The Blood Covenant: Book One of The Medici Warrior Series

by Emily Bex

  She runs to the front door of the condo and checks the door. It is locked. The door is locked. No sense. This makes no sense. She leans with her back against the door, running possible scenarios through her mind, Were there any roses in the house? No. Maybe... maybe... There must have been rose petals stuck to her sweater somehow... And when she climbed in the bed, they became dislodged. She looks down at the over-sized sweater and the socks she wore to bed. This is too confusing for this hour.

  She walks back to her bedroom, pulling the sweater off over her head and stripping the socks from her feet as she heads for the shower. She steps beneath the hot water, letting it wash away the confusion, as she scrubs herself with her rose scented body wash, the scent of the roses rising on the hot steam from her shower. The memory slams into her, the feeling of being held by him. Her heart races as she fights to control her emotions. She steps from the shower, wraps a towel around her hair and begins her routine of getting ready for work, letting the memories of that dream tumble around in her head.

  She finishes getting dressed and grabs her laptop case and heads out the door for the Metro station. You are losing your mind, Kate Reese.

  ***

  She is late, as always. She is so not a morning person. Stopping at Starbucks, she grabs her coffee. The barista has her ‘usual’ waiting for her, as she runs in and slides the $5 bill across the counter before running back out the door, and up the street a few buildings. She rushes to her cubicle, trying to slip in un-noticed. As she sits at her desk and starts up her computer, Shannon rolls her chair into her cubicle.

  Shannon gives her a once over. “You're looking a little frazzled this morning. Did you call him? Wait, why am I even asking, of course you didn't call him.”

  She spins her chair around to face Shannon and gives her a smug smile. “No, I didn't call him. He called me.”

  Shannon’s eyes bug out of her head. "What?” She scoots her chair in closer, before whispering in a dramatic voice, “Details!"

  “Last night, I was just reading, and my cell rang. I thought it was you, actually, so I just answered, and it was him.”

  “Okay Kate, when someone says details, they mean details, like he said this, and then you said that. What did he say?”

  “He was very sweet. His voice sounds very sexy on the phone.”

  “Kate, his voice sounds very sexy in person, so of course he sounds sexy on the phone. What did he say?”

  “I thanked him for our dinner and the wine. He asked where I worked. I told him. Said I traveled some in my job and that I had been to Italy. I told him about our trip there, when we stayed in that cottage in the vineyard in Tuscany. He said he was from Florence. That's... about it.”

  “Okay, that is literally the most boring story I've ever heard. Did he ask you out? What? What happened?”

  “Not really... I mean, he said maybe we would have coffee sometime. Or perhaps... he said perhaps we will have coffee sometime. Doesn't sound like a date to me. I don't know, Shannon. This guy is so out of my league, and then this morning? No, never mind.”

  Shannon nods her head. “It could be a date. He's just probing. He’s trying to gauge your response. See if you're interested, or if he's going to get shot down. But what about this morning? Don't start something and then say never mind.”

  Kate is hesitant to share what even she does not understand. “I... this is nothing... just, weird. I had this dream of him, again. He was holding me, and he kissed me and stroked my face with a red rose. And then, this morning, when I woke up... no... It’s nothing. You'll really think I've lost it.”

  “Hate to tell you, but I already think you've lost it. So, what? You woke up, and what?”

  “I woke up... and... there were rose petals in my bed.”

  Shannon just looks at her with her mouth open. "Yeah, you're right. I definitely think you've lost it. Kate, that's impossible. You know that, right? What you're thinking? I mean, I'm sure they were there, like I don't think you were hallucinating or anything. But you don't seriously think they dropped out of your dream or something? Or he was there? Do you think he was actually there?”

  “I thought... maybe he was there. But the door was locked. So no, it couldn’t be. I think the petals may have been stuck to my sweater. Maybe I brushed against someone and they were on my sweater… I don't know, it just freaked me out a little.”

  Shannon nods. “That's got to be it, right? I mean, there is a logical explanation. Don't go all voodoo on me.”

