Natasha nodded. “Yep.”
Adrian whistled. “I’m always amazed at the older ones. I can’t imagine how remarkable it must be for them to have seen centuries pass by. My Dad is over two centuries old. It’s funny, because he was born in 1795 in London, England. I can’t even imagine seeing him dressed in the fashions of that time.” He shook his head at the thought. “But it’s funny whenever I try.”
“Yeah, Elise is about that old as well. She was born in France, which is really cool. She was a Duchess when she was married to the former Pride king,” Devin said.
“Oh yeah, Elise told me a little bit about him.”
Devin made an offhand gesture. “The guy was an asshole. I was glad when he died. He was a great strategist and all, but he was one of those types that has to have control over everything. He smothered Elise, we all knew it. But enough about him, before he came into the picture, Elise said that she was courted by plenty of famous men.”
“Really?” Natasha asked, intrigued. “Like who?”
“Um, the emperor of France… well self-proclaimed, that is. A few generals, titled lords, you know… the upper crust crowd. That’s why it’s so funny to see her with Sergio, not that I’m at all against their relationship, I love them together,” Devin said, smiling.
“I think I know what you mean. So how old is Sergio?” Natasha asked.
“Sergio is a hundred and twenty-five years old,” Devin answered
“I thought he was younger,” Adrian remarked under his breath.
“You be nice,” Natasha scolded playfully.
“I’ll be good. I’m just saying, he’s pretty quick tempered,” Adrian replied.
“You’re one to talk!” Justin said, plainly outing Adrian. “You’re as dependable for flying of the handle as he is from what I’ve seen.”
“Shut up! And who in the hell asked you?!” Adrian barked, feigning anger, he playfully punched Justin in the arm, making the younger wolf laugh.
The doorbell sounded again and Natasha answered it. Warren and Matthew had finally arrived and they brought a present each. She smiled as she hugged both men after inviting them inside.
“We bought Darian a little something special, providing you tell him the good news tonight,” Warren said, secretly challenging Natasha to come clean with her two lovers.
“I will, it’s my birthday surprise, now hush. Besides, I’m sure Darian will just love it.”
“He will. Where’s everyone at?” Matthew asked.
“Oh, we’re all in here, come on, follow me.” Natasha led the way into the living room where the others were relaxing. Matthew and Warren entered the room, greeting everyone. Adrian looked at Matthew then threw a glance at Warren, he watched the two men standing side by side.
“Hi, Matthew,” Adrian greeted in a calm tone.
“Hello, Adrian,” Matthew replied.
Adrian still concerned Matthew. It wasn’t too long ago when he had threatened Matthew after realizing that Warren was leaving him.
“I’m going to grab another can of pop.” Adrian walked away followed gleefully by Nicole.
“Wow! This place looks great. You guys really outdid yourselves,” Matthew commented as he looked around the parlor and ballroom.
“Yeah, the front entrance looks great, as well,” Warren complimented.
Both men settled down on the sofas, making themselves more comfortable as they waited for the vampires to rise. Natasha looked at her watch; the time was six o’clock pm. The sun was still shining high in the sky. It was the thing she disliked most about the summer daylight hours. But things were looking better now that Darian had acquired a resistance to daylight, if not sunlight. She was satisfied with what she could get. As they sat around talking, the door bell rung. Natasha rose to answer it, but Matthew stopped her.
“I can get it,” he suggested. “You’ve done enough.”
“No, I’ve got it, don’t worry, it’s probably the cake.” Natasha walked out of the living room, heading towards the front door. She opened it and gasped. Before her stood one of the most breathtakingly handsome men she had ever laid her eyes on. He wore a light cream sleeveless button up shirt and matching flat-front slacks. His long, braided and beaded, jet black hair flowed onto his shoulders. His golden-brown eyes gazed at Natasha as his full, luscious, shapely lips parted in a smile revealing white teeth.
