Hippocampus

By Paul Lucas

Two recreational divers are captured by an undersea sorceress from an interdimensional city. Their lives are irrevocably torn asunder by the witch's plans, which include immortal enslavement and transformation. Can they escape with their lives, much less hold onto their humanity?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paul Lucas
• Release date: Jun 25, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463329542

Paul Lucas

I grew up on the shores of Lake Erie, just a few snow drifts away from Buffalo, NY. I am a life long science fiction and fantasy fan, and avidly keep up on developments in the fields of science, technology, and ancient cultures.Currently I am a freelance writer and artist, with fifteen years of experience in the field. In 1998 I had a tabletop RPG published, and in 2005 my first novel CREATURA came out. My shorter works have seen the light of day in publications such as Strange Horizons, Afterburn, Tales of the Talisman, Fables, and others. Currently I do a lot of personal commissions and ghost writing work.

Book preview

HIPPOCAMPUS

By Phillip Velasquez And Paul Lucas

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Copyright 2018 Phillip Velasquez and Paul Lucas

Cover Illustration by JRaisins

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CHAPTER 1

Jeni spun her back to Phil so he could inspect her SCUBA tanks and regulator. So, I was thinking that female acquaintance Pharbok kills should be built up into more of a friend. Then when he beheads her, it will have more impact.

Phil found it difficult concentrating on Jeni's words when her nude, heart-shaped rump hovered just inches away. He could barely focus properly, even though giving Jeni's SCUBA equipment one last check-through was a vital task. They had just made love a half hour ago, but one bout rarely satisfied him. Afterward they decided on a playful whim to stay nude for one last dive while they still had the area to themselves, so any hanky panky would have to wait until they got back into the boat. He sighed softly in frustration, as Jeni wearing nothing but diving equipment only made her trim twenty-two-year-old body that much more enticing.

She elbowed him playfully when he didn't respond, flipping aside her long dark hair as she peered back. So, what do you think?

Luckily, he had read her earlier draft and had caught just enough her current musing that to put together an acceptable response. Um, maybe you should go further than that. Make her Pharbok's girlfriend or something. He patted her naked bum and turned around himself. By the way, all your SCUBA gear checks out.

She turned and began looking over Phil's tanks in turn. I don't know. Pharbok's supposed to be in a committed relationship with Valeria. Remember her from the last chapter?

So make the girl a mistress or something. It will goose the stakes even more if he's cheating on Valeria with her on top of killing her. He grieves at killing her, then Valeria finds out why he's so upset, and that drives a huge wedge between them,

Hm. That has possibilities. I'll need to think on it.

He smirked. You know one of the big rules of writing fiction.

I know. 'Always push drama toward maximum.' She patted his bare bottom. And you check out too.

She leaned in to nibble teasingly on his neck. Phil was ten years older than her, in his early thirties. Jeni always remarked on how she loved his rugged latino good looks, with dark hair and piercing mahogany eyes.

They had met the year before at a writing seminar. Their shared passion for the written word had first sparked a fast friendship between them, and then a very passionate relationship. Jeni loved talking about all the ideas she had for stories, as well as all the plans she had to get a job in publishing and work her way up to becoming a great novelist some day.

Phil considered himself more realistic and knew more of how the publishing industry worked. He was cynical of their chances of becoming anything more than modest successes. Yet the last thing he wanted to do was tamp Jeni's enthusiasm, especially since it could be so infectious.

They spit-sealed their masks and affixed them in place. By the way, I still don't think it should be your apartment we move into when we get back to the mainland in a few days, she said. Mine is cozier.

Smaller, you mean. Believe me, for two people living together, the more space, the better. Especially if we both want to get serious about writing and have our own workspaces

She pursed her lips. I suppose you're right. I just hate to giving up my own place. I've kind of grown attached to it.

I told you, you can redecorate the apartment however you want.

They ran through a final visual check as they took their positions on the railing of their small excursion craft. "And I have a lot plans for it. It will be good practice for a real house someday. Our house, hopefully. She reached out and patted his meaty thigh. Hehe, sorry. I didn't mean to ramble on. Let's enjoy this dive." She wrapped her lips around her mouthpiece and tumbled backward over the side of the boat.

Phil joined her in the water a moment later.

CHAPTER 2

The tropical ocean depths were almost crystalline in their transparency, a vibrant blue-green universe that stretched out in all directions from the two nude divers.

A school of silver-brown fish darted past them, swarming around a cluster of lacey Princess Jellyfish in their path. A large colorful carp angled toward them, then turned away at the last minute. The carp upset a small tiger shark half its size, who had to dive into the murkier depths to avoid a collision. Dozens more undersea denizens went about their business around the humans, not caring a whit about these strangers from an alien air-breathing world.

Phil always considered the ocean under the surface one of the world's most beautiful sights. But what most captured his attention was Jeni's bare