Page 4 of Howl You Doin'

"That obvious?" Fiona asked, heat rising to her cheeks.

"Only because you're reading the menu like it might bite. I'm Nina, and don't worry – none of our drinks actually bite. Well,except the Dragon's Breath Hot Chocolate, but we warn people about that one."

A tiny flame flickered between Fiona's fingers – her nervous tell. "Any recommendations?"

Nina's eyes caught the flame, and her smile widened. "Ah, a fire witch! Try the Phoenix Rise Latte. It's got a kick that might suit you."

"Sure, why not?" The words had barely left Fiona's mouth when Nina's hands began dancing through the air, conducting an orchestra of floating cups and ingredients.

Cinnamon and cardamom swirled through the air as Nina worked, the coffee beans grinding themselves while steam rose in spiral patterns. The finished drink glowed with an inner warmth, topped with foam that shifted like aurora borealis.

Fiona took a cautious sip,and her eyes widened. The drink tasted like liquid sunshine and possibility, warming her from the inside out. Her hair lifted slightly at the ends, small embers dancing between the strands.

"Oh wow," she breathed.

"Good, right? It's enchanted to enhance natural talents. For fire witches, well..." Nina gestured at Fiona's now gently smoking fingertips. "Let's just say you might want to be careful with any spellwork for the next hour or so. Your magic will be a bit... enthusiastic."

Fiona traced the rim of her cup, her bank account balance flashing through her mind like a warning sign. "Any chance you know who's hiring around here? I've been looking, but..."

"Ah, job hunting." Nina wiped down the counter with a cloth that seemed to absorb spills before they happened. "What did you do before?"

"Wedding coordinator in Boston. Specialized in magical ceremonies." Fiona's fingers sparked at the memory of her last event - a vampire-werewolf union that had required careful seating arrangements and three different menu options. "But I haven't seen any event planning positions here."

"Hmm." Nina's brow furrowed as she sent a dirty mug floating toward the sink. "You know, the Eclipsed Moon pack has a community center. Just heard they might be looking for someone to manage it."

Fiona perked up. "Really? That sounds perfect-"

"But," Nina held up a finger, "they usually keep things in-pack. Wolves can be particular about territory and trust."

"Of course they are," Fiona muttered, a tendril of smoke curling from her hair. She patted it out quickly. The Phoenix Rise Latte was still working its magic.

"Don't letthat stop you though." Nina's eyes twinkled. "Sometimes the best opportunities come from pushing boundaries. The center's just past Moonstone Street, can't miss it - big red brick building with a silver moon mosaic over the door."

Fiona straightened her spine, determination settling in her chest. "Thanks, Nina. I'll give it a shot. Worst they can say is no, right?"

"That's the spirit." Nina chuckled, then called after her, "And honey? Maybe wait an hour before you go. You're still trailing sparks."

Fiona glanced down at the tiny embers falling from her fingertips. "Right. Good call." She wiggled her fingers, watching the magical residue fade. "I should probably avoid looking like a walking fire hazard when asking for a job."

"Might help your chances," Nina agreed with a wink.

Fiona kicked off her shoes and let her toes sink into the cool sand of Starlight Cove. The waves lapped at the shore, their rhythm soothing the residual magical buzz from Nina's coffee. Tiny sparks still danced between her fingers, but at least her hair had stopped smoking.

"Well, Fiona, you wanted a fresh start," she said to herself, watching a group of selkies splash in the distance. "Though maybe running across the state wasn't exactly the most mature response."

The salt air carried memories of her last wedding in Boston – an elaborate affair between a vampire countess and a werewolf duke. The ceremony had gone perfectly, right up until the moment someone had slipped a silver fork into the groom's cake. The ensuing chaos had required three memory wipes and one very expensive tablecloth replacement.

"Not my fault," she muttered, drawing patterns in the sand with her finger. Where she touched, the grains crystallized into delicate swirls of glass. "I triple-checked everything. Someone had to have..."

She cut herself off,not wanting to revisit that particular theory. The same way she didn't want to think about the string of "accidents" at her other events. The floating candles that had nearly set fire to a mermaid's hair. The enchanted doves that flew into the wrong ceremony. The love potion that had somehow turned into a truth serum.

A seagull landed nearby, eyeing her hopefully. "Don't look at me like that," she told it. "I know when I'm being sabotaged. I just couldn't prove it."

The bird cocked its head.

"And yes, maybe I should have stayed to fight it out, but..." She gestured at the peaceful cove, where the water sparkledwith actual magic rather than just sunlight. "Sometimes running away is actually running toward something better, right?"

The seagull squawked and waddled closer.

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