From the Light

Heliotropic I: From the Light Mardi Ballou All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2006 Mardi Ballou

No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical

means, including but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior

written permission from Changeling Press LLC.

ISBN (10) 1-59596-441-X

ISBN (13) 978-1-59596-441-0

Formats Available:

HTML, Adobe PDF,

MobiPocket, Microsoft Reader

Publisher:

Changeling Press LLC

PO Box 1561

Shepherdstown, WV 25443-1561

www.ChangelingPress.com

Editor: Katriena Knights

Cover Artist: Fabiano Fabris

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.

Chapter One Vampires’ Sector, Planet Earth, 2757, C.E. 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.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

-4-

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

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

-5-

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.

*** In his flimsy shelter set back from Retkove’s beach, Paul de l’Astre doubled up from the agony. Too weak to get himself to the dormitory where the other slaves stayed, he’d barely made it to his meager refuge. Paul hoped the bits of canvassiac he’d draped over driftwood to provide shelter from the night’s wind would escape the night guards’ notice. With luck, any passing patrol would regard the wood and cloth as beach debris. Today had been what his fellow day guards called “overcast.” Though weak sunlight had penetrated the horizon’s gray haze, Paul had spent the day fighting off the sharp claws of his need. Further deprived of sunlight during the night, he’d spend the dark hours wracked with intensifying pain. He didn’t even have access to any artificial sunlight, such as had sustained him and his fellow Apollans in their rocket ship. If the deprivation got bad enough, he’d die in this barren world, so far from home.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

-6-

He had to get back to his planet, Apoll’ex. Biggest mistake he’d ever made, leaving for what should have been a routine mission, mapping this sector of the sun’s far-flung empire. When they’d gotten near Earth, his crew, caught up in a particularly intense sex ritual, had ignored the conventional wisdom about the need for mounting extra defenses and relied on the minimal system in place. Earth had a deservedly awful reputation in the planetary community. Paul, who’d been skeptical about Earth’s reputation for evil, learned exactly how accurate that description was -- too late. He’d been the sole survivor of the vicious attack that brought his craft down. The criminal Retkove had single-handedly breached the concord long ratified by all the major and minor planets, which supported peaceful surveys such as the one Paul’s crew had been conducting. Far worse than the loss of his ship and all the data they’d gathered, Paul mourned the loss of his five-member crew, his mates in work and in the passionate performance of Apollan sex rituals. Retkove’s prisoner, Paul found himself in an unending nightmare. Despite Paul’s demands that his basic universal rights be met, Retkove enslaved him, forcing him to spend days patrolling the beach. And then of course there were Paul’s other duties -which included letting a white-coated fiend pierce his skin with sharp instruments and draw his blood into glass vials… Cut off from any means of communication with Apoll’ex, Paul would have to depend on an Earthling for help -- if he could find one he could trust. Sleep eluded him. Though he tried to bite back his pain, he moaned aloud. Immediately afterward, he heard a noise and feared he’d attracted a guard’s attention. Trying to make himself small enough to disappear among the night shadows, Paul grasped his knees and rolled himself into a tight ball of total agony. “What is it? Who’s there?” a deep masculine voice growled. No way Paul was going to answer. He willed himself to keep still until the growler moved on. But the next moment, a hand shoved aside the canvassiac sheet exposing him. “What the hell --” A laselight shone full on Paul’s face.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

-7-

Ignoring his pain and the shock of the light, Paul quickly assessed the intruder. Midnight black hair and eyes, a perfectly chiseled nose and chin, full sensuous lips that tantalized. In spite of the pain and the danger, Paul’s cock twitched to life. It had been ages since he’d had sex. Trust his cock to lead him from bad to worse. From all he knew, only criminals peopled the Earth. So what if a gorgeous and tempting exterior masked the inherent treachery? All the more reason to proceed carefully. Paul couldn’t let his guard down, or he might give up whatever slim chance he still had of going home. Besides which, tempting as the man was, Paul preferred his sex multi-partnered with partners who knew the Apollan intricacies. “Who are you?” The intruder narrowed his eyes to accusatory slits and looked fierce. Scumshit. No way Paul could evade this guy, evidently one of Retkove’s lackeys. “Paul de l’Astre,” he admitted through gritted teeth. “From the planet Apoll’ex.” “From Apoll’ex? You’re a long way from home. What are you doing here?” The intruder’s voice rasped sexily, turning Paul on enough that his erotic need began to block the sharp stab of his pain. “I’m a daytime guard of this hell… this beach. Reporting to Retkove.” The other man’s handsome face contorted at the mention of the top criminal’s name. “If you’re daytime, why are you here now? Why aren’t you back at the regular quarters?” Though his voice remained harsh, something in the intruder’s face softened. Paul had the oddest sensation, intuition, that a link joined the two of them. Realizing it had to be his weakness making him think this way, Paul stiffened with caution. Well, his cock was stiffening with lust, the rest of him with caution. “I have nowhere else to go. Not since Retkove shot down my craft and killed my crew.” Whew. He hadn’t intended to reveal so much. Must have been the pain making him careless. Or the lust. “You’re one of his prisoners, too?”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

-8-

Paul nodded. The other man relaxed a bit. When he spoke again, Paul caught a gleam of fangs. Great sun rays -- he was alone with a vampire. As Retkove was the only other creature of that type Paul knew, his nerve endings and self-protection instincts went on high alert. Vampires were reputed to be the lowest form of Earthling. So how come Paul had a world-class hard-on for this one? Val couldn’t believe his eyes. The amazing guy he’d caught a glimpse of earlier, whom he hadn’t been able to forget since he’d first caught sight of him, lay before him - evidently seized up in some sort of pain. Though his head told him Paul de l’Astre could very well be one of Retkove’s spies, his gut told him Paul was the real deal. Val’s throbbing peter-meter more than concurred. But the guy had moaned with what sounded like excruciating agony, and he obviously was hurting -- unless he was putting on an amazingly competent act. “What’s wrong with you? You sick, injured, what?” “I don’t even know how to start to answer that.” Paul patted a spot near him on the ground. “Sit down. Oh, what’s your name?” Val sat down close to Paul. The shelter wasn’t very big, but he’d have sat near him even if there’d been much more space. His intuition told him Paul more than welcomed the closeness. “Can’t sit for long. Retkove patrols his guards.” He shook his head. “Bastard thinks everyone’s like him, so he doesn’t trust anyone.” Paul nodded. “Your name?” “Val. Val Cutter.” He held out his hand, which Paul squeezed with a surprising show of strength. “Welcome to my very humble abode, Val Cutter.” Paul bit his lip, and Val knew the other man was trying to stifle a groan. “What’s wrong with you?” Val asked. Though they’d just met, this man’s pain mattered to him. Paul laughed dryly. “I’m an Apollan. You know about us?” Val thought for a moment. Something he remembered picking up on one of his computer searches… It came to him. “You’re from that planet, the one where people feed off sunlight.”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

-9-

“Right. Apoll’ex.” Paul’s voice caressed the name of his home. “We have sunlight all the time in our world. We have to. If we’re deprived of the sun, we face a fairly prompt, very painful death.” Val shook his head, remembering Retkove’s sick joke. “Just the opposite of me. If I went out in the sunlight, I’d fry, end up being a pile of ash. What happens to you without sunlight?” Paul opened his arms wide as if to indicate everywhere the pain hit. “We suffer a lot, then we shrivel up and die. I think all that saves me right now is our being in the time of long days and short nights at this place on Earth. But if I haven’t returned to my planet by the time the nights grow longer…” “You’re hurting bad now?”

Paul clutched his stomach and nodded.

Val had to do something for this man. Though not sure exactly how much good

it would do, he laid his hand on Paul’s stomach and began to rub. Massage couldn’t hurt, right? He was not prepared for the way touching Paul de l’Astre would affect him. The first contact raised sensations that raced through Val like an electric current gone wild. In moments, the spasm of pain appeared to have eased. Paul looked Val in the eye, and Val saw his own desire reflected in the other man’s amber eyes. That was all it took. Val threw himself down on the ground, stretched out facing Paul, and took the other man in his arms. Then he was lost in a kiss with Paul -- who tasted like sunshine. Bloody hell. Until this moment, Val hadn’t realized how much he missed sunshine, how bleak his life had been all the past centuries without it. “Apollo’s balls,” Paul breathed when the two men broke apart.

Val looked at him. “Apollo’s balls?”

Paul touched Val’s face. “Trust me, it’s a compliment.”

“I don’t know about Apollo’s balls,” Val whispered. “But I do know about

Val’s.” He steered Paul’s hand to his own aching scrotum. “And I want to get to know Paul’s,” he added, cupping the other man’s fleshy sac with his other hand.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 10 -

Paul squeezed Val’s balls and stroked his cock through the canvassiac and plastic of the hated Retkove uniform. “I need to get out of these clothes,” Val murmured. Any barrier that separated him from skin to skin contact with Paul was unacceptable, but the barrier being Retkove’s uniform raised his sense of urgency. In moments he had the hated tunic and trousers off. Paul seemed to devour him with his eyes. Val’s cock jutted forth like a lance, swelling under Paul’s admiring stare. But the other man just lay on his side, doing nothing to free his own cock from the imprisoning garment. Val touched Paul’s hard-on and was gratified to hear the other man’s sharp gasp. “Why are you still dressed?” Paul tore his eyes away from Val’s throbbing organ and looked him in the eye. “The way I am now, it’d take most of my strength to get these clothes off. But man, I want to.” “You’re so weak that undressing is a challenge?” Val couldn’t even begin to imagine what it must be like to be so debilitated. Paul nodded. “Pain and weakness, the signs of sunlight deprivation.” “Sounds awful.” Val hunkered down next to Paul. “I want to fuck you, and it looks like you want to do the same to me.” “Very much,” Paul agreed. “But, can you even… The way you are now? I don’t want to hurt you.” He touched Paul’s cheek, and Paul pressed his face into Val’s palm. Despite his concern about Paul’s condition, Val’s desire grew at this gesture. Paul smiled and his lashes fluttered. “Don’t know if anything we might do can hurt me or not, because I’ve never, thank the gods, been in this horrendous condition before. But, tell you what, I’m willing to take the chance. Sex is very healthy for Apollans.” Val wasn’t sure he was up for gambling with Paul’s health and said so. “Anything doesn’t feel right, you tell me. I’ll stop.” “Only thing that doesn’t feel right at this moment is me in these clothes. What do you say you take them off me so I can save my strength?”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 11 -

