Chapter 12
It loves as much as you allow
Claire woke the next morning with Alice's warm nudity pressed snuggly into her side. Her arm was wrapped securely around the vampire, whose soft purring seemed to not have ceased since it had lulled Claire into a peaceful slumber the night before.
Alice's long leg was callously strewn over Claire's hips and the brunette's slender hand was loosely covering her breast. Claire's nipple hardened at the realization and she was instantly flooded with memories of her night with Alice.
The vampire had given her complete control, allowing Claire to lead them into her own bedroom instead of Alice's. It was absolutely absurd and yet still so empowering the way Alice had permitted Claire to pin her to the wall of the music room and then the plush carpet and eventually the large, comfortable bed. Claire was driven by an almost animalistic need to possess Alice the way the vampire had seemingly invaded every aspect of her being, fervently crying out her own satisfaction as she repeatedly entered Alice throughout the course of their passionate consummation.
She'd never wanted anyone or anything as much as she did the gorgeous vampire, and the thought made her stomach drop painfully into her lower belly. She clenched her jaw as a sudden and overwhelming rush of panic started to set in.
What had she done? Had she really given herself to a vampire? No, Alice had given herself to Claire, she tried to reason. That alternative was only slightly less disconcerting.
Her heart hammered frantically against her chest and she wasn't surprised when the purring at her side suddenly ended. Alice didn't move for a while though and it did nothing to ease Claire's rapidly increasing anxiety. She wished that the vampire would bolt out of her room again, like Alice had done that night she had held her…
Oh dear god…
Claire cringed as another realization caused her chest to start heaving as she struggled to fill her lungs with enough oxygen. She liked Alice. She liked a vampire. She liked a killer. She had convinced herself that it was just a physical attraction. The same spell most of the population was under when it came to the lanky brunette.
When had that changed into something more?
She needed to get out of that bed, out from under the vampire who was hardly keeping her there. And yet that smooth thigh innocently pinning Claire, felt heavier than a ton of bricks. She felt Alice's bizarrely silky hair shift across her chin and soon bright green eyes were despondently gazing at her from beneath a pair of dark knitted brows.
"Good morning…" Alice murmured in an even gruffer and sexier voice than usual. "Do you need me to leave?" She asked tentatively, averting her gaze from Claire's panicked eyes to stare at the space between the redhead's collarbones.
Claire instantly felt like an asshole. And then she got angry, because Alice could clearly see that she was freaking out, yet she was forcing Claire to say it, instead of just leaving. Claire shifted her body uncomfortably, causing one of her breasts to slide perfectly in between Alice's, reminding her of how very naked both of them still were.
It felt so good… She could feel Alice's rapidly racing heart beat straight in to her own chest.
"I need to go to work." Claire whispered, hoping it would have the same effect as 'Yes I need you to leave.'
Alice's face broke into a lopsided grin and combined with the sparkling green eyes and the messy sex hair, it sent Claire's heart stuttering in response. God she was gorgeous. She wasn't sure why it still came as a surprise. She remembered having such moments of shock and awe throughout the previous night as she discovered every inch of Alice's faultless body; what the brunette felt and tasted like underneath the greedy attentions of Claire's fingers and tongue.
She couldn't suppress the whimper that escaped her at the overwhelming onslaught of memories and Alice responded with a low growl which reverberated between their bodies which had Claire gasping and impulsively wrapping her arms around the brunette's slender toned back. Alice crashed their lips together and slipped her thigh in between Claire's legs, growling again into the redhead's mouth, when she felt just how wet Claire already was.
Still Alice broke the kiss moments later, lifting up onto her arms, her body just barely touching Claire's. The redhead groaned her disappointment and glared up into Alice's smirking face.
"You are going to be late for work." Alice reminded her, tilting her head toward the alarm clock that hadn't been set, without taking her eyes off of Claire, who reluctantly broke their staring contest and then started swearing under her breath when she realized that the vampire was right.
So what if she got a medal just the night before. They still had three open investigations going on, and just 'cause she got laid, didn't mean that the world had to wait for her. Alice grinned and gave her a chaste peck on the cheek, before lithely jumping off of Claire and was wrapped in her kimono moments after her feet touched the carpet.
Claire was not pleased by this. She had really been looking forward to appreciating Alice's body in the clear light of day.
"You get ready, I will prepare breakfast." Alice announced and glided out the door.
