The Blood Covenant

by Emily Bex

  All of the things for their bedroom were stacked in a nearby room until he woke. Luciano said he was sleeping and would not disturb him. Kate asked Luciano if the manmade lights would hurt him during the day, and he said “No, only sunlight, although master sleeps in total darkness.”

  It only took the crew a few hours to unload everything and then they left the property. Luciano informed her that the kitchen had been stocked with food and beverages, and unless there was something else she needed, he had things he must attend to in the vineyards. Kate let him know she was fine and began the process of unpacking.

  She started in the kitchen and unpacked the things she brought, checking out the fully stocked fridge and pantry. Good Lord! How much food do they think one mortal can eat?

  She unloaded her books and placed them on the bookshelves in the room that looked like a library or family room. Maybe this could be space for him, a home office? This room had dark wood beams and one exposed brick wall. It felt masculine. She unpacked the art she had collected in her travels and stacked it against the wall. She was thinking she’d wait until they had furnished the house before she decided where to hang things when she noticed another painting propped against the wall. She walked over to examine it more closely. It was the painting he had bid on at the art auction. She smiled as she lifted it to admire it, astounded at how much it looked like the grounds here. She would hang it here, in this room, which she’d decorate for him.

  She had finished unpacking everything except the bedroom, which was put aside until Shade woke. She realized she’d never seen him in his death slumber. Would she be frightened? Did he look dead? Would she be able to sleep beside him? Or was this something he must do alone? She walked to the bedroom door and stood with her hand on the doorknob, and there was only silence.

  As she opened the door, ever so slowly, her heart was in her throat. The light from the hallway spilled into the pitch-black room. He lay on his back, unmoving. She tip-toed in quietly and knelt on the floor, leaning in close to him as he slept on the mattress. She saw the rise and fall of his chest, so not really a death slumber. She laid her hand on his chest and felt the beat of his heart, and the warmth of his skin. She leaned over him and gently touched her lips to his. He looked beautiful in his sleep, his dark curls against the white pillow. She slid onto the mattress beside him, laying her head on his shoulder, and putting her hand across his chest, her leg across his thigh.

  "I am home, lover."

  ***

  As he lies in his death slumber, the scent of her rose fragrance streamed to him, he couldn’t yet wake, but he felt her presence close to him. Her blood now pumped through him, bonding him to her, allowing him to feel her emotions, hear her thoughts more clearly. She gave him life and she grew stronger inside him each time he fed from her. He felt her body slide over his, her hair soft and silken on his naked skin and he slid his arm around her, pulling her close, but the slumber not allowing him full release. He could fight through the grip of the death slumber if she were in harm or needed him, but even that would be a struggle for him now. As he feeds from her more, and she’d eventually feed from him, his ability to arouse from the death slumber to respond to her need would become instantaneous. Her hand lay across his chest. He could feel it over his heart, like a protective cage. He moved to gently cradle her tighter to his body and let his hand slide into her hair, his other arm across the small of her back, protecting her even in his slumber. He could feel her warm breath on him, her heart beating, her blood pumping, and he only hoped she could feel the same in him. He awakened slowly, but gloriously with her in his arms.

  "Ti amo."

  Kate felt him stir, feels his arms encircle her and pull her close just as he spoke, telling her he loved her. She heard the soft whir of the electronic blinds as they automatically opened, letting the last remaining pale light of the evening into the room. She looked up at him, and into those blue eyes.

  "Lover, I never asked. It never occurred to me, but will I be able to sleep next to you?"

  “It is your choice to make, bel rosso, to give up the day and sleep next to me while you are still mortal. But it is the choice I hope you make. Nothing would bring me greater peace than to have you lie at my side in my death slumber. You must be exhausted, how do you feel, bel?”

  “Excited more than tired. I hadn't realized that I’d never seen the estate during the daytime. It’s even more beautiful. It makes me sad that you can't see it.”

  “Bel, I can go out at sundown, especially in the summer, when the sun sets but there is still light. I can also see it on rainy overcast days. It is just the direct sun rays that will burn my skin, so we can enjoy evenings together when I am home and not working. We need to have a little talk about this renovation. Can you handle that at the moment?”

  “Yes, I’m eager to get started on this project. I had the movers bring my bedroom furniture. I know it will be only temporary, but it will at least work better than your current prison cell.”

  He chuckled. "You are in my prison cell, though, are you not, mi amore?"

  Kate laughed. "Which I hope you see as a true testament of my love, that I would sleep in here to be with you."

  “Give you an estate and you get sassy with me. I see how this works, vixen!” He gave her a quick slap across her derriere.

  She felt the sharp sting of the slap and curled into him. She slid her arm tighter around his chest, as she ran her foot up his leg, teasing him.

  He growled softly and felt his beast rise to the surface, waiting to have her, and Shade must fist his hands to suppress the urgency of the beast. The beast had had a taste of her and he wanted more than she could handle as a mortal.

  "Damn mi amore, you tempt me. But we need to talk. I need to make sure you have what you need to get this job done. Now come, sit up. Are you hungry? There is food in the kitchen. I can get you something if you wish it, si?”

