Shiela Stewart - [Darkness 02] Read online

  “I…gr….mo…”

  She lifted her head to see him rapidly swallowing. “They say you’ll be fine. Just relax, baby, just relax.” She kissed his mouth, stroked his face then kissed his face over and over again.

  “Ho…hoo…hol-ly-y…fu…uck.”

  She sat up when she felt his arm lift. “Are you back?”

  “Sweet fuck. I feeell like I aatee a live wire. What the hell happened?”

  “You got zapped by the new alarm system. Where were you?”

  “Water. I need some water.”

  “Sure.” She hurried off the bed and ran to the washroom. When she came back with a glass of water, he was sitting up in bed. “Here you go.”

  His hand shook as he took the glass. “I’m going to kill those bastards.”

  She held the bottom of the glass while he lifted it to his mouth and drank. “I knew it was you but they didn’t believe me. They refused to turn off the alarm. I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

  “I’ve had worse, but hell, I’d just as soon never feel this again.” He set the glass on the bedside table then drew in a deep breath. “Apparently Jonah got the alarm system working while I was gone?”

  “Yeah.” She stroked his hair gently. He was such a babe, and he was all hers. “Where did you go?”

  He let out another long breath. “I needed to see my brother.”

  “You have a brother?” She cuddled up beside him, lifting his arm to slide it behind her neck as she cuddled his chest.

  “Yeah, and a sister, Lexi. Danny’s a vampire. Happened twenty years ago but I didn’t really know for sure until last week. This was the first time I’ve been able to talk to him since he was taken.”

  “Everyone thought you were still here. Why didn’t you tell anyone where you were going?” What she wanted to say was, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I knew they wouldn’t let me go. We’re not supposed to go out alone. But I had to see him.”

  “I understand.” She unbuttoned his shirt and stroked her fingers along his chest. She loved the feel of his skin, the silkiness of his chest hair. “How did it go?”

  “I don’t know him. I guess I never did know him. We were identical twins but we were exact opposites. Danny and I used to be inseparable. I thought we were close, but from what he told me tonight, I was clueless.”

  “Did you say his name was Danny?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “It’s kinda funny. No, never mind. Go on.”

  “What’s funny? Tell me.” His fingers played with her hair.

  “It’s just, well, the guy I drank from, they were calling him Danny. They kept chanting, Danny, Danny.” He sat up abruptly, and she fell back onto the pillow.

  “Are you sure that was his name?”

  She sat up on her elbows. “Yeah. I didn’t remember that until you mentioned the name. Weird.”

  “What did he look like?”

  There was an urgency in his voice now. “I don’t know. I don’t remember his face. I didn’t see his face, just the top of his head.”

  “What color was his hair?”

  She sat up cocking her head to the side. “Black, like yours but longer. A lot longer. You don’t think—”

  “That my brother was your sire? Hell yes!” He climbed off the bed and his legs wobbled. “It makes sense. Fuck. It makes perfect sense.”

  She watched as he rushed to the phone, completely baffled as to who or why he would be calling.

  “I need you in my room,” he said simply then set the phone down and turned to her. “Christ, it all makes sense now.”

  “Not to me it doesn’t.” Maybe his brain was damaged from the jolt he’d received. Something that strong had to affect the brain.

  The door flew open and Basil and Trinity raced into the room.

  “I understand now,” Dante blurted out.

  “Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?” Trinity asked touching a hand to his face.

  “I’m fine. Okay, no, not really. My body is as jittery as that time I drank three pots of coffee while on a stake-out but that’s beside the point. Gypsy was sired by my brother,” he exclaimed, turning his attention to Basil.

  Gypsy had no idea what the hubbub was about and decided to just sit on the bed and wait it out.

  “Makes sense.” Basil rubbed his chin. “But how can you be certain?”

  “Gypsy remembered his name. I went to see my brother tonight. Yeah, I know, save the lecture. Anyway, I mentioned his name and she said the guy who sired her was named Danny. It all makes sense why my blood stimulates her, why she is drawn to me. Danny and I were identical twins.”

  “Damn!” was all Basil said.

  “This is bizarre,” Trinity spouted.

  “And then some.”

  “I’m lost,” Gypsy piped in finally having had enough of being left in the dark.

  Dante joined her on the bed and took her hand in his. “I told Basil about last night, and what my blood did to you. He said that only a sire’s blood acts as an aphrodisiac, but of course, I’m not a vampire so that was impossible. But because Danny and I are identical twins with the same DNA and everything, your body would think my blood was his. That’s why you’re attracted to me, why you feel so close to me, why having sex with me is so explosive.”

  “I’m attracted to you because you’re hot,” she snickered, squeezing his cheeks together.

  “It’s more than that, but thanks. You drank from Danny, and then a day later you drank from me. The more you drink from your sire, the closer you feel to that person. In this case, me. Jesus, this is so weird.”

  “You’re telling me.” And it was a little over her head.

