Chapter 3- Reed
AFTER PARKING, I recheck my phone before pocketing it.
Emma stated that I can get that full tour of the Maritime Monsters Institute when I’m free.
After some weeks, I’ve managed to escape my work meetings to take the day off.
I don’t have to pick up Aisen yet, so my afternoon is wide open. Time to face the music.
I take a deep breath alone in my car as I gaze at the institute facade. It’s so not a big deal. Why am I freaking out over a tour?
Because Emma confirmed that she’s not giving me the tour. She’s not the person who makes me lose my cool.
Skyler.
After clearing my throat, I wipe my palms on my suit pants.
The very memory of that cute blond has my inner kraken threatening to break free.
Between his adorable smile, glasses-clad face, and trim body, I’m surprised I was able to abstain from tossing my tentacles at him.
I got major gay vibes from him, but I refuse to gush over sexy strangers in public.
With one last deep breath, I get out of the car. As I walk up the stairs to the front door, I mentally remind myself that I’m doing this for Aisen. Besides, I’m sure Skyler isn’t as attractive as I remember.
When I walk into the lobby of MM, I realize that’s a lie.
Skyler approaches me with a wave, and I nearly cough at how attracted I am to him.
I’ve been celibate for what feels like a century, so I need to calm my rising pulse.
Still, how can I be chill―the man looks gorgeous in his work polo.
My inner kraken has visions of wrapping him up and dragging him to my bedroom. Down boy.
Skyler is flanked by another tall White dude, so a third party should help me relax. The big guy is muscular, with an adorably perplexed look, but he’s not my type. He’s not the skinny, shorter, pretty, flamboyant man standing before me.
“You came!”
Did Skyler really have to word it like that?
He clears his throat, and I play with my fingers. “I did,” I reply. “Skyler, right?”
“Um, yeah. I can’t believe you remembered my name.”
He seems reverent for whatever reason, and it’s a huge turn-on.
I can’t help the flirtatious instincts from kicking in.
“Well, you were so helpful and knowledgeable the last time I visited. And I’m going to be coming here very often.
It’ll be nice to make professional colleagues.
” I realize that the big action hero dude is staring at me, so I turn to him. “We haven’t met yet.”
“Um, Mr. Shaughnessy,” Skyler says, looking between us. “Meet Mr. Reed Sung. He’s interested in our maritime shifter liaison program. We all could learn more about ocean creatures.”
The man shakes my hand. “I am Razorjaw. You grew up in the sea?”
I laugh lightly. “The program isn’t for me. Though, I am willing to participate in whatever you need.” Skyler smiles, so I continue, “It’s for my nephew. I’m his guardian, his parent, but he was initially raised in the sea.”
I make eye contact with the handsome man in glasses, and he seems to hang on my every word. Then, the dude, Razorjaw, asks, “So you, Reed Sung, you were raised on land?”
“Well, we full humans don’t get to live in the ocean,” Skyler retorts. “We kind of need to…you know…breathe.”
Oh crap. They don’t know I’m a monster. Should I tell them now? Will Skyler judge me for being a kraken shifter? Will he like me less for not telling him immediately? Wait, why do I care? I’m not dating him, and at the rate my busy life is going, I never will.
When I recall that I’ve been staring at them in awkward silence for five seconds, a bead of sweat rolls down the back of my neck. My pulse rises, knowing that I haven’t been completely honest with these new associates.
Before I can explain, Razorjaw lifts up his chin and says, “For the sake of professionalism, I need to inform you that I am not interested.”
“What?” Skyler asks.
“Your pheromones,” Razorjaw says.
Oh fuck. Another bead of sweat rolls down the back of my neck. I was afraid of getting hard, but I didn’t realize my inner kraken would expose me like this. Razorjaw is obviously some shifter, because he can completely smell my arousal.
“You are a shifter and wish to mate with me,” the tall man says.
“I…I don’t…want to mate with you,” I stutter. There’s no hiding the fact that I’m turned on, and it’s mortifying.
“Reed is not a shifter,” Skyler adds. He assumes I would have informed the Institute of my monster background, which is fair since I’m enrolling my nephew here. Skyler pointedly looks away, and I wish the ground would swallow me whole.
“If you do not want to mate with me, then why are you oozing pheromones?”
“Dude, us land-dwellers don’t shoot off pheromones,” Skyler says with a frown.
“But he is a maritime monster.” Razorjaw points at me. “And his pheromones continue to spike as this conversation goes on.” Monster god, kill me now. “He must be attracted to me, and I am politely telling him that I am not interested.”
Mortified is not enough of a word to describe the way I feel right now.
“You mean…” Skyler says, glancing at his friend and then me.
I clear my throat and shove my hands in my pockets. Time for some damage control. “I forgot to mention that…I’m also a shifter.”
“Oh!” Skyler says, looking down.
“I hope you are a valuable asset to us here in the Institute. But I am still not interested,” Razorjaw says.
Can he not read social cues? I huff in frustration. “Dude, I’m not―”
“Interested? Then why are you…?” He turns to Skyler, then me, and I debate whether I should just walk away and never return.
It’s a long three seconds of silence before Skyler says, “Um…” His face is beet red, and it’s so damn cute I can’t stand it. Now he knows I’m a monster and that I’m shooting off pheromones, for someone who’s not Razorjaw. He realizes I have the hots for him.
