The Black Onyx Pact
Page 13
«Yes, and then I said: there she is. The girl in a mechanic overall over there.»
Drakkar watches where he is pointing trying to maintain a normal behavior.
«She looks like you in an impressive manner, Guillaume, only an idiot wouldn't understand that she is your daughter.» he says, thinking on how many possibilities there were to meet the daughter of a friend in a populous city like Paris.
«Nah, she looks more like her mother. Isn't she beautiful?»
«She is, indeed.»
«And she is also sweet, Romain. Come on, let me introduce you to her.»
«No.»
Guillaume frowns.
«Why not?»
«Nothing, I think it's better to let her dedicate to the customers for now. There is time.»
«Okay.»
They both remain silent for a while, looking at her.
«Her name's Sibylle, this Gallery is hers.» begins to tell Guillaume to an interested Drakkar. «She started her career many years ago, when she was just a teenage. Since then she has sold dozens of artworks and has donated a good part of the money to charity. She founded an animal rights association and has never ceased to volunteer for them. She has toured the world and gained fame in the artistic field, appreciated by the greatest artists. But then—», he shakes his head and sips some champagne, «then she married that bastard. Sibylle is a good soul and — believe me — I don't say this because I'm her father, she really is a wonderful person. Her husband wasn't rich when she met him, on the contrary, it was thanks to her that he started his own business career. And when he became rich he began to treat her like she didn't deserve. That's when we started fighting seriously. You know the rest. She fell in a long period of depression, she seemed to have forgotten the meaning of life. She didn't want to go out, she didn't want to eat, she didn't want to take a shower either. If it weren't for her friends she would probably be still in that dark abyss. You cannot imagine how happy I am to see her smiling again, to see her painting and talking with people. But now, she told me that she is resolute to have that bastard back. How can she be that stupid?»
Drakkar nods. He can feel all the love that Guillaume has inside, the love of a father.
«You know, Romain, I think she likes a man. And it's not her ex-husband, I think is a man whom she met just twice or three times. Can you believe it: she hasn't even seen his face!»
Drakkar turn slowly to the side, cupping his mouth almost choking with his own saliva; but this time he is more discreet and Guillaume doesn't notice it. He turns back to Guillaume, asking with neutral voice:
«How do you», he coughs, «how do you know about this man? Did she tell you?»
«Yes, of course.» answers Guillaume.
Drakkar looks surprised.
«Does she tell you these kind of things?»
«Of course, she is my daughter and she always told me everything. Our relationship is very strong, well, apart the year without talking to each other. Anyway, she tells me these kind of things but, of course, she spares me the details. She just told me that she met this ‘wonderful’ masked man with whom she has spent some unforgettable nights.»
Drakkar takes the bottle of champagne from the ice bucket and pour some more champagne for both.
«What else did she tell you about this guy?»
«Well, she told me that his ‘name’ is Drakkar. See? He doesn't even told her his real name, how can she trust a person like that? God, why is my daughter such a ‘bastard–magnet’?»
«Well, maybe he did tell her but your daughter wants to keep the secret to respect his anonymity.»
Guillaume thinks about it for a second.
«Probably, yes. Anyway I like him more than her ex-husband. Anyone would be better than that asshole, even the most dickhead on the planet! And moreover I don't think this Drakkar is a bastard, she said that he is good with her, that he is passionate but sweet, and above all she told me that he made her feel alive, he made her feel happy. She talked so good about him I had to stop her because I really don't like to hear about a stranger whom—», he moves his hands and lips in an attempt to find another word, instead of the one that is in his mouth, but he doesn't find it. «You know what I mean, Romain, right? I don't like to hear about a stranger who ‘has fun’ with my daughter.»
Drakkar nods smiling.
«I understand perfectly, Guillemet.» he says, calling him by the nickname Guillaume hates so much.
They change subject and start talking about engines in general and their passion for motorbikes in particular.
