by Emily Bex
Before reaching Alec’s neighborhood, Shade picks up the scent of a young vampire, but no warrior. Letting his nose lead him, keeping his distance and staying in the shadows, he sees him. The vamp is with a mortal female and seems to be quite cozy with her. Shade knows it is a ruse to lure her and that would not be a problem if all the young vamp wanted was to feed, erase her memory and then disappear. This one has no such designs. He is hungry, and he intends to take his fill, leaving the mortal drained and lifeless. As the couple walks under a lamp post, Shade sees the mortal’s face and recognizes her. No one he knows personally, but someone he has seen at several of Rissa and Alec’s parties. He doesn’t know her name, but that does not matter, she needs to be rid of this hungry young vamp.
They are near the Canton residence. She may even live near Alec and Rissa. That’s the last thing Alec needs. Some mortal found dead, raped, and ravaged, with suspicious neck wounds right in his neighborhood.
Shade stays in the shadows, slowly getting closer, his plan is to attack the vamp, but in doing so, he knows the mortal will be terrified and she will bolt. She may even recognize him from the parties, but that is an easy fix. Shade waits for the perfect opportunity as the vampire walks her under a row of large trees that line the walkway, looking like nothing more than young lovers having a close encounter. Shade sees him nuzzle into her neck, his fangs already bared.
Pulling out his Glock, the silencer already attached, he holds the clip in his other hand. His blood races, his beast ready to rip this little bastard to shreds, but one clean shot is all he needs. Drop him and let her live. Before he could slam the clip in the gun, the wind shifts, and the vamp picks up Shade’s scent, his head spinning in his direction. Shade takes a spread-leg stance, ramming the clip into the Glock, watching as the young vampire’s hands let go of the mortal, just as Shade takes aim. Firing one clean shot between his eyes, the vamp drops straight to the ground and the mortal takes flight, screaming like a banshee.
Rushing forward, Shade slit the vamps throat. He begins to see lights switching on in the nearby houses as the mortal runs screaming for her life. Crazy bitch will have the whole of G-town awake soon! He lifts the dead vamp in one arm and teleports after her. She is a mortal female after all, and in those heels, she isn’t likely to get far, no matter how terrified she is.
Catching up with her, he swoops down and easily lifts her with his other arm, but damn she is one fucking little hell cat, kicking and clawing.
“You are safe, relax.”
Damn bitch bit into his arm and he decides he must land, and soon. He can’t erase her memory with both his hands full. Teleporting into the courtyard behind Alec’s residence, Shade dumps the rogue unceremoniously onto the yard by the pool and quickly manages to lay his hand on the mortal’s forehead, taking out her memory and relaxing her. He gives her a nice, easy drunk feeling, legless and sleepy with no memory of the recent events. She will remember going out for the night, but everything else would be gone. Sitting her down in one of the lawn chairs, ready to pull out his cell and dial up Alec, he sees him coming to the poolside doors.
***
As Alec walks out and sees who is sitting poolside, he gives Shade a ‘what the fuck’ look.
Shade throws up his hands, “Little present for you, brother. I was making my rounds when I came across the mortal and that rogue snuggling a bit too tight. He was going for the kill.” Shade nods his head in the dead vamp’s direction. “I recognized her from some of your events. Erased her memory, she is clean and not harmed. No idea what in the hell to do with her now, brother. Where does she belong?”
Alec stands in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, looking from the dead vamp to the dazed mortal. And they wonder why he hates being immortal.
“Yeah, she’s a client of Rissa’s. I know where she lives, I’ll handle her. I’ll have my driver teleport her to her front door with her keys in her hand. Good job, brother. How are things at the Dead House?”
Shade joins him at the door, lighting a cigarette. “The warriors are moving forward, making progress, few kills here and there. Things are smooth Alec, no problems. I am taking that piece of shit and disposing of him, and then heading back home. I’ll be in California for the next few days. Tomas will be in charge. He can reach me if anything comes up.”
Alec nods as the two bump fists, and Shade throws the rogue over his shoulder and teleports to the Dead House. He leaves the dead vamp in the enclosed courtyard behind the Dead House to sizzle and burn in the morning sun and no one will be the wiser. He teleports back to Bel Rosso. His death slumber calls, and when he awakes, he needs to get Kate to California as promised.
29
Landing with Kate in his arms in the driveway of the Napa Valley house, he whispers softly in her ear, “Open your eyes mi amore, welcome to California.”
He sets her down in the driveway as the sun is setting and they still have maybe an hour of dusk before nightfall.
“This is a beautiful house, Shade. It looks almost new…and…huge! The property looks beautiful. You can see the vineyards from the house, just like Bel Rosso.”
The house is an expansive, modernized Spanish design, with a reddish-brown tile roof, like the Virginia house, and yet, it has nothing of the old Tuscan feel of their Virginia home. There is a stone foundation, and the exterior, above the stone, is smooth stucco in the palest cream color. The landscape is lush, and well-tended.
“This was part of my payment from Alec, for my security services. I was more interested in the vineyards than the house, but if the property is to maintain its value, then it must all be cared for. I did not plan to live here, but now that I have you, it is someplace we can come to get away, si? Come, take a look. Tell me what you think.”
