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Jessica could feel her heart thumping against her chest, the blood in her veins pounding in her ears.

This was it; she was finally going to meet a Kracken in the flesh.

She had heard rumours of the infamous Merlin’s Gate that was protected by the Moonchild Coven, but she wasn't here for that. Nope, it was the Krackens.

But that didn't stop her from appreciating the beauty that was the gate, the waters swirled and lapped at the stone beach, colours only rivalled by that of the aurora borealis emanated from the depths and lit the grotto.

Jessica could feel the power, it flowed around her like a loving caress and brought tears to her eyes.

“Oh my, this is stunning,” she whispered.

Edith, who had a comment about everything, was silent, and the little dragon's eyes were wide as she took it all in.

“Yes, it is, and so calming. I come down here to think and to recharge when I’m feeling down,” Maeve admitted as she walked towards the water’s edge.

Her foot reached out and when Jessica thought she would fall into the waters she hit a ledge, her slight steps taking her across the edge of the pool and towards a large statue.

Jessica followed, relieved to see that there had been stepping plinths placed into the depths.

Her feet hit the water, and she had expected it to be cold from the sea, yet it was warm and welcoming.

What little powers she had rejoiced at the connection with the gate and the exhaustion she had been feeling instantly vanished.

As she moved towards Maeve, Jessica could see the statue clearer. It was huge, taking up a full wall of the grotto, and was so life-like she expected it to reach out of the wall to her.

“This is Maximus, he was the eldest of the guardians and gave his life to save mine.

He is dearly missed by us all. Shaping her hands, Maeve whispered something and light gently glowed from her palms. It shone brightly before dimming, leaving behind it a crystal lily.

Gently, Maeve set it down upon the small altar and bowed her head.

Jessica bowed hers as well, feeling the waves of sadness Maeve was emitting.

“He was the largest Kracken and the kindest,” Maeve admitted before she turned to look at Jessica with a sad smile. “I’m sorry, I always come and see Max when I visit the grotto.”

“It's okay, I get it. It's hard to lose someone/something you love,” Jessica admitted. “I lost a charge a few years back, she was a beautiful soul that I miss daily.” Jessica refused to lose herself to the sad memories. “I think about her every day.”

Maeve directed them both back across the pool and led the way, through a section of tunnels that looked new, where the rock wasn't as smooth or as worn.

“I'm sorry, Jessica, we haven’t started our day off on the most positive note, have we? Let us lift the mood and show you what I know you are excited to see.”

“Am I that obvious?” Jessica chuckled.

“Maybe a little.”

“You got me, Krackens have been a dream of mine for many years and you've made that dream come true,” Jessica explained as they walked out into a secluded cove.

The sunlight hit the beach just right, revealing a secondary cave, and nestled within amongst large overgrown crystals, were giant eggs.

Not just one or two or even five. No, there were at least a hundred.

“Holy shit,” she breathed out.

“Welcome to the nursery,” Maeve admitted, just as a large tentacle lifted from the sea, followed by another and another, until the giant mass of a Kracken slid its way onto the beach.

Jessica forgot how to breathe, forgot how to think, and forgot how to stay conscious.

Dave slowly beached his big bulk and slid into the warm sands of the cove, now aptly named Kracken Cove.

This was now becoming his favourite place; he didn't have to hide from anyone, and no one disturbed him.

And he could check on the eggs as well. Although the rate with how quickly many of them were becoming unviable concerned him.

They had started off with well over one-hundred-and-fifty eggs and, now, every day, two to three would show signs that they had stopped growing.

If it went on like it did, they wouldn't have any left by the time they were ready to hatch.

Not that he knew anything about caring for them.

The extent of his skill was being able to identify whether they were alive or not.

But that didn't mean he didn't care about them.

He would happily protect every single egg with his life if it came down to it.

He had just wriggled into the sand to get comfy when he heard feet crunching against sand. It was probably one of the girls, they came down here every day to check on him and the eggs. It was as if they knew he was irritable.

Only a voice he had never heard before called out.

The “holy shit” had his tentacles flailing. In seconds he had shifted into a human and stood, naked in the sun, to see a girl hit the sand in a dead faint. Maeve, by her side, called out to Dave.

