The Blood Covenant: Book One of The Medici Warrior Series

by Emily Bex

  ***

  Shade gives her an evil grin, liking how her jealousy and anger makes his cock sit up and take notice.

  “Would you stand idly by, mi amore?”

  She shoots him a look that could kill. “Don’t count on it, Mr. Medici. I’ll bring new meaning to the phrase, ‘blood on the dance floor.’”

  Shade laughs out loud as he shifts into gear and starts flying down Highway 101 toward San Francisco, hitting 120 mph. He feels her fear spike with the increasing speed.

  “Relax and enjoy the ride. I can rock this road like your savage lover rocks your body.”

  The sudden burst of speed pushes Kate back in her seat, and she is thrilled by the sensation. She has no doubt he is as skilled at driving this car as he is at everything else. But relax? She’ll relax once these bitches understand this vamp belongs to her now. She reaches out and places her hand on his arm as he quickly shifts through the gears.

  “Oh, you rock my body, lover, but tonight... I am going to rock yours.”

  Between the speed, the car, her fucking hot ass in the seat next to him, and knowing the challenge that lies ahead of them, his beast is edgy and ready. Her rose scent fills the car and he wants desperately to get there and claim her to the vampire community. This is bringing her one step further into his world, letting her understand their culture more as he prepares her to be turned.

  It was a risk, mating her first, and then giving her exposure to their lifestyle. As a mortal, even mated, she could still walk away from him. His bond is eternal at this point, but hers is not. Until she is turned, she can always choose to leave. But the blood bond makes it harder, and he is hoping her love and their blood bond will be strong enough to get her through all she must overcome before she is turned.

  As they near the city, the lights glowing in the distance, he down shifts, slowing the car to the speed limit, letting his leather-gloved hand leave the gear shift and sliding it up her thigh and under her dress, feeling the silk and lace fabric of her thong, massaging his thumb over her clit through the thin fabric. He growls as the scent of her sex blends with the roses and assaults his nose as he damn near loses control of the car.

  “Cazzo, mi amore, you drive me out of my mind with wanting you!”

  ***

  He can turn her on a dime, swinging her from jealousy to ecstasy in a matter of seconds. His touch ignites an instant fire, and she can feel herself getting wet for him. She leans her head back against the headrest and a moan escapes her lips, as she slides her hips forward in the seat, spreading her legs for him.

  ***

  Feeling her slide into passion, he removes his hand quickly and slows down even further, taking the exit onto Highway 1 and heading into Muir Woods, delaying their arrival by taking this detour off the main highway.

  Lifting his right hand to his mouth, he takes off the leather glove with his teeth and slides his bare hand back in place between her legs. He moves her thong to the side, as he begins to finger her, sliding two fingers inside her, thrusting slowly, letting his thumb circle her clit. He never takes his eyes from the road, but her moans are enough to drive him over the edge.

  “Cum for me, bel. I want the scent of your sex to assault their senses when we arrive, they will know you are well loved and mine!”

  ***

  She is gripping the edge of the seat with one hand and gripping his arm with the other. She arches her back and slides her hips forward again, so she can push into his invading hand. Her head is thrown back, and her mouth is open, making inhuman sounds as he pushes her to the abyss. Her hips begin that involuntary thrusting, as if he has control of her body, and come to think of it, when does he not have control of her body? She wants to fuck him... now, feel him inside her, but he is pushing her closer to the edge. She can feel the first wave of spasms hit her like a freight train, and she grips his arm with all her strength as he makes her cum. “Lover!” she screams, again and again, until she is lying limp and wasted in the seat.

  He smiles at her with that wicked grin, and then removes his hand from between her legs and holds his two fingers to her lips.

  “Taste mi amore, taste what I taste.”

  He slips his fingers into her mouth, where she sucks them and rolls her tongue around his fingers. He moans and lays his head back against the headrest.

  “You are such a distraction.”

  “Me? I’m the innocent one here!”