Half an hour later Guillaume face lights up when he sees her daughter's friends entering the room: Alma, Nora and Virginie.
Alma is dressed in an elegant white suit and her hair is a cascade of fluffy little symmetrical waves.
Nora is wearing a black mini skirt, black fishnet stockings, combat boots and a dark top. She wears goth make-up and her hair is combed upward.
Virginie is dressed in an elegant blue chiffon evening gown and a pair of silver rhinestone high heels sandals. Her long straight hair is wonderful and her make-up is exquisite.
Guillaume smiles happily, waving his arm and when the women see him, they stop in astonishment.
«Sibylle's dad!» cries Nora running to him.
Guillaume hands over the chalice to Drakkar, knowing what the girl was going to do. And precisely as he thought Nora runs towards him jumping on him and wrapping her legs around his waist. Drakkar is pleasantly surprised by that vitality. He loves spontaneous people. But he is also a bit worried the women could recognize him by his voice and his imposingness.
«Guillaume!» yells Nora happily.
«My little Nora. Good to see you too, dear! How are you?»
Nora looks at him showing her eyes shining with joy, she hugs him again laying her head on his shoulder. The other two women arrive to them.
«Romain, meet Alma and Maxime.»
«Virginie.» corrects him Virginie, with his baritone voice.
Drakkar elegantly hand kiss Alma.
«Enchanté, madame.»
He does the same thing with Virginie.
«Enchanté, madame.»
Guillaume laughs.
«Romain, Virginie is a boy, his name is Maxime.»
Drakkar looks at Virginie and smiles gently.
«What my eyes see is a beautiful girl and like one I'll treat her.»
Virginie covers her mouth with her hand.
«Oh! And who you might be, monsieur? Apart for being a wonderful and handsome creature like few in the universe?»
Drakkar laughs, but is Guillaume that answers.
«He is Romain. His grandfather saved my father's ass in the second world war.»
Drakkar bows his head. They all talk amiably for another half and hour. They talk about the art exhibition and their personal taste. But when Virginie goes to call Sibylle, Drakkar gets away with an excuse. The man goes to the other side of the room to look Sibylle from distant, almost hidden by the crowd in the middle.
The dj of that evening — a boy with green hair and red eyeliner — puts on an electronic music and, as soon as Sibylle hears it, she starts to dance approaching the dj desk. The boy smiles and claps his hands turning up the volume. Sibylle closes her eyes moving and keeping the rhythm that beats in her blood. Many people turn to look at her smiling. She doesn't care about anything or anyone, not even Jaqueline who is trying to call her because an important guest has just arrived. But Sibylle cannot hear her, she is into the music now. Someone accompany her movements clapping the hands while she dances gracefully all alone. Drakkar is watching amused, comfortably leaning with his back against the wall. He drinks slowly his champagne looking at her with a smile. He is not surprised to see her dancing passionately: she is Sibylle, she is a free woman, a woman who does what she like, what it gives her pleasure, what makes her feel good. He admires her for that, he loves her way to see the world. He likes her genuine curiosity, her way to approach new things in life.
And she is incredibly beautiful. She is sexy even with that mechanic overalls. She is feminine in every gesture, in every word, in every smile. When the song ends, everyone claps and cheers and she curtsey to thank all. Then it's time for Nora and Virginie to show their talent: they go behind the dj desk and prepare to sing a duet, a love song. The funny thing is that Virginie, despite her deep voice, sings the part of the woman and Nora that of the man. Alma and Guillaume are soon dancing slowly in the middle of the room, tight in an intimate embrace. Drakkar realizes that they are not just friends. It's clear that they relationship is something more intense, one can sees it from the way they look at each other. Later, Virginie and Nora are at their third duet, delighting the audience that sing along with them. Sibylle is, however, listening to the endless talk of an important auctions director. When the man finally leaves, Sibylle goes to the buffet to get a drink.
