The Legend of Kissin' Kate - Part 4
Only an epilogue left after this...
Of course still for: tamala_the_bear
You know the drill for the disclaimers, I refer you to the prologue.
Part 4
Impossibilities
Sexual intercourse, or sex, had always been more of a term to Andy. She never really thought about it until a couple of strange dreams. The idea only became real because of Nate, but she could not imagine, even if he hadn’t been a criminal of the worst kind, that it could be as good as this.
Miranda hovered above her, half undressed. Her deep red corset had just been tossed onto the floor along with her blouse and lipstick, the structure leaving red imprints in Miranda’s ivory skin. Andy’s dress, corset and shift had been removed in the living room. Andy reached up and cupped the strange soft weight of Miranda’s breast, receiving a content sigh in return. The nipple hardened under her touch. She rolled it between her fingers. Miranda cried out and softly bit Andy’s neck which caused Andy to arch her back and for the first time their naked upper bodies touched.
Andy gasped as their hardened nipples brushed. Miranda’s skin was soft and warm against her own, making her belief that this was it, heaven. But then Miranda’s hand made its way in her underwear, her fingertips brushing against extremely sensitive places. Without any warning Miranda slid two fingers inside her. Andy cried out in pain. Miranda’s eyes widened in surprise as if she had forgotten or hadn’t expected Andy to still be a virgin.
‘Don’t stop,’ Andy gasped as she stretched around Miranda’s fingers. Slowly Miranda started to pull her fingers out and then pushed them back in. With each movement the pain became less and the pleasure increased. Andy held on to Miranda as if her life depended on it, rolling her hips further onto those slim fingers. She didn’t mind that she had given up her virginity to a woman, a killer. All she could focus on were Miranda’s fingers inside her, making her feel incredible.
Something started to build up inside her, something that was closing its release. Andy understood what it was, but it didn’t want it to happen. She felt so wonderful, she didn’t want it to end. The older woman must have felt it too, because she leaned forward and started to whisper words in her ear.
‘You’re close, aren’t you?’ Andy could barely nod, her breath coming in short gasps. ‘Well then, come, come for me. Andrea.’ Miranda pressed down with her thumb on the most sensitive spot, causing Andy to let go. A small scream fell from her lips when she came. All of her muscles tensed up and then slowly one by one started to relax.
‘Oh, god,’ Andy managed after a few moments. She felt how Miranda removed her fingers and lay down beside her on her small bed. She still felt a warm tingle between her legs that slowly spread through the rest of her body.
‘Not quite,’ Miranda said which caused Andy to chuckle softly. No Miranda was definitely not god, but she sure was divine.
‘I am so going to hell for this.’
‘Care to explain?’
‘Oh come on. I’ve neglected my duties as a civilian by not reporting to you and hiding evidence, I’ve slept with a woman, no worse, I gave my virginity to a woman who happens to be a serial killer. That sounds like a one way ticket to hell to me,’ she joked and placed one hand on Miranda’s exposed stomach, trailing her fingers up and down the soft skin. She wondered if she could do the same thing Miranda did too her. The thought of not knowing what to do with Nate was a little scary, but thinking about doing anything to this gorgeous woman terrified her. She wouldn’t know where to begin.
‘I’ve been through hell, several times, and that is not nearly enough to get you there,’ Miranda retorted. Andy propped herself up on her elbow and looked at her. In the dark room, Miranda suddenly appeared so much older. Time had been kind to her, Andy could tell that, but now when she looked vulnerable, she looked her age which Andy now guessed was around fifty.
‘What do you mean you’ve been through hell and that helping you, sleeping with you is not nearly enough?’
‘You’re not very curious, are you?’ Andy blushed, but Miranda ignored her. ‘I had sex long before I married with some pathetic excuse for a man after I had gotten extremely drunk. My father kicked me out because of that. I had no home, food or water. Finally I ended up in a whorehouse where I worked until my mother came and get me after my father had died of a stroke.
When I was thirty two I married Stephen. After almost ten years there were still no children. My dear husband then decided to tell me it was his fault. But he had a plan. I was to bed his best friend who you probably know, Gregory Cooper, for he would be able to give me children. I refused, but eventually his pleas and my desire to have children made me see Gregory. He’s a dreadful man, but I lay there, night after night, underneath him. I’ve never felt so low. Not even when I slept with random men after I had killed my husband, just once in a while to get rid of the tension. I never told my children that they weren’t Stephen’s. That and the fact that I’ve murdered so many men I’ve lost count, is enough to send you to hell.’
Andy just lay still when Miranda told her story. She couldn’t believe that she had worried about looking good enough for Nate, or if she would ever get married after she heard Miranda’s story. As she looked at Miranda, she realized there was something familiar about the way Miranda pronounced Gregory Cooper.
‘Miranda, can I ask you something?’
‘Again?’ The woman sighed and looked at Andy, her eyes nearly piercing a hole in her head. ‘I suppose so. I worry more about answers than questions.’
‘Were the woman who sold me that ribbon?’ Miranda exhaled slowly and then chuckled.
‘Took you long enough. Yes, that was me. It’s easier to blend in like that. Are there any other questions on your mind you wanted ask?’ Andy smiled. She found sort of sweet, if that was a word to say in one sentence with Kissin’ Kate or Miranda Priestly, that Miranda would dress up as an old lady just to roam the villages and gather information. She remembered that she had seen the old woman the day of Nate’s funeral and another question jumped in her head.
‘Did you leave your lipstick on purpose?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. I would never do that.’ Despite the snappy way in which Miranda said it, Andy could still hear a hint of laughter in her voice. Andy flopped back down on the bed as she saw how the older woman gracefully rose.
