Scarlet Assassin

by Isabella

  “Hey, Sherman. You got anything?”

  “Nope.”

  “Get yer ass out of there then. We have another tunnel to check out. So let’s get busy. We’ll burn it. Go back and get a few gas cans and flood this tunnel, then light it up. The smoke’ll vent out of that hole right there.”

  “You got it.”

  “You got five minutes to get that shit lit up and back over to the other tunnel.”

  “I can’t—”

  “Run, asshole.”

  AJ broke the top of the water just enough to release the breath she was holding. Asshole. Her eyes were just above the water, never leaving the retreating backs. The sound of feet hitting cement echoed down the tunnel. She needed to get the hell out of the coven and now.

  Chapter Thirty

  Francesca knelt before Selene, begging for her pants.

  “Off.”

  “No, explain how you know AJ is a vampire.” Selene stood and yanked her arms, pulling her to her feet. “How?”

  Francesca tried to pull her arms free, but Selene grabbed tighter each time she jerked back.

  “Tell me. How is it you know about her, about me?”

  “I was in the lab when Kevin killed himself. I saw…” Francesca paused remembering. He’d committed suicide in the most brutal way, practically decapitating himself. She wanted to run, but AJ and Selene had walked in just as she was going to make a run for it. Her boss had put him in the cold storage box and said it was for safe keeping. Safe keeping for whom? She’d suspected something wasn’t right with AJ when she’d done her blood testing for insurance work. Usually Dr. Mayfield ran her tests, but he had gotten busy, so he’d asked her to do the double blind testing on the sample. Double-blind? Who does a double blind on lab work for insurance? When she looked at it under the microscope, the samples were practically vibrating on the slide. Adding the various antigens that insurance companies would test for only made her more suspicious. The blood consumed everything added to it. Repairing itself at such a rapid rate that she was shocked. She would’ve questioned Dr. Mayfield but he died suddenly, leaving her in charge of the lab. The biggest promotion came with a visit to the boss’s office.

  “Dr. Swartz, I’m thrilled to have you as Dr. Mayfield’s replacement.”

  “I’m honored you even considered me for the position.” Francesca said, nervously standing in front of AJ’s desk.

  “You were at the top of your class, you come from Thorndike Lab at Harvard Medical Center and your research is impeccable. I’d say we are lucky to have you.” AJ stood and walked around her desk, leaning on it in front of Francesca. “I do have some paperwork for you to sign and something to talk to you about though. It might make you rethink taking over Dr. Mayfield’s position. So in an effort of full disclosure….”

  That was the beginning of her learning about AJ and her blood’s ability to aggressively heal itself. She’d been given an out, but her curiosity and the research potential, had cemented her position at Lockwood Pharmaceutical. It was easy to deduce from that point forward who was and who wasn’t in AJ’s inner circle of vampire friends. She suspected Maggie, AJ’s assistant, knew as well, but she would never bring it up in conversation. It wouldn’t be polite and she didn’t want to be seen as a gossip, so she kept everything she knew and suspected to herself. It was easier that way. But Selene was different. She’d seen Selene in the lab that day with AJ pulling Kevin’s body out of the cold box. If it wasn’t for the long braid that broke between her shoulder blades, her physique, strength and size gave the impression of a well-built man. When she turned around however, Selene’s dark eyes mesmerized Francesca. An old soul was the only thing that she could attribute them too. Hence, it was easy to label Selene as a vampire. She didn’t make the connection or recognize Selene until after her visit to the club. She was the same woman, just different somehow. Darkness, mysterious and dangerous were written all over her, now. Then again, maybe it had been there the whole time. She wouldn’t know since she never saw Selene after the suicide incident.

  “You’re hurting me, Selene.” The quiver in her voice only added to the tension between them.

  Instantly she was released. Selene turned her back, pulling at her shirt, trying to cover herself. Francesca touched her back, a flinch her only response to the touch.

  “Selene. I’d apologize but I don’t know what I would be apologizing for.”

  “You don’t have anything to apologize for, it’s me.”

