Scion's Freedom (Siren Publishing Classic) Read online

  Cassy did her best pout face. “Oh, all right. If I must, I must.” Together they headed for the club door.

  Chapter 2

  Cassy sat staring at the crowd. The only thing keeping this evening from being a total waste was the people watching. Ordinarily, watching a group of people getting drunk and dancing would not have appealed to her, but tonight was different. It was Samhain Night, Halloween.

  From her perch at the bar, Cassy could see a variety of costume-clad patrons doing things she was sure they would not do any other day. It was as if the costume and occasion freed some part of them they kept locked away the rest of the year. A couple dressed as Jack and Jill were making out in the corner. Little Bo Peep was wearing a very short skirt with a number of frilly petticoats and ruffled boy briefs. Bo was grinding to the beat on her dance partner, Robin Hood. Cassy smiled to herself. His tunic was way too short to hide the erection Bo Peep was giving him. All around her, storybook characters and fairytales were downing booze and behaving badly.

  An icy drop of water landed on Cassy’s thigh and trickled down toward the top of her white go-go boot. She had sat observing so long her glass was dripping condensation. She swirled her straw, clinking the ice against the side, before taking another sip. The Long Island iced tea was not her drink of choice, but, as it was free, she didn’t complain. Since Erica had insisted on coming out tonight, she offered to pay the two-drink minimum and cover charge. Cassy knew the real reason Erica wanted her there was to get her out of the house. She always used the excuse of not wanting to party alone. Now, Erica was very not alone. She had left with Frankenstein’s Monster and Little Boy Blue at the same time. Cassy’s cheeks felt hot at the thought of Erica as Cleopatra sandwiched between the two.

  “You look bored. So, Go-Go Girl, can I buy you another drink?”

  Cassy gave a startled jump. Lost in thought, she hadn’t noticed anyone coming up to sit beside her. The low strobe lighting threw some of his features into shadow. She could make out a dark velvet frock coat, a damask-patterned long vest, and a ruffled shirt. The powdered wig had a distinctive glow under the alternating colored and black strobe lights. Allowing her eyes to slip down to take in the rest of his costume, she noticed he wore a pair of knee-breeches in a light tan or beige, white opaque stockings, and buckled shoes with a raised heel. He could have worn the same outfit for the Fourth of July.

  “I’m sorry. What did you say?” She yelled. The music was thumping. She wanted to make sure of his offer before committing to anything.

  He spoke up, “I asked if I could buy you another drink. You don’t seem to be enjoying the one you have.” He flashed a wide smile. She couldn’t place her finger on it, but she was sure there was something off about how he held his bottom lip. He could have been trying to hide something, or maybe it was just a quirk.

  “Oh…uh…I’m fine. Thanks,” she replied and began twirling a lock of hot pink curls around her finger. “I’m with someone.” She hoped this would put him off.

  “You mean Cleopatra? I thought she left with Frank and Blue.” She tightened her lips into a thin line. He had been more observant than she would have liked. He threw his hands up, palms facing her, and dismounted his stool. “Hey, I don’t mean to intrude. I just thought you looked bored and alone. I just wanted to sit with you. I can take a hint. Sorry to have bothered you.” He started to back away.

  “No, it’s not you. I just didn’t want to come out tonight. This was my friend’s idea. I even had to borrow this costume from her. I didn’t expect her to ditch me. That’s all. I promise,” Cassy said. She gave him an appraising eye. Even in the bad lighting, she could tell he had very masculine features and a leftover tan from summer. “Please, have a seat.” She motioned to the stool he had just left.

  He took her up on the offer and sat down. “So, Go-Go, do you have a name?”

  “Yes. I have a name.” She smirked.

  “Are you going to tell me?” He waved over the bartender.

  “Maybe. I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours first. Or shall I just call you George?” She swirled her straw again, but the ice had all gone.

  His pulled a puzzled face. “George?”

  “Yeah, you know, as in Washington.”

  “Oh! You mean the costume!” He laughed and nodded his head. “Good one. Okay, sure. I’m David. You?”

