Friday morning, Sean, Emery, Wyatt, and Joseph were once again on the water along with several other shifters. There was still no sign of Barry, alive or dead, and the general consensus was that something bad had happened to him.
Louise had spent the past several days combing all news reports for any mention of a dolphin washing ashore dead or alive anywhere along Florida’s southwest Gulf coast, before or after the storm, and found nothing.
Wyatt had Sean drop him off near the Placida fishing bridge, which wasn’t too far from the last place anyone could definitely remember seeing Barry. Wyatt would swim up into the mangrove shallows and see if he could find any signs of Barry. The waters were too shallow for the dolphins to make it, but their thinking was that maybe storm surge could have washed his body there.
No one doubted Barry wouldn’t be found alive.
Sean ran Emery and Joseph back out to Gasparilla Island, where they dove into the water, shifted, and met up with several other shifters. Sean motored around the south side end of Placida and started slowly working his way north along the western edge of Charlotte Harbor, along the Cape Haze peninsula, in hope of finding anything.
By late afternoon, no one had found any sign of him. Everyone involved in the search except Wyatt gathered near Gasparilla Island again. Joseph shifted to human form and looked grim as he spoke to the forty-something shifters and Sean.
“I hate to say this, but I have a feeling we won’t find him alive. I don’t want to suspend the search, but if we haven’t found him by now, I doubt we will. Thank you, everyone, who came out to help. It is greatly appreciated. I’ll keep everyone posted.”
Emery shifted back and climbed into the boat, followed by his father, as the rest of the dolphins dispersed.
“Let’s go get Wyatt,” Emery quietly said.
Sean nodded and headed off. Fortunately, no one was fishing on the trestle when Sean motored up to where a shifted Wyatt was quietly lying in the shade of the fishing pier. He quickly shifted into human form, swam over, and climbed into the boat with the others.
Sean immediately knew from the grim look on Wyatt’s face that he had discovered something.
Something bad.
So did Joseph. “What did you find?”
Wyatt shook his head and quietly said, “I’m sorry, Joseph. He’s up deep in the mangroves. Storm must have pushed him up in there.”
“Dammit. Shifted?”
“Yeah. And it weren’t no accident.”
“What?”
Wyatt pulled on a pair of shorts. “I’m no doctor, but it looks like someone slit his throat and pretty much gutted him, fins to tail. Decomposition’s already started. The belly wound looks too damn straight. Like a knife. I’ve seen plenty of gutted animals in my time. Gutted a few myself. Seen more than my fair share of critters what died of natural causes and blew up from gasses and split open after the bloat got too bad. Whoever did it did a right fine job of it.”
* * * *
Sean, Emery, and Wyatt went back later that night with two borrowed kayaks and a couple of large, heavy plastic contractor bags. Joseph had already talked to Barry’s family and told them what they found. A friend of Joseph’s would meet with them near the Placida trestle to pick up Barry’s body and take him to be cremated at a facility run by a shifter.
Their friendly shifter doctor would list the cause of death as a heart attack.
Sean softly muttered to Emery as they quietly paddled in the dark without lights, following a shifted Wyatt up the mangroves to retrieve the body. “And why the fuck aren’t we calling the police?” he muttered to Emery.
“What the hell are we supposed to tell them?”
Sean didn’t have an answer for that one. He shut up.
Wyatt shifted back into human form. “Up here,” he said, motioning them forward. In the dim light from the moon and the stars, they spotted a mottled grey form tangled in the mangrove roots.
Then the smell hit Sean. Worse than bad bait or rotted meat. It was the sound of the swarming flies that finished him off. He hung his head over the side of his kayak and hurled his dinner into the water. Emery got out of his kayak. He slogged through the shallow muck, grabbed the contractor bags out of the dry box on Sean’s kayak and carefully worked with Wyatt to get them pulled around the dolphin’s body. Sean glanced once, quickly looking away as the dark glistening of guts spilling out of the wound made a sickly, slurping sound. Sean heard the rip of duct tape as the two men got the bags sealed together. Then they carefully laid the grisly bundle in the bow of the kayak Emery was paddling, an open type made for two people.