“You don’t have to ask twice.” In moments, he removed the hated garments from Paul and flung them away. They wedged under the canvassiac covering of the impromptu shelter. Though he could have looked at Paul’s magnificent body for hours, that would have required moving back from him, which Val wasn’t about to do. After one quick survey that confirmed his earlier impression of perfection, Val stretched out facing Paul, and reached for him. Drat his weakness. If only the energy of Paul’s erection could be harnessed to fuel his whole body. But at least they had the erotic energy that kept Paul hard. For the first time since he’d crashed onto this damnable excuse for a planet, Paul felt the stirring of an emotion other than dread. Though he knew Earth was not Apoll’ex, and he couldn’t take for granted the good will of any other being he encountered -- even in sex -- all his instincts told him being with Val was not a mistake. Contrasting how revolted he felt at Retkove’s touch and how turned on he was by Val’s, Paul allowed himself to relax in the other man’s embrace. “Your hair’s so black.” With eager fingers, Paul explored the sensitive area around Val’s huge, throbbing shaft. He licked his lips, suddenly hungry to taste Val’s hot organ. Could he possibly be as delicious as he looked? “I want to suck your cock,” Paul murmured. He was gratified to see Val’s erection jump up even faster than Val could voice his response. Val cut off his answering moan by planting a huge kiss on Paul’s lips. Val seemed to know his desires instinctively. Lots of tongue action, sucking, nibbling. Hmm, Paul could have played like that all day, except he knew he’d come, and he wanted his cock in Val when that happened. Between his weakness and their being on Retkove’s time, Paul knew they had to make the most of their shared moments. During their kiss, Val stroked Paul’s penis with his magical fingers. He wanted more of Val’s touch here, his stroking and squeezing, another time -- there had to be another time. Now it was becoming urgent to get his cock in Val. Evidently the other man felt the same as he now turned so the two of them lay in the classic sixty-nine position.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 12 -

Val stroked Paul’s hip, leaving a trail of fire everywhere he touched. Then he encircled the sensitive glans with his lips before engulfing the shaft. A moment later, Paul opened his mouth to reciprocate, gratefully taking in the other man’s hot, thick penis. To his delight, Paul’s poor, weakened body rallied in response to the intimate contact with Val, and he felt energized. With this double pleasure upon him, Paul’s senses ran wild. His blood, sluggish from his sunlight deprivation, now flowed throughout him with renewed vigor. Every part of him sprang to new life, and his heart hammered a rapid beat to support the magnificent arousal. Paul couldn’t have said which overwhelmed him more -- sucking Val’s cock or having Val suck his. Val’s huge shaft filled his mouth. Paul took a moment to savor the taste of the other man -- a salty taste he associated with the Earth and which, coming from Val, now pleased him. The musk of Val’s excitement became stronger as his cock grew bigger and harder inside Paul’s mouth. Lick, suck, or nibble first? Such choices. While he decided, Paul let his fingers become acquainted with the heft of Val’s balls and the sensitive spots at the top crease of his thighs. Val was beautifully responsive -- with sounds and with the movements of his body. When Val nibbled Paul’s engorged organ, Paul thought he’d leap to the sky in his effort to contain the ecstasy. Paul would definitely nibble first, then suck and lick. Or lick and suck. He just knew he wanted to give Val the same amazing pleasure he experienced at the touch of the other man’s tongue, teeth, and lips. Though Val had been with many men before, Paul awakened him to such a new and varied range of sensual gratification that he felt he’d fallen into a universe light years from his own. Val had heard about the legendary love rites of the Apollans, but, cynical bastard that he was, he’d always figured those to be pure fantasy. Now he was discovering that, if anything, the legends had been understated. Paul, even in his reduced state, was showing him a whole new world of eroticism. Val would never

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 13 -

again be willing to settle for less than the perfection he experienced in this man’s embrace. Paul’s cock tasted like sunshine, as if he were lighting up Val’s mouth. Val had no idea how anyone’s cock could taste like sunshine, but that was the only word he knew to describe the flavor. Paul smelled like sunshine, moved like sunshine. When Val licked Paul’s shaft and balls, he felt like he’d stuck his tongue into a ray of sun that warmed him to the base of his frozen heart. As if he were trying to grab hold of those rays, Val feared Paul would remain just out of reach, eternally elusive. But Val couldn’t give up. When he grazed his fangs over Paul’s pulsing cock, Paul stiffened and, momentarily, correspondingly got his own teeth in on the action and bit down harder on Val’s cock. Once he got over the shock of Paul’s teeth, Val found he enjoyed the feeling. For some reason he couldn’t put into words, Val knew Paul wouldn’t bite too hard. For one thing, Apollans were far too talented and skilled as lovers to inadvertently hurt their partners. For another, Val sensed Paul was not the kind to use sex as a means of destruction -- unlike their predatory host, Retkove. How had he let thoughts of Retkove worm their way into this magical encounter? Val had allowed his mind to slip to this intrusion. Now he would use his mental powers to banish the fiend. Except Val knew both he and Paul were Retkove’s prisoners. No amount of felicitous fellatio could alter that reality. At best, all he and Paul could accomplish was to steal a few minutes of respite from the pervasive misery of their situation. Firmly pushing away thoughts of Retkove from the midst of their lovemaking, Val refocused totally on the sensations of sex with the heavenly Apollan. To Val’s immense gratitude, Paul soon found a fantastic rhythm for sucking and nibbling on his cock, with the occasional delicious lick of his balls. Much as Val wished they could both keep this up forever, he knew he’d be climaxing soon. From the way Paul was moving, the way he sped up the thrust of his hips, and the sounds coming from his lips, Val suspected the other man was close to climax, too. Of course, Val

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 14 -

didn’t know how an Apollan climaxed, and the prospect of finding out got him even hotter. This close to his release, as always, Val’s fangs lengthened. For him, feeding off his partner was an inextricable part of climax. As most of his partners had been other vampires, this feeding was mutual. Knowing Paul couldn’t feed off him did nothing to diminish Val’s rising arousal. Hell, even without feeding off Paul, Val knew his orgasm would be spectacular. But he wanted to suck the man’s blood. He wanted to possess him in this way, too, so their loving would be a total experience for them both. His fangs throbbed in anticipation. Gates of hell, what would happen to Paul if he sucked even a small amount of his blood? The last thing Val wanted was to damage his new lover in any way. Try as he might to push away reality, the fact remained that Paul was in a debilitated state. No way was he going to feed. Ignoring the ache of his fangs, Val focused fully on the pleasure of having his cock sucked -- and sucking Paul’s. Like every other Apollan, Paul valued the art of lovemaking. With his previous partners on his home planet -- whether he made love with one man, several, or, the most usual, many -- Paul had almost come to take for granted total satisfaction. In the ten days since he’d become Retkove’s prisoner here on Earth, he’d been celibate -- a very unnatural, unwelcome condition for any Apollan. Of course Retkove offered many opportunities for carnal union, which Paul, despite his precarious situation, had managed so far to rebuff. Thank the gods he was ending his celibacy in magnificent style. In addition to all the pleasure he was deriving, as an Apollan who needed sex to live, he felt confident being with Val like this would reinvigorate his ailing body. He was perilously close to coming and sensed Val and he would experience simultaneous orgasms. Moments from tasting Val’s come, Paul found himself impatient for this glorious ending. How would Val taste to him? Sweet, salty, bitter? Paul welcomed this chance to take a bit of Val into

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 15 -

him, to know part of the man’s essence would circulate within him. And part of him would be in Val. Paul could feel Val’s heartbeat speed up, and his pistoning hips increased the tempo of his cock thrusting into and out of Paul’s mouth. Though Paul had no experience of the fine points of making love with an Earthling, the general principles remained the same. But the nuances… When Val’s fangs scraped Paul’s sensitive ridges, producing a whole new kind of pleasure, Paul realized how little he knew about the reality of making love with a vampire. Such creatures were viewed as elements of mythology on his planet. But now that he was mutually cock in mouth with a vampire, he struggled to remember… Blood, blood pumping, blood flowing. Of course vampires needed blood, same as Apollans needed sunshine. But there was something else. Something about fangs and feeding… And then he remembered. Vampires fed off their partners as part of the orgasmic culmination -- an exquisite, intensified completion unlike any other. Val stiffened, his whole body rigid as his erection. Paul felt how the other man tightened, each muscle and sinew becoming totally focused on the pressure building in his shaft, which Paul now sucked with every iota of his energy. For a moment, Val grazed his teeth on Paul’s cock, and then he jerked his head so he broke the contact. Val’s tongue circled the head of Paul’s cock in rapid-fire strokes that pushed him over the edge. Paul wanted to howl, but if he opened his mouth, he’d no longer be able to hang on to Val’s throbbing cock -- and he didn’t want to miss Val’s come. And then he was there, his climax pulsing out in wave after wave of blessed release. Val started to come a beat after Paul, filling his mouth with a coppery sweet ejaculate that Paul swallowed in quick hungry gulps. After the last shudders of their release, the men slowly withdrew their cocks from each other’s mouths. Val turned so they were face to face.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 16 -

What had passed between them hadn’t been just a blowjob, delightful as those diversions were. Something had begun between the men, a bond they didn’t yet have words for. All Paul knew was he wanted this man with him again, even though it wasn’t the way of his planet for men to pair off in exclusive couples. The way Val was looking at him, as if he would swallow him up with his eyes, warmed Paul’s heart and infused his whole broken being with hope. But why hadn’t Val fed off him? Did only he feel the specialness of their union, or was Paul merely fooling himself? Had his sunlight deprivation turned him delusional? Val cupped Paul’s chin. Was this the preparation to feed? But all Val did was continue to look at him. “Why aren’t you feeding off me?” he finally asked. “I understand this to be the vampire’s way. Am I wrong -- or do you not want me in that way?” Val’s stomach clenched when he heard the pain in Paul’s words. Didn’t he want Paul that way? Only with every cell in his body, every nerve ending, every beat of his heart. Val’s fangs throbbed with the intensity of his desire to do exactly what Paul spoke of, to drink deeply of him and have the kind of joining only a post-climax feed could provide. With his knuckles he stroked Paul’s beautiful face. “If I wanted you any more, I’d go out of my mind.” Paul furrowed his brow. “So why --” Val smoothed the frown from his lover’s face. “Shh, let’s not talk.” He drew Paul to him. But Paul evidently wasn’t going to let him put off a response. He raised his chin as if to expose the tender jugular for Val to sink his fangs into. Val didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Tempting as the jugular was, he could easily feed from anywhere on Paul’s body. Except… Except he knew how weak Paul was already. Could he possibly tolerate the blood loss of even the most careful of feeds? Val wasn’t prepared to risk his lover’s health to find out, even though refraining from the feed caused him physical pain. He’d never before had to refrain from sucking his partner’s blood as part of the climax. But

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 17 -

not even this deprivation could diminish the magic of what he’d just experienced with Paul. If Val had to educate himself not to feed off Paul when he came, he’d grit his teeth and do so. Whatever it took to make love with this man again and again, Val would gladly pay the price. Resolved and determined for this pleasure to have a future, in the afterglow of their loving, Val took a few moments to learn more about Paul’s incredible body. He was sheer perfection everywhere Val touched. Except, when he massaged Paul’s back, Val felt pits, encrusted punctures that felt wrong. When he fingered them, Paul winced and a spasm contorted his face -- another reminder to Val of his fragile condition. “What are these?” Paul shrugged. “Retkove’s mad scientists -- constantly poking at me for something.” At the mention of Retkove and the evidence of his evil on Paul’s skin, a wave of fury swept through Val. He stopped massaging Paul’s back. “Please. Your touch draws out the sting. Don’t stop.” Paul’s voice was barely above a whisper. Though it killed Val to touch these Retkove-induced sores, he wanted to provide Paul what comfort he could. Still. “How can you let him do that to you?” Val hissed, forgetting, for the moment, the power Retkove exercised over his own life. Paul shook his head. “Given my physical condition and the greatly mismatched fight, there’s not a hell of a lot I can do to stop him.” Val spat out a curse. “Retkove is such total poison.” “But you and he are creatures of the same kind, aren’t you?” Now Val released an even longer, darker string of curses. “Saying we’re the same kind would be like saying you should draw sustenance from the moon instead of the sun. Only worse, because Retkove is an insult to vampires.” Paul’s eyebrows shot up. “I see. Sounds like my previous education about your kind has been deficient.” He ran his fingers lightly over Val’s lips. “Teach me.”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 18 -

