Lure of the Bear (Aloha Shifters: Jewels of the Heart Book 3)

by Anna Lowe

  Good old Hunter, a little voice in her mind sighed.

  She held back an inner snort. If only good old Hunter wasn’t a bear.

  “Such a nice young man.” Lily winked over the edge of her fan.

  Dawn pursed her lips. Was she really expected to sit through dinner with him?

  Hunter stared at her, and she steeled herself. It was happening again. That mysterious force she’d fought all day started swirling around the two of them, trying to nudge her closer to him. It had taken all her willpower to keep away from Hunter at work, but she was tired now. So, so tired. Her vision grew a little hazy until all she saw was his face and the flickering torches in the background.

  Hunter’s eyes were dreamy, too, until he jolted and looked down at his feet, breaking the spell.

  Dawn rocked back on her heels, blinking at the kitten that had pranced out of the shadows. It wound between Hunter’s legs, mewing loudly.

  “Whoa there, Keiki,” he murmured, scooping it up and rubbing between its ears.

  Keiki meant child. Lily sighed at the sight of such a big man holding a tiny fur ball, and Dawn nearly did, too.

  “Need some milk?” Hunter whispered, carrying the kitten to the kitchen section of the building.

  “Be still my heart,” Lily murmured, fanning herself in double time.

  Dawn exhaled, finding her focus again. God, she hoped she’d be seated across the table from Hunter and not next to him. Otherwise, she might just end the evening in his lap, purring like that kitten.

  She looked around, trying to stay on guard. The building was just like the couple of traditional hale she’d been in — a huge, open space, except that this one had been furnished with a full kitchen at one side and a living/dining area on the other, complete with couches and what looked like the world’s coziest reading nook in one corner. Not a sign of anything unusual, like skulls or trophies of victims as her imagination suggested. It was all perfectly normal — if you were a billionaire, at least.

  She glanced over at Hunter, who was kneeling over the kitten by the fridge, then at the other men, and finally in the direction of where the main house stood high on a ridge. The rumor mill had gone wild when Koa Point sold a few years earlier, but no one had definitively identified the new owner.

  A very private man, she remembered the newspapers quoting the lawyer who helped seal the multimillion-dollar deal.

  She’d never thought much of it before, but now, her mind spun. Was the owner a shifter, too? A sorcerer, perhaps? Was he one of the men here? But she discarded the thought immediately. Whoever the owner was, everyone knew he rarely visited Maui. Hunter and his friends were all Special Forces vets who’d landed the sweetest caretaker’s deal in the islands. She turned slowly, wondering where Hunter lived. She spotted a roof poking up among the trees close to the beach, where the surf rolled in. But from what she remembered, Hunter hated open water, so she doubted he’d live close to the beach. Did he live in an apartment above the garage or in another part of the estate?

  “Can I get you a drink?” Nina asked, pulling Dawn out of her thoughts. “Wine? Beer?”

  “Water, please,” Dawn said firmly, folding her napkin into ever smaller, perfectly aligned squares.

  She studied the others out of the corner of her eye as dinner got into full swing. But no matter how closely she scrutinized the place or its inhabitants, she couldn’t find a hint of anything to fear. On the contrary, it was all so normal. Conversation was lively. The laughter was genuine. Everyone took turns talking and listening without anyone dominating the scene — except Lily, who cracked jokes and flirted outrageously with the men.

  “Oh my goodness. This is so good.” Lily smacked her lips after a few bites. “The food, I mean. Not the view.” She winked at Boone.

  Dawn had just worked back the taro leaf wrapped around her pork and snapper, and the first bite just about melted in her mouth.

  Kai groaned out loud, and Boone licked his fingers. “Seriously, Tessa. You’ve outdone yourself.”

  Tessa grinned. “You guys will eat anything, but I’m glad our guests like it.”

  Dawn had to agree. “It’s amazing.”

  “Tastes like laulau but different,” Lily said.

  “I steamed it then threw it on the grill for a few minutes. Not too bad, huh?”

  Dawn kept looking around, trying to spot a hint of evil or a shadow of black magic, but there didn’t seem to be any. Maybe these shifters were really just…normal people, or as close as shifters could be. They were all friendly. Warm. Sincere.

