Black Mountain Magic (Kentucky Haints #1)

by Megan Morgan

  “We gotta go out there, then!” Jack said. “We have to find her.”

  “We’re gonna,” Deacon said. “But we should do it in the light of day, tomorrow. If there’s any Wolvites left out there, it might be dangerous.”

  Zeke stood up. “We ain’t afeared of no Wolvites. If she’s out there, we can’t just leave her, being their prisoner.”

  “If she’s out there,” Lorena said, “she’s been out there a long time and I’m not sure she’s a prisoner.”

  “What are you saying?” Jack narrowed his eyes at her.

  “I’m saying she’s been out there for almost two decades. If she is out there.” Lorena paused. “That means she’s integrated in some way with whatever is going on out there, whether by choice or habit.”

  “You saying she wants to stay with the Wolvites?” Jack raised his voice.

  “It’ll be easier to search in the day.” Deacon derailed the conversation before Jack got all up in arms. “This isn’t just about Wolvites, but finding out where they’ve got her hidden away. That’s a bit harder to tackle. We need the light.”

  “How in the hell did she survive all these years?” Zeke shook his head.

  Lorena rubbed Deacon’s back. “It wouldn’t be the first instance of a child growing up in the wilderness. It’s rare, but it happens.”

  “We have to tell the family,” Zeke said. “Your Mama and Daddy, Deacon.”

  “No.” Deacon held up a hand. “Not yet, I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up. They been through enough already. What if she ain’t out there? What if it’s a wild goose chase?”

  “They can help us, though,” Jack said. “More of us for the search. We’ll cover more area, quicker.”

  “Not yet.” Deacon glowered at him. “If we can’t find any clues, yeah, we’ll get a few other people involved. But I don’t want my parents to know about this yet.” He pointed at them. “I don’t want you breathing a word of this to anyone, not even your wives. Promise me.”

  Jack scowled.

  “Promise,” Deacon reiterated.

  “All right.” Jack flung his hands up. “I promise. But we could do with some help.”

  “I won’t tell anyone,” Zeke said. “I can keep my mouth shut.”

  “Sure you can.” Jack snorted.

  “It’s important that you do,” Deacon warned him. “If we don’t find her, or all we find is remains, we don’t want everybody crushed all over again when there’s no need for it.”

  “Except us.” Zeke folded his arms. “She was my favorite cousin growing up.”

  “Thanks a lot.” Deacon pulled his arm from around Lorena’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, we can do this, just the three of us. We got the skills and instincts, and we know that holler with our eyes closed.”

  “Yeah, we do know that holler.” Jack grunted. “So how come we haven’t come on any trace of her before”

  “Maybe she doesn’t want to be found,” Lorena said.

  Deacon looked down at her.

  “I’m just putting it out there.” She spoke gently. “If she was raised by Wolvites, maybe she doesn’t want to come back to this world. You need to be prepared for that. If you do find her, she’s not going to be the same little girl who disappeared.”

  Deacon hadn’t considered these things. He barely dared to hope they’d find her. “Guess I didn’t think about that.”

  “And if you do find her,” Lorena said, “and you bring her back here, she’s going to have to be acclimated to civilization again. It’ll be hard for everybody. Not to mention a person disappears for almost twenty years and then comes back, the government or at least law enforcement is going to get involved. They might put her in a hospital. They’ll question her.”

  “Reckon we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” Jack shook his head. “All right, when it gets light out, we’ll start our search. We can tell anyone who’s curious we’re doing a sweep to make sure there’s no Wolvites left in the holler.”

  “Just remember,” Deacon said, “not a word. Especially you, Zeke. Don’t go flapping your gums.”

  Zeke pressed a hand to his chest. “I’m offended. I won’t say a word, swanny.”

  Jack and Zeke left, and Deacon stashed the necklace away. He joined Lorena in the living room again and wrapped his arms around her. She gazed up at him and his chest ached, knowing his time with her had diminished into mere hours.

  “I guess you’ll have to keep me in the loop.” She spoke softly. “Until I get back. Let me know what happens.”

