The distant sounds of the ocean crashing against the rocks made its way through the tunnel to Ash and Coby’s cave, a soft, soothing sound that echoed in the darkness. The couple, sleeping soundly together on the mattress, Coby using Ash’s arm as a pillow with Ash’s other arm over him, holding him close, barely registered it, along with any other noise or distraction the world outside of their own possessed. 

Hours had passed since their union. How many, they couldn’t say, but neither cared. They stayed in the stalagmite formation, locked in each other’s embrace, making love over and over until they were completely spent. Only once did Ash run out to the cove to grab Coby’s clothes, which he’d insisted on when Coby shivered. He’d pulled the blanket around his mate, yanked on his now-dried jeans, and ran as fast as he could, not wanting to spend any more time than necessary away from his new husband. Coby had laughed when Ash practically leapt out of his pants, threw the hoodie onto the mattress to use as a pillow, and huddled against Coby’s warm body under the blanket. They’d made love one more time, and drifted off to sleep not long after.

Coby stirred, the ocean’s music caressing his ears. He inhaled deeply, taking in the mix of aromas that surrounded him. The salty sea air, Ash’s warm, minty scent, the mix of sweat and sex that still lingered. All of it served to remind him of where he was, what they had done, what they had become.

His eyelids fluttered open, his bright blue gaze resting on Ash’s peaceful sleeping features. He smiled, trailing his fingers down Ash’s face and around his neck. He was so incredibly handsome, beautiful, exquisite. A masterpiece carved from the earth and molded over time to be his. He traced the curve of his brow, the length of his nose, his fingers gliding over the smoothness of his bottom lip and slightly rounded chin.

Drawing closer, he ran his hand over Ash’s firm chest, his tight shoulder, and down his finely cut arms, strong and protective. Arms that gently held him, encasing him in love and the promise of safety. Sliding his hand under the blanket, he moved over Ash’s side to his lower back, trailing his fingers up and down his spine before sliding his hand back, resting it on the side of his face. Coby leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his mate’s lips. His husband’s lips. Lips that held a million and more kisses for Coby alone.

Ash’s brow furrowed, his head twitching as he inhaled deeply, reflexively drawing Coby closer, a low groan rumbling in his chest as he stirred, rising from the depths of his deep slumber.

“Hey,” Coby said softly, smiling as Ash’s eyelids forced themselves to open.

He smiled. “Hey.”

“I didn’t mean to wake you, I’m sorry.”

Ash shook his head, his eyes closing again. “No, it’s fine,” he mumbled, resting his forehead against Coby’s. “Just means I can actually pay attention while you molest me.” He grinned, drawing a soft laugh from Coby.

“Whatever,” he giggled, his fingers toying with Ash’s hair. “You like it,” he murmured, kissing him, teasing him with the tip of his tongue.

Ash let out a soft moan of assent, sliding his hand up Coby’s back and into his hair. Coby deepened the kiss, his thigh sliding between Ash’s legs, stopping when he felt a sharp twinge in his lower back. He hissed, breaking the kiss with a grimace.

Ash chuckled. “Told you you’d be sore,” he teased, kissing the tip of Coby’s nose.

“Yeah, but you didn’t say I’d be paralyzed.” He rubbed at his lower back, his lower lip jutting out. 

“To be fair, you’re the one who insisted on going four rounds, Mr. I-Have-Stamina-For-Days Turner.”

Coby poked him in the chest. “You’re the one that said that, not me,” he pointed out. “And for the record, I’m not complaining, just making an observation I didn’t really take seriously, that’s all.” 

Ash chuckled, rubbing slow circles on Coby’s back. “Maybe next time, you’ll listen,” he said gently. “You’re going to be hurting for a bit, baby. And you’re definitely not going to be walking normally for a little while.”

Coby’s eyebrow ticked. “That’s going to make for an awkward conversation with your family.”

“It’s not like they didn’t know it was going to happen eventually.” Ash’s smile faded, his expression becoming more serious. “But you’re right…I have no idea how we’re going to explain this to them. To anyone.” He held up his left hand behind Coby’s head, staring at the tattoo on his ring finger.

Coby looked at his own tattoo, running his thumb over the writing between the lines. “Husband,” he murmured, more to himself than Ash, still trying to get used to his new status. He’d only been a boyfriend for a month; this was something he never expected, especially not so soon.

Ash glanced down at him, taking in all Coby’s thoughts. “You never thought you’d get married, did you?”

Coby shook his head. “I never believed it was an option for me. I’ve never known anyone like me to get married, and if they did, it wasn’t talked about.” He rested his arm over Ash’s side, readjusting to look in his eyes. “What about you?”

Ash snorted. “I’m twenty-one, baby, it’s never even crossed my mind that I'd even want to.” 

“And now?”

Ash’s expression softened, trailing a finger down the side of Coby’s face. “Knowing it’s with you? Absolutely.”

Coby smiled and held his left hand up in the air, examining the tattoo again, wiggling his finger back and forth. 

“What does it say?” Ash said, taking Coby’s slender hand in his, rubbing his thumb over the tattoo.

“You can’t read it?”

Ash shook his head.

“I’m surprised, I thought you could since it’s Sarathian.”

“It’s not a version of Sarathian I’ve ever seen.”

“That’s because it’s Old Sarathian.” Coby pointed at each symbol. “Teena, ocena.”

“Land and sea,” Ash grinned. “That doesn’t even sound like your language.”

“The older dialect had more Divine in it,” Coby said, dropping his hand to his chest. “As time went on and we became separate from them, the language evolved until what Divine still remains is no more than a basis for the words we use now.” He frowned, glancing once more at the tattoo. “In fact…” he sat up, wincing. “Most mythics don’t get these during soul unions, if any.”

“Why not?”

“Because we’re not recognized as Children of the Veil. We can live there and stuff, but as one of them?” He shook his head. “Only they, and the Divine, can be marked this way.”

Ash sat up, resting his chin on Coby’s shoulder. “So, what does that say about us?”

“I don’t know,” Coby said, folding his fingers into Ash’s. “But whatever it is, I’m not fool enough to question it.” He allowed a small trickle of his red energy to creep around their hands, small sparks of lightning dancing over their skin. 

“Just a theory,” Ash said after a moment of watching the energy. “But I think it might explain why you have this.” He released their hands, palm up. The red energy slid into it, curling into a ball. “It’s not dark energy, but it’s not light, either. It’s something else, something…different.” 

The ball flattened out, covering Ash’s entire hand before sinking into his skin and disappearing. 

“Something terrifying,” Coby whispered. 

Ash turned his gaze back to his husband, taking in the sudden anxiety that filled his eyes and made his shoulders tense. No matter how much Coby worked with it, the red energy still made him nervous, still scared him. He knew Ash was right, that it wasn’t normal. No Sarathian, no merperson of any kind for that matter, had ever wielded it. It was insanely powerful, and not one person, not even Gema, could make any sense of it.

Coby had been living with this his entire life and no one knew how to help him understand it. His master had tried, Gema was doing her best, but Ash knew he might be the only one who could succeed.

“Only if we allow it to be,” he said. Coby met his gaze, his blue eyes dancing over Ash’s. Ash smiled softly. “We’ll figure it out, dearest love.” He cupped Coby’s cheek and kissed him gently. “Land and sea.”

Coby smiled softly, dropping his forehead to Ash’s. “You and me.”

**