Darkest Hours

by S. K. Yule

  Ebony stretched and got up to put her jeans and shirt back on. She was going to let Ashe change her, she just wanted a little time to accept the idea. She trusted him with her life and knew she would pull through it if only because he’d be waiting for her. She would be stupid to not take what he was offering, wouldn’t she? She would have to tell Avril and hoped her friend wouldn’t be too freaked out. She walked over to the mirror to take her hair down and brush it out.

  She was glad the ball was almost over and she wouldn’t have to worry about running into Alaina any longer. She knew it probably wouldn’t happen as Ashe told her he asked her to leave. However, she would be surprised if that woman gave up so easily. She was startled as she looked up to see a reflection of the woman she had just been thinking of standing behind her. She turned around and gasped as Alaina grabbed her by the throat. She didn’t exactly cut the air off, but her grip was strong and painful.

  “Well, well. What do we have here?” Alaina sneered at Ebony as she tried to choke out a response. “No, don’t try to talk. If you do, I might have to squeeze a little harder.” Alaina pushed her hard against the dresser.

  “You think you’re going to live happily ever after with my man? I don’t think so. You fell perfectly into my trap. Now we’ll see who gets Ashe and who, well, just gets it. Drudge, come to me now!”

  Instantly, a figure in a black cloak shimmered into the room. A shiver of foreboding snaked down Ebony’s back as she took in its appearance. She had a feeling that she had just come face-to-face with her attacker once again. She watched as the drudge pulled the hood from her head and fixed a bone-chilling stare on Ebony.

  “Take her back to the mansion and don’t let her out of your sight, and remember, if you screw up this time, it will be your last.” Alaina pushed Ebony toward the drudge and she was grasped from behind in another choke hold.

  Ebony frantically wanted to stall for time in hopes Ashe would come back early. “Wait! How did you shimmer in here? Ashe told me you had to be invited to shimmer into another vampire’s house.”

  Alaina gave her a bored stare as if she were the dumbest female on earth. “Well, well now. I guess that will teach Ashe to try to dismiss me from his life. He must have forgotten about our little sexual encounter that started downstairs and ended up in his bedroom so many years ago.” Alaina laughed again. “Then again I shouldn’t refer as anything with or on Ashe as little either. You know, we didn’t walk up the stairs then. We were both in too much of a hurry and let me just say, Ashe is very, very good, but of course, you know that by now don’t you?”

  Fury and jealousy swamped Ebony’s body. She wanted to smack that knowing look right off Alaina’s perfect face and maybe add a few claw marks with it. Before she could say anything else Alaina gave her drudge orders again.

  “Now enough of this! Get her out of here now.”

  Alaina removed her trademark black pearl earrings and carefully arranged them in plain view on the dresser. Yes, Master.” The drudge then vanished with Ebony.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Ashe’s instincts told him to run upstairs and demand Ebony’s answer, but he promised her an hour to make her decision. He didn’t know what he’d do if she said no. He couldn’t force her as the change wouldn’t take place without her consent. She had to say yes, that’s all there was too it. He honestly didn’t know if he could let her go. In fact, he was sure he would chase her to the ends of the earth if he had to. No matter how hard he concentrated, he kept looking at his watch as that damned hour ticked by slower than his last hundred years of existence.

  He sifted through the now dying crowd for his brothers but couldn’t find either. He sent them a message telepathically. They had tried to avoid using their mind links for communication tonight because they didn’t want someone listening in that might be connected to Ebony’s attack. He and his brothers were excellent at blocking, but one never underestimated an enemy’s strength. He had a feeling whoever they were looking for was here, just a gut instinct, and he didn’t want to blow it.

  “Aiston, Aldin, meet me in the study.”

  Aldin responded first with, “Five minutes.”

  It took a few more seconds before Aiston answered. “I’ll be there.”

  Five minutes later Ashe and Aldin were in the study. “So did you find out anything? Aldin’s somber scowl and curt shake of his head gave Ashe his answer.

  They were still discussing their lack of information when Aiston appeared through the door. Ashe was restless and wanted this charade to end.

  “So you finally decided to show up. Where’s Avril?”

  Aiston gave Ashe a quick account of what Avril witnessed in the garden and told him he hadn’t found any useful information either. They were completely stumped. Never had they run into such a dead end. It was strange. Ashe couldn’t figure how in the world they couldn’t find anything. Someone had to know something. Wait a second, Alaina was the only one who even came close as a possibility tonight and she had been lying . . . or had she? Just then a horrible foreboding tingled in Ashe’s mind. How in the hell had he missed that? He’d been completely foolish if the thoughts forming in his head were true, and he had a feeling they were. Suddenly extremely agitated and anxious, he stood up.

  “Did anyone you two talked to indicate in any way that they even knew about what happened?

  “No. I was surprised. I couldn’t even find one single person who I felt was holding back. Everyone seemed completely in the dark.” Aldin watched Ashe.

  “Ditto bro. There was no one who had a clue. It was actually a little strange that I couldn’t find someone that even knew that the attack had even occurred.”

