The Vampire King’s Virgin (The Vampire King Series #4)

by T. S. Ryder

  Let's see if we survive this first, before starting to worry about future death threats.

  "Right." Erica nodded and looked over her supplies again. She had everything she needed here to take care of Ronan if he came back wounded. But what if he didn’t come back at all? "No. I can’t think like that. He's going to come back. He has to come back."

  She was safe in the ship, it was programmed to leave if Ronan didn't return in four hours. But now that they were here and Ronan was out there, Erica's heart felt like it was about to break. She couldn't leave without him. Not even if that meant stranding herself here when she didn't know if he was alive or dead.

  "He has three and a half hours left. I won't make a move until at least three hours have gone by. No use in going off to look for him when he's on his way back. I don't want to miss him. I don't want to miss him," she repeated, her voice trembling. "I just have to wait."

  And wait she did. The seconds ticked by with agonizing slowness. Erica rearranged the medical supplies, then rearranged them again. She made sure the corridors were free of any obstacles. And just when she was beginning to put together a pack to take out with her as she went and searched for Ronan and Bethy herself, there came a harsh banging on the door.

  Her heart burst in relief. Erica ran to let Ronan in.

  Chapter Ten: Ronan

  Ronan had found the base easy enough. All he had to do was listen to the planet, and follow the buzz of technology. No creature made a sound like that. Actually getting into the base had been a little trickier, but after he scaled a tree he had been able to climb through a window. Then came the truly hard part. Where in this massive building could he find a single human? Bethy could be anywhere.

  Hacking into the computers proved fruitless. He found proof that the Walian Corporation was indeed attempting to hybridize various species, but there was no human listed in the database. That was a hopeful sign. It meant if they planned to use her as a test subject, they hadn't begun extracting her DNA yet.

  Ronan searched every room he passed, all the while well aware that his precious time was ticking away. But he promised Erica that he would bring her cousin back. Even if he had to bring back a body, he wasn't going to break that promise.

  The sound of voices in the corridor made him tense up. The T'shav quickly ducked behind a long countertop in the room he was in–it looked like some sort of surgery room. As the voices drew nearer, he could make out what they were saying.

  "I was just looking to have a little rest from space!"

  Erica's voice. His heart dropped to his stomach.

  What had she done? Did she leave the ship? He should have seen that coming.

  "I'm telling you, I just wanted to get out of space!" Erica's voice was rising. "What's the matter with you guys? Are you deaf?"

  She was practically shouting. Ronan had to grin despite the situation. Clearly, she had gotten the thought that if she was loud enough he would hear her. Well, she wasn't wrong. The firm clip of boots passed by the door. Ronan peeked from his hiding place. The corridor was clear, the sound of Erica's voice growing fainter. He slipped out and went to the door.

  He saw two men on either side of Erica. One of them had his arm clamped around her forearm. Both were Ernesians. Hulking, hairy aliens that were almost extinct. They made for excellent guards, but T'shav were faster, stronger, and smarter. Ronan crept up behind them, moving silently as a shadow. He used the butt of his blaster to knock out the one that was dragging Erica before they even realized he was there. The second one took a fist to the face. The guard stumbled back, cursing fluently.

  Erica dove out of the fight, rolling into a nearby room. The two guards tried to rally, but Ronan was on them, battering their heads again and again. The one got a good blow to his ribs, but it was over before it even really began. Ronan relieved them of their weapons. The one had a fine T'shav broadsword. Ronan wondered where he got it. He slung it over his back, kicking the Ernesian once more.

  "These are ceremonial," Ronan grumbled. "No one but a T'shav should wield them."

  "Ronan?"

  The T'shav looked up. Erica was standing in the doorway. He sighed. "Why did you leave the ship?"

  "Somebody came to the door and I thought it was you. I know, it was stupid, but we just have to find Bethy and get out. We have… we have to have half an hour left, don't we?"

  "No." Ronan wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'm sorry. You come first. I have just enough time to get you back to the ship."

  "I can't leave without Bethy!"

