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The night air is crisp. Even sheltered from the wind, the chill whirls around us and we’re wrapped in blankets not far from an electric heater humming softly. Cordelia sits next to me, her eyes reflecting the starlit sky. We’re in a secluded corner of a crew deck below the bridge, and away from prying eyes.
The sail away from Skagway is spectacular as we cruise slowly down the Lynn Canal, a long, deep channel flanked by snow-capped, and evergreen wrapped coastal mountains. A bald eagle soars above and dives suddenly, flying across our field of vision as it aims for prey along the shore.
“The captain has called a strategy meeting after we exit Lynn Canal. Once we are sailing in the Icy Strait, the First Officer will have the bridge command duty.”
“This view is magnificent, Cordelia.”
“I thought you’d enjoy seeing this. I think it’s the first sail away you’ve seen on this voyage. And it’s my favorite. Tomorrow, we’ll be cruising Glacier Bay, an indescribably beautiful and peaceful experience.”
“Thanks for sharing this view. And for rescuing me from Baby Doc. I couldn’t take one more second in the medical suite.”
“Next time you have a yen to swim in a frigid ocean Basil, let’s plan ahead and put you in properly insulted scuba gear.”
“I knew from the moment we met that you are special, Cordelia. But the truth... it’s beyond anything I could have imagined.”
She glances at me, a mixture of hope and fear in her eyes, before quickly looking away, staring at the ocean ahead. “You say that now. But being a shifter is not a parlor trick.”
“From the time we stood on your cabin deck and the siren’s song consumed me until you brought us back into the ship, much of what happened is fuzzy for me. I know it was real, but I’m not sure what real looks like anymore.”
Her breath catches. Slowly, she raises her hand.
“Let me show you real.”
The air around her shimmers as her fingers elongate, fusing together, forming the tip of a flipper. Her skin shifts to a smooth, iridescent texture that glows softly under the moonlight.
I reach out instinctively but stop short of touching her altered hand. “Incredible.”
Cordelia withdraws slightly, uncertainty flickering across her face. “It’s not all beautiful. There’s danger in what I am.”
“I don’t care about the danger.” My voice is insistent, firmer than I expect. “What matters is you trust me enough to show this.”
Her eyes meet mine again, searching for sincerity. “You really mean that?”
“Absolutely.”
She lets out a breath she’s been holding. “I’ve hidden this my whole life. You’re the first person outside my kind who knows.”
I nod slowly, absorbing the emotion behind her words.
A faint smile tugs at her lips before she shifts back to her fully human form. The transformation leaves a tingling sensation in the air between us.
The cool night air nips at my skin, but it’s nothing compared to the heat building inside me. Cordelia’s eyes, deep and fathomless as the ocean we sail upon, hold mine in a silent exchange that speaks volumes. The space between us crackles with an energy that’s both new and as old as time.
I move closer, the lounge chair creaking softly under the shift of my weight. Our legs brush, and a jolt of electricity races up my spine. Her breath hitches, her lips part slightly, invitingly. It’s all the encouragement I need.
My hand finds the nape of her neck, fingers tangling in her hair as I draw her to me. Our lips meet, a tentative exploration at first, tasting the salt of the sea on each other’s skin. Her lips are soft, pliant, and they yield to the insistence of my own. The kiss deepens, a dance of tongues and teeth that leaves us both breathless.
I delight in the rise and fall of her chest against mine, the rapid flutter of her heartbeat syncing with the rhythm of my own. My other hand traces the curve of her waist, slipping beneath the hem of her shirt to find warm, silken skin. She gasps into the kiss as my fingers splay across her lower back, pulling her closer, erasing any remaining space between us.
Her hands are not idle. They roam over my chest, her touch hesitant at first, then growing bolder as her passion rises to match my own. We’re a tangle of limbs, wrapped in the same blanket now, seeking warmth not just from the chill but from each other.
I break the kiss only to trail my lips down the column of her throat, feeling the flutter of her pulse beneath my mouth. A soft moan escapes her as I continue my exploration, my fingers finding the button of her jeans, deftly undoing it. She tenses for a moment, then relaxes into my touch, her own hands fisting in my shirt as I slide my hand lower.
The world around us fades into a blur of sensation. My fingers tease and explore, coaxing soft cries from her lips as she arches against my hand. The intimacy of the moment is overwhelming, a connection that goes beyond the physical. It’s as if we’re speaking a language only our bodies understand, a silent conversation that’s raw and real and more honest than any words we could exchange.
But as the intensity between us builds, Cordelia stills my hand with a gentle touch. Her eyes, clouded with desire, meet mine, and I see the flicker of hesitation in their depths.
“We’re... Basil, we’re in public.”
