FSE

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"D-do you see me...?"

I smiled faintly and kept my eyes shut. The pitiful eagerness of my clients used to really annoy me but these days I understand their apprehension perfectly. "Mmm, I do, Miss Davis. Please keep silent while I peer further. The vision is not quite clear yet."

Which was true. I could see the old, frail woman, but she seemed greatly pixilated and blurred, as though there had been an attempt to photocopy her, and the colors and shades and lines just weren't all there. At the moment, she was surrounded by featureless white. I concentrated a bit more and colors began to come in around her, and within a few minutes I had a rather clear picture.

"I see a lovely old woman enjoying the peace and tranquility of the countryside. All around her are trees, meadows, chirping birds-" Which is a lie. I have never met a psychic yet with the ability to prognosticate sound. "And a quaint red-wood cottage sets just next to her and..." I saw something else but it wasn't as clear yet. Something smoking and heading towards her, a shroud of grey mist, like fog but somehow ominous and dark. "And..." I squeezed my eyelids tighter and tried to block out everything else and focus on the mist. "And..."

The mist consumed her where she stood and then faded away like a memory. I swallowed hard and opened my eyes to look into the woman's curious, hopeful face. "That was all I could see, Miss Davis. I-I'm sorry..."

Instead of disappointed, my client, an attractive 30-something, was elated nonetheless. "But you saw me old, so that's great! Th-that means I'll beat this cancer, right? And-and I'll live in the country! My husband and I always wanted to! Oh, Joy, you're incredible, thank you!"

I nodded and forced a smile. At least she had 30 or 40 years of life yet, so not all was hopeless. My visions have been wrong before. Perhaps she could die much later - or sooner. I prefer to leave a person's life up to chance, fates, or whatever. "It's my pleasure, Miss Davis." I stood up and stretched before glancing at the clock. $200 for fifteen minutes' work. That wasn't too bad, I supposed. Usually my visions take a bit longer to focus in on, but sometimes, if one is of a strong spirit, I get lucky. "Would you still like a Tarot reading? It's complimentary."

The woman smiled winsomely and shook her head. "I don't think I should tempt fate. They say if you know too much about your destiny, you'll never get there."

I grinned and put away my shawl, then looked at my reflection in the door-length mirror in the corner. I looked exhausted. "I suppose so." I yawned widely and felt a little crick in my neck. "Ugh, maybe I should close up shop early tonight." My uncle, Anthony Scallia, the true owner and proprietor of Visions of Joy would just love that. And he'd been on a tear lately. If he wasn't harping on me about the lack of marketing, it was the lack of decent, high-paying clientele, or the lack of whatever - and it was never his fault. It didn't matter that he had problems of his own. His drinking and gambling addictions were my crosses to bear and God help me if I questioned that logic.

Gladys Davis must have been able to peek into my thoughts as well, because she chuckled and patted my shoulder comfortingly. "Tony still being a pain?" She looked around her, as if she were about to do something horrible, then fished out an extra $100-bill from her purse. "Here."

I was aghast. "Oh no, no, Miss Davis, you don't have to-"

"Yes, I do, my sweet girl. I must. You've given me a gift, and I can't think of a better way to reciprocate than by giving one back. You take it. Please."

I sighed and reluctantly stuffed the bill inside my dress pocket. "I don't know why you bother. My uncle will just see it as extra money to gamble."

Gladys cackled. "Well, he can't lose ALL the time, can he?"

We both looked at each other and giggled, and whatever tension I'd had melted away like butter. I had to thank her for that at least. "Are you sure you wouldn't like some other service?"

"No, Joy, you've already done more than enough." She stepped up close and hugged me. "Thank you again, for everything."

I watched her leave and smiled fondly. Hopefully a sweet woman like her did indeed have another 30 or 40 years of life still inside her. It was people like this I wish could live forever, because having them in this world, well, just made the whole world better somehow.

I decided to keep the shop open until closing time that night, but I didn't get another customer after Gladys, although a few walked in to look at the curios.

Uncle Anthony was waiting for me when I walked in wearily from a sudden summer shower and put away my things.

"Why din't ya tell me it was rainin', I coulda come get you," he growled as he dug into a fast-food cheeseburger while watching television, some sitcom I didn't really care for - ever since finding out the main actor was going to be up on manslaughter charges in about two years. Sometimes I can do that too. The visions aren't as clear but if I see someone face to face, such as at an autograph signing, and can touch them, if it's a powerful enough spirit, I can prognosticate a little. And I predicted really bad things for Scott Geraldo Thomas.

"Didn't want you to bother. I'm fine." I sneezed and the reaction was like lightning.

Anthony was up on his feet and pointing at me. "Dammit, Joy, if ya caught a cold and that does somethin' to yer powers, I'm gonna be pissed."

"I said I'm fine!" I shouted at him then fled to the kitchen to make myself a quick salad.

"How much did ya make?" His voice came from the other room, laced with an obvious few turns at the Scotch bottle.

I dug into my pocket and pulled out the $100 bill to look at - then tucked it back in and took out the check Gladys had written for $200. "Two hundred. Just one reading today," I called out then went to the refrigerator to hunt for veggies. "There was some construction going on down the street. I think it kept folks away."

"You gotta make more than that if ya wanna stay here, Joy. Your mom told me to look after ya but I can only do so much."

