Darkest Hour

Even Angels Fall

The Face of Heaven

Tangled Souls

The Darkest Hour is a love triangle of unspeakable passion and horror…It is the terrifying and sensual story of two men, one human and one undead, and the beautiful woman torn between them! This novella was fun to write, and it’s my “nod” to a more romantic version of the classic Bram Stoker’s, Dracula.

A modern day version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Excerpt

I recalled the fateful day I’d come to visit my twin-brother at Vaughn Hall, struggling to become a respected artist. But as luck would have it, I wandered into the garden and found him instead. And I knew who he was without having to ask anyone.

I watched my father’s attorney, Armand Vitalis, while quietly hiding behind a large thorny rose bush. He fascinated me; he looked like a dark prince in a ballet…like one of the gorgeous surreal creatures Kenneth had depicted. He had such dark eyes, sensuous firm features and the hint of a moustache above his generous mouth. His snug black, V-neck shirt revealed a chest covered with crisp dark hair and brawny muscles rippling underneath, which quickened my pulse. His tight jeans clung to him like a second skin, with big black boots. He stood rigidly still, a confident set to his board shoulders with his face lifted up toward the setting sunset, his eyes closed. He looked powerful, sexy, dark, and dangerous, with his tall, muscular physique. The sun setting in the far distance glowed fiery red, orange and purple, the light glimmering over his hair like beams of rainbow radiance. His hair was full and shiny blue-black, curling up at the nape of his collar, resting on his wide shoulders. Beautiful, I thought, perfect.

As I stood there, watching him, my heart began beating fast. I tried to ignore it, but my whole skin was tingling with awareness and the fine hairs on my arms were standing up.

As if sensing my presence, he looked over at me, but said not a word, though the double meaning of his bold gaze was obvious. He had such compelling, dark eyes—eyes that had a strange glint to them.

Danger. That single word flashed in my mind and I started to tremble. He stared at me as one who is in a trance, with disbelieving eyes. Those remarkable dark eyes gazed longingly at me, hungrily at me. He appeared dazed, dazzled, as he boldly darted his eyes from my face to my heaving breasts, then to my long legs clad in shorts before scanning slowly upward. And again, he seemed hypnotized by my face, my long blonde hair. I took a step back, suddenly afraid, as if he were the big bad wolf about to gulp me up and swallow me whole.

“Hello there.” He said quietly. Then he smiled devilishly….confidently…seductively. “And who might you be, sneaking up on me like that?”

His smile widened. I was troubled and exhilarated at the same time.

I tried to smile back, but couldn’t. “I’m…I am…”

My mind went blank. My heart hammered in my chest. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t think, and I couldn’t stand there another minute.

“Wait!” he’d cried out, but I dashed around the side of the great house, past the flowers as the sun sank down into the horizon and twilight appeared in its place, casting shadows all around me, changing the color of the roses to blood red, and I quickly disappeared inside the mansion to catch my breath and steady my pulse.

I caught my reflection in the ornate, gold-framed mirror across the room, hanging above the stone fireplace, and looked at myself as though gazing through his dark, dark eyes. I saw a twenty-eight-year-old woman who was slim and busty with soft curves, long legs, and creamy skin. Her mass of long golden hair poured from her heart-shaped face with wide eyes, a depthless ice blue like a sunny, summer sky and a pouty mouth, past her shoulders, unrestrained in shimmering waves.

But the eyes looked…frightened? Or excited? I wasn’t sure which. I turned away from the mirror when I realized I was still shaking, and not sure why, only that he’d affected me deeply, struck some chord deep within me. Oh, but he was gorgeous to look at. And his mouth…that seductive sculpted mouth that made my knees weak with something other than nervousness…it was desire. It had been his voice too…hypnotic, soft, and self-assured.

I felt strange. My heart thudded once, hard. I felt flustered and nervous, unlike my usual confident self. Why was I feeling this way over a complete stranger? But I knew. He represented a challenge, yes, and that made him different, intriguing…exotic…exciting. It was his voice that decided my course of action, making me absolutely determined to have him.

But I should have left him alone and turned to Caleb who had loved me since we were children, instead of wanting to chase after something I couldn’t have. I should have forced myself stop thinking of him only as a friend and let myself fall for Caleb’s optimistic, gentle nature, and his kind spirit, that was like a bright light burning within my heart…yet, it was the darkness I sought, the sense of excitement, adventure, and danger that Armand represented…and it lured me seductively into its lair…

Reviews

Ms. Mauro has written not of the romantic vampire hero that we are used to, but one that is his opposite and that we can still like. He's not a villain either, even when he does evil there is still that quality that it’s only for survival. The battle that she fights herself about between these two men that she loves is the crux of the story. The author has given us a glimpse of the turmoil that Brooke has to go through to make a decision. 4 Angels -Donna / Fallen Angel Reviews

The Darkest Hour by Mauro will leave you guessing at the outcome until the last page. Who will win Brooke’s love and end up with the prize? Pick up a copy today from LuLu Books to find out how this paranormal romance ends. This tale embraces the twilight hour, when romance is in the air and passion rouses the senses. The Darkest Hour is reminiscent of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and is a compelling story of a suspenseful love triangle. 4 Hearts -Annmarie / Romance at Heart Magazine

THE DARKEST HOUR is an interesting story, full of stereotypical characters whose interactions make them unique. One might be distracted by the sequence of events, but this was somewhat resolved with flashback chapters. THE DARKEST HOUR is full of lyrical language and is an interesting read, with the reader never knowing what’s going to happen next. 3 Flames -Sizzling Romances