Caspian's POVAt first I thought I misheard her.Then I thought I misunderstood.But there can be no doubt now – not the way Viviane's looking at me, with big eyes full of hope, anticipation, and just a little fear. Hearing her say she loved me made my heart soar. And knowing she trusts me with this, is almost too much to comprehend, especially after everything she went through with Mordred.Her skin is flushed bright red, and she can't truly look me in the eye. Her gaze keeps flitting up and down, almost as if she thinks I might reject her. It's adorable and astonishing all at once. Doesn't she know how crazy I am about her? How long I've waited for this moment?Still, I don't want to push her past her limits. It's one thing to think she's ready, and another to truly take such a momentous step. Her past worries me, especially the way her PTSD tends to resurge every time we take another step forward together. The last thing I want is to end up getting so lost in the rut that I can no
Viviane's POVCaspian undresses me as if I'm a carefully wrapped gift, one whose paper is too lovely to risk tearing. He kisses every new inch of skin he bares, trailing his lips over my arms, neck and shoulders when my top disappears, then working his way down my flat tummy until he reaches the button of my jeans.It's torture, the way he dances around the spots I need his mouth most. He sits on the edge of the tub and turns me away from him to unhook my bra, licking and nibbling down my spine until my knees feel ready to give out.He does the same thing with my panties, rolling them off my hips and devoting his attention to the curve of my hip, the swell of my bottom and the insides of my thighs.By the time I'm completely naked I'm shaking with need. Caspian is still fully dressed, and it feels horribly vulnerable to be so exposed while he's covered up. Then again, from what I've felt through his clothes when things get hot and heavy, it may be for the best that I don't see what's
VivianeThis must be what flying feels like. My entire body is trembling and quaking, lost in ecstasy, drowning in a sea of pleasure. I can hear myself crying out, and feel Caspian anchoring me through the storm. His fingers are still moving, petting me with slow, gentle strokes meant to bring me back down to earth. But I don’t want to come down – not yet. I’ve never felt anything like it. I’ve touched myself like any other curious teenager, but I ‘ve never gotten very far. Every time I’ve either felt too embarrassed and awkward, or too guilty – as if I was doing something wrong. But nothing about this feels wrong. This feels very, very right.Caspian’s lips are moving against my ear, and his deep voice breaks through my euphoric fog. He’s praising me, telling me how beautiful I look coming to pieces for him, saying what a good girl I am for telling him what I need.Warmth fills me as he kisses me back to reality. I open my eyes, overflowing with love for this hard, harsh wolf. Whe
VivianeI stayed invisible for five years before Caspian, but a few weeks with him and my picture is plastered all over the front page of the newspaper. Nightshade’s Next Luna – Everything We Know About Viviane Belle, the headline reads. What follows is an invasive and alarming article detailing my life, down to the last sordid detail.Luckily Nerissa, Courtney and Amanda seem to have kept their mouths shut about my mermaid identity, but there’s plenty of other information to fuel the city’s rumor mill. James’ kidnap during the pack games, Mordred’s attack and imprisonment, my initial rejection of Caspian – they even have photographs of my old apartment.However the worst part is seeing the close up shots of my shoulder, where Caspian’s claiming mark still burns. The photographers surprised us outside the Pack House on Monday morning when we left for school. Apparently the news was already out and everyone in Asterion was clamoring for a glimpse of the future Luna.Caspian was furious
Viviane Walking down the halls at school used to fill me with anxiety, now it fills me with confusion. Everyone turns their head to watch as I pass by, whispering to each other and gawking at the future Luna.Gods, is that really what I am? I never imagined I would be anyone important – mermaids aren’t allowed to have prominent roles in shifter society, we’re barely even allowed to exist. I don’t think I fully comprehended how being Caspian’s mate would change my life. I knew he would one day be Alpha and I would have to stand by his side, but I thought that would be far in the future.I had no idea how quickly everything would change. When I stopped wearing my sunglasses people started to notice me, especially the guys. However Caspian had already scent marked me so none of them approached me – but people are approaching me now.Those who aren’t gossiping and staring at me like I’m some sort of zoo animal seem determined to befriend me. Yesterday Kiera helped buffer all m
ChaseAt first I think Kiera is in too much shock to understand what’s happening or process my words. She stares up at me open-mouthed, her poor little heart still racing a mile a minute. She has the most incredible eyes, like molten chocolate. I could stare into them for days.Her body slowly relaxes when she realizes the danger has passed, and I watch with fascination as the fear slowly leeches out of her, only to be replaced by anger. She pushes away from me, and while my instinct is to not to let her go, I also realize we’re lying in the middle of the street. Rising to her feet and brushing gravel from her dress, Kiera glares at me, “finally figured it out, did you?”For a moment all I can think is how adorable she is, glowering at me so fiercely you’d think she was the wolf instead of me. Doesn’t she realize I’m twice her size? Then her words sink in, and my amusement dampens. “You knew?” I demand, pulling her onto the sidewalk.Trying to shake off my hands and failing, she huffs
