Charmed and Dangerous: An Appalachian Magic Novel (Appalachian Magic Series Book 1) Read Free Page A

curiously. It was unchanged from when she’d left seven years earlier. Several prints of ballerinas in lavender tutus hung on lavender walls. The lavender and pink patchwork quilt matched the same color theme. Evidently, at age twelve, she’d been into lavender in a major way.
    Callie got out of bed and tried to unpack her suitcase and hang her clothes without waking everybody up. Normally, she started her day with Tai Chi, and today she was even more eager to exercise after being stuck in a car all yesterday.
    She had no idea when the others would be up, so she dressed quickly and stepped out of the house. The air was heavenly-cool, fresh mountain air. She took a deep, cleansing breath and scanned the backyard for the trail to Lavender Mountain. It would be perfect for a morning hike. The exercise would calm her down, and she’d be prepared to confront Mom.
----
    A slight movement and the glint of sunlight on honey hair stopped him in his tracks as he neared the top of Booze Mountain.
    Although she was a good two miles away on a rock outcropping on the next mountain, James’ supernatural vision zoomed in on the girl.
    She was doing a combination of martial arts and yoga, moving from one pose to another in a fluid, graceful pattern. Even in the crisp, wintry air, she wore only a close-fitting tank top and yoga pants. What a body! Her muscles rippled with each movement. Her high kicks showed off the nice curve of her hips. The hair was a mass of waist-length curls, pulled into a ponytail.
    He had to get closer to see her face; sure it had to be as striking as the rest of her.
    Damn, she was hot. When did she move in town? James realized he was standing still as a stone. He didn’t move, though he knew no human eye could detect him from this distance.
    After about fifteen minutes, the girl stopped and sat on one of the boulders. She appeared to be meditating. Then, with no warning, she jerked as if startled. The girl raised a hand up to her eyes, shielding them from the sun, and looked straight at him.
    James instinctively stepped behind a large tree. How could she know he was here? He waited a few seconds then looked again.
    Nothing. She had vanished.
    Disappointed, he ran a hand through his hair. Unless she was an immortal too, she couldn’t have seen him. As far as he knew, there were only a couple of immortal females anywhere near this area. Females were rare and all immortals immediately sensed when one of their kind was present. It was a primitive, animalistic instinct that prepped them for either self-preservation mode or a battle for power. He sensed nothing from her.
    A foolish grin split his face. It was a coincidence she’d looked his way. But for some unfathomable reason, he had to see her face, had to know if she was the complete package. Tomorrow, his morning jog would be on Lavender Mountain. With any luck, she’d be back.
----
    B y the time Callie returned to the house, everyone was heading out—Mom to her job at the local humane shelter and Grandma Jo to her volunteer stint at the library. Geez, she’d been here less than twenty-four hours, and they were already going about their business like today was nothing special.
    “Aren’t you worried I’ll be in danger home alone?” she asked with false sweetness.
    Grandma Jo shrugged into a tomato-red jacket. “You should be fine here at the house. Tonight, we’ll have a talk about you running around the mountain by yourself like you did this morning.”
    Callie crossed her arms at her chest. “If you’re going to treat me like some kind of prisoner while—”
    “Don’t be melodramatic,” Grandma Jo said sharply before softening her tone. “I could stay home today,” she offered. “Things aren’t usually busy on the weekend.” She paused by the door.
    “No, go on. I’ll settle in and maybe later take a drive around town. After all, I did sleep a good ten hours last night because someone slipped me a spiked cup of cocoa.”
    “Well, if