An iron gate blocked by steel bars was in my way. Though I could see through the gaps into the darkness inside, I saw several turns heading towards the left side, but there was no way of telling where it connected to. I also saw wall sculptings over the walls on both sides—the aqueduct may have been a tourist spot before, though it was now closed down for some reason.I saw the gap between the iron gates then and tried to push myself inside, standing on my sides so that I could squeeze my way in. Despite being skinny, however, I realized that I just wouldn’t make it through.If I couldn’t make it through when I was this slim, then someone as burly as Dicken would certainly not get through, not to mention that there was a long, thick tail hidden beneath his wide trench coat. Even if he had some method to turn himself human, he would never get through that narrow entrance.But how did he disappear from here? Could he be underwater like I was?I promptly jumped back into the nearby
I promptly sat up in reflex and jumped into the water, searching around crazily. Even so, all I found was the vague illumination of the lights from both sides of the canal, and no glimpse of a fishtail.Realizing that the glimpse I had a moment ago could be an illusion, I was crumbling inside and started to flail my arms wildly against the water like a child throwing a tantrum, but I just couldn't care about the weird looks pedestrians nearby were throwing at me.“Dicken! Get out here, you bastard!” I yelled maniacally. “I know it’s you! It has to be! Are you punishing me? Did you want me to see me lose my mind thinking about you? Or did you just want to see how much I yearn for you? Well, let me tell you this—you’ve totally won! I’ve been searching for you for over a year… A whole year! If I can’t see you again… Fuck, I’ve really gone crazy…”I lowered my head in despair and buried my face in the water, feeling as if something was stuck in my chest as despair overcame me. But sud
Dicken wasn’t baring his upper body like he used to. His black trench coat was soaked and sticking to his body, while his collar was opened and exposed his chest that was as hard as stone. At the same time, his skin was as pale as an ancient, noble vampire.He was staring at me from behind a black mask that covered the upper half of his face. I couldn’t see his eyes, but I could feel the fire from his magical eyes, even as he admired my naked body with burgeoning lust in his gaze without constraint.Fuck! I had finally forced this pervert out of hiding! Complex emotions filled my heart as myriad feelings erupted like a typhoon in my chest, and a surging stream of heat rushed up my head.My eyes turned red in a split second, but I pretended to lie down again and looked smugly at him as if I was the victor—despite being naked and looking as if I was trying to seduce him.“Dicken, you bastard!” I cursed quietly, my tears welling even as my eyes couldn’t resist the urge to look at hi
Dicken did not answer me, but his arms tightened over my waist while his lips slid down to my neck. He nestled my neck from behind the mask, inhaling my scent deeply. He then put a webbed claw over my head, petting me like one would a child, before tucking the hair that was covering my forehead behind my ear.“Dicken…” I looked longingly into his enrapturing gaze, and reached out to touch his cheek when a woman shrieked, “Hey, what are you doing?!”I flinched in surprise and turned to find a girl, holding a bucket of laundry on the shore. She had probably come down for a wash, but was startled by Dicken and me.I was left stammering awkwardly, unsure of how to explain what was going on right then, just as I heard a loud splash behind me—Dicken had dived into the water, and was gone without a trace before I could catch him.“Where are you going?!” I was more angry than surprised, and slammed at the iron gate furiously, but my response was the banging and the splashing in the night
I slipped my hands into my trouser pockets as if it was natural, and hunched my back to pretend to be a gambling addict even as I looked around for Dicken. However, I was going up the second floor when I saw a crewmate from the Seeker. It was Luna—a Russian girl with whom I was quite close to, and she appeared to be in panic even as she tried to hide from someone, and was hurrying down the stairs. I realized immediately that this was the casino where David had come to make his deal, and a foreboding sensation grew in my head when I saw how flustered Luna was. I rushed up to her and grabbed her by her wrist, and clasped my hand over her mouth before she could scream, all while dragging her to the dark corner behind the stairs. “Calm down, Luna—it’s me. What happened?” I asked with a hushed voice.“T-The mafia…” Luna’s shoulders were shaking and her breaths were ragged even as she cried, “They cut off one of David’s hands!”“What?!” I was dumbfounded. Luna’s tears began to roll d
“You have to trust me, Mr. Mora—I would never dare to cross you. I honestly believe that it’s a gemstone, and just look at how mystical it is: it would definitely fetch millions even if it wasn’t a gem,” David explained through grinding teeth. “I salvaged it from a German shipwreck that was marked with the Nazis’ emblem, and you should know the treasures they have. Moreover, it was locked in a safe—why would it be protected so well if it’s worth nothing? Mr. Mora, I swear that something valuable must be inside.”“Oh, my poor David—I’m just not interested in your explorer’s crap. All I care about is whether this thing could get me more weed and heroin, but now I’m starting to think you and your paltry tricks are costing us too much.”Mora slammed his hand furiously on the table then, and a man beside them immediately seized David by the stump that was once his wrist, prompting a scream from David. I felt my body turn numb and couldn’t help turning away, even as I told myself that this
