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Mate or Meal 5

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Sushi or soul mate? What a ridiculous question. There is no doubt
in shark-shifter Byron’s mind that what he feels for seahorse

Skylar is genuine. But Byron is well aware of the difference
between them. He is a monster, and that puts sweet-natured

Skylar out of his reach. In his fear of hurting Skylar, he pushes
the seahorse away. But when Skylar is attacked, Byron knows he

cannot stay away from Skylar anymore.

Skylar has always been searching for his soul mate, that special

person he would share his life and innocence with. When he meets
Byron, he instantly feels the bond between them. In Byron’s
power and forcefulness, he finds an anchor. But even as they

attempt to build a life together, there are still many challenges
ahead. When Skylar unexpectedly becomes pregnant, Byron will

have to learn to deal with fatherhood and protect his new family
from an unexpected threat.

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Shape-shifter
Length: 42,473 words

THE SHARK WHO RODE A

SEAHORSE

Mate or Meal 5

Scarlet Hyacinth

EROTIC ROMANCE

MANLOVE

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

THE SHARK WHO RODE A SEAHORSE
Copyright © 2012 by Scarlet Hyacinth
E-book ISBN: 1-61926-229-0

First E-book Publication: January 2012

Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

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THE SHARK WHO RODE A

SEAHORSE

Mate or Meal 5

SCARLET HYACINTH

Chapter One

Skylar studied the crowd in the large ballroom with a watchful

eye. The party was in full swing, and a huge success if he said so
himself. He hadn’t expected a wedding celebration between a wolf
and a ewe to be so popular, but apparently, when the wolf in question
was an elder, all bets were off.

Elder Kevin Wade and Annabelle Williams had become mates a

few months back, but they’d held off on the official announcement
due to the disappearance of their sons’ friend, Nicolas Shields. With
Nicolas back—rescued from the Mexican rainforest by his mate,
Garth—they’d asked Skylar to set into motion the preparations for the
bash of the century.

Officially, this party was meant to celebrate their mating, but in

fact, it meant so much more than that. It would mark the union
between two nations, and point out all the other couples formed
throughout the years. Carson and Brody, Shiloh and Liam, Daniel and
Soren, and Nicolas and Garth—they would all be here to emphasize
that inter-species mating could happen and that shifters of all types
should start having a more open mind regarding the person they chose
to spend the rest of their lives with.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Skylar sighed as he took another sip of champagne from his glass.

The bubbling brew tickled his tongue, something he always found
amusing since in shifted form, he didn’t have that particular muscle.
But tonight, not even that could break him out of his depression. He’d
never restricted himself to seahorses in his search for partners. But
since seahorses of his species mated for life, he’d never once pursued
either of these relationships. Here he was, in his thirties, and still very
much a virgin.

By shape-shifter standards, he was still young. However,

seahorses were very precocious in terms of sexual maturity, and the
loneliness had started to torment him, more so lately. At last, he’d
found a man he felt so attracted to he couldn’t think straight, and the
person in question ignored him.

His eyes fell on the large, imposing figure of the hunk starring in

all of his dreams lately. Byron Cunningham had also been invited to
the celebration. Skylar had actually thought the shark wouldn’t come
since Byron seemed to go out of his way to avoid him. However,
Byron had indeed taken Elder Wade up on the invitation. There he
was, so close, and yet so far away.

Carson’s voice startled Skylar from his glum thoughts. “Hey,

Skylar. Excellent party.”

Skylar turned toward his lamb friend and forced himself to smile.

“Thanks, but it’s not my merit. Garth did a lot of it, and most of all,
your mother.”

Carson laughed. “She was quite enthusiastic about it, wasn’t she?”

Carson smiled fondly. “Who’d have thought that one day, she would
mate a wolf?”

“Times are changing,” Skylar replied. “We have you and Brody to

thank for that.”

Carson blushed. “Hardly. We just loved each other.”
Of course, Skylar knew there was more to it than that, but he

didn’t insist. Their conversation was interrupted when a loud crash
sounded to his left. Skylar turned only to see one of the wolves in

Scarlet Hyacinth

attendance having an unpleasant showdown with a ram from
Annabelle’s flock. Fuck. He should have known better than to believe
the party would go smoothly.

Thankfully, Garth appeared before the altercation could gain

proportions. He grabbed both culprits and began to drag them to the
exit. As he did so, he passed Skylar. “Hey, I need a favor,” he
whispered. “Can you keep Byron company until I come back? I need
to take care of these losers, and I don’t want him to be all by himself.”

“I don’t know if that’s a very good idea,” Skylar protested. Byron

would most likely run in the other direction once he saw Skylar
coming. Skylar didn’t even know why because if he had, he would
have tried to do something about it. “He hates me.”

“Nonsense.” Garth waved his concern away. “You’ll be fine.

Please, Skylar.”

Skylar groaned, knowing he couldn’t possibly refuse his friend.

He might have attempted to convince Garth of pushing someone else
to do it, but Byron wasn’t exactly the easiest person to be around. In
fact, most everyone seemed nervous around him, even Elder Wade,
who didn’t strike Skylar as a man who scared easily.

As Garth left, Skylar said good-bye to Carson and headed toward

Byron. His heart started to beat a little faster with each step he took.
Secretly, he wanted to do this. He’d never have mustered enough
courage to approach Byron if not for Garth’s request.

He noticed the exact moment when Byron realized his intention.

The shark’s big body tensed, and electricity sizzled over Skylar’s
spine. He gulped, and sensual images invaded his mind. He could
almost see himself naked, bound and at Byron’s mercy. He could feel
Byron’s thick prick pounding inside him at a punishing rhythm.
Byron would be able to give him everything Skylar had yearned for
and had always been afraid to find. But of course, Skylar could never
hope for that since Byron wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole.

Perhaps Byron had sensed the fact that Skylar lusted for him, and

this was the reason of his behavior. The realization was like a bucket

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

of ice water over Skylar’s arousal. It made sense. Byron must enjoy
only the company of females, and someone like Skylar disgusted him.

With that new understanding came a tremendous wish to flee the

busy ballroom and bawl his eyes out. But he’d promised Garth he
would play host for Byron. Besides, he wasn’t a child that would
weep whenever he didn’t get his way. He could deal with this. He had
no choice.

Pasting a smile on his face, he made his way to Byron’s side. “Mr.

Cunningham.” He nodded at Byron, attempting to find a topic of
conversation. “I never did get to thank you for what you did for us.”

“No thanks needed,” Byron replied, his voice low and husky. “It

was a favor for a friend.”

“Still, I appreciate your help tremendously.” Skylar struggled to

keep the talk from falling into awkward silence. “If there’s anything I
could ever do to repay you…”

He wanted to take the words back as soon as he uttered them. He

sounded far too eager, and he’d managed to slip sexual innuendo into
the phrase without intending to.

Even if he acknowledged his gaffe, he didn’t expect the words

that came out of Byron’s mouth.

“You can stay away from me,” the shark said, his tone having

grown as cold as ice. “I don’t want to be around you.”

Skylar felt like he’d been slapped. “Oh… O–Okay,” he managed

to stammer. “I’ll… I’ll just go.”

The bitter taste of humiliation in his mouth was only surpassed by

the pain in his heart. He didn’t know why he even felt this. He’d
never had any type of relationship with Byron, beyond that of distant
acquaintance. The attraction he experienced was clearly one-sided.
Skylar should have given up on it by now.

It was just that, a few months back, when he’d met Byron, he’d

actually thought the shark might be interested him. Their gazes had
locked when Byron had intervened to save Skylar and his friends
from Heathcliff Cunningham, Byron’s own brother. Then again, at the

Scarlet Hyacinth

time, Skylar had been severely injured, so it must have just been his
impression.

Murmuring a good-bye, he made a hasty retreat. For a few

moments, he considered returning to Carson’s side, but the lamb was
far too perceptive. He would realize something was wrong. Instead,
he headed toward the first exit he could find and fled the room.

His vision blurred with tears as he ran, and he angrily struggled to

push them back. Since he didn’t pay much attention to where he was
going, only his smaller size kept him from running into the various
people moving to and fro in every direction. Several seemed intent on
addressing him, so Skylar sought solace at the upper level of the
house. He found an empty balcony and closed the French doors
behind him. Once alone, he plopped down on the cool floor and
leaned against the wall.

It was quite cold outside, the winter chill already encroaching on

the world. As a tropical seahorse, he didn’t care much for such
weather, but he couldn’t be bothered to move. He just wanted to lay
there and sleep until he forgot about Byron’s words. Maybe the chill
would drive the hurt away.

Unfortunately, his solitude was interrupted when the French doors

opened. A man walked in and peered around. He grinned when he
saw Skylar. “Hello, gorgeous,” he said. “What are you doing here all
by your lonesome?”

Skylar identified the guy as the wolf who’d caused the earlier

conflict with the ram. Great, just great. This was the last thing he
needed. He ignored the werewolf, hoping the other man would get the
hint and just go. Distantly, he wondered where Garth had gone and
why the lynx left this troublemaker on his own.

“Oh, now don’t be like that,” the werewolf said. “I’m Rick.

What’s your name?”

When Skylar didn’t answer, Rick came closer and peered at him.

“Wait, I know you. You’re the seahorse, the event organizer, right?
Skylar something.”

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Skylar wrinkled his nose as the smell of alcohol hit his nostrils.

Werewolves and all shifters in general needed to drink great
quantities of alcohol to get intoxicated, but Rick seemed to have
succeeded. “Leave me alone,” Skylar mumbled.

Rick plopped down next to him. “Come on. “ He pushed his body

closer to Skylar’s. His warmth should have felt comforting in the
night cold, but it didn’t. It just made Skylar sick to his stomach.
“Don’t play hard to get. We can have a little fun,” he whispered in
Skylar’s ear.

Skylar shot up, resigned to the fact that he wouldn’t be able to

stay here. Without a word, he headed back toward the doors, but he
didn’t get the chance to leave the balcony. The werewolf grabbed his
arm in an ironlike vise and pulled him close. “You’re not going
anywhere.” Rick snarled. “I’ve heard all about seahorses. They spread
their legs for whoever comes knocking. Tonight, you’ll do it for me.”

That might have been true for other types of seahorses, but not for

Skylar’s. And even if Skylar had been inclined to take a new lover
every night, he most definitely wouldn’t choose Rick.

Skylar struggled to release himself from Rick’s grip, but the wolf

was shockingly strong. “Let me go,” he shouted. “I don’t want to
sleep with you.”

“Of course you do,” Rick replied, unfazed. He pinned Skylar

against the wall, holding his hands immobilized with one big fist. His
other hand traveled beneath Skylar’s shirt in a lecherous, nauseating
caress. “You just need a little convincing.”

Skylar had been convinced, more than convinced that he needed

to get out of there. He lifted his knee and applied the hardest hit he
could muster to Rick’s testicles. The wolf howled and released
Skylar’s hands for the benefit of cupping his abused family jewels.

Skylar took advantage of the distraction to slip out of Rick’s grip.

But the werewolf recovered far easier than Skylar expected. “You
little fuck.” Rick’s voice turned into an animalistic growl. “I’ll tear
your ass apart.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Skylar couldn’t help a scream as Rick’s big body crashed against

his back and sent him falling to the floor. He collapsed with the
werewolf on top of him, dizzy and terrified. Before he knew it, Rick
had torn off his pants and underwear. Oh, God, he was going to be
raped. He would lose his virginity to an intoxicated werewolf who
didn’t know the meaning of the word “no.”

As much as he struggled, he simply couldn’t release himself from

the grip of a much stronger and bigger man. He would have tried to
cry out for help again. However, Rick forced his mouth open with a
roughness that drew blood and stuck a piece of cloth between his
lips—most likely his own underwear.

“You dirty slut.” Rick chuckled in his ear. “I’ll pound you so hard

you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”

Tears now streamed liberally down Skylar’s cheeks. Please, help!

Somebody help! Byron… Byron…

* * * *

Byron cursed himself as he downed another drink. He’d been far

too brusque with Skylar, he knew that. But the seahorse’s words had
awoken far too sinful visions in his mind. If Skylar hadn’t left, Byron
would have dragged him off to the first available room and fucked
him within an inch of his life.

Byron didn’t fool himself. He knew he was scary, and he used this

attribute unashamedly within the course of his work. However, his
size and bulk made it considerably difficult to find romantic partners.
Even shifters freaked out when they saw Byron’s genitals.

It was just the way things were, and Byron had stopped bothering

with attempts to find longtime lovers. These days, he just paid for
company, high prices that would ensure the people in question kept
their mouths shut. They never returned, in spite of the more than
generous pay, but there were plenty of fish in the sea to sate Byron’s
occasional need for sex.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

However, all that changed when he’d met Skylar Pierce. The

seahorse set every nerve in his body aflame. He wanted to claim
Skylar as his own. He wanted to tie him down, spank his ass ruby-red,
and then fuck his tight little hole. He might have done it, except in an
unexpected development, he didn’t want to hurt Skylar. He didn’t
want to see Skylar’s green eyes widen in terror. At least, this way, he
could protect Skylar from afar.

But tonight, he’d fucked up. Abandoning his glass on the table, he

left the ballroom. He would find the seahorse and apologize. Perhaps
they couldn’t have any romantic relationship, but that didn’t mean
they should be enemies. Byron hurt inside whenever he thought about
the mere possibility. A part of him, something he’d never really
acknowledged, hated the idea of Skylar despising him.

He didn’t have any trouble in following his mate’s trail. In

general, sharks had a great sense of smell, and Byron more so than
normal members of his species. He tracked Skylar to the upper level
of the house, already thinking of scenarios as to how their
conversation would go. Should he simply apologize and leave? No,
that wouldn’t work. Should he find an excuse? How much should he
tell Skylar?

This dilemma disappeared from his mind when the distinct smell

of blood and terror hit his nostrils. It polluted Skylar’s delicious
aroma. And there was someone else there, a wolf, trying to hurt the
seahorse.

Cold anger and the desire to kill filled Byron. In instants, he

reached the balcony he identified as the source of the scent. Indeed,
inside he could see a big man on top of Skylar, pinning him to the
floor and moments away from penetrating the seahorse’s ass.

Without even bothering to open the door, he burst through it,

ignoring the sharp sting of the glass against his skin. Before the
bastard could even figure out what was going on, Byron pulled him
off Skylar and threw him against the wall.

Scarlet Hyacinth

He was so furious he wanted to tear the wolf to pieces. He’d done

so before, when his own people had endangered Skylar’s life. He
wanted this man to suffer, to scream as Byron broke every bone in his
body and tore each piece of skin off, cut his dick out, and made him
eat it.

The wolf froze, obviously acknowledging his predicament. “I…”
That one word would have triggered an outburst of Byron’s

temper had Skylar not released a small whimper-pop. The urgency to
check on the seahorse took precedence over the desire for revenge.
Byron knelt next to Skylar, cursing himself when the sight of Skylar’s
nude ass awoke the beast inside him. This was not the time for
lusting. Skylar needed help.

The seahorse turned toward him and Byron removed the gag in

Skylar’s mouth. Their eyes met briefly, and then Skylar lunged
toward Byron and buried his face in Byron’s shirt. The seahorse’s
body shook, not because of crying, but rather because of the fear still
keeping hold of him.

Byron had never been good at granting comfort, but with Skylar,

it somehow came naturally. He held Skylar tight, murmuring slight
noises of comfort. Slowly, Skylar began to calm down, as if Byron’s
presence did indeed work.

“Thanks,” Skylar mumbled in a slightly hoarse voice. “Thank

you, Byron.”

The sound of his name on Skylar’s lips made Byron want to drag

Skylar away and claim him. He might have done so if the wolf hadn’t
chosen that exact moment to try to make his escape. Byron’s gaze
shot to Skylar’s attacker. “Don’t even think about it.”

He must not have been very convincing, or perhaps he was too

convincing, because the wolf dashed toward the shattered doors. As
gently as he could, Byron released Skylar and shot after the fleeing
man. Even if terror gave the werewolf speed, it was nothing compared
to Byron’s. In moments, he caught up to his nemesis and grabbed the
other shifter’s shoulder, squeezing without remorse. He actually heard

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

the bones break, and the wolf howled as he tried to scramble away
from the certain death he’d encounter at Byron’s hands.

Byron pinned the man to the wall, wondering how long he should

prolong the torture. He hadn’t yet taken a decision when he felt Skylar
move behind him. Skylar’s hand gently touched his shoulder.
“Don’t,” Skylar whispered. “He’s just drunk. Let’s just go… Please.”

Still keeping hold of the wolf, Byron turned toward Skylar. “He

tried to rape you,” he shouted with far more violence than he’d have
liked. “He’d have succeeded if I’d arrived a moment later.”

Skylar winced, and Byron wanted to kick himself for his

foolishness. “I know,” Skylar said, “and I’m very thankful. I just…
Let’s not ruin everything Elder Wade worked so hard for. Rick’s not
worth it.”

Byron couldn’t care less about the elder wolf’s sensibilities, but he

found himself unable to resist the seahorse’s plea. He’d killed in front
of Skylar once, but this time, he needed to keep his beast in check, to
respect the younger man’s wishes. The most important thing was
Skylar.

But what to do with the wolf? Byron couldn’t allow Skylar’s

attacker to go unpunished. A solution seemed to appear when the
racket they’d made at last drew the attention of the guards on location.
Several soldiers appeared, taking in the scene with suspicious eyes.

“Rick, what’s going on?” one of them asked.
“Oh, thank God,” the wolf in Byron’s grip said. “You’ve gotta

help me. This guy’s gone mad.”

To Byron’s anger and shock, the werewolves actually looked

suspicious of him. He supposed he should have expected it, but in his
state of mind, it was the last thing he needed.

He didn’t know what he’d have done had Soren not appeared,

followed by Garth. Both Soren and Brody had taken great pains to
ensure the security of their father’s party, and Garth also put a lot of
effort into it, but apparently, nothing could be perfect.

“What’s going on here?” Soren asked.

Scarlet Hyacinth

One of the werewolves began to speak. “Alpha, it seems that—”
Byron didn’t give him a chance to finish. “This piece of trash,” he

said while shaking Rick, “attacked Skylar.”

He saw Garth and Soren’s expressions darken as they looked

toward Skylar. The seahorse was still hiding behind Byron, obviously
embarrassed and still very frightened.

Byron pushed Rick toward Soren before he could yield to his own

impulses and break the wolf’s neck. He took off his jacket and
wrapped it around Skylar’s shoulders. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “We
can go now.”

Skylar gave him such a grateful, trusting look that Byron nearly

keeled over right then and there. He took the beautiful seahorse in his
arms and fought to keep his composure when Skylar cuddled closer to
him.

As he turned toward the group of watching men, he told Soren,

“Keep him away from me if you want him alive.”

Wisely, no one commented and they moved aside to let him pass.

Ignoring them, Byron began walking and headed toward Skylar’s
room. Of course, he very well knew where the seahorse was staying.
Hell, his need for Skylar had taken him to almost stalker-ish extremes.
He’d even moved his own home to be closer to Skylar, back in LA.

They reached Skylar’s appointed bedroom, and Byron was

presented with a new problem. He wanted to stay with the seahorse
and protect him, but he didn’t know if he could keep his need for
Skylar in check. He couldn’t be sure what would happen if he entered
that room. His beast was already anxious after not having been freed
to swim for quite a while, and the restraint he’d needed to exhibit to
keep himself from killing Rick already tested the boundaries of his
control.

For about a moment, he considered leaving Skylar at the door, but

that was cowardly and insensitive. No, he would make sure the
seahorse was safely in bed and then leave. He slowly let himself in
the room, waiting to see if Skylar protested the invasion of privacy.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

When Skylar didn’t say a thing, Byron crossed the room and put the
seahorse on the bed.

Skylar’s elegant outfit had been torn and smelled like Rick. With

trembling hands, Byron helped the seahorse out of his clothes,
allowing Skylar to keep the jacket for modesty. He retreated into the
bathroom, where he ran the water in the tub.

All the while, he waited for Skylar to tell him to leave, but the

seahorse remained silent. After Byron was satisfied with the
temperature in the tub, he returned to the bedroom. Skylar did not
wait for him, though. He dropped the jacket and made his way toward
Byron and the bath completely nude. Byron took a few deep breaths,
struggling to control his sexual frustration.

With gentle hands, he coaxed Skylar into the water. After that, it

was strikingly easy to keep his touch platonic. He found pleasure
simply in seeing the tension in Skylar’s body wash away, in the sweet
sounds the seahorse made. The increasing need to protect Skylar took
precedence over the lust and carnal desire.

It was quite strange, really. Byron had always taken care of his

subs physically, but emotionally, he hadn’t been able to offer comfort
since he didn’t know how. It was yet another reason why he felt
frustrated with himself in his sex life. He could bring a sub to climax
with only a pair of nipple clamps, but a deep emotional connection
could not be found where Byron had chosen his fuck toys.

Would it be different with Skylar? No, Byron couldn’t think about

that. Skylar probably wasn’t even into Byron’s dark lifestyle. The best
thing to do would be to keep watch over the seahorse from afar.

Byron was so deep in thought that when Skylar changed positions

in the tub, he almost didn’t register the motion. He didn’t realize
Skylar’s intention until the seahorse grabbed his arm and pulled him
into the tub.

If he’d have wanted to, Byron could have fought the pull. He

could have easily countered Skylar’s advances. But he didn’t. He

Scarlet Hyacinth

allowed himself to be dragged into the bath and fell into the water,
still dressed.

Skylar crawled into his lap and suctioned on his neck. Byron

groaned, all innocent intentions dissipating like they’d never been.
With Skylar’s naked body in his arms, the only thing keeping Byron
from thrusting inside Skylar was a thin layer of material and his own
straining control.

He pried Skylar off him and forced their eyes to meet. “No,

Skylar. No, we can’t do this.”

Skylar’s face fell. “Oh. Right, I forgot. You told me to stay away

from you. I…apologize.”

Byron knew he couldn’t allow things to stay like this. Skylar was

far too frail to be burdened with a misunderstanding caused by
Byron’s foolishness.

“No, sweetheart, it’s not like that.” He sighed. “I just don’t want

to hurt you.”

“Hurt me?” Skylar repeated, sounding genuinely confused.
“Look at me, Skylar. I’m huge. I’m a monster.” He cupped

Skylar’s cheek. “And you… You’re so delicate. I would crush you.”

It was true. Byron was practically twice the size of Skylar. He

couldn’t imagine how scary it must be for the seahorse to even be in
his proximity. Of course, Byron had never actually sensed fear
coming from Skylar whenever they were together, but that would
definitely change if Byron did just one of the things that passed
through his mind.

Skylar didn’t say anything. He just looked at Byron, his green

eyes shining emeralds that hypnotized Byron. “I’m not scared of
you,” he finally whispered. “I want you.”

