8. Sasha

Chapter 8

Sasha

B arely awake, I rub my eyes as I head out the door early in the morning when the sight in front of me has me yelping.

Right there, at the base of the three steps leading up to my cabin, is a man—tied up, gagged, and grumbling through the cloth in his mouth. His face is a mess of bruises, his clothes are spotted in blood, and he's sprawled on his stomach, wrists and ankles bound behind his back.

"Oh gods!"

At first, I freeze in place, unsure what to say or do, trying to process what in the world is happening. Then I rush down the steps to help him, but before I can reach him, Chowder darts out of the house, tilting his head curiously.

"Who left us him?" he asks, wearing his tiny vest, standing up on his hind legs. All he's missing is a detective's hat to really look the part. He sniffs around the man, adding, "Who would trap him?"

Good question, yet my suspicions are off the chart, flying right in the direction of Kaden… evidently my fated mate, who seems to have a crazy streak to him. Something I'm still coming to terms with.

My chest tightens, and my stomach swirls with butterflies as I recall the encounter from the other day. Sleep escaped me that night while I tossed and turned, consumed by the idea that I might actually have found my fated mate. The thought both thrills and terrifies me.

I wondered if staying away from him might make these intense feelings calm down. Perhaps the deep ache in my chest for him might eventually fade. The pull toward him is unlike anything I've ever felt—powerful, insistent. It demands my attention, refusing to be brushed aside.

And now this. I stare down at the bound man… Did Kaden have something to do with this? I shake my head. No, he wouldn't. Would he?

I crouch down next to the guy, pulling the gag from his mouth. He gasps, a string of groans tumbling out.

"Fuck!" he spits out, wriggling. "Untie me, now!" His blue eyes, familiar somehow, dart frantically under the dark fringe of his hair.

Wait, I've definitely seen his face before. Right then, it comes to me like a tsunami—from the mission files at work.

"What's your name?" I ask immediately.

He makes a grunting sound like he's attempting to clear his throat. "What the fuck has that got to do anything. Get me out of these ropes!"

"Not happening. I need a name."

"B-belu, are you fucking happy? Now help me," he almost spits the words.

"Belu Jonsyn?" I query.

The man's gaze pierces into me, a lightbulb clearly going off in his head that I know exactly who he is. Then he's trying to roll over but failing, bellowing in pain.

Chowder scrambles up on Belu's back now, sniffing at the ropes binding the man. He immediately leaps up on the back of the man's head, his little paws petting around.

"What the hell's on my head? Get it off, get it the fuck off me!" Belu shouts, thrashing about and trying to shake Chowder off. But my little otter hangs on, gripping his hair as if he's a bull rider.

"Why is man tied?" he asks a bit louder to be heard over the man's wailing.

"I'm guessing he's here for me to find," I murmur. I'm pretty sure I know who's responsible, and I pinch my lips together because it's my fault for opening my fat mouth around Kaden.

Belu's freaking out still, and I glance at him.

"Hey, hey," I say, clicking my fingers at him. "Focus now. Seriously, talk to me. Who did this to you? Who brought you here?"

He grumbles something unintelligible, still trying to dislodge Chowder, who's casually hopping off him.

"I don't fucking know," Belu snaps, trembling. "Two psychopaths jumped me, then forced me to run so they could chase me through the woods. They were mental, and I saw my life flash before my eyes. They made me run from them the whole fucking night!"

Two guys? My mind races. Maybe it wasn't Kaden? But no one else knows I'm hunting Belu except for my boss. Could it have been Kaden with a friend? The thought twists in my gut, partially grateful he might have helped catch my target but also irritated that he dared to interfere. Belu was mine to claim.

Exhaling, I pick up Chowder, snuggling and kissing his head. "You're amazing at detective work," I murmur, walking him back into the house.

"Hey, don't just leave me out here," Belu's yelling behind me. "I told ya what you wanted to know."

"Hold your horses," I call over my shoulder.

Chowder snuggles against me, then asks, "Why do ropes smell of a different sea?"

