The Nymph's Curse: The Collection (18 page)

“Ariadne?” Beau said in a ragged voice. “I thought you weren’t coming.”

“I’m sorry, but I had to talk to you.” She looked over at Vickie. “Hi, Vickie. It’s nice to see you again.”

Vickie gave her a confused look. “Hey.”

Ariadne tried to hold her tongue, but failed. “I thought you would’ve gone back to your parents by now.”

It was hard to see Vickie’s response through her blue surgical mask, but Ariadne caught a flicker of anger in her eyes. “I had to stay and take care of the boys. They mean a lot to me.”

“I’m glad to hear it.
They
need as much support as they can get right now.”

Beau sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “We don’t want to disturb Kae.”

Ariadne’s cheeks flushed. She had no intention of a verbal discord with a lumbering college girl. She was better than this. And if Beau wanted the girl more than he wanted her, that was his choice. Though she would fight for him, if his heart led him toward the blonde harlot the only thing she could do to bring him back would be to seduce him, and there was no real lasting love in such a tempestuous foundation.

Kaden’s IV beeped. His face was pale and swollen.

Maybe it was better that Beau would go for the girl; loving a nymph came at too high a cost.

“Why don’t we take a break and get some coffee or something?” Beau stood up and stretched. “You coming, Vickie?”

Vickie looked up at Beau with a slight grimace. “Sure, it would be nice to get up and walk.”

Ariadne led the way out of the room. Looking down the hall, she stripped off the isolation gown and mask, but Tammy had disappeared. Hopefully the witch would notice their absence. Beau and Vickie threw their clothes in the biohazard laundry and Beau walked up beside her. They made their way to the elevator, forcing Vickie to walk behind them. Ariadne nervously tapped her foot until the door opened and they quietly made their way toward the garlic-scented cafeteria.

Beau stared at Ariadne, his eyes were red and his face was covered in stubble. He opened the cafeteria’s door for her and bumped into Vickie as she moved to walk through after her. “Sorry,” Beau mumbled.

Vickie frowned. “Why don’t you guys just talk? I’ll come back later.”

“You — ”

“That’ll be great,” Ariadne said, stopping Beau from finishing his sentence.

Vickie glared at her, then looked at Beau. “I’ll meet you back up in the room in a few minutes. Okay?”

Beau stared at her for a few seconds. “Why don’t you go back to your host family? I’ll call you. Visiting hours are almost over.” He looked down at his watch.

Vickie stepped back, looking affronted. “But … You … ” she stammered. “If that’s what you want, Beau.”

“Yeah,” Beau said, as he looked up from his watch. “Please.”

Vickie nodded, and without addressing Ariadne, turned around and walked out of the cafeteria.

Getting their coffees, Ariadne and Beau sat down at a melamine table with a white vase filled with plastic yellow flowers.

“Thank you.” Ariadne thumbed the lip of the paper coffee cup.

Beau looked up at her. “For what?”

“For talking to me. I know how upset you must be right now. But you have to trust that I didn’t do what I did to hurt you.”

He rubbed his hands over his face and then dropped them to the table. “I just don’t understand it. I don’t understand why you would want to shut us down. We did nothing to you. We are only helping the museum in the long run.”

“I know. You’re right. But I don’t just work for the museum.” She paused and took a sip of her coffee.

“Who else do you work for? The NSF?” He leaned away from her and crossed his arms over his chest.

Her anger was palpable. “Why would I be working for the NSF?”

“They pulled my funding right after I met you. It’s just a little bit strange that everything bad that has been happening has gone down since you made an appearance into our lives.”

“I know.” Her heart clenched. He was never going to forgive her for what she’d done. “But I have a feeling that you are about to get lucky.”

He snorted. “Well, things couldn’t get much worse. All I’m hoping for is that Kaden gets better.”

“I do have some good news for you. And know it’s not about Kae.”
Though I am working on that.
She smiled. “But I just talked to Stavros.”

“Is that what’s going on with your get-up?” He pointed at her black evening gown. “You had a hot date?”

“No, no.” Ariadne flattened the fabric. “We definitely didn’t have a hot date, it was better.”