  “I saw the kitchen, lover, and I grabbed something earlier. How much food do you think we mortals eat anyway? There was enough stuff in there for an army! But you have my attention. What is it you want to talk about?”

  Reaching to the side of the bed, he dug around in his leather jacket on the floor and found the envelope tucked inside a pocket. Positioning himself upright on the mattress, he leaned over and kissed her. "This envelope is for you, for the estate, si?”

  Kate tore open the envelope to find two credit cards and several business cards. Both credit cards had her name on them. "Shade, I have a credit card. You don't need to give me these."

  Tipping her chin up, he stared into her eyes. “Oh si, you most certainly do need them. The clear credit card, with the gold trim? You use that on everything you buy for this place, si? I mean everything, mi amore, nothing is to come from your own pockets. My accountant takes care of paying all the bills, so don’t worry about maxing it out. Those business cards are for my immortal business associates, they own shops in D.C., and they will ship anything you wish from Europe; Florence, Milan, Rome, London, Paris...They can get things for you that you cannot find anywhere here in the States. Antiques, textiles, art, are all available through those cards in your hands. They will also arrange for deliveries and any work that needs to be done. You may notice many workers on the grounds. Luciano is busy coordinating those workers for the vineyards, so pay them no mind. You can concentrate on the renovation of this house and our gardens, si?”

  “You’ll love the house when I’m done. I’ll make sure it reflects the Tuscany we both love. But what is this other card for?”

  “Mi amore, you need not worry about money, si? I want that understood. Artwork alone can cost great sums of money, and I know you love art. I have it, so spend it. There is something else I wish to talk to you about. I want to take you to the California house, show you that property and have you furnish it as well. It is in much better condition than this property, and the vineyards are already producing. Can I ask something else of you? I know this is a lot for you to accomplish
, but I need to concentrate on providing security for Alec and I slumber in the daylight hours.”

  "Of course, ask me anything."

  Pulling her into his arms, she laid her head on his chest. “Bel, the staff quarters here are in bad shape, I need you to get that renovated as soon as possible. Luciano is there now with the barest of necessities. But I intend to bring some of my own people here from Florence, my manservant, a housekeeper for you, and a chef, perhaps. We will need the staff quarters renovated and furnished quickly. Could you take that on first?”

  “Yes, just let me know your priorities, and I’ll coordinate it. I’ll start on the staff quarters first. We can set up my stuff here and that will give us a foundation until I can work on our house. No problems. But what is this other card?”

  Taking her face into his hands, he softly kissed one cheek, then the other. He kissed her nose and then her forehead and almost kissed her mouth. He could feel her breath on his lips as he whispered softly, "That card is for you; for your personal expenses. Clothes, shoes, whatever you want. You deserve this, you deserve to be pampered and spoiled. Promise me, you will spoil yourself.”

  "Lover, you already spoil me. I can't imagine what else I could need. But thank you." She kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

  "Is this too much for you, you must tell me if it is, si?”

  “No, I can manage it.”

  “And so it shall be, mi amore. Come, lay with me awhile and let us rest and dream of what our future holds. Is there anything you wish to ask me, talk to me about?”

  She cuddled next to him. He was waking up for the night, and she’d been running around all day with the movers. She’d need to begin the process of shifting her schedule so she could sleep when he slept, but for now, she cuddled up next to him, feeling warm and protected in his arms as she listened to the night call of crickets and tree frogs lull her into sleep.

  "I can't think of anything. I think we’ll just figure it out as we go."

  “Si, I think that is a wise decision.” He could feel the tiredness of her body as her breathing began to slow, and he knew she needed her rest. He rubbed her back gently and kissed the top of her head. He could lie here for the rest of eternity with her, just like this.

  "Rest, bel, sleep. I will be here, I will not leave you.”

  24

  Kate had been shifting her schedule so she was able to sleep during the day with Shade, climbing into bed with him each morning when he returned from the Dead House. She didn’t even want to ask what that meant, or how it got its name. She knew he provided security for Alec, and she didn’t probe for details. During the night hours when he was gone, she’d been busy with the renovations. All of the contractor's Shade referred her to were vamps, so they were fine with her scheduling their work at night, and they worked fast.

  Kate was amazed at how much work got done. The renovations to the staff quarters were almost completed, and she’d begin furnishing it soon. The workers had gutted the kitchen and all of the bathrooms except the one off the master bedroom in their main house. They’d save the master bathroom and bedroom for last, giving her and Shade a private space to retreat to while the house was being worked on. She’d worked with the contractors to make sure the renovations remained true to the original design of the house and had been delighted with the results so far. She was already working with the interior designers, tracking down furniture and other pieces to move in once the renovations were complete.

  She took time every day to walk outside, either early morning or late evening, to enjoy the beauty of this place. Autumn was well advanced, and the leaves were beginning to fall. This morning, she stood in the cool crisp air, a light jacket around her as she watched the sun begin to rise, and the mist that hovered over the ground started to dissipate. He’d be home soon. She saw Luciano is the distance. He had a field of migrant workers, harvesting the last grapes of the season, already hard at work. She turned and went back inside the house. It felt chilly even inside now. She’d have the workers check the heating system, it was probably old and would need replacing, and would need to be moved up on the priority list.

