Scarlet Assassin

by Isabella

  She turned her attention to the talking head, wanting to be rude, but it just wasn’t her style. Besides, what was that old saying–keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Well, until she knew better this guy was the enemy. That still didn’t mean she had to have coffee with him.

  “I’m sorry, I have dinner plans with my wife.”

  Marshall sat stunned for a moment, after closing his gaping mouth, he gracefully recovered enough to at least blush.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I mean, I hope you didn’t think I was trying to pick-up on you or anything when I asked you out for coffee. I was just trying to be collegial, that’s all. Hey, it’s cool.” Standing, he pulled at the legs of his pants and practically ran to the door. “You know I just realized I do have a little bit of prep for the class. Hey, it was nice to meet you. Let’s get that coffee soon though, okay?”

  The only thing missing was the two finger salute men like that shot at women when they suddenly found out they didn’t stand a chance with them. Weird…no it was beyond weird. There was no doubt in Clarissa’s mind it was all an act. From the impish grin to the “let me show you how suave I am” lines he was throwing around. She pulled her cell phone from her purse and dialed AJ’s number but it instantly went to voice mail. Odd. She tried again and it happened again. Dialing AJ’s office, she got Maggie. Now she was perplexed.

  “Maggie? Why isn’t AJ answering her phone?”

  “I don’t know, she called and said she had an appointment out all day and would be in the office tomorrow. I thought maybe she was playing hookie with you.”

  Clarissa could hear the smile in Maggie’s voice. She loved Maggie. It was clear she kept all AJ’s secrets and loved her anyway. Unlike Kevin who had practically destroyed AJ with his betrayal. At least Kevin had the decency to take his own life and avoid the certain painful death she knew AJ would exact upon him. No, AJ would have to have that on her conscience too.

  “No, I’m afraid I have to work. Unlike your boss, it seems. If she calls in, would you tell her to call me? It’s important.”

  “Did you try her cell?”

  “I did and she’s not answering.”

  “Oh dear.”

  That didn’t sound good. “Do you know something I don’t?”

  “Oh, no. I didn’t mean to sound rash or anything. I was just worrying aloud. You know how us old women like to worry. I think we should teach classes in it at the university since we’re such experts in it.”

  Maggie laughed trying to lighten the mood. She was hiding something and Clarissa knew it. Noticing the time she realized she didn’t have time to quiz the woman.

  “Well, thanks Maggie. Have a good evening and tell your husband hello for me.”

  “Will do and don’t worry, I’m sure AJ is fine. She’ll be waiting for you when you get home.”

  “You’re right of course. Have a good evening.”

  “Bye now.”

  Clarissa was worried. It wasn’t normal for no one to know where AJ was. Her last hope was Selene. She doubted they’d kissed and made-up, but they did keep in contact.

  Punching a button, her phone speed dialed Selene.

  “Hello, Clarissa.”

  “Selene, have you talked to AJ today?”

  “No, why?”

  “I can’t find her and I have a little…oh I’m sure it’s nothing. If you talk to her could you tell her to call me?” Clarissa noticed the time and rushed past the niceties of the conversation. “Thanks.”

  Before Selene could say anything, Clarissa hung up and dashed to her class. The rule was, if a student was late said student had to sing their favorite nursery rhyme, and Clarissa wasn’t going to be called out by her students for being late.

  Chapter Twelve

  Alexandra, you look wonderful. How long has it been?” Butch sauntered into the room looking like he had stepped out of a fifties movie: velvet slippers, a smoking jacket, fingering a cigarette in a holder. He air kissed each cheek and then sat down in a huge wingback chair that almost swallowed the slight man. “You look fantastic, being a light walker suits you. Pretty soon you’ll be tan and healthy looking. It’s such a shame we can’t get out and tan like we used to, I miss the sun’s heat. So…what brings you to the coven?”

  A smoke ring encircled AJ, who stood, still trying to take in the ridiculous outfit.

