Drake Sisters 02 - The Twilight Before Christmas

the women tauntingly. Matt groaned and covered his face with his hands, looking between his fingers. He already felt power moving in the air. Curtains swayed. Hair stood up. Crackles of electricity snapped and sizzled. The flames on the candles and in the fireplace leaped and danced. Jonas watched the sisters, clearly expecting reprisal. It came from behind him. The smal fish tank lifted into the air and tilted part of the contents over Jonas’s head. Water rushed over his head. He stiffened, but he didn’t turn around, nor did he attempt to wipe it off.
    “I just want to point out that this is Christmas Day,” he said. “And you al just came back from church.”
    Joley sat down at the upright, perfectly tuned piano. “And we’re al feeling ful of love and goodwil , Jonas. Which is why you aren’t swimming in the sea with the sharks right now. Shal I play something cheerful?”
    “Oh, please do, Joley,” Hannah entreated wickedly. “I’m feeling very cheerful.”
    “You would be,” Jonas muttered. He took the towel Libby handed him and wiped off his face and hair.
    Hannah blew him a kiss.
    “Matt didn’t answer my question,” Sarah persisted.
    “The globe only works for family,” Abbey said.
    Music swel ed in volume, fil ing every corner of the house with joy. Matt heard the sound of feminine laughter, felt his heart respond. Kate walked around the tree, an ornament in her hand. She moved with grace and elegance, his perfect Kate. Feeling the weight of his gaze, she looked across the room at him and smiled.
    “Yes, that’s true, Abbey,” Sarah said. “It only works for family. Matt? Did the globe grant your wish?”
    He cleared his throat. “Yes.” The affirmation came out on a husky note.
    Joley’s fingers stil ed on the piano. She turned to look at him. Libby put her hand out to Hannah. Abbey put her arm around El e. Al of the Drakes looked at Matt. Kate’s sisters. The magical witches of Sea Haven. He thought he fit in rather nicely.
    “What did you wish for, Matthew?” Sarah asked. She sat down in Damon’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
    “I wished for Katie, of course,” he answered honestly.
    Kate walked over to him, leaning down to kiss him.
    “I wished for you,” she whispered aloud.
    “So that little jewelry box in your jacket pocket means something?” El e asked.
    “It means Kate said yes,” Matt said. He believed his grin was a permanent fixture on his face.
    Jonas shook his head, stil mopping up the water. “You got her to say yes just by wishing on that snowglobe?”
    “That’s what it took,” Matt said. “But they say it only works for family. I guess it acknowledged that Katie belonged with me.”
    “Real y? It can reason al that out, can it?” Jonas stared at the snowglobe sitting so innocently on the shelf. “Family huh? Wel , I’ve been family for about as long as I can remember.”

    A col ective gasp went up from the seven Drake sisters as Jonas reached for the snowglobe.
    “No! Jonas, don’t touch that.” Hannah sounded frightened.
    “You can’t, Jonas,” Sarah said.
    His hand hovered over it. Matt could swear he heard hearts beating loudly in the sudden silence. Jonas picked up the globe. Almost at once it sprang to life, the tiny lights on the tree glowing, the fog beginning to swirl.
    “Jonas, put it down right now and step away from it,” Joley warned.
    “You can’t play with things in this house,” El e added. “They can be dangerous.”
    “Jonas,” Abbey said, “it isn’t funny.”
    Jonas turned toward the women, his hands absently cradling the globe. “Aren’t you al supposed to be cooking dinner for us? Jackson’s going to be here any minute, expecting the ful Christmas fare, and al he’s going to get is some cookies I made.” As he spoke, he kept his gaze on Hannah. Al the while his palm rubbed the globe as if he could conjure up a genie.
    “Don’t you dare wish on that globe, Jonas Harrington,” Hannah hissed. She actual y backed a step away from him. “I’m sorry about the fish tank.
    And the sil y hat thing as wel . Just put the globe down and keep your mind blank. We’l cal it even.”
    “Are you watching this, Matt?” Jonas asked, clearly taunting Hannah. “This is cal ed power.”
    “Not for long,” Kate said. She held out her hand for the globe. “Hand it over and stop tormenting Hannah. We’re liable to serve you up dragon’s liver for dinner.”
    “Al right,” Jonas agreed. He looked