Queen Thorn (complete)

Chapter 40

"I understand doctor and I do not want my life prolonged that way or by any artificial means. As I said, I have lived for far too long already, much longer than I ever should have. I just want to be able to die with dignity now. Maybe I will be able to do something to earn forgiveness from God for the things that I have done." 

"I can understand that Lord Taurus. If there is anything that I can do for you, please be sure to call on me."

"Thank you, doctor."

Dr. Maynard left then, after a bow to Mitya and I. "Your majesties."

"Thank you, Dr. Maynard." Mitya said.

After we were alone I asked Darius, "are you sure that you feel up to doing this today? We can wait if you're not up for it."

"No your majesty, but thank you. I need to get all of this on the record just in case I don't make it to the trial for some reason or another next week."

"I understand Darius and thank you for doing this right now."

"Of course, your majesties."

"I will let Hans begin and when or if Dimitri or I have a question we will ask it if that is all right with you."

"Yes, your majesty."

I turned to Hans and nodded. Just as Dimitri brought a couple of chairs over for us to sit in. There was no telling, after all, how long this was going to take.

"Lord Taurus..."

"Please just call me Darius. There is no need to stand on formalities and I haven't been Lord Taurus in over three hundred years."

"All right Darius, please tell us, when was the first time that you met the woman that you know as Natasha Ozera?"

"Fifteen years ago."

"Could you tell us the story of your first meeting?"

"Yes, of course."

Darius looked out the window and stared off into space as he began his tale.

(DPOV) Darius

*FLASHBACK*

I sat at my private table in my newest club, 'Assurances', looking out over the dance floor. It was Saturday night, which was usually the busiest night of the week, and tonight was no exception. Throughout the entire club were close to two hundred people if not more. And there were about twice as many standing around outside just waiting to get in. Most of which were all humans but there were some moroi and dhampir here as well. They were given preferential treatment on admittance in all of my clubs. There were even a number of guardians who were watching over their charges from nearby.

I looked around trying to choose my meals for the night. I knew that it would take more than the blood of one person to slack my hunger, it always did. For more than the last three hundred years, I'd had to drain at least three people a night to fill and quench my raging thirst for blood.

Not that I cared how many lives I ended as a strigoi I enjoyed not only the slaughter but I also loved the hunt and the chase. I loved to listen to my pathetic prey's screams for help and pleas for their lives. Like I would ever let them live, after all this was a game to me. What I really relished was when I got one of those idiotic and moronic royals underneath my fangs. And they began cry and to try to bribe and beg me into letting them live.

Having been alive for as long as I have there was nothing that I needed or wanted. I had more money than most people had ever even dreamed of. There was nothing, that I could think of, that anyone could give or promise me that would save them from my draining them dry.