11. Golden Shores
My eyes cracked open to sunshine.
It warmed my scales and my hair felt strangely dry, although my tail was still in the water every time a wave rushed up the golden sand.
I blinked a few times, and realized I was looking at Demi. Her eyes were shut, and the immediate panic I felt was smoothed over the moment I heard her heartbeat.
We were alive.
I sat up slightly, lifting my gaze to the clear sky. It was early morning, and aside from the gulls screeching in the distance, it was peaceful.
This was the first sunshine I’d seen in days, I realized.
What the hell happened?
Demi suddenly coughed next to me and shot up, her eyes wide. I put my hand on her thigh to soothe her. “We’re safe,” I said gently. “We’re alive. We must have washed up on shore.”
“Your—tail.” Her voice cracked as she reached for me, her hands running up and down my body as she inspected me. “Where’s the wound? I saw the harpoon go through you. Gods—”
She choked back a sob as I pulled her into my arms. I let myself cry, tears salty as they rolled down my cheeks.
I’d thought Demi was dead. I’d seen her body and the lifelessness in her sweet brown eyes. There’d been no heartbeat.
“Someone must have saved us,” I whispered.
I wasn’t sure who. The fissure that’d opened on the sea floor—it was unlike anything I’d ever seen. And the shadow . . .
Something had awakened. Something had risen up to the surface. A creature, a monster, a god, a being that frightened me beyond all comprehension.
And yet, I was certain that creature had saved me and my mate.
“I’ve never had so much regret as I did in the moment where I thought you were gone and realized I hadn’t told you how I feel,” Demi hiccupped.
“Demi,” I said softly, pulling her legs to straddle my hips. “You don’t need to worry about anything right now, we’re safe. We survived. I’m only a little angry at you for so recklessly jumping into the ocean to try and save me. What were you thinking?”
“But you got into the harpoon zone,” she said. “I saw it go through you. I saw your blood. I thought you died. When I dove into the water, you weren’t responsive, and—”
“One of those stupid swordfish hit my head,” I said. “That’s what the harpoon was aiming for and I got in the way. But it knocked me out. That’s why I wasn’t responsive. But my love, a harpoon of that size cannot kill me. We are very tough.”
“I didn’t know,” she hiccupped.
I kissed her again, sniffling. “I’m so sorry I scared you. I just wanted to save your ring. I know how important it is to you.”
Demi let out another soft sob as I lifted my hand. Her eyes widened as she realized her ring was on my pinky finger.
“You saved it,” she rasped.
I nodded and slowly pulled it off, holding it in my palm for her. Demi stared at it for a few moments, more tears rolling down her cheeks as she picked it up.
Then, she carefully turned my hand over, and slid the ring back on my finger.
“It’s yours,” she said. “My heart belongs to you, Marina. This ring is something I want you to have.”
“Demi,” I gasped, my eyes widening. “But this is your mother’s ring.”
“I know,” she whispered. “And I want it to be yours because I love you. I want it to be a symbol for how much I love you. I almost didn’t get to say it to you.
I almost didn’t get to tell you that I want you.
I almost didn’t get to tell you that I’ve always hoped I’d find love, but stopped believing it long ago.
You changed that. You changed everything, Marina. I love you.”
My vision blurred with tears as I held her gaze. I’d been waiting so long to hear this. Centuries of dreaming that one day, fate would be kind enough to bring me someone who could love me in spite of my faults and celebrate my wins.
Someone who wanted me, all of me—the good, the bad, the fishy.
The ring on my finger held all of that and the promise of more.
“I love you too,” I whispered. “So much, little sailor.”
Her lips pressed against mine and I fell back in the sand, the granules sticking to our bodies as she kissed me harder. Her tongue slid in my mouth, and I whimpered, rocking my hips.
“There’s one more thing,” she rasped.
“What more could there be?” I asked.
Sunlight turned the tips of her hair a golden brown as she smiled at me. “A mating bite?”
A mating bite.
I sniffled, and I was sure my smile was the ugliest I’d ever given, but I felt the happiness all the way to my fin tips.
“A mating bite,” I whispered.
Demi nodded. “If you’ll have me, of course.”
“I’ll only have you, Demi,” I said. “Now and forever.”
Demi leaned down and kissed me harder this time. My fingers slid into her hair, aware of my new ring as she kissed along my jaw, and then down my neck.
“You’ll have to bite hard,” I said against her ear. “As hard as you can. But don’t break your teeth.”
I felt her laugh and closed my eyes, basking in the sun, beneath my mate, as her teeth sank against the softest part of my neck and she did her best to pierce my skin.
Our bond roared to life, as golden as the shore we’d washed up on. We gasped together as I felt it all click into place.
Her love for me beat in my chest, filling the hollow space I’d felt for so long. Demi sat back, her expression filled with awe, more tears rolling down her cheeks.
My mate. Demi was my mate.
“This is how much you love me?” she asked, clutching her chest.
“Even more,” I murmured.
I dragged her back down into a kiss as a wave washed up the shore, the water as cool and refreshing as she was. She moaned against me, our arms tangling.
Everything felt right in my world.
I wasn’t sure about the monster who’d saved us. I didn’t understand exactly what happened, but I knew I was lucky. We were lucky.
Whatever darkness was headed toward the Barista, it would affect us all.
“You’re worried,” Demi suddenly whispered. “What’s wrong?”
I swallowed hard. “I’m thinking about the creature I saw, and I’m worried about our world. Something has awakened, Demi.”
“We’ll face it together,” she said. “We’re mates. I’ll support you however I can.”
“And I’ll protect you,” I said. “We’ll protect our loved ones.”
“Together,” she said.
I nodded, all of my thoughts refocusing on her.
Together.
My hands settled on her hips and I slowly moved them up and down her sides, cupping one of her breasts through her shirt
“Do you think anyone will stumble across us if we have sex on the beach?” I asked.
Demi raised a brow and smirked as she slid down my body, kissing her way over my scales to my slit. “Do we care if they do?”
“No,” I decided. “Not at all.”
“Good. Because after days of not having you, I’m thirsty.”
I bet you are, little sailor.
She blinked as my voice echoed in her mind, her tongue dragging over her bottom lip. “I need a little taste after biting you.”
My gasp echoed around us as her tongue pressed against my clits. I moaned, my fingers digging into the sand as she devoured me.
“Demi,” I groaned.
“Yes, princess?”
I grabbed hold of her and flipped her over beneath me. Her eyes lit up, her lips twisting. “I love the beach and all,” I said. “But I want to fuck you in my bed. And now that we’re mated . . . you’ll be able to see my city. I can take you home.”
Demi let out a happy sigh. “Then let’s go home.”