A Guardian's Salvation Read online

  Clarissa dissolved and streaked up the stairs to the second story and down the corridor. With the woman’s scent in her nostrils, it was easy to locate her room. She stood in the room and looked around. Her breathing stilled as she scanned every corner of the room.

  It was her old bedroom. The human hadn’t unpacked her luggage, if the small carryall could be called that. The woman’s scent was strong on the bag. The same heady mixture of jasmine and the woman’s personal scent, made Clarissa’s eyes flutter closed. She wanted nothing more than to press her nose against the woman’s skin and inhale deeply of this intoxicating fragrance. A thrill went through her, as she thought of having the mysterious woman so close to her that she could almost taste her scent. Her eyes fluttered open and fell on the bed. In her mind’s eye she could almost see them straining over each other’s bodies, their lips parted as gasps of pleasure fell from them. Shaking her head slightly, Clarissa exhaled loudly. What was happening to her? Never before, not even with Trinity, had she been so thoroughly entranced by a woman at first glimpse. Trinity grew on her until they finally realized their attraction for each other. This…Jessica woman…seemed to have just pushed past every barrier she’d erected as if they weren’t even there in the first place. Dragging her eyes away from the bed, she glided over to the window. All those centuries ago, she’d chosen this room because it overlooked the stables and she loved horses. It was also from this vantage point that she could admire Trinity, especially after she began to realize that she felt more than mere friendship for her childhood playmate. Trinity spent an awful amount of time at the stables with her brother, Jeremy, who was the stable boy. It brought her so much peace and joy to be able to study the girl who unsuspectingly had crawled deep inside her heart. But the view had changed four hundred years on. The small peasant village she had seen from her window was gone and only the stables were still in their original location. With a small frown she studied the foreign structure obscuring the view to the stables.

  Clarissa made out the tall frame of the woman as she walked around the structure, looking at the lights and switching them on and off. The young man she called Howard was following her every move and making notes in a booklet. As she looked on, the dark woman gestured to a light and two men came forward. Together they switched the light on and off and on again as they shifted its position. The woman nodded and stood back. Clarissa marveled at the tranquil picture she made standing there, hands in the pockets of her heavy coat and her long legs slightly apart as she watched the men. Then she raised a hand and long fingers pushed through the dark strands, ruffling them a little.

  The breath slowly hissed out of Clarissa’s lungs. For the second time in less than ten minutes she questioned her attraction to the strange woman. She moved away from the window to sit on the bed. What was happening to her? For four centuries she’d been celibate, vowing to avenge Trinity’s death and then greet the dawn. But destiny, it seems, had other plans.

  Instead, she’d found Trinity alive and happy with her human mate. Tristan was dead and now she was fantasizing over a woman she’d only ‘met’ an hour ago. She threw herself back on the bed and closed her eyes. There was no other way but the only way to settle this.

  She wanted the woman and would have to make it happen, otherwise she was sure to wallow in purgatory, unfulfilled, alongside that bastard, Tristan.

  †

  Satisfied with the positioning of the lights, Jessica turned to Howard who was taking notes on alternative lighting positions, in case their current setup failed come dawn.

  “I think I’m going to call it a night, Howard. It’s only…” She glanced at her watch. “…nine. Go meet the girls and chat a while, but remember that I want you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on set tomorrow at 4 a.m.”

  Howard nodded and turned to leave.

  “Should I really send the girl to you, Jess?” Howard looked as uncertain as he sounded and Jessica smiled.

  “No. Maybe some other night. Tonight, I just want to take a bath, read a little and sleep.”

  After a quick goodnight she made her way to her room. She pushed open the door and locked it behind her. She had adopted this habit after being waylaid many times by skimpy-clad models hoping for a night of passion as well as a jumpstart to their careers. She turned away from the door and immediately took a step back.

  A tall, dark silhouette was visible at the window.

  “What are you doing here?” she snapped, more out of shock than anything. She flicked on the light switch.

