Awakenings Read Online Free

either. It would be futile. They'd been caught.
    A tall, red-headed merman grinned at them. "Look what we have here. Two cute youngsters, just for our enjoyment."
    "Please, let us go," Jaden said. "We don't want any trouble."
    Even as Jaden spoke, Chrys knew what the thief's reply would be. "I think not," the tall merman said. The red scales of his tail flashed threateningly. "Jasper, come on. They're here."
    Another merman, one with dark orange hair, appeared from beyond the coral. He smiled at their captor. "Good job, Dialy."
    The new arrival—Jasper—swept his gaze over them. Chrys shuddered under the appraisal. He could see a dark promise in the man's eerie eyes. Jasper leaned toward them and cupped Jaden's jaw. "What a pretty thing you are," he said.
    Chrys snarled at Jasper, pushing the other merman's hand away from Jaden. "You keep your filthy fins to yourself."
    "Oh… so you like to hog all the attention. No worries. I like you both."
    Jasper lunged at Chrys, and his larger body hit Chrys hard. The thief's tail rubbed against Chrys's wound and he let out a cry of pain and disgust.
    Jasper chuckled and swept his hands over Chrys's scales. Chrys tried to move away, but the thief immobilized him with ease. Sobs echoed in Chrys's ears and he realized his twin was crying. Or maybe they both were. The other mer—Dialy—had turned his attention to Jaden, and Chrys was aware of every unwanted touch on Jaden's body the same way he felt his own abuse.
    Jasper's fingers prodded at the end of Chrys's tail and Chrys felt an unwilling bolt of pleasure sweep through him. He hated himself for responding to his abuser, but his body didn't want to obey his mind and heart. Nobody had ever touched him there. He'd tested it once or twice, curious, but the sensations had confused and scared him.
    Such touches went beyond mere tail contact. As a curious young mer, Chrys had touched his twin's tail many times. He didn't count those innocent caresses as sexual, though, and neither had dared to go too far back then. And then there had been Aurus and their stolen moments in the coral garden of the palace. But Aurus hadn't touched him in his most intimate spot, the tiny opening between the large fins of Chrys's tail. It was something kept for each mer's first time. Chrys hated this thief might be the first one to do it.
    Thankfully, Jasper didn't try to steal his way inside Chrys's body. Instead, he rubbed at the spot and whispered in Chrys's ear, "Come on, pretty thing. Shift for me."
    Stimulation through pressure or slight penetration would have caused a sexually-experienced mer to turn into his legged form. The channel beyond the small hole hid particularly sensitive nerve endings. Chrys, however, did not shift.
    He somehow found the energy to snort. "I can't," he told the bandit. "I don't know how."
    Jasper laughed. "Are you kidding me? Someone who looks like you, and at your age? Don't be ridiculous."
    "Jasper," Dialy piped up, "I think he's telling the truth."
    Chrys took advantage of the moment and pushed the thief away. He rushed to his brother's side and wrapped his arms around Jaden.
    "Are you okay, Jaden?" he said.
    Jaden nodded. "Chrys," he murmured, "I don't want them to touch me."
    Dialy gave Jaden a disgruntled look, but didn't comment. Jasper didn't show the same restraint. He swam to Chrys's side and gripped his arm, squeezing hard, before looking at both mer and realizing for the first time that they were twins. "Jaden. Chrys. You're the sons of Lord Malach, aren't you?" he growled.
    Chrys tensed. He considered denying it, but the thieves weren't fools. They'd already found out the truth. What would Jasper do to them now?
    "Of course," Dialy said. "No wonder they didn't attack us with their elements. They have no magic."
    "Gods…" Jasper grumbled under his breath. "I almost cursed myself." He glanced toward Chrys and Jaden once more, shaking his head. "Such a waste."
    More mer showed up from behind the corals. "Jasper?"