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tonight from Danilov saying he had some evidence that a shipment of stolen artifacts we were tracking had been spilled into the sea as it was being transferred from a freighter to a fishing boat. He’d taken pictures and had a witness. He must have gone out with Dockins on his boat without informing me before he went.” His gaze swept over the house and he mentally recorded the position of all the windows and doors that he could see. Exits. Escape routes. His way of life.
    Jonas parked the car and turned to study the Interpol agent. Aleksandr Volstov looked calm, almost expressionless, mild even, until you looked into his eyes. Jonas had met men like Volstov before, had fought alongside of them. They made relentless, bitter, merciless enemies and the most loyal of friends. They were the type of men you wanted in your corner when push came to shove because they would never desert you and would go into the fire to pull you out. Volstov wasn’t calm about losing his partner and he wasn’t going to stop until he found every last man involved in Danilov’s death. And that could mean a bloodbath in Sea Haven and the surrounding towns if the Russian mafia was involved.
    “This isn’t Russia,” Jonas felt compelled to point out.
    Aleksandr merely looked at him with Siberian-cold eyes, then slid out of the car still cradling Abigail in his arms. “So this is the Drake house.”
    “You’re obviously aware they become weak after using their gifts. All of Abbey’s sisters are going to be in the same state. They won’t like feeling vulnerable in front of you,” Jonas warned.
    “You’ve obviously witnessed this aftereffect on more than one occasion,” Aleksandr pointed out as Jonas led the way along a winding path to the front door.
    “I’m family,” Jonas said.
    “Seeing as how Abbey is engaged to be married to me, I would have to claim the same thing,” Aleksandr replied quietly. Abigail stirred in his arms, opening her eyes with another stormy glare, which he ignored.
    The door was opened by an attractive middle-aged woman, with shrewd, assessing blue eyes and a wealth of gray-blonde hair clipped at the nape of her neck.
    “Aunt Carol!” Jonas enveloped her in his arms and kissed her cheek. “I had no idea you’d be here.” He stepped aside, holding the door to allow Aleksandr to bring Abbey inside.
    “The girls didn’t know,“ Carol assured him. ”I arrived a few hours ago, thinking I’d help plan the weddings, and found them all in such a state. Here,“ she directed Aleksandr, ”put her on the couch.“ She trailed after him. ”I’ve made tea, Abbey. You’ll be fine in half an hour.“
    “She’s soaking wet from the sea,” Aleksandr protested. “Is there somewhere I can get her out of her wet clothes?” He felt Abbey’s body stir again in protest and tightened his arms to prevent anyone from seeing her shaking head.
    “Where are the others?” Jonas asked, stepping around Libby, who was sprawled out on the floor, a pillow under her head. Elle lay slumped in a chair. Both had a cup of tea beside them. Keeping Gene Dockins alive had obviously cost them all a great deal. Jonas had seen the Drake sisters very vulnerable after the use of their powers, but never to such an extent. Gene must have been close to death to drain them this deeply. He cast a concerned glance up the stairs. “Aunt Carol, are they all right?”
    “Yes, dear. I couldn’t very well carry them down the stairs. They’re stuck out on the captain’s walk.”
    “I’ll get them.” Jonas was already moving, taking the stairs two at a time, leaving Aleksandr to face Abbey’s aunt.
    Carol regarded him with her hands on her hips. “I’ll get a blanket to wrap her in. I can’t very well have you taking her clothes off.”
    “I’m her fiancé,“ Aleksandr stated without the least compunction. ”Please just show me to her room and I’ll do the rest.“
    At his declaration, both Libby and Elle tried to push themselves up,