I sighed under my breath. "For another three or four years or so anyway..." My uncle was going to drink himself into a fatal car accident, though I wasn't quite clear of the date or time. I did see he was killed by a 2020 SUV, and it looked pretty new. I had thought about telling him my vision, but decided against doing so. Not because I hated him, which I really didn't, but because as I've told many clients, it's not a good idea to tempt fate. Your destiny is whatever it is, and if you try to escape it, you'll just end up meeting it anyway.

That's why it's called a destiny.

The $200 check went to my uncle's hand and I took Gladys' generous tip up to my room to tuck away in the porcelain penguin along with approximately $5,000 more.

Okay, so I skimped a bit.

Didn't you when you were 18?

**

"Excuse me, miss. You do Tarot readings?"

I turned from showing an elderly woman one of the crystal equine figurines on a shelf to look into the face of a beautiful dark-haired man with kind blue eyes. I was at a loss for words. Not so much that he wanted to talk to a common ordinary girl like me - but that there wasn't some starlet or cover-girl model attached to his arm.

I found my voice. "Um, yes I do, sir."

He chuckled and I actually blushed. "I'm Oliver, actually, but friends call me Otter."

I giggled. "Otter? Oh that's cute, I mean...for you..." I looked back at the elderly woman now watching us both with a knowing smile. "Um...s-so you'd like a card reading then?"

"I would. Fifty dollars, right?"

"Well, I give new customers a 10% discount, so it's only 45."

He chuckled. "Well, I might give a tip."

I nodded happily. Business had been booming today. Four readings, two visions, and I was closing on the sale of a crystal knickknack for another $100. "Sure, let me just finish with this nice lady-"

"Oh dear," the older woman laughed and took one of the figurines. "I'll take this one. I don't want to keep you two waiting."

I laughed uneasily as the woman wrote a check. "Oh not at all, first come first served and all that." While she finished writing, I went behind the beaded curtain and grabbed my Tarot deck. "I'll be ready for you in a moment, Otter."

I stopped, suddenly embarrassed. "Oh, I-I meant Oliver, I'm sorry..."

He raised a hand and chuckled again. "Not at all. I like that you call me that."

Once I got a good look at his face, damned if he didn't remind me of an otter right away. He had round cheeks and a slightly weak chin, but a small nose, and his eyes seemed almost beady, nearly lost behind thick layers of luxurious dark hair. His complexion was dark brown, but he wasn't Indian or African American. If it was a suntan, it was the best I'd ever seen.

The old woman paid for her knickknack, hugged me kindly, and left. I thought about telling her to be mindful of a certain friend that would have too much to drink and offer her a ride home. But I didn't see her ultimate demise, so it was probably okay not to say anything. I smiled at Otter and motioned to the room behind the curtain. "Shall we?"

He laughed and surprised me by taking my hand. "Delighted."

We walked hand-in-hand into the room and I felt...absolutely nothing. I mean zero, not even featureless white. It was like touching a completely dead circuit. It happens rarely, but I usually chalk it up to someone's spirit not being very strong. Otter's spirit, when I looked at his aura, a swirl of heavy blues, was very powerful. Very much alive.

I think that's what made me curious about Otter right away, and when we sat down together and I started placing cards, the more curious I became. As I began turning the Tarot cards over, one by one, I explained what each one represented. Hardly anyone knows the true meaning of the Tarot and I like to be both a reader and a teacher for some. After a few of the usual turns, it was time to delve into his future. I hadn't been able to get any kind of reading at all from touch so I was a little worried the Tarot wouldn't be much help either.

I turned over one of the cards and it showed Strength. "This," I explained, "is your source of power, your courage. Perhaps you will perform a brave act, or need to. On a minor scale, this also refers to the bonding of your animal self to you."

Otter laughed softly. "My animal self?"

I nodded and smiled. I couldn't stop looking at his eyes. "Mmhmm, like...remember how the Native American Indians have animal totems, special guides that they bond with? It's like that. You may, over time, start to relate more to your own totem."

Otter nodded. "Well, I've always been partial to otters. I guess my totem would be that."

"Alright, then this card could mean you will relate more to it, or you could...perhaps draw power from it." I turned another card over next to Strength and I heard him gasp. I rolled my eyes automatically. So many clients get the Death card and immediately assume the worst - that some tragedy will befall them and a life could end. In reality, the true meaning couldn't be further opposite. "Relax, Otter, this just means there could be great change in store for you. The end of one part of your life. A cycle you're used to living in will end soon, and a new path will be forged."

"Oh, of course...sorry, the card looks so sinister. You never know."

I reached across the table to hold his hand, and the moment I did, I felt the same thing again - absolutely nothing. His hand was warm and quite pleasing to hold, but I still didn't get any visions at all. "Keep in mind, the Tarot doesn't predict anything. The cards simply define who you are and what you may face in life. I'd have to do a full vision in order to do that but..." I thought I should tell him. "I-I guess I can't with you. You're just not...readable. I'm sorry."

To my amazement, he laughed jovially and squeezed my hand. "My dear Joy," he stood up and kissed it softly. "Maybe you're just not meant to read me. Or maybe I just want to be mysterious. Anyway, here...50 dollars. Told you I would tip. And I appreciate your time."

I bit my bottom lip. I didn't want him to leave just yet. "Is there anything else I could do?"

Otter smiled and those beautiful baby blue eyes twinkled. "Well...I'm actually new to Pennsylvania and...I guess I wouldn't mind at all if you accompanied me to dinner, maybe a movie afterwards?"

