by Emily Bex
They had been walking through the woods for some time, headed in the direction of the mountains. She was trying to block out the fear that he was actually going to make her climb the mountain. She knew where he was taking her. It was a popular spot for climbers, but they used ropes and pitons, and he said she would free climb. She swallowed hard and turned to look at him. He smiled at her and nodded his head in the direction of the wall and said, “Go.”
Go? That's it? Go?
Luca prodded her to start her climb, as she stood immobile. “The first step is the hardest, little warrior... just go. Start climbing.”
She stared straight up the cliff wall, as she answered, “Actually, I think the missed step might be the hardest.”
He smiled at her joke, but he could hear her heart pounding. She would have to push past the fear. “Go. Trust in your skills, warrior.”
She walked to the wall and began to climb, feeling carefully for each finger hold, testing each crack before she let it bear her full weight. Hand over hand, foot over foot, she moved slowly, deliberately. Every cell in her body was alert, and she was totally focused on the wall. Don't look down... just look up and keep moving.
Her wrists burned, her fingertips hurt, but there was only one way out, and it was up, so she continued. She paused only once, releasing one hand to shake it out, and then the other hand. She rested her head against the rock face, got control of her breathing and moved on. She could finally see the crest of the wall. It was only a few feet away now. Don't mess up, don't mess up, it's a long way down!
As she reached the top, she saw him standing there, waiting for her. He extended his hand to pull her up over the edge, and they stood together at the summit, looking back over the Bel Rosso estate in the distance.
“How high are we? How high did I climb?”
He stood looking out, arms crossed over his chest. “About a thousand feet.”
“A thousand feet! Seriously? I climbed a thousand feet?”
He smiled at her. “Master's blood serves you well, yes?”
“Si.”
He laughed out loud as she used Shade's words. “Si, now let's head home, warrior.”
She was on an adrenaline high. “Oh my god, I can't believe I did that! I can't believe I climbed that high. It was awesome, Luca! I've never climbed before… except the gym exercise, but real climbing. You are just so... focused... so in the zone. I mean... intense! It is so intense. I feel so alive, so energized. My mind is clear and yet, I’m concentrating so hard.”
He was stifling his desire to laugh. “Are you going to talk like this nonstop all the way back? If so, I'm going to teleport ahead.”
She punched his shoulder again. “Yes, I am. I’m so excited! And you better not leave me out here, either.”
He couldn’t help but laugh at her. She always made him laugh. She made him want this in his own life, what she had with Shade, and he thought of Shannon. Not my choice to make. I will talk to him, but master decides my future... not me. They walked the long walk back to the house, where they both headed for their showers.
Kate finished her shower and changed into fresh clothes. The sun was coming up on another day she would spend without him. She felt too restless to climb into that empty bed, so she headed back downstairs. The house was empty without Gi, Theresa, and Reynaldo. She wandered about the empty house. This was the time she and Shade would normally be together, just before his death slumber. Maybe this was when the staff slept as well. She walked back to Luca's suite to find his door was open. He was painting, but the canvas was not visible from the door. He paused and looked up at her.
“Where is everybody?”
Luca stopped painting, wiping his hands on a towel. “In the staff quarters. They’re getting everything ready for the warriors master will be bringing back with him.”
Kate threw up her hands. “Why didn't they tell me? I could help. I'm going there now to see if there is anything I can do.”
Luca covered the canvas with a tarp and left the room with her, walking toward the staff quarters.
“I don't think they need any decorating skills.”
She punched him in the arm again. “You know, I can do things besides decorate. I... can climb mountains.”
He smiled at her. “That you can, little warrior. I hope you know what you’re getting into. Shade is bringing eight warriors back with him. They’re a pretty rowdy bunch. This isn't a tea party he's throwing.”
She shrugged. “They will all be like you.”
“They will be nothing like me.” He chuckled to himself, as he ran through the possibilities of all the warriors Shade might return with.
As they entered the staff quarters, Gi was directing like a traffic cop. Furniture was being moved out of Luciano's room to make room for four single beds. There was a discussion about Gi moving into Reynaldo's room, so they could free up another bedroom.
Kate spoke out, “Why don't we have Theresa stay in the main house? I can't imagine she would want to stay here with a house full of men.”
Theresa looked at Kate with relief as Gi responded, "We would never impose, my lady. This is the staff quarters and this is where master directed us to prepare for the warriors."
Kate shook her head. “Nonsense... decision made. Theresa, you’ll stay in one of the guest rooms for however long the warriors are here. And it’s no imposition.”
Theresa looked at her with a quiet smile and said, "Thank you, my lady. That is very gracious of you."
Gi took over and directed both Luca and Reynaldo in removing the furniture from Theresa's room. Luca flashed Kate a look that said, ‘Thanks a lot.’
Theresa spoke up and said, "Let me get my personal things out first, to take to the main house before you move the furniture out of the room."
