by Sofia Grey
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Cast out by his race for taking a male lover, Henare lives as a man during daylight hours. At sunset he returns to the sea, to take his place as an immortal guardian of the water, the feared Taniwha. He’s never allowed anyone to get close, until TJ comes along.
Can this young man tame the mighty sea monster?
Table of Contents
Blurb
Love’s Landscapes
Displaced - Information
Displaced
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Epilogue
Author Bio
Love’s Landscapes
An M/M Romance series
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By Sofia Grey
Introduction
The story you are about to read celebrates love, sex and romance between men. It is a product of the Love’s Landscapes promotion sponsored by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group and is published as a gift to you.
What Is Love’s Landscapes?
The Goodreads M/M Romance Group invited members to choose a photo and pen a letter asking for a short M/M romance story inspired by the image; authors from the group were encouraged to select a letter and write an original tale. The result was an outpouring of creativity that shone a spotlight on the special bond between M/M romance writers and the people who love what these authors do.
A written description of the image that inspired this story is provided along with the original request letter. If you’d like to view the photo, please feel free to join the Goodreads M/M Romance Group and visit the discussion section: Love’s Landscapes.
No matter if you are a long-time devotee to M/M Romance, just new to the genre or fall somewhere in between, you are in for a delicious treat.
Words of Caution
This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved worldwide.
This eBook may be distributed freely in its entirety courtesy of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group. This eBook may not be sold, manipulated or reproduced in any format without the express written permission of the author.
Displaced, Copyright © 2014 Sofia Grey
Cover Art by Sotia Lazu
Image ID: 21398887, from 123rf.com; © Stefano Cavoretto
Image ID: 27357348, from 123rf.com; © Sasin Tipchai
This ebook is published by the M/M Romance Group and is not directly endorsed by or affiliated with Goodreads Inc.
M/M Romance Group Publication
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By Sofia Grey
Photo Description
A young man, naked from the waist up, lies on his side in water, face half-hidden. The colour of his eyes is mirrored in the indigo blue of the water and the sky. He has a watchful expression, as though he waits for something… or someone.
Story Letter
Dear Author,
This is my life… by day I walk on land and I am as human as the man standing next to me… but by night… the water calls to me and I must return to it… all I have ever wanted is a man who would love me for who I am… both day and night…
I would only ask for a story… as beautiful as this photo
Sincerely,
Donna
Story Info
Genre: paranormal
Tags: exile, family issues, guardian, homophobia, immortal, loneliness, tattoos, tour guide
Word Count: 15,018
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By Sofia Grey
dis·placed adjective
1. lacking a home, country, etc.
2. moved or put out of the usual or proper place.
Prologue
I ran my fingers across the plaque and traced the letters etched into the wood.
The Taniwha (pron. Tanifa) was believed to be a fearsome sea monster that acted as a guardian for the New Zealand coastline.
They got the monster part right, and the guardian. They didn’t say anything about the loneliness though.
****
Chapter 1
I hated the summer. Long days meant more time on land, pretending to be a man. I lived for the hours of darkness, when I would return to the sea and take my native form, only to return again at sunrise. I’d wait impatiently for the winter months, but in truth, I didn’t like those much either. I fooled myself that I was happier in the water, but I’d just become a master at lying to myself.
Sitting on my usual piece of driftwood, I surveyed the quiet stretch of coastline. A pair of joggers way in the distance. A lone dog walker in the opposite direction. And me. Even the seagulls gave me a wide berth. Even though I looked like a normal human, they could sense that I was different, and whether they stayed away out of fear or respect didn’t matter.
I closed my eyes against the bright sunlight, but the rays continued to kiss my pale skin. I wouldn’t burn, or tan, or freckle. I’d never wrinkle or age, and I could never die. My life would continue, alone, for eternity.
Immortality sucks.
A muffled woof and a splash dragged me from my pity party and I opened my eyes to glare at the dog walker. He’d obviously not picked up on the keep-the-fuck-away-from-me vibe. The dog, a shaggy mongrel, felt it. He skittered behind his master’s legs and as far from me as the leash would allow. At least he had some sense.
The guy nodded to me as he drew near. “Afternoon.” He paused as though he expected me to answer. That was a novelty. I stared at him, expecting him to walk away again, but he stayed. He was young, mid-twenties at most, and still had that innocent naivety of someone who’s enjoyed their life. Thick dark hair, almost as black as mine, flopped onto a lightly tanned face, stubble raking his cheeks.
The way he cocked his head to one side reminded me fleetingly of Matiu. He shifted and the resemblance was gone.
“Great weather.” White teeth flashed in a friendly smile. With the afternoon sun behind him, I couldn’t tell what colour his eyes were, but they were light.
Conversation? Why the hell not. It might distract me for a few minutes. “Afternoon,” I muttered, expecting him to walk away, but he didn’t. He extended the dog leash to let the beast move further away, and it ran into the shallows. As far from me as it could go. Sensible.
