by Nicki Ruth
Dark Blooded Desires
Bonds of Damurios Book One
Nicki Ruth
Dark Blooded Desires
Copyright ©2018 (Nicki Ruth)
All Rights Reserved.
Dark Blooded Desires is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover Design by Charlie of SapphireDesigns.co.uk
Editing by Adam Heine
Published by Nicki Ruth
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please contact the author: [email protected].
For those who’ve ever put off a dream, been discouraged, or felt overwhelmed.
It’s never too late for a new beginning.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Prologue
725 BCE—One hundred miles north of Babylon, Assyrian Empire, Earth
Keep going, keep going, don’t stop! She struggled to catch her breath as her legs pumped forward. Tree branches tore at her gown, scratched her limbs and face, but she dared not stop and give into the pain. They were so close behind. She ran on into the darkness that blanketed the narrow, rocky pass that cut through the mountain.
Just breathe! She needed more speed, more strength, more time. But she was out of those. If only she'd been able to protect her family, save them . . .
Her ankle twisted, and she cried out in agony. Her arms flailed out, desperately grasping for anything to stop her fall. She grabbed only air as she tumbled over and down the precipice. Her breath left her as she rolled and bounced down the side. Sharp, jagged edges tore into her sides—rocks, roots, and branches all clawed at her, breaking her, accepting blood payment for her trespass. She heard the crack of ribs, an arm snap, her skin tearing away. Her blood, once noble and revered, now claimed by the hillside. After what seemed like an eternity, she rolled to a stop.
She shivered. Her blood, spilled over the hill during her fall, would soon lead them to her. She forced her eyes open. Her vision wavered, but she could see the stars shimmering faintly in the dark above her. So beautiful, she thought. What would it be like to be among them? She had so many plans, but these stars would be the last things she saw. At least she would leave this world knowing their beauty.
If only she could have done something to save her family, her people, herself. Darkness crept over the stars, stealing her vision, claiming the last of her strength. Her body battered, she finally surrendered. Death would take her. If only she had listened to her friend’s warnings. If only she had been prepared. If only she had known. If only . . .
Chapter 1
2275 CE—A few hundred miles out from Delta B, Orbital Space Station
Marius looked at Alexios standing on the bridge of their ship, the Kona, gazing out into deep space, his dark eyes peering intently into the equally dark abyss. Marius stood by his side, unsure whether to break the news that would surely send him into a rage. He had served by Alexios’ side for several thousand years, his loyalty pledged to no other, but on days like this, when Alexios retreated into the thoughts and memories that had plagued him over millennia, it was best to leave him to his brooding.
But this was business that could not be ignored. Marius sighed and cleared his throat. “We received communication from Delta B a few minutes ago.”
Delta B was a small orbital station for prisoners in transit and a place for ships traveling through the area to trade supplies and fuel. It also functioned as an administrative center where officials of the Omnisan Empire logged ships and their cargo into the archives. Here, they hoped to find one single log. A moment of tense silence went by before Alexios tipped his head to the side and the deep bass of his voice rumbled out. “What communication?” His eyes didn’t leave the window that separated them from the hollows of space.
“They refused our request to dock and refuel, and they will not grant access to their archives. Further, they will not turn the prisoner over for interrogation.”
Alexios didn’t move. The only sound in the room was the crackling of electricity that emanated from him. They'd spent decades tracking prisoner 15349-DG59 to find the elusive answers they sought. How long had they been on this journey? Marius no longer remembered. They needed intel, and time was running out.
After several minutes, Alexios turned to face Marius. His dark eyes burned, a halo of red burning at the edges of his pupils, the first sign of his impending fury. “They said that, did they?” His voice was no more than a whisper. Alexios didn't like to hear bad news, especially with time turning against them. Marius took a breath, hoping Alexios’ rage would subside quickly. It didn’t.
Fangs descended from Alexios’ gums as he hissed. “They dare refuse me.” Alexios’ eyes blazed with fury against his pale skin. The bridge vibrated with static electricity that emanated from his body, reaching out and probing the shadows. Threads of lightning enveloped his hands. Books and sheets of paper hovered in air that sparked with tendrils of blue-and-white electric energy.
“Alex,” as Marius often called his friend, “we knew this was a possibility. We can head to Sector 19 to refuel then circle back and enact plan B.”
“No,” Alexios said. “No Sector 19. No plan B.” He turned and looked out the window again. “Retrieve the prisoner.”
“But we don't have permission – ”
“Wake the others, retrieve the prisoner, and kill all on Delta B.”
