Merido's Daughter by LJ Maas 3 page

"Are you coming back?" Casey asked in a small soft voice.

Tessa gave the young woman a wry grin. "I'll be back in a few minutes, drink your tea."

The dark-haired woman closed the door gently and Casey leaned back into the softness of the pillows and sipped on the mug of tea. She closed her eyes and let the liquid's warmth ease its way into her body. Her stomach already felt better and she wondered if it was merely coincidence that the pounding in her head had eased up a bit. She smiled as she remembered the taste of the dark-haired woman's skin and the way it lingered on her tongue still, long after the sweetness of the herbs and sugar disappeared.

Tessa slowly opened the door to Casey's room and the sight that met her would have made it impossible for even the hardest heart to turn away. The young woman had literally fallen asleep with a smile on her face, wisps of golden hair fell across her closed eyes and her arms still hugged the pillow tightly. The Karê's brow furrowed and as she took a step closer to stand beside the sleeping figure, she remembered an Easter morning so long ago.

She bent down and brushed the hair back from the sleeping woman's eyes, the backs of her fingers lingering momentarily on the young woman's cheek. Tessa pulled up a soft leather chair and placed it at the foot of the small blonde's bed. She eased her tall frame into the seat and crossed her legs, resting her chin in the palm of her hand.

She had an incredible urge to hold the small woman in her arms. These feelings were new and they worried her a little. Tessa could deal with the feelings of physical desire the woman evoked in her body, but emotions such as unconditional love would only get the both of them in trouble. Too many complications, she thought to herself as she rubbed her fingers against her forehead. So what if we could hook up...what then? Hiding and slinking around from any eyes that might tell? She wondered how her boss would take the news that his only child was a lesbian. If Meridio found out that his daughter was mia lesveea, he'd have her in a convent so fast her American head would spin. Tessa didn't even want to picture in her mind, the things that would be done to her, right before Meridio slit her throat.

Oh, what the hell does any of it matter. There is no way a woman like this will ever love you, what are you dreaming for, Niko? Once she finds out what you're really doing here, working for her father, she'll either narc on you or she'll hate you. Tessa's heart thought that one would be as bad as the other would. She could be useful...help me get closer, Tessa tried to justify her possible actions. Sto dheáhvalo! She silently cursed. The dark haired woman could only hope that involving the girl wouldn't become necessary.

Finally, Tessa relaxed her mind and absently watched the easy rise and fall of the small blonde's chest as she slept.

Tessa's mind snapped sharply to the here and now, as she heard someone stop in front of Casey's door and turn the knob to enter the room. Her hands tensed on the arms of the chair until she recognized the figure of Andreas Meridio walking into the room.

Tessa quickly held up her finger to her mouth, requesting the man remain silent and she rose and stood by the door to speak to him.

"She had a bit of a headache, probably just all the excitement of being back yesterday." Tessa whispered in answer to her employer's questioning look.

"Should I call the giatró?" He asked with a concerned expression.

"No, I don't think a doctor is really necessary, Mr. Meridio. I made her a tea." Tessa answered.

Meridio looked at the small blonde on the bed and accepted his Karê's answer. Her way with herbs was known around the household and the older man considered his daughter in good hands.

"I just came around to see if she wanted to go to Mass this evening. Better let her rest." He whispered to the tall woman.

"If you're going to town I'd better go along." Tessa replied, slipping easily into the hard demeanor of her position.

"No, Tessa, you're my Karê not my bodyguard. I'll have Peter with me. I think it's important that you stay with Cassandra, just in case she feels worse later. Katalavaynés?"

"Yes, I understand, Mr. Meridio." Tessa answered.

The Karê watched the man bend down and lightly kiss his daughter's cheek, then he was gone. Tessa crossed the room and sat back in the leather chair, resuming her protective vigil.

"Yea?" Tessa quickly grabbed the ringing phone and mumbled sleepily into the receiver.