I clear my throat. “I don’t…usually tell people that I’m a monster, and um…”
“It is alright.” In seconds, this Razorjaw guy shifts into a tall, fish man. He’s a shark shifter―oh, his name makes a lot of sense now.
“I, too, am a shifter. This is my hybrid form, but I have spent most of my years in my shark form.”
“That…that’s incredible,” I say. There are others who were in the sea their whole lives? Maybe there is hope for Aisen after all.
“I am looking forward to helping you with research and adjustment to life on the surface,” the shark says.
“I don’t need to adjust to life on land, remember? My nephew does.” I adjust my collar in an attempt to breathe better. Skyler seems frozen, and I hope we begin to talk about literally anything else.
“Well, we are more than happy to assist you and your entire family.”
I think about my brother and sister-in-law swimming around the ocean, as well as my parents ditching us both and moving back to Korea. An average family, we are not. “An impossible task,” I mutter. Looking at the shark, I add,” About those pheromones, they’re…”
“It does not matter,” he says. “Skyler. Shall we bring him to Emma or take him on a tour?”
I’m quietly grateful that shark boy also wants to move past my arousal scent. Skyler nods, seemingly unfazed. “We can take you to Emma. Don’t want to take up too much of your time since you’re this healthcare hotshot, after all.”
When we walk, I stride next to him, finally feeling relaxed after five minutes of pure humiliation. “I took the day off of work. I’m surprised you remember that.”
“How could I forget? You have this huge, high-paying job, and we’re lowly researchers funded by the OME,” Skyler says with a smile. I forgot that they’re supported by the Organization of Monster Enhancement, a worldwide government program that assists shifters in all facets of life.
“But your work is important.” I shrug and play with my watch. My hands can’t keep still around this cute boy. “And money doesn’t mean everything.”
Skyler laughs, and it’s a sound I wouldn’t mind hearing regularly.
When we get to Emma’s office, she hands me a packet and promptly kicks us out.
She claims it’s because Skyler and Razorjaw can show me more about the facility than she ever could.
I think the universe is just conspiring to get me to spend as much time as possible with Skyler.
We share soft smiles in the elevator down to the rehabilitation tanks, and it’s almost intimate.
Of course, we’re not alone in this tiny metal box.
The big shark guy is between us, and I thank the monster god he’s cockblocking me.
I mean, there’s nothing to cockblock. I’m so not dating material. And that’s assuming Skyler would be interested in a weirdo kraken shifter who can’t keep his hormones in check.
The pamphlets aren’t nearly as informative as Skyler’s tour.
There’s so much the team does at MM Institute.
Razorjaw is living proof that ocean-based shifters are able to learn about land life.
Additionally, the team members tag and rescue at-risk marine wildlife.
They consolidate their research on ocean life to work on conservation laws.
This is in addition to a huge aquarium with regular children’s educational programming.
I find myself in awe of all the exhibits, and I can’t wait to share them with my nephew.
The one hour goes by in a flash, and the three of us are back at the lobby. “This was all so amazing,” I say.
“We pride ourselves in our work,” Skyler says with a dramatic bow. “But thank you, sir.”
I chuckle, and if Razorjaw wasn’t here, I’d almost suspect he was flirting. I turn back to the tall shark, and his gaze darts between us.
“Um, I need to go…urinate. Goodbye, Reed Sung.” He runs away like his fins are on fire, and I snicker. Oh, now he wants to give us alone time?
In moments, it’s just Skyler and me at the door. We’re in our own little bubble, just like the day we met. “So,” Skyler says. “Have we convinced you?”
“I’d need to discuss it with Aisen, but…” I play with my watch. “I’d love to work with you.”
“I think I’d like that too, Reed,” he replies, almost breathlessly. He bounces on his toes in an endearing way. His face shines in the afternoon sun, and my tentacles itch to run through his dirty-blond hair.
My pheromones spike, I can feel them exuding down my neck. The tour has put me at ease in his presence, but I suddenly recall how embarrassing those first few minutes were.
“Listen, about those uh…pheromones…” I clear my throat and wave my hand. “That was nothing…”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Skyler says. We both chuckle and avoid each other’s gaze. “Consider it forgotten.”
“It’s like…involuntary.”
“Like morning wood!” Skyler remarks.
“Yes!” We both laugh, and he rubs his arm. “Just like, um…morning wood.” I clear my throat and picture Skyler with his morning wood. I bet his cock is a thing of beauty. I wonder if he’s cut or not…
Focus, Reed. “I should get going.”
“Yeah, for sure.” Skyler adjusts his glasses. “Email us anytime.”
“I most certainly will!” We both laugh again for no reason, and I open the door.
“Hey, Reed?”
“Yeah?” My one foot is outside, and I turn to him.
“I hope to see you again. We’re here to help however we can.” He gives me a soft smile, and my heart flutters.
“I will definitely see you again, Skyler. I promise.” With one last grin, I stride away.
I’ve learned so much today, and I have no doubt the Institute can help Aisen.
Regardless, I’m going to keep my promise; I want to see Skyler again, even as just a colleague.
A smart, helpful dude like him is like a glowing sunrise on the ocean, and I want to witness him as much as I can.