by Lili Zander
I explode.
Saber feels every quiver. Lines of need are etched into his face. He redoubles the intensity of his thrusts, faster, harder, until he comes with a loud groan, and then slumps next to me.
For a long while, neither of us can speak. Finally, Saber breaks the quiet. “What did you tell Ragnar?”
What? I have to search through my memories to remember what we were talking about. “I don’t want to cheat on the three of you. It wouldn’t be right. Especially after…”
His expression is too perceptive. “Especially after Marya drank from Levitan?” His voice is light. “Raven, the situations aren’t the same at all. Marya went behind my back. She let me believe she’d been killed by my enemies.” He skims the back of his hand over my cheek. “You wouldn’t be cheating on us. That’s a human concept. Vampires don’t pair-bond; we form bôs. As long as your current partners consent, you always have the right to invite another partner to a bô.”
That’s more or less what Ragnar had said.
It feels strange to talk about another man while I’m lying in bed, sated from the multiple orgasms Saber gave me. Saber, on the other hand, is acting perfectly normal. Another human-vampire difference, I guess. “Would you consent?” I ask him.
“Yes,” he replies readily.
I frown at him. “To protect me?”
Saber shakes his head. “Being part of Ragnar’s bô isn’t exactly safe. Ragnar can protect you, but you’ll also be in the spotlight. The threats against you will multiply.”
“Then why?”
“The Jowth would have used the children on the Ruby Rose as a bargaining chip,” he replies. “They might not have liked it, but they would have thought it was necessary to protect their interests. Ragnar wouldn’t have.”
“I told him that I’d undo my braids for him if he killed Gerra Clay.”
He flashes me a surprised look. “And he agreed? Before the team of vampires showed up to kill him?”
“Yes, why?”
“Because Gerra and Patrik Kevis, another member of the Ruling Council, sent those assassins.”
Oh. I see what he’s saying. Gerra Clay and Patrik Kevis made an attempt on Ragnar’s life; he will retaliate. But Ragnar had agreed to kill Gerra before he knew he was a target.
He had agreed to kill her because I’d asked.
I’m really not sure what to make of that. I don’t understand Ragnar, not at all. But there are so many other things to freak out about. Worrying about the prince’s motives just causes a headache, and so I curl around Saber’s body and fall back asleep.
16
Saber
A day and a half later, we approach Merin.
Technically part of the Empire, Merin is, in reality, a lawless city planet where anything can be bought or sold. “Home sweet home,” Nero says with a grin as we enter the atmosphere. “I’ve missed this shithole.”
A man’s voice crackles through the speakers. “This is ground control,” he says, sounding bored. “Identify yourselves and the reason for your trip.”
“Nero Grey, captain of the Albatross,” Nero replies, using the cover identity Ragnar’s people set up for us. “We’re tourists. It’s a lovely time of year to visit the Blue Mountains.”
Raven looks confused. “It’s a code,” Zeke whispers. “The Merin underground has operatives everywhere. They’ll recognize Nero and wave us through.”
That’s exactly what happens. “Very well, you’ve been cleared to land,” the man says, his tone unchanged. “Enjoy your stay.”
Back in Boarus 4, Nero contacted three vampires he can trust, Amara Zuboff, Corvan Tofegaard, and Marcus Riljor. They’re waiting for us when we land. Nero marches down the ramp to greet them. Raven hangs behind and studies them covertly, as do I.
Amara Zuboff is pale and tall. Her hair is jet black and hangs to her waist. She’s wearing a red dress that clings to every inch of her body, a shade too tight for subtlety. The men wear black. Corvan Tofegaard is bald and bulky, his face deeply scarred. Marcus Riljor is in his early twenties, lean and wiry.
“You look nervous.” Zeke squeezes Raven’s hand. “You don’t need to be. Nero is something of a hero on Merin. We’ll be safe here.”
Good. He’s finally talking to her. He’s been avoiding her, and on a spaceship the size of the Valiant, it’s a little hard to miss. Zeke’s being ridiculous, and I’ve told him that, but it won’t register unless the words come from Raven. I hope they talk soon. We weren’t attacked on our way to Merin, but my nerves are on edge. Marya is trying to lull us into complacency. An attack could come at any moment.