“I saw you here yesterday.” His smile was undimmed by my sullen attitude. “You’ve a great spot to watch the sea from.”
I knew every inch of this coastline. I could walk it blindfolded and still tell exactly where I was at any given moment, but I hadn’t noticed him before. Was I so wrapped up in my misery that I’d stopped paying attention?
I looked at the stranger properly. Took in the bare feet, faded denims and sun-bleached once-black T-shirt. He held the dog leash firmly in one hand, but the other held a small green twig, fresh leaves along its length.
He waited, presumably for me to reply, and for no reason other than I was bored, I spoke to him. “That stick looks a bit small for your dog.”
The smile burst into a grin that lit up his face. “This?” He lifted the twig. “This isn’t for Butch, it’s for the Taniwha.”
For a ridiculously long mo
ment, I thought he was going to offer it to me. Don’t be so stupid, Henare. “Taniwha?” I queried, liking the fact that he pronounced it correctly.
His eyebrows disappeared into the floppy hair. “You know, the sea dragon. There’s a monument at the other end of the beach.” He must have taken my intentionally blank face for misunderstanding. “Wow. I thought it was something we all learned at school. The legend of the Taniwha. My sister was terrified of it and my grandma used it as an excuse for everything.” He chuckled. “If you don’t do your homework, the Taniwha will catch you. That sort of thing.”
Despite myself, I was amused. Interested. “And did she? Do her homework?”
“Christ, yes. Highest achiever in the school. She’s studying hard numbers at Cambridge now.”
The dog yanked at the leash, and the man tightened his grip. He had long fingers with clean, tidy nails, and that was another painful reminder of Matiu. Or maybe I was just seeing him everywhere right now. Another midsummer had come and gone, with no sign of him.
“Wait for me,” he’d said. “I’ll come and find you.”
Three hundred years had passed. How much longer did I have to wait?
The guy watched me, a cute smile on his face, and I tried to recall what he’d been saying. The twig drew my attention, and I gestured to it with my hand. “So what are you doing with that?”
He tapped it gently against his thigh, his gaze scanning the incoming tide. “It’s an offering. Like I said, I grew up with the legend, and my grandma taught us that it’s polite to leave gifts for the monster if we want to venture into his territory. First crop or new growth.” He shrugged broad shoulders. “Whenever I go out on the boat, I always do this first.”
My heart warmed for the first time in forever, and it wasn’t just because he was attractive. It was good to see the old practices observed. “You, uh, going fishing?”
“Nah, I’m going across to Kapiti Island. I’m leading a tour group there.”
I followed his gaze to the hulking great island in the distance. “Nice and calm. You should have a good trip.”
“Thanks.” He frowned at the dog, currently tugging on the lead. “Stupid hound. I daren’t let him loose, I’d never catch him.” He flashed another smile at me, and I felt my lips tilting in reply.
How long was it since I’d been attracted to anyone? Sex was an itch I scratched occasionally, more out of defiance than anything. I sought out guys to fuck, because I wanted— for the briefest moment— to feel needed. They were never more than a tight ass, or a wet mouth, the faces forgotten within minutes, the names never known. Since Matiu, I’d never let anyone get close.
“Nice talking to you.” The guy scratched at his chin with the back of his hand, but didn’t move.
“Yeah,” I mumbled. This was enough, it seemed. He turned and walked to the water’s edge, where he shortened the dog leash to bring the hound to his ankles, and then crouched on the damp sand. Entranced, I watched as he held the twig to the sea rushing in, and laid it gently in the water, to wash back out again.
Good manners. I approved. And he had a nice, firm ass.
****
Chapter 2
As the first rays of the sun broke the sky, I took human form again. Lifting my head from the waves, I took a gulping first breath and waited for my lungs to reinflate. The water was warm and soothing, and I floated face up, trying to subdue the voices in my head while I drifted into the shallows.
I could still hear my family, the echoes of them rippling on the currents. They laughed and talked, the young ones playing noisy games while I listened from a distance. At night I lurked on the outer fringes of their realm, hoping for someone to notice me, but wasn’t that the whole point of exile? I could never return.
I rolled over in the water and closed my eyes, feeling the sun’s warmth stroke my back. I’d need to get out soon, and retrieve some clothes. Humans took a dim view of nudity these days, and there were more of them around in the summer.
Matiu had loved this stretch of coastline. If he ever came to look for me, he’d come here. This was where we’d kissed for the first time. After that, we’d fucked here more times than I could count, well away from spying eyes.
Thundering, splashing footsteps broke into my memories. Before I could react, hands grabbed me, tugging on my hair and dragging my face out of the water. What the fuck?
