Six months later- June  

MERIBELLA

Fireworks exploded behind her eyes as the fist connected with her jaw. Stumbling back, Meribella struggled to remain upright and just managed to avoid the next swing. Every part of her wanted to reach up and massage the throbbing injury, but she kept her hands raised as she dropped into a defensive stance.

"Come on B. I know you can do better than this," Thorne rolled her neck as she bounced on the balls of her feet, her body language clearly expressing her disregard for her opponent. "Where's your head at?"

"Barely attached to my neck after that hit," she responded.

The two women sparred for another thirty minutes. Meribella managed to make a comeback, but Thorne had been correct, she wasn't at her best. Removing the wrap from her hands, she shuffled over to the bench holding her bag and water. She lifted the bottle to her lips and drank deeply, letting her mind search for the source of her distraction.

"You ever gonna give me more explanation for that?" Thorne asked, pointing at the shimmer beneath the sweat covering Meribella's skin.

"Um, does it really matter?" she asked, striving to sound nonchalant. Shortly after relocating from Camden to Cutler, she'd sought someone to train her in self defense. Vivian recommended Thorne, a fellow witch, and the two had developed a deep friendship, something all too new to her.

Patting at the sweat covering her arms, she watched as the creamy hue of her skin lost the supernatural luster. Sweat didn't turn her into a glittery kaleidoscope like the ocean did because its chemical makeup was different, but it gave her a glow that caused most people to pause. Even the talisman couldn't hide it. Summers were always interesting and one of the reasons she preferred places with more moderate temperatures.

However, Thorne was well versed in the ways of the paranormal world, and while she didn't pry, she made it clear that she knew her newest client was more than human. So she copped to being part Fae, which wasn't a lie, and left it at that. But as their bond grew, the secret was beginning to become an issue.

Slipping a pearl ring back on her finger, the witch shrugged. "I guess not, but you know all my business by now. Just wonder why it's such a big secret. Half this town is Fae or witch."

But half this town isn't a handicapped Fae with a werewolf stalker, she wanted to say, but she kept the thought to herself. Because as the months passed, she was beginning to look at what happened in a new light. If she was honest, the alarms Raff set off had less to do with his impassioned pursuit and overprotectiveness, than it did with her own intimacy issues.

There was no denying that she'd been attracted to him, and she'd used his shifter nature as an excuse to flee, which made her the world's biggest hypocrite. Yet, what could she do now? Show up at his door and say, "Hey, I know you've thought I was dead for six months, but how about I take you up on that date?"

They gathered their things, Thorne switched the lights off, and they stepped out into the glorious May evening. The spring temps had been higher than usual, breaking into the sixties for several days in a row. All over the tiny town, people were stepping out in short sleeves, finding any excuse to bask in the unusual warmth.

For Meribella, it was no different. She itched to get to beach she discovered not far from the small cottage she was renting. Though the water was still frigid, the wetsuit she'd purchased kept her warm enough to swim with the added benefit of hiding her sparkle.

They walked through the town in comfortable silence, only speaking when someone called out to them in passing. A few people inquired about their general well being, but for the most part a wave and a smile counted as an acceptable response. For someone who'd been raised to stay in the shadows, the experience had been uncomfortable at first, but now she wondered how'd she lived her entire life so alone.

"Are you a vampire?" The question was a mix of humor and steel.

"Wait-what?"

"I mean, I know you don't sparkle in the sunlight, but you definitely sparkle. It was just a theory."

"How many vampires have you met that sparkle? This isn't Twilight."

"The fact that you can ask me how many vampires I've met with a straight face is proof of how far you've come along since moving here," Thorne said with a snort.

"Hey, you grew up knowing those things existed. I mean, I guess I always knew it was possible, but still."

"Says the girl hiding from a werewolf."

Meribella rolled her eyes and tossed her hair over her shoulder. The deep red hue continued to startle her, but it was the flat brown color of her eyes that stirred the most discontent in her heart. Over and over again, Joe and Vivian assured her she was safe. Raff wouldn't venture into the heart of the rival pack, but they still felt a disguise was necessary to eliminate the possibility of rumors traveling to sensitive ears.

"I've been thinking about that," she began, only to be cut off as another person called out to them. This time, the person seemed to need Thorne's full attention, and after several minutes of standing awkwardly to the side, she cut in to tell her friend she'd meet up with her later. The ocean was calling.

