"Don't swallow yet," Tessa repeated her instruction and reached for a small white cube from the wooden bowl. She held the porous cube in front of Casey. "Open."

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

"Sugar," Casey said.

The taste was equal parts bitter and salty. But when the sugar cube melted on her tongue and Tessa 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.

"My mouth feels like a flower garden." She smiled .

Tessa smiled as she poured more herbs into a small piece of cheesecloth and tied string around it to hold it closed. Then she placed the bag in a mug and poured steaming water over the herbs.

*She tossed a couple more sugar cubes in the mug and handed it to Casey.

"Drink this." Tessa stood, opened the French doors, and allowed 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.

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

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

Tessa gave Casey a wry grin. "I'll be back in a few minutes.

Drink your tea."

Tessa closed the door gently, and Casey leaned back into the softness of the pillows and sipped on the 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 was easing. She smiled as she remembered the taste of Tessa'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; the sight that met her would have made it impossible for even the hardest heart to turn away. Casey had 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. Tessa's brow furrowed. 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 Casey's cheek. Tessa pulled up a soft leather chair and placed it at the foot of Casey'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 Casey in her arms. These feelings were new and they worried her. Tessa could deal with the feelings of physical desire the woman evoked in her body, *but emotions such as unconditional love would only get them in trouble. Too many complications, she thought 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 Casey was mia lesveea, he'd have her in a convent so fast her American head would spin.

Tessa didn't want to picture in her mind the things that would be done to her, right before Meridio slit her throat.

Oh, what in the h.e.l.l does any of it matter? There's no way a woman like this will ever love you. What are you dreaming for?

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 dheahvalo! she silently cursed. Tessa could only hope that involving Casey wouldn't become necessary.

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

Tessa's mind snapped sharply to the present as she heard someone stop in front of Casey's door and turn the k.n.o.b 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. 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 his questioning look.

"Should I call the giatro?" he asked with a concerned expression.

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

Meridio looked at Casey on the bed and accepted Tessa's answer. Her way with herbs was known around the household, and he considered Casey in good hands.

"I just came to see if she wanted to go to Ma.s.s this evening.

Better let her rest," he whispered to Tessa.

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

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

"Yes, I understand, Mr. Meridio."

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

Chapter 3.

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

"Tessa, get dressed. I want you to take Ca.s.sandra to Ma.s.s this morning," Andreas Meridio said.

"Yes, Mr. Meridio." Tessa hung up and rolled over in bed.

The sun was barely up, and Tessa had gone out to the Kastro, a gay bar overlooking the Kastro district in Mkonos Town, the previous night after her vigil at Casey's bedside. Tessa had every intention of finding a willing young woman, preferably a small blonde, and 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, she couldn't get hot and bothered about any of the women who approached her. She'd briefly entertained the notion of a professional, but by that time, she didn't care anymore.

The management at the Kastro knew her as the Meridio Kare, so she was shown to a table 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 and straight tourists enjoy their evening. A few of the local women eyed her invitingly, but once their friends whispered in their ear who Tessa was, they lowered their gazes and pretended not to be interested.

Tessa laughed ironically at herself. She was worried about a *woman like Ca.s.sandra being able to love her. She couldn't even get the respectable women of Mkonos 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 who wanted to be there, not just because she thought she'd let her father live.

So Tessa ended up listening to Vivaldi and sipping retsina, a wine flavored with pine resin, through most of the night. She drank to ease the pain of 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.

"I keep telling my father that it really isn't necessary to have you take me everywhere , " Casey said quietly to Tessa, 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 Casey's a.s.sessment of Peter Tsigaris. "He's your father's bodyguard, and that look is a warning to people who might find it tempting to hurt your father."

"Hurt my father?" Casey turned from the open window to look at Tessa. "My father grows olives for a living. Who could possibly want to hurt him?"

Tessa hoped she would have had more time before Casey brought up this line of questioning, and now 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 he wields. His holdings are vast, Ms. Meridio. I don't think you realize what a wealthy woman you really are."

0.

*The answer silenced Casey as she resumed her pose, staring out the window as they took the road to the Paraportiani church.

Suddenly, she gave a half-smile and whispered dreamily, "When I was a little girl here for the summer, I used to ride my bicycle to Ma.s.s."

I know, Tessa 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 Tessa led the way into the busy church.

Tessa never let more than a hand's width of distance separate the two of them, her gaze always searching the faces around them.

Casey was even more surprised as she watched Tessa 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 chanted 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. The atmosphere reminded Casey of so many good things when she spent her summers in Greece that she wanted to cry.

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

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

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

"They know you here?" Casey asked.

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

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

As they prepared to leave the sanctuary, Casey tugged on Tessa's arm, turning left into a small 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 Casey placed some bills in a basket and lit a candle. She knelt at the small altar, then crossed herself and prayed. Tessa continued to stare, feeling a twinge of envy that Casey could look so at peace as she prayed. Tessa 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 them 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 Tessa, crossing herself, then once again Tessa removed the crucifix from its hiding spot underneath her shirt to gently press it to her lips.

Tessa's brow furrowed as she neither bowed her head nor closed her eyes, but stared intently up at the adornment hanging on the wal .

Tessa felt the weight of Casey's gaze, and she spoke without looking over at 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. I suppose it doesn't really matter."

Tessa stood and held out a hand as Casey accepted the a.s.sistance and rose. Casey turned back and watched as Tessa threw a handful of ten thousand drachma bank notes into the basket and lit two candles. Turning back toward Casey, Tessa never met Casey's gaze as she led them from the church.

*Once they stood 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 waited on the side of the small street, which was 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," she said, making Tessa laugh aloud.

"It was so different going to Ma.s.s 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 so much more...I don't know, like family.

Casey blinked as a bright glare hit her eye. Casey realized it was a pa.s.sing car as the sunlight hit its windshield. She lifted her hand to ward off the glare and Tessa caught the car's motion from the corner of her eye. A dark sedan was moving by, but now, it slowed down. Way too slow, Tessa thought. Instantly, every one of her nerves stood on end and a spurt of adrenaline was released into Tessa's system.

"Casey!" Tessa cried out.

Tessa grabbed the hand that Casey was using to shade her eyes. She jerked hard, pulling Casey into her arms. As their bodies came together, Tessa wrapped her arms around the smaller figure, pressing the small body protectively against her and turning her back to the street.

They sounded like small pops, not even as loud as firecrackers.

A bullet ricocheted by Tessa's ear just before she dropped to the ground, her body covering Casey's. She heard the window shatter in the car parked next to them, and Tessa 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 pa.s.sengers in the dark sedan. Demetrios pulled in front of where Tessa knelt, the brakes sounding sharply. He reached over the back of the seat and pushed the door open from the inside.

*Tessa picked Casey up and tossed her in through the open door, diving in herself.

"Move now! Veahsou!" she shouted at the driver.

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

Casey shivered uncontrollably, but words seemed to be impossible at the moment. She looked into Tessa's eyes, and Tessa saw the terror within the green depths.

"Ca.s.sandra." Tessa took Casey'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. "Shh, everything is all right. It's all over now."