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  Con slipped from my grasp and hit the deck. I started, rushing to pick him up. Oops. It was awkward carrying a full-grown man. His weight wasn't a problem for me, but his dangling head and long legs were. Hisashi helped me wrangled him below deck, both of us glancing back toward Oisin and the incubus.

  I was relieved to see Orion flying back toward us, one small fae in his arms. He shoved Oisin at us then darted to the control room, shouting about distance and vortexes and krakens.

  I almost dropped Con again when Oisin slid his hand over my ass and leaned in to bite the upper swell of my chest. The fae's pupils were completely blown wide and his body trembled.

  Hisashi scooped up the fae and tossed the smaller man over his shoulder, ignoring Oisin's pleas for a quickie as we rushed below deck. The boat shuddered and started moving away from the pirate vessel.

  We all watched in horror and awe from a window in our room as the other boat folded in half and was pulled beneath the water, disappearing like it had never existed.

  "Fuck," I breathed.

  Oisin, still reeling from incubus magic, rubbed up against my side and moaned "yes, please."

  Jesus, Buddha, and Odin, my life was so fucking weird.

  Chapter 8

  At first the boat didn't seem to be moving, as the currents caused by the sinking pirate ship tried to pull us backward. But finally, I felt White's boat break free with a shudder, then start cruising smoothly.

  The tingling effect of the incubus magic was still making it hard to focus, to breathe. Gods, I hope Orion smuggled some damned cupcakes along with him on this little adventure.

  Oisin growled and pulled Hisashi's face down to his, ravishing his mouth. I felt like I had a fever, my skin was so flushed as I watched them.

  Con groaned and sat up over the edge of the bed where I'd dumped him. "Oh my God. Fuck." He shuddered.

  I watched as Oisin literally ripped Hisashi's shirt off, running his graceful hands over the smooth planes of Hisashi's chest, curling his fingers inward to scratch across Hisashi’s pale flesh. Con stood and prowled over to me with an urgency he didn't usually show. His honey-brown eyes were half-lidded with lust and he bit his bottom lip, as if trying really hard to restrain himself.

  We should probably be doing something responsible right now, like making sure there weren't any more pirates or checking on Orion or…something. The waves of longing washing over me were like a physical force.

  Con's hands gripped my hips and squeezed. My brain shorted out. Fuck it.

  I dipped my head to kiss my sweet, suddenly feral, human. He pulled me closer, his hands sliding around to grip my ass hard as he ground against me. "Oh my God," he muttered again, breaking away from our kiss with a gasp. "What the hell is wrong with me?"

  I laughed. "Incubus. Thank him later. Fuck now."

  He chuckled and kissed a trail up my neck as I glanced at the others. Oisin jumped on Hisashi, wrapping his arms around the fox's neck and his legs around his waist as he sank his teeth into the taller man's shoulder. The fox groaned and gripped the fae's ass, carrying him to the bed, where he flopped down, smothering the smaller man.

  Con tugged me that way and I followed, leaving a trail of clothing as I went. I ended up on my back with Con between my knees. He laved me with his tongue, quick and furious, then rose over me. Oisin had succeeded in getting himself and Hisashi mostly naked by that time, and the fox groaned as the fae stroked his cocks and begged for things I was pretty sure were physically impossible, even for a fae.

  It had been bad enough from a distance. But the little fae had been right up in Orion's energy field. He'd completely lost his mind.

  The fae turned my way, emerald eyes shimmering with magic and lust, and I met his biting kiss with my own urgency. Con's hands squeezed my hips, but he paused. I had no idea how he held back like that. I was about to lose my fucking mind if someone didn't plow me soon.

  "Condom?" the human panted.

  I wrapped my legs around him and pulled him forward, urging him to just get on with it already. "Doesn't matter."

  He probably would have questioned me, if he'd been in his right mind. Luckily, he was as swamped with magic and pheromones as the rest of us. He groaned and slid forward, impaling me. I gasped and raked my nails down Con's back. Fuck, I felt drugged. But, in a good way.

  Oisin crawled over to me to trail biting, sucking kisses along my throat before turning to pull Hisashi closer, putting his wicked mouth to good use sucking a pair of beautiful cocks.