  Drinking her coffee, Kate looks at her over the rim of the cup. She knows Shannon is right. She can’t let her imagination run out of control. As they sit there, the guy from the mailroom comes up.

  “Miss Reese? There's a package for you.” He hands her a large gift box, beautifully wrapped.

  Shannon's eyes are bulging out of her head again. Kate takes the box and notices the small gift card attached under the bow.

  Shannon is bouncing in her chair. “Who's it from? Is there a card? Open the card?”

  Kate slips the small envelope from under the bow and removes the card, reading it out loud. “Such a beautiful woman should own the newest pair of Choo’s. Shade.” She looks up at Shannon and their eyes lock.

  Shannon screams at her, “Well, don’t just sit there. Open it!”

  Kate tries to remove the ribbon and the elaborate wrapping paper without tearing it, while she smacks at Shannon's hands to keep her from grabbing at the paper to rip it open. As the paper is removed and she sets it aside, she opens the shoe box and pulls out the shoes. Jimmy Choo heels with a zebra toe box with black straps that lace around the ankles, and a bright red rose on the toe. They are from the upcoming Spring Collection. Their agency just shot the pictures for that ad campaign. These shoes aren't even on the market yet.

  Shannon grabs one of the shoes from the box.

  "Fuck me! Girl, if you don’t hang on to this guy, I'm going for him. Just sayin'. Any man who can get Jimmy Choo’s before they even go to market, now that’s a man-skill to be envied. Forget taking out the trash, or cooking on the grill."

  Kate kicks her own shoes off and slips on next season's Jimmy Choo’s. They fit perfectly. She winds the straps around her ankles and ties them, then walks outside her cubicle, and they look... Awesome. All she needs is a black sheath dress and these shoes and she will have the perfect outfit. As she walks around modeling the shoes, she is struck by the fact the shoes have a rose on the toe, and the memory of rose petals in her bed comes rushing back to her. Stop it! You are making yourself crazy.

  “Shannon. Do you know how much these cost? I can't keep a gift like this."

  “Are you crazy? A man gives you next season Jimmy Choo’s and you want to return them? No way, there is no way I'm letting that happen.”

  Kate shakes her head. “A gift like this, I don't know. I think a gift like this has... expectations.”

  “Oh. My. God. You did not just say that. I would fuck the pimply faced kid from the mailroom for a pair of shoes like this. You are not seriously telling me you're going to return these shoes because he may want something in return? Like climbing into bed with that man would be a hardship? Kate! Hello! Twenty-first century!”

  Kate starts to remove the shoes and return them to their box.

  “Oh no, girlfriend! You are wearing those shoes today. And tonight, when you get home, you're going to call him and tell him how much you love them. Got it?”

  She looks at the shoes on her feet, and they do look fabulous, beyond fabulous.

  "Okay Shan, against my better judgment. But if this guy breaks my heart... ”

  “If this guy breaks your heart, you'll still have a great pair of Jimmy Choo’s. Get over it.”

  7

  Kate wears the hot shoes around the office. They are a little on the dressy side for work, but every man she walks past today takes notice, and says ‘nice shoes,’ with a sly smile. And every woman she walks past today says ‘nice shoes,’ with a note of jealousy. She takes them off a
t the end of the day, not wanting to wear them on the Metro and to walk in them the few blocks back to her condo. She slips them back in the box, loads up her laptop, grabs her jacket and heads out.

  It is already seven o’clock, so she grabs a sandwich, to go, at Panera and takes it home with her for dinner. Once she gets home, she puts the shoes in the closet, wondering what event she can wear them to. They really are too dressy to wear to work again. She changes into jeans and a soft cashmere sweater and heads back into the living room. She turns on the gas fireplace, and grabs the sandwich, eating as she opens her laptop and checks email. Rissa has sent an invitation to a big charity event this Saturday; semi-formal cocktail wear. That’s unusual, two invitations from Rissa in two weeks. Rissa has always been friendly to her, but not really friends with her. But hey, who is she to turn down an invitation, and maybe he'll be there?

