(Erica is a survivor so it shouldn't surprise Selene to see her again even after the destruction of the coven by Marcus. Femslash. Erica/Selene.)
Selene stared at the mansion. Or rather the crumbling, still burning ruins of what had once been the home to the coven of vampires she belonged to. Or had belonged to. After the losses suffered during the battle with Lucian and his Lycan hordes there hadn't been many left and they had all been the useless ones that thought of themselves as oh so civilized when all they were was decadent.
Of course considering how she had just recently killed Viktor, one of the three rotating elders of the vampire world perhaps all this destruction might just cover her own crime. But how had this happened?
She didn't realize she had spoken the last thought aloud. And she certainly had not known how tightly her nerves were wound when a voice beside her spoke.
"Marcus did it."
Selene spun in the incredibly graceful and deadly speed only a vampire could show. Her automatics leaped into her hands even as she recognized the slender form beside you.
"Erica."
"Selene."
"What do you mean Marcus did this?" the female death Dealer asked. "Why would he destroy his own coven? Particularly since..."
"Particularly since Amelia was killed by the Lycans and Viktor by you? Leaving him the sole Elder?" Erica never batted an eye. "All I know is that Kraven and his men, Soren and the others sworn to him as Regent, went down to the catacombs. I thought it would be to awaken Marcus but it was to kill him, leaving Kraven as the sole leader of the coven."
"He's always aspired to that," admitted Selene. "I just never thought he had the guts to try it."
"Neither did I. But he did. And as with most things Kraven did he failed." Erica snorted. "Just like he did with you."
Selene didn't want to discuss Kraven's many attempts to bed her. Something about him had always repelled her. And she had never trusted him, a conviction that was now obviously justified. Of course she HAD trusted Viktor, almost worshipped him in fact only to discover he was the one who had murdered her family. She struggled to regain her mental equilibrium.
"I suppose then that Kraven is dead."
"Ripped in half by Marcus. I saw that as I fled up the stairs from the crypts and right out of the mansion. I didn't slow down. Fortunately it was still night. The usual guards were gone, all taken away for the assault on the Lycans. I had thought about taking a car but I heard the screams begin inside and I ran. None of those left made it out as far as I know. I came here and hid in this old shed. Marcus finally emerged with the mansion already erupting in flames behind him. He spread his wings, yes wings, and flew off. He circled the grounds a couple of times. I stayed as still as possible until he finally left."
Selene shook her head. "I don't know why I should be the least bit surprised to see you here yet I must confess I am astounded. Of all the vampires in the coven and all the Lycans in the city how is it that did you manage to survive?"
"Because that's what I am; a survivor," the younger, shorter vampiress replied.
"Well no more social climbing for you I suppose. Whatever will you do now?"
Selene saw her barb had gone home but then the other girl shook herself as though shrugging it off. "I'll survive." The Death Dealer was surprised by the determination in the other vampire's face and tone of voice and rather regretted her comment. She studied Erica as the other girl stood there.
Selene had always despised the effete, languid vampires of the coven, both men and women. They had nothing to do but sip blood spiced cocktails and engage in pointless, to her anyway, intrigues and alliances designed to improve their status in some weird game that Selene had never understood. And she had always thought that Erica was one of the worst. Now she saw her in a different light.
Now she saw the other girl vampire as she was, uncertain, unsure and desperate to find a place in the coven beyond the status of being nothing more than a serving wench turned into a vampire on a whim by Kraven to continue being just that for centuries. She saw, and could not disagree, how Erica hungered for more than that status. And more than that, Selene saw Erica's desire, her need, for someone to hold her, care for her, love her.
Selene's concentration had for so long been on the war with the Lycans that she had not seen anything but that. But now she saw the other girl clearly. More than that, she saw the same longings in herself, needs that she had locked deep inside her and ignored in her quest for vengeance. Her heart thawed.
"Dawn is coming and Marcus might come back. We need to go."
Erica looked surprised then pleased and then her face dropped into the neutral expression it usually displayed. But now Selene saw that look for what it was. A mask. Touching the other girl on the arm she guided Erica to her car, surprisingly undamaged and with the keys still in it. They got in and drove away. No one was watching. The evil reputation of the mansion seemed to have kept everyone away, including the fire department.
"Where are we going?" asked Erica.
"A safe house."
"Won't Marcus know all about those from having drank from Kraven?"
"Not this one. It's one I set up myself. Mostly just so I would have a place to be alone but I never revealed it to anyone else. Especially Kraven."
The pair traveled in silence, each with their own thoughts. They traveled down old worn cobblestone streets until Selene slowed, tapped a remote control and whipped the car through a garage door that opened in the middle of a block in the oldest section of the city. Another tap and the door rumbled down behind them. Lights sprang on, tripped automatically by their entrance. Selene guided Erica through a door and up a stair.
