Page 41 of Holiday Wishes and Tentacle Dreams
Chapter Thirteen
DOREN
The current wasn’t pushing Doren along as swiftly as it usually did, like the ocean itself didn’t want them to reach their destination. Or maybe it was Doren’s own body that was resisting the trip, their tentacles arrayed haphazardly behind them, adding drag and slowing them down.
Dread suffused them as they considered the conversation they were about to have. Their parents would not be happy withDorengoing all the way to Massachusetts—and inland, at that—never mind the idea of themselves taking the journey. As far as Doren knew, their mother and father hadn’t come to the surface in over a hundred years.
As the underwater entrance to their home appeared, Doren hesitated and girded their loins. They could do this. The thing Doren was dreading most was their parents dragging Ren into all of this. Ren spoke little these days, but Doren didn’t think they would appreciate being used as a constant excuse for the family’s isolation.
It didn’t matter. Doren needed to talk to their mother and father. They zipped through the canyon entrance and wound their way to where their parents floated, just finishing a meal.
“It is good to see you, child,” their mother said, her voice ringing with hope and worry in Doren’s mind. “We were concerned. You haven’t been home in days.”
“We sent Bard to speak with you,” Doren’s father chimed in, “but they haven’t returned.”
Doren stilled their floating tentacles for a moment. How is that possible?
“I spoke with Bard. As far as I know, they were heading back here.” Several of Doren’s tentacles wove in on themselves, tensing with anxiety.
Doren’s mother and father glanced at each other, their thoughts emanating a growing panic. That wasn’t good, considering the conversation they were about to have.
“Bard is an adult,” Doren continued, “and capable of taking care of themself. I’m sure they’ll be back soon.”
Their father hummed softly into their mind but didn’t reply. Doren was on edge from the tension already hanging around their parents. Maybe that was why they barrelled on, their words flying ahead of their good reason.
“I have met my bondmate.” The words were out before they could stop them. They hadn’t intended to claim that, to go that far. But the minute they said it, Doren knew it was right.
Both of Doren’s parents’ bodies twitched in the water as if electrocuted. Doren had barely gotten the sentence out before their mother was sending her thoughts a mile a minute.
“How is that even possible? There are no members of our species on Earth who aren’t your family! What is goingonwith you, Doren?” Her words burst out of her like shrapnel from an explosion.
“My bondmate is human.” The awkward silence that followed was oppressive, and Doren assumed their parents had taken them out of the discussion and were conversing with each other in private.
After a long moment, Doren’s father turned to them and spoke, their thought restrained and calm. “Sweet child, that isn’t possible.”
“Do we know that for sure?” Doren spun around in the water, their thoughts running nervous, excited laps as they reviewed a hundred tiny changes that they’d noticed. “That is an assumption you’ve made, and yes, perhaps humans don’t have the physiology to recognize it on their end. But everything you’ve always told me about acquiring your bondmate has occurred with Jake and myself.”
“His name is Jake?” Their mother’s voice was soft and shaky in their mind.
“Yes.” Doren attempted to slow their thoughts down and consider everything logically. They’d observed some simple differences the last time they had sex, when Doren employed their tentacles fully for the first time with Jake.
“Since I’ve met him, I’ve changed. I can now transform more quickly and shift individual parts of myself with greater ease. My body temperature has warmed. He is always in my thoughts. I want to spend all my time with him. It took a tremendous effort to leave his side and come here to speak with you.”
Once again, there was silence after Doren’s words. They wondered whether their parents believed them or thought Doren was delusional. Doren’s tentacles started twisting as they waited for a response, trying to squeeze out the unease from their appendages.
Finally, Doren’s mother swam forward, grabbing several of their tentacles in her own.
“Youdidcome here to speak with us, though. Why? What do you need from us, my child?”
Doren sighed, blowing out air into the water around the three of them. “Jake wants to meet you. More than that, hisgrandmother has invited you to come to Massachusetts for Christmas dinner.”
“Massachusetts?” Their father’s thoughts rang with alarm. “That’s hundreds of miles from our home. How would your siblings find us if something happened?”
“Nothingwill happen to you. You’ll be in human form. The only person who knows who we are is Jake, and he won’t tell anyone, not even his grandmother.”
“Sweetheart, we can’t.” Their mother pulled her tentacles away, wrapping them around her torso in a gesture of self-protection. “After what happened to Ren?—”
“That won’t happen again, Mom!” Irritation leaked out of Doren despite their best efforts to hide it. “Ren trusted someone they shouldn’t have. Not all humans are like that one. No one is going to attack you. You’ll eat some turkey and meet Jake and his grandmother. Then you’ll return here.”