Merido's Daughter by LJ Maas 2 page

She turned away from the voice and looked out onto the lights of the bay.

"It has all the thrill of being a prized mare, put on display to be sold to the highest bidder." Casey responded.

"Ah, but good horseflesh," Tessa emerged from the shadows, a glass of wine in hand. "The ones with the breeding, they command a high price. One wants to know what they're getting for their money."

"And what do they do once they've invested time and money in her and she's not all they thought she would be?" Casey asked.

Tessa walked up behind the young woman, so close Casey could feel the taller woman's warm breath on her neck.

"Usually, they think it's all in the genes. They figure if they didn't hit it with this one...well, they just put her out to breed. Nothing to do all day but decide which stallion she'll let mount her today."

Tessa's moist breath on the back of her neck was doing some dangerous things to the rest of the young woman's body. Casey felt as if the dark-haired woman's voice had lowered to a whisper. She shook her head and put some distance between the sensuous voice and herself.

"Stallions mounting her, eh? Well, Karê," Casey arched an eyebrow at the tall woman, "therein lies the rub."

Before Casey could continue her explanation a young serving girl opened the balcony door and addressed Casey. "Dinner is being prepared to serve, Miss Meridio."

"Thank you, I'm on my way in." Casey responded, moving toward the door.

Tessa followed the small blonde, enjoying the cat and mouse respite. "You are aware as lady of the house, you will be expected to bless the evening." Tessa said to the girl's back.

Casey stopped and turned to look up into clear blue eyes, but she couldn't figure out if they were serious or mocking.

"And, I suppose you have been filling that position for the last five years?" Casey asked.

Tessa simply tilted her head to the side, bowing slightly in acquiescence.

"Ms. Nikolaidis, do you want to be the lady of the Meridio house?" The young woman continued.

Tessa laughed. Not only was the deep throaty laughter extremely sexy, but it was the first time Casey heard the genuine sound from the Karê.

"That, Ms. Meridio, is perhaps the farthest thing in the world from my mind." Tessa answered truthfully.

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to muddle through somehow." Casey said sharply and returned to the dining room.

Andreas Meridio sat at the head of a long table. Tessa was seated to his right, Casey to his left. The Karê watched with mild amusement, as the young woman stood to begin the dinner. The group fell silent and watched the young woman. The dark-haired woman was perhaps the only one in the room who noticed how the petite blonde's hands shook slightly.

Casey said a quick Hail Mary that she wouldn't embarrass herself, her father, or give Tessa Nikolaidis even the tiniest reason to say I told you so. She may have been raised in America, but her mother never let her forget where she came from nor the tradition surrounding her birthplace.

She reached down and lifted her fluted champagne glass, while at the same time gently picking up a brand new twenty drachmae piece that was placed face down on a small plate. She held up the shiny piece and dropped it in her champagne glass. When it floated to the bottom she held her glass high.

"To good fortune, good health, and to the sea." Casey said strongly. "Yamas!"

She finished and drank the bubbly liquid until the glass was empty. With a grin in Tessa's direction, the small blonde produced the coin between her teeth. Everyone at the table held their own glasses up and the familiar toast of Yamas, or to us, was heard all around the table. From Tessa, Casey was sure she heard a muttered, "Touché."

"You surprise me, Pappa. You hired a female Karê?" Casey teased her father slightly.

The small blonde sipped on her almond cordial, kicking off her shoes, she tucked her bare feet underneath her and relaxed on the large leather sofa in her father's den. Actually, Casey was hoping her father would tell her a little more about this mysterious, withdrawn woman.

"No giving Tessa a hard time, young lady." Andreas answered. "Another glass of sournáda?" He asked.

Casey shook her head at the offer of another glass of liqueur. She was already flying from the wine she'd consumed with dinner. "What do you mean a hard time?"