“Oh… Lover, huh?” I mumbled hoarsely, feeling as if something was suddenly stuck in my throat.Luna noticed that I was behaving weirdly, and asked, “What’s wrong, Linda?”“N-Nothing. It seems David will be fine for a while—we’ve gotten lucky this time.” I rubbed my nose even as I changed the subject.In the room, Miya’s people entered and picked up the shattered crystal on the table, while Dicken stood coldly and dutifully behind Miya as her bodyguard. The dim light hid his facial expression from everyone else, but I could feel him staring closely at the shattered crystal in despair and misery.His bloodline was extremely vital for what few surviving merfolk right now, and as their leader, he had a duty to make his race flourish. I was convinced that, given his character, he would kill every person in the room if he wanted to.And yet, he was maintaining an eerie calmness, standing upright in a corner like a sculpture—that is, until Miya approached him, leaned in, and said somethi
“It’s very unstable, Linda. It’s turning back into a tail again—I need a place to hide.” Dicken watched me, even as he spoke quietly in Mermish that I could understand perfectly.I did a double take as I watched him. Those were the first words I had heard from him after so many years. At once familiar and unknown, his voice left my whole body trembling.Dicken patted my hand with his leather-gloved hand then, and it soon slithered down to my nose and then my lips as he spoke raspily, “Do you still fear me now?”Nonetheless, I said nothing and simply grabbed his mask, firmly tearing off his face. It did not change despite his transfiguration: pale, handsome, and with pronounced facial bones. However, the upper tip of his ears resembled plant shoots slowly growing out of the ground, and while such an appearance could be a little frightening to other humans, I found it absolutely adorable, even funny. I couldn’t help giggling then, and tugged at his ears as if playing with a big dog.
Before I realized what Dicken was going to do, he breathed an exceedingly high-pitched cry as sonorous as thunder. The entire cave shook in its wake as he grasped my hips with both his webbed paws, lifting me high into the air. A school of sea fishes suddenly swam out of nowhere in an instant, their bodies shining as they encircled us like birds. At the same time, the merfolk started dancing in excitement, kicking up splashes as they pivoted gracefully, the scales of their tails reflecting radiance amid the darkness just like stars in the night sky, the robust, burly mermen and the beautiful, devilish mermaids interweaving to form a bright river of stars.I stared at the stunned sight, mesmerized, spreading my arms by reflex as if infected. I wanted to embrace my dear leader who had surprised me endlessly, expectant of the new world he would take me to.That was when I heard a quiet voice beneath me. “Linda…”I looked down into his wide, narrow gaze that seemed to embody that rive
In the previous dimension where I lived, I had already been prepared to live away from the humans with Dicken. I had nothing aside from him, who was always by my side—our connection seemed so unbreakable just then that I believed that to be my fate.However, I still wouldn’t hope that he would keep killing because of me. Looking into his eyes, I pleaded once again, “Could you promise me to spare Baron? Right now, he’s of no threat to you or merfolk. As long as we return to the domain of your race, humans would have nothing to covet—can’t we stay away from those conspiracies? I’ll always be yours, dear leader.”Dicken looked deeply into my eyes as if he was considering my proposal, and remained quiet for a long time before he eventually gathered me in his arms. “I promise, Linda.”“Hey, shouldn’t we be going out now, and don’t you have an announcement to make? Your people are waiting for you.” I exhaled lengthily and patted his back just then.At those words, I suddenly realized t
That being said, it was no different from me letting myself be taken, because my stubbornness and determination only ever made Dicken want to conquer me even more. We had never been equals, be it fifty years ago or now.One might even say that he wanted me more after losing me once. His desire for me was so strong that he would kill Baron, even though he had granted me rebirth as agreed. After all, he wanted to be my one and only, and no merfolk were allowed to share a single iota of my sentiment. Fuck!I bit my lip, tearing it and tasting blood in my mouth just then, but I couldn’t feel the pain at all.He had suddenly let go of my ankles and gathered in his arms once more, and did so gently. His broad webbed paws caressed my back as if to reassure me, and he did not try to take me anymore.That surprised me, and I opened my eyes and saw that he was staring into my eyes. Then, his eyebrows lowered, he licked the blood on my lips lovingly, seemingly not as furious or agitated as
