The Saltwater Curse

by Avina St. Graves

“No one will love you like I do.” I hold his stare as I rasp, “Thank God.”

From this day until I take my last breath, I will never be free, a tagged bird forever flying faster than the wind. But I’ll take that over a gilded cage. I’ll paint the trees with blood if I have to.

A tarnished blade can still cut.

“Six coconuts as payment for my service, like we agreed,” he reminds me before pointing at the three on the ground. I blink at him. “We agreed on two.” Vasz’s finned tail hits a nearby tree as he trots back toward the beach. “Nine, or I bite your mate.”

I will kill whoever made her upset. Man. Woman. Another kraken. They’ll die. I will thread shells into his entrails and gift them to her so she may decorate our nest. Yes. That is an excellent courting present.

“You want me to stab you again?” “Only if you’re offering.” I try to hide my hope. Cindi could engrave her name on my chest if she wanted.

Ordus’ dick looks like one of my dildos. There. I said what I said.

“Do not lessen my person to the organ between my legs,”