Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Nina
“Not here,” she said. “Bed.”
“An excellent suggestion.” Anthony surged out of the water and forwent a towel and robe. He strode down the corridor exactly as nature made him, fins and all, and left a trail of watery footprints.
Nina snatched his robe and chased after him. “What will Mrs. Marsh say if she catches you like this?”
“She will be too addled by envy to formulate words,” he answered in a lofty tone.
“I fear that is accurate.”
He opened a door at the end of the corridor and pulled her in.
A fire crackled merrily in the fireplace, driving the chill from the room. A well-worm but comfortable looking chair and an ottoman sat by the fire, the perfect place to curl up with a book. A tray with supper waited on a small table next to the chair.
Green velvet drapes had been drawn over the windows, blocking out the night.
Green flocked velvet wallpaper adorned the walls.
A massive four-poster bed dominated the room, adorned with a rich green duvet and more pillows than strictly necessary.
A modest vanity sat to the side. Oil lamps burned on the mantle and side table, casting a soft illumination over the room. It was a cozy space.
“This is far more welcoming than the drafty room she put me in,” Nina said.
Her room had been less than inviting. Water stained the faded wallpaper.
The moth-eaten drapes had holes large enough to see the night sky through and did nothing to stop the draft from the windows.
The one narrow bed looked as if it would collapse if she so much as glanced at it, let alone attempted to sleep upon it.
Worse than the accommodations was the motif carved into the headboard.
Nina shivered at the notion of a sea monster, fins and eyes and a mouth stretching wide, watching over her as she slept.
“You will be staying here.” His tone invited no dissent.
“I’ll not argue.” She took a brush from the vanity table.
Anthony took the brush from her. “Let me take care of you.”
Nina had no objections to being pampered and sat on the vanity table’s chair.
Anthony brushed her damp hair, starting from the bottom to work out the tangles with short strokes that grew into long, even strokes. He pushed the hair over her shoulder, exposing the back of her neck, and placed a gentle kiss.
Next, he applied lotion to her back. It was cold and smelled of the same heavy rose perfume as the soap, but his fingers were strong. He massaged the stiff knots until they remained only a memory. The scales on the palms of his hands, as fine as they were, created a pleasant amount of friction.
He worked the lotion into her shoulders, down her arms, and eventually to her front.
He stood before her, his member standing tall. His equipment was… unusual. Respectable, of course. Highly respectable, but not the standard. It was blue, for one. The head was wider than average with nodules on the underside. Same length and general shape as his previous state.
“May I?” she asked, reaching for him.
“Anything you please.”
She ran her finger along the rim and he sucked in a breath. “Is that distressing?”
“No, quite the opposite.”
She ventured down his shaft. Color patterning looked like scales, but she couldn’t feel any. He was smooth and soft, not like his arms or even the palms of his hands. What intrigued her the most was the oval shaped discoloration at the base that ran upward.
Gently she stroked the flesh. It was soft and pliable. She watched his reaction as she applied a bit more pressure.
He sucked in a breath and tensed, his abdomen jumping. “It is a slit. It keeps me… internal.”
“How intriguing,” she said. “Is this uncomfortable?”
“Again, quite the opposite.”
She pushed on the edge, her finger dipping inside.
Anthony grabbed her hand. “I fear the sensation is overwhelming. I will not last if you continue.”
Withdrawing her hand, she said, “I don’t want that. Perhaps we should eat dinner before it gets cold.”
“I intend to eat?—”
He picked her up, eliciting a yelp of surprise and set her on the bed. The ancient coils groaned under her weight. He moved her to the edge of the mattress and kneeled before her. Wet hair slicked back against his head, making his ear fins seem more prominent.
Nina sucked in a breath of anticipation.
His hands traveled up her thighs and down again, parting them wide.
Black eyes stared at her exposed self. A feral grin spread across his face. “Beautiful.”
He buried his face against her, breathing in.
“Mine,” he said.
He kissed her inner thigh before using a hand to spread her inner lips. His tongue was rough—not unpleasantly so—and overwhelming.
Nina fell back to the mattress with a cry.
He growled, the vibrations going through her, and hiked a leg over his shoulder. He was everywhere, using that remarkably textured tongue to stroke her as she taught him only the previous night.
She reached down, her fingers tangling with his hair. Her hips rose, bucking against him. His grip on her legs tightened, determined to keep his place.
He licked and sucked. Tension inside her body tightened, increasing with relentless determination, and she cried out when she reached her peak.
She tossed an arm over her face, obscuring her vision. Panting, she managed to say, “I believe my soul left my body.”
The mattress dipped as Anthony stretched out next to her. She rolled to her knees.
“Rest. We had a long day,” he said.
“Absolutely not.” She positioned herself and reached for him.
She stroked him, watching his reaction. The head wept, glossy and opaque.
His black eyes seemed to darken, but that could be a trick of the light.
“I have been thinking about this all day, and I will not allow it to prevent me from sleeping.”
He played with a strand of her hair, twisting it around his fingers. “In the name of restful slumber, do what you must.”
“Since you insist.” She released him and moved to straddle his chest. Once properly seated, she resumed her activities.
Licking her lips, she leaned forward, taking him into her mouth.
