Chapter 8 – Keto
KETO
Arthur dried and got dressed before he would speak with me further, and Max insisted I come out of the water and put on his large shirt.
I don’t really understand it. Against my wet skin the t-shirt he supplied is almost entirely see-through.
When Max saw me in it, he simply groaned and said I was supposed to dry myself first. But how was I to know?
They’re cooking something that smells good over a fire, and I’ve drawn as close as I feel safe to the flames. The world outside of the water feels cold and harsh, and the fire is just what I need to chase away the chill that cuts me bone-deep.
Something warm lands on my shoulders. A blanket.
I glance up to see Arthur smiling down at me. “You looked cold.”
You don’t know me, so why do you care? Was it a gargoyle thing? Maybe gargoyles care about everyone, even someone as unlovable as me.
At least as long as he doesn’t know who I truly am.
I try to return his smile and realize that it feels nice smiling at a kind face. “I was cold. Thank you.”
Max hands me a bowl of the stew, and he and Arthur seat themselves on fallen logs around the fire.
I remain where I am and eat the warm food slowly.
Most of what I eat is cold. Fish, sometimes coconuts, and little things I find near beaches.
It’s strange to eat this food, but also nice. It warms me from the inside out.
How have I gone my whole life without eating something like this?
“Do you like it?”
I look up and realize that both men are looking at with eyes darkened with desire. I swallow the bite of food in my mouth, not even tasting it.
“Yes, why do you ask?”
Arthur clears his throat, then rubs at the back of his neck, looking distinctly uncomfortable. “You were… uh… moaning.”
Was I?
“Sorry,” I say, blushing.
Looking down at my bowl, my thoughts turn over in my mind. As awkward as it might be, I think I’ll need to find more opportunities to moan. They seemed to like it.
“You said you might be able to help us find this monster?” Max asks, changing the subject.
I take a deep breath. I don’t like to lie, but I don't have a choice. “I’m a mermaid.”
The men exchange a glance.
Huh, not the reaction I expected.
“Are you surprised?” I ask, trying to hide my uncertainty.
Arthur gives another smile, and something strange flutters in my belly. “We knew you weren’t human.”
“Why?” I ask, genuinely curious.
Max is the one who answers. “There’s something in your eyes that gives you away. You look young, but you have a lifetime of pain in your eyes.”
Suddenly, it’s hard to breathe. He’s wrong. I have many, many lifetimes of pain and suffering at the hands of my brother. It hurts to know I’m so easily read.
“And you’re inhumanely beautiful.” Arthur grins, but it doesn’t meet his eyes.
I nod. “You’re both semi-immortal. You know what it’s like to not know the relief that death can bring.”
Semi-immortals are beings who can only be killed in a few ways, usually by being beheaded. Unlike me, when they die, they’re gone forever. So these gargoyles have likely been alive for a very long time. They must understand what I mean, and yet, they look surprised.
Maybe they don’t know. Maybe it’s just me.
I set my bowl of food in my lap, no longer hungry.
It takes me a minute to remember my plan. To remember my lie. “I can help you find the… the sea monster.”
“Keto?” Arthur whispers as he moves closer. “Do you know her?”
I nod slowly. “She lives in the ocean. Every mermaid knows her.”
“Can you bring her to us?” Max asks.
That would be too easy. “No, but I can help you find her.”
Max and Arthur exchange a glance, but Max is the one to respond. “What do you want in return for your help?”
“Want?” I ask, feeling perplexed.
Just to stay with you for a little while, to be safe and free.
“Well, you aren’t just doing this to help us, right?” Max is staring at me, too closely.
“Oh!” Yes, of course, that would be suspicious. No one does anything just to be kind. “You remember the sea dragons you saved me from? Well, I’m no longer safe in the ocean alone. If I go back, they’ll kill me.”
“Why?” Max asks.
My throat tightens, and I touch my collar without thinking.