“I can’t wait for this to be over,” she whispers.
Me neither. The blood transfusion will happen as soon as Ivar Karling arrives on Merin. It can’t happen soon enough for me. There are so many things I want to share with Raven. I want to take her to Starra and show her the wonders of the capital, the sky gardens, and the night fields and the floating bazaars. I don’t want to hide in Merin, cowering in fear of Levitan. It’s not my style.
Then again, it’s not my life I’m protecting. Raven is precious to me. If hiding on Merin is what’s necessary to ensure her survival, then that’s what I’ll do.
Zeke gives Raven a sympathetic look, but before he can say anything, the vampires approach us. Amara Zuboff looks thrilled to see Nero. “Nero,” she squeals as soon as he disembarks, throwing her arms around him and hugging him close. A little too close. “We heard your code, but I couldn’t quite believe it was really you. It’s been too long.”
Her gaze moves to me, and she gives me a bright, welcoming smile. “Colonel Saber Hafsson.” She steps up right to me, her fangs descending. Fuck me, she’s obvious. She’s practically thrusting her boobs into my chest. “I’m Amara Zuboff. I’ve heard so much about you. Welcome to Merin.” Her voice is breathy. “If there’s anything I can do for you, anything at all, please let me know.”
The sexual invitation couldn’t be more blatant. Or more unwelcome. I murmur something polite, my tone distant. Amara is a vampire; she can smell our scent all over Raven. It’s perfectly obvious that Raven is our lover, and yet, the vampire is pretending like she doesn’t exist.
Amara moves onto Zeke. “Captain Ulrich,” she purrs. “Such a pleasure. Family Zuboff owes you a debt. One of our members was imprisoned in Duyk until you intervened. I will be happy to repay it.”
Her gaze passes over Raven as if she’s not even there. I see red. Before I can react, Raven straightens her shoulders. Her eyes flash dangerously. “My name is Raven,” she says, her voice coated with frost. “I want there to be no accidental misunderstandings. Nero, Saber, and Zeke are mine, and I’m not sharing them.”
Shock runs through me, and then my chest tightens with joy. She’s claimed us. In front of other people, she called us hers.
Nero laughs quietly and puts his arm around Raven’s waist. “You heard her, Amara.”
Zeke looks thrilled.
Amara looks like she’s been slapped. “A human in your bô,” she spits. “You always had strange tastes, Nero.” She pivots on her heel. “Come. We have an apartment for you.”
I fall into step with Raven as we walk to a waiting skimmer. “Why are you looking so smug?” she asks me. “What did I do?”
I can’t stop smiling. “You claimed us. You said we were yours. It’s the first time you’ve done that.”
“Oh.” Her cheeks heat. “That was presumptuous of me.”
Not at all. A bô is more than a group of people who sleep with each other. A bô is a team. It’s a promise and a commitment, one I’m more than ready to make. An insult to Raven is an insult to me. A threat against her is one I respond to. She is a part of me, and I am a part of her.
But if I tell her that, she’ll back away. She doesn’t see herself the way I see her. She still doesn’t understand why I can’t get enough of her. “And you call me arrogant.” I lace my fingers in hers, and bring her hand up to my lips, brushing a kiss against her
skin. “I’m glad you did. Welcome to my bô, Raven Peace Unnuk.”
“That’s it? I just have to say it, and now we’re in a bô? There no ceremony, no public declarations of alliances?”
“That’s mostly it.”
She’s no fool; she hears the split-second hesitation in my voice, and she immediately understands why. We’re vampires. Everything is tied to blood. To formalize our bond, we’ll need to drink from each other.
For an instant, her expression darkens, and then she takes a deep breath and forces a determined smile on her face. “Soon, right? Ivar Karling will be here soon, and then I won’t have to live in terror of accidentally killing you with my blood.”
