Page 17 of Kiss for My Kraken (Fairhaven Falls #8)

S am remained submerged in the river long after Nina disappeared into her cabin.

The water enveloped him, familiar and comforting, yet somehow changed—as if her presence had altered even this constant in his life.

He closed his eyes, letting the current wash over him, carrying her taste away while the memory of her touch remained branded on his skin.

The sensation of her exploring fingers still lingered on his tentacles. Her fearlessness had stunned him. Where he’d expected hesitation, even revulsion, he’d found only curiosity and desire. The trust she’d shown by stepping into his element, allowing him to envelop her completely…

His body responded again to the memory, a deep thrumming sensation pulsing through his tentacles as his mating arm pushed insistently against his sheath. He’d held back, focused entirely on her pleasure, unwilling to overwhelm her with the full reality of his desire. But gods, how he’d wanted more.

He surfaced, drawing in a deep breath of night air. Stars had emerged, reflecting on the river’s surface in fractured patterns of light. He floated on his back, staring upward, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling through him.

He was bonded to her now—completely, irrevocably.

The instinct ran deeper than conscious thought, as natural and inevitable as the tide.

His kind mated for life, and while he’d never experienced the bond before, he recognized it with absolute certainty.

Nina was his. And he was hers, whether she fully understood that yet or not.

He swam slowly back to his island, then hesitated when he reached the shore, reluctant to leave the river’s embrace. On land, even in his more humanoid form, he felt less himself—awkward, constrained, vulnerable.

Yet Nina lived on land. If he wanted more of her—all of her—he would need to venture further from the water’s safety than he had in years.

The thought sent a cold tremor through him, at odds with the heat of his desire. Could he do it? After years of seclusion, could he bear the exposure, the risk, the scrutiny?

Sleep eluded him that night. He drifted between the open hatch and the dry portions of his cabin, restless and aching.

Every corner held some reminder of Nina—the place she’d stood admiring his books, the chair where she’d eaten dinner, the deck where she’d boldly shed her dress. He wanted her here, now, always.

The intensity of that desire frightened him.

He had existed alone for so long, the solitude a shield against the rejection and fear his true nature inevitably provoked.

Even in Fairhaven Falls, where Others lived openly, he had kept to himself, emerging only for necessities, maintaining a careful distance.

Nina had shattered that distance with disarming ease.

As dawn approached, he slipped back into the river, seeking the clarity that always came with immersion. The cool water soothed his heated thoughts, but couldn’t erase the fundamental truth: being apart from her hurt now, a physical ache unlike anything he’d experienced.

He consoled himself with the certainty that she would return to him. But was that enough? These brief encounters, stolen moments between her shifts at the tavern, nighttime visits when the rest of the world couldn’t see them together?

The question haunted him as he swam towards town, following the path she would take to work. He kept to the deeper channel, invisible to casual observers on shore. When he reached the stretch of river behind the Moonlight Tavern, he settled in to wait, hidden amongst the reeds.

She appeared at her usual time, walking the path from her cabin with Ozzie trotting ahead.

She wore her work clothes—simple jeans and a t-shirt with the tavern’s logo—but he thought she had never looked more beautiful.

Sunlight caught in her hair, turning it to amber and gold.

She moved with a new lightness, a subtle confidence that hadn’t been there when she first arrived.

She paused at the edge of the trees, her gaze drifting towards the river. For a moment, Sam thought she’d spotted him, but she was looking past him, towards his island. A small, secret smile curved her lips before she continued towards the tavern’s back entrance.

He remained where he was, wishing he had the courage to assume his land form and follow her.

As the day wore on, his restlessness increased.

What use was this bond if he couldn’t be closer to her?

If he couldn’t share in her life, couldn’t claim her as his own?

The thought of the townspeople seeing him in his land form—of being vulnerable—made him recoil instinctively. But staying away from her was worse.

“Get over yourself,” a familiar voice said sharply, and he sighed, looking up to see Flora leaning over the railing surrounding the tavern porch. Then he looked again and choked.

Today’s baby blue tracksuit was plastered with a cartoon octopus beneath the words Let’s Get Kraken.

“Do you like it?” she said, her eyes sparkling. “Because it’s very good advice. You need to get kraken, kraken.”

“I’m going to drown myself right now,” he informed her. “Right in front of you.”

“I’m serious, Sam.” Flora’s teasing expression faded into concern. “Time to stop moping and tell her.”

“What are you talking about?”

His attempt to play innocent didn’t fool either one of them.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” she said. “You tell her, or I’ll tell her for you.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.”

He’d known her long enough to know she meant every word. He glowered at her, and she lifted her eyebrows in a way that was both encouraging and threatening.

“You’re a menace,” he grumbled.

“Yes, but I’m right.” She beamed at him, patting her sweatshirt. “And you’re going to get kraken.”

He was waiting at the dock when Nina came hurrying down the path, Ozzie at her heels.

