The Royal Flush (Knights of the Darkness Chronicles(Book Three)) (9 page)

“Darian, do you really want a birthday party?” she asked. She remembered his words earlier that evening and she didn’t want to force anything on him. She knew that they wouldn’t force anything on her... she wanted to be fair.

Darian sat up. “I know that you want to celebrate my birthday, I don’t mind,” he said reassuringly.

Natasha rose slightly, supporting herself on the pillows.

“That’s not what I mean. Sure, I want to celebrate your birthday, but do
you
want to?” she asked him.

Darian’s hand caressed the soft flesh of her cheek. He smiled.

“You’re adorable and a bit peculiar, I might add.” He let his hand fall back onto the bed.

“Peculiar? You’re saying I’m strange?” Natasha asked, playfully poking Darian in his chest.

He chuckled. “Well, there are those times when you’ll say or do something that is completely unexpected.”

“So that makes me weird?” Natasha pinched Darian’s nipple lightly causing him to gasp.

“Ahhh, you’re going to start something and you should stop because I doubt if you have the energy to finish it.”

“You’d be wrong in your assumption. Now, answer my question.” Natasha giggled as she realized how playful and responsive Darian was.

“I love everything that you are. I love the adorable you and I love the peculiar you. Those are two qualities that definitely make you so unique,” Darian said.

“Hmm. Nice save.” Natasha ran her finger down the length of his chest toward his navel. “Now back to my original question. Do you really want to celebrate your birthday?”

Darian considered her question.

“It has been many centuries since I’ve celebrated the day of my human birth. I’ve forgotten such an experience. In fact, the only significance my birthday has is to keep account of how many years I’ve existed since my rebirth as a vampire,” he said, remembering the only reason why he kept up with his birth date. “I don’t mind that you want to celebrate my birthday. I haven’t wanted to for over a thousand years. However, this doesn’t mean that I will not enjoy myself once it comes to pass. It’s a small thing for me but for you it means so much more.” He looked at Natasha, she nodded.

“It does,” she admitted

“Then let me explain something to you, my darling,” Darian began. Natasha looked at him, giving him her full attention.

“When you live for eternity there are things one must involve oneself in to find a reason to go on. I’ve seen many of my kind parish for one reason or another. I’ve never been one to seek the darkness of death. Therefore, I have gone through the centuries seeking all things that would interest me, that would quicken me. And I tell you, even though Xavier is most dear to me, precious even, he knows that you have touched a part of me that none before you has ever touched... even him.”

“What do you mean?” Natasha asked, still amazed by his honesty.

“When I took Xavier into my arms he became my student, my lover, and my partner. He accepted me for what I was, never seeking to change one thing about me. I was satisfied with that, too stubborn to change. But you... you have an indomitable spirit that will not settle for less than what you feel you deserve. I have always respected those who were like me. Now do not misunderstand me, I respect Xavier wholeheartedly, more so than I’ve respected any other before him. But for you, I have a different quality of admiration,” Darian revealed softly.

“I don’t know what to say. Actually, I’m surprised you’re telling me this,” Natasha said.

“I’m not so withdrawn that I can’t expose my innermost thoughts, Natasha. There have been many occasions where Xavier and I have spoken most intimately to each other. I’m telling you this so that you will know how much you mean to me. I want you to know that my love is genuine and powerful,” Darian said. “As is my love for my young lover who is not with us tonight.”

Natasha smiled widely as tears ran down her cheeks. She pulled Darian closer and kissed him deeply.

“You mean so much to me, too,” she said as she cried freely in his strong, safe embrace.

“To answer your question,” Darian continued. “I want you to give me the celebration. I want you to do this because it’s a part of who you are and it will make me happy to know that you are happy.”

“Thank you and I promise, I will not put a silly pointed hat on your head. No matter how much Xavier eggs me on,” she said chuckling.

“Thank the Gods, please don’t,” Darian replied, the very thought of himself decorated in that fashion disturbed him.

“I won’t.” Natasha promised. “Darian?” she asked.

“Yes?”

“If you don’t mind, can you tell me about your Master?” she asked.

“I don’t mind. I think I was on the verge of doing so earlier,” he said. “Nevertheless, I did enjoy the diversion.”

Natasha playfully slapped him on his muscular arm.

“Men,” she remarked.

Darian winked then he began to tell his tale.

“I was twenty-six years of age when I posed for the portrait you saw earlier this evening. That same year, I’d met my Maker and future lover while I was celebrating the king of Sparta’s birthday at his home. It was an honor to have been invited and I was reveling in all of the attention I was receiving. A strikingly handsome man approached me at the celebration. He praised my skills at the Games as well as my physical beauty.”

He paused and looked at Natasha, their eyes locked. She was captivated by his every word. He smiled and continued.

“You must understand that I was very accustomed to being complimented on my overall beauty and athleticism. So it was not these words that interested me so, but it was his very manner, the boldness of his actions and speech. I was enthralled by him. Little did I know that the night I followed him to his home to have sex, would be the end of my life as I knew it. He had informed me that he had many homes in Greece, Rome and Egypt. I remember being impressed that he was so well traveled and apparently very rich. Needless to say, he took me to his estate in Sparta that night. I was amazed by the sheer luxury of his home.” Darian paused and looked at Natasha; he wanted to clarify one detail with her.

