Drake Sisters 07 - Hidden Currents

window, not wanting to see Stavros’s handsome face. He was the devil incarnate, and just looking at him fil ed her with fear. She thought him invincible and it frightened her to think that he might get his hands on her sisters.
    â€œSheena.†His voice was purring softly and fil ed her with terror. “Look at me.â€
    He couldn’t possibly be reading her mind, the psychic energy barrier was in place. She could always feel that low hum, hurting in her head. She made herself look away from the hope the storm brought, to meet his dark, hooded eyes.
    â€œSee, my sweet, life doesn’t have to be difficult, if you just do as you’re told.†Stavros swept his arms to encompass the room. “You can live a beautiful, privileged life here with me, having our children, having anything you want.â€
    â€œWhy me, Stavros? I’m not like the women you’re usual y with.†Not tal and beautiful, just intriguing enough to get his attention to be invited to his parties. She wasn’t one of the statuesque blondes he’d seemed to prefer.
    He took her comment as a plea for reassurance. “Is that what concerns you, sweetness? That you’re not going to hold my attention?â€
    Her stomach turned over. The last thing she wanted was to hold his attention. She forced her mind to keep up. It was so hard to think, but if she could just engage with him sitting a distance from her, not touching her, she could wait for a signal. Oh God. She could wait for the energy field to come down.
    That’s what they had to be doing—taking down the energy field. Her heart jumped with anticipation. Stavros would be very sorry he ever laid a hand on her if that field came down.
    El e looked at the man, hoping he couldn’t see her hatred of him. She forced a casual shrug, searching for the right words to appeal to his massive ego. “You’re like a fairy-tale prince, and don’t pretend you don’t know it. Every write-up about you describes you that way, and look in the mirror. I’m no princess.â€
    Stavros leaned toward her, looking more pleased than ever. “You’re exotic, Sheena, a very rare jewel. And I know jewels. I searched the world over for a woman like you.â€
    He had the purring quality to his voice again, meant to mesmerize her. He reminded her of a cobra hypnotizing prey. She suppressed the shudder and drew the blanket closer around her. El e was thankful to her sisters as the wind slammed against the vil a hard, drawing her gaze natural y so she could look away from those watchful eyes.
    â€œI’m not, Stavros,†she whispered and the shame in her voice was real this time. “I’m weak. I should have been able to keep standing up to you, to have pride. I feel as though I’ve failed some test you set out for me.â€
    She rubbed the edge of the blanket against her trembling mouth. She wanted to go home—but home would never be the same—because she wasn’t the same. She was no longer Sheena MacKenzie or El e Drake. She didn’t know who she was anymore. Her temples throbbed and the constant headache reminded her that she’d nearly burned out her talent fighting the energy field. What did she have left? Stripped of everything she was, everything she knew about herself, she felt like an empty shel with nothing inside.
    â€œSweetheart, this was no test for you. There was never a need to prove to me that you were strong enough or worthy enough.â€
    Not for him. Never for him. To be a Drake. To pass on her legacy to seven women. To be strong enough to guide them over the coming years in the things they would have to learn to wield such power. She’d had power al her life, self-esteem, training, her body and mind fit, and yet now, at the first real test, she’d failed her seven daughters, her six sisters and every single Drake woman who had come before her.
    She was broken and there was no fixing her. Even if they managed to get her off the island and away from Stavros, she would never get him out of her mind, or his touch off her body. He had done what he set out to do and she was changed for al time.
    El e shook her head and pushed back the tangle of bright red hair. She hated her hair because he ran his fingers through it constantly. He wrapped his fist around it and yanked her head back, forcing her to do his bidding over and over. There