  She checks the time, 8:30 already. She finishes up the sandwich and drinks a green tea and grabs her cell phone. She scrolls through her contacts to find the number Shannon entered for her, Shade Hot Stuff. She laughs out loud. It is the first time she has seen how Shannon programmed him into her phone. She hits dial.

  ***

  Shade is sitting in his newly rented penthouse, his bare feet propped up on the huge dining table, up to his elbows in deeds and contracts for the properties Alec sent over. Also, he has a shit load of grid maps and landmarks in and around D.C. and Georgetown. He is studying and memorizing streets in preparation for developing security grids for the warriors. The music is blasting “Hail to the King” by Avenged Sevenfold, and he is lost in thought, losing track of time, when he feels his cell phone buzz. Without looking, he answers.

  ***

  As he picks up the phone, Kate can hear some serious head-banging music in the background. Really? The man in the hand-tailored suits listens to heavy metal? His response is short, abrupt... ”Medici”. His voice strikes a chord in her, and she starts to stumble over her words. She takes a deep breath and composes herself.

  "Shade? This is Kate. Is this a bad time?

  Cazzo, Kate! He immediately turns off the music, sits up and drops his feet to the floor.

  “Oh no, mi amore, I was just relaxing. Is everything fine with you? I do apologize, please forgive me?”

  Feeling braver, Kate begins to flirt with him. “Forgive you? And what could you have possibly done that needs forgiving, Mr. Medici?”

  “I did not realize it was you, or I would have, most assuredly, answered the call differently, like the gentleman I am, si? So please forgive me, and make me feel better?”

  Oh my! He has this down to a fine art, like I should be surprised.

  “And what do you think it would take to make you feel better, sir?” Seriously? Did I just say that to him?

  Shade chuckles low and deep in his chest. “Ah, now that could lead to an open door. But I shall remain a gentleman, which, I might add, is very hard to do at the moment.” He is grinning like an idiot. It’s a fucking miracle what a damn good pair of heels does to a woman’s demeanor.

  She responds coyly, “An open door? Is that a bad thing, Mr. Medici?”

  Shade raises his eyebrows. “Bad thing? No, it is open for anything. I would like to think good things.”

  He loves her playful tone, how there is a lilt to her voice when she talks to him when he is not standing in front of her and she can find her tongue. This crimson-haired vixen is flirting with him and he fucking loves it.

  He continues to tease her. “Did you have something in mind? Sounds to me as though you may like walking through the bad door, si?”

  “That depends, sir. Are you on the other side of the bad door?”

  “I do believe, Kate Reese, you would very much like that.”

  “And I do believe, Shade Medici, you can get a girl to walk through any door pretty easily, wearing a pair of Jimmy Choo’s. And thank you, by the way, for your most generous gift, too generous, sir.”

  He walks to the window and sits on the sill so he can watch her. Son of a bitch, this female has his blood pumping and he is tempted to just fucking tell her to look out her window, but he knows better. Damn fucking jeans are getting tighter. Opening the button fly, he stretches out and lays his head back, sliding one hand inside his jeans, gripping his cock hard and stroking slowly, just wanting to hear her voice.

  “It was my ultimate pleasure. I thought you would like them, and I was sure those gorgeous shapely legs of yours would look even better in them. Did they fit, mi amore?”

  “They fit perfectly, sir. You would think you had been buying my shoes for years. It does make a girl wonder. And you noticed my legs?”

  Is she serious? Cazzo, did he notice! Throwing back his head, he moans and closes his eyes.

  “Oh si, I noticed. A man would have to be blind not to notice you, Kate. You are a beautiful woman, and you make a man take a second, very long, gaze.”

  She is going to kill me here. He strokes harder. Long, slow strokes pulling up the head of his cock and watching it bulge, and hoping to all hell fire he gets to feel this monster inside her, making love to her slow and sweet. He loves she is playing with him.

  “So tell me, did you notice me at all, or could you not get away from me quick enough?”

  “Did I notice you? I was undone, sir, completely, utterly undone. But I thought you knew that.”

  Stroking harder and harder, he watches her as she talks to him, relaxed and in her element, feeling safe from him.

