Black than Blue Read online

  I thought carefully before I answered. “I expected it to be worse.”

  Cleo stood and started peeling out of her clothes in front of me. I looked around frantically, as if she were undressing me. When she was done, she leaned down and gently took my chin in her hand.

  “You see how strong I am? How healthy?” she said in hushed tones. I nodded. “Their blood does that for me. It gives me the strength I need for you. The power I’ll need to take care of you.” She leaned closer and kissed me. “And our family. This…” She took my hand and placed it between her legs. She was so wet. “This is for you and no one else. You understand?”

  “Yes, Cleo.”

  “You see how no one is focused on us?”

  I glanced around. She was right. Even Tokyo had taken a break from her glaring and was fingers and fangs deep in one of her girls. “Yes.”

  “Just remember that.” Cleo straddled me and in almost the same motion bent my head to the side and took my neck. My eyes slammed shut as I came, again and again, until she stopped and closed the bites.

  I was too weak to stop her as she slid to her knees and pulled down my pants. She went at my pussy with her mouth, attacked my clit with firm strokes of her tongue, and teased me with light nips from her fangs. I held on to the thick roots of her hair and did the only thing I could do: I let her have control.

  I nearly screamed as I came with a violent, blinding shudder.

  When I opened my eyes, I saw that Cleo was right again. No one seemed to notice.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Benny

  We flew out of Baltimore the following Thursday morning. When we left, it was forty-eight degrees. I wore extra layers because, depending on the environment, my body temperature bounced between normal and that of a woman streaking through menopause. Despite my thinking ahead, I was still uncomfortable on the plane, freezing or burning up. Luckily, I was sitting in a row with Amy and Sam and they didn’t seem to mind my fidgeting, an added bonus to not being seated next to a stranger while dealing with the size of the seat. It was not made for someone of my carriage.

  Mama and I always flew first class when we traveled, but to get our whole sorority and the OBA boys on the same flight, we were all in coach. I would have been mortified if I were trying to hold myself in place in between two strangers, always terrified that some part of my body was touching theirs. Amy gave me the window while she took the aisle. Sam sat between us and used me as a human pillow.

  Many long hours later, we landed in St. Martin, or as they call it on the Dutch side of the island, Sint Maarten. It was seventy-eight degrees out. Amy took my coat and my sweater from me as soon as we got off the plane and shoved them into her carry-on for me. She had extra room for presents for her mom and Danni.

  “God, I need a nap,” Sam said as she stretched.

  “You slept and snored the whole flight.” Amy laughed.

  “I’m in vacation mode now. That’s at least fifteen hours of sleep. Don’t give me that look,” she said to Amy. Amy’s face said what I’d been thinking. Sam would sleep like that all the time. Being on vacation had nothing to do with it.

  We grabbed our luggage and waited in line for the shuttles that Florencia had arranged for us. She’d be down in a few days to check on us, but she definitely was not in housemother mode. Three local feeders who belonged to a friend of Omi’s wife had been assigned to be available to us during the day. We were usually pretty well behaved, but you never knew with college kids. Our demon chaperones would be arriving that night. Cleo had plans for us, but she hadn’t clued me in to what they were. She had only told me to wear a dress and nothing else.

  I watched the gorgeous town creep by as we made our way to the house in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Our chapter owned a house, and Omega Beta Alpha owned a large one next door. We shared the beach property in the rear, but every day, a group would take off for the French side of the island to hit the nude beaches. I always skipped those field trips. When we got to the house, we let the freshmen down and told them they’d have to share rooms on vacation too, four to a room. I was bunking with Amy, though I hoped most of the nine nights we were on the island I would be busy someplace else.

  We unpacked, and after a shower and a few minutes of nagging, I changed into my swimsuit and joined the girls out by the pool. I thought having a beach and pool was a little redundant, but it came with the house. It was a gorgeous day out and the breeze from the ocean made the heat mostly enjoyable. Laura and Mel were putting on quite a topless show in the pool, and from the looks of things, Gwen and Ashley were fixing to join them. Still, I needed a distraction. I tightened my sarong, parked myself on a lounge chair between Samantha and Amy, and opened my book.

