《When I Was The Moon and You Were The Ocean》 ~One~ The crest of each wave sparkled from the silver light of the full moon, a mirror of the billions of tiny stars that dusted the night sky. The waves rolled onward until they broke on the distant beach in calming, steady rhythms, the only sound in the still night. Since the dawn of time, there was always a connection between the ocean and the night; a connection that would last seemingly forever. The moon pulled at the ocean, inviting it in only to have it withdraw into its solitude. But the ocean always returned, pulled in by the love from the moon. Even when the moon could not be seen, the ocean felt its ever-constant presence. Despite its mysteries, the ocean was never truly alone. Ronan was never really alone. Though he had no memory of his past life, his family or friends, he had the company of the moon. He felt a connection with the moon in the same way the ocean did. Although, the pull he felt from the moon made less logical sense than the way the moon pulled at the ocean. He couldn¡¯t quite explain why he was so drawn to the moon; to the night. Perhaps it was the way the night sky was reflected on the ocean¡¯s surface. When he broke through the surface, millions of sparkling water droplets fell off of him like tiny little stars. When he swam, he felt as if he were flying through space, dancing among the stars. At night, while the rest of the world was asleep, he was awake. He was alive. He was free. The bays and coves he called home were isolated from the mainland, though from time to time the occasional couple would find sanctuary on one of the little islands, or on the secluded beaches, or hidden in the trees. Which made it the perfect place to call home. He could swim and be free, far from curious eyes, yet he was close enough to the mainland where he could be a part of society for a day. He didn¡¯t feel the need to be a part of society. But he did enjoy the company of people. He could socialize with people. He could not socialize with the moon. Still, it was difficult to get close to anyone for fear of them finding out who he really was. It was a lonely sort of life, and he often daydreamed about the life he once had, before he became the siren he was now. Ronan gazed at the moon as he floated in the ocean. People always said they could see a face in the moon. He could never see it, no matter how hard he tried. Maybe he wasn¡¯t imaginative enough to see a face in the dark shapes of the moon¡¯s surface. He would have liked to. He liked to think that maybe the face was the face of a dear friend or family member, and they were always there, watching him, guiding him. He sighed. In the silver light of the full moon, he felt very, very alone. His gaze moved to the nearby beach, his attention caught by a figure that moved in the darkness. He lowered himself into the water, his eyes just peeking over the surface. It was a solitary figure; not a couple like he was accustomed to seeing. And it seemed far too late at night for anyone to be out and about. For a moment, he considered that the figure may have gotten lost in the dark. Or maybe they simply couldn¡¯t sleep and were looking for somewhere to be alone. Though it was dark, he could see enough from the bright light of the moon to see that the figure was hunched over. Was this person intoxicated, he wondered? The figure seemed to stumble along the beach for a moment until it finally dropped to the ground and fell still. Ronan¡¯s pulse quickened. Something was wrong. He dove under the surface of the water and swam as fast as he could, surfacing when he neared the shore. When the water became too shallow, he transformed into his human form, scurrying across the beach until he reached the figure and dropped to its side. The figure was a man, roughly around his own age. He had dropped onto his stomach on the beach, but Ronan could tell he was still breathing. He took a moment to look the man over; his body was muscular, his skin medium toned, his hair dark and faded on the sides. His clothes were torn and shredded in places, leaving his lower legs and back exposed. Ronan peered at his back, noticing a very large, peculiar scar in the shape of claw marks, as if a very large beast had swiped at him, dragging its claws from his right shoulder down to his left hip. The scar did not appear to be a fresh injury. Whatever happened to him had to be unrelated, he thought. To his surprise, the figure stirred, and Ronan froze, kneeling naked on the beach beside him. The man groaned lightly, then lifted his head slightly, spitting sand out of his mouth. He weakly rolled over onto his back, then blinked up at Ronan, meeting his gaze. He did not seem startled by Ronan¡¯s presence, but his brows furrowed in confusion. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.Ronan let out a short breath as a realization washed over him. This man was simply drunk. And from the looks of his clothing, homeless. He scoffed quietly, rather involuntary, and the man¡¯s brows furrowed further. He sat up, looked around, then looked down at his torn and ragged clothing. His expression softened and his mouth turned downward into a deep frown. Ronan hesitated, studying the man for a moment. He seemed less like a drunk, homeless man and more like a man simply struggling in life. He supposed he shouldn¡¯t be so quick to judge. ¡°Are you all right?¡± The man nearly jumped at the sound of Ronan¡¯s voice, as if forgetting he were there, and he turned to meet Ronan¡¯s gaze once more. He cleared his throat before he spoke. ¡°Yes,¡± he said horsely. ¡°I mean. Probably. Yeah. Looks like it.¡± Ronan¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Probably? Looks like it?¡± The man let out a sigh and dragged his palms down his face. After a moment, he looked around again. ¡°Where am I?¡± ¡°A couple miles outside town,¡± Ronan said. His lips pressed together as he looked the man over. ¡°Are you¡­ drunk?¡± The man met his gaze, his eyes wide for a moment, then he laughed and shook his head. ¡°No,¡± he said, then seemed to think better of his answer, his lips pursing. ¡°You weren¡¯t¡­ trying to kill yourself or something, were you?¡± He smiled and shook his head. ¡°Uh. No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not very reassuring.