Goddess of the Sea (17 page)

“You say that so easily, like it's a normal thing. You obviously knew Undine before. Doesn't this surprise you, or upset you, or make you angry? Why are you willing to help me when you know that I'm not her?”

“Undine and I were childhood playmates. We spent many years together,” he explained, choosing his words carefully. “But she was not happy here. She longed for the land even before Sarpedon desired her.”

“Did you love her?” CC asked, suddenly understanding the strained expression on the merman's face.

Dylan's jaw tightened, but he nodded his head. “Yes, but she would not allow herself to love a creature of the seas.”

“But she was a mermaid—and that is definitely a creature of the sea.”

“When you are on the land, your body is human, is it not?” Dylan asked.

“Yes, of course.”

“But do you not long continually for the water?”

CC's memory of that horrible, empty ache was sharp. “Yes, constantly.”

Dylan's smile was sad. “That is how Undine felt. I am glad for her. She has finally been granted her wish and her longing has ended.”

“Then you're helping me out of love for her.” CC was ashamed of the twinge of jealousy she felt.

“I could not very well let you drown.” Dylan's sudden grin was boyishly endearing. He reached out to pluck a long piece of seaweed from CC's hair. “And you know nothing of how to be a creature of the sea.”

CC surprised herself by batting playfully at his hand. “And you're going to teach me?”

He raised one eyebrow at her rakishly. “That I will, my princess.”

CC's heart did a little skip beat at his expression. Did his words have a double meaning, or was she being too sensitive?

CC told herself firmly not to be ridiculous. He was being kind to her because he was in love with Undine. Well, she could certainly allow herself the pleasure of his company—and she truly had a lot to learn about his world. She spread her arms, meaning to encompass the entire ocean. “Good! I want to know everything.”

“Everything?” He crossed his arms. CC thought if he'd had feet, he would have tapped one of them at her.

“How about everything in this little area around here—for starters.”

“That can be easily accomplished.” He held his hand out to her, enchanted by her innocent enthusiasm. “Come with me; I will show you the wonders of our world.”

CC put her hand in his. At his touch, she felt a shiver of excitement, but she didn't have time to dwell on her reaction because immediately he dove, tugging her under the surface with him.

Hand-in-hand they swam around the shallows. Dylan seemed to know just where the most unusual fish were playing and where the most colorful coral grew. He showed CC long, orange tubes, bright red fans and purple rectangles—all of which he explained were types of sponges. He pointed out a large, flabby-nosed octopus that rested sedately on the sandy bed; CC laughed and thought it looked like a wrinkled old man. The octopus seemed to take offense and swam off in a jet of dark ink, which made both of them laugh. Like underwater angels, jellyfish floated silently past them, ethereal and translucent. Huge, bloblike sea anemones enchanted CC with their lilac coloring, and she was intrigued by their friends, the brightly colored clown fish.

And Dylan was intrigued by this new Undine. It had been true that at first he had watched over her because she had taken the form of the mermaid he had known and loved all his life, but her physical form was where any similarity between them ended. The mermaid Undine had been a beautiful, ethereal creature who was kind, but aloof. She had been his friend, but she had always yearned to be something else, somewhere else. This new Undine was so very different. She seemed to be bursting with energy and curiosity. She embraced the sea as if she couldn't get enough of it. Her endless questions were laced with humor and a sweetness that moved the merman more than he wanted to admit.

She, too, was a creature of the land, he reminded himself. She belonged there; he belonged to the seas.

Dylan had been so patient with her many questions that CC had thought that he was actually enjoying himself, so she was a little surprised when he pulled her away from a cluster of feathery starfish and back to the surface.

“What—” she started to ask, but the predawn lightening of the morning sky was explanation enough. “Oh. I hadn't realized so much time had passed.”

“It is almost dawn,” he said. His face, which had been so expressive and animated all night, was now neutral. “You must return to the land.”

CC nodded, biting her lower lip. “You were the perfect teacher. Thank you.”

His quick smiled warmed her. “In the oceans we say that the teacher is only as good as the student.”

“Well, isn't that a coincidence?” CC grinned back at him. “We say the same thing on land.”

Dylan's laughter, rich and deep, surrounded them. They were still holding hands, and she used her free hand to splash water at him.

“It's not very dignified for a teacher to laugh at his student.”

Dylan tried to compose his face, but his eyes sparkled with good humor as he teasingly bowed his head to her. “Forgive me, my princess. It has been an honor to be your teacher.”

Dylan lifted her hand, meaning only to give it a gallant, playful kiss, but when his lips met her skin all thoughts of jesting with her fled his brain. He breathed deeply, and her delicate, feminine scent filled him. Her skin was unbearably soft, and he couldn't stop himself from turning her hand over and pressing his lips to the pulse point at her wrist. He felt her tremble, and he lifted his face slowly, afraid he would see rejection in her eyes. She was staring at him, and in her eyes he thought he read passion, not disgust. His mind registered her expression, and even though he knew he should not touch her, should not allow himself to love her, he could not stop. The way she looked at him made him feel as if his heart would break from happiness.

“When you touch me,” CC said softly, “you make me tremble.”

Still holding her hand, Dylan drifted closer to her until their bodies almost touched. “Is that because I frighten you?” he asked. Maybe he had misread her eyes. His heart stopped beating as he waited for her answer.

“No,” her voice sounded breathless.

Slowly, she reached up and touched the side of his face. She let her fingers trail down his neck and shoulder until they finally came to rest against his chest. He quivered under her caress.

“Is that because I frighten you?” she whispered his words back to him.

“No,” he said quickly. Then he captured her eyes with his. “What is your name?”

