A Merman Uncovered Read online

  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2014 Hazel Gower

  ISBN: 978-1-77130-866-3

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

  Editor: Karyn White

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  To my amazing kids thanks for letting Mummy write. A huge thank you to my editor, Karyn White.

  A MERMAN UNCOVERED

  Merpeople, 2

  Hazel Gower

  Copyright © 2014

  Chapter One

  Roth couldn’t concentrate, and for him, right now, that was deadly. Six humans held guns and were scattered around the boat. The large ship they were meeting was coming closer, and Roth could see it was crawling with nitrous gun wielding criminals. The undercover operation was coming to a close. They were on a boat, in international waters, exchanging the packages. Roth glanced over at Slink, the tiger shifter, who Roth knew had been undercover longer than he had and was eager for this all to end. The packages whimpered, and Roth kept a tight leash on his emotions as he tried not to think of the shifter children in cages by his feet.

  The boat rode high on the bow wave of the larger ship as they carefully closed in on each other. A bridge was placed across so the exchange could happen. Roth opened his mind and listened to all the thoughts around him.

  “This is the last one, and I’m out.”

  “Creven is a fuckwit to do business with Gallanto. He’s crazier than him.”

  “Fuck, I should just kill Creven and Gallanto and take over all of America.”

  “I’m going to fucking kill the agent first. No good son-of-a-bitch. Then Creven gets a hole in the head. The motherfucker brought agents into my presence. Steel and Trigger better be counting. I want this to go down with minimal casualties. I want the shifter brats, and I want out of here.”

  “On the signal I start shooting. Why the fuck is he taking so long with the signal?”

  “I wish he’d give the fucking signal already. This don’t feel right.”

  Roth inched closer to the cages. He didn’t dare look at Slink. He didn’t know which agent Gallanto was talking about, but Roth didn’t want to do anything to tip anyone off that there was more than one.

  There were five kids, well two were teenagers, but to him they were kids. One was a Mermaid, and she looked to be in her in teens, about sixteen. The others were a bear of about seven or eight, an eagle in her teens, about seventeen, a werewolf, about four, maybe five, and the one that worried him: a lion who was just a toddler at two, maybe three, and the cats weren’t too fond of water. Roth was hoping in the shooting chaos that was bound to happen he could free them. The eagle could fly, and the Mermaid could swim with him. The bear, werewolf, and lion he was hoping he could help swim to safety.

  Roth tried not to think about how close he was to this all being over and being able to finally claim his mate, and then he heard, “Creven, you have an agent in your midst. For putting me in danger I’m going t—”

  Gallanto didn’t get to finish before shots were fired.

  Dropping to the boat’s floor Roth let the teenage eagle girl out first. “I need you to shift. Fly as far as you can to safety. I’m going to get the others away.” The teen nodded as tears rolled down her cheeks. She crept out of the cage she was held in with the little bear boy. Roth moved to the next cage were the other three were held, only to be yanked up by Gallanto.

  “What the fuck are you doing, pretty boy? Those brats are mine.”

  Roth threw himself at Gallanto, twisting his body as the shot hit his shoulder. Roth wrestled for the gun. Gallanto was a massive man who had strength …but not shifter strength. Roth may only be a Merman and not a big land shifter, but he still had the extra strength and speed humans didn’t, and Roth thanked God for that right now as pain sliced through him from the shot. A bullet hit his leg, and Roth gritted his teeth and used his pain to get Gallanto’s gun and shoot him.

  Roth glanced around him to see no sight of the children. He saw Slink in his tiger mode ripping to shreds anyone close enough. Roth debated if he should help him when he heard a Mermaid noise from the water. He looked down to see the kids and saw they were being shot at. Roth turned and threw himself at the gunman shooting at the water. They fell overboard, and he shifted forms, screaming as he was shot for the third time in his arm. The salt water burned his wounds, and he was grateful for shifter healing. Roth knew he’d been shot too many times to not need help. He held the shooter tight and took him deep into the water and let him go, knowing no human could swim to the surface without a breath.

  Roth resurfaced as Slink, covered in bullet wounds, was thrown into the water. “Fucking hell.” Roth knew he couldn’t leave Slink. He swam to the tiger, keeping under the water and unseen. Spotting the Mermaid girl swimming to him he swore at the situation.

  “Gather the other kids and start swimming away.” He spoke Merpeople language to the girl, and she nodded and swam off to do his bidding.

  The shooting had stopped and Roth knew he had to get away before whoever survived started looking for him. He could go down below to a Merpeople safe pocket, but he wasn’t alone, and the others with him couldn’t all breathe underwater. He knew that land-wise he was two land safety pockets from his brother Clay. Clay was probably the best option, especially with being a doctor and his healing abilities. He would also have a better idea of what to do with the kids. Roth could tell Slink wasn’t going to last even with his shifter healing if he didn’t get extra magical assistance.

  The teenage Mermaid brought the werewolf and the bear over. “I’m going over to get the lion. He’s a fighter.” Oh Roth just bet he was.

