Scarlet Assassin (15 page)

“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.

Clarissa’s fangs popped, her body convulsed as she seized Jax’s hand, peeling it off her arm and twisting it back. Her first impulse was to break his wrist. He would not prevent her from doing what she came to do. Feeling his hand crumple under her grasp, she threw it back at him and sneered. “Back the fuck off, Jax. This isn’t a social call.”

“Fuck, I think you broke my wrist.”

She wasn’t feeling apologetic, so she didn’t pretend to be sorry. Her only mission was to find out where AJ was and help her. Her stride matched her intent as she made her way back to Selene’s office. A pale woman passed her in the hall, reeking of sex and blood. Confusion from the woman buffeted Clarissa and she hesitated briefly focusing on the platinum blonde in the dark passage.
Oh, Selene was busy was she?
Clarissa turned her fear into anger and directed it towards the woman in the office. She banged through the door, slamming it against the wall, and caught Selene off guard. Before she could say anything Selene had her pinned to the wall by her throat. The smell of more blood flooded her senses and she reacted. With a strong shove against Selene’s chest that knocked her to the floor.

“What the fuck, Clarissa?”

Selene stood and launched herself again towards Clarissa. The two women clashed, each with their own agenda. They gripped each other’s neck, fangs bared and ready to duel. Clarissa used Selene’s moving body against her, slinging her over her hip and sending her crashing to the floor with a thud. Landing on top, she went for Selene’s neck without another thought. Instinct took over and survival was her only goal, the person under her didn’t matter in the eternal quest to survive. Clarissa felt the urge to feed, guttural in its nature. She embraced it. Inhaling she scent of saliva and blood, mixed with sex and something else—aggression—permeated the air. A vampire’s worst vices, all in one hot, small space.

“STOP!” Selene commanded. Her nails dug deeper, sinking closer to the bone.

Clarissa’s fangs pierced her skin, and her tongue slid against the wet trail of blood running down Selene’s neck. Before she could take another swipe with her tongue, Selene heaved her off and threw Clarissa back onto the couch. Clarissa raked her nails against Selene’s arms, trails of destruction evidence of her rage.

“STOP, Clarissa. What the fuck is wrong with you?” Selene pinned her against the couch with a knee in her ribs and fingers driving into her hair, jerking her head back. “If you don’t stop, I’ll kill you.” Their gazes locked, each woman competing for dominance.

Clarissa tried to take a deep breath, her body burning with each inhale. “Off.”

“Are you done?”

“OFF, Selene. I can’t breathe.”

Selene hesitated then lifted herself off Clarissa. Standing before her, the square set of Selene’s jaw bunched each time she clenched. Clarissa felt her blood vibrate through her body. She couldn’t answer for her behavior, the aggression wasn’t something she couldn’t relate to. It had been decades since she’d felt so helpless and lashed out.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, Clarissa?” Selene ran her palm across her neck, fingering the still oozing puncture wounds.

Clarissa fought against a wave of dizziness. She cradled her face in her palms and tried to control her breathing. It was hot in the tight confines of the office. Tossing the drapes back, she flung open the window and swayed against the sash, bracing herself on the frame. The coolness of the night felt good. The darkness felt better. Staring out past the cars, her ears perked when she heard something groaning.

“Is someone in the basement?” Clarissa said into the darkness.

“Answer my question — what the hell is wrong with you?”

Leaning against the sill, Clarissa stared at Selene. She noticed Selene’s jaw bunching as she clamped it shut. How could she lose control like that? She was a pacifist, unheard of in the vampire ranks, but she’d had enough violence to last a lifetime. That was until tonight.

“I don’t know. I mean…I came here to ask for help, but…that girl who just left…who is she? You’re girlfriend?”

Selene threw herself into the desk chair and slouched down. Her long lanky frame stretched out reminded Clarissa of a gazelle, quick, lean and ready to run.

“It’s complicated.”

“It always is, isn’t it?”

“Why did you come here? Shouldn’t you be home with AJ having meatloaf or something?” Selene sneered at the domesticity of their situation.

“AJ didn’t come over tonight and she isn’t home. I think something’s happened.”

“What makes you think something happened?”

“I felt it in a dream.”

“A dream.”