  “Cassandra. Cassy for short.”

  The harried bartender arrived, took their order, and put two shots in front of them. More shouts from the end of the bar sent the man scrambling to fill the next order. Arms waved money accompanied by shouts from all sides. David watched as he left.

  “Glad I’m not that guy tonight. Well, bottoms up!” He lifted his glass to Cassy and threw back the amber liquor. Cassy watched his neck extend back, exposing his throat. Not being a fan of shots, she sipped a healthy portion and left the rest.

  “Tell me, Cassy, are you seeing anyone?” He turned to face her and propped one elbow on the bar. He was not taking the hint. If he would not go away, he might as well make himself very useful.

  “No. I’m not looking for Mr. Right. I’m not the marrying kind of girl. You? Anyone waiting at home for you?” She faced him with her hands in her lap and legs crossed. She wanted him to get a look at her long, bare thighs below the Day-Glo pink micro-mini skirt. It worked. She could see him drawing his eyes up her legs to the skirt line. His gazed followed her hips and paused on her dangling belly ring. Next he checked out her cleavage peeking from the white halter top. He was all but salivating. She knew she could hook him, if she wanted.

  “Nah. I’m a free agent in search of a good time.”

  “Well, well, well. What do you know? After the week I’ve had, I think I could use a good time,” she said and gave him a coy smile. Maybe he could be a very good time and improve her mood. It had been a while since she had allowed herself to be seduced.

  “You wanna get out of here?” He hitched his thumb toward the exit.

  “Sure! Let’s go.” Hopping down from her stool and grabbing her purse, she took his hand and pulled him toward the door. But where to go? Not knowing where Erica was spending the evening, Cassy didn’t want to take him back to their place. Before she could decide, he gave her an idea.

  “My car is parked in the deck across the street.” He jingled his keys.

  They left the noisy club’s thumping bass and flailing bodies behind and stepped out onto the deserted street. Cassy knew it was just after midnight. The air had a certain feel to it then. She could sense its approach deep in her bones and always knew the moment it passed. No one would be out. Kids and their parents were safely tucked into bed. Party goers were still downing the swill hoping to get lucky before last call in a couple of hours. They would be alone in the semi-dark parking deck.

  Once they reached his car, she put herself between him and the door. “I think this is far enough.”

  Staring at his dark-brown eyes, she slowly pulled the keys out of his hands and dropped them on the ground. Her hand slid up his stomach to his chest and then pushed his frock coat off his shoulders. With the coat halfway down his arms, she pulled him to her, kissing him. The tip of her tongue touched his lips and he opened his mouth. She deepened the kiss for a few moments more and pulled away.

  He drew in a long breath and let out a half-moaned sigh as he palmed her breasts. She wasn’t wearing a bra underneath the halter top. He dropped his arms and allowed the coat to slip off. She reached up and untied the top behind her neck. It dropped down, exposing her hard nipples. He rolled them between his thumbs and forefingers. She shivered with delight. He mistook the tremor for being cold.

  “It’s chilly out. Do you want to get in the car?” His hands didn’t leave her breasts.

  “No. I’m fine right here.” She undid the hooks on his pants and opened the fly. As he twisted and rubbed her, she slid both hands down the front of his undershorts and gently kneaded his balls.

  “Mmm…That feels great,” he sighed. Moving
his hands down to cup the base of her breast, he bent his head low and ran his tongue across one nipple and then the other. He began sucking her breasts in turn. She turned him loose and arched back to lift her chest higher.

  He put one hand between her thighs. Cassy’s skirt was short. There was nothing to lift to gain access. His fingers brushed her neatly trimmed bush. He glanced up at her in surprise.

  “No panties. I hate ’em. They get in the way,” she whispered. He hummed his agreement against the breast he still had in his mouth. She parted her legs enough for him to explore her further. This brought more humming.

  Fingers slid across her sensitive pearl and down to her waiting pussy. First one, then two found their way inside her slit. She was so wet he hardly had to try working them in. As he fingered in and out, he started kissing his way up her neck. A thrill ran through her when he lingered over her carotid artery, kissing and licking it before moving up her jaw line.

