Drake Sisters 03 - Oceans of Fire

from the water-worn boulders. “We can’t stay here. The force of the waves is going to crush us.” They were all in heavy clothing. The only thing they had going for them was the fact that the channel was relatively shallow.
    Abigail nodded her head in agreement. “There’s a series of caves just over there.” She pointed to the north side of the cove. “The entrance is underwater and it takes a bit to get to them. You’ll feel claustrophobic and want to try to reach the surface, but you’re swimming through a tube of rock and there’s no way to get air. You’ll both have to take a deep breath right before we try to enter the caves.”
    “Won’t we be stuck there?” Joley asked. A frothy wave poured over her head, rolling her under.
    Aleksandr yanked her up before she crashed against the rocks. Joley spit water and coughed, but she was glaring toward the cliffs, more mad than afraid. “I don’t want someone to wait for us in a boat or up on the cliffs. I’d rather take my chances in the sea.”
    “Joley…” Abbey wiped sea spray from her face, feeling her sister’s rebellion and reluctance. Joley was stubborn when she wanted to be and this wasn’t the time.
    “I’m terrified of closed-in places,” Joley confessed. “I panic, Abbey. I’ll never be able to do it. It was bad enough making myself use the stairs at the mill. And if we’re trapped in the cave…”

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    “I’m sorry, hon, I should have remembered, but the caves are safer than trying for the cove. There’s supposed to be an old tunnel that connects with Kate’s smugglers’ stairs. We’ll try to find it and use that route to get back to the main road,” Abigail explained. “It’s our only chance if they’re on the cliffs. We’re targets in the sea, Joley.” She didn’t want to mention the fact that great white sharks frequented the area, drawn by the abundance of seals. The ocean was just too rough and cold and this particular section contained riptides. With the sharks, the rocks, and the vicious undertows, heading for open ocean would be serious trouble. They had to get to shelter.
    A wave slammed Abigail against the rock before Aleksandr could reel her in. The air left her lungs in a rush and she threw her arms up, trying to find a purchase with her fingers on the slippery surface.
    At once a barrage of bullets knocked chunks off the rock. Aleksandr pulled her to him, locking his arm around her to bind her to his chest. “Are you hit?”
    She shook her head, plunging her arm into the cold water. The back of her hand stung where pieces of the rock had flown up and struck her. “We can’t stay here. The waves are too strong. You’re going to be exhausted trying to hold us, Sasha.” Another wave was building and she slipped beneath the water, not taking chances on being crushed coming up after the wave had passed. They had to move. It was madness to stay trapped the way they were. She was furious with herself for getting Joley into such a mess. If anything happened to her… Abigail couldn’t think about it. She had to get them to the caves.
    Aleksandr struggled out of his jacket. His clothes were weighing him down and he had to reserve all of his strength to keep the two women from being slammed into the dangerous rocks. He signaled to Abigail to lead the way.
    “Stay close,” she cautioned Joley.
    “I’m right behind you,” Joley assured her, but there were tears in her eyes. The idea of swimming into a small cave and being unable to surface was beyond terrifying to her, but she wasn’t about to hold Abigail back from safety.
    Without warning, the wind rushed past them, heading from the sea to the cliffs, a fierce, howling gust of anger. Water spouted into the air, several whirling geysers. White foam capped the waves and debris from the sea was hurtled through the air onto land. The waves crashed high against the cliffs and splashed upward as if seeking prey. Seagulls screamed, gathering in the sky from every direction, and began to dive-bomb the cliff, plunging fast, straight downward, long wicked beaks stabbing at something moving fast along the top.
    Joley and Abigail exchanged a long look. Both began to smile.
    “Let me in on it,” Aleksandr said, trying not to gasp as another wave nearly slammed all three into the rocks.
    “Hannah woke up and she’s royally pissed,” Joley said. “Let’s go while our hit man is