¡± The man stood and dusted the sand off of him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I, uh, didn¡¯t mean to worry you.¡± Ronan¡¯s lips twisted to the side and he stood. ¡°People don¡¯t usually come out this far.¡± He paused. ¡°Do you need a ride home?¡± The man shook his head again, then looked around. ¡°No. Um. I¡¯m fine. Just¡­ point me in the direction towards town?¡± Ronan frowned. ¡°It¡¯s pretty late,¡± he said. ¡°And dark. You could¡­ stay here. Until morning.¡± ¡°No,¡± he said with a snap. He met Ronan¡¯s gaze and hesitated. ¡°I mean. I¡¯m fine.¡± Ronan looked him up and down. Though the scar on his back did not look fresh, the man still appeared visibly battered, exhausted, and confused. ¡°I insist,¡± he said. ¡°You should really get some rest before you pass out in the water and drown.¡± The man let out an uneasy chuckle. He continued to look around as if considering his options, then sighed. ¡°Um. Yeah. Maybe.¡± He glanced up at the sky, his gaze toward the moon, and his lips twisted to the side. He looked down at his arms, turned his hands over, then let out a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he had been holding. ¡°Come on,¡± Ronan started. He gestured with his chin towards his home further up the beach. ¡°I live right there. I promise I won¡¯t murder you or anything.¡± The man grinned devilishly, sending a chill up Ronan¡¯s spine. ¡°Please don¡¯t murder me,¡± he whispered. The man laughed and waved his hands at him. ¡°No, no. No murdering. I promise.¡± He crossed his heart with a finger. Ronan held out his pinky finger toward him. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re getting serious,¡± the man said, then looped his pinky around his. ¡°Pinky promise is some serious shit.¡± Ronan smiled. ¡°My name is Ronan.¡± ¡°Myles,¡± the man responded. ¡°So, uh, you get a lot of crazies passing out here on the beach or something?¡± ¡°From time to time,¡± Ronan started. ¡°They don¡¯t usually look as bad as you, though.¡± Myles looked down at himself and laughed lightly. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s, uh¡­ been a long night.¡± Ronan raised a brow at him. ¡°Has it? Or are you just some homeless squatter trying to take advantage of me?¡± Myles grinned and shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯ll be gone by morning. Promise.¡± ¡°And if you¡¯re not?¡± Myles shrugged. ¡°I give you permission to call the cops.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Without another word, Ronan started his way up the beach toward the house. Myles looked around him once more, then trotted to catch up to him, following him toward the house and inside. The house was modest in comparison to some of the beach front homes, but it was still beautifully built with large, clear windows that looked out over the ocean. Myles followed Ronan into the living room, looking around as Ronan gathered some pillows and a blanket. ¡°I don¡¯t normally pick up strangers and let them sleep in my home,¡± he said, handing the pillows and blanket to Myles. ¡°So, I don¡¯t have much.¡± ¡°This is more than enough,¡± Myles said. ¡°I¡¯m used to sleeping on the ground.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not making me feel any better about my decision to let you stay here,¡± Ronan said, and Myles grinned. He held up the pillows and blankets in thanks. ¡°Guess I won¡¯t be seeing you in the morning,¡± Ronan started. ¡°So goodnight and goodbye.¡± ¡°Yeah. Thanks.¡± Myles dropped the pillows and blanket onto the couch as Ronan left him alone. He listened as Ronan¡¯s footsteps faded up the stairs. He settled into the couch, sighed, and closed his eyes. ~Two~ Ronan looked down at the ragged man sprawled out on his couch. He cupped the hot mug of coffee in his hands and took a loud, exaggerated sip. Myles startled, nearly falling off the couch, and he groaned and squinted in the bright sunlight that streamed through the large windows. He looked up at Ronan and for a moment, it seemed he had completely forgotten about the fact that he had crashed on a stranger¡¯s couch. ¡°You said you would be gone in the morning,¡± Ronan said simply. Myles scoffed and cleared his throat. ¡°It¡¯s morning.¡± Ronan shrugged casually and turned away, exiting the living room and making his way across the hall and into the kitchen. ¡°Do you like coffee?¡± Myles let out a sigh, then pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Uh, yeah. Sure.¡± He stood, stretched, and attempted to literally shake the grogginess from his head. ¡°You¡¯re like a dog.¡± Myles jumped at the voice. He turned as Ronan offered him a mug. ¡°What?¡± ¡°A dog,¡± Ronan repeated. ¡°Like a ragged, stray dog.¡± Myles frowned. He accepted the coffee from Ronan. ¡°Uh. Thanks.¡± But instead, he set the mug down on a table by the window. ¡°Look, I¡¯m leaving. I¡¯ll get out of your hair. But, uh. Thanks for the couch.¡± Ronan frowned. ¡°I was only kidding,¡± he started. ¡°If you¡­ need to take some time, you can.¡± Myles hesitated. ¡°Why would you offer that to a stranger?¡± Ronan shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You don¡¯t seem like the creepy murderer type.¡± ¡°I could be.¡± ¡°You could be,¡± Ronan agreed. ¡°Or, you could be just a guy that¡¯s down on his luck or something. I¡¯m not here to judge. But, you passed out on my beach, so I feel inclined to make sure you are well enough before sending you back out into the world.¡± ¡°You¡¯re way too trusting,¡± Myles commented. Ronan grinned. ¡°Nah. I just looked through your wallet while you were passed out.¡± ¡°That¡­ is not cool, man.¡± ¡°And now I know you¡¯re Detective Malone. Most cops are pretty trustworthy guys. However, that only brings up more questions.¡± Ronan tapped his fingers against his mug. Myles let out a short breath. ¡°What?¡± he snapped. ¡°Well, naturally I¡¯m curious about the circumstances that led to you passing out on the beach looking like a drunk, homeless man.¡± ¡°Be as curious as you want,¡± Myles said. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Ronan frowned. ¡°I gave you a bed -¡± ¡°A couch.¡± ¡°I gave you coffee.¡± ¡°You snooped through my wallet.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even call the cops like I said I would.