Soon. I can’t wait. I’ve already sent for what will be my betrothal gift to her. All we need is Ivar Karling to perform the blood transfusion. Then Raven will finally be safe.
17
Zeke
Merin is a trader planet. On the edge of the Shayde Empire, abutting the Uncharted Reaches, the world bustles with merchants from all across the galaxy. Every square mile of the planet’s surface is covered with factories and warehouses and markets. Residential hutongs nestle between the industrial buildings. Some are showy and opulent, with arched entryways and quiet, tree-lined courtyards. Others are narrow and squalid.
Our safe house is in the Fourth Quadrant, in the middle of a maze of curved streets. Nero’s contacts, Corvan Tofegaard, Marcus Riljor, and Amara Zuboff lead us to it. “We have drones patrolling the skies,” Corvan says. “We’ve positioned snipers at the outer walls of the hutong. Nobody will be able to sneak up on you.”
I’m grateful for the precautions, though I have my doubts about how much they’ll slow Marya Revit down. Our best hope is to wipe the virus from Raven’s blood. Once Raven’s blood is clear, Harek Levitan will stop targeting her. Not from any altruistic reasons; the General doesn’t have a kind bone in his body. But he’s a creature of logic. If Raven is free of the virus, he has nothing to gain by killing her.
Amara gives Raven one parting glare before she goes. Once we’re alone, I turn to Raven. Saber told me to tell her the truth days ago, but I’ve been avoiding it because it’s bound to change the way she sees me.
But she claimed us in front of witnesses, and I won’t enter our relationship on a lie. “Can I talk to you privately?”
“Of course.”
I escort Raven into a sitting room. She settles on a couch and pats the seat next to her. “You going to tell me why you’ve been avoiding me?”
I sit down by her side. “I thought I was being subtle about it. I hoped you’d be distracted by Nero and Saber.”
She puts her hand on my thigh. “Call me greedy, but I want all three of you. What’s wrong? Did I do something?”
“No, this is me. My past. My demons.” I force myself to unclench my jaw. “Back on Boarus 4, you asked me how I joined Saber’s unit.”
“Yes.” She wrinkles her forehead in thought. “You said you were a hacker on Zola Prime. The Overlord’s brother-in-law had killed a pair of children in a skimmer accident, and it was going to be covered up. You made the incident public.”
“That’s the story I tell people. It’s not the whole truth. The man who killed the children was my father, Ben Leyva. My mother, Paris Levya, was Overlord Riordan’s sister.”
Her expression softens. “Oh, Zeke. I’m so sorry.”
“Family Hafsson has a long and honorable history. Nero’s mother genuinely loves her son and wanted nothing but the best for him. Your parents brought you up to be a kind, empathetic person.” My lips twist. “Then there’s my family. The Leyvas are scum, and so are the Riordans. They raped, pillaged, robbed, and stole their way across Zola Prime. My father killed his father over a gambling debt. My mother ran a gladiator ring. She’d import wild animals from all over the galaxy, and force humans to fight them in an arena for sport.” The words tumble out. “When I was six, my family discovered my gift for hacking. They had me steal funds from the bank accounts of several of their business rivals. I didn’t know what I was doing. I thought it was a game.”
“You were a child.” Raven’s voice is threaded with anger. “They exploited you.”
“I caused the ruin of three vampire families. I emptied Family Tohen accounts, and the Oensi killed Bruno Tohen when he couldn’t pay his debts. My father bought Tohen assets on the cheap. As I got older, I started asking questions. I realized what I was doing, and I stopped hacking for them. My parents weren’t happy. They locked me up in their dungeons. If I wanted my freedom, I knew what I had to do.”
She moves closer to me and takes my hand in hers. “Your family is awful.”
“That’s putting it mildly. Anyway, the rest of the story is true enough. My father ran over two kids, and they were going to cover it up. I made it public, and Saber rescued me and took me away. Ulrich isn’t my real last name. It’s a name I chose when I left Zola Prime. I wanted to be free of them forever.”
I take a deep breath. “Everyone in my family is a criminal. I spend every waking moment being vigilant. Always doing the right thing, because I know how easy it would be for me to slip up. It’s in my blood.”