‘Where are you going?’ As a reply Miranda showed the fingers of her right hands. Andy cheeks turned into a deep crimson colour when she saw her own dried blood on those slim digits. ‘Oh, that.’
‘Precisely.’ After Miranda left the room, Andy was left alone with her thoughts. This certainly had been the most eventful evening of her life and she felt exhausted. Not only did she physically do a lot, but her mind was making overtime. There had been so many emotions these past hours that her head hurt. She rolled to her side and curled up. Before she could help it, she fell asleep, before Miranda returned.
A loud knocking awoke Andy the next morning. She groaned and rolled over only to find an empty space beside her. Slowly she opened her eyes and scanned her bedroom. There was absolutely no evidence that Kissin’ Kate had ever been here. If she hadn’t had a faint burn between her legs and hadn’t been half naked, she would not have believed that it had actually happened.
The person that was knocking became impatient and started pounding. Andy grunted and sat up. She felt blue and used. How dare Miranda just barge in her life, have sex with her and with that effectively turning her life upside down and then leave her the next day?
‘I’m coming,’ she shouted at whoever was attempting to break down her door. It would take too much time to lace up her corset so she didn’t bother with that. Spying her corset on the chair made her remember how the previous night she had hastily unlaced Miranda’s corset only to be gob smacked when she had seen the ivory skin and the breasts tipped with pink nipples.
Quickly she threw on her robe and fastened it. When she walked past her mirror, she spotted a purple mouth shaped spot on her throat. ‘Great,’ she sighed and tightened the collar around her neck. She walked towards her door and opened it. She could barely contain a sigh when she saw Sheriff Thompson standing on the other side.
‘Good morning Miss Sachs,’ he said and took off his hat. Andy wanted to snap at him. He was about the last person she wanted to see right now.
‘Good morning,’ she replied without meaning it. This had been far from a good morning and it was getting worse every second.
‘May I come in?’ Andy was tempted to say ‘no’ and slam the door in his face, but shrugged and opened the door further so he could enter. As she accompanied him to the living room she noticed she could smell the faint scent of cigarette smoke.
‘How can I help you, sheriff?’ she asked politely.
‘Christian, call me Christian, please.’ Andy narrowed her eyes. What was he up to? ‘I’ve actually come here for some unpleasant business. You see, this morning I was told that Kissin’ Kate was in town and not only that, but that she was in your house.’ Andy kept her expression neutral, but inside she was shaking. How was that possible?
‘Kissin’ Kate was in my house when she killed my fiancé,’ she replied blankly, trying not to choke on the word ‘fiancé’ as she thought about Nate’s crimes. If Miranda or rather Kissin’ Kate had not killed him, she would have.
‘That I know. What I meant was that she was in your house last night and this morning.’
‘That’s the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard. Why would I let that woman in my house, after she murdered Nate in front of my eyes?’ Lying had never really been one of her best talents, so she prayed that Christian would not notice it.
‘Why indeed? Some say that Kissin’ Kate is a witch and others say that she is the Devil’s mistress, so who knows how she got in here.’ Andy rolled her eyes.
‘Aren’t you a little old to still believe in fairy tales. Next thing you know we are going to burn women or drown them because they are too skinny or have a large nose. And besides, if Kissin’ Kate really was a witch, wouldn’t she have been able to hex me so that I would not remember the encounter? Since I still remember last night, that is not so. And as far as I can tell Kissin’ Kate had only been on this house on one occasion and we both know when that was. But if you want to search the house, feel free.’
‘That won’t be necessary. I’ll just tell my source that he was wrong,’ Christian simply replied and got up. ‘I’m really sorry that I bothered you, Miss Sachs. This must be very difficult for you. I hope you can forgive me for the inconvenience.’ Andy nodded. She had not expected him to be polite.
‘Just out of curiosity, who was your so called source?’ Christian frowned, making his ridiculous eyebrows seem even stranger. ‘Oh, come on, who am going to tell? Unless you fear that I might run to Kissin’ Kate’s secret hiding place and tell her so she can kill him.’
‘It was Mr. Cooper,’ Christian said slowly. Andy breathed in sharply. In the past twelve hours she had come to hate the entire Cooper family. The sheriff raised and eyebrow at her reaction. His eyes flew towards her throat and Andy realized that she released the collar. Clutching it tightly she hoped that hadn’t seen too much.
‘Good day, Christian,’ she said. He nodded, placed his hat on his hat and exited her house. Andy exhaled slowly. She let her head fall in her hands. At that moment she just wanted to disappear. She hated everything about her life. She hated Nate for doing all those horrible things, she hated Miranda for revealing who he really was, for kissing her, for sleeping with her, she hated Christian for being a pain in the ass and she hated herself for letting it all happen to her, for falling for Miranda and for being a coward.
Not wanting to feel sorry for herself anymore, she stood up and starting putting her clothes on, after she had gotten rid of her bloodstained underwear, finishing with the red dress. Just to be sure she checked the entire house for a note, even her books. But there was none. She decided she was going to go to the Priestly estate and confront Miranda. Without realizing or wanting it, she had fallen for the assassin and she wasn’t going to let her get away with a one night stand.
The long walk to the enormous house did her some good and the fresh air cleared her head. The estate was about a mile away from the nearest town and Andy understood how Miranda could have lived here all those years without being discovered. The house seemed awfully quiet and for a moment Andy feared that no one was there, but then she heard someone laughing inside. To her surprise she noticed that it was Miranda who laughed. She loved the sound. She only heard a once or twice chuckle, but this real, genuine laugh was like music to her ears. Suddenly she remembered why she was here and she marched towards the door and knocked. A redhead opened it.
