The Royal Flush (Knights of the Darkness Chronicles(Book Three)) (10 page)

“Kysen Mesah, he was Egyptian and extremely breathtaking in appearance. I remember his image well. His hair was jet black, long and braided. He had light golden brown eyes that could stare right through you.” Darian stared forward as he remembered Kysen’s features. “He had a smooth dark brown complexion and he was powerfully built and tall, six-feet, four-inches. Simply magnificent.” He shook his head as if to clear a thought from his mind. “I was twenty-six years old when he took me for his own. And he made me a vampire when I turned twenty-eight.”

“So that’s why you look so young. I’ve been wondering how old you were when you were made. I know that Xavier was twenty-five when you made him a vampire. You two almost look the same age,” Natasha said. She was glad to know Darian’s age when he was made and a bit of his history. She felt a thrilling sense of relief and joy that he trusted her enough to tell her something so personal.

“All you needed to do, my love, was ask me,” Darian said. “Well, needless to say that I took to my new lifestyle rather instinctively. I’m a hedonist by nature, becoming a vampire has been one of my greatest adventures and pleasures.”

“Yeah, I bet,” Natasha whispered under her breath. She knew Darian would hear her anyway but she didn’t care.

“What was that?” Darian asked playfully as he began to tickle her. She squirmed wildly in his arms laughing as his fingertips traced over her ticklish areas. Just when he was becoming friskier, the telephone rang. He stopped tickling Natasha and looked at the silver telephone ringing on the night stand. “Arrggg, how annoying,” he groaned.

“Well, answer it, it might be important,” Natasha urged.

“What could be more important than you?” Darian replied as he began to climb on top of Natasha. The telephone continued to ring.

“Hell, that phone call obviously. It’s driving me mad. Someone must really want to contact you, please answer it,” she said.

Darian sighed. “Very well,” he groaned and leaned over to pick up the receiver. “Hello?”

“Darian, this is Warren. I hate to bother you, but I really need to know if Natasha is with you.” he said in a serious tone.

Darian reflected on whether he should tell the truth as he hated being interrupted, especially when he was in the “mood”. A lie may cease any further prodding. After two seconds of deliberation, he decided against lying, he liked Warren, and respected him. He also suspected Warren called for an important reason.

“She’s here, one moment,” Darian said, handing the telephone to Natasha who looked questioningly at him but took the receiver.

“Hello?” she said.

“Natasha, this is Warren. Look, Natasha, I need your help. My Pack needs your help. Can you come to Xander’s house tonight?” Warren asked in an urgent voice. This worried Natasha, she knew Warren was very upset and that meant something was horribly wrong.

“Of course I can, I’ll be there right away.”

“Thank you so much, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this, Tasha,” Warren said thankfully

“It’s my pleasure. Okay, let me go so I can get ready,” Natasha said, ending their conversation. She handed the receiver to Darian who placed it back on the base.

“I heard every word. I should get dressed,” he said, as he climbed out of the bed and offered his hand to Natasha, helping her off the bed. In the shower, he quickly washed her back.

“This little moment could have been so much more romantic.”

“Another time,” Natasha promised.

Once they were finished bathing, both toweled off and began dressing quickly. Natasha had plenty of clothes that Darian and Xavier had bought her. Some she took to her apartment but most she left there. She dressed herself in black lacy underwear, a black midriff-baring t-shirt and boot cut blue jeans. She removed her shower cap and turned around to watch Darian dress as she brushed her hair.

“How come you never wear jeans?” Natasha asked him as she watched him pull on a smoke gray ribbed shirt with short sleeves.

He smiled at her. “Why should I wear jeans?” he asked curiously as he slipped the hem of his shirt into his black slacks.

“Well, because you have a nice ass and I think it would look great in a pair of boot-cut denims. That’s all,” Natasha replied.

Darian raised his eyebrows. “You don’t say? Well, I suppose I will just have to purchase a pair of these ‘boot-cut jeans’. If it visually stimulates you, then it couldn’t be a bad thing,” he said cockily.

Natasha rolled her eyes with a snicker.

“Come on, Casanova. Let’s go,” she said.

Darian smiled and followed her to her car. They climbed in and she drove quickly towards Xander’s mansion.

“You’re pretty quiet,” she said, noting Darian’s silence. “Are you upset about something?”

Darian looked at her. “No. I’m simply enjoying the calmness of the car ride. You’re like Xavier in this matter. He too, hates when I become silent. He’s not happy until I’m jumping around like a jack rabbit. There is nothing wrong with me. Sometimes I just like the sound of silence.”

“The sound of silence,” Natasha repeated thoughtfully. “Okay, here’s a question that’s going to completely throw you through a loop. Does silence have a sound?” she asked, smiling coyly.

“Go on, tease.”

Natasha chuckled. “I’m just saying.”

While they traveled, she asked Darian questions about his opinion on the latest movies that were out just to pass the time away.

Chapter Four

Af
ter forty-five minutes of driving, they pulled in front of Xander’s huge mansion. There were two cars parked in front when they arrived. Natasha looked at the mansion; she had only been there once before. Four months ago, she had met Xander, Warren’s Pack Alpha and foster father to thank him personally for his help. He had sent his son, Adrian and another enforcer, Nagesa to aid them in solving a crime. Xander had been most pleasant when he met Natasha. Now they needed her and she wanted to be there for them. She and Darian walked towards the door. Before she could ring the bell, the door opened with Warren standing before them.

“Natasha thanks for coming,” Warren said as he took Natasha into a healthy embrace. He released her then looked at Darian. “Thanks for coming also, Darian.”

