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Better Off red

Vampire Sorority Sisters Book 1

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Better Off red

Vampire Sorority Sisters

Book 1

by

Rebekah Weatherspoon

2011

better of red: vampire sorority sisters

book 1

© 2011 By ReBekah WeatheRspoon. all Rights ReseRved.

isBn 13: 978-1-60282-610-6

This ElEcTronic Book is PuBlishEd By

Bold sTrokEs Books, inc.

P.o. Box 249

VallEy Falls, ny 12185

FirsT EdiTion: noVEmBEr 2011

This is a Work oF FicTion. namEs, characTErs, PlacEs, and

incidEnTs arE ThE ProducT oF ThE auThor’s imaGinaTion or

arE usEd FicTiTiously. any rEsEmBlancE To acTual PErsons,

liVinG or dEad, BusinEss EsTaBlishmEnTs, EVEnTs, or localEs

is EnTirEly coincidEnTal.

This Book, or ParTs ThErEoF, may noT BE rEProducEd in any

Form WiThouT PErmission.

CRedits

EdiTor: cindy crEsaP

ProducTion dEsiGn: susan ramundo

coVEr dEsiGn By shEri (GraPhicarTisT2020@hoTmail.com)

Acknowledgments

I must thank the following people:

My parents and my brothers and sister for letting me be myself.

The boys of Cilley Hall and the girls of Amen, Dunbar, and

Bancroft; the other Five Heartbeats and the ladies of the Upsilon

Xi Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., for helping me lay the

foundation.

Ellee, Jenny, and Ariana for sharing their experiences with me,

and Jordan for showing me around the house.

Ari, Kim, and Carole for the dance parties and the makeup

lessons, even though they didn’t stick.

Erica and Rosana for finding me and encouraging me to keep

going, and the readers who embraced my online stories. Your

support has been phenomenal.

Summer and Tecora for holding my hand through every chapter

of this book and beyond. To Aiden and Zac for existing, Steph for

the chubbles, I.T. for introducing me to so many things, and Weebs

for keeping me awake. Vanessa for being you.

The entire Bold Strokes family for their warm welcome , Cindy

Cresap for her amazing eye, and Sheri for the fantastic cover art.

And lastly, many, many thanks to Radclyffe for giving this

story a chance.

Dedication

To my mother, Jackie, who taught me how to swim

and my father, Russell, who never let me drown.

And to T. I love you, baby. Wanna go have lunch?

Better Off red

Chapter One

I have an idea.” Amy threw her bag on the floor and perched

on the edge of her mattress. I put down my pen and turned

around.

“What?”

“Let’s rush.”

“Where?”

“No, no. Rush, stupid. Like join a sorority.”

“Hell no.” I had just gotten used to sharing a broom closet

worth of space with another human being. Our entire hall had a

single shower. I was even getting over the fact I had to plan my

masturbation me time around my roommate’s class schedule, but

this was asking too much.

“Ginge, come on.”

“Amy, my darling, you are more than welcome to auction off

your brain in exchange for endless amounts of upbeat to the highest

bidder. I won’t stop you,” I said. “But there is no way in hell, no

way, I am joining a sorority. I already have a ton of studying to do.”

“You’re majoring in gym,” she said with a condescending

glare. “Just hear me out.”

“Ugh, fine. And I’m not majoring in gym.”

“Right. Anyway. Here’s what I’m thinking. We’re too young

to get into any of the good bars downtown, and all the eighteen and

up places will just be packed with people from our gen ed classes.

There are parties on the Row all the time. Parties I want to go to.”

• 9 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“The Row? You’re already into this. You’re in deep, using the

lingo and everything.”

“Just let me finish. My sister said the parties on the Row are the

best and they’re ‘invite only.’ If we rush, we get to meet all of the

people who throw these parties. So even if we don’t actually pledge,

we’ll meet tons of guys. Guys who will invite us back when it’s all

over.”I chewed the inside of my lip, thinking over the nonsense

she was talking. I didn’t give a crap about meeting guys. There

were thousands of them on campus. I even sat next to a few in my

classes. I had worked hard to get into Maryland University. Their

exercise science program was one of the best in the country, and

my workload this semester was more than enough to keep me busy.

Getting involved in Greek life was not another slice of pie I wanted

to add to my plate.

Even if I had all the free time in the world, there was still

no draw. I didn’t have anything against sorority girls, but I never

considered myself to be that kind of a joiner. If Amy asked me to go

out for the Frisbee golf team, then sure, that was the sort of group

activity I could handle. The thought of slapping on a smile for the

next however many days, pretending to be perfect just so some girls

I didn’t know and had no real interest in getting to know, could tell

me I was cool enough to walk around with them wearing matching

shirts, well, it made me want to roll my eyes at Amy and dive right

back into my chem notes. From the eager look on her face, I knew

that type of blow off was not gonna fly.

“Please. There’s this mega cute guy from Chi Nu in my econ

class. I would love to see him in his natural habitat.”

I had only known Amy for a few weeks. She was cute. A perky

blonde. Perky in every way. We got along great, except for moments

like this. It was obvious she wasn’t used to taking no for an answer.

I, however, had no problem saying it. I just wasn’t sure if telling

Amy to shove it was a good way to keep the air peaceful between us.

I took a deep breath and squeezed my eyes shut. Maybe it was

the right moment to tell Amy I was seventy-seven percent sure I

was a lesbian, but that might create a whole other problem. The last

• 10 •

Better Off red

thing I wanted was a roommate who was scared I was going to feel

her up in her sleep or check her out while she was getting dressed

in the morning.

When I opened my eyes, Amy started clapping. I watched the

dopey grin on her face stretch to full capacity and then stared at her

as this weird squeal came through her clenched teeth. Apparently

taking a moment to get my head together was the same thing as

saying yes in her book.

“Fine.”

“Fine?” Her voice pitched higher than I’d ever heard it before.

“Yes. I will go through rush with you, but that’s it. I’m not

pledging.”

“Stop sulking,” Amy said. “I’ll do everything. You just come

with me and pretend you’re having a good time.”

“I said fine.” I snatched my pen off my notebook and turned my

back on her. She finally dug out her books and settled down to study.

“It’ll be great,” she squealed again.

“Yeah. I bet.”

❖

Amy managed to let me get my chem notes done without

mentioning rush again. The next morning was a different story.

While we got dressed, she told me about each sorority’s dedication

to particular charities and causes. Apparently there was more to

the ladies’ side of the Greek system than bake sales and bikini car

washes.

I listened as patiently as possible. I wanted to change the

subject, but I figured I’d just let her get it all out, then move on

to music or current events once she’d tuckered herself out. By the

time we made it over to the cafeteria for breakfast, she was already

talking my ear off about rush week etiquette.

“Why do I have to wear white?” I asked.

“Either white or black. Every sorority has colors,” Amy told

me, the poor clueless fool that I was.

“I know that.”

• 11 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Well, if you show up parading around in teal and yellow or

purple and pink, you’re sending a message.”

“What, that I like to mix my pastels?”

“No. That you have Xi O or Mu Phi on the top of your list.”

“Okay, what else?” I asked. This was all so stupid.

“They’ll each have tables set up on the quad today, so we can

cruise by and meet a few of the girls from each house.”

I took a bite of my eggs and spit them right back out into my

napkin. “Ick. Those are off.” Amy reached across the table and took

a forkful.

“They taste fine to me. Here.” She handed me her untouched

bagel and snatched my plate of eggs and fruit.

“You have any faves yet?” I asked.

“Xi O actually.” She didn’t seem bothered by the eggs. “My

mom’s a Xi O.”

“Oh. Isn’t being a legacy an automatic in?”

“Yeah, I guess, but I don’t know. I kinda want to do my own

thing.”

“Nothing spells independence like joining a sorority.” I ducked

just in time to dodge a grape.

“I just want to see what else is out there. We have to check out

the Tri Pis and ABO.”

“Why ABO?” I knew that Pi Pi Pi was one of those old school

sororities everyone had heard about, but I knew nothing about Alpha

Beta Omega.

“I heard their house is gorgeous and huge. The guys in their

brother fraternity are smoking hot and they have a reputation for

only picking pretty girls. I know it sounds shallow.” She tried to

save herself before I called her out.

“Um, yeah.”

“I don’t know. It would be cool if they asked me to join.

Knowing they think I’m foxy.” The tip of her tongue stuck out as

she wiggled her head a bit. I had to laugh. Admitting girls to your

sorority based solely on their looks was the definition of shallow,

but I figured that’s how sororities worked. They were sanctioned

cliques set up on prime real estate, hiding behind the guise of good

• 12 •

Better Off red

deeds and sisterhood. It would only make sense to have the hottest

girls on campus at your side when you walk into the local soup

kitchen. Accepting my fate, I bit into my newly acquired bagel. This

week was going to suck.

❖

I met up with Amy again before lunch, and just like she said,

every fraternity and sorority on campus had tables and booths set

up around the huge lawn between the library and the Liberal Arts

building. I followed Amy from table to table, feigning interest in

what each of the recruitment chairs had to say, growing more and

more annoyed that terms like “recruitment chair” were becoming a

part of my vocabulary. I was a little disappointed to have most of my

assumptions confirmed.

Every sorority had its type. Three blue-eyed, platinum blondes

bubbled around the Theta booth. Four African-American girls with

identical deep toffee skin tones chatted up prospective members at

the Sigma table. Every nationality, hair color, and body type was

represented from group to group, never mixing together. It was

boring and predictable, and Amy was loving every single minute

of it.Each girl we met was perfectly nice, but there was something

fake and overzealous about all of them. Except for the girls of Alpha

Beta Omega.

By the time we reached their table, I was dying for a sandwich

and a power nap. I also hadn’t masturbated in three days and had

every intention of doing just that while Amy was in her two o’clock

class.“This is the last one. I swear.” She held out a stack of pamphlets

for me to hold while she opened her backpack. I shoved the bundle

of papers inside then followed Amy toward the final table.

The sisters of Alpha Beta Omega had their booth set up at the

far end of the quad. Their brother fraternity, Omega Beta Alpha, was

set up across the grass, in clear view. I glanced over as we walked

closer to a group of four girls dressed in white, black, and red. Their

• 13 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

frat brothers were pretty cute. The girls behind the table, though,

were much cuter.

Right away, it was obvious that this group of girls was

different from the other sisters we’d spent our lunch break talking

to. A gorgeous brunette stood, her arm linked with her curvaceous,

golden haired soror (another word I learned that day). An African-

American girl with a beautiful, full afro laughed along with

whatever conversation they were having. A bright red ribbon added

the perfect blast of color to her ebony curls. A fourth girl, a petite

Asian beauty with boobs a little too big for her frame, refilled a bowl

of red candies. All four girls wore small teardrop rubies hanging on

delicate platinum chains around their necks. It was shocking to see

such a diverse bunch and a pleasant surprise that, for once, Amy

hadn’t been wrong. They were all hot.

The laughter and chatting died away naturally as we walked

up to the table. The golden haired girl greeted us first. Some would

have considered her heavy or even fat, but I thought she filled out

her ABO T-shirt perfectly.

“Hi,” she said, extending her free hand. “I’m Danni. This is

Cleo.” The girl with the chocolate brown skin checked us out with

an upward nod of her head. “And Barb.” The Asian girl replied with

a bright hello, her warm almond eyes sparkling in our direction.

“And this is Paige.”

The girl on Danni’s arm didn’t smile, but gazed over Amy and

me before offering her own quiet, “Hey.”

“I’m Amy and this is Ginger.”

“Ginger?” Cleo asked, taking in my long red hair. “I thought

my parents were cruel. Tsk, tsk, naming a ginger kid ‘Ginger.’”

“Yeah, it could be worse,” I said with a shrug. “At least it

doesn’t rhyme with anything.”

“True. It could be worse. My last name is Jones.” I couldn’t

say what sucked more, a name tag mocking your hair and your God-

given beauty marks or being named after a blaxploitation character.

Biting back my chuckle, I glanced at Amy who didn’t get either

joke. Luckily, Barb spoke up before Amy had a chance to ask any

questions.

• 14 •

Better Off red

“So are you ladies interested in joining Alpha Beta Omega?”

“She’s not.” Amy thumbed in my direction. I was instantly

annoyed. Yeah, cheery meet-and-greets weren’t my scene, but this

was the first group of girls who actually had my attention. I wasn’t

about to tell them I thought their sorority was a complete joke. I

should have explained that to Amy. “I had to beg her to come out

with me…”

While Amy continued to assassinate my amazing character,

a small movement off to the left snatched my attention. I fought

to keep my mouth from popping open as Paige casually brushed

her finger over Danni’s nipple. Again, I quickly glanced in Amy’s

direction. She’d completely missed it, but Danni had caught my

gawk and scramble. She cocked an eyebrow at me before grazing

her teeth over her full bottom lip. I could feel the heat blush my face

red as I looked back toward Amy. She hadn’t noticed a thing.

“You too cool for all this Greek mess?” Cleo poked at me

playfully.

“What? No. I, uh, I just didn’t think about going through rush

until she brought it up,” I replied lamely.

“We’ll be having our first open house tonight. How about you

leave us your info and we’ll give you all the details.” Danni tapped

a sign-up sheet sitting on the table.

“Okay,” Amy said instantly. I shrugged and took the pen Cleo

handed to me.

All the slots of the first page were filled so I flipped to the

next, looking for a blank line. And then the third and fourth. On the

twelfth page, there was one open slot. Something felt off about their

popularity. There hadn’t been a single girl at their table when we

walked over, but it looked like every single freshman and sophomore

girl on campus had signed up to rush ABO. Not sure what to make

of it, I gripped the pen, ready to sign my week away. Before I could,

my phone rang. I pulled out my cell and looked at the display.

“Excuse me. I gotta take this.” I handed the pen to Amy and

tucked myself out of the way, under the shade of a nearby tree. “Hi,

Mom.”

“Hi, sweetie. I just wanted to check on you. How’s my baby?”

• 15 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“I’m fine. Amy’s trying to drag me through rush week with

her,” I said loud enough for Amy to hear, forgetting that the girls of

ABO could hear me too. Thank God they waved my comment off as

a joke before dragging Amy into more pointless conversations about

mascots and themed parties.

“Are you going to join a sorority?” Mom asked.

Keeping my voice low, I replied, “Probably not, but I’ll keep

Amy company until rush is over.”

“Aw, honey. You’re such a good friend. Oh! Toddy’s here. He

wants to talk to you.” I heard my mom tell my brother I was joining

a sorority as she handed him the phone. Not my exact words. Linda

Carmichael had a special sort of short-term Mom memory I had

grown accustomed to.

“What up, Gingey?”

“Hey, Todd.” I didn’t fight the smile that spread across my face.

My brother was twenty-three and still never turned my mom down

when she offered to cook for him in exchange for manual labor

around the house. I loved him. He made it so easy. He knew me so

well, knew that I hated my mom’s salmon cakes, her favorite thing

to make for us. He knew I secretly loved my freckles, and although

our parents were great people, it meant a lot to me that the both of

us were adopted. Todd knew exactly what it felt like to know that

your birth mother was dead, and he knew the way your heart ached

once you realized you’d finally found a real family. My brother was

my best friend.

Our dad was out of the country, lending his surgeon’s hands to

the Red Cross in a coastal region of Brazil that had just been hit by

an earthquake. He would be gone for several weeks, and I was glad

Todd was still around looking after our mom.

“What’d she break?” I said flatly.

“Nothing. Dad got her a new DVD player, but he didn’t install

it before he left. I’m hooking it up for her.”

“You’re such a good boy.”

“That’s what she keeps telling me. So you’re joining stuff

now?”“No. My roommate wants me to, but—”

• 16 •

Better Off red

“You should.” I didn’t bother holding in a burst of laughter.

“Easy now. Just listen. You move into the house. All those girls are

walking around in their jammies, taking showers together, making

breakfast naked. It’ll take about five point five seconds for you to

figure out which ones are muff divers and which ones aren’t.”

I would have been eight shades of red having this conversation

with anyone else, but Todd also knew I liked girls. He’d caught me

kissing our neighbor, Kristen Lander, over the summer. I wasn’t

exactly sure whether I was bisexual or what, but he knew I was

trying to figure it out. After Paige’s little nipple maneuver, Todd

may have had a point. A sorority might be a good place to start.

“That simple, huh?” I kicked a rock at my feet. I could feel

Amy’s eyes on me, but I wasn’t ready to rush off the phone just yet.

“It is.”

“I don’t know yet. I could still totally like guys.”

“Well, sister, college is a great place to find out. It’s where I

discovered my love for Sam Adams in the ongoing battle of liquor

versus beer.”

“Yeah, thanks, Todd. I gotta go. Kiss Mom for me.”

“Will do.” Then Todd shouted, “Come here, Linda! I got a kiss

for you!” I hit end, shaking my head. I hadn’t been away from home

for very long at all, but I missed my family like crazy. Amy, on the

other hand, seemed perfectly at home with the girls of Alpha Beta

Omega.

“Sorry about that,” I said bashfully as I walked back toward

the table.

“Don’t worry about it,” Danni said sweetly. “We were just

telling Amy more about the mixer we’re going to have tonight. You

two should stop by our house around nine?” She quirked her head

in Cleo’s direction.

“Yeah, nine.”

I picked up the pen, turned to the thirteenth page, and wrote

down my information. We said our good-byes and Amy finally

agreed it was time for lunch.

“See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Amy handed me a black

pamphlet. On the cover of the tri-fold was the red silhouette of a

panther below the script of ABO.

• 17 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“No. They seemed pretty cool.” I tucked the info page in my

bag and headed off toward the cafeteria. As we walked, I looked

back toward the Alpha Beta Omega table. The info sessions on the

quad were supposed to go until four that afternoon, but the girls of

ABO were already packing up to leave.

❖

I wanted to kill Amy. All in, she’d planned to visit six information

sessions, which meant I had to stop by six sorority houses.

The night went a little something like this: Amy and I would

walk up to the front door of any particular house. We both wore

white shirts with our fitted jeans. Amy wouldn’t let me wear green.

Giggly Girl A and her sidekick, Giggly Girl B, would greet us at

the door and quickly invite us in. Over-anxious Girl would ask us

to repeat our names and ask us our majors. Amy was undeclared,

so she’d just bite her lip and shrug. I’d explain to everyone within

earshot that there was actually a lot you could do with a degree in

exercise science. Then I would repeat exactly what kinesiology was

to the girls who had stumbled into the middle of the conversation.

After these in-depth analyses of our true personalities, we

would be given a brief tour of the whitewashed living room and the

granite topped kitchen. We’d accept a drink and a snack, then stand

around with three dozen other prospective new members and talk

more about classes and, of course, boys. I’d met thirty-four girls

named Jessica, twenty-two named Kaitlin, sixteen Jennifers, and a

very interesting girl with one arm named Parnin, who I suspected

was admitted to a particular sorority for karma points.

I was on upbeat overload, and if I was being honest with

myself, seriously considering giving up my quest for a female who

could be more than a friend. I’d had enough estrogen to last me a

few lifetimes. If the Alpha Beta Omega house hadn’t been our last

stop on this slow tour through hell, I would have ditched Amy the

moment I heard how much it cost to join a sorority. Screw Todd’s

advice. There were other ways to meet girls.

• 18 •

Better Off red

At the Xi O house, I had to give myself a break. Amy was

talking another Jessica’s head off about how skinny jeans didn’t

flatter anyone, and all I could think about was what time I should

meet my lab partner on Saturday. I excused myself to the restroom,

then wandered out the front door. I texted Amy, telling her where

to find me when she was ready. She showed up a few seconds later.

“Is it that bad?” she asked, closing the door behind her.

“Yes, it is. Do you want to hang out with these girls? I mean,

really?” If the answer was yes, I might have had to rethink the terms

of our friendship.

“So far, no, but we haven’t gotten to know them yet and they

haven’t gotten to know us.”

“Right, but why do we have to go through all this and pay to

get to know them better? I’m perfectly happy just meeting people

the normal way. You know, study groups, hanging out at the gym, at

the cafeteria, crap like that.”

“No. I know, you’re right. But, Ginge, we only get to do this

sort of thing once in our lives. Let’s just get through this week. If

you get any bids, just turn them down. I promise, if I do end up

pledging, I won’t let it affect you at all.”

“We live together. It’ll affect me.”

“Look, it’s only eight thirty, but let’s just head over to the ABO

house now and we can get the night over with.”

“Deal. And then we need to find food. Cheese and crackers do

not a meal make.”

“Deal,” Amy said with a firm nod. “Let’s go.” She grabbed my

hand and I let her drag me down the street.

❖

You could spot the Alpha Beta Omega house from a mile away

because the ABO house wasn’t a house at all. It was an enormous

colonial mansion. You could have seen it from the moon. The other

houses on the Row were nice, big enough to accommodate all their

members, plenty of room for entertaining, but this place was amazing.

A wide brick path rose up the front lawn to the front door, framed

• 19 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

with several white columns. The brick facade stretched for yards and

yards in either direction, and it would have taken me a few minutes to

count all of the black shuttered windows that covered the three visible

floors. In the center of it all, the seven-foot high Greek letters for

Alpha Beta Omega sat molded to the face of the vaulted porch roof.

“Wow,” Amy gasped.

“Yeah,” I said breathlessly.

“You planning on going inside?” We turned around to see Cleo

coming up the path, her arms loaded down with several boxes of

pizza.“Yeah. Of course,” Amy replied.

I held out my hands for the boxes. “You need help?”

“Nah. Can you just grab the door for me?”

We scampered ahead up the steps and opened the heavy white

door. The house was filled with girls, but the mood was strangely

subdued. Pop music was playing from one room, and from another

we heard an episode of the hot new 90210 coming from the TV.

“Look what I found lurking on the front lawn,” Cleo yelled.

Danni came walking into the foyer. She looked great in a simple pair

of jeans and her ABO colors.

“Hey. You’re early.”

“Yeah, we just—” I started.

“Ginger was getting bored at the Xi O house so we just came

over here,” Amy finished.

“Shut up. I wasn’t bored. I just—”

“You missed us, didn’t you?” Danni said, winking at me.

“Something like that.” I swallowed when she took a step closer.

Danni gently pinched my arm. “Well, come eat.”

We followed her into the kitchen where a bunch of girls were

already diving into the pizza Cleo had spread out on the counter.

There were a handful of prospective new members mingling in

with the sisters, but not as many as I’d expected. At all the other

houses I felt like a cow being packed shoulder to shoulder into

the slaughterhouse. Not at the ABO house. I could breathe, move

around, find a seat. Everything was just so casual. I wondered for a

moment if we’d missed a big crowd earlier.

• 20 •

Better Off red

After we grabbed our slices, we followed Danni into the living

room. A few would-be pledges were playing cards with a few of

the sisters at a round cherry wood table behind the huge sectional

couch. Other girls were parked around the TV. Some were talking,

answering questions, and giving out actual information about the

sorority while others were just vegging out. It felt…normal.

Paige, the beautiful stern-faced brunette we’d met that

afternoon, was there on the couch. It turned out she was the chapter’s

vice president, a role that didn’t quite seem to fit with her penchant

for stroking other people’s nipples in public. She made room for us

on the couch before liberating a slice of pepperoni from Danni’s

plate. “You ladies pick your house yet?” Paige asked.

“That’s it, Paige. Get right to it,” Cleo said. Amy blushed

uncontrollably, glaring at me for support.

“Oh no, don’t give me that bug-eyed look. This is your party,”

I said.

“It’s okay, Amy,” Danni said as she reached out and touched

Amy’s hand. “It would be kinda hard to keep a sorority going if no

one new wanted to be a member. Tell us where else you guys have

been looking.”

Amy swallowed nervously. “Well, we went to a few places, but

my mom was a Xi O, so—”

“Bitches,” Cleo coughed.

“They flat out told Layna over there”—Paige pointed to a

caramel skinned black girl with blond streaks in her hair who was

playing cards—“that they didn’t take her kind.”

“Wow.” Amy gasped. I bit my tongue. There was no way we

were going back there.

“You look pretty pissed about that, Ginge.” Cleo’s eyebrow

went up as she looked at me.

“My brother’s black,” I said. “We’re both adopted. I don’t

know what I would do if someone talked to him like that.”

“I knew I liked you.” Cleo chuckled, swatting my thigh. I

let her encouragement calm my rage as Amy filled them in on the

• 21 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

other houses we’d visited that night. In return, they gave us their

honest opinion of each sorority, pointing out legit pros and cons and

throwing in bits of gossip that would interest anyone whether she

gave a crap about rush or not.

The big-chested Asian girl, Barb, joined in halfway through

our conversation. She was the chapter president, but in a refreshing

twist, Barb didn’t walk around with that same “I can’t wait to make

you wear adult diapers to class” attitude the other chapter presidents

wore proudly.

“I’m supposed to ask,” she said, “Have you picked a major

yet?” This time the question didn’t annoy me. Barb’s tone made me

feel like she actually cared.

“I’m going for a BS in exercise science. I’m trying to get

prereqs out of the way.”

“What are you going to do with that?” Paige asked, looking at

me with the same bored expression she’d worn all night.

“Teach gym,” Amy said.

“No,” I shot back.

“It’s okay. Heather is majoring in gym too.” I looked in the

direction Cleo nodded. A pretty girl with chestnut brown hair greeted

us as she plopped on the floor between Cleo’s legs. Cleo leaned over

and kissed her gently on the forehead. Thoughts of how close they

really were had me shifting in my seat.

“I want to be an athletic trainer in the NFL. MU has a good

relationship with the Baltimore Ravens.” I was from Massachusetts

and admittedly a bandwagon Patriots fan.

“Oh, wow. That’s cool,” Barb said.

“I know,” I said, playfully glaring at Amy.

A while later, I excused myself on a legitimate search for the

bathroom. When I came back into the room, I noticed immediately

that the number of people had grown by one.

A stunning girl, dressed all in black, had pulled Barb into

the corner and was talking quietly in her ear. I’d never considered

whether I had a type before, but looking at this girl with her spiky

midnight black hair made me think I had one now. The black tank top

she wore showed off her perfectly toned arms and the low-cut front

• 22 •

Better Off red

showed off a generous amount of cleavage. The bright red lipstick

that would have screamed five-dollar whore on anyone else looked

amazing against her golden skin. The shade matched perfectly with

the ruby studs in her ears. The shape of her eyes, her nose, and her

high cheekbones said she had some sort of Hispanic blood flowing

through her veins. Her bright hazel eyes that were focused directly

on me said something else.

She continued to whisper to Barb, but her eyes stayed on me.

For a moment, I noticed her nostrils flaring as if she were trying to

catch a scent in the air. My face grew hot. My stomach tingled, and

I didn’t miss the fact that my underwear had suddenly become wet.

I swallowed nervously, all the while trying to catch my breath. I’d

never had that sort of reaction to anyone.

It was the perfect moment for Barb to catch me staring. Feeling

the heat of embarrassment crawl up my neck, I scampered back over

to the couch and took my seat next to Amy.

The conversation continued to flow, but I couldn’t resist

glancing back at this new mystery girl. I waited a few seconds then

pretended to fix my ponytail. When I peeked back over my shoulder,

she was gone.

“We should get going,” Amy suddenly announced. I was a little

shocked. We were having such a good time. I had to agree though. I

looked at the clock and saw that it was almost midnight. Danni and

Cleo walked us to the door and hugged us good-bye.

“Do you guys need a ride? We can get the boys to take you.”

Cleo pointed across the street to the Omega Beta Alpha house. I

hadn’t noticed, but the house where their brother fraternity lived

was just as big and breathtaking.

“No. We’re right over in Cramer. We’ll be fine,” Amy said. I

wasn’t sure I’d heard her right. I didn’t need “the boys” to drive

us anywhere, but Amy seemed like she’d been waiting her whole

teenage life to get into a car with a fraternity boy.

“Okay. Well, come back tomorrow around nine,” Danni said.

We happily agreed.

❖

• 23 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

On the way back to the dorm, Amy explained to me how the rest

of rush would go. Every night we would narrow down our options

and skip the places we decided to drop off our list. Come Friday, Bid

Day, we would get invitations to join whichever sorority wanted us

for the next round of initiation, a round that Amy would go through

solo. I agreed to keep her company through the rest of the week on

the grounds she would actually back off after Bid Day and we would

never set foot near the Xi O house ever again. She was more than

okay with those terms.

So every night, we went to one less house, mingling with

Jessicas and Kaitlins. I went through my colorful collection of low-

cut, v-neck tees. Amy was smart and kept her mouth shut about my

wardrobe choices.

We crossed the Betas off the list when one of the girls referred

to my favorite talk show host as “a nasty fucking dyke.” The

Kappas counted us out when I actually yawned out loud during their

philanthropy presentation. The rest of the time, I nodded and smiled,

just counting down the minutes until we could hang out with the

girls of Alpha Beta Omega. Somehow, they actually made the idea

of joining a sorority, well, at least their sorority, sound appealing.

I actually listened during their more informal info sessions and

bothered to retain a few bits of history.

The sorority had been formed in 1863 as a literary club for

ladies in Washington, DC. It was one of the oldest sororities around,

but only counted twelve chapters at various universities across the

country. Maryland University was home to the Alpha chapters of

both ABO and OBA. Alpha Beta Omega had the biggest house

on the Row, but the least amount of members. Danni told me they

capped membership at thirty-six. This year they had room for only

twelve new girls. Xi O boasted a roster of one hundred and seventy-

four sisters. How did you get to know one hundred and seventy-four

girls well enough to call them sisters?

Aside from the added bonus of small numbers, Alpha Beta

Omega didn’t charge for membership. That included the semester

dues the other sororities and fraternities required. ABO had a

collection of financially successful alumnae, and the families of the

• 24 •

Better Off red

founding members had invested millions in every chapter to ensure

the sorority attracted girls who truly wanted to belong and not just

girls who could afford to.

Their charitable hours were spent supporting Types of Hope,

a foundation that catered specifically to women and children with

HIV/AIDS. The teardrop ruby necklaces represented not only their

bonds of sisterhood, but their support for those they pledged to help.

It was hard to hate girls like that. You couldn’t make fun of people

who actually cared and actually managed to be themselves.

I started noticing the girls of ABO around campus more and

more. By Wednesday, Amy and I were joining Cleo and Danni for

lunch and hanging around the quad with them between classes.

I knew people thought we were trying to kiss up to the chapter’s

recruitment chairs, but I sure wasn’t. I genuinely liked them. And I

still didn’t want to be in a sorority.

Even though joining Alpha Beta Omega would cost me nothing

but time, time wasn’t something I had a lot to give. I was determined

to get a 4.0 my first semester, and joining any sort of organization that

would demand so much of my nights and weekends was something

I couldn’t swing. Still, I found myself wanting to be around Danni,

Cleo, and the rest of the girls. They made us feel welcome, and they

made me feel more open to being myself.

During the hours we spent with the girls, they seemed to become

more and more comfortable being physically affectionate with one

another in front of me and Amy. In some cases, like with Heather

and Cleo, it seemed like they were just close friends. Things were

different with Danni. By the time Thursday night rolled around, I was

convinced she was sleeping with Paige, if not Layna and Barb too.

They were always touching and kissing. Nothing so intense

that it made me feel like a sick voyeur, but just enough to make me

a little wet in the pants. Amy was as straight as could be. She was

back on the prowl as soon as she learned the Chi Nu in her econ

class had a girlfriend. I thought watching Paige feel Danni up would

have made her uncomfortable, but she barely seemed to notice.

I found all the girls of ABO very attractive, but that type of

intimacy always made me think of the girl with the spiky black hair.

• 25 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

I found myself thinking about her constantly. Constantly would

have been a lot if she and I were dating. What I was into was a tad

obsessive considering we had never said a word to each other. I

ended every night we spent at the ABO house disappointed because

she never made an appearance, as if she owed me the chance to just

look at her again. I never saw her around campus either, but her lips

and caramel-green eyes were always featured in my fantasies. And

every time I pictured those eyes and considered the possibilities of

those full red lips, my body reacted as if she were right there with

me, watching me the same intense way she had that first night of

rush. I did my best to spare Amy from the feelings this nameless

girl sparked in me. Okay, I masturbated like crazy whenever I had

the room to myself, and still every night after I was sure Amy was

asleep, snoring somewhat softly across our tiny room, I couldn’t

stop myself from conjuring up images of that gorgeous face, that

amazing body, and all things I wanted her to do to me. I tried to

fight it, but eventually my fingers would slip past whatever pajama

bottoms I’d worn to bed, into my underwear, through my short curls.

The shock at just how wet she made me faded the second my fingers

passed over my clit, all sensitive and hard.

I had to swallow heavily to choke down my gasps and my sighs

as my body rocked eagerly against my hand, aching for so much

more than a warm-up, but dreading the cool, foolish thoughts that

snuck up on me as soon as I came.

Every time it started the same way, in the same place. I would

find her back in the ABO living room, but in my imagination, we

would have the place to ourselves. No other girls, no interruptions

or pointless conversations about majors and stupid boys. Mostly,

she was silent as she beckoned me across the room with her crooked

index finger. The one night I’d driven myself crazy, wanting more

than a fantasy, my imagination forced her to speak. She asked me

my name, and even though her voice sounded exactly like mine, it

was that one thing, her just wanting to know me, that keyed me up

even more.

I would walk to her, and every time, she would kiss me, deep

and slow, letting her warm hands gently trail along my sides, up

• 26 •

Better Off red

my back, and if I was feeling secure in my squeaky dorm mattress,

around to my breasts. She’d flick at my nipples, pinch them through

thin layers of cotton until an almost shrill moan from me made her

stop. I would tease my clit as I liked to do before my fingers moved

to my opening. One of her hands would follow the same path,

spreading my wetness around. Her other hand rested at the small of

my back, holding me in place as she pulled her lips away from mine

and kissed a hot, wet path down my neck.

That was always the best moment, when I could squeeze my

eyes shut and forget about all the sights and sounds and the stupidity

of how and where we’d first laid eyes on each other and just feel

what I was doing to myself, what she was doing to me.

I’d draw it out as long as I could. I had to be reasonable for

Amy’s sake, but I always made the best of the imaginary minutes

Hazel Eyes and I spent together. Something simple would push

me over the edge. A single intense stroke of her fingers against the

inner walls of my pussy or one forceful downward thrust of her

palm against my clit. Or like during the last time, the best time, the

way she whispered my name tripped me up in my covert pleasure

operation and had me coming in heavy, saturated pulses all around

my fingers.

I have no clue how I didn’t wake Amy up. I did moan out loud.

My bed did creak and groan under the grinding of my hips into the

shitty springs, but even if I’d come out of my hazel-eyed stupor and

seen Amy sitting straight up in her bed, staring at me like the sicko

I was, I still couldn’t get this girl out of my mind, and the fantasies I

had about her wouldn’t let me keep my hand away from my crotch.

And that was just back at the dorm. Out on campus, I started to

become a little desperate.

I wanted to see her. I wanted to know her, but short of stalking

the ABO house twenty-four hours a day, I didn’t know how to find

her. MU had a pretty big student body, so running into someone

who lived off campus and didn’t share your major or anything

resembling your schedule would have been a little much to expect.

Asking Danni or Cleo about her was an option, but I felt foolish

bringing her up, like a freshman asking a senior to prom.

• 27 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

I decided once they were through with their weeks of initiation,

my pruned fingers and I would find her. If she shot me down, I could

suffer the embarrassment of rejection without Danni or Cleo being

involved. I just had to get through this silly week of rush.

❖

On Friday morning, Danni told us to be in our room between

four and seven p.m. to receive our invitations to initiation. I wanted

to get ahead in my English reading, so I stayed in with Amy while

she waited. By six o’clock, she’d already received three floral-

covered envelopes, life-changing offers, sealed and delivered, but

for some reason she didn’t seem all that excited.

“What’s the problem?” I asked. “Three is pretty good.”

“Yeah. I know. I was kinda hoping ABO would ask me and not

‘cause I’m so cute. I really like them,” she said.

“You know, so do I.” I looked at the clock. “You want to go get

some dinner?” It was almost seven, and these chicks all seemed so

anxious when they came to the door, I doubted any of them would

wait this long.

“Yeah. Let me put my shoes on.”

“Don’t worry. Something tells me the ABO girls would hang

out with us even if we didn’t join.”

I pulled the door open and walked smack into Cleo.

“Oh! Hey.”

“Ladies,” she said with a calm smile.

I was going to invite Cleo in, when I glanced at her hands. She

was holding two bright red envelopes. One for Amy. And one for

me.

• 28 •

Better Off red

Chapter tWO

Amy and I dropped onto her bed and stared at our envelopes.

I turned mine over and gazed at the circle of thick black

wax pressed with the Greek symbols for Alpha Beta Omega. It was

the most beautiful presentation of stationary I’d ever seen.

“Are you going to open it?” Amy peered up at me. She was so

excited I thought she would bounce off the bed.

“Are you?”

“Of course. Here, let’s open them together.” We tore into the

wax, and inside the envelope was a small square of black paper.

Below the crest, the day’s date, and my first, middle, and last names,

it read:

We invite you to join us in our eternal sisterhood.

Interesting word choice, but I wasn’t surprised. Amy told me

her mother still met with her Xi O sisters twice a month, and she was

almost fifty. Joining a sorority meant you were in it for the long

haul. I read the words over again, running my finger across the

indentations the print made in the thick paper. The red script looked

gorgeous against the ebony background. Something else was off,

though.

“Do you remember filling out anything with your middle

name?” I asked.

“No, but they could get them from the housing department or

the chancellor’s office,” Amy said. “This is weird though.”

• 29 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“What? Let me see.” I grabbed the small piece of paper from

Amy’s hand. The words were exactly the same, only this invitation

had Amy’s name instead of mine. “What’s the problem?”

“It’s a bid card. There’s supposed to be a check box or a blank

line or something, like a yes or no option so if we decide we don’t

want to go through initiation, we can check no and send it back.”

“You think what, they aren’t giving us a choice?”

“Or they are assuming we’re going to say yes?”

“Are we?” I asked.

“I don’t know, Ginger. Are we?” I didn’t like it, but she had

every right to give me crap about accepting the bid. Going through

initiation with the sisters of Alpha Beta Omega was not something I

wanted at all. I was glad that Amy and I had made some new friends,

but my priorities hadn’t changed. School came first.

I should have told Amy that, right then and there, and I would

have, if it weren’t for one small problem. I thought of the dark-

haired girl with the hazel eyes and her perfect red lips almost every

time I closed my eyes. I didn’t know what role she played in ABO,

but I had a feeling it was something important. If I went through

initiation, maybe I could see her again.

I also had to consider Amy. She had a big mouth. Having a

big mouth didn’t mean she knew when, or even how to stick up

for herself. Cleo, Danni, and the rest of the girls seemed perfectly

normal, but any girl who had survived high school knew a thing or

two about mob mentality. Greek culture carried with it the unshakable

stigma of hazing. There was no way I would put up with that kind of

crap. Amy would, if she knew it meant she could belong. Stalking

Hazel Eyes and keeping tabs on my roommate were perfectly valid

reasons to at least go through initiation. I reminded myself again, I

could always quit.

“Okay,” I said confidently.

“Are you sure? You’re really going to do it?” Amy gasped. I

could hear that horrible squeal of hers aching to get escape.

“I’m going with you, but only for two reasons. One, I don’t

want you going into this alone. We barely know these girls and I

don’t want you getting hazed.”

• 30 •

Better Off red

“Aw, Ginge.”

“And I can always quit. Which I will if this takes up too much

time. I’m serious, Amy. I need to keep my grades up this semester.

I’m not going to let any parties or canine diabetes fun runs mess up

my GPA.”

“Oh, Ginger. Thank you. Thank you. I swear this will be fun.

Thank you,” she squealed.

“Yeah, great. So what do we do now?” I flipped the card over

as if instructions had magically appeared on the back.

“Um, we could call Danni or we could wait—” Amy was cut

off by a knock on the door. We glanced at each other then I jumped

up to answer it. Danni was standing in the hallway.

“Hey, we were just about to call you,” I said.

Her face dropped, her eyes bugging wide. “You’re not backing

out are you?”

“No, but how did you know we’d—”

“One hundred and forty-seven years and no one has ever said

no.” “Fair enough.”

“So now what?” Amy asked over my shoulder.

Danni handed us each a garment bag. “You’ll be ready at nine

p.m. sharp. Someone will come for you.” She cocked her head to

the side and looked us over before she went on. “Camila prefers it

if you wear your hair down. Bye.” She grabbed the knob and pulled

the door closed before we could ask any questions.

I unzipped the garment bag and laid the white eyelet dress on

the bed. Well, it wasn’t exactly a dress.

“Is that a nightgown?” Amy asked.

“Yup.” There was a small red bag pinned to the hanger. Inside

was a long white ribbon. I ditched it on my bed along with the

hanger, then I held the baby-doll-style nightie up to my body. It

came about an inch or two below my crotch.

“See! This is exactly what I was talking about. They’re going

to parade us around in lingerie and then make us screw the Omega

Beta Alpha boys and tape it.”

• 31 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Shut up. They would never make us do that,” Amy said,

holding her own scrap of lace up in front of her chest. “It is kinda

kinky.”

“Yeah, kinky. Amy, I swear if pictures of me in this thing end

up on the Internet, I’m going to kill you.”

“They won’t. Hey, who’s Camila?” We’d met all twenty-four

active members of Alpha Beta Omega, but there hadn’t been anyone

named Camila.

“Oh. I don’t know.” I didn’t, but I had an idea of who it might

be.

❖

Three girls on our floor had accepted their bids to different

sororities. All three of them beat Amy and me to the shower. I let

Amy go first while I got our curling irons out. In an effort to up

her overall sex appeal, Amy had brought a warehouse worth of

black lace bras and panties with her to school. Lucky for her, we

were nearly the same size and I swore by simple white cotton. I

threw her one of my bras. I drew the line at lending her a pair of

underwear. She had to settle for a light yellow pair she usually

wore on laundry day.

After I pulled on the nightie, I almost reconsidered the bra. The

tight lace of the top pushed my boobs together plenty without the

use of underwire, if only it hadn’t been see-through.

We took turns doing each other’s hair. My red mane was so

bright that sometimes I could swear it glowed in the dark. Thank

God it was fairly straight. We both added some volume to our locks

with big, soft curls. We had no idea what to do with the white ribbon,

so I wrapped Amy’s around her head like a headband, tying a small

bow off to the side. She did the same with mine. They didn’t say

anything about shoes, so we both grabbed a pair of flip-flops from

our closets. Then we sat on our beds to wait. For some reason, I

couldn’t stop playing with my hands.

“You don’t think they’ll hit us, do you?” Amy asked. I looked

at her. I’d never seen her frightened before. I don’t think Amy had

• 32 •

Better Off red

given the idea of us getting hazed any real thought until we actually

started getting dressed. She’d been so focused on getting a bid, on

getting into parties and meeting a cute guy, that she never considered

the reality of what might happen to her if she agreed to go through

with initiation. I knew I’d made the right choice to go with her.

“They won’t. But…”

“But what?” Amy’s eyes sprang wide.

“Nothing. They won’t hit us, and if they do we leave, okay?”

“Okay.”

I patted Amy on the knee and then I sent texts to Todd and my

mom, telling them where we were going, just in case.

❖

At nine on the dot, there was a knock on our door. I gave Amy

a weak smile and went to open it. She hadn’t said a thing while we

waited. It freaked me out a little.

This time Paige and Cleo stood in the hallway. The playful

glint in Cleo’s eye made me feel a little bit better. I didn’t think they

would actually do anything cruel or painful to us, but I was still a

little rattled. I swallowed, trying not to sound nervous.

“Hey. We’re ready.”

“No, you’re not.” Cleo’s tone was dry.

“But what—”

“Lose the underwear. All of it.” I cursed under my breath as

Cleo and Paige stepped into the room. Amy and I quickly pulled off

our undies and our bras. I glanced up at her. Considering I was in the

same nightie, it was clear you could totally see my nipples, and even

though I did some pretty decent landscaping in the shower, I should

have shaved my pubes all off. Amy looked back at me and I could

tell she wished she had too.

“I need your keys, your dorm cards, and your cell phones,”

Paige said. The look on her face was typically blank. Now she

looked annoyed, and I knew we needed to hurry. We grabbed our

stuff and dropped it in a black sack Paige seemed to pull out of

thin air.

• 33 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Now you’re ready. No more talking from here on out,” Cleo

said, all humor gone from her voice. She handed Paige a white

blindfold before she stepped behind me and told me to close my

eyes. The cloth wasn’t uncomfortable, just tight enough that it

would have irritated the crap out of me if I tried to open my eyes.

“Open your hand.” Cleo’s voice was right by my ear. I lifted my

hand and felt my open palm cupped with Amy’s. She was shaking. I

was able to sneak in a quick reassuring squeeze before we were led

out the door.

❖

If the sisters of Alpha Beta Omega had set out to leave us

disoriented and confused and, in Amy’s case, scared shitless, well

then, they deserved some sort of award for their efforts.

After getting over the initial embarrassment of everyone in

the lobby seeing my nipples at full attention and knowing that my

hair color did match, floor to ceiling, I had the pleasure of tripping

down the front stairs. I almost took Amy with me. Cleo managed to

catch me before we both face planted into the concrete. I was pretty

uncomfortable from the start, but the blind misstep had my heart

thumping in my chest.

They loaded us into some sort of bus. I only knew because we

had to walk up a few steps before we were seated. Then they took

our flip-flops. A few moments later, we were moving. Danni had

told us there would be twelve new members total. I didn’t know

how many girls were with us when we got on. From the amount of

unsteady breathing and the way the air moved, I knew it had to be

at least eight or nine.

We’d been driving for a long time and it became obvious they

were driving us in circles to keep us in suspense before they brought

us back to the ABO house. At least I figured that’s where we were

going.After an hour or so, the bus stopped and the door hissed as it

opened.

• 34 •

Better Off red

“Take the hand of the one beside you.” The tone was formal,

but I could tell it was Barb.

Amy hadn’t let go of my hand since we’d left the dorm, so I

reached to my left in a clumsy attempt to grab at the nearest person.

A soft, warm hand with thick fingers intertwined with mine just as

Barb told us to stand. We were led off the bus slowly. Barb had

probably been warned about my spill.

I tried to take in everything about my surroundings as we

walked, but I couldn’t. Amy was still shaking, and once we were

inside, we were led through several halls, each with sharp turns.

When we finally came to a stop, our hands were separated

and then we were gently turned so we were standing shoulder to

shoulder. I could feel Amy take a few deep breaths, and slowly, she

stopped trembling. The girl to my left was taller than me. Her arm

felt like her hand, warm and soft and a little bit doughy. When my

blindfold was removed, I wanted to look to see who it was, but what

I saw in front of me told me I should wait.

It didn’t take long for my eyes to adjust to the dim candlelight.

The dark marble room around us was definitely set up for a ceremony,

but I ignored the details. I couldn’t focus on anything but the woman

standing on the other side of the wide marble floor. The one I wanted

the most, the one with the gorgeous red lips and the beautiful hazel

eyes. There were other women standing beside her. To her left was

a tall female with white-blond hair cut sharply along her chin and

bangs trimmed bluntly across her forehead. Beyond her stood a

muscular woman with wavy brown hair down to her waist. Her skin

was pale and her eyes were big and the same deep brown color as

her hair. A short woman who looked Native American stood beside

Hazel Eyes on her right, and on her other side there was another

woman of African descent, whose hair was in perfectly shaped locks

that hung past her shoulders. The last woman was Asian, and she

had the most seductive look about her. Something about the curve

of her mouth and the way her hair was swept up in an elegant loose

bun. All six of them carried an erotic air, lustful and lethal.

• 35 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

I wouldn’t have noticed any of the others at all if it weren’t for

the fact that they were nearly naked. A delicate weaving of black

chain mail laced with small rubies barely covered the spot between

their legs. Each woman was beautiful in her own way, but I couldn’t

keep from staring at my Hazel Eyes.

From across the room, I could tell she was just a little taller

than me. Her red lips were just as plump and full as I’d remembered

them. Her proportions were flawless. I gazed over her golden skin,

tracing the curves of her perfectly shaped thighs up to her full breasts

tipped with dark brown nipples that were meant to be worshiped.

My heart was racing again and my palms started to tingle. If I hadn’t

been under the watchful eye of about three dozen other people, I

would have made a move to touch her, or at least ask her her name.

A movement to her left snapped me out of my trance. The woman

with the white-blond hair stepped down from the elevated marble rise

where the six of them stood. Her eyes were bright blue and she wore

the same red lipstick as Hazel Eyes. When she spoke, a thick Eastern

European accent dripped from every disinterested word.

“We are going to do things a little differently tonight. You will

have three chances to leave. If you decide that you must, no one will

stop you. There will be no repercussions, but you will not speak

unless you are asked. Unless you are asked individually, you will

answer as one. Is this understood?”

To my surprise, we all replied with a confident “Yes.”

“We are not like the other organizations on campus,” she

continued, her tone unaffected. “If you choose to remain with us

through this night, you will remain with us always. Is this understood?”

Another “Yes” filled the air. I don’t remember mustering any

effort to agree, but my voice was there joining in the reply.

“Now is your first chance. If there are any of you who wish to

leave, please step forward.” Nobody moved. “Are we to understand

that you all wish to remain?”

Again, “Yes” echoed off the marble.

“Wonderful,” she continued. “My darling Danielle, you may

begin.” The woman turned and walked back to the platform. When

she was back with the other women, my gaze shifted to Hazel Eyes.

• 36 •

Better Off red

I nearly gasped as her eyes settled back on me. Even as Danni began

to speak, her eyes held mine.

Danni’s voice came from just behind me. I could feel that she

was standing just between Amy and me.

“My Queen. If you will allow, it is my honor to present to you

thirteen potential donors. None are without fault, but all are pure of

heart and of clean body. They will all serve you as we and our sisters

before us have served you. And when they have completed their

term, they will go forth willingly and serve our master.”

It took me a moment to register the exact words Danni had said.

I was too busy staring at the woman in front of me, but finally they

clicked, and I wasn’t sure I was comfortable with what they meant.

Danni hadn’t mentioned anything about serving anyone, master or

otherwise. It was time to grab Amy and go.

As if she could read my mind, Hazel Eyes’s gaze narrowed

and her nostrils flared. Fear pierced through me, fear and arousal,

which scared me even more. My hand twitched toward Amy’s, but

for some reason I jerked it back before I touched her. Hazel Eyes’s

expression returned to normal and I realized I wasn’t in control of

my own body. She was. When she seemed confident I wouldn’t run,

she took a step forward. She must have been the queen.

“Do they understand the true nature of their purpose?” the

queen asked. Her voice was like silk, deep and smooth, so much

better than I’d imagined it. I felt myself sway a little as I blinked,

before refocusing on her face.

“No, they do not,” a group of voices called out from behind us.

“And do you believe once they discover the true nature of their

purpose, they all will remain?”

“We do,” the sisterhood behind us said.

It seemed to take some effort, but the queen looked away from

me and focused on a girl far to my left. If I glanced in that direction,

I could only see the thick neck and shoulder of the girl beside me. I

had no idea who the queen was looking at.

“Anna-Jade, tell me why are you here?”

A shy voice replied, “I’ve wanted to join a sorority. Layna and

Heather were really nice to me so I accepted the invitation.”

• 37 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

The queen nodded then looked to the other end of the line

and addressed a girl far to my right. Her name was Laura and she

gave pretty much the same answer. Two of the sisters of Alpha Beta

Omega had reached out to her and shown her the upside to making

friends through Greek life.

The queen carried on like this, back and forth down the line,

asking each of us why we had accepted our bid. Even though we

hadn’t been given the option in writing, we could have turned Danni

down when she showed up with our dresses, but we didn’t. Danni

and Cleo had completely won us over. Now I was terrified about

what they had gotten us into.

Finally, the queen spoke to a girl named Samantha, a few

people to my left.

“Samantha, tell me why you are here.”

“I just got a position on the university paper. There was a rumor

going around that ABO was involved with some underground secret

society involving vampires and demons.” The queen burst out

laughing, a rich, intoxicating sound. The others beside her laughed

as well, but they let Samantha continue.

“We all knew it was bullshit, but my editor wanted me to get in

and see what rumors I could confirm.”

“We welcome you, Samantha. Although, I doubt any of this

will end up in print,” the queen replied with a slight shake of her

head. I couldn’t believe the girl had admitted to spying. She could

have been born without a filter, or maybe she felt the same pull

toward the truth that I did.

The queen went on with her questioning, a slight grin on her

lips. “Benita, please.”

The girl next to me tried to speak up, but her voice was still low

and shy. “My mother is married to your master. He felt this was the

right place for me.”

“Ah, so you are the one. Do you feel this is the right place for

you?”“Yes, my Queen. I do. Danni and Cleo have made me feel less

anxious about being away from home,” Benita replied with a little

• 38 •

Better Off red

more confidence. She was the only one of us to address the queen so

directly. The queen seemed to enjoy it.

“I have to agree with your father. This is the perfect place for

you. And you prefer to be called ‘Benny’?”

“Yes, my Queen.”

“Benny it will be. Amy…” she went on with a teasing tone.

“Why are you here?”

Amy’s breathing had calmed completely. There was still

nervous energy coming off her body. She inhaled deeply before she

answered. “I wanted to get into all the good parties,” she replied.

“But that’s not why you accepted our invitation?” the queen

asked.“No, ma’am.”

“Have you ever been with a woman before?” the queen asked

bluntly.

“No, but I do have a crush on Danni.” It took everything I had

not to turn to Amy. She’d never mentioned anything about liking

Danni like that. I didn’t think it was something she would freely

admit, ever. Forget confessing it to a room full of people she’d just

met. I knew then I was totally screwed. I wasn’t a liar and I didn’t

have anything to hide, but this confessing of the truth was beyond

embarrassing. The queen gave me about two seconds to figure out

what I was going to say. My name coming from her lips wiped the

response from my mind immediately.

“Ginger.”

“Yes.”

“Why are you here?”

“I wanted to look out for my roommate, and lately, I’ve been

questioning my sexuality. My brother suggested joining a sorority

might help me find some other girls who feel the way I do about

other women.”

She relaxed slightly. “Is that right? I’ve heard there are a few

girl bars downtown. You didn’t start there?”

“No, I didn’t, but I did like hanging out with Cleo and Danni.”

“They are very special. Are you attracted to my favorite pets?”

She winked at Danni behind me.

• 39 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Yes, but…”

“But what?”

“I’m more attracted to you.” I couldn’t believe what I’d just

said, but I couldn’t take the words back. They were out there for

everyone to hear and analyze, everyone including the queen. Quiet

laughter filled the room. I swallowed again, keeping my eyes

focused on her. Her nostrils flared slightly as she licked her bottom

lip. I felt a small rush of moisture between my legs.

“I see,” she said. She swallowed then and tipped up her chin to

address us all. I exhaled, glad I hadn’t pissed her off.

“We will proceed.” The queen’s eyes closed as if in a brief

moment of prayer before she looked at me again and spoke. “I

thank you all for your honesty, and now it is my duty to reveal the

truth in your presence. Samantha’s editor may have had some valid

suspicions.” She paused, then started pacing in front of us. “Our

kind wandered and scavenged for centuries, taking of the innocent

and the evil, the undeserving and the unaware, to feed our bodies

and maintain our survival.”

I didn’t want to believe what she was saying. This wasn’t a

cheerful “welcome to the party” type speech. The queen was talking

about something ancient and deadly. She could have been trying

to scare us for the sake of the ceremony, but the intense green and

golden glow of her eyes told me she was being completely serious.

And there was something else. I watched the queen as she

talked. I hadn’t noticed at first, but as she went on, her canines grew

larger and longer. The tips were sharpening, and the length was

making it harder for her to close her mouth all the way when she

paused. Those teeth were real and they kept growing.

“Our kind grew tired of the death and the pain, the destruction

of lives and families. We humbled ourselves at your ancestors’ feet

and we were given all that we would ever need in return for our

undying loyalty.” I turned these words over in my head as quickly

as possible. I looked at the mouths of the five other women flanking

the queen and saw their lips were parted now to make room for their

elongated teeth. My eyes shot to back to the queen. I didn’t know

what she truly was—vampire, demon, overzealous comic book fan.

• 40 •

Better Off red

Either way, I knew she and the other women were not human and

we’d been brought there to feed them.

I did a quick scan for the exit but couldn’t find one. I focused

ahead again as the queen and the others stepped from the platform.

I hadn’t noticed before, but there were large cushions on the floor.

The six women sank to their knees on the cushions in front of us.

They bowed their heads and turned their palms up as if they

planned to worship us.

The queen went on. This time her tone was low and somber as

if she were begging for forgiveness and asking for permission at the

same time.

“We need your trust and we want nothing more than to offer

our own. Your sacrifice is a gift, and in return, we pledge to honor

and protect you.” Her voice dropped even lower. “I will ask for a

second time. Those of you who have been brought before me and

my sisters, do any of you wish to leave?” The queen lifted her head

and scanned the line of girls beside me as she spoke. Again, her gaze

settled back on me. Nobody moved. I knew we all had our reasons.

I was too scared.

“Layna, Heather, please. Make your presentation to your sister-

queen.”

For the first time, I got a good look at one of the other new girls.

This must have been Anna-Jade, the first girl who was questioned.

She was much shorter than me with jet-black straight hair to her

waist. She had on the same see-through slip. I’d forgotten how

exposed we all were. She was shaking. Layna and Heather were

wearing long black hooded robes that dragged behind them on the

floor. The hoods were down, covering their shoulders. Their hands

peeked out from under the draping fabric as they led Anna-Jade

forward with a gentle touch to her elbows. Layna carried a knife.

They knelt on the cushion in front of the first woman, the one

with the blunt blond haircut. I watched her face for a moment as she

looked over Anna-Jade.

“Most gracious Natasha, our sister-queen, I present to you

Anna-Jade Wilson. She is kind and giving and in need of love and

respect,” Layna said softly.

• 41 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Heather continued with the same soft murmur. “We know you

will bring her the same joy you have brought to us, and we know

you will offer her your protection.”

Natasha gently lifted her finger and tipped Anna-Jade’s chin up

so she could look her in the eye. “Do you understand what I ask of

you?”“You want my blood?” Anna-Jade replied. I shuddered, hearing

my fears confirmed.

“That is correct. If you will give yourself to me, never will you

fear again. I will love and protect you and your little sister.” Anna-

Jade made a small hiccupping sound and her body shook more.

Natasha gave her a moment before she went on. “I ask you one last

time, my sweet, will you allow me to bind you to myself, my sister-

queens, and your sisters?”

The decision was up to her now, not the group. This was her

final out, her last chance to escape, but Anna-Jade nodded and said,

“Yes.”

I was captivated by the vows between them. I didn’t know

Anna-Jade at all, but despite the size of Natasha’s teeth, her words

were enough to take the fear away, for Anna-Jade at least. I hadn’t

lost sight of what was going on here. They were asking us to feed

them, but even I couldn’t fight the comfort Natasha offered…until

she took the knife Layna held out to her and pulled the blade across

Anna-Jade’s palm.

The air hissed between her teeth, but she didn’t move. Natasha

dipped her head slowly and licked the blood away from the opening

in the gash. She ran her mouth back and forth across Anna-Jade’s

skin. I wanted to be horrified. I wanted to puke, then grab Amy and

run. I’d promised I wouldn’t let them hurt her, and hand slicing fell

under the umbrella of pain. I was still paralyzed by what I was seeing.

When Natasha lifted her head, Anna-Jade’s palm was clean and

the cut was completely healed. Natasha brushed her cheek gently

before leaning forward to kiss Anna-Jade on the lips. She pulled

away and stroked her cheek one more time.

Then Heather handed Natasha a slim black box. I couldn’t see

what was inside until Anna-Jade bowed her head a little. Natasha

• 42 •

Better Off red

fastened a delicate platinum chain around her neck. I knew there

was a small teardrop ruby hanging just above her breasts.

“You are safe here and we all will love you,” Natasha said

before she looked to Heather and Layna. They took that as their cue

to usher Anna-Jade up from her spot. The three of them shuffled

behind Natasha and settled comfortably on the cushion. Anna-Jade

was still crying. Heather wrapped her arms around her and let her

sob quietly. I got the feeling they were tears of relief.

The queen had our attention again as she looked off to my right.

“Kate, Jordan, please make your presentation to your sister-queen.”

Kate and Jordan led Laura forward toward the chocolate-skinned

woman. Her name was Omi. The vows were nearly the same. She

promised to protect and care for Laura, whose palm was swiftly cut

then resealed with a few swipes of Omi’s tongue. A ruby necklace

was placed around her neck and Laura was kissed. Then she took

her seat with Kate and Jordan behind Omi.

The queen went over the line again. On either side of me, one

by one, a new girl was brought forward and presented to a different

sister-queen. Natasha. Omi. Kina. Faeth. Tokyo. All exotically

beautiful, all terrifying.

Then, Danni and Paige brought Amy forward to the queen. The

most important sister-queen, the hazel-eyed leader of this insane

ceremony. The queen made her pledge to Amy, then closed her

wound. I watched Amy for a moment while she twirled the teardrop

ruby between her fingers. When Benny went forward with Cleo and

Barb, I realized I was the only one left. I was the thirteenth girl.

As Benny crossed the marble floor, I finally got a good look at

her. She was heavy like Danni, but she didn’t carry her weight as

well. Her long dark brown hair was frizzy and she had acne all over

her back and shoulders. I hated myself for thinking it. I didn’t want

to believe the queen found Benny more attractive than me.

And even more, I was filled with this irrational stab of jealously.

Danni and Cleo had brought Benny and Amy for the queen, and

I was left out. The other girls were involved in their own sister-

queens, exchanging small kisses and petting strokes. They didn’t

notice just how uncomfortable I was standing in the middle of the

• 43 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

room alone. I felt like crying. And then I felt crazy. I actually wanted

this—vampire to pick me. At least over Benny.

“It looks like you and Cleo have brought me one extra,” the

queen said to Danni as she looked me over. I watched her hands as

she gently stroked Amy’s leg. That pissed me off even more.

“She didn’t want any part of this, but we thought maybe you’d

like to meet her. Ginger Elizabeth Carmichael, meet Camila, our

kind and loving and most gracious Queen,” Danni replied. I couldn’t

tell whether she was messing with me or Camila.

“You are too sweet, Danni. I want you to take Amy and Benny.”

I took a step back as all the women stood at once. Danni handed

Camila another slim black box. “I would like to have a word with

Ginger alone.”

Everyone ignored me as they filed out of the room. Amy didn’t

even glance back to see if I was okay. She was so wrapped up in

Danni. She and I were going to have a long talk.

When it was just the two of us, Camila held out her hand for

me. “Come.”

I stepped forward and took Camila’s hand. Her skin was warm

and soft. Up close, she smelled like fresh cinnamon with a bit

of sugar. My mouth started to water, and other parts of my body

became more and more wet. I swallowed and followed her silently

as she led me from the room.

• 44 •

Better Off red

Chapter three

The other girls disappeared down a long hallway. Camila

tugged me in the opposite direction. I glanced back after

Amy. The dimly lit corridor made it impossible for me to find her

in the sea of black robes, white nighties, and bare skin. I wanted

to trust Danni and Cleo to keep her safe because I’d never forgive

myself if she were to get hurt. Or worse. If I found Amy the next

morning with her perky demeanor intact, I’d let her know I was

a little annoyed she had bailed on me so easily. At the moment,

though, Amy was the least of my worries.

Considering how much time I’d spent thinking about Camila,

I should have been anxious to actually be with her alone, but that

was the Camila I’d dreamed up in my head. The harmless, yet

outrageously sexy college student, maybe a senior with a thing for

girls my height with green eyes and freckles. The reality of what

I had just witnessed, the blood oaths and the fangs, left me a little

conflicted. While we walked, I pictured the short blade cutting open

Amy’s skin and the satisfied look on Camila’s face as she licked the

blood away. If she was fulfilled by the taste of blood, there was no

way I was safe with her alone. I might not live to see the morning.

Were amazingly good looks reason enough to trust your blood

lusting captor?

I suppose I didn’t have to hold her hand. My body didn’t see

that there was another choice. Camila, the queen, my Hazel Eyes,

was a vampire. Vampires were supposed to be cold, undead creatures

• 45 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

of the night or something just as cute and cuddly. Camila’s skin was

incredibly soft, and even though her grip was confident and firm,

she was surprisingly gentle as her fingers interlaced with mine. I

inhaled another hint of her warm, mouthwatering scent as she pulled

me closer. I had to get away from her.

I tried to focus on where we were going instead of on Camila’s

bare ass. It was difficult. Her backside was so round and perky. The

black chain around her body shimmered as she moved, following

the curve of her hips, up around her back. I looked at her smooth

shoulders and the graceful line of her neck. Her haircut was so…

cute. The dark spikes were in perfect disarray, short in the back

and slightly longer over her ears and bangs. It wasn’t a style many

people could pull off, but like the bright red lipstick, it looked

amazing on her.

My clit wanted to see just how close I could get to her. The

throbbing pulse between my legs wanted to touch her. It was telling

me to run my fingers over her whole body. The logical side of my

brain wanted to make a run for it. If I only knew which way would

take me to an actual exit and not back into the arms of the other

sister-queens.

Our long walk brought us to a red door. Camila opened it and

patiently ushered me inside. I don’t know what I was expecting. I

found a pretty regular lounge area. A dark carpet covered the floor.

There was a black couch, a few chairs, and a coffee table centered

around an enormous flat screen TV. In the corner there was an

elegant bar. Along the far wall were three more red doors. Camila

led me to the door in the center.

She flicked a switch and a soft, golden glow lit the room. I

glanced up and saw small yellow bulbs hidden in the molding

around the ceiling. There was an enormous bed covered with black

satin sheets and thick black blankets. Another flat screen TV was

mounted on the wall across from the bed, over a large dresser. On

the far side of the room, a set of black curtains were pulled open on

either side of a sitting area with two oversized armchairs and a chaise

lounge. All the furniture was black and there were no windows.

• 46 •

Better Off red

I stood by the door and watched Camila. I was fascinated by the

way she moved. Her hips and shoulders rotated in lithe, synchronized

movements, like a jungle cat. I almost felt rude staring. I had to take

advantage, though. I didn’t know if I’d ever see her again. I needed

someone to slap me. If I lived, I had to get out of there.

She walked over to her dresser and stashed the thin black box.

I think it held a necklace for me. A necklace that I’d have to shed

blood for. Camila unhooked the weaving of metal and rubies from

around her waist and placed it gently in a wooden box lined with

black silk.

“You may sit if you like.” Without looking at me, she nodded

toward the bed. My stomach clenched at the sound of her voice. The

bed seemed like a bad place to sit and I’d have to walk past her to

get to the chairs.