My heart pounded. I hadn't been on a date in a few years, not since a Freshman dance in high school I never want to speak of again. Otter was at least 10 years my senior but at that moment, I didn't care. "I...I would love to." I ran a hand nervously through my own long dark hair, maybe twice as long as Otter's. "I have Fridays free. Perhaps we could meet someplace?"

The thought that we might have a good time and at some point I'd end up taking him back to my place to meet dear Uncle Anthony passed in and then out of my mind. One step at a time. I hardly knew this man.

"How about Ernesto's up the block here? I've been hearing raves about the authentic Italian food there."

I smiled and nodded. I knew about Ernesto and Carolyn Corso quite well. With luck, their restaurant had maybe 15 or 20 years of business left. I couldn't see too well what would happen to the couple afterwards, but I got the sense they would stay together until death - and that's really what true love is all about.

"So, Friday night? Seven?"

"It's a date," I laughed and he again surprised me with his affection by giving me a hug. As he held me close, I heard the most pleasing purring sound coming from him. I was lost in that hug. We stayed in that embrace a good five or six seconds before letting go, and as he bade goodbye and walked out the door, the curio shop suddenly seemed cold and empty.

I locked up for the night.

When I got home, dear Uncle Anthony was anything but. He immediately shook me down for at least half of my earnings that day, then stormed out of the house and took off for his favorite bar. I was still giddy and warm from Otter's hug, and I cheerfully sacked away the rest of the money, made a quick sandwich to eat, and went to bed.

But sleep just wasn't happening for me. All my thoughts were of Otter. I was still wide awake at 2:00 AM when I heard my uncle stagger through the front door and trudge up the steps to his room, moaning incoherently. I waited in the dark until his loud snoring began, then got out of bed, slipped on a soft robe over my lace underwear, and padded out of the house into the still moonlight.

I'm not sure how far I walked along our street, but somehow it felt good. There wasn't another car or human being in sight. Nothing but empty streets, and a rather warm breeze accompanied me, every so often fluffing up my robe and caressing my legs. I got nearly a mile from my house when I discovered something I hadn't before - and was reminded how cooped up I'd really been in my 18 or so years of life.

There was a large canopy of trees to my left and I could plainly see a freshwater pond through the foliage, a bit smaller than the bodies of water I'd usually find in the city parks. It was strange I hadn't noticed it before, and curiosity got the better of me. I walked through the trees and stepped carefully over a few rocks until I was at the edge of the glistening water. The moon was still quite bright, and its shine made the surface sparkle. It really did look beautiful. I knelt and ran my hand through the water. It was surprisingly warm, quite warm, almost like a bathtub.

I looked around me once more, just in case I was indeed trespassing and would be hearing angry shouts any minute, but there was no one in sight. I undid my robe and stepped into the water up to my waist. The bottom was rocks and sand and felt great on my toes. I waded out a bit more and the bottom fell away quickly. I panicked for a moment when I couldn't touch and scurried back to the safer shallows. I'm a pretty good swimmer but it was way late at night, and the water looked dark and murky, almost foreboding.

I stood there in chest-deep water, wondering what the hell I was doing here at 3:00 AM in the morning, but another part of me was having the time of her young life. My inner child won and I pushed away from the shallows to float on my back. I looked up at the star-filled sky and sighed deeply, perfectly at peace. I rolled over and put my face in the water. Surprisingly, the water below wasn't that dark at all. The moonlight was strong enough to penetrate and I could see the bottom about twenty feet below me.

Taking a breath, I rolled forward and dove down, marveling at how gorgeous and clear - and warm - the water was. When I reached the bottom, I paused, floating and enjoying the silence of it all, with only a soft rumble in my ears. I blew bubbles through my pursed lips and watched them dance above me to the surface. When I was short on air, I planted my feet on the soft bottom and swam back up.

And that was when I realized I wasn't alone.

I stared wide-eyed at the otter in front of me, and then three other otters joined it, making soft chirping sounds and whistles. I had no idea what they were doing here, but I was suddenly afraid I was intruding on a nest and could well find myself under attack any minute. Carefully, I started kicking backwards to get away from them, and the four otters, almost in unison, followed me, still chirping. I bit my lip, getting more nervous by the second, and stopped, treading water. "I'm s-sorry," I said shakily, "I didn't mean to get in the way of anything. Look, I'm just gonna go, okay?"

The four otters looked right at me and I could see a shine in their cold black eyes. But as yet, they hadn't made any move I would have considered threatening. I raised a hand out to them, making a concerted effort now to keep my legs churning to stay afloat. One of the otters floated slowly to my hand and then I about fainted when it gently bumped my fingers with its nose and let out the softest "churrrrrip" sound. It didn't sound angry at all.

When the other three otters came forth and surrounded me, I started feeling afraid again, but one by one they floated close and bumped questioning muzzles against my body. One of the otters suddenly dove down and I laughed as it swam in and out between my legs, its slick warm fur brushing over my feet and the inside of my thighs. When it surfaced again, I took a chance.

I tried to make a chirping sound like they had and then took a breath and dove down again. I looked over my shoulder and saw all four otters swimming down to join me. I grinned and headed down to the bottom, and before I knew what was happening, we were all playing, doing somersaults, flipping, almost like dancing. Sometimes they'd brush up against my body and I'd feel a tingle, erotic and arousing.

It seemed I was underwater quite a while before I realized it, and signaled to the otters I was going up for a breath. They turned and launched themselves up from the bottom, following me stroke for stroke to the top. One of the otters surfaced nose to nose with me, and I laughed, instinctively hugging it. To my shock, it didn't pull away and in fact his chirping became even softer and sweeter if possible. I held his soft body for a good minute before finally pulling away, and now I was hot as hell. The tingle between my legs was too much to ignore now.

