by Knox, Kim
She met his gaze and saw what he wasn’t saying. He knew the truth, but wouldn’t admit it. But why not? He wasn’t the evil person who’d hurt Michael. They’d been friends for years, but would he cover for her? Should she let him?
A groan echoed up the stairs spurring Carrie into action as she pushed Billy away to see. Michael sat on a bench in the lobby, holding one arm next to his stomach. Yet it was the way he held his arm that tore at Carrie’s heart. He—she—must’ve broken his arm. Although part of her didn’t want to, the other half—the better half—of her propelled her body forward. She readied herself to face Michael and beg his forgiveness.
But what about the possible legal consequences? Would she go to jail? Was what she’d done called assault? Or worse, would a judge think she’d tried to murder Nate? Or Michael? Or both? She gulped even as the saliva in her mouth dried up and her shoulders slumped. She’d definitely lose her job. Yet no matter what punishment she’d have to face, she had to tell the truth. “I have to confess. I have to let everyone know I made him—them—fall.” Damn, even now all I can think about is Michael. What kind of pitiful person am I to forget about Nate?
Billy took her arm and held her in one spot. “No. I refuse to let you confess. You don’t deserve to be punished.”
“But I did it. I hurt him—them—on purpose.” She frowned and tried to remember. Had she really done it on purpose or had her subconscious taken over, anger at Nate dredging up the evil Carrie hiding within her? Michael had probably known about the bad joke, but had she wanted him to fall too? Could she plead temporary insanity? Still, the reason didn’t matter. No matter what, she was to blame.
When Marla from accounting looked quizzically at them, Billy pivoted Carrie around to face him again and turned her away from the accountant. “Be quiet and listen to me.”
“No, I have to explain. It’s the right thing to do.”
“Yeah, it is, but I won’t let you. Sometimes doing what’s right isn’t what’s right for you.”
“Huh?” Why was he so determined to stop her? She gave him her meanest look and hoped it would do the trick. “You can’t stop me.”
But Billy’s mean glare put hers to shame and had her glower scampering away like a dog with its tail between its legs. “Oh, yes, I can. I’ll take the blame before I let you take it.”
Her mouth dropped open and he reached over to close it for her. “Listen to me. You didn’t do anything wrong, Carrie. Got it? And I won’t let you say you did, either. I’d do anything for—” Billy clamped his mouth closed and nodded at the group of people surrounding Michael. “Who do you think they’ll believe? You, the sweetest nicest girl in the whole damn company? Or me? The guy who’s had argument after argument with Michael and who’s always said Nate’s an imbecile? Everyone will remember what happened in the boardroom not five minutes before they fell and they’ll believe me when I tell them I did it.”
She was torn, too confused to sort through all the thoughts jumbling in her mind. She studied the determination on his face and knew he’d take her punishment. Billy was ready to take the fall for her in an amazing demonstration of friendship. But how could she make yet another mistake by letting him cop to a crime she’d committed? What kind of friend was she? Could she find another way to tell everyone the truth and make them believe her?
“Carrie, trust me. No one has to know anything. Let Michael think he tripped. It is what he and Nate did, after all. They tripped. Why they tripped doesn’t have to come out. I know it’s wrong, but it’s time you caught a break. Sorry, no pun intended. Besides, check him out. He’s loving every minute of the attention.”
She did as he said and watched as girl after girl fought their way to Michael’s side. Michael, although obviously in pain, spoke to each woman in turn, flashing them his I’m-such-a-brave-guy-even-though-it-hurts-like-hell smile.
Shit. Even in pain the guy plays the ladies.
Smelling like an overcooked pig was only the start of a bad day…
Nimue’s Price
© 2007 Kim Knox
Nimue enters the shining city of Camelot with her order plain: seduce Merlin or lose her family.
She knows his magic, how he can slip under a woman’s skin and work his charm. It’s there in the shine of his dark eyes, eyes that see through to her soul. Merlin knows what she is.
In the searing light beneath the Round Room, Merlin discovers that the Lady Nimue is the same as him: a Seer. Now he must resist their attraction to save his own sanity. But a new enemy threatens Camelot with a weapon so destructive, he is forced to join with her and reach into the far future to save Camelot.
Merlin has always known that knowledge has a high price. But will Nimue be willing to pay hers?
Warning: this title contains the following: sex, violence and a Merlin you probably aren’t expecting…
Enjoy the following excerpt for Nimue’s Price:
Nimue lay on the stuffed hay mattress and stared up at the curve of the ceiling. The torch cast a weak golden glow over the smooth stones and left most of the room in thick darkness. Merlin had dumped her there and bolted the door, fixing one of his devices. One that clicked and twisted and secured her better than stone and mortar.
She turned and punched her pillow.
“Saved by an invading army.” She let out a slow sigh. “Well, saved for now.”
At least Merlin had let her eat, bathe and rest.
“Not exactly going to plan, is it.” A bitter laugh escaped her. “Seems I’m not that irresistible after all.”
“You are to him.”
Nimue’s heart stopped.
A Voice. A Voice in her head. Inside her head.
Her neck tightened, a dull throb of pain spreading over the base of her skull. Nimue breathed against it and willed herself to be calm. There was something familiar about the voice. She’d heard it in a dream… No. The memory of searing white light and endless pain rushed over her. Not a dream, a nightmare.
“You’re…you’re Them.”
She felt the twist of a smile as if she wore it herself. “One of Them.” The press of quick spikes into her skull, sharp, fleeting, forced a gasp. “A new mind. Fresh. Free from Merlin’s fixed paths. Yes. You’ll do very nicely.”
“What do you want?”
A grin ran a saw across her brain. “We know what you’re doing here.”
“I…”
“Don’t bother to lie, Nimue. We know all, We see all. Your little scheme with Morgan is open and obvious to Us.”
Nimue bit into her lip and tasted her own blood. Fire surged down her spine and she curled her body tight, trying to deny the pain. “Please…I…”
“We have plans for Merlin. And you are a vital part of them.”
Nimue groaned against the rapid pulses of sharp pain scraping through every nerve, every muscle. “What do you mean?”
“You will take everything that Merlin has. But not yet.” A short pause and the pain washed over her and away. “He is coming. Remember. This is our secret. Or I will come to live in that sweet body of yours.”
Nimue breathed in and out. Slowly. So slowly. She slid her knees down from her chest, stretched and found the agony gone. She rolled onto her back and let the tears slip down her face into her pillow. Damn it. And damn the Iselin Dal to whatever hell They—
She cut off that thought.
If They knew everything, They had to know that Morgan had her sisters. That part of the bargain she had struck was for their safety.
Nimue sat up and wiped her hand over her mouth, wiped away the evidence of the Iselin Dal’s invasion of her mind. Her bare feet curled into the cold stone of the floor. Well, now she had two masters.
The clank and clink of the lock broke into her thoughts. A hiss and then bolts shot back. The door groaned.
The bright flare of a torch burst over the cell and Merlin glared at her. “They said I need you.”
A bitter laugh escaped her. “Nice to be wanted.”
&nbs
p; Yes, two masters. And now Merlin made three.
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