  Ronan wasn't going to argue. He slung Erica over his shoulder and ran. There would be no climbing back down the tree he had come up on. Not while carrying Erica, and she didn't have the clawed toes that made scaling such a slick-barked tree possible.

  He rounded a corner and found the way blocked. A tall Aphrosian woman, almost as bulky as a T'shav, stood in the center of the corridor. Aphrosians were a thin, willowy people. There was no way this was a natural occurrence. So the hybridization program was for super soldiers. A smile quirked the woman's lips, her blue skin gleaming in the light. She held twin swords, each with the distinctive pinkish color of traluthian steel, loosely in her hands.

  "Stay back," Ronan said, pushing Erica behind him. He eyed the Aphrosian woman, his gun at chest level. She seemed completely undisturbed by the weapon pointed at her. "I suggest you get out of my way, Aphrosian, unless you want your brains to paint the walls."

  "How do you know that it won't be your brains?" the woman replied, her smirk widening. "Do you think I'd just be standing here if a simple blaster could kill me?"

  "Then why aren't you attacking already?" Ronan narrowed his eyes. "You're not a guard. You're a test subject. So are you hoping to check your strength against mine?"

  "I was always the sickly child growing up. But now… yes. Yes, I would very much like to see how science holds up to strength and training." She shifted into a fighting stance.

  Ronan couldn't help but grin. It had been a long time since he had had a real fight. He dropped the gun to the floor and drew the broadsword he had taken from the guard.

  "What are you doing?" Erica shouted, but her voice wasn't alone.

  Another human woman, a little smaller and thinner than Erica but with the same brown hair and snub nose, dashed down the corridor behind the Aphrosian. The blue-skinned alien threw her arm out, shifting from a fighting to a protective stance. Erica gasped.

  "Look here, buster," the other human seethed, glaring at him. "You touch a hair on my wife's head and I will kill you!"

  Ronan saw the alarm in the Aphrosian's eyes, but he shifted out of fighting stance. He put his sword away and laughed. "Bethy, I assume."

  The Aphrosian looked startled, but Bethy was looking past Ronan by this time. Twin squeals echoed down the corridor as Bethy and Erica rushed towards each other. They met halfway between the Aphrosian and T'shav, hugging and crying and laughing.

  "How did you get here?' Bethy asked. "Why are you here?"

  "Ronan bought me from that 'bridal service' place and when I told him about you he agreed to help me rescue you." Erica tugged her cousin's brown hair. "What about you? What are you doing here? And your wife? I saw the man that bought you!"

  "He's the head of the base. He bought me for his sister, Tag here. Tag had a genetic disease that was killing her, and the only way to save her was to hybridize her DNA. He was afraid that the experiments meant to save her would actually kill her, and wanted her to have someone to be with before she underwent the procedure." Bethy turned and beamed at the Aphrosian, who smiled back uncertainly. "Well, one thing led to another, and I fell in love. And what's the story with you and Mr. Tough Guy here?"

  Erica glanced back at him. "We're… together."

  "Wow, don't overwhelm me with details," Bethy said, putting her hands on her hips.

  "Bethy, let's not pry." The Aphrosian stepped forward and put an arm around the human's waist. "I hope you haven't killed anyone, T'shav. If you have no
t, then I am sure that I can convince my brother to let you stay, so that our wives may be reacquainted."

  Stay? Ronan opened his mouth to tell her that they couldn't stay, but Erica squealed again and threw her arms around her cousin. Her eyes sparkled and she had such a big grin on her face that Ronan felt his heart sinking. He hadn't seen her this happy since he met her. Could he really ask her to leave her cousin after finding her again?

  But he couldn't stay. He was a mercenary, a rogue. There was no life for him here, and if he lingered too long in one spot, it might start feeling like home.

  Home was dangerous. With home came responsibility and guilt.

  "I can't stay," he finally said.

  Erica's smile faded. "What do you mean?"

