Scarlet Assassin

by Isabella

  “I need to give this place a thorough cleaning,” she said to an empty house. The click of the swinging pet door signaled Nefertiti’s return. Her cat dropped the gift of a dead mouse to the floor in front of her. Clarissa cringed, knowing she would have to dispose of it. AJ was nowhere to be found, yet. She could always wait until AJ arrived for dinner, but the dead rodent would unnerve her if it sat on the floor for much longer.

  “Neeeefffff, come get your toy and put it away.” Flicking lights on as she strolled through the house in search of her cat brought Clarissa a little more comfort until finally all the lights were on. “Nef?”

  The house was exactly as she had left it. Dusty, but still in order. Nothing out of place, nothing disturbed. Why wouldn’t it be? Clarissa’s mind knew the answer to why, De Marcus was still out there, searching for her, she was sure. He wouldn’t give up so easily and she knew the coven could possibly be covering for him would only bolstered him in his mission. She had no protection, a harem never did. They were always at the whim of their master to do his bidding. She was still his property, the fact that he hadn’t claimed her in decades made no matter to the coven nor to a master. If he called, they had no choice but to respond. It was only a matter of time before it happened. Maybe that’s why Clarissa never truly turned herself over to AJ. It was an unwritten law between them. AJ could do nothing to stop De Marcus, short of killing him, and he had proven elusive to the point of being almost invisible. He would show up when he wanted and not a minute before. Everything had been on his terms. He had turned her, she depended upon him for life and then it was all gone. Poof. A faked death had transformed her life, or so she thought. Then De Marcus was there, inserting his finger into her world and swirling it around, fucking things up.

  “What did I do to deserve this life?” she said to an empty house.

  Maybe wanting time away from AJ was her way of coming to terms that their life was not really in their control. He would come for her. Now that she knew he was alive, she was sure of it. Breaking away from AJ might be the best for both of them. It would be hard to push AJ away, especially now that they come so far, and knitted their lives back together. De Marcus had created quite a ruse with the story of how AJ had killed her family and he had saved her. He claimed he’d turned her to keep her safe from the rabid animal AJ had become when her family forbade her from seeing Clarissa. Oh, he was clever, so bold and yet with a flash of white she was his for eternity.

  Spotting a bottle of wine on the counter, she pulled the cork and sniffed it. Her nose wrinkled at the slight hint of vinegar. Pouring it down the drain, she tossed the empty bottle into the trash and grabbed an unopened bottle from the rack in the island. She needed a drink to settle her nerves. She had a choice to make, leave AJ and wait for De Marcus to come for her, or…. There was no other choice, he would come and she would leave with him. It was the natural law of things. Better to break away now than to try and hang on, watching him kill her lover. She wasn’t giving him too much credit and AJ not enough, just the opposite – she knew AJ would fight to the death for her. If AJ died, then what would she have to live for? Taking a sip of her red wine she knew the answer - she would have to do this so AJ could live. Looking down at her phone on the counter, with regret she pressed the off button. It would start tonight. No dinner, no phone calls, no contact between them. It was for AJ’s own good.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Selene practically ran to her office, slammed the door shut and fell against it. Her transformation had started. Licking the blood from her lips, she still tasted Francesca. Pure, innocent, and a virgin. Fuck. She was untainted by another. She felt it instantly when the blood hit her tongue, bits of Francesca’s life flashed in Selene’s mind.

  “Oh god.” Selene slid down as she tried to control her body. Her blood was on fire, ravaging her mind with temptation of another taste of Francesca. Thoughts of Francesca tied up, her body giving Selene what she wanted, ran rampant in her mind. A virginal offering, and in the throes of a blood lust, what could be more dangerous for a vampire? She clenched her hands tighter, digging her nails into her palms, wishing the pain would help ease her desires.

  A soft tap on the door jerked her from her thoughts.

  “Selene?”

  Francesca.

  “Selene. I know it was you.”