  Francesca wrapped herself around Selene’s back, hugging her tightly. “Why? You didn’t do anything wrong. Last time I checked we were both consenting adults, right?”

  “You can’t consent when I’m around. I mean I have the ability to…”

  “Did you? Did you make me come to you and force me to make love to you?” Francesca said, shocked that she hadn’t thought about Selene’s abilities to control her. She’d seen the way AJ and Selene seemed to have a connection that day in the office, but she just thought that was an old wives tale. Vampires talking to each other without having to say anything.

  “No! Of course not. I saw you and I wanted you, I just didn’t…”

  “What? Didn’t what?”

  “Stop you from coming to me.” Selene tried to pull out of the embrace but Francesca held tighter. “That night in the room…I…I purposely took the dom role when I learned it was you. So see, I used my influence to get what I wanted.”

  “And?”

  “And?”

  “Yeah, and? What…you showed me something I came here willing to explore. Stop Selene. We were destined to meet. I believe that. I believe in fate. I believe I get to control my own life and right now I want you in that life. Of course that is assuming…that you…I mean…”

  “You don’t understand. We’ve shared blood, you’ve given me your virginity, unknowingly of course, but you won’t be able to fight it.”

  “What if I don’t want to fight it?”

  “Good thing, because you won’t, unless I…”

  Chapter Thirty-one

  AJ lifted herself out of the muck and grime of the murky water, gagging from the noxious smell. “I need to hose off. Fuck.”

  Scaling the wall, she reached for any purchase for her fingertips. The cracks and crevices were microscopic in some instances, but enough to allow her to pull her ragged body up. Speed was critical or she risked being discovered by Sherman who would return to make the water a raging inferno. Elbowing her way on to the ledge she peered outside and saw freedom. Rusted through bars barely recognizable as metal practically disintegrated as soon as she touched them.

  “At least something is going my way.” She whispered, hearing someone running down tunnel.

  “Hey, who the fuck…oh shit it’s you. Hey, I found her,” Sherman screamed to no one.

  Waving at the little minion without responding, she slipped down to the outside and landed harder than she’d anticipated. It was dawn, but her eyes still weren’t focusing well enough. The tree line was only about a hundred yards. Staying here wasn’t an option. Praying her body was up for the challenge, she made a full sprint for the trees. AJ crouched behind a log to catch her breath and listened. She heard yelling in the distance and the whoosh of fire, as the smoke billowed out of the vent.

  “You asshole, how are we supposed to follow her now?”

  The crunch of decaying leaves under her feet was the only sound in the wooded area. Her mind focused on her escape. She circled around to reach the front of the coven, hoping her car and briefcase would still be there. Getting in could be a problem, but she’d worry about that when the time came. For now, she had to stay hidden because assuming the coven didn’t have day walkers would be foolish, if not deadly. Smelling like shit right now had its advantages. Climbing into a tree, she shimmied up into the canopy, hoping for a better vantage point and the opportunity to see where she was in relationship to the coven.

  Hugging the trunk she turned around to view the other direction. Trees and t
he smoke from the fire in the sewer to her left were the only landmarks she could make out. If she remembered correctly, the coven would be in front of her, just off her right shoulder. Something hard pressed against her thigh as she wrapped her leg around the tree to stabilize herself. Gingerly putting her hand in her pocket, she pulled out the cell phone and her tin. The cell phone was useless now and she considered tossing it. Instead, she tucked it back in the pocket. A careless mistake could lead someone right to her. A deep growl suddenly rumbled through the air.

  Dogs!

  Great.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Selene should have been thinking about De Marcus, she knew, but all she could think about, all she could smell was Francesca and her sex. Her body was oozing pheromones and Selene was eating them up like candy. This was the problem being with Francesca, she couldn’t think of anything else. Her animal instincts ruled, banishing all duty or reason beyond Francesca. The tight arms wrapped around her, the warm body pressed against her back and the hands slipping beneath her shirt were unraveling her well laid out plan. Now she had to deal with Francesca. Scaring her off wasn’t an option, not if she knew about AJ and by default, her. Fuck!

