“Focus on the feeling within you, Sweetheart.”

“I’m going to need you to be more specific.”

“In your chest. What do you feel?”

“Heat.”

He rumbled in approval. “Good. Pay attention to the way it feels when I force you through a shift. Ready?”

“Do it.”

The electricity in my chest pulsed, hard.

I gasped as the tingle in my skin grew painful, my nipples tight and my core throbbing fiercely.

The heat in my chest rolled through my abdomen and down to my legs.

I felt it change, just slightly, before the sensations in my legs were altered.

My eyes flew open, and I gaped down at my tail.

It was smaller than Triton’s, but still huge. And covered in blue scales, yes, but unlike his they were a variety of shades of blue. Like my hair.

Despite the disappearance of my lower half, and my quick, panicked breaths, I was still just as horny as I had been.

My stomach ached.

My entire body did.

He had said that the bond’s magic would push us to seal it… guess I was officially becoming acquainted with that.

“What the hell did you do to me?” I breathed.

“I made you shift, like we⁠—”

“Not that.” Now that I could feel the magic, I knew instinctively how to use it to shift back. I did exactly that, and rolled to my side, clutching my middle.

“What?” The king’s gaze was dark as he leaned over me, his hands on my sides.

I needed them somewhere else.

Somewhere lower.

I fought the urge desperately, but it wasn’t fading.

“What are you feeling?” he demanded.

“The bond, I think.”

Understanding dawned in his eyes, and the darkness there morphed to heat. “You need me.”

“No,” I moaned.

“Satisfy it yourself, then.”

The words made my hips arch.

“Turn around,” I gritted out.

“Sweetheart.” He nearly growled the word. “If you’re touching yourself in our home, to the feeling of our combined magic, I sure as fuck am not going to miss it.”

A groan escaped me. “Screw you.”

“I wish you would.”

Another wave of pain and tension clenched my middle.

I couldn’t wait any longer, and shoved my hand into my skirt. The fabric stretched easily for me, and I couldn’t suppress a loud sound of pleasure as I dragged my fingers over my slick, swollen clit.

“How does that feel?” Triton asked.

“So good.” The breath escaped before I could stop it.

I didn’t want to stop it.

I wanted to let him touch me.

My hips arched roughly as I rolled my fingers around my clit again.

“How wet are you?” His words were lower. Grittier.

“So wet.”

“Let me see.”

He was insane.

Fucking insane.

I was too, because I pulled my hand away from my core and held it up for him.