Casey took the car early the next morning to drive down to the National Archaeological Museum in Exárcheia. Tessa tried to entice her back into bed, and it took all the will power the small blonde had, not to give in to the dark-haired woman's seductive advances. Later, returning up the same road to Tessa's home, Casey pinched the top of her nose to try and ward off the pain of the headache the meetings had caused.

She detested dealing with museum administrators and the fact that they were all men and she, being the only woman, didn't help either. She was second in command of the dig, her associate; another professor from the University in California was in charge. Cyrus Bennington was a nice man and more knowledgeable than anyone in the field of Cycladic sculpture. In his seventies, he was still from the old school and fit in perfectly with the Greek curators at ignoring nearly every suggestion Casey made. She was not only furious, but her head was now filled with a dull throb. God, this is going to be one long dig. She thought to herself pulling into the stone driveway of the estate.

"It's me," she said into the wireless console at the gate and listened as a click released the lock on the entrance.

Pulling the strong gate closed, she turned to find two Dobermans bounding toward her, tennis balls held snugly between ferocious looking teeth. The small nubs of their tails whisked back and forth quickly.

Hey, there...where's your mom at?" Casey asked, trying to fend off the wet animals with her briefcase.

Tessa heard the exchange from her seat by the pool. She smiled slightly at the domestic feel of it all. A sudden frown pulled her brow together as she thought of the future again. There would be no domestic life for the two of them, of that she was certain. She shrugged away the feeling of hopelessness. She refused to think about what would come later, at least not this weekend. This weekend she would enjoy being in love, for the first, and most definitely last time in her life.

"Hey, you look wiped." Tessa remarked.

The dark-haired woman wore a loose fitting tank top and shorts, and sandals on her feet. She grabbed the tennis balls from the dogs and threw them into the pool. Both animals leapt into the water and splashed and swam around the shallow end for a few moments.

"Come here," Tessa held out her hand.

Casey removed her jacket and unfastened a few of the buttons on the pale green, sleeveless top she wore. She slipped out of the low-heeled pumps and set them on top of the patio table. Tossing her jacket over the back of another chair, she slid into the Karê's lap. Tessa ran her hands along the small blonde's arm, raising goose pimples in the wake of her touch. Casey leaned her head on the sun-warmed shoulder of her lover and let out an easy sigh.

"I hate dealing with men." Casey sighed.

"Do I need to go in there and knock a few heads together for you?" Tessa asked teasingly.

That caused Casey to laugh. "How do you do it? I mean, After two hours I wanted to beat the crap out of those sexist assholes!"

It was Tessa's turn to laugh. "Take a number, honey. Women have been waiting in line for centuries expecting men to wake up and treat them as equals. I just figured out a little sooner than you that it's not going to happen. The time for being the woman behind the man is over, it's time to take what you want."

"But how? I can see how you do it, but I don't think I've got the physical presence to cause men to shake in their boots."

"No, you're never going to be able to strong arm men. I can because I can be physically intimidating, but it's more than that. I watch men and I understand the ways they think and ways they'll react in different circumstances. The truth of the matter is, whether all feminists want to believe it, is that men are different from women. Men react differently to fear; they have a whole different agenda in life and things that terrify them. One commodity that is common in almost all of them is that their pride or their machismo will always be their downfall."

Tessa continued to speak as Casey lifted her head up and listened intently.

"I can strong arm men, but you'll never be able to do that. You do have abilities that I'll never possess. You're and extremely intelligent woman, Casey, you're knowledgeable about what you do, don't let that intelligence hide under a rock. Secondly, you have a wit and a charm about you that could disarm an entire regiment of soldiers. Use what you have and don't worry so much about what you don't have."

"How did you get so smart?" Casey smiled and Tessa's stomach flipped slightly at the love her smile radiated.

Tessa simply smiled in return and they kissed one another softly.

"I think your girls feel neglected." The small blonde said, motioning for the two dripping dogs to come out of the shallow water of the pool.

"Mmmm, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Tessa said with a knowing grin.

"Why?" Casey asked.

The two massive canines began to shake the water from their fur, drenching the two seated women.

"Oh, God." Casey laughed, now soaked to the skin.

"Warned you." Tessa was nearly shaking, trying to hold back her laughter.

"Oh, some warning." Casey couldn't stop laughing until the Karê gave in and joined her. "This is just the way my day is going." The small blonde threw up her hands in defeat.

Tessa stood, easily holding the smaller woman in her arms. The dark-haired woman turned to the sliding glass doors.

"Where are we going?" Casey asked.

"To the bedroom...I'm going to help your day get better." The Karê said seductively.

"You like wearing dresses, don't you?" Tessa asked the young woman standing in front of the closet.

"Well, yea, I'm not sure why, but I guess I do." Casey answered, a little unsure of the reasoning behind the question.

The two spent the better part of the afternoon making love and lying around the house listening to music. Tessa suggested they go out somewhere nice for dinner to get out of the house and enjoy the warm evening. Casey was in the process of laying out her clothes when she placed a low cut, cream colored dress on the closet door, preparing to dress.

They spent the day together, dined together, and eventually showered together, and still Tessa felt like she couldn't get enough of the small blonde. She watched as the young woman moved about the bedroom, clad only in her short terry cloth robe. She admired the sleek, tan legs and was secretly glad her lover was one of those women who felt completely comfortable in a dress or a skirt.

"Dresses show off your legs. You have great legs, by the way." Tessa complimented, lying across the end of the bed, her head in the palm of her hand.

"Short legs, you mean." Casey countered.

"Uh Unh...just right. Damned near perfect."

"You're prejudiced." Casey turned around and said.

"Yep." Tessa grinned.

"I bet you haven't worn a skirt since you were twelve." The small blonde teased.

"I'm just not the type. You'd lose that bet, though. I went to Catholic school in England until I was seventeen. Wool skirts were the standard issue."

"Tell me about it! Same thing on Long Island." Casey smiled in commiseration.

"Come here, love." Tessa smiled as she sat up on the edge of the bed. "You are so beautiful." She said as Casey walked over and slipped her hand in the one Tessa held out in offering.

Casey stood over her and the Karê pulled her close enjoying the way the young woman shivered in pleasure at her touch. Tessa untied the knot at Casey's waist and pulled the robe open slightly, revealing her naked figure. Strong arms wrapped around the slim waist and the dark-haired woman kissed the taut skin across her abdomen. She reached out a pink tongue and slid the tip against the small blonde's skin. Tessa moaned softly.

"God, you taste so good." She murmured, nuzzling the underside of the standing woman's breasts.

Tessa pulled the standing woman down to sit on the edge of the bed next to her. She maneuvered herself to her knees in front of the small blonde, spreading Casey's legs apart. The kneeling woman shrugged out of her own silk robe and pressed her body close until she could feel her lover's wet center against her belly. Another moan and Tessa was kissing Casey as if it were the first time. Tender and soft, she caressed her lover's lips with her tongue before pressing harder, requesting entry. When she moved her kisses around to the blonde's neck, she pulled the cloth robe from the young woman's shoulders with a delicate glide.

"I need to know if you taste this good everywhere." Tessa murmured into her kisses.

"You tell me." Casey responded, hoping the larger woman meant what Casey thought she did.

In all their lovemaking, this was something Tessa hadn't shared with her yet and the young woman was desperate to experience this pleasure with her new lover. Tessa never stopped Casey from going down on her, but she never reciprocated the pleasure. Casey shrugged it off initially. It wouldn't be the first time she'd ever been with a woman who enjoyed the pleasure on herself but refused to perform oral sex. She didn't understand why Tessa waited so long, but the dark-haired woman seemed downright frantic about it now.

Tessa held the small blonde's face in her hands and kissed her for all she was worth. Casey's whimpers of delight struck straight at the large woman's heart and her stomach flipped in anticipation. She nuzzled the warm skin of her lover's neck and let her tongue play enticingly with a sensitive earlobe.

"I want my tongue inside you," the kneeling woman whispered, unsure of how the words would affect her young lover. She smiled when she received the answer she had hoped for.

"Oh yes, Nikki, please." Casey pleaded, guiding the dark head down her abdomen.

