The Black Onyx Pact
Page 23
When the arrive at the noisy room with the door open, they see what's going on inside. Tarasque is the life of the party: he is wearing a long white doctor coat, a pair of lion ears and is crawling around, roaring like a lion, chasing children across the room while the children run away laughing.
Nathan looks Drakkar and flares his nostrils, turning his back to leave; Drakkar holds him by the arm pushing him back to his place, good and quiet.
«Nathan, don't judge a man just because he looks frivolous. Remember that the wisest always look silly.»
The boy sighs looking at Tarasque, whom now is being attacked by four children that mount on his back proud to have “tamed the lion”.
«Romain, I cannot take seriously a man like this, I'm sorry. He looks so... childish.»
Drakkar chuckles.
«If you could see him last night you'd have called him in a totally different way. Yet he is the same man.»
Tarasque finally notices them and crawls up to them, ‘losing’ children along the way. The man arrives to them and gets up, taking the only kid beside him in his arms. It's a cute little girl with long golden hair.
«Nathan», says Tarasque holding out his hand, «nice to meet you. How are you, today?»
«I took some painkillers because this bloody rash is killing me. Well, it isn't literally bloody, I just mean—»
«He he, don't worry, I got it.» says Tarasque.
The little girl screams for no reason and then pulls violently Tarasque's cheek, but the man doesn't seem to mind at all.
«Call me Jérôme, please.» continues to say the man to Nathan, with a funny voice due to his lips pulled apart by the little girl's hands. «Romain's friends are also my friends. And his enemies are my best friends.» adds Tarasque joking.
Nathan laughs heartily at those words, but when he turns to look at Drakkar's serious face he stops immediately.
Tarasque giggles seeing Nathan so intimidated.
«Don't worry, Nathan, he looks scary and aggressive but he doesn't bite.» Tarasque winks at the boy, adding serious: «Well, sometimes he does. But you have nothing to worry about, we are in a hospital, we have anti-rabies vaccine.»
The little girl slaps Tarasque so hard that Nathan widens his eyes in incredulity.
«This is the sign that she wants me to put her down.» explains Tarasque before putting her down gently.
«She is getting better.» observes the man stroking his own flushed cheek. «The last time she gave me a punch in the eye I've been blind for almost twelve hours. Come, Nathan, let's go to visit you. I already talked with a dermatologist, and he is waiting for us.»
He leads them in the dermatology ward, where one of his colleagues welcomes them in a room; he makes Nathan undress and checks the strange bruises on his skin, then takes a sample of skin and a vial of blood for further analysis. He then prescribes a lotion for that kind of outburst. Greets them and goes away, leaving the three alone. Tarasque makes Nathan lie down on a bed and begins to massage his thighs with a lotion.
«This will relieve the itching.» informs Tarasque.
«Thanks.» says Nathan, touched by that care.
Tarasque smiles at the boy, then turns to Drakkar asking:
«Did you bring Danton and Marat?»
«Nope, the other revolutionary. He is in the park playing with kids.»
Tarasque nods then looks better at him, with complicity.
«So, did you sleep well last night?»
Drakkar smiles back laying against the edge of the desk and folding his arms, but doesn't answer.
Tarasque lowers his eyebrows.
«Romain? Are you okay?»
«Yes, is just that—», he doesn't finish the sentence but strokes his eyes with the palms of his hands, and Tarasque understands there is something that saddens him.
Meanwhile, a young nurse enters and Nathan remains fascinated by her beauty. She has short dark hair, light eyes, soft pink lips and a fair skin.
«Oh, excuse me, I was looking for Dr Sept.» she says in a gentle voice.
She glances bashfully at Nathan and smiles sweetly while the boy looks ecstatic.
«He went to visit a little patient in the pediatric ward.» informs Tarasque.
The nurse leaves greeting everyone politely. Tarasque casts a glance to Nathan and raises an eyebrow when he sees his erection pressing against the boxers. The man looks into his eyes and laugh softly, nodding toward the door, as to say: “You liked the nurse, it seems.”
