The Royal Flush (Knights of the Darkness Chronicles(Book Three)) (7 page)

She looked up at him. “That was cute. I didn’t even know you could tell a joke.”

Darian stood behind Natasha, leaning downward so that his lips brushed against the nape of her neck.

“I’m just full of surprises,” he whispered as he stepped beside her.

“So I see.”

Natasha saw Darian in a whole new light. She knew full well that he had seen history, survived history, but this was the first time that she actually got to see some of the history he had experienced. She wondered just how many people

famous people--he had actually met. She was amazed to discover that he had inspired the famous painter.

Darian looked at her. “You want to know how I met him?”

“Of course I do! How did you get him to paint you?” she asked excitedly.

Darian chuckled. “It
was easy, he came to me.”

“Is this the story you told me about the time you were in a tavern, and you were approached by him?” Xavier asked.

Darian nodded.

“As I recalled, you said that he begged you for the opportunity to paint your portrait,” Xavier said in a mocking tone.

Darian looked at Xavier and smiled.

“Well, maybe he didn’t beg me, per say, but he did ask kindly and I agreed,” he said, nicely covering his tracks.

Xavier laughed and shook his head. Natasha asked more questions about the painter and the portrait of Darian. As she listened, she began to feel as though she were being sucked into the past... Darian was an excellent storyteller. He revealed more portraits that he posed for over the centuries. There was one that intrigued Natasha the most, even Xavier seemed to be drawn to the painting.

“You’ve never shown me this one before,” Xavier said as he inched closer to the painting which was very old and fragile. The colors of the egg yolk paint had faded slightly over the centuries, but the image was still clear.

“I don’t know why haven’t. I know that I’ve been meaning to. I’m not sure as to why I held off until now,” Darian said distractedly, as if he were trying to rationalize the reason.

“It’s beautiful!” Natasha whispered breathlessly. “
You’re
breathtaking in this portrait. But of course you knew that, didn’t you?”

“Of course,” Darian remarked, smiling boyishly

dimples ever present.

“So vain,” Natasha whispered.

Darian laughed softly.

She leaned closer to the painting, staring transfixed by the image of Darian, fully dressed in a leather toga with gold embroidering. Brown leather sandals that strapped up to m
id-calf and matching gauntlets. He stood in the portrait, a short sword strapped to his waist, his right hand rested on the hilt as he stared forward. Once again, his characteristic green eyes peered through the painting, but in this portrait, there was something different. Darian’s hair was shorter, to the length of his shoulders. He looked like a warrior in the painting. Natasha looked at Darian, but before she could ask the questions in her mind, he began to answer them.

“I don’t need to read your thoughts to know what you’re thinking at this point,” he said, hoping to clear the air of any speculations.

“I know, Darian... please go on,” Natasha urged.

Darian nodded, continuing. “I was human in this painting. And no, I wasn’t a soldier, though my father was greatly disappointed that I didn’t follow in his footsteps, as my two older brothers had. I didn’t join the king’s army. I sought glory in my own way. I became an athlete, participating in the Games.”

“Like the Olympics?” Natasha asked innocently.

She hoped that she didn’t sound too naive, she just wanted to have all of her facts correct.

Darian smiled and nodded. “Exactly. I competed in many fields, but it was the pentathlon, which is your basic ‘track and field’ today--it also included wrestling--which was my favorite. I was victorious in both pentathlon and pankration.”

“What is pankration?” Natasha asked.

“It was a sport that combined both boxing and wrestling. In those times, when one would win the Games, they were showered with praise and gifts and there was a celebration in their honor. It’s very similar today. However, the most coveted award was our championship wreath, made from the leaves of olive branches.”

“You lived in simpler times,” Natasha teased. “These days the most coveted award is a product endorsement contract.”

Darian smirked. “Don’t make fun. It was a very honorable ceremony.”

“I wasn’t trying to make fun… well, maybe a little, but I was actually pretty amazed.”

“Very well, I’ll continue. Being the youngest son to aristocratic parents, I was accustomed to the attention, craved it, even. But because I was the son of a general in the king’s army, it was expected that I do no less than succeed. Although, my father was disappointed that I did not join the army, he supported me at the Games. As long as it brought prestige into our household, he was content,” Darian said.

He glanced at the painting once more, then he looked at Xavier and Natasha. They were captivated, much like children who sat around a campfire listening to scary tales before going to sleep. He decided to continue.

“My family was very proud, it was understandable. Being the descendants of Greece’s finest warrior, we had our pride
and
our vanity.”

Natasha gasped when she guessed the name of Darian’s ancestor. “Are you referring to
the
most famous legendary warrior

”

“I am.” Darian nodded.

“Didn’t he die in the battle of Troy because an arrow pierced his heel?”

“Yes. Although, my ancestors born of his line were considered bastards, they were proud bastards, nonetheless. Over the many generations my family became m
embers of the aristocracy through many arranged marriages. That was how many things transpired in those times. This portrait was completed a month before I was to be taken away by my Maker,” Darian said. He paid special attention to Xavier’s and Natasha’s expressions. They were identical in the sense that both were engrossed in the tale. It was what he expected and what he wanted. The only other person he revealed this much of himself to was Xavier. But at this time, it felt right to tell Natasha as well.

“I love hearing about your past. Darian please go on,” Xavier said, practically begging him to continue.

Darian smiled. “Come. Let us go to our room where we can be more comfortable.” He turned, walking towards the door. The other two followed.

Natasha stopped and looked at Xavier, smiling. “I still haven’t seen your baby picture,” she pointed out.

Xavier grinned.

