Better Off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon Read Free Book Online

for our undying loyalty.” I turned these words over in my head as quickly as possible. I looked at the mouths of the five other women flanking the queen and saw their lips were parted now to make room for their elongated teeth. My eyes shot to back to the queen. I didn’t know what she truly was—vampire, demon, overzealous comic book fan.
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    Better Off red
    Either way, I knew she and the other women were not human and we’d been brought there to feed them.
    I did a quick scan for the exit but couldn’t find one. I focused ahead again as the queen and the others stepped from the platform.
    I hadn’t noticed before, but there were large cushions on the floor.
    The six women sank to their knees on the cushions in front of us.
    They bowed their heads and turned their palms up as if they planned to worship us.
    The queen went on. This time her tone was low and somber as if she were begging for forgiveness and asking for permission at the same time.
    “We need your trust and we want nothing more than to offer our own. Your sacrifice is a gift, and in return, we pledge to honor and protect you.” Her voice dropped even lower. “I will ask for a second time. Those of you who have been brought before me and my sisters, do any of you wish to leave?” The queen lifted her head and scanned the line of girls beside me as she spoke. Again, her gaze settled back on me. Nobody moved. I knew we all had our reasons.
    I was too scared.
    “Layna, Heather, please. Make your presentation to your sister-queen.”
    For the first time, I got a good look at one of the other new girls.
    This must have been Anna-Jade, the first girl who was questioned.
    She was much shorter than me with jet-black straight hair to her waist. She had on the same see-through slip. I’d forgotten how exposed we all were. She was shaking. Layna and Heather were wearing long black hooded robes that dragged behind them on the floor. The hoods were down, covering their shoulders. Their hands peeked out from under the draping fabric as they led Anna-Jade forward with a gentle touch to her elbows. Layna carried a knife.
    They knelt on the cushion in front of the first woman, the one with the blunt blond haircut. I watched her face for a moment as she looked over Anna-Jade.
    “Most gracious Natasha, our sister-queen, I present to you Anna-Jade Wilson. She is kind and giving and in need of love and respect,” Layna said softly.
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    reBekah WeatherspOOn
    Heather continued with the same soft murmur. “We know you will bring her the same joy you have brought to us, and we know you will offer her your protection.”
    Natasha gently lifted her finger and tipped Anna-Jade’s chin up so she could look her in the eye. “Do you understand what I ask of you?”“You want my blood?” Anna-Jade replied. I shuddered, hearing my fears confirmed.
    “That is correct. If you will give yourself to me, never will you fear again. I will love and protect you and your little sister.” Anna-Jade made a small hiccupping sound and her body shook more.
    Natasha gave her a moment before she went on. “I ask you one last time, my sweet, will you allow me to bind you to myself, my sister-queens, and your sisters?”
    The decision was up to her now, not the group. This was her final out, her last chance to escape, but Anna-Jade nodded and said,
    “Yes.”
    I was captivated by the vows between them. I didn’t know Anna-Jade at all, but despite the size of Natasha’s teeth, her words were enough to take the fear away, for Anna-Jade at least. I hadn’t lost sight of what was going on here. They were asking us to feed them, but even I couldn’t fight the comfort Natasha offered…until she took the knife Layna held out to her and pulled the blade across Anna-Jade’s palm.
    The air hissed between her teeth, but she didn’t move. Natasha dipped her head slowly and licked the blood away from the opening in the gash. She ran her mouth back and forth across