¡± A sly smile pulled at his lips. ¡°But, maybe I should, since they probably know you. They probably wouldn¡¯t be too thrilled to hear about¡­ whatever you were doing late last night.¡± ¡°Are you seriously trying to blackmail me right now?¡± Ronan turned and made his way back toward the kitchen. ¡°Indulge me. Do you like waffles?¡± Myles let out a heavy sigh. He grabbed the coffee mug he had set down, took a sip, then followed Ronan into the kitchen. He sat at the island as Ronan slid two frozen waffles into the toaster. ¡°I thought you were making waffles.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was making the waffles.¡± He turned to face Myles, leaning against the counter. ¡°Where did you get that scar on your back?¡± Myles looked down into his mug. ¡°Uh. Cat.¡± Ronan laughed. ¡°Was it a mountain lion?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So, what really happened?¡± ¡°It attacked a child,¡± Myles said. ¡°Who had gone missing.¡± ¡°And I suppose you tracked it down and rescued the child and lived to tell the tale?¡± ¡°All in a day¡¯s work.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there are any mountain lions around here.¡± ¡°It was a shark.¡± ¡°Sharks don¡¯t have claws.¡± ¡°A bear.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re better at detecting than you are at lying.¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°So it¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°Sure. It¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ronan started. ¡°Secret for secret, then.¡± ¡°No offense, but I really don¡¯t give a fuck about your secrets.¡± Ronan frowned. ¡°Rude. And I thought we would become fast friends.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your friend.¡± ¡°Then I guess there¡¯s no room for you on my couch.¡± Myles stood. ¡°Fine. I didn¡¯t want to be here anyway.¡± ¡°Fine. Leave.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± But Myles did not move. He hesitated, looking around briefly for a moment. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± ¡°I changed my mind,¡± Myles said, sitting down. ¡°Let¡¯s be best friends.¡± Ronan narrowed his gaze on him. ¡°You¡¯re hiding from someone.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°After whatever happened to you, you came out here to try to hide. And you accepted my invite so you wouldn¡¯t be found. And now you plan to wait it out here as long as you can.¡± ¡°No,¡± Myles said slowly. ¡°Wow,¡± Ronan started. ¡°You¡¯re kind of a douche, aren¡¯t you?¡± Myles sighed. ¡°Yeah. Sorry. It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll leave.¡± Ronan moved to a cabinet and took out a bottle of liquor. He poured some into his coffee, then offered it to Myles. Myles hesitated, accepted it, but instead he drank right out of the bottle. ¡°Your secret first,¡± Myles said. Ronan frowned. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not fair. I asked you first.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think your¡¯s is as big as mine.¡± Ronan scoffed and Myles rolled his eyes. ¡°I can guarantee you my secret is bigger,¡± Ronan said. ¡°That¡¯s highly unlikely.¡± ¡°What if it is?¡± Myles rolled his eyes again. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell you mine.¡± ¡°But if its not, then you know my secret and I¡¯m left vulnerable.¡± ¡°Did you break any laws?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then I probably won¡¯t care or turn you in.¡± ¡°But you might tell people.¡± ¡°Who would I tell?¡± ¡°Everyone.¡± Ronan hesitated. ¡°I live out here away from everyone for a reason.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Myles said. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± Ronan sipped his coffee, then set the mug on the counter. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m feeling parched, anyway.¡± Without further explanation, Ronan turned and made his way outside onto the back dock through the sliding glass door. Myles watched curiously as he made his way down to the end of the dock, then dove into the water. He turned back to his coffee, contemplating his options for a moment, then stood with a heavy sigh and made his way outside. He walked to the edge of the dock, but Ronan was nowhere to be found. He turned around for a moment, his brows furrowed, jumping slightly when he heard a splash. He turned towards the sound, but no one was there. Another splash came from behind him, this time drenching him in water. When he turned around again, he finally saw Ronan in the water. And he had a tail. Myles lept back in shock, slipping at the edge and immediately falling into the water. Below the surface, he opened his eyes and just caught a flash of a green tail dart by him. He pulled himself to the surface, then swamp towards the ladder on the edge of the dock, pulling himself back up. He sat on the edge, letting his feet dangle over into the water, and waited for his breathing to slow. Ronan surfaced in front of him and grinned. ¡°You¡¯re pretty jumpy for a detective.¡± Myles gestured to Ronan with both hands. ¡°You¡¯re a fucking merman!¡± Ronan looked down at himself in shock. ¡°Holy shit, I am!¡± Myles rolled his eyes and got to his feet, muttering to himself. Ronan pushed himself up onto the dock, his fins morphing back into human legs, and he stood. ¡°I don¡¯t think you can beat that.¡± Myles folded his arms over his chest and glanced at him. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re as mysterious as you think you are.¡± ¡°I¡¯m mysterious! Have you ever seen a mermaid?¡± ¡°No,¡± Myles started. ¡°But everyone around here claims they¡¯ve seen one.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re real.¡± Myles gestured to Ronan, looking him up and down. ¡°Clearly, you are.¡± ¡°Whatever. What¡¯s your deal, then?¡± Myles frowned. ¡°Well,¡± he started. ¡°I guess maybe we could call it a draw.¡± ¡°Are you a merman, too?¡± ¡°No.¡± Myles hesitated. ¡°The scar on my back is from a werewolf. It happened when I was attacked. When I was turned.¡± Ronan laughed. ¡°Wait, you can¡¯t expect me to believe that.¡± ¡°I believe you¡¯re a merman!¡± ¡°Yeah, because you saw it!