Beneath the Current Page 20

  ****

  Casey stared at the darkening sky anxiously. He was ready to head down to the cove, but his uncle had kept himself locked away all day in his study. Boredom had nearly driven Casey crazy. He spent part of the afternoon watching for Shawn from the deck. He figured Shawn might go swimming, but he didn't. Maybe Shawn knew just how much the sight of him would torture Casey even more, and he'd stayed inside to write like he'd said he would yesterday.

  It was probably for the best. The sea seemed a little more tumultuous than usual today, and Casey vaguely wondered if a storm might be coming in tomorrow. The sky was still clear, but the winds had picked up a bit this afternoon.

  By the time Martin did emerge from his study, he looked even worse than he had that morning. His eyes were red-rimmed, and Casey wondered if he'd had another bad day of thinking about Thomas. There was no way he was going to ask though. That would only get him yelled at, maybe worse, if Martin were truly in a horrible mood. Not that Martin hit him often, but this would be one of those times it would be more likely to happen.

  "Let's go, boy," Martin demanded as he carried the small bag that carried the stuff to collect the blood samples after he shifted.

  For a second, Casey thought Martin wavered a bit as he headed out, but then the man's eyes narrowed on him for staring, and Casey looked away, hurrying to the door.

  With Martin's small flashlight and the full moon lighting the way, they made their way down the path. Casey noticed that his uncle seemed a bit unsteady tonight, and he wondered if he'd had enough sleep. Maybe that was why he looked so weary and bleary-eyed.

  Casey felt his skin tingling with the urge to shift as he gazed up at the moon looming in the darkened sky. There was a slight hazy ring around it, and Casey searched the rest of the sky for clouds. A soft breeze blew his hair in his face as he noticed small patches of clouds amongst the stars.

  A curse from his uncle drew his attention back as the man slipped on one of the rocks lining the cove. He reached out to help, but Martin had already righted himself and grabbed onto the gate for balance. Casey watched in silence, his hands clenching and unclenching in his anxiousness, as his uncle fumbled with the combination on the padlock. The tide splashed water around their legs, and Casey wanted to yell at him to hurry up. Casey leaned in to ask if he wanted help, but with his uncle's muttered cursing, he could suddenly smell the bourbon on his breath.

  Well, hell, no wonder he's fumbling all over the place, Casey thought just as the lock finally clicked free.

  Martin yanked the lock out of the clasp, pulling the gate open. "Well? Go on."

  Casey hesitated, a prickle of apprehension running down his spine. He glanced into his precious cave longingly, his mer side whining at him to just go. But the unsettled look in his uncle's eyes had him hedging. "Maybe—"

  The glare from his uncle silenced him. "You wanted this remember? This, instead of the tank."

  "Yeah, but..." Casey fumbled with what to say, "maybe you aren't feeling like—"

  "What I'm feeling shouldn't matter to you," Martin grumbled. "Now—"

  A particularly large wave washed ashore, crashing over the rocks to the cove. Both of them staggered slightly from the surprise gush of water, the padlock fumbled from Martin's hand.

  "Shit," he cursed as he peered into the dark waters.

  Casey thought maybe this was another sign that he should just use the tank—his own apprehension, his uncle's inebriated state, the loss of the padlock... "Maybe we should just head back up to the house. I'll use the tank tonight."

  "No." And the force of his uncle's refusal surprised him. For a second, he saw that same hate and anger he'd seen directed at him the day Thomas had died. He'd seen it enough throughout the years, but not so much as of late. So it shocked him to see it now.

  Martin dug in his bag of supplies, producing a tiny padlock that was usually used on luggage. "A backup," Martin explained, "just in case something like this happened. Now get in before I get soaked."

  Casey hesitantly slipped his fingers in his waistband and slid the shorts from his slim hips. He jumped down into the deeper water and waded into the cave. He was barely in before Martin slammed the gate closed and used the tiny padlock on the gate's clasp.

