By Sun and Candlelight Read online

  By Sun and Candlelight

  Susan Sizemore

  Set in the Vampire Primes (Vampire Bookclub) Universe

  The park around the palace was the pride and prize of the capital city of New Byzant. Every environment on Terra was represented here, flowing one into another through the park's impossible to sense force fields. Be it desert or frozen tundra, rain forest or mountain meadow, it was part of the park. The park was a living memorial to the Terra which had existed before a devastating energy pulse from deep space triggered environmental disaster that nearly killed all life on the planet.

  There had been people living off planet way back then, on Martian and Lunar settlements, on space stations and asteroid colonies. This fortunate circumstance of humanity being spread across the Sol star system at the time of the disaster led directly to the founding of the Byzant Empire. Which brought the vampire to the park on a night when the white walls and golden domes of the Imperial Palace were illuminated by the full moon.

  He'd conducted business on the moon a couple of days ago, and found that he did not like the place, despite its famous view of the Homeworld of Humanity. The view made it quite the tourist destination, and the place had been overflowing with folk inbound for the upcoming Resurrection Festival. Even in this time of war attending the festival held once a decade on the ancient homeworld was the dream trip of a lifetime.

  The vampire had not been born on Terra, but on a red star world more friendly to his kind. But his ancestors were as native to Terra as any other type of human. Rulers of the night while mortals ruled the day. Or at least that was the way vampire legend had it. Mortals had grown too many, vampires too few and equality had suffered, not in the vampires' favor.

  Before the disaster that crashed the mother world almost to a cinder vampires developed drugs that let them live in the yellow light of day. Many still took those drugs, but he was not one of them. He was proud of his own red light world, and he made his career in space. To be on Terra he'd had to make preparations. Though it was now night, the time his kind had evolved to dwell in, he wore a light filtering skin suit beneath his Marine uniform, and had protective hooded mask, gloves and goggles in a carry pouch at his belt. Ready for the day if this op took longer than he expected.

  People noticed him as he strolled the section of the park near the palace entrance he'd chosen for his incursion. He was a big male, tall, heavily muscled, wearing the blue dress uniform of a two star major general, with many decoration pinned upon his chest. His head was freshly shaved - because Marines were an austere lot who would never sport a headful of soft brown curls. He looked the part.

  He could do nothing about telling the mortals who noticed to forget seeing him. The palace's security systems included sensitive apparatus for detecting the use of telepathy. The guards he must pass were also insensitive to telepathic suggestion as well as being equipped with psi dampening filters - just in case.

  The vampire knew he could not enter the palace using only the talents he'd been born with. He was going to use a security pass acquired from an expert forger. Acquiring the pass had been his reason for spending time among all the tourists on the moon.

  With the night growing older, it was time to make his move.

  He smiled as he thought to himself that it would be rude to intrude on the princess after she'd gone to bed.

  There were always people gathered around the entrances to the palace. Most were tourists, some were protesters for one cause or another. The heir to the throne was not popular in some quarters at the moment. Tonight most of the disgruntled were shouting and carrying signs calling for the Porphyrgia's abdication, or worse. No one noticed that he was a vampire, but a group of pacifists shouted at him because he was a Marine. He didn't mind the negative attention. It made the guards at the entrance more sympathetic when he presented himself at the checkpoint.

  He had no trouble getting past the DNA, fingerprint, voice and eye scans. Everyone knew such physical tests were reassuring for security records but could be bypassed. His only concern was the forged pass. He handed it over when requested, and waited, almost not breathing. Since vampires did need oxygen, even if not quite as much as mortals, he managed to keep his lungs working.

  "Thank you, general," the senior member of the guards finally said. She handed the pass back to him, smiling.

  "Would you like an escort, sir?" he was asked.

  The vampire shook his head. "I know my way."

  "Have a good evening, then." The guards saluted.

  He returned it and walked confidently on his way.

