by Taryn Rose
“Emma!” Skarlet shouted.
“Fool!” shouted Marion. “You can’t hurt me. I will heal in minutes and then…” She pressed her hand against her neck, but blood continued to pour out, turning from black to a dull red. She lifted her hand, and her eyes widened in terror. “I…I’m not healing. It can’t be.”
“How dare you touch my Skarlet?” Emma said with fury, and kicked Marion away from her.
Marion struggled to prop herself up against the wall but sank to the floor instead.
Emma wobbled from her own loss of blood.
“Apply pressure to your wounds, Emma. And take the key!”
Emma grabbed a key ring from Marion’s waist and frantically opened Skarlet’s cuffs. Skarlet lowered her arms just in time to catch a slumping Emma.
“Emma!” Tears streamed down Skarlet’s face as she listened to Emma’s heart. It was beating, but barely. Emma was losing blood too quickly.
“I did it, Skarlet,” she eked out and fingered the black hair that draped over her.
“Repeat after me.”
“I’m so tired.” She nestled against Skarlet.
“Suscipiat verba mea cor. Say it!”
“Sooss-eep-ee-at verba…” her voice trailed off.
“Mea cor…Emma!”
“Mea cor,” she repeated in a whisper.
“Convertere meo sanguine.”
“I love you, Skarlet.”
“Say it! Convertere meo sanguine.”
“Convertere meo sanguine.” She laid her head down, and Skarlet held her. She prayed the broken spell would work. That the magic was taking effect. Red tears dropped onto Emma’s cheek. She wiped them away and buried her head in Emma’s neck.
Emma drew a sharp breath suddenly. Quicker ones followed. “Skarlet,” she looked up and their eyes met.
“Yes, my darling!”
“We’re alive.” She smiled.
“Yes,” she kissed her forehead. “Very much so.”
Emma let out a relieved sigh and Skarlet kissed her, letting Emma’s breath flow into her lungs. She looked up and saw Anhang, who had re-entered the chamber.
“I hope your human was worth it,” he said, and motioned to Marion’s lifeless body. “You’d better turn yourself into the Commission. Before I do.”
“I will.” She turned to the vampire. “She was ruthless, Anhang. Marion was trying to turn the Commission into a dictatorship. Things will be better now, you’ll see.”
He let out a deep sigh and flashed his eyes at hers. “Take care of this, Skarlet,” he said as he started walking out.
“Wait,” Emma called to him, and he stopped. “How are the boys?”
“Don’t worry about them.” Anhang rubbed his chin. “Clifton is with your friends and based on what I saw, I believe they will be happy not to be interrupted.”
Emma smiled. The crash of the dungeon door echoed after Anhang.
Skarlet turned to Emma, beaming. “Come, I want to show you something.”
Skarlet pushed away a pile of leaves and led Emma into the hut she assembled many years ago, mostly from tree trunks and ivy. She unrolled a double sleeping bag in front of the fireplace she had built out of stones and sap, and they listened to the rustling of branches. Skarlet started a fire.
“I love it here,” Emma said. The smell of dry wood in the air was like a fine incense.
Skarlet knelt down by the hearth and extended her hand.
Emma joined her on the sleeping bag and Skarlet smiled, a surge of adrenaline shooting through her veins. She made a trail of soft kisses down to Emma’s shoulder, until the sound of a wolf howling in the distance startled her.
“Did you hear that?” Emma jumped.
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.” Skarlet nibbled her shoulder. “Oh, Emma,” she moaned. “You saved me, precious girl. In every possible way.”
Emma smiled wide. “I did, didn’t I? Who’s the top of the food chain now?” She licked the tip of Skarlet’s tongue and they laughed, embracing each other.
“That was clever, I must admit. Using your blood to turn Marion human. It was a dangerous plan, though. And one I would never have agreed to.”
“Let’s just be happy that it worked, shall we?” said Emma, and she kissed her cheek, nestling her nose into Skarlet’s flesh.
“Emma,” Skarlet clutched her hands and brought them to her mouth. “I don’t want you to ever put yourself in harm’s way like that ever again. If something were to happen to you, I—”
“Shhh. I just want to be with you, Skar. So be with me,” she said, pulling Skarlet’s hands down over her, until her vampire had no choice but to mount her.
Skarlet unhooked the lace bra before her and licked up delicate breasts, circling silky nipples with her tongue. The cicadas chirping was a soothing background rhythm and Skarlet marveled at the flickering light of the fire, how it moved shadows up and down Emma’s perfect body. She kissed her again, their lips staggering over each other, and she removed her own bustier greedily, seeking to be flesh to flesh with Emma immediately, the two women in their most natural state.
Emma moaned, her heartbeat quickening. “When hours passed and you didn’t call me, I knew that something was very wrong. I could feel you were in danger. I had to come and find you. It was a blinding force, Skarlet.”
Skarlet kissed down her arm hungrily, a lone tear drop falling onto peach-colored flesh.
“I love you,” Emma said and kissed Skarlet firmly. Waves of passion pulsed through Skarlet and she pushed Emma back down, straddling her. She could feel her clit swelling and fangs pushed their way through. She smiled at her lover, and Emma licked her lips.
She sat up, aching to grind her, when Emma cupped her bottom.
“You are so firm,” she said, kneading her.
Skarlet ripped off her underwear, and rode Emma’s stomach with her bare pussy.
“Come here.” Emma nudged her forward with a knee.
Skarlet wouldn’t budge. “Sweet girl, I can’t do that,” she whispered.
“Please, I want you in my mouth,” Emma whispered back, massaging her thighs.
“My precious Emma,” Skarlet stroked her hair and stared into her yearning blue eyes.