I blink at his question. He sniffed them on Belu; that's for sure. And as much as I know Belu is a merman, Chowder's smelled something else on Belu. More like someone else, like Kaden perhaps, who also carries the scent of the ocean.

Setting Chowder down on the couch, I grab my taser from the dining table, figuring I might need to employ a bit of intimidation to get Belu into my car and to my workplace. There, I can officially check him in and close this case.

There's something satisfying about proving to my boss that I can complete a mission, though part of me feels disgruntled, as if it's cheating. Then again, I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. I march outside, taser in hand, and approach Belu with a newfound determination.

"Time to get moving," I say firmly, lifting my taser and wriggling it in my hand for him to see.

He squirms in response.

"Now, are you going to play nice when I remove the ropes?"

"On one promise," he blurts out. "I don't want those two fuckers anywhere near me ever again!"

"Deal. Now, don't make a run for it, don't mention them to anyone, and you won't ever see them." Last thing I need is for my new boss to ask me about the two hunters who tortured Belu all night.

"Fine, fucking fine, just untie me. The ropes hurt like a bitch."

I get him in the passenger seat, ankles and wrists tied and secured to the door by rope, then jump into the driver's seat. And we're off, despite his constant murmuring to himself. What the heck did Kaden do to this man last night?

My thoughts remain on Kaden because I have no doubt he's involved. He has that intensity about him where he'd keep his word when he commits to something, no matter the consequence.

I focus on the road ahead, ready to deliver Belu to the authorities.

Looks like this morning is already turning out to be anything but ordinary, and somehow, I have a feeling it's only going to get crazier from here.

Evidently, bringing in Belu earned me brownie points because my boss just handed me an urgent case. The last bounty hunter got roughed up, and now it's my turn to bring in the offender—a selkie shifter named Moore. My boss suggested backup, but after how badly things turned out with Scout, I insisted on going solo.

So, here I am, skulking around the back of a seedy motel, the kind that makes me check my belongings in my back pocket every so often. The hallway reeks of garbage and something sharply chemical with a spark of magic—probably drugs—but I'm not cleaning up anyone's crap. I just need to find Moore.

The number of water supernaturals popping up around this city by the sea is intriguing.

Like moths to a flame or selkies to a shore.

I grin at my own joke.

Finally reaching his apartment door on the ground floor, heart thumping, I take a deep breath. Taser in one hand, bounty hunter badge in the other, I rap sharply on the door with my knuckles. Hands hanging by my sides, hiding the taser for now, I plaster my best friendly neighborhood smile.

Two knocks later, the door swings open to reveal a woman, maybe nineteen or twenty years old, in nothing but pink underwear and a thin white tank top that hides nothing. Her eyes are glazed, her body swaying like she's about to fall over. She's definitely high on something.

Behind her, the room is a disaster. Clothes strewn all over, a mattress on the floor that's seen better days, and rubbish.

"Is Moore inside?" I ask quickly.

The girl squints at me, suspicion etched on her face as she yawns. "Who the fuck wants to know? You better not be another of those girls he's fucking because?—"

I cut her off by lifting my badge, and instantly, her eyes widen. As if finding a sudden reserve of energy, she yells out over her shoulder while shoving the door in my face, "Moore, they found you."

Fuck!

I shove my shoulder into the door, driving it open, to see the woman backing away, her face as pale as milk. Just then, a thin man in nothing more than pants bolts deeper into the apartment from the kitchen. My pulse kicks up a notch as I dart after him, adrenaline fueling my chase.

He nearly slips on a magazine as he lunges for a window, smacking it open with such force that one hinge snaps free. He scrambles out, moving fast—but I'm quicker.

Tucking away my taser and badge, I surge forward like a missile, scrambling through the window and leaping onto the front lawn. I spot him taking a corner around the next apartment building and charge after him, just catching a glimpse of him slipping out the back. I find him fighting to open a locked door.

"Hey, we don't have to do this the hard way! Just turn yourself in." Breathless, I charge on, dodging fallen trash cans and skidding closer to him.

