The Vampires' Blood Mate: A Paranormal Reverse Harem Romance

by Lili Zander

  He pulls me onto his lap. A sharp pain punches my side, and I can’t keep it from my face.

  Damn it.

  An expression of contrition immediately fills Saber’s face. “I’m so sorry. I forgot about your injuries.”

  “You weren’t the only one.” I rub my palm over his erection hopefully, but he shakes his head and gently eases my hand away. “I’m fine,” I try again. “Really. Don’t stop.”

  He brushes one final kiss across my lips. “I promise, we’ll pick up where we left off, once you rest and give your body a chance to heal.”

  Stupid injuries.

  “Okay.” I can hear the pout in my voice. “You better. Or I’ll kick your ass. Zeke’s giving me fighting lessons.”

  He laughs out loud. I fall asleep to the sound of his warm chuckle ringing in my ears. It’s not until I’m almost under that I realize I forgot to ask him the most important question of all.

  Is Saber still in love with Marya Revit?

  8

  Zeke

  Six hours later, we enter Antaras Seven’s atmosphere, and tow beams clamp on the Valiant and the Ruby Rose.

  “This is ground control,” a soft voice purrs into the ship’s comm. “Identify yourselves, and state the purpose of your visit.”

  She’s speaking Universal. I activate the short-range comms and switch to Jowrish. Tonal in nature, it’s a difficult language for vampires to master, and very few make the effort. I’m fluent.

  “Blessings to the Constellation and to the Celestial One,” I say, beginning with the ritual Jowrish greeting. “I am a friend of Lady Miontee. Our long-range communication array is damaged. We need to replace it.”

  Nero bends his head toward Raven. “There are seven Ruling Houses in the Constellation of Jowth,” he says. “Lady Miontee is from the House of Perscule. They won the contract to police the Jowth borders two years ago. Zeke has useful friends.”

  “I thought the Jowth hate vampires,” she whispers back. “Are you sure they’re not going to shoot you on sight?”

  Raven’s right; there’s no love lost between the Constellation of Jowth and the Shayde Empire. But Lady Miontee owes me, and the Jowth always pay their debts.

  Right now, behind the scenes, the Perscule infosec people are at work, alerted by the fact that a vampire is speaking Jowrish. The Valiant’s real ID will be uncovered, despite my best attempts to disguise it. As soon as we are identified, we’ll be cleared to land.

  But first, we have to deal with a hostile border guard.

  “A Shayde ship enters our territory with a Gratvar cargo ship in tow, and you claim to be a friend of Lady Miontee.” She sounds very young and very inexperienced. “Nice story. What’s the truth? The Shayde Empress’ announcement has you running for cover.”

  Saber frowns. “What announcement?”

  Before she can answer, a familiar voice cuts in, speaking in Universal. “Ulrich, I beseech you. Stop inflicting your vile pronunciation on my ears. My toddler speaks better Jowrish than you.”

  A grin breaks out on my face. Lin Perscule has intercepted my message. “You’re cleared to land,” Lin continues. “I’ll guide your ship to a private docking station. Our mechs have been notified that you’ll need a replacement communications array.” His voice turns amused. “Anything else we can do for you, Zeke?”

  The tension drains away from my shoulders. We’ve been on edge ever since Marya Revit attacked Gratvar’s ship, bracing for an attack that hasn’t come. It’s good to hear a friendly voice. “That’ll hold us for now. Thanks, Lin.”

  Saber raises an eyebrow. “Lin Perscule, the Perscule head of infosec? You two are on a first-name basis?” He shakes his head. “First, Adam Masev, and now, Lin Perscule. It’s a good thing Levitan already wants us dead, Zeke. Because if he finds out that you’re friends with one of the best hackers in the Constellation of Jowth, he’s going to flay us alive.”

  “Sorry.”

  He laughs. “No need to apologize; I’m not your superior officer any longer. Satisfy my curiosity—why does Lady Miontee owe you a life debt?”

  I turn off the short-range comms so there’s no chance of anyone overhearing our conversation. Raven leans forward, her eyes curious. “It was a long time ago. Lady Miontee’s daughter, Niquila ran away from home in search of adventure and ended up stranded in the Caxii sector. I returned her to her mother.”

