Darkest Hours

by S. K. Yule

  He grabbed two plates and piled one high with several of the main dishes and the other with sugary, sinful treats. He then pulled Ebony along with him to the hall, and the next thing she knew they were standing in front of the door to his bedroom or rather their bedroom.

  “Wait here.”

  Ashe disappeared for a moment then popped back before Ebony had time to blink. His hands were now empty of the plates, and he swung the door open. He scooped her up and carried her across the threshold, kicking the door shut behind them. There were candles lit all over the room giving off a soft glow in the darkness. The bed was covered in red satin with black rose pedals strewn across it.

  “Oh, Ashe, it’s beautiful.” Ebony sighed and leaned her head in to kiss his cheek.

  “Not half as beautiful as you are.” He eased her out of his arms to stand in front of him, turning her so he could get to the zipper at her back. “I’ve been dying to get you out of this dress all night.”

  She stepped away from him before he could get the zipper undone. “Wait, I have to tell you something first.” She wanted to tell him the news before they made love for the first time as husband and wife.

  Ashe looked concerned. “Is something wrong? What is it?”

  “No. No. It’s actually . . . um I mean I’ve known for a little while, but I wanted to wait and surprise you on our wedding night. I’m just not sure how you will take it.” She gave a nervous giggle.

  “Ebony, whatever it is, I love you, and nothing you can say will ever change that.”

  “We’re going to have a baby.” She stared at him as first shock registered on his face quickly followed by a small smile.

  He grabbed her hands. “Are you sure? I mean it usually takes awhile for vampires to conceive.”

  “Yes. In fact I think I might have been pregnant before you changed me. Are you happy?”

  “Am I happy? Are you kidding me? I’m going to be a dad!” They both laughed as he swung her around. He hugged her tightly. “Thank you. For loving me, for marrying me, for putting up with me, and for being the mother of my child, and for all the years we are going to spend together.”

  “You’re welcome, and I love you too!”

  “But, I still need you now.” The desire burned in his eyes as he reached for her dress once again.

  Ebony was surprised that his fingers seemed to shake a little as he unzipped the back of her dress. Her heart skipped a beat when his warm lips caressed the back of her neck and shoulders. The familiar heat started to build at his touch, and desire coursed through her veins. She laid her head back on his shoulder as his hands continued pushing her dress down until it fell in a soft pool around her feet. She stood before him in her stockings topped with black lacy garters, four inch heels and nothing else. She smiled at his quick intake of breath at her appearance. She slowly turned to allow him a slow perusal of her near naked form.

  She turned to face him, and the desire in his eyes matched her own. She let out a small gasp when his big hand covered her breast, and his fingers stroked her nipple, rolling it until it puckered and hardened.

  “You are breathtaking. I had every intention of taking this slow, but I don’t think my control is going to last much longer.” Ashe lavished her other breast with the same sweet torture.

  “I don’t want to take it slow.” She slid her hand up under his jacket and pushed it off his shoulders, then unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands over his muscled chest, gently pinching each nipple as she made her way to the buttons on his pants.

  Ashe quickly kicked his pants, boxers, socks and shoes off, then lifted Ebony after she stepped out of her heels, and he laid her out like a feast on the red satin. She watched him, admiring the play of his muscles as he bent to roll one stocking slowly down her leg, kissing a scorching trail along the skin he uncovered. Goose bumps broke out all over her as erotic sensations throbbed through her body. He treated the other stocking to the same treatment and sucked in a small breath at the sight of her slightly opened legs and the glistening curls at their apex.

  She gasped when he began kissing the inside of her thigh getting closer and closer to the place she most wanted his mouth. He nipped and licked and played until she let out an impatient breath. He shot her a hot predatory stare that curled her toes and growled low in his throat before he gave her one slow lick from the bottom of her soft folds to her core. She thought for sure she would spontaneously combust at any moment, for the fire was raging through her veins now. He pushed her legs wide, holding each creamy thigh in place with his strong hands as he began slowly circling his tongue around her sensitive nub. She let out a keening moan and bucked her hips only to find his grip tightened to pull her wider, completely exposing her to him. She felt vulnerable, sexy, wanton, and he knew exactly what she wanted and brought her to the edge of climax over and over until she thought she might pass out from the sensation.

