Chapter 2
Chapter two
Darius Storm
While krakens are mythical monsters, a kraken shifter can transform into a large octopus at will.
Rarer still is a Mer-kraken hybrid. In its shifted form, a Mer-kraken looks like a human from the waist up and has tentacles instead of a fish tail.
These aquatic beings have unique powers stemming from the ocean’s magic, making them quite dangerous.
-From the Encyclopedia of Otherworldly Creatures
(Halloween day.)
The magical bell over the door to my tea shop chimes as two of my closest friends walk in.
Zero’s stunning amethyst dragon wings shimmer in the sunlight.
Even wrapped around him like a cape, the dragon shifter’s wings are an impressive sight.
His best friend, Rook, stands next to him, just as tall and impressive.
Rook’s clawed fingers clutch a beautiful leather-bound book, a gift from his mate. When I first met the large wolf man, I thought he would be just as fierce as Zero, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover he’s just as sweet as a golden retriever.
Everyone in this cozy ocean town has been a pleasant surprise.
After two decades of working dangerous missions for the Elite Guard, I’m ready to settle down.
Heart’s Hollow is a true sanctuary town for paranormals of all kinds.
It’s peaceful here, and I love it. It’s exactly the type of place I always imagined settling in after retiring. A place to call home.
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 a seat.
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 off duty?
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.”
I shake my head, guiding both her and her husband back to their seats. “Please sit down and explain to me what’s going on.”
Over the next half hour, Edwin tells me the horrifying story of how their son, Kaleb, was kidnapped in front of them about twenty years ago.
A witch named Trumble from a rival coven cast a spell that temporarily paralyzed Edwin and Lyra.
The spell kept them frozen in place while this witch stole their six-year-old son and bound the child’s magic.
By the time the paralyzing spell wore off, the witch was gone, and so was Kaleb.
Eventually, they were able to track down and capture Trumble, but he only laughed, telling them he’d abandoned Kaleb somewhere amongst the humans.
The witch was crazy and sick with a magical illness that affects the brain quickly.
He died a few days later. No one ever found out his true motives or the reason he kidnapped Kaleb, or if it was the illness that made him do it.
Lyra leans across the table and reaches for my hand.
“Please. He’s our only son, Darius. We won’t stop looking for him until he’s home safe.
” The emotion and determination in her voice have me choked up.
The Dumas’ are good parents. How long have I craved having a family to call my own?
My mother’s cruel words replay in my head.
As soon as I was born, neither of my parents wanted me.
My mermaid mother tolerated me and kept me with the pod until I was old enough to go out on my own.
I never knew my father. According to my mother, he didn’t want a child either.
And here’s this beautiful witch family who have been searching for their son, loving him and his memory, and never giving up.
Halfway through Edwin’s heartfelt story, I already knew I wanted to help this family. “I’ll help in any way I can; however, I need to ask some questions first.”
Edwin nods eagerly. “Anything. We can pay you, of course.”
I wave them away. I might have them pay expenses, but I can’t take money from this family, who are only looking for their son.
“This first question might seem insensitive, but any little detail can help. How do you know your son is still alive? It’s been twenty years; that’s a long time to hold out hope. ”
“We would never give up. Edwin and I have been casting tracking spells since the moment Kaleb was kidnapped. We can sense him,” Lyra replies.
Interesting. They’ve been casting spells, but I’m curious if they’ve tried other methods as well. “And have you ever hired a magical tracker before? I mean, someone other than a witch?”
“Thanks to our name in the paranormal community, The Elite Guard took on our case for the first two years, but when the trail ran cold, they weren’t able to help.”
I purse my lips together. That’s what I assumed, but it still doesn’t explain how or why the trail went cold.
What happened to Kaleb’s magical signature?
The boy might not have had his powers yet, but that signature would still be present.
Zero peers over at me. He’s just as intuitive as I am; it’s why we made such a great team, so I’m sure he has realized some of the same things I have.
A family as powerful as the Dumas’ should have been able to track down their son easily.
“As I’m sure you know, every witch and every bloodline leaves a magical signature.
I might be able to sense it differently thanks to the ocean magic inside of me, but something else is going on here.
If you can sense that he’s alive, why haven’t you found him yet? ”
Rook’s eyes widen, as if shocked I would ask such a horrible thing. It might sound cruel, but I need as much information as possible. Solving cases and working on missions for so long has taught me to look at something from every angle. Leave no stone unturned.
Edwin doesn’t hesitate; he answers immediately. “When Trumble bound Kaleb’s magic, he also hid his magical signature, essentially making him human.”
I suck in a deep breath. “That could make things very difficult if I find him. Kaleb was so young when he was taken, he might not even remember that he’s a witch.
And he might not remember either of you,” I say gently.
“There’s a good chance that he might think he’s human and won’t come back with me. ”
Edwin shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter. Please just find our son. Once you find him, if he refuses to come back here with you, then we can travel to him. We can work at convincing him he belongs here with his family.”
“Okay, fair enough. But why now? Why hire a magical tracker twenty years later?” I ask. “Why hire me?”
“We heard you were the best.” Edwin grins, hazel eyes sparkling. “And for the first time ever, we have a solid lead.”