Page 6

The family dinner was not what Jessica expected.

She didn't think anything on Earth would have prepared her for what she was currently sitting through.

Three witches with three familiars, a ghost pirate, the one from the ship, a very large male who spoke with an accent that she couldn't place, and a warlock all sat at the table. It could have been the start of the world’s worst joke but no. And to add to that, there was a parrot.

A ghost parrot, called Denzel.

Edith, ever the pessimist, simply growled now and again and released small smoke rings out. Her eyes would constantly watch the other three familiars as if they planned to ambush her. Edith had always found it hard to trust. It had taken Jessica a long time and a lot of patience.

“So, Jessica, where are you from?” the dark heard witch called Arietta piped up. Next to her sat a very good-looking warlock. They both couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other, much to the chagrin of the cat familiar who kept rolling his eyes and making tutting sounds.

“I’m from up north, from the Mistwalker Coven. My parents are both active witches,” Jessica admitted, even though she had missed out on the witchy gifts, she adored her parents and what they did for the magical community.

“Holy shit, I know of that coven. Maeve, they are super powerful,” the third witch piped up.

Throughout the conversation, Jessica couldn’t help turning her head and looking back towards the doorway that led to the cavern under the Hollow.

“Bitch, how did you think I got the contact details for Jessica? Her parents recommended her.” Maeve laughed and threw a carrot at the witch’s head.

Jessica watched their back and forth, absolutely loving the family dynamics, no matter how crazy it seemed.

“Isabeau, where’s Brutas?” Maeve finally asked.

“Looking for Dave, he’s not seen him all afternoon and that’s unlike him.”

Jessica placed her soup spoon down and wiped her lips on her napkin, Brutas and Dave? Why did those names seem so familiar. As she took a sip of her wine it hit her, almost like a lightning bolt to the head. She couldn’t help but blurt out.

“Brutas and Dave, meaning the Krackens!! They are coming to dinner. How the hell will they fit?” Jessica asked in quick succession. She glanced around the table and no one moved, instead they just looked at her like she had grown a second head.

“Err, Maeve, you didn’t tell her, did you?”

“I meant to, but well, she keeled over seeing Dave in his Kracken form so I thought I would leave that little gem until she had adjusted to the crazy that is this house.”

“Maybe now is a good time,” Arietta advised as she slavered a huge amount of butter onto a bread roll.

“Yeah, okay, Jessica. So, the same magic explosion that created the Kracken eggs also made it so Dave could shift into a human. Brutas was hit with something similar but a lot earlier. So yeah, they can come to dinner ‘cause they can shift to human, although they are big guys.”

A snort sounded from the bottom of the table where the familiars all sat. The squirrel chuckled, “You could say that… fucking huge comes to mind.”

“Human tripod,” another followed.

“Baby’s arm holding an apple.”

“Dick like a dinosaur.”

Then all three familiars started to laugh, laughter that quickly turned into hiccups and sobs as they couldn’t contain themselves.

“Will you three pack it in, it’s not nice to make fun. Especially of someone who is family,” Maeve scolded.

Jessica was still trying to process the news. Kracken shifters. That was crazy but also absolutely amazing.

“How exciting.” Jessica smiled, she needed to add that to her notes. Day one and she was already gaining so much.

“For flip’s sake, she’s saying that weirdly again,” Edith piped up whilst sidestepping Binky, who was attempting to get closer.

“Listen, feather brain, if you don’t want to get singed, I suggest you back away.” Her little growl would have been cute, but she backed it up with a little fire ball that hit his plate and set the contents on fire.

“Bloody hell,” Binky exclaimed and shot behind the squirrel.

“Oi, don’t hide behind me, I DO NOT want my tail singed…” the squirrel shouted as he hugged his squirrel to him.

Jessica couldn’t stop herself from laughing.

The sound filled the room and soon everyone followed.

It felt good to laugh at nothing in particular.

Jessica couldn’t explain it, but she needed this.

To others, she was the perfect daughter who, despite her lack of magic skills, had made the most out of her life.

But she still felt like a failure. She hadn’t missed all the remarks that had been said to her parents when they had attended functions.

The magical community could be very set in their ways.

A witch with no magic was no use and was to be shunned, and if she had been born to a less prolific coven she may well have been cast out.

So yes, she had been lucky to have such amazing parents but that, unfortunately, didn’t stop the bullying that went on well past school.

So, to come to a coven of exceptionally talented and powerful witches and to have them accept her for her and not the powers she didn’t possess, was a blessing to the soul.

From the moment she had stepped off that rickety pirate ship she had felt settled.

It was like the town almost welcomed her.

Jessica had seen many a thing in her years searching the globe for creatures, but Kracken’s Hole was the first place to make her feel like she belonged.

As the laughter died down and everyone resumed eating, sounds emanated from the door that led to the Hollow.

Jessica had managed to have a look at the carvings earlier and had fallen in love with the depictions in the wood.

But as she looked at that beautiful work, the doorway creaked open revealing, not one huge, gorgeous hulk of a man, but two.

“Holy shit,” she breathed, and Maeve, next to her, bumped her shoulder and chuckled.

“Told ya.”

The first one made a beeline for Isabeau, kissing her soundly in her chair, once again making the familiars groan. Then he took a seat, nodded his head at her, and started in on the food.

