Authors: Christine Feehan
Water Bound (25 page)
“Lexi’s the one growing the vegetables,” Lissa reminded and stepped out of her convertible.
Rikki couldn’t help but admire her. Bright red hair, deep blue eyes, she had curves and a small waist. Rikki was skinny and she didn’t have a waist like that. Lissa was the resident martial arts practitioner and her body was a tribute to her abilities. She also was a carpenter and welder. She excelled at blowing glass and showed many of her glass and metal pieces in Judith’s store.
“I do eat your broccoli, Lexi,” Rikki said as piously as she could manage.
“And I love you for it,” Lexi blew her a kiss.
Blythe waited until both women were seated before she dropped the bombshell. “Rikki’s got a man.”
Five heads turned to stare at her. Rikki lifted an eyebrow and pushed her glasses firmly on her nose, trying to look nonchalant.
“In the house,” Judith hissed. “She won’t let me in to see him.”
“He’s not on display,” Rikki defended.
“I want to see,” Lexi insisted.
Lissa looked at Blythe. “You met him?” There was suspicion in her voice. “Who is this man and how did he get into Rikki’s life? Rikki doesn’t just pick up men.”
Rikki sent Lissa her most ferocious frown. “I certainly am capable of picking up men.”
I wouldn’t be saying that where I can hear you.
You have nothing whatsoever to do with it.
Maybe not yet, but I will.
A thousand butterflies took wing in her stomach. She wasn’t touching that statement. He sounded far too confident and his killer kisses might have given him reason to believe he might have a say in her life, but it wasn’t true. No one,
no one
, told her what to do.
no one
, told her what to do.
She could hear her sisters talking around her, but their voices had faded into the background. Her mind was filled with Lev. His laughter was low and amused and all too male. He cut off abruptly, pulling out of her head. For a moment she was dizzy and nauseated. She breathed deep to allow the feeling to pass when it suddenly occurred to her that it was Lev who was sick and dizzy. He wasn’t hiding in the house—well, maybe he was because he was inclined to be paranoid, but he hadn’t been able to stand more than fifteen or twenty minutes at a time. He’d been up and even cooked breakfast. He must have been resting and trying to hide it from her.
She brushed her hand over her face, hardly able to breathe. She wasn’t the kind of woman to take care of sick people. She just wasn’t. He needed to have a doctor, or Lexi, look at him. She started to move, when the sudden hush of chatter warned her and she turned to see him standing in the doorway. Her heart jolted at the sight of him. Tall. Masculine. The two-weeks’ growth of beard hiding his stubborn jaw. His eyes were deep blue, just like the sea. It was difficult, looking at the obvious muscle, to think of him as being sick or dizzy. He looked too strong, too invincible.
Judith made a single sound, drawing her attention. Judith had gone pale and she turned her head to look at Airiana. The two women exchanged a look of fear. Lexi, Blythe and Lissa flashed bright smiles. Rikki’s stomach tightened into knots.
“I shouldn’t have had you getting coffee, Levi.” She jumped up and took the cups to her sisters. “Levi hit his head pretty hard the other day and he needs care.”
“You aren’t responsible for him,” Judith said.
Rikki was startled by the belligerence in her voice. As a rule, Judith was open and caring. Just the bandage on Lev’s head should have produced her usual empathy.
“Actually, I am,” Rikki countered. It was true. She was captain. She’d pulled him out of the sea. Her code made her responsible. “Everyone, this is Levi Hammond. Levi, my sisters. You know Blythe already. This is Judith, Lissa, Airiana and Lexi.”
“So you brought him home with you because you feel responsible,” Airiana clarified, ignoring the introduction.
Rikki scowled at Judith and Airiana. “Why are you being rude? He’s a guest in my home. I may not have social skills, but in your homes, I’m always polite to your guests.” Okay, that wasn’t strictly the truth. She usually backed out and left the moment she saw company, or she simply didn’t speak. But she kept her dark glasses on and that could be considered polite. Her throat felt funny, a strange tickle.
Lev put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s natural for them to worry about you, Rikki.” Even as he said it, his head whipped around, looking toward the trees.