"Tessa, get dressed, I want you to take Cassandra to Mass this morning." Andreas' Meridio's voice commanded.

"Yes, Mr. Meridio." Tessa answered, hanging up the telephone and rolling over in her bed.

The sun was barely up and Tessa had gone out to the Kástro, a gay bar overlooking the Kástro district in Mýkonos Town, last night after her vigil at Casey's bedside. The dark-haired woman had every intention of finding an extremely willing young woman, preferably a small blonde, and simply getting laid. After the weekend she had, she felt she had not only earned it, but also deserved it. She started out at the younger clubs, Anemoi and Pierro's, but for some reason couldn't get hot and bothered about any of the women that approached her. She'd briefly entertained the notion of a professional, but by that time she just didn't care any more.

The management at the Kástro knew her as the Meridio Karê and so she was shown to a table outside on the patio where she sat with her back to the wall, able to see the patrons outside as well as inside. The local customers knew her as well and she returned their stares, watching the gay couples as well as the straight tourists enjoy their evening. A few of the local women eyed her invitingly, but once their friends whispered in their ear who the dark-haired woman was, they lowered their gazes and pretended not to be interested.

Tessa laughed ironically at herself. She was worried about a woman like Cassandra being able to love her. She couldn't even get the respectable women of Mýkonos to look at her. Sure, if she requested it, they would be brought to her table, if she demanded, they would be delivered to her bed, but somehow that just wasn't enough anymore. She desired a woman in her bed that wanted to be there, not just because she thought you'd let her father live.

And, so the Karê ended up listening to Vivaldi and sipping retsína, a wine flavored with pine resin, through most of the night. Drinking to ease the pain from the hurtful glares of those around her, and to forget the pair of deep green eyes that, in their innocence, seemed to mock her.

Tessa looked at the clock by her bed and jumped up, moving into the bathroom for a hot shower. Her head felt heavy and as she looked into the mirror at her haggard reflection, she knew she would have to use her hangover cure on herself today.

"I keep telling my father that it really isn't necessary to have you take me everywhere, Karê." Casey said quietly to the dark-haired woman who sat next to her in the back of the dark colored auto.

"It's no trouble, Ms. Meridio," Tessa murmured, "Besides, Greece has changed since you lived here."

"It certainly has. Who is that Peter that follows my father around? He's got the most unpleasant scowl on his face most of the time."

Tessa smiled at the small blonde's assessment of Peter Tsigaris. "He's your father's bodyguard and that look on his face is a warning to people who might find it tempting to hurt your father." The Karê replied.

"Hurt my father?" Casey turned from the open window to look at the dark-haired woman seated next to her. "My father grows olives for a living, who could possibly want to hurt him?" Casey questioned.

Tessa hoped she would have had more time before the young woman brought up this line of questioning, but here she was faced with making a lie sound plausible to an intelligent woman.

"Your father grows olives, yes, but he is a very wealthy and influential man. Many politicians see him as a threat because of the power that he wields. His holdings are vast, Ms. Meridio. I don't think you realize what a wealthy woman you really are."

The answer silenced the small blonde as she resumed her pose, staring out the window as they took the rode up to the Paraportianí church. Suddenly, she gave a little half-smile and whispered dreamily; "When I was a little girl, here for the summer, I used to ride my bicycle to Mass."

I know; the Karê wanted to say. I used to watch you.

It was like night and day entering the Greek Orthodox Church. Casey couldn't help but smile at the pleasant memories she had of her visits here, so different from American churches. First there was the quiet of the vestibule. Casey had to admit to herself that she was surprised when the Karê led the way into the busy church. The taller woman never let more than a handswidth of distance separate the two of them, her eyes always searching the faces around them. The small blonde was even more surprised as she watched the dark-haired woman bless herself with the holy water and pull out a medium weight crucifix on a golden chain, from around her neck. Tessa touched the piece of jewelry to her lips and turned to wait for Casey.