  Raven tilts her head to the side. “She was the daughter of your enemy. You could have ransomed her in exchange for concessions from the Jowth.” She gives me a knowing look. “I bet that didn’t even occur to you.”

  I shrug away the implied praise. “I’m not stupid. It occurred to me. But a Jowth life debt is a valuable strategic advantage.”

  She rolls her eyes, seeing through my bullshit. So does Saber, who scoffs in disbelief. “That’s where you met Lin Perscule?”

  “Yes. When we land, Lin’s going to want to have a drink with me. Or several. One of us should stay back on the ship.”

  “You don’t trust him?”

  “I do,” I reply. “To a point. But the Jowth concept of honor isn’t the same as ours. Lady Miontee owes me a life debt, but it just means I won’t be harmed. Lin will think nothing of spying on me, and if he learns something useful, he will use it against the Empire.”

  Raven tenses. “Should I stay out of sight?”

  “No need. That’ll draw attention to you.”

  Nero’s fallen silent. He’s withdrawn into himself ever since we ran into Gratvar. I thought that the effort of tracking down the children’s records would pull him out of his brooding, but we didn’t get anywhere with Gratvar’s infosec, and he’s falling into darkness again.

  A wicked idea strikes me. I know just the thing to get a rise out of my friend. “Hang out with Nero,” I tell Raven. “No one will suspect anything. He’s always got a girl about.”

  9

  Nero

  “What the hell?” My mouth falls open, and I swivel to Raven. “I don’t always have a girl about.”

  Zeke smirks. Saber bites back a smile. Raven bursts into peals of laughter. “You should see the look on your face.”

  The ship lurches before I can respond. The landing thrusters flare. “We’re here.”

  Predictably, the moment we lower the ramp of the Valiant, we’re met with a battalion of silver-clad Jowth soldiers. Two dozen guns point at us. I move my body in front of Raven’s and give Zeke an exasperated glance. “Where’s the welcoming committee? Or is it this?”

  “Stand down, for fuck’s sake,” an irritated voice says. A Jowth man pushes his way through the soldiers. He’s short even by Jowth standards, his plump body covered with dark blue fur. “They’re honored guests. If Lady Miontee finds out about our lack of hospitality, she’ll string all of us by the toes.”

  This must be Lin Perscule. He’s the eighth son of an unimportant branch of the House of Perscule, but I’ve seen the intel. Lin’s clawed his way up the ranks through sheer talent. He’s young, but already, he’s positioning the House of Perscule to become a major player in the Constellation of Jowth.

  The soldiers lower their weapons. The one in charge lifts up her visor. “They’re Shayde, and they’re towing one of Hiram Gratvar’s cargo ships.” Her claws extend and retract. “This is who we’re welcoming?”

  Lin Perscule ignores her complaint. “Sorry about this,” he says to Zeke. “Everyone’s on edge after Astrid’s announcement.”

  “What announcement?” Saber asks. “Our long-range comms are out. We haven’t heard anything.”

  “Ah. Rogue pirates attacked Boarus 13. They killed everyone on the colony, wrecked the mines and stole almost a year’s supply of boarium. It was a bloodbath.”

  I exchange a glance with Saber. Did pirates attack the planet, or was it Harek Levitan again?

  “Astrid is furious. She’s vowed a response.”

  Lin Perscule produces a tablet. The Empress’s face looks out from it. “For too long,” she says, “We’v
e ignored the ugliness in our midst. Pirates, slavers, and worse lurk in the Uncharted Reaches. They attack our worlds, and in response, we murmur platitudes. We send them our thoughts and prayers. But we don’t act. That ends today.” Her jaw tightens. “I have given orders to the Imperial Army. If you are a pirate who hides like a coward in the Uncharted Reaches, this is your warning. The might of the Shayde Empire is coming for you.”

  “Wow,” Raven says faintly.

  Lin Perscule glances curiously at her. “Exactly. Astrid also called upon the Constellation of Jowth to join her. The Houses are still debating whether to aid the Shayde, but in the meanwhile, the Celestial One has closed the Jowth borders. We won’t be known as a haven for criminals.”

  Most of the victims on Boarus 13 would have been powerless human miners. The Ruling Council has never cared about them. Astrid’s making her move. Testing the Council and sending them a pointed message. Stay on her side or get out of the way.

