Phantom Warriors: Bacchus Read online

  An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

  www.ellorascave.com

  Bacchus

  ISBN # 1-4199-0748-4

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  Bacchus Copyright© 2006 Jordan Summers

  Edited by Briana St. James.

  Cover art by Syneca.

  Electronic book Publication: September 2006

  This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

  Content Advisory:

  The following material contains graphic sexual content meant for mature readers. This book has been rated E

  –rotic by a minimum of three independent reviewers.

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing offers three levels of Romantica™ reading entertainment: S (S-ensuous), E (E-rotic), and X (X-treme).

  S- ensuous love scenes are explicit and leave nothing to the imagination.

  E- rotic love scenes are explicit, leave nothing to the imagination, and are high in volume per the overall word count. In addition, some E-rated titles might contain fantasy material that some readers find objectionable, such as bondage, submission, same sex encounters, forced seductions, and so forth. E-rated titles are the most graphic titles we carry; it is common, for instance, for an author to use words such as “fucking”, “cock”,

  “pussy”, and such within their work of literature.

  X- treme titles differ from E-rated titles only in plot premise and storyline execution. Unlike E-rated titles, stories designated with the letter X tend to contain controversial subject matter not for the faint of heart.

  BACCHUS

  Jordan Summers

  Chapter One

  The pleasurer straddled Bacchus’ cock, teasing his shaft with her moist opening. He stared at her ripe breasts as she played with her nipples, popping first one, then another into her mouth, sucking greedily. It was a feat few Phantom women could accomplish.

  Bacchus watched, enraptured.

  He couldn’t seem to catch his breath as his entire body tightened in anticipation. She rimmed the head of his cock with her pussy, dampening it. Bacchus felt his fangs unfurl.

  The urge to bite was strong, but it was too early. Acting before the woman reached orgasm would frighten her and show little restraint on his part.

  It was hard enough to book a pleasurer without adding fear into the mix; their schedules remained full, with so many males to attend to and not enough pleasure workers to go around. Some men waited months for their turn. Bacchus pushed aside the sudden guilt that surfaced at the way he’d obtained this particular pleasurer. It would be a long time before Talon would forgive the extra duty he had assigned him tonight. But Bacchus had no choice. Tomorrow he would stow away on a ship destined for Earth.

  “Relax,” the pleasurer said in a silky voice meant to ensnare as she finally lowered her body onto his turgid shaft.

  Bacchus groaned as her body swallowed him, sucking his cock deep, until it nestled inside the comfort of her ribbed quim. She began to move, gyrating her hips so that the fleshy protrusions caressed his length, stroking him like tiny fingers. Only a member of the Claw Clan was blessed with such a sensual physical trait. That was why they made the best pleasurers. Bacchus gripped the furs beneath him, lacerating the inside of his mouth with a fang. Blood pooled, then poured down his throat.

  “More,” he bellowed.

  The pleasurer bit her lip, tossing her head back as she rose up and down. Her nails tore into his skin, leaving furrows of pleasure behind. Bacchus shot forward, latching onto one of her four nipples and began to suck in time with her movements. She mewed, arching her spine to get closer. Her breathing deepened as he nuzzled and laved, teasing her breast with the tips of his fangs.

  “Yes,” she hissed, grasping his head and burying his nose into her flesh. “Bite me,”

  she demanded, increasing her speed.

  Bacchus inhaled and closed his eyes. The scent of her blood beneath her skin wafted like flowers on a breeze. He gripped her back, holding her in place so she couldn’t change her mind and pull away. His tongue rasped her nipples twice more, then he plunged his fangs into the plump flesh of her breast and began to feed.

  The pleasurer screamed as her orgasm took her. All Bacchus could do was grunt, while his hips bucked in time with the draw of his mouth. When he’d sated himself, Bacchus withdrew his fangs, licking the stray drops of blood from her skin. She shuddered and her body flushed anew. The venom from his bite would ease any discomfort she might feel later. He reached for the pleasurer’s hips and began to raise and drop her onto his still erect cock, while stroking the bundle of nerves hidden at the base of her skull.

  The woman whimpered as her need returned. “Please,” she murmured, her red eyes filled with a mixture of pleasure and pain. “I don’t know if I can—”

  “More,” he bellowed, cutting off her protest. It would be a long journey to Earth, while he tried to hold his other form. He needed his senses filled and his body emptied in order to concentrate. Failure was not an option.

  The pleasurer’s mouth descended to his shoulder. She sank her teeth into his skin, tasting his heated blood.

  Bacchus roared in surprise, then came hard with a jerk of his hips. He stroked the erogenous spot on her neck and the woman followed him over the edge. She collapsed in a quivering heap on top of him, her lungs heaving.

  “That was amazing,” she said, sounding genuinely astonished.

  “Do we have time for one more?” Bacchus asked, already knowing the answer.

  The woman sat up and looked into his eyes. “Sorry, Blood Warrior, but you know the rules. I have to attend to the next warrior on my list.”

  Bacchus kept his expression neutral to hide his disappointment. Just once, he’d like to wake with a woman beside him. “I understand,” he said. “Let me get your credits.”

