Read Online Hyacinth, Scarlet - Craving Owen [Tides of Love 2] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever ManLove) by Scarlet Hyacinth - Free Book Online Page A

alone.”
    Sassaki gave his friend a concerned look. “Can you come on land, though?” Kani was so young, and the last thing Sassaki wanted was for the young mer to get hurt.
    Kani seemed to consider the question and sighed. “I suppose you’re right. I can’t control my shift as long as my tail is wet. Damn it.”
    “Don’t worry,” Sassaki answered. “You can root for me from here.”
    Kani didn’t look very pleased, but they didn’t have time for further conversation. The mer hid behind a rock, and Sassaki left the water, heading toward the waiting group.
    “I assume you are Sassaki,” the nymph, Yane, began. He spoke in English, for Owen’s benefit.
    Sassaki nodded. He wasn’t surprised Yane knew his name. They must’ve asked Owen, and with a shape-shifter around, the human couldn’t have deceived them even if he tried. “Owen told you about me.”
    Owen perked up from behind the wall of solid muscle formed by the three men. “Sorry. I couldn’t help it.”
    Sassaki just smiled. “It’s okay. It’s no big secret, if it is kept only between the people who know about this arrangement.”
    Owen seemed relieved, and Sassaki directed his attention toward the other three men. “But now you have an advantage over me, gentlemen. You know who I am, but, other than Yanentah, I do not know who you are.”
    Yane didn’t delay in introducing his companions. He pointed at the eagle and shape-shifter respectively, and said, “These are my friends, Alcharr, of the Golden Eagles, and Has’hendral, of the dragon kind. I trust you have no problems with them being here.”
    Sassaki scanned the darkened faces of the two men. “As long as they know the score.”
    “Oh, we know the score,” Alcharr said. “What I don’t get is what your sudden interest in helping Yane is. Your people have never been particularly kind.” The eagle’s expression was dark. “As a matter of fact, I would appreciate it if you told me who is responsible for my brother’s kidnapping.”
    Sassaki arched a brow at the eagle. He’d heard about the missing prince, of course, but only because of the scouts who always rotated around the plague lands. “You have him back now, don’t you?” he asked.
    When Alcharr nodded, Sassaki added, “Then it wasn’t the wyrms who had him. I assure you, if my kin had taken him, you’d never have found him.”
    In fact, if an eagle ended up in the grasp of a wyrm, he’d most likely be dinner. But Sassaki didn’t say that. He didn’t want to scare Owen more than he already had. “I cannot guarantee we weren’t involved,” he finished, “but I don’t know anything about it. As for why I’m doing this, it’s for Owen, of course.”
    The men didn’t look convinced, although Sassaki did detect a certain tension in Has’hendral. As a shape-shifter, the other man would understand Sassaki better. Still, Sassaki half expected the dragon to laugh in his face and tell him wyrms didn’t have mates. But Has’hendral did no such thing. “Who’s that mer in the water?” he asked instead.
    Sassaki met the other man’s gaze, surprised at the change in topic. What he saw there shocked him into both jealousy and incomprehension. He saw himself, or rather his own emotions echoing in Has’hendral, so much so that for a few moments, the question didn’t even compute. He remembered to answer only when Yane cleared his throat.
    “My friend, Kani,” he answered. “I’d have brought him along, but he has problems shifting when his tail is wet.”
    “Hey!” Kani shouted from the water. “I can hear you.”
    Owen actually slipped around from his protector, peeking into the darkness to see toward the water. Of course, his human vision didn’t have a chance of noticing Kani’s hidden form. He crossed his arms over his chest in a gesture of discontent. “How is it that I’m the only one who gets left out?”
    “I also get left out,” Kani said, this time at a lower volume. “You’re not alone