by Desiree Holt
His eyes softened. “We’ll talk about it after dinner. I need some time to think.”
* * *
Lying in bed beside Eva, the world seemed safe. Seemed being the key word.
As a shark, he’d always been at the top of the game, never at the mercy of anything else. He’d been the king of his domain until the researchers had stabbed him with the transmitter and changed everything. The tables had turned and he hated feeling powerless. It wasn’t in his nature—either of them.
“Are you awake?” he whispered in the dark.
“I can’t sleep. I’m too worried.”
He reached over and took her hand in his. “I’ll figure it out.”
“No, we need to figure it out together. Together.”
As much as he wanted and needed her help, he would die before he got her tangled up in this mess. Granted, he’d had no control over it himself but she was just an innocent woman who’d been caught up in truly extraordinary circumstances. “I know you want to help but this is all me.”
She huffed. “That’s the thing, Tib. It’s not just you anymore. It’s us. I’ve quit my job and moved in to your house. We’ve agreed that we’re going to be together, make this relationship work. In order for that to happen, you have to let me in.”
Tiburon wasn’t used to including someone else in his decisions. In the water, he’d been a solitary creature and it had translated into his human life. He lived alone, and while he enjoyed sex, it was purely for physical pleasure, release. It wasn’t emotional. Until now.
“I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I feel the same way about you.” She squeezed his hand.
* * *
Eva loved sex. She’d had a couple of serious boyfriends in high school and college and she’d had more than her fair share of flings in the years since, but she’d never felt anything like the feelings she had for Tiburon. She connected with him in a very deep and real way, and she loved the open way they communicated with each other.
Lying beside him, she loved the raw heat of his naked body next to hers. She draped one leg over his and moved against him. “Want to play?” she whispered.
“Play what?”
Eva heard the grin in his voice and kissed his shoulder. “Cowboys?”
“You dirty girl.” His deep voice, along with the accent, was enough to make her wet. When she felt the vibration of his words against her skin, it was almost enough to make her come without a single touch.
Tiburon turned over onto his side so that his lips were inches from hers. “You want to ride me?” The way he trilled the “r” made her even wetter.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
His lips were on hers, soft at first but the hunger built quickly. He nipped at her lower lip and she moaned. Planting a blazing line of kisses and nibbles along the length of her neck, he moved lower until his face was between her breasts. He looked up at her and molten fire burned in his eyes. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he said. His voice crackled with heat and intensity and a shiver ran through her body. He tossed the covers to the bedroom floor. “First, I want to see every inch of you.”
Tiburon tugged at one nipple with his fingers, and then the heat of his mouth was on the other breast. She arched her body, opening herself up to him completely. He switched breasts, giving them both equal attention. Then, when her nipples were so hard, they ached with want, he moved down her stomach, his tongue a firebrand along her abdomen.
With his hands on her hips, he kissed the inside of her thighs, his hot breath making her squirm with desire. She wanted him inside her, filling her. “I want you. Now.”
He ran his index finger along her clit and tiny sparks of fire shot through every cell in her body. “I think you are ready for me.” He licked her juices from the tip of her finger.
He moved slowly back up her body, and Eva loved the weight of him on top of her, the smooth feel of his skin. Tiburon kissed her again and then whispered against her lips. “Time to hop on top.”
My favorite position.
Not only was it hot, but Eva liked controlling the pace. She also liked watching Tiburon watching her as she got closer and closer to climax. They switched places, and she straddled him, rubbing her clit against him.
After rising up on her knees, she sank down onto him, millimeter by excruciating millimeter until he was fully inside her. He placed his hands on her hips, and she began to move in a tantalizingly slow rhythm.
“Touch yourself,” he said.
With two fingers massaging her clit and his magnificent cock inside her, Eva rode him to the best orgasm of her life.
He came shortly after her and the two of them lay back on the bed. Eva took his hand and said, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Tiburon’s voice was sleepy and sated.
Eva fell asleep with a smile on her face.
* * *
The next morning, as soon as Eva slipped into the shower, he pulled the card from his backpack and dialed the phone number. It rang four times and just as Tiburon was sure it was going to roll over to voice mail, a voice barked, “Penworth.”
“You said we needed to talk.”
“Ahhh, #2407. I’m glad you called.”
The son of a bitch had just referred to him as a number. “My name is Tiburon.” He’d known his name as soon as he’d washed onto the beach. He didn’t know how he knew it, but he just did.
“Tiburon, then.” The man’s voice was condescending, giving the impression that Tiburon would never be anything but a number to him. “When can you meet us?”
Eva had three job interviews tomorrow. She’d be gone most of the day, but she’d need to take the Jeep since they hadn’t gone to retrieve her car yet. “Tomorrow. Where?”
“We can pick you up.”
The hair on the back of his neck stood up. “I asked where.”
“Wait for us on your porch. We’ll pick you up at noon tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Tiburon said, knowing that he was putting himself in extreme danger but there was no other option for him. He knew the men were dangerous and he would keep Eva safe no matter the cost.
