A short burst of sound, and the world ignited in lavender light. The merman’s webbed hands reached to still her. Blue-violet light reflected from his silver eyes and gilded his skin, accentuating the perfect muscles of his torso.

Her initial bout of terror was replaced by awe. The strange illumination came from everywhere and nowhere all at once, creating an eerie sort of moonlight without a source. And then there was his godlike form leaning over her, face creased with concern.

A soothing song pulsed from his throat, calming her nerves. Looking past him, she realized the water surrounding them was studded with what looked like tiny purple diamonds. It’s so beautiful. She reached out to try to catch one of the motes, but it slipped through her fingers as if it were air. What are they?

Zantu wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her neck and sending a stream of bubbles through her hair. Humans call them plankton.

Can you turn them on and off?

His chest vibrated with sound, and the water went black.

Oh, no, leave them on! She clawed forward, searching for him. Terror of the darkness, the unknown threatened to crush her.

You asked me to turn them off.

She located one of his biceps, wrapped both hands around it to pull him closer. No, I wanted to know if you could.

Again, he sang the motes awake, and Brianna looked up into a face full of amused tenderness that made her heart skip a beat.

He leaned in to press his forehead to hers. The odd-colored light made his eyes hard to read, but his voice in her head was full of all the sincerity she needed. I will keep you safe. Always.

She reached up to caress his cheek, enjoying the smooth skin along his angular jaw. God help her, she believed him. 

At that moment, her stomach growled.

And I’ll keep you fed. His chuckle matched the curve of his lips.

A craving for nachos filled her. Or maybe fried chicken. She licked her lips. What did mermen eat? Raw fish? She’d never been a fan of sushi. Even rare steak made her queasy.

Don’t worry, little angelfish. We’re mostly vegetarians. Sit. He pulled a chair away from the rosewood table and gestured.

So far, she’d only moved through the water with his aid. Now, left to her own mobility, she floundered over and took a seat. Luckily, he wasn’t watching.

He moved to the edge of the clearing and began harvesting seaweed and other unidentified items, placing them into a huge half-shell bowl. She watched him work, the muscles of his back and arms bulging and rippling with his movements. His powerful tail flexed with muscle as well, each move through the water accomplished with mere flickers of effort. This had been her first chance to really look at him without him looking back. She wanted to reach out and touch the delicate-looking fin at the end of his tail. Examine what she imagined were tiny scales covering his body. Find out exactly where he hid his parts when they weren’t making love.

I can show you if you like.

She’d forgotten he could basically hear her every thought, and her skin heated with embarrassment even as her core tightened. 

He looked over his shoulder at her and winked. Don’t be embarrassed, little angelfish. I like to know what you’re thinking. In a flash of movement, he somersaulted through the water to face her and set the half-shell down on the table. What do men look like in your world?

Not like you. The tremor in her thoughts embarrassed her even more, but she refused to look away from him.

What’s so different? He moved closer, hovering mere inches away, six-pack abs flexing with the tiny circular movements of his tail. His webbed hands spread across his ribs and slowly made their way down over his hips, drawing her gaze like a lure to the place where his manhood should be—a bulge, there beneath the skin, covered as if by well-fitted clothing. 

His thought reached out and caressed her. Compelled her. Touch me.

Swallowing, she reached out a hand and brushed her fingertips across the bulge. A note like a sigh of pleasure coursed through the water. Emboldened, she placed her entire palm over the lump, surprised by his heat. By the softness of his skin. She’d expected scales, but he was as smooth here as he was on his torso.

Scales are for fish. Desire colored his thought.

What are you, then?

Am I not a man?

She caressed the throbbing bulge, the crevice between her thighs immediately hot and slick. Fish or man, she wanted him.

Like magic, the skin beneath her fingers bloomed open to reveal…