They walk together to the front of the house and open the door. This house is much grander. Vaulted ceilings, floor to ceiling windows, spiral staircases. It will need no renovation, just a decorator’s touch. Kate is overwhelmed by the size of it as they walk from room to room. Formal living and dining rooms, a huge kitchen, informal dining and a family room, downstairs powder room, home theater, and a library, because who doesn’t need a private library. There is a downstairs master suite with a private bath. There is an arboretum, and another room that looks like it could be used as a home office.
There are eight bedrooms upstairs. Five of the bedrooms have a fireplace, and all of the bedrooms have a dedicated bathroom. The bedrooms are large enough to include a sitting area within each room. There is another master suite that is bigger than her old condo, and it includes the bedroom, a large sitting area, two large walk-in closets, one masculine and one feminine, and a massive private bath. This doesn’t feel like a home. It feels like a small hotel.
***
She thought the Bel Rosso house was big, but this house makes it pale in comparison. The backyard includes a large pool and pool house. Of course, what would a house in California be without a pool. Kate walks from room to room, making mental notes. She is learning his taste from her work on Bel Rosso. Shade likes traditional, old world design, he likes antiques. And she gets that. He would have more emotional ties to those pieces. This will be a massive project, but in many ways, easier than Bel Rosso since the house itself is move-in ready.
“I can do this, Shade. Is there anything in particular you want?”
“No, mi amore. I have only been here a few times since I acquired the property. Luciano and I surveyed the vineyards and the wine cellars. Looked at what we needed to do to expand the operations here, change our labels, change the name of the vineyards to Medici. The house has already been fitted with the electronic blinds, but other than that, I have done nothing. The large master suite upstairs, make that ours. Just follow your own vision.”
As she makes notes and takes some measurements, getting a feel for the house, letting it speak to her, she wonders if this is what he prefers, this grand house over the house in Virginia. After that over-the-top palace in Florence, is this wha
t feels like ‘home’ to him?
“How many homes do you have?”
He chuckles as he walks up behind her, sliding his arms around her waist.
“I have my main home in Florence. I have a small villa in the south of France, and another in Santorini, in Greece. They are near the vineyards there, although I do not live in either. I go when Luciano thinks it is important for me to see something there, make decisions about the vineyards.” He can feel her hesitation. “Listen to me, I will always come home to Bel Rosso. That is my home now, our home. But if we wish to get away, we can come here, maybe a long weekend in the winter, si? I will always have roots to Florence, my history, my legacy. But my home is with you now, in Virginia.”
She leans back against him, feels the strength of him. “Understood, you read my thoughts before I can even formulate them into words.”
“I feel you, deeply. Do what you want here, si? You can come here with me when Luciano needs my input in the business. It is isolated, like the Virginia house, sits on about 4,000 acres, most of which has been converted to vineyards. So, the vineyards are larger here, occupy more of the property. Over half the production of wine from these vineyards will be used for the Midnight brand, the rest, for the brands sold to mortals.”
“This is a beautiful space, lover. I will enjoy turning it into a home away from home for us.”
“Oh si, I have no doubts. Now what should we do this night? There is a club I used to frequent in San Francisco when I am out here. It is a club for vampires, where they can go and be out in the open. There are mortals there too, the followers, or immortal wannabees. I have kept you from much of my world. But it is time, I think, to start exposing you, little by little.”
“I'm ready... I mean, how different could it be?”
He smiles a sad smile and says, “Different. You will see vamps feeding openly from each other. The room is surrounded by booths that are recessed, and darkly lit for privacy, but not so darkly lit that you will not recognize what is going on. There will be mortals there as well, hoping to be fed upon. The dance floor is lit, but still dim. The music is loud, and the alcohol flows, for both vampire and mortals.”
When he references feeding, she knows he does not just mean feeding. She gets the inference. There will be people having sex in the club. Before her, this is where he went.
“Why do you want to take me there?”
“Our community is world-wide, but very small. Vampires make up only about three to four percent of the population. We rely on this network to get news, spread news, about what is happening among our kind. When a vamp feeds from another vamp, it does not change their scent. If a vamp feeds from a mortal, it is immediately detectable to other vamps. I take you there for one reason. My scent has been altered, and yours as well. Every vamp at the club will know we are mated. And by this time tomorrow, every vamp in every coven will know Shade Medici is mated.”
Kate processes this information. It is a public claiming, a declaration of sorts. She gets that.
“Lover, the vamps that are there, did you…feed from some of them?”
***
Shade pauses before he responds, he feels her discomfort, but at some point, she needs to understand his world.
“Si, mi amore. There will be vamps there that I have fed from, mortals as well. Do not read more into this than there is. I must feed to survive, I have fed from many. And unlike your mortal world, we make no distinction between feeding from male or female. Although every vamp has a preference, the bloodlust and hunger overwhelm, and we will feed from either.”
Kate paces about the room, “And when you say feed….”
Shade follows her with his eyes, giving her space, “Si, the sex as well. We seek someone who attracts, we feed, we have sex, we move on. Sometimes there are those we return to, someone we feel more attracted to that we will feed from over a period of time. But the bond is fleeting. It is only when we find our mate that we bond for life.”