“I . . .” Marius hesitated. What Alexios was asking for would make them an even bigger enemy of the empire.
“Marius, wake your brothers. You and they will retrieve the prisoner and kill all on Delta B.” Alexios voice was deep and steady, not betraying his earlier emotional outburst.
“Alex, are you sure?”
“I said: Kill. Them. All.”
∞∞∞
Alexios reviewed the maps Marius had left for him to peruse in the command room. Marius believed they should head toward Crixios, the planet that the Crimei people called home. The Crimei were true readers of the stars, Marius said, and if any clues about the Bridgeton were to be found, the Crimei could lead them
to it. Alexios wasn’t sure. The Crimei wished to be left to themselves, and they rarely helped otherworlders, especially damunaki vampires like him and those he sired. Even if they did, their use of elemental magic meant he couldn’t trust them. But Alexios was running out of options and leads. And he was running low on patience. Dangerously low.
He sighed and gazed out the window. Where did that bastard go? He needed to find and destroy him! For centuries, Alexios had been chasing after his sire, the vampire who had turned and abandoned him, leaving him for dead. He did not even know the vampire’s name, but old stories called him Amelagar.
According to legend, Amelagar slept for centuries only to awaken at the advent of every Dāmming to wreak havoc and misery. Alexios swore that, when he found the bastard, he would make him pay for Alexios’ centuries of torment, for the screams that refused to leave him in peace, for all those he had lost. He would get the answers he longed for and make Amelagar suffer.
The others would be back soon, and then he would extract the information from his prisoner before he and Marius discussed whether to head for Crixios. He had to find Amelagar’s resting place, and for that, he needed to find the ship that transported him: the Bridgeton. He needed those coordinates.
Tsien Hilal, known as prisoner 15349-DG59, would know since he was once first lieutenant of that accursed ship. A smile tugged at Alexios’ lips as he thought about obtaining the information. He hoped Tsien struggled, even put up a fight; he loved when his victims did. It made his meal all the more satisfying. His fangs lengthened at the thought. Yes, soon he would get his answers and vengeance.
While Alexios was musing about revenge, a twinkling blue light caught his eye from the starboard side of the ship. The light seemed to come from an object that could have easily been missed since it looked to be reflecting the space around it, making it almost invisible. As Alexios’ ship slowly moved parallel to the object, he could make out strange markings on its sides. Alexios tensed. He recognized those markings—characters from an extinct language that he used to know long ago.
∞∞∞
Marius sighed under the shower, washing the blood and gore off his body. His brothers, Brandr and Jason, had been in rare form that night. They had awoken from their slumber bloodthirsty and vicious and made quick work of the empire’s administrative staff and guards on Delta B. They'd torn limbs from bodies, making such a mess that the walls and floors had become slick with gore. Marius hadn’t partaken in the slaughter. He had focused on locating and retrieving the prisoner—well, he did get to kill a couple of guards who had gotten in the way. After securing the prisoner on their ship he had reported to Alexios.
Marius worried about him. Alexios’ centuries-long quest for revenge was unraveling, and Marius was afraid of what he would do next. Even after being Alexios’ friend, and sometimes lover for so long, and serving as his adviser and confidant, Alexios still kept some things secret from Marius. He stepped out of shower and got ready to join the interrogation of the prisoner. Hopefully, the prisoner had the information they needed. Marius arrived on the bridge to find Alexios staring intently into the darkness of space.
“Do you see that, Marius?” he asked without turning from the window.
Marius stepped forward and looked. “See what?”
“Just there. It doesn't seem to be moving.”
Marius squinted. Vampires had excellent vision, made for seeing in the dark, and after a minute or two, he saw what looked like a capsule no bigger than the size of a cot off the side of the ship.
“What do you think it is?” Alexios murmured.
“No clue. Maybe some debris from a barge in the area.”
“Let's get it onboard. I want to see what it is.”
“It's space junk. Why do you want to bother with it?” Marius glanced at his friend. “I thought you’d be anxious to deal with your new passenger.”
“Yes, but how often do you see space junk that looks like that.” He turned his head and looked at Marius with a smirk. “Could be treasure.”
“Please say you’re joking.” When Alexios continued to stare at him with what he assumed was an attempt at innocence, Marius rolled his eyes. “Fine! But I swear, if it's just junk, you can get rid of it yourself.”
