Page 20

20

Seven weeks later…

I n the wee early morning hours, Echo sat out on the bluffs across the street from his house, looking over the ocean. The cliffs were high enough that he could see for miles. For some reason, he’d gotten into the habit of doing that a few times a week since Mael left, like he was some old-time captain’s wife, waiting for his sailor to come home. While they hadn’t been together long, it felt as if it had been forever. They were fated mates, their souls bound. Mael belonged in his life, and he missed that presence.

A part of him was missing.

There hadn’t been any news that he was aware of. Tempest messaged him every so often to check in, but otherwise, Echo had nothing but his imagination coupled with mounting dread. What if they ran into danger? What if Mael didn’t make it home? What if he spent the rest of his life mourning his mate?

Memories of Mael eviscerating that shark actually gave him peace for once. His badassed orca could take care of himself, that was clear, but outnumbered, an orca could be taken down.

His phone vibrated, pulling him from his terrible thoughts. He lifted it, hopes dashed. It wasn’t the one person he wanted to speak to most.

Tempest

Morning! Got some news.

A smile widened across his face.

Echo

Good news, I hope?

Tempest

I returned to the cave with a friend—brought underwater floodlights. We got photos. I thought you might wanna see them.

Echo’s delight faded. While he did want to see the images, he’d much rather hear good news about Mael and his brothers. As pictures arrived on his phone, he scanned them one by one. He might be disappointed it wasn’t the news he wanted, but he was still curious.

There was also a part of him miffed she hadn’t asked him to go, too.

Echo

These are great. I’d love to come with you if there’s a next time.

Tempest

Not happening. I promised Mael.

Echo

Promised him what?

Tempest

Your skinny ass isn’t going in there without him.

Echo

I’m perfectly capable.

Tempest

Of course you are, but one, the second still hasn’t been found. Two, if you were hurt, my brother would me. Three, the last time you were there, you went into . I’m not going to take care of that next time.

As if she could.

Echo

We don’t know that the cave made me go into heat. Though, I’d love a sample of the blue glowing organisms in the water. If you go back, take a small clean container with a lid and collect some. I can take it to the lab.

Another photo popped up. It was a close up of the two figures that looked like him and Mael.

Tempest

I got the weirdest feeling when I saw this. That looks suspiciously like Mael.

Tempest

Then there’s a little light-haired dolphin? It looked a bit like you.

Echo sensed the question she wasn’t asking. The one he didn’t want to answer. He didn’t respond for a few seconds, frantically thinking of a way to shift the conversation.

Thought bubbles appeared on Tempest’s end but disappeared. His phone rang seconds later. He stared at the screen a few seconds, sure she was going to press. Echo didn’t want to piss Mael’s sister off, but at the same time, it was his business, not hers.

“Hey,” Echo said upon finally answering.

“I know you had the phone in your hand and let it ring. Good thing you picked up before it went to voicemail,” Tempest said.

“I… I had someone nearby. I waited until I had some distance,” he fibbed.

“Then I forgive you. I hate talking on the phone, but this was all too much for texting. Can you talk?”

It would be harder to avoid her question on the phone, but he didn’t know what else to say besides, “Yeah, sure…”

“So, you say you don’t know if it was the cave that sent you into heat, but Mael mentioned it wasn’t your time… and then I saw the pair on the mural. One like Mael, the other…”

Echo tensed, rolling his eyes.

“I’m māhū… but I’m not a dolphin, I don’t have light hair, and I only have one womb, so it isn’t me.”

Echo’s breath caught the second she made her admission. “You’re māhū?”

“I am.” Tempest paused, the muted sound of another’s voice in the background coming through. It sounded as if she got up and moved before murmuring, “Something tells me you are, too.”

Echo’s heart raced. He’d never met anyone else like him. “I am.”

Silence hung between them for a few heartbeats. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but he feared stepping across the line.

“And you have two…?”