Taking a huge gulp of air, I swam back down for the bottom, and this time found a large rock to anchor myself to. As my friends dove down to join me, I dug my hand beneath my panties and gave my pussy the massage of its life. I had a death-drip on the rock as I masturbated franticly, trying to stay under as long as I could. When I came, it was like the water flashed into an explosion of light and magic, and I jerked several times in the sand as one orgasm after another hit me.

The otters sensed my pleasure and swam around me, bumping their muzzles and rubbing their bodies with mine, until the need for air became too great and I shot for the surface, gasping, coughing and shaking uncontrollably.

My new swimming companions gathered around me and seemed to all sigh together. The one that had first greeted me and swam around my legs, floated up to me and purred again, nuzzling at my neck and giving me little tender nips, not even hard enough to break the skin. I laughed and hugged him again, and as before, he let me.

We swam together most of the night, until I could see the start of daybreak coming over the hills, and I was exhausted. As I climbed wearily back onto the bank and put on my robe, the four otters chirped and whistled, as if to bid me goodbye. I promised them I would return soon and made my way back up out of the forest and down the seemingly-cold and lifeless street back home.

Mercifully, my uncle was still fast asleep when I tiptoed into the house and went upstairs. Pain from my long swim stabbed at my legs as I went up, and I winced, realizing I hadn't given my body exercise like that in months.

It took me a while to go back to sleep and I would be very late opening the next day, but it had been so worth it.

**

My date with Otter was actually rather uneventful. We met outside Ernesto's and hugged, then he introduced me to his favorite dish, Sicilian Seafood Pasta, filled with all kinds of shrimp, scallions, scallops, and crab meat. Over dinner, we discussed the safest topics we knew, mine being my disgust with 1990s music, which was why I was still so hooked on 80s pop over three decades later, and his love for classic TV shows because of his own disgust in reality TV. I thought about sharing my enchanting encounter with some of his totem spirits the night before but thought better of it.

Afterwards, we took in a movie, one of those dramas with Meryl Streep I can't remember offhand, and held hands as we walked back outside.

"This has been just wonderful, Joy." Otter said as we hugged again. "I'd like to see you again."

I smiled and readily agreed to a second date.

When I get back home, my uncle was on the warpath, worse than he had before. I forgot about going out for a swim and just went upstairs and cried myself to sleep.

In my dreams that night however, I do remember vividly walking naked through a deep, dark forest, and I could hear the sounds of running, no, rushing water, like a magnificent waterfall, and it was whispering my name in between the gurgles and splashes. And I was trying so hard to get out of the forest, away from twisted vines and branches, but I couldn't find my way out.

**

Gladys Davis was waiting for me when I came stumbling up the street to open the shop the next day, looking very annoyed. "Honestly, Joy, what's wrong? It's Tony isn't it? What on Earth is that man doing to you, honey?"

I shook my head and fumbled for a key to unlock the door. "It's fine, Miss Davis. All good."

She followed me in and grabbed my arm with surprising speed and strength to guide me to a chair when I nearly tripped. I was grateful. My head was spinning and I felt dizzy. "You are most certainly not good," she scolded as she sat down next to me and offered a water bottle. "How much sleep did you get last night?"

I drank the bottle almost dry. "Maybe an hour...or two..." I laid my head down on the table and was ready to drift away again.

"You're not working today, young lady. I don't care if Tony rips the walls down."

"I...I have to..." I mumbled from the table.

I felt her taking something from her purse and writing something, and laughed in spite of how I felt. "Writing a note to him isn't going to work."

She didn't answer but soon she forced me to look up from the table at what she was holding. It was a check for $500 - more than I'd ever made before in one day.

"Oh, no, no, Miss Davis, I can't take this, please..."

"Joy, you should realize by now it's pointless to argue with me. Take it. Give it to Tony if you think it'll help, but you tell him to let you sleep. Please?"

Turns out, she was right on all counts. I presented my uncle with my "earnings" that day, and he hugged me and immediately went out to drink. I climbed up the steps, very dizzy, and fell into bed.

And dreamed about the forest again.

I woke up very late that night, refreshed and warm. The roar of the waterfall was still in my head as I eagerly changed into a bikini, grabbed my towel, and hiked back down the street and into the deep forest. It took me some time to find the pond, but I eventually did, and immediately dove in. Soon, as before, my furry friends joined me, and we spent a few hours swimming and diving together until sunrise.

**

It was nearly a week before I ran into Otter again. I was a bit steamed at him because he hadn't visited the shop nor called since our first date. He casually walked in and admired some of the crystal figures glittering on a nearby shelf while I finished a vision for a customer. But it wasn't going very well. There was something off about her aura from the start, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get a really focused reading on her at all. Her future was cloudy and fuzzy and all I could really see was a lot of bright colors and hazy shapes.

Completely uncertain, like someone's future actually should be.

I meekly accepted her money even though I was unsuccessful, and she insisted. In exchange, I did a free Tarot card reading for her, and failed miserably at that too. I was only about half-right, and it was more of an act of knowledge and foresight. When she left, I walked over to Otter, who was still admiring the figurines.

"I think you're bad luck," I growled, but I was really happy to see him.

He chuckled and made a sweet whistle sound through his teeth. "Well, maybe I was here and you couldn't concentrate. That's on me, I guess. I just really wanted to see you again and I apologize for being away for a while. Business called."

