Coby had to stay in the hospital another three days following the fight. He was sent to a more secure wing of the building where he would be under constant surveillance. Ash, to Abel’s intense annoyance, refused to leave his friend’s side.

“You still have a test coming up,” Abel argued. “You need to be studying for that!”

“Fine, I’ll do that here!” Ash countered, his phone already in his hand to send a text. “I’ll have Colin bring me my stuff now. I’m not leaving him, Dad!”

Abel clenched his jaw, his dark eyes falling on Coby’s prone form lying sedated on the bed. Ash wasn’t the only one who had felt responsible for leaving Coby unprotected and vulnerable. They had known there were still people out looking for him, and yet they took no measures to keep him safe. Coby nearly died and it would have been Abel’s fault if he had. Some protector of the people he was.

Seeing the defiance in his son’s dark green eyes told him there would be no point in arguing. Ash was furious with himself for not having been here to protect Coby, for not helping him. He knew how to fight, knew how to defend himself and others. He’d let Coby down and it was eating at him, Abel could see that. He also knew how deeply his son already cared for the merman and how responsible he felt for Coby’s safety.

He sighed with resignation. “Fine,” he grumbled. “I’ll bring you an overnight bag. But I mean it, Ashley David, you better get some good studying in while you’re here.” He nodded at Coby. “I know he’ll tell you the same thing.”

Ash nodded. “I will, Dad, I promise.”

Abel nodded once and left the room, giving final instructions to the officers outside the door not to allow anyone who wasn’t approved anywhere near Coby’s room. As far as anyone else was concerned, Co-Bieasah didn’t exist in this hospital.

True to his word, Ash put in time studying whenever Coby was asleep, and even went over some of his materials when Coby showed some interest in what he was reading. Colin was the most frequent visitor outside of Abel. Lynn and Sophie, Ash’s youngest sister, were unable to come because of school and extracurricular activities that kept them past visiting hours. However, they had expressed through text messages how excited they were that Coby would be staying with them and that they already had his room all set up for him.

The receptionist whom Abel had found knocked out on the floor was treated for a minor head wound and a concussion. She apologized profusely for telling Sy-Ohna that Coby was in the hospital, but she was still put on administrative leave for two weeks as punishment.

A bed was made available to Ash, even pushed up next to Coby’s, but he didn’t use it. He slept next to Coby every night, holding him close, careful not to touch his bare skin or his braids. Even with the constant round-the-clock guard outside the room, Ash refused to leave Coby’s side if he could help it. And Coby, for his part, clung to him as though his entire universe depended on it.

One thing Coby did allow Ash to do was to stroke his hair. It seemed to help calm him down whenever he was feeling too anxious or his pain levels had increased. Whenever Ash had Coby in his arms, the smaller man clinging to him from either pain or fear, Ash would play with his hair, running his fingers through it slowly until Coby had calmed down and fell asleep. Even then, Ash still continued to savor the softness of the soft, wavy blue locks until he, himself, fell asleep. That was, of course, when he wasn’t studying for his test.

On the third day, while Ash was taking a shower, Coby overheard a few of the nurses talking outside his room, and what he heard made his blood run cold.

After Coby had been taken to surgery and Aubrey’s body taken to the morgue, Nurse Kim and two more staff returned to the room to take care of Sy-Ohna and deal with the destruction that had been caused.

The Sarathian was gone.

Coby knew he hadn’t killed him, it was impossible. But he had at least hoped the warrior had been incapacitated long enough to be taken to jail. Knowing he was still out there somewhere, wounded and angry, filled Coby with more fear and anxiety than he’d ever known, even more than the initiation training he’d undergone three years prior to become one of Poseidon’s Sons. 

He, and the Flame, were still in danger. 

He reached for the side table drawer and pulled it open, revealing the whale skin pouch tucked safely within. He fingered the strings that held the pouch closed, tempted to gaze upon his purpose, to remind himself why he was there in the first place, but decided against it. It was hard enough knowing he had to deny himself Ash, but to face the reality of his situation, that he was the only one left to protect the Flame, and therefore the whole of his tribe, was overwhelming.

