The Blood Covenant: Book One of The Medici Warrior Series

by Emily Bex

  Her body is tense, and she feels her orgasm building inside her, coming fast and violent. She feels his body go rigid, and she draws deep and feels them both explode in unison. His hands are on her hips, squeezing so tight, they feel as though they are gripping her to the bone. She unlatches and collapses on his shoulder as his entire body rumbles. He is magnificent, and belongs to her, and she dare not say a word. She lies still, not moving until he gives her some signal of what he wishes. He is not one to be romantic after sex, no matter how soft or rough.

  ***

  Alec feels her fangs as they break through his skin and feels his blood pulsing into her open mouth. It is the catalyst that pushes them both to explode together. He feels his cock releasing into her, filling her, and then dripping out of her and back onto him, hot and sticky. He growls so loud the bullet-proof glass on the windows vibrates, and he grips her ass tightly, pushing her down hard on his throbbing cock. He feels the cool air hit his neck when she removes her mouth, and then collapses on his chest.

  His breathing is ragged and rapid, and he waits for his heartbeat to return to normal. He raises one hand and places it on the back of her head, tangling that golden hair in his fingers, and lifts her face to his. He kisses her hard, bruising her lips as he tastes his own blood in her mouth.

  “Good job, baby girl. Just what Daddy needed.”

  69

  Walking into the bunker, Shade sees Luca unloading some new weapons and he smiles, “Just came looking for you, need to grab a gun. Listen, I already know you heard the doctor and what he told us. I could feel you close. So, before bel takes these damn pills and starts to feel sick, I am taking her on a short trip to Paris. We will take the jet. I don’t want to teleport her in her condition. You are in charge of this house Luca, keep your wits about you is all I need to say. And get your ass out there and feed, stick with a feeder so your blood is not tainted. I will need to feed like a mongrel by the time I get back.”

  Walking to a specific weapons case, he chooses the handgun he was searching for, a Desert Eagle .50 Caliber Mark XIX pistol, and slides it into his shoulder harness.

  Luca watches him choose a pistol and a few clips. He doesn’t need to tell him what to do. He already knows what is expected of him.

  “No problem, aster, I am glad that, perhaps, my lady will have a chance with the baby. I know that it makes you feel better, first time I have seen you smile in days. But, you can feed now before you leave if you wish, I have no problem with it.”

  Shade rolls his eyes to him and smiles, “Grazie, Luca, but I am fine. When I get back will be a different story. Bel has a tendency to wear me out.” He winks at Luca.

  ***

  Kate rushes upstairs to start packing for their impromptu trip to Paris. Seriously, a few hours ago, she was in the shower and getting ready for the doctor's visit, and now he wants to jet her off to Europe? As excited as she is about the trip, the news the doctor delivered is in her head. She needs to try to put that aside and let them enjoy this time together. She packs bags for both her and Shade, not knowing their full agenda, so packing options for both casual and dressy. She wants him to see what she has laid aside for him before she closes up the suitcases.

  She calls down to Shade, “Shade, could you help me up here, please?” He bounds up the steps, helping her to finish packing their bags.

  Gi enters with a tray filled with breakfast food for Kate.

  “Master, it is close to 3:00, Reynaldo thought my lady should eat before you leave. She is with child now and her appetite will be ravenous. The car awaits you outside whenever you are ready. Dante says you must lift off by 4:00 if you want to arrive just after sunset. And, on behalf of all the staff, may I take this opportunity to say how excited we are for the arrival of the little one, and we wish you both a safe and romantic trip abroad.”

  “Thank you Gi, I cannot do any of this without all of you, so I am very appreciative of your help. We will be down shortly, as soon as Kate is ready to leave.”

  Gi nods and smiles, leaving the bedroom, and closing the door behind him.

  Kate has finished dressing and has stuck a few magazines and her iPod into a tote bag when she smells the rich fragrant coffee on the tray Gi delivered.

  “Oh my gosh, I am starving! Reynaldo has outdone himself, as usual. Our staff pampers me so.” She leans over to kiss him before diving into that food.