In complete contrast to the quiet of the vestibule was the seeming discord of the inner sanctuary. The priest began to chant the liturgy while parishioners stood rather than sat or kneeled. Some women to the side visited with one another as young children ran and played with one another. The atmosphere reminded Casey of so many good things when she spent her summers in Greece that she wanted to cry.

A young boy of perhaps five ran into the dark-haired woman's legs and she scooped him up grinning as he laughed at the strong woman.

"Forgive me, Karê." A woman who was obviously the boy's mother held out her arms to the taller woman.

Casey watched as Tessa's face returned to its customary impassive air. She nodded at the younger woman and gently placed the boy in her arms.

"They know you here?" The small blonde asked.

Tessa never took her eyes off the priest as she replied. "Are you surprised that people actually know me or that the people who do, go to church?" Tessa said, turning and finally fixing her gaze on the smaller woman at her side.

Casey didn't know how to reply to the taller woman, suddenly fearing she had offended her. Opening her mouth to stammer some sort of an apology, she caught the Karê's small grin as the woman turned her head back to the priest. Did she actually just tease me? Casey was beginning to find the Karê an interesting paradox.

As they prepared to leave the sanctuary, Casey tugged on the Karê's arm turning left into a small sort of chapel. The altar was much smaller than the one in the main cathedral, but dozens of candles in blue and red votives burned brightly.

Tessa watched with her arms folded across her chest as the small blonde placed some bills in a basket and lit a candle. She proceeded to kneel at the small altar, then crossed herself and began to pray. The standing woman continued to stare, feeling a twinge of envy that Casey could look so at peace as she prayed. The Karê smiled slightly as she considered her envious thoughts and crossed herself, warding off the power of the evil eye. No sense taking chances.

Tessa felt the silence surround her and found herself walking up beside the kneeling woman. Casey felt the weight shift on the kneeler and looked out of the corner of her eye. She spied the Karê, crossing herself, and then once again removing the crucifix from it's hiding spot underneath her shirt, to gently press it to her lips. The dark-haired woman's brow furrowed as she neither bowed her head nor closed her eyes, but stared intently up at the adornment hanging on the wall.

Tessa felt the weight of Casey's gaze and she began speaking without looking over at the young woman kneeling beside her.

"When you pray, do you think he hears you?" She asked quietly.

Casey looked up at the crucifix and wondered how to respond. "If you're asking me if I've ever seen the proof of an answered prayer, I think the answer is no, but it helps me to think that he does. I'm sorry I can't give you a better answer."

Tessa's look of worry was quickly replaced with a wry smile. "That's okay. It doesn't really matter."

The tall woman stood and held out a hand as Casey accepted the assistance and rose also. The small blonde turned back and watched as the Karê threw a handful of 10,000 drachma bank notes into the basket and lit two candles. Turning back toward Casey, Tessa never met the young woman's eyes as she led them from the church.

Once they were standing out in the bright sunlight in front of the cathedral, Tessa nodded to Demetrios, the driver, to get the car. The young man moved quickly and Tessa and Casey stood waiting on the side of the small side street bustling with early morning churchgoers.

"Do you think it actually does any good...going to church." Tessa asked introspectively.

"Hey, it certainly can't hurt." Casey smiled back, "I, for one, want to cover all my bases." Which made the Karê laugh out loud.

"It was so different, going to Mass in the States." Casey began. "They were so quiet it used to scare me. I would spend three months here then go back to America and be completely out of sorts for weeks. I always liked the casual atmosphere here. It was always so much more...I don't know, like family.

Casey blinked as a bright glare hit her in the eye. The blonde realized it was a passing car as the sunlight hit their windshield. She lifted her hand to ward of the glare and Tessa caught the car's motion from the corner of her eye. A dark sedan was moving by, but now it began to slow down. Way too slow, Tessa thought. Instantly, every one of the Karê's nerves was standing on end and a spurt of adrenaline was released into the tall woman's system.