  He slipped his fingers out of her and released his stiff cock from its confinement. Gripping the base, he whispered in her ear, “Do you want to suck this? Or do you want me to fuck you?”

  Too hot and eager to care about anything else, she begged, “Fuck me. Just fuck me, please.” Something about this man was unexplainably magnetic. He drew her in, made her want him. She was impatient to have him take her. She would have loved to suck his dick, to roll her tongue across the head and taste his sticky pre-cum, but the burning need to have him in her snatch overrode everything else. Fangs and sucking cock were tricky things to juggle when the need to fuck raged like an internal wildfire.

  “That’s what I like, a woman who knows what she wants,” he purred. Pinning her body against his car, David pushed into her dripping cunt in one long stroke. Cassy pulled one leg up over his hip and curled it around his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders to hold him steady against her. “Good girl,” he cooed. The praise sent a shiver up her spine. She wanted to open herself to him completely, to let passion consume her.

  He braced one hand on the car and the other on her raised leg for more support. Once balanced, he pulled almost all the way out and thrust back in as deep as he could. Cassy let out a soft moan. He could feel her pussy quivering and gripping his cock, almost begging for more. Her juices flowed down over his balls. She was ready.

  “Yes, please yes! Please, please, please,” she begged in a loud whisper. She laid her head back against the roof of the car and closed her eyes.

  “Happy to oblige,” he said and started stroking her long and hard.

  She bucked her hips in rhythm to his thrusts, taking him in as deep as she could. Her breasts bounced in time like a metronome for their sex. As he pounded her, she pulled the collar of his shirt open. Lifting her head up to him, she nuzzled his neck the way he had hers, licking and kissing his pulsing artery. Her nipples rubbed against his chest as they bounced. They stiffened into harder peaks, like rosy pink pebbles. She sucked the throbbing flesh into her mouth and released it a few times. She knew he was getting close to coming. His thrusts became shorter and faster as he came. He cried out between clinched teeth. She could feel the creaminess pumping into her. It allowed her to drop the one last barrier, the one that separated the sex from the blood.

  Cassy’s lusts took over. As he climaxed, her fangs ran out and, without warning, she struck. The exertions of sex had his heart pounding. The initial spurt into her mouth nearly choked her, but she managed to swallow it all. He tried to pull away, but she had her arms securely around him. Her crooked leg prevented him from pulling away. He was hers. She dragged him down to the pavement and stayed on top of him. His cock filled her pussy as his blood filled her mouth. It was bliss. A few good minutes passed before she came up for air. Pricking her tongue with a fang, she smeared her blood over the wound. It almost completely healed but not all the way. She had not used enough, but the flow had stopped.

  Blood ran down her chin and dripped across her heaving breasts. Her nipples were still hard. There was a fine line between sex and blood. Tonight they mingled into one thing. Cassy looked down to ensure he was still alive. He had passed out. His breathing was shallow but steady. Getting up, she allowed his cock to slide out of her dripping snatch. Taking a pack of wipes from her purse, she cleaned up and redressed.

  She wiped David off and rearranged his clothes. As she did, he started coming back around. Thinking quickly, she reached up and hit his side mirror, breaking it. With the side of her longest nail, she scratched the side of his jaw and went over the puncture wounds she had made. The line looked like a single cut and not two holes. She shoved the used wipes into her purse.

  He moaned and opened his eyes. She pressed her face in close to his, fixing her gaze on his. She pushed her will into his mind. “You will remember nothing from the time we left the bar. You had too much to drink and fell against your car.” His eyes slid out of focus and then back. She knew it had worked. He gave his head a few shakes.

  She exclaimed, “Oh, you poor baby! Let me help you up!” Tugging at his arms, Cassy helped David into a sitting position. He put one hand to his head and squeezed his eyes tight.