  Finally, she put her hands in his hair and tugged him up her body, but before he could enter her she placed a hand in the middle of his chest and pushed him on his back to straddle his hips. She smiled at his somewhat surprised look and began kissing him, working her way from his lips to his flat male nipples. She suckled them into tiny hard pebbles then continued down to his navel where she followed that intriguing line of hair she loved so much to his erection. He tried to pull her back up his big body, but before he could manage it she pushed his arms back to the bed and shook her head.

  “Uh, huh, it’s my turn now.” Then she circled his shaft with one hand and bent to lick the clear drop of fluid off the tip enticing another low growl out of him.

  He was such a beautiful man. Perfect in every way, and she wanted to please him in every way. She smiled and bent farther to lick the underside of the broad head then followed it down to the heavy sac at the base, tonguing it before licking a trail back to the tip. He gasped as she took him into the hot wetness of her mouth and sucked lightly, running her tongue around him. He bucked his hips and grabbed a handful of her hair, holding her steady while he pumped into her luscious mouth as she sucked him in deep.

  Suddenly, he pulled her up, tossed her on her back, spread her legs open wide and impaled her tight wetness while he sank his teeth in her neck. He thrust over and over while he pulled her blood into his mouth. “You taste like heaven.” She breathed in hard gasps as the tension built and built. He had hardly released his hold on her neck when she planted her own fangs deep into his chest. The sensation heightened his desire to the point where he was nearly frantic with excitement.

  She met his thrusts and pushed at him for more, letting her teeth slide out she arched harder into him. He pounded into her while her hips met him thrust for thrust over and over until her inner muscles tightened. She let out a loud cry as he threw his head back with a guttural groan. Her muscles contracted around him while he released into her then he collapsed, rolled to his side, and pulled her with him. She was a satiated boneless heap of Jell-O. He held her tight, and they both smiled, knowing no one could ever be as happy as they were.

  * * * *

  The next day started the same as most with all of the Aleksandrovs and Avril sitting around yet another huge table of food that McKayla had prepared for breakfast. Ebony and Ashe had decided not to go on a honeymoon right away because they were happy at the moment just spending time together. When Ashe made the announcement of Ebony’s pregnancy, it was obvious Aiston and Aldin were the only ones who looked surprised, which meant Avril and Estril already knew.

  She smiled when he told her he was happy she had such close friends she could confide in and count on. He passed cigars out to Aldin and Aiston as the women turned their noses up in disgust at them saying the offending smokes were smelly and nasty.

  After breakfast Ebony, Estril, and Avril went to the family room to have some more girl time, and the boys went to the study to smoke the cigars.

  “I think Ashe will make a wonderful father.” Estril smiled at Ebony.

  “Oh, I know he will, exce
pt I just hope he doesn’t spoil him too much.”

  “Him? What do you mean him? How can you possibly know it is a boy?” Avril looked at her through squinted eyes.

  Ebony laughed. “Just call it mother’s intuition.”

  “Oh great! Another male. Just what the world needs.”

  Estril and Ebony giggled. “You know you will love your nephew just as much as you would a niece.

  Avril sighed. “Yeah. I will, but I was looking forward to buying little frilly dresses and playing dolls and—”

  Bang! Boom!

  The three women jumped at the loud noise that had just come from across the hall.

  “What the heck was that?” Ebony asked as they all three got up and went to the study.

  Ebony heard loud laughter from inside, and when she opened the door all three of them started giggling. Ashe and Aldin were laughing at Aiston who was sitting on the couch with a blown up cigar hanging from his mouth, and a shocked expression on his face, which was coated with black soot.

  “Oh my God! Ashe, did you do that to him?” Ebony could barely get the question out around her laughter.

  “Yep. Remember the salt in the coffee, bro? Not to mention the countless other things you’ve pulled on me.”

  Amusement quickly replaced disbelief on Aiston’s face. “I can’t believe it. You got me. I don’t know how the hell you did it, but you got me.” Aiston promptly joined in on the laughter at his expense.

