Blood Law

by Dominique Adair

  BLOOD LAW: XANTHRA CHRONICLES, BOOK 1

  An Ellora's Cave Publication, October 2003

  Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

  PO Box 787

  Hudson, OH 44236-0787

  ISBN MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-84360-632-2

  Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned):

  Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), Mobipocket (PRC) & HTML

  BLOOD LAW: XANTHRA CHRONICLES, BOOK 1© 2003 DOMINIQUE ADAIR

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. They are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

  Edited by KARI BERTON

  Cover art by DARRELL KING.

  BLOOD LAW:

  XANTHRA CHRONICLES, BOOK 1

  By Dominique Adair

  Chapter One

  There was a dead woman piloting his ship, only she didn’t know it yet.

  Admiral Zane el Ranuth shook his head to clear it of the residual effects of Clariform drops. How dare this woman drug him then steal his ship. Didn’t she know who he was?

  Well, you did let her on board…

  Zane scowled at the intrusive, inner voice. When he’d granted her permission to board his ship, he’d assumed his twin had sent her as a going away present. The woman had been dressed in the scanty red and gold trimmed robes of a Lyrian love-partner. With her pale blonde hair, large green eyes and a body created for sin, she’d slipped past his defenses with a sexy smile and impressive cleavage.

  Women were never to be trusted.

  Rage burned hot as he pulled on the restraint cuffs that held him tight to the solid steel wall. There was no way he’d be able to break their hold, as it had been too long since he’d last fed. The timeline for his diplomatic mission had been seriously compressed thanks to the increasing tensions between the Aranians and the Mengalors. His job was to prevent all out warfare between the two peoples and he’d been pushing himself to be ready on time and consequently had neglected to slake his thirst for nutrition and sex.

  As a venerated Lorai warrior, he’d been trained to ignore all forms of discomfort while in pursuit of a goal. The vampires recruited for the Lorai were some of the most feared warriors in the galaxy. A humorless smile curved his mouth. To look at him now, bound and helpless as a child, one would never guess he was a member of their exalted ranks.

  Rejecting that ego-crunching thought, he closed his eyes and concentrated on his body. He had a slight stinging sensation on his throat where she’d sedated him with the injection dart concealed in her hand. His shoulders were sore from hanging from the wall for who knew how long, but other than that, he was in fighting form. He opened his eyes.

  Most of his clothing lay in a pile on the other side of the narrow hall. His gun belt was on top and he scowled when he saw the empty holsters. Even his com-link had been removed from its clip. She’d stripped him down to the regulation loincloth, but why? He curled bare toes against the cool steel grate beneath his feet.

  As a vampire, Zane didn’t need many weapons. His teeth and superior strength were enough to quell most species, especially humans. The fact he was a vampire was enough to repulse some while others acknowledged his reputation as a much-decorated warrior, and that was sufficient to keep even the most curious at bay. He fixed his gaze on the closed door that separated him from his kidnapper.

  What would drive a mere woman to face his inevitable wrath?

  * * * * *

  Ilsa closed the navigational control panel. She’d re-routed the command center to bypass the security controls in order to guarantee the ship would follow its course no matter what her captive tried. She rubbed the back of her hand across her forehead. It had been a more difficult task than she’d anticipated. His ship contained a number of non-traditional modifications she hadn’t expected. Though she was several hours behind schedule she’d completed the job and now his voice and palm prints were worthless, as the computer would recognize none but hers. Only a nuclear blast could deter this craft from its course.

  She tossed the screwdriver into her tool kit. She had only one more task to fulfill before she could sit back for the duration of the flight.

  She had to seduce her victim.

  Ilsa shoved off her magnification goggles and tossed them onto the console. Seduce was probably an inadequate term for what she must accomplish. Since the lives of her clan depended upon her becoming impregnated by the future King of the Xanthra, it didn’t matter if he wanted sex or not as she moved forward with her plan. In reality, her actions would be tantamount to rape.

  She winced. Crown Prince Loren el Ranuth, the next in line for the Xanthra throne, was well known for his diplomatic expertise, level head and handsome physique. However, out of the public eye, his sexual escapades were legend. It was rumored that he’d take two and three women into his bed and satisfy them all. In light of his unrestrained sexual appetites, surely he wouldn’t object to having sex with her. But he couldn’t know that her ultimate goal was impregnation and the union of the Xanthra with her clan.

  She rubbed her hands over her nervous stomach. An alliance, one in accordance with the Laws of Blood as handed down by the Unified Council, would ensure the future of her people. Ilsa was the last member of the Royal house of the Shanart and it was her task to reunite them. A royal union, one that no one could put asunder, was her duty to her people. Thanks to the Mengalor power struggle, her tiny kingdom was on the verge of collapse and it was left to her to save them.

  The Mengalors had been their enemy for many years. They coveted the only tangible asset her people controlled, the Aloein mines. Aloein was the central ingredient in modern fuels and it was found in abundance in her lands. For hundreds of years, her people had harvested the mineral and sold it to various nations throughout the galaxy.

