Their lips blended. Even in the depth of the ocean, Rowan felt hot. His back touched the sandy floor as Kaerius's hands pushed down on his hips. Salty kisses were oddly exhilarating when Rowan was in his Thalassic Mortal form. Kaerius's hand ran over his scales, and Rowan knew why Kaerius always blushed When Rowan touched his tail. It felt Like Kaerius was running a hand over his thighs and over a spot that made him shiver.

As the kissing grew in passion, so did the touching. The boys had swum almost a mile away from the others, so they could be alone and not afraid to be affectionate. Kaerius's hands were more adventurous than Rowan's, though their lustful hearts beat as one.

Like Kaerius's hands, his mouth wandered down Rowan, down and down until Rowan gasped and almost sunk his sharp teeth into his bottom lip. Be present, he thought to himself, and when he allowed his feelings in, Rowan smiled and closed his eyes to concentrate on Kaerius's loving touch.

After a while of kisses all over each other, Kaerius's mouth found Rowan's lips again and asked if Rowan was ready to go further. Death made them remember that their lives could be over so suddenly.

"Yes." Rowan looked into Kaerius's eyes heavy with desire. "I would love nothing more right now," he breathed. Kaerius's mouth was on Rowan's throat in a heartbeat. Rowan felt as though he had transitioned to bliss on earth. He stared up at the distant surface of the water, miles above them. He didn't think his first time would be deep in the ocean. That didn't seem weird to him. Instead, it felt natural, like he was home and comfortable and safe.

Rowan pulled Kaerius's face back up, so he could see him. Rowan cupped the back of his neck and smashed their lips together again when Kaerius grinned with mischief. Rowan lost himself in the harmony of their bodies moving together. Their souls pulsed, wanting to mix as one. The stronger their needs to be affectionate, the closer they got to completing the bond. Rowan had wondered what stage three, the touching of the souls, would feel like.

Now he could finally find out.

* * * * *

Rowan's head was a ruptured volcano. He hadn't expected his first time to be so intense, so passionate, so wonderful, and so awakening. He expected a lot of awkwardness and embarrassment. He had been excited about the love, and the way it felt was on a whole other level, even with a tail.

Rowan also expected the bond to complete during sex. It happened after.

They were breathing heavy and feeling good when suddenly the water around them warmed and warmed until a ball of heat surrounded them. Kaerius and Rowan both felt a pull on their chests and only for a moment when their souls bled into each other, they saw out of one another's eyes. Rowan felt what Kaerius felt for him and vice versa. Then they were back in their own bodies, wanting to kiss all over again.

The commotion of completing the bond eventually settled. Kaerius held Rowan in his arms and drifted softly at the bottom of the sea.

"Kaerius, if this makes sense, your arms feel like my arms. I mean, you feel like a part of me."

Kaerius agreed. "You're like an extension of myself." He unravelled from Rowan and didn't like the immediate loneliness. "We should be getting back. Your parents might come looking for you."

Rowan felt Kaerius's fingers travel down his arm until his fingers wrapped around his hand. Their gaze connected, and they started laughing. "Did we really just do that?"

Kaerius grinned, showing off his sharp teeth. "We can do it again if you're unsure?"

Rowan blushed and nudged him with his tail. They swam together back up the reef and to the kelp plants. Now that they had completed stage three, Rowan had stopped worrying about everything. He relaxed in the presence of Kaerius, in a manner he hadn't before.

Mandy and Michael were hanging out by the entrance to the cave when the boys emerged. Mandy could tell what had happened between them. Michael was clueless. She grinned knowingly, feeling their fully connected bond.

"How're you feeling Rowan?" Michael asked.

"A bit tired," he said which was weird. He had slept for an entire week.

"Your body is just doing final repairs I assume," Michael beamed. "I'm glad you're okay. I worry about you a lot, but it wasn't nice thinking you were dead." Michael hugged him with his arms and not his tail. To any outsider, Thalassic Mortals would know that Michael and Rowan were not like them.

"We need to talk about staying in the ocean," Mandy said when they pulled away. "I don't know if you've thought about it, Rowan, but I think it's a strong choice if we want to be safe. As your father said, we thought hunters had killed you. They would never get near you again if we lived in the ocean."

