The Black Onyx Pact (48 page)

He gently extends his hand palm up in a mute request to have her hand to kiss, as all the men in the Club greet the ladies. Sibylle places her hand on that big of his and he moves it slowly to his lips, keeping deep eye contact with her. When Drakkar's dry lips touch lightly her skin, she feels a shiver running through her spine.

«Sibylle.» greets him in a husky voice. «You're beautiful, as always.»

“And you are a dream!”
, is what she thinks, but instead of telling him, she merely smiles.

The man turns to greet Asterix and Obelix, shaking their hands.

«I heard the news, my compliments.»

The two thank him with a smile.

«Will you come to our initiation ceremony, next month?» asks Asterix.

Drakkar and Tarasque giggle.

«We must. Me and Drakkar are your patrons.»

The two young men wince of surprise then thank them again.

Drakkar puts a hand on Asterix's shoulder.

«There's a boy who needs a job. He is like a brother to me, and is as willing as clumsy. Can you find something for him?»

Asterix nods and Obelix replies:

«Sure. Take him to the Nightclub one of these nights, we always need help at the bar.»

Drakkar thanks them and turns to look at Nymphe, bending down to kiss her on the forehead.

«Congratulations to you too, Nymphe, I know that soon you will enter the Diamond level.»

«Yes, I can't wait!»

Tarasque holds her to his side.

«And we also have something to tell you.»

All listen carefully.

«We made a formal request to the
Order
to see approved our Master-slave relationship within the Club, and they accepted it. From today Nymphe is officially my little slave, all mine and mine only. At the Summer solstice night there will be the collaring ceremony, and we want you to come.»

«Oh!» they exclaim before sincerely compliment them.

Nymphe has a bright smile, a smile of joy. Drakkar looks at her and caresses gently her face. He is happy that his best friend found someone like her. She is sweet and nice, he is incredibly happy for them both.

«It's a serious matter, Nymphe, are you sure of this decision? You won't be allowed to meet any other men within the Club D. You really will be his, you'll be like a property to him. In fact, it's almost more like a marriage.»

«I'm more than sure, that's what I want.» whispers Nymphe.

Tarasque looks at her, smiles and gives her a tender kiss.

«And also», adds Tarasque, «only for few close friends – which means you four only - we want to make a dinner at my place. But we won't be in the role, we'll be Jérôme and Sophie, so you'll see that when we don't play the cruel one is her.»

Everyone laughs, accusing him of lying.

Drakkar looks at Sibylle.

«Congratulations to you too, you finally got what you wanted.»
Sibylle purses her lips.

«Thank you.» that's all she says.

Claude arrives to them.

«Come, dear, I want you to meet my friends.» he says, taking her by her waist and ignoring the others.
She feels embarrassed because of his rudeness.

«Please, excuse me.» she murmurs uncomfortably, before walking away with him.

The quintet begins to play beautiful music for the next hours and people go to dance elegantly; often exchanging dancing partners, in a playful way. When the musicians end all the people clap happily. The quintet plays now some Medieval-like music, and
—
unexpectedly for Sibylle
—
three comedy acrobats dressed as jesters enter the room jumping up and down.

All welcome them with applause, it's clear that they already know them. The three jump on the table and everyone instantly become quiet while they start their irreverent show, in which they mock the various levels of the Club D, pretending to be members in the most embarrassing possible ways. All people are around them, also interacting with nice and funny comments.

Sibylle laughs merrily, fascinated by their brilliant impertinence, but soon she feels two piercing eyes staring at her and turns to see who might be so interested in her: Drakkar.

The man slowly brings the balloon glass to his lips, sipping the cognac with natural elegance while looking at her.

«“Oh, I don't know if I can have a rendezvous with you: you are at the Diamond level and I'm just at the Jade!”» says one of the jesters in the middle of the room, imitating an hilarious woman's voice.
He moves aside the small hanging bells of his hat as it were a tuft of hair. The other jester approaches and touches him on the shoulder.

«“Don't be afraid, my dear», reassures him with theatrical intonation, «no one will ever know of our secret rendezvous here in the Club M.”»

«“Club D”.» corrects the one mocking a woman.

«“I like to exceed, so I doubled it.”» replies the other.

Everyone laughs. Or at least: those who already know what the D of the Club means laugh. So Sibylle doesn't laugh because she doesn't understand the joke.

«“Oh, dear, but in this way we'll break all the Club's rules!”»

The other raises his chin and chuckles.

«“And who will notice that?”»

The musicians play a suspense music now, to accompany the entrance of the third jester. All the guests burst into laughter when they look at him: he removed the jester's hat and is now wearing a black ski mask, then he attached to his costume
—
just above his heart
—
a sticker with the figure of a bull. Sibylle opens wide her eyes: he is imitating Drakkar! With the tattoo on his chest and all!

The jester walks slowly and firmly, arms folded, in the delirium of people laughing hard. Drakkar cannot hold back a smile too and shakes his head in a gesture of incredulity.

«“I heard the words
‘
break
’
and
‘
rules
’
in the same sentence, what do you have to say in your defense?”» says the one imitating him.

The other two jesters look terrified, stutter something, then run away across the room chased by the third one imitating Drakkar.

All incite the two to escape while others applaud loudly and others again seem unable to contain the laughter. The two jesters run in front of the real Drakkar turning their back to him while the third joker walks to the other side, pretending not to see them. The two smile a sigh in relief, then they sniff the air like two hounds.