“Don’t make fun of me Selene. You know vampires form a connection to their mates. We can communicate without saying a thing. She knows me better than I know myself. She wouldn’t go an hour without calling me, or sending me a text, communicate with me in some way.” Clarissa sniffed the air. Another vampire was close by.

“So, maybe she got caught up at work.” Selene cleaned a nail, trying to act as uninterested as possible. It was all a bluff and Clarissa knew it, AJ was Selene’s only friend in this world all the others long dead by now.

“Who’s in the basement?” Clarissa asked, knowing Selene could handle the verbal whiplash with such a sudden subject change. “I can smell them from up here.” She spread her hand out as if doing so would bring them forward.

“It’s that asshole from your job. I stuck him in the basement until I can figure out what to do with him.”

“You kidnapped him? Oh shit.” Clarissa ran her fingers through her hair. What had Selene done? They could go to jail for kidnapping. Hell they’d kill them for just being vampires, kidnapping was only an excuse. Times were changing and every vampire needed to stay two steps to the right side of the law.

“Relax, he’s a vampire, too.” Selene nursed the bloody streaks along her arm. Flinching as she applied a wet rag, wiping the drips of blood from her arms. “God, Clarissa. What’s come over you? You’re not usually the violent one in the relationship.”

“I had a dream. AJ’s in danger. She never came over for dinner or called.”

“Came over?”

“It’s a long story— well not really, but I’ve moved back to my place.” Clarissa took the rag from Selene and dabbed at the scratches. She’d dug deep, leaving long furrows. They’d heal, but it didn’t stop Clarissa from feeling stupid. She’d let her emotions control her actions. Stupid. Her mind was racing with thoughts of AJ being in danger and her aggression levels were off the chart. Selene confirming Carol’s substitute was a vampire only added to her agitation.

“What was your dream about?” Selene grasped Clarissa’s chin and lifted her face to see her eyes. “What about AJ?”

Clarissa was sure Selene had experienced her own dream state that gave her warning about an impending danger. She understood the affects dreams had on a person’s mental state. You were always waiting for the other shoe to fall. Dreams were rarely wrong.

“She’s in danger, Selene. I need your help to find her.”

“Did you call her at home? I’m sure she’s sitting at the penthouse waiting for you to call her. Why don’t you give her a ring?” Selene pulled her arms back from Clarissa’s ministrations so she could call.

“I already tried, she doesn’t answer. See for yourself.” Clarissa passed the ringing phone to Selene.

They waited, each woman hoping for the same outcome. Staring down at the phone, AJ’s picture taking up the whole screen, she watched the moving phone as it rang, and rang again, then to voice mail. Stopping the call, Clarissa stuffed it into her pocket and sat back on the couch, burying her head in her hands.

“I’m scared, Selene.”

Nothing.

“Didn’t you hear me? I had a dream and she’s in danger. I’m scared.”

“I’ll make a few phone calls and see what I can find out.”

“Do you know where she is?” Clarissa stared at Selene with eyes red from crying. Her mind went somewhere she didn’t want to follow and right now she felt Selene was her only hope in finding AJ.

“Is there something you’re not telling me Selene?”

Chapter Twenty

Francesca ran to her car and threw the remnants of her torn clothing inside. She leaned against the door and bent over trying to catch her breath. She hurt in a way she never expected it would when she’d imagined having sex for the first time. Her body shivered through the remnants if an orgasm. If she were honest with herself, she’d give anything to be wrapped around Selene right now, experiencing a repeat performance with those skilled hands.

The distant hum of her cell phone ringing caught her attention. She peered into the car. Somewhere in that mess of clothing, paper and books was her purse and her lifeline buried inside. Leaning in, she shuffled through the mess, but the phone stopped before she could find it. Undeterred she tossed a few items on the floorboard and finally found her small clutch. Why couldn’t she carry one of those big, reflective, gaudy gold-chained purses like all her friends did? They stuck out like sore thumbs and no missed them, even in a blizzard. That’s why she didn’t carry one, she didn’t need the “look at my overpriced piece of crap that I paid way too much for” attention. If it wasn’t for butt-packs being out of style she’d be wearing one right now and she would have her phone in her hands and not looking at another missed call.