Goddess of the Sea (32 page)

“Thank you for reminding me, Isabel. Now that I think of it, I am very hungry.”

“The mutton stew that will be served for this evening's meal is ready. Just this morning I harvested a fresh crop of mint,” Isabel croaked happily.

“I promised to meet with the abbot and share with him the news I received from my men, but if you can wait I would be pleased to have an early evening meal with you, Undine,” Andras said.

“I wish I could wait, but I think I should hurry and eat so that I can get back to work before the chapel is needed for vespers. I wouldn't want to create an inconvenience for the abbot.”

Before he could argue Isabel chimed in. “Princess, I think it wise that you eat immediately.” She shared a conspirators' look with Andras. “We must be certain the princess takes care with her health.”

“Of course I would not put the princess's health in jeopardy. Perhaps we can take in the air this evening, Undine?”

Andras reached for her hand to kiss. Laughing nervously CC pulled it out of his reach.

“Oh, you don't want to do that. My hand is filthy.” She made a big show of wiping her hands on her dirty robe. “A walk would be nice, if I'm not too tired.”

“I will come to your chamber this evening after vespers, where I will pray that you are not too tired.” His look was intense.

CC felt her face flush. Could he not just leave her alone? Thankfully, Isabel spoke up.

“Sir Andras, you need not trouble yourself. I know how you enjoy your chess games with the abbot. If the princess is not too fatigued, I will come with word from her.” She looked quickly at CC. “If that is agreeable to the princess.”

CC hurried over to Isabel. “Yes! There's no need for you to interrupt your time with Abbot William if I'm asleep on my feet. Thank you, Isabel. That was a wonderfully considerate idea.” She linked her arm through the servant's and began walking with her toward the door. “I hope you have a good evening, Andras, and if I don't see you tonight I'm sure we'll be able to spend some time together tomorrow.”

Andras stood silently in the shadowy church, watching the women disappear into the gardens. His expression was introspective and his full lips were turned down in irritation. Had she begun to avoid him, or was it only maidenly shyness coupled with her newly discovered devotion to the Holy Mother that seemed to be keeping her from him? The knight felt a stirring of anger as he pondered the question. His anger coupled with something else, something that whispered hypnotically deep within his mind. Andras's hands trembled, and he balled them into fists. Images flashed through his mind. Undine naked and slick with sweat . . . Undine on her knees before him . . . Undine crying his name aloud as his seed exploded within her . . .

Overwhelmed by the visions, Andras felt himself harden. His breath was ragged. He raked a hand through his hair. What was happening to him? He had never before experienced anything like his growing obsession with the princess. Perhaps the abbot was correct. His eyes narrowed so that the silver glow that stained them was almost undetectable. Sorceress or not, she was only a woman. When she belonged to him, he would purge the pagan taint from her soul, then he would satisfy his desire for her. She had no choice.

 
 
“THANK you,” CC whispered as soon as they were out of range of Andras's hearing. “He doesn't seem to be able to take no for an answer.”

“You are most welcome, but you must realize that few women would tell Sir Andras no,” Isabel whispered back. “Are you quite certain that is your desire?”

“Absolutely. I don't want a husband who has to rule over and control me.”

“So you have said before, but I still believe that there are few men of any other kind.” Isabel looked closely at her. “At least not in this world.”

“If there's not, I won't have any husband at all. I'm a human being, not a piece of property.”

“So young and headstrong,” Isabel clucked.

“Where I'm from we call it having good sense and a backbone.”

Isabel's look was clearly disbelieving.

They were halfway across the voluminous gardens before CC noticed how murky the day had become.

“Is it really that late? It looks like the sun is setting already.”

“It is late for your midday meal, but the sun is not yet setting. There is a storm coming.” Isabel squinted up at the rolling clouds. “It is odd, normally my leg warns me of a storm long before I see clouds. Today it did not. It is almost as if the change of weather was suddenly conjured.”

Not wanting to travel down that line of thinking, CC asked, “What happened to your leg?”