A low growl emanated from the depths of Tessa's very being at the first, luscious scent of her lover's arousal as she brought her head down between Casey's legs. The blonde leaned back on one elbow, her other hand pressed atop the raven head between her thighs. Tessa hovered over her lover's glistening sex, waiting for Casey's eyes to meet her own. The moment that the dark green orbs locked onto the blue eyes below that shimmered with lust, Tessa ran her tongue along the entire length of the small blonde's sex.

"Yesss," Casey's hips rose from the bed to follow the source of the delicious pleasure. "Please, Nikki...don't tease me...I need you."

Her lover's impassioned plea drove all thoughts of games or teasing from Tessa's mind. "Do you know how beautiful you are?" The dark-haired woman asked.

Not waiting for an answer, Tessa retraced her tongue's path along outer lips that glistened with sweet moisture. The tip of her tongue gently spread inner folds apart and she lovingly explored each crease and crevice. She avoided the swollen bundle of nerves even though she could hear Casey's frustrated whimpers. She continued her tongue's tender caresses until Casey's whimpers changed to throaty moans and her hips began to thrust against the tongue that slipped inside of her.

"Oh God, please...oh, please, Nikki...don't stop." Casey begged as the dark-haired woman began to concentrate on her swollen clit.

Casey writhed and drove her hips in tune with the strokes from Tessa's tongue; faster and deeper the muscle filled her until Casey knew she wouldn't be able to prolong the pleasure any longer. The small blonde finally allowed herself to give in to the absolute surrender her partner demanded.

"Oh, God, Yes! Nikki...Nikki!" Casey cried out.

Tessa plunged her tongue deeply inside her lover, wanting to feel the convulsive spasms of her release as they rolled throughout her small frame like a never-ending wave. Casey cried out as she exploded in orgasm, her whole body tensing then releasing in jerks and shudders.

Tessa ran her tongue gently through the quivering folds, gathering the sweet nectar her lover's climax had produced. Rising from her knees, she made her way up to the bed, pulling Casey's small figure against her. The blonde delighted in the feel of her lover's arms around her and when she tilted her head and felt Tessa's smooth lips on her own, she could taste her own arousal on the dark-haired woman's lips.

"Thank You," Tessa whispered.

"Shouldn't I be thanking you?" Casey asked in wonder.

"Not this time, baby. I've wanted you that way from the very first moment I met you. I couldn't even explain it to myself. You see, it's not something I usually do."

"Well, you sure picked it up fast." Casey grinned, leaning herself up on one elbow to look down on her lover.

Tessa smiled rather sheepishly and a light blush began working its way up her neck. "I hope you enjoyed it." The Karê seemed genuinely worried about that fact.

"Enjoy wasn't the word. You're serious aren't you? You never do this with other women?" Casey asked in surprise.

"Women do that for me, but I...Well, it's such an intimate act. I've rarely felt enough for anyone to...Casey, sex has never been about anything more than feeling good for me. I used women for what I needed...there was never any emotions involved." Tessa turned her head away in embarrassment. You should have never opened yourself up this way, Niko. She's history for sure now.

"Hey," Casey said softly. "Hey," she repeated, taking Tessa's chin in her hand and turning it toward her. Casey watched as tears uncharacteristically rolled down the high cheekbones. "I know how hard this is for you, Nikki...opening up in front of someone else. I'm not going anywhere, though. I already knew that you weren't about to win any Mother Theresa awards, you don't have to hide your past from me. Those other women...we are talking past right?" Casey finished hesitantly.

Tessa displayed perfect white teeth in a smile meant only for her lover. "Yes, baby...they're all in the past."

"Can I ask you one more thing?" Casey asked.

"Anything, love."

"Can we go eat now because I am really hungry." Casey replied.

Tessa laughed at her lover and pulled her tightly against her own body, kissing her passionately. "By all means, lets get you fed. Besides, you'll need your strength...for later."

Dinner was a fantastically romantic affair, as Tessa seemed to have acquaintances all over Athens. They had a private meal on the rooftop of one of the most elegant restaurants in Greece. They took a long walk down the shop streets, doing nothing more than talking and enjoying one another's company.

Tessa watched her companion ooh and aah over the jewelry displayed in the shop window. Large diamond wedding sets were displayed prominently, but Casey seemed the most impressed with the small delicate pieces. Tessa stood close behind her until the small blonde could feel the taller woman against her back. Tessa spoke in a tone so soft and low only Casey could hear her.

"I'd like to see you wearing one of those for me some day."

Tessa could scarcely believe her own ears. Did I just ask her to marry me?

"All you have to do is ask, love." Casey responded, realizing that time might be a long way off for the two lovers. Oh please, Nikki, ask me someday when you're serious!

Tessa was once again thrown for a loop by the small woman's response. Casey seemed to take everything in stride. Nothing the Káre said; nothing Tessa mentioned as a part of her horrible past, seemed to set this girl back. For perhaps the hundredth time that weekend, Tessa tried to push down the fear that rose like bile in her throat. There will come a time, little one, and then I'll be the cause of your pain.

Tessa reached in quickly and squeezed the small blonde's shoulder. It took a great deal of control not to wrap her arms around the girl right here on the street, but she did have to remember who they were and where they were. Athens may not be Mýkonos, but it was damn close. Too close to take chances in spots where prying eyes might be keeping tabs. So far, nothing they'd done out in public could be misconstrued as anything more than the fact that the two women were perhaps becoming close friends.

Casey felt the contact as the taller woman squeezed her shoulder and she leaned back against her, just slightly in reply. Tessa explained the way they would have to act in public and while Casey hated the idea, she understood. She'd been there before, anyway. It wasn't like it would be any different in the states. The one difference here in Athens was that everyone seemed to know Tessa. Business owners, students, even women on the street, nodded their heads and greeted her using her current title, Karê.

They decided to take a break and sat outside at one of the local tavérnas to enjoy a glass of retsína. The owner led them to the best table without having to be asked.

"Nikki, how does everyone know you here?" Casey asked.

Tessa searched the blonde's eyes and felt another piece of that wall around her soul give way. "Are you sure you really want to know?"

Casey understood the logic in that question. Tessa was really asking her if she wanted to hear about that horrible past she kept referring to.

"Yes, I want to know all of you, Nikki. The good and the bad."

Tessa motioned to the owner to leave the bottle when their drinks were brought around. She wasn't sure where to start. She couldn't tell her lover too much, but she didn't want to lie about who she'd been, about who most people thought she still was. The Karê shook her head, tossing her bangs from her eyes and cleared her throat.

"Athens used to belong to me." She stated simply. "I controlled everything that came in and went out via the docks. The men in the unions were loyal to me, not because they wanted to be, but because they were afraid of me. Everyone paid me to control the city. >From the prostitutes to the police, I ran their entire lives through my own little reign of terror that lasted for nearly ten years. These people are not being polite because they respect me, Casey; they're doing it out of fear. Because they know what I've done...what I could do again."

Tessa watched the deep green eyes as she spoke, searching them for some sign of revulsion...abhorrence, but what she did find, staring out from the viridian depths nearly melted her stoic will. The Karê saw her own pain mirrored in the eyes of her lover. Casey's eyes filled with tears and they radiated a depth of emotion that Tessa hadn't had directed toward her since she was a girl, when her father was alive. It was unconditional love.

"Nikki," Casey said softly, "How did you become that way?"

Tessa thought about how to answer that question. The truth was that on an Easter day, twenty years ago, she had her world pulled out from underneath her. Everything she'd been taught about honor, trust, and integrity became a lie. In the space of a few moments in time, an eleven year old Tessa Nikolaidis found out that only the strong got what they wanted, that wealth and power were the ultimate weapons of destruction, and that there was only one thing that people understood. Fear. How could she tell Casey that she spent the last twenty years becoming the kind of person that existed for only one thing...revenge?

"I guess it started when my father was murdered. I became a little disillusioned after that."

Casey turned a little light-headed and she couldn't take her eyes off the red awning behind Tessa. The Karê watched as the small blonde flinched at some memory, her face taken over by that far off expression.

"Casey, are you okay?" Tessa reached her hand over the table and covered the smaller one resting there. "Your hands are ice cold...Casey?"