  “Sit.” Butch motioned toward a chair to his right facing the roaring fireplace. “What brings you all the way out here? Tell me you want to rejoin the coven. We could use someone like you in the coven, Alexandra. I hear you’re doing drug research into a blood replacement.”

  “Well that’s not exactly right, Butch. I’ve got a government contract for plasma, extracting it out of the blood and making it into powder form.” AJ lied. She didn’t want Butch getting any ideas for her new hyper-concentrated blood product. He could use it for his legions of vampires, giving them a normal appearance to the humans who might suspect they had a vampire in their midst. It didn’t have the ability to make them light walkers, and AJ wasn’t sure what had given her the ability, but she wasn’t risking anything. “They use it in the field, by adding water they get a stabilizer for the patient until they can get them the real stuff. At least we’re hoping it works out that way.”

  “Hmm, I thought Kevin had said something else. Guess I misunderstood.”

  Kevin had shared her work with the coven? What other secrets would she find out that Kevin had shared? At least he was dead and couldn’t say anything counter to her assertions now.

  “I didn’t know Kevin was reporting back to the coven. How long had that been going on?” AJ was starting to get steamed at the possible implications of Kevin’s betrayal.

  “Alexandra don’t be so paranoid. He was a friend. We shared many conversations about different things. You weren’t the only thing we talked about, besides I didn’t know your research was a secret.”

  “When you work with the government on research like this, it is secret. I could lose the contract if word leaked out and they thought I was sharing information.”

  “Ah, I see. Well your secret is safe with me.” He crossed his heart and held up three fingers emulating the scout code. “On my honor.”

  “I appreciate that, Butch. Now can we get to the reason I’m here?”

  “Oh of course, where are my manners?” At the snap of his fingers an attendant appeared with two glasses filled with a red liquid on a serving platter. He presented it first to AJ and she hesitantly took a glass. She hadn’t had real blood in years—with the exception of feeding off Clarissa in a sexual frenzy when they made love—but she wasn’t sure she could drink it like this.

  Butch lifted his glass in salute. “To your health and continued success, AJ.”

  “To the coven and your leadership, may you never waver about doing the right thing.”

  “Touché.”

  Lifting his glass, he slurped at the thick liquid. The action made AJ want to throw-up, setting the glass on the table she cringed thinking about how Butch had acquired the vampire lifesaving liquid. It was something that wasn’t discussed in proper circles, but rumors swirled about how the coven farmed humans for their blood. It wasn’t as bad as it sounded. The humans were paid for their fluids, but it was better than the barbaric way many still did it, often killing the human. The newbies resorted to killing their lunch, while the more sophisticated left them with little more than a few puncture marks and no memory of how they acquired them.

  Pulling herself back to the present, she studied Butch as he devoured the liquid. Clearly, Butch was consuming more that his body required for survival. His exaggerated gut and body spoke volumes, but she didn’t take him lightly even if he looked like a heart attack waiting to happen.

  “I’m looking for some help with a problem, Butch.”

  “Hmm,” he said lifting his finger to pudgy lips. “What would that problem be? Better yet, whom would that problem be?”

  “I think you mean who.�
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  “Who, whom, whatever. The result is still the same. I can’t help, Alexandra.”

  “AJ.”

  “Whatever, Alexandra, AJ it’s all the same person. I still can’t help you. De Marcus is gone from the coven.” He flitted his hand around as if dismissing her. She wasn’t going to be rid of that easily.

  AJ stepped closer to tower over Butch. She’d had enough of his pompous routine. “I know you two were thick as thieves. He knows where all your dead bodies are buried and you’re afraid he’ll expose just how you came to be the High Lord of the fucking coven, but guess what? I don’t care. I’d be doing us both a favor by eliminating him from our vocabulary. Tell me where he is and I’ll leave, never to be seen or heard from again.”

  She leaned in and Butch backpedaled in a failed attempt to escape. Their history kept him focused on her and on alert. AJ had almost killed him once and if he didn’t come clean with the information he had on De Marcus, she might actually do it this time.

