• 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
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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 themselves 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.