Byron didn’t doubt Skylar’s honesty. However, the seahorse had

just been through a very traumatic experience, and he would cling to
anything to keep him safe. “We’ll discuss this further a different
time,” he said.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Skylar opened his mouth, obviously intending to protest, but

Byron just arched a brow. It was enough. Instantly, Skylar obeyed,
remaining silent. In that simple gesture, Byron didn’t see any fear. He
saw the desire to submit, and he knew that he’d been wrong about his
first assessment of Skylar. The seahorse might be interested in
exploring the dark pleasures Byron’s dungeon could offer.

But that would have to wait. Byron finished cleaning Skylar and

got out of the bath. He took off his soaked shirt, leaving his pants on
despite the unpleasant feel of wet material. He helped Skylar out of
the bath and toweled him dry. Even if seahorses might be comfortable
in water, they still slept in beds, and humidity between the sheets was
never pleasant.

Finally, he took Skylar in his arms and carried him back to the

bed. As he placed the seahorse down, Skylar gave him an earnest
look. “Just please…don’t go anywhere. Stay with me tonight.”

Byron nodded. He took off his shoes and socks and drew a chair

close to the bed. “I’ll stay. Now go to sleep. You’re safe.”

Skylar must have been exhausted as moments later, his eyelids

drooped shut, and he fell asleep. Byron just sat there, watching him
and wondering what tomorrow would bring. Could he really hope for
something with Skylar? God, he didn’t know, and the uncertainty, a
feeling he was most unfamiliar with, drove him crazy. What he did
know, however, was that from the bottom of his cold heart, he wanted
to.

Scarlet Hyacinth

Chapter Two

“I’ll tear your ass apart.” The man’s disgusting breath huffed in

Skylar’s ear, and his cock nudged between the nude cheeks of his ass.
“You dirty slut.”

Skylar writhed, trying to break free, but he couldn’t. Disgust and

terror gripped him. He would be raped. Oh, God, he would be raped.
And then, a strong, warm presence was by his side, comforting him.
The specter of his would-be rapist dissipated, and Skylar found
himself in Byron’s embrace.

“Shhh,” Byron said, rocking him slowly. “It’s all right. He can’t

hurt you.”

Skylar cuddled closer to Byron, hating his own weakness, but at

the same time thankful for the comfort Byron provided.

For a few moments, he just sat there, enjoying Byron’s scent.

Seahorses compensated for their lack of speed with a keen sense of
smell, and Skylar was quite happy about it now. Byron’s aroma
enveloped him in a feel of absolute security and slowly, ever so
slowly, Skylar’s breathing began to even, and his heart rate started to
level out.

All the while, Byron never ceased murmuring soft words. Skylar

couldn’t hear everything that was said, but the mere tone of Byron’s
voice calmed him.

He briefly broke away from the embrace and looked up at Byron.

The shark seemed concerned, so Skylar smiled. “Thanks. I’m sorry
about this.”

Byron smiled back. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault.” His expression

darkened. “You should have let me kill him for what he did.”

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Skylar shook his head. He appreciated Byron’s anger on his

behalf, but he didn’t want any blood to mar Elder Wade’s mating.
Most importantly, he didn’t want it to ruin the potential beginning of
their relationship.

It was too soon, much too soon to even think in those terms, since

Byron had only mentioned a sexual attraction between them, and one
the shark felt reluctant to follow up on. It hadn’t missed Skylar’s
attention that Byron had not taken his pants off the night before, even
if the wet clothes must have been uncomfortable.

At the same time, he’d also sensed one of the reasons of Byron’s

decision, physically. In fact, he could feel it now, as he sat in Byron’s
arms, the warmth of Byron’s thick prick. He experimentally wiggled
around and was rewarded with a groan from Byron. The shark’s
hands landed on Skylar’s hips, stilling him. “Don’t do that,
sweetheart. You’re not ready.”

“Why can’t I decide whether I’m ready or not?” Skylar asked,

feeling frustrated. He’d wanted Byron for months, and now when the
shark was within his reach, Byron still refused him.

It occurred to him then that Byron might not want him because of

what had happened the night before. Perhaps Byron thought Skylar
had done something to bring on Rick’s unwanted advances. After all,
many people were confused as to the mating habits of seahorses.
Some, like Rick, were convinced of the promiscuity of Skylar’s kind.
Others admired them for mating for life, and things like Skylar’s
family seemed to prove them right. But the fact of the matter was that
for seahorses, things could vary a lot, just like it happened for
humans.

He doubted Byron would care too much about that, though. His

heart heavy, he broke away from the shark. “I guess I should have
learned my lesson,” he murmured, more to himself than to Byron.
Without looking at the man he’d have wanted for a mate, he added,
“Thanks again for staying with me, but I shouldn’t take any more of
your time. Perhaps you should go.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

“I think not,” Byron answered, and Skylar could practically hear

the implacable decision in his voice. “I’m not leaving you alone.”

Skylar rolled off the bed and faced the shark head on. “I don’t

want your pity. I’m a grown man. I can take care of myself.”

Of course, he’d have been more convincing if tears hadn’t started

streaming down his cheeks. God, he was a mess. Whenever he took
charge of agency issues, he could deal with them efficiently and for
the benefit of all those involved, but the past twenty-four hours had
shaken him to the core. He needed to get a grip. He’d already
embarrassed himself in front of Byron. He refused to continue doing
it.

Acutely aware of his own nudity, he grabbed a jacket off the chair

and draped it on. It turned out to be a bad idea, and he remembered
too late the jacket belonged to Byron. Byron’s scent enveloped him,
making his plan to push Byron away even more difficult to put into
practice.

“I know what you must think of me after last night,” he rambled

on without really thinking about what he was saying, “so I don’t want
you to force yourself to stay.”

He was horrified at how much he’d revealed, how uncertain and

scared he sounded even to his own ears. Now more than ever, he
acknowledged how disgusted Byron must be of him. He’d let Rick
touch him and was forcing a man who had many times in the past
pointed out his distaste of Skylar to stay with him. Could he get even
more pathetic?

Just the memory of the night before made his skin crawl, and he

barely managed to suppress a whimper. God, if only he could sink
into Byron’s arms again… When the shark held him, he felt safe and
complete. But he didn’t deserve that. He was a dirty slut, just like
Rick had said.

When Byron spoke once more, the shark’s words startled Skylar.

“Skylar, come here,” Byron ordered.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

There was so much authority in the words that Skylar couldn’t

help but obey. His body moved without him even thinking about it,
and he made his way back to Byron’s side.

“Drop the jacket.”
Skylar obeyed, and he once more stood naked in front of Byron.

In his mind, he knew he should have been afraid, but Byron’s orders
caused none of the fear he’d felt with Rick.

“On the bed, facedown,” Byron commanded.
Skylar jumped on the bed and crawled on all fours. He shivered as

the shark caressed his ass. He didn’t know what to expect, what to
think. His heart beat a million miles an hour.

Because on this uncertainty, the slap that landed against his

behind took him completely by surprise. Skylar released a cry-pop,
confused by the sudden sensations that coursed through him.

“Don’t ever say that you’re pathetic,” Byron murmured.
At the bottom of his mind, Skylar realized he’d spoken more than

he’d originally thought, but he couldn’t focus on his embarrassment.
His nipples peaked and his cock throbbed as the burn of the slap
melted into a pleasure he’d never experienced.

Another hard hit landed on the other cheek of his ass. Skylar

moaned, torn between conflicting sensations. He’d wondered what it
would be like and imagined himself at Byron’s mercy, but had never
actually expected for it to feel so right.

“Don’t ever think I’m disgusted of you,” Byron added after the

second hit.

Two quick slaps followed, making Skylar’s skin burn with

delicious pleasure. “Don’t ever believe I pity you. What I feel for you
is too intense to be called pity.”

Byron’s gentle hands caressed his buttocks, and the shark pressed

feather-light kisses over Skylar’s cheeks. He turned Skylar around
and forced their eyes to meet.

“Don’t ever think you’re a slut. You’re not. Nothing that man did

to you makes you dirty.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Skylar’s vision blurred with tears again. “Touch me, Byron.

Please, touch me. Take me. Make it go away.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” Byron pressed a kiss to his temple. “You have

no idea how much I want to.”

Skylar thought Byron would refuse him again, but the shark

didn’t. Instead, Byron lowered his lips and pressed them to Skylar’s.
Moaning, Skylar wrapped his arms around Byron’s neck and
surrendered to the kiss.

Byron pushed his tongue inside slowly, coaxing, seducing, not

forceful as Skylar would have expected. Oddly, the gentleness seemed
to soothe the ache inside Skylar. He’d enjoyed the spanking very
much, and he wanted more of it, but this made the feeling of being
dirty go away. It was as if Byron told him without words how
treasured and how precious he was. Even without Byron speaking,
Skylar heard it, loud and clear.

He melted in Byron’s arms, unable to cope with his mixed

feelings. Pure arousal, gratitude, awe and an ever-increasing affection
struggled for supremacy inside him. Their lips parted when they
needed to breathe, and even if Skylar would have liked more of
Byron’s sinful kiss, he allowed the shark to set the pace.

Byron lowered him back down on the bed, and Skylar trembled as

the shark’s big form loomed over him. It wasn’t fear, but rather,
anticipation and excitement. Would Byron truly fuck him? Could he
take it, or would he disappoint the other man?

Byron grinned down at him, his black eyes sparkling with lust and

an emotion Skylar didn’t dare identify. The shark made no move to
take off the rest of his clothing and instead lowered his body over
Skylar. His mouth zeroed in on Skylar’s nipples, and Skylar released
another moan-pop. It was so good. Unlike for most fish, nipples could
be an erogenous zone for seahorses, and it certainly seemed to be so
in Skylar’s case. The little nubs felt connected to Skylar’s cock, and
every pull of Byron’s skilled mouth made Skylar approach climax
more and more.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

He was a bit startled, but pleasantly so, when a sharp fang

scratched at the sensitive flesh. The bite of pain combined with the
pure pleasure, and Skylar arched against the shark, all apprehension
forgotten.

Byron chuckled, and he abandoned Skylar’s nipples. His tongue

traveled down Skylar’s chest and over his abdomen until he reached
Skylar’s naked prick. His dry fingers rubbed at Skylar’s hole, testing
the resistance of the guardian muscles.

For a few moments, as his shark’s breath tickled the head of his

prick, Skylar experienced a moment of panic. He remembered the
night before, Rick’s nauseating touch and the way the werewolf had
been ready to breech him. But then, Byron squeezed his hip, and his
voice reached Skylar’s ears. “Slowly, sweetheart. Breathe. Come on.
Breathe with me.”

It was a command, just like before, and Skylar obeyed. As he

listened to Byron’s certain voice, the tension drained out of him. He
looked down toward Byron, and relief combined with arousal at the
sight of Byron between his legs. God, this was what he’d wanted for
so long. How could he now be afraid of it?

His cock, which had lost interest during his flashback, went rock

hard again. Byron must have realized it, because once more, he
focused on Skylar’s pleasure. His mouth lowered over Skylar’s prick
and slowly, just like in the case of the kiss, he took Skylar deep,
swallowing him down.

The volcanic heat that enveloped him might have taken Skylar by

surprise, except his own body felt unbearably hot with desire and
passion. His hips moved convulsively as he couldn’t help wanting to
thrust inside Byron’s mouth. Byron took his cock all the way into his
throat, seemingly having no problem at all deep-throating him.

When Byron’s thick finger slipped into his virgin hole, the burn of

the dry invasion was too much for Skylar to withstand. He’d touched
himself there before, of course, but it had felt nothing like this.

Scarlet Hyacinth

Crying out Byron’s name, Skylar exploded, sending his seed

down the shark’s throat. Byron swallowed his offering down without
a problem. As Skylar soared over his climax, Byron licked him clean,
dragging on the pleasure.

Skylar didn’t know how long he floated in his afterglow, but when

he at last came down from the high, he realized that he hadn’t done
anything to make Byron come.

He tried to get up, but Byron pushed him back down. The shark

flipped him on his belly, and Skylar half thought Byron would fuck
him now. Instead, Byron started massaging his still-sore buttocks,
soothing away the pain with his touch. He even flicked his tongue
over Skylar’s skin, but while the caress awoke renewed arousal inside
Skylar, it held none of the urgency from before.

Seahorses dealt with physical pain easier than other species, so the

lingering hurt quickly diminished. He waited to see what Byron
would do, but to his surprise, Byron lifted his head and lay down next
to Skylar. He pulled Skylar close and caressed his hair, making no
move to pleasure himself.

“Byron?” Skylar said hesitantly, not comprehending.
“Shhh,” Byron silenced him. “Just get some rest. It’s very early.”
Two thoughts passed through Skylar’s mind at the same time. The

first was that he hadn’t even thought about the time while with Byron.
Indeed, a brief gaze out the window told him it was dark still.
However, the darkness seemed to echo inside his heart when he
realized that this must have been just a pity fuck.

As if guessing his thoughts, Byron squeezed him tight. “Don’t

even think about it. Whatever’s passing through your mind now, it’s
all wrong.” Byron took Skylar’s hand and kissed it. “In a few days,
once we’re back in LA, we’ll talk about this more. Now obey, and get
some sleep.”

More than the words, Byron’s touch reassured Skylar. He didn’t

know what would happen when he awoke, but with Byron by his side,
he wasn’t afraid.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

* * * *

Daylight arrived before Byron could rest. He wasn’t particularly

surprised, nor did he mind all that much. He never slept much in the
first place, and he liked watching over Skylar to make sure no harm
came to the seahorse.

But once he fell asleep, Skylar didn’t stir again, and even as he

took in Skylar’s beautiful face, Byron found his mind drifting to his
predicament. As much as he told himself he could stay away from
Skylar, the truth was that the seahorse had become a drug to him. He
loved the sweet popping sounds Skylar made during climax, a
seahorse noise, yet somewhat still unique and special. The way
Skylar’s blond hair framed his face made him look like an angel,
Byron’s angel. And especially now that Byron had gotten a taste of
his passion, he didn’t think he could go back to being a distant
protector.

Besides, that hadn’t worked out very well in the first place. Byron

hated to admit it, but he’d failed Skylar. He’d pushed the seahorse
away, and for that reason, Skylar had ended up in harm’s way.

Byron knew he could not take advantage of Skylar’s vulnerability

for his own benefit. Even if he wanted to claim Skylar as his own, it
could only happen once Skylar began to get over his trauma and could
make an informed decision. As it was, Skylar now clung to him as a
natural progression, and that didn’t necessarily mean the seahorse
would later be inclined to follow through with a deeper relationship.

These thoughts, and so much more, tortured Byron until the sun

finally peeked through the curtains. In his arms, Skylar began to move
slightly.

His eyes cracked open, and he smiled lazily at Byron. “What time

is it?”

“Around eight o’clock,” Byron replied. He didn’t even have to

check the clock on the wall to know.

Scarlet Hyacinth

“Oh, we should probably get washed up and dressed for breakfast,

huh?”

Skylar didn’t sound very enthusiastic about the prospect, and

Byron couldn’t blame him. He nodded, knowing that they did, indeed,
have to face the world.

“You should probably head to your own room to change,” Skylar

added.

Byron wasn’t very pleased about the suggestion. It would imply

leaving Skylar alone, and he didn’t think the seahorse was ready for
that yet. “Maybe I should stay until you changed, and we could drop
by my room after that.”

Skylar shook his head. “No, no.” He laughed self-deprecatingly.

“I admit I’m not very happy with being alone, but I’m not going to get
over this by clinging to you every step of the way.”

Byron acknowledged his lover’s words with a brief nod. “Very

well. If that’s what you wish.” He pressed a brief peck to Skylar’s
forehead. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere,” he said as he got
up.

He put on his shoes again and grabbed his still-damp shirt, then

left the room. Every step he took away from Skylar seemed to hurt
physically. He sped up, thankful that he’d been given a room that was
reasonably close to Skylar’s. He suspected Garth had a hand in those
arrangements. The lynx never tired of trying to convince Byron that
he should pursue a relationship with Skylar.

As if the thought had summoned Garth from thin air, the lynx

appeared at the other side of the corridor. Even if he’d have preferred
to duck directly into his room, Byron resigned himself to wasting
some valuable time on his friend.

“Hi,” Garth greeted him. “How’s Skylar?”
“Recovering,” Byron replied. “I’m getting changed and going

back to his room.”

“I’m so sorry about last night. I told Rick to stay put and take a

break from drinking. I never expected him to attack Skylar.”

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Byron couldn’t blame his friend for what had happened. It was

Rick Carver’s fault, and Byron planned to make sure the werewolf
paid. Still, he bristled, the mere mentioning of the werewolf’s name
drawing out the predator in him. “If I’d had my way, that man would
be dead, and you know it.”

“I’m aware of that and so is the elder. He said he wanted to talk

about it with you.” Garth grimaced. “Rick claims he can’t remember
anything that happened last night. Some werewolves seem to believe
him, and they’ve asked for a lighter sentence.”

“You can tell them this, Garth. If I see his ass in LA, there won’t

be anything left from him to even identify. Got that?” He headed
toward his room and stopped when he remembered one more thing.
“Oh, and once the Pierces hear of this, there’s going to be hell to pay,
whether I kill him or not.”

“I know.” Garth sounded tired. “God, I can’t believe this

happened, and when things were going so well.” He sighed. “At any
rate, the most important thing is Skylar now. Please, take care of him,
Byron.”

Byron nodded and opened the door to his room. In swift, efficient

motions, he found another custom-made suit and pulled it on,
ruminating over his conversation with Garth as he did so. If the elder
werewolf didn’t choose an adequate punishment for Skylar’s attacker,
Byron would have to intervene. However, Skylar wouldn’t be very
happy if something Byron did caused an inter-species war. Christ,
what a clusterfuck.

He moved as quickly as he could and, in minutes, he was out of

his room and heading back toward Skylar’s. Once at Skylar’s door, he
knocked lightly.

“Yes?” Skylar’s voice came from inside.
“It’s me,” Byron said. “Can I—?”
The door opened before he could finish the phrase. A half-naked

Skylar appeared in the doorway, looking wild-eyed and disheveled.
He grabbed Byron’s wrist and pulled. Byron went with Skylar’s

Scarlet Hyacinth

wishes and allowed his lover to drag him into the room. “What’s the
matter, sweetheart?” he asked as soon as the door closed behind him.

“I… I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Skylar paced in front

of him. “I can’t focus. I can’t find anything.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” Byron cursed to himself. “I’m sorry. I never

should have left you so soon.”

Skylar turned pleading eyes toward him. “Byron, why is it like

this? He… He didn’t even hurt me that bad. Why am I so afraid?”

If there was something Byron understood, it was fear. Oftentimes,

it didn’t matter if pain had been inflicted or not. Terror was a
psychological phenomenon, and Skylar’s terror would not easily
vanish from his mind. Some people dealt with it better, others worse.

Because he knew this, it was even more unforgivable that he’d

allowed his lover to be on his own so soon after his ordeal.

“It’s normal,” he said. “Come here.”
He made his words an order, but without pressing too hard.

Predictably, the security of his authority made Skylar relax. The
seahorse approached him and his shy gaze met Byron’s. “Deep
breaths, sweetheart,” Byron said. “Count with me. One.”

“One,” Skylar repeated.
“Two.”
Skylar’s eyes never left Byron’s face as he said, “Two.”
“Three, four, five.”
Skylar spoke every number after Byron and with each word, more

and more tension drained out of him. At last, Byron pressed a brief
kiss to Skylar’s lips. “Better?”

“Yes, thank you.” Skylar sighed. “You must think I’m a big

coward.”

“Not at all, sweetheart. You must understand something. Fear is a

relative thing. Everyone is afraid. Courage just means the way you
handle those fears.”

Skylar smiled sadly. “I bet you’re not afraid of anything.”

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

“Of course I am. We fear the things we cannot control.” Byron

cupped Skylar’s cheek, half unable to believe he was even saying
these things. “I might have absolute rule over one part of my life, but
another is very uncertain.”

Skylar bit his lip. “Not uncertain,” he finally said.

“Just…complicated.”

Clearly, they were thinking about the same thing, and Byron

hugged Skylar tight once again. He knew things were complicated,
but that didn’t mean he couldn’t untangle them. “Go on. Go change.
They’re waiting for us at breakfast.”

With Byron there, it didn’t take long for Skylar to find his

clothing. Byron prudently looked away while his lover pulled his
clothes on. It was both for his own benefit, and Skylar’s. Seeing
Skylar’s nude body would definitely make him want to repeat the
episode from the night before, and now was not the time.

“Okay, I’m ready,” Skylar finally said.
Byron turned to his lover and was once again struck by Skylar’s

beauty. It seemed surreal, like the sun’s rays shining over the ocean’s
surface at dawn, too amazing for it to actually belong in such a filthy
world.

Byron extended his hand, and Skylar took it. Wordlessly, they

walked out of the room. As soon as they left their little sanctuary,
Skylar began to tense. Byron wrapped his arm around Skylar’s waist
and pulled him closer as they walked.

They reached the dining room and found most of the household

and guests gathered there. Byron immediately regretted bring Skylar
to breakfast, but by some miracle, most of the people didn’t seem to
know about the attack on Skylar. They greeted the seahorse normally,
complimented him on the party. Some inquired on Skylar’s
disappearing act from the night before, which made Byron want to
wring their necks.

However, Skylar took it all in stride. In spite of the fear he’d

shown while in private with Byron, he now seemed completely calm.

Scarlet Hyacinth

Byron knew it was a mask, but he felt very proud of Skylar
nonetheless.

It helped that Skylar’s friends were also there. Carson, Shiloh,

Daniel, and Nicolas made it their business to steer conversation away
from Skylar and onto more generic matters. Byron made a mental
note to thank them later. His way of pushing aside unwanted attention
would have been much more violent.

The excruciating meal ended, and the elder gestured them to a

private receiving room. His two sons were also there, as well as Liam
Denning and Garth. Their presence made Byron more at ease, but
another werewolf Byron didn’t know was also there. One look at him,
and Byron knew this conversation would not go well.

“Mr. Pierce, my son brought to my attention the events that

occurred last night,” the elder said. “You know how much I value you
and your family, and I deeply regret you passing through such an
unpleasant experience.”

Unpleasant experience? The beast inside Byron rose once more.

The elder was treading dangerous ground, and if he didn’t offer
Skylar proper respect, he might find himself in a very unpleasant
situation himself.

Seemingly guessing Byron’s thoughts, Skylar squeezed his waist.

His voice showed no emotion when he told the elder, “I appreciate
your words, Elder Wade. You don’t need to worry. I understand that
man’s behavior isn’t representative of the way you lead your pack.”

“Indeed.” The werewolf offered them a small nod and paused.

“While I hate to ask you this, I have to know what exactly happened
last night.”