  "It may be small but it'll do the job," Martin mumbled in satisfaction.

  Shift! his mer side yelled at him, and he couldn't deny it any longer, even though his uncle's state made him uneasy. As his legs melded into his sleek tail, Martin had pulled out his syringe and waved at him irritably to hand over his arm. Casey automatically stuck it out through the bars, wincing slightly at the fumbling prick at his skin.

  Martin shoved the items away in his bag, already turning away without a word.

  "'Night," Casey called. "I'll see you in the morning," strangely feeling like he was asking a question instead of making a statement.

  A grunt was his only reply, and he resolved to ignore his uncle's bad mood. Even though he knew his uncle didn't really sleep on these nights, just in case Casey needed him, he might rest a bit in his office and hopefully feel better before dawn.

  A strong gust of wind rushed water into the cave, and Casey let himself be buoyed on the currents. Ducking under and swimming in small circles in the tiny cave satisfied his mer half. Drifting on the waves, gazing up at the hazy moon, he let himself go.

  ****

  Shawn felt the rush of wind through his room, followed shortly by the loud crack of thunder. He startled from the bed, staggering to the window he'd left open to the fresh sea breeze before falling asleep. An impressive storm raged outside. The immense power left him wanting to leave the window open just to feel the wind and rain rushing over his naked body. But, of course, that would get the floor wet. Slamming the window shut, he slipped on the pair of board shorts he'd worn earlier and headed downstairs.

  He'd always loved storms, feeling the power of nature pounding around him left him in awe. He opened the deck door against the surging rain and stepped out. Standing in the middle of the deck with the rain pouring over him and the thunder booming and lightning cracking...he just felt alive. He closed his eyes and tilted his face up to the pelting rain just listening to the roar of Mother Nature's fury.

  Not seeing Casey today was disappointing, but he'd managed to get a lot of writing done in the meantime. He had stayed in because being on the beach without Casey just wasn't the same. Watching the man he loved laughing and smiling as they swam, chasing each other through the waters, or lounging on the beach in the warm rays of the sun was soothing to his soul.

  His eyes shot open suddenly at a sound filtering though the roar of rain. Was that a scream? Was some animal in trouble? But what the hell animal would be out here besides marine ones? And what would make that kind of sound? A dolphin maybe?

  He couldn't ignore the animal's call of distress. He had to go see if he could help, not that he had any idea what to do, but those thoughts didn't really occur to him in his need to do something. He raced through the house slipping on his water shoes for traction and made his way to the path to the beach.

  He slid most of the way down the muddy, rocky path, ending up with several scrapes to his shins, calves, and hands, but the cry still echoed faintly on the wind and drove him onward. He paused as he finally reached the beach, listening intently for the next cry of distress. It seemed like it was silent forever, but the terrified call from the poor creature finally came again. It was coming from the southern end of the island.

  As he raced over the wet sand, the ground oozing under his feet as he ran making it even more difficult, Shawn wondered if he should have gone to Casey and Martin first. They'd probably know more of what to do than he would. But, of course, that hadn't occurred to him in his panic to help the creature. Maybe he could manage on his own. If not, he'd head up to their house for help.

  As he came closer to the southern end, another cry reached him and he nearly stumbled to his knees.

  Help? Had the cry really sounded like 'hel
p'? His heart stopped as he realized that maybe it wasn't an animal that he'd been hearing, it was a human. Maybe even his human.

  Could Casey or Martin have been out in the storm and gotten hurt? Had they been out on their boat and it capsized? Thoughts raced through his mind as he scrambled closer to the call, frantically searching for the source.

  Shawn climbed over the rocks to the cove, slipping again and drawing a cut along the side of his calf. The salt water stung, but he didn't even notice in his panic. He prayed for another cry for help to aid him in finding the source but also because he'd know they were still alive.

  "Help!" a voice echoed faintly nearby.

  His head swiveled toward the gate Casey had shown him and saw fingers clutching the bars. Oh shit!

