by T. S. Ryder
Charity struggled as she cast about for what to say. If she admitted that she was going to meet somebody, she’d get a thousand and one questions and everybody was going to know by the end of the day. She chewed her lip for a moment before her eyes lit up. Yes – a perfect idea!
“Why don’t we go to the mainland this week? Tomorrow or the next day. We can get on the ferry and go hit all our old hangouts. Maybe even go for a leisurely stroll through the park? Remember that time when we were sixteen and we took off without telling anybody? We can do that again. And since it’ll only be the two of us, we can talk about anything we want.”
Hope’s eyes lit up. “You mean the boy you’re interested in?”
Charity nodded. “Boys. Multiple. I’ll tell you all about them.”
“Then it’s agreed.” Hope stuck out her hand. “Ferry. Tomorrow. Nine o’clock sharp. Be there or we’ll have to wait until ten-thirty.”
Charity shook her sister’s hand seriously and grinned. “Now, think you can help me escape? Just get them out of the hallway.”
Hope mocked a salute. “I can do that. Give me fifteen minutes.”
***
With Hope’s help, Charity managed to escape her parents’ house without being seen. She had made it to the docks just in time for her meeting with Devin, and she paid for the motorboat before they headed out to sea. The spray of salt and the beaming sun was enough to drive all her negative thoughts away. They spent the whole day surfing. The next few days were spent mostly with Hope, but a week after the original meeting, Charity found herself on Devin’s little island again.
She slathered sunscreen onto her exposed skin as she sprawled on the beach. Here, the water was a deeper blue than at the white beach on the island. This beach was covered in rocky pebbles. Not comfortable like sand, but it wasn’t bad, either. The swells of ocean waves rose in sapphire rolls, white foam capping the water when the waves came crashing back down.
Devin was out in the surf, balancing on the board with his knees bent. If he was attractive as a lifeguard, he was even better as a surfer. Long hair fell back over his shoulders, secured by an elastic. His skin gleamed with water and sunlight. He didn’t wear a wetsuit like her – only his shorts. His body was so impressive that Charity had to work at not drooling.
She must have sat and watched for a long time because when he came in, the first thing he did was ask if something was wrong.
Charity shook her head. “No, nothing’s wrong. I was just admiring your form. You’re so graceful out there! I’ve seen a lot of surfers, and I’m telling you – you could win a competition.”
Devin lay down beside her with a smile but shook his head. “Nah, I can’t. I’ve tried to enter a couple, but I wasn’t qualified. Apparently, being able to turn into a tiger shark gives me an unfair advantage.”
Charity’s smile faded. “What does that have to do with the ability to surf?”
“I think they were more afraid that I’d shift in the middle of the competition and eat the other contestants.” Though his tone was light and joking, Charity felt like doing anything but laughing.
She picked up a stone and turned it over in her hands, thinking about it. All shifters were thought to have their personalities decided by the type of animals they could turn into. It was all over the news: whenever a shifter committed a crime, they were certain to include what sort of animal they turned into. Even if they were the only shifter in a group of humans to have done something, they were singled out.
How much worse would it be for a shark shifter? The actual animals in the sea were demonized, called mindless killing machines. She couldn’t recall one documentary when they weren’t described as having ‘cold, dead eyes.’ And then add that to shark shifters? Even though they lived in a group and were clearly social and affectionate with one another . . .
She threw the rock away. “I’m sorry. That’s so grossly unfair I don’t know what to say.”
Devin shrugged. “You don’t have to say anything. Just knowing that you recognize it is unfair helps at the moment. I was going to use the money I would win in the competition to send myself to university, you know.”
He flipped over onto his stomach and Charity flinched. Lying on this pebbly beach could not be comfortable. “What were you going to do?”
“Marine biologist. Maybe it’s ironic.” Devin flashed her a grin that had her heart stuttering. “I’ve always been fascinated by the watery underworld, so to say. I wanted to be able to learn more about the various species, the corals, everything. And I thought I’d be able to do research that most people can’t do. What with being a shifter, I could spend hours in the sea without expensive scuba gear.”
“I watched a documentary with a crew who had a shifter on the team. I think they turned into a dolphin, though.”
Devin hummed. “People like dolphins.”
The sun was starting to sink beyond the horizon and Charity sighed. She didn’t want to go home. Not today. Not after a day like this, when things had been so beautiful. She glanced at Devin and chewed her lip. Both of them had their dry clothes still . . . and the beach was sandy a little way down the shore, with just enough room for two people.
“Want to build a fire and spend the night?”
A smile broke across his face. “I was just about to suggest that. We can use our towels as blankets.”
And each other as pillows. How would he react if she said that?
They quickly built a little fire. Charity swapped out her wetsuit for the jeans and tank that she’d worn out here. The sun was gone quickly, leaving only the moon in the sky. It reflected on the water. Sitting side-by-side with Devin, she felt like she was in something out of a movie. She held her hands to the flames and smiled at him.