“Natasha Hemingway, I presume,” Kysen said in a sensual and slightly Egyptian-accented voice.
Natasha struggled to find her voice, she cleared her throat. “Do... do I know you?”
“No. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kysen Mesah, I believed Darian has informed you that I was coming,” he said with arrogant charm.
Natasha’s brain managed to connect the information and she nodded. So this was Darian’s Master, the man responsible for his immortality. She stepped to the side looking past him, she was shocked to see the sun was still in the sky. “You can walk around in the sun?!”
“As all ancient, omnipotent vampires can,” Kysen stated.
Natasha fought the urge to roll her eyes. She remembered what Xavier said: “Try not to lose your temper.” She would try... oh would she try!
“Well, it’s amazing. Please come into the living room, that’s where everyone is.” Natasha led Kysen into the living room.
He looked around Darian’s mansion on the way. “I see that his taste hasn’t changed much... only a slight difference. Hmmmm, there is some renaissance influence as well as Victorian,” Kysen noted as he recognized the various styles of artwork and furniture design. He looked at the leather sofas in the living room. “Ahh, he has obviously taking a liking to the more common and conventional style of décor. That part is new.”
The others were already gazing at Kysen, some caught his scent or heard his voice before he entered the room. Justin gasped and rose instinctively.
“Everyone, this is Mr. Kysen Mesah, Darian’s Master,” Natasha introduced the man standing beside her.
She fought hard to keep her voice steady as she could feel Kysen’s aura and it frightened her. She became aware that he knew how she felt when the power of his aura vanished. She looked at him as he greeted the others and knew that he had put a shield over his aura. She wondered if he did it for her benefit.
“I did it for everyone’s benefit,” Kysen told her telepathically.
Natasha bit her bottom lip, she didn’t like having her mind invaded, but she decided to hold her tongue.
“May I?” Kysen asked as he pointed to a chair.
“Go right ahead,” Natasha offered.
Kysen smirked then settled comfortably into the chair.
After a few seconds, Justin sat back down into his chair. “Are you here for the party?” he asked nervously.
Kysen chuckled. “You needn’t fear me. If I wanted to kill you, trembling as you are now would not help your situation. To answer the obvious, yes, I am here for the celebration.”
Fed up with Kysen’s haughtiness, she could no longer hold her temper. “You”
“Don’t need to be rude. Is that what you were going to tell me?” Kysen intercepted.
Then he crossed his leg over the other, cocking his head slightly sideways as he looked at Natasha, then his gaze panned over the others. “You are all here to celebrate his day of birth? Do you all care for him this much?”
“Don’t you?” Natasha shot back before she had time to think of another less direct response.
“I care for him more than you can possibly phantom. I came here tonight to witness first hand, those of you whom he allows to occupy his attentions. I wanted to meet the woman who has won his heart,” Kysen said, smiling slightly. He looked at Natasha, his gazed trailed over her from head to toe. He rested his hands in his lap, fingers interlocked.
“If you care for him so much, then try to be a little more... I don’t know, less assholish,” Natasha said, making up her own word.
Warren, who had been drinking a glass
of apple juice, began to choke. Matthew rubbed his back out of instinct until he cleared his lungs. All he could think about was that Darian’s “birthday surprise” was going to be a bloody massacre at the hands of his Master if Natasha couldn’t shut the fuck up!
“Natasha…” Warren’s expression pleaded with her to keep her temper.
“I see now why he loves you. If you were what he would consider the typical woman, he would not have been the least bit interested. But somehow, I doubt a slap in the face would impress me.”
Wanna test that theory! Natasha thought then she answered him.
“I’d rather not have anything like that happen, but if this is how your visit is going to be, I don’t think I want you here,” she said mustering all of her courage.
A laugh erupted from Kysen.
“Yes, yes... I see now!” he said still chuckling. “I would not want to ruin Darian’s event.”