…..
Claire sat opposite Alice watching the vampire absently sipping on a cup of coffee as the brunette, in turn, watched Claire eat. She didn't think Alice could even make food.
"Can you eat?" She asked curiously. "'Cause you drink coffee and Scotch and my bacon and eggs are perfect." She amended.
Her breakfast really was perfect. Her eggs were prepared exactly the way she liked them, her toast was made with brown instead of white. Even the portion of fried mushrooms on the side contained hints of garlic, thyme and parsley. The vampire had clearly noticed Claire preparing her meal the few times the detective had bothered with a hot breakfast. The consideration was both creepy and endearing, much like most of Alice's actions.
"I mean, I was just wondering how it would taste to you…"
Alice had expressed her disgust at the Cullen's drinking from 'poor defenceless animals' but had seemed unwilling to speak about the topic and Claire didn't want to press the matter of the vampire's diet any further as she had been enjoying herself too much that night.
Alice's shoulders seemed to relax and she smiled.
"Have you finished eating?" She asked Claire who nodded and took her plate to the sink, rinsed it and placed in the dishwasher. She was already late, what difference would a few more minutes make? Not like the Captain's reprimand would be any different.
"Thanks." She told Alice, standing awkwardly, adjusting her sidearm and badge, wondering how to get out of the house without giving the vampire the wrong idea about them.
"You are very welcome." Alice smiled. "And yes I can force food down, but it is rather revolting and makes me physically sick." She answered and Claire's brows rose to attention.
"Revolting?" She asked for clarification.
Because there were varying degrees of revolting. She personally found mayonnaise revolting, though other people loved it.
"You like bacon." It was a statement. "Bacon comes from pigs." Alice continued. "Now imagine what that pig would taste like if it was alive and you were eating straight from its' bleeding body…"
Claire's response was to instantly pull her face in disgust. "Gross. Alice." She just ate and that was hardly a pretty picture to paint.
"Well that is how food makes me feel." She grinned and Claire couldn't help but chuckle at her.
"Okay I get it." She smiled. "I've really gotta go now. Thanks again for breakfast." She said, yet seemed unable to move as Alice continued to stand at the other end of the breakfast island, watching her expectantly. Claire had to walk passed her to get out of the house and for some reason she was scared to get closer to the brunette.
After a very long moment of awkward silence, Alice cleared her throat to get Claire's nervously wandering attention.
"Would you care to join me for supper tonight?" Alice asked confidently and Claire felt the panic from earlier that morning spreading through her body again.
"Uh… I'm not sure when I'll be home. We could be called out… And I need to go testify in court today. Not sure how long that'll take. Ada Wong's case…" She trailed off as Alice's initial sadness at the perceived rejection shifted to understanding and she was smiling beautifully again, which had Claire forgetting what she was going to say.
"I will prepare something. I do not have plans. You may join me when you are able. It's not as though I will starve waiting for you." Alice chuckled awkwardly and Claire joined her with as much discomfort.
The detective gave a firm nod of acceptance and moved determinedly toward the door but seemed to slow considerably as she was about to pass Alice. In fact, she came to a complete stop and stood just next to the brunette. With great difficulty she lifted her gaze and instantly found herself wrapped up in Alice's arms, the vampire's lips pressing hard against her own. Claire moaned as she melted into the kiss, feeling all the tension and awkwardness leave her body. It was insane how at ease she felt when she was intimate with Alice, and how that intimacy resulted in the exact opposite effect when her mind switched back on.
When Alice let go of her again, they were both grinning stupidly at one another other.
"I'll see you tonight." Claire blushed then walked to the door with great concentration, willing her legs to become solid again.
….
She spoke with Jill on the phone, who couldn't seem to stop talking about Luther. Claire didn't say anything about her and Alice, opting to only reassure her friend that Alice wasn't upset anymore. It's been all about her for the last three years. She was happy that she could be a proper friend to Jill again. Carlos was at the courthouse already and she was due to appear that afternoon, so she finished up some paperwork and went to interview a witness on one of their open cases. Afterward she went to the Courthouse and sat outside, waiting to be called.
It was nothing new. Not even the defendant was new. Claire was familiar with every aspect of Ada's life, she didn't even need to be prepped. She had been through this exact same process numerous times before. But now for the first time, thanks to Alice, Ada wasn't going to get away, she hadn't even been granted bail for the duration of the trial. There was no tension, Claire sat back and courteously answered the questions without a care in the world. Her demeanour seemingly aggravating the usually stoic defendant more and more.