  “Boone tried grilling once,” Kai started, poking fun at his friend.

  “Yeah. Once,” Boone laughed.

  “Ha. My sister and I wanted to surprise my dad one time…” Laughter shone in Tessa’s eyes as she related a tale of a Father’s Day gone wrong.

  “Sundays were always pancake day for me and my mom,” Nina added with a wistful smile.

  “I think pancake Sundays are just what we need here at Koa Point,” Boone murmured, taking her hand.

  Koa, Dawn thought. The Hawaiian word for the toughest kind of wood was also the word for an elite class of warrior. That fit Hunter, Kai, and Boone perfectly, but each had a softer, gentler side, too.

  “This is amazing,” Kai said, raising his glass to Tessa.

  His voice was full of affection, and Dawn could see Tessa glow. Their love was as obvious as the shine in Boone’s eyes when he looked at Nina.

  You could have that, too, the little voice in her mind said. Love. Respect. Affection. Trust.

  She peeked at Hunter. If there was one man she’d ever been tempted to trust, it was him. But he’d already made one startling revelation. What other secrets might he be hiding from her?

  Hunter’s mocha eyes met hers with an expression so wistful, she nearly reached for his hand. The candle set between them flickered with a warm, yellow glow. Somewhere in the distance, surf rolled over the sand, and a faint breeze made the thatching whisper overhead. Really whispering, as if talking to her.

  Him. Hunter. He’s the one.

  The crickets chirping outside took up the same call, and the birds rustling in the bushes did, too. As if all of Mother Nature wanted her to understand one simple thing.

  This is a good man. You can trust him. He is the one.

  She tried pushing the thought away, because that could be the voice of some dark, brooding force trying to trick her into a false sense of security.

  A breath of wind nearly extinguished the candle, but then the tiny flame stood tall and bright again, holding back the darkness of night.

  Dawn stared over the flame, gazing deep into Hunter’s eyes. Damn it, it was so hard to stay on guard around a man who exuded I-will-cherish-you-forever vibes. She had a sixth sense for trouble, but all her internal alarms were silent. How could Hunter be guided by evil if he only made her feel good?

  The dinner guests at the table may as well have wandered off for all Dawn noticed. She sat, deaf and mute to the others. But inside, her body heated and sang.

  Hunter. He’s the one.

  Hunter’s long, dark lashes barely moved, he was so intent on her. Dawn felt light-headed, staring into his eyes. Intoxicated. Fascinated, the way the most sensual hula performances fascinated her. The kind performed on a beach at night with swaying hips, bare bellies, and pahu drums beating a frenzied beat.

  Maybe he really was the one. Maybe she could trust him, after all.

  “Dawn,” someone called, but the sound was faint, as if spoken at the end of a long tunnel. “Dawn.”

  Dawn cleared her throat sharply, breaking away from Hunter’s steady gaze. “What was the question?” She reached for her water glass and took a huge gulp.

  “I said, tell us about this celebrity wedding,” Lily prodded.

  “Well…” Dawn and Hunter started at the same time.

  Lily clapped. “Oh, you’re working together? How nice!”

  Funny how Lily didn’t appear the least bit surprised. Dawn was
going to have a long talk with her on the way home.

  Everyone else looked on expectantly. Hunter studied his fork. Dawn cleared her throat — again.

  “Is that Regina Vanderwhatshername as bad as they say?” Lily asked.

  Everyone leaned forward for the juicy details as Dawn fished for words.

  “I guess a lot of brides get stressed,” she managed. There. That sounded diplomatic, right?

  Kai snorted. “There’s stressed, and there’s spoiled brat. I took her photographer up for some aerial shots today, and she just about smacked the camera out of his hands when he showed her the results. She made him go up again saying — and I quote — ‘Make sure it doesn’t look so windy this time.’”

  “I’m glad I decided not to take a job with the catering company, after all,” Tessa said. “What did you think of her, Hunter?”

  The kitten had jumped into his lap, and he petted it while he mulled over a reply. “I guess I didn’t notice anything much.”