The young woman shook her head a little to clear the cobwebs and locked on to the blue eyes in front of her that were filled with concern. The red awning behind where her lover sat seemed to be filling up her entire vision.

"I'm sorry, honey. I'm just getting one of those weird feelings, you know? It seems to be passing." Casey finally lifted her head. Her bright smile eased the dark-haired woman somewhat. "Would you mind if we just went back home?"

Tessa smiled slightly at the sound of that...home. Coming from Casey's lips it had a sound of love and permanence to it. "Yea, I think that's a good idea. Let me settle the bill, will you be okay here for a few minutes?"

Casey nodded. "I'm fine now, really. Pickup a bottle of retsína too."

Tessa rose and with a worried glance at her partner, walked inside the small tavérna.

The small blonde sipped the rest of her wine and pushed the empty glass aside. An older woman in her forties scooped up the glass and set in on tray.

"Efcharistó." Casey smiled, thanking the woman.

"You do not belong with her." The older woman said softly.

"I beg your pardon?" Casey responded.

"The Karê, you don't know the kind of woman she is. The kinds of things she does."

Casey's voice took on a hard edge. "I know exactly what kind of woman she is, thank you. She is trying to forget what happened in her past."

Casey added this last and she wasn't sure why she felt she should explain to this stranger. The woman looked toward the door, watching for Tessa's return.

"You think it is her past that haunts her? Do you call a few days, the past?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you know what happened to the young men who shot at you on Sunday?" The woman looked again at the door and leaned closer to Casey. The blonde's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Yes, I know who you are, Cassandra Meridio."

The woman juggled her tray in one hand and pulled a folded piece of the Ta Nea out of her apron pocket. She held the newspaper clipping out for Casey to see. Cassandra's picture was displayed next to a short feature on the incident in front of the church.

"What happened to them?" Casey asked hesitantly, suddenly afraid of the answer.

"All but one returned, the man who shot the gun. No one has seen him since the day the Karê took him for a car ride here in Athens. It is rumored that his arkheedias were delivered to your father in a sack."

"You're wrong." It was all Casey could think to say, but it came out weakly.

The older woman spied Tessa coming back to the table and she took a rag and pretended to wipe the table clean. "If you're so sure she has changed...ask her what became of George Míkolo." She added quickly before turning away.

Tessa walked back to the table and thought that Casey looked even worse than when she left.

"Come on, let's get you home." The dark-haired woman frowned.

The quick ride back to the estate passed in silence. Casey wanted nothing more than to discount everything the stranger had said. But something nagged at her insides; something that told her Tessa wasn't being completely honest with her. She couldn't put her finger on it, but the thought had fluttered quickly in and out of her conscious mind for days now. She knew that her lover was protecting her from certain aspects of the Karê's dark past, but she wondered if that was the only reason Tessa shut her out sometimes.

Tessa drove with both hands on the wheel, pondering her lover's silence. The Karê bit her lip, cursing herself silently for bringing up her father. It seemed like it would only take the tiniest of things to jog Casey's mind and once again she would be thrown into the horror of that day. Tessa watched her lover's pain at not being able to remember; yet so sure something was wrong. It broke her heart that she couldn't ease the young woman's suffering, but if she revealed everything, wouldn't it only cause Casey more needless pain? You're lying to yourself again, Niko. Is it really Casey's well being that you're worried about or that you know that if you tell her what you're really about, she'll leave you?

The five-minute car ride seemed to last an eternity, for both women.

Tessa sat the cup of hot tea on the end table by the overstuffed double wide chair Casey sat in. "This will warm you up at least." The tall woman said, kneeling in front of the small blonde and rubbing her hands to get some warmth into the freezing limbs.

Casey didn't even look up at the Karê and finally Tessa stood to move away. Casey's hand shot out and took hold of Tessa's long, slender fingers.

"Sit here with me," she said, moving over in the large chair.

Tessa smiled softly and tossed her jacket over the sofa. Casey watched as the Karê also removed her pistol from the small of her back. The tall woman eased her frame into the chair and Casey easily slid into her lap. The contact the younger woman established seemed to calm the dark-haired woman's fears considerably and Tessa wrapped her own warm embrace around her lover.

"Honey, what can I do?" Tessa asked.

Casey's body shook slightly and the Karê realized it wasn't the shiver that occasionally ran across her lover's skin when Tessa touched her. The young woman was actually trembling. Tessa pulled her closer against her own body, thinking that at first it was the memories of that day that caused Casey's condition. Oh, little one, if I tell you why you have these dreams, it will only cause you more pain.

"Talk to me, Casey. Tell me what's wrong."

Casey buried her face against the smooth, dark skin of her lover's neck. She loved the scent of Tessa's skin. The small blonde shook her head back and forth, unable to speak. How can I ask her? It will change everything if I do. If I ask her, then isn't that the same as telling her I don't trust what she's been telling me, and if I don't ask, will I ever be able to trust her completely?

Tessa suddenly felt wet tears on her neck and knew that this was more than just a piece of Casey's old nightmare brought to life.

"Honey, what is it? Are you having second thoughts about us...about being with me?"

Casey nodded her head against Tessa's shoulder as her tears continued. Tessa took in a deep breath and held it momentarily before releasing it. She could feel the hot tears burning the backs of her eyes, but she didn't want to give in to them. She never knew it could happen so fast or that it would hurt this much. She swallowed down the pain that suddenly clutched at her chest and tried to sound sympathetic, although her own heart was breaking.

"It's allright, baby, shh. I'll take you to the hotel; you don't have to stay here tonight, I understand."

"No, that's not what I mean." Casey sobbed as she lifted her head to look into Tessa tear filled azure gaze.

"What, Casey?" Tessa gently brushed away the tears from the young woman's cheeks. "Has someone hurt you...have I done something to hurt you?"

Casey shook her head but still the tears rolled down her cheeks. "I need to ask you something, but I'm afraid of what you'll think of me after you hear what it is."

Tessa tilted the young woman's head up to look into her eyes, brimming with tears. "Is it something about my past?"

Casey nodded.

"Something you've heard that I've done?" Tessa asked knowingly.

"Yes." Casey nodded again.

Tessa pulled the woman close and felt the small blonde tuck her head snugly under the Karê's chin. "Casey, you can ask me anything you need to. I won't ever judge you for that."

"Do you promise your answer will be the truth?"

Tessa's eyes searched the room as if unconsciously seeking a way out. Can I tell the absolute truth? The dark-haired woman felt the small figure in her arms shake with her sobs and Tessa's heart felt like it was being ripped from her chest. She knew right then what the answer to any question her lover asked of her would be. Even if Casey guessed, Tessa would own up and admit the truth simply to ease the young woman's hurt.

"On one condition." Tessa answered softly, pulling Casey's head up to look at her again. "Only if you'll stop crying for me, allright?" Tessa whispered tenderly and kissed the blonde's forehead.

They sat that way for a while until Casey calmed her nerves and stopped the flow of tears. Tessa sat back and ran her fingers through the short blonde hair, holding to her lover tightly with her other arm.

"Nikki," Casey started without raising her head. "I need to know who George Míkolo is."

Casey felt the Karê's whole body tense under her. She said nothing more, waiting for her lover to respond. She felt in her heart that when Tessa gave her word to tell the truth, she would.

Tessa froze at the sound of the young man's name. Where did Casey hear about him? The Karê searched her brain for the few people they'd crossed paths with since dinner. The woman at the tavérna! Now she remembered how the woman had moved away rather quickly when Tessa made her way back to the table and how Casey had looked rather ill. The question was...who was the woman?

"He's the young man who shot at you last weekend." Tessa answered simply.

"Did you kill him?"

"No, love I didn't kill him." Tessa answered softly.

"Did you hurt him?"

"Well, that depends on your definition. I think I scared the holy hell out of him, but no, Casey, I never touched him."

"But, that woman back at the tavérna, she said you cut off his balls and delivered them to my father as proof that you murdered him. Why would she say that?" Casey raised her head now to look into the blue gaze of her lover.

"Because that's what your father asked me to do...that's what I used to do, Casey. I told you the men in Athens feared me, it's because that's the way I handled disloyalty. It was my trademark."