  He chuckles as he peels out again, getting back on the main highway as they cross the Golden Gate and head into the bright lights of San Francisco. He heads into the section of the city known as the Tenderloin, to a club that has a long line of people waiting to get inside. A valet rushes to his car, and she realizes they know him here. They are clamoring to be of assistance. He tosses the keys to the valet and then opens her car door and reaches in to take her hand.

  Once out of the car, he turns to her. "Bel, I have messed up your lipstick. Hold still while I fix it."

  He takes her evening clutch and removes the tube of bright red lipstick and begins to apply it expertly to her lips.

  “There, bel rosso, you look beautiful, and you smell like sex and roses. Are you ready?"

  30

  As he fixes her lipstick, she is taking in the exterior of the non-descript building, painted black with a Gothic sign that reads ‘Under the Coffin’. The young people who are waiting to get in are clad in leather and covered in tattoos and facial piercings. This is not a club Kate would have ever frequented and her dress makes her stand out like a sore thumb.

  ***

  He smiles into her eyes and grabs her hand as he leads her to the side door. He can feel her nervousness. He is well known here, no need for him to stand in any damn line.

  "This is the private side entrance. I came here a lot, bel, so they know me already."

  He raps out several quick taps on the heavy door, then pounds with his fist three times as the door opens and one of the gorillas that protects the place smiles and beckons them inside. Shade watches him take a whiff of bel as she walks by and then nods to him. She reeks of his blood to other vampires, but it won’t stop many of them from approaching him. She is still mortal and new to feeding from him and will not be seen as a threat.

  He feels her intimidation as the noise level just about knocks them against the walls. The music is deafening, designed to drown the vampire’s dark soul, and feed their lusting hunger.

  ***

  The music slams her as the door is opened. The DJ is playing Disturbed, “Down with the Sickness”, at ear blasting levels, producing that loud pulsing beat she can feel inside her chest. The interior is very dimly lit in red lights, and the crowd inside seems to pulse and throb with the music. She is already feeling overwhelmed with the atmosphere. This seems so unlike anything she would associate him with, after seeing him at all the cocktail parties and events for the social elite that Rissa throws. There are no men in business suits here. Leather and Goth club wear are the dress code, and it is unlike anything she has ever seen. Her heart rate picks up as she backs into him, having second thoughts about entering. This crowd looks like they could be one minute away from a bar brawl.

  She turns to him and says, "Don't let go, Shade!"

  "Bel, relax, you will not be out of my sight all night. Take my hand and I will lead us to our booth, you need to get some alcohol in you and it will calm your nervousness."

  As he kisses her neck, he grabs her hand, leading her to the outer edges of the crowd. He weaves through the swarm of people, keeping her close. The room is dimly lit, but the activity inside the private booths is still plain to see. Vamps and mortals all seeking that incredible high of sexual bliss from an immortal feeding. He knows her eyes have adjusted to the dark room, and he can feel her heartbeat accelerate as she takes in the view. Shade keeps moving in the direction of his own booth when he sees the female approaching. She has her sights dead set on him and the smile and sway of her hips tells him all he needs to know.

&nbs
p; ***

  Katrina is one of the managers here, an immortal, and before he can steer out of her path, Katrina approaches him. She stands almost as tall as Shade, and she completely ignores bel. Her arms slide around his neck and she whispers softly in his ear, “It’s been too long, master.”

  ***

  Shade disengages from her and ignores her reference to their past as he introduces her to Kate. "Katrina. Good to see you. Please let me introduce you to my mate, Katherine."

  ***

  Kate watches the woman as she lays eyes on Shade and makes a beeline for him, sliding up to him and leaning in close. Shade is introducing her, and the woman never takes her eyes off Shade, whispering something in his ear. Kate slides in closer to Shade, pushing herself between the woman and Shade, forcing her to look at her. Kate is bordering on fear and anger, fear at the woman's size and beauty, anger at her aggressiveness with Shade, and her own sense of helplessness as to how to push back against these immortals.