¡± ¡°The reason I was on the beach was because I had turned. Or, turned back, anyway.¡± Ronan held his gaze on Myles for a moment, considering this. ¡°It was a full moon last night.¡± ¡°Yeah. It was.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s true? You turn on a full moon?¡± ¡°Uh. At first, yeah.¡± ¡°At first?¡± ¡°Some of the more¡­ experienced people¡­ can control it.¡± ¡°There are more?¡± ¡°How the hell do you think I became one?¡± Ronan frowned. ¡°Are they gonna come and kill me?¡± Myles rolled his eyes. ¡°No. They would have no interest in you.¡± ¡°So, why you?¡± Myles hesitated. ¡°Why are you a merman?¡± Ronan¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said softly. ¡°I have no memory of my life before. I¡¯m sure I had a life. As, you know, a regular human.¡± He hesitated. ¡°But this is my life, now.¡± Myles frowned. ¡°How long?¡± ¡°A few years. You?¡± Myles scratched the back of his head. ¡°Uh. That was only my second transformation.¡± Ronan smiled. ¡°Aw. You¡¯re just a pup.¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Myles hissed. ¡°A cute little baby wolfman.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a wolfman.¡± ¡°Well, look at us,¡± Ronan said. ¡°Guess we were destined to meet after all.¡± ~Three~ ¡°So, you just live out here all alone?¡± Myles asked. They sat together at the end of the dock, their legs dangling over the edge and their feet caressing the water below. ¡°Pretty much,¡± Ronan replied. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t seclude myself out here. I go into town. Have some friends I meet up with.¡± ¡°Do they know about you?¡± Ronan shook his head. ¡°No. I figured out pretty quickly to keep my mouth shut. Don¡¯t need anyone thinking I¡¯m crazy.¡± Myles frowned. ¡°Are you worried you¡¯ll get caught?¡± Ronan shrugged. ¡°Not really,¡± he started. ¡°That¡¯s why I live out here. It¡¯s pretty quiet.¡± ¡°And no one recognizes you? At all?¡± His lips twisted to the side. ¡°I guess not. I have a feeling I¡¯m not actually from around here. You¡¯d think I¡¯d bump into old friends or family if I was, right?¡± He turned to Myles, but he was looking out over the ocean, contemplative. ¡°What about you?¡± Ronan asked. ¡°Does anyone know you¡¯re a werewolf?¡± Myles bit the corner of his lower lip. ¡°A few clans do.¡± Ronan¡¯s brows raised. ¡°There are werewolf clans around here?¡± ¡°A couple, yeah, and back where I came from.¡± ¡°Did one of them turn you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who did,¡± Myles said. ¡°That night is¡­ hazy.¡± Ronan frowned. ¡°And your family doesn¡¯t know? Your friends? Co-workers?¡± Myles hesitated. ¡°No,¡± he said simply. ¡°Actually, ever since I was turned, members from both clans tried to¡­ recruit me, I guess. Said we needed to stick together. They could teach me how to control it. They said I would be dangerous to people around me.¡± ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t join either of them?¡± Myles looked down at his feet. He swung his legs and splashed at the water lightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± he started. ¡°I should have.¡± He let out a sigh. ¡°I dunno. I was scared, I guess. I thought I could handle it. But I turned again, shortly after I was bitten¡­ I don¡¯t really remember what happened. Just that there was a lot of blood¡­ I had¡­ hurt someone.¡± He closed his eyes in an attempt to block out the memory. ¡°So, I ran. I ran, and I didn¡¯t look back. I left everything behind. Everyone I knew. I disappeared. Ended up here and, well, settled in as best as I could. Joined up with a clan here, briefly.¡± ¡°And then you turned again and ended up passed out on my beach.¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Myles said. ¡°I was trying to get as far away as I could. I still can¡¯t control it.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re not with the clan?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Are you hiding from them?¡± ¡°Kinda.¡± Myles hesitated. ¡°It turns out, a lot of the clans work with each other from town to town. It¡¯s actually pretty political. The clan around here is¡­ well, they basically said ¡®fuck the community¡¯ and do their own thing. They¡¯re more concerned on recruitment at any cost. They wanted to use my connections on the force, and I refused. So, we¡¯re not exactly on good terms.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Ronan said. ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s an entire mermaid community I¡¯m missing out on.¡± Myles glanced at him. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen any others?¡± ¡°No. Not yet, anyway. But I don¡¯t really venture far, either.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I guess there must be at least one around. The one who turned me, maybe. I don¡¯t really know how it works. I never really cared.¡± ¡°I bet we could figure it out,¡± Myles said. ¡°Figure out how to get your memories back.¡± Ronan¡¯s lips twisted to the side. ¡°Maybe,¡± he started. ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡± He sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s¡­ complicated. It¡¯s hard to care about my life before when I literally have no attachment to whatever that life was. And this life isn¡¯t so bad. It¡¯s been years. I like who I am.¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Well, sure,¡± Myles muttered. ¡°You¡¯re an elegant, harmless creature and not a monster.¡± Ronan frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a monster.¡± Myles sighed. He leaned back against his arms, his palms down on the dock. ¡°Well, I am. And apparently there are monsters everywhere with zero moral compass.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you do anything? Arrest them or something?¡± Myles laughed. ¡°Arresting a werewolf would be asking to have your insides ripped out,¡± he said. He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d love to be able to do something about it. But it¡¯s not that simple.¡± Ronan pressed his lips together. ¡°So, what are you going to do?¡± Myles sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said quietly. ¡°If I can¡¯t control it¡­ I¡¯m afraid of what will happen. I¡¯ll just¡­ live a life on the run, I guess. I really don¡¯t have any other options.