* * *
CH 8: Out of the frying pan, into the fire
The soothing falsetto of Chet Baker filtered through Clarion's apartment as the two women sat on the floor of her living room enjoying each other's company. Once Clarion was settled on the floor she drank deeply of her wineglass and realized that she hadn't nearly enough wine to feel as giddy as she did. In truth, it had more to do with the glimpses of deep blue eyes she'd catch looking at her, when she was trying to steal her own looks at the dark woman at her side. The blonde smothered a giggle as she cleared her throat and rested one arm on the couch so that she could prop her head up. The women were enjoying a comfortable silence until Yoshi finally broke into self-conscious grin and leaned back on the couch. Clarion mirrored her grin and then spoke.
"Two questions?" Yoshi raised an eyebrow. "Yoshima Miakoda. That's awfully Japanese, and well..",Clarion cocked her head to the side as she let her eyes openly wander over the sculpted frame of Yoshi ",you don't really strike me as Japanese." Yoshi gave Clarion a crooked smile for a response. Clarion smiled widely in return and then sat her glass down on the nearby coffee table. Green eyes flashed with mischief as Clarion rose to her knees and scooted closer to Yoshi. Blue eyes followed the smirking blonde and grew large as she felt small hands bury themselves in her hair.
"All though," Clarion continued as she drew up long tresses of midnight black hair into a ponytail, while smoothing the remaining portion down. Clarion bit her lip as she felt a shiver run through her forearm as her ears picked up the quickening pace of Yoshi's heartbeat. Clarion held the ponytail in one small fist and leaned back to admire her cosmetic wonder. "If you wear your hair like this you kind of have this Shogun, Samurai thing going." The two women shared a smile and then Clarion finally let go of her handful of hair as she found herself smoothing down non-existent tendrils of Yoshi's hair, for no other reason than for contact. Clarion let out a nervous laugh and sat back down, picking up her wineglass, and drinking from it. Yoshi looked down into the pattern of the Oriental rug at her feet, in order to ignore Clarion's eyes and shake loose the thought that she had indeed worn her hair like that for the first 50 years of her life. She ran a hand through her hair, instantly missing the soft pressure of Clarion's fingers.
Finally, Clarion broke through the sexual tension with a light huff of air. Yoshi looked up and they locked eyes for a brief moment. "So, do I get a story for the name or would you like to move on to question two?"
Yoshi shrugged her shoulders in a nonchalant manner. "Well, since I can usually only do one thing at a time, I'll answer one and then we can try another." She hit Clarion with a little smirk, that the tall woman had probably forgotten looked extremely sexy on her.
Whether Yoshi was aware of her sex appeal or not, Clarion saw the opening and decided to up the ante just for the hell of it. She ran a pink tongue across her top teeth and grinned. "I find it hard to believe that you can only do one thing at a time. I mean, you strike me as a very precise and focused woman, one who could no doubt divide her attentions and still be completely efficient." Clarion let a wisp of a smile cross her face before she took a sip of her wine.
Yoshi raised smooth black brows and was just about to break into some factual explanation of how she was actually joking, when she caught a glimpse of green eyes that seemed to be boring into her flesh. Yoshi shifted as she felt heat rise in her cheeks not so much in response to Clarion's words, but the forceful pull in her stomach that had nothing to do with pain. Yoshi let out a weak laugh and drained the rest of her wine as she tousled her hair.
Clarion decided to back off as she stood up and held her hand out. Only the waning sounds of a trumpet in the background filled the room as Yoshi looked up at the proffered hand in confusion and anxiety. Clarion knew it would be rude to laugh so she just shook her head and wiggled her fingers. "Hey Samurai, let me get your glass." Yoshi managed to raise an eyebrow at the name, but her mind couldn't quite focus on anything she wanted to say. The blonde winked playfully and smiled down at Yoshi, which elicited a slight grin from the nervous woman as she held out the glass in relief. "I think you need something with a little kick there pahtna.'" The soft Louisiana accent did nothing to ease the rising sensations in Yoshi's stomach. She watched Clarion glide out of the living room and mumbled to herself when she was out of ear shot, "You have no idea."
