Page 53 of Unbearable Attraction
But as she stared at the porcelain dolls that had watched over her lonely childhood, Leenah wondered if her family was right about one thing, whether her personal happiness was worth the potential cost to everyone else.
The thought of Edmund Blackthorne, descendant of the warlock who'd betrayed sacred promises for personal gain, made her skin crawl. But if accepting his suit meant protecting Luka and Hollow Oak from political retaliation, could she really choose her own desires over their safety?
The question haunted her as she lay awake in the narrow bed, staring at shadows that seemed to whisper with her grandmother's disappointed voice and her family's calculating expectations.
34
LUKA
Four days without word from Leenah was three days too many.
Luka stood outside the Carrow family compound, studying the imposing Victorian architecture that radiated old money and older disapproval. The wrought-iron gates were designed to keep people out, but his bear was too agitated to be deterred by social barriers. Their spiritual connection had grown weaker with each passing day, reduced to barely perceptible whispers that told him she was alive but struggling.
That was enough to bring him to Salem, regardless of complications.
The ancient butler who answered his knock looked like he'd stepped from a Charles Dickens novel, complete with disapproving sniff. "The family is not receiving visitors."
"I'm here to see Leenah Carrow. Tell them Luka Ashe is calling."
"I'm afraid Miss Carrow is indisposed."
"Then I'll wait until she's disposed again." Luka's smile carried enough edge to make the butler step back. "However long that takes."
Five minutes later, he was escorted into a formal parlor that screamed wealth and respectability. Four people arranged themselves like a tribunal. An older man who shared Leenah's blue eyes but none of her warmth, a sharp-faced woman whose pinched expression suggested chronic constipation, and two younger relatives who watched him with obvious hostility.
"Mr. Ashe." The older man's voice held arctic courtesy. "I'm Leenah's father, Robert Carrow. This is my sister Margaret, and my nephew and niece, James and Catherine. We understand you've developed an... attachment... to our daughter."
"I love her. She loves me. We're bonded." Luka settled into the offered chair without invitation, his bear noting exit routes and potential threats. "Where is she?"
"Resting. The journey from North Carolina was quite taxing." Margaret's smile was razor-thin. "Perhaps you could explain what business you have here?"
"Leenah's been gone four days without contact. I came to make sure she's safe."
"Safe from what, exactly?" James leaned forward, his expression calculating. "Are you suggesting her family poses some threat to her wellbeing?"
"I'm suggesting that people who spend years making someone feel unwanted don't suddenly develop their best interests at heart."
The temperature in the room dropped noticeably. Robert's fingers drummed against his chair arm with controlled irritation.
"We're trying to help Leenah understand the broader implications of her recent choices," he said carefully. "Magical bonds with shifters can be... unpredictable. Especially for necromancers whose abilities are already considered volatile."
"Her abilities aren't volatile. They're powerful." Luka's bear stirred at the casual insult. "Something you'd know if you'dbothered to understand them instead of shipping her away whenever they became inconvenient."
"We provided Leenah with appropriate guidance for someone with her particular gifts," Margaret said coldly. "That she chose to exceed reasonable boundaries is hardly our responsibility."
"What boundaries?"
"The kind that prevent necromancers from attracting unwanted attention through reckless experimentation and inappropriate relationships."
Before Luka could respond to that loaded statement, footsteps echoed in the hallway. Leenah appeared in the doorway, looking pale and exhausted but determined. Her eyes found his immediately, and he felt their bond strengthen with proximity.
"Luka? What are you doing here?"
"Making sure you're okay." He stood, resisting the urge to sweep her into his arms when he sensed her family's hostile attention. "You haven't returned my calls."
"I've been... processing everything." She moved into the room but maintained careful distance, clearly aware of how her family was cataloging every interaction. "You shouldn't have come."
"Yeah, I should have." His voice carried enough certainty to make her blink in surprise. "Because whatever they're trying to convince you of, you don't have to face it alone."