“Wombs?” Echo sighed. “I do.”

“Do you know what this means? That’s you and Mael on that wall, Echo. I knew it the second I looked at it.”

“That cave has got to be at least two-hundred-years old. There’s no way that’s Mael and I.”

“The second matriarch of our pod was supposedly a seer. She had visions in her dreams. There are handwritten pages bound in our historical society that recount some of them. She’s the one who brought our pod to Maki Island from the South Pacific. Maybe these murals are images from her visions. Maybe it is you and Mael.”

Goose bumps skittered over Echo’s arms and legs. He’d heard stories that the second matriarch had dreamed of taking her pod to Maki Island during the height of colonization. She’d invited dolphins to join them for the long journey, one they weren’t built for. The orca had protected the dolphins who crossed the ocean with them. His ancestors—who’d eventually formed a new pod in Dolphin Bay.

“Really look at the pictures I sent. They’re telling a story. In the first, it’s dolphins and orcas crossing a wide ocean and building new townships in peace. They’re at war in the next, split apart. There’s only been one war between our kind that I know of. If that cave is over two hundred years old like you suggested, how could they have known about the war to come?”

His chest tightened as he processed what she said.

“Then we get to the one with you and Mael… and there’s peace again. Dolphins and orca living in harmony. You and Mael coming together might be the catalyst for true peace, Echo.”

Echo tugged his lower lip between his teeth.

“I’m assuming all those little dolphin-orca figures around them might be your babies. Eight of them, though? You’re going to be busy, buddy.”

Your babies.

Echo ran a hand over his stomach. Earlier in the week, he’d noticed his pants wouldn’t close. None of them would close. He’d eyed himself sideways in the mirror and noticed a small swell—but he could be no more than seven weeks pregnant. It was too soon for a swell to appear. He’d convinced himself he wasn’t pregnant. It wasn’t as if they were truly ready when there were so many doubts circling them.

Just to be sure, though, he’d bought some tests at the drug store on his way home one night. When all three came back positive, he made an appointment that afternoon to confirm. He wished Mael was there to go with him. A little part of him wanted to tell Tempest— to tell anyone —but he hadn’t gotten confirmation yet.

Plus, Mael deserved that news first if at all possible.

Why can’t he be here now?

“Eck—are you there?”

“I am,” he murmured. “That’s just… a lot.”

“I’m sure,” Tempest replied. “By the way, I showed these to Mom. I told her it was you who found the cave and that was how you and Mael met in the first place. I also showed her that last one and told her my suspicions that it was you and him.”

Echo winced.

“I realized as soon as the words were out of my mouth that I’d said too much. That was unfair of me. I should’ve asked you first, and I’m so sorry, Echo.

“I appreciate the apology,” Echo said. “I would prefer that others didn’t know what’s inside my pants.”

“Of anyone, I should’ve been more mindful and protected you. I only told her because I thought it might help her get her head out of her ass when it came to you and Maelstrom being mated. If this mural is from her however-many-great-grandmother’s visions, then how could she deny you?” Tempest sighed. “I’m angry at myself. I hope you can forgive me.”

“You didn’t say it with malice,” Echo replied. It sounded as if she truly was trying to help. “I forgive you—but please don’t share this with anyone else. Hopefully your mother won’t either.”

“My mother raised six unique children and is fiercely protective of them. She never pointed out our differences.”

Were there other differences other than Tempest and Mael? “I’m not her child.”

Tempest snorted. “But you might give her grandchildren one day. Even if she’s against you and Mael being together, she’s smart enough to hedge her bets. She’d want to meet her grandchildren.”

“If we’re able to have any.”

“If that mural is you and my brother, I think we know what’s coming.”

“Do you think it helped? With your mother?”

“She didn’t look overly impressed, but then, she’s mastered the mask of indifference and shows no emotion most of the time.”

“She certainly didn’t hold back when we first met,” Echo replied.