“This has been amazing. Thank you. I didn’t think that it’d be so hard to be back here. I mean, I always knew that my family was . . . let’s say, different.” Even though she knew what it was, it was still difficult to say out loud that her parents had emotionally manipulated and abused her growing up. “I should have remembered how much of a relief it had been to escape them. But I love this island. I just wish I didn’t have to deal with them.”
Devin laughed. “I think that’s how the rest of us feel.”
Charity giggled at that but quickly sobered. “Except Hope. My twin sister. She’s not like the others. She loved life and people and . . . ” She shrugged. “I wish I knew how to save her.”
“I know how that feels,” Devin whispered. He slipped his hand into hers. “I know exactly how that feels.”
What would he do if she kissed him? Her lips tingled and desire floated through her bloodstream, but she didn’t move forward. Not until she knew if he’d like it or if she’d ruin their blossoming friendship.
Chapter Four – Devin
They talked for hours. Devin had never felt such relief as when he told her the things that he had never told anybody before. From how frustrating he found humans’ attitudes towards him and his pack to his fears that everybody was relying on him and he wasn’t going to be able to do enough. Even though his brothers all helped with logistics in the pack and they weren’t alone, it felt like the burden was all falling on his shoulders to be certain things got done.
And he faced criticism with everything. From his program to get shifters proper jobs to his efforts at the community pitching together and fixing up the run-down houses for people to live in. It was overwhelming, and this was the first time he felt like he could actually share his own fears.
By the time the fire was embers and the moon traced a long path in the now-calm sea, he was very certain of two things. One, Charity Gatiss was the black sheep of her family. She had the bravery and moral fortitude to reject everything they believed about shifters. And two . . . he wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms.
The firelight bathed her face in gold, making her delicate lips and lovely large eyes look all the more inviting. And even though they had been talking about weighty
things, he didn’t feel burdened anymore. Her hand was in his and her thumb traced over his knuckles. She gave him a smile and he thought he saw desire in her eyes, but he held himself back. Moving too fast on this one could be devastating. He had finally found himself an ally in the Gatiss household itself. Making sure that Charity remained a friend and ally was more important than physical desire.
A whale spout broke the silence around them. Both of them turned to the water. In the silver moonlight, a pod of orcas surfaced. Their big black dorsal fins cut through the water in rolls. A few of them breached, and they sang to the stars. The massive bodies were beautiful and terrifying. Devin made a mental note to make sure the pack knew that orcas were in the area and to stay out of the water. It was a migratory pod that came through a couple times in a year. There were only a few documented cases of orcas hunting their shifters in their shark form, but it was always something to be wary of. They were massive animals and could cause serious damage.
“You know, according to the stories in my pack, my people were the first inhabitants of these islands.”
Charity turned from the orcas, excitement in her eyes. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. My grandmother would tell me and my brothers stories when our mother was off gathering clams and oysters to sell. She said that our ancestors were sharks. They were hunted by orcas and driven onto the land, where they took human form. At that time, they didn’t have intelligence and kept going back to the water. They were naked, and many froze in winter.”
“It does get pretty cold here.”
Devin nodded. He grinned at her, loving the light in her eyes. “Well, after some time, there came a pod of other whales. Humpbacks, I think the first ones were. Seeing my ancestor’s human forms, they breathed intelligence into them. Then another pod came and they taught them how to speak and sing. Then another pod taught them how to use tools. In the end, the orcas came back and taught them how to hunt and feed themselves. But my ancestors, remembering how the orcas used to hunt them, started to hunt the orcas. And they have never forgotten about it.”
Charity laidback down on the blanket beneath her. She shook her head. “Well, it was rather ungrateful for them to start hunting the orcas. Understandable, though. I mean, I would want revenge in that situation, too.”
Devin chuckled. “It must seem very silly to you.”
“Not at all. I love hearing stories like that. Origin tales, tales of heroes, gods, and demi-gods. It’s all so fascinating. Makes you wonder what’s real and if they all are, in one sense or another.”
Maybe it was just the firelight, but her eyes actually glowed as she looked at him. A soft smile curled her lips and he brushed a bit of sand off her cheek. Her skin was so soft and warm that he let his touch drift down her neck to rest on her shoulder. The glowing of her eyes increased. She shifted slightly and put her hand over his. His heart beat very fast as she slowly, achingly slowly, moved his hand across her collarbone. There, he felt her pulse beating hard against his fingers before she pulled his hand lower.
Her breast was full and soft beneath his fingertips. His throat dried as he found her nipple, hard and pointed, beneath the layers of clothing. His eyes remained on hers as she arched her back, pressing herself into his touch.
“Charity . . . ” His hand moved again, without her guidance this time. His fingers drifted over her strong abdomen to come to a rest on her hip. He felt . . . shy, almost. Even though he wanted it and it was clear she did, too. “Charity, I want to kiss you.”
A soft smile spread across her face. “I want you to do much, much more than that.”
His breath caught in his throat.
Charity’s face turned red. “I mean . . . if you want to, of course.”
