Page 49 of Kiss for My Kraken
The thought crept in unbidden, her hands faltering briefly as she measured flour. She shook it off, focusing on the recipe, but the undercurrent of anxiety remained. It had been three days since she’d spotted The Chosen in the town square. Three days of jumping at shadows, of scanning every face for Jed’s stern features, of sleeping fitfully even in the safety of Sam’s cabin on the island.
“Knock knock!” Molly’s cheerful voice broke into her thoughts. The vampire server poked her head through the kitchen door, her normally pale face flushed from feeding. “Hungry helpers have arrived!”
Elara followed behind her, her smile equally warm. Elara had quickly become one of Nina’s favorite people in town—kind and cheerful, with a wicked sense of humor.
“We heard there were cookies to be decorated,” Elara said, already rolling up her sleeves.
“And possibly samples to be taste-tested,” Molly added hopefully.
A genuine smile spread across her face. “Perfect timing. I could use the help.”
For the next few hours, the kitchen became a haven of productive chaos. Molly proved surprisingly adept at decorating, her vampire dexterity allowing for intricate patterns on the leaf cookies. Elara took charge of the donut glazing, while Nina focused on the baking itself, rotating pans in and out of the ovens.
“So,” Molly said as she piped delicate veins onto a maple leaf cookie, “are you coming to the festival as yourself, or are you dressing up?”
“Myself?” She paused, flour dusting her hands.
“It’s tradition here,” Elara explained, dipping another donut into the cinnamon glaze. “Humans dress up as something else, while Others often show their true forms. It’s the one night when everyone can be exactly who they are.”
“Or who they wish they were,” Molly added with a wink. “Last year, Annabelle came as a penguin. Said she wanted to know what it felt like to be ‘adorably earthbound’ for a night.”
She laughed at the image, then considered the question. “I hadn’t really thought about a costume.”
The truth was she’d been too preoccupied with thoughts of Jed to consider festival attire. The idea of dressing up, of drawing attention to herself, made her stomach clench with anxiety.
“You could come as a chef,” Elara suggested, noting her hesitation. “It’s simple, and you’ve already got the uniform.”
“Or,” Molly interjected gleefully, “you could dress as a sexy kraken and drive a certain river dweller absolutely wild.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks. Though she hadn’t explicitly told anyone about Sam, it seemed the entire town had somehow figured out their relationship. Fairhaven Falls might be accepting of Others, but its rumor mill still operated with supernatural efficiency.
“I think I’ll stick with the chef idea,” she mumbled, focusing intently on the dough she was kneading.
“Shame,” Molly sighed dramatically. “Though I hear Sam is actually planning to attend this year. That’s bound to cause a stir—he’s practically a town legend at this point.”
Her heart skipped a beat. He had mentioned attending the festival, but she hadn’t been sure if he’d follow through. The thought of him willingly entering such a crowded, public space, just to be near her…
“Is that true?” Elara asked gently. “Sam’s coming to the festival?”
She nodded, unable to suppress a small smile despite her anxiety. “He said he would.”
“Well then,” Elara said, exchanging a knowing glance with Molly, “chef costume it is. Though perhaps with a little river-blue accessory or two?”
By the time the baking was complete, trays of cookies, breads, and donuts covered every available surface. She gave their work a satisfied look, momentarily forgetting her worries in the face of such a tangible accomplishment.
“These are gorgeous,” she said, admiring Molly’s detailed decorations.
“Lots of practice,” Molly replied, wiping icing from her fingers. “You should have seen my first attempts—absolutely horrifying, and not in the good vampire way.”
The kitchen door swung open, and Ben appeared, ears perked forward as he sniffed appreciatively.
“Not bad,” he declared after inspecting the treats, which from him was equivalent to ecstatic praise. “Pack them up and put them in the cooler. We’ll take them over early Saturday morning.”
As Elara and Molly began carefully boxing the baked goods, Ben beckoned her to one side.
“Take a break,” he said, keeping his voice low. “You’ve been working since dawn.”
“I’m fine,” she protested, though her aching feet suggested otherwise.
