Scarlet Masquerade (29 page)

The urge to meet a possible husband had sent her sisters aflame, something Selene couldn’t understand. Her two sisters had put together a basket, thinking the traveler might be hungry and, of course, it gave them the perfect excuse to visit. They had gathered their courage and asked her, as the elder sister, to be the lookout. Selene watched as her sisters went to the barn. Sneaking behind them, she sat in the shadows outside the barn and watched as her sisters flirted with the traveler. After sitting for a few minutes, the young man had practically pounced on her sisters, ripping them to shreds. Selene remembered screaming as she ran for the house. Before she had taken only a few steps, he was standing over her covered in blood. His gaze kept her transfixed, unable to move, or to warn her parents. Picking her up, he remarked how lucky he had been to find such accommodating lodging with a meal plan. The last thing she remembered as he bit her was the sound of a shotgun firing.

Selene woke to find herself lying in a pool of her and her father’s blood. His throat had been ripped open. She shuddered looking into eyes staring at nothing. Running into the house, she found her mother laying in blood soaked sheets, a gurgle escaped her lips. Run, was all her mother had the strength to say before she died.

The days that followed were a blur. The settlers had buried her family as she laid bed ridden and traumatized from the horrendous event. The people of Jamestown assumed a pack of wolves had killed the family. For Selene, the terror would revisit her again when her body began the process of changing. The need for blood soon became so overwhelming she roamed the forest at night for small animals, gorging on their blood and stayed hidden during the day. She eventually realized she had become what the traveler was, a vampire.

Selene wished she had the courage back then to take her own life, but as instinct took over, the will to live overwhelmed her. Selene felt her body break out in a sweat reliving the memories long buried. The man who turned her didn’t assert his rights as her master. In fact, he had left her for dead, probably assuming she would die without his guidance, or worse, that the people in her community would kill her when they found out what she was. Decades would pass before she found the man who had taken her family. When she did, she killed him without even blinking an eye. That was another time, tucked away in another box that didn’t need to be opened just yet. Selene ran her fingers through her hair and dressed. Slipping on her shoulder holster, she tucked her knives in the sheath behind her back. Then, she slipped her jacket on and settled herself. Business was business.

###

A.J. sat in the darkened room and reflected on what she had to do today. Watching Clarissa sleep, she wished she could crawl back into bed and stay there for days making love to the beautiful woman. They had a lot of catching up to do, but business had to come first this one and only time in her life. Kevin’s betrayal stoked the anger that lay just beneath the surface. It waited to be released, to be given free reign and she let it simmer as she waited for Selene to arrive. He would pay for endangering Clarissa, probably with his life. There was no other way as far as A.J. was concerned. Then there was the matter of De Marcus. A.J. hoped that Selene had him tucked safely away and had not killed him. His death would be slow and agonizing. He deserved no better than to watch his life slowly drain away. Then A.J. could put the past behind her and move forward with Clarissa. A buzzing brought A.J. from her thoughts. Selene had arrived.

“Come on in,” A.J. said, pulling the heavy door open. “You look like shit.”

“Well, good morning to you, little Miss Mary Sunshine. Aren’t you the picture of tranquility?”

“Ouch. Someone didn’t have their morning coffee, did she?” A.J. watched as Selene rubbed her forearm grimacing. “What’s wrong with your arm?”

Selene slipped her jacket off, raising her arm to A.J. “Seems your lover’s ex-husband likes to bite. He bit me last night when we tussled.” Selene rubbed the bandage again trying to ease the ache that had set in.

“Tussled?” A.J. raised her eyebrows at the word.

“Okay, after I buried my rapier into his shoulder.”

“You didn’t kill him, did you?” A.J. suddenly felt deflated thinking about how she wouldn’t have the pleasure of watching him die.

“No, he’s safely tucked away, but I don’t know how long that will last,” Selene said as she looked around the room. “So… what did you do all night?” Selene wagged her eyebrows at A.J.

“Knock it off. Tell me what happened when you went back to the ball.” A.J. handed Selene a cup of coffee, then sat on the sofa.

Selene recounted everything that had happened from her encounter with Carol to the fight she had with De Marcus.

“Where is Carol now?” A.J. knew Clarissa would ask when she woke her. Hopefully, the woman was smart enough to listen to Selene, but A.J. was worried Carol would put herself in harm’s way trying to protect to Clarissa.

