Title: On the Seashore Chapter 2 Rated: PG13 By: Mellibea Hey, here's chapter 2 for those who asked for it. Thank you for your e-mails. I love the support. Please don't be shy and tell me what you think, even if you hate it. Write to Mellibea@yahoo.com For my other stories, please visit www.moonchronicles.com I know this may be a bit confusing, but don't worry, everything is starting to come together. You'll see what I mean after you read. Explanations will come soon. Disclaimers: Sailor Moon and characters don't belong to me. Now, on with the story… ********* On the Seashore Chapter 2 Serena stopped the motorcycle to the side of the road and wiped the sweat from her face. The road ended ahead of her and there was still no sign of The Apollo Villa. She wondered if Andonis had lied to her deliberately. She straightened up making a face. What she did know was that he had given her the worst motorcycle. The handles were all wrong, the brakes were almost nonexistent and if she had to hit the brakes suddenly… Although she didn't think she would have to. Up to the moment she hadn't encountered any living thing, with the exception of a donkey, a pair of goats and a tied dog, which had barked when he spotted her. The steep road was bordered with olive trees, some of them really old, although they still produced fruits. The nets extended on the soil used to gather up the olives that fell were prove of that. The girl looked behind her, as if trying to assure herself that civilization still existed. Far away, between the olive trees' branches she could catch glimpses of the multicolored roofs and whitish walls of the population of Karthos, as well as the blue colored dome of the church. Further on she could also spot the sea, with its blue, jade and amethyst tones. 'I could be at the beach right now, instead of travelling on this trap with two wheels up the slope of a mountain', she thought longingly. She imagined herself immersing herself into the cool and salty seawater. 'One more turn and then I head back', she told herself. She was so concentrated on driving the motorcycle, trying to avoid any casualties, that she almost missed the Apollo Villa. She stopped and contemplated the engraved letters on the two rock pillars in front of the entrance. Under this letters you could see the emblem of the sun, the symbol of God Apollo which, according to the legend, journeyed through the skies in his dazzling chariot each day. She stepped off the cycle carefully and left it at the side of the road. At the other side of the fence there were more olive trees which gave shade to a pathway. 'Well, lets see who is this irresistible Adonis who causes so much chaos in the lives of others', she thought while raising her chin. With her hands in her pockets, she started walking down the pathway with a confident attitude that concealed her inner anxiety. The fact that she knew that it was because of her did nothing to calm her nerves. And when the man appeared in front of her, she barely accomplished to smother a terrified scream. One glance at him told her he was not the man she was looking for. This guy was heavily built and carried a radio transmitter on his hand; Serena gulped when she spotted the gun he had at his side. He had a hostile expression, and his aggressive attitude showed when he asked her something in Greek. "I don't understand" replied Serena keeping herself firm. "My last name is Dryden and I've come here all the way from England to speak with Mr. Xandreou." 'He's a security guard and is armed. In what kind of mess have I gotten myself into?' She asked herself. The man looked at her for a moment; then he said something through the transmitter listened to the answer and gestured her to follow him. The path turned to the right. The girl noticed that the olive trees gave way to a grassed clearing full of scattered roses. A bit further away was the house, wide and irregular, with its white walls dazzling at the sunlight. A terrace covered with red roses then surrounded her. Serena slowed her pace and looked around her. What was a waiter from one of Athens's restaurants doing in such a luxurious environment? She wondered to herself. Unless Andrew Xandreou was an employee and that man was leading her to the employees' entrance. The man looked impatiently at her and she stubbornly kept going. Further on she noticed the turquoise blue splendor of a pool. The border was made of mosaic with patterns and there were some deckchairs and chairs under elegant beach umbrellas. On top of a table was a tray with drinks and on the pool's border a transmitter just like the one the security guard had. But apart from that, the place seemed deserted. While she admired her surroundings, the dark head of a man appeared on the surface of the water. Serena felt like her heart beat quickened as she watched him get out of the pool with agile moves and then stand up for a moment to shake the water out of his black curly hair. He was very tall, with wide shoulders and narrow waist, slim but muscular tanned body, and very proportionate. He was also very good-looking, she recognized dumbfounded; his features had an almost classic beauty, and his mouth held an outstanding hardness and power. He was a man who commanded. 