Isabel looked surprised at the question, but she answered without hesitation. “I was born with a twisted limb. My father wanted to dispose of me on the hillside, but I was the only girl child my mother had born, and she was quite old. She would not part with me.”

CC was shocked at the matter-of-fact way Isabel spoke of something so horrifying.

“That's awful.”

“A girl child with a twisted limb is of no use. My father knew no man would marry me.” Isabel shrugged. “It is a blessing that I have a certain skill with cooking. When my youngest brother's beautiful wife gave birth to their fifth healthy child, she said there was no room for a crippled sister in their home. My other brothers felt the same. It was fortuitous that the monastery needed a cook. They took me in. I have been here since.”

“Do you ever see your family?”

Isabel shook her head. “My mother and father are long dead, and my brothers do not visit. My family is here.”

“The monks?” CC asked.

Isabel cackled and patted her hand. “Goodness no! The other women. We are all each other's only family now.”

“I don't really have any family here, either,” CC said.

Isabel paused on the threshold to the kitchen, where homey smells and sounds enveloped them. She turned to CC and smiled warmly at the younger woman.

“You do now, Princess.”

 
 
CC paced and paced and paced. She had already pulled the dresser under the window. For what felt like the zillionth time she hitched up her chemise and climbed on top of it. She studied the fading evening. Gaea's clouds were rolling in from the west, directly over the tumultuous ocean. They were low-hanging and reminded CC of a giant gray comforter being pulled over the sky. The setting sun was certainly obscured, but was it dark enough yet? She didn't think so. She could still see most of the way down the side of the cliff, which meant if anyone happened to be looking seaward, they would be able to see her if she was making her way down the side of that cliff. And she couldn't be sure that Andras wouldn't be looking seaward after the fishermen had aroused suspicion in him.

CC sighed and rubbed her temples. It seemed her heart pounded there in time with the distant crashing of the surf. Her body was a throbbing shell of need; she ached for the waters and for her lover.
Dylan
. Just thinking his name sent a shiver of anticipation low in her stomach.

Patience, she told herself firmly. Just a few more minutes and it'll be dark enough. She turned and sat on top of the dresser, resting her head against the windowsill. She'd lasted this long, she could certainly wait a little longer.

At first the day had felt like it would never end, so CC had been shocked when the Brothers began filling the chapel for vespers, and she realized that it must be late evening. Quietly, she had piled her cleaning supplies in a shadowed corner, wiped her hands on her very grimy robes and slipped out the side entrance before Abbot William or Andras could accost her.

She had stopped at the kitchen long enough to grab another bowl of Isabel's excellent stew and a goblet of wine. The ladies were at their busiest, cleaning up the evening meal and beginning preparations for the next day. It took some doing, but she persuaded Isabel that she really didn't need any help bathing and undressing. The old woman obviously didn't like it, but when CC promised that she really just wanted to get out of her dirty clothes and crawl into bed, Isabel acquiesced, assuring CC that she would make her excuses to Andras.

CC knew that the circles under her eyes had darkened to bruises; the need inside her was making her feel weak and nauseous. But after she had washed the filth from her body, she forced herself to eat all of the stew and drink the entire goblet of wine. The wrenching ache was still there, but a full stomach made her feel less nauseous and dizzy.

A sound turned her attention back to the view outside the window. CC smiled. “Thank you, Gaea,” she said.

Rain was falling in the comforting patter of a gentle mist, swallowing the last of the evening light. Quickly, CC sat on the windowsill, found her toehold, and dropped quietly to the soft grass below the window. Gaea's rain was a cool caress against her feverish skin, and for a moment she stood on the edge of the cliff with her arms held straight out and her head thrown back, letting the water of the goddess soothe her body and soul. Keeping the image of Dylan's dive from the side of the cliff in her mind, she balled up her chemise with one hand so that her long legs were free to run, then she moved with unerring certainty down the winding sheep path.

Dylan!
She used all of her mental strength to call to him.
I'm coming! Please be there!