  "Perhaps you didn't hear him,” Kate shouts over the music, "he said I was his mate."

  ***

  Shade was not expecting to have to defend his choice right out of the gate, but he is amused at Kate’s feistiness. His sweet b rosso is no match for a cat fight with a vamp, but he has to admit, it would be entertaining. Watching as Katrina smiles down at bel, his arms go around her like a steel cage. Shade gives Katrina a look and she understands instantly he will not take her playfulness this night.

  Katrina backs off, “Well Master Medici, a mortal mate is not exactly what I expected from you. And you picked a redhead, how spicy and precious.” Katrina licks her lips. “You are such a bad-ass warrior for not giving me advance notice you were coming. Luckily, your booth is empty, and I suggest you snuggle up close and keep her under wraps. Even though she reeks of you, Shade, most will not care.”

  ***

  Nodding, Shade watches as she spins on her heels to lead them to his booth. He wraps his arm around Kate and follows Katrina to the private booths that are held for masters. As he and Kate slip into the booth, Shade is shaking his head when Katrina blows him a kiss as she returns to her duties. He turns to Kate and kisses her.

  "Relax please. I know you are overwhelmed. But this is one aspect of immortals, Kate. They can openly feed here, not hide who they are. Come on, someone will come for our drink order shortly."

  ***

  Kate is seething and flashes her eyes at Shade.

  “Relax! Spicy and precious. Did that bitch just call me spicy and precious? And she never once acknowledged me. She kept the conversation between the two of you, as if I weren't even in the room.” Her blood is boiling. If this is a preview of the night's events, this is going to be one long night.

  ***

  He feels her temperature go up a few degrees and smiles at her. "Well, is that jealousy I see, bel? Interesting. Made you forget how vulnerable you felt though, si? This is no game Kate, it is dangerous here, but the fastest way to spread the word that we are mated is to come to a place like this. These clubs are all over the world, each culture a little different. Alec told me about this place decades ago, he comes here sometimes apparently, without Rissa, I am sure.”

  ***

  She slides closer to him in the booth, taking note of couples, and threesomes, and foursomes in booths across from them. Some are feeding, and some having sex, making little effort to disguise their activity. Shannon always called her goody two-shoes, but she had no idea that people would “perform” like this in public and it was clearly a performance. She looks away from the activity in the booths and tries to concentrate on his words, looks at his lips as he speaks to her, but it only makes her think about how many of the women in this club he has... She shakes her head, refusing to let the image even form in her mind.

  "Alec... he is not faithful to her, is he?"

  "No. But I am not Alec, nor are you Rissa. Alec is not the typical immortal by any standards." Visions of the things he has experienced with Alec seep into his brain as he shakes his head to clear his memory. He takes her hand and squeezes it.

  ***

  Kate had picked up on things between Rissa and Alec whenever she had been together with them. She sensed coldness in him long before she ever knew he was a vampire. Alec intimidated her, but then, most powerful men intimidated her. She had watched Alec as he watched other women and watched Rissa act like she didn't notice. Is this why Rissa tried to warn her off of Shade?

  ***

  "I brought you here, so you would understand the dark side of being an immortal without a mate, the lengths I had to go through to feed. This is how I lived previously, but this night, it ends here, no one has ever fed from me but you and no one ever will. I have eyes for one person in this room and I am looking at her right now... My mate."

  ***

  She knew Shade was different, he always made her feel like the center of his attention, but then again, when had she had to compete for his attention? She knows tonight is not the night to retreat into her shell, even though Shade may have no interest in them, these women, and a few of these men, clearly have an interest in him. She slides her hand up his thigh, her hand gliding over the soft leather that conforms to his shape, leans into him as she lifts her face to his, kissing him with open mouth, and feeling him respond, their tongues probing slowly and seductively.