‘Yes,’ she asked in an annoyed tone.
‘Hi, I’m Andy Sachs and I want to speak with Miranda.’ The redhead’s eyes widened and her mouth nearly fell open.
‘Well, I’m Emily Charlton and I can tell you that no such person lives here,’ she snapped after which Andy heard that the woman was British. She tried to close the door, but Andy stopped her.
‘Don’t lie to me. I heard her. If you don’t let me in I will go to the sheriff and tell him that I know where Kissin’ Kate lives, and we wouldn’t want that, would we?’ Emily looked thrown off for a second. Apparently she hadn’t expected Andy to threaten. She didn’t know that Andy would never report Miranda. Just as she opened her mouth to reply a person behind her appeared.
‘Emily, fetch my girls and take them out,’ Miranda said in her soft voice. Andy had to suppress the urge to gasp. For the first time she saw Miranda in a dress and not just any dress. It was made of the deepest black fabric, left her shoulders bare and displayed her cleavage in a way that would make most people drool. The contrast between the fabric and Miranda’s skin was so large it almost looked as if she was glowing. Andy wondered how the dress stayed up without sleeves.
‘But - -‘ the British woman started, but stopped when Miranda narrowed her eyes.
‘That’s all, Emily.’ The redhead nodded and went in to get Caroline and Cassidy. Miranda leaned against the doorframe, hand on her hip, her eyes slowly taking in Andy’s appearance, lingering a little on the purple spot on Andy’s throat.
‘When you threaten someone, you should at least try to say it as if you are actually going to do it, Andrea.’ Andy shook her head. Was there nothing this woman did not notice?
‘Can I come in? I want to talk with you,’ she asked as politely as possible. Miranda turned around and entered her house. Andy guessed she should follow, so she entered and closed the door behind her. Instead of going into the living room, Miranda led her up the stairs. Downstairs Andy heard how Emily took Caroline and Cassidy outside. They entered what looked like an office and Miranda closed the door behind Andy.
‘Talk,’ she ordered.
‘Why did you leave?’
‘Did you think I was going to stay until the morning? It would have been impossible for me to leave.’
‘Then why didn’t you leave a note or something?’ Miranda raised her eyebrow as if to say ‘do I look like the kind of person who leaves notes?’. Andy ignored it. ‘As strange as it may sound, I like being with you.’
‘No, you don’t. You only think you do because we had sex,’ Miranda retorted. Andy felt the anger well up in her. How could Miranda be so cold? Andy wasn’t that foolish to mistake sex for something else.
‘No, I don’t. I felt something for you after you first kissed me. I could not get you out of my head. Have youany idea how happy I was to see you again? Of course, you don’t. Well, like it or not, I think I’ve fallen in love with you,’ Andy shouted and she was glad Miranda had made sure that the girls and Emily were out of the house.
‘You shouldn’t be in love with me. It’s too dangerous.’ Miranda tried to sound aloof, distant as if she wanted Andy to leave, but the small nearly unnoticeable tremble told Andy that Miranda felt something entirely different.
‘I don’t care. This morning Christian Thompson visited me after your good old friend, Gregory Cooper, had told him he had seen you in my house. And I got rid of him. I don’t care if it’s dangerous, I just want to be with you.’ At the name of the mayor Miranda’s head had snapped up, but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t even reply to anything at all.
‘God damn it, Miranda. Do you even care?’ The older woman could not look Andy the eyes, but kept her gaze on the floor. Andy just wanted reach out and shake her to get some sort of reply. Tears filled Andy eyes, but she did not let them fall. ‘No, of course you don’t care,’ Andy whispered.
Suddenly she moved forward, slamming Miranda into the wall. A soft cry of surprise and pain fell from her lips, but Andy paid no attention to it. Instead she grabbed Miranda’s wrists and pinned them above Miranda’s head against the wall. She brought her lips down on Miranda’s parted ones, narrowly avoiding a collision of noses, her tongue forcing its way into the killer’s mouth, the unique taste of Miranda combined with smoke filled her mouth. She kissed her as if this was the last kiss they would ever share which probably was so. Miranda moaned and completely gave herself to the kiss. Andy pulled back and watched Miranda. Her cheeks were flushed her pupils were dilated and she seemed to beg for Andy to continue. Carefully Andy brushed the silver lock away from Miranda brow.
‘Goodbye,’ she whispered and fled the room, running down the stairs away from the house. She didn’t see Miranda sliding down the wall until she sat on the floor, nor did she see the bald man that looked at the dethroned ice queen, shaking his head. Andy nearly ran all the way home, but instead of going to her house, she took a long walk and did return until it was dark.
Ever since she became a teacher she thought she could never love anything more than teaching, but then Miranda had walked into her life. Now she believed she could have loved the woman with all of her heart. She would even have been willing to give up teaching. But as the tears rolled down her cheeks, she realized that it was over. She wanted to believe she had seen emotions in the other woman’s blue eyes, but Miranda had made it clear. She did not want this, did not want her.
Slowly she made her way to her house. Teaching and being alone. This was going to be her life. She looked down at her dress. If she hadn’t been outside she would have ripped off her body. It reminded her too much of Miranda. When she reached the front door she heard voices inside. She put her ear to her own door and listened. After a few moments she realized that Miranda and Gregory Cooper were in there. What on earth were they doing in her house?
