Part 26
Erica woke up to find arms wrapped around her. She was still snuggled close to Scarlet, who was awake, her expression grave. Erica felt shy, and at a loss for words, but right now there didn't seem to be any need for them.
She'd never done anything like she had done last night. She wasn't really sure what she had been doing, and Scarlet wasn't either. They had been together, given into their soulmate connection, and everything had been pure bliss.
And now, just lying here, with Scarlet, gently stroking her hair, a finger running up and down one bare arm...she shivered with pleasure.
"We still have issues to deal with," Scarlet said softly. "Tatania isn't just going to go away."
Erica sighed. She didn't want to think about Tatania right now, but unfortunately, they had to. "She's determined to destroy you - by destroying the lives of everyone who matters to you."
Scarlet's eyes closed. "That bitch can't let anything go."
Erica didn't say anything. She couldn't blame Tatania for being angry about her sister's murder. There was still a part of her angry over the death of Janelle, even though she had hated her own sister. She could accept, however, that Scarlet was genuinely sorry. She hadn't been the killer, anyway.
Scarlet got out of bed and went into the bathroom Erica and Janelle had shared. Erica headed into her mother's shower room. She wasn't exactly sure *what* they were going to do about Tatania. Celeste *agreed* readily with her plan, Cole was never around anymore. Triana didn't seem fussed either way, though Erica got the feeling she was more inclined to go with Celeste.
Which brought only one solution, as far as Erica could see. It was harsh, maybe, but it seemed that was what it would take for her and Scarlet to survive.
"I have an idea," she said, once back in her room.
Scarlet looked up from her seat at the dressing table. "Oh?"
"Kill her."
Scarlet stared at her for several minutes, then laughed. "I never thought I'd hear that from you."
"I never thought I'd have to *say* it," Erica admitted. "But it's the only way to get rid of her."
Scarlet didn't say anything for a few minutes, just sat there staring at her reflection, half dried red hair falling in curls around her shoulders. She still held the hair dryer in her right hand, gripping it like a gun. Then she nodded. "All right. That's one problem solved."
Erica frowned. "What's the other?"
"In the Night World it's forbidden for us to love a human, and to tell them."
Erica didn't say anything. Triana had mentioned that to her when she had first told Erica about the Night World. As Erica thought about it, the solution seemed to be pretty obvious. "Well, that's easy."
Scarlet's eyebrows raised a little. "Really."
"I become a Night Person. It's possible to make someone a vampire, right?"
Scarlet frowned. "Technically. But you need official permission from someone in the Council. And I don't have it. And there's no way I'll ever get it." She paused, then brightened. "But as far as I know there's no law restricting making people *shapeshifters*. They're not governed by the Night World Council."
Erica hadn't thought about that, the idea of changing her shape, becoming an animal. But if it meant she could be with Scarlet, then she was willing to do anything it took.
"We need to sort out a plan - and find one willing to change me," Erica said.
Scarlet smiled brilliantly. "Leave it to me."
Erica nodded and managed a smile as Scarlet switched the hair dryer back on. She wasn't too sure about it though. Scarlet's plans had a habit of going wrong.
* * *
Erica woke up to find arms wrapped around her. She was still snuggled close to Scarlet, who was awake, her expression grave. Erica felt shy, and at a loss for words, but right now there didn't seem to be any need for them.
She'd never done anything like she had done last night. She wasn't really sure what she had been doing, and Scarlet wasn't either. They had been together, given into their soulmate connection, and everything had been pure bliss.
And now, just lying here, with Scarlet, gently stroking her hair, a finger running up and down one bare arm...she shivered with pleasure.
"We still have issues to deal with," Scarlet said softly. "Tatania isn't just going to go away."
Erica sighed. She didn't want to think about Tatania right now, but unfortunately, they had to. "She's determined to destroy you - by destroying the lives of everyone who matters to you."
Scarlet's eyes closed. "That bitch can't let anything go."
Erica didn't say anything. She couldn't blame Tatania for being angry about her sister's murder. There was still a part of her angry over the death of Janelle, even though she had hated her own sister. She could accept, however, that Scarlet was genuinely sorry. She hadn't been the killer, anyway.
Scarlet got out of bed and went into the bathroom Erica and Janelle had shared. Erica headed into her mother's shower room. She wasn't exactly sure *what* they were going to do about Tatania. Celeste *agreed* readily with her plan, Cole was never around anymore. Triana didn't seem fussed either way, though Erica got the feeling she was more inclined to go with Celeste.
Which brought only one solution, as far as Erica could see. It was harsh, maybe, but it seemed that was what it would take for her and Scarlet to survive.
"I have an idea," she said, once back in her room.
Scarlet looked up from her seat at the dressing table. "Oh?"
"Kill her."
Scarlet stared at her for several minutes, then laughed. "I never thought I'd hear that from you."
"I never thought I'd have to *say* it," Erica admitted. "But it's the only way to get rid of her."
Scarlet didn't say anything for a few minutes, just sat there staring at her reflection, half dried red hair falling in curls around her shoulders. She still held the hair dryer in her right hand, gripping it like a gun. Then she nodded. "All right. That's one problem solved."
Erica frowned. "What's the other?"
"In the Night World it's forbidden for us to love a human, and to tell them."
Erica didn't say anything. Triana had mentioned that to her when she had first told Erica about the Night World. As Erica thought about it, the solution seemed to be pretty obvious. "Well, that's easy."
Scarlet's eyebrows raised a little. "Really."
"I become a Night Person. It's possible to make someone a vampire, right?"
Scarlet frowned. "Technically. But you need official permission from someone in the Council. And I don't have it. And there's no way I'll ever get it." She paused, then brightened. "But as far as I know there's no law restricting making people *shapeshifters*. They're not governed by the Night World Council."
Erica hadn't thought about that, the idea of changing her shape, becoming an animal. But if it meant she could be with Scarlet, then she was willing to do anything it took.
"We need to sort out a plan - and find one willing to change me," Erica said.
Scarlet smiled brilliantly. "Leave it to me."
Erica nodded and managed a smile as Scarlet switched the hair dryer back on. She wasn't too sure about it though. Scarlet's plans had a habit of going wrong.
* * *