years, not even after youâve been Chosen. You think all the women will just fall at your feet.â
He smiled. âDidnât you?â
âThat was before you were Chosen, and the circumstances were . . . strange. It wouldnât happen now.â
White teeth flashed, making him look feral in the half-light. His fangs were retracted, thank God. âIt would be even better now .â
It had been fantastic before.
She could still remember that night, the taste of him in her mouth and the feel of him moving inside her. Heâd brought her to climax hard and fast at first, and then heâd taken his time with her, drawing out two more orgasms before he was finished.
Heâd been better than Sante had ever been, and Sante had been Chosen when sheâd slept with him, even though she hadnât known it.
Sheâd used Alejandro that night. Heâd known it and hadnât minded. Sheâd needed him to help her forget what had happened, to drown her in lust so she wouldnât drown in sorrow. Heâd done a good job. For that one night, heâd been like a knight in shining armor to her damsel in distress.
Daria shivered as his mouth came down on hers. His lips slid over hers like silk, in just the lightest brush. Pure desire shot down her spine straight to her sex.
Damn you!
She was still attracted to him after all these years. And, of all the things he could be, he was a vampire . She bit his bottom lip and tasted blood. It spread across her tongue like the smoothest wine. She resisted the urge to spit.
Swearing, he jerked back, and Daria rolled away. She snatched up her lost pulser and stood, wiping the floor yuck from her clothing with a grimace. âGet up, Alejandro. We need to move.â She offered her hand and he took it.
Once he was on his feet, she turned on her heel and headed straight for the bar. She needed to take a minute to settle her nerves, so she ordered a shot.
âRocks?â the bartender asked.
She gave her head a shake.
The bartender served her the shot and she downed it. There was nothing like Darpongese whiskey. It was a little like Earth whiskey, but stronger, with a slightly bitter flavor and a smooth finish.
Alejandro touched her shoulder. âYou okay?â
She shrugged him off. âIâm fine.â She set the shot glass back on the bar and closed her eyes for a moment. It was a lie, one she was desperately trying to believe.
Two years of service in the Galactic Patrol, seven years in the Allied Bureau of Investigation, two medals of valor, numerous undercover operations, and hundreds of busts and she still wasnât sure she could handle what was to come.
2
THEY stepped out of the dark bar and into the desolate, sand-swept terrain. The Blood Spot was located in the farthest reaches of the Logos Territory.
Alejandro scanned the horizon and saw nothing but the narrow road leading to Danpang City, surrounded by sand dunes in all directions. The Blood Spot had become a favored hot spot because of its secluded location.
The wind picked up, blowing sand across the road and sending an old can to rattle and scrape across the pavement. The lavender-tinged moon hung at half-mast in the sky and stars glimmered everywhere, sewn like diamond chips into black velvet cloth.
It almost looked like Earthâs night sky, almost.
The Chosen had outed themselves the same year the first commercial space jaunts had become de rigueur in 2075. It had been something ancient, dark, and powerful meeting something new, shiny, and exciting. For certain, it had been a notable year in Earth history. The Chosen had known they were outnumbered by humans, known that when they exposed themselves there would be fear and bigotry. And there was.
Wasnât there always?
At the time, Earth had become overpopulated and unpleasant to live on. The Chosen had nursed dreams of finding another world to call home. It was a big universe out there and several
David Drake, S.M. Stirling
Kimberley Griffiths Little