Eye of the Storm (Key West Shifters)

By Arielle Pierce

Nathan has never been in love. He's never felt the pleasure of falling in love, never felt that sense of belonging that comes with being in love. Ever since the dolphin shifter's pod was broken up by the appearance of a ruthless new leader in Key West's shifter community, Nathan has turned his back on the one aspect of his life that always gave him joy--becoming Dolphin. Now, he hides in the shadows and pretends that the life he's built for himself with a domineering, abusive boyfriend is exactly the life he wants.

Jacob has no intention of falling in love. The orca shifter has tracked Aiden, the Key West shifters' leader, halfway around the world, and all he wants is to avenge his brother. Claiming a mate is the last thing on his mind, especially a mate as damaged as Nathan.

Caught in the path of a hurricane and the boiling maelstrom of their own feelings, Nathan and Jacob soon realize that their goals align as harmoniously as their bodies. Can they work together to defeat Aiden and bring back peace to the Key West shifter community and their own damaged hearts? Or will the coming storm leaving nothing but pain and destruction in its wake?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arielle Pierce
• Release date: May 22, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311290755

Arielle Pierce

Arielle Pierce currently resides in both southern Spain and in Wales, ensuring that she doesn't miss the worst of the rains and gales of one country, nor the blazing heat and droughts of the other. When not merrily scribbling away about the adventures of two men in love (or lust, more likely) she can be found sewing sock kitty cats for her small son or gardening in her back yard, where she is locked into a losing battle with the weeds (and with the sock cats, for that matter).

Book preview

Eye of the Storm

Key West Shifters

By Arielle Pierce

copyright 2015 Arielle Pierce, all rights reserved

Parts originally published as the short story 'Breathe' at Storm Moon Press, LLC – 2013

All characters and events are fictitious, and any similarity to real people or events is coincidental. The author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.

Chapter One

Nathan just wanted peace.

He wanted to be able to be free. To fall into the waters of the warm ocean around Key West and to be left alone.

To be himself, completely, to be a dolphin shifter, and not the sad little shadow of a human being that he really was.

But there was no escape. There never was, no matter if he was on land or deep in the ocean. Of course if he had just minded his own business, maybe things would have turned out different.

Maybe.

Nathan hadn't been bothering anyone; he wasn't in anyone's territory. It had been so long since he’d been Dolphin. Too long. His latest partner—the one with the accountant job with its business suits in a land of Bermuda shorts, and the smile that said everything was okay—he was a bit skeptical in thought, a bit cynical in action. A bit cutting with his remarks. A bit quick with his fists. It was easier not to shapeshift than to explain to him that his unassuming, all-but-a-twink boyfriend could blend his shape into that of a delicate spotted dolphin.

It was easier to be normal, to be human.

It was easier to say nothing. It was easier to just sneak out on some nights, to go down to the small beach on Key West and blend into the water there, to blend into Dolphin. To give in to the call of the ocean, just for a few minutes, never long enough for Paul to start wondering, never long enough for Paul to ask a thing.

Never longer than it took to walk the dog.

But now?

It all began because of little Toby, just trying to be Toby. The tiny shifter was always getting in trouble, be it in the ocean or on land. On land it was for his sharp little tongue, his willingness to get into mischief. In the water...well, it was simply for not being a dolphin. He was a shifter, just not the right kind.

Toby was a puffer fish.

And Sam and Tyler were just dickheads, plain and simple. They were never ones to leave a person alone, unmolested. For anyone who thought bottlenosed dolphins were sweet and cute, Nathan wanted to punch them hard in the face. For they were every bit as cruel as any human knew how to be. And Sam and Tyler were every bit as human as they were bottlenosed.

And that's where the trouble began. Toby―poor Toby―was just out enjoying swimming in his otherskin. And Sam and Tyler, well they never knew when they had crossed the line.

All Nathan had done was slip away for a moment under the pretense of walking the dog, slipped away from his safe house with his safe boyfriend. It was late at night and no one would be around. He had come down to the little strip of sand down where Simonton dead ended and commanded Maggie, the dog, to stay and sit while he had slipped out of his clothes. It was only for a short moment, only long enough in his dolphin skin to feel like he wasn't going mad, only long enough to feel what it felt like to be free, again.

He hadn't been gone long when he had encountered poor Toby trapped in the jaws of the two bottlenosed dolphins. They had laughed―actually laughed―as they tossed him from one to the other, and threw him high into the night sky, even knowing it might kill him to take air into his body in his puffed up state. Nathan knew he couldn't allow it to happen, just as he knew this was why he had opted for the human boyfriend, for the human life, whenever one of the other island's shifters asked him why he had turned his back on the shifter community on this little Key. He only had to point to Sam and Tyler and say that was why.

