The Blood Covenant

by Emily Bex

“My lady, is there anything I can do for you?”

  Kate heard the gentle concern in his voice and she knew she could talk to him, but not this night. Her own pain was too great to let it free yet. She reached her hand out to him and he took it in his. “Luca, I just need to be alone. But thank you for checking.” She squeezed his hand to let him know she was okay, and that he could leave.

  He looked at her small hand in his, so white against his dark skin, so fragile, and he felt why master was so protective of her. He released her hand as he stood to leave.

  “I’ll leave you then, but please, if there’s anything you need...”

  He started to leave the room when she spoke. “There is one thing, Luca...one thing I need.”

  “Yes, my lady, anything.”

  “When we’re in this room, when we’re alone, I need you to call me Kate.”

  He dropped his head and closed his eyes. He could already feel master's wrath if he ever heard him address her as such. He knew this was a line he shouldn’t cross, but he couldn’t deny her request. He raised his head and looked at her and spoke her name aloud for the first time, “Kate.”

  She felt his inner turmoil as he struggled with the request, but then he said her name. She mouthed the words "thank you" and then turned her back on him, curling herself into a ball, clinging to the stuffed bear.

  He left the room, wishing he knew how to fix her, and Shade, and how to get the life back in this house.

  ***

  For Shade, it was a very different night. As dawn approached, he was getting ready to head for home. The night had been long, but there was still an intense edginess inside him. There were not enough rogues for him to let loose on, but they were popping up in the strangest places, no rhyme or reason, and he kept running it through his mind. He stayed close to his grid in G-town, in case they moved their activity closer to Alec, but the rogues stayed on the outskirts of the city, slaughtering, draining, and leaving their victims lay in the open. It made no fucking sense to him.

  If they wanted to draw a lot of attention, why not come into the heavily populated areas with a lot of nightlife? He was trying to keep one step ahead of their next strike and it kept his mind in a tangle. He had no fear. They would get them all, the bastards, each one branded with the same Aries tat. This wasn’t a few random rogue attacks that were unrelated, as they earlier thought. This was a well-planned and organized strike and was much bigger than they originally perceived.

  Wrapping up for the night, he swung by the Dead House, got a kill count, and sent them all home. He wasn’t too badly messed up, but he needed a shower and there was blood all over his boots. He teleported home, landing outside the French doors that led into Luca’s suite. He tapped lightly on the door and entered. Luca was awake as usual and painting at his easel and looked up as he entered.

  Shade nodded. “Anything happen here?”

  Luca looked him over. He seemed a bit more relaxed, but there were still underlying signs of his master's frustration. Luca wouldn’t tell him much, he wouldn’t speak of the worry he held for my lady. He felt sure she’d soon emerge from the nursery and not spend her time locked away in that room. No need to add to his master’s burden. Plus he’d keep my lady’s secrets.

  “Nothing happened here, master, everything’s fine. Quiet. Looks like you had some success by your appearance, but I don’t think it would be a great idea to go to your mate looking like that.”

  Shade looked down at himself and decided he was right. “Damn Luca, let me use your shower, that way bel won’t see the clothes or boots, and Gi can get them before she notices, si?”

  Luca nodded. “Whatever you need, master.”

  As Luca shrugged, Shade stripped the bloodied leathers from his body, stepping into the shower stall and allowing the hot water to wash off the night.

  ***

  Kate felt, as much as heard him when he entered the house, and she jumped up from the small bed in the nursery and ran to their bedroom, pulling back the sheets and climbing in. She kicked at the blankets to make the bed look tumbled and slept in. She never wanted him to see her hiding in the nursery. It was where she went to feel the pain, and he had enough of his own pain to carry around.

  Quietly making his way to their bedroom, he felt better, the hell of the night washed away, his hair still wet. Shade walked in and found her asleep. She looked better, but he didn’t feel any better about her condition. Already naked, he dropped the towel and climbed in beside her. It was impossible to slip unnoticed into any bed at his size, he was no small vampire and the bed always sank when he climbed in, but he had come to like it. It always made her roll toward him. He pulled her into him, as his hands caressed those crimson locks he adored and closed his eyes. “I am home, mi amore, right here with you.”