Rowan wasn't sure. He had spent his life on land and loved it up there. It wasn't fair for him to have to decide. "Land is my home too. I won't let hunters make that choice for me."

Michael pursed his lips. The land was also his home, though it was true that they were safer under the water.

"I might sleep," Rowan said when his mother was preparing to tell Rowan why the sea was best. His hand rubbed the scar on his stomach. His arm felt a little stiff, and so did his breathing. His dad was right; his body was still trying to heal him.

What he had just done with Kaerius didn't help. Rowan was sore all over.

He wrapped himself up in the kelp plants. Their slimy texture was always a little odd at first, but comfortable. Kaerius stayed with him until Rowan's eyes started to close. Their bond was complete, and every time Kaerius ran a hand through Rowan's hair, Rowan got all excited and couldn't sleep.

Eventually, he did drift off, and Kaerius stayed with him the whole time.

Mandy and Michael stayed outside the cave where they could see them and see Jaiker and Laiken when they come back from their fishing hunt.

"They've connected the bond," Mandy said in the Thalassic Tongue. She spoke quietly, not wanting Kaerius to hear them talking about him.

"Have they?" Michael asked with a chuckle. "They've taken a little longer than you and me. They didn't want to be together in the beginning. I was worried they'd actually find a way to remove the bond. I'm glad they didn't. I haven't seen Rowan so happy in years."

Mandy watched her son sleep tangled among the plants. Kaerius stared at him like Rowan was something beautiful and precious. "Was he really miserable with the old me?"

Michael nodded. "We all were."

"At least I have a chance to redeem myself." Mandy looked her soulmate up and down. "Tell me the truth, what do you think about all of this? Should we stay in the ocean?" Mandy already knew his answer.

Michael shook his head to say no. "Well, not permanently. If we leave these hunters and find somewhere else to live, they'll tell everyone how they scared off the Royals. I'd rather fight for our freedom, but maybe that's the hunter in me talking." Michael was deeply ashamed that his parents were the reason Mandy and Rowan suffered for so long. His parents not only went after him; they went after the entire family. Michael didn't want to simply swim away and let them get away with it.

"Rowan wants to fight too. I don't know what I want to do. I'm worried about Wez, though. We need to find him."

Michael agreed, but only when his son was ready.

* * * * *

Rowan slept for the rest of the night and the rest of the day. He woke up when the sun was high, though all he saw was darkness. It took Rowan a few minutes to realise that Kaerius's hair blocked his vision. Rowan pulled his head back with a gentle smile. Kaerius was still asleep. At some point, he had tangled himself up around Rowan so that they could sleep together.

Rowan looked around, and nobody else was in the kelp plants. He had no idea what time of day it was; in the water, it was impossible to tell.

Kaerius woke as Rowan slowly tried to untangle their waists. He yawned into the side of Rowan's head and stretched.

"Good morning," Rowan thought and was greeted by a kiss on the cheek. The little action of affection felt essential. Rowan kissed Kaerius's cheek in return, and they both smiled at each other. Kaerius looked and felt genuinely happy. He didn't express it much, but his smile showed Rowan how much he loved to wake up in each other's arms.

"How do you feel?" Kaerius asked, staring with sleepy purple eyes.

"I feel perfect." Rowan knew that was partly because they completed the bond. He felt closer to Kaerius in every way possible.

"I'm glad you slept for a while. You haven't eaten though, come," Kaerius pulled him through the plants to the caves where Jaiker and Laiken had stocked up on food.

The boys were happy and ready for the day until they saw Michael's grim expression. Rowan noticed Laiken's serious frown too.

"What's wrong?" Kaerius asked in the Thalassic Tongue.

"It's Wez's soulmate," Laiken said.

Kaerius and Rowan swam into the cave. Mandy and Jaiker were leaning over Wez's soulmate who lay on the sand. Jaiker was wrapping plants around her head.

"What's he doing?" Rowan thought.

Kaerius rested a hand on Rowan's shoulder, and Rowan then noticed his sympathetic eyes. "I'm sorry, Rowan," Kaerius thought, "she's dead."