Val’s penis pulsed with renewed desire. He took Paul’s hand and planted it squarely on his rising hard-on. “Just call me Professor.” Paul squeezed. “Always wanted to be teacher’s pet. Or pet the teacher. But you didn’t answer my question.” “What question was that?” With Paul’s hand on his cock, Val idly wondered if he could fire up any brain cells enough to answer anything. He reached out to Paul and was gratified to feel the other man’s hard-on. It felt amazing in his hand. “Isn’t it part of your lovemaking to feed off your lover?” Paul’s voice was filled with such longing. “Don’t put me off.” Val’s heart wrenched. He swallowed hard. “Trust me on this, Paul. There’s nothing I’d rather do than feed off you. As fantastic as coming with you was -- hard to believe it was our first time -- feeding would send me -- us -- into seventh heaven and beyond.” “So why didn’t you? Sounds like you wanted to. I want to go to seventh heaven with you and beyond.” Val continued to stroke Paul’s cock, which grew larger and harder, raising Val’s desire. But he needed to explain himself. “Can’t risk it. I don’t want to hurt you, wouldn’t ever willingly do anything that could damage you.” Paul’s hand stilled. “But Retkove’s man takes my blood -- no pleasure involved there.” “Exactly. And, though we know the lack of sunlight is making you sick, losing blood can’t help any.” “So you just take a little.” Val pressed his burgeoning erection into Paul’s palm. Paul took the hint and resumed play. “I don’t trust myself not to take too much. Paul, you’re irresistible. Besides, we don’t know how much is too much.” “We can experiment.”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 19 -

Val shook his head. Determined as he was to safeguard Paul, he could see how difficult it would be to continue to deny him. “I want to experience it all in your arms.” Val groaned. His whole life, he’d been able to focus single-mindedly on whatever task or goal he set himself. But Paul managed to distract him with just the hint of a smile, the whisper of desire. He inclined toward Paul and was starting to kiss him when his keen ears picked up the sound of approaching voices. Instantly he moved back and went on alert. “What is it, Val?” “Some other guards are headed this way. I heard one ask where I was.” He touched the side of Paul’s mouth. “Much as I want to stay, I have to go. I don’t want them to find you here. And we can’t risk them finding us together.” Paul nodded. “Shit. I hate to leave you like this, Paul. I’ll come back later tonight, if I can break away from them.” “No, Val, don’t.” “Why not?” Sadness filled Paul’s eyes. “If I’m lucky, the pain will knock me unconscious until daybreak. If I’m not… I don’t want you to see me in the condition I’ll be in before dawn.” The approaching voices grew louder. Val gave Paul a quick kiss. Though Val’s gut wrenched at having to leave Paul like this, he had to go. “I will be back,” he promised.

Chapter Two Fortunately, Val was able to divert the two guards who’d been headed in the direction of Paul’s flimsy shelter. A timely disturbance at the other end of the beach drew the attention of all the guards and tied Val up for much of the night. Though he functioned on automatic pilot and mechanically did his job, Val’s head stayed focused on Paul. Val couldn’t remember ever before feeling so buzzed about a new lover. But Paul’s vulnerability scared Val and made him angrier than ever at Retkove. Dawn wasn’t far off by the time Val could take a break to check on Paul. Steeling himself, Val let out a breath of relief when he found Paul sound asleep. He touched Paul’s face, his shoulder. The man slept au naturel, and, despite his illness, his body glowed. Val felt a stirring in his groin area and thought about reviving the other man for a quickie. But, cognizant of the time as well as of sparing him pain, Val tore himself away. As he settled in for his day’s rest, Val thought of Paul while indulging in a hand job. Tonight, he’d be back with his new lover. Nothing would get in his way.

*** The sun’s early rays brought Paul back to agonizing consciousness. By sunrise, his sun deprivation struck with the most vengeance, a thousand sets of sharp teeth gnawing at him. The scars on his back from the blood tests burned as if some fiend twisted a knife at each site. Surely Retkove’s scientists must be taking precautions to prevent the wounds from becoming infected by the microorganisms native to Earth, even if only to protect the source of the specimens they obtained from him. The pain faded as the nausea from his sunlight deprivation peaked. Heedless of who might be watching, Paul crawled out of his shelter so he could feel the sun. In a matter of minutes, the weak rays brought some relief.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 21 -

Where was Val now? Had Paul been dreaming -- fantasizing -- hallucinating -last night? Had he merely conjured up the miracle that was Val, or had that part of his ongoing dream state been true? Though Paul could find little to smile about, Val Cutter lit up his life. Val was everything Paul could want in a lover -- and more, and less. He’d never imagined he’d make love with a vampire even one time, and here Paul was more than ready to make love with him again, often, into an unforeseeable future. How strange that they’d found each other. Now that Paul was coming into the sunlight, into his time of the day, Val would be hiding away in his own shelter. The sunlight Paul was dying without would make short work of Val -- hard as that was to believe. How could anything as life-giving as the sun hurt a man as strong as Val -- a man Paul felt himself falling for? What kept Paul going was his belief that he’d be able to return to Apoll’ex. But there was no way Val could go to his home planet with him. How could Paul make such an impossible choice? Stop it, he warned himself. He couldn’t let anything distract him from going home -- not even the appealing Val Cutter. When the rising sun had sufficiently warmed him, Paul dressed and made his way to the lab and his daily duties. Thoughts of Val and his luscious body got Paul through his day. But was he imagining it, or were Retkove’s men looking at him with suspicion?

*** Val awoke with a huge hard-on. Nothing unusual there. His fangs were practically vibrating with need -- business as usual also. Except tonight Val’s sensory memory of being with Paul the night before sharpened his driving need on both counts. For once, Val looked forward to his stint on Retkove’s beach, where Paul currently resided. He stroked his wake up erection enough to come, figuring this would be the best way to tamp down his desire until he could be with Paul. As for feeding, he was determined not to do anything that could put Paul at risk. So, to take the edge off, he drank twice his usual wake-up portion of the blood stocked in the dorm coolers.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 22 -

With both desires in check, Val headed off to the beach. Tonight, he made sure to clock in when Retkove was occupied elsewhere. Since the moment he’d touched the sores on Paul’s back and heard where they’d come from, Val had had to restrain himself from killing the foul bastard who had them both imprisoned. Unlike the norm, tonight Val reported for duty with no problems. He allowed himself to relax marginally. Val had arranged with two of the other guards to “disappear” for an hour -- after which he’d cover for them so they could have some privacy to fuck. Maybe fortune would smile on all of them tonight. His senses on alert and his cock already twitching in anticipation, Val surveyed the beach -- empty far into the horizon except for the gatehouse and the single-story lab. There, just as it had been the night before, stood -- barely -- Paul’s shelter. Val would have to see about providing Paul with something more substantial, especially once the nights grew colder. Val shivered at the thought of what would become of Paul if his sunlight deprivation worsened. So much to deal with, but right now his erotic needs took priority. With a moment’s trepidation that Paul might be gone, Val shoved back the canvassiac covering. Paul, looking more gorgeous than Val remembered, lay on his blanket. Unfortunately, he also looked weaker and paler than the night before. He was clenching his perfect lips, and pain filled his amber eyes. “What is it, Paul? Are you worse tonight?” Paul turned his head toward Val, and a glimmer of light came to his eyes. “Way better now that I see you,” he whispered. Val wished he could believe that. Val put one hand under Paul’s head. His skin almost sizzled with a fever that mottled his white skin with red patches. “You’re sick, man. We need to get you some meds.” Paul laughed, a weak sound that resembled a cough. “You’re here. No better med possible. I’ve been thinking about you all day. Look.” He nodded in the direction of the erection tenting out the thin fabric of Paul’s undergarment.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 23 -

“Glad to see you undressed for the occasion.” Val tried to keep his voice light, to mask his worry. Never one to turn down a proffered gift, Val touched his lover’s inviting cock through the fabric. Paul purred his pleasure, let his legs fall open, and arched his hips up. With Paul’s erection hard against his palm, Val couldn’t resist. “The same to you, Paul.” Val brushed his still clad hard-on against the naked skin of Paul’s thigh. “Get those friggin’ clothes off.” Paul’s voice rasped sexily. For the moment, all other concerns flew from Val’s head. He was naked in a second, and easily divested Paul of his skimpy cloth. “Gods, I want you in me,” Paul whispered. Val nearly came at the thought of entering Paul, the intimacy of a joining that would make them one. But a shred of sense or worry remained. “Nothing I’d like better than to get up your ass and then have you up mine, but fucking like that takes a ton of energy.” “You saying I’m not up to that -- or you?” Paul waggled his penis around and, for a moment, Val could almost forget the other man’s fragility. But Val didn’t want to hurt Paul in any way, especially by seeming to reject him. His answer started with what he’d hungered for since he first caught sight of Paul’s lips -- a long, lingering kiss. Paul’s mouth, his tongue and teeth, every part of him radiated the sunshine Val couldn’t get enough of. More than anything, Val wished he could transfer his own strength and vitality to Paul through their kiss, their loving. Poised over Paul, Val supported his own weight on his extended arms as he melted into the other man’s warmth. With the tip of his tongue, Val touched the sweet surfaces of Paul’s mouth. Consciously keeping his fangs retracted, Val gently nibbled Paul’s lips, his tongue, his wonderful mouth. Sensors on Paul’s tongue responded to Val’s touch with sudden pulses of light. Apollans were blessed with these sensors, which were much praised in the planetary lore, along with their extremely refined taste buds. Though Val wanted to keep kissing Paul for hours, only partly to enjoy the

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 24 -

special sensors, the demands of his erection could no longer be denied. Val lowered his hips so his cock touched Paul’s. Paul, who could never be merely a passive participant in sex, cursed the weakness that would keep Val from fucking him up the ass -- let alone from sharing the total intimacy of feeding off him. But Paul also realized he was too far-gone to consider wasting any of his limited energy on fighting with Val. So he would savor what they had and try to hold on to the hope that someday it could be more. Val was so amazingly strong. Of course Paul knew about vampiric strength. At least that part of the mythology seemed true. Lost as Val was in their kiss, in discovering the physical differences between Apollans and Earthlings, he remained conscious of shielding Paul from the full brunt of his weight. Much as Paul appreciated the caring this restraint showed, he longed for the full body contact of having Val stretch out on top of him. “You won’t hurt me if you relax down on me,” Paul whispered after Val broke off the kiss. “I want to feel all of you.” Val grunted. He nuzzled Paul in the tender area under his chin, and, for a moment, Paul thought Val would feed. But Val abruptly broke away and rolled off. “Geez --” Val spat out. He sat up and held his head in his hands. Paul reached over to stroke Val. The muscles in his back felt like impossibly compressed coils. “What is it, Val? What’s wrong?” “What’s wrong?” He laughed harshly. “I fucking damn near fed off you.” “Really? By all the gods, I wish you would. I want to know you that way.” Val exhaled and shook his head. “When it’s right, man. You have no idea how much… My fangs will be so deep in you, and I’ll suck you so hard… Hell, you’ll think you’re screwing with a fuckin’ vacuum cleaner.” Paul lay back. “Sounds like heaven.” With one hand he continued stroking Val’s back, with the other he patted his abs. “Get yourself back down on me. I’m gettin’ cold here.”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 25 -