When she was excused, Claire sent Ada a big smug grin and walked out the courthouse straight into a perturbed looking Carlos at the top of the steps.
Her mood sank instantly. How could she have forgotten that she had outed herself to him?
"Hi…" She greeted nervously.
He responded with a pained grimace and a grunt.
"How long have you been gay?" He asked her distrustfully, and Claire knew he was going to try and blame someone else for her homosexuality.
She wanted to laugh at him, but she'd known him long enough to understand how upsetting it all was. He was in love with her. She hadn't led him on, but she didn't rebuke him either. Then again, Carlos had never come up to her and told her about his feelings, she doubted that he knew even now that she was aware of how he felt.
"I've been attracted to women for as long as I can remember." She answered trying to keep her replies centred on herself as to not get stuck in a debate on homosexuality in general. Given what had happened at the pub, things could get out of hand very fast.
"All these years?" He asked incredulously.
Claire only nodded this time, keeping eye contact, hoping to convey to him that it wasn't something she was ashamed of.
"Did your family know?" The way he had stated it was almost like he felt they would've disapproved.
Claire smiled. "Yes. They supported me. Mom, Dad, Chris and K. They even met a few of my girlfriends." She felt she had to defend the support of her family since they were no longer there to show it themselves.
"A few?" Carlos breathed, starting to look a little nauseous.
"Yes." Claire stated simply.
"Have you ever been with a man?" he asked.
"No."
"Then how can you possibly –
- have you been with a man?! How do you know?" Claire shouted back at him, the fact that she had anticipated his response only riled her up further. It wasn't the first time she'd been caught in almost the exact same dialogue, men and women alike and even other gay people loved asking her that.
Carlos managed to look as though she had offended him in the worst manner.
"That's different. Being gay is wrong." He scolded her like she was a child.
Claire laughed bitterly. "Of course it is." She said as she made her way down the courthouse steps.
"Where are you going?" Carlos shouted after her, they still had work to do.
"I need a fucking walk!" Claire shouted back without looking at him and disappeared down the street.
…
It was almost nine pm, and Alice paced the length of her living room, wearing a new LBD that she'd bought especially for Claire's viewing pleasure. She replayed the morning's events over and over in her mind. She'd seen Claire panic at various instances, but the way they had kissed each other goodbye… Alice was positive that Claire wouldn't stand her up on purpose. Yes the redhead may have freaked out during the course of the day, but from what she'd gathered, she was sure the detective would've told her that she was working or couldn't make it for whatever reason. Still she had an unsettling feeling scratching at the back of her skull.
She poured a drink and elegantly folded herself into a loveseat. The way Claire had taken her the night before caused a delicious shudder to run through the vampire at the recollection. She hadn't had any preconceived notions regarding the detective's sexual prowess, as all her sources indicated the woman had been celibate for years, but Alice was more than pleasantly surprised by Claire's skill and stamina. It seemed as though the redhead wanted to claim her. Claire had attempted to mark various parts of Alice's body, only to later discover with an adorable scowl and a slight pout, that they had healed completely only moments later.
Had the vampire known the affect it would have on Claire when she announced she was hers, she would've professed it a long time ago. It was such an obvious conclusion to Alice, she hadn't even considered that it may not have been as clear to the detective. Of course she was Claire's, she believed it with as much vigour as she believed that Claire was hers. It went hand in hand.
She should probably thank Detective Olivera for his hand in facilitating their union. Alice wasn't sure if her possessiveness was from simple jealousy or her distrust of the man. She doubted she was truly jealous, she sensed no interested from Claire's side. She postulated that her reaction was just envy toward Carlos who was allowed to be so close to the redhead when Alice had to sit back and just watch. The previous night at the pub had evoked a combination of feelings, all of which pushed her toward wanting to strangle the man. Was it not for Claire's affection for her partner, she would've snapped his neck the instant his condescending glare had rested on her.
It was 21:24 when her phone finally rang at her side. She picked it up and almost crushed it against her head in her eagerness.
"Hello." She answered coolly.
"Alice. Uh… Miss Abernathy." Jill corrected shakily. "This is Jill…"
Alice clenched her jaw and stopped the growl threatening to blow from her chest.