"Casey!" Tessa cried out.

The dark-haired woman reached out and grabbed the hand that the small blonde was using to shade her eyes. The Karê jerked hard, pulling the young woman into her arms. As their bodies came together, Tessa wrapped her arms around the smaller figure, pressed protectively against her, and turned her back to the street.

They sounded like small pops, not even as loud as fireworks. Tessa felt a bullet ricochet by her ear just before she dropped to the ground, her body covering Casey's smaller one. She heard the window shatter in the car parked next to them and the Karê felt a burning sensation in her left forearm.

As suddenly as it started, it was over. Tires squealed as the car picked up speed, but not before Tessa looked up to see at least two of the passengers in the dark sedan. Demetrios pulled in front of where the Karê knelt, his brakes sounding sharply. He reached over the back of the seat and pushed the door open from the inside. Tessa literally picked Casey up and tossed her in through the open door, diving in herself.

"Move, now! Veáhsou!" She shouted at the driver.

"Are you hurt?" Tessa grabbed Casey by the shoulders.

The small blonde was shivering uncontrollably, but words seemed to be impossible at the moment. She looked into the Karê's eyes and the dark-haired woman saw the terror within the green depths.

"Cassandra," Tessa took the young woman's face in her hands, "are you hurt?"

Casey shook her head and tears filled her eyes, spilling down her tanned cheeks. Tessa pulled the woman close to her. "Sssh, everything is allright. It's all over now."

The dark-haired woman soothed the small blonde while pulling a cell phone from her inside pocket. She dialed 100 and began to speak rapidly in Greek. Ending the call, she placed two more calls in rapid succession and Casey knew the last was to her father. She could hear Andreas Meridio's shouts through the small phone. The young woman allowed herself to be held in the Karê's protective embrace and when the final phone call had ended, Tessa squeezed the small blonde's shoulder affectionately.

Casey looked down at the Karê's hand and noticed that blood had soaked through the older woman shirt at the wrist. The crimson stain turned larger and began to fall in tiny drops onto Tessa's slacks.

"Tessa, you're hurt!" Casey cried out.

The Karê looked down and gave the girl a lopsided smile. "Just a scratch." Then she winked.

The small blonde turned an incredulous look on the woman, but then she saw the wink. Casey couldn't help it; she laughed nervously and wiped the tears from her face. She grabbed her shawl from the seat where she'd left it before they entered the cathedral and held the Karê's hand in her lap as she wrapped the shawl around the woman's bleeding arm.

Driving at breakneck speed, they were at the estate in minutes. Small white police cars with blue lights flashing on their roofs surrounded the estate. Andreas Meridio was waiting on the front steps when the car pulled up. Tessa leapt from the car and began giving directions to a group of young men in black suits. In a matter of moments it was as if the chaos the household had been thrown into, was restored by the Karê's presence and direction.

Andreas hugged his daughter closely and began calling for a doctor before the young woman interrupted him.

"Pappa, the blood isn't mine, I'm allright. Tessa is hurt, though." Casey explained.

By the time the estate settled down it was evening. Olympia began unveiling a large selection of mezédes, or appetizers, that had been made earlier in the day, for the men that lingered. Plate after plate of food was set out for the men to snack on during the night, along with oúzo and gentilini, a white wine from Crete.

Tessa was now seated in one of the open-air sitting rooms, her shirt off, wearing only a white tank top. The giatró had just cleaned the wound in the Karê's arm and was preparing to sew closed the gash caused by a deeply embedded piece of glass, not a bullet as Casey had thought earlier.

The dark-haired woman noticed the small blonde holding a plate loaded with food, eating and watching the doctor treat the Karê's wound. She sat alone and still looked a little shell-shocked by the morning's events.

"I am amazed that you can eat like that and still remain so tiny." The dark-haired woman said, calling Casey over to her.

