A Naiad’s Promise

Chapter One 

Ratherin stood naked staring out at the horizon, the cool surf lapping at his bare legs. He wiggled his toes into the soft sand. The sun hadn’t peaked over the horizon yet. Tiredness tugged at him, but he lifted his arms, stretching them out as he closed his eyes and inhaled the salty sea air.

Peace and calm descended on him.

It was just Rath and the open ocean.

“Good morning, human.”

Rath startled, stumbled, and splashed, eyes flying open as he turned.

The calm fled his body, replaced by shock.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.” A naiad stood a short distance away. His long green hair curled and cascaded around his shoulders, reaching his lower back. And like himself, the naiad wore no clothes, showing off his green skin and toned body.

“You’re up early,” the naiad said, clearly unfazed by their nudity.

Rath stared at his handsome face. Almond-shaped eyes watched him, waiting calmly for Rath to respond.

Rath tried to think of what to say, but no words formed. He hadn’t expected to come across anyone. Least of all a naiad this early in the morning.

He dropped his gaze as he tried to collect himself. But dropping his gaze meant he now stared at the water nymph’s very attractive body. His very attractive naked body. Droplets of water slid down the naiad’s chest, from his peaked nipples, along the bumps of his ribs and sculpted stomach, and into the green curls around the naiad’s flaccid cock.

Even if Rath could think of any words to say, his throat was too dry to speak. Rath licked his lips. The naiad’s cock twitched. Rath’s eyes widened as he looked up.

But the naiad didn’t seem disturbed at being ogled by Rath. Instead, there was something heated in his eyes the colour of sea-foam green.

The naiad took a step towards him, smile teasing, gaze roaming Rath’s body like a lover’s caress. Rath shivered. His cock plumped and thickened.

Rath’s hands covered his hardening dick.

The naiad froze. His brows furrowed.

Perhaps he saw Rath’s nervousness, but the lust disappeared from his face.

The naiad smiled gently at Rath. “Sorry. I forget that humans are…less comfortable with some things.” He gestured to the beach. “Perhaps you’d like to go back to shore and put on your clothes. Then we can speak.”

Rath nodded, trying to control his racing mind and heartbeat. He turned and waded back, the naiad following. Why was the nymph here? And why would he want to speak to Rath?

But Rath couldn’t focus. He was too aware of the stranger walking behind him, who had a clear view of Rath’s bare arse. He imagined green eyes watching his hips and cheeks sway. He tried not to clench his butt at the thought.

His body heated, and his dick hung full and heavy. But when he glanced back, the naiad’s gaze remained fixed on the land. Disappointment twinged inside Rath. But no doubt the naiad was just being respectful. After all, Rath had behaved like he was uncomfortable.

But he wasn’t. Well, not really. Rath had just been taken by surprise. He hadn’t expected to meet anyone out at sea. And definitely not a naked naiad! In fact, this was the stuff of his fantasies. He couldn’t count the number of times he’d imagined meeting a handsome stranger and then engaging in passionate sex with them.

What was always important in the fantasies was that the person did not come from Lilliana, his island home. Everyone on the island, he’d either known since birth or was related to him. Neither appealed in a sexual partner.

And now here was someone who’d shown a clear interest in Rath as if answering all Rath’s dirty hopes and dreams. Then Rath had ruined it all by freaking out. But it wasn’t because he wasn’t interested. He’d just been unprepared. In his fantasies, he’d always been confident and calm, not a flustered twenty-four-year-old virgin.

But perhaps it wasn’t too late. He glanced back and smiled, trying to be as seductive as possible.

The naiad smiled back. “So what are you doing up so early? I can’t see anyone else awake yet.” He now seemed entirely uninterested in Rath. As if Rath’s nervousness, and no doubt clear inexperience, had extinguished his desire.

Rath’s shoulders dropped. “I just finished working. I am a prawner and work at night. I just thought I’d finish with a morning swim before I went home to sleep.” And he might have finished the swim by jerking off. But he kept that bit to himself.

“I see.” The naiad fell into step beside Rath. “Sounds like an interesting job.” His thick accent, with the consonants softened, sounded melodic.

Rath knew that not all naiads spoke the human tongue, especially the naiads who lived in the waters around Lilliana. Those naiads rarely approached humans.

In fact, the only naiads he’d ever met were…

“Are you a pirate? From the Naiad’s Revenge?” Rath blurted.

The naiad’s smile widened. “I am.”

“It must be so exciting to be a pirate! You get to travel and see the world and fight in real battles.”

“It has its moments.” He chuckled, a rich, warm sound.

“I bet! Sword fighting, sailing the seas, treasure!” Rath said.

They reached the beach, and Rath grabbed his breeches and shirt he’d left there, yanking them on. He turned and noticed the naiad also wore breeches. The soaked black material clung to his toned legs. The buttons hadn’t been completely done up, and a thatch of dark-green hair, as well as the base of his cock, could be seen in the V of the opening.

“You’re wearing clothes!”

“Aye.” The naiad glanced at him as he buttoned up his breeches. “I carried them with me from the ship. I know humans are not so comfortable with nudity.”

Rath blushed. He must seem quite sheltered to this naiad pirate. A thought struck him. “Where did you come from?” Rath searched the horizon but could see no sign of a ship.

“I swam ahead.”

“You must have swum a long way. But of course you can swim far; you’re a naiad.” He snapped his mouth shut.

“That I am.” The naiad’s eyes sparkled with amusement.

“Are you here for Ceto and Levrith? They’re here on the island. They’re pirates from the Naiad’s Revenge too!”

Levrith, like Rath, had been born and raised on the island. He’d joined the Naiad’s Revenge several years ago. Recently, he’d returned to the island with the naiad Ceto, a pirate crewmate, who was recovering from a battle wound.

“I know,” the naiad said.

Rath’s body flushed with embarrassment; of course he knew they were here. Perhaps Rath would make less of a fool of himself if he just stopped speaking altogether.

“I have a message for them.” The naiad gazed at the stilt houses scattered near the beach. “Do you know where I can find them?”

Rath nodded eagerly, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “I know exactly where they live.”

Rath had visited them back when he harboured a slight crush on Ceto. Unfortunately for him, Ceto and Levrith were already together. A fact he wished he’d known before he’d tried to kiss Ceto.

Seemed like Rath was interested in anyone who wasn’t from the island. But Lilliana had such limited options.

“I could get them for you if you want?” Rath asked.

“Could you? That would be most helpful.”

Rath smiled. “I’ll go get them now.” He pointed at the oval, where people from the village often gathered. “You can wait over there and rest after your long swim.”

Rath turned and ran off, eager to be of use to the handsome stranger. He glanced back as he sprinted. The naiad still stood on the beach, watching him. Something in his gaze caused Rath’s stomach to somersault. He tripped over his bare feet.

He flushed with embarrassment and kept running. After that, his eyes remained forward as he ran along the well-worn dirt path.