The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Mate or Meal 5

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

Sushi or soul mate? What a ridiculous question. There is no doubt in shark-shifter Byron’s mind that what he feels for seahorse Skylar is genuine. But Byron is well aware of the difference between them. He is a monster, and that puts sweet-natured Skylar out of his reach. In his fear of hurting Skylar, he pushes the seahorse away. But when Skylar is attacked, Byron knows he cannot stay away from Skylar anymore.

Skylar has always been searching for his soul mate, that special person he would share his life and innocence with. When he meets Byron, he instantly feels the bond between them. In Byron’s power and forcefulness, he finds an anchor. But even as they attempt to build a life together, there are still many challenges ahead. When Skylar unexpectedly becomes pregnant, Byron will have to learn to deal with fatherhood and protect his new family from an unexpected threat.

Genre:
Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Shape-shifter
Length:
42,473 words

THE SHARK WHO RODE A

SEAHORSE

Mate or Meal 5

Scarlet Hyacinth

EROTIC ROMANCE

MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

THE SHARK WHO RODE A SEAHORSE

Copyright © 2012 by Scarlet Hyacinth

E-book ISBN: 1-61926-229-0

First E-book Publication: January 2012

Cover design by Jinger Heaston

All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

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Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers

Dear Readers,

If you have purchased this copy of
Shark Who Rode a Seahorse
by Scarlet Hyacinth from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy

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Thank you to all
Mate or Meal
readers. Please note that due to the extensive cast in this series, I will be uploading a spreadsheet with the characters and the relationships between them. It will be available as a free download on my website/Google group.

And now, onward with the story!

THE SHARK WHO RODE A

SEAHORSE

Mate or Meal 5

SCARLET HYACINTH

Copyright © 2012

Skylar studied the crowd in the large ballroom with a watchful eye. The party was in full swing, and a huge success if he said so himself. He hadn’t expected a wedding celebration between a wolf and a ewe to be so popular, but apparently, when the wolf in question was an elder, all bets were off.

Elder Kevin Wade and Annabelle Williams had become mates a few months back, but they’d held off on the official announcement due to the disappearance of their sons’ friend, Nicolas Shields. With Nicolas back—rescued from the Mexican rainforest by his mate, Garth—they’d asked Skylar to set into motion the preparations for the bash of the century.

Officially, this party was meant to celebrate their mating, but in fact, it meant so much more than that. It would mark the union between two nations, and point out all the other couples formed throughout the years. Carson and Brody, Shiloh and Liam, Daniel and Soren, and Nicolas and Garth—they would all be here to emphasize that inter-species mating could happen and that shifters of all types should start having a more open mind regarding the person they chose to spend the rest of their lives with.

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

9

Skylar sighed as he took another sip of champagne from his glass.

The bubbling brew tickled his tongue, something he always found amusing since in shifted form, he didn’t have that particular muscle.

But tonight, not even that could break him out of his depression. He’d never restricted himself to seahorses in his search for partners. But since seahorses of his species mated for life, he’d never once pursued either of these relationships. Here he was, in his thirties, and still very much a virgin.

By shape-shifter standards, he was still young. However, seahorses were very precocious in terms of sexual maturity, and the loneliness had started to torment him, more so lately. At last, he’d found a man he felt so attracted to he couldn’t think straight, and the person in question ignored him.

His eyes fell on the large, imposing figure of the hunk starring in all of his dreams lately. Byron Cunningham had also been invited to the celebration. Skylar had actually thought the shark wouldn’t come since Byron seemed to go out of his way to avoid him. However, Byron had indeed taken Elder Wade up on the invitation. There he was, so close, and yet so far away.

Carson’s voice startled Skylar from his glum thoughts. “Hey, Skylar. Excellent party.”

Skylar turned toward his lamb friend and forced himself to smile.

“Thanks, but it’s not my merit. Garth did a lot of it, and most of all, your mother.”

Carson laughed. “She was quite enthusiastic about it, wasn’t she?”

Carson smiled fondly. “Who’d have thought that one day, she would mate a wolf?”

“Times are changing,” Skylar replied. “We have you and Brody to thank for that.”

Carson blushed. “Hardly. We just loved each other.”

Of course, Skylar knew there was more to it than that, but he didn’t insist. Their conversation was interrupted when a loud crash sounded to his left. Skylar turned only to see one of the wolves in
10

Scarlet Hyacinth

attendance having an unpleasant showdown with a ram from Annabelle’s flock. Fuck. He should have known better than to believe the party would go smoothly.

Thankfully, Garth appeared before the altercation could gain proportions. He grabbed both culprits and began to drag them to the exit. As he did so, he passed Skylar. “Hey, I need a favor,” he whispered. “Can you keep Byron company until I come back? I need to take care of these losers, and I don’t want him to be all by himself.”

“I don’t know if that’s a very good idea,” Skylar protested. Byron would most likely run in the other direction once he saw Skylar coming. Skylar didn’t even know why because if he had, he would have tried to do something about it. “He hates me.”

“Nonsense.” Garth waved his concern away. “You’ll be fine.

Please, Skylar.”

Skylar groaned, knowing he couldn’t possibly refuse his friend.

He might have attempted to convince Garth of pushing someone else to do it, but Byron wasn’t exactly the easiest person to be around. In fact, most everyone seemed nervous around him, even Elder Wade, who didn’t strike Skylar as a man who scared easily.

As Garth left, Skylar said good-bye to Carson and headed toward Byron. His heart started to beat a little faster with each step he took.

Secretly, he wanted to do this. He’d never have mustered enough courage to approach Byron if not for Garth’s request.

He noticed the exact moment when Byron realized his intention.

The shark’s big body tensed, and electricity sizzled over Skylar’s spine. He gulped, and sensual images invaded his mind. He could almost see himself naked, bound and at Byron’s mercy. He could feel Byron’s thick prick pounding inside him at a punishing rhythm.

Byron would be able to give him everything Skylar had yearned for and had always been afraid to find. But of course, Skylar could never hope for that since Byron wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole.

Perhaps Byron had sensed the fact that Skylar lusted for him, and this was the reason of his behavior. The realization was like a bucket
The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

11

of ice water over Skylar’s arousal. It made sense. Byron must enjoy only the company of females, and someone like Skylar disgusted him.

With that new understanding came a tremendous wish to flee the busy ballroom and bawl his eyes out. But he’d promised Garth he would play host for Byron. Besides, he wasn’t a child that would weep whenever he didn’t get his way. He could deal with this. He had no choice.

Pasting a smile on his face, he made his way to Byron’s side. “Mr.

Cunningham.” He nodded at Byron, attempting to find a topic of conversation. “I never did get to thank you for what you did for us.”

“No thanks needed,” Byron replied, his voice low and husky. “It was a favor for a friend.”

“Still, I appreciate your help tremendously.” Skylar struggled to keep the talk from falling into awkward silence. “If there’s anything I could ever do to repay you…”

He wanted to take the words back as soon as he uttered them. He sounded far too eager, and he’d managed to slip sexual innuendo into the phrase without intending to.

Even if he acknowledged his gaffe, he didn’t expect the words that came out of Byron’s mouth.

“You can stay away from me,” the shark said, his tone having grown as cold as ice. “I don’t want to be around you.”