  The person turned and Jessica gaped at the woman. Long, dark-blonde hair framed a fine, oval face from which deep, brown eyes stared out at her. Jessica’s eyes traveled down the woman’s impressive height. She was dressed in all black: black jeans, a black turtleneck, a long black leather jacket, and black leather boots. An unexpected stab of arousal cleaved through Jessica, startling her. When her eyes traveled back to the woman’s face, she found an amused smile curving the full lips upward. The unblinking brown eyes stared intently into hers and Jessica felt her breathing accelerate slightly.

  “You know why I am here.”

  Her tone was soft, but firm and Jessica studied her more closely. The woman didn’t strike her as a model. She was gorgeous enough. But she couldn’t help but feel that there was more to the woman. A thought crossed her mind and with it came anger. Shrugging out of her jacket, she threw it on the bed. She plastered a small disdainful smile on her lips when she looked back at the woman.

  “I get it. You must be an agent for one of the girls and you’re here to strike a deal with me.” Her dove-grey eyes traveled down the woman’s black-clad body. “You must be desperate if you plan to sell your body as part of the deal.”

  The brown eyes simply stared back at her. There was no anger or shame reflected in them. Instead, the blonde came closer until she was standing in front of Jessica. Very close, too close, towering over her by a few inches.

  “You are wrong, Angel Eyes.” Jessica shivered slightly at the endearment. “I am here because I wondered what it would feel like to do this.”

  The stranger’s hand curled around her neck and her face came closer and closer until that hypnotic, brown gaze filled her view. Jessica sighed when she felt the feather-light brush of lips upon hers. The touch was incredibly slight, but to Jessica it felt as if someone had brained her with a spanner. Her body’s reaction to the kiss was almost violent. Every one of her senses was awakened, making her so sensitive to every small touch that she almost felt naked. Her blood felt thick as it forced its path through her veins. She didn’t know when she’d closed her eyes, but when they fluttered open again, it was to find the brown eyes staring straight into hers with an unfathomable look. The blonde smiled faintly.

  “Maybe we should try a few more kisses and then you can decide if you want me to leave.” The brown eyes gleamed at the challenge. “But, I want you to be comfortable.” She stepped back and walked over to the fireplace where she fidgeted with a firelighter. After a while bright, yellow-orange flames sprang to life. Jessica blinked at the woman’s back. She would never have been able to tell that the woman was so adept at making a fire. She didn’t look like the type who likes to rough it, going camping and hiking. She looked too glamorous for that.

  The blonde turned and Jessica was dazed by the ethereal look the fire gave the woman. The flames made her hair glow as if woven with golden threads. Her eyes looked darker and mysterious. Jessica swallowed hard as the woman approached her only to take her hand and lead her over to the bed.

  Standing in front of the bed, the blonde reached up and began to unbutton Jessica’s shirt, all the while holding her gaze. The thought suddenly crossed her mind that no matter how enigmatic and seductive the woman was; she was still doing this as a means to an end. And for no apparent reason it hurt Jessica knowing that she was only being used.

  “Your client must be very important to you if you’re willing to go to such lengths for her.” Her voice sounded bitter and Jessic
a was surprised to see a look of surprise in the brown depths. But the blonde continued unbuttoning the shirt with relentless determination.

  “You sound angry. Have you not done this before?” There was genuine surprise in the soft voice.

  “Sleeping with someone to further my career? No, can’t say that I have,” Jessica replied. The shirt came undone and the woman pushed it from her shoulders. The brown eyes dipped and Jessica could feel the intense scrutiny on her breasts. Her traitorous nipples hardened immediately.

  “What if I tell you that I am not here because I want to further my career?” The woman’s voice was husky now; replacing the soft, silky tone Jessica was getting used to.

  “I’ll say that it will be difficult to believe you. A woman like you can have anyone you want. You, standing here in my room with a photo-shoot about to take place, tells a different story.” The woman placed the palms of her hands on Jessica’s breasts, over her bra, and with slow circular movements, massaged them. The brown eyes looked back up into hers. This time they were serious.

  “When you refer to me as ‘a woman like you,’ what does it mean?”

