by Taylor Ryan
"And you were locked in the cave...why?"
Casey sighed. "Uncle Martin gated it to keep me safe. After Uncle Thomas died, Martin didn't want take me out on full moon nights, like we used to do. The cave gives me the opportunity to be in the ocean, under the moon."
"But why does he lock you in? Damn, Casey, you nearly drowned that night."
"He locks me in so I don't wander too far off. The lure of the moon is strong, and he's afraid something will happen."
"Like what?"
"A fishing boat, or a net or something," Casey muttered. "Or that the moon's pull will be so strong, I'll get so far out that I won't come back. That's what he says he's afraid of, anyway."
Shawn snorted. "You're smarter than that, and you know it. Locking you up in a cave like that just means he's treating you like an animal, like you can't think for yourself. Hell, you came back the night I let you out, right?"
Casey looked up at him sharply, his hand trembling slightly as it lifted to his neck. "Yeah. Yeah. I did come back," he swallowed.
Shawn frowned, his eyes following Casey's thin fingers to where they had briefly touched the silver chain before dropping back into his lap and fisting in his shorts. What the hell? He narrowed his gaze, squinting at Casey's neck. He hadn't noticed before when he was sitting on the man trying to get him to listen to reason, but now he could see the red, blistered and irritated skin under the chain.
"What the hell happened to your neck?" Shawn snapped.
"Noth—" Casey started, but Shawn glared at him and he stopped short. Instead, he just sighed heavily. "It's just a little raw."
"Why?" Shawn demanded. "Take the damn thing off for a while then. Let it heal."
"I—I can't," Casey finally muttered, drawing up his knees and dropping his forehead on them.
"What the hell, Casey? It's just a necklace. Thomas would understand if you took it off for a bit. He wouldn't want you to suffer."
Casey's choked sob shocked Shawn. "I...It's not from Uncle Thomas," Casey finally said. "It's from Uncle Martin. It's...it's a perimeter collar."
It took a second for it to dawn on him what Casey was really saying. Casey had lied to him about the necklace and why he wore it all the time. Thinking it had been a gift from Casey's dead uncle was one thing; knowing now that it wasn't... Shawn glared at the offending thing as the words Casey said sunk in. Perimeter collar. Like ones people used on their dogs? Was it a fucking shock collar?
He fisted his hands as he tried to control his voice. Maybe he was jumping to conclusions. "Perimeter collar? Like ones people use to keep their dogs from wandering too far?"
Casey gave a short nod, not looking at him, which was probably good, because Shawn was sure he looked pretty fucking angry right now.
He drew in a deep breath. "Those kind of collars shock their wearer," he ground out. "Does this one—" He wasn't sure he wanted to say the words, but Casey was already nodding.
"Yeah," he whispered, "when I get too far from the controller."
Shawn didn't think he could hate Martin more than he already did for locking Casey in a damn cave to drown. But he abruptly realized he absolutely could. He felt his body flush with fury, his jaw clenched and his temples pounding. Martin had put a fucking shock collar on Casey?!
"What the fuck?" Shawn yelled, scrambling to his feet, feeling the need to pace off his frustration as he stared down at Casey. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do next: run and strangle Martin or gather Casey in his arms and drag him home, never to let him go again. Maybe both.
When those soft gray eyes finally looked up at him, Shawn was crushed by the look on the younger man's face as he fingered the silver chain. Oh, god.
"H-he just...it's to keep me safe," Casey tried to explain, but Shawn could tell even Casey wasn't so sure it was necessary. It was obvious that Casey wanted to believe Martin was only using it to look out for his welfare. "So I don't get lost."
"Shit," Shawn's voice broke as he dropped to his knees next to Casey.
Casey hurriedly rushed on, obviously concerned by the devastated look on Shawn's face. "It's only gone off a few times since he put it on. Once when I was chasing a dolphin or sea turtle or something and didn't know how far I'd—"
"How long?" Shawn ground out through gritted teeth.
Casey sucked in a breath at the tension and anger radiating from Shawn. "Since Uncle Thomas passed away. Uncle Martin doesn't like to go out on the boat, so this allowed me to swim on my own. And kept me from... straying too far."
