Goddess of the Sea (16 page)

Andras raised his face from her hand and his eyes captured hers. Lust flared so blatantly there that for a moment they glowed with an unnatural light. It even seemed his features shifted and darkened. His breath came in ragged gasps. CC felt a tremor of foreboding. This man wasn't the chivalrous knight who had rescued her and pledged his protection. He was a powerful stranger whose expression was filled with barely controlled lust. CC gasped at the change in him.

Instantly, a shadow lifted from the knight's eyes. He dropped CC's hand and took a step away from her, blinking in confusion.

“Forgive me, Princess,” he said, mopping a hand across his brow like he had been sweating profusely. “I did not mean to take advantage of you.”

“You didn't take advantage of me, you just kissed my hand,” CC said nervously, trying to keep her tone light.

“If I frightened you—” he started to say, but CC interrupted him.

“No, you just surprised me.” She was relieved that he appeared to be himself again, but she continued to watch him carefully. He looked dazed, like he had just awakened from a bad dream. Again, CC felt a tremor of warning shiver through her stomach.

“You are not angry with me?” the knight asked.

“No, I am not angry.”

“Then you will forgive me? I assure you that my behavior is not usually so dishonorable.”

“There is nothing to forgive. You only kissed my hand.” But even as she said it, a part of her mind whispered that there had been more to the knight's actions than an impulsive kiss.

“Thank you, my Lady,” Andras said, inclining his head in a small bow. “Would you care to continue our walk?” he asked hesitantly.

CC glanced down the path and then back at the knight. She really did need to continue their walk. It was the third night; she had to study the land around the monastery and figure out how she was going to get to the ocean. The knight appeared to be his normal, gallant self again, his eyes had quit flashing, and his breathing was back to normal. Maybe she had overreacted. After all, she hadn't had very many men react so passionately to her. Okay, she admitted, she had
never
had a man react so passionately to her.

And wasn't she supposed to be finding true love? How the heck was she going to do that if she ran from a man's desire? Get a grip on yourself, Sarg! CC took a deep, steadying breath.

“Yes, I would very much like to continue our walk.”

Almost reluctantly, he offered her his arm and they continued walking down the path, which curved gently until they came to an area where the cliffside dropped away almost directly under their feet. CC halted there, staring out at the beckoning sea.

Andras didn't speak, and CC pretended to watch the sunset, the knight's presence almost forgotten as her mind raced with possibilities. Behind them the monastery sat dark and silent. The view from where she was standing was familiar enough that CC was sure that one of the windows on the nearby wall must be the window to her room. Rocks and fallen logs rested against the side of the monastery. Climbing in and out of her window would not be impossible. She studied the face of the rocky cliff. From her room, it had looked too sheer and imposing to scale, but now that she was closer, she could see that it was riddled with little trails that crisscrossed down to the ocean. In the distance she could hear the ever-present sound of bleating sheep and silently thanked them for liking to climb rocky cliffs. If she was careful, she could use the trails to get down to the water. As if echoing her thoughts, in a last burst of light, the sun sank into the ocean.

“We should return, Undine,” Andras said.

CC nodded reluctantly and let him lead her back the way they had come. She was so busy considering all that she would need to do that night that she was surprised when she and Andras had stopped in front of the door to her room.

“Thank you for the honor of your company this evening, Undine.”

His motions were formal as he bowed to her. He turned to leave so quickly that she had to reach out and grab his arm to stop him. At her touch he stiffened, but he turned back to her.

“I haven't thanked you for saving me.” She stretched up on her toes so that she could kiss his cheek softly. “Thank you.”

His frozen look thawed a little, and he smiled at her. “I am only glad my actions have brought you into my life.”

CC knew that then would be the right time to say something encouraging to the knight, but the memory of the change that had come over him earlier still seemed to hang in the air between them. When she spoke, all that she could make herself say was, “Good night, Andras. Could you please send Isabel to me? I am very tired.”

“Of course. You must rest and regain your strength. I will see you tomorrow.” This time his bow was accompanied by a warm smile. “Rest well, Undine.”

“Thank you, Andras. You are very kind,” she said before entering her room. She closed the door and leaned against it. What was wrong with her? Andras was handsome, sweet and obviously interested in her. Yes, for a moment he had been a little scary, but couldn't it have been her own inexperience that frightened her?

“But I didn't feel anything when he kissed me,” she whispered. “At least nothing good.” His kiss had been a little like visiting a museum and admiring a lovely statue. It had been nice enough to look at, but she certainly didn't want to get in bed with it.

“Well, Gaea didn't say anything about me having to love the man back. Maybe the spell will work if he just falls in love with me,” CC said to the silent room, but she was afraid that it was a futile wish. Gaea had said Lir wouldn't break the bond of true love, and CC didn't think “true love” and “one-sided, infatuated lust” were anywhere near synonymous.

I'll try harder to care about him, she promised herself. Next time he kisses me, I'll make sure it's on my lips and not my hand. And I won't let his passion scare me. She shook her head at herself. She wasn't a skittish teenager. She was a sergeant in the United States Air Force, and she certainly wasn't afraid of men.

Unbidden, the memory of the merman's kiss burned through her mind. Just the memory caused her body to tingle in response.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

THIS time Isabel didn't argue with her about her hair. She seemed mollified that CC was willing to wear her shift under the coarse night robe, and CC solved the bathing problem by saying she was too tired to wash that night—she would do it in the morning. Isabel had even appeared concerned at CC's obvious exhaustion and nagged her good-naturedly about doing too much too soon. CC agreed readily with her and asked only that Isabel make sure she wasn't disturbed so that she could get a good night's rest. Isabel limped out, humming happily as her charge pretended to fall asleep before the scullery had finished folding her clothes and banking the fire.

