Drake Sisters 07 - Hidden Currents

lifted, the notes pure and beautiful, bringing a sense of peace to both El e and Jackson. Bomber reacted as wel , his ears cocked forward, his eyes bright and focused, fol owing every movement of the dancers.
    The bare feet stomped each step into the sand, creating a pulsing rhythm they could feel building in their blood. Hannah, recognized easily by her height and the platinum curls, raised her arms toward the sea while the others continued moving in a circle. Jackson felt the wind shift, a subtle difference. He felt the ocean, tasted salt, the fine mist of the sea itself on his face. El e lifted her arms, moving away from his body to stand directly in the stream of air coming in from the beach.
    It took Jackson a moment to realize what was in that mist. Hastily he pul ed the sweater El e was wearing over her head, and, ignoring her protest, dropped it into the sand.

    â€œTake off the sweatpants,†Jackson ordered, already moving behind her to grasp the waistband, pul ing them down over her hips.
    â€œI don’t have anything on,†she protested.
    â€œWho gives a damn?†he snapped, his voice rough. “It’s not like I haven’t seen you and they’re staying a distance away. I’l send Bomber to the front and he’l warn us if anyone is coming. Get them off.â€
    He signaled the dog and yanked at the sweatpants simultaneously, not real y giving El e a choice. If her sisters were wil ing to try to heal her physical body from a distance, he was going to take them up on whatever they could do. It was painful to see her body so bruised and cut and welted. And she was ashamed, as if she could have somehow stopped Stavros from torturing her.
    El e drew in her breath sharply, but al owed Jackson to hold her arms out from her sides, and slowly turn her around so the steady stream of mist could coat her entire body, front, back and sides. She felt the burn of the salt in her wounds, but then a soothing heat fol owed, and deep inside, where no one but Jackson could see, she wept at the sheer joy of being joined, even just through the wind, with her sisters again.
    Jackson could feel love and warmth pouring in along with the healing mist, but he was looking out beyond the sisters, out over the foaming sea. He expected dolphins and even perhaps a breaching whale, but instead, there was a thick gray fog bank hanging back from the shore, but threatening nevertheless. He swore something moved in the fog, stretching icy fingers toward the beach, but Hannah’s wind kept the invasive tendrils at bay as her sisters danced.
    Just what was Stavros’s psychic talent? Could he project himself across the sea and hover offshore? Had he established a connection with El e the way Jackson had? The thought upset him on more than one level. He didn’t want any other man to have a psychic connection with El e.
    The fire crackled and snapped, glowing bright orange and sending flames skyward. The feminine voices slowly drifted away and the dancers fel exhausted into the sand. Hannah was last, holding the healing mist as long as possible before she, too, col apsed on the beach. Behind her, the sea was rough and choppy, stirred up from the high winds fighting to get past her to reach shore.
    Jackson flung the blanket around El e. “Go into the house, baby, and get dressed,†he said. “I’l start the tea water and get your sisters.â€
    â€œI can make the tea,†she offered. “I’m tired, but I feel better already.†She shivered a little as the fog crept closer to the beach. “I don’t like them lying helpless in the sand with the fog coming in, especial y Hannah. She’s too close to the edge of the water.â€
    â€œI’l get her.†He didn’t like the way the fog bank was so dark, or the way fingers stretched, elongated, looking eerily as if a hand reached toward them. “Go in the house, El e. Get dressed and stay warm. Bomber is a trained protection dog and wil protect you rather than property. I asked Lisset to train him with Russian commands because the family al speaks Russian and I figured it would be easier for any of us to direct him when necessary.†He gave her a list of commands and made her repeat them back to him. “Dress warm, baby. It’s cold out today and the fog is moving in fast.†He signaled the dog. “Go with her, search.â€
    Bomber’s ears cocked