A silent growl emerged in Byron’s throat. Sharks weren’t very

vocal creatures. If anything, they were silent hunters, and that went
for shark shifters, as well. However, while Byron didn’t have the
benefit of a threatening roar, he had something better. The electricity
detectors that in his animal counterparts helped detect motion had

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

somehow become more developed for him, to the extent that he could
actually paralyze prey if he so desired.

Of course, he didn’t want to expose the elder werewolf to that sort

of thing. They weren’t in a pissing contest here, and Byron was still a
guest in the other man’s home. However, it wouldn’t hurt to point out
that, if any of those present made a move that could be interpreted as
against Skylar, they would find it very difficult to repeat it.

Skylar leaned closer to him, and Byron realized in awe that the

seahorse actually meant to provide comfort to Byron. It was amazing
since Skylar himself needed care now.

“There’s not much to tell,” Skylar said. “I needed some air, so I

went upstairs in the balcony. A few minutes later, Rick showed up.
He approached me and propositioned me, and when I refused, he tried
to take by force what wasn’t willingly given.”

As Skylar finished the phrase, the unknown werewolf snorted.

“Rick would never do something like that. Elder, the seahorse must
have enticed him. Everyone knows seahorses are sluts. There’s—”

The man’s vocal cords froze as Byron unleashed his power. “You

don’t want to say anything more.” He narrowed his eyes at the man
and then turned toward Kevin Wade. “Elder, what is this? Why does
Skylar have to be subjected to such slander?”

“I conceded Winston Carver’s demand to hear out the course of

the events from Mr. Pierce since Rick is his son.” The elder sounded
furious. “It seems I might have made a mistake.”

Winston was starting to grow a little purple with the effort to

speak and move. Soren took a step forward and grabbed the wolf’s
arm. “Father, with your permission…”

The elder nodded at his son. “Secure him someplace where he

won’t cause any trouble.”

Byron released his hold over Winston, and Soren dragged the

insulting bastard out of the receiving room. Elder Wade released
another sigh. “It seems I must, once again, apologize. I assure you, I

Scarlet Hyacinth

did not expect him to say something like that in front of you. Please,
go on, Mr. Pierce.”

It didn’t miss Byron’s attention that the elder had been aware of

Winston’s opinion of Skylar. However, Wade seemed to be doing his
best to clarify the situation. He’d actually apologized, something that,
as a rule, alphas never did.

Skylar must have known that as well. He nodded and continued

from where he left off. “As I was saying, Rick attempted to force
himself on me. At that point, Mr. Cunningham here arrived and
rescued me. Shortly after, the guards showed up, and from that point
on, you’re probably more familiar with what happened than I am.”

“And did you call out for help before?” the elder inquired.
Skylar nodded. “I gather no one was in the area because they

would have heard me screaming.”

Byron frowned to himself. Truth be told, that did sound a little

suspicious. Someone must have been around since they’d rushed to
Rick’s defense once Byron had come in. What had truly happened the
night before?

Byron struggled to remember if he’d seen any people on the stairs

when he’d went to the upper level to find Skylar. He realized he had
followed Skylar’s trail, an indirect route to the balcony. The main
staircase that led upstairs could have, and probably had been, still
guarded by Wade’s men. They were werewolves. They must have
heard the scuffle during Rick’s attack on Skylar.

“I see,” the elder wolf said. “This is more serious than I even

expected.”

“You believe me?” Skylar sounded surprised.
“Of course I do.” Wade smiled softly. “You have no reason to lie

or cause mischief at a party you yourself fought so much to organize.
Furthermore, you helped Brody with finding my first two nephews
and aided in punishing the people guilty of Carlie Denning’s murder.
You’re like family now, Skylar. Surely, you know that.”

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

“I don’t know what to say.” Skylar’s voice trembled with

emotion. “Thank you, Elder.”

“No, Skylar. Thank you, for everything you’ve done.” Wade

turned toward Byron. “I assure you, Mr. Cunningham, this will not go
unpunished. Rick and those who aided him in this will be severely
reprimanded.”

“What do you intend, Elder?” Byron inquired, keeping his voice

level, stern and respectful.

“Normally, this type of offense would warrant an exile from the

pack. However, given the situation, I cannot risk having Rick on the
loose while the situation is still so volatile. As you well know, Mr.
Cunningham, the mating of my two sons and my own has brought me
to believe that cooperation can exist between shape-shifters on
different levels of the food chain. But finding this delicate balance is
an astronomically difficult task. “Many of our people are confused,
but they trust me and my sons to do what’s right. However, there are
individuals like Rick who throw a wrench in our plans for
cooperation. Rick has never been a particularly cooperative member
of the pack, so in a way, I can’t say I’m surprised. This discontent has
been growing ever since Brody mated Carson. Even so, I’d never
have expected him, or any other of my people, to go quite so far.”

The elder gave Byron a penetrating look. “And if I’m telling you

this, Mr. Cunningham, it is because I will also need your full support
on this. I gather from my sons that you are a very powerful man, and
the werewolves need all the help they can get if we’re going to create
a new state of affairs for shape-shifters.”

“I agree,” Byron said, unsurprised. After all, he’d been invited to

this celebration for a reason, and it wasn’t just because of the
assistance he’d provided for the werewolves in the past. “Indeed, it
will not be easy, but from my part, you can expect full cooperation.
As long as you keep your pack on a leash, that is.”

He’d have liked to say more, but Skylar was there, and the

seahorse would not appreciate any threats made to their host. Clearing

Scarlet Hyacinth

his throat, he changed the subject. “We will be leaving in a couple of
hours, but keep us posted regarding what was discussed here.”

“Actually,” Skylar piped up, “I can’t leave. It’s my duty to stay

and lead all the guests out. I helped organize the party, remember?”

There was a hint of irritation in Skylar’s voice, something Byron

hadn’t heard before. He realized he might have made a serious
mistake in assuming Skylar would simply follow his lead in
everything. Skylar had a mind of his own, and Byron had gone all
caveman and practically made a decision for him, exactly at this
particular moment when Skylar needed to feel in control again. Crap,
Byron felt like an idiot.

“Indeed. I apologize. It slipped my mind.”
Skylar seemed a bit pacified, and he quieted down in Byron’s

embrace. “Now, Elder Wade, since we’re over the unpleasantness, let
me congratulate you again on your mating. And where is your lovely
mate this morning? I didn’t see her a breakfast.”

The tension dissipated from the room, and a smile appeared on the

elder’s face. “She slept in.”

Even Byron, who didn’t know Elder Wade all that well, could tell

there was something behind that little smile. Brody barked out a
laugh, and Liam smirked. Skylar seemed to figure out what was going
on faster than Byron.

“Oh. Then another set of congratulations is in order.”
The elder now looked a bit uncomfortable. “Thank you, but we’re

not sure if she’s expecting or not yet.” He lowered his voice. “And of
course, it’s not common knowledge, since up to this point, we
actually thought inter-species breeding was impossible.”

“May I advise you visiting our clinic once you are certain?”

Skylar suggested gently. “We will be able to offer Annabelle the best
of care.”

“Thank you very much, Skylar. I appreciate the offer.”
As the conversation continued, Byron felt a little lost. He realized

that beyond being a seahorse, Skylar was actually quite a social

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

butterfly. He knew how to talk to people, how to put them at ease and
make them reveal things they wouldn’t normally share with people
outside their family. It was a tricky skill to possess, and a dangerous
one, or at least it would have been if it belonged to someone else. But
Byron already knew Skylar wasn’t that type of person. What unsettled
him a bit was the renewed realization of just how different they were.
Could he give Skylar the relationship and stability the seahorse
undoubtedly wanted? He hated the fact that he even doubted it, but as
he stood there, watching, he couldn’t help but wonder if he could be
the mate Skylar needed.

Scarlet Hyacinth

Chapter Three

One week later

Skylar checked the form once again as he typed in the name of the

happy couple requesting an adoption. Normally, this sort of thing
went through his secretary, but it seemed a mistake had snuck in
somewhere along the way, making the already complicated process
even more difficult.

Skylar knew how important it was to match the right child with

the right family. Some couples who came here thought they were
ready to raise a baby who didn’t come from their own loins, but they
actually weren’t. On occasion, there were those who applied in
advance, without really feeling prepared for the responsibility of
having a child. However, they could prove to be the best parents in
the world, if given the chance. Brody and Carson Williams-Wade
were a clear example of this fact.

But it was Skylar’s job to decide what couples from those who

visited the agency got to fulfill their wish. Often, it felt too much like
playing God. After all, who was he to judge one person was better
than the other? It was not easy, but someone had to do it, and, with
time, Skylar had gotten very good at it.

On the other hand, it was also very time consuming. Up until this

week, Skylar hadn’t realized just how much time he spent at the
agency. After the event hosted by the elder werewolf ended, Skylar
and Byron returned to LA. Skylar had hoped that, once here, they
would have the opportunity to explore their relationship a bit more,
but as it turned out, work had piled up in his absence, and it had taken

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

him a good couple of days to get back on track. His parents had
supervised the agency in his absence, but Skylar wanted to deal with
some of the issues personally. Because of that, even when he’d
returned to his regular schedule, he and Byron had very little time to
spend with each other.

Most of the time, Byron seemed just as busy, but the shark had

made several attempts to ask Skylar out. Every time, a last minute
emergency popped up, and Skylar had been forced to cancel. Skylar
feared Byron would get fed up with him and decide Skylar wasn’t
worth the effort, after all.

It was now almost eight in the evening, and Byron hadn’t called

all day. Skylar stole a peek at the clock on his computer screen and bit
his lip. Should he take the initiative and call, or wait to see if Byron
changed his mind? God, he didn’t know.

He was so lost in thoughts he jumped when he heard his

secretary’s voice. “No, you can’t go in there.”

The familiar feeling of Byron’s strong presence invaded his mind

even before the shark opened the door. He didn’t know how he could
have even missed it. He was always aware of Byron, and the shark
never ceased to be in his thoughts.

Skylar waved his secretary’s concern away and gave Byron an

anxious look. He didn’t know how to read Byron’s expression. The
shark’s dark eyes gave absolutely nothing away.

“Hello, Skylar,” he said. “Are you done with your workday?”
“I h–have a few more things to wrap up,” Skylar managed to

stammer. His heart beat faster and his breath was already starting to
become labored, simply because of Byron’s eyes on him.

“I think they can wait until tomorrow,” Byron answered. “Right?”
Truth be told, completing the documents could, indeed, wait. A

couple more hours meant nothing in the long run. And still, Skylar
hesitated.

Scarlet Hyacinth

He didn’t know what was wrong with him, why he was even

trying to choose work over Byron. He’d wanted Byron for so long and
now, he was avoiding the other man. Why?

“Byron… I… I don’t understand.”
Byron’s expression softened. “I know, sweetheart. Don’t worry.

Come on. You need a break from all this.”

As if through a dream, Skylar saved his progress in the document

he’d been working on and shut down his computer. Byron led him out
of the room, a gentle hand on the small of his back. Skylar’s secretary
seemed somewhat concerned, so Skylar told her something
appropriately noncommittal to soothe her worry.

Most of the staff of the agency had already gone by now, and

Skylar experienced a moment of guilt for forcing his secretary to stay.
That thought vanished as Byron led him out and toward his large
vehicle.

Byron’s car would have stood out in any parking lot, since it

seemed custom-made for its owner. Massive, but at the same time
managing to be elegant, it had drawn Skylar’s admiration. He had a
little passion for cars, and he recognized a good one when he saw it.

Byron opened the door for him, and Skylar slid into the vehicle,

taking shotgun. It had somehow been decided that he would go
wherever Byron took him. As the shark occupied the driver’s seat,
Skylar couldn’t help but ask, “Where are we going?”

“I’m taking you out to dinner,” Byron said with a brief smile. “We

need to talk.”

Those famous words were the ones any person in a relationship

dreaded to hear. However, Skylar and Byron didn’t have a
relationship per se. They’d only had sex once, and that time only
amounted to a blow job. Skylar had relived those moments many
times, wondering if he’d misjudged Byron’s attraction and if it had
been a pity blow job after all. Perhaps today, he would find out.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Byron drove them to an elegant downtown restaurant. “They cook

excellent seafood meals here,” Byron explained. “I went ahead and
made reservations.”

“I’m familiar with it,” Skylar replied, somewhat surprised at the

choice and at the empty parking lot. There were always many people
around, since its quality services made it a very popular restaurant.
Byron was right about one thing. The seafood here tasted delicious.

Curious, Skylar followed behind Byron as the shark led him out of

the car and toward the restaurant. The lights were dim, but Skylar
was, after all, a shape-shifter. He realized then that the place was,
indeed, empty, and began to understand.

“Just what kind of reservations did you make?” he asked Byron.
Byron grinned at him. “The whole place, of course. What did you

think?”

The maître d’ appeared and greeted both of them by name. He

directed them to an already set table with a beautiful centerpiece of
flowers and romantic candles. Skylar was touched by the detail, even
if he didn’t know whether Byron had chosen it to be so or not. More
than anything, he understood the reason of why Byron had chosen to
come here.

It was a space Skylar felt familiar with, but at the same time, by

reserving the whole restaurant, Byron had granted them absolute
privacy. Once again, Skylar wondered just how well Byron knew him.

After they were seated, they received menus, and Skylar glanced

over the list, even if he knew it by heart. He chose his favorite,
coconut fried shrimp—he was, after all, a seahorse—while Byron
went with the boiled crab.

While they waited for their dinner, they were served appetizer

mussels and Chardonnay to complement the dish. After that, the
waiters disappeared, at last leaving Skylar and Byron alone.

In the beginning, Byron didn’t speak and just stared at him with

those unfathomable black eyes. Skylar fidgeted, remembering
Byron’s words from the car. It unsettled him, as did Byron’s silence.

Scarlet Hyacinth

“Why did you bring me here?” Skylar finally forced himself to

ask. “What did you want to talk about?”

To distract himself, Skylar took a mussel from the appetizer plate

and worked it open. As he slid the meat into his mouth, Byron finally
spoke. “To ask you a question. Do you want me or not?”

Skylar choked on the smooth mussel meat. Hastily, Byron shot to

his feet and offered him the glass of wine. Skylar gratefully took it
and washed down the errant meal with the liquid. It must have been
sacrilege to waste such good vintage when Skylar couldn’t really
enjoy it, but truly, wine was the last thing on his mind.

He put the glass back down, and Byron took his cue to seat

himself opposite Skylar once more. Embarrassed at his own gaffe,
Skylar wiped his lips with the napkin. He tried to focus on providing
an answer for Byron’s previous question. It was actually very easy,
but for whatever reason, Skylar hesitated.

“Yes or no, Skylar,” Byron prodded. Those black eyes seemed to

be hot coals burning into Skylar’s skin. “It’s not an ultimatum, only a
choice, and I will be by your side whether you choose to pursue a
relationship between us or not.” Byron reached for his hand and
squeezed it. “Now tell me, Skylar. Yes or no.”

Skylar remembered the few kisses they’d shared and the way

Byron had touched him. He didn’t know why he was so afraid. Cancel
that. He did know. As soon as he’d left Byron’s side to return to live
in his own home, his demons had returned. He’d relived the moments
of his near-rape over and over, and at this point, he no longer even
knew which way was up.

The worst thing was that when they’d originally come to LA,

Byron had insisted on them staying together as much as possible.
Skylar had been the one to demand space. It had seemed to him that
Byron had been faced for far too long with Skylar’s drama, and
sometimes, he just wanted to fall apart when alone.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

He was torn, so torn. The shame of being touched by Rick still

loomed over him, but he didn’t want to give up Byron. He gulped.
“Teach me how to say yes,” he murmured. “I want to.”

Byron nodded, apparently satisfied with the response. He gestured

toward the mussels. “Eat. You haven’t been feeding yourself enough
lately.”

Skylar felt both pleased and somewhat dismayed at the change of

topic, but went with it. He allowed himself to fall into the pleasant
atmosphere and Byron’s comforting company. For the moment, he
would enjoy the dinner. He’d see what followed after that.

* * * *

Seeing Skylar eat mussels was a lesson in sensuality, something

Byron should have expected, but oddly, had not. The way Skylar
worked the shell open then gently scraped the meat from inside and
slid it in his mouth shouldn’t have been so sexy, but Byron couldn’t
help imagining having Skylar wrap those pretty pink lips around him
and swallow his load down like he did with the appetizer treat.

Even with the sexual tension between them, they fell into easy

conversation. Byron inquired about Skylar’s week, and Skylar
explained he’d been quite swamped at work. “Especially when my
parents aren’t in town, the brunt of the responsibility falls on me.
They helped when I took a couple of days off to deal with Elder
Wade’s celebration, but it still kind of piled up.” He paused and
released a little laugh. “Now it sounds like I’m whining.”

Byron frowned, hating the self-berating tone. “It might, if you

were saying it to someone else,” he answered. He didn’t say anything
else, but he didn’t have to.

Skylar’s eyes shone with emotion and understanding. “I suppose

you’re right. Everyone needs a special person to share his or her own
problems with.” A bit hesitantly, Skylar reached for Byron’s hand.

Scarlet Hyacinth

“And what about you? You never told me anything about what you
actually do.”

Byron’s enthusiasm about being “a special person” for Skylar

dwindled a bit at the inquiry. He didn’t know if he wanted Skylar
involved with Byron’s work. The filth he dealt with shouldn’t touch
someone as pure as Skylar. He sighed to himself, deciding that at this
point, he couldn’t keep absolute secrecy, not if he expected Skylar to
open up to him.

At the same time, during the past week, it had become

increasingly obvious that Byron could no longer function without
Skylar. Noble intentions and all, Byron could not give up the seahorse
now.

“You’re familiar with what I do, Skylar,” he said evasively.
“Well, yes, but I don’t know the details.” Skylar retracted his

hand, obviously a bit disappointed. “Of course, if you can’t tell me…”

Skylar was retreating behind his façade again, and Byron knew he

could not allow it. “I can tell you bits and pieces,” he said. “I just
don’t want you in danger because of what I do.”

Skylar’s expression turned serious. “I’m aware of the peril, Byron,

and I realize it won’t be easy.” He seemed to consider something for a
few moments. “I imagine my parents won’t be very pleased with my
choice, and many people might be against it. But if you can make
compromises for me, I can do the same thing. I’m not afraid.”

The way Skylar spoke, so certain, made Byron feel more

reassured than throughout the entire dinner. He hid a smile and
decided the evening was going better than expected. “We’ll talk.”

With the corner of his eye, he noticed a server hovering just out of

earshot. He gestured the man to come over, and indeed, moments
later, they were brought their steaming dinners and more wine to
accompany their specific meals, Vinho Verde for Skylar and
Marsanne for Byron. The remaining appetizers were removed, and
Skylar and Byron dug in.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

The deliciously cooked seafood was as tasty as Byron

remembered. Of course, Skylar’s presence certainly helped, and
Byron noticed with satisfaction that Skylar silently enjoyed the meal,
with only the occasional comment.

It was, for lack of a better word, nice. Byron hadn’t really known

what he was doing when he’d made these reservations, since he’d
never taken lovers out to dinner. He felt awkward, big, and freakish
when in public, even if he’d learned to get over the stares. But he
hadn’t expected to be so comfortable here, with Skylar, over a shared
meal of wine and seafood.

As he finished his dinner, he was reminded about the potency of

seafood and its aphrodisiac properties. It had especially interesting
effects on shape-shifters like Byron and Skylar. Byron was not
surprised at the heavy-lidded look, but it did stir the beast within him.

“Care for desert?” he asked the seahorse.
“Maybe, to go.” Skylar’s eyes widened as if he’d just realized

what he’d said. “I mean…”

“I know what you mean.” He got up and gestured Skylar to his

feet. “Come on. Time for the next part of the evening.”

He hadn’t been certain whether or not they would, indeed, get to

this part, but now, he knew there was no stopping it. He needed to
have Skylar in his arms, to show the seahorse how right it could be
between them, and at the same time, teach him what being by Byron’s
side would imply.

They left the restaurant without looking back since Byron had

already left a more than generous pay for the entire evening. He
directed Skylar to the car, the sexual tension between them so thick it
could have been cut with a knife. Byron found himself unable to resist
touching Skylar, however briefly. As Skylar slid into his seat, Byron
brushed against him ever so slightly. Even through the material of
their clothing, Skylar’s body felt amazing against his own. Byron
couldn’t wait to have the seahorse naked and at his mercy once again.

Scarlet Hyacinth

He closed the door on Skylar’s side and then slipped into the

driver’s seat. He drove off, all the while stealing the occasional peek
at Skylar. The seahorse seemed nervous, but never once did he
question Byron.

It was only when they were approaching their destination that

Skylar finally spoke. “Where are we going?” he inquired, sounding a
bit unsettled.

Byron hid a smile as he realized the reason of Skylar’s anxiety.

Byron’s house was very close to Skylar’s, by design, not coincidence,
of course, but Byron had always paid attention to keep it a secret. For
this reason, Skylar most likely thought Byron had deemed the evening
over and was taking him home.

“To my place,” he replied, finding no reason why Skylar should

worry. “You did say you wanted to know more about me, did you
not?”

“Yes.” Skylar’s reply was only a whisper. “I do.”
Nothing else was said, at least not until they reached Byron’s

home. When the car rolled into the big gates that guarded Byron’s
property, Skylar added, “I didn’t know you lived so close to my
parents’ mansion.”

“It’s a recent development.” Byron parked the car and helped

Skylar out. “Come. Let me show you around a bit.”

Like in all of his homes in the various places of the world, Byron

had made significant modifications to the original state of the
structure. The first concern had been security, and after that had been
dealt with, Byron had arranged for an office adjoining his bedroom to
be changed into a dungeon. He’d also made improvements to the
sleeping quarters, anticipating a possible time when he would bring
Skylar here. It had been wishful thinking on his part, since he’d never
actually intended to pursue the seahorse until the events at the elder
werewolf’s party. Nevertheless, Byron was now glad for the extra
preparations.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

However, the largest change that had been made was Byron’s

addition to the property, a large, covered swimming pool. He’d
pumped a great deal of funds to make sure the landscapers dealt with
it swiftly and efficiently. The result might not allow him to shift into
his animal form, but it was better than nothing.

Since he knew they would not be coming out of the house once

they reached the bedroom, Byron took Skylar to the pool first.

“Oh my God, this is amazing,” Skylar breathed out as he took in

the swimming area. “I have one at the mansion, but nothing like this.”

Byron chuckled and wrapped his arms around Skylar’s waist.

“I’m glad you like it, sweetheart. You’re going to be spending a lot of
time here, with me.”

Skylar shuddered in his arms, and Byron became very interested

in getting rid of his lover’s clothes. His dungeon was screaming to be
broken into, but they were here now, and there was nothing quite like
sex in the water for shape-shifters like Byron and Skylar. After all,
they were sea creatures, and they thrived when surrounded by their
element.

