Scarlet Assassin

by Isabella

  Selene

  “Clarissa, leave and you can say you don’t know what happened to Mister Happy here.”

  Selene.

  Clarissa’s didn’t have to give voice to her fear, Selene could read her mind, but it didn’t matter. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Clarissa turn away, obviously not wanting to witness what was about to happen.

  “So where were we? Aww yes, now where are your manners? You were about to introduce yourself. Weren’t you?”

  “Fuck you.”

  “Well, I have some bad news, you’re not my type,” Selene said rather casually. “Now see, you really don’t know me. I like mine soft, with sexy curves and big red lips. Kind of like Clarissa over there, so that brings me back to my question. Why are you following Clarissa?”

  “I’m the new substitute for Carol–” Selene clamped down further on his throat. “…while she’s out on emergency leave.”

  “Now you’re lying. Carol’s parents are both dead. Try again.” Selene remembered a conversation between Clarissa and Carol when her job was Clarissa’s safety.

  Squeezing harder she closed her eyes and felt a sense of tranquility take over. His blood rushing past her fingers signaled a meal waiting just beneath grip. If his heart continued at its frantic pace, he might have a heart attack. That would solve the problem, but give her no answers. She relaxed her grip slightly, hoping he would see it as reluctance on her part to kill him. Selene liked playing cat and mouse with a prospective victim. The chase excited her, trying to out think her opponent had its merits and kept her sharp.

  The vibrating fluorescent lights started to hurt her eyes. She was in hunt mode and her sensitivity to light and sound were heightened.

  Turn off the lights.

  Selene!

  Leave now, Clarissa. I don’t want you to be a part of this. Lock the door on your way out.

  Her command left no room for resistance. Clarissa’s haggard sigh, followed by footsteps and click of the lights showed her acquiescence to the situation. Selene didn’t want Clarissa exposed to the impending death of this coward who was clearly only here to hurt Clarissa. Obviously, he hadn’t counted on Selene and whoever sent him hadn’t alerted him to the possibility of her presence. No, they had probably sent the young blood out to do their bidding without explanation, but a promise from a master would make any newling act like a loving puppy and do his bidding.

  The sudden darkness added to the terror her victim experienced. Sweat started to bead on his top lip, another few slipping down his throat. She could almost taste his salty skin just before her teeth broke the surface to the delicate copper taste that would coat her throat. She tried to sweep his mind, but he was a young vampire who couldn’t hide his fear. All she could see in her mind’s eye was a chaos of thoughts, images flashing through his mind.

  “Fuck off.”

  “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? Oh, I suspect your mother is long dead isn’t she?” Selene could feel the man under her trying to change. She squeezed his neck tighter. “Let me be frank, you’re going to die tonight and you can either go with a clean conscience to meet your maker or you can carry all this baggage with you to the pearly gates. Makes no difference to me.”

  His eyes started to bulge as she squeezed the jugular smooth as it filled with the blood that wasn’t making it past her grip. She flicked the tip of her blade and let loose a few droplets that dripped down his neck. She flicked her tongue up the drips catching them before they stained his shirt collar. Her mouth salivating, she plunged her fangs into the beckoning invitation. A long pull and her mouth filled with his essence. Pulling her head back, she stared into eyes ready to roll back into submission.

  “Now, who sent you?” She licked the holes on his neck whispering again. “Tell me and I’ll might let you live, don’t and you’ll surely die.”

  It had been at least a year since her last feeding on a person. Her body jerked and her mind reeled from the sudden infusion of raw human blood. It was almost orgasmic the way it sent spikes through her body. Her clit stiffened and wetness spread between her legs. A blood lust would set in after this and she knew what that meant. She’d be in need of a sexual partner.

  “Butch.”

  “Hmm?” she hummed, her mind swimming in endorphins. Had she heard him right? The fucking high lord himself was sending someone to kill Clarissa. Why?

