Into the Lion's Den (61 page)

“No! I mean, it's none of your business!” Do Russians always check and discuss what their bosses do in
bed? Or is it something from his KGB times? He smiled knowingly.

Konrad returned from work at seven and we stayed in the library, sitting together, but closer than
normal. At eight, a very serious Friederich announced dinner as you would tell someone is dead.

“Today was black truffle soup on the menu,” Konrad growled the minute Friederich poured the soup on
his dish.

“The chef changed his mind in the afternoon, Sire. Also, the main dish and dessert are changed. Artists
are very temperamental.”

The second was also very good… and I got red meat and it's not Sunday! The dessert was baffling
because it was an apple ice cream with a lot of cinnamon and candied walnuts with chocolate and strawberries, but it
was great.

“What is this?” Konrad grunted once more. He had been so charming during dinner and he changed in
less than a second when he saw it! He hates that someone changes the slightest thing around him. “This is the first
time Jean Jacques prepares this!”

“Perhaps we didn't need this at home before,” Friederich said and disappeared from the room, while
Konrad mumbled something in German and ate the ice cream.

I was truly nervous when Konrad casually told me that it was time to go to bed. Heck! I was terrified to
behave like an idiot there or do something he wouldn't like or not being good enough for him! I was on the brink of
the next heart attack. I only gulped at his words. Way to go Guntram!

When we passed by the stairs by my old room, he kissed me holding me for some minutes.

“Are you sure Guntram? From tonight onwards you stop being a child and become a young man. You
will acquire all my enemies and they will do anything to undermine my love for you, therefore there can be no
mistakes or lies between us,” Konrad told me very seriously. “Are you sure that you want to spend the rest of your life
with me? Once we do it, there will be no turning back for any of us, my love.”

“Yes, I love you.”

He took me by the hand and we climbed the stairs in silence because my heart was hammering. We
entered in his private living room and it was eerie to be there. I mean, I was here not a few hours ago, but now the
place seemed to be impressive and solemn. He told me to change into my pyjamas because he had to look for
something in his studio. I did it in the bathroom, becoming more and more nervous. I think I was more jittery than my
first time with Constantin. I must have poured half of the toothpaste tube when I squeezed it!

When I finally took the courage to go out (yes, I'm a real chicken!), Konrad was already in his bedroom,
dressed in his pyjamas, standing next to the desk in front of the bed. There was a tray with one glass and a bottle of
red wine and I thought 'this is not the moment to follow the doctor's advises! I need a drink! Urgently!' but said
nothing so nervous I was. He came to me and put his arms around my waist, kissing me on the forehead, reverently,
like a brother, not like a lover.

“Guntram, know that my love for you is true and I will respect and honour you every day of my life. I
cannot marry you in the way I would like, but I want to give you this ring as a symbol of my fidelity for you. It's the
original seal of my family and has been with us for centuries. Always the Griffin's consort carries it,” he told me and
showed me a very old looking ring.

“It's a Sassanian cameo carved in a cornelian stone, but the design is Sumerian. It represents a griffin
with a tree of life at its side. It was a present from Pope Innocence IV to our family for their contribution to the
Teutonic Order in the XIII century. That order financed most of what we know as the Vatican today. You should always
wear it as a symbol of your status and my love for you. You have to give it to the eldest son when he marries because
he will be the next Griffin.” Konrad took my right hand and kissed it before he placed the heavy thing in my finger. I
was speechless.

He served the wine in the glass and I was surprised because he always tastes it before anything. It's
automatic in him.

“This vintage is from before the War. It's a 1938 Château Mouton Rothschild. My father bought these
bottles when I was a child for my marriage and for my children's births. I drank the first bottle when I was appointed
Hochmeister and I had given up hope that I would taste the others till I met you.” He took the glass and presented it
to me and I took it, still speechless.

“I swear to love, protect and cherish you till my last breath, Guntram.”

“I swear to love, respect and support you till my last day, Konrad,” I said out of the blue, but knowing
that it was the right thing to do and that I meant each one of the words. He took again the glass from my hands and
put it to my lips and I drank from it just a little and repeated the same for him, almost lost in his eyes while he finished
the glass. The sound of the glass against the wooden table was very strong with my eagerness for what was about to
come.

Konrad kissed me once more but this time with unbounded passion. I had to cling to his neck to avoid
falling. Perhaps, it was the wine, perhaps the company, but this kiss was the best ever. His arms grabbed me by my
waist and we continued to kiss, tasting each other. His hands caressed my back and I felt my robe fall into the floor.

Somehow I found myself sitting on the border of his bed, looking hungrily at him while he got rid of his own robe. He
also put out the pyjama tops and I swear this man puts the Michelangelo's David to shame. I was like a rabbit in front
of the wolf while he sat next to me and resumed his earlier kissing more feverish than before.

I felt him on top of me and I loved the feeling of his body heat over mine. It was simply maddening for
me. I closed my eyes in bliss as he was unbuttoning my own clothes.

“Please, turn off the light.” I pleaded with him.

“Why? You're so beautiful. I do want to look at you.”

“I have the scars from that. I don't want that you see them.” I confessed. “It's not pretty.”

He removed his body from mine and smiled with infinite sadness. “I also have scars from fighting. It's
nothing to be ashamed of. You're beautiful to me just as you are; with everything. We love each other.”

“I've been with no one since that day and I don't know how I am going to react.”

