Better Off Red (28 page)

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.”

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“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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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“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.”