“How superior are you now, Richard?” Darian whispered into the man’s ear.
“Fuck you! You and your kind are an abomination… y-you’re beneath us!” Richard said weakly. The pain throbbing from his two broken arms was unbearable.
“Ah, same words, less conviction. I think you’re beginning to understand the reality of your situation.” Darian looked at Gary and smiled. “I see that you failed to feed him properly. Perhaps you can make that up to him. I’ll give you one last chance to be a gracious host.”
Richard shook his head in desperation. “No, no please!” he begged.
“Now, now… None of that… Die with dignity. Well, as much dignity as you can muster. Here, Gary, gorge on his blood, savor him.”
“Please Master, allow me,” Tony requested.
Darian thrust Richard towards Tony who held him with ease.
Tony looked at Gary whose eyes had glazed over. The intoxicating scent of the blood pumping frantically through Richard’s veins was driving him mad. Tony had refused to let him feed because of the danger from the ultra-violet grenades. Now he was free to feed at will and before him was a most delectable feast.
“Gary... feed.” Tony offered Richard up to him.
Gary was more than ready and willing to do just that. Immediately he fastened onto Richard, sinking his fangs deep into the man’s neck. A hollow scream came from Richard as Gary began to feed with an animal abandon. Tony held Richard’s weakening body as his lover drained him. Gary panted soft moans as the hot blood rushed through his body, sating his hunger. Seconds later, he pulled away, leaving Richard completely drained and dead.
Tony tossed the body to the ground.
“Are you still thirsting?” he asked. Gary had pressed himself against Tony, encircling his arms around his cold body.
“I am, but I can tell that you haven’t fed. You must be starving,” Gary said as he held Tony in his arms lovingly.
“I haven’t. But I can wait.” Tony looked down into Gary’s pale face. “I want you sated.”
Gary looked up at Tony, his blue eyes filled with the admiration and love he felt for his Maker and lover. Then his gaze turned to one that was predatory as he settled his sights on Miriam.
“No! God no! Please I beg you, it was Richard’s idea to hunt you, not mine!” she cried in her defense.
“Save it, bitch!” Tony growled.
Gary was impervious to her pleas as he closed in on her. She screamed as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She continued to struggle and beg for her life, insisting that she never wanted to hurt them. She claimed that she didn’t know all of the details. Darian scoffed at her remarks as he awaited her inevitable death. Gary placed his hands gently on her shoulder before plunging his fangs deeply into her neck. Miriam froze as if she had been bitten by a poisonous snake. Gary began to drain her blood, feeding his raging hunger. Miriam’s body twitched several times in Xavier’s grip before going completely limp. Gary quaked as he pulled away, licking the spilt blood from his lips as pleasure from his feeding coursed through his limbs. Xavier released her body, letting it crumple to the ground.
Darian looked around at the others. He could tell that they had all feasted. He chuckled to himself when he took note of the blood stains on Warren’s muzzle. So the little cop hasn’t forgotten his roots. This is good, he thought as he reflected on Warren’s human-like personality.
“We need to get rid of these bodies,” Xavier stated as he looked around the area.
“Indeed. We don’t want this to be linked to supernaturals,” Darian said.
Xavier began to laugh as he looked down to see the little tiger cub growling, gnawing and pulling on Darian’s pants leg.
“Looks like you have a friend,” he teased.
“Looks that way.” Darian chuckled as he reached down, grabbing the little cub by his scuff and lifted him to eye level. The cub’s little eyes focused on Darian and he whimpered.
“You’re fishing in the wrong lake my friend.” He placed the cub near Richard’s dead body. The cub sniffed the body then took a small bite from Richard’s neck. He swallowed that piece and went for another.
“I’m starving,” Tony said, “we need to take care of these bodies before we leave.”
Darian nodded in agreement as he looked around the grounds. When he was in the air, he had spotted a jet on the private airstrip.