  “Ugh, why are you reading?” Amy asked.

  “Why? You want to talk about politics? Complex genetic engineering? Boys?”

  “Duh. I fucking love boys.”

  “Seriously,” Sam said dryly. “Don’t even get her started. It’ll be boy, boys, cock, cock, cock all afternoon.”

  “You know me.” Amy sighed and rolled over onto her stomach. “So are you just bursting with excitement waiting for Cleo to get here?”

  “You know me. Always bursting.”

  “You’ll have fun, though. First vacation together.” Cleo had chaperoned every year, but each trip had been a nightmare for me. Watching Cleo flirt with her feeders everywhere we went. And worse, watching her with Tokyo. This year, Tokyo would be back, but things would be different.

  I was anxious for Cleo to arrive and just as anxious for the sun to go down. Our sister-queens hated making the trip. Their quarters in the house on St. Martin were a fraction of the size of their apartments at school. To compound the discomfort, their only escape during the day meant they would have to shift. I would love to spend the day with Cleo, walking down the beach or checking out the shops, but with Cleo in her human form, not Cleo the tropical bird on my shoulder or Cleo the dog who defied leash laws. The days here would be much harder. Avoiding the snow was much easier than avoiding sunshine and tropical breezes.

  “Who’s coming with her?” Sam asked.

  “Tokyo, Kina, and Faeth.”

  “They lose a bet?” Sam asked.

  “They volunteered.”

  “Still sucks they have to babysit like this.”

  “Whatever.” Amy yawned and then she smiled. “They have Christmas and summer break all to themselves.”

  I gave up trying to read and stared out across the pool. A few of the OBA boys were already starting up some shenanigans on the beach. Anna-Jade, Ruth, and Maddie ran out to meet them. Sam yawned on my other side, and suddenly, I was sleepy.

  “Just nap with me, B,” Sam said, caressing my arm. I tried not to shiver as she grazed the mark. “You know you want to.”

  “I’ll stay awake to keep you from roasting.”

  “That works too.”

  I picked up my book again and did my best not to think about Cleo. It didn’t work.

  The afternoon went by slowly, to a painful degree. Florencia had food sent over for us. We finally went down to the beach. I dipped my toes in the water while the others played touch football with the boys. I saw that as an ankle sprain just waiting to happen and decided to watch. Jill kept me company. She talked incessantly, but she seemed to finally understand that I was seeing someone else now. She just talked about class and how Hollis and Skylar were becoming her new best friends.

  For the most part, I enjoyed myself, but the minute the sun set, I found myself waiting by the front door. Shortly after the sky went from a deep blue to a pure black, I saw their headlights approaching the house. A black SUV pulled up, and as soon as Cleo shut off the engine, Tokyo, Kina, and Faeth hopped out and started unloading their bags. Once they headed into the house, Cleo lagged behind. The moment our eyes met, I regretted letting Amy put together my outfit. I had a handful of dresses, but in a pathetically insecure moment, I couldn’t find anything I wanted to wear. Amy hushed me, found one
of my longer, less see-through sarongs, and wrapped it up in a cute style that tied behind my neck. I was covered down to my knees, and the color and fabric helped disguise the fact that my boobs were also hanging down to my knees.

  Cleo scooped me up with one arm behind my back. I was still getting used to how easy it was for her to pick me up. Our bodies pressed together, and I was suddenly aware of every inch of her body. Her loose jeans and her tight T-shirt, her crisp white sneakers. Her breasts touching mine. She didn’t seem to notice the dress. She was staring at my mouth. “Did you miss me?” she asked, just before she kissed me on my lips. She smelled so good.

  “Did you miss me?”

