It was a typical Sunday and they just finished their morning ritual and exercises. One by one, the family members had to shed their old skin to welcome a new one. They are not snakes or amphibians. They are shifters, because they can change from one animal being to another, their skins grow old faster and they have to shed them once a week, every Sunday. You can only identify them by their hair colors. Carmella, had the most distinctive hair color, blue and pink. Her father Chief Antonio, the matriach of their clan has dark gray hair color. Her mother Elizabeth got white colored hair. Her twin siblings Luis had red and Leo had yellow. Whenever they shape shift into animals, you would know them with their colors.
Breakfast is ready and was prepared by their taker Nana Isabel. It's a custom that whenever they eat together they need to be in their human form.
Antonio " We will have guests this evening". Everybody was surprised. Luis " the last time we had guest, was when Mariana was engaged to Emil Romero and that was 2 years ago". Mariana Is their oldest sister who was married to a rich heir of a true blood shifter clan. Elizabeth " We will have the Romero's visiting again, your sister Mariana is also coming". Carmella can sense awkwardness between her mom and dad. They seem to be avoiding her gaze. She thought it might be just some business thing they shouldn't be worried about, besides she had to finish something very important tonight and might not be able to stay with the guests that late. You see Carmella just found out that she can also shape shift to look like another person. No one in her family can do that. They can only shape shift into animals. There are only 3 shape shifters who have the ability to change to another human form. Her late great grandmother Felicia, the late Lucia Romero and the one of oldest shifter alive Madame Lucinda. These three were best friends and when they were young who made a pact with a witch to have the ability to turn into other human form. It was then forbidden for them to use it when the clans found out, it was said of a bad omen. The oldest shifter Madame Lucinda never practiced it since. No one knows she had inherited her granny's ability. She's been practicing her new found powers but it has downsides. She has to shed her skin twice a week now because of exhaustion.
" Carmella, I have something for you to wear tonight, make sure to dress up properly and look pleasant" Elizabeth said. "Hey you two boys do the same, it will be a formal dinner so look nice too" also gazing at the twins.
When they all finished breakfast, everybody went on to do their own thing. Carmella immediately went to her tree house started humming an incantation she heard from her Granny Felicia. This helps her with shifting. This time she is trying to shift into her sister Mariana. She was able to do it but like shifting into animals their hair color comes along with the change, So she looks like Mariana but with blue and pink hair. Her sister had orange hair which she adore so much when they were little. It was easy for her to shift into a tiger without them knowing it. She did try shifting into one but who would want to see a blue and pink tiger. She can change into a peacock, a salamander or into some multi colored snake but never a big mammal coz her brother would just made fun of her.
Dinner came and they were all excited to see how their sister Mariana looks now being with true blood shifters, one of the oldest clans. She can't wait to tell her sister of what she can do. They don't keep secrets when thet were young and she was the saddest when she went away to live with the Romero's. Carmella was wearing a rose pink dress with blue diamond neclace which matches the shoes her mother had prepared.
When the Romero's entered the living area, her parents greeted Damian and Annabel Romero. Then followed by her sister Mariana and her husband Emil. Next is the daughter Patricia and lastly was the oldest son who was away for 5 years because of war training, his name is Ricardo. He has changed a lot, he's taller now and grew muscles. His face had this chiseled jaw, gray gazing eyes and tempting lips. Oops what is she doing? Was she admiring her mortal enemy? She was her number one bully when they were kids.
"Hey little salamander, how are you"? Ricardo asked. "Nothing new that concerns you". She replied with a smug. Her mother Elizabeth looked at her as if telling her to behave. "You might want to learn how to treat me nicely little salamander, we could be spending a lot more time together, you know". Ricardo smirking. What is he talking about, everybody knows she can't stand being with him even just for a minute. "In your dreams mister" she hissed.
Antonio gestured everybody to go to the dining area for dinner. Nana Isabel and the kitchen helpers prepared a feast. There were sea food, lamb chops , roasted chicken and different types of cakes and pastries. She is really wondering if there is a special occasion. Half way through dinner her father stood up. "We are gathered here today to announce another milestone for the Geronimo and Romero clan. Our families will be one again. As you all know it's been 2 years since the marriage of Mariana and Emil. The clan watchers have predicted then a happy relationship but they also saw problems with conceiving an heir. So we decided to keep the family ties by having our daughter Carmella marry the Romero's oldest son Ricardo and hopefully will conceive an heir at the end of this year". The look in Carmella's face is unrecognized. It's one hell of a night for her. Will she be a good daughter for the clan's survival or be the wild and adventurous Carmella she wants to be?