In fact, I was more willing to believe that Dicken was exaggerating, since my grandfather had never been out of line as far as I could recall. However, even as I assured myself, I was searching my memory in fear that my grandfather meant me harm—fortunately, I came up with nothing, since all I remembered about him was of him being a kind elder who had taught me to read and played with my younger self. There was no question that he had acted like an elder, and even if Dicken wants to take his place in my heart, it would be in a completely different role, since there would always be a part that he couldn’t replace.“Stop thinking about him now, Linda. He’s merely carrying out a mission I had assigned him, and the reason he didn’t lay a finger on you was because I had restrained him.”Dicken appeared to become angrier as he observed my expression, and his was unusually deep as if he would get furious soon. It left me uncomfortable—Dicken appeared reluctant for another merfolk to stay in
I suddenly felt a slippery sensation from my waist, and found the mischievous stingray curling into a ball as it hid behind me, seemingly startled by Dicken’s lecherous tongue.“See? You scared it, pervert.” I leaned in, resting the bridge of my nose against his head as I chuckled softly. On the other hand, Dicken pinched the tender flesh on my hip and stroked my back a few times as he watched me lovingly. “I really want to hide you away, Linda…”“Where would you hide me?” I buried my head in his head and sniffed—it was hard to restrain myself with that intoxicating champagne-like scent of his, but I promptly came to my senses as I remembered that fugitive. “Hold on, don’t seduce me or try to divert my attention with sweet words. What’s with that merman who’s saying that he’s going to look for your Yiki?”Dicken patted my head feebly and stayed silent for a while, but eventually admitted, “It’s Baron.”I froze, immediately remembering the furious glare of that merman who had hidd
“Why would you clothe me out of the blue…” I inhaled deeply, and as I pulled away from his kiss after much difficulty, I asked in confusion, “Are you taking me somewhere?”Dicken looked deeply into my eyes as if something astonishing would soon occur. “Yes… I’m going to announce to my subjects that you’re my mate…”With those words, he threw me over his back and swam out of the cavern filled with stone pillars.Gosh, I was flabbergasted. Still, I soon realized that this was pretty much how it should go, since Dicken had yet to announce about us to his subjects in this dimension. However, I felt a little headache when I remembered how the announcement in the last dimension had gone… He was not going to mate with me in front of everyone again, was he?“Your Majesty…”A high-pitched call suddenly rang from ahead, followed by splashes as a purple figure swam towards us. I was stunned when a face floated out of the water—that purple hair, along with those facial features that were sh
My eyes welled with tears and my mind went dizzy, while a scorching jet of water shot into my body. That was when I saw a blue light moving downwards from Dicken’s chest to where we were connected, and as innumerable jolts struck all over my body, my heart clenched in the intensive stimulation.For a few seconds, I was unable to breathe as all consciousness and emotions seemed to fuse together, rushing towards the wall that was blocking my memories…Then, the wall shattered. “Linda… Linda…”The familiar voice could be heard as if from the distant horizon, though it soon became clear and ultimately echoed beside my ears, and there was no doubt that he was beside me.“Dicken?” I opened my eyes and found my dear leader. It was as if I had met him once more after a slumber that lasted centuries, and yet I felt him beside me all along, and the memory of him taking this body was extremely distinct.I was at once confused and mystified as the memories from two different dimensions slow
“Damn it, you crazy animal…” I cried and moaned, my legs that were kicking Dicken’s shoulder caught by him with ease. At the same time, his body continued to press down on me from above like a hill, holding my body firmly down.Dicken’s hoarse voice spoke beside me then. “Don’t move, Linda, or I won’t be able to resist violating you even more violently—you have no idea how delicious you are…”I froze, my breath cut off at his words even as his tongue slithered into my ear and kicked it as if teasing, while his webbed paw groped my breast. A paralyzing sensation that felt electric spread all over my body, slowly easing the bursting pain of being entered. Soon, a familiar yet irresistible exhilaration occupied my senses, and even as I kept gulping, my own spit was welling out the corner of my mouth.Curious, Dicken stared at the edge of my lips and extended his tongue to lick it, as if it were the tastiest raindrops in existence. At the same time, I could feel him entering several inc
“Don’t be scared…”As Dicken inhaled deeply over my nape, his breathing became heavy and choppy. He twitched as he snuggled up against my back, and I could feel his humongous member flapping against my buttocks, along with its scorching heat. How could I not be scared by the prospect of that thing penetrating me?!I clenched my fist and punched at his tail which was darting between my legs, but he easily grabbed my wrist and suddenly turned around, pinning me beneath himself while his tail slithered between my legs and lifted my buttocks. Losing my balance, I fell sprawled over the reef, and as he gripped my hands to keep them behind myself, tears rolled out of the corner of my eye by instinct as lust and fear suddenly erupted. “No, I’m scared, Dicken… No, you’ll hurt me…”Dicken ignored my plea for mercy, however, and kept leaning on me as he gnawed my shoulder, as if to devour me by one tiny bite after another. The tenderness and adoration he’d shown towards me just now was gone,