Chapter 25

Casey had watched the storm rolling in with a rising sense of panic. The winds kicked up, thunder rumbled in the dark and lightning split the sky. As it inched closer, Casey was sure that his uncle would be down any minute to open the gate. There was no way he wouldn't hear the booming of the thunder and the crack of lightning.

But as the waves multiplied, filling his cave with every angry crash upon the shore, his worry increased. The pounding currents had thrown him around the cave, exhausting his energy as he fought to not be thrown against the rocks at the back of the cave. The power of his strong tail was all that kept him from being pinned in the depths of the cave and drowning.

Desperately, even though he knew it would probably be futile, he began calling for help, hoping beyond hope that his uncle would hear him. It was a desperate measure, since his uncle hadn't already come down to help him at the first rumbles of thunder. With the rain pelting down, drowning out his voice, he didn't hold out much hope.

When his hands slipped again from its hold on the gate and he was pummeled against the sharp rocks in the back of the cave, Casey began to realize that he might actually die here. Slipping under the water again, even with how long he could hold his breath, he just didn't have the energy to fight the currents pounding in the small cave. There was nowhere to go.

The stubborn little lock had held up against his raging rattling of the gate. He'd even tried to bust it open with a rock, but he couldn't get to it from inside the cave without shifting and climbing over the rocks at the side. And he knew instinctively that shifting to fully human would be dangerous, if not deadly. The raging waters could cause him to slip and fall, and he wouldn't be able to fight the currents in human form.

As he took a gasping breath before the salty waters swallowed him again, he thought of Shawn. He squeezed his eyes shut as his tears mixed with the churning ocean. He wanted to rage at everyone and everything, including himself. He felt his heart clenching knowing his uncle would find him dead, drowned, by morning as the storm sapped his strength. And Shawn...Shawn would be devastated. How could he hurt Shawn like that?

Fuck. He had to hold on. He renewed his grip on the bars, forcing air in his lungs when he had the chance, still calling for help uselessly into the roaring winds. His tail pounded in the waters, fighting the currents trying to drag him into the cave as they rushed in, as well as keeping them from crushing him against the gate as they swept back out.

Allowing the outgoing tide to squeeze his body against the bars, he dragged in a breath before the tide tried to rip his battered body away from the gate when it raged back in.

"Help!"

"Casey!"

He knew he had to be hearing things because he was sure he'd just heard Shawn calling him. But it couldn't be. The water rushed over him as he held onto the bars, and he thought for sure he must be dying. Coughing up water, the sight of Shawn staring down at him, drenched, from the other side of the gate had to be an illusion.

"Casey!" The voice washed over him like honey, even with the edge of panic in it. He had to be dreaming; maybe he was already dead. His limbs were numb enough to make it feel like he was.

But then strong fingers threaded over his, and he gasped at the touch of real flesh, swallowing a mouthful of seawater. Shocked eyes met his own, widening in horror. Shawn seemed to freeze momentarily as his eyes cast into the cave behind him. His tail. Shawn had to have seen his tail.

Casey's mind warred with his heart. His heart told him to shift--now! Not to let Shawn see his mer side--to shift now so he could play it off as a trick of the storm. But of course his mind rationally knew he couldn't. He'd drown if he did because his powerful tail was all that kept him from being battered around the cave too much.

His love knew his secret, and the shock and horror in his eyes stabbed at Casey's heart.

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Shawn's heart stopped at seeing his love trapped behind the gate. How the hell had he gotten in there? Had he opened it to help another animal and gotten stuck when the storm slammed the gate closed?

He reached the gate as another wave washed over Casey, causing him to sputter and cough up seawater.

"Casey!" he screamed over the roar of the storm. Their eyes locked in mutual panic. He grabbed at Casey's hand clutching the gate, wishing he could help the younger man hold on. His eyes flitted over the churning waves raging in the cave. Shock gripped him when he saw what was beneath the current: a long... tail? Was that a tail? Of what? What the hell was in there with him?

"Casey! Hold on!" He yanked at the bars, rattling them and realizing abruptly that it was locked.

Locked. What the hell? Why the fuck was he locked in the damn cave?! Fuck he didn't have time to wonder about that right now. With the rain pelting him relentlessly, he searched for something that would help him with the lock. A rock. He grabbed up a good sized one from the waters, getting pummeled in the face with the water crashing against the shore.

Casey's hand slipped from under his, and he panicked. "Casey!" He frantically searched the dark waters for the lean body. A head and chest shot up, dragging in a sputtering breath. But the odd tail was there too... right under him.

Shawn dragged his thoughts to the task for the moment, turning to beat on the lock. It was small enough he was sure it would give. If it had been the bigger one he'd seen before, he wasn't so sure he'd be able to break it.

It felt like forever before the lock finally gave way, and he was able to wrench it out of the clasp. He yanked at the gate, fighting against the pressure of the water to push it open. As soon as it was open far enough, Casey pushed through the gate. And Shawn gaped in shock.

The tail...was... Casey?

"What the hell?" he stammered nearly falling in the water as Casey turned to him. "Casey?"

"Shawn..." Casey's voice choked, sorrowful eyes staring back at him briefly before diving under the water and darting toward the open ocean.

"Casey! Wait!" Shawn staggered against another pounding wave.

He hadn't noticed the thunder had receded and the rain was letting up. The wind still forced waves to pummel the shore. All he was aware of was the flip of a gray tail disappearing under the water. Casey. His Casey... was a... merman?

Oh, hell, he had to have hit his head or something. Nothing made sense right now. He scrambled for the shore, ending up knee deep in the surf that was trying to knock him down, searching frantically for another glimpse of--

"CASEY!"

But his call went unanswered, and he saw no more of the...of Casey. He knew he'd waited and watched for a long time because he suddenly realized the winds had died down and the rain was slowing to a light patter. He still didn't see anything in the dark waters except the rippling waves.

Martin. That bastard would know what was going on. He turned and scrambled toward the path, slipping and sliding his way up to the Jorss home. He pounded on the door, yelling for Martin to open up.

The house remained silent. He even tried the doorknob, but it was locked.

"Fuck!" He swiped his hand through his wet in frustration.

Finally giving up, he staggered back toward his own little cottage. As the adrenaline that had pulsed through him slowly receded, he felt the exhaustion creeping over his tired limbs. His legs ached mercilessly with having fought through the slippery rocks and oozing sand. He made his way, dripping, to his deck, still searching the churning waters for that stray tail. Collapsing in one of the deck chairs, he stared out over the ocean until he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer.

And he dreamed. Of his love being sucked underwater away from him by a monstrous dolphin.

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Casey gasped as the gate finally gave, using his powerful tail to help force himself forward. As soon as he was through, the gate slammed back shut when Shawn released it. The man was staring at him in shock. Horror. He was sure was written on the face of the man he loved. The look he'd dreaded. The deluge of water blurred his vision but he was sure Shawn was wondering what kind of creature he'd slept with.

Unable to face the man any longer, Casey darted out of the cove, pounding his tail as hard and fast as he could with what little energy he had left. He had to get away. Away from that look of horror. He swam so hard and fast he didn't know just how far out he'd gone until a zap stung his neck.

He clutched at the collar, yanking on it in frustration, but he didn't stop. The burning pain gave him something to focus on besides his thoughts of losing Shawn. And he was sure the man wouldn't want to see him again. Hell, there was no way Casey could face him now. Shawn had seen what a freak he was.

He fought against the searing pain, refusing to turn back.