Rocky ground gave way to sand and she ran to her familiar log, pulling off her shift with shaking hands. She kicked off her slippers and hurried to the shoreline. When her feet touched the water she paused, suddenly unsure.

“Do not make me wait, my love.” Dylan's voice carried over the waves, surreal and disembodied.

“I can't see you.” At the sound of his voice, CC's breath caught and her stomach tightened.

“But I can see you. You are a white goddess of beauty, fashioned of long, curving lines and softness. Come to me, my goddess,” Dylan said.

With two quick steps CC ran and leapt, diving into the surf. Before her outstretched hands touched the water she felt the exquisite burning begin at her waist and shoot down through her legs. A rush of power followed the burning as the inhuman strength of her tail propelled her forward and then up. She broke the surface laughing.

The merman materialized out of the mist in front of her. Tonight his long, dark hair was free, and it fell in a thick, damp wave around his shoulders. Dylan's exotic beauty and the erotic sense of maleness that surrounded him struck her, and she felt a thrill of excitement at his nearness. He drifted close.

“I have missed you, Christine.”

“You were just with me last night,” she teased.

“I have discovered that the more I am near you, the more I want you. You belong at my side, and I at yours.” His voice reminded her of dark chocolate—rich and sensual.

She reached up and wound her arms around his neck, loving the way his boyish smile made his lips curve when he took her in his arms.

“I don't think I could have stayed away from you another second,” she said as his face tilted down to hers.

Their lips touched in a gentle kiss as they became reacquainted with the taste and touch of one another.

“Not a moment went by today when I did not wish that you were here beside me,” Dylan said as he rested his forehead against hers while his hands caressed the long, smooth line of her back.

“I tried not to think about you. I was afraid if I thought about you too much, I would throw myself off the side of the cliff and into the ocean like you did.” She snuggled against him, wanting to get as close as possible.

CC could feel the tremor of emotion that ran down his body. Then the merman tightened his grip on her and she opened her mouth to him. Their tongues met and teased. CC couldn't stop the hum of desire that escaped from the back of her throat. She felt Dylan's muscles quiver in response and the kiss deepened. CC ran her hands down his shoulders, skimming over his firmly muscled arms and chest. He was slick and warm, soft skin and hard muscle all wrapped enticingly together.

CC pressed her body against his and jerked back in surprise when she felt their tails entwine.

Dylan looked down at her questioningly.

“I . . .” CC hesitated, feeling a little foolish. She cleared her throat. “I've never . . .” She trailed off, pointing down at the part of their bodies that was submerged under the water.

Understanding cleared Dylan's questioning look. He touched her face. “Remember last night? I was afraid, too.”

“You were afraid?” she asked, incredulous. “It certainly didn't seem like it.”

His smile was gentle. “Making love to you as a human man was an experience I will remember always.”

CC pressed her face into his palm. “I want you now as badly as I did in my human body. I'm just nervous.” She took a breath and met his eyes. “The truth is, even though I said that we fit together perfectly in any form, I'm really not sure what to do.”

He smiled at her and brushed her lips lightly with his. “Will you trust me tonight, as I trusted you last night, Christine?”

Without hesitation she nodded.

“Then let me teach you.”

This time she was able to smile at him. “Well, I already know you're an excellent teacher.”

He took her hand in his. “Then let me teach you how mer-folk make love.”

CC nodded again, this time breathlessly.

Dylan pulled her under the waves and they swam side by side into deeper water. Before they surfaced, the merman stopped and turned to her, but, instead of taking her in his arms, he held her out, almost half an arm's length away from his body. First, he kissed the palm of her hand. Then he touched her cheek, letting his hand slide down her long neck to her shoulder, then on down to gently cup her breast. Teasingly, he ran his palm over her nipple, which puckered under his caress. But his hand didn't stay at her breast, instead it moved down over her rib cage to the curve of her waist. When his hand met her mer-flesh, his caress changed. Instead of his palm, he used his fingertips to touch her with featherlike strokes, which swirled enticingly down and around her hips.