Darian nodded, but remained silent.

“Of course I was going to come, Warren,” Natasha replied. “What’s wrong?”

Warren frowned. “You should come in first.”

He stepped aside allowing them entrance. They walked into the huge mansion and looked around. It was Darian’s first time in the mansion and he admired the artwork on the walls and the classic furniture.

“This is a lovely home,” Darian said after he inspected the room.

“Thank you for your kind words,” a voice replied in a crisp British accent.

Darian and Natasha turned to see Xander approaching. He wore gray slacks and a soft gray button up dress shirt. His long waist-length black hair was tied back into a ponytail.

“Mr. Peterson, how are you doing,” Natasha greeted as she walked closer to the extraordinarily handsome man. It never ceased to amaze her that every man she now knew personally happen to be devastatingly gorgeous, some more than others, but all were bewitching to look at. Not that she was complaining.

“I’ve seen better days, but it’s nice to see you again, Miss Hemingway. Oh and please call me, Xander,” he said pleasantly. A hint of grimness flashed across his face. Natasha could tell that he was distressed, even though he hid it well.

“All right, and please call me, Natasha.” She watched Xander’s gaze shift from her to Darian. She decided to introduce the two men but was stumped on whether she should introduce Darian as her boyfriend or one of her two boyfriends. She decided to go with the first choice. She looked at Darian and introduced him to Xander. “Umm… Xander, this is Darian, my… umm... boyfriend.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” Xander said as he extended his hand to Darian.

“Likewise,” Darian responded with a devilishly charming smile as he shook Xander’s hand.

“Xander, can you tell me what’s wrong?” Natasha asked once the two men ended their handshake. Xander nodded and looked towards Warren, then back to Natasha and Darian.

“Follow me,” Xander instructed as he led them into the living room. Once there, Natasha looked around in amazement as she noted a dozen people either standing or sitting around. There were seven males and five females all dressed differently. Some wore khakis, some dressed similar to Xander’s own ensemble of slacks and button up dress shirts, and others wore jeans and t-shirts like Warren.

“Tatiana,” Xander began as he offered his hand to a beautiful black woman. She stepped closer to him and took his hand. Xander turned to face Natasha and Darian. “This is my lovely wife and Matron, Tatiana.”

Natasha shook Tatiana’s hand.

“Nice to meet you,” she said.

Darian gently took her hand into his and leaned forward to kiss the soft skin on the back of her hand.

“Charmed, Mrs. Peterson,” he said smoothly.

Natasha looked at Xander, and wondered if he thought that Darian was being flirtatious. She knew that Darian wasn’t. But if Xander did, he didn’t seem threatened. She smiled to herself as she thought about the amount of trust and love the two must have for each other.

Xander completed the introductions and was now ready to begin.

“Please, make yourselves comfortable,” he said as he gestured towards the plush sofa in the huge living room. Both Darian and Natasha settled comfortably on the burgundy sofa and waited for the Alpha to fill them in on whatever was going on.

Xander settle into a chair opposite Natasha and Darian. His wife, Tatiana sat on the armrest next to him. “Two days ago, one of our own turned up missing, Nicole. She left for work but has not returned. As I’m sure you realize her absence over this period of time is a definite cause for concern. We have been searching for her most diligently, but have been unsuccessful,” he said as he held his wife’s hand.

“I see,” Natasha said as she speculated on their situation, coming up with possible scenarios of her own to explain Nicole’s disappearance.

“I had Warren call you because of your abilities. I hate to ask this of you, it’s not really your concern,” Xander said, but Natasha interjected.

“Nonsense, I consider you to be my friends. Anything that I can do to aide you in finding your missing member, I will. I want to help as much as I can; the sooner the better.”

“Thank you, Natasha,” Warren said.

“No problem. Listen, I don’t want to waste another minute. If Warren has told you of my ability, then you must know that it only seems to be effective in my sleep,” Natasha stated.

“Yes, we are aware of that, please any help you can provide is much appreciated,” Tatiana said with a sweet barely-there French accent.

“I’ll do what I can.” Natasha felt elated to have been trusted enough to be brought into their private lives. Xander was a proud Pack leader. She had heard stories of his fierceness and protectiveness from Warren. She correctly assumed that the current situation must have him on edge, to have one of his own missing both angered and worried him.

“I can’t begin to tell you how much we appreciate this,” Xander said in a most dignified manner. He reminded Natasha of Xavier in many ways. He also reminded her of Darian. He appeared to be calm, in spite of the circumstance.

Natasha wondered how hard it was for him to control his emotions. She looked around the room, noticing some of the other people turning to face the entrance of the living room, including Darian. His eyes stared towards the doorway. She watched the doorway looking to see what everyone was waiting for. After a few seconds, she saw Adrian and Nagesa enter the room. Adrian looked angry and annoyed. Nagesa expression was blank which meant the two didn’t have good news. Adrian’s silver gaze lingered on Darian for a few seconds, before shifting to Natasha.

“Hey, Natasha,” Adrian greeted as he walked closer to her. “I’m glad you came.”

Natasha rose from the sofa and gave him a friendly hug. Nagesa nodded, acknowledging Darian and Natasha as he made his way towards Xander. Adrian released her and extended his hand to Darian.

“Nice to see
you
again.” Adrian eyes roved over Darian’s body conveying both admiration and lust.

Darian smiled. “Likewise.”

“Things going well?” Adrian asked as he gazed into Darian’s forest-green eyes.