“Now, when I say that I was enthralled or amazed by him, please keep in mind that I never behaved as if I was. I have always been well skilled at controlling my emotions. He bewitched me, this is true, but I refused to swoon over him in any way. I remember nonchalantly complimenting him on the extravagance of his home and playfully seducing him. When he smiled at me, it was as if he was a man humoring a child. I also remember becoming annoyed. I didn’t like being patronized nor made a mockery of. I decided that coming to his home was a mistake and when I tried to leave, he refused to let me go. It was then that I began to panic, but I refused to let him know that I was frightened. He walked closer to me, his beautiful almond shaped eyes with golden brown gaze peered deeply into mine. I remember it all very vividly. I remember my desire for him, my lust. I had never known a man that possessed his allure, he was
exotic
to me. I wanted him in spite of my fear of him. I believe that made the situation all the more exciting,” Darian said with a chuckle. “You could say that I was quite foolish at the time.”

Natasha laughed. “Well, it’s nice to know that you have always been this arrogant, I guess there’s just no hope for you.” She sighed dejectedly.

“No hope at all, I am what some would best describe as incorrigible,” Darian said then he laughed outright as did Natasha.

Both Darian and Xavier could make her laugh the night away. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she fought to catch her breath. She looked at Darian’s smiling face and chuckled once more.

“Okay. Please, I want to know more,” she encouraged. “Wait a minute... So have you always been bisexual?”

Darian nodded.

“I’ve never been one to limit myself, especially when seeking life’s pleasures,” he said proudly and continued. “He leaned forward and whispered softly into my ear that he wanted to bestow to me a ‘most precious and wondrous gift.’ The only meaning I could derive from that statement was that he meant to make me moan in ecstasy that evening.” He smiled to himself as he thought back on his own naiveté.

Natasha waited patiently for him to continue.

“I was right in one aspect; he did make me moan that night. It was also my first time ever being conquered by a man. I was always the one who would mount my lover, never the other way around. But before we had sex, he explained to me that I needed to experience pleasure in all of its forms. He told me that he was preparing me to become a God among Gods and wanted me to know and understand all things so that I may one day create my own paradise and be wise enough and strong enough to defend it,” Darian said thoughtfully. He smiled as he looked at Natasha. “You can imagine just how quickly my lust was dying for him only to be quickly rekindled when he would look at me a certain way.”

“What did you say to him?” Natasha asked.

“I had assumed he was simply rambling, the notions of an unstable, but immensely beautiful man. I managed to ignore my lust long enough to tell him that ‘I would be missed and my family would surely come looking for me.’ I informed him that he would not get away with whatever he wanted to do to me.”

“What did he say? How did he react to that?” Natasha was extremely curious.

“He smiled and told me that he didn’t fear the wrath of mankind. It was then that I began to feel his seduction. My mind and body began to relax their tensions. When he caressed me, I welcomed his touches. When he kissed me, I welcomed his lips... his tongue. And when he entered me, I welcomed his body.”

“How did you feel, you know... with being ‘conquered’?” Natasha asked.

“He was very skilled, but the experience itself was not without some discomfort. However, the extraordinary pleasure that followed more than outweighed the pain. That night, I learned how to be what one calls today, ‘
versatile‘.
It is the same thing I taught Xavier. He was not a lover of men when I first met him. Sexual orientation preferences really have no meaning in our world. We live forever and we have eternity to explore all things. We would do ourselves a great injustice if we were to omit even the most minuscule of experiences. I had no idea what he meant to do to me beyond sex. But I understood what he meant when he said that I should enjoy all pleasures of the flesh when he
conquered
me,” Darian said.

He shifted his weight to make Natasha more comfortable as she lay against his chest, his strong arms encircled her.

“What else happened?” she asked eagerly.

Darian chuckled. “You remind me of Xavier when I first told him,” he said, then he leaned down, kissing Natasha on her forehead.

“That night he bit me and drained me and I felt indescribable pleasure. He let the tiniest drop of his own blood fall onto my tongue, a sensation so intense that it has yet to be matched whipped throughout my entire being. I had never felt such ecstasy. It was then, I knew he was a creature; not human, perhaps a God as he had declared himself to be. He had a human form, but he wasn’t human, it was also at that point I began to realize what his true intentions were for me.”

“I can’t believe vampires and shape-shifters exist. I’m still amazed.” Natasha stared forward as she thought on that fact. “Okay, okay go on,” she said enthusiastically.

“He kept me in his home and over the span of two years, prepared me for the time I would become what I am. He taught me various forms of combat. When I asked him why, he told me a day may come when I would have to defend myself from others of our kind as blood drinkers fought often over many things.”

“Like what?” Natasha interrupted as she looked into Darian’s forest-green eyes.

“Well, my eager petite
inamorata,
we vampires fight over things such as territory, blood, lovers, power and money. …Just like humans. Some fight for honor. For example, when you flew to Russia four months ago, had the Master there abused his powers and sought to take advantage of Xavier, I would have challenged him for his actions. To abuse a vampire of another Master’s coven is to insult that Master, the punishment is death... unless of course the offended party is merciful,” Darian enlightened.

“Are you merciful?” Natasha inquired.

Darian stared at her for several long seconds before answering with a question of his own. “Do I seem merciful?”

Now it was Natasha’s turn to stare at him, and she did, trying to read his expression, which turned out to be impossible.

“I think you can be... when you want to.”

“You are correct, my love… When I want to be.” Darian nodded and continued. “A hard lesson learned from all I’ve experienced in my many lifetimes. Sometimes you cannot show mercy, even to those who would beg you for it.”

“I understand.”

“I know that you do.” Darian smiled, “but I digress, my apologies. Over the two years I remained with him, he refused to let me cut my hair. He never explained why.” He chuckle. “Now, I simply shorten my hair for enjoyment. I’m not too concerned with cutting my hair as it will grow back by the next evening.”

“Darian, you keep saying ‘he’ what was your Maker’s name?” Natasha asked respectfully.