“We will load their bodies onto the aircraft over there,” he pointed in the direction of the airplane. “Then I will crash the plane into the mountains. Their remains will be burned and scattered, thus preventing others from determining their true cause of death.”
Xavier smiled and kissed Darian deeply wrapping his arms around him, pressing him closer to his chest.
“As Natasha would say, you were bad-ass tonight,” he whispered seductively. “And it sounds like the perfect cleanup plan.”
Darian chuckled. “It is. Come now, let us get this over with.”
He lifted Richard’s body from the ground and loaded him on the plane. By now the little cub had eaten his fill and was sitting down watching the others with keen interest. The shape-shifters began to drag all that was left of the bodies to the plane as did the vampires until all of the remains were packed inside the plane.
Darian stood in the doorway of the aircraft.
“Xavier, Tony, take the others back to my plane, let them rest. Tony you may feed in this territory safely. When I am done with this, I’ll be returning to Kysen to finish our conversation. I’ll reunite with you all tomorrow night.”
Xavier threw him a teasing look. Darian smirked but said nothing and neither did Xavier.
“Are you sure you’re going to be fine, Master?” Tony asked.
“I’m sure. Now go and do as I say,” Darian said.
Tony nodded and taking Gary’s hand walked towards the two SUV’s followed by the shape-shifters.
Xavier looked at Darian. “Be careful,” he said.
“Always,” Darian replied.
Xavier turned, smiling at him before walking farther into the forest. He climbed into one of the SUVs filled with the leopards as Tony drove the other SUV with Gary, Xander and his Pack. Darian watched as they drove away, when he could no longer see the lights of their trucks he closed the airplane door. He ignored his own bloodlust as he walked past the bloody and mangled remains of the hunters on his way to the cockpit.
“It’s been years since I’ve flown one of these,” Dariam mused.
He studied the control panel, trying to recollect his piloting knowledge. When his memory came to him, it wasn’t too long before he was flying high towards the northern mountains. Once he reached the proper altitude, he opened the airplane’s door and jumped out. He suspended himself in the air and watched as the airplane flew downward until it crashed nose-first into the mountains bursting into a gigantic ball of super-heated flames and black smoke. Pleased with the outcome of his task, he flew to Kysen’s home at blinding speed. Once he reached the huge mansion he landed at the main entrance, ringing the doorbell. He waited patiently for the servant to answer. A few seconds later the door opened.
Chapter Fifteen
“Please come in,” the servant greeted as he stepped aside allowing Darian to enter. Darian didn’t need to ask the whereabouts of his Master, he already knew. He traveled down the long carpeted corridor towards Kysen’s room on the second floor.
Kysen lay on the bed, a book in his hand. He smiled when Darian entered. “I take it everything went well tonight?”
“As well as one could expect,” Darian said. “Do you really want to talk?”
“Yes.” Kysen gazed at him lustfully.
Darian lowered his head, smiling devilishly. He looked at Kysen with smoldering eyes.
“What do you want to discuss?” he asked seductively.
“Why don’t you make yourself comfortable.” Kysen gestured to a chair beside his bed.
Darian looked at the chair but decided to sprawl on the bed besid
e Kysen, who smiled as he made himself comfortable. It had been eight centuries since the last time Darian had been in his bed and he cherished this moment.
“Tell me about these two lovers of yours?” Kysen asked as he ran his fingers lovingly through Darian’s long, wavy, jet black locks.
“You have already been introduced to Xavier,” he said. Kysen nodded, Darian continued. “The one you have yet to meet is Natasha Hemingway and she’s human.”
Kysen was perplexed and surprised by what Darian revealed.
“Why have you not turned her?” he asked, curious.