  A blond head popped up through the waters crashing against the gate, swamping the cave. Shawn's jaw dropped in horror. "Oh, my God. Casey!"

  Chapter 25

  Casey had watched the storm rolling in with a rising sense of panic. The winds kicked up, thunder rumbled in the dark and lightning split the sky. As it inched closer, Casey was sure that his uncle would be down any minute to open the gate. There was no way he wouldn't hear the booming of the thunder and the crack of lightning.

  But as the waves multiplied, filling his cave with every angry crash upon the shore, his worry increased. The pounding currents had thrown him around the cave, exhausting his energy as he fought to not be thrown against the rocks at the back of the cave. The power of his strong tail was all that kept him from being pinned in the depths of the cave and drowning.

  Desperately, even though he knew it would probably be futile, he began calling for help, hoping beyond hope that his uncle would hear him. It was a desperate measure, since his uncle hadn't already come down to help him at the first rumbles of thunder. With the rain pelting down, drowning out his voice, he didn't hold out much hope.

  When his hands slipped again from its hold on the gate and he was pummeled against the sharp rocks in the back of the cave, Casey began to realize that he might actually die here. Slipping under the water again, even with how long he could hold his breath, he just didn't have the energy to fight the currents pounding in the small cave. There was nowhere to go.

  The stubborn little lock had held up against his raging rattling of the gate. He'd even tried to bust it open with a rock, but he couldn't get to it from inside the cave without shifting and climbing over the rocks at the side. And he knew instinctively that shifting to fully human would be dangerous, if not deadly. The raging waters could cause him to slip and fall, and he wouldn't be able to fight the currents in human form.

  As he took a gasping breath before the salty waters swallowed him again, he thought of Shawn. He squeezed his eyes shut as his tears mixed with the churning ocean. He wanted to rage at everyone and everything, including himself. He felt his heart clenching knowing his uncle would find him dead, drowned, by morning as the storm sapped his strength. And Shawn...Shawn would be devastated. How could he hurt Shawn like that?

  Fuck. He had to hold on. He renewed his grip on the bars, forcing air in his lungs when he had the chance, still calling for help uselessly into the roaring winds. His tail pounded in the waters, fighting the currents trying to drag him into the cave as they rushed in, as well as keeping them from crushing him against the gate as they swept back out.

  Allowing the outgoing tide to squeeze his body against the bars, he dragged in a breath before the tide tried to rip his battered body away from the gate when it raged back in.

  "Help!"

  "Casey!"

  He knew he had to be hearing things because he was sure he'd just heard Shawn calling him. But it couldn't be. The water rushed over him as he held onto the bars, and he thought for sure he must be dying. Coughing up water, the sight of Shawn staring down at him, drenched, from the other side of the gate had to be an illusion.

  "Casey!" The voice washed over him like honey, even with the edge of panic in it. He had to be dreaming; maybe he was already dead. His limbs were numb enough to make it feel like he was.

  But then strong fingers threaded over his, and he gasped at the touch of real flesh, swallowing a mouthful of seawater. Shocked eyes met his own, widening in horror. Shawn seemed to freeze momentarily as his eyes cast into the cave behind him. His tail. Shawn had to have seen his tail.

  Casey's mind warred with his heart. His heart told him to shift—now! Not to let Shawn see his mer side—to shift now so he could play it off as a trick of the storm. But of course his mind rationally knew he couldn't. He'd drown if he did because his powerful tail was all that kept him from being battered around the cave too much.

  His love knew his secret, and the shock and horror in his eyes stabbed at Casey's heart.

  ****

  Shawn's heart stopped at seeing his love trapped behind the gate. How the hell had he gotten in there? Had he opened it to help another animal and gotten stuck when the storm slammed the gate closed?

  He reached the gate as another wave washed over Casey, causing him to sputter and cough up seawater.

