Cousin lay tangled with Kraken. The sweat on their bodies cooled in the breeze from the inn’s open window. She ran a finger over the corded muscles of his arm, and up his neck. She nuzzled his jaw, and revealed in the scratch of his whiskers. He kissed the top of her head.
“I’ll be glad to get back on the ocean,” Cousin said. “This land is strange under my feet.”
Kraken chuckled. “Aye. Two weeks is a week and a half too long.”
Cousin snuggled into him more. “It took much longer than I wanted. I still can’t believe the people here want us to stay.”
“Can’t help what others think. We say we’re pirates. They say we’re heroes. And those loyal to Protector hide among them.” Kraken ran a hand over Cousin’s back in a firm caress. “And our family wants to take its time, make friends, have relations, and sort out the bad guys. We are the bad guys.”
Cousin chuckled. “I’ve known worse.”
Kraken muttered to himself, and played with Cousin’s hair.
She raised herself on an elbow. Ocean green eyes with shifting shadows met her eyes and held. She could see her influence, her power, there. She ran her finger tips over the three scars. The smooth ridges a reminder of past, and a statement of future. She felt her body quicken. “Just because you are one of the bad guys, does not mean you are evil.”
“Evil is an over used word,” Kraken said. “I’ve only seen it apply a few times in my life. Mostly, it’s just greed. I’m not greedy for power over others. My greed is for freedom, and you.”
“If only it could all be attributed to greed,” Cousin said. She stretched her body on top of Kraken’s. “I’ll let you experience my greed.” She kissed him hard and hungry, the night outside forgotten.
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