  "I can't stay. You can, if that's what you want. I won't make or expect you to come with me, Erica. But I need to keep going. I have more jobs to complete. So I have to go as soon as possible. And right now I have to get back to the ship and turn off its takeoff protocols or we–I–will be stranded here."

  He walked away.

  Erica followed him. She grabbed his arm, making him stop. "You'll come back after."

  Ronan wet his lips but nodded. He left without another word.

  Chapter Eleven: Erica

  The room that Tag's brother had given her wasn't fancy by any means. It was rather small, and even if the bed was softer than what she had grown used to, she hated it. With Ronan in the next room and not beside her, she might as well have slept on a rock. It had been Ronan to request that they sleep in separate rooms. He wanted her to have some space, so she could make her decision with a clearer head. That didn't seem to be working out so well.

  Erica twisted the blanket in her hands, staring blindly in the dark. After she told him about Lirreb's threats, he agreed to stay one night so she could make up her mind. He would be leaving in the morning. She had just tonight to choose whether to stay here with Bethy and Tag or go with Ronan.

  It wasn't fair! Why should she have to choose between him and her cousin like this? This was a Walian-controlled world, Planchet wouldn’t dare to come looking for him here, would they? They could stay and be safe. Or better yet, they could rejoin Zon's fleet. Even the most powerful corporations in the United Species were terrified of him because he had far more supporters than they could ever have. Supporters who would fight for him.

  She turned on her side, her hand going to her stomach. There was this to consider, too. Ronan wanted the baby. She wanted Ronan. Could they find a way to make it work?

  Bethy had done her best to convince Erica to stay. She told her about all the things that the base had to offer. Entertainment, excitement, a place where her skills would be useful. And Erica had to admit it sounded good.

  But the simple truth of the matter was that she didn't want to leave Ronan. Plus Bethy had Tag now. Would she just end up as the third wheel if she stayed here?

  She threw on a robe and slipped out of the room. Ronan's was right beside hers, and she knocked lightly before keying the door open. The T'shav was sitting in bed, a holographic book on his lap. The story was projected into the air at the right angle and height for him to read. He turned off the book when he saw her.

  "Erica, you should be sleeping."

  She closed the door again and padded across the room, kneeling on the foot of his bed. "I can't sleep without you anymore."

  He was very still for a long moment. Erica watched him, trying to guess what he was thinking. But with him that was impossible, so she crawled up the bed before straddling his hips and wrapping her arms around his neck. His hands rested on her hips.

  "I can't sleep without you, either," he whispered, resting his head against hers.

  "I can't make this decision without knowing something, Ronan. You were so happy when you saw I was pregnant. Do you want to be with me? To raise this baby together?"

  Ronan stroked her hair from her face. "Yes."

  "Do you want it enough to face your demons and return to Zon's fleet?"

  A shudder moved through his body. He was silent for so long that she feared he wouldn’t answer. Finally, though, he brushed his lips against hers and nodded. It was all Erica needed. She kissed him back, gently at first but with growing fervor. Ronan's hands tightened on her hips, his body tensing as his fingers dug into her.

  With a sigh, he relaxed again. His fingers traced her spine, his touch light, soothing. Erica moved her mouth to his jaw and neck and he sighed again. An intense feeling of connection build inside her as she explored her lover with her hands and mouth, tracing the lines of his body, feeling him shiver under her touch. He was giving her control, and that more than anything told her exactly what she needed to know.

  "Let's get this off," she whispered, unfastening his pleated kilt.

  He lifted his hips to help her but otherwise was as complacent as a kitten. When she met his eyes he smiled, dimple flashing, and a surge of heat built in her core to match the warmth spreading from her heart. Moving slowly she undressed herself, watching with building excitement as his eyes trailed down her body, lingering here and there before returning to her face.

  "You're so beautiful," she said, cupping his face. "So… so perfect."

  Ronan returned her smile. "So are you. You're amazing. You really are."

