Whispers of the Deep Quotes

“So I will end this quickly, not because you deserve it, but because she needs me more than I need my vengeance.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“I would have turned the waters black with their blood. I don’t care that he’s my brother, or that the others have been in my pod for years. They do not understand the value or the worth of your life, kairos, and I will not stand for their mistreatment of you.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Fuck, woman. You shouldn’t react like that when I tell you I murdered someone for you.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“I will find this daughter,” he growled. “And she will be mine.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Let me be your breath.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Right,” she muttered to herself, working on pulling the welder apart. “This is normal. Just another afternoon spent with my undine friend while he prepares dinner and I work on some lost trash that he apparently thinks is a gift. Nothing to see here at all.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Sorry, you pretty bastard. Better luck next time.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Running his hands down the delicate bones of her spine, he counted each of her ribs before grunting in frustration. He didn’t know how many ribs she was supposed to have, so this wasn’t getting him anywhere. He couldn’t even ask if she was all right, because they couldn’t converse with each other.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“I cannot let you go. I would be denying my heart the reason it beats.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“It’s a book about fucking mermen. Let’s not get into a scientific conversation about whether the bends would happen or if she could die doing half the stuff she does. K? K. *smooches*”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“He inhaled deeply, those gills fluttering against her stomach, where he was suddenly very obviously excited. “Fuck, woman. You shouldn’t react like that when I tell you I murdered someone for you.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Fuck, yes.” “Good.” He grabbed her by the hips and turned her around. She laid on his tail, her stomach pressed against the undulating scales when she felt a second, hard touch against her opening. “Because I have two.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Then she would sneak off with another male, one he already hated, and they would disappear into one of the rooms he couldn’t see. Was she mating with him? The idea shouldn’t be so frustrating, but it made him very angry the first time he’d seen the pattern. Why else would a female and a male disappear into the same room?”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“With her at our side, we will finally destroy them all.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“I don’t want this to end so soon,” he scolded. “Why not?” she asked, lifting a brow. “You have two.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“I say some things in here about an invention that allows our heroine to breathe underwater for a bit, and avoid the bends. Do not try this at home. It’s entirely made up, and honestly, probably impossible. Please suspend your disbelief for this monster fucker book.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“The translation chip. Put the fucking translation chip on his fucking ear and stop touching him like you’re trying to jerk him off!”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“She let out a frustrated noise and glared at him. Oh, how he adored that expression.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Well, I did want to blow your mind.” “Indeed, you did.” He gathered her a little closer, arranging her legs on either side of him so she was comfortable. “You are a gift from the sea, Mira. A rare pearl I am so lucky to have found. I do love you, you know. More than anything else in this world. You hold my soul in your chest. Wherever you go, I will never be far from you.” Her hair billowed around them, red tangling around the electric blue of his body. “I love you,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to his gills. “No matter how different we are or where we came from. You are mine, Arges. And I am yours.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Her heart skipped a beat. She didn’t think it was normal for her to be so turned on by that answer, but fuck, she wanted him. He inhaled deeply, those gills fluttering against her stomach, where he was suddenly very obviously excited. “Fuck, woman. You shouldn’t react like that when I tell you I murdered someone for you.” “How else am I supposed to react? I thought for weeks that you didn’t care about me anymore. You disappeared, and I thought I was some pet you put back in the carrier and was having people take care of you while you lived your life.