Shawn was already dredging through his memory to recall exactly when Casey said that his uncle had died. His stomach churned. "So five years? He's treated you like a fucking dog for five years?"
Casey jerked at the vehemence in his voice, but Shawn could barely control his raging hate for the man Casey had lived alone with these last five years.
"I don't think he really meant to—" Casey flushed, but Shawn could see the truth in the watery gray eyes. He could tell Casey didn't feel it was necessary either, no matter what Martin had tried to make him believe. And once Martin had Casey chained, only Martin could release the lock.
Shawn's hand swept aside the blond hair, his fingers ghosting over the reddened skin. "And all this is from...?"
Casey swallowed. "The night of the storm. I just swam. I would have kept going, even with the...the... shocks." He winced when Shawn sucked in a sharp breath. "I was just so scared. You'd just seen me... I was sure the look... I thought you were repulsed by the thought of me... like that. I couldn't... I didn't want to face you again."
Oh, god, Shawn breathed. Casey would have disappeared that night, and Shawn might never have seen him again. And it would have been his fault.
"I was so angry at my uncle for not coming when the storm started. That you had to see me like that. To know..." Casey growled, his voice hardening. "I tried to rip the damn thing off when it went off. Which probably made all this worse." He gestured at his neck. "Eventually, I gave up and drifted back in on the tide. And the sad part is Uncle Martin didn't even fucking know anything was wrong that night. He slept through the whole storm AND the alarm on the damn collar going off, drunk off his ass in his office."
Shawn could hear the heartbreak in Casey's voice at the thought of his uncle not caring enough to stay conscious when he'd locked his nephew in a watery cage.
"This is bullshit," Shawn muttered to himself. "Get up." He reached down and grabbed Casey's bicep. "You don't belong to that asshole, and we're fixing that right now."
"What—"
"I'm getting that fucking collar off right now. You are a man, a grown man. Not a fucking dog. I'm not going to let him continue to treat you like one."
Chapter 30
Footsteps thundering down the stairs startled Martin from his focus on the computer. He'd been busy determining what would be the best way to present Casey to the world, making sure representatives of the various scientific awards couldn't miss it.
"Casey?" he called, but he didn't really expect an answer considering how the boy had been ignoring him the last couple days hiding in his room.
Martin heard the deck door slam open and he was surprised Casey would choose to go to the beach out the back when he knew Martin told him to use the southern side to keep out of sight. He shoved back from his desk and headed out to reprimand the boy. Damn kid was determined to ruin his plans. If that Shawn guy discovered Casey's secret, he'd be the one reaping the rewards of outing Casey to the media instead.
But when he got to the railing of the deck, Casey was already almost to the beach. "Casey!" he yelled, trying to get the boy to come back, but obviously Casey didn't hear him. The boy seemed ultra focused on getting to the water. Martin didn't understand why the stupid boy would risk exposure like that, and he gripped the railing in fury.
"Idiot!" He slammed his fist down as he watched Casey shift almost immediately after diving in the waters.
But then his eyes trailed further out, and he suddenly realized just wher
e Casey was heading. Their idiot of a neighbor was floundering in the water, and his soft-hearted nephew must have seen him out the window.
"Goddamnit!" Martin cursed, running a hand anxiously through his hair. He watched in growing agitation as Casey allowed the man to hang onto his back while Casey dragged them both to shore. No way would the man not see Casey's tail. Martin furiously thought about how he could play it off.
The guy was sure to come pounding on their door for answers once he recovered from his near death experience. Martin just prayed that Casey was smart enough to drop him on the shore and leave before the man had time to realize what he'd seen. Martin figured he'd just have to play off the man's questions as ridiculous—a merman? Really? You were drowning and my nephew saved you, that's all. Be grateful.
"What the—" Martin sucked in a sharp breath when he saw their dark-haired neighbor catch Casey before he could run off and pin him down.
Then the man leaned down and...did he just fucking kiss Casey? What the hell was going on? Martin's eyes narrowed as he studied the two men and realized just how familiar with each other they were.
