"I could take away the sound, but if they have scouts," Elle ventured, "we would still be seen."
"We could hike in from the other side," Rikki said. "That's what we did when we--" She broke off abruptly, glancing at Elle from under her lashes, her fingers twisting and whirling.
"That's not a bad idea. We just need to find the right road," Blythe agreed, laying her hand gently over Rikki's.
"Let's go back to the common area," Elle suggested. "We can eat and decide the best way to do this. Once we have a plan, the men won't be so crazy and expect us to stay home."
"Like that will happen," Lissa said. "Not that I'm going to be that much help out here. Fire can get loose fast and there's too much danger of a forest fire if I try to manipulate it too much. On the other hand, if they have campfires going already, I can wreak a little havoc and maybe upset any plans they have."
"You have to remember that Evan has a major talent or talents," Elle reminded. "The moment any of you use power he'll be able to zero in on you fast."
Blythe bit her lower lip hard. She was dragging her sisters into this mess in order to protect Viktor. There was a note of fear in Elle's voice, and Elle Drake had never been afraid of anyone. Fingers of dread sent chills down her spine. Still, she held on to the fact that she had a gift. A talent. Her mother hadn't believed her and she'd only used it for the farm, when it was needed to boost Rikki and Lexi and Judith.
She knew her sisters believed it was mostly Judith, but she was the one binding them together and amping up the power Judith created. She had learned to stay in the background and it never bothered her that others didn't realize she had a gift. She really could only use it around others gifted. She just took the energy they gathered and boosted or directed it.
Blythe glanced at Elle's set face. Elle really was afraid of Evan, and that told her to be very careful around the man. "It's all right, Elle. I can take his power and redirect it to one or all of you. We'll come up with a plan. I'm starving." She wasn't, but she didn't like seeing her cousin afraid. Elle, when they were young, was never afraid. To see her almost fragile was disconcerting.
Elle maneuvered the big truck down the logging road following along the river back toward the common area. There were a few picnic tables there and they could eat, drink and toss around ideas.
"Oh no," Elle said as she rounded the last curve to get to the main road. "We have company."
Blythe sat up straighter. She recognized the four-wheel-drive RAV4 parked just outside the common area. Airiana and Judith sat on the picnic table, Airiana swinging her foot back and forth and leaning back to look up at the sky. Judith laughed at something she said. At the sound of the truck, they both sat up straighter and watched Elle park.
Lexi jumped out and let the two big dogs out. Both ran to Airiana and Judith to say hello. "Hey, you two," she greeted. "You decide to have a picnic?"
"Yep," Judith said. "Right here at the good old Egg Taking Station no one told us about. I see you came prepared for a picnic too. Great minds evidently think alike. Hi, Elle. Nice to have you back."
"You didn't invite the two pregnant ladies," Airiana added, petting Kiss, the female Black Russian Terrier. "So we talked it over and decided something was up."
"Not to mention," Judith added, scooting over so Rikki could put their picnic basket next to Judith's, "our men are acting like idiots. You know, those late-night consultations with one another. Even Ilya's been hanging around. We aren't stupid you know, just pregnant."
Blythe heard the hurt in her voice. This was so getting out of hand. "No one thinks you're stupid, Judith," she said gently. "Just pregnant. No one wanted to risk you."
"It's Viktor, isn't it?" Airiana guessed shrewdly. "He's in some kind of trouble, and all of you are trying to help him out."
Blythe nodded, avoiding looking at Elle. Very few people knew the true details of her cousin's kidnapping. "It's dangerous and I didn't want either one of you hurt. Any of you," she added, sweeping her hand to include the other women. "But we can't take chances with babies." She ducked her head. "Especially unborn babies."
Airiana's eyes filled with tears and she hopped off the picnic table to rush to Blythe. She threw her arms around her and hugged her hard. "Of course we won't take any chances. We'd just like to know what's going on and see if there's a way we could help." Blythe started to pull back, stiffening, and Airiana hugged her harder. "From a distance," she added. "Away from any danger."
"We just thought maybe your man was a male chauvinist or something," Judith explained with a small smile, obviously hoping to lighten the mood.