When it was safe to look, Sean watched Emery, who wore a grim expression, get back into his kayak. Wyatt shifted into gator form once again and led them out of the mangrove maze. In silence, they paddled to the meeting place. Joseph and a man Sean had never seen before helped carefully lift the plastic-shrouded body into the back of a pickup truck with a topper on the back. Then the three of them returned to the Placida boat ramp, loaded the kayaks into Sean’s truck, and returned to Sean and Emery’s shortly after midnight.
Sean didn’t attempt to make small talk. He didn’t feel like talking and suspected Emery and Wyatt didn’t, either. He wasn’t a squeamish person by nature, but knowing the dead dolphin was, in fact, a person changed his perceptions.
It also set loose a fear in his heart that it easily could have been Emery, or even that kid, Billy, instead of a shifter Sean didn’t even know. After Wyatt left, Sean met Emery in the shower and wrapped his arms around him.
He couldn’t get the memory of the smell out of his mind, or the sound the corpse had made, the wet, sucking sound as the two men wrapped him in the plastic bags.
Emery kissed the top of his head. “You okay?”
“Not really.”
His lover’s arms drew more tightly around him. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“Yeah, but I’m sorry you’ve been pulled into this.”
“Hey, I volunteered to help search. You’re my guy, and I’m now part of the family. Pod. Whatever. I won’t stand by with my thumb up my ass and not help.” They stood under the hot spray like that until Sean looked up at him. “How often does stuff like this happen? You’ll be the one dealing with it, won’t you? When you take over from your dad?”
“Not very often. It’s rare for anyone in our pod to die shifted. Heart attacks, cancer, car accidents, sure. Normal human stuff. This? No.”
Sean untangled himself from Emery’s arms. “Then let’s go to bed so you can get my mind focused on other things.”
* * * *
Minutes later, hair still damp and cocks rock hard, Emery pushed Sean down onto their bed. He knelt over Sean and kissed him, going straight to fucking Sean’s mouth with his tongue. Fresh from the shower, the scent of their shampoo and body wash still couldn’t disguise Sean’s scent from Emery. Passion wafted up from him, overlaid by the tangy sweetness of the Gulf itself.
Could any man be more perfect for him?
He lifted his face to look down in to Sean’s almond-shaped eyes. “What’d I do to get so lucky?”
Sean buried his hands in Emery’s hair and tightened his grip, stirring Emery’s cock even more. “Let’s not question what we’ve got. I’m done trying to figure it out. All I know is I’m in need of a good hard fucking.” He pulled Emery’s head back down to his for another round of soul-stirring kisses that melted away the last vestiges of stress in Emery’s body.
The only thing tense was his cock. And that throbbed, begging to be buried in Sean’s ass or mouth. Either one. He wasn’t picky. From the way Sean’s stiff member rigidly stood at attention and brushed against Emery’s abs, he guessed Sean was as eager to get to business as he was.
He sat up, forcing Sean to release his mouth. What he wanted was to taste something else. Swinging around, he settled himself down on top of Sean. Sean grabbed him by the hips and dug his fingers in hard, holding him in place as he sucked
Emery’s cock deep down his throat.
Emery let out a moan. Unable to keep his eyes open under the deliciously pleasurable onslaught of the wet heat of Sean’s mouth, he blindly nuzzled between Sean’s legs until his stiff cock smacked his cheek. The deep, rolling groan Sean let out as Emery enveloped him with his lips vibrated through Emery’s cock and balls, sinking deep into his body.
They rolled to their sides, arms and legs tangled around each other and nothing but the sound of their moans and wet sucking filling the room. Emery’s nose pressed against Sean’s sac, his lover’s musky scent filling his lungs. Emery took his time, focusing on Sean’s pleasure. Which was damn hard considering Sean’s skilled tongue was stroking his cock and finding the special spot under the glans to tease.
Drops of salty-sweet pre-cum rewarded Emery’s efforts as his tongue flicked against the slit at the tip of Sean’s cock. He could spend all night like this, comfortably pretzeled with his lover in their bed.
Emery felt Sean rock his hips against him, urging him harder, faster, deeper, wanting release. That’s when Emery rolled them over again and began fucking Sean’s mouth.