¡± Ronan looked out over the ocean. The setting sun turned the horizon into gradient hues of oranges and pinks. From behind them, he could hear the gentle, cascading sounds of the waves as they broke on the shore and receded. ¡°You could stay here. If you want.¡± He felt Myles¡¯s gaze on him, but did not turn to him. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Myles said slowly. ¡°You¡¯ve done more than enough for me as it is. Besides, I told you I can¡¯t control it. If I turn, you would be in danger. And I can¡¯t¡­ do that again.¡± ¡°It seems your best option if you ask me,¡± Ronan said. ¡°You said so yourself; the clans can¡¯t be trusted. Sure, they might be able to help you, but at what cost? And if you just live the rest of your life on the run, well, that won¡¯t solve anything, either. You might be even more of a danger to the public, and to yourself. But if you stay with me, I¡¯m an impartial party: I won¡¯t try to use you, I can probably help you control it, and I¡¯m a pretty good swimmer. I don¡¯t think your werewolf self will be so willing to chase after me out in the ocean. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s idiotic,¡± Myles said. ¡°I¡¯m quicker and stronger than you realize.¡± Ronan smiled and put his hands up defensively. ¡°Okay, I get it, you don¡¯t have to prove your macho-ness to me.¡± Myles rolled his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not about that.¡± ¡°I think you should stay,¡± Ronan pressed. ¡°We¡¯re secluded out here. The clans won¡¯t know you¡¯re here. They could track you if you try to run. This is the best option for you. And we¡¯re friends now, so I don¡¯t mind having you as a roommate. I have a spare bedroom.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve known me less than twenty-four hours,¡± Myles reminded him. ¡°What are the chances that two people like us meet?¡± Ronan said. ¡°You really believe in fate, don¡¯t you?¡± Ronan shrugged. ¡°I dunno. I don¡¯t really believe in much. Life goes the way life goes. But I like to think that maybe certain opportunities come about that would never have happened otherwise. Is it a coincidence that we met? Maybe. But of all the places you could have run, of all the beaches you could have passed out on, you ended up here. And you¡¯re probably lucky that I found you first.¡± ¡°Or incredibly unlucky,¡± Myles pointed out. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s the thing; whether it turns out to be good or bad, you¡¯ll never know unless you do it. Maybe there is some invisible string of fate that just pulls things together. I mean, that¡¯s how the tides work, isn¡¯t it? There¡¯s an attraction from the moon that shifts the Earth and its oceans. It¡¯s just a thing that is. You don¡¯t see the force, but you see how the tide comes in and goes out, even when you can¡¯t see the moon at all. That connection is always there and will be for as long as this world exists.¡± ¡°So, is that like, a law to being a merman? You gotta be all poetic and shit?¡± Ronan grinned. ¡°Is it a law for all werewolves to be tough douche bags?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± He turned his gaze to the setting sun. ¡°So, I guess I¡¯m the moon, and you¡¯re the ocean.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a fitting metaphor, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°And you think we were meant to find each other?¡± ¡°Well, not in some grand romantic sense, no.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I have a lot of time to think about things. It gets quiet out here. I could use a friend who I don¡¯t have to hide around. Someone who gets it, you know?¡± ¡°Except I don¡¯t think you do get it,¡± Myles said. ¡°You¡¯re inviting a literal dangerous monster into your home. I¡¯ll probably eat you.¡± Ronan smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t think you will.¡± He shrugged. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to. I¡¯m not going to force you. I just think it makes the most logical sense.¡± ¡°Says the guy who compared me to a literal full moon. That¡¯s not poetic, it¡¯s cliche. I¡¯m a werewolf.¡± ¡°I think you should be more worried about me killing you,¡± Ronan mused. ¡°I can already tell you¡¯re going to be an incredibly annoying roommate.¡± ¡°Going to be?¡± Myles echoed, raising a single brow. ¡°So, I¡¯ve got a steak in the fridge we can cook up for dinner.¡± He met Myles¡¯s gaze. ¡°Dogs like steak, right?¡± Myles stood abruptly, visibly fuming, his hands balled into fists at his side. He stomped a foot. ¡°I¡¯m not a dog!¡± ¡°I literally picked up a stray on my beach.¡± ¡°Say it one more time, fishboy!¡± Ronan stood. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong.¡± ¡°I hate it here,¡± Myles muttered. He paused, then glanced at Ronan. ¡°What kinda steak we talkin¡¯?¡± Ronan grinned. ¡°Only the best for my new roomie.¡± He pat Myles¡¯ head. ¡°Stop it,¡± Myles hissed. ¡°This is going to be fun,¡± Ronan said, turning and making his way back toward the house. ¡°We¡¯ll have pillow fights and paint each other¡¯s nails.¡± Myles followed. ¡°I¡¯ll smother you.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± Myles sighed. ¡°I¡¯m gonna need more alcohol.¡± ~Four~ ¡°You¡¯re doing it wrong.¡± Ronan rolled his eyes. ¡°How do you cook steak wrong?¡± Myles pushed him out of the way, taking his place in front of the grill. He stabbed a knife into the cut of steak and frowned. ¡°By overcooking it.¡± ¡°Do you want the damn thing still mooing?¡± Ronan sneered. ¡°If that were an option, yes.¡± ¡°You are such a dude.¡± ¡°I like my steak cooked the right way.¡± ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡± Myles pulled the steak off the grill and onto a plate. ¡°Yeah? Well how about next time we eat fish.¡± Ronan folded his arms over his chest. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to offend me, you cannot. I love seafood.¡± Myles turned to him wide-eyed. ¡°You¡¯re a monster.¡± ¡°Oh, very funny.¡± He grabbed the plate from Myles and made his way in the house. Myles grinned. ¡°Yeah, I know. But you still suck at cooking steak.¡± ¡°Then I will leave all the meat cooking to you, my dear Wolfman.¡± ¡°Hmp.