Twenty minutes later, they eased their find into the cargo bay. The capsule was larger than Marius first thought, and it had strange markings all the way around. It was smooth, with no grooves or seams to indicate that it could open. Small bursts of light glowed and faded across its surface. In the middle was a spherical blue crystal about the size of a fist, resting on small, claw-like prongs sunken into the surface.
“Well? What do you make of it?” Marius asked.
“I don't know.” Alexios ran his hand over the crystal. As he did so, a low hum sounded.
“Wait. Do that again.” Marius eyed the crystal as Alexios moved his hand over it again. It hummed once more.
“It's reacting to you.”
“Let’s open it.”
Marius sighed. “We can play with this another time. What about the prisoner? And you need to deal with your sirelings now that they’re awake.”
He turned and started walking toward the door. He glanced back and noticed Alexios bending over, inspecting the markings and murmuring softly as if he could understand them.
“Please, Alex,” Marius said. “It's been a long day.” No sooner had he said that than he smelled Alexios’ blood in the air. “What are you doing?” Marius stepped closer and observed the crystal slowly moving upward about an inch or so before stopping.
“Interesting,” Alexios muttered. “It wants blood.”
Marius touched Alexios’ arm and motioned for him to come away. “Alex, if this thing responds to blood, we should be careful. We don't know where it came from or who it belongs to. The last thing we need now is unknowns.”
“You worry too much, Marius. If it wants blood, I have plenty.”
Alexios unsheathed his claws, slashed his wrist, and let his blood fall onto the crystal. The humming grew louder, and the crystal turned red. With a clang, the prongs snapped backward, and the engraved symbols glimmered. Right before their eyes, the capsule began to disintegrate, revealing what was hidden inside.
Marius’ eyes grew wide and they both stood speechless. The capsule disappeared, leaving behind a beautiful, young woman lying as if asleep.
Chapter 2
A muffled voice drifted into her consciousness. It sounded like praying—no, chanting. Was it her enemies? It didn’t matter if it was. She couldn't move, and her body felt numb, broken. She tried to open her eyes but couldn't. Soon, she thought. Soon it will be over. Her body shivered, and she felt nothing and she eased back into the still hold of unconsciousness.
Warmth slowly enveloped her body. Feeling returned to her feet, crept up her legs. Her blood warmed. She tried moving her limbs, but they didn't budge. Was this what dying felt like? Her last memory was of extreme pain and fear, but she couldn’t recall why she was afraid.
Her body felt weightless, like she was floating on feathery clouds. Perhaps it was her soul leaving her body. Ah, but it felt good. Safe. She didn't know whether there was an afterlife, but perhaps she would join her loved ones—her family that was taken from her. She couldn't wait to see her mother’s doting smile, feel her embrace.
Yes, soon. Soon she would be reunited with them again, she thought as she lapsed into quiet blackness once more.
When she regained consciousness, she had the feeling she wasn't alone. Where was she? It was warm and comfortable, like her bed in her chambers. So who would disturb her sweet slumber? It was probably her maid come to rouse her from sleep and set her about her tasks for the day. Oh, but she felt so tired. She just wanted to sleep a little more.
A cold gust of air blasted across her face, jerking her from sleep. She opened her eyes and blinked. Her vision was cloudy. She blinked again and saw a dark silhouette looming above her face. She tried to move her arms to shield herself an
d put some distance between her and the figure, but her arms were leaded weights.
“Hush, now. Don't fret yourself. We won't hurt you,” a deep, unfamiliar voice whispered near her head. Her breath came faster. Who was there? Where was she? Why couldn’t she move?
“I think she is going into distress,” the deep voice sounded. “We should take her to sick bay and have her checked out.”
Sick bay? Was she sick? She continued to struggle, but her body would not cooperate.
“Alex, are you listening to me? Alex!”
Even though her breathing was fast, she couldn’t get enough air. Her panic spiked, as the urge to flee overcame her. Keep going, don’t stop! She needed to escape.
∞∞∞
Alexios remained rooted where he stood. He couldn't speak, so shocked was he at what lay before his eyes. This woman couldn't be her, but the resemblance was so strong. Davina? Maybe one of her descendants? That made more sense, didn't it? Even so, how had she come to be in this capsule, in space?
He was too afraid to voice his thoughts when it dawned on him: how could she have descendants? Davina had died—betrayed and murdered before she could be blessed with young. He had been there. What kind of sorcery was this? Alexios shook, a chill snaking up his spine.
“Alex, are you listening to me? Alex!”
His shaking wasn't of his own volition; Marius was shaking him. He needed to pull himself together. Beads of sweat dotted his face, his throat dry, and his hands clenched at his sides.
