The Blood Covenant

by Emily Bex

  “Lover, I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I’m hungry again. Can we unpack and order room service? It must be the pregnancy, I’m never this hungry. But I’ll need my energy for all the things I want to share with you. I made a list of places to show you. I hope you aren't going to be bored.”

  He laughed to himself, glad to see her appetite returned. “Order whatever you wish from room service, and you could also order some Medici Midnight for me. I know they have it stocked here for me. And once you are done eating, we shall head out for our tour.”

  The bellman delivered their room service, and Shade sipped at the wine, allowing it to tame his hunger for her while Kate devoured the light dinner and the hot, rich coffee.

  ***

  Back in Virginia, Rissa had only a few appointments for the day as she wrapped up her schedule with a meeting for a catering service. Thinking about the plan for Shade and Kate, she decided to give Kate a call on her cell, making sure she was taking those pills and to make arrangements to come meet her at their house. It was time to introduce her to Desire.

  After several calls to Kate’s cell, she was getting nothing but her voicemail. Rissa began to wonder what exactly was going on over there. She didn’t like her calls to go unanswered. Finally getting to the car, she decided to call Shade's cell and see if she could get someone on the damn horn. The phone only rang twice when she heard the voice of an elderly gentleman with a thick Italian accent. It must be Shade’s manservant. Rissa couldn’t remember his name, Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum, some damn ridiculous name.

  Asking for Kate, he politely advised her that the master and my lady were in Paris and would not be returning for several days. Thanking him, Rissa hung up, her blood already boiling. In Paris? What in the hell are they up too? Damn it, you foolish bitch, you should be taking the pills by now.

  Slamming her hand down on the steering wheel, her temperature was rising. This may only hold up her plans for a few days, but a few days were like months to Alec. Damn you Kate, you will pay for this!

  69

  Shocking him with her appetite, Kate finished eating. She was so petite, and yet, she had wolfed down that food as if she hadn’t eaten in days. Shade sat back sipping his Midnight, watching her eat. “So, if your tummy is now full, are you ready to start this tour?”

  She knew they only had a few short hours of darkness to tour the city, but this was the City of Lights, and Paris was as beautiful at night as it was during the day.

  “I am ready, lover, whenever you are.”

  He smiled and kissed her softly. “Come, let us leave now, for we have much to see. Where shall we go first? It is your choice. This city lies at your feet, yours for the taking.”

  “I’d thought originally of just walking, but there’s so much to see, your driver said he’d take us from place to place, so we’ll drive some, and walk some, and kiss under the stars some, oui?”

  “Oui! Lead the way, minx.”

  They walked together down to the lobby, and Kate watched as the hotel staff nodded and deferred to him. Dante had the car waiting outside the hotel entrance. The doorman rushed to open the hotel entrance door, while Dante held the car door open for them, and they headed off into the Paris night. Kate asked the driver to take them down the Champs Elysees.

  Kate was giddy with excitement to be back in her favorite city. “This is the widest street in Paris. There are seven roads that lead to the Arch de Triumph. If we were here during the day, this street would be teeming with people. Even now, you can see how many people are still walking about.”

  Kate turned to address Dante, “Please take us to the Pont Royal Bridge on the left bank, and let us out there, Dante.”

  "Yes, my lady." Dante expertly navigated the Paris traffic, heavy at all hours. He pulled up to one of the many bridges that cross the Seine and stopped the car, exited, and opened the door for them. As they climbed out of the car, she put her arm in his and asked him to walk with her across this bridge.

  “This is one of many bridges in this city, all beautiful and each with its own rich history. Walk with me across the bridge. ”

  He let her take the lead, guiding him across the bridge. “Bel, which bridge is your favorite?”

