Scarlet Masquerade (27 page)

“Alexandra, please…” Clarissa’s voice, heavy with desire, pleaded. “…I’m not sure that I can—”

A.J. snapped out of her self induced haze, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.” Trying to stand, A.J. felt a hand push her back.

“Stop.” Clarissa cupped A.J.’s face in her hands and steadied her. “I was going to say, I don’t know if I can stop. I don’t know if I want to stop.” Translucent pools of green started to shift into a darker, urgent green. Clarissa was struggling with herself. Trying to maintain her composure, her body begged for release. “I’ve hurt you tonight and I’m the one that’s sorry. I’m sorry for ever believing De Marcus, for believing that you’d hurt my family.” A finger stopped Clarissa’s lips, but she pulled it down and continued, “for never coming to find you. I’ve wasted all of these years with bitterness and anger, and thoughts of revenge.”

Standing, A.J. pulled Clarissa even tighter to her body, her lips next to her ear. “Listen to me. Every breath I share with you is a gift, one I don’t want to take for granted. Tomorrow will take care of itself, so let’s take tonight to explore and reacquaint ourselves with each other. Let me make love to you. Please?” A.J. knew she sounded pleading, but it was all she had right now. The strong, independent woman was left at the ball. She had humbled herself to Clarissa in hopes of reconciling with her and she wasn’t ashamed of it. But tomorrow she knew what she needed to do, so tonight she needed to right her world with Clarissa. She needed to show Clarissa she hadn’t forgotten about her, that the monster Clarissa thought she was had never existed. Not then, not now and not ever.

A.J. felt Clarissa wrapped her legs around her waist, gently rocking her hips against A.J.’s rock hard abs underneath the sweat shirt. The walk to A.J.’s room was painstakingly slow and arduous. Each thrust against A.J.’s body, an exercise in patience. Grabbing Clarissa’s ass A.J. pulled her up and kissed her. A.J.’s tongue demanded entrance and wouldn’t be denied. Feeling as if she would swallow Clarissa whole, A.J. lowered her lips to the pulsing vein and started to caress the throbbing underneath. Moans had replaced the pleading and A.J. tried to move faster, but spied the couch and decided to nestle Clarissa into its leathery palm. The bedroom would be for another time.

Clarissa peeled the damp sweatshirt off A.J., stroking the lean muscles. Her fingers traveled up and down A.J.’s arms. A shiver, replaced by goose bumps, betrayed A.J.’s desire. Everywhere Clarissa touched made her feel like she was on fire. The slow burn was replaced by a rampaging torrent of flames as they whipped through A.J.’s body. She slipped between Clarissa’s legs and pulled her against her. Slick wetness coated A.J.’s stomach and the heady smell of desire wafted to her nostrils. A.J. could barely control her own need as it pooled between her legs. Her hands went to Clarissa’s breasts and pinched one and then the other nipple, which hardened at the contact. Rolling one between her fingers, she heard Clarissa moan and then gasp as she did the same to the other one. Dipping her head she licked the hard nipple, and then sucked it into her mouth. Rolling it with her tongue, she gently bit the tip and released it.

Moving on to the other breast, her lips continued their exploration of Clarissa’s body. A.J. slipped her hand between Clarissa’s spread legs and stoked the soft hair. Beneath her, A.J. marveled at the way Clarissa’s body greeted her. Its openness, its fragility made A.J. want to protect it. Its willingness to yield made A.J. hesitate for a brief moment, giving pause to what was about to happen. Suddenly, she felt Clarissa’s hand on hers, pulling it towards her wetness.

“Don’t stop, Alexandra.”

“I don’t plan to.” A.J. lowered her mouth to the wetness. She wanted to savor every detail, just in case tomorrow had other plans for them. A.J. shuddered when her finger slid into Clarissa, a barely audible hiss escaping her lover’s lips. She felt Clarissa’s hands on her head as her tongue slowly and methodically flicked at the hard clit. Time seemed to slow as Clarissa’s body rocked back and forth on her finger. Wetness coated A.J.’s palm as she added another finger to the gentle rhythm her hand had settled into. Her heart raced as she felt Clarissa’s muscles contract around her fingers. She knew Clarissa was almost ready to orgasm. Sliding her fingers to Clarissa’s opening, she stopped and looked up.

“I want you to feel me, to taste me when you come.”A.J. crawled up next to Clarissa. Her hand still encased in Clarissa’s wetness, she lay beside her lover pulling Clarissa on to her. Slowly, she began to work herself into Clarissa again, each stroke deeper and harder than the first. Clarissa’s body responded, arching against A.J., changing as she wrestled with herself.