"Well, he's something," Blythe admitted, trying for humor when she wanted to cry. This could be a disaster.
"We don't talk about family business to anyone," Judith added, sobering again. "We're family. If Viktor is your choice, he's family. He's my husband's brother. He fights like a machine, so I'm putting my money on him."
Blythe shook her head as Airiana slipped her arm through hers. "It's too dangerous. I know you'd want to help, if only to make certain the boys don't get into trouble, but both of you are--" She broke off, shook her head again and forced command into her voice. "It's too dangerous."
"Let's sit down and see what we have in the way of food," Elle said. "We can all think better with clear heads."
Blythe's head was clear. Totally clear. Any pregnant woman was not participating in the coming war with the Swords club and Evan Shackler-Gratsos. The panic was so strong she had to turn away from the women she called sisters. They were there for her, but it wasn't right. She couldn't live with herself if anything happened to the unborn babies.
Without thinking, she pressed her thumb into the center of her palm. She had done that so many times over the last few years when she was distressed that it had become a habit. She hadn't understood why it comforted her.
Take a breath and tell me what's happening. Viktor's voice in her mind confirmed her belief that he was close.
They're pregnant. They'll insist on helping. She closed her eyes briefly. Great. Now's your opportunity to tell me you don't want me here, but I'm still here and I don't have the right to stop them. Go ahead and say it.
They're pregnant. I understand, Blythe.
She breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn't going to lecture her. She didn't think she could take it. Around her, they were spreading out a checkered tablecloth as if they picnicked there every day of their lives. Laughter and the murmur of conversation swirled around her, but she couldn't do anything but hear the roaring in her ears and see the black spots that told her she'd better try to outrun what was coming.
Baby, breathe. Seriously. You're going to pass out.
Will you ask your brothers to forbid them to help?
I can do that. No problem, but do you believe they'll listen? You don't listen to your man. You're their sister. They love you. They're loyal to you. They want to help. We need another solution.
Like what? You have to tell me what. They couldn't lose their babies. She couldn't take it. She'd barely lived through the loss of hers, but if it happened again to one of her sisters, especially because of her, she wouldn't survive. She just wouldn't.
We'll need eyes and ears in town. Evan isn't going to be happy unless he sends men to burn that store. To burn the Drake house. To hurt as many ways as possible. He also will use that as a diversion so that only Deveau will come here and all other law enforcement personnel will head into Sea Haven. Once Jackson has turned onto the entry road, they'll start trouble in town so he won't have backup. From what he's told me they're spread pretty thin over here.
Okay. Okay. She could deal with that. Maybe. How much danger would they actually be in?
Very little. Evan isn't going to send his best men into town to wreak havoc. Those he sends will be the pawns. His expendable ones. He won't care if they make it out or not.
Maybe it would be a good idea for Lissa to go with them as well. She's a fire element. If they're working with fire, she can do
all sorts of scary things with that. At the same time, she can protect them. The idea sounded good to her. Airiana and Judith would be safe if Lissa was watching over them.
"Blythe. Come sit down with us," Elle said. "He's going to be all right. He knows what he's doing or he wouldn't have gotten this far. I've been undercover. No one here will blow it for him. If he worked his way up through the club to get to a position of trust, then he's that good."
"Evan still sent a group of men from another chapter to watch over him."
"Because he's paranoid." Elle patted the bench. "Fried chicken. The real deal. And we've got pie. Come on, we've got a lot to discuss."
It's going to be okay, baby. I promise. I've had a lot of time to figure this out.
Viktor's voice was so reassuring. So gentle. But mostly, it was strong. She remembered the way it felt to walk with him down a street. He seemed invincible. Now she knew why. I love them all. She did. She needed to tell him that. He had to know that these women were family. If he was with her, then they were his family as well and that meant under his protection. That was his code.
I get you, baby. Now go have a little fun.
His voice was comforting to her. She felt for a moment as if he'd wrapped her up in his arms and just held her to him.