  “I make you nervous for some reason, si? Tell me, why is that? I am harmless. I mean you no harm, complete opposite. I only wish you pleasure.”

  “You are a dangerous man, sir, distractedly handsome. A girl can find herself in over her head before she knows what hit her. I have no fear of harm from you, other than a broken heart, Mr. Medici. Are you going to break my heart, sir? Am I, as Rissa says, just another notch on your bedpost?”

  Fucking bitch, Rissa! “Mi amore, I ask myself more if you will break my heart.”

  He glances at her through the window and sees her lifting her cashmere sweater over her head, exposing the most gorgeous red lace bra, spilling over with soft, lily-white orbs, and his mouth waters. He feels like exploding already. His hand grips his huge cock harder, stroking, as he feels his balls tighten.

  “And my bedpost, Rissa has never seen it; never will, so she has no idea what it holds. Notches, I assure you, are not on it. I would never treat a lady as fine as you in that manner, ever. Speaking of Rissa, are you, by any chance, going to this charity event on Saturday evening?”

  His words soothe her, but then, he's one smooth operator. What else would she expect him to say? She walks into her bedroom, pulling her sweater off over her head and tossing it on the bed.

  "Of course I was planning to go. After all, I have a pair of new Jimmy Choo’s that need breaking in. So I take it this means you will be there?”

  She puts her phone on speaker and lays it on the bed, so her hands are free, as she unzips her jeans and slides them off her hips.

  ***

  He watches her jeans come off and his cock does not like being held back. This woman is going to kill him, she doesn’t even fucking know how much she can torture a man like him.

  “I will be there. I am supposed to be there.” He tries to keep his voice steady, but his heart is racing, his blood pumping fast and he can feel his cock throbbing for release. “I will plan on seeing you there, mi amore.”

  She removes her bra, tossing it on the dresser as she lifts her arms and runs both hands through her hair, shaking out her long locks, before she slips out of her panties and walks to her bed. The rose petals are still on the sheets. She gathers them up in her hand and holds them to her nose and inhales. She piles them in a little stack on the bedside table. My little mystery. She climbs into the bed, pulling the sheets up around her as she sits there.

  "Oh I do hope so, Mr. Medici. I can't imagine a less eventful evening without you."

  ***

&
nbsp; He watches her fling her bra to the side and then turns, unknowingly, so she is facing him, totally and fully exposed, tossing and shaking those crimson locks and he explodes, like a bomb going off, cum shooting acrodd his chest and he tries not to moan out loud. His fangs punch through and his eyes glow a deep red as his beast pushes to be set free. Watching her gather the rose petals in her hands, he almost falls off the damn window ledge and has to straighten himself up, his hand full of cum. He takes a few deep breaths and tries to get himself under control. Yeah, you could fucking crush this heart of mine.

  “Until then, sweet dreams.”

  Dreams, funny he should mention dreams. “I seem to only have sweet dreams since meeting you, Mr. Medici. Good night, sir.”

  He smiles wickedly. Ah, and you always will.

  “Buonasera, mi amore. Until Saturday.”

  Hanging up the cell, he stands, and the beast emerges and growls like the animal he is. I want her. I want her as my own. She is mine!

  ***

  She turns off her phone and plugs it in the charger by her bed. Turning off the lamp, she watches as the skyline appears in her window in the darkened room. The red light on top of the Washington Monument flashes...on...and off. How many nights did she lay here after the break-up with Ethan, not able to sleep, just watching that light flash on...and off? They were engaged. She was starting to plan a wedding, and then she finds him cheating. Never again. Never again. That was when she swore off men. One broken heart too many. And now here you are, Kate Reese, playing with fire. And we know what happens to girls who play with fire.

  The little voice inside her head says, 'careful, he is not tall, dark and dangerous for nothing, little girl.'

  8

  Teleporting downtown, to the National Gallery of Art, he is dressed in his finest. A black-tie event with Rissa means a tuxedo, and he has his own custom designed tuxedo, Italian, of course. He looks quite dapper and hopes Kate will like his suit. He is anxious to see her in those Choo’s.