“Let it go, Clarissa. Don’t fight it. Here…right here,” A.J. said, exposing her neck. “I want you to have all of me, heart and soul, my love.” A.J. felt a prick, then sharp fangs biting down on her neck. “That’s it. Fuck.” Both women’s bodies changed form as they orgasmed together. Out of control, A.J. felt her sharp nails rake down Clarissa’s back as she rocked through another orgasm. The endorphins of pain heightened each woman’s orgasm as they both gripped the other. Clarissa released her hold on A.J. and placed a small bite on her breast. A small drop of blood pooled and then was quickly licked away. A.J. slipped her fingers into Clarissa’s hair and pulled her head back exposing a throbbing jugular. A.J. hesitated as she watched Clarissa’s essence call to her.

“Alexandra, please take me,” Clarissa pleaded as her fingers raked down A.J.’s body. Clarissa lowered her neck closer to A.J.’s lips and pleaded again, “Please.”

Fangs broke through the soft, pliant skin and blood gushed with each throb of Clarissa’s heart. A small stream of blood slipped down A.J.’s face as she sucked at Clarissa’s offering. Her orgasm ripped through her as she tried to control her instincts. She could easily suck the life out of her lover if she wasn’t careful. She hadn’t worried when Clarissa had bitten her. She had controlled the situation by adding pain to the equation when she raked her nails down Clarissa’s body, causing her to release A.J.’s neck. But she would have to take control again, since she could easily over power Clarissa and lose her forever.

The blood lust was intoxicating. It had been decades since A.J.’s last actual feeding and a century since she had fed off another vampire. Underneath, she felt energized. A renewed life pulsed through her body. Another orgasm and she flipped Clarissa under her. She let her gaze take in the vampire that was Clarissa. Clarissa was on fire, every inch of her vibrated with an energy that merged with A.J.’s own. Her eyes had changed from a soft, light green to a deep almost emerald green and her body was wound tight. A.J. knew that the hooded eyes that stared at her did so without seeing anything. Continuing to bask in Clarissa’s essence, A.J. relaxed her hold on the petite form that lay under her. The last vestiges of an orgasm quietly worked its way through A.J.’s body. Softness replaced the hard muscles.

A smile lingered on Clarissa’s lips as she welcomed A.J. into her body. Quickly and without effort Clarissa slipped from under A.J. as she languished in the aftermath of an orgasm. Lowering herself, she rubbed her hard body against A.J.’s own lean form. Slowly, deliberately she slid A.J.’s sweat pants down her long legs. As she crawled up A.J.’s body, she once again rubbed against soft skin of her lover. A.J’s tight ass tucked neatly against her front. She licked up the exposed back, sliding her hand into A.J.’s long dark locks. A.J. felt her head gently pulled back and a whisper in her ear.

“Your turn,” Clarissa purred. A tongue swiped across the two puncture marks in A.J.’s neck causing a tingle to roll through her body. A.J. lay pinned underneath Clarissa. As she tried to roll Clarissa, A.J. was surprised by her strength. “Whoa there, Sweetheart. Where do you think you’re going?” The cocky tone was followed by the gentle rocking of Clarissa’s hips against A.J.’s ass. This was a side A.J. had never experienced with her lover and she was pleasantly surprised by her body’s reaction to the dominance. A.J. dominated other women, she was never dominated, but now she found the idea of this new Clarissa had promise.

Feigning surrender she smiled and flicked a tongue against a fang. “What did you have in mind?”

“Hmm,” Clarissa murmured against A.J.’s neck, “It’s been a long, long time since I’ve been this excited. I’d hate to waste it. Wouldn’t you?” Her hand raked down A.J.’s back leaving four bloody scratches. A.J. felt herself respond to the pain, writhing under the quick path Clarissa had taken to her wetness from behind. The growl buried deep in her throat was unleashed as Clarissa stroked her further.

“Turn over. I want to watch you.” Clarissa lifted her body off and waited until A.J. lay facing her on the couch.

A.J. once again complied with the simple command. The need to please was too great to protest against. A.J. felt Clarissa deliberately flick her hard clit back and forth before squeezing it. Another growl, this time from Clarissa, hummed in A.J.’s ear followed by a swipe of a tongue rounding her ear lobe before it was nipped by her fangs. The bite produced a drop of blood that was quickly licked away as the stroking continued.