¡± Myles sat at the island and stabbed a fork into his steak. ¡°So, what do you do, anyway? You have a job or something?¡± ¡°Well, this place isn¡¯t free,¡± Ronan said flatly. ¡°I work at a little coffee shop in town.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t all be interesting detectives.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interesting.¡± ¡°So, how does one become a runaway detective? I¡¯d imagine you can¡¯t just get a new job without proper references. And if you have some kind of criminal background, then it¡¯s unlikely you would have used your previous boss as a reference.¡± Myles looked up from his dinner and narrowed his eyes at Ronan. ¡°The clan helped me get a job.¡± ¡°So, you fudged your resume.¡± Myles shrugged and returned to his meal. ¡°My resume is accurate. There wasn¡¯t much to fudge.¡± ¡°Is Malone even your real name?¡± ¡°We help each other out,¡± Myles said, choosing to ignore Ronan¡¯s question. ¡°It¡¯s not easy starting a new life as a werewolf.¡± Ronan chewed his steak thoughtfully, holding his gaze on Myles. ¡°I told you you were interesting.¡± ¡°Look,¡± Myles started. ¡°I kind of have a lot to figure out here. Please don¡¯t make it difficult for me.¡± Ronan put his hands in the air defensively. ¡°I did not mean to suggest that I would,¡± he started. ¡°I just like to get to know the strange men that take up residency with me.¡± ¡°This was your idea,¡± Myles said as he carved further into his steak. ¡°I warned you against it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind harboring you from dangerous werewolf clans,¡± Ronan said. ¡°But I would think you could be a little more appreciative in return.¡± Myles frowned. ¡°This is a bad idea.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Ronan said. ¡°Us supernaturals have to help each other out, right?¡± Myles sighed. ¡°Just until I figure some things out.¡± ¡°Sure. As long as you pitch in around here. You eat other things besides steak, right?¡± Myles smiled. ¡°I¡¯m a werewolf, not a dog.¡± ¡°As long as you pay me rent, I don¡¯t care what you are.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± ***** ¡°Caramel cappuccino.¡± ¡°So, how come you¡¯ve never talked about this Myles guy?¡± Ronan stepped around Nikki as he set the drink order on the counter. ¡°It never came up.¡± Nikki folded her arms over her chest. ¡°You¡¯ve been friends with this guy apparently forever and you never once mentioned him,¡± she said. ¡°And now out of the blue he comes over to stay with you?¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°He¡¯s just¡­ down on his luck.¡± ¡°And he¡¯s living with you?¡± Ronan nodded. ¡°For how long?¡± Ronan shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Until he figures some things out.¡± ¡°Is he cute?¡± Ronan looked up thoughtfully. ¡°He¡¯s got that rough, tough guy thing going. So, if you¡¯re into that.¡± ¡°Is he muscular?¡± she said dreamily. ¡°Yeah. I think he kinda has to be, you know? Mr. Big Shot Detective.¡± ¡°He sounds dark and mysterious.¡± ¡°You need to get laid,¡± Ronan muttered. ¡°I do. Is he an option?¡± Ronan rolled his eyes and stepped around her, busying himself as he organized the counter, taking a moment to enjoy the lull in the coffee shop. ¡°Come on,¡± Nikki whined. ¡°I wanna meet him!¡± ¡°Give him a damn chance to get settled.¡± ¡°Fine. But promise me we can meet him?¡± ¡°Maybe. If he¡¯s up for it.¡± ¡°He¡¯s single, right?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten much out of him.¡± ¡°So sexy,¡± Nikki whispered. ¡°You have a problem.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been reading too many romance novels,¡± she said simply. ¡°I have succumbed to the dark and mysterious trope.¡± ¡°Am I dark and mysterious?¡± Nikki laughed loudly and Ronan frowned. ¡°I think you¡¯re more the romantic type.¡± Ronan tilted his head to the side, considering this. ¡°I can do romantic. Girls like that, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Well, if you¡¯re gonna go after Myles, then you better hook me up in return.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any single girl friends!¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Aw, don¡¯t be like that. You¡¯re a catch.¡± Ronan snorted. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± he said quickly. ¡°I need to get laid.¡± Nikki grinned. ¡°We¡¯ll scope out someone for ya. I¡¯ll wingman ya!¡± ¡°Remember what happened last time you did that?¡± ¡°She was cute!¡± ¡°She wouldn¡¯t stop calling me!¡± ¡°Well, stop being such a dreamboat.¡± She winked at him. ¡°I can¡¯t help that I¡¯ve been cursed with strikingly good looks.¡± ¡°I hate to say it, but you¡¯re getting old,¡± Nikki started. ¡°Women aren¡¯t gonna be as interested in one night stands. They see those baby blues and all they can think of are cute little blonde haired, blue eyed babies.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Ronan started slowly. ¡°I¡¯m just never gonna be that guy.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say I blame ya,¡± Nikki said, wrinkling her nose. ¡°Can you imagine changing smelly diapers for the rest of your life?¡± ¡°Most babies grow up and wipe their own asses,¡± Ronan commented. ¡°Yeah, but like, then they turn into assholes who mooch off of you for eighteen plus years, and by the time you get rid of them, you¡¯re too old to wipe your own ass.¡± Ronan grinned. ¡°It¡¯s awful, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Why do people put themselves through that hell?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°Myles doesn¡¯t have kids, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Sounds like he could use some stress relief.¡± She wiggled her eyebrows at him. ¡°I promise, when he¡¯s settled, I¡¯ll make sure to present all his stress relieving options to him.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± She put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I appreciate everything you do for me. I promise I¡¯ll find someone for you, too.¡± Ronan frowned. ¡°Last time -¡± ¡°That was one time!¡± Nikki barked at him. The door opened, and she turned to the group of women that entered. ¡°Well, hey there, ladies. You here for the weekend? Having a good time?¡± ¡°Hell, yeah,¡± one of the women shouted. ¡°Bachelorette weekend!