“His aura,” Judith broke off, gasping, one hand going to her throat. She began to cough.
Airiana leapt to her side. “What is it?”
Judith shook her head and held up her hand as she tried to breathe. Lexi rushed over to her. Rikki went still. She pulled her glasses off and her gaze locked with Lev’s. She knew she was giving him the death stare, but if he was responsible, she was
never
going to forgive him. She couldn’t tell by his stony expression or his eyes. He was completely inscrutable.
never
going to forgive him. She couldn’t tell by his stony expression or his eyes. He was completely inscrutable.
Judith coughed again and Rikki hurried to get water, her mind racing. Lev was telepathic. He’d admitted to other gifts as well. His strongest drive was self-defense. Would he see Judith as a threat to him? She should never have brought him anywhere near her family. It bothered her that she had even conceived the idea that he could be a threat to Judith, but she couldn’t get the nagging doubt from her mind.
She handed Judith the water. Lev hadn’t reassured her. And she had observed him enough to know he had some healing abilities, but he wasn’t rushing to assist Judith. He stayed quiet, out of the way, standing over near the railing where she’d been sitting. He was looking out toward the sea or maybe up to the road, but he wasn’t looking at Judith.
Judith managed to get water down, and she slumped in her chair, gasping for breath. Lexi put calming hands on her and Judith drew in more air. “I have an allergy to something, I think.”
“Has this happened before?”
The suspicion in Lev’s voice startled Rikki. He was still looking out toward the road. A chill went down her spine. What did he sense out there? She couldn’t stop herself. She stepped in front of her sisters, all huddled around Judith, and she faced the road as well, trying to make herself larger, even going so far as to spread her arms out.
“What is it?” Lissa whispered, coming up behind her.
“I don’t know. Something. Can you feel anything?” Rikki murmured back in a low tone.
Lissa was a warrior woman. If something was wrong, she might be able to feel it.
“Go in the house,” Lev snapped. “Now. All of you.”
Horror was a metallic taste in her mouth. All of them together in her house? She shook her head. Lev didn’t argue, he simply caught her arm and thrust her inside. “You fucking stay there, you hear me? The rest of you get inside and stay away from the windows. You keep Rikki inside and out of sight.”
She felt the push in her mind, knew he was using some sort of strong compulsion along with his command. He didn’t need it. His demeanor and voice alone would have stopped her sisters from going outside against his wishes. He dragged her through the kitchen into the living room.
Rikki couldn’t breathe. The temperature in the house was extraordinarily hot. She broke out in a sweat, she was dizzy and weak. Her panic was full-blown and she couldn’t talk, couldn’t get the words out. Lev strode past her into the bedroom and began strapping on weapons. She could see him from where she was, but her sisters were oblivious, all peering out the windows. Airiana started to protest, but Lissa stopped her.
“He’s right,” she agreed. “I feel something out there.”
“Call Jonas,” Blythe said, all practical.
“Stay the hell away from the windows,” Lev snapped, as he stood in the doorway of the bedroom. “Keep Rikki in here.” He crossed to her side and bent down, his face close to hers, his hands on her upper arms as he pulled her against him. “I know you’re worried about fire,
lyubimaya,
but no one is going to get past me to get to you. Just breathe this away and I’ll be back soon.” He brushed a gentle kiss across her upturned mouth and abruptly strode away, leaving her in shock.
lyubimaya,
but no one is going to get past me to get to you. Just breathe this away and I’ll be back soon.” He brushed a gentle kiss across her upturned mouth and abruptly strode away, leaving her in shock.
Blythe, Judith, Airiana and Lexi stared at her with open mouths, obviously not believing what they’d just witnessed.
Lissa followed Lev through the bedroom to the back window. “I can help.”
“He’ll be long gone. He’s watching the house. He’s up on the high ridge to the north. I caught the flash of his binoculars. Could be nothing, but then again, I don’t want a pervert lurking around either.”
“Rikki can’t have us all in the house,” Lissa advised, hanging on to the windowsill. It was impossible to see the northern tree line from where they were—which meant whoever was watching couldn’t see Lev as he went out.