"I'm all about fried chicken," she said, when she wasn't. She didn't eat fried foods as a rule, but with Viktor in the house, that just might change. She'd always been extremely disciplined, to the point that she didn't really know how to have fun. When he came into her life, that had changed. She'd been the one to initiate the things she'd always wanted to try but had been afraid to. He'd been the one to show her things she'd never thought of. Together, they'd made a good pair.
Elle scooted over to make room for her. "You were talking to him, weren't you?"
Blythe nodded. All of them were looking at her and she found herself blushing for no reason at all. "He was just giving me more details about what would happen and how, when we're discussing our strategy, we have to account for those as well."
That was a good way to lead into it. She wasn't leaving anyone out. They could help, and it was important to protect the townspeople and the Drake house, although it was rumored the Drake house protected itself.
"Uh-oh," Lissa said. "We're about to have company."
Blythe turned her head toward the sound of the vehicles. Two trucks came up the road slowly. Her heart sank. Of course. No Drake sister would ever get away with telling a sister a lie. Even a small one. Especially to Sarah, the oldest sister. She just knew things.
"Quick, look like you're eating," Elle said to Blythe. She handed her a plate of chicken and potato salad and a glass of lemonade.
Blythe sighed and took the plate. Her sisters were studiously eating and trying not to laugh. If it weren't such a serious situation, she'd be laughing as well. What else was there to do?
She watched as Sarah parked the truck next to Judith's RAV4. Kate and Abigail got out. Abigail was a marine biologist and married to a man named Aleksandr Volstov. Ilya had known Aleksandr in Russia. Both had worked for Interpol at one time. Sarah was married to a man working for the defense department, Damon Wilder, who worked with Airiana quite frequently. Kate carried the picnic basket. She and Abigail looked innocent. Sarah didn't bother to try.
To Blythe's horror, Hannah and Joley Drake got out of their sister Libby's truck. Hannah had just had a baby, and worse, she was married to Jonas Harrington, the local sheriff. Joley was pregnant, married to Ilya Prakenskii, Viktor's brother. Libby jumped out of the driver's seat and waved at them, all smiles. She was a doctor and married to a medical researcher, Tyson Derrick.
"Who's with the baby?" Elle asked, waving at her sisters.
"Jonas. His exact words were, 'Go find out what that jackass Jackson is up to. It's probably illegal and he's going to get himself in trouble without me to figure out just how to get away with the crime he's about to commit.' That's what he said, so here I am. We brought tons of food, even if you didn't bother to invite us," Hannah said.
"We weren't invited either," Airiana informed her. "But we brought food too."
"Jackson isn't a jackass," Elle protested.
"Jonas said you'd say that, and he said to tell you right now, both of you are jackasses. Your judgment is impaired so how would you know?" Hannah continued with a sweet smile.
"I have to agree with him," Sarah said. "What is going on?" She glared at her youngest sister and then turned to Blythe. "I didn't expect to see you here, but then I should have. It all makes sense. You're usually so level-headed I didn't see that you could be part of one of my sister's harebrained schemes."
Elle tossed her head and gave a little sniff, completely undismayed by her older sister's assessment. "No fried chicken for you."
"I get some," Joley said. "At least two pieces. Hey, Blythe. Good to see you. So you weren't invited either, Airiana?"
"Nope. Neither was Judith. We're both pregnant, so Blythe gave us the big boot out of the sisterhood of dubious deeds."
"She was letting us back in until you came along," Judith added, passing out plates.
Sarah, Libby, Abigail and Lissa carried a second picnic table over to make one long one. They spread out a tablecloth and put their picnic baskets down.
This is the reason men want to be in motorcycle clubs, Viktor said. Women are nuts.
Maybe nuts, but we have the food and you're out there somewhere without any because I bet you didn't think to bring any with you.
Only because I know you'll feed me tonight.
Blythe glared in every direction. Go away. You're annoying me. Because he was absolutely right; she would feed him.
She had the impression of laughter and then he was gone out of her head. She found her cousins and sisters all staring at her, Sarah with one eyebrow up.
"So you're telepathic."