  ***

  Shade chuckles as he watches her devour the entire tray of food. “I am happy to see you have an appetite. This is a good sign, si? Now, I just wonder if your sexual appetite will be as ravenous, hmmm? Finish up, mi amore, we need to get to the plane, they are waiting on us in the hangar. You can change on the plane if you want, for we will sleep during the flight. They will have food for you as well, fully staffed flight crew.”

  “Don't worry about my sexual appetite. I could eat you up right now. The plane could wait, you know?”

  Shade finishes getting dressed, putting his gun in the waistband at the back of his jeans. He stops and turns to her, standing with his arms crossed over his bare chest. “So, you would prefer I hold up my entire flight staff, all the luscious treats they have on board my private jet, the comfy round bed that can accommodate your in-flight appetites, so you can ravish your vampire before we even leave the house? Now,” holding up his hand, “let me make sure I have heard you correctly, before I come over there and smack that beautiful ass and kiss those crimson lips.”

  ***

  Kate giggles at him. “Why is it, lover, that your admonishments for me to behave always sound so enticing and do little to help me curb my behavior?”

  She finishes up the last of the food on the tray and slides off the bed. She walks to him and slides her arms around his waist and lays her head on his bare chest.

  “I am so excited! There is so much I want to share with you in Paris. It is a city for lovers, and I can't wait to be there with you. So, I will attempt to behave myself.”

  “Well, do not completely behave, mi amore!” He lifts her face to his and kisses her softly, looking deep into those dark brown eyes. “I love you, bel, this city was made for us, so let us get to the plane and we can get there and enjoy.”

  ***

  Picking her up in his arms, he carries her downstairs and heads out the front door to the car, buckling her in, and waiting while the staff loads the luggage into the trunk before driving to the private hangar.

  He glances over at her as he drives at his usual break-neck speed and chuckles as she grips the door handle. He winks at her as they pull up to a small private airport, which houses a large hangar. Someone rushes out to open a garage door entrance and Shade drives into the hangar and right up to his private jet. Kate’s mouth is hanging open.

  “This is yours?”

  He leaps out of the driver's side door and rushes around to open her door, extending his hand and helping her step out of the car.

  “Si, this is one of my planes, bel, I have several jets. But this one is my favorite... And you may want to close your mouth,” he says while grinning at her as he leads her aboard. “It is rude to stare. Besides, this is all yours now as well.”

  As they climb up the steps, Shade sees their pilot Dante is ready to take off and Shade begins introductions to the flight crew who will attend them on this flight; the pilot, a co-pilot, and the very tall statuesque blonde female vampire, who looks like she stepped off a Victoria Secret runway.

  “Bel, our pilot Dante, he has been with me for many years, has also been my driver and sometimes bodyguard. This is our co-pilot, Ciro, and our flight attendant, Isabella.”

  Kate nods to each of them, shaking the hands of the pilot and co-pilot, she turns to see Isabella giving Shade a huge smile as she steps in close to give him a hug.

  ***

  Isabella’s eyes do not leave him as he boards the plane. It has been a long time since she has been allowed to ‘be of service’, and she is hoping his mortal female companion won’t put a damper on th
ings. As they step on board, Isabella picks up her scent. Mated! Well who knows, not all masters are loyal to their mates. There may still be opportunity for a little in-flight entertainment. “Welcome aboard Master Shade, everything is ready for your flight. I am so pleased to accommodate you on this trip.”

  ***

  Shade gives Isabella a stern look. “Bel, this is Isabella, but I call her Issa.”

  Shade admonishes her under his breath to behave before he breaks away to stand beside Kate.

  “Issa, this is my beautiful mate Katherine. Will you give her a quick tour while I talk to Dante about the flight?”

  He turns to Kate, kissing her and taking her into his arms. “Issa will show you around. Get comfortable, I won’t be long, and if you need anything, Issa is your girl. And stop looking at me with that jealous hell in your eyes!”

