Dark-Pilot's Bride.

by Cricket Starr.

Chapter One.

Nightfall. With the sun setting to her right, Josia had to twist her head painfully to watch the greenish-red disk sink behind the brown forest edge. Since her hands were tied to the tree limb over her head, there wasn't much else she could do.

One small flash and it was gone. A pang of dismay shook her as the remaining light faded from the sky, making way for the deep purple of evening. Her last sunset, the final time she'd see the sun of the misbegotten world she'd been born on. By tomorrow this time she'd be dead...or gone.

Or worse.

Josia sighed. Her life up to now hadn't been thrilling, but she was sorry to see it end-hence the bindings. The colony elders were taking no chances with the latest "bride" to be handed over in exchange for supplies from the inner colonies. War in another part of the sector had disrupted several expected visits, turning what should have been a short interval into over fifteen years now. Failure of this transfer could mean no further support from outside.

Long ago a bargain had been made with the Dark-pilot League that controlled s.p.a.ce traffic in this quadrant. A ship would come every few years with mail from the home planets, plus much-needed medical and technical supplies, items that could only be manufactured off-planet. It would take away the homespun goods the colony produced-hand-carved figures and cloth spun from native materials. Some of Josia's best weaving was piled in the baskets on the edge of the clearing.

In exchange, the League asked for one other item in payment-a human blood donor for the Dark-pilot who controlled the ship, someone to snack on during his long trip through the stars. Josia couldn't resist her shudder-the Dark-pilots were vampires. Since the donors were usually female and the pilots male, the term bride had been coined for the sacrifice, but everyone a.s.sumed a darker fate awaited them.

No bride had ever returned and Josia could only a.s.sume the worse.

Even so, she remembered the pilot's voice through the colony comm-unit after he'd entered the Demma solar system two weeks ago. Deep, rich and masculine, the sound had made her shiver with need rather than terror as he'd given the final instructions for the handover. He hadn't sounded like a demon at all. An evening breeze flitted through the clearing she'd been left in, stirring the edges of the open robe she wore. She shivered, only partly from the cold. As soon as they'd secured her hands to the tree, the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds had untied the skimpy garment, baring her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, making her a fitting "sacrifice" to the Dark-pilot coming to claim her.

Never mind that she was far too heavy and old for the seductive garment. Well, maybe not old...after all she was only thirty-two in standard years. But tradition held the Dark- pilot's bride should be an attractive young woman, preferably a virgin.

The latter was the only reason she'd been able to convince the committee to allow her to subst.i.tute for Kissa when her younger sister had drawn the tile with the Dark-pilot emblem.

Josia hadn't any other choice. She'd argued with them, pointing out that her beautiful sister was more an a.s.set to the colony than she was. While the cloth Josia wove was considered the best, other weavers existed to replace her, and unlike the other colony women she'd never found a husband.

With her parents long dead, no one would miss Josia other than her sister.

The open robe had been designed for someone with a slender figure. It barely fit around her when she'd been allowed to tie it, and now it gaped, revealing every physical fault she had.

It would have fit Kissa , Josia thought. But she couldn't let them take her younger sister, not even twenty yet. The tile Kissa had chosen was now tied around her neck like a tag on a piece of meat in a butcher shop.

That's what she was-meat for a monster. Josia shuddered at what the pilot would do when he saw his sorry excuse for a bride. Perhaps he'd be too angry to do more than simply drink all her blood and kill her right away.

A cold comfort that was.

Josia tried to stretch her back against the tree trunk behind her to relieve the strain on her wrists. She longed to be free of her bonds. In fact, she almost wished the demon would show up and put her out of her misery...

A flash of light lit the corner of her eye and Josia heard the steady drone of an approaching s.p.a.cecraft. A slender needle lowered from the sky and settled onto the gra.s.s at the opposite edge of the clearing, far enough away that the collected goods and Josia were safe from the engine's backwash. Moments later, a door in the side opened, revealing a slender male figure.