Skylar didn’t protest as Byron began working on the buttons of his

jacket and his shirt. With each discarded item of clothing, Skylar
seemed to grow more and more aroused. His legs trembled and Byron
helped him into a deck chair next to the pool. The move provided him
with easy access to Skylar’s pants and shoes.

With no effort at all, Byron had Skylar naked. Of course, now the

real problem appeared, the moment when he himself had to take his
clothes off. He didn’t know how Skylar would react to finally seeing
him naked.

Skylar suddenly seemed emboldened and got up. His hands were

frantic on Byron’s shirt and pants. Byron’s fears dwindled to a distant
part of his mind. Impatient, he pushed his lover away and, in a few
brisk motions, got rid of his clothes.

Instantly, he heard Skylar gasp, and his doubts returned full force.

“God… Byron, you… Oh, Jesus…”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Byron’s heart fell, and he tried to cover his genitals. It was a futile

effort since Skylar had already seen his two penises. “You don’t have
to touch them or anything. We can do other stuff.”

In the wild, it was completely common for sharks to have two

cocks, well, two claspers. However, for shark-shifters, the
characteristic didn’t really pass on. It was just another thing that
separated him from all the others. He couldn’t fault Skylar for
freaking out.

Skylar gave him an almost angry look and, to Byron’s surprise,

slapped his hand away. “Are you kidding me? No way.”

His tinier hand wrapped around the base of Byron’s genitals. It

couldn’t completely surround Byron’s two dicks, but simply that
touch drove Byron wild with lust. “Oh, God, Skylar… Sweetheart, I
need you.”

Skylar’s eyes were wide and innocent as he looked at Byron. He

seemed tentative and a bit confused. “I’m not really sure what to do,”
he admitted.

“Whatever you want, Skylar.” Byron caressed his lover’s golden

hair. “Let’s just get in the water for starters.”

He took Skylar’s hand, and they gently stepped into the pool.

Since sharks were, as a rule, cold blooded and Byron was no
exception, he kept the water pleasantly warm. Skylar seemed to
approve with the choice as he released a pleased hum-pop.

“I really love being in the water,” Skylar confessed.
“Me too, but especially with you.”
Byron pulled the seahorse close and buried his face in Skylar’s

hair. “I want you so much you can’t imagine. Just tell me if you
change your mind about any of this.”

He was going so very fast tonight, especially since Skylar had

been dancing around the issue for the past week or so. He had planned
to push Skylar’s hand a bit, but not to force the seahorse into
something he didn’t want.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

“I’m fine.” Skylar laughed a little. “Better than I’ve been for the

past days. Thank you.”

Byron felt relieved. He’d gathered that the seahorse’s fears hadn’t

disappeared. It was impossible for it to happen so soon. But at the
same time, he knew the best way for Skylar to work through them
was with someone by his side, someone who could be his rock.

Skylar might love his parents greatly, and Byron had his own

share of respect for the seahorse couple, but they couldn’t offer Skylar
that kind of support. Most of Skylar’s friends, with the exception of
Nicolas, now lived away from LA, and had their own lives. Byron,
however, could provide that strength Skylar needed.

Still in the water, Skylar wrapped his legs around Byron’s waist.

The change in position effectively brought Byron’s erections in
contact with Skylar’s crease. It was both heaven and hell at the same
time, the pleasure he experienced at that simple touch better than he’d
felt in full out scenes with some of his subs.

God, he simply couldn’t resist. In a flash of motion, he switched

their places and pushed Skylar against the wall of the pool.
Unfortunately, the modification made it so that Byron couldn’t see
Skylar’s sweet eyes, but he had every intention to fix the problem
before they actually had intercourse. Besides, water wasn’t a very
good lubricant, and Byron had no intention of fucking Skylar without
adequate preparation.

For the moment, he held Skylar down, loving the simple feel of

having the seahorse at his mercy. Spreading Skylar’s legs, he thrust
his twin cocks between his lover’s thighs. The friction and the contact
with Skylar’s delicate skin might have broken the control of another
man. It was just too good. But Byron held onto his control, even if his
beast yearned for release and copulation. He held onto it because
unlike many other people, he knew that pleasure was like revenge. Its
value increased if drawn out, taken slowly, and fully enjoyed. Skylar
meant too much to him, and Byron would not rush through this.

Scarlet Hyacinth

At the same time, Byron had looked into Skylar’s past and he

suspected Skylar was a virgin. It unsettled him greatly and contributed
to his past decision of not pursuing a relationship with Skylar. Men
and women with experience had trouble taking Byron’s cocks. He
couldn’t exactly use only one, since the two appendices joined
together during copulation, just like in nature. For Skylar, accepting
them would be next to impossible. He wanted to be inside Skylar,
God how he wanted it, but before that happened, he would do his
utmost to make sure Skylar would not be hurt.

Currently, though, Skylar seemed to be enjoying this very much.

His testicles made contact to the heads of Byron’s pricks, and even if
the touch was innocent compared to other things Byron had done, it
still felt amazing. Skylar arched against him and pushed his ass back,
spreading his legs wider. Byron reached for his lover’s cock and
massaged Skylar’s prick as he continued to thrust between Skylar’s
smooth thighs. God, even if this was all they ever got to do, it went
beyond all the kinks Byron had tested on other people, simply
because he was with Skylar.

Given the arousal that had been simmering inside him, it didn’t

take long for him to approach climax. Barely managing to suppress
the urge to dig his sharp teeth into Skylar’s skin, Byron found his
peak, with Skylar following mere moments after. Byron turned Skylar
around and stared into the seahorse’s eyes. Skylar simply smiled and
gave him a content look, and Byron couldn’t help but lean in for a
brief kiss.

The beast inside him felt ravenous. Sharks were known for their

voraciousness, after all, and now that he’d had a sample of Skylar,
Byron needed more.

He broke the kiss and murmured against Skylar’s lips, “What do

you say we take this to my bedroom?”

Skylar nodded, his gorgeous eyes still glazed over with lust. “I’d

like that,” he croaked out.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Byron grabbed his lover in his arms and walked out of the pool.

Leaving the swimming area didn’t present a problem, since it was
built with a direct entrance to the main house. He didn’t bother with
clothing, either. He’d just have to take it off again, and it would be a
pain and a delay to being closer to Skylar.

However, Skylar seemed a bit reluctant to walk around in the buff.

“What about your staff? What will they say?”

“Nothing,” Byron replied. “They know to stay out of my way

when I’m home with someone.”

It was true. Byron paid the men and women who worked for him

well, and in exchange, they catered to his every whim, no matter how
peculiar. They’d learned to fear him and to anticipate what he wanted
and needed.

Skylar didn’t look convinced, so Byron grabbed his jacket and

draped it over his lover’s body for modesty. Truthfully, he didn’t want
to take any chance in having someone see Skylar’s nudity. He
couldn’t guarantee his reaction wouldn’t leave behind a bloody mess.

However, he didn’t put on his own clothing. Even if he felt

apprehensive about someone seeing his genitals, he was in his own
home and his people knew better than to disturb him during his
romps.

They left the covered swimming pool and entered the main house.

As Byron expected, there was no one around. The lights turned on as
he walked through the hallways, and for about a second, Byron
considered showing Skylar around some more. It didn’t take long for
him to decide against it and he headed upstairs instead.

His bedroom had suffered through a lot of modifications. Not only

had he tied it in with the office he’d turned into a dungeon, but he’d
torn apart the wall between the adjoining guest room and made the
entire master suite larger. After all, he was a big man. He needed his
space.

Even so, the only thing he really used in the place was the big

king-size bed. A gorgeous, antique four-poster, it had a wrought iron

Scarlet Hyacinth

headboard which could be put to a very interesting use by creative
and, yes, kinky minds.

Byron dumped his lover on the mattress. As the jacket slid off

Skylar, he took in the sight of Skylar’s nude body with greedy eyes.
Just looking at the seahorse made him as hard as a rock. “Wait here,
sweetheart,” he said, while contemplating his options. He didn’t think
Skylar was ready for the dungeon, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t
play around a bit.

* * * *

Skylar watched his lover disappear through a side door. Curiosity

stirred inside him, adding to the arousal still lingering inside him.
Simply the memory of Byron’s two penises made him shudder with
delight.

God, he couldn’t wait to have them inside him. It might not be

easy at first, he knew that, but at the same time, he was sure Byron
wouldn’t do anything to really hurt him.

When Byron didn’t immediately return, Skylar considered

Byron’s order and decided to go against it. He didn’t want to be alone,
not for a single second. Being in this huge bedroom on his own felt
strange. Not only that, but with every second he spent apart from
Byron, his need for the man grew to an almost painful intensity. He
needed to be by the shark’s side.

He slipped off the bed, tripping when the four-poster turned out to

be higher than he’d thought. Grumbling to himself, he followed in
Byron’s tracks and peeked through the cracked-open door.

His eyes widened at what he saw. The place seemed a dungeon of

sorts. If they were windows, they had been covered. Everywhere he
looked, there were racks, X-crosses, or hooks that seemed meant to
have people dangling from them.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

The door opened wider, and Skylar stumbled inside. He looked up

at Byron, who stood in front of him, an eyebrow raised. “I thought I
told you to stay in bed,” Byron said.

Skylar gulped. “I… I… I was curious.”
“Were you?” Byron’s gaze had gained that piercing, daggerlike

quality again. “And did you satisfy your curiosity?”

Once more, the answer was complex, so Skylar preferred to keep

silent. “Answer the question, Skylar,” Byron ordered.

“I’m… not sure,” Skylar replied. “I…”
If he wanted to be honest, simply looking at those items made him

wonder what it would feel like to be restrained and completely under
Byron’s control. He’d experienced a brief sample in the swimming
pool, when Byron held him down while thrusting between his thighs
and back at the elder werewolf’s house, too, but this would be
different, so very different.

And that difference, as well as the still haunting memory of Rick,

kept him from finding the right answer. He hated himself for being
such a disappointment, but truly, he couldn’t understand himself
anymore.

“Skylar, come here,” Byron ordered.
Skylar went, Byron’s voice once more executing an inexorable

pull Skylar couldn’t hope to resist. “I didn’t intend to show you this
today, but your curiosity changed my mind,” Byron said as he took
Skylar’s hand. With a gentleness that belied his size, he pulled Skylar
toward one of the racks.

Skylar was like putty in Byron’s arms, and he allowed the shark to

maneuver him as needed on the odd bench. He ended up facedown on
the rack, his arms and legs on each side of it and his cock rubbing
against the strikingly soft padding material. Byron caressed the curve
of his back, all the way to his buttocks. “You disobeyed me, little
seahorse,” he whispered, his voice full of gravel. “You know you
deserve to be punished.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

A heavy slap fell on Skylar’s right cheek, and Skylar bit his lip to

prevent himself from crying out. Just like one week back, the pain
mingled with the pleasure, pooling into his already throbbing prick.

“Isn’t that right?”
Another slap fell on his other cheek. Skylar moaned and barely

manage to cry out, “Yes… Sir.”

He didn’t know what had made him say that, but the following

caress told him it had been the right thing to say. “I was right about
you,” Byron murmured, almost to himself. “You’re a natural at this.”

Skylar couldn’t help a shudder at the praise. He had to struggle for

focus when Byron continued to speak, “Now, Skylar, listen to me.
Here’s how it’s going to work. When we’re together like this, I’m in
charge, but you draw all the lines. Pick a word, something that doesn’t
come up in bed play.”

“A word?” Skylar didn’t really follow the explanation. “What for,

Sir?”

Byron came to stand in front of him. “When I do something you

dislike, you’ll say that word and I stop.”

Skylar looked up at his lover. “Why can’t I just say no?”
“Because sometimes, when people say no, they mean yes,” Byron

replied patiently. “Now, pick a word.”

Skylar fought to find something, but his mind was a blur. Finally,

he managed to recall the earlier dinner and said, “Shrimp.”

Byron chuckled. “All right, Skylar. So ‘shrimp’ will be your

equivalent for ‘no’ during our scenes, when I’m in charge.”

Skylar nodded, and Byron passed a finger over his lips. “You will

obey me in everything. When I give you an order, you reply with
‘yes, sir,’ unless explicitly stated otherwise. You’re not allowed to
come unless I tell you to. And remember, you can always use your
word if things get too hard, at which point the scene stops. Do you
understand, Skylar?”

Skylar almost nodded again, but then remembered what Byron

had just said. “Yes, Sir,” he stammered out.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

“Excellent.” Byron seemed pleased. “Now just relax, and

remember I’m here with you. You’re safe.” His expression sobered
and his entire demeanor changed from kind to almost predatory.
“Remain in that position, little seahorse. Don’t move a muscle.”

Skylar remained still, just like he’d been told. With slow motions,

Byron went around the bench, binding him down. Skylar took a
couple of deep breaths and struggled against the anxiety he felt at
being restrained. Having Byron hold him down was very different
than feeling the manacles around his limbs. Even if padded, they felt
unfamiliar and the sensation brought renewed disquiet.

Byron must have sensed his apprehension. “What’s your safe

word?” Byron asked. “Say it now, one time, before we start the
scene.”

“Shrimp, Sir,” Skylar replied. He knew Byron was checking on

whether or not Skylar was up to this or if he’d changed his mind. In
spite of his forcefulness, Byron had always showed him a hidden
gentleness Skylar was sure no one else had seen in the shark.

“Very good.” Byron caressed Skylar’s spine as he spoke. “From

now on, you say it whenever you feel things are getting too much.”

“Yes, Sir,” Skylar answered.
He closed his eyes and relaxed against the bench, just like Byron

had told him. He felt, rather than heard, Byron move behind him. On
occasion, his sharp hearing did detect the swoosh of something
leathery and another, harsher sound he couldn’t quite identify.

Finally, Byron stood behind him once again. A thin, soft object

swept over Skylar’s spine, making him shiver with anticipation. “Do
you remember, little seahorse, how you disobeyed me?”

“Yes, Sir,” Skylar replied. But he’d already received the slaps for

that. Wasn’t Byron done punishing him?

“No doubt you’re wondering what I’m going to do to you.” Byron

chuckled. “Well, little seahorse, those slaps you’re thinking about
were just to whet your appetite. Now, for your real punishment.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

It was the only warning Skylar received before the whip—it was a

thin whip, Skylar decided—fell on his skin. His buttocks had
recovered from the slaps, but the new sensations brought a whole new
burn within him. Lines of fire appeared over his body where the whip
fell. Skylar felt torn between wanting more of the feeling or running
away from it. But truly, he had no place to go. With him bound and at
Byron’s mercy, the decision was out of his hands. It felt strangely
liberating.

Byron skillfully played him, as if he were a virtuoso and Skylar a

musical instrument. Skylar struggled to remain still like he’d been
told, but it turned out to be much harder than he’d expected. He
strained against his bindings, gasping out Byron’s name.

The strokes stopped falling and Byron tsked. “Do you remember

what I said, Skylar? You’re not supposed to move.”

Skylar cursed himself as he realized he’d completely fallen out of

the scene. “I’m sorry, Sir. Please… Please. I need…”

“Tell me, Skylar. What do you need?”
The words spilled out of Skylar. “Fuck me. God, Sir, please fuck

me.”

“It seems, my little seahorse, you’ve already forgotten how this

works. I make the rules, and I say when and what happens.”

Skylar shuddered at Byron’s authoritative tone. “But since it’s

your first scene, I’ll let you off easy. Count for me. Ten slaps.”

Skylar actually thought that he would enjoy this. It was no

hardship to be slapped by Byron. But he instantly changed his mind
when the first hit fell. It was pain, pure pain, and more so on his
already sensitive skin. It was very different from the slaps from
before. It was punishment, and beyond the eroticism of it, Skylar
realized that he truly had made a mistake, and he did need to reap
what he’d sowed.

Hating to disappoint Byron, Skylar began to count. “One.” He

gritted his teeth at the second slap fell. “Two.” Tears streamed down
his cheeks as blow after blow struck his skin. Three. Four. Five. All

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

the way to ten. Skylar didn’t know how he withstood it, but he did,
even if when at last, his lover finished, his cock had completely lost
interest.

Byron knelt in front of the spanking bench and caressed his cheek.

“Hurts?” Byron asked softly.

“Yes, sir,” Skylar replied in a low murmur.
“Do you want to stop?” Byron inquired. “Is it too much?”
Skylar immediately shook his head. “No, Sir. I’m fine.”
Byron brushed his tears away. “My brave, sweet, little seahorse.

You have to realize that I don’t want you in pain. Why didn’t you use
your safe word?”

Skylar fought to focus his hazy mind. “I… I needed to be

punished.”

“Oh, Skylar, you still have so much to learn, but above it all, you

have to always keep in mind your safety is the most important thing.
Remember that.”

When Byron began to undo the straps, Skylar’s heart began to

race. “But… I thought…”

Byron gave him a look, and Skylar shut up. He’d fucked up

enough for the night.

Byron took him in his arms and slowly carried him out of the

dungeon and back into the bedroom. He placed Skylar on the huge
four-poster, facedown, ass up. Skylar didn’t move as his lover left the
room. Would Byron’s promise to take him be forfeit now? Had Skylar
spoiled their first night together so much?

Thankfully, Skylar wasn’t left to his musings for too long. Byron

returned to the room, and the bed dipped as the shark joined Skylar on
the mattress. Warm, slick hands caressed Skylar’s buttocks, and he
gathered Byron had gone to procure some sort of special ointment. It
was certainly doing the trick since the pain disappeared much faster
than it would have simply through Skylar’s shape-shifter abilities.

Skylar relaxed under Byron’s ministrations, melting into the

mattress and allowing the shark to do whatever he wanted. For that

Scarlet Hyacinth

reason, he was taken by surprise when the shark suddenly turned him
around and pulled him into his lap. “You’re not supposed to know
everything from the very beginning,” Byron said as he met Skylar’s
eyes. “Tonight was just a lesson, but it might have been too hard for
you.” Byron pecked Skylar’s lips in a brief, gentle kiss. “You did
good, sweetheart. In time, you’ll learn to do better.”

Skylar smiled, already feeling reassured. “Okay. Do I still get to

have you inside me?”

Byron groaned, almost sounding in pain. “Are you sure?”
Skylar nodded. He hadn’t been more certain than anything in his

life, especially now, when he felt Byron’s two cocks twitching against
his ass. “I won’t change my mind.”

“All right.” Byron flipped him on all fours yet again. “But at any

time if you’re hurting, you tell me. No more foolishness like before.”

“Yes, Sir.” Skylar began to pant. “I understand.”
Byron’s still-slick fingers rubbed against his crease, spreading the

ointment over his opening. Skylar’s cock went rock hard once again,
and he trembled at that simple touch, imagining how it would feel like
to have Byron inside him.

Ever so slowly, Byron pushed one thick finger inside him. Skylar

took it quite easily, but he knew it wouldn’t be the case with Byron’s
pricks. Still, he wasn’t afraid. If anything, he felt excited, and his
excitement only increased when the invading digit hit his special spot.

Thankfully, this time Byron hadn’t told him not to move, so

Skylar could surrender himself to his passion. He pushed back against
Byron, writhing like a wild thing, begging and pleading. Byron took
mercy on him and added another finger. This time, the penetration felt
a little snug, but Skylar still had no problem with it.

The third finger made him a bit uncomfortable. Byron caressed his

hip, strikingly gentle for a man who’d earlier whipped him into
submission. But then, Byron was a person of contrasts, and in his
hold, Skylar relaxed, accepting the slight burn as part of the
lovemaking process.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Byron scissored his fingers inside Skylar, at the same time

mercilessly rubbing Skylar’s prostate. With the pleasure that coursed
through him, Skylar didn’t really register the moment the fingers
abandoned his body. One moment they were there, and the next, poof,
they’d disappeared, leaving him feeling bereft and empty.

Skylar’s anus clenched around empty air, more than ever needing

to be filled. “Byron, Sir, please!”

Byron tsked, a sound Skylar was beginning to recognize as

affectionate disapproval. “Patience, little seahorse. Patience.”

Byron did something behind Skylar, and then, something slick and

hard prodded against Skylar’s hole. It was too small and cool to be
Byron’s penis—penises—though. Skylar realized it must be some sort
of toy which Byron intended to insert inside him.

Skylar immediately panicked. He didn’t want to have his virginity

taken by an object. He needed Byron. Nothing and no one else would
do.

“Sir, please. I…” He wasn’t sure if they were in an actual scene,

but he needed to get his point across. He struggled to remember the
word he’d established with Byron and finally said, “Shrimp.”

Instantly, the toy disappeared from between his buttocks. Skylar

heard it drop on the mattress, and then Byron pulled Skylar into his
lap again.

“What is it, Skylar? What’s wrong?”
“I… I don’t want a toy. I want you. You have to be my first, not

some piece of plastic.”

It might have been a strange way of thinking, but to Skylar, it

made all the sense in the world. He’d waited so long to find the right
man for him, his soul mate, the man who could give him the family he
desired so much. Now, he would accept no substitutes.

Byron looked pained. “Oh, sweetheart. I’ll hurt you if I don’t

prepare you adequately.”

“I’m not afraid. Please, Byron. I can take you. I know I can.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Byron took a deep breath then exhaled. “Very well, Skylar. But if

we’re going to do this, we’ll do it my way.”

“Yes, Sir,” Skylar readily agreed. He understood the way things

worked now, and he knew Byron would give him what he wanted. He
just needed to be a little patient.

Instead of the toy, Byron’s fingers returned to Skylar’s body. First

one, then two, scissoring gently, stretching him again and, of course,
unerringly zeroing in on his prostate. Skylar bit his lip in an attempt to
quiet down his impatience.

Byron didn’t push Skylar back down on all fours. Instead, he

continued to finger-fuck Skylar like that, still holding Skylar’s gaze. It
was almost embarrassing, or it would have been with anyone else
except Byron. Skylar trusted the shark with all his secrets, even his
oddest and most shameful ones. He hadn’t shared all his peculiarities
with Byron yet, but that could wait for a different time.

It occurred to him that if he did have sex with Byron, there might

be consequences. A different time, he would have thought it
impossible, but recent revelations made him wonder. He considered
talking to Byron and telling him the truth. The shark deserved to
know what he might be getting himself into.

But the time for talking had come and gone, and Skylar forgot all

about words when, at last, Byron removed his fingers from Skylar’s
body. Moments later, Byron’s cocks nudged against Skylar’s hole.

“Ready?” Byron asked. When Skylar nodded, Byron continued,

“I’ll let you take it in your own rhythm. Don’t worry, I’ll help you.
You just focus on telling me if it hurts and when I should stop.”

Skylar assented with a small, breathless, “Yes, Sir.”
Byron took hold of his hips and slowly pressed the heads of his

cocks in. Skylar’s eyes widened, the burn in his ass much more
intense than anything he’d ever expected or experienced.
Intellectually, he’d known it would hurt, but it hadn’t truly processed
up until this moment. He now understood why Byron had insisted on
using toys first.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

But even if it hurt, Skylar didn’t feel the least bit inclined to give

up his desire. It was difficult at first, his body unaccustomed to
invasion of any type. However, when in Byron’s arms, Skylar felt so
very safe, so loved and so protected. Byron’s hands on his hips were
so warm, strikingly so, and Skylar fell into a hypnotic-like state. He
went completely relaxed, and his flesh yielded to Byron’s penetration.