“If you want to stop just tell me and we will stop. I want to make love with you, not just have sex. I want
what we are going to do tonight to mean something for you and I.”

I let him undress me, and he continued to kiss me as lovely as before, placing his kisses on every one of
the scars, making me shudder with pleasure every time he did. He bit me lightly several times but I didn't care
because it felt great.

“Don't stall, Konrad. Please. I need to feel you inside me,” I croaked and he nodded
After using the lube just briefly, he penetrated me with infinite care, taking his time to let me get used to
his size. Each one of his pushes transported to heaven and I was dizzy with pleasure. I remember that I put my tights
over his hips when I felt he was completely inside me enjoying the rocking of his pelvis moving me—and almost lifting
me from the mattress—slowly to pick up speed as he felt that I was responding to his caresses. I was moved that
during all the time he was kissing me and checking that I would be fine. We climaxed together and for the first time I
didn't want to run to the shower, but feel him inside me for as long as I could.

“I wish you would have been my first,” I whispered, totally spent but happy like a child.

“I want to be your last, Guntram,” he panted, hugging me stronger.

“How could I get another after this?” And it's true. He did very little gymnastics or tried strange
positions and it was the best I ever had. I can't want another after him! I understand now why they call it “la petite
mort.”

“Guntram, I'm almost forty-six, with you at my side I don't know if I'll turn sixty,” he chuckled. “It was
incredible, my love,” he said, kissing my temple several times and caressing my hair. I guess I moaned because he
laughed and said: “just like a happy kitten,” obviously proud of himself. “Those nuts were not so useless, after all.

The chef gets a raise in the morning.”

“I don't understand.”

“I was afraid he would have sprinkled Viagra in my food! Didn't you realise what was in the menu? Red
meat, strawberries, walnuts, passion fruit in the salad and a long etc.”

“Oh no. Do you think they imagine what we were doing?”

“My staff has a very vivid imagination, kitten and if you're in my bed you're not here to play chess.” I
looked at him baffled. “The best is if we play straight since the beginning. They have to respect you and hiding in the
cellar for a romp is a bad idea. They will be shocked, or not, for a few days and by next week, they will forget all
about us.”

“Friederich is unhappy with all this. I don't want to cause you troubles with him.”

“He's happy with you. He's unhappy with me. Pissed off. This morning he told me that if I hurt a single
hair from you or behave less than the perfect gentleman with you, he will make my existence miserable. That's a
threat I take very seriously. You are my Consort now and my equal.”

I didn't know what to tell

“Why do you think he let you have the dog in your room? To bite me if I dared to set a foot in there at
night!” He laughed and I did the same. “Your Mops does not like me at all. Every time I come near you, she shows me
her teeth.”

“She's jealous,” I chuckled, “but you're cuter and far more interesting in bed than her.”

“She will not come here. It's the kitchen or another room. That's final Guntram.”

“All right, poor Mopsi. What about when you're not here?”

“In the kitchen, Guntram. I don't share my bedroom or you.”

We had a shower together and I definitively wanted more, but “I don't want troubles with your doctor,”

was his answer. I let him dry me with the big towel and I don't know why, I took his cologne from the marble sink and
smelled. It was so similar to my father's.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes, reminds me to my father's one,” I answered and he froze.

“I'm not your father.”

“I know! It's just the smell. Who makes it? It seems like there are apples in there.”

“A perfumer in Milan,” he answered and put some of it on my neck, deeply smelling it as he hugged me
possessively. His member once again was active and against my bottom. I felt once more become jelly and placed my
hands against the sink to support myself as he buried once more inside me.

I felt his hands taking me by my hips bones to prevent that his thrusts would hurt me against the sink, his
head buried in my shoulder. It was a hard ride but I loved him more in his unbound passion than in his controlled and
tender way from before. I nearly collapsed after this one but it was worth it.

He was very concerned and took me to bed, redressing me with the pyjama and putting me inside the
bed, disregarding my protests that I was fine (not true)

“Should I call Antonov?”

“I'm not up for a threesome and he must be also eating apple ice cream with the chef,” I joked.

“It's not funny! I can't lose you now!”

“I'm fine, Konrad. I need to catch my breath, that's all. Just hold me for a while,” I panted, feeling
better as my heart slowed down. He redressed and joined me in the bed circling me with his arms and kissing me
several times, with real concern.

“I shouldn't have taken you twice.”

“Tomorrow more.”

“Not in your life time. Three days rest, kitten. I'll fly to Shanghai if I have to.”

“Party pooper!” I scolded him falsely.

“I'm a banker, Guntram. It's in my job's description.” I laughed, feeling much better and burying myself
in his arms till I fell asleep.

“Holgersen is waiting for you Sire. Should I dismiss him?” Friederich said through the door.

“Come in,” Konrad grunted.

Friederich stood frozen in the door frame when he saw his pupil lovingly arranging the covers around a soundly sleeping Guntram, already dressed for training. “Let him sleep all what he needs. I fear yesterday's activities were too much for him.” The Duke told him haughtily and kissed the child in the forehead. He also noticed the empty bottle of wine on the desk and the single glass there. Guntram changed his position in the bed and he saw the well known ring with a red stone.

Konrad dragged him out of the room and closed the door. “Surprised Friederich? I told you he is the Griffin's Consort, not one of my whores. I am blessed with my choice as he is a gift from God.”

“Konrad, I never had anything against Guntram. If he were someone else, I would hit you in the head for not taking him. I only fear that he finds out about your past and suffers for it. His health is very frail!”