  “Why would Van der Plume send someone to kill, Clarissa? You’re a liar.” Shocked at the revelation, she squeezed his neck tighter. Blood oozed from the puncture marks on his neck. While there was no love lost between the two, Butch didn’t seem to have the balls or even the need to kill Clarissa. De Marcus, yes, Van der Plume, no.

  “Why?”

  “He has a plan to bring the coven back together and Alexandra and Clarissa are fucking with that plan. That’s all I know.” He croaked his answer past her grip.

  Biting him again, she swallowed another mouthful or two and then pulled off his neck. Draining him almost to the point of death would keep him compliant and weak, but it would have the opposite effect on Selene. She would be unstoppable for the next few hours. Her mind raced in directions that were even fearful for her.

  “How does Alexandra fit into all of this?” She knew, but needed him to confirm what she was afraid had already happened.

  “She’s at the coven as we speak. He’s got a plan for her and—”

  His head dropped back into unconsciousness. He’d been drained too far and would be in a coma like state for at least a few days until his body recovered enough to produce enough blood to sustain life. At least now he wasn’t a threat to Clarissa, but Selene wasn’t through with him yet.

  Fuck.

  Selene knew AJ had planned to visit the coven today. Remembering the last time they talked it was clear he was beyond reason. He wasn’t one to do his own dirty work; this guy was evidence of that fact. She suspected whatever Butch had planned would involve more guys like this one. Drones who did their master’s bidding.

  “Selene?”

  “Clarissa. Come in but don’t turn the lights on. Do you have anything to clean this guy up with? I don’t want to carry him out of here with a bloody neck.”

  “Oh my god, did you kill him?”

  “Lucky for him, no.”

  Selene wished she had. Now she had to worry about where she would put him for safekeeping. The club was her only option. Jax would keep an eye on him and knew what to do when he came around. She needed to make her way to the coven and save AJ, if it wasn’t too late.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Francesca wished she had passed on Dorothy’s taunts, but now she would have to either pay-up or put-up with the spanking. She hadn’t told anyone about the bet and she hoped Dorothy didn’t either. Francesca also hadn’t told Dorothy when she would fulfill her part of the bet. Dorothy gave her a month, but she wanted to get this over as soon as possible. It was bad enough that it was the only thing occupying her mind lately.

  According to the paperwork she would be anonymous to the mistress and the patrons. Francesca marked what she absolutely wouldn’t do and marked what she would consider. She even had to write down her safe word so that there was no mistaking what it was. The attendant had passed her the clothing she requested and tied her up. Then she informed Francesca that her mistress would be in to “discipline” her.

  They agreed that proof would be a few strategically placed lash marks upon which Dorothy would pay the hundred dollars. If Dorothy didn’t do it then she owed Francesca two hundred dollars. How could she pass up the chance at two hundred buck for a few minutes of torture?

  ****

  “Hey boss, whatcha got there?” Jax tossed his head in the direction of the body slung over Selene’s shoulder.

  “A problem.”

  Selene was thankful Marshall didn’t weigh more than his slight little frame could carry. Clarissa told her that his name was Marshall. No last name, just Marshall. She didn’t have the heart to tell her what Marsh
all had relayed before he slipped into unconsciousness. It would freak her out even more if she thought AJ was at the coven, let alone in danger. Now Selene had two more problems besides confirming AJ’s location. Her feeding frenzy had created a situation needing immediate attention and the man slung across her back had to be restrained and kept under guard.

  “Want me to take care of your problem?”

  “I’ll put him in one of the rooms. I don’t think he’s a day walker so a room with some light filtering in will keep him down.”

  “I’m glad you’re back, I have a newbie client in need of a mistress.”

  Selene stopped dead in her tracks. Did she hear him right? Did he solve her blood lust problem without knowing it? No. In her current condition, she could hurt someone. She’d have to pass on this little fix. Newbie night was turning out to be a bigger pain in the ass than she had hoped. It opened up a whole new clientele that had unfortunately read to many mommy porn books. But pain was a color and that color was green, money green and her business was flush with green.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea right now. Find someone else, Jax.”

