Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
CIARAN
Te-Ariki didn’t hesitate. Didn’t even blink. “Of course. It’s the reason we are here, yes?”
Ciaran had explained the situation. There’d been another sighting of the shadowy thing in the water, and he wanted as many as possible to go look for it.
He’d explained that Tobin and Fray had seen it this time, and he very deliberately didn’t divulge that Tobin had shown him as well—or how he’d shown him.
He trusted the Māori consortium as much as he trusted his own. But Tobin’s ability was not Ciaran’s secret to tell, and for some reason, he felt the need to keep that ace up his sleeve.
And he didn’t want the three Norwegians to know.
Ciaran couldn’t explain why. Sure, they were a bit odd, and they had come a long way to help them. He was grateful for that and for their knowledge. But Ciaran was also sure that they were keeping something from him. He couldn’t explain that either; it was just a feeling he got.
They’d never heard of any such ocean creature in their old stories or in any books. They also weren’t too interested in searching the Cove if Marten’s moment of hesitation was any indicator, but Ciaran had held eye contact until he’d agreed.
Ciaran also didn’t care for the way they kept eyeing Sawyer as if they were hesitant to speak in front of him or admit anything in relation to the existence of cephamorphs.
Sawyer was human, so Ciaran could appreciate their reluctance. But Sawyer was his mate. His soul-bonded mate. Sawyer was no more a risk to their secret than any rival consortium was.
As Ciaran’s mate, they should show Sawyer the respect he deserved.
But despite their reluctance, and despite the tenseness of the moment, Marten had agreed to join them.
Otis and Pania had come out in search of food, so Ciaran recruited them too.
Well, after proper introductions and warm welcomes into the family.
Pania was beautiful and kind. She smiled so sweetly at Otis, and she really did seem so lovely.
But, like all Māori cephamorphs, Ciaran knew better than to underestimate her strength.
But seeing Otis so happy, so utterly besotted, made Ciaran’s hearts full. Also seeing him be introduced to Te-Ariki like a teenager meeting his girlfriend’s dad made Ciaran happy.
He was glad Fray and Hendrix weren’t there to see Otis be all shy and polite like a good son-in-law. He made himself smaller, stammered his way through swearing on his own life that he’d love and protect Pania until his dying breath.
It was so stinking cute.
Sawyer nudged Ciaran. “Aren’t you glad you didn’t have to please any in-laws?”
Ciaran snorted. “Hell yes.”
“Honestly, same.” Sawyer’s eyes met Ciaran’s, and his smile faded slowly. “I know what you’re going to say. I can feel your trepidation. Your fear.”
Ciaran took Sawyer’s hand, closed his eyes, and sighed. “You can’t come with us,” he whispered.
“I could drive Tobin’s boat,” Sawyer suggested. “Even if I drove you out of the Cove, it would save your energy—”
“Sawyer, my love,” Ciaran murmured. He shook his head. “It’s too risky. I can’t risk you out there, given how the water calls to you. You’d be so close to the water on a boat, and if I can’t be with you, you could go in, and I wouldn’t be there to pull you out. Sawyer...”
His mouth pulled down, and Ciaran could feel his bloom of disappointment. “I get it,” he mumbled. “I do. I...”
Ciaran slid his hand along Sawyer’s jaw and pulled him in close, pressing his lips to Sawyer’s forehead. “You’re not a liability. You’re not a risk. You’re just human.”
Sawyer snorted. “Gee, thanks.”
Ciaran decided to strike while the iron was hot. “And that’s why you should lock yourself in the cell in your police station.”
Sawyer froze, his head still pressed into Ciaran’s neck. “Are you insane?”
“No. Insanity is highly unlikely in cephamorphs—”
Sawyer looked up at him then, and Ciaran didn’t need to see the cold ice of his eyes to know he was mad. He could feel it. “Have you lost your fucking mind?”
“No. Morphing into freeform helps regulate cognitive—”
“Ciaran,” Sawyer snapped. “You want to lock me in a prison cell. Do you hear yourself right now?”
Ciaran took Sawyer’s face in his hands and pressed their foreheads together. “Only until we get back. That way, if you hear the call of the water, you can’t go in. You need to be safe, Sawyer. I need to protect you any way I can. It was your idea once, and I’m thinking it’s not a bad one.”