Casey sat on a chair a little closer to the table where the woman and the giatró sat. She blushed slightly at Tessa's words.

"I eat when I'm nervous." Casey responded.

"I'm just the opposite...Ow," She shot a look full of daggers at the giatró who had begun sewing the wound closed. "I can't eat a thing when I'm nervous. Not that I'm ever nervous," she finished the statement with the tiniest of grins.

Casey was rather astonished at their conversation, given the fact that this was the most cordial the Karê had ever been to her and it was while the woman was getting her arm sewn up without an anesthetic.

"Hey, how about sharing?" Tessa said, opening her mouth widely.

Casey laughed. "Which do you fancy? I have a little bit of everything."

"Uhm, the tsirosaláta." Tessa indicated the thin strips of smoked fish.

Casey speared a piece of the fish with a fork and gave it a squeeze of lemon juice and then dipped it in olive oil. She fed the mezés to the woman until it was gone.

"Sorry I ate it all, but that was the first food I've had today. I was starving." The Karê said.

"A Greek only eating once in a day? Sacrilege!" Casey said in a tone of mock disbelief.

Tessa raised her eyes to the figure that now stood behind the small blonde. Andreas Meridio kissed the top of his daughter's head.

"How are you, Máhtia Mou?" Meridio asked, his large hands resting on his daughter's shoulders.

"I'm alright, Pappa." Casey answered, raising her head to smile tiredly at the man.

The giatró finished the fine line of sutures and placed a dry bandage over the wound. He began tying a sling around the dark-haired woman's neck.

"Keep your arm elevated for a few days, like this." He indicated the position in which he wanted Tessa's arm to remain.

"Yea, yea." The Karê growled.

"Tessa, when you're through here we need to have a few words." Meridio said.

"Ready now, Mr. Meridio," the tall woman replied, standing to follow her employer.

"You," Meridio leaned down again to kiss the top of his daughter's head, "get some rest."

"I'm too wired to sleep." She complained, but by that time her father had already walked away.

"You," Tessa pointed a finger as she made her way to follow Andreas Meridio, "No late night swimming."

Casey giggled as the Karê turned and walked away.

My God, tell me I didn't just giggle like a schoolgirl. She's being so nice, what's up with that? Okay, maybe she feels sorry for you. Maybe you look like you've had the shit scared out of you today. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Allright tall, dark, and wonderful...how do I find out about the real you?

"My daughter!" Meridio screamed at the top of his voice. "In front of the Holy Church!"

Everyone in the room hung their head with the exception of Tessa. The tall woman stood in her customary pose, facing the window, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. It was as if she were split in two. There was a part of her that couldn't erase the fear that clutched at her heart when she thought of losing Cassandra, the way the girl felt in the Karê's arms, and the gentle way in which the young woman wrapped her shawl around her injured arm. The feelings went beyond mere desire and the Karê knew it. She realized that there was something more happening between the two women, something that ran so deep. Hadn't she felt the bond begin all those years ago?

Then there was the anger. The darkness pushed its way up and nearly threatened to take control of her very being. In the past, when she was younger and more reckless, the darkness drove her. It brought her to the position and wealth she now held, the older she grew, the more she learned how to control the blackness that would overtake her. She had obviously grown complacent with her newfound position. Ten years ago, no one on the streets surrounding the Piraeus would have dared to shoot at her. She controlled the money they made and the way they spent it. If a man had taken exception to her back then he kept it to himself or he was liable to show up in an Athens hospital without his arkheedias.

That was Tessa's trademark in the old days. The old boys, if you crossed them, they were likely to cut off your penis and stuff it down your throat after you were dead. Tessa knew the only way to command absolute loyalty, was through fear. When her dark side ruled her judgment, she had a man held down and she sliced off his balls, stuffed a towel between his legs and dropped him off at the closest emergency room. No man wanted to live that way and so the punishment became the perfect motivator. She tried without much success to push the feelings of rage back down.

