Oceans of Fire

by Christine Feehan

  "How long have you known him?" Kate asked.

  "Is anything Jonas said about him true?" Sarah wanted to know.

  "Probably everything Jonas said about Aleksandr is the truth, but I honestly don't know. When I met him, four years ago, he was a detective. I was doing the tourist thing and he was standing on a corner. He was..." Abigail paused, searching for the right word. "Incredible. Impressive. I looked at his shoulders first and then his eyes. I had to get his picture." She exchanged a small smile with her aunt.

  "Of course you did, dear," Carol said, pleased.

  Abigail's smile widened at the memory. "I tried to get it without him seeing me, because I felt silly taking a stranger's picture and I was doing it because he was just plain hot. Of course he noticed and he wasn't all that thrilled with having his picture taken." She rubbed at an imagined fleck on her slim pants. "Moscow is so unbelievably old world. The buildings, the streets...even with the more modern look, it's just so beautiful and he seemed such a part of that world. Like an old-time fairy tale. He was actually standing right outside the gates of the Kremlin and he looked like a prince in front of a palace."

  "You're blushing," Joley observed, leaning forward. "That must have been some first meeting."

  "I'd never met anyone like him. He smiled at me as he came up to me and all I could think about was how it should be against the law to have his smile. I didn't even notice when he took the camera out of my hand. He was dazzling."

  Sarah exchanged a long look with Kate. "You sound like you fell in love with him, Abbey," she ventured gently.

  Abigail blinked and sat back in her chair. "Who wouldn't fall in love with him? He was charming and handsome and everything a man should be."

  Joley leaned into her sister, laying her head back on her shoulder. "Why didn't you ever tell us about Aleksandr?" She was very careful of her tone, not wanting to make Abigail feel guilty and not wanting to allow a "push" of magic into her voice.

  Abigail swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. "I just couldn't. It hurt too much. I'm sorry about all of this, Joley. I know the one thing that makes you crazy is tight places. I had no idea anything would happen to make you have to go into an underwater cave. I would never, never willingly place you in danger."

  Joley shrugged. "Seriously, it's no big deal. I actually was rather proud of myself for conquering my fear enough to go through the rock to get to the mill. I love challenges and this one was very cool. I got to see you with that dolphin. That was so great, Abbey, that it would just come up to you like that and trust you to help it. It was amazing." She smiled at her sister. "But it still doesn't explain Aleksandr."

  Abigail spread out her hands in a gesture of confusion. "There's no way to explain Aleksandr. I just can't even tell you what it was like. He offered to show me around and we walked through Red Square and visited the Cathedral of Vasily. All the while he talked about the history of the buildings. His voice, his accent, all of it just added to his attraction. He knew so much about everything and he spoke with such pride. He loved his country every bit as much as I love mine. He made me feel like the most beautiful and important woman in the world. We laughed so much together, and he held my hand. That sounds so juvenile, but you know I didn't really even date before. I was always so focused on my career and here I was, walking around this incredible city with a handsome, attentive man. I wanted to stay in his company forever."

  "My Jefferson made me feel that way," Carol said. "Of course you wanted to be with him."

  "We spent the day together and then stayed up all night talking. It was like there was always so much more to say. I loved the sound of his voice. His smile, the way his eyes lit up when he looked at me." Abigail blinked back tears. "In a million years, I never thought I'd ever feel that way about someone. He didn't know anything at all about me. He didn't know I was a Drake. That I had magic, that I had talented, beautiful sisters who all had made names for themselves in amazing ways. He saw me. Abigail. And it was enough."

  There was a silence in the room. Abigail knew her sisters were empathic and they could feel the sudden pain knifing through her. Libby crossed her arms over her stomach and Elle huddled into a little ball.

  "You have to tell us, Abbey," Sarah pressed. "What good does it do to hold it to yourself? We've all known you've been unhappy. You can't be near us and not have us feel it."