  “Well, now that we’ve settled that, we’ll leave the two of you alone. If you need anything—”

  “I don’t think it’s anything we can provide, my love,” Basil joked, taking her hand as he led them from the room.

  “Do you think he’d be interested in a threesome?”

  “What? You want a threesome with my brother?”

  “Is Basil your brother too?”

  Dante cocked his head to the side, a confused look on his face. “You were talking about Basil?”

  “Yeah—Oh, you thought I was talking about your brother. Well….hm, is he as cute as you?”

  “He’s seventeen.”

  “I’m twenty. So what? It would be fun.”

  “NO! God no! Wait…you want to have a threesome with Basil?”

  “Basil, Jonah. Either or both, maybe we could have a foursome.” Ooh, that sounded fun.

  “Are you for real?”

  “Don’t I look real? Think about it. The three of you taking turns with me while I take turns with the three of you. It’s making me hot just thinking about it.”

  “I…” He blinked his eyes several times, then turned away. “This is too much for my brain to handle. I need a shower.”

  “Can I join you?” Even if he said no, she intended to.

  “If you’re thinking of doing it in the shower let me warn you I’m as flaccid as a soggy noodle.”

  “I can remedy that.” She laughed and raced to the washroom.

  ***

  Jonah slid in beside Ariel, careful not to wake her. She worried him, with her constant need to sleep. And she was looking so pale, too. The lack of daylight was really doing a number on her.

  “Hi,” she mumbled groggily.

  “Hi. I didn’t want to wake you.” He stroked her hair, then her brow when she rolled over to face him. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Her sandy hair curled erratically when she didn’t control it, but he loved it. Just as he loved the mole at the side of her right eye.

  “What time is it?”

 
“Nearly six.”

  “In the morning?” She yawned.

  He smiled. “Yeah. I’m wiped. I thought I would catch a few hours sleep before I start on the trackers. I got the alarm system up and running and it works. Just ask Dante. He got zapped by it.”

  “Is he okay?”

  He ran a finger along her jaw line, loving how strong it was. How strong she was. “He lives to tell the tale. Have I told you lately how much I love you?”

  She smiled and her brown eyes lit with glee. “Not often enough.”

  “Well, let me remedy that. I love you, Mrs. Moore.”

  “Well, that’s handy because I love you, Mr. Moore.”

  Her lips were warm and felt like home when she kissed him. He’d been dog tired when he’d slid in beside her moments ago, but now he was fully awake.

  And utterly aroused.

  He slid his hand down along her waist to her hip then down the length of her thigh.

  “I thought you were wiped?” She smirked against his lips.

  “I was.” He dipped his hand beneath the cotton nightie she wore and slid his hand up her hip. She was a simple woman with simple needs. No silk for his girl, she preferred cotton. Crooking his finger beneath her panties, he inched them down. “But I’m suddenly wide awake.”

  “Hm….me too.”

  He loved to touch her, loved to see the reaction on her face, and as he slid his hand beneath her panties to touch the warmth she emitted, her face showed her arousal. She lifted her upper leg and hooked it over his hip. They lay face to face, lips touching while his fingers sought the familiarity of her moisture.

  Her hand slipped between their bodies to slide beneath his underwear. She surrounded him with her fingers and gently gave him a squeeze.

  “Awake indeed,” she murmured against his mouth.

  Smiling, he kissed her nose then dipped a finger into the heat. She moaned, closing her eyes as she rocked her hips against his. He loved to watch her as her body awoke with needs. Her breath quickened as did her hips, and so he gave her more. She rocked against him, stroking him as fast as he stroked her. He wanted to see her go over before he let himself go.

  Then she lifted her leg higher and pressed herself to him.

  “Get on top of me,” she panted, writhing.

  “Let yourself go first.”

  “Jonah, please. I need you.”

  He kissed her lips, then her neck. “You’ll have me after you let yourself go.”

  “Then go faster,” she pleaded and gripped him tighter.

  Smiling, he nibbled on her lips and gave her just what she wanted. In no time at all he had her begging for more and exploding over him in a gush of exotic fluids. He took her panties down, then removed his own underwear before climbing on top. She spread for him, and as she looked up at him with a satisfied look in her eyes, he fell in love with her all over again.

  He positioned himself then slipped into the heat.

  “Yes.” She bowed her back as he entered her.

  She was moist warm and welcoming. He didn’t want fast. He wanted it to last forever. Unbuttoning her cotton nightshirt, he split it open then took one taunt nipple into his mouth. She moaned as he began to suckle, her hands stroking his back. He moved inside of her in a slow hypnotic rhythm while he suckled her breasts. He knew if he took it slow, and aroused her even more, she would go over with him.

  He took his turn on each of her breasts, enjoying the fullness of them and the tightness of her nipples. She loved it when he flicked them with his tongue and doing so now set her right off.

  “I love that,” she panted, cupping his head in her hand to hold him to her breast.

  He continued to tease her nipples with his tongue until he felt her legs widen and her back arch. She was about to have another orgasm. Releasing her breast, he lifted himself up and pumping her faster, sent them both over.