"I know you, Cassandra. You have your mother's temper as well as her eyes. I may have to ask Tessa to go along with you when you go into town or down to the Baka. Now, before you get all indignant," Andreas held up a hand to silence his daughter. "There's been more trouble in Greece than when you were here last. Trust me, Máhtia Mou, Tessa is the person you want around if any trouble should happen. Katalavaynés?"

"Yes, Pater, I understand." Casey answered with an evil grin, which her father couldn't keep from chuckling over.

"Know this, my Máhtia Mou, Tessa is not a woman to be played for a fool. You won't have her chasing after you like poor Tusky did. You almost gave the man heart failure a few times do you realize that? I'm giving Tessa free reign around you my dear daughter. She can tie you up if she has to." Andreas finished as he turned to pour himself another almond cordial.

Casey's eyes narrowed at that last bit and she was thankful her father had turned his back to her.

Tie me up, eh? Hhmmm, how very interesting.

"Just remember, no acting like a teenager or Tessa's likely to turn you over her knee. Katalavaynés?"

Oh this gets better and better!

"Yes, Pappa...of course."

Casey mustered up the kind of innocent smile that used to have the good sisters at Sacred Heart School for Girls believing that there was no way on earth this small innocent creature could possibly have been engaging in perverted acts with other female students.

"Nikki...Nikki," Alex was still pounding on the door when the Karê pulled it open, her body barely covered by the red silk robe she hastily threw on.

"The island better be on fire!" She hissed.

"We got trouble." was all Alex said.

Tessa ushered him in to explain.

"It's the girl, she--"

"What happened?" Tessa's voice was immediately tinged with concern.

"No, it's not like that. She's swimming in the pool."

Tessa just stared at the nervous young man. "You're waking me up at fucking midnight to tell me she's swimming in the goddamn pool?!" Tessa's voice grew louder with each word.

"Naked." Alex finished flatly.

Tessa stopped moving and suddenly laughed softly. "Alex, go get a free look, just make sure Meridio doesn't catch you." Wouldn't mind taking a look at that myself.

"Nikki, it's not just me that knows. Every guy on the estate is hanging out a window just to get a look. It don't look so good, her being an innocent kid and all."

Tessa laughed silently to herself. Innocent is the last thing this one is.

"Look, she's Meridio's daughter, go tell him."

"Aw, Nikki, don't make me do that. He'll want to know how I know and what do I say? That I was watching too?"

Tessa stood there and ran her fingers through her long hair. A low growl escaped from the dark-haired woman's throat as she ripped off her robe, moving into the bedroom. She quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and sneakers and walked into the living area to find the shirt she'd tossed off earlier.

Inserting her hand into one arm of the cotton shirt she looked up to see Alex staring hard at her chest.

"Oh, for Christ's sake, Alex it's not like you've never seen a pair of tits before!" She spat as she pulled the shirt over her broad shoulders.

"Never a pair that looked that good." Alex joked nervously.

Tessa paused and looked up from her task of buttoning up the garment, fixing an icy stare at her underling.

"You won't think they look so good when you're dead!"

"Sorry, Nikki," Alex mumbled apologetically.

"Come on, let's go save the princess." Tessa growled, striding off in the direction of the pool.

Casey hated to admit it, but she was getting, correction, she was, drunk. Feeling a little buzzed and not being able to sleep, she opened a bottle of wine and consumed a third of it when she realized that she wanted to go for a swim.

A little voice inside her brain told her this wasn't exactly the way to start off on the right foot in her father's house, but that tiny voice was swimming upstream against a wave of alcohol and Casey completely ignored the muffled sound inside her head. She floated on the pool's surface, her eyes partially closed and a dreamy expression on her face. She let her mind roam as she imagined fantasies of varying natures being played out. Finally the lover of her fantasies took on a familiar dark-haired, blue-eyed look, thoughts of muscular arms and bronze skin putting Casey's body into a most pleasing state.