The second one was, if possible, even bigger. Pushing nearly seven-foot in height, with shaggy blonde hair and electric blue eyes… he was panty-wetting gorgeous. Jessica couldn’t help but stare.

“Jessica, Brutas is the gent who’s currently stuffing his face.” Maeve chuckled as the man himself smiled and winked. “Dave,” she called out, and the second gent turned around from where he was at the counter, collecting a plate.

He seemed to duck his head a lot, trying to minimalize his size.

As soon as his eyes met Jessica’s, though, she was lost. Her heart rate increased, and she felt something shift.

She hoped it wasn’t her chair because the last thing she needed right now was to end up flat on her arse in front of the most beautiful man she had ever had the pleasure of laying her gaze upon.

“Dave, this is Jessica,” Maeve did an introduction. “She is here to help with the eggs.”

Jessica smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

Instead of answering, he nodded once, grabbed his plate, ducked his head, and left. Heading right back down the passageway to the chamber.

Jessica watched as the others gave each other concerned looks.

“Everything okay?” Jessica asked, feeling like she had missed something.

“Dave so far hasn’t adapted well to being in human form, he prefers to be Kracken so when he comes up here, it’s very brief.

I meant to say earlier. Dave helped us when Jessica fainted.

”Maeve winced. “I’m sorry I didn’t warn you; I know Krackens are big and can be scary, I just didn’t realise you didn’t like them. ”

“I’m sorry, what?” Jessica blinked.

“It’s why you fainted, isn’t it? Is being with them going to be a problem?

” Maeve asked, but before Jessica could answer, the others decided to take their leave.

Giving them privacy. Even the familiars had left.

Jessica had heard them briefly discussing stakes in regard to a game of poker.

What surprised her most was that her own familiar had gone with them.

“I didn’t faint because I’m sacred of Krackens,” Jessica stated.

“Oh…” Maeve paused. “So, er… because…”

“Can you give me a second?” Jessica asked, and when Maeve nodded, she left and headed to what was going to be her room.

She needed to nip this misconception in the arse, now, before misunderstandings were made.

Although, she was about to admit to the lead witch of the Moonchild Coven that’s he was the magical version of a K-pop stan.

Fangirling to the point she keeled over.

This was going to be… Embarrassing.

She lifted out her book from her luggage, which, to any outsider, looked like a hefty grimoire, only hers was filled with one subject… and one subject alone.

Krackens.

Lugging the tome back to the table, she hefted it up and dropped it in front of Maeve before she waved her hand.

“Have a look and it will make sense to you.” Jessica moved back to her seat, reached into the centre of the table, and grabbed the half-drunk bottle of wine. Refilling her glass to the top, she picked it up and sipped whilst watching the witch see into her guilty pleasure.

After ten long minutes and a half a bottle gone, Maeve finally looked up. Jessica expected judgement, she expected laughter, or anger. What she didn’t expect was acceptance.

“Blackbeard’s balls!” she exclaimed

“Is that good or bad? I saw him earlier today, but I didn’t get a close look at those.” The wine was hitting just right, making Jessica feel a little less self-conscious.

“Hahaha, that’s a joy you can save for later. But seriously, you don’t just like Krackens, you fucking love them. So, your fainting earlier… that was…” Maeve stopped and looked at Jessica.

“That was me being so overcome with excitement that I literally passed out. I pretty much fangirled hard enough that I sent myself into a cold slumber.” Jessica put her face in her hands.

“And he was there. The hottest thing I have ever seen in my life, who also happens to be a Kracken, not only witnessed me hitting the deck, but also helped you deal with me.”Jessica sighed. “Embarrassing doesn’t quite cut it.”

Jessica felt a hand on her shoulder and expected a “there there,” moment but instead, she got a witch laughing so hard it was silent until she snorted.

“You okay, Maeve?” she asked, watching the witch clutch her stomach as tears flowed down her face.

Jessica waited until she had it out of her system and she was able to form words again.

Maeve’s breath came in gasps she spoke as she spoke. “Oh my Kracken! I swear, my Godmother couldn’t have arranged this anymore perfectly herself if she tried. You, my dear, are perfect.”

“What?” Jessica frowned. “Perfect for what?”

“Perfect for Kracken’s Hole, perfect for the eggs, perfect for Dave.

” Maeve grinned. “You like him as a human, you fucking love him as a Kracken. You are pretty much the perfect match for him.” Maeve was almost bouncing in her seat.

“Fate, what a wonderful bitch you are.” Maeve laughed.

“Remind me to send her a gift basket of some sort.”

“You’ve totally lost me.” Jessica couldn’t keep up, her mind was trying to make sense of everything, plus the fact she was still exhausted from the travel.

“Don’t you stress about anything, get your arse to bed.” Maeve passed her notebook back, helped Jessica to her feet, and pushed her towards her bedroom. “Leave all the details with me, you just been the perfect witch you are.” Maeve laughed again as she pulled the door shut in Jessica’s room.

“What the fuck just happened?” Jessica asked to no one, placing the book on her bedside table before sitting on the edge of the bed.

Were the Moonchild Witches about to try and set her up with a Kracken?

Lying back on the bed, Jessica let sleep take her, yes, she was still clothed and yes, she still had her shoes on, but she let sleep claim her. Hoping that when she woke her world would make sense again, but she highly doubted it.

This was Kracken’s Hole, after all.