“I’m fine.”

She opened a drawer and pulled out a pair of black lace

underwear and a black tank top. It was a shame to cover any of

that perfect golden skin. As she pulled on the underwear, she turned

toward me a little bit. She was completely bare between her legs.

The skin of her slit glistened. For a split second, I wanted to know

what exactly had made her wet.

“Kinda overdoing it with the black, huh?” I blurted nervously.

She pulled the tank top over her head. Her hard nipples

puckered through the fabric.

“I have to offset Natasha. Her room is all neons. It’s hideous.

Besides, don’t you think it’s fitting?” She turned around and leaned

against her dresser, folding her arms across her chest. “For a vampire.”

“Is that what you are?”

“It’s what you think, isn’t it?”

“Something like that.” I took a deep breath and stood up

straight. It was time to leave. “You guys seem pretty stocked up on

food now. What do you want with me?”

“Tonight, I was hoping you would feed me. And then I was

planning on fucking you to sleep.” Heat surged across my chest and

face. No one had ever said anything like that to me—ever. I had no

idea what to say back. That didn’t stop my body from reacting to

• 47 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

her even more. My nipples started to tingle and my feet shuffled, my

thighs pressing together.

“But we have some things to discuss before that.” Her fangs

had retracted for the most part, but the light still caught their sharp

tips when she talked. She caught me looking at them before she

licked her plump bottom lip and glanced at the floor. The red lipstick

didn’t budge at all. I shifted my weight more to my left foot.

“Wha—” My voice cracked so I coughed and tried again. “What

things?” Camila pushed off the dresser and turned to rummage

through another jewelry box. I wanted to back away as she came

back toward me. Instead, I watched helplessly, my eyes glued to

the long needle she carried. She picked up my hand and pricked

my index finger, then pinched it so the blood came rushing to the

surface. I gasped as she took my fingertip in her mouth. Her warm

tongue swirled over my skin. She looked up at me, still sucking on

my finger, and my pussy gushed.

“I figured,” Camila said. She straightened and let go of my

hand. “You saw me that night, didn’t you?”

“When?” I glanced at my finger. Every trace of the pinprick

was gone. “The night of the open house?” She nodded. “Yeah. You

were talking to Barb.”

“Did you see any of the other sister-queens?” I scanned my

memory. There had been so many people in the past week. Something

clicked, though.

“Yeah, Faeth? The tall one with the brown hair.” Camila nodded

again, pursing her lips. “Yeah, I saw her last night when we came

over. She was standing by the window for a little while.”

“Cleo tells me you were adopted.”

“I was. What does that have to do with you or Faeth?”

“What happened to your birth mother?”

“She died.” I shook my head with a humorless chuckle, wanting

to move away from the painful truths of my past. “She died twice

actually. She used to joke that women had nine lives, like cats.”

“What do you mean twice?”

“She was found clinically dead when she was about five months

pregnant with me. A mugger or something. The doctors saved her.”

• 48 •

Better Off red

“Ah, okay.”

“What?” My relationship with my real mother had been short

and painful, but I didn’t appreciate anyone being so casual about her

death. “Why are you asking about her?”

“Because I am not sure a doctor saved your mother or even

you, for that matter. You have vampire blood in your system. Unless

someone tried to turn you—and you’d remember that—I’m fairly

sure your mother fed from one of my kind while she was pregnant

with you.”

I stared at her, completely confused. “How can you know that?”

“You shouldn’t have seen me or Faeth. It’s not much, but the

blood of my kind is in you. I can taste it and it’s the only way you

could have seen through the cloak. We only used it to mask ourselves

against humans.”

My mother had been a stripper who sold the rest of her body

on the side. The idea that she’d known a vampire, considering they

were now very real in my universe, didn’t seem all that impossible.

That didn’t make the idea that I had vampire blood in my veins any

easier to process.

It took me years to feel comfortable enough to call the

Carmichaels Mom and Dad. There were still days where I was

shocked my new family hadn’t picked up and left me in the middle

of the night. They had helped me become the person I was now, a

person I was happy and comfortable with. I didn’t need a know-it-

all vampire I’d just met telling me that I didn’t know myself at all.

I sat on the bed. Camila sat next to me. The bed barely shifted

under her weight. I got the feeling she wanted to touch me, but she

kept her hands to herself.

“You think I’m not human?”

“You are. You blood simply isn’t pure. What happened the

second time, to your mother?” she asked.

“She…um. She killed herself. Slit her wrists while I was at

school.” I couldn’t say anymore—about how I’d found her. I didn’t

want to think about the envelope of cash or the note she’d left for

the neighbors, asking them to keep me. And I didn’t think Camila

wanted to hear anything about the year I spent in the system.

• 49 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Do you know anything about your father?”

“No. She never mentioned him.” I looked into her eyes. “Do

you think he was like you—a vampire, I mean?”

“No. We can’t breed. Drinking from one of us is the only way

to get our blood into your system.”

“Well, he must have been a redhead. My mom was a brunette.”

I looked back at my hands. I usually traced patterns in my freckles

while I thought, but they had suddenly blurred together.

“We haven’t had a redhead in a while. That’s part of the reason

why I wanted to keep you.” I could hear a hint of pleasure in her

voice. Then I knew I’d let my guard down. She was trying to gain

my trust and it made me sick.

“What’s the other reason?” I stood and backed away from her.

“Don’t you have enough food?”

“Ginger, this isn’t about food.”

“Then let me go.”

“You can leave right now. I’ll even lend you some sweats so

you can walk back to the dorm. But I’d like to explain first.” I looked

down at the see-through dress. There was no way I was walking

across campus in that thing.

“Fine. But I’m not feeding you.”

“Fine,” Camila said. “Will you come sit down, please?”

“Why?”

Her eyes started to glow a bit as she gazed over my body. I took

another step back.

“Because I like the way you smell. And I feel rude making a

guest stand.”

“No. I’m fine, really.”

“Okay.” She shrugged dismissively.

“So, what? You guys use the sorority to lure unsuspecting girls

to your lair?”

“It’s not that simple,” she said. I closed my eyes and leaned my

head against the wall.

“The others are hearing the truth for themselves right now.

Please. Just let me tell you.”

• 50 •

Better Off red

“I already know too much, don’t I?” I could just see Camila and

her sister-friends letting me get five hundred yards before hunting

me down and ripping out my throat. I wasn’t in the mood for that

kind of silencing.

“Well, yes, but we can always strip your memory. It’s your

choice.” Camila was trying not to chuckle.

“You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”

“A little bit. Yes. How about you ask the questions?” She

nodded toward the spot next to her on the bed.

I walked past her and sank in one of the big chairs. I was actually

surprised by how comfortable it was. I tucked my legs under me and

tried to relax. If she was telling the truth about my mixed vampire

blood, I at least had to hear her out before making my escape.

I thought for a moment. There was a lot I wanted to know, but

I couldn’t decide what was the most important bit of information.

Apparently, I was taking too long.

“Why don’t I just start from the beginning and then you can ask

me to fill in the blanks?” Camila said.

I nodded, wrapping my arms around myself.

“The first of my kind were the children of demons.” Camila

laughed again as my eyes darted to the door. “Just listen.”

“What? I’m listening.”

“Let me ask you this? You are familiar with the idea of fallen

angels?”

“Yeah.” I kept the duh to myself.

“Well, the first of our kind were essentially…enlightened

demons.”

“You’re saying some demons grew a conscience and wanted

out of Hell.”

“It’s not exactly your idea of Hell, but something like that.

Several of them escaped, but they could only make it as far as this

plane.”

“And these were blood drinking demons?” I said. Warm-

blooded, soft-skinned, beautiful demons.

“Yes. We are here as guests, you could say. Our master has an

arrangement with whom you would call God.”

• 51 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“What do you call him?”

“The Divine has no name.”

“Okay. So God and your master struck what kind of an

arrangement?”

“My master’s children, my sisters, and I are permitted to feed

as long as we do not interfere with God’s plans.”

I still didn’t see the upshot of this conversation. It had been a

while since I’d been to Mass, but I was raised Catholic. If memory

served me right demons weren’t something you were supposed to

mess with or bind yourself to even for the sake the time honored

traditions of a sorority. Still I listened, trying to wrap my mind

around what I knew she believed to be the truth.

“So why all this?” I motioned around the room. “I thought

vampires were supposed to be all powerful. Why go through all this

to play nice with your food? There’s like eight billion people in the

world. Why not pick some randoms off the street?” I flinched as she

stood. She grabbed a blanket off the bed and brought it over to me.

I was freezing. I hadn’t even noticed. She tucked the thick fleece

around my shoulders then reclined in the other chair across from

me. “Have you ever been hunting?” she asked.

“No. I don’t like guns.”

“Neither do I. Well, you eat meat, right? Imagine if you had to

chase the cows. You don’t have a gun, so you have to use your fists

and you can only chase those cows at night.” I coughed to cover my

laughter. The idea of trying to fistfight a cow to death at night was

pretty ridiculous. “Wouldn’t it be easier if the cow showed up at

your door and let you take all you needed?”

“So you do view us as food?” I frowned.

“We used to. We need a lot of blood to live. We eat regular food

just like you, but we’d die without what humans give us.”

“You mean what you take?”

“Part of me wants to tell you to shut the fuck up, but you’re kind

of cute like this.” I wanted to tell her to fuck off, but I couldn’t deny

how being around her made me feel. The flirting was not helping me

formulate an escape plan.

• 52 •

Better Off red

“I meant what I said. We live off what humans give us. Humans

were beginning to suspect our existence. When we are starving, our

kind can drain a human in a matter of minutes. That sort of feeding

leaves bodies, and they began to hunt us. A few vampires realized if

they could just find humans to volunteer to feed them on a regular

basis, no humans would have to die and there would be no trace of a

monster to hunt. Our master finally settled on this sorority as a guise

and many of us have become accustomed to finding our feeders this

way. It’s about convenience, comfort, and routine.”

“Oh, I see. So you rounded up thirty-six, well, thirty-seven

girls, to feed you and your friends. In exchange, we get a kiss and

a ruby necklace and the bragging rights that come with being an

ABO?”

“You insist on making this sound much worse than it truly is.”

“Please tell me the good part. Tell me why I shouldn’t grab

Amy and leave right now. Why use Cleo and Danni to trick us? Why

the mind and body control back there—if it’s all our choice?” I was

getting pretty riled up, but I didn’t care.

“So you did feel my influence?”

“Of course I did. I was scared out of my mind, but I couldn’t

move.”

“You prove my point. The other girls weren’t aware they were

losing control. You were able to feel it—”

“Because of the blood. Right, right. So tell me what makes this

any better? They weren’t scared. So what? You didn’t give them

much of a choice. What’s in it for us?”

Camila’s fang bit into her bottom lip as she tried to hide another

snicker at my expense, and that just made me even more upset. For

all I knew, my roommate was taking her last breath and I had the

queen of the vampires thinking about how cute I am when I get mad.

If I didn’t love the way the light was catching her eyes or the way her

lips looked when she smiled, I would have stormed out of the room

and found my way back to the dorm barefoot and nearly naked.

“They were given a choice, Ginger. The control was to stave

off the fear and release honesty. They will be pleased with their

decision to stay. The humans who feed us are very well taken care

• 53 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

of. We sent Cleo and the others out to find other girls they believe

deserve to be treated like queens.” I wasn’t following and she could

tell. “There are vampires all over the world. Some live on their own,

hiding in the dark and hunting their prey at their own risk. Hell-

banishment is the cost of exposure, so most demons who live this

way are careful, but our lives are safer if we serve my master.”

“Benny’s dad?”

“Her step-father. He is the most powerful vampire in this part

of the world. Now he works with your government to ensure our

survival. In return for their cooperation, he takes care of the humans

who feed us.”

“Why?” I asked. Camila wasn’t making any sense. Who’d ever

heard of a vampire trying to be a diplomat and a humanitarian?

“Because we need you to live. Why is this so hard for you to

believe?”

“So you’re saying if I feed you, you’ll take care of me financially

for the rest of my life?”

“I’m saying that if you feed me, I will take care of you in any

way you’ll let me until you graduate.”

“And then what?”

“You’ll go out in the world and my master will find another

vampire for you to feed and they will take care of you for the rest of

your life. Or if my master grants you permission, you may become

a vampire yourself, but—” She stood. “That doesn’t apply to you.”

“Why?”

“Because you wanted to leave.” Camila walked over to a large

closet. She pulled out a black tracksuit and laid it on the bed. “Amy

is probably having the best orgasm of her life right now. I’d hate

to interrupt that, but I promise to send her back in the morning.

Unharmed.”

“Wait. They’re having…sex?” I wanted to smack myself as

soon as I said it. I sounded like a twelve-year-old.

“If my sister-queens are feeding, then yes, it typically leads

to sex.” She threw me the bottoms of the tracksuit. I caught the

waistband just fine. Too bad one of the legs wrapped around my

head. Camila did her best not to laugh. Again.

• 54 •

Better Off red

“They might be a little long. Get changed and I’ll drive you

back to the dorm.”

“Why did Cleo and Danni bring me here in the first place? You

never told me. I’m…extra.” Why was I still talking? She was letting

me leave.

“Your blood isn’t pure in either direction. In that respect, you’re

not as useful to me as your roommate, but you are rather beautiful.

I just wanted a taste.”

I flinched, looking at the floor.

“What bothers you more? That I want to fuck you or that I want

you to feed me?”

“Jesus. Stop saying that…” My voice drifted. Apparently, Todd

was dead-on about where I could find a girl to experiment with.

I still wanted to explore my sexuality, but I wanted to be used as

Camila’s sexual scratching post just as much as I wanted her to use

my neck as her chew toy. I thought maybe I’d find a nice girl who

had a little bit more experience than I did. We’d take things slow,

work out a casual arrangement, hopefully something more. I had no

intention of getting with someone like Camila who would just use

me until she was full. Or bored. It didn’t matter how beautiful she

was. If I ever saw Todd again, I would tell him to keep his advice

to himself.

Camila came around the bed slowly. “Ginger, tell me what’s

the matter?”

“I’ve…never…” I stumbled over the words. Camila had

probably slept with hundreds of people. How was I supposed to tell

her I was a virgin? “I’ve only kissed one person before. I’ve—I’ve

never done anything else.”

“But you know how to pleasure yourself, right?”

“How’d you—”

“I could taste it on your finger.”

“Of course you could,” I muttered back. I closed my eyes and

let in and out a deep breath, too embarrassed to look at her.

“Ginger, look at me.” I opened my eyes. Camila was standing

right in front of me. I didn’t fight it when she took my hand. “I am

telling you the truth. About myself. About you. I understand if you

• 55 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

don’t trust us. You were lied to, but I want to make it right. Stay a

little longer. I promise I will not hurt you.”

I wanted to believe her. Even though the things she had told me

were hard to take in, they made sense. I’d seen the other girls’ skin

heal right before my eyes. I’d heard the sincere pledges the sister-

queens had made to them. It was a whole lot of trouble to go to if they

just wanted to kill us. If what Camila had said about my mother—

about my blood—was true, she had no real reason to keep me around.

I was useless to her. If she couldn’t live off my blood, maybe it wasn’t

crazy to think that on some level, Camila did want me.

I looked between our bodies. Camila turned my hand over and

started tracing little squares over my freckles. Her fingers were so

warm. She was putting me under her spell. This time I didn’t mind.

“If I stay, what will we do?”

“We can do whatever you like,” she said softly. “But for right

now, why don’t you change.” She nodded toward the tracksuit on

the bed. “Then we’ll go check on your roommate.”

❖

Ditching the transparent lace helped mellow me out, but just a

little. I didn’t think it was possible to be completely at ease around

Camila. She didn’t bother to cover up any more than she already

had, and this time as we walked down the hall, she walked beside

me, our fingers intertwined. More than once, I caught myself trying

to sneak a sideways peek at the outline of her nipples in the thin

black cotton. She caught me looking every time.

We entered a different corridor and the energy in the air seemed

to change.

And then I heard the moaning.

Camila led me to a large open archway, to the source of the

erotic sounds. Black and red cushions covered the carpeted floor

of another dimly lit room. The space was filled with naked female

bodies. The girls had broken off into groups of six or seven. Every

girl was touching someone else and being touched, lips on lips, in

every way. Bare thighs and bare asses being pinched and stroked.

• 56 •

Better Off red

Everywhere I looked there was naked skin on naked skin, the

mounds of flesh pulsing in different rhythms that in some way all

seemed to match. No doubt the scene was an instant turn-on, but

there was no real sense of any emotional connection when there are

forty some-odd people trying to get off.

I scanned the room looking for Amy. She was in the middle

of a heap of breasts and thighs. Danni was on her knees with her

face buried in Amy’s crotch. Surprisingly, Amy was kissing Paige

passionately on the mouth. Barb was lying on her back with her

arms wrapped around Paige’s thighs. She sucked Paige’s pussy,

making her moan in Amy’s mouth.

Cleo sat a few feet away from the group. Benny was sitting

between her legs, her own knees drawn up to her chin. Cleo had her

ceremonial robe wrapped around them both. When she saw us, Cleo

waved us over.

We crossed the room, stepping around bare feet and steadying

hands. When we reached Cleo and Benny, Camila pulled me in front

of her and sank to the floor. I sat between her legs and tried to act

natural when she wrapped her arms around my waist.

I stared at my toes, listening closely while Camila leaned over

to whisper to Cleo.

“Is everything okay?” She must have been talking about Benny.

It made sense that she didn’t feel comfortable enough to join in the

activities. I didn’t have Benny’s weight or acne problems, and there

was no way I was ready to dive headfirst into a girl orgy.

“We’re going to take it slow until Benny’s ready,” Cleo replied.

I glanced over in Benny’s direction. Cleo was gently stroking her

hair as if patting it would tame the wild frizz. Benny caught my eye

and the corner of her mouth turned up in a weak attempt at a smile.

I did my best to smile back in understanding.

Then Benny looked over at Camila. “I am ready to feed you,

whenever you need me.” Her voice was low, but there was no

hesitance in her tone. She knew what she was here to do and she

was completely ready to offer her blood up to the sister-queens. I

wished for a moment that I could boast that kind of confidence in

any kind of purpose.

• 57 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Camila pulled her arm from around my waist so she could

touch Benny’s cheek. I didn’t miss the devotion in her voice.

“Thank you.”

Benny seemed to relax then turned her eyes back toward the

scene in front of us.

Camila’s arms came back around my middle and she pulled me

closer to her body. I felt her warm breath on my ear and I swallowed,

fighting to keep my eyes open. I failed. Camila’s nipples were hard,

so hard I could feel their perfectly puckered tips on my back through

the layers of our clothes. Lower, I felt the heat from her pussy against

a small bit of my exposed skin. I’d never been held like that before.

It was comforting and arousing all at once. A little overwhelming.

Suddenly, I realized I didn’t care what Camila was; I didn’t want

her to let go.

“Just watch,” she said through the whimpers and pants that

filled the air. “No one is hurting. No one will experience any pain.

Only pleasure.”

I took a real look at the erotic scene in front of me. I knew

why Camila had brought me here. I could have watched a group

of girls go at it on the Internet. She wanted me to witness a feeding

firsthand.

I searched around, looking specifically for one of the sister-

queens. A swish of white-blond hair caught my attention. Across

the room Natasha’s new “pets” were crawling all over her and each

other. Layna’s tongue was buried deep inside Natasha’s mouth.

Heather’s fingers were buried deep inside Natasha’s bare pussy.

Samantha was latched on to one nipple and Anna-Jade was suckling

the other. Another older member of ABO, Georgiana, rubbed the clit

of a girl named Julia. Julia was handling Samantha with her mouth.

It seemed so…complicated, but so perfect at the same time.

“Watch,” Camila said again. “Natasha likes to feed before she

comes. She’s so close. Look at her, the way her stomach moves. So

close.” My eyes followed the path over Natasha’s body. Her hips

thrust up, swirling down on Heather’s fingers. Her belly moved

in gentle waves, her muscles tensing over and over beneath her

smooth, pale skin.

• 58 •

Better Off red

Natasha gripped the back of Layna’s head and broke away

from their kiss. With her other hand she gently encouraged Anna-

Jade up her body, so her neck was level with Natasha’s mouth. Her

lips peeled away from her teeth and her fangs quickly elongated,

shooting down from her gums. She paused, gazing at Anna-Jade’s

throat, and at that exact moment Camila’s hand slid under the top I

was wearing. Her fingers and her open palm slid over my stomach.

Higher and higher, cupping me gently.

I swallowed again and found myself leaning into her body even

more. She took that as a sign and slid her hand over my breast. The

sensation of her warm palm grazing over my tight, tingling skin shot

right from my nipple to my clit. I ruined the bottoms of that tracksuit

for sure. I was soaking wet.

Natasha waited a half second more then bit into Anna-Jade’s

neck. Anna-Jade cried out and I whimpered in sympathy, imagining

the pain.

“Shh,” Camila said. “There’s no hurting. No pain.”

As Camila’s words sank in, Anna-Jade’s body went rigid for a

moment and then she started coming even harder, her legs flopping

and straining on the red cushion. Layna whispered something to

Heather who took that as her cue to drive her fingers even harder

into Natasha’s slit. Natasha released Anna-Jade from her grasp

and started to ride Heather’s fingers shamelessly. I stared in awe

at the red-stained tips of her large fangs. A drop of blood trailed

down her lip, dangerously close to rolling down her chin as Natasha

rode out her own orgasm. She blinked heavily when the tip of her

tongue caught the drop. And as she savored it, Natasha fixed her

sights on her next meal. Samantha. There were a few seconds that

passed where Camila continued to touch me, one hand stroking over

my stomach and the soft, but confident fingers of the other hand

playing with my nipple. We watched Samantha anxiously climb up

Natasha’s lean body. She steadied herself on her hands and knees

and boldly offered her neck. Natasha bit into Samantha’s skin hard

and fast, keeping her in place with a firm hand on the back of her

head as Samantha’s body arched away. She came with a loud and

hard groan.

• 59 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

That’s when Camila’s right hand slid into my track pants. But

she waited.

I knew exactly what I wanted, and at the same time I had no

clue. I’d thought about having her hands on my body so many times

before. Silently, I’d begged her to touch me, but now that her fingers

were so close to where I’d wanted…I was scared.

Her vampire senses or magical powers must have caught my

hesitation because her fingers slowly began moving back up and to

the side, drawing light circles between the width of my hips.

“I can stop,” she said. “You can leave.”

“No. I…” I wanted to stay right where I was, there on the

floor. I wanted to watch the girls touching each other in front of

us. I wanted this queen of demons to touch me. I was tired of my

fantasies and the low-grade stalking. I wanted the real thing with

her. But I couldn’t force myself to say the words. This wasn’t just

some random hookup, even if I did get up and walk away as soon as

it was over. This was the girl literally of my dreams asking for my

body. Asking for permission to bite me.

I didn’t know if I could say yes.

A shiver tore through my shoulders as she placed a single kiss

to my neck.

“Do you want me to stop?”

I shook my head. My desperation must have been obvious

because Cleo coughed back a laugh beside me. I whipped my head

in her direction, but before I could ask her anything, Camila slid her

hand between my legs. She wasted no time spreading my short curls

and finding my clit. I moaned, forgetting all about Cleo’s mocking.

Camila’s fangs grazed the side of my throat, and even though

I should have been, I couldn’t bring myself to be scared anymore.

Pathetic, yeah, but her fingers felt that good. My head dropped back

against her shoulder. I closed my eyes and pushed the fact that Benny

and Cleo were right beside us, watching me now, out of my head. I

basked in the feminine sounds of ecstasy flowing through the room

and I let myself feel Camila’s fingers as they caressed my body.

She pinched my nipple, drawing the already throbbing peak out

even more. I shuddered, wanting more, getting more as two of her

• 60 •

Better Off red

fingers slid inside my pussy. My hips pitched up off the floor. My

body pressed against her palm and I groaned helplessly.

“Please, Ginger,” she said. A purr, a deep tremble of noise

that made me even wetter accented her voice. “Please. I just want

a taste.”

And there it was, the voice I’d been wanting to hear all along. I

turned slightly, just enough to face her, but not enough for her to pull

her hand away. Those beautiful eyes glinted back at me. She didn’t

try to deny the truth of what her bite would mean. She’d be claiming

me as one of her own, even if my blood wouldn’t truly feed her. I

was giving her a part of myself. Before I could chicken out, I faced

forward again and arched my neck to the side. I didn’t feel the initial

puncture of my throat. Instead, a cool, tingling sensation spread out

under my skin, and as she drank, I felt the sweet sucking all the way

down to my toes. She held me in an iron grip until she’d had her fill,

but long before that, I came as she stroked me and erupted all over

her hand.

❖

Sometime later, I woke up in Camila’s bed. She didn’t have a

clock in her room, but I got the sense that it wasn’t morning yet. I

stretched and rolled over. Looking around, I realized I was in bed

alone and completely naked.

“Hi,” I heard her murmur.

I sat up and blinked until my eyes settled on Camila. She was

sitting in one of the armchairs, reading a book. She’d ditched her

tank top. I couldn’t help but think about how badly I wanted to suck

on her full brown nipples.

I cleared my throat then looked down. I started smoothing the

blanket over my thigh while I tried to think of what to say. Camila

got up from her chair and crawled on the bed next to me. I couldn’t

ignore the way her breasts swayed under their lush weight as she

crawled on all fours through the sheets. When she was settled next to

me I thought, screw it, and gently stroked her nipple. She hissed and

I could see the tips of her fangs peeking out from between her lips.

• 61 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“What happens if I agree to this?” I asked, my voice thick with

sleep.“During the day, things don’t change. You go to class. You

study. You spend time with the girls.”

“And at night?” I rotated my finger, pushing the very tip up

before swirling it back downward. Her nostrils flared again, but she

didn’t try to move my finger.

“At night, we find out more about what having our blood inside

you means. You feed me, if you like, and I continue to worship your

beautiful body.”

“But my blood does nothing for you.”

“I wouldn’t say that. You have a wonderful taste.” She touched

my cheek. “I want you to stay.”

I dropped my hand to my lap, turning her words over in my

head. The girls of Alpha Beta Omega and the sister-queens they

served had plenty of opportunities to hurt us, but my initial bout of

outrage and brattiness aside, they had been nothing except kind and

gentle, showing each one of us undeniable pleasure.

I wanted to keep the friends I had made. I wanted to know more

about myself and, all said and done, I wanted Camila. Yeah, she

terrified me in some ways, but I didn’t want to consider going the

rest of my life without seeing her again. I doubted they would let me

just hang out if I turned this chance down.

I held out my hand, palm up. Camila was out of bed and back

with a short silver blade and thin black box in less than a moment.

She took my outstretched hand and waited for me to look into

her eyes.

“Ginger Elizabeth Carmichael…” She smirked as she said my

middle name.

“Okay. Don’t get cocky with it.” I scowled.

“Will you allow me to bind you to myself, my sister-queens,

and to your sisters?”

“Yes.” I barely said the word with any volume, but I knew

she’d heard me. My palm burned as the blade came down across

my skin. I was proud of myself for not flinching. Camila dropped

the knife and quickly sealed the cut. As her tongue trailed over the

• 62 •

Better Off red

wound, the cool, soothing sensation spread through my hand. She

lifted her head and the cut was completely healed. I watched her

patiently as she reached for the thin black box and took out the last

of the thirteen necklaces.

She held the ruby up, letting the dim light catch it before she

fastened the platinum links around my neck.

“You’re mine now, Red,” she said with an evil grin. I had a

snappy comeback, but I didn’t get a chance to use it.

Camila pushed me back on the bed and then she kissed me.

• 63 •

• 64 •

Better Off red

Chapter fOur

The kiss didn’t last long enough. The soft sweep of her

tongue over my lips was perfect, intoxicating, and the

moment she pushed her way gently into my mouth I realized that

she tasted just as delicious as she smelled. I lifted my head, wanting

more, but she pulled away and sat back on her knees.

She looked over my body, at my breasts, and down to my hips

that were still covered with her blankets and sheets. I followed her

gaze and suddenly struck shy, pulled the blanket over my chest.

Camila chuckled to herself, flashing the sharp tips of her fangs.

What?” I asked, all my nipple-stroking confidence gone.

“Nothing,” she said with a slight shake of her head. “I was just

wondering what would be the best way to repay you.”

“Repay me?” I didn’t like the way that sounded.

“Repay may be the wrong word.” Her tongue crept out and

traced her bottom lip. I gasped a little. “I understand how my bite

can make you feel, but I want to give you more than that.”

“Why?” I pulled the blanket up even further.

She leaned forward and kissed me lightly on the lips, but she

left the blanket where it was. “I’ve already told you.” She kissed me

again. “You’ve bound yourself to me, and you’ve given me your

blood, but remember that last thing I wanted?”

“The part with the fucking,” I managed to squeak out.

“Right, Red. The part with the fucking. I’m just wondering

where you’d like me to start.”

• 65 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Uh…” I had my ideas, but I had no experience to go on. Not

to mention her “Do Me Now” voice and those eyes were making it

impossible for me to form a complete sentence. And the kissing, it

wasn’t helping either.

“That is if you’re okay with, you know, going all the way,” she

said.Did I want my first time to be with the sexiest being I had ever

seen, even if she was an undead demon-queen? Yes. Yes, I did. I

may have even wanted her to bite me again.

I nodded wide-eyed.

“Why don’t you lie back down?”

Right, I could do that. I slid back against her pillows and made

myself comfortable—well, as comfortable as I could be while nearly

hyperventilating.

She pulled back the sheets and climbed over me before

wrapping the sheet back over us both. It was still dim in the room,

but light enough that the dark sheets didn’t hide the curves of her

breasts as they swept past mine. I swallowed thickly as she held

herself up with one hand and pulled off her underwear with the

other. A tingling set off in my throat as our legs brushed together.

Once her underwear was tossed aside, probably lost to the abyss

at the foot of the bed along with the tracksuit, she settled herself

casually between my legs. My pussy throbbed as her stomach pressed

against me. My clit pulsed through my soaked hairs, the only thing

keeping the over sensitive tip from rubbing directly against her skin.

My heart thudded up somewhere near my throat. I almost choked

when she reached up and pulled my new ruby pendant from my hair

and centered it back on its chain between my breasts.

“So.” Camila’s finger began tracing the edge of my nipple. It

felt pretty close to awesome. “I have good news and I have bad

news, which might also be good news depending on how you look

at it. Which would you like first?”

“Um, the bad news.” I looked at her lips, hoping she would kiss

me again soon.

“I haven’t gotten off in the way I like to in a few days. That’s a

long time for me, so we might be here a while.”

• 66 •

Better Off red

Watching her mouth move while she was pressed against my

crotch was a little too much. I looked up to her eyes. Possibly a

dumber idea. “What’s the bad news?”

“You’re so cute.” She huffed a short laugh. This time the

flirtatious comment was just that. If my cuteness kept her between

my legs, then cute it was.

“What’s the good news?”

“It would be better if I showed you.”

“Okay.” My voice came out just above a whisper. This part

should be easier. She’d already fingered me, kissed me, gnawed on

my neck a little. Having sex with Camila was just a matter of taking

things a step further. I could do it. Piece of cake.

My eyes stung for a moment as I swallowed. Again.

“Don’t be nervous, Red,” Camila said. She lightly brushed my

hair away from my forehead. That worked. I closed my eyes and let

out a deep breath. When I opened my eyes she was smiling down at

me. I bit my lip and almost managed not to grin back.

“Come here,” she said. I lifted my head and met her halfway

as she kissed me once more, slowly brushing her lips back and forth

across my mouth.

“Just move with me.”

And that’s what I did.

Camila braced her hands on either side of my shoulders then

shifted herself up and over until our legs were intertwined, her wet,

bare slit pressed against mine. She was so wet. Slippery and hot. It

felt so good I almost didn’t want her to move. The pressure on my

clit was perfect. Or so I thought until she started rocking her hips.

My hands flew to her waist and I held on. I had no idea what I’d

been missing, just how good it would feel to have someone between

my legs, someone like Camila.

Her mouth was on mine a second later, swallowing my moans

and cries while we thrust against each other. She wasn’t gentle, but

I liked it. She dipped her tongue into my mouth over and over. I

caught it when I could, sucked on its soft sweetness, and when that

wasn’t enough, she used her teeth, matched the push and retreat of

her hips with light nips of her fangs along my bottom lip.

• 67 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Heat flashed through my whole body as we continued to move

together. This was so much better than rubbing myself in the privacy

of my dorm, so much better than I thought it would be with anyone

else. I moved my hips faster against her body, but kept my hands

where they were on her sides. I wanted to touch her all over. I

wanted grab and pinch her breasts and her perfectly round ass, but

I was so close to coming and suddenly doubting any acute motor

skills I’d acquired in the last eighteen years, doing what she’d said,

moving along with the thrusting motion of her body seemed like the

best thing to do. We could come and then later, much later, when I

had some clue what I was doing, I would get fancy with my hands.

Without warning, Camila broke from our kiss and threw her

head back. Her fangs were all the way out, long and shining in the

dim light as she purred my name.

“Ah. Ah,” I panted desperately in response. My clit twitched

sharply against her, overcome by the sensations my own pussy lips

and her warm body had to offer. My eyes squeezed shut as I was

blinded for a moment and then I came all over her leg.

Camila was right behind me. She ground down even harder

against my thigh, and then I felt the wet rush of her orgasm.

“Fuck! Me!” Her scream echoed off the high, black ceiling.

The sound sent my body off, shuddering with one last aftershock as

her rocking motions slowed then stopped completely. I stared up at

her, trying to catch my breath.

With a loud exhale, she rolled off me, licking her lips and fangs.

We lay there together for a few moments, both of us panting, me

a little more so because she hadn’t stopped touching me. Her fingers

swept the now damp hair off the nape of my neck then she brushed

across my collarbone. I looked back at her, gazing at her smooth,

golden skin and her beautifully hard nipples. I couldn’t stop staring.

“What is it, Red?” she asked.

“I was just wondering…” She sounded genuinely interested in

what was on my mind, but I couldn’t finish the thought. It was too

ridiculous.

“Don’t make me bite you again.” Some threat, but I knew she

was serious.

• 68 •

Better Off red

“I was just thinking…you’re not human, right?”

“Not anymore, that’s correct.”

“Well, it’s just interesting. I think I was expecting you to do

something differently when you came.” I mean, the way she purred

my name was a little different, and I didn’t sprout razor-sharp teeth

at the heights of ecstasy, but I mean…

“You have to remember, Red, I’m still a woman. Same parts.”

“I know.” I scowled back at her.

She jumped up to her knees and grabbed me by my legs.

I squealed as she threw my calves over her shoulders. “What

are you doing?” She paused before our pussies made contact. I knew

exactly what she was doing, I just didn’t know why.

“Are you tired?”

“No.” I wasn’t tired at all. That first orgasm had barely taken

the edge off. I could definitely stand to come a few more times,

especially with her.

“Well.” She nicked my ankle with her teeth then slowly

licked my calf before she went on. I whimpered pathetically and

let my eyes roll back in my head. They stayed there as she rolled

her hips and drew her pussy down the length of my spread slit. I

made a strangled noise, something between a moan, a scream, and

a gargle.

“We can do more of this.” She kept up the motions, back and

forth, rocking against me. Her clit brushed against mine. “Or I can

tuck you in and you can go to sleep.”

“No.” My head flopped from side to side on the pillow. “More

of this,” I said. “Definitely more of this.”

❖

When I woke up again, it was actually morning and Camila was

in bed with me. I couldn’t keep the smile off my face as I stretched

between the sheets. My body was sore in all the best places. My

inner thighs had been held open to make room for Camila’s strong

hips and her soft, wet pussy. My shoulders ached from having my

hands pinned above my head when she decided to take me again.

• 69 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

But my neck felt amazing, even though she had bitten me again and

then one more time before we were completely spent.

I felt the warmth of her chest against my back. Her soft

fingertips gently caressed my hair and my cheek. I rolled into her

embrace, looking into her eyes.

“Hey.”

“Hello.” Camila leaned forward and kissed me. Her soft tongue

gently moved past my lips. She slowly pulled her tongue out, then

pushed it back in, and my pussy soaked for her all over again. I was

still half asleep, my eyes and my head still clouded with memories

of the night, but that only seemed to make the kiss better.

I’d slept like the dead, that deep, dreamless sleep where you’re

surprised you didn’t drool all over yourself when you finally lifted

your head off the pillow. I might as well have been in a coma. Those

few hours of unconsciousness hadn’t been enough to make me

forget just how talented Camila was with her hands and her mouth.

I had no idea if I was a good kisser or not. Todd had burst in

on my one and only kiss. My neighbor, Kristen had left for soccer

training at UVA before I got a chance to ask her for an honest

assessment. Camila could have been faking it, letting me feel like

she enjoyed kissing me as much as I enjoyed kissing her, but I didn’t

get that feeling at all. Camila made me feel like I was a freaking

expert. As the night went on, I loved the way she moaned when our

tongues slowly touched. It took a few tries, but eventually I figured

out that licking her fangs was a surefire way to make her growl. And

she really growled, this deep, rumbling noise like a tiger, a sound

that made me shiver.

So at least I had the kissing thing down. I wasn’t sure about

everything else. I’d lost count of how many times I’d come the night

before, but I did know that Camila had done all the work and I had

a lot to learn. Hopefully, she would teach me.

She pulled away slowly, but continued to lay soft kisses across

my cheeks. Then on the tip of my nose.

“Are you still angry with me for bringing you here?” Her voice

was low but clear. Vampires probably never woke up groggy. She

kissed me right below my ear.

• 70 •

Better Off red

“I’ll let you know when I see the inside of my dorm room

again,” I replied. Finding my voice wasn’t much of a distraction

from her hand slipping between my legs.

“That sounds fair. I’m glad you’re awake.”

“Really? Why?” I moaned.

“Cleo is going to barge in here any moment to wake you for

breakfast.” Her middle finger parted my slit.

“You’re the queen. Can’t you tell her to go away?” I gasped as

she moved up and down. This was no way to carry on a conversation.

“I’d love to keep you in my bed all day long, but maybe I

should let you see the outdoors. It’s better to keep a willing captive.”

I’d planned on spending my whole day in the library. I had

an English paper to start, a stats test to study for, notes to organize

for my dance and culture class—my favorite and the most pointless

prereq for my major—and I had to meet with my lab partner, Greg.

I knew she was safe, but I needed to talk to Amy. When Camila slid

her fingers back inside me, I figured all that could wait.

“Was it so bad?” She was talking about more than just my

initiation.

“No,” I whimpered.

“I’m glad I could change your mind.” She pulled her fingers

from between the sheets, and my eyes snapped wide as she licked

them clean. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment.”

Camila slid out of bed. If her back hadn’t been to me, she

would have seen my tortured looks as she pulled her clothes back

on. She walked over to the door and opened it for Cleo and Paige.

They hadn’t knocked.

“Hi,” Cleo said, smiling bashfully at Camila.

“Hi,” she replied.

“We came for Ginger.” I’d only known her a few days, but I’d

never seen Cleo acting this sweet.

Camila turned toward me and licked her lips before she said

my name. My cheeks and my neck were instantly hot. “Ginger, you

have some visitors.”

“Outta bed, maggot.” And like that, the Cleo I knew and loved

was back. “We got a full day ahead of us. Breakfast is at oh-nine

• 71 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

hundred sharp. You will be on time or you will not eat and you will

get left.”

“Are you done?” Camila asked.

“Yeah, thanks. I’ve been wanting to yell at the new girls all

summer,” Cleo said.

“I bet you have.”

“Breakfast is in thirty. Here are your clothes.” Paige held up

a black canvas bag with the white letters “ABO” stitched on with

bright red threading. I looked at the sheet covering my boobs. I

would have hopped out of bed to take the bag, but I was still naked.

Camila took it from Paige and put in on the dresser.

“Thanks,” I muttered.

“She’ll be up in thirty minutes,” Camila told them.

“Okay,” Cleo replied. And then she and Paige waited.

“Good-bye,” Camila said as she started closing the door. Paige

huffed and rolled her eyes, and Cleo actually pouted. I got a weird

tight feeling in my throat. “I’ll see you both tonight.”

“Fine,” they both whined. Camila laughed to herself as she shut

the door all the way. She came back over to the bed and sat beside

me. “What was that all about?” I asked, trying not to sound jealous,

which I instantly realized I was. She must have sensed it because she

tried to distract me by drawing her fingertips across my shoulder.

“Nothing,” she said. “They just missed me last night.”

“Did I keep you away from them?”

“No. I’m fed. They’re just needy. Ignore them.” Before I could

ask who’d fed her properly, she kissed me, another painfully slow,

warm, wet kiss. I couldn’t remember what day it was when she pulled

away. She smoothed my hair away from my face, gazing between my

lips and my eyes. I wanted her again, but I didn’t have time.

“So what does a vampire do during the day?” I asked.

“I sleep for a few hours. I get some work done—”

“Work?”

“Someone’s gotta pay for all those necklaces. I own a few

businesses downtown. I call down there and make sure everything’s

okay while I’m trapped here. I check in with Types of Hope.”

• 72 •

Better Off red

“So the foundation is legit?”

“Doing good works is one of the best ways to blend in. Except

with Types of Hope, there is no catch. We like our humans healthy

and we want to help the humans who aren’t.”

I don’t know why the thought of her being trapped inside all

day made me upset, but it did, almost selfishly. I’d walked around

clueless to what made up my DNA for eighteen years. What else

kept Camila from normal human behavior? I wasn’t much for silver

jewelry, but I loved garlic. What if I was experiencing some sort of

delayed reaction? What if there was some sort of puberty I hadn’t

reached yet? I had more than thirty minutes’ worth of questions.

“You really can’t go out in the daytime?”

“I can. Just not in this form.”

“What do you mean?”

Camila thought for a moment before she answered. “Our…

nature allows us to shift form. We can take the shape of other living

creatures, but we can only go out in the daytime in an animal form.”

“Wow.” Of course I’d never tried, but maybe if I did, I could—

I looked up as she combed her fingers through my hair. “Don’t

worry, Red. Clearly, the sun doesn’t affect you. And though the

shifting is something you can control it’s not as amazing as it

sounds. If you get trapped somewhere as a cat or a blue jay, you’re

stuck that way until nightfall. And then of course, when you shift

back, you’re naked.”

“Yeah, I can see where that would have its drawbacks.” Even if

I did prefer her in the buff.

“We’ll figure you out, okay? Have fun with the girls, and later

you can ask me anything you want to know.”

“Okay.”

“Come. Let me show you the bathroom.”

I followed Camila back out to her living room. Apparently,

the door all the way to the left opened to an enormous black-tiled

bathroom. Double glass doors opened to a shower that ran the length

of an entire wall. Every single member of ABO could fit inside that

thing.

• 73 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Camila walked silently across the midnight floor and pressed a

small button hidden along the wall. A hot spray came from thousands

of tiny showerheads in the ceiling.

“Shampoo and soap in the shower. Towels in the closet, and

there’s toothpaste right there.” She pointed around the room before

turning back to me. She took a step closer. I bit my lip to keep my

lungs in my chest.

“I’d join you, but what I have in mind would take more than

thirty minutes.”

I swallowed. “Can’t be late for breakfast.”

“No, Red. You can’t.” She took a step closer, letting her

delicious cinnamon scent rush cross my lips.

“You’re going to keep calling me ‘Red,’ aren’t you?”

“Unless you ask me to stop.” I didn’t want to. “That shower

is heaven. Don’t take too long.” She slid past me and out the door

without kissing me. I don’t think I’ve ever showered that fast. I had

to get back to her.

❖

In the bag Paige brought me was a new toothbrush, travel

size bottles of my favorite lotion and deodorant, and some clothes.

Another tracksuit. It would have been cute if it wasn’t white. What

was with all the tracksuits and all the white? I was starting to think

I’d joined a cult, which I supposed I had. The ruby hanging around

my neck was proof enough that I had given in, traded my brain and

my blood for sex and then some.

The terrycloth jacket had my name stitched in elegant cursive

on the breast. I looked at the red lettering for a while before putting

it on. I wanted to know what I had gotten myself into. I had to find

out what was going on with my body. I had to know how deep this

vampire/human relationship ran. I wouldn’t find that out standing

in my vampire’s bathroom. I found some white underwear in the

bottom of the bag, then finished getting dressed. I was still trying to

figure out Paige and her less than cheery attitude, but I would thank

her for the new brush and the hair ties.

• 74 •

Better Off red

When I got back to the bedroom, Amy was sitting on the foot

of the bed, wearing the same white tracksuit, watching Camila get

dressed. Seeing her was a bigger relief than I’d expected. My night

with Camila had been nothing short of perfect, but Amy was my one

connection to the real world. Knowing she was in one piece made

me realize just how afraid I had been for both of our safety.

Amy smiled brightly. “Hey.”

“Hey. Are you all right?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. I crashed in Danni’s room last night.” She

looked between Camila and me. “Cleo said you slept down here.”

“Yeah. I did,” I muttered. Come on, Amy. Go ahead. Embarrass

me in front of Camila.

She turned right back to Camila. “See, what did I tell you? Not

even a full day and she’s already teacher’s pet.” I took a deep breath

and reminded myself that starting a catfight in the middle of the

floor wouldn’t be a good idea.

Camila finished zipping a pair of dark skinny jeans. Her thick

thighs looked perfect in them. “Your roommate was telling me how

serious you are about your studies,” Camila said.

“I just want to do well. That’s all.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. There is a minimum GPA to

be in ABO, but I’m sure Amy knows that as well.” She winked at me

before pulling on a red tank top. “I’ll show you out.”

Camila led us down a different hallway to an elevator. She

told us it led to a concealed walk-in space hidden inside the kitchen

pantry. We’d find Danni easily once we got there. The door opened

smoothly, and as soon as Amy and I were inside, Camila punched

in a series of numbers into a keypad on the wall. She backed out of

the doorway and waggled her fingers at us, flirting some more with

a flash of her fangs.

As soon as the doors closed, Amy was on me.

“Oh my God. Okay. Tell me now. What happened?”

“I’ll tell you when we get back to the dorm.”

“What? No. Tell me now.”

“No.” She followed my finger as I pointed to a small camera

mounted in the corner of the ceiling.

• 75 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Ugh. Fine, but when we get back to the dorm, you better

spill.” The door opened into the pantry in the kitchen. Danni was

there waiting for us, a perfect reason to keep quiet.

❖

“We have to lay out some ground rules.” Cleo paced around

the kitchen. The thirteen of us were lined up in front of an enormous

breakfast buffet. My stomach was trying to eat itself, but we weren’t

getting anywhere near the mountains of croissants and cubed melon

until Cleo was finished. Danni, Barb, and Paige sat on the counter

by the fridge, stern looks plastered on their faces.

“There are two ways to get kicked out of Alpha Beta Omega.

The first way is to talk about what goes on on the bottom floor of

Alpha Beta Omega. You do not mention our sister-queens to anyone.

Not your friends, not your mom, not your editor. Outside of this

house, they don’t exist. You talk and you’re out. You talk to the

wrong person and Camila will have you killed. Benny, am I lying?”

“No, Cleo,” Benny replied quietly.

“Are we clear?” Cleo asked.

“Yes,” we responded together.

“Good. Now here are a few other things you should remember.

Curfew is nine o’clock. Every night. During the week, if you’re not

at work or on campus studying, you’re here at the house or you’re

in your dorm room, studying. On the weekends, it doesn’t matter

where you are, you check in at nine o’clock. Is that clear?”

“Yes.”

“At nine p.m., you text someone, you call someone and tell us

exactly where you are. What time should we hear from you?”

“Nine p.m.”

“Excellent. Not nine-oh-one, not nine-oh-two. Nine. If you

are out after nine and you are walking back to your dorm, you will

call one of us first and someone will escort you.” I think that bit

applied to all of us. We were all freshman, and Maryland University

didn’t let freshman keep cars on campus. “A few of us might come

meet you or one of the OBA boys will. I know you are all strong,

• 76 •

Better Off red

independent women, but this is a big campus in the middle of a big

city. Even I don’t walk around at night alone. That brings me to the

next item on the list. Boys.”

I could feel Amy beside me trying not to giggle.

“You can date whoever you want. Yeah, things get a little freaky

when the sister-queens feed, but not all of us like to bump clit twenty-

four seven. I know I do, but that’s not the point. Date whoever you

like. Come back here with VD and you’re out. As of last night, we

know you’re all clean. It should stay that way. The sister-queens

cannot contract our diseases, but we play together too much to be

giving each other the clap. Plus, that’s just fucking gross.”

That time, I laughed. Cleo ignored my weak attempt to make it

sound like a cough.

“Until you move into this house, which you are all allowed to

do next semester, you are not allowed down into the sister-queens’

quarters unescorted. This is our playhouse, that space is their

permanent home, and you will respect it. Is that understood?”

“Yes.”

“The rubies around your neck do not come off. Consider it your

Med-Alert bracelet. If you get hurt, hit by a car, fall down some

stairs, drink yourself half to death at Chi Nu house, you’ll be taken

to a hospital that is bound to our sister-queens. Seriously, don’t take

it off. If you know your turn to feed is coming up, do not drink

or take any illegal substances. Our sister-queens can taste it in our

system and I’ve been told it makes our blood taste like piss.”

Just then a short, wide Hispanic woman waddled into the

kitchen. Her hair was cut close to her head and dyed an unnatural

yellow. She sidled right up to Cleo who draped her arm around the

woman’s chubby shoulders.

“This is Florencia. She’s our housemother. She’s not here

to cook for you. She’s not here to clean up after you. She speaks

English when she feels like it. If she likes you, she might ask you to

join her in a game of Hearts. If she doesn’t, just stay out of her way.”

Florencia jabbed Cleo in the stomach and muttered something

in Spanish I couldn’t understand. My Spanish was decent, but she

was speaking too softly.

• 77 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Okay, okay. The university says we have to have a housemother,

but we don’t exactly need one. Flor used to feed Omi’s maker and

we love her to bits. And it’s funny to watch the other housemothers

try to be PC around her. But seriously, don’t get on her nerves. She’s

good people.”

“Buenos días,” Florencia muttered to us before she shuffled

away. Danni hopped off the counter and grabbed a black bag. I

remembered it from the day before. She and Paige walked down the

line and started handing us our cell phones as Cleo rattled off the last

of her instructions.

“Eat your breakfast, make whatever calls you need to make.

Ginger, text your brother and tell him you’re not dead.” Amy did

giggle then. “We’re hitting the spa in an hour.”

No one said anything; they just lined up at the buffet and started

scrolling through their phones. I wasn’t going to be the only one to

tell Cleo I already had plans.

“Crap,” I muttered. I had to call my lab partner Greg and cancel.

I had two texts—one from Mom telling me she was glad I’d

decided to join a sorority, and one from Todd saying he hoped I got

lucky. Considering the rules Cleo had just laid out, I’d have to tell

him no. He’d start asking questions and then I’d have to make some

stuff up and then he’d ask more questions.

I checked my voice mail. There was only one and it was from

Greg. He sounded like crap.

“Hey, Ginger. It’s Greg. I had some shit come up today. Let me

know if you can meet up tomorrow. Later.”

I shot him a text letting him know I was busy too and we could

reschedule for tomorrow.

I loaded my plate and headed into the dining room. The table

had been set just for the thirteen of us. I took a seat next to Amy

and Benny sat on my other side. Then we all took a few minutes

to reintroduce ourselves. As we went around the table, it was clear

most of us had nothing much in common. We repeated our names,

threw out information about our majors and where we were from,

but there was still a nervous vibe among the group. We were all the

• 78 •

Better Off red

new kid and Cleo had left us without a teacher. We were silent for

a few moments before Samantha, our spy from the school paper,

decided she’d held her tongue long enough.

“Anyone want to tell me what the fuck we just signed up for?”

Her tone was light enough that we burst out laughing. Part of it was

nerves and part of it was from the fact that, just like Samantha, we

all couldn’t believe how the past twenty-four hours had turned out.

We’d accepted invitations to join a sorority. None of us had dreamed

we’d be greeted by a coven of female vampires. We were bound to

them for the next four years, and I think, to the race as a whole, for

the rest of lives. Not the Friday night any of us planned for.

When the laughter died out, I was surprised at who spoke up

first. “They don’t want to hunt us.” Benny took a bite of bacon. She

chewed a few bites before she continued. “It varies from country to

country. Culture to culture. Here, it’s easiest to get to us this way. A

sorority is an easy cover.”

“So what happens now?” Ruth asked. She was bound to the

sister-queen, Faeth.

“Same thing they told us last night,” Mel, a Puerto Rican girl

who belonged to Tokyo, said, looking to Benny. “We’re in a sorority

now. Everything’s normal but the feedings, right?”

“Right. We feed them and we get our degrees,” Benny said

before she bit into a muffin the size of a softball.

Anna-Jade’s tiny voice squeaked from the end of the table,

“They meant what they said last night…they won’t hurt us?”

“No. They won’t. These vampires have taken an oath stronger

then the pledge we made. If they take advantage of us in any way,

they are terminated immediately. There are homicidal demons out

there, but they won’t bother us. The sister-queens’ scents are all over

us now. Plus, our necklaces. They know better than to cross Camila.”

“How’d you get so smart?” Samantha asked. I wasn’t so

amused with the tone she was taking with Benny.

“Your dad’s one of them, right?” Laura asked.

“My step-father. He oversees the vampires north of the equator,

between Greenland and Alaska. The seat of power is in Asia though,”

Benny said.

• 79 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“What happened to your real dad?” Anna-Jade asked. I’d been

thinking the same thing.

“He was my step-father’s main contact in the White House.

He’d planned to blackmail a group of vampires in China. After he

was disposed of, my step-father took my mother and me in.”

“You don’t sound too sad about that,” Samantha said.

“I’m not. He wasn’t a good man.” Benny left it at that.

“What happens after graduation?” Amy finally spoke up.

“You go on with your life, feeding another vampire wherever

you decide to live. I don’t know if you noticed, but they picked a

diverse group for a reason. None of us would hang out normally. No

more than two of us share a major. When we graduate, we’ll go off

to different places and work with vampires in different fields. Each

of the sister-queens only needs to feed from three of us, but they

take on six at a time to bring more feeders into their world. This is

all just to prepare us to share our lives with them. To show us how

to live with the secret.”

It got quiet again, all of us letting what Benny had just said

sink in.

“It’s easier this way. They will feed no matter what. It’s better

if they trust us and we trust them. No one gets hurt that way and we

both can exist,” Benny added as a final note.

It had been hard to believe Camila, but I knew Benny was

telling the truth.

“So why’d you sit out last night?” Samantha looked pointedly

at Benny. “Not into the lady loving like the rest of us?”

“Hey. Back off,” I snapped. Benny was giving us a lot of useful

information. What did it matter if she wasn’t into the group sex

scene? Samantha had no reason to be a bitch.

Benny replied calmly, ignoring my attempt to defend her.

“Because as kind as they are to us, I don’t believe in having sex with

people I barely know.” She kept her voice low and even, but she

didn’t back down. “It has nothing to do with my sexual preference.

I can serve Camila and the other sister-queens without fucking them

or any of you. We all can. They love us for our sacrifice, and if we

get to know them better, they will like us as friends.”

• 80 •

Better Off red

She looked directly at Samantha. “Natasha has had close to one

hundred and eighty lovers since this house was built. Her husband

is the King of Omega Beta Alpha. His name is Rodrick, if you were

wondering. The feeding is a necessity. The orgasm is a bonus. The

sex is for you to brag about. We all feel affection for our sister-

queens, but it’s part of the blood bond we all agreed to last night.

Nothing more. Thinking it can be something more is a waste of

everyone’s time.”

That shut all of us up. Benny was completely right. The

agreement we’d struck made sense. We work with the vampires;

they don’t kill us for sport. But the sex was a whole other issue. I’d

enjoyed my night with Camila, but I didn’t know her at all. I didn’t

know how many lovers she’d had. I didn’t know if she was married.

Natasha was just as involved in the sexual escapades as the rest of

us, and we didn’t know a thing about her personal life.

I’d been seduced thoroughly, but like Benny, I wanted

something more than to be Camila’s one hundred and eighty-first

plaything, and when the time came, I’d never intended on sharing

my first girlfriend with thirty-six other people. I’d thought I wanted

to experiment, get some clarity, but that wasn’t true. I wanted

something special with one special girl. And I wouldn’t get that

from Camila or anyone else in Alpha Beta Omega. No matter how

much I wanted her.

Benny broke the silence once more. “Sex complicates things

for humans. Not for them. Why do you think we’re free to date?

They don’t want us to get attached to them that way. I’d hate to fall

in love with one of the sister-queens seeing as how they’ve already

prepared to let us go in four years. I’ll stick to the sidelines, thanks.”

And with that kick in the gut, Cleo entered the room.

“Benny. Come here a sec,” she called from the doorway. Benny

stood and walked out of the dining room on Cleo’s heels. The rest of

us finished our breakfast in silence.

• 81 •

• 82 •

Better Off red

Chapter five

Between Benny’s information bomb and where and how I’d

woken up this morning, I had to rethink my approach to

my role in the sorority and my relationship with Camila. I knew

my vampire blood had been the main reason Camila had pulled me

aside, but the other girls had no clue why I’d been the only one to get

the queen to myself. I wasn’t going to bring it up. Amy had already

razzed me for spending the night alone with Camila. Would the rest

of the girls think I was trying to weasel my way into her favor, her

bed, and her heart?

Aside from Samantha, I liked my sisters in Greekness. We

were obviously in this together, for good. I knew a thing or two

about cattiness and jealousy. Cozying up with Camila seemed like

the perfect way to set myself up as an ass-kissing target for both. As

I finished my meal, I decided that last night was the last time I would

put myself in that sort of situation with Camila. From now on, I

would focus on getting to know the other girls better, on making

new friends. And on putting up with Samantha.

Thirty minutes or so later, we were loaded into a black limo

bus, probably the same bus that had brought us to the house. It had

been a relief to see the top floors of the ABO house again. It was

fantastic to be outside in the mid-September sun, breathing some

fresh Baltimore air.

I took my seat next to Amy, and we chatted about how much

longer we’d be forced to wear all white. I looked up when the bus

grew strangely quiet.

• 83 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Benny walked down the aisle and took her seat next to me.

When she’d left the dining room, her hair looked liked the aftermath

of a bomb going off in a very long brunette rat’s nest. Now her

coffee brown locks were amazingly straight. The acne that had

riddled her face was magically gone. I imagined it was the same

below the neck. We all stared at her for a minute. She ignored us and

started playing a game on her cell phone.

Cleo and Danni hopped on the bus and the driver pulled away

from the house. Amy and I picked up our conversation, moving

on to what Amy was going to tell her mom now that she officially

wasn’t going to be a Xi O. I listened for a few moments, but then I

had to take a crack at Benny.

I glanced across the aisle. Laura and Anna-Jade were in their

own world. Mel was staring out the window, and Ruth and Ebony

were talking animatedly about the one professor they shared, a

college algebra teacher who wore his pants up around his nipples.

Samantha was staring right at Benny, but I had a feeling Sam’s

hostile attitude wasn’t going to change anytime soon.

“You’re looking a little different,” I said. I felt Amy inch a bit

closer to me, straining to hear Benny’s response.

“Their blood has healing properties. Camila offered to let me

take from her, so I said okay.”

“Your step-dad wouldn’t feed you before?” Amy asked.

“Would you ask your step-dad if you could take from his

wrist?”

“Good point,” Amy and I both muttered. We were quiet for a

moment before I patted Benny on the knee. “Well. You look good.”

“Thanks, Ginger.”

❖

As we got closer to the spa, Cleo and Danni made us all

memorize the address and the phone number of the Alpha Beta

Omega house for emergencies. Then they explained how the rest

of our weekend would go. Our mandatory morning of pampering

would be followed by a few hours we’d have to ourselves. We could

• 84 •

Better Off red

head back to the ABO house, go to our dorms, whatever. We had

to be back by seven to get ready for a formal mixer with the boys

from Omega Beta Alpha. I’d expected some of the other girls to

be excited about meeting them, but they took the news with casual

amusement.

For the rest of the sororities and fraternities on campus,

initiation lasted eight to twelve weeks. Our initiation ended

sometime around dawn that morning, a blood bond making all the

other Greek traditions seem a little lame. We still had activities and

chapter meetings to attend. Sunday would be ours, but our Friday

nights and Saturdays belonged to Alpha Beta Omega. We had to

make it look like we were going through the process just like the

other Greek organizations.

When we arrived at the spa, we were put back in our line and

shuffled off two by two to see the estheticians. Even if they weren’t

all that invested in us emotionally, the sister-queens preferred our

lady parts bare. We all snickered at the shrieks of pain coming from

inside the room and offered our condolences for the pubes that had

fought the good fight.

A chubby woman with light brown hair and too much eye

makeup helped me onto the table then showed me my options for

designs. I seriously wanted to kick myself. When she asked me

which I liked the best, Camila immediately popped into my mind.

I wondered, just for a second, which was a second way too long,

what she would like to see the next time we were together. But there

wasn’t going to be a next time. That was the perfect reason for me to

push any thought of what Camila might like out of my head.

I liked the idea of maintaining a little proof I was a natural

redhead, so I decided against the full Brazilian. I went back and forth

between the straight landing strip and a plain triangle. They actually

offered a heart-shaped design that could be dyed pink on request.

I held up my necklace. “Can you do a landing strip shaped like

this?”“Like a teardrop?” she asked. I nodded. “Of course.”

She stirred the hot wax, and I did a pretty good job of not

making any weird animal-like noises when she poured it all over my

• 85 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

crotch—and along my ass. It hurt like hell, every single tear-jerking

yank, but it suddenly felt surprisingly light and breezy between my

legs. The woman gave me a mirror so I could examine her handiwork

upright. The leftover patch of hair looked so ridiculous I knew I’d

have to shave it off at some point. My pussy looked kinda nice. It

was a little swollen and blushed a bright red, but it was nice to see

what I was working with from that angle. It didn’t look half bad.

Blinding pain aside, I knew I’d be waxing from then on.

After a facial, a massage, and watching Danni and Amy make

out in the sauna for a good fifteen minutes, Amy and I decided to

head back to the dorm for a little while. She managed to keep it

together on her way up to our room. She’d been waiting all day

for me to spill about my night with Camila. We were finally alone

and I didn’t have the excuse of security cameras or eavesdropping

sorority girls to keep her questions at bay.

When we hit our hallway, Amy’s nosy questions took a

backseat. Our door was covered in red, black, and white decorations.

Our names were cut out in big red block letters around an even

bigger ABO cut out in black construction paper. The letters were

surrounded by white stars and hearts, glitter, confetti, and streamers

all over the slab of faux wood. It looked like a piñata threw up.

Amy laughed at my bug-eyed look. “This part is actually

normal. They decorate our room.”

“Oh. How long do we have to keep this up?”

“All semester,” she said as she unlocked the door. We stepped

inside and then we both stopped in our tracksuits.

Our beds were piled high with gift boxes and shopping bags.

“What the? Okay. I knew about the decorations, but I don’t

know what all this stuff is,” Amy said.

We glanced at each other for a moment before we tore into

the packages. Inside each bag and box, we found item after item

of Alpha Beta Omega swag. Under the tissue paper, I dug out four

different ABO T-shirts, in different arrangements of the sorority’s

colors. There was a vintage letterman’s sweater in black with an

enormous red “A” stitched to the rib with white thread. Custom ABO

sweats from Victoria’s Secret. Custom underwear and camisoles

• 86 •

Better Off red

from Victoria’s Secret. Three different hooded sweatshirts, a fleece

jacket, socks, a scarf, knit and baseball caps, key chains, a watch,

headbands and hair clips, plastic bracelets, and flip-flops, all in red,

black, and white. The only thing missing was a pair of Alpha Beta

Omega low-rise jeans.

There was a giant plush panther on my pillows wearing an ABO

collar. Between its paws was a paddle that Amy assured me was

just for decoration. The sizable piece of carved wood was decorated

with my name, the year, and of course, the letters ABO. Apparently,

we were supposed to hang it somewhere.

I couldn’t decide what my favorite piece of apparel was. It was

a toss-up between the letterman’s sweater and a T-shirt that read,

“Once you go red, white, and black, you never go back.” I had

the sneaky suspicion Cleo had something to do with that one. We

allowed ourselves a good half hour of girlie frenzy and then tried to

make some order out of our room.

“Are you going to sleep at the house tonight?” Amy asked.

“I guess.” I hadn’t planned on meeting up with Greg until after

lunch on Sunday. I could spend the night acting the fool with the

girls.“I’m sure there’ll be plenty of room in Camila’s bed.” Amy

poked her tongue out at me between her teeth.

“Probably. I won’t be sleeping there.”

“Why not?”

“Why would I?”

“Um, because Camila’s gorgeous and she wants you. Why else

would she have picked you out?” I didn’t think now was a good time

to tell Amy about my curious blood. I wanted to know more before

I talked to anyone about it.

“She sensed I wasn’t into the idea of joining a sorority even if

it’s all some elaborate ruse, so we just talked about that.”

“And then after you talked, you and Camila…”

“We watched you get it on with Danni and Paige and Barb.” I

turned around and grinned at her.

“Wait. You were there?”

“Uh, yeah.”

• 87 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“I didn’t see you.”

“Well, you were a little busy getting it on with Danni and Paige

and Barb.”

“Yeah.” Amy got quiet, nibbling on the inside of her lip. “I like

Danni a lot.” That explained the making out in the sauna.

“Did you tell her that?”

“No. I mean, I found out she’s not dating Paige. They just hook

up a lot, so at least she’s single. Officially, but…”

“What?”

“Ginger, I’ve only known her for five days and I’m over guys.”

“Whoa. It’s that serious?” I know it sounded like I was giving

Amy a hard time, but I wasn’t. She was pretty damn boy crazy. For

her to consider sleeping with a girl—I mean outside of the vampire-

induced group sex—was a big deal. Wanting to be in a relationship

with another girl was huge.

“I just—I know what Benny said was mostly about the sister-

queens, about them not wanting to get serious with us, but I’m afraid

to say something to Danni. What if she looks at us new girls the

same way? I’ll feel like a total idiot if she shoots me down.”

“I hate to say it, but you’ll never know until you try.”

“You’re right.” She took a deep breath then sat up straight.

“You’re right. I’ll talk to her tonight.”

“Good.” I turned to the closet and started hanging up my new

shirts.“So what happened after you watched Danni and me getting it

on?” Damn it. Changing the subject hadn’t made her forget.

“We went back to her room and then we fucked like crazy until

I passed out. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Yes. Thank you.” I turned back to the closet to avoid the smug

look on Amy’s face.

