Page 23 of Storm and Sea (Storm and Sea Saga #1)

N ephi munched on a fried squid on a stick as he slipped around the edges of the festival. It wasn’t bad, though he hated how much oil humans used. He chewed it anyway. Food was food. Nobody blinked at the hooded figure that stalked the square like a wolf. It was too easy to steal tasty treats, enough that he wasn’t even hungry. He just did it for the sake of doing it.

A stray dog sniffed for crumbs behind a stall.

“Here you go,” Nephi crouched down, offering the remainder of his squid. The canine approached him with apprehension in its eyes. Nephi smiled.

“You’re the only smart one here. You know there is something dangerous lurking around. Don’t you?”

Hunger propelled the mutt close enough to snag the treat before running away.

Nephi wasn’t even surprised anymore at the blatant trust the humans had for one another. Not a suspicious bone in their bodies. With the exception of the rich mainlanders who lived on the Estates in the valley, this human settlement was a ‘never lock the front doors’ kind of place. Even now, with families on the brink of losing everything, thievery was nonexistent.

Easy pickings.

So easy, in fact, it bordered on pathetic. His Pod could ascend from the beaches right now, enjoy the festivities, then slit everyone’s throats as they slept. At least the villages they raided in the north were on guard—alert to the potential dangers that loomed in the sea. Nephi had to rely on the powers of a strong drink and Ludo’s charm to inhibit their caution enough to take advantage. But that wouldn’t be necessary here.

It wouldn’t be necessary at all. His Pod, his real family, likely assumed he was dead. Succumbed to his wounds and his broken heart.

Nephi watched a group of human children, their sparklers making light strings as they ran. He wondered if it would even be worth it. What was to be gained from destroying a place like this?

“ Less humans polluting the sea is always a victory.”

He could practically hear his Pod leader, Tariq. And Nephi knew if he were still active, he’d agree. He’d listen and end those children without blinking an eye.

Because they’re human. The same humans that took Ludo from me.

One of the children tripped, and as she turned her head, the light of her sparkler illuminated Nephi for a brief moment. He watched with glee as her face went from surprise to terror when she saw the unholy scars and white milky eye.

“Better run. Or I might catch you.”

She didn’t scream as her stubby legs carried her away from him as fast as she could go. Nephi chuckled to himself; with any luck, she’d have nightmares for weeks. Her sparkler sizzled on the ground, and Nephi snuffed it with his bare foot. But terrorizing the little human didn’t bring him as much joy as he’d hoped.

“Damn it all,” he cursed, turning from the square, intent on curling up in his rooftop shelter. Maybe his feline friend would offer him some company.

Voices on the edge of the square made him pause. He peaked around the corner to find his brother talking to none other than the source of his obsessions. Leofel looked terrible, and even from a distance, Nephi noticed how he favored his left foot. He was thinner, too, and Nephi didn’t like the look on him. He wanted his human to be strong, healthy, and full of vigor.

That way, it will be all the more satisfying to make him crumble.

But asserting his dominance over the broken man hunched in the alley held zero appeal. Nephi wished he’d kept his fried squid and offered it to Leofel, who needed a few extra meals.

Nephi blinked, recoiling at his own train of thought.

What the fuck is wrong with me? Now I want to feed him?

This human was too dangerous. First, Nephi saved his life; now, he wanted to bring him back to health. He had to end this soon.

“I don’t want to talk about that,” Leo snapped at Nyel, loud enough for Nephi to hear.

“Okay,” Nyel replied cautiously.

“What I want to say is, well, I’ve wanted to say it since we became friends and… ”

Leo rambled. He stumbled, and a thin pink sheen came over his hollow cheeks.

Oh? Now, this is interesting. So, my brother has more than one admirer.

A twisting sensation curled in his intestines. He didn’t like it.

He recognized the moment that Leo lost his momentum and began backpedaling hard.

“Sorry, I was rambling. I wanted to say that I’d like all of us to have a day together before the end of the season. On the beach.”

Nephi smirked.

Coward.