«Sibylle?»
She turns to look the smiling waitress dressed in a delicious orange saree who gives her a note and leaves.
She opens it and reads:
“My desire is to dance with a sibyl,
under a starry sky,
during the new moon,
in a Spring night,
on a rooftop of Paris.
Drakkar”
The woman startles and looks around, but doesn't see any man who can be him, none of them is massive enough.
“On a rooftop of Paris”...
She understands where he is! Sticks the note in her pocket and runs upstairs, arriving in few minutes on the top of the building. When she arrives on the roof she looks around, but doesn't see anyone; so she walks to the railing and watches the city lights. She hears a melodic music and looks down to the river: on the banks of the Seine there are many couples dancing, accompanied by some musicians who are playing various instruments. She smiles, touched by that romantic image. But suddenly she feels a presence behind her.
«Don't turn around.» orders the warm voice of Drakkar. «Close your eyes.» he adds.
She obeys. Few seconds later something silky touches her eyes: a blindfold. The man knots it tight then hugs her from behind. She looks so tiny in front of him, she barely reaches his chest. He gently caresses her shoulders, her arms, her neck.
«Some say that the Seine is actually a river formed by the tears of lovers, tears of joy and sadness. And as long as people continue to fall in love, it will continue to run nourished by those drops of love.» He bends to kiss her neck. «Maybe we are not in love and we will not shed a tear, but we are in Paris, a city where even sex has the taste of romance; where a woman abandons herself to the emotions without inhibitions, without fearing to be judged; and where a man can ask a woman to dance with him under a starry sky, without fearing to sound mawkish.» He licks her ear with the tip of his tongue. «Do you want to dance with me, madame Sibylle?»
«I do, Romain.» she murmurs enchanted.
He leads her by the hand to the center of the clearing; then takes her in his strong arms and begin to dance slowly, face to face, breath against breath. Sibylle inspires his strong smell, clinging to him with a sigh. Drakkar smiles and kisses her hair, placing his hand on her back and the other around her shoulders. She is so petite... His petite leveret.
«Thank you», whispers her deeply moved, «you made this evening wonderful, my colossal lover.»
He smiles.
«You made this evening perfect, my petite leveret.»
The man looks up at the sky and sees two shooting stars. Closes his eyes holding his breath, silently expressing his secret wish.
- Chapter VII
“Some lose yet gain, others gain and yet lose.”
— Lao Tzu
~
A few days later Saphir is in front of Drakkar's house. She is dressed in a emerald 1960's dress and her hair is strangely down. She is very beautiful with her hair stroking her shoulders. She knocks for the third time, while the dogs bark loud from the inside.
«Go, boys, go grab your owner by his ankle and drag him here.» she tells them.
Finally she hears a grumble and a second after Drakkar opens the door in his underwear, turning his back and heading to the bathroom. Saphir enters shaking her head.
«Romain, shouldn't you be “ready for action” all time?»
She follows him to the bathroom where the man starts to pee with the door open.
«It's 8am and I slept less than four hours, Célestine.» he explains, calling the woman by her real name. «There was a blitz yesterday, a delicate operation. But something went wrong and we had to chase those bastards all over Paris, before to capture them. I worked continuously for almost 24 hours.»
She sighs and leans against the blue tiles of the bathroom, looking at him. The three mastiffs are happy to see her and keep crawling around, so she bends over to pet them, while Drakkar yawns with a long sound.
«Do you know why I'm here, Romain?»
He stares at his urination answering with a noise from his throat.
«Célestine, whatever you want to say, don't. Not now, at the moment I'm not—»
«I'm here to talk about Sibylle, Romain.»
Drakkar throws his head back, grunting annoyed.
«Yes, mom, I know my girlfriend doesn't like you, but you must get over it, okay?»
«Don't you dare to make fun of me! I never acted like a mother and I won't start now. And, honestly, the idea of what your mother must have gone through with someone like you makes me cringe.»
