Kink University - Ch. 18 - Floating

As my unseen rescuer dragged me by the hand through the now-still water, my body collapsed from exhaustion. I no longer even had the energy to shiver. All I could feel was the cold and the pain. The few parts of my body that had not been either cut by rocks or badly bruised hurt from just the tension. Even the trauma balloon in my head seemed deflated by how tired and worn I felt. Fortunately for the yet-unseen person pulling me along, I was still in the water to be carried easily.

After a few minutes, I felt myself being pushed from the water—onto a stone platform. The way I was rolled left me facing the water. So I saw when a glow brightened under the water. It was a soft, aquamarine color that gradually outlined the shape of a person with her torso now over the surface.

The woman was tall and particularly slender. Straight, brown hair cascaded down the front of her face—partially covering her small breasts. Her facial features were narrow and sharp. Most prominent on it, however, were bone ridges. One curved over each eye--parallel with and over her spiked eyebrows. Then an even greater bone crest that rose from her forehead like a crown. What was more, there were fragile-looking fins that went from right below her earlobe to her neck. It took me a moment to also notice the glowing patterns on her skin, horizontal rings of textureless light that went all the way down her body.

I half-expected to look down at the water and see a fish-tail. Instead, however, the bottom half of her body dangled with a long, thick appendage that seemed to wrap around some rocks beneath us. She was ... like a half-seahorse!

At any other time, I would have found myself in awe of her. But, at that moment, I had gone through too much for my body to feel any kind of excitement. I tried to whisper my thanks to her, lifelessly and only because I knew how much I owed her. But even my jaw refused to move. Before I could do or say anything, I had lost consciousness.

-O-

I awoke to a hand gently running through my hair. I found that my head was on a surface that was warm, humid, and smooth. It took me a moment to realize that I was resting on the lap of the woman who had saved me. As I stirred, she darted her attention down at me—seeming a little uneasy. I didn't know if she expected me to scream or flea or even fight. But, fortunately or unfortunately, I still had vivid memories of what had happened.

"Thank you," I whispered, meaning the words even as they came out clearly weighed by my exhaustion.

"You did most of the work," she replied, her lips not moving to make the sounds. "I just waited at the weak spot of the current to pull you free."

I thought about this for a moment, and then shook my head. "I don't think I could have ... by myself."

The woman bit her lower lip, clearly a little uncomfortable.

As much as it would have made me feel more comfortable to continue thanking her, the last thing I wanted was to make her feel awkward after all she'd done. Not just for saving my life, but for being there when I had felt so alone and like I was going to die. So I continued to rest in her lap, hoping at least that small amount of trust and comfort with her could communicate a bit of what I wanted to say. "I'm Lilly," I said, trying to change the subject.

"I am Zolreya," she replied, regaining a bit more confidence with this change of subject. "You are the first creature to have fallen down here who can speak. Most have been simpler creatures, like fish but with legs and fur."

That reminded me of our original mission ... and of Daava who doubtlessly thought I was dead. I tested my body a bit by moving my leg but doing so felt like fire. There was no way I would be able to meet back up with the group for a while, much less find whatever screaming animal had been down here. Oddly, I had not heard the wailing sound for a while.

So I asked, "Have you seen an animal like that? My friends and I were sent to find something that sounded lost down here."

At this, Zolreya faced away from me.

Did that mean ... "Were you the one crying out?" I asked, suddenly much more concerned for her.

Zolreya exhaled heavily; her eyes began to water.

Shakily, I forced my battered arm up towards my head and rested it on her elbow. When I did, I was able to see, even by the dim glow of her body, that my hand was swollen and covered in a black bruise. It was hard to look at. I swallowed and asked, "Why were you crying out like that?"

Still not facing me, Zolreya finally said, "I have been trapped here for ... a long time. I was brought in by that current. It nearly killed me as it pressed my body against the metal bars that lead back out to the ocean. That is what waits after the weak spot in the current-where I pulled you from. I only barely managed to pull free after many hours. Had I been a land-creature, I would have surely drowned."

"So you were calling for help?" I asked, still somewhat confused by her response.

Zolreya shook her head. "There is no way out for me. For land-creatures, it is possible to run past the skeletal creatures that have been amassing in the cave. They would catch me crawling long before I could ever get out of the cave, much less all the way back to the ocean."

"Then you were screaming because ..."