"Business, sure," I replied wryly. "Some other girl maybe."

He grinned. "Well, it's not like you can read me to find out, right?"

That irked me and my hackles went up a bit more than I intended. "No, I can't, so what? You're not around much for me to read, are you?"

He immediately frowned and surprised me by taking my hand and kissing my cheek. "You're right. I'm really sorry, Joy. I wanted to call you and let you know but I just didn't have time. I don't have a lot of time right now, honestly. I just came by to see if you were free tonight."

My heart fluttered but I stayed cool. "I'm not sure, I might have plans."

He went on like that wasn't a problem. "There's a pond out there by Black Ridge Forest, maybe a mile or so from Piedmont." My eyes widened as he described the place - the exact same pond I'd been having nightly swims at lately. "I was thinking maybe we grab our suits, take a hike, and swim in the moonlight." As he said this, he looked into my eyes deeply, and his voice became softer, and the hand holding mine squeezed.

I thought about swimming with Otter and got the giggles. When he asked me what was so funny, I regaled him with the story about going to that same pond he mentioned and actually swimming with real otters. For some reason, he frowned and pulled his hand away.

"Joy..." he replied, and his voice was no longer warm. "I want you to stay away from there unless I'm there, okay? Those otters may have been playing, or they may have been trying to keep you from their nest. It's dangerous, okay?"

I bristled. "Hey, you're not my father, Oliver. They seemed quite friendly to me and..." I didn't want to tell them how horny I'd gotten swimming with them that one time, or how warm and at ease I felt whenever I swam with them. "And...I don't think they meant anything bad."

Otter sighed and took my hand again. "I'm sorry. I just, I worry about you, Joy. Now that I've met you, I've just been unable to stop thinking about you. Believe me, I wanted to call, but then business would call and I'd be knee-deep in work, and you'd be like a thousand miles away."

I smiled softly. "Well, I'm not now." Already my anger was fading and I squeezed his hand. "I'd love to go swimming with you, sure. And I wouldn't worry about the otters there. They seem really tame, you'll see. Besides," I added and caressed his cheek. "You'll be with me, right?"

Otter chuckled and kissed my fingers. "Like glue. Those otters had better keep their distance, that's all. They don't want to rile this otter."

"Now who's territorial," I snorted. We shared a laugh at that and before he left we kissed for the first time, slowly and passionately.

For the rest of the day I found myself impatient for the sun to go down.

**

"Well, that looks cold!" Otter laughed as we neared the bank hand in hand. The pond was just the way I'd left it - glittering diamonds of reflected moonlight danced across the glass surface with harder a ripple. Ghostly outlines of the woods through a light mist loomed in the horizon about a hundred yards away.

I was already undoing my blouse and pushing down my jeans excitedly. "Oh, don't be a baby, it was your idea!" I stood before him in a dark blue bikini that barely covered my breasts, and a bottom that sculpted around my crotch snugly. He seemed to forget about the pond for a moment and gathered me up into his arms to kiss very deeply, setting my lust aflame. When he pulled away, I grew bold and stepped close to undo his jeans button and zipper. "So...what do you have under here?" I giggled and finally succeeded in getting his jeans off and saw a very large pouch between his legs, kept together by a pair of tight blue bikini briefs.

"Oh wow," I marveled. "you wore blue too!"

Otter nodded. "My favorite color. It reminds me of the water a lot." He seemed not at all ashamed for me to see he was in full arousal under those briefs. Not only was he tenting - it was like there was a raging beast in there that badly wanted to be let out.

I tried not to look and brought my gaze back up to his eyes. "So..." There was a moment of panic now. I hadn't been this close to sex in quite some time, and something was telling me that every inch of Otter desired me very much. Sex, to me, is like putting flesh into flesh. Sure, it's a great pastime, but I never thought it could lead anywhere. I'd slept with a few guys in my life, but as a rule, I never really felt anything afterwards. To me, it was a release of energy and emotion. I licked my lips and tossed my hair shyly. "Um...shall we swim?"

Otter must have sensed my unease because he was already picking me up into his arms and laughing as he waded in, carrying me. I squealed like a little girl and kicked my legs, clinging to his neck as he finally got us out into open water and let go. I dove under and swam between his legs, giving his bottom a pet on my way past and out to deeper water before surfacing and treading. Otter swam into my arms and I instinctively wrapped my legs around him while he supported us.

"How deep does this go?" Otter asked as he kissed me.

I grinned and let go. "Not too deep, come on." I took a breath and dove down in front of him. As I neared the bottom, I felt something at my feet as I kicked and looked behind me. It wasn't Otter though. It was one of the otters from the other night. I looked up through the water and saw Otter's legs still treading above me. He hadn't seen my friend apparently. I smiled at the otter and chirped at him, trying to imitate his sound, then he wiggled his ruddertail and swam back up while I surfaced close to Otter and shook water from my hair. "Did you see him!?" I laughed and splashed him.

"See what?" Otter chuckled as he ducked.

"My otter friend, silly. He was right here!"

He became alarmed immediately. "Where?!" He duck-dived in front of me and swam under my legs. I took a breath and dove after him, trying to catch up. Otter was amazingly fast in the depths and I had a hard time trying to keep up. As we both neared the bottom, he leveled off and grabbed one of the large rocks there to anchor and I glided down next to him. We both scanned the dark water in front of us. He turned to look at me and shook his head, and I shrugged good-naturedly. Maybe he'd frightened the animal away.

