Scarlet Masquerade (22 page)

“Please, allow me to escort you to the lounge. I think you need some air. Besides, I believe you have something for me? Yes? After that, I’m afraid I must leave.”

Clarissa felt herself being guided towards the VIP lounge, but yet she didn’t try to struggle. As panic started to shred her logical mind, her heart raced at the idea of being alone with A.J. Lockwood.

A.J. had heard the soft moan Clarissa released when she caressed her. She wondered if their connection was still intact and the moan confirmed it, but she chastised herself for speaking to Clarissa in French. It had shown her hand and perhaps Clarissa had figured out she had left the note and rose. Pulling Clarissa into the room, A.J. closed the doors and leaned back against them watching Clarissa try to steady her breathing. At least A.J. wasn’t the only one trying to compose herself.

Clarissa was the first to speak, trying to break the tension in the room. “Would you like something to drink Ms. Lockwood?”

A.J. winced at the use of her formal name. Clearly Clarissa was trying to distance herself from what had happened outside.

“Hmm.” A.J. turned the lock on the door before advancing towards Clarissa.

“We have a fully stocked bar. I mean it’s the least we can do for such a generous donation as yours. Perhaps a glass of wine or perhaps—”

“Ms. Graham.” A.J. stood in front of Clarissa reaching for her hands.

“Clarissa. Please call me Clarissa.” Clarissa refused to meet A.J.’s glance and A.J. felt the tension return to Clarissa’s body.

“All right, Clarissa. I apologize for my comments on the dance floor. I’ve offended you.” A.J. took her hands and held them tightly in her own. She wished Clarissa hadn’t worn a mask so she could see her face. It had been so long since A.J. had seen her that she wasn’t sure she could wait much longer. A.J. guided Clarissa to the couch, never letting go of Clarissa’s hands. “I don’t know what’s come over me. Perhaps, it’s being around so many people, the music, or the lovely company, but again I apologize for my inappropriate comments. However, you are very striking in that dress.” A.J. felt Clarissa try to pull her hands free, so she let them go. She didn’t want Clarissa to run away before they had a chance to talk.

“Ms.—”

A.J. lifted a finger and touched Clarissa’s lips. “Remember? You said you would call me A.J.” A.J. looked at Clarissa imploringly.

“A.J., can I offer you something to drink?”

“If you’ll have something with me? Then I’ll leave you alone to do your hosting duties.” Smiling, Clarissa nodded and then went to the bar retrieving two glasses and a bottle of champagne.

“I hope this is alright. I had it delivered special for our honored guests.” Clarissa handed the glasses to A.J. then tried to open the champagne bottle with little success.

“Please allow me.” A.J. popped the champagne easily and slowly filled both glasses and watched as Clarissa tried to return her smile. It was clear to A.J. that she was going to have to talk fast if she wanted to reconnect even just a little with her former lover. A.J. sat once again and offered up her glass in a toast. “Please, allow me. Thank you for dancing with me and for an enchanted evening.”

“I think I should be the one to thank you. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t be able to have this event. So,” Clarissa tipped her glass towards A.J., “I’m in your debt.”

A.J. swallowed the amber liquid slowly allowing it to rest on her palette and give her time to study Clarissa. Clarissa lowered her glass and twirled the stem between her fingers studying the swirling liquid. A.J. cleared her throat and watched soft pools of green look back at her. The tip of Clarissa’s tongue darted out, wetting her top lip. If she didn’t know better, A.J. would have guessed that Clarissa was flirting with her, but she recognized the nervous reaction. Sitting so close to Clarissa was starting to have an effect on A.J.’s body. Her heart raced and the demon that had been dormant was starting its slow ascent throughout her body. It was hard not to notice Clarissa’s pulse speed up, sending off waves of sexual energy. A.J. crossed her legs hoping to stave off the tingling that had started to spread to her clit. A.J. took another sip of the sour champagne hoping that it would dull her over-stimulated senses.

“Do you have scotch back there by any chance?” A.J said, nodding towards the bar. “I’m not much of a champagne drinker.”

“Of course, please allow me.”

A.J. took advantage of the opportunity to study Clarissa again when she walked away from her. She looked almost the same as she had when A.J. had first met her in Paris. Her soft brunette hair was up, but stray strands hung in ringlets around her face. Her long slender neck took A.J. back to a time when they had first kissed.

