“I should have mentioned this before,” Pearl whimpered. “But I’m not the greatest swimmer. In fact, I’m scared to death of sharks.”
Swiftly and gently, I scooped Pearl into my arms, depositing her on the seat in the center of the boat.
“No matter what happens, stay here and stay down,” I told her, giving her one of the small spears to hold. I always felt better with a weapon in my hand.
She gazed up at me, blue eyes shimmering with fear, but nodded bravely.
Unable to control myself a second longer, I cradled Pearl’s face between my palms and touched my forehead to hers, a gesture of comfort and affection I’d seen my parents perform many times.
“It will be okay,” I murmured. “I won’t let anything hurt you.”
Pearl issued a soft sob and threw her arms around my neck. I wrapped my arms around her, hating her fear but cherishing the feeling of her in my arms and how perfect and right it felt to hold her.
I was still holding her when the first claw appeared over the side of the boat.
The creature that emerged from the depths loomed over the side, its sleek and muscular body glistening in the sunlight. The resemblance to the shark Pearl described was uncanny. A stout torpedo-shaped body with a conical snout accentuated by sharp triangular teeth bursting from a gaping maw. A crescent-shaped fin rose proudly from its back, while two long, oval fins on either side of its thick torso stretched out like wings ending in elongated fingers, each one tipped with sharp claws. Black eyes regarded us menacingly, and I would have sworn the creature’s razor-sharp mouth turned upward with a taunting smile.
I shielded Pearl, pushing her down into the bottom of the boat as I stepped between her and the beast. My hand grasped for the nearest spear, its wooden shaft slick with saltwater.
I jabbed at the beast, but it proved quick and agile, jerking its head to snatch the spear between razor-sharp teeth and snapping the weapon in two effortlessly.
I quickly snatched another spear and focused on only one goal... protecting Pearl.
The monstrous fish lashed out with its webbed, fin-like hands, but I dodged, which made the boat rock to and fro with such violence that tipping over became a real concern. With a swift strike, I pierced one of the fins with the tip of my spear. The creature let out a mournful, warbling hiss that sent shivers down my spine. This was no ordinary opponent. The ajkula was more dangerous than the struzzi and more difficult to beat in open water.
I unsheathed my scimitar and aimed for the nearest fin, determined to disable the beast before it could attack. The beast’s razor-filled mouth snapped and lunged, forcing me to dodge and parry with my weapon. Beneath the frenzy, I heard the frantic thumping of the creature’s heart, hidden just belowthe dangerous jaws. With one well-placed strike, I could end this battle once and for all... if I didn’t get my arm bitten off in the process.
Curled into a fetal position at the bottom of the boat, Pearl whimpered in fear. The sound tore at my heart, filling me with a rage I’d never experienced. No matter what it took to kill the beast, no matter if it killed me in the process. I had to get it away from her.
I catapulted myself toward the creature. Leaping to avoid the slash of its vicious teeth, I twisted, grabbing the smooth dorsal fin, and hoisting myself onto the ajkula’s back. The massive fish bellowed in anger, water churning around us in a torrent.
“Jutuk!” Pearl screamed my name as the creature dove, taking us both into the dark sea.
I gripped the fin with all my strength, my blade poised and ready to strike. The fish thrashed and writhed in my grasp, its cold, slimy scales glinting in the faint shards of sunlight penetrating the gloam. I was still not in position to reach the ajkula’s heart, so I concentrated my attack on its flank. With each jab of my weapon, I felt its life force weakening, but the beast was still in control, dragging me further into the abyss. My lungs were on fire from lack of air. I had to end this soon or risk succumbing to a watery grave. But the creature seemed to taunt me, swimming downward at a leisurely pace, as if playing a deadly game. Just when I feared I couldn’t hold out any longer, it suddenly shot towards the surface, breaking through the water with a loud splash. Gasping for air, I caught a glimpse of Pearl’s horrified face before plunging back into the dark depths.
The fish dove again, its powerful body slicing through the water like a knife, still not nearly as strong as I would have expected. Its jaws snapped menacingly as it aimed for my flesh. But I rolled along its side, feeling the sleek scales scrape againstmy skin. With all my strength, I plunged my blade deep into the creature’s underbelly. When the ajkula rolled to escape the point of my blade, it allowed the perfect opportunity to stab my weapon directly where I’d heard the creature’s heartbeat.
The surrounding water became a murky red as the beast thrashed and spasmed. Finally, the chomping teeth stilled, and the once fierce black eyes rolled back into its head. Desperate for breath, I swam to the surface.
“Jutuk!”
As I emerged from the water, gasping for air, Pearl’s voice pierced through the chaos. I swam towards our small boat, her frantic hands reaching out to pull me aboard. She immediately began checking for any sign of injury, her fingers running over my body in a frenzy, causing my cock to twitch in response. When she seemed satisfied that I remained unscathed, Pearl’s relief escaped in a deep sob, and she flung her arms around my neck, holding me tightly as if afraid I might once again slip beneath the waves.
“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. I thought you were dead.”
Suddenly, she released me and stepped away, fire dancing in her blue eyes as she swatted me on the chest.
“What the hell, Jutuk? You just jumped off the boat and wrestled a fucking shark!”
“So, I did,” I grinned, rubbing the assaulted spot on my chest. It felt tingly from her smack, but not in a bad way.
“Not funny,” she snapped, holding on to her anger for a moment longer before her expression relaxed into a relieved smile. Her cheeks were pink with streaks of wetness. Had Pearl been crying out of worry for me? The idea made me feel warm inside.
“Did you kill it?”
The creature answered for itself, choosing that moment to breach the surface with a loudblurp.
Despite the heat of the sun bearing down on us, Pearl shivered.