“I don’t know. I put the fear of God into her though. So, if she’s smart, she’s in some flea bag motel waiting to hear from Clarissa.” Taking another sip of the steaming brew, Selene continued, “I told her to wait and Clarissa would call her.”

A low growl rolled through A.J. It was getting messy and she hated messy. She would have to tell Clarissa to be light on details when she talked to Carol. The less she knew, the safer Carol would be until they sorted out this mess.

“Alright, let me tell Clarissa we’re leaving.” A.J. wanted to get things over with fast. Kevin was just a loose end now that needed to be tied up. With De Marcus safely tucked away, she didn’t need him anymore.

A.J. stood in the doorway looking at Clarissa. After all the lost time, she couldn’t get enough of watching Clarissa sleep. She looked peaceful lying in A.J.’s bed. It was a shame she couldn’t just crawl right back between those legs and lose herself again. Soon it would be finished and she could take Clarissa away from all of this and get reacquainted with her lover, again. A moan slipped from Clarissa’s lips as A.J. tapped her shoulder.

“Clarissa. Clarissa, Honey.” Lowering her head to Clarissa’s ear she inhaled her scent. The mixture of sex and sweat wrapped around her head and she felt herself swoon. A tingle coursed through her body when Clarissa wrapped an arm around her neck.

“Hmm, is it morning already?” A soft kiss on A.J.’s neck made goose bumps on her skin.

“Yes, but you don’t have to get up. Selene is here and I need to go take care of that business we talked about. Okay?’

An eye slowly popped open as Clarissa pulled A.J. down for a kiss. “You have to leave right now?”

“Trust me, I wish I didn’t, but the sooner I take care of this the sooner we can get on with our lives.” A.J. pressed Clarissa down into the bed and kissed her thoroughly. “Please, don’t leave the penthouse. Okay? As long as you’re here, you’re safe. No one can get in as soon as I set the alarm.” A.J. wished she had time to go into the extensive security system, but the sooner she took care of Kevin, the sooner she would be back. “Promise me you won’t leave.” A.J. rested her head against Clarissa’s, her hands cupping the soft face. “Please?”

Suddenly, Clarissa was awake, “What about Carol? Oh, my gosh. I completely forgot about Carol.”

Jumping out of bed, Clarissa almost ran into the living room before A.J. could stop her.

“Whoa there, Honey.” A.J. pulled her back into her before she got to the door. “You don’t want Selene to see you like this, do you?” A.J. smiled stroking the naked breast pressing against her.

“Oh.” Clarissa blushed as she looked down her naked body. “Right.”

A.J. relayed the night’s events to Clarissa and told her what Selene had said to Carol.

“Oh, she must be scared out of her mind. She thinks her boyfriend is a killer and he’s after her.” Clarissa buried her head and started to cry. “It’s all my fault. I put her in danger. If I hadn’t come here she wouldn’t be running for her life right now.”

A.J. wrapped her arms around Clarissa and rocked her. “Stop. You didn’t know De Marcus was alive, let alone following you. Come on, worry about the things you can control and not the things that you can’t. Look at me.” A.J. tilted Clarissa’s chin up and kissed her. “Call Carol, but don’t say too much. Tell her she can come home at the end of the week. That should give us enough time to take care of De Marcus. Okay?” A.J. smiled, hoping she was right.

“Okay. When will you be back?”

“It shouldn’t take long.” A.J. kissed her lover again, desire warming her again. “I better go.”

“Be careful.” Clarissa gave A.J. a bittersweet smile.

The tension in the car was palpable, each woman lost in her thoughts about what was coming. A.J. almost felt sorry for Kevin, almost. He had allied with the wrong person, and now he would pay for such an alliance. A.J. thought about all the ways Kevin might try to wiggle out of his current predicament. She would give him a chance to explain his actions first, but she knew he would tell her what he thought she wanted to hear. Would she have to resort to torture or would he willingly tell her what she wanted to know about De Marcus? One thing was for sure, today Kevin Armstrong would cease to exist. It would send a very clear message to De Marcus, he was next. It was one thing to lie, it was another to betray someone. Honor amongst vampires was a given, it was what bonded them as a coven. You didn’t steal another’s slaves, you didn’t kill without reason and you took care of your own business. Perhaps those were antiquated ideas. The new vampires, the seekers, were coming into existence with no master, no honor and were ruthless. They killed without reason and lived like there was no future for them. Yet, the two vampires Selene had killed were old school, from the coven, and they refused to give up their master, preferring death to dishonor. She smiled knowing they had done the honorable thing as far as she was concerned. Their master would be proud of their sacrifice for him. However, De Marcus didn’t deserve such undying loyalty. He had disgraced the coven, himself and his own family when he killed Clarissa’s family. She would like to be judge, jury and executioner for him.