❖

Power naps were in order before we got in the Saturday night

line for the shower. Amy listened when I told her it would be dumb

to assume Camila wanted to spend the night with me again. She

• 88 •

Better Off red

might not even be around for the mixer. We’d had a blast together

the night before, but it was a one-time thing. I told Amy I’d let some

other girl in the sorority be Camila’s bed buddy. Amy laughed and I

cringed a little inside, hoping foolishly that Camila would decide to

spend the night alone if she couldn’t spend it with me.

Amy called Danni who told us Anna-Jade, Mel, Laura, and

Benny were planning on spending the night at the ABO house, sex

free. Then I texted Cleo and she texted me right back, telling me her

bed was big enough to sleep her, Benny, and me. A genuine slumber

party sounded like the perfect thing to keep my mind off Camila.

Even if she would be sleeping or working a few floors below.

Our outfits for the party were at the house waiting for us. The

limo bus was waiting for us downstairs at seven. When we climbed

on, Kyle, Ruth, and Laura were already joking about what we would

be forced to wear in front of the brothers of OBA.

“Ten to one, it’s white,” Kyle said.

“Twenty to one, Cleo doesn’t let us wear underwear,” Laura

added.

Once we were off the bus, we raced up the enormous staircase

and found our way to our big sisters’ bedrooms. Cleo and Danni

were waiting for Amy, Benny, and me with our red chiffon dresses.

The fabric was gorgeous and ran no risk of showing off our nipples

and newly manicured crotches.

The dresses were strapless, and mine fell just above my knees.

I didn’t need a bra thanks to the tight bodice, but Cleo had been nice

enough to lay out a few options of boy shorts and thongs. I risked

the thong and was very happy with the way it felt along my bare slit.

I did my own makeup while the girls descended on Benny.

After her hair had been tamed, it was easy to see how beautiful

her face was. She didn’t need much makeup, if any, but she didn’t

argue when Danni and Amy wanted to put a few curls in her hair.

She looked fantastic in her dress, and it was even more obvious why

she’d wanted to handle the acne situation on her back and shoulders.

Now her creamy pale skin was even and smooth. I was tempted to

touch her just to see if it was as soft as it looked. I kept my hands to

myself as I passed by.

• 89 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

I stood in the bathroom putting the finishing touches on my

mascara, when Camila appeared in the mirror behind me. She

looked beautiful. Her strapless chiffon gown was black and went

all the way to the floor. An elaborate web of diamonds and rubies

hung around her neck. Her lips were bright red again, and her eyes

sparkled their heart-stopping shade. I whipped around to face her.

“What are you doing here?” I asked like a total idiot.

“Well, technically, this is my house. It’s nice to see you too.”

Her fangs gleamed in the vanity lights as she smiled at me. I felt my

face go hot and then blinked a couple times to clear my head of a

few fantasies that had just popped up.

“No. Sorry, I just—I wasn’t expecting to see you before the

party. I didn’t know if you were coming to the party at all.”

“I am. I brought a little something for my girls.” She held up a

small black box I hadn’t realized she was holding. She opened the

lid and showed me a pair of teardrop ruby earrings resting on the

black velvet.

“Oh, wow. Those are beautiful. You didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to.” She glanced at the bottle of mascara dangling

from my fingers. “I’ll let you finish up.” She put the earrings on the

counter then paused by the door. Her gaze trailed over my body as

her fang caught her bottom lip. I’d seen that look in her eye the night

before. She wanted to bite me. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

“Okay,” I breathed. Camila slipped out of the bathroom. When

I stopped trembling, I finished putting on my makeup.

❖

In the place of nametags that read “Hi. I’m new,” my fellow

initiates and I were given white roses to wear in our hair. The seven

of us who fed Camila were the last to head down the grand staircase.

Cleo said to me, “Camila will introduce you three around, and

then you’re free to mingle.” I nodded, trying my best not to trip on

my stilettos as we followed our queen into the buzzing crowd.

The guys from Omega Beta Alpha wore black suits with black

shirts and ties. The newcomers were set apart by their red ties and

• 90 •

Better Off red

the same anxious look we new girls couldn’t seem to shake. Gelled

spikes were in perfect place. Trimmed heads had sharply traced

edges. Every bit of facial hair, where there was some, was perfectly

manicured. We’d spent the morning at the spa. The boys had all been

to see a very professional barber. Apparently, onyx-plated dog tags

hung below their shirts, markers of exactly whom they belonged to.

Benny’s claim that we’d been chosen for our diversity was

reflected in the brothers of OBA. I didn’t bother to remember all

their names on the first go-round, but almost every ethnicity was

represented. Where the sister-queens seemed to embrace a wider

range of body types, the boys were all tall and in excellent shape.

The six brother-kings were easy to spot. They carried them-

selves in the same smooth, graceful manner that was anything but

natural to a human. Camila led us toward a man who was nearly

seven feet tall. His eyes were eerily blue, and his spiked hair was

a bottomless shade of black. He introduced himself as Rodrick, a

thick Russian accent coating his words. He didn’t bother explaining

his significance, but I’d remembered what Benny had said about

him at breakfast. This was the king of Omega Beta Alpha. And

Natasha’s husband.

Camila introduced Benny, Amy, and me. I didn’t look away

from his intense blue eyes until he began introducing the two

boys by his side. A baby-faced blond with soft brown eyes stood

to Rodrick’s right. His name was Micah. If Amy hadn’t been so

wrapped up in Danni, I’d have thought Micah would be right up her

alley. To Rodrick’s left was my lab partner, Greg. He cleaned up well.

I’d never noticed that his eyes were almost as green as mine. I had

never noticed him period. He was smart and hardworking, and we

both wanted to get an A in our lab. I knew better what the back of

his hand looked like holding a pen than what shade of pink his lips

were. He usually wore a ratty Cubs hat over his chin length curly

brown hair. He hadn’t cut the curls, but they’d been brushed behind

his ears. Greg was pretty hot. That wasn’t the reason I was staring at

him. He looked like he was about to throw up or cry.

• 91 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Ginger?” I glanced at Camila.

“Oh, sorry. I…ah…”

“I believe these two already know each other.” Rodrick smiled,

flashing an enormous set of fangs.

“Um, sorry. Yeah, Greg’s my chem lab partner,” I finally spit

out. “That’s wonderful,” Rodrick said. “Gregory’s very focused on

his studies. Maybe Ginger can convince him to get a little socializing

in.” “Good luck with that,” Amy muttered.

“Ginger takes her schoolwork seriously as well. Perhaps their

new brothers and sisters will be able to coax them both out,” Camila

said, slowly drawing her finger down my back. I held back a shiver

of pleasure and fought the urge to step closer to her.

We chatted with Rodrick and Micah for a few more minutes.

Greg stood by, only answering when asked a direct question. He was

always polite when he responded, but the whole time his body was

tense and he never smiled.

After an appropriate amount of small talk, Rodrick excused

himself to go find Natasha, and after a gracious “It was lovely to

meet you” to Micah and Greg, Camila let us off our leash. Benny

took off to find Cleo. Amy was eating her dust on a mission to find

Danni. I made a move to follow Greg to the bar, but Camila’s warm

fingers on my arm stopped me. I almost asked her what she needed,

what quick bit of advice she had for me before I ventured into the

crowd. Instead, I froze the moment I was locked in her trance.

Camila took a smooth step toward me, then she kissed me softly

on the lips. I knew instantly that she was labeling me as her property

in the midst of the crowded room. I should have stopped her from

marking me with her perfectly juicy lips. I should have been pissed.

I was already bound to her and the sisterhood. She had no right to

make a show of me being her pet. But the second I was surrounded

by her warm scent, I couldn’t find the will to fight her. My body

caught fire, starting at my mouth as she gently teased me with the tip

of her tongue. And then further down, my pussy throbbed, soaking

the thin strip of fabric between my legs.

• 92 •

Better Off red

When she pulled away, my eyes blinked open just in time to see

her nostrils flare as she raked the tips of her fangs and her tongue

across her bottom lip. Again, her lipstick didn’t smudge.

“Play nice with the other kids,” she said quietly. She looked

me over one more time before blending seamlessly into the crowd.

When I came back to myself, I’d lost track of Greg. I made my

way over to Anna-Jade who was standing by herself in the corner.

She’d set herself up in the perfect nook to people watch and gave me

a small wave as I walked over.

“You having a good time?” I asked.

“Yeah, it’s just a lot of people to meet in two days.”

“Yeah, no shit.” I was surprised when Anna-Jade actually

laughed.

Just then Greg and Micah strode over to us.

“Hey, I was wondering where you went,” I told Greg. Micah

answered for him.

“We were scoping out the kitchen. Yours is nicer than the one

at the OBA house. I’m Micah, by the way.” He held out his had to

Anna-Jade.

“Oh, my bad.” I didn’t know when I’d forgotten my manners.

“Micah, Greg, this is Anna—”

“A.J. My friends call me A.J.,” she said.

“It’s nice to meet you, A.J.,” Micah replied. Micah seemed like

an outgoing kind of guy. I wasn’t shocked by his end of their back-

and-forth. My jaw was on the floor because I was almost positive

our sheepish little A.J. was flirting.

“A.J., I think my friend here was hoping to have a word with

your friend. Would you like to join me on my quest for chips and

dip?” Micah asked. Anna-Jade blushed then nodded and tucked her

hand into Micah’s elbow. I chuckled to myself as they walked off,

but my mood dropped the moment I turned back to Greg.

“Can we go outside for a minute?” he asked. If he was trying to

keep something from Rodrick, I had a feeling we’d have to go to the

next county to keep from being overheard. Still, I led him toward the

front door. It was the illusion of privacy he wanted.

• 93 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Surrounded by the warm night air, I leaned against the porch

railing. Greg tilted his head back against the ornate brick and let out

a huge sigh.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“No. I’m not.” He took another deep breath and looked at me.

“How’d you get wrapped up in this shit? I didn’t peg you for the

sorority type.”

“My roommate tricked me. You could have said no, Greg.

What’s going on?” I refused to believe the guys of OBA hadn’t been

given the same chances to back out. The mood in the house was

pleasant all around, if not sexually charged. None of the new guys

seemed upset about how their initiation had turned out. They all

seemed downright happy. All of them but Greg. And then it clicked.

“They fed from you guys last night, didn’t they?”

Greg looked at his shiny new shoes, shifting uncomfortably.

I’d had my own issues with how instantly sexual our relationship

with the sister-queens had become. I could only imagine how a guy

like Greg, who was very straight, had felt when he thought back to

the previous night. He must have freaked out when he realized he’d

let a male vampire sink his fangs into his neck. He must have been

disgusted when he thought about how hard the feeding had made

him come. And that’s assuming Greg didn’t participate in the orgy

that had probably gone down.

Ignoring the other complications of our nonexistent relationship,

I loved the feeling of Camila’s hands on my body. I craved the grip

of her fangs on my throat. That was only after a few hours with her.

I was pretty sure I was gay. Greg was not.

“Greg, just tell Rodrick you want out. Or…” I thought for a

moment. “I know. Ask him if you can switch with one of us. A few

of the girls don’t care who they feed. I’m sure one of them would

love to feed Rodrick. Then when we graduate you can serve a female

vampire.” At least I thought he could.

“It’s not that simple, Ginger. I’m legacy. My dad was in the

Beta chapter at Carolina.” He gritted his teeth before looking back

up. He refused to make eye contact with me though. He looked over

my shoulder at the OBA house across the street.

• 94 •

Better Off red

“He just—he could have fucking told me. I mean, I get it. This

shit’s important. I’d rather help Rodrick out than have him offing

little kids every time he’s hungry. He’s a good dude. I just—”

“Wouldn’t have gone through with it if you knew?” His silence

gave me his answer. “I wouldn’t have either. Trust me.”

“So what the fuck do I do now? I mean Micah wasn’t into it.

Some of the guys were into it, but he didn’t fight it either. Fuck. I

don’t know if I can do this for four years.”

“Do you want me to talk to Camila? Maybe she can work

something out with Rodrick?”

“No. Ha!” Greg’s reaction was grim and a little crazed. “I don’t

want to be the one pussy who can’t hang.”

“Well, one of our girls refuses to participate in the sex part. I

know some things are unavoidable, but the sex isn’t a must.”

“Shit. I don’t know. I’ll think of something. Don’t say anything.

Rodrick’s probably using his X-ray vision to watch us through the

wall, but don’t go telling your friends or whatever.”

“I won’t. I promise.” I had my own secrets now, secrets my birth

mother could have shared with me before she died. I understood

why Greg was upset. “Listen, Cleo said we can still date and stuff.

Let’s go inside and find you a nice girl.”

“Yeah. Sounds great,” he muttered.

❖

For the most part, no one seemed to notice as we slipped back

into the house. Of course Camila locked eyes with me the moment

I closed the door. When she seemed satisfied I was where she could

see me, she focused back on her conversation with one of the other

brother-kings. He was tall, with a slighter build than Rodrick, with

long, light brown hair pulled back in a low ponytail. I think his name

was Pax.

Greg and I found Micah and Anna-Jade hanging out by the bar.

It was only serving soda, juice, and water. Samantha and Kyle had

their high beams focused on Greg. There was nothing I could do for

• 95 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

him right then and there, so when he was distracted enough with

their attention, I took off to find Amy.

As the party went on, I periodically scanned the room for Greg.

He and Samantha had made themselves comfortable on the couch.

I wouldn’t have handpicked her for him, but toward the end of the

night, she actually had him talking and laughing. I’d take that over

the helpless desperation I’d faced on the porch.

The whole night, I felt Camila’s eyes on me. It drove me nuts.

I made up my mind to ignore her. She may have been the reason for

the slow, aching burn between my thighs, but I wasn’t going to let

her know that. The power of her kiss didn’t negate Benny’s warning.

I refused to be another one of her meaningless, semi-nutritious

hookups. I enjoyed the rest of the night with the satisfaction of

knowing she wouldn’t get another crack at me, in bed at least.

A little before one a.m., Rodrick started sending the boys back

toward their house. Soon, Micah was the only one left.

“Micah, the young ladies need their rest. Miss A.J. will still

attend the university in the morning,” Rodrick said with a gentle

grin.“All right. I’m coming.” Micah leaned closer to Anna-Jade.

“I’ll hit you up later,” I heard him whisper. Her cheeks turned bright

red, and at least two other girls had to hold in their “aws” as she

waved a bashful good-bye.

Camila employed a maid service who would be there first thing

in the morning. Still, a bunch of us pitched in for a preliminary clean

up. The other sister-queens and a handful of the girls had returned

to the bottom floor. I had no idea where Camila had gone, but she

must have completed her Ginger surveillance for the night because

I didn’t see her anywhere.

I was the last one up the stairs, openly mocking Cleo for her

use of the word credenza, when I heard Camila call my name.

“Ah, teacher’s pet,” Cleo coughed. The other girls bit their

cheeks to hold in their comments. Gritting my teeth, I slowly turned

around. I felt like I had been caught sneaking back into my parents’

house after a late night of drinking in the woods.

• 96 •

Better Off red

Camila was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. The telling look

on her face didn’t make things any better. I carefully inserted my

foot in my mouth and decided to accept Camila’s offer before she

made it.

“Let me just grab my stuff,” I told her. We both ignored Cleo’s

snicker.

“I’ll be waiting in the pantry.” Camila gracefully strode away.

I cursed then walked to get my bag. I was sure to flip off Cleo and

Amy as I went.

❖

We made the trip to her place in silence. She watched me

the whole time, that sly grin glued to her lips. I excused myself to

change and take off my makeup. I nearly threw a hissy fit when she

made a move to stop me. I just wanted a second to get my mind

together. Good thing I’d bit my tongue because she’d only meant to

unzip my dress for me.

“Just leave it on the counter. I’ll have it dry-cleaned.”

I murmured my thank-you before slinking away.

I closed the bathroom door and considered banging my head

against the sink. How in the hell did I end up back in her room? I

was so spineless. I hadn’t even attempted to say no. Not a maybe

later or a not tonight. I stuck the apple in my own my mouth, right

beside my foot, then started basting myself for Camila’s amusement.

And after I changed, I’d wished I brought different pajamas.

I’d been anxious to try out my new ABO boy shorts and cami. I

turned to the side, looking at myself in the mirror. She hadn’t even

touched me and my nipples were straining under the stretch cotton.

The simple kiss she’d given me during the party had left me so wet

I could almost wring out the thong I’d been wearing.

I turned to the other side and ran my fingers over my stomach.

“I’d kill for a snowsuit or a chastity belt,” I muttered to myself.

“Now why would you do that?”

My heart jumped up into my throat. Camila stepped behind me

in the dimly lit bathroom. She had changed into another black tank

top/lace panties combo. She looked so good.

• 97 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“You have to stop doing that,” I said when I started breathing

again.“What? Coming into the bathroom?”

“Sneaking up on me.”

“I like that little noise you make when you’re surprised.”

“What noise?” I scowled at her.

“Don’t worry about it, Red. I want you to tell me something.”

I watched her hips as she walked over to me. Her smooth gait

reminded me of the shocking power hidden in those feminine curves.

When she reached me, she gently gripped my waist and placed me

on the counter in one effortless motion. Her strength took me by

surprise again, and it left me breathless.

“See. You made that noise.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

The lump in my throat went down hard as I looked at her full

lips. She had gotten rid of the lipstick, but her lips were still tinted

pink and they shined with some sort of unscented gloss. I wanted to

kiss her.

Slowly, her hands slid up my ribs. She gently guided my arms

up and around her shoulders. Her skin was so soft and warm it was

hard to believe she was the spawn of some demon race. She was too

gentle and so accessible. She tasted too sweet.

Camila slid in a little closer and my legs automatically wrapped

around her hips. I knew right then I was screwed. My body was

holding hers captive, but she had all the control. She had me. I

wasn’t going anywhere.

Her lips parted slightly as she looked me over. I caught a

glimpse of her sharp teeth.

“So tell me, why do you seem so embarrassed to be spending

the night with me?”

“I’m not embarrassed.”

Her head dipped and she gently nipped me on the shoulder.

My hips shifted all on their own, chasing some friction from

Camila’s body. Her arm wrapped around my back and she pulled

me closer, rubbing her stomach against my slit. I whimpered,

arching my body.

• 98 •

Better Off red

“I just want to fuck you again. I loved watching you come. I

don’t believe that’s something to be embarrassed about.”

“No,” I moaned. “It’s not.”

“You’ll stay with me tonight?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I’ve been thinking about your taste all day,” she said.

“Come to bed with me.”

She didn’t wait for my reply before she helped me slip off the

counter. We walked back to her bedroom, and I didn’t pull away

from her when she tried to hold my hand. There was no will to resist

her. I wasn’t thinking clearly at all. There was no use in denying

what I wanted. Camila got me so worked up, there was no flicker of

logic sparking in my brain. I wanted to touch her and I wanted her

to touch me.

When she laid me down on her bed, I pushed everything I’d

wanted in terms of a relationship, and everything Benny had told us,

out of my head. I’d focus on tonight and Camila and worry about

everything—school, Greg, my affected DNA—tomorrow. Now I

wanted the beautiful vampire queen to take the pleasure between

our bodies where we both wanted it to go.

Her deep gaze held mine as she prowled over my body. When

we were eye to eye, she kissed me. Her perfect tongue slid in and

out of my mouth with slow, penetrating strokes. Her cinnamon scent

surrounded me. If I could have lived off the flavor of her lips and

the juices from her tongue, I would have. The words I wanted to tell

her, the confessions of how she was making me feel, were lost in the

swirl of my senses. I couldn’t have ended the kiss to share them with

her, so I moaned deep in my throat. She smiled against my lips then

kissed me even deeper.

My body started to grind against her stomach. Camila took that

as her cue to pull away. I watched her, licking all trace of her off my

lips. She rose to her knees and hooked her fingers into the fabric at

my hips.

“Did you have fun today?” she asked softly.

I nodded in reply.

She pulled my underwear down my thighs and off my feet.

• 99 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Well, I’ll say.” She ran her fingers over my newly styled pubic

hair. “Very pretty.”

She gazed between my legs. Her lips parted again, and this

time her growing fangs kept her from closing them. A low purring

sound rumbled in her chest and my pussy clenched, soaking, aching

for her. Her nostrils flared and the purring grew slightly louder.

“God, Red.” Her palm came down on the juncture of my hip

and thigh, and she slowly ran her finger down the length of my slit.

My mouth fell open and I did my best to keep from arching off the

bed. My pussy tingled like crazy, dripping even wetter with each

gentle stroke.

Camila took her time driving me insane. I could hear myself

panting. I wanted her to hurry up and bite me. The sweet crushing

orgasm that came with the cool sting of her fangs was better than

any orgasm I’d ever given myself, undoubtedly better than any

orgasm anyone else could give me. But then there was the other part

of me that wanted Camila to go slowly. When I had the time and the

privacy, I liked working myself to the point where my clit ached and

throbbed. Finally giving in and letting myself come again and again

had always been the best reward for my patience. Camila made the

torture so much sweeter.

She dipped her thumb into my dripping pussy then drew my

juices up, spreading them around my clit. She was purposefully

avoiding the tip.

“And Cleo and the girls took good care of you?” she asked.

“Yes.” I bit my lip and moaned to keep from finishing my

sentence. The words but I still missed you almost tumbled out. I

was completely freaked out that the thought had even popped into

my head. It was true that I hadn’t experienced anything better than

Camila’s seductive touch, but the time we spent together was very

limited, and as I’d been reminding myself all day, meaningless.

Plus, I’d only known her for a little over twenty-four hours.

Saying I missed her just made me sound like a total nut bag. I

wouldn’t even bother considering whether it was true.

Camila had no problem fucking me, so I could fuck her and

go about my business. I wasn’t attached to anyone else, human or

• 100 •

Better Off red

vampire, and no one but Camila had caught my eye, so why couldn’t

I enjoy the time we spent together?

Her thumb swirled over my clit once more and my hips jerked

off the sheets. Enjoying wouldn’t be a problem.

“Red,” she whispered. I peeled my eyes open and stared at her

beautiful face as she slid onto her belly between my legs. “I’m going

to go slow.” All I could do was nod, swallowing a gasp as her thumb

pushed back inside me.

She worked my body at a brutal pace, taking her time as she

moved through different motions with her fingers and her palm. I

fought to keep my hips still. The moment I pushed back or tried to

ride her hand, I knew I would come. I wasn’t ready yet.

Finally, she lowered her head, her shoulders bunching. This

time she didn’t have to bite me. The moment her lips locked on to

my pussy, I came.

• 101 •

• 102 •

Better Off red

Chapter six

Instead of a sexy naked vampire, I woke up next to a tented

piece of white stationary. I grabbed the note Camila had left

me and I rolled onto my back. The sheets on her side of the bed were

cold. I shivered and rolled back into my pocket of warmth before I

opened the note.

Red, I’m right next door.

Her handwriting was swirly and feminine. For some reason, I

expected something more angular or maybe even typed. She didn’t

sign the note. A small heart was etched on the paper in the place

of her name. I stared at the little symbol for love, and my chest

fluttered a bit. I was in trouble.

Our second night together had been perfect. Better than the

first. I didn’t know it was possible to let yourself go that way, leave

yourself completely at the will of someone else. Every ounce of

resistance fell to the side. Camila took over, took every inch of me,

twice before we fell asleep and once more in the middle of the night.

There were sensations I never thought existed, positions I’d

never considered. And then there were the emotions, ones I wasn’t

ready to feel for anyone, ones I should never feel for her, that grew

stronger and stronger with every kiss and every touch. I was so

fucking screwed.

I was in love with Camila.

There was no falling about it. I’d packed my bags sometime

during the week, and last night I’d changed my address and moved

into the You’re Insane Manor.

• 103 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

I looked at the note again and imagined receiving hundreds

more like it, hopefully with heavier meaning and more thoughtful

or x-rated content. As if she would slip little pieces of paper in my

locker after study hall. I needed to get a grip. Before long, I’d be

imagining myself with her last name, if she had one.

I rubbed my neck where she’d bitten me. She had kept her

word. There was never any pain, and even now as I brushed my

fingers over the healed skin, my clit tingled. I wanted to equate that

feeling to the amazing sex Camila and I had, but it was more than

that. It was the way Camila made me feel when she kissed me, the

smile that touched her lips every time she called me Red. So many

things about her that I loved.

“You are mental,” I muttered. Then I got out of bed. I pulled

one of my new ABO shirts and a pair of sweats out of my bag. My

sanity kept her opinion to herself when I slipped Camila’s note in

the side pocket.

After I pulled my hair up, I went looking for Camila. I heard

her voice off to the left, from the one room of her underground

apartment I hadn’t seen. The door was open. I peeked around the

jamb and saw Camila pacing around, talking on her cell. She was

back in her uniform: the black tank top and undies. Bedhead never

seemed to affect her perfect black spikes that I had yet to run my

fingers through. Her lips looked soft and perfect.

She held out her hand, beckoning me across the room. My feet

carried me over to her immediately. I wanted to throw my arms around

her and nuzzle my cheek against her shoulder, the kind of stuff you do

first thing in the morning when you see someone you love.

Instead, our fingers intertwined and I felt her warmth spread

through me. My stomach flipped and I could feel the heat rising up

my face. Unless we were actually having sex, holding hands was

pretty much all we did. But I loved when she touched me, so I didn’t

see any reason to complain.

“No. I told him that was not okay…No. He cleans himself up

or he’s done,” she said. She held the phone away from her cheek and

kissed me softly on the lips. While we touched, I could faintly hear

some guy muttering on the other end. She took a small step back,

• 104 •

Better Off red

looking at our feet. I could tell she was pretty pissed at whoever she

was talking about, but there was still a gentleness to her tone.

“He’s useless to me in more ways than one, and there’s no way

I’m sending him to someone else…No, I took him off Faeth’s hands

as a favor on the terms that he wouldn’t feed again. I’m not running

a rehab.”

There was more muttering on the line. She shook her head with

a quick laugh then kissed me again.

“I’m not yelling at you. Don’t worry about it. This is not your

problem. Thank you for telling me, and I’ll handle it. How was last

night?”

I finally peeled my eyes off her gorgeous face and gave my-

self a chance to look around the office. She let go of my hand,

and I strolled across the cool hardwood floor. There were shelves

and shelves lined with books, everything from old leather-bound

volumes to brightly colored paperbacks. There were trinkets on

every available surface.

Figures of round-bellied fertility goddesses in different stones

and sizes lined the top of her bookshelves. Between her volumes of

poetry and seven versions of the Bible was what looked like the first

soccer ball ever stitched together. On a low sideboard near the door

sat three long black feathers tied together with a yellow ribbon, the

fragile leaves of a dried palm frond, a raw ruby the size of my head,

an antique tea set, and an ashtray from Colonial Williamsburg.

There was no real theme to the decorations, just evidence she

was the type of person who kept things that interested her or had

meaning. And maybe that she’d been alive for a very long time.

There was only one piece of art. A graffiti mural covered the

wall opposite her bookshelves. Bright swirls and blocks transformed

the space from floor to ceiling. In the center, the mash of colors

came together around a smooth black and gray portrait of Camila.

Her eyes were cast down, and there was a bright red rose in her hair.

It captured every detail of her beauty and more emotion than I’d

seen from her in the little amount of time we’d spent together.

I couldn’t hold in the “Wow” that whispered through my lips.

I turned around and found Camila grinning at me.

• 105 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Kina did it,” she said, nodding at the painting. I turned back

and stared at the details in the image. It was amazing.

I spun slowly and did a final sweep of the room. On the far wall

three computer monitors were set up on her long desk. I took a few

steps forward, being a little nosy. I held in a laugh when I looked at

the first screen. Camila was shopping for more books online. It was

adorable to think of her doing something so normal like partaking

in online retail therapy. The others showed a few dozen split screen

videos captured from various security cameras.

I looked at the gray images of an empty storefront, a busy hotel

lobby, and a short man covered in tattoos sitting in a small office.

The phone up to his ear made me think he had Camila on the line. I

glanced at the other monitor and saw images from around the ABO

house. Cleo’s Honda and Danni’s beat-up Jeep were parked in the

back among the other cars. The elevator was empty. Florencia sat in

front of the TV with Kate, Jordan, and Ruth, drinking coffee.

Upstairs was relatively quiet. Most of the girls were still asleep.

Julia and Georgiana were passed out in Julia’s bed. There was an

early morning gab session going on in Cleo’s room. Benny was

there, cuddled up with Cleo under her comforter. Amy and Danni

were both squeezing into Cleo’s papasan chair. Anna-Jade was

passed out at the foot of the bed wrapped in an ABO fleece blanket.

They all had that rumpled from sleep look, but they were laughing

at something Cleo was saying.

I wanted to feel left out, but I didn’t. Not when Camila’s arms

wrapped around me. She’d gotten off the phone without me noticing.

“Did you sleep well?” she murmured against my cheek.

I nodded and then asked, “Are there cameras in every room?”

“Yes. Just making sure my girls are safe. Last spring, the boys

from Iota planned to ‘kidnap’ a member of every sorority. They

were supposed to give Florencia a warning, but they didn’t. The

footage of their botched break-in was the only thing that kept me

from pressing charges.”

“Who’d they get?”

“Nobody. Jordan caught wind of it and told everyone. It took

them ten minutes to get in, and the house was empty.”

• 106 •

Better Off red

My eyes drifted back to the shot of the girls in Cleo’s room.

Kyle and Mel wandered into the room just as Anna-Jade had rolled

over. “Do you want to join them?” Camila’s lips softly brushed my

neck.“Not right now.”

Camila reached across the desk and pressed the speaker button

on a regular looking office phone. Considering the computer setup,

I was a little shocked she didn’t have something a little more high

tech. She pressed “four,” and it started to ring. A few seconds later,

I saw Cleo pick up a phone next to her bed.

“Helloooo,” she drawled.

“Do you ladies have plans for this morning?” Camila asked.

“I think we’re going to hit up the cafeteria in a little while and

then go to the library.”

“How long is a little while?”

“Maybe an hour or so.” Cleo gently poked Anna-Jade through

the sheets with her toe. “A.J. was on the phone with Micah until five

this morning. We’re going to let her sleep for a while before we go.

Why? Does Ginger feel like rejoining us day dwellers?” I watched

Amy on the monitor as she leaned toward the phone.

“Hi, Ginger!”

“You want to roll with us, Ginge?” Cleo asked.

“Yeah. I have to meet Greg.” We agreed I would meet them in

an hour and a half before we said our good-byes. When Camila hung

up, I watched as Cleo said something to the girls. They all burst out

laughing. I knew they were making fun of me for being teacher’s pet

and all, but whatever. I couldn’t bring myself to care. I’d just bought

myself more time with Camila. If things kept up this way between

us, there would be plenty of chances for Cleo to give me crap for

hanging out with Camila.

I looked back to the image of the empty elevator.

“Are there cameras in every room down here?”

Camila slid in closer, pressing the curve of her hips against my

body. I swallowed, pressing back. Her breath came out raggedly as

she replied.

• 107 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Of course. For my sister-queens’ protection. They still

have their privacy, but what’s stored here is more important for

reassurance.” Camila reached over and grabbed the mouse. It took

a few clicks to find the right file and cue it up to the right time. The

camera above Camila’s bedroom door was hidden, but the angle of

the lens captured the whole room. The whole bed.

It was strange to see myself asleep, but not strange enough to

quash the heat that rushed over my skin as I watched Camila’s body

between the sheets, close to mine. The covers were pulled up to our

shoulders. I still remembered drifting off, the feeling of Camila’s

fingers pressed against my stomach.

And the next second she was gone. I gasped as the sheets on

the screen fluttered flat, covering the spot where Camila had been. I

had woken up alone not even ten minutes ago, and I was in her arms

now, but something about seeing her vanish, how quick and easy it

was for her to disappear, left me hollow. I watched myself roll onto

my back. Even in my sleep, I grimaced, sensing my loneliness.

“Where’d you go?” I asked.

“Not far, Red. See.” And at that moment Camila walked back

into the frame. She had her cell phone pressed to her ear. “Rodrick

was simply checking in.”

The proof that she hadn’t abandoned me calmed my shaky nerves.

Her lips brushing against my cheek started my breathing again.

On the screen I watched her take a seat on the end of the bed.

She gently lifted the sheets and began caressing my legs. My sleeping

self took a deep breath and relaxed against the pillow. A few seconds

later, Camila ended her call and tossed her phone onto the dresser.

Then she crawled between my legs, under the covers. My eyes traced

the path she took underneath the silky black fabric until the outline of

her head and shoulders reached the tops of my thighs.

My body tensed the moment her head dipped lower, on the

screen, and there in her office, standing in Camila’s arms. I didn’t

remember the first strokes of her tongue, but I could feel it now

along with the tips of her fangs, dragging down my neck.

My shirt was pulled up and over my head just in time for me to

see myself wake up on the computer screen. The night before, I had

• 108 •

Better Off red

gently grasped Camila’s shoulders, rolling my hips. Now I gripped

the edge of the desk as she moved me to step out of my sweats.

On the monitor, my head pitched back into the pillow. There in

the office, she rose behind me and found my hard nipples with her

warm fingers. There was no sound on the video so I knew the moan

I heard in my ears was echoing off the walls and the wood floor and

not coming from the speakers of her computer.

She played with me forever, only touching my breasts with

her hands, refusing to go any lower. That didn’t stop my clit from

throbbing as I watched myself coming on the screen.

I remembered how the orgasm had brought me fully awake,

how I’d whimpered her name. But that hadn’t been enough to stop

her from licking and sucking. My thigh went up over her shoulder,

and I remembered the feeling of her tongue thrusting into my pussy.

A shiver ran through me now as my core clenched and dripped.

“Ginger, do you want me to make you come?”

“Yes,” I whispered. “Please.”

“Why don’t I take you in the shower and you can come all over

me. Would you like that?” she replied with a deep, lusty growl.

“Yes.”

Camila turned me in her arms. I saw that same fierce burning I

was oddly starting to crave light up her eyes. A sudden bashfulness

tackled me out of nowhere and I gave in to the urge to cover my

boobs with my arms. She was just so sexy and so beautiful and

powerful. Of course I wanted her again, but I was nervous about

what would happen next.

We’d hopped the fence from the area of playful experimenting

I’d been hoping for and skipped right into porn territory. Not

somewhere I ever thought I’d go. And then there were those pesky

love feelings that only seemed to intensify as she looked at me.

I knew she could eat me alive, and this weird part of me almost

wanted her to. I wanted to give her everything, and that scared me

even more.

Cautiously, like prey easing its way to safety, I passed her and

took a few steps closer to the door.

“Go,” she said with a soft pat to my ass.

• 109 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

I walked faster into the lounge but stopped when I felt her lagging

behind. When I turned, she had just crossed through the doorway of

her office and was shedding her tank top and her underwear.

Camila bent to pull the black panties off her foot. That delicious

smile flashed across her mouth as she licked her bottom lip. “Don’t

worry. I’m still coming.” She straightened and looked me slowly up

and down.

“Do you want me to chase you?”

“No,” I blurted out. “I’m not a tease.” But I might be a little

afraid you might disappear again, I wanted to say, but I bit my

tongue. I wanted her close, no space in between us, for as long as

possible. The sun and school would separate us soon enough.

Camila came toward me and cupped my face. I sighed into her

mouth as she kissed me. God, the way she kissed should be illegal.

It wasn’t right or fair to unleash that kind of perfect, brain melting

technique and that taste into someone’s mouth. When she pulled

away, I realized my pussy wasn’t just wet; the insides of my thighs

were soaked.

Her nostrils flared.

“No, Red. You surely are not a tease.”

She turned me again so I was facing the bathroom then wrapped

her arms around my waist.

“Is this better?” she asked, nuzzling her chin against my

shoulder, pressing her breasts against my back.

“Yes, it is,” I managed to say.

Her feet staggered on either side of mine, Camila shuffled us

into the bathroom, keeping her arms tightly around me. She flicked

on the lights and then maneuvered us over to the shower. Under the

hot spray, I turned my face to her, struck silent by just how hot she

looked covered in water with her dark spikes slicked back. I wanted

to lick her all over.

She pulled me close and kissed me again, letting her hands

wander all over my back and further down to my ass. I let her go

wild, wanting her to touch me everywhere, aching even more as she

pressed herself against me. Feeling her hot slickness and the firm

ridge of her clit almost sent me over the edge.

• 110 •

Better Off red

The full curve of her thigh slid between my legs while she

guided my arms up and around her shoulders.

“Hold on to me,” she said into my ear. I slid my palms further

down her back and let my fingers grip her soft skin. She leaned back

slightly, taking both our weight as if balancing another person on

her thigh was no big deal. I gasped and tried to pull away. I know

she’d picked me up before, but she hadn’t held me up. That didn’t

sound like it would be much fun for her. Plus, breaking her ankle or

my face against the black tile was not the kind of shower sex I had

in mind.

“No,” she breathed. “Come on me.”

I blinked, licking away some of the water rushing over my lips.

I’d already given her my heart, whether she knew it or not, and

she had settled me on the counter the night before like I weighed

nothing at all. Maybe I could trust her lower body strength. I leaned

back into her and my clit thanked me with several sharp twitches

once I settled my weight back on her thigh. With our bodies melded

together, head to toe, a rush of air left my lungs.

“Yes, Like that.” She purred deeply, her chest puffing in and

out against mine. “Don’t worry. I can hold you, Red.”

My body starting swaying on its own, rocking against her as

she held her legs perfectly still. Her lips and her hands, though, were

very busy. She threaded her fingers through the base of my ponytail

and lightly gripped the back of my head then set about torturing me

with light passes of her tongue and her fangs along my neck. I lost it

when she nipped my skin.

I came. Not as much as my body wanted to, but enough to

make me jerk and shudder against her body, enough to make me

want so much more.

Camila chuckled and licked my jaw. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I—I want—”

“More?”

“Yeah.” I nodded before going after her lips. She kissed me

back, sucking my tongue into her mouth.

That’s when things got interesting. That’s when she spread me

open.

• 111 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Camila’s fingers slid down behind me. Slowly, she began

slipping her finger in and out of my pussy. The feeling of her gentle

thrusts drove me forward, and I continued to press myself against

her leg, grinding my already throbbing clit harder against her body.

That should have been enough to make me explode all over again.

I wanted to, so badly, but Camila seemed to be keeping me just

far enough away from that point, pushing me just enough that I

wouldn’t let go.

Her finger pulled back, dragging a trail of my juices up to my

asshole. She’d barely touched the puckered surface, but I tensed,

pulling away slightly.

“Camila,” I protested weakly. I didn’t want things to stop

altogether, I just—

“Shhh,” she whispered, trailing soft kisses across my lips and

my cheeks. “Remember what I told you? No pain. Only pleasure.”

“Okay, but I’ve never—”

“I know, Red,” she murmured, sliding her finger into my pussy

again. She added another and another, working me up all over again.

This time when her hand slipped a little higher, my body didn’t

resist. I wanted to come too much. I was way too high to even ease

back down.

She pushed in gently, easing just the tip of her finger inside me.

She was right. It didn’t hurt at all. Just the opposite. The pressure

nailed me right at the height of my slit. A violent shudder spread

over my belly and down through my kneecaps. I surged forward and

back, harder and faster, as fast as I could while our bodies were still

connected. Her finger slid in deeper and deeper.

Suddenly, there was a small prick of pain. I gasped and winced

a little, but she held me tightly, distracting me more with her kisses

and purrs, and the pain started to fade.

I could tell she was close. Camila’s nips and licks were

becoming needy. I had no idea if she’d fed before I woke up, but

she definitely wanted to bite me now. I could feel the tips of her

fangs just before our tongues would meet. My blood probably

wouldn’t help with any legit craving. Still, maybe it would give her

something she needed.

• 112 •

Better Off red

I craned my neck to the side and offered her my throat, letting

the hot shower spray rain down on my face. She hesitated a moment.

Her finger stilled inside me. Her fangs extended all the way, ready

to strike.

“Red,” she groaned.

“Do it,” I murmured, grinding down as hard as my body could

stand on her thigh. She snapped, her finger plunging as far as it

could go as her fangs broke my skin.

Her name came out of me as a high-pitched scream, and I

soaked her already slick thigh, my thick wetness coating her skin.

She trembled against me, sucking harder for a few more moments

before she licked the puncture wounds closed.

Her finger eased out and she slowly righted us both, cradling

my head against her neck. I kissed her beating pulse point, trying to

catch my breath.

“Better?” she asked then kissed my shoulder.

I swallowed, soaking in the gentle strokes of her other hand

through my hair. My ponytail had fallen loose somewhere along the

way.“No. My legs are broken and I can’t see. I think you ‘repaid

me’ plenty.”

Camila kissed the corner of my mouth. “Not even close, Red.

Not even close.”

❖

We walked to the elevator hand-in-hand. Camila was trapped

inside for another eight hours, at least. I had a ton of studying to get

done, but the last thing I wanted to do was leave her.

“I have to be downtown a few nights this week, but any time

you spend the night here, you’re welcome to spend the night with

me,” she said.

“Is that a formal invitation?”

“It is, Red. You might not be much for my health, but you’re in

me now. You set foot in that front door and I’ll know. You stay past

bedtime, and I’m coming to get you.” The gold in her eyes glowed

as a deep purr came from her throat.

• 113 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Okay, that was creepy.”

“Sorry.” Camila laughed. It was a warm, apologetic sound, but

she couldn’t joke like that, being what she was. “But I can sense you.”

“Maybe next time we can actually talk. I want to know more

about your creepy powers,” I said.

“And yours.”

“Mine? No. I’ve been thinking about it, and beside my

hypersensitive taste buds and my preference for chicken over fish,

there have been no perks to having demon blood in my system.”

“I’d like to find out for sure.” She touched my cheek just for

a moment, then pressed the button for the elevator door. With a

slight swishing sound, it opened. I stepped inside. She’d already

invited me back. The last thing I needed to do was hang around like

a pathetic little puppy.

Camila punched the same series of numbers into the elevator’s

keypad and then kissed me with a soft good-bye before the door

slid closed. I knew it would take everything I had not to daydream

about the taste of her lips—or how good she looked naked—as the

day went on.

The decision to be a grown-up about our interesting relationship

had been made, so I was going to be a big girl and stick to that plan.

I still had to focus on school and whatever new responsibilities now

came with being a member Alpha Beta Omega. Adding occasional

sex with the head sister-queen to the equation was simply a matter

of changing where I slept at night. It could work.

And I felt good about my decision, or at least I knew I should

have. My life had changed over the weekend. New friends, new

secrets, new jewelry, and stylish new pubes. But one thing irked me

as I took the short ride up to the pantry. It was lame, but I couldn’t

keep from thinking of it. I had no way of getting in touch with

Camila. So far, she had been the one to seek me out. Sure, I could

have asked Cleo the best way to reach Camila. I also could have

asked her myself before I hopped on the elevator. That logical detail

was pushed out of my mind.

We weren’t a couple, but I figured after as much time as she

spent with her tongue between my legs, swapping digits wasn’t all

• 114 •

Better Off red

that unreasonable. She could sense me, so it wasn’t like she needed

to speed dial me to lock in on my location, but I couldn’t even text

her if I wanted to. She’d been pretty consistent with asking me what

I wanted. Not that I ever would, but I truly felt like I could turn her

down if I felt like I should. I had plenty of choices in terms of if and

how. She had all the control over the when and where.

By the time I reached Cleo’s room, I realized that bothered me

a lot more than it should.

❖

The day before, the sunlight on my face had been a gift, nature’s

way of showing me that even though we were now bound to the

sister-queens, our lives were still our own. We were safe and we

were free to come and go. Now, as we stepped out onto the porch

of Alpha Beta Omega house and I didn’t burst into flames, I silently

cursed the sun as a harsh reminder of several things I had no interest

in thinking about. I still had a stats test to study for, an English

paper to start, and Greg and I had to complete our lab write-up for

the week.

As we walked to campus, the UV blast on my cheeks was also

another bit of unavoidable truth standing between Camila and me.

Forget any obvious age or possible generational gaps or the fact

she had several businesses to run or that I had freshman year to

get through. The sun itself would keep us apart no matter what we

had to do. Even if she felt the same way I did, which would be nuts

because what kind of a freak show falls for their fuck buddy after

two days, we could never really be together.

Having sex and watching the highlights on her computer over

the weekends was one thing, but her world existed at night. Unless

I decided to switch to all night classes, things would remain this

way. And then I just hated myself for even considering rearranging

my schedule, my life, for Camila. We’d just met. She more than had

a life of her own, and I was just some kid she liked to play with.

Distracting myself with homework seemed like a better idea every

minute.

• 115 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Amy and I took a quick detour to the dorm to grab our books. I

wanted to ask her if she’d gotten a chance to tell Danni how she felt,

but I couldn’t because Danni tagged along with us. Still, it only took

a few minutes to figure out that something had changed between

them. When we were getting ready to leave the house, Danni was

particularly touchy-feely with Amy. The fact that they held hands

as we walked to the dorms wasn’t a big deal. I’d held hands with

Camila plenty of times in the past few days. But when we got to our

room they started exhibiting more couplesque behavior.

Amy couldn’t find her laptop cord. Danni helped her look for it

while I was busy texting Todd. I was lost in a back-and-forth about

who he favored in the Monday night game, when something Danni

said caught my attention.

“Baby, where was the last place you saw it?” she asked Amy. I

peeked up and watched them both.

“I think…Oh! I know.” Amy dug into the crack between her

mattress and the wall and pulled out the missing cord. The crisis was

handled, but I was still caught up in their interaction. At some point

in the night, they’d moved on to pet names.

They’d probably swapped numbers too.

“Ginger? You ready?” Amy asked me. I blinked and looked

away after I realized I was staring at Danni’s hands on Amy’s hips.

“Yeah. Let’s go.” I waited for them to walk out and locked

the door behind us. The whole way to the cafeteria, they blissfully

ignored me, completely wrapped up in each other and more pet

names. Danni even chased Amy across the quad, threatening to

tickle her. I was glad Amy was happy, but I just wasn’t in the mood

to be their third wheel. Amy noticed. Once we grabbed our food she

cornered me by the juice dispenser.

“Hey, what’s going on with you?”

“Nothing.” I looked around to make sure we were alone. Danni

was across the cafeteria, digging into her own lunch.

“You’re all quiet. Is everything okay with…C?” I snickered as

her eyes darted around. I wasn’t planning on mentioning Camila’s

name in public either. I cleared my throat and glanced around.

• 116 •

Better Off red

“I mean there’s nothing to be ‘okay’ about. We had a good time

last night. I’ll see her again when I see her.”

“Is that what you want?”

“Amy, what are you talking about?”

“I just mean, maybe you…It’s obvious you like her,” she

blurted out the last part.

“Is it? Because you’ve seen us together when?”

“Ginger, you’re so serious about everything. Well, just school.

I’m not saying you’re uptight, but it seems like she’s the only thing

that distracts you.”

“I’m glad I’m not too uptight.” I scoffed. “Listen. I do like spend-

ing time with C, but it’s nothing beyond spending time. Let’s just

consider what and who she is, all that stuff Benny told us, and then

maybe you’ll see that even if I did like her, it wouldn’t matter. Right?”

“No. You’re right,” Amy reluctantly agreed. Then that perky

grin spread across her face. “But Danni did say you’re the only girl

who has spent time alone with her, you know, since initiation.”

Yeah, because of my blood. “We were just talking. It’s nothing.”

“Whatever. I still think you like her.”

“Great. You keep thinking that. I’m going to eat.” Amy drove

me insane, but she did care about me and my feelings. It was hard to

stay annoyed with her.

We grabbed our trays and Amy followed me to a secluded table

where the girls had saved us seats.

“Danni asked me to be her girlfriend,” she said as we walked.

“I figured as much. What did you tell her?”

“Nothing. After we got ready for bed, she just asked me.”

“That’s good. I’m very happy for you.”

“Liar.”

I winked at her and plopped next to Laura. She’d put on about

eight pounds of Goth makeup and a tutu, but traded in her fishnet

sleeves I’d seen her wear around campus for an ABO shirt. It worked

for her.

“I thought we weren’t allowed to talk about this stuff,” she

said to Cleo. Apparently, we’d missed the beginning of a juicy

conversation.

• 117 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Not with people outside of Alpha Beta Omega or OBA,” Cleo

said.“So we can talk to the boys about stuff?” Anna-Jade muttered.

“Yes, A.J. We can.” Anna-Jade blushed at Cleo’s teasing reply.

“So what exactly happens when they change you?” Mel urged

Cleo to go on. Cleo looked over at Benny, our source on the inside

thanks to her step-dad. Benny coughed like she was about to lower

her voice. It was almost comical the way we all leaned in closer to

hear. “I’ve only seen it done once, but basically they drain you and

then you drink from at least four others. The most powerful is your

primary. They’re the demon you have to answer to. Or if you break

the law, they will be the one who has to answer for you.”

“Does it hurt?” Amy asked.

“Of course it hurts. You die.” I’d been trying to ignore the fact

that Samantha had joined us for lunch, but her bitchiness made it

impossible. So what if she did have a point.

“I’ve heard it’s different for everyone. If you fight the change,

it is painful,” Benny went on.

“The pain doesn’t bother me. It’s the shit afterward you have to

deal with,” Cleo said.

“What shit?” I asked.

“It’s a complicated process. Most demons live in small groups

with a specific feeder, but the house has to be sealed from sunlight,”

Benny said.

“I think you’re forgetting something.” I didn’t feel good about

the scowl on Cleo’s face. Benny didn’t either, but she let Cleo go on.

“They have to wipe you off the human grid. Fake your death, all

this shit. No way I’m letting my mama think I’m dead. Immortality

is not worth giving Cynthia Jones a heart attack.” There were a lot of

nervous laughs around the table, but Cleo brought up a very serious

issue. Becoming a vampire meant giving up your entire human life,

and that just wasn’t something I was willing to do. There was no

way I could let my family believe I was dead.

“Hey, Benny, how about you don’t bring your bad news to

breakfast anymore?” Laura said playfully.

• 118 •

Better Off red

“I’m sorry,” Benny said back. “I’m just being honest. I’ll

sugarcoat from now on.”

“No, B. You keep it real. It’s the only way they’ll learn,” Cleo

said with a firm nod.

“Is your mom still…like us?” Mel asked Benny.

“Yes. She’s waiting until I graduate.”

“Why then?” Amy asked exactly what I’d been thinking.

“My step-dad can’t go out in the daytime. She didn’t like the

idea of me facing the day alone. So if I decide to, with my step-dad’s

permission, we’ll both go through with the switch after graduation.”

“Nope.” Cleo laughed. “Even with your step-dad’s permission.

Not doing it.”

I looked up as Amy whispered to Danni. “Do you want to?”

Danni kissed her on the cheek with a dismissive smile. “I don’t

know, babe. I haven’t decided yet.”

“So what are the perks?” Sam asked.

Benny paused, probably contemplating what someone like

Samantha would see as a plus. “You’ve seen what their blood can

do. There’s the issue of immortality, and when it comes to money or

possessions, you want for nothing.”

There was more that Benny wasn’t saying, like how vampires

could change form, but I didn’t want to be the know-it-all to bring

that piece of information up. All that would do was bring more

attention to me and the time I was spending with Camila so I kept

my mouth shut.

The conversation slowly shifted then. We went on talking about

the sister-queens and gathering other useful bits of info. Camila and

the others needed to feed three times a week. When school wasn’t in

session, they had various feeders scattered around the city, and from

the way Benny explained it, around the country. They didn’t mind

if they had to travel to feed. I decided it would be better if I didn’t

think about who would be lucky enough to experience Camila’s

many oral talents at any given time. The sex wasn’t necessary, and

Camila wasn’t mine. Other than Benny, I knew none of the other

girls would turn her down if a simple drawing of blood turned into

something more. She had to feed to live and I just had to deal with it.

• 119 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

After we took a few minutes to give Anna-Jade a hard time

about Micah, Cleo and Danni gave us the rundown for the coming

week. We had our first chapter meeting on Tuesday night. Friday

night was movie night at the ABO house. Saturday morning, all the

fraternities were hosting a pancake breakfast for the sororities. The

brothers of OBA would issue our formal invites sometime during

the week. Saturday night, the Chi Nus were throwing an honest-

to-God toga party, but it wasn’t mandatory. Sunday night would be

spent in the ABO kitchen getting ready for our first bake sale to

benefit Types of Hope.

Of course, Camila was on my mind. I couldn’t wait to see

her again, but the weekend ahead sounded pretty good without the

prospect of spending the night in her arms. You couldn’t go wrong

with all-you-can-eat pancakes and hanging out with the girls.

❖

The moment we left the cafeteria on Sunday, things in my life

went from pretty darn interesting to utter crap. Micah and an agitated

Greg were waiting for Anna-Jade and me at the library. I had an idea

of what was pissing him off. If we’d been alone, I would have asked

Greg if he wanted to talk, but he was being such a moody jerk that

staying with the group seemed like the better move.

Halfway through the afternoon, Samantha showed up. She’d

finished her work over at the paper early and decided to come study

with Greg. And by study, I mean rub his leg under the table as we

finished our lab report. She appeared to lighten his mood, but I still

didn’t like her.

I left them right before dinner, grabbed a sandwich from the

cafeteria, and ate in my room. Amy sent me a text at eight thirty

telling me she was spending the night with Danni. She texted me

again to remind me to check in with Cleo at nine. I thanked her

because I had completely forgotten. I worked on my paper until

midnight when I finally climbed into bed. At one, I stopped waiting

to hear from Camila. If she could sense me, she could at least get my

phone number from Cleo.

• 120 •

Better Off red

Monday morning, things got worse. The late hours I’d spent

with Camila finally caught up with me. I hit the snooze button four

times and was almost late for class. That night Amy invited me to

join her over at the house, but I passed. I was determined to get some

sleep. Instead, I tossed and turned until two a.m., hoping to hear

from Camila. She didn’t call.

Tuesday was more of the same, except Greg was even more

pissy in lab. I was starting to think I should carry Samantha around

in my backpack just to get him to chill out. He did apologize after

class, explaining in hushed, coded tones, that Rodrick liked to feed

more than three times a week and even after receiving a thorough

apology from his father, Greg hadn’t come up with a plan about

getting out of OBA. I was too tired to care.

That night we had a real chapter meeting that was outrageously

dull. Omi was the only sister-queen to show up, and she didn’t say

anything. The entire time, all I could think about was Camila. She

didn’t poke her head in after the meeting or call me later that night,

but Rodrick did. He wanted a sample of blood.

Wednesday after class I met him and Natasha at the ABO

house, down in Natasha’s quarters. Camila wasn’t joking. Her whole

apartment was decorated in neons. It looked like she was set up for

the ultimate 80s themed party, but I was distracted from the décor

by the two vampires who greeted me. I realized how comfortable I’d

become with Camila. Vampires are pretty intimidating when they

weren’t the object of your own obsessive lust. Rodrick towered over

me as he led me to the couch.

“We are lucky to have found you,” Natasha said. She sat on the

arm of a nearby chair, watching with casual interest while Rodrick

had me roll up my sleeve.

“What makes you say that?” I winced as Rodrick slid the

needle into my arm.

“We prefer to take care of our own,” Rodrick answered with a

wink. I looked at the blood filling the vial and wondered how much

of that notion was true. From latchkey kid to orphan to Carmichael

to vampire foster undergrad? I wondered what exactly had happened

with my mother and if the events leading up to my birth could have

• 121 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

saved her from herself. The blood of these demons had somehow

kept me alive, not to mention the bang up job its magic had worked

on Benny’s acne. Having no clue when I’d hear from Camila again,

I took a chance.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.” Rodrick handed my sample off to Natasha then

swabbed my arm. She stuck the sample in a satchel on the chair.

Then they both moved to the couch beside me. I don’t know

what I expected from them, but it was sweet to see Natasha settle

comfortably in Rodrick’s arms, almost like they were a normal

couple and not part of some vampire underworld.

“Do you really live forever?” I asked, looking up as Natasha

rubbed Rodrick’s forearm.

She looked back at Rodrick, but he kept his eyes on me. “We

can be killed, but I think you’re asking if we die of old age,” he said.

Now that he brought up the distinction I realized I wanted to know

the answer to both questions.

“We don’t know. In our master’s time there have been recalls

of his children, twice.”

“What do you mean by a recall?”

“There are rules we must follow to stay in our God’s good

graces. Our identities must be kept a secret from humans from

whom we do not feed, and we are not to act in any way that will

alter the lives of humans on a large scale. Twice those rules were

broken and twice the earth was swept clear of all demons like us,”

Natasha said.

“But not your master?” I asked.

“Losing all of their vampire children was punishment for not

keeping them in order,” Natasha said. “It was many years ago and

we were both born into this life centuries later.”

“What did they do? The violators?” I wanted to know if we

were talking about jaywalking with your fangs out or staging a

major coup.

“There was a major uprising in Egypt one thousand years

ago, but it was not recorded in your history. Many humans were

sacrificed to a vampire who had become a slave to his own power.”

• 122 •

Better Off red

“And the other time?”

“I think your school books would call it the Black Death,”

Rodrick said.

I gasped, unable to hide my shock. Natasha touched my elbow

gently. “We didn’t cause the sickness, but vampires flocked to the

region and fed freely without permission then tossed their kill among

the plague victims. They didn’t bother to hide what they were.”

My stomach started to churn. “Could something like that

happen again?”

“You must know, Ginger. We were born human, but our master

and his lot were born in hell and what we have become is rooted in

genuine evil. Only a pure heart can overcome that part of our reborn

nature. Now, our master is very careful to select humans who can

handle the burden to join our flock,” Rodrick said.

“It could happen,” Natasha went on. “Anything is possible.

But we do our best now to prevent those types of incidents, and the

sorority helps. You girls help.” I tried to let her hopeful grin comfort

me. “With our bonds with our feeders in place, our master was able to

secure our eternal judgment on an individual basis. If there is another

global sweep of our kind, only those who are truly at fault will be

damned. Still, we take violations very seriously. Those who cross our

master are terminated immediately and banished right back to hell.”

“How do you terminate a vampire?” I asked. I braced myself

for a gruesome answer when Natasha pulled Rodrick’s hand closer

to her stomach.

“You have to remove the head or the heart and expose it to the

sun. The rest of the body will follow once the vitals are destroyed.”

“Oh.” Not a pleasant way to go. “Do the other girls know about

this?” Did Benny know?

Rodrick’s lip turned up in a slight grin. I could see the tip of his

fang. “We try not to tell humans how to kill us. It’s difficult for us to

be overpowered, but people like to find ways.”

I finally saw the need for the sorority then. Their master was

here to stay and if he’d come up with an arrangement that kept his

vampires happy and fed and the girls and the OBA boys safe, then

why rock the boat.

• 123 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“So why are you telling me? I’m still technically a human,

aren’t I?”

“We intend to find out,” Rodrick replied, nodding toward the

satchel. Somehow his answer didn’t help.

“I’d like to stay that way.” I didn’t want my feelings on changing

species to offend them, but I had to be clear.

“Then you will have it that way,” Natasha said sweetly.

We talked for a little longer, and the more time I spent with

them, I saw that vampires like Rodrick and Natasha were not the

kind I should fear. Rodrick’s size was still a bit intimidating, but

they were cute together. They answered more of my questions, the

whole time holding hands or exchanging gentle touches. They let

me know I was clear to go back to church with Mom and Dad come

Christmas time. I wouldn’t catch on fire if I set foot on hallowed

ground. Even if I was suddenly craving the taste of human blood,

garlic was still safe to eat, and if someone came at me with a wooden

stake, Natasha reminded me I had bigger problems than what made

up my blood. The decision to let the other girls know about my

mother and the mysteries of her pregnancy was completely up to

me. Rodrick advised that it would be best for me to wait until they

knew exactly how much vampire blood was in my system and how

it affected me. I thought it was a good idea.

I spent the rest of the day with the girls, still a little worried

about what my DNA would say, but it was nice to know I had

Natasha and Rodrick to talk to. I just wished I would have talked to

Camila instead of spending nearly every waking moment I had with

her naked.

By Friday I was a complete mess. I’d slept like crap all week.

The little sleep I got was riddled with frustrating dreams about a

certain vampire—horrible, mocking dreams where she always

seemed to be just out of reach. When I wasn’t dreaming of her

slipping through my fingers, there were nightmares about my birth

mother, the kind I hadn’t had in years. Chest-crushing images of

her smile melting, blood dripping from her hair. One night there

had even been a man, tall with no hair and no face, holding her

close to his chest as a gash across her neck oozed onto the floor.

• 124 •

Better Off red

The heel of his hand was pressed to her bulbous stomach. As a kid

I’d always tried to scream during nightmares of my mother, but the

sound never came. It was no different this time. I’d wake in my bed,

sweating and sobbing breathlessly, hurting even more that Camila

was nowhere around.

At least the anger and frustration, both physical and emotional,

drove me to ace my stats test.

After class all I wanted was a self-indulgent cry and a nap,

but that wasn’t going to happen. The head of the department had

arranged for the chair of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers

Organization to come speak to all the exercise science majors. There

had been a lot of grumbling about why the hell they’d have him give

a talk on a Friday night, but his Q and A was scheduled to end at

eight. Just enough time for me to go back to the room and grab my

stuff for movie night.

I trudged back to the dorm, contemplating paying Laura or Mel

for a massage. Or Anna-Jade. She had little hands. I was beat, and

my mind was a muddled mess. So muddled that I didn’t register the

moans coming from my room before I opened the door. For the first

time all week, I actually wished I had the pleasure of walking in on

Amy and Danni. And I wished I’d known that Friday was Amy’s

night to feed Camila.

• 125 •

• 126 •

Better Off red

Chapter seven

Even with Amy draped all over her, it was impossible to

miss how gorgeous Camila looked. She wore a red hooded

sweater under her motorcycle jacket and skintight jeans under her

knee-high riding boots. I would have complimented her, but I was

too busy fighting the intense wave of rage and arousal that swept

through my body. Amy was fully dressed, which didn’t matter. She

was grinding her crotch against Camila’s stomach. The layers of

clothes between them probably added to the friction quite nicely.

Camila and I stared at each other. She didn’t release Amy’s

neck. Her fingers were tangled in her blond waves to keep Amy

in place. I could tell from the way Camila’s brow contorted that

she was frowning at me. I realized then that I was standing in the

hallway with the door wide open while a vampire was making love

to my roommate’s jugular. I quickly stepped inside and closed the

door.Camila didn’t look like she had any intention of letting my

presence interrupt her feeding, so I didn’t let their erotic exchange

stop me from getting ready for movie night. Amy’s chorus of moans

and grunts grew more urgent as I grabbed my pajamas. I’d crash

with Cleo and Benny. The pair of boxers I liberated from Todd and

my Reading Memorial High T-shirt were as sexy as it was going to

get. A couple pairs of fresh undies, some clean jeans, my favorite

green V-neck, and a black ABO hoodie to wear to pancakes the next

morning would be enough to cover me until I came back to the dorm.

• 127 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

As I was shoving everything in my bag, Amy came with a

loud “Oh God!” and then after a few moments of nothing but harsh

breathing, I heard her shuffle off Camila’s lap. Amy cleared her

throat and excused herself to the bathroom. A clean up in aisle two

was definitely in order after busting that loud of a nut.

I froze at the edge of my bed, my knees pressed into the crappy

mattress, my throat and chest clenching in frustration. I squeezed

my eyes shut and tried to clear my head. It didn’t work, but my

hands and feet decided to cooperate. I snatched the last few things

I needed—my phone charger and my brush—then I sat on my bed

to text Mom.

“Amy let me know about your seminar. I dropped by to give

you two a ride to the house,” Camila said hesitantly. The sound of

her voice tore at my stomach. So sweet and warm, nothing like the

person it belonged to. It annoyed me that she had the balls to actually

say anything to me, but I refused to be a brat about it. I wouldn’t

give her the satisfaction of knowing all the hateful things that were

running through my head. “Yeah. Whatever. Fuck you, bitch,” was

not the reply to go with.

I looked up from my phone and ignored the pained way she

was looking at me.

“Thank you. I’m pretty tired. A ride would be great.”

I glanced over when Amy came back in the door, looking

flushed and refreshed.

“I’m ready,” she said as she glanced nervously between Camila

and me.

I locked up after Camila and Amy stepped into the hallway,

then followed them down to the car. When we reached the curb it

was obvious how out of it I had been when I’d come back from the

Q and A. I hadn’t noticed the matte black Range Rover parked in

the fire lane.

I was tempted to join Amy in the backseat, but I could tell by

the way she closed the car door behind her that she was giving me a

chance to ride up front with Camila. I hopped in and forced myself

not to show just how impressed I was with her car. The cream-colored

leather smelled just like her and the fancy dashboard settings were

• 128 •

Better Off red

lit up like a very expensive Christmas tree. It was easily the nicest

car I’d ever seen or sat in.

Camila started the SUV, and a low R&B tune came through

the speakers. I knew the song, instantly remembered singing along

to it with Todd and Mom, but those happy memories only made

the trip to the ABO house worse. I wanted to be at home with my

family instead of riding in the dark with a vampire I had been stupid

enough to fall for. There was no way to be slick about wiping the

few tears from my eyes, so I did it quickly with the sleeve of my

fleece.We rode in silence for a few minutes, time I took to calculate

just how many days of the silent treatment Camila deserved. A

month sounded fair. Starting tonight. Totally appropriate for the

week of silence she’d given me.

And then Amy’s cell rang. From the way she giggled like a

fool, it had to be Danni.

“Hi…Yeah, we’re on our way right now. Okay. I’ll see you

soon…I love you, too.” It took everything I had not to jump from

the moving vehicle.

We pulled up in front of the house and Camila put the car in

park. I reached to grab my bag, and I almost escaped before Camila

gently put her hand on my thigh. I froze. The feeling of her palm

burned through my jeans. She moved her hand before I had a chance

to slap it away.

“Ginger will be up in a minute,” she told Amy.

The song changed to one I loved even more.

“Okay,” Amy said slowly. I looked over my shoulder. Amy

strolled out with her hand on the door. Instantly, my anger with her

drifted away. She had this desperate look on her face that told me

no matter what Camila said, Amy wouldn’t leave me until she knew

I was okay.

I gave her a slight nod of reassurance, which she took as her

cue to hop out of the car. None of this was her fault, and I had every

intention of apologizing to her for being so cold. As soon as I got

this horrible conversation over with.

• 129 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Avoiding Camila’s gaze, I watched Amy run up the front steps.

She stopped halfway to the door, and three other freshman, Ebony,

Gwen, and Maddie, ran to meet her. They were safe inside before

Camila said anything. Her silken voice floated over the soft music.