  “Selene?”

  “Francesca, please…”

  “Selene, please. Turn around. I’m not leaving, we need to talk.”

  “I don’t think it’s talking you want, Francesca.”

  Turning around was her first mistake. Francesca slid her hands around and pulled her closer. She opened Selene’s shirt wider and pressing against her. Selene’s nipples pressed against Francesca and she sucked in a breath.

  “Tell me you don’t want this. Tell me you don’t want me.”

  The dilemma. She could lie, but that would only push her further into the darkness she was trying to escape.

  “I wish I could.” Francesca pulled Selene’s head down for a kiss that was her undoing.

  Wetness rushed between her legs. She ripped Francesca’s shirt open and pushed her back onto the desk. Oh, she would never be able to work at that desk again, she realized. Her mind raced as she searched out what she wanted, first Francesca’s lips, then her breasts and finally ending her search between Francesca’s legs. She shredded Francesca’s panty hose and hiked her skirt up to her waist. Selene dipped her tongue down and pushed further, past wet lips, into the silky warmth that was Francesca’s essence. Her mind went wild, her heart raced and her fingers joined her tongue as she roughly explored what Francesca was willingly offering her. Her fingers threaded through Selene’s hair, holding her head in place while Francesca writhed under her lips.

  Selene’s tongue darted in and out of Francesca, tasting her with each probing stab. She wanted more from Francesca but didn’t dare. Finally, Francesca pulled her head away and sat up on the desk, kissing her. Francesca’s own tongue mimicked the way Selene had play with her pussy, darting in and out, licking her essence off Selene’s lips.

  “Show me,” Francesca requested.

  “What?” Selene wasn’t sure what Francesca was asking. Her head floated in the haze of the sexual frenzy and she wanted it to continue.

  “I want to see you, the real you. Fangs and all,” Francesca said as she kissed Selene’s neck. The feel of Francesca’s tongue flicking down her neck set her skin ablaze. The contact pushed her over the edge of desire and directly into the path of lust.

  “I’m not a magician, Francesca. I don’t perform on command, but if you insist…” Selene felt her fangs pop first and then the rest of her body followed suit. Fangs were always the first defense mechanism for a vampire, they protected, punctured and primed when a vampire fought for survival. Taking another’s blood was survival as far as a vampire was concerned.

  Francesca tapped the tip of her fang and then the other. She followed it with a deep kiss, her tongue purposely grazing the tips drawing her own blood.

  Jerking back, Selene slapped her hand over her mouth, as if she doing so would prevent the urge to taste more of Francesca.

  Francesca reached up and gently peeled Selene’s hand off her face, placing Selene’s finger in her mouth. Slowly, seductively she began to suck the tip, her tongue rolling back and forth over it. The action was pushing Selene to the breaking point and she did everything she could to control the vibration that was starting at her clit and moving outward through the rest of her body. Francesca had to know the effect she was having on her body. Of course she did, she was doing it deliberately and it was getting the desired reaction, Selene was sure as she looked down into the smoky eyes of her soon to be lover. She was past the point of caring whether Francesca knew what she was doing anymore.

  Selene’s tongue flicked at Francesca’s wrist, feeling the heartbeat racing under the skin. Moving up she sucked on the inside of her elbow, the pulse getting stronger the closer she got to Francesca’s heart. She heard the blood gushing in Francesca’s veins. Goosh, goosh, goosh, each rhythmic heartbeat, a siren call to Selene. Her tongue slicked along a salty trail up Francesca’s neck, while her hand pushed Francesca’s legs open and two fingers slipped into her folds. At first she gently suckled the inviting neck, her fingers slipping in and out with the pulse of Francesca’s heart. Palming her clit, Selene pulled Francesca back giving her more exposure to Francesca’s wanting body. Selene’s mouth covered erect nipples, afraid she would accidently bite the soft, pliant skin under her grazing fangs.

  “Oh god,” Francesca moaned softly, her back curved and relaxed and then arched again as her body released an orgasm. Selene continued to work her hand faster, urging another climax from Francesca.