  He straightened and tried to reassert his dominance by stepping forward and going nose to nose with AJ. She took another step forward. Butch slipped around her and placed his empty glass on the table. He moved to rest his elbows on the top edge of his wingback chair, creating a barrier between them. AJ smiled and sat casually on the sofa, waiting for his answer.

  “Would you like a tour of the place?” Butch said, trying to work a diversion.

  She glanced at her watch. “It seems I don’t have time for the grand tour, Butch. I’m having dinner with my wife in a few hours.”

  “I’d love for you to see what we’ve done with the art collection. Thanks to you we have a few stunning pieces. I thought you might like to visit them for old time’s sake.”

  Butch started toward the open doors to her left, leaving no room for discussion. Either she went along or went home to Clarissa. Leaving her mission incomplete was unacceptable. She wasn’t ready to let Butch off the hook quite yet. The fact that he was taking her to gloat over her art collection was like adding salt to an open wound, but it would only sting for a little while.

  “Fine.”

  He clapped his hands together and squealed with delight. No man should act like that, especially one who was in his position. AJ rolled her eyes as she followed him deeper into the bunker. Filing past one door and then another until they were almost at the end of the hall concerned AJ. The fact that no one was around gave her an uneasy feeling that something wasn’t quite right.

  “Here we are,” Butch said rather loudly.

  Light barely peeked out from the doorway as Butch entered. A crushing blow dropped AJ to her knees and then there was nothing but total darkness.

  ****

  Selene jerked the phone from her ear in surprise. Clarissa wasn’t usually rude, but something had her rushed. Dialing her back, Selene waited only to get her voice mail.

  “Hey, it’s just me. You hung up so fast that I didn’t have time to ask what’s going on. Call me back.”

  Selene had a feeling she knew what was wrong, but it wasn’t her place to tell Clarissa that AJ was probably at the coven. There was something else in her voice though, fear, panic or…

  She checked her watch. Class. If she was right, Clarissa’s night class was just starting which would explain her hurry to hang up, but not the fear in her voice. Grabbing her jacket she slung it on, patted her chest to make sure her weapons were still in place and rushed to the door. It wouldn’t take but a few minutes to get to the campus and then she could put her own concerns to rest.

  Sliding into her low-slung black sports car, she cranked the music. The head banging tunes would drown out her thoughts. Her demons called her out when she was alone. There was no exorcising them. Since her family’s death the demons were a constant reminder of why she did what she did—dealt death to those that deserved it. Only now she was paid for what she had taken pleasure in doing before. Before she could walk in the light.

  The drive to the campus was too short. Sitting in her car, she let the music vibrate through the speakers into the doors and up through the floor. She kept the windows rolled up, and the world at bay. Suddenly, she wondered what Doctor Francesca Swartz was doing right at that moment. The doctor’s shock of platinum blond hair and fair skin had instantly made Selene think vampire, but the warm pulse thrumming through her body alerted Selene that she was all human, and a scared one at that. But was she really scared? Doctor Swartz tensed when she walked in unannounced on Selene’s meeting with AJ. A subtle reaction, however, Selene had picked up on the quickening pulse, the dilated eyes and the jagged breath Doctor Swartz drew when they made brief eye contact. Unfortunately, Selene wasn’t as good at hiding her emotions when someone like AJ was around. AJ had honed in on her own visceral response like a hawk eyeing dinner. Doctor Swartz intrigued Selene and she would have to think of a way to see the good doctor, even if the excuse was for a brief cup of coffee. She’d better start drinking coffee if her stomach was going to handle the acidic liquid.

  Jumping out of her car, she turned her attention back to the reason she was at the university, Clarissa. Selene jogged to the hallway where Clarissa’s class was in session. She stood outside the door and listened as Clarissa lectured on how culture affected literature. Her voice steady but reserved, at least that’s what Selene heard. Something was definitely up. Clarissa loved teaching. She had the gift of inspiration. Her students loved her and she loved them, genuinely loved them. They would go all out for the Renaissance Ball, held by the literature club every year. Selene had almost killed De Marcus at that same ball last year. If it hadn’t been for that damned teacher he used to get to Clarissa, she would have one more on her kill list. Fate had its way of waving its boney fingers at her, flipping her the bird more times that she could count. No matter. She would get De Marcus if it killed her and that wasn’t going to happen, not in this lifetime. Selene giggled at the thought.