'Like a Greek God', she thought. She had heard that phrase numerous times, but she had never thought that it would take form in front of her. Especially since, just like most of the classic ancient statues of Gods and heroes, he was completely naked. Walking with the agile grace of jungle cat, he went towards one of the chairs, picked up a towel and started drying himself indifferently, without any haste, ignoring the presence of the newly arrived. Serena knew that showing himself off like this in front of her, a woman, was a calculated insult. But if he expected for her to blush or faint, or to turn around and run away frightened like one of the nymphs of mythology, he had another thing coming. She waited silently, not letting this deliberate offense affect her. Finally, he tied the towel around his waist, grabbed his elegant platinum watch, fastened it around his wrist and then gave the girl a cold and dispassionate look. He had long eyelashes and his dark blue eyes shone with a strange twinkle. "Who are you and what do you want?" He asked in a low and deliberate tone, with a light accent. Serena remembered that Mina had told her that his English was excellent. 'Mina', she desperately remembered. It wasn't surprising that she had fallen hopelessly in love with him. But why had such a worldly man like him, seduced her innocent little sister? It made no sense. Unless he wasn't the man she was looking for. "Well?" He insisted, impatiently. "You have come here uninvited and trespassed my private property. So why don't you answer me and tell me what you want?" The girl talked slowly, to check what his reaction was. "I've come here to talk about… Xandreou's lover." He picked up a bottle of mineral water, filled a glass and took a sip. Serena noticed that the security guard had discretely disappeared. "I think you overestimate yourself, Kyria…?" "Dryden" she informed him. "Please don't pretend to have forgotten the last name." "It sounds familiar" he shrugged his shoulders with a bored gesture. His dark eyes studied her from head to toe, stopping at her chest, thighs and her long shapely legs. She uncomfortably noticed that the sweat had made her clothes stick to her body like a second skin. "And what is it that you want, Kyria Dryden?" His gaze stumbled unto hers. "Or are you thinking about just standing there all afternoon contemplating me silently?" "I'm sorry" she whispered. 'Why am I apologizing?', she incredulously asked herself, getting her emotions under control. "You're not exactly what I was expecting, Kyrios Xandreou." "Neither are you, but that doesn't matter" his tone was indifferent. "Tell me what you want and then get out of here." Her worst fears had been confirmed. He didn't care about Mina and the baby. The only thing that he had liked about her sister was her innocence and now that she had lost it, he didn't want anything to do with her. Mina had only been one more of his conquests in his long list of helpless females. "You know why I'm here" she declared in an icy tone. "I think an explanation would be at hand here." "Why? Because of a pleasant adventure, like many of your fellow countrywomen hope to enjoy here in Greece?" The contempt in his voice offended her to no ends. Just because other young girls behaved like idiots, crazed by sex, didn't give him the right to classify Mina the same way, thought Serena, furious and anguished. Didn't he see that she was different… that she had believed in his seductive words? "Unfortunately, that *pleasant adventure* had its consequences" she reminded him, hating him when he smiled. "Or have you already forgotten about the baby that will be born in a few months?" "My memory is excellent" he declared. "Maybe is a question of whether I believe you or not. A child who carries in its veins the Xandreou blood could inherit the family's money" he moved his head. "I'm not stupid, Kyria Dryden. I'm willing to put that child through every paternity test known to medical science. But, could you fight against me?" The deliberate insolence in his eyes hurt her. "I don't think so." "No" she brusquely negated. "And I wouldn't even dream about doing so. It's obvious that your responsibilities mean very little to you." "You're wrong, they mean a lot. That's why I will not be subject to the pressure of a young girl who has behaved as easy bait and now wants to take advantage of her indiscretion" his accent was becoming more pronounce as he spoke. She balled her hand into fists and trembling pointed out: "You have talked in total clarity, Mr. Xandreou. I was hoping that there was some kind of decency in you, but is obvious I was wrong. However, I will not bother you again. Perhaps the baby won't grow up surrounded by such luxury…" she pointed out looking around her scornfully "…But it will be well received and very loved, and that's what's more important. I didn't come here looking for money, but for something more fundamental. For something you wouldn't understand" she paused and tried to control her voice. "And I hope that, despite that the baby will be illegitimate, it will grow up not knowing that its father was a bastard" she breathed deeply, trembling. "I wonder how many other lives you will destroy before you get what's coming to you." "You have the nerve to come here and talk about destroyed lives?" He looked at her furiously. "How do you dare to say that to me… to talk to me that way?" "Is very simple" she declared. "I'm only telling the truth." She turned around and walked away, trying to keep her tears in check. Of all the hateful things he said to her, what hurt the most was his mocking tone towards Mina. He should've known that she was a virgin and deliberately had stolen her virginity away, resorting to his powerful and charismatic sexuality that he abundantly possessed. 