  She slipped off his body, leaving his semihard cock to rest upon his chiseled abdomen. Bacchus rose and walked to the credit unit in his quarters. He hit several buttons and a green credit crystal popped out. He turned to the pleasurer and handed the crystal to her.

  “Would you like to book your next session, sir?” She pulled out a device that held her schedule.

  Bacchus shook his head. “That won’t be necessary.”

  Something flashed in her red eyes. With any other woman he would’ve thought it was disappointment, but not a pleasurer. They saw nothing beyond the green of the credit crystals.

  He showed the woman to the door. She stepped into the corridor, a faint smile ghosting her lips. Bacchus gave her a curt nod, then closed and sealed the entrance behind her. He ran a hand through his hair, sending black sweat-soaked strands down his back and over his chest. His cock twitched, rising without provocation. He took his length in his hand and began to stroke.

  Bacchus closed his eyes and imagined a woman’s hands encircling his thick girth, tickling his balls. His breathing stuttered, as he drew closer to release. Unrelenting, he pumped his cock until red seed sprayed onto the floor. Bacchus stared at the sticky liquid for a few moments and wondered if it would ever create a life inside a woman’s body.

  He growled in torment and pushed away from the door, walking to his bathing chambers. With the pass of his hand, a giant tub filled with hot, steaming water. He stepped down into the bath and sat on one of the many seats circling the round expanse.

  Bacchus closed his eyes and allo
wed the water to envelop him.

  His people were dying.

  Like the Atlanteans, a race of people who settled on Earth thousands of years ago before returning back to their home planet of Zaron, Phantom males outnumbered females, but the disparity was far greater. Unless the Phantom people discovered a compatible female race capable of meeting all their unique needs and bearing their children, they as a people would eventually die out. Since Atlantean women were scarce and not a biological match, a Phantom warrior’s options were few.

  Unbeknownst to outsiders, four distinct groups made up the Phantom people. Each group or clan had very different abilities and selective breeding habits, but all held the title of warrior. The Blood Clan, which Bacchus called family, resembled Earth’s mythical vampires and present-day vipers. His reptilian group constituted the largest percentage of their population, followed closely by the Winged Clan, pterodactyl-like shifters, the Claw Clan, which resembled saber-tooth tigers, and the Tooth Clan, wolf-bear hybrids that walked on two legs.

  It wasn’t Bacchus’ intention to disregard his Commander’s direct orders to remain on Planet Zaron. He had no choice but to stow away. Desperation permeated his people.

  Earth remained their last great hope, due to its humanoid population. There the male Phantom warriors would try to find mates. Bacchus had volunteered to be the first warrior to attempt such an enormous undertaking.

  The Phantom people had given him very little time, a few days at most. If he was successful, word would spread and more warriors would come. If he failed, he feared mass genocide or rebellion.

  Success and failure weighed heavily on his three hearts as he plunged under the water and began to swim. He surfaced on the other side, relishing the feel of the warmth sloshing over his body. Tomorrow, he’d leave for Earth.

  * * * * *

  Days later…in Los Angeles

  Bacchus slipped off the craft as it landed on Earth to gather supplies for the queen of the Atlantean people. The warrior flying the craft would probably notice a weight discrepancy, but would otherwise remain blissfully unaware of his presence.

  He’d studied as much as he could about the planet before departure. Although he didn’t feel comfortable on this new world, Bacchus knew he’d get by long enough to complete his mission. He turned his face toward the California sun, soaking in the heat.

  The crisp ocean air tickled his nostrils and gently caressed his hair, leaving the taste of salt upon his forked tongue. This planet was so much like Zaron, but different, more exotic in flavor. Earthlings began to arrive on the beach, shattering the tranquility of the morning.

  Many ran in tight formation, wearing loose gray clothing that sagged on their bodies. Bacchus watched in fascination. There seemed to be no ritual behind their actions. They neither trained for combat nor executed stealth moves.

  Strange, even for a primitive species.

  Several people passed. He followed one of the women down the wave-swept beach, taking care to blur his image in order to blend in with the environment. To the untrained eye, he would appear as a glimmer of light, a flash of sun on the sand, invisible to all until he deemed otherwise. The woman’s ass sashayed with each step she took. Bacchus considered approaching, but decided against it when a male nearby called out her name. She stopped and waited, kissing the man when he neared, then they continued down the beach.

  Bacchus needed to learn more about this planet and its people. The vidlink had been helpful, but left out much information. The only way he could make up for the discrepancy was if he absorbed the knowledge. He searched the sands for another Earth male. He couldn’t take the chance with a female. The possibility of passing on his genetic coding was too great and far too important to squander indiscriminately. The code was for his future mate. Bacchus refused to think that he might not find her on this planet.

  Minutes passed without new encounters. Bacchus stared down the beach, wondering if he should leave this place and go search another area. He turned to go, when he noticed another woman arrive. She glanced around, then seemingly satisfied that she was alone, began to peel off her clothing before stepping into the water.

  Bacchus had lain with Atlantean women, so he knew about their sexual appetites.

  They were tame compared to his true nature, but adventurous enough to whet his desire. But what about the inhabitants of this planet?