“Oh, do I . . . ”
He leaned over her, pressing his mouth to hers. Her lips were soft and supple, eagerly accepting him. She rolled slightly toward him, her hands moving to explore his body. Her touch was as light as a feather and left trails of heat just under his skin. Devin teased her lips open as he slanted his mouth first this way then that on hers. He rolled himself over her, pulling her legs over his hips. She lifted her jean-clad hips to grind against him. More heat. He hardened at the contact and moaned into her mouth.
The orcas continued to sing in the ocean. The firelight flickered lower as the heat between their bodies increased.
Devin slid his hands beneath her tank and lifted it to her shoulders. He was surprised to find that she wore a lacy bralette underneath. Though he ran his hand over every inch of it—pausing to knead her beautiful breasts—he found no fastener, so he lifted that up and out of the way, too. Charity let her arms lie out flat over her head, and he worked the clothing off of her.
Her breasts spilled to either side of her body and he took them in his hands, squishing them together. Charity giggled as she tangled her fingers in his hair.
“You like that, then?” He squished them again.
“I was just imagining you between them. Have you ever done that before?”
Devin’s brow arched. He couldn’t say he had. But then, he’d never been with a woman with such big ones before. “That doesn’t seem like it’d do much for you.”
Charity smirked, then shook her head. “You don’t know me, then. I love having my breasts played with. I’ve wanted for a long time to . . . ”
She trailed off, but she didn’t need to continue. Devin stripped off his shorts while her hands still coasted over his stomach and thighs. The look in her eyes, like she was the luckiest woman in the world, made it difficult for him to control himself. He knew what he wanted to do, but he wasn’t certain that he was going to have the control to do it. So, first he tugged her jean-shorts off and tossed them into the pile with the rest of their clothing.
He slid down her body, pausing to suck on both her breasts before making his way to between her thighs. As soon as he found his target, her back arched. He worked her quickly, not bothering with playing games. They were here on the beach, just the two of them. They had time to go more leisurely after this first time.
When her legs were trembling, he stopped. Charity moaned breathlessly and smiled at him as he moved up again. She pressed her breasts tight around him as he laid himself between them. He began to thrust gently, and she responded by bending her neck so she could lick him every time he pushed through. It felt better than he could have imagined, and soon he was so hard that he was afraid of hurting her if he hit her chin too hard.
Charity’s hands moved to his hips and pushed gently. He allowed her to guide him back to between her legs. Her knees bent to her chest and she gave him another grin. She was still wet from earlier, but he gave her a little rub to fire her up again before he entered. It took a couple of times to seat himself fully. His heart was so full that looking at her almost made it burst. She was so beautiful, so alive, so full of beauty.
As he began to move, her breasts bounced with every thrust. But he found himself unable to keep his gaze on that lovely view. Instead, his eyes were on her face. Memorizing the way her eyes widened, the way her lips gaped, the red flush creeping up her cheeks. Her fingers tightened around his shoulders, pulling him down.
He kissed her, hard, and kissed her again. A surprised cry burst from her as he felt her shudder. She clenched down on him and that was it for him. Muscles seized as heat swept through him. Pleasure blinded him and all he could do was keep thrusting as he kissed her again and again.
When he could see again, Devin held her tight. He kissed her bare shoulders and neck. His muscles trembled with the desire to pull her every tighter. Ever deeper.
The orcas continued to sing as she rolled over him.
***
Devin wasn’t certain if he slept or only dozed. He only knew that the night had passed in a haze of heat and tangled bodies. It had been glorious, working his way into his dreams when his eyes shut. When morning broke, the fire was dead and reality came slipping back, like a fog over his mind.
Charity stirred and
opened her eyes as he started to ease himself out of her arms. A sleepy smile crossed her face. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” He couldn’t make himself smile back. He brushed her hair from her face as he sighed. “How are you today?”
“I’m good.” Her smile slipped away. “Is something wrong?”
Devin glanced over the waves lapping at the shore. “Yes, and no. Last night was amazing. I don’t want it to end.”
She slid her hand up his chest. “It doesn’t have to.”
“I’m afraid it does.”
“Why?”
Devin kissed her forehead. “Because I’m Romeo and you’re Juliet. And they died. More than that, they were doomed before their story even started. We have our lives, Charity. I can’t leave and you can’t stay. I’m sorry. Last night was all we can have.”
He began searching for his clothes as his heart sunk heavily into his stomach. Charity was silent until he had pulled his shorts on. Then her hand reached out and she caught his wrist. With a small smile, she shook her head.
“We’re not Romeo and Juliet, Devin. We’re you and me. It doesn’t have to end badly.’
“You’re right.” He nodded. “And that is why it ends now. So that we can remember our time together fondly. Thank you, Charity. But I can’t have distractions right now. Not when my pack needs me.”
After a moment she withdrew and nodded. “I understand.”
His heart was even heavier as he looked away. This was for the best . . . so why did it feel like he was making a mistake?
Chapter Five – Charity
Going from spending almost every day all day with Devin to go back to daily life was an insufferable switch. Not just because after her time with Devin her family was even more awful than ever. It seemed like Honor took every opportunity she could to make some snide comment about shifters. She had even gone on a rampage about shifters seducing human women with pheromones, making them helpless against the physical desire.