  She kissed his chest as she nuzzled into him. “Lover…I missed you,” she whispered to him.

  Smiling softly, his heart took a small leap that she was recovering. At least she was talking to him, and just feeling her closeness to him made him feel better. He needed this so desperately, to have her in his arms, feel her, and protect her. “I missed you too, but things are beginning to stir in D.C. and I needed to be out there, it is my job. But as I have promised, I will always come home to you, my bel rosso.”

  She listened to his voice with her head on his chest, felt the vibrations of his deep tone, and it struck right to her heart. She loved him with every cell of her being. “I understand. I hate when you’re away, and I worry...but I understand.”

  She reached up and stroked his cheek with her hand. “I love you, Shade. I feel like I haven't said that enough lately. So much...too much...” She couldn’t finish the sentence, she wasn’t ready to talk to him about all that had happened, and she wouldn’t burden him further. “Lover, just know what’s in my heart.”

  As her hand stroked his cheek, he wanted to curl inside her, fill her void, make her whole again, but he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t fix all the hell she was going through, and it broke him all over again.

  “I know what is in your heart, because I hold it within my own, and nothing will tear me from you or you from me. Just remember, this love is for eternity, and I never take that lightly. Bel...”

  He wanted to tell her there would be more babies, but he knew however many children they had, they couldn’t replace one child with another. “I love you, and if you can possibly say it to me before I walk out that door each night, it gives me a thousand times more strength, because I fight to return to you.”

  It broke her heart that she hadn’t said those words to him last night. She raised herself up and looked into his eyes. “Lover, you’ll never leave this house again without hearing those words. I’m so sorry. I’ve felt so broken, and you’ve protected me from it all. I’ve felt so disconnected when I was sick, lost in the darkness...and afterwards.”

  She felt her eyes burn with tears that wanted to fall, but she wouldn’t let him see her cry again. She closed her eyes and kissed his sweet mouth, before tucking her head into his neck. “I love you more than life.”

  “It is okay, I know you hurt, it will pass with time. But this was my bambino as well. We must push through it. We will fight this together, if we do not, we each lose the other and by fucking hell, I will never lose you! Now sleep, I am tired, I am here, I love you, nothing will touch you, and when I come home tomorrow night, you will feed. It will make you feel better. We will fight, we will win, and in the end, our love will conquer.”

  She clung to him as she heard his words. She wouldn’t drag him down. And she couldn’t lose him. Losing the baby was her worst hell, but losing Shade, it was unthinkable. A pain she could never bear.

  “Yes, lover…sleep.” Her head on his chest, cradled in his arms, she felt him slip into his death slumber.

  90

  Kate felt his absence as he teleported from the house. It felt like more than she could bear, and yet, she knew this was how he’d deal with his own pain. He was a warrior, and
heaven help anything in his path. But where did she put all of her pain? She couldn’t lay it at his feet, she couldn’t. She curled up on their bed, and drifted into a light sleep when she was awakened by the sound of a baby's cry. She sat upright and slipped from their bed, walking into the nursery. The crib was empty. She ran her hand across the sheets as the tears fell. Oh, my little warrior...I’m so sorry...I failed you.

  She walked through the room, touching the things that were to have been his; his bed, his dresser, his toys, his books, his clothes. She felt her soul shattering into a million pieces, and she wondered if she could put it all back together again. She walked to the nanny's bed and lay down, letting the tears flow, as she clutched a soft teddy bear to her chest.