  ***

  Her lips are like the sweetest wine and Shade can feel she has resolved to make her presence known, to claim him. He can protect her from anyone in here, but he wants her to have a backbone and not cower at this freak show. She needs his reassurance and he lets his kiss communicate that back to her. He feels a hand slide up his back... Cazzo, Tatiana! Damn why do women have to appear at the worst times. Breaking the kiss, he sees Kate’s eyes lock with the female standing behind him. Shade shifts in the booth as he looks over at their waitress, and another one of his conquest.

  "Tatt, took you long enough."

  “It’s busy as fuck in here Shade, I have your Midnight. Just need to know if you will also be ordering your usual.”

  She sits the glass of Midnight down in front of him, and then reaches to run her hand through his hair. Shade grabs her wrist before she touches him, lowering her hand.

  "Tatt, this is my mate, Katherine. Kate, this is Tatiana, she will be serving us this evening, drinks only. What is your poison, mi amore?"

  He watches the two cats begin to size each other. What the fucking hell was he thinking bringing bel here?

  ***

  Kate breaks the kiss as they are approached by a waitress to take their drink order. She can tell from her intimate touch along Shade's back, and the way she makes eye contact with him that he has been with her. Is there anyone in this fucking club who has not fucked my vampire? She watches as he grabs her hand before she can run her fingers through his hair. She has long black hair, dressed in leather, a very Goth look with facial piercings... and vamp. Really? He was attracted to her? Shade asks what she'd like to drink. Kate locks eyes with the bitch. She knows this is a contest... a Mojito? An Appletini? Oh, hell no, not this night.

  "A shot of Mescal...and be sure to include the worm."

  ***

  Shade chokes on his Midnight as he hears Kate’s drink order but composes himself as he addresses Tatt.

  "You heard my mate. Mescal with worm. And keep it clean, Tatt. I know where to find you!" He shakes his head, looking at bel as he chuckles. "You never cease to amaze me, mi amore."

  He feels Tatt as she leans in close to his neck and whispers in her husky voice, her eyes never leaving Kate.

  “Not a problem, babe. But for the record, if it’s redheads you’re into, I can dye my hair any color that pleases you.”

  He hears her fangs click and she growls, as he reaches up with one hand and grabs a fist of black hair, yanking her away from him. Shade bares his fangs at her and hisses.

  "Mated, got it, si? Now get her drink, bring it back before things get nasty. Move!"

 
Tatt moves faster than any mortal eye can see, as he pulls Kate close to him and snuggles her into his chest. “Mescal?”

  ***

  She watches the exchange between Tatiana and Shade, and she has to push back her desire to fire questions at him. Questions she probably doesn’t want answers to anyway.

  “I have a confession.”

  "Is that so? Well, if we are sharing confessions, my ass won’t be leaving here for one long fucking time. But tell me your confession."

  “I've never had Mescal before, and tequila makes me bat-shit crazy. But I wasn't going to order a girly drink in front of that bitch.”

  Throwing back his head, he laughs loud enough to be heard above the fray. Picking up his glass, he swirls the Midnight around and downs it in one gulp.

  "In that case, maybe I should order a bottle of Midnight, si? I need to keep up with you!"

  Tatt whizzes by and slides the drink to Kate and a whole bottle of Midnight to him, without another word.

  "Drink up, bel. There is a worm just waiting for consumption."

  Kate picks up the shot glass and slams it back before she can think about the fact she is swallowing a worm. It feels like liquid fire as it pours down her throat and hits her empty stomach. She slams the empty shot glass back on the table and turns it upside down as she sees Tatt watching her from the other side of the room. Kate flashes her a look that would peel paint from the walls. Tequila gives her liquid courage, but as Shannon would always remind her, not in a good way. She feels the alcohol enter her system in three... two... one.

  "Tatt," Kate screams at her across the room, "another round here."

  ***

  Watching her down the shot, worm and all, he is impressed, but he knows if she has more than two, he will be carrying her out of here over his shoulder.

  "Bel, take it easy, my little minx. If you are not used to drinking that stuff, it will make you legless. Since there is no menu, the menu rather walks among the clientele here, perhaps you should have something much more filling, si?"