The pain fueled A.J.’s need and she knew it wouldn’t take much to send her over the edge, if she was lucky. The room swirled as A.J. tried to focus on Clarissa’s hand. She felt as if she had been on a two day binge, the taste of human blood was like a recovering alcoholic having their first drink in years. She wanted more, more Clarissa, more sex and more pain, but probably not in that order. Her energy spiked and her skin pricked when Clarissa slapped at her wetness. The smell of blood with raw sex saturated the air in the room. Taking a deep breath, A.J. tried to outlast the orgasm that was about to roll through her body, but it only gave her a brief reprieve. Why she was denying herself this last euphoric moment was beyond A.J.’s reasoning. She knew that once she had shared Clarissa’s blood they would be tied beyond mere thoughts and words. The love they shared would bind them for life. The bite would heal their fragile relationship and each time they shared blood, their bond would strengthen. They would be bonded at their souls and yet she tried to stave off the inevitable a moment longer. Waiting a few minutes more for a moment she never thought she would have was torture she would enjoy. Their first time together would always be this night, this moment, this very essence and she wanted it to last, forever.

Hard, short strokes brought A.J. to the edge. She felt Clarissa move down her body, spreading her legs wider. A warm tongue lapped at her wetness, almost sending her over the edge. Her tenuous hold was slowly slipping from her grasp. With each stoke of Clarissa’s tongue against her clit, she felt her muscles tighten around strong, commanding fingers. An orgasm started to build, her skin forming goose bumps as the orgasm spread throughout her body, and then an explosion of colors blinded her. Clarissa moved up the tight body, her lips sliding easily against sweaty skin. Small tiny nips against her skin kept A.J. wound tighter and tighter. Face to face now, A.J. could still see the unmistakable gaze of lust in her lover’s eyes. Her heart beat echoed in her ears and A.J. felt the onslaught of another orgasm take control of her body. Lips pressed against hers and she welcomed the tongue that pressed further. Grabbing Clarissa’s head she kissed harder. Her body arched into the rough strokes, her muscles not quite able to capture the fingers that pushed her into the black abyss of her mind. Holding Clarissa’s fingers to her, she felt her body finally clinch them and hold their further progress. She couldn’t pull herself from the darkness that had enveloped her yet. She wrapped her mind in it, like a warm cocoon that sheltered her from the outside. To end their love making would bring her back to a reality she wasn’t sure she was ready to face, so she lay there, Clarissa nestle on her breast, Clarissa’s hand buried in her wetness and blackness surrounding her. Her mind was blank, knowing that whatever she felt or thought Clarissa would also.

“What are you thinking?” Clarissa pulled her hand from A.J. and licked a tip of a finger.

“Nothing,” A.J. answered honestly.

“I know. But why?” Clarissa rested her chin on A.J.’s chest and watched her.

“It’s easier to think of nothing than to think about what’s just happened.”

“I don’t understand. Are you sorry for what just happened?” A.J. could feel Clarissa’s anger start to surface.

“No, not at all. I’m just trying to enjoy it, feel it, not analyze it. Does that make sense?” A.J. pulled Clarissa’s body tighter against her own. Turning so Clarissa’s back was against the couch, she stroked her lover’s face and lay a gently kiss on her lips. “I want to feel this moment, immerse myself in it and make sure I have it tucked securely in my heart.” Her thumb stroked down Clarissa’s lips, followed by another kiss before she spoke again. “We are bonded, you and I. Our souls, our blood and our lives are one. I belong to you and you to me. As vampires, we share a connection no other has with us. You didn’t have that with De Marcus, did you?”

Clarissa’s dropped her eyes. “No, what I had with De Marcus I never want with anyone.”

A.J. raised Clarissa’s face, staring into the soft green she had seen earlier. Her heart ached for the pain she saw there. She wouldn’t push Clarissa tonight, but some day Clarissa would share her past with A.J., and she already had an idea of what would be said.

“I love you.”

###

Selene would have killed De Marcus and been done with, but it wasn’t her call and A.J. hadn’t said she could. Lucky for him the police arrived in time to save his sorry ass. She rubbed her arm where he had bit her and grimaced. He had a debt to pay and she hoped A.J. would give her the opportunity to collect. She had left her sword buried in his shoulder with strict instructions that it shouldn’t be taken out for at least a few days. The pure silver blade had been a gift, a gift she wished she could have kept, but it was more useful at the moment buried in the vampire than hanging on her office wall. While Sgt. Gilmore wasn’t one of them, he was sympathetic to a fatter paycheck. Selene gave very detailed instructions on how De Marcus should be handled, explaining that as long as he left the sword buried in De Marcus’s shoulder he wouldn’t be a problem. The leg irons and hand cuffs were for Sgt. Gilmore’s protection and if they were removed…well she had done her due diligence in alerting the officer.