Commitment in Blood Read online

  Commitment in Blood

  Madeleine Oh

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright ©2007 Madeleine Oh

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  ISBN: 978-1-59596-645-2

  Formats Available:

  HTML, Adobe PDF,

  MobiPocket, Microsoft Reader

  Publisher:

  Changeling Press LLC

  PO Box 1046

  Martinsburg, WV 25402-1046

  www.ChangelingPress.com

  Editor: Margaret Riley

  Cover Artist: Karen Fox

  This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

  Commitment in Blood

  Madeleine Oh

  Our wandering space crew lands on Damphir IV, one of the vampire home worlds, and a safe haven for both their undeclared passenger and their damaged ship. Ferda finds herself trapped in vampire politics when she must choose between colony leader Julius Roma, her first vampire lover, and Drake. Still handsome and charismatic, Julius isn’t about to make her choice any easier.

  Meanwhile Adlet finds himself in trouble, lost and alone among several thousand amorous, un-bonded vampires.

  Chapter One

  A loud crackle on the com and a visual appearing on the holoscreen signaled they’d made contact with Damphir IV. Adlet stepped away from the console and let Drake take over negotiations.

  He actually stepped wide away, deciding it was time he got a cup of javabrew from the service hatch. Adlet had always been in awe of Drake, an ancient vampire by any calculations, and a couple of incidents in the past forty-eight hours had added to his caution.

  “How do things look?” Rand asked, as he walked onto the space ship’s bridge. “Any luck?”

  “Drake’s talking to them now.”

  “I hope to the heavens they agree. The pirates got in several hard hits. We need repairs and we can’t go a-roving the heavens with a cryogenically preserved person in the hold.”

  That was the big problem that overshadowed all Adlet’s petty anxieties. If the Galactic Police ever got wind that they carried an undeclared cryonic chamber, they’d all end up on some penal planet. That would postpone his returning to university -- but that alternative didn’t hold much appeal.

  “Think they’ll let us land?” Adlet asked. Not that Adlet quite got what Drake thought the inhabitants of Damphir IV might do, but if Drake and Ferda saw it as their best option, Adlet was not about to argue.

  Still, he had rather mixed feelings about landing on a planet inhabited by vampires. Living with two he could handle. Having one as a lover and offering his blood he definitely enjoyed, but several hundred thousand of them? The thought made his neck itch.

  Rand shrugged. “I hope so. If not, we’re in deep shit. Seen Ferda?”

  “She went down to check on the… um… passenger.”

  The off-ship comlink crackled into life. Not that Adlet could understand a word. “What’s he saying?”

  “It’s an old dead language from Terra. Latin. Don’t know it myself. Drake keeps on at me to start learning.”

  “Vamps speak it?”

  “So it seems. Some always have. Drake says he learned it as a boy. Something to do with an ancient Terran religion.”

  Whatever it was, it was unintelligible to Adlet. Which was probably the whole idea. Mind you, he might not understand the words, but he got the gist of it. Drake was arguing with the vamp down on the planet. After a pause, a question was pretty much barked at Drake. Would the unseen speaker talk like that if he was face to face with Drake?

  Another pause and Drake replied, in a casual, even voice, then said, “Rand Farrar, Adlet Wirram --” generous pause, apparently for dramatic effect, “-- Ferda Wallace.”

  The other end all but exploded, repeating Ferda’s name and then letting out a string of excited gibberish. Okay, it was Latin but sounded like gibberish to Adlet.

  Taking his finger off the mike button, Drake threw his head back and laughed, a real whoop and cackle. Adlet had never even seen him let out so much as a smile and now he was roaring his head off?

  When Drake got it back together, they exchanged a couple more sentences, brief and agreeable sounding, and ended the transmission.

  “Adlet.” Drake swiveled his chair. “Go help Ferda load the canister on the transport pod. We have clearance to land.”

  * * *

  “Any success?” Ferda asked as Adlet stepped into the hold.