«“My dear, don't you smell the scent of a male? The scent of a nocturnal predator? Of an alpha male wolf?”» asks the one acting the part of a woman.

Both turn slowly to look at the giant man behind them
—
Drakkar
— who is
waving the cognac in the glass, watching them with a stern look, playing along. They emit a scream and run out of the room, followed by the third. They all return to thank the audience taking a long bow, receiving an intense applause, then they leave. Ten minutes later calm has returned, on the other hand is almost dawn. Many people sit and chat on the couch, talking about everything. Other dance embraced, moving at the sound of a sweet music that now fills the room. Sibylle exchanges words with everyone, but often looks at Drakkar, who is always surrounded by people from all levels, and all seem to have very important things to tell him.

The woman goes near a glass window and opens it going out on the beautiful terrace. There is a small fountain, many vases and some iron arches wrapped by colorful climbing flowers. She goes to the marble balustrade to enjoy the view of the dawn embracing the sleeping city.
«Are you talking to Paris?»

She closes her eyes hearing the warm voice of Drakkar, then turns to look at him and smiles.

«Yes, I spoke to her with my mind.»

That austere mouth of his upsets her.

«Sibylle, may I talk to you privately?»

She is very surprised by the tone of his voice, which sounds unusual serious and uncertain.

«Yes, of course.»

He extends his hand.

«Sibylle?» calls Claude worried, appearing near them.

Drakkar turns to look at him as if to shield her with his body, then looks down at the man with his natural intimidating way to do.

«Caligula, I would like to have a word with your wife.»

He isn't asking, he is telling him, and in fact Claude tightens the lips and nods.

«Only a word.»

Drakkar takes Sibylle's hand and leads her out of the room. Claude looks at them leaving the room and makes a disapproval expression.

«Why so worried, Caligula? What are you afraid of?» teases Tarasque appearing next to him.

Claude looks at that sly smile he hates so much.

«I'm not worried at all, I don't fear anything in my life!»

«Too bad, is a big mistake not to fear anything. It makes you stupid enough to risk more than you can lose.»
He accentuates the smile and goes back to Nymphe, who is intent to talk with Asterix and Obelix.

Drakkar guides Sibylle in front of a big blue door with two large door men standing at its sides. The two bow respectfully their head to Drakkar and open the door without saying a word. Sibylle remains speechless when she enters the room furnished in oriental style, full of red carpets, velvet sofas, satin cushions, veils falling from the ceiling. She is amazed because there is a refined orgy in progress: there are many people moving sensually. The men are all dressed in elegant suits and wear dark masks while most of the women are naked, they just wear exquisite jewelry and lingerie. They kiss, touch, sigh, lick, moan, groan, smile and cry their passion in a natural way.

Drakkar walks among them like an ancient demon passing near his human slaves, prey to the pleasures of the flesh. The man opens another door and invites her to enter, and when he closes it behind them he leans against it with his back.

Sibylle looks at the room: it's a conservatory, a breathtaking conservatory. Through the glass walls and ceiling, one can admire the private park of the Palace dimly lit by the light of the rising day. There are few red couches and white armchairs, glass tea tables and various tall plants. It seems like a little jungle in there.

«Sibylle
—
»

At the sound of Drakkar's voice she turns around to look at him. How tall he is, how powerful! She sits down on a chair and waits to hear what he has to say, but after a few minutes when he stares at her without speaking, she gets up and sighs.

«Do you want me to speak for you? I can, because I know what you want to tell me.
“Sibylle, are you sure you want to get back together with Claude?”
, yes! He is my past and now my present, with him I know what awaits for me in the future because I know him. Claude is a man with a thousand faults, but one thing I like of him: he is predictable. When he asked for a divorce I wasn't too surprised because it was clear for some time that he was not happy with me. And now that I have been lucky enough to have him in my life again I won't let him go. How many women have been so lucky? With him, I know what I'm going to face. He isn't a fickle person like you. You disappeared into thin air for almost three weeks!»

«I know, and I'm terribly sorry about it.»

«Let me guess: force majeure?»

He clenches his jaws.

«Exactly.»

«Drakkar, you cannot go in and out from people's lives as if nothing had happened!»

«I don't want to be in people's life to beg. I want to be an important part of their lives.»

«You cannot be in my life in the way you want, Romain. I finally found my husband, I got what I wanted, and I'm going to hold it tight.»

«Yeah, good girl, keep it tight, otherwise it will slips under another woman's skirt as soon as you'll look away.»
Sibylle flares her nostrils and seem about to slap him.

«Don't you dare to talk like that of the man I love!»

«You're right, forgive me. You are meant to be together, you both have what you deserve, I hope you'll be happy now.»
«What you want from me, Drakkar?!»

«I want you.» murmurs his hoarse voice.

«You cannot have me, Romain, I belong to another man!»

«Do you?»

«I do.»

He gets closer till their bodies touch. He towers over her as she stares at his covered face, looking those inviting lips. He leans on her and she closes her eyes, opening her lips, preparing to receive one of those kisses that only he can give. One of those kisses that have the power to stun her, to viscerally touch her, to show her what passion means.
But that kiss never arrives.

Sibylle opens her eyes and finds him looking at her with a smirk. She tries to recompose herself but is too late, she already showed him the power he has over her.

«Why don't you go back into the nothingness from which you came out, Drakkar?»