Josia groaned aloud. She really should be more careful of what she wished for.

Dimitri stepped out of the ship and breathed deeply the fresh air of Deema 7. Through the open doorway over his shoulder came his fussy computer's last instructions.

"Now remember, these folks haven't seen a Dark-pilot in years. No doubt all sorts of strange ideas have sprung up. You represent their first contact with the outside in over a decade."

The computer's clipped tones droned on about League protocol and Dimitri had to bite back the urge to tell him where to stuff his advice. This wasn't the first time he'd done one of these landings.

"Oh and one more thing." The computer's voice turned plaintive. "If you don't like the female, try and let her down easy this time. We don't want another incident like the one on Londas 4."

Dimitri winced. "I'll remember, Arthur. But I didn't have much choice."

Londas 4 had been a mistake, but mostly the fault of the people there, not his. Lovely to look at, if a bit too slender to arouse him, the Londas woman had taken to the ritual feeding with exceptional good grace until he'd explained what her role in the Dark-pilot world would be. After failing to seduce him, she'd been shocked to discover all he wanted was her blood...and he hadn't even wanted that once he'd read her mind.

Somehow she'd gotten the idea that his bite would cause her to become a vampire and she'd planned a whole campaign of revenge on the members of her colony once she'd become like him. Just what the Dark-pilot League needed, a lunatic offering.

He'd returned her kicking and screaming to her people, and had stuck to artiheme for the trip to Demma. Dimitri shuddered. The manufactured blood was supposed to be just as healthy as the real thing, but he was tired of its taste.

Truth be told, he was tired of more than that. Being a captain in the Dark-pilot League allowed him to see the universe, but he spent most of the time in s.p.a.ce alone. Sure, he had Arthur for company, but he needed more than the occasional game of astrochess to keep him satisfied. He needed someone to touch, to hug. Someone to kiss and cuddle with in the long dark of s.p.a.ce.

Someone with hot, sweet blood and a tight p.u.s.s.y...

Dimitri's c.o.c.k jumped and he nearly groaned aloud. Good company Arthur might be, but a man couldn't f.u.c.k a computer.

With the war it had been close to twenty years since his last woman! Even if the female the Deemans promised turned out to be a nasty-minded b.i.t.c.h who was ugly as sin and skinny as a rail, he intended to take her with him. She'd provide him with blood and companionship until he could leave her on the next planet in his route. s.e.x too, if he could put up with being that close to her. If necessary he'd keep his eyes closed and his mind shuttered.

The breeze in the clearing picked up and wafted past him, giving him a nose full of fresh vegetation and other exotic scents. He breathed deeply, then again as one smell caught his attention.

Woman. A woman's scent was in the air, unique, warm, rich, and inviting. Eyes glowing, Dimitri's stomach growled while his c.o.c.k hardened under his uniform pants. There was a promise in that smell, and he couldn't wait to test it.

He tried for nonchalance. "I'll be gentle with her, Arthur. You get the colony's goods ready for unloading."

The computer's chuckle said he'd failed to conceal his eagerness, but he ignored it as he moved down the narrow trail to where his senses told him the woman waited.

Dimitri stopped in shock when he got close enough to see her.

They'd tied her to a tree! In horror he eyed the barely clad woman's arms stretched above her, leaving her helpless against anything that could have come out of the woods to attack her.

Helpless against him, too. The insidious whispering of his subconscious did not improve his mood, especially as his c.o.c.k got even harder at the suggestion. He tapped into his outrage.

It wasn't right that her elders had bound her. Bound for him , came the whisper again.

Yeah, well, that didn't mean he was going to play their game.

Dimitri strode forward, intending to free her. They'd no doubt tied her up well before nightfall so she probably was in real pain.

Her head went up as he approached and again he stopped in his tracks. Her face turned toward him, round like the moon, with pale smooth skin that looked like porcelain. His fingers curled as he stared at her flesh, already antic.i.p.ating stroking that loveliness. It would feel like satin.