  “You must go, Francesca.” Selene sniffed the air like a dog in heat. She could smell Francesca, feel the throbbing of her blood as it coursed through her body. Her mind clouded with the vision of Francesca offering herself, bent over by her desire to explore Francesca’s body—to taste her again—even if just a lick.

  “Did I do something wrong?”

  “No.” God please go. Selene wanted to splinter the door and possess what her body wanted—no, needed.

  “I wanted to tell you that…well…that what happened tonight was…”

  Selene hung on every word drifting through the door. Her body responded when Francesca leaned against the door and pressed her lips to the seam and whispered, “Amazing.”

  Selene’s mind was on fire. Without another thought she stood, whipped the door open and Francesca fell into her arms. Her lips claimed Francesca’s as her hands ripped open her shirt, shredding it in the process. She hesitated a moment and then gratefully realized Francesca couldn’t see her in her condition. Her office lights were off and the windows were wrapped in heavy drapery, blocking out even the slightest bit of sun or street lighting. Expecting resistance, she found none. It was the exact opposite. Francesca pushed herself into Selene’s body. Her hands roamed trying to grasp at anything. She grabbed Francesca’s wrists and pinned them behind her back. The last thing she needed was for Francesca to notice she was in the throes of changing. Her nails bit into wrists that acquiesced and relaxed, her lips found burgeoning breasts pushing toward her mouth. Francesca’s low moan when she nipped at her nipple practically sent Selene spiraling out of control.

  Moving Francesca toward her desk, she swept her arm across it, scattering everything to the floor. She laid Francesca on top and pulled at her jeans with such force the buttons closing the front went flying in all different directions. Frantic for contact, Selene fell to her knees and began to rub her face against the soft skin laid bare between Francesca’s legs. Her lips rubbed against the wet, matted hair before parting it with her tongue. She couldn’t get enough of Francesca. Dipping her tongue between velvety soft lips, she darted in and out of her opening. Fingers threaded through her hair urging her further as Francesca’s hips began to work against her tongue. She was beyond help, beyond reason as she tumbled over the edge of darkness into ecstasy. There was no way she could slip her fingers into Francesca without hurting her, so she speared her harder with her tongue, the quivering of an orgasm starting as she continued.

  If Francesca looked down she would see Selene for who she really was, and yet Selene knew something kept her from doing just that.

  “Oh, oh, fuck me. Please fuck me.”

  Francesca’s moans spurred her further. Grabbing her hips, Selene pulled her tight and bit the soft lip under her tongue. Blood seeped into her mouth as she lapped up the warmth. A gush of wetness coated her mouth as Francesca orgasmed and Selene broke through the thin barrier of skin tethering them together now. A thick warmth coated her tongue as Selene continued to coax another orgasm from Francesca, milking it gently before letting go of her self-control.

  “Don’t stop, please don’t…”

  Another wave crashed over them. Francesca held Selene’s head against her as her body convulsed. Blood coated her tongue, its essence enthralling Selene.

  Chapter Seventeen

  AJ lay on the ground barely able to move. The bright lights only added to her pounding headache and nausea. Trying to move, she remembered the jolt of electricity that surged through her before she collapsed. Her fingers glided over the two protruding wires still attached to her. The least they could have done was take these bitches out. She pulled the hooked tips from he
r skin. Her rational mind tried to grasp what had just happened. They had drained her blood to a dangerously low level.

  She was going to die.

  Her emotional mind struggled to imagine how she would live long enough to kill Butch and De Marcus. The process of dying was underway. Her lips were stuck together, and her swollen tongue could barely move in her dry mouth. Trying to stand, she fell face down. This can’t be the way it ends. She had to fight for Clarissa. Pulling herself slowly along the floor, she tried to make her way to the steel bed. Every pull was a drain on her already weak system. Her arms felt like lead as she crawled, arm over arm, reaching out for the edge of the steel frame.