If Leo wanted Nyel, why didn’t he take him? Fear of rejection?

Nephi snorted, turning away from the pair.

Pathetic.

Yet, as he contemplated the interaction, Nephi was humbled by his own hypocrisy. If not laying claim to something you wanted was pathetic, then he’d been a coward for weeks. Watching Leo from afar, never daring to make a move. He growled at nothing, his frustration boiling.

Nephi wandered, too worked up to return for the night. His bare feet led him around alleys, courtyards with gurgling fountains, and finally, to the rocky edge of the town. He climbed down the familiar black stone until he found himself on the small hidden beach where his troubles began.

And as fate would have it, his biggest trouble was already there to meet him.

“The hell are you doing here?” he barked at Leo, not bothering to reign in his anger. He wanted to rage on this man. To break him. To punish him for being a sore in his side for weeks.

Leo flinched, wiping his face. “Do I need a permit?” he sassed, but his voice was too shaky for any real conviction.

“Maybe I came here for some privacy,” Nephi spat .

“Maybe I did too,” Leo glared through red-rimmed eyes.

Nephi huffed and took a seat beside Leo on the beach. He watched the waves lap on the darkening sand. Once, twice, three times, the ocean sucked in a breath and let it out again. But neither the serene sound nor the soft waters were enough to quell the anger in his chest.

“You look like shit,” he bit out.

And Leo… laughed. Nephi was so taken aback by his sudden mirth that he crooked an eyebrow at him.

Maybe he’s finally lost it.

When Leo finally calmed enough to speak, Nephi noticed some of the color return to his lips.

“That’s exactly what you said to me last time. Is that how you greet people?”

“I wasn’t greeting you,” Nephi snapped. “I was stating a fact. You’re even uglier than last time.”

Leo chuckled again. “Takes one to know one.”

At last, some of the biting rage in Nephi’s chest… eased. He couldn’t tamper down the smirk tugging on the side of his mouth.

“Clearly, whatever hell you’re going through isn’t enough to stop that tongue of yours.”

This time, Leo’s smile was sad. “Not yet, at least.”

And Nephi hated those fucking words. He didn’t want Leo to lose his sharp tongue. His unapologetic tactlessness. He didn’t want their chance meetings on the beach to end.

“What are you doing here?” Leo asked, exhaling. “Shouldn’t you be up there enjoying the party like all the other people our age?”

“First of all, I’m not your age, and I don’t care for crowds,” Nephi replied honestly.

“How old are you?”

Nephi drew his eyebrows together. Telling Leo his years wouldn’t come back to bite him. Right? What did telling him hurt? Still, as Nephi opened his mouth to give a piece of himself to this human, his words were laced with caution.

“I’ve seen twenty-six springs.”

“Who the hell says it like that? Just say you’re twenty-six years old.”

“I do.”

“Well, it’s weird, and you’re older than I expected. I’m twenty.” He sighed. It was the kind of sigh that was more than tired. It was the first trace of defeat. Of giving up. “I feel a lot older, though.”

“You have a lot on your plate.”

“And how would you know that?”

“I have my sources,” Nephi replied shortly.

Sure, Nyel had disclosed a few things about Leo, but most of Nephi’s information came from his own eyes. It was the only information he trusted anyway.

He’d been watching this town long enough to understand its very essence. The way it breathed and moved. And thus, the way its people breathed and moved. Leo was a supporter of a large family. The weight of which was slowly killing him. The only missing piece in the puzzle was where Leo went on his secret rendezvous into the valley. The perimeter of the estate was heavily guarded, and Nephi couldn’t glimpse more than the front door. Given the estate’s wealth, it likely belonged to the benefactor of Leo’s new boat.

Leo scoffed. “Good to know my friends are spewing my shit all over the island,” he snapped, then pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. “But it’s not like everyone doesn’t already talk shit anyway.”

“Nyel and Atreus have better things to do than to gossip. I watch. I listen.”

“So you’re ugly and a creep. Not a lot going for you, stranger.”

“Nephi.”

“What?”

