Oceans of Fire Read Online Free PDF Page A

face so achingly familiar to her. Tears blurred her vision. Fog swirled above her head. She knew her sisters lay on the captain’s walk, or wherever they had been when they had completed the joining, just as drained of strength. The wind fluttered softly without the power of the Drake sisters carrying it and she heard the last notes of Joley’s incredible voice fade away.
    Footsteps thundered toward her. The wooden planks of the pier creaked and groaned in protest, shaking beneath the weight of people running. She wondered if the boards would give out and she’d be dropped back in the ocean for sharks to feast on. She was definitely hysterical. It wasn’t a good time to be staring into Aleksandr’s eyes and wondering why his lashes were so long. Or wondering why she could never get his face out of her dreams. Why she heard his voice calling to her across oceans. Abigail closed her eyes and turned away from him.
    “You. Stand up slowly with your hands where I can see them. Back away from her.” She recognized Jonas Harrington, the sheriff. He was using his voice of total authority, which he did often, but this time it carried a hint of something deadly in it.
    Abbey’s heart contracted. Her eyes locked with Aleksandr’s. His expression was hard, his eyes as cold as the arctic sea. She knew he could kill a man swiftly and efficiently, going from stillness to action in the single beat of a heart.
    “Don’t hurt him.” The words escaped, so low they were barely discernible, but Aleksandr could read the fear so apparent on her face. And it wasn’t for him.
    “This is the sheriff and I’m ordering you to get your hands where I can see them and back away from the woman.”
    “Please.” She whispered the plea to the Russian.
    Beside her, Aleksandr rose with unhurried ease. Calm. Cool. Never ruffled. He turned to face Jonas, his hands up, palms out.
    “You.” Jonas nearly spat the word. Jonas holstered his gun and reached down to check the pulse of the man lying so still. “Volstov. I should have known you’d be involved in this somehow. This man is dead. Who is he?”
    “My partner. The ones who murdered him are out there somewhere.” Aleksandr indicated the expanse of sea beyond the harbor.
    Jonas examined Gene next. His eyes met the Russian’s and he heaved a sigh as he went to Abigail. Jonas crouched down beside her, taking her hand. Jackson, one of the deputies, stood at his back, facing out toward sea, but his body posture was clearly protective. “Let’s get the medics in here, Jackson.”
    It occurred to Abigail that Jackson was being drawn into the Drake family circle whether he wanted to be or not. Jonas always had been there. Tough. Uncompromising. Someone to count on when things got bad. Her fingers wrapped around his wrist and held him there.
    He glanced from her to Aleksandr and his face hardened perceptibly. “What’s the damage, Abbey?”
    She made an effort to tell him Gene needed immediate help. Jonas shook his head. “We’ll get life flight en route, hon, we’ll get him to San Francisco. The paramedics are with him. I want to take a look at you.”
    “Home.” She managed the word, lying back to stare up at the wisps of drifting fog. She wanted to get home where she was safe. Surrounded by her sisters and protected by the walls of her house.
    “I want them to examine you, Abbey, and don’t give me any grief over it, either,” Jonas said, moving back to give the paramedics room, but retaining possession of her hand.
    “Libby,” she said, trying to pull her hand away so she could push at the paramedics.
    “Not Libby. She’s going to be as weak as you are. Maybe weaker. Good old-fashioned medicine will have to do,” Jonas replied firmly as he stroked back her hair.
    Aleksandr leaned over her. “What did they look like?” His fingertips brushed droplets of seawater from her face with exquisite gentleness. The pads of his fingers slipped over her cheekbone and then her lower