Suddenly the lights in the pool went out and Casey was left in darkness until her eyes adjusted to the dim light surrounding the patio. In that instant, when darkness surrounded her, it felt as if her heart stopped beating until the deck lights came into view. She cautiously swam to the edge and when she looked up she was staring into the cerulean gaze that, moments ago, was doing unspeakable things in her fantasies.

Casey folded her arms on the top ledge of the pool and rested her chin on a forearm. "Hello, there Karê." She said with a seductive smile.

Tessa eased her tall frame down to one knee in front of the smiling young woman. The dark-haired woman was trying as hard as she could not to grin back at the beautiful girl, nor let her eyes roam below the water's surface. Just don't look down, Nikki...whatever you do, don't look down.

She reached up a hand and rubbed her own face, realizing that having this woman around could eventually get her killed. She felt a peculiar desire run through her, one that she hadn't felt in a very long time and knew that sooner or later she would be sorely tempted to give in to the young woman's charms. The odd thing was, that she didn't know why. She was certainly no stranger to the pleasures of a woman, but she'd never had trouble resisting one before. This one, however, this one affected her and she couldn't understand how that could be.

"Ms. Meridio," Tessa began softly, "having trouble sleeping are we?"

"Not exactly trouble. I suddenly had the urge to take a swim." Casey answered.

"Without a bathing suit?"

"Feels better this way," the blonde grinned. "Besides, I thought it might help me sleep."

Might I suggest a glass of warm milk as an alternative?" The dark woman responded. "Ms. Meridio, might I also remind you that there are a great number of men on this estate and as we speak, at least half of them are ogling you in the pool?"

Casey looked up at the windows of the large mansion that surrounded the lower patio area where the pool was set. "Really, I didn't even realize." She said with a mock sincerity that the Karê wasn't falling for.

Actually, Casey did realize. She wasn't much of an exhibitionist, but the alcohol helped lower her inhibitions to the point that it didn't matter. After the talk with her father, Casey knew there was only one thing that would bring the Karê out and that was if she thought Andreas Meridio's daughter was in trouble. Of course, Casey had no idea what she was going to do now that she'd gotten this far. The idea of flirting with this forbidding woman was one thing; actually thinking she could seduce such a beauty was terrifying.

"Think you're sleepy yet?" Tessa asked in a bored tone.

Standing up, she moved over to where the young woman's terry cloth robe lay across a patio chair. Tessa walked to the other side of the pool, by the steps at the shallow end and held up the robe in her hands, indicating that Casey's swim was over. The dark-haired woman had a look on her face that said she wasn't used to being disobeyed, especially not by this tiny slip of a girl.

Casey noticed the expression and immediately bristled at the older woman's superior attitude. She took one look at the Karê's face and grabbed the metal handrails at her side and began pulling her naked form from the pool. All the while watching the dark-haired woman's eyes for some hint of a reaction. What she received satisfied her to the core.

Tessa was sure her eyes went wide as she watched the small blonde's sleek body emerge from the semi darkness of the water. She was caught up in the vision of muscles bunching and flexing in the young woman's arms as she pulled her weight from the water. Casey's dripping wet form stood in the shadows as Tessa stood rooted to the spot at the other end of the pool. The blonde reached up to run her fingers through her short hair, wringing some of the water away in the process. The Karê looked on and felt her stomach flip slightly. She couldn't see everything, but she could notice how the young woman's breast were lifted sensuously, the moonlight gleaming against the wet skin, when Casey lifted her arms.

Tessa began to feel an intense heat settle between her legs and she shifted her feet to ease the pressure the tight jeans were placing on her center. She didn't like losing control of a situation and she had most certainly lost control of this one. This woman was standing there like this was the most ordinary thing in the world and when Casey tilted her head back slightly, Tessa saw the smirk on the young woman's face. Oh, I don't think you're quite ready to play with the big girls, my dear.