As soon as the door was closed CC leapt out of bed, pulled the scratchy robe off and put on her shoes. The clank of her many bracelets sounded like alarm bells ringing in the quiet room, and she quickly took off all her jewelry, except, of course, Gaea's amulet, leaving the bangles and rings in a sparkling puddle in the center of her cot. Pressing her ear against the door, she listened intently. She could hear nothing—not even the sound of the monks' swooshing robes.

“They're probably all in church or something,” CC muttered to herself.

She went to the narrow dresser and set the pitcher and bowl carefully on the floor. Then, very slowly, so that she didn't make any noise, she dragged the heavy piece of furniture over to the window. Using the bottom drawers as ladder rungs, she climbed to its smooth top. CC breathed a sigh of relief. It was the perfect height. All she had to do was sit in the narrow window frame and let her legs dangle down until she found a toehold. And she'd noticed on her walk that there was a lot of debris outside against the wall. She shouldn't have any trouble piling enough up so that she could easily climb back through the window.

She peered into the night. The moon had just risen. It was almost full, and it glistened off the waiting ocean like a beacon. When she looked at the water, the ache in her body twisted unbearably. Nothing moved outside her window. She slid onto the windowsill. With her soft, moccasin-like slippers, it was easy for her to find a toehold, balance and then drop quietly to the grassy ground. Her feet felt light as she picked her way carefully down the side of the cliff, following the well-worn sheep path. She could hear her own heartbeat echo the sound of the waves.

Then her feet sank into sand, and she was standing on the shore, quivering with need.

What am I supposed to do?
CC's mind screamed. She was panting, and she felt disoriented.

“Simply call your true body to you, Daughter.”

Smiling graciously at her, Gaea was sitting near the beach leaning comfortably against the trunk of an ancient tree.

“I don't know how,” CC gasped.

“Your body does. Listen to it,” the goddess reassured her.

CC tried to listen, but all she could hear was the call of the water.

“Then follow that call,” Gaea said, as if she could read her mind.

CC started to walk forward, but paused when the goddess called, “Take off your chemise. You do not want them to have any evidence of where you have been.”

Without any hesitation, CC pulled off her shift. Naked except for the goddess's sparkling amulet, she walked into the ocean's embrace. Stretching her arms over her head, she dove into the surf.
I want my true body back
, she thought desperately. The tingling began at her waist and spread quickly down her body, exploding in a burst of energy out through the feathered fins that replaced her feet. Her powerful tail sliced through the water, propelling her forward. Then, with a simple flick she changed directions and shot up through the surface with a joyous shout. CC shook the water from her head and looked for the goddess, but she had disappeared.

She was about to call a thank-you, or a good-bye, or something, after the absent goddess, when she felt the skin on the back of her neck twitch. Just like it felt at the cove, she thought. Someone had to be watching her.

A familiar chattering behind CC made her jump, but she turned with a happy cry of welcome.

“It is you! I'm so glad to see you.” CC swam over to the dolphin and stroked her slick side.

I have missed you, Princess
. The dolphin nuzzled her.

“I've missed you, too,” CC said. “Swim with me—I want to be surrounded by the water.”

The dolphin butted CC playfully, then dove under the waves. Laughing, CC followed. Surprisingly, it wasn't dark under the moonlit surface. The crystal waters seemed to capture the light of the moon and the underwater world was illuminated with a silver glow. CC was thrilled by how easily she caught the dolphin and she reveled in the power of her body as the two of them played tag, swimming around the rocks that dotted the shallows, then over and through colorful masses of coral that grew in deeper water. CC wanted to swim on forever. The deeper within the water she swam, the more she wanted to immerse herself in the silken depths and never leave.

A strong hand grabbed her arm and jerked her to a stop. CC whirled, at once frightened and angry. Dylan floated in front of her, worry creasing his brow.

The goddess told you that you must stay near the shore
. The words bored into her mind.

A shudder passed through CC. How could she have forgotten about Sarpedon? She looked frantically around.

How do you know all of this?
CC thought to him.

Come near the shore, and I will explain
.

The dolphin swam back between them, clicking and whistling restlessly. CC watched the merman's face soften as he gently touched the creature's blue-gray side.

I will care for the princess now, faithful one
.

The dolphin ducked her head, nuzzled briefly against CC's side and then disappeared into the depths.

Dylan gestured towards the shore, and CC nodded. She followed the merman, noticing how in the moonlit water the orange and gold of his tail glistened like it glowed magically from within.

They surfaced next to one of the huge rocks that lined the shallows. CC faced the merman. Tonight his thick dark hair was tied back. He floated next to her with his shoulders and most of his chest exposed above the water. The moonlight touched his bare chest and clearly illuminated muscular ridges and hollows. CC still felt a little uneasy at her own body's nakedness, and she was glad that her mass of hair covered her breasts.

“Okay, now tell me how you know so much,” CC demanded, covering her nervousness with a no-nonsense military tone of voice.

“I followed you.”

“After you just happened to be there to rescue me and bring me to shore?” CC shook her head. “That doesn't explain enough. You were there when I was drowning, and now you're here again tonight. Seems too coincidental for me.”

“I followed you from the grotto,” he admitted, looking away from her with a pained expression. “I did not know Sarpedon had you trapped in the cave. I knew something was very wrong when I could not find you for the length of an entire day. It was only after you escaped from him that I found you again. I followed you to the goddess's cove, and I watched your transformation. That is how I knew to help you when you were drowning.”

“So you know that I'm not really Undine?”

“I know that the soul of another lives in Undine's body,” he answered simply.