The head was larger than she anticipated. She coughed and tried again, this time running her tongue around the rim. He tasted sweet. Pleasantly surprised, she swallowed him again. This time, she did not cough.
He placed one hand on her bottom and the other cupped her sex. Gently, he stroked her, his fingers brushing against her curls.
“You’re soaked,” he said.
“Do something about it,” she said, rocking back against his hand, and returned to her task.
A finger slipped inside. Then another. She moaned, her mouth full. Her hand worked his length as her tongue circled the rim, rubbing the soft nodules. At the same time, he pumped his fingers in and out.
Her thighs trembled. She would arrive at her joyous pinnacle soon. Too soon. He did not slow or show her any mercy. She tore herself off his member, burying her face against his pelvis and gasping as another wave of rapture rolled through her.
Finally, he showed mercy, withdrawing his hand and murmuring praise.
Nina returned to her task, determined that he should share in her delight.
She showed him the same mercy, noting every moan and quiver. Some spots elicited no response. Others brought forth a full body reaction. Soon, his member twitched and she felt him tense underneath her.
She pulled off him to watch as her hand stroked his length.
“Stop,” he said, his hand covering hers.
With a moan, his hips bucked and his member pulsed. Pearlescent fluid gushed, trickling down onto his stomach.
She dragged a finger through his fluid. “You’re sweet. Did you know that?”
“Can’t say that it’s a topic of conversation in the barracks.” Anthony rolled to the side, as if searching for a cloth and found a discarded towel at the side of the bed. Tenderly, he wiped her hands and cleaned himself.
“Of course. I can’t imagine the soldiers under your command discuss their emissions with you.”
“No, and if they attempt to do so, I send them to the medic.” A lazy, content expression settled on his face, and he pulled her down next to him. “Stay here a moment. Tomorrow you will meet my family properly and you should enjoy the peace while we can.”
* * *
Dinner was indeed cold by the time they ate. Nina had no regrets. Warmed by the fire, stomach full, and quite content in all regards, she drifted off into an easy sleep.
“Do you think there’s a cure?”
Anthony’s question pulled her back to wakefulness.
“No,” she answered.
The mattress shifted as he rolled to face her.
On her stomach, Nina turned her head in his direction. It was too dark to see him properly but she felt his gaze.
“How can you be certain?” he asked.
“Because it wouldn’t be a secret. From the little I know of your family, they seem given to self-aggrandizing. There’d be a monument out front, a plaque celebrating the home of such genius, and so on.”
He huffed. “Pearsons are proud.”
She reached out and brushed back a stray lock of hair, tucking it behind his ear to better see his ear fin. It fluttered at her touch. “What will you do if your family can’t help you?”
“I’ve thought about our conversation on the boat,” he said. “I’ll carry on. My life won’t be the same, but it would be foolhardy to pretend otherwise.”
“Change happens to us all.”
“There was talk of retirement. I don’t suppose the NPF will allow it now.”
“Surely you have a favor or two to collect. Know people in high places.”
“Perhaps.” He offered no further explanation.
“How many years have you served?” she asked.
“Twenty-six this year.”
She whistled. “That’s a long time.”
“My entire adult life.” His hand rested on the bed next to hers. “I’m curious who I’ll be when I leave the NPF.”
“Not beholden to policy and rules? I’d like to make that gentleman’s acquaintance.” She reached for his hand, weaving their fingers together.
“You’re just as beholden to policy and rules as I.”
“I’m not above malicious compliance,” she said with a grin.
“I am well aware. The sheriff of Sweetwater Point is not above employing dirty tricks.”
Her grin faltered. “I suspect I won’t be sheriff for much longer.”
Anthony sat up, the blanket falling away as the fins on his arms flared to attention. “What do you mean?”
“The mayor dislikes me, and he’s not above using dirty tricks to get me ousted.”
“You’re eminently congenial. How can he dislike you?”
Nina rolled her eyes. “You’re biased. There are plenty of reasons for a mayor to dislike a sheriff they can’t bribe or blackmail.”
“Has he attempted?—”
She waved a hand, dismissing the question. “Not outright. He did not drop an envelope full of money on my desk, but it was implied. Kelley’s too careful for that.”
His eyes narrowed, as if dissatisfied with that answer.
“I haven’t lost my post yet,” she assured him, although she did wonder what kind of person she would be if she gave up the badge. She joined because it was the family profession and stayed because of Lucas.
“What will you do if the mayor’s scheme succeeds?”
She pondered his question. “It’s difficult to imagine not wearing the badge. I do know that I want to quit before an injury makes me quit. That’s what happened with my father.”
“You should travel. It’s a crime that this gray rock is the only piece of our fair Nexus that you’ve seen.”
“I’ve been all over the West Lands.”
“There’s more to see. It’s a lovely planet. The unterraformed bits are astounding.”
“Perhaps. I would like to visit the Southern Isle. Visit Mama’s side of the family.” The more she considered it, the more its appeal grew.
She yawned.
“Rest. Tomorrow will be as taxing as the day before,” Anthony said, lying back down.
“We don’t have to decide our futures now,” she said, another yawn punctuating her words.
“Whatever you decide, I will be with you.”
Sweet words. Hopelessly optimistic. There were too many ways for this new bond to fail.
That was a problem for another day.