Another deep moan from Sean was all it took to trigger Emery’s orgasm as it vibrated through his balls. He felt his cock tighten before shooting jet after jet of cum into Sean’s awaiting mouth.
He couldn’t help but let out a loud groan of his own at the sweet release. Apparently that’s all it took to topple Sean over the edge as well. Emery eagerly swallowed every drop of hot seed exploding into his mouth from Sean’s cock.
Spent and sated, he tried to roll off Sean, but Sean wouldn’t let go.
Emery started laughing and tried to push himself up with his arms. “Hey, babe, I’m empty.”
“Uh-uh,” Sean mumbled, his mouth still full of Emery’s softening cock.
Emery tried to pull free, but Sean wouldn’t let go of his hips, or his cock. Finally giving in, Emery flopped on his side while Sean shifted positions so he could maintain his grip on Emery.
It didn’t take Sean long to get him hard again. Emery crossed an arm behind his head so he could watch Sean go down on him. With his free hand, he brushed it through Sean’s dark, straight hair. Soft and smooth, he loved running his fingers through it. Then Sean looked up at him with those almond-shaped, sweet mocha eyes, smiling around his cock. Emery felt his heart twist in a pleasant way. This was his mate. He’d do anything in the world for him, to protect him and keep him safe.
Even kill for him, if that’s what it took.
Die for him, if need be.
Sean maneuvered one hand between Emery’s legs and started playing with his ass. Unable to keep his eyes open any longer, Emery let his head loll back and gently fisted Sean’s hair. He rocked his hips, helping set the rhythm until his stiff, rigid cock easily slid in and out from between Sean’s lips.
“That’s it,” Emery muttered. “Let me fuck your sweet mouth.” Before long, he was thrusting up into Sean’s mouth, totally in control and rocketing toward another orgasm. “Get ready, baby. You wanted it, you got it.” His fingers dug into Sean’s scalp. The moan his lover let out as the first streams of cum hit his tongue were definitely full of desire and wanting more.
Emery’s grip relaxed as he felt the last of his release drain his sac. He offered no resistance when Sean crawled up the bed and kissed him. He tasted his juices on Sean’s lips and tongue.
Then Sean grabbed him and rolled him over onto his stomach. Emery felt Sean’s cock, hard once again, brush against the back of his thigh as he reached over to the bedside table.
He heard the rustle of a condom wrapper. “I ain’t changing the sheets tonight,” Sean joked. Then the cool lube drizzled between his ass cheeks.
Emery dug his fingers into the sheets and spread his legs, pulling his knees up to give Sean better access.
“That’s what I wanted.” Sean’s voice had deepened, a husky undertone shadowing his desire.
When the engorged head of Sean’s cock pressed against his rim, Emery took a deep breath and relaxed before thrusting back, speeding things up. The quick pinching burn of the intrusion was immediately followed by the delicious feel of Sean’s cock filling him.
Sean laughed. “Eager, are we?”
“Fuck me,” Emery begged into the mattress. “Fuck me hard. Fuck me like you mean it.”
“Gonna fuck every last thought out of your head, buddy.” Sean grabbed his hips and did just that, hard and fast, the sound of their flesh slapping together filling the room as Emery felt his cock growing hard once again.
“Like that, baby?” Sean gasped.
“Yeah, just like that.” Emery reached between his legs and found his cock. He pulled on it, squeezing it, torn between wanting to pound one out or make it last to match the delicious fucking Sean was giving him.
“I see you,” Sean said, his husky tone now teasing. “Rub one out while I’m fucking you. I want to feel your ass squeezing me.” Then he slapped Emery’s butt, hard, the sting only driving Emery’s need higher.
With his eyes closed and ass in the air, Emery frantically stroked his cock. It’d be more difficult to get over this time, as spent and tired as he was, but that made it even sweeter somehow. “Harder,” he gasped to Sean. “Fuck me harder.”
“With pleasure.” Sean smacked Emery’s ass again before picking up the pace to a nearly brutal rhythm that threatened to drive Emery’s body down the bed. His mate could surprise him sometimes, taking charge and melting every last ounce of reserve in his body.