He had tried to stop Da-Hana and his men from killing everyone in the caverns. He had tried to convince them what they were doing was wrong and to stop before they made things worse for everyone. Da-Hana hadn’t listened, too blinded by his own greed to care. He’d gone through and killed every last Son, no matter how fiercely that had fought back.

“Take the Flame!” one had screamed at Coby. “Take it and run!”

Coby had hesitated, wanting to save his friends first, but the choice to do so was ripped from him when Da-Sama took his Master’s head from his shoulders. Coby grabbed the Flame and swam for his life. In a way, he was still flying through the water, desperate to escape, desperate to stay alive. If he stayed in the condition he was in, if he didn’t heal, he would remain trapped…stranded in the open sea with no hope and no reason to go on.

Yet he, by some miracle, was still alive. Coby was beginning to think he was being protected by the hand of Poseidon himself, making sure his Son fulfilled his duty. Coby would not allow that grace to go to waste, not if he could help it.

He gripped the strings tightly in his fingers, his recitations and prayers a soft whisper on his lips as he resolved to get better, to heal, to rebuild his energy and magic so he could get the Flame to the temple and alert the King to the danger the Sarathian’s were facing. He hoped that during this time, however long it may have to be, Sy-Ohna and anyone else who may blame Coby for what happened at the caverns, would not find out about Ash and his family.

They could come for him, that was fine.

They would not come for his mate.

“Everything okay?”

Coby jolted slightly, releasing the strings and closing the drawer. He turned to Ash, standing nearby in an oversized t-shirt and shorts, toweling his thick dark hair. He had been so lost in his meditations, he never heard the water turn off. His heart skipped at the sight of Ash, at how handsome and striking the older human was. He smiled softly.

“Yeah,” he said, pushing down the desire to reach for Ash and feel his skin, fresh and smooth from his shower and shave. “Everything’s fine.”

Ash grinned and moved to the side of the bed, sitting so close to him, Coby could smell the woodsy soap Ash used. “We’re going home in the morning,” he said, leaning one arm over Coby’s lap, his hand resting next to him on the bed. “For real this time.”

Coby chuckled softly. “I know.”

“Nervous?”

“Kind of,” Coby admitted with a tiny shrug. “I mean, the guy that attacked me, and those men Da-Hana made a deal with are still out there, so…”

“They won’t get to you, Co,” Ash said firmly. “My dad is looking into the traffickers and he’s already got some good information on them that could lead him to where they are.”

“What will he do when he finds them?”

Ash shrugged. “Notify the higher authorities, I guess. I really don’t know.” He ran his free hand through his damp hair, rubbing the back of his neck. “Thing is, this isn’t the first time he’s dealt with these guys.”

“Really?” Coby’s eyes went wide and he straightened.

Ash nodded. “Those assholes have caused a lot of problems for this town in the past, and every time my dad gets close to them, they get away. He’s hoping this time he can finally pin them down and take them out for good.”

Coby sighed, his shoulders dropping. “That would be nice,” he said, his gaze falling to his lap. “Hopefully he can stop them before they go after my people.”

“Think they will?”

“I’m not sure,” Coby admitted with a shake of the head. “I know they want me and…something I have. Da-Hana said he made a deal with them to protect our tribe from other people like them, but I doubt they’ll honor it now that he’s dead…” His voice trailed off and he fidgeted with the blanket.

Ash tilted his head, trying to grab Coby’s eyes with his own. “And you’re here.”

Coby nodded slowly. Ash saw him pull in his bottom lip, his chin trembling.

“Hey,” he said softly, putting his hand gently on Coby’s chest, feeling his steady heartbeat beneath his thin shirt and warm skin. Coby slowly lifted his gaze to Ash. “They won’t find you, Co. And if they did, I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you. I swear it.”

Coby swallowed hard, his eyes filling with tears. “I have to get better, Ash,” he said, his voice trembling with emotion. “I have to heal and regain my powers, or else my people will be in danger.”

“Baby, right now you’re the one that’s in danger,” Ash said, not caring about letting the word slip. “Worry about you first, okay? The Sarathian’s are safe for right now, we would have heard if they weren’t.”