  Abigail shook her head. "I did something so stupid. So wrong. I don't know how to tell you. I used my gift in a way that I shouldn't have and a man died. He didn't deserve to die, but he did. I've always known I couldn't wield what was given to me. It was always more than I could handle. I blurted things out in school and kids were hurt by it. Teens got in trouble, and even last Christmas look what happened. I knew better than to use it, but I wanted to please him. I wanted to be so much more in his eyes." She covered her face with her hands.

  Carol slipped her arm around Abigail. "You aren't the first Drake to be overwhelmed with the power we wield. It's such a terrible responsibility. Have you read the prophecy? Really read it? I think each of you girls should. It was written several hundred years ago and serves as both a warning and a foretelling."

  Hannah waved her hands and candles leapt to life throughout the downstairs, flickering and dancing. Scents wafted through the house, mingling together to provide a semblance of peace. In the kitchen the teakettle whistled merrily. Hannah jumped up, her tall, elegant body encased in pencil thin blue jeans and an oversized white silk shirt. "I'll make you a cup of tea, Abbey, something soothing."

  "Thanks, Hannah," Abigail replied, managing a smile. Next to Libby, Hannah and Elle were the most empathic of the sisters.

  "I think we all avoided reading the prophecy too closely when we made the pact to stay independent," Sarah explained. "I was fifteen at the time and we all thought getting married meant being under a man's thumb. We were watching all our friends in school turn silly and giggle and basically act like idiots and none of us wanted to be like that so we swore off relationships."

  "Not just being under his thumb," Kate clarified, "but making fools of ourselves. We felt our friends were changing who they were and what they believed in just to have a boy like them. And we grew up with the boys--they just weren't all that attractive as boyfriends to us."

  Carol fluffed her hair and winked at Abigail. "I should have taken you girls in hand a long time ago. Being a woman is just plain fun, and flirting is half the fun. And it shouldn't have prevented you from studying the prophecy. I have a few things to say to your mother when I see her."

  "We read the part about the gate swinging open in welcome and so we padlocked the gate and put the prophecy in with the journals," Kate admitted. "And we didn't say a single word to Mom about our pact. She was pushing us to learn the language in some of the journals and that was so annoying."

  "At the time," Sarah qualified. "Since then, we've learned a few hard lessons about why we should have listened to her."

  Hannah returned with the cup of tea. "This will help, Abbey. I worked on the combination of herbs and I think it really relaxes and helps soothe." She pushed the teacup into Abigail's hands.

  Abigail forced a faint smile as she looked up at her sister. If there were favorites within a family, Hannah would be everyone's. Abigail felt closest to her and she was fairly certain her other sisters felt the same way. It wasn't that Hannah was saintly, not by any means; Hannah had a definite mischievous streak, but she was so compassionate and caring. And her painful shyness made it necessary for them all to stay connected to her in order to allow Hannah the freedom of a career. No one had thought when she'd first taken a modeling job that she would soar to the top and become such a success, but they were all proud of her, especially knowing what it took for Hannah to appear in public. "Thank you, Hannah, even the aroma is soothing."

  Carol glanced at her watch with a small frown. "I'm going to have to cancel my meeting so we can finish this talk."

  "What meeting?" Sarah asked curiously. Carol ha
dn't been back in Sea Haven more than a day.

  "I belong to the Red Hat Club, dear, and we're having a bit of fun today. I was so pleased that they had a chapter here in Sea Haven. It will give me a chance to reestablish old friendships. I want to get to know all the ladies in town again. We can wear our red hats and purple shirts and walk barefoot on the beach. Inez Nelson is very involved and hopefully she can pass on news as to how Gene is doing. I haven't heard yet."

  Sarah nodded. "Inez is always a wonderful source of information. She cares about Sea Haven and is very active in the business community as well as with all the programs for theater and dance. She was here a few days ago getting consent to have Kate, Joley, and Hannah's names used for the write-up on Frank Warner's big event. If Frank had asked, Inez knew they would have turned down the invitation to attend."

  "It turns into a freak show," Hannah said, making a face. "It isn't quite so bad when Kate and Joley are there."

  "Especially Joley," Kate added with a quick grin at her sister. "You seem to be a huge draw. I think people want to know if the tabloids have all your exploits right."

  Joley laughed. "Aw, if only I had the exciting life the tabloids write about."

