by Mardi Ballou
Cover art: Reneé George and Fabiano Fabris
ISBN: 978-1-60521-554-5
Genre(s): Futuristic, Paranormal, Sci-Fi
Theme(s): Ménage, Vampires, Gay and Lesbian
Length: Collection
http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1547
Blurb:
Unjust exiled to a notorious penile colony, vampire Val Cutter is immediately attracted to a gorgeous stranger. Despite his usual caution, he quickly falls for Paul de l’Astre.
Paul, a prisoner subjected to Retkove’s cruel experiments, wants only to return to his planet -- until he meets Val. But Val could never survive on the sun-worshipping planet of Apoll’ex, and Paul will die if his sunlight deprivation continues.
When they discover the true purpose of Retkove experiments, Paul must make the choice of a lifetime: the man he’s come to love more than life itself, or the world he once called home?
Excerpt:
From the Light
Mardi Ballou
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2011 Mardi Ballou
Excerpt from To the Light
This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.
Val Cutter surveyed the barren moonlit beach before checking in at the gatehouse. As he entered its incongruously ornate interior, the most beautiful man he'd ever seen exited.
Who --? Shoulder length blond hair crowned a golden aura that sparked and swirled from him in waves of pure energy. The man radiated sunshine, and, with just one move of his head, pierced the frozen barrier Val hid his feelings behind. Val's cock instantly rose to a full erection. Despite his recent feed, his fangs began to descend.
Regulations be damned -- Val had to know who this mystery man was. But just as Val whirled to follow, a claw reached out and pulled him back. Ideg Retkove, the criminal "businessman" responsible for Val's current predicament, leered at him. Though Val could easily whip Retkove's ass, he wouldn't appreciate another stint in the man's stinking dungeon.
"He's magnificent, isn't he?" Retkove purred. "But I'm afraid my guest has been rather under the weather, or he'd be even more spectacular." He cackled as if he'd just made a joke.
Val's cock crashed. Retkove, who'd been staring at Val's crotch, clucked. "Pity that's gone to waste. But lots more where it came from, eh?"
"Cutter, Val, reporting for Guard Duty," he muttered in his most mechanical voice.
"Indeed," Retkove drawled. His voice dripped oily pleasure.
Val bit back a retort and headed back out to the door. Maybe he'd still be able to catch up to the mystery man.
Retkove blocked Val's way. "How many more nights do you insist on playing out this ridiculous charade?" Retkove asked and extended his right hand toward Val's cheek. Val recoiled and hissed a warning, his eyes filled with venomous hatred. Retkove lowered his rejected hand.
"How long are you going to hold me to the bullshit verdict of the kangaroo court you bribed?" Val spat out.
"If you're referring to the sentence handed down by the Vampires' Justice Council, you know the answer. Considering the extent of your crimes against me and the community, you should figure yourself lucky they only gave you such a trivial sentence. You know the influence I exercise in the Vampires' Sector. If I hadn't intervened with my offer of an opportunity to supervise your rehabilitation, you might be long dead or in an exile worse than death."
Retkove crossed to the highly polished ebony bar, where he picked up a crystal decanter. Though this beach was the most barren outpost of Retkove's vast holdings, the prick insisted on surrounding himself with luxury, in sharp contrast with the cheapness that characterized his prisoners' conditions. "Of course, you could find a much more pleasurable way to serve out the sentence..." His fangs gleamed brightly in the room's expensive lighting.
Val clenched his fists at his sides. If he gave in to his temptation to kill Retkove, he'd end up serving another century. Only this time, he'd surely be far from Earth, on one of the penal planets. Revolting as he found his current sentence, at least he'd managed to avoid that form of exile. Most nights, he figured staying on his home planet was worth putting up with Retkove. But sometimes...
Retkove had manipulated events to manufacture a convincing case that made Val look guilty of embezzling millions from the Vampires Fund. Now Val had not only to prove his innocence but to keep below Retkove's radar -- a challenge because his increasingly aggressive passes were getting harder to stomach. "Fuck off, Retkove."
The old lecher shook his head. "Insubordination. Ingratitude. If this continues, I'll have to speak to the Officers of the Council. Maybe I'll tell them that, despite my efforts, you are not showing any signs of reform. In fact, you're becoming a greater threat to the Vampire Community Code..."
Val strode over to Retkove and grabbed him by the collar of his white silk shirt -- a far cry from the canvassiac and plastic his "workers" were stuck wearing. "Listen, and listen hard. I'm going to prove where that money really went. And, believe me, once your shitty house of cards starts coming down, you'll be buried by it."
Retkove, whose eyes had grown quite cold, snorted. "I love it when you talk dirty."
"You sick bastard." Val released his grip on the collar and almost flung him away. Before Retkove could say another word, Val turned on his heel and stalked out.
Once again, he had to patrol the beach until just before dawn. He took a deep breath and quickly scanned the beach for the man whose beauty had shone like a beacon, but found only the barren emptiness of the polluted waters lapping onto the sand. A whisper of regret flashed through him, along with another layer of anger at Ideg Retkove, who'd needlessly delayed Val's exit.
That mystery man was nowhere to be seen.
http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1547
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