  She headed up the stairs to their bedroom, temporarily furnished with all the things from her condo, a room that was far too feminine for Shade. But he’d been good-natured about her removal of the prison cell decor that had been here before as they both worked around the renovations. As she walked into the room, he teleported in, and she wondered if she’d ever get used to that.

  ***

  Shade made a quick night of training the mercenaries as things were beginning to shape up, but they still had a long way to go for this group to be called warriors. As the nights became longer, the cold settled in and he realized he’d need to break out some heavy-duty leathers soon, including his leather trench and gloves. The nights were becoming far colder than he anticipated, and the thought of her warm body in his arms made him want to be home even more. Bel had been working on the renovations, and every morning, she’d show him what had been done the previous night. She was excited and pleased with the outcome. She had classic good taste, and an appreciation for beautiful things, and seeing the transformation of the house through her eyes was the greatest pleasure for him. She was happy, and she loved being there and that was all he wanted for her.

  Teleporting in, he found her in the bedroom, surrounded by the things she’d brought from her condo. Items he was more familiar with than she’d ever know, but he knew it wouldn’t be long before she transformed this room as well into a space that reflected both of them.

  "Damn if it’s not cold out there! I need to find heavier clothes and something for my head. Is it always this damn cold? Come! I need to be warmed up."

  She laughed. “Lover, this isn’t cold, this is just chilly. It will get much colder than this. Wait till we have snow. Come, hold me, I’ll keep you warm.”

  Wrapping her in his arms, he pulled her to his chest. He’d never tire of how small she was compared to him, but with such a huge heart. "You are cold as well. Let me change and I will make us a fire, si?”

  Quickly running into the bathroom that was almost older than he was, he washed up and changed into a bulky sweater with his jeans. Walking back out, he grabbed her hand and led her down to the first floor of the house where they snuggled together on a large rug thrown in front of the fireplace.

  "Watch this." With just his thoughts, he ignited a small flame inside the stone fireplace and watched it grow as it licked over the wood stacked there until it was blazing, and the heat was rolling off, warming the room. He turned to her nonchalantly, "So tell me about your adventures today."

  Kate looked on in amazement. “How do you do that?”

  “I just will it so, mi amore.”

  He can hear her wondering what other revelations he’d reveal over time. She slid her hands under his sweater, and across his hard-muscled back.

  “The workers have almost completed the staff quarters. I'll start furnishing it soon. Once they finish up there, they’ll focus their attention on this house. It’s moving much quicker than I thought. I'm going to have them look at the heating system, it’s probably ancient, and we should go ahead and replace it.”

  “I leave those decisions to you. Whatever you do will be fine with me.”

  Grinning, he wrapped himself around her and lay back on the rug, feeling the heat roll over them, although he wasn’t so sure all that heat was from the fire burning in the fireplace. Pushing her hair from her face, he stared at her and smiled. "Have I told you how beautiful you are, how much I love what you have done for me? Many women would never do as much."

  He laid her back on the rug as he leaned over her.

  "Oh, I think there’d be a long line of women waiting to do most anything you want. I can't imagine otherwise." She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair.

  “Perhaps, but it would not be for me, only for their gain. A prize to be won, bragging rights, I assure you; gold-diggers, or social
climbers. In Italy, catching Shade Medici would mean taking a big step up the social ladder. Even among the mortals, there are those who seek us out as mere curiosities, to say they have been with a vamp. Believe me, I have used it to my advantage, but that is not love. It is not the same when someone you love gives you their heart because they want your life with them to be something special, to build a home together. My home in Florence is my parents’ home. I inherited it, but I’ve never had a true home, a place where I want to come back to every night, where someone is waiting with love and care for me. I do not take this lightly. You understand that, si?”

  “There are social climbers in the mortal world as well. I’m well aware! I hate to say this about someone I know, but I always felt Rissa was a social climber. In college, she was very much about hanging out with the right people, and the right people being those who came from old money. She was with this Max guy for a while, we didn't see much of him, but he clearly had money. He took her everywhere, bought her things. Then she set her sights on Alec. Of course, I never knew, until recently, that he was a vampire. I mean, I think she really loves him, but I'm pretty sure if he was a poor starving artist, she wouldn’t have given him a second glance. I don't know, lover. It seems a pretty high price to pay. I think you have to follow your heart, and the rest will come, you know? I mean, I could live with you anywhere and be happy.”

  He smiled as she told him about Rissa, and the things she didn’t know about Rissa and Alec would remain unsaid for now. She was still mortal and trying to explain Alec and Rissa’s lifestyle and how their relationship played out behind closed doors was far more than he wished her to know just yet, or ever for that matter. It made him wonder if he should expose her to more of the reality of immortal life, and what it entailed. It wasn’t all money, beauty, and luxury. There was also death and violence and living in a very volatile world.