Page 3 of Entranced By the Nakken
Drip.
The sea rubbish roused. Hungry. So hungry.
Movements sluggish, the clump grasped for a shred of something beyond their reach. If it could remember…if it could follow the stream…could save them…
Defying evolution, the slimy clump clawed to reach the spark of consciousness. It must remember. It must be sated, then it will remember. A little further.
The taste of blood. Human blood.
Free at last, sentience blasted through them, followed quickly by a powerful burst of magic that sang through long-unused veins. The song overwhelmed them. Rendered powerless, they couldn’t stop the music from filling their spirit and overflowing, pouring from their very seams.
Tsunis was so relieved to be whole, they didn’t think twice about the contractual offering they’d consumed. They let the blood energize them, let the melody take its rightful place in their soul, then loosed it into the humid air.
Its tune was different than their usual sound. It was hopeful, full of desire, and yet strangely. . . No, it couldn’t be familiar.
A curse broke through Tsunis’ curious song. They quickly compressed the magic coursing through their clogged veins and sunk below the waters, peering out of the depths to the shore.
A human roused from slumber, their broad shoulders slumped against a tree. Their smooth brown hair was tousled, which they made worse by running both hands through it so roughly it made Tsunis’ scalp tingle. The human’s deep scowl drew Tsunis’ attention to their full lips, complimented by a chiseled jaw and angular nose.
By Glacia’s good grace, the human was more alluring than a syren’s trickery. Tsunis fought the intense urge to pluck them from the shore and drag them below the water. Better yet, they’d deliver the pretty lily all the way to their garden where it belonged.
The human stood but paused to gaze into the water. Tsunis froze, their heartbeat cresting to crescendo.
That was not some random human.
It was him.
Reality swept through them. Tsunis had accepted his offering. Three drops of blood, enough to save Tsunis from their primitive form—and a binding contract.
Chapter Three
Casey
The first thing Casey noticed at Erikson’s Thriftway was their new sign, which stood out against the building’s yellowing paint. The second thing he noticed was that an old classmate had filled out the half-sleeve tattoo she’d started in high school, and then some. Shit. She was cool as fuck, and he was bare as the day he was born. Dope ass tattoos weren’t for business students.
Casey sped past Sophie at the deli counter, where he was supposed to pick up pastrami for his mom. He took shelter with the mayonnaise, not sure why he was being such a pussy. Sophie used to be a close friend. He’d genuinely meant to stay in touch after graduation, but all thelet’s hang out, andwhen are we gonna grab a beer, never came to fruition.
By the time Casey bravely returned to the deli, she’d moved on. He grabbed the pastrami and paused to read the cheese selection for anything fancy. The universe laughed at him for thinking Erikson’s Thriftway would have anything other than cheddar, white cheddar, and mega-processed slices.
He was headed to the lone cash register when his phone buzzed. A text from mom, asking him to grab paper towels if he hadn’t left yet. Pocketing his phone, Casey spun the cart around. It snagged as it collided with another and Casey lurched forward, clothes-lining his gut with anoof.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” At the woman’s voice, Casey rested over his cart for an extra moment. The universe was punishing him with something worse than bad cheese this time. A conversation with an old friend. “Wait. Casey?”
Casey straightened and smiled, allowing his shoulders to relax. At least it was Sophie and not some dickhead from their school. “Hey, Sophie. Sorry about that, I wasn’t paying attention.”
“I can’t believe it’s you! Oh my gosh,” her tone fell rapidly, her expression along with it. Casey’s anxiety came rushing back but faded into awkward confusion when Sophie rounded their carts to pull him in for a tight hug. “I’m so sorry.”
“Hey, there,” Casey soothed. He drew her in tighter and rubbed a comforting hand over her back. Clearly the woman was having a bad day. Hell, maybe she found it as hard to be in this town as he did. “It was just a little fender bender. At least you didn’t hit my Mercedez.”
Sophie barked a laugh and pulled away. “You have a Mercedez? Shit tits! Guess I’m not surprised. I’ve seen your posts; you’re living our dream. I’m so proud of you,” she said. Casey choked, shame rushing up his neck, but Sophie was oblivious. She rushed on. “I mean it. I’m sorry for bailing on youback then, Casey. And for never getting back in touch. Things got kind of weird for me there for a while.”
Her eyes flicked away. Behind the layers of black, Sophie possessed a peppy spirit. He’d always assumed she kept it woven into the colorful strands of hair. Standing before him, Casey barely caught a glint of the confidence she used to wear like armor.
“Don’t worry about it.” He tossed an arm around her shoulders and rested his chin on her head when she leaned into him. “And don’t believe social media. I’m barely a college graduate. Definitely not opening for Michael Romance like we planned.”
“But you’ve played gigs, though! Oops, I mean, congratulations on graduating college, that’s, like, super cool too.” She dug an elbow in Casey’s ribs. He rolled his eyes and shoved her away. “Seriously, though, why are you in town?”
“When you get your undergrad, they don’t pass out jobs and houses. Just a lousy fuckin’ scroll.” He snapped his fingers. “Oh! And debt.”
