me you found one, a generous one,” Jeb said around a mouthful of taco. Why the hell was everyone suddenly so interested in my sex life?
“Do tell, Noah.” Sol Kelley’s hard-edged voice cut through the darkness.
My jaw clenched. Just when I thought this night was getting better, it got worse.
“How does one go about shagging a dolphin? I’ve always wondered.”
“What are you doing here, Sol?” I was too tired to deal with Sol. The last time I had seen Sol we’d nearly come to blows. He’d said something about Jamie being a traitor to his kind. Some stupid shit about us being at war with the government. I thought it was kind of hard to be at war with a government that didn’t technically recognize us a species.
“I’m genuinely curious.” Sol tossed a small package to Daniel, then Jeb, like he was playing corn hole, that game the tourists played on the beach.
“Really?” I peered through the dying smoke at all three of them. “You’re buying from Sol?”
Daniel shrugged and held the package to his nose. “He does have the best shit.”
“Here, Noah. My treat.” Sol dropped a tightly wrapped plastic bag into my lap. “You look like you could use it.”
“No thanks.” I immediately tossed it back and he caught it with a deft hand.
“Relax, Noah. It’s just dreamweed. Nothing illegal about it,” Jeb said, as if that was supposed to make me feel better.
I wasn’t generally opposed to weed of any kind; I was generally opposed to Sol.
“The illegal stuff’s back on my boat. I can get you something if you want.”
I didn’t bother to answer and instead pushed from my chair. I’d been sitting too long anyway. “I’m going to check on Ellie.”
“Can we come watch?” Sol said to my retreating back.
I really hated Sol’s laugh. I ignored him and started making my way up the beach toward the aquarium, but his next words stopped me in my tracks.
“Hey, Noah. Does this girl have short hair and a sexy voice?”
Something wild swelled in my chest, a feeling so strong it threatened to consume me. This overwhelming need to protect her was like a fire in my blood. I slowly turned around as Sol backed toward the water, a mocking smile on his face.
What did he hear? What did he feel?
I stalked after him, not even knowing what I intended to do once I got my hands on him. Wrap them around his throat? Even after he turned and disappeared in the surf, I kept going. I didn’t feel like myself. I didn’t feel human at all, my reaction almost mindless. He hadn’t even said anything all that offensive. Not really. But something in me recognized him as a threat.
“Noah?” Jeb’s grip was tight on my biceps.
I fought against Jeb’s hold. Daniel’s hands were on me too, and he said something to me, but I didn’t understand his words. All I could hear was her, Caris, and the pounding of my heart. I knew it was a possibility, that someone else might share a connection with her. I just hadn’t expected to feel this primitive need to fight him for her.
“I’m okay,” I was finally able to say, jerking free of their grasp. They stared at me as if they didn’t recognize me. I swallowed through the scratchiness in my throat. Had I been yelling?
“I’m okay,” I said again. I wasn’t sure who I was trying to convince, them or me. I needed to check on Ellie. I needed off this beach. I needed this to stop. She was driving me crazy.
Quinn watched wide-eyed as I walked past. Daniel shadow stepped between us as though he didn’t want me too close to her.
The words were there, loud in my head, and I hated myself for them. I clenched my jaw against yelling them. I was afraid I already had.
She’s mine.
Eleven
Caris
I didn’t see the bird until it was too late.
Erin had insisted I meet her for lunch so here I was, soaked with sweat from my ride over, sipping a Diet Coke and wishing I had worn a hat and a pair of sunglasses. Heat poured down from the sun shining bright overhead.
Erin
“Do tell, Noah.” Sol Kelley’s hard-edged voice cut through the darkness.
My jaw clenched. Just when I thought this night was getting better, it got worse.
“How does one go about shagging a dolphin? I’ve always wondered.”
“What are you doing here, Sol?” I was too tired to deal with Sol. The last time I had seen Sol we’d nearly come to blows. He’d said something about Jamie being a traitor to his kind. Some stupid shit about us being at war with the government. I thought it was kind of hard to be at war with a government that didn’t technically recognize us a species.
“I’m genuinely curious.” Sol tossed a small package to Daniel, then Jeb, like he was playing corn hole, that game the tourists played on the beach.
“Really?” I peered through the dying smoke at all three of them. “You’re buying from Sol?”
Daniel shrugged and held the package to his nose. “He does have the best shit.”
“Here, Noah. My treat.” Sol dropped a tightly wrapped plastic bag into my lap. “You look like you could use it.”
“No thanks.” I immediately tossed it back and he caught it with a deft hand.
“Relax, Noah. It’s just dreamweed. Nothing illegal about it,” Jeb said, as if that was supposed to make me feel better.
I wasn’t generally opposed to weed of any kind; I was generally opposed to Sol.
“The illegal stuff’s back on my boat. I can get you something if you want.”
I didn’t bother to answer and instead pushed from my chair. I’d been sitting too long anyway. “I’m going to check on Ellie.”
“Can we come watch?” Sol said to my retreating back.
I really hated Sol’s laugh. I ignored him and started making my way up the beach toward the aquarium, but his next words stopped me in my tracks.
“Hey, Noah. Does this girl have short hair and a sexy voice?”
Something wild swelled in my chest, a feeling so strong it threatened to consume me. This overwhelming need to protect her was like a fire in my blood. I slowly turned around as Sol backed toward the water, a mocking smile on his face.
What did he hear? What did he feel?
I stalked after him, not even knowing what I intended to do once I got my hands on him. Wrap them around his throat? Even after he turned and disappeared in the surf, I kept going. I didn’t feel like myself. I didn’t feel human at all, my reaction almost mindless. He hadn’t even said anything all that offensive. Not really. But something in me recognized him as a threat.
“Noah?” Jeb’s grip was tight on my biceps.
I fought against Jeb’s hold. Daniel’s hands were on me too, and he said something to me, but I didn’t understand his words. All I could hear was her, Caris, and the pounding of my heart. I knew it was a possibility, that someone else might share a connection with her. I just hadn’t expected to feel this primitive need to fight him for her.
“I’m okay,” I was finally able to say, jerking free of their grasp. They stared at me as if they didn’t recognize me. I swallowed through the scratchiness in my throat. Had I been yelling?
“I’m okay,” I said again. I wasn’t sure who I was trying to convince, them or me. I needed to check on Ellie. I needed off this beach. I needed this to stop. She was driving me crazy.
Quinn watched wide-eyed as I walked past. Daniel shadow stepped between us as though he didn’t want me too close to her.
The words were there, loud in my head, and I hated myself for them. I clenched my jaw against yelling them. I was afraid I already had.
She’s mine.
Eleven
Caris
I didn’t see the bird until it was too late.
Erin had insisted I meet her for lunch so here I was, soaked with sweat from my ride over, sipping a Diet Coke and wishing I had worn a hat and a pair of sunglasses. Heat poured down from the sun shining bright overhead.
Erin
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