Page 17 of Sea and Sky
Kyler watched as what looked to be a bite mark appeared on his shoulder.
“And we’re fake bonded.” Gavin leaned in to kiss one cheek, then the other.
Kyler blinked back at him, stunned. What the sea stars? Was that a normal custom? And how could he get a kiss on the lips instead?
Gavin didn’t seem to notice his confusion and grasped one of Kyler’s hands. “I suppose I should let you go so we can swim to shore? I feel recovered. Refreshed even.”
“Even after being shot withbattle magic?” Kyler couldn’t imagine.
“Eggborn. Battle magic like that is child’s play for someone like me.”
Kyler shivered at the thought. If Gavin couldn’t get out of the marriage, he would bring so much destruction.
Kyler released him and they swam in silence for the most part. Gavin seemed to examine the way Kyler’s body moved. He didn’t hate it. In fact, he loved the prince’s attention on him so much he had to think gross thoughts to keep his haze at bay. He didn’t know what he’d do if his haze affected the prince as they swam.
By the time they made it to shore, the sun was high in the sky, probably past noon. While Gavin crawled onto land and kissed the sand, Kyler took a deep breath, then pulled himself onto the beach by his forearms until just his tail stayed in the water. He flipped over to sit on his backside. The blue of his tail glittered in the sun. Greens and violets dotted the length of his scales and fanned out through the massive spray of his fin.
Gavin’s eyes lit. He looked to Kyler, then back at his tail, practically begging to touch. Kyler gave him a slight nod before pressing his hands to his gills. “Don’t take too long. I can’t breathe out of water when I’m like this.”
Gavin nodded and lurched toward him. The gentlest touch grazed his tail where his knee would be if he had legs. The touch trailed down to his fin. Gavin gasped when Kyler flicked water at him.
“Magnificent.”
“You won’t think that for much longer.” Kyler flopped onto his back. He gathered a fistful of sand in each hand and rubbed it in his hair. Which, of course, sent grains into his eyes. Luckily, his second eyelid helped blink it out of the way. He threw another fistful of sand on his tail and rubbed. Then squeezed his eyes shut. He didn’t want to watch the horror morph over Gavin’s beautiful face.
Kyler’s tail shortened. He knew the outline of legs was visible before the skin ripping pain of separation. Kyler bit his lips to keep from crying out. He raked his hands into the sand. Anything to keep himself from focusing on what was happening below the waist. The process took too long, in his opinion.
Gavin gasped and Kyler opened his eyes to look at him, to silently beg him not to watch. But it wasn’t Gavin. Kyler hadn’t heard Gavin’s guard approach.
“Fuck,” Damon whispered.
It was like a knife splitting Kyler open from the groin to the tips of his toes until finally his legs were free from each other. Blood pooled below him as his skin healed, but the blood loss made him weak. Becoming human was worse than shifting to mer.Somuch worse. His whole body shook as he tried to breathe through the aftershocks. But air wouldn’t come, not until…
A gurgle sound filled the air as his lungs finally pushed the water back out. He shot up and spewed the water to his side. Once the onslaught was over, he coughed, making his throat even more raw.
“Skies,” Gavin breathed out.
Kyler’s stomach churned as he wiped his mouth. He hated anyone witnessing his shift to human. And now two people had witnessed after he only wanted Gavin to know his secret.
“I had no idea,” Gavin said.
“Why would you?” Kyler’s voice came out harsh, raw.
“What the blazing skies happened, Gavin?” Damon asked, his eyes zoned onto the fresh mark on Gavin’s shoulder.
“We pair-bonded, obviously,” Gavin said.
Chapter 7
Thelesspeoplethatknew Gavin and Kyler were a farce, the better. Gavin usually told Damon everything, but he needed the man to think Kyler truly was pair-bonded to him for this to work. Damon had loose lips when he was drunk. Not that he got drunk often, but often enough, and this would probably drive the poor man over the edge. It was damned inconvenient Damon somehow always knew where to find him.
Gavin pushed to his feet and dusted the sand off his body the best he could, but still wet there wasn’t much he could do about it.
Damon chuckled. “What do you mean you’re pair-bonded? You hadn’t seen this man before that day in the tavern. You pined over him. It was hilarious to watch.”
Gavin’s cheeks blazed hot. “I pined after him because I missed him so much.” He held his hand out to help Kyler stand. Surely he was weak after the blood loss.
Kyler took Gavin’s offered hand and kissed his knuckles gently before gracefully standing.