She didn’t even stop at her cabin but came straight down the steps to the dock, a brilliant smile lighting her face at the sight of him.

She walked directly to him and threw herself into his arms, paying no attention to the water between them.

She was kissing him, her arms around his neck, before he could speak. Her mouth tasted of sweetness and longing, and he gathered her closer, his own desperation rising to meet hers. They stayed that way for a long, breathless moment, their bodies entwined despite the awkward angle.

“Hi,” she said finally, pulling back far enough to meet his eyes. “I missed you today.”

“I missed you too.”

“Even though you were keeping watch over me?” she teased. “Like my own personal stalker?”

“Do you mind?”

“Not at all. It’s funny. The Chosen were always watching me, and it made me feel trapped, but knowing you’re watching me makes me feel safe.” She kissed him again. “You’re my guardian kraken.”

“Always. Will you come to the island?”

“Of course, but I should get some food for Ozzie first.”

“I have food for him,” he said quickly, fighting the urge to just sweep her into the boat and take off. She gave him a puzzled look, then nodded.

“All right.”

He had her in the boat almost before she finished speaking, barely waiting until Ozzie hopped in before heading back across the river.

His nerves made him less graceful than usual, but Nina didn’t seem to mind, trailing a hand in the water and watching the shoreline approach with an expression of contentment.

When he docked the boat, he helped her onto the deck, then followed her up, bringing his entire body out of the water. Ozzie raced ahead of them, already knowing where to find his treats.

“I want to show you something,” he said, his heart pounding with unaccustomed anxiety.

“Okay,” she said, her eyes curious and trusting.

“Close your eyes.”

She did, without hesitation. He released her hand and moved away a little.

When he glanced back, she stood patiently, hands folded in front of her.

He took a deep breath, then began the shift to his land form.

Her eyes were still closed but he saw her frown as if she sensed the change.

He took a deep breath, steadying himself.

“You can open your eyes.”

She obeyed, then her mouth dropped open as she took in his altered form.

“What did you do?”

“We call this a land form. It makes it easier to move around when we’re out of the water.”

She approached him hesitantly, and he realized that her head barely reached his chest in this form. Then she very cautiously extended her hand and ran it over his bare hip. His body reacted to her touch, but the transformation held.

“Does this mean you can leave the water?”

“For a time.” He shrugged. “The shift takes energy, and my strength is more limited in this form. But I could walk beside you on land if you wished.”

“I’d like that,” she said, her eyes still wide. “But I want you to be comfortable.”

“This is a form of me, but my true self is a water creature, not a human.” He held his breath, waiting for her response.

“I know you’re not human. I understand that, and it doesn’t matter to me.

” Her hands stroked up over his chest and he bit back a groan.

His skin was still sensitive from the transition and each touch of her hand sent sparks through his system.

” I want to be with you, in whatever way we can make it work.

I don’t care about the differences between us.

I don’t care what form you take. I accept all of you, Sam. I want all of you.”

He didn’t dare to believe what he was hearing. The longing and disbelief must have shown in his face because she raised herself on her toes and kissed him gently.

“All of you, Sam. Everything you are. Everything that makes you who you are. That’s what I want. If that’s what you want?”

“Yes.” The word was torn from him and he lowered his mouth to hers.

He was still in his land form, the transformation holding despite the overwhelming need coursing through him.

She pressed closer, her arms circling his neck as he deepened the kiss.

He could feel the heat of her body against his, the press of her breasts against his chest, and he couldn’t wait any longer.

He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist, her mouth never leaving his as he carried her inside. But when he started to carry her through into the bedroom, she drew back.

“Wait,” she said softly, and alarm flickered through him. Had she changed her mind?

But she was smiling, her eyes warm with certainty. “Not here,” she said, gesturing to the bed. “There.” She pointed towards the water in the open hatch.

He went utterly still. “In the water?”

“I want you as you truly are, Sam. Completely free. In your element.”

“In the water, my instincts are… stronger, more powerful. I don’t want to overwhelm you.”

“You won’t,” she said confidently. “I trust you.”

Trust. Such a simple word for such a profound gift. He searched her face, looking for any hint of fear or hesitation, but found only… love. A shudder ran through him, his tentacles threatening to uncurl. “Are you certain?”

In response, she slipped out of his arms and began removing her clothes.

The t-shirt went first, pulled over her head to reveal the smooth expanse of her shoulders and the delicate curve of her collarbone.

Next came her jeans, sliding down her legs to pool at her feet.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached behind her back and undid her bra, letting it slide down to reveal her small, perfect breasts, the nipples already taut and rosy.

Lastly, she removed her underwear, a scrap of pale green cotton that fluttered to the floor, leaving her completely naked.

He drank in the sight of her, the slender legs, the gentle flare of her hips, and the soft thatch of brown hair that shielded her sex. She was exquisite, and he wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside her warmth, but he held himself still, letting her come to him.

She stepped close and took his hand. “I’m sure, Sam. Make love to me. In the water, in your true form.”