  He fell on her breasts, her heart thumping beneath his ear and he felt absolutely content.

  “I think I’m pregnant.”

  He jolted up, his eyes wide. “What?”

  She smiled. “I haven’t had my period in two months.”

  “You’re just telling me now? And I’m crushing you.” He flipped off of her then sat up just looking at her. “Two months?”

  She laughed, sitting up and touching his face. “Yep.”

  “We need a pregnancy test.”

  “That would be nice.”

  She was pregnant, or suspected, at least and he couldn’t be happier. “We’ve been trying for so long.”

  “I know.”

  “This could be from lack of sunlight.” But he didn’t want to believe that.

  “The sun’s only been out a little over a week.”

  “Right. Two months?” he said again in amazement.

  She laughed and took his hand in hers. “Two months.”

  “Jesus, Ariel.” He lifted her hand to his chest. “A baby. Finally a baby.”

  “Finally a baby.”

  He took her in his arms, then took her lips. He clung to her for a good long time before he released her. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  He held her in his arms as they lay in their bed and all he could think about was being a dad.

  He was going to be the best dad ever.

  Chapter Eleven

  Chaos paced his room in the underground hideout, feeling antsy. It had been nearly a week since he’d first come down to his hideout and he not only missed his freedom but his authority as well. He could only trust that his men were being led well by Daniel. He really had no way of knowing if he was doing a good job or not.

  Oh, how badly he wanted to get out and go to his men. How badly he wanted to rule. But he knew it was best that only Daniel know where he was hiding. So many of his men had been caught already, and he knew it would be only a matter of time before they would divulge his whereabouts to Basil or Trinity.

  Just thinking of the two of them made his blood crawl. He wanted desperately to wrap his fingers around both their necks and squeeze until their eyes popped from their sockets. He didn’t want a quick death for either of them, but a slow torturous one.

  Especially Trinity.

  He paced his room, the steel gray concrete walls felt like a tomb to him. And the stench of the sewer drains was a constant aroma that stung his nose. He longed for his bed, his home, his domain. He was better than this. Living in a rat infested tunnel like a coward. Damn Trinity for taking away his freedom. Damn her for ruining all his plans.

  He came to full alert when the door handle to his room rattled. Only Daniel knew he stayed here but there was always the off chance someone else could wander down and find him here. He realized then just how helpless he was. He had no weapons, nothing to protect himself. And as he began to panic, the door swung open and Daniel entered the room.

  But not alone.

  “I brought you a treat.” He tossed the elderly man into the room then shut the door behind him. “Thought you might need a kill.

  “And you thought I was too weak to take someone who might put up a fight?” He narrowed his eyes at Daniel. How dare he think such a thing.

  “Not at all, master. But most of the residents have fled the city. Only a few stragglers remain. This was all I could do at the moment.”

  Chaos relaxed marginally and turned his attention to the quivering old man now slumped on the floor. “He’ll probably have a heart attack before I can drain him.” But, he was better than nothing. Diving down onto the man, he sunk his teeth into his warm flesh and bit down. It surprised him that the old man had as much fight in him as he did. But he was no match for Chaos, and as he drank down the blood, the old man began to waver.

  The elderly blood always tasted stale, polluted. He
longed for something fresh, someone who hadn’t polluted his body with carcinogens and fats and alcohol. It had been so long since he’d tasted fresh blood that he nearly forgot what it taste like.

  Draining the old man, he dropped him to the floor then stood, wiping the remnants from his lips. “Tell me about our progress.” He sat down on his cot while Daniel leaned against the wall.

  “Our attempts thus far to penetrate and release our men has failed.”

  “It infuriates me that five measly individuals continually thwart our plans.”

  “In all fairness, sir, they do have two very powerful individuals on their side.”

  And thinking of those individuals only infuriated him more. “We need to find a way to take them down. A means to subdue them.”

  “What about some sort of gas? A sleeping gas. Would something like that work on Basil and Trinity?”

  Chaos leaned back on the bed, back against the wall. “It might. I’m not entirely sure what sort of powers she possesses now. But I do know that the king was susceptible to sleeping agents. That might work.” He looked up at the young man before him, proud of the man he was becoming. “See if you can arrange it.”

  “I’ll get right on it, sir.”

  “How are the men fairing in my absence?”

  “Some are getting restless and they worry me. But I have things under control so far.”

  “Make sure you keep it that way. You weren’t followed down here?”

  “No, sir. I made sure of it. No one knows where you are being kept.”

  “I’m not being kept, Daniel,” he chastised sternly.

  “Sorry, sir. That wasn’t what I meant,” Daniel amended, hanging his head down.

  That was what he liked about Daniel, he knew his place. “I grow tired of this place, tired of my seclusion. I want this ridiculous war over with. I want Basil and Trinity stopped. By any means possible. It is time, Daniel…” he stood, “that I rule.”

  “Yes, sir. I’ll step up the plan.”

  Chaos paced his tiny room after Daniel left, still feeling like a caged animal.

  Perhaps he was being kept after all.