Beau looked at her with a confused expression on his face. “What do you mean it was better than a
hot date
?”

She blushed. “Don’t worry, I have no interest in having sex with that man.”

Beau looked down. “It’s up to you whether or not you want to have a relationship with him or anyone else.”

“I don’t want a relationship with him.” She gave him a furtive glance. “There’s only one person I want to have a relationship with, but I think he’s already taken.”

He looked out the window. “I know how that goes.”

Didn’t he understand? Or is he trying to avoid my inference?

“I … uh … ” She twisted her hands. “I came here to let you know some great news about your site.”

“Did it burn down?” He sat forward and dropped his hands to the table.

She laughed, the sound echoed off the apathetic walls. “Um, no. Stavros has decided to reopen it, without the tourists.”

“What? But how? What about the investigation?” Beau stammered.

She placed her hand on his, half-expecting him to pull away, but he didn’t. Instead, he looped his thumb over hers. “In the next few days, you can go back to your work. The investigation will no longer be a concern.”

Beau’s shoulders fell. “I can’t leave Kaden. I can’t leave him while he’s sick.”

“He’ll get better soon. Didn’t you say the doctors were going to try more meds?”

He nodded weakly.

“You just need to trust that everything will work out.”

I’m on it. I’m doing almost everything I can do
, she thought as she entwined her fingers with his. “Kaden is sleeping, right?”

He nodded.

She stroked his skin. “Why don’t I take you back to your apartment and you can get a shower and take a nap? If you want, I can come back and sit with him until you’re rested.”

He stared at her hand. “I don’t want to leave him.”

“I know. But you need a break.” She tried to smile.

He was silent for a minute. “Let me tell Kaden where I’m going.”

The ventilator whooshed and wheezed as it pushed and pulled air from Kaden’s body. Aside from the vast array of machines, the room was empty.
Had Tammy even been in?

Kaden’s color did look a bit pinker. Glancing at the medley of machines, she noted that his blood pressure had risen. Could Tammy be responsible for the better numbers?

Beau walked up next to the head of the bed and lifted Kaden’s hand to his lips. Never before had she seen such an honest and tender expression of love. He must have been so afraid, so absolutely terrified that his son wouldn’t make it. Her heart broke for them.

Ariadne turned away to hide the tears that welled in her eyes. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back.”

Walking out of the room, she made her way down the hall and into the stairwell. She just needed a moment. It was important that she stay strong for Beau and Kaden, he didn’t need a weakling around him. He needed someone who could help bear the burden of the curse. And she and Trina were responsible.

Had Beau heard about Trina?

It was better to let it go, he didn’t need another thing to deal with right now. Besides, if Kat found Trina, the situation was under control. There was no way Kat would let one of her loyal subordinates die; if she did, her hierarchy would be in danger. She loved power and control too much to let the death of a young nymph jeopardize what she held so dear.

A tap on her shoulder broke her concentration. Instinctively, her hands balled into tight fists and she spun around.

“I’ve been waiting for ya.” Tammy peered around her and down the stairs. They were alone. “I did what I could for the poor kiddo. He’s doing better, but I gotta say, it don’t look real good.”

Ariadne dropped her hands. “If I got you more supplies, do you think it would help?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re a witch. There has to be something more that you can do,” Ariadne choked, as a tear slipped down her cheek.

Tammy put her hand on Ariadne’s shoulder and squeezed. “I’m gonna try. But we won’t really know ’til tomorrow if anything’s gonna work. Be patient. I’ll do my best. But you guys need to get outta here so I can get some time to work before visiting hours are over. I’ll let ya know how it goes.”

Ariadne opened the door. “Thanks, Tammy. I appreciate it.”

• • •

The shower shut off with a loud thump and a bang. The sound perfectly matched the rest of Beau’s dingy apartment. Ariadne sat at the desk and listened as the sounds of Beau’s grunts filtered out into the bathroom.

“You okay in there?”

“Yep. Old, but great,” Beau called back.

He didn’t have a clue what
old
was.

“Oh, shit,” Beau grumbled.

“What? Did you fall down and break a hip, old man?”

“Ha ha ha, real funny. No. I forgot my clothes.”