  “Pont Alexandre is my favorite. I just love the beauty of that bridge. I love all the architecture of Paris. The architects and craftsmen weren’t content to build something that was just functional, but to create a piece of art, and it has stood through the centuries. Napoleon crossed this bridge. Marie Antoinette crossed this bridge. It has seen such history! And speaking of art and history, this bridge leads to the Louvre, one of the largest art museums in the world. It used to be a royal palace. Your mortal ancestor, Catherine de Medici, lived there briefly. She played a big role in the architectural development of this city during the French Renaissance after she married into the Valois family. She brought the best of both French and Italian design. You could spend weeks inside the Louvre and never see everything. Isn't it magnificent? It takes up two city blocks.” They crossed the busy street and walked into the courtyard behind the Louvre.

  He relished in her joy in being alive and it made his heart explode with happiness to share this time with her. He looked at her, the lights of the city reflected on her face.

  “Nothing in this city can compare to the beauty of you.” Bending down, his hand slid along her cheek, and then he kissed her.

  She was engulfed in his arms as they stood inside the courtyard of the Louvre, in the glow of the light from the glass pyramid. After all, Paris wasn’t just the city of lights, but the city of love. “Lover, we’ll never finish this tour by sunrise if we get too distracted. Can you do that thing you do, and summon Dante to meet us outside the Louvre, please?”

  Shade took a deep bow. “As you wish.” “Dante, hustle your ass man, my beauty needs a lift, pronto, outside the Louvre!”

  Dante pulled the car up to the curb and they climbed into the back seat once more. “Dante, could you go back across the bridge and take us to Notre Dame, please.”

  As Dante crossed yet another bridge, he took them to the Ile de la Cite, the island in the middle of the Seine where the cathedral was built. “Look at it Shade. This cathedral was built in the Fourteenth Century. I mean, look at the majesty of this building. They didn’t have heavy equipment, it was all manpower. Look at the artistry of the stonework. I doubt it could even be replicated today. To think a man would dedicate his life to creating this building, knowing he’d never live to see the completed project and would have to rely on a second and third generation of stonemasons. I’m just in awe of it!”

  They walked through the cathedral, speaking in whispers, as solitary worshippers were scattered throughout the great cathedral, kneeling in prayer, while others offered up prayers as they lit a candle. She took his hand and led him outside into the night, and back to the car.

  Kate leaned forward to Dante and whispered, “Eiffel Tower please, and we’ll get out for a while.”

  Dante continued to drive along the road that ran parallel to the Seine. As he pulled up near the iconic image so many associate with the city of Paris, the plaza was lit and the Eiffel Tower glowed with lights.

  “Lover, this tower was built for the World’s Fair in the Eighteenth Century, and the city hated it. They wanted it torn down as soon as the World's Fair was over. But it has remained and is now the image most people associate with the city.”

  Dante opened the door for them and they exited onto the plaza, surrounded by other lovers enjoying this night in Paris. Shade opened the door and took her hand.

  “Come please, I wish to enjoy this night with you in my arms.”

  He led her away from the crowd and into a secluded side street where no one could see them.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Close your eyes, bel.”

  As she did so, he teleported them up into the clear night sky of Paris and landed atop a beautiful old building. Still holding her in his arms, he said, “Open you
r eyes.”

  She opened her eyes, her arms still around his neck and glanced at the tower.

  “Si, you are not dreaming. You have an unobstructed view from the rooftops of Paris. And for me, all I ever wanted is within my arms. I want you to remember this night. Now, kiss your vampire as you should under the moonlit sky in Paris.”

  She held him tighter and closed her lips over his, tasting him, inhaling him, and felt his hands with their firm grip on her rear.

  “Shade, I’ll remember this night for all eternity.”

  He teleported them unnoticed back into the crowd and set her down as they walked around the plaza, taking the elevator to the top of the tower and looking out across this beautiful city, feeling the cold crisp night air, and the clear skies above them. He slipped his sports coat around her shoulders and pulled her closer to keep her warm. In time, they returned to the car, and climbed into the back seat.

  Kate asked Dante to drive into Montmartre. They left the tower and crossed the river again, heading to the outskirts of downtown.

