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CHAPTER TWELVE

SHOCK HELD Nisha immobile, but not for long. Did he hear Kannon right? He sprang to his feet, dragging Kannon up with him. “We’ll catch you later, Brett,” Nisha said. “Give Brooke our love, wherever she’s gotten off to. See you later.”

Behind him he heard Brett chuckling, but he didn’t dare slow down or loosen his grip on his mate. Finally, finally , he could show Kannon all the wonders of his world.

“What’s the rush?” Kannon gasped as Nisha dragged him into the elevator.

Nisha just grunted. When the doors opened, he pulled Kannon from the elevator. Curious eyes followed them as he hurried his mate from the resort and onto the sandy beaches that spread out in front of them.

“Dude, slow down. Loosen up on the grip a little bit too, will you?”

The amusement in Kannon’s voice finally penetrated the fog of excitement around Nisha. Guess he did look pretty ridiculous dragging Kannon behind him. He glanced at Kannon.

“Sorry.” Nisha ran a hand through his hair, slightly bemused. “I guess I was a little excited.”

“A little?” Kannon sorted.

Their joined hands swayed gently as they walked, and Nisha forced his body to relax. “It’s just… I can’t wait to show you everything. I want to see how you react. I remember how you were before I ruined—”

“Hey, hey. None of that. Let’s not start digging up the past and all that happened in it.”

“I’m not, I’m really not. But you had such a childlike joy. Everything you saw beneath the surface fascinated you but because of me that changed.”

Kannon stopped which also halted Nisha. “Okay, see that’s what I’m talking about. So let’s settle this once and for all. Do you regret starting the mating process fifteen years ago?”

“No.” Was Kannon kidding? Mating him was the best thing he’d ever done. But… “What I regret is…”

“Is what?”

“How it was done.” Nisha glanced out over the ocean and signed. “I regret I scared you. I truly regret fear drove you from the water. I took your enjoyment of the ocean from you.”

“Okay, that’s a good point. But that’s over and done with. It wasn’t the water that scared me—it was what was in the water. Meaning you… and just hold up.” Kannon stopped Nisha before he spoke. “Fear can distort memories, which is what happened with me. You’re not nearly as scary as I remember.” Kannon winked.

“Um…” Nisha quirked an eyebrow at Kannon. “Thanks?”

Kannon laughed. “You’re welcome.”

They fell silent as they made their way to the cove Nisha used before. Was Kannon nervous? Unbelievably, Nisha was. What if Kannon freaked out on him? What then? They fell silent as they descended into the cavern.

He released Kannon’s hand, lit one of the torches so Kannon could see, and walked over to the dry bags hidden behind an outcrop of rocks. He opened one and fished out a couple of beach blankets then returned to where he left Kannon standing. He spread the blanket out on the sand.

“I’m going to leave my clothes here. This way they won’t be covered in sand when we return.” Nisha took his shirt off.

“Oh. Um, why are you…?”

“I have a tail, remember? It doesn’t work well with shorts.”

“Ahhh, gotcha.” Kannon shuffled his feet. “Do I need to strip too? I see why you do, but I’d be more comfortable in my trunks. Is that okay?”

Nisha paused in undressing, his hands on his waistband. “You do whatever makes you feel best. I hate the feeling of clothes, but then, I don’t normally wear them.”

“Okay, good. These aren’t my swim trunks, but going naked…” Kannon shrugged as he dragged his shirt over his head. “Maybe I’ll go skinny-dipping later after I’m used to this whole deal.”

“I sincerely hope so.” Nisha eyed Kannon’s chest.

“Jeez, stop that or that towel is going to be put to other uses.” Kannon adjusted his cock.

As tempting as that was, he really wanted to introduce Kannon to his world. Laying his mate out on the towel could wait until later. After he stripped, Nisha took Kannon by the hand and walked toward the water. Already he could hear Kannon’s breathing increase. Once the water was around their waists, he took Kannon’s other hand and looked his mate straight the eye.