Sawyer searched his eyes, and Ciaran could feel the godawful ache in Sawyer’s heart. “And if none of you come back, I’ll what? Starve to death? How fun.”
Ciaran closed his eyes, all three of his hearts near breaking.
“Oh,” Sawyer breathed. And Ciaran knew then that he understood. “It won’t matter, will it? Because if you don’t come back, if you die out there, I’m dead, too, right?”
“Sawyer,” Ciaran murmured. He held his face, his eyes still closed, and kissed him softly before bringing him in for a tight embrace.
After a long moment, Sawyer mumbled into Ciaran’s chest. “Well, I guess it’s better than starving to death.”
Ciaran tightened his arms around him. “It won’t come to that. It won’t. I promise I will do everything I can.”
Sawyer inhaled deeply and stood up to his full height, meeting his gaze. The blue of his eyes was softer now. “I know. And I’m sure it will be. And if it all ends here, I will find you in the next life, and every life after that.”
Ciaran tried to smile, but his nose burned and his eyes welled with tears. “We’re not done with this life yet. I promise you that.”
The door opened behind them, and Hendrix appeared, followed by Dylan, then Kellan.
Hendrix looked like the cat who got the canary, Dylan looked like the happiest little canary ever, and Kellan looked.
... Well, he looked relaxed and thoroughly had.
His gaze met Ciaran’s, and he blushed and rolled his eyes while trying not to smile.
Ciaran laughed. He couldn’t help it. The leader in him was thrilled to see his consortium so happy. The friend in him that had known Kellan for years was happy, too, and even a little proud.
Ciaran also noted the watchful eyes of the Norwegians but ignored them for now.
Kellan made his way over, and Ciaran found himself grinning at him. “Didn’t expect to see you guys for a while,” he said.
Kellan’s blush deepened. “Ah, well. Hendrix wanted food.”
Ciaran, Sawyer, and Kellan all glanced over to where Hendrix and Dylan were being engulfed by huge Otis and Pania hugs while Te-Ariki and Koa were plating up some breakfast for them.
Kellan made a contented purring sound as he watched them, and that made Ciaran happy too. “It’s a remarkable thing, isn’t it?” he asked.
Kellan kept his eyes on his two mates. “Yes, quite.”
Ciaran couldn’t even fathom having two mates. What he felt for Sawyer was so complete and perfect in its entirety, he couldn’t imagine if having a second mate would see it halved or doubled.
“I’m really happy for you,” Sawyer said. “I’m happy for the three of you.”
Kellan sighed again, and both Hendrix and Dylan turned at the sound. As soon as they all locked eyes, the three of them smiled in sync. “I never imagined,” Kellan whispered, his voice full of wonder, and Ciaran doubted he’d meant to say it out loud.
“I’ll grab you a plate,” Sawyer said, giving Ciaran a chance to talk to Kellan alone.
“So,” Ciaran began. “There was a development this morning. Fray and Tobin were not alone in the Cove.”
Kellan dragged his eyes from Hendrix and Dylan to look at Ciaran. “What?”
“The shadowy thing Dylan and Otis saw before, and Tobin too. He had the feeling of not being alone when Sawyer fell in that last time, but he actually saw it this time. They were on the seabed and saw it directly overhead.”
Kellan’s expression went from alarmed to concerned. “Did it see them?”
Ciaran shook his head. He wasn’t about to explain Tobin’s memory, not in front of listening ears.
“No. We’re putting out a scouting party, though I think it will be long gone.
And look, I don’t expect you to join us.
I still can’t believe you three are out of bed, to be honest.” He laughed, because damn.
“Two mates.... Yeah, I still can’t imagine. ”
Kellan’s cheeks reddened, and Hendrix and Dylan came over, one on each side of him. “You okay?” Hendrix asked, his voice low, his eyes solely on Kellan.
Kellan cleared his throat. “Yes, of course.”
Dylan inched into Kellan’s side, fitting perfectly under his left arm, and he looked at Ciaran. His eyes were big, and it took a second for Ciaran to realise what was different about him.