Clarion almost dropped the tumbler in her hand as Yoshi's words floated past her ears. She almost called out a reply, but then realized rather quickly that it would be rather hard to explain how she heard what she heard. As Clarion swirled the glass with Cointreneau, she lifted the remote and changed the CD from across the room. She watched as a dark head lifted and began to bob her head in appreciation. Clarion almost lost it when she heard a soft alto singing along with Stevie Ray Vaughn. She left her hand in the ice tray longer than necessary and then snuck a quick swig of Whiskey to calm her hormones. She finished fixing the cocktails with renewed vigor and gave her self a gruff chastising before she moved back into the living room. Okay, Clarion Giselle get it together ch¾ r. Sure she's drop dead gorgeous, even adorably cute and sexy when she's nervous. And, so what, that she seems to enjoy a little Stevie Ray. Under normal circumstances, we'd be having hot monkey sex and I'd be pledging her my life, alas this is not normal. She finds out I'm a Vamp and then she'll pull my lungs out through my nose, not to mention beating me senseless for lying and slightly using her. Clarion shook her shoulders in disgust and then stood up straight. She stole a sip of her own drink and walked back into the living feeling slightly better about herself as she thought to herself, perhaps in another lifetime this will all work out.
* * *
CH 9: Practiced Introduction
As Clarion neared the dark woman with drinks in hand, she almost didn't want to disturb her as she was giving an impromptu air guitar concert to no one in particular. She held in a laugh as she spoke. "I've got a guitar in the back if you want something a little more tangible to play with." Yoshi grimaced and let out an embarrassed laugh.
Yoshi shook dark locks of hair and shrugged. "What do you have there?" She nodded towards the glasses.
An impish smile spread across the fair face of Clarion as she knelt down on the carpet extending a hand forward. When Yoshi relieved her of one of the glasses, Clarion touched a hand to her chest before she spoke. "Now wait I have to explain this properly complete with accent."
At that Yoshi sniffed the cocktail and cocked an eyebrow. "Please do."
Clarion beamed. "Hoo yah!" She laid on her accent thickly much to Yoshi's delight. "Naw dis here iz a Cajun de-light."
Yoshi laughed. "A what?"
"Cajun, pronounced, Kay- J¾ an."
"Kay…J¾ an."
Clarion nodded. "Qui." They both laughed out loud. "Seriously, this is called a Sazer«c cocktail, a little flavor from New Orleans." She pronounced the name of the city as one word.
Yoshi smiled and shook her head. "Does anyone pronounce New Orleans the same way?"
Clarion settled in her spot and shook her head. "Depends on where you're from. Yankees like to say New Orleans, heavy on the ‘leans'. French provincial pronounce it like the French city. And most people from the city itself say Naw'lins."
"One word, huh?"
"Yup. Now are you going to drink that or keep talking?" Her tone was just a tad sharp, but the puckish gleam in her eye took all the heat out of her demand.
"Pushy aren't we? You still didn't tell me what's in it."
Clarion rolled green eyes playfully. "What do you smell?"
Yoshi let out a "ha". "That's what I'm afraid of."
Clarion swatted her on the shoulder and smiled as the solid woman feigned pain. "If you must know, just a little Rye Whisky, sugar cubes, and some bitters."
Yoshi smirked as she sniffed her glass again. "A little Whiskey you say." A skeptical eyebrow reached for the sky.
Clarion smiled wickedly and held out her glass. "A toast."
"To what?"
Clarion smiled as if she was about to say something lurid, but then she softened her features and spoke sincerely. "To saving my life…twice."
Yoshi bowed her head in agreement. "It was my pleasure."
Clarion grinned. "I thought it was a job?"
Yoshi glanced around the room and then settled her gaze back on Clarion. "I could have said that, but I thought you might appreciate the pleasure of it more."