"Fuck!" Martin fumed, his mind racing on what the hell had just happened. Casey, his sweet nephew, had been lying to him all this time! He had to have been seeing the guy for a while now. Cursing under his breath, he slowly began to realize why Casey had seemed so much more defiant lately. That's why he'd been asking to have the collar removed and wanting more freedom...he was planning on leaving Martin to go with that ... that Shawn guy!
He had vaguely watched them talking on the beach, still caught up in his own whirlwind of thoughts on exactly how he was going to salvage this mess. When they stood up and Casey followed the man toward the cottage, Martin's jaw clenched so tightly his teeth ached.
He'd be damned if he'd lose everything now. Casey would be home soon, and Martin needed to be ready when he did. He cursed again before sucking in a deep breath, knowing he had to really focus now. There wasn't any time left to plan. He needed to act. Now.
****
"You're not going back there," Shawn stated.
They had been quiet as they trudged back up to the cottage, but Shawn finally voiced what had been running through his head the whole time. He was adamant that Casey wasn't spending another night under Martin Jorss's roof.
"I know," Casey said softly, surprising Shawn with how easily he had conceded. "I don't want to either. Now that you know, I don't have to hide away there anymore."
They reached the top of the hill, and Shawn pulled Casey gently into his arms. He felt Casey lean into him, seeking comfort and reassurance. Both of them were shaking a little, and Shawn doubted it was because they were cold. Shawn thought it might be a while before Casey really understood that Shawn would be there for him.
Instead of heading into the house, Shawn turned to the small storage room. Casey watched him rummage around in it a bit before Shawn pulled out a tool box. Casey unconsciously reached for the chain at his throat.
"You're really going to try to take it off?" he asked incredulously.
"Hell, yeah. Come on." Shawn led the way into the house and plopped the tool box on the small kitchen table.
Casey turned to the fridge to grab them both a bottle of water. "Here, drink. All that saltwater you swallowed will make you sick and dehydrated."
Shawn conceded the fact that he was thirsty, even though he was anxious to get the thing off his lover's neck. They both downed a full bottle of water before he gestured for Casey to sit down. As he flipped open the box, he pilfered through the tools looking for one he could use. "Aha!"
He held up a set of wire cutters. The cutters appeared to be pretty sturdy, heavy enough to cut through at least 14 gauge wire. Shawn just hoped it was strong enough to cut the damn collar chain.
When Shawn reached for the chain, Casey leaned back hesitantly. "What if Uncle Martin doesn't—"
Shawn's eyes darkened. "Who the fuck cares if he doesn't like it? It's not his neck in this thing. It's yours."
Casey chuckled softly at Shawn's vigorous response. "Yeah, I know. It just... It'll seem so weird without it after all this time."
"You'll be free, Case, to do whatever you want. To swim where ever you desire," Shawn said softly.
Casey nodded silently, and Shawn could see that the thought of being truly free to go where ever he wanted was both terrifying and exciting at the same time. Casey closed his eyes as Shawn lifted the chain and placed it between the sharp blades of the cutters. The chain pulled against the back of Casey's neck as Shawn pulled it as far away from his throat as possible.
Shawn grunted as he squeezed the handles, having to use two hands to manage it. The chain was tougher than he'd thought. As the cutters bit through the chain, they both jumped at a small spark that arced across the metal pieces.
"Shit!" Shawn cursed, nearly dropping the tool. He shook his hand as if it had actually been shocked, even though the rubber handles protected him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Casey breathed. "Just get it off."
Shawn snapped the cutters closed with as much force as possible and the chain suddenly gave way under the pressure of the cutters, slithering from Casey's neck to the floor.
They both stared at it like it was going to bite them at any moment. Then Shawn grinned down at Casey, who lifted his hand to his bare throat. A slow smile spread across his lover's lips.
****
"It's... it's weird." Casey swallowed, reveling in the missing weight choking at his throat. He leaned down and picked up the chain gingerly, dropping it on the table like a snake that might bite him. "Funny, I almost expected it to shock me again."