“I can’t stand how that awful vampire woman touched you,” she said. “Let me fix it.”
“Oh Emma,” Skarlet moaned, and slowly rode up her body, her breasts heaving, and she reached her beautiful face. Emma licked her lips, and looking into Skarlet’s eyes, she nodded. Skarlet lowered herself, her eyelids clenching together the moment Emma’s tongue met her lips. She moaned and swayed her hips, the bliss billowing her pussy. Her eyes sprang open at a jolt of pleasure and met the powerful light of the full moon through an opening in the roof. She delighted in Emma’s sweet sounds underneath her and swelled for her lover. She was healing, indeed.
Chapter Eleven: Emma and Skarlet
6 Months Later
The crowd surged to its feet, roaring with applause.
“She was amazing,” Theo exclaimed over the noise, clapping along.
“A star is born,” Chris agreed and turned to his right. “You’ve been awfully quiet. What did you think?”
Overcome with emotions ranging from pride to astonishment, she finally spoke after taking in Emma’s magical performance in her first leading role. “She is perfection.”
Chris put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “You’re a lucky woman, Skar.”
“Let’s go,” Theo said with a nudge. “Quickly, before we get plowed by the herds.”
They snaked through the audience.
“Knock, knock!” Theo announced as Chris gently turned the doorknob.
Emma opened the door, still in full makeup and costume—a rhinestone-studded gown and tiara. She looked like a true princess.
“You were amazing.” Theo tightened his arms around her. “Our Emma!” He spun her.
Skarlet coyly hid behind a huge bouquet of red roses.
“Skarlet!” Emma j
umped up and hugged her.
“You were magnificent.” Skarlet squeezed her. “Everybody loved you.”
“I saw you out there. I felt you. It was like a dream come true.”
“I pinched myself several times.” They locked hands and laughed.
“I love the dress on you. Very sharp,” Emma said. She had taken Skarlet shopping in Bloomingdales and picked out a sleek, black cashmere dress with leather trim for her to wear on opening night. Skarlet obliged, grudgingly.
“I have to admit, it does fit very well.” She shifted her body.
“Look, no one loves your body more than I do, but there’s only so much you can wear leather bustiers and lizard boots. A person needs variety.”
Skarlet laughed, and kissed her, passionately.
The boys rolled their eyes and smirked. Theo busied himself arranging the flowers in a vase he found.
“Skar, I have to do autographs. Will you wait for me outside and then we’ll go to Fiorello’s together?” she said. “You boys can go ahead without us. You’ll know everyone. You don’t need me.”
“Won’t everybody be waiting for you?” Skarlet asked.
“The star should arrive at the opening night party fashionable late, don’t you think?”
Skarlet watched on as Emma signed playbill after playbill for enamored fans. But none as smitten as Skarlet. She smiled lovingly. Then she saw Emma’s leading man take her in his arms and dip her, grinning widely for the cameras. Her adrenaline surged and she fumed, pushing breaths out through her nose.
When the autograph session ended, Skarlet stood on the street corner, her arms folded and Emma ran to her. She squeezed a stiffened Skarlet. “Something the matter?”
“I don’t like the way he looks at you.”
“Who?” Emma asked, genuinely perplexed.
“Romeo,” she said the character’s name snidely, his actual name slipping her mind. The musical was a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet.
“Oh please. Stefan’s a ham. He’ll do anything for the camera. Besides, he’s gay,” she said and nudged Skarlet’s side as they walked to their limo.
“Oh,” she said, blushing.
“I love you, Skar. I love you so much.”
Skarlet greeted the driver, and opened the backseat door for Emma to enter first. They sat together in the back, and Skarlet poured champagne.
“To us,” she said.
“To our life together,” said Emma. They clinked glasses and sipped the Cristal. “Why aren’t we moving?”
Skarlet looked out her window. A single honk from an annoyed driver had escalated into a street full of stopped cars and a cacophony.
“Would you look at this?” Skarlet said, pointing ahead to an abandoned double-parked SUV with emergency lights flashing, holding all traffic behind it hostage. She bolted out of the car.
“Skarlet,” Emma began, following her.
Skarlet walked to the front of the SUV and reached underneath it. She pulled up with all her might.
Emma giggled, watching Skarlet’s cheeks fill with air, her face turning redder and redder until the realization that the car wouldn’t budge washed over her face. She removed her hands from under the vehicle and straightened her dress. She smoothed out her hair and returned to Emma’s side. Emma kissed her cheek, smiling.
“I still forget,” she said.
“How human you are?” Emma said, and entwined her fingers with Skarlet’s as they walked back to the limo.
“How the world is no longer on my shoulders. How I can simply love you. And it doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it’s the most wonderful thing.”
“Oh, Skarlet.” Emma wrapped her arms around her neck. “That’s all I ever wanted.”
“I’m free, Emma. We all are, and it’s because of you. The great and powerful Emma Jarvinen Jones.”
Emma laughed, and Skarlet took her into her arms and dipped her. She kissed her with fervor that still astonished her. A fervor she never knew herself capable of until she met Emma. Their worlds were coming together and her adrenaline spiked at the thought of having Emma in her life the way she wouldn’t have dared allow herself to dream until now.
Emma inhaled the clean scent of her beautiful lover. She closed her eyes, savoring the passion of the amazing woman who awakened her senses and inspired a greater love than she ever imagined possible.
About the Author
Before embarking on her literary career, Taryn spent five years as an associate at a national law firm, fantasizing about writing novels instead of briefs. When she caught herself changing the facts of a case to make it sound more interesting, she knew it was time to move on. Taryn’s first book, L World, was an All Romance Ebook bestseller.
Table of Contents
Start