  Luca could hear my lady moving about upstairs. She hadn’t come downstairs since master brought her back from California. He walked up the stairs to check on her. The bedroom door was open, and he stepped lightly into the room, but she wasn’t there. He turned to walk down the hall when he caught a glimpse of her in the nursery. He stood in the doorway and watched as she lay on the small twin bed she had set up for Theresa, clutching a stuffed toy as silent tears fell down her cheeks. He took a deep breath and wondered if he should even interrupt her. He was much better equipped to deal with Shade's anger than my lady's sorrow. She seemed completely unaware of his presence. He stepped into the room and she turned her head toward him, and he was confronted with her pain filled eyes. He walked to the chair by the bed and sat next to her.

  “My lady, is there anything I can do for you?”

  Kate heard the gentle concern in his voice and she knew she could talk to him, but not this night. Her own pain was too great to let it free yet. She reached her hand out to him and he took it in his. “Luca, I just need to be alone. But thank you for checking.” She squeezed his hand to let him know she was okay, and that he could leave.

  He looked at her small hand in his, so white against his dark skin, so fragile, and he felt why master was so protective of her. He released her hand as he stood to leave.

  “I’ll leave you then, but please, if there’s anything you need...” He started to leave the room when she spoke.

  “There is one thing, Luca....One thing I need.”

  “Yes, my lady, anything.”

  “When we’re in this room, when we’re alone, I need you to call me Kate.”

  He dropped his head and closed his eyes. He could already feel master's wrath if he ever heard him address her as such. He knew this was a line he shouldn’t cross, but he couldn’t deny her request. He raised his head and looked at her and spoke her name aloud for the first time. “Kate.”

  She felt his inner turmoil as he struggled with the request, but then he said her name. She mouthed the words "thank you" and then turned her back on him, curling herself into a ball, clinging to the stuffed bear.

  He left the room, wishing he knew how to fix her, and Shade, and how to get the life back in this house.

  ***

  For Shade, it was a very different night. As dawn approached, he was getting ready to head for home. The night had been long, but there was still an intense edginess inside him. There were not enough rogues for him to let loose on, but they were popping up in the strangest places, no rhyme or reason, and he kept running it through his mind. He stayed close to his grid in G-town, in case they moved their activity closer to Alec, but the rogues stayed on the outskirts of the city, slaughtering, draining, and leaving their victims lay in the open. It made no fucking sense to him.

  If they wanted to draw a lot of attention, why not come into the heavily populated areas with a lot of nightlife? He was trying to keep one step ahead of their next strike and it kept his mind in a tangle. He had no fear. They would get them all, the bastards, each one branded with the same Aries tat. This wasn’t a few random rogue attacks that were unrelated as they had earlier thought. This was a well-planned and organized strike and was much bigger than they originally perceived.

  Wrapping up for the night, he swung by the Dead House, got a kill count, and sent them all home. He wasn’t too badly messed up, but he needed a shower and there was blood all over his boots. He teleported home, landing outside the French doors that led into Luca’s suite. He tapped lightly on the door and entered. Luca was awake as usual and painting at his easel and looked up as he entered.

  Shade nodded. “Anything happen here?”

  Luca looked him over. He seemed a bit more relaxed, but there were still underlying signs of his master's frustration. Luca wouldn’t tell him much, he wouldn’t speak of the worry he held for my lady. He felt sure she’d soon emerge from the nursery and not spend her time locked away in that room. No need to add to his master’s burden. Plus he’d keep my lady’s secrets.

  “Nothing happened here, master, everything’s fine. Quiet. Looks like you had some success by your appearance, but I don’t think it would be a great idea to go to your mate looking like that.”

  Shade looked down at himself and decided he was right. “Damn Luca, let me use your shower, that way bel won’t see the clothes or boots, and Gi can get them before she notices, si?”

  Luca nodded. “Whatever you need, master.”

  As Luca shrugged, Shade stripped the bloodied leathers from his body, stepping into the shower stall and allowing the hot water to wash off the night.

  ***

  Kate felt, as much as heard, him when he entered the house, and she jumped up from the small bed in the nursery and ran to their bedroom, pulling back the sheets and climbing in. She kicked at the blankets to make the bed look tumbled and slept in. She never wanted him to see her hiding in the nursery. It was where she went to feel the pain, and he had enough of his own pain to carry around.