  Jessica tried to laugh, but the sound that came out was more like a gasp since the woman had stopped her ministrations of Jessica’s breasts and was now leaning against Jessica as she reached behind the brunette’s back to unclasp her bra. When her breasts were free and hard, coral-pink nipples brushed against the stranger’s soft clothing, the woman stood back and stared at Jessica’s naked breasts. She gently cupped one in her hand and bent her head to take the nipple into her hot mouth. Jessica felt her knees buckle at the sight of the woman’s sinfully sexy lips clasping over her nipple, but with surprising strength the woman held her up as her tongue swirled around the nipple, biting it gently and sucking it in and out between her lips.

  “Answer me,” the blonde demanded around a mouth filled with Jessica’s nipple.

  Jessica sucked in her breath and exhaled quickly. “You are very beautiful,” came her rushed reply.

  “And you think you are not?” Jessica felt her body heat climb a notch at the incredulous note in the woman’s voice. She reached out a shaky hand and touched the woman’s hair. It was soft and light. She pressed deeper and touched her scalp, rubbing her fingers on it. Maybe it was her imagination but she could swear she heard a soft purr resonating in the room. She was also sure that it hadn’t come from her.

  “I abhor vanity, but I must say that some people do find me attractive.” She felt a hot, rough tongue flick over her nipple. A wave of liquid fire rushed to her nether region at the wickedly delicious sensation. “People like you, perhaps.”

  The blonde head lifted and the brown eyes stared straight into hers. The brown eyes were warm with desire. Desire for me, Jessica thought warmly, and she impulsively leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on the woman’s lips. The brown eyes melted even further, and the blonde pushed Jessica backward until she was lying on the bed. Six feet of blonde magnificence crawled over her and took her mouth in a deep, prolonged kiss that made Jessica’s insides turn to mush.

  “You are the most alluring woman I have met in very long time,” the woman said after a while and sat up, straddling Jessica. “When I saw you tonight, I knew that I wanted to make love to you.”

  Jessica looked up with a frown. The puzzling pain was back.

  “Then you did come with the models?” Jessica asked slowly, praying that the woman would say no. Because she wanted so desperately to believe that she was interested in her and only her.

  “No, I am a historian slash archaeologist and have been renting a small cabin in the woods for the past few months.” The brown eyes flashed. “Can we please stop talking now and get to the part that we both want to explore?”

  She wasn’t an agent. Jessica hissed through her teeth, not aware that she’d been holding her breath when she asked the question. Jessica nodded, relief and lust mixing in her blood making her hot and ready for this woman. Her hands pushed under the black sweater the woman was wearing and she lifted it over the blonde head.

  For the next few minutes they undressed each other in silence, christening every newly exposed piece of flesh with small kisses and touches. Both naked, they finally crept underneath the thick warm duvet.

  Jessica was dizzy with the knowledge that the woman was here, in her bed … in her arms … because she wanted her. Brazenly she pulled the tall body closer to her, over her, and clasped her hands over the buttocks of the woman to pull her closer until their twitching mounds touched.

  The brown eyes smiled down into hers and Jessica reached out and kissed the blonde. She poured eleven months of lust and desire into the kiss, trusting the beautiful stranger to sate the enormous hunger inside her. When they broke for air, Jessica grinned when the woman shook her head slightly, her eyes dazed, before she hid her flushed face in Jessica’s neck.

  Jessica was puzzled when the woman unexpectedly stiffened, rearing back her leonine head to stare at Jessica with a look akin to fear.

  Chapter 2

  Clarissa realized her mistake a little too late. With her desire for this woman burning high, her bloodlust also peaked and she felt her fangs lengthening. This was the first time she would be making love as a vampire and what an inapt time to find out that her desire and bloodlust ran parallel. The beast raised its head slowly, its nostrils wide, as it inhaled the scent of fresh blood.

  Alarmed, Clarissa mentally held her beast down, staring defiantly into its eyes.

