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“I knew you’d come, eventually,” he says, satisfaction evident in his voice.

“I’m curious,” I say, stopping several feet away. “Don’t read too much into it.”

His smile is knowing, almost blinding. “Curiosity is a powerful motivator. One of my favorite human traits.”

I hesitate at the edge of the dock, suddenly aware of how vulnerable I am—alone, at night, with a creature who could drag me to the depths in seconds. Yet fear isn’t what makes my heart race.

“What did you want to show me?” I ask, trying to sound casual.

“Something no human has seen before,” he says, extending a hand—perfectly formed but with faint webbing between the fingers. “Do you trust me?”

“That seems like a leading question when posed by a mysterious lake monster.”

He laughs, the sound rippling across the water. “Fair enough. Let me rephrase—will you come into the water with me, Lily? I promise to return you safely to shore.”

I take a deep breath and pull the sundress over my head, revealing the red bikini underneath. His eyes widen slightly, drinking in the sight of me, and something primal and female in me preens at his obvious appreciation.

“If you drown me, I’m going to be very annoyed,” I warn, taking his extended hand.

“Noted,” he says dryly, and then he’s pulling me gently into the water.

It’s warmer than I expected, pleasantly so. I gasp as his arm curls around my waist, supporting me.

“I’m going to take you under,” he murmurs, face inches from mine. “But you won’t drown. Trust me.”

Before I can question what he means, his mouth is on mine, and it’s nothing like Oren’s kiss. Where the forest guardian was warm earth and honey, Caspian is cool silk and salt. His lips move expertly against mine, and when his tongue slips into my mouth, I taste something strange and sweet.

Then he’s pulling me under, our lips still connected, his tentacles wrapped securely around me. I should panic—I’m underwater, can’t breathe—but something is happening. The sweet substance from his kiss seems to be changing me, allowing me to… breathe? Not exactly breathe, but I don’t feel the need for air.

I open my eyes underwater to find his black ones watching me intently. He’s transformed more fully into his element—more Kraken than man now, his beauty, alien and otherworldly. His tentacles pulse with bioluminescent light, creating a rippling glow around us as he pulls me deeper.

The lake bottom comes alive with light as we descend—patches of glowing algae, small luminescent fish darting away from our approach. It’s like swimming through a galaxy, and I’m so captivated I almost miss the structure taking shape before us.

It’s a cave entrance adorned with collected treasures that catch and reflect the bioluminescent light—shells, polished stones, even what appears to be salvaged jewelry. Caspian guides me inside, where the underwater cave opens into a chamber that’s partially above water.

He releases me as we break the surface in this hidden grotto, and I gasp, this time from wonder. The cave ceiling is studded with crystals reflecting the water's light, creating a private aurora borealis. Smooth stone ledges rise from the water, covered with what appear to be cushions and fabrics.

“Your lair?” I ask, treading water, trying to process the beauty around me.

“My sanctuary,” he corrects. “No one else has seen it before.”

I’m touched by the gesture and what it might mean he’s sharing this private space with me. “It’s beautiful.”

His tentacles shift beneath the water, and I feel one brush against my leg. “Not as beautiful as—”

“—a monster’s version of first base?” I interrupt, splashing a little water in his direction. But the teasing doesn’t hide the way my heart flutters.

He laughs, the sound filling the space. “Unfiltered and unpredictable. I like that about you, Lily.” He swims closer, his expression softening. “You’re different from anyone I’ve ever met.”

“Different because I’m human? Or different because I’m crazy enough to sneak off with a sea creature?” I joke, though his words stir something deep and vulnerable inside me.

“Different because you’re here,” he says simply, meeting my eyes with an intensity that makes my pulse race.

I look around, taking in the treasures he’s gathered, the glow of the water reflecting off the cave walls. “So, what does a kraken do all alone out here?”

One tentacle loops lazily around my waist, pulling me toward him. “I wait,” he says, a hint of loneliness creeping into his voice. “I watch. And sometimes, I hope.”

I blink at the unexpected honesty. “That sounds… lonely.”