  Hisashi groaned and his blue eyes met mine, rimmed in silver. His cool magic joined Oisin's, dancing over my skin like a caress. The fox reached for me, one big hand cupping my breast, as he fisted a hand in Oisin's hair.

  The movement made him brush up against Con's arm and the fox jolted, pulling away suddenly and focusing his attention on Oisin.

  The fae pulled back long enough to give Hisashi an exasperated look that I didn't understand. He pushed up to kneel and shoved Hisashi aside so he could get closer to Con. The fae planted his hand in the center of Con's back as he leaned around the human to kiss me while Con fucked me senseless.

  Con shifted a little, making room for Oisin, but otherwise didn't stop in his relentless pounding. I was about to lose my mind from pleasure, but I made myself focus. Something wasn't right.

  I reached out for Hisashi, beckoning to him from my free side. He slid alongside me, cupping my jaw and turning it toward him for a kiss while Oisin huffed a laugh and nibbled my ear.

  "Con," the fae terror whispered. "Are you going to freak out if Hisashi fucks me?"

  Con closed his eyes and his motions slowed, as if he was having a really hard time concentrating or understanding language. "What?"

  Hisashi pulled back and I finally registered that my white fox was beet red. "Oisin. Jesus, Buddha, and Odin. Shut up," he growled, darting a glance at Con.

  I laughed as I sat up, kissing Con and taking in Oisin's smirk and Hisashi's blushing face. "Oh, my Gods. Hisashi's afraid you're going to go limp from being around a couple of dudes who like to bang dudes."

  Con frowned at Hisashi, shaking his head to clear some of the lust haze. "Do I look like an asshole to you?"

  Oisin laughed. "Told you. Con's a team player." He smacked the human's ass for good measure.

  Con glared at him. As much as Con could glare. It just ended up being adorable. "I'm still not sucking your dick, fae."

  I rolled onto my knees. "I will. Just someone put a dick in me before I burst into flames."

  Con obliged me, while Oisin took me up on my offer, sliding his long, hard cock into my mouth and down my throat with practiced ease. Hisashi stroked a hand up my spine, trailing magic, before he kissed Oisin then moved around behind him and got to work fucking the snark out of the fae.

  Oisin gripped my hair and shuddered as Hisashi entered him. The fae's gasp of pleasure and the fox's deep groan had me clenching around Con's dick, my growl rumbling along Oisin's shaft as I came so hard I thought I'd pass out.

  Gods, my pride was hot as fuck.

  Oisin snarled as he came and I lapped him up, already feeling another orgasm building inside me.

  The door banged open, but no one even glanced that way. We were all too engrossed in each other.

  Cool, slim fingers danced over my back and traced my jaw before sliding up Oisin's chest. The fae leaned into Kai's kiss and I tilted my head to get a better view. The kraken was still dripping wet, and her skin was cool to the touch.

  "I do all this work for you, and you start playtime without me," Kai purred, stroking her fingers through my hair. “What is wrong with you all?”

  Oisin pulled her back to him with a grin. "You try being that close to a starving incubus and see how long you can resist." He hissed and fell forward onto his elbows as Hisashi did something that made the fae go completely incoherent.

  Con pulled out and urged me to move, so he could take my place on the bed, gasping for air, but still rock hard. I pulled Kai into a kiss,
her full lips soft and salty with sea water. She darted a glance at Hisashi, and my eyes followed. Gods, him and Oisin together was so fucking hot.

  "Please tell me I can play with your fox now," Kai purred, eyes on Hisashi. The fox fisted his hand in Oisin's hair and pulled, making the fae arch backward and push up onto his knees so he was almost sitting on Hisashi's thighs as the bigger man thrust. He wrapped an arm around Oisin's middle and nuzzled the fae's neck as he whispered something only Oisin could hear.

  Emerald green eyes met mine and Oisin smiled a slow, wicked, lust-drenched smile as he saw us watching. He reached down and stroked himself, already hard again even though he'd come just moments ago.

