Scarlet Masquerade Read Free

watched as the gate opened. Waiting, she looked around to make sure there wasn’t anyone lurking. Just in case Sheila had followed her home. She pulled forward and waited until the gate closed before she followed the short drive up to her house.
    Clarissa liked her privacy and loved her house. She had searched for a long time before deciding to take the little gem in the foothills. It was quaint, had plenty of room for her treasures and her collection of rare books. And the view was spectacular. Parking her car in the garage, she laid her head back on the headrest and took a deep breath trying to settle herself. A nice long soak in the tub, a glass of wine, and she would be set for the evening. It was a bust for a Friday night, and she just wanted to put it behind her. Clarissa had nights like these, but luckily they were few and far between. A night like tonight was one of the reasons she rarely went out. After living for over a century, she was hard to satisfy sexually anymore. Maybe it was because she liked it raw, edgy, and deep. To get that kind of sex she needed to visit places she wouldn’t be caught dead in. She had her reputation to think about. Some day she would take that journey but right now, she would make do with the occasional fling and self-gratification. Besides, her encounters couldn’t match her memories and fantasies. She prided herself in having a very active imagination.
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    A.J. left the bar and watched as the woman who looked like Clarissa argued with her lover. It was clear that the butch wanted more, but Clarissa wasn’t having it. A.J. had decided to wait to see the outcome before inserting herself into the argument. After watching for a minute, it was clear that Clarissa didn’t need her help. A.J. took out her cell phone, put Clarissa’s license plate number in a text message and sent it to a friend. She was going to find out who this person was one way or the other. A.J. slipped her helmet and gloves on and waited until both women left the parking lot. She waited first for the butch to leave to make sure she didn’t follow Clarissa and when she didn’t, A.J. started her bike and followed Clarissa.
    A.J. hadn’t really thought about Clarissa in years, relegating her memory to a few quick reflections of her past. Obviously, it had happened before Clarissa’s actual death, but who had brought her over? Why hadn’t Clarissa tried to contact her? So many questions rolled around in A.J.’s mind, and she wasn’t going to get the answers she needed tonight.
    She followed as the BMW drove to a non-descript driveway and watched as it entered the gate. Pulling over she typed the address on the mailbox into another text message and sent it to her associate. She watched as Clarissa pulled in and waited for the gate to close completely before she drove up to the barely exposed house. She was cautious, A.J. noted. She had probably learned what A.J. had known for years. Location, location, location should never be given to anyone, no matter what. Not if you wanted to survive.
    A.J. waited another minute and watched as a light went on somewhere above her. Taking a deep breath, she tried to center herself and not give in to the temptation to follow the one true love she thought was dead. Her skin vibrated as she remembered the sensations she felt in the bar. It had been a long time since she felt that way, and it was invigorating.
    A.J. felt the hair on her neck stand up and her nipples harden as she relived the sensations coursing through her blood. Actually, her blood felt like there was a fire rippling through her body. Reaching in her pocket, she extracted the tin of pills. She wasn’t sure if taking another one would help. The last time she felt like this, she had shared a night with another vampire. Putting the tin back in her pocket she guided the motorcycle onto the pavement and went back the way she had come. She needed to put as much distance between her and Clarissa as possible.