‘ - - I wanted to marry you, to raise our children together,’ Gregory said.
‘You only liked me because I was the only woman who ‘willingly’ spread her legs for you. And my girls are not our children. They’re mine and mine alone,’ Miranda spat back.
‘And yet you killed my son. You shouldn’t have done that. I knew then that you weren’t dead. I always suspected it, but then I knew it for sure. I knew that if you were still alive you’d want revenge for what happened eight years ago.’ Apparently Miranda had no idea what he was talking about, because suddenly Andy heard him laugh. ‘You don’t know? It was me who told Stephen that you kissed that servant of yours.’
‘I should have known,’ Miranda whispered bitterly. Andy clenched her fists. She wanted to burst down the door and break Mr. Cooper’s nose. All the suffering he had caused, but then again if he hadn’t she would never have met Miranda.
‘Yeah, you really should have. And that’s not the only mistake you made. You gave Andy that dress. I knew it the second I saw it. I’d recognize Nigel’s work anywhere. The girl barely has a pot to piss in, let alone buy a dress that expensive. I knew you’d want to see her again, so I waited here. I was lucky the first night, because you were there. When Christian did not arrest her or you, I waited again for you to come and you didn’t disappoint. You love her, don’t you? No point in denying it, I saw it in your eyes yesterday.’
‘Yes,’ Miranda replied. Without thinking about her actions first, Andy slammed the door open, tears now freely running down her cheeks.
‘You do?’ she asked, ignoring Gregory who looked surprised at seeing her. If Miranda was surprised, she hid it well. ‘You love me?’
‘Yes.’ Andy ran towards her, wrapped her arms around her waist and pressed her lips against Miranda’s. With just one word her broken heart had been mended, her life looked well again and everything was going to be alright. Until they both realized that Gregory was still there.
‘I would say I’d hate to ruin this moment, but I’d be lying,’ he said coldly and took out a gun, pointing it at Miranda. Andy froze and in her arms she felt the older woman reach for her own gun. ‘Oh no, Miranda. If you even try to resist, I will shoot the girl.’ Miranda immediately froze.
‘What are you going to do with her?’ Andy asked, hating it that her voice trembled. Gregory laughed again, sending chills down Andy’s spine.
‘Since I know that Miranda would rather die than be with me, that is what is going to happen. Just imagine how peaceful and quiet this area could be if the feared Kissin’ Kate was caught and was going to be hanged. It’d be a shame to kill something this beautiful, but I think I will enjoy the moment I’ll hear you beg for your life and then the sound when you’re pretty little neck breaks.’
‘You’ll die before you see that day, Gregory,’ Miranda replied coolly. Gregory growled, grabbed Miranda’s arm and yanked her from Andy’s arms. This was impossible. Andy was surprised her head not burst open from all the emotions she felt in such a small amount of time. She desperately hoped that this was just some terrible nightmare and that when she woke up she would be in her own bed with Miranda beside her and was going to be yesterday again.
‘No,’ Andy shouted. ‘You can’t do that. I won’t let you.’
‘You stay here and be a good girl or I’ll shoot you anyway. The choice is yours. Either way she will die.’ He turned, dragging Miranda with him, who freed herself from his grip and glared at him.
‘Don’t ever touch me again,’ she spat and walked towards the door while Andy stared at her, crying. Was this going to be last time she ever saw her? Gregory followed Miranda. Suddenly Andy noticed something on the table. Miranda’s dagger. She must have put it there when she entered Andy’s house. Within seconds Andy had picked up the dagger and sprinted towards the door. Without hesitation she drove the silver blade deep in Gregory’s back. He screamed. The sickening sound of the blade entering his body nearly made Andy scream herself. It was so revolting.
‘What - -‘ Miranda started and spun on her heel. She fell silent when she looked at the scene in front of her. Quickly she covered Gregory’s mouth with her hand, silencing his scream and together with Andy started dragging him back in the house. Andy pulled the knife out of the man’s back and let it fall to the floor. Trembling she sank down on her couch. Gregory made strange noises and started to choke up blood. Miranda reached for the dagger.
‘You might want to look away,’ she warned Andy. Andy put the hand that was not covered with blood over her eyes. A second later she heard the most awful sound she had ever heard. It was a muffled cry combined with the slashing of a throat. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
‘It’s alright. He’s dead,’ Miranda whispered in her ear and took her in her arms, rocking her. ‘You did not have to save me. You did not have to kill him.’ Her voice broke as she said these words.
‘My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white,’ Andy mumbled. Miranda chuckled softly.
‘I doubt you’d make a good Lady Macbeth, now me on the other hand - -’
‘You could never live with a spineless insane man.’ This time Miranda laughed softly and stroked Andy’s hair. ‘I couldn’t have lived with myself if I had just stood by and did nothing to prevent your dea - -‘ she choked on the last word. She didn’t want to think about what would have happened if Miranda would have died.
‘Thank you for saving my life,’ Miranda said after a few moments. Andrea started sobbing again which made Miranda hold her even tighter. ‘You silly girl. But I love you for it.’
‘Really?’ Andy asked and lifted her head.
‘Really,’ Miranda replied and smiled. Gently she planted a kiss on Andy’s lips. ‘Since you’re Lady Macbeth, I’m going to say ‘‘T was a rough night’, but it isn’t over yet. We have to leave here. We can’t just live at my house, that would be impossible if neither of us could go out.’ Andy nodded. She understood, but didn’t mind leaving all this behind. Even if it meant she could never see her friends again. She just wanted to be with Miranda. They were going to be alright, wherever they would end up.