“Yeah, right. With a fever like you’re running, cold is one thing you’re not getting.” “Laid is another thing I’m not getting, though that’s what I want.” Val rolled back and, this time, stretched out the way Paul desired. Just the touch of Val’s rock hard cock pressed against his own sent pleasure ricocheting through Paul, trumping his pain. Val, who stood an inch or two shorter than Paul, fit perfectly against him. Paul wanted to record a sense-o-graph of every point of contact between Val and him, something he could have with him forever, even when he returned home. If he returned home. “You feel so bloody incredible,” Val murmured. Paul put his arms around Val’s slim hips to hold him closer. He ran his hands over Val’s high, tight butt and fantasized about fucking him there. Someday, he’d have the strength… Thigh to thigh now, both men’s cocks lined up in close symmetry. Val’s erect sex easily matched Paul’s eight inches plus of stiff, throbbing muscle. Was Val’s penis thicker than his own? In their current position, Paul couldn’t tell for sure, but he figured discovering the answer to that particular question would entail a close encounter of his favorite kind. Val lowered his lips to Paul’s. “What is it in your mouth?” he whispered. “Feels like sun rays.” “You must mean my sun sensor glands,” Paul answered. “When you stimulate them just right, they glow.” “Mmm. Guess I was stimulating them just right.” Val’s voice sounded husky. “But what about last night, when we sucked each other off? Are you telling me that having my cock in your mouth didn’t stimulate those amazing sensors?” “Relax, Val. You had them working overtime. But let’s face it, you were otherwise occupied. You never noticed until now.” “Okay. So all kinds of sexual stimulations get them going?”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 26 -

“Oh, yeah. Trust me, they’re glowing in anticipation of that kiss you’re resisting.” Val laughed. “Not for long. Any other surprises you got for me?” Paul thrust his cock up against Val’s. “Oh, yeah, baby.” Val finally gave in to that kiss, sinking deeper into Paul’s body. Paul took advantage to squeeze Val tighter to him, to explore Val’s butt crease and finger the hole he so wanted to explore. When Val tightened his cheeks around Paul’s finger, Paul darted one finger into the opening. Hmm. Earthlings didn’t self-lubricate on touch the way Apollans did. If he wanted to probe much more back there, he’d need to moisten his finger or Val’s hole. Given their positions, he had the only easy access to his finger. As soon as they stopped kissing… On second thought, Paul didn’t want the magical kiss to end. Now, as Val became acquainted with how Paul’s oral sun glands worked, he played with them, biting here, licking there, learning his partner’s responses. The nipples of Val’s hard, muscular chest felt stiff with arousal, pressing into Paul just below his own pebble hard nipples. Paul reached one hand to Val’s nipple and twisted it hard, just the way he liked it. Judging from Val’s cock, a reliable sex-o-meter, he also got into having his nipples played with. “Oh, yeah, man.” Val broke the kiss to focus on the sensation. He rubbed his cock against Paul’s. When Paul felt Val’s balls stroke his own, he got so excited he released enough cock lube to coat them both. The warm lube heightened Paul’s arousal and, judging from the jolt that passed between them, Val’s too. “What the hell --? Hey man, you didn’t just come, did you? Uh, it’s okay if you did. But you’re still rock hard, more than before. And you didn’t show any signs…” Paul laughed. “I guess you guys don’t automatically self lube here either, eh?” Val lifted his head for a moment and looked dubiously at Paul. “Automatic self lubing?”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 27 -

Paul nodded and guided Val back to their former position. “Same as those oral sun glands. Once we hit a certain level of arousal, they spring into action. Fore and aft.” He lightly smacked Val’s butt to illustrate his point. “Well I’ll be fucked.” “That’s certainly my intention,” Paul drawled. “But what about last night, when I was sucking your cock?” “Believe me, I self lubed then, too. You probably just put it down to the alien way I taste.” “Alien, but fucking unbelievable. What an amazing place Apoll’ex must be. You guys have thought of it all.” “Which is just one of the reasons I want to go back.” For a moment, Paul’s homesickness intruded on his pleasure. But hell, he’d have Val with him for only a short time this night. Later, when he was alone in the dark with his agony ripping at him, Paul would give in to the lonely misery of his exile. “I hear you, Paul.” “But now I’m here, with you. And, man, I’ve just self-lubed. As you might suspect, I’m hot to trot. Let’s do it.” “Hot to trot? Geez, what the hell old movies have you been watching up there on your planet? On second thought, that’s not the most important question for the moment. How do you want to do it? Is this okay?” He rubbed his cock along Paul’s. “The divine friction? Are you asking if that’s okay?” Paul responded with a rub of his own. Soon both men were moving their hips back and forth, big and little movements that had their cocks meeting in hot, erotic play. “Haven’t done the old rub-a-dub for a long time,” Val panted. “But, man, it feels incredible with you.” “Rub-a-dub? You mean frottage?” Paul put his hand on Val’s butt to slow him down. “Frottage?” Val snorted. “What? You guys have fancy names for everything?”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 28 -

Paul sniffed. “A name for every game. If we’re going to do it, we have to know what to call it.” “Whatever.” Val moved his hips from side to side, massaging Paul’s cock and balls with his own throbbing genitals. “Gods, it’s been a long time for me too. Usually, I’m in such a rush to suck or fuck, I forget about the charms of simple rubbing. Thanks for reminding me.” Paul would never forget the sensuous thrills of this contact. “Mmmff. Paul, I’m gonna come, like real fast here.” Paul licked his index finger, ran it down Val’s butt crease, and gained entry to his hole. “Holy shit,” Val howled. And then he came in huge hot spurts, his come spraying Paul’s cock, balls, and abdomen. “Oh, gods,” Paul called back. In moments his ejaculation spurted out, mixing with Val’s, forming a wet, sticky bond between the two men. For several moments the two of them lay as if cemented together in the aftershock of their massive climax. It was hard to tell who was shuddering harder, Paul or Val. Hard to know where one of them ended and the other began. If just rubbing erections with Paul led to such an explosive orgasm, Val couldn’t even begin to imagine how fantastic total intercourse with him would be. And total intercourse with feeding -- that would probably be off the charts. He managed to pull himself off Paul, and the two of them lay side by side, cuddling. “What’s your name mean, Val?” “Mean?” “Doesn’t every name on Earth have a meaning?” “Don’t know about that. Does your name have meaning?” Paul shrugged. “On Apoll’ex, our names relate to the sun and the name Apollo, either by sound or meaning. For example, Paul is short for Apollo, and Ray, a common name among us, is from the sun’s rays. Another common name is Sol, coming from the

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 29 -

sun name Soleil. Our last names are also related to the sun, stars, planets, and other phenomena of space -- most often the sun.” “You guys really do worship the sun.” “Of course. Because we depend on it for everything. But you haven’t answered my question. Why were you named Val?” This was not one of Val’s favorite topics. “I’ll tell you, but it has to be our secret.” “Agreed.” “Would you believe my mother named me for the hero of a movie she saw in her girlhood?” “Really? What movie was that?” “Prince Valiant. Mom didn’t see anything wrong with naming me Valiant.” Paul looked on the verge of a laugh, which he managed to hold back. “Valiant. I like that.” He ran his fingers through Val’s hair. “You weren’t saddled with it. Trust me, Valiant was not a great name for a guy who had to deal with bullies.” “Can I call you Valiant?” “Absolutely not.” “What if I promise to call you Valiant at only key moments? Like when we can finally really fuck.” “Ask me again when that happens.” Val suspected it just might never. Though Paul seemed better than when he arrived, Val didn’t intend to take anything for granted when it came to Paul’s health. This was his main reason for keeping his fangs retracted. As if he read Val’s mind, Paul said, “I really want you to feed off me. I know you have to leave me soon. Please do this so that later, when things get rough, I can hold on to the satisfaction of having fed you.” Val kissed his palm and stroked the side of Paul’s feverish face. “I can’t do this to you. The only way I could is if…” “What? If what?”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 30 -

Val looked Paul full in the eyes. “If you let me turn you. Make you a vampire like me.” Paul gasped. “That’s the only way? I can’t, Val. Why do you ask this of me?” “Because I’m so afraid you’re going to die, and I’ll lose you forever.” The words burst out of Val. As soon as he said them, he realized their truth. “Oh, Val. I’m not that bad off.” “Paul, when I first came in, you looked so pale, I was afraid. Once we’re together, you revive, but when we’re apart, you slide downhill fast. And who knows what Retkove has up his slimy sleeves…” “But, Val. If you turn me, I won’t ever be able to go back home.” The pain in Paul’s voice exceeded the agony on his face and made mincemeat of Val’s heart. “Right.” What was wrong with him? Of course he should have realized there was no way Paul would agree to being turned. Somehow, they’d need to find a way to get Paul back to Apoll’ex. Never mind that Paul’s return trip would mean the two of them could never again be together. Never mind that Val was falling in love with Paul. In his world, Val couldn’t allow himself a luxury like being in love. And he certainly couldn’t fuck up Paul’s life. When he heard approaching voices, Val had to wrench himself back to reality. His interlude with Paul was over. Time for him to return to guard duty, to his regular existence. After a quick kiss, during which he realized Paul felt more feverish than before, Val rose. In moments he had his uniform on. “I’ll look in on you later.” Paul shook his head. “Don’t. I’ll be all right until we see each other again tomorrow night.” He smiled. “We will see each other again tomorrow night, right?” “Count on it. But I’ll check in before I go off duty, just to make sure you’re okay.” “Oh, Val. I don’t want you to see me…” Val grinned. “I peeked in last night, and you looked perfect. Asleep. Gave me a good image to take back with me.” “I wasn’t asleep, I was unconscious. Trust me, by that time of the night, unconscious is the best possible way for me to be. I don’t want you to see what I look

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 31 -

like when the agony grips me. Hell, I’ll be close to getting sun then, so whatever state I’m in won’t last long. But you’ll be gone before dawn, and you’ll walk away revolted -or scared.” “Enough talk.” Val really had to go. “I’ll see you later. It’ll probably be like last night, when you won’t even realize I’ve been here.” Having the last word, Val swept out and went back to work.