  Dammit, he was an idiot! It had been staring him in the face all night long and he hadn’t even caught it. He had talked to several guests himself and had the same results as his brothers did except for one person . . . Alaina. She was the only one at the entire ball that had admitted to knowing anything. Son of a bitch! He had been played. He had been too busy trying to get away from her, and then there was the incident in the study with Ebony. He’d bet that little farce had been intentional, too. He knew she was a pain in the ass, but he would have never thought she’d take it this far. Why would she have attacked Ebony? But she hadn’t actually attacked Ebony. She had her drudge do her dirty work for her. How in the hell had no one known that she even had a drudge? Unease about the whole situation raced through him and he knew he had dramatically underestimated Alaina and what she was capable of.

  He quickly filled his brothers in on his encounter with Alaina. They were a little shocked but that quickly turned to anger.

  “Well actually, it all makes sense now. She has been after you for years. And, I for one can attest first hand on what horrible acts jealousy can lead women to.”

  “By the way, where is Ebony?” Aldin’s question cut right through Ashe.

  “She’s upstairs in her room, but I can’t imagine Alaina being stupid enough to try something right under our noses. I mean she knows it would bring a war down upon her. Anyway, I’ve been listening the whole time we’ve been in here and no one has gone up the stairs.”

  “It’s not like she can shimmer in and grab Ebony or anything since this is our house and I know none of us would have invited her to shimmer, right? But Ebony’s not in her room. I just took Avril up to her room awhile ago and she stopped by to check in on her, but she wasn’t there.” Aiston laughed but abruptly stopped as every muscle in Ashe’s body tensed.

  A staggering memory rushed to Ashe’s brain. He had forgotten that he and Alaina had had a little encounter here during their relationship and that he had invited her to shimmer upstairs with him. Now he came to full realization how conveniently forgetting things to the point of denying them could sneak up and bite one on the ass. If he had faced his past with Alaina and Shara head on instead of repressing and hiding from it, he would have never forgotten that small detail. That one small detail that could possibly cost the woman he loved he
r life. He was such an idiot and had a sinking feeling his sudden memory came too late. No! He would not, could not, let anything happen to Ebony.

  “Shit.” Ashe disappeared while his brothers looked at the void in confusion.

  Ashe shimmered into Ebony’s room. She wasn’t on the bed or anywhere else. Maybe she was in the bathroom. The door was open and he knocked before walking in. Okay before he panicked, he’d go over and check with Avril. Maybe Ebony had been in the bathroom when Avril had checked in and had thought she wasn’t there then Ebony probably went across to talk to her friend afterwards. He knew the decision she had to make about being with him was a big one and wouldn’t blame her for needing to talk to her friend.

  He shimmered to Avril’s door and knocked. He could hear someone grumbling as footsteps approached the door. It was apparent by Avril’s disheveled appearance that he had woken her. His heart pounded harder.

  “Avril, have you seen Ebony?” Please, please let her be in there.

  She yawned before answering. “No, I haven’t seen her since earlier. I thought she was with you. She wasn’t in her room when I stopped by awhile ago.” She came fully awake now. “Has something happened to her?”

  “No, no. I just seem to have lost her in the crowd and thought she might have come up here to talk to you.” Ashe didn’t want to panic her and tried to stay calm and reassuring as panic clawed at his gut.

  “Well, let me get dressed and I’ll help you look.” Avril was turning to go get her clothes when Ashe stopped her with a hand on the shoulder.

  “No, really, it’s no big deal. I just wanted to check up here before I looked downstairs. Just go back to sleep.” He gave her a small compulsion to follow his suggestion and tried to sound calm because he didn’t want Avril involved as it could pose a threat to her.

  “Okay, but if you can’t find her you’ll come back and get me so I can help?”

  “No problem. Goodnight.” He watched her shut the door and didn’t move until he heard the click of the lock.

  He immediately shimmered back to Ebony’s room. He didn’t notice any sign of a struggle or anything out of place. All of her clothes were in the closet and her slippers were still under the side of the bed. He walked over to the dresser and saw the necklace and earrings he had given her along with her brush and . . . Wait, what the hell was that? He bent down and picked up the two smooth, black orbs, rolling them between his fingers. Black pearls. Alaina’s trademark. They were one of her prized possessions and she was well known for wearing them. Alaina had taken Ebony and intentionally let it be known that it was she who did it. Didn’t she know she was playing a dangerous game? He didn’t like to hurt women, but if she so much as put a scratch on Ebony, he’d kill her.

  “Aiston, Aldin, get up to Ebony’s room now!” He tried hard to contain the rage flowing through him, feeding him, gearing him for battle.

  A mere second later his brothers were standing beside him. He showed them the earrings and they made a quick and precise plan for rescue. They knew Alaina had to be keeping her at her mansion, a place she felt safe or she wouldn’t have left such a blatant calling card. They had all been there a time or two and were somewhat familiar with the layout. However, one could never know all the secrets of another’s lair. Ashe and Aldin would shimmer to the front of the mansion where they would enter, Ashe taking the main floor and Aldin searching the second. Unfortunately, Alaina had never bestowed permission upon Ashe to shimmer inside her home, so he and Aldin would have to take the time to search each and every room on foot. She again had proved to out maneuver him.