He turns to face me, desperation scribbled on his face as he does a fast scan of the enclosed yard to realize there's no way out but past me unless he scales the tall fence.

Suddenly, he charges at me like a madman.

I throw myself forward, ducking his swinging arm at the last second, and whip around, aiming a swift kick to the back of his knees.

He stumbles slightly, and fortunately, the wall of the building is there to catch him. Before he can fully regain his footing, I capitalize on the moment. In a fluid motion, I twist around to his front, my taser already in hand, and with a decisive shove, I push myself into him, driving him against the building. His back hits the brick with a thud, and he winces, caught off guard by my force.

With one hand, I clamp down on his throat, my mermaid grip iron-tight, his skin already reddening as he gasps for air. The taser is pressed firmly against his balls over his pants.

He thrashes, his hand half-raised, ready to punch me in the face.

"Don't fucking think about it," I hiss, jamming the weapon harder against his jewels. "Ever wondered what happens if your balls are tasered? You're about to find out if you don't do exactly as I say."

He grimaces, a wincing sound coming from his throat, as he lowers his hand.

Even in my human form, I can draw on the strength from my mermaid side, pinning him to the wall with greater ease. At times like this, I wonder how much stronger I'd be if I carried some of my father's wolf shifter abilities. Wish I had them some days for my job, but I don't.

I ease my grip on Moore's throat only ever so slightly so he breathes.

Just as I have Moore securely pinned to the wall and am preparing to cuff him, a shadow falls over me. My heart leaps into my throat, fearing someone's about to jump me. I flinch, twisting my head in that direction, tensing from whatever's going to happen next. Instead of a confrontation, I find him…

I roll my eyes hard. "Are you following me?"

Kaden leans casually against the building beside us, his elbow propped like he's merely watching an interesting street performance. A sinful smirk plays on his lips while the butterflies in my stomach are doing somersaults, and my knees wobble.

"Hello, mate!" he states in that dark voice.

That word, mate , rolls over my thoughts. The man I'm destined to be with is this huge guy who melts my insides from his mere presence. I can't keep staring at the curling edges of his mouth.

"Go away," I manage, releasing Moore's throat and reaching for the cuffs on my belt while still holding him prisoner in place with my taser.

"I'm loving this darker side of you. It suits you well."

The tension, the arousal that awakens instantly in his company, doesn't completely leave my body, but irritation flares up.

"Not the time, Kaden," I snap, though a part of me can't ignore the amusement in his azure eyes. I keep my taser pressed firmly on Moore's balls, but he's eyeing Kaden warily.

"Who the fuck's that?" he groans.

I level a brief stare at Kaden while lifting my cuffs.

"Just pretend I'm not here," Kaden replies. "I'm simply watching my gorgeous fated mate at work," he quips, then turns to me with a more serious tone. "So, this is your job? Catching bad guys, then? Just like you were searching for Belu?"

His words trigger a sharp response from me, the memory of finding Belu tied up on my doorstep that morning flashing through my mind.

"It was you, wasn't it? You caught him and dumped him on my doorstep," I gripe, my voice tight.

His grin widens, confirming my suspicion without a word. Despite the anger threading through me, his lips slightly part, as though he's about to speak, then chooses not to. The breeze that carries his scent over me—the ocean in a storm, undeniably masculine—makes me involuntarily inhale deeply, my body tightening with an unbearable need despite the situation.

At that moment, Moore shoves me hard and bolts across the yard toward the towering metal fence. I stumble back, but Kaden's arm is viper fast and loops around my back, catching my balance.

"Fuck, look what you did," I growl at Kaden, frustration boiling over, pushing away from him.

"Me?" Kade feigns innocence despite his evil smile. "I'm irresistible, and I don't know why you're fighting fate."

I don't have time to argue. I sprint after Moore, reaching him just as he throws himself up against the fence. I don't hesitate this time—raising my taser, I zap him right in the ass. He yelps and falls onto his side, curling up, shuddering, and making strange noises. Once the electrical cycle ends five seconds later, he collapses to the ground, still quivering and groaning.