  She straddled him again, bodies pressed together. Her hips roved in tight circles, making her lover groan, his head falling back. Her motions built the tightness in her own core and Erica buried her face in his neck. She kissed and suckled on his skin, loving the taste of him, and the way he rolled himself to her, his hands alternatively clinging and stroking her back. Her movements became fast and faster, soft cries emitting from both of their throats. Erica never wanted this slow build-up to end, but Ronan's kisses were becoming more and more desperate–he needed her.

  And she was more than happy to give him back the control as willingly as he had given it to her.

  She leaned back, trusting him to hold her, and Ronan shifted to his knees, her thighs still clasped tight around his hips. He laid her down on the bed and entered in one motion, causing shockwaves to burst through every inch of Erica's body. She threw her head back, just able to stop herself from screaming. Ronan smoothed her hair back and kissed her before settling down, arms still around her. He started a steady, slow rhythm, his black eyes intent on her brown ones.

  They had never made love before. It had been just sex until now. Even as Ronan's pace got faster and faster, building the eminent explosion inside her, they never stopped looking at each other. Erica pulled him closer, wishing that their bodies could just melt together and for this to last forever.

  Ronan, for the first time, finished before her. He used his fingers to bring her to her completion. Afterward, they lay entwined in body, both on their sides so they could stay joined.

  "I don't want you to leave me," she whispered, her chest still heaving, her heart still pounding. "I never want you to leave me."

  "I won't. I promise. I will be with you forever." He smiled softly. "You know, it's T'shav tradition that our souls are born in stars. But sometimes—"

  "Sometimes a single star will birth two souls, and they will always find each other." Erica smiled. "I've heard. It's awfully romantic."

  "I never believed it. Not until… Not until right now. I don't know if it's real or not, but I think I may have just found my Starmate." Ronan pulled her closer. "I love you, Erica Chase."

  Erica grinned. She laughed softly, feeling like she was going to burst from happiness. "I love you, too."

  The door burst open. Erica screamed, searching for a blanket to cover herself. Tag strode into the room, her expression dark and angry. Both her swords were out. She ignored Erica, focusing instead on Ronan.

  "Get dressed, T'shav. We're under attack."

  Chapter Twelve: Ronan

  Ronan and Tag walked side by side down the corridors. Both had blasters in their hands and their swords strapped to their backs. They had ushered Bethy and E
rica to a safe room before taking to the corridors, joining with the security forces to drive off the attackers. The Aphrosian kept shooting questioning glances at the T'shav, but he ignored them. Now was not the time for conversation.

  "Hold." Ronan held up a fist.

  The distinctive thudding of boots echoed up the corridor towards them. He nodded at Tag and gestured towards a doorway on one side of the corridor, then hid himself in an alcove across from her. The Aphrosian considered her blaster, then holstered it. She drew the twin blades from her back and grinned. She had a point–firearms weren't well suited to close-quarter combat.

  Ronan drew his own blade. The weight of the broadsword was so familiar in his hands that he forgot for a moment how long it had been since he had wielded one. His muscles remembered exactly how to use it.

  Aliens wearing Planchet uniforms ran down the corridor. They didn't notice the two warriors waiting in ambush until it was too late. Ronan launched himself on them with a roar. He swung the sword, the familiar swish as it severed the air and struck through the nearest neck sparking an ancient bloodlust in his veins. Tag slipped in like a shadow, her blades striking with deadly accuracy.

  The Planchets raised their guns, but it did them no good. Ronan cleaved a great swath through them, driving into the center of the group. Tag backflipped over the group and landed behind him. She laughed as she spun in circles. They guarded each other's backs as they cut down their enemies.

  It was over in seconds. Tag wiped her blades off on the uniforms of the fallen.

  "Well, this is rather exciting, isn't it?" Tag grinned.

  "Not as exciting as it would be if I were alone, but I get what you're saying."

  "We have to have that duel sometime. But for now, I'm glad you're on our side."

  "Don't take it personally. I'd be out of here already if Planchet was just after your corporate information." Ronan explained briefly his history with Lirreb. "He must have tracked me here and decided it was a perfect excuse to be able to attack the base and steal some information at the same time as abducting me."