"I have caller ID Dr Valentine." She responded dryly, even though she'd not bothered to even check it and Jill could've easily been calling from anywhere. Alice was disappointed that it wasn't Claire. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" She sarcastically enquired.
"D-do you think you could come down to the station as soon as possible please?" Jill's shaky tone finally alerted Alice's intuition and she shot up from the chair.
"Is it Claire?" Alice asked, surprising herself at how she managed to maintain her composure in spite of the storm brewing inside of her.
"Yes." Jill choked out with a loud sniff and Alice sped out the door the instant the line went dead.
…
When she got outside she frowned and wanted to kick herself for not asking for more details. She contemplated whether to run or take a car. Not wanting to waste any more time calling Jill back, she opted for a car just for the sake of moving. Jill had told her to go to the station, not the hospital which meant she wanted to tell Alice something. Claire may be fine. Though Jill worked with dead bodies at the station...
The doctor had sounded like she was fighting to stay in control of her emotions. And having gotten to know Jill Valentine somewhat, it made Alice stress even more. Mostly she took the car because running left her a dirty mess, and she still belonged to Claire and showing up at her place of work in a state of dishevelment, would reflect badly on her beloved. So instead she sped through traffic, which had thankfully calmed given the time of night, and made it to the station in record time.
She stalked passed a few awed faces not acknowledging their existence, not that she ever did, straight to the lift and summoned it for the basement floor.
"Alice!" Jill called to her as she waited for the elevator. "Thank god you're here, they don't want to tell me anything!" Jill shouted and guided the anxious vampire toward the Captain's office where Jill burst through the door, almost knocking it off its hinges, causing the Captain to visibly blanch as Carlos turned an angry shade of red.
"M-miss Abernathy, I was just about to call you!" The Captain exclaimed and then glared at Jill who didn't seem fazed. In fact the doctor looked very pleased as she defiantly crossed her arms over her chest and glared right back at him.
"Show her the video!" Jill demanded and the Captain looked like he would've shot her was he not so distracted by Alice's presence.
Alice wasn't sure what to make of it all, she just wanted to know if Claire was all right, but for some reason she was terrified to just ask them.
"We were hoping to have more answers, before we contacted you." The Captain fiddled with his laptop, intent on not making eye contact with the vampire, but feeling the need to explain.
Just as Alice was about to leap at him and shake him until he just spilled everything, the door opened again and her brother walked in. She allowed him to see her surprise, but maintained her poise in front of the rest of the room. Albert Wesker nodded to her and shifted his attention to Jill.
"Thank you for calling me Dr Valentine." He told Jill and Alice's patience reached its limit.
Sensing the brewing threat, Wesker swiftly moved to her side and gently grasped her elbow.
"Stay calm Sister, all will be well." He softly reassured. "The floor is yours Captain Douglas." He said a bit louder and Douglas nodded eagerly and pressed play turning the screen toward the vampires.
A loud growl escaped Alice as she saw Claire tied to a chair, blindfolded and seemingly unconscious. She was glad to note the subtle rise and fall of her beloved's chest.
"When did you get this?" She asked icily.
"Just over an hour ago." He shakily answered.
Another loud, vicious growl and Alice was only mildly satisfied when she could hear the subtle clattering of the Captain's teeth. She watched as that day's newspaper was placed into the frame, when it disappeared, her eyes quickly scanned the shot for any signs of where Claire could be.
"No sound?" Albert asked as if reading Alice's mind.
If they could hear any background noises it would've helped a whole lot more than the minimal visuals the small frame provided. The Captain shook his head as though he somehow felt responsible for the lack of sound.
A white piece of cardboard appeared in the shot next containing the words: Free Ada Wong or she dies.
Most of the room expected Alice's outburst, the only one who didn't was the victim thereof as Carlos found himself pinned to a wall, a few feet in the air, Alice's hand wrapped tightly around his throat. The vampire hissing dangerously at him as she bared her sharp fangs.
"Where were you!?" She snarled. "You are supposed to be her partner! Where were you when she was taken!?"
Nobody tried to stop her. The only other person who could, didn't approach knowing how close his sister was to snapping the detective's neck.
"I am sure that if Detective Olivera knew anything he would have told us Sister." Wesker seemed the only one not freaking out at Alice's show of aggression. "Perhaps your energy would be better spent on finding your Beloved?" He suggested, trying to get Alice back on track.
