The Darkening Hours

It is in the darker hours, when the clocks read too late to be early, and too early to be late. The stars dance to music that only they can hear, and the moonlight casts a soft glow across our bed through the open curtains.

You wake suddenly, sweating from the fear of the night terror that has left you trembling.

A movement to your right makes you flinch, and for a second your heart freezes. You breathe again as you look down, and remember that I am sleeping next to you.

You watch as I mumble, lost in a world you cannot reach, and softly tuck back a lock of hair that has tumbled across my face. Silently you slip from between the sheets, pulling a pair of sweatpants over your shorts, and softly pad from the bedroom we share.

Still shaking and fighting the terrifying images that haunt your mind, you kneel in front of the fireplace, adding logs and a fire lighter. Soon, the dark living room is softly lit, and warmth is fighting with your chills.

You pour a measure of whisky into a glass, and sink onto the sofa, hugging your knees against your chest as you stare at the crackling flames. Your tremors begin to calm, but no firelight or alcohol can erase the things you have dreamt.

In the velvet darkness of our room, I roll onto my side and reach for you. My fingers find nothing but empty space and the damp outline of your bad dream. Waking fully, I look at the faint glow snaking under the bedroom door, and know exactly where you are and why.

I reach for a tee, pulling it down until it meets the edge of the lace shorts that cling to my hips, and soundlessly make my way to the living room.

Standing in the doorway, unseen and unheard, I watch you as my heart aches. I can see the fear in your knotted back muscles, read your terror in the way your hand trembles as it lifts the glass to your lips. I lean against the cool wooden frame of the door, looking at you and wondering what I can do to ease your pain. I smile a little as the memory of other nights like this flood my mind, and I know how I can help you.

You lift your head as you feel a shift in the air, and cannot hide the smile as you see me stood before you. Your eyes travel over tattoos and scars, across the piece of art I have made myself into with your help, until you meet the blue eyes that you love to drown in.

You open your mouth to speak, but I'm faster, and before you can say a word I am bent over you and tasting the whisky on your tongue. The drops of amber liquid left in your glass spill as your fingers abandon their hold and reach for the warmth of my skin. You hear the soft intake of my breath as you pull me to you, and in a moment my weight is resting on your lap, the soft fabric of my tee against your bare chest.

Our tongues are fluent in the language we wrote for ourselves, gentle but insistent, and meant for only us. As I feel your hand slide from my hip and under my tee, travelling over the curves they know so well, a soft moan escapes my lips, and I can feel you smile against them. You stiffen beneath me, and I roll my hips a little to tease you. Your body responds as your fingers find a breast and start to squeeze and stroke.

Moaning as I press myself against you, as you feel the heat you cause, your hands leave my skin for a moment. I pull my face from yours, but my question goes unasked as you grip the edges of my tee and tug them up. Closing my eyes, I bite my lip as your kisses burn their way up my chest. The tee is dropped to the floor, and the warmth of your skin is pressed against mine. For a long minute, all we do is hold each other tightly, our breathing the only soft sound against the crackling flames that paint our skin with flickering shadows.

You whisper my name pleadingly as you feel me lift myself from your lap, planting my feet back on the thick rug. Then you see the look on my face, and it makes you throb with need.

You watch as my lips curve into a grin that makes your heart beat faster.

You watch as I sink to my knees in front of you, the firelight making my tattoos seem alive.

You watch as my fingers trace their way down your sides and to your hips; as they tease along the edge of your waistband. You move to help, but stop when I shake my head - you know that I need no assistance.

In moments your sweats and shorts have joined my tee, and you can't stop the moan escaping your lips as my fingers trace up along the inside of your thighs. This is a waiting game, and one we play so well; you know the tease will make the reward so much more intense.

My lips follow the path of my fingers, inching slowly closer to your thick, throbbing member. You hold yourself still, until finally my mouth meets the base of your swollen shaft. Your hips buck a little, a movement you can't control, and it spurs me further.

My tongue teases upwards, each delicate touch making you shiver. The moan I can't hide when my tongue tastes you drives your fingers into my silky hair, and grows louder as you push my mouth down over you.

Your head tips back and your eyes close as I make love to you with my mouth. As my lips slowly slip up and down the length of you, you feel the need for release building. I feel you pulse against my tongue and take you deeper until I can take no more. Your eyes open and your fingers tighten in my hair; you're so close, but you don't want this distraction to end.

As you gently pull my hair, my lips tighten, reluctant to let you go. You grin and lift my chin, loving the look on my face. Standing, you laugh as I reach for you, but you're too fast and before I know it, I'm pinned to the rug and you're against me.

You hold me still as you kiss me softly, your lips moving from mine to my neck. You feel me tense as you find the sweet spot between my neck and shoulder, and slowly graze your teeth across my skin. I can't help but moan, loving the soft shade of pain that hurts so sweetly. You bite again, barely marking me, but we both know that will change.