He smiled then and drew his arms around me and I let out a bubbly sigh as I sank into his arms for a kiss. We seemed to be underwater quite a long time before we realized it and pulled away, heading back up to the surface. As we swam up, I heard that distinct chirping sound and paused, looking around me. Otter wrapped himself around me from behind and nuzzled my neck, making me giggle and swim faster until I was gasping for air at the surface.

"Maybe he left..." I panted as I caught my breath. I was still in his arms and we were pressed so tightly together I could feel every inch of his hardness through his briefs.

"Well, maybe he got jealous," Otter laughed and kissed me again, nice and long, using his tongue. I returned the kiss and hugged my legs around him, and down we went again. On the bottom, he knelt with me and untied my bikini top, letting my breasts free, and I in turn pawed over the luscious mound between his legs. I heard a soft chirp in my ears, but paid it no mind. In no time, we were both naked and swimming around one another, and this time I think I held my breath over a minute before I pushed playfully away from him and scissored back to the surface.

Otter came up behind me and massaged my breasts. I cooed and mashed my ass against his thick, very hard cock, and felt it throbbing with need. "D-do...you want to..."

"Take a deep breath," he growled, more of a command than a request.

I did as he asked and then he rolled forward and dove with me still in his tight grasp. I felt the welcoming heat of his cock suddenly sliding deep into me and I let out a cry of pain as more of his massive cock pushed in, filling my pussy. He dove us all the way down and held me there, pinning me to the bottom on my stomach, while he eagerly, urgently mated me. His mouth opened wide and clamped to my throat, hard enough to cause pain. I burbled hard and tried to shake my head, and lost a lot of breath. I was powerless against him. He was way too heavy on top of me, and it felt like his cock was so deep inside me I could never pull free even if I wanted to. The way he was taking me was wild, primal, almost animal-like, and God did it turn me on!

Bubbles poured from my mouth and the thought suddenly occurred to me that I could drown down here. Holding my breath became impossible. I needed air! I wiggled my body hard underneath him, trying to claw at his arms or some part of his body to let me go - and then I felt the heat and rush of orgasm flowing into my pussy in several hard pumps. I bubbled cries again at him, tried one more time to shove him off of me, and he finally, mercifully, pulled his cock out of me, floating backwards.

I pushed off the bottom in a panic and swam as fast as I could for the top, already swallowing water. I shot from the surface and coughed violently several times, almost vomiting. There were dizzying stars before my eyes and it took a moment for them to clear away. Otter surfaced up behind me and I heard that chirping sound again. It took me a moment to realize it was coming from him - but I just passed it off as heavy breathing or whistling. After all, he'd just climaxed pretty hard.

He tried to get his arms around me again, maybe preparing for another dive-fuck, and I shook away, splashing him hard. "No!" I shouted. "Enough!" I was still winded. I'd no idea how long I'd stayed down there, holding my breath in the deep water while he fucked me, but I wasn't about to encore just yet.

"Joy, I-I'm sorry..." He swam slowly after me until I stopped to tread water.

I couldn't be too mad at him. That was probably the hottest fuck I'd ever had. "I just wish you'd...you know... maybe a little foreplay would have been nice..."

Otter chuckled and looped his arms around me to kiss. "You're right, I forget you humans don't actually just go at it, especially in the water."

I laughed, and for some reason it sounded uneasy. "Um, you mean us humans..." I tapped his nose.

He got a strange look on his face and tilted his head to me, but then his eyes cleared again and he smiled. "Oh, yes, right...us humans."

"Are you okay, Oliver?"

"Huh? Oh yes, I'm fine, all good...that was amazing sex..." His face flushed a bit and he kissed me slowly. "Want to go again?"

"C-can I catch my breath first...?" Oh yes, I wanted much more sex.

He laughed and chirped at me again. "Of course..."

For some moments, we held each other in the water, breathing heavily, and then when I was ready he took me down again for another fuck, and I have no idea how long I stayed underwater that time.

It felt like forever...

**

My visions deteriorated further over the next few weeks. Since the wild fucking in the pond, all my thoughts were of Otter and the amazing way he had sex with me. I couldn't concentrate on anything, and on certain nights when I couldn't see Otter, I'd go to the pond alone, swim with the other otters, and masturbate frantically on the bottom.

My uncle was getting mad though. He knew something was wrong, and I didn't dare tell him about my swimming adventures, or wild fucks with Oliver, because he'd probably kill me, or him, or both.

"M-maybe I'm just coming down with something more than a cold," I told him once as I came home. Thank goodness sales were still brisk and I was making a little money for the Uncle Alcohol Fund - which in a few years would probably become his memorial fund and I could look forward to at least some life insurance relief. But my visions were all but gone. I couldn't see futures, or auras, or...anything.

Well, nothing but handsome, strong Otter wrapping his arms around me in the depths to have sex.

**

Otter visited me at the shop one Wednesday afternoon in late October, close to Halloween. I was glum about my visions but he perked me right up. "I was thinking we could go for a swim before the water gets much colder. Friday night?"

I smiled and kissed him fondly. "I'm sure we'll warm up the water just fine." I couldn't stand how hot and horny I was for him. Even pressed against him, I felt a trickle between my legs. How the hell did I get so hot for someone so much?!

He let go of me and there was a big grin on his face. "If you're good, I'll let you see my Halloween outfit."

"You're going to bring this to the pond?"

"I am. I can't wait to show it to you." He gave me another deep kiss and looked into my eyes. "I love you very much, Joy. I hope you believe that."