I missed the way it used to soothe and excite me, even if it had only

been for a few days.

“I’d prefer it if I didn’t have to read your thoughts, so would

you care to tell me what’s the matter?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yes. I do.”

I thought about how happy Amy and Danni were. I pictured

just how cute Micah and Anna-Jade looked walking hand-in-hand

across the quad. I’d wanted that, and I would never have it with

Camila. I thought of how things had been just a week ago, the night

Camila and I met and how shitastic things had been since. Now

seemed like a perfect time to draw a new line with her. There was no

way I could spend another minute wishing she wanted a relationship

we couldn’t have.

I looked back toward the house and took a deep breath, pushing

my sadness aside and replacing it with some bitterness and a little

rage that had been fighting to get to the surface. Then I worked

up the nerve to let Camila know just how crazy I was before she

formed any more opinions about me. Or before I spent another day

infatuated with her. It was better to just spill the beans now and have

her kick me out of the car so we could both just get on with our lives.

She could fondly remember me as the little lunatic who fell for

her after two nights of hooking up, and I’d think back on the forty-

eight hours I’d actually thought I was adult enough to handle no-

strings-attached sex with the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen.

“Fine.” I turned in the seat to face Camila. “I’ll tell you what’s

bothering me.”

She cut the engine off and settled back against the leather. Her

expression was calm, but that didn’t ease the air between us.

“I’m in love with you. Well, obsessed might be a better word

considering I don’t actually know enough about you for it to be

considered love. But yeah, I’m obsessed with you. I’ve been thinking

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Better Off red

about you non-stop, all week. Actually, that’s not true. I masturbated

thinking about you last week, so really I’ve been obsessed for about

ten days now. I didn’t sleep at all because I was praying you would

call me.”

She hadn’t even blinked so I just kept going.

“And then I spent hours and hours just thinking about how

stupid it was for me to feel anything for you. You’re, well, you and

I was actually sad because I want to be with you and we can’t be

together. Then, just when I’m sort of coming to grips with the fact

that I’m crazy and pathetic, I come back to my room to find Amy

feeding you. I forgot what she sounds like when she’s coming, so

thanks for that.” I started losing some steam. I took another deep

breath and drove my point home.

“That’s what’s wrong with me. I’m obsessed with you and

there’s nothing I can do about it. Oh, and I have to spend the next

four years knowing that you’re making my roommate come at least

once a week, but that’s none of my business, so we can ignore that

part,” I said as I slapped my thighs.

Finally, she blinked. “Is there anything else?”

“Nope. That’s it. I’m gonna head inside. I hope you enjoy your

weekend.”

“Ginger.”

“What?”

“At any point were you planning to tell me how you feel?”

“No.” Why would I do that?

“You’ve assumed I have no feelings for you, that I’ve been

avoiding you, and that I intentionally fed from Amy to rub all of that

in your face?”

I thought for a quick second. “Well, yes and no. I don’t think

you were rubbing Amy in my face, but the avoiding and the no

feelings, that sounds about right.”

“I apologize for the situation with Amy. I need to feed, but

I understand that doing it in the space you share with her was a

mistake. I won’t do it again.”

“I don’t care. Seriously. I know now, so it’s not a big deal.”

• 131 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“I do care. It will not happen again.” She looked down for

a moment and then turned toward me. I think she was actually

nervous. I didn’t think vampires could get nervous.

“I had to fire one of my guys down at my tattoo shop because

he’s been self-medicating with meth. I think you heard part of that

conversation on Sunday morning.”

“Yeah. I remember,” I muttered.

“He came back on Monday and got himself shot three times

trying to rob the shop. That kept me busy through Wednesday night.

That’s why I wasn’t there when you met with Rodrick and Natasha.

I wanted to be there. They enjoyed spending time with you by the

way.”“I like them too. And I’m sorry about the shop.”

“Jamie is fine now, but thank you. I didn’t call you or come see

you last night because Cleo told me you had a statistics test today. I

didn’t want to distract you from your studying.”

“Oh.” Okay, now I was feeling bad.

“I thought about you all week. I almost switched forms today

and followed you to class, but I thought that would have been a little

insane.”

“I wouldn’t have minded,” I said quietly.

She sat up quickly, a scowl touching her face. “And where are

you getting these ideas that we can’t be together?”

“Cleo and Benny—”

“What? They told you I wasn’t allowed to date? Listen, the two

of them may know a lot about my kind and how our world operates,

but they don’t know a thing about my personal life or the personal

lives of any of the other sister-queens. A while back, Faeth dated one

of the girls for eight years. Kina has been seeing some kindergarten

teacher for the last six months.

“I can do whatever the fuck I want. I didn’t say anything to you

because you’ve been through plenty of changes lately, including

joining a sorority against your will.” I looked away from her wry

grin as she went on.

“I didn’t want you to feel pressured into a relationship with me

because it would be complicated, but if you wanted me, it would be

• 132 •

Better Off red

something. Please don’t listen to the girls when it comes to things

between the two of us.”

“Because it’ll lead to a conversation like this?”

“Exactly. So, Red, what do you want?”

“I…I…” I wasn’t expecting her to ask me that.

“Because I’ll take you out tomorrow night on a real date. If

you’ll let me. We’ll eat at one of the restaurants I own, and if you’ll

allow it, I’ll make love to you in the best penthouse suite of my best

hotel—till about four a.m. I have to be back before sunrise.”

“You want to go out with me?” I said. At this point, the

bitterness and the rage were replaced by something like sunflowers

and daisies.

“Yes.” She reached across the center console and tucked my

hair behind my ear. My skin tingled where her palm brushed against

my cheek. “We can go out tonight if you want to, blow off the girls.”

“I’d like to watch movies with you tonight. And I need a little

time to find something to wear on our date.”

“I’ll take you however I get you, Red, but I won’t complain if

you want to get all prettied up. Are you sure there’s nothing else?”

“I want your number. Right now.”

“Your phone, please.”

I dug my cell out of my pocket and handed it to her.

“And what’s your last name?”

Before she answered, she got out of the car and walked around

to my side, entering her number into my cell as she went. When she

opened my door for me, I hopped down and let her slide my phone

back in my hand as she took my bag from me. Her hips guided me

off to the side so she could close my door. The grooves in the rear

handle pressed into my back. I barely noticed as Camila leaned into

me. Our faces were only inches apart. Our breasts were touching.

My nipples were instantly hard, and I realized how hard her nipples

were, even through all our layers of clothes. And with a dull ache,

my pussy started to drip.

She looked at my lips, licking her own. “My driver’s license

says Sanchez. I change it every ten years.”

• 133 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

She leaned in closer and my head automatically fell to the side.

Her warm breath on my neck made me drip even more.

“Why would you think I wouldn’t want to be with you?” she

asked.“Um, I don’t know. I’m a college freshman and you’re…”

“An undead lady creature of the night?”

“That and I…”

She pulled back, hearing the hesitation in my voice. “What?”

The genuine concern on her face melted my heart. I had to be honest

with her.

I took a deep breath and blurted the rest out. I told Camila

everything that Benny and Cleo had told us, about how the sister-

queens viewed us and how they only wanted us for our blood and

for the sex, which had been my suspicion from the very beginning. I

even spilled to her how jealous I was of Anna-Jade, Amy, and their

new relationships. Even Rodrick and Natasha. And then I told her

that I understood we had no real future together. I’d be gone in four

years. I wrapped things up with the reasons I didn’t want to be a

vampire myself. I was cool with being in on the secret, but I loved

my family and I had no need to serve the master in any new ways.

“I do want to go out with you,” I said. “But I understand there’s

an expiration date to us. Even if your master was okay with me

changing all the way, I can’t leave my parents. It would kill them if

they thought I was dead.”

“Red, you’re so smart, but you think too damn much. You

understand you started our relationship and planned our breakup

before I even knew you liked me? Sorry, before I knew you were

obsessed with me.”

“When you put it that way…”

“Let’s try a date first and then we’ll discuss your plans for after

graduation. Maybe somewhere in there we can get to know each

other a little better. No changing necessary. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Okay. And so you know…” She dropped her voice to a whisper

and leaned in close again. This time her lips brushed against mine.

“I’m pretty obsessed with you too.”

• 134 •

Better Off red

The next thing I knew, we were kissing, her soft lips slowly

caressing mine. God, I’d missed her so much. Her arm came around

my waist and I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. Our breasts

rubbed together. It was a perfect kiss until her tongue slid past my lips.

The most mouthwatering taste hit my tongue, something

beyond her own delicious spice. It sent a tingle over the crown of

my head and straight down to my clit, followed immediately by a

thousand-volt shock to my heart.

I jerked back, covering my mouth.

“Ginger, what’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”

I shook my head. My tongue was still tingling, my skin

vibrating. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to locate the source of

the pain, but there wasn’t any. There never was, only tiny aftershocks

in my fingers and toes, a jolt I confused with pain. After a moment,

I opened my eyes and slowly pulled my hand away. Camila gently

placed her hands on either side of my face.

“What happened?” she asked.

I swallowed, scanning her face before I answered. I didn’t want

to freak her out even more.

“When you drink our blood—human blood—what does it taste

like?”

Her eyes shot wide as she processed the question. Her hands

dropped to my shoulders.

“I, uh, I guess it has its own unique flavor. I wouldn’t know

what to compare it to.”

“I think I just tasted Amy.” My face had to be glowing in the

dark. I couldn’t believe what I was saying.

“Oh.” She grimaced. “I’m sorry. Did it make you sick?”

“No. I-I like the way it tastes.” It sounded so wrong, but it

was the truth. I shuddered as the thought ran through me again. I

knew the flavor of Amy’s blood now and I enjoyed it. The taste was

delicious, sweet with a zipping tang, like berries electrified.

I gazed at Camila’s face in the golden glow of the streetlight.

She’d been living off the stuff. It would have been a little hypocritical

of her to judge me for wanting to taste more, but that’s when the

weight of what I was hit me. The daylight didn’t affect me, and I

• 135 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

couldn’t vanish into thin air, but I had a thirst for human blood. The

demon was in me.

I took a deep breath. The pocket of hysteria inside was

balancing on the edge between laughter and tears. Camila picked

up on my anxiety before I crashed either way. She stroked my hair

affectionately, kissed me softly on the cheek. The heat from her

touch helped calm my heart.

“Just think of it as another thing to add to the list. You can see

through my cloak. You can feel my influence, but you can’t fight it,

and now we know you do like the taste of human blood. And there’s

nothing wrong with that. The same part of you that craves was the

same thing that saved your mother’s life. And the life of her baby.”

“You’re right.” I let out a deep breath and welcomed Camila’s

arms around my waist. I’d spent the whole week sulking over my

lack of love life that I didn’t stop to consider what having vampire

blood pumping through my veins meant. And I was angry at

myself for assuming all sorts of things about Camila’s actions and

motivations. A reality check was in order, on all fronts.

I don’t know how long we stood there together. The tingling

faded. My body stopped reacting to the blood and started reacting

to the body tucked tightly against mine. The firm but slow sweep of

her hands up and down my back, the baby soft leather of her jacket

under my own fingers, her amazing scent. The night weather had

begun to get cooler, but I would have spent hours in front of the

ABO house as long as she didn’t let me go.

A deep sigh escaped when I realized that wasn’t going to happen.

There was a movie to be watched, and I had sorority bonding to do.

Damn sisterhood. My mind was exhausted. All I wanted was the

heat from Camila’s body. Add her bed. Minus the clothes.

She took a small step back. “I’ll be more careful next time. Are

you sure you’re okay?”

I looked down at myself, patted my stomach and my chest like

an idiot.

“Yeah. I’m fine. That was pretty weird, though.”

“Come. Why don’t you go join the girls? I’ll let Rodrick know

about your reaction.” She took my hand and led me to the front door.

• 136 •

Better Off red

“When will he know about my blood makeup?”

“By Monday. We’ll hold off on any other ‘experiments’ until

then, and I’ll be sure to brush after I feed from now on,” she said.

I glanced at her just in time to catch her smiling at me. Then

I giggled like a total dork. In a weird way, her fangs made the grin

even sweeter. Screw an apology. I owed Amy a solid for dragging

me through Rush. Ignorance about my blood would have been one

thing, but I never would have met Camila without Amy’s perky

insistence. And maybe Todd’s nudging helped. Missing out on any

part of Camila would have been an absolute shame. Even if I’d

become a little obsessed.

As I reached for the door handle, there was one more thing I

wanted to clear up.

“So we’re dating now?”

“Sure.” Camila’s upper lip twitched into a little grin. “What’s

on your mind?”

“I’m just wondering what or even if I should tell the girls. Cleo

and Amy love to give me shit about you.”

“Yes, I caught that. You tell them whatever you want, Red. If

you want to tell them I’m your girlfriend, you can. Or you can tell

them to mind their own business. It’s completely up to you.”

“I like the way the girlfriend thing sounds,” I muttered in reply,

biting my lip.

“Then I’ll tell Cleo to shut the fuck up.” I laughed at her toothy

grin. The porch light made her canines shine. “You’re sure you’re

okay?”

“Yes. Good as new.”

“Okay. I’ll see you in a few minutes,” she said, touching my

cheek with the back of her hand.

This time, I kissed her, but just a quick peck on the lips. Then I

slipped inside before we ended up making out on the porch.

❖

I met the bright light of the foyer like a new woman. Again, my

life had changed in a matter of minutes. Camila knew the truth, and

• 137 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

I hadn’t died of embarrassment. Not only was I still upright, but she

actually liked me back. I damn near skipped past Kyle and Julia on

my way up to Cleo’s room, greeting them with perky hellos. They

looked at me like I was nuts, but I didn’t care. I had a girlfriend now.

I also had a bizarre interest in biting Amy, but that wasn’t the point.

There was music coming from Cleo’s room. When I opened the

door, I felt like I’d stepped in on an impromptu Soul Sisters of ABO

meeting. All the African-American girls in our sorority were there.

Cleo was singing along with Carlos Santana while flipping through

a magazine. Ebony was watching Layna’s handiwork as she put the

finishing touches on a fresh set of micro braids in Irene’s hair.

In high school, I’d spent a weekend in Atlanta with my friend

Morgan and her family. Her cousin Shanice ran a salon out of her

house. She’d walked me through some simple braiding techniques,

but nothing as fancy as what Layna was doing.

I stood in the doorway and looked over at Cleo. “Should I come

back, or is the meeting almost over?” Ebony and Layna laughed.

Irene smiled and then winced. Her new do was a little too tight for

her to show any drastic emotions. Just then, Benny came out of the

bathroom. She’d already changed into her pajamas.

Cleo flipped the pages of her People. “Amy and Danni will be

back in a sec. Either way, you’re black by association. And B here’s

got booty for days.” She reached forward and slapped Benny on the

ass. Benny didn’t even blink. She just plopped on the bed and curled

up with her cheek on Cleo’s thigh. I knew they were just friends, but

they would have made a cute couple.

“How’d your stats test go?” Benny asked me.

“Oh, good. I think I got an A.”

“Is that what you’re smiling about?” Ebony asked.

As a reflex, I frowned. “I’m not smiling.”

“Well, not now.”

Before I could rebut, Cleo’s bedside phone rang.

“Aloha.” Her eyes shot to me. Crap. It was Camila.

“Oh really?…Okay,” she said. “Sounds good.” She tucked the

phone against her shoulder. “I promise…Okay. Later.” She hung up

and turned to me. “Anything you want to tell us?”

• 138 •

Better Off red

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said casually. I

walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind me. I quickly

changed but took my time brushing my teeth and putting up my hair.

I’ll admit, I was giddy. I’d become a pro at publicly denying my

feelings for Camila. Now I had to think of what to say since it was

okay for us to be “out” to the rest of the girls.

Danni and Amy were perched on Cleo’s bed when I came out

of the bathroom. They were both pink cheeked and giggly. Clearly,

a quickie had been in order the moment Amy came upstairs. I felt

bad for being angry and jealous and even worse when it dawned on

me that Amy had probably been thinking of Danni during Camila’s

feeding. Amy had been embarrassingly honest about her feelings

for Danni. It was so stupid of me to think that interactions between

Amy and Camila were anything beyond their arrangement as blood

donor and vampire. I had some serious apologizing and explaining

to do. After Cleo was done harassing me.

“Out with it, bitch.” Cleo snickered.

“Okay. Fine. I have a date tomorrow.”

“With Camila?” Amy squealed.

“Yes. Tomorrow night.”

Amy squealed again.

“But I have no idea what to wear. My closet is full of going

to class stuff and maybe looking decent for brunch stuff. Not date

stuff.”“Where are you going?” Layna asked. She sprayed some glossy

mist on Irene’s hair and gently spread it over the tight braids with

her palms.

“I don’t know for sure. Dinner I guess and then we might spend

the night at a hotel.”

“Ooh, girl,” Cleo sang.

“We are getting you some lingerie.”

“Amy—” That’s as far as I got before she cut me off.

“No. Have you seen the underwear she has?” she asked Cleo.

“Yeah. We broke into your room to get your sizes,” she said

with an odd grin.

• 139 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

I did a double take in Cleo’s direction before turning my

attention back to Amy. I’d talk to her about my feelings on their

necessary breaking and entering later.

“She hasn’t complained about my underwear so far,” I told them.

“Probably because she took them off the first chance she got,”

Danni joked. Sort of.

My mouth popped open as if I had some sort of response, but

she was right. I hadn’t spent much time fully dressed around her.

And now I was seriously regretting the revenge pj’s I’d grabbed for

tonight.

Just then Barb stuck her head in the door.

“Come on, ladies. Movie time.”

“After pancakes, I’ll take you to the mall,” Cleo said to me,

leaving no room for argument.

The girls headed for the door, but I hung back. I needed to talk

to Amy now.

“I’ll be right there. Amy, hold on one sec.” She kissed Danni

on the cheek and plopped in Cleo’s papasan chair. I closed the door

behind Benny and sat on the bed.

“I’m sorry, about being all pissy back there,” I said.

“No, I’m sorry. I know how it looked. I didn’t mean to…hump

her like that.” She frowned. “But either way, we both thought you

would be gone longer, and she told me she’d nearly missed her

feeding with Benny on Wednesday. We were just trying to get it out

of the way.”

“Yeah, she had a crazy week. Things are just, well, they’re

complicated.” Rodrick’s suggestion that I keep the truth about my

blood a secret for a while came to mind, but now I wanted to tell

Amy. She had become a true friend, and I was starting to see that

keeping things from her wasn’t helping either of us.

“Promise you won’t say anything?” I threw out the unnecessary

precaution.

“Of course. I won’t even tell Danni, I swear.”

“Okay. It’s kind of a long story, but somehow I have vampire

blood in my system. Camila thinks my birth mom drank from one of

them when she was pregnant with me.”

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Better Off red

“Wow,” she gasped. “So what does that mean?”

“I don’t know yet, but Camila can’t live off my blood. And I

think it’s just another reason I’ve been acting so weird about all of

this. I already feel like the odd one out, and then I went and fell for

the most important vampire in the house.”

“Yeah, that makes sense,” Amy said. “I promise I won’t say

anything. And you can talk to me, Ginger. Seriously. I know I get all

girlie and annoying sometimes.”

“Only sometimes?”

“Okay, a lot of the time. But seriously. I love Danni, but you’re

my friend. I might not be able to understand the vampire stuff, but

you can tell me about it.”

“I will. From now on. Trust me, I will.”

Amy walked over to the door. “Okay, so what happened in the

car?”“Walk with me,” I said as I wrapped my arm around her

shoulder. “I’ll tell you on the way.”

• 141 •

• 142 •

Better Off red

Chapter eight

I didn’t know how good a red cami, black flannel pants, and

heart-shaped, fuzzy slippers could look until I saw them on

my new girlfriend. I did my best not to push the other girls out of

the way to get to her, to tell her just how adorably cute and human

she looked. Instead, I waited until she greeted them each with a kiss

on the cheek as we stepped off the elevator. The hello she had for

me was a minty, open-mouth kiss. She’d actually brushed her teeth.

Just for me.

Movie night as a sorority event had started off with a bizarre,

yet erotic twist. We met the rest of the girls and the sister-queens in

the carpeted room that had been the setting for last week’s feedings

and sexual festivities. There were still big cushions on the floor,

but this time a few comfortable couches had been set up around a

large projection screen that dropped from the high ceiling. Tokyo

had decided we’d watch Mean Girls and Teen Witch, but before the

movie started, there was the matter of a formal punishment to be

handed out, literally.

Samantha had missed curfew twice. The dumbass had gone off

with Greg and couldn’t be bothered to check in.

Camila gave Sam a piece of her mind, reminding her the

nine o’clock check-in time was a rule of Alpha Beta Omega and

not a suggestion. When that tongue-lashing was over, Natasha had

Samantha wait on all of us, bringing us drinks and candy from a

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reBekah WeatherspOOn

small kitchen in the back. And once everyone was served and

settled, Samantha was told to strip.

Her physical appeal was totally overshadowed by her bitchy

mouth, but as she pulled off her clothes, it was hard to ignore

just how gorgeous Samantha was. Her whole body had a natural

olive tone to it. It went perfectly with her brown hair with its sun-

kissed highlights. My opinion of her hadn’t changed. Still, she was

beautiful.

Conversations hushed as everyone’s attention settled on

Samantha, naked and on her knees between her sister-queen’s

legs. Natasha had her gently by the chin with one hand and was

pinching one of Samantha’s light brown nipples with the other. Sam

whimpered as she tried to sit still through Natasha’s lecture. It had

definitely been a sound of frustration and pleasure and not pain.

Natasha took Samantha over her lap. She gave her one hell of

a spanking, twelve licks, two for each of the other girls who served

Natasha, including Samantha herself. I had no idea how anyone

could be turned on by that kind of pain, but it seemed like she was

enjoying the punishment. It was hard to look away as each blow

hit its mark, and it was hard not to react to every pathetic sound

Samantha made.

I enjoyed the spectacle of it all; I couldn’t help it. Watching

Samantha’s whole body blush to pink, the cheeks of her ass flashing

to red every time Natasha’s hand came down, the sharp jiggle of

her breasts as her nipples pointed toward the floor. Or maybe I was

caught up sharing the experience with Camila. We were cuddled

together on a nearby couch; Danni, Amy, and the girls around us,

Camila’s arms around me. My pussy had started to ache the moment

I stepped off the elevator and into her embrace, but it soaked and

throbbed when I felt her lips and her fangs drawing slowly across

my neck as we watched Natasha go to work.

The final smack left the whole room silent except for Samantha’s

breathless sobs. Natasha pulled her upright and immediately sank

her teeth into Samantha’s neck. She fed deeply, pinching Samantha’s

bright red ass cheeks the whole time. Samantha came instantly. It

• 144 •

Better Off red

didn’t seem fair that she would get to come so hard after breaking

curfew, but as soon as Natasha was full, Samantha was forced to

spend the rest of the night on her knees at Natasha’s side, watching

the rest of us play.

When the lights were dimmed and the movie started, all around

the room, articles of clothing started to hit the floor. I was anxious

and prickly, hot and wet from watching Natasha’s passionate

enforcement of the rules. I eagerly welcomed Camila’s strong

fingers as they slipped gently between my legs. She’d stroked my

clit through my boxers and my underwear, her rhythm bringing her

fingers lower, soaking the layers of cotton even more. And then

she bit me. My shuddering moan echoed across the room, and I

remember thinking in the back of my mind that another of the sister-

queens must have decided to feed at that exact moment.

Camila didn’t drink from me for long. I don’t know if she’d

read my mind or if she’d felt the same way, but the second after I

came, she turned me in her lap and kissed me, hard and slow. The

movie played in the background, coupled with a chorus of cries and

lustful sobs that had filled the room. We barely made it halfway

through Mean Girls before I was begging her to take me back to

her bed.

As our bodies rolled together under her satin sheets, I noticed

there was a different sense of desire. There were still the fluttering

in my stomach and the heat that would rush over my skin. All the

physical reactions were the same, but somehow heightened and

transformed by an overwhelming sense of happiness. I honestly

didn’t know emotions like that existed.

I knew what it was like to love someone and to see others in

love, but now I finally understood why Danni and Amy were so darn

cute together, why Anna-Jade would light up if you even mentioned

Micah’s name—the unconditional way my mom cared for my dad.

Now when Camila reached for me I truly felt weightless. She hadn’t

said the words, but I felt loved and I felt wanted.

❖

• 145 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

The morning came way too soon. Our shower together was

way too short. Camila excused herself to let Cleo, Benny, Danni,

and Amy in while I was getting dressed. I heard Amy blab that they

were taking me shopping for our date after the pancake breakfast.

I cautiously took the keys when Camila offered to let us drive

her Range Rover to the mall. I argued with her for a few minutes

when she offered to pay for my outfit. I hadn’t spent a cent of the

money I’d made bagging groceries over the summer. I was happy to

have this new title to our relationship. Okay, I was happy there was

an actual relationship at all, but I wasn’t looking for a sugar mama.

She claimed the girls had shopped on her dime every chance they

got. I wasn’t buying it. Cleo settled the debate by snatching the wad

of cash from Camila and dragging me toward the door. I got Cleo

back, though, the second she asked to drive the Range Rover.

“This is some kind of bullshit, and you know it,” Cleo grumbled.

She channeled her frustration into the satellite radio, changing the

station again.

I pulled the Range Rover into the entrance of the mall and bit

my cheek. Cackling in Cleo’s face would have been a bad move.

“Stop cursing at me and maybe I’ll ask her if you can drive

back to the house.” I glanced over and then snickered at Cleo’s

poisonous glare. There was no way I was letting her drive Camila’s

super expensive, custom SUV without her permission.

“I don’t like you anymore, Ginger.”

“Why?” I coughed, choking on my laugh.

“You used to be so nice.”

“No. You thought I was nice. Ask Amy. I’m a total bitch.”

“She’s right,” Amy said playfully from the backseat. “Total

bitch.”

“Cleo, I’ll ask her if you can drive back. I want to get ready at

the dorm anyway.”

“Make it a real date?” I caught Danni’s smile in the rearview

mirror.

“Exactly.”

We hopped out of the car, and just as the alarm beeped, I heard

my cell phone go off. It was a text from Camila.

• 146 •

Better Off red

How’s my baby?

The fluttering lit off in my stomach just from seeing the words

on the display, thinking of who they were from. I knew I must have

looked like an idiot, nibbling the inside of my lips as I texted her

back, but I didn’t care. I typed away and let Amy’s voice guide me

through the parking lot.

She’s good. I parked her away from the other cars.

She texted me back right away. Smartass. I miss you.

And that was good to know. Pretty freaking sweet actually. I

kept myself from singing and dancing, skipping and high-fiving

strangers, but I couldn’t keep myself from the upper levels of cloud

nine. I was cheesing so hard I thought my cheeks would burst.

I texted her right back, telling her I missed her too and asking

her if Cleo could drop me off.

She can drive. Tell her not to crash or she’s buying me another

whip. I stopped walking. Okay. Can’t wait to see you.

“Damn, Ginger.” Cleo grabbed my shoulder and shoved me

through the door. “You’ll see her in a few hours. Let’s go.”

I flicked her off and then hit send. “She said you can drive,

jerk.”“Did I mention how much I like you and your new girlfriend?”

“Yeah, I bet.” I put my phone away, even though it beeped

again, and I gave my undivided attention to Amy, our self-assigned

shopping coordinator. She walked and talked, leading us to the first

designer store. I loved a good skirt and a cute, high-heeled shoe, but

I was more of an Old Navy girl, not couture.

“Okay, dress first and then we get you some new pan-tays,”

Amy drawled.

“Please, just tell me where we’re going,” I begged. Camila had

told Amy and Cleo where she was taking me on our date. Of course

they told Danni and Benny. That couldn’t be helped, chatty bitches.

But Amy was setting a record, keeping a secret from me for a whole

three hours. I had zero leverage to make her crack.

“No. Jesus, Ginger. Just let the woman surprise you,” Amy

whined.

• 147 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Fine.”

We started searching the racks. I wasn’t seeing anything

that yelled “My girl will love this,” so I pulled out my phone and

continued to text Camila, handing the quest for the perfect date

dress over to the girls.

“What’s your best color?” Danni asked.

“Green,” Amy and I said at once.

“We need to get something to match your eyes,” Amy said.

We all took a quick glance around. Everything in the store was

in different shades of cream and tan and black.

“Let’s go somewhere else,” Amy said. We all nodded in

agreement and followed her across the mall into a co-ed store that

catered more to our age bracket and the desires of Amy’s color

scheme.

“I hate this place. They’ve never heard of my size,” Benny

grumbled as we browsed through the racks.

“I know. Let’s get Ginger squared away and then you and I can

hit the big girl stores,” Danni said.

“Here, take this.” Cleo handed me the first green dress she

found. Then she looked up at us. “So who hates Samantha?”

“I was waiting for you to say something!” Danni said.

“If you guys hate her so much, then why’d you pick her?” I

asked.“Two reasons. Well, three,” Danni said. “Natasha thinks she’s

gorgeous. And as you now know, Natasha loves fucking her. Two,

she is serious about journalism, and Camila thinks she’ll go far with

it. It’s always nice to have someone in the media aligned with them.”

“That is true,” Benny said.

“Three, and she won’t tell you this, but her dad was in OBA,”

Danni said.

“What?” Amy and I yelled. Benny didn’t seem surprised by

this news.

“Did you know that?” I asked her. She just nodded and held up

a shirt, pretending to read the tag.

“Why was she asking all those bitchy questions then? Her dad

should have told her everything,” I said.

• 148 •

Better Off red

“You’ll love this. When she was like ten or something, her

dad just up and split. Six months later, he sent her and her mom a

shitload of cash and a note explaining that he’d gone nocturnal. And

that he was gay.”

“Ooo burn, Sam’s mom,” Amy snorted.

I couldn’t help laughing. “That does suck for her mom. And

maybe that’s why Sam’s such a bitch.”

“It is sad, but the bitchiness is no excuse,” Benny said.

“You’re right.” My life before the Carmichaels had been

terrible, but I knew how to treat people. Samantha was missing that

part of her brain.

“How did you find this out?” I asked, taking a green skirt Amy

passed to me. I looked at it and passed it back. “I don’t like that.”

Danni didn’t skip a beat. “One of those nights she was too busy

to check in, she was up late, over with the boys. Greg fell asleep and

she stayed up talking to Micah. Micah told A.J.—”

“And she told us,” Cleo said.

“Weird,” Amy said, frowning.

“And God, she loved getting spanked last night. That whole

teary-eyed lip quiver thing was bullshit. She’d probably miss curfew

again if everyone wouldn’t really hate her,” Danni said.

“So it’s okay if we don’t all get along?” I asked. Ninety percent

of the time, I wanted to punch Samantha in the face. I was relieved

to find out those feelings were okay to share with the group.

“Oh, yeah. Our president last year, Kelly—” Cleo started to

say. “Oh, God,” Danni added.

“She was the biggest bitch ever, but Kina loved her. And she

was so freakin’ organized.”

“Which is key.” I nodded sternly.

“What’s she doing now?” Amy asked.

“Works for Congressman Whitmore,” Benny said.

I turned to her. “Remind me to keep you close, Benita. What

you know scares me a little.”

“It should.” And then I was rewarded with one of Benny’s rare

smiles.

• 149 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Okay. I like these. Into the dressing room you go,” Amy said,

shoving four more dresses in my face.

“Before I do that, just tell me where we’re going.”

“No!” was the unanimous answer I got.

I marched into the dressing room and got a good look at the

dresses Amy had picked out for me: a short cocktail number that I

knew would make me look like a slut, a green and blue puffy thing

that I knew would make me look like a bird, a solid green tank

dress with a tutu skirt, which looked ridiculous for the fall weather,

and a knit shirt-dress that was too casual. I was in and out of the

dressing rooms in record time. All four dresses were cute in theory

but looked terrible on me. We tossed those options and moved on to

a dozen more stores.

By the time we had a dress, shoes, a clutch, a jacket, a bra and

pantie set, and jewelry, I was ready to tap out. Danni and Amy were

just warming up, running into Sunglass Hut. I took a seat on the

bench outside. Cleo and Benny parked it with me, and the three of

us watched Danni and Amy kiss in front of the Prada frames. They

both came up for air, giggling like mad when the sales guy got up

the nerve to approach them.

“I can’t believe Danni found an even bigger spaz to go out

with. They’re perfect for each other,” Cleo said.

“I was just thinking the same thing. Hey,” I said as the thought

popped into my head. “Do any of the older girls want to change?”

Cleo knew what I was getting at.

“Paige is thinking about it. She has no real family to speak

of. Her mom’s a bitch. Barb’s a no. Why? You thinking about your

future with our fearless leader?”

“Actually, no. I already told her I wasn’t going to do it. I’m

kinda in your boat. I can’t cut myself off from my family.”

“I’ll be back.” Benny stood and I watched Cleo’s expression

as she watched Benny walk away. At that moment, I wished I knew

what was on Cleo’s mind. She was never hushed about anything,

except Benny. Now that I wasn’t distracted with the doubts of my

own sanity, I started to wonder if there wasn’t something more

between them.

• 150 •

Better Off red

Benny disappeared around the corner, headed toward the

restrooms. Cleo took a deep, almost sad breath then turned to me.

“There are ways to keep the ties with your family, but it’s just

as fucked up.”

“How so?”

“Everyone who knows has to become a feeder.”

“Oh. Yeah, that’s not…”

“Exactly. Mama Jones is a preacher. I still haven’t told her I’m

gay. No way could I convince her to become demon food. She’d

out me and the sister-queens and then have the whole congregation

praying for my soul.”

“What about your dad?”

Cleo shrugged. “Her word is gospel in the house too. He knows

better than to rock that boat, but for me the whole thing’s a risk. B’s

step-dad is an actual demon. Like a real demon. You change and you

piss him off, you actually go to hell. It’s one thing to think there’s

a hell and something completely different to know there’s a hell. If

staying human increases my chance of not going there, that’s where

I’ll place my bets. Mortal I shall remain, Miss Ginge.”

She was quiet for a moment. I was quiet too. I figured it was

better not say anything about the things Natasha and Rodrick had

told me. I glanced toward the restrooms.

“Does Benny want you to change?”

Cleo replied with a deep nod. “She wants to feed me. I just—I

can’t.”

So that was it.

“Is that all she wants?”

Just then Benny came back around the corner. There was no

way she had gone to the bathroom. She was back too quickly.

“She won’t say. Come here, juicy booty,” Cleo said as she

pulled Benny into her lap.

“I’m going to crush you,” Benny muttered. Cleo’s arms went

around her waist. She closed her eyes and nuzzled her cheek against

the back of Benny’s ABO sweatshirt.

“No. You won’t.”

• 151 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

❖

I gave credit where it was due and admitted Cleo was a better

driver than I was. I’d gotten us to the mall safely, but she handled

the Range Rover like she was born behind the wheel, weaving

smoothly between cars, getting us back across the city in record

time. She pulled in front of the dorm, and I couldn’t help shaking

my head laughing at her. Cleo was so proud driving that thing like

she owned it.

“You guys run up and I’ll park this bad boy,” she said almost

seriously.

“Actually, I’m going to get ready by myself,” I said, looking

back at Amy.

“Are you sure? I can help you with your hair.”

“I’m sure.” The afternoon had been filled with the kind of pure

girlie fun I hadn’t experienced in months, but I was exhausted and

needed to clear my head. I also hadn’t had a single second to myself

in the past twenty-four hours. Luckily, they understood. They

wished me luck, and before I hopped out, I made them promise they

would take pictures at the Chi Nu toga party.

Upstairs in my room, the peace and quiet only gave my

mind more room to wander. There was this interesting back-and-

forth between the part of me that knew this date was going to lead

somewhere good, that this was the beginning of something that had

a chance to last, and the part of me that refused to overlook a few

truths.

Camila was a vampire. I was not and never would be. My

life was going to go on, evolve, and at some point, I was going to

die, hopefully of natural causes in my sleep, at age eighty, after

the best sex ever. Camila would outlive me and almost everyone

we knew. There were other things, like wanting her to meet my

family, wanting to know everything about her, that might prove to

be difficult. My family couldn’t know about her, and something

told me that an immortal might have secrets she might never want

to share. Past lovers, past lies. We would never really know each

other.

• 152 •

Better Off red

But I had to remind myself all of that came with the territory. I

wanted her. Bad. And I had to deal with everything that came along

with Ms. Sanchez and her never-ending life. I had to trust her and

leave our future to the future. Things with her, with Alpha Beta

Omega, had turned out surprisingly well so far, and if I could just

bring myself to stop stressing so much, things would be okay.

Then Cleo’s words about her mother popped into my head. Not

her concerns about her mortality, but her fears about her mother

finding out she was gay. I knew now I was definitely attracted to

women, and I knew that wasn’t going to change. There were things

I couldn’t tell my family about recent developments in my life, but

I could tell Todd I was no longer confused. I could tell my mom not

to expect to hear about boys from my classes anytime soon. I could

tell them both that I had met someone. I’d just skim on the details

about who or what that special someone was.

I should have told them in person. This was a huge deal,

confessing that Dad would never get a son-in-law to call—well, he

had Todd for all that son stuff, but maybe he wanted a son-in-law.

My parents were never going to get truly biological grandkids out

of me anyway, so I figured Mom wouldn’t mind that part, but still I

imagined at some point she’d imagined she’d help me pick out cake

toppers, a man and woman, or that she’d be telling her friends in her

quilting club about the amazing man her daughter had met during

her academic adventures near the Chesapeake Bay. None of that was

going to happen, so I had to tell them.

I felt like a coward using the 3G network to make this

announcement, but it would be a while before I got to see my family,

and Camila was better than waiting a while. The phone would have

to do. Knowing Mom, she’d find a way to tell Dad before I even got

the words out of my mouth.

I knew Todd didn’t care who I fell for, and I think my parents

felt the same way, but still I found my stomach tying in knots as I

stared at my phone.

I chickened out on calling Mom and decided to send Todd a

quick text. Then I’d call Mom.

I sat on my bed and typed as fast as my fingers could fly.

• 153 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Not confused anymore. Have a date tonight.

I hit send and then I waited. Paced around my room and waited

some more. When I hadn’t heard back from him fifteen minutes

later, I admitted to myself I was stalling. I had to call my mom.

But I’d get undressed for my shower first. So I did that, then

I dug out my towel and my shower shoes. And then I checked my

e-mail.

Then I called my mom.

Okay, I started to, but my finger didn’t seem to want to make

contact with the words Linda/Mobile on my screen.

“Just do it, you puss. You’re already eighteen. It’s not like she’s

going to unadopt you. Just call her,” I scolded myself. “Okay. Okay.

Okay. I’m calling her.”

I walked over to my desk then skittered back over to my bed.

I pressed my mom’s number, sat on my comforter, and closed my

eyes.“It’s Saturday night. You should be out,” she said instead of

hello.“Hi, Mom. I’m going out soon.” I swallowed and started

picking nervously at the stuffed panther on my bed. Amy had named

him Thackery Binx. I dug my fingernail into the rim of his plastic

eye. “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

I should I have phrased that differently. I set her off in her

typical, Linda-style rampage.

“What’s wrong? You’re not pregnant, are you? Ginger, we’ve

talked about birth control. You promised me—”

“Mom, no. I—” I took a deep breath. How the hell do you tell

your mom something like this? “I think—I think I’m a lesbian. Well,

I know I am. I’m going out with a girl.”

I fell over and buried my face in Thackery’s plush fur, waiting

for Mom to disown me.

“Oh.” She actually sounded relieved.

“What do you mean ‘oh’?” I said, sitting bolt upright.

“Sweetie, you’ve never mentioned liking a boy a day in your

life. I figured we’d be having this conversation sometime around

your freshman year in high school.”

• 154 •

Better Off red

“Oh.” That threw me big time, but she had a point. I’d talked

to my mom about everything. School, sports, my friends, Todd’s

ex-girlfriends. I’d never come to her about any boys or even hinted I

had my eye on anyone at school. No heartbreaks, not even a crush. I

wondered for a moment if that part of it bothered her, that we didn’t

have that kind of a relationship to share.

“You’re not mad?” I asked quietly.

“Why would I be mad?”

“I don’t know.” I adjusted my towel and dragged Thackery

across my lap. “I just thought…”

“Honey, I’m an ex-pothead who married a mobster’s son then

adopted a black kid. You think I’m going to judge my only daughter

for being gay?”

“I guess not.”

“It’s your crotch, Gingey. I’m just glad you’re not pregnant or

on any powder drugs or pills. Just be safe and get tested regularly

like I told you. I kissed my roommate in college. She was nice; it

just wasn’t for me.”

“Oh.” I laughed a tad hysterically. “Well, good.”

“Just be a good girl and your dad and I will be happy.”

“And just don’t get pregnant?”

“I’m too young to be a grandma. Are you going out with this

young lady tonight?” It was weird to hear someone talk about

Camila like she was any regular girl.

“Yeah. Nothing big, but I have to get ready.”

“What’s her name?”

“Uh, I’d rather not jinx it.” Mom made a little scoffing noise. I

could just see her rolling her eyes at me. “Let me see how this date

goes before I start talking her up. It could be nothing, but yes, it’s

girls for good.” It felt good to say. It felt great to say it to my mom

and to know she still loved me either way.

“Okay. Well, thank you for telling me. And I’ll be sure to tell

your dad.”

“Thanks, Mom.” I shook my head in disbelief as we said our

good-byes. I didn’t realize till the moment she picked up the phone

how terrified I had been of upsetting my parents for any reason. I

• 155 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

felt much better as I headed down the hall, a huge weight I’d been

oblivious to, lifted off my shoulders.

❖

The bathroom was empty so I took a long shower. Afterward,

I didn’t feel bad taking my sweet time blow-drying my hair since

my roommate was gone. I turned up my music louder, singing along

with Katy Perry at the top of my lungs while I lotioned up and put

on my makeup.

The music and the solitude revived me, but when I was done

getting ready, the end result in the mirror gave me a much needed

boost of confidence. Amy had found the perfect dress. The emerald

green silk showed off “just enough leg and not enough booby,” as

Amy liked to put it. The perfect mix to drive Camila crazy. I liked

it because it made me look older. So many of the dresses we found

made me look my age or younger with crazy cuts and patterns.

This one accentuated all the right parts. The neckline scooped

just low enough to show off my ruby necklace, which I had grown

completely accustomed to wearing twenty-four seven. The fabric

had a slight shimmer to it. It hugged my stomach and my chest,

and the skirt came just to my knees. I decided to wear my long red

waves pulled back in an artful bun. The whole package said classy

but willing. The ruby red platform pumps Amy had picked out for

me said willing and ready. Amy had grabbed some silver hoops and

bangles to match my necklace and a gray cropped motorcycle jacket

to complete the look and match Camila’s overall style. Amy insisted

I needed a little pattern to make the look complete. I didn’t argue and

shoved my phone and my wallet into my new leopard print clutch.

Camila was right on time, knocking on my door at exactly eight

o’clock. If I hadn’t been so determined to go on an actual date with

her, I would have yanked her inside, mounted her, and called it a

night. She looked too good. I blinked, my mouth actually flopping

open. The difference in our height had only been an inch or so. It was

a safe guess Amy had told her what she’d picked out for me because

Camila’s peep toe heels were just a little bit higher than mine.

• 156 •

Better Off red

A part of my brain noted that her toenails were red, but my

clit forced my eyes to skip up to her skintight vinyl leggings. The

loose black shirt she had on covered her perfect ass, but hung off

her shoulder, giving me a peek of the black satin bra she had on

underneath. My favorite red lipstick was back and there were black

spiked studs in her ears. I forgot all about any sort of readiness or

willingness; her outfit demanded that I fuck her right then and there.

I got as far as, “Uh, hey.”

“You look good, Red,” she said a little too sweetly, knowing

just how amazing she looked.

I swallowed anxiously. “Thank you. Where did you get those

pants?” I said.

She just smiled wide, flashing her fangs.

❖

I’d been to downtown Baltimore once, and even then, my

dad and I had only driven down a few streets on our way to the

university. I hadn’t gotten a good look at the skyscrapers and local

vendors or the harbor, and the city lights were the last thing on my

mind now. I was focused on the woman next to me and our hands

intertwined on her vinyl covered thigh. The side of my hand was on

fire resting against her leg.

“So where are you taking me?” I asked.

“A Japanese place on Pratt.”

“Do you own this place?” I asked, absolutely loving the love

sexy grin I got back.

“Yes, I do. I own mostly restaurants and hotels here and there.

And the spa you ladies visited. I’d take you by the tattoo shop, but

I’d like to get on with the dinner portion of the evening if that’s okay

with you.”

“Yes. It’s more than okay,” I said. “I’m just waiting for Cleo

and Amy to pop up in the backseat.” Which wouldn’t have been a

surprise. It was no one’s fault, except maybe Camila’s meth-addicted

ex-employee, but we hadn’t had much vertical, fully clothed time

alone. I wanted tonight to be about Camila and me. And only us.

• 157 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“There will be none of that. I just want to be with you.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” I replied.

She lifted our hands and brushed the back of my palm against

her cheek, a sweet, adoring gesture that had me cursing the console

between us. I sighed and settled back into the seat, finally watching

the storefronts that passed by.

We arrived at Hama, Camila’s Japanese restaurant and sushi bar,

a few minutes later and left the car at the valet stand. The restaurant

was packed. The deep wood accents on the walls and ceiling soaked

in the golden light, giving the open space the best sense of intimacy.

I followed Camila past the hostess who greeted us with a simple

nod. I wondered if she knew exactly who or what Camila was. It felt

silly to ask, but I still got the impression she knew Camila was free

to navigate the space on her own.

She led us right to the sushi chef. After talking to him for a

few moments—in Japanese—she turned to me with a wink and led

me to a huge private booth toward the back. I let her take my coat,

shrugging out of the gray faux leather, and settled comfortably next

to her on the padded bench.

“And you speak Japanese?”

She leaned forward and kissed me. “I’m not sure there’s a

language I don’t speak, Red. I ordered a few things for you to try. I

hope that’s okay.” My mom had always told me that someone who

orders for you without your permission is an arrogant prick and not

saying so is an invitation for them to control your life. When it came

to Camila, I was willing to let it slide.

“It’s fine. My Japanese is a little rusty.”

“I’ll help you brush up,” she said, scrunching her nose. Just

then a female server brought us two glasses of water. Camila thanked

her sweetly—in Japanese—before leaning back and gazing over my

face. “So tell me more about you, Red.”

“Oh? The way Benny talks, you guys already know everything

about us.”

“We know what’s on the books, so to speak, and I know the

adorable things I love about you, but I want to know more. Tell me

about your family.”

• 158 •

Better Off red

Now that was easy. I pulled out my phone and started scrolling

through my pictures. I pulled up a recent favorite, my mom and me

posing on either side of my dad and Todd, both in pizza comas on

the couch.

“Oh, your brother is cute.”

“Hey!”

“I’m just saying.” She chuckled. “When was this taken?”

“Right before I came to school. My dad left for Brazil a few

days after he dropped me here, but I’m guessing you knew that.”

“I did, but tell me about him. And your mom.”

“I don’t know. They’re just…amazing.” My focus instantly

dropped to my lap. I started choking up. It happened every time I

thought about my family, every time I considered what they meant

to me. Camila’s arm went around my shoulders and she pulled

me closer. I took the comfort, leaning into her warm body. My

arm brushed her nipple through the layers of her clothes, and my

clit throbbed. But that only made me feel more secure, knowing I

wanted her in every way and that now she was there for me in all the

ways I needed her to be.

“I’m sorry.” I took a deep breath and gave it another try. “I was

in this group home in South Boston. It wasn’t bad it was just…”

“A group home?”

I swallowed, trying to pull it together. “Exactly. After my birth

mom, I didn’t talk for over three months. I played with the toys they

gave us and paid attention in school and stuff, but I just wouldn’t

talk. I remember them trying every day to get me to say something.

“My mom—Todd calls her Linda, still,” I said through my

sniffling. “She came in to volunteer and she brought Todd with her.

He’s just so—he brings people out. It’s impossible not to like him.

He walked right up to me and goes ‘Linda, let’s keep this one.’”

“You’re joking?”

“No. I’m dead serious. She looked at me for a minute and

then turned back to Mrs. Farnham, the lady who ran the place. I

was coloring and Todd just sat and picked up a crayon and started

coloring with me.” It took Todd a few moments to realize I wasn’t

going to talk to him, but he didn’t care. He just talked and talked,

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going on about nothing important. None of the kids were mean to

me; it’s not that much fun to pick on someone who doesn’t bother

to fight back, but Todd was the first person who made me feel liked.

“Two weeks later, Linda came back with her husband Fredo and

Todd. Mrs. Farnham told me the Carmichaels wanted to adopt me,

no trial foster home, but full, immediate adoption, as immediate as

those sort of things are. I wish you could have seen Mrs. Farnham’s

face when I said I was okay with it. Lawyers conferred, paper work

was finalized, and a few months later, I was a Carmichael. I found

out later Dad had called in some serious favors to get me out of there

as quickly as possible.”

“I have to thank Todd though. He’s my best friend.” I shrugged.

“I was safe in the group home, but Todd saved my life, I think.” I

took another deep breath, relief and joy rising to a smile on my face

at the thought of the wonderful family I still had.

“And he’s taking a year off?” Camila asked. I scowled at her,

knowing her vampire spies had given her that information.

“Yeah. He volunteers at a youth center near his first foster

home. He’s going to start med school next fall. Following in Dad’s

footsteps. Unlike me, who just wants to cozy up to football players.”

“Well, something tells me your parents are proud of you either

way.”“You’d love my parents. My mom is so silly. She’s so much

fun, and my dad, he’s just a good person.”

“I think it takes a genuinely good person to do the work he

does.”“It does.”

“I’d love to meet them,” Camila said.

“You would? But I thought—”

“If your next statement has anything to do with anything Benny

or Cleo said, I’m going to kill them,” she said.

“Well, Natasha and Rodrick too. I just figured…”

“If you want me to, I can meet them. It’ll have to be at night, of

course, and they can’t exactly know what I am, but I can still meet

them.”

“What about your fancy teeth?”

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Camila opened her mouth. I blinked three or four times. The

sharp tips of her fangs were there one second and gone the next.

“How’d you do that?”

Camila shrugged. When she opened her mouth to speak, the

sharp tips were back. “It takes a little effort, but it’s not impossible.”

“I’d love for you to meet them.” To express my gratitude, I

kissed her softly on the lips, giving myself a hint of her delicious

taste.I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until the sushi hit the table.

Camila watched me demolish almost an entire spider roll before I

realized she wasn’t eating. I grinned at her, my mouth full of crab,

avocado, and rice.

“You are so adorable, Red.” She picked up the last piece and

put it between her perfect lips.

I swallowed and took a sip of my water. “Sorry. Those pancakes

wore off some time around two.”

“Don’t apologize. Eat all you want and then tell me more.”

The years between my adoption and the moment I met Amy,

had been pretty boring. Camila still wanted to know everything

about me. I bragged shamelessly about my straight A’s in math,

which she seemed to appreciate. I told her about my four year run

on an undefeated field hockey team, the many things I’d learned

about the perks of paper over plastic, how much I loved Starbursts.

We got on the subject of friends and relationships. I explained

to her that school took priority over boys and how I started to realize

boys might not have been on my mind at all. My prom date had

been a last minute thing with a friend who’d just gotten dumped. I’d

planned on going stag. Then I accidentally told her about how my

summer ended with my first kiss.

“About that,” she said playfully. “You hinted you were a virgin

when we met.”

“Stop. I know what you’re getting at.” I knew this would come

up. I was virgin, technically, in the sense that I’d never been with

anyone else, but I knew she would question how easily she’d been

able to slip sometimes three fingers inside me without a single

protest.

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“My mom tried to supplement the crap sex ed I was getting at

school with extra info sessions at home. I got a little curious when

she got to the section on masturbation.” I squeezed my eyes closed,

thinking about how stupid I’d been. “I accidentally de-virginized

myself with a cucumber.”

“Oh, Red!” Camila’s shock was appropriate for how painful

it had been. I went on, telling her how Mom had discreetly left a

smaller, more hygienic vibrator on my dresser after she’d found the

abused cucumber in the bathroom trash.

“It wasn’t one of my finer moments,” I said. “But still, before

you, I’d only kissed one other person, even though I’d spent many

hours with myself.”

“And was she any good? At the kissing I mean,” Camila asked.

I pushed aside images of the day I maimed myself and thought about

that muggy August afternoon, standing between our houses. Kristen

and I had been talking, swapping bits and pieces of info about our

soon-to-be roommates, when suddenly she just kissed me. At the

time, it was amazing, hot and wet, with a lot of tongue. I’d wanted

her to take the kiss further, which she would have if Todd’s nosy ass

hadn’t come around the corner. It had been the peak of my sexual

experience and prepared me in no way for the beautiful demon

queen I was with now.

“She was okay,” I muttered.

“Well, baby, as long as she treated you right.” Camila’s fingers

brushed across my knee. My thighs automatically opened for her. I

looked down as if I could see through the table, imagining her hand

going a little higher. She slid closer, closing the natural distance that

had come between us as we ate, and kissed me gently on the neck.

Her warm tongue poked out between her parted lips and caressed

my vein. Then her soft fingers started their trip north. I had about ten

seconds before a wet patch stained my dress. When she brushed the

thin fabric covering my clit, my thighs squeezed together.

“Is that lace?” She smiled against my tingling skin.

“Yes.”

“I think we need to get you out of this dress.” Coming with

other people around was something I was starting to get used to,

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but I had a feeling the middle-aged couple beside us might not

appreciate my high-pitched moans. I turned my head just a little,

brushing my cheek against hers.

“Can we go?” I whispered.

“Of course, Red. Just one moment.” Something was suddenly

off about her voice, so I pulled away. And then I almost jumped back

when I saw the tall, gray-haired woman standing next to our table.

• 163 •

• 164 •

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Chapter nine

Camila withdrew her hand and gently pushed my legs

together. My heart sank at the thought she was actually

ashamed of me, until she turned slowly and pulled me tightly against

her side. The way her body suddenly gripped with tension told me

she wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed. She was protecting me.

At first glance, there was nothing overtly threatening about the

woman, or the two young men she had beside her. They didn’t look

much older than me, but the woman was older than Camila, possibly

in her late thirties, although her gray hair made her look even older.

Her outfit was a little distracting. The Lycra tube dress was skintight

over her firm breasts and just long enough to barely cover her crotch.

It matched her brightly colored stilettos perfectly.

Only highway road crews wore that shade of orange at night,

but even the most dedicated of crews didn’t wear that much neon

chest-to-toe. With the black and white streaks of her hip-length

hair, she looked a little overanxious for Halloween. The fact that

both boys wore thick leather collars around their necks only added

to the hilarity of the situation, but as she looked me over, there was

no urge to laugh. Her eyes were a little too bright and silver. And

when she opened her mouth to speak, her fangs were obvious in the

dim light.

“I am so sorry to interrupt, but if I’m not mistaken, it’s been

months since I’ve seen you last. I had to come over and say hello.”

The woman’s Southern accent was so thick you could almost

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taste the sweet tea on her lips. But despite the velvet twang of her

pronunciation, her husky voice was anything but charming.

“It’s nice to see you again, Moreland,” Camila said.

“I’ve decided to treat my pets to supper out. They’ve been so

well behaved these past few weeks.” She reached up and gently

stroked the moppish, brown hair of the young man to her left. He

gazed at her as he leaned into her affections, the way a dog would to

his owner. I cringed. Moreland turned back in our direction just in

time to see the look of disgust on my face. If my reaction bothered

her, she didn’t show it. She kept right on talking.

“I see you’re treating one of your beautiful pets as well.”

Camila slipped her arm from around my shoulders and threw a

hundred dollar bill on the table. I could feel the tension coming off

her as she frowned. “She is not my pet.”

“Oh. My. I do apologize. She is wearing your ruby.” I

automatically patted the small jewel as if she meant to snatch it from

my neck, but Moreland just smiled wider, prattling on. “I assume

you are borrowing from Kina’s stock, then?”

I glanced at Camila just in time to see her jaw tighten; her

plump red lips twitched. This would have been a perfect time for

this woman to shut the hell up, but she didn’t.

“I do so envy you and your sisters. Our master has provided

me with such beautiful playthings, but you ladies always get the

freshest…” The bitch drew in a deep breath through her nose before

she made a dramatic show of licking her lips. “…the sweetest little

girls. Do tell me your name, sweet pea.”

Fuck my name; I wanted to let my gag reflex fly. I grabbed

Camila’s hand under the table and slid closer to her.

“Uh, it’s Ginger.”

“Well, my darling Ginger, you must come see me after you

graduate. I would hate for your flavor to go to waste.”

And that’s when Camila snapped.

I’d seen a pretty decent chick fight on my way to English class

last spring. Lots of screaming and hair pulling. One girl had even

landed a solid kick to the gut. That was kind of hilarious to watch,

the drama of it all. This was much more frightening. No punches

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Better Off red

were thrown. There was no yelling, but the silent, deadly grace that

came over Camila would have scared the shit out of me if I had been

on the receiving end of her glare.

Camila slowly rose from the table, guiding me up along with

her. She spoke calmly, her voice so low and focused, you’d have

been a fool to let down your guard.

“I thought you knew how much I don’t like to repeat myself.

Ginger is not one of our pets. She is my mate.”

Moreland’s silver eyes flashed for a brief moment as Camila’s

words registered. The look of satisfaction immediately dropped

from her face. Camila ignored her shock and looked at each of the

boys as she went on.

“Andrew, Luke, you contact me immediately if she mistreats

you. Promise me?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they both replied with quiet respect.

I followed Camila out from behind the table. Her steps were

measured and confident, but where she usually channeled sex with

her every move, now I was waiting for her to lash out and punch

Moreland in the neck. Instead, she helped me into my jacket and

handed me my clutch. She was still strung tight, but I felt calmer and

safer the second she reclaimed my hand. She walked slowly toward

Moreland until their shoulders were almost touching. Moreland

immediately dropped her gaze to the floor, finally too afraid to look

Camila in the eye.

“You seem to have forgotten who I am to you. Don’t ever

approach one of my girls,” Camila said with a treacherous purr.

“And if you ever speak to me like that again, I will strip you of your

adoring pets.” She looked down Moreland’s body, past her hardened

nipples. “Or I can just rip your throat out.”

“I do apologize. Please forgive me,” Moreland whispered.

“Enjoy your meal,” Camila replied. As we walked away, there

was no doubt in my mind Moreland would have nightmares about

the parting smile Camila gave her.

A little nervous and very turned on, I followed Camila outside.

The valet stand was empty, but that didn’t seem to faze her. She

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reBekah WeatherspOOn

pulled me to the side, wrapping her arms around my waist. I rubbed

her shoulders feeling the tension drain out of her body.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“For what?”

“I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You didn’t,” I said. “She did.”

“Well, you and the girls don’t need to worry about Moreland.

We’ve never passed anyone on to her.”

“What’s her deal?”

“Nothing. She does view you girls, well, all humans, as food

and sex toys. But her feeders always love her and she’s never had

any violations, so there was nothing I can do.”

“Was?”

“You don’t disrespect me in front of my girl,” she said.

“You have my full permission to rip her to shreds anytime.

Ugh, she’s wicked gross!”

I smiled when Camila laughed. “Thank you, baby. If she pulls

some shit like that again, I will.”

“So what’s the difference between being your girlfriend and

being your mate?” I asked.

“Girlfriend is very temporary in her eyes. It means that I’d let

her play with you on the weekends if she asked nicely. Mate means

if she runs into you on the street thirty years from now, she’ll still

have to deal with me and I’d still kick her ass.”

“Oh. What do the other sister-queens see me as?”

“My mate, Red. Don’t worry.”

“Good.”

We kissed, just for a moment. I never thought I would be so

attracted to power or such an intense display of aggression, but I

was, even more so because I knew Camila would never use it against

me. That sense of security in her, and myself, made me want to kiss

her even harder, letting myself go in her arms.

She pulled back, putting a small step between us. When I opened

my eyes, the SUV was there at the curb, the valet standing with

my door open for me. Camila tipped him generously, then held my

hand as she helped me up into the high cab. That kind of chivalrous

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Better Off red

attention had never been paid to me before. It was something I could

definitely get used to. After a few seconds, she was beside me again,

pulling the Range Rover out into traffic.

She took my hand and pulled it back into her lap just before

she needed both her hands to take a slow left. I took advantage and

spread my fingers over her vinyl-covered thigh. Her lips parted, just

barely, and a soft sound of pleasure came from her chest.

“So,” I said cautiously. “Where are you exactly in the whole

vampire power pyramid?” Camila had the type of presence that

demanded attention and respect. Anyone could see that. Even

though she deserved more than the reprimand, it was interesting

how quickly someone as rude and clueless as Moreland would

cower to Camila.

“Power pyramid, huh. In this part of the world, I’m second in

command.”

“Really?” That shocked me.

“Our hierarchy is based on the origin of your maker. My maker

was never human.”

“You only had one maker? Because Benny said that when you

turn, you feed from at least four others.”

“Yes. That is true. That’s the safest way…for the vampires.” A

dark look closed over her brow. And there is it was. The secrets. But

she’d pushed me to tell her the truth about myself and my family,

and now I would push her, just a little.

“You killed your maker, didn’t you?” I said.

She rubbed the back of my hand with her thumb, squeezing me

gently.

“I’m sorry, Red. I haven’t had to explain myself in a long time.”

“And you don’t have to now.” I lifted our hands and kissed her

knuckles. “I was just wondering. So it’s based on the rank of your

makers?”

“Essentially, yes. Abrah was a pure demon. I took on all his

powers and his rank.”

“So what are you doing with the likes of us lowly sorority

girls?”

“I’m on vacation,” she said, licking her lips.

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“Oh?”

“Yes. When I get bored with you pets, I’ll go to DC, hook back

up with Dalhem. That’s Benny’s father. And I’ll let you in on a little

secret, baby. He’s pure demon as well.” Which wasn’t actually a

secret to me thanks to Cleo. “I’m watching over this chapter as a

favor to him. I’ll go back to work keeping the rest of my demon

friends like Moreland in line when I’m done.”

“Oh. And when will that be?” I asked, dreading the answer. Of

course she would move on. Who the hell would want to live under

a sorority house forever?

Camila turned to me, the gold in her eyes sparking a glow in

the swirling green.

“Whenever you’re done with me, Red.” She met me halfway as

I leaned across the seat, both of us trusting her senses to keep us on

the road as our lips pressed together.

❖

“Not yet.” My whisper caught in my throat.

“No. Now is working just fine for me.”

Camila was cheating. I wanted to wait until we got inside the

hotel room before I came all over myself. All I had was the tiny

bit of security in the fact that she wouldn’t actually fuck me in the

elevator of the hotel to keep me from coming apart in her hands. But

she had those lips, those soft, full lips and, God, those fangs.

There was a camera mounted somewhere in the over-sized

mirrored box. Only she knew where. Fear of having her sharp teeth

revealed to the security guards downstairs was not something on

her mind. Her fangs grew to their full length, lightly pricking the

pulsing vein running down my neck to my heart.

“Baby,” the word slipped out of my mouth, but it felt right.

“Just wait.”

“Why should I? I’ve been waiting all day. I want to taste you

now.”My back arched off the wall. I pressed my body between her

hips.

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“Exactly.” I pressed against her even harder, forcing her gaze

up. Her breath was coming hard, a sawing purr sweeping her scented

breath across my lips. “I want to come in your mouth.”

She stepped to the other side of the elevator and casually tucked

her hands behind her back.

“Oh, is that all it takes? Does my pussy taste that good?” I

asked softly. It quickly turned into a gasp as she was on me again in

a flash, her knee pressing between my legs.

“Yes, Red. That’s all it takes. You taste good. Like sweet fruit.

Here…” Her knee pressed even harder. And then she licked my

neck. “And here.” The elevator door dinged open as a shiver rippled

through my body.

I tried to gather myself before we stepped off and right into the

penthouse foyer.

The hotel room had a foyer.

My gaze followed Camila’s hand as she pointed to the right.

“Hot tub, television, bar, and view of the west side of the city

that way.”

“And that way?” I nodded to left.

“A bathroom with a pool sized tub, two more TVs, and the

bedroom with a view of the south and east side of the city. A beautiful

view of the water. Your pick.”

My neck and my tingling clit had made the decision back at the

restaurant.

“Bedroom.” I nodded confidently.

“After you.”

The bedroom was easy enough to find down a short, marbled

hall, through an enormous sitting room. We paused for me to ditch

my jacket and my clutch. I slid my hand back into hers, letting her

guide me deeper into the penthouse. We stepped into the bedroom

and she gave me a moment to look around. Right away, I noticed

a pattern in Camila’s taste in decor. I followed the strips of electric

blue illumination coming from lights hidden along the seam of the

ceiling. But the soothing hue against the marble didn’t keep my

attention for long.

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reBekah WeatherspOOn

Floor to ceiling windows lined the walls, allowing the lights

of the distant houses and surrounding skyscrapers to bounce off the

smooth white floor. My nerves had calmed some during the short

walk from the elevator, but as I approached one of the huge panes,

my breath caught at the buzzing world thirty-five stories down.

All on its own, my hand pressed against the cool glass. I checked

quickly to make sure I didn’t leave a mark then gazed back across

the miles and miles of white, yellow, and red dots and out over the

shimmering water of the bay.

“I can see my house from here,” I said, turning to Camila. She

was standing patiently in the center of the room, watching me, a

slight, but adoring smile touching her lips. The steps I took led me

back to her and she guided me toward the bed, a quadruple California

king-sized beast. I’d been too distracted by the view to notice it.

I’m not sure how far out of her way Camila had to go to plan

our date, especially since she took me exclusively to places she

owned, but that didn’t make the surprise waiting for me on top of

the fresh linens any less special. From all the movies I’d seen, rose

petals and chocolates or even strawberries and champagne, seemed

like the customary bedroom seduction tools. Camila had skipped

right over any sort of floral displays and sweets and gotten right to

the point.

Three dildos—one green, one pink, and one black—a pink

vibrator, and a harness sat on a neatly folded cream blanket

surrounded by a variety of lotions, oils, and lubricants. I looked at

the plastic cocks in their different shapes and sizes and the shiny

new leather then turned to Camila.

“Oh, I see what’s going on here,” I said sternly.

“Do you?”

“You’ve been wanting me to take you over to the bed and fuck

you crazy, but you didn’t know how to ask. So you just laid this stuff

out and hoped I took the hint.”

She wrapped her arms around my waist, looking over my lips then

up to my eyes. I swallowed at her deep stare and my pussy quivered,

adding another bit of moisture to the already damp fabric between my

legs. It was more than about time I took my underwear off.

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“There’s that. Ultimately, it’s your choice, baby. We can do it

the old-fashioned way,” she said. “You know I love feeling your clit

against mine. Or I can fuck you this way.” She nodded toward the

toys on the bed. “Or you could fuck me.”

“The green one,” I decided before I took a step back out of her

arms. Without another word, I walked toward the bathroom. The

confidence in my strides was utter crap, but Camila didn’t seem to

notice or mind. Glancing over my shoulder one last time, I caught

her wink before shutting the door behind me.

I turned and faced a cavernous marble room, completely devoid

of any sort of light.

“Smooth,” I mumbled in the darkness. Note to self. Know

where the light switches are before walking off alone.

There were no windows in the large bathroom and no light

coming in from under the door. I couldn’t see a damn thing. A short

moment before I started feeling along the counter for the wall, the

door cracked open and the lights flicked on. My eyes adjusted to the

bright glow just as Camila’s hand slid back out the door.

“Thanks,” I yelled.

“No problem, Red,” she yelled back.

Days could be wasted thinking over the difference between

my level of overall coolness and subtlety compared to Camila’s.

The fact that she was more mature, more experienced, and of

another more magical and powerful species, would never change.

So after one glance in the mirror I figured it was best to just focus

on shucking my outfit and getting back in her arms, instead of how

lame I was.

I kicked off my shoes and then ditched my dress and jewelry on

the counter before I gave myself a quick once-over. The underwear

Amy had picked was perfect. A slowly turned circle in front of the

mirror gave me a chance to check the hem of the lace tanga shorts

that barley covered my ass. They were soaked, but I wanted Camila

to see them on me before I ditched them in a wet ball on the floor.

The matching black bra pushed my already plump breasts up and

together. I could see the blushing pink of my nipples easily though

the black lace pattern. They were so hard and sensitive already,

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reBekah WeatherspOOn

aching to be sucked. I hoped Danni was giving it to Amy good at

that very moment. She deserved it.

I opened the door, flicked the switch off, and got somewhere

around three feet back into the bedroom before I froze. There was

music playing, soft techno rhythms that reminded me of something

I’d heard in the dressing rooms earlier that day. The low lights that

had cast the room in a pretty neon glow had switched from electric

blue to an emerald green. Little changes that set a perfect mood and

couldn’t have mattered less when compared to the woman in front

of me.She knew I was there, even though she didn’t look up as she

fastened the harness around her bare thighs. I got the feeling she

wanted to give me a moment, a moment I needed, just to look at her.

I’d seen Camila in various stages of undress during the times we’d

spent together, but nothing had hung so perfectly off her gorgeous

hips the way the straps of leather did now. Not the patch of jewels

and chain mail she had worn the first night we met, or the vinyl

pants she’d had on just moments ago. It was a shame I hadn’t gotten

to pull the tight fabric off her. I had a feeling there would be plenty

of chances to lend her an unnecessary hand out of her clothes. For

now, I couldn’t help but drool over the goddess in front of me.

My gaze traveled up her body, over her waist to her lush

breasts with their tight brown nipples. I swallowed as soon as my

mouth began to water, my tongue aching to trace every inch of her

skin. Even her bare feet looked nice planted solidly beneath her

curvaceous frame, the caramel of her skin in soft contrast with the

pale marble floor.

She pulled the right strap tight, making the green cock bob

between her hips. A moan actually slipped through my lips. I tried

to catch it, my throat clenching. It only bubbled up harder as the air

leaving my lungs forced it from my mouth.

Camila glanced up finally, smiling at me. But then she froze,

just for a moment. The amusement dropped from her lips and she

straightened, placing her hands on her hips. “Come here, Red,” she

said softly.

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I was halfway to her before I’d realized my feet had started

working, and I was in her arms, the green cock pressing against my

belly, before I took my next breath. I didn’t know it was possible to

want someone this bad.

“Faeth and Tokyo fought over you,” she said suddenly and

quite seriously.

I frowned. That was not where I saw this conversation going.

I was shocked there was any conversation at all. “What? When and

what for?”

“Faeth saw you first and she wanted you. Tokyo saw you a little

later and she wanted you, too.”

“So they fought over me?”

“Not physically. Tokyo would win, but they argued. And I

settled it.”

“I see. What did you say?”

“That I wanted you more.”

“And you don’t argue with the queen?”

“No, baby. You don’t.”

“Hey, is Tokyo her real name?”

“No,” Camila said. “Her name is Miyoko. She had a feeder

who called her Tokyo and it just stuck.”

“Oh. Well, as nice as Tokyo and Faeth are…” Which was a

complete assumption because I’d never talked to them. “I think I got

the better end of the deal.”

I wanted to tell her I loved her right then, but I couldn’t. I’d

already embarrassed the hell out of myself the day before, spilling

my feelings all over the interior of her car. As the emotions rolled

through my head, her expression softened, but in a way that made

me a little uncomfortable.

“You can read my mind?” I asked.

“I can.”

“But you’re not right now.”

“No, I’m not and I haven’t. Ever.”

Why not, I wanted to say, but I didn’t. The strange look on

her face, the speculation and something close to pity, told me I

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wouldn’t like what she would say. And I wanted her inside me way

too much to start that kind of conversation right now. She’d asked

me out, told me I could call her my girlfriend, even elevated me to a

seemingly important status to the sister-queens, but she’d never said

anything about loving me back. She wanted me and she made me

feel special, so I would give her the same back. No more doubts, no

more hesitation.

“If you ever do, just give me a heads up. I’d hate for you to

catch me thinking about something boring like my stats homework.”

“You’d never bore me, baby,” she said. “Ever.”

She swallowed, the deep rolling of her throat catching my eye.

Her hesitation slipped away and the calm, seductive Camila was

back. Whatever doubts had been on her mind she’d clearly decided

to save for another day. Her hand slipped between our bellies and

lower until her fingers brushed the wet lace between my legs.

“When I fuck you, we’re gonna leave these on.”

I nodded deeply before I said okay.

“Lie down.”

I turned and walked to the bed, feeling her gaze heating the

skin on my back. She didn’t move from the spot until I was settled

on the sheets, and that’s when she walked toward the bed, prowled

on her hands and knees until her head was between my legs. I met

her feral gaze, the glowing stare that set my nipples aching even

harder and made my clit twitch.

Her lips parted, her fangs growing back to their full length. I

knew what artery she would go for. She had yet to feed from the

inside of my thigh. But she only cocked her head slightly. I felt a

pinpoint of pressure just above my clit, then a small brush of air and

the warm brush of her cheek as it moved along the split she’d just

made in the fabric. I shivered, swallowing nervously, unable to keep

from biting my lips as my chest rose and fell.

She gently lifted my hips and moved down even further. She

raised her head when she finished and I could tell that my underwear

had been split from my clit to my asshole, giving her every inch of

access. When she dipped her head back and licked me, a warm, wet,

dragging stroke, front to back, top to bottom, I knew for sure. It was

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too much for me to moan. Too many sensations for me to whimper.

I just went on shivering and gasping for air.

“God, Red. Don’t make me wait,” she begged me. It was

strange; I knew she wanted me, but she was usually more in control.

I wanted her bite and I wanted to give her my blood, but there were

other things I wanted more, like more of her tongue on my body and

every inch of the cock between her legs. She let her head fall to the

side and nuzzled my thigh with rough affection, the way a loving

cat would do to its beloved owner. I ran my fingers through her

jet-black spikes for the first time. They were so soft. Her purr grew

louder and she rubbed her cheek and then her chin along the inside

of my hips. My body arched up to her face. I spoke boldly before the

courage to ask went away.

“Please,” I said. “Lick me first.”

“Okay, baby,” she groaned in reply.

My legs were spread wide by her strong hands, forcing my

knees almost to my chest. I shifted on the bed just as her lips covered

my slit. With a slight upward motion, her tongue spread me wider.

The moaning couldn’t be helped. My body needed her, wanted her

more than I could handle to keep in.

Despite the desperate sounds she was making, Camila managed

to work me slowly, gently sucking my clit into her mouth. Paying

affectionate attention to my opening with her tongue. I gripped her

hair tighter and let my body go with the motions of her lips.

With her, there had never been any time for me to consider

what I liked, what subtle skills or advanced tricks someone would

have to use on me to make me come. With her, everything worked.

Everything she did with her mouth, the soft scraping of her teeth

over my clit or the insistent thrusts of her tongue inside, all of it

brought me closer and closer to coming.

She alternated, her hands never leaving my thighs, just her lips

and her tongue, teasing me, torturing me. Our eyes met. She was all

animal in that moment, all demon, and I could see how hard she was

fighting to keep her control in check. That heat in her eyes, the want,

that pushed me over. I cried out, whimpering nonsense into the cool

air above us, clutching on to her head. She met my downward thrust,

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reBekah WeatherspOOn

grinding her face harder between my legs, taking every bit of my

trembling into her body.

With one more slow, sweeping pass of her tongue, Camila

silently rose up to her knees. There was no warning and no

hesitating. The cock between her hips pushed inside me with one

sharp thrust, my dripping juices easing the way. My eyes slammed

shut. I gripped the sheets. The cock fit perfectly inside me, the same

firm way Camila felt perfect on top of me.

She pulled back a little then pushed forward again, pausing

just for a moment when my body decided to roll its hips. My pussy

spasmed along the firm plastic and spasmed again when I thought

of who it was attached to. My eyes fluttered open and I stared at her

beautiful face.

I love you, I wanted to say, but I didn’t. “Kiss me,” I said

instead. She answered by pressing her lips against mine. My mouth

parted and she entered me again, kissing me the way I needed her to,

letting me taste the traces of myself on her lips. She was like honey

and sweet fruit with that hint of spice I’d been craving all along. My

arms wrapped around her shoulders and her arms came around my

back. I arched off the mattress giving her plenty of room to unhook

my bra. I let go just long enough to slip it from my arms, and then

she was lifting me.

“Ride me,” she said as she fell back on her heels.

I nodded, wrapping my body around hers and the cock. I

followed her motions, rising and falling, grinding in her lap. She

took advantage of the shift between us and suckled my nipple

between her red lips. And then I lost it. She let go of my nipple the

second I started coming and gently cupped the side of my neck. She

thrust up into my pussy harder and harder and I came again. This

time I moaned her name.

“Baby,” she growled deeply as I shuddered against her. My

head tilted to the side. I gave her my neck. Her bite was hard. Hard

and perfect, the cool sting sending thundering shocks through my

veins to every inch of my body. I came again, crying out desperately,

soaking the leather in her lap and the insides of my thighs.

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Her head dropped to my breast as her own orgasm rippled over

her. She cried out, groaning my name, licking my damp skin around

my ruby and my chain, kissing and biting at my nipples, refusing to

slow the pumping of her hips. And I kept riding her, harder, neither

of us willing to stop even as she added a finger to the equation.

She may not have been in love with me, but I was in love with

her, and the same way my blood was in her, she was now inside

me, inside my heart in every way, making me come over and over.

There were no thoughts of where the morning would take us, but as

she gently used her middle finger, soaked in my juices, to tease the

tight ring of my ass, I couldn’t help but wonder where the security

cameras were in the penthouse and just how well they were capturing

the show on the bed.

When there was time, I’d love to see the playback.

• 179 •

• 180 •

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Chapter ten

There’s a heart here.” Her fingers brushed across my

shoulder blade. “And if I squint, there’s a frog right here.”

And then in a small circle at the top of my spine.

“But only if you squint?”

“Precisely.”

I giggled, unable to control the tremble that rippled through my

body. Her fingers moved up and down my back, across my shoulder

and my neck, and back again.

There were only a few hours left before sunrise, hours I refused

to waste sleeping. Camila had fucked me perfectly one more time

before giving me a break to stretch and hydrate. At some point, we

decided an ice cream sundae was in order. She called downstairs

and what felt like a whole minute later, Camila returned from the

elevator carrying a huge bowl on a silver tray. I complained for a

moment that it was too big for me to eat alone, but quit arguing

when she made a very seductive move to feed me the sugary dessert.

It’s hard to turn someone down when they lick your lips.

Our little dessert break left me cranked up all over again. My

pussy pulsed and clenched with every sloppy spoonful she brought

to my mouth. She intentionally made a mess, letting me lick the

chocolate syrup and whipped cream from her fingers. The sugar

rush led to a laughing fit that somehow gave me the bright idea to

actually try to screw Camila with the strap-on. That plan came up

short the moment she pulled the straps around my hips.

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reBekah WeatherspOOn

Something about seeing me in the new leather set off the beast

in Camila’s brain. One moment I was standing at the foot of the bed

looking down as her confident hands secured the harness on my

body, and the next I was on my back on the floor, Camila’s head

buried between my legs. Annoyed that she hadn’t even let me try

the pink dildo out, I actually put up a fight. Which was pretty stupid.

She gripped my hips tighter and drew the length of her fang down

the side of my clit. My back shot up off the marble floor and my

orgasm shuddered through my body. Momentary blindness didn’t

keep me from feeling my juices gushing over her tongue and chin.

She pulled away, not bothering to ease me down from the high

peak she put me on. As soon as I could see straight, I pounced on

her. She let me take her to the floor. I wasn’t surprised how easily

her legs fell open. She let me in, letting me taste her for the first

time. I almost came again the second my tongue lapped across her

hardened clit. She tasted so sweet, just like her strong scent mixed

with honey.

She had been so commanding and so dominating when we’d

been together, even though I wanted to badly, I never thought to go

down on her without explicit instructions to do just that. But she

hadn’t even flinched to stop me. She opened herself to me, letting

my clumsy lips and fingers explore the tight warmth of her gorgeous

slit. I admired every bit of skin, the stiff length of her clit, every

crevasse. So soft and wet. I knew it wasn’t all my doing, but I was

pleased when she came, psyched when she began rolling her hips

harder against my face until she fell apart, gripping and soaking my

fingers. She’d taken no time to come back down. She hopped to her

feet, still panting and purring, and led me back to the bed. And for

an hour, we lay there talking and touching.

I thought falling for Camila that first night we’d spent together

had been a mistake. Even having a crush on an immortal creature

like her had seemed like a bad idea. Finally feeling her react to me,

tasting her as she came apart because of something I had done, threw

my priorities completely out of whack. Now the part of my world

that mattered the most existed at night. School was still important.

I wanted my degree and I wanted to make my parents proud. Lying

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Better Off red

in the curve of her hips, my cheek resting on her warm breast made

the real world, the one I belonged to, seem so unimportant and so

far away. No part of me wanted to go back to the ABO house, back

to school or my life. I just wanted to spend forever lying with her.

I got the distinct feeling Camila felt the same way. She was

stalling, breaking in her story as often as possible, using the freckles

along my back and arms as an excuse.

“This one looks like a bunny,” she whispered against my hair.

I yawned then nuzzled her pert nipple with the corner of my

mouth. “You’ll have to show me tomorrow. Tell me more about your

maker.”

Finally she gave in. She picked up her tale where she’d left off,

but kept up the soothing strokes along my back. I never wanted to

move again.

For as long as anyone in her family could remember, Abrah had

lived in a system of caves just north of the Sierra Norte de Oaxaca

mountain range in Southern Mexico. I listened as Camila described

the beauty of the region. It was impossible to ignore the adoration

in her voice when she talked about the mountains and lush valleys

she’d explored as a child.

An hour before, all I knew about Mexico involved escalating

drug violence, tales of dangerous border crossings, and of course

the ongoing debate over Cabo versus Jamaica for spring break. I

pictured Camila, in a different time and place, a completely different

person from the one who lay underneath me in the sheets.

Her village had been small, but a true community that lived

peacefully between the mountains and the river. The nearest town

was a considerable walking distance, but news had always reached

them. There had been devastating changes to the country and there

was always the fear that outsiders would stumble across their small

haven in the wilderness and interrupt their pleasant lives. The head

of the village had taken care to reassure his people that the outside

world would never be a threat. Their village was too remote. And

then there was their protector. Abrah, a true demon or a demon-

bourne as Camila explained it, one of only seven to escape from the

bonds of hell.

• 183 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

The tale of Angel de las Cuevas had spread all over the land

north and south of the mountains, but only the members of Camila’s

village knew just how real their Angel of the Caves was.

His relationship with her people was very different from the

relationship the girls and I shared with the sister-queens. There

was still a sense of ceremony. When every member of the village

reached adulthood, they were first presented to Abrah, then to the

village for marriage. But everything else was different. Abrah never

took human form, living his life in the mountains as a full demon.

When he emerged to feed, he never hid the crowned horns of his

head or his majestic black wings. And he never slept with any of his

humans. Anatomically, it wouldn’t have worked, but his fangs still

gave the cold shock of ecstasy.

“He could sense our physical pleasure and our pain,” she said,

explaining why she’d never asked me to touch her. I practically

came from looking at her. The orgasms-by-contact she must have

received just from feeding would keep anyone sexually gratified.

Forever.

Camila was a late bloomer, the youngest of six children, the

only girl among five boys. Her grandfather had been a green-eyed

Scottish missionary who had been separated from his group. He

stumbled upon the village one rainy morning, and after he realized

they had absolutely no interest in killing him, decided to stay. He

took a wife, a young widow. A generation later, Camila had arrived,

hazel-eyed, and as I imagined, just as perfect as I saw her now.

Her first encounter with Abrah had been typical, but as time

passed, it became clear to everyone in the village that Camila was

his favorite. He always socialized on his visits down from the

mountains, but his main purpose was to feed. On the night of her

wedding to Lino, the young man who had won her hand, Abrah was

there with gifts and well wishes. It was the first time he’d appeared

for such an event.

“He came back the night I found out I was pregnant.”

My head snapped up. “You had kids?”

She nodded with a soft, sad smile.

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Better Off red

Camila had given birth early in the spring. The very same day

the developers first approached the head of the village, demanding

he take his people elsewhere. Their homes sat directly in the path

they wanted to take to the river and further on to the ocean.

“The place was no bigger than a city block,” Camila said.

“But they wanted you out.”

“They wanted the land, the trees, and uninterrupted access to

the river.” Something they would go to extreme lengths to get.

The head of the village had sent the men away, telling Camila’s

family and the families of her friends and neighbors not to worry

about the intruders. They celebrated the arrival of Camila’s children,

twin boys viewed as a blessing for the whole village, two males who

would grow into strong and proud men. Camila and Lino lived their

lives blissfully for three more years, raising their sons in peace and

willingly serving Abrah.

Camila paused for a moment. I fought the urge to ask, “Then

what happened,” like some foolish little kid. She sighed and went on

without any prodding from me.

In the three years she’d had with her family, the developer’s

company had made the decision to clear out the village and take the

land. They had heeded the warning from a neighboring town. They

may not have believed in the myth of Angel de las Cuevas, but they

were smart enough to plan their ambush for high noon, a time when

the men were away from the village, the women and children at

their most vulnerable as their demon protector, if he actually existed,

slept. She found out later that two groups had been sent out: one to

surround and burn the village, the other to round up and slaughter

all the men out in the forest.

Camila had been by the river, gathering water, when she first

heard the screams and smelled the smoke. She made it to the edge

of their clearing as the shots that killed her boys rang out. She had

never thought twice about leaving them with their grandmother, but

suddenly she wished they’d never left her side. She ran to them

anyway, ignoring the shouts of the men brandishing torches and

rifles. She described the scene to me, the fire and the blood and

bodies everywhere, but I could hardly picture it.

• 185 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

She’d been shot in the back at the entrance to her parents’

home. The blow had knocked her to the ground. A thick-heeled

boot to the head had knocked her out. The fire burning through her

clothes ripped her back to reality sometime around dusk. I shuddered

uncontrollably against her as she said the words.

“If you can avoid it, Red, I don’t recommend being set on fire.”

She looked at me, trying just as I would have, to make light of the

situation.

“I’ll do my best.”

She took a deep breath and went on.

She’d been placed at the edge of a pile of bodies and lit on fire

along with them. She forced herself to ignore the choking smell of

burning flesh, her own flesh and that of her loved ones, and managed

to roll away from the heap. She put out the flames that had begun to

engulf her by rolling in the blood soaked dirt. With her senses better

under control, she could finally hear voices in the distance, voices

she ignored. She knew her husband was dead, knew her sons were

somewhere in the flaming heap. Heartbroken and in searing pain,

her body made decisions she didn’t think to override as she crawled

to the edge of the forest, toward the caves.

“I didn’t make it that far before I passed out again, and when

I came to, Abrah had me in his arms.” He spoke soothing words to

her, promising to save her. She was the only one left, his only child,

and he refused to let her die. She barely held on to consciousness

as he carried her swiftly through the forest all the way back to the

concealed ledges of his cave. She remembered cool ferns against

her charred skin and the golden glow of his eyes in the darkness, but

nothing else.

“When I woke up, I was completely healed and Abrah was

dead. There was a huge gash in his neck. For a long time I wondered

how I’d overpowered him, but Dalhem told me it was impossible for

a healthy human to take down a demon, especially at night.” She was

silent for a moment staring at the ceiling. There was no need for her

to go on. I didn’t want to know the rest. I saw the pain on her face.

My birth father had never existed to me and my mother had

been a piss-poor definition of the word. It couldn’t have been easier

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Better Off red

for the Carmichaels to replace them. It was amazing to think how

great they’d turned out to be, how they’d healed me.

Abrah had saved Camila’s life, a life that she had no one left

to share with.

In the remaining darkness, her instincts had told her to drag

her maker’s body to the exposed cliffs just outside the cave. She hid

in the shadows the following day, ignoring the scent of scorched

demon flesh as Abrah’s body was ignited by the rising sun. And that

night she set out to find the men who had killed her family. She’d

drained three of them completely before Dalhem found her.

“He found you the next day?” I asked.

“The seven bourne-demons are linked, but Dalhem and Abrah

were spawned twins. Dalhem knew the moment I’d taken his

brother’s life and his powers.” Camila had fought him when he tried

to pull her away from the developer’s encampment. She was strong

enough to show some genuine resistance, but there was still human

in her. Dalhem’s demon quickly overpowered her and pulled her

back to the cover of the forest. Somehow, he’d been able to talk some

sense into her, convince her that the mass-murder of her family’s

killers wouldn’t bring her sons or her husband back. That age-old

lecture of the downside to revenge. He promised he would prevent

them from destroying the land, but there was nothing he could do

about the events that had already unfolded. The approaching sunrise

had been the only reason she’d given in and followed Dalhem back

to the States.

“He’d had a home set up in DC for years by the time I met him,

so he brought me there. Taught me how to use my powers, figure out

my weaknesses.”

“You have weaknesses?”

“I do, baby. Redheads being one of them,” she said, letting out

another deep breath. I looked up at her just as she looked at me and

that’s when I saw the blue tears, a few stray, translucent blue streaks

of moisture trailing down the side of her face. There hadn’t been a

hint of a tremble in her voice, but of course she would cry thinking

of her family. Or course she would miss them.

• 187 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

I jumped up on the bed beside her and didn’t hesitate to brush

the tears gently away from her face. More followed. And more even

though her voice continued with its solid rhythm.

“Lino and I would be dead by now, but Acui and Lan could still

be alive.”

“Really?” I pulled back and gazed at her young face. “How old

would they be? How old are you?”

She burst out laughing through her tears. “I’m eighty-three,

Red.”“Oh.” The disappointment in my voice made absolutely no

sense. “I thought you were older. How old were you when you

died?”“Eighteen.”

“What?” I actually yelled that time.

She huffed a short laugh, then wiped her face and sat up. “I’m

not human, baby, and you’d be surprised what a difference a little

confidence makes.”

“I guess. So we’re the same age, sorta?”

“Sorta.” She smiled.

“When’s your birthday?” I had to stop sounding like a complete

tool. “July twenty-fifth. I think. Your birthday is December fourth, if

my information from Benny is correct.”

“Ha ha. Yeah, it is.”

“Well, that gives me plenty of time to pick out a present for

you.” I felt myself blush, embarrassed by just how good the idea of

us being together three months from now sounded. I wiped away the

last traces of her tears with my thumb.

“You still want me? Even though I’m younger than you hoped?”

she asked, faking a pout. I shoved her shoulder gently.

“I’m the obsessed one, remember. I’m sorry about your family.

I can’t even imagine what that must have been like.”

“I don’t want you to. I miss them. I always will, but I have my

sisters. I have Cleo’s smartass mouth and I have you.”

“Poor substitutes,” I said, knowing I only meant it in terms of

me.

• 188 •

Better Off red

She cupped the side of my neck, stroking me with her thumb

and I found it was impossible not to look up into her shimmering

eyes.“Not a substitute, just something different and special.”

Instantly, I was done with the subject. I didn’t want her to have to

remember anymore, at least for the rest of the night.

I squared my shoulders and frowned very seriously. “There is

a cluster of freckles on my butt that I am positive looks like a jack-

o-lantern.”

“Oh, this I gotta see,” she said. I met her laughter with a shriek,

giggling uncontrollably as she flipped me over.

There was nothing that could have been done to fix our screwed

up, tattered pasts, and I had no clue what our future would be like,

but I had her with me now. I held on to that thought and let the

feeling of it warm my heart as she used her body to warm mine all

over again.

❖

I dreamed about cats. Cats crying. I could hear the meowing

coming from the dark corner of an unfamiliar room. Every time I

thought I found the source of the sound, the corner would be empty.

It sounded like kittens, crying out for their mother. I couldn’t stop

looking, but I did once I felt something brush across my face.

Something rough and sandpapery.

I shot up in bed, gasping in the bright sunlight.

The early morning sunlight.

It was morning.

“Shit!” A small heart attack ripped through my chest when a sleek

black cat jumped into my lap. “What the—” My hand automatically

went to its soft fur, my body realizing before my brain that the animal

in the sheets with me was indeed Camila and not some stray who

had magically learned how to work an elevator. It was the brightest

morning Baltimore had probably seen in years, and we were sitting

atop the city’s tallest hotel, in a penthouse with wall-sized windows.

With open curtains. Of course Camila would take a safer form.

• 189 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

I looked around the room, checking stupidly to make sure the

cat and I were alone. Then I stared back at Camila.

“Oh, this is really happening.” I sighed deeply. Her hazel eyes

were exactly the same, gazing back at me. She meowed again before

jumping off the bed and running toward the bathroom. I followed,

thankful I didn’t get tangled in the covers.

I closed us inside and double-checked to see if any light was

coming in from under the door. I flicked the light switch, praying the

room was truly UV free.

“Jesus.” I jumped. Camila, the hu—vampire version of her,

was standing behind me in the mirror. I spun around facing her.

“I’m sorry,” she said frantically.

“What the hell happened?”

“I overslept.”

“Second most powerful demon in all of North America and you

overslept. Please tell me how.”

“I haven’t slept in four months.”

“Why not?” I gasped. “We slept together last weekend, and I

mean before that—”

“We spend the summer setting the older girls up with their new

feeders and just all the shit with the shop—” She cut herself off,

hanging her head, frustrated.

An unusual calm came over me. I could freak out later. I had to

get her back to the house.

“It’s fine. What do we do now?”

She rubbed her palm over her eyes before looking back at me.

“There’s a shopping bag in the closet in the bedroom. Throw all our

stuff in there. When we get downstairs, tell the valet you’re picking

up Ms. Sanchez’s Range Rover. He doesn’t know me, but he knows

my name and he knows which car is mine. He’ll bring it up. You

remember the address to the house?”

“Yeah.” Right, because I’d been too busy trying to make out

with her and feeling up her vinyl pants to pay attention to the way

we’d come. I had no fucking idea where the hotel was in relationship

to the house. This was just getting better.

• 190 •

Better Off red

“The GPS is unnecessarily fancy, but it’ll get you back to the

house.”

“Good. And you’re okay?” It was my turn to ask.

“Yes, I’m fine. I shifted in my sleep. Red, I’m—”

“I know. It’s cool. Let’s just get out of here.” Camila let her

apology drop, and then a fraction of a second later was down on all

furry black fours looking up at me.

“This is really fucking happening,” I muttered before opening

the door for the black cat at my ankles. I wasted no time digging up

the shopping bag. I threw in Camila’s clothes and shoes, all the toys

she bought me. No way was I leaving them behind. Even though I

was freaking out, I’d want them later. I chucked my jewelry and my

shredded underwear in the bag and cursed out loud when I realized

the only shoes I had to walk and drive in were four-inch platform

pumps. I wanted to kill Amy.

I felt like a complete whore as I slithered back into my bra and

my dress. After a final sweep of the penthouse and reclaiming my

jacket and my clutch, I turned to the cat.

“So do I just carry you…”

She meowed, pawing the air under the shopping bag.

“Of course.” I put the bag on the floor. Camila hopped in,

meowing at me again when she was settled on top of the toys and

her vinyl pants.

I clicked my heel on the marble floor as I waited for the elevator.

I nearly bit through my lip; my teeth wouldn’t stop gnawing at it. I

could not believe this was happening.

The ride down was a fucking nightmare. Three old ladies got

on on the eighteenth floor. The situation would have only been

worse if it had been Nanny and Pop-Pop Carmichael in the elevator

with me instead, may they rest in peace. One of the old ladies was

just rude enough to peer into the huge bag slung over my shoulder.

I didn’t realize she was even looking in my direction until she

screeched, “Oh, what a gorgeous cat.” The other two women had

been purposely ignoring me. My dress, my red do-me pumps, and

my messy ponytail did not make for presentable Sunday brunch

attire.

• 191 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

I wanted to die. The woman actually reaching into the bag and

stroking Camila’s head made it the best walk of shame ever. They

hopped off at the dining room on the second floor, and that gave me

about fifteen seconds to prepare myself for my power walk past the

front desk.

The valet, Frank, had apparently seen worse morning-afters

and spared me his disapproving stares. Once I was behind the wheel,

Camila hopped out of the bag and into my lap. My thigh twitched

under her weight, a mix of annoyance and arousal. It twitched again

when I looked at the clock on the dash. It was seven fifty-five a.m.

There were only three menus to get through before I could enter

the address to the house. I gripped the steering wheel the whole

seven point three miles back to campus, doing my best to ignore my

mewling girlfriend in my lap.

I knew I had to do something to keep my mind off the anger

boiling in my stomach. Reciting the code to the garage over in

my head was the only thing that seemed to work. At mile three, I

realized repeating the numbers was only putting me more and more

on edge. If Camila could sense my pleasure and my pain, there was

way no way she couldn’t sense my emotions now. By the time we

pulled into the safety of the underground garage, my knuckles were

white and I was nearly shaking.

I opened the door and Camila hopped off my lap. She trotted

slowly down the hall and I followed, wondering why she hadn’t

changed back. Then I remembered I had her clothes in the bag at my

side. She wasn’t shy on nudity, but this wasn’t the time. I felt bad

for a moment, thinking of how crappy waking up four-legged and

furry would actually be.

The tension in me started to ease, until we turned the corner to

the sister-queens’ quarters. Tokyo, dressed in nothing but a kimono

robe, had Mel, naked, up against the wall. I could only assume the

hallway was the perfect place to feed this time of the morning. The

two of them had probably never been to bed. At least they had the

good sense to remain underground.

My annoyed grunt brought Tokyo up short.

• 192 •

Better Off red

“What’s wrong?” she asked a moment before she looked at

Camila. “Oh shit. I’m sorry, Ginger. It sucks when that happens.”

“I bet it does,” I grumbled as I stormed by, feeling Tokyo’s

receding laughter like a punch in the back.

We hung a right to Camila’s door. She sprinted in front of me,

blinking into her two-legged, two-armed, very naked form. My stare

lingered on her ass just for a second. I forced myself to look at her

feet once she opened the door. I stepped inside and waited.

“Red—”

“May I use your shower?”

“You know you can. You don’t have to ask. You’re welcome to

my space and my things. Just let me—”

“Thank you.” I dropped my stuff on the couch, and without

another word, marched into the bathroom.

The shower was perfectly hot, but I didn’t wash. I just stood there

under the raining spray. My body was still for a long time as I let the

hot water trickle in and out of my mouth. There was no shampooing

my hair. I couldn’t be bothered to lather up my body. All I could do

was stare at the black tile because every time I closed my eyes all I

could see was Camila’s ashes piled next to me in the white sheets.

For months after my mother died, I’d pictured what it must

have been like to drag the razor across my own wrists. I wondered

if it would hurt or, if you were someone like my mother, would you

enjoy that sort of pain. Would you only be sad because you realized

ending your life meant you would never be able to feel that sort of

agony again. I thought of my mother, thought of my dreams, new

and old, of her dead and bleeding, pregnant and bleeding. And I

thought of Camila.

“Baby.” I didn’t jump this time when she appeared behind me.

I didn’t even flinch when her arms came around my waist. My gaze

traced a line across the black floor as she gently turned me toward

her. Still too afraid to close my eyes, I looked as high as her navel.

She couldn’t ask me for more than that.

“Don’t be angry with me,” she pleaded softly. “Querida,

please.” For the first time, her heritage thickly coated her voice with

emotion. It made me shiver.

• 193 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“I’m not angry with you,” I croaked.

“Then please tell me—”

“No. I can’t.”

“Why? You can tell me anything.”

At that moment, something in me broke. A string that ran from

my brain to my heart, that had been tangled up in my courage and

my soul, just gave way, making room for nothing but vulnerability

and fear. And somehow that crack in my will gave me the power to

invite Camila into my head.

Her eyes snapped wide the moment she was inside and even

wider, shocked with the pain I was feeling and the horrible things

I’d been imagining. She saw my dead mother lying against the white

tile, saw how I pictured her own death, the way she had burned and

bled. “Red.” She choked out a sob, the sympathy spreading across

her face. For some reason, her reaction pissed me off. I took a step

back out of her arms.

“Don’t do that,” I shouted. “You can’t do that, okay? I know

I’m just some stupid kid with mommy issues, but what I feel for

you is real. And it doesn’t deserve your pity. I know you’ve been

through a lot of girls, but you mean more than that to me. Thank you

for taking me out and claiming me as your mate, but we both know

you don’t love me.”

“I love you. Let’s get that straight right now,” Camila said

back. The feral tone of her voice and the anger that snapped into

place on her face shut me up. “Damn it, this is going to sound bad,

but you’re the reason I slept so hard this morning. For the first time

in over sixty years, I got a real night’s sleep. Losing my children and

Lino—it ripped my fucking heart out, Ginger. Don’t think for one

second that you didn’t give it back to me because you did.

“I love you so much and I’ve only known you a week. I almost

killed Moreland in a crowded restaurant just for looking at you,

and that has nothing to do with sex or possessing you. I can’t stand

the thought of anyone else making you laugh. It makes me sick to

my stomach. The thought of someone else counting your freckles

makes me want to punch a hole in the wall. I love you, no matter

• 194 •

Better Off red

how old you are, whether you’re immortal or not. I’m sorry about

what happened this morning. I swear to you it will never happen

again.”

“You swear? Because I can’t protect you. You have to protect

yourself. I don’t care how tired or stressed out you are. I don’t want

to lose you.” My eyes started to mist up. The admission of her love

right on the heels of the very real idea of being without her, pushed

the tears over the edge. It all happened so fast, but I truly did love

her. “Yes. Jesus Christ, Red.” Her arms came around me again. I

let her pull me against her body. The water slicked our skin making

our nipples bud against each other. “I keep fucking this up. It’s been

years since anyone cared what I did with my time, if I took care of

myself. I’m going to stop hurting you.”

I leaned back, staying close enough for her to keep a hold on

me. My fingers traced across her collarbone. Touching her made the

goose bumps rise on my own skin.

“You haven’t hurt me. We just, we keep missing each other.

I’m assuming one thing and you’re assuming another. I know you

know how to take care of yourself. You wouldn’t let yourself go

out in the sun carelessly. I was just scared. I don’t want anything to

happen to you. This is new for me, but it’s worse because you’re not

just some girl in my class I have a crush on. I don’t know. Does that

even make sense?”

“Yes. It does.” She gently lifted the ruby pendant off my chest.

“I have given this necklace to so many girls. Cleo is one of the

few I would consider a true friend, but there have been others like

her. There’s never been anyone like you, Ginger. Four years, grad

school, fuck, even if you stay here for your PhD. I don’t want to let

you go.”

“You curse a lot when you get worked up.”

“I know. I’ll work on that too.”

“How often do you need to sleep? Honestly.”

“I can get by on six hours a week, but twelve is better. The

closer you are to a bourne-demon the less you need, but my human

side does need some.”

• 195 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“I know you had a crazy week, but what in the hell were you

doing the times I slept in your bed?”

She shrugged. “I got some work done. Thought about what the

hell I was going to do with you.”

“Okay, well, will you please get some sleep for me, squeeze

some nine or so hours in, here and there? And please let me

know when you’re going to feed again. I know it wasn’t anything

emotional with Amy, but it’s unreasonable to ask a girl not to get a

little excited when you’re sucking on her neck. I’d rather not walk

in on that again”

Her laugh forced me to smile. There was no helping it. “I

promise. Will you let me in again?” she asked cautiously. I took

a deep breath and nodded. This time I didn’t try to do anything,

but I did feel her inside my head, a light pressure just behind my

forehead. I twitched and winced a little. The pressure didn’t hurt, but

something about another person occupying your brain while you’re

fully conscious of it just didn’t feel right.

“It’s okay, baby. Just relax.”

I exhaled deeply and did my best to hold still. The feeling of the

intrusion didn’t ease, but suddenly the painful images were gone,

not for good, she silently told me, but for the moment. She slipped

out just as quickly as she had slipped in. My mind was my own

again even though her influence lingered. When I closed my eyes

there were no memories of death, hers or my mother’s. Just calm,

weightless darkness.

My eyes stayed closed when she kissed me, and I didn’t open

them again while she washed my hair and rubbed down my body.

Afterward, she dried me off and carried me to bed. I kept my eyes

closed the whole time, relieved that the next time I opened them,

some four hours later, Camila was still wrapped around me under

her black blankets, sound asleep.

• 196 •

Better Off red

Chapter eleven

Todd would not stop texting me. It was my fault. He’d

gotten my text the night before and responded sometime

between our run-in with Moreland and our ride up in the elevator.

He’d texted me back and told me that Mom had mentioned that I

was officially “out,” but now he wanted specifics about my date.

And specifics about my girl.

I could have told him the truth, that my first date with Camila,

my first date ever, had been amazing. I could tell him that right now

I wasn’t in the library studying with my sorority sisters, because that

wasn’t the truth. The truth involved me sitting on the floor in Camila’s

lounge, nestled between her legs. My attention was split between

the Colts/Pats game, a used copy of Tess of the D’Urbervilles, and

my demon-angel’s soft kisses across my shoulder.

My first mission for the afternoon had been to avoid Amy and

the girls and their barrage of post date questions, which I pulled

off, thanks to Camila. God, I loved her even more. She gave me

the keys to the Range Rover. In a borrowed pair of sweats and one

of her signature black tank tops, I took a quick, covert trip back to

the dorm to grab more clothes and my books. Her SUV could be

recognized by any of the ABO girls, but it was way more likely

that I would bump into Amy or Cleo on foot. I wanted to dish about

my night and just how amazing Camila had turned out to be, but I

had hours and hours of daylight to spend gossiping with the girls.

Camila was rested and had some free time before she had to get

• 197 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

back to her role as demon enforcer and successful business owner.

If she wanted to spend the afternoon watching me read my English

homework and studying my stats notes, there was no way I was

going to turn her down.

After our talk in the shower, the reality of just how different

my relationship with Camila would be hit me. And it left me

exhausted, even after our nap. She had shown me a special side of

her world and her personal life outside of Alpha Beta Omega. Parts

I loved, like the toys and the hotel room. And parts of it made me

nervous, psychos like Moreland and the danger of UV exposure.

Now I welcomed any moments of normalcy we were allowed.

Any moments where her demon blood, my waking nightmares,

and nosy sorority sisters wouldn’t come between us. Spending the

day lying low in her underground apartment seemed to take care

of those intrusive factors, but they didn’t keep my brother from

texting me.

The display on my cell phone lit up as it vibrated. I wanted to

ignore it, but I couldn’t look away from the alert box in the center

of the screen. I picked it up off the coffee table. He was satisfied I’d

spent Friday watching movies. Now he wanted to know about my

Saturday night. I loved Todd so much, but for once I wanted him

to give a little less of a shit. I groaned, running my thumb over the

screen. Camila hugged me tighter and kissed my neck. I pressed

back against her even more. I loved feeling her warmth around me.

“What should I tell him?”

“What do you want to tell him, baby?”

I wanted to tell him the truth. I wanted to tell him everything,

but that wasn’t going to work. It wasn’t my truth to tell. Not all of

it anyway.

“I should tell him something about last night. He’ll keep asking

about that.”

“Okay,” she said, trailing hands down my sides. My eyes

slipped closed. It was so hard to focus on anything when she touched

me. I swallowed and tried to unscramble my hormone-riddled brain.

Task one, get Todd off my back and off my phone. Task two, finish

my damn homework, with my clothes on.

• 198 •

Better Off red

“And I want to tell him about you. Stop that.” Her fingers found

their way up my borrowed tank top.

“Why?” Her fingers slid higher up to my bra.

“Because. I’m trying not to have sex with you. Until after I

finish my homework.”

“Okay. Excuse me,” she said. Then she moved to stand up. I

grabbed her hand before she got very far.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going over there.” She pointed across the room to the

armchair.

I shoved her hand back up my shirt. “You stay. Just keep it

above the belt, Ms. Sanchez.”

“This would be a lot easier if you didn’t smell so fucking good.”

“Well, you’re stuck with me and my fuckable scent. What

should I tell my brother?”

“Tell him you have an amazing girlfriend. And be sure to

include a detailed description of how cute I am.”

“Fine. I will,” I said defiantly. I started texting. “Your name’s

Mila. You’re a Mexican-American freshman from Washington, DC,

studying business. You don’t have a Facebook account so I’m telling

him not to bother looking.” I hit send then swapped my phone for

my book, dropping my cell on the coffee table.

Her breath tickled my ear as she chuckled softly. I breathed in

her delicious scent and gave myself over to her advances, only for a

moment. I turned my head enough for her to kiss me. Our lips met

and when her tongue slid into my mouth, I forgot all about Todd and

my homework.

Until my phone vibrated again. I turned away from Camila

with a frustrated grunt.

Brady sucks ass this season. Is she hot? Todd’s text read.

“He wants to know what you look like. Are pictures banned by

the master?”

“Sort of. Here.” She snatched my phone out of my hand and

turned it around. “Say cheese.” I flashed my teeth just as she pressed

the bottom. “Send him that.”

• 199 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Of course I looked like crap. Camila looked like she had just

walked off a centerfold’s page, all sweet cheeked and pouty lipped.

She’d even managed to smile in the most adorable way that hid her

canines. So unfair. If it had been anyone else but my brother, I would

have demanded a re-shoot. Something else bothered me, though.

I twisted around so I could see her face.

“Are you sure you want me to send this? There isn’t some

demon law about not showing yourself to non-feeder humans or

something?” I did want Todd to know her, and I trusted him more

than anyone. I knew he would never intentionally do anything to

hurt me or Camila. But after our scare in the hotel, the last thing I

wanted to do was put her at any sort of risk, even if she did want to

meet my family.

She looked at me for a moment and gently tucked loose strands

of my hair behind my ear.

“This is why I love you,” she said. “You call me Mila and that’s

who I’ll be, whenever that’s what you need. And Todd will be safe.

And so will Linda. And your dad. And so will I. Yes, I have to be

careful about some things, but I don’t have to hide from the people

you love.”

“And what if they want to meet your parents at some point?”

“Well, Rodrick is well-versed in shifting form, and Natasha’s

Spanish is pretty damn good.”

“Very funny.” I kissed the tip of her nose. “I love you, Mila.”

“Good. Now send the picture. Then finish your reading. And

then, I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to fuck you again. Or eat that

sweet pussy.”

My teeth grabbed at my bottom lip as I tried to hold in a shiver.

It didn’t work. My crotch was hardwired to her every word, and now

my underwear was drenched.

I sent the picture and then made a real effort to try to read.

Three pages in, the TV snatched my attention. The Pats scored on

an interception. And just as Peyton Manning threw a subtle sidelines

hissy fit, Todd texted back.

DAMN! And she’s in Alpha Beta O O O?

“You’re not meeting my brother,” I said.

• 200 •

Better Off red

“Why?” she asked taking my phone from me. I ignored her

burst of laughter and turned back to my book. “I’m sorry. Would it

be better if I were homely? I can shift form to an ugly girl.”

“No! I mean I’m not that shallow. I just—”

“Yeah. That’s what I thought. Don’t worry. Your brother’s not

exactly my type.”

“Is it the fully human part or the penis you don’t agree with?”

I jumped as she suddenly kicked the coffee table out of the

way. It skidded across the carpet, stopping right in front of the TV.

Somehow my book and my phone stayed put, right on the dark

wood surface, but I had no time to marvel over that work of physics.

Camila picked me up and spun me around in the same swing of her

arms. Before I could blink, I was facing her, straddling her lap. I

wanted to argue, but it was useless. She pulled my tank over my

head. My bra wasn’t far behind.

“He’s not you, baby,” she said lightly. She took my nipple in

her mouth, stroking the very tip with her tongue and her fang. I was

done. My body was hers.

“I’m never going to get this reading done,” I said, fighting back

a moan.

“Yes, you are.” She nipped at my other breast, torturing me

some more. “Just not right now.”

A shred of determination lingered, but that didn’t stop me from

settling myself against her stomach and twisting my fingers through

the soft, short hair at the back of her head. I looked down, watching

her tongue slide back and forth over my tight nipple.

“No,” I pretended to protest. “Stop. Stop. Please. No. No. My

homework. No…” She bit down gently and my head rolled back

on my shoulders. I let out a shameless groan. “Don’t stop at all. Oh

God. That feels so good.”

Her scent washed up between us as she breathed against my

skin. Such an ass. She knew she had all the control. She knew the

moment my resolve turned to crap. I had to do something about that.

“Actually. Wait.”

Camila gazed up at me wide-eyed. My nipple was still in her

mouth.

• 201 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“I want to make you come,” I said quickly.

She released my nipple and her grip on my waist and leaned

back against the couch. I glanced at the smooth skin of her shoulder

as she stretched her arms out along the cushions, all cool and calm.

“Do you?”

“Yes.” Sure, I had made her come at the hotel, but for some

reason, that felt different. She was already keyed up and we’d already

had sex twice at that point. It was my turn to initiate something.

Even if it was five minutes after she initiated something first.

“Well, Red.” She started to move so I climbed off her lap and

watched her stand. She pulled off her tank top and the small red

track shorts she had on. She hadn’t bothered with a bra, but she

ditched her underwear just as quickly before stretching out on the

floor. She crossed her hands behind her head and peered up at me

like she wasn’t butt naked with the figure of a sixties pinup girl.

Her small waist and enormous breasts with large tips taunting my

intentions.

“Have at me,” she said playfully.

I stood next to the couch, fiddling with my hands. Camila

just lay there patiently waiting for me to back up my bravado. She

shifted a little and crossed her ankles. The simple motion made her

thighs look even fuller. I had to get in there.

“Do you want a pillow or something?” I asked, mentally

slapping myself for sounding lame.

Her mouth twitched, fighting a smile. “No, I’m fine. Thank you

for asking.”

I waited a moment, thinking of the best way to approach the

situation until my crotch reminded my brain that there was a naked

woman lying on the floor waiting for me to get on with it.

“Okay.” I sounded ridiculously determined. I got on my knees

beside her and crawled over her body. Now I knew I was being

ridiculous. I bit my lip, trying not to crack up. “Don’t move.”

“I’ll try not to.” Camila snorted, grimacing to keep her reaction

under control.

“Don’t laugh.” My own snort crippled my demand.

“You’re laughing.”

• 202 •

Better Off red

“Because you’re laughing. Okay, seriously.” I sat up with a deep

breath, letting my butt settle on her hips, and fixed a stern expression

on my face. Then I collapsed to the floor with my hands beside her

shoulders and glared at her. She glared back, but the gold in her eyes

still twinkled. “This is serious. I’m sexy and you’re turned on. And I’m

about to give you the best orgasm of your life. Don’t you dare laugh.”

She licked her fangs, eyeing my mouth while she spoke. “Come

here, Red.” Giving up control, again, I leaned forward until our lips

met. “Give me your hand,” she whispered softly. She took my

fingers and guided them between our bellies, then between her legs.

I gasped the moment my hand brushed against her spread slit. She

was so wet and hot.

Camila held my fingers as we teased her clit together for a few

moments, gently toying with the length and the tip. She sighed a

little and closed her eyes, but her interest in the external play didn’t

seem to last very long.

Camila moved my index finger to the opening of her pussy. She

arched her back slightly and let her thighs open wider.

“Now. Fuck me.”

She let go and let me gently trace the most delicate bit of her

skin, coating my fingers in her wetness. She watched me, breathing

steadily, patiently. I appreciated that. I was talking a big game, but

I did want to know her more, without the dim lights and the music

or the ice cream hangover. We might have been at her place, but I

needed to know this part of her on my level of the playing field.

The Patriots mocked me by scoring again. I glanced at the TV

then back at Camila.

She reached up and brushed her thumb across my cheek. “I

love you.” The focus in her eyes told me she meant it. Pushing two

fingers deep inside her was my reply.

She inhaled deeply and settled into the carpet, closing her eyes

as she let the breath out.

I moved slowly, like she had done to me, using more pressure

than speed, brushing her clit with the heel of my hand, pressing up

into her inner walls. I loved the way she felt, tight and hot, her slick

• 203 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

muscles clenching around my fingers. Leaning forward, I brushed

my lips over her dark nipple. She let out the sexiest sound, partway

between a whimper and a desperate purr, so I did it again, adding

my tongue to the mix, dragging it around and around the tiny ripples

of skin and the hard tip. She began touching me back, dragging her

fingers up and down my arm, then stroking lower to my ribs.

I added more pressure. And another finger.

Camila’s short nails bit into the skin on my side. “Ginger…”

she moaned.

“Does that feel good?” I asked, thrusting deeper.

“Yes.”

“Seriously?” I couldn’t hide my shock.

“Yes. Just like that. Fuck.”

I latched my mouth back onto her nipple. I peered up at her as

I suckled, mesmerized by the sound of her body. It was an addictive

sound, an arousing sound. Her hips rose off the floor and I realized

my hand had stopped moving.

“Oh. Sorry.” I frowned and started my fingers working again. I

did my best to ignore the way my body was reacting to her, the way

my brain seemed to want to capture every detail of the moment and

focused on giving her all the pleasure I could, with my hands and

my mouth. It was like rubbing my stomach and patting myself at the

same time. I knew I looked like an idiot doing it, and in this case,

sounded like an idiot too, but if I focused hard enough, I always got

the hang of it.

After a while, my fingers and my wrist started to get tired. The

muscle in my forearm was starting to twitch. Camila liked it hard

and deep, harder than I’d ever fucked myself, but I refused to give

up. She had made me come so hard, with and without her bite, and I

wanted to do the same for her.

Camila came without warning, growling and arching on the

floor. She turned her head sharply, calling my name, and that’s when

I felt it.

I looked between her legs, making sure I kept up with the

motions of my hand until she was completely finished. Come was

leaking out of her bare pussy onto the rug. I swallowed thickly and

• 204 •

Better Off red

fought the urge to replace my hand with mouth. It was the hottest

thing I’d ever seen.

She sat up and gathered me in her arms, like I needed a few

moments to recover. I stroked her back and her hair and softly kissed

her cheeks and her forehead. She exhaled and held me tighter.

“It was pretty amazing, wasn’t it,” I said.

“Best orgasm I’ve ever had,” she replied with a kiss to my neck.

“Yeah, right.” My tone was bitchier than I intended, but I

couldn’t fight the tightness in my chest. I had decades of lovers to

compete with. I shuffled off her lap and reached for my bra.

And I was flat on my back before I could get the strap around

my arm. Camila ripped the bra from my hand and tore my sweats off

my legs. When my lungs snapped back into action, she was on top

of me, her hips pressing my body into the floor.

“I’m being honest with you,” she grumbled fiercely. “It’s very

easy to fuck someone, but no one has ever made love to me before.

Not before you.”

“Really?” You are not going to cry. You are not going to cry.

Camila rolled her eyes then kissed me. “You drive me crazy,

Red. I hope you know that.”

“Good. I love you. And since you’re already on top of me…”

Her fingers sliding into my pussy was her reply.

❖

I swear Amy had set up a pup tent outside the elevator. I saw

her out in the kitchen the moment the door slid open. The very

second my big toe hit the landing in the pantry, she came bolting

into the small space, screeching my name, ready to take me down

for a thorough debriefing. She came up short the moment she saw

Camila beside me.

“Oh. Hi.” Her lips quivered as she tried to hold in a giggle of

embarrassment.

“Hello, Amy. It’s nice to see you too,” Camila replied.

Her tone was suddenly formal. It made me happy to think that

even though she was perfectly comfortable joking around with the

• 205 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

girls, hanging out with them casually, she only seemed to relax with

me. Amy wouldn’t have known there was a difference, and I was

okay letting that be the case.

Either way, Camila’s tone and sudden appearance on the first

floor of the house didn’t stop Amy from flapping her gums. It just

slowed her a little bit.

“Are you going to come bake with us?” Amy asked her. Camila

took my hand and led me out of the elevator.

“As a matter of fact, I am. I’ve been neglecting you girls a

little,” she said.

“Oh, I fully blame Ginger for that.” Amy grinned, the total

suck up she was.

“I didn’t miss you at all.” I scowled back at her.

“Yes, you did. You love me,” Amy replied, lacing her arm

through mine on the other side as we walked into the kitchen.

Thanks to Camila and her amazing mouth and fingers and

teeth, I had missed dinner, but at nine, my presence was required in

the ABO kitchen. All of us new girls had several hundred cookies,

brownies, and other miscellaneous treats to prepare for our Types of

Hope bake sale. I barely finished my homework in time to slip back

into some clothes and head upstairs. I’d every intention of sneaking

a few baked goods.

When we stepped into the kitchen I saw that all of the new

girls were there, except Anna-Jade, Benny, and Ruth. Cleo and

Danni were missing too. I was surprised to see Paige and Samantha

helping Florencia clean up the remains of an enormous meal.

Apparently, we’d missed a formal Sunday dinner. They covered the

last few dishes and slid them into the Sub-Zero while Gwen and

Kyle helped Kate and Jordan set out enough sugar, flour, and eggs

to make cookies and cupcakes for the whole university.

Amy followed Camila and me as we took up post near the

fridge, trying to stay out of the way until Kate and Jordan had

delegated baking duties. As our community outreach chairs, it was

up to them to decide who got to do the fun work like decorating and

who had to sit outside the cafeteria selling the goods.

• 206 •

Better Off red

Camila settled against the counter and pulled me between

her legs. I let out a contented sigh, trying to ignore Amy. She was

practically vibrating, just dying to get some dirt out of me. She knew

better than to ask how good the sex was right in front of Camila. Or

so I thought.

She leaned toward us and lowered her voice in a crappy attempt

to be subtle, but the dramatics of talking out of the side of her mouth

caught Laura’s and Paige’s attention. And Samantha’s. I glared back

at Samantha. She took the hint to mind her own business and looked

away.“I do have one question for you,” Amy muttered to Camila.

“What would that be?” I could feel Camila’s breath against my

neck.“Did you like her outfit?” Amy asked.

“Yes, Amy, I did.” Camila laughed.

“Did you like what she had on underneath it?”

My head snapped in Amy’s direction. “Amy. Jesus.” Camila

continued to take her prodding graciously, even though Amy

deserved a good smack.

“I did, Amy. Thank you,” Camila replied.

I had to get Amy to shut up. Asking where Cleo, Danni, and

Benny were seemed like the perfect subject to use as a diversion.

“Hey—” I started. Just then Florencia appeared in front of me

with a covered plate of food. My name was written on the cellophane.

“Oh. Thank you,” I said, not bothering to hide my shock.

“It’s still warm, but I would heat it up,” she said. Florencia’s

voice, with its full accent, was so warm and inviting. It was hard

to believe she was as unfriendly as Cleo had made her out to be.

Camila took the plate from her with another gracious thank you,

then stepped around me to slide the plate in the microwave. Her

duties as occasional mother complete, Florencia slipped out of the

room into the living room. Listening to Cleo hadn’t exactly paid

off in every department. As I watched her stocky form disappear

through the swinging door, I made a mental note to try to have a

conversation with Florencia sometime soon.

• 207 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

I retrieved my reheated food, and Camila and I plopped down

at the table while Kate and Jordan divvied out tasks. Amy swore up

and down she had the most amazing sugar cookie recipe so Jordan

put her on the baking squad with Samantha, Laura, and Gwen, who

all made similar claims. My baking skills were on par, but I was too

busy wolfing down Florencia’s cornbread and mashed potatoes to

volunteer for the most urgent job.

Camila and Faeth, who appeared quite suddenly, volunteered

to help Ebony, Kyle, and Maddie with icing and decorating. Their

artistic vampire skills were far superior to those of us humans. Irene,

Mel, and I were put on wrapping duty. Paige gave Mel a couple

million baggies and red ribbons, playfully threatening our lives if

we didn’t make each little package of treats look professionally

prepared. They told us then that Ruth and Benny were out with Cleo

wallpapering campus with bake sale fliers. Amy threw in that Danni

had a group project to finish.

Anna-Jade was MIA. I checked the clock. She still had three

minutes to call or make an appearance. I wouldn’t have been

surprised if Paige had whipped out a stopwatch, but at eight fifty-

nine, the front door slammed.

“I’m here. I’m here. Don’t bake without me,” we heard Anna-

Jade yell from the foyer. Seconds later she came sprinting into the

kitchen, flushed and grinning ear to ear. The whole room looked at

her as she narrowly avoided slamming right into Laura.

“Hey. Sorry. I’m not late, am I?” she panted, shrugging out of

her ABO jacket.

“No,” Paige said. She reached into the fridge and handed Anna-

Jade a plate Florencia had set aside for her.

“Thank—” Anna-Jade was interrupted by Amy’s shriek.

“OMG!” Amy wiped her hands on a towel, then power-walked

around the counter. Anna-Jade turned an interesting shade of white

and shuffled back a step. Amy took her arm, then playfully grabbed

Anna-Jade’s head and craned her neck in our direction. “A.J. has a

hickey.”

“I do?” Anna-Jade broke free and whipped her body to the side.

The front of the fridge was just shiny enough for her to get a look at

the mouth-shaped bruise on her neck. “Oh gosh. It’s huge.”

• 208 •

Better Off red

“The girl comes in here with a hickey the size of a doughnut

and says ‘Oh gosh,’” Ebony said, shaking her head.

“Who the hell gets hickeys these days?” Amy said.

“A.J. does, apparently,” I said. It was a huge hickey.

“At least we know Micah knows how to use those juicy lips,”

Paige said, and for the first time ever I saw her smile. I stared at her

for a second. It was a little creepy.

Kate walked over to Anna-Jade and got a closer look at her

neck. She snickered. “I’ll show you how to cover that up. Go eat.

You can be on wrapping duty for now.”

“Okay. Oh, um, Micah said the guys will donate a hundred

bucks if we make a cake just for their freshman.” Anna-Jade blushed.

“Fine, but you have to ice it. Now eat,” Kate said, swatting at

her playfully.

After Anna-jade was thoroughly embarrassed, some of the girls

scattered until their skills were actually needed. Kate plugged in

her iPod and blasted the room with girlie pop. Anna-Jade skipped

heating up her food and sat with me and Camila. I should have

thanked her for taking Amy’s attention off me. Mel, Irene, and Faeth

joined us at the table with a deck of cards. I opted out of the games,

deciding it would be more fun to feel Camila up under the table

while she and Irene took on Faeth and Mel in a game of spades.

It all started as innocent caressing with one hand on her knee as

I finished my dinner. She was mine now and I didn’t see any reason

not to adore her amazing body at every possible moment. Plus, I owed

her for interrupting my productive afternoon of learning. I drew lazy

circles across her thigh with my fingertips. I was making myself hot

all over again just touching her, but soon I realized that part of her

vampire strengths, particularly her nerves of steel, were not on my

side. My super sexy efforts were getting no reaction out of her at all.

That annoyed the hell out of me. I was powerless against her smallest

attempts at seduction. I inched my fingers a little closer to her crotch,

determined to prove that a certain redhead was her true weakness.

Mel’s gaze shot to me when I dropped my fork.

Camila had caught my wandering hand and rubbed it against

her crotch. I could feel the heat of her body through her jeans and

• 209 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

that made my pussy instantly wet. She leaned over and kissed me

just below my ear, holding my hand in place. I stopped breathing.

She whispered to me, swiveling her hips, “I love you, Red, but

don’t start something you can’t finish right now.” She quickly let go

of my hand and turned right back to her cards.

Faeth let out a booming belly laugh that made her brown curls

shake. “Keep distracting her, Ginger. She’s cheating.”

I picked up my fork and my pride and finished the last bit of my

dinner. Camila was sweet to me still, giving me little kisses on my

cheek and my neck between hands of cards. After a while, I didn’t

feel like such an idiot for blowing my attempt at turning her on.

Faeth kept taking little digs at Camila’s shady approach to

the game, and I noticed for the first time that Faeth had a little bit

of accent. It may have been Australian, but I couldn’t tell. It went

nicely with her firm, husky tone.

“Faeth, where are you from, um originally? I love your accent.”

“Don’t tease her with compliments, baby. She doesn’t respect

me enough to keep her hands to herself,” Camila joked. I think. And

then I remembered what she’d said the night before about Tokyo and

Faeth and their argument over me. I didn’t think asking her, or even

complimenting her about something as little as her voice, could be

viewed as an invitation or a come on, but then again, I didn’t know

this sister-queen at all. I looked from Camila back to Faeth just as

she gazed across the table at me. Her normally dark eyes were now

glowing amber beneath her thick lashes. I swallowed, unable to look

away.“Faeth, cut that shit out,” Camila muttered dryly. She grabbed

my chair and pulled it closer, marking her territory. That snapped me

out of Faeth’s trance.

“I was born in New Zealand. It’s your go, Irene,” Faeth replied.

I didn’t miss the way her eyes started to dim.

“Oh. Well. It’s nice,” I muttered, cuddling closer to Camila.

Faeth just smirked and played her next card.

❖

• 210 •

Better Off red

Operation Bake Sale dissolved into a full on dance party the

moment Ruth, Cleo, and Benny got back to the house. They came

into the kitchen somewhere around the first few notes of “She

Wolf” and Cleo couldn’t stop herself from doing her best Shakira

impression, which included seductively dancing up on Paige. Once

my duties as packing elf were complete, Camila and I snuck away to

bed. It had only been a few hours, but I wanted her to myself again.

I needed her to touch me.

Around seven the next morning, Cleo came and grabbed me for

breakfast. I saw then that early mornings were Cleo’s down time.

She seemed to be fine, but she was quiet and subdued as we walked

to campus. I wanted to ask her what was on her mind, but I was also

a big fan of moments where I could be alone in my head, even with

other people around. By lunchtime, when I met up with her at our

bake sale table outside the cafeteria, she was back to full Cleo crazy,

calling Anna-Jade out on her hickey in front of Micah and Greg.

The bake sale was a complete success. Everything was gone

before one o’clock, and the OBA boys were bragging all over

campus about the cake we’d baked for them. We got some nasty

looks from the Xi O girls and their rushes, but they didn’t do a good

job of portraying superiority over raging jealousy.

All day, I got texts from Camila. Not exactly notes in my

locker, but still perfect reminders of why I fell so hard for her and

why every free moment was filled with wanting her. I couldn’t wait

to get back to the house.

The sister-queens were having their weekly meeting, apparently

to talk about us and any other vampire related matters that needed

to be covered. My refusal to go through the switch and the fact that

I was useless as a feeder, left me in this weird gray zone. Whatever

happened between Camila and me in the future was our business,

but I was still part vampire-demon, sort of. I would always be

welcomed in their world no matter what role I took. Camila wanted

me to see what went into being a responsible member of vampire

society. Once the formal part of the gathering was out of the way, we

would talk about my blood.

• 211 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Camila and I dragged ourselves out of bed after a not-so-quickie

and headed to Omi’s quarters. I was glad Camila had thought to

include me, but I had no idea how the other sister-queens felt about it.

“They don’t mind that I’m coming?”

“Not at all. I spoke with them and Dalhem about you. No matter

what you decide to do, you’re part of the family now.”

“I feel bad that I’m sort of worthless.”

“You are very far from worthless. It’s up to you where you

want to fit in, and they want to help you figure that out. Even if a few

of them also want to fuck you.” I scowled at the playful wink she

gave me and then she knocked on the door. I wondered where that

wink was last night when Faeth was staring me down. My thoughts

were interrupted by the door clicking open.

I had seen Omi four times, and I hadn’t said a single word to

her. All the sister-queens were beautiful in their own way, and Omi

was no different. She opened the door to her lounge and greeted us

with a warm hello. She looked completely at home and comfortable,

but still elegant, even though she was only wearing a white bikini

top and flowing white linen pants. Her long dreadlocks were braided

in a crown around her head.

We stepped inside and I realized her wardrobe matched her

design scheme. I don’t know how she managed it, but walking into

Omi’s underground apartment was like stepping into some tropical

beach resort. Blue, yellow, and green accents added splashes of color

to the white and bleached wood furniture. Camila’s room felt like a

Gothic cave. I may have picked the right sister-queen to be with, but

if I ever needed a tropical change of scenery, I knew exactly where

to go.Omi caught me looking at the bright track lighting. I felt like I

was outside.

“Camila won’t tell you, but some of us do miss the sun.”

Surprisingly, her voice had a hint of a British accent to it.

“Omi’s from Barbados,” Camila said.

“Oh. I’ve never been farther south than Disney World,” I said.

“I’d tell you you must go, but it’s far too sunny for your lady-

queen,” she replied with a grin. I couldn’t help but smile back.

• 212 •

Better Off red

“Tokyo’s running a bit late.” I spun around at the voice behind

us. Natasha suddenly appeared. Then Faeth right beside her. I’d

seen Camila vanish and reappear, but only on camera. It was a little

jarring to see it two feet in front of you. I blinked as they greeted

us casually and made themselves at home. Camila and I followed,

taking a seat on Omi’s white couch. A few moments later, Kina

arrived. She used the door.

“Where is Tokyo?” Camila asked.

“I’m here. Calm down,” Tokyo replied before she took form.

Her outfit shocked me more than her sudden appearance. The tight

leather pants she had on flared over her thick-soled boots. Her

leather zip front halter top was open, revealing the curves of her

breasts and her belly button. Her black hair was messy, down around

her shoulders. I was pretty sure she’d just finished having sex, or

having sex had to her. She pulled a hair clip out of her pocket and

arranged her straight-do on top of her head. I looked away when her

nipples peaked out.

“Okay.” She plopped down in the last available chair. “Where

were we?”

“Close your shirt and we’ll tell you.” Camila frowned.

“Sorry. Ginger was enjoying the view.” I looked up then over at

Camila about to stutter a denial. “I’m kidding, Ginge. Take it easy.”

She zipped up her halter. “Better? Great.”

“Were you downtown?” Camila asked.

“I was, and before you say anything, yes, I was with Moreland.

Moving on.” I did my best not to cringe at the thought of that

particular vampire.

“That’s fine, but just so you know, she seemed to have the

wrong impression of how to address me. I had to remind her the

other day,” Camila said, putting her arm around my waist.

“I know. She told me. She is sorry,” Tokyo said.

“Good. Natasha?”

“I’m happy to report Whitney-Pearl is adjusting very well…”

Natasha paused for a moment while Camila explained to me what

the heck she was talking about.

• 213 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Anna-Jade’s mom is in prison. Some white-collar shit she got

wrapped up in at work. Her dad has been drinking and taking his

anger out on A.J. and her little sister. She’s only thirteen. He’s in

jail now and we got Whitney-Pearl into a foster home with two very

kind feeders.”

I nodded, keeping my opinion and my shock to myself as

Natasha went on. It went without saying that the truth about her

family was not my business to share.

Natasha had spoken to the chancellor and secured Whitney-

Pearl a spot at MU once she graduated high school. I liked Anna-

Jade a lot. It broke my heart she’d been abused, her and her sister,

but I was so glad to hear our sister-queens had done something about

it, that Camila had helped to do something about it.

Camila filled everyone in on the redistribution of some feeders

in Houston. Omi reported that everyone was on track with their

grades, but Julia had requested a tutor for her advanced French class.

“How are the boys across the street?” Omi asked.

“It’s good that Ginger is here,” Natasha said.

I frowned at her sudden solemn look. “Why?”

“The boys are all doing very well,” she said. “Except your

laboratory partner, Gregory.”

My huff of frustration gave me away. Obviously, we had no

real secrets when it came to the sister-queens, and now the brother-

kings, but Greg had tried to confide in me. I promised him I wouldn’t

mention the issues he was having with joining OBA. I knew they

all had his best interests in mind, especially Rodrick, but my word

meant something to me.

“What’s the problem exactly?” I asked.

“Rodrick is concerned he’s hiding something. He throws

himself too enthusiastically into the feedings. Rodrick has probed

his mind, but the young man is so truly conflicted, it’s no indicator

of where those feelings will take him.”

“Mind reading isn’t exactly our specialty,” Kina chimed in.

“It’s thought altering. Humans don’t think linear, clear thoughts

unless they’re in the act of forming a sentence or in the middle

of making a decision. If Rodrick asks Greg, ‘Does it make you

• 214 •

Better Off red

uncomfortable when I feed from you?’ Rodrick could get a sense

of a feeling from him, no matter what his answer was, but Rodrick

can’t make informed decisions based on impressions. On the other

hand, Rodrick could convince Greg that he enjoys every part of the

feedings, but that’s not what we’re trying to do. We just want to know

if you’ve noticed anything or if he’s said anything to you that’s more

concrete. Everyone has intense emotions, even homicidal thoughts,

but that doesn’t mean we’ll act on them. Greg could be thinking all

sorts of things, but they aren’t facts.”

“You guys haven’t talked to Samantha about this? She’s going

out with him. She spends way more time with him than I do.”

“We’ve thought of that, but Rodrick says Greg trusts you

more,” Natasha said.

Why? Greg and I were barely friends. We weren’t friends,

actually. We were lab partners with mutual friends. Why did he

have to trust me at all, let alone more than his girlfriend? I regretted

giving my word in the first place.

Camila kissed my temple. “Look, Red. Greg seems like a nice

boy, but he’s aggressive during feedings. You don’t have to tell us

anything, just if you notice anything or if he says anything that

suggests he could be a danger to Samantha or himself—”

“Wait, is he getting violent with her?” I asked.

“No. It’s just Rodrick has had a few like him before, ones

who were confused about their sexuality. He was able to head the

problem off before anything happened, and we’d like to do the same

with Greg.”

I felt backed into a corner, but they had a point. All the guys

seemed to understand that their relationships with the brother-kings

were not a deciding factor in their sexual orientation. Rodrick

preferred women, and even though Micah served Rodrick with no

problem, he loved Anna-Jade like crazy. Something told me Greg

would never be okay with the feedings. But if I could help, I wanted

to. I nodded and mumbled my okay before resting my head on

Camila’s shoulder.

• 215 •

• 216 •

Better Off red

Chapter tWelve

After their meeting, Omi let us stay in her lounge while

Camila and I met with Rodrick in private. When we were

done discussing my genetic abnormalities, the sister-queens planned

on coming back to test my powers, the ones I was positive I didn’t

have.Rodrick appeared suddenly by the coffee table, with the results

of my blood tests and his comforting smile that dulled the intensity

of his electric blue eyes and his large fangs. He handed me the

folder. I opened it and realized pretty quickly I didn’t understand

any of the results inside.

“Though you are not showing any outward signs of vampirism,

the blood in you is very potent. Most pressing, Camila cannot feed

you. Neither can I. If you are sick or injured, you need to feed from

someone further removed from a bourne-demon. I am almost certain

a small amount of our blood would jump-start your metamorphosis,”

Rodrick said.

“Oh. Okay.” I hadn’t even considered the effect Camila’s blood

would have on me. And then I was curious about Rodrick. “Um,

how far removed are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”

His grin made his bright white fangs seem even bigger. “I do

not mind in the least. I am three times removed from a bourne-

demon. All of my makers were very powerful.”

“Okay. So I don’t drink from you two. What else?”

• 217 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Hmm,” Camila mused, reading over the papers in my lap.

“We can track him. The levels aren’t that high, but there is enough

of our blood in you to track whoever saved you and your mother.”

“If he’s still alive,” Rodrick said.

A twinge of hope flickered in my chest. “He?” I asked. “You

can tell it was a man, for sure?”

Rodrick glanced at Camila before he answered me. “Yes. We

may be able to locate him. We do not know him, or we would have

recognized your scent, but the world is big. Still you must consider,

Ginger—”

“That he might be dead,” I said. That hope quickly burned out.

I looked up as Camila took my hand.

“We could also track your birth father, if you’d like,” she said

cautiously. She must have seen the pain spread across my face as

I started to understand what she meant. For a moment, I’d been

thinking my birth dad and my blood donor were the same person,

but they weren’t. My birth dad could have gone through the change

after I was conceived, like Samantha’s father. It was possible, but it

wasn’t the case.

My adoptive dad had more than made up for the years of my

life I’d spent without a father. Still, it hurt so badly to know there

were two men in the world who had given me life and walked away

just as easily.

I let Camila’s arm slip back around my waist as she leaned

against me. I leaned back.

“Can I think about that?” I asked.

“Of course you can,” Rodrick replied. “I understand that the true

concept of what we are seems dangerous and frightening, but we do

love you, all of you. Any request you have of us, we will grant you.”

“Track my maker. Not my father,” I said. I had a father, an

amazing dad who’d taught me all I could know about sports and still

high-fived me when I’d finally picked out a prom dress. He was all

the father I would ever need.

“Rodrick, please.” Camila asked him politely to give us a

moment. I didn’t hear or see him vanish, but I sensed the moment

he’d left the room.

• 218 •

Better Off red

“I don’t want to know him. I can’t not blame him. No matter

what. Even if he didn’t know she was pregnant. I’m not ready. I’ll

blame him,” I said.

Her hand slid up the back of my neck and she gently massaged

the base of my scalp. My eyes closed. I felt the tears threatening to

spill over.

“Baby, it’s your choice.”

“I know. I just, I don’t know what happened between my

birth parents. And I don’t think I want him to explain. I just—”

I let out a huge breath. I couldn’t deal with this, not now, not in

Omi’s apartment. I sniffled and wiped my eyes, shaking my head

on another deep breath. “Rodrick can come back. Let’s finish this

and then I’ll have a meltdown. I’m sure Omi wants her living room

back.”“Omi is fine. If you change your mind, just let me know. We

can find them both.” I said okay and let it go.

Rodrick returned once I’d pulled it together and we talked some

more about the precautions I should take. Camila told him about the

incident that had followed her feeding with Amy. They both agreed

that human blood shouldn’t have any negative effects on me, but

Camila still promised to be careful with me after her feedings.

When there were no more warnings, the sister-queens came

back and they grilled me about my powers. And I told them again

I didn’t have any. Camila had explained that I had seen through

her cloak for humans, and unlike the other girls, I could sense her

mental influence, but wasn’t capable of stopping it. They already

knew about the Amy incident. There were a few cracks about the

kind of mind control fun they could have with me, but those went

silent when Camila growled.

“Nothing bizarre happened to you as a kid, nothing recently?”

Faeth asked.

“Recently?” I mocked her.

“Other than all this joining our little club. Crikey, you are a

smart ass.” I chuckled at the way the words sounded with her accent.

“I have a pretty sensitive sense of taste and smell, but that’s

it,” I said.

• 219 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Well, maybe we can teach her,” Kina said. “Walk her through

some things and then we’ll know if there’s anything lying dormant.”

Camila looked at me, gently stroking my hair. “Is that okay?”

“Sure. I guess, but don’t get your hopes up.”

“Before we start, there’s one more thing you should understand.

Our powers reflect the functional needs of our master. A pure,

powerful demon needs to be able to deceive, to appear in different

forms, and to disappear on a whim. Some demons, not any of us,

have the power of possession. All of these tricks are meant to do

evil, I won’t lie to you, but we use them for our own survival and for

the good of our feeders. The downside to being born human is that

the powers we don’t use begin to fade over time. I’m excellent at

shifting. Tokyo is better with the mind tricks. My mental skills are

still sharp, but they would be better if I was mind tampering for the

Feds every day. We can also communicate with each other through

telepathy. You’ve seen Camila vanish and reappear?”

“Yeah.” After Kina’s explanation, the ability seemed even

creepier.

“And she was able to read your mind?”

“Yeah. I sort of forced her into my thoughts involuntarily.”

“Well, we can start there.”

For two hours, they worked with me, and by the end, I was

exhausted. Camila was afraid to overpower me and she didn’t trust

Faeth and Tokyo in my head, so Omi, Natasha, and Kina patiently

walked me through several trials. Rodrick was in a similar situation

as Camila. His influence would have been too strong. He sat back

and did his best not to openly mock the ridiculousness that followed.

First, Omi opened her mind to me. I tried over and over to get

in there and snoop around, hoping I could find some silly juicy bit

to tease her with. But no. Nothing. We just ended up staring at each

other until my eyes watered.

Natasha suggested that I try to vanish and reappear across the

room. She gave up when I gave up and just walked over to the TV.

I couldn’t do it.

Other than Camila and Rodrick, Kina was the most skilled in

changing form. I watched her become a German shepherd, a fluffy

• 220 •

Better Off red

white cat, a bear (she knocked over Omi’s coffee table with that

one), a raven, and then as a final showpiece, she turned into Faeth.

One moment I was looking at this Native American beauty, with

her high cheekbones, full lips, and her long, ink-black hair, and the

next moment I was staring at an exact copy of the vampire sitting

on the floor beside me. Now that was a useful power to have. Just as

quickly, she was back in her own body.

“The best shifters can alter parts of their body separately.” Kina

put her hands on her hips and looked around. “Let’s try Camila’s

rack, Omi’s arms, and Rodrick’s package.” She winked at Natasha.

“And your hair.” I blinked twice and Kina’s arms were identical to

Omi’s—finely toned and a chocolate brown. The perfect breasts I’d

come to love on Camila’s body were too big above Kina’s smaller

waist, but they were Camila’s breasts all the same. It was strange to

see Kina with my red hair and just short of traumatizing to see how

well hung Rodrick was.

“My tits look better than that,” Camila said.

“And I think you’re missing an inch, maybe,” Rodrick added.

“Oh whatever,” Kina said, but this time her voice sounded like

Natasha’s. I blinked once more, trying to pick my jaw up, and she

had taken Faeth’s full form.

“Do werewolves even exist or are you guys just messing with

humans during full moons?” I asked, suddenly short of breath.

“Guilty,” Tokyo said with a devious laugh.

“You want to give it a go, mate?” Kina said, copying Faeth’s

accent exactly. I stared at her standing there naked then over to the

real Faeth who was playfully flipping Kina off.

“I know I can’t do that,” I said in defeat.

“Why don’t we start small then?” Kina turned back into herself

and slipped back into her jeans and T-shirt. I agreed and let her walk

me through the small steps of shifting. We got as far as making my

eyes appear brown and my hair look black. That’s where it stopped.

It was a neat parlor trick, but not really that useful to me. Camila

hated it and threw a mini fit, insisting I always belonged a redhead.

After that, we gave up. The sister-queens had lives to get

back to. I was tired and hungry and horny. Camila wanted to order

• 221 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Chinese for us, and she had no problem thinking of ways to put me

to sleep. I thanked the ladies and Rodrick for their help and their

patience, then followed Camila back to her room.

“What’s your strongest power?” I asked her.

“Dalhem taught me balance. None of my powers are stronger

than the other.”

“Oh. Is Kina the only one who can switch to someone else like

that?” I asked as we walked down the hall.

“No. There are others.”

“Oh,” I said, feeling foolish for what I was going to say next.

“What if someone turns into you?”

“They won’t have my scent, baby. No one but me smells the

way I do. You’d be able to tell.”

“That makes sense.” I hadn’t set about sniffing the other sister-

queens, but no one on earth smelled as mouthwatering, as delicious

and sweet as Camila.

She smiled and pulled me closer. “And no one will want you

more than I do,” she said. That, I was willing to believe.

❖

I’d spent the following afternoon lying against a mountain

of pillows on Camila’s bed in my letterman’s sweater and my

underwear, reviewing my notes for a quiz I had in my dance and

culture class. Just some dates and names to memorize, but I wanted

to get it done before our chapter meeting at nine. Camila was busy

having a conversation with Tokyo. I thought it had something to do

with Moreland, but there was so much to their world I was clueless

about, I couldn’t be sure.

She was only gone for an hour or so. Still, I beamed like an

idiot when she came through the bedroom door.

“Hi.” I shuffled to the edge of the bed on my knees. My arms

went around her shoulders and her hands slid down the back of my

underwear. I swallowed when she palmed my ass, then I exhaled a

tight breath as I pressed myself harder against her belly. Now was a

great time for her to join me on the bed, naked. Instead of mauling

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me, she stood there. I tried to smooth the creases of concentration on

her forehead, but she just blinked then focused on my ruby necklace.

“So, Red,” she said slowly.

“What is it, my Mila?”

“I need to feed tonight.”

“Oh.” My mood and my posture deflated.

“What would you like to do about that?” she asked, squeezing

my butt.

“I would like you to feed from me, but that’ll get you nowhere.

I don’t know. Whose turn is it?”

“Danni. I can go out down the hall to Tokyo’s room. She’s out

for the night. Or I can feed in here and you can watch?”

If it had been Benny or Paige, it would have been an easy

decision. Hell. No. Paige was too much sex-crazed fembot and not

enough compassionate human being. I’d watched her with Danni

and then Barb and even with Amy. I was bothered by her limited

range of facial expressions and intimidated by her overt desire to

have sex with the closest attractive female. I’d rather not stare into

her cold, emotionless eyes while she was coming in my girlfriend’s

lap. And Benny, well, even with her acne gone, she had a hard

time changing clothes in front of us. Feedings were probably the

only time she allowed herself to come. I had a feeling she wouldn’t

want an audience for that. Danni, though, I could handle. She was

so obviously into Amy. The two of them were a giggly, chatty pair,

but their approach to the sister-queens had been all business. Chatty,

giggly business.

“I’ll watch, but can Amy be here too?”

“Red.” Camila gasped.

“Oh, shut up. I’m not going to get it on with Amy while you

feed. It’s just, I’d feel a little left out if she was in the room while

you were feeding from Danni and I wasn’t invited. You can feed and

Amy can take care of Danni.”

“And what will you be doing while we’re all being taken care

of?” she asked before she gave me a soft kiss on the lips.

“What do you want me to do?”

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Camila pulled out her cell phone. I heard it ring a few times and

then she said, “Can you and Amy come down now?…Thanks.” She

ended the call and tossed the phone beside me on the bed. “I want

you to stay where I can see you.”

“I can do that.”

Amy and Danni were probably busy hooking up when Camila

called. It would take them a few minutes to rearrange their underwear

and get to the kitchen. I hadn’t logged the paces from the elevator to

Camila’s apartment, but I figured if we got started right away, we’d

have a good five minutes of making out before they knocked on

the door. But again, instead of attacking me, Camila stood there at

the foot of the bed, gently pinching and rubbing my ass. It was just

making me ache even more.

“A proper feeding lasts about three minutes, but it seems

longer. We don’t need as much blood as it sounds, but it’s better for

the feeder if we go slow. Better if we take what we need slowly,” she

said. Then she went right for my neck. I tilted my head back, bracing

myself for her fangs. All I felt was her tongue tracing the curves of

my skin. “When they get here, will you let me in?”

“Yes,” I whimpered back.

“God, Red.” Her voice dissolved into a growl. “I want you.”

“Feed and then you can have me.”

She drew the torture out for the both of us, licking at my throat,

drawing her fangs up and down until Danni knocked on the door.

When they stepped into the room, I realized I was panting, all

flushed and wet. Under normal circumstances, I was in no condition

to deal with company.

“Where do you want me, boss?” Danni asked.

Camila calmly walked across the room and sank into the big

chair that faced the bed. She patted the ottoman between her legs.

“Come sit here.” Danni followed instructions and took a seat in

front of Camila.

“Um, what should I do?” Amy asked.

“That is completely up to you and Danni,” Camila said.

Danni pounced right on that suggestion, flapping her hands for

Amy to come across the room. I had a second or two to wonder

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what exactly they were going to do. Amy dove between Danni’s

thick legs, ripping her shorts off. She didn’t have any underwear on

underneath, so it felt like a safe bet they were picking up where they

left off upstairs.

Camila waited a few moments, letting the two of them find

their groove. I couldn’t drown out the sound of Danni’s pants and

commands as Amy went to work licking and sucking her clit, but

all I could see was Camila. She gazed back at me with her glowing

eyes. I watched her parted lips, her tongue gliding over the corner of

her mouth and the tips of her fangs.

Gently, she swept Danni’s honey colored hair off her shoulders.

There was a moment of jealously when she stroked Danni’s neck.

She knew exactly where the vein was, but the way she was looking at

me and the soft sound of her purring made me think she was playing

my lust against me, trying to get me even more fired up. It worked.

My neck started to tingle in the same spot and I wanted her more.

She tilted Danni’s head to the side. “Let me in, baby.”

I still wasn’t sure how it worked, but I tried to relax, and

suddenly, I felt Camila in my head. And then, like a cobra, she

struck, biting into Danni’s throat, hard and fast.

Danni and I gasped at the same time. She came immediately,

gripping the back of Amy’s head while she rode her mouth. My hand

went to my crotch, cupping my pussy through my underwear. The

cotton was soaked all the way through. The slightest brush made my

clit jump and tingle, but I couldn’t move my hand away.

“Will you talk to me? I want to hear your voice,” Camila said.

Her voice inside me was just as smooth and seductive as always, but

now I felt it embracing my thoughts and my heart.

I’d never done anything like this before, touching myself in

front of other people, but I felt like she needed me. She needed

Danni’s blood, but she needed me to get through the feeding. So she

could fully enjoy it.

I nodded and then said yes.

“Lie back, baby, and take off your clothes.”

I did what she said, trying to keep my eyes on hers as I pulled

off my sweater, my underwear, and my bra. Once I was naked, I

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settled back on her satin pillows. Her glowing gaze followed the

path of my hands as I stroked my body, over my nipples, under

my breasts and back. My hips rolled to the side and I squeezed my

legs together, pinched my clit between my swollen lips. My eyes

fluttered closed then opened again. I wanted to look at Camila. Her

perfect mouth locked in place. I shivered, knowing exactly what it

felt like when her fangs bit through my skin.

“Do you still want to touch yourself when you think of me?”

her voice echoed in my mind.

“Yes.”

“Show me. Show me how you touch yourself.”

“Okay,” I breathed. I opened my legs and started teasing the tip

of my clit with light flicks of my middle finger.

“Tell me what you’re thinking about.” She knew. She was in

my head. She saw what I saw. Her gorgeous caramel slit spread

before me, soft and wet. My tongue teasing her clit the way my

finger was teasing my own. She felt my jealousy and my envy. I

wanted to be in Amy’s position, on all fours between my girlfriend’s

legs. Thoughts of pleasuring her swirled through my mind, and she

was seeing every single detail. But she wanted to hear it.

My finger slid up the side of my clit, then I pinched it. “I want

to taste you.”

“Where, baby? Tell me.”

“Your pussy. I want to taste your pussy again.” I whimpered.

My fingers moved down further, soaking my hand. I teased my

opening, wishing it were some part, any part, of Camila touching

me. Danni’s breath hitched. Her moan echoed off the high ceiling

as she came again.

I slid a finger inside and then another. “I want to fuck you with

my tongue. God, Mila.” I’d been thinking of her that way for the

past few days and just now realized it. She was mine, my Mila, and

my body needed her.

I pumped myself slowly. My other hand went to my nipple,

pinching and pulling on the already tight bud. My hips came off the

bed. I panted through the clenching of my pussy around my fingers.

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“Harder,” she demanded.

I eased up instead. The burn was killing me. My body was on

the edge, aching to explode, but not without Camila. She must have

seen the thought flickering through my mind.

“Come.”

I continued with the slow pumping glide, but eased up on the

pressure even more. “No. I want to wait for you.”

“Please, baby. Come. I want to see you.”

I sat up quickly, tearing my hands away from my slit. “No.” I

frowned stubbornly. “I want you.”

Her lip curled back in a snarl and she growled, her teeth still

deep in Danni’s vein. She was drawing her blood harder and faster,

making Danni squirm. She wasn’t in pain. The opposite. She was

close again, pressing herself further onto Amy’s tongue, but I could

see the thumping of her pulse. Camila was rushing to get to me. I

wondered how much of her was demon and how much was sensible

as she fed. How much of her need was because of me. She gripped

tighter, sucking deeper.

I crawled back to the edge of the bed, fixing my eyes on hers.

“Slow down,” I said. I swallowed the nerves her grimace spiked in

me, but I didn’t back down. Anyone would have thought I was crazy

saying no to her. When someone that strong and deadly gives you

instructions, you follow them. I should have stayed rolling in the

sheets, with my fingers inside me, until she told me to stop. I didn’t

care how close I was to coming. I wouldn’t without her hands on my

body and not without my lips on hers. I dropped back on my heels,

making myself comfortable with a smooth, deep breath.

“Slow down,” I repeated. Her eyes narrowed, but her jaw

relaxed. Danni whimpered, a high sound of longing, but that was

her problem. Her orgasm wasn’t worth Camila hurting her. I waited

patiently, occupying my hands by twisting the blanket around my

index finger. I could still feel her in my head. No words now, but

emotions. Her desire for me was red hot, bordering on anger. She

wasn’t going to hurt me. She wasn’t capable of it, but as soon as she

was done feeding, she was going to fuck the hell out of me.

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Gently, she pulled away from Danni’s neck. She licked the bite

marks closed, the strokes of her tongue healing the red and tender

skin. She moved just as slowly, laying Danni on the chair. Amy was

right there, crawling up Danni’s body.

Camila’s movement across the room was a blur. She was on

top of me, her clothes tossed aside, her knee pressed between my

thighs before the breath rushed out of my lungs. My blood boiled

under my cheeks. She stared at me, then moved her legs, pressing

herself, hot and slick against my hip. My clit throbbed against her

skin. My chest rose and fell under her perfect weight, her nipples

lightly brushing against my breasts, hard and full. Now would have

been a perfect time for her to release all that passion and fury. But

she held still, her tongue brushing over her fangs and lips the only

part of her that was moving.

Until I twisted my hips. I was willing to wait for the sake

Camila’s health and sanity and Danni’s jugular, but now was our

time. I lifted my head and licked her neck and twisted my hips some

more. “I thought you wanted me too,” I said and then whimpered as

she shifted against me, bringing our slits in perfect line with each

other.She didn’t reply right away. Instead, she rode me hard, but

it wasn’t the rough brushes of our pussies against each other that

pushed me over the edge. It was the moment when she finally kissed

me, when her tongue slid past my lips. I tasted her…and I tasted

Danni. Her blood was sweet, traces still fresh in Camila’s mouth.

The small voice in my mind, the full human, was back and telling

me I shouldn’t have wanted more of the flavor, but I couldn’t turn

my head away. I moaned into her mouth, letting the electricity tackle

me from my clit to my toes to the tips of my breasts. I arched against

her body. I needed the grind and the push on the outside to match the

burn on the inside. She pulled away, putting all her weight behind

her hips.

“I do, Red,” she said against my lips. There was something

more she wasn’t telling me, but as much as I could let her in, I didn’t

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have the power to wander around through her thoughts. And I never

would. She dropped a gentle kiss to my ear. “I love you.”

It wasn’t what was on her mind. Well, maybe it was, but it

wasn’t all of it. But it was more than enough. I leaned in close, and

this time, I pressed my teeth into her neck, pinching her smooth

skin.

❖

Something in the middle of my back popped when I stretched.

It felt great. I was sore as hell, but the whole room didn’t want or

need to hear the sounds of me rearranging my spine. I snorted softly

as I muttered my apology. Then I looked at my phone again. The

library was closing in three hours and I knew I would spend every

second of those three hours with Greg and our newly formed study

group. Our first big test of the semester was on Friday, and we’d

been studying since dinner with three other kids from our class—

Vince, Jamal, and Alison, and this forty-year-old guy named Judd,

who’d decided to take another crack at his degree.

“I need a smoke. Let’s take five,” Judd suggested.

“Let’s take ten,” Greg said.

We all agreed and I stretched again, watching Judd stride down

the aisle. I would have been fine studying by myself or just with

Greg. I was hesitant when Judd asked us if could study with us. He

was a little too grizzled for my liking, but it turned out the guy took

meticulous notes and he recalled everything our professor had said

with an accuracy that redefined anal retention. I took good notes, but

I had been a little distracted lately.

Camila liked to text me, a lot. She would have stopped if I

asked her to, but my heart took off, sparking brainless, lip-biting

grins every time the name Mila flashed across my screen. I was

doing well in all my classes, but after seeing Judd’s notes, it was

obvious I could do better. I was willing to overlook the second hand

smoke if it meant I was getting a supplement to my education.

I’d asked Camila to spare me at least while I was in the library.

It was easier to sneak texts in a crowded lecture hall than it was at a

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small table, but it wouldn’t hurt if I took the ten minutes to call her.

I stood to make a break for the door, but Greg was on his feet at the

same time, an expectant look on his face.

“You want to go for a walk?” he asked.

Damn it. “Yeah, sure.”

He nodded toward the stacks and I followed.

“Marshall gave me a skeleton key to the whole campus,” he

whispered, pulling a golden key from his pocket. My mind went

right to the gutter. I bit my tongue because the only thing I wanted to

ask him was what he had to do to get that key. Greg was cool and all,

but he was not up for that kind of making fun. I just nodded back.

I imagined there were plenty of neat nooks and forbidden places

all over campus. I found the most important space under a certain

sorority house. I didn’t feel the need to go searching for more. Greg

was probably still looking.

He led me to a door in a spooky, quiet corner in the back of the

building. The corner was a perfect make-out spot. It was dark and

lined with stacks filled with books that looked like they hadn’t been

checked out since the late seventies. He checked behind us before

opening the heavy door. Then he ushered me onto the dark landing.

I looked around as he closed us in. I’d seen the stairwell from the

outside every day, and every day, I’d ignored it.

“Okay,” I said quietly, trying to avoid an echo. “This is cool.”

The fourth floor of the library was just like every other building on

campus, beige and blue with white walls and wood trim. The brick

encased stairwell was made of a dusty concrete that ran the height of

the building against its rear. Every landing had a large window that

looked out over the campus. The lights were out, and the ventilation

was crappy, but the air was cool. I peeked over the railing and looked

down the white, rectangular spiral to the first floor. I had to high five

Greg. This was the perfect study break spot to hide in.

“Come on. The stadium looks awesome from there.” He

pointed up. We ran to the top floor, taking the steps two at a time.

When I reached the top, I was laughing breathlessly.

Greg was right. You could see the whole campus, including

the football stadium that was lit up for a night practice. I couldn’t

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stop myself from thinking of Camila and the night we’d spent in her

penthouse only a few short weeks before. I was over the mishaps of

that morning after. She was caught up on her sleep. I didn’t see why

we couldn’t spend another night downtown with our toys and an

alarm clock, just in case.

“So how’s it going?”

I turned around. Greg was leaning against the brick wall.

“Pretty good, I guess. I want to get this test over with, but

everything else is good. How are things with you?” I asked, raising

an eyebrow to him.

“Better. I mean, same shit, but better.”

“How’s everything with the guys and stuff?”

His throat contracted as he swallowed and straightened up

against the wall. “It’s cool. I—I’m not gay.”

“Greg, I know. You’re with Samantha, remember? How are

things with her?” Great job, Ginger. Bring up the girlfriend, not all

the anal sex you know he’s having and maybe loving. I figured he

would appreciate that, but he just grunted and shrugged.

“She’s all right.”

“I thought things were going pretty well with you guys. She

missed curfew twice because of you.” I tried to tease him.

“Yeah, well, I heard you got promoted to like Most Important

Freshman or some shit.”

I snorted, instantly annoyed. Here I was trying to talk to Greg,

trying to see if he was the type to go mental and snap Samantha’s

neck in a fit of sexually confused rage. I was looking out for her, and

her nosy, big-mouthed ass was talking about me and Camila behind

my back.

“Is that what Samantha told you?”

“She said you’re dating the head bi—” He caught himself right

before I punched him in the nuts. “Sam said things had actually

gotten serious with you and the sister-queen Camila. You guys are

actually dating.”

“We are. And I wouldn’t refer to her as a bitch, Greg. Rodrick

answers to her. And she is my girlfriend.”

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“I know. My bad. I just…” he said. “I’m sorry. For real.” He

took my silence as a cue to keep his mouth shut while I cooled

down. I knew he was confused and going through a rough time, but

manners were manners and casual name-calling, especially in this

case, was not okay. He didn’t know Camila, and he obviously didn’t

know what she meant to me.

“So you can do that, like, date them?”

“Yeah.” I sighed. His question reminded me how clueless he

was to my situation. “I mean we just clicked, I guess. Dating them

isn’t off-limits; it’s just not the norm.”

“What happens when you graduate or if you want to break up

with her? Not afraid she won’t suck you dry in a fit of vampire

madness?”

“No. I’m not,” I replied, shaking my head. “It’s been ten

minutes. Let’s go back.”

“Okay. So you’re a lesbian now or what? You’re done screwing

dudes?” he asked as we started back down.

I didn’t know how to explain things to him so he would

understand, because he wouldn’t. I had no desire to be with a guy,

but then I had no desire to be with anyone but Camila.

My throat ran dry at the thought. I didn’t want to be with

anyone but her, ever. And here was Greg, casually playing off his

relationship with Samantha who did walk around campus, hanging

off his arm like she was the head bitch. All the while he’s taking

to his secret sex life with an aggression that was making vampires

nervous. He wouldn’t get a simple explanation of love that saw past

whatever was between Camila’s legs and right to her amazing heart

and her immortal soul. Greg didn’t deserve an explanation.

He accepted the silent treatment I gave him, keeping any other

questions he had to himself. I pushed open the door, grateful it didn’t

make a sound, and marched back toward our group.

Samantha was standing next to our table talking to Alison.

“Hey,” she whisper-shouted when she saw Greg. She scowled

when she saw me. I rolled my eyes right back at her. As if I would

mack on her pig of a boyfriend. “Hey,” she muttered at me.

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“Hi, Sam,” I said, taking my seat next to Judd. Greg leaned

down and let Samantha kiss him. Her face lit up all over again.

“How’d you find me?” Greg asked.

“Your hat.” His Cubs hat was sitting on the table. I wanted to

burn that hat. “Is there room for me?”

“Yeah,” I said. I ignored Judd’s frozen shock and started

packing up my books. “I’m going to go.”

“We haven’t started chapter four yet,” Alison whined. Her eyes

were begging me to stay, but I couldn’t. Judd offered to cram with

me the night before the test if I was still up for it. I told him I’d let

him know. For now, I had to get the hell away from Samantha before

I slapped her or Greg. Or stabbed one of them with a pencil.

I grumbled my good-byes and headed for the stairs.

“I don’t know what the fuck her problem is,” I heard Samantha

mutter as I went. I almost reconsidered the pencil. And the slap.

I stepped out of the library and got a few feet closer to the

engineering building before I realized I hadn’t called for an escort.

It was dark and windy and there was no one around. Perfect setting

for me to get mugged by some transient passing through campus.

I was so pissed, I didn’t know who to call. I didn’t want to bother

the OBA boys. Micah was busy with Anna-Jade, and I wasn’t in the

right frame of mind to deal with Cleo’s comedy hour.

I pulled out my phone and stared at my list of recent contacts.

I called Camila.

“Miss me already, baby?” she said as she answered. I felt

terrible for not being in a playful mood, but a sudden sob bubbled

from my chest.

“Red, what’s wrong?”

“I’m at the library. Can you come get me?” I walked back

toward the entrance and hid behind one of the marble pillars.

“I’ll be right there.” She hung up, and not four seconds later

she was there, gently holding my cheeks in her hands. She still

spent most of her time in her apartment in her underwear, but she’d

thrown on some jeans and she was wearing my black ABO hoodie

with my name stitched into the arm. She looked like another college

student, minus the fangs.

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“Querida, what’s the matter?” she said. She still only whipped

out her Spanish when she was really upset. I looked into her eyes

and just burst out crying. She took my hand and led me over to a

small bench on the side of the building. Two guys came walking

from the direction of the cafeteria. They didn’t notice us, which was

good. I felt like enough of a complete fool for crying in the middle

of campus. I didn’t need people pointing and laughing.

I took a few deep breaths, trying to flush out the irrational tears.

I couldn’t believe I’d let something Greg said and then Samantha,

make me cry. I swallowed and wiped my face with the back of my

hand.“Greg—he. God, he’s such an asshole.”

Her gentle expression fell. “What did he do?”

“Nothing, he was just asking me about you and then he called

you a bitch.” I sniffed and huffed some more before I kept going.

“Well, he started to, but he stopped himself. And then Sam showed

up and the two of them were acting like I’m the one who had the

problem.”

She laughed gently, pulling me toward her. “Aw, baby. Don’t

let them bother you.”

“You’re not mad?”

“No,” she said, stroking my cheek gently. “Between myself

and Greg, I’m pretty sure I know who would win in a fight. And

Samantha is just Samantha. Ignore them.”

“I—the way he was talking about you. I love you,” I said. “I

don’t want anyone talking shit about you.”

“I love you, too. And I’m not worried about anything Greg

has to say. You should have heard Tokyo when I banned her from

bringing her feeders down to Moreland’s. She called me a lot worse.”

“She did?” I gasped. “What did you do?”

“I punched her across the room. But we’ve gotten along great

ever since,” she said with a fangy grin.

“Greg said Sam told him that I got ‘promoted’ to most important

freshman or some crap just because I’m dating you. You know I

don’t even give a crap about all this Greek stuff or being popular. I

just—I just want to be with you. And pass chem.”

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“Come on.” She stood and took my hand. “I’m taking you

home. I’ll help you study for your test and then we can have sex,

okay?” she said, playfully pouting her way through the last bit. I

laughed, sniffling one last time, and stood beside her.

“Are you just going to vanish us back to the house?”

“No,” she said as we started walking.

“Why not?”

“Because we can only travel with inanimate objects. If I poofed

you back to the house with me, your heart would stop, and that’s if

the stroke didn’t kill you first.”

“Nice night for a walk isn’t it.” I smiled cheerfully.

Camila’s middle finger tickled my palm. “It’s just what I had

in mind.”

• 235 •

• 236 •

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Chapter thirteen

We walked slowly back to her place, hand in hand. I was

happy just to be with her, and by the time we got back

to her apartment beneath the ABO house, I had almost completely

forgotten about my stupid lab partner and his stupid girlfriend.

Camila and I crawled into her bed and she helped me review my

chem notes. And then as she promised, she sexed me perfectly to

sleep. She was dozing peacefully beside me the next morning, and as

I looked at her beautiful face I couldn’t believe I had let Greg and

Samantha get under my skin. The two of them were so screwed up

and in a way, so perfect for each other. If Greg’s refusal to deal with

what was going on in his head got Samantha hurt, well, that would

be awful, but that didn’t mean I had to care what they thought about

things that were so clearly not their business.

I kissed my sleeping beauty on her soft lips and smiled as

she shifted closer to me under the sheets. I had the most amazing

girlfriend in the world. She was intelligent, sweet, funny, not to

mention drop-dead gorgeous, immortal, and mutant strong. And she

loved me. I had made some great friends in Alpha Beta Omega, plus

I had my ever-perky roommate, but Camila was the most important

person in the world to me. Her happiness mattered, not the stupid

things the likes of Greg and Samantha had to say.

Camila’s eyes fluttered open when I kissed her again. And

as she greeted me with her own hello and special brand of good

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reBekah WeatherspOOn

morning, I made up my mind I wasn’t going to care anymore about

people who meant so little to me.

The first thing Greg did the next time I saw him was apologize.

He pulled me aside a couple days later on our way out of class and

said a bunch of crap about being out of line and understanding just

how important Camila was to all of us, how much she cared about

all of us. I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but it wasn’t worth

it. I accepted his apology and made a point to keep a cordial distance

from him for a few weeks.

Things eased, because I’m just that nice of a person, and Greg

wasn’t so bad when he watched his mouth. I had no idea what was

going on over at the OBA house in terms of his “feeding aggression,”

but Rodrick and Camila never brought it up again, so I figured he’d

finally mellowed out.

I followed Camila’s advice and flat out ignored Samantha. I

wasn’t mean to her or anything, but I stayed away from unnecessary

small talk, and I never mentioned Camila in front of her. Camila

was that special to me. If someone couldn’t respect what we had,

then they had no right to hear any of the amazing things I had to say

about her. Unfortunately, Sam wasn’t the real problem.

As the weeks passed, more people started to openly—in that

sneaky gossipy sort of way—speculate about what exactly was

going on between Camila and me. I’d been in such a love-induced

sex haze when we first started dating I hadn’t noticed the shifty

looks I was getting from some other members of Alpha Beta Omega.

Girls gossip. I know. I get it. It didn’t make the shit talking any less

annoying, and it didn’t make their logic any less backward.

Anna-Jade had heard from Mel, who heard from Julia that the

general opinion among some of Omi’s and Faeth’s feeders was that

I was using Camila. Supposedly, I played the cool brainiac who

was trying to sleep her way to the top and could care less about

the sorority, which wasn’t true at all. I never backed out on any of

our activities and responsibilities, no matter how much I wanted to

spend that time with her.

If I was so obviously using her, how would that help me win the

popularity of the group and convince them to one day vote me in as

• 238 •

Better Off red

chapter president? I didn’t even want to be chapter president, but I

had made a commitment to the sisterhood, and I had every intention

of sticking by that pledge and every extracurricular activity that

came along with it.

I would have spent every moment of my life with Camila, but I

never sulked about having to be away from her because she always

made up for our separation the moment we were back together. Still,

according to Amy, a few of the girls actually believed that I was with

the queen for the sex and the status and the bragging rights. I never

had a serious conversation with anyone about my relationship with

anyone but Amy. That may have been the problem. You don’t give

up the dirt and people make up their own.

And soon the rumors started to include Amy and Danni. Our

foursomes during Camila’s feedings became standard. We never

brought it up to the other girls, but we couldn’t keep it a secret. All

the sister-queens had their own feeding schedules, schedules they

stuck to. It didn’t take long for a few people to notice that Amy and

Danni were heading to the pantry twice a week, at the same time.

I’ll admit that it was a little scandalous that the four of us had

our arrangement, but what the hell. Every other sister-queen was

screwing all of their feeders. Camila was the only one who was

sleeping with just one person—me. I never touched Amy or Danni.

Other than the biting, Camila never touched them either, but that

didn’t matter. The lie was way juicier than the truth, and trying to

defend ourselves would only make things worse.

❖

The overall mood on campus was that Thanksgiving vacation

couldn’t come soon enough. We had a couple long weekends

between August and November, but none of them long enough to

justify a trip back home or time away from Camila.

I had to go home at least for the carving of the turkey, but I did

book a flight back a day early. Finals were going to be brutal and I

wanted just one day with Camila, uninterrupted.

• 239 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

I left for the airport early Tuesday morning. We were only

going to be apart for four days, but I cried when Camila kissed me

good-bye. It was pathetic. I knew it was. We hadn’t spent a full night

away from each other in months. She reminded me that I was finally

going to see my family. That perked me up a little, but didn’t stop

me from pouting as I rode the elevator away from her. It wasn’t until

I actually saw Dad waiting for me at baggage claim in Logan that I

smiled again. He’d come back from South America just a few days

before.

Dad looked older and tired, but a familiar smile lit up his face

as I walked over to him. I’d settled comfortably into being Camila’s

girlfriend, but it felt good to be his daughter again. It felt great to

hear his voice. He told me about Brazil, some of the people he’d

met, a few of the patients he’d helped. Like always, he edited out

the most grisly parts of his work, but the proof of the heartbreaking

things he’d seen was clear in the weight he’d lost and the exhaustion

that had settled on his shoulders. I thought of what Camila would

have done in my shoes and told him that I loved him and I was glad

he was home. That seemed to help.

Of course, then he asked me about school and Camila or Mila,

the name Todd had passed on to my parents. I told him more about

my classes, and our upcoming elections for ABO and Types for

Hope. Camila’s name worked its way into the mix, but I was afraid

to say something that would even hint at the fact that she wasn’t

exactly human. He didn’t seem to mind, or press me for details,

so I just went on and on about school. We were still sitting in the

garage when I looked up to see the patient smile on my dad’s face. I

blushed, feeling a little silly for rambling on.

“Sorry,” I muttered. “Let’s go see Linda.”

He unbuckled his seat belt and went to open his door. “Don’t

apologize, Ginge. I missed you. That’s all.”

When we stepped into the mudroom, Mom descended on me

with a shrieking frenzy that put Amy’s enthusiasm for lingerie and

Danni to shame. She kissed my face until I thought I would bruise and

asked me a million questions and told me a trillion different things. I

understood “Are you hungry?” and “I bought you new sheets.”

• 240 •

Better Off red

“Go put your stuff away and I’ll make you some lunch. And I

just baked cookies.”

I dropped my bags in my room and crawled into my New

England winter pj’s: fleece sweats and a hoodie, an ABO one of

course. I was fully prepared to spend the day doing absolutely

nothing. I split my time between the kitchen and the couch, listening

to Mom as she stuffed me with grilled cheese and hot cider and

cookies. A new family had moved in down the street. They had two

kids, but they were four and five years old. She guessed right when

she assumed I wasn’t exactly dying to meet them. I told her about

which finals I was dreading and she thoroughly examined my ruby

necklace.

Then she sat down beside me, her mouth half full of sugar

cookie. “So. How’s Mila?”

“She’s good.” And hunkered down safely underground.

“You miss her already, don’t you?”

“A little, but I missed you and Dad too. And Todd sort of.”

“Oh, you love your brother.”

“I guess. He’s okay.” I smiled.

“So tell me about her. If it’s safe. I don’t want to jinx anything.”

“We’re pretty serious now. I think it’s safe to talk about her. I

don’t know. She’s cool. And smart.”

“And pretty. Todd showed me her picture. You two are so cute

together.”

I grimaced at Mom’s ridiculous cooing. “Thanks.”

She took a sip of her cider “Which one of you is the boy?”

“Mom!”

“Isn’t that how it works? One of you gets to be the girl and the

other gets to be the boy and then on off days you switch,” she said

with a faint twitch to her lip.

“You’re hilarious. And neither of us is the boy. We’re both

ladies.”

“Well, I want to meet her. I want to make sure she’s good

enough for my baby.”

“She is, Mom. I promise. She’s great.”

• 241 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Good. Come here, honey.” I walked around the table and let

Mom pull me into a big hug. “I’m so proud of you. Even if you’re

not the boy.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Why don’t you go keep your dad company while I get dinner

started.” She kissed my cheeks and kicked me out of the kitchen.

I lay out on the couch and kept Dad company while he watched

football. He’d kept up with the scores online, but still felt slightly

cheated by missing almost the entire NFL season. Todd had set up the

DVR to record every single Pats game. I texted Camila pretty much

non-stop during the season’s recap. The semester and lunch caught

up with me, and some time before dinner, I passed out. I woke up

with Todd sitting on the floor beside me, his face disturbingly close.

“Hey Ginger,” he huffed quietly, blowing his cider breath in

my face.

“Todd, eww. Get away from me.”

“Hug me first. I missed you, punk.”

“Fine,” I groaned, but when I went to sit up, I got caught up

in the blanket. “What the hell?” I looked down to see that Todd had

been nice enough to braid my hair into the tassels on Mom’s afghan.

I sprang up like a jackal and punched my darling brother right

in the arm.

“Ow!”

“It’s not funny, you jerk.”

“Todd!” Mom yelled from the kitchen. “Stop brothering your

sister and come set the table.”

“I’ll be back for you.” He pointed in my face then jumped out

of the way just in time to dodge another punch.

“You really think he should be a doctor?” I asked Dad while I

separated myself from the blanket.

Dad shrugged. “He’ll make an excellent pediatrician.”

Dinner hit the spot. Even though our chapter was small, I still

spent most of my meals in a large group. It was nice to eat some

real home cooked food and actually get a chance to hear everything

that everyone at the table had to say. The four of us ended up back

in front of the TV, vegging out. It was nice to be home, but by nine

• 242 •

Better Off red

I was going through Camila withdrawal. There was no use in hiding

it, knowing that Todd would make fun of me anyway. I excused

myself to go call her up in my room.

Camila picked up on the first ring and I found myself grinning

like an idiot the second she said my name.

“Hi,” I said, sounding chipper and twelve. “What are you doing?”

“We’re remodeling the dining room at the Fontler. I’m adjusting

the plans.”

“Oh, cool. Show me when I get back.”

“I have a few other things in mind to do when you first get

back. And then I’ll show you the plans. Where are you, baby?”

“My room.”

“Do you have your laptop? I want to send you something.”

I dug into my bag and pulled out my computer. Just to be on the

safe side, I locked my door before I plopped on my bed.

“What are you wearing?” I teased as my laptop fired up.

“I’ll tell you in a second, Red. Check your e-mail first.”

“You’re so pushy. I love you,” I said with a wide smile, as if

she could see me.

“I love you too.” She laughed.

I pulled up my e-mail and opened a RAR file from Camila.

A RAR file filled with a collection of clips from various security

cameras. I opened the first one and saw us making out on her bed.

I remembered the afternoon perfectly. My stats class had been

canceled and Camila had the day free. We screwed for hours.

“Aw, baby,” I cooed. “Did you make me a porno?”

“I did. I miss you. Which one are you watching?”

I looked at the file name at the top of the box. “Ten-oh-six.”

“I watched that one twice this morning,” she told me.

“You did?” I suddenly lost interest in the clip. “What else did

you do this morning?”

“I touched myself, baby,” she said. My pussy throbbed as the

words left her mouth. On my computer screen the two of us were

dry humping at the foot of the bed. I knew in a few minutes she’d

pick me up and take me to the ottoman, but I wanted to hear more

about the touching.

• 243 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“How was it?” I asked.

“It was good, but not the same without you.”

I leaned back and slid my fingers under the waistband of my

sweats and into my underwear, feeling just how wet any thoughts of

her made me. “Well, you have me on the phone now. And I’m alone

in my room…”

“Gingey! Come look at the snow,” my mom yelled up the stairs.

I pulled my hand out of my underwear. “Ugh, I have to go. My

mom wants to bond over the weather.”

“Gingey!”

“Mom. I’m coming!…I’ll call you back in a little while. She’s

going to keep yelling until I go down. This better be the most

majestic snowfall of the year.”

“Okay, Red,” Camila said. She was sweet enough to let me go

without a fight. I closed my laptop and ran downstairs. My family

was already out on the porch. Mom had left the front door wide

open. I stomped into my boots and followed them outside. It was

gorgeous out. Freezing, but gorgeous. Mom had told me it had

already snowed a few times while I was still at school, but most of it

had turned brown and gray or washed down the gutters. This snow

was sticking and it was beautiful.

But not as beautiful as phone sex with my girlfriend.

“Oh, wow. It is snowing. Good night.” I turned to make a break

for the door.

“Get over here.” Dad grabbed my arm and pinned me, shoulder

to shoulder, between him and Todd.

“Just humor the woman for five minutes and then you can go

back upstairs and talk to Mila,” Dad muttered.

“Thanks. You’re the best. Mom, this really is lovely.”

“And you are a liar, young lady. I think monopoly and hot

chocolate are in order,” she announced.

My head whipped toward Dad and I stared at him in horror.

“Please, no,” I said through my gritted teeth.

“Come on, Ginger. You can be the thimble,” Todd said, slapping

me on the shoulder. I glared at him, ready to tell him just where he

could shove the little piece of metal, when a sudden movement on

• 244 •

Better Off red

the lawn caught my attention. My neighbor, the one I’d kissed, was

walking up our snow-dusted pathway.

“Hi, Kristen. How are you, sweetie?” Mom said cheerfully. It

was getting late to be dropping in on neighbors, but Linda was never

rude.“Hi, Mrs. Carmichael. I’m good.” Kristen stood there for a

moment. And that moment turned into an awkward moment as she

looked nervously at me. Dad tried to save the day.

“Linda, why don’t we get that hot chocolate started? Todd, you

want to dig up the Monopoly?”

“Sure thing,” Todd said, before he whispered to me. “Look at

you, all two for two.” I elbowed him in the side as he tried to slip

into the house. My parents were right behind him and Kristen took

that as her cue to join me on the porch.

I didn’t know what to say. The last time I’d seen her, her tongue

was in my mouth. I hadn’t exchanged even an e-mail or a Facebook

wall post with her all semester. So I asked her about how her soccer

season went. She asked me about school. I told her I’d joined a

sorority and she’d told me she’d thought about rushing, but soccer

took up too much time. We avoided the subject of dating and the

kiss we’d shared.

“I know we’re only home for a few days, but maybe, do you

want to go to the movies or something tomorrow night?”

“Oh, I—” Everyone I actually talked to knew I had a girlfriend,

but how did I tell her without it sounding, well, bitchy?

“My parents are gone all afternoon too, if you wanted to come

over and hang out,” she blurted out.

“I’m going shopping with my mom tomorrow,” I lied.

“Oh. Well.” She started backing toward to stairs. “Come by if

you change your mind.”

“I will,” I lied again.

I watched Kristen walk back to her house and silently, I prayed

her mom and my mom didn’t talk while I was home.

“Red, are you cheating on me?”

I spun around, my heart beating out of my chest. Camila was

standing on my porch in nothing but her underwear and my favorite

• 245 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

green v-neck. It was twenty-five degrees out and she couldn’t have

looked more comfortable. I assumed she had her cloak up. All

Kristen, or my parents for that matter, had to do was look out the

window to see a half-naked woman standing on our porch in the

snow.“Can anyone see you?” I asked anxiously.

“No, baby. The porch looks empty.”

“Good.”

And then I jumped on her, my legs wrapping around her waist,

my big boots digging into the back of her thighs. She took my weight

easily, carrying me to the corner of the porch, pushing me up against

the side of my house. My lips latched on to hers, and instantly her

tongue slid against mine.

I pulled away, just to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. “What

are you doing here?” I panted before diving in for another kiss.

“Trying to keep you from giving your neighbor another crack

at that beautiful mouth of yours.” Her fangs trailed across my jaw.

“I’m sorry you heard that, but she doesn’t have a chance. How

long have you been lurking in my yard?” I asked.

“Long enough to know she still wants you.”

“Doesn’t matter. You’re here. Kiss me.” She smiled against my

skin then sunk her teeth into my neck. My orgasm hit me like a Mack

truck, sending my head spinning. Her cloak had to be soundproof,

because I was moaning pretty loudly. She fed deeply, letting me

come once more and again as I pressed myself against her stomach.

I shuddered a final time when she pulled away and sealed the bites.

“Okay. I have to go now,” she whispered softly between warm

strokes of her tongue.

“What? No. Stay. Please,” I said. “I have a double bed and new

pink sheets. You’ll love it. Just poof yourself to my room. I’ll tell my

mom I’m not feeling well.”

“Really, Red. I have to go. Kina just came back to the house.

The kindergarten teacher dumped her. She’s a mess.” She put me

down, smoothing my hair behind my ear. “I told her I’d be right

back.”“Fine. Will you call me later, if you can?”

• 246 •

Better Off red

“Yes. If it’s not too late. You have to go shopping tomorrow,”

she said with a mocking smile.

“Har, har. I love you.”

“I love you too, baby.” And then she disappeared.

I kicked off my boots by the door and stumbled into the living

room, dazed and soaking.

“What did Kristen need, honey?” Mom asked.

“Huh? Oh, uh she’s fine. I mean, nothing. She was just saying

hey. I’ll be right back.” I ignored Dad and Todd’s bizarre looks and

ran up to my room to change my underwear. I glanced at my neck in

the mirror to make sure it wasn’t too blotchy. It was, but that I could

blame on the cold if anyone asked. I was back in the living room in

record time, doing my best to play it cool as I took the thimble from

Dad.“If I have to spend time with you people I want to be the bank,”

I insisted.

“You okay there, champ?” Todd scoffed, nodding toward my

arm. Unknowingly, I’d been running my fingers across my bottom

lip. It was puffy and swollen. I dropped my hand.

“Yeah. Why?”

He just shook his head, smirking at the Chance cards he was

sorting.

Monopoly was as fun as the Carmichaels could make it. I slid

Dad money behind my back. Todd sold Mom some properties at a

discounted price. We quit when Dad kept nodding off against the

couch.

❖

I climbed into bed and texted Camila, telling her how much I

loved her. I passed out before she texted me back. I dreamt about her,

though, her kisses on my cheeks and my neck, the gentle caresses

of her hands between my legs. We talked less than we made love,

but I remembered her telling me that my bed was way too small.

I’d laughed in my sleep, almost waking myself up, but not quite. I

wanted to hold on to Camila and my dreams.

• 247 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

In the morning I found a piece of my mom’s pink stationary

folded on my pillow. But the swirly handwriting didn’t belong to

Linda. Enjoy the day, Red. Next time we’re doing it on the floor. Luv,

your M.

I cursed out loud, careful not to crush the paper in my fist. I

couldn’t believe I’d missed her.

• 248 •

Better Off red

Chapter fOurteen

It turns out Camila could hold her cloak in place while she

fed, but she couldn’t do it while I was busy twirling my

tongue around her clit. She only came back once while I was home.

Kina was devastated over her breakup with the kindergarten teacher.

Camila and Faeth were on best friend duty on and off for the next

day, but the afternoon of Thanksgiving, the kindergarten teacher

had a change of heart and wanted Kina back. Camila texted me

right before we started dinner, telling me to let her know the second

I’d gone up to my room for the night. Needless to say, I was in an

abnormally good mood while we ate.

I wanted to give Camila the same level of romance she’d shown

me during our dates back in Baltimore. I made my bed and actually

threw my clothes in the hamper. Then I downloaded a few movies

for us to watch on my laptop. We had till dawn, and the nights were

longer now. A few hours of romantic comedies would ensure that

my parents were asleep before we tore each other’s clothes off. She

texted me right before she appeared standing across my room. I

wanted to invite her to make herself comfortable on my bed, tell

her the choice of movie was hers, but the words were trapped in the

back of my throat.

Camila was already naked, her eyes glowing green and gold,

lips parted, fangs exposed. I had no clue what had set her off, but

she was hungry—for me. I walked toward her, my hand extended

out. Her purr grew to a low panting growl the closer I got. I pressed

my body against hers.

• 249 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“What happened to your clothes?” I asked.

“Do I need them?” Her heated gaze focused on my mouth.

“No, babe, you don’t. Did you just feed?” Her reply was more

hiss than an actual yes as I ran my fingers down her side. Her soft

skin was on fire. There was no need to bait her any further, but it

was impossible to resist her heat. My palms found her breasts and

my lips found her throat. I drew lazy circles with both as her head

fell back. “Let me take care of you.”

I sank to my knees, separating her slit with my tongue. She was

so wet, pulsing hot. I needed more of her honey sweet taste. I swept

my tongue deeper, closing my lips around her clit, my underwear

soaking at the loving sounds rumbling from her chest.

She let me please her for a few moments, but I felt her body

tensing, growing impatient. She never had a problem with me

making her come, but she also didn’t like sitting by and letting me

do all the work. She pushed me away from her body, sliding to the

floor beside me. In the next second she was underneath my hips,

tearing my underwear off, pressing her face between my legs. I

looked down, trying to get my bearings, pleasantly surprised to find

her wetness still at my disposal.

I got lost in her, using my fingers and my tongue, tracing every

inch of her pussy. Even though I thought her cloak was up, I tried

to keep my voice down. It was difficult. She knew how to work me

so good. Her tongue driving in and out of me with strong thrusts,

her finger gently prodding my asshole. I was so close, dripping on

the edge when she replaced her tongue with her other fingers. I

shuddered against the dragging sweep of her fangs as they searched

the inside of my thigh.

“Do it. Please,” I begged, panting loudly. “God, Mila. Please.”

And then there was a light knock on my door. Only my dad

knocked like that. Camila and I froze.

“Ginge, honey. Can you keep it down? Your mom’s trying to

sleep.” My eyes slammed shut, my teeth clenching together.

“Sorry, Dad,” I called back, mortified.

“It’s okay, kiddo. Night.”

“Night.”

• 250 •

Better Off red

We waited, listening until my parents’ bedroom door shut.

I crawled off Camila as quietly as possible, and shuffled to lean

against my bed. She was right there beside me, nuzzling my neck

and slipping her hand back between my legs.

“You distract me too much, Red. My cloak dropped.”

“Yeah, I kinda forgot where we were too.”

“Well, we’ll just have to finish each other…one at a time,” she

said. Her fingers pushed back inside me and her fangs sliced into my

throat. I bit the inside of my cheek, drawing blood, swallowing my

cries while I worked myself against her hand. When I was done, she

let me back between her thighs. I could still taste a hint of my blood

in my mouth as it mixed with her delicious juices, but as she came

silently, dripping on my lips, I couldn’t help but wonder what her

blood would taste like.

❖

The line to the ticket counter wasn’t too bad, but the line

through security was ridiculous. Dad was back from the short-term

parking before I’d moved an inch.

“So I’m guessing Mila’s going back early too.”

“Uh, yeah.” I’d told my parents I was heading back early to get

a jump on my finals. Maybe texting Camila non-stop and leading

them to believe that we were having phone sex gave away my true

motivation for going back early.

“She’s it for you, isn’t she?” Dad asked.

I turned and peered at him. He was looking at his shoes,

blushing a little. “What makes you say that?” I asked.

“That look you’ve had on your face all week. That’s how I used

to look at your mother,” he said.

“What happened?”

“Nothing,” he said, dismissing my worries of a divorce with

a confident shake of the head. “I’m just old. My eyes don’t get all

wide and googly anymore.”

“You’re not old, Dad. Just seasoned and mature. And your eyes

still get plenty googly when you’re with Mom.” The line moved

forward a little. Dad followed the slow pace, sticking to my side.

• 251 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“I guess that’s true. She’s a great gal,” he said. “But I can tell

with you two. The way you talk about her. The way you are now.

She’s the one for you.”

“You don’t think I’m too young to be so sure?” I asked. I think

we both thought it would be a few years before we had this talk.

“No. Not at all. I was your age when I met your Mom. Plus, she

can’t get you pregnant.”

“Ew, Dad.” I scowled.

He chuckled before he got serious again. “If it’s okay with her

parents, we’ll fly her up here for New Year’s.”

“Okay,” I agreed uselessly. That wasn’t going to happen. Ever.

I knew she wanted to meet my family, but still after all these months

we hadn’t figured out how. I couldn’t fly her up for an evening and

then what, explain that she left before dawn to get us all coffee and

wouldn’t be back until dinner? But I would talk to her. I couldn’t cut

off my family, and I couldn’t imagine not having her in my life. We

would work something out. I just didn’t know when.

When I was next in line Dad turned to me.

“Tell her I’m sorry I silenced your fun. Us old people still need

sleep.”

“Dad!”

“Come here, Ginge.” He hugged me, chuckling his deep laugh

against my hair. “Call me when you land.”

“I will.” I walked forward and threw my backpack on the belt

and pulled off my boots. I glanced back when I got through the

detectors and Dad was still standing there, still tired, but smiling.

❖

I felt bad that I didn’t have more than three bucks to tip the

driver Camila had sent for me. He turned down my measly wad

of cash, explaining that Ms. Sanchez had already tipped him

generously. He carried my bag to the porch and waited by the limo

until I was safely inside.

The front door was locked, so I tried the doorbell. A minute

later Florencia opened the door. She let me in and was on my heels

as I walked toward the pantry.

• 252 •

Better Off red

I was so anxious to see Camila, a little bit nervous actually, but

that anxiety disappeared the moment I stepped off the elevator and

into her arms.

“Hi,” I breathed against her neck. She held me close, wrapping

her arms around me, but something was off. I took a small step back,

shocked at the pained look on her face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, baby.” She relaxed a little, but the look she gave me

was way left of reassuring. “Well, Cleo’s coming in an hour. She’s

trying to study for her anthropology final and her house is full of

cousins. She won’t bother us though.”

“Okay. What else? Where Cleo studies never makes you this

upset.”

“I’m not upset. Come sit with me, querida.” And then I knew

things weren’t good. I trailed behind her toward her apartment, trying

to ease the death grip I had on her hand. My heart was thudding

against my ribs and my stomach was clenched beyond tight. The

worst things were running through my head. Maybe she wanted to

end things. Or maybe she wanted to take a step back. What if I was

smothering her? Maybe she saw me at home with my family and

realized we didn’t belong together.

“Are you breaking up with me?” I blurted out nervously.

“No, Red.” She laughed for real this time. “I don’t want to talk

about this in the hallway.”

She opened her bright red door for me and I followed her inside.

Then I dropped my bags on the floor and sat beside her on the couch.

I’d missed the smell of her apartment. The air was always so fresh

and clean, but her cinnamon musk lingered everywhere. Still, her

perfect scent wasn’t enough to calm me down.

I took a deep, ineffective breath. “Okay, tell me.”

Camila stared at the floor for a moment then looked me in the

eye. “I’ve given this a great deal of thought and I didn’t want to bring

it up because I truly don’t think it’s fair to you, but it’s just as much

your decision as it is mine. I have to speak more with Dalhem, but

if you would, after you gave it some real, serious consideration…if

you’d like, I’d ask you to be my na’suul.”

• 253 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Sounds pretty,” I said with light hesitation. “What does it

mean?”

“It means that you would be more than my mate. Our minds

and hearts would be connected. If you wanted me, I would be yours

forever. In your world and in mine.”

I didn’t think. I just answered.

“Yes.”

“Red, wait. Let me explain first.”

“No. You don’t have to. My answer is yes.” Even though part

of me was just so overwhelmed that she wasn’t kicking me to the

curb, I loved Camila more than I ever imagined I could. There was

no other response worth considering.

“Just listen, please. This is a serious bond, but that is why I

want to speak to Dalhem. I want you to have an out clause.”

“What do you mean?” I frowned.

“If you change your mind, three years from now, ten years

from now, I want him to break our bond so you can go on with your

life—”

“Don’t say that,” I pleaded, my voice sounding pathetically

sad. “Ginger, you’re just so young.”

“I know, but I’m not going to change my mind. I want to be

with you. Till I’m old and gray and you have to spoon-feed me

peas.” I nudged her leg.

“Oh, I’m putting you in a home, but I’d love to keep fucking

you until then, knowing you’re mine,” she said before the stern look

came back to her beautiful face. “I am serious, though, Red. I do not

want anyone else but you. But I have had years and years to know

what I’ve been missing. You might find that you want someone else

one day or that you just don’t want me. And if that happens, I’m not

going to stand in your way.”

“You understand you’ve planned our marriage and our divorce

before I even took my chem final,” I said playfully. “My answer is

still yes. We’ll figure out the other stuff later.”

“And you still have to understand, your family can’t know

what I am. It’s fine now because we’re both supposedly in school.

• 254 •

Better Off red

But if we’re still together when you graduate, they’ll want to see me

in the daytime.”

“When I graduate and when we’re still together, we’ll figure

something out. We’ll say you have some weird disease and you

can’t handle UV exposure. They’ll think it’s weird, but they won’t

turn away someone I love.” I leaned forward and kissed her, trying

to soothe her stress away. “And what about Dalhem? He’s married

to a human. Maybe he can help us think of something. I mean we

still have, what, three years and half years till I graduate? And then

I’m supposed to go off on my own anyway. You said yourself, let’s

just handle things as they come.” I took a deep breath, looking at my

hands. “My dad thinks you’re the one for me.”

“He does?” Her hopeful expression broke my heart. I wanted

my family to meet her now more than ever, just to see the love she

was capable of.

“Yeah. And I agree with him.” I felt the waterworks bubbling

over. I sniffled, holding them back. “So, yes. I want to demon-marry

you.” “Okay, Red,” she said finally. “I still have to talk to Dalhem.

There’s a certain amount of formality to it. Technically, you’ll be

considered a demon, but nothing else has to change. You finish

school, if that’s what you want, and then afterward you remain with

me.”“I like that.”

“I was going to wait until I talked to him, before we made things

more official, but I did want to give you this.” I looked to see a small

box in her hand. The perfect wooden cube was stained a deep brown

and there were roses and vines carved into every surface. Whoever

made it could teach Tiffany a thing or two about presentation.

“You don’t have to wear it. Or we can get you a different one,

but I saw it—”

“On Amazon?”

“Yeah, on Amazon. I saw it and it made me think of you.”

Camila didn’t exactly know how to do it small. There was

probably a hundred thousand dollars worth of lighting in her

apartment alone. When she placed the box in my hand, I opened

• 255 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

it expecting to find the Hope Diamond. Not my style at all, but a

diamond that suited Camila’s flare for the unique and the expensive.

