Drake Sisters 03 - Oceans of Fire

that.”
    “If it helps, I’m drinking it.” He drained the tea mug and held it out to Joley. “More, please. It was very good.”
    Joley laughed. “She’s the one who needs to drink the tea, not you. I think you’re just fine the way you are.”
    “Don’t encourage him,” Abigail said.
    “Someone has to encourage me.” Aleksandr set the mug on the floor and regarded her with a faint smile.
    “You certainly don’t.”
    “It isn’t like she goes around sleeping with lots of men,” Hannah pointed out. She set out a small table and placed a mortar and pestle on it just outside the circle. “I’d say you should be very encouraged.”
    “We are not discussing whether or not I sleep with men on a regular basis,” Abigail objected.
    “Well, dear, it isn’t like there’s much to talk about,” Carol said. “By the way, I dropped the film at that one-hour shop in Fort Bragg and Jonas is bringing it by this evening so he’ll probably be here any minute.”
    “Great. We can talk about my sex life in front of him too,” Abigail said. “Hurry up, Libby. I can’t sit here forever.”
    Kate handed several herbs to Libby. “She’s getting very irritable. Must be all that talk of sex and she’s stuck here with all of us around and can’t do anything about it.”
    “Are you saying she’s frustrated?” Aleksandr asked. “And we’re not supposed to leave this circle?”
    “No, not until Libby does her thing,” Kate advised.
    A huge grin spread across Aleksandr’s face. “I think the tea is working, baushki-bau . Come here, my little dumpling.”
    She fended him off with one hand. “What do you think you’re doing?”
    “I can’t help myself. Your aunt put something in the tea and I can’t keep my hands off of you.”
    “There was nothing in the tea and it doesn’t work that way anyway,” Abigail protested, trying not to laugh as he gathered her into his arms.
    “It works that way on me,” he said, pulling her close to him. He bent his head until his lips were a mere breath away from hers. “I need you to kiss me.”
    “I can’t kiss you in front of everyone.”
    Joley snickered. “Sure you can. We won’t watch.”
    Libby chose several herbs and began to prepare them for the cleansing and protection ceremony. “I’m watching. Break it up, you two.”

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    Abigail grinned at her. “Finally, someone on my side.”
    “I didn’t say I’m on your side. I’m just not going to watch you get all lovey-dovey and then blow it because that Prakenskii put some kind of whammy on the two of you.”
    “Do you think he really did? Real hexes are very rare.”
    Libby ground the herbs together in the small bowl made of polished agate. “He did something. Look at the difference in you already, Abbey. You were in such emotional pain, ready to throw Aleksandr away, and yet now, inside this house, inside the circle, you’re laughing with him again. You’re much calmer and you’re not hurting the way you were before.”
    Joley gave a little sniff. “I told you Prakenskii was a rat bastard.”
    “You think all men are rat bastards. I believe you even called Aleksandr a rat bastard.”
    Aleksandr gasped. “Joley!”
    She waved her hand. “She dragged me out of bed before noon. Everyone is a rat bastard before noon.”
    “What would be the point of Prakenskii enhancing my feelings?” Abigail asked.
    Aleksandr reached for her hand. “To keep us apart?”
    She drew her hand away. “We are apart.”
    “Now, Abbey”—Aleksandr’s voice was a teasing caress—“I thought we settled this when you went to bed with me.”
    “We did not.” Abigail glanced up to see her sisters and her aunt pausing in their preparations to listen.
    “Don’t you all have something to do?”
    “Well, he does have a point, Abbey,” Joley said.
    “What point would that be?” Abigail demanded.
    “Well, really dear,” Carol said. “You shouldn’t just sleep with a man if you have no intentions of taking him back. It really isn’t polite to lead him on that way.”
    “No, no, Aunt Carol,” Joley defended her sister helpfully, her eyes wide with innocence. “They’re engaged. She isn’t exactly leading him on. It’s official and everything. She has a ring.”
    “A ring ! You didn’t show us a ring,” Kate said. She leaned over the wooden staff to peer at Abigail’s hand.
    Abigail covered her bare fingers with her other