Without meaning to, she smiled. “Don’t let me stop you from coming out to get them.”

The door cracked open. “I don’t know about most Greeks, but this place doesn’t seem to believe in towels that cover.”

She laughed. “If you want, I’ll look away.” She turned her head slightly to the side, but kept an eye on him as the door moved wider.

“That’s not really looking away,” he said, with a tired, but playful edge to his voice.

She turned and looked directly at him as he walked out of the bathroom. Water dripped down his tan sculpted chest. How had she forgotten how good he had looked in the moonlight? He held the small bath towel tightly, which made his biceps look more pronounced. She sucked in a breath as she felt the wetness grow between her thighs.

“You okay?” He smiled, but his eyes were weary.

“Sorry. I … ” She looked away. “You need to get your rest. I shouldn’t have stayed this long.” She rose from her chair and stepped toward the door, but he grabbed her.

“Stop. I want to thank you for whatever it was that you did to make Stavros reopen the site. I know how hard it is dealing with an ex. I still don’t know why you did what you did to my site, but I’m sure you had your reasons.”

“I’m so sorry, Beau. Know that I never wanted to hurt you. I never
want
to hurt you. It was a mistake. One that I’m trying to fix.”

Still holding his towel, he stepped toward her. He pushed a stray hair behind her ear, and his warm hand fell to her waist. “I know.”

His wet, warm breath brushed against her skin, and made her heart quicken. She lifted her chin and met his gaze. The subtle light made the brown of his eyes even more mesmerizing. He leaned in, she moved slightly forward, and their lips met.

The sound of his towel hitting the floor was the only noise besides the thundering of her heart. He grabbed her hips and pulled her into his nakedness. He pressed against her, and her inner nymph took over as she rolled her body against him. She sucked on his bottom lip until he moaned.

She pulled back, releasing his mouth. “This isn’t resting.”

“No, but I need this just as badly. I need to know that you still care about me.” He ran his fingers up her back as she sucked in an excited breath. “I’ve never felt more alone. I just want a few hours of something good.”

She rested her head on his chest. “You aren’t alone anymore,” she whispered. “I want you in my life. And I want to be a part of your life. Can you forgive me for the things I have done?”

He kissed her forehead and down her face to her lips. She yielded to his searching tongue.

Leading her to the bed, he unzipped the back of her dress. She let it slip down her shoulders, revealing the tops of her breasts. Beau kissed the bottom of her neck, over her collarbone and down between her naked breasts, making the tingling need between her thighs grow. He pulled her into his mouth and sucked. The feeling of his tongue flicking against her nipple made her knees grow weak. Beau must have realized, because he let go and laid her on the bed.

“You’re so unbelievably sexy. I don’t know how I ever got this lucky to have you share my bed.” He pulled the black dress down past her waist. She lifted her hips and he eased it from her body and dropped the fabric to the floor.

Sitting up, she took his hand. “I’m the lucky one.”

She led his fingers to the top of her black lace panties. He needed no coaxing as he slipped his finger under the waist, tugged them downward, and revealed all of her. He dropped his knees to the floor and pushed her knees apart.

He put his mouth on her and moved in rhythm with the arching of her body. He hummed and her body contorted with the intense sensation. The tempo of his pulse increased.

“Oh, goddess.” She forced her body to sit up.

Beau stopped. She pulled him on the bed next to her, climbed on top of his strong body and led him inside of her with the movement of her hips. He reached up and took hold of her body as she rotated her hips, driving him deeper inside of her wetness. He thumbed her nipple as their bodies moved in perfect unison.

The sweat dampened her breasts and a droplet slid down her flesh. Beau smiled and kissed away the drip. Without removing himself, he gently moved her onto her back and took control. The simple action drove her to the edge. “I’m close,” she moaned.

“Come for me.” He drove deeper.

She closed her eyes as she felt the precipice nearing. Her toes curled as her body quivered and writhed beneath him as the wave of pleasure swept through her body. His body mimicked hers as he shuddered and moaned. Holding her close, his head fell to her chest and their heavy breaths mirrored each other.

Her phone chirped from her purse on the desk, but the sound barely registered through her fog of euphoria.