Page 55 of Black Star

“To Draggoon? Ohhellno! I don’t think I could stand a whole planet full of moody vampires out to suck my blood.” Ranier laughed. “I’ll have to pass, my friend.”

“No.” Viktor wasn’t in a laughing mood. “Draggoon might be my home world, but myhomeishere. On this ship. I want you to come with me back to my cabin. Not as a friend, Ranier -- though you’ll always be my best friend. I want you there as one who holds my life.”

Viktor was sure his face was bright red, but still he stood straight and tall. He would not be ashamed of the way he felt.

Ranier’s laughter died as quickly as it had come, and the man looked at him with a mixture of astonishment and wonder. “Me? Look, you don’t owe me anything, Viktor. It’s not that I don’t have feelings for you -- I do. It’s just that I don’t want you to do this out of some sense of obligation because of what I did during your Blood Burning.”

“Come with me, Ranier. We need to talk.”

“Indeed.”

Chapter Nine

Ranier had half expected this. He remembered Viktor’s confession after they’d all three made love, but he’d half thought he was dreaming. Ranier loved Viktor in ways he’d never thought possible for him to love another man, but he absolutely would not join his life to Viktor’s unless he knew for sure the other man loved him. And he wouldn’t do it without Diamond, either. The short time he’d had with her had created an addiction. It wasn’t just the sex -- he enjoyed spending time with her, though they hadn’t done much of that since they’d started having sex. He grinned.

When the three of them had made love, he’d felt whole. Connected to another person for the first time in his life. He hadn’t just shared himself with one special person, but two. True, he’d been a little pissed at Viktor for the way he was treating Diamond, but he’d been horny as hell just thinking about Viktor’s big cock piercing his ass. It had been everything he’d hoped for and more. It had been the most explosive sex Ranier had ever had, and it included both Viktor and Diamond equally. If either of them had been missing, the experience wouldn’t have been as intense or fulfilling.

Viktor’s door slid open at their approach, and as soon as they were inside and the door closed, Viktor whirled around and pulled Ranier to him and held him close.

“How can you possibly think I don’t love you every bit as much as I love Diamond?” When Ranier pulled back in astonishment to make sure he’d heard the vampire right, Viktor lowered his head and captured Ranier’s lips with his own.

Ranier opened his mouth and plunged his tongue into Viktor’s mouth the instant their lips met. He was hungry for the other man. Hungry for the pleasure they could both gain. Hungry for his love. He actually clung to Viktor, as if afraid he’d never get the opportunity again.

Their kiss was drawn out. They kissed for the sheer joy of the sensation. Ranier’s cock grew painfully hard. He groaned and let his head fall back when Viktor reached between them and squeezed Ranier’s cock through his uniform.

“I felt a connection with you the first moment we met, Ranier. It was that attraction that kept me by your side when our differences became apparent.”

Ranier snorted a laugh, but sucked in a breath when Viktor nipped his neck. “We’re like sunlight and darkness, Viktor, in everything but Diamond.”

Viktor paused in his exploration of Ranier’s neck for only a heartbeat before continuing. The rough stubble of Viktor’s beard abraded Ranier’s skin where Viktor explored. The erotic scrape sent shivers through Ranier, and he didn’t protest when Viktor urged him out of his clothes.

He stood before Viktor, proud in his lust for the other man and proud in his own body. He knew the way he looked when the sweat glistened on the fine hair of his chest. His muscles gleamed and his abdomen rippled with each breath he took. Viktor’s gaze took in every inch of Ranier’s naked flesh, and his features grew more severe with each passing second.

Viktor removed his own clothing then. Many times Ranier had seen the vampire naked, but this time was somehow different. Ranier took his time to inspect Viktor’s body as he disrobed. Now that he looked, he could see the tiny incision sites where Viktor’s cybernetics were implanted.

The hardware was part of what gave Viktor his incredible size in both height and body mass. Viktor’s musculature was scary in its perfection. He had the perfect amount of bulk to go with his frame. Each muscle was toned to perfection in ways no non-cybernetic human could attain.

Ranier itched to explore this perfect body, but there was a question on his mind he had to have answered before he could enjoy himself. “What about Diamond, Viktor? As much as I feel for you, I feel for Diamond. I can’t choose between the two of you. I won’t choose.”

Viktor shrugged. “I’m all for that. If she’s willing, that is. I won’t put her through any more than I’ve already done.”

Ranier blinked. “Really?”

Viktor crossed his arms over his massive chest. “Of course. Not out of gratitude, either. There is something special about Diamond I don’t want to get away from. She’s proven her character more times than any person should have to, and she’s a loving woman. Given all she went through with the Hand, that’s a hard trait to hang onto.”

“So, you don’t have a problem with a life sharing arrangement with the three of us together?” Ranier didn’t expect it to be this easy, though he really should have. Vampires didn’t have the preconceived notions about family and life sharing most humans did. They accepted multiple partners easily. He guessed his misgivings came from Viktor’s standoffishness with most members of the crew. Ranier had never imagined Viktor as a mate before.

“Of course not.”

“It’s just that you’ve never shown interest in anyone before all this. At least, not since I’ve known you, and the men you’ve worked with since your commission on theBlack Starsay pretty much the same thing.”

Viktor smiled and knelt before Ranier. Ranier held his breath. “That’s because I’ve never met anyone who cared enough to see through my gruff exterior. You, on the other hand, ignored my temper. I never had a conversation with you that felt awkward. And I know I never will.”

From that moment on, Ranier could have cared less why Viktor wanted this union. All he could think about was his own cock disappearing between Viktor’s lips.

Viktor gripped Ranier’s hips and glided his mouth back and forth onto Ranier’s shaft. The satiny slickness and sucking pressure of Viktor’s mouth were sheer heaven. All Ranier could do was grasp Viktor’s silky black hair, close his eyes, and simply feel.

“Sweet stars!” Ranier groaned. “That’s it! Stars, I love what you’re doing!” Viktor hummed and slurped as he took the length of Ranier until his nose brushed against the fine hair of Ranier’s lower belly. Time after time, Ranier watched his cock disappear into Viktor’s mouth, and he knew he definitely wouldn’t last long if Viktor kept it up. He tried to push Viktor away, but the other man seemed to speed up his motions, wanting Ranier to come.

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