Dark hair fell in silken waves down the sides of her face, across her shoulders and down to almost cover her full, heavy b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Dimitri almost stopped breathing. Full, heavy, bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s. With her robe untied and open, only a sc.r.a.p of lace across her woman's mound provided modesty from his eyes.

The white robe framed her full body, soft belly and rounded hips. Her t.i.ts were enormous. A man could get lost in the woman's cleavage. In the dim light he could make out dark areolas and pointed nipples tipping them. There would be veins on those b.r.e.a.s.t.s, rich veins.

Dimitri's mouth grew dry as he stared at the heaving orbs, imagining how tender their flesh would be, how rich the blood from them would taste. Entranced, he stepped closer to her. Her eyes widened at his approach and a voice sounded in his head. What a beautiful man. I've never seen him before. Did he come with the demon?

All this woman, and mental powers too? Attention caught, Dimitri gazed into her eyes. Dark eyes, frightened, but also curious. Curious about him. She didn't believe him to be the "demon" she waited for.

She'd chosen to bespeak him-he would answer in kind. He tried a smile, careful to hide his fangs. You think me beautiful? I was just thinking the same about you.

You can hear my thoughts? Excitement tinged her mental voice. No one else can, only my sister sometimes. But beautiful? her mental voice admonished. I'm not beautiful.

But you are most beautiful. He stepped closer. Why did they tie you here?

She shook her wrists, indicating the rope above her. I'm the Dark-pilot's bride. I volunteered but they thought I'd change my mind.

A volunteer. Dimitri felt a pang of misgiving. Perhaps this voluptuous beauty was like the last woman, seeking power from his bite. Why would you choose to give yourself to a demon?

It was me or my sister. She's so young. That was better. She thought she was saving her sister a terrible fate. Hmm, which meant she thought being a Dark- pilot "bride" a terrible fate. Dimitri didn't much care for that although he did like the thought of her as his bride. His c.o.c.k liked the idea even more, jerking greedily as it antic.i.p.ated its wedding night.

Their wedding night, he told it firmly, his and hers as well. He would have her blood and s.e.x, but not until there was agreement to both from the woman.

His subconscious joined the argument. But she is agreeable...

she waits for you and can't fight you.

Enough! He argued with himself. I won't take her when she's helpless like this!

The woman's mental voice intruded on his internal debate.

Could you do me a favor?

For you, anything. What do you want?

She shook her bound hands. You should leave here before the Dark-pilot comes, but could you untie me first? I don't want him to see me like this-he'll be so angry anyway.

Why would he be angry? There is something very appealing about you tied like that. There is nothing appealing about a fat sow tied to a tree!

He couldn't help it, she looked so appetizing and so exasperated...he laughed, revealing the fangs he'd carefully kept hidden. Her eyes widened in shock.

"You're the Dark-pilot!"

It was the first time he'd heard her voice and he liked it immediately. Rich and sweet, like the rest of her. Melodic.

She could sing with him on their journey.

He swept her a courtly bow. "Guilty, I'm afraid."

The red in her cheeks heightened. "Do you always tease your dinner this way?"

"Do I look like someone who teases?"

"No..." He read confusion from her at that admission. "You look hungry."

Dimitri stepped into touching distance, all thoughts of releasing her gone. His gaze raked her up and down, and the blush on her cheeks spread to the rest of her face and down to her neck. She had a long neck, a perfect neck. Not a blemish to it, or to any other portion of her skin. He reached to stroke her face, run his hand along the edge of her chin, then down her neck to her shoulder. Held firmly by her wrists, the woman couldn't move away and he found her helplessness more interesting all the time.

She had perfect skin. It felt like silk under his fingers and he longed to taste it. A red haze filled the corners of his eyes as a long-denied blood l.u.s.t claimed him. It had been too long since he'd fed from a living being. He would have to be careful not to hurt her.