“My photo album is in the bedroom. I guess you’ll have to venture there if you want to see it,” he taunted seductively.

Natasha followed Darian to the master bedroom. Once inside, she sat on the edge of the bed, followed by Darian who stretched his long form across the bed. Xavier went to his dresser, pulling out a black photo album. He handed it to Natasha who opened the book immediately like a child opening a Christmas present. The first page showed Xavier’s baby photo. Natasha ‘oohed’ and ‘awwed’ at the photo. She smiled at a brown tinted photograph which was also worn and faded around the edges. It was a photo of Xavier dressed in a plaid vest and Knickerbocker suit with a white shirt. He looked to be about a year old in the photograph. His dark brown hair was parted down the middle and combed to each side. He was smiling in the photograph and resembled an adorable little cherub. She looked up at Xavier, giggling.

“How old were you in this photo?” she asked.

Xavier leaned over, glancing at the photograph. “Mmmm, about ten months. It was the only professional picture my parents ever took of me,” he said, then his gaze shifted to her. She was staring at the photo, trying to imagine him as a baby.

“You look so innocent, so adorable. I bet you were bad,” she joked.

“Why would you say that?” Xavier asked, curious.

“Because you look too cute and innocent.”

Xavier chuckled. “No, from what my parents told me, I was a very good baby.”

“Ah, okay. I love babies, they’re so precious,” she cooed.

She began to flip through the pages of the photo album, pausing every once in a while to ask questions about particular pictures that sparked her interest.

“Tell me about this photo.”

Natasha pointed to a photograph of Darian, dressed in a dark pin-striped, three piece suit. Xavier stood to his right, dressed almost identical except he was wearing a fedora. They were flanked by five members of Darian’s coven. Two, Natasha recognized as Miko and Eliana, the other three people in the photograph; she didn’t recognize.

“Who are they?” She pointed to the unidentifiable people in the picture.

Darian leaned over her shoulder and peeked at the photograph. He chuckled.

“Their names are Jonas, Mai-ling and Alexis.”

He settled back against the pillows.

Xavier took over and filled Natasha in on the rest.

“They were part of Darian’s coven about sixty years ago. Jonas and Mai-ling fell in love and went their own way when they felt that they would be able to take care of themselves. As for Alexis, he challenged Darian… I don’t think I need to say anything else about him. And you know what happened to Eliana.”

He wrapped his arm around Natasha’s waist and rested his head on her shoulders. Darian watched them with keen interest from behind.

“Remember when I told you about my life, how I wanted to be a gangster?” Xavier asked her.

Natasha nodded. She remembered quite vividly. Knowing Xavier now, she found it interesting that he wanted to be a “thug” he just didn’t look the type to her... But apparently, he
was
the type.

“Well, Darian being like the godfather in my eyes, he posed in the middle. I was his right hand man, so it was my idea to stand to his right and everyone else just stood around us. The whole thing had been my idea, I wanted a glorified photograph of the toughest gang in Chicago,” he said with a soft chuckle.

He lifted his head and turned to face Darian, a charming smile spread across his lips as he gazed at him lovingly… adoringly. “Darian let me have it my way and posed for the photograph to please me.”

Darian smiled and nodded once. Natasha continued to look through the photographs. She could see where Darian allowed Xavier his fantasy. There were numerous photographs of them posing as mobsters or well distinguished politicians. She knew that Darian did these things to please Xavier and she thought it was sweet that he would do such an unselfish act time and time again, even when it didn’t interest him to do so. Natasha closed the book and handed it to Xavier who put it back into the drawer closing it. He turned around to face them.

“What now?” Xavier asked softly.

“Well, Darian can finish telling his tale,” Natasha suggest.

“Great idea.” Xavier started for the bed when his cell phone rung. He retrieved it from his pocket. Looking at the caller ID, he knew who it was. “John.” He answered the call. Natasha and Darian watched as he spoke with John. He frowned as he ended the call, slipping his cell phone back into his pocket. “I have to go down to the club.”

“Is everything all right?” Natasha asked.

“Yeah, there was a brawl. A vampire and a human, both highly intoxicated. The S.U.I.T. was called in. I should be able to take care of it. I’ll be back later. You two have fun.” Xavier leaned down, kissing both Natasha and Darian before leaving.

“I hope everything will be all right,” Natasha said as she turned to face Darian who was smiling seductively.

“Everything will be fine. Don’t worry, it’s nothing Xavier can’t handle,” he said.

Natasha studied him for several moments before inching closer to him as he laid on his side. Darian’s striking forest-green eyes studied her intensely, he wondered what was next. She climbed onto her knees, her hand slowly crept up to untie the straps to her halter top. Darian watched her closely, his eyes studying her every move. She loosened the straps of her top and the two pieces of fabric fell revealing her plump, full breasts. He stared lustfully at her smooth dark skin imagining what she would taste like. He sat up straight on the bed, drawing one knee up as he leaned closer to her.

“Is this what you want?” Darian asked softly, almost hesitantly.

He didn’t want to discourage her but he wouldn’t want her to make a rash decision she would later regret. He desired her greatly, not only because he
thought
her to be beautiful but because she was, both on the inside and in appearance. He would be gentle with her if this was what she wanted.

“It’s what I want. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. I’m nervous and a little scared, but I trust you,” Natasha said. “In all honesty, I’m actually glad that Xavier had to leave. I really wanted it to just be the two of us. I want to take it slow.”

The thought of having both of them at the same time and Darian being new to her was a bit overwhelming. She had mentally prepared herself to delved into their relationship full force, but she was grateful that Xavier was not there for her first time with Darian.