  A break, she just needed a few minutes to compose herself and rest. Blackness ebbed into her mind, threatening to take her down into its dark abyss. Memories of Clarissa floated towards her. Happier times in France made her smile. Clarissa had been so beautiful in her innocence. For AJ it had been love at first sight. Shaking her head, she refused to give in to the debilitating weakness preceding death. She needed to stay focused in this world.

  “Clarissa needs me,” she told herself, grasping for the edge of the bed.

  Her fingertips clung to the edge as she curled legs under her body. If she could tuck them under her, she could possibly raise herself up. She struggled to grab more of the edge to pull herself onto the bed, when something in her pocket caught, preventing her from achieving her goal.

  “Fuck.” AJ tried to roll her body onto the bed. With half her body hanging off, she nearly fell back to the floor. Teetering on the edge, she held the wall for support. She closed her eyes. All she could think about was sleeping. Just a short rest, that’s all she needed. Clarissa’s face filled her mind.

  “AJ get up.”

  “I can’t, love. I’m too tired. Just let me rest for a moment. Then I’ll get up.”

  “No. If you rest you’ll die. Get up, Alexandra, now!”

  “Love–”

  “NOW.”

  “I’m trying.”

  “Your pocket.”

  “My pocket?”

  AJ reached for the pocket that had caught on the edge of the bed and felt around. Something pushed against her leg and she tapped her slacks. Reaching in, she pulled something out. She tried to look at it but her vision was dimming due to the lack of blood. Drawing it closer, she recognized the small box of experimental capsules Dr. Swartz had given her during their meeting. Elation coursed through AJ. Someone was definitely looking out for her. She fumbled with the tightly hinged tin and suddenly the capsules went flying in all directions.

  Fuck.

  One, just one would help her. She felt around her in the darkness. Nothing Her head lolled back against the bed, her mind weary with impending death. She felt as if she would succumb at any moment. “Rest, I just need to rest for a minute,” she whispered and closed her eyes.

  ****

  Francesca lay on the desk, the last orgasm still buzzing through her body. Selene knelt with her head resting against Francesca’s leg, her hands clutching her breasts. Unthreading her fingers from Selene’s hair, Francesca reached out to stroke one of Selene’s hands. Selene jumped to her feet. Suddenly embarrassed, Francesca covered her breasts and sat up.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me. I mean, I just—”

  “No need to apologize,” Selene said.

  “Oh, I see. Well—”

  “It’s I who should be apologizing. I’ve lost my professionalism and let myself take advantage of your heightened state. Let me get you some clothing.”

  Francesca looked down to see her shirt torn to shreds and her jeans around her ankles. The darkness shrouded her blush. Embarrassed again, she jumped off the desk and pulled at her pants, wondering where her panties and bra ended up.

  “Mind if I turn on a light?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do. Sorry, I’m a little embarrassed and light would only add to it.”

  Selene’s admission shocked her, but she had to agree, a little light on the situation would only compound her tenuous hold on reality. She’d never done anything like this before and couldn’t explain her irrational behavior now.

  “I understand. I should be going. I think I left my jacket and purse in the changing room. I’ll…”

  “Wait,” Selene spoke so softly that Francesca almost didn’t hear her.

  “Yes?”

  “Nothing, it’s nothing. Again, please accept my apology for my behavior. I don’t know what came over me.”

  Francesca wanted to comfort Selene, but she resisted the urge.

  “Can you answer me one question?”

  “If I can,” Francesca said.

  “Are you a virgin?”

  A secret she had held close was suddenly in front of her, daring to be denied.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Help!”

  “What?”

  “Help me, baby,” a voice called out to Clarissa.

  Reaching into the darkness, Clarissa pushed towards the voice she could barely hear. Pushing her hand further into the shadows her fingertips brushed against something cold.

  “Grab my hand,” Clarissa whispered. She squinted and tried to peer deeper into the abyss that spiraled into nothingness.

  “Clarissa, I can’t move. You’ve got to help me, baby.”

  “AJ?” Clarissa edged closer, extending her body further. AJ needed her. “Grab my hand, AJ.”