Both of their gazes move to it, and I think they’ve realized for the first time what it is. Not some thin necklace or piece of jewelry. No, they’ve realized my shame.
But perhaps for once this horrid thing can be of use. “I was their slave. When I didn’t obey, they decided to end my life.”
I expect many things from these gargoyles, but not the anger that comes to their eyes.
“Are they the reason you think sex hurts?” Max asks, and there’s something dark in his voice that confuses me.
No, it wasn’t them. My brother’s second in command finds me attractive and I was forced to submit to him, but they can’t know that. Even hinting at it will bring too many questions.
So, I lie. Again. “Yes.”
The two men exchange a glance filled with hatred, and for some reason I feel guilty. These gargoyles really don’t like the idea of a woman being hurt.
“Here’s the thing,” Max says, very slowly. “We can’t protect you forever. We have a home we have to get back to, that we need to bring this Keto to.”
Of course you do. I imagine men like these are beloved by their people. To many, many women.
I nod. “I understand. Just being under your protection while you search for her would be enough. Then, maybe, you could take me to a larger body of water, but not an ocean. You can leave me there and I'll be safe from the dragons.”
Arthur looks guilty. “That’s all you want?”
“Yes.” I hold my breath.
Max rubs his face like he’s tired. “Okay. I’m sure we can find a good place for you.”
“Thank you,” I tell them, the words coming out in a rush.
I eat the rest of my bowl, then two more bowls. The gargoyles seem happy with my hunger. By the time I’m finished, the sky has darkened and night is almost upon us. They build up the fire, so it can offer us some warmth during the night, and then we crawl into their tent.
It’s smaller than I thought. Most of their stuff is piled by the front and blankets have been laid out in the rest of the space. I don’t know how the four big gargoyles fit in here, but I squeeze between the two men.
I get the sense they’re uncomfortable, and I understand why. It’s cold in here and I'm uncomfortable beneath the shirt. I long to strip it off and dive into the water, but I’ll remain here, under their protection.
The night drags on. I don’t think either of the men sleep beside me. And I shift, uncomfortable. Although it's soft, the shirt scratches against me when I move and after a while, I feel like I’m going to lose my mind. I pull off the shirt and lie back down.
Shivering, I curl closer to Max.
His breathing grows rapid. “What are you doing?”
His question is quiet in the darkness.
“I’m cold,” I tell him, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
Reaching behind me, I tug Arthur closer. He obeys, rolling against my back.
A second later, he swears. “Are you naked again?”
I close my eyes, finally feeling warmer as their heat surrounds me. “Mhum.”
A shudder runs through his body. “Wouldn’t clothes make you more comfortable?”
Sleep is so close. “I hate clothes.” I yawn. “But I like the two of you. You’re warm.”
I lay a leg across Max, wrapping his waist. For the first time I realize that his cock is hard again inside of his thin shorts. My eyes open. Wiggling my ass just a bit, I discover Arthur is hard behind me too.
These celibate gargoyles are certainly quick to harden.
Again, that warmth moves through me, settling at my core. I want something from these men. I want to explore this feeling and see where it can take us, but I’m afraid it’ll complicate things. I’m supposed to use their arousal against them. I’m not supposed to enjoy it.
I let my leg curl around Max's hard cock until it's nestled by my knee.
He gives a tiny groan. I want to just reach out and stroke the tip of his cock, to rub it and see how he responds, but I have to be more… casual than that. I have to be seductive.
Even though I have no idea how the hell to behave in such a way.
I move my leg, rolling him slightly.
One of his hands grasps my upper thigh. “Be still,” he says.
“I’m restless,” I tell him.
He’s breathing hard. “Stay still.”
Frowning, I close my eyes. Well, that's the least successful seduction in history. I guess even though I’m naked, and these men are hard and frustrated, I have to somehow make them want me.
Yawning, I feel sleep tugging at me. I guess I’ll try again tomorrow.