Spirit Bound - Christine Feehan [108]
“How did you know?” Judith managed to get ahold of herself long enough to lift her head and looked at them, her eyes still swimming with tears.
“Rikki called us. Levi told her about the pictures and Jean-Claude. Of course we would come,” Blythe said. “Airiana is going to make some tea for us and Lexi brought a few things for a late night snack. We’re going to need energy to figure this out.”
Blythe sounded like, well, Blythe. She was always practical, the mother of all of them, big sister, the boss without being bossy. Blythe always made everyone feel better just by her steady presence alone. Or maybe it was her touch. Judith already felt a little lighter, the waterworks slowing enough to allow her some semblance of control.
Blythe caught Judith’s arm and firmly led her back into the house. The others filed in after her, with Lissa dead-bolting the door and setting the alarm system.
Judith looked around her at the circle of women. These were the people she could count on, the ones that always—always—stood for her. They weren’t sisters by blood, but her heart had chosen them and they were every bit as close as a blood relative. These women had saved her life, had supported her when she was at rock bottom with nowhere to go. They’d made her believe in herself again and now, once again, when her world was crashing down around her, here they were, standing with her.
Judith took a deep breath and let it out, watching as Lexi began taking candles from her bag and placing them around the room. Following Lexi, Lissa blew on wicks, and flames sprang to life, dancing merrily, the healing aroma filling the room.
Water filled the kettle at Rikki’s command and Airiana set the kettle on the stove where Lissa had the flames already burning.
“You’re such a show-off,” Airiana teased her.
It was a show of power for Judith, the women coming together bound to the elements, bound together by the love they shared.
Judith’s heart eased, the terrible ache threatening to crush her lessening. She let Blythe lead her to a chair and she sank into the soft cushions.
“Jonas put Levi in handcuffs,” Rikki announced.
There was a collective gasp.
“Levi let him?” Lissa asked.
“Yes.” Rikki sounded proud, but there was a hint of laughter in her voice. She took the chair closest to the door. She always had to fight her reluctance to sit in a house with all the doors closed, filled with those she loved.
“How come he isn’t here with us?” Judith asked. “He’s usually glued to your side.”
“Well . . .” Rikki’s mischievous grin lit her eyes. “I told him no.”
That brought another collective gasp, more astonished this time, and then the women burst into laughter—even Judith. The thought of Rikki telling Levi no, when he was so protective and male, had them all howling.
Judith wiped the last of her tears away. “How did he take that?”
“Not very well actually,” Rikki admitted. “He’s prowling around your house like a wounded hound dog, but this is women power. He can be all macho and sulk outside.”
Another round of laugher restored Judith’s natural balance. She sent her sisters a loving smile. “Thanks. I’m better now. At least I can think. I panicked when I heard his name. I barely heard anything Jonas said after he told me where the pictures were going.”
“I was afraid, when I first got the message, that maybe this man had installed a camera in your bedroom and you were the latest sensation on the Internet,” Airiana said. “It’s crazy that anyone can do that kind of thing now.”
“No, not the Internet, but I’m the poster girl for the prisoners in France,” Judith said, with a small, broken smile.
“Just for the one man, I hope,” Blythe said. “I doubt if he’s sharing your picture.”
Judith swept a hand through her hair, shoving it from her face in a quick, restless gesture. “I don’t understand why he’s keeping track of me. Five years, Jonas said. I’ve never heard of Mike Shariton. He evidently lives in Point Arena, and he’s made quite a good living sending photographs of me—and my work—to Jean-Claude.”
Airiana turned from where she