Drake Sisters 07 - Hidden Currents

his own.â€
    â€œIf he’s adept enough, he might be able to do the same thing, prepare a trap and the user of the psychic energy might be feeding the power to him,†Damon said. “It’s just a theory, of course, but where else would he be getting the energy? Al of you are feeding it to him, and it explains why you were al so drained even when you were doing a surface healing on El e.â€
    There was another long, stunned silence.
    Jackson tightened his fingers on El e’s shoulder to get her attention. “If he can do it, you can do it. And maybe on a much larger scale.â€
    El e shook her head. “I don’t know how.â€
    â€œYou zapped him, baby. We both know you did. In that moment, before you went down, when you stopped that wal of water, you lost your temper . .
    .â€
    â€œBig surprise there,†Jonas muttered.
    Joley kicked him halfheartedly and Hannah glared at him.
    â€œWel it isn’t,†he defended. “Is anyone here surprised?â€
    El e felt the knots in her stomach loosen. Surrounded by her family, the familiar teasing in the face of dangerous threats, she was beginning to feel safe again. Jonas loved them and she felt secure in his love—at home—in the same way she did with her sisters. She found herself looking around the room.
    I’m very lucky, Jackson.
    â€œDamn it, El e.†He reached down and caught her around the waist, dragging her up and onto his lap. Her tea fountained into the air, but simply stayed there, hanging while he wrapped his arms tightly around her and hissed into her ear. “You do that again before Kate works on you and you won’t be able to sit down for a month.â€
    El e burst out laughing. The overturned teacup on the floor righted itself and the liquid streamed back into it. El e threw her arms around Jackson’s neck and hugged him, burying her face against his throat. “Did I tel you this morning that I’m madly in love with you?â€
    His large hands framed her face. “As a matter of fact you did.†He trailed kisses over her, from the corner of her eye to the corner of her mouth before brushing her lips with his. “But that isn’t going to get you out of trouble. Every time you use telepathy, I can feel the lesions in your brain increasing. You have to stop.â€
    â€œI’m honestly trying,†she admitted, shocking her entire family.
    El e rarely enlightened anyone to what she was thinking or feeling. The fact that she was explaining herself to Jackson was very tel ing to them al , especial y that she was doing so in front of them. If any of them had doubted her feelings for the deputy, they were convinced now.
    â€œI don’t realize I’m using telepathy. We’re so bonded it just seems natural.â€
    â€œI know.†His voice was so tender, El e leaned in to kiss him again. “Just try harder.†He looked at Kate. “Real y, Katie, I don’t know what to do.â€
    Kate looked at her younger sister, struggling to keep emotion from her face. Jackson had never cal ed her Katie, not once in al the time they’d known one another. And the expression on his face when he looked at El e brought tears to her eyes. He looked as if the sun rose and set with her, and more than anything, al of them wanted El e happy.
    â€œWe brought some candles and a few other items, El e,†Kate said, her voice a little wobbly. “We’ve talked a little on how best to try and stil give you privacy. Are you wil ing?â€
    Jonas stood up. “Maybe we’l leave you to it. We can go out to the deck and drink some manly coffee for a change.â€
    There was a note in his voice Jackson understood. Jonas wanted to talk. Jackson flinched inside. Jonas was law enforcement al the way, but he knew Jackson, and he knew Jackson’s way of thinking. He would want to arrest Gratsos, believe there was some way to take him down within the law and Jackson didn’t feel much like arguing.
    Jonas sighed and jerked his thumb toward the door.
    Jackson set El e’s feet careful y on the floor. “I’l be back in a few minutes, baby. But don’t worry, I’m not letting you go.†He stirred in her mind, reminding her he was helping to create a strong barrier between her and her sisters so they wouldn’t feel what she’d gone through.
    The intimacy between El e