Alice let out another loud growl as she threw Carlos to the side like a ragdoll, picked up a nearby chair and shattered it against the wall on the far side of the small office causing the humans to duck their heads and cower from the rain of ricocheting debris showering them.
Albert took hold of Alice's arms and turned her to face him.
"You need to stay composed so you may find Claire." He urged again and Alice nodded, knowing this to be true. "Take a deep breath and tell me what you need." He spoke calmly and it effectively served to rein Alice in.
Jill and the Captain watched in wonderment as the vampire straightened her back and calmed her features much like a switch had been turned on.
"Someone to trace the video's origins." She started.
"I will get the best technicians on it." He promised.
"Luther."
"I'll call him." Jill announced, flicking out her phone.
Alice's eyes hardened significantly.
"Unrestricted access to Ada Wong."
….
A/N: Thank you for the R&R's!
Guest: When I get a positive Guest-with-No-Name review, I always just choose to think of it as having a secret admirer ;) Thank you for taking the time to let me know that you like this story. I appreciate it very much. You do however sound very similar to another of my reviewers… Alias starts with an A and ends with a da? Perhaps too drunk to log in at the time of the review? If I'm mistaken I do apologise. No offense intended.
Angelsgir: Congrats on your new profile lol Mas tequila es lo que yo quero!
Tlc125: hugs you again just for the fuck of it. How's the hangover? They say the best way to get over one is to continue drinking. By 'they' I mean 'I' as in 'me' as in that's what I'm currently doing lol
StarrH: I don't need much from reviews, just tell me you liked it or it royally sucked and I'm happy. What I'm actually very disappointed about is how you don't want to ask me to 'go steady' because of my age. Not cool. I assure you that I have a wealth of experience and that my closest friends often refer to me as having an 'old soul'. I got SKILLS woman! Shame on you Star! I wish I could continue to pretend to be mad, but as soon as I typed your alias, Vincent by Don Mclean started playing in my mind: 'Starry , starry night… paint your palette blue and grey. Look out on a summer's day, with eyes that know the darkness in my soul…' That song gets me all kinds of mellow and emotional. We wouldn't have worked out anyway, as you – much like 'My Bonnie' – lies over the ocean, and long distance is just a recipe for disaster.
Clairice: Lol yes it did feel like Claire's coming out story, even though it was just to Carlos and Leon. I guess she didn't just come out as gay, but also as someone with a very keen interest in a gorgeous vampire.
Webminky: Hmmm Monkey, you're all kinds of hot when you're mad. Well first of all, I love how you understand these characters, sometimes I'm concerned on whether I'm efficiently portraying their emotions. I tend to write characters and a less important plot to facilitate desired reactions, as opposed to a main plot and the subsequent reactions of my characters thereto… If that makes sense at all? I'm drunk again, pardon me if that sounded like a riddle, the statement got even me confused for a while. Actually I'm still a bit confused, so just say yes you understand. Secondly, I could've easily moderated Chaz's review, but found it way too amusing not to share LOL Ignore her/him. Coincidentally, I've met three homosexuals who feel exactly the same way. That homosexuality and Christianity just don't mix. All three admitted Christians, all three indulging in same sex sex, but determined to one day find someone of the opposite sex 'as god intended'. Such is the modern world we live in. My intent with Alice's outburst hadn't been to illicit some big religion vs gayness debate. Though I do believe that you can be a gay Christian. Was just trying to get everyone to understand why Claire 'Braveheart' Redfield hadn't come out to him yet. Highlight her fear of losing more loved ones. Also, I do believe everything Alice said to be truth. It's all in the interpretation. Chaz and his/her opinions do not faze me, I'm actually way more interested in your apparent butt cheek fetish ;-) will mail more in detail regarding that juicy titbit. Fuck, I love the word TITBIT. hehehe
Chaz: I am indeed a proud Goldstar (cue the trumpets) lesbian, what I'm not, however, is religious. I thankfully do not burst into flames on the rare occasion I enter a church during a wedding or a funeral. And do possess the ability to read and form an opinion based on said readings. I thank you for your review and would like to share with you the following from Ruth 1:16-17. It is the vow Ruth (female) makes to Naomi (female) – no blood relation: 'Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die – there will I be buried. May the Lord do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!' That's probably one of the most passionately beautiful and GAYEST declarations I've read in my entire life. But it's all about interpretation isn't it?