Alexandra stood behind Clarissa, pointing to features on her country estate. Clarissa’s perfume, mixed with the heat of the night, gave Clarissa an alluring, almost hypnotic aroma. Alexandra heard a flutter from Clarissa as her lips brushed against the slender neck. It was almost as if she was offering Alexandra an opportunity and yet Alexandra knew it was an innocent act.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. Your beauty is overwhelming me, and I couldn’t control my actions. Please—”

Clarissa’s turned and pressed a finger against A1exandra’s lips.

“Shh.”

Alexandra lowered her lips to those that beckoned for a kiss. The softness sent Alexandra reeling as she deepened the kiss. Clarissa’s tongue speared into Alexandra’s mouth causing her to gasp, but only stopping for a second before she returned with her own gently probing kisses. Alexandra cupped Clarissa’s face, her fingers slipping into her hair and releasing it from its confines. The strands fell loosely around Clarissa’s face, framing it seductively. Alexandra molded her body against Clarissa’s as her thumbs stroked soft, delicate cheeks. It took everything she had not to lower her lips to the throbbing vein under her palm and taste Clarissa, but she had promised and the promise was getting harder and harder to keep. Pulling away, Alexandra looked in the green eyes that swam with an undercurrent of lust. She watched as Clarissa turned her head and sucked in a thumb, sending a jolt through Alexandra’s body.

“You’re playing with fire, my love. You’re delicate lips beg me to do other things and I’ve already gone further than I wanted. Please spare me further transgressions. I’m not sure I’ll be able to control myself if we continue.” Alexandra lowered her forehead to Clarissa’s and took a long, slow, deep breath.

“Alexandra…” just hearing Clarissa say her name made her knees weak. “Surely, we both knew this day would come. I’ve thought about it for weeks.”

Alexandra felt a feather light kiss on her palm and then Clarissa pressed her hand to her breast. “I ache for your touch. I’ve thought of nothing else when I’m alone. Please release me from my internal torture. Please.”

Alexandra saw the pleading in Clarissa’s eyes and trembled at the request. Would she be able to just stop when Clarissa was satisfied or would she take it too far and let her demon loose to do its own bidding?

“Please.”

A.J. felt a tap on her arm as she wandered back from her memory. A short glass was held in front of her and she looked up into Clarissa’s puzzled eyes.

“Are you all right, A.J.? You looked as though you were a million miles away just now.”

How could she put into words where she had actually gone without driving Clarissa away? How would she explain her own presence here, at the masquerade ball? Taking the glass, she smiled and took a long sip. The liquid burned as it went down, but she needed to set her mind back on course.

“Thank you.” A.J. noticed a wrapped item sitting next to Clarissa on the couch. Looking at it and then back to Clarissa she took another sip of the single malt scotch. “Well, I should leave you to your other guests. I’ve taken far too much of your time.” Standing, she felt Clarissa’s hand gently tug on her sleeve.

“Before you go, I’ve wanted to say thank you appropriately. I hope you don’t mind.” Clarissa motioning to the couch. “Please won’t you sit for a moment longer?”

The gentle request sent a chill through A.J. and she licked her lips and took a deep breath. She was afraid she didn’t have much time before either she or Clarissa was fighting the change. Reaching into her pocket she extracted her tin of safety pills and popped two and slid them under her tongue. A questioning glance made A.J. respond.

“Ah, I have a condition that I need to take medication for. Nothing serious,” A.J. said sitting back on the couch. “So, I assume what you have there is for me?” A.J. questioned.

“Well, the last time I was at Knight-Pharmaceutical I asked your assistant about getting something for you as a thank you for the generous donation you made to the university.” Clarissa fidgeted with an errant string on her dress before she looked back up at A.J. “She said that you enjoyed black and white photography so…”

A.J. grasped Clarissa’s hands to steady them and stop the fidgeting, but it only caused her body to tighten when she slowly started to caress Clarissa’s palms. “And so you have?”

“Well, I stumbled into a gallery. Well, not really stumbled, but I happened to see this photograph and it touched something in me. I know that sounds strange, but it spoke to me. Reminding me of another time in my life and well…”

“Clarissa,” A.J. lifted Clarissa’s chin and continued, “is that the photograph?” A.J. asked, looking at the wrapped item sitting next to her.