Coby’s gaze dropped once more, silently admitting Ash was right. For all they knew, the traffickers were laying low, doing their best to stay off the authorities’ radar. They probably didn’t even know where Coby was, or if he even survived the fight on the beach. He had to believe they were ignorant of his whereabouts and hoped they would leave his people alone.

Still, there was another threat to consider.

“Sy-Ohna will come for me,” he said softly.

“And I’ll kick his ass if he tries.”

Coby snapped his head up, shocked at Ash’s declaration. “What?”

“I’m not letting him or anyone else hurt you again, Coby,” Ash said, his gaze fierce. He swallowed hard, his heart thudding in his chest as his hand slowly slid from Coby’s chest to his uninjured left side and around his back. “I don’t give a fuck who they are.”

Coby’s breath caught in his throat as a sudden surge of energy flooded his body, igniting his soul, demanding he allow Ash to do the one thing he hadn’t since the moment they first met:

Touch him.

To make the connection he continued to deny himself.

If he did, he could draw strength from Ash, allow more of the human’s energy to feed his own, and in turn feed Ash’s once it had returned to its former intensity. Ash would be able to fight at his side, to help take on this burden.

But he would also be exposing Ash to even greater danger. Any Sarathian who came to shore looking for Coby would sense Ash’s energy all over him and go after him. Ash could promise to destroy armies for him, but it made little difference when all Coby wanted was for his mate to stay safe and out of this situation. He was willing to allow the Turner’s to take him in and protect him while he healed, but he refused to let Ash go deeper than that. No matter how much he wished he could just give in and allow Ash to be the mate he was destined to be, he had to put his people first and prevent the humans from getting killed because of him.

Still…he wanted Ash to be his…he wanted his heart…wanted his arms around him every day and his body next to his every night. He wanted to be loved, to be cherished and supported. He wanted Ash to help him, but he knew this was not a burden he could share. He may long for his mate, but he was destined to swim this current alone.

With a conflicted heart, he placed his hands on Ash’s chest, gripping the fabric of his shirt, letting his head fall forward on his shoulder. Ash wrapped his arms around him, drawing him close, mindful not to aggravate Coby’s healing injuries. 

The surge lessened, drifting aimlessly through Coby’s body, attaching itself to his soul, searching for its mate, annoyed that its host wouldn’t give it what it wanted, what it needed to grow and strengthen. It needed Ash…it needed to be connected to its mate’s energy. Coby was being selfish in denying himself the one thing that would ultimately heal him and make him stronger faster.

To connect with him would be the ultimate act of selfishness, he scolded himself. I must put my people before my own heart. That’s just the way it has to be.

Coby began to tremble as he felt the intense disappointment flow from within him, and from the Flame itself. 

It’s for the best…he tried to tell himself again, feeling how pathetically weak his protests were becoming. I will regain my energy and strength through meditation and training, just as Master taught me. I won’t put Ash in danger for my sake. 

“I’ll keep you safe, Co-Bieasah,” Ash murmured in his ear. “Let me do that for you.”

Coby didn’t realize he was crying until a tear rolled off the end of his nose onto Ash’s shirt. He shook his head, but it wasn’t in rejection to Ash’s request. In the short term, Ash’s protection would be helpful…but that, too, felt incredibly selfish, and he was starting to hate himself for thinking that way.

“That’s asking too much of you,” he said softly. “You barely know me.”

Ash’s hold tightened, his breath hot against Coby’s exposed skin, his face touching no more than his wavy blue hair. “Somehow,” he said, swallowing hard. “I have a feeling that’s not entirely true.”

Coby’s fingers gripped Ash’s shirt tighter and he gritted his teeth against the hot tears that threatened to pour like rivers down his heated face. 

Harden your heart, Co-Bieasah…it’s the only way to protect him.

Despite his thoughts, despite all he knew he should do to keep that wall up, he continued to cling to Ash.

He was so lost within the warmth and comfort of Ash’s strong arms, he didn’t even notice the soft stream of energy that flowed from Ash directly into him, feeding his near-empty well of power, and gently healing all the tiny injuries and burns that still remained within his body.

**