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Kyree’s heart swelled. This was why she loved the warriors. They were so much more than that.

Wait, love?

“You need to stop living in this ideal fairytale. It doesn’t exist. You can’t have both, Kyree. Trust me, I’ve tried.”

“Of course you can.” Kyree moved her body even closer to Hudson, enjoying the gasped intake of breath from the mer. “And I can show you how.”

“How?” Hudson’s voice came out in a small croak.

“Show her that she matters. And tell her everything you plan, everything you want from this world. And tell me.”

“Everything?” Hudson scoffed, shaking her head and moving back a little farther.

But Kyree noticed Hudson’s own slit peeking through just a little beneath her scales.

“Yes. And I’ll give you both everything that I am in return. I’ll show you everything I can do.”

“The animals?”

“Yes.” Kyree smiled.

“Hmm.” Hudson purred and drew closer again to Kyree. “Tempting. You’ve always been so tempting.”

“Yes. But I want to be more than just that.”

“You are,” Hudson whispered and pushed herself all the way back, making sure she couldn’t be reached no matter how tempting she had confessed Kyree to be.

“And what makes you think everything we are will ever be enough for Honour?”

“I don’t know.” Kyree shook her head, grateful for the distance between them, the distraction of Hudson’s physical touch. “But I want to try. I want to do everything I can to show her what she means. And if it’s not enough, then so be it. But I won’t have her thinking I ever thought her less than enough for me.”

“So why do you need me?” The begging in Hudson’s eyes was raw and real.

“Because we belong together, all of us. And you’re enough to fight for. Not just with, but for, and I will fight for you.”

“I need to fight for my men, to fight the Talons and give freedom to my people.” Hudson shook her head slowly.

Kyree nodded. The lump in her throat was painful to swallow over, but she couldn’t hold back now. Not if she expected so much from Hudson.

“Then I’ll help you.”

“And what if I don’t give you and Honour what you want?”

“You already have.”

For a moment, Hudson seemed frozen in the water. They stared at each other, Hudson’s brain no doubt clicking through what Kyree had just said in the same way that Kyree’s was. She was so close to confessing everything. The words were on the tip of her tongue, and she was damn near ready.

Hudson swam forward, locking her hand around Kyree’s wrist and holding firmly. She pressed their cheeks together, and Kyree felt the hot tears in the water against her skin. She heard Hudson’s ragged breathing, felt her lips against her ear when Hudson turned into her even more.

“Don’t let me regret this,” Hudson murmured.

“I pray you don’t.” Kyree moved slightly, enough that she could see Hudson’s light brown eyes, the golden hues in them. “I don’t want you to.”

She pressed their mouths together hard, teeth gnashing and tongues sliding against each other. Kyree’s hand was in Hudson’s hair, holding her firm and fast. She’d never truly been the one to initiate. She’d always waited, but feeling this full force of power, of the arousal that coiled through her, Kyree wasn’t ever going to give this up.

Hudson broke away sharply. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. She raised her hand to her lips and brushed her fingertips across them. The corner of her mouth quirked up as her eyes lit with joy. “The men will be ready in a moment.”

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