Abuse would do that to a person.

And abuse was something Nathan couldn't stand by and let happen.

Unless it was directed at him.

He dove into the side of Sam, the slightly smaller of the two bottlenosed. Of course, with them being bottlenosed and Nathan only being a spotted dolphin, even the smallest of them easily outweighed him. All he could do was surprise Sam, more than harm him. But if that's all he could do, it was still better than swimming away.

Sam squealed in shock, not knowing that Nathan was there. Tyler turned to buzz at Nathan and in the process, let go of Toby. The tiny green spotted puffer frantically fluttered down to where the corals were. On his heels was Tyler, but the puffer fish managed to get tucked into the sharp coral reef before the dolphin shifter could snap him between his jaws. Tyler blew bubbles in frustration but Nathan knew that Toby was safe, at least for the moment. The dolphins would have to go for air soon, where Toby wouldn't. He could stay there for days, if he had to.

Nathan should have been watching out for the bottlenosed ones instead of watching his friend. Without warning, the wind was knocked out of his lungs as Sam got back at him and slammed into him much harder than Nathan had hit the bottlenosed. Nathan struggled, his sight a blur of bubbles, as Tyler slammed into him from the other side. His world was turning upside down, a confusion of waves and currents and abusive shifters. He let himself go limp, trusting in his buoyancy to lift him up, to let him know where the surface was. It only took a moment―just a second―for him to know, just long enough to dart away before the two could hit him more.

To the shore he raced.

He didn't need to look behind him to know both bottlenosed shifters were hard on his tail. But that's what he wanted, that was how he knew Toby would be safe and could get back to his group. This was an old game, after all, one the bottlenosed boys had played with Nathan's former pod ever since they had first shown up a couple of years ago. Before they had destroyed his pod, before they had destroyed his old life. His happy life.

Nathan had no idea what happy even meant anymore.

The slender dolphin's fin sliced through the surface of the unnaturally calm water. The moon shone off his hide, dancing over the white spots on his back as he leapt into the air, stealing a breath. He had no time to take a graceful jump, no time at all.

Nothing he could do threw them off. Turn, dart, twist. As he fled one, there was the other, anticipating his every move. His swimming was becoming labored. The two were getting closer, their taunts clear under the waves. They told him what they were going to do with him, once they caught him. It was what they always did to him. When they caught him.

He couldn't wait.

Already Nathan was feeling a heat in his groin, a need that Paul, with his safe life, his safe job, couldn't fulfill. He was close, so close. Flipping his flukes and coming to the surface for a breath, he could see the lights of the houses close to the beach. He could do it, he could get away, get back to Paul without a word, without the feelings of guilt. He was almost safe.

A bottlenose dolphin smacked him on the side, the much larger body throwing him off his rhythm. Nathan tried to resist, but the other one took that moment to slam into him from underneath.

Nathan leapt into the sky, looking for any safety from the two shifters. How could he be so close and yet still be caught? His heart began pounding faster, but it wasn't from panic or from his exertions. Tyler swam under him, pushing him from below. Sam punched with his beak into Nathan's side, into his lungs. And that’s when it happened: Tyler swam under him, belly up. Nathan only had the briefest warning before something tried to push its way into his genital slit. He squealed and dove to his right.

There was nothing for it―Nathan drew into his mind, finding his human Self. Finding and forcing it to come back into consciousness. To come back into his body. The shoreline was so close all he had to do was bring his legs down, feeling the soles of his feet brush the sand there.

He was safely back in his human form. Nathan dashed through the water, his sight completely on the shore, and on safety. The dog was barking from where he had left her tied up, no doubt thrilled―as dogs were―at seeing her owner in the water. He almost shouted out to Maggie that he was okay when he felt a strong hand grab him by the hair.

You don't get away that easily.

Forced to his knees, waist deep in the water, Nathan looked up at the man who held him down. Fuck you.

He couldn't get away―Tyler was much stronger than him―but he didn't have to make it easy for them. Sam came up from behind and grabbed him by the arm. Between them, he was dragged ashore. They didn't take Nathan far before throwing him unceremoniously onto the sand. All three men were naked.

And he was aroused. As were they. This was part of the game, part of the deception. It always was. As was his anger.

Trying to maintain as much dignity as he could when faced with two much bigger men than himself, he glared up at them. What do you want?

Tyler stepped up to him, a smirk on his face as he stared down at Nathan. Come now, that should be obvious, shouldn't it? He waved his hand down to his crotch.