*** Val managed to get through his shift. It was a quiet night, so covering for the two guards who’d covered for him was no problem. As he patrolled the beach, Val kept trying to come up with different scenarios to work out his relationship with Paul. His bad health and their limited possibility of spending time together were huge obstacles. Paul’s desire to go back to his planet seemed like another. But Val wasn’t one to let things get in his way -- not for long. Somehow, he’d find a way to make things work out for him and Paul. Val liked the idea of turning Paul, though he couldn’t help wondering how that would work out for an Apollan. Would it be the same as turning a human Earthling? It had been so long since the sectors were separated, Val could scarcely remember what it had been like to be with a human. Would Paul lose his special Apollan features if he were turned? Paul’s sun glands and his ability to self-lube at crucial moments impressed the hell out of Val. He’d hate it if Paul lost those qualities. On the other hand, if it were a question of life and death… When the next shift began to arrive, Val reported out. Exhausted, he stopped at Paul’s shelter before heading back to his quarters. Expecting to once again find Paul sprawled out unconscious, he was not prepared to find his lover doubled over and howling with unbearable agony. “Paul, geez, Paul. What is it? Where does it hurt?” Paul, bathed in hot sweat that almost sizzled off him, turned pain-darkened eyes on Val. “You shouldn’t be here. I warned you.”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 32 -

Val squatted down next to Paul and took his clammy hand in his. “You’re dying, man. Tell me what to do.” “Go home. Forget you saw me. I’ll only be bad until the sun comes out. Once dawn comes, I’ll be better. But if you stick around that long, you’ll be in deep trouble. And Val, I don’t want that.” “Come with me. Let me turn you. The pain will be gone, and you won’t be in danger any more.” Paul swallowed painfully. “I’m not going to give up on going back to Apoll’ex. But you need to go to your home. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to you because of me.” Though it ripped his heart out to leave his lover, Val realized he didn’t have much choice. If he didn’t rush home, dawn’s rays would trap him. Then he wouldn’t be able to do either of them any good. “Until tonight.” Val brush a kiss over Paul’s lips and rushed off. For the first time in several centuries, he found himself praying. He couldn’t lose Paul. If Val ever needed a good day’s sleep, this was it. All the shit going on in his life, all the worry about Paul, about what Retkove could do to Paul -- to both of them. Val’s head spun with all the possibilities, the dangers. Paul could make it so easy, if only he’d agree to be transformed. If Paul became a vampire, Val wouldn’t have to endure all the gut-wrenching scenarios he imagined of losing his lover. Damn it all, Paul had to realize there was no chance in hell he’d ever make it back to Apoll’ex. A case of homesickness shouldn’t be fatal, but Paul could easily die. On the other hand, even though Paul acted as if he totally accepted Val on every level, did his refusal to be transformed represent some deep fundamental rejection? Did he regard vampires as so low on the evolutionary scale that he’d rather be dead than undead? Fuck, Val could spend the whole day trying to analyze Paul. Far better he should sleep, gather up his strength to convince Paul to be transformed. Maybe promise him

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 33 -

that life in Retkove’s slave prison was not a true example of life on Earth. Surely the two of them would be able to come up with a way out of this hellhole once they got Paul healthy. Determined to find the right arguments to convince Paul to agree to transformation next time they were together, Val fell into an uneasy rest.

Chapter Three Though he woke up with his usual hungers, Val rushed through his hand-job and feed. He had to see if Paul was all right. Val was in such a rush, he didn’t take the time to make sure his two buddies on guard detail would cover for him again. He figured they’d understand what was going on, and they could all make the necessary schedule adjustments later. To Val’s immense relief, once he got near Paul’s shelter he heard his lover’s moans of pain. Miserable as the prospect of Paul’s pain made Val, at least he knew Paul was alive. He suffers, therefore he is. That was pretty shitty, but so was everything else about their situation. When he pushed back the covering Paul huddled under, Val’s stomach tightened. Paul looked weaker, more feverish, paler than just the night before. Val couldn’t understand how Paul endured all he was going through. “I’m here.” Val squatted down and, not knowing what else to do, took Paul’s hand in his. “How are you?” Paul’s luscious lips were cracked, his eyes sunken. “Much better now you’re here,” Paul rasped. Val was no doctor, which, for the first time ever, he profoundly regretted. If only he had the power to make Paul better. But Val didn’t even have a clear idea of exactly what caused Paul’s suffering. All Val had available to him was the power to transform Paul -- which he’d damn well better succeed at convincing Paul to accept. “We need to talk.” Val wanted nothing more than to touch Paul, to bring him comfort and ease. Okay, so he wanted to fuck the other man and feed off him. The moment Val got anywhere near him, despite Paul’s scary condition, his cock and fangs prepared to feast.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 35 -

“Sure. But first things first. A little blow job, some massage. You know how much better I feel when we play. Then we can talk.” Val had never before had to work so hard to restrain himself. “Shit, don’t you know that’s exactly what I want? That and so much more. But, Paul, if we don’t do something, I’m going to lose you.” “We have to do something?” Paul’s brow furrowed. Fuck. Still that detachment, the way Paul held him at arm’s length. “All right. You have to do something. Even if you won’t let me help you, you can’t give up and die.” Val hated the note of pleading that had crept into his voice. But even worse than the hurt of Paul’s rejection was the possibility of Paul dying. Paul’s lashes fluttered, betraying the weakness overwhelming him. “I’m not dying. I won’t leave you. Oh, Val. Just hold me, will you?” “Won’t you even let me tell you all the reasons you should say ‘yes’ to being transformed?” Val struggled to hang on to any vestige of rationality he could and resisted taking Paul into his arms so they could talk. Paul stroked Val’s face. “Okay. Tell me.” “Let’s see. There’s eternity to enjoy being together.” “Mmm. But eternity’s such a big concept. What else?” “There’s superhuman strength, super acute senses, keen intelligence. And, oh yeah, did I mention the ability to fly? Simplifies travel.” Paul raised a brow. “Would I be able to fly back to Apoll’ex?” “If that were possible, I’d have taken you there already.” Paul shrugged. “I appreciate your offer. Eternity. Talk about generous. But Val, stop worrying. I know I look bad now, but I’ll be all right soon. I promise.” Not sure he could share Paul’s optimism, Val stretched out facing Paul and pulled him close. For just a moment, the two of them lay together, their hearts beating. Val’s cock, of course, was at full erection. Paul had that instant effect on him. And, judging from Paul’s hard-on now tenting out his skimpy undergarment and pointing right to Val, Paul’s penis might have been the healthiest part of his body.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 36 -

“Oh, buddy, I’ve missed you,” Val murmured before claiming Paul’s lips in a deep, hungry kiss. Paul ground his cock against Val’s, still encased in his uniform pants. Val reciprocated. For a moment, he let himself revel in the sheer sensuous delight of two clothed hard-ons rubbing in simple rhythm. Geez, it took him back to his first randy days, when he’d been discovering his sexuality and didn’t know quite what to do with it. The pleasure of this friction set Val’s teeth on edge. But mostly, it made him impatient to get naked with the glorious man in his arms. Val was about to say exactly this and strip them both for action when a cold wind blew away the cover of Paul’s refuge. Before Val could react, several strong arms roughly grabbed him from behind and wrenched him away from Paul, mid-kiss and mid-grind. What the fuck? The first break in hours of the pain constantly gnawing at Paul’s insides, sapping every bit of his vitality -- and now Paul was being dragged from it by a creature with a vise-like grip. Reacting almost reflexively, Paul grabbed his undergarment from the ground and held it over himself. He opened his eyes to what had to be the worst nightmare yet. “What a cozy scene.” Ideg Retkove, his mouth twisted in a sneer, towered over Paul and Val. “So you two have found each other and become fuck buddies, eh?” He clucked. “And you, Cutter, recreationally banging the alien specimen on company time. That should add a century onto your sentence.” Val snarled as he lunged forward to try to get to Retkove. With three guards holding him back, Val could barely move. “I’ll get you, you bastard.” Though Paul struggled to think, his scrambled brains refused to function. But he did know that, with his efforts to attack Retkove, Val was only playing into the man’s slimy hands. Paul struggled to send Val a telepathic message, begging him to calm down. But Val remained locked in his rage. Retkove spoke into a microphone attached to a tiny computer. “Cutter is proving violent and insubordinate. Clearly my generous efforts to rehabilitate him have yet to

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 37 -

show results. We have no choice but to look into stronger measures and increase the period of his incarceration -- in the name of protecting society.” Paul could almost see the smoke rising off Val. Why had neither of them realized the danger they could be in or that Retkove had discovered them? One day, maybe, he’d know the answer to that question. Right now Paul braced himself to deal with whatever Retkove had in store for both of them. For the first time, Paul felt a niggle of regret that he hadn’t let Val transform him. “Raise him up.” Retkove nodded to Paul. Two guards, their hands so brutal he couldn’t hold back a groan of agony, hauled him to his feet. Paul could barely stand. At Retkove’s command, the guards propped him up. “I see that, despite your ill health, your organ stands ready.” Retkove leered at Paul’s erection and reached in its direction with his claw. He licked his lips. “Don’t touch him, you pig!” Val nearly managed to free himself from the guards. Another man carrying chains and a stun gun joined them. Before Paul’s horrified eyes, Val was temporarily knocked out and swathed in big, heavy chains. Though Paul knew Val would be able to break free, the jolt and the chains would slow him down. Retkove continued to leer at Paul’s cock, tenting out the undergarment he clutched. Despite his revulsion, Paul didn’t lose his erection as quickly as he wished he could. Damned Apollan staying power. “Ah, yes,” Retkove crooned. “I’ve never done it with an Apollan before. I was going to wait until you’d become better acclimated to our planet before I invited you to share my bed. But now that I see how ready you are, I’m willing to move up my plans.” The sound of his voice at last sufficed to deflate Paul. Unfortunately, Retkove didn’t appear to accept the obvious cock collapse as an indicator of Paul’s reactions to him. Paul locked eyes with Val and willed him to be still. Awful as Retkove’s presence with them was, Paul figured he could handle anything except seeing Val hurt. “Lower your garment,” Retkove ordered. When Paul didn’t comply instantly, Retkove had a guard pull the cloth away.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 38 -

“Hmmm.” Retkove ogled Paul’s body. Paul was really glad his cock remained flaccid, shrunken into itself under Retkove’s stare. “It would appear this Apollan does little to justify his planet’s reputation.” “Leave him the fuck alone or I will kill you,” Val growled. “Shut up. You’re in no position to give orders -- or issue threats.” Just as Paul feared, Val’s efforts to help free him were about to backfire. “I’m determined to discover what it is about Apollans that has earned them such praise as the best lovers in the universe. Turn around.” With the “help” of the guards holding him upright, Paul did as ordered. “Nice ass.” Retkove slapped Paul’s cheeks, which would have knocked him off his feet if the guards weren’t holding him up. Val popped one of his chains and lunged toward Paul and Retkove. “Guards!” Retkove barked. Two pushed Val to the ground and promptly replaced the broken chain with two even thicker. One of the guards was about to zap Val with a stun gun again when Retkove said, “No. I want him to hear what I’m planning between the Apollan and me.” When Val growled a protest, another guard stuffed a rag in his mouth. “As soon as you show yourself ready, I’m going to fuck you, Apollan.” Retkove arched his hips toward Paul in a sick parody of humping. His eyes glittered with insanity. “When I’m finished cramming my rod up your ass, you’ll know it’s an Earthling who’s the best lover in the universe.” Paul shuddered with disgust then, still hoping to communicate calm to Val, composed his facial expression to disinterest. Unfortunately, Val remained frozen in his defiance. Looking like he’d erupt and spew lava on the guards closest to him, he made horrible noises, unintelligible because of the rag stuffed in his mouth. “Take Cutter to the dungeon now,” Retkove thundered. “Lock him up. Let him use his limited imagination to picture me fucking the Apollan.” Gods, no. Paul couldn’t bear to see Val dragged off. Paul had not a drop of strength or stamina to help the man he loved. The man he loved. Great time to come to