Nathan covers his face with his hand, laughing silently. Drakkar smiles amused and says:
«Send him hunting, Jérôme.»
Tarasque helps the boy to stand up, hands him his pants and opens the door.
«Go, boy! Catch her!» jokes Tarasque.
Nathan wears the pants and adjusts his shirt.
«Gentlemen, I will return with the prey in my mouth.» says making a graceful bow, then exits pompous and Tarasque closes the door with a chuckle.
«I like him.» Then, looking at his friend: «So, what is it, Romain?» asks kindly, grabbing a towel to wipe off the lotion from his hands.
«Don't you get it?» asks Drakkar.
«I get what? The only thing I got is that you deeply love this boy in a brotherly way, and that Sibylle has bewitched you.»
Drakkar makes a warm smile.
«It seems that Nymphe bewitched you too.»
Tarasque takes a deep breath, closing his eyes.
«O my friend, you cannot even imagine how wonderful that girl is! She cannot be human, she must be some kind of divine creature! She has been created just for me since she loves to take what I adore inflict, we are two kindred souls who have encountered.»
«I'm happy for you. Although last night you made me angry.»
«Yes, I saw that. But I assure you that I've been very careful not to overdo with her. Probably she would have had a release in any case, you know better than me that can happen.»
Drakkar nods and Tarasque stares the floor, lost in the memories of the night before.
«We got carried away by our emotions, we didn't realize of the passing of time. Moreover, Sophie made everything more magical with her pleasure... She came three times, Romain. And every time it was more intense than the one before. Gosh, those sounds of pleasure still echo in my head.» says Tarasque with dreamy eyes. Then he emits a long ecstatic “ah” making his friend chuckle.
«Even my Sibylle is wonderful when she comes.»
«She could never be as sensual as Sophie. Sophie writhes during the orgasm, she dances like a snake.»
«Pfff, too obvious. Sibylle has vaginal contractions that squeeze my organ tight for long time.»
«Sophie cries not to stop.»
«Sibylle screams my name.»
«Sophie yelps like a dog.»
«Sibylle howls like a wolf.»
They look at each other and burst out in laughter, realizing how ridiculous they are.
«You know, Romain, I hadn't realized how Sibylle was a rapture for you until I saw you together, and she seems spellbound by you too.»
«No, she is not. She is divorcing from her husband and still wears the wedding ring. You know what that means, Jérôme? It means that she is still in love with him.»
«Romain, you cannot know what goes into the mind and the heart of other people, and often not even them knows it. People often have confused ideas, old dreams to follow, stupid promises to keep, unnecessary battles to fight. Often it's just stubbornness to want what they don't really need. But we keep doing all those absurd things because we are lousy humans. We are limited beings who don't know what they want until they lose it. Or until they gain it.»
«Sibylle knows exactly what she wants, Jérôme.»
«Sibylle knows what she wants, not knowing if that is what would make her happy. But tell me: what do you care? Or maybe you care because you know that once reconciled with her husband she no longer will be yours? Well, maybe one day you'll meet around and—», he stops a
nd shakes his head, «Oh no wait, I forgot: she can't even recognize you since you never show her your face. Why are you such an asshole, Romain? I don't understand this creepy thing of keeping your face behind a mask for so long.»
«I have my reasons, Jérôme.»
«Come on, what reasons may you have?»
«Jérôme, I have my reasons.» repeats Drakkar.
«Whatever reasons you have are stupid, let me tell you.»
«Fine, you want to know why I don't want to show my face to her, Jérôme?» he asks loosening his arms from his chest. «Because I'm in love with her!»
Tarasque is speechless.
«You? In love?» asks incredulously.
«Yes, me. Absurd, isn't it? I thought I wasn't even capable of that feeling, which I always mocked. I've always considered love like a disease. But you know what, Jérôme? It is not a disease. Love is like death: it's inevitable and it affects everyone, sooner or later. And if you don't die it means that you've never been alive.»