The man's erection was only inches from Nathan's face. There was a stirring in his own belly at the sight, and at the way Sam jerked at his own dick, making it just as hard as his podmate's.

Nathan licked his lips.

He shouldn't be feeling this; he should be getting ready to fight. He should be preparing himself to defend what was Paul's. Anything but this...this longing, this want for what they were about to do.

Furious with himself―with the situation―Nathan kicked out. Tyler jumped back when he almost hit his erection. Before Nathan could do anything, Sam slapped him across the face.

What the fuck d'you think you're up to? He dug his knee into Nathan's back, forcing him onto the sand.

In between his struggles, Nathan managed to get out, I could ask the same of you.

Tyler stepped up to his face. You just lay still, there's a good little spotted dolphin. You just lay there and take it, and it won't hurt so bad. But if you fight back...

Straightening up, he reached down to his long cock and slapped it hard across Nathan's face. Again Nathan felt a thrill in his loins, and his moan was not of fear. Tyler smirked and smacked the other side of his face with his cock, the heavy thing making a loud slap in the still, humid air of the night. Nathan opened his mouth to taste it as it trailed across his face. Tyler rubbed his cock head across Nathan’s lips and cheek. As it passed his lips, Nathan tasted the pearl of precum beading on the tip, his tongue lapping at the mushroom-like head. He traced the tip of his tongue just under the edge of the hood, thrilling at the thickness of it, so much larger than the merely adequate one of Paul, who was still sitting at home assuming Nathan was walking the dog, assuming his partner was exactly where he wanted him, body and soul.

Still behind Nathan, Sam grabbed a fistful of hair and throttled him, pulling Nathan's head back. Tyler thrust his cock past his lips, straight down his throat. With no more warning, he was brutally fucked in his mouth and throat.

Damn, I want some of that. Sam loosened his grip on Nathan's hair as he talked, his own shaft standing to attention, begging for Nathan's lips around it.

Caught up in the moment, Nathan pulled away from Tyler to take Sam's dick in his mouth. This man was uncut, and Nathan ran his tongue around the flare of the foreskin as it stretched over the deep red glans head. With his hand he stroked the shaft towards him, causing the foreskin to pucker over the head. He lightly bit it before driving the cock deep into his throat.

Tyler moved behind Nathan. He positioned himself right behind Nathan's exposed ass after forcing his legs apart. His cock pressed against his opening, forcing the tight hole to open, forcing Nathan to submit to him. The shock of the massive cock pushing into that private part that should have been only Paul's, forcing the flesh to stretch, to tear, was delicious agony. To make sure he kept quiet, Sam rammed his cock as far as it would go down Nathan's throat.

Skewered by the two men, Nathan was forced to keep to his hands and knees. Both men pounded into him, using him as a fuck, nothing more. Over and over he was rammed, pummeled. Caught up in their lust, the men forgot to keep quiet, murmuring abuse to him when they weren't moaning loudly at how good he felt.

And Nathan loved it. He loved every slam from behind that forced the cock in his mouth deep into him. He loved the strong hands on his hips, the strong hands gripping his hair. He loved every slap on the cheek, every hard thrust, every movement that flung his body like a rag doll from one cock to the next, ramming him, stabbing him. His own forgotten cock was so hard it was painful. Delightfully painful.

Nathan felt Tyler come, felt the warmth deep within him. After a few more ragged thrusts, the man collapsed across Nathan's back. Nathan’s legs almost buckled as he took the weight. Sam continued to pound his cock deep into Nathan’s mouth.

Get off him, man, I wanna come in that tight ass, too. He pulled his dick out of Nathan’s mouth.

Throwing them both to the sandy ground, Sam pulled Nathan free and threw him onto his back. Lifting Nathan’s legs up, he pushed them over his own shoulders, exposing Nathan's already sore ass to his own erection. Giving it a few strokes to make it as hard as he could, he pushed into Nathan. Arching his back, Nathan felt every inch.

You like that, don't you, whore? For emphasis, Sam pounded deep into him.

What could he say? Sam was right. If he wasn't, Nathan would be at home with Paul right now, sitting in front of the TV. The dog would be lying at his feet, not barking and fighting her leash to save him. Paul would be half asleep, bored with life and assuming his lover was too.

Nathan should have been there, in that room, the ocean breeze kicking up the edge of the window curtain, the sounds of Duval street faint in the background. He should have been happy to be human, not longing for his dolphin shape. He should have trusted that Paul was right, was always right.

Everyone was right but him.

Opening his mouth in silent scream, Nathan came. Sam collapsed on top of him, coming hard as well. They lay like that, silent for once. Nathan listened to the sound of the ocean caressing the white sands