Tessa felt a small shudder run through the young woman's body.

"My father?" Casey whispered, but she seemed to be directing the thought at herself and so, Tessa remained silent. "Why is George Míkolo missing?" Casey asked after digesting the last bit of horror.

Tessa knew she was in deep now. It would all be over because now that she started, she knew she had to confess everything to Casey. Tessa needed to explain who she was and most of all...who Casey's father was.

"I can only tell you that he is alive, but I can't demonstrate that fact right now. If you'll trust me until Monday, I'll prove it to you."

It was the only thing Tessa could say, the only answer she could give. "Do you trust me, Casey?" Tessa asked in a voice so low that it was barely a whisper.

The young woman looked into her lover's face and saw something new there. Tessa's faced looked tired and defeated, as if for the first time the woman was experiencing what it was like to be unsure and afraid. As gently as she knew how, Casey kissed the lips in front of her.

"I'll do more than trust you, my love. I'll believe in you." Casey whispered.

Tessa held the woman to her in a fierce hug and kissed the small blonde's temple.

"You are everything to me, Casey...everything."

Tessa laid her body down alongside the naked figure of her lover and they did nothing more than kiss for a long time. Their lip's caresses were sensual and unhurried, neither woman wanting to rush into the flames, rather they wished to enjoy the smoldering embers of their passion. Tessa began by stroking the smooth skin of Casey's body, from mid-thigh to her waist. Slow and relentless, the dark-haired woman ran her fingers in feather light strokes across her lover's entire body.

Casey was simply amazed at how gentle this lover of hers could be. Looking at Tessa from afar you could only see the hard edge of her demeanor. Her body, cut through with its muscles and sharp angles looked as though it had been chipped from stone. Casey's hands found appearances to be deceiving, however. Tessa's skin was smooth as silk, her lips; warm and inviting, and her touch; so much more tender than anything Casey ever felt before.

Tessa lavished the young woman with more attention than Casey had ever experienced from all her past lovers combined. The dark-haired woman seemed to take her pleasure in pleasing the small blonde, who after hours of delicious torture, was eventually begging for release. Tessa held Casey's body on the edge for what seemed like an eternity, bringing the woman's passion to a peak, then slowly drawing back. Time and time again until the blonde could no longer hold back the tide that was welling up inside her.

When Casey's body shook with the first tremors of orgasm, Tessa simply followed her lover over the precipice. It wasn't enough for the dark-haired woman and once again she slowly built the fire within the young woman, this time encouraging Casey's release. Again and again, Tessa slowly brought her lover to another peak. She wanted to give everything to this woman who had slipped her way past the defenses of her dark heart, just as she wanted everything from her lover. Tessa asked for Casey's complete surrender as she eventually brought her body to a point of delirious exhaustion.

This was all Tessa had left to give, so that Casey would at least have memories of their tender lovemaking. Casey would always be able to look back on one night and know that Tessa had given her everything of herself, everything she had to give. It was nearing dawn and Casey slept soundly in the Karê's arms. Tessa watched the young woman in sleep, running her fingers through the impossibly soft, golden hair. At length, the dark-haired woman slipped from the bed and listened as Casey murmured a protest at the loss in her sleep. Tessa placed a kiss on the small blonde's cheek and the half-smile returned to her sleeping face.

Tessa walked out the sliding doors of the second floor bedroom onto the wooden balcony, followed by the two Dobermans. She sat on the floor of the deck and leaned her back against the house. The dogs padded over and lay pressed up against her. As she leaned her head back and looked up into the gray, early morning sky, the tears began. Tessa did nothing to try and stop them.

So there is penance to do in this life, after all, she thought to herself. This would be hers, to finally give her heart away, only to lose it. To experience the ecstasy of someone as wonderful as Casey loving her, ready to forgive her dark past, only to have to give it up. In her life she had been beaten, shot, but the pains of those incidents were nothing compared to the anguish that poured over her now.

She couldn't lie to Casey any longer. She could no longer pretend that they would have a life together. Tomorrow she would give Casey the last piece of herself. She would take her to the Center and show her who she was; what the young woman's father was, and where the small blonde fit into the chess game. They wouldn't like it at the Center, they weren't too happy when she showed up with Míkolo, but Tessa thought Jack could explain it all to Casey. If she tried she might lose her nerve halfway through or she would be tempted to take the woman in her arms and sugar coat it. Jack would know what to say and how to say it. He had daughters; he would understand the young woman's pain and confusion. Then again Jack could be a heartless bastard when he wanted to.

Tessa absently scratched behind Cinnamon's ears as the animal lay her head in the Karê's lap. Still the tears fell and Tessa closed her eyes tight to the pain as realization washed over her. She had just made love to Casey for the last time.

Tessa woke with a start, lying in the middle of the King-size bed alone. It was at least midmorning by the way the sun was beginning to stream in through the windows.

"Casey?"

"Down here." Casey called from the floor below.

Tessa breathed a sigh of relief. She thought for a moment that Casey was gone. She pulled on a robe and wandered downstairs, for the first time catching the tantalizing aroma coming from the kitchen.

"You got out of bed last night...I mean, early this morning." Casey accused once she felt the warm presence at her back.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep."

The smaller woman turned and slipped her arms around the Karê's waist. She looked up into red rimmed eyes and she suspected the reason for her lover's early morning departure. They kissed and Tessa closed her eyes at the sweet taste of her lover's mouth. When they pulled out of the kiss, Casey wrapped her arms tighter around the slim waist and rested her head on a soft, warm chest. Tessa kissed the top of her head and held her tighter.

"So, what are we having for lunch?" Tessa asked.

"Something I think you'll like." Casey replied secretively.

"Do I have time for a shower?"

"Yep, if you make it a quick one." Casey responded.

By the time they sat down for their meal, Tessa was cleaned and dressed and Casey set the table outside for their meal. When she sat the plates of food down Tessa's eyes widened and she grinned.

"Keftédes! These are my favorite." She cried, referring to the fried, meatball-like items made of pork. "How did you know and where in this house did you find the ingredients?" Tessa asked in wonder. "You know the only person who makes these for me is my mo--" She stopped abruptly, catching herself, but Casey didn't seem to notice.

Casey served the Keftédes on a bed of fresh mint along with saffron rice. "I'd love to say it was kismet or something, but actually Olympia told me. I learned to make these a long time ago in her kitchen. I've already been down to the market and back this morning, sleepyhead."

"I'm sorry, honey, I could have gone with you."

"You were sleeping so sound I didn't want to wake you."

"I can't believe I didn't wake up when you left. I've never felt comfortable enough around anyone to let down my guard like that." Tessa confessed.

"I know." Casey smiled. "I hope it was okay, but I brought Cinnamon with me. She just sat in the car with the top down and looked menacing whenever some guy would hit on me."

"Good girl, Cinny." Tessa said to the animal, scratching under her chin, looking up with a lopsided smile at the small blonde.

"Go on," Casey said with a smile. "Eat before it gets cold."

"I need to take you somewhere today, Casey." Tessa said, placing her coffee cup back onto the table, afraid to raise her eyes.

"To tell me more about who you are?"

"Yes." Tessa finally looked up and the fear was evident in her blue eyes. "I need for you to know all the truth about me. There are things you'll hear...about me...and, about your father that you won't want to hear. I'd like to give you the chance to back out if you want, Casey. I won't think badly about you, frankly I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to call it quits with us right now."

"I'm not about to give up on you, Nikki. I told you before, I love you...all of you."

"You won't after today." Tessa replied ominously.

Casey took a deep breath and wondered if she was really up for this. When did life get so hard?

"It's so terrible then...what I'll hear?" Casey asked.

Tessa nodded her head, that same wounded look haunting her expression. "I'm going to bring you to meet some people I know, that I work with. The things they tell you will all be true, you have to trust me on this. I want you to at least hear them out, then I'll answer every question you have."

"Allright, Nikki." Casey answered, not yet realizing that this would be the last day that she would proudly call herself, Meridio's daughter.

The car ride into the historic district of Kolonáki was a relatively silent one, both women lost in private thoughts. Tessa pulled the car into a modern underground garage and they walked the two blocks to a four-story brick building.