  "Casey!" he screamed over the roar of the storm. Their eyes locked in mutual panic. He grabbed at Casey's hand clutching the gate, wishing he could help the younger man hold on. His eyes flitted over the churning waves raging in the cave. Shock gripped him when he saw what was beneath the current: a long... tail? Was that a tail? Of what? What the hell was in there with him?

  "Casey! Hold on!" He yanked at the bars, rattling them and realizing abruptly that it was locked.

  Locked. What the hell? Why the fuck was he locked in the damn cave?! Fuck, he didn't have time to wonder about that right now. With the rain pelting him relentlessly, he searched for something that would help him with the lock. A rock. He grabbed up a good sized one from the waters, getting pummeled in the face with the water crashing against the shore.

  Casey's hand slipped from under his, and he panicked. "Casey!" He frantically searched the dark waters for the lean body. A head and chest shot up, dragging in a sputtering breath. But the odd tail was there too... right under him.

  Shawn dragged his thoughts to the task for the moment, turning to beat on the lock. It was small enough he was sure it would give. If it had been the bigger one he'd seen before, he wasn't so sure he'd be able to break it.

  It felt like forever before the lock finally gave way, and he was able to wrench it out of the clasp. He yanked at the gate, fighting against the pressure of the water to push it open. As soon as it was open far enough, Casey pushed through the gate. And Shawn gaped in shock.

  The tail...was... Casey?

  "What the hell?" he stammered nearly falling in the water as Casey turned to him. "Casey?"

  "Shawn..." Casey's voice choked, sorrowful eyes staring back at him briefly before diving under the water and darting toward the open ocean.

  "Casey! Wait!" Shawn staggered against another pounding wave.

  He hadn't noticed the thunder had receded and the rain was letting up. The wind still forced waves to pummel the shore. All he was aware of was the flip of a gray tail disappearing under the water. Casey. His Casey... was a... merman?

  Oh, hell, he had to have hit his head or something. Nothing made sense right now. He scrambled for the shore, ending up knee deep in the surf that was trying to knock him down, searching frantically for another glimpse of—

  "CASEY!"

  But his call went unanswered, and he saw no more of the...of Casey. He knew he'd waited and watched for a long time because he suddenly realized the winds had died down and the rain was slowing to a light patter. He still didn't see anything in the dark waters except the rippling waves.

  Martin. That bastard would know what was going on. He turned and scrambled toward the path, slipping and sliding his way up to the Jorss home. He pounded on the door, yelling for Martin to open up.

  The house remained silent. He even tried the doorknob, but it was locked.

  "Fuck!" He swiped his hand through his drenched hair in f
rustration.

  Finally giving up, he staggered back toward his own little cottage. As the adrenaline that had pulsed through him slowly receded, he felt the exhaustion creeping over his tired limbs. His legs ached mercilessly with having fought through the slippery rocks and oozing sand. He made his way, dripping, to his deck, still searching the churning waters for that stray tail. Collapsing in one of the deck chairs, he stared out over the ocean until he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer.

  And he dreamed. Of his love being sucked underwater away from him by a monstrous dolphin.

  ****

  Casey had gasped as the gate finally gave, using his powerful tail to help force himself forward. As soon as he was through, the gate had slammed back shut when Shawn released it. The man was staring at him in shock. Horror. Pure horror--he was sure was etched on the face of the man he loved. The look he'd dreaded. The deluge of water blurred his vision but he was sure Shawn was wondering just what kind of creature he'd slept with.

  Casey choked back a cry of agony. Away. He had to get away. To the only place he could escape the pain and lose himself.

  Casey had darted out of the cove, pounding his tail as hard and fast as he could with what little energy he had left. He had to get away. Away from that look of horror. He swam so hard and fast he didn't know just how far out he'd gone until a zap stung his neck.

  He clutched at the collar, yanking on it in frustration, but he didn't stop. The burning pain gave him something to focus on besides his thoughts of losing Shawn. And he was sure the man wouldn't want to see him again. Hell, there was no way Casey could face him now. Shawn had seen what a freak he was.