Better Off Red (13 page)

• 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.