I felt a little tearing and smiled happily, nodding. I didn't say I loved him back, at least not then.

We said our goodbyes and that was the last I ever saw of Oliver.

**

I walked towards the pond Friday night under a beautiful full moon. Otter had been rather secretive about meeting up someplace else for dinner or a show, but I was excited nonetheless. I wore only a bathrobe and some slippers. I'd spent the last day or so practicing holding my breath for an extended time and felt my lungs could almost challenge him now.

As I approached the pond, I saw dark shapes already swimming back and forth in the water, creating sparkling ripples on the surface. I smiled and removed my clothes before I waded in naked up to my waist. The otters churrriped and whistled as they came up to me, and I laughed and chirped back at them as one by one they swam across my legs and nuzzled. Then I heard a splash in the distance and then Otter's voice. "Hello, Joy." His voice sounded a bit different, more gravely and deeper than normal, but the warmth was still there.

I crossed my arms seductively over my breasts and scanned the surface for my lover. "Otter? Where are you?"

The other otters had vacated the scene. "Come in, silly," the darkness chuckled. "I want to show you my outfit."

I laughed and waded towards his voice. "You wore it in the water?! Oh you silly man, you're going to ruin it...unless it's waterproof?"

This seemed to make him laugh more. "Oh, I'm pretty sure it is. I want you, Joy. Swim out to me."

By this time I was floating on the surface and breast-stroking outwards towards the deep area. "But I can't see you!" I heard a loud splash close by me and then Otter's voice was much closer.

"Almost there...take a deep breath, my love..."

I stopped and tread water, searching all over for Otter, but there was no sign of him. Suddenly, I felt something grab my foot and jerk me downwards. In the dark water it was hard to tell what was happening, but then I felt something warm and soft covering my back, and then that same warmth around my chest. It felt completely different and at first I thought perhaps Otter was wearing a fur coat - which made absolutely no sense.

Before I could look behind me, my body was pressed up tightly against his behind me. I felt something hard and yet slick and very warm penetrating into my pussy, and then I was pulled down with him into the depths. I had gotten used to the diving by now and was soon on all fours on the bottom, holding my breath while Otter took me with hard, steady fucks. Again, he pinned me to the bottom and grabbed my breasts, and I let out several whimpers as he got me close to orgasm. Then I felt the familiar teeth around my neck to hold me - but they seemed sharper than usual.

I cried out in pain as his teeth sunk into my throat this time, holding me captive more than 20 feet below the water. But I was finding this all so hot and wild, I was eager to finish and reach climax as well as my mate. We stayed there at least another minute, with him fucking me hard and heavy, and I finally reached my own climax. I reached out to hook my arm around his neck while I came in hard bursts, cinching my cunny around his member tightly each time another orgasm hit me, until I was so weak I could barely move. Otter continued to fuck, apparently not concerned about our extended time underwater and decidedly more focused on the sex. I was short on air and tried to signal to him somehow to let go of me, but he just wouldn't. He just kept fucking me until he finally lurched his body forward, slammed mine hard to the bottom, and filled my cunny with his juices. I lay there, shaking, as more and more cum flowed into me, hot, wet heaven.

He pulled away from me and allowed me to get to my feet to push off the bottom. I spun around so I could face him - and screamed.

Otter was...not human. He had the body sculpture of a rather buff, muscular man, but that was it. He was covered in short, bristly brown fur. A whiskery, curious face with beady eyes and a button nose met mine, and I noticed with horror that behind him, a thick rudder-like tail whipped to and fro with the water. Between his legs was what looked like a bulbous pink shaft at least a foot long, but the tip slanted somewhat.

I screamed again and shot for the surface. I was nearly there when I felt a large webbed paw grab my foot and yank me flailing back down into the deep, into his arms. I saw his dark brown life-less eyes look into mine closely and then I blacked out.

**

When I came to, I was by the pond, drenched, naked, and shivering, and it was pitch dark, well past midnight. I got unsteadily to my feet and saw Otter a few feet from me, standing chest-deep in the water, still in his monstrous form. I wanted to scream and run away but something stopped me. Curiosity, I imagine.

"I guess an explanation is long overdue," He growled softly.

I stayed where I was, not setting a foot in the water. "Am I dreaming?"

He seemed to sigh and his whiskers drooped. "Would that be easier for you to handle?"

In spite of everything, I smiled. "Much."

He chuckled and waded closer to me. "Joy, you give so much hope to so many people. I knew it had to be you. You're the reason I was able to stay as long as I could." He reached a webbed paw out to me. "it's been you the whole time. And...it's been me the whole time too...remember, the otter you held the first time you swam here?"

I nodded, still uneasy.

"That was me. I wanted so much to...to change for you that night. To become human again, to...be with you the way you wanted. But it wasn't my time yet."

I looked at him oddly. "Your...time? Let me guess, you're some kind of werewolf, but as an otter, right?"

Otter laughed and held his chest. "Oh Lord no, we aren't like that."

As he was speaking, the water around him roiled and frothed and several more otter-humans surfaced around him, making warm, soft chirping noises and whistles. I looked in disbelief at all of them. Some were muscular, well-built, and rather handsome male specimens, while mixed among these were fetching, voluptuous female otter-humans.

I could feel myself starting to faint, and the whole earth swayed violently back and forth. I sank to all-fours and took several deep breaths to try to control my rapid heartbeat and the shakes left me. I spat some water and looked up to see Otter now much closer to me.