It should have been next to impossible, but slowly and surely,

Byron filled Skylar’s ass. Oh, it still hurt, but the pain began to
dissipate until it was gone completely. And then, before Skylar knew
it, Byron was fully inside him, his pubic hair tickling Skylar’s
buttocks.

They were both breathing hard with effort by now, but God, it was

worth it. Byron’s heat inside Skylar made him feel complete, as if, by
taking him, the shark had filled a void in Skylar’s very soul. Now
more than ever, Skylar became convinced that his choice had been the
correct one. There was no other way to explain it. He simply knew it.
Byron was his soul mate.

Byron slowly lifted him, and Skylar went with it, the motion

making his hard cock rub against Byron’s chest. The shark’s two
penises touched every inch of his channel, awakening nerves Skylar
hadn’t even known existed. It felt amazing. Skylar didn’t have any
terms of comparison since he hadn’t been with anyone else before,
but the way the two cocks worked him went beyond anything other
people could offer him.

All thought disappeared as Skylar’s instincts awoke inside him.

Urged on by Byron, he began to fuck himself on the shark’s cocks.
Byron thrust up, and with every move, he hit Skylar’s special spot.
Skylar was in heaven, pure, sexual heaven. He clung to Byron’s
shoulders, hoping to find an anchor in a world that no longer made
sense outside what he felt for this incredible, unique man.

Over and over, they fell into the dance of passion as old as time

itself. It was as if they’d known each other forever, as they found their
reason with an ease usually long-term lovers benefited from. With

Scarlet Hyacinth

each passing second, the heat between them increased more and more,
until it reached unbearable proportions.

And then, Byron buried in his teeth in the flesh of Skylar’s neck.

Pain and pleasure became entwined once again and, with a cry, Skylar
found his peak, dissolving into pure, absolute bliss. Several things
happened at the same time. Something clicked in his mind and soul,
and he was invaded by a different consciousness, Byron’s thoughts,
feelings, and memories sweeping through him. Byron’s cock pulsed
inside Skylar’s ass as the shark found his peak, and that pleasure burst
through their new connection with the intensity of a supernova.

He didn’t know how long it lasted, and perhaps he’d even have

been afraid at the far too deep sensations that coursed through him.
But Byron was right there with him, as if they were swimming
through a whirlpool together. Byron’s strength protected him, and
Skylar couldn’t fear a thing.

When he came to, Byron lowered him down on the bed. “I didn’t

think it would be like this,” Skylar said, still panting.

Byron pecked him briefly and retracted his penises out of Skylar’s

ass. “It’s not, not usually.”

“But with you, it’s different. You’re special. My beautiful Skylar.”
Skylar’s eyes widened as he realized Byron hadn’t spoken the

latter words outright. Byron seemed just as surprised, but then, a wide
grin spread on his face. “You can hear me, can’t you?”

“Yes, Byron. I can.” Skylar hugged the shark tightly. “I knew it. I

just knew it. My mate, at last.”

“Yes, sweetheart. Your mate.”
Byron caressed his hair, murmuring soft words in his ear. The

exhaustion of the evening finally got to Skylar, and he fell asleep like
that, safe in Byron’s arms.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Chapter Four

“Are you sure about this, Sir?”
Skylar nodded at his long-time butler as he double-checked his

last bag. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life,
Saunders. This is it, the moment I’ve been waiting for.”

“But, Sir… He’s a shark, and… Well… Your parents won’t be

happy.”

“They’ll get used to the thought.” Skylar shrugged, conveying a

nonchalance he didn’t really feel. He knew his parents would have a
problem with him mating a shark. It wasn’t that he actually needed
their permission, but he loved them both dearly, and he loved Byron,
too. More than anything, he hoped the most important people in his
life would learn how to get along. “Oh, and Saunders, I haven’t
mentioned it to them yet. I will call them tonight, but I don’t want
them finding out about this until then.”

Saunders sighed but nodded. “Yes, Sir. I still think you should—”
Saunders’s words were interrupted as the door to Skylar’s

bedroom opened. Skylar knew who it was even without looking. “Are
you ready, sweetheart?” Byron asked.

Skylar turned away from his bag and smiled at his mate. “Yes.

Just some last minute checking.” Through their bond, he added,
“Impatient?”

Byron’s rumbling laughter echoed inside Skylar’s mind. “You can

bet on it. I can’t wait to get you alone and in our bedroom.”

“Our bedroom. I like the sound of that.”
Byron gave him a heated look, and Skylar knew the shark would

have probably jumped him right then and there had they been back at

Scarlet Hyacinth

Byron’s place. As it was, in front of Skylar’s staff, he’d acted with a
good measure of restraint. It was probably for the best since Skylar
didn’t think he could have as much control as Byron did. If Byron
kissed him, he was liable to kneel at the shark’s feet to suck those big
cocks in his mouth.

He licked his lips just at the thought, remembering his last attempt

earlier that morning. His jaw had ached at being so strained, but since
seahorses didn’t have a gag reflex, he’d done a pretty good job if he
did say so himself.

Byron took a step forward, his gaze shining with the predatory

light that made Skylar shudder in anticipation. He’d obviously caught
on to Skylar’s naughty thoughts. “You’re asking for it, little
seahorse,” the shark said through their connection. “Don’t make me
throw you down and fuck you in front of your butler.”

That was probably not a good idea, since Saunders already

seemed quite wary of Byron. Skylar zipped up his bag and grinned at
Byron. “All right. Let’s go.”

Saunders leaned in to take the bag, but Byron was there before the

butler. “Thank you, Saunders, but we’ve got it.”

Saunders couldn’t hide his grimace, and Skylar felt the urge to

chastise the man. “Don’t, sweetheart,” Byron said through their bond.
“I’m truly not surprised.”

As they left the room, Skylar gave his mate a curious look. “Why

do I have the impression you’re not telling me everything?”

Byron released an awkward laugh. “Well, I might be previously

acquainted with your parents, and they don’t like me very much.”

Skylar gaped. It was the first time he’d heard of this. “What?” he

said, so shocked he spoke out loud. Come to think of it, he did
remember Byron making a comment about Skylar’s parents way
back, when Garth had first contacted Byron to help them investigate
the attack on Soren Wade’s pack lands. Skylar had never made the
connection, though.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Byron pressed a finger to his lips. “Shh.” Through their

connection, the shark added, “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t mention it
before, but it was a long time ago. I pushed their hand a bit to force
them to accept Garth in the agency.”

“How much is a bit?” Skylar knew how dangerous Byron was

and how scary he could get.

Byron actually looked uncomfortable, and Skylar groaned. His

task to convince his parents had just gotten much, much harder.

“I’m sorry about this, sweetheart.”
Skylar sighed and shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll

find a way to deal with it. Come on. Let’s go home.”

His libido had received a blow because of his concern over his

parents, but his decision still stood. The night before had been both
amazing and an eye-opener. Beyond their sexual chemistry, Skylar
felt a true connection with Byron, and he wouldn’t give it up for
anything or anyone.

Many might have said he was rushing into things by moving in

with Byron, but he didn’t want to be parted from the shark for more
than he strictly needed to. There was simply no point. He’d seen how
much hardship his friends had been forced to go through to be happy,
and he refused to take any chances.

They left the house hand in hand, with teary-eyed staff waving at

Skylar and giving Byron barely disguised ugly looks. Most had been
around from before Skylar had been born, and those who were closest
to Skylar’s parents must have known about Byron’s talk with them.

Skylar and Byron got into Byron’s big car, with the shark

dumping the final bag on the back seat. Skylar buckled in and waited
as Byron sat in the driver’s seat. He was greatly relieved when his
lover started the car and drove off. He’d never actually thought he
would feel that way when leaving his parents’ home, but right now,
his place was at Byron’s side. It would take a while for the rest of the
people in his life to accept Byron, so until then, Skylar would never
feel comfortable with them.

Scarlet Hyacinth

When they stopped at a traffic light, Byron reached for his hand

and kissed it. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. In time, they’ll understand.”

Skylar nodded wordlessly. Even if he still felt apprehensive about

the way his parents would react, he could deal with it as long as he
had Byron by his side.

The mood was getting far too gloomy, so on impulse, he said,

“Let’s go swimming. We’ll rent a private beach or something. Come
on, it will be fun.” It was Sunday, anyway, and even Byron and
Skylar could take a day off.

Byron tensed visibly. “I can’t,” he murmured.
“Why not?” Skylar had already sensed something else Byron was

hiding, something darker and more dangerous than Byron’s meeting
with Skylar’s parents. “What is it, Byron?”

“It’s too dangerous. People will see.”
Skylar laughed, even if he felt anything else but amused. “Don’t

be silly. We’ll just be another shark and a seahorse.”

The red light turned green, and the comforting warmth of Byron’s

palm disappeared as the shark focused on driving.

For a few moments, Byron didn’t speak. His thoughts were a

confusing whirlwind in Skylar’s head. Should I tell him? No, I can’t.
He’ll be afraid. No, he won’t. He loves me, and he’ll find out anyway,
sooner or later. But will he still love me after he knows?

“Byron, enough!” Skylar shouted. “What are you hiding?”
Byron released a sigh. “I’m not a normal shark, sweetheart. Have

you ever wondered why I’m so much bigger than other shape-shifters
and have all those other abilities?”

“Well, yes.” Skylar was more and more confused. “I figured

you’d tell me sooner or later.”

“Skylar, I’m a megalodon, a prehistoric shark. When I change,

I’m about the size of a whale. Imagine a whale-sized shark in the
middle of coastal LA and then tell me we can go to the beach.”

Skylar froze. He knew what a megalodon was from the occasional

documentary he watched on television. Twenty million years back,

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

the huge beast had ruled the oceans, feeding on whales and holding an
undisputed reign over the waters it controlled. But Skylar had never
thought such a shape-shifter could exist. By extrapolation, it would
mean that somewhere in this big world, dinosaur-shifters might be
living without anyone else knowing. The mere concept boggled the
mind.

Right then and there, though, Skylar couldn’t think about that. The

only thing that popped into his mind was just how alone Byron must
have been, how heavy such a burden would be to carry. Byron
couldn’t shift in the middle of civilization, because he would be
spotted by humans. His own kind feared him, and while that might
been useful for his job, for Byron as a person, it couldn’t have been
easy.

“I’m not scared,” he said. “But one of these days, we have to go

someplace where you can show me.”

Byron seemed to tremble with tension. He continued to look at the

road in front of them as he said, “Don’t pity me, Skylar. I don’t want
that.”

“I actually remember me saying something similar. Do you recall

what you told me then? You said, what I feel for you is too intense to
be called pity. We’re in this together, Byron, and I’m not scared.”

Byron stole a brief peek at him. “All right, sweetheart. I’ll show

you, one of these days. But one fair warning. My tooth in that form is
probably bigger than your whole body when you turn into a
seahorse.”

Skylar blinked at the comparison. It probably should have

shocked him. In fact, it might have been meant to scare him off.
Instead, it struck him as funny. Unable to contain himself, he burst
into laughter.

Just like that, the tension drained out of Byron. Moments later, the

shark joined in, his chuckles entwining with Skylar’s. Their laughter
died, though, when their gazes briefly met. Heat grew between them,
the lust that had died out a bit during the drive bursting out once more

Scarlet Hyacinth

into an even hotter flame. And when they at last reached their home,
Skylar found that he had forgotten about all else that wasn’t about
getting the shark’s cocks inside him again.

* * * *

A week later

Skylar smiled at Annabelle Wade and hugged her.

“Congratulations, Mrs. Wade. I’m so happy to hear the news.”

The ewe’s pregnancy had been officially confirmed, and she’d

come to check in for preliminary tests. Skylar’s trained eye had
already caught several changes. She seemed mellower than the other
times Skylar had seen her, and she had actually gained a little weight.
A tiny bump was already showing on her belly, something that
represented a dilemma for Skylar. He wasn’t absolutely certain how
long the pregnancy would last or what the child would even be.

“Thank you.” She laughed lightly. “It’s almost a relief, because I

know I at least have a reason for eating like I do.”

“Remember you need to keep close tabs on the pregnancy,” he

said as he broke the embrace. “You have to be extra careful due to the
cross-breeding of the species.”

“I know.” Her expression sobered, and her eyes gained a far-off

look. “Believe me, I know. When I was pregnant with Ray and then
Carson, it didn’t feel like this at all.”

Skylar didn’t really know what to say at that. He knew

Annabelle’s elder son, Ray, had been killed after attempting to
murder Carson and Brody. He couldn’t grasp what she must be
feeling, especially since a wolf had been the guilty party.

He took her hand and squeezed it in a wordless sign of comfort.

She beamed at him and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. “But that’s
in the past, and we’re here talking about the future. I promise, I will
be very careful.”

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Skylar opened his mouth, intending to offer his assistance for

anything she might need. He never got the chance. The door burst
open, and his mother and father stalked in.

His conversation with them hadn’t gone well at all. They’d been

somewhere in Africa, so he hadn’t managed to get hold of them until
the night before. He couldn’t say he was surprised to see them, given
how angry they’d been when he’d told them of his new mating with
Byron.

However, he didn’t expect the slap that hit him moments later.

“Skylar, how could you?” his mother shouted. “How could you mate
that man?”

Skylar cupped his cheek, completely gobsmacked. His parents had

never hurt him, not once in all his life. He looked at his mother and
noticed the tears streaming down her cheeks and the fear shining in
her eyes.

Ignoring the throbbing in his skin, he wrapped his arms around his

mother. She squeezed him tightly, like she used to when he’d been a
small boy. It was unusual for seahorse families to have only one child,
but a disease his mother had contracted during her travels had kept
her from producing fertile eggs. It had taken her quite some time for
her to recover from that and to be able to return to her self-appointed
duties. At the same time, she’d lavished all her affection on Skylar,
and so had his father. And now, she feared losing him. Skylar knew it
and he felt guilty for putting them in this situation in the first place.
However, he couldn’t be sorry about loving Byron. They were soul
mates. He just needed to find a way to convince his parents of that.

“It’s going to be fine, Mom,” he said. “He’s not going to hurt me.”
Immediately, she tensed and broke away from him. Skylar’s father

glowered at him. “How can you say that? What do you even know
about him?”

“I know him much better than you can possibly believe,” Skylar

replied. “He is my mate, my true mate, and I will not leave him.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

His mother’s legs gave out as she sobbed. Torn and confused,

Skylar looked toward Annabelle. “I should probably go,” she said,
“but if there’s anything I can do to help…”

His mother’s situation was actually quite similar to the one the

ewe faced, and Skylar might have asked Annabelle for help. But a
wave of dizziness stopped him from speaking again. He swooned and
would have surely had his father not been there to catch him.

His mate’s voice reached out to him through their connection.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong? What’s the matter?”

“I don’t know, Byron. I just feel a bit… off.”
Except he did know, or at least he suspected. He hadn’t expected

this to happen so soon. He’d thought he would have a little more time.
But then again, seahorses were fertile creatures—his mother’s
problem aside—and Skylar and Byron had been fucking like crazy
since Skylar moved in. Skylar just never had the courage to bring up
the inevitable. He cursed himself for being such a coward, especially
since Byron had shared his own secret with Skylar.

“I’m coming there right now,” Byron said. “Talk to me, Skylar.”
But Skylar couldn’t speak. His nausea and dizziness took over and

everything went black.

* * * *

Byron burst inside the clinic, uncaring of whatever everyone else

thought of him. The only thing he could focus on was his mate and
the way Skylar had sounded when he’d said, “I feel a bit off.”

Byron had sensed there was something Skylar had been meaning

to tell him, but he didn’t know what. He could only imagine he’d
pushed too hard and Skylar had been reluctant to mention it. But that
didn’t make any sense. Byron would have felt through their bond if
Skylar wanted him to stop their more violent bed play, and he’d only
ever caught genuine excitement and arousal.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

He didn’t even have to ask anyone to know where Skylar had

been taken. He could trace Skylar’s sweet scent anywhere in the
world. Soon, he reached Skylar’s private quarters. The Pierces were
waiting outside, and they immediately went into fight mode when
they saw him. It was quite admirable, given that they were seahorses
and Byron a prehistoric shark.

Skye Pierce intercepted him just as he reached the door, lunging

and thumping at his chest with her small fists. “You beast,” she said.
“You did this to him. You destroyed his life.”

Byron caught the woman’s hands. “I don’t understand. What did I

do?”

Before Skye could answer, Byron sensed his connection with his

mate snap open once again. Skylar was recovering consciousness. He
released the seahorse female, his mind completely focused on his
lover. “Sweetheart, how do you feel?”

“Fine.” Skylar sounded a bit apprehensive. “Can you please

come in? I need to talk to you.”

A few seconds later, a nurse opened the door and gestured him

inside. As Byron walked into Skylar’s room, she slipped out and
closed the door behind her, leaving the two of them alone.

Skylar looked a little pale, but otherwise, unhurt. He lay on the

hospital bed, fidgeting slightly and looking anywhere else except at
Byron. Wordlessly, Byron made his way to his mate’s side and sat
down on the mattress.

“You wanted to talk to me?”
Skylar’s gaze shot to him. He took a deep breath and seemed to

decide on something. “I’m pregnant,” he blurted out.

At first, Byron thought he hadn’t heard right. “What?”
“I’m pregnant. I’m going to have a baby. Your baby.”
“But… You’re a man.” Byron’s head was spinning between

shock, disbelief, and terror. “No, it can’t be.”

“Male seahorses can get pregnant. It’s a particularity of our

species. My dad is actually the one who gave birth to me.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Byron remembered that in nature, male seahorses were, indeed,

those who, for lack of a better word, gave birth. “Yes, but that’s
different. Your mother would have to… err… provide the eggs.”

“I know.” Skylar seemed to be growing more and more nervous.

“That’s how it usually works, and it’s the reason why, to reproduce,
seahorses have to be in shifted form. It’s just that… For males of our
species, that ability has evolved. It doesn’t appear in all seahorses, but
a lot of fathers can give birth to children even when their partner is
another man.”

“How is that even possible?” Byron inquired, still shell-shocked.
“The pouch that allows us to carry in shifted form works like a

gland that secretes a special hormone. It makes it possible for male
seed to fertilize the seahorse in question and later grows into the
uterus we need for the baby. Of course, fathers generally give birth in
seahorse form, to allow the pouch to open naturally.”

“And you’re telling me this now?” Byron roared.
“I’m sorry.” Skylar’s lower lip trembled as if he were suppressing

the urge to cry. “At first, I just didn’t think it was possible between
the two of us, and when I figured out it might be, it was already too
late. We were already having sex. I didn’t know how to tell you.”

Byron felt like a heel for shouting at Skylar. He never raised his

voice at Skylar. In fact, he rarely lost his temper at all, and when he
did get angry, he spoke in a whisper, not loudly. But this time, it was
different. It wasn’t just anger that passed through him, but also hurt,
guilt, and terror.

How could he explain to his lover that shark children weren’t like

seahorses? They were carnivorous from the womb, and could even eat
their siblings if any existed. And with Skylar being a seahorse, Byron
feared what the fetus might do. Perhaps it would even go against its
carrier.

Still, in spite of it all, beneath the nervousness, sadness, and

apprehension, Byron could sense another emotion in Skylar—
happiness. Whatever Byron said or thought, Skylar wasn’t afraid.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

“I want this baby, Byron,” Skylar whispered, as if guessing his

thoughts. “I know it’s a surprise, but please, I need you to want it,
too.”

Byron buried his face in his palms. “Skylar, I…”
“Just wait a minute. Imagine yourself holding a tiny baby in your

arms. He’d have my eyes and your nose, and he’d be strong and brave
like you. Or if the baby is a girl, she’d grow up to kick the asses of
any boys who cross her. Can you imagine that?”

Through Skylar’s mind, Byron could see that dream so clearly. He

could see himself holding his child, so small and fragile in his big,
bulky arms. He could glimpse Skylar laughing as he played with the
baby and then their son or daughter growing, their family coming
together as one cohesive whole.

“I’m scared,” he admitted.
Those were the words he’d never uttered out loud, never once in

his entire life. But with Skylar, it was all right. Skylar could see into
his heart anyway. “I know. But don’t worry. Our baby won’t hurt me.
I’ll be fine.”

Skylar beamed at him, and Byron struggled to suppress his fears.

It wouldn’t be easy, but he needed to be strong for his mate. “Starting
today, you’re off work,” he ordered. “You’re staying at home where
you’re safe.”

Skylar’s eyes widened at the change in demeanor. The seahorse

opened his mouth, probably intending to protest, but Byron silenced
him with a brief kiss. He retrieved his cell phone and dialed his
former second in command, Malcolm Bristol. The jellyfish was one
of the few people who’d been loyal to Byron even before he’d
become the head of the family. In many ways, Malcolm had been
almost a father figure when Byron’s birth parents would have killed
him.

Years back, Byron had released Malcolm from service, much like

he had with Garth. The jellyfish had needed a break from the violent
life in the Cunningham family. They still kept sporadic contact,

Scarlet Hyacinth

though, and Byron knew Malcolm had a wife now, even if he’d never
met her. Still, while he knew his demand might cause trouble, Byron
needed Malcolm’s assistance. He couldn’t trust Skylar’s safety with
anyone else.

“Hello, Byron.” Malcolm’s voice was, as always, calm and

collected. His Australian accent had thickened after he’d moved back
to his birthland. “What can I do for you?”

“I need you back in LA,” Byron said without preamble.
“Why?” Malcolm inquired. “Is anything wrong?”
“My mate is pregnant. As you can imagine, I can’t trust anyone in

this situation.”

“Well, then, congratulations are in order.” Malcolm actually

seemed pleased. “I’m on my way. I’ll bring Yuki along.”

“Thank you, Malcolm. We’ll be waiting.”
He ended the connection after giving Malcolm his new address.

After he snapped his phone shut, he gave his mate a smile. “Don’t
look at me like that. From now on, you need to be protected.”

“We could get some security from my family,” Skylar suggested.

“On second thought, that’s probably not a good idea if I live with
you.” He looked thoughtful and a bit worried. “Do you trust this
Malcolm guy so much?”

“I never did tell you about my family.” Byron sighed. “Malcolm

Bristol was sort of my...nanny-bodyguard growing up. At one point,
after my parents died, life got really chaotic within the family.
Heathcliff briefly took over before I was forced to step in.”

Byron really hated to remember that time of his life. He’d been

the one to kill his parents, although he’d never actually meant to do
so. Even now, Byron could recall it so clearly even today.

