Page 15 of Riding the Tide

“Cream? Sugar?” Kannon asked.

“Yes, please.”

“Stuff is over there by the coffee maker. Help yourself.” Kannon handed him a cup of coffee.

A few seconds later Marcus finished doctoring his coffee and sat at the table. Nisha and Kannon joined him.

“Okay, what’s up?” Nisha asked. “Did something happen last night in my territory—”

“Yes and no, but nothing bad,” Marcus answered.

Nisha claimed the entire island as his. Which wasn’t unusual, but it was a vast area. Because it was so big, Nisha allowed other merfolk in his territory on the condition they swear loyalty to him. In return for allowing those mers to stay there, he offered his protection to them. They, in turn, either helped guard it or performed other services. Marcus was one of the ones who was a guard—or a warrior.

“That’s about as clear as cephalopod ink,” Nisha said.

Kannon snorted.

“Yes, well, it’s been that kind of day.” Marcus launched into his story, quickly explaining how he decided to swim with the pod of dolphins, then seeing the dinner cruise, and how a human fell overboard. “I decided to help.”

Nisha squinted at him. “Wait. You… what? You helped that human?”

“Well, yes.”

Nisha blinked at him. “And you were in your human form, correct?”

Marcus toyed with the coffee cup. “Um, no.”

Nisha carefully set his coffee back on the table. “Excuse me?”

Oh, he hated that arrogant, know-it-all tone of Nisha’s. “I was swimming with the dolphins. Of course I wasn’t in my human form.”

“Let me see if I have this straight. The human fell overboard and you decided to—what? Help out of the goodness of your heart? Get involved in a situation that had absolutely nothing to do with you? Reveal yourself to someone who has no business knowing about us? Is that what I’m hearing?” Nisha demanded.

Kannon cleared his throat. “Hold on, Nisha. We’re missing something here. Isn’t that right, Marcus? I mean, granted, I don’t know you that well, but I know the only time you have anything to do with humans is when you’re looking for sex.”

“I’m more worried about the fact he got involved with the humanwhile in his mer form. Dammit, Marcus.” Nisha massaged his temples. “What were you thinking? You know you’re not supposed to—”

Kannon shook his head. “I’m telling you, there’s something fishy here.”

Marcus glanced at Kannon. “Ironic wording, wouldn’t you say?”

“Marcus!” Nisha growled. “Stop ignoring me. We need to address the situation with this human. Did he see you? Where is he? Did he threaten you? Do we need to make him disappear?”

“Over my dead body,” Marcus snapped.

“Good God, it’s as obvious as the blue hair on your head something’s going on here,” Kannon said.

“What’s going on is he exposed us,” Nisha said to Kannon. He turned back to Marcus. “What did you do with him? I can’tbelieveyou did this. You’re usually one of my most levelheaded—”

“Sardonic,” Kannon added.

“You’re not helping,” Nisha snapped at Kannon.

Kannon poked Nisha in the shoulder. “Unless you want to sleep on the couch, I suggest you tread carefully. You’re notlisteningto him,” Kannon stressed. “I’m telling you, there’s more to this than—”

“The human is my mate.” Marcus sat back.

“What?” Kannon gasped.

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