I tremble as you kiss your way down my chest, your lips and tongue teasing soft skin and sensitive nipples, a hand slipping down to my hip. Lost in the feeling of your slow seduction, I barely notice moving instinctively, lifting my hips up so that the lace shorts you're gripping can be slid from me more easily. Your grip on me loosens as you move your way down my body, following the inky lines that are etched into my skin.

As you kiss along my hips, your fingers find their prize, and I can't stop from gasping your name as they slide inside me. You grin as you watch me arch my back, curling your fingers just enough to tease that spot that drives me crazy. You shift, nudging my legs apart until you're between them, and dip your head.

You taste the sweet wetness there and are intoxicated, your tongue exploring territory it has wandered before. It flickers over that aching spot, and you love the way it makes me moan out loud.

My own fingers find your hair and grip it tight, as the muscles in my legs twitch. Your mouth and fingers work in perfect unison, and you know you're pushing me closer to the edge. You're unrelenting, increasing the pressure of your tongue against the nub of nerve endings, sinking your fingers deeper into the warm tightness.

I cry out your name as I break, hips bucking as you draw out my release. Soon I can take no more, and pull your mouth from me as I uncontrollably tighten around your fingers. You grin, the taste of me still sweet on your tongue, and move to your knees, taking your fingers with you.

Laying on the rug, chest heaving as I will my body to relax, your eyes reflect the firelight as they take in the soft curves, the gentle slopes, the hills and valleys you have mapped so many times. Catching my breath, I look back at you, loving every inch of you as you are bathed in firelight. Your long hair hangs around your shoulders, the strands of silver shining softly. Your eyes are still dark though, still touched by shadows, and I know that more is needed.

You rest on your knees, your back against the sofa, sucking your fingers clean, and reach for my hand. Helping me to my knees, you hold me against you, and I can feel your heart pounding. Your head dips and I feel your lips on my neck again. I breathe in sharply as your teeth nip, and I hear you moan as I push my body closer to yours.

Whispering in your ear, I tell you to take me, to push me to the edge again. You bite harder for a moment before finding my mouth with yours again. As you kiss me, your hands find my hips and I feel you move me, laying me back against the soft rug.

Your mouth is hungry for mine as you reach for my thigh, gripping the flesh as you pull my leg up around you. Moaning my name, aching with need, you push yourself slowly into me, inch by inch.

My nails dig into your shoulders as I hiss through gritted teeth, the sweet agony of being stretched around you setting my nerves alight. As I try to catch my breath, you plough into me again, pushing deeper until you can go no further. I beg you not to stop, and you press me harder against the floor.

Your lips are on my neck, my breasts, finding every place that is sensitive as you fill me over and over again. I rake my nails down your back the way you crave, and as you growl you move harder and faster into me.

Our bodies move together as we find our rhythm. You move to your knees, gripping my hips, watching as I arch under you each time you fill me. Now my nails are in your chest, and you love the pain that blends so wonderfully with the pleasure.

Time has no meaning anymore, our love making drawing out each second into a haze of passion. Our names fall from each other's lips like benedictions, and we worship with our bodies. Each touch , each kiss, burns like a brand.

I can feel your muscles tensing as you exorcise your demons between my thighs, driving out the images that woke you. Lost in the wet warmth, in the taste of my lips, you have almost forgotten what awoke you, and the fear is gone.

We shift again, moving together until I am straddling you, sinking myself down over you again and again. Your hands and mouth are full of my breasts, teasing me the way I love.

As my hips roll and I move on you, you look up at me and moan my name again - this time with urgency. I nod, knowing that you're close, stopping your lips with mine. Your hands hold my hips again, moving me faster as you start to arch your back and my nails dig deeper into your skin.

Suddenly groaning into my mouth you explode, pushing yourself as deep into me as you can. As you fill me with scalding stickiness, you can barely breathe, only gasp for air as your body jerks with blissful release.

The feel of you throbbing inside me is enough to send me tumbling once more, and I tighten around you convulsively. We cling to each other, letting our ecstasies run their course as we murmur names and swear our love.

It feels like forever that we stay this way, locked together, sweat covering us each in a fine sheen. For what seems like an age, neither of us knows where the other ends and we begin. There is only the feeling of each other, of euphoric calm, and the warmth of the fading fire.

I kiss you softly, feeling you smile as you hold me close. Our tangled limbs ache sweetly, and we slowly find our feet. You stand silently watching me as I end the fire, and soon we are in warm darkness, lit only by the faint glow of moonlight.

You feel my fingers twist through yours, and smile as I lead you back to bed. Wrapping our arms around each other, my fingers stroking back your hair, I listen to the sound of your breathing as it slows and deepens. I know that you will sleep soundly now, the darker hours defeated in the firelight.