  "We'd have to disown you," Sarah said.

  Abigail pressed a hand to her chest. Sarah didn't mean to hurt her. She couldn't possibly know how those teasing words would cut so deep.

  "Abbey." Sarah rose instantly and knelt in front of her sister, putting her arm around her. "No matter what, you are our sister, loved and cherished always."

  Abigail shook her head. How had she had failed the gifts handed down to her through centuries of generations? Never once had she been told stories of magic failing. Of one of the sisters so flawed she caused the death of an innocent man.

  Sarah was so good at everything she did. Kate was magical, bringing tremendous peace to those in need and showing such courage when elements got out of control. Libby saved lives over and over. Hannah's gift was powerful and she gave of herself without reservation to her sisters. Joley had the voice of a spell singer and she was able to use her gift for good. Elle was the most powerful, holding all gifts within her, yet she was humble and steady and always ready to help. Only Abigail was flawed, unable to wield the power of the truth. Unable to use the voice given to her. Unable to bring forth pure magic. Because of her weaknesses, her gift was twisted and uncontrolled and wreaked havoc on those around her.

  7

  "ABIGAIL." Carol's voice was very gentle. "You can't hold something like this in. If you don't trust your family to love you and help you through the worst times in your life, you'll never be able to trust anyone."

  "It isn't a matter of trust, Aunt Carol," Abbey explained. "It just makes it all the more real if I talk about it. I always feel so apart from everyone else."

  "Abbey," Sarah said, "life is to be lived. If you're living, you're going to stumble along the way."

  "All the time?" Abigail leapt to her feet and began to pace. "I have such a bad temper and when I was in my teens, I wasn't above using my gift for revenge. None of you did that."

  Joley slowly raised her hand, sliding down in the chair as she did so. Hannah followed suit, although she didn't look in the least remorseful. Sarah shrugged her shoulders and raised her hand and glared at Elle, who just grinned sheepishly and put up a couple of fingers. Carol tossed her head and waved her arm with gusto.

  "You did not!" Abigail said, shocked.

  "We aren't angels," Sarah pointed out. "Especially Hannah and Joley." She gave them both a stern look.

  "Like I'd let those girls be mean to me or any of you," Hannah said with a little disdainful sniff. "Once Sylvia Fredrickson said right in front of Anita Monroe that she could have any boy in town. Including Jonas Harrington, by the way."

  "Jonas?" That got all of their attention instantly.

  Hannah nodded, her hands on her hips. "She really made me mad the way she was talking about him. He was in college, but came home as often as possible. Remember when his mother was so ill? Sylvia claimed she was going over to his house that night and sneaking in his bedroom window."

  "What did you do, Hannah?" Abigail asked, unable to prevent herself.

  "Nothing much. I just stirred up the wildlife in the area a bit. The yard and particularly Jonas's room were overrun with anything reptilian. She has a very loud scream," she added with satisfaction. "Not that it taught her any lessons. And that oaf Jonas suspected I might have done it out of retaliation for his obnoxious comments when we met earlier in the day and he referred to me as a cutesy little Barbie doll."

  Kate and Libby exchanged a long look. "I don't think this is very fair," Kate said. "In fact I'm jealous that I couldn't use my talent for anything but good. I had a few people who weren't so nice in school I would have liked to do something to."

  "Me too," Libby agreed. "The rest of you have all the fun."

  "Don't worry," Hannah said. She, Joley, and Elle exchanged a long, satisfied grin. "We were looking out for you. No one ever suspected your younger sisters."

  "And I don't believe for one minute that the two of you never used your gifts inappropriately," Carol said. "Confession time."

  Kate's grin widened. "I am not about to lose my halo. Suffice to say, I did experiment a little."

  "I just don't believe this." Abigail looked at Libby. Libby was the middle child, gifted with healing. She always managed to look serene, even in the middle of a crisis. She wore her heavy mane of jet black hair short and her eyes were a startling, very intense green that gave her an otherworldly appearance. Of all the Drakes, she was the one the local children called witch when they wanted to be cruel. Abigail had never seen her react, although once in a while she had cried in her room and that sent Hannah, Joley, and Elle whispering up on the captain's walk. "Elizabeth Jane Drake. Not you too? I swear, all my illusions are being shattered."