* * *
“Have a good day,” Eve called as she headed out the door. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. You’re scheduled to get off at three, right?”
He nodded. “Good luck.”
“Thanks,” she said, closing the door behind her.
As soon as he heard the sound of the Jeep’s exhaust disappear down the street, he picked up his cell phone and called the scheduler “I’m not going to be in today. Bad stomach.”
“Feel better soon,” his boss said.
He’d worked as a lifeguard for more than two years, and this was the first time he’d ever called in sick. He hoped it would be the last time. He hadn’t exactly lied when he’d said that his stomach wasn’t feeling right.
Tiburon felt nauseated, like he might vomit any second, but he had to get ahold of himself. He wasn’t going to show these scientists any fear. None. He dug deep, tried to connect with the shark part of himself. Even though he was a man, with two legs and lungs, deep down, he was still a Great White.
After a shower, he shaved and slicked his hair back with gel. He dressed in khaki shorts and a Polo shirt. Looking into the small mirror above the sink, he saw the dark half-circles under his eyes and saw the results of the last few sleepless nights. He had to put this behind him so that he could move forward. With Eva.
* * *
The first interview was a disaster. The second one wasn’t much better. Eva had nearly two hours before the next one, and she decided to stop for lunch. Maybe a good fattening hamburger would soothe her nerves. She pulled into the parking lot of a local greasy spoon and took a deep breath.
She had no idea what she’d do if she flubbed the next interview. She could always wait tables or bartend, but she wanted to teach. It was her passion, her calling, and she couldn’t imagine her life without it.
First food, then she’d worry.
Eva took the last sip of her chocolate shake and checked her watch. Plenty of time to check in with Tiburon. He was working today, but he usually took a break between twelve-thirty and one so maybe she could catch him. She dialed.
When he didn’t answer, she sent him a quick text and waited for a response and got nothing. Maybe he’d gone to lunch early or he’d decided to go late.
She hoped it was only that but she had a strange feeling so she tried to call him again.
It sure felt like something was wrong.
Blood in the Water
Tiburon was sitting in a wicker rocking chair on the front porch when the dark late-model sedan pulled up to the curb. Every cell in his body told him to run as fast and as far as he could. He ran his fingers along the scar at the base of his neck. He couldn’t run, couldn’t hide. He took a deep breath and walked down the steps.
In his pocket, he had only a key to the house and his driver’s license.
Thoughts of Eva raced through his head. He knew he should’ve been honest with her, told her the truth about his plans to go alone. It would have pissed her off, but at least he would’ve been truthful. If she discovered what he’d done, she might never want to see him again but at least she’d be safe.
The rear passenger door opened, and he slid into the leather bench seat.
There was a tinted window between him and the driver. The only thing he could do was try to memorize the route. In case something happened. In case he needed to escape.
Maybe he should’ve brought his cell phone, but he knew Eva well-enough to know that she’d try to use it as a way to track him. She was smart, good with computers and electronics, and he didn’t want to give her any opportunity to track him down and put herself in the crosshairs.
The car pulled away from the bungalow and Tiburon hoped he’d be back before it was time to turn on the porchlight.
* * *
On the way back to the bungalow, Eva blasted the local Top 40 station on the radio of the Jeep. The last interview had gone swimmingly, and she’d landed a great job as an Advance Placement Biology teacher in the best school district this side of Atlanta.
She couldn’t wait to tell Tiburon and celebrate. Hopefully with a bottle of grocery store champagne and lots of nudity.
Even before Eva unlocked the front door, she knew Tiburon wasn’t home. Her mood changed instantly.
She didn’t place much weight on vibes or intuition. As a biology teacher, she liked facts, data, theories. But the house felt different, and her heart beat a little faster. Something wasn’t right. She stuck the newly cut key into the deadbolt and unlocked the door.
The house was totally quiet.
It was nearly five o’clock. He should’ve been home at least an hour ago. Maybe he’d stopped by the market or run into a friend.
But as soon as she saw that he’d left his backpack, she knew. When she saw his cell phone on the kitchen counter, a wave of nausea spread over her entire body.
He hadn’t gone to work today. He’d lied to her and made that phone call. The scary one. Her heart fell, switched places with her stomach. Fingers of fear spread across the crown of her head.
Son of a bitch.
Anger flooded her. Fear quickly followed.
She wished she’d paid more attention when he’d showed her the business card but it was too late now. Now, she had to figure out where he’d gone, what the hell had happened to him.
Eva could be mad when she found him. Sneaky bastard.
* * *
The sedan wove through the back roads of the island, dirt road after dirt road, until Tiburon has totally lost his sense of direction. Too bad the only shark sense that seemed to bridge his shark and human forms was an incredible sense of smell. He’d give a whole row of teeth for his electro location sense right now. The longer he was in the car, the more he worried about his decision to come alone.
If something happened out here, no one would ever find him. Ever.
He guessed that was the whole point.
The car came to a slow stop just before it reached the beach. He could see the blue of the water just over the dunes. He tried to fix the location of the sun, get a sense of direction, but the day was too overcast.