  “They agreed to let us land…” He wasn’t sure how to put this so might as well come out with it. “They seemed to be giving Drake all sorts of flack, but he mentioned your name and it got quite a reaction. Something he thought was funny.”

  Her laugh was a dry chuckle. “He would. But if it gets our passenger what she needs, all well and good. So, we load up our hitchhiker do we?”

  “Yes. But tell me, why did the vamps down there get so excited and Drake think it was such a joke?”

  “Long story, Adlet. Decades ago, when I was about your age, my father and I helped out a bunch of vamps caught on a concentration camp on Arrand. Now, give me a hand and let’s get Mildred loaded up.”

  “Mildred? What if it’s a man?”

  “Then he’s Algernon.”

  Some choice of names. Still. She obviously wasn’t going to tell him anything else, and they did have to get Mildred (or Algernon) loaded. They had the canister anchored in place and were reconnecting all the power lines when Drake arrived.

  “Ready? Better get going. Ferda, you hop in too. They’re expecting you.”

  That shot her eyebrows up a good centimeter or two. “They are, are they? How very politic of you. If only I’d known. I’d have given myself a manicure and had my hair done.”

  “Forget that. Let’s get going.”

  “You can give me ten minutes. I am not setting foot on that planet wearing a crumpled, grease-stained zipsuit.” Without waiting for him to argue, she was in the transport tube and gone.

  Adlet was not about to smile at the bemused expression on Drake’s face. He did rather admire Ferda’s balls though. He’d never have dared refuse the ancient vampire and turn his back on him like that.

  “Make sure everything’s ready!” Drake snapped at him. “I don’t want to land with a half defrosted cryonic.”

  Drake should have known if Ferda hooked it up, it was done right, but Adlet was smart enough not to argue. While Drake stood motionless -- apart from a scowl -- Adlet checked over the perfect connections and moorings.

  He had time to check three times before Ferda reappeared. She’d changed her shipboard zipsuit for the brilliant red one she’d worn to visit the nightspots on the Hallidan Hub. She’d done something with her hair too. Adlet wasn’t sure what, but he couldn’t miss the red lipstick.

  Drake acknowledged her return with a curt nod. “Was that really necessary?”

  “You set up the occasion. I’m not making a public appearance in ship’s drabs. You going to pilot or should I?”

  “Be my guest.” She climbed in the pilot’s seat and Drake strapped himself in beside her. As he adjusted the breathing mask, he turned to Adlet. “Tell Rand to observe everything on the holoscreen. You too.” He actually gave a half smile, as he strapped his mask on and sea
led the cabin.

  Adlet stepped back as the air seal screen descended and went up to the bridge.

  “Did he get off all right?” Rand asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Where’s Ferda?”

  “She went with him.”

  Rank let out a sexy laugh. “I thought she might, after what went on up here.”

  “You mean the conversation with planet security?”

  “Interesting, was it?”

  “Might be. If I knew all that was going on.”

  “Well lad, since it’s a good two hours before they make planetfall -- and that I don’t intend to miss -- let’s have a nice, hot shower to pass the time.”

  As if he’d turn down that offer!

  It was very close quarters in a ship’s shower, but who was complaining? Not Rand. He rather enjoyed the bumping with elbows and knocking of knees that a mutual soap up entailed. And he wanted a long, last loving with Adlet before they landed in vamp territory.

  He still wasn’t too happy at Drake’s insistence that they let Adlet have free rein on Damphir IV. But he did accept Drake’s logic that if he, Rand, as a visiting vampire, were offered a willing human, an offer he couldn’t in courtesy refuse, then in all fairness, Adlet should have his pick of the umpteen vamps supposedly lining up to woo and court the new human.

  He did wonder how Adlet would cope, but Drake pointed out it might be an easy way to cut the link for both of them. Adlet’s leaving was inevitable, and coming fast.

