
EVE
After my third bowl, I’m finally full.
I lick the last of the savory broth from my spoon with relish while catching Harven’s eye. The feral gleam in his gaze sends a wicked thrill through me. He hasn’t stopped staring at me since the moment I walked in.
After both agreeing to try again, we settled into comfortable silence.
I feel the tension kindling between us. His posture stiffens as he watches my tongue graze the spoon. With a knowing smirk, I drop the utensil into my bowl and recline.
Harven’s gaze lingers on my face as if to trace every detail.
I can’t believe the change in me—in him. The male who dismissed his Pearls and councilmen from the table is a far cry from the one I woke up to pawing at me. He was open and honest about his role in murdering those women.
It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around, but in his position, I do understand why he did it.
Him letting me set the pace erased any lingering trepidation.
Harven’s need for me could blossom into something wonderful if coaxed properly. We could have an amenable relationship outside of his need to get me pregnant. He could be the companion I’ve been searching for.
Only time will tell.
There is no way to change the past, just like there is no way out of here. I can either choose to behave as his captive or forge a different path. I’d rather not spend the rest of my life in isolation. It’ll take work, but happiness inside the castle can be mine if I claim it.
While humans don’t have mating bonds, I always believed in soulmates before the dating apps crushed my spirits. It’s hard to believe Harven is mine. My perfect match isn’t some tortured, starving-artist type I always thought it’d be.
Rather, he’s a king. With tentacles.
Who is obsessed with telling me how beautiful I am.
I still want a family—a partner. I can have that here if Harven stays compassionate. I’m sure it seems wrong to give him a chance, but I owe it to myself to try to be happy. It doesn’t mean I’m ready to let him fuck me just yet.
It’s gonna take more than one dinner for me to do that.
Hyra had come to see me before I arrived to impart more wisdom on their kind.
The seafolks were hedonists in every sense of the word. They fucked first and swapped names later. If I want to get along with the king, I’ll have to accommodate our differences. However, he also needs to understand mine. And the word no.
If he is sincere in letting me set the pace, then there is no harm in testing his restraint.
“What do you normally do after dinner?” I ask, taking a small sip of water.
Harven’s lips twist in thought. His scarred tentacle teases my forearm, eager for another stroke. It reminds me of a kitten seeking extra pets.
“Walk around the castle. Review any correspondence from the council meetings, or assess the latest threats affecting my kingdom,” he rattles them off.
“Sounds stressful,” I say. “Don’t you ever take a break from being king to do something fun?”
“Well—”
Harven looks away. The blue-green hue of his skin blanches. His tentacles whip back and forth with unease. That’s when it dawns on me.
My cheeks warm.
“Your Pearls. That’s how you normally relax.”
“It’s the king’s custom to keep them. I don’t care for them beyond the physical.”
“I see.”
I’m not loving the dejected tone of my voice. Harven hears it too, as his eyes go wide. He reaches for my hand and clutches it tightly.
“I haven’t been to see them since you arrived. I won’t—”
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me, Harven. Your customs are different from mine, but that doesn’t make them wrong.”
It still doesn’t stop the sour feeling from spreading through my stomach.
I hate the idea of them, but I was the one who told him to bed them.
Yes, it was out of anger, but a part of me still meant it.
If once I’m pregnant he does lose interest in me, it’s better I’m used to the idea of his kept lovers.
“You are my priority, Eve.” His voice is firm.
“Then would you mind not seeing them until things are settled between us?”
I hold my breath, but Harven agrees immediately.
“Of course. Whatever you want.”
I almost sag with relief. The first test and he’s passed. That entitles him to some sort of reward, doesn’t it?
My heart says yes, while my mind is reminding me to be wary.
Harven’s tentacles wrap around my chair legs. They squeak along the marble as he drags me closer. My thigh brushes his nest of tentacles beneath the table.
I shouldn’t like them this much.
They are animalistic and primal. At first, I thought they would repulse me. However, I’m quickly growing enthralled by their teasing strokes. Being attached to his sculpted eight-pack abs and bulging arms doesn’t hurt either.
He looks every bit the most powerful Kraken King in existence.
I raise a brow. Harven's smile is pure amusement. It’s a devastating expression that makes my lower half tingle. His masculine scent invades my nose. I have the urge to rub all over him as his tentacles do to me.
“You’re too far away. Tomorrow I’ll have a smaller table brought in,” he declares.
Laughing, I look pointedly at the belt adorned with glittering shells that holds his skirt in place.