  “What happened? How did I get down here?” He looked around and then up at her. He made to push himself into a standing position. She helped steady him and picked up his coat. Holding it open for him, he slipped it back on without asking how he had lost it in the first place.

  “You fell against you car. How much did you have to drink? I don’t think you should drive home.” She stooped down and picked up his keys. He followed her motions but didn’t look back up when she stood. He was fixed on the broken mirror pieces. Fingers touched his jaw and throat.

  “Sorry. I couldn’t catch you before you fell. I think you’re OK. It seems to be just a scratch.”

  “Whoa. I didn’t think I had that much. Maybe you’re right. I think I’ll call a cab,” he muttered. He seemed more disoriented than anything. Cassy was sure he was going to be fine in a few days. He pulled out his phone and started dialing. “Want to share?”

  “Oh, no. My car is one floor up. I’m fine to drive. Sorry about your evening, but I think I’ve had all the excitement I need for one night. Good-bye.” She waved and walked away.

  Erica sat in the driver’s seat of her car waiting with the engine running. “Have a good time? Your cheeks are nice and rosy,” Erica teased. The smile on her face was more of a gloat. At least she did not add the phrase, “I told you so.”

  “I did. He was a very good time. How about you?”

  “You should have been there. Frankenstein was good, but Little Boy Blue knew how to blow his horn,” she winked. “They were delicious. A positive, my favorite!”

  “Thanks for talking me into coming out tonight. I needed it more than I thought,” Cassy said with her best smile.

  “You’re welcome. What are friends for? Now let’s go. I feel the sun rising.” Erica peeled out of the parking garage, and they headed home for the day.

  Chapter 3

  Over the next few weeks Cassy noticed Erica spent all her time with the box of files and her laptop. Peeking in her room revealed Erica’s face hidden by paperwork or with a perplexed look and a pen crossways in her mouth. She had chewed through half a dozen pencils before switching to ink pens. The only time Cassy could remember her so focused was when she worked on a story about the impending economic collapse later called The Fall. The story had been stifled by an editor bent on not panicking the public with the truth.

  Cassy heard a gasp and a heavy thump from Erica’s room near sunrise. Moving quickly to see if there was a problem or to help clean up the mess, Cassy followed the noise. Papers were everywhere. The box had fallen into the floor. Erica, however, sat motionless on the bed staring at her screen.

  “Erica? Are you okay? I heard…Erica?” Cassy could see her eyes flying back and forth across the screen. She was reading at top speed. There was no point in trying to talk to her when she was like this. Cassy bent down to rake the scatte
red papers into a pile.

  The one on top caught her attention and froze her mid-motion. It was a list of names with dollar amounts beside them in one column and dates in a third. The headline was partially covered with correction tape, but the words “Quarterly Payout” were still visible. She stood with it clutched in her right hand.

  “What the hell is this?” Erica did not look up from her work. “Erica, what have you been sent? Erica Jordan! Answer me, please,” Cassy demanded. She fixed her silvery gray eyes on Erica’s face in an effort to compel her. The weight of her demand fell on Erica, forcing the transfixed woman to lift her head in response.

  “You know I hate when you do that. I’m in the middle of reading something important.” Erica turned one corner of her mouth down in disapproval. “Do you need something?”

  “Not really. I thought you might want help cleaning up the mess when I found this.” She lifted the top page. “What is this? What are you working on? There are names on here that could get you in a lot of trouble.”

  “Do you remember the story I did predicting The Fall? The one that never went to print even though they paid me for it?”

  “Sure. How could I forget? We had to hide out for years after The Fall. Is this related?”

  “Yes and no. I think The Fall was orchestrated by the same people who are in charge of the current rebuilding projects and social reconstruction,” she said with a very sober look. There was nothing in her face that held anything short of certain conviction.

  “But…how…why…why would anyone do that? So many people died because of it. All those poor children starved amidst the food riots. Whole cities burned to the ground when firemen couldn’t communicate or get fuel because the power grid went down. Filthy untreated water killed countless numbers of sick and elderly. Who would do such a thing? Why would anyone want to do such a thing?”