The Nymph's Curse: The Collection (13 page)

The pressure of the man’s hands lightened and she spun around in his encircling arms. Beau stood looking at her with a look of shock upon his face.

She looked down at her brown erect nipples.

Damn it.

She shoved her arms over her breasts. He wouldn’t get any more free shows.

“Do you make a habit of being a voyeur?”

He smiled, his dark eyes picked up the orange of the lingering flames behind her. His eyes were the color of the ocean at night, deep, clear, mysterious and alluring. He blinked and she could see the reflection of Kat in his eyes.

“So you do like watching naked women?” She pressed her hands against his chest. The muscles under her fingers tensed and quivered with her touch. She thought back to the way his hands had felt the night before.

He looked past her at the group of woman around the fire. “What the hell?” he muttered as he squinted in the direction of the fallen animal. “Is that a goat?”

She was still angry with his accusations, but seeing him here made her forget for a moment the hurt feelings. “What are you doing here, Beau?”

“What the hell are you involved in?” Beau’s gaze bore into her.

“You shouldn’t be here.” She took his hand and, looking back over her shoulder to make sure no one had seen her go, pulled him away from the ceremony and down the hill.

The hillside was steep and rocks tumbled and fell to the beach below. The rocks tore at her feet; she should’ve gone back and gotten some clothing and shoes, but she couldn’t risk Beau being seen. He was in enough danger just seeing what he had, without being noticed by a group of women who wholeheartedly believed him to be their enemy.

She should’ve never shown him the bay. Once again, he had amplified the danger for her kind. If he told anyone about what he had seen … Some people would think she and her sisters were crazy, but undoubtedly there would be a few that would connect the dots — then their real enemies would descend upon them.

The snake goddess sisterhood was a powerful group. For witches and sorcerers, just a handful of skins would be priceless and, if destroyed, prove deadly to the nymph to which they belonged. And if anyone found their way to the Labyrinth, what would happen to Epione and the staff — only the goddess knew — but the sisterhood couldn’t afford another battle.

She should’ve never let him be anything besides an enemy. At least he would be leaving Crete soon, and with him the danger he created for the nymphs.

Beau fumbled down the hillside behind her, cussing and sliding as the crumbling rocks gave way beneath his feet. It was doubtful with all the commotion that the nymphs would hear the stones falling over their rhythm chants and the pounding drums.

Picking her way through the rocks, she made her way to the water’s edge, Beau at her side. The waves poured over her feet washing away the droplets of blood left by the sharp edges of the stones. She wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes, letting the salty brine sting her open wounds.

“Are you okay?” Beau pointed at her feet.

“I’m fine,” she huffed, as she tried to think of a way to lie to cover the ceremony he had just witnessed.

“Here.” He pulled his fleece jacket from his arms and draped it over her. “You look cold.”

“Thanks.” She pulled the jacket tight over her body, covering her exposed flesh all the way to her knees. “Beau, what were you doing up there?”

“Beau? Hey, Beau?” Kaden’s voice sounded from farther down the beach.

Beau grabbed her hand and squeezed, as if telling her to remain quiet. “We’re right here.”

She should’ve pulled her hand from his, but she felt no urge. Instead, she let his warmth seep through her, just as she had before. It felt good to be touched by him, even if it was only for a moment, even if it was something that could never last.

For a moment, she imagined what it would be like to be married to a man like Beau, traveling the world with his son, investigating the mysteries of the forgotten past. If he knew about her, they could work together. She could teach him about the secrets that humanity had forgotten.

The future she envisioned could never be. Humans would never accept that there were beings different from themselves — especially not nymphs — shape-shifting seductresses. Instead, they would be used as another reason for humans to judge, hate, and ostracize. The potential of humans knowing that magic was real, that there were immortals, and the potential to live forever, would only mean ideological wars.

“Who’s we?” Kaden yelled, pulling her from her confusion.

“Ariadne was the partier.” Beau forced a laugh, but even in the thin moonlight, she could see that his eyes were filled with unanswered questions.

“Did Kaden see, too?” Ariadne whispered harshly, looking away from his probing gaze.