"Told you, fuck with me, and I'll tase you," I say, leaning down and pulling out the taser barbs. He cries out, and yeah, it hurts bad, but he'll heal quickly enough. I nudge him in the side with my foot. "Will you behave now?"

He groans, clasping his rear, and Kaden steps closer, grimacing.

"Oh, you really are dark, aren't you?" he says, almost admiringly. "I'm adoring this in you."

Exhaling loudly, I collect the strings with the prongs and wrap them around the taser. I'll replace the cartridge in the car. Holstering my taser, I fix Kaden with a look that's all serious. Then I bend down and cuff Moore's hands behind his back.

"Sometimes, you have to be dark to get the job done," I answer, my breath still catching from the chase.

"And you enjoy this kind of job?" he asks, one of his thick eyebrows rising.

"It's what I'm good at, and it pays the bills," I reply honestly, looping an arm under Moore's to heave him up. As Moore struggles to rise, Kaden is suddenly at his side, grabbing him by the hair and yanking him to his feet with ease.

Moore whines, cringing from the sharp pull.

Kaden leans in close to his face. "Today's your lucky day, buddy. You ever lift a hand to my mate again or disrespect her by not doing as she asks, I'll rip your fucking spine out." He then gives Moore's shoulder a patronizing pat. "We good?"

Moore's eyes widen, face draining of color as he nods vigorously.

"You don't need to do that," I say, but Kaden's all smiles.

"I will never stand back when I see anyone mistreating you."

It's hard to hate that, in all honesty, especially when a torrent of excitement bubbles in my chest at hearing his protective promise.

"O-okay, let's get going," I manage, tightening my hold on Moore's arm and dragging him toward the main street. My car's parked across the road.

Kaden strides alongside me, and I feel his gaze on me, analyzing and studying.

"You have a fierce warrior side I admire," he comments, as if his approval means something to me. "It will serve exceptionally well when I breed you."

I gasp, choking on my breath, while Moore snorts a chuckle. Scowling up at Kaden, I glare, and I expect him to smirk, but he's utterly serious.

"Don't say shit like that, ever!" Shaking my head in disbelief as I reach my car, I fling open the back door and shove Moore inside before slamming it shut. The locks click, ensuring he can't open the doors from the inside.

What the hell is Kaden thinking? I keep telling myself I can't have a fated mate and risk becoming a siren and killing him, yet he's talking about breeding. Has he lost his mind? Heaving for breath, I turn to Kaden, and he's right there, in my face.

"Why not? It's the truth."

Instinctively, I push my hands against his chest to shove him back, but the moment we touch, a shock of electricity jolts through me. It races up my arm and pierces my chest, leaving me breathless. I find myself studying him as though he holds all the answers to the universe.

It's the fated mate effect; it has to be. Nothing else could make my heart race this fast or my body react so viscerally to his proximity. The intensity of the sensation leaves me momentarily helpless, as if only he can save me.

He moves in closer, trapping me against the side of the car, his body inches from being pressed to mine, and I'm really not that averse to the idea. Except, are these my feelings or the blooming attraction our destined fate is awakening between us?

Kaden notices the change in my expression, his own face softening.

"I know it's a lot," he murmurs, his voice a low rumble that seems to vibrate through me. "But we don't need to figure it all out today. All you need to do is accept that we're together now and move in with me at my mansion."

His words, meant to be reassuring, only tighten the knot in my stomach.

"Why would I move in with you?" I ask, my question steadier than I feel on the inside. Around him, half the time, I'm trying to just concentrate and not get distracted by the feelings he brings out in me, the ones that have me gawking at him, that leave me buzzing with unbearable need.

The bridge of his nose creases. "Because you're my fated mate, Sasha. I'm not living apart from you," he states, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

He's closer now, his warm breath caressing my face. I inhale deeply, and his crisp ocean and masculine scent encases me—so intoxicating it leaves me wavering on the spot. I feel the hardness of his muscles each time he moves. I crane my neck back to hold his stare. He steps down from the curb, his legs straddling mine, so he comes down in height slightly to meet me.