  If she succeeds in clearing out the Uncharted Reaches, Astrid will be wildly popular among the citizens of the Empire. She’ll become too powerful…

  Levitan won’t let it happen. He’ll make a move soon to counter the Empress. He’ll have to.

  A sense of urgency fills me. Matters are coming to a head. We have ten hours max to fix the comms and to send a message to Ragnar about the children that Gratvar abducted, and then we have to leave. We have to get Raven’s blood into the hands of scientists who can come up with a cure for the disease Levitan created. We can’t afford any further delays.

  “Mechs are on their way to fix your communications array,” Lin Perscule says. “I’m assuming you ran into Gratvar in the Uncharted Reaches and impounded his cargo?” His eyes narrow. “The House of Perscule is happy to help you return Gratvar’s victims to their homes.”

  Of course, he’s happy to do it. For a price.

  “Thank you, Lin.” Zeke’s voice contains a soft warning. “We’ll handle it ourselves.”

  “As you wish.” The Jowth man doesn’t look surprised by Zeke’s answer. No doubt he was instructed to ask us the question, and no doubt, he expected us to decline. “The slaves are in stasis?” Zeke nods, and Lin Perscule addresses the soldier who spoke earlier. “Nira, guards on the Ruby Rose. No one enters or leaves.” He turns back to Zeke. “They’ll be safe. You have my word.” His eyes rake over all of us and rest on Raven. He recognizes Saber and me, but he has no idea who Raven is, and I can tell he’s dying to find out. “Shall we go have a drink?”

  “Not me.” Saber gestures to his chest, a pained expression on his face. “The painkillers are wearing off. I’m going to stay behind and get some rest.”

  Nicely done, Colonel.

  Lin’s lips twist wryly. “Of course,” he concedes.

  It’s my turn. Now, more than ever, we have to keep Raven safe and protected. “I’m going to pass too,” I tell Lin Perscule cheerfully, putting my arm around Raven and drawing her close. “The two of us are going to check out the Falls of Kamut.” I kiss Raven. “You’ll love it, kära. The water drops over a thousand feet into a gorge. It’s Antaras Seven’s most famous landmark.”

  “It is beautiful,” Lin agrees. “It’s an hour away. I will arrange for a skimmer and a guide to be placed at your disposal.”

  “No thanks,” I decline. “We’re going to need our privacy, if you know what I mean. It is safe here, isn’t it?”

  The Jowth stiffens. “You are protected by a Perscule life debt. Nobody on Antaras Seven will attack you. The night market is also quite well-known. Enjoy yourselves. Zeke, shall we? Slenti awaits.”

  Zeke grins, showing no sign of the tension he must be feeling. “Lead the way.”

  Like most of the planets in the Empire, Antaras Seven has a strict no-firearms rule. Since we’re traveling under hastily created fake identities, and not as soldiers of the Imperial Army, I leave my guns on the Valiant, and Raven and I exit the spaceport onto a wide paved boulevard. It’s night. Lanterns hover in mid-air on both sides of the road, throwing light on the goods displayed in the many roadside stalls. Throngs of people wander from shop to shop, haggling over the wares.

  It’s Raven’s first time on a new planet, and she gapes at everything, her eyes wide. “It’s so warm,” she marvels. “I can’t believe it.” Her gaze swivels from left to right, taking in everything. “And look at all the shops…”

  I’ve lost track of how many planets I’ve traveled to, but Raven’s enthusiasm is infectious. I look around too, trying to see the scene through her eyes. Antaras Seven is like Merin. A border planet, it is densely populated and diverse. Humans jockey shoulder to shoulder with Jowth. There are a dozen purple-hued, masked Zaddyth gliding through the crowd, and I can even see a couple of the portable tanks that the water-dwelling Oensi use to get around on land. Not too many vampires though, and judging from the way everyone’s gaping at me, they’re a rare sight here.

  We pass a stall with brightly colored clothing, and I remember something. I nudge Raven. “Here,” I say, passing her a currency-card.

  “I can’t take your money,” she protests at once. “That’s not right.”

  “It’s not my money. It’s yours. Your winnings from the Night of the Shayde, deposited into an anonymous account. The card is untraceable.” She’s wearing one of Ragnar’s shirts. The garment comes up to her knees. Underneath, her legs are bare. “You need clothes. Buy them.”

