Author's Note: the second part of this chapter contains some explicit themes 🍋 !

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A sprawling library greets Y/N, high bookshelves towering over her. Schools of fish swim around the long tendrils of mottled seaweed and coral rising up from the floor.

"Do you like it?" Lysanthir's eyes twinkle at Y/N's awed expression.

She nods, transfixed by the scene before her. Growing up, she had always had a love of reading, spending hours curled in her favourite velvet armchair reading and then rereading every book she could get her hands on.

Y/N swims to the nearest bookshelf, eyes widening as she spies the array of volumes. She reaches a hand out hesitantly, looking to Lysanthir for a nod of approval before she traces a hand down the spine of an aged book.

She stiffens as she feels Lysanthir behind her. He rests his chin on her shoulder, arms encircling her waist.

"You can come here whenever you want," he says, laying a soft kiss upon her neck.

His hands stroke the length of her gills, making her shiver at the sensitive touch. The feeling is so new, so foreign.

"Now that you can breathe underwater," he hums, "you will sleep in my chambers tonight, and every night after that."

Anxiety twists within her. She will no longer get to stay in a room above water, nor sleep alone.

~~~~~~~

Lysanthir holds her hand as he pushes open the door to his private quarters.

He had let her stay in the library to read to her heart's content for the rest of the day. In the meantime, the merman had disappeared to go do whatever work preoccupied so much of his time. He would never tell her about what it was, which only made her more suspicious.

Lysanthir is very good at only telling her information when it is useful for him. Like the library, for example. He knew she would like it, and showing it to her would in turn make her like him more.

The door Lysanthir brings her through leads to a spacious sitting area, and she can see arches to several additional rooms. Naturally, he immediately heads to the bedroom.

"Unfortunately, you will sleep alone tonight. There are matters I must attend to."

A weight lifts off Y/N's shoulders. Knowing she'll at least have one more night to herself eases her racing heart.

Lysanthir swims over to a closet, taking out a folded piece of clothing and handing it to her.

A red silk dress.

"For you to sleep in."

The merman's tone is one of rich velvet.

"Thank you," Y/N replies. She's not sure how thankful she truly is. The dress is beautiful, but she can already tell it will be quite revealing on her.

He looks at her expectantly, a glint in his eyes that makes her wince.

"Oh," she realises he is waiting for her to change into it, "I—uh, could I change in another room?"

Lysanthir looks amused.

"You can stay here."

Y/N bites her lip. Apprehension creeps up her spine.

Lysanthir is still staring at her.

She turns around so that she will at least have her back to him as she changes. Y/N takes a deep breath, a bundle of nerves forming in her chest.

She starts by slipping the dress off one shoulder. Then the other. She reaches behind her to undo the zipper.

Lysanthir gets there first. One hand wraps around her waist while the other slowly unzips her dress. She breathes in sharply as the dress floats to the floor.

She turns her head to the side and watches as Lysanthir admires the elegant curve of her back. His gaze lingers.

Y/N crosses her arms over her chest, a heated blush spreading across her cheeks. She shuts her eyes, trying to keep her embarrassment at bay.

"Don't do that", he scolds.

Her breaths become shaky as she reluctantly lowers her quivering arms. She doesn't know what to do. Resisting Lysanthir would only send him into a rage.

She feels soft kisses on her shoulder, rising to her neck. Lysanthir's hands now curve around her waist to her stomach, and glide higher.

His body presses to hers as he pulls her close, skin cool against her heat. The touches are impossibly light, almost too much to bear. His fingers teasingly circle his mate's soft skin, grazing her breasts with tantalising slowness.

She whimpers as he finally reaches their pert centres. Lysanthir gives out a low sound of approval.

He whirls Y/N around so she faces him and lifts her into his arms. Her legs wrap around his torso, arms finding his neck. Y/N's wide eyes meet his black ones. The murdukann burns with unbridled passion.

Lysanthir's lips crash into hers, kissing her desperately. His soft touches turn wild with need. As he holds her tight to him, she can feel a thick hardness against her core. Realising what it is, Y/N tries to squirm away, but her movements only serve to elicit a soft groan from Lysanthir's lips. Sharp nails scrape down her sides and she lets out a cry.

He sucks on her lower lip. Y/N gasps as pointed teeth gently bite down. In his kiss is a promise of eternity together, a promise steeped in obsession and desire.

He is done playing games. He throws the girl onto the bed, pushing her downwards into the satin sheets. His body lies between her legs, long tail undulating.

Lysanthir reaches down, a sharp nail tearing easily through her underwear. He grabs her hips, pulling her lower. Y/N's hands go to his chest, to push him away, but he seizes her wrists and pins them above her head.

"Lysanthir," she pants, "please, I—"

A loud knock rings out from the other room.

Lysanthir draws a shallow breath, disappointment emanating off of him. Y/N can see the merman hesitate, debating to himself whether he should leave her or not.

Finally, he drags himself off her.

"I will return tomorrow, my sweet."

He swims to the door, turning back once to rake his eyes down her body. Then he's gone.

Y/N hurries to pick the nightgown off the floor, quickly slipping it on with trembling fingers. It barely covers her, but at least it's something.

She vaguely hears Ryfon's rough voice make a lewd remark as the two murdukann head down the hallway.

Y/N lays in the bed, overwhelmed, heart hammering in her chest. She hugs a pillow to her. She thinks she feels tears prick her eyes, but the ocean water quickly washes them away.

The merman terrifies her. And she hates him. But she was also born marked, and his hold on her runs deep.