“Yeah, well… we’ve been told all our lives that the dolphins of Dolphin Bay are the enemy. I wasn’t on board with you and Mael at first either. I only came that first boat trip because I wanted evidence to convince Mael he was making a terrible mistake. But then—” She paused and grew quiet. “I don’t know how much he’s told you about our older brother, Gale.”

Echo frowned at the switch in conversation. “He told me he accidentally killed his brother attempting to save his mother.”

Tempest inhaled deep and blew it out. “Mael was a really sweet, cheerful kid. He was light and joy, and he made everyone smile when he walked into a room. He was Gale’s shadow. He could do no wrong in Mael’s eyes… until the drugs changed everything.”

Echo could hear pain in Tempest’s voice. It sounded as deep as it had been in Mael’s. It broke Echo’s heart to hear it. Their entire family had been devastated because of addiction.

“After it all went down, it broke Mael. He wasn’t okay for a long, long time. None of us were, really, but it was, of course, worse for him. He didn’t smile. He didn’t laugh. He couldn’t feel joy. There was self-harm. A lot of self-harm.” She paused, her voice breaking a bit on the last two words. “Time passed, and he got a little better, inch by inch, but he’s never truly been able to let it go. Sure, he laughs and smiles and jokes with us now, but there’s never true joy in his eyes.” She snickered, the tone sarcastic. “It’s almost as if he’s cosplaying being a happy person. It’s all a mask. The heaviness is always there—a dark shadow lingering in his eyes. Eighteen years later, and he is still haunted.”

Echo’s heart ached for young Mael.

“Until you,” Tempest murmured.

Echo froze.

“I was standing beside him when your boat came into view. His entire body relaxed. I watched him rush over to help you into the boat with a silly, stupid, lovesick smile on his lips.” She paused, and he thought he heard a sniffle. “I watched the way he looked at you. There was love and joy in his eyes again… and there was no way in hell I was depriving Mael of someone who’d given him that back. Dolphin or not, I didn’t care anymore. You make my brother happy, and he deserves to be happy after all this time. I’m thankful you came into his life, Echo.”

Echo’s eyes welled with tears.

“I told my mother that, too. I told her that if she got in the way of Mael’s happiness, I would never forgive her.”

Fat tears slid down Echo’s face.

Tempest sniffled. “I don’t know if what I said got through to her or not. As I said—the mask and all—but I think I saw a little chink in her armor.”

Echo wiped the tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand. “Thank you. Your support means a lot. Especially right now.” When I miss him so much. He rubbed his belly again. When I desperately want him here at my side.

“Thank you … for making my brother truly smile again.”

“He makes me happy, too. And as an only child, I’m excited that I might get a bunch of brothers and a sister out of this deal, too.” Echo released a shaky breath, wiping his face again. “I can’t wait to see his smile again… have you heard anything?”

“Not a word,” Tempest said. “Hopefully it won’t be too much longer. If I hear anything, you know I’ll call.”

“Same,” Echo said. “Well, thanks for making me cry first thing in the morning.”

Tempest chuckled, sniffling again. “You’re quite welcome. I’ll check in on you in a day or two, hmm?”

“Thanks. I’ll talk to you later.”

Echo ended the call and rose to his feet. He walked back across the street, realizing he was going to be late for work, but he really didn’t care. Tempest’s call and what she’d shared had been worth it.

Before he could reach his front door, an unfamiliar car pulled into his driveway. He spun to face it and froze.

His parents.

His mother jumped out first and raced closer, her arms wide. “My baby! I’ve missed you so much! I’d hoped we would catch you before you left for work.”

Echo turned himself sideways for her hug, trying to hide his belly. Small swell or not, he wasn’t giving her a chance to notice. She always seemed to root out his secrets before he was ready to share them. “You lucked out. I’m running late—but you could’ve called to let me know you were back, and I’d have stayed until you got here.”