  “Wish you could come with us and help us search.”

  “Wish I could too. But duty calls.”

  He kissed her, and lingered on the sweet lushness of her lips. He’d keep that taste with him forever. Her scent and body drove him to distraction, despite all else he had on his mind. The idea of her leaving made his stomach knot up, made him anxious, made him want to throw himself down in front of her plane. Three weeks would seem like an eternity.

  She broke the kiss and drew back. “We have one more night together. We should make it count.”

  “Oh, I’m planning on it. It’s gonna be a night you won’t forget.” He lifted her off her feet and scooped her up in his arms, bridal-style. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Come on woman, you belong in my bed.”

  She pressed her forehead to his. “Yes, I do.”

  * * * *

  When Lorena awoke, the sun was peeking over the horizon and she already had three anxious text messages from Holden, to remind her to return in time to pick him up. She didn’t reply.

  Untangling herself from the warm comfort of Deacon’s arms was almost physically painful. They delayed the inevitable with slow, sleepy kisses and touches, bare skin to bare skin, and longing radiated from her soul. She sensed him the way she had in the woods, like a beacon, so powerful it seemed to absorb through her flesh. She could nearly hear his thoughts, or imagined she could. She had never felt anything like it in her life, not with any man, even the ones she foolishly believed she was in love with in the past.

  “Maybe there’s something to that code.” She gazed into his eyes as she stroked her fingers along his jaw. “Maybe witches and Lycans really are supposed to be together.”

  “Feels that way, don’t it?” His eyes were luminous in the dull blue light. “Never had a witch interested in me before. Never felt this.”

  “I’ve never had a Lycan interested in me before. I’ve never felt this either.”

  He drew her closer, though she already had herself practically draped over him. He kissed her, and she ached harder. She couldn’t get out of the bed. She was attached to him, flooded with him, riveted.

  “It’ll only be a few weeks.” She spoke mostly to console herself. “I’ll be back, and we’ll…we’ll work on whatever this is. It’s more than just sexual, don’t you think?” She held her breath for his response.

  “It is,” he murmured.

  Her anxiety vanished and her heart soared.

  “I know we haven’t been acquainted very long,” he said, “but I feel like I’ve known you for ages.”

  “I feel the same. It’s all very sudden, but it’s not. And to be honest, I’ve never cared about the rules. Who dictates how long you need to know each other to have feelings?”

  He made a throaty rumble. “Well, my Grammy likes to think she does. She’s always slinging love advice at me.”

  Lorena rubbed her face. “While I’m gone, will you try to talk to her and find out if she’s the one who went in the woods to speak to the Wolvites? I still have my suspicions.”

  “I’ll try.” He caressed her stomach. “She don’t give up information too easily, though.”

  She kissed him firmly. “I have to go,” she whispered.

  “I know,” he whispered back. “I wish we had more time.”

  “I do too.” She smiled. “Last night was wonderful. It’s a good memory to take with me.”

  “Sorry you didn’t get much sleep.” He didn
’t sound sorry at all.

  “I’ll sleep on the plane.”

  She reluctantly climbed out of bed. Deacon got up too, which made getting dressed even more difficult. They continued kissing and groping as she tried to put her clothes on. He wore just a pair of boxer briefs and she was horribly distracted by his thick, powerful thighs and taut, hard stomach. Not to mention his thickly-muscled arms and broad chest and wide shoulders and just—everything.

  He skimmed his hands over her bare skin as she tried to cover it up. They’d gone so many rounds the night before, and yet she wasn’t satisfied. She ached for it, like she hadn’t had sex in months. She kissed him hungrily and groaned against his lips.

  “This sucks.” She sighed. “I can’t stand it.”

  He squeezed her ass. She’d managed to pull her shirt on, but not her panties yet.

  “Think we got time for one more go?”

  She bit her lip and looked at the clock next to the bed. “Depends on how quick we are.”

