Chapter 21
Grayson
Grayson tossed his phone onto the sofa and collapsed beside it with a sigh.
Something in his stomach had pulled tight the moment he read Keld’s message, but he couldn’t figure out why.
So what if Keld wanted a threesome? Shouldn’t Grayson be thrilled at the idea of being the center of attention between two Alphas in bed?
He stared up at the blown glass light fixture overhead. Maybe it was just nerves—he was starting to get used to Keld as his guide through experimentation, but he’d never even spoken to Reiz. Would he even be able to relax?
A smaller voice in the back of his mind whispered that he was hurt. Hurt that Keld had no qualms sharing Grayson with others, hurt that Grayson wasn’t enough to satisfy him.
No, Grayson thought. He screwed his eyes shut. You’re just anxious about trying something new, with someone new. That’s it. You and Keld are not together.
His phone buzzed. Keld had sent a picture.
Grayson tapped the screen to reveal a photo of an extraordinarily good-looking Alpha with deep, rosy scales, and golden-tanned hues to his face and chest. His hair was a long, pink mane any cosplayer would kill for, and tiny gold studs pierced the membranes of his ear fins.
Reiz was undeniably attractive.
So why, Grayson thought as he zoomed in on the Alpha’s face, do I not feel excited about it?
His thumbs hovered over the keyboard.
Keld Vihinu: What do you think?
Grayson heaved another sigh.
Grayson Miller: He’s hot.
Keld Vihinu: Yeah, and he knows it. Not a bad Mer though. I sent him a message. Will keep you posted.
On impulse, Grayson forwarded the photo to Jenna, adding, “Keld wants a threesome.”
Maybe her enthusiasm would activate his. Predictably, within seconds, a voice message arrived. When he tapped the play button, Cretaceous-era screeching was the only sound he could make out.
Startled laughter shook some of the weird feelings out of Grayson’s gut, but something heavy still lingered.
Jenna Uehara: You’re going to do it right?? If you won’t, I will. I volunteer as tribute.
Another message rolled in before Grayson could reply.
Keld Vihinu: Reiz is interested! He suggested we meet up for dinner first, or maybe just coffee. Something casual so you can get to know him a bit before we all strip naked together.
Grayson pressed his thumbs into his eyes until he saw stars.
How was this his life? How did he even get to this point?
Less than six months ago, he was a scrawny gay boy doing his best to evade Mineral Bluff’s toothless fury, all while living at home with his drunk of a father, his bad-tempered mother, and his future-spree-killer brothers.
Now he was stuck trying to navigate a threesome with two aliens.
Grayson Miller: Coffee sounds nice, let’s do it.
He switched to Jenna’s chat.
Grayson Miller: All three of us are meeting up for coffee first.
Another earsplitting voice message was her only reply.
Keld Vihinu: How’s tomorrow morning at 11? That work for you?
Grayson Miller: Sure, sounds good.
Keld sent a blond man emoji, sandwiched between two merman emojis.
“Jesus Christ,” Grayson mumbled. He had twenty-four hours to pull himself together.
Jenna Uehara: Jaeyong and I are going out for brunch. You wanna come? Tara went for a run like three hours ago, so I’m assuming she’s up at the northernmost point of Miami by now and Aureli says he can’t walk.
Several eggplant emojis followed the message.
Grayson Miller: Meet you downstairs in ten?
Jenna Uehara: Alrighty!
Grayson rolled off the couch and went to change out of his ratty t-shirt and cut-off sweatpants.
Even though Mermade Miami never really experienced fall or winter, it was still brisk for a born and bred Southerner like Grayson.
He wriggled into a pair of light wash jeans and pulled a cream knit polo over his head.
A gauzy navy cardigan went on top, to stave off both the breeze and the sunburn.
He stared at himself in the closet mirror. He would have never dared to dress this way back home. He wouldn’t have even purchased the clothes to begin with. To his horror, tears prickled his eyes.
What the hell was that? Calm down, they’re just clothes, he chastised himself. His eyes snagged on his bedside table, where his old SIM card lay hidden. He should have thrown it away. He ought to go throw it away now.