“No, he was swimming. He hasn’t been feeling well, so I left him down here. But you are going to need to answer for what was going on up there.”

She looked down at the coat, luckily it was long enough to cover everything that needed to be covered. The sounds of the drums echoed down into the bay, where only a few nights before they had been making love. His hand loosened around hers and his thumb rubbed against her skin, just as it had done so when she had been well-plied with ouzo. She looked down at his hand as it pressed against hers. Her pale hand looked out of place in his rough, tanned hand.

At least she wouldn’t have to worry about lying to the boy — only his father.

“When we’re alone … ,” she mumbled.

“Fine, but I hope you’ll be naked again.” He flashed a dangerous smile. “I can only hold back so much, and watching you dance around naked was almost more than I could handle.”

He pulled her hand to him and his lips pressed against her skin. She could feel the desire that pulsed within him, just as she had in the surf. She felt a tingle between her thighs. It would feel so good to have him again.

Kaden splashed toward her, huffing as if he had walked a mile instead of the few hundred yards it had been. “Why didn’t you invite us to the party?” Kaden asked, with a winded laugh.

She smiled. “Sorry, Kae … I promise it wouldn’t have been your thing.”

Kaden coughed. “Sorry, I’m not — ” His cough cut off his words. He tried to suck in a breath, but she watched him struggle as another rattling cough took over his body.

“Kaden?” Beau cried.

The boy looked at his father as tears flowed down his face. The young man hacked, unable to control the coughing as it took over his body. He dropped to his knees in the sand.

Ariadne and Beau kneeled beside him. Beau put his hand on his son’s back. “Kaden?” Beau’s voice was strangled.

Kaden coughed again, his body rattled and shook and blood splattered on the sand. Kaden looked up and blood dripped from his mouth, down his chin.

Beau glanced at Ariadne. He reached in his back pocket, pulled out his cell phone and thrust it at her. “Call an ambulance.”

The taxi ride home from the hospital seemed like hours instead of only the thirty minutes it had taken. Ariadne sprinted in and grabbed the first dress she saw and slipped it over her shoulders. She pulled out her car keys and ran out the door. Her hands shook on the drive back to the hospital as she silently prayed that Kaden would be okay.

Beau met her outside the revolving hospital doors. “Thanks for coming back, I know this has to be awkward for you, but I appreciate you being here. It’s nice to not have to go at this alone.”

Her cheeks flushed. “You asked me to be here.” She shoved her keys in her purse as she hurried inside, Beau close behind her. “Is he doing any better?”

“The doctors have done some x-rays and they took blood right after you left. We should be hearing something soon,” Beau said, twisting the watch on his wrist.

“It’ll be okay, Beau.” She put her hand to his face and brushed a loose strand of hair behind his ear.

When they walked into the private room, Kaden tried to sit up, but fell back into the white sheets. “Hi, guys.” A cough rattled from his lips.

“Hey, Kae.” Ariadne stepped beside him and put her hand on his shoulder. “You’re looking better,” she lied.

“Do you need anything? Soda? Water? Pillow?” Beau stepped up to the bed, next to Kaden’s feet.

“No,” Kaden wheezed. “I’m good.”

The blood pressure cuff ballooned on Kaden’s arm and released with a wheeze. “You okay?” Beau asked, moving to his son’s side.

“I’m fine, Dad. Promise. It’s just taking my blood pressure.” Kaden pushed the button on the bed rail to sit up. While the bed whirred upward, he motioned for Beau to sit down in the mauve vinyl chair by the window.

A knock interrupted the pair and Ariadne stepped to the door. Before she could reach the door, a stern-faced doctor in a white lab coat and a blue face mask walked into the room. He was carrying a clipboard and he clicked his pen nervously.

Beau stood up and let the doctor step to the side of Kaden’s hospital bed.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Dukakis.” The thin, gray-haired man stopped clicking and offered his blue-gloved hand to Kaden.

Ariadne was sure he meant for the handshake to be comforting, but the way the doctor slightly withdrew when Kaden reached for his hand made her fear the worst.

The doctor turned to Beau and nodded. “What’s going on?” Beau blurted out.

The doctor’s gaze settled on Kaden. “We’ve gotten the results from your tests.”