"Every once in a while, we get to leave the pond and see your world, Joy. Then we're just like any other human you might come across. We work, we play, we laugh, we..." He rubbed his beady nose and his whiskers twitched. "We fall in love..."

A few of the other otters giggled softly, and one of the females spoke up. She had a very kind face and pretty green eyes. "Oliver has spoken of little else but you, Joy, since he first swam with you."

Realization came over me. "That-that was why...I-I couldn't read you...why I couldn't see a...future..." Or had I? I remembered the only thing I could see when I'd touched Otter the first time - it was his aura, a swirl of dark, deep blues. Like...waves...

"When I met you the first time, I thought you were very beautiful. But what I also loved was how kind you were. A woman with powers such as yours could easily wield it for the wrong purposes. But you, my love...you use it to help others. And it is your power I was drawn to."

"B-but my powers are gone..." I whined. "I haven't been able to see anything in weeks, from anyone."

Otter looked sheepish. "That's probably my fault. I drew from more of your power so I could stay away from the pond longer. It's not gone though, Joy. It's still inside you. Here..." He held out a webbed paw to me. "Don't be afraid. Just hold it."

I slowly got to my feet and leaned out over the water to take his paw - and instantly I felt an incredible warmth come over me, like I'd just had a thousand suns pour their light into my very soul. The dizziness was gone. My head suddenly felt clearer than it had in months.

Otter lurched forward in the water a bit and trembled as his ruddertail smacked the surface and he let out a low moan.

"Otter?" I stepped into the water to him, no longer afraid. "Are you alright?"

He seemed to come around a bit and shook his head. I noticed just then he still had a gorgeous mane of black hair too. "Fine, fine...just takes me a minute to adjust. You really pack a punch, Joy. Stronger than any I've felt."

I had to admit I was blushing. No one had ever told me that before. "I-I get it...from my mom, they say."

"Joy," Otter grasped both of my hands into his paws and held me close to him. Revulsion from earlier was replaced with warmth. I...I really did feel love for Otter, even like this. "Listen. What we are isn't very important. All I can tell you is, we're water gods, we're always here, and this pond will never fade away, and we will never die."

"Come with us, Joy," another male smiled and raised his paw. "When you were with us, you were so happy, remember? You swam with us and...shared your lust with us. You gave us some of your power that first night."

"So that's why I've been having trouble lately...?" I looked into Otter's adorable face. "All this time, I just thought you were too much of a distraction that I couldn't focus energy."

He giggled. "Well, you were half-right."

Another beautiful female came forward. "Joy, swim with us..."

I smiled and waded into the water to play with my new friends. At some point, Otter took me deep underwater and made love to me and before he was done I noticed a strange irritation starting in my backside.

It took me a while to realize it was the beginnings of a ruddertail.

**

"I dunno, miss, this looks kinda shady..."

I sighed and shook my head. Sometimes my customers were like that. Like this older gentleman who smoked way too many Cuban cigars, dressed like a derelict, and had a mouthful of teeth that looked like they hadn't had an introduction to cleaning in years. "There's nothing to it." I dealt out a typical Tarot spread. "I turn over a card and explain what each one represents to you. It's not necessarily going to tell you your future - but it could at least prepare you for a possible future."

I was lying. My powers lately had been coming on like lightning and business was at an all-time high now. I could safely say my Tarot reading was spot-on these days - not even as strong as my visions had become. A few people asked for visions and I'd see fuzzy images, but after a quick mental link with my totem otter, the energy came and cleared up the images for me.

"So, Mr. Swanson, what do you say? Want to see the first card?"

"You go first."

I gaped at him. "I-I'm sorry, I already dealt this out for you."

He folded his arms and looked defiant. "Well, you can just deal them for yourself then. You show me how this works on you, not me."

"Alright, if you insist." I took the cards back up and sighed deeply, gathering strength, and the patience not to throw the deck at him. I shuffled the deck, placed the first card out on the table, and turned it over.

"The Lovers...?"

I smiled as I looked down at the card and immediately thought of Otter. "Well, let's see." Were my eyes sparkling? I think they were just then. "The Lovers represent relationships, but they can also mean choices we make. Based on how its shown in a spread, it can mean I need to decide about an existing relationship..." My voice trembled a bit. "Um...a t-temptation of the heart, or a potential partner." I looked at him. "Often this calls for sacrifice, like a lifestyle, or existing relationship. But I must be mindful of the choices I make, as the ramifications could be long-lasting, perhaps permanent."

The man seemed impressed. "Sounds like you've got quite a choice to make."

I got up suddenly from the table and stretched. "Mr. Swanson, I need to take off for a little bit. Mind if we try this later? I'll give you a free reading then. Deal?"

He grumped but said that was fine. I shooed him out of the store, locked the door to Visions of Joy, and headed for the pond.

By the time I was at the water's edge, my ruddertail was trembling with excitement, and once Otter was locked with me underwater and helping me achieve a glorious orgasm, I knew I'd made the right choice.

**

So, that's my story. Sure, I can come and go as I please, since I'm powerful enough, and once my uncle finally kicks off in his car accident, I'll probably just take all the insurance money, invest it someplace for a good charity, then head to the pond for good. I'll miss handling Visions of Joy but a girl's got to move on with her life sometime.

Otter and the other gods see me as a source of never-ending energy.

I'd hate to disappoint them.

I told you all before, I can understand why my customers get so skittish when I peek into their futures. I'm now facing my own with that same amount of apprehension and fear.

But there's excitement in the uncertainty though.

Somehow, I know I'll be alright.

END