Drake Sisters 07 - Hidden Currents

before pouring a second and moving to El e’s side. He sat on the floor between El e’s legs, half turning so he could take her bare foot onto his lap. “She shouldn’t have, she was risking too much, but she kept us warm until help arrived.
    Thanks for giving her the push at the end. It saved us.†He sipped the tea and brought El e’s foot against his bel y.
    It felt intimate to have him hold her bare foot. El e could see that Ilya had started a fire to help heat the room and give more of an il usion of warmth. The crackle and popping along with the flickering flames added to the coziness of Jackson’s living room. She glanced up the wal s and could have sworn that for one moment they undulated, as if alive, as the wal s of the Drake home sometimes did when ancestors settled into the wal s to help make it a fortress.
    Brace yourself, baby. It was al the warning he was going to give her. Her sisters were looking her over, trying to see inside her, trying to look past the bruising on her face and the few raw wounds they could see to what they couldn’t see. He was going to confirm some of their worst suspicions.
    â€œEl e is afraid she might be pregnant.â€
    Sarah lowered her teacup and looked at her youngest sister with a smal frown. Ilya shook his head even as he laced his fingers with Joley’s. If it was possible for Libby to lose any more color, she did. Abigail and Kate exchanged a long look.
    El e tried to pul her foot away, ducking her head and al owing the mass of tangles to tumble down around her face, hiding her.
    We need to know what to do to take care of you. Jackson was unrepentant.
    â€œMy understanding is that the seventh child can share the legacy but only with the right partner,†Ilya said. “And with that partner, birth control doesn’t work. With anyone else, pregnancy is very difficult.â€
    El e gasped and sat up straighter, looking at Sarah. “Can that be true?â€

    Sarah nodded. “It’s recorded in the diaries.â€
    â€œMom is a snake,†El e hissed. “A total snake.â€
    â€œShe probably didn’t know. In those days,†Sarah explained, “women rarely slept with a man before marriage. It probably didn’t come up.â€
    Jackson tugged at her foot. “Trade places with me so I can work on your hair.†It might be easier for you with your sisters here.
    Her heart began to pound again. She hesitated and then slid from the chair to give it to him. Jackson settled her between his thighs, another intimate position she hadn’t considered.
    â€œI could examine you,†Libby offered. “You should be treated, El e.â€
    â€œNot until I’m stronger. My head is so messed up, Libby, that I’m afraid I can’t protect you. I’m not wil ing to risk you.â€
    â€œIt’s my risk.â€
    El e shook her head. “You’ve helped me just with what you did.â€
    Jackson began the slow process of dividing the mass of long hair into strips. His hands were astonishingly gentle as he began to slowly pick the tangles from the ends of the thick strands and work his way patiently up toward her scalp.
    â€œSo you real y don’t think El e is pregnant?†He kept his voice matter-of-fact.
    â€œI’d be shocked,†Sarah answered. “Do you feel pregnant, El e?â€
    El e shrugged. “I have no idea what it feels like.â€
    â€œSick,†Joley said and glared at Ilya. “Sick to your stomach.â€
    â€œNot everyone gets sick,†Libby pointed out. “I’l get you a pregnancy test.â€
    â€œThanks, Libby,†El e said. The tugging on her scalp made her feel loved and cared for, instead of reminding her of Stavros grabbing her head and forcing her to do his bidding. There was something very soothing about the purposeful way Jackson combed out the tangles, always holding the hair tightly between where he separated the snarls and her tender scalp.
    â€œBomber, what are you looking at, boy?†Jackson asked.
    The dog turned his head, gave a short bark and turned back to stare out the window at the dissipating fog. Jackson took a drink of his tea while he observed the dog. The animal stil appeared on the alert, his body stil , his eyes focused and ears cocked forward.
    â€œWe al know Gratsos and his brother both have psychic talent.†Jackson looked at Ilya and Sarah over