  Hisashi caught where Oisin was looking and managed to blush again, his white skin turning a fascinating shade of red. How he could manage to be embarrassed while he was in that position, the Gods only knew. Con ran a hand up my thigh and urged me over to him. "Come on, you can watch from here."

  I grinned at him, loving that he had caught me and didn't care. I straddled Con, taking the human deep as Kai joined Hisashi and Oisin. She kissed the fae again before reaching out to run her hand through Hisashi's hair. "Hello fox," she purred.

  Hisashi shot a glance my way, looking a bit lost. I just grinned at him before returning my attention to Con. The kraken was an "at your own risk" sort of indulgence.

  I leaned forward to kiss Con, drinking in my sweet human as he caressed my breasts. Jesus, Buddha, and Odin, I was one lucky gryphon. When I looked up again, Kai was kissing Hisashi, while he fucked Oisin into the mattress. She managed to snake a hand between them to get a hold of Hisashi's extra equipment and the fox threw his head back and groaned, his spirit energy whipping around us all. I gasped as I felt the bit of his magic inside me, as if I was connected to his pleasure.

  Con gripped my hips and slammed up into me. Apparently, the human felt that connection too. He let go of my hips when Kai moved to us, bending to kiss Con before she straddled his face. Con moved his hands to grip her thighs and she leaned into me, gasping. "Gods, he's so good at that."

  I laughed around a gasp of my own, kissing Kai as Con drove us both crazy. I cupped the kracken's glorious breasts as she snaked a hand downward to stroke my clit while we both took all our human had to give.

  We all rode the waves of incubus magic and our own lust and I lost track of where one person ended and another began as we moved together in a tangle of sweaty skin.

  It wasn't until much later that I was able to speak coherently again.

  I stared up at the low ceiling of our bedroom while I stroked Hisashi's soft hair. The fox had pulled me against his side and dropped a kiss on my forehead before falling asleep. I turned my head to watch him, admiring his long white lashes and perfect, marble-white skin.

  "To think," Oisin said, reaching across me to stroke Hisashi's chest. "All it took was a little incubus exposure to get him past all his silly fears."

  I snorted. "Sometimes I forget how young he is. You shouldn't bully him that way, old man."

  The fae snorted. "It's good for him. Builds…character or something."

  Kai wrapped her arms and legs around Oisin and squeezed so hard he wheezed. "Go to sleep," she mumbled in a heavy, groggy voice.

  I smiled at them as Oisin rolled over and snuggled into the pillow of her chest. Con rolled over in his sleep and threw an arm around Hisashi's waist. I envisioned the look on Hisashi's face when he woke up cuddling with Con. It was going to be hilarious.

  My pride was so fucking awesome.

  I just hoped nothing changed when we added one more.

  Chapter 9

  A knock at the door pulled me out of a light doze. I'd been having a weird dream about swimming in gryphon form with White riding on my back, steering me with a bridle and reins.

  My dreams were getting stranger and more vivid by the day. Gods. I rubbed a hand over my face and crawled over Hisashi and Oisin to get to the floor. Kai tried to drag me back in, but I struggled free. Damned clingy kraken.

  I dragged on shorts and a t-shirt and opened the door. Orion stood in the narrow hallway, back in human form and all covered up like a priest. He had his hair over his face, hiding his scars. His leather gloves were in place and his high-collared shirt was buttoned up to his jaw. His one visible eye glowed with blue fire, and just being near him was a challenge to my self-control. So, this was what an incubus felt like when he was fully charged. Gods.

  When I opened the door, he shuddered slightly at the wave of ambient energy my group had released into the air. His lips twitched a bit at my wry laugh.

  "It is all clear," he said softly. "We're moving south rapidly, so the risk of attack is less. Feel free to come back on deck." He glanced toward the bed and grinned. "Whenever you would like, that is. "

  I quirked a brow at him, feeling a little guilty for stopping to have an orgy before we made sure everything was okay. "That was all your fault," I huffed.

  He nodded. "I'm well aware. No need to be embarrassed on my account, Ms. Lionheart," he said calmly. "You've seen what I am."

  He tried to sound unconcerned, but I heard the self-loathing in his voice. I saw that flash of loneliness and longing he always carried with him.