The Karê turned to face the woman full on and held the cloth robe up, a shoulder in each hand. She gave a little smirk of her own and arched an eyebrow in the girl's direction. You come to me, little one, the gesture said.

There was a slight moment of panic for Casey as she stood feeling the warm night air surrounding her naked body, watching in surprise as the dark-haired woman stood her ground, preparing to see if Casey would give in.

In each woman's mind, the first one to lower her eyes would lose. Tessa played at control and was determined to act as if this woman's body wasn't affecting her in the least. Casey, on the other hand, knew that if she lowered her eyes it would be a display of subservience and she wasn't about to give in. The young woman took a deep breath and walked as nonchalantly as she could to where the Karê stood.

That's it, Nikki, make her come to you. For the virgin's sake, just don't look down. You can always take care of that ache between your legs with your own hand once you get back into your room, just don't look down...don't look down...don't----

Oh my God...Théh Mou!

Tessa did look down. It was nothing more than the flicker of an eye, but Casey caught it. The dark-haired woman cursed herself, but it was too late, she already had the image burned in her brain. Curves in all the right places, hard muscle in all the right places, and most definitely a natural blonde.

They both knew who won this round and when Casey stood in front of the Karê, she paused before turning around to allow the dark-haired woman to help her put her robe on. Tessa figured she might as well be slaughtered for a sheep as a lamb, so she felt no guilt in taking a good long look at the small blonde's shapely backside. She turned the young woman around by her shoulders to face her.

"Sleepy yet?" The Karê asked.

"I don't feel too good...I think--" Casey began, then she got the oddest look on her face.

Tessa had seen the look plenty. It was the distinctive expression one has just before they unexpectedly lose their dinner all over your shoes.

The Karê raised an eyebrow menacingly. "Don't you da--"

Tessa could only watch as the young woman did what no other person could have possibly done and still have hoped to be alive the next morning.

Tessa sat on a high stool, leaning one elbow on the ceramic countertop of the kitchen. The Karê liked to enjoy her midmorning meal in the quiet of the kitchen with only Olympia, the cook, as company. The long counter was set up much like the kafeneía or the American cafés. The older woman didn't try to engage Tessa into any inane conversation and the Karê was always respectful and cleaned up after herself.

The dark-haired woman sat sipping on her Greek coffee while perusing the weekend edition of the Ta Nea. It was printed in Athens, and usually arrived a day late at the local kiosk, where everyone else bought their newspapers and magazines, but this was the Meridio household. Her employer waited for nothing and the paper was ferried in daily.

Tessa occasionally popped a bit of food in her mouth from the plate in front of her, chewing slowly and reading at the same time. Olympia poured more of the strong, steaming coffee into the Karê's cup and the dark-haired woman offered a slight smile in thanks. Tessa's hearing was remarkable and she turned immediately at the soft sound near the entrance to the kitchen, just in time to see Casey turning around and attempting to leave the way she'd come. Olympia noticed the retreating figure and called out.

"Good Morning, Miss." The old woman said cheerily.

Casey was caught now. She'd tried to turn around and slink out of the kitchen before anyone caught a glimpse of her. She really didn't feel like talking to anyone and the Karê ranked number one on that list. After she had been sick one more time this morning and could feel anything beyond the pounding pain in her head, she began to remember the events of the previous evening. She truly did not think she would ever be able to look the woman in the eye again for as long as she lived. Of course, who should be the first person she should run into this miserable morning, but her father's Karê.

Casey mumbled a good morning without raising her bloodshot eyes from the floor. She gently eased her body onto the stool next to Tessa, praying the tall woman had a shred of decency in her heart. Casey was so wrong.

"Bet your head kind of hurts." Tessa leaned over and said loudly in the small blonde's ear.

Casey could only whimper in reply, her hand going up to her temple.

"Would you like a meal, Miss?" Olympia asked, unaware of the small woman's condition.