“I know. You can get her through it. Better a panic attack than a bullet”
Lissa went to catch his arm, but as fast as she was, he was out of reach, his eyes were flat and cold. “Just watch over her until I get back.”
Rikki tried to make her feet move, to follow him. She didn’t want him going out alone, not with a concussion. He was sick and dizzy, but he was functioning. That made her feel worse, guilty even. He managed. There was nothing wrong with her at all, but she was so upset over her sisters gathered under her roof that she couldn’t move.
Lissa put a hand on the nape of her neck and pushed her head down. “Breathe, honey. We’re by the door. If the house catches fire, we’ll all get out safely. No big deal.”
“Lissa’s right,” Blythe’s tone was brisk. “Judith, have you had this happen before?”
“No. Never. But I do have allergies,” Judith answered. She took another swallow of water. “That man is very, very dangerous.”
“He’s out there trying to protect us,” Lissa reminded.
Airiana shook her head and stepped close to Rikki as if to protect her. “Judith is right. We both can see auras and his is very strange. He carries many colors, but the colors are layered and surrounded by a deep red and then covered completely in black. The man lives with death and shadows. Whatever is inside him is eclipsed by his violent nature. I’ve never seen a man so dangerous.”
Judith nodded. “The only two people who even come close to date have been Elle Drake’s husband, Jackson, and even more dark is Joley’s husband, Ilya Prakenskii. This man, this Levi Hammond, honestly, Rikki, he scares me.”
Rikki forced air through her lungs, anger welling up in spite of her belief that they were right about Lev. She didn’t like that they were saying aloud what she was thinking. He was violent. She couldn’t argue with that, but that wasn’t all there was to him—and they had given her a chance. Lord only knew if she was worthy of it. They were all convinced she didn’t start fires, but who, besides her, had four homes burn down, two with people she loved in them?
Lissa put a gentle hand on Rikki’s shoulder. “He went out the window like a pro. He’s fast and silent, and I’m betting very efficient, but he was definitely in protection mode. He’d be handy out in her boat, or any other place for that matter.”
Rikki shot her a grateful look. “If we’re going to stay in this room, all together, I have to open the front door.” There were beads of sweat dotting her forehead and her chest felt on fire, as if she was already desperate for air. She swore she could smell smoke.
“I’ll get the door,” Lissa assured. “You sit down before you fall down. Maybe Blythe can get you water.”
Rikki shook her head. “Everyone should stay together.” She looked around. “Do you smell smoke? My eyes are burning.”
Judith passed the glass of water to Lissa. “There’s no smoke, Rikki. Take a drink. You’ll feel much better.”
Rikki inhaled deeply, trying to draw in air, terrified that she was reliving a nightmare that would never go away. Her feet and calves burned, a fierce, bone-wrenching pain. The scars had seemed a little less tight, but now they hurt as if newly formed. Usually they ached when she walked, the tight skin resisting stretching. Underwater she didn’t have the problem—she even forgot about the scars until she was back on land.
Her house had been purposely designed so that she could look from the kitchen door, straight through her house all the way through the bedroom door that led to the back of the house. There were doors in almost every room leading to the outside, a safety net should there be a fire. She had wanted sprinklers, but with her penchant for nightmares and calling out for water, her house would have been destroyed in the first few months of occupation. She chose the chair she’d placed in her living room where she could see every door. The kitchen had only the screen door closed, so she had a good view of the outside.
“Lissa, open the front door and the back bedroom door, please,” Blythe said. When Rikki started to protest, Blythe put a gentle hand on her. “She’ll be in sight the entire time and she’s very safe around fire. Your screen doors are dark so no one can see in but we can see out. You’ll feel so much safer with the doors open. We’ll all watch for anyone close to the house.”
“I’ll call Jonas,” Airiana announced, reaching for the phone.
Rikki shook her head. “No. Not yet. I don’t want to talk to him. I’m too stressed and I don’t know if I could handle it. Let Levi see what’s out there. Maybe it’s my imaginaton.” She huddled in the chair, drawing her feet up off the floor, rubbing at her burning scars.
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