Page 18 of Unbearable Attraction
Her expression shifted through several emotions, starting with surprise giving way to something that looked almost like relief, followed by the kind of grateful warmth.
"You brought me breakfast?" The question carried a note of wonder, as if the concept of someone caring enough to feed her was foreign and precious.
"Coffee too," he added, holding up the carrier. "Twyla's special blend. Strong enough to wake the dead, which seemed appropriate given current circumstances."
That earned him a genuine and unguarded smile that seemed to transform her entire face. The sight of the fierce defender of the supernatural and the most independent woman in Hollow Oak, looking pleased that someone had thought to bring her coffee, hit him with emotions he'd spent twelve years keeping buried.
Want. Need. The growing certainty that this woman was becoming essential to his happiness in ways that were out of his control.
"Come in," she said, stepping back to let him enter. "I was just trying to figure out how to search for ceremony grounds that might not exist anymore. Your timing is perfect."
As he followed her into the warmth of her cottage, breathing in the scent of old books and the lingering traces of last night's supernatural activity, Luka realized that his timing was due to his bear's growing need to ensure she was safe, fed, and cared for.
Whether she wanted to be or not.
13
LEENAH
The coffee was perfect, the cinnamon rolls were still warm, and Luka's thoughtful gesture had done something dangerous to the walls around her heart. Leenah found herself stealing glances at him as they ate breakfast at her kitchen table, noting the way he'd remembered exactly how she liked her coffee and the fact that he'd shown up at dawn just to make sure she was okay.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "For thinking of me. It's been a while since anyone..."
"Since anyone what?" Luka's amber eyes were gentle, patient.
"Since anyone cared enough to bring me breakfast." The admission felt more vulnerable than she'd intended, but his expression held only understanding, not pity.
"Well, we can't have Hollow Oak's resident ghost expert running on empty coffee and determination," he said with a smile that made her pulse flutter. "Especially not when we've got mysterious ceremony grounds to locate."
The easy way he included himself in her mission should have triggered her usual protests about working alone. Instead,she found herself oddly grateful for the partnership. Yesterday's research session had been more productive with two minds working the problem, and his steady presence had made the supernatural chaos feel more manageable.
"About that," she said, pulling out the folder of notes she'd compiled after he'd left the night before. "I cross-referenced my grandmother's journals with the historical maps, and I think I found something."
She spread the papers across the table, pointing to a hand-drawn sketch from 1954. "Grandmother mentioned dreams about ceremony grounds deep in the old forest, beyond where the current hiking trails end. She drew this rough map based on what Aiyana showed her."
Luka studied the sketch with obvious interest. "That area's been off-limits to development since the town was founded. Supposed to be too steep for building, but I always suspected there was more to it than terrain issues."
"Supernatural protection, probably. Which means we're on the right track." Leenah traced the path marked on her grandmother's map. "According to this, there should be a stone circle about two miles northwest of Moonmirror Lake, hidden behind what she called 'veils of old magic.'"
"Glamour spells," Luka said immediately. "Fae magic designed to hide sacred sites from casual discovery."
"Exactly." She looked up at him with surprise. "You know about glamours?"
"You pick things up when you've lived in a supernatural community for twelve years." His tone was casual, but she caught the hint of deeper knowledge behind the words. "Plus, my grandfather taught me to recognize the signs. Old forests hold more secrets than most people realize."
The comment sparked her curiosity about his background, but before she could ask more questions, he was standing and gathering their empty coffee cups.
"If we're going to search for hidden ceremony grounds, we should get started," he said. "Weather forecast shows possible snow later, and I'd rather not be tramping through mystical forests in a blizzard."
An hour later, they were making their way along the hiking trail that led into Hollow Oak's oldest forest, their breath misting in the cold November air. Leenah had traded her usual tour guide attire for practical hiking boots, warm layers, and a backpack loaded with research materials and emergency supplies.
"Tell me about the original Cherokee presence here," Luka said as they walked, his longer stride easily matching her pace without making her feel rushed.
"The valley was considered sacred long before European supernatural settlers arrived," Leenah explained, falling into the familiar rhythm of sharing folklore. "The Cherokee called it Nightland's Heart, a place where the spirit world touched the physical realm most strongly. They conducted ceremonies here to maintain balance between the worlds."
"And when the supernatural families arrived?"
"They were refugees, mostly. Fleeing persecution in Salem, Scotland, Ireland. The Cherokee spirits could have driven them off, but instead they chose to share the land." She paused to check her grandmother's map against their current location. "The blood pact was sealed as a promise that the newcomers would help protect the sacred sites instead of exploiting them."