Searing pleasure assaulted him, from the feel of Sean’s cock hitting his gland to the way Sean’s fingers dug into his hips. It was when Sean started a punishing hard rhythm, accompanied by slapping Emery’s ass as he fucked him, that Emery felt his climax break through. Not as powerful as the first two, and barely enough cum to fill his palm, he let out a relieved cry as his balls emptied.
“Yes!” Sean sank deep inside him one last time, his cock hard and throbbing as he filled the condom inside him. He collapsed on top of Emery, a silky sheen of sweat now covering both of them. Panting, he traced his lips across the nape of Emery’s neck. “Damn that’s good, babe,” Sean whispered.
Beyond speech, Emery nodded.
Sean chuckled. “Did I wear you out?”
“Yes.”
Sean carefully withdrew and left the bed. Emery heard him in the bathroom. The toilet flushed, then water ran in the sink. A moment later, Sean returned with a warm, damp washcloth. Before Sean could wipe his ass with it, Emery held up his hand.
“Please?”
Sean laughed and wiped his palm clean before focusing on his ass. Emery heard him launch the used washcloth into the bathroom, where it hit the tile floor with a wet plop. Then Sean patted him dry with a towel and crawled into bed with him.
Slowly, Emery managed to get himself turned around in bed and snuggled against Sean. “Thanks, babe. I needed that.”
Sean kissed his forehead. “I figured. So did I.”
Emery crashed into sleep.
* * * *
The ringing of their house phone awoke Sean a little before three in the morning. He was going to ignore it, but whoever was calling hung up and immediately called back before their automatic voice mail could pick up.
“Fuck.”
He stumbled out of bed and out to the living room where grabbed the receiver without bothering to look at the caller ID. “Who the fuck is this? Do you know what time it is?”
“Sean?”
Sean mentally swore. Joseph Nadel. “Sorry,” he said, now wide awake. “What’s wrong?”
“I need you to wake Emery. We’ve got another shifter missing.”
* * * *
Joseph, Louise, and five other shifters were standing in Sean and Emery’s living room an hour later. Sean had awakened Emery and started a pot of coffee, extra strong.
One of the shifters was a woman with bloodshot eyes who looked like she’d been crying. Alexis Chancey was a petite redhead with gre
en eyes. Her creamy cheeks looked red and blotchy, her eyes puffy.
“George said he was swimming in from Gasparilla Island,” she said. “He parked near the causeway. Carl and Denby saw him swim in, but no one saw him swim out. And his clothes and car are still there.”
Joseph looked grim. “When was the last time you saw him, Alexis?”
“Like I told you on the phone, when he left last night to meet up with all of you. Didn’t you see anything?”
Joseph frowned. “Last night?”
“Not yesterday. The day before, I mean.” She rubbed a hand over her forehead. “I haven’t been to sleep in over a day. He’s been gone over twenty-four hours.”
Sean glanced at Emery, who looked as grim as his father. Louise was trying to comfort the distraught woman.
Emery shook his head. “I can’t honestly say when was the last time I saw him. I remember seeing him in the morning. But after we called off the search and before we went to pick up Wyatt, I don’t remember seeing him in the group.
Joseph looked grim. “Can you get Wyatt back down here?”
“I can try, but he’s probably asleep.”
“Do your best. See if there are any other gator shifters in the area he can call in to help.” Joseph looked at Louise. “Let’s get the phone tree going again. I want everyone who can to be in the water at safe light, or sooner.”
* * * *
As far as the situation went, it was an all-hands-on-deck shout-out to the surrounding pods for assistance with the search operation. People arrived Saturday morning from all over the state to help. Alexis was left in the care of Sean and Louise, while Sean and Emery’s house became an impromptu staging area for people to gather to get their marching orders. Sean taped a marine chart of the area on their sliding glass doors and marked off search zones, coordinating between Emery, Joseph, and the other shifters designated as leads for each search area.
Three dolphin shifters from West Palm Beach, friends from Brad’s home pod, arrived a little after ten that morning. Sean couldn’t send them out until the next check-in in less than an hour. As Sean and Louise conferred over the marine chart, trying to decide where to send the newcomers, Sean tuned out their conversations with Alexis.