Alone, she was able to increase her speed, and she reached the quaint dwelling she'd called home for the last several months in record time. Though small, it was well-loved. The interior was freshly painted in gray and blue neutrals, and the furniture was outdated but overstuffed for maximum comfort. Hot water that worked consistently, walls that kept the cold air out, and a bed that wasn't a couch made this place the most luxurious home she'd lived in since leaving her mother.

Her workout clothes went into the laundry, and she pulled on her wetsuit. Already, the proximity to the ocean was clearing the haze from her mind and energizing her. She'd much prefer the gentle caress of water against her bare skin, but she would make whatever concessions she had to make in order to get in the water.

Almost. She reached up and touched the stud in her nose. Once, the ring had irritated her on a daily basis, but now she rarely gave it a thought. Only when she went swimming did the temptation to remove it become overwhelming.

"Ah, screw it." She pulled it out, and went to the bathroom to put inside the medicine cabinet. When the door swung closed, her reflection peered back at her: turquoise eyes, black hair, and an olive complexion. The relief she felt was indescribable: the closest she'd come was comparing it to removing her bra at the end of the day. Vivian hadn't stopped laughing for a full five minutes before sobering up to remind her of the dangers of not wearing the talisman.

She didn't know if she cared anymore. Let him find out the truth. Let him come for me. The thought rose up before she could squash it down. Regardless of whether or not he posed a threat to her, what business did a part Selkie have with a werewolf? He'd want one of his own kind.

By the time she reached the water, the golden sun had turned tangerine, and the horizon was a pink blaze hovering over the ocean. The rugged coastline still managed to steal her breath as she wove through the towering pines to reach the small, pebbled beach. Towering cliffs jutted up around her, the upper half a light, dove gray. The bottom halves were darker, bearing a constant coat of bubbles from the seaspray. The rocks beneath her feet were cool, already the heat from the sunlight fading as dusk crept in.

The hour was later than she usually began her swim, but nothing would deter her. She would have to spend the bulk of her time beneath the water to hide the transformation to her skin, but she'd yet to see anyone else come to this beach. With its location so close to her house, most would think it rude to infringe on the space.

Dipping a toe into the water, she frowned and tugged on the wetsuit's boots and added gloves. She carried them with her just in case, but she'd been hoping the warmer temperatures would've made it possible to swim without the full suit.

"Maybe," she said out loud, "it's time to consider moving south. Perhaps something tropical?" She stepped into the water. "Can't you just imagine swimming in clear, aquamarine waters? Nothing between your body and the sea."

But as she dove beneath a rising wave, she knew she was where she belonged. The thickness of her wetsuit made her movements less fluid, but it didn't slow her down. Hours passed as she frolicked and splashed, finally flipping on to her back.

Floating there, she drew on her hydrokinesis and hovered small orbs of water above her. Starlight pierced the surface, flickering in the center. More and more were added, creating a canopy of liquid diamonds. With a giggle, she pushed her hands out in front of her and sent them shooting across the sky before diving under.

Weary from the cold and long hours of play, she let the soft swells push her inland. Dropping her feet down, she walked the rest of the way in, a goofy smile pasted on her face. A smile that faded slowly as her gaze caught on the moon-sliver adorning the heavens and dragged her thoughts away from the ocean.

With none of the grace she possessed in the water, she plopped to the ground and pulled the boots off of her feet with a squelching sound. They were tossed to the side, along with the gloves, while she worked on drawing the moisture from her hair and the suit. Dry, she remained on the rocky shore and tried to make sense of the emotions roiling within her.

She'd met the man a total of three times (four if she counted seeing him as she fell from the pier). Why then, did he hold her thoughts and dreams captive. Because she knew now who the wolf with the burning blue eyes was. What she didn't know was what the dream meant.

"Ugh, none of it makes any sense," she hissed, pressing her palms into her eyes to hold back the threatened tears.

With a deep sigh, she waited until the stinging receded, and slowly lifted her lids. Biting back a scream, she scrambled away from the dark shape in front of her. With the illumination of the moon behind the animal, she couldn't make out any details, but it didn't rush towards her; instead, it's silhouette rose, forming into the shape of a man.

Making a shrugging motion, he seemed to step out of a cloak that fluttered to his feet. A strange smell, animal and salty musk swirled in the air and made her stomach clench. Her fear gone, she crept forward, aware that he was watching her intently.

Fingertips touched damp skin, warm despite the chilled water running down it. Where she pressed, swirls of light blossomed, not the overpowering shine that covered her body when wet with saltwater, but still inhuman. Letting her eyes slide upward, they settled on a pair of bright, turquoise eyes bouncing with curiosity.

"Hello Meribella," he greeted.