  ***

  Kate smiles graciously at Issa, who seems a little too happy to see him as she gives him a much too familiar hug. She tries to swallow her jealousy, apparently not very effectively since Shade comments on the look in her eyes as he turns her over to Issa. Oh, I bet Issa would be more than happy to help him with anything.

  Isabella seems disappointed that he has stepped away and left her with Kate, but she politely provides her a tour of the private jet.

  “Isabella, excuse me for interrupting, but could you show me where they have put our luggage? Shade dragged me out of the house so quickly, but he said the luggage would be on board.”

  Isabella laughs and says, "That sounds just like Master Shade."

  Kate fumes. Really? She feels her anger flair. And what would you know about being dragged out of the house by Master Shade? Kate takes a deep breath and tries to rein in her emotions. She can't react to every female he has ever known in his lifetime, but it is a struggle.

  ***

  Isabella takes her to the private bedroom on the plane where their luggage has been stored. Issa is sizing up her competition, wondering how far she can push this situation and not anger Shade. She sits down on the bed and runs her hand across the spread.

  “Would you like a tour of this bedroom? I’m very familiar with it.”

  Kate gives her a look that would melt steel and in a hard voice responds, “Of that, I have no doubt, but I can manage everything from here. You can go now.”

  Isabella stands and leaves the room as Kate goes through her luggage and pulls out a nightgown, laying it across the bed. The sun will rise soon, and he will retreat here to this windowless room for his death slumber. She checks her make-up and returns to the main cabin to find Shade, with Isabella leaning over him, sharing the view of her ample cleavage.

  ***

  Shade looks up as Kate enters the main cabin. He smiles and holds out his hand to her, drawing her to the seat beside him, pulling her in close to his chest.

  “You look beautiful mi amore. It is a long flight, we will sleep, si? And before you know it, we will be in Paris. I have booked us at the Ritz, does that please you?”

  As he waits for Kate’s answer, Isabella asks if there is anything else he would require. “Bel, do you want anything?”

  Kate pointedly directs her answer to him and ignores Isabella, “Hold me close. I am fine, lover, and there is nothing else we require.”

  Shade can feel the tension between these two she-cats.

  Shade turns his head to Isabella, dismissing her. “We are fine now Issa, I will call if we need anything, thank you.”

  He is not unaware of the cold stare he receives from Isabella as she nods and heads for the front of the plane. Quite frankly, he had completely forgotten about their little tryst. There have been so many women. He can’t be expected to recall them all, but no need to parade them in front of Kate. He sends a message telepathically to Dante to switch out Issa on future flights with a flight attendant he has not had sex with.

  Dante responds, “Of course, master. And which of the flight attendants might that be?”

  Shade runs through the list of candidates through his mind, trying to remember if there was one he had not fucked, and sighs. “Dante, just start from scratch brother.”

  Shade can hear Dante’s chuckle in his head as he responds, “No problem, master. Consider it done.”

  He snuggles Kate as she flips through travel brochures on Paris, planning out their schedule. Shade takes her hand as she puts the brochures away, and he leads her to the private bedroom, watching as Issa closes all the shades over the windows in the main cabin, avoiding eye contact with him.

  He strips down nude as Kate slips on the gown she had laid out on the bed, climbing into the round bed next to him. He holds her close, falling into his death slumber. When they are about an hour out from Paris, he hears a light tap on the door and Issa opens the door slightly to inform him they are almost ready to land, her attitude decidedly cool as she delivers her message.

  “Master Shade, we are almost ready to land, we are arriving in Paris soon. Please prepare my lady for landing. A car will be waiting, and the ground crew will unload your luggage into the car and get you on your way. I hope you enjoy your stay.”

  Shade thanks her as Kate is waking up and sees Issa standing in the door. The two women exchange a cold look. Oh yeah, he definitely needs to make a change before the flight back home. Issa turns on her heels and flips her blond hair as she walks back toward the front of the cabin to prepare for landing.