  He did know the way, the regular route and several short cuts. He'd carefully studied the security measures for all of them. Aware of these pitfalls, he chose another route altogether.

  It had been a while since he'd tried his hand at wall climbing. He could move far faster than a mortal, his claws came in handy, and shadows were his friends. His fangs ached for the taste of royal blood. He made his way to a third floor balcony. He had a forged shield key, but it proved unnecessary. He would have sensed any shields before touching them, but none were present. Did the princess think shielding would interrupt the pleasant evening breeze flowing into her suite?

  From the balcony, the vampire drifted with the breeze into the princess's bedroom. He could not psychically or visually detect any guards around the perimeter of the room. It seemed the princess preferred privacy to extra security.

  The room itself was the size of a shuttle hangar, only nicely decorated in shades of blue. The bed could have slept at least six, not that the princess was known for getting up to that sort of thing.

  The princess herself, Porphyrgia, heir to the Byzant Empire, was seated at a desk, reading a headsup screen. He moved to her, swift as lighting, silent as the grave. His hands settled on her shoulders.

  The princess sighed dramatically. "Hon," she said to the intruder. "You have to stop sneaking in all the time. You're going to have to meet my parents some time."

  General Matthias Raven - most people called him Doc - lifted Princess Theodora - known to friends and family as Zoe - to her feet and she turned into his embrace. After a long, lingering kiss, he said, "I've heard that joke before, sweetheart."

  "So you have, love of my life."

  They kissed again, urgent hunger flaming so quickly it almost overwhelming them. It had been nearly a month since they'd seen each other. No matter how serious they were about their duties to the Empire, they felt every moment of their absences from each other. Being recently psychically bonded, separation took a toll on them.

  "Speaking of parents--" Zoe began.

  Doc was spared an awkward conversation by the entrance of Commander Marcos, the head of Zoe's security detail.

  Doc put one arm around his bondmate's waist and tossed the forged security pass to Marcos.

  The guard commander looked at the pass closely. "My technicians are going to have fun taking this apart, not to mention the man who made it."

  Doc looked at Zoe. "What do you think, ma'am?" He'd found that a bit of formality between them in public went a long way to keep feathers being ruffled among the courtiers, and Imperial officials.

  "I think arresting the forger would be a bad idea at the moment," she said. "Let's put a very close watch on him and find out who uses his services."

  "And watch his customers as well, ma'am?" Marcos asked. She nodded. He smiled.

  Zoe glanced toward the suite's main entrance. Marcos bowed and took his leave.

  Doc immediately picked up Zoe and carried her to the bed. She was nibbling quite sexily on his earlobe by the time they got there. She had sharp teeth for a mortal. It was one of the things he adored about her.

  He even liked her family.


  It was her job he hated.

  Matthias Raven was a loyal citizen of the Byzant Empire. He considered it an honor as well as his duty to serve in the Imperial Marines. The last thing he had ever expected, humble servant of the Crown that he was, was to meet and bond with the heir to the throne, the Porphrygia herself.

  Not that he'd known who she was when they met. Not that she'd been aware that he was a vampire. They been stuck together as prisoners in an underground POW camp and - well, things happen in the dark.

  And consequences come along with every happily ever after.

  She licked the skin of his throat. "You are warm and delicious."

  And she wasn't even talking about his blood. Damn, how he loved this woman.

  "And you smell so good, Doc."

  She had quick hands too, and they made fast work unfastening his uniform when they settled onto the bed. He breathed in her fresh, warm scent. His fangs grazed the clean skin of her shoulder.

  The prison where they met was a humid, hot place where it was impossible not to be covered in sweat, and bathing wasn't a daily occurrence. She liked his smell, She'd told him so even when they were in the sweaty confines of POW Camp Five. Zoe, princess of a star empire, was an earthy woman.

  His mouth covered hers. They rolled to the center of the huge bed, and they clung to each other for a moment. Then frantic lust took over. Her court dress and expensive jewelry, the rest of his uniform and all his medals were stripped off and tossed aside until they were skin to skin.