His door opened, and Ashton Penworth stood there holding the handle. “Welcome, Tiburon.” The familiar condescension was still in his voice.
Tiburon stepped out into the sand. “Let’s talk. I don’t have all day.” He hoped the other man didn’t hear the fear in his voice. He hated himself for being afraid; it wasn’t in his nature. He’d be damned if he’d beg or grovel. Whatever they planned to do with him, Tiburon wasn’t going down without a fight.
“That’s really a shame because it might end up being a lengthy discussion. Follow me.” He slammed the car door and walked toward the beach.
Tiburon followed him. While he was familiar with most of the local beaches, he was quite sure he’d never been here before. It was a natural beach. No powerlines ran overhead and there were no signs of houses or huts. “Where are we?”
“I can’t tell you that, now can I?” There was a new edge in Penworth’s voice. “Just a few more steps, and Mr. Masters will be joining us. Perhaps he can do a better job of explaining things than I can. After all, he’s the brains of the operation.”
“What does that make you?”
Penworth stopped and turned to face Tiburon. A terrible grin curved his lips. “I’m the muscle.”
Tiburon had been a predator for long enough to know what that expression meant. He was in trouble. Big trouble.
As they got closer to the water, Tiburon realized that there were buildings on this strip of beach. They were small, even smaller than his bungalow, but there were three of them and they were built to blend into the scrub of Saw Palmettos and coastal grasses that lined the area adjacent to the dunes.
Penworth led him to the door of one. “I think he’s expecting us.” He knocked on the door three times and they waited. Nearly a minute later, the door opened and Penworth gestured for Tiburon to enter first. “Please.”
The room was filled from floor to ceiling with machines. Lights blinked and so much electricity flowed through the room that it made Tiburon’s head hurt. A flash of pain momentarily blinded him. He blinked, tried to regain his equilibrium, but it was if the world was dipping, spinning, turning on an axis so tilted, it was hard to stand.
“You may feel a little something.” The small scientist’s voice was so matter-of-fact, so flat that Tiburon briefly wondered if he was really a human being.
Wouldn’t that be ironic?
“Let me adjust this a bit.” He turned a couple of knobs and looked at computer screen mounted on the wall. “Better?”
The buzz inside his head decreased. It was still there, but he could think. Sort of. “I thought I came here for a discussion.”
“You didn’t really think that, did you?” Penworth asked.
“I think we’re ready,” Masters said.
“Ready for what?” Tiburon asked.
The last thing he remembered was a sharp sting in his upper arm and then the world faded to black.
* * *
Eva needed to think.
What could researchers want with Tiburon?
Her head spun with possibilities. From the door of the fridge, she grabbed a pad they used for grocery lists and took a pen from her purse. She listed all the possibilities she could imagine, some of them incredibly awful.
Satisfied she’d thought of everything, she stared at the list, doodled in the corners.
If the researchers were legitimate, they wouldn’t be chasing Tiburon. Not like this. They’d send a letter, call him on the phone. Real scientists didn’t stalk a person and show up at a workplace without a call first.
Every hair on her body stood up.
If they weren’t legitimate, what would that mean?
Tiburon’s cell phone. She grabbed and swiped
it to unlock it and clicked on recent calls.
It wasn’t a local number, and he’d called it at a little past seven this morning.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Instead of making things clearer, it only clouded them further.
It wasn’t like she could call the police. No one would believe that her boyfriend, who was sometimes a shark, was kidnapped by research scientists. A story like that would earn her a one-way ticket to a padded room.
Eva was on her own. And she was already behind.
* * *
The buzz was back.
On his back, he looked up at the ceiling and tried to get the fuzzy feeling in his head to clear.
Tiburon remembered getting into the car and he remembered being jabbed in the arm with something sharp but beyond that, the day was a blur, like he’d fallen into some kind of machine that snipped and spliced time.
He wanted to get up but he couldn’t seem to make his muscles move, his body just wouldn’t cooperate with his mind. It was like his neurons had all been disconnected. Until he felt it. The small box implanted in his neck vibrated, taking all thought, all reason, paralyzing his mind.
* * *
Tiburon was lucky that Eva had some knowledge of sharks. As a child, she’d read every book the library had on sharks and she’d watched every show she could find on sharks. Every year she’d taught high school biology, they’d had a unit on the apex predators. She knew sharks. They’d been her totem animal for as long as she could remember. Knowledge of the species wasn’t the problem. Even if she figured out the reason they’d wanted him, how would she ever figure out where they’d taken him?
Outside the sun was setting, casting yellow-orange slats onto the plank floor of the bungalow. He’d been gone for hours. She needed to find him as soon as possible.
Back to the notepad.
If she followed the logic that the men hunting Tiburon weren’t good guys, what would that mean?
In her class, they usually spent several days talking about environmental threats to animal populations. With Great Whites, there were two things: bycatch, or the unwanted fish and other marine creatures caught during commercial fishing for a different species, and shark fin soup.