Sea Haven 02 - Spirit Bound

face. For the longest time her mind refused to work. She just stared out into the night, shocked, guilt-ridden and afraid. She’d put everyone she loved in danger. Jean-Claude was capable of anything.
    She had never really been rid of him, not when he haunted her every night, invading dreams to turn them into nightmares. She would never truly be rid of him, but to know he was keeping tabs on her . . . paying someone to send him pictures for the last five years was truly frightening.
    And Thomas. What about Thomas? She was crazy about him. It had happened too fast. Burned too hot. Of course it wasn’t real. And if it was real, if there was a good explanation for everything, she couldn’t risk him. She wouldn’t risk him.
    She couldn’t risk her sisters either. Jean-Claude had ordered the torture and murder of more men than just her brother and he was certainly capable of striking at Judith through her sisters. What was he planning? What did he want? She would have to leave. What else could she do? Her mind refused to answer questions, just ran everything together until nothing at all made sense to her.
    A sob welled up and she pressed her hand to her mouth to keep from crying.
    “Judith?”
    Blythe’s voice effectively shredded any control she might have had. Judith flung herself into Blythe’s arms almost before her sister managed to reach the top of the stairs. Blythe caught her, steadied them both and just held her while she sobbed. Judith had no idea how long she cried, but when she looked up, she was surrounded by her sisters—all of them. Her heart expanded, landed in her throat and she cried more.
    Blythe smoothed her long hair, murmuring soothing noises. “We’ll deal with it, honey. We will. All of us together.”
    “How did you know?” Judith managed to get ahold of herself long enough to lift her head and looked at them, her eyes still swimming with tears.
    “Rikki called us. Levi told her about the pictures and Jean-Claude. Of course we would come,” Blythe said. “Airiana is going to make some tea for us and Lexi brought a few things for a late night snack. We’re going to need energy to figure this out.”
    Blythe sounded like, well, Blythe. She was always practical, the mother of all of them, big sister, the boss without being bossy. Blythe always made everyone feel better just by her steady presence alone. Or maybe it was her touch. Judith already felt a little lighter, the waterworks slowing enough to allow her some semblance of control.
    Blythe caught Judith’s arm and firmly led her back into the house. The others filed in after her, with Lissa dead-bolting the door and setting the alarm system.
    Judith looked around her at the circle of women. These were the people she could count on, the ones that always— always —stood for her. They weren’t sisters by blood, but her heart had chosen them and they were every bit as close as a blood relative. These women had saved her life, had supported her when she was at rock bottom with nowhere to go. They’d made her believe in herself again and now, once again, when her world was crashing down around her, here they were, standing with her.
    Judith took a deep breath and let it out, watching as Lexi began taking candles from her bag and placing them around the room. Following Lexi, Lissa blew on wicks, and flames sprang to life, dancing merrily, the healing aroma filling the room.
    Water filled the kettle at Rikki’s command and Airiana set the kettle on the stove where Lissa had the flames already burning.
    “You’re such a show-off,” Airiana teased her.
    It was a show of power for Judith, the women coming together bound to the elements, bound together by the love they shared.
    Judith’s heart eased, the terrible ache threatening to crush her lessening. She let Blythe lead her to a chair and she sank into the soft cushions.
    “Jonas put Levi in handcuffs,” Rikki announced.
    There was a collective gasp.
     
    “Levi let him?” Lissa asked.
    “Yes.” Rikki sounded proud, but there was a hint of laughter in her voice. She took the chair closest to the door. She always had to fight her reluctance to sit in a house with all the doors closed, filled with those she loved.
    “How come he isn’t here with us?” Judith asked. “He’s usually glued to your side.”
    “Well . . .” Rikki’s mischievous grin lit her eyes. “I told him no.”
    That brought another collective gasp, more astonished this time, and then the women