  “Of course I did.” I knew she had made plans for us, but as soon as she put her bags away, I planned to tackle her on the nearest flat surface. She wasn’t in my mind, but I think she could read my intentions all over my face. She put me down and kissed me another time, but longer and sweeter. I felt that she missed me. I felt that she wanted me too.

  “We were just gonna talk to the girls right quick,” she said, touching my cheek. “And then I’m all yours.”

  “Okay.”

  “Come on.”

  Ten minutes later, I found myself sitting with the other girls in the main lounge while Cleo gave us the rundown of the rules, mostly for the freshmen. She’d changed and now stood in front of us in a black bikini top, black linen pants, and sandals. She looked so good, I was having a hard time focusing on anything she was saying.

  “Stop messing with it. You look great,” Amy whispered as I readjusted her makeshift dress over my knee.

  “Check in with your partners every few hours. If you are separated, you know who to call. Do not go off anywhere with strangers. Do not bring any strangers back here. If I see a man in this house who is not wearing an OBA dog tag, or even a mildly attractive local woman, your ass is mine and not in a good way. You are on vacation. If you meet the love of your life, they should be perfectly fine with your e-mail and a promise to Skype with them once you get home. You’ve all checked with your vampires and worked out a drinking schedule?”

  “Yes,” the girls all whined. We knew the drill. No drinking before you fed your demon.

  “Good. I don’t think anyone wants to hear that their blood tastes like rat poison. Any questions?”

  “No.”

  “Good. Use the shuttles. If you want to leave some place early, call us and we’ll come pick you up. No cabs. Okay? Okay. Go have fun.”

  The girls dispersed. Most of them were going to Coco Bananas, the club we’d been frequenting the last two years. The place was usually packed, the crowd was younger, and the music was always good. I wasn’t the slightest bit disappointed to be missing it. Cleo had a few last words with Kina and Faeth, then came over and took my hand.

  “You ready?”

  I nodded and let her lead me outside. The night was perfect. The temperature had dropped and the moon was starting to rise.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “For a walk.”

  We walked a few blocks, and I told her about the flight and our day. I also reminded her how much I’d missed her. Eventually, we stopped at a smaller house, white with a beige tile roof. The garage took up the floor at street level. I kept quiet as we walked up the stairs to the front door, but when Cleo pulled out a gold key, I had to know.

  “Whose house is this?”

  She guided me inside with a hand on my ass. The lights were already on and I could hear music coming from another room. “I don’t know, but it’ll be a while before they’re reported missing.”

  “Cleo.”

  “I’m kidding. I’m renting it for us while we’re here.”

  Pausing in the entryway, I looked up at her in surprise. “You’re amazing.”

  “Come this way.” We walked down a short hall into a great room that combined the living room with the kitchen and a dining area. The table was made up with a spread of Caribbean dishes and candles and flowers.

  “I’ll cook tomorrow night,” Cleo said. “I just have to go send someone to the market.”

  “I’m not really that hungry,” I told her honestly. I appreciated the spread, it smelled delicious, but I’d been waiting all day to be alone with her. Between the relief of finally being together and a late lunch, food could wait till tomorrow.

  “Okay. We’ll heat it up later.” She quickly replaced the covers on the dishes of rice and chicken, then took me out to the back.

  The house was built into the low rock ledges of the beach below. Stairs carved into the rock led down to the sand. There was a large daybed by a fire pit that was already piled high with burning wood. There was a hammock on the opposite site of the deck. This house skipped over the pool and went right for the hot tub. I walked over to it and knelt to test the water. The whirlpool was lined with synthetic stones that hid the jets, and if blue lights weren’t illuminating the tub from the inside, the rock motif would give the illusion that you were stepping into a natural hot spring of some sort. There were two ledges inside that led to the deepest point in the middle.

  “I had it cleaned this morning. No spring break cooties are lurking in that thing.”

  “I trust you.” I stood back up and stepped into Cleo’s arms. She smiled down at me, then kissed the tip of my nose.

  “I just wanted to give you a taste of what our honeymoon will be like.”

