Page 62 of Hot in Witch City
“How?”
I exhaled. “It’s kind of crazy. Maybe you won’t think so since you’re a shifter, but she shifted to siren form—fins, tail, and all.” I placed my hand on my chest and added. “She did something that helpedmeshift, too.”
He knitted his brows together. “Have you never done so before?”
“I would say it’s for the first time, but…” I pursed my lips and gazed off out the window. “What’s been bugging me is I have the oddest feeling that it wasn’t. But that’s something I should definitely remember. Doesn’t that seem weird?”
“Is it possible you did, and you don’t remember?”
“Maybe. I met sirens when I was in New Orleans. When I told them I couldn’t shift, they didn’t want anything to do with me. The thing is I didn’t think I could. I still can’t believe it.”
When I paused to take another sip, my hands were shaking.
“Are you okay, Gianna?” he asked.
I put the mug down and held onto it with both hands. “Yes, I think so.”
“That must have been incredible for you. I’ve been able to shift my entire life, so I can’t imagine how strange it must be to experience it initially. Did you enjoy it?”
I ate another bite of the heavenly pancakes as I considered it. “It felt weird. My body doing something I wasn’t accustomed to. But once I grew more comfortable in my new body, it was incredible to be able to swim that way. And there was the bizarre experience of doing all this with my mother, considering our lack of a relationship.”
“How did that go?” he asked with concerned eyes.
I pursed my lips. “That, too, is still odd. In some ways, uncomfortable. I mean, despite our biological connection, she’s a stranger.”
“Right.” He nodded. “How did you leave things?”
“She invited me to come back and spend more time with her at the beach house she’s renting—her and the other sirens she’s traveling with.”
“Do you think you will?”
“I don’t know. I’m still adjusting to everything.”
He nodded. “You don’t owe her anything. You do whatever is best for you, Gianna.”
I reached across the table and touched his arm. “Thanks for looking out for me.”
After we finished breakfast, Sebastian left, saying he’d get out of my hair. Although the old me would have been happy to push him away, it would have been nice to hang out with him longer before we each had to go to work.
Ugh, that sounded more like a relationship thing to say. What was happening to me?
After confiding what had happened with my mother to Sebastian, it was easier to sort through the chaos in my head.
Nova metme at the club for a drink the next night.
“Something’s been bothering me about what you said about shifting for the first time.” Her brows were tight with worry.
“What?”
“It’s odd that you weren’t able to shift until she did something.”
I shrugged. “I didn’t know I was capable of it to even know it was an option.”
“No, that’s not what I mean.” She meshed her lips together. “You know that my parents had my aunt block my magic when I was young. So, I’m wondering—did something like that happen with you?”
My pulse quickened, but I brushed my unease off with a wave. “No, that can’t be right, Nova. I’m only half-siren. I grew up around humans. I didn’t know it was even possible.”
While we continued to chat, what Nova said pinged at the back of my mind like a determined mosquito. It continued through the night, disrupting my sleep.