She couldn’t help but blush as he stared at her. She was beginning to realize why Darian and Kysen had “done things” while in Montana, she couldn’t fault him really. The man was simply gorgeous, sexy and mesmerizing.
“Well, we have about two hours until the ‘party’, what should we discuss?” Kysen asked as he looked at the others.
“How old are you?” Justin and Devin asked excitedly in unison.
“How old do you think I am?” Kysen asked with a most charming smile.
Justin and Devin glanced at each other then back at him. “That’s a loaded question, but I’m going to take a guess,” Justin said.
“Three thousand,” they replied in unison.
“Give or take a few centuries,” Devin added.
Kysen chuckled. “Interesting.” He shifted in his chair, getting more comfortable. “Do you actually believe that I am only one-thousand, three-hundred and fifty years older than my Darian?”
Devin shrugged one shoulder, “I’m only twenty-one years old and three thousand is an age that I will never see... so it’s pretty damn old to me.”
Kysen nodded, fully understanding the depth of their innocence. “I am over six-thousand years old.”
There was a collective gasp around the room.
“Shit!” Justin exclaimed, obviously astounded by the new discovery.
“My father would love to speak with you, but he would consider it rude to ask,” Adrian said as he marveled at Kysen’s age.
“Your father is Alexander Peterson, a very dignified being, he would be correct,” Kysen responded.
“Well, mind if I ask the question I think he would ask?” Adrian inquired.
“Just this once.” Kysen nodded.
“What was the world like during those times… six-thousand years ago? Did you see the Great Flood?” Adrian asked.
“Actually, the Great Flood was just before my time. I have never met Noah nor have I seen his Ark. But there were floods before and after the most notable one.”
“Have you seen the son of God?” Devin asked excitedly.
“No, but I’ve heard stories of the miracles that he created.”
“How come you never met him... I would think a man of your caliber would have wanted to meet the man known as ‘God’s only son’?” Natasha asked.
Kysen tossed her a glance. “I was in India at the time.”
“What do you think he would have said or done to you if you had met face to face?” Natasha asked.
“In all honesty, I do not know. From what I’d heard, he was not like mortal men, yet he was very much like a mortal man. Many believed he was a prophet, while others believed he was the son of God. Whether he would have forgiven me for my sins is inconsequential. I do not seek forgiveness for what I am nor what I have done to survive,” Kysen stated matter-of-factly.
Natasha looked at Kysen, intrigued by him.
“Where do vampires come from, do you know?” she asked, she was interested in any answer he could give her.
Everyone watched as Kysen considered the question, debating whether or not to answer it.
“Everything that I know, I have told Darian.” He smirked, his head tilting. “You would think a woman of your caliber would have asked him what he knew of vampires and their origins,” he stated sarcastically.
“No,” Natasha sat back in the chair. “I thought I’d asked you since you’re his Master.”
Kysen smiled but didn’t answer her.
“How did you become a vampire?” Devin asked.
Kysen looked at him. That was a question he was willing to answer.
“That is a grand tale,” he said chuckling. Everyone relaxed in their seat, all attention was on him. “I was born in Egypt, during the Garzean Period, a time before the great Egyptian Dynasties.”
“So fucking awesome!” Devin exclaimed.
Kysen continued. “I was born to wealth and opportunity. During this time, Egypt was growing all the more closer to a more civilized dynasty. Domestic dwellings were already being established and tensions were accumulating between northern and southern territories. There was talk of Egypt being controlled by one ruler, of Egypt being one land. My father was a merchant, a very successful merchant, dealing in pottery and weapons; I was to become his successor. And when my father passed, I became the sole proprietor of the business. I expanded our merchandise to include jewelry as well as the most modern crafting tools and I’d become widely known for the excellence of my merchandise.”
“How do you make mummies?” Justin asked anxiously.
“Are you going to let me tell the story, or will you continue to interrupt?” Kysen asked, raising one eyebrow.