  Dawn raised her eyebrows, admiring his restraint. Where was the raging animal she had seen a few weeks ago? When the wolf had attacked her, Hunter had turned into a marauding beast. Did animal outrage come out of nowhere and take over his body from time to time?

  An owl hooted, and everyone quieted, listening to the muted call.

  “Pu’eo,” Lily whispered.

  Nina tilted her head.

  “Pu’eo means owl,” Dawn explained.

  “Where is it?” Tessa asked, craning her neck.

  Kai pointed one way, but Dawn pointed overhead. “Listen. He’s about to fly over the roof.”

  Everyone’s heads followed the sound of wing flaps overhead.

  “Wow. How did you know what it was going to do?” Nina asked.

  Dawn shrugged. Some things, she just sensed. If only she could read shifters the way she could read birds.

  “Pu’eo is Dawn’s aumakua,” Lily said.

  Nina cocked her head. “Auma-what?”

  Dawn looked at Lily. Aumakua were hard to explain, especially to someone who didn’t grow up on the islands.

  “Ancestral spirit,” Hunter surprised her by whispering. “Like a family god.”

  “The owl is a protector,” Lily said.

  Hunter’s eyes flashed at Dawn, communicating something that looked like, I will protect you.

  He had. He’d saved her. Twice now. Once way back in high school, from an ugly incident she’d disciplined herself not to think about, and again a few weeks ago, when the wolf had come within a hair of her throat.

  “Do you have an aumakua, Lily?” Tessa asked.

  “Sure. Most everyone with roots in the islands does. Mine is the pua’a — the stubborn old pig.” She chuckled. “Lucky Dawn. I swear she has the night vision of an owl.”

  Dawn kept her lips sealed. It was true, but it didn’t seem like much compared to her hosts. They could transform into animals, for goodness’ sake!

  “What other aumakua are there?” Tessa asked.

  “Oh, there are lots. Bats. Sharks. Dragons…”

  “Dragons?” Tessa’s eyes went wide.

  “Sure.” Lily fanned herself casually. “You can even see them from time to time.”

  Tessa choked on her food. “You can?”

  Kai nodded. “There’s one over on Molokai.”

  Lily shook her head. “That’s just a shape nature carved into the rocks. There are real dragons, too. Mo’o, we call them. I’ve seen them flying over West Maui at night.”

  Kai was the one choking now. Tessa’s eyes glowed green, the color of the pendant around her neck.

  “Yes, indeed,” Lily went on, cheery as can be. “There are a couple of them around.”

  Dawn’s eyes went wide as she looked at Tessa and Kai. Could it really be?

  “But don’t worry,” Lily finished with a sly smile. “They seem like nice dragons to me.”

  Chapter Six

  “Lily,” Dawn admonished the older woman after dinner wound down and the two of them walked the path back toward the car. “Why on earth would you say such a thing?”

  “Which thing, sweetheart? Oh, you mean the comment about Kai’s biceps? You didn’t think they were nice?”

  Dawn shook her head. Lily had had a hell of a time that evening, play-flirting and making the men blush with her open ogling of chests and thick arms. But that wasn’t what Dawn was referring to. “I mean the thing about dragons.”

  Lily fluttered her eyelashes innocently. “What about them?”

  Dawn sighed and took a step back. There was no reasoning with that woman — especially now that Tessa was coming up from behind.

  “Thank you so much for coming out here tonight,” Tessa said.

  “Oh, I had a wonderful time.” Lily beamed. “Didn’t you, Dawn?”

  She nodded. “Dinner was great. Thank you.”

  She meant it, too. Dragons, bears, and wolves aside, Dawn had to admit that the evening was nothing like she had feared. The Pacific was serving up one of those gorgeous, starlit nights when everything seemed peaceful and serene. The food was divine, and the company was nice. Really nice. Who’d have thought dinner with a group of shapeshifters could be such a pleasant event?

  And, damn. What did it say about her social life that her best night out in the past couple of years was one spent with a flirty seventy-year-old and a group of people who each hid a wild, animal side?

