Free Scarlet Masquerade by Jett Abbott Page B

her.
    The new high-grade blood replacement could change the way she lived, and she was enjoying the stuff R & D had sent for her to try. A.J. was the guinea pig when it came to stuff like that. If something went wrong, she could handle it, so she tried all of it out. This new drug showed a lot of promise, and she was happy with the results. She hadn’t fed on real blood in ages, and she felt better than she ever had. It had taken years to develop the formula that they experimented with now. The highly concentrated blood in the pills acted fast enough that A.J. could resist the urges that took over her body when she needed to feed. Her motivated staff was well compensated for their discretion and it was amazing what money could buy. Loyalty, privacy, dedication and an iron clad contract that made it impossible for her employees to work in the industry if they quit. Few left, and on the rare occasion one did quit, she had ways to protect herself. She told them that the project was top secret for the military, a blood replacement for war that was both convenient and portable. Rehydration was the reason for the high concentration, she told them.
    “Hey boss lady.”
    A hand slapped her back causing her reflexes to spike, her body to go rigid and her nails to grow before she could control it. Taking a long deep breath, she stuffed her hands in the pockets of her tailored black slacks before she sliced the idiot.
    “Mike, how many times have I told you not to surprise me like that, or call me ‘boss lady’?” A.J. felt the bones in her neck pop when Mike slapped her on the shoulder.
    “Hey, lighten up. Life’s too short to be so uptight. Right?” Mike sat down at his desk and turned his computer on. “Besides, we haven’t seen you in a while. You okay?”
    Mike was an underling that hadn’t learned his place in the world yet. Perhaps it was time she gave him a lesson in decorum.
    “A.J.” A.J. heard Kevin call her down the hallway by her office.
    “Mike, you and I are going to have a conversation on employee and employer boundaries this afternoon,” A.J. said, finally able to pull her hands out of the shredded, interior pockets of her pants. “See you at 1 p.m., and I wouldn’t be late if I were you.”
    A.J. walked past Kevin and into her office, sitting down on the leather couch.
    Seeing the exchange, Kevin said, “I’ll talk to him.”
    “No, I’ll talk to him. What the fuck is wrong with everyone? Shit.”
    “A.J., relax. You’re just off kilter right now. It stands to reason. You just found out a woman you thought was dead, is alive. She lives a couple of miles from here, and she doesn’t even know you’re alive, yet.” Kevin looked at A.J., hoping logic would take over from emotion.
    “Don’t patronize me, Kev. We’ve known each other way too long.” A.J. made her way to the window and pulled down the sunshade. “What did you find out about Clarissa’s daily habits?”
    “Well, like I said before, she’s an assistant professor over at the university. Teaches literature, English, stuff like that. Oh, I did find out something interesting. Every year she puts on the Renaissance Masquerade ball. They have donors that contribute large sums of money and that money goes to scholarships and grants at the university for the students.”
    Shaking her head, A.J. said, “That sounds like something Clarissa would do. She was always putting others first. Okay, get me more information about donating, tickets, that sorta stuff. I want to see her up close and in action.”
    “You think that’s a good idea, A.J.? I mean she doesn’t know you’re here. Don’t you want to keep it that way?”
    “Kevin, why must you always second guess my actions?” Sitting down at her desk, she called for her assistant. “Kevin, if you can’t handle working with me then maybe we need to reassess your position with the company.” A.J. motioned her assistant to come in.
    “A.J., it isn’t that and you know it.”