  But for now he had the lad to himself and, by Abel, he was making the best of it. Right down to watching him undress, something Adlet was still shy about. It was rather sweet, sort of.

  “Get a move on, lad,” Rand said as he stepped out of his zipsuit and reached into a cubby for the sandalwood soap he’d bought on the Hub, not that long before Harel Larg’s hired thugs found him. He’d survived, with a bit of help and a lot of blood. He might as well show his appreciation.

  Adlet stepped into the shower stall, giving a saucy grin over his shoulder. Rand followed, holding the scented soap under the shower spray. “Lad, I’m going to lather you up.”

  No doubt about it, Adlet’s body was worth a second (and third and fourth) look. Broad shoulders and chest from working the land, and a nice tight arse that had given Rand such pleasure. And come to that, the lad’s hands and mouth had contributed their share too. There was just something about a youthful cock that was always ready for action. “Turn around, lad. Let me soap up your chest.”

  Full frontal was worth multiple looks. Filling his hands with sandalwood-scented bubbles, Rand made sure Adlet’s cock was good and clean. Very clean, and also indisputably very good.

  “Ahhh!” Adlet leaned back against the wall of the shower stall and let out a long, mortal sigh of pleasure. And a few extra, as Rand soaped the balls that were as handy as his cock. “That’s so good,” Adlet muttered. “Rand, I never want to leave you.”

  They’d had this conversation too many times. Rand was not revisiting it. Not right now at any rate. “Here, lad, your turn.” He handed over the scented soap.

  If anything, Adlet was even more thorough than he’d been. The cheeky little bugger had plenty of fun, soaping Rand’s butt and crack. Not that he was about to complain. He just turned around and let Adlet have his fun. Their fun.

  “What’s the smell?” Adlet asked. “It’s sort of nice.”

  “Sandalwood, from a rare tree on Terra.” He was not about to tell him how rare and costly it was. Adlet would find out one of these days and learn exactly how Rand felt about him.

  For now he said, “Come closer, lad. Let’s rinse you off.” Much as he fancied Adlet’s cock, he did not relish a mouthful of soap, however rare and costly. Adlet obliged, leaning back against Rand as the water cascaded over both of them. For good measure Rand pressed his erection against Adlet’s arse. “I want that cock of yours squeaky clean before I get a taste of it.”

  Better slow down. The lad seemed ready to come there and then. Rand smiled to himself. He never had that problem. Not now. Being a vampire had so many advantages.

  Pressing off the water, Rand took Adlet into the drying compartment -- an even tighter fit than the shower, but who cared? Rand pressed Adlet against the wall. He was damn well never going to forget this fuck.

  “Rand?”

  “Hold still!”

  The lad obeyed, waiting as Rand squatted on his haunches and ran his hands up and down Adlet’s legs.

  “Want me to…” Adlet began, but broke off as Rand swallowed his cock. Deep.

  A groan seemed all that Adlet could manage. Lots of groans was Rand’s aim. He swirled his tongue over the head of Adlet’s cock, tasting the sweet bead of moisture, and moved his lips up and down the shaft. At the first taste of his jism, Rand bit. Adlet let out a groan that echoed against the metal ceiling and the lad wobbled.

  Rand grabbed him about the knees, holding him steady against the wall of the chamber. He intended to make this last, drawing it out and making damn sure Adlet received every iota of pleasure.

  By the time that happened, the lad’s knees were shaking. After giving him a good hard kiss against the wall, Rand swept Adlet up in his arms and carried him to the bunk. “How was that then, lad?” The smile said it all. “Good huh?”

  “Rand, it’s your turn now.”

  “Better not, if we’re to be dressed and ready to watch the grand arrival.”

  Adlet was quiet a few moments. Not sad or pouting just pensive. “It’s something big, isn’t it? This landing on Damphir?”

  And that was a good opening. “Yup.” To soften what he had to say, Rand slipped in beside him on the bunk. “One big fucking deal according to Drake. Must admit I’m curious to meet more vamps. Often wondered if Drake is typical.”

