The Red Bloom
Chapter Thirty-Nine
SADIE
Ibarely have time to gasp before Kyros is hauling me through the water.
Fast.
Violently fast.
His grip around my waist is iron, his body radiating heat beneath the spreading clouds of pollen.
Currents whip past us in red-stained blurs as he drags me deep into Tideborn territory, bringing me to a less-populated area I’ve never been to before. The spiraling, white towers are few and far between, now replaced with caves and tunnels made of rock and coral.
There are several trenches, but Kyros avoids them.
Every man we pass recoils, darting out of the way. They’re afraid of Kyros…afraid of what he’ll do to them if they get in his way.
A man near a coral bridge accidentally drifts too close, but not intentionally. He’s not paying attention, his gaze elsewhere. Kyros whips toward him with a savage snarl so vicious that several nearby Mer bolt, disappearing into the nearest current without hesitation.
There are a handful of older men and women zipping around, whisking up and guiding children away from the chaos.
The main currents are quickly clearing out.
Every now and then, I catch flashes of movement deep in the trenches. Pairs diving into cracks in the rock. Mates dragging one another into private dens. Many swim alone, wild-eyed and breathing hard as they race for isolation before the bloom fully takes hold.
I catch a flicker of a pale-gold tail disappearing into a crack. It’s followed quickly by a scarred, cerulean one. Daros and Seraya?
“Kyros—”
“Quiet.”
The command cracks through the water. It’s not cruel, but there’s no teasing edge to it.
His tail lashes harder, propelling us into a narrow canyon of black stone. The farther we travel, the darker the water becomes. The algae is thinning out, and I can barely see my surroundings when Kyros dives.
Fucking dives.
The pressure mounts, and I hold Kyros for dear life as he abruptly jerks us sideways into a narrow opening. Thick curtains of kelp sway across a crack in the stone, masking it from the surrounding currents.
The opening is nearly impossible to see unless you know exactly where to look.
Kyros swims us through the crack and into a small, private cove. It’s carved directly into the rock and lined with brightly lit algae. Kyros and I fit comfortably inside, but there isn’t room for much else.
Kyros releases me and spins around, facing the entrance.
Then he loses his fucking mind.
“No!” The word comes out guttural.
“What? What’s wro—”
Kyros begins to shove against a massive boulder, his muscles straining beneath his skin. The stone is easily twice his size, and it grinds across the ground with a deafening scrape.
My eyes widen. “Kyros?”
He ignores me entirely.
His breathing turns ragged as he pushes the boulder directly over the cave entrance, sealing up the opening. There are only a few narrow cracks for water to pass through. No one is getting in.
…And I’m not getting out.
Kyros braces both hands against the stone, his chest heaving. His tail lashes behind him, slamming hard enough against the ground to crack loose bits of rock. Crimson light flickers beneath his skin in unstable pulses, brightening each time he inhales.
He presses his forehead against the stone.
What exactly is this pollen doing to him? He doesn’t move for several long moments. Long enough for a sliver of fear to creep in. What exactly have I signed up for? I drift backward without thinking.
Kyros slowly turns toward me. His pupils are completely blown now, swallowing almost all the crimson in his irises. Red pollen clings to his dark hair and bare chest like paint, and when he moves, it drifts into the water between us.
I look down at myself.
Red.
My entire body is covered in a thick layer of red.
I look up. Then gasp.
Kyros is in front of me, not even an inch away. He moves silently, his head cocked as he peers down at me. Light pulsates beneath his skin in uneven flashes, betraying his emotions. He doesn’t look like himself. He looks…uncontrolled. Thoughtless.
I swallow. “Kyros?”
He crashes into me, driving me backward against the cave wall hard enough to knock the breath from my lungs. His mouth finds my throat while his hands roam frantically over my body, and his tail coils possessively around my calf.
He scents me between each of his frantic kisses, dragging sharp breaths along my throat like he’s trying to convince himself I’m real.
I lick my lips, trying and failing to find words. I quickly give up on speaking and place my hands on his shoulders, bracing against him. His skin is searing, and he jolts the second my palms land on him.
Then he moans. Loudly.
His fingers snag against my clothing.
Kyros growls low in his throat, ripping the ruined fabric from my body with rough, desperate movements. The sound of tearing cloth echoes through the cave, the only noise alongside his uneven breathing.
The tattered remains of my pajamas drift to the ground between us.
Kyros smacks his tongue against the roof of his mouth.
Mine.