***
Kate stands at a window, looking out into the dark night, seeing her own reflection in the glass. Although she knows he has fed from many women, been with many women, it has never been something she has had to face head on. She was able to push it out of her mind. But now he is saying he has been with men too? She had never considered it before, and to see a woman, or man, who he has been intimate with, stand face to face with her, she feels jealous in spite of all his explanations.
“So, this appearance, it is basically to say you’re off the market, so to speak.”
Shade can’t help but smile at her use of the American expression.
“Si, off the market. I am permanently off the market.”
She turns to him, “Well, in that case, let’s go.”
Shade takes her hand and kisses it softly, “I think you will find a dress and shoes, and everything you need in the closet.”
Really? How does he do this? She goes to the closet to find a dress definitely deigned for club wear; short, barely there, and covered in sequins in varying shades of taupe’s, bronze, and browns. The color is perfect with her red hair. There is a strappy pair of bronze metallic heels. She puts on the dress and shoes and finds all her favorite make-up brands in the bathroom, along with her signature fragrance. She finishes her make-up and throws the red lipstick and a few other items into the evening clutch and then meets him back in the bedroom. He is in the softest black leather pants that leave nothing to the imagination, a black t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. His black boots are laced up over his ankles, his hair hanging long and loose around his face. Seriously? Who wouldn’t want to fuck him?
He gives her a wicked grin as she realizes he has read her thoughts again, extends his hand to her and pulls her in close. “Ready?”
She nods her head yes. She’s as ready as she’ll ever be.
“Then come dance the night away with me, mi amore.”
He leads her out into a huge garage in the back of the residence, leading her to a red and black sports car. He walks her to the passenger’s side and opens the door for her, where she finds a single long stem red rose on the seat.
“We are going in traditional style tonight, Kate, vehicle.”
She picks up the rose and slides into the seat, “What is this, a Ferrari?”
He walks to the driver’s side door, and slides behind the wheel. “I have a Ferrari, but this is a Lamborghini. Special edition… and, stick shift.”
He gives her a sideways glance as she laughs out loud. He will never let her live down the fact that she drives a sports car with an automatic transmission.
“I love cars and speed. I have quite a collection.”
“Well...you certainly make me feel like royalty, Mr. Medici. And roses, hmmm... I never get tired of red roses.”
Kate has seen the collection of cars and motorcycles in the garage at Bel Rosso, she had no idea there was more to the collection here in California and can now only imagine what he keeps at Castello.
***
Shade reaches across and takes the rose from her hand and strokes her cheek with the flower, the velvet petals of the rose as soft as her skin, then leans over and softly kisses her cheek.
“You are royalty, you are mine.” He reaches across her and grabs the seat belt, buckling her in, making sure his hands slide along her legs and breasts, taking his sweet time.
His touch sends an electric current through her as he intentionally touches her while buckling the seat belt.
“I hope you know what you are getting yourself into on the dance floor tonight.”
He chuckles, “I have seen you dancing around the kitchen at Bel Rosso, and I am more than ready to tackle that swaying ass and have that beautiful body of yours climbing all over me.”
“Oh, I will be climbing all over you. This is marking my territory. We’ll be taking it to a whole new level tonight.”
He pulls on his leather driving gloves and then fires up the engine, and she purrs, ready for action, just like his
walking sin.
“Listen, before we get there, you need to know, if there are females there I have fed from, even though I am now mated, there are some who will approach me anyway. Female vamps will know I am mated, but to a mortal, so they may challenge you. Mortal females will not pick up my scent. You will just be a new female on my arm, so they may approach me as well. It would not be… unusual… for me to have been with… more than one at a time. So, they will not be swayed by your presence with me.”
***
Kate is already fuming. So, this is not just walking in the door on his arm, so a few vamps can pick up his scent and know he’s off the market. This is staking a claim. This is letting every female in the club know, ‘back-off bitch, he’s mine.’
***
Shade can feel her blood boil and her heartbeat rise, he knows she has jealous feelings about his past, and she struggles to get past it, but this next step is important. She will be challenged, and even though he desires no other, and his choice will be honored even if not approved by many, he also knows there are a few alpha females who will try to intimidate her, convince her she is not worthy. He can and will back them down, but she must also learn to stand her ground, to take her place beside him. In his world, it is truly a matter of survival of the fittest, and he is warrior to the warriors. He is master, and royal blood. All the more reason his choice of a mortal mate will be called into question and challenged. And all the more reason she must stand strong.
“Bel, this is my culture, I cannot escape it. I must feed, and until a male chooses a mate, there is no bond in the feeding. The sex is part of it, it is what it is. But none of them have ever fed from me. Ever! That is held by every vampire as sacred, for their mate alone. I waited for you, I chose you. Tonight, the rest of my community will know I chose you. Stand strong with me bel rosso, show them I belong to you. Don’t back down.”
***
Kate gets angrier as he speaks, “Are you throwing down the gauntlet? Do you think I would stand idly by while I let some other bitch slide her tits across your chest?”