“Now, I want you to think about breathing. Breathe in. Feel your diaphragm contract? Try to feel it as it moves downward. In, and out. In, and out. Good. Close your eyes.”

Kannon closed his eyes.

“Think about your neck. Think about all the nerves and muscles in there. How smooth the skin is. But wait. What’s that? Maybe it wasn’t as smooth as you first thought. Feel something there? Something that has never been there before? Yes?”

Kannon nodded.

“Focus on that. Does it tingle?”

Again Kannon nodded.

“That’s excellent. That’s exactly what we want. Keep your eyes close and keep concentrating.”

Kannon’s breathing smoothed out into a steady in and out rhythm.

Nisha lowered his voice. “You’re doing so well. Concentrate. Keep breathing for me… lose yourself in the rhythm. Good, good. Keep breathing, and look deep inside yourself. Focus on the tingling in your neck.”

Kannon frowned then his face smoothed out.

“Feel it?”

Kannon nodded.

“Good. Concentrate on that feeling. We’re going to open your gills now. I want you to pretend like you’re trying to open a window. A window that’s been painted over. It’s stuck. Force the window open. Now .”

Kannon’s breathing accelerated, and his face screwed up into a grimace as his body tensed. His eyebrows lowered, and his lips tightened. The cords in his neck stood out and then Kannon suddenly grunted his eyes flew open just as the gills appeared on his neck.

“Holy crap!” Kannon reached for his neck, but Nisha caught his hands.

“Easy. Be very gentle. They’re going to be sensitive especially since this is their first time opening.”

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. I can feel them!” Kannon hopped from one foot to the other in the water. Small waves drifted out. “Seriously, like really feel them. They kind of tickled when they opened and, and… holy moly! I have gills.”

“Yes you do, mate.” Nisha pressed a swift kiss to Kannon’s lips even as he smiled at the excitement in Kannon’s voice. “Now listen to me.”

Kannon stopped jumping around and stared at Nisha. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Of course not. I’m just going to give you a quick crash course on gills. As you know, fish—just like humans—breathe oxygen, but their gills pull oxygen out of the water. Merfolk do the same. Now, so can you.”

“How exactly do they work? I mean, I’m not sure I can wrap my head around this.”

“In the most simplistic terms, water is forced across the gills and dissolved oxygen is taken in by tiny blood vessels and veins in the gills. Seawater carries away the carbon dioxide.”

“You know, I never noticed it until now, but you would’ve made a good teacher,” Kannon said. “You like to lecture.”

“I… oh, bite me.”

“No, I’m serious. You’re really good at lecturing.”

“Wait until we get home,” Nisha growled. “I’m going to show you all about ‘lecturing’… possibly with the flat of my hand.”

“Ohhhh, can’t wait.”

Nisha shook his head. “You’re distracting me. As I was saying, essentially the main thing to remember is not to hold your breath once under the water. Let your body do what it needs to do. Don’t fight it or panic. Remember, you won’t drown.”

Kannon bit his lip then nodded. “Right. Don’t panic. Bet that’s easier said than done. Man, this is all kinds of scary, but I’m ready. Let’s do this.”

“Don’t be nervous. I’ll be right there with you.” Nisha let go of Kannon’s hands and step back. “Give me just a second. I’m going to change to my natural form.”

Nisha stepped backward in the water, and clearing his mind, began the process that would transform him back to his preferred form. Luckily it took less time than bringing forth his human legs. Oddly enough, going from legs to tail didn’t hurt. It stung, yes. But it wasn’t anywhere as bad as bringing forth his legs.

Maybe it was the fact that everything, for lack of better description, melted together and reformed—there was no tearing. Whatever the reason was, he was grateful it took less time. As his tail formed he stretched, shaking out its length and flexing his caudal fin.

He surfaced and looked at Kannon. “Ready?”

Kannon took one last deep breath. “Ready.”