  Aiston would stay behind and guard Avril. Ashe thought she was relatively safe however, when Alaina’s little game got interrupted there was no telling what she might do for leverage. Alaina knew how important Avril was to Ebony, therefore, would be important to Ashe. He was actually kind of surprised she hadn’t taken her as well. Maybe she wasn’t as smart as he thought she was. That’s certainly what he would have done. Aiston complained about staying behind and argued that Avril would be safe, but finally gave in to Ashe’s wishes.

  Ashe and Aldin shimmered to their own rooms and changed into all black. Each carried a sword on their back. Ashe also added a razor sharp dagger to the side of one boot and he was sure Aldin had the same. Whoever found Ebony was to get her out of the mansion and back here immediately. The main priority was her safety. He wasn’t sure exactly what Alaina was after, but he would give his life without a thought for Ebony if necessary. Aldin knew this as well and was determined to make sure it didn’t come to that. He loved his brother and wouldn’t let anyone slaughter him if he could help it.

  * * * *

  Ebony came awake abruptly but couldn’t clear the fog from her aching head. It took a moment for her to remember what had happened. She tried to look around at her surroundings but could hardly make out anything from the darkness that shrouded the room. She knew she was sitting on a cold stone floor and her feet were freezing. She was glad she had at least pulled on socks earlier. Even though the air was still it was stale and smelled of mildew. A candle was burning in a far corner, which gave off the only light in the room. It sat on a small table and barely lit the outline of a dark object sitting next to it.

  “So, the little princess is awake, is she? I was kind of hoping that little tap I gave you on the head would put you out of your misery for good.”

  Ebony remembered that voice. It was absolutely without a doubt the drudge who attacked her at her house. She was trying to stay calm but fear crept through her bones. She sat up and reached behind her to find a wall covered in the same stone as the floor. She leaned against it and inched up until she was standing. A dizzy spell almost overtook her, but she fought her way out of it.

  “Where am I and what do you want with me?” She tried to keep her voice calm, but it proved difficult.

  “I don’t want anything with you. You are worthless to me, although . . . well, we’ll see. It’s my master who wants you. You see, you’re just a pawn in a game. A game my master, or as you know her better as Alaina, is playing with Ashe. Too bad she’s not going to win.”

  The sinister voice grated on her nerves. “What do you mean a game? What kind of game and how do you know she won’t win?” A shiver ran up Ebony’s spine at the realization that the drudge had her own agenda, an agenda that Alaina did not know about. Somehow the drudge had fooled Alaina and Ebony had a feeling that the drudge was even more dangerous than Alaina. This was getting worse by the minute.

  A cackling came from the corner and then the figure was suddenly standing mere inches from Ebony. “See she wants Ashe and has been trying to find a way to get him ever since he left her over five hundred years ago . . . for me.”

  Ebony’s stomach dropped and she thought she might heave. “Oh my God, you’re Shara!” Her whispered words were barely audible.

  “So you finally caught on. You’re such a smart one now, aren’t you? Yes, I’m Shara. Ashe’s long lost love, the one who betrayed him. Like hell! He is evil and he wanted to turn me into a blood sucking creature. I knew he had to be destroyed. It was my duty as a God-fearing woman to make sure such a being was sent back to hell where it belonged. Instead, the devil gave him the strength to kill twenty men. He slaughtered them like animals while I stood there and watched then he vanished and left me there to die. When the men’s friends came and found the bloody remains, they blamed it all on me and accused me of being a witch. They put a dagger through my heart and as I lay there dying, Alaina appeared out of the woods and decided she might be able to use me one day in her little game to get Ashe back not to mention a little revenge on a lowly being like me for taking him from her. She was and still is such a fool. He never loved her. She was just a sex toy to him.” She sighed as if she were tired of explaining something that should be obvious to Ebony. “So after my last breath, she made me into an abomination. The one thing that I did not want to become, I would have rather died.”

  Ebony gasped as she pressed
herself closer to the wall trying to get further away from Shara. “But he loved you.”

  “He’s not capable of loving. He’s a demon’s spawn! It doesn’t matter anyway. He is why I’m what I am and I have been savoring the chance to pay him back, playing the good little drudge to Alaina. Well, won’t she be surprised when I kill Ashe. A life for a life. She will kill me for it, but I don’t care. I can only hope God will forgive me for something that was forced upon me. I have lived hundreds of years, playing the good little slave every day, acting dumb as if I didn’t have a brain in my tiny head, thriving on the thought that one day . . . one day I would get my revenge.”

  “And do you think God will forgive you for murder?” Ebony was terrified now. She knew Alaina was using her to get Ashe to come here, but what would happen then? She couldn’t bear for anything to happen to him.

  “Oh, He will reward me for removing such an evil bastard from the world. I can’t wait to see the life drain out of his eyes.”