“You would have to meet this amazing woman to know the answer to that. She’s honest, loyal, courageous, intelligent… ” Darian paused. “ …Though our world confuses her at times, I find it most adorable when her naiveté peeks through. Sometimes, she’ll ask a question that I think may be self-explanatory, but I have to remember, this is still very new to her. Natasha puts her trust in those she feels that she can believe in. I suppose, she’s an innocent in that sense. ” He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. “I believe Xavier said it best when he described her beauty as beautiful in a way that nature is beautiful. Do you understand? Of course you do.”
“The Gods have created her beauty, I do understand. Simplistic, but utterly compelling,” Kysen said as he let Darian’s long locks slip through his fingertips.
“Exactly. Her beauty is not only on the outside, but within. I don’t think she realizes just how special she is, which makes her even more so. This is the way it is with Xavier. It was his beauty that drew me to him but he wasn’t actually aware of his beauty. He was quite humble and not very confident in his true abilities. When I first met him, he was dying on the cobblestone streets of Chicago. He had been shot by one of Al Cantone’s hoodlums and left for dead in an alley. I could smell his blood in the air and when I first laid eyes upon him, I was stunned. From his long silky brown hair to his soft gray eyes, I was bewitched. I took him without hesitation then and there. I taught him, told him things I’ve never revealed to my other fledglings.”
Darian sat up in the bed, turning to Kysen who was listening intensely to every word. “I believe at that moment when I took Xavier for myself, I began to realize why you had chosen me. There was a fire inside of him, an intensity burning and I wanted to make it grow, I wanted to show him his true potential, his power.”
Kysen laid his back against the pillows, both hands behind his head for support, his eyes still locked on Darian. “I had heard of your victories at the Games before I came to see the great Darian Alexander with my own eyes. Rumors of your beauty as well as you athleticism had spread even to the kingdoms of Egypt which was where I was living at the time. I was intrigued. I thought it would be entertaining to meet you. But when I laid eyes upon you, I was completely taken. I wanted you.”
Darian tossed Kysen a sideways glance. “Kidnapping is a great skill of yours,” he teased.
Kysen chuckled deeply. “If you say so. I recall you accompanying me of your own volition. Besides, I prefer to think of it as being tenacious in achieving one’s desires. A true man makes his own destiny. I believe that is one of the many lessons I have taught you.”
“I remember them all well,” Darian replied with a charming smile before continuing. “Xavier had a fascination with the mafia and had aspirations of becoming a ‘wise guy’. Those desires didn’t die when he became a vampire. In the months that followed, as he began to understand the true depth of his immortality, I found myself giving into his fantasy. I allowed him to conduct meetings with business associates in my stead. I even patronized a great deal of the mobster ‘hot spots’ with him at my side as my ‘right-hand man’.” Darian began to laugh fondly, thinking about the past. “I even found myself posing for photographs as mobsters did in those days, fully equipped with suits and weaponry.”
Kysen chuckled. “I remember the wrestling matches I had with you during your early years when you wanted to indulge in the activities of your past life.”
Darian studied Kysen, smiling. “I remember those nights. They were very special.”
“Every night with you was special to me, also.” Kysen caressed Darian’s cheek gently. “Now, tell me how you met this woman.”
“Well, ‘this woman’ being Natasha was different from Xavier, yet they both share the same inner passion that I adore. When I’m around them, I feel myself… quickened... I feel alive in ways that I had long since forgotten. Xavier had met Natasha initially and had romanticized her in his mind as he described her to me. I believe he had fallen in love in their first meeting. When he first told me about her, I was not at all impressed. I figured he would bed her and lose interest. But there was an incident that occurred involving one of my fledglings hell bent on killing me, I suppose. Natasha, along with two S.U.I.T. detectives came to my office asking for my assistance in apprehending two supernaturals on a killing spree that had lasted for several days.”
Kysen’s lifted one eyebrow. “Did you assist them?” he asked
“I wasn’t willing to at first. I had no idea how convincing the little lady really was. I remember telling her that I didn’t care what happened to humans and she did something to me that I hadn’t experienced in a long time. I saw it coming, but made no move to stop it. I think there was some part of me that was in denial, thinking she’d never follow through. I was wrong. She struck me as hard as she could across my cheek.”