"Not necessarily," Blythe denied, pushing her thumb into her palm under the table. "Just with him."
"With Viktor Prakenskii."
"Word travels fast."
"It's a small town," Sarah said.
"Are you certain, Blythe?" Hannah asked. "Because Jonas says he's bad news."
"Jonas thinks everyone is bad news," Libby said, putting potato salad on her plate. "Even Ty, and he's so sweet."
"He thought Lev was bad news," Rikki added. "He even got in a fistfight with him, but Lev is cuddly and sweet and wonderful and he cooks."
"There you have it, Sarah," Blythe said, studiously wiping her fingers on a napkin to avoid her cousin's eyes. "Jonas doesn't know what he's talking about. You can tell him I said that, Hannah."
"You can tell us what's going on, Elle," Sarah said, still looking at Blythe. "I mean, like right now."
Elle squirmed. She glanced at Blythe and then set down her plate. "I can't. I'm sorry. Really. It's just that it's not mine to tell."
Viktor. They know something's wrong.
Just tell them. It's out of hand anyway. If I get shot, you can go after all of them for me.
Blythe sighed. "Don't be all over Elle, Sarah. I asked her not to say anything. Viktor's life is at stake. More." She pinned Hannah with her gaze. "If Jonas objects to what we're trying to do, he could put a lot of us in jail."
"Including Jackson and me," Elle said.
Sarah sighed. "Maybe you'd better just tell us what's going on and we can decide for ourselves if anyone needs to go to jail."
Blythe shook her head. "I'm not willing to put Viktor's life on the line just so all of you can have your explanation. It doesn't work that way."
"You can't expect us to just give our word when we don't know what you're going to say," Sarah objected.
Elle lifted her chin. "Either you trust us or you don't, Sarah. I'm in this with Blythe. All the way in it. You're with me or you're not."
"We've always chosen one another," Kate said softly. "We always will."
Blythe frowned over that. It sounded too much like the explanation her aunts had given her w
hen she found out they'd petitioned the judge for leniency and rehab for her mother. She was asking for blind faith, and so was Elle. Blind faith wasn't always the best thing.
Blythe forced air through her lungs and listened to the birds in the trees. The squirrels rustling through leaves and pine needles looking for food to store for the coming winter. Insects droned. A frog down by the river croaked.
She loved that the Drake sisters were so close. She'd always envied them that. They had one another's back through everything, where she'd been entirely alone. Each of their mothers had what they had. The belief in one another. The knowledge that they'd always be there when needed. Still, that didn't account for one of them taking a wrong turn as her mother had.
"Blythe?" Sarah turned to her.
She moistened her lips and then told them. "Evan Shackler-Gratsos is coming after Jackson and Elle."
She said it softly, afraid the birds might hear and carry the message to Evan, wherever he was. For all any of them knew, he could be sitting in the hotel in Sea Haven right at that moment surrounded by a dozen spies.
She knew she'd dropped a bomb on them. Hannah actually went white and reached out to take Elle's hand. "Honey, why wouldn't you want Jonas to know? He would do anything to protect you. He has already, you know that."
"It wasn't on our soil, in his jurisdiction," Elle pointed out. "This is different. It's right here on his home turf. I didn't want him touched by any of this. Jackson has no choice, because he's the main target, but Jonas can stay clear of it and clean. Especially if he has no knowledge of it."
"Jonas knows when there's trouble," Hannah said. "He has gifts of his own. No way can you hide something like this from him. You and Jackson need to come over tonight and sit down with him and explain the plan. You do have a plan, don't you?"
"We're putting together what we can do to help the men," Elle explained.
"I take it Viktor has been working undercover to try to get to Evan?" Abigail asked.
Blythe nodded. "He was sent here with some others as a forward scout to get Jackson's routes and find a place to ambush him. Elle remembered Leslee, her friend from high school, talking about taking her mastiffs here. Jackson said it was perfect, and he and the others are figuring out how they're going to handle it. We need an entry where we can come in above the campgrounds without the Swords knowing. That's Evan's motorcycle club. They'll be coming in a few at a time without colors. Viktor's sent word about this place."