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 inmy 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.