  “Don’t stop.” Francesca begged, clinging to Selene desperately.

  The door banged open and both women froze.

  “Selene, I want to go home,” Clarissa demanded. “Now. I…oh shit.”

  Chapter Thirty-three

  AJ sat in the tree and watched the action below her heat up. Men barked orders, minions trying to follow them, and dogs drowned out those orders with their own barking. Chaos was in full bloom below her and all she could do was laugh internally and watch. Her place in the tree was hopefully high enough and secluded, and if not, there wasn’t much she could do. Moving would risk exposure and that wasn’t an option. Her hand clutched the tin of capsules. She hadn’t had the time to open it when the dogs alerted her to the new threat.

  She hoped her shit bath was enough to cover her scent from the dogs, but it was a long shot. Pressing into the tree trunk, she remained perfectly still. Patience was what she needed, besides it would give her the time to regenerate and build-up her strength. With every passing minute she felt her body getting stronger. Her thoughts went to Clarissa, how she missed her lover. A day, a night was too long to be apart when they hadn’t been without each other longer than a day since reconciling. They woke up together and slept in the same house, sometimes in separate rooms due to AJ’s schedule, but still together. She was sure Clarissa must be frantic, but there was absolutely nothing she could do right now to calm her lover. In her weakened state, AJ’s ability to connect with Clarissa was more difficult. She could get Clarissa’s thoughts, but she had more difficulty pushing hers to Clarissa. They would need to be a lot closer if she wanted to reach Clarissa and put her at ease.

  “Let’s go, she’s going to get further away if we don’t move,” bossy man from earlier screamed.

  The small group of searchers moved en mass away from the coven and deeper into the forested land. AJ waited what seemed like hours, yet she knew it was probably only minutes at most. Her mind worked out the logistics of getting to her car, assuming it was still where she parked it, getting off the coven grounds unseen and back to Clarissa. She needed to protect her lover. De Marcus was evil and he would be out to eliminate everyone around Clarissa, keeping her to himself for eternity. Scrambling down from her perch, she zigzagged from tree to tree, trying to stay covered while weaving her way back to the coven parking. Her car still sat on the small hill where she’d parked it. Little did she re
alize at the time, parking it facing down the drive would be convenient. Searching the lot, she didn’t see anyone around it. No sounds caught her attention. She crept closer, keeping low to stay hidden. It was eerily quiet—almost too quiet. Scanning the grounds, she suspected the impending dawn would keep the majority of the coven in lock down. All she had to worry about were the few out scouting for her.

  Crawling to the side of her car, she reached up into the wheel well and felt around for the replacement box she always placed on her rental. She’d learned a long time ago, that rental agencies took their sweet time sending a replacement key, and time sometimes wasn’t her friend. Staying alive in a world that wanted you dead meant planning was a necessity. It had kept her alive more times than she could remember. She’d built her life around possibilities, usually of the worst kind. The metal box slid, dropping its contents into her hand, a key and a small wad of cash. No use in having a car, if you couldn’t keep it filled with gas. Sliding down the fender she slipped the key into the door lock, turned it and waited, worried the sound of the lock turning might bring someone running.

  Nothing.

  She slipped into the driver’s seat and gently pulled the door closed. Pushing the lock button, she leaned across the seat and waited again. Her heart raced, anxiety coursed through her. It was difficult to stay focused. Suddenly her mind bounced from the past to the present. Clarissa then and her lover now flashed through her thoughts. How could she have not known Clarissa was alive all those decades? Why didn’t she search for AJ? Why was self-doubt eating at her now? AJ closed her eyes and pushed all of the questions from her mind. Now wasn’t the time to linger on pointless regrets.

  She slipped the key into the ignition and turned it. The car didn’t start. Pushing the brake she shifted the car into neutral, slowly let the car roll down the driveway. AJ peeked over the dash and then all around her, still nothing. She would only get one chance to get out and off the mountain, so she needed to be quick. Without power the car would be difficult to steer, so she prepared to start the engine before she careened off the road into a tree. She cranked the SUV and it lurched into drive as she pushed the gas to the floor.