“Dave, can you come help me, please?”

Dave moved swiftly over the sand, thankful he was now used to his human legs. As he approached, he saw hair that shone like crystalised lava in the sun, her skin was pale like a pearl. His heart smacked against his chest, and he felt something deep within him shift.

Dave frowned; he had never had this reaction to a human before.

“Oi, would you put some clothes on before you hurt someone with that thing.” This voice was also one he had never heard before. It took him a while to locate as the creature was hidden behind Maeve.

The small dragon looked at him with smoke pouring from her little nostrils. Dave wasn't frightened of many things, he was a large mythological creature. Few could rival his size. Yet this small dragon scared the shit out of him.

He looked at Maeve for help, because he didn't have clothes.

He had still been growing when he had first shifted, so everything they had got him to wear now didn't fit.

He felt the magic as it whispered over his skin before he found himself still bare-footed but dressed in grey joggers and a loose shirt.

“Than-k… y-you,” he stuttered out. Words still not coming as easy as he thought they would.

Maeve nodded. “Not a problem, please could you lift Jessica for me and place her over in the shade?” Maeve asked, using her magic again to manifest a small camp bed in a shade alcove.

It was also the alcove Dave used to place what few things he had.

Trinkets from the sea floor, shells, and the odd piece of treasure from the wrecks in the deep.

Brutas had said he was starting to hoard.

It's what a Kracken did before they left to find a mate.

Brutas didn't know about his secret hoard though. One that was deep under the sea.

Gently he cradled the human within his arms, her body light, and he actually enjoyed the way her head sat against his chest, her ear right over his heart. He was glad she was unconscious or else she would hear its rapid beat at the mere act of holding her.

She felt familiar, it was almost like home to hold her and that worried Dave, these feelings were new and scary, and he didn't know what to do with them.

“Just here please, Dave,” Maeve instructed, and as soon as he placed her down, he moved away, as far away from the little fire beast as he could.

Dave clenched his fists and watched the witch deal with the human, he actually missed the feeling of her in his arms. He wanted to know who she was and why she was here, and if she had seen him in his Kracken form.

He worried for the Hollow if she had, they would have to deal with her, and he hated that stress for the witches.

All of these thoughts raced through his mind, and he hated it, gone were the simple worries of a Kracken now he had human thoughts too. Human thoughts that messed with his grand plan and gave him feelings.

How Brutas dealt with this he didn't know, Dave was sure he didn't like it, who would? It was confusing, and made it difficult to enjoy the simple things like the way the sun would heat your tentacles if you lay on the sand long enough.

“Dave…Dave!” Maeve's voice cut through his internal chatter and brought him back to the task at hand.

Instead of answering, he grunted and stepped back away from the unconscious female. He had to keep away from her. She must be a witch to be casting spells on him like this. He had a task. Sort the eggs and then leave to find his mate.

“Dave, please don't worry, she merely fainted. I think it is due to her long journey here and the excitement. She is here to help with the eggs. She's a specialist in mythological creatures. Her name is Jessica.”

Dave listened as Maeve explained who the female was, as soon as the Witch said her name, it stuck inside his head.

Jessica, Jessica, Jessica.

He liked the name, and it suited the beauty that she was. She would fit in well at the Hollow… all of the females were beautiful.

“You will help her, Dave, and show her our little slice of heaven out here.” Maeve smiled, and Dave nodded.

He didn't want to, but he would always do what Maeve told him and he didn't want to piss off the little dragon.

She was still eyeballing him like she wanted to set him on fire.

Maybe he should ask the other familiars if they want to chat about it.

Maybe take it to one of their poker games.

Not that Dave knew what poker was. He just knew it made the parrot angry and Bas usually ended up fighting.

Stepping a little further away, Dave sat on a rock in the sun, it wasn't as good as laying out his tentacles, but it would have to do.

He would watch over both females whilst they waited for Jessica to come around, only then would he go back out to sea.

He had this urge to add to his hoard. He wanted to find something large and shiny.

Letting his thoughts drift to the many wrecks untouched by humans, Dave planned out the rest of the day for when the females would leave him in peace.