It had been nighttime, and Byron had gone out swimming in the

gulf. He’d noticed a quick boat approaching him and stopped.

He might have never done so, except his senses identified the

occupants of the vessel. It was his parents. Byron had seen then
maybe one time in his life. He didn’t remember their faces, only their

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

scents, since Malcolm had taken him away from the main
Cunningham residence shortly after being born.

He wondered why they were here now. He didn’t see any reason

why they would come looking for him. The beast inside of him
stubbornly refused to reveal itself, and he was useless for the family.

A part of him knew he should dive deep into the water, since they

couldn’t mean well, but they were his parents, and Byron wanted to
know for sure where he stood.

The vessel stopped a few feet away from him. A tall man smiled

from the boat. “Hello, son. Going for a midnight swim?”

Byron wordlessly nodded.
“Mind if we join you?” his mother inquired.
“Of course not,” Byron replied apprehensively. He didn’t know

how to act around the two strangers that had sired him. The situation
was made even more awkward by the presence of several other men
in the boat. What were his parents planning?

Moments later, he got his answer. His parents jumped in the ocean

and turned into their shark forms as they hit the water. With the
swiftness so characteristic of their species, they attacked Byron.

Byron didn’t know what happened then. Some sort of instinct of

self-preservation kicked in. He was only thirteen and had no
knowledge of how to control it, so he allowed it to flow over him.

At first, he thought his shark had finally decided to show up. This

way, he could at least stand his ground against his parents, even if he
did get killed in the process. After all, what chance did a shark pup
have against two mature predators?

But his human form kept growing and growing without stopping.

His parents moved away, but the people in the boat didn’t manage to
make their vessel work in time. Byron’s huge body crushed it,
sending splinters of wood and metal flying all over the place.

Byron didn’t understand what was going on, so he allowed his

human consciousness to fade into the background of his mind and

Scarlet Hyacinth

became pure predator. Suddenly, he could acknowledge his new
abilities, just like he did with the enemies in the water.

There were maybe half a dozen sharks around him now, his

parents included. A few octopi and even a crocodile were added, from
the guards who’d been in the boat. But none of them had any chance
against Byron.

All of them tried to flee, knowing their inferiority, but Byron was

much faster. He caught the first shark by his tail and gulped him down
in one single bite. He was ravenous.

After that, his mind became a frenzy of hunger and silent anger.

Strangely, he knew the exact moment when his jaws clenched around
his parents’ flesh, crushing their skulls. He spat them out, unwilling to
eat them, but they were already dead.

Shaken by what he’d done, he changed back into his human form

and swam toward the shore. Malcolm met him halfway, looking
alarmed. He helped Byron out of the water, his eyes scanning Byron’s
face. “I heard that your parents showed up. What happened, boy?”

Even in the darkness of the night, Malcolm’s eyes were so blue

and familiar, and his slender form so strong. Byron broke down and
told Malcolm everything.

Malcolm had not asked any questions after hearing him out.

They’d returned to the shore, packed their bags, and disappeared, just
the two of them. For five years, they’d stayed away from the States
and the Cunningham family. Byron knew his brother Heathcliff had
tried to hunt him during this time, urged on by their late parents’
lieutenants. At last, when he’d reached his majority, Byron had
returned and taken over the family. Byron allowed his brother to live,
at least until he’d fucked up and hurt Skylar.

It was a memory he couldn’t put in words, but he didn’t have to.

Skylar had seen it now, through their bond.

Skylar wrapped his arms around Byron. “It seems I owe Malcolm

a great debt,” he said. “I’ll make sure to thank him when he arrives.”

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

It was exactly what Byron needed to hear. Regrets and words of

compassion wouldn’t help now. Life was simply like that with the
sharks. Parents tried to kill their children, and children retaliated. But
Byron swore that with his baby, with the baby growing inside Skylar,
it would be different. He would do anything in his power to give that
child a real family, so that he or she wouldn’t have to pass through
what Byron had.

Scarlet Hyacinth

Chapter Five

A few months later

“You should really consider taking a break, Mr. Cunningham.

You haven’t rested enough.”

Skylar grabbed a crystal ashtray from the coffee table and threw it

at Malcolm. “I’m only reading,” he shouted. “Leave me the hell
alone.”

He was panting hard, furious, and feeling hunted. Two months

into his pregnancy, he’d now grown to proportions that must have
rivaled Byron’s shifted form. He felt angry all the time, something
unusual for seahorses and for him in particular, and lately, he’d begun
to throw items at helpful people, or even at Byron.

Still, it felt good to hear Malcolm call him Mr. Cunningham. He

and Byron had officially registered their mating shortly after finding
out about the pregnancy. Of common accord, they decided Skylar
would take Byron’s name, but the children would have both their
names, so that the Pierce line wouldn’t end.

Skylar now knew that he would have twins, although beyond that,

many things were unclear. His last ultrasound showed two embryos, a
seahorse and a shark, inside Skylar, something that concerned both
the doctor and Byron greatly, given the history of cannibalism in the
womb sharks had.

Not only that, but the situation made it impossible for Skylar to

give birth naturally. He would have to suffer through a C-section in
human form, although he’d be under anesthetic the whole time.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

But Skylar didn’t fear all that. He already felt connected to his

children on a level he couldn’t even explain and knew the two
brothers wouldn’t hurt each other. Already he knew what their names
would be. Layton and Morgan. And he wasn’t afraid of the birth per
se, either.

However, what did concern him was not knowing. The

uncertainty was killing him. Like in Annabelle Wade’s case, he didn’t
know when he would give birth, how much longer his pregnancy
would last. She was luckier than him, since the difference between
wolves and sheep wasn’t as big as between sharks and seahorses.
Hell, shark pregnancies were known to last up to two years. The mere
thought drove Skylar out of his mind.

He took a deep breath and struggled to calm down. “I’m sorry,

Malcolm. I’m just at wit’s end.”

“It’s all right,” the jellyfish said, not looking in the least bit

bothered. Then again, the man was always calm. It sometimes creeped
Skylar out. “I understand.”

Malcolm’s wife, Yuki, peeked into the room, and Skylar

immediately felt relieved. As odd as it seemed, he’d become quick
friends with the female octopus. She was small, like an Asian
porcelain doll, but that didn’t make her any less deadly. Like her
husband, upon her choice she could poison anyone she touched.

However, she was also very motherly. She and her husband were

not able to have children of their own due to circumstances beyond
their control. As a blue-ringed octopus, she risked certain death
should she ever become pregnant. Even not knowing whether inter-
species breeding was possible, the two had decided not to take a
chance.

Since Malcolm and Yuki had come to live with them, Yuki had

lavished all her affection on Skylar. For some reason, she was fiercely
protective of him and his children, and that made her golden in his
book.

Scarlet Hyacinth

“Hi, Yuki-chan.” He patted the spot next to him on the couch,

gesturing for her to approach. “Come sit next to me.”

The woman obeyed, and the moment she sat down, Skylar leaned

against her. She was soft, and she smelled like flowers and the sea. It
comforted him. “I don’t know what to do anymore, Yuki-chan,” he
mumbled.

Her small hand cradled his head, gently caressing his hair. “How

about visiting your parents, Skylar-kun? That might help.”

Skylar shook his head. He loved his parents greatly, and they’d

been very supportive of him and his children. However, every time he
visited, they told him to leave Byron and come stay with them. Skylar
didn’t think he could stand another nagging session.

“What you need is your mate. Contact Cunningham-sama,” she

suggested, using the respectful address for Byron. “You’ll see how
you feel much better.”

“I can’t run to him every time I’m moody, Yuki-chan.” Skylar

sighed. “He has work to do, you know that.”

Through his connection with Byron, sweet words slipped into his

mind, “Nothing is more important than you.”

Skylar couldn’t suppress a smile at Byron’s mental voice. “Hurry

up and finish. I miss you.”

He knew it was selfish, but he wanted his mate home. He needed

Byron’s strength to recharge for another day of wobbling, swollen
ankles, cravings for unreasonable amounts of food, and sessions of
hissy fits. By evening, he always felt exhausted, like he’d run a
marathon, not slummed around the house under the best of care.

“You’re not slumming,” Byron corrected him. “You’re caring for

our children.”

And that was all well and good, but Skylar wanted this pregnancy

over already. He wanted to have his babies in his arms and yes, out of
his freaking stomach.

“Listen, I’m on my way home now. I’ll be with you soon.”
Excitement coursed through Skylar. “Okay. Love you.”

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

“Love you, too.”
Even with Yuki there, it seemed to take forever for Byron to show

up. Finally, Skylar heard Byron’s car pull in. A different time, he’d
have shot up and rushed to meet his mate at the door. Right then and
there, Yuki had to help him up so he could even lift his heavy,
pregnant body.

They walked up to the staircase which Skylar had stopped using

one month into his pregnancy. Byron met them there and took Skylar
into his arms, lifting him with ease. Their lips met into a kiss that put
a damper on Skylar’s anger and made his horniness emerge with a
vengeance. He’d discovered with great dismay that, when pregnant,
he’d gotten even more sex-obsessed, a fact which could be very
frustrating since Byron refused to do anything that could be in any
way risky for Skylar and the babies.

Byron carried him back to their bedroom and placed him on their

big bed. Skylar reached for his mate, feeling desperate and needy.
“Byron…”

Byron took off his shoes and jacket and lay down next to Skylar.

As his mate pulled him close, Skylar tried to reach for the shark’s
cocks, but found that he could not move because of his too-big belly.

It was the last straw. Skylar burst into tears, frustrated, depressed,

and feeling more useless than ever. “Oh, sweetheart,” Byron tried to
soothe him. “Don’t cry.”

“I’m fat and ugly.” Skylar hated himself for even starting to cry.

“I’m angry and horny all the time, and I can’t even have sex.”

“You’ve never been more beautiful.” Byron lifted his shirt and

caressed his swollen belly. “You have no idea how much I want you.”

“If you want me, then why won’t you take me?”
Byron moved down on the bed and pressed a kiss to Skylar’s

stomach. “You know I don’t want to take any chances.” His hands
began to work at Skylar’s loose pants, pulling them down and
revealing Skylar’s already hard cock.

Scarlet Hyacinth

“We might not be able to play around now, but we can do other

things.” Byron grinned at him. “Just relax.”

When Byron spoke to him like that, Skylar could do nothing else

but obey. He melted against the pillows, waiting to see what Byron
would do, feeling strangely kinky and decadent simply for being
naked just from the waist down. Byron moved between his legs, and
his breath tickled Skylar’s skin. Unfortunately, Skylar’s belly didn’t
allow him to see what Byron was doing. However, when Byron took
his cock deep in his mouth, Skylar could no longer focus on anything
else except the amazing pleasure.

It always awed him how Byron’s mouth could be so hot when the

shark was at a most basic level cold-blooded. But between them, no
boundaries applied, and as always, Byron gave Skylar exactly what he
needed.

He took Skylar so deep, suctioning at a speed that threatened to

short-circuit Skylar’s brain. Over and over, the shark bobbed his head
up and down Skylar’s prick, the pleasure practically feeding Skylar’s
needy body.

Byron’s finger teased at his entrance and slowly pushed inside.

Even if they weren’t having as much sex as before, Skylar’s body
yielded easily to the penetration. He gasped, torn between thrusting
into Byron’s mouth and impaling himself on the invading digit.

Skylar wanted more. He wanted his mate to stretch him, to fill

him like only Byron could. He’d gotten pregnant so fast that they’d
barely had the chance to explore all the sensual possibilities between
them.

Byron must have heard the thought because he released Skylar’s

erection from his mouth. He briefly left the bed and, in a few brisk
motions, got rid of his clothing. Skylar’s mouth watered at the mere
sight of his mate’s nude body. He could never get enough of watching
Byron strip, of seeing Byron’s thick cocks bob between his strong
thighs. His heart began to race even faster when his mate retrieved a
new bottle of lubricant. The shark poured the slick liquid over his

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

fingers and, gently, reinserted his digits in Skylar’s ass, lubing him up
and preparing him with exquisite care. Byron took his time, and
Skylar clenched his fists into the sheets in helpless arousal.

Without jostling Skylar too much, Byron then lifted him in his

arms, changing their positions on the bed. Byron moved on the
bottom and Skylar ended up on top of him, his fluttering hole over
Byron’s prick. It reminded Skylar a bit of their first time together, and
he experienced a brief moment of irrational amusement. Instead of
having the shark riding the seahorse, the seahorse was riding the
shark.

Slowly, with his mate’s help, Skylar lowered himself down on

Byron’s prick. He’d learned in time that Byron’s two cocks were
unusual even among sharks, although there were some others with a
stronger than usual gene that kept this similarity to their animal
counterparts. However, none of them could possibly be as gifted as
Byron in the size department. Skylar had therefore lucked out.

He released a gasp-pop of pleasure as the twin heads of Byron’s

pricks breached his body. His swollen belly made maneuvering a little
difficult, but as it turned out, Byron didn’t even allow him to move
much. The shark slowly lifted him up and down, all the while
thrusting deep into his channel. Byron was essentially doing all the
work, but in that moment, Skylar wasn’t above taking what his mate
offered. He’d have felt selfish, but the emotions that swept through
their bond told him everything he needed to know. Byron’s love and
desire swamped him, making him forget all about his doubts.

Up, down, up, down, they moved in the same sweet familiar

motion that had become Skylar’s drug, an addiction he wouldn’t have
been able to give up if he wanted to. Their rhythm was like the sweet
murmur of the ocean waves licking the white, sunny beaches at dawn,
a caress, a meeting of two bodies intent on consummating a union that
went way beyond lust and into pure love.

As always, his mate’s cocks filled him to perfection, pounding his

prostate, or rather massaging it in an almost lazy way. It got too

Scarlet Hyacinth

much, too good for Skylar to withstand. Arching his back, Skylar
came, his seed splashing on Byron’s stomach. Byron pushed inside
him one more time and then, wet heat bathed the insides of Skylar’s
channel as the shark found his peak as well. Their orgasms entwined
and their minds touched, so much so that Skylar didn’t know where
he ended and Byron began.

He must have blacked out for a bit because when he recovered

consciousness, Byron had already rolled him on the bed, huge belly
up. “Hi,” the shark said with a grin.

“Hey. That was amazing.”
“It always is.” Byron’s smirk turned into a gentle smile. “It always

is with you. My sweet, little seahorse.” Through their bond, the shark
finished, “My soul mate.”

Skylar valued those words tremendously, since in reality, Byron

was never one for gratuitous expressions of affection. With Skylar, he
was different. Skylar got to see a different side of Byron, one other
people weren’t privy to. Knowing that and acknowledging Byron’s
love for him made everything worthwhile.

* * * *

On Wade pack lands, Rick fretted in the dark cell, pacing to and

fro. Months had passed now from his imprisonment, months since his
own elder had chosen the word of a seahorse over Rick’s. Granted,
Rick might have roughed up the whore a little, but he didn’t deserve
being deprived of his freedom for a thing like that. After all, elders
were supposed to stand up for their own kind, not for other creatures.

It had all started years back, when Brody had met that damn lamb.

Rick should have acted then, gotten rid of the problem before it
escalated. But the elder had seemed receptive to the issue and mated
his son to an appropriate bitch. Rick had been in shock when their
leader had allowed that mating to be dissolved and punished Brody’s
wolf mate for protecting her dignity and her kin.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Everything had happened so fast after that. Rick hadn’t been able

to come up with a plan to stop it. And now, his elder had mated a ewe
and allowed for his two sons to claim mates from prey races as well.
It wasn’t right. Anyone with a brain could see it. The so-called
alliance and cooperation the elder spoke of was against nature. It
needed to be stopped. But how? And what could Rick do from this
cell?

In a way, he was freer now than ever before, since he didn’t have

to consider the elder’s commands. If only he could manage to get out
of this place, he’d teach that seahorse whore a lesson and make sure
everyone understood predator shouldn’t mate with prey.

Just as he considered this, he heard motion outside. Usually, his

guards pretty much left him be as a silent support to their own kind.
Even if those who’d backed him up that night had been punished as
well, they were still brothers of the same species. The others might
not free him, but they didn’t taunt or bother him either.

However, the person outside his cell was no guard. The locked

door opened, revealing his father at the other side. “Come on, Rick.
Hurry. We don’t have much time.”

Rick rushed after his father, almost in disbelief. “Finally!” he said.

“I thought you’d forgotten about me.”

“Of course not,” the other wolf said as they ran. “The elder has

just been watching me. I only managed to sneak in tonight because
he’s been taking long trips with his mate. Apparently, she’s
pregnant.”

Rick couldn’t contain his disgust. The ewe was pregnant. That

was the last thing they needed, to pollute their species with half-
breeds. “Christ. We have to stop this.”

“I know.” Rick’s father led him through the corridor. They found

some guards at one point, but they were all unconscious. “But at this
point, I’m completely out of ideas.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

The older wolf led him out of the mansion and into the dark pack

grounds. “I drugged a part of the guards, but only those inside the
building. From here, all bets are off.”

Rick quickly hugged his father, understanding what the other man

was trying to say. “Don’t worry. I can handle myself.”

Without bothering with any other good-bye, Rick turned into his

wolf form and disappeared into the night.

* * * *

The shrill sound of the phone roused Byron from his slumber. He

cracked his eyes open and retrieved his cell phone from the night
table, grumbling under his breath. His mate lay cuddled by his side
and stirred slightly at the noise. Byron shushed him lightly, knowing
Skylar needed his rest. Whoever was calling at this hour better have
an excellent reason.

“Byron Cunningham here,” he said as he took the call.
“Greetings, Mr. Cunningham,” the voice of Elder Kevin Wade

said. “This is Elder Wade.”

“Good morning, Elder.” Alarm bells started ringing in Byron’s

head at the werewolf’s tone. “What can I do for you?”

“I’m afraid I have some bad news. Your mate’s attacker, Rick

Carver, escaped my compound last night.”

Red hot fury coursed through Byron. “What?” he asked. “I

thought he was under lock and key.”

He’d accepted the elder’s right of dealing with his own messes,

and in the past months, the situation had seemed under control.
Apparently, he’d been wrong to trust.

“He was. However, in my absence, there was a slight rebellion led

by Rick’s father. It’s unclear as to how many actually participated, but
the result was Rick’s escape. I have reason to believe he might want
to exact revenge on you and your mate.”

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

“If he shows his face here, elder, you’ll be one pack member

short,” Byron replied calmly, even if he felt anything but calm. His
predator was awake and yearning to hunt down and eliminate the
threat. This time, he would deal things his way.

The elder sighed. “I understand,” he said. “I assure you I’m taking

serious measurements against the dissident elements in my pack. This
has to stop.”

“I agree. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to talk to my head of

security.” He paused as something occurred to him. “One more thing.
I will need a picture of Carver and some details of him so that my
men know what to look for.”

“Of course. I’ll be sending you the complete file later today.

Good-bye, Mr. Cunningham.”

The conversation ended, and Byron focused his attention on the

now-awake Skylar. “You heard?”

Skylar was trembling slightly and pushed himself even closer to

Byron. “Will he come here, Byron?”

“If he does, he’ll never even breathe the same air you do.” Byron

pressed a kiss to Skylar’s forehead. “I assure you, sweetheart, I won’t
take any chances with you and our children. You’ll be perfectly safe.”

He held Skylar in his arms tightly, caressing him until Skylar’s

heart stopped racing. “Get some sleep, Skylar,” he whispered.
“You’re safe.”

As soon as Skylar drifted into slumber, Byron slipped out of the

bed and quickly got dressed. With great reluctance, he left the room.
He’d have preferred to stay with his mate, but he needed to make
arrangements and raise the alarm.

The first thing he did was find Yuki. The octopus female was an

early riser, and Byron ran into her in the living room. She seemed to
be studying some graphs, and Byron recalled that Yuki and Malcolm
were still keeping tabs on their various investments even while
helping Byron out with Skylar.

Scarlet Hyacinth

She immediately realized something was not right. “What is

wrong, Cunningham-sama?” she said in her lightly accented voice. “Is
Skylar-kun all right?”

Her affection for Skylar showed even from the way she spoke

when she referred to the seahorse with a familiarity that usually
applied only to family and the closest friends. For that reason, Byron
trusted her to protect Skylar if need be.

“Skylar is all right, Yuki-san,” he replied. “However, something

of concern did indeed happen. Where is Malcolm? I need to talk to
him, too.”

As if he’d been just waiting for Byron’s question, Malcolm

slipped into the room with the stealth so typical of him. Byron might
not have even felt him approach if not for his advanced senses.
“Please, sit, both of you.”

The couple sat down on the couch, and Byron started recounting

the tale. “I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but a few months back,
at a party organized for the elder werewolf, Skylar was attacked by a
member of the man’s pack, a guy named Rick Carver. The damn
mongrel nearly forced himself on Skylar. Thankfully, I arrived in
time. I would have killed the bastard, but Skylar insisted on not
marring the night with blood. I caved, and the individual in question
was imprisoned. However, this morning, the elder werewolf informed
me the man escaped last night and might be heading our way.” He
gave his friends a serious look. “I cannot emphasize enough how
important it is to watch over Skylar now.”

Yuki and Malcolm nodded. “We understand, Cunningham-sama,”

Yuki said. “You needn’t fear a thing. No one will hurt your mate.”

“Yuki is right, Byron,” Malcolm added. “We’ll protect him with

our own lives if we need to.”

“I honestly don’t think it will be necessary. From what the elder

told me, I believe he doesn’t have many resources. However, we can’t
be sure, so strengthen security. Anyone who comes within a hundred
feet of the mansion is to be thoroughly searched and identified. I

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

asked the elder to provide us with information on Carver. He should
be sending it to us soon.” He turned toward Yuki. “For the moment,
Yuki-san, I would be very thankful if you could keep Skylar company
while Malcolm and I deal with things. He cares for you deeply, and he
might be shaken when he wakes up.”

“At once, Cunningham-sama.” The woman bowed low and

slipped out of the room, as stealthy as her husband.

Malcolm watched her go, then his deep blue eyes focused on

Byron. “Are you truly worried that man can come inside this place?
It’s a fortress.”

“I know.” Byron had actually strengthened security two times

before, once when Skylar had come to live here and again after
finding out about the pregnancy. “I don’t want to take even the
slightest chance. Airtight, Malcolm. I want this place to be airtight,
especially until Carver is caught.”

Malcolm squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t worry. We won’t allow

anything to happen to your mate.”

“We certainly won’t,” Byron replied darkly. “Now, I’ll contact

my chief of staff and demand a dozen more men as a preliminary
addition. You talk to the head of security. See if all the alarms and
sensors were installed.” He considered his next course of action
carefully. “I will probably be taking Skylar out of town as soon as I
make the final arrangements.”

“Is everything ready at the island?”
Byron nodded. Even if he hadn’t expected his mate’s pregnancy to

advance so quickly—for sharks, it was much slower—he’d made
arrangements for his private island to install every piece of equipment
that would be needed for the birth.

