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I wish I could experience seeing Willow Harbor for the first time again.

When Isaac brought me here, I was ten years old. Back then, I didn’t care about the town. I didn’t understand what it all meant, what being a hunter meant, why so many supernatural beings came here. I hadn’t understood why this town was so important and had to be protected.

Now, as I parked my car in front of the town’s main square, which was actually a long rectangle, I wished I could see Willow Harbor through Tessa’s eyes.

First, I drove down Ocean Drive, the last road before the beach. I started close to the abandoned amusement park and went as far as the road took us, just away enough that we could see the lighthouse and the pier in the distance.

I kept stealing glances at her while she gawked at it all. I guess it was a beautiful view with the long, wide sidewalk, the small stores on one side, the white sand and the ocean on the other. There wasn’t one single cloud in the radiating blue sky, and the sun was high and warm, casting a bright shine that reflected over the water, making it look clearer, bluer.

Then I took Central Avenue and drove us downtown. I parked the car right at the central square near Main Street.

She hopped out of the car and looked around, a small smile on her lips. “It looks so cute. So friendly.”

I walked around the car and approached her. “For the most part, it is.”

“The cute or the friendly part?”

“Both.”

She stared at me, her nose scrunched, as if she thought I was crazy.

We hadn’t mentioned the incident in her bedroom again. She didn’t call me on it or accused me of being a perv. I swear I wasn’t. I thought she was being stubborn, being a pain in the ass. I had no idea I would find her naked, getting ready to shower. And, as much as I tried, I couldn’t get that image, that perfect image, from my mind. I had barely seen anything. I had only seen her back, her smooth, fair back. I hadn’t even seen her ass—the height of the mirror made sure of that, and still, I couldn’t remember a time when I had seen a hotter, more sensual image.

We walked the perimeter of the square, and I pointed out the many shops and businesses around and the supernaturals who worked or lived nearby.

“There’s the library.” I pointed to a building resembling an old Greek temple. I wondered what she thought of the sand-colored stones and tall pillars and heavy ceiling. “Mattie works there. She’s a human, but her boyfriend is Pierce, a true shapeshifter.” She raised her eyebrows at me, and I quickly explained to her a true shapeshifter could shift into any form. “There’s the bookstore.” I gestured to another building, a more contemporary one with golden double doors and lots of glass windows and a few red brick and green paint details. “Claire, a panther shifter, is the owner. She’s currently going out with Mason, a vampire who works as a graphic designer.”

She shook her head as she stared at the bookstore. “It all sounds so crazy. So, how do people welcome others here?” She turned to me and offered me her hand. With narrowed eyes, I slipped my hand in hers. “Hi, I’m Tessa. A simple human girl who is in college, but her major is still undeclared.” Chuckling, she shook my hand. “Your turn.”

I pulled my hand from hers. “My turn for what?”

“You say, ‘Hi, I’m Landon. A handsome hunter who doesn’t know how to smile. But hey, I can kick some ass.’” She smiled at me. “Did I get it right?”

I cocked an eyebrow. I wanted to comment that she had called me handsome and practically a badass, but I decided to keep quiet. This feeling, this pride that swelled in my chest, was probably a fluke.

Smile fading, Tessa clicked her tongue. “You’re no fun.” She gazed around the square. “Okay, what else should I know about this town?”

We resumed walking, and I continued pointing out places and people to her. The city hall, the church, the cemetery, Ida’s Bakery, Dark Horse diner, the grocery store, the police station. A delivery truck drove by.

“That’s from a witch coven,” I told Tessa.

She gaped at it, probably reading the sides of the truck. “A produce farm?”

“Yes, they work with vegetables and magical herbs.”

“This town … it’s impossible.”

“One thing I learned pretty early as a hunter is that nothing is impossible.”

She fixed her eyes on mine, as if trying to find a hidden meaning to my words. Finally, her gaze moved to something behind me. “Urban Grind. Let’s get some coffee,” she said, already crossing the street. I hurried my steps and caught up with her. “Hm, I love pastries. Do they have any pastries?”

“You’re already hungry? After that big breakfast?”

“That was three hours ago. Do you see my size?” She gestured down her body. Yes, I saw her size. I saw her body. I probably could draw her perfectly from seeing her in my mind too much. “I eat little by little, but often. And now it is time for my morning snack.”

“At almost eleven in the morning?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, shut up.”

She entered the Urban Grind coffee shop. Shaking my head, I followed her inside.

The place was quaint and cozy with a tall counter along a brick wall, and velvet sofas and armchairs spread throughout.

When we stopped by the counter to order, I introduced Tessa to Loran, the coffee shop owner. As usual, he was dressed too fancy for such a relaxed place—shiny leather pants, a silk shirt, a vest, and a cap over his blond hair.

He blinked at her, his bright eyes suddenly dim. “I’m so sorry about your father.”