  “She wants a woman, and all the other Doms are busy with clients. I can send her home and tell her to come back another time. No problem.”

  Shit, word of mouth was either the best business promoter or the worst thing for a business. One unsatisfied customer wouldn’t kill her, but she didn’t like the thought that someone would badmouth the Dungeon, either.

  “No…let me dump this piece of shit in a room and cleanup. How long has she been waiting?”

  “She just signed in and got situated in a room.”

  “All right, He’s going in the basement room. Keep the camera live on him. He won’t be coming around anytime soon, but I don’t want him finding a way out and running back to his master. Got it?”

  “You got it.”

  “Don’t touch him, Jax.”

  Jax threw up his hands. “Why would you even think I would lay a hand on a hair on his head? I’m shocked, Selene.” His mock indignation made her want to slap him silly.

  “I mean it, Jax. I need him to tell me what’s going on at the coven and he can’t do that if he’s dead.”

  Selene humped down the stairs and unceremoniously dumped her cargo on the cement floor. Pulling out her phone, she snapped a picture for later identification, but for now she had a job to do. She tossed a light on and double locked the door without even a second glance and made her way back upstairs. She’d had enough drama for the night and needed to get her head screwed on right if she was about to work.

  Selene changed and made her way to the room where her client awaited her introduction into the world of bondage. Flipping through the paperwork she made sure all the T’s were crossed and the I’s dotted before she looked through the peep hole. It would take all she had to control her visceral response to the bondage session, but if she were lucky it would help her work through the sexual urgency coursing through her body.

  Looking in she froze. There was no way she was going into that room.

  Walking back to the front she found Jax standing at the bar chatting with a woman who looked as if she belonged in a steampunk novel than a bondage club. Why did some people insist on dressing up when coming to the Dungeon? She would never understand the urge of some people to get trussed up, strapped around and sheathed in whatever the flavor of the day was for a night of twisted fetish pleasure. Sure, she knew there was a whole culture surrounding the bondage theme. It just wasn’t her thing. She had no idea why she was so judgmental of those that wanted to be part of that experience. They were who they were, she guessed.

  “Jax can I speak to you for a minute?”

  “What’s up boss?”

  “I can’t do this client.”

  Jax shot her a puzzled look and then smiled. “No problem, boss. I’ll take care of it.”

  Selene grabbed his bicep, stopping him from coming around the bar. “No, I don’t want you taking care of it. Who’s on tonight?”

  Jax ticked off names on his fingers, all which under any other circumstances would be capable of giving a newbie their first taste of BDSM. Only this client was different, this client was the woman Selene had just been engaged in daydreaming about.

  Fuck me, she muttered to herself. She couldn’t trust anyone else with this woman. If anything went wrong she’d never forgive herself. What could go wrong? Her Dom’s did this for a living, they wouldn’t be here if they couldn’t control themselves. A pang of jealousy charged through her body at the thought of someone else in charge of Francesca’s first fetish experience.

  “Forget it, I’ll take her.”

  ****

  Francesca heard the door to the private room open and then shut.

  “Your safe word is tiger? Interesting,” said a voice she could barely hear, her heart was beating so loudly in her ears. She felt a hand slowly trail around her mid-section, ending on her back. “Ready?”

  “Yes Mistress,” she whispered as she lowered her head.