Viviane After Monday Caspian made an arrangement with the Headmaster of Asterion High, allowing me to enter and exit through the teacher’s private parking lot rather than having to parade out the front door in front of all the media.Of course, in a city as big as Asterion it’s impossible to keep anything secret for long, and by this afternoon I walked out of the teachers lounge to find a very grumpy Alpha, and a rabid sea of reporters. The only saving grace was my bond with Caspian, because the moment he felt me draw near he sent me a warning message, Brace yourself kitten, we have an audience.I froze just inside the door, trying to remember how to breathe and squaring my shoulders before pushing outside. I don’t know how I managed, but I was able to keep my head held high, never taking my gaze from Caspian. In the papers they printed that we were so in love we couldn’t take our eyes off each other, but in truth I was just trying to pretend the reporters didn’t exist.Eve
Caspian“I don’t like this.” I grumble, seated at a high bar next to Chase.“They’ll be fine.” My Beta’s instinct is to balance my aggression, to be the calm voice of reason when my temper flares, so I know his words are well intentioned. But I also know they’re completely false. He doesn’t like this anymore than I do.Viviane and Kiera used every tool in their arsenals to convince us to let them have a girls night out tonight, spending the better part of the week wearing us down until we finally agreed. Of course their strategies were very different.While Viviane went on a charm offensive, batting her eyelashes and pleading so sweetly I couldn’t say no, Kiera chose something more akin to a rein of terror. The mischievous feline has proven no more amenable to Chase’s advances over the last three days than before, though he’s clearly enjoying the hunt. Still, I know it irks him not to have a formal claim on her when she’s going to be out among other males.The girls went to a restaura
Three Months LaterViviane“Viv, are you ready?” Kiera asks, appearing in the doorway.I’m standing in front of a huge, floor length mirror, my wedding gown flowing around my body in graceful waves. It’s a delicate concoction of sea colored silk that ripples over my curves like water, and brings out the color of my turquoise eyes.I honestly can’t believe this day has finally come. I never thought I’d get married at all, and here I am preparing to walk down the aisle to join myself with the first Alpha in shifter history to rule two packs. After my rescue, Caspian tried to find another candidate to lead the Bloodstones, but none of the wolves in the pack were willing to do away with Damien’s mermaid program completely. Luckily for us, none of them were strong enough to challenge Caspian either, so he stayed in control by default.When we got home he finally sat down with his father and aired out all of the secrets and unspoken traumas of Caspian’s childhood, and his father willingly s
VivianeDamien’s body is so heavy on mine. His rough hands bruise my skin as his sneering face gazes down at me, and nausea writhes in my belly as I feel his hardness digging into my stomach. My mind is whirling, struggling to stay in the present as past horrors seek to drag me under, and simultaneously fighting the urge to leave my body and dissociate from the violation I’m about to suffer.In the distance Caspian’s roars and growls fill the air, the sound of his body slamming into the glass over and over again wrenching at my heartstrings terribly. I don’t want him to see this, I can’t bear the thought of him blaming himself for not saving me, and I know he will.Calling out to him through our mental link, I try to tell him to turn away, even though I know it’s useless. Don’t watch, Caspian. I beg, please, I don’t want you to see this.No! He thunders back, don’t give up, Viviane! Just hold on!It’s okay. I mentally sob, I’ll be okay. I’ve survived before and I’ll survive again, jus
3rd Person“What do we do?” Chase exclaimed, his gaze ping ponging back and forth between the images on the security screens. The Beta was beside himself, unable to help Caspian and distracted by his mate’s antics all at once.“I don’t know.” Marina fretted, her attention focused on Viviane and Caspian, divided by glass walls and completely at Damien’s mercy. Even as she watched them, she knew she couldn’t simply stand there and do nothing. “I’ll go help Kiera.” She suggested after a moment. The chances that she would be able to help her daughter were slim, but Chase could – assuming he was able to focus on doing so. “She’s not in imminent danger and the faster the other mermaids are freed, the better.”“Thank you,” Chase breathed, anxiously following her movements on the black and white monitors.Without another word, Marina careened out of the control room, dashing for the lower levels where the mermaids were trapped. Her heart pounded, blood rushing in her ears as she darted throug