Tessa tensed beside me. “Thanks.”

I intervened and started on our order before Loran could ask any more questions. Once we had our food, we took a seat outside.

She bit into her croissant. “Hm, this is good.”

I sipped my coffee.

A man, one of the few humans in town, came out of the Ida’s Bakery and practically ran into a woman, another human, but one I only saw a couple of times a year, when she came to visit her parents.

The woman’s eyes widened. “George? Is that you?”

The man, George, paled. “Oh, hm, hi, Lola.”

“Oh my God, it has been so long.” She embraced him tightly.

Tessa shot me a glance, as if asking what was going on. I shrugged.

George pulled back. “Yes, very long.”

Lola’s smile turned sad. “You and my brother were such good friends. You were with him when …” She shook her head and showed him a wider grin.

“W-what are you doing here?” George asked. He shifted his weight and wiped his hand on his pants. He looked painfully uncomfortable.

“I’m here visiting my parents for the next two weeks. You should stop by one of these days. I’m sure they would love to see you.”

The man’s brows dipped. “I’m sure …” He pointed down the street. “I-I’m sorry but I need to get going.”

“Of course.” Lola stepped back. “It was great seeing you.”

“Yeah. Yeah. You too.” George walked away, and with each step he put between them, he picked up the pace.

The sad smile was back on Lola’s lips. She sighed and entered Ida’s Bakery. She didn’t see as George started running away.

“What the hell was that?” Tessa asked me. “Were they from rival werewolf packs or something?”

“No, not at all. They are both humans.”

“Well, still, that was weird.”

I stared at where George had run to. He was no longer in sight, but something itched in my mind, telling me there was more to this encounter.

My cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I picked up and read the new text.

Sophia: Are you downtown? Stop by the bookstore and pick up my order.

I groaned and put the phone down on the table. Tessa lifted her eyebrows at me, but other than that, she made no comments.

The phone vibrated again. I tried ignoring, but I had to check it. Sometimes, urgent messages for help came in the most unexpected times.

Sophia: Pretty please!

With another groan, I stood up. “Are you ready? We need to stop by the bookstore.”

A slight frown marred her forehead. “All right.” She quickly bit down the last piece of her pastry and stood beside me.

Side by side, we walked to the corner of the block, where the bookstore was.

Tessa slowed down, looking at the display window. “Wow, these are pretty.” She pointed to the books arranged neatly to show off their covers.

“Mason did those covers,” I explained.

She glanced at me. “The vampire?”

I nodded. “Ready to meet him?”

Her eyes widened. “W-what?”

Hiding a smile, I opened the front door. “Come on.”

I sensed her tension as she followed me inside the bookstore. To her credit, she didn’t hesitate or falter once she started moving.

Claire appeared from behind a bookshelf. “Landon, hi.” She shifted her blue eyes to Tessa. Friendly as usual, Claire extended her hand toward Tessa. “I don’t believe we have met. I’m Claire.”

Tessa shook Claire’s hand. “Tessa. Nice to meet you.”

“She’s Isaac’s daughter,” I said, in a low voice.

“Oh.” Claire’s smile faded. “Your father was a great hunter.”

“So I hear,” Tessa muttered.

The smile came back to Claire’s lips. “Well, what can I do for you?”

“I came to pick up Sophia’s order.” My tone was harsher than I wanted it to be, revealing just how much I enjoyed running errands for her. For anyone.

“Oh, yeah, it came in this morning.” Claire walked to the counter at the back and started searching for the package. “I’m sure I saw it here just now.”

A tall guy with blond hair stepped out of the office in the back. Mason held up a store bag. “Looking for this?”

Claire rolled her eyes. “Yes!”

Without missing a beat, Mason faced me. “Hey, man.” He nodded at me as his greeting. “Here it is.”

I took the bag and peeked inside. “Another one of these?”

Claire laughed. “It’s the hottest series at the moment.”

Tessa hooked a finger inside the bag and pulled it toward her. “Oh. I know this series,” she said. “It’s about werewolves and vamp—” She cut her words short. Her eyes went wide and her cheeks paled.

“Vampires,” Mason finished. “You can say it.”

Tessa narrowed her eyes. “I’ve always known about the supernatural stuff, but I never actually talked about it, so it might take me a while to get used to it.”

What did she mean get used to it? After she helped me with this job, she was out of here, and hopefully, she would never hear or talk about supernaturals again.

“Understandable,” Claire said. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“No, we’re good.” I glanced from Claire to Mason. “Thanks.”

“See you around,” Claire called out as Tessa and I walked out of the store.

I kept on walking, heading toward the car, but in two seconds, I noticed Tessa wasn’t following me. I turned on my heels and found her standing at the edge of the sidewalk, just to the side of the bookstore, looking up to the bright sky.

Surprising me, Tessa smiled at me. “So, what else can you show me?”

