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
79
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.
80
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
81
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
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
79
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.
80
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
81
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
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