  The fears that had accelerated her heart rate on the way in had all but dissipated, though she still wasn’t sure what to make of Hunter and his friends. But never mind — she’d survived the night. It was getting late, and she had work in the morning. Another day at the Kapa’akea resort, which had its pluses and minuses. The plus was seeing Hunter again. The minus was…well, seeing Hunter again. The man made part of her want to shred her own self-control and toss it to the wind.

  They were nearly at the car when Lily threw up her hands in dismay. “Oh, my purse! Sweetheart, can you fetch it for me?”

  Dawn turned and headed back down the path, running her hands over the awapuhi growing on either side. It was dark, but she could make out every curved petal of the ginger flower. They interlocked, one nestled inside the other, each petal arching back to the night sky. Dawn tipped her chin up to study the stars. Canis Major was high in the sky, and Sirius, the Dog Star, shone bright. Then came Gemini and then… Her step faltered. That was the Great Bear. Guardian of the night sky or a hunter in disguise?

  She was so engrossed in thought that she nearly walked into a tree. “Oops.”

  Except it wasn’t a tree. It was Hunter. He grunted and steadied her before quickly letting go.

  “Sorry,” he murmured, stepping back quickly.

  “Sorry,” she gulped, thinking how strange it was that he was so flighty around her. She ought to be the flighty one, right?

  Then it hit her. All this time, she’d been worried about Hunter hurting her when it had been her, hurting him. Poor Hunter — as big and mighty as he was, part of him was still the lonely kid who’d never really fit in. And for the past weeks, she’d been as cold and standoffish as the kids at school had been when Hunter was the new kid on the block. She hung her head a little. Hunter had only ever been sweet to her. Why couldn’t she bring herself to trust him?

  He held something out, extending his arm so she wouldn’t have to come too close. “Lily forgot this.”

  Dawn took a deep breath. She could just take the purse and go, but how could she ignore that pained look in his eyes?

  “Hunter,” she whispered, ignoring the purse and slowly reaching for his arm. It was thick as a tree branch yet surprisingly soft with tiny curls of hair. She moved her hand up and down slightly, in part admiring his bulk, in part wondering what it might feel like to touch bear fur.

  He didn’t say anything, and he didn’t move, though his nostrils flared.

  Hers did, too, because damn. He smelled so good. Like Maui. Like koa, the toughest kind of wood.

  “I’m sorry I’
ve been so…so…” She fished for words. Cruel? Mean? Cold? “Distant,” she decided. “I just…”

  “Not your fault,” he murmured.

  She looked at him. It wasn’t exactly his fault, either. If he hadn’t stopped the wolf that had attacked her, she would be dead.

  “You saved me. Again.” Maybe it didn’t matter that he’d done so in bear form. Either way, he’d put himself on the line to defend her.

  You can judge a man by his actions, not his words, Lily had once said.

  Hunter waved a hand as if it were nothing.

  “It’s just that I never suspected…” Her words petered away. What exactly was she trying to say?

  “No problem. I get it,” he said, giving her an easy out. All she had to do was take Lily’s purse, thank him, and walk away with a confident stride. He’d get the message and leave her alone once and for all.

  Except she didn’t want him to leave her alone. Not in her heart, not in her soul. So instead of turning, she slid her hand higher, past his elbow and all the way to his shoulder. Trying to reconcile herself to the idea that the beast might be as much of a gentle giant as the man.

  Her heart revved, though, and her fingers shook a tiny bit.

  Hunter’s brown eyes shone in the dark, but he didn’t flinch.

  “I don’t get it,” she whispered, inching closer. “Why is it that around you, I can’t seem to think straight?”

  The left side of his mouth crooked up. “Around you, I could never see straight.”

  Her right foot stepped forward, and her left followed without her even realizing it, and suddenly, she was sharing his personal space. Easing into it the way she might ease into a warm bath.

  Her blood prickled and danced in her veins. Her breath came in jittery, uneven waves. Was she really standing that close to Hunter?

  A second later, her eyes went wide. Because she wasn’t just standing close to Hunter. She was kissing him. Gingerly. Softly. Reaching with her lips. Her hands reached, too, slipping around his neck as if they’d kissed a hundred times when, in fact, she’d only ever done it once in real life.