Moon Cursed (Book 2 in The Star and Her Moon Series)

Longing

MERIBELLA

Meribella massaged her cheeks, trying to ease the muscles in her face. They were sore from holding up the corners of her lips in extended smiles, and her stomach ached from laughing. A small child- her cousin, Coral- snoozed against her chest. A tiny bit of drool dribbled down the girl's sweet face and pooled on Meribella's chest, but she refused to move her for fear of waking her up.

"No, no. Don't go blaming me," Anahita wagged her finger at Como. The woman was identical in every way to Kai, and it made Meribella's heart twist with longing.

"Who else am I to blame? You were the lookout!" Como crossed his arms and stared at his sister. He was tall and broad shouldered with lean muscles. He wore his white hair long, tied off in a ponytail down his back, and his eyes were darker than everyone else's- more emerald than turquoise.

Anahita dismissed him with a flick of her fingers. She looked at Meribella, eyebrows high over her almond eyes. "Please tell me what you would've done."

"Um," Meribella searched for a way to answer, but she finally shrugged, "I've never found myself in that situation before?"

"W-wait?" Como shouted the question. "How is that possible?"

"Como, enough," Valencia said, patting him on the head as she put a plate of sushi on the table. Meribella was stuffed- they'd done nothing but eat and talk for hours- but the fresh scent of fish had her stretching her arm across the table to snag a bite.

"But Mama, I just don't know how this is possible," he continued. Thick, callused fingers scratched his pointed jaw.

"I was raised around humans. They're not really into...I mean..." Meribella blushed and shoved the salmon roll between her lips to save herself further embarrassment.

"The word you're looking for is orgy, and I happen to know for a fact there are humans who are into those types of things. I've been with several."

"Well, it's not the norm, and most keep it quiet if they choose to indulge in that lifestyle."

Anahita filled her plate with sushi and settled back into her seat. "That's silly. Why keep something so wonderful such a secret? Why, after my mating ceremony with Lorian, we found our two very best friends and celebrated all night long. The people three houses over said they could hear us."

The woman looked smug- the expression reminding Meribella so much of Thorne she wanted to laugh and cry. The water witch would be right at home with the selkies. Heck, Lincoln would think he'd died and gone to heaven.

"Are you alright?" Valencia pulled out the chair beside Meribella and put her hand on her shoulder. "You suddenly feel very sad."

"Oh, it's just this makes me think of my friends back home."

Como waggled his brows. "Friends or friends?"

Anahita slapped him. "I think we've determined she doesn't do plurals."

"What about just one? You got a boy toy-" Como threw up his palms, "or a girl toy back home?"

They all leaned forward and waited for Meribella to respond. Her face flushed- not just from embarrassment but from thinking about Raff. Since she'd left, she did her best to keep her mind off of him during the day. Caspian would prefer to pretend Raff didn't exist so it had been easy. Only at night, did she let him come to her in dreams that left her aching with want when the sun rose. But to speak of him now scared her.

"Oh, look at her. There is someone. Is he the one?" Anahita purred.

"The one?"

"Your mate? The one whose soul matches your own. All selkies have one. A blessing from Astra."