SOLDIERS ON PEACE

It was William Sorrow who stood in front of Thor at the first sign of dusk. His head was bowed as Thor sat in his huge overstuffed chair and considered his words.

"What are they doing here?" Thor asked him.

Sorrow looked up at him now. His breath always caught in his throat when he looked at him. He seemed to glow with his long white hair that fell almost to his waist and his ivory skin. What he wouldn't give for one touch from his hand.

"I...I don't know, Master," he whispered. "They arrived early this morning. The leaders name is Seth Murdock. He told me his soldiers needed a place to rest. They have been on a mission for almost half a year."

"Did he say what this mission was?" Thor demanded, his voice sounding cool and calm.

William looked up to see his iridescent blue eyes gazing down at him. "He mentioned a name...he mentioned a Bryce Donovan. They are looking for a Bryce Donovan."

Thor stood up suddenly. "Did he say where they were from?"

"Ruby City," William replied. "I remembered that because..."

"Tyler Rose," Thor growled, his jaw opening to reveal the pointed edges of his teeth.

William took a step backward.

Thor calmed and then gave William a forced smile. "Prepare the house for a party. Make sure the soldiers are personally invited. I must make all foreign visitors feel at home. Go now. Tomorrow night. Make sure there is food and music."

"Yes, Master." William nodded his head and went running from the room.

Thor waited until the others came into the room. They gathered around him, listening intently.

"Shouldn't Dino be told? After all, they are hunting him, aren't they?" Celia asked stiffly.

"No," Thor shook his head. "He chose to go off and live among humans on that wasteland, C-Sixty Seven,"

he sneered bitterly. "We will deal with the military on our own. Tomorrow night they will attend a party that we will host, a party they won't ever leave."

The rest of them sn.i.g.g.e.red.

"The drinking rule is off tomorrow night, my lovelies. After the soldiers feast, so then shall we," he sighed.

C-Sixty Seven

When he awoke, he wasn't alone. He slowly moved his face around to see a man beside him, fast asleep. He ran a hand over his chest and sighed. Rearing up on his elbow, he leaned over him and checked for a pulse.

Not that he would have intentionally drained him, but he always liked to be sure.

Dark curly hair, slender, not what one would call beautiful but close enough. They always looked the same.

Why couldn't he wake up beside some blue eyed blond?

He drew the blanket down and ran his gaze over the length of him. He had an early morning erection. Nice.

He lowered his head and took it into his mouth.

The man woke up, placing a hand in his hair. "Dino," he whispered.

Dino brought him to o.r.g.a.s.m, letting the c.u.m wash down his throat. Then he gently pierced the skin with his teeth, taking a few drops of the precious blood before sealing over the wound with his saliva.

When he brought his head up and smiled at him, the young man's breath caught in his throat. Dino got out of bed and stood up in the dimly lit room. He stretched his naked body for a minute, giving the other man a fantastic view.

"Good morning," the man said.

He glanced at him. "Good morning, yourself."

The man looked around him. "If it wasn't for the clock, I wouldn't have been able to tell. Do you always keep it so dark in here?"

"I can't sleep with the sun shining in."

"There are no windows in this room," he said.

Dino shrugged, wanting him to leave now.

He didn't seem to be in any hurry. Dino waved his hand in front of the wall screen and watched the local news. It was the same old thing, C-Sixty Seven, otherwise known as The Dump, because it was the place where seventy percent of the garbage from the surrounding planets was disposed of; it was a planet filled with criminals. The news paraded a host of human sc.u.m and their filthy disgusting crimes. He had come here years ago when Thor decided to take over as ruler of the peace planet and make the inhabitants his slaves. He told him from the beginning it wasn't his trip. So he had ended up here, first of all because it was an ideal place to feed. He could drink from these creeps guilt-free. One less killer on this planet was doing it a favour.

But then he'd been caught up in the pain of its citizens and he had started investigating and solving crimes.

Soon people were seeking him out. He was known as a kind of private investigator. And although the Ruby Miracle helped him to control his thirst and allowed him to tolerate the sun, he still preferred to work at night.

He looked over at the guy in his bed now and sighed. "Do you mind if I ask your name?"

"Gorge. It's a nickname." He grinned.

"Oh," Dino replied. "Well, Gorge, I'm not kicking you out but I have stuff to do today, so..."

He got out of the bed and nodded. "Okay. Can I see you again? It was wild. Let me tell you, I don't think I've ever had s.e.x like that before."

Dino shrugged. "Maybe. Take care," he said, walking into the other room.

Gorge pulled on his clothes, and left.

When he first got the sensation, it was later on that evening when he was walking through a deserted alley. It hit him fast and hard. It was like someone had slugged him. Seth Murdock. Now what in h.e.l.l would make him think of him?