"It's only a single room," Selene told the other girl as she looked around in curiosity. "Just a place to rest and gather my thoughts sometimes."
"It's nice," replied Erica without any of the usual assumed superiority and hauteur she generally used.
"Thank you. the Death Dealer hesitated. "If you are as tired as I am we need to get some sleep. You can take the bed," she indicated a neatly made-up one in one corner. "And I'll take the couch."
It was Erica's turn to hesitate. "That's nice of you but... but... if you want we could share the bed." Her eyes bored into Selene's.
Selene surveyed the other girl. The long dress hid most of Erica's body but the shoulders were bare and the very tops of her breasts showed, heaving with rapid breaths that were as revealing of her desires as they were unnecessary.
Erica was returning the favor. In fact she had been returning the favor since she and Selene had met tonight. With a start the taller woman realized why Erica was always watching her. Selene had always assumed it was jealousy, because she had her sights set on Kraven and he was ignoring her in favor of his pursuit of the Death Dealer. But that particular assumption was completely wrong.
"It never was Kraven, was it?" she whispered.
"No. It was always you."
It took Selene three steps to reach Erica and catch her in her arms. Her mouth sought the other girl's. She started to sweep Erica up in her arms, throw her on the bed and fall on her like a wild animal. Then she took a deep breath and paused.
Selene was a woman but for centuries she had been a warrior first. Dedicated to the extermination of the Lycans she let nothing get in her way, let nothing serve her from her goal. When her body demanded release she generally would take another Death Dealer to bed, if bed they even used. There was no romance in her life, just an urge to be satisfied. When they finished they would return to their duties and she would give no thought to what had transpired between her and the other vampire. It was simply sex; hard sometimes even brutal sex.
That wasn't what she wanted. She didn't want sex. For the first time that she could recall she wanted to make love. And surprisingly perhaps it WAS Erica to whom she wanted to make love.
The kiss softened. Her hands didn't release the other girl but their grip relaxed. She ran her fingers over the bare shoulders, tracing the top of Erica's dress. The fingers were followed by Selene's lips, dancing up and down, covering those shoulders and the arched neck without any attempt at biting.
Selene's tongue traced the proud swell of Erica's breasts, pressing the dress down inch by inch until it slipped low enough to give her perfect access to the rounded orbs. Now there were nips at the hard pink nipples but Selene was careful not to use her fangs nor close her teeth too tightly. She felt Erica's fingers groping for the zipper to her body suit and shifted slightly to allow the other vampire to slide that zipper down. Her own breasts sprang free only to be immediately covered by cool hands that lightly squeezed and caressed them.
The taller woman wiggled, allowing her tight outfit to slide over her hips and down her legs as she levered off her boots. At the same time she drew Erica's lace embroidered dress down, having found the buttons running up the other girl's back and freed them. Neither woman wore undergarments, leaving Selene completely nude and Erica in thigh high silk stockings which Selene vowed to remove personally and very slowly using hopefully no more than her lips.
Moving as one the pair reached the simple bed. The stronger, more in charge Death Dealer carefully lowered the one time maid on the bed and then straddled her. She leaned forward and kissed Erica again, who eagerly met her mouth with her own. Selene's breasts swayed, making her nipples dance back and forth against the hard points of the other girl. Moans filled the room as the two bodies slowly molded into one. Selene slid her thigh between Erica's legs and the other vampire returned the favor. With her knee bent and foot planted on the bed she gave Selene a delicious smooth surface to ride even as her own leg slipped back and forth, opening Erica and rasping against her most intimate place.
Kisses were wilder now, both of them now covering not only lips but shoulders, necks and throats. Both gave free access and neither felt the slightest need to bite. Hands and fingers explored, touched, gripped. Faster they moved against each other, urgency building as they became one body. Erica arched and Selene responded by sliding her arms under the other girl and pulling her even tighter. Together the two vampires floated away on a cloud that shook both their bodies no less for being as sweet and lovely as either had ever experienced.
For the first time in centuries, perhaps ever, Selene didn t jump up and start getting dressed. For the first time in nearly as long, as she would admit later, Erica was not left alone by whatever partner had just used her for his pleasure. Instead they discovered how nicely Erica fit against Selene, her head resting on the Death Dealer's shoulder and the taller vampire's arm around her. They yawned and snuggled close.
Both of them knew it was only for today. Come nightfall Selene would be on her way, to follow the destiny that bade her to find Marcus and end the threat of William being unleashed on the world again. But for now the pair had each other. Besides, Selene reminded herself that she still needed to remove Erica's silk stockings.
(The End)