  "Thanks for your help," I said, then waved a hand, dismissing how that sounded. "Uh. With the pirates. Not…this."

  He laughed softly. "Of course. What are friends for?"

  I reached out a hand and squeezed his shoulder. "We are friends," I said, closing the door behind me as I joined him in the hall. The guy was lonely as fuck. Even an emotionally constipated idiot like me could see that. "Even if you do work for Derek fucking White," I added.

  He snorted and followed me above deck. "But you're friends with my employer as well, are you not?"

  I huffed. I never should've taunted White. Now he and everyone else was determined to mock me. "He wishes."

  We made our way back to the lounge area. I must have slept longer than I thought, because the darkness around us was starting to lighten as we sipped chilled fruit juice and watched the open water. I tried to tamp down the constant heartburn and nausea, wondering how I'd ever survive two weeks of this shit.

  I was so lost in the thought, I almost missed it. Then I saw it again. A tale splashing in the water, not far from our boat.

  I leaned forward. "Is that dolphin?" I asked, like an idiot. Not much experience with the ocean here.

  Orion followed my gaze, then stood. "No."

  I followed him to the railing. "What is it?"

  We watched as a shape darted under the water, its form bathed in the pale pinks and yellows of the rising sun. Orion smiled at me, then turned his attention back to the water. "I think it's a mermaid," he breathed in wonder.

  Sure as shit, a head broke the water and the woman waved at us before darting below again, keeping pace with the ship.

  "I'll slow the boat," Orion said, moving away. "See what she wants. "

  It took a long time to slow down enough for our visitor to be able to talk and keep pace with the boat.

  "What's going on?" Kai's voice behind me interrupted my staring like a little kid, awed at my first glimpse of a mermaid.

  I gestured at the water. "Orion is slowing so we can talk to her."

  Kai joined me at the rail to look down at the woman. The mermaid had dark skin and hair, and she wore shells and beads around her throat and woven into her hair. She was almost as busty as Kai, and her fins were flashes of orange and red fire.

  "Kraken," the woman called, her voice full of joy. "Swim with me?"

  I glanced at Kai. She looked different somehow. More reserved than usual. She must be fighting her need to stay with us and her desire to connect with her kin. I nudged her. "Go."

  Finally, she gave in, stripping and diving overboard.

  Still freaked me the fuck out watching her jump to her death—or at least, that's what it felt like.

  We cruised slowly for a time, while Kai played with her new friend. The others jo
ined me on deck for a light breakfast. Finally, our kraken returned, dripping wet and smiling as she levered herself over the deck with a tentacle and shifted back to her human form. "I've missed that," she said, accepting the towel I held out for her.

  I frowned. Maybe it was wrong to keep Kai away from the sea. My heart hurt. But I had to go excuse myself to puke. Again.

  Hisashi followed me, handing me a wet washcloth and rubbing circles on my back when I emerged from the bathroom. He moved his big hand up to press on some magical spot on the back of my neck that made my whole body relax. "Okay, gryphon?"

  I searched his blue eyes. He was so attentive. Did he know? I washed my face with the washcloth he'd given me and brushed past him. "Fine. Just sick of this Godsdamned boat."

  When we got back above deck, Kai was dressed and devouring a bowl of fruit. I flopped down next to her, accepting the ice water Oisin handed me.

  "Kai," I said on a breath. "Do you…miss your clan? "

  She glanced at me and then at the others, seeming to only then registered the worried looks. “Oh, calm down," she said with a laugh. "I don't have a clan. I'm the last of my kind."

  That didn't help the sad looks.

  "Kai," I breathed.

  She shrugged. "You have to understand," she said, "the sea isn't like the land. There isn't the…structure? Clans aren't as organized and coherent. There's no real ruling hierarchy. Sea creatures only respect freedom and strength."

  Oisin nodded. "I understand things are very mercurial when sea folk are involved—based on my dealings with them over the years."

  Kai shrugged. "I suppose you could say so." She sighed. "I looked for years. For others of my kind. That's what I was doing when the old man captured me. I never found another kraken."

  Con grabbed her hand, his orphan heart going out to her. "What about when you were a child?"