“Here, take two of these and put a few in your pocket,” A.J. said, handing Selene the tin holding her safety pills. “I don’t want you spiraling into a blood lust when we question Kevin.”

Selene raised an eyebrow at the comment. “I think I can handle myself, A.J. Thanks anyway.”

“When was the last time you fed, Selene?” A.J. didn’t take her eyes off the road holding out the tin. When no answer came forth she continued, “That’s what I thought. Pop two and slip ’em under your tongue. Then put a couple in your pocket.”

A.J. watched as Selene picked one up and turned it over and over in her hand. She didn’t need Selene going off half cocked today. De Marcus had bit her and she knew that the injury would color her judgment. Depending on how long he had latched on, his saliva mixing with her blood could have an adverse reaction. Selene had been around long enough to know that so A.J. didn’t worry.

“Trust me, A.J., I know what you’re thinking, but De Marcus wasn’t able to hold on for that long. He didn’t mix with my blood. Besides, I had a little snack at home.” Wagging her eyebrows at A.J. she hoped she was putting A.J.’s fears to rest.

“I’ll feel a lot better if you take the capsules.” A.J. wouldn’t be deterred. She didn’t need to worry about two vampires in the room. One who wanted to kill and one who would most certainly do whatever it took to live.

“Fine.” Selene snapped the capsules and tossed them into her mouth. The reaction was almost immediate as Selene felt her skin tighten and her heart speed up. “Shit, what is in these things?”

“Good huh? Concentrated blood from the purest source, no filler or by products.” A.J. knew she sounded like an infomercial, but it was true. The blood was the best her company could get, legally. “How do you think I’ve stayed sane this long? I haven’t fed on a human in ages. Now a vampire, that’s different.” A.J. smirked, remembering making love to Clarissa last night.

“Last night, huh?”

“I don’t kiss and tell.”

“You don’t have to, it’s written all over your face. Geez.”

Pulling into the underground garage A.J. felt her nerves prick. Being a Sunday there were few cars in the cavernous space. A security guard waved at her as she passed the guard shack. Trying to shake off the nerves she let out a deep breath with a sigh. She hadn’t felt this anxious in a long time, but it didn’t matter.
What’s done is done,
she told herself.

Both women were silent in the elevator. A.J. knew Selene would wait for her lead so she didn’t say anything. Walking into the lab the only noise was the humming of the overhead fluorescent lights. A.J. picked up the phone and called Dr. Mayfield.

“Hi Doc. I’m at the lab. Where’s Kevin?” A.J. looked around the room and focused on a locked door to her left. “Got it. Thanks.”

Pulling a key off the wall, A.J. walked to the locked door. There wasn’t a window on the wall or in the door so A.J. wouldn’t know what she was walking into when she unlocked it. Looking back at Selene, who had already taken a knife from her holster she said, “Mayfield said he locked him in here yesterday. Seems he practically took the door off its hinges trying to get out. Then nothing.”

“You think he knows what’s up?” Selene stood near the opening waiting for A.J. to swing the latch.

“Yeah, you don’t get locked in the freezer by accident.” A.J. tossed the lock on the table and pressed her shoulder against the door. “Ready?”

“Ready when you are.”

Swinging the door wide, both women raced inside, then stopped suddenly. Lying on the floor in a pool of blood was Kevin Armstrong. He had slit his own throat with a piece of broken glass. Bending down, A.J. turned him on his back. His neck was practically sliced in half.

“Fuck. Kevin, you fucking worm.” A.J. stood and kicked the dead body, blood splattering on her black boot. Running her fingers through her hair, she stood over Kevin’s body and cursed her luck. He had taken even that from her. Now she wouldn’t have the satisfaction of telling him she knew who he was. How would she find out about De Marcus now? Looking at Selene she shook her head and walked out of the freezer.