The Blood Covenant

by Emily Bex

  Shade felt her let go of the pain inside, and knew she was going to be all right now. This was what he’d been waiting for, that break in the dam. He knew she’d been holding it all inside, and now he can help her. Pulling her into his lap, he laid his head on top of hers as they sat in the middle of this garden, facing the one thing they both had forgotten, they were a family forever, including this little one.

  “Kate, I know this is something we will never completely get over. But we move forward, for our sleeping warrior. He would not want either of us to be in so much pain. He was part of both of us. We have a place now, to come and visit him, and I promise, as the months go by, the pain will ease. And when you hold our next bambino in your arms, he too, will know his brother rests with him inside his heart, as he does yours and mine. I love you. We will be fine, mi amore, it is normal for us to grieve.”

  Kate clung to him like a drowning woman as his words washed over her, and her tears fell like rain, healing her...healing them. They’d be okay. She felt all the broken pieces coming back together, slipping into place. She felt whole again, but more importantly, they felt whole again. The sun was starting to rise as the sky turned pink and the fog began to lift, and she knew they must leave here for now, but grateful, so grateful, for this family, and for him.

  Rising with her in his arms, Shade willed forth a rose. “It is just a bud, almost bloomed, like our sleeping warrior. The morning dew will settle upon the petals, as if it weeps. Let the rose weep for us now, mi amore. Let it weep and let us be done with our tears of grief. Let us lay it here for him, our sleeping warrior, so he knows we will miss him always. And when the time comes, we will plant red roses, and we will watch, as the years pass, how they grow, si?”

  Grasping the rose in their hands, together they lay it on his grave marker. He picked her up in his arms and carried her back to the house. It was a new start, a better start for bel rosso and her savage lover. Eternity waited.

  96

  As Shade arrived with her back inside the house, he carried her upstairs to their bedroom. The sun was breaking through and they heard the whir of the electronic blinds as they lowered to block the light, leaving the room in darkness. Kate heard him strip the leathers from his skin. She dropped her own clothes to the floor, and they both climbed into their bed. She slid against him and felt his arms embrace her, as she laid her head on his chest. She felt his kiss on the top of her head, as he whispered, "Ti amo." She felt his hands gently caress her hair. She was at peace, and she felt his calm. This was how it should be. His words replayed in her head, and yes, she knew there would be other babies to hold, to love. She felt the rhythm of his breathing change as he slipped into his death slumber, and she fell asleep beside him.

  The day passed into night, and she felt him stirring beside her as he awoke and headed for the shower. She turned on the light by the bed and propped her pillows against the headboard and watched him as he returned to the room wearing only a towel, his hair hanging loose and wet around his face. My beautiful vampire.

  He dropped the towel and started to put on fresh leathers. "I can feel you watching me, mi amore."

  “Can you, lover? And can you also hear what I’m thinking?”

  "Si. And you are too much of a distraction right now."

  He walked to the bed and sat down next to her, wearing the leather pants, feet, and chest still bare, and leaned in to kiss her. "I must go, so no tempting me, please."

  She reached her hand up and ran it through his damp hair, and let her fingers caress his neck, before leaning in and licking him in the middle of his chest, running her tongue up to his chin. “And what fun would that be? Not tempting you?”

  She watched as he dropped his head back and moaned, before shouting, "Cazzo!" Standing quickly, stepping back from the bed with a chuckle. "It looks like my little minx is back."

  “Oh, she’s back...and she'll be waiting for you.” She watched him as he finished dressing.

  "Si. I have no doubt. Now behave yourself and kiss your savage lover goodbye."

  She kissed him, and watched as he left the room, pausing briefly at the door, their eyes locked on each other. “I love you, Shade.”

  "Ti amo, bel."

  She heard him head down the stairs and into the bunker. She could feel him as he left. She slid from the bed and got dressed. Leaving their bedroom to go downstairs, feeling hungry. She passed the closed door of the nursery and stopped and stared at the door. Her brain was screaming, Don't go in. But her heart...it was pulling at her once more. She reached for the door knob, gripped it tightly in her hand and leaned her head against the door.

  She could feel the pull of the darkness, like a hand reaching out, slipping beneath the door, pulling, inviting, and calling to her. Did she hear the baby cry? She was startled by the firm touch of hands on her shoulders, and she gasped as she looked up to see Luca standing behind her.

  Luca gently pulled her from the door. “Don't, Kate. Let go of the door. Come downstairs.”