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“He had Mira in his arms. Though her blood coated his scales and floated around her like a plume of bright color, she was still alive. He was certain they would save her. Even with the wound in her belly. Brushing his claws over her face, he drew her closer to him and held her tightly against his hearts. “You’re going to live,” he breathed. “You’re going to live, Mira. I will not let you go.” He was pleased that Byte had been correct. He breathed for both of them, and this was the first time in the water he’d seen her without a mask. Her face was so beautiful, so peaceful, as she looked up at him. She lifted a hand, gently running her fingers down his neck. “I love you,” she said, her voice so quiet he almost didn’t hear it. “I love you so much, Arges. I don’t want to die without you knowing that.” The words were a punch in his gut. “You’re not going to die.” “I might.” She lifted her hands from her belly, and the weak stream of blood frightened him. There should have been more. So much more.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Byte sighed, and a few clunks echoed from inside the box before its projector appeared. On the glass of the dome, and emitting out into the water, it showed the blonde woman it had before. "You remember her?" "Alys Fairweather, the woman you served before she disappeared." "This was her home." Mira felt her jaw drop open as the droid said that with such ease. "Excuse me?" "This was her home. It was built for her by her father, after she supposedly disappeared. My programming initiative was to tell everyone that she'd died, but we were not programmed to lie well. So I was sent into the ocean because I couldn't keep the secret about... him." Another click and a new image appeared, floating like he was just outside the window. A green finned undine, just like the legends always said. He wasn't nearly as different as Arges, but perhaps he was from a different clan. He certainly looked like he wasn't a deep sea creature. With tiger stripes of green scales that glimmered on his skin, and gills behind his long pointed ears, some along his ribs as well, he was just as massive as Arges but so much softer looking. This new undine pressed his fingers against the glass, and the love in his eyes hurt to look at. He loved her so much. She could see it in his eyes, in the way that he lingered at the window, draping his tail over it as the image of Alys danced through the room. She reached up for him, wiggling her fingers and laughing at the way he shook his head. They were so in love. So very in love. The images faded, and she found her throat had closed up with emotion. Licking her lips, she asked, "So you wanted me to come here? Why?" "I didn't know you would end up here. In her home. But I saw the way you two looked at each other and I couldn't let you go back home without realizing the truth." "What truth?" she croaked. Byte's projector crunched back into the box. "That it was possible for your two to be together. Because I have seen it happen, and I know that it can work. Alys and her undine were together until she was very old. They lived here, and no one bothered them. He was an outcast to his people but he... he loved her. Very much. And she loved him in return." It was possible. They weren't the first. She”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“We cannot lose you, Arges.” Mitéra almost seemed... sad as she said it. “I have spoken with the ancients. We all agree the future you have chosen for yourself affects the rest of us too much. You have left us no choice.” He heard it before he realized they were going to attack him. Spinning, he flicked his tail and shot forward, but the net still caught his fluke. Struggling, he had to slice through the cords before another reached around him. Then another. Then there were hands, ripping and tearing and pulling until there were ropes around his neck, around his arms, up and over his tail. All of them binding him to the ground. To anchors he had not seen before. Straining against his chains, he could feel the muscles of his neck bulging as his gills flared to suck in more air. Mitéra floated above him, giving directions to what had once been his pod.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“His whole life unraveled the moment she touched him. Fuck, that was a lie. The moment he laid eyes on her was the moment he should have known that he would never be the same again. This woman, this achromo who fought with an undine even knowing what terrible things he could do to her, had captured his heart. He had admired her bravery back then, but he had no way of knowing that bravery would turn into an admiration that eased into love. True, blissful love. He felt better when he was with her. Like his mind stilled and his soul eased. Like he had been searching his entire life for someone who could see him. Just him. Not the warrior. Not the man who could save his people and who was good at attacking the achromos. Not the tactician with the brain who could see through what the achromos built. All she saw was Arges. The monster who had kidnapped her and the creature she had forgiven. They’d fought. They’d argued and drawn blood both ways. And still she found it in her heart to forgive him. How did he deserve a woman like this? How had he found someone who was so fierce and yet so soft at the same time? He was a fool for her.