Shawn grimaced at that image. "Well, thank god it didn't."
Shawn turned to grab another bottle of water, and Casey realized suddenly the man's hand was shaking. Casey jumped up, wrapping his arms around Shawn from behind, pulling Shawn's arms against his chest and holding tight. The man was shaking uncontrollably.
"Shawn? Man, are you okay?" Casey asked softly.
"I don't..." Shawn's voice sounded raw and hoarse.
Fuck, maybe he was crashing or something, Casey thought. All the adrenaline from almost drowning and the intense emotions on the beach left even Casey a little shaken up. But Shawn was probably crashing hard now that his body and mind knew they were safe.
"Couch. Now," Casey ordered.
Shawn stumbled as Casey helped him to the living room. He practically fell onto the couch, and Casey ran back to the kitchen for a juice.
"Here." He helped Shawn sip at the juice figuring the calories would help level out his system somehow. When Shawn finished drinking a few sips and dropped back to the couch, Casey pulled a blanket over his boyfriend's shaking body. He dropped to his knees next to the couch, his hand resting on Shawn's chest, feeling the steady thud of his heart beat.
It seemed to be slowing down, and Shawn's shaking was lessening as well, but he looked exhausted. Casey cupped the man's strong jaw, causing Shawn to turn his head. Casey noticed that those blue eyes were nearly drowned out by the blown pupils—and this time it wasn't caused by lust. At least, he was pretty sure it wasn't.
Casey leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the chapped lips. "Feeling better?"
Drawing a deep breath, Shawn nodded, closing his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I am. I just felt a bit shaky there for a minute." He yawned widely, and Casey chuckled at him.
"I think you need to rest a bit. Get some sleep." Casey shifted to stand up, but Shawn obviously sensed his movements.
Shawn's eyes fluttered open and his arm reached out to grab Casey's wrist. "Wait, where are you going?"
Casey smiled softly, leaning over to kiss Shawn's forehead. "I'll be here when you wake up. I promise."
Shawn seemed appeased by that answer and allowed himself to close his eyes again with a soft sigh. "Good. Thought you were leaving me."
Casey squeezed the hand Shawn had gripped him with in reassurance before tucking it under the blanket and pat
ting Shawn's shoulder. He was sure the man was practically asleep already. "I'm just going to run back to the house and grab some of my things before my uncle gets back from the clinic." Shawn only grunted a reply, causing Casey to laugh. "Love you."
Leaving Shawn sleeping peacefully on the couch, the juice within reach on the coffee table, Casey headed to the door. With a deep breath, he steeled himself to take the step he never thought he'd being doing—moving out of his uncle's house.
Shawn's cottage was more than enough for them, until they decided future plans. With Shawn, he now felt like he could do anything. Shawn would be there to help maintain his secret. They just needed to be sure he was 'hidden' from public view on full moon nights. That was doable, wasn't it?
They could live together normally, couldn't they? They just needed a little seclusion occasionally. Shawn would help him, keep an eye on him when he had to shift. Maybe they'd even just stay here, at the cottage. But Casey suspected Shawn might need more social interaction than could be offered here, that he may want to be where he could hang out with his friends too. But there was time. Time to figure out what they wanted to do. Together.
That word brought a smile to Casey's lips. Now they could be truly together without the great dark void of Casey's secret looming over their happiness. Casey's heart felt lighter than ever as he opened the door, determined to grab some of his clothes and stuff before his uncle returned from his daily trip to the clinic.
Without his shoes, the rocky, sandy path through the mini forest cut at his feet slightly. He concentrated on picking the best path that would hurt his feet the least. Therefore, when he looked up as he reached the edge of the path, he was shocked to see the hulking form of his uncle's green SUV parked in front of the house.
"Oh, crap," he muttered, his throat suddenly dry and tight.
Casey realized that he wasn't certain his uncle had actually left this morning, or yesterday for that matter. He'd been so buried in his own hurt and anger he hadn't done much except sit in his room and wallow in the shreds left of his heart. He tried desperately now to remember if he heard Martin call up to him or the tires of the car, but nothing came to him.