Topped By the Turtle (Must Love Boysen Witches #1)

Chapter 1- Gordy

AFTER WALKING OUT of the water, I shake my tail and shell to dry off, and I’m struck with a concerning realization―there’s a stranger here.

Not literally in the swampy water; no one can hold their breath as long as I can.

But someone is in my house, as evidenced by the car parked in our dirt driveway.

If my folks were expecting guests, they would have told me.

I didn’t prepare to be seen by random visitors.

No one takes kindly to a giant turtle man with a long green tail.

Meeting new people isn’t my idea of a good time.

I quickly shower off in the outdoor bathing area that Mama and Papa built for me so I don’t dirty up the house.

With all the trees surrounding our property, I’m eternally grateful no one can see me towel off.

Wrapping the fabric around my waist, I gently walk into my bedroom so I can appropriately eavesdrop. Who is here?

The muffled noises from the kitchen are indecipherable, but they sound friendly.

Are Mama and Papa gonna send them on their merry way, whomever they are?

After a minute of more talking, it’s obvious they’re not going to leave, and panic starts to set in.

Are they friends of my folks? Will I have to meet them?

Sneaking into the bathroom, I stare at my reflection in the mirror.

My scaly skin is as green as ever, and the front of my shell is an off-white, almost yellow, so that hasn’t changed.

I don’t spend much time looking at myself, not since I was a kid and it upset me to be a freak.

After twenty-two years, I’ve come to terms with being a turtle-shifter witch dude.

But since there are guests, I need to sequester that side of me.

Closing my eyes, I force myself to push my tough skin and tail inside of me.

In seconds, my form feels lighter. Opening my eyes, my reflection reveals the real me, the original me, the human me.

I press my cheeks and move my jaw around.

My skin is tan, and I rock a perpetually trimmed haircut.

My waist is neither chubby nor cut, and my penis flops around at a modest length.

All in all, I’m happy with my human physique.

Unfortunately, this physique isn’t happy with me.

I quickly get dressed in shorts and an oversized T-shirt, hoping I can hold this form for more than ten minutes.

With all the courage I can muster, I slowly make my way into the kitchen.

Papa is placing down tea at the table where Mama sits with two strangers.

The two younger dudes look up at me. Are we being audited?

“Gordy!” Mama says. “Just the man we wanted to see.”

“Hi.” I give an uncomfortable wave. “I was just getting water, then I have to get back to my, um…computer.”

“Your video games can wait. Come sit and join us,” Papa says. They’re all smiling, and I feel extra exposed.

When I sit on the wooden chair next to Mama, I mutter, “I can only stay…for five minutes.” My folks know by now that my inner turtle could burst out at any time.

“It’s fine, have some tea! We have guests.” Mama points to the two dudes sitting across from me. They both look to be in their twenties, a shorter Latino dude and a taller, muscular Asian dude. They look like supermodels, and my confusion and apprehension grow in my chest.

“Um, hello.” I lean over to Mama and whisper, “Do you want to glamour me then?”

“No need,” she whispers back.

“What?!” I yelp. Mama has never denied my request to hide my form with magic.

“Gordy, dear, we want to introduce you to these two.”

I turn to see the handsome fellows smiling. “I’m Seb. And this is Kai,” the Latino dude says.

Kai looks at all of us, then levels his look with me. “We…are witches.”

“Ah.” New members of our North Carolina community coven. While most of my folks’ witchy friends know that I’m a giant turtle, I’m still not in the habit of exposing my form.

“I saw them in my vision,” Mama says.

“And I read all about them,” Papa adds. “That’s why I let them visit today.” Mama taps his arm, and they share an affectionate smile. I suppose if my only family is trusting, then I should at least hear them out.

After taking a sip of tea, I put down the cup and say, “It’s, um…nice to meet other witches.”

“I told you life was going to change for you this moon cycle,” Mama says.

“I thought you meant like, gain more witching skills,” I reply.

My folks laugh softly. “Not quite. I divined that you would begin the path to your true powers. And that’s them.” She beams at me, and I look at everyone at the table.

“Um…” Nervousness thrums through me as Kai and Seb smile at me. Before I can say more, that tingling sensation fizzles under my skin. My inner turtle is raging, ready to bust out.

Standing up abruptly, I announce, “I need to use the bathroom!”

“Wait!” Kai says, standing up. He has no idea what he’s asking me to do. Before I can argue, the energy in the room shifts, and a new vision appears before me.

The man named Kai is no longer there. In his place stands a lion man, with black-and-green fur. Cauldrons.

I’m shocked silent. Kai is…an animal? Turning to my folks, they look at each other with pleasant surprise. They act like he just showed them he can juggle, not morph into a shadow cat beast.

“You do not need to hide your other form,” the lion—I mean, Kai—says in a deep voice.

A thousand questions run through my mind, and everyone stares at me. After a tense moment, I ask, “You’re…a witch?”

“Not quite. I am a mage, neither witch nor wizard. The Jade Lion.” He shifts back down into handsome-Asian-dude form and exchanges a look with Seb, who smiles fondly at him. “And I believe I am your ancestor.”

My head goes dizzy; that just led to more questions.

“Son, have a seat,” Papa says.

“I just…oof,” I keel over with pain. “I…need a glamour.”

“Gordy, honey, let your true self out,” Mama says. Her calm voice compels me to listen to her, and holding in my turtle is painful as hell.

So, I turn around, sit up straight, and allow my turtle out. As I morph, I readjust my shorts so my tail sticks out above the waistband. Once I’m finished, I stand up straight at my six-foot-three frame, ready to witness the horrified looks of these new witch dudes.

