Zero continues to hold the front door open, and I half expect to see their mates following close behind, but rather than the two witches I’ve grown accustomed to seeing with my friends, two other people walk in instead. A man and a woman who look like they might be in their early forties—not that age matters when in reference to paranormals.
The woman’s gaze immediately bounces to me before smiling softly and glancing at the man next to her. Zero points at a table in the back and whispers a few words to them. Both the man and the woman nod before walking toward the table and taking aseat. Zero and Rook both glance at me at the same time, making it obvious that I must be the reason the four of them are here. Interesting.
I’ve never seen the couple before. The ocean magic inside of me swirls before extending out to weave between the couple, curious. My inner kraken lifts his head and extends his tentacles, tasting the power around us.
As a mer-kraken hybrid, aka half merman, half kraken shifter, I have a special gift. For me, that’s being able to sense magic. Like most shifters, I have an inner beast that resides inside of me. Only I can’t fully shift into a large octopus. Because of my merman heritage, I can only partially shift. While the upper portion of my body looks human, the lower half of my body shifts into tentacles. In my human form, my tentacles remain hidden on my body as magical tattoos. Those tattoos shift and change positions as they continue to taste the magic surrounding us.
I glance over at Zero and Rook as they approach. Zero extends his hand with a smile, and I immediately grasp it out of respect. Before Zero retired last year, we both served on the same team for the Elite Guard. At first, I was shocked when I found out the infamous rogue vampire hunter had retired, let alone settled in a quaint ocean town like Heart’s Hollow, but after a few short visits to his home, I understood why. I was hooked.
“Darius, buddy, how are you?” Zero asks before tugging on my hand and pulling me into a backslapping hug. Zero has always been one scary, focused motherfucker while on a mission, but offduty? The dragon is just as cheerful as he is charming. And ever since retiring and finding his true mate, he’s been nothing but smiles. So much so that he looks even younger than he did a year ago. It’s nice to see my friend no longer haunted by his past.
“I’m good.” I pull away from his embrace and extend my hand out to the wolf man. “Rook, nice to see you.”
Tentatively, the wolf’s hand softly grasps mine, almost as if he’s afraid of hurting me with his claws.
“What can I do for the two of you?” I ask before glancing over at the two witches in the back of my shop. Both the man and the woman are leaning forward, watching us. “Or should I say, what can I do for you four?”
Zero’s grin grows wide. “Ah, I see retirement hasn’t fully settled in yet. You’re as observant as ever.”
I chuckle. “After so many years of being with the Elite Guard, do those instincts ever truly go away?”
“Touché, my friend.” Zero nods toward the couple. “They need a favor, and I think you would be the perfect man for the job. If you have a moment, can you meet us back at the table after I order so they can explain?”
Curiosity builds inside of me, causing my Kraken to stir. How could I possibly help two witches as powerful as them? I guide my friends up to the front counter and nod at my employee.“Anna, please get these two gentlemen whatever they want today. On the house.”
Anna nods. “Sounds good, boss.”
“I’ll be joining them for a quick conversation. Do you mind holding down the fort?” Luckily, we are in that small lull between the breakfast and lunch rush.
“Sure thing. Would you like anything to drink?”
I glance briefly at my menu board. “I’ll take an iced chai.”
Rook smiles at me as Zero steps forward and orders for the group. “How are you adjusting to our town? Do you miss the hustle and bustle of being on missions?”
Through the glass window of my shop, people and creatures alike weave their way down the cobble sidewalks of downtown. Heart’s Hollow is beautiful any time of the year, but there is something magical about the way fall makes way for winter. Fall leaves in beautiful shades of orange, yellow, and red surround the town’s magical gazebo in the center of the park. From here, I can see Rook’s Apothecary and the bookstore just down the street. And if I were to step outside, I know my hearing would immediately focus on the distant sound of the waves crashing against the shore. The ocean’s magic would beckon me forward like a siren song. I truly love it here.
“Things have been great up to this point. Running my own tea shop in a witch-filled town has kept me occupied.”
Rook laughs. “Witches sure do love their herbs.” Rook owns his own apothecary shop and has been a frequent customer since opening. He has a mini tea bar in the back of his shop and loves the variety of loose tea leaf options I carry.
I nudge Rook lightly with my elbow. “Are you going to give me any hints on how I might be able to help that couple back there?”
Rook’s face turns suddenly serious and somber. “It’s best if they explain things.”
Now I’m even more curious. My tentacle tattoos ripple and shift on my skin, making the temptation to shift into my mer-kraken form almost irresistible. Technically, in a sanctuary town, I can be in my other form. My tentacles are strong enough to maneuver me around just as easily as my legs, but I prefer to keep my shifts private. Unfortunately, most people still get a little weirded out when they see my tentacles moving around outside of water.
As soon as all our drinks are ready, Rook and I help Zero carry them to the table, where Zero makes the introductions. “Darius, this is Edwin and his wife, Lyra Dumas.”
I pause, recognizing the names instantly. One of the founding families. The founding families are descendants of the witches who created Heart’s Hollow and turned it into a sanctuary town.They are all very powerful and wealthy families that are treated like royalty. Not only here in town, but all over the world.
Edwin holds out his hand first. He’s a handsome man with long white hair that almost looks elven. His hair isn’t white from age, but rather a rare trait we see in some powerful witches. Usually, witches treat me with disdain, since they don’t usually trust ocean magic or the creatures that wield it, but I see nothing but sincerity, and maybe a little curiosity from Edwin.
“Mr. and Mrs. Dumas. It’s an honor.” I turn toward Lyra. To my shock, she stands and throws her arms around me, her wavy blonde hair surrounding me. My mouth falls open.
“Lyra!” Edwin rushes forward and pries his wife’s arms off me. “He hasn’t even agreed to help us yet, honey.”
Lyra stares at me with pleading eyes. Up close, she’s a beautiful woman who looks even younger than her magic suggests. Her large, striking blue eyes fill with tears. “Oh, please, Darius. You have to help us.”