'Oh, God, I myself have been able to prove that', she thought, the shame building up and mixing with her anger. 'And I only saw him for a couple of minutes. If I had met him under other circumstances… if he had behaved kindly… or maybe even politely…' She pushed that thought out of her mind. It was obvious that Andrew Xandreou considered himself a modern Apollo, a sun God who could turn any woman into one of his victims. She felt embarrassed of even admitting how attractive he was. 'But, why had he been working in that restaurant?' she asked herself. Could he have done it because of a bet… or for some kind of sick joke? If that was the case, why did he keep pretending when Mina returned to England? He had promised to go back for her, and had assured her that they would get married. All of those letters… all of those lies… 'That would be unforgivable', she thought as she started her motorcycle. She wanted to get as far away as she could from the Apollo Villa and its owner, breathe some uncontaminated air. 'And decide what I'm going to tell Mina', she thought discouraged as she tried to control her temperamental vehicle as she made the first turn. Suddenly she collided against a sport car, which advanced full speed towards her, through the wrong side of the road. She hardly got a look to the beautiful and tanned face of a girl, transfigured by a horrified expression. Serena turned aside desperately, trying to avoid the inevitable collision. The motorcycle kept going, jolting through the rocks when Serena lost control, and tipped over. She laid still for a moment, stunned and dizzy. She heard someone hurriedly approaching her and then saw the girl as she stooped over her. "O Theus" she exclaimed. "You're hurt. Do you think you broke something?" 'I think I'm shattered into pieces, judging by the way I feel', thought Serena as she stood up. She was sure that she hadn't broken anything, but she noticed she had a deep scratch on one leg and another one on her arm. The blood mixed with the sand on her tore up shirt. "I didn't expect to find someone in this road" the girl apologized, wringing her fingers with an anguished expression. "I thought so" Serena managed to answer. "You need to be seen by a doctor" the girl led her by the arm to her car. "Come with me, please." "I'm fine" Serena moved her head and heard her own voice as if it were coming from far away. She noticed that the road, the car and the anguished face of the girl started spiraling around her and then collapsed into nothingness. ************ Somewhere a storm was breaking out. Serena felt the rain on her face and heard the distant racket of thunder, but she was under the impression that she was floating on a cloud. She stubbornly opened her eyes and saw the unknown face of a mature woman, who worriedly observed her. It wasn't raining; the woman was wetting her face with cold water. She had on a black dress and a white apron. 'My whole body hurts', she thought and was stunned when she looked around her. She was in a wide room, stretched out on an elegant yellow sofa. And the sounds of the storm were only Andrew Xandreou's voice, standing a few feet away from her, arguing furiously with the girl from the car. 'Oh, God', she thought alarmed and horrified. 'He brought me back here again… to his house. I can't stand this'. She tried to sit up, but the woman sitting next to her stopped her. Andrew Xandreou turned to look at her and then neared her. Serena noticed that instead of the towel from before now he was wearing a pair of white shorts, almost just as revealing. "My sister has told me what happened," he said brusquely. "You should stay where you are until the doctor examines you." "I can't do that." Serena felt the world turn around her as she put her feet on the floor, but that didn't stop her from noticing what was around her. A whole wall of the room was made of crystal; the sliding doors were open letting in the sunlight and breeze, which carried with it the flowers' and fruits' perfume from the garden. The floor was made of cream colored marble, with blue and gold seams; the same blue undertones existed on the walls. The only ornaments consisted of a couple of modern abstract paints, obviously original and probably very valuable. It was ironic that the only thing Andrew Xandreou hadn't lied about was his fortune, thought Serena bitterly as she saw herself surrounded by such luxury. The sofa where she was stretched out was identical to the one located to the side of a huge marble chimney. The general effect was light, spacious and somehow welcoming, so therefore she thought the owner had not taken part on the decoration. "All this is unnecessary" she declared looking at him furiously. "I don't want anything from you, Mr. Xandreou. I thought I had made that perfectly clear." "Unfortunately, neither of us has a choice. You will not leave here, thespinis, until a doctor examines you." "What are you afraid of? That I may sue you?" His authoritative tone irritated her. She tried to smile to the girl, who remained standing with a stern expression and her arms crossed defensively. "I will not; I only have a couple of scratches." "You can't be sure about that. And under the circumstances, we can't take any risks" he declared