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 39 -

that realization. He was the prisoner of the most loathsome creature in the universe and the man he loved was being hauled away to be locked in a dungeon far from him, far from the sunlight he was dying without. Though Val struggled mightily, the guards succeeded in dragging him off. Retkove strode closer to Paul and had the nerve to stroke the side of his face. “Now we will be free from distractions. I’ll take you to my quarters where we’ll be surrounded by luxury. There I’ll fuck you so hard and so well, you won’t remember the name of your planet -- let alone the desire you’ve whimpered about to the guards to return there.” As if. Using up too much of his remaining strength to waste this way, Paul spat in Retkove’s face. Shock, bewilderment, and disgust registered on the other man’s ugly features. “Oh, so that’s how it’s going to be.” He took a square of fabric from a pocket and wiped the spit off his face. “Well, we’ll see about that. We’ll see how you welcome my cock after you’ve spent time locked in a sun-proof room.” There it was, Paul’s death sentence. Well, die he might. At least he’d managed to repel Retkove. If only he’d listened to Val while there’d still been time…

*** Val fucking couldn’t believe it. He’d been powerless to protect Paul from Retkove’s insults. Didn’t the bastard realize Paul was at death’s door? He had to, what with the needle probes and Paul’s sunlight deprivation sickness. When he got free from the dungeon, Val would take the greatest pleasure in killing Retkove -- causing unimaginably hideous pain, he’d slowly cut Retkove up in little pieces he’d dump out into full sunlight. And if he found out Retkove managed to rape Paul, Val would triple the force of his assault. Of course there were a few obstacles. Like how the hell would he get out of the dungeon? Retkove had worked with some sleazy degenerate designers to come up with a nearly escape-proof vampire prison.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 40 -

Kicking, screaming, and doing the most damage he could, Val still ended up chained and manacled to the wall of the deepest, dankest dungeon in Retkove’s underground facility. He realized Paul would probably not last a night down here, and, though he ached to be with his lover, his love, Val was glad he’d been spared this. Furious as he was with Retkove and the lackeys who obeyed him, Val understood on some level that he had to get over his temper to come up with a way out of this prison. Otherwise, Paul would be a goner, and Val’s life wouldn’t be worth a damn. Once they were together again, Val would have to convince Paul to be transformed. It was their only hope. “I’m checking in to make sure your rights are not being abridged.” Val at first thought he was hearing things. But then he was able to make out someone in his dungeon cell with him. A short balding man wearing a business suit was walking around, looking, touching, sometimes speaking into a mike. “Who the hell are you?” “Dexter Boland. A representative from the Vampires’ Council. Required to document that you have full access to the physical necessities your rights entitle you to, especially when you’re being punished. Under section seven five point A of the Code, Dungeon Lock-Ups automatically spur a rights visit.” Val spotted a flash of fangs when Boland moved his lips. “You’re a lawyer?” Boland looked hard at him. “I’d prefer to be called a representative.” “Yeah, and I’d prefer to be called a free man, but I’m Retkove’s prisoner. A lawyer by any other name…” “I’m a representative,” Boland spat out. “Whatever. Are you on Retkove’s side or mine? As in, can you unlock these fuckin’ chains?” Val painfully held his hands out as far as they would go. Boland sniffed. “I’m here on behalf of the Council to make sure Retkove is in compliance. We must make a determination as to why you’re here before we can think

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 41 -

about an intervention.” His eyes gleamed dangerously. “If you’ve violated the prisoners’ code of conduct, we might discover that Retkove’s actions are justified.” From the expression on Boland’s face, Val figured the other man might just tell Retkove to tighten the chains, maybe bring out some torture devices. Val had to learn how to stop being such a badass, especially with Paul at risk. “But I just got here. How did you know…” “Under the penal code, Retkove is required to file at least twenty-four hour advance notice of any plan to subject a detainee to a dungeon stay. Section five twelve point D.” “So much for this being a spontaneous reaction to what happened,” Val muttered. The wily old bastard had really played him. He’d intended to lock Val up from the first. Maybe he’d been planning to dispose of Paul all along and wanted to make sure he did it in the most torturous way for Val. “I’ve noted the dungeon is unnecessarily dank and dark. We’ll make sure Retkove fixes that before another twenty-four hour cycle passes. The blood supply is adequate. Cutter, anything I’m missing? You got any complaints, tell me now.” Was this guy for real? Did he have any complaints? Basing what he said on the little he knew about interplanetary law and the concords Paul had told him Retkove violated, Val gave Boland a quick summary of what had been going on the past ten days. In graphic words, he described the sores on Paul’s back and abdomen, also Paul’s agonizing withdrawal from sunlight symptoms. Boland’s fingers flew over a miniature keyboard while he recorded what Val had to say. At times during the narrative, Boland looked at Val with a surprised expression. He occasionally muttered, “I see, I see.” When Val came to the end, Boland shut down his machinery. “What you’ve just said concerns me very gravely.” “It’s pretty serious shit,” Val concurred.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 42 -

Boland grunted. “I’m going to rush this data back to the Vampire Council. They definitely need to know what’s going on. I promise, they’ll act quickly to right the situation of Paul de l’Astre.” For the first time that night, Val allowed a whisper of optimism to flash through him. Maybe, just maybe, they’d be able to pull this out. “It has to be real quickly. Between the sunlight deprivation and Retkove’s treatment, I’m scared shitless that Paul might not make it. Don’t know how much more he can endure.” His voice caught and he could barely say the last words. Boland made an additional note. “Yes, this is a worrying situation. We certainly don’t want any problems with Apoll’ex or any of the other signatories of the concord. I’ll turn over the data to the Council. Trust me, they’ll take action.” Trust was difficult at this particular moment. “Right. But given the time factor, can’t you just get me out of these chains? Before it’s too late for Paul.” “That I can’t do. That would exceed my authority.” Val muttered an expletive that turned Boland’s pale face bright red. “I have to go summon the Council to discuss this emergency.” He put a hand on one of the few unchained spots on Val’s arm. “Hard as this must be for you, you have to wait. And, above all, don’t do anything precipitate -- or stupid.” He walked away. The way Val’s gut was churning, he’d find it really tough to follow Boland’s advice. Besides which, stupid was definitely in the eye of the beholder.

*** Paul figured he’d stopped existing as a man and turned into one massive ball of agony. In fact, the agony was bigger, stronger, wider, and longer than Paul de l’Astre. It now engulfed the entire universe, with Paul a throbbing cell at its epicenter. “What is it you want, my fair Apollan?” Retkove’s voice filled the circle of horror that was strangling Paul. Now when Retkove stroked Paul’s face, Paul lacked the energy to shrug him off. Too bad Retkove took this weakness as acquiescence. “A dose of sunlight? Will that make you right? Sunlight and my dick up your ass? Just say the

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 43 -

word. The moment you agree to my fucking you, I’ll give you all the sunlight you crave.” Death or Retkove fucking him? Death or Retkove fucking him? Easy. Paul chose death. No contest. If he could keep that repulsive slimeshit off him, Paul would welcome death. Only… Only, gods, he hated to leave Val. Val would go ballistic when he realized Paul was gone -- and the image of an out-of-control Val scared him. If only he’d allowed Val to transform him. Paul had held on too long to his ridiculous illusion of going home. “Never,” Paul croaked with what little strength he could muster. Retkove’s mouth twisted into a grimace. “Never. As if I couldn’t have you any way I wanted, any time. But look at you. What value are you now? None. Even the last blood we drew from you is worthless. Why am I wasting time with you? By tomorrow, you’ll be on the trash heap with all the other refuse we jettison into space.” Paul hated that his death would be a triumph for Retkove almost as much as he hated what it would do to Val. Well, if he was going to die so far from home and any comfort, Paul would turn his last thoughts to the man who’d come to mean so much to him in a short time. Val Cutter. With his eyes shut, Paul focused his waning energy on Val -- an incredibly beautiful man, inside and out. As for their lovemaking… If Paul could have smiled, he would have when his cock twitched at the memory of being with Val. That was good. He’d pass into the next life or afterlife or whatever the hell there might be with a hardon. Maybe paradise would be a continual sun-filled round of lovemaking with the most handsome, well-endowed men… Gods, that was a description of Apoll’ex, the place he’d so unwisely left. Still, if he hadn’t wandered from home, he’d never have met Val. He could never regret that they’d met, or any aspect of their time together, except how short it was -and how painful its ending. Val, Val, if only you could be here with me. If you could just hold me, kiss me one more time. I’ll miss you forever. These thoughts, a momentary sigh over the wasted hard-on he

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 44 -

was dying with, and, mostly the sharp regret of his missed opportunity to spend eternity with his true love, Val, filled Paul’s mind as he tried to ride out his pain and prepare to let go.

*** With the fucking chains and manacles holding him to the dungeon wall, Val couldn’t pace. Damn it, he needed to pace to be able to think. Now he had nothing to do with his nervous energy but try to keep it from burning him up. He didn’t know how long he could wait for Boland to return and give him some indication of support from the Vampire Council. Shit. Counting on them was a real example of clutching at straws. And the Vampire Council didn’t have a great track record as far as he was concerned. But something was trying to penetrate the mishmash of worry and nerves that jammed his brain. Something like a voice calling him, dim at first. What the hell? He could almost make out his name being called. Great. Now he was succumbing to insanity. Next thing, he’d be having full-fledged hallucinations. He knew better than to believe in anything he couldn’t touch or feel. But the voice insisted. And it sure sounded a hell of a lot like Paul’s. As if Paul could be here with him. He tried to push the delusion away. Except… Except the voice wouldn’t let go of him. And his body was reacting the way he always did when Paul was near -- with a massive hard-on, accelerated heartbeat, the whole nine yards. Paul’s voice coming to him. Val stopped his twitching and turning and got as still as he could -- hard-on and all. Paul saying good-bye. Paul dying. “No!” Val’s voice echoed through the dungeon, bouncing off rock walls and growing louder, more desperate sounding. He had to get out of here -- now. Boland had told him not to do anything stupid. At the moment, Val couldn’t think of anything stupider than letting Paul die. Not when he could do something about it. Concentrate, he told himself. He focused his whole being on getting free. Though breaking his bindings took longer than it should have and sapped too much of his