Epilogue: http://surena-13.livejournal.com/16347.html
Of course still for: tamala_the_bear
You know the drill for the disclaimers, I refer you to the prologue.
Part 4
Impossibilities
Sexual intercourse, or sex, had always been more of a term to Andy. She never really thought about it until a couple of strange dreams. The idea only became real because of Nate, but she could not imagine, even if he hadn’t been a criminal of the worst kind, that it could be as good as this.
Miranda hovered above her, half undressed. Her deep red corset had just been tossed onto the floor along with her blouse and lipstick, the structure leaving red imprints in Miranda’s ivory skin. Andy’s dress, corset and shift had been removed in the living room. Andy reached up and cupped the strange soft weight of Miranda’s breast, receiving a content sigh in return. The nipple hardened under her touch. She rolled it between her fingers. Miranda cried out and softly bit Andy’s neck which caused Andy to arch her back and for the first time their naked upper bodies touched.
Andy gasped as their hardened nipples brushed. Miranda’s skin was soft and warm against her own, making her belief that this was it, heaven. But then Miranda’s hand made its way in her underwear, her fingertips brushing against extremely sensitive places. Without any warning Miranda slid two fingers inside her. Andy cried out in pain. Miranda’s eyes widened in surprise as if she had forgotten or hadn’t expected Andy to still be a virgin.
‘Don’t stop,’ Andy gasped as she stretched around Miranda’s fingers. Slowly Miranda started to pull her fingers out and then pushed them back in. With each movement the pain became less and the pleasure increased. Andy held on to Miranda as if her life depended on it, rolling her hips further onto those slim fingers. She didn’t mind that she had given up her virginity to a woman, a killer. All she could focus on were Miranda’s fingers inside her, making her feel incredible.
Something started to build up inside her, something that was closing its release. Andy understood what it was, but it didn’t want it to happen. She felt so wonderful, she didn’t want it to end. The older woman must have felt it too, because she leaned forward and started to whisper words in her ear.
‘You’re close, aren’t you?’ Andy could barely nod, her breath coming in short gasps. ‘Well then, come, come for me. Andrea.’ Miranda pressed down with her thumb on the most sensitive spot, causing Andy to let go. A small scream fell from her lips when she came. All of her muscles tensed up and then slowly one by one started to relax.
‘Oh, god,’ Andy managed after a few moments. She felt how Miranda removed her fingers and lay down beside her on her small bed. She still felt a warm tingle between her legs that slowly spread through the rest of her body.
‘Not quite,’ Miranda said which caused Andy to chuckle softly. No Miranda was definitely not god, but she sure was divine.
‘I am so going to hell for this.’
‘Care to explain?’
‘Oh come on. I’ve neglected my duties as a civilian by not reporting to you and hiding evidence, I’ve slept with a woman, no worse, I gave my virginity to a woman who happens to be a serial killer. That sounds like a one way ticket to hell to me,’ she joked and placed one hand on Miranda’s exposed stomach, trailing her fingers up and down the soft skin. She wondered if she could do the same thing Miranda did too her. The thought of not knowing what to do with Nate was a little scary, but thinking about doing anything to this gorgeous woman terrified her. She wouldn’t know where to begin.
‘I’ve been through hell, several times, and that is not nearly enough to get you there,’ Miranda retorted. Andy propped herself up on her elbow and looked at her. In the dark room, Miranda suddenly appeared so much older. Time had been kind to her, Andy could tell that, but now when she looked vulnerable, she looked her age which Andy now guessed was around fifty.
‘What do you mean you’ve been through hell and that helping you, sleeping with you is not nearly enough?’
‘You’re not very curious, are you?’ Andy blushed, but Miranda ignored her. ‘I had sex long before I married with some pathetic excuse for a man after I had gotten extremely drunk. My father kicked me out because of that. I had no home, food or water. Finally I ended up in a whorehouse where I worked until my mother came and get me after my father had died of a stroke.
When I was thirty two I married Stephen. After almost ten years there were still no children. My dear husband then decided to tell me it was his fault. But he had a plan. I was to bed his best friend who you probably know, Gregory Cooper, for he would be able to give me children. I refused, but eventually his pleas and my desire to have children made me see Gregory. He’s a dreadful man, but I lay there, night after night, underneath him. I’ve never felt so low. Not even when I slept with random men after I had killed my husband, just once in a while to get rid of the tension. I never told my children that they weren’t Stephen’s. That and the fact that I’ve murdered so many men I’ve lost count, is enough to send you to hell.’
Andy just lay still when Miranda told her story. She couldn’t believe that she had worried about looking good enough for Nate, or if she would ever get married after she heard Miranda’s story. As she looked at Miranda, she realized there was something familiar about the way Miranda pronounced Gregory Cooper.
‘Miranda, can I ask you something?’
‘Again?’ The woman sighed and looked at Andy, her eyes nearly piercing a hole in her head. ‘I suppose so. I worry more about answers than questions.’
‘Were the woman who sold me that ribbon?’ Miranda exhaled slowly and then chuckled.
‘Took you long enough. Yes, that was me. It’s easier to blend in like that. Are there any other questions on your mind you wanted ask?’ Andy smiled. She found sort of sweet, if that was a word to say in one sentence with Kissin’ Kate or Miranda Priestly, that Miranda would dress up as an old lady just to roam the villages and gather information. She remembered that she had seen the old woman the day of Nate’s funeral and another question jumped in her head.
‘Did you leave your lipstick on purpose?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. I would never do that.’ Despite the snappy way in which Miranda said it, Andy could still hear a hint of laughter in her voice. Andy flopped back down on the bed as she saw how the older woman gracefully rose.