  I almost sighed. Instead, I shivered as Cleo’s hands slid over my bare shoulders and down my back. “You want to go someplace tropical?” I asked her.

  “I want to go any place that will make my bunny happy.”

  “Hmm, okay.” I let my forehead drop to Cleo’s chest and started to undo the drawstring on her pants. “No leather?”

  “It’s too hot for those fucking things.”

  “Well, these look good too.” I slid my hand down the front of the linen and was pleased to find she wasn’t wearing any underwear.

  Her voice dropped to a rumbling purr as her fingers tangled with the knot of fabric at the back of my neck. “I like this,” she said. With a flick of her hand, the knot came undone and the sarong started to slip from my body. I caught it with one hand on my chest.

  “Amy made it.”

  “Points for Amy. You should wear something like this tomorrow night when we go out.” Cleo’s tongue swept over the tips of her fangs. “Move your hand.”

  I let the fabric drop to my feet.

  “Get in.” Cleo leaned over and turned off the jets. Soon, all I could hear was the small crackling of the fire, and the ocean below. “I want to look at you.” I slid into the hot tub and turned to face her once I’d swum to the other side. It was wider than it looked. When I looked up at Cleo, her eyes were starting to glow.

  “What do you see?” I asked.

  “Your big ole tits that I love too much.” I looked down. Nearly all I ever saw was my own breasts when I looked in that direction.

  Cleo undid her top and dropped it with her pants next to my sarong. She stepped down into the water, but sat on the edge. I treaded back to where Cleo reclined with her hands supporting her, and raised myself out of the water. Slowly, I licked her left nipple and then her right. Her ankles rubbed against my thighs as I settled my knees on the rock ledge inside the tub.

  “You sure you want to get the beast all riled up?” she purred. “It’s early still.”

  “You’re the one who suggested we get all buck-naked. Besides…” I moved up to her neck and gave her a gentle bite. “I think I want to see it now.” I leaned back to gauge her reaction.

  “What? Oh! You mean my monster demon cock.”

  “Well, not when you put it that way,” I said dryly. It had been on my mind for a while, ever since I first heard Tokyo talk about it. I wanted to see what Cleo could do with her body.

  “I’ll show you. I just don’t want to freak you out. Once it’s seen, Benita, it can’t be unseen.”

  “Show me.”

  “Okay. Move bac
k. I don’t want to put your eye out.”

  “I’m sure it’s not that big.”

  “I don’t know. Andrew had three eyes when I met him.”

  “Just show me.” I lightly jabbed her stomach, but then I sank back into the water on my knees to give her a few extra inches to work. When she reached down and spread her lips, I’ll admit I leaned a little closer. I was curious.

  Cleo rubbed her clit a few times and my own started to tingle between my legs. She drew her hand down lower and fucked herself with a single finger. She was watching me. When she knew I couldn’t wait any longer, she withdrew her finger. I opened my mouth and sucked it clean.

  “I thought you said you weren’t hungry.”

  “For food.”

  “Let me give you something else you can put between those lips.”

  I watched closely as her clit started to grow.

  All demon powers became stronger the more you used them, but vampires had to be careful with those powers. A demon who learned how to enter people’s minds and did so frequently might one day find himself slipping into people’s thoughts involuntarily. A demon who shifted all the time could lose her true shape. Cleo seemed to be well in control of all her powers. Shifting separate body parts was a difficult skill.

  I exhaled as her clit grew large enough for her to grasp with her fingers. I’d never seen a penis in real life before, but I knew this was something different. No foreskin, of course, no circumcised head. The shaft was the same deep brown as the rest of her perfect body. The tip was rounded and smooth. I wanted to touch the length, but I didn’t. I braced myself on her thighs and leaned a little closer.

  “Did Kina teach you this?” I asked.

  “Not exactly. Something like this just sort of happened the first night, but Kina taught me how to control it with more finesse.”

  I looked closer. It was so strange to see the opening to her vagina was still there. I reached down and stroked her there. She purred a little louder. “Can you make this disappear?”