  “How old is Drake?”

  “Don’t know exactly but once he told me he’d been a vampire for centuries when the first Sputnik was launched.”

  “Jesus! He’s antique!”

  “And knows a good bit.”

  “What did he tell you about this vampire planet?”

  The lad was sharp to catch that. Just as well. “Not an awful lot, other than there are certain courtesies I need to observe.”

  Adlet was obviously listening, so Rand plowed on. This was not going to make the lad happy. “Seems that the planetary leaders will offer Drake and me the use of human blood donors during our stay. To refuse would cause great offense.”

  Adlet nodded. “I see.”

  Rand bet he didn’t. Not all of it. Rand himself didn’t get all the ramifications. “Since I’ll be committed to someone else in the name of hospitality, Drake thinks I should let you pick as you fancy. There will be umpteen un-bonded vamps there. He’s telling Ferda the same. Not fair to keep you bound to us when we’re off with others.”

  “You want me to fuck someone else. Just like that?”

  Darn, he was hurt. Inevitable, Rand supposed. “Only if you want to. The choice is yours. But my understanding is you’ll get offers. None of which you need to accept, but you may. It’s entirely up to you.”

  Adlet’s forehead creased between his eyebrows. “And Ferda too? She’s just going off?”

  “With Ferda it’s different. According to Drake, a past lover, maybe several past lovers, will be there. She has connections.”

  Adlet sighed. He hated what Rand was saying. Understood it -- sort of. And hated that he understood it. “What if I don’t want to go with someone else?”

  “Haven’t I made that clear? You have a choice, lad. If I decline it’s an insult.”

  “Maybe they’ll give you some toothless old crone and you’ll have to shut your eyes to screw her.”

  Rand looked worried at that. Good. And why not? He’d just told him to go find another lover. But at least Adlet wasn’t getting his partner picked for him. He wanted Rand, but the thought of getting to choose between umpteen vampires didn’t sound that bad. “Are there lots of humans there?”

&n
bsp; “Drake thinks only the leaders and wealthy keep human lovers on the planet.”

  “What do the others do?” He knew how often vamps needed blood.

  “Who do you think invented synthetic blood back in the twenty-first century?”

  * * *

  “So,” Adlet asked after they’d dressed and were back to the bridge. “You mean to say there are lots of vamps with no one to bond with?”

  “That’s right, lad. You will be in high demand.”

  “And I can say ‘no’ any time?”

  “It’s all up to you, according to Drake.”

  Adlet smiled. He didn’t look as if he was dreading their visit to Damphir any more.

  Now that Adlet accepted the situation, even seemed pleased at the prospect, Rand had to tamp down the rush of jealousy. Damn, Adlet was his! He wanted to forbid him to so much as look at another vampire, but Drake had been right. Since he would be accepting hospitality, it was only fair and decent to offer Adlet the same chances. Didn’t mean he had to be happy about it though.

  Chapter Two

  Ferda was ready to kill Drake. Useless, of course, but the thought was satisfying. “A flipping welcome committee. Drake! You might have warned me.”

  “Why? No point in you getting antisocial at this point. Your name opens doors.”

  “I don’t like a big fuss. It’s that poor frozen corpse I’m worried about.”

  “They promised the best cryonics scientists they have. But I doubt they’d have agreed so readily if I’d left your name off.”

  He was right, but coming here triggered memories. Damn. It had been so long. “Who’s the colony commandant, by the way? You never said.”

  “A chap called Julius Roman, or something like that.”

  “Julius Roma? Damn you, Drake. You could have mentioned that.”

  Drake even chuckled. “An old flame?”

  “A very, very old one. Much older than you as it happens.” And still young and handsome, while she’d aged seventy years. Not good. But she couldn’t help smiling. Julius Roma had been her first vampire lover. After he’d recovered from the privations of that hideous concentration camp on Arrand. “What did he say?”