  They made love frantically the first time. They made love slowly and gently. They made love with laughter and teasing. They made love and shared blood and hungrily welcomed each other home after a month's absence. Because home was where they were together, palace, prison, starship.

  They made love until dawn, then drifted to sleep safely in each other's arms.

  Not that there was much time to rest. Zoe was woken by the ping of her aural implant not long after she went to sleep. It was a reminder of her day's schedule. She sighed and cuddled closer to Doc, safe and warm in his muscular embrace. She appreciated what she had, even if she couldn't stay there very long.

  "I love you," she whispered very softly.

  Doc pulled her even closer to him, if such a thing was possible. "Me too," he whispered back.

  She caressed his cheek. It was rough with stubble. Very sexy. There was nothing about this vampire Prime that wasn't sexy. And that deep, rumbling voice! Was there anything more erotic than his voice? Well, there was those muscular arms, and...

  Enough, she didn't have time for the intimacy she craved right now. Zoe pouted for a moment then she had to get to work.

  "I didn't mean to wake you," she said. "There's an early meeting on my schedule."

  "'S all right." He opened his marvelous brown eyes and looked into hers.

  Just as Zoe asked, "What about my meeting your family?"

  His memories rushed into her head.

  "Lady Amarantha, we're bonded." He tried to keep the exasperation out of his voice, but knew he wasn't hiding any of his emotions from the Matri, ladies and elders of the Corvus Clan.

  He had returned to his homeworld specifically for this meeting. It wasn't going well. Mortal prejudice wasn't the only thing at work against his and Zoe's happiness.

  "I will meet her," his sire and bondmate to his mother spoke up. "You need not be involved in the matter Matri. Or you, my dear," he added to Matthias's mother. "The Clan need not formally acknowledge--"

  "My bondmate is heir to the whole damned Empire!" Matthias shouted. "What is the matter with all of you? Is it because she's mortal? I know that we don't take as many mortal bondmates as in the past but--"

  "She is a cyborg," the Matri said. "I do not understand how a bonding is even possible with such a - person." She looked at Dr. Casmerek. "No offense meant."

  "Offense taken," he answered, and went on, "Perhaps what Matthias perceives as bonding is a feedback loop, but I do doubt it. Still, the Porphrygia is known to be an enhanced empath."

  "She was born a natural empath," Matthias said. "I know what I feel for her, mind, body and soul. I am a natural vampire," he reminded them. "There are no daylight drugs weakening my perceptions."

  "They have no effect on those who take them, whatever this Clan chooses to believe," Dr. Casmerek said. "It will do you no harm to take the drugs, Matthias."

  "Our Clan's tradition is against taking the daylight drugs," the Matri said.

  "But Matthias does not live or work on a red star world. His bondmate must dwell on a yellow sun world. Bondmates must be together," Doc's mother said. "We should acknowledge the bonding, Matri."

  "I will acknowledge it only if the mortal woman is stripped of the computer enhancements which take away her humanity. And if she comes to dwell with her bondmate on our world."

  "Whoa - that's harsh," Zoe said as Doc pulled her out of sharing his memories of the Clan meeting.

  "Sorry you found out about that," he said. "I meant to be more discreet."

  "Lie and make excuses, you mean?"

  "I don't want their ancient attitude hurting you. Most of the Clan never leaves home, and has very little contact with mortals. Besides, the Corvus Clan is infamous for being very, very conservative. Our Matri's a real hard-ass."

  "I can see why you ran away to join the Marines." Zoe tried not to show she was hurt, though of course Doc felt it. "So, I guess your family won't be joining us for Sunflower Day." She hated how brittle she sounded when she was trying for a certain insouciance.

  Doc pulled her into a comforting kiss, then said, "My sire said he would come. I trust his word. The others, well, not this year. And what's Sunflower Day?"