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“So he cupped the back of her head and drew her closer to him. This time, he kissed her. He pressed their lips together, gently tasting her and teasing her lips to soften. He’d never known how wonderful this would feel. And yet, the achromos were right about something. This kissing made him want her even more. It made him want something that he knew he should not have, but that he would steal for a few moments, if only to experience it with her. He devoured her mouth, nipping at her lips with his sharper teeth and trying to coax her to open her mouth so he could taste her tongue. And when she did, oh, it made his entire body ache. His gills fluttered, the scales along his cock shifting. He was so close to extruding right out and then she would realize how incredibly different they likely were. “You have to get into the water,” she murmured against his mouth, her fingers digging into his chest. “You can’t dry out. Especially not... If you...” Did she want to continue this? He certainly did. He didn’t want to let go of her, nor did he want to find out what would happen if he did. “Come with me.” “Where?” “Into the water.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Kairos,” he murmured, gently dragging his finger down her cheek. She interrupted him. “You’ve called me that for a long time. What does it mean? My translator doesn’t know what to do with that one.” “It is a word with many meanings,” he replied. His throat closed a bit, knowing he was about to reveal maybe too much. “For us, it is a fleeting but crucial moment. An ephemeral rightness of time and place. A moment that brings you to where you were supposed to be.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Still. He laughed at her when she’d been worried about him. “I should toss you back into the sea, you beast.” “Why’s that?” “I was actually worried about you.” “I know you were.” He smoothed his hand down her back, tugging her a little closer until she had no option but to straddle him. Then he did the strangest thing yet. He arranged her legs on either side of his tail, then snuggled her against his odd heartbeat. Resting her cheek on his chest, she toyed with his rib gills. “Are you really okay now?” “I’ll be fine. I just need rest.” He never stopped touching her. Gently moving his thumbs over her spine, sometimes coiling his fingers through her hair. She even felt him touch the lobe of her ear once. And when she was almost drifting off to sleep, she muttered, “This can’t be comfortable for you. You’re laying on a hard floor.” “You’d be surprised, Mira.” Then she swore he added, “Having you in my arms is the most comfortable I’ve ever been.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Her stomach turned as she rounded his side and saw the extent of the damage. First, rage swelled in her chest. She wanted to kick someone. To break something so that she might get a little of this aggression out. And then her heart just hurt. Mira felt like she might burst into tears as she sank down next to him, carefully reaching out with her hand and grabbing his. “I don’t know where I can touch you,” she whispered. “Everything looks like it hurts.” “This doesn’t.” He squeezed her fingers in his and then drew her hand over his chest. She could feel his heart beating, though it was a strange beat compared to her own. “Neither does this. Nothing ever hurts when you touch me.” A ragged sob made its way out of her mouth. “Arges. You look awful.” “I feel awful.” But then he rubbed her hand up and down his chest in a soothing motion, and he sighed. “Less awful now.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“They had interrupted him. He had found a mate, a true burning light that even now warmed his chest. He’d almost had her, and now they tried to take her away. She was his. His to take, to steal, to kiss. And oh, what a kiss. He’d seen humans do it before, but he had never thought devouring another person would make him feel so complete. He had only wanted her more. Wanted to dig himself into her skin and coil around her heart until he was wrapped so firmly around it that he knew it would only beat for him. Then his brothers had to ruin things. The other warriors that he’d led for years, the ones he had taught to track and hunt, had used what he’d taught them against him.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep

“Water dripping down her nose, she ripped her rebreather off and stared at him. Finally, she couldn’t take it. Because he already had that look in his eyes that meant he was leaving and she... she... “I don’t want you to go.” He froze in front of her before quietly asking, “What did you say?” “I don’t want you to go,” she repeated. “I don’t like being here alone. Without you.” “You have your metal box to speak with.” “It’s not the same.” She swallowed, realizing that one of them would have to be the brave one. She knew he had feelings for her, and she did as well. Even though her mind screamed they couldn’t do this. That no undine and human could ever be together, in any way. She felt like it was important to get the words out. Even if they were hard. Placing her hands over his at her waist, she decided that if one of them had to be brave, it would be her. “I prefer my time with you, Arges. Much more than anyone else I’ve ever met in my life. I want to know everything about you, even if those discoveries come without words.” Surely, he understood what she was saying. His black eyes searched hers, and then his hands spasmed against her hips. “Kairos, I believe there are perhaps some translation difficulties regarding what you just said.” “There are no translation issues.” She lifted her hands and placed them on his shoulders, toying with the edges of his gills. “I think you should know that I want you. I find you strangely beautiful, and though that has plagued me for quite some time, I feel that now perhaps it is the right time for me to tell you.” “Why now?” he rasped, his voice guttural and deep.”
― Emma Hamm, Whispers of the Deep