  She looks at the currency card, and then at the stalls in front of her. “You won’t be bored?”

  I grin wickedly. “Not if you model everything for me.”

  She goes pink and then laughs. “Deal.”

  Two hours later, we finally arrive at the Falls, our arms laden with packages. “I got carried away,” Raven says ruefully, surveying the dozen bags around her. “I can’t believe I bought all this stuff.”

  She’s changed into one of her new dresses. It’s green in color. The fabric is silky, draping around her body in a soft caress. The neck is cut high, and her shoulders are bare. She looks beautiful, fragile, and infinitely precious.

  “You deserve to be spoiled.” I hand her a box. “Here.”

  Her eyes go round. “What is it? When did you buy it? I’ve been with you the entire time.”

  I laugh at her volley of questions. “I have many talents.” Raven had stopped at a food stall to buy some stuffed buns—we’ve bought enough food for an army—and the glass pendant at the neighboring shop had caught my eye. A dark shade of blue, it had reminded me of the color of Raven’s eyes. “Open it.”

  She does, inhaling sharply as she catches sight of the sparkling piece of jewelry. “Oh, Nero. This is beautiful.”

  Small drones fly through the air, patrolling the Falls. They buzz around, emitting a low-pitched hum that is probably out of range of Jowth and human hearing but is audible to vampire ears. The handful of people in the park don’t pay any attention to them, so I assume they’re a regular feature here. They’re also a great way for Lin Perscule to eavesdrop on our conversation. “Put it on.”

  She moves closer to me. “You do it.”

  She lifts her braids out of the way, and I fasten the light silver chain around her neck. “See the drones?” I whisper into her ear. “They’re probably recording our conversation.”

  She catches on at once. “Got it,” she whispers. “How does it look?”

  The pendant nestles in the hollow of her throat. “The pendant is a trinket.” I press a kiss on her bared shoulder. “You, on the other hand, are beautiful.”

  Her eyes soften. “Thank you, Nero.”

  We find a secluded spot and sit down, and I start to pull out the many food packages. Raven runs her fingers over the blue grass. “I know what grass is.” Her voice is filled with wonder. “But this is the first time I’m touching it.” She shrugs in a self-deprecating way. “You’ve traveled through the galaxy. I probably sound really dumb to you.”

  “What does it feel like?”

  She gives me a wicked grin.
“Ticklish.”

  My lips twitch. I open a container of noodles swimming in a green broth and hand it to her. “Eat.”

  “Taking bossy lessons from Saber?” she quips. She takes it from me and spoons some of the soup into her mouth, and her eyes widen. “Forget I said anything. This is amazing.” Once she’s done with the noodles, she moves onto a meat pasty, and then to a bean and nut pie. “It’s all so good,” she marvels. “I could eat this pie for the rest of my life.”

  I lean back on the grass and watch her. Though it’s night, it’s still hot and humid, the air thick with moisture. The falls roar in front of us and the drones buzz around like insects. I hand Raven a bottle of berry wine. “You wanted to open a restaurant, didn’t you?”

  Her expression turns forlorn. “I thought I did. Now, I’m not so sure. Everything’s moving so fast.”

  “I know what you want to do,” I tell her teasingly.

  “You do?”

  “You want to jump me.” I wink at her. “I saw the way you looked at me when Gratvar’s ship attacked. Admit it. You were turned on.”

  She blushes. “I was not turned on.”

  “Liar.” I kiss her palm. “When your life is in danger, you get aroused. There’s no shame in it.” My smile widens. “I’m a soldier. I’m in danger all the time. Don’t worry, Raven. You’ll have no problem getting pleasured. I’ll keep you very satisfied.”

  She splutters indignantly. She’s certainly not forlorn anymore. “How did you get through the Valiant’s doors with an ego your size?”

  I laugh. “My ego is not the only thing that’s too large.” I lean toward her. “Remember?”

  She bites her lower lip. I can smell her arousal. It calls to me, seductive and tempting. It whispers my name and sends a lick of heat through my veins. “Remember?” I repeat, softer this time. I think of her every moment of the day. She’s permeated my thoughts. “I’ve missed you these last few days.”