  She let go of the doorknob and stepped back, but she knew this was a battle she’d fight every day as long as the nursery remained.

  “Luca, I can't walk past this room every day. I can't look at it and not have all the emotions come back, and the dreams of him growing up in this room. It has to go. It all has to go!”

  He responded, “Don't worry about that. I’ll have Gi take care of it. He can have everything returned. It’s not a problem.”

  Kate felt her agitation grow. “No! No, I can't have another baby use his things. These were his things.” The tears started to flow again. “Don’t you understand? That is his crib. His!”

  Her raised voice drew the attention of Gi and Theresa, and she looked up to see them both coming up the stairs.

  “No...I have to…it has to all be destroyed. It has to be burned, Luca. All of it.”

  Luca knew this was her last hurdle. They watched her healing at the baby's grave yesterday, and they saw her take Shade to visit the baby as soon as he got in. If burning it all to the ground was what it took, then he’d make it happen. He looked at Gi and nodded. “Are you sure, Kate? Is there anything you want to keep?”

  In a trembling voice, she answered, “The bear...I want the bear. Burn everything else.”

  Luca opened the door and she stepped inside, looking around the room one last time and then picked up the stuffed bear that she had clung to on the bed.

  “Now leave the room, Kate. Go with Theresa. Theresa, send up Reynaldo. We’ll empty everything into the back lot, and when it’s empty, we’ll come get you.”

  Kate felt Theresa take her hand. She led Kate down the stairs, away from the nursery. She sent Reynaldo upstairs, and continued to lead her out of the house and into her private quarters. Theresa headed back to the main house and returned with a tray of hot tea and buttered toast.

  "Eat, my lady, you need to eat something. They will let us know when they are ready."

  Kate thought it would be hours, but in a short period of time, Luca was standing at the door, his hand extended, letting her know they were ready. She stood and took his hand and let him lead her to an obscure section of their property, where they had stacked everything; furniture, toys, books, and clothes, into a huge pile.

  Luca watched her face as he led her to the pile of belongings, looking for any signs of remorse, any sign that she wanted to turn back, but he saw nothing but determination in her eyes. They all approached the huge pile as he continued to hold her hand. “Are you sure, Kate? Are you sure this is what you want?”

  She nodded her head once, and softly said the word, “Yes.”

  He nodded at Gi, who poured gasoline onto the items, and then Luca pulled a lighter from his pocket. He held the lighter out to her and asked, "You or me?"

  Kate looked down at his hand and saw the lighter, and answered him, "Me."

  She took the lighter from his hand and walked to the pile. She could smell the gasoline. She stuck the lighter and held it to a pile of books
and watched as the flames immediately ignited in a whoosh and spread quickly across the path of the gasoline. She stepped back from the flames, feeling the heat on her face as Luca slipped his arm around her. It was the same protective way that Shade put his arm around her shoulder.

  They stood together, Gi, Reynaldo, Theresa, Luca, and Kate, as they watched the flames lick high into the sky, watching the burning embers catch the wind and float away, heard the hiss and crackle of the flames, and the pile of everything that was to be her baby's slowly disappeared. There were no tears. She felt the burden being lifted from her, the weight of all that pain being carried away in the flames. They stood together until the pile was reduced to nothing but ash and glowing embers. As they turned to walk back to the house, she walked slowly, holding onto Luca's hand, allowing the others to walk ahead.

  “I need one more thing, Luca.”

  He stopped walking and turned to face her. “Whatever you need, Kate.”

  She swallowed hard. She knew she was asking too much. She knew she was putting him in a position where if he gave her what she asked for, he would be going against Shade's instruction. But she knew this was what she needed.

  “I want you to teach me to fight, like a warrior.”

  He dropped her hand and took one step back from her. He hadn’t seen this coming. But there were images flashing through his head, of master, unleashing his own anger on the rogues over the loss of this baby, and he knew she must feel some of that same anger. He saw her as she threw herself at the feeder, with no thought of her own safety. And he heard her words, Warriors are born, not trained.

  He knew Shade would be angry, hell, more than angry, if... No, not if, when he found out. He looked down at his feet and shook his head, because he couldn’t believe the words that were about to come out of his mouth. He took her hand again and started walking back toward the house as he answered her, “I will teach you to fight.”