Nephi took in a gulp of air, suddenly feeling hot. Exposed. He shrugged off his jacket, letting the night’s chill ease his skin. “That’s my name.”

“I—” Leo fell silent, and Nephi shifted uncomfortably in the sand.

“What?” he snapped, narrowing his eyes. His damaged eye was virtually useless in the dark.

“It’s… you’ve never sat on my right.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

Leo pointed to his face. “I’ve only seen the other side. And you always keep your damn hood up. I didn’t realize the other side wasn’t…”

“Burned? Fucked to hell? Well, sorry to disappoint. I’m not completely fucked up. The blast missed the other side. Next time, I’ll do a spin and make sure it gets all of me.”

Nephi’s heart tripped against his ribs as the vulnerable words fell out. Something about Leo made him lower his walls without even noticing. He was cautious for one minute and the next, opening himself in a way that would only lead to pain. Nephi clenched his jaw, hating how out of control he was.

It’s not him. He’s not my Ludo.

“I’m not disappointed,” Leo said in a whisper.

He’d moved closer. Close enough for Nephi to see the dark circles under Leo’s eyes. The dullness of his golden hair. Close enough to smell the citrus scent on Leo’s skin. But his expression…Nephi couldn’t make out.

“You were in a blast?” Leo asked in a whisper, and it tickled Nephi’s skin.

“I—it…”

Nephi couldn’t.

Not about that. Not ever about that.

Understanding yellow eyes met his, and Leo cocked his head to the side .

“Your eyes. I’ve never seen them up close.”

Nephi’s stomach twisted the same way it had in the alley when he’d seen Leo stumble through a confession. A confession to his younger brother. He knew why Leo was so enraptured. Because Nephi’s good eye, brown with flecks of gold, was the same as his brothers. He turned away.

“They’re nothing special.”

Soft fingertips took his chin, turning his face back to Leo. The touch was as gentle as pattering raindrops.

“No. They’re…” Leo searched for the word.

“Familiar?” Nephi supplied, anger flaring.

Leo squinted and cocked his head again, never taking his hand from Nephi’s chin.

“Maybe. But it’s the way you—” He moved closer, and Nephi held his breath, trapping the scent of bergamot in his lungs. “It’s the way you look at things. Like you’re studying them. It’s… intense.”

Fingertips brushed along Nephi’s chin, gliding over his jawline before lifting to his cheek. They lingered on the unmarred side, gently caressing the skin. Unable to resist, Nephi leaned into the touch ever so slightly.

My Ludo.

When a second hand rose to stroke his mutilated skin, reality crashed into him like a cresting wave. Nephi jerked away, his breathing and heart rate returning.

“Don’t.”

Leo retracted his hands, the trance broken. “Sorry.”

“You should go home, Leo. You look like you need rest.”

Leo huffed awkwardly. “And we’re back to how shitty I look.”

“I preferred it when you looked healthy,” Nephi stumbled.

He felt those yellow eyes watch him for a moment longer before Leo rose .

“Yeah, I should be home. I’ll talk to you later. And”—he took a deep breath—“thanks for this.”

“Don’t thank me; I still think you look like a soggy pile of manure.”

Leo laughed and, with a salute, marched away.

Nephi watched him disappear around the stone, wishing they could have talked a little longer.

Get ahold of yourself.

Even though he hated to admit it, Nephi no longer felt the wrathful flame that so often took control—the rage buried so deep inside him that he’d never be rid of it. Only one person in his life could quel those flames, and he was gone. Only one person….

Nephi stared at the spot in the sand where Leo had sat only a minute ago. A distinct imprint of his hand pressed into the sand. Nephi reached for it, tracing the outline of Leo’s fingertips with the same gentleness Leo used to touch his face.

He wasn’t disgusted by it.

Nephi hated the relief. The relief that Ludo wasn’t disgusted by his burns. It settled like a fleeting balm over raw nerves, only to ignite into frustration a moment later.

“It’s not him!” he shouted to the empty beach.