From the very beginning, they’d known things would be

complicated. Skylar wouldn’t be able to deliver the children naturally,
that is, in his shifted form. He would do so while still in his human
shape. Furthermore, the two babies would not be able to shift for up to
a year, so they needed an aquatic environment in which they could

Scarlet Hyacinth

freely develop. Byron’s private island had been chosen, and as such,
Skylar would now need to be transferred there.

“Yes,” Byron told Malcolm. “Everything is arranged. I’ll bring it

up with my mate today and as soon as possible, we’ll fly there. But
until then, look into what I mentioned.”

“Will do.”
As Malcolm left the living room to fulfill his appointed task,

Byron set about to make a few phone calls. It wasn’t only the chief of
staff he needed to contact. It was time for the Pierces to know about
the attack on their son.

* * * *

Skylar glowered at his mate, for the first time in his memory

absolutely furious with Byron. “I can’t believe you asked my parents
over without my permission.”

“You better believe it, sweetheart.” Byron took his hand and

squeezed it. “I know this is hard for you, but we have to tell them
about Carver. They need to be warned.”

Skylar’s heart fell, his anger deflating into a terrified realization. It

hadn’t even occurred to him that Rick might try to take his vengeance
by hurting his parents. Byron was right. Skylar’s parents needed to
know.

Skylar would have preferred to keep it under wraps forever.

Hearing about his attack would hurt both his parents greatly, but the
current situation pushed him into this course of action. “Will you help
me tell them?” he asked in a small voice.

“Of course,” Byron replied. “I’ll help with whatever you need.

Now, get ready. They should be here any moment now.”

Skylar’s parents arrived for lunch, a bit earlier than the time

Byron had tentatively set. They seemed nervous, but Skylar couldn’t
blame them. Starting this morning, more and more security measures
had started to be implemented. Yuki never left Skylar’s side, and the

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

only alone moments he got was when he went to the bathroom. Even
then, he always had Yuki or another guard standing at the door. It was
sort of embarrassing, especially with the number of times he needed
to go in his very pregnant state.

He hugged them both, happy when they politely greeted Byron,

Yuki, and Malcolm. “You said you needed to talk to us about
something?” his father prodded.

Yuki and Malcolm discreetly slipped out of the room, leaving the

four of them to talk in private. Byron gestured them to sit and then
gave Skylar a telling look. “Yes, Dad. Indeed, there’s something you
don’t know that might be a danger for you now.” He fidgeted,
uncertain how to explain the events. “I… I don’t really know how to
say this.”

“Should I try, sweetheart?” Byron offered through their bond.
Skylar shook his head. These were his parents, and he was the one

who owed them an explanation, not Byron. Getting over his
hesitation, he started to speak. He explained about him organizing the
party—something they already knew of—then got to the crux of the
issue. He told them of the moment he’d gone in search of privacy,
without giving them the reason, and then how Rick had come and
tried to hurt him. He pointed out Byron had saved him in time and
Rick had eventually been imprisoned. Finally, he got to the news
they’d just found out that morning. “The werewolf elder just told us
Rick Carver escaped and he might try to exact revenge. That’s why
Byron is implementing additional measures of security, and you must
do so as well.”

When at last he finished, he dared to look at his parents. His

mother had tears in her eyes, and his father looked glum. She came to
Skylar’s side and hugged him tightly, without speaking. His father
stared at Byron as if he were seeing the shark for the first time. “It
seems we owe you an apology, Mr. Cunningham.”

Skylar’s mother released Skylar from her embrace and nodded. “I

might not be ecstatic about you mating Skylar, but you stood by him

Scarlet Hyacinth

when it mattered, you’ve given him children, and you seem to love
him.”

“I don’t seem to love him,” Byron replied, emphasizing the word

that bothered him. “I adore him beyond any shadow of a doubt, and
believe me, I’m not one to declare such things easily.”

“We believe you,” Skylar’s dad replied. “And we will take this

threat seriously, I assure you.”

“One more thing.” Skylar hesitated and stole a look at his mate.

“Given the circumstances, Byron suggested we leave LA and head
toward his island. We’ll be heading that way as soon as the final
arrangements are made.”

“I can’t fault your decision.” Skylar’s mother nodded. “I’ll be

taking over all your duties at the agency.”

“I’d like to come with you,” his father said. “I might be able to

help.”

It was a good idea, since the older seahorse had passed through

what Skylar would now be facing, or rather, through a similar
experience. “All right, Dad. Thank you for your help, both of you.
You’ve been amazing.”

His mother wiped a remaining tear from the corner of her eye.

“You’re our son, and we love you. And we already love those babies
you carry. So how could we act any differently?”

In that moment, Skylar realized just how lucky he was. He had

friends who cared about him, a mate who lavished him with affection,
parents who loved him deeply, and two children who would soon
come into this world. His fears over Rick Carver notwithstanding,
what more could he possibly want?

They left that very same day, after Byron made sure all the

doctors and equipment were already on the island. Skylar’s friends
came to say good-bye, well, at least the ones who still lived in LA.
Garth, Nicolas, and their two sons, Preston and Corbin, were there, as
well as many of the staff of the Pierce mansion. Garth promised to aid
Skylar’s mother in the management of the agency, and the two lynx

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

boys swore they would be good and listen to their parents. In turn,
Skylar promised he would let everyone know once the birth was
imminent so they could come and be with him in those special
moments. With Shiloh, Daniel, and Carson, he only managed video
calls, but that would have to do until his friends could join him on
Byron’s island.

He didn’t know what he’d expected to see at his new home, but

the actual facility surprised him. They flew there in Byron’s private
jet and landed on an air strip very close to the actual house. However,
house was very loosely putting it. Skylar had already noticed Byron
didn’t do things halfway, and this mansion was built to suit its owner.
It was huge, even bigger than the one in LA, and, according to
Byron’s words, a new section had been recently added, especially for
the birth. It had a large swimming pool with filtered salt water,
ensuring no bacteria would reach the children in their youngest days.
There was also a large barrack, where the security staff and the
doctors lived.

After a very brief tour and a delicious dinner, Byron led Skylar to

the bedroom they would share. As he plopped down on the
unsurprisingly huge bed, Skylar stole a look at the time. Eight in the
evening. Was it truly the same day he’d found out about Rick
Carver’s escape? Had he made love with Byron just the night before?
So many things had happened in the last few hours that it almost
seemed a week had passed, not a single day. Especially after his
uneventful past months, it was quite a change, and Skylar felt
exhausted.

Byron pressed a brief kiss to his cheek. “Go to sleep, sweetheart.

Tomorrow is another day.”

Skylar closed his eyes and obeyed. Slumber took hold of him, and

in his dreams, he heard no hostile voices, only Byron’s strong tone
and the laughter of children.

* * * *

Scarlet Hyacinth

A few days later

Rick stood outside the agency, watching the building staff come

and go. There were numerous guards around, so he couldn’t risk
approaching. He even saw Garth Mckenna come in, but Skylar, that
damn Skylar Pierce, was nowhere to be seen.

He backed away from the building slowly, considering his next

course of action. He’d been spying on the agency for days now,
thinking Skylar might eventually show up. However, the seahorse had
failed to make an appearance.

Rick remembered the man who’d crushed his shoulder at the

elder’s home. The injury had healed, but he still hadn’t gotten over
the humiliation. That big guy—Byron Cunningham if Rick
remembered correctly—must have kept Skylar from returning to
work. It didn’t take a genius to figure out the two of them were lovers.

Given the circumstances, perhaps it wouldn’t be a good idea to

attack Skylar directly. As much as it irked Rick, he admitted Byron
was much stronger than him.

However, Rick did have one advantage, and Skylar had a

vulnerability no one had really seen. Smirking, Rick headed back to
his dingy motel, a plan already forming in his mind.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Chapter Six

A week later

In the living room of the large island mansion, the television was

on. Byron peeked inside, only to see Malcolm sitting on the leather
couch, a can of beer in his hand.

A game of football was playing on TV. Byron wasn’t really a big

fan of the sport, although with his bulk, he could have easily run over
half the players on the field. Malcolm, however, had enjoyed it for as
long as Byron could remember.

Wordlessly, Byron came to sit next to Malcolm. Since Skylar was

sleeping, Byron had taken the opportunity to check up on the security
system and see his friend and mentor.

They weren’t much for words, so they just sat there, with

Malcolm occasionally throwing a comment at the players he didn’t
like. Finally, halftime came. Malcolm silenced the TV and directed a
glance at Byron. “I thought you didn’t like football.”

Byron shrugged. “I don’t, but that doesn’t mean I can’t watch it

from time to time.”

Malcolm opened his mouth, obviously intending to say

something. His words never came. Instead, he grabbed the remote and
turned up the volume again.

The shock on Malcolm’s face alarmed Byron. Malcolm rarely, if

ever, got frightened or even surprised. Byron turned toward the TV
screen and gaped.

There, in full HD quality on the plasma screen, they both saw a

werewolf run onto the Los Angeles Football Stadium. For a few

Scarlet Hyacinth

seconds, Byron dared to hope it might just be a large pet or even an
actual animal escaped from the zoo. That thought disappeared when,
in the middle of the field, the wolf turned into a man.

The camera zoomed in on the individual in question as the

reporter began to speak in a quick, panicky voice. Byron didn’t hear
any of her words. The only thing he could focus on was the face on
the screen. Rick Carver.

“Christ, he’s insane,” Malcolm said. “Does he have any idea what

he’s done?”

Byron couldn’t find an answer. His first reaction was the

knowledge that he needed to hide this from Skylar at all costs.

Unfortunately, their bond had some disadvantages as well. His

agitation must have woken Skylar as Byron felt the seahorse wake up
with a start. “Byron, what’s wrong?”

Byron tried to think about anything else but the wolf on television

and failed abysmally. “Oh, my God,” Skylar cried through their
connection. “He didn’t.”

Skylar had a television in the bedroom as well, so Byron knew he

couldn’t stop his mate from seeing the events with his own eyes.
Abandoning the living room, he rushed upstairs toward his mate. He
found Skylar with his father and Yuki, staring in shock at the screen.

Security was now being gathered to capture the intruder. The

humans seemed very reluctant to approach, and the actual football
fans were running in a panic, making the intervention even more
difficult. When the camera zoomed in again, Byron actually caught
sight of Carver’s lips forming a couple of phrase. “Fuck you, Skylar
Pierce. Fuck you, Elder Wade.”

So, this was Carver’s way to get revenge on the people he thought

had wronged him, to reveal the existence of shape-shifters to the
humans. Some damage control needed to be done, but somehow,
Byron doubted Carver would stop at just that.

“Calm down, sweetheart,” he told Skylar. “This can still be

controlled. It’s just one crazed maniac.” With enough money in the

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

right hands, Byron could have the whole thing made up into a show of
special effects.

Just as Byron thought this, his phone rang. It was an unknown

number, but Byron took the call anyway. In a sense, he wasn’t
surprised. He had lots of informants in various agencies that told him
what went on at any given time.

“Mr. Cunningham, the humans are on high alert,” the voice on the

other side of the receiver said. Byron immediately identified the caller
as a chameleon-shifter he liked to call John.

“How so?” he inquired.
“It seems that at the most secret levels, they already suspected the

existence of shape-shifters. The agency in particular was of great
interest. With what just happened, it’s only a matter of time until they
take key locations by storm.”

Byron rubbed his eyes in tiredness. “Contact Garth. Tell him

about this.”

“Will do.” John paused. “Mr. Cunningham, I fear this time, there

won’t be any place for us to hide anymore.”

As Byron ended the call, he turned toward his mate. He didn’t

want to say this, but he knew Skylar had overheard most of the
conversation anyway. “It seems the existence of the shape-shifters
might be out in the open.” Byron could still attempt to reach out to
human officials, but with Rick Carver running around in wolf form,
they were unlikely to listen.

The thought dissipated into sheer terror as Skylar released a cry

and clutched his swollen belly. “God, he’s going into labor,” Lark
Pierce said.

Byron grabbed his mate in his arms and headed toward the

specially prepared area. Yuki grabbed her cell phone, and Byron
heard her contact the doctors to be ready for them. Byron had hired
the best specialists, and they were already at the clinic when he
reached it with Skylar in his arms.

100

Scarlet Hyacinth

“In here,” a nurse directed him, all business. “We’re ready for

him.”

Byron burst into the large room that would be Skylar’s birthing

place. Instead of a bed or anything like that, it held a large pool.
Against its wall was platform with hand levels for Skylar to hold onto,
and there were several niches where the actual water-proof equipment
stood. These items were above water level. However, they had been
built here in order to allow the newborns to be immediately
transferred to their natural environment. The pool also had an inbuilt
panel that, if needed, could separate the pool in two. It had been
added in case the two children couldn’t get along, so that the shark
wouldn’t hurt his smaller brother. Byron hoped that wouldn’t be
necessary and, like Skylar thought, Layton and Morgan would accept
each other.

Byron set Skylar down on the padded platform. The doctors

gathered around his mate, who now looked very frightened. “Byron…
I’m scared.”

Byron squeezed the seahorse’s hand. “I know, sweetheart. Don’t

worry. It’s going to be all right.”

“Sir, if you please, wait outside,” a doctor told him. It was

impressive, given that his staff was well aware of Byron’s abilities.

“I want to stay with Skylar.” Byron glowered at the man. It had

already been discussed before, and the doctor had agreed, prior to the
events today. Byron gathered that the sudden labor made things more
complicated, but still, he knew that he could help Skylar simply
through his presence.

The doctor didn’t seem fazed. “Very well, but you must do your

best to keep silent and soothe your mate. Most of all, don’t interfere
with our jobs.”

Byron nodded while his mate clung to his hand. And as the

doctors set to work, for the second time in his life, Byron prayed.
Once before, his Skylar had been in mortal peril. Now, Byron had

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three loved ones to lose if something went wrong. He could only hope
that all his preparations had not been for naught.

His head started to whirl as the medics used a special substance to

knock Skylar out. As Skylar surrendered to the anesthetic, Byron
couldn’t help but feel glad. At least, his mate wouldn’t be in pain.

Then, the operation began. The doctors forced Byron away from

the scene until he stood a few good feet away from Skylar. Byron
didn’t argue. He knew that in these circumstances, the doctors needed
to hurry, and the best way to help Skylar would be to listen to the
medics’ advice.

At one point, he noticed in terror that they looked at one another

in confusion. They seemed puzzled on their next course of action, and
Byron wished he could approach so that he could see what was going
on better. Any moment now, he thought he might receive the bad
news of Skylar’s death. Or perhaps Layton and Morgan would not
live. God, why was it taking so long? He thought C-sections were
supposed to be shorter.

He didn’t know how much time passed until at last, he saw the

doctor retrieve his sons. They were quickly released into the water,
with a couple of nurses keeping close watch over them, and especially
on the tiny seahorse.

The doctors waved him over, and Byron at last dared to approach.
“The operation went well. A birthing seam opened where Mr.

Cunningham’s pouch was supposed to be, and we didn’t have to cut
into his flesh.”

The relief that assaulted Byron almost made him keel over. “He’ll

be fine?” As the doctor nodded, Byron added, “And my kids?”

“Two wonderful boys. You can go see for yourself.”
Byron slipped into the pool, and instantly, his children sensed

him. At first, they seemed a little cautious. In fact, this was the case
for the rest of the people watching them, as well. However, the small
seahorse—Layton—eventually approached and his larger brother
Morgan followed shortly thereafter. Byron’s heart squeezed in his

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chest when he first touched their water-slick bodies. His sons. His
baby boys. He was a father.

It was in that moment that Byron remembered the earlier episode

and Rick Carver’s stupidity. If he wanted Skylar and his sons to be
safe, Byron needed to do something to control the situation, and fast.

* * * *

Carson Williams-Wade stared at the television, still in shock. The

wolf on the screen was now running away from its pursuers, having
probably realized the shock value of his appearance would turn into
violence soon.

“I can’t believe this,” Brody said. “Why would he do something

like this?”

“He hates us after what happened,” Carson replied. “He hates

everyone. Jesus, Brody, if this gets out of control…”

“I know, baby. If the humans realize just how many shape-shifters

walk around them every day, we might have a war on our hands.”

“Papa?” Angel’s tiny voice came from behind them. “What’s

wrong?”

“Nothing,” Carson lied as he turned toward his son. Angel stood

in the doorway of their living room, with his brother, Clark, next to
him. “Go to your room, boys.”

Clark didn’t seem to believe him, but he ushered his younger

sibling away and upstairs. Carson shared a look with Brody as their
children left. “What do we do, Brody?”

* * * *

Shiloh Denning-Holden glanced from the television screen to his

mate’s face in horror. “He gave us away.”

Liam nodded. “We need to talk to Brody. This could be very

dangerous if someone figures us out.”

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103

Carson, Brody, Shiloh, and Liam, together with their three

children, lived alone on a property of Brody’s in the Rocky
Mountains. However, if humans started to panic, suspicion might fall
over them.

Shiloh took a deep breath and went to his son’s room. Reed had

not yet entered his second year of life, so he was still in cygnet form.
Shiloh took his son in his arms and, together with Liam, left his
house, heading toward Brody’s. They needed a plan.

* * * *

Alpha Soren Wade glowered at his beta, Anson. “What do you

mean we don’t have enough men?”

“We’ve strengthened the defenses to the north, but we haven’t

been able to reach all our pack members yet. Some of them are out
running.”

Soren rubbed his hand over his eyes. “Get everyone back here at

once. We need to host an urgent meeting.”

As Anson departed to fulfill the order, Soren’s mate, Daniel,

appeared by his side. “Will they find us, Soren?”

“I don’t know, Dani. They might.” Soren gave his lover a serious

look. “If something happens, I want you to take the pups and run.”

Daniel gritted his teeth, but didn’t speak. Soren knew what his

mate was thinking. Why did something like this have to happen,
especially when they thought they’d found happiness?

* * * *

Garth Mckenna shook his secretary, screaming at her, “Yes,

you’ve heard right. Delete all the fucking files.”

Trembling, the woman finally obeyed. After John had called him,

Garth immediately set about to deal with the huge problem he had on
his hands. A great number of agency staff was now busy cleaning out

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their computers of all data that could lead an intruder to the various
shape-shifter families who’d come here to register their matings or
adopt.

Other people had emptied the nursery and taken the orphan

children to safer locations. Since he couldn’t think of anything else,
Garth had taken the liberty to send them all to Byron’s home.
Thankfully, his friend had given him access over his properties here
in LA, as well as temporarily handing him the reins of the family until
Byron returned. Truth be told, Garth didn’t even have to do much in
that position since Byron could lead his organization from wherever
he was. However, this crisis put them in a circumstance none of them
had expected, and Garth intended to use all the resources at his
disposal to keep his loved ones safe.

His phone rang, and Garth only picked up because he recognized

the ringtone he’d set for his hummingbird mate, Nicolas. “I’m at
Byron’s, Garth. How are things there?”

“Still working on organization. Any news on what happened at the

stadium?”

“Apparently, Rick fled. We don’t know anything after that.” His

mate paused. “I called my sister, just in case.”

“Good thinking. There’s no telling what would happen from now

on. I’m going to try to get Byron on the phone and see his opinion on
this.”

“All right. I’ll deal with things here. Don’t worry.”
As his mate ended the conversation, Garth readied himself to dial

Byron’s number. He didn’t get the chance. The phone rang before he
could call. It was Byron. Immediately, Garth took the call.

“Are you at the agency?” Byron inquired without preamble.
Garth’s heart sank in his chest. “Yes, why?”
“Get out of there,” the shark said. “Get out of there now.”

* * * *

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105

Byron couldn’t have thought Rick could do any more damage, but

he’d been sorely mistaken. He’d left the birthing room with a heavy
heart, intending to check in on the situation, only to run into a
distraught Malcolm.

“He sent a tape to a television station and posted a video online.”
Byron had rushed to the computer room and found several staff

members watching a still-playing video. Rick Carver had
demonstrated his shape-shifting ability on the video feed as well. He
hadn’t been content with just that, though. All the addresses of shape-
shifters Rick knew of were also listed, and the agency was
emphasized as a center where all the races came together.

Whatever plans Byron might have had could no longer control an

increasingly serious situation. While they could claim the video was
rigged, the information had leaked to the authorities, who were now
on high alert.

Instantly, Byron ordered his staff to start contacting people. He

himself called Garth, while others spoke to Elder Wade, Soren,
Brody, and the sheep elder. The existence of the town of Ramston
where Carson originally hailed from had been revealed, along with
that of Brody and Liam’s homes, Soren’s pack lands, and Elder
Wade’s location.

After he contacted everyone he could think of, he returned to his

mate’s side. Skylar had been transferred into their new bedroom, at
the first floor. Large aquariums had been set up, ready for their new
occupants. After all, Layton and Morgan couldn’t stay in the pool
every moment of the day.

Skylar cracked his eyes open as Byron entered the room. At first,

he seemed a bit dazed, but then, as the remnants of the anesthetic
dissipated, he released a gasp-pop of shock and fear. “The children.
Rick. What happened?”

Byron knelt by the bed and slowly caressed his mate’s face. “Shh.

The boys are all right. They’re still in the pool, under close

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supervision. The doctors recommended to leave them to swim around
for a few hours, then transfer them in the aquarium.”

“I want to see them.” Skylar whimpered. “You’re not lying to me,

are you?”

“Of course not, sweetheart.” Byron took his mate in his arms and

carried him out of the room. “You know I would never lie.”

Byron took his mate to the pool, where Skylar immediately

entered the water. Layton and Morgan gleefully swam around him,
obviously sensing their birth parent. For a few minutes, Skylar just
enjoyed their presence, and then, he turned toward Byron. “What
happened in LA, Byron? What did Rick do?”

Byron knew he couldn’t hide anything from his mate.

“Essentially, he revealed the existence of shape-shifters. Not only did
he change forms in the middle of a stadium filled with spectators, but
he also sent a video with details on known shape-shifter addresses.”

All the color drained out of Skylar’s face. “The agency. My

mother. My friends. Byron, we have to help them.”

“Garth has already evacuated the agency.” Byron gave his mate a

serious look. “And you’re not going anywhere, Skylar. You’re staying
here, with our sons, where it’s safe. I, however, will go.”

Skylar bit his lip. He stole a glimpse toward his two newborns,

merrily swimming around in the water, and then turned toward Byron
again. Even without their bond, Byron would have sensed the turmoil
going through the seahorse. He knelt next to the pool and pressed a
kiss to Skylar’s forehead. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I promise I’ll
come back to you.” He had too much to live for not to do so.

Just as he thought this, his cell phone rang. It was Garth. Byron

frowned, wondering what could have happened in the short time that
passed from his conversation with the lynx. “Byron here,” he said as
he took the call. “What’s wrong, Garth?”