¡± Nikki turned to Ronan and grinned. ¡°Nikki, no,¡± Ronan muttered. ¡°Can I interest you in a lovely local to show you the sights?¡± Nikki said, gesturing to Ronan. Another woman leaned flirtatiously on the counter. ¡°Maybe.¡± A third woman elbowed her sharply and pushed her aside. ¡°Stop being so thirsty.¡± ¡°Can we just get our damn coffee?¡± A fourth woman, still wearing sunglasses and her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail was sneering at her friends. ¡°Six coffees, coming up,¡± Nikki said, stepping away to prepare their drinks. ¡°So, you gonna show us around later?¡± the second woman said with a flirtatious smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ronan said. ¡°I¡¯ve got plans tonight.¡± Nikki sighed loudly from the coffee station. ¡°Too bad,¡± the woman said. ¡°We¡¯ve got strippers tonight,¡± another woman reminded her, and she considered this with a thoughtful grin. Nikki returned with the coffees, sliding them across the counter. The women paid, dropping cash in the tip jar, and left, hurrying across the street and to the beach, cheering and shouting and taking selfies. ¡°Bachelorette party!¡± Nikki nearly shouted to him. Ronan offered her an apologetic smile. ¡°Next time,¡± he said. ¡°This Myles guy must be pretty special,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Ronan started. ¡°You¡¯re still my best friend.¡± ¡°Hey, I wouldn¡¯t dream of coming between you two. But in all seriousness, I hope he¡¯s okay. You¡¯re a good friend to be helping him out. And when he¡¯s ready to have a little fun, you know where to find me!¡± Early Access: 5 Chapter five will be released to the public in January 2024, but you can read it now before everyone else only on my Patreon! Subscribe for $5/month to read this chapter and tons more content! https://www.patreon.com/posts/early-access-5-93688769?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
When I Was The Moon and You Were The Ocean will have some NSFW scenes. This content will be omitted from the chapters on Royal Road, but will be available to read on my Patreon! A link to read the NSFW chapters will be posted when those chapters are released.
~Five~
A manilla envelope dropped onto his desk, the edges and corners of shuffled-together pages poking out all around. Myles looked up from his computer screen, meeting his boss¡¯s gaze, and let out a heavy sigh.
¡°Don¡¯t sigh at me, Malone. You want the good stuff, then get this shit done.¡± Without another word, he turned and left Myles alone at his desk.
Myles let his chin rest in the palm of his hand. He turned his gaze back to the computer screen, then took a sip of his coffee. He turned his head left and right, stretching his neck, cracked his knuckles, then turned his attention to the folder on his desk. He flipped it open and perused through the pages, scanning the text, the documents, the photos.
It was a fairly new case involving what was assumed to be a rising gang. They had been a nuisance at best over the last few months, their crimes ranging from petty theft to public indecency. It was a case no one particularly wanted; they were just a group of people being obnoxious, particularly to the summer tourists. In truth, there didn¡¯t seem to be much of a case at all. They were arrested and released on bail, and the cycle continued. It was just a matter of formality at this point; having eyes on it in case it escalated any further.
Myles was ready to close the folder to refill his mug when a particular image caught his attention, mixed into the shuffle of police reports and background checks. It was a grainy image from a security camera along the boardwalk of a shirtless man. Myles peered closer at it. His hair was ragged and his jeans were ripped along the cuffs. He seemed¡­ hairier than most men, but not quite so hairy to cause anyone to look twice at the image. He, however, was familiar with the mid-transformation look of a man who was turning back after an evening of rampaging. He couldn¡¯t make out any finer details that would make him easier to identify; no noticeable tattoos or piercings or scars. The background where the sky met the ocean was dark; he could not see the moon, but there was a time and date in the corner.
Myles set his mug down and turned back to his computer. He typed in the date from the photo into the search bar, then added ¡®moon phase¡¯ after it. He got his answer instantly; a waning crescent moon. To transform without the light of a full moon meant the man in the photo was an experienced werewolf; one who could transform at will. One who could easily be a danger to society.
Myles chewed his lower lip, his gaze moving back to the photo on his desk. He couldn¡¯t be sure exactly who that man was, and though the folder contained other varying instances of crime and mischief, there were only a small handful of people that had been caught and identified. Pups, he thought. Quite literally. Though he didn¡¯t have a lot of experience with the nearby clans, he knew only the youngest - the newly transformed - would be foolish enough to get caught. They were inexperienced. They were pawns. Bait. They took the fall while the others got away. But with what?
Myles shifted nervously in his chair. These were not merely petty crimes. They were distractions for something bigger. But what? And why?
He grabbed the folder and moved to the copy machine, placing the pages and photos face down and scanning them to his computer. He let his mind wander as the machine whirred. He didn¡¯t know exactly how many people were involved in the surrounding clans. Hell, for all he knew, there were more than just the surrounding clans involved. The world of werewolves was still brand new to him, and clearly much deeper than he realized.
He returned to his desk, taking the newly scanned files and uploading them to the shared case folder. It was fairly light for a case folder, even with the newly added documents. He took a few minutes to peruse through them once more, but there wasn¡¯t much of note, at least not to an outsider''s perspective. And though he knew for certain that they were werewolves, he didn¡¯t have any additional knowledge beyond that. And he certainly wasn¡¯t going to announce his recent discovery to his colleagues.