The woman raised her eyes to his. Defiance was in her pose, and it made him smile. "What do you want?"

She had a lovely voice and he could listen to it all night- except that he had other things on his mind.

"You were right, I am hungry," he told her. "Hungry for you."

Chapter Two.

Fear blossomed in her eyes and he quickly spoke in his mental voice. You will feel no hurt. I will touch your mind and take the pain and fear away.

She still trembled as he moved closer and slid his hands across her back, tilting her toward him. In spite of his rea.s.surances he could feel her terror grow as he sent a mental caress to soothe and chase her fears away. Some of her tension eased even as he pulled back her hair and tenderly licked the skin over the vein in her neck.

She was delicious. The flavor of her skin almost undid him and it took all his control to be gentle, to soothe the skin with his tongue so that the pinp.r.i.c.ks of his teeth wouldn't hurt. As their mind link deepened he could read as her arousal built, his slow licks sending sensual shockwaves through her body. A delicious confusion rose in her over her excitement. Whatever else she was, she wasn't very experienced.

She closed her eyes and leaned away from him, unconsciously baring her neck even more, ready for him. He bit down once, hard, piercing the vein, and even through the haze in her mind he felt her wince at the momentary pain. But then he flooded her mind with what he was experiencing, the glorious taste of her blood, the sweet sensation of drawing it from her neck. He swallowed and she moaned in the way he would've if his mouth hadn't been otherwise occupied.

Dimitri drew her closer into his arms, pressing against her full, soft body. All he'd intended was to take her blood, but his c.o.c.k turned rock-hard, eager for more. His hands sought her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, reveling in their glorious fullness. As he kneaded them, she wriggled against him, her body experiencing the l.u.s.t he now sent through their link.

He let one hand leave her breast to explore the thin fabric covering the opening to her s.e.x. He found her tender c.l.i.t and ma.s.saged it through her undergarment, feeling her gasp. His fingers slipped into the soft folds and found the dampness there. He didn't think further...he wanted her, she wanted him...what more was needed? He had to have her, take her body as well as her blood. Twenty years was a long time for anyone, even a Dark-pilot, to be celibate.

It only took a single jerk to rip the crotch from her underpants.

Another tug opened the fly of his pants, freeing his c.o.c.k to spring out between them. Through the link, he felt some faintness in her from the blood he'd taken, so he stopped feeding, sealing the holes in her neck. Sealing but not removing them...not now, not yet. Maybe not ever.

Dimitri grasped her b.u.t.tocks and lifted her. His strength made it easy to push her against the tree behind her, raising her legs to open her p.u.s.s.y to him.

She caught his intention just before his c.o.c.k speared home, her eyes widening in her beautiful moon-shaped face. "But I'm..."

He didn't wait for the rest, just drove deep inside her, her voice crying at his invasion. The maidenhead he tore through surprised him...she wasn't that young...but it was too late now. He sent soothing images into her mind, calming her and taking the pain of his first a.s.sault away. Her core's near- painful grip on him eased somewhat as her body grew used to, then began to appreciate, his presence within her.

Her p.u.s.s.y became a warm tightness, enveloping his c.o.c.k, inviting his stroke. He pulled out and she cried out in protest at his leaving, then happily as he filled her once more. Soon all she was making were happy cries as he took her against the tree.

Her full b.r.e.a.s.t.s thrust up at him, and again he sank his fangs into her flesh, catching the vein and sucking her blood from the tiny holes. She shuddered against him, climaxing as much from his feeding as the presence of his c.o.c.k in her. The heat of her blood set fire to the inside of his mouth.

Could he ever get enough of this woman? Possibly not-could she be the one? The questions formed in his mind, then pa.s.sed, too fast for him to do more than acknowledge them. They were old questions, with him from the time he was a young Dark-pilot, and he first realized how alone his new world would be.