“Yes. Please accept this with my humblest thanks. I hope it speaks to you, the way it speaks to me.” Clarissa said. A sudden reticence descended over her when she passed A.J. the wrapped photograph.

Tearing through the wrapping a slight gasp escaped her lips.

“It’s beautiful,” A.J. said, stiffening when she recognized the landscape. She looked back at Clarissa wondering if she realized where the photograph was taken. It was close to where they had both lived in Paris. Perhaps Clarissa was testing A.J.? Waiting for something further from Clarissa and seeing nothing, she whispered, “It’s stunning, just stunning, Clarissa.”

Clarissa smiled while A.J. pulled the photograph closer to inspect it. The photographer had to be a vampire, the dusky tone of the photograph and then lack of civilization gave away its origins.

“Do you know who the photographer was?”

“No, the gallery owner didn’t know, but assured me it was worth more than the purchase price.”

Quickly turning towards Clarissa, A.J. questioned her again, “I hope you didn’t pay too much for this? I would never forgive myself if you’re left penniless because you purchased a gift for me.”

“I assure you, A.J., the college pays its faculty well enough that I could afford the photograph. Besides, I wanted to show my appreciation. I hope I have.” Clarissa smiled demurely at A.J. The desired affect wasn’t lost on A.J.

“You have. Now, may I make a small request?”

Selene peeked in through the screen and watched as A.J. and Clarissa talked. She had finally talked to someone associated with the Coven, and now Selene needed to let A.J. know what she found out. It was clear, looking at the two women on the couch, that something deeper was transpiring, and Selene hated to break up the reunion. Sticking her finger through the screen, she wiggled it at A.J. hoping it would catch her attention before she had to do something a little drastic.

“Come on, look over here ya big lust bag.” Selene watched A.J. stare into Clarissa’s eyes, her gaze never wavering. A few more fingers through the screen and she practically had her hand through it. Waving it back and forth, Selene still couldn’t capture A.J.’s attention. Extracting her hand, she saw Clarissa cover her heart and swoon slightly. A.J. quickly knelt next to Clarissa and wrapped her arms around her.

“Smooth, Romeo.” Selene felt her pulse quicken when A.J. threaded her hands into Clarissa’s hair and kissed her. “Some women have all the luck, and I’m the one who’s supposed to stay focused. Right.”

Clearing her throat, Selene retreated back into the shadow of the porch and waited until A.J. was finished, which turned out to be quickly since both women had heard Selene. She rested her back against the wall as the voyeur in her tingled.

“Selene.”

A.J. was at the window, the tone of her voice definitely bemoaning her displeasure at being interrupted.

“Sorry, Romeo, but we need to talk, now.” Selene looked into the room and noticed that Clarissa looked more like a scared mouse than a dismayed lover. “I just got off the phone with someone at the Coven, and you’re not going to like what I found out. She okay?” Nodding her head at Clarissa, Selene noticed A.J. didn’t look over shoulder.

“I was just getting ready to find out, ’til you interrupted.”

“Well, when you leave she has to come, too. She isn’t safe anywhere, anymore.” Selene looked into A.J.’s eyes and wished the screen and the darkness didn’t hide her expression. She would have to rely on her ability to be persuasive in convincing A.J. that whatever her plans for a slow reconcile would have to be sped up or dashed permanently. “De Marcus is alive.”

“What? Fuck!” Selene watched as A.J.’s knees weakened and she grabbed the sill for support.

“Look, we can protect her, but she needs to either leave the party with me or you tonight. Your choice.” Selene saw Clarissa get up and start to walk towards A.J. “She’s coming. I’ll be in the car, waiting. She has you to protect her in here so you don’t need me. But she needs to leave with one of us tonight.” Looking at A.J. it was clear she was unsettled by the news. “Do you understand what I’m telling you, A.J.?”

“Yeah.” Shaking her head she whispered, “give me about thirty minutes.”

“A.J.”

“Selene.” The menacing tone slid over Selene and she let it slide.

“Okay.” With that, Selene was gone.

###

A.J. grasped the sides of the window and took a deep breath. Once again, De Marcus had ruined her plans with Clarissa. A.J. had to think fast or her world would be upside down again because of him. A soft touch in the middle of her back caught her attention.