I blinked once and stared. She was so beautiful. And annoying and stubborn and a little prickly, but she was also beautiful. Looking at her right now—at how elegant she looked in jeans and a graphic tee and flats, at how her golden hair shone under the summer sun, at how the breeze lifted a few strands and framed her long neck, at how her bright eyes shone with mischief, and how I wanted to see her smile again—I realized I had always had a crush on her. Ever since I first laid eyes on her when I was fifteen.

I stood, just a foot from her, and loomed over her delicate frame. “I know a place.”

---

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When Landon said he knew a place to take me, I thought it would be a cool hunter spot. Or a hidden room under the church, or some secret tunnel, or a museum where most items were imbued with magic. Or even the beach, the abandoned amusement park, or the lighthouse—which I had already heard was supposed to be haunted.

Instead, he crossed the street and went back to the town’s square. This time, he walked toward the side.

“Where are we going?”

“There.” He pointed up, to the big tree jutting from one of the sides of the square to the sky.

“To a willow tree?”

“It’s not just a willow tree.”

“What do you mean?”

The corner of his lips tugged up. “You’ll see.”

He strolled down a stone path that led to a small footbridge and ended in a circle, forming a perimeter around the tree.

Walking on grass, Landon and I approached the tree. I looked up, realizing it was bigger than I first thought from a distance. The trunk was massive and twisted as if lots of thinner branches decided to embrace and form one single tree. The roots were huge, deep. The crown was wide, thick, and heavy. The leaves looked too heavy for the branches, as if they would break. Or finish curling up and embrace us.

Realization hit me and I widened my eyes. “This is a magical tree.”

Landon halted beside the tree’s trunk and looked at me. “How do you know?”

I shrugged. “I … don’t know. I’m guessing. This town is mysterious and magical. Why wouldn’t this tree, this big tree the town is named after, be too?”

“You’re correct.” He had that tricky lopsided grin on. “The tree’s magic is intertwined with the town. For the most part, the tree acts like a magical guardian, protecting the people who come to live here.”

“How?”

“Willow Harbor is hard to find.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s hard to explain. It’s like … if you’re a normal human, you can see the town on the map, but you feel no urge to set foot here. Ever. Now, if you’re a supernatural being, you might feel a pull to come find out what’s tugging at you.”

I looked up at him. “How about you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re a human, but you have the magical bond of the demon hunters. Did the town call you too?”

He shook his head, and then frowned. “I don’t know, actually. I didn’t pick the town. Your father brought me here without any explanation or question.”

“So … maybe you didn’t choose the town, but the town chose you. The tree chose.” I let out a low laugh. “Damn, look at me, talking nonsense.”

“Is it?” Landon asked, serious.

My laughter faded. “It isn’t?”

He shrugged. “I had never thought like that, but what if you’re right? What if it is the tree that chooses?”

Could it be? This giant tree had not only magic, but a mind of its own?

Warmth bloomed in my chest, and out of nowhere, I stepped over the thick roots, planted my palm on the tree and closed my eyes. Why I was doing this, I didn’t know. Maybe I expected to feel it. To sense something. The magic running inside. But I was just a human. I couldn’t sense anything.

I withdrew my hand and fluttered my eyes open. Landon was right beside me, his eyes on my face, watching me. Seeing me. I stared back at him, at his hazel eyes, not being able to break the hold they had over me.

I hated this man, didn’t I? I hated that he had been a son to my father. I hated that my father had chosen him over me. I hated he had had more time with my father than I probably had even with my mother.

If I hated him so much, why did I want him to lean forward, to erase the small distance that separated us, and kiss me?

As if he could read my thoughts, Landon did lean closer. I sucked in a sharp breath, aware of his mouth looming closer to mine, of his scent wrapping around me, of his hands reaching to my waist.

His cell phone rang loud and clear.

Clearing his throat, Landon took several steps back and fished his phone from his pocket. “Hello?” he answered.

Shame filled my chest as I stared at the back of the man I hated so much. Good thing the call interrupted whatever was about to happen. I was sure that I would regret kissing him. This desire, this lust, was just that, and it would go away soon.

But as I watched Landon pacing, responding with low “ah-has” and “hms,” his long, strong legs taking sure steps, his shirt stretching over his shoulders, the muscles in his biceps flexing as he moved his arm, gesturing to whoever was on the other side of the line, his soft hair sweeping aside with the gentle, salty breeze, I realized I wasn’t so sure about that anymore. I had never met a more handsome man. And a more infuriating one.

Landon ended the call and turned to me. “I can’t believe I’m gonna say this, but are you ready?”

“For?” My eyes widened. “For a case?”

“Our case. The demon attacked again.”

I straightened my back, as if trying to grow taller and stronger and prove to him that I could do this. I held his stare and tried to sound firm when I answered, “Yes. I’m ready.”

“Then let’s go.”