“And you did not strike her down?” Kysen asked, shocked.
“That was my first thought. To kill her before any of them knew what happened. But then I thought about what she did. I had never met a woman with such audacity, such feistiness and bravery. I believe that I became enamored with her instantly. I decided to help only because I wanted her and I knew that I would have to help others if I were to gain her favor.”
“Ah, a hidden agenda. Tell me, Darian. Did she succumb quickly?” Kysen chuckled.
“Not at all.” Darian smiled wickedly.
Kysen sighed. “You needn’t lower yourself to the level of some foolish human. Who is she that you should bow to her every whim?”
“Kysen, I find it more challenging and satisfying if I am able to achieve my desires with my charm and sex appeal rather than brute force or resorting to using mental abilities,” Darian chuckled.
Kysen tossed him a castoff expression.
Darian continued. “I began to pursue her at the same time that Xavier pursued her. I believe that we both overwhelmed and spoiled her. She fought hard against my advances and if you can believe it, I’ve had to wait eight months before we... ” He smiled as his voice trailed off. “ … But it was worth it. I’ve never had to wait to have anything that I wanted. I will admit to you only that it was a humbling experience. I’m sure you already know this about me.”
Kysen nodded. “So now you are in love and loved in return.” He exhaled as he sat up, leaning closer to Darian. “I have missed you greatly. There are no words to describe my longing for you but to know that you have found happiness in this world is my greatest wish for you, even if it’s not with me.”
“Kysen, you don’t have to explain.”
“Yes, I do. I owe you that much. I want you to understand my point of view.” Kysen lowered his head as he continued. “When I brought you over, I wanted so many things for you to experience. I believed that I was the only one who could give them to you. I became selfish in my love and desire for you.” He lifted his head, meeting Darian’s eyes. “This new life that you share with these beings is good. More than anything, I wanted you to survive. I have seen many of our kind parish for one reason or another, mostly from the loneliness. For immortal beings, we must find a happy medium at all times. Very few of our kind succeed in finding loyal companionship because our existence is a brutal one. We are predators in every sense of the word and because of that, many of our kind cannot be trusted, betrayal is almost inevitable.”
“Kysen, do you believe that I’ve betrayed you?”
“I would be lying to you now if I were to say, ’no’.”
Darian opened his mouth to speak, but Kysen placed a finger over his lips, silencing him.
“Let me finish,” he removed his finger. “I had forgotten the man that you were, the adventurer, the champion. Living under me for eternity was never in your future, I know that now. I knew it then, that’s why I fought it. I’m selfish that way,” he smiled. “I have looked into the souls of your companions. I know what they think of you. I have peeked into the mind of your lover, he adores you and would die for you. I know that if there ever came a time when he would want to go off on his own, I know that you would let him go. This is where I failed you.”
Darian nodded, amazed by Kysen’s composure. “I must say, I thought our first meeting after all of these centuries apart would have been more… I don’t know… volatile.”
“Did you think that I would kill you?”
“The thought did cross my mind.”
Kysen laughed out loud.
“Is that why you stayed clear of me? My little survivor,” he looked at Darian, studying his features. “Although, I am very capable of doing such things, I could never kill you. If I wanted to, I would have done so before now. No, I love you far too much to destroy such a beautiful…” his eyes trailed down Darian’s body, longingly. “ …creation.”
“This is good to know.” Darian smiled.
“Tell me, were you happy with me?”
“For many centuries, I was.”
“That is good to know. You are strong and wise, feared and admired. This makes me happy. I request only one thing of you. You may refuse me if you so choose”
”Say no more,” Darian interrupted. He placed a finger gently over Kysen’s lips to silence him.
The Royal Flush (Knights of the Darkness Chronicles(Book Three)) Page 27