  Epilogue

  One year later

  Ashe watched as Ebony held their nursing son to her breast. It was one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen, even though he might be a little jealous of his son at the moment. Marcus Robert Aleksandrov had come screaming into the world four months ago. They had decided on Marcus after Ashe’s father, and Ashe had been touched when Ebony was the one who had suggested it. Marcus was healthy and had his father’s black wavy hair and dark skin. The one thing that stood out most though was his mother’s green eyes. He was a gorgeous baby, and Ashe had a feeling he was going to be trouble. He would enjoy every minute of it.

  “Our son seems to have an insatiable appetite.” Ashe walked over to Ebony in the rocker and ran his fingers lightly through Marcus’s soft curls.

  “Yes, just like someone else I know.” Ashe returned her knowing smile.

  “I still can’t believe I have a gorgeous wife and son. It’s more than a man could ask for.”

  “It’s more than a woman could ask for too, Ashe. Thank you for our son.”

  “No, thank you for our son.”

  She laughed. “Well I think maybe we both had a little something to do with it so let’s just compromise on that.”

  “Sounds good to me. By the way, Uncle Aiston is driving Aunt Avril home as we speak.” He caught the small frown on his wife’s face and knew she was worried about Avril and Aiston. They were constantly at each other’s throats. “Don’t worry. I don’t think Avril plans on killing him quite yet.”

  Ebony giggled. “I sure hope they start getting along better because I have a feeling she will be here a lot. I think she is very proud to be an aunt.”

  “That’s fine with me. It gives me more time with you. And, they will figure things out.” He squeezed her shoulders. “You know I even caught Aldin holding Marcus the other day? He didn’t seem too happy to have been caught. I think Marcus will be good for this whole family.”

  “Me, too.” She looked down at her now sleeping son and gently handed him to Ashe after placing a kiss on his head. Ashe did the same, carefully laid him in his crib, and pulled a soft blanket over his sleeping form.

  He then took Ebony’s hand and led her to their room. Being a vampire was absolutely wonderful. While it normally took two months or more to recover fully from childbirth, Ebony had recovered within three days. He kissed her and shut the door.

  “Now it’s my turn.” Ashe’s eyes glazed with desire as he took her nipple in his mouth, sucking gently. Ebony sighed. How lucky they were to love one another so much, to have a beautiful son and an eternity to share it all.

  * * * *

  Geez! That woman was exasperating! No matter what Aiston did, Avril acted like he was the plague. He had gotten the unpleasant task of driving her home after her visit. Maybe he could just disappear from now on when she visited. After all, there were so many other women who clamored for his attention. He watched Avril close the front door before driving away. He had just stepped out of the car upon his return to the estate when his brother’s voice cut sharply through his mind.

  “Aiston! Come quick. I’m in the alley on the corner of Second Street.”

  Aiston immediately shimmered there to find Aldin surrounded by six shadow drifters trying to fight them off while yelling at someone to get the hell out of there. Upon closer inspection that someone was Alaina. “What the hell?”

  Aiston and Aldin went back to back and cut the drifters down one by one. The shrieks were horrible, and blood sprayed with each blow. Aldin would take one down while Aiston removed its head with his sword. Within minutes all that was left of the drifters were puddles of black goo seeping into the ground back to hell where they belonged and the horrible stench.

  Aldin whipped his head around to find Alaina still standing in the corner. “Are you fucking crazy?”

  After a few mumbles from Alaina explaining that she had decided to start fighting shadow drifters, Aldin gave the stupid woman a serious tongue lashing. One didn’t just wake up one day and decide to hunt drifters. They were ruthless and cunning, and it took years of training to learn to kill them without being maimed or worse. By the time Aldin was done with her, she was almost in tears, although anger was definitely present too. She told him to go to hell and then vanished.

  The shadow drifters seemed to be increasing in numbers and boldness lately, and this worried him. He shook his head in exasperation and looked at his brother. “Women.”

  “Yeah, you don’t have to tell me, bro.”

  The End

  About the Author

  S. K. Yule is the author of Darkest Hours and has written paranormal and contemporary romance along with several erotica novellas. A passionate affair was born with the heated genres upon the first book read several years ago. From there an inspiration to write such wild, abandoned stories grew.