I meet her gaze. If I see pity on her face, I don’t think I could bear it. But there’s no pity in the look she gives me. “I was sent to the re-education camps when I was ten because my parents had conspired against the Empire. Was I guilty of conspiracy?”
“It’s not the same thing. I stole from those families.”
“You were a child. You didn’t know what you were doing. Your parents were supposed to teach you right from wrong. They failed in their role.” She kisses my cheek. “Zeke, you’ve been making amends since you were nineteen. You made sure your father was held responsible for what he did. You’re not your family, Zeke. You are so much better.”
Raven has every reason to hate vampires, but there’s no hesitation in her voice. There’s no doubt on her face. Her faith in me is absolute.
Maybe she’s right. Maybe it’s time I forgave myself.
She tips her face up to me. “It’s not your family that defines you,” she whispers. “It’s your actions.”
Her lips find mine. I hold her close, and I kiss her back, and I let her touch heal every broken bit of me. I could do this forever.
She pulls back, a smile curling her lips. “Are you done avoiding me?”
I can smell her arousal. I can see the need on her face, and it is every bit as hot and as intense as mine. I narrow my eyes. “Are you tired?”
She looks puzzled by the sudden change in topic. “No.”
“Want a shower? Something to eat? Want to be left alone for a while?”
“No, no, and hell no. Why?”
A weight I didn’t realize I was carrying is lifted off my shoulders, and I feel free. “Because I want you naked. Take off your clothes, Raven.”
18
Raven
Heat throbs through me. Who knew that sweet, nice, mild-mannered Zeke has a dominant side?
Not me. I can’t wait to see where this is going. “Is that an order?”
The only word for his expression is smoldering. He walks a slow circle around me. “What did it sound like?” he asks, a hint of amusement in his tone.
“It sounded like an order.” My voice feels oddly breathless. Underneath my clothes, my nipples are hard, and my pussy dampens in anticipation.
“Then why are your clothes still on?”
I’m dressed in one of the outfits I bought in the night market on Antaras Seven. A blue shirt, fastened with ties, and a pair of pants that comes to my ankles. I start untying the knots with shaky fingers. Zeke’s gaze runs up and down my body, and I feel it like a physical touch.
Goosebumps break out on my skin as the shirt slips to the floor. My nipples pucker as the cool air wafts over them.
Zeke growls in his throat. “Very nice.” He pulls his shirt over his head, and my throat goes dry. Blood rushes from my brain. His dark chest is corded with muscl
e, and I want to lick every inch of him. Who needs slenti when you could have this?
His eyes gleam. He sits down on the couch, knees apart, one hand resting on his thigh, the other draped over the back of the seat. “The pants too, Raven.”
I take off my pants, and then my undergarment. The clothes drop to the floor, and Zeke shakes his head in mild rebuke. “Pick them up.”
The muscles in my core clench at the edge in his tone. This is new, and it’s unexpected, and hot excitement rages through my blood.
I bend at the waist and reach for my clothes. As I pick them up, I catch a glimpse of myself. Ahh. I’ve barely noticed the furnishings in the room, but there’s a mirror on the wall behind me. Bent as I am, my pussy and ass are on display for Zeke, and judging from the bulge in his trousers, he really likes the view.
He frees his erection. “Stay bent,” he says, closing his fist around his thick, hard shaft. “Part your legs for me.”
A fog of lust fills my brain. Dominant-Zeke is so incredibly sexy.
I stay in the position he wants me, bent at the waist, my legs spread shoulder-wide, my hands on my knees. Zeke looks in the mirror as he pumps himself, raw hunger on his face. “Are you turned on, Raven?”
Yes. I’m so turned on that I could scream in frustration. I can see him in the mirror, his legs splayed apart, his hand lazily stroking his erect cock. I want to whimper in protest. I don’t want him to touch himself. I want him to touch me. I want him to dig his hands into my hips and thrust into me. I want to cry out in mingled pain and pleasure as he pounds me, hard and deep.