Jérôme half-opens his mouth hearing his friend saying those things. He looks at him with different eyes now.
«Romain, you look so... human. You are scaring me. I didn't know you could fall in love, and even less that you were falling in love with Sibylle.»
«I am already in love with her, Jérôme. I am madly, hopelessly, desperately in love with that divine creature, damn it! And I won't show my face to a woman who does not reciprocate my feelings. For her I'm nothing more than a stud bull. And her stud bull I will be, if that's all she can give me. I take it, silently, as the faceless beast that I am. Now you understand why I cannot show her my face? Do you understand the pain I feel inside in seeing her wearing that wedding ring while I hold her in my arms? It's like holding a woman who is present only with her body, not with her mind. She cannot be mine and I don't know what I would give to be hers. I would be ready to do anything to have her, Jérôme.»
Tarasque takes a deep breath, running a hand through his soft dark hair.
«Wow, I don't know what to tell you, my friend. I suffer to see you in this way. You're a man who knows what he wants and you know what you need to do. Let her have her husband back, if she really goes back with him then you will return to your everyday life. Don't worry, you won't be alone: I will be next to you, my friend, laughing at you every day that God will send on Earth.»
They both smile, then Jérôme comes up to him to give him a strong hug. Drakkar holds him tight, closing his eyes and enjoying the warmth of their friendship.
«Thanks.» says Drakkar with a broken voice.
Jérôme holds him tighter in his arms — well, for as much as he can, since Drakkar is really massive and not easy to hug — then pats his hand on his back and moves away from him.
«Don't thank me, please. How many times you saved my ass with those bullies at school when we were kids? Countless times.»
Drakkar grins.
«It was easy to protect you. It has been enough to spread the voice that you were my “femelle” and that I was so jealous of you.»
They laugh.
«Damn, you're such a bastard! Why you didn't just spread the voice that I was your best friend instead of spreading the absurd rumor that I was your boyfriend and you were ready to “break the bones” of anyone who dared to come too close to me?»
Drakkar's shoulders shake in laughter.
«Believe me, if there is one thing more frightening than a menacing taurine boy is a menacing taurine boy sickly jealous of his boyfriend.»
«Aww, how thoughtful. Too bad you ruined my life with girls!»
«Yeah, but all the gay at school craved for you.»
«Hmmm, I cannot complain then. No, wait, I can: I'm frigging straight!»
They laugh again, recalling some amusing anecdotes of the past.
Nathan enters suddenly with a big red mark on the left side of the face. Drakkar and Tarasque laugh loudly at him for the slap he received.
«Romain, you must teach to your newly acquired brother a little about women.»
Drakkar winks at Nathan.
«I'll teach you everything I know, Nat. And I tell you now that the first right move is: never directly approach a woman, but get closer to her and let her know your intentions. Let her decide if she wants to be yours or not.»
Tarasque raises an eyebrow.
«Nathan, remember that Drakkar can teach you everything he knows about sex, but about sex only; because when it comes to love he is the last person who can help you.» Then, clapping his hands he adds: «Bon, let's organize something for tonight, shall we? Are you busy tonight? No? Me neither. So, what about going out for a drink? I know a lovely place. Or maybe we can stay home. What do you prefer? You want to stay home, don't you? Fine then, let's stay at home. I come to you or you want to come to my place? No, I'll come to your house. I like your home, Romain. What time? Let's say at 9pm? Is that fine for you? Yes? Ok, let's meet at 9 then.»
Tarasque phone rings and he answers turning to the side.
Nathan looks at Drakkar and smiles: he likes Tarasque, he is funny and blunt.
Tarasque closes the call, looks at them and makes a big smile.
«It was Saphir: Nymphe wants to see me tonight. Ha! Like hell I'm going out with you!»
Tarasque walks out of the room laughing loudly.
~
The same morning Sibylle is driving her colorful and noisy Citroën 2CV on the streets of Paris. She painted the car herself of many iridescent colors, making it a unique piece. She is driving for one hour, looking for someone to talk with, feeling the need to share her emotions.