Clarion drew in a surprised breath of air. "Touch¾. I knew it, that shy stuff is all an act."
Yoshi couldn't fight the smile that graced her lips. She glanced at the floor and then back up. "Oh my, I'm afraid you've found me out." She touched a hand to her forehead. "I'm so ashamed."
Clarion shook her head. "Nothing but a drama queen." They shared wide smiles and touched glasses. Yoshi looked down suspiciously at her drink and grinned. "Just drink it." Clarion ordered and sucked her teeth playfully.
"Bottoms up."
They tossed their heads back in unison and sipped at the amber fluid. Clarion was the first to come up for air as she let out a "hoo yah!" Yoshi shook her head as the liquid burned its way down her chest. She looked into the slightly glazed eyes of Clarion and grinned. "Hoo yah indeed. Is this stuff legal?"
Clarion laughed as she took a more reserved sip and then placed her tumbler on the table. "Depends on where your from."
Both women laughed out loud as Yoshi replied, "I figured as much." Before another lull of silence clouded both their minds Clarion hopped up and turned up the volume on the stereo. When she sat back down Yoshi was beaming. "I was just going to ask you to do that."
"Figured. So, are you going to tell me the origin of your name, as well as how you got into your rather interesting profession." Clarion wiggled her eyebrows as she finished her sentence.
Yoshi let out a soft sigh as she sat back against the couch, stretching out long legs, and placing the tumbler on the floor. If Clarion hadn't been waiting for an answer she would have lost herself in the journey up the dark denim that covered Yoshi's legs. Yoshi caught the blondes gaze and held in her smile. "I'll tell you about the name, but as far as the uh, profession, I'll tell… but only if you tell me more about the paintings."
"Ahh. I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." Clarion barely managed to keep a straight face as she spoke the words.
The tall woman picked up her drink before she taught Clarion a lesson in the art of deadpan. Yoshi took a small sip of her drink and looked straight at Clarion as she asked, "Painfully slow or quick and sweet?"
This time Clarion too felt the sweet burn of the alcohol as it traveled in haste down her throat. She let out a laugh to fight the flush that was hurrying to her cheeks. "Remind me to never fix you this drink again."
Yoshi arched an eyebrow. "Now, I find it hard to believe that you can dish it out, but can't take it."
The women exchanged smiles. "Oh contraire, mon fr¾ r. I just wasn't expecting it."
"You must always be prepared for the battle, in all its forms." Yoshi looked to the balcony wistfully.
"That seems like good advice, your father give that to you?"
Blue eyes focused on green as Yoshi nodded. "Can we go outside?" Clarion smiled and they both stood. Clarion smiled inwardly as she fumbled slightly with the lock on the door and then they stepped out into the brisk fall air. Seventeen floors up gave Clarion an excellent vista of the city. A blanket of stars shone bright against the crisp midnight blue of the sky, accented by a wisp of a crescent moon. Clarion welcomed the warmth of the alcohol this time as she leaned on the railing. Yoshi leaned down on the railing, resting on her forearms as she held onto her glass and stared down into the busy city street. Clarion stood in her respective corner and gazed at the stoic woman with concern and awe. As much as she wanted to speak, she opted to let the tall woman take her time. Selfishly, she hoped that Yoshi would give her the same respect when the time came. Clarion sighed audibly as she reconciled for nearly the 100th time that the truth would eventually come out and all of this would simply be what it was: a perfect moment and nothing more.
Yoshi turned at the sound of Clarion's breath. "I'm sorry, I'm supposed to be answering a question aren't I?"
Clarion grimaced. "No I apologize, I think I got lost in my own thoughts there for a minute."
Yoshi grinned and stood up to her full height and then leaned back against the railing. "What were you thinking about?" Her voice held the faintest amount of mischief in it.
Blonde brows lifted. "Honestly, um, ‘let the good times roll.'"
