Fire Bound (Sea Haven Sisters)(2)
“Still” – Blythe led the way back into the center of the living room – “it’s exciting that you can visit so many countries in one trip and write it off legitimately.”
“That’s the best part,” Airiana Prakenskii said. She had recently married Maxim Prakenskii and was in the process of adopting four children, siblings she and her husband had rescued from a human trafficking ring. “Writing your trip off on your taxes.” She looked like a beautiful pixie with her natural platinum hair, large eyes and fragile appearance. She was anything but fragile. She was bound to air and worked for the defense department.
“I despise doing taxes,” Rikki Prakenskii admitted. “I love to dive, and it’s great getting paid for what I love doing, but then filing taxes makes it all a nightmare. Thank heavens for Lev. He totally understands all that.”
Lissa smiled at Rikki as she sank into the chair opposite her. “I love that you call him Lev now and that all of you have agreed to take the last name Prakenskii.”
Lexi shrugged. “Since Gavriil is living here and both he and Ilya use the name, why shouldn’t all of them?”
“Don’t you think it’s a little crazy that all of you married Prakenskiis?” Lissa asked. She set her teacup carefully on the end table and folded her hands together, threading her fingers rather tightly.
“Absolutely crazy,” Lexi agreed, “although, I’m not married.”
“It’s a matter of time,” Lissa said. “Gavriil will put his ring on your finger, just the way he put his mark on your palm. Don’t deny it. I’ve seen you rubbing your palm on your jeans. All of you do that.”
“Sometimes it itches,” Lexi said before she thought to deny it.
There was more laughter. Lissa loved the sound of her sisters laughing. There was genuine joy in them. They’d all started out so lost, so broken, especially Lexi. Intellectually, Lissa knew it was a combination of things that had changed for everyone. The way they united as a family, their farm and then the coming, one by one, of the Prakenskii brothers. “Why do you suppose all of you have settled down and fallen madly in love with Prakenskiis?” she asked.
“Hello,” Judith emphasized. “Are you blind? They’re just plain yummy.” Judith was married to Stefan Prakenskii. Judith was nearly as tall as Blythe, with long flowing black hair, a legacy from her Japanese mother. She was an artist and did restoration of paintings as well as creating unique and beautiful kaleidoscopes.
“They are that,” Lissa admitted, “but they’re also overprotective, dominant and arrogant as well as pains in the butt.”
All the women nodded in complete agreement. “They are so all of those things,” Airiana said. “We can’t even argue who is the absolute worst…”
“Gavriil,” a chorus of voices said all at the same time.
Lexi looked shocked. “He is not. He’s so sweet. How can you think that?”
Laughter rose and this time Lissa joined in, a true, genuine laugh. Of course Lexi would never see the dangerous side of Gavriil. He loved her. She was not just the center of his world, she was his world.
“That’s why all of us are going to have Black Russian Terriers to protect every household,” she teased.
Lexi flashed her a grin and then immediately disagreed again. “It’s Lev.”
“I push Lev into the ocean as often as possible,” Rikki said with a little sniff. “It cools him off when he gets out of hand. No way is it my man.”
Blythe held up her hand. “I have to say, all of your men are the absolute worst. Only Lissa and I have any sense left.”
Lissa took a deep breath before nodding. “Which is why I am very glad I’m heading off to Europe and leaving you, Blythe, to the tender mercies of whichever Prakenskii brother shows up next, because I’m fairly certain it will happen. Sea Haven seems to call to those of us who are elements or, like the Drake sisters, have psychic gifts. As all the Prakenskiis seem to be or have both, I’m putting my running shoes on.”
At least she wasn’t lying about that. Practically everything about her was a lie, when she’d been so determined to give her sisters the real person. She gave them what she could of herself, but there would be no acceptance if they knew the truth about her. Sometimes, she could barely look at herself in the mirror.
“What would be so wrong with finding a man?” Lexi asked. “I was certain I never would have that kind of… intimacy… with a man, not after everything that happened to me, but Gavriil came along, and I can’t imagine my life without him. Don’t you want to have a relationship, Lissa?”