Casey looked up and to Tessa's great satisfaction, the blonde turned a few shades of green right before their eyes. Quickly shaking her head, Casey looked down at the plate the Karê had in front of her, then looked up into the blue gaze.

"Sardellés," the dark-haired woman responded in answer to the unasked question. "Here, try one," Tessa cruelly held up the small grilled sardine wrapped in a grape leaf and wiggled it under the small blonde's nose.

Casey leaped from her seat and bolted from the kitchen as if the room was on fire. Tessa laughed loudly, a satisfied grin breaking across her face.

"You should be ashamed, Tessa. What did you do to that girl?" Olympia said sternly.

"Me?" Tessa asked in disbelief.

"You didn't--" Olympia began to ask.

"Are you crazy? Do I look like I have a death wish?" Then Tessa revealed to the older woman the drunken girl's exploits of the previous evening.

"She may really be ill...perhaps you should go see to her." Olympia pressed.

"I should?"

Tessa was about to argue with the older woman, but she saw the truth in it and if anything happened to the girl on her watch, there would hell to pay with her employer. The Karê growled in frustration as she stood up and went to find the young girl.

The dark-haired woman stopped abruptly as the downstairs bathroom door opened up and the blonde walked out looking a little shaky. Even though the taller woman was concerned, she couldn't help the laughter that bubbled to the surface.

"I don't think I've ever seen anything this small move that fast!" Tessa chuckled.

Casey was about at her limit and she looked up into the dark-haired woman's amused expression while tears filled her own eyes.

"You can be a very horrible woman, did you know that?" Casey asked as she abruptly brushed by the Karê, leaving the taller woman standing there, wondering what just happened.

Tessa could barely react, thinking only of the young woman's words. Of course, I'm a horrible woman...ask anyone on the island, they'll tell you that! Looking at the stairs up which Casey just fled; she ran the fingers of one hand through her hair and rubbed her neck. Funny thing was, she didn't really want to be horrible to Casey. She was taking great pains to be a bitch to this sweet girl and for the life of her, she couldn't figure out why. Was she jealous? That was always a possibility. No, when it came right down to it, this gentle young woman could end up getting hurt in all of this and Tessa didn't want to see that happen. For some unexplainable reason she felt very protective of her employer's daughter, again a feeling she couldn't fathom. She knew she was being paid extra to see that no harm came the girl's way, but it was something more, a feeling, deep inside that told her she would probably do it for nothing.

The Karê realized that this new lady of the house complicated her plans, and Tessa didn't like complications.

Shaking her head, she moved back toward the koozéna to face Olympia, realizing an apology to the small blonde would definitely be in order. Entering the sunlit room she opened a cabinet and pulled an olive wood bowl from the shelf that contained a number of tiny herb-filled bags. Tessa had no idea how complicated her life was about to become.

Tessa knocked gently on the door to Casey's room. She could hear the muffled sound of the girl crying and the noise tugged painfully at her heart. She had really only meant to tease the young woman. She had no idea it would affect Casey the way it had. Olympia told the Karê that Cassandra hadn't been home for nearly six years and this must all be rather frightening for her too, living in another country and preparing to start a new job. Tessa knocked again.

"Ms. Meridio," she called out.

"Go away!" Casey cried.

Tessa took a deep breath and fought the response to just go back the way she'd come. Attempting to turn the doorknob and finding it locked; she reached in her pocket for a set of keys.

"I hope you're decent because I'm coming in whether you like it or not."

Tessa opened the door to find Casey lying on her bed, her arms hugging an oversized pillow to her body. The small blonde whipped her head around and quickly wiped her eyes when she saw the dark-haired woman enter her room.

"How did you-- Oh, great! Don't tell me you have a key to my room too." Casey muttered as she sat up and reached for a bottle of aspirin on the bedside stand.

"I have a key to every room on the estate," Tessa replied dryly and set the tray in her hands down on the table. She plucked the bottle of aspirin from the young woman's hands and tossed it in the wastebasket.