Earlier she went to her father's mechanic workshop but she has been told that Guillaume didn't go to work that morning. So she went to his father's house; she searched for the door's key in the vase where he kept hiding it for twenty years, and she entered. But what she saw shocked her: her father and her friend Alma were taking a shower together, laughing and saying dirty things. They didn't realize she were there, so she stared at them for a while from behind the shower curtains with her mouth half open in astonishment.
She then went to Saphir's office but they told her that Saphir had her day off. Now she is heading to the cemetery where Nora works, and probably she is about to begin her daytime shift. She arrives and parks her car then she enters the cemetery, walking on the pedestrian paths among the graves. She arrives at a lovely bungalow almost hidden by the trees: the keeper's house.
Nora and Virginie are preparing dinner in the small kitchen sweetly lit by the sun. It's a room with big glass doors which overlook some beautiful trees.
The two women are arguing, like always.
«See? This happens because you are an idiot», is saying Virginie brushing aside her long black hair from her cute face, while looking at her friend busy stirring something in a pan, «everyone knows that vegetables must be added later! Gosh, you are such a mess, honey.»
Virginie sighs smoothing her purple sequin blouse long up to the thighs, above a pair of black opaque tights. At her feet she has a pair of purple pumps stiletto heels, a pair of lovely women shoes size 14.
Nora is wearing a denim dungarees and a black T-shirt under it.
«Keep your hands off my lunch, Virginie! I don't want your fake nails to fall in my meal!»
«If they would it will just ameliorate the taste! And however they aren't fake, honey, these are my natural nails. I need them to—», she gently scratches Nora's arm with her nails, making an hilarious soft roar.
Nora growls at her, and Virginie roars. One growls, the other one growls. Sibylle enters the room breathing out.
«I wonder how much money I could earn making videos of your quarrels.»
«Sibylle!» exclaim them.
They forget about the cooking and go to sit at the table in front of Sibylle, who already took a seat. After some minutes of silence Nora and Virginie look at each other.
«I think all this sex isn't good for her.» observes Nora.
«It's ruining
her language center.» affirms Virginie.
Sibylle smiles and shakes her head.
«No, sorry, I was lost in my thoughts—»
«Yeah, we know what you were thinking, honey. That's why we are sitting here: because we want to know every dirty detail about last night.» says Virginie
Sibylle beats her hands on the table in excitement.
«So, first of all I want you to know I knew a lovely girl. She is sweet and very nice. Her name's Sophie but her secret name in the Club is Nymphe. This morning I woke up early and Drakkar was already gone, so I stayed in bed thinking about the night with him. Then Sophie knocked at my door: her playmate left early too. So we spent some hours lying face-to-face on the bed and talking amiably.»
Nora's eyes shine hearing those words while Virginie makes an annoyed gesture with her hand.
«Yes, ok, but spare us your lesbian experiences, thanks.»
«Oh no no no!» complains Nora. «I want to know everything about it! It's about to get interesting at last! Go, Siba, tell us more, please!»
Sibylle chuckles.
«Sorry, Nora, we just talked.»
Nora makes a disappointed sound and Virginie one of relief.
«But we did talk about our desire to try a Sapphic experience, so we decide we'll do it, and we'll do it together! We exchanged some caresses and we realized that we do like each other. We talked a lot about it and we already planned something, so now», she raises her arms to the sky, «ta—dah!, we decide to have our first Sapphic experience in front of other men, including Drakkar and Tarasque. Tarasque is Sophie's playmate. Naturally it's a surprise, I still have to talk about it with Saphir.» She looks out of the glass doors and sighs. «But today it's her day off, so we must wait until—», she stops and widens her beautiful emerald eyes. «Saphir!» she yells, running out.
Nora and Virginie get up and look where she is heading. At the end of the path nearby there is an elegant lady dressed in a fine ivory women suit. The lady is laying some flowers on a marble grave. Sibylle runs among the graves yelling her name and Nora gazes out of a window shouting: