Better Off Red
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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.
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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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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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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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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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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.