Page 10 of Kraken the Seal

There was one door that looked promising. Trying to keep quiet, I eased it open to find a little compartment with a toilet and nothing else. It was small, but extremely clean. That was surprising for a guy living alone.

I did my business, then washed my hands in the kitchen sink. After a little searching, I found toothpaste and several brand-new toothbrushes in the kitchen. Opening one, I brushed my teeth at the kitchen sink. Afterwards I felt good.

I craved coffee though. With my fresh breath, I was tempted to wake up Delmar and see if he’d go to the nearest coffee shop with me. No, that would be mean. Most people weren’t like me, they didn’t wake up quickly and without a groggy transition. I felt especially bad because I was the one who kept him up so late.

I was feeling generous because he’d been a perfect gentleman all night. We snuggled, and he didn’t try to slip a hand up my shirt or down my pants. Although, I could swear the guy hadextra arms because at one point, I’d woken up and thought I was being snuggled by four or five arms wrapped around me.

It was probably a dream.

Wanting to give Delmar a treat, I decided to try making coffee here. Another search of the kitchen cabinets didn’t reveal a coffee maker, only a strange pot that looked a little like a teakettle. I considered ordering some to be delivered. Except how did you put an address in for a boat?

As I debated what to do, I let my eyes wander. I noticed a basket of items tucked away in a corner next to the door. What was this?

Curious, I picked up something that looked like a handheld telescope made of copper. It reminded me of the spyglasses depicted in old movies. Intrigued, I set it down and picked up another item. It was an unbelievably delicate teacup with a leaf pattern around the outside.

Everything in the basket was old, and some things were badly damaged. Did Delmar collect antiques? I’d have to ask when he got up.

A small wooden box caught my eye. Unlike the other items in the basket, I was drawn to pick this one. It was an irresistible impulse.

Once it was in my hand, I was surprised to find that it felt lighter than expected.

The top opened easily, flipping back on delicate, tiny hinges to reveal a silver pendant on a chain. It gleamed in the early morning light, inviting me to run my finger over its smooth surface. I wasn't a jewelry person, so I didn't own much. What I had were mostly pieces I bought during trips that were meaningful to me.

This one was different. Something deep inside me wanted it.

“No!”

Delmar's cry hit my ears at the same time my index finger touched the piece of jewelry. Pain engulfed my body. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Light enveloped me and for a moment, I was sure I was in the center of a nuclear explosion.

Then nothing.

Delmar

Helplessly, I watched my mate, the center of my world, touch the cursed object. She disappeared in a flash of light and when I could see again, an adorable harbor seal was lying where she’d been standing.

So that was what the curse did—my mate was now a seal.

“I can fix this!” I cried out, dropping to my knees next to Nina’s new form. I gathered her into my arms, relieved to feel her breathing steadily. Fighting tears, I petted her soft, dappled coat. “It’s going to be okay. It’s going to be okay. It’s going…”

My voice trailed off as Nina’s eyes fluttered open. She focused on me and opened her mouth, letting out a soft seal bark. Her eyes went wide, and she let out another bark, as if trying to speak but finding she couldn’t make the same sounds.

“I know this is scary,” I said, talking quickly. “But it’s not permanent.”

Before I could tell her all the ways I was going to get her human body back, her form blurred, and I was holding Nina’s human form.

So not a seal but a seal shifter. Wait, had she been cursed or was she a shifter, and I hadn’t smelled or sensed it on her?

“Nina?”

She sat up, looking around. “What happened?”

“I’m not sure,” I said. “What do you remember?”

“I touched that,” she said, pointing to the box with the cursed necklace on the floor nearby. “Then everything hurt, and I guess I passed out. Then I woke up and couldn’t talk, and now I can talk. This is so odd. I need to go to the hospital.”

Nope, she wasn’t a born shifter. That damn pendant had done this to her. I should’ve left it at the bottom of the ocean, but no, I had to bring it up with the idea I could neutralize it.

“Oh shit, I’m naked! Why am I naked?” she tried to get up, but shifting twice in rapid succession had worn her out.