“If I were any closer, I’d be in your lap.” I lift my chin. “Which is highly inappropriate for a first date. Unless it’s going extremely well.”
He shudders in response. Harven holds himself so tightly, despite the desire burning in his gaze. It kindles my own and encourages me to be bold.
I used to be. Back when I cared enough, I loved the game—the challenge—of seduction. I can be that woman again. Confident.
I want to be her.
Sliding to my feet, I slowly prowl towards Harven. I slip myself between his mass of tentacles and the edge of the table. The seeking appendages skim over my dress and place kisses along the tops of my feet.
Harven’s breathing turns ragged as I settle my hands on his shoulders.
His skin feels like hot silk. Beneath my palms are the harsh ridges of his impressive shoulders. I test them for good measure. His eyes unfocus.
I love the way he pants when I lean closer. Sandalwood fills my lungs.
“Are you enjoying our date, Harven?”
My voice is akin to a purr. I press our foreheads together. His long hair tickles my bare shoulder. Strands of silver weave through the ink tendrils like stars in a night sky. His knuckles turn white as they curl into the arms of the chair.
He’s waiting for permission to touch me. Good boy.
“Eve.” His voice is deep and rough. “What—what is this? What are you doing?”
I giggle, sliding deeper into his embrace. Tentacles trace my arms. I skim my nose along his.
I’d typically need a bottle of wine to be this bold, but with Harven it comes naturally. He’s so desperate for me. His need fills the room, heightening the building tension.
My lips find his ear, and his whole body tightens.
“We call it flirting,” I whisper. “Teasing. Tempting. Won’t you let me play with you? Just a little bit, my king.”
He groans at the title. I dip my nose lower, dragging it through the coarse hair of his beard. Normally I prefer a clean-shaven man, but Harven is no man.
His hazy golden eyes swirl with lust.
“This will make you happy?”
I grin against his neck.
“Very.”
He dips his chin once. It’s the only confirmation I need.
I can’t believe I thought about throwing myself into the pool in my room and letting the ocean tear me apart. This is the most fun I’ve had in years.
I have a Kraken King in the palm of my hand.
“Then you can flirt with me all you want, Eve. Just, please—don’t stop.”
My lips skim his jaw as I settle atop his lap.
His tentacles provide ample cushion as they fan around me. Something hard presses between us. A knowing smirk graces my lips as the king’s cheeks darken. His thundering heartbeat matches my own. The warmth of his body soaks into me.
His impressive chest rises and falls rapidly.
“What I really want is for you to show me something interesting.” I purse my lips. “I’ve been bored in my room.”
My fingers shift through his hair.
It’s coarser than human hair, as if made from flexible scales. It’s not an unpleasant sensation as I let the long, dark strands thread through my hands. My nails scratch his scalp.
I delight in his deep groan. His tentacles press at my back, urging me closer. The chair's arms groan under how hard he’s clutching them.
“Can I touch you, Eve? Please.”
I bite my lip.
“Touch me where?”
“Anywhere. Gods—anywhere, Eve. Please.”
I pluck his large hands from the chair and settle them on my waist. His thumbs dig into my hip bones with a moan.
“I like when you beg me.” My eyes narrow. “Don’t get greedy, Harven.”
Large hands stay firmly where I’ve put them. His fingers test my skin. The silky dress is so thin his hands may as well be on my naked flesh. The sensation is decadent, eliciting an ache between my thighs I haven’t felt in a long time.
This is dangerous, and yet I can’t bring myself to stop.
“Don’t you have something fun to show me?” I whisper. “The longer we are in here, the more tired I become. That’ll mean an end to our date.”
Harven’s eyes blaze as he lurches upward. I gasp as he hefts me fully into his arms. My breasts press against his hard chest. My arms have no choice but to curl around his neck.
“I know just the place.”
He moves at a breakneck speed.
We pass startled servants and guards as we glide through the hallways. I register their shocked expressions, but Harven pays them no mind. Wherever he’s taking me is his singular focus.
His tentacles nuzzle into my hips and weave through my hair. I’d never thought I’d enjoy being touched this much, but then again I never thought I’d find a kraken attractive.
“You're very determined,” I say.
“I don’t want our date to be over yet.”
A large set of doors loom ahead. They are made of the same white marble as the rest of the castle. Golden tridents, surrounded by a circle of pearls, gleam beside the handles. Harven pushes them open with his tentacles and glides us inside.