  I can control it, she screamed at the beast. It is possible to control it. Trinity and Gabriella were a good example. So too, were Paloma and Inger. She clenched her jaws and felt her fangs retreat. She would make love to this woman without causing harm, even if it killed her. She lifted her head and looked into the puzzled, beautiful, grey eyes. She was confusing the brunette, maybe even scaring her.

  Clarissa clasped her lips over the nearest nipple and sucked gently, making the photographer moan in pleasure. She tasted wonderful. The beast thought so too and reared its head again. Without interrupting her oral caress, she mentally beat it down again and waited until it had slinked away into the shadowy corners of her being. With the beast dealt with, Clarissa’s lips trailed down the taut, muscled stomach. She scooted lower until she was eye to eye with the soft dark triangle. Oh, the scent, the heavenly scent was making her lightheaded. First…a soft introductory kiss on the swollen lips. A soft moan acknowledged her presence down there, making Clarissa smile. She slipped the tip of her tongue into the fleshy folds and groaned deeply, as the musky taste and smell engulfed her senses. She knew at that exact moment that she would never be able to forget this scent… nor survive for long without tasting it again.

  She felt the woman squirm and she smiled again. It seems she wasn’t as rusty as she’d initially thought.

  Her tongue flicked over the proud nodule, which bounced back stubbornly, as if challenging Clarissa for more. Enamored with it, Clarissa laved it with tiny kisses and nips, making the woman cry out in helpless pleasure. She felt shaky fingers slide in her hair, holding her head steady between quivering thighs.

  “More… ” The plea came from a throat rendered raw from all the screaming. Clarissa complied.

  She gave her more, so much more than she thought she was capable of giving that when she came up from underneath the duvet, it was to find the woman still shaking violently and sobbing softly. Clarissa felt like crying too. The utter pleasure of making love to a woman again had been like a near-death experience for her too. She gently cradled the photographer in her arms and held her until the woman’s breathing evened out in sleep.

  Looking down at the sleeping face of the woman lying in her arms, Clarissa felt her fangs growing again and this time she didn’t force them back. Leaning down she gently kissed the hot sweaty neck before her fangs sunk into the soft skin. The woman moaned softly in her sleep and stirred but didn’t awaken. Clarissa took a few sips and closed the pinpricks with a gentle flick of her tongue.
Lying back again, she savored the taste of the woman’s blood. As the warm metallic taste lingered on her tongue, she felt a tiny shiver run down her spine. It was just as exciting as the woman herself. She felt her desire stir to life and she slowly lifted the sheet, studying the naked body of the sleeping woman, before she turned her lover onto her back. She gave the brunette a slow, deep kiss and the woman stirred, opening her mouth further to accept the lusty invitation.

  “I want you again, Angel Eyes,” Clarissa whispered urgently when the kiss ended.

  The grey eyes opened and a warm hand cupped Clarissa’s cheek.

  “What’s stopping you?” Jessica murmured, stretching languidly. This time, their lovemaking was urgent, fast and fierce. Clarissa never really underestimated the woman’s lovemaking abilities, but was nonetheless pleasantly surprised to find that Jessica was amazingly creative in bed. This time around, it was Clarissa who crumbled under the intensity of their lovemaking and fell back on the bed, thoroughly ravished.

  Trinity had been an excellent lover and surely must’ve gotten better over centuries, unlike Clarissa who never had another lover after her. But what this human had done to her was so wickedly delicious, Clarissa shuddered just thinking about it. The woman had positioned her on all fours and had slipped underneath her until her pulsating sex was hovering right above her hungry mouth. Her stomach fluttered as she relived the intense sensations of that specific act. She’d nearly pulverized the wooden headboard between her hands when she’d reached her climax. Luckily, the woman had gently loosened her grip from the headboard and had held her in her arms until the tremors had subsided.

  With their chests still heaving after their last bout of lovemaking, they lay there looking at each other in silence. The beautiful face of her lover split into a stunning smile before the grey eyes fluttered closed and the deep, even breathing suggested that she had fallen asleep once again. Clarissa held her tightly until the long fingers of dawn crept over the horizon.