"A travel agency?" Casey questioned when she saw the sign, then wondered why a travel agency would need such a large building.

"Not really." Tessa replied, holding the door open for the smaller woman to enter.

They exited the elevator on the fourth floor and Tessa led the way through a small maze of offices. Finally she stopped in front of an older woman's desk. The stranger had thick rimmed glasses and auburn hair that had long ago lost its natural color.

"Tell Jack I'm here, I'll be in the conference room." Tessa said briefly then ushered Casey into a room that could indeed be considered a conference room.

"Have a seat, I'll be right back. Do you want something to drink?" Tessa asked.

Casey shook her head and watched as the dark-haired woman closed the door behind her. The young woman surveyed her surroundings and couldn't put it together. The supposed conference room looked the part, a large table surrounded by high back chairs and a large ornate mirror on the wall. A travel agency that looks nothing like a place of business? Casey silently pondered.

Tessa stood with her arms folded in an adjoining room that was completely dark. The mirror in the conference room allowed her to view Casey without the small blonde seeing her. She watched and could see the wheels turning inside her lover's brain.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" A male voice hissed from behind her.

"Afternoon, Jack." Tessa replied, not taking her eyes off of Casey.

"I'd really like to know, have you completely lost that Greek mind of yours, bringing her here?"

"She needs to know the truth."

"Bullshit! You need redemption and you think because you're screwing her, that now it's time to come clean."

Tessa turned her head and her blue eyes went pale. "You're watching me now?"

"I'm watching out for you! You happen to be a valuable commodity within our organization--"

"Which is why I ought to be able to make a few demands now and again." Tessa interrupted.

"I think you're wearing them out. Just what in the hell did you think that Míkolo business was?"

The man walked closer to the mirror and rubbed his face with the palm of his hand, sighing heavily. "Yea, well it's easy to see what the enticement is. Tell me Tessa, how bad is it?"

"I'm in love with her." She answered. So, why can't I say it to her?

"This wasn't the way this was all supposed to go down, you know?" Tessa said almost as if to herself. "I want you to tell her the truth."

"You know she's going to tell her old man once I do. No way is she going to just sit back and watch. No, forget it."

"This is not a negotiable point." Tessa hissed, turning an angry face to the man.

"And, just which truth do you want me to tell her? The way I see it or the way you see it?"

"What in the hell is that supposed to mean?

"It means, do I tell her you plan on whacking her old man?" the older man growled.

"You only need to tell her what she needs to know." Tessa replied.

"So I tell her you're setting up Meridio, but I don't tell her that in return I'm gonna turn my head while you put a bullet in his brain for what he did to your father."

Tessa grew silent and lowered her head, bringing her hand up to rub the back of her neck. Jack was harsh, but she knew the man dealt in harsh truths everyday. She rather admired the older man and Jack told her numerous times that he was sorry the Bureau hadn't found out about her sooner. He said they would have made a great team on the right side of the law.

"Just don't say anything about my father, okay?" Tessa asked.

"She was there, how can she not know about it already?"

"She was a little kid. She doesn't remember what happened that day. She has nightmares and I don't want to set anything off we're not equipped to deal with." Tessa responded truthfully.

"Oh, wonderful," Jack replied. "I get stuck with the tough dyke and her looney girlfriend."

So fast he never saw it coming, the man's body was slammed against the wall, the woman's strong arms holding him in vise-like grip.

"She is a lady and you damn well better treat her that way." The dark-haired woman rasped.

"Allright...allright." Jack said hoarsely.

Tessa loosened her grip and the man tried to collect himself. "Come on." He said at last.

"I thought maybe you dumped me here." Casey said.

Tessa came back into the room followed by a man in his late forties, maybe fifties. He was fit and trim with a little gray at the temples. Casey thought the man reminded her a great deal of her father.

"Never." The tall woman responded, taking Casey's hand in her own. "Cassandra Meridio, I'd like you to meet Jack Armstrong."

"Armstrong?" The small blonde asked with an amused smile.

"Don't even think about it." Jack shook the small hand offered to him.

"Oh, please." Casey couldn't resist.

"Okay." He said, rolling his eyes as if he's heard this line a million times.

"Jack Armstrong...the All American Boy?"

Even Tessa chuckled at the amusement Casey displayed and the discomfort the agent exhibited.

"My father had a wicked sense of humor." Jack replied.

Once Casey and Tessa settled into their seats Jack put on his game face and began.

"Ms. Meridio, I'm a Special Agent working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the Unites States. I'm here in Greece to head up an operation to catch a criminal that has managed to stay one step ahead of the law for a very long time now. We're here working with members of InterPol because this criminal represents a threat to the National Security of more than one country. That criminal's name is Andreas Meridio."

"This must be some kind of mistake. My father isn't a criminal." Casey said haltingly looking from Tessa to the stranger. "Nikki?" Casey asked the dark-haired woman.

Tessa placed a hand over Casey's smaller one that rested on the table. "I told you these things would be very hard to hear. I didn't want you to find out this way, Casey, but I care too much about you to see you stuck in the middle like this."

"Ms. Meridio, do you know what an arms dealer is?" Jack Armstrong asked.

"Guns? You're telling me my father sells guns?" Casey asked in a stunned voice.

"Not just guns. Military weapons; everything from hand grenades to light missiles, tanks, M-50's, air to ground missiles, high-caliber weapons of destruction. Now he's beginning to do a lot of business with third world countries. We're very afraid he may have gotten his hands on some nuclear weapons."

"The Libyans?" Casey asked almost in a whisper.

"Smart lady. Yes, the people you lunched with the other day are among the people we're worried about. We're at somewhat of a stalemate. We know where Meridio sells the arms once he gets them, but what we really need to know is who he gets them from. Without some actual proof, extradition will be all but impossible."

Casey looked like a woman who had been just told the impossible and was trying hard to digest the information. When the small blonde looked up, Tessa had her head lowered staring at the hands in her lap.

"What do you have to do with all of this, Nikki?"

"Ms. Nikolaidis works for our organization, we set her up as the Meridio Karê." Jack intervened.

"And, Tusky...was his car bomb really an accident?" Casey asked, suddenly suspicious.

"Let's just say that Mr. Tuscadaris' demise was fortuitous." He replied ominously.

"It sounds to me like you people aren't a whole lot better than the people you're out to catch." Casey said sardonically.

"Believe me, Ms. Meridio, we are." Jack said quickly perching himself on the table in front of the seated young woman. "These men kill people. Men, women, children, it doesn't matter if you get in their way."

Armstrong backed off as he caught the blue fire emanating from Tessa's eyes. This woman used to be a heartless killer and he wasn't in a hurry to push her to her limits today. God help the first idiot that lays a hand on Meridio's daughter. He's going to wish he'd never been born in a big way.

"Ms. Meridio do you know that small arms like the kinds your father deals in claim over 200,000 lives every year? Do you know why so many civilians are dying in supposed military conflicts? In World War I, for instance, 5 million people died, and 80 percent of them were soldiers. In World War II, 60 million died and half were soldiers. Since 1945, 30 million have died in wars and 80 percent of those were civilians. Men who deal in small arms are personally responsible for keeping some parts of this region of the world in an almost permanent state of war or civil war."

"Allright that's enough." Tessa said between clenched teeth. "Let's stay on track, shall we?"

"So all this talk about your past?" Casey looked over at her lover. "You're really a government agent?"

"No, honey. What I told you is true. I--I--" Tessa stammered.

"Ms. Nikolaidis is working for us in exchange for immunity for any crimes she may have committed while living in the Greek Islands." Armstrong jumped in. "She didn't exactly come willingly. She got her hand caught in the proverbial cookie jar, smoking gun and all."

Casey looked at Tessa who lowered her gaze to the floor. The small blonde returned her questioning gaze to the agent in front of her, a silent request to continue.

"She just happened to have killed a boy...the wrong boy."

"Nikki...you killed a boy?" Casey asked as Tessa's head shot up to glare at Armstrong.

"He was twenty-three."

"He also just happened to be a diplomat's son." Armstrong added.

"He was killing working girls down by the docks." Tessa turned to the small blonde to explain. "He'd hire a whore then he'd slit her throat for the fun of it. The police wouldn't do anything about it so I did."

