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I can see this is a waste of tilided over to me, stroked a soft hand down my cheek Poor child Your life isn’t easy down here, is it?

I blinked, positive I’d misheard her She hadn’t shown me that much compassion--or any compassion at all, really--since the day of ht

Before I could say anything, she turned to Kona Take Teet her settled I expect to see her inmore like herself

And there she was--every inch the h the sathered, all one, he turned to ht Bed for you Now

You sound entirely too excited by that prospect, I told him as he swept me back into his ar So, do you want surface or water?

I closed ainst his ar fast

Water’s closer We followed the queen back to her underwater palace, then swah the halls quickly and quietly My suite was on the fourth floor of the palace, which--except for me--was reserved for royalty But when I’d chosen to be iven me myof the building Cecily, it seemed, had needed a lot of room to stretch out I just found it lonely

Kona carriedthe door behind us I raised an eyebrow at hiuards--and my own--I’m not sure how secure it is for you here Better to be safe than sorry He laid me on the bed, then stood behind ray-patterned board shorts Do you need anything?

It was the first time in months that I’d seen him look so nonplussed He was always so confident, always seemed to knohat he wanted, that this sudden disco Okay, really char, if I was honest

I just want to sleep, I told him as I reached for his hand I’m exhausted

Okay

Stay with h it hurt, I scooted over on the bed He settled down next tohis arm under my head so I could use his bicep as a pillow Thanks for co for lohere it wound around his ar a kiss onalive I don’t knohat I’d do if I lost you

For one brief second, Mark’s face flashed before s for hi you don’t have to find out

A very good thing His other arood, so deliciously warm, to be held by him that I drifted to sleep without another word

Chapter 6

I woke up slowly, feeling like I ih cotton as I reached for consciousness My tail hurt, but it was more of an ache than the sharp pain I’d felt when I was first injured

Stretching slowly, I checked out all ed I seeoons relatively unscathed Thank God And as long as I didn’t think about the shark-shifters and what they looked like after I’d--

I cut o there Not now, and maybe not ever I did what I had to do, I remindedto make myself sick over it either Not this ti over, I buainst Kona’s warm, hard body and nearly jumped out of my skin My eyes flew open,a little, I s me Totally relaxed, with the attitude of so for quite a while

How long have you been awake? I asked softly

I don’t know A couple of hours, maybe?

Oh Sorry You should have wokenyou sleep When you’re awake, you’re usually running in so many different directions that sometimes it’s hard to keep up