‘Where are you going?’ As a reply Miranda showed the fingers of her right hands. Andy cheeks turned into a deep crimson colour when she saw her own dried blood on those slim digits. ‘Oh, that.’
‘Precisely.’ After Miranda left the room, Andy was left alone with her thoughts. This certainly had been the most eventful evening of her life and she felt exhausted. Not only did she physically do a lot, but her mind was making overtime. There had been so many emotions these past hours that her head hurt. She rolled to her side and curled up. Before she could help it, she fell asleep, before Miranda returned.
A loud knocking awoke Andy the next morning. She groaned and rolled over only to find an empty space beside her. Slowly she opened her eyes and scanned her bedroom. There was absolutely no evidence that Kissin’ Kate had ever been here. If she hadn’t had a faint burn between her legs and hadn’t been half naked, she would not have believed that it had actually happened.
The person that was knocking became impatient and started pounding. Andy grunted and sat up. She felt blue and used. How dare Miranda just barge in her life, have sex with her and with that effectively turning her life upside down and then leave her the next day?
‘I’m coming,’ she shouted at whoever was attempting to break down her door. It would take too much time to lace up her corset so she didn’t bother with that. Spying her corset on the chair made her remember how the previous night she had hastily unlaced Miranda’s corset only to be gob smacked when she had seen the ivory skin and the breasts tipped with pink nipples.
Quickly she threw on her robe and fastened it. When she walked past her mirror, she spotted a purple mouth shaped spot on her throat. ‘Great,’ she sighed and tightened the collar around her neck. She walked towards her door and opened it. She could barely contain a sigh when she saw Sheriff Thompson standing on the other side.
‘Good morning Miss Sachs,’ he said and took off his hat. Andy wanted to snap at him. He was about the last person she wanted to see right now.
‘Good morning,’ she replied without meaning it. This had been far from a good morning and it was getting worse every second.
‘May I come in?’ Andy was tempted to say ‘no’ and slam the door in his face, but shrugged and opened the door further so he could enter. As she accompanied him to the living room she noticed she could smell the faint scent of cigarette smoke.
‘How can I help you, sheriff?’ she asked politely.
‘Christian, call me Christian, please.’ Andy narrowed her eyes. What was he up to? ‘I’ve actually come here for some unpleasant business. You see, this morning I was told that Kissin’ Kate was in town and not only that, but that she was in your house.’ Andy kept her expression neutral, but inside she was shaking. How was that possible?
‘Kissin’ Kate was in my house when she killed my fiancé,’ she replied blankly, trying not to choke on the word ‘fiancé’ as she thought about Nate’s crimes. If Miranda or rather Kissin’ Kate had not killed him, she would have.
‘That I know. What I meant was that she was in your house last night and this morning.’
‘That’s the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard. Why would I let that woman in my house, after she murdered Nate in front of my eyes?’ Lying had never really been one of her best talents, so she prayed that Christian would not notice it.
‘Why indeed? Some say that Kissin’ Kate is a witch and others say that she is the Devil’s mistress, so who knows how she got in here.’ Andy rolled her eyes.
‘Aren’t you a little old to still believe in fairy tales. Next thing you know we are going to burn women or drown them because they are too skinny or have a large nose. And besides, if Kissin’ Kate really was a witch, wouldn’t she have been able to hex me so that I would not remember the encounter? Since I still remember last night, that is not so. And as far as I can tell Kissin’ Kate had only been on this house on one occasion and we both know when that was. But if you want to search the house, feel free.’
‘That won’t be necessary. I’ll just tell my source that he was wrong,’ Christian simply replied and got up. ‘I’m really sorry that I bothered you, Miss Sachs. This must be very difficult for you. I hope you can forgive me for the inconvenience.’ Andy nodded. She had not expected him to be polite.
‘Just out of curiosity, who was your so called source?’ Christian frowned, making his ridiculous eyebrows seem even stranger. ‘Oh, come on, who am going to tell? Unless you fear that I might run to Kissin’ Kate’s secret hiding place and tell her so she can kill him.’
‘It was Mr. Cooper,’ Christian said slowly. Andy breathed in sharply. In the past twelve hours she had come to hate the entire Cooper family. The sheriff raised and eyebrow at her reaction. His eyes flew towards her throat and Andy realized that she released the collar. Clutching it tightly she hoped that hadn’t seen too much.
‘Good day, Christian,’ she said. He nodded, placed his hat on his hat and exited her house. Andy exhaled slowly. She let her head fall in her hands. At that moment she just wanted to disappear. She hated everything about her life. She hated Nate for doing all those horrible things, she hated Miranda for revealing who he really was, for kissing her, for sleeping with her, she hated Christian for being a pain in the ass and she hated herself for letting it all happen to her, for falling for Miranda and for being a coward.
Not wanting to feel sorry for herself anymore, she stood up and starting putting her clothes on, after she had gotten rid of her bloodstained underwear, finishing with the red dress. Just to be sure she checked the entire house for a note, even her books. But there was none. She decided she was going to go to the Priestly estate and confront Miranda. Without realizing or wanting it, she had fallen for the assassin and she wasn’t going to let her get away with a one night stand.
The long walk to the enormous house did her some good and the fresh air cleared her head. The estate was about a mile away from the nearest town and Andy understood how Miranda could have lived here all those years without being discovered. The house seemed awfully quiet and for a moment Andy feared that no one was there, but then she heard someone laughing inside. To her surprise she noticed that it was Miranda who laughed. She loved the sound. She only heard a once or twice chuckle, but this real, genuine laugh was like music to her ears. Suddenly she remembered why she was here and she marched towards the door and knocked. A redhead opened it.