  The debate ended with Lorena’s back against the wall and her legs around his waist. He pushed into her, rock hard. Only him filling her and extinguished that ache. She whimpered and moaned against his neck. He held her up with his hands under her ass and pumped into her, quick and hard.

  “Lorena,” he gasped. “Damn woman, I’m going to miss you.”

  She came in a powerful rush, one of many orgasms she’d had over the course of the night. She closed her eyes and soaked in the tremors of his muscles as he came too, reveled in the growls in her ear, at the way he snapped his teeth against her neck.

  Afterward, she made a dash to clean up, dress, and get her things together. She was both giddy and sad as he saw her to the front door.

  “I’ll call you when I get to Chicago.” She spoke between kisses. “Be careful out there today. I hope you find her.”

  “Have a good trip back.” He swatted her ass. “I’ll see you soon.”

  “Real soon.”

  Leaving was one of the most difficult things she’d ever had to do. His scent clung to her and the sensation of him still lingered inside her, and it would have to be enough for now. Her tangled emotions were bittersweet and she fought back tears as she drove to the farm. So silly, to get so emotional over a man she hadn’t even known a week. Yet, she couldn’t help it and she couldn’t stop it.

  When she pulled into the driveway, she took a few deep breaths and wiped her eyes. She refused to be weepy in front of Holden, as it would just give him fodder to criticize her. She tried to focus on her work and going home. Her future beyond her vacation time would have to be considered, too. She could request a transfer to a Kentucky branch, but it might take months to go through. She could take additional classes to make her focused area of expertise Wolvites, then move to Blue Ditch for field study. That would take even longer.

  She nearly laughed. Already planning a huge move for him. She told herself to slow down and see if this even became a relationship.

  She climbed out of the truck. The morning air was cool, the sun golden on the treetops. A thin layer of mist clung to the ground. She closed her eyes and breathed in. She couldn’t get this in the city. She would miss Blue Ditch for reasons other than Deacon.

  She steeled herself and went in the house.

  Chapter 19

  Zeke showed up at Deacon’s house around nine, but Jack was running late. Deacon made breakfast, so they wouldn’t have to tromp around the woods on empty stomachs. Zeke dug in while they waited for Jack, but Deacon picked at his plate. He missed Lorena with a deep and powerful ache, and she probably wasn’t even out of town yet.

  His stomach was also queasy at what the day might bring. If they did find his sister, things would change. His whole family would be gaumed up for a while.

  “We should start at our usual hunting grounds.” Zeke spoke between shoveling strips of bacon into his mouth. “Start there, move outward. Be a lot easier without all them Wolvites around now, that’s for sure.”

  “Reckon we can check the caves out, too. We’ll take flashlights, and plenty of ammo, just in case.”

  Zeke eyeballed Deacon’s plate. “You gonna eat that bacon?”

  Deacon pushed the plate toward him. “Nah, tuck in.”

  Zeke obliged.

  Jack finally showed up, looking fit to be tied and muttering to himself. He poured a cup of coffee.

  “You still fuming about the house?” Deacon asked him. “Thought Grandpa and them was coming over today to start working on it.”

  “They are. I ain’t worried about that right now.” He took a sip of his coffee. “Sorry I’m late. Been arguing with Mel all morning. She’s been like a bear with a sore ass ever since they picked the Wolvites off. Moody as hell. She took off without taking care of the animals this morning, so I had to do it. You know they’re skittish around me. It wasn’t easy.”

  “I can’t believe you married a woman what feels bad for Wolvites,” Zeke said. “Not to mention some half-cocked witch. Ain’t no wonder Grammy gives her a hard time.”

  “Not all witches are as powerful as Grammy,” Deacon cut in. “Everyone’s gotta start somewhere.”

  “I know she’s got her faults.” Jack glared at Zeke. “But I love her. You don’t know nothing about our relationship.”

  “You barely knew her before you married her.” Zeke snorted. “You bring her back here and marry her a few weeks later. You must have been smitten, I get it. But now her true colors are bleeding out, and look what you got.”

  Jack stepped toward him, eyes flashing. “You wanna watch your tongue or you wanna start this day with a black eye?”