"The embassy was handling it." Armstrong cut in.

"So, they were going to send him back to his own country where he could do it to girls there? Where is the justice for the women who were murdered here?" Tessa hissed.

The small blonde understood that these two must have had this conversation before as each backed off to a respective corner. Neither looked about to acquiesce on the point, but Casey felt somewhat relieved as to why Tessa would kill a man in cold blood.

"Well, it became a moot point," Armstrong turned back to Casey. "Turned out Tessa had an underling who was just dying to become boss. He set her up. The gun was literally smoking when the police showed up. So, that's when I showed up. Her position within Meridio's organization affords us the perfect opportunity to bring this little empire down. It's taken almost five years Ms. Meridio, to get to this point. I'm rather interested, what will you do with all of this information I've given you?"

"I--I don't know." Casey answered honestly.

"We've got three ways we can play this. Let me tell you what your options are from here on in. First, you can go back to America and you'll be notified when it's all over. Your father will most likely spend the rest of his life in prison. Second, you can continue to live in Greece, but should you breathe one word of our operation to your father, or anyone that might tell your father about it, then you leave me no alternative but to prosecute you also. That means it's likely that you'll end up in an adjoining cell with your father."

"Allright, I don't think she needs any threats thrown at her." Tessa stepped in.

"I'm merely explaining what her options are." Armstrong explained.

"You said there was a third option?" Casey said in her tough as nails California attitude type of voice.

"Yes, you can join us."

"No!" Tessa shouted, standing up.

"I think that's the young woman's decision. She could deliver what we need. She might be able to get that extra step closer."

"You're fucking pushing it, Jack." Tessa growled.

"That's enough!" Casey said loudly.

The small blonde stood and walked over to one of the windows and thought it odd that such a distasteful place would have such a beautiful view of Athens. She shook her head slightly to clear away the pensiveness and finally looked up at the man.

"Mr. Armstrong, apparently you've gotten a bad impression of what being Greek is all about. I have no intention of going against my family at this stage. You've told me a great many things, but you haven't offered me one shred of evidence to back up these accusations."

"Touché, Ms. Meridio. You're right, but I think we can provide you with that." Armstrong turned toward Tessa. "Why don't you show her a few things in the file room." He finished.

Tessa took that to mean their time was at an end. She held out her arm, more for Casey to walk in front of her than to be able to touch. In her heart she could feel what her young lover must have been thinking about her. Without warning, Casey slipped her hand into the Karê's grasp and squeezed it gently. Tessa rewarded the young woman with a small smile that was flooded with equal parts relief and amazement.

When the two women walked out the door with a slight backward glance in his direction, he caught the look on each of their faces. Once they closed the door behind them, Jack dropped into the chair with a groan.

"Those two are gonna ruin my career, I just know it." He said with a loud exasperated sigh.

Casey watched as reel after reel of 8mm film was played on a white projection screen in front of her. Hundreds of video tapes were stacked around the room all marked, Meridio. Tears fell as she viewed her father, the man she grew up worshipping, as he held center stage in each scene. They were all shot undercover so the quality left something to be desired, but there could be no mistake. She looked at hundreds of still photographs and listened to taped conversations until Tessa could see that the woman had reached her limit.

The two women walked at a leisurely pace through the lower gardens of the Acrópolis. Not a word was said about the day's earlier incident as they steered in the direction The Propyláia, which housed the Temple of Athena. Walking up the long flight of stone steps, Casey turned right to stand before what was left of the great temple. She pulled out a twenty-drachma coin and placed it gently on the wall, as she always did. She had no idea who picked up the coins, but since she was a small child every time her mother brought her to the Acrópolis, she taught Casey to pay homage to the ancient Greek goddess.

"My mother told me that if I believed with all my heart, Athena would make me strong." Casey explained her actions. The small blonde sat heavily on a stone block and wept. "I don't feel very strong." Casey cried.

Tessa held the small figure against her as she wept. There were no words that she could offer, but little by little, the love and the strength within the dark-haired woman, transferred itself into her lover.

By the time they arrived back at Tessa's estate, their silence became comfortable and no longer fearful and strained. They spent most of the evening in that companionable silence, wrapped around one another on a large rug in the living area. Tessa opened the patio doors to let in the cool night air just so they could light a fire in the fireplace and watch the flames hypnotically dancing across the walls.

Tessa lay stretched out in an old t-shirt and boxers, Casey leaning back in her arms wearing a short, silk chemise. Casey ran her hands along the Karê's strong arms, delighting in the feel of muscle under her fingertips. Her touch turned into a caress and soon her hand traveled down the hollow between the dark-haired woman's breasts.

Tessa, in the meantime, was trying hard to remember how to breathe. She knew in her heart that the small blonde wouldn't want her that way again; that she had destroyed the trust that existed between them. Tessa was very content to simply hold Casey and try to be a friend to the young woman. The only problem with that plan, as the Karê saw it, was that Casey didn't seem to be cooperating. The young woman seemed to have an agenda of her own.

"Casey?" Tessa questioned, raising the young woman's face. The look she saw there actually made her heart skip a few beats faster and she was suddenly confused. "I thought...I thought you wouldn't want me any more...' She trailed off, unsure how to verbalize all she felt.

Casey looked deep into the sapphire eyes that questioned her and worked up the best smile she could under the circumstances. "I told you, Nikki, I love you. I thought maybe you didn't want to be with me."

"What? Honey, what would make you think that?"

"I don't know what I'm going to do about all of this. I'm not sure what I should do. I am still Meridio's Daughter."

"Casey," Tessa lifted the woman's chin again to look directly into her eyes. "I'll understand no matter what you decide to do, love." Then she wrapped the woman in her arms and Casey leaned into the powerful touch.

She still wants me, the dark-haired woman thought to herself in utter amazement. Tessa was absolutely stunned at the young woman's infinite capacity to feel...to feel for her. This new awareness thrilled and terrified her at the same time.

Casey's hands eventually resumed their journey along her lover's dark skin. She lifted the shirt slightly to let her fingers run in circular patterns on the taut skin of Tessa's abdomen, letting them wander and make lazy circles. She smiled to herself when she saw the muscles clench under her touch. Suddenly an overwhelming desire washed over her. She wanted this woman, she wanted to take her and not with a gentle, loving hand, but in a way that she'd never expressed her passion before. She had the strangest feeling that her dark-haired lover would be more than happy to comply. She lifted the shirt higher and ran her tongue across a nipple that was already erect with desire. She nibbled on the tight flesh, producing a groan from Tessa.

"Oh, yesss, baby," the Karê moaned as Casey sucked harder, biting down on the tender flesh.

Slender fingers found their way to entwine themselves in Casey's golden hair. Tessa arched her back and pressed the blonde head harder to her chest, delighting in the rough touch. Somewhere in the back of Tessa's brain she thought that she should be taking control of their lovemaking, but the small blonde seemed to have a sense of determination and the physical sensations being produced within her body were so overwhelming that she could do no more than comply.

Casey slipped her hand into the loose fitting waistband of her lover's shorts and soon realized that Tessa wore no other underwear. Her fingers played with the silky dark curls, not straying any lower just yet. The small blonde moved quickly to her feet.

"I'll be right back. Make sure you have these off by the time I get back." She commanded to a rather stunned Karê.

"Oh, baby...now you have to get up?" Tessa panted.

By the time the words were out Casey was halfway up the stairs. Tessa let herself fall back onto the floor, but when she heard her lover's footstep coming back down the staircase, she realized she was still dressed. The taller woman wriggled out of her shorts and quickly tossed off her shirt, remembering the small blonde's parting order.

When Casey reached the living room she caught her naked lover staring into the fire, the most erotic grin on her face.

"So, are you going to share this fantasy?" Casey asked.

Tessa finally noticed the small blonde standing right in front of her. She watched as Casey tossed a folded blanket to the floor.

"That was the big emergency?" Tessa asked, sitting up.

"In case I get cold." Casey lied, reaching down and grasping the hem of her chemise and pulling it over her head in one swift motion.