  “This section of Paris can be rather shabby to some, but I love it! This is where the artists throughout history lived and worked, and they still do today. Renoir, Picasso, Van Gogh, Matisse, and so many others, they lived here and their art was inspired by their surroundings, not unlike how the artists were drawn to Florence during the Renaissance. During the day, there’s always a huge artist colony here displaying their work. On the hill, that white cathedral, that is La Sacre Cour, or The Sacred Heart. Isn't it beautiful?”

  “It is beautiful in the night lights, bel”.

  Kate asked Dante to let them out of the car, so they could walk down the steps in Montmartre. As they exited the car and he took her hand, she led him to the steps that ran beside the great cathedral.

  “Come with me down the steps, aren't they beautiful? Down here, at the base of the steps is where the artists set up during the day, hundreds of them. You can find anything to your taste.”

  She held his hand as she tried to drag him down the steps of Montmartre. “Follow me, and have Dante follow us in the car. I’m going to take you to the underbelly of Paris now, down some dark alleys to the Moulin Rouge. Come on, we’re going inside.”

  The music was blaring as they entered the infamous Moulin Rouge, and even today, it drew an eclectic crowd from the Paris underground. They were seated at a table near the stage of the famous cabaret performers. As the elaborately costumed dancers performed, the audience drank freely. She felt such exhilaration at the loud music and the energy of the crowd. She wished she had him all to herself like this all the time.

  The celebration lasted long into the night, and Shade could feel the pull of the sun. “Come, mi amore, we must move. We have little time before sunrise.”

  He took her hand as they left the famous club and found Dante in the car on the narrow street outside. They slipped into the back seat and Kate leaned forward and whispered to Dante the instructions for their last stop. As he drove the car through the streets of Paris in the hours just before sunrise, he took them to the famous Pont des Arts, which had become known as ‘The Lover’s Bridge.’ He stopped the car to allow them to exit.

  “Look, Shade. The bridge is literally covered in padlocks. This is called The Lover’s Bridge, and people come here from all over the world to place a lock on the bridge to ensure they will be bound together for all time.”

  She extended her hand and showed him a heart-shaped lock she had brought with her, and together, they walked to the bridge and placed their own lock among the thousands. As the lock clicked into place, they stood, and she tossed the key off the bridge and into the river Seine. She turned to him and he enfolded her in his arms for a kiss.

  On cue, Dante went to the trunk of the car and released the red heart-shaped balloons into the early morning sky, which was turning pink on the horizon from the rising sun. They watched together as the balloons floated skyward and across the city of Paris.

  She took his hand in hers and kissed the back of his hand. “I have one more thing, a ring for you, made of titanium, strong like my warrior, and unbreakable like our love.”

  As he looked down, she placed the ring on his finger. Her words took his breath away. He took her hand inside both of his and kissed it.

  He didn’t want this night to end, but he cringed a bit as he felt the heat from the rising sun burn his skin, warning him to take cover and his heart ached. He wanted to stay here forever with her, walk the streets in daylight, and never leave.

  “Kate, I love you so much, this means so much to me, but I have no… Damn it, we need to go, the sun, mi amore.”

  Shade told Dante to drive back to the hotel, they were teleporting, and he’d run out of time. Cuddling her in his arms, he whispered softly, “It is okay. I am not hurt, but we have to go now.”

  As they teleported directly into their hotel suite, he sat her down on the bed as his hands slowly stroked her face before sliding through her hair.

  “Thank you for this night. I love you so damn much.”

  70

  Shade had her safely back in their hotel suite at the Ritz, the heavy black-out drapes pulled against the sun. He’d fight the pull of his death slumber to stay with her longer. “Are you hungry? Tell me what you need.”

  “I want you, lover. I want to make love to you. Put that ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door, and climb into this bed with me, that’s how I want this adventure to end.”