“Byron, I was on the phone with Shiloh when something

happened.” Garth sounded concerned. “I’m not sure what is going on
there, but I think they were attacked.”

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107

Byron cursed. The two families were alone in the Rockies, with

no one to help them. “I’m coming there. Until then, send a plane to
investigate. We won’t allow anyone to get hurt.”

“On it,” Garth replied. “We’ll be expecting you. And be careful.”
“I will.”
Byron cut the connection. There was no time to lose. Their friends

were in danger, and if the humans had attacked the four men and their
children, they certainly wouldn’t stop there. Now more than ever, he
owed it to his mate and children to fix the situation an insane
werewolf had created.

* * * *

Later that day

By the time Byron reached the Cunningham residence, a state of

emergency had been declared in Los Angeles and the neighboring
counties, essentially equivalent with martial law. It concerned Byron
since the current state of affairs would give human authorities the
right to get away with whatever the hell they wanted, including
investigating their homes and businesses.

In a sense, the decision didn’t surprise Byron. Much faster than

Byron expected, Rick’s video had gone viral, reaching even those
people who hadn’t been at the game or watching television at that
hour. However, had the human authorities been more cautious,
widespread panic could have been prevented. Instead, special troops
had been sent out to all key locations under the guise of drug raids.
Most shape-shifters had managed to flee before the humans got there,
but a couple hadn’t been prepared. It would seem the humans had
been watching a number of families for a while now, and in spite of
John and Byron’s efforts, some had been caught in the cross fire.
Perhaps it would have gone unnoticed, but in order to escape, the
people in question had shifted, and now, there was no question as to

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the reality. Shape-shifters did exist. There was no longer any doubt
about it in the minds of the humans.

Naturally, the public had panicked. Stores had been vandalized in

an attempt to take all precautions, and gun salesmen had especially
been hit hard. It was only due to Garth’s quick intervention that the
agency information hadn’t fallen into the wrong hands. The building
must have been among the first to be searched by authorities, as
Byron saw it from his helicopter, its gates wide open, invaded by
security forces.

Beyond that, Byron didn’t know much else, at least not until he

found Garth himself. The lynx was waiting for him next to the landing
bay.

“The situation is worse than I originally thought,” he said.

“Carson received a severe injury while trying to protect his son. A
bullet, shot from very close. Angel got away with just a scratch, but
he hasn’t spoken a word since we brought him in. Clark won’t let us
near him. Brody is out of his mind with pain.”

“Christ.” Byron couldn’t believe his ears. “What do the doctors

say?”

“His shape-shifter abilities should be able to deal with it, if he

lives through the night.”

Byron felt his mate’s pain as Skylar acknowledged what had

happened to his friend. He took a deep breath, knowing Skylar was
counting on him to help their loved ones out.

Following Garth, Byron went in search of Brody. The werewolf

and his injured mate were his first order of business. He found the
man pacing in front of his mate’s room. As soon as Byron
approached, Brody looked up at him. For a few moments, there
wasn’t even a sign of recognition in Brody’s eyes, but then,
realization seemed to dawn.

He stalked forward and grabbed the lapels of Byron’s jacket.

“Make them pay, Byron. Tear them apart. I know you can do it.”

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109

“I plan to do so.” Byron gently released himself from Brody’s

hold. He needed to find someone that could tell him the details of
what occurred.

Thankfully, Liam was also there and filled him in while Brody

returned to his pacing. “Someone found us,” the second werewolf
whispered. “We tried to play dumb, but Angel panicked and turned
into his antelope form. The men shot at him, and Carson took the
bullet. After that, Brody and I took Carson and the others and stalled
until Garth got there with reinforcements. Have you heard from Elder
Wade and Soren?”

“Everyone left all compromised locations. I’m not sure where

they are.” Liam paused. “How’s Skylar?”

It occurred to Byron that in all the mess, he hadn’t even told his

friends about the birth of his children. “Shocked and exhausted. The
news pushed him into labor.”

Liam’s eyes widened. “Oh, my God. How is he, Byron? The

children?”

“Fine. They went through the operation fine. But now more than

ever, we need to find a solution to solve this. For Carson, for Skylar,
and for everyone else, we can’t allow this to continue.”

“But what do we do?”
Byron remembered the first time he’d shifted and his subsequent

fight with his parents. He remembered all the years he’d spent leading
the Cunningham family. Finally, he recalled Skylar laughing with
Carson at Elder Wade’s ceremony and knew there was no other way.
“We fight back. Like Brody said, we tear them apart.”

As Liam mused over this, Malcolm approached Byron and pulled

him away from the werewolves. “We found Rick,” he whispered in
Byron’s ear. “What plans do you have for him?”

Byron felt the beast inside him stir. Rick had attacked his mate

and endangered the life of his children. The werewolf’s fanaticism
had caused Carson to be injured. Most likely, the losses would not
stop there. He needed to pay.

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At the same time, Byron knew Brody would like to witness the

man’s punishment, and now was not the time for it. “Let him wait,”
he told Malcolm. “We have more important things to worry about.”

Malcolm nodded, obviously agreeing with him. “So what next?

How do we stop this?”

“With lots of balls and luck.” Byron grinned. “And maybe the

fangs of a megalodon.”

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Chapter Seven

The next morning

There was very little Byron had never thought he would do, but at

the top of that short list was shape-shifting in middle of US waters,
within view of humans. He’d reached the conclusion that this disaster
had happened in his lifetime for a reason. The shape-shifters needed
to make a stand, and he was the one who’d have to urge them all into
action.

He had the benefit of a very large and rich information network,

and as such, in spite of the martial law currently instituted, he’d found
out the location of several military vessels. What he needed to do
wouldn’t be easy—he’d never actually tried it—but he was relying on
his beast to lead him through everything.

Thankfully, Carson had pulled through and woken up before

Byron even left the Cunningham home. His antelope son, Angel, had
yet to recover from his shock, but Byron had hope that it would
happen. Until then, he needed to create a safe environment for all
children, no matter the cost.

He wasn’t the only one who would brave a difficult task today.

Garth and his mate, Nicolas, were on standby, waiting for Byron’s
order to proceed with an even riskier endeavor. Byron hoped their
assistance wouldn’t be necessary, but he doubted the humans would
agree to anything easily. If anything, Byron’s two groups would have
to work together to make the plan work.

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With the same helicopter he’d arrived in, Byron headed over the

ocean. Once he was a good distance away from the coast, he jumped
into the water without even bothering to lower himself to the surface.

He swam deeply into the ocean, feeling both apprehensive and

free at the same time. Before, he’d never gotten the chance to shift so
close to the continent. Now, he would at last use his power for the
good of his kin. It was strange.

Casting aside all his doubts, Byron shifted into his shark form. His

body grew and grew, until he at last transformed into the creature
humans recreated in documentaries about the prehistoric age.

Following his acute senses, Byron headed toward the place the

ships were anchored in. Two large carrier vessels, they were meant to
be scanning the water for anything that might be lurking in its depths.
But the navy certainly wouldn’t be expecting something like Byron.

Byron gathered there would be sensors that would detect his

approach and, indeed, as he approached the first ship, he heard people
shouting above him. His keen hearing deciphered the words even
from the great depth. “I think a submarine is coming in.”

“Try to identify the approaching sub. If it doesn’t respond to our

transmissions, prepare the depth charges.”

If he’d been in human form, Byron would have snorted. Sharks

had thick skin, and while the depth charges might hurt, they wouldn’t
be able to kill him or incapacitate him. Perhaps they’d have been able
to injure an actual shark, but not a shape-shifter like Byron.
Furthermore, whatever wound he received would heal before the
humans even tried to inflict another one.

The message the humans sent failed to reach him, but either way,

it wouldn’t have mattered. He approached at full speed and broke out
of the water, going for the most impressive entrance he could come up
with. His huge fangs tore into the ship deck, without irremediably
damaging it. He was going for frightening and pointing out the
potential danger, not actually killing people.

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113

The humans screamed, but to their credit, stood their ground.

Many retrieved their guns and directed them at Byron. Byron focused
his entire abilities and with a thought, sent a wave of paralysis over
the ship.

It was strikingly easy. The humans instantly froze, their fingers on

the triggers of their guns. Satisfied, Byron shifted into his legged form
and jumped onto the ship.

He saw the horror in the humans’ eyes as he approached them, but

they couldn’t even make their vocal cords work to express it. Byron
scanned the area for the person who seemed to be in charge.
Thankfully, the navy made things easy due to the difference in
uniforms. Byron grinned when he spotted the commanding officer.

He made his way to the man’s side and wrapped his arm around

the captain’s shoulder in a mock-friendly gesture. He allowed the
paralysis to dwindle off the human. “Let’s have a talk, shall we,
Captain?”

“I’m not talking to something like you,” the human shot back.
Byron glared at him, putting his most frightening face on. “Oh, I

think you will. If not, I’ll eat you, your ship, and your men, and just
go to your colleagues on other ships. Would you want that?”

Technically speaking, he couldn’t actually eat the ship—it was far

too big—but he could destroy it, and the captain obviously knew it.
Besides, even without his words, the power Byron exuded made the
military man cave. In a way, Byron admired the human simply
because he’d stood his ground. That didn’t mean he would have any
qualms in doing what he’d come here to do. Even if paralyzing his
prey had been easy, actually keeping the humans under control proved
to be quite difficult, due to their large number. For that reason and
many others, Byron needed to hasten things along.

“You see, Captain, I have a problem with how your boss is acting.

I’m not very happy with my kin being hunted.”

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“It is your kin that attacked first,” the man said, apparently finding

a sliver of courage. “We’re taking steps to ensure the safety of our
great nation.”

Byron frowned. “Is that so? Well, let me tell you something,

Captain. We’ve lived among humans for thousands of years. The fact
that one fanatic chose to reveal our existence matters very little.” He
shrugged. “At any rate, it’s not you I need to convince.”

Byron suppressed a grimace. The strain of keeping three thousand

men paralyzed was getting to him. He focused on his bond with his
mate, and as always, Skylar was there, anchoring him. “I love you,
Byron,” the seahorse said. “You can do this.”

The words instilled even more conviction inside Byron.

Thankfully, he wasn’t forced to hold on to the paralysis for too long.
His own people climbed onto the ship. The CO gaped at the sight and
Byron snorted. “You didn’t think I’d come alone, did you? Now, lead
me to the radio room. I need to have a word with Commander in
Chief.”

This time, he didn’t even try to be polite in any way. The human

swallowed and nodded. As Malcolm led his men around, knocking
humans out with smoke grenades, the captain directed Byron to the
main communications room. Byron felt somewhat amused as he saw
all the people on the ship frozen in what they’d been doing. With
every man Malcolm took out of commission, Byron’s headache was
subsiding, and Skylar’s soothing presence at the back of his mind
took care of the rest.

Apparently, the staff of the carrier had reported Byron’s

appearance to other troops, as the soldiers in questions were wildly
trying to reestablish contact. “Answer it,” Byron ordered the CO.

The human did. “Base, this is Captain James Harrington, from the

USS The Pearl, reporting in.”

“What’s going on there, Harrington?” a male voice asked. “Your

men reported a submarine. The last message spoke of a sea monster,
and then nothing. What’s happening?”

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115

“The ship has been taken over by a…” Harrington looked at

Byron. Grinning, Byron mouthed “diplomat.” Obediently, Harrington
finished his phrase, “a diplomat.”

“Captain Harrington, please repeat that.”
“A diplomat, Sir.”
“What does this person want?”
Byron gestured for the CO to hand him over the receiver. “Just a

discussion with your Commander in Chief. We’re both reasonable
men, and I’m sure we can reach an agreement.”

“Sir, this is General Wilson, of the US Navy. Please identify

yourself.”

Byron almost chuckled at the authoritative tone. The man was

used to being obeyed, but so was Byron. He didn’t have anything to
hide, though. He’d come here knowing he would need to reveal
certain aspects of his life, but it couldn’t be helped. “Byron
Cunningham. A pleasure, General. Now, no offense to you, but I’m a
man with limited time at his disposal. Please direct me to the
president.”

“I’m not in the habit of facilitating conversations between

terrorists and the president, Mr. Cunningham,” the general shouted.

“You want to hear about terror?” Byron replied calmly. “Turn on

the television, General Wilson. You’ll see my kin being hunted,
innocent people who haven’t done anything wrong, citizens of the
United States, just like you.”

“The United States is a nation of humans, not abominations.”
“Oh? Where does it say shape-shifters are excluded from

citizenship?” Byron was getting more and more frustrated. “I’m not
going to get into a debate with you. Direct me to the president, or the
United States will find themselves with a very big problem on their
hands, starting with this ship and its staff.”

“Are you threatening me?”
“Take it as you like, a threat or a promise. And I don’t make

promises I can’t keep.”

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Knowing he didn’t have a choice, he mentally told Skylar, “Give

the go ahead for Nicolas and Garth.”

It was the easiest way to contact his people without having the

humans here knowing. Through their connection, Skylar could find
out everything that was going on, even without actually being here.

“I’m calling Nico now,” Skylar said.
Once more, Byron put his hopes into his friends. Their plan was

reckless at best, but they didn’t have any other choice but to go
through with it.

* * * *

“It’s a go,” Skylar told Nicolas. “Take care, Nico, all right? If you

can’t get in, don’t risk it.”

Nicolas grinned. “Don’t worry, Skylar. We’ll be fine.”
He ended the connection with his friend and looked at the people

around him. His clan had all come upon his request, both because
they owed him and due to the fact that the current elder, Sara,
acknowledged the necessity.

Nicolas had grown up in the rainforest as a warrior strongly bound

to his roots. His people venerated their Aztec ancestors, and for that
reason, they’d made many mistakes. Sara was working on fixing that.

However, having Rick Carver reveal the existence of shape-

shifters changed many priorities. Even if Nicolas still hadn’t forgotten
about what they’d done—hell, he still had the scar to make him
remember—now was the time to be united.

For this reason, they’d gathered in the city of Washington DC.

The state of affairs was critical, especially since the panic over shape-
shifters had spread beyond the borders of the United States. The
president had pulled in the big guns and had the army guarding all key
locations, including the White House.

However, what the president didn’t expect was a clan of insect-

sized hummingbirds. “Let’s do this,” Nicolas told his kin.

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117

Everyone began to shift into their second forms. “Be careful,

Nico,” Garth said through his connection with Nicolas. “If you don’t
manage to reach your goal, get out of there.”

“Trust me,” Nicolas replied. “We’ll be fine.” They had to be.

Byron Cunningham was counting on them, as were shape-shifters in
the whole world, whether they knew it or not.

Nicolas melted into his hummingbird form, and their group flew

out of the building they’d stationed themselves in, a private residence
of a wealthy oil magnate. The man didn’t even know about it, and any
inspection of the grounds would be useless.

Their task force here in DC managed to establish a temporary base

of operations in the subway underground, but down there,
communications were unreliable. They’d agreed to stay in contact
through Garth’s connection with Nicolas. It might have been easier to
attempt this at night, but every second that passed, a shape-shifter
could be killed. Byron had done his best to organize their little army
as quickly as possible, emphasizing the need to strike fast. Nicolas
agreed. They couldn’t allow the thing that had happened to Carson to
repeat itself.

Once Nicolas and his group infiltrated The White House, they

would kill the alarms and take out most of the security. The second
group would arrive after that as backup. Nicolas was counting on
them. The werewolves in particular were itching for a fight after what
had been done to their pack lands. The attack on Carson and Angel
also pissed everyone off. Thankfully, Soren and his pack had
managed to get away unhurt, and they’d now joined the task force as
well.

It was the closest thing to a coup d’état shape-shifters had ever

attempted, and the responsibility weighed heavily on Nicolas.

Still, once he turned into a hummingbird, he found it strikingly

easy to go in mission mode. All the possible bad outcomes vanished
from his mind, and only the bond with his mate lingered, a comforting
golden thread that gave him strength.

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The military had, indeed, gone all out in attempting to secure the

White House. However, they obviously hadn’t expected shape-
shifters Nicolas’s size, and the hummingbird group slipped past all
their defenses unnoticed.

As was planned, Nicolas and his kin infiltrated the air vents, the

smallest ones where not even the slimmest of cat burglars could fit in
and heat sensors couldn’t detect them. Hummingbirds were too small,
and even if alarm systems did catch their trace, something very
unlikely, the humans would decide it was a false alarm. Of course, the
plan wasn’t foolproof, but it worked like a charm. A part of the clan
went in search of the Oval Office, while the rest scattered around the
vents, their mission to destroy the alarms protecting the property.

Actually finding the president was the real problem. They didn’t

know if the man was even here or if he’d left the office for a more
secure location. As it turned out, they needn’t have worried.

The human had indeed stayed inside the office and was on the

phone with someone. “No, I will not make any deals with freaks of
nature. They’re bluffing. Stand your ground, General.”

Nicolas realized the conversation must be about Byron. Well, it

was Nicolas’s purpose here to add a further dose of persuasion to their
cause.

Slowly, but surely, he and his clan slipped out of the air vents and

into the room. The president was so caught up in his conversation that
he didn’t even sense them coming. Nicolas flew so close he was
almost over the president’s shoulder. Around him, his kin fluttered
inches from the floor, just out of sight.

Finally, the president ended the conversation and set down the

receiver angrily. The moment the head of state terminated the call,
Nicolas placed a hand on the human’s shoulder and another on his
mouth.

The man tensed and Nicolas forcibly turned him around. “Shh,”

Nicolas said, grinning. “We’re not here to harm you.”

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

119

The president took in the presence of the people in his office.

Given that Nicolas and his companions were nude, it wouldn’t be
hard to figure out who they were. The president’s eyes flew to his
desk, where undoubtedly the alarm button was located. Nicolas
chuckled lowly. “I don’t think so, Mr. President. Even if you do push
that button, no one will come. My friends and I have made sure of it.
Besides, you needn’t worry. The only thing we want is a small
conversation.

“You see, Mr. President, my associates and I are quite displeased

with the way you’ve been treating us. Us shape-shifters are citizens,
too, and we’re being hunted as if were mindless beasts.”

The human tried to struggle out of his hold, but two other

hummingbirds were there to immobilize him. Nicolas released a sigh
of irritation. “Please, Mr. President. Don’t fight us. You’ll find it
would be much easier if you cooperate. You must understand that we
didn’t come here so I can have a monologue, but to explain a few
things. We are people, just like you and your family, and your
decisions are affecting our lives. We’re taking a big chance in coming
here, as you must realize, but the only thing we want is to be left
alone.” He narrowed his eyes at the human. “But if we’re not allowed
to do so, we will fight back.”

As if on cue, shots started sounding outside. Nicolas waited in

silence, focusing on keeping tabs on Garth’s motions. Through his
connection with the lynx, he could tell the rest of the hummingbirds
had succeeded in taking out the electrical system of the White House,
as well as a good part of the guards. Nicolas had no intention of
allowing the battle to continue. He didn’t want bloodshed, and of
course, he didn’t want Garth to be harmed.

He stopped silencing the human with his hand, grabbed the

president’s arm, and gestured him to the large window. “Why don’t
you agree to make this fight stop, hmm?”

“I think not.” The president glared at Nicolas. “I will not yield in

front of your threats.”

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Scarlet Hyacinth

Faced with such absolute determination, Nicolas was stumped.

Killing the man wouldn’t help. The point of coming here had been to
talk things through and convince the human of stopping the severe
measurements that had been taken against shape-shifters. He didn’t
know what to do. He wasn’t a diplomat. Hell, he didn’t even socialize
well with people.

A female voice sounded behind him. “Move aside, niño.”
Nicolas turned and gaped as he saw Sara approach. Even in her

old age, she was as beautiful as ever. However, she wasn’t supposed
to come with them. She was a healer, not a fighter, and the strain
might hurt her. Hell, he didn’t even know when she’d joined them.

“Sara, you shouldn’t be here,” he told her. “It’s too risky.”
She glared at him, and Nicolas found himself cowering. He

moved away from the president, allowing her to approach the human.

The man cleared his throat, obviously embarrassed upon seeing a

naked female in the middle of his office. To Nicolas’s surprise, the
president took off his jacket and offered it to Sara. She smiled and
draped it over her shoulders.

“Thank you, Señor Presidente. Now, I would be honored if I

could please have a word with you.”

“Very well,” the human replied. He gestured for her to sit down.

Even he could see she was too old to be there.

“As you can imagine, Señor Presidente, we are all

very…distraught with what is going on. My dear Nicolas might have
explained it poorly, but his friend was injured in a brutal attack while
trying to defend his son.”

The president looked like he didn’t know what to say. Not that

Nicolas blamed him. A man might be able to stand against violence,
but not about the kindness of a woman who looked like his
grandmother.

“Could you please tell your men to back down while we talk? The

sound of those gun shots is terrible.”

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

121

The president nodded. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to hear you

out.”

He pressed an intercom button, activating a loudspeaker. In a clear

voice, so that everyone could hear, he shouted to his people to stop
fighting.

At first, even through the loudspeaker, his voice wasn’t audible

over the sound of the battle, but at last, the president got everyone to
listen. The fight stopped, and all the combatants waited to see what
would happen. “I will listen to what these people have to say,” the
president said.

The human sat back down next to Sara. There, in the Oval Office,

Sara spoke of Carson and Brody, of Angel, Clark, and all their friends
and family. She spoke of Nicolas, Garth, Skylar, and Byron, of all the
families of the hummingbirds who’d come here and everyone who’d
been affected in one way or another. She mentioned Soren and Elder
Wade, their dream to create unity among the shape-shifters. She
pointed out that until now, shape-shifters had stayed hidden, merely a
legend, and their existence had only been revealed because of the
anger of a scorned traitor.

And as the minutes passed, Nicolas saw the president finally

understanding that they were, indeed, just people, different from him,
yet the same. The human seemed to be hesitating between accepting it
and sticking with his original decision. Nicolas chose this moment to
pipe up, “Talk to Byron. I’m sure he’ll have an idea.”

The reminder of Byron’s existence worked like a charm. The

president turned toward Nicolas, giving him an unsettled look. “Your
friend, Byron. Is it true he’s a sea monster?”

“He is a man with some interesting abilities, and not one to cross,”

Nicolas replied. He truly didn’t know what Byron’s beast looked like,
but he could be as vague as he liked in this.

“I imagine so, since he took some of my best men captive,” the

president mumbled under his breath. Taking a deep breath, he said,
“Very well. I will do my best to help you. But it won’t be easy.”

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Scarlet Hyacinth

Sara pecked his cheek lightly. “You’re a good man, Señor

Presidente. It can be done.”

A ghost of a smile slipped on the president’s lips, and then, he

went all business again. He retrieved his cell phone and dialed a
phone number. “General Wilson, I’ve changed my mind. I would like
to speak to Mr. Cunningham.”

Through his bond with Garth, Nicolas felt the lynx’s relief. “We

did it, love. We really did it.”

Nicolas hid the tears that clouded his vision. Hope rekindled once