"Hey!" Casey cried out.

"Those things will kill you." The Karê said. "I have something that will work better anyway."

Casey leaned back against her pillows and watched in disbelief as the tall woman sat down on the edge of the bed and began to place tiny amounts of powders into the palm of her hand. She would reach into the small bags tucked in a wooden bowl and take the tiniest pinch of the herb, allowing the grains of powder to fall into her outstretched palm. Casey watched as a design began to take shape in the older woman's hand. When Tessa was finished the small circle of herbs in her palm was no more than two inches across. They formed a design comprised of a circle and two progressively smaller circles and inside the smallest one was an X.

Tessa looked up, but a strange look crossed her face.

"I, uhm, I think I should have done this in your hand." She uncharacteristically stammered.

"Why, what do I have to do with it?" Casey asked suspiciously.

"You, uhm..." For some odd reason Tessa was finding it hard to describe to the young woman. She demonstrated by sticking out her tongue and pretending to swipe it against her palm.

"I have to lick it out of your hand?" Casey asked with a bit of skepticism.

"Well, it's more like you just press the flat of your tongue against the powder to coat your tongue with the mixture. The design is more than a picture; it's done this way because the taste buds on your tongue will react to the different herbs and the areas of your tongue that they touch. Sorry, I've just never done this for anyone else before." Tessa explained.

Casey smiled through her headache and looked up into the azure gaze that looked more human than at any other time since the two women met. She reached out and pulled the Karê's hand closer to her.

"I guess after what you saw last night I shouldn't be embarrassed about this, huh?" Casey watched as the dark-haired woman's eyes sparkled.

"After what I saw last night, you still don't have much to be embarrassed about." Tessa replied.

Casey blushed slightly and realized that was probably as close to a compliment as she would ever come with this unusually stoic woman. She leaned her face close to Tessa's hand.

"Remember, just let it coat your tongue and don't swallow until I tell you." Tessa reminded.

Casey paused and looked up one last time at the beautiful Karê. "You do know if you poison me, you'll never get away with it." She deadpanned.

Tessa couldn't keep from chuckling at the small blonde's comment. It was then that the Karê realized, what a huge mistake it had been, to put the herbs within her own hand. She felt the warm wetness of the young woman's tongue press against her skin and her eyes closed to the intense pleasure she derived from the feeling. Behind the closed lids she envisioned the small blonde's tongue against a part of her body much further south and she had to stiffen her muscles to curb the shiver that was tingling along her spine.

"Gross," Casey said and Tessa's eyes opened quickly.

"Don't swallow yet." The Karê repeated her instruction and reached for a small white cube from the wooden bowl. She held the porous cube up in front of the girl. "Open," she commanded.

Casey opened her mouth and the dark-haired woman placed the object on her tongue. Enjoying the warm feel of Tessa's fingertips against her lips, Casey's smile was immediate.

"Sugar." The blonde said.

The taste had been equal parts bitter and salty, but when the sugar cube began to melt on her tongue and the Karê told her to swallow, Casey's mouth exploded into sensory delight. By the time the entire mixture slid down her throat, her mouth felt like, she could barely describe it. It felt like...flowers.

"My mouth feels like a flower garden." She smiled at the Karê.

Tessa smiled as she poured some more herbs into a small piece of cheesecloth and tied some string around it to hold it closed. Then she placed the bag in a mug and poured some steaming water over the herbs. She tossed a couple more sugar cubes in the mug and handed it to Casey.

"Drink this." Tessa said.

The tall woman stood, opening the French doors and allowing a warm, gentle breeze into the room. She pulled the heavy draperies, plunging the room into semi darkness. Tessa picked up the tray and moved toward the door.

"Tessa?" Casey called out.

The Karê turned and looked at the woman, her green eyes a little less pained. She looked fragile sitting there in the darkness on her bed, more like the little girl Tessa remembered from their childhood.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 733