  “Don’t be scared. I won’t hurt you.” The voice tried to reassure her, but she felt like she’d suddenly made a mistake. She tried to control her anxiety with a deep breath and then pushed it out through pursed lips. Francesca was always in control in her life. She controlled her environment even when she did nothing, because wasn’t doing nothing still a control mechanism? Her mind raced as she heard something being dropped on the bench along the wall. Francesca turned towards the noise. She couldn’t quite make out what was happening, but the sound of a metal chain, or at least she thought it was a metal chain, drew closer. Now she’d wished she had more clothing on. In fact, flannel pajamas sounded good right about now, the exact opposite of what she had on, or barely had on. Francesca had decided that if she wanted to experience the total scene she needed to be open what she had witnessed at the Dungeon the night before. The woman on stage wore only a bustier and panties and had sent a surge of electricity through her. She looked…sexy. Francesca never felt sexy, but tonight she wanted to feel it, live it. She would never see the dominatrix again, she had told herself repeatedly as she dressed in her outfit for the night. That alone helped her cinch up the laces of the bustier. Anonymity, complete and total anonymity, was promised in the paperwork. That, and a stupid bet with Dorothy were the only ways she had convinced herself to sign up for this experience.

  “You’ve picked an interesting outfit for tonight. Did you decide on this little leather number?”

  Francesca nodded.

  “It’s very flattering on you.”

  Did she just imply I was sexy?

  Francesca felt something warm touch her nipples and then they were pulled and squeezed. A pinch on her nipples almost made her knees buckle, the painful pressure sweet in a way she hadn’t expected. Cold metal swayed against her chest as the chain was pulled and released, slapping her.

  Hmm, she groaned.

  “Are you all right?” A warm whisper caressed her ear.

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, ma’am. You will always address me as ma’am or mistress. Understand?” The voice firm, continued to breath in her ear as the chain was pulled lightly at first.

  “Yes…” A tug on the chain stopped her briefly. “Ma’am.”

  “Good girl.”

  Francesca felt a burst of wind on her back as she heard the swishing of the flogger being moved back and forth. SLAP, small strokes landed on her back and then more as the dominatrix worked the leather instrument back and forth.

  “Is that too hard?”

  “No.” A harder slap made her wince, not in pain but something different, a tingle of sorts.

  “No, Mistress.”

  “That’s better,” the woman said as she moved to the front of Francesca.

  Slowly, she felt the flogger worked around her body. The sting of the flogging was starting to send tremors through her body. She had been told that endorphins would be released when she was flogged and it was cle
ar the mistress knew the exact amount of pain it would take to release them. She felt her nipples harden against the clamps, sending a painful jolt through her. A sudden gasp and the mistress stopped her flogging.

  “Are you all right?”

  Cool hands ran down the long welts the flogger had left behind.

  “Yes, Mistress,” Francesca said. She felt the woman move into her.

  Francesca pushed against the hand that rested on her hip, suddenly embarrassed that she was wishing for a more intimate contact. Automatically, she turned into the hand and shifted towards the mistress. Her body was on a slow burn that wanted to be fully ignited. It’s the endorphins, she told herself. Her rational mind tried to take over but her body was on a different path. One of sexual urgency and release.

  Without warning the mistress cupped her pubic bone and let her fingers slowly stroke her clit.

  “You like this don’t you? I can tell by the way you’re breathing and…” She fingered the fabric barrier. “You’re wet. Very wet.”

  Francesca felt herself getting wetter the longer the stroking went on. The slow dance of the mistress’s fingers almost made her come, but she was in control of her body, wasn’t she?

  “Would you like to come? I know what you’re thinking. You think you’re a nasty girl for liking this aren’t you?”

  When an answer did come, the mistress gradually released the pressure on a nipple clamp and then reapplied it.

  “OOO. Yes Mistress please,”

  “Please, what?”

  “Please, I…I…need to come. If you keep stroking me I’ll come.”

  “Then answer my question?” The mistress slid a tongue around Francesca’s ear lobe as she continued to stroke her.

  “Yes, I’m ashamed I’ve liked this too much.”

  “Well don’t be, enjoy what your body likes. Leave the taboos outside and you’ll enjoy yourself more.” The mistress slipped two fingers inside Francesca and continued to play with the nipple clamps.