Better Off Red

by Rebekah Weatherspoon

  our cheeks touched. I could feel it in my bones, across every inch of

  my skin. This was home.

  • 319 •

  reBekah WeatherspOOn

  “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

  • 320 •

  Better Off red

  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.

  • 321 •

  reBekah WeatherspOOn

  “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.

  • 322 •

  Better Off red

  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 less
ons 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.

  • 323 •

  reBekah WeatherspOOn

  “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.

  • 324 •

  Better Off red

  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.

  • 325 •

  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

  • 326 •

  Better Off red

  up her neck, and finding her mouth. My tongue slid inside with

  slow, dragging strokes, past the tips of her pulsing fangs. And then

&
nbsp; 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.

  • 327 •

  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