He averted his gaze and left the room.
Jenna and Jaeyong were waiting just outside the building’s exit.
“You look amazing!” Jenna was arguing.
“I look like a wanna-be K-pop idol,” Jaeyong muttered.
“What’s happening?” Grayson asked, leaning in to give Jenna a one-armed squeeze.
“Jaeyong let me put makeup on him! Doesn’t it look good?”
Jaeyong glared up at her. The long line of his lashes was accented with faint liner, and his soft, full lips were tinged with a faint red. If Jenna hadn’t said anything, Grayson probably wouldn’t have realized it even was makeup.
“It does,” Grayson said truthfully. “Seriously, Jaeyong, it doesn’t look like makeup. It just looks like you woke up on the right side of the bed.”
The smaller man turned his rueful gaze on Grayson. “Really?”
“Really. You look good. Not at all like a wanna-be K-pop idol.”
Jaeyong sighed. “Okay, fine. Thanks.”
Jenna beamed. “See? Don’t worry, Grayson’s next.”
“Excuse me?”
The three of them set off down the sidewalk to the nearby bus stop, still bickering.
“The only reason I haven’t done it is because I need to buy blond products,” Jenna said. “All mine are dark, lucky for Jaeyong.”
“You don’t need to buy anything!” Grayson protested. “I don’t need makeup.”
“Sure, you don’t need it, but you want it.”
“Says who?”
The bus’s arrival only put a pause on the argument. The driver was a Mer Omega, who nodded politely at them as they boarded.
“You’ll be a total convert by the time I’m done with you. Just some clear mascara, some light brown liner, a bit of pink for the lips—”
“I’m going to look like Ken. Or Barbie. Or their love child.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
∞∞∞
Grayson’s knee was a bouncing blur. Anxiety thrummed through him, despite the cozy, calming interior of the coffee shop.
Floral antique decor hung from the walls, and glass display cases held collections of handpainted plates.
It felt like someone’s rich grandma’s house and was at total odds with what they were doing here.
Keld reached over and rested a hand on Grayson’s jiggling leg. “Relax. Everything’s going to be fine.”
“I know, I know.” Grayson tried to take a calming breath. Even if someone were to directly ask him why his stomach was tying itself into knots, he didn’t think he’d be able to explain.
Maybe he was nervous about meeting a very attractive Alpha. Maybe he was nervous about having a new sexual experience.
Or maybe I don’t want to share Keld.
Grayson brushed the thought away the moment it appeared.
“There he is.” Keld’s voice cut through the tangle of fears clouding Grayson’s mind.
He looked up just in time to see a flash of red pass by the window. A moment later, a bell chimed and the other Alpha entered the cafe.
Keld stood up, smiling. “Reiz, yai peori kalasaowe.”
Grayson got to his feet a second too late. “Hi,” he managed.
Reiz was even better looking in person. His facial scales were a shade of bronzed tan that most humans could only dream of. The rich pinks and reds of his scales were set off by ruffled flares of scarlet fins, and his eyes boasted pink irises that matched his silken, waist-length hair.
Reiz’s gaze remained fixed on Grayson as he spoke. “Tuiket, yai peori itho.”
Grayson shuffled under the weight of Reiz’s stare.
As if reading Grayson’s mind, Keld turned and said, “Sorry, Gray, this is Reiz, Reiz, this is Gray.”
Grayson suddenly wished he’d come up with a more creative pseudonym. “It’s nice to officially meet you.” He stuck out a hand. Did Mer even shake hands?
To his relief, Reiz accepted the handshake. “It is good to meet you as well. I have seen you around, but you never seem to mingle for long.” The vibrant Alpha eyed Keld. “I am pleased you have decided to stop monopolizing him.”
Keld laughed. “I’ll go order for us. Gray, they have a lavender latte I’m told is fantastic, even though flower-flavored mammary secretions don’t sound all that appetizing in my opinion. Want to try it?”
“Wow, you really sold it.”
“One iced lavender latte, then. I’ll get the salted caramel americano. Loriun put me onto them,” Keld added in response to Grayson’s questioning look. “The flavoring syrup at cafes is dairy-free. Reiz?”