There was no fear in his eyes. He wasn’t looking around skittishly. Oh, Ciaran knew Dylan’s anxiety wasn’t miraculously fixed. That wasn’t how it worked. But he also knew the surety that being bonded gifted.
Dylan had the certainty now, knowing in his bones that he would be okay. That he would be loved unconditionally, all his faults and flaws included.
Ciaran couldn’t help but wonder what a better place the world would be if everyone was afforded the same luxury.
Sawyer came back with a plate of breakfast food and handed it to Kellan.
He took it with a gracious nod. “About us joining the scout. I want to talk it over with these two,” Kellan said.
“I’d like us to go with you, but I’m not sure how useful we’d be.
And it needs to be a decision we all make together. ”
“Yeah, of course,” Ciaran said.
Kellan’s brows knitted. “It’s just that it’s all so new—”
“Hey. I get it,” Ciaran said. “Believe me. And your... situation is twofold.” He smiled at Hendrix and Dylan. “That’s not something any of us will take lightly.”
“Well, look who it is,” Fray crowed from the doorway. He was looking at Hendrix, his usual shit-eating grin in place. “I have so many jokes lined up.”
Tobin gave him a fond push inside. “Which you won’t say. They outnumber you now.”
Hendrix laughed and gave Fray a middle finger, mouthing the words “Fuck you” to him.
Marten gave a sniff of disapproval. “We will prepare ourselves to leave now that Fraser has returned,” he told Ciaran before they filed out.
The whole room let out a collective sigh once they’d gone.
“Man, it feels like the cops and sniffer dogs just left the nightclub,” Dylan said. Then he looked up at Sawyer. “No offense.”
Sawyer snorted. “None taken.”
Then, Fray being Fray, he walked over and slung his arm around Hendrix’s shoulder. Kellan growled and Dylan snarled, and Fray promptly removed his arm and put his hands up.
Hendrix laughed and gave Fray a shove, which Tobin didn’t appreciate. He pulled Fray away and bared his teeth at Hendrix, and Ciaran stepped in between them, hands out. “Okay, we’re all cool here. Jesus Christ.”
Kellan and Dylan pulled Hendrix back into line, and Tobin sighed. “Sorry.”
“It’s all good,” Ciaran said. “We have a lot of new boundaries to get used to,” he said, giving Fray a very pointed glare. “I know you’re used to tackling and roughhousing, Fray, but you might just wanna give them a day or two, okay?”
Sawyer snorted. “At least they have clothes on.” Then he shrugged at Dylan and Hendrix. “I was naked when Fray tried to tackle Ciaran, and I may or may not have tried to put him through a wall.”
“The memory still haunts me,” Fray said, grinning like a maniac.
Ciaran considered growling at Fray just because he could, but then he noticed Tobin and how tired he looked. “You okay, Tobes? Get any sleep?”
He nodded. “Some. Not enough. But better than none.”
“Good. If you get tired, fall back and—”
“I’ll be fine,” he said. “We can sleep when this is over, right?”
Ciaran almost smiled at the thought. He was about to say yep, they could all sleep like the dead, but he didn’t want to jinx anything. “Oh yeah. We sure can.”
He then noticed Sawyer staring at the door. Ciaran could feel his fear beginning to rise, his anticipation and dread.
“Hey,” Ciaran said gently, not wanting to startle him.
But he didn’t respond.
He took a step toward the door, and Ciaran grabbed his arm. Sawyer jumped in surprise, startled, and the eyes that met Ciaran’s were wide, his face pale.
His heart rate was pounding, his breaths short and sharp. “Ciaran,” he breathed, fear spiking now.
“What is it?” Ciaran asked. “Sawyer?”
“You need to go. We all need to go,” he said. He put his hand to his heart. “I can hear her. Can you not hear her song? She’s calling me. Oh fuck.”
Everyone moved then, coming to stand before him, listening, waiting.
Sawyer licked his lips as if his mouth had gone dry, meeting the eyes of everyone in turn, landing on Ciaran last. “But first....” He swallowed hard. “But first, Ciaran, the jail cell. You need to lock me in it.” The fear in his eyes was ice cold. “Please.”