Viviane The day of the auction begins like any other, except instead of waking up and getting ready for school, I’m taken to a Bloodstone spa. If the circumstances were different, I might enjoy the pampering, but I know none of the treatments I’m being given are for my benefit. Instead they’re purely intended to make me as desirable as possible to the shifters at the auction. The servants do not speak as they bathe me, filling a huge ornate tub with perfumed water and rose petals, then adding soaps that froth and foam at the surface. I can see the women attending me are mermaids from the brands on their ankles, but they are not as beautiful as the other girls in the brothel. I wonder if this is yet another fate for my kind – if one is too dried up to produce pearls, but not lovely enough to fetch a high price as a pleasure slave. Instead they must help send the unlucky beauties to their terrible fates. I have to think this is the best deal a mermaid could hope for in Sangville, m
CaspianChase and I are on the outskirts of Sangville when we sense we’re being followed.After killing mordred, a cold sort of determination took over me, an emotionless drive to finish the job no matter the cost. I knew if I let myself think about Viviane – about what might be happening to her this very moment – I would lose my ability to think about our situation objectively. Despite the fact that this was the most personal thing in the world to me, if I let my emotions rein as we planned our strategy, we would lose – and badly.So we arrived here and bega
Viviane“The auction is tomorrow.” I whisper, looking around at the hundled mermaids surrounding me. A dozen worried faces gaze back, their pretty features ranging from frightened to positively petrified. “If we’re going to escape, we have to do it tonight.”“There’s no use.” One of the younger girls sighs forlornly. She looks about fifteen and has spent most of our time here crying. I can’t say I blame her. When I was her age I would have fallen to pieces under these circumstances. I’m actually amazed I’m not in worse condition now. Being with Caspian really has changed me, made me stronger and more confident. A few months ago I would have sat here and waited for him to come and rescue me, but we don’t have the time to waste.“I know it’s daunting, but we have to try.” I tell her gently, looking to the others for support. Unfortunately she’s not the only one who has doubts. Spending one’s formative years in captivity has that effect, we were trained to obey or suffer, and made to bel
Caspian“My brother?” I repeat, stunned.“Honestly Caspian, I knew you were incompetant, but I never thought you were stupid.” James drawls. “Did you never wonder how there could be such a large age difference between siblings? Our grandmother was already thirty when she had mom, she was in her fifties by the time I came around - not exactly prime breeding years.”“They died before I was born.” I remind him, “I never knew the math.”My head is reeling, but I have to admit it makes sense. It would explain why my mother always treated him like a son, why she loved him so much more than she loved me. We were both her children, but he was the one she actually wanted.“Why lie about it?” I demand, “My father let her get away with everything, why lie about your relationship?”“It was never about your father.” James scoffs, “It was about mine. He would have taken me from her if he’d known I existed. She was nothing to him, just another she-wolf in a long line of conquests, but he never had o
Caspian “Are you sure about this, Caspian?” My father asks. “James is family!” “Being family didn’t stop him from kidnapping my mate or betraying me in the pack games.” I remind him. “I don’t have proof yet, but I’m going to get it. If I’m right he’s the only one who might know where they’ve taken Viviane.” “I don’t understand, why would mermaid traffickers take her in the first place?” He inquires, “if she discovered what they were doing, why not just k- silence her?” He continues, clearly amending his words even as they leave his mouth. For a moment I consider lying, but I can’t help but think this has gone on long enough. The truth is that mermaids like my mate have been suffering in this city for a long time, and the only way things are going to change is if I change them. Taking a deep breath, I announce, “Because Viviane is a mermaid.” “What?” My father questions blankly, “What are you talking about.” As I explain everything
I spent the first thirteen years of my life in the Bloodstone territory, yet I’ve never seen an inch of the free territory. I knew only the pearl farms and the river which swept us to freedom.I’ve imagined it a thousand different ways, always assuming the blood money they wrought from the flesh of mermaids afforded the pack lives of unimaginable luxury. I wasn’t wrong, but I certainly didn’t picture this. As the truck rumbles through the city, I remain glued to the back window, trying to memorize the streets, the landmarks and route on the off chance we actually manage to pull off an escape. Luckily the shifters don’t seem to believe we’re capable of even contemplating saving ourselves, because they don’t try to stop me.My memory is incredibly sharp and if I can focus on navigation, I might stand a chance. However it is difficult, because everywhere I look my eyes want to leap out of my head. The bloodstone capital seems to have been built on the side of an active volcano. Silver bu