Hands against his chest, the muscles shift beneath my touch, and I'm beyond mesmerized. I've had my share of boyfriends, but none have been as big and built as Kaden. I should be pulling away. Instead, I'm failing spectacularly and peering into his eyes, which swirl like the deepest parts of the ocean, drawing me in.

I can almost believe I'm out in the sea, being this close to him, as though he is the epitome of the great sea itself. I've never met anyone with such a powerful connection to the ocean.

"What are you?" I ask, heart racing, my insides tingling. I realize I still have no clue what supernatural creature he is.

His finger gently lifts my chin, tilting my head back, and his lips find mine without hesitation. The world suddenly falls away at his kiss. It crashes over me like waves, taking over my senses, inhaling every inch of me. My toes curl in my boots. The power he expels is intense and impossible to resist. As our lips move in sync, I can't help but kiss him back with fever. Part of me is surrendering to him, giving in to the pull that I've fought so hard to resist.

I run my hands through his hair while his huge arms coil around me, lifting me off my feet, or perhaps it just feels like I'm floating. It's really hard to tell at this stage, as every fiber of my being is lit up. Fire ignites through me, burning with a blaze between my thighs as our lips are mashed together, kissing as if we're starved.

He licks my lips before pressing into my mouth, and there's something so fucking sexy about sucking on his tongue. I moan, softening, and am rewarded with a growl vibrating in his throat, the kind that leaves me utterly hopeless and at his mercy.

He pulls back just enough to gaze into my eyes again, his forehead resting against mine.

"See?" he whispers with that husky voice. "We're inevitable."

"I've never been kissed like that before." I shouldn't have said that part out loud, but I'm still floating, still lost out in his sea. Despite all my fears and doubts, at that moment, I can't hide from the truth in his words. I barely know the guy, yet right now, it feels as if this is what I've been missing in my life. My resistance melts a little more, leaving me wondering if maybe this isn't such a horrible thing and I should perhaps embrace it.

The loud knock from the car snaps me back to reality. I glance down to see Moore scowling at us from in the car, having clearly used his head to smack into the window. I untangle myself from Kaden, his warmth leaving me just as quickly—and I hate that I miss it already. My heart is racing, that unbelievable kiss leaving me swooning.

"Okay," I manage, feeling a flush spread across my cheeks. "I gotta take him in. I-I'll think about what you said."

That spectacular grin splits his lips, his white teeth flashing, the corners of his eyes crinkling. It's hard not to fall head over heels when the most gorgeous man I've ever seen stares at me like that, especially when I can still taste his sweetness on my lips.

"I'll be seeing you soon, Sasha." He starts to walk away.

Impulsively, I call after him, "You never answered my question!"

He glances back at me, a sly smile playing on his lips. "I'm surprised you haven't worked it out yet."

I give him a deadpan stare, waiting for more.

"I'm your kraken, gorgeous little mermaid," he says with a wink, then takes off.

I'm left standing there, gaping after him. "Are you kidding me? No… no way in hell," I mutter under my breath.

My last boyfriend claimed to be a kraken, the beasts of the sea everyone fears, and I stupidly believed him—only to find out he was a mere seahorse shifter. I know the size and type of shifter shouldn't matter, but I hated that he lied to me. And now this again?

"Kraken?" Is that what all men are using these days as their pickup lines? I shake my head, a sarcastic laugh escaping my throat. "Yeah, right, kraken. Might as well tell me you're Poseidon next," I murmur to myself.

Shoving the last of my disbelief aside, I open the car door and slide into the driver's seat.

From behind me, Moore says, "Nice make-out session with the devil there."

"Shut it," I snap, starting the car. The engine roars to life, drowning out any further comments from him. As I pull away, the last traces of Kaden's scent linger, a reminder of the most beautiful kiss I've ever experienced.

Kraken or not, there was no denying something deep and wild had been awakened, but I wasn't sure if I was ready to dive into those waters just yet.

Especially if I find out he's lying to me.