Page 69 of Unbearable Attraction
They lay tangled together afterward, skin slick, the room quiet except for their slowing breath.
She traced the fresh mark on her hip. “It doesn’t hurt,” she murmured. “It feels… right.”
“It is,” Luka said, kissing her temple. “The grove blessed it. I felt them. Watching. Approving.”
“Good,” she said softly. “Because I wouldn’t want anyone—mortal or spirit—questioning who I belong to.”
He looked down at her then, eyes soft. “Leenah Carrow, my mate, my equal… you belong to no one.”
She smiled, nestling against his chest. “Maybe not. But I’ll keep choosing you. Every night. Every storm. Every lifetime.”
And outside, beyond the bedroom windows, the grove whispered its blessing in the wind.
The marking on her hip pulsed with gentle warmth, a reminder of the commitment they'd just sealed. Whatever the future brought, they would meet it as mates in the truest sense of the word, bound by love, magic, and that some connections were strong enough to last lifetimes.
LUKA
Six months of marriage had taught Luka that domestic bliss came in unexpected forms. Like finding Leenah asleep at her desk at three in the morning, surrounded by correspondence from supernatural communities requesting their help. Or discovering that his pregnant wife had rearranged his entire tool collection because "the chisels were asking to be near the protective ward materials."
"Any word from the Virginia pack?" he asked, setting a cup of chamomile tea beside her elbow as she sorted through the latest batch of requests.
"They've agreed to our terms for the spiritual mediation," she replied, one hand absently rubbing the small but noticeable curve of her belly. "Turns out having a mated pair handle territorial disputes makes everyone more comfortable about bias issues."
Their combined workshop had become something neither of them had anticipated when they'd first talked about merging their lives. Half woodworking sanctuary, half spiritual consultation space, with a comfortable sitting area where Leenah could conduct long-distance spirit communicationswhile Luka worked on protective charms that incorporated both their magical signatures.
"How many requests this week?" he asked, settling into the chair beside her desk.
"Twelve. Three territorial disputes, two haunting resolutions, four protective ward installations, two historical research projects, and one very polite inquiry from the Pacific Northwest about whether we'd consider relocating permanently."
"And our answer to that last one?"
"The same as always." She leaned back in her chair, stretching muscles that were starting to protest longer work sessions. "Hollow Oak is home. We're not leaving."
Through their bond, Luka felt her contentment mixed with the mild discomfort that came with pregnancy's second trimester. Their child was due in the fall, and every day brought new evidence of the magical inheritance they'd be dealing with. Leenah's necromantic abilities had grown stronger and more stable, while his earth magic had developed new aspects he'd never experienced before.
"Speaking of home," he said, standing and offering her his hand, "I think someone wants to take a walk by the lake."
"Someone?"
"Our daughter. She gets restless when the sun starts setting, and I'm pretty sure she's inherited your need for evening constitutional."
"We don't know it's a daughter," Leenah protested, but she let him help her to her feet. "And we definitely don't know she's inherited my need for anything."
"Trust me, I know. She's got your magical signature and your stubborn streak." He placed his palm against her belly, feeling the flutter of movement that had become their evening ritual. "Plus, she always settles down when we walk past the cemetery."
"That could just be coincidence."
"Right. Our unborn child with necromantic potential calming down near spirits is totally coincidence."
The walk to Moonmirror Lake had become their favorite way to end each day, a chance to process the challenges they'd faced and plan for whatever came next. Tonight, with spring giving way to early summer and the protective mists shimmering across the water, Hollow Oak felt more like home than ever.
"Do you ever miss it?" Leenah asked as they settled on the bench Luka had built overlooking the lake. "The simple life, before we became the supernatural community's go-to crisis counselors?"
"No," he said without hesitation. "Simple was just another word for lonely. This is complicated, but it's ours."
Their reputation had grown beyond anything either had expected. Communities throughout the Southeast sought their help resolving spiritual crises, territorial disputes, and the kind of magical emergencies that required both diplomatic skill and genuine power. The combination of Luka's earth magic and protective instincts with Leenah's necromantic abilities and gift for communication had proven uniquely effective.
"Besides," he continued, watching the sunset paint the lake in shades of gold and amber, "our kid's going to grow up thinking this kind of life is normal. Magical consultations, spirit mediations, parents who can literally bridge worlds to solve problems."