  Would joining with an Earth female be the same or better? Would her primitive reproductive system be able to handle the transformation process? Would she respond to the pheromones that a Phantom warrior expelled during mating? All good questions he could not readily answer.

  Bacchus’ body hardened as goose bumps rose over the woman’s creamy flesh. Her dusky nipples pebbled, drawing his gaze. She didn’t have four like a pleasurer, only two. Pity that. The woman let out a squeal of delight, which fueled his sudden hunger.

  He debated whether to materialize. It had been days since he’d had a woman writhing beneath him and longer still since she’d come to his bed without payment. He stepped forward in preparation. Entranced by her beauty and deafened by desire, Bacchus didn’t hear the man’s approach on the sand until he was almost upon him.

  Firm-framed with a shadowed jaw, the man slowed his pace as his gaze locked onto the naked female. Bacchus could hear the man’s heartbeat accelerate and sense his growing need. This was the perfect candidate, but he needed to act fast. Bacchus stepped into the man’s path, allowing himself to pass through the runner’s body, absorbing his essence, his knowledge, his experiences… his memories. The man stumbled, but righted himself before he could fall. Bacchus felt a wave of nausea, then his body settled.

  The information imprinted in the man’s mind flowed into Bacchus at dizzying speed, filling him with instantaneous knowledge about the planet and the customs of its people. He sifted through the man’s memories. The male’s name was Ryan Parry. He fancied himself a would-be warrior underneath his calm façade and had lost his best friend, John, a year ago.

  Bacchus saw a burial and a woman crying silently as a coffin was lowered into the ground. The woman, Jill, was the dead man’s sister and Ryan Parry’s fiancée—ex-fiancée. Another image of her popped into his mind. This time Jill was smiling and laughing as Ryan wrestled with her brother, trying to take him to the grass after he’d caught an oblong sphere called a football.

  Blondish-brown hair, even-tempered with a sharp mind and even sharper tongue, the woman in Ryan’s mind intrigued him. As Bacchus examined the man’s other emotions, he sensed the concern he felt over Jill’s future. Her brother’s suicide coupled with Ryan’s abandonment left her alone in the world.

  Anger roared to life inside of Bacchus at the man’s callousness. In an instant, he knew what he needed to do. He decided ‘twas only right that he check on the woman known as Jill to ensure her well-being, since Ryan seemed bent on fulfilling his own needs and ignoring hers.

  Bacchus watched Ryan approach the dark-haired beauty and speak with her for several minutes. His gaze greedily drank in her nude form. Lust rolled off him in waves, much like the Pacific caressed the shore. After a while, they seemed to reach some kind of understanding, for the next thing Bacchus knew the couple was leaving the beach, heading toward a parking lot.

  He followed Ryan and the woman to a nearby transport, finding pleasure despite his anger in how the man pointed things out about this strange, but intriguing world.

  Bacchus slipped inside the car before they pulled out onto the street.

  The ocean crashed onto the shore in white waves as they raced down the highway.

  Seagulls squawked above the water, dipping in for a quick meal amongst the shallows.

  A few came up with small fish flapping in their beaks, only to be swallowed a second later.

  Invisible, Bacchus stared out the car window amazed at the shapes and sizes of the various females wandering along the beach. Dressed in modest clothing and pleasurer attire, there was something for any warrior on this planeta
ry oasis.

  Bacchus smiled as he considered the possibilities.

  No, he mustn’t get too far ahead of himself. There was still a chance that the females here on Earth wouldn’t be compatible with his species. Their physiology was fragile compared to the inherent dangers on this planet. How they’d survived this long he was not sure. The odor of fish and salt filtered in the air. They pulled up to a stoplight. More women rushed across the road, carrying towels and bags, their eyes hidden beneath black glasses and large hats.

  Bacchus was tempted to jump out and taste the blood of one of the nearby females just to see if there would be a match, but he didn’t. He already had a woman in mind.

  Jill. For her and her alone, he remained hidden.

  He replayed the memories he’d imprinted from Ryan’s mind. The man seemed at a loss when it came to dealing with Jill. He loved her, but she reminded him too much of his dead friend. So much so, that he couldn’t stand to look at her. The pain was far too great. A part of him blamed Jill for the loss of his friend. She should’ve insisted that John see a psychiatrist, even though he too had objected. If she had, maybe John would still be with them and their lives wouldn’t be in such a shambles. Bacchus shook his head at the man’s faulty reasoning. He released the lingering guilt and sadness he sensed, then searched Ryan’s memories for the definition of psychiatrist. Someone who tries to shrink your brain flashed in his mind.

  What kind of torture did this planet find acceptable? Did they really attempt to shrink men’s minds? Bacchus shuddered at the thought. He would eviscerate the first male who attempted such a thing on him.

  They continued driving down the coast. From what Bacchus could tell, they headed in the right direction to reach Jill’s home. That would make things much easier. He frowned when the car pulled into a hotel whose windows held crisp white shutters, which glistened in the sunlight. He arched a brow, finally understanding the agreement the couple had reached.

  The woman moved fast with this Earth man. Perhaps she was a pleasurer after all.