  Quietly making his way to their bedroom, he felt better, the hell of the night washed away, his hair still wet. Shade walked in and found her asleep. She looked better, but he didn’t feel any better about her condition. Already naked, he dropped the towel and climbed in beside her. It was impossible to slip unnoticed into any bed at his size, he was no small vampire and the bed always sank when he climbed in, but he had come to like it as it always made her roll toward him. He pulled her into him, as his hands caressed those crimson locks he adored and closed his eyes.

  “I am home, mi amore, right here with you.”

  She kissed his chest as she nuzzled into him. “Lover… I missed you,” she whispers to him.

  Smiling softly, his heart took a small leap that she was recovering. At least she was talking to him, and just feeling her closeness to him made him feel better. He needed this so desperately, to have her in his arms, feel her, and protect her.

  “I missed you too, but things are beginning to stir in D.C. and I needed to be out there, it is my job. But as I have promised, I will always come home to you, my bel rosso.”

  She listened to his voice with her head on his chest, felt the vibrations of his deep tone, and it struck right to her heart. She loved him with every cell of her being. “I understand. I hate when you’re away, and I worry...but I understand.”

  She reached up and stroked his cheek with her hand. “I love you, Shade. I feel like I haven't said that enough lately...So much...Too much...” She couldn’t finish the sentence, she wasn’t ready to talk to him about all that had happened, and she wouldn’t burden him further. “Lover, just know what’s in my heart.”

  As her hand stroked his cheek, he wanted to curl inside her, fill her void, make her whole again, but he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t fix all the hell she was going through, and it broke him all over again.

  “I know what is in your heart, because I hold it within my own, and nothing will tear me from you or you from me. Just remember this love is for eternity, and I never take that lightly. Bel...”

  He wanted to tell her there would be more babies, but he knew however many children they had, they couldn’t replace one child with another. “I love you, and if you can possibly say it to me before I walk out that door eac
h night, it gives me a thousand times more strength, because I fight to return to you.”

  It broke her heart that she hadn’t said those words to him last night. She raised herself up and looked into his eyes. “Lover, you’ll never leave this house again without hearing those words. I’m so sorry. I’ve felt so broken, and you’ve protected me from it all. I’ve felt so disconnected when I was sick, lost in the darkness...and afterwards.”

  She felt her eyes burn with tears that wanted to fall, but she wouldn’t let him see her cry again. She closed her eyes and kissed his sweet mouth, before tucking her head into his neck. “I love you more than life.”

  “It is okay, I know you hurt, it will pass with time. But this was my bambino as well. We must push through it. We will fight this together, if we do not, we each lose the other and by fucking hell, I will never lose you! Now sleep, I am tired, I am here, I love you, nothing will touch you, and when I come home tomorrow night, you will feed. It will make you feel better. We will fight, we will win, and in the end, our love will conquer.”

  She clung to him as she heard his words. She wouldn’t drag him down. And she couldn’t lose him. Losing the baby was her worst hell, but losing Shade, it was unthinkable. A pain she could never bear.

  “Yes, lover… sleep.” Her head on his chest, cradled in his arms, she felt him slip into his death slumber.

  91

  Rissa kept looking over her shoulder. She was used to the photographers, although they seemed to cling to Alec more than her. Tonight, as she did her socializing without him, they were following her. Her gut was telling her something wasn’t right, and she had learned to trust her instincts. She was used to their celebrity status in this town. They worked hard to craft their reputation, and it was a part of who they were. She and Alec were the darling couple of Washington politics, and many eyes were always upon them, so she tended to not pay much attention to the cameras and phones pointed in their direction. Hell, she worked it to their advantage, always doing the right thing, wearing the right thing, and saying the right thing. Her vampire ran this damn town and before long, the whole world would know his name, and hers.