  “Okay class, meet back in fifteen minutes. When we get back we’ll discuss how religion impacts literature.”

  The groan echoed out to the hallway. Students filed out the door and past Selene in the direction of the coffee klatch at the end of the hall. Clarissa walked past Selene too, not even giving her a glance. Tapping her on the shoulder earned Selene a squeal and a slap.

  “What the–”

  “Whoa, students,” Selene said, pointing to the last few to exit the class.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “You called, I came.” Selene sniffed the air, looked around and sniffed again. “Who is that?”

  “You smell it too, huh?”

  “Who?” Selene narrowed her eyes and peered down the hall searching for whomever the scent belonged to, but she couldn’t pinpoint anyone.

  Clarissa grabbed Selene’s hand and led her down to her office, slamming the door behind them.

  “Fuck, I’m scared shitless.”

  “What happened? Did someone touch you? Threaten you? If so, I’ll kill them.”

  “That’s just it. He was nice, too nice.”

  “Who was too nice?” Selene stood and tugged at the corner of the drapes, just enough to peek down the hall at the throng of students talking. Nothing, or should she say no one, out of the ordinary stood out. The giggling banter of young girls assaulted her ears, so she stepped away from the door hoping to avoid any more torture. “So who’s this vamp?”

  “I have no idea. He just showed up, taking Carol’s place with some lame excuse that she had a family emergency.”

  “Maybe he’s telling the truth?”

  “Doubtful, Carol’s dad is dead.”

  “Hmm.”

  “Have you talked to AJ? I really need to speak to her now.” Clarissa sat behind her desk and worried a slip of paper and then wadded it up, throwing it in the trash with a sweeping arc.

  “No, sorry. Maybe I can help. Where is this douche?” Selene stood and made a show of pushing up the sleeves of her jacket and walking to the door. Stopping, she looked over at her
shoulder to Clarissa, hoping she wouldn’t need to convince her that the guy only needed a good tongue-lashing.

  Clarissa shuffled a few articles on her desk trying to appear busy, but Selene wasn’t leaving without making sure Clarissa was safe. AJ wouldn’t let her live if anything happened to Clarissa and she could’ve prevented it.

  “I’m probably just over reacting. Don’t pay any attention to me, Selene.” Clarissa gave a half-hearted smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

  A sensation flooded through Selene, a feeling of dread perhaps. Clarissa’s wide eyes told Selene she felt it, too. She opened the door and jerked the man walking past inside. In the next instant, she threw him on the sofa and straddled him.

  “Is this him?”

  Silence.

  “Is this him?” Selene waited, hoping for confirmation before she did something someone would regret. Fear washed off Clarissa in waves and was all Selene needed. Her body took over before her mind could control it. Nails lengthened, her fangs dropped with a pop and she could feel her saliva glands start to overproduce, a signal she was ready to feed.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Selene’s voice dropped to a deadly level, whispering near his ear. She inhaled his scent as she leaned in closer to his neck. She could smell his last feeding as the blood boiled just below the surface of his skin. He was so young. He hadn’t harnessed the ability to control his emotions and Selene fed off that kind of aggression.

  “Get off me,” he said trying to angle himself from under Selene.

  She only tightened her thighs, holding him under her.

  “Look, obviously you don’t know who I am, so take some advice, answer the question and I might let you live…” Holding his throat with one hand, she reached behind her and pulled a mat black dagger from its sheath. Pressing the thin chrome tip against his jugular she waited for it to pierce the skin releasing a drop or two of blood. Knowing the smell would send her further over the edge she resisted. “Or don’t. Makes no matter to me.”