The corner of Yoshi's lip curled up with a smile. "Let the good times roll?"
Clarion shrugged. "Don't ask."
"Sure. Anyway, uh, my name. Honestly, since we're being honest, that's my name…sort of."
"Ooh, an alias."
"I was born in Egypt."
"Egyptian? Hmm, that explains the coloring."
"It does?"
"Not dark enough to be Greek, all though you've got that olive thing going there." Clarion cocked her head to one side as she continued her assessment. "Not fair enough to be mulatto and not orange enough to be a girl from Long Island back from vacation."
Yoshi frowned. "Orange?"
Clarion rolled her eyes and walked towards the corner where Yoshi stood. "This chick I worked with once, I swear she was orange. She had just come back from spring break or winter vacation or something and I swear this broad was orange. And I could do nothing but think about the fact that it was painfully obvious that she hadn't gone anywhere except to Nordstrom to go get a ‘tan in a bottle'. I mean what is that?"
Blue eyes grew bright with humor. "Adorable."
Clarion lost her next thought as the word filled her ears loudly. "What's adorable?"
Yoshi stood up ramrod straight and almost dropped her glass. "Did I say that out loud?"
Clarion couldn't help but laugh at the look of surprise and confusion that played across high cheek bones and full lips. "It's called inner monologue Yoshi. I know, because I've gotten into a few barroom brawls on the account that I don't have any."
Clarion's easy tone relieved the stress building in Yoshi's chest. "Barroom brawls, eh?"
Clarion shrugged. "C'mon Stretch, I'm freezing. And yes, I know it may look like I lead a charmed life, but I do have a few dark alleys and such." Clarion linked arms with Yoshi as they turned towards the sliding door. "We'll eat some Tiramasu, have a snifter of Cognac, and you can tell me how a little girl from Egypt wound up a Samurai."
Yoshi let out a laugh as she was led back into the apartment. Clarion closed the screen door as Yoshi took a seat on the couch. She looked up as Clarion walked to the stereo and changed the track. "I thought we liked that?"
"Don't worry, I missed my song that's all. Hey if you're really into Mr. Vaughn I've got loads of stuff that you'd love to hear."
Yoshi followed Clarion with her eyes as she walked into the kitchen. "So do I really look like a Samurai?"
Laughter rang out from the kitchen. "Well you do carry that big sword." Clarion walked into the living and sat down a huge slice of cake and two empty snifters. She walked to her bar on the other side of the room and unwittingly gave Yoshi a pleasing view as she bent over to retrieve a bottle of Cognac.
Yoshi averted blue eyes to admired the art work on the walls as she felt a pulling in her stomach that was becoming all too familiar to her in Clarion's presence. Yoshi finally made a comment when Clarion made her way back to the couch and sat down on the other end. "You know, I could just be a Civil War re-enactor."
Clarion looked puzzled for a moment. "They used swords in the Civil War?"
Yoshi couldn't tell if the blonde was joking or not so she opted to only smile. "Haven't you ever seen General Lee with his sword."
"Ooh sorry, I was busy with other things that century." Clarion bit her tongue as the comment came out, hoping that the sarcasm won out over her quick answer.
Yoshi only raised a brow, not that she wasn't intrigued by Clarion's quick comeback. "So, what were you doing that century?"
Clarion chose not to turn in the direction of the blue eyes that she could feel moving over her features. Instead, she removed the cork in the Cognac and moved the glasses within her reach. "I'll have you know that while I don't remember much of that lifetime, I hear it was completely exciting." She took Yoshi's laughter as belief in her answer.
"Were you working in a distillery because that's a mighty old bottle of Cognac." Yoshi reached out and drew a tapered finger down the bottle.
Clarion passed Yoshi a sweet glance and then turned back to pouring the drinks. "It was a gift from a friend. Apparently, 1827 was a good year." She handed Yoshi a snifter and both women sat in mutual silence as they swirled the dark fluid in their glasses. Neither one privy to the others thoughts that both took them to 1827. While Yoshi was thwarting slave traders on the high seas, Clarion was increasing her art collection in a less than noble way, but equally gratifying.
Each woman was drawn from her thoughts as a familiar riff poured out from the speakers garnering their attention. Instinctively they turned towards one another and smiled.
"So what's your real name?"
"Talon Subira." She offered without hesitation.
Clarion contemplated the ceiling as she rolled the name around her tongue for a moment and then smiled. "Patience."
Yoshi was sincerely impressed. "Very good. Have you studied a lot of languages?"
"Not really, I'm just chock full of useless information."
Yoshi raised her glass. "Then how about we toast to your impending success on the game show circuit."
Clarion beamed and raised her glass. "How'd you know? All my friends think its such a useless dream." They tapped glasses and ingested the 173 year old alcohol accented with a slow burn that complimented the soulful wailing of a Southern white boy singing his heart out about a crack in the sky.
Clarion sat her snifter down and crossed her legs as she leaned back into the corner of the couch and looked at Yoshi with questions obviously brimming in malachite colored eyes. "So how does a Talon become a Yoshima?"
The woman in question too leaned back into the couch and rested her ankle on her knee. "Let's just say that while I was conceived in love, my existence was detrimental to a few peoples health including my own." Clarion took a sip of her drink in order to silence her thought of saying, "I know the feeling." Yoshi shrugged her shoulders. "Anyhow, my mother gave me away to a childless Japanese couple and I stayed with them until they died and then I was taken in by a friend of the family. He was a very traditional man with very traditional rules."
Clarion crinkled her nose. "I sense there's more to that comment."
Yoshi rolled her eyes and said with a shake of disbelief, "I don't believe I'm telling you this."
Clarion sat forward and patted Yoshi's ankle. "I'm easy to talk to, what can I say. Now finish, I'm all intrigued."
Yoshi smiled and drew her lips to a thin line. "Well, quiet as it's kept… I'm a man." It took every ounce of discipline Yoshi had not to burst into laughter as she watched a stream of Cognac spray onto the floor. Clarion leaned forward as Yoshi lightly pounded her back, allowing the young woman to finish her coughing fit. Wide green eyes turned towards Yoshi and the dark woman couldn't help but laugh. She leaned back into the couch and picked up her drink as she mentally patted herself on the back for making Clarion uncomfortable. "You okay there Clarion?"
Green eyes pinpointed their jade glare at a smirking Yoshi as Clarion gathered herself and sat back. "That was cruel and unusual, you know."
Yoshi fought a smile. "Depends on where you're from."
Clarion let out a light laugh and raised her glass in defeat. "Touché, pussycat. I'll give you two points for that, but remember something, I don't fight fair and I rarely lose." Green and blue eyes locked in sexually charged tug of war for a moment that was only broken by a change in songs.
"Seriously though, I was raised a boy, but trust me it couldn't be helped. It just made things easier."
"I bet."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"If it's about the painting-
"No, no, I've given up on that….for now." Clarion grinned. "Clearly, you seem well versed on an interesting number of things and I feel safe in assuming that growing up in Louisiana has its advantages, so I'm wondering how much of the stuff you read you believe?"
Clarion wasn't really sure how to take the question as she glanced at the woman seated across from her. Sure she knew she could bring a spectacular evening to an end with the truth or she could just dance around it like she had been all night, and pray that her wit and Southern charm kept Yoshi just out of reach of the truth. "Are you asking me if I believed in Vampires before I met one or if I believe in all the stories that surround Vampires?" Yoshi only deepened her look into Clarion's eyes in lieu of answering. "You're assumptions are correct, I was exposed to a lot of things out in the Bayou. I've seen and even done some weird shit, stuff that is illegal in at least 45 states and three continents." Her comment garnered a snicker from Yoshi. "I think I know a lot about you, if that's what you're asking. I mean, I know a lot about what you do. I know you hunt Vampires and you protect the innocents. I know Hunters have existed for, well for an awfully long time. I'm not sure about initiations or rites or even how you become a Hunter." Clarion changed her tone as Yoshi allowed herself to be carried into her voice. She grinned as she leaned in towards the tall woman and decided to press her luck just a touch more. "I've heard stories that say you're immortal, impervious to pain, and all that. But, as sure as I can see the glaze of alcohol in your eyes, I get that feeling that you're just as human as I am."
Clarion's words hung between them for a small eternity and served as an invisible magnet; that was doing the job of drawing the women closer together. Yoshi let the word human echo in her head before she spoke. "Am I human?"
Clarion let the warm haze of alcohol speak for her instead of using her better judgement. She shook her head before she replied. "I don't really care, but if you leave here tonight without me getting a taste of your lips, you'll wish you weren't."
This time Yoshi let the blush come as she broke her stare with Clarion and took a sip of her drink. "I can't refuse that can I?"
Clarion grinned ferally as she blindly sat her glass down on the table. "Not unless you wanna' sleep with the fishes."
Yoshi shrugged. "As long as I don't die of want."
The tall woman barely had time to sit her glass down before Clarion moved in a rush of motion that seemed all too fast, only to place a slow kiss on full lips. Yoshi closed her eyes to the sensations that ran freely in her stomach and nestled in her groin. She pulled the supple blonde in close and deepened their kiss, as small hands anchored themselves in her hair. Yoshi released an unabashed moan that was echoed by Clarion, as her mouth was invaded by a small wet tongue.
Clarion had only wanted a taste. She only wanted to kiss her and be done with it, but even in more than 200 years of life she still hadn't grasped the concept that things never go as planned. She got an inkling that she was going too far as she felt strong arms wrap around her waist and began a smooth descent that ended in the feel of firm hands grasping her buttocks and pulling her in close. The alarms in her head even went off as she pressed her tongue into the warm confines of Yoshi's mouth. But, the sirens in her mind didn't start wailing until she raised up on her knees and straddled the quiet woman with the commanding hands.
Even if better sense told her to back off when Yoshi's lips left hers, the subsequent feel of soft lips being pressed into the flesh of her throat made her lose all rational thought for a spell. Clarion let out a sound that was more a growl than a moan as she dug her fingers hard into dark tresses urging Yoshi's exploration. Finally, Clarion did get Yoshi to pull away, but it was only to claim her lips once more.
As for the dark warrior beneath the softly grinding hips of Clarion, she knew she had lost this fight four nights ago in the park. She had never lied to herself and she wasn't feeling too well about starting now. Even though she wanted nothing more than to take Clarion where they sat, she knew it would compromise everything she needed to accomplish. In truth, she wasn't exactly sure what the hell she was trying to accomplish, but she knew it involved the woman above her, that was devouring her with sheer will alone. When Yoshi raised her own hips to meet the subtle yet vigorous pace of Clarion's hips, the dark woman knew they had to stop. Yoshi knew what she wanted and whom she wanted, but not knowing why Clarion was being targeted was ultimately more important than rabid sex; no matter how much she wanted it. As Yoshi began to pull away from Clarion, she soothed herself with the thought that when the time was right, it would be extremely good, highly worth the wait, and it would definitely last all night long.
Clarion sat back as Yoshi began to pull back. She removed her hands from a cocoon of black hair and rested them on broad shoulders as both women caught their breath. "Don't worry, I've got an oxygen tank in the back." Yoshi let out a breathy laugh and crisp blue eyes locked with hazy green. Clarion let a small grin settle on her face as she caught the sobering look in blue eyes. She let out an almost inaudible sigh and then leaned forward so that her forehead touched Yoshi's. Besides their strained breathing, the only sound in the apartment emanated from the speakers strategically lined throughout the apartment.
Дата добавления: 2015-11-04; просмотров: 31 | Нарушение авторских прав
| <== предыдущая лекция | | | следующая лекция ==> |