She leaned back, grinning. “And ruin the surprise?”

Echo would’ve rather had the head’s up.

His mother brushed a hand through his hair. “You need a haircut. Men look silly with hair this long.”

Echo slid his hair from her grip. He’d grown it out longer on purpose. “I like it.”

“It’ll confuse people about your gender. You’re already girlie enough as it is.”

“And what’s wrong with being girlie, Mother?”

She eyed him, appearing shocked.

“I was born female, too, remember?”

Her lips closed in a firm line.

His father marched up and gave him a bear hug, saving him from her comments. Echo melted into his hug. He loved his mother, but she was chaos, drama, and judgment. His dad was the exact opposite—serene shelter from her storms.

“How was your trip?” Echo asked them as he pulled from his father’s embrace.

“It was nice being back with the old pod,” his mother said, her smile fading. “I’ve really missed my aunts, uncles, and cousins. I wish you’d come with us to meet them.”

“Dad was the one who retired early. Not me,” Echo murmured. “I couldn’t take six months off to go swim around the Caribbean and be beach bums like you.” He eyed his cold-loving father who was deeply tanned. He’d never seen his father quite so brown. “How did you fare?”

“It was way too hot, but after a while I got somewhat used to it, I guess. As used to it as I could be, anyway. But the food was amazing. The evening breezes were nice. The saline content of the water was especially buoyant, which was strange swimming in at first, but actually rather nice. It made it easier to sleep with how effortlessly we floated. I’ve never jumped so high in my life.”

“He even agreed to go back next year,” his mother added, grinning proudly as she cozied up to him. “So, he clearly didn’t hate it.”

“No, I didn’t hate it,” his father agreed, smiling at her.

Echo couldn’t remember the last time they looked that happy together. Even with his strained relationship with his mother, if they’d found happiness, that was a good thing. Maybe she’d leave him alone some.

“If you didn’t hate it, why’re you back early?”

Echo’s father turned to eye his mother oddly. “I thought you called him from Puerto Rico?”

His mother offered a timid smile, shrugging her shoulders. “I wanted to surprise him.”

“That’s not a surprise, that’s an ambush,” Echo’s father said, frowning.

“An ambush? That’s a horrible thing to say,” his mother replied, a horrified expression on her face.

His father shook his head and gave Echo a look that said, ‘I’m sorry.’

And there went that happiness down the drain.

“The reason we’re back early… Great whites started killing wild dolphins in the area and ultimately took down two in your mother’s old pod,” his father replied. “We thought it safer to go home early than push our luck.”

“Smart,” Echo murmured.

“But now we’re homeless,” his mother said. “Our renter still has almost a month and a half left before he’s scheduled to move out. We were hoping we could stay here with you until then?”

A month and a half with his parents under his roof?

What happens when Mael returns?

He forced a smile to his lips.

“We should’ve called him before showing up on his doorstep, Joanna,” his father said, glaring her way.

“Where’s the fun in that?” his mother asked, ignoring that glare. She tucked a lock of hair behind Echo’s ear. “And why would our baby not want us here with him?”

She looked at him expectantly—and there was a hint of doubt in her eyes.

“Of course you’re welcome to stay,” Echo murmured, smiling as best he could.

“Great!” his dad said, offering a warm smile. He turned to Echo’s mother. “I’ll go unload our luggage.”

All Echo could think about was Mael’s homecoming. Hopefully they’d be gone by the time he returned. He didn’t need his parents getting in their way and preventing them from celebrating—particularly his mother. Of course, he’d eventually have to tell them about his mate, but he hoped it was later rather than sooner.

With the surprise that might be growing in his belly, he might not be so lucky.

Echo turned his attention to the street as his closest neighbor walked past with his dog. He waved to Echo. Echo waved back. “Morning, Tatum.”

“Morning,” Tatum murmured, eyeing his parents. “Morning, Mr. and Mrs. Fisher. How was your trip?”