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 45 -

energy, Val managed to crack open the so-called vampire-proof chains and manacles. He should have done this before, but he’d taken Dexter Boland’s words to heart and tried to play things according to the rules -- the rules that had always failed him before. What a time for Val to switch tactics, he berated himself. Now, when Paul lay very close to the dividing line between life and death, was not the time to listen to advice from the usually wrong-headed Vampire Council. Hell, if Paul crossed that line, he’d be gone to Val forever. With a last tearing wrench, Val managed to burst out of the bonds and free himself, though not without earning a huge, ragged gash from one of the manacles clawing into his skin. Great. The pain would remind him to hurry to relieve Paul from his agony. After Val got the circulation going in his arms and legs, he tried to figure out where Paul’s voice was coming from. Unfortunately, that voice had just about disappeared. Fuck it all to the center of the universe and back, Paul couldn’t be gone. He couldn’t have died just when Val was poised to rescue him. Val wouldn’t let that happen. He held a threatening fist up to the sky. “Paul, call me. Send me a message. Where are you?” At first only the cruelest of silences met Val’s pleas. But then, like the softest whisper of the gentlest breeze, Paul called out to him -- along with a cacophony of other sounds. Suddenly every doubt, every failure in Val’s life flashed into his consciousness with accusations of his unworthiness, his shortcomings, his inability to complete what was most vital. Val, desperate to prove the accusers wrong and to succeed now to save Paul, banished the other voices from him so he could to focus on Paul’s fading signal. The voices didn’t let go readily of their hold on his consciousness. He’d push away one memory of failure and another, sharper and more guilt-inducing, sprang up to take its place. Queasy with effort and despair that he’d fail again, Val pushed back his inner demons and pressed on. Like a faint beacon, Paul’s voice drew Val forward. Then he lost Paul’s voice. Val, in shock, stood frozen on the night-shrouded beach. He’d fallen into a black hole of despair, where he’d float forever, the prisoner of the inner voices now harshly laughing

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 46 -

at his gut-searing agony. He collapsed onto his knees on the cold sands, increasingly powerful waves bringing the sea’s toxic waters closer to him. Without Paul, what did anything matter? Then, in a moment of silence, Val heard Paul’s sigh. This was enough. He sprang up, cursed his demons, and ran to his lover. And then, at the edge of sanity, Val found Paul. Sensing where his lover was, Val swore one day he’d kill Retkove. That bastard had buried Paul in an underground bunker that only Val’s vampiric vision allowed him to locate. Driven by desperation, he dug through layers of sand to get to the sealed concrete bunker. With a bellow, he began to punch holes in the bunker until he could wedge himself in. He willed his fingers to tunnel through the concrete like tools and ignored the pain of torn fingernails, gouged skin, aching muscles. No pain could hurt like the possibility of losing Paul. As soon as he’d broken through with a large enough hole, Val dove into the bunker. Fists clenched, he’d kill anybody who got in his way now. Fortunately, Paul was alone. Unfortunately, he lay pale and still as death, his features frozen in a last furrow of agony. “Fucking shit,” Val wailed. After all he’d been through, he’d gotten there too late. Retkove would pay for Paul’s death. If it took an eternity, Val would see to that. He’d inflict pain greater than what he felt right now on Retkove, who’d end up howling and begging for Val to put him out of his misery. But first Val would bid his love farewell. Swallowing the lump of grief that nearly blocked his throat, Val knelt down alongside Paul. Though tears sprang to his eyes, he wouldn’t allow himself the luxury of weeping -- not while Paul’s death remained unavenged. Once he’d settled all accounts his way, Val would weep for weeks, maybe forever. When Val lowered his lips for a kiss good-bye, he realized Paul’s mouth was still warm. Paul must have departed just moments ago. Val’s gut clenched. He’d missed him by so little. If only… If only he hadn’t listened to Dexter Boland or to his own inner demons. If only one out of a million lost possibilities had worked out.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 47 -

Could it have been his imagination, or did Paul respond to the kiss? Just the slightest hint of pressure… Val drew back and looked at Paul. When he saw his lover’s hard-on rise, Val didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Unable to resist, he touched Paul’s cock. To Val’s amazement, it pulsed. Shocked, Val drew back. Then, wondering if it could it be possible, he moved closer to Paul. A niggle of hope began to warm him. Val lowered his ear to Paul’s chest and put a finger on his jugular. Oh, gods, Paul was still alive. Barely, hanging on by a thread… But he still had a heartbeat, a bit of a pulse, faint respiration -- and an erection. He hadn’t arrived too late after all. Val wanted to prostrate himself on the ground to thank whatever force in the universe had kept Paul alive until now. But, grateful as he felt, any such gestures would have to wait. He had to drag his lover back from the edge of disaster in the best way he knew how. “Paul, my love, I can’t lose you. I’m going to transform you.” Was it his imagination or did Paul sigh “yes”? Unsure how much longer Paul would last, Val chose not to wait. In a flash, he had his fangs in Paul and was sucking his lover’s blood. Val got instantly hard, but, for now, this special feed would have to take precedence. Focused on the transformation process, Val still gloried on the taste and feel of Paul’s vital force flowing through his own veins. This was Val’s first time with an Apollan, and he was hard put to remain in control when the full wonder of Paul’s sun-drenched nature circulated in him. Feeding off Paul was like getting lost in a dream of paradise. He even smelled like sunlight. With a momentary regret, Val pulled himself away from Paul and healed his wound. In moments, Paul would complete the process that would transform him into a vampire -save his life, but keep him forever from returning home. Paul was floating on a wide beam of the whitest light. His pain was gone, replaced by a jolt of flowing pleasure -- sexual, orgasmic, and incalculably beyond anything he’d known before. What had he ever done before bathing in this sensation? How could he ever survive without more?

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 48 -

But where was he? What was happening? If he’d left his body, why did he feel so aware of every cell? And what was this illusion that Val was with him? He felt something press against his lips. Mmm. Val’s lips and then some other part of Val. Not his erection, not his neck. Paul loved kissing and being kissed. He kissed the thing on his lips and then felt the strangest compulsion to lick it and suck from it. He took a swallow, which surprisingly, didn’t hurt. In fact, it felt great. Then he paused at the strangeness of the fluid that filled his mouth. A rich taste. Energy began to flow into him, but it wasn’t the sun energy he was used to. He wasn’t sure he wanted to take in any more of the strongly flavored fluid. “Drink from me,” Val urged. Paul smiled at hearing Val’s voice, but Val covered his mouth so he couldn’t smile as much as he desired. He wanted to show Val how happy he felt to be with him, but Val kept pressing against him, demanding something urgently. “You must drink my blood now, Paul.” He’d do anything for Val, but why was his lover urging him to drink blood? Feeling drowsy, as if he’d run a long distance, Paul felt his head loll to one side. Val forced him to turn back. He wouldn’t remove the thing from Paul’s lips. Well, if Val wanted him to do this, of course he would. He adored Val. Steeling himself to suck the way Val told him to, Paul drank and drank until he could barely stay awake. The more he drank, the more he found himself enjoying this strange new experience. The blood began to taste familiar, comforting, life-enhancing. Feeling content in a way he’d never felt before, Paul felt himself drift into a dream. Next thing he knew, Paul felt like he’d just woken from a deep, long sleep. For almost the first time since he’d arrived on this planet, nothing hurt. He nearly wept at the relief of being pain free. When he looked around the same ugly bunker where Retkove had earlier confronted him, he realized he couldn’t be dead -- unless he’d gone to hell and it resembled the bunker. “How you feeling?” Val’s voice caressed him. Oh, definitely not hell. But would paradise resemble an ugly concrete bunker? Or was his companion all he needed to make anywhere paradise?

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 49 -

“Am I dead?” Paul’s voice rang out with a power that surprised him. He couldn’t remember the last time his voice had sounded stronger than a whimper. Val stroked the side of his lover’s face with his knuckles. “No. More like undead.” Instantly, Val looked sad, his eyes large with regret. “Paul. You were dying. I couldn’t let that happen. The only way I knew to save you was to transform you. You’re like me. A vampire. I know this means you can never go home, but…” Paul didn’t want Val’s apology. If anything, he should apologize to Val for putting them both in such a dangerous position. He kissed Val, cupped his chin and raised his face so they were eye to eye. “Val, that’s only my first step in thanking you for saving my life, for transforming me. It’s what I wanted.” Now Val looked unsure. “Really?” “Yes, really,” Paul reassured him. “How can I ever thank you enough? If you hadn’t come along and found me, I’d be dead now. Instead, I feel great and I can look forward to eternity with you.” Val closed his eyes. For just a second, Paul might have suspected his lover was going to cry, and Paul didn’t think he could handle that right now. Strong and great as he felt, he knew he needed some time to explore his new identity, to figure out who he was and what his new life entailed. But all that felt too weighty to talk about right now, when feelings ran high for both of them. “You know there’s no going back?” Going back, for Paul, would mean a return to death throes. For a moment, he thought about going back in the sense of returning to Apoll’ex. He’d have to deal with never returning home sometime, but right now there were more immediate demands on him -- such, especially, as reassuring Val. “I know.” He paused. “But, hell, now we can make complete love. As in you can feed off me and I can feed off you.” Val took his hand. Paul, experiencing his first hard-on as a vampire, nodded toward his groin. “What do you say?” “Much as I want nothing better, we’ve got to get out of here. You see, I had to break out of the dungeon to keep you from…”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 50 -

“Retkove will be after you.” “In no time. Allow me to introduce you to the joys of vampire flight.” His head whirling with how fast things were going, Paul held Val’s hand as the two of them burst out of Retkove’s bunker and straight into the night sky. Then, still holding hands, the two men soared over Retkove’s enclave in the direction of safety. Now that he didn’t have to worry anymore about Paul facing death, next Val had to figure out where they should hide. As huge as Retkove’s holdings were, his influence extended even further. Determined to clear his name and gain his freedom, Val would have to keep them both out of Retkove’s clutches. At least Val had informed the Vampire Council through Boland what was going on. But Boland had also warned Val not to do anything “stupid.” Boland and the Council would probably consider his escape stupid. Let them. With Paul by his side, Val would prove them all wrong. For now, though, he and Paul were on the run, until he could get his sentence lifted, as well as whatever additional punishment he’d just managed to accrue. They flew on.