Werewolves, they¡¯d laugh. Next, he¡¯d be telling them that mermaids existed.
Myles leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face with his palms.
He peered between his fingers and looked around the room quickly, studying the neck and mouths of his coworkers. There didn¡¯t appear to be any bite marks and from what he could tell, no one was sporting any new fangs.
He stood abruptly, grabbed his mug, and made his way to the coffee machine. He tapped his foot as he waited for it to brew, then bent down to look into the cabinets in hopes of finding alcohol.
¡°The stash is gone ever since the last Christmas party.¡±
Myles straightened and met Lucy¡¯s gaze.
She smiled and gestured over to her desk with her chin. ¡°But if you ever need a pick me up, I¡¯ve got some vodka in the bottom drawer.¡±
Myles leaned against the counter and folded his arms over his chest. ¡°I heard about that party.¡±
Lucy grinned and rolled her eyes. ¡°You know, in hindsight, probably not a great idea to give a bunch of cops and ex-marines alcohol.¡±
¡°What¡¯s a Christmas party without fistfights and sex?¡±
¡°I guess you¡¯re used to that, City Boy.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not loving the nicknames lately,¡± Myles muttered.
¡°What else are people calling you?¡± Lucy frowned. ¡°I really wanted City Boy to stick.¡±
Myles shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s good. Best once I¡¯ve gotten yet.¡± His coffee finished brewing and he grabbed his mug. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll take you up on your offer.¡±
Lucy pushed herself up onto the counter and smiled. ¡°Okay, but if you kick it, you gotta replace it.¡±
Myles saluted her playfully.
¡°What¡¯s Dick got you working on, anyway?¡±
¡°Derek?¡±
¡°We do nicknames around here.¡±
¡°Dick isn¡¯t a great nickname.¡±
¡°Well when he stops acting like one, maybe he¡¯ll get a better one.¡±
Myles grinned. ¡°I got the WTF case.¡±
¡°Aw, man,¡± Lucy whined. ¡°The Way to Fail case?¡±
¡°So, it¡¯s not the What the Fuck case?¡±
¡°More or less,¡± Lucy said. ¡°But he loves to give the unsolvable stupid shit to the new guys. You know. To make them fail and quit.¡±
¡°Dick suits him, then.¡±
Lucy smiled apologetically. ¡°Yep. Pretty much.¡±
¡°Someone¡¯s gotta do the shit work, right?¡±
¡°You¡¯re a glass-half full kinda guy, huh?¡±
¡°Eh, not usually.¡± He sipped his coffee and shrugged. ¡°But the joke¡¯s on him; I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡±
¡°I¡¯ve got nowhere else to go.¡±
¡°Less of the spirit I was hoping for.¡±
Myles winked at her.
¡°Are you one of those down on your luck dead inside detectives?¡±
¡°The deadest.¡±
¡°Nice. You¡¯ll fit in well, here. All the old farts that can¡¯t quite retire come here for an easy job while still feeling they got big dicks.¡±
¡°What does that mean for me? I still got thirty-five years of this if I¡¯m lucky.¡±
¡°Keep your head above water and maybe you won¡¯t have shit for the next thirty-five years. I dunno. I¡¯m certainly not here for the coffee. You wanna get something better?¡±
Myles looked down into his mug and cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. Lucy giggled.
¡°You¡¯re like a cute little dog,¡± she said.
Myles frowned. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said slowly. He dumped the coffee into the sink. ¡°Alright. As long as you break out the vodka.¡±
¡°Obvi,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Come on, I know a cute little place on the boardwalk with cute girls.¡±
¡°You had me at coffee.¡±
¡°Not the cute girls?¡±
¡°Not really looking for a relationship right now.¡±
¡°Dude,¡± Lucy started. ¡°I never said anything about a relationship. Get laid. It¡¯s good for ya.¡±
¡°Do you make it a habit of picking up cute girls at coffee shops?¡± he asked.
Lucy grinned and shrugged. ¡°Maybe I do. I mean, it¡¯s just so easy. Buy them some large caramel crapaccino with extra diabetes and they¡¯re happy, you know?¡±
¡°I think I¡¯m going to learn a lot here,¡± Myles said.
¡°Stick with me and maybe we¡¯ll survive this hell and move on to bigger and better things, hm?¡± She led the way out of the station and they walked down the road toward the boardwalk.
¡°What¡¯s keeping you here, then?¡±
Lucy shrugged. ¡°I dunno,¡± she started. ¡°Family I guess. This really isn¡¯t the career I want. But my father and uncles all grew up here, doing this, and I don¡¯t have any brothers, so he kinda pushed me into this. And it¡¯s pretty low-key here, you know?¡±
¡°But you want to move on to bigger and better?¡±
¡°Well, I never said that I would still be doing this specifically.¡±
¡°What else would you do?¡±
She pressed her lips together and turned her gaze to the sky. ¡°I dunno,¡± she admitted after a moment. ¡°I guess I never actually thought about it much. Maybe go back to school and be a lawyer or something. That could be fun. My client is innocent, Your Honor!¡±
Myles nodded. ¡°Yeah, I can definitely see that.¡±
Lucy smiled. ¡°I guess I could start thinking about it. I mean, my dad¡¯s gotta die eventually, right? Then he won¡¯t be disappointed when I quit.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡±
Lucy laughed lightly, then sighed. ¡°Today definitely calls for vodka.¡±
¡°I think I have that effect on people.¡±
¡°Yeah, you¡¯re a total buzz kill, you know that?¡±
¡°You kind of are, too.¡±
She smiled. ¡°To killing buzzes and enjoying them, hm?¡±
¡°The motto of the precinct.¡±