“And?” Beau insisted.

The doctor looked back at Beau. His face was stoic, but his eyes were filled with identifiable pity.

“Are you the boy’s father?” the doctor asked.

“Yes. What’d you find out?”

“Well, sir, after reviewing the lab and x-ray results, it looks like your son has contracted what we call active tuberculosis.”

Beau sank to the chair behind him. “Tuberculosis?” he uttered, his gaze flickered to his son. “Okay,” he said louder, more assuredly. “Tuberculosis is treatable. When are you planning on beginning the antibiotics?”

“That’s what I want to talk to you about.” The doctor’s voice was grim. He pulled at the collar of his jacket. “I can’t be sure until we run further tests. The lab results were inconclusive, but it currently looks as though his tuberculosis is from the resistant strain.”

“Resistant strain?” Ariadne spoke up. “You mean you can’t treat him?”

The doctor looked at her. “Like I said, we’ll have to run a few more tests. In the meantime, we will start treatment with a combination of Isoniazid, Rifampin, and Ethambutol. If it is the treatable strain, that should begin to kill the bacterium before there is more significant damage.”

“What do you mean
more significant damage
?” Beau rumbled.

The doctor stepped back toward the open door. “If this strain is treatable, we won’t need to worry. If not, well, in most cases the bacteria will begin to affect the heart, kidneys, and liver. There is also a slight possibility the bacteria could move into the brain and cause meningitis. We need to get on this and treat him prophylactically for the treatable strain.”

“Yes. Go. Get it started,” Beau ordered.

There was a crazed look in his eyes, a look filled with fear, anger, confusion, and determination. In another moment, it would have been sexy, but in the moment, it only made fear rise within her.

The doctor wrote something on his clipboard. “There are some possible side effects from the drugs, but if this is the treatable strain, he can stay at home while he undergoes treatment.”

Beau stood up. “I understand. But just do what you need to do. Go. Get the drugs my son needs.”

“Just so you know — best case, it will probably take at least eight weeks for him to be totally cleared.” The doctor scanned the room, but no one spoke. They all just sat in stunned silence. There was no way Beau would be leaving the island with his son in the hospital.

The doctor pushed his pen into his pocket. “Before we can start, you both need to leave the room as soon as possible. Tuberculosis is contagious, especially if he is coughing. We are going to move him to a negative air pressure room and get him isolated.”

Ariadne moved toward Kaden. His eyes were wide with fear.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Beau challenged. “This is my son. I’m not leaving his side.”

“I strongly recommend that you do. You’re doing your son no favors by staying here and possibly contracting the disease.”

The doctor reached into his pocket and handed Beau a business card. Beau grabbed it from his hands and shoved it into his back pocket.

The doctor pushed the clipboard under his arm and stepped to the door. “If you have any questions, you are welcome to call me. As soon as I get the culture results back from the lab, we’ll know more. I’ll make sure to get in contact with you.”

“You do that.” Beau stepped back, but his face was filled with anguish.

The door clicked shut behind the doctor.

The air of the hospital room was thick with concern. What were they going to do? How could she make this better? All of a sudden, Ariadne felt horribly out of place. This was a private family moment.

Beau stepped close to Kaden and she dropped the young man’s hand. “Do you want me to go?” She pointed at the door.

“No,” Beau said. “I need you.”

Kaden looked at her and nodded weakly.

“What should I do?” Kaden’s voice trembled with fear.

“It’s going to be fine, Kae,” Beau said, his voice resolute. “This is going to be treatable. Until we know for sure, we are going to take one day at a time. Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

“Beau … ” Kaden looked at his father. “I mean, Dad … I love you.”

Beau smiled, but as he looked away from Kaden, there were tears in his eyes. She had never heard Kaden call Beau “Dad” before, and from the look on Beau’s face, the word was more than just a name.

“I love you, too, Kae.” Beau patted Kaden’s arm lovingly.

She swallowed back the emotions that threatened to spill over, but she couldn’t stop the tears that welled in her eyes.

He dabbed his eyes as he turned to her. “I need to call his mother and let her know what they’ve found. Then I’ll call Trina and tell her she needs to get tested for tuberculosis.”