The sight of the familiar green glow of our outpost made me realize how different my life had become of late. Aside from the occasional diplomatic trip to the Summer Realm, or one of the dwarven kings' realms in Nidavellir, I spent little time out of Fomorian territory. I was going to miss it when I moved to Asgard. Did they even have oceans on Asgard? The idea of doing without had a shiver of uncertainty rippling over my spine.

We passed through the water gate into the outpost, and I nodded distractedly to the guards. Would I be trapped on Asgard or would they allow me to use the bifrost to come and go? My gut twisted at the thought of being away from the ocean for months at a time. I loved Shannon, but would our relationship survive at that kind of cost? I needed the ocean. It was an integral part of me.

"Elatha... Elatha!"

My head jerked up, and I blinked.

Elada scowled at me. "Where in the kelp forest is your head? I've been calling your name for the last few minutes."

Everyone was looking at me and heat crept up my cheeks. "Sorry. I was gathering seastars. What did you want?"

"Do you want to stock up on provisions before going through to Litaui, or are you fine with what you packed from the Seelie?" he asked.

I already had my trident and blades on me. Just because I was going to complete the marriage ceremony with Shannon hadn't meant I wasn't going to be prepared for anything while I'd been in the Summer Realm. Even knowing most summer elves found the winter elves' rituals vile, I was still distrustful of the race as a whole.

With a few exceptions, of course.

Smiling at Shannon, I replied, "I definitely want some of our provisions." She loved the seaweed rolls that we preferred as travel rations and anytime I found something I could do for her or provide for her, I wanted to. They packed well, and with the dried shrimp and fish mixture, the rolls lasted months. It took only the lightest use of water manipulation to bring them back to their rehydrated state.

Elada nodded, and we diverted from the main path that led to the central core of the outpost to a side branch transport bubble that would take us to the commercial district. Although we called these surface ocean territories 'outposts', the name was misleading as at least twenty thousand Fomorians lived in each. Being in the sunlit southern ocean, it was just over a day's swim to Star Tunnel, the main surface ocean to underground sea connection in this part of the planet. Hy-Brasil, our capital city, was another two week swim beyond that, but other large cities of our territory were closer, resulting in brisk trade between the larger cities below and the smaller outposts above.

Taking Shannon's hand, I guided her into the transport circle. The guard outpost I'd previously taken her to near the border with Nidavellir and the Tunnels of Glass was too small to need within-city transport. It made me wonder what she'd make of our transport bubbles and water tubes. I turned to see if Loki needed guidance, but he already stood beside me. When had he become familiar with our bubbles?

He obviously knew what was coming as he held his breath until the water surrounded us within the bubble. I wasn't sure if it was Manannan or Shannon that wrapped air around Loki's head, allowing him to breathe. When the tube opened below to allow us to enter, I guided Loki and Shannon with hands on each of them as we sped our way through the network to the commercial exit indicated by the fish glyph.

The bubble brought us up through the exit, then dispersed with a splash.

"That was so cool! It's like a waterslide subway," Shannon said with a bright grin. After a quick shiver of power over her skin, she was dry again.

It never failed to move me, seeing her able to use her abilities so effortlessly compared to the desperate situation we'd faced last year.

Her enthusiasm had me grinning, too. "Since all Fomorians can swim fast and manipulate water, even as babies, it's more efficient than walking when the distances get greater," I told her.

Loki nodded. "It's a clever, effective system." He'd dried himself as well, despite both he and Shannon having changed their attire to mimic our skinsuits and stream-lined armour.

Elada and I shed water from our skin and skinsuits quickly enough that very little remained when we stepped out of the transport circle, except for damp hair. It was such a normal occurrence that if I hadn't been paying attention to Loki and Shannon, I wouldn't have even noticed my hair wasn't dried like theirs. Despite his ability at manipulating air, Manannan didn't seem to care if he was wet or not, with still-damp hair, but little water on his skinsuit. Like us, he spent most of his time going in and out of the water.

With Elada and Manannan chatting and leading the way through the gardens and greenery-covered path towards the shops, I put Loki and Shannon in front of me. Yet it was insanely distracting seeing Loki and Shannon in Fomorian attire.

Loki prowled, every sleek muscle on display. He was dangerous fluid currents in motion, every move seductive. It made my fingertips itch, wanting to reach out to touch him. Despite my fierce attraction and utter inability to ignore how beautifully the skinsuit cupped him, I wasn't sure I'd survive an attempt to do so. As I'd observed last night, he didn't mind combining pain and a hint of cruelty to sharpen the heights of desire. Loki had me breathlessly in awe of his sensual mastery, even when he wielded it with the carnal lethality of an unsheathed blade.

Never had I seen a woman orgasm as long or as hard as Shannon last night. Not even with multiple consorts attempting to bring a woman to that height of pleasure.

Remembering the sight of her snared in his unrelenting erotic grip, my gaze admired the glorious sight of her before me. I'd seen Shannon in a skinsuit last year. She'd attracted my eye from the start with her feisty nature, but she'd been painfully thin and lacking the full curves and elegantly toned limbs she currently sported. Still, I'd been drawn to her. Now... now she was a breathtaking hourglass that made every single male instinct roar with approval. With less bulk to Fomorian armour and the greater definition allowed by the skinsuit design, her lush breasts were displayed to mouth-watering effect.