He wasn’t ready, Nisha could plainly see that, but he wasn’t going to delay this any longer. The thumping of Kannon’s heart was all Nisha could hear. He grasped Kannon’s hand and pulled him farther into the water until they could no longer touch bottom.

The best way to do this would be to grab Kannon and pull him under, and just force him to do what needed to be done… but he couldn’t. He absolutely refused to terrify Kannon again. Still holding hands, and a quick wink to boost Kannon’s courage, Nisha stopped propelling his tail.

Slowly they sank under the water. He let go of Kannon’s hands, and with a featherlight touch, eased his fingers across Kannon’s gills. Even underwater, he could see Kannon’s eyes widening. The first flickers of fear raced across his face.

Breathing underwater was such an unnatural act for his mate. Kannon would have a hard time denying his human urges even thought he was no longer fully human. But just because his brain knew it didn’t mean his body did… and that was what Kannon was fighting now.

Nisha’s sensitive hearing picked up the steadily increasing pounding of Kannon’s heart. Kannon’s eyes bulged. Instinct kicked in, and Kannon thrashed desperately as he tried to surface. Nisha knew Kannon wouldn’t drown. Problem was Kannon didn’t know that.

He was unable to believe such a feat quite yet. It broke his heart to see the fear in Kannon’s eyes. Unable to think of anything else, Nisha grabbed Kannon and kissed him. He kissed him, pouring every bit of love and promise he had into the kiss.

He trilled softly as he touched Kannon’s gills once more. Please, love. Trust me. You can do this. Just… breathe. The kiss spiraled out of control as Nisha trapped Kannon’s face with his hands. Kannon’s hair spread out as they sank father down. He’s holding his breath. Exactly what I told him not to do.

Even though Nisha knew it was instinct, Kannon simply could not do this. Nisha thrust his tongue into Kannon’s mouth and then drew back, inviting Kannon’s to follow—to come and explore his mouth.

He trilled with joy when the first tentative brush up Kannon’s tongue. I’m sorry, love. Nisha bit him with his sharp little teeth. Kannon jerked in his arms, his body trembling. It had to sting, Nisha knew, but he needed it to.

He needed something to knock Kannon out of his flight or fight mindset. He hoped the kiss and the bite would. Then Nisha saw it… Kannon’s chest expanded and contracted. Yes! His mate just took his first breath underwater.

Kannon jerked his head back, ran his hands across his lips, then glared at Nisha. Nisha grabbed Kannon by the waist to stop their descent, his tail slowly moving back and forth. They hung suspended in the water, Kannon still glaring at him.

Letting the joy he felt spill across his face, he waited. Then he saw it. The aggravation on Kannon’s face quickly disappeared as excitement replaced it. Finally. The look of shock on Kannon’s face was priceless.

Nisha held Kannon as he watched Kannon’s gills working perfectly. His mate was breathing underwater. Now for some fun. Still holding hands, Nisha used his powerful tail to send them toward the underwater opening of the cave.

When they reached it he slowed and looked at Kannon. Hopefully his mate would understand he was taking them out of the cave and into the deep blue sea. Once they got back on land he’d have to explain to Kannon they had a way to converse—mates were able to communicate telepathically while in mer form—but it would take some time to develop.

While that was a private form of communication, merfolk had developed a range and a variety of noises to commune verbally. As with whales, they used four main types of sounds: trills, clicks, whistles, and pulsed calls. Clicks were used for identification.

When sound waves bounced off an object, it returned to a mer. A pleasant return click help differentiate between friend and predators. Aquatic life, for the most part, fell in the friendly category. Their whistles and pulsed calls were used during social activities.

Humans heard pulsed calls as squeaks, screams, and squawks. When a mer trilled, it was to offer comfort. Merfok also use their tails and fins to make loud slapping noises on the surface of the water. This was a nonverbal communicate that could be heard for below the surface miles away.

It was used as a warning sign of aggression. But for right now they were reduced to playing charades. He pointed out the cave opening, and Kannon nodded. Excellent. He couldn’t wait to see Kannon’s reaction once they left the cave.