  “Enough.” Deacon got up from his stool. “We ain’t gonna throw punches. We got more important things to worry about. You with me on this search, or not?”

  Jack sipped his coffee, still glaring at Zeke. “I’m with you. I just don’t need to hear no lecture about my choices, I get it enough from my Mama and Daddy.”

  Zeke grumbled. “It’s gonna be a long damn day.”

  They piled everything they needed into Deacon’s truck: shotguns, extra ammo, flashlights, batteries, walkie-talkies, a cooler of water. Deacon added a few other things too, in case they found her. Blankets, a first aid kit, and rope. He told himself the rope was for climbing, not if she turned out to be wild and they had to restrain her.

  “What if we do find her?” Jack asked. “What do we do next?”

  “Bring her back,” Deacon said. “Any way we have to.” He patted the pocket of his jeans, to make sure he had the necklace. Maybe they could lure her out with it, or at least lure Dafydd, so they could get some answers.

  “And then what?” Zeke asked. “If she’s been living in the woods all these years, she ain’t gonna understand what it’s like to be in civilization again.”

  “I don’t know.” Deacon shrugged. “Reckon we’ll have to contact the authorities. I don’t know what kind of state we’ll find her in.”

  “What if we don’t find her?” Zeke kicked at the gravel. “Or we only find her bones? Are you prepared for that?”

  “Yeah.” Deacon rubbed his face. “I’m prepared for whatever we find. But that’s exactly the reason I didn’t want to tell nobody about this.”

  “If we do find her remains,” Zeke said, “are you gonna tell your parents?”

  “I don’t know.” Deacon huffed. “There’s a lot I don’t know. We’ll cross those bridges when and if we get to them, all right?”

  Jack and Zeke looked at each other.

  “Let’s get out there.” Deacon opened the driver’s side door of his truck. “Sooner we start, the sooner we’ll get our questions answered.”

  * * * *

  Lorena sat in a diner in downtown Lexington, in a small booth next to windows looking out on a busy street. She hadn’t readjusted yet to the bustle and noise of a city. Her surroundings seemed alien after being immersed in nature for nearly a week. The sun through the window fell warm on her skin, and the sky was clear blue, and she t
ried to focus on those things instead.

  Most of her lunch sat neglected on her plate as she read the book Hazel had given her. A large portion consisted of recipes for potions; also, lengthy descriptions of roots, herbs, and plants that went into them.

  “I may have spoken harshly yesterday,” Holden said.

  She glanced up. Holden sat on the other side of the table. They hadn’t spoken much, apart from necessary communication. They’d already dropped off the supplies and they didn’t need to be at the airport for another hour.

  “Did you?” She turned a page.

  “Yes.” He stirred the straw in his soda. “I don’t think I’m going to transfer when we get back. That was a childish thing to say.”

  “I don’t really care what you do.”

  “I’ve enjoyed working with you in the field. I think you’re a marvelous scientist.”

  She stared hard at the page in front of her, the description on it detailing a recipe for Potion of Enrapture. A convoluted way of saying “love potion,” apparently.

  “I would like to work with you in the field again,” Holden said. “I think we can put aside this petty bickering and be a good team.”

  She sniffed.

  “Perhaps we should write a paper together, on the unusual occurrence of Wolvites in Blue Ditch.”

  “You can write a paper if you want.” She lowered the book. “I don’t like writing papers.”

  “I could help you. I love to write papers.”

  “Then go for it. I’m not writing a paper with you.”

  “Lorena, I’m trying to apologize.”

  She plunked the book on the table. “And yet, I don’t hear the words ‘I’m sorry’ coming out of your mouth. Can you even describe what you’re apologizing for?”

  “I’m sorry. There. And I’m sorry you sell yourself short, too. Professionally, and personally.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “What are you talking about?”

  “You could go far in academia.” He lowered his voice, as if sharing a secret with her. “And I think you can do much better than some hillbilly Lycan. You’re a smart, beautiful woman, and you deserve the best.”