This was a human. A creature of earth and rock, poisoning the sea and taking without remorse. They had to be eradicated. All of them. These humans needed to remember who the sea belonged to. Nephi raised a fist, intent on smashing the outline of Leo’s hand. But as his hand descended, a memory flashed.

Delicate fair skin.

Tight platinum curls and silver eyes.

Ludo was never scared of him. Never feared him the way Nephi tried to make everyone fear him. Ludo saw through his facade.

“I see what you are not willing to see within yourself,” Ludo said, the ghost of his memory so sharp he could have been right there on the beach.

But that was a memory. And they had been on a different beach. A long time ago.

“You see what you want to see,” Nephi had replied.

“I don’t think so,” Ludomir said, his blond eyelashes fluttering. “You protect me every time we venture on shore.”

“Monsters make good bodyguards.”

“So you keep insisting.”

Then Ludo’s voice changed. It became a tapestry of sound, echoing as if many voices spoke at once, yet remaining one. It wove into the hairline cracks of the mind, planting hooks before pulling the strings taught—a puppeteer taking control over those who listened, turning them into his marionettes. A true siren of the sea.

It vibrated in Nephi’s ear canal, echoing long after the words were spoken. It was the voice that lured humans to a watery grave. That broke through willpower and bent the mind to Ludo’s every whim—an unchallenged weapon.

Ludo leaned in as he spoke, his presence as compelling as his words. His body, every movement and gesture, was as much a tool as his voice—a silent, magnetic call that demanded attention. This was Ludo’s greatest weapon. He was a seductionist of the highest order, a master of weaving desire and vulnerability into an inescapable net. With nothing more than a look or the hum of a melody, he could unravel secrets and coax truths to the surface, no matter how deeply they lay buried.

But this wasn’t for himself. It was for the Pod. Everything he did, every calculated act of allure, was for their survival, their goals. It wasn’t what Ludo wanted. And Nephi knew that. He saw it in the flicker of hesitation behind Ludo’s polished performance, in the subtle cracks that only someone who truly knew him would notice.

Nephi’s neck stiffened, his head throbbing with the ache of staying away. He wouldn’t succumb to Ludo’s song.

“I told you not to use that on me.”

Ludo’s voice regained its normalcy. “Yet you see my point? Most other Mer would have pounced on me. Used me to fulfill their heart’s desire. Why do you hold back?”

“Because that’s not you.”

The edge of Ludo’s eye crinkled in that all-knowing look he always carried. “I’ve met many monsters. And monsters don’t take my desires into account.”

Yet Nephi had. He’d watched Ludo for years. He could tell when Ludo genuinely wanted something versus when he was playing the role of seductionist. But Nephi would never take from this male, as others had. If Nephi were going to have him, it would only be because Ludo truly wanted it.

Wanted him .

That day never came. Ludo had seen too many violent nights. Felt too many brutal hands to ever want the touch of another. Not in that way. Nephi understood that and still remained by his side. A lover in a way that transcended the need for physical expression. Ludo was the sun. He was daylight and warmth. He was every missing piece in Nephi’s fractured soul. He was the day and Nephi the night. With Ludo by his side, he wasn’t just the dark—he was whole.

Now, Nephi was fragmented. Warped and damn right unrecognizable. Even Ludo had never seen him with the scars. Never seen his deformities rise to the surface .

Leo had.

And he wasn’t scared of me.

But that wasn’t enough to make up for the sins of mankind, and Nephi knew it. This human was dangerous. Maybe Leo was dangerous because he lacked fear. Because he didn’t shrink away from the danger Nephi posed.

I’ll show him what kind of a monster I am.

He crushed the sand beneath his palm, erasing all signs that Leo was ever there. Nephi was a diabolical fiend, born of the ocean and ready to kill anything that walked upon the land. Humans and Mer were enemies, plain and simple. And Nephi never let his enemies live once they were at his mercy.

He stood resolute in his conviction.

Before the season was over, before he returned to the open sea and reunited with his Pod, Leo would die. Nephi would end this unsanctioned obsession and accept what he was at his core.

I’m sorry, my Ludo, but you were wrong.

He was a monster.