  Coming out of the water just enough to talk in English he held the werewolf and bear. “The Mermaid is going to swim with the lion. I need you two to cooperate if I’m going to carry all three. I need the smallest of you on my back with your head up out of water and the other on your back so I can grip you and pull you along. It’s important you don’t cover or touch my fin.”

  Both kids nodded, and he sighed in relief as the teenage Mermaid swam over with the lion cub. “We need to go. I heard them yelling that they need to find us.”

  Gripping Slink, Roth rolled him onto his back. “You’re right. Can you swim with the cub?” The Mermaid nodded. “Good. We are going to swim to the first safety pocket and rest. Then the next is my brother’s. He has healing abilities, and he’s a doctor. Sound good?”

  “Sounds good. I can help with the tiger.”

  Roth nodded. He knew he had to conserve all his energy. This was going to be hard.

  ****

  April was pissed off. Her best friend was due to give birth any day now, and April hadn’t seen Alwen for weeks. So April decided to drive to the house where Alwen lived with her husband. The problem was that April had been driving for over half an hour and couldn’t find the winding road down to the beachside street. It was odd because the street didn’t even show up on her GPS system, and April knew there were about fifty or so houses down there.

  Grabbing her phone she called Alwen. This time she wasn’t hearing any excuses. On the last ring someone picked up. “Alwen, I’m so close to your house. I’ve been looking for your street for the last half an hour. If you don’t tell me where I’ve gone wrong
or get that yummy husband of yours to come and help me I’m calling the cops to tell them I’m worried about my best friend and haven’t seen her in weeks.”

  “I really don’t think we need to go that far April. I’ll came and get you. Alwen is just having a nap.” The deep sexy voice of Alwen’s husband, Clay, had April holding back a groan. Damn, Grayson men were bloody sexy. April hadn’t been able to get Clay’s super hot brother Roth off her mind since she’d met him over a year ago. April daydreamed about him day and night. When she masturbated, his was the name she yelled when she came. April had tried dating other men since meeting Roth, but no one else would do. April was worried her vagina had cobwebs. She hadn’t had sex in over a year. April promised herself the next time she saw Roth she was going to have him even if she had to tie him down to do it.

  Shaking her head as images came up in her mind she snapped at Clay. “Fine. I’m at the north end beach exit waiting for you.”

  “I’ll be there in fifteen.”

  Close to fifteen minutes later April saw Alwen’s hunky husband walking towards her. She drove toward him and stopped to let him in. “Hi, Clay.”

  “Hello, April. I have no idea how you missed it. The turnoff is right down here.”

  April frowned as she slowly drove towards the street. How the hell had she missed that? She must have been past this spot at least ten times. “I swear that road wasn’t there before.”

  Clay laughed. “Well, it didn’t just magically appear.”

  It did to April. She turned down the winding street. “So why haven’t I seen Alwen? She’s my best friend. I want to be close to see the baby and her as soon as she’s had it.”

  Clay sighed and ran fingers through his blond hair. “April, Alwen’s tired. She pretty much spends her days now sleeping and relaxing. Her not calling you isn’t deliberate.”

  April felt like a bitch. She knew Alwen wasn’t avoiding her, but April missed her best friend. Ever since she’d met Clay, Alwen seemed to be moving further and further away from her.

  She parked out the front of the beach house next to the garage. Clay got out and walked to the door and April followed. “How long has she been asleep for?”

  Clay walked to the lounge room that overlooked the beach. “For about two hours. I expect her to wake soon. “

  April felt her eyes widen as she looked out the window at the beautiful beach landscape to see a woman, no, a teenager, running naked towards the house with a toddler in her arms. Bear, Clay and Alwen’s dog, started barking. Clay turned and swore. “Fucking hell, can this day get any more complicated?” He turned back to her. “Go into the bedroom and get some of Alwen’s clothes.”

  April didn’t even hesitate, seeing the look on her face as she got closer. April ran to the bedroom and into the side of the closet she knew was Alwen’s. April grabbed some yoga pants and a plain black top and ran past a sleeping Alwen to the lounge room in time to see Clay wrapping a towel around the girl, who was frantically talking and tugging at Clay.

  “You have to go now. He can’t swim anymore. I dragged them all the last bit until I knew I couldn’t do it any longer. The tiger is so close to death’s door, and I don’t know how far off the Merman is either. We couldn’t stop at the other pocket because something was wrong. The humans were already there waiting for us.” She babbled on as she pushed Clay towards the door.

  “Who? What Merman? You have to tell me who,” Clay said to the teenager.

  “I don’t know. He didn’t tell me his name. He is a Merman with purple hair and tail. He has dark brown eyes, tanned skin, and he said you’re his brother. He told me your house was the first house on the left. The only one with a dog.”

  Holy shit. Someone drugged the girl. The poor thing is talking about mythical creatures. Clay’s not laughing though. He actually looks worried. April followed holding the clothes.

  April smiled at the girl who seemed to only notice April. “Argh, human. They’ve found us. What is she doing here? She’ll tell. She’ll kill me.”

  The girl was in trouble, and she looked terrified. “I’ll go call the cops and get help, Clay,” said April.

