Author's Notes: Chapters 1 and 2 were originally published back in 2015 under my other screen name of DieselJester and then republished under AlexClayton. Chapter 3 was originally published in 2017 under this name of AlexClayton.
I will tell y'all right now that this story has been the bane of my literary existence ever since I became a professionally published author back in 2015. It is also the reason why I will no longer release stories in single chapter format. It's now full, complete stories that I will put up here... or nothing at all. I would much rather take the time and put out a quality standalone story up than piecemeal it and then hear incessant requests as to when the next chapter is coming out. This story was also plaguing me because at the time I originally written it, the publishing rights for "Vampiress, Mine" had been purchased by my publisher. When "VM" never got professionally published, I fought hard to get those rights back so that I could repost it here on Literotica. "Vampire's Harem" was intended to fill the void left by "VM" but then turned out to not be needed once I had the rights to my Supernatural Earth saga back.
But, y'all kept asking for it. ;)
So here it is; "Into the Vampire's Harem" in it's full, complete, and edited glory that I trudged through writing to get it published here just for you all who have been asking about it. I sincerely hope that you really enjoy it because I have absolutely
NO
intention in writing a sequel for this one. This is it; done, finito, the-frakkin-end.
***
CHAPTER 1:
Lord Byron Leandro's eyes narrowed as he looked over the smoldering fields of what had been multiple food crops; wheat, barley, vegetables... all now gone in flames, smoke, and ash. His jaw twitched irritably as his mind worked out what needed to be done now. He ran a hand over his buzz cut head in frustration. This was not something that he wanted to wake up to at the crack of dark. "Options?" he asked at last to his foreman who was standing nearby, his gaze transferring from the scorched field to the retreating glow of the distant sun, now well below the horizon.
"For the crops or the family responsible for them?" the foreman asked in return.
"Both," Byron said in a hard voice. "But give me options on the food situation first."
"Well," the foreman consulted his notes as he'd been ready for this. "I'm told that the fields can be salvaged for next year's planting season and it will take work throughout the winter to do so. However, this constituted the bulk of the village's food supply that they had yet to store up. Other crops will be barely able to sustain everyone through winter. It's going to be difficult for everyone. If there's the slightest bit problem with any of the other crops I fear that we will have starvation issues and possible deaths," he reported. He then shrugged. "There is game in the area to balance out the humans' diets, but it will still be tough."
"I see," Byron said with a hint of resignation in his voice. "So I'll need to import food in from a neighboring barony if I want to sustain the populace here, is that what I'm getting?"
"Yes, my lord."
Byron let out another long breath. Damn Humans. They were needed for his coven and his family's own sustenance and they were a pain in the ass all at once. Why the hell couldn't they feed on blood like he did or at least have the ability to survive the extreme elements like were-creatures could? How humans had become the dominant species for the longest time baffled Byron. "What about those responsible for this?" he asked.
"The couple and their family have been returned to their home and placed under guard pending your further orders, sire," the foreman said. "This way."
*
Kerdia peered down from her bed in the loft of her home. It was night now and something was going on. She kept on hearing the words 'fire' and 'accident' as mother and father kept on arguing in hushed voices. They'd come back from the fields early, apparently under orders from their vampire overseers. Then the Vampiric Guard themselves showed up and blocked every exit in and out of their house. Kerdia had been getting ready to walk to market with her friends to start working her shift as a barmaid at the local pub when the guards had shown up with her family in tow. Now she was stuck up here in the loft with her younger siblings looking to her for answers.
"What's going on, Kerdia," her younger sister asked for the hundredth time.
"I don't know!" Kerdia snapped in a low voice. "Now shush while I try to listen."
As she strained to hear what their parents were saying, there was a commotion outside as a man's voice, the village foreman, shouted out in command. "Bring them out here, the whole family, NOW!" Kerdia gasped as the doors busted open, nearly flying off of their hinges.
The two Vampiric Guards that were at their front door grabbed mother and father first. Two more burst in from the back door and looked up at them. Kerdia's first instinct was to hide from them along with her brother and sisters, but the vampires had already saw them. "You four, in the loft! Down here and out front now!" one commanded.
Knowing better than to argue Kedria looked at her siblings and jerked her head for them to follow. She was the oldest at nineteen with her two sisters at sixteen and twelve, respectively, and then their brother at ten. They wound up lining up outside behind mother and father in order of age as was required of any human family when the vampires came calling for whatever reason. It was the law. Kerdia gasped when she saw who was calling this time. The village foreman she knew easily from his work with her parents and the many times she'd served him at the pub. But the man in the black duster was known to everyone in the region;
Lord Byron Leandro.
Byron was pacing back and forth in front of mother and father, who'd both been driven to their knees by the guards to ensure proper supplication. Byron was shaking his head in disbelief. "I've gone over the details with my foreman," he was saying, "and I know that everything was done to contain the fire that destroyed the crops which is why you two are still living."
"Please, please Lord Leandro," father was pleading. "If you must exact punishment, do it to me. Leave my family alone, I beg of you. Please..."
"Sadly, I cannot do that as the price is far too high this time." Byron replied evenly. "In order to ensure that there is enough stock to keep my people alive through winter, I have to keep the villagers healthy as much as possible. That requires the purchase of additional food and the coffers are perilous as it is both in current funds and funds that are now lost due to the crops being destroyed."
Byron looked at them with regret, more so since their children were out and looking at him in fear. "Since there is no conceivable way you can cover the costs of purchasing the needed food; I'm selling your family and your possessions to a neighboring baron for what village will need for the winter. You're right on the border so you'll be able to relocate with ease."
Kerdia was beside herself and her parents looked stricken. Sold? They were being sold? She knew of the neighboring Vampire Lord by reputation and knew that being sold to him was just as well as a death sentence. "NO!" She cried out, darting forward towards Byron. She sidestepped a guard that reached for her and ducked under another's grasp to get in front of Byron. "NO! He is a cruel, sadistic master! You are so much better than he is! Surely there is another way? Do something else! Make another deal!"
Byron looked at her in a mixture of surprise and curiosity. Few dared to talk to him in such a manner. The fear that was once in this girl's eyes was now replaced instead with anger and determination. Instead of getting angry, he regarded her. "What do you propose?" Byron asked evenly. "I require compensation for this and I cannot afford to make exceptions or else my holdings will be challenged. What then, miss..." his voice trailed off as he searched for her name.
"Kerdia," she said defiantly.
"What then, Miss Kerdia, do you suggest I take as compensation?" Byron finished. "Hm?"