"Tessa," Meridio said to her back. "I want the man responsible for this. I want his arkhédias in a sack on my desk."

Tessa turned around slowly. There wasn't a man in the room who didn't feel a tightening in his groin at the feral smile that pulled back the woman's lips, displaying her perfect white teeth.

"It will be my pleasure, Mr. Meridio."

The older man handed a glass of sournada to the dark-haired woman who sat in the chair across from his desk.

"Veeva." They both said in unison, taking a long sip of the almond flavored cordial.

Andreas Meridio slid open the top drawer of his desk, pulling his chequebook from within. He flipped open to the precise spot and began writing. He folded the cheque in half and held it out to Tessa. The brilliant blue eyes darkened in confusion.

"This is for you, Tessa. You saved my daughter's life today."

The corners of her mouth curled upward, halfway between a sneer and a smile, at the man's gesture. "You already pay me for what I do. I don't want to put a price on something like this."

"I'm not asking you to take it. This is payment for a hahré."

Tessa looked into the man's eyes and listened as he placed the emphasis on the word's first syllable. He was making payment on a favor or a debt and the money could not be refused. The Karê simply shrugged and accepted the note, casually slipping it into her pocket without bothering to look at the amount. If this truly were hahré then it would be rude to question the sum.

"Go buy a new boat or something." He laughed. "Go on, go rest that arm. And, Tessa?" He asked as the Karê stood to leave. "Thank you."

"You're welcome Mr. Meridio."

Tessa walked across the lawn and stood under the olive trees by the guesthouse where she made her home. She unfolded the cheque and swallowed hard. It was made out for a little over three million drachmas.

In essence, Tessa had told her employer that she wouldn't put a price tag on Cassandra's life. According to her father, Meridio's daughter was worth roughly the equivalent of one hundred thousand American dollars.

Tessa's arm began to throb painfully, but she didn't even feel like getting up to take anything. She knew a tea concoction or a few hits of oúzo would do the trick, but she suddenly felt bone tired. She came in earlier and undressed, leaving her clothes in a heap by the door. After changing into an old pair of worn jeans and a white tank top, she simply collapsed on the sofa.

A knock at the door brought her, groaning, to her feet.

"The island better be on fire!" Was the Karê's customary growl as she swung open the door.

"Oh," was all she could say when she saw Casey's stunned face.

"Well, you have an interesting way of keeping the solicitors at bay." Casey responded. "Hey, weren't you supposed to keep that sling on your arm?" She said sharply.

Tessa leaned her good arm high up on the doorjamb and let an eyebrow disappear up under her ebony bangs.

"Did you come over to my house just to yell at me, Mom?" The Karê asked with a mischievous sparkle in her blue eyes.

"Excuse me, Karê? Your house?"

Suddenly Tessa lost her expression of mock superiority and displayed a sheepish grin. "Touché." She said as she pushed the door wider, inviting the young woman in.

The Karê scooped her clothes from the floor and tossed them in a chair while the young woman's back was turned. Then the dark-haired woman allowed herself the luxury of taking in the small blonde's tanned legs, which were displayed admirably by the crisp white shorts she wore.

"I figured you might be hurting so I had a couple Percodan left and thought--"

Tessa plucked the bottle from the young woman's fingers and tossed it in the nearest wastebasket, much the same as she had with Casey's aspirin.

"Hey! You know if you keep throwing my drugs away--"

"You'll live longer," the taller woman finished. "What else have you got under there?" Tessa asked, indicating the large plate covered by a cloth napkin.

"Well, I'm just not sure I feel like sharing now." Casey replied; one hand placed on a slim hip.

Tessa could smell the sweet aroma coming from the plate and her mouth watered at the smell of fresh figs, her favorite. She tried to muster up a look that would induce the young woman to have pity on her.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 613