  Clay grabbed her. “No. Don’t. Fuck it. I don’t have a choice but to show you now. Watch me, and you’ll understand.” Clay let her go and stripped.

  April backed up and went over to the girl and toddler. Clay was acting weird. This was all weird. “Ah … Clay, what the hell are you doing? Now is not the time, well, never is the time for me to see your junk.” April glanced at the girl, who strangely enough didn’t seem fazed when Clay stood naked in front of them. “Clay, what is going on? I’m going to call the co…” April didn’t finish as Clay stepped into the water, and his body changed. His hair grew and turned blue, his skin shone, and his feet were replaced by a dark blue Mermaid tail. “Oh. My. God. You’re a freaking Mermaid.”

  “Merman. I have no time to sugarcoat this or play any games. Yes, Alwen does know. Yes, it’s a secret. You are now one of the few humans who know about us. Right now you cannot call the cops. Help the girl and cub. Wake Alwen if you have to.” Clay dismissed her and turned to the teenager. “Where are they?”

  “I left them all floating just in the pocket’s boundaries. North. You can’t miss them. Hurry, he has a tiger and two cubs on him.” Before the last words were out of the girl’s mouth Clay was off.

  April stared, shocked, after Clay. Did the girl beside her just say cubs and something about a tiger? Holy crap, April felt like she’d just fallen into the rabbit hole.

  “Are those clothes for me?” The teenager had April blinking and nodding. April held the clothes out for the girl.

  “Yes. Um … I’m April. What’s your name? I can’t keep thinking of you as the naked crazy girl.”

  “Bianca. My name is Bianca, and I’m not crazy.”

  “No, apparently you’re not. I am.”

  “You’re taking this really well for a human.”

  “No. I’m not. I’m in shock. My brain feels like it’s going to explode.”

  “Okay. Well while you’re in shock and not running away screaming, can you take us up to the house? I’m really hungry, and I’m sure this little guy here is.”

  April had forgotten about the toddler in Bianca’s arms. Bianca placed the little guy on the sand and shoved the clothes on. “Come on. I’ll sort you out. I should go check on my friend and probably get some towels. You said more people were coming.”

  They started to walk up to the house. Bianca held the toddler’s hand. April knew it was better for the little guy to stay with someone he knew.

  Alwen was awake when they walked into the kitchen. She wanted to go down to the shore and wait for Clay, but April told her she would go down and help if Alwen sorted out Bianca and the toddler, who told them his name was Tommy.

  Leaving Alwen taking care of Bianca and Tommy, April gathered towels and wandered down to the shore. By the time she got to the shore’s edge April stared in shock when she saw Clay dragging a massive tiger and Roth. But not the Roth she knew, this one had purple hair and dark purple fin tail. She’d been having dirty fantasies about a mythical creature. Did this mean she was into some weird sexual thing?

  Clay had two exhausted little boys on his back. Dropping the towels on the sand April waded into the water and swam the rest of the way to Clay. “What happened? Is that blood? How on earth are they alive?”

  Clay looked over at her, frustrated. “How about you help? They are both barely hanging on, and I can’t heal them until the bullets are out.”

  April reached over and grabbed the boys from Clay. “Come, boys. Let’s go. There are chocolate chip cookies and party pies that should be out of the oven by the time we get into the house.” At the mention of food the little boys perked up and came over to her, climbing on her.

  With her carrying the boys Clay was able to swim faster. They reached the shore, and that was when April saw what bad shape the tiger and Roth were in. She sat the boys on the sand and rushed to a
changing Clay to help him drag the tiger out.

  “Me and the boys can drag your brother Roth up.” Bianca almost made April jump at how silent she’d been when she came to them. “Your mate, Alwen, told me she would get your medical things and stay with Tommy. April can help you with the tiger.”

  “Clay, what the fuck is April doing here?” April barely heard the grumbled growl from Roth.

  Grabbing the tiger on the other side of Clay April tried not to feel disappointed that her fantasy man, well creature, didn’t want to see her. “Nice to see you, too, Mermaid.”

  “Merman,” Roth mumbled before he broke into a coughing fit.

  Clay grunted. “Like I have a say in what the girl does. She does what she likes even when people are trying to lay low because they don’t want to drop a Merbaby in front of them. The cloaked road is the only thing that kept her away.”

  April shot daggers at Clay. “It appeared out of thin air. You’re a jerk. How dare you keep my best friend from me? I wouldn’t care if she was giving birth to the devil’s spawn. I would still be there for Alwen.”

  “April, it’s not the time to argue about this,” Clay yelled at her as they panted dragging the almost dead tiger up the sand.

  “I’m freaking out right now. I’m dragging a massive tiger up to your house while a teenager and two kids pull up your wanker of a Mermaid brother. If I don’t focus on something I’m going to lose it. I haven’t even really thought about the fact my best friend is married to a mythical creature and having his spawn.”

  “I think April’s doing really well. I saw a guy pass out when he saw me change,” Bianca added.

  “She can’t be here. Her smell is driving me crazy. I wo—”

  April shot a glare at Roth. “Are you saying I smell? I’m not the one covered in blood and salt water.”