But when I turn around, they gaze at me with neutral expressions. “Feeling better?” Seb asks.

I look around, scratch my arm in discomfort, then shrug. Just because they’re cool with my turtle doesn’t mean I enjoy the attention. “I’m…fine.” I sit down, and we all continue drinking tea.

“There is much to discuss,” Kai says.

“You said something about being an ancestor?”

“Yes. I believe I am your long-lost grand uncle from many years ago,” Kai says.

I sip tea and glance at folks. “And we believe them?”

“Don’t be rude, Gordy,” Mama says. She points at them and says, “I divined them when they got here.”

“And all the texts concur,” Papa says.

“We even did a mind spell on them,” Mama adds. “To make sure they’re exactly who they say they are.”

“I see.” After taking another sip, I gaze at Kai. “You look super young.”

Seb chuckles and touches the taller man’s arm. “He’s…older than he looks.” The way they look at each other screams love. A swirl of emotions congeals in my gut, a combination of surprise, jealousy, satisfaction, and arousal. What I wouldn’t give to have someone look at me like that…

But I’m a turtle man all the time, except for rare moments. Who would want a reptilian freak like me?

“So, what is this, a family reunion?”

They chuckle. “More than that, honey,” Mama says. “These boys have a proposition for you.”

“After all, you are of my blood,” Kai says. “You and I…share a great destiny.” He snaps his fingers, and sparks of green energy fly through the air. In moments, the space above the table lights up with a brilliant illusion, like a hologram from a sci-fi movie.

My life is currently a sci-fi movie. This dude, Kai, explains that he was frozen in a statue for a hundred years.

He’s from China and explains that others in his bloodline are destined to be the most powerful spellcasters of all time.

With a wave of his hand, the magical lightshow presentation reveals four animals: a dragon, a bird, a lion, and…

“A turtle,” I murmur.

“Yes.” Kai gives me a serious look. “I am the Jade Lion, and you are the Ruby Turtle.”

“It’s all here in this tome we found.” Seb takes out an old, leatherbound book from his coat. “You and your family are the Four Guardians, meant to rise higher than any others. You’re going to save the world.”

“Save the world?” My voice is barely above a whisper as I watch the animal images above. Kai is intimidating in this lion form, and his magical prowess leaves me in awe. Historically, I’m not that adept at spellcasting. Is it even possible that I could be one of the Four Guardians?

The next seven days are a whirlwind of packing up my life.

Seb and Kai seem very chill and have all sorts of powers within them.

These two dudes and my folks all believe that with some time spent with them, I can hone my abilities.

It’s all so new, but my instinct tells me I can trust them.

At the very least, they mean me no harm.

So, I’ve decided to move in with the happy couple in their new home in Virginia.

Together, we can work on my powers and possibly join this Union of Mages they speak so highly of.

There isn’t much for me here in North Carolina anyway; I have no full-time job or friends here.

And I’m packing up my video games, paltry earnings, oversized clothes, and cell phone.

It’ll be cool to be with Kai, my only blood relative. But what about my actual family?

I stand on the front porch as the sun rises.

Seb and Kai are waiting in their minivan, giving me time to say goodbye.

I’m dressed in my massive gray sweatsuit, one of the only outfits I can wear in public to mostly be incognito.

I’m shit at glamouring myself or shifting, but that’s what moving to Virginia is all about: gaining more powers. But I’m losing my adoptive parents.

“Well, I guess this is it.” I clap my hands. “Seventeen years later, this turtle is, uh…spreading his wings, or something.” I force a laugh, but my folks simply smile at me.

“You’ll always have a room here,” Papa says, pulling me in for a hug. “You be good to those two.”

“I will.” I hug him and fight back the tears. As annoying as they can be, they’re my folks, the ones who raised me after my parents died when I was barely more than a turtle hatchling. “I love you, Pop.”

“Love you too, Gordy.”

I turn to Mama and take in her glistening eyes. Despite their gray hair, they haven’t aged in the past twenty years, not to me. When I crouch down, she hugs me tightly. “Since the day you came into our lives, we knew you’d have a great destiny. And here you are.”

“Mama,” I reply. “I’m not sure about big destinies.”

“I am. The magic in my old bones tells me so.”

Looking away, I fight back moisture in my eyes. “You’re not old, Mama.”

“But you’re in your twenties now, Gordy. Go make as many connections as you can and go on adventures. It’ll help you grow.”

I highly doubt nonmagical folk will want to be friends with me, but I say nothing and nod at her. “Take care, honey. Kai and Seb will be good for you.”

“How do you know?”

“My divination.”

I let out a snicker. “Of course.” Leaning in, I hug her again. “You two need anything at all, you text me.”

She squeezes me and replies, “We have other friends in the coven. Plus, we have magic during the full moon.” With a tight-knit witch community, my folks should be able to summon group magic to do whatever yardwork or housework might be needed.

“Guess I’m not needed here then,” I say with a facetious chuckle.

When I pull back, Mama wipes a tear from her eye. “But you’re our boy, never forget it.”

“Thanks. I love you, Mama. I’ll call you.”

“You better. And be good, Gordy. You’ll meet something wonderful very soon.”

“Sure,” I say, trying to tamp down the sarcasm.

“No, you will. I’ve seen your future.” She chuckles and blows me a kiss.

With that, I turn around and leave the swamp I grew up in.

When I get into the car and buckle up, I take a deep breath.

I have to believe in Mama’s divination powers; I need to believe something good is coming when I move to Cosmo, Virginia.