It took a little elbow grease to work against the small hinges. The

ring inside was perfect. A large round-cut emerald sat nestled in a

slanted arrangement of marquis diamonds fixed to a thick platinum

band. The emerald was big, don’t get me wrong, but the ring was

elegant and something I never knew I would want so badly.

“I want to wait. I don’t have to invite the whole chapter to the

ceremony, do I?” I thought of all the rumors the ring would start.

“No. We can have witnesses if you like, but it’s just between

me and you. Natasha and Rodrick didn’t have anyone at their

na’suulaem—their wedding.”

“Then I’d rather wait till it’s done. I want to whip this bad boy

out when everything is nice and demon-legal.”

“Okay, baby.” Her soft laugh was cut short by another kiss,

a long and slow kiss. I found myself back in her arms, gently but

passionately showing her that my answer was definitely and always

yes. She pulled away eventually, laying a few more sweet pecks on

my lips before she said to me. “Would you like me to hang on to it?”

“Yes. I’ll lose it somewhere.” I handed her the box back and

she placed it on the coffee table. “I feel like we should celebrate or

something.”

“We can, Red. Would you like to go out or would yo—”

I tried to catch Camila before she doubled forward onto the

floor, but I wasn’t fast enough. I slid to the carpet beside her,

leaning to see her eyes squeezed shut. And then pain came. It wasn’t

Camila’s pain, but someone else’s. Someone connected to Camila

and to me. I couldn’t feel it, but I could hear it. In my head, someone

screaming, someone was in horrible pain.

❖

I looked through the thick glass of the hospital room. The

person lying there was not recognizable as my friend. Cleo’s body

was covered head to foot in thick, gauzy bandages. The tan bottoms

of her small toes peeked out through the dressings. Her right arm

• 256 •

Better Off red

was elevated, supported by a brace. The intricate web of pins and

supports was keeping her arm attached to her body. Tubes and wires

ran from her face and chest to various pumps and monitors around

her bed. Cleo’s pain was muted now, but it was still there, a tight,

constant scream. I felt like if she could have, she would have called

out to Camila or me, but she couldn’t. I wanted to help her, but I

couldn’t.

There had been two cars involved in the accident and a truck.

Cleo had been pinned behind her steering wheel. Debris from the

initial crash had severed her right arm almost completely above the

elbow. Cleo’s doctor had no idea whether she was conscious when

the other car burst in flames, igniting the driver’s side of her Civic.

One driver had died at the scene and the driver of the truck when he

reached the hospital. Cleo was barely holding on.

Camila wrapped her arm around my waist as she, Kina, Faeth,

Omi, and Natasha got more details from Dr. Ronald Fountain, a

feeder who belonged to the brother-king Pax. We stood in the center

of the busy burn unit, shrouded by Faeth’s cloak. I tried to pay

attention, but all I could see were Cleo’s toes. Suddenly, I wanted

my dad.

“The burns cover ninety percent of her body, most of the

damage being on the left side, and it remains to be seen whether

she’ll regain full use of her arm—if she lives through the night,” Dr

Fountain said. “But the tissue lost on her face and upper body will

be a problem. She’s heavily sedated now. She can’t feel—”

“She’s screaming,” I interrupted.

Faeth whipped around in my direction. “You can sense her?”

Immediately, I felt Camila’s eyes on me.

“I didn’t want to scare you,” I said before I explained to the

others. “I can’t…feel her. It’s more like I can hear her. I know I get

no vote in this situation, but do something quickly. She’s in pain.”

I could tell the others had questions, but before they could ask

them Tokyo appeared within the confines of the cloak with Moreland

and her feeder Andrew, the brown-haired boy who had been with

her that night at the restaurant.

“Why is she here?” Camila asked, her fangs flashing brightly.

• 257 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“My Queen. I apologize,” Tokyo said. “But I thought Moreland

may be of some use to us. She was close by and she has feeders to

spare.” Camila looked at Moreland and then Andrew. He was taking

measured, deep breaths, his gaze focused on the floor.

“Andrew, look at me,” Camila said. He obeyed, his brown eyes

peering at her respectfully. “Are you prepared to sever your bond

with your Mistress?” she asked him.

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered quietly. I hadn’t noticed before,

but his voice was deep and rough and carried much more confidence

than the first time I’d seen him. “I want to help in any way I can.”

Camila seemed satisfied with that answer, although not particularly

pleased with it. She turned her focus back to Moreland.

“Even though you do not deserve him, I know Andrew is

precious to you. I thank you for your offering of sacrifice.”

“Thank you, my Queen. If he is no longer needed, I will wipe

him completely. He will have no recollection of this night.”

Camila grunted decisively, turning things back over to Dr.

Fountain.

“What are our choices?” Natasha asked.

Camila nodded to the doctor, urging him to give it to them

straight. He glanced at Cleo through the glass.

“You can say it. No one will judge,” Camila said.

“No. No,” he stuttered, realizing she’d read his mind. “My

assistance will be limited in the big picture, and her journey to

recovery will be long and painful. I will do everything in my power

to keep this young lady breathing, but I—if I were her lying in that

bed, if she is feeling right now, I’d want you to end my suffering any

way you can. As quickly as you can. If you can heal her completely?

Tonight? I would do it, my Queen.”

The sister-queens let out a collective mix of groans and swears.

Camila looked from the glass to Dr. Fountain. “I’ll have to look

at her, but I think the amount of blood she’ll need for us to heal her

will change her.”

“Did you talk to her about the change?” Omi asked.

Camila shook her head. “I don’t think she wants it, but we

didn’t talk about it at length.”

• 258 •

Better Off red

“She…” I hesitated. I already felt like an intruder, but this was

Cleo’s life and it had been my suggestion that they do something

quickly. Someone had to speak up for her if that something meant

Cleo would no longer be human.

“What did she say, Red?” Camila said.

“A few months ago, we were talking and she said she didn’t

want to cut off ties with her family. She said she couldn’t live with

the idea of her mom thinking she was dead if she really wasn’t.

And she mentioned that she had some…religious reservations about

becoming a demon.”

“So do we just let her die?” Faeth said.

“No. We let her decide,” Camila said. “Ginger is right. She is in

pain. I can feel it. We can’t leave her like this.”

Dr. Fountain nodded in understanding. “When you’re finished,

I’ll have the morgue prepare a body and the paperwork. I won’t be

far. Just call me if there’s anything I can do.”

“I will. Thank you,” Camila replied. With that, Dr. Fountain

walked down the hall. He hadn’t turned the corner before Kina

unsealed the door to Cleo’s room and ushered us in. I ignored the

beeps of the monitors and the buzzing of the bright lights overhead.

We stood at the foot of the bed.

“Moreland, please. Cloak the room,” Camila ordered.

“Yes, my Queen.”

“What about Dalhem?” Kina asked. “He didn’t exactly sign off

on this.”

“I’ll deal with him,” Camila replied.

“We’re really going to do this?” Faeth asked.

Camila nodded. “She’s mine and I won’t let her die.”

“She’s going to be so pissed,” Tokyo said.

“I know,” Camila said. “But I want this to be her choice. If

death is what she wants, she can have it. Just not tonight.” She let

out a deep breath, then let go of my hand. “Red, I don’t want you to

see this, but I’m not going to make you leave.” She kissed me softly

but quickly on my mouth.

I grabbed Camila’s hand. “Wait. Please don’t do this. Don’t

change her.”

• 259 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Red, I—”

“I know you don’t want her to die, but she doesn’t want this.

What about her family?”

Camila closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. When her

gaze met mine again, I knew she’d made up her mind. “I wish I

could explain it to you. She’s mine. I can’t let her suffer in pain

any longer. She’ll be upset for a while, but in the end she will have

wanted me to help her.” She kissed me once more, letting me know

her decision was final. “You and Andrew go stand in the corner.”

Andrew gently grabbed my other hand and pulled me out of the

way. Silently, I prayed Camila was right.

Camila quickly started giving orders and the sister-queens

followed them without hesitation. I watched as Omi and Tokyo

rummaged up a scalpel and some surgical scissors and began cutting

away Cleo’s bandages. Faeth silenced the monitors and started

unhooking Cleo from the wires and tubes. I wanted to look away as

every inch and section of Cleo’s destroyed body was revealed. My

stomach flipped, twisted at the medicated smell of her burns. The

bile rose in the back of my throat, but I couldn’t look anywhere else

but the bed.

The sister-queens kept cutting, splaying the bandages open

around her. I swallowed a whimpering shriek when they reached her

head. The left side of her upper lip and her cheek were completely

gone. And so was her beautiful hair. Andrew’s arm wrapped around

my shoulder, and a moment later, I realized we were supporting

each other.

Camila pulled off her jacket and threw it in the chair. “Natasha

and Faeth, take her neck.” As she spoke she held out her hand.

Tokyo handed her a scalpel. “Omi, her right arm. Tokyo, Kina, take

her legs.” The sister-queens took their positions around the hospital

bed. There was a brief moment of silent communication between

the six of them and then at once, the five in their assigned positions

struck, their fangs piercing Cleo’s ravaged skin.

Not even a minute passed. They drank deeply, draining Cleo

from arteries in her throat, her arm, and her thighs. Cleo’s charred

skin seemed to be pulsing as they sucked the life out of her. Out of

• 260 •

Better Off red

the corner of my eye, I saw what Camila was getting ready to do.

The point of a blade was pressed against her wrist.

Faeth lifted her head, making no move to be discreet as she

wiped bits of loose, burnt flesh from her lips. “Now. She’s empty.”

“Just hold on for me,” Camila said, not to Cleo, but to me.

The moment she slit her wrist, I threw up. Moreland must have

sensed that I was about to heave because she appeared in front of

me with a wastebasket the second the remains of my airline snacks

came back up. Andrew took the trashcan from her and held me up as

I continued to vomit. And then Camila had me.

“I’m fine, querida. Look.” Her healed wrist appeared in front

of my watering eyes. “I’m okay.”

I nodded and stopped shaking long enough to take a bottle of

water and a tissue from Moreland’s hand. Even if the woman was a

total creeper, she was handy in a clutch.

Camila gave me some space to do a little clean up while holding

on to a tiny shred of dignity. When I was presentable, she handed the

water back to Moreland, then Camila tucked me tightly to her chest.

I looked over her shoulder, shocked at the change that had taken

place in the few short moments where I’d been falling apart.

Cleo’s healed lips were latched on to Kina’s slashed wrist. Her

eyes were still closed, but her throat was working, rhythmically

swallowing every drop Kina gave her. When Kina stepped back

from the bed, Natasha’s wrist took her place.

And Cleo was healing, changing right before my eyes. It all

happened so quickly. The puckered and drawn skin regenerated

and smoothed itself out over Cleo’s arms and legs and breasts. Hair

sprouted from her head, longer and thicker than before, but just as

rich and curly. Omi was last at the head of the bed, and as Cleo

swallowed the final gulps, her now light brown eyes opened.

Omi took her wrist back and licked her wound closed. Foolishly,

I’d been expecting Cleo to awake a screaming zombie. I expected

her to come tearing across the room, mad with bloodlust, lunging

for Andrew. But she simply sat up, as if she’d woken from a long,

satisfying night’s sleep, and looked around the room.

• 261 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Her eyes fixated on Camila. She frowned for a moment, then

bowed her head.

“My Queen,” she said respectfully.

“How are you feeling?” Camila asked.

I almost smiled as Cleo’s expression snapped back to normal.

She scratched her head and tested the tips of her fangs with her

tongue. “Fine. It’s bright as hell in here.” We all laughed nervously

with relief. Cleo ignored us. “Did someone puke?”

“Yeah. Sorry about that,” I muttered my guilt.

“It’s all good.” The sister-queens made room for her as she slid

off the edge of the bed and stretched. “I’m hungry.”

Camila nodded to Moreland. Andrew quickly pulled off his

jacket and slipped it into the chair with Camila’s. He was bare-

chested under the leather except for the silver barbells that ran

through his nipples and his collar. Moreland removed the thick black

strap and handed it to Tokyo, then brought Andrew across the room

to Cleo’s side. As she approached, Moreland kept her eyes lowered

respectfully, the way she’d done with Camila. She didn’t look up as

she spoke and Cleo didn’t ask her to.

“The sister-queen Miyoko suggested that you may prefer

a female, but all of my female pets are still away for the holiday.

Andrew is very sweet and loyal and he will—”

“Yeah. I don’t care. I’m fucking starving,” Cleo said

dismissively, taking the scalpel from Omi.

“As you wish.” Moreland turned and gently lifted Andrew’s

chin with her finger. “I release you Andrew Edmond Franklin, Jr.

Serve this sister-queen as you would serve the master himself. As

you would serve me.”

“I will,” he murmured quietly. Moreland stood on the tips of

her neon green stilettos and kissed him on the lips. Then with a

sense of finality, she stepped back and Cleo took Andrew’s hand.

The words Camila had spoken to me months before echoed in

my ears in the overcrowded room.

“I thank you deeply for your sacrifice. Will you allow me to

bind you to myself and to my sister-queens?” Cleo asked.

“I will,” Andrew said.

• 262 •

Better Off red

“Thank you,” she replied. Swiftly, Cleo sliced a deep gash

across Andrew’s palm. He shuddered, his head tossing back. It

was hard to ignore how aroused he was. His erection was straining

through the fabric of his jeans. He shuddered again as she licked the

wound closed. Cleo raised her head with a low growl and tossed the

blade on the bed, then her hands went to the fly of his jeans. Andrew

was pretty muscular and a good six inches taller than Cleo, but she

was in charge.

“I don’t care about an audience, but I’m going to fuck the shit

out of him. I’m not sure if you ladies want to watch. Of course,

my Queen, you’re welcome to,” she said with a dip of her chin in

Camila’s direction.

“Thank you, but take your privacy.”

None of us wasted a second following Camila out of the room.

Cleo was safe, but back in the hallway, it was clear that this night,

this life for her, had only begun. Camila thanked Moreland again,

this time with more kind sincerity, then dismissed her. Before

Moreland vanished, I caught a glimpse of the blue tears rimming

her silver eyes.

Then, as if she’d called a huddle, the other sister-queens

gathered around Camila.

“I’ll get her some clothes,” Faeth said.

“I will go tell Dr. Fountain it’s done, and then I will go to

Rodrick and inform our Brothers,” Natasha said.

“And I’ll call Sarah at the precinct and tell her when to release

the details of the accident,” Kina added.

“Thank you, my sisters. She’s going to be very angry once

she’s fed. I’ll let them stay in my quarters until we sort things out

with Andrew.”

“No,” Tokyo said. “I brought him and Moreland into this. Cleo

can stay in my place as long as she wants. I’m downtown half the

time anyway.”

“Fine. I’ll agree to that, but only because I’m still pissed at you

for bringing Moreland into this. Good thing I like you so much.”

“My Queen.” Tokyo flashed her fangy grin before she

disappeared. The others were right behind her, going off to their

assigned tasks.

• 263 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Camila and I waited still under the protection of someone’s

cloak. The nurses passed us, completely unaware. We both ignored

the sounds coming from Cleo’s hospital room.

Camila pulled me into her arms. “Do you trust me when I say

she’ll be okay?” she asked.

“She seems like herself. That’s better than months and years of

surgeries and rehab, but her family…”

“We’ll take care of her family. Baby, if they knew what we

could do for her, they would want me to save her too. I swear it.” I

nodded, not knowing what else to say. Cleo was alive and safe and

whole—physically. She sounded pleased with Andrew, but I was

worried about her mind and her heart. “Thank you for speaking for

her, though. She’ll appreciate that.” Fat lot of good it did, but at

least I tried. Camila pulled me closer and rubbed her lips against my

neck. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you, too.” But for the first time since we’d started

dating, I wanted some time to be alone.

• 264 •

Better Off red

Chapter fifteen

I woke up to breakfast in bed complete with a bouquet of pink

short-stemmed roses. On the way home from the hospital

I’d considered spending the night at the dorm, but so much had

happened, I didn’t want to add to the drama by pushing Camila away

without giving myself a little while to cool down. By the time Cleo

and Andrew were settled and it seemed like Cleo wasn’t going to

flip out, I decided to stay the night. I looked at the tray on Camila’s

bed beside me, a little more than confused.

“What’s all this for?” I asked as I rubbed my eyes.

“I’m sorry for last night. I hoped we’d be celebrating our

engagement.”

“We still can, just not now. And there’s nothing to be sorry

for,” I said before I let her kiss me. The apology was sweet, but

unnecessary. The pancakes, juice, and flowers were overkill. The

night had been rough on all of us, but Camila didn’t need to make

anything up to me. “Have you seen Cleo yet this morning?”

“No. She and Andrew were busy screwing all night. I’ll go

check on them in a little while. Eat.”

“This smells great. Thank you.” My stomach growled as I picked

up the fork. I hadn’t eaten anything since I’d left the airport in Boston,

and that hadn’t stayed with me for very long. “So what now?”

“Now the complications.” My mouth was full, but she continued

when my eyebrow shot up. “Kina was in line after me. She’s very

powerful, but with my pure blood, Cleo is now third to Dalhem.”

• 265 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Does that cause any problems for Kina?”

“No, and she doesn’t mind the shift, but Cleo is very strong. A

young, stubborn vampire with that much strength and power could

be very dangerous. I love Cleo and I trust her, I just hope she can

handle the responsibility.”

Then why did you change her?

“But I wanted to talk to you about Benny.”

I thought back to all of the times I’d watched them together.

“She’s in love with Cleo, isn’t she?”

“Yes, she is. She will be back on campus in an hour and I think

it would be better if she talked to you first. Her world is full of

vampires and she lives with a full demon. I think having another

human she trusts on her side through this will help”

“How did she find out?” I asked.

“Dalhem told her, but he said there was no reaction. That’s why

he’s worried.”

“He didn’t read her mind for any ‘general feelings’?”

“No. When he married her mother, he vowed never to read

Benny’s mind except in the case of a life-or-death situation. Benny

is fairly honest with him so there’s never been a need to.”

“I guess details about your daughter’s crush aren’t a risk to

vampire national security.”

“You’d be surprised.”

“Well, at least now Benny can feed Cleo.”

Camila frowned. I rolled my eyes in frustration, trying to remind

myself that sharing this information with Camila was important.

“Benny wanted Cleo to change so she could feed her. I don’t

know if Cleo feels the same way about her, but I’m guessing feeding

Cleo is something Benny will suggest. How do you not know any

of this? Some powerful vampire you are.” I nudged her shoulder

playfully. I had to offset the annoyance that was building inside.

“I don’t have to tell you to keep this to yourself, but Benny

knows how to block me.”

“She does?”

“She’s not invincible by any means, but Dalhem has taught her

a lot of tricks to protect herself. I can breach her mind, but she would

be able to tell.”

• 266 •

Better Off red

“Like I can?”

“Exactly. And that’s why I’m worried. Cleo is the only one she

opens up to, and now that she’s not human anymore…”

“I get it. So what now? What happens with Cleo and Andrew?”

“He’s hers. She can do whatever she wants with him. She can

give him back to Moreland if she wants to. She can keep him. If

she does, I may have to move them out of the house. I don’t know.”

Camila sat back on the bed. “I have to talk to her. I’ll have to assign

her two more feeders as well. At this rate, she’ll drain him by tonight.

I’ll give her Benny if that’s what they want.”

“And what about her family?”

“The hospital contacted them last night. Florencia will let me

know as soon as her family decides to come pick up her things. And

her remains. We have a cadaver prepared.”

“This is so weird. Because she’s…”

“Not dead.”

“Exactly. I mean, she’s different, but even in the car last night

it was obvious she was still Cleo, just more potent. I guess. If that

makes sense.”

“She is superior to everyone but me and Dalhem, and she

knows it. Even Rodrick will have to bow to her.”

“All because of your blood?” I asked still amazed at the power

it carried.

“Yes. Because of me. I’ve never changed anyone for this exact

reason. Dalhem and I and even Rodrick are very careful about that.

I should have let her drink from Moreland instead. I couldn’t.”

“I think if she’d had a choice she would have picked your blood

over Moreland’s. I would have. I know it might throw off the power

structure around here, but no one can blame you for making that

call. What did Dalhem have to say about it?”

She made a slightly annoyed, dismissive noise. “Nothing. I

think part of him is glad I saved her, for the sake of her friendship

with Benny. He had some jokes about having to raise a teenager and

then reminded me it was my responsibility to keep her in line.”

“Are you worried she’ll go on vampire pantie raids with

Moreland?” I asked.

• 267 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“I’m worried that she’ll do something stupid. If she breaks the

law, I have to put her down,” she said bluntly. I could see where that

would be a problem.

❖

The cold air helped me clear my head as I walked back to

campus. I respected Benny’s private nature, but I needed to leave

polite at the door and get her to be honest with me. I had to share

Camila before I even knew what she truly was. Even though our

relationship had been full of surprises, she had always been a vampire

to me. If Benny felt for Cleo a shred of what I felt for Camila, there

was no way she was handling the news of Cleo’s accident very well,

even if it meant she could finally feed her. And if it was simply a

matter of deep friendship, I knew Benny would still need some time

to mourn what they had just lost together.

I texted her on my way over. She texted back telling me she’d

wait for me in the lobby of her dorm. We didn’t bother with any

small talk as we made our way to her room. It gave me a few

minutes to think of what exactly I was going to say and time to wish

she hadn’t been wearing one of Cleo’s ABO hoodies, one with her

name stitched into the arm.

She opened her still decorated door and I realized I’d never set

foot in Benny’s room. I looked around at her bed, twice the size of

mine over in Cramer, and her bright purple decorations. There were

pictures of her and her mom lining her dresser and pictures of us

girls on her desk. There was a picture of her and Cleo next to her

bed. I didn’t see any evidence of Dalhem.

My dorm room would probably look the same way if I’d spent

more than three minutes there a week. I glanced around once more.

There was only one bed.

“You don’t have a roommate?” I thought all the freshmen

living in the dorms did.

“My parents sprang for a single.” She held her hand out,

motioning for me to sit at her desk. I took a seat and she flopped

on her bed, pulling her stuffed panther into her lap. “How is she?”

Benny asked.

• 268 •

Better Off red

“Fine. I think. I haven’t seen her since last night. When did you

find out?”

“Last night. My step-dad told me, but I knew before that.

There’s a database I have access to and her name popped up while

I was getting ready for bed,” she said, putting on a casual front. I

winced, feeling my chest ache for her. Benny pretended she didn’t

notice my grimace. “I’m assuming she already has a feeder.”

“His name is Andrew. He seems very nice,” I said and then

I blurted, “Benny, I know how you feel about her, but is there

something more going on between you and Cleo?”

She looked up at me, a smirk touching the corner of her lips.

“There’s nothing going on between us anymore. She took Camila’s

blood?” I nodded.

Benny stood and placed the large stuffed animal back on her

pillows. “Let’s go.”

“He’s at the house right now, Benny. With Cleo.”

“Where else would he be?” she said. I had no clue. If Andrew

was anything like Benny, he’d never want to leave Cleo’s side.

❖

As we walked back to the house, Benny shut down completely.

I wanted to be there for her, help her bear the brunt of whatever was

running through her head, but that just wasn’t Benny’s style. She

was preparing herself to handle Cleo’s pain, or maybe just dealing

with her own.

Florencia let us in and told us Barb and Paige were back. They

knew about Cleo and were both in their rooms getting their heads

together. Florencia offered to make Benny breakfast, but she said

no. We walked into the pantry and as we waited for the elevator,

Benny finally spoke to me.

“I heard congratulations are in order for you.”

“Oh, ah, yeah. Camila asked me last night, before all this

happened.” The elevator door opened and we stepped inside. Benny

looked at the floor as I entered the code. Camila must have talked

to Dalhem about her intentions with me while I was sleeping. Of

• 269 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

course Benny would know about our engagement. At the moment I

didn’t want to think about it.

“Well, congratulations. My mother is patiently waiting for the

day she can call herself my step-father’s na’suul.”

“I thought she and Dalh—your step-dad were married.”

“They are married in the human world and she is his mate. A

demon can only take another demon as their na’suul. They’ll have

their proper ceremony after she changes.”

“Oh.” I didn’t know what else to say. Benny seemed to

understand.

Camila had been trying to get me to stop knocking all semester,

but I could hear voices on the other side of her door. I knocked

twice and the door opened on its own. Camila was pacing in front of

the TV and Cleo was sitting comfortably in one of Camila’s chairs.

Andrew was on the floor between her legs. They were both wearing

the same clothes from the night before. He had on a shirt, but his

shaggy brown hair had been shaved off. He looked a lot better.

Camila must have caught me staring at him as I walked over to

the couch with Benny. “Did you cut his hair?”

“No. Moreland made him wear it long. He said he didn’t like

it. I said he could cut it. So he did. Hey, Ginger,” Cleo said. Nobody

missed the fact that she didn’t acknowledge Benny.

“Hey,” I replied, frowning slightly.

“Andrew, you know Ginger, and this is Benny,” Camila said.

He greeted us both with a nod and a polite hello.

Cleo took a breath and closed her eyes. “What do I do about

my stuff?”

“I’d be happy to get your things for you,” Andrew murmured,

gazing up at her. Sometime in the night she’d broken him of his

habit of looking at the floor.

“No, honey,” Cleo hushed him sweetly.

“Andrew, it’s very kind of you,” Camila said. She was trying

so hard to be patient with him and Cleo. “But I can’t let you roam

around the upper floors. It’s a female-only residence.”

“Can I have Barb bring my stuff then?” Cleo asked.

“No.”

• 270 •

Better Off red

“Why?”

“Cleo, your family is going to want your things.” Camila

suddenly stopped pacing and her brows knitted together as she

stared at Cleo. “Just say it. Get it out now.”

“Thank you for saving my life. But…” Cleo tilted her head

back, staring blankly at the ceiling. She tried to keep it together, but

she couldn’t. Several ragged, deep breaths puffed out her cheeks and

then the blue tears bubbled over, sliding down the side of her face.

Quickly, she looked back down and started wiping them away. She

took another breath and more tears came. “Can I even say good-

bye?”My throat ran dry and somehow I managed to hold my own

tears back. So did Benny, but I could feel her shaking, her leg

trembling against mine.

“There are ways, but, Cleo, I need you to wait. I am sorry.

You’re too emotional and you’re too strong,” Camila said.

“When then?” Cleo wiped her nose and fixed a steady

expression on her face. “When can I tell my mama I’m sorry for

leaving her? When can I tell my daddy that I love him?”

“When I know you’re under control. When I know I can trust

you to deal with humans carefully so you won’t accidentally reveal

yourself.”

“How much more under control do I need to be? I didn’t hurt

Andrew at all. And my powers are all in fine working order.”

“You shifted?” Camila frowned.

“Yeah, last night. He likes to bottom sometimes.” Andrew

blushed and suddenly became very interested in the glasses lining

the bar. That didn’t hide the fact that his blush ran all the way down

his neck. I glanced back and forth between Cleo and Camila. They

were sharing something, something that Cleo accepted reluctantly

as she rolled her eyes and leaned back further into the chair. Camila

went on.

“You have access to the account. You can have whatever you

want, but let your family clear out your room.”

“Fine. Can he borrow the car? I’d like to let him grab his stuff.

Faeth just brought him this shirt.”

• 271 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Sure. Here.” Camila tossed the keys to the Range Rover across

the room. “You can have the car.”

“Sweet. Thank you. What else?”

“You need two more feeders. If you’re going to stay here, and

you’re more than welcome to, I’d prefer if they were female.”

“So would I. Do I go out and find them or—”

“No. The sister-queens are letting you choose among the girls.”

Cleo’s gaze flashed to Benny’s face, her eyes narrowing.

She looked away just as quickly, but even Andrew had caught the

tense glance between them. I swallowed nervously and reached for

Benny’s hand. She yanked it away.

“Okay,” Cleo said to Camila. “Well, I don’t want to step on

anyone’s toes. I’ll let them decide who.”

“Excuse me.” Benny stood and marched out the door. I was

surprised when it gently clicked shut instead of slamming.

I turned to Cleo “What did you just say to her?”

“I told her to go fuck herself.”

“That was unnecessary,” Camila said.

“Then she shouldn’t have let me in!” Cleo shouted back. “Did

you hear her?” she asked Camila.

“No.”

“She was blocking me till the fucking second you said I could

choose. This bitch said, ‘she’s ready to feed me whenever I’m ready

to take her.’ She is happy about this shit.” Cleo waved her hands

up and down her stomach. “She’s fucking happy I died just so she

could have me the way she wanted me. Listen, I’m grateful to you.

I’m glad my face isn’t extra crispy anymore. And Andrew told me

I’d be missing an arm, but I didn’t want this. She did.”

“And this is what I’m talking about. I need to know you won’t

do that with someone in your family or someone in your mother’s

congregation you don’t get along with. The human mind is fragile,

Cleo. You can’t just mess with it whenever the mood strikes.”

“Okay, whatever. My bad,” she said. She started stroking

Andrew’s bald head. He and I both exhaled once our vampires

started to relax.

• 272 •

Better Off red

“So I’m on ice for a while. Fine. Is there anything you need me

to do?” Cleo asked.

“Just lie low, please. Don’t go where people will recognize you

until I know you can hold a different form. And I would like for

you to stay away from the girls until your feeders are chosen. They

will sense your power and your need and they won’t know how to

deal with it. And please, feed the boy and let him get some sleep.

Andrew, we’ll talk more about work for you later.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Cleo moved to stand and Andrew followed, immediately

moving out of her way. Then Cleo walked across the room and

hugged Camila.

“You should apologize to her,” she said quietly as they embraced

“I will when I’m better under control.” Cleo stepped back. “So

we’re like sisters now?”

“Yes. But I’m older and more mature and better looking. I’m

going to let all this back talking slide for now.”

“Yes, ma’am. Here. I won’t be needing this anymore.” Cleo

reached behind her neck and unlatched her ruby necklace she’d

reclaimed from Dr. Fountain before she left the hospital. She pooled

the platinum links gently in Camila’s hand. “I’ll be back later.” She

turned to me with a casual nod. “Peace out, Ginge.”

My good-bye came out hoarse, but Cleo pretended she didn’t

notice.

After they were gone, Camila closed the door. She leaned back

against it, the necklace in her hand gripped in her tight fist. She let

out a deep breath that I could almost feel from across the room. She

looked at me and forced a grin, more apologies written all over her

face. “Come on, Red,” she said, nodding toward her office. “You can

pick out our new car.”

It was none of my business, but I wanted to go after Cleo. I

wanted to ask her how she really felt, without Camila’s influence

or without Andrew around. I wanted to tell her that I tried to say

something on her behalf before the ball on this mess had started

rolling, but I let her go. I met Camila halfway across the room and

• 273 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

slid my hand into her warm palm. There was nothing I could say to

make the situation better for anyone and there was nothing I could do.

❖

Camila made a few calls, and it was confirmed that her new

silver Mercedes G55 AMG would be delivered on Tuesday. It was

kind of weird and boxy looking, but I liked it because it was big like

the Range Rover. All I could think about was Cleo’s crushed and

burned Civic. The last thing I wanted to do was hop in a little car.

Camila liked it because it was expensive.

After our online shopping trip, she gave me some space to start

studying for my chem final. We had three days of class left, then

two reading days, which I think were for our professors to actually

write the tests. The Monday after was my comprehensive chemistry

exam. I had plenty of material to cover in a little over seven days,

but it was useless. I couldn’t focus.

Instead, Camila and I talked about Andrew. She wasn’t bothered

by having him in the house, but adjustments would be made. For

one, he had no job. He was twenty-three and had been living with

Moreland as her full time slave basically since he was eighteen.

He’d dropped out of college after a month. Moreland had found him

bed-hopping his way from meal to meal around Houston and asked

for special permission to take him as a feeder.

The term slave weirded me out a bit. I didn’t try to deny that,

but Camila explained that in Moreland’s situation, it simply meant

that Andrew, and the other guy Luke, were at Moreland’s disposal

twenty-four seven. Her other feeders had jobs and lives of their

own, but Andrew spent all of his time with her. Cleo didn’t have

the patience to deal with that kind of a pet, so Camila planned on

asking Andrew if there was anything he wanted to do—go back to

school, any skills he wanted to learn—and she would help him do it.

Otherwise, they’d give him some sort of job working for the sister-

queens. Idle hands and all.

We sat in her office chair, me in her lap, and for a long time she

was quiet. When I started to get restless under the weight of my own

• 274 •

Better Off red

thoughts, she offered to have lunch brought down. I wasn’t hungry,

but I did want to talk to Paige and Barb. I left Camila to make

some more phone calls and went upstairs. I found them in Cleo’s

room clearing out her sex toys and porn. We searched the place for

anything else her mother, the Reverend Cynthia Jones, might find

unbecoming of a good Christian woman. We didn’t find much, but

under her bed we found a few Polaroids of her and Benny kissing

the night of the Iota Halloween Party. I didn’t even know people still

used those old cameras, but it was obvious from the angle that Cleo

had taken them herself. Barb suggested I hold on to them for Benny.

I didn’t argue and brought them back to Camila’s apartment, hoping

that at some point Cleo or Benny would want them.

After everyone was back on campus, the sister-queens gathered

their feeders and told them exactly what had happened, about

Andrew and Cleo’s new role as a sister-queen in our bizarre family.

Danni and Amy broke down and sobbed when they heard the news

even though they understood that Cleo was okay. It was the accident

that bothered them, that bothered all of us. As Camila told them

about how we spent our Saturday night in the burn unit across town,

I knew they were picturing every horrible moment that had put Cleo

in that hospital bed and the horrible pain she had suffered until the

sister-queens were able to reach her.

I wondered where in the world Benny was. No one had heard

from her all afternoon, but she was back at the house in time for our

emergency chapter meeting at eight. Camila wanted us to meet as

a group, without the sister-queens, to decide who would feed Cleo.

They didn’t want anyone to feel pressured into it and they wanted

to give us a chance to say whatever we wanted to say without them

looking over our shoulders.

Camila didn’t try to cover up the fact I was there during Cleo’s

change, but I almost wished she had. When all the details were out,

I became the tragedy ambassador. The details of my relationship

with Camila were mine to keep, but something that involved the

chapter was fair game. I took my seat between Amy and Benny,

avoiding eye contact with everyone else. Barb started the meeting

before anyone had a chance to ask me what other details I knew.

• 275 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“I’m going to cut right to it. We need volunteers. I’m looking

for freshmen and sophomores. I’m not trying to say it has to be, but

I know us seniors and juniors have a deeper connection—”

“I’ll do it,” Laura spoke up immediately. “Cleo is the coolest big

sister I’ve ever had. No offense.” She nodded in Kate and Jordan’s

direction, her nose stud gleaming. “But if she’ll have me, I’ll do it.”

“Thank you, Laura. Okay, I just need one more person.”

Things got awkward then. I expected at least ten clear volunteers

from the start, but no one else spoke up. As the seconds turned to

minutes, eyes started looking toward the floor. No one wanted to

part from their sister-queen prematurely, and I couldn’t blame them.

Official demon proposal and pretty emerald ring aside, it would take

a quarter horse to pull me away from Camila.

Finally, of fucking course, Samantha spoke up. “Benny. Ginger.

What the hell? You’re not going to volunteer?”

“Ginger can’t,” Barb replied before I did.

“Why?” Samantha asked.

“Because Camila said so, and if you have a problem with that,

the elevator is through the kitchen, hook a left into the pantry. If you

can figure out the code, I’m sure Camila would love to talk to you

about whatever is on your mind.” I could have kissed Barb, but that

would have required Samantha keeping her mouth shut.

“Well, what about Benny? You two were attached at the ass.

Daddy Dearest only want you feeding the best?” We all froze, waiting

for Benny to walk across the room and finally punch Samantha in

the face. But Benny stayed put. She gripped my hand, using me as

an anchor as she spoke in a tone that was eerily calm.

“Because, Samantha, Cleo doesn’t want me. She told me this

morning, in front of the queen and Ginger and her new feeder,

Andrew, who is quite polite. You’ll all enjoy him very much. She

told me that she didn’t love me anymore and she doesn’t want me

to be her feeder. Now, Barb has asked very nicely for someone to

volunteer.”

I looked over as Mel started mumbling in Spanish. I’m pretty

sure she was cursing. My Puerto Rican slang was as good as my

Japanese.

• 276 •

Better Off red

She switched to English. “I’ll do it. Tokyo loves Cleo. She

won’t mind.”

The entire room exhaled.

Barb went on with the meeting, giving us all preliminary

instructions on what we all had to do next. As far as the university

and the rest of the human world was concerned, Cleo was dead.

She now fell under the same jurisdiction as the rest of the sister-

queens. We couldn’t talk about her. Barb stressed this fact to Mel

and Laura. Slipping up and mentioning her in front of other students

might raise a few eyebrows. They would let us know when someone

from her family was supposed to come for her stuff, and if asked, we

were all expected to attend her funeral.

After the meeting, Laura and Mel were immediately ushered

downstairs to be bound to their new sister-queen. I wanted to talk

to Benny alone, but in the moment I turned my head to ask Amy a

question Benny disappeared.

• 277 •

• 278 •

Better Off red

Chapter sixteen

Cleopatra Joy Jones is survived by her mother Cynthia, her

father Barry, her three brothers Maxwell, 26, Stephen, 24,

and Nathaniel, 19, and her Sisters in Alpha Beta Omega Sorority.

The Chapter at 1444 Milson Avenue will be accepting condolences

on her family’s behalf. Donations to Types of Hope will also be

accepted in her memory at the aforementioned address and at

TypesofHope.org. Cleo was loved dearly by all who knew her, and it

is an immense understatement to say that, although she is no longer

with us, love will never diminish and she will never be forgotten.”

Ebony folded the university newspaper and let it flop onto the

cafeteria table. “Well, at least Sam knows how to write something

nice,” she scoffed. Everyone around the table agreed. We were all a

little surprised at the care she’d put into the piece.

I took another bite of my pizza and glanced around the

cafeteria. At every table someone was reading or talking over

Cleo’s obituary. News about her fatal accident had spread through

the whole university Greek association by Monday afternoon. By

Monday night, the bottom floor of Alpha Beta Omega was filled with

flowers. The MU-Times came out early Tuesday morning, complete

with Samantha’s eloquent tribute. It was a beautifully written article

highlighting her recent life on and off campus, but it just added to

the stress of pretending she no longer existed. Cleo’s funeral was

scheduled for Sunday. It would be a private family affair. In January,

a larger service would be held at her mother’s Baptist church in

Richmond, Virginia. We were all invited.

• 279 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

Benny was trying her best to deal with their messy breakup, but

that didn’t stop Cleo from feeding from Mel. On our way to dinner,

Mel had been stupid enough to admit that Cleo was amazing in bed,

right in front of Benny. Mentioning how Andrew was an interesting

addition to the feeding didn’t help much either. Mel apologized the

second she realized her screw-up. Benny didn’t react, but I knew

the words coming from Mel burned her inside. Benny turned as we

neared the cafeteria and headed off in the direction of her dorm. She

refused to talk to me about Cleo, but even though I didn’t want her

to be alone, I was glad she wasn’t around to hear what people were

saying.

“It sucks she died, but I don’t even know who that chick is,”

some girl muttered to her friend at the next table. They passed the

paper between them.

“This is going to get old,” I said.

“I know something that’ll take our minds off all this,” Amy

announced a little too cheerfully.

“What?” I asked. I knew exactly what she was going to say. My

birthday was on Saturday. We had parties for everyone, and I had

been looking forward to mine, but now it just felt all wrong. I just

pictured Benny sitting across the room, watching Cleo with Andrew

and Camila and me stuck in the middle. Not my idea of a good time.

“We need to pick a theme for Ginger’s birthday party.”

“Let’s push the party till after break.” I stood and grabbed my

tray. “Where are you going?” Amy asked.

“The house. I need a nap.”

“I’ll walk with you.” We left Ebony and Gwen to finish

their food. I listened as Amy suggested themes and plans for my

rescheduled birthday party. She threw in her opinions on how Benny

was doing and what she and Danni had planned for New Year’s

Eve. I listened, mm-hmming and nodding as we walked through the

cold afternoon. There was no need to interrupt the perfectly good

conversation Amy was having with herself.

We split once we reached the house. She booked it up the stairs

to Danni’s room and I headed to the elevator. When I got downstairs

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Better Off red

I almost wished I’d followed Amy upstairs. I could hear Cleo

shouting from the hall.

“Why are you being so stupid about this?” Cleo yelled.

“If by stupid you mean safe, then yes, I’m being stupid about

this because I know you’re asking for trouble,” Camila said as I

slithered through the door. She caught me and kissed me on the

mouth before I got to a seat. “Hi, baby.”

“Hey. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You’re not.” I melted into her when she kissed me again.

I took Cleo’s aggravated sigh as a sign I was interrupting enough

for her tastes and slipped out of Camila’s grasp. I joined Andrew on

the couch where he’d been watching them argue it out. “How long

have they been fighting?” I asked him. He glanced at the clock.

“Ten minutes.”

“If they’re going to be here, I can do it then. Just get it out of

the way,” Cleo said. Great. They were talking about her parents.

“I can’t have them here after nightfall,” Camila said.

“Why? You think I’m going to feed on them?”

“No. I think you want to see them. And I don’t blame you, but I

can’t have you even thinking about going upstairs while they’re here.”

“Next week then. After my funeral. Let me go then.”

“That was the plan!” I’d never seen Camila pissed like this

before. “I told you. After the funeral I will go with you to your

parents’ house. I will show you how to enter your mother’s dream

and you can say good-bye. If Andrew is okay with it, we can practice

on him in the meantime, but I have to be able to trust that you won’t

actually wake your mother up and start a conversation with her, but

the more you keep arguing with me and suggesting that you appear

to them in the middle of the sorority house, the less I trust you.”

“I wasn’t going to stand on the stairs and rattle chains. I just

thought I could be in the room while they’re packing. Drop some

hints that I’m still with them.”

“No.” Camila was done.

“Fine. The day after the funeral. You fucking swear on it.”

“The day after your funeral, Cleo. Do not make me regret this.

You want to argue with me? Fine, I’ll be okay with that for a few

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reBekah WeatherspOOn

more months. If you mess this up, Dalhem will force me to come

down on you. No exceptions. And stop fucking cursing at me.”

“Sorry,” Cleo said. “I’m just—this isn’t cool.”

“I know. Just give it some time.”

“Come on, Andrew.” He followed her faithfully out the door

leaving Camila and me alone. I think Camila was at her breaking

point. We all were.

❖

The next day after chem lab, I’d dragged myself back to the

house to meet Cleo’s parents. I’d been preparing myself for the

absolute worst. I should have known we’d get much better from

Cleo’s family. Before they’d even set foot in Cleo’s room, the

Reverend Cynthia Jones had all of us unloading the fixings for an

enormous Southern BBQ buffet. When Cleo’s dad was stressed, he

cooked, and man, did he cook. Her mother ordered us to eat while

they packed her things, and almost to assure we wouldn’t get caught

under their feet, her brother Maxwell put a DVD on for us in the

living room. The afternoon after Cleo’s passing, he’d set about

compiling a montage to show at her memorial service.

I curled up with Amy and Benny on the couch. The rest of

the girls trickled in and gathered around. We watched footage of

videos and scrolling photos of Cleo’s short life: Cleo singing in

her mother’s church choir, receiving an award from her third grade

teacher for citizenship. We all cracked up at several shots of Cleo

scoring eight different goals throughout her soccer career in high

school. The last clip had been shot just days before. Cleo was in her

kitchen, helping her father make Thanksgiving dinner.

“What’s the word, Mr. Maxwell Jones?” she teased her brother.

“You the word, Miss Cleo Jones.” His laughter boomed from

behind the camera.

“And don’t you forget.” I laughed even harder when she

suddenly deadpanned. “Okay, put the camera down and help Daddy

with the stuffing.” Her brother had almost five years on her and even

he couldn’t resist her bossy charm.

• 282 •

Better Off red

We watched it three times before her family was done loading

her things. Once Cleo’s things were loaded up, her mother asked us

all to join them out by their van before they said good-bye.

Cynthia Jones took Benny’s hand and pulled her close to her

side. Cleo had mentioned their friendship, but not the details. “Now

I want you girls to pray with me.” She glanced around the circle at

our shocked faces, but didn’t wait for a response. She bowed her

head as I closed my eyes.

“Father God, our heavenly Lord. We gather before you to

give thanks. We thank you for the life of our Cleopatra and the

gift you gave when you sent her to us. We thank you for the power

of friendship. We thank you for these girls and the sorority that

brought them together. We thank you for the joy they brought to our

daughter’s life, and we thank you for the joy their faces bring to our

hearts today.”

I peeked up as she spoke, wondering who else felt like a

complete asshole. Though everyone’s eyes were closed, there was

a range of rigid postures and wary expressions and not a few tears

already running down some faces. Here her family was, doing

everything they could to hold it together. Bringing us food, sharing

more of Cleo’s life with us, praying for us, and we all know that their

daughter was alive and well somewhere beneath our feet. I wondered

if anyone other than me wanted to tell Cynthia Jones the truth. Tears

stung my eyes. I tried to blink them away, making a strange noise

with my effort. Beside me, Amy held my hand a little tighter.

“We ask you, Father God, to please watch over these girls as

we know you are watching over Cleo. Wrap them in your love,

Father, and help them through this time. We praise you, always in

Jesus’ name. Amen.”

“Amen,” we all replied. I wanted to throw up.

“Now, I’m going to call up here in a few days, and I better get a

full report that you are all studying for your tests,” Mrs. Jones said.

“Yes, ma’am,” we all giggled through our tears. I knew the

others were seeing just what I was. Even though Cleo was alive,

looking at Cleo’s mother was like looking at the Cleo that would

never be.

• 283 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Cleo will always be our baby, but you girls were her sisters,

and now you’re our daughters. You are welcome in our home any

time,” her father said.

“And you better show up,” Maxwell said. Then her parents and

her brothers hugged and kissed us, and just before they hopped in

their vehicles, Barb gave Cynthia Jones Cleo’s ruby necklace. Once

they were out of sight, in the shuffle to get out of the cold Benny

slipped away again.

I made it to the hall of Camila’s quarters before I leaned

against the wall and sobbed. Cleo’s poor family. And I thought of

my parents, what Dad and Mom would do if they lost me too soon

and what Todd would have to say to the girls if he was in Maxwell’s

shoes. I knew Cleo would be okay eventually, but I wished there had

been another way to save her parents from all this pain.

Camila walked out of her office as I came into the lounge.

“Are you okay?” she asked as her lips brushed my cheek.

“Yeah.” I pulled away, annoyed for some reason that she wasn’t

more worried about the rest of the girls. I walked past her to sit on

the couch and dug my chem book out of my bag. “I have to study.”

❖

My behavior over the next few days was a little immature. I

was angry with Camila and she knew it. I didn’t know how to broach

the subject with her without hurting her feelings, which wasn’t my

intention. I was happy that Cleo was still with us, but things were

weird around the house. Benny had basically vanished from the

sorority. I only saw her on campus, and she only offered up small

talk if we were alone. She avoided everyone else, especially Laura

and Mel. It made me so upset to see how hurt she was. Cleo too, was

still wound tight. She didn’t pick any more fights with Camila, but

she wasn’t happy, and that made me angry.

Camila kept saying things like, “Give it time,” or “Don’t worry.

Cleo and Benny will make up soon.” I wasn’t so sure about that.

Despite my mood, every afternoon I studied at Camila’s place,

and even though we didn’t have sex for those few days, every night

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I ended up back in her bed. I needed some space, but I couldn’t turn

my back on her. That’s where the real immaturity came into play. Not

only was I keeping my feelings to myself, but I kept hanging around

avoiding the subject when I should have dealt with the situation.

It wasn’t like I didn’t love her anymore, and I didn’t want to

end our engagement, but I needed something more from her to make

the anger go away. This petty part of me wanted more proof she

was actually sorry for something, but there was no black and white

solution. Cleo was gone to her family now, Benny was broken, and

Camila seemed confident it would all be okay. So confident she only

talked about it if someone, usually me, brought it up.

The girls had no issue pushing back my birthday party. It was

pretty obvious that throwing a rager for one of Cleo’s closest friends

would be a little messed up in the eyes of the student body. Instead, we

all had breakfast together at the house. That more than made up for any

sort of party. Presents from my parents were waiting at the university

post office. I was too lazy to walk to campus to pick them up.

That afternoon I worked on my final English paper, an

informative essay based on the many uses of sugar, a topic my chem

lab TA gave me after he heard me bitching about not having a topic.

I had almost finished it when Camila forced me to close my laptop.

“I know things have been a little tense between us lately, but I

love you. So much. And I wanted to say happy birthday.” Without

me even noticing, she’d placed three boxes and a plate of cupcakes

on the table. “Go ahead and open them.”

The first two gifts were perfect: some pricey makeup I’d been

coveting and my own leather strap-on that I would definitely use

on Camila when I was thinking sexy thoughts about her again. I

unwrapped the largest box, and when I pulled back the tissue paper,

I gasped in amazement. The carved wood of the antique frame

reminded me of the small piece of elegant woodwork that held my

engagement ring. And even though I had yet to wear the ring, I knew

what this frame held I would treasure just as much.

I looked at Camila then back at the painting.

Kina had used her unique graffiti style to capture a moment

of my Mila and me together. It wasn’t a particular moment I’d

remembered, but a moment we’d shared so many times. On the

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canvas, I sat in Camila’s lap, my legs wrapped around her waist,

and she held me, her palms gently spread on my back. The two of us

wore nothing but a black sheet covering our lower bodies. You could

only see the slight profile of my cheek and chin, but that’s not what

I loved about it. Camila’s beautiful face was completely visible, her

full red lips pressed against the side of my neck. It captured my

feelings for her in the most amazing way, highlighted the place and

the person in this world I felt most whole with. I felt my anger and

frustration from the last few days slipping away.

“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, softly kissing her lips. “We should

hang it in the bedroom.”

A knock on the door stopped Camila’s answer. “Come in,” she

called out. I could see Andrew in the hallway, but Cleo poked her

head inside. She was calm, but she looked like she’d just been crying.

“The sun is down. Can I go down to Moreland’s with Andrew?

He misses Luke.”

“Yeah. That’s fine,” Camila said. “But during the holiday

break you need to get him back on a normal human sleep schedule.

Moreland likes to forget.”

“I got it,” Cleo replied. The fight in her was gone. I could see

it in her face and hear it in her voice. When she closed the door

quietly without even looking at me, I slid back on the couch, away

from Camila.

“What’s the matter?”

I paused for a second and stared at the door, literally biting the

tip of my tongue. It was useless though. The words were already

coming. “Is this what you mean by okay?”

“What do you mean? Are you talking about Cleo?”

“Yes. I’m talking about Cleo. Can’t you just give her a break?

She knows there are rules. She knows all the things she can’t do.

You don’t have to keep reminding her.” Camila’s lips parted as she

frowned. I’d shocked us both. Still, I wouldn’t take it back.

“Are you angry because I’m being tough on her or is it

something else?”

“You know what, it’s everything. You don’t seem to care that

she lost her family. All you seem to care about is keeping her in

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line. And you don’t even seem to find it a little odd that she won’t

separate herself from Andrew for a minute. I told you she didn’t

want this and it would have killed us all to lose her, but can’t you see

that for her that may have been the better option?” I didn’t entirely

believe that, but at the moment my temper was in control.

Camila exhaled, but tensed even more. “I have to tell you

something. And I will tell you even though you won’t understand.

Our bond with our feeders—”

I smiled at her, huffing indignantly. This wasn’t about vampires

and magical connections. “Right, your bond is strong and it makes

you feel like—”

“No, Ginger. Listen to me. I know you feel the feeder bond,

but for us demons it’s different. Our love for you girls is beyond

unconditional. You have no idea the lengths we will go to protect

you. It’s the oath we’ve sworn to Dalhem, but you can’t understand

that because you’re not completely one of us. You don’t understand

what it’s like to have this precious thing linked to your very

existence. Cleo has been with me for three years, and in that time

I have grown to love her more than any feeder I have ever known

with the exception of you. I could not let her suffer.”

I knew what she was saying, but all I could hear was blood,

blood, blood. We need you for your blood. We were the prize calves

who must be protected from the wolves.

“I think that’s crap,” I said plainly. “You made a decision and

you think you know how it’s going to work out, because it worked

out for you. Well, what if it doesn’t work out for Cleo? What if

Benny doesn’t get over her?”

“Because I know Cleo. She will bounce back from this. I know

what she told you, but people feel much differently talking with

their friends than they do when they are staring death in the face.”

“Right, but you didn’t have to face Cleo’s mom. You and your

sister-queens risked a lot to save her. I get it, but you didn’t have to

eat all the food her father made us to keep himself busy. You didn’t

see her brothers forcing themselves to smile. You—” My voice

cracked. “You didn’t hear Cleo’s mom praying for her soul, praying

for us. You hide down here, and the rest of us—us humans—are

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dealing with the fallout. And what about Benny?” I asked again.

“Have you even talked to Benny?”

“I tried, but she shut me out.”

“I can’t force Benny to open up, but maybe someone a little

bit more powerful than me, someone with a connection may force

her to talk. Maybe that’s what she needs.” I stood and shoved my

laptop into my bag. “And you’re right about one thing. I’m not a

demon like you, but I know what Danni’s and Amy’s blood does

to me and I’m not completely one of them either. I’m stuck in the

fucking middle.”

After stomping into my boots, I grabbed my stuff and rushed

out the door. I didn’t care if it was dark out, I didn’t want a freaking

escort.

❖

Hot tears ran down my cheeks as I power-walked through

the snow. I needed someone to talk to, but someone who would

understand my side and someone who wasn’t involved in ABO. I

texted Mom.

Mila and I had a fight.

We’d had our birthday chat that morning, but she called me

right back. “What happened, sweetie?”

“Nothing. I-I just…I can’t really talk about it. I’m just so mad.”

“Can you tell me what she did? Did she hurt you?”

“No, no. Not like that. She did something that she thought was

right and I didn’t agree with her, but now we’re just not seeing eye

to eye.”

“Hmm, not a fun way to spend your birthday. Is it something

that makes you want to break up with her?”

“No…” I closed my eyes as the thought made my stomach

ache. I loved Camila so much. What little part of me was a vampire

needed her in my life, but why couldn’t she see how much Cleo and

Benny were hurting, how much she’d hurt me?

“Well, step away for a couple days. Take some time to deal with

your feelings. Study for your exams, but if you love her, sooner or

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later, you’ll have to forgive her. That’s just how love works, honey.

You can’t hold on to the anger or it kills everything around you. I

want to kill your dad sometimes, but in the end I still love him so.”

Of course she would get me to smile. I knew she was right, and

maybe Camila was too. There were things about being a demon that

I didn’t understand. Time did heal some wounds, and maybe if we

were all patient things would be okay. But Mom was right about one

other thing. I needed some space.

“No, you’re right. I think I’ll take a break.” I sighed heavily

and wiped my face. “Thanks, Mom. I’m going to go.” I climbed

steps to my dorm.

“Okay. Did you pick up your gifts?”

“Oh. No, I forgot. I’ll grab them on Monday.”

“Okay, sweetie. You call me back if you need to talk some

more. You wake me up if you have to. Your dad and I are here.” I

sniffled, nodding as if she could see me. We said our good-byes and

our I love yous. Talking to her helped some, though not completely.

As soon as I slid my phone into my pocket, I felt something behind

me. I slowly turned to see Faeth standing at the bottom of the stairs.

“She made me follow you.”

“Tell her I made it back in one piece. She doesn’t need to

worry.”

“She’ll worry until you come back,” Faeth said. “Trust me.”

I did.

I finished my paper and screened a few calls from Amy. I was

not in the mood for an impromptu kegger at the Iota house. After a

shower, I considered going to bed without another word to Camila,

but that small, petty part of me needed that bit of contact before

I went to sleep, that little jerk in me that would let her response

determine how much longer we needed to be apart.

Going to bed. I love you.

I wasn’t so mad that I wanted her to think I didn’t love her.

She texted back right away. I love you too, Red. I’m sorry.

I realized then, time was exactly what I needed.

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❖

The next morning I dragged myself to the library. I sat there

all day reviewing my stats notes and polishing my paper until my

chem study group showed up, four hours and seven chapters ago.

The whole time I was in a fog, more sad than angry, and frustrated

with myself that I couldn’t just forgive Camila right away. I’d been

ignoring her texts, but eventually we had to talk. After I aced this

stupid chem final.

“I’m cheating on this test,” Alison said. “No, I’m serious. Greg,

sit in front of me. I’m tattooing the periodic table on the back of

your neck.”

“Fine, but who am I going to cheat off of?” Greg asked with a

grim expression.

We were all going to do fine on our exam, but we were stressed

and exhausted. Some of us for reasons that had nothing to do with

preparing for this test.

“No one’s cheating. Let’s take a break. Then we’ll cover

sublimation,” Judd said.

“See. I’m so screwed. I don’t even know what that is,” Alison

said. Over the course of the semester, Judd had recruited Vince as a

smoking buddy. The two of them grabbed their jackets and headed

for the door. Alison trotted off to the bathroom.

I stared at my notes. I never got headaches, but I was on the

verge of giving myself one.

“Ginger.” I glanced up. Greg tipped his head toward the stairs.

“Jamal, we’ll be right back,” I told him. He nodded, giving us

a two-figured salute off his temple before he went back to his two-

handed texting.

The stairwell was freezing, but it was nice compared to the

stuffy heat of the library. It was weird to be in there at night, in

the dead of winter. Only the lights from outside illuminated the

echoing space, but the darkness didn’t bother me enough to drive

me back inside to the maze of books and stressed out students. We

walked to the top and I stretched, gripping on to the railing. Still

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bent at the waist, I looked over the edge, down the rectangular

spiral.

If only jumping would get me out of my finals and not break

my neck.

Sighing, I looked up and gazed out the narrow window. The

map of lampposts lit a misty golden trail across campus. It was a

beautiful night, a night I should have been sharing with Camila. She

could have helped me study and then we could have taken a break

to do something silly like play in the snow together or make love.

Greg came forward and peered over the railing next to me.

“You okay?” he asked quietly. For the first time in days, I didn’t

feel someone was asking about Cleo.

“Yeah. I’m just tired. I’m so ready for this semester to be over.”

“Just four more days,” he said.

“And then we get to look forward to chem two.”

“True. At least we get a break.” Greg turned and leaned his back

against the whitewashed banister. “Then three weeks of fucking,

eating, and sleeping.”

“Yeah…” If Camila and I made up in those four days.

Greg was quiet for a moment. It was time for us to head back. I

stayed put as he moved toward the stairs. But then he stopped.

“We have some time right now,” Greg said with an odd hint of

suggestion in his voice.

“What?” I didn’t connect what he meant until his hands came

down on my hips and he ground his sudden erection against my ass.

I spun around and pushed him away. “What the fuck are you

doing?” His green eyes glinted there in the dark, lustful and a little

bit crazed. I didn’t know Greg all that well, but I had no clue who

this guy was.

“I said, we have some time right now.” He stepped forward and

his clammy palms gripped the sides of my neck. I tried to jerk my

head away, but his thumbs dug into my jaw. “I thought the sister-

queens liked to share,” he whispered, tilting my head back so he

could kiss me.

“Camila doesn’t. Stop!” I gave him another hard, useless

shove. Greg was tall, sure, but a lot more solid then he looked. He

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didn’t budge. Just stepped closer, trapping my arms between us, and

turned my head to lick my ear. He was hurting me now, gripping my

neck too hard, holding my head at an awkward angle. I thought of

the best way to hit his groin, the best way that wouldn’t get me hurt

even more in the process. I jerked my knee, but the railing caught

my ankle.

“What’s the big deal? Cleo didn’t mind sharing Andrew the

other night,” he said, kissing the corner of my mouth, grinding his

hard-on into my stomach. I gulped down the bile fighting to get out.

“Well, that’s between Cleo and Andrew. Greg! Get the fuck

off me!” I shoved him again, this time putting everything I had into

the weight behind my forearms, and this time he let go. But it was

way too little, way too late. There were so many fucked up things

about this situation, the least of which was him ignoring my no. I

was furious.

I made a move to punch him right in the nuts, but he jumped

out of the way and grabbed my wrist. I jerked my arm back, out

of his grasp, a bad move as I stepped backward toward the stairs.

I should have been paying attention to my surroundings, but I was

more concerned about getting away from my insane lab partner. My

foot slipped and I let out a panicked gasp in the process.

I didn’t fall, though. I caught a fistful of Greg’s shirt and

yanked myself back onto the landing. He gripped my elbows and

held me steady. We stared at each other for a second, both shocked

and relieved. It was that brief moment before Greg would have

apologized for getting too familiar, realizing I wasn’t playing hard

to get, and I would have vowed never to end up alone with him

again, right after I socked him in the balls.

And in the next moment, his expression shifted. A calm passed

over his brow, his dark green eyes soft and pleading just before his

jaw clenched with a flash of anger. His eyes narrowed. He smiled.

And then Greg pushed me, shoved me with every ounce of strength

he had, right off the top step.

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Chapter seventeen

The concrete and brick flipped past me in a quick blur. I

was blinded momentarily as I hit the middle step, my wrist

twisting under my back. My eyes snapped shut again when I hit

the next step. There was a thick crack somewhere in my arm. I bit

my tongue when I bounced to the landing, my head concussing off

the floor. I lay there, completely in shock, staring at the dark bricks

above me. I tried to sit up. It didn’t happen. I tried to move my

head to the side, but it didn’t budge. Only my eyes were working,

blinking open and closed, and I could hear.

Greg was gasping. “Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit.” The muffled

sound of his voice mixed with the ringing in my brain.

I wanted Camila.

“What did you do?” Camila’s terrifying growl echoed through

the space.

A guttural whimper sounded somewhere above me and a

flapping sound and another muffled snap. Then Camila was beside

me. Her fingers brushed my forehead as she leaned over me.

“Talk to me, querida. Where does it hurt?” Her voice was harsh

and strained and her eyes were blazing. Her fangs blocked her mouth

from closing all the way. I tried to answer her, but nothing came out.

My tongue was too thick. Panic forced my mind open.

I can’t feel anything, but my head hurts, I told her. Help me.

She moved to cradle my head in her lap. My eyes closed as

she shifted me. I felt the dull pressure of her thigh on the back of

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my head, but I couldn’t feel the warmth of her body, the warmth I

always felt when she held me. She grumbled out a curse then bit

into her arm.

Her blood was flowing into my mouth before I even thought

to stop her. The cooling zing hit my lips, and as I swallowed, her

blood started working, doing exactly what it was supposed to do,

healing me, changing me. My vision cleared, bringing things into

sharp color and focus in the dimly lit space. I felt the stickiness

of my human tears, tears I didn’t remember crying, drying in the

corners of my eyes and on the side of my face.

And then my fangs came. My canine teeth widened and grew

longer. A sharp shot of pain lingered as my upper teeth inched back

to make room. The gum and the bone shifted, new nerves grew

and connected. They came in full and large and I didn’t hesitate to

use them to get a firmer grip on Camila’s wrist. My tongue worked

against her skin, massaging the vein, driving more of her blood

down my throat.

Suddenly, we weren’t alone. I felt Rodrick’s inferior presence

before he appeared in the stairwell.

“What has happened?” he cried.

Camila whipped around in his direction and let out a feral snarl,

but she didn’t pull her wrist away. I didn’t stop drinking even though

my nose was suddenly burning. I smelled human urine. Greg’s and

mine.“Oh, Gregory,” Rodrick moaned. I lifted my head and stared up

at the pain written across Rodrick’s face. He held Greg, dead, in his

arms above us on the landing. Rodrick rocked him slowly, stroking

his face affectionately even though Greg’s head was twisted at an

awkward angle.

My eyes slid back to Camila’s face. She could feel the conflict

inside me, the relief and the rage. I wanted to hit her, to scream in

her face, but it was too late. We were bound now in a different way

as more of her blood gushed down my throat. With the break in my

arm healed, I reached up and touched her soft golden cheek.

“I’m sorry,” she told me, gripping my hand and kissing my

fingers.

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I didn’t answer. I couldn’t trust my own response.

Her lips pressed against my forehead, and the warm, always

gentle stroke of her fingers caressed my neck. “Just a little more.”

I swallowed another mouthful and I was finished. Healed.

Changed from human to demon-vampire, to sister-queen, completely.

I felt my connection to my other queens, each one of them

individually and as a whole, a bond only Dalhem could break. I felt

another level, another piece that made up what Camila and I were to

each other. Now she was my maker, and no matter what happened

between us, if I ever decided to turn my back on our relationship,

something the human side of me was now all in favor of, this piece

would remain. She would always be the one who created me, and I

would always be hers.

I gazed up at her, watching Camila as she sealed her wrist,

staring into her scorching eyes as she kissed me on my mouth,

opening another chamber inside me. There was now a clear line

between the part of me that was human, the love and the reasoning,

and the animal with base, carnal needs. The full demon in me called

to Camila, called to its mate. I tried to fight the emotions, but that

draw was undeniable. The vampire in me knew no reason. It ignored

the past pain. I rubbed my cheek against her face and licked the

corner of her mouth.

“I’m hungry,” I said, a growl lightly affecting my voice. My

body was more than ready to hunt. I sensed the hundreds of humans

on the floors below. Some closer than others, but I knew I had to

wait. “I know, baby. Fuck. Let me—”

“I’ll feed her.” I turned toward the rattled sound of Samantha’s

voice. She stood on the stairs just below us, shaking, but determined.

The sleeves of her ABO sweatshirt were balled in her fists. She

moved up one more step and relaxed her hands. I could smell her

fear, but it wasn’t directed at me. “I’ll do it.” Samantha tugged her

hoodie over her head. My fangs ached as she exposed the ripe vein

in her neck.

“Is that okay?” Camila asked me. She had to. She was powerful

enough to force me to feed, but the choice was mine. I glanced at

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Samantha again and my stomach rolled and clenched. My fangs

throbbed, shooting pain through my sinuses, across my forehead. I

didn’t have much time before I took her.

My eyes squeezed shut. “Please,” I begged.

Silently, Rodrick reached out to his wife.

In the next breath, Natasha appeared beside us. She bowed to

me, calling me her queen. She pulled a short silver blade from a strap

in her high-heeled boot and beckoned Samantha forward. Camila

slid out of the way, letting me support myself. I shifted my weight

and tucked my now powerful legs underneath my body, ignoring

the wet patch in my jeans. Natasha and Samantha crouched in front

of me.I could have stopped her. I had the control over Natasha to keep

her from initiating the ritual. We looked at each other for a fraction

of a moment. There was distress in her bright blue eyes, but it was

coupled with pleading and forgiveness. I nodded quickly, hating

myself for my weakness and need. Natasha turned to Samantha and

the words flew from her lips.