  Zoe let herself be distracted with the question. "Sunflower Day is the very affectionate way those of us who live on Terra refer to the Resurrection Celebration."

  "What's a sunflower?"

  She clicked into her neural implants and projected a holo of a large gold and black flower before him. "The flower's blossom follows the movement of the sun across the sky. I don't know how sunflowers became symbolic of the celebration. Do you want me to look it up?"

  And was that a cyborg sort of thing to ask, she wondered?

  YOUR MEETING IS IN HALF AN HOUR, PORPHRYGIA her inner calendar spoke up.

  "Yeah, yeah." Zoe kissed Doc, patted his bare butt, and reluctantly got out of bed.

  "I've gone through this morning's security briefing," the Emperor said. He looked down the table where his cabinet were gathered. His gaze paused on Zoe. "I'm very pleased with the news that General Raven has neutralized the source of a security problem."

  "Did he eat him?" Duke Andreas asked before Zoe had a chance to preen with pleasure.

  She did not appreciate the laughter from some people at the table. All of them more or less supporters of Andreas. He was in the line of succession, and was using her bonding to a vampire to his advantage. Mostly it was politics, but she also knew that his attitude toward Doc was driven by jealousy. She probably would have married Andreas if she hadn't met Matthias Raven. It would have been a good political match for the Empire. Andreas claimed to love her. She hadn't felt anything much one way or another for this handsome cousin - or hadn't until he started bad-mouthing her beloved.

  She gave Andreas a cold look that clearly said, if any eating gets done around here, it's going to be by me. He pretended not to notice.

  The Emperor made a sharp gesture and silence immediately fell. Some people even had the decency to be embarrassed. Zoe noted empathically who was feeling what. She couldn't break into anyone's thoughts the way a vampire could, but knowing the real feeling behind the usually blank courtier's expressions was very helpful. In fact, it was forbidden to wear mind shields in official gatherings with the Emperor, such as right now.

  Zoe only contributed to the meeting when an upcoming diplomatic mission was discussed. Her mind drifted more than it should, but she wanted to be with her bondmate. Being in love was bad for b
usiness. This was a message that came from her mother, the Empress and Supreme Judge of the Byzant Courts, who was seated beside Zoe, implant to implant. Yes, mother, she agreed.

  We will have a nice long talk about your Doc later.

  I'd rather be with Doc later.

  Perhaps that would be best. Pay attention.

  I'm recording the meeting. I'll get an analysis later.

  Pay attention to your cousin, then.

  It'll only encourage him.

  Encourage him to treason, perhaps?

  Zoe kept that thought to herself. She didn't really believe he was anything but a sore loser trouble maker, but she agreed with her mother that she needed to be careful with her cousin.

  Once the meeting was over, Zoe sent a thought to the Emperor, asking for a few minutes of her father's time. He was surprised at the way she worded the request, but indicated for her to remain in the room after every one else was gone.

  When they were alone, even their security details excused, Zoe said, "Daddy, am I a cyborg?"

  "You sound like an eight year old," he answered.

  "I feel like it," she said. "I feel picked on by a bunch of people who think I'm more of a robot than a person."

  "Do you want me to have them arrested?"

  "You can't. They're my in-laws."

  "Are you saying that vampires do not think you are a human?"

  She nodded. "You know, it never occurred to me that I wouldn't be accepted by Doc's people. I knew there would be some fallout from my marrying a vampire."

  "It didn't occur to you that prejudice could go both ways?"

  "No sire, it did not. And it should have," she reproached herself. "I've spent my diplomatic career trying to get all sorts of species to see past their differences. Doc's family won't be showing up for Sunflower Day."

  "Have they officially refused an Imperial invitation?"

  "Not yet, sire. In fact, Doc's dad will be coming. Someone named Dr. Casmerek has been added to the guest list, but I think he's a mortal friend rather than a suprahuman. But I was hoping Doc's mother, and the Clan Matri would put in an official appearance."