Drake Sisters 03 - Oceans of Fire

has been calling all morning. Why are you upset with him?” She watched her sister closely for a reaction.
    Shadows moved in Abigail’s eyes, veiled her expression.
    Hannah pressed her hand over her heart. It actually ached and she knew she was feeling her sister’s pain in spite of the fact that Abigail smiled at her. “Abbey, I wish I could help.”
    “I know you do, honey. I have to work things out on my own. I’m so mixed up right now and it doesn’t help with Jonas calling and demanding I talk to him about things I really don’t know about. He should just talk to Aleksandr and leave me out of it. I came home to help plan my sisters’ wedding and to research my dolphins. I don’t want to know anything about stolen artifacts or murders. I just wish they’d all leave me alone.“
    Hannah regarded her sister with solemn eyes. “You slept with him, didn’t you?”
    A faint smile touched Abbey’s mouth. “Well, yes.”
    “And it wasn’t good?”
    “It was great. Aleksandr and I are very compatible. It isn’t the sex. It’s how much I need him. How he can get to me. I want it to be just sex—it would be so much safer that way, Hannah.”

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    “Abbey, any woman who spends her life in the sea doesn’t play it safe. I’m not saying go after him, because I don’t honestly know what he’s like. His aura is very mixed and indicates conflict, violence, and danger, but also protection and a lot of other great qualities.”
    “I ache for him. I can’t get him out of my head.”
    “I’m sorry, hon, I know you’re hurting. And he’s called every hour for you. I know he thinks I’m lying when I tell him you aren’t here.” Hannah indicated the bathroom. “Go take a shower. You’re dripping all over the hall. I’ll make you a cup of tea. You’ll need it to go to this party.” She made a little face.
    “I know how much you hate them.”
    “I feel like I’m two people inside, Abbey.” Hannah looked down at her hands. “I’m the real me, the way I am with my family, outgoing and strong, and then I go out into a public situation and I can’t talk without stammering. It’s so frustrating. I believe in myself. It doesn’t matter to me what others think of me.” She paused. “Well, my family and maybe that rat Jonas, although why he matters, I have no idea.”
    Abigail studied her sister. She was always slightly shocked at how beautiful Hannah really was. She was tall, fashionably thin, but managed to still have full, natural breasts. Her hair was white-gold, thick and long, and held an incredible shine. Everything about Hannah was elegance and class, from her large, heavily fringed eyes and high cheekbones to her wide, full mouth. There was power in Hannah’s slender body, and a mischievous nature hidden beneath her ice cool exterior. Few ever saw that side of Hannah.
    The larger the gift, the stronger the power, the more drawbacks nature counterbalanced with, and Hannah’s talent was extreme. And Jonas was right. She looked tired and drawn and far too thin in spite of her beauty.
    “Don’t.” Hannah blinked back tears. “I’m fine.”
    “I’d hug you, but I’m all wet,” Abigail said. “You could always turn him into a toad. That would solve both our problems.”
    “I’ve been considering it. Or better yet, every time he opens his mouth to say something mean to me, a nice loud croak comes out.”
    They both burst into laughter.
    The kitchen door banged just as the kettle began to whistle. “Hey!” Sarah Drake called up the stairs. “I can hear the two of you cackling like a couple of witches, but I sure don’t see either of you at the gallery where you belong. Just what are you up to?”
    The two sisters exchanged a long, guilty look.
    “Save me,” Abigail mouthed and rushed to the bathroom to wash the sea salt from her hair and body.
    Hannah raced down the stairs to intercept her oldest sister. “Sarah! I thought we were meeting at Frank’s gallery.”
    Sarah lifted an eyebrow as she examined Hannah’s flawless face. “I’ll just bet you did. Were you and Abbey thinking of sneaking off and accidentally missing it?”

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    “I was making a quick cup of tea for Abbey,” Hannah hedged.
    “You did consider it, didn’t you?” Sarah poked her sister in the ribs. “You look beautiful all dressed up in that