“Jesus. Are you okay? Please don’t be dead.” Panic threaded his voice, and I recognised him immediately. The dog walker with the nice smile. My brain finally woke up, and I felt like smacking myself on the forehead. He’d thought I was drowning, an impossibility. How fucking funny was that?
There was a bizarre moment where he tried to haul me out of the water and I resisted, before he saw that I was actually conscious. “I’m fine, you can let go.”
“You were face down. I thought…” He swallowed, and stared at me, his eyes wide and scared. “Christ on a bike, I was freaking out.” He swayed, as though his knees were shaking, the water continuing to swirl around his thighs. “I came early to walk Butch, and then I saw you.”
His eyes widened further when I stood up. “You’re, um.” His gaze darted to my crotch and then up again, to fix on my face. “You’ve lost your shorts.” Colour splashed his cheeks, and I felt sorry for his embarrassment.
“I swim naked. I prefer it.”
He nodded, water droplets sliding down his face, over the now coarse stubble. His T-shirt stuck to his chest, highlighting perfectly sculptured muscles, and for a heartbeat, I was tempted to touch him.
Shaking the thought away, I folded my arms before I had any more random ideas. “Thanks, though. Even though I was in no difficulty, I appreciate it.”
This drew a smile. “Yeah, no, it’s all good.”
The familiar Kiwi phrase struck me as funny, or maybe it was just the situation. It felt like the start of a bad joke: a sea monster and a tour guide were standing in the ocean… And the tour guide was shivering. His jeans looked black, they were so full of water. I knew I’d regret it, but I couldn’t walk away and leave him. “You’re soaked. I live close by if you want a towel and to borrow a change of clothes.” I jerked my chin toward the simple wooden beach house that nestled against the dunes.
A smile lit up his face again. “Thanks.” He turned and splashed through the last few yards by my side. “I’m TJ, by the way.”
“Henare,” I replied, before I thought about it. Whoa. We didn’t need conversation; I didn’t want to know his name. I was going to lend him a change of clothes, that was all.
The mutt was obviously torn between hiding from me, and rushing toward its master. It growled as we approached, and bared its teeth. The fangs were tiny compared to mine in my native form, but his bravery amused me.
“I don’t know what’s up with him.” TJ sounded puzzled.
“Dogs don’t like me.” Nor did anyone else, and that was the way I wanted it. I’d no intention of making friends with TJ, so it didn’t matter if I ignored his dog. All the same, with a little sigh, I bent down and showed it my bare hands. This drew a sniff, and a tentative lick across my palm, and then he rolled onto his back and assumed the belly-up-you’ve-beaten-me position. I had to smile.
TJ’s teeth were chattering by now, and I hastened to lead the way across the sand to my cottage, Butch following closely at my heels.
I’d learned early on that to fit into society, I had to follow certain norms. A home. An income, from intricately carved pieces of driftwood. I had no need for food or drink, and I didn’t need to sleep, but the little cottage I rented had come fully furnished. This was the first time I’d invited anyone back. What if he got the wrong idea? He might want to become friends, or come back uninvited.
“Wait here.” I left him dripping in the doorway, while I went to fetch him a towel. He’d need some clothes too, and so I dug out a T-shirt and a pair of board shorts— another concession I made to “fit in”. If they were too big, that was too bad. I was done helping.
I dragged a pair of denims over my already dry legs and hurried back to find him.
TJ hadn’t moved. Another tick in his favour. Butch sat by his feet, tongue lolling and perfectly relaxed, and his thick tail thumped when I approached.
“Here.” I handed him the bundle and then realised he needed some privacy. “You can get changed in there.” I gestured toward the bathroom with my fingers and tried not to watch as he padded across the wooden floor, the jeans hugging his perfect ass. I turned my focus to the dog instead. Butch gazed up at me, the fear gone. “What are you staring at, hound?”
He made a whining noise and flopped to the floor, the huge brown eyes tracking my every movement. Maybe he was thirsty? Against my better judgement, I went to fetch a bowl of water, and as I placed it on the floor, TJ emerged from the bathroom.
My clothes were loose on him, but not by much. In the bright light of morning, I could finally see his eyes properly and they took my breath away. Green with gold flecks, they reminded me of the inside of a mussel shell, and they danced with amusement.
“I thought you said dogs didn’t like you?”
I had no smart answer for that, so I said nothing and tried to scowl at him. He was invading my space. Wearing my clothes. Smiling at me as though he liked what he saw.
Falling back on rudeness seemed the only safe option. “You need to leave.”
****
Chapter 3
The sun began its slow glide down the sky and the afternoon drifted into early evening. I watched the families packing up for the day, the fishermen clustering together, and the joggers materialising now the temperature had dropped. The sea had been as placid as an inland lake, and I wondered how TJ’s tour had gone, and then wondered why the hell I cared.
As though he heard me thinking about him, he appeared in the distance, Butch trotting on the end of a long leash. I didn’t move from my driftwood seat. He might not see me.