‘Yes,’ she asked in an annoyed tone.
‘Hi, I’m Andy Sachs and I want to speak with Miranda.’ The redhead’s eyes widened and her mouth nearly fell open.
‘Well, I’m Emily Charlton and I can tell you that no such person lives here,’ she snapped after which Andy heard that the woman was British. She tried to close the door, but Andy stopped her.
‘Don’t lie to me. I heard her. If you don’t let me in I will go to the sheriff and tell him that I know where Kissin’ Kate lives, and we wouldn’t want that, would we?’ Emily looked thrown off for a second. Apparently she hadn’t expected Andy to threaten. She didn’t know that Andy would never report Miranda. Just as she opened her mouth to reply a person behind her appeared.
‘Emily, fetch my girls and take them out,’ Miranda said in her soft voice. Andy had to suppress the urge to gasp. For the first time she saw Miranda in a dress and not just any dress. It was made of the deepest black fabric, left her shoulders bare and displayed her cleavage in a way that would make most people drool. The contrast between the fabric and Miranda’s skin was so large it almost looked as if she was glowing. Andy wondered how the dress stayed up without sleeves.
‘But - -‘ the British woman started, but stopped when Miranda narrowed her eyes.
‘That’s all, Emily.’ The redhead nodded and went in to get Caroline and Cassidy. Miranda leaned against the doorframe, hand on her hip, her eyes slowly taking in Andy’s appearance, lingering a little on the purple spot on Andy’s throat.
‘When you threaten someone, you should at least try to say it as if you are actually going to do it, Andrea.’ Andy shook her head. Was there nothing this woman did not notice?
‘Can I come in? I want to talk with you,’ she asked as politely as possible. Miranda turned around and entered her house. Andy guessed she should follow, so she entered and closed the door behind her. Instead of going into the living room, Miranda led her up the stairs. Downstairs Andy heard how Emily took Caroline and Cassidy outside. They entered what looked like an office and Miranda closed the door behind Andy.
‘Talk,’ she ordered.
‘Why did you leave?’
‘Did you think I was going to stay until the morning? It would have been impossible for me to leave.’
‘Then why didn’t you leave a note or something?’ Miranda raised her eyebrow as if to say ‘do I look like the kind of person who leaves notes?’. Andy ignored it. ‘As strange as it may sound, I like being with you.’
‘No, you don’t. You only think you do because we had sex,’ Miranda retorted. Andy felt the anger well up in her. How could Miranda be so cold? Andy wasn’t that foolish to mistake sex for something else.
‘No, I don’t. I felt something for you after you first kissed me. I could not get you out of my head. Have youany idea how happy I was to see you again? Of course, you don’t. Well, like it or not, I think I’ve fallen in love with you,’ Andy shouted and she was glad Miranda had made sure that the girls and Emily were out of the house.
‘You shouldn’t be in love with me. It’s too dangerous.’ Miranda tried to sound aloof, distant as if she wanted Andy to leave, but the small nearly unnoticeable tremble told Andy that Miranda felt something entirely different.
‘I don’t care. This morning Christian Thompson visited me after your good old friend, Gregory Cooper, had told him he had seen you in my house. And I got rid of him. I don’t care if it’s dangerous, I just want to be with you.’ At the name of the mayor Miranda’s head had snapped up, but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t even reply to anything at all.
‘God damn it, Miranda. Do you even care?’ The older woman could not look Andy the eyes, but kept her gaze on the floor. Andy just wanted reach out and shake her to get some sort of reply. Tears filled Andy eyes, but she did not let them fall. ‘No, of course you don’t care,’ Andy whispered.
Suddenly she moved forward, slamming Miranda into the wall. A soft cry of surprise and pain fell from her lips, but Andy paid no attention to it. Instead she grabbed Miranda’s wrists and pinned them above Miranda’s head against the wall. She brought her lips down on Miranda’s parted ones, narrowly avoiding a collision of noses, her tongue forcing its way into the killer’s mouth, the unique taste of Miranda combined with smoke filled her mouth. She kissed her as if this was the last kiss they would ever share which probably was so. Miranda moaned and completely gave herself to the kiss. Andy pulled back and watched Miranda. Her cheeks were flushed her pupils were dilated and she seemed to beg for Andy to continue. Carefully Andy brushed the silver lock away from Miranda brow.
‘Goodbye,’ she whispered and fled the room, running down the stairs away from the house. She didn’t see Miranda sliding down the wall until she sat on the floor, nor did she see the bald man that looked at the dethroned ice queen, shaking his head. Andy nearly ran all the way home, but instead of going to her house, she took a long walk and did return until it was dark.
Ever since she became a teacher she thought she could never love anything more than teaching, but then Miranda had walked into her life. Now she believed she could have loved the woman with all of her heart. She would even have been willing to give up teaching. But as the tears rolled down her cheeks, she realized that it was over. She wanted to believe she had seen emotions in the other woman’s blue eyes, but Miranda had made it clear. She did not want this, did not want her.
Slowly she made her way to her house. Teaching and being alone. This was going to be her life. She looked down at her dress. If she hadn’t been outside she would have ripped off her body. It reminded her too much of Miranda. When she reached the front door she heard voices inside. She put her ear to her own door and listened. After a few moments she realized that Miranda and Gregory Cooper were in there. What on earth were they doing in her house?
‘ - - I wanted to marry you, to raise our children together,’ Gregory said.
