Once she returned the cover to the vent, she found the small bag she had hidden behind the towels and linen earlier in the day when she had solidified her extraction plan. She was relieved to peel off the gloves, and yank off the red dress, bra, and high heels. Replacing them with slim black jeans, a white tank top, and a black cropped thin-leather jacket, she hurriedly tugged on her low heeled boots and tied the laces. The rooms had already been cleaned for the day, but she needed to move fast if she was to avoid trouble. There was the distinct possibility of the guards finding Leonard soon.
The hair clips gave her a little trouble, but she finally got the extensions out and ran her fingers through her wavy hair. To destroy the glamour all she had to do was remove the enchanted earrings she was wearing. She rolled up her clothes and shoved everything into the bag. She then took apart the shoes to make sure they fit, before finally adding the baseball sized relic to the bag. Securing the straps, she tossed it over her shoulder and took a peek out of the storage room door. The hallway was empty.
Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for the worst and hoped for the best before sauntering through the hallway. She had to pass Leonard’s room to reach the elevators, which meant walking past the guards. Even though she knew the glamour was gone, it was still a nerve-wracking moment when she strolled past them. Ramon glanced at her appreciatively while the other guard ignored her completely.
She couldn’t help but smile at Ramon. At least he wasn’t into vapid slutty women.
The area around the elevators was surprisingly devoid of people. She pressed the button and impatiently waited. Hotel elevators always took forever to make the journey to the selected floor. So many people were getting on and off it was amazing it ever reached its destination.
Combing her fingers through her hair, she fidgeted. She had taken longer than she planned and she didn’t want to be around for the discovery of Leonard’s body and the missing relic. Taking her cellphone out the pocket of her bag, she checked the time. If Scott’s information was correct, she was definitely cutting it close. Hopefully, the client wouldn’t be early.
The elevator doors slid open, revealing a very handsome man with gleaming black hair dressed in a tuxedo and red-tinted glasses. He flashed a charming smile in her direction and she instantly knew he was a vampire. Fearfully, she took a step to the si
de, hoping he wouldn’t sense her true nature. After his initial smile he barely acknowledged her as he stepped into the corridor. Desperate to get into the elevator and away from him, Cassandra darted into the car and crashed into the woman following in the vampire’s wake, knocking them both off balance. Instinctively, they both grabbed onto each other.
The moment Cassandra’s hands closed on the woman’s forearms, she felt a jolt of power sizzle through her body. The other woman’s pink lips parted in surprise.
“I’m sorry,” Cassandra muttered. “I didn’t mean to bump into you.”
“It’s okay,” the beautiful blond answered, her blue eyes sparkling beneath the gold fringe of her eyelashes.
Circling each other, the woman in the slinky evening gown ended up in the hallway and Cassandra found herself standing in the elevator. With surprise, Cassandra realized she was still holding onto the other woman. The woman’s fingertips traced along Cassandra’s fingers just seconds before two big men brushed past Cassandra from within the elevator, jostling them apart. Cassandra pressed her back to the wall of the elevator, her breath caught in her throat. Fear still coursed through her veins, but her attention was focused on the face of the young woman watching her as the elevator doors slid shut.
Raising her hand, Cassandra stared at it. She could still feel the woman’s touch burning along her nerve endings. Whatever the other woman was, she was pure power. Resting her hand on her chest, Cassandra slowly exhaled.
“What the hell was that?” she wondered.
Remembering to hit the button to the lobby, she punched it with a trembling hand. As the car slid downward, Cassandra’s thoughts didn’t rest on her successful endeavor, but the face of the woman with the long bronze hair.
Chapter 4:
The Touch of the Unknown
Aimee knew the second the stranger touched her that her world had changed forever. Within a few scant seconds, she memorized the woman’s narrow face with its strong nose, full lips, and hazel cat-eyes framed by thick chestnut waves that fell to a dimpled chin in a fashionable shag. The touch of the woman’s hands upon her bare arms elicited deep feelings of desire inside of Aimee that shocked, but also pleased her. A mystical power sparked between them, igniting bits of herself Aimee had long feared were dead.
Reluctantly, she released the woman as the guards shoved them apart. When the door shut separating them, Aimee wanted to fling her body against it. She belonged on the other side of the elevator doors and knew it to the core of her being.
Shaken, she stared at her dazed reflection in the burnished surface of the elevator. Frank’s touch on her arm startled her and she almost shrugged him off.
“Come along, witchy girl,” Frank said, sounding annoyed.
“Just fixing my hair,” she lied and made a fuss of tucking her hair back from her face.
“Now you worry about your appearance. We’re just picking up something from a courier, not meeting with a client.” Frank dragged her along behind him, his fingers biting cruelly into her skin.
Aimee hurried, trying to keep up with him. Frank was being his normal mercurial self, but she felt a pulse of paranoia. What if he had noticed her reaction to the other woman? She wasn’t even sure what she would tell him if he asked her what she had experienced. Aimee wished she could find a quiet place far away from Frank so she could process what had just occurred.
The long hall was empty except for two men. They were casually chatting outside of a room, but Aimee knew instinctively that they were guards. The dark power of a vampire infused both of them.
“Sir,” one of them said, noting Frank’s approach.
“Good evening, Ramon. Is Leonard ready for us?”
“He’s having dinner right now,” Ramon said swiftly.
Frank made a point of checking his watch. “By my estimation, I am just on time.”
“Yes, sir,” Ramon said nervously. He quickly rapped on the door. “Mr. Klein, your guest is here.”