Shells, but I wanted to pull her clothes off and feast.

I thought I'd be less affected if I walked behind them. Skinsuits didn't hide anything when it came to male anatomy, and I didn't want to gather supplies sporting an obvious erection. Yet, her hips swayed invitingly in front of me, drawing my eye even when I tried to look away.

By the shell, I loved her sexy, heart-shaped ass.

Watching it move enticingly with her every step did nothing to calm my arousal. Fuck, but I wanted to bend her over again and bury my cock in her wet depths the way I had this morning. Surreptitiously, I tried to adjust myself to ease some of the ache. Thinking like this was not helping me calm down.

Loki turned his head and caught my hand movement. His eyes lingered, and I had to bite back a groan. Blasted barnacles. It was like he was stroking my cock with his gaze, and the damn thing loved the attention. Something... air?... whispered over the front of my skinsuit like a physical caress, before gripping my cock and pumping.

My hips jerked at the sensation, and I stumbled, slapping a hand over my mouth to stifle the involuntary groan. There wasn't anyone else in sight in the gardens, but still, Elada and Manannan were only a few metres in front of us.

I wasn't sure what the shell was happening, but seastars, it felt like my cock was being jerked off by a hand that knew exactly what it was doing. Pleasure blasted up my spine, and I could barely stagger along behind Loki and Shannon. Looking down, I gaped at the invisible form of a hand wrapped around my cock under my skinsuit.

I stumbled again, my knees wanting to buckle. I'd clamped my jaw shut to keep the moans from escaping, but breath sawed in and out of my nose as I desperately tried to keep up with everyone.

Shannon looked back, frowned, noticed my dilemma, then tried to cover her amused smile with a hand. It was clear she knew what was happening. "Put your hands on my shoulders and lean on me," she whispered, giving me her back. "He's not going to stop until you cum for him."

Gratefully, I held onto her, panting into her hair. "Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck," I chanted in an attempt to not roar with the heat building in my balls. Lost to the sensation, my hips thrust against the perfect friction of that grip, eased by the fluid of my own arousal.

Everything tightened, rocketing up my body like a squid's water cannon. I bit down on her neck as my hips jerked against her ass and the hand that pumped every spurt out of my twitching length. It covered me and the hand, becoming a sticky erotic mess that the hand rubbed firmly over the muscles of my abdomen and gently down over my sensitive balls as I quivered until my breathing eased.

The hand disappeared from beneath my skinsuit.

Although my legs trembled and I smelled of sex, I could walk on my own again. I kissed Shannon's neck and the mark I'd left there.

Loki's eyes danced with mischief, his lips curved into a small smile. He licked his palm—a palm that glistened—then held his hand out to Shannon. Her gaze flicked back to me, and she smirked. Then, holding his hand by the wrist, sucked each shining finger clean.

It was a raw sensuality that hit me like a punch to the gut. I'd never considered what it might mean to be mated to fertility gods. Sea shells. It certainly promised to never be boring, if this was the kind of thing they considered play. I wanted to drag them both off to the nearest bedroom.

For some reason, Manannan and my brother remained completely oblivious to what had just occurred. Even when I couldn't keep quiet at the end. How the fuck had Loki done that, while walking in front of me like nothing was going on, and kept them completely unaware? My brain was too scattered to work it out, but the possibilities it brought up had me grinning the rest of the way to the shops.

Quickly gathering packages of dried seaweed rolls and adding them to my bag, I considered one of the bulky camouflage suits. A thin net-like energy layer, it would lay on my body to create the illusion of human skin and eye colour. The problem with them was that they interfered with a Fomorian's natural ability to manipulate water. We didn't often go amongst the human population on Litaui, but we had the means to disguise ourselves if we needed to.

I'd left space in my bag for the suit, but if I didn't need it, I could pack something else instead.

"Loki, you could put an illusion on me so I wouldn't need to pack one of these camouflage suits to pass as human, right?" I didn't want to assume on a single day's acquaintance, even if we were now mated through Shannon.

"Of course. Save the space for first aid supplies. I have some, but my minor healing abilities won't work on Helheim. If any of us get injured, we'll need them," Loki said, a frown creasing his brow.

I nodded and picked up a few different medicinal herbs, bandages and assorted supplies at the next shop.

"We're good, Elada," I called out to catch the attention of my brother.

He gave me a little wave and finished his purchase of a new skinsuit in shades of green. It was an odd choice for him, but I wasn't about to give him fashion advice.

Leaving the commercial area, we took a transport bubble to the centre of the outpost. At the base of the largest silver spire, a black ring was guarded by six Fomorians in black and silver armour. They acknowledged us with a bow when we entered the large space. Elada strode to beside the ring, touching the control pad on the side that activated it. A blue-white light started in the centre, then expanded to fill the ring.

With a smile and arm beckoning us, Elada walked through first, disappearing as he passed the event horizon. Taking Shannon's hand, I walked through with her so she didn't stumble with the slight disorientation. She didn't seem to need it, though. Perhaps travelling using the bifrost was similar, but my only experience with that type of portal energy had been wielded by her unborn son and left us falling from mid-air. Loki came through not even a step behind us, followed by Manannan.

"Welcome to Litaui," Elada said.