Zolreya's cheeks became alit with the same blue glow as her body. She gave another heavy exhale and said, "Because my body has betrayed me. Though I have no mate, something inside me began the process of procreation. I can only assume because of the stress from having nearly died. It has happened to others, rarely, but ... for it to happen in this situation, with no mate, is beyond cruel. And it is also painful when the process begins but does not end. Surgeons can remedy this problem; but without them, my body is trapped midway between the cycle. The pain was why I was ... crying out. And I'm ... so sorry it brought you here."

"No, that's not your fault," I said, adamantly. I still didn't understand all this, and I didn't want to seem rude by asking too many personal questions. For now, the important thing was that we needed to get out of here. It didn't matter how scared I was; terrified Lilly and the rest of me were on the same side when it came to getting out of these caves as quickly as possible.

I tried to think. The first issue we had was how badly my body was injured. I could focus on calling out to the others and hoping that they would find us. But that would require them to then carry two people ... past an army of boners ... which would be alerted to our presence by my shouting. And that was assuming they could even hear us. I certainly didn't hear them anymore ... and I doubted any of them to be the type to just leave me behind.

Only as an afterthought did it occur to me that I was a student of sorcery. Though very much a novice, there were at least two spells I knew. Minor shapeshifting did not seem particularly helpful here. But I had learned the most basic magic any warrior should know-healing.

I reached my battered arm away from Zolreya's elbow, from when I had tried to comfort her, and reached down to my breast. However, my hand was too shaky and battered to even grasp the metal cup and pull it aside. I began to doubt that I would really be able to find myself horny enough in my current condition to perform my magic ... especially since I had to be aroused for the magic in my healing milk to be at all potent.

A wave of discouragement hit me, and it had a cascading effect. It reminded me of having failed to be of any help during the battle, of the terror of falling alone into the cave, of wondering whether I would let death take me rather than to continue feeling the unbearable terror that had finally found its way to this world to find me.

But then ... there was one other thing I remembered about having nearly drowned.

It had been a terrible experience, and the thought of being anywhere near water was going to be a sore point for a very long time. But it had taught me something.

Even at my worst mental state, I was capable of floating. It didn't mean I wasn't terrified. It didn't mean that the situation wasn't deadly. It didn't mean that my mind wouldn't later cascade me with flashbacks, hormonal surges, and all the traumatic after-effects of my PTSD. But even with all that going on, I had forced myself to accept help and do what I had to survive-even when I hadn't wanted to. And if I could teach myself to float while drowning, I had to believe that I could teach myself to feel my arousal ... my humanity ... my power ... even after everything that had happened.

I looked at Zolreya, putting on a face of okayness that I didn't yet feel, and said, "I'm a sorcerer ... well, a sorcery student. First year ... first week, actually."

Zolreya wrinkled her ridged brow and studied me curiously.

I shook my head, trying to break out of my loop of verbal hiccups. "What I mean is that I've learned a healing spell. It comes as I ... well, as I grow aroused and lactate. I don't know that I can do it now, but maybe I could. Then, I get us both out of here."

Zolreaya narrowed her gaze and stared down at the water, her thoughts seeming to go a mile a minute. Finally, she said, "I don't know about the sensitivities of your people. But ... most would need aid in an injured physical state like yours."

I stammered as I said, "O-only if you were comfortable with it. Otherwise, I rest, try to sneak past the boners, and then find help to get you out. But either way, I'm not leaving you. I just think that getting out now may be our best shot."

Zolreya tightened her jaw and said, "I ... fear what will happen if we begin. I've told you that my body in in the midst of it's cycle. The cravings I feel after this long ... and all the pain ... I don't know what I would do in the moment."

I still didn't quite understand what she meant. But in my head, it didn't matter. All that mattered was getting us out of this damn mine ... cave ... whatever it was. So I replied, "If you feel comfortable consenting, then I'm willing to go with you to wherever that leads."

With her thin build, I could see all the muscles in Zolreya's body tighten. She continued to stare at the water for a moment. The look on her face grew gradually more intense. She clenched her fists, and I could see her eyes begin to glow with that same blue light that drew me in.

Suddenly, I felt something wrap around one of my legs. I looked down and saw that her sea-horse tail was snaking its way around my thigh ... around my knee ... down my calf ... and finally encircling my foot.