‘You only liked me because I was the only woman who ‘willingly’ spread her legs for you. And my girls are not our children. They’re mine and mine alone,’ Miranda spat back.
‘And yet you killed my son. You shouldn’t have done that. I knew then that you weren’t dead. I always suspected it, but then I knew it for sure. I knew that if you were still alive you’d want revenge for what happened eight years ago.’ Apparently Miranda had no idea what he was talking about, because suddenly Andy heard him laugh. ‘You don’t know? It was me who told Stephen that you kissed that servant of yours.’
‘I should have known,’ Miranda whispered bitterly. Andy clenched her fists. She wanted to burst down the door and break Mr. Cooper’s nose. All the suffering he had caused, but then again if he hadn’t she would never have met Miranda.
‘Yeah, you really should have. And that’s not the only mistake you made. You gave Andy that dress. I knew it the second I saw it. I’d recognize Nigel’s work anywhere. The girl barely has a pot to piss in, let alone buy a dress that expensive. I knew you’d want to see her again, so I waited here. I was lucky the first night, because you were there. When Christian did not arrest her or you, I waited again for you to come and you didn’t disappoint. You love her, don’t you? No point in denying it, I saw it in your eyes yesterday.’
‘Yes,’ Miranda replied. Without thinking about her actions first, Andy slammed the door open, tears now freely running down her cheeks.
‘You do?’ she asked, ignoring Gregory who looked surprised at seeing her. If Miranda was surprised, she hid it well. ‘You love me?’
‘Yes.’ Andy ran towards her, wrapped her arms around her waist and pressed her lips against Miranda’s. With just one word her broken heart had been mended, her life looked well again and everything was going to be alright. Until they both realized that Gregory was still there.
‘I would say I’d hate to ruin this moment, but I’d be lying,’ he said coldly and took out a gun, pointing it at Miranda. Andy froze and in her arms she felt the older woman reach for her own gun. ‘Oh no, Miranda. If you even try to resist, I will shoot the girl.’ Miranda immediately froze.
‘What are you going to do with her?’ Andy asked, hating it that her voice trembled. Gregory laughed again, sending chills down Andy’s spine.
‘Since I know that Miranda would rather die than be with me, that is what is going to happen. Just imagine how peaceful and quiet this area could be if the feared Kissin’ Kate was caught and was going to be hanged. It’d be a shame to kill something this beautiful, but I think I will enjoy the moment I’ll hear you beg for your life and then the sound when you’re pretty little neck breaks.’
‘You’ll die before you see that day, Gregory,’ Miranda replied coolly. Gregory growled, grabbed Miranda’s arm and yanked her from Andy’s arms. This was impossible. Andy was surprised her head not burst open from all the emotions she felt in such a small amount of time. She desperately hoped that this was just some terrible nightmare and that when she woke up she would be in her own bed with Miranda beside her and was going to be yesterday again.
‘No,’ Andy shouted. ‘You can’t do that. I won’t let you.’
‘You stay here and be a good girl or I’ll shoot you anyway. The choice is yours. Either way she will die.’ He turned, dragging Miranda with him, who freed herself from his grip and glared at him.
‘Don’t ever touch me again,’ she spat and walked towards the door while Andy stared at her, crying. Was this going to be last time she ever saw her? Gregory followed Miranda. Suddenly Andy noticed something on the table. Miranda’s dagger. She must have put it there when she entered Andy’s house. Within seconds Andy had picked up the dagger and sprinted towards the door. Without hesitation she drove the silver blade deep in Gregory’s back. He screamed. The sickening sound of the blade entering his body nearly made Andy scream herself. It was so revolting.
‘What - -‘ Miranda started and spun on her heel. She fell silent when she looked at the scene in front of her. Quickly she covered Gregory’s mouth with her hand, silencing his scream and together with Andy started dragging him back in the house. Andy pulled the knife out of the man’s back and let it fall to the floor. Trembling she sank down on her couch. Gregory made strange noises and started to choke up blood. Miranda reached for the dagger.
‘You might want to look away,’ she warned Andy. Andy put the hand that was not covered with blood over her eyes. A second later she heard the most awful sound she had ever heard. It was a muffled cry combined with the slashing of a throat. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
‘It’s alright. He’s dead,’ Miranda whispered in her ear and took her in her arms, rocking her. ‘You did not have to save me. You did not have to kill him.’ Her voice broke as she said these words.
‘My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white,’ Andy mumbled. Miranda chuckled softly.
‘I doubt you’d make a good Lady Macbeth, now me on the other hand - -’
‘You could never live with a spineless insane man.’ This time Miranda laughed softly and stroked Andy’s hair. ‘I couldn’t have lived with myself if I had just stood by and did nothing to prevent your dea - -‘ she choked on the last word. She didn’t want to think about what would have happened if Miranda would have died.
‘Thank you for saving my life,’ Miranda said after a few moments. Andrea started sobbing again which made Miranda hold her even tighter. ‘You silly girl. But I love you for it.’
‘Really?’ Andy asked and lifted her head.
‘Really,’ Miranda replied and smiled. Gently she planted a kiss on Andy’s lips. ‘Since you’re Lady Macbeth, I’m going to say ‘‘T was a rough night’, but it isn’t over yet. We have to leave here. We can’t just live at my house, that would be impossible if neither of us could go out.’ Andy nodded. She understood, but didn’t mind leaving all this behind. Even if it meant she could never see her friends again. She just wanted to be with Miranda. They were going to be alright, wherever they would end up.
Epilogue: http://surena-13.livejournal.com/16347.html