He grabs my thighs hard enough to bruise as he pins me against the stone. He’s not thinking. The pollen has robbed him of that ability. I coil my arms around his neck as he spreads my thighs, shoving them apart until it hurts.
When I wince, he lets up.
But not by much.
My thighs are spread comically wide, and Kyros audibly swallows as he looks down. He readjusts, placing his hands behind my knees so he can push them up and out.
So exposed.
His eyes meet mine, and then the front of his tail is flush against me. He thrusts, his scales brushing against my sex. They’re so soft, and I shiver when they graze my clit.
How is this going to happen? Will Kyros—
There’s no warning.
I gasp, my back scraping against stone as Kyros suddenly surges into me. His cock spears through my sex, plunging into me with one smooth thrust. I stretch around his thickness, but it isn’t easy.
He presses his forehead against mine, then lets out a soft click. The meaning immediately translates.
Warm.
He rolls his hips.
Tight.
Then he begins to fuck, rutting into me with quick, deep thrusts. Low groans pour from his throat with every jerk of his hips. His movements are frenzied, as if he can’t get enough. Or as if he’s afraid I’m going to be taken away from him before he finishes.
I claw at his shoulders, squirming beneath him.
The scales that cover his slit press against my clit, and they shift with every thrust. It feels… Fuck.
I’m going to cum.
My thighs tremble, and I bury my face against his throat with a stifled whine as he brushes his thumb over the back of my knee. It’s the only gentle thing about him right now, but it’s a reminder that he’s still here.
I shatter, clamping down around his length.
Kyros hisses like it hurts, then shoves himself as deep into me as he can go, until I can practically feel him in my throat. He lights up, illuminating the room with pulsating, crimson shadows as his hips twitch—small thrusts and jerks until he stills completely.
I rub my hands up his sides, careful not to touch his still-healing back.
“How are you—”
Kyros groans. Food.
He pulls out of me, his movements sudden, and darts toward the cave’s entrance. There’s no aftercare, no cuddling or conversation or anything warm. He grunts as he pushes aside the stone, opening the exit, and darts outside.
I raise a brow. “Goodbye to you, too.”
I’m not expecting a response.
Kyros surprises me. He pops his head back inside, his wide, crimson eyes meeting mine. They linger for a long moment, calculating as he looks me up and down. Then he stares at my thighs.
Spread, he orders.
I do.
Immediately.
Kyros groans at the sight, his head falling back. Bright-red light flashes beneath his skin, illuminating the small cove. A laugh bubbles up out of my throat when I look down.
His cum is bioluminescent.
My sex and thighs are covered in streaks of glowing, translucent cum. How many surprises does this man have stored up his sleeve?
The sound of scraping stone draws my attention. I look up, already knowing what has happened. The bastard has dragged the stone back over the exit, trapping me inside.
Despite myself, I laugh. This is kind of…fun.
Kyros returns shortly. He’s fidgety and paranoid as he shoves aside the stone, slips inside, and covers the exit once again.
I’m lying on the ground, my arms propped behind my head and my legs crossed at the ankles. I considered cleaning myself with my tattered pajamas but ultimately decided against it. I suspect that this is only the start of my bioluminescent journey.
Kyros spins around, his crimson-speckled eyes meeting mine.
He looks me up and down, taking inventory.
“Your captive is still here,” I tease him.
Kyros grunts, clearly relieved. His shoulders drop slightly, tension easing from his jaw as he confirms that I’m exactly where he left me. Then he lifts his arm, showing off three silver-tailed fish. They’re mangled, their heads squished and bodies limp.
I eye them warily as Kyros approaches, setting them on the ground beside me.
Eat.
I sit up and flick the food away. “No. I’m not eating this.”
Kyros freezes, his eyes narrowing. Then he grabs the fish, his long fingers curling roughly around their bodies, and shoves them into my hands.
“No.” I let it drop to the ground. “It’s uncooked, squished, and gross.”
Kyros looks like he wishes he could set me on fire.
“I would eat some kelp,” I admit.
I’m not trying to be stubborn or rude, but I truly can’t bring myself to even consider eating the mangled fish. The fish they’ve given me before has been prepared. This… This is barbaric. I can’t do it.
Kyros openly glares at me. Then, with the long-suffering expression of a man personally offended by my existence, he grabs the ruined fish and disappears outside again.
When he returns, he’s carrying armfuls of dark kelp strands, colorful sea fruit, and several glowing bulbs filled with sweet liquid. One of the fruits has clearly been crushed in his grip during the trip back.