Star Blessed

What Friends are For

MERIBELLA

Meribella was deep in her second glass of wine when Thorne joined her on the bistro's patio. The weather had swung back towards chilly, but with her skin flushed from alcohol, she found the temperature pleasant. The young witch poured a glass of wine for herself, leaned back in her chair, and eyed the woman across from her as she sipped.

"You know I don't like to pry," Thorne began.

"And yet, you do."

"Fair point. According to my watch, you're still on the clock, but here you are, putting a decent dent in this fine Pinot Grigio."

"Perks of being the manager," Meribella shrugged. "Besides this shift was pure overtime, and we're not particularly busy. Jordan is going to close up."

"That's not the Bella I know."

Swirling the honey colored liquid, she contemplated her next response. "You don't know the real Bella at all, but don't feel bad. I don't know her either."

And all the tears she'd been holding back burst forth, and she placed her head on the cold glass top so no one would see the glowing tracks. Shoulders shaking, she alternated between hiccuping sobs and blubbering giggles. What a mess she'd made of her life.

"B, come on. Let's get somewhere a little warmer."

She let herself be lifted from the chair, stopping her friend only to reach for the bottle of wine. "Can't waste this."

"I don't know if you need anymore of that," Thorne cautioned. "I've never seen such a lightweight."

"I'm a lightweight," she wailed, letting herself be shoved into the passenger seat of a car. "Go ahead and tell me how pathetic I am. I can't do anything right. Did you know-did you know that I'm not all human?"

Thorne cranked the car and blasted the heat. Turning to face the sodden mess beside her, she nodded. "Considering you look like a glow-worm right now, I'd say that's a pretty clear fact."

Putting the bottle to her mouth, she gulped another mouthful of the wine. She swatted Thorne's attempts to pull it away from her, placing one hand on the other woman's forehead while she turned the bottle upside down.

"Enough," her friend shouted, and an unseen force jerked the wine from her grasp, splashing her lap with alcohol.

"That was just uncalled for," Meribella muttered, wiping her chin.

"What the hell happened? I just saw you yesterday, and you were fine!"

The two women glared at one another, the only sound the grumbling of the older car's engine. Finally, Thorne sighed and stretched her palm out. The pearl ring on the witch's finger began to shine and small drops of wine worked their way out of Meribella's jeans. The window rolled down, and the levitating droplets zoomed into the night, leaving her clothes dry but smelling of the semi-sweet drink.

"You've always known what I was. I've never been anything but honest with you, but you won't do the same."

"Growing up, my family insisted on absolute secrecy. I thought it was for our safety, but now... I don't know. I don't know anything."

"I get it. This part of the country is unique. I've had friends who grew up in places where it would've meant being completely ostracized if anyone knew what they were. You're safe here."

Giving Thorne a watery smile, she leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. "But I'm a fraud. I might as well be a hundred percent human."

"Says the glow-worm."

"Selkie."

"Come again," Thorne insisted, tensing in her seat and drawing Meribella's attention. A blush stained her caramel cheeks, and her rosebud lips were stretched comically into an "O."

"My great-grandmother was a Selkie whose skin was stolen by a human. It used to happen all of the time, and it's one of the reason you won't find many of them. Until last night, I'd only met a few, and they were all landlocked until they found their skins."

"Until last night?"

Caspian. She'd tried to run from him when he'd spoken her name, but as soon as he showed her the velvet pelt he'd discarded to become human, she'd stopped. Without thinking, she'd invited him to stay the night, only learning his name before going to bed.

"A selkie showed up claiming to be looking for my grandmother. I should've asked more questions honestly, but I was in awe."

"I bet," Thorne interrupted. "I've met a lot of Fae in my lifetime, but never a Selkie. Until you. Damn girl."

"Yeah, well according to Caspian, you still haven't met one.Because Kai was human when she gave birth to my grandmother, we are all humans."

"And you didn't know this?"

Biting her lip, she shook her head. "Kai promised us that if we helped her locate her skin, she'd be able to find us skins of our own. So my grandmother, my mother, and I have spent our lives searching for it. Even when she disappeared a few years ago without a word, we kept looking. They sent me across the country because we'd exhausted the entire west coastline. But Caspian told me it wasn't possible."

"Awe B, I'm so sorry."

"And now, I'm stuck in the middle of a mess for nothing." Reaching up to her nose, she yanked the talisman out and dropped it in her pocket. Thorne studied her changed physical appearance but said nothing. She'd never seen Meribella's true appearance, but she'd known she was disguised.

"Why'd you go in hiding anyways? Did this guy hurt you?"

"He was a brutish pig-"

"I've not met many werewolves that don't fit that description."

"Ha. He started out that way, but then he changed. I think I would've given him a chance if I hadn't seen him shift. It was like finding out the boogeyman existed."

"But now you know that's not the case."

She handed the card Herrin had given her to the witch. The address meant something because the girl let out a long whistle and raised her eyebrows. "The Starless Pack Alpha lives here. How did you even get on their radar?"

"The guy who gave this to me works for Raff. He recognized me this morning, and he's threatening to tell Raff I'm still alive."

"But you wouldn't actually mind if he knew, right?"

"He probably doesn't even care." 'My boss would be very interested to learn you're alive. He's not been himself since you disappeared.' "But I think I'm going to have to see what this man wants with me. If anything, I can take the info back to Raff as a peace offering.

"Well, let's go see what he wants." Putting the car into gear, Thorne pulled out and headed towards the main road out of town. Quaint buildings flashed by, their interiors bright and warm as the cold night set in.

"Wait, you don't need to get involved in this."

The girl in the driver's seat just laughed as she stepped on the gas. "Honey, this is what friends are for."