  “I’m trying, but I can’t see you. Help…”

  “AJ.”

  Clarissa slipped over the edge, falling, her body tumbling into the darkness. She tensed and waited for the impact as she fell further and faster into the emptiness reaching for AJ. A thud on her chest made her gasp, jarring her awake.

  “Neff…” She grabbed for the startled cat. She couldn’t pull in enough air as she tried to kick her feet free of the blanket that had wound around her legs. Finally, she sat up, shoving it off. Clutching her chest she gulped in each lungful of air, trying not pass out from hyperventilating. With her head between her knees she finally was able to control herself, but her mind raced with worry. Connection with another vampire had its pluses and minuses. The plus - knowing what they were thinking, how they were feeling, the minus - knowing what they were thinking and how they were feeling. Clarissa took her dreams seriously. They’d shown her what her inner mind was sensing in the past. This time her dream was alerting her that AJ was in danger. Maybe she was just feeling guilty. Leaving AJ wasn’t easy, not when she had just found her, but De Marcus would come calling any day and it would be over for them.

  Clarissa rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked around trying to re-familiarize herself with surroundings she hadn’t been at in a while. She was used to the hum of AJ’s house that always seemed to be full of energy of some type, but an eerie quiet filled her house. She’d been gone so long that she hardly recognized the solace of the country. She’d become used to the speed and rhythm of the city. The constant noise that enveloped them anytime they went out, the crush of people that mingled on the street from sun up to the red haze of dusk was a constant.

  Her mind quickly wandered to AJ and wondered if she had called, only to get Clarissa’s message. She knew AJ would call multiple times and expected to find several missed calls. She’d return her call, she knew that much, but what would she say? How would she explain her decision to leave AJ? AJ wouldn’t understand, she would plead for Clarissa to reconsider her decision. She would try to convince Clarissa that she could protect her from De Marcus, but he was her master and she was his to claim, whether she wanted to go with him or not.

  Once her phone finally lit-up, there were no waiting messages, no text messages, nothing. Her heart sunk. Where was AJ? Why hadn’t she called for their dinner date? AJ wasn’t one to overwork. Her time off the clock was important to her, she worked to stay busy, but she didn’t need to work. Pushing speed dial, Clarissa put the phone on speaker and laid it on the coffee table. Her knee bounced waiting for AJ to
pick up, but the phone went to voice mail. Clarissa froze. Something was wrong. AJ would never miss a dinner date, ever.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Selene rubbed her fingers. They stuck together from the coating of Francesca’s blood. Emotions roiled inside, leaving her thoroughly and completely disgusted with herself. She sickened at the realization she had let her lust take over when the opportunity had presented itself. Her skin prickled as her mind relived the events that had just played out on her desk. Papers and office supplies scattered across the floor, further evidence of her carelessness. She’d thought about Francesca ever since they’d met and now she was responsible for taking her virginity. How did someone stay a virgin in this day and age? Impossible. Francesca hadn’t confirmed she was a virgin, but it was obvious the minute Selene pushed her fingers into her. The resistance, the blood and the gasp were all confirmation of only the second time in Selene’s life she had been with a virgin.

  ****

  A quick glance around and Clarissa was instantly taken back to the last time she’d been at the Dungeon. Her own bondage experience had helped to keep her from doing something she might regret later. Selene had been her salvation that night without knowing it and tonight she just might be her savior again.

  “Clarissa, mon Dieu! It’s been a while. How are you? What can we do for you tonight?” Jax said, his warm voice caressing her ear.

  “Jax, it has been a while hasn’t it? I’m sorry friend.” She took his extended hand. “I’m not here for a social visit. Is Selene around? I need to see her.”

  Clarissa hurried towards the back. Time was fleeting and AJ was in danger. She knew it now and she needed Selene to help her find her lover.

  “She’s not seeing anyone Clarissa. She’s had a rough night.” Jax grabbed her as she tried to rush past him.