Makena meets Leif at an open mic night and they hit it off. He doesn't seem weirded out when she talks to a bird. She feels like she can trust him, not just with her body, but also with the knowledge that she's part nixie and part mo'o. That she doesn't just hang out in Rock Creek Park, she is a water protector.
Leif has been working on his father's rock tour as since he was in high school. He's seen a lot of wild things, and likes to keep on the move. He's home in DC helping his mom for a bit, he meets Makena. He isn't too shocked when she turns out to be a little bit magical. For once, Leif's starting to wonder what would happen if he stayed.
But when he mentions the mill where Makena lives, his parents are oddly concerned. It becomes clear they both know more about the mill than they are saying, and it may be tied to the time he was kidnapped by a fan as a child.
Makena gets a warning from a mysterious woman, a magical bargain was set in motion long ago. And the time has come to collect.
A fairytale romance retelling that mixes The Nixie of the Old Mill Pond with Hawaiian mythology.