  Her people were simple farmers and miners, neither warriors nor diplomats, and when her father had refused the Mengalors an offer of exclusive alliance, they’d withdrawn all friendly overtures and had turned to guerilla warfare. In the last few months, the attacks had become increasingly hard to ignore and lives were being lost in greater numbers. Her father had been one of their latest victims, killed while boarding a diplomatic transport to address the Unified Council. As his heir, the future of the Shanart rested in her hands and it was up to her to rectify the situation and restore her homeland, no matter the personal cost.

  After taking a few seconds to calm her wild heartbeat, Ilsa’s palms were slick when she opened the steel door of the navigation deck and she scrambled down the three steps and into a short hallway. Her captive was pinned to the wall, thanks to a pair of heavy-duty restraint cuffs. As her foot touched the steel grate of the floor, his head turned.

  The vid-archive didn’t do the Crown Prince justice. He was gorgeous. His hair was long, hanging several inches past broad shoulders, and it was so black, it had bluish tints in the harsh lighting. His sharp eyes were pale blue and seemed to penetrate her robes to the woman beneath. His nose was straight and proud while his mouth was full-lipped and sensual, unusually so for a man. His limbs were muscular and his arms flexed beneath her gaze. His broad chest was lightly sprinkled with dark hair between flat nipples. A thin line of dark hair dissected his stomach to vanish beneath his amply filled loincloth.

  Very amply filled.

  Her stomach clenched. She forced her gaze to meet his. “Prince Loren, I’m terribly sorry to put you through all of this. I hope you aren’t terribly uncomfortable?”

  For a second, he looked confused and she wondered if he spoke universal second-dialect English. Then his eyes narrowed.

  “Inde
ed.” His fists clenched and released. “Just who the devil are you?”

  She frowned. His voice was different than what she’d memorized from the vid-library. It was deeper, more gravelly and definitely sexier. Was this a possible side effect of the sedative?

  “My name is Ilsa and you’ll be accompanying me on a short journey.”

  “Our destination?”

  “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  His brow rose. “You’ve stolen an Imperial Starship and kidnapped a member of the Xanthra royal family so you could take me on a day cruise?” His sarcasm was thick enough to cut with a knife.

  “I suppose to you it looks like that.” She unhooked her utility belt and dropped it near his clothing. He might be restrained, but she didn’t want to get close with a weapon on her person. “I can assure you that, once you’ve fulfilled your duty, you will be released.”

  “What kind of duty?”

  “Sex. With me.” Her hand slid to the tie on her skimpy robe and she had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing at the shock on his face. She released the tie and allowed it to slide to the floor.

  Ilsa knew she was beautiful, she’d been told this all of her life, but the look in his eyes when she dropped the robe was flattering nonetheless. Very few men could resist a Shanart female in full estrus. They were coveted mates, so much so that, many years ago, they were hidden when visitors arrived for fear they’d be kidnapped. She knew her skin glowed with good health, her breasts were pert and her nipples were hard as diamond points. Her vagina was already puffy and moist, though he wouldn’t know that, and she ached with the need to mate.

  Since she was still liro, a virgin, she’d been taught that her first time would probably be less than pleasurable and she was eager to have done with it. During this trip she’d make sure they mated as much as possible to ensure her impregnation, but now she had to get through this episode without making a fool of herself.

  “You went through all this to get laid?” His tone dripped with scorn. “Babe, with tits like yours, all you had to do was visit Seventh Heaven and you’d have men lining up to fuck you before you’d even removed your boots.”

  She flinched at his sharp tone. Her nerves were tight enough and she now wished she’d gagged him. She pasted a smile on her face and hoped it looked sexy, then shook her head and approached him, careful to keep her movements slow and careless. “I don’t want to get laid by just anyone.” She placed her hand on his chest and the warmth of his skin radiated up her arm. “It’s you I want, Prince Loren.”

  His nostrils flared and his head jerked, connecting with the wall with a tinny thud. He’d no doubt caught her mating scent. He licked his lips. “Why me?”

  “Your sexual prowess is legendary.” She slid her hand around the back of his neck as she pressed her body against his. His skin was so warm and she was chilled, thanks to the over-processed air. Already she could feel his growing erection against her lower belly and a rush of victory streaked down her spine. “With your reputation, what woman wouldn’t want to lay with you?”

  With her other hand she reached for the tie on his loincloth. The muscles in his hip jumped beneath her touch as she released his thong.

  “A woman can get just as much from a pleasure toy or you can hire a ‘droid to fuck you until you come a dozen times.” He shrugged. “If you can afford it, you can hire a human male, so you don’t need me, Princess.”

  The use of her former title threw her and, for a second, she thought he’d recognized her. But his mocking expression told her that he was using the term in a derogatory fashion. It was clear he didn’t know who she was.

  “I realize ‘droid sex is all the rage,” she slid her hand between his legs and gave a gentle stroke, “but I need a real cock, not a plastic one.” Unable to resist, she kissed him where his pulse beat at the base of his throat. He jerked as if she’d stung him and she smiled. He wasn’t as unmoved as he was pretending to be. She released him then slid to her knees, careful to keep her body in contact with his as much as possible.

