As opposed to the first time we came in here, when I open my eyes now, I can see through the water as though it's crystal clear. Even to the point of being able to see where the barrier cuts through all the way down into the sand. Right on the other side is a sharp-looking drop-off that probably leads down into a dark abyss. I'm in no rush to find that out for sure, though.
My newly found magic races through my veins, begging for a release. Closing my eyes, I let it push out in a rush, giving it the freedom to consume me completely. That small tingle I had started to feel as I stepped into the water minutes ago now turns into a squeezing sensation around my legs. When I feel them meld together, I suck in a sharp breath, sparing half a moment to revel in my ability to do such a thing underwater. Then my eyes pop back open to a sight that leaves my tears mingling with the salt water already surrounding me. My tail is absolutely beautiful. Starting at my hip bones, the same as my mates, it flows all the way down to end in a double fan. The scales are a deep purple color that could almost be mistaken with black depending on the shadows in the water.
Giving it an experimental flick sends me propelling backwards. My girly giggle is lost here in the depths. Both are going to take some getting used to for sure. A flash of gold is all the warning I have before Zeph is in my face. His smile is almost blinding but drops immediately as a look of confusion settles into his lowered brows. Zale and Zanthus pull up on either side of us and Zeph looks to the former before turning back to me.
Opening my mouth to ask what's wrong, I forget that I can't actually speak underwater, so I point to the surface instead. It takes me several tries to get a feel for movement with my new appendage, but I finally manage to go in the direction I'd pointed the Zs. I break the surface, tossing my hair back with a laugh. It's cut short by the somber expressions my mates wear.
"What is it?" I ask. "Am I deformed or something?"
"Absolutely not," Zeph says, swimming over to sweep me up into his arms and spin us around in a circle. "You're perfectly stunning, little siren. Couldn't have asked for a more beautiful mate."
I get caught up in the moment and tilt my head back with a laugh. When we stop spinning, smiles grace Zanthus and Zale's faces as well, but doubt creeps back in.
"What happened down below?" I try again.
With my head now tucked beneath Zeph's chin, I can only watch the other two's exchange as they look to each other then back to me.
"Well," Zale starts, "we were honestly expecting you to be able to communicate with us underwater like we can with each other."
"Wait, what?" I ask stupidly.
"We can speak telepathically to each other while in this form," Zanthus clarifies. "As our mate, we assumed you would have this same ability."
"So, I am in fact defective," I blurt.
Zale shakes his head, closing the distance between us to softly yank me from within Zeph's arms and into his. His mouth secures itself to my own, leaving no room for argument. Our tails brush against each other and I let out a gasp of sound that’s quickly swallowed by him. The sensation is damn near the same of having him bury his face between my thighs again. Another brush against the back side of my tail near the top has my head tilting back while my eyes roll up in my head. Zephyr's soft chuckle in my ear lets me know he's the one responsible and doesn't feel the least bit sorry for it either.
The angle in which my head has fallen back against his shoulder leaves the perfect opening for Zale to lean down to flutter his lips across my throat. Not one to miss an opportunity, Zanthus is the last to make his way over to us. Locking my chin between his thumb and index finger, he guides our lips together. As soon as they touch, I open mine, matching him step for step with greedy aggression. When his scales skim against the side of my hip, I don't fight another groan.
Before being brought into this realm, and even a little while after if I'm honest, I would've been ashamed at my behavior now. Having the attention of three men on me at once. Hands, mouths, and fins touching all over. One indistinguishable from the next. Zanthus had said sex was more fun in our human forms, but I still feel that fire settling deep within my lower belly. The thought of the four of us crowded in my bed upstairs is enough to send my magic racing beneath my skin again, shifting my tail back into my human legs. Instantly, I wrap them around Zale's waist, and I feel him smile against my skin. Zeph's teeth sink softly into the meaty part of my ear, and I rock myself against his brother while grabbing a handful of Zanthus’ hair and yanking him even tighter against me.
"I think we're slacking in duties and leaving our mate wanting, brothers," Zale says, his breath whispering across my heated skin.
Zeph chuckles in my ear. "Want to move the party upstairs, little siren?"
Upstairs, downstairs, right here in the water. How about any or all of the above? If it wasn't for knowing we'd all end up with sandy cracks, I'd tell them not to bother with the trouble of going up. I'd gladly take them all right here. However, I'd rather not have sand in places that shouldn't have it for days to come. So, instead, I break away from Zanthus long enough to lock gazes with him then Zale before giving them a nod.
Zale wraps an arm around my lower back and one underneath my thigh as his brothers move away, leaving me to miss their warmth immediately. As they shift back into their human forms, the magic is like a caress against my skin, much stronger than the other times I've felt it. Something tells me that we're missing a piece to our whole puzzle. Then the number pops back into my head. It can't be referring to us, because we're already a group of four. Still though, the feeling nags at me.
"Why do you think I can't talk to you the way you do each other?" I ask, leaning my torso back and capturing Zale's gaze.
His eyes flick from mine down my naked chest then back up again as he seems to be finding the right words, "My assumption places blame on the unbroken curse more than anything to do with you personally, damselfish. You may have given us our magic back, but we're still trapped here. Until all is said and done, I don't think any of us can expect the normal of what we were used to before."
"I'm sorry," I whisper sadly, letting my eyes drop to his chin.
"Don't be," he says, touching our foreheads together. "That just means we have more time to appreciate and love on our beautiful mate before we're thrown back into chaos. I could get used to the idea of keeping you naked in bed for the next couple of months."
"So scandalous," I tease, barely containing my smile. "Would they have allowed that in the kingdom? We would've been the talk of the royal court, my prince."
His cheeks pull up as his smile mirrors mine and he confesses, "I used to hate that title, but I think that's only because you weren't the one saying it."
Warmth radiates through my chest, drawing me toward him. I let my lips drag down his jawline, the small amount of scruff there leaving a slight scratchy feel on my face.
"You never did answer the question," I whisper in his ear. "Would we have been in royal trouble? My prince."
I tack the last on just to see if it'll spur another reaction from him, and I'm not disappointed. His chest shudders with a shaky breath as his arms tighten around me. Glancing over his shoulder, I catch Zeph's gaze as he watches us. Noticing my attention on him, one side of his lips pulls up, and I shoot him a quick wink. This earns me a teeth-showing smirk. Gods, my mates are freaking gorgeous. All three of them. I don't even have to look to the front where Zanthus leads us. I can picture his ass in those jeans just fine without the visual.