Justin lowered in head, “I’m sorry, please go on.”
“To continue, I was thirty years old, which was a very good age at that time. Being six feet four was extremely impressive as well. The average height was a little less than six feet. Not like this age where both men and women are giants standing over six feet sometimes seven. I believe many of my customers came to my store not only to purchase goods, but to gaze upon me and marvel at my size.” Kysen shook his head in disbelief then continued. “I was asleep one night when I was visited by a beautiful woman, this was during the various beliefs people had in Gods and Goddesses. I only knew that she was beautiful and unknown to me. That night, she took me from my bed into her arms and flew high upwards toward the clouds. I’m sure you can imagine my fear at this point.”
“I can imagine,” Warren said.
“However, I did not remain frightened for long. She whispered in my ear that I was chosen to become a God among gods, that I was worthy. She had watched me for years, she said and now my moment had come. She told me that her name was Irikara and that she was immortala blood Goddess. That was my last night as a human man. That night she took me to her home, we made love and she opened me up to a world of many pleasures that was unknown to me at that time. I remembered feeling as though my mind was already made up to become this God even though I did not understand what it meant to be a blood God.”
“What happened next?” Justin and Devin asked at the same time. It didn’t seem to faze either man that they often spoke in unison when together.
Kysen’s eyebrows knitted. “The two of you are very good friends, I can tell. It’s amazing, really. You have only known each other a short while.”
Both Devin and Justin gazed at each other comically then smiled.
“Yes, I guess so... we have a lot in common,” Justin said, Devin nodded his head in agreement.
“I will continue. That night, after my body was properly prepared, she bit me. The only way I can describe to you the powerful stimulation that I felt at that moment is to drain each and every one of you and even then, the feeling would pale in comparison. For you will not be able to grasp the level of pleasure her bite ignited. She was remarkable and I desired her above all else. After my transformation, she took me to hunt. I remember it so vividly, the first taste of human blood on my tongue. It was electrifying, there are no words to truly describe such a sensation, to
attempt to do so would be foolish and impossible.”
“So she’s your Master, Maker, er… you know what I mean? How long were you with her?” Warren asked.
“How old is she?” Adrian asked in addition.
“What do you mean when you say that your ‘body had to be properly prepared’?” Devin asked.
“Is she still alive, has she ever met Darian?” Nicole questioned.
Kysen’s eyes panned over their faces and he smiled. “Yes, she is my Maker and my Master; we were lovers as well as teacher and student for over two thousand years.”
“Did she share blood with you all that time... even before you met Darian?” Natasha questioned in amazement. She was beginning to understand the supreme gravity of Kysen’s power, thus Darian’s power.
“Yes, I believe you are,” Kysen said after reading her mind.
Natasha frowned.
“I would rather you not do that. I like to consider myself an honest person and if you want to know something about me, you’re free to ask. But I don’t like my mind invaded. Please stop,” she said as respectfully as she could.
A look of astonishment flashed across his face.
“You are bold, indeed. Very well, I will ask you whatever questions I please and hold you to your word, I expect you to answer them,” he replied with conviction, returning his gaze toward the others. “Yes, she is still alive and no, she has never met my Darian.”
He then looked towards Natasha. “During those two millennia, we did share blood.”
“What about her age?” Nicole reminded.
“I was getting to that. I could answer all of your questions at once if I responded mentally. However, I can only answer one at a time when speaking,” Kysen declared.
Nicole settled farther into the chair. “Sorry.” Kysen intrigued her as he intrigued the others. They were all very interested in learning more about Darian’s past and his as well.
“Now, if there are no more interruptions,” Kysen began with a beguiling smile, letting the others know that he was not angry. Nicole relaxed as did the others. “Irikara, is the first of our blood line,” he said proudly. “I will not reveal her age.”
The Royal Flush (Knights of the Darkness Chronicles(Book Three)) Page 32