“Morning,” Echo’s mother replied as his father offered a smile and wave. “It was wonderful, thanks.”

Tatum glanced around the yard before smiling and focusing on them again. “I’m glad it was nice, Mrs. Fisher. Welcome home.” Tatum turned to Echo. “Have a good one.”

“Thanks, you too,” Echo murmured.

His mother slipped her arm through Echo’s and led him toward his front door. “Maybe I can get your father to fix those horrid stairs while we’re here as a thank you for putting a roof over our heads.”

“The stairs have already been repaired.”

“What?” his mother asked, wide-eyed. “You finally got them fixed? Are you finally being an actual adult or something?”

“Mom…”

As if graduating with a doctorate, getting a well-paying job, and home ownership isn’t adult enough.

She walked into the front door behind him and swept past to the stairs—and let out a dramatic gasp, which sent Tilly running for cover. “Echo! Not just repaired, but redone.” She gazed around. “Wait… wasn’t there a wall here?”

“There was but according to the blueprints, this is the way the stairs were when the house was first built. The wall wasn’t there originally.” He smiled at the beautiful work Mael, Storm, and Ravage had done. “I think it really opens it up.”

“You even dug up the old blueprints?” She walked up a few, testing them. “These are gorgeous, Echo.” She bent and checked the molding. “Good thing you’ve got a good job. This must’ve cost a pretty penny.”

It was rare she gave him any praise, and it felt odd to receive it—though the real compliment went to those who’d built them, not him. “I got a good deal.”

Mael and his brothers had refused payment. Echo had tried. Repeatedly. He’d even snuck a wad of cash into Storm’s toolbox, but he found that same stack, untouched and in a baggie in his freezer, a couple of weeks later. Echo would find some way to repay them with more than pizzas and beer—eventually. He wasn’t sure how, but he’d figure it out.

His mother raced back to the front door. “Eddie! Come see Echo’s new stairs!”

His father appeared with their two small suitcases—they’d clearly packed light for their trip—and eyed the stairs. He smiled and nodded. “Nice.”

“Thanks,” Echo murmured, grinning. “Well, I’m late for work. I need to get dressed and head in. You know where everything is.”

“Sure do,” his mother said. “We can take the extra bedroom, right?”

“Of course. I’ll change out the sheets once I get home from work,” Echo said.

“I can handle that, sweetheart,” his mom said. She spun toward the kitchen. “Let’s see what you’ve got in your pantry. I’m starving, but I’m sure you’ve got absolutely nothing in there as thin as you look.”

“We’ll go grocery shopping this afternoon and not take advantage of you more than we already have,” his dad said the minute she was out of earshot, before hugging him again. “Thank you for letting us stay.”

Echo smiled, squeezing his father tight. “You’re not taking advantage. Some early notice would’ve been nice rather than her to springing it on me, though.”

“She told me she called you the evening before we boarded the plane in Puerto Rico. I was miffed she didn’t let me talk to you, but now I realize why. She never called you in the first place.” He sighed. “I’m sorry, kiddo.”

“It’s fine,” Echo muttered.

“She likely worried you’d say no.”

“I wouldn’t have said no,” Echo said. For her? Maybe. For his father? Absolutely not. “You know that.”

“Well, your relationship hasn’t always been easy,” his father said. “She might act like the two of you are fine, but I know it troubles her.”

“It doesn’t trouble her enough to change her behavior,” Echo said.

“You’re right,” his father said. “She’s a lot. Always has been. But she does love you, kid. You should’ve heard her go on and on to her family saying how proud she is of you and how much you’ve already accomplished.”

“Well, maybe she could tell me that on occasion instead of always nitpicking and complaining.”

“I’ve told her that myself,” his father said. “Maybe one day she’ll listen.”

He gave Echo a squeeze on the arm before following her into the kitchen. Echo shook his head as he ran upstairs to get ready.