He stopped, looked around him. Seth Murdock and three hundred men were with Thor and the others on Peace. A man was running down the alley now. A woman screamed somewhere. Dino scanned the alley with keen eyes, then rose upward, landing on the decrepit roof of a run down building. The woman was huddled by a garbage can, hiding. The man was looking for her. He had some kind of a weapon in his hand.

Dino waited until he came into plain view, than jumped, landing directly in front of him.

The man stumbled backwards, startled.

"Give me the weapon," Dino told him.

"Up yours," he flung at him, pointing the sawed off piece of pipe at him.

Dino's eyes flashed red. He reached out for the weapon, grabbing it and throwing it away. Then with one hand he took hold of the man's throat. His eyes widened in fear as Dino squeezed. Then leaning close to him, he opened his jaw, making sure the terrified man saw the pointed teeth. "Say your piece," he whispered against his ear, "you're about to die."

Sinking his teeth into his throat, he drank deeply, then released him. Pulling his body up with him, he deposited him on the roof. After a.s.suring the terrified woman that everything was okay and seeing her home, he came back for the body. "Human refuge," he said softly. Picking it up, he flew with it across the night sky and then threw it into the garbage incinerator which burned twenty four hours a day.

When he finally hit the ground, that sensation he had before came back. This time it wouldn't leave him alone. Thor, what in h.e.l.l are you up to?

It was a few minutes after midnight. He could be on Peace in less than a half hour. Although he had chosen to live apart from them, he was still their leader. He still felt a certain responsibility for their actions. Whatever they were doing now was wrong. He could feel it.

When the Peace planet came into view, Dino felt an urgency he hadn't felt before. The grand house that Thor had appropriated for himself and the others when he had decided to declare himself the ruler of this tiny population was all lit up tonight. He could see familiar s.p.a.ce craft gathered around. It was definitely Sentra issued military vehicles.

s.h.i.t. What in the h.e.l.l were they doing here?

He touched down just feet from the house and peered in the window. Thor. He was sitting at a long table with several military officers. There was food and drink. Somewhere some gentle music played. He didn't like this at all. Thor!

Don't come here. It's you they are looking for.

Looking for me? What are you up to?

I'm taking care of your problem, my prince. Tonight, we feast.

Dino hissed into the night. No! Release them, Thor, or you will pay. I promise you. I know these men.

Your love, Tyler sent them to find you and bring you back to him. You should have let me kill him that night.

Tyler? He sighed. d.a.m.n. He closed his eyes for a minute. Why, after all this time would Tyler send soldiers after him? He didn't believe for a minute that Tyler wanted to hurt him in any way.

Suddenly, he walked into the room.

It was Seth Murdock that stood up when he saw him, pushing back his chair. He had a hard time standing on his feet.

The vampires at the table immediately bowed their heads when they saw him.

Dino scanned the room. The table was filled with liquor, as were the men's gla.s.ses. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," he said softly, giving Thor a look of caution.

"Bryce," Seth said, coming forward. He looked so beautiful standing there in his red leather pants and black tee-shirt. His long black hair was tied back at the neck. "My G.o.d, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Seth, and you?" He said politely, accepting his sloppy hug. He was obviously wasted, as were the others who got up to shake his hand or hug him.

Dino felt a sense of warmth he hadn't for a long time. These people had been his friends. He realised suddenly how much he had missed them. He glared at Thor. You will not hurt them. They are off limits. Leave now! The other vampires quickly filed out of the room.

Thor took his time leaving. He issued Dino a cautionary look and said silently, Don't say I didn't warn you.

If you get taken, I will not lift a hand to help you.

I've asked nothing of you before this. I'll ask nothing after.

Thor was gone.

Dino concentrated on what the others were saying to him now. They were recalling stories of the past. He laughed along with them, all the time keeping an eye on Seth Murdock, who had fallen silent.

"Tyler Rose has lost his mind," Seth announced suddenly when there was a lull in the conversation.

Dino leaned closer to him. "What?"

"You heard me. He's gone crazy. It's gotten progressively worse the last few years."

Dino closed his eyes for a moment. Then he opened them and met Seth's gaze. "So, what are you doing here now?"

Seth Murdock looked like he was about to cry. "I'm sorry, Bryce," he said, taking out his weapon, "I have to take you back."

Dino regarded him calmly. "That weapon you have, Seth, won't do you any good."

"Yes, it will," he nodded, and aiming at his forearm, he shot one bullet into him.

The impact of it threw Dino out of the chair he was sitting in.

The other soldiers fell quiet. They all stared at Seth Murdock as if he'd lost his mind.

Seth stood up, looking around him. "I can tell you now, Bryce Donovan was our mission."

Dino tried to lift his head off the floor. The room was spinning. What was happening to him? He looked up to see Seth Murdock looking down at him. He thought he heard him say, "I'm sorry," then everything went black.