Drakkar finishes and flushed the toilet. Takes his boxer off and enters in the shower, closing the glass door. Saphir snorts and goes to open the shower door.
«Don't ignore me!»
«I'm not. I just need to take a shower. May I?» he jokes, beginning to wash his muscular bronzed body.
Saphir sees him as a brother so she doesn't feel any kind of attraction toward that amazing body.
«Romain, I like Sibylle very much, believe me. She is a beautiful girl, she is friendly, she is intelligent, she is a great artist, but you can't break the rules of the Club in this way only because you have a crush on her. When we founded the Club we did promise to be impartial. And you, who follow the law more than anyone else, you act in this unacceptable way! I can't believe it.»
«Which “unacceptable way” are you referring to?»
«I have been told that you want to bring Sibylle to a Ruby level auction. Is it true?»
«Yes, I want to propose it to her.»
«Romain, that's absurd! She is just level Pearl! You can't do whatever you want, you are not respecting the other members. And remember that rumors get around quickly in the Club, if you keep acting like this it can create conflicts. And you know how that can be destructive. We want harmony, brotherhood within the Club; we want equality for all. We don't make preferences, we don't do favors or recommendations of any kind. Have you forgotten all this? I want to see the Club continuing in its glorious way; I want it to continue to be known for its incorruptibility; I want it to continue to be worthy of the trust of our members. And if you continue with this attitude I'll have to suspend you from the Club, I've already talked to Thierry and he agrees with me.»
Drakkar chuckles, while washing his skin with a citrus scented product.
«Are you trying to intimidate me?»
«Of course I am! And the only way I can do this is mentioning Thierry, since he seems to be the only person who can make you stand in your place!»
«Thierry is an exceptional man and you know my deep respect for him, but he doesn't intimidate me, sorry. No one does. And in any case I'm not breaking any rules taking Sibylle at that event. If there is someone who knows the rules of the Club that's me.» He looks up pretending to think. «Why do I know so well the rules, again?» He widens his amazing eyes. «Oh yes! I have created them myself!»
«This doesn't give you the right to break them or to do whatever you like!»
«“A Black Onyx member may bring one of his/her protege to an event taking all the re
sponsibilities for his/her behavior. To do this it will be enough to present a formal request signed by the three founders and three more members of the sublime”, so recite the words of the Black Onyx book, right? Did you find my request on your desk?»
Saphir shakes her head.
«I can't believe it. That woman really is driving you crazy. Is she so special? What is it? Is it the way she has sex with you? The way she sucks your dick? The way she clings at you while you bang her?»
Saphir frowns when she sees Drakkar turning his back.
«Oh dear—», she whispers in shock, «You had an erection just thinking of her, haven't you? Is it for that reason that you turned your back at me?»
Drakkar doesn't answer and Saphir opens her arms and laughs out loud, muttering her disbelief. She closes the shower's door and leaves her friend to his intimacy.
«I'm going to make breakfast.» she informs him before heading to the big kitchen lit by the sun. There are large sliding glass doors from which one can sees a big garden. She opens them letting the dogs out then goes to the fridge but stops when she notices something in an adjacent room. She approaches slowly, looks at what is inside and widens her mouth in shock, then walks backwards with furrowed brow and goes back to the bathroom.
«Er... Romain? What the hell means that thing in the guest room?!»
Drakkar comes out of the shower.
«Oh, that. Even because of that I slept just a few hours last night.»
«How can you be so calm? Do you think it's ok?»
Drakkar wraps a towel around his waist and with another one rubs his hair.
«Like I said, Cécé, it has been a long day.»
«Romain, there's a young man handcuffed to the bed!»
«Yes, he attacked me last night while I came back from work, he was drunk.»
Saphir can't hold a belly laugh.
«H—he did what? Ha ha! He a—attacked you?» she chortles.
When she manages to calm down she asks: