Blood Red (8 page)

Vivi Anna

labored breath and low groans. She knew he was close. She didn’t care. He was just a tool to her, a tool to satisfy her own pleasure.

She reached between them and found her clit. It ached painfully. She rubbed her fingers over it firmly, back and forth. She quickly pushed herself over the edge. Her climax ripped through her violently. She cried out as she grabbed Jack’s head and crushed him to her. She felt him come soon after.

Hours passed. They had sex twice more before Jack fell asleep, spent and satisfied. Red sat up on the bed and listened to the storm, not in the least bit content.

The storm thundered. Lightning ripped through the sky as rain pelted the windowpanes. Jack was sleeping soundly. Red looked down at him. He slept like a child, full of innocence and purity. She wondered how long it would take for that to be torn from him. She had been only twelve when she lost hers.

Red hunkered down into the bedding, tucking a pillow behind her head. She needed to get some sleep.

If the Pig brothers could be believed, she would need all her strength and wits to outmaneuver The Wolf.

Then she could finally exact her revenge on him.

She closed her eyes and slept.

Running through the woods. So quiet. Even the birds
don’t chirp. There’s a small cottage up ahead. The lights are
on. Smoke billows from the chimney. So welcoming. The
door opens.

“Granny? It’s me. I brought you some muffins.”

No answer. Something’s wrong. The bedroom door is
ajar. Muffled sounds come from within. Pushing the door
14

Blood Red

open...

A man looms over Granny’s bed. A large man with
long, black hair. Granny’s eyes are wide. Blood blossoms
across her chest.

Screaming. The man turns. His eyes are so blue they’re
translucent. They seem to glow in the dimly-lit room like
an animal. He pulls the knife from Granny’s chest and
marches toward the cowering child. He stops inches away
and looks down at her.

She jumps up and attacks him. Screaming. Screaming.

He’s caught by surprise. He flinches. His arm jerks out.

The knife catches her in the face. It cuts her, deep. She
screams, hands covering her face. She falls to the floor.

He runs out of the house. The girl lies on the floor,
sobbing.

Red bolted up from the bed. Sweat poured off her face and soaked the sheets beneath her. She rubbed her hands over her face as she swung her legs over the bed and stood. She went to the dresser and picked up the bottle and took a long pull. She got dressed, strapped on a wrist sheath and tucked her small dagger into it. Wrapping up in her hooded black cloak, she left the room.

Jack opened his eyes and watched the door close.

Red stood behind the boarding house in the rain.

There were just open fields, then tall trees behind the house. That was one of the reasons she picked the place. A cheap place to rent and a place for a quick escape.

She raised her head to the cool rain. She opened her mouth and let the chilled liquid pour in. She swallowed it down and opened for more, thirsting for 15