  With his legs spread and his ankles restrained with metal cuffs, his cock and testicles hung heavy between his thighs. She wrapped her hands around his thick shaft before running her thumbs across the broad head. As if by magic, his cock lengthened and thickened with each stroke. A drop of fluid appeared at the tip and he made a sound when she dipped her head and licked the tiny opening. Her tongue swirled across the broad head and she reveled in the unfamiliar taste of him. Teasing, she looked up to see his eyes were closed and hunger filled his handsome face.

  With one hand she continued stroking his cock, while she removed a slim plastic packet she’d tucked into her thick bangle bracelet with the other. Holding it with her teeth, she tore open the packet and a thick, oily substance oozed out. Catching it with her fingers, she spread her thighs and applied the oil to her outer vagina as she’d been taught.

  When she was ready, she wrapped her slippery hand around his cock and lubricated him as well. When his hardened flesh was shiny with oil and pulsing with arousal, she rose and his eyes opened. His pupils were huge and, in their pale blue depths, she saw desire and something else she wasn’t sure she wanted to identify. She had the feeling this man saw a great deal too much when he looked at her. Suddenly nervous, she released him and turned her back to him.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Nowhere. I thought it might work better like this.” She spread her legs, then reached between them to grasp his cock. She guided it toward her slick opening.

  “You could let me go, you know.” He sounded pained.

  “I could.” She flinched as his broad head touched her vagina and she licked her lips. No man had ever been this close, this intimate. She’d been taught to revere her pristine state, and now she was going to give it away to a total stranger who didn’t even know her last name. “But where’s the fun in that?” Her voice was shaky.

  To her surprise, he chuckled. “Indeed.”

  She gritted her teeth as his cock parted her flesh and he slid in a few centimeters. She winced at the increased pressure and wondered if he was too big for her. She pressed back and he slid in a little further. Who knew it would be so hard to get him inside her? Maybe she didn’t use enough lubricant?

  “You’re tight, Princess,” he said. “Are you sure you’ve done this before?”

  Half afraid she’d done something wrong, she closed her eyes and let her weight carry her down his length. His cock split her with a wave of pain and a slight tearing sensation, then her breath left her lungs in a rush. With her buttocks snug against him, she braced her hands on shaky knees and closed her eyes. The Prince was inside her; half of her mission was complete.

  “Are you done?” His tone was dry.

  She rotated her hips. “The question is…” She moved forward, then back. “Are you?”

  He moaned and she felt the slide of his cock against her slick flesh. Relieved that the pain was nearly gone, she began moving as she’d been taught. The sensation of his cock impaling her was odd, though not unpleasant. She felt stretched, filled as never before. As she moved against him, his hips began to move and his cock plunged in and out in accompaniment to her movements. She realized she was receiving no clitoral stimulation so achieving an orgasm was out of the question. Then again, considering the circumstances and the fact she was practically raping him, achieving satisfaction would only have compounded her guilt.

  Behind her, his body tensed and his breathing grew harsh. He was close now. She pressed against him, determined to give no room to pull out of her at the critical time. Rotating her hips, she reached between her legs and cupped his testicles.

  “Ye Goddess, woman…”

  She gave a gentle squeeze and his hips jerked wildly out of control. His sac tightened and he gave a hoarse shout as he came, his hot seed filling her hungry womb.

  After a few moments, the tempest passed and Ilsa released him. She braced her hands on her knees and allowed her head to dr
op forward. She’d fulfilled her duty to her people, so why did she feel so empty?

  Chapter Two

  If he wasn’t mistaken, his kidnapper had been a virgin.

  Zane watched the simulated star field on the ceiling overhead. He lay in one of the crew bunks, one that was barely wide enough to accommodate his broad shoulders and, to top it all off, he was forced to lay on his back since his left wrist was held fast to the steel wall with a restraint cuff. He was still naked and he’d kicked the sheet off within minutes of being forced, at blaster point no less, to lie down.

  He’d fully expected Ilsa to release him after their odd sexual encounter. Instead she’d pointed her pocket-sized fission blaster at his crotch and moved him into the crew quarters where she’d restrained him and left him alone with a tray of sustenance within arm’s reach.

  He scowled at the tray filled with synthesized nutri-bars and a power shake.

  He needed food but not human food. What would Ilsa do when she found his stockpile of frozen blood products? Would she guess he wasn’t Loren? If she did, what would happen then?

  With his cuffed hand he made a fist then wrapped his free hand around it. Using his full body weight, he pulled against the cuff but it remained stubbornly attached to the wall. He needed sustenance and, until then, he’d remain pinned like some sort of lab specimen. He grunted with displeasure. The moment she got within reach, he’d feed then free himself.

  As if on cue, she stepped through the narrow door of the crew compartment. She was dressed in the red robe again and the light behind her made the material translucent, outlining her womanly curves. Her scent curled around him and he inhaled deeply. It was unlike any other woman’s he’d encountered. Her fragrance was rich and feminine, yet there was something dark and compelling as well. Kidnapper or not, he wanted her. His cock stirred.