The question surprised her, and, not knowing what he meant, she hesitated to answer him.

“I want to know your true name,” he explained. “I do not want you to think I care for you only because I wish to be with Undine.”

CC could feel her cheeks coloring. She hadn't been thinking that; she hadn't been thinking about anything except the way it felt when he touched her.

“My real name is Christine Canady, but almost everyone calls me by my initials, CC.”

He raised one brow at her. “Almost? Who does not call you by these initials?”

“My family.”

“Then I ask that I be awarded that privilege. May I call you Christine?”

“Yes.” She thought her name had never sounded so beautiful.

“Christine, when will you return to the water?” Again, he tried to keep his face neutral, but she heard the longing in his voice.

“I have to come back every third night.” Under the palm she still had pressed against his chest she could feel his heartbeat. “Will you be here?”

He was caressing her hand softly with his thumb, just like he had done on the day they had met.

“I will be here every third night until the end of eternity.”

At his words her heart lurched, but the thought instantly went through her mind that even though she didn't want to leave the water or him, she didn't have a choice. She wasn't safe in the water. Dylan had said Sarpedon was searching for her—it was only a matter of time until he found her again. Could Dylan protect her? She remembered Sarpedon's size and incredible strength and blocked that thought from her mind. She wouldn't put Dylan in danger.

“I have to change back,” she said aloud. As soon as she had spoken the words, she felt the already familiar tingling begin around her waist. Heat shot down her body and an instant later she was kicking her legs feebly and clutching Dylan's chest to keep from slipping under the water.

“I'm sorry,” she said. “I didn't know it would be that easy to change back.”

His strong arms wrapped around her waist and he held her securely against him.

His smile was sad. “I understand. You must go.” But neither of them moved.

“I wish you would kiss me,” CC said the words quickly, before she could take them back.

With a moan, he bent his head to hers and their lips touched, gently at first. CC shivered in response.

Against her lips Dylan again asked one last time, “Not frightened?”

For her answer CC lifted her chin and recaptured his lips. Winding her hands around his neck, she pressed herself against his body and opened her mouth to accept him. His hands caressed her back and then slid to her sides and up, so that his thumbs rubbed erotic circles across the edges of her breasts. CC was lost in the taste of him, which was salty and wild. Her body was on fire and his mouth consumed her.

The tolling of the bell that called the monks to early Mass splintered their world. Dylan broke the kiss and for a moment he rested his forehead against hers while he forced his breathing under control.

“I will take you to the shore.”

He leaned back, pulling her up on his chest so that she lay more securely in his arms. With strong strokes of his tail, he swam slowly backwards, with CC nestled against him. When the water was shallow enough to allow her to stand, Dylan loosened his grip and she slid out of his arms.

“I want to kiss you again,” he told her. “But I am afraid if I do so, I will never be able to let you go.”

CC felt a silent cry burning in her throat and she nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She walked out of the water and back to where she'd left her crumpled shift and shoes. She couldn't look at the water. She didn't want to see him disappearing under the waves. Without looking back, CC pulled on her clothes and started toward the path.

“Christine,” Dylan's voice carried easily over the water.

She turned. He was floating exactly where she'd left him.

“Remember that I will be here,” he said resolutely. “For an eternity, Christine. I would wait for you for an eternity.”

She nodded again and turned to begin her trip up the side of the cliff. This time the path wasn't obscured by darkness, but by her tears.

Dylan watched her go, keeping his eyes on her until she was only a light-colored smudge that climbed up and over the side of the cliff. His heart ached as she disappeared. Why was he doing this to himself? He raked his hand through his hair. Like his mother before him, was he forever fated to love the unattainable?

He could still feel the softness of her lips against his. He clenched his jaw. He wanted her, and not because she wore Undine's body. He wanted Christine, her sweet humor and her exuberance.

He thought about the innocent trust she had shown him as she had rested in his arms, and her passionate response to his touch. His heart made the decision for him. If he could only have her every third night, then so be it. He would love her, and, just perhaps, this time he would break the cycle and be loved in return.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Cc awoke thinking about him. The internal ache that throbbed with its incessant reminder that her human body was only a borrowed shell mingled with her desire to see Dylan again until she couldn't tell where one began and the other ended. Just tonight, then tomorrow night—then she would be able to go to the water and to him. She sighed and touched her lips. They felt wonderfully bruised and sensitive.

She had dreamed of him. Somehow in another world, in another time, he had called to her, and now she wanted nothing more than to return to the ocean and answer his call.

Two quick knocks on the door made her jump. She cleared the sleep from her throat.

“Yes, I'm awake.”

Isabel limped quickly into the room. CC was beginning to wonder if the woman ever slowed down.

“Good morning, Princess,” she said in her raspy voice, exchanging the old pitcher of water for a new one. “Sir Andras has asked that you break your fast with him. I believe he has something special planned.”

“Something special?” CC sat up and swept the hair back from her face.

“Yes, my lady. Here, let me help you into your dress.” Isabel shook her head and clucked what was probably meant as a mild rebuke when she noticed what CC was, or rather wasn't, wearing. “It is unseemly for you to sleep only in that light chemise.”

“Why?” She couldn't stop herself from asking as she stepped into the layers of soft fabric that made up her wonderful gown. “That other robe is hot and the material scratches. And the only person who could possibly see me in it is you.”

Isabel worked the intricate laces, and her voice took on the tone of a schoolroom lecturer. “It is proper that the coarse fabric of the robe remind us of our sins, which we carry with us eternally, so that we are constantly aware of our need for absolution. To surround ourselves with luxuries is to give in to the temptation of the corporeal world.”