  "I admit to nothing."

  Laughter bubbled up in Abigail. At the same time she wanted to weep. At every crisis within the family as far back as she could remember, her sisters had pulled together. Her mother and the aunts had always been the same, as had her uncles and cousins. She was very thankful for the wonderful legacy of family devotion handed down to her.

  "Oh, dear," Carol said just as Sarah jumped to her feet and went to the door.

  They all heard a knock a minute later. Abigail froze, hand to her throat, her heart suddenly beginning to pound.

  "Relax, dear," Carol said, "it's only Inez and a few others from the Red Hat Club. They've come to get me, as I didn't call right away." She patted her niece's shoulder and hurried to find her ornate red hat. "I've been leaving the gate open for my friends during the day."

  Several ladies poured into the room, dressed in either flowing skirts or pants, but all with bright purple shirts and red hats on their heads. They laughed as they greeted the girls. "Carol was late so we decided not to let her miss the meeting. We're dragging her off with us and don't expect her back early! It's our girls' day out and we intend to have fun."

  "I'm ready." Carol rushed into the room waving her arm, her camera slung haphazardly around her neck. "Unless you girls need me...." She trailed off, looking at Abbey.

  Abigail kissed her. "No, we'll be fine. Just don't get into too much trouble."

  That sent another round of laughter floating up from the women. "Like the time we had to bail you out of jail," Inez said.

  "Or the time you got stuck in that tree with Tommy Lofton and we had to call the fire rescue," Donna added.

  "Aunt Carol!" Hannah looked proud.

  "I'm certain they're making it all up!" Carol blew kisses at her nieces and followed the women out.

  The Drake sisters listened to the laughter as it slowly faded into the distance. "We might have to bail them out," Sarah warned. "I think Carol's going to be a very bad influence on that group, and worse, that they want her to be."

  "Most of them went to school together. It's so nice that they've remained such good frie
nds," Kate said.

  Hannah slipped off the chair and stretched out on her stomach on the floor, patting the place beside her in invitation as she looked up at Abigail. "I don't know all that much about things, Abbey, but I do know guilt can eat you alive. You can't let it rule your life. Aunt Carol never has. She pretends to be a little on the wacky side, but she lives large and she's happy."

  One by one the other Drakes lay on the floor as they did when they were children. Each stretched out a hand and placed it in the middle of their circle, one on top of the other in a gesture of solidarity. Abigail took her place beside Hannah and felt the warmth of her sisters' hands over hers.

  "I think I'm too old for the floor," Sarah said. "We need mats."

  "I have noticed you aging, Sarah," Joley agreed. "Especially since you became engaged. Too funny, if you ask me. Sarah, turning into a yeswoman."

  Sarah threw her wadded-up napkin at Joley. "I am so not a yeswoman. You can just take that back before I decide to thump you."

  Joley feigned a bored yawn. "It's not going to happen because you're just as anxious as I am to hear all about Aleksandr the Russian hottie with the sexy voice."

  Abigail blushed. "Okay," she conceded. "He does have a sexy voice. Totally sexy."

  "And he sings, too," Joley added. "He has a beautiful voice. He used to sing her to sleep with a lullaby." She grinned wickedly. "Well, after, you know."

  Abigail's blush deepened. "I didn't tell you that!"

  "You didn't have to tell me that."

  Hannah raised her hands in the air and made intricate patterns in the air. "I could use some cookies fresh out of the oven. Anyone else?"

  Abigail leaned over and nudged her shoulder with her chin. "You always eat cookies when we have a family conference. How do you stay so thin? I make two of you."

  "Jonas once said I'm a wire hanger the designers drape their clothes on," Hannah confessed. There was a note of hurt in her voice. "He's such a jerk sometimes. Then he was mad at me because toads followed him around croaking. He claimed it sounded like they were saying 'liar, liar,' which by the way, could happen to Aleksandr if you needed to let him know you aren't going to take any of his nonsense."