  Shade turns to Kate, “Hey there beautiful, wake up and get dressed. You will need to be in your seat with the seat belt buckled for landing. We will land in about an hour.”

  ***

  Kate throws on a casual outfit and some flat shoes and gets to their seat and buckled in just in time to feel the soft bump of the smooth landing. The shades are still drawn over the window, but Dante has announced that it is 6:00 p.m local time, so she slowly lifts the shade, making sure there is no sunlight before pushing it open. She looks out the window to see the plane taxi into another hangar, with another car waiting. Jeez...who travels like this? She looks up at him, placing her hands on either side of his face and kisses his sweet lips.

  “Thank you, Shade, thank you for this. I think we needed a break from our own drama.”

  They depart the plane with Dante and all three of them climb into yet another car, Dante driving, and head off in the early evening traffic to The Ritz. As the car pulls up in front of the hotel, a bellhop rushes to open the doors, while another starts removing the luggage and the doorman snaps to attention at the door.

  "Bon soir, Monsieur Medici. We are so happy to have you back with us."

  Shade nods and tips the bellhop and doorman lavishly as he takes Kate’s arm and walks them into the main lobby, where the staff immediately responds to his presence.

  "Your suite is waiting and ready, Monsieur Medici. If you will just follow the bellman."

  They walk with the bellman down the plush corridor to the bank of elevators where they are whisked to the top floor and the Coco Chanel Suite. Kate has read about this suite! $50,000 a night! Are you kidding me?

  The bellman unlocks the door and passes the key to Shade, who discreetly places a number of large bills into the bellman's hand.

  "Merci monsieur, and if there is anything you need, just use the call button in the room, you are familiar, oui?"

  ***

  Kate walks into this massive suite. She thinks her mouth is hanging open, again. As Shade closes the door behind him, she makes a running jump into his arms and wraps her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck and covers him in kisses.

  “Whoa, mi amore, what is all this about? We are happy, si?

  She leans back slightly, supported by his arms, and looks into those eyes.

  “Lover, we are so happy. I know I teased you about this trip, our interrupted trip, but this is really my most favorite city in the world. I love Paris, but not as much as I love you.”

  She releases her legs from around his hips and drops down to stand in front of him, holding his
hand.

  “You have stayed here before? Everyone knows you. I want to look around please? Come with me?”

  “Bel, your happiness makes my life complete, and si, I have stayed here before, many times. I have never really seen much of the city. To be honest, whenever I have been here, it was about work and I did not take the time to explore.”

  She pulls at his hand as she drags him off to explore the rest of the suite.

  “Oh my God, look at the bedroom. That bed is so lavish!

  As she drags him off, he has to laugh at her enthusiasm.

  She giggles and continues to lead him through the suite.

  “Where are you taking me now, bel? ” Laughing, he lets her lead the way.

  “The bathroom. I heard the Ritz has gold fixtures. The faucets look like swans. I want to see!”

  He follows her into the opulent bathroom and she squeals with delight as she sees the gold fixtures, shaped like swans that pour water from their open mouths.

  “Damn, it is just running water, bel. But it is beautiful, si? Right now, the most beautiful thing in this room is in my arms.”

  Kate walks through the large bathroom, admiring the tub big enough for two before turning to exlore more of the suite. He chuckles, “Go, go, I know you are dying to be let loose.”

  “Lover, I can't believe I'm going to even say this, but I am hungry again! Can we unpack and order room service? It must be the pregnancy, I am never this hungry. But I will need my energy for all the things I want to share with you. Paris is a walking city, best enjoyed if you explore it on foot. I made a long list of places to show you. I hope you aren't going to be bored.”

  He laughs to himself. There is nothing unhealthy about her appetite that is for sure.

  “Order whatever you wish from room service, and you could also order some Medici Midnight. I know they have it stocked here for me. Now, once you are done eating, we shall head out for our tour.”

  “Then you will see Paris for the first time with me.”

  The bellman delivers their room service, and Shade sips at the wine, allowing it to tame his hunger for her while Kate devours the light dinner and the hot, rich coffee.