  He smiled wickedly as he walked toward her. He began to strip, sending his shoes and socks in one direction, and dropping his shirt to the floor in the darkened room

  He knew this would be the last time he’d allow himself to feed from her during this pregnancy. His hands at his waistband, he hastily removed his jeans.

  He moved to the foot of the bed and grabbed her ankles, pulling her to him. He removed the delicate shoes from her feet, tossing them carelessly aside.

  Her rose scent surrounded him, making him ache to have her, to take her here and now. He crawled onto the bed beside her.

  His hunger screamed and he could barely breathe. Helping her to sit upright, he removed her dress with shaking hands. She was the only female to ever make him quiver with desire. He flung her dress to the floor, his head nuzzled into her neck, licking her vein and feeling her pulse beating strong and fast. Pushing her slowly back down on the bed, he ran his hand the length of her legs, starting at her ankles. His hands were roughened from being a warrior, and her skin was soft as silk, smooth as satin, and white as snow. He looked at her face as she lay across the pillows, her crimson spread out in a fan beneath her. Her moans were barely a whisper and yet, so erotic in how they communicated her need.

  He pulled a rose from the vase by the bed, and slid the petals over the lacey edge of her silken panties and watched as she arched her hips in need. Dragging the rose along her tummy, he made circles around where the baby grew inside her. He leaned down, kissing her there. He slid the red rose up to her breasts as they protruded over her bra, noticing her beautiful white skin in contrast to the deep red petals. Laying the rose between her breasts, he growled, “Mine!”

  He knelt between her legs. His growl was primal. Her body lay open to him, like a rose opening its petals to the sun. He nuzzled his nose into her panties, licking across them, sucking the panties and the soft petals of her sex into his mouth, tasting her honey and it drove him out of his mind. He felt his fangs punch through as he slid them beneath the narrow band of her panties, and with a single bite, cut through the delicate silk. Tossing the panties aside, he slid his hands under her ass and squeezed tight, lifting her to his mouth and sliding his tongue along that sweet heaven to her clit and sucking hard, feeling her body scream with need and passion. He felt her hands grip his curls and pull at him, trying to pull him closer. Driving his tongue deep into her, he stroked her with his tongue as she rode his mouth, and he gripped her hips, pulling her tighter against his lips. “Cum, give me your honey, cum!”


  She arched her back as her moan turned to a strangled whisper. She gasped for air and was reduced to a long-extended moan as the orgasm gradually faded.

  He nipped softly at her inner thigh, and felt her body tremble with the sensation. In a single motion he turned her over on her tummy, giving her no rest.

  His tongue glided along the curve of her back, starting at her hips and making his way up to her neck. He lifted her body upward until she was on all fours, just where he wanted her.

  Sliding his cock along her sweet sex, he teased her with his hardened steel. Holding his erection in his hand, he circled around her sex, inserting the head of his dick and pulling back out again. He nuzzled into her crimson hair, nipping at her neck, her ears. Sliding one hand under her tummy to steady her, he leaned back and slapped her ass cheeks, creating that sweet sting, as the beast growled deep in his throat. He wanted to cum inside her. He wanted to take her blood.

  The beast wanted control, but Shade was still mindful of her condition. Pushing her head down to the pillows, her ass high in the air, he used his knees to push her knees further apart. He massaged her back, as he slowly slid his hands from her shoulders, back to her hips, before he started to explore between her legs, teasing and coating his fingers in the sweet honey. With his free hand he gripped a handful of her hair, and lifted her head up as he laid his body over hers, and kissed her hard on the mouth. Kneeling upright behind her, he guided his cock home as he responded to her moans. He moved slowly, seductively, as he felt her passion build.

  He felt her hand between her legs, stroking her sex, and teasing his cock, cupping his balls, as his body began to shake and he threw back his head and growled. Leaning over her, he sank his fangs deep into the soft flesh of her neck as he thrust even deeper and came like a volcano inside her, feeling the spasms around his prick being squeezed tight as he felt her cum again. His mouth drew hard, drinking deep and loving the taste of her, as she took him to another place.