  Sample of Book 2

  The Turning

  Book Two in the Medici Warrior Series

  Rissa has made an appointment to meet with a competitor at noon. They occasionally worked together on large projects, although technically, she was a rival to her business, taking more middle-class clientele than Rissa did. She had called and wanted to speak with Rissa about a specific florist she used on a regular basis. Rissa didn’t normally share information on her business, but she knows the client and knows they could not possibly afford her services, so she thinks she will throw her competitor a bone. Besides, she is feeling generous. She is still basking in the glow of Alec’s approval of the role she played in Shade and Kate’s loss of that half-breed thing she was carrying around.

  Rissa doesn’t deal with the middle-class if she can help it. She is above that now. Her business has grown leaps and bounds, and she is determined to keep it there as the event planner for the elite. One false move in this town could wreak havoc with her reputation and put her on the blacklist, so every client is screened and chosen to meet her select criteria. Driving up to her friend’s business, she feels a little nervous, the Capital Hill district has some great attractions, like the Eastern Market, but it is not the upscale neighborhood of G-town.

  As the meeting progresses, her rival is most appreciative, but then everyone is when they need her. All in all, it is entertaining to see how she operates and to intimidate her as much as she can. Rissa wraps up the meeting as soon as possible. She has a huge gala for the foundation tonight, and she wants to get home and relax before the event. It is a huge event she and Alec attend every year, and all the right people will be there.

  Excusing herself to use the restroom before leaving, she freshens her make-up, says her goodbyes and leaves. Eager to get back on familiar turf, she hurries to her car, throws her designer tote bag on the seat next to her and notices a scrolled note lying on the passenger seat. What in the hell is this? Picking up the note, she unrolls it and begins to read…

  ‘Rissie,

  My angel, I let you go once.

  It is not a mistake I will

  make twice.

  Max’

  “Max.” His name is out of her mouth before she can think. Suddenly, her head is spinning, her heart is racing, and her blood begins to pound in her head. She throws her head back on the seat and takes some deep breaths. If Alec ever knew! She has to control this, Alec will feel her, feel her turmoil. What is Max’s purpose? And why now?

  Firing up the engine and putting her foot to the pedal, she speeds out as her thoughts churn in her head, the memories of her and Max, how he smelled, how she felt in his arms, his kiss. Stop it, Rissa! Stop it!

  Slamming on the breaks, she rips the note to shreds and flings it out the window. Max! Why, why, why?

  Taking the longest route home, she stews about this unexpected intrusion and tries to get him out of her head before returning home to Alec. If Alec ever knew…

  End of Sample.

  About the Author

  Emily Bex is an avid life-long reader, and a first time writer of the epic six book Medici Warrior Series. As she says, “Why start small?”

  She worked for over twenty years in marketing, developing ad campaigns, catalogs, product launches and promotional literature. She figured if she could write creatively about products, then surely she could write something about these characters that were rattling around inside her brain.

  She currently lives in Virginia, but has used her extensive love of travel, both foreign and domestic, to create the backdrop for her characters to play out their story.

  Be Sure to Stay Caught Up with the Series Now Available from Foundations Book Publishing!

  Book Two: The Turning

  Immortality beckons.

  Unable to escape crushing grief, Kate needs an outlet to channel her anguish. Turning to Luca, she pleads to be trained to fight like a warrior, but such a thing is in direct violation of Shade's commands.

  If she can get Luca to agree, her training must be done in secret.

  Unfortunately, any training is too little too late. Intent on crushing Shade, the Aries coven is pressing in on him from all sides. Shade's only weakness is Kate, who becomes their perfect bait.

  While Kate has been made stronger, as long as she's mortal, her life is in peril. But going through the turning to become immortal would be a big gamble to her survival.

  So many decisions, too many obstacles. This second installment in a vampire saga will draw you in from the first page to the spellbinding end.

  Book Three: The Medici Queen

  The sexy, powerful King Shade Medici, intends to increase his coven and territories to include the U.S. The new Medici Queen proves she can hold her own beside her king. She carries rare abilities believed extinct by the vampire community. She also possesses something never seen in the vampire world. What will it mean to their kind?

  A male heir must be produced to carry on the Medici line.The royal couple has many new plans in business to advance their hold in the States. Not everyone is happy about it. The sprawling Medici estate is a threat to its neighboring coven, controlled by Max. Their lifestyle is Rissa's greatest envy. Secrets will be revealed, old scores will be settled, and many will fall.

  More to Come! Stay Up to Date by Visiting: WWW.FoundationsBooks.Net!