Chapter Four Val decided to take them both to his mountain retreat, a place so isolated it didn’t show on any map or any computer sweep -- yet. “So this is home for you?” Paul asked. He was getting his color and strength back, Val realized how spectacular he really was. He stood straight and impressively tall. Now that pain no longer distorted his features, Paul could light up the world with his smile. “Be it ever so humble…” “How humble is it? You got a bed?” A small smile played on Paul’s lips. His eyes, on the other hand, radiated desire. “A bed?” Val’s voice sounded like a croak. “Is that the preferred fucking site on Apoll’ex?” When Val saw a shadow pass across Paul’s face at the mention of his home planet, he wished he’d kept his mouth shut. Paul mumbled, “Something like that, sometimes,” and turned away for a moment. “Shit, man, I’m sorry. Shouldn’t have reminded you.” Val cupped Paul’s chin and looked him deep in the eyes. Though he still couldn’t think what else he might have done, Val felt completely responsible for the reality that Paul could never go home again. “Like I could ever really forget.” Paul shook his head. “But being stuck here in the armpit of the universe, planet Earth, has its compensations. Like being with you.” Val didn’t know if he could ever make any of Paul’s losses up to him, but he’d damn well try. “You’re not responsible for making it up to me, you know.”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 52 -

Val’s brows shot up. Paul was already reading his mind. This filled Val with awe -- and scared the shit out of him. “But we can talk later. First things first. You realize, despite all we’ve experienced together, we’ve never shared a bed?” Paul gazed down at Val’s cock, which had grown appropriately hard. “Hadn’t thought about it. But, you’re right, man. I’d say the time has come to change that.” “Time has come to change a lot of things. As in, we’re finally going to make complete love, right?” Paul’s newly sprouted fangs gleamed. “I’ve always wanted to make it with a virgin,” Val quipped. He took Paul in his arms for a preliminary kiss and quickly realized Paul no longer had sun glands in his mouth. Though Val had enjoyed the flavor of sun in Paul’s kiss, he savored the new taste of his lover -- dark, rich, and full of promise. Hand in hand, both men raced through the small structure to where Val kept a bed -- a water mattress surrounded by wood panels and covered by a casually tossed on faux animal skin. Val had brought many lovers here before he’d fallen afoul of the Vampire Council, but none had ever meant to him what this man did. Suddenly he felt as close to shy as he’d ever experienced. “Will this do?” Paul appeared to study the bed for a moment. “Won’t know ’til we try. I’m willing.” Despite all their passionate intimacy to date, this was going to be a first for them. Now they could make love without the restraints of Val’s fears for Paul’s condition or the imminent danger of Retkove’s discovery. Paul shrugged off his shirt. When he started to unfasten his pants, Val put his hands on his waist. “I’ll do that.” Paul grinned. “I’ll let you.” His voice sounded husky. Knowing how big Apollans were on ritual, Val figured he’d make a ritual out of their getting naked. But his arousal demanded faster action. “Ah, fuck it,” he muttered, tearing Paul’s garment off him and flinging it aside.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 53 -

“Allow me.” Chuckling, Paul tore Val’s clothes off and tossed them to the far corner of the room. Standing together in the cool breeze from a corner of the room, the two men were completely naked, cocks erect. In moments, locked in a kiss, they slid down to the bed and held each other. “Gods, finally I’m here, ready to be your total lover.” Val wanted to hold onto each word like a treasure. “Man, for a hundred million selfish reasons, I’m glad you’re strong. But don’t go putting down what we had before.” “Thank you for saying that.” Paul’s whisper shot right to his heart. As for the look in his eyes… Val was at the extreme edge of melting. Paul took Val’s erection in hand and stroked. “Before anything else, I want you in me, the way I’ve wanted from the first. Now.” He wouldn’t have to ask twice. Paul got to his knees and turned so his perfect butt was right in Val’s face. At the sight of Paul’s alabaster cheeks framing his smooth crease and the inviting opening, Val nearly came. He wedged his cock against Paul’s hole for a moment, expecting this stimulus would trigger Paul’s self-lubing function. But after remaining poised there for several moments, Val realized lubing would have to happen the old-fashioned way, which was fine with him. Of course evidence of this loss might also sadden Paul. No need to tell him until later. Paul waggled his ass against the head of Val’s cock, and Val shuddered. Jolts of pleasure shot through him. Val quickly reached onto the table by the bed for a jar of gel. Then he licked Paul’s crease, spread the gel on to lube him and darted first one then a second finger in and out. “Mmm, that feels amazing,” Paul murmured. Val licked and nibbled on his cheek in response. Some day, soon, he wanted to run his tongue over Paul’s entire body. But right now, he had to get in him. If he waited much longer, this would turn into a slam-bam with no finesse, and he wanted better for Paul, for both of them, this time. Now, when he put his glans up to Paul’s hole, he slid right in. Especially because Paul wiggled his ass back to accommodate Val’s length. “Oh, yeah, just like that, Val.” Paul rotated his hips, giving Val the ride of his life.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 54 -

Val reached for Paul’s hard-on -- and felt beyond pleased when his hand met Paul’s there. “Nothing like a hand job with an ass full of prime cock,” Paul whispered. Val loved the feel of Paul’s penis -- its ridged length and turgid thickness. Quickly, he and Paul fell into a superbly coordinated rhythm of rubbing his cock and balls while Val fucked him up the ass. Val savored Paul’s tight smoothness around him, gripping his shaft with erotic stimulation with each movement. He didn’t know how much longer he could wait to come -- especially because he knew there’d be dessert for both. Paul loved sex -- every position, all the nuances of touch. Though his previous preference had always been for multi-partner sex, there was something extraordinarily special about being with just this one man, Val. Never before had he felt so stimulated when he had his ass fucked. Hell, this time, he could almost have come without jerking off. Then again, hand on cock was such fun. Especially when there were two hands -his and Val’s. As turned on as he felt right now, Paul almost couldn’t wait until they both came. He wanted the sensation of Val feeding off him. He wanted to feed off Val -- and lose that virginity real fast. He felt Val tighten and shudder, begin to piston his hips faster and faster. Val’s penis grew bigger, harder, more demanding in the way he moved in Paul. Val’s growing excitement spread to Paul like a wildfire. He in turn pumped his hips, rotating faster and faster, moving Val’s hand and his own to grip tighter, harder. Val called out Paul’s name and then a slew of other words Paul had never before heard. Val slammed into Paul’s ass and crowned his release with a flood of seed. Paul, breathless with excitement, followed instantly. He came in spurts of thick fluid, coating both their hands and his own chest. Both men collapsed on the bed, turned so they faced each other. Val greedily licked Paul’s come off both their hands and his chest. Then he drew Paul to him and, at long last, sank his fangs into Paul’s neck. This was the moment Paul had been waiting for. The feel of Val’s fangs in him, the sensation of his blood flowing from him into Val

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 55 -

filled him with erotic sensation. Not knowing how to respond, he felt himself grow rock hard again despite coming moments before. With a gasp of regret, he noted that Val had stopped feeding and was now licking Paul’s puncture wounds. “Now it’s your turn,” Val whispered. He bared his jugular to Paul. For just a beat, Paul wasn’t quite sure he could do this, that he could bite into Val with his new fangs and suck his lover’s blood into him. But the moment his fangs touched Val’s skin and Paul breathed in the scent of Val’s blood, a new instinct took over and guided him. Paul took a first hesitant bite, but all restraint vanished when Val’s blood came into him. Overwhelmed by sensation, at first Paul was conscious of nothing except his desire for more. But after he’d sated the initial demand to take Val’s substance into himself, Paul’s consciousness awoke. Though for an Apollan nothing could compare to the wonder of sunlight, feeding from Val gave him a similar sense of connection to the core of the universe. Val’s blood flooded him with love, hope and courage. Not the sunlight he’d so craved at home, but a new kind of satisfaction -- one he could never again be without. “I love you.” Val’s simple words filled Paul along with his life essence. Paul could have stayed just where he was forever. But far too soon, Val signaled him it was time to end the feed. “Hey, buddy, more for another night,” Val laughingly pointed out. He’d have to find a whole new way of thinking, a whole different vocabulary for thinking about his existence, Paul realized. “It’s all the opposite of everything I’ve ever known, of how I’ve known to be,” he said aloud. Sadness tinged his voice. Despite his happiness to be here with Val, now, Paul understood he’d never stop feeling sad about all he’d lost. Still, despite the complexity of his feelings for the present, he didn’t want Val to think he had any regrets. What better way to express contentment than more loving? “I know another perfect dessert after that meal,” Paul murmured. Licking his way down Val’s chest, with detours to taste his nipples, Paul raised Val’s sex up to his lips and opened wide. No surprise, Val was hard in moments.

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 56 -

“What, no second dessert for me?” Val complained. In moments, they positioned themselves so both could enjoy. After the feeding, Paul found the intimacy of sucking Val’s penis heightened. He was more than ever conscious of the contact between his teeth and Val’s sensitive skin. Now he thrilled at the way he could rouse Val to quiver, to arch his hips and press himself deeper and tighter into his mouth. At the same time, he experienced receiving Val’s attentions. Val seemed to focus on every ridge, every vein of Paul’s cock, knowing how to tongue him and suck him to achieve heights of pleasure that nearly blasted Paul out of the bed. For once, Paul didn’t regret the approaching climax that would draw their fellatio to an end because he knew there would be many more times, many more occasions to extend the intimacy. Holding Val tightly, Paul gave himself up to his climax. Val, coming moments later, released his passion deep inside Paul. Then replete, they lay together on Val’s bed, arms and legs entwined in a warm, easy intimacy that could all so easily flame into passion once more. “I’d love to stay like this forever,” Paul confided. Val chuckled. “I doubt that Retkove will give us that luxury.” Paul immediately tensed. “You think he’s after us already?” Val pulled away a bit. “I’d count on that. As I’m sure you could tell on short acquaintance, Retkove doesn’t let go or give up very easily. He’s not one to let bygones be bygones.” “I’d say that’s astute character analysis.” “But at least Boland told the Vampire Council about what Retkove was doing to you. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll be able to present our side of the story and get their support.” Val frowned as if he didn’t believe the words even as he said them but filled Paul in on what had happened when he was in the dungeon. “So maybe this Boland might have done something for us, if we’d waited.” “Yeah, but with you in such bad shape, I couldn’t risk hanging around ’til I found out.”

Mardi Ballou

Heliotropic I: From the Light

- 57 -

Paul nodded. Timing once again was not his friend. “Now, with the escape, the Council may be firmly against us.” Val appeared to consider that. “In which case, we’re on our own to kill Retkove.” Paul sat bolt upright at this pronouncement. “Kill Retkove?” “Or at least get the Council to nail his fuckin’ hide, which may not happen if he plays this escape up in his usual manipulative manner.” Val shook his head. “Bad enough what he did to me. But what he did to you? Killing’s too good for him unless death comes slowly and painfully. If nothing else, I’ll never forgive him for making it impossible for you to go home.” Paul couldn’t handle the enormity of that truth. “One day at a time…”

“Better make that one night.”

Paul smiled. “So much new reality to become accustomed to.”

“For both of us.” He rose and held his hand out to Paul. “The night is young.

We’d better get started.” Couldn’t they just take this one night off? One delicious night of lovemaking, sharing the secrets of their worlds. Didn’t they deserve it? “Sure we do. And we’ll have it right after we take care of Retkove,” Val said. He paused. “You hear those voices?” Paul didn’t hear anything. Val nodded warily. “There shouldn’t be anyone else in the vicinity, but I hear at least ten creatures approaching. Which means we’ve got to hightail it out of here.” Paul rose. “I’m with you.” “What else could either of us need?” After a quick kiss, he led Paul out to the forest. Until Val cleared matters with the Council and got Retkove out of his -- their -hair, running would be their reality. Running, hiding, loving -- together.

Mardi Ballou Writing books is a dream come true for Mardi Ballou. Multi-published in erotic and mainstream romance, Mardi lives in Northern California with her hero husband, a knight in shining armor who provides both tech support and expert massage. No, she doesn’t share. Mardi loves to travel, racking up frequent flyer miles to visit her family in England and her native country, New Jersey. She wishes she could live in a structure big enough to house all the books and quilts she covets and have enough time to enjoy them all. She’s still waiting to achieve her second major dream -- winning an Oscar in some yet-to-be-created category she might qualify for. If you know how to make this happen or just want to schmooze, drop in on Mardi at MardiBallou.com.