“I release you, Samantha Grace Phillips. Serve this sister-

queen as you would serve the master himself. As you would serve

me.” The shift happened so quickly. Natasha had given Samantha to

me. It would have been an insult for me to turn the offering down.

I needed to feed so badly, but I didn’t want to take Samantha away

from Natasha. Not like this. But my thirst was too strong.

Sam and I looked at each other for a moment that seemed to

stretch on forever. Her boyfriend was dead, and maybe at some

point she might blame me, but there was no blame written on her

face. And then there was the tiny issue of how much we completely

loathed each other, but I was too hungry to be picky about where my

first meal would come from. I frowned at her, asking the question

one more time.

She grabbed my wrist and pressed the edge of the blade into

her own palm.

I blurted my vow, reborn sister-queen to devoted feeder, and

Samantha accepted. Our bond was made. I felt it to my core, but I

found myself fighting it because it was not complete just yet, not

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until I sliced the upturned palm that was offered to me. I leaned

forward and sealed the seeping gash. A sensual growl tore from my

throat as I heard Sam’s breathless sob.

There was nothing that compared to the taste of human blood,

the rich mix of crushed berries, flavored with an unparalleled

sweetness. I’d tasted its electricity on Camila’s lips, wanted more

of it because it made me want her. Now my demon body craved it,

in essential ways that were impossible to explain. The connection

between us made her flavor unique to me. It was spiked with her

arousal and her desire to please me.

My heart was tackled by sudden, incessant need to protect

Samantha and to make her feel loved and treasured. The lingering

rationale in my brain recognized how ridiculous the urge was. I

hated Samantha. Or at least, I used to. As the small trickle of her

blood coated my throat, any negative thoughts I had about her were

completely erased. She could do no wrong. I wouldn’t let her. And

anyone who even thought of harming her, would have to answer to

me. If anything happened to her, I would be the one to protect her.

She was mine.

My hand flashed to Samantha’s neck and I yanked her forward,

shifting her body so she was nearly pinned between me and the

wall. Her whimper was far from a protest, but her body’s plea for

me to feed and then take her. It didn’t take much pressure for my

razor sharp fangs, their nerves pulsing with my own rabid heartbeat,

to pierce Samantha’s thin, soft skin. They punctured deep then

retracted just enough for me to keep a hold on her, leave plenty of

room for the blood to run free. God, she tasted so good.

She came in my arms, muffling her cries behind clenched teeth.

My body soaked in response, my pussy wet and wanting. The tips

of my breasts puckered hard and tingling, but I wouldn’t satisfy my

desire with Sam.

My gaze slid over to Camila and I told her, showed her, how I

needed her to make this feeding complete. Samantha was satisfying

one desperate craving. Only my maker, my mate, would quench the

other. She reached out and stroked my cheek, projecting her feelings

to me, making me purr. She would have me.

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My eyes slid closed and I fed, slowly but deeply. I opened my

eyes once more when the brother-king Pax appeared. He nodded

to Camila, then I held his slate-gray gaze for a brief moment. He

blinked in shock, then bowed deeply as his show of acceptance

and respect. He would serve me now, if I allowed it, but beyond

recognizing my sudden ascension, he was my brother and I accepted

the bond, too. I wouldn’t ask for anything from him, but I nodded

slightly, my fangs still clamped onto Samantha’s tender throat. I

stroked the length of her spine gently, soothing her through another

shuddering release.

Pax began speaking with Natasha and Rodrick. I listened to

their low mutters as they mixed with the weak, panting sounds of

my precious feeder in my lap. Rodrick and Natasha would take care

of the body. Rodrick’s suffering was tangible, but he was handling

it well. He knew what Greg had done and only wished he’d done

something more to prevent it. The remains of my human soul felt

bad in a way, but my demon knew the aftermath of Greg’s demise

was Rodrick and the brother-kings’ problem to deal with.

I probed Samantha’s mind and quickly found the reasons why

she’d been so close at the moment of my fall. She’d followed Greg

and me into the dark stairs, partly out of jealousy, partly because

she was worried about me. Despite that fact she was already his

girlfriend and was sleeping with him willingly, Greg had raped Sam,

more than once. Each time, he’d been careful not to leave any marks

that couldn’t be explained away. I thought about telling Rodrick and

Pax to toss Greg’s body off the top of the library, but it would have

made a mess in the pristine snow.

A sudden jolt to my system pulled me from my daydreaming.

I felt Camila, her whole presence, slipping away from me.

My gaze shot to her, terror surging through my body. She

grimaced, that tale-tell look of apology flashing across her face. I

pulled my mouth away from Samantha’s sweet vein, but before I

could call to Camila, before I could beg her to stay, she was gone.

• 298 •

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Chapter eighteen

Where is she?”

“Where has she gone”? Rodrick and Pax gasped at the

same time.

Instinct told me to bite the front of my tongue. My fangs pierced

my own flesh and I used the small amount of blood that rushed to the

surface to seal Samantha’s neck. I wasn’t done feeding, but I’d had

enough to hold me over.

I shut out everything around me and focused on finding

Camila. I found a piece of her, a shadow of herself. She was safe,

but emotionally, she was falling apart. I just couldn’t get a clear

read on why she’d disappeared and I couldn’t get a hold on where

she was. I opened my eyes. Natasha, Rodrick, and Pax stood there,

waiting on directions from me. My new demon instincts prepared

me to delegate, but I had no plan.

“My study group is waiting for us,” I told them. “I—” I flinched

when Rodrick suddenly took Greg’s full form. He even turned his

dark jacket and slacks into Greg’s jeans and long sleeved shirt. He

grabbed Greg’s Cubs hat off his lifeless head.

“Uh, I’ll go with him,” Samantha said, blinking at Rodrick. Her

fear and her confusion grew stronger, but I was filled with pride. She

might fall apart later, but she was going to keep a level head until we

were out of the woods. “We’ll tell them you threw up or something

and we’ll grab your stuff.”

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Rodrick nodded and started down the stairs. Samantha turned

to follow him but stopped without a second thought when I gently

gripped her arm.

“Thank you,” I whispered. I learned forward and kissed her

lips. There was no heat or desire behind the kiss, but another silent

vow from me to her. I released her and she sprinted after Rodrick.

“I’ll handle the body,” Pax said. He slung Greg’s body over

his shoulder and vanished from the stairwell, leaving me alone with

Natasha.

I felt her devotion as Natasha peered at me, her white-blond

hair swaying.

“Sometimes the only way to protect your true love is to hide

from it,” she said, a sad bit of hopefulness on her face.

“Do you know where she is?” I asked.

“No. I do not have that power. She is blocking us all. We’ll

get you cleaned up and then we’ll try to find her.” I looked down. I

was covered in dust. She took my hand and then winked. Her smile

calmed me a bit. “You’ll see, my Queen. It’s like flying.”

A soft rush of air went through my body. Natasha was right; it

was like flying through a wind-blasted waterfall. When I opened my

eyes, she and I were back in the lounge of Camila’s apartment.

Tokyo appeared a moment later. She took two steps closer to

Natasha and me, then stopped.

“What the hell happened? I mean—my Queen.” The bowing

and respectful nodding was getting on my nerves, but I had a feeling

there was much more to come.

“Greg threw me down some stairs and then I pissed myself.”

I stormed off to the bathroom, turned on the shower, and shed my

soiled jeans. Looking in the mirror, I saw the blood on my shirt. It

was Camila’s.

I reached out to her again and kept trying to sense her, over and

over, as I bathed quickly, the frustration building. I didn’t skimp on the

soap between my legs or the liberal amount of shampoo I used to scrub

out my dried human blood matted to the back of my head. I would

have scrubbed myself raw if it weren’t for my new resilient skin, still

pale and covered with freckles, but tougher. I kept scrubbing though.

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Where in the hell did Camila go? I could still feel her. She was

miserable and she was crying, but I couldn’t sense why. There was

no pain, but something that reeked of guilt and shame. Still, not

even the smallest hint about where she might be.

The past week with Cleo had been an absolute mess, and now

we’d have to deal with the same issues with me. I had to die now, in

the eyes of the human world, in the eyes of my family. There would

be some elaborate plan to erase my life, some elaborate lie to make

my parents think they had lost me forever.

I fought back the tears as the last of the soap washed down the

drain. Crying now was useless.

I shut off the water and wrapped myself in a towel, grateful I’d

gotten in the habit of leaving clothes with Camila months ago. Out

in the lounge, all the sister-queens had assembled. I held my hand up

to Cleo, Omi, Faeth, and Kina, asking them to save the bowing and

the pledges until after I was back in fresh underwear.

I opened the drawers Camila had cleared out for me, and as

I bent to grab my bra, I saw the small wooden box sitting among

her things on top of the dresser. Ignoring the only proof of our

engagement, I yanked on my clothes and went back to face the

sister-queens.

I walked back into the lounge and stopped next to Kina’s chair.

“I get it. I’m high on the totem pole, but I’m going to smack

the next person who calls me queen. I’d like to find Camila, and we

don’t have time for all the bowing and praising,” I said. They all

nodded, taking my subtle hint. “Good.” I walked over and squeezed

between Cleo and Faeth on the couch.

“Well…”Omi said hesitantly, “You’re in charge until she

returns.”

“I don’t care about being in charge. I want to find her.” I could

still sense her, still upset, but nowhere around. “None of you can

sense her?”

They all shook their heads.

I let out a breath in frustration and then I felt my feeder coming

closer. I called out for Samantha to come in before she knocked on

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the door. Rodrick had seen her safely back to the house, but she was

still shaken. She stepped inside and set our backpacks by the TV.

“They bought the puking story. Alison said she’d call you

later,” she said.

I couldn’t stop my eyes from rolling. “Great. Come here.” I

held my hand out for her, comforted momentarily by the heat of her

shoulders as she settled on the floor between my legs. There were the

last traces of snow still melting in her hair. I rubbed her shoulders

trying to ease the tension out of her body. She had nothing to worry

about anymore, but it would take time before the worrying went away.

A voice in my head stilled my hands. A warm, soothing voice

that I couldn’t ignore.

It was Dalhem and he was calling to me.

My Ginger, he whispered behind my eyes. His voice was a low

stroke to my temples.

“Ginger, what is it?” Faeth asked. I frowned, trying to

concentrate, then moved Samantha gently out of the way. Natasha

called for her and Samantha scampered across the room into her lap.

My Ginger come to me now, he whispered again in a gentle

command.

“I have to go,” I told my sister-queens. “It’s Dalhem.”

“Is Camila with him?” Kina asked.

“I don’t know. I have to go.” I didn’t wait for them to ask me

more questions. I closed my eyes and followed the sound of my

master’s voice.

I felt Dalhem’s influence before I appeared in his living room.

He was in my mind fully as I vanished through space. I knew before

I even thought to block him or before I even considered his influence

as intrusive, that I was in the presence of kindness and love. That

love and kindness came with a sort of power I’d never imagined.

I came face-to-face with Dalhem in his half-human, half-

demon form. I hadn’t realized that a small part of me had been

doubting the true nature of my sister-queens and Camila. Yes, they

were vampires, animalistic, sure, but the demon part didn’t truly

make sense. The truth of the creature didn’t all seem real until I

looked into Dalhem’s golden eyes and saw the crown of black horns

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that protruded quite naturally from his forehead. He was not of this

world, not of heaven or earth.

His pure white hair fell gently behind his ears, almost to his

shoulders. His wings were hidden. I imagine they would have ruined

his crisp black suit. Even under the fabric of his clothes I could see

how muscular his arms were. He grinned as I gazed back at him,

showing off his enormous fangs rooted in the top and bottom of

his jaws. Had he been human, I wouldn’t have taken him for much

older than thirty. Had he been human, he would have been very

handsome, but it was hard to see past the horns and the teeth and the

power in his eyes. His smile was warm and paternal, but I found it

hard to smile back. Camila’s suffering was ripping at my heart.

She was beside him on a large golden couch. The whole room

was decorated in dark wood and creams and gold, but I couldn’t take

my eyes off Camila. She wouldn’t look at me. She was too ashamed.

Clear blue tears ran down her face in a steady stream. Dalhem’s arm

was around her shoulders. As she sobbed, he tightened his grip to

comfort her, but she only sobbed harder.

“You are already a quick study. Using your powers with such

precision and not even an hour old.” My eyes fluttered back to his

face.“Master.” I dipped my head to him deeply.

“My Rodrick. I thank you. You may go.”

My head whipped to the side. Rodrick was standing in the

corner looking back at Dalhem. I was too overwhelmed by Dalhem’s

power and Camila’s tears to sense another vampire in the room.

“I thank you, Master, for your grace and forgiveness and your

acceptance of my word,” he said. Dalhem dipped his head with

subtle appreciation in reply.

Then Rodrick took three long strides in my direction and

hugged me. He was trying to tell me something, give me some sort

of warning, but he couldn’t. There was no way to keep any sort

of communication from Dalhem and we both knew it. Instead, my

arms went around Rodrick’s waist and I squeezed back, my only

way to thank him for at least trying to be on my side. Whatever side

that was. And then he vanished.

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I took a deep breath and turned back to face Dalhem.

“I’m afraid I have some unfortunate news. I’m going to have

to punish our darling Camila, and I believe you know what that

punishment will be.”

“Please don’t hurt her,” I begged him as a sharp pain shot

through my chest. I could hear Natasha’s words pounding in my

ears. Remove the head or the heart. The sun will do the rest.

“Oh, my Ginger.” Dalhem frowned at me sternly. “I may be

pure demon, hell-spawned, but I think you misunderstand my love

for your mate. She is the only piece that remains of my twin. Though

her execution is called for and just, I would no sooner harm her than

I would harm my own daughter. But that does not erase the mistakes

she has made. I overlooked the taste she gave you for human blood

all those months ago. I should have corrected her then. But now she

has changed you against your wishes and she has taken the life of

a feeder that did not belong to her. If our Rodrick had not forgiven

her immediately, she would have to answer to more than just me.”

“But I begged her to change me. And Greg—”

“You begged her to help you. Let us not be confused. And yes,

my Gregory harmed you and a feeder belonging to our Natasha. I

would not have allowed him to live, but our Natasha and our Rodrick

and even your precious Samantha, deserved their vengeance, and

our Camila took that away from them because her only thought was

of you.”

“And she saved me. I don’t understand. What’s the difference

between her changing me and her changing Cleo? We were both

dying. She saved us both.” I waited for his anger to rise as I kept up

my arguing, but all I felt was his compassion.

“My Ginger, she saved our Cleo with the aid of her sister-

queens. She trusted them, as she vowed that she would, to bring our

Cleo across safely. Your sister-queens could have healed you and

left you human, but our Camila let her emotions for you get in the

way. She let her emotions overrule what she truly knew to be just.”

He went on, speaking firmly but softly, all for my sake. I wasn’t

going to change his mind, but he was willing to explain.

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“Though you have yet to commit the ritual, I only allowed our

Camila to bind herself to you as her na’suul under the terms that

she would be willing to let you go if you ever wished to leave her.

Humans may be a very treasured gift to us, but they don’t view time

and bonds as we do. They don’t treasure their own lives as we do.

You may still love her very much, I sense that you do, but there is

a large difference between fabricating stories to your family about

your mysterious girlfriend and them believing you are dead.”

Camila tensed, but stayed quiet as the tears dripped off her

chin. I wanted to go to her. Trying to move was useless, though.

Dalhem would not allow it, not until he was done. My feet were

frozen to the floor.

“You will never see the sun again, my Ginger. And I hope you

had no desire to have children of your own, because now that choice

is gone. And there is also the small matter of your family. You may

be content with our Camila now, but you have seen the behavior of

your sister-queen, Cleo. If in a day or in a week or twenty years,

when you see that your family is forever removed from you, you

may hold our Camila responsible for taking your life.

“Our Cleo comes from an extremely loving flock, but they

never would have accepted her as a demon. Her only choice was

death.” He stopped then, and looked over at Camila. Gently, he

tucked a longer, spiky lock of her hair behind her ear. He was testing

me, not my love for her, but my patience with him. I swallowed

twice, waiting.

“You never tried to share the truth with your family, did you,

my Ginger?”

What the fu—

“No. Of course I didn’t. I thought it was against the law. And

so did she.”

He sighed wistfully. “If only she thought to ask. Again, her only

thought was of her Ginger, and sometimes those sorts of thoughts

work against you.”

He had to be kidding, but I knew he wasn’t.

“You’re saying I could have told them?”

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“I am saying, my Ginger, now I am afraid it is too late, and one

day you may feel the sting of that regret. And when you ask that I

cast Camila from your sight, the pain of losing you as a result of her

own selfishness will be far greater than any punishment I could hand

down. Our Camila will wish for death, and I will not grant it.”

“Please. I love her and I still want her, with or without my

family,” I said.

“And what will we do about them now, my Ginger? Linda and

her Fredo and Todd. You are probably wondering.”

“I am,” I replied. He was talking in circles. I had no idea what

he was getting at.

“I will handle them.”

“How?” I gulped.

“That is not your concern, my Ginger. Our Camila has forced

my hand. But you will know the outcome. In the meantime, you will

not contact them. When it is done, they will reach out to you or they

will bury your memory. Either way, I will not allow our Camila to

make those sorts of decisions anymore.”

“Her punishment,” I breathed. “What would her punishment

involve? Or is this all?”

“Many things and one only. She may no longer act as the Queen

of my Alpha nest. She has made some grievous mistakes. She may

be old to you, but she is still very young, and now I have seen, too

weak and too immature to handle such a responsibility.”

Then I felt my jaw clench. I had a deep respect for our master,

literally running through my veins, but Camila was my maker. No

one had the right to insult her. Still, I kept my mouth shut. A slight

smile returned to Dalhem’s lips as he moved through my mind.

“A perfect example. You love her, but you know not to speak

hastily. You are very young, but you know when to exercise restraint.

Yet you know she was wrong. I can feel it, my Ginger. She went

against your wishes.” He took a deep breath, completely for show,

and squared his shoulders. He still held Camila close. “You will be

queen.”

“But I’m younger than she is.”

He grew very serious. I’d challenged him just enough for one

night.

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“The decision is mine.”

“I—Sorry. If I become queen, what happens to Camila?”

“That is entirely up to you,” he replied.

“So if I become queen, she can come home with me?”

“Yes, if that is what you wish. Her rank remains among the

demon class. I would not have her weakened against others, but she

will have no authority over the sister-queens within the confines of

the house.”

“What about her feeders?”

“Again, that is your decision, but I am trusting you with my

daughter.”

“I have to feed from Benny?” For some reason I didn’t like this

idea. “No. I am trusting you to care for her. If you prefer that she

continue on with our Camila, then so be it.”

“If I don’t want to be queen, then who will do it? What happens

to Camila and me?” I asked. I didn’t want to leave any nook

unchecked. I didn’t want Dalhem to catch me in some loophole

when it came to my future with her.

“I don’t believe you will refuse me, but if you do, Natasha

will reclaim Samantha. I will then set you up in another nest. You

are independent, but you do not truly desire to be alone. You may

remain near our Camila if you chose, but she needs to remain near

me. Here. I will only permit her to live amongst my young feeders

in the Alpha nest if you are with her. Her mate seems to be the only

one to control her.

“Cleo is strong, but her recent behavior displeases me. I would

pass the throne to Kina. She has exhibited excellent control of her

power and she respects me well. I treasure her as I treasure all of

my queens, but my Benita trusts you. Her mother and I are never

far. Though, in an interesting twist, I find that I feel as all human

fathers do. This is her first time away from home. I worry for her and

I would like her to have you near. The other sister-queens cannot

provide her mother and me with that sort of comfort.”

“I’ll do it. And I’ll take Camila with me,” I blurted.

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“Excellent.” He smiled wider than before, flashing his tiger-

sized fangs.

At that very instant, he took my breath, ripped it right from my

lungs. He held Camila in the same motionless space, the two of us

frozen as he took a piece of her mind and her soul and switched it

with a piece of mine.

I exhaled sharply, feeling a new sense of power, different

connections to not only all the girls and the sister-queens, but to

Dalhem himself. The lives of forty-two humans and vampires were

now my responsibility; Camila was my responsibility. If I failed

them in any way, I had to answer to our master. The burden was

immense, and it was mine to deal with. I was Queen.

“You grow accustomed to it,” he said. “We are done here. In

thirty-six hours, you will receive a call and you will know the fate

of your former life. Do not reach out to them, my Ginger. Mistakes

can, at times, be mended. Certain harms can be healed, but nothing

can be undone.”

“Yes, Master.” I didn’t know what else I could say.

“She asked for a life-bond with you, my Ginger. Did you know

what that means?”

“No, Master.”

“Our Camila asked me for your hand-na’suul, but she asked

to die once your human form passed on. I would not allow it. Now

you must excuse me. I’m going to have a few more words with our

Camila.” Gently, he stroked her soft black spikes away from her

forehead. “Maybe you’d like to get better acquainted with your true

maker.”

At that moment, an enormous man, taller than Rodrick,

appeared behind the couch. He nodded once to Dalhem before he

nodded to me, skipping the bowing and the praising. He was dressed

rather plainly in a white T-shirt, a black leather jacket, and jeans. His

long red hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail. His thick red and

blond beard was trimmed close to his face. I swallowed, gazing at

him and reminding myself that this man was not my father.

“Seamus serves my sister, Caana. It was hard to locate him,

but we did,” Dalhem said, then he nodded toward the door behind

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me. “There’s another sitting room right out there. Please take your

time.”We stepped out of the room, but instead of making himself

comfortable in a chair, Seamus stood across the small space, looking

at me with his arms folded across his chest.

“Your name’s Ginger?” His Scottish accent was so thick I could

barely understand him, but the deep, rhythmic tempo of his voice

was oddly soothing. I could have listened to him talk for hours. He

seemed to be in a little bit of hurry, though. The night was moving so

fast, especially now, the moment when I wanted him to stay.

“Yes. Ginger Carmichael,” I answered.

He walked over to me and gazed at my face. He served another

master, not Dalhem, and I sensed I was still important, but my power

and rank meant nothing to him. I was just another young demon. I

looked up, craning my neck to return his studying stare.

“Let me get a look atcha?” He gently grabbed my chin and tilted

my head this way and that. “You’ve got the look of your mother.”

Yes, I did, in a way. I had my mother’s nose and the delicate

shape of her face, but I had this man’s lips and emerald eyes, even

his cheeks. And, of course, his thick red hair and his freckles.

“Are we related?” I asked outright.

“Yes. I’m your uncle. Your father, Ian, was my brother,” he

explained, dropping his hand from my face. “Met your mother on

a trip. I went home to tell my da I was going to marry an American

girl. I would have made it back to her, but I was stabbed on my way

to the pub the night before I meant to come back to Boston. My

queen found me and changed me.”

He went on, not skipping a beat. “My worthless brother waited

a year after my headstone was in the ground, then he came to

America and found your mother. He won her and you were made. I

tracked them down. Janet was pregnant with you and he was trying

to beat the life out of you both.”

It was strange to hear my mother’s name spoken out loud. It

had been so long. But for some reason, I wasn’t shocked by my

birth dad’s behavior. The few men my mother had brought home

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had been abusive creeps. It was no surprise my father had been one

too. Maybe the violent streak ran on that side of the family.

“So you killed him?” I frowned.

Just then Camila came through the door. I’d waited eleven years

to hear what Seamus had to say, to even find out that he existed, but

at that moment, Camila was all I could see. We were in each other’s

arms before I could even blink, hugging each other tight, trying to

breathe each other in as if our desperate embrace would keep the

other from vanishing ever again.

I kissed her hard, and when I pulled away, I wiped her tears.

She was back to herself, but still on edge.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Yes, baby. I’m fine.” She glanced over at Seamus. “I’m sorry.

I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Seamus looked at us both for a second before he answered me,

acting as if my tearful reunion with my girlfriend had never taken

place. “No matter. I was just telling Ginger what became of her father.

Yeah, I killed him. Right in front of your mother. She didn’t know

what I was at first, but after I healed her, she made me promise I

would never come near her again. I kept my word. I know I may

sound a bit callous, but I loved her. Ian had no right to put his hands

on her.” A muscle twitched in his cheek and I knew then he was

telling the truth about his feeling for her. He still loved her.

Camila’s arm came around my waist. I gripped her hand against

my stomach, more than willing to take her support. Whichever one

of us was queen, I still needed her. She knew what I was about to say.

“She killed herself,” I told him.

“I’ve heard.” He turned his back for a second and stroked his

beard. When he turned back around, all emotion was wiped from

his face. “I’m glad I got to see you. You’re a beautiful girl, Ginger.

Probably the only good thing to come out of Ian, that piece of shit. I

had best be going. My queen-mistress needs me.”

“I don’t—is there a way I can get in touch with you?” Seamus

wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy, but if I never got to see my parents

again, he was the only family I had. Him and Camila.

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“You’ve your cell phone on you?”

“Actually, no.”

“Here.” Camila held out her phone to Seamus.

He took it and quickly entered his phone number. “Your

Rodrick’s been looking for me for a while, I hear. I meant to come

see you before your next school term, but here we are. My queen-

mistress has her demands, but you’re my niece. You just call if you

need me.”

“Thanks. I—I will. Unc—Seamus, wait.” The word uncle felt

weird to say, but there was one more thing I had to know.

‘“Yes?”

“You exposed yourself to my mother as a vampire, but you

never wiped her memory right? And she never became a feeder?”

“That’s right.”

“And your queen-mistress let you live, but was there some

other punishment?”

“Na, there wasn’t,” he said. “She knew I was saving the life of

my love and my rightful wife. And the baby that should have been

mine.”

He nodded once more, tight-lipped, and then he was gone.

I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a deep breath. Then I turned

to Camila.

“Let’s just—I have a lot I want to say, but not here.”

“Okay,” she whispered hoarsely.

I pulled her to me, wrapping my arms around her and we

vanished through the night.

• 311 •

• 312 •

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Chapter nineteen

Camila was drained physically and emotionally. I wanted

her fed and rested, but the moment we saw Samantha

trembling in Natasha’s lap, my focus changed. A new sort of trauma

had just begun for Sam. Camila and I hadn’t been gone that long,

but it was long enough for Sam to start thinking about what had

happened in the library stairwell.

She was across the room, throwing her arms around me before

I got out a single word of explanation to my sister-queens. I picked

her up effortlessly and just as quickly, her legs went around my

waist. Her emotions were all over the place, such a mess that it was

almost impossible for me not to enter her mind. She was thinking

of Greg, dead on the stairs. I had come to terms with his death the

moment the asshole had shoved me. The most he’d ever been to

me was a lab partner, and at the least, he was an insecure jerk who

didn’t know how to watch his mouth. To Samantha, he’d been lover,

tormentor, and her only human friend.

I sank to the floor beside the couch and held Samantha’s

trembling frame to me, cradling her head against my shoulder. It

was slightly awkward because we were nearly the same height

and build, but with my sudden strength, she didn’t weigh a thing.

And even if she’d been heavy to me, I wouldn’t have set her down.

Greg had hurt Sam, but somehow I felt responsible. We had all shut

Samantha out at the beginning of the semester, simply because of

her brutal, rude honesty. Maybe if I had just given her a chance, if

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we’d tried to get to know her, she would have relied on us instead

of Greg for support and comfort. I couldn’t take any of it back, but I

could take care of her now.

Still holding Sam, I had a brief meeting with my sister-queens,

my first official act as head she-demon in charge. They understood

immediately that the shift had taken place. There was some

confusion, but they all accepted me as queen, no questions asked,

knowing they’d get the details when things were a little less crazy.

I made the decision to keep the girls in the dark about everything

that had happened until the following morning, all but Barb. I’d need

her to feed Camila tonight. I told them to let the girls know I was

fine, but I didn’t plan on going anywhere until I heard from Dalhem.

If anyone on campus asked, I’d gone home on a family emergency.

It was up to Rodrick what he planned to tell the boys about Greg.

My sister-queens offered, like they had with Cleo, to let me

choose which of the girls I wanted to act as my feeders. I had been

less than comfortable watching Natasha unbind herself from Sam. It

didn’t feel right picking and choosing. For a moment, I considered

who’d I be most comfortable with, but then I remembered the moment

I tasted Sam’s blood. Previous comfort levels had absolutely nothing

to do with the bond between demon and feeder. Even Andrew, who

had seemed to be pretty devoted to Moreland. He’d latched on to

Cleo so quickly and completely, it was as if they’d been bound

together their whole lives. I cared for all the girls and would happily

take the first two willing volunteers.

Sam had no interest whatsoever in leaving my side. I needed

her to at least try to get through the week. Greg was gone, and I was

clearly going to be a no-show for my exams the next day. I hated the

idea of forcing her to do anything, so we compromised, agreeing she

would get some sleep if Camila and I let her stay in our apartment.

After my sister-queens left, Camila and I got Samantha in the

shower, and in my first real lesson in mind control, Camila showed

me how to clear Sam’s mind. I was horrified at all the things I saw

as I sorted through the memories that kept her heart racing. Her

emotionally dismissive mother, images of her father, who, in spite

of his kindness, was a clear spokesman for Too Distant Dads. And

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then the parts of her that were clinging to Greg. She couldn’t believe

he was gone, and I couldn’t believe after seeing the things he’d put

her through, that she still loved him.

For the time being, I erased his face from her mind, soothing all

the pain, pinpricks, and deep gouges, with calm and peace. Camila

and I watched her for a moment as she drifted off between our satin

sheets, both of us a little lost on what we would do with her when

the morning came. And I wondered what Sam would have done if

she hadn’t followed us up the stairs, if Greg hadn’t pushed me. How

long would she have gone on letting him hurt her? How long had

Greg been hurting others?

As if I’d asked the questions out loud, Camila took my hand.

She showed me all the things Samantha hadn’t seen. The girlfriend

Greg had beaten all through high school, the unwanted advances

he’d made on Micah, the rough way he’d handled Andrew just the

night before, and countless other instances where Greg had lost his

cool and crossed some lines. And then there were things I hadn’t

come close to expecting, like Greg’s deep self-loathing and his

obsessive feelings for me.

Greg hated himself and instead of turning it inward, he let his

rage out on anyone unfortunate enough to get close to him in any

way. He’d pushed me off the stairs because I was secure in who I

was. He pushed me because I was happy with my love and my life

and he knew no amount of seduction, intimidation, or force would

make me give in to him. He had wanted me all along, knowing he’d

missed his chance or that he’d never had one.

But no matter the reason for my death, Greg was a psychopath

and all of us, in one way or another, had fed into his behavior.

Whether it had been Rodrick’s refusal to see anything but the best

in his feeders, Camila’s willingness to let Rodrick run his house the

way he saw fit, or even my refusal to get involved simply because

I didn’t like Greg and his attitude toward my relationship with

Camila, the human in all of us had let the monster in Greg get away

with near murder.

“That’s why I killed him,” Camila’s voiced floated quietly in

the dark. “I grabbed him, and his mind opened and I saw everything

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he’d ever done, things Rodrick wouldn’t have known unless he’d

done a complete mental strip. I know he wasn’t mine, but he was

a monster. Like he said, Dalhem wanted justice for everyone. He

wanted Greg to own up to what he did to Samantha in front of

Rodrick and his father. I couldn’t let him get away with anything

more.”

Then something else occurred to me. “How come Natasha

didn’t know what was going on with Sam?”

“You saw the other things, with her family, you’ve seen how

she is with you girls. Sam has always been hurting. She’s always

been angry. The tone of her emotions was the same before Greg.

Don’t ask Natasha about it, Red. She and Rodrick already feel like

they’ve failed us all.”

“I won’t,” I murmured into the darkness. “I’m still not sorry

you killed him. Who shoves someone down a flight of stairs?” I

chuckled harshly. Camila huffed back as I squeezed her hand tighter.

It took a few breaths, a few moments in the dark silence, but

a sense of calm settled around and in that calm, I was split in two.

The demon in me felt strong and whole. I knew my place and what I

must do. It longed only for Sam’s blood and her safety and Camila’s

touch. My human side, the part that was still alive, was crying out. I

would never see my family again.

I pulled my hand out of Camila’s grasp and took a step away. I

could see the pain in her eyes.

“I love—I need some time.” I did love her, but I needed

more than five minutes in a dark room to process what my life had

become now that she was safe. I figured it would take a few years

of mourning and searching for closure to find peace with my new

life. I hoped it wouldn’t take as long to come to terms with Camila.

She swallowed anxiously. “I’ll just be in the office.”

“Okay.” I couldn’t ask her to stay. Still, it sucked to watch her

go. I stood near the bed long after I heard the office door close, but

eventually I climbed under the covers with Sam. She was warm and

her body was an instant comfort, but she was a wild sleeper. I had

to stop her from kicking me in the shins half a dozen times as she

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tossed and flopped around. When I spooned her body against mine

and took a few passes at stroking her hair, she finally settled down.

If only I could say the same for my over burdened mind.

Figure it out. Figure out what you’re going to do, then go talk

to her.

There was nowhere for me to run. I couldn’t hide in my dorm

room. I couldn’t go home. The ABO house was my home now. Even

if I escaped to another sister-queen’s room, Camila was a part of

me now. I knew exactly what Mom would say. Forgive her. She

would tell me to embrace the change and to forgive Camila or I

would poison everything we’d shared together. I would taint any

chance of happiness in my new existence. Making things right with

Camila was something I had to do, though at the moment I wanted

something different.

I wanted to call Todd and my parents, even though it was the

middle of the night. I wanted to call my brother and thank him for

finding me and thank my parents for loving me. I saw Cleo’s point

even more now. I knew things would never be the same no matter

what my master had to report, but I did want to say good-bye.

Dalhem struck me as a punctual man, so I knew when he said

thirty-six hours, thirty-six hours was what he meant. We’d returned

from his house a little before eleven p.m. I expected to hear from

him no later than eleven a.m. Tuesday morning. And between now

and then I would get on with my immortal life and let the rest—let

my family—go. I had no other choice.

❖

Just before two a.m., Benny showed up at the door. I left Sam

sleeping and let her in.

“I didn’t walk over here alone,” she said as we walked to the

couch. “Faeth picked me up.”

“I’ll have to thank her. Your step-dad is pretty…interesting.”

“Did you see his wings or his talons?” She chuckled quietly.

“No. But the horns and the teeth. I definitely saw those.”

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Benny frowned and leaned a little closer. “He is good, Ginger. I

know he’s intense, but he is good. He’s just…not human.”

I sighed sadly. I had no ill will toward Dalhem, and there was

no need for her to think I did.

“I know. It wasn’t him, Benny. It was the situation. I understand

he was just doing his job.”

“Where’s Camila?”

I pointed over my shoulder to the office. “We’re…taking a

break.”

“Faeth told me a few things in the car. That night in the hospital

you couldn’t have saved Cleo.”

“I see that now. The bond is much stronger from this end. I

should have listened to Camila.” I stopped myself before my mind

started with an impossible game of what if.

“It’s not just that. Cleo had a year or two tops before her

relationship with her mother fell apart. She was going to come out

after graduation and her mother would have disowned her. And

believe me, her church loves to make examples of homosexuals.

My parents were already planning to support her. I figured if she

became a demon it would soften the blow of her family’s rejection.

She just wanted to hold on to this charade she had going with them a

little longer.” Cleo has almost said as much that day in the mall, but

part of me thought she was just afraid to tell her mom she was gay. I

never thought her family would actually kick her out.

“But my family, my mom, they knew about me. They wanted

to meet Camila. I need them, Benny. I need my family.”

“You still have a family. You don’t have to go through this

alone. You have me and Amy. You have Sam. You have the sister-

queens, a house full of sorority girls. Rodrick and the brother-kings

are always around, and you have Camila.”

Finally, I let myself cry. I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

Everything Benny was saying made sense, but I wasn’t ready to

accept the truth. Benny walked over to the bar and came back with

some napkins. They were black, but I knew as I wiped my face they

were now stained blue.

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“Dalhem told me all humans get three chances at life, but most

of the time we don’t see them as opportunities, just obstacles. The

time isn’t right for me and Cleo. Her problem is with me, not the life

of a demon. Don’t let this stand between you and Camila. She loves

you more than I think you know.”

“I know. This just—” I laughed humorlessly. “This sucks.”

“What’s it really like?” I figured Dalhem could tell her

everything she’d ever want to know about being a vampire, but

Dalhem had never been human.

I sat back and wiped my face again. “I like the teeth. A lot.”

Benny smiled when I opened my mouth, letting my fangs grow to

their full length. I hissed at her playfully, giggling myself before

I sheathed them. “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about food in a

while. I should be tired, but I’m not. Blood tastes really good.”

“Cool.”

“It’s just weird. I don’t feel like I’ll ever be myself again.”

“You won’t, but that’s the point of college. To grow up and

change,” Benny said.

“Literally. Listen. Sam’s here, but do you want to stay?”

“Yeah. I think Samantha’s in need of a second chance too.”

I waited for Benny to kick off her boots and her jeans. She

climbed into bed with Sam without a moment’s hesitation. Minutes

after they cuddled together, Benny was out like a light. I watched

them for a few minutes more, gathering up the courage to take

Benny’s advice.

❖

“If I asked you to take me somewhere, would you?” I said

quietly. Camila stood from her office chair.

“Of course. Where—” I didn’t blink as I shared my thoughts

with her, showing Camila my mind’s image of where exactly I

wanted to go. Sadness clouded her face, but she held out her hand

for me. In the next breath, I was in Camila’s arms. I shuddered as

our cheeks touched. I could feel it in my bones, across every inch of

my skin. This was home.

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“Close your eyes,” she said. I did as she asked, feeling the

warmth of her lips against my neck and then I felt the heat of the

Mexican night wind blowing through my hair.

I opened my eyes and glanced across the shallow river, lit blue

and silver by spots of moonlight pushing through the trees. It was

the very spot Camila had been that day, here on the fertile riverbank.

I glanced around, seeing that Dalhem had kept his promise. The land

remained untouched, and I knew as Camila exhaled a deep, somber

breath, that almost nothing had changed in those sixty-five years.

We held perfectly still, letting the night creatures grow

accustomed to our presence, and after a few moments, the small

chirps of tropical insects and midnight birds rose again. Then

I walked down to the water, letting my fingertips break the cool

surface. Camila kept her eyes on me the whole time, not saying a

word as I let the last few days roll around in my head.

It wasn’t long before she’d had enough. She was having a hard

time just standing on the bank with her back to what was once her

home, but I had to know the truth. I had to hear the words from

her willingly, without our connection or our relationship working

against her in a moment of weakness. I turned to face her, keeping

the physical distance between us.

“We were screwed from the beginning, weren’t we?” I said,

my voice sounding overly loud in the dark wilderness. “You would

have saved me yourself no matter what. If I’d gotten hit by a car or

choked on some broccoli, you would have saved me, no matter what

I said.” Her eyes darkened a bit in the moonlight. I could feel her

fighting the urge to lie to me, but it wasn’t going to work.

Camila swallowed then shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I would have done the same thing.” I walked to her

and gently tucked a short spike of hair behind her ear. “If I’d been in

your shoes, I would have saved you too. A thousand times.”

“Dalhem was right. Natasha or Faeth could have made you

whole again, but I wasn’t thinking, and I ruined your life.”

“No. Greg is the one who pushed me. You just followed your

heart. I feel it now, with Sam, even with you. You were right. This

body and its connections—it’s different. It’s more. I’ll miss my

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family. I already do, but you have to see I will never take that out

on you. Ever.”

“You will.”

“No, I won’t,” I said, taking a step closer to her. Her breasts

touched mine. “Here’s what I realized. If I can’t heal us, I’ll never

move on, and losing you will just add to the pain. Earlier…” I failed

as the emotion caught up with me. My throat ached to close. I glanced

back up again, and when our eyes locked, I knew I also owed her the

whole truth. Uncontrollably, cool tears started streaming down my

face. “Earlier tonight, I couldn’t find you for twenty minutes, and

those were the longest twenty minutes of my life. Do you understand

how much I love you?”

She started to nod and speak, but I interrupted her. My point

wasn’t sinking in.

“I know you see it and I know you feel it, but you have to

believe it. You have to believe me.” I huffed painfully, swallowing

as many tears as I could manage before I went on.

“Ginger, I know…I’m afraid,” she finally said.

“So am I. I’m scared shitless about all of this. Everything but

us.” “What if you can’t forgive me?”

“Can’t you see that’s what I’m doing? I forgive you.”

I closed the distance between us and crushed her to me. That’s

what broke her. Just a few tears at first, but soon we were both

sobbing amongst the moonlit trees, probably scaring the crap out of

the wildlife.

“There will be days where I’m sad and there will be days

where I’m angry. There may even be days where I’m angry at you.

All couples fight, but I will always, always love you.” Wiping her

cheeks seemed to affirm that fact. She was too precious to me, meant

more to me than anyone ever would again. “I’ll need you to help me

through it. I’m going to need you to make me laugh. And I’ll do the

same for you. When you want to kill Cleo or Tokyo. Although, I

guess they’re my problem now. I just, right now, I need you. Why

didn’t you tell me about the life-bond?” I kissed her gently, tasting

her sweet tears.

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“I didn’t want to scare you.”

“Well, I wouldn’t have let you do it. I wanted to grow old, but

I didn’t want you to die with me. We’ll just have to live forever

together.” She pulled me closer this time, burying my wet cheek

against her neck.

“What do we have to do for me to be your na’suul?” She leaned

back as I fished the engagement ring out of my pocket. I took a bit

of sick pleasure as her eyes popped wide when she saw what was

in my hand.

“Um, it’s quite simple actually. I just want you to be sure.

Our divorce would be slightly more involved than lawyers and

paperwork.”

“I want to do it. Now.”

“Red…”

“Don’t you dare tell me no.”

“Okay, baby,” she said, trembling slightly. “Just remember, this

is more than a marriage. It’s an oath that surpasses the feeder bond

and even the bond we have with our sisters. You’ll be able to sense

me always. Our minds will be connected.”

“Perfect. Mila, will you marry me?”

“Yes.” She nodded as the tears started again down her cheeks.

She took the ring from me and slid it on my finger. It was a perfect

fit. “Give me your other hand. And you take mine.”

With her right hand over my heart and mine over hers, she

cupped the back of my head with her left. I did same. When our

foreheads touched, she whispered several words into the night air.

Na’suul was the only one I understood, but that didn’t stop me from

feeling the weight of their meaning. Once she finished, she gently

slid her ring finger between my lips. I guided mine toward her plump

mouth.

“Bite,” she said. I tasted her cool, sweet blood as her fangs

pierced my skin. A drop was all we needed to seal our love, but

we took more. And then she kissed me. I cried out against her lips,

feeling whole, so completely loved without having to utter a single

vow, and then like a movie playing in my mind, Camila showed me

her life.

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I saw her entire existence, human and demon. I knew the

smells of her Mexican valley as it had been when it was filled with

human life and joy. I knew the feeling of the rocky ledges and the

cool riverbed under her feet. I knew the survival lessons her mother,

father, and brothers had taught her. I saw the smiles of her children

and heard the sound of their laughter as they called her mama. I felt

the warmth and respect in the firm embrace of her husband’s arms.

I saw the devotion in Abrah’s eyes, and I felt the unconditional love

that dwelt in Dalhem’s heart.

I knew, even more, exactly why she’d saved Cleo and why

she’d changed me. I felt her love for me, how it swallowed up all her

rational sense, how it made her feel alive and whole again. All her

stresses, her hesitations and fears, I knew them and felt their sting,

and then I saw how her love for me helped her push them away.

I whimpered desperately into our kiss, taking what she was

giving me. Her life. And I gave her mine. Every moment. Every tear.

Every smile. Things from my past I didn’t want to remember and

memories I didn’t want to forget. They were all hers now. In every

possible way, I was hers now.

And I am yours, Red, she silently whispered into my heart.

I understood now that our na’suulaem had nothing to do with our

need for blood and everything do with our devotion to each other.

We were no longer two demon-vampires connected by our sister-

queen bond, or demon and maker. We were one, partners of the soul.

We’d be together for the rest of my life, and for the eternity of hers,

she would be mine.

The kiss went on for what seemed like forever, but soon we

pulled apart. I gazed at her, now my wife, overwhelmed and stunned

into silence.

“Red,” she whispered. “I want to consummate this, but there’s

something I want to show you first. Shift with me.”

“What do I have to do?” I asked as we shed our clothes.

“I’ll shift first and then you come into my mind. It’s very

simple,” she said, wiping my cheeks with the backs of her fingers.

I nodded then kissed her again. A moment later Camila was beside

me, this time on all fours as a sleek panther.

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“Got sick of the house cat costume?” I asked.

No. There are condors out here that could swallow a housecat

whole. They like to hunt at night. No need to tempt them.

“Oh.” I kept the rest of my commentary to myself and followed

the cues my demon needed to shift. It felt the same as vanishing,

almost like flying, only faster.

It took a second to get used to being so close to the ground,

having whiskers and thickly padded paws in place of feet and hands,

but I adjusted the moment Camila’s large feline head nuzzled against

the thick fur on my neck. I purred back deep in my throat, licking

at her face and ears. In the next moment, she took off into the trees,

bounding over rocks and ferns. I stayed close behind, letting her

take me deeper into the night. I was still the queen, but when she

knew where to lead, I would always follow.

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Chapter tWenty

Camila and I took a quick shower, and while she was getting

dressed, I called Barb. She was a little confused to hear

from me at the crack of dawn, but much more confused when I

opened the door for her a few minutes later. Shock flashed across

her face when she sensed my power, and her eyes grew even wider

as she fixated on my teeth. I explained to her quickly what had

happened, skimming over the dramatics, leaving out details about

Samantha that were hers and hers only to share.

Barb handled the news well, her own sense of duty as chapter

president overtaking her shock and her confusion.

“So, uh, you’ll need two more feeders, right?” Barb asked

nervously. She couldn’t stop staring at my teeth.

“Yes. We’ll let you guys choose again,” I said.

“I’d like to stay with Camila,” she replied honestly. I told her

that was fine, patting her arm as I sensed her relief. Titles may have

changed, but I had no aspirations of grandeur, no bright ideas that

said I had to mess with a good thing.

Camila came out of the bedroom dressed for bed in her tank and

a pair of my shorts. I gave them a minute alone and went to check on

Sam and Benny. In the darkness of the bedroom, through the closed

door, I could sense Camila as she fed from Barb, deeply but slowly

and safely. Barb did an excellent job of keeping her moaning and

whimpering to herself. My body still flushed with heat, feeding off

the lust rising in Camila. Knowing once the feeding was done, that

Camila would be mine helped me keep my impatience in check.

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reBekah WeatherspOOn

I watched Benny and Sam sleeping soundly. How in the world

had I gone from college student to married, crowned, demon foster

mother in a matter of days? I thought of Seamus, wondered how

much he and my birth father had in common, how often he thought

of my mother. I wondered what exactly he did for Caana.

My thoughts drifted back to my Mila. Her feeding was almost

complete, and with every swallow she took, my body bloomed for

her, my skin flushing hotter, moisture rushing between my legs. I

closed the bedroom door and walked quietly past her, into her office.

Her gaze tracked my every step.

I left my clothes in a pile by the sideboard and leaned against

her desk, leaving the lights off. I slipped my fingers over my tingling

clit and let my head fall back on my shoulders, my purr vibrating the

mouse on its pad.

Out in the living room, Camila growled.

I waited, listening as Barb slipped out the door. A second later,

Camila appeared in front of me, panting and ready.

My body reacted differently to hers now. It invited her strength,

ached for her physical power as a sign of her love. The animal in

me would never be satisfied with the care she took with my former

human self. I wanted all of her.

I watched her curves as she walked toward me, gazed over

every inch of her as she came between my legs, licking my mouth,

swirling her tongue around the tips of my fangs, sharing her feeder’s

flavor with me. The force of my lust rumbled deep in my throat as

I took what she offered, sucking her tongue deep into my mouth.

Barb’s blood was sweet, but not as sweet as my Mila.

I ripped her tank top over her head and tossed it on the floor.

My shorts followed as I yanked them down her smooth legs. I smiled

at how wet the crotch was. Drawn forward, I cupped her breasts,

massaging one and suckling on the other. I nipped her delicious

brown nipple, teasing it with my teeth and my tongue, sucking it

between my lips. Her fingers weaved their way into my hair, holding

me closer, her body arching toward me.

“Ginger,” her voice echoed in the darkness. My pussy clenched,

my throat tightened as she called to me. I lifted my head, searching

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up her neck, and finding her mouth. My tongue slid inside with

slow, dragging strokes, past the tips of her pulsing fangs. And then

her fingers found my slit, digging inside, pumping me, filling each

inch, making me want more as her thumb rotated over my clit.

Suddenly, part of me snapped. This wasn’t how this was

supposed to go. I knew it had to be Dalhem’s doing, but I could feel

it, clearer than a simple title change. I was in charge now. Camila’s

demon belonged to me.

Pulling away from our kiss, I looked up in her eyes. Her gaze

softened, the caramel and green oddly muted for how turned on I

knew she was. Slowly, she withdrew fingers and lowered her head.

Normally, that would have made me beyond uncomfortable. This

was Camila. She didn’t bow to me. Ever. But the demon in me was

pleased, aroused even more at the sight of her submission.

I cupped her face and guided her lips back to mine. I swallowed

the whimpers that came from her mouth as I sucked her tongue past

my teeth and licked her fangs and her lips and chin.

“Do you want it hard?” I said against her skin.

“Yes.”

I plunged my tongue back into her mouth and walked us across

the room, the drive of my desire to get inside her carrying more

than enough momentum. More momentum than I realized. My body

slammed into Camila’s as her back slammed into the sideboard. The

Colonial Williamsburg ashtray smashed to the floor, but neither of

us made any move to stop it.

I gripped my Mila’s hips and spun her around. Reading my

mind, she bent over the wood surface, presenting her perfect ass to

me. My knees met the hardwood floor with a loud thud. I wasted

no time spreading her open and spearing her pussy with my tongue,

coating my mouth with her cinnamon musk. I moaned, taking in her

flavor, driving her with more force as my nails scraped her clit.

“Ah, fuck!” Camila cried while she scrambled up the sideboard.

I helped her, gripping her thigh and shoving it up beside her elbow.

One of the antique teacups and its saucer crashed and broke into

pieces next to the ashtray.

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reBekah WeatherspOOn

The animalistic sounds we couldn’t contain grew louder and

louder together, and more and more, I felt my control slipping, the

human in me getting lost to our fierce lovemaking, but I liked it.

Camila did too. Silently, she told me so.

I stood, swapping my mouth with my fingers, grinding my clit

against her hip.

“Come,” I demanded, drilling my fingers harder and harder

into her slit. When she didn’t, I told her again, “Come.” I clamped

down on her shoulder with my fangs and her pussy spasmed around

my fingers, soaking my palm.

“Ginger,” she sobbed, rolling her head against her forearm.

“Ginger, God.”

“I’m not done with you yet,” I said, licking at the small dimples

I made in her skin. “On the floor, my Mila.”

Camila vanished through my fingers. I spun around to find her

stretched out on the floor, smirking in the darkness at the shock on

my face.

“You think you’re funny, don’t you.” I fell back to my knees and

pulled her pussy flush to mine, throwing her leg over my shoulder.

“Just doing what my queen told me to do,” she moaned as

I rolled my thumb over her clit. I ground my hips in a punishing

motion, rewarding myself with a violent shudder. Camila’s fingers

pinched at my nipples, pulling me closer. I leaned over her, riding

her as hard as I could into the floor, shocked at how suddenly my

orgasm tackled me.

I couldn’t keep in the loud, roaring growl that tore from my

chest. The sound pushed Camila over. She trembled beneath me,

gripping my sides to anchor herself to the floor. I knew she was

ready for more, but I rolled off her, my sensible self wanting to

check in with her lover before things went any further.

Her eyes fluttered open as I licked her shoulder. I just had to

kiss her now that I was thinking somewhat straight. “You okay?” I

murmured into her mouth.

“Of course, baby. I’m fine.” She wrapped an arm around my

waist and gently trailed her fingertips up and down my back. I

snuggled closer to her body, kissing and licking the scent of her

• 328 •

Better Off red

sweetness off her chest. “We should have done this in Tokyo’s

room.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Would have been nice to break some of her shit.”

“Oh, sorry.” I laughed, feeling more myself.

“Don’t be. The ashtray cost me five bucks, and when was the

last time you saw me drinking tea?”

“I don’t know what came over me.” I sat up and looked into her

eyes. “Will it always be like that, now that I’m queen or whatever?”

“Only if you want it to be, baby.” I thought about it for a little

while as I listened to Camila’s gentle breathing. Taking control was

fun, a major turn-on, letting the demon in me be the animal it needed

to be from time to time, but I didn’t need more change. Sexual

assault, temporary paralysis, and a shift to a different physical

species was enough for one night.

I kissed her one more time, guiding her hand between my legs.

“Let’s take turns.”

Camila agreed, pushing her fingers inside me.

❖

A while later, Camila put on a continuous loop of the slow

tempo techno jams we’d made love to and I’d fallen asleep to so

many times since we’d met. We climbed in bed, cuddling close on

either side of Samantha and Benny.

I slipped my arm around Sam’s waist and Camila gently

stroked Benny’s hair. I thought of the times she’d done that to me

and wondered how many more times she’d touched me that way as

I slept. It was such a sweet gesture, cute even to watch. Sam kicked

my shin, taking unconscious advantage of my distraction. I pinned

her legs between mine, just hoping she’d clobbered Greg a good one

during the nights she’d spent with him. I glanced back up as Camila

snickered, picking up on my thought.

She never yawned, but she blinked heavily for a moment and

confessed she hadn’t slept much since Cleo’s accident. She didn’t

argue when I asked her ever so affectionately to take a nap. I lay

• 329 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

beside them for a long time, watching the three of them sleep,

wondering how I would pass the hours now, what I would do until I

heard from Dalhem.

❖

Monday was the longest day of my entire life. I had to see it

as a first day. My first full day with my true na’suul. My first day as

queen of this weird but perfect family. The first day I could actually

boss Cleo around, but as exciting as all of those things sounded, the

hours dragged.

We sent Benny and Samantha off for breakfast and some last

minute cramming, then we went into the office. Camila hacked into

the Maryland DMV and had them send me a new driver’s license.

She changed my age to twenty-five. Then she ordered herself a new

ID. It had been almost ten years since her last name change. I didn’t

complain. Camila Carmichael had a certain ring to it.

Then Camila gave me a guided tour to my new queendom. She

had access to part of this mysterious database of vampire-demons

Benny had mentioned to me. Dalhem had the names of every vampire

and feeder in North America. I had access to all the vampires who

fed on former members of ABO as well as a general list of all the

vampires and feeders that resided in Maryland and the states that

bordered, anyone who would accidentally stumble upon one of my

girls. I had the names of every sister-queen and brother-king in every

chapter and could call upon them whenever I needed to.

She went through the inner workings of the house. Florencia’s

kids—children I had no clue she had—owned every service we

used, from catering to cleaning. They had their own schedule that

worked so smoothly I never noticed their coming and going in all

the hours I’d spent below ground. If I had any requests, which of

course I didn’t, I could go to Florencia herself. Two of her sons were

Faeth’s backup feeders. Her daughter fed Moreland. I decided to

leave that one alone.

There were other tidbits like the fact there was a house the

Alpha chapter owned in St. Martin that operated as a safe place

• 330 •

Better Off red

for the girls to stay during spring break. It was supposed to be a

surprise for us new girls next semester. I playfully pouted, whining

to Camila that I wanted to go. She scowled back, reminding me that

after dark we could go wherever the hell we wanted.

She lifted my hand, gently twisting my wedding ring, and

generously offered to let me take part in all her personally owned

business ventures. I told her I’d have to get back to her. I had no idea

what I wanted to do now, and I figured it was best to get a hang of

the whole queen thing before I started taking on part ownership in

tattoo shops and hotels. Plus, I had some Japanese to learn.

She gave me Dalhem’s phone number and Benny’s mother’s,

just in case. That brought our joking and teasing up short. I just

wanted to know what was going on with my parents. Tuesday

morning couldn’t come soon enough.

With exactly twenty-four hours left till I heard from Dalhem,

I opened the door to Amy. She was a mess, tap dancing, sobbing

like a fool in the hallway. After I got her to stop crying and yelling,

“Oh, Ginger,” she agreed to grab a few things from our room that

my parents would never notice missing, my letterman’s sweater and

pair of flip-flops I’d spent all summer breaking in.

It eventually sunk in that I wasn’t actually dead, and she asked

me what my official story of death was going to be. I’d admitted I

didn’t know, but assured her I’d work Greg in there somehow as

the villain. Danni came by to get Amy for her econ final. She just

hugged me, thank God. She dragged Amy with her dramatic good-

byes out the door, skipping all the crying and theatrics.

I went back to the office with Camila. Just as I sank back in her

lap, I got a text message from Mom. She wanted to know if Camila

and I had made up and if I was okay. She also wanted to know if

I’d picked up my birthday presents from the university post office.

I kissed away the pained look on Camila’s face as she read the text

over my shoulder, then I deleted it. I texted Amy and asked her to

go to the P.O. to find out how long they kept packages before they

returned them to sender.

After a few deep breaths, Camila explained to me the importance

of subtle behavior around humans.

• 331 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“People only remember a passing pretty face for a few minutes,

a day at best, but they remember if you do something, say something,

that stays in their mind. Always be forgettable, Red,” she said.

“Although that won’t be easy.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll just shift into Cleo if I ever feel like making

a scene.”

A few hours later, Natasha showed up with my two additional

feeders. Paige and Anna-Jade. They’d volunteered as soon as

they’d heard the news. Barb hadn’t called a chapter meeting. I felt

terrible for taking two feeders from Natasha, but she didn’t seem

bothered by it at all. She and Rodrick shared several feeders outside

the house, and she could still see the girls every day. She hushed

my buts and what-ifs and released Anna-Jade to me before I could

argue anymore. I thanked her before she disappeared, promising her

I would take care of Anna-Jade and Sam just as well as she had. She

winked at me and told me she knew I’d do much better.

Before I accepted Paige, she turned to Camila.

“You’re not angry, are you—that I’m leaving you?”

“No. Ginger’s my wife. I’m willing to share.”

“Oh,” Paige said, shocked. “So I still can’t sleep with her?”

Camila barked out in laughter, tossing her head back. “I release

you, Paige Charlotte Plummer. Serve this sister-queen as you would

serve the master himself. As you would serve me.”

I accepted the little horndog’s vow, shaking my head as I

grabbed her hand and sliced a cut, nice and deep. She didn’t even

flinch. I sealed the bonding wound, licking the blood away, and

somehow I should have known that out of all my feeders, Paige’s

blood would be the most potent aphrodisiac. I was very happy

with Anna-Jade and Paige. I kissed and held them both, a little

embarrassed at how sad the thought of them leaving for the three

weeks after finals made me.

They headed off to class just as Rodrick appeared at the door. He

had a letter from Greg’s father, apologizing for Greg’s “unfortunate”

behavior. I told him I’d read it later, but thanked him sincerely for

everything he had done. He and Pax had already returned the body

to Greg’s family, who had planned to officially report Greg’s death

• 332 •

Better Off red

as a suicide early next semester. They’d work me in however I

decided—as soon as I heard from Dalhem.

Samantha was still a little out of it when she came back from

the newspaper office that night. I had Cleo bring Andrew by and we

ordered some pizza for them. Andrew was just so calm and gentle,

it was impossible not to like him. He didn’t hesitate to tell Sam

how Greg had acted with him. Knowing Greg had been that cruel

with more than just her helped Samantha relax a lot, but the comfort

wasn’t enough to keep her from spending the night in our bed.

❖

I thought it would be best to take the quick bullet from Dalhem

and get on with my day. I invited Cleo to bring Andrew over for a

nice breakfast with Samantha in our apartment. Florencia felt a little

bad about all the dying and families breaking up, so she whipped up

some pancakes for us. I had no desire to eat at all until we lifted the

lid off the five short stacks and the mountain of bacon she sent down.

I was good to go after one pancake, but I still groaned pathetically as

I ate it. Butter and syrup had never tasted so good.

After Samantha left to take her algebra exam, Camila turned

to Cleo.

“I have to apologize,” she said.

“Why?” Cleo asked as she reclined against Andrew’s chest.

“I should have asked you before it became a matter of your life

hanging in the balance.” Camila glanced at me and I took her hand. “I

should have asked all the girls. And we will, from now on. We should

know what you all want the very first night of initiation. It would have

killed me to let you go, but it was your choice and I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too. I have been a complete shit head, but I

understand why you did it,” Cleo said. I didn’t miss the gentle way

her hand moved up Andrew’s thigh. “I still want to see my mama,

but I’m sorry for being an asshole to you.” Then she turned to me.

“I’m sorry I dragged you though any part of it too, my Queen.”

“It’s okay. I think I put myself in it. Tomorrow, with Camila’s

help let’s go say good-bye to your mom.” Camila nodded in

• 333 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

agreement. We’d all been so caught up in my accident and my

transition that the trip Cleo had been promised was nearly skipped

over. “No,” Cleo replied. “They know I love them. I have to move on.”

“You’re sure?” I asked.

“Yeah.” Apologies accepted, Cleo and Andrew said they

wanted to hang around until I got the call. Faeth showed up to join

in the wait. And then Tokyo dropped in. And Omi. We fought the

awkward moments, filling silences with stupid stories, hatching

ridiculous plans for the rest of my life. I liked Cleo’s idea that we

start a rumor I’d run off to join the circus. Camila played along for

a while, joking that I would love a career in hotel management, but

slowly she grew more and more quiet the closer it got to eleven

a.m. Still, when I looked at her, she was sure to smile. I kissed her

gently, every time reminding her it was the two of us, no matter

what, forever.

Eleven o’clock, eleven oh five, eleven thirty came and went.

By eleven forty-five, I’d considered whether Dalhem himself would

come and break the news to me.

At noon, I took a moment and silently said good-bye to Todd,

my mom, and my dad, knowing they would do much more than

survive without me.

I glanced over at Camila once my prayer was over. I’d managed

to keep it together, but her eyes were gleaming.

“Just let it go, okay?” I said hoarsely.

“Okay, Red,” she murmured back, swallowing her tears.

I took one more kiss from my Mila, then let out a hopeful sigh.

“Do you know what Seamus does for Caana?” I asked.

“He’s her bounty hunter.”

“Seriously?” Tokyo asked, her eyes lighting up a little too

much.“Yes. That’s why he’s so hard to find. He goes off the grid when

he’s working and Caana doesn’t give him much time off. Dalhem

had him summoned the moment you were changed,” Camila said.

“Well, maybe I’ll text him or something. I want to talk to him

some more.”

• 334 •

Better Off red

“About this Seamus…Is he fit?” Faeth asked with all the

subtlety of a bull.

“Did you just ask me if my uncle was hot?” I scowled back at

her. “No, she asked if he was fit,” Cleo mocked.

“He looks like Red, just a foot and a half taller with a beard,”

Camila replied.

“I can work with that,” Tokyo said, flashing her fangs.

“You are not fucking my uncle.”

“Why?”

Suddenly, my cell phone jumped on the coffee table. Cleo

grabbed it and tossed it to me. I snatched it out of the air, snarling

when I saw the name on the display.

“Yes, Amy.”

“Omigod, Ginger. What happened? Did they call?”

“No, they didn’t. They—”

The call waiting beeped. I pulled my phone away from my ear.

Incoming Call: Alfredo Carmichael. Home

“Amy. I have to go.”

“Ginger, wait.”

“It’s my mom! I have to go.”

I hung up on her and switched to the other line, trying to hold

down my small breakfast.

“Mom?”

“No, Ginge. It’s me,” Dad said. “…Linda, I will. Sorry, your

mother is trying to talk through my head…Linda, I’ll ask her…

Sorry. How you doing, sport?”

I looked over at Camila, completely confused about what to

say. She just shrugged, the same shocked look on her face. “I-I’m

fine. Um, are you and Mom…”

“We’re fine. Linda…Okay. Hold on. Your mom has to speak

with you immediately.” There was a space filled with some

affectionate arguing, before my mom came on the line.

“Gingey?”

“Hi, Mom,” I said, my voice shaking.

• 335 •

reBekah WeatherspOOn

“Hi. Sorry we’re late calling. We were supposed to meet

that Dalhem man last night, but I got the time mixed up. Anyway,

everything’s all straightened out. Did you go by the post office yet?”

“No. Wait. Mom, what do you mean you were supposed to

meet Dalhem last night? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. We were going to call you earlier, but we went

into the city to meet the people we’re supposed to feed. We had to

pick up Todd on the way, and then your father got lost on the way

back and then there was traffic. It was a big mess. Anyway”—she

sighed dramatically—“I don’t know when you’re coming home, but

I’ll call the chancellor’s office this afternoon and we’ll withdraw

you from your classes…Ginger, honey, what’s wrong?”

I seriously had to stop crying. “Nothing, Mom. I—”

Camila was nice enough to take the phone. She pulled me

closer, wrapping her arm around my waist. I buried my face in her

shoulder, sobbing like a baby.

“Hi, Mrs. Carmichael…Hi, Linda…No, she’s just a little

overwhelmed at the moment.” Camila paused. She held the phone

away from her ear as she playfully rolled her eyes. Then she said to

me, “Your parents want to know what we’re doing for New Year’s.”

“Tell them we’ll be there,” I nearly shouted. And we would. I

wanted my amazing, demon-wife to meet her new family.

• 336 •

About the Author

After years of meddling in her friends’ love lives, Rebekah turned to

writing romance as a means to surviving a stressful professional life.

She has worked in various positions from library assistant, meter

maid, middle school teacher, B-movie production assistant, reality

show crew chauffeur, D-movie producer, and her most fulfilling job

to date, lube and harness specialist at an erotic boutique in West

Hollywood.

Her interests include Wonder Woman collectibles, cookies, James

Taylor, quality hip-hop, football, American muscle cars, large breed

dogs, and the ocean. When she’s not writing, reading, or sleeping,

she is watching Ken Burns documentaries and cartoons or taking

dance classes. If given the chance, she will cheat at UNO. She

was raised in Southern New Hampshire and now lives in Southern

California with an individual who is much more tech savvy than she

will ever be. Better Off Red is her first novel.

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Table of Contents

Book 1

book 1

Chapter One

Chapter tWO

Chapter three

Chapter fOur

Chapter five

Chapter six

Chapter seven

Chapter eight

Chapter nine

Chapter ten

Chapter eleven

Chapter tWelve

Chapter thirteen

Chapter fOurteen

Chapter fifteen

Chapter sixteen

Chapter seventeen

Chapter eighteen

Chapter nineteen

Chapter tWenty