I looked up just in time to see Zolreya cover my mouth with hers. Her tongue was long, exploring my mouth before it went to the back of my throat--like fucking my mouth. She pulled away just long enough to start pulling my armor off me and tossing it onto the rock. The only care she took seemed when moving the injured parts of my body.

While I was undeniably feeling something, the pain did vie for my attention. At first, I tried to fight it. I hated pain, that was why I had put it as one of my limits in the school paperwork. The more I tried to fight it, however, the less the arousal of being undressed became.

Again, the situation reminded me of the current. If I was going to pull this off, I needed to surrender. I had to let go and allow her movements—however gentle—to hurt me.

With a final shudder, I surrendered to it. I told myself that there was nothing I could do; I was at her mercy.

Nervousness replaced my doubt as waves of pain swept through me. But as I gave in to her touch and absolute power, my arousal began to heat up.

Inner voices tried to fight back. A stray doubt tried to tell me that this wasn't going to work. A stray fear told me that even if I healed myself, there was no way I could figure this mess out afterward. A stray insecurity asked me how Zolreya could possibly enjoy my battered body.

I didn't try to fight them; I just gave in. I let myself fear a little doubtful, a little scared, a little insecure. And I pressed my body into hers more tightly to feel reassured. I couldn't stop feeling small ... but I could use it to my advantage.

I broke away from the kiss—gently licking Zolreya's cheek, her neck, her shoulder, her ribs.

Meanwhile, I felt her tail reach up ... exploring my sex ... tendrilling around my girlstick. Finally, it found its way to my entrance.

I gasped and pulled my head back—letting out a moan of pleasure.

Zolreya stared at me for a moment ... and then open her arms and launched into my body. Her sudden lunge threw us both back into the water. The surprise and brief pain from the moment was enough to lower my guard even more.

This time in the water was different. Her body emitted more heat than mine ever could. The glow of her skin brightened.

I was only able to appreciate the beauty of this sight for a moment before her mouth was again pressed to mine, blowing streams of hot air down my throat as she carried us deeper and deeper into the water.

A chill of fear went down my body. This was it. Not only was my pain in her hands, but so was my life. I was entirely at her mercy. I thought this should have triggered a horrific episode of anxiety, especially having returned to the waters I had nearly died in. But in my surrender, my terror had turned to excitement. Because I felt I could trust Zolreya ... that whatever happened, I was safe in her arms.

What happened next was like a dance as we swirled weightlessly through the water.

Zolreya guided us as our tongues played and breath was exchanged between us. Then I felt her take my hand and guide it down under her abdomen. There, I felt something soft and previously unknown to me.

I glanced down and saw genitalia I had never seen before. There was a round opening, more circular and protruding than a human vagina—if roughly the same size. Beneath this was a narrow and featureless tube that floated and glowed in the water. Before I knew what was happening, the circular organ enveloped my girlstick.

As soon as it had, a warm pulsation traveled from the base of me—up past the tip. This happened constantly, as if trying to pull me deeper inside. Then, I felt something else again probing my backside. At first, I thought this was Zolreya's tail. But then I felt her tail begin to wrap around both my legs—trapping this other appendage between them and inside of me.

Almost as an afterthought did it occur to me that seahorses did not have traditional roles when it came to reproduction. I couldn't remember what all was involved, but I had an idea as my fist orgasm began. My entire body seized, and I squealed helplessly into Zolreya's mouth. I pulled her in more as it kept going.

I hadn't realized that I had been closing my eyes until I opened them and could see the light of Zolreya's body burning brightest I'd ever seen it. It was only because of this that I could see streams of white rising through the water. At first, I thought this was from her. But then I glanced down and saw they were rising from my breasts. A familiar but much stronger feeling of icy-hotness tingled on my skin. While the pain in my body didn't vanish entirely, it dulled considerably. This only strengthened my desires, and I dug my fingers into the skin of Zolreya's back as yet a second orgasm caused me to shake and moan.

This time, however, I wasn't alone.

Zolreya let out a note that was like the more subdued version of the screams I had heard earlier. This time, however, it was in my head. And it did not sound pained. It sounded relieved—guttural-but almost musical in a way. Then I felt the appendage inside me begin to pulse as well. This time it stretched me slightly as I felt warmth being pushed into me ... more and more.

Then I felt us rise to the surface of the water ... going up faster until we went up with a wave that settled us back onto the same rocky surface as before. We sat and panted there for several minutes—Zolreya's body still inside and wrapped around mine.