She straddled the Karê's muscled thighs and sat down, just as Tessa reached for her. The dark-haired woman pressed Casey closer to her and the small blonde wrapped her fingers in the raven tresses and unceremoniously pulled the waiting mouth to her own. It was a small fight for dominance, Tessa giving in quickly, understanding Casey's need to be in control on this night. It wasn't the easiest thing she'd ever done, but the fire her lover was igniting and the throbbing ache that had begun at her center, convinced her to let her lover have her way.

Casey began to realize the power the submissive partner had, when it came to pleasure. Their fantasies and appetites were what kept the little scenario playing along. Fortunately, Casey knew her lover's body well enough to continually tease her to the brink, only to slow the rhythm to a frustratingly slow pace. Holding Tessa's wrists and not allowing the dark-haired woman to touch her, she sucked, bit, and nipped at her lover's skin until Tessa whimpered for release.

Casey reached into the folds of the blanket she procured earlier, carefully removing the dildo she hid there. Lying atop her lover, she held the toy in her hand and pressed the large end into Tessa wetness, teasing her with a small circular motion against her sex. Her lover's intense reaction was all she could have hoped for.

A low guttural moan escaped from Tessa's lips "Oh, God, yesss!" The dark-haired woman arched her back and spread her legs wider. "Oh please...please baby, do it!" She begged.

There was very little tenderness involved. Casey slid the phallus in one swift motion, burying the object inside her lover. Tessa cried out in pleasure as her slick inner walls expanded and the shaft was pulled halfway out then pushed forward again. Casey was soon following the rhythm her lover's hips set as the dark-haired woman begged to be taken harder and faster. Casey's hunger equaled, if not exceeded, her partner's and her thrust's increased in speed and force until Tessa was clutching at the rug on the floor as if to simply have something to ground herself to. The large woman's hips met each thrust, burying as much of the phallus as she could take, her breathing coming in ragged gasps.

Casey never felt this out of control or in control for that matter. She'd never taken a woman this way and the adrenaline rush involved in simply watching her lover writhe underneath her was enough to bring her close to the edge. She quickly straddled a bronze thigh and let her wet center slide across the muscled leg until the friction was more than she could stand. Tessa groaned when she felt her lover's wet sex rubbing against her leg. Suddenly the only sensations surrounding her, became the feel of her lover's legs wrapped around her thigh and the delicious pounding between her own legs.

Both women nearly screamed as Tessa's orgasm hit her, her body bucking into the intense pleasure, the tremors from her body causing Casey to follow after her.

The small blonde's body slumped onto her lover, both women trying desperately to draw much needed oxygen into their lungs. Casey slid the toy from her lover's body, producing another series of shudders from the woman below her. She rolled over onto her back and without a word, Tessa turned over and snuggled against the soft skin of the blonde's neck. Casey wrapped her arms around her lover and within moments, each woman had fallen into an exhausted slumber.

"Morning," Tessa mumbled sleepily.

She opened her eyes to see a pair of deep green orbs watching her intently. The Karê was surprised that her lover woke before her. She was more puzzled because she usually never slept like this. Her customary sleep routine was to rest for three or four hours and then be ready again for action. Now, each night she spent next to the small blonde she was currently wrapped around, she ended up being so relaxed that she slept soundly throughout the night.

"Morning." Casey replied, but her brow creased together with an expression of worry.

"What's wrong?" Tessa leaned up on one elbow, sure it was something she'd done.

"I--I guess I'm a little surprised you're still speaking to me this morning."

"Wha-? Honey, why would you think I wouldn't be talking to you?"

"After last night..." The blonde trailed off.

"I, personally, thought last night was incredible." Tessa arched one brow and gave a tiny smirk. "I am sorry I fell asleep so fast on you. You definitely wore me out."

"I...well, I didn't meant to...I've never..."

"You've never made love that way before?" Tessa prompted.

Casey nodded. "I didn't hurt you or anything, did I?"

"Oh, honey," Tessa pulled the woman in to her arms. "You did not hurt me."

"I just feel like I took you against your will or something."

Tessa pulled away from the small figure and put on her best indignant stare. "Cassandra," she drawled, "do you honestly think you could take me against my will?"

Finally the small blonde raised her eyes and a sheepish grin relaxed her features.

"Okay, point taken." Casey smiled at her lover. "I don't know where that came from, though. It's like all of a sudden I had this desire to be with you that way. Like I needed to be able to wield that kind of power or control. Is that absolutely terrible? Do you feel like I just used you?"

Tears pooled in Casey's eyes and Tessa pulled her closed against her. "No, baby, I don't feel anything like that. What I do feel is very loved."

Tessa wondered how she should combat the small woman's fears. Should I tell her about the sex that I'm accustomed to? How in the world do I even explain the concept of rough sex and the pain that quickly turns to pleasure under the right circumstances? Tessa didn't have to wonder much longer as Casey beat her to the punch.

"Is that the kind of sex you're used to with women, Nikki?" Casey asked, suddenly feeling extremely naive.

"Yes and no. Yes, I am used to rough sex. I don't think I ever made love to a woman before you, Casey. No, because I've never let another woman take me before, in a strange way you're my first." She paused to reveal an embarrassed grin.

"Then why did you let me?"

Tessa stared intently into the deep green eyes of the woman in her arms and answered with her heart.

"Because I knew I could let down my guard in front of you. In my mind I've always equated being the submissive partner during sex to mean that you were weaker. In my business, people make it a point to find out your weaknesses and use them against you. I just trained myself never to give up control to anyone. I'm glad you proved that theory wrong. I gave that up to you last night because I knew that you would never use it against me." She finished softly.

Casey ran a hand across the darkly tanned skin of her lover's face, tracing the line of her cheekbone with her fingers.

"Nikki, I would never think of you as weak, in bed or anywhere else, for that matter. It takes an incredible amount of strength to place your heart; everything you are, in another's hands. Thank you for letting it be me."

"I love you, Nikki." She finally whispered softly as Tessa held her close.

"Me too." Tessa responded, her voice catching, hoping that her lover would realize what she meant. When she felt Casey smile against her skin she relaxed, knowing the young woman accepted Tessa's form of the sentiment.

When they eventually separated, Casey sat up. "I'm thirsty, do you want something?" She asked, rising from the floor.

"Why don't you let me make you breakfast for a change. Contrary to popular belief, I can cook some things."

"No, don't get up, let's lay here together for a while. I just want something to drink."

"Okay," Tessa chuckled at her lover's pout. "I'll take some juice, then."

The lithe figure disappeared into the next room and Tessa sat up, stretching muscles that weren't accustomed to sleeping on a hard floor all night. In mid stretch she heard Casey's frightened scream and a glass crash to the floor. It took Tessa all of half a dozen strides to make it to the door that separated the two rooms, ready for action.

When the dark-haired woman rushed through the door she found Casey trying to cover most of her naked figure with a dishtowel from a very flustered young man who couldn't seem to take his eyes off the young blonde.

"What in the hell are you doing here? You weren't supposed to be back till tomorrow!" Tessa shouted at the stammering man.

"I--I--I..." He stuttered.

"Turn around," Tessa growled as she watched the man's eyes stay fixed on her lover.

He spun on his heel and began muttering apologies and something about forgetting a book he needed. Tessa in the meantime ran into the living room and returned, tossing Casey her slip.

"Okay," Tessa said gruffly, "you can turn around now." She finished, pulling her own shirt on.

"I'm very sorry Karê, I thought I could slip an and get me book before you were awake." He lowered his head in severe embarrassment.

"Um...remember me?" Casey chimed up in Tessa's direction.

Tessa gave her lover a grin and introduced the two. "Cassandra Meridio, meet George Míkolo."

You're George Míkolo!" Casey commented in amazement. "You didn't..." She finished, looking at Tessa.

"I told you I could prove it on Monday, when he was supposed to return." Tessa enunciated these last words, staring hard at the young man.

"Forgive me," George raised sincere eyes to Casey. "And, not just about today, Miss, but for my actions against you. I really didn't mean to shoot you, I simply wanted to stop--" He looked up abruptly at Tessa before continuing.

"She knows." The tall woman answered rather softly.

"I wanted to stop what your father was doing. Too many people are dying because of the weapons he sells. I mistakenly thought you were here to join in the family business...I thought you were just like your father."

