Scarlet Masquerade by Jett Abbott

crunch, as she continued tightening her grip. A.J. felt his grip on her jacket release when he moved to grab her wrists, trying to pull them from his neck.
    “You just made the biggest mistake of your life,” A.J. said, through grinding teeth.
     

Chapter Eight
     
     
    “Okay, so what are your plans for the break?” Carol asked, wiping dressing from her lips.
    “Hmm, I don’t know. I guess stick close to home.” Clarissa pushed her plate away and looked at Carol.
    “So, tell me about last night,” Carol said, looking down and picking through her salad. “What happened that made you jumpy?”
    Taking a long, deep breath, Clarissa dropped her head on the back of the high booth seat, closed her eyes and remembered. Exhaling, she started to tell Carol about the night before, at the bar.
    “So tall, dark and dyke didn’t like the rules huh? Gee, I wish I had your problems, but only in the male department.” Pushing her plate away, Carol smiled at Clarissa. “So what happened then? You said you felt like someone was watching.”
    Clarissa rubbed her fingertips across her eyebrows, trying to work out the stress that had deposited there. “I don’t know. Maybe it was just the run-in with Sheila. It probably left me off-kilter.”
    “Naw, I’ve seen you take on some of the most aggressive men on campus and make hamburger out of ’em. You’re sure it isn’t something else, kid?”
    “When are you gonna stop calling me kid? You’re only a few years older than me.” Chuckling, Clarissa knew she was easily a hundred years older than Carol.
    “Aw, you look like a kid to me. You know how it is. When you’ve been here as long as I have, everyone just starting is a kid, regardless of their age. Just my way of thinking.”
    “Hmm.”
    “Okay. Well, I need to get home and grade papers. The end of the semester waits for no one, as they say in academia.” Carol stood and grabbed her coat and purse. “Besides, it’s your treat right?” Flashing Clarissa a smile, she winked and reached for her hand, helping her out of the tight booth.
    “Yep. You got last time.”
    Clarissa followed Carol out of the restaurant and into the street. Just as she stepped to the curb, her neck and shoulders began to tingle, and goose bumps covered her body. Tensing, she froze and pulled her jacket tightly around her neck.
    “Hey, are you alright?” Carol asked, reaching for Clarissa’s shoulder.
    “Huh?”
    “What’s wrong? Are you alright?” Carol leaned in and looked into Clarissa’s face. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost? What’s the matter?”
    Clarissa knew what was wrong immediately. A vampire was close. Twice in two days. What were the odds? She had spent years without ever feeling one close by and now two days in a row. She was on alert.
    “I just remembered, I need to go back to the university. I left my office unlocked.” Clarissa turned and started walking towards the university. She needed to get as far away from Carol as possible. If she was with a human, they were in danger, and she didn’t want anything to happen to the only friend she was close to here.
    “Hey wait, I can give you a ride,” Carol said, trying to catch up.
    “No, I’m good. I need to walk dinner off anyway. I’ll call you later,” she said, waiving Carol off. “Good night.” Clarissa’s body was starting to charge up as she walked further away from Carol.
    Good, as long as they follow me and not her, she thought.
    She walked faster towards anywhere but where Carol was. She felt her heart start to race and blood to surge faster through her veins. Her fingers tingled and she felt her nails start to lengthen as the small hairs on her body started to vibrate out of control. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought she was having a sexual reaction to someone. Looking around, she tried to pick out anything that might give her a clue as to who was following her or where that person was. Slowing down, she walked casually to a