Page 15 of Battle Fluke
Honour moved her hand up, grasping onto Kyree’s bicep as their eyes locked. “We’ll be fine.”
“Yes, we will.” Hudson settled on top of Honour even more. “I don’t go back on my word. Ever.”
Kyree sucked in a sharp breath when Honour lifted her head up and pressed her mouth to Hudson’s. She expected Hudson to dive in, to push and take and force her way in for more, but she didn’t. She held still, a genuine smile on her lips. Kyree tensed, leaning in closer and holding onto Honour’s hand on her arm like it was her lifeline.
Honour moved her free hand into Hudson’s hair and pulled her down. She parted her lips, sliding her tongue out along Hudson’s mouth and tracing the line of her lower lip. Hudson’s eyes fluttered shut as she waited for Honour to deepen the embrace.
Kyree watched with rapt attention as Honour’s tongue moved against Hudson’s, something about the wild and stoic clashing together sent thrills of pleasure all the way through Kyree’s body, heating her up, making her clit tingle. Hudson’s low, desperate moan was her undoing, and she found herself shifting to try and relieve the pressure in her tail. Honour still had a tight grip on her, not letting go as Hudson reached out and curled an arm around the middle of Kylee’s tail and dragged her in closer—as if she was supposed to be there right in the mix with them.
“S-stop,” Kyree whispered.
Hudson pulled back, her lips swollen from the kisses, her eyes wide. Honour’s face was set and firm, and Kyree couldn’t read what that look meant if she wanted to. In response, Hudson’s lips curled upward and she grinned broadly.
“Just as good as I imagined,” Hudson murmured as she backed away. She glanced at Kyree, and that grin became impossibly bigger. “Looks like we’re not the only ones who enjoyed that, Honour.”
Kyree followed Hudson’s gaze to her tail, specifically to her slit, which had parted between her scales. Only a deep arousal could do that. She’d experienced it before, but never like this, never with two near strangers, one who had saved her and one who had kidnapped her. Kyree’s cheeks burned with embarrassment.
“If only you’d allow yourself to be touched,” Hudson’s tone dripped with seduction. “Pity for all of us, I’m afraid.” Hudson swam away, out of the entrance of the cave and disappeared into the dark waters outside.
“Honour,” Kyree’s voice broke.
Honour closed her eyes and sank into the floor of the cave, closing on herself. “Don’t talk about it.”
“I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have had to do—”
“Who do you think had the power in that exchange, Kyree?” Honour snapped. “The one who begged to be touched or the one who made the decision to do it?”
Kyree halted, again frozen by her own desire and fear. “I-I don’t know.”
“Then we have nothing more to talk about.”
6
“Hudson.” Cryoc approached Hudson as she lay face down, half-hanging over the edge of the nearby precipice. Hudson watched, her eyes straining into the darkness below as the shadows deepened, taking on tones of blackness. The ripples of her own small movements drifted slowly down, growing softer, weaker, and soon swallowed up by the darkness.
“Yes?” Hudson purred, not moving fin or fluke, as she followed the movement of her sound after it bubbled from her lips.
She had been waiting for him to approach her. None of the others would have the courage. It was a price she paid for ensuring they followed her. Fear was a marvelous motivator.
“I think it’s a mistake to let them loose.” Cryoc folded his hands behind him in a sign of respect, eyeing her warily.
“Is that so?” She rolled over slowly, knowing Cryoc had never reacted to her fingers playing over her skin. He wasn’t the kind who appreciated much about the opposite sex. Not even the duty-wife he spawned enough fools with could keep the rumors quiet about his true desires.
It had been part of the reason he had rallied beside her in the beginning. All of her men fought against the regime of the Talon for some reason. All of them found fault in the systems that were already in place.
“They’re enemies,” he hissed. “They’ll inform Talon of our plans, and we’ll lose because of your mistakes.”
“Cryoc.” Hudson swam close and placed a gentle hand on his cheek. “You continue to underestimate me.”
“I jus—” But Hudson cut off his words as she wrapped her palm over his mouth and squeezed her fingers together. The muscles in the sides of her face tightened as she clenched her jaw, as her brows drew together, as anger formed in the center of her forehead and she pushed it forward.
“What you need to do is be smarter than that shithead son of yours. And if you can’t, you’ll leave now. I have no patience for mers who can’t cut it out here with me.”
His eyes widened, and Hudson couldn’t deny the thrill of seeing the man’s fear and panic within them. They both knew what it would mean if he did leave her—death. She’d never shied away from the fact that once someone joined her ranks, they were with her permanently.
Cryoc wouldn’t leave. He wouldn’t betray her or truly defy her orders. But the questioning could not be reacted to in any other way. Their lives, all of their lives, had been steeped in traditional Talon ideology, and Hudson would never make the mistake of forgetting that. She would correct it at every turn she possibly could. And insubordination was one of those ways.
“Now.” She pushed him back and watched as he gathered himself together before continuing. “Are you with me?”