in a harsh tone. Then he spoke softly with the woman, who immediately went out of the room and continued: "Raye told me you were traveling on a motorcycle. Are you by any chance crazy?" "Only from time to time" accepted Serena, tiredly. "Listen… if you call for a taxi, I will go back to my hotel. My sister must be wondering where I am and I don't want to cause her any unnecessary worry" she added bitingly. "So your sister is well-informed about your activities… and she permits them?" Andrew threw his hands in the air. "This is incredible." "No" whispered Serena. "Everything was my idea and obviously not very sensible of me." "At least we agree on something" he commented feigning kindness. The woman of the black dress returned with a bowl filled with boiling water, a bottle of antiseptic and cotton balls. Serena eyed everything suspiciously. "None of this is necessary…" "Yes it is" he categorically contradicted her. "We're not in England, Kyria Dryden. Those scratches could get infected, they need immediate attention" he knelt to the side of the sofa and moistened one of the balls of cotton into the antiseptic. Serena wanted to move away. 'He's too close'; she thought feeling her throat go dry as she breathed in the fresh and clean scent of his sun warmed skin. He touched her knee slightly with his naked shoulder and she felt a sharp tug that had nothing to do with pain. "Don't, please…" she begged with a hoarse voice. Andrew looked at her scornfully and started cleaning the dirt from her wound. Serena bit her lip tensing instinctively at his touch, while he looked at her smiling, with a sarcastic expression on his face. "Is only a scratch, thespinis, I'm starting to think that you're not very brave." "And I think I would rather wait for the doctor" she whispered through her teeth. "It is not necessary to be a doctor to know something about first aid" he pointed out. "I'm not enjoying this either, Kyria Dryden." She felt obliged to recognize that he was capable, but she had the sand stuck to the wound and her eyes filled with tears before he was done. And anyway, the pain was only one of her many symptoms. The truth was that she didn't want to receive that intimate care from him. After he finished cleaning her shoulder, Andrew stuttered: "I think your shirt is destroyed, therefore…" he fastened his fingers around the tore shirt and pulled on it. "How dare you…?" Exclaimed Serena. For a brief moment, he had grazed the top of one of her breasts and his touch burned her. "I didn't know you were such a puritan" he dared her. "The tourists show more in our beaches everyday." "But not me" she replied defensively. The older woman came to her then, giving Andrew a killer look so he would move aside. He shrugged, got up and moved to look out a window while the woman finished cleaning the scratches on her ribs. "Raye" he ordered his sister without turning around, "go get a shirt from your wardrobe so kyria Dryden can wear it." "Of course, it'll be my pleasure. You can come up to my room and choose one. Chad can examine you there." "Do you think that would be necessary?" He asked frowning. "Of course" assured a scandalized Raye Xandreou. "An examination like that requires some privacy." "Then stay at her side… the whole time, am I understood?" He said in English, so Serena wouldn't be left without any doubts. "What do you mean by that?" Serena wanted to know. "I want to make sure that you will not try to gain any advantage from this accident, thespinis." "What do you think I'm going to do… steal something?" She moved away from the woman's hand that tried to calm her down and looked furiously at him. "Oh, God! The nerve!" "I think the same thing of you, thespinis. I won't let you resort to any of your tricks in this house." Serena opened her mouth to tell him what she thought of him but suddenly the door opened and in walked a young and muscular young man, with glasses. He stopped to look at the scene unfolding in front of him. "I understand I've got a new patient" he commented. "It was an accident on the road, am I right? Thank you, Lita" the old woman moved aside and he started examining Serena. "You were lucky, thespinis. I've seen similar accidents that have required plastic surgery, but you won't have any scars left. I will give you a shot to prevent infection and you will be as good as new." Andrew Xandreou took him to the side and in hush tones told him something in Greek. "Po, po, po" the doctor arched his eyebrows. "Then I've got to examine her immediately. Lita can be present, for the sake of the girl." "This is ridiculous" protested Serena. "I'm fine." "I'm sure about that" smiled the doctor. "I think you're a healthy young girl, but you are in the first stages of your pregnancy. We have to worry about that too." "Pregnancy?" Serena looked at him dumbfounded. "What are you talking about? I'm not pregnant." "So you were also lying about that" Andrew said hatefully. "I knew it" he walked to the living room's door and opened it. His face was a cold mask of anger. "Get out of my house, thespinis, and don't ever come back" he added menacingly. "I don't want you to bother my family again, or me. That is, if you know what's good for you. Now leave." On to chapter 3… ********************************************************************* What do you think? Hate it? Like it? Please let me know! Write to Mellibea@yahoo.com with your comments. Thank you, much appreciated!