"I am nothing like my father." Casey answered coldly, enunciating each syllable. She wasn't even looking at the young man, but out the window into her own past.

Casey shook the thoughts away and turned toward the two, the sunny smile on her face once again. Tessa came up to stand behind her lover, placing her hands protectively on her shoulder. The small blonde leaned back against the taller woman, making it clear to the young man that they were lovers.

"George is living here for a while; he takes care of the dogs and looks after the place for me. That is until next week, then he takes a trip, eh, George?"

The man finally smiled broadly at the two women, nodding his head enthusiastically. "I'm going to America!" He announced. "To the University in California. Mr. Armstrong says it will be just like Greece, that the sun shines and they have earthquakes all the time."

"You will love it there.' Casey said to the eager young man.

"Mr. Armstrong says that you will make it possible for me to return to my homeland again someday?" He looked anxiously between the two women.

"I...uh..." Casey stammered until Tessa stepped in.

"We'll do our best, George. You just need to spend your time concentrating on your studies for a while." The Karê finished for the small blonde.

"I should leave you now. Again, I am terribly sorry for startling you."

"We should be gone by midday tomorrow, George...you've got the key." Tessa said to the man before closing the door.

The two women looked at each other and started laughing.

"I'm not usually a screamer, but he scared the shit out of me." Casey laughed even more.

Tessa wrapped her arms around the smaller woman and rested her head on top of her chin. "One thing you have to admit, life with me will never be dull."

Casey pulled away slightly to look up at her lover. "I do believe that statement had a hint of commitment in it, Karê."

"I'm sorry if I've made you feel any other way." Tessa replied.

"You haven't," Casey answered, "but sometimes it's nice to hear it out loud."

"Nikki?"

"Hhmm?" Tessa answered. The tall woman was turning some skewers of lamb on the grill as Casey sat on the edge of the pool. Today they decided to do nothing more than be together and lounge about the house, resting their minds as well as their bodies.

"You never did tell me how you got out of delivering poor George's...well, you know, to my father."

"I didn't get out of it. I delivered them in a sack just as he asked."

"But"

"It's an amazing thing really, how very similar sheep's testicles are to the human male's. Another unsurprising fact is that few men are actually willing to pull them out of the bag and look at them. Kind of strikes too close to home for them." Tessa responded with a wink.

"Gross...that's enough to make me lose my appetite." Casey complained.

"Oh, yea, right...like anything could make you lose your appetite."

"Hey!" Casey put on a mock display of indignation and splashed some water in the standing woman's direction.

"Náh!" Tessa exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Casey asked, turning around.

"Oh, some grease just spat up from the grill and got on my shirt. I'll be right back, I'm going to go throw on an old t-shirt. Will you watch the grill so the meat doesn't burn?"

"Sure, hon, got it covered." Casey rose and took the grill utensil from her lover's hand.

By the time Tessa got back only a minute or two had passed. "Thanks," Tessa kissed the small blonde's cheek, taking the utensil back.

"No prob--" Casey started as she turned to give the tall woman a kiss.

The red t-shirt Tessa wore overwhelmed Casey's field of vision and a staggering sense of fear, bordering on panic, clutched at the small woman.

"Casey, what's wrong?" Tessa asked, realizing she was beginning to see the signs of when bits of that Easter day would wash over the small blonde. The only trouble was that the Karê couldn't tell what her lover was remembering.

"It...um...it must be the glare on that shirt...it seems so bright." Casey stammered, her face turning pale and her breathing deepening. "Could you...do you think you could change into something else?"

Tessa reached over her head and grasped the back of the shirt, pulling it off, leaving her clad only in her bra. "Is that better?" She tossed the shirt into one of the chairs.

Just as suddenly, Casey's nausea disappeared. The young woman nodded in response.

"I don't understand it, I've never reacted to something that was red quite that way before. Wait a minute, the other night at the tavérna. The awning behind you was red, I remember because I started to get sick then, too."

"I'm sorry, honey." Tessa held Casey close to her, feeling her clammy skin warm slightly. I need to tell her what happened. It's got be better than putting her through this torture, doesn't it? How can I say I love her when I won't tell her the truth? Forgive me, Casey, but I can't stand the thought of losing you, not yet.

"Hey, why don't you run inside and get me another shirt to wear, get out of the sun for a few minutes, okay?"

"I don't know, I kind of like you dressed like that." Casey grinned lasciviously.

"I'll just bet you do, but standing naked, over a hot grill leaves me feeling a little vulnerable." Tessa replied.

Casey chuckled and walked into the house, feeling as if nothing had happened to her a few moments ago. When she finally returned she handed an old cinzano t-shirt to the taller woman. Tessa looked up to thank her and smiled at the baseball cap on her lover's head.

"You look pretty damn cute in that."

"Okay, so tell me, how does a Greek woman, educated in England, wind up with a Chicago Cubs baseball cap?" Casey asked, pulling the cap onto her own head.

I went to Chicago on business once; some associates took me to a game at Wrigley Field. The sound of the stadium...and the grass was so green; well, it actually took my breath away. I've been a fan of American baseball ever since."

"You are an amazingly complex woman, do you know that?" Casey reached up to kiss the tall woman's lips.

"Yea, I bet that's what you say to all your Greek lovers." Tessa said gruffly, removing the meat from the grill as she spoke.

"Pretty much." The young blonde smirked.

"Oh, that's it, no food for you." Tessa smiled as she carried the plate into the house.

"Hey, don't tease me about food." The suddenly contrite blonde called after her lover.

"Nikki, this place is beautiful, but do you really think the owner will rent it to me?" Casey asked her lover.

They stood in the middle of the large two-bedroom apartment that Tessa came up with, as a place to stay once Casey had to work in Athens. The large two-story wooden building was divided into 3 apartments, two on the lower level and the one they now stood in, that took up the entire top level.

"I think it's pretty much a certainty," Tessa began, standing behind the small blonde slipping her arms around her lover's waist, "you happen to have an in."

"Oh, really? Do tell."

"Yea, the owner happens to have a thing for you," Tessa answered placing a soft kiss on the smaller woman's neck.

"Do you--" Casey asked, spinning around to face the dark-haired woman. The grin on Tessa's face told Casey who owned the building they stood in.

"I'll say it once again... You are an amazingly complex woman, Tessa Nikolaidis." Casey said softly, right before she reached up and soundly kissed the woman above her.

They spent the rest of the late afternoon getting an extra set of keys made and having the utilities turned on. They finished by doing a little dry goods shopping for items that Casey would need. By the time they left the apartment, Tessa thought it already had Casey's distinctive look about it.

"You're not sleepy at all are you?" Casey questioned the woman that held her in her arms.

"I'm sorry, hon, I'm just not used to getting as much sleep as I have the last few days." Tessa replied. She knew that she had been fidgeting for the last hour and Casey was sensitive to every one of her moves. "Would you mind terribly if I got up and read or something? I'll be right next door in the den."

"Of course not. You don't have to be with me every minute of the day to show me you love me, Nikki." Casey explained sleepily.

Tessa got up and put her robe on. Bending down she placed a gentle kiss on her lover's cheek. "Trouble is, I pretty much want to be with you every minute of the day." Tessa whispered.

Casey smiled and curled up against the pillow her lover abdicated, breathing in the scent of the woman and thinking how much she loved the fresh clean scent of her lover's skin.

There are many senses that exist within the human body that capture memories for us, none so strong as the sense of smell. By the time Casey was entering the dream stage of her sleep, the cells in her brain were still processing the scent that triggered the recollection of a day long forgotten by the sleeping figure.

"Niko!" Casey screamed.

Tessa was almost dozing in the leather chair, a book lying open in her hands. She bolted up and the book flew out of her lap. Rushing through the door, she wasn't prepared for the sight that met her. Casey was screaming as if completely unaware of her surroundings. The dark-haired woman flipped the light switch and grabbed the young woman, who started sobbing against Tessa's chest. Casey cried for nearly an hour and Tessa simply held her tightly, allowing her to purge the violent images from her mind's eye.

"Niko?" Casey finally asked weakly.

"Yes, baby...it's me."

Part 5

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