Reiz scanned the menu from his seat. “I am curious about this lavender syrup. Are they able to add it to an iced americano?”
“Probably, I’ll ask.” And just like that, Grayson was alone with Reiz.
The Alpha cocked his head. “You appear nervous.”
Grayson winced. “I am, a bit. I’ve never done something like this before.”
Reiz nodded. “You are quite new to the club, correct?”
“Yeah. What about you?”
“I have been a regular for about five years, when Siren was still fairly new. I was one of the first Mer to attend.”
Grayson smiled, despite himself. “You must have been popular.
The corners of Reiz’s mouth curled. “I was.”
“Have you ever done this? I mean…” Grayson’s face was already growing hot. “With another Alpha?”
“A threesome?” The words rolled off his tongue without an ounce of shame. “Of course. After five years as one of the few Alpha members, I believe I have tried just about everything.”
A rich, unidentifiable scent moved through the air. Lemony, woody, maybe something like juniper. Reiz’s scent, Grayson realized. It wasn’t an exact match to anything, but brought to mind a well-cultivated garden on mansion grounds.
To his surprise, his body reacted—just a bit.
Reiz breathed in. “You have a pleasant scent. It is like flowers, but still sweet.”
“Thanks.” Now he knew his face was red. It probably matched Reiz’s scales. “Violet candy is what my friends tell me.”
Keld returned, carefully balancing a tray in his hands. “I managed to sweet-talk the barista into adding the lavender syrup to your americano, Reiz.”
“I am certain it was an arduous struggle.” Reiz accepted his glass with a smirk.
“Very. There were bribes involved.” Keld handed Grayson a tall glass with three distinct layers of white, brown, and purple, and a sprig of real lavender sticking out of the top. “She said to stir it after you get a good photo.”
Grayson scoffed, but snapped a picture anyway. Tara and Jenna would love it.
“So, I take it things are going well,” Keld said, settling back in next to Grayson. “If the pheromones are anything to go by.”
“Keld.” The flush was creeping down his neck now, but Reiz just laughed.
“Okay, okay.” Keld chuckled. “So, Reiz, want to tell us about yourself? I think this is the first time I’ve seen you outside of Siren.”
“Yes,” Reiz agreed. “I live on the northern side of the island. It is best for me to keep my personal life separate.”
“You don’t have to talk about your personal life,” Grayson said quickly. “If you don’t want to.”
Reiz shrugged. “It is not a huge secret. I simply prefer my family does not find out what I do in my spare time.”
Grayson glanced over at Keld. Did his family know? He never talked about his parents. Grayson didn’t even know if he had siblings. Then again, Keld didn’t know anything about Grayson’s family either.
“I am thirty-four years old,” Reiz went on.
“I work in a government role, though I am not at liberty to give the specifics. I have a larger extended family than most. Both my maternal and paternal grandparents are mixed-gender couples, and were quite fortunate to have many children. My parents have many siblings, and I have many cousins.”
That caught Grayson’s attention. “What does your grandparents being mixed-gender couples have to do with the number of children?”
“It’s not officially confirmed,” Keld said, “ but there’s strong evidence that mixed-gender couples have higher fertility rates and their offspring have stronger genetics. They’re more likely to actually hatch their nymphs out.”
Reiz nodded. “My grandparents are living proof. They were immediately approved for the voyage to Earth for their high fertility.”
Grayson’s mind attempted to arrange an image of the Mer’s final days on Usoi—desperate families waiting for genetic testing, their leadership choosing who lived and who died, a race looking back at their home planet one last time.
“You’re not mated, right?” Keld’s voice snapped Grayson out of his reverie. Clearly the information wasn’t nearly as intriguing to Keld as it was to him.
“I am not mated. Though my parents are certainly beginning to nag me about it.” Reiz laughed. “Unfortunately, I am having too much fun as an unmated Alpha to consider it right now.”
Keld grinned back. “I know exactly what you mean.”
There it was again—that bizarre, leaden feeling in Grayson’s gut. And it lasted all the way until Keld dropped him off at his apartment door.