Kate clapped her hands together, “Good idea... I will help you.”
She followed Theresa into her private bedroom. She hadn’t been in the staff quarters since she completed the renovations and decorating. Theresa and Kate grabbed some boxes and started emptying drawers, putting her clothes and personal items into the boxes. Kate stood and moved to the closet, and noticed a blanket draped over some items on the floor. She pulled back the blanket to discover a painting. She recognized the artist. It was Luca's work, but the subject was unfamiliar to her. “Theresa, who is this?”
Theresa stopped packing the box and looked up to see Kate pulling a canvas from the closet. Her face reddened as she looked at the face of the handsome man in the portrait.
"Oh... my lady, he is one of Shade's warriors."
Kate smirked. “Really? What a handsome man. And would you, by any chance, know this handsome warrior?”
Theresa’s blush deepened as she answered, "Yes, his name is Marco."
Kate held the canvas up in front of her face to examine it closely and to obscure her smile. She lowered the canvas so she could look over the top of it at Theresa. “And is there some reason why you have a portrait of Marco in your closet?”
Theresa tucked her head even further.
Kate dropped the portrait from in front of her face. “You love him! You love him, don't you?”
Theresa jumped up and ran to the bedroom door, closing it. “Shh, don't tell the others. We have kept it quiet. No one knows. Well, now master knows because I gave him a gift to take back to Marco when he went to Florence.”
“Wait… this man loves you as well? You love each other, and you don't tell anyone? And now you are living here? Is Shade bringing him back with him? Is he one of the warriors that will be coming back? Because Theresa, you don't have to hide. He can stay with you.”
“My lady, there is so much about our world you don't understand. Marco is a warrior. Many warriors never take a mate, and if they do, it is only with their master’s approval. Marco is Shade’s warrior, and I am his housemaid. This is our station in life. Please don't misunderstand. I love master, and I love working for him, and for you. You have shown us all such great kindness and we
all feel at home here. We speak of it often, Gi, Reynaldo and I. But I go where I am assigned to go, as does Marco. Marco will not be coming back with Master Shade. He is Second-in-Command to master, so he will be left in Florence to manage the warriors that remain there and to oversee all the activity in Tuscany.”
Kate set the canvas down and looked out the window. She felt like she was listening to a replay of Luca's explanations about Shannon. This felt so unfair to her.
“This is a very personal question... and you have no obligation to answer me, so please, tell me to bug off if you don't want to answer. But this Marco... when you were living in Florence… you were... together? As in... together?”
“I understand your meaning, my lady. And yes, we were together. Exclusively. We weren’t mated. I had not fed from him. He fed from me, and I would only feed from a feeder’s wrist. So, as exclusive as we could be without being mated.”
Kate didn’t need to ask her what Marco did now, or where he went for feeding and sex. She knew the answer.
“I’m so sorry, Theresa. I had no idea.”
“Please do not apologize, my lady. It is our culture, our way of life. It is what we were born into and what we have all grown to accept.”
Kate turned to face her. “But you love him. You still love him? And you would be with him if you could?”
“Of course, my lady. I am not sure Marco would ever settle down enough to commit to mating, but yes, we would be together.”
“Then I’ll say something to Shade.”
Theresa held up her hand, “No! Please do not. That would imply discontent with my station. That I am not grateful for what I have been given! Please. I will see Marco again... in time.”
Kate sighed and returned to the closet, finding two more pieces of art, another oil painting of Marco, and one sketched in charcoal that showed him as a warrior. Kate tried to imagine not being able to be with Shade. Her mortal culture rejected their union. Her mortal culture would be horrified by him. Just as she knew there were many in his culture who objected to her. And yet, they had come together anyway. She couldn’t let this go. Not for Luca, and not for Theresa.
“Let's take all of these to the main house, Theresa. And don't hide them in the closet. Hang them up on the wall where you can look at him, and don't be afraid to declare your love for him.”
"Yes, my lady." Theresa smiled to herself, knowing that Kate understood a woman's heart. And she knew she had asked her not to intervene, but Theresa had watched her in that house now, and seen her stubbornness. She knew Kate would approach master anyway, in her own time, and she knew he would fight her on this. It may not be a battle she could win, but Theresa was beginning to see she could hold her own with master.
They finished packing all her things and carried them to the main house, getting her settled into one of the guest rooms. When they returned, the men had removed all the furnishings from her room and replaced them with four more beds. The two bedrooms looked like a military barracks, functional but comfortable. She hoped Shade would be pleased. Luca said it was luxury compared to what they were used to.
Kate helped Theresa make all the beds, placing extra blankets folded across the foot of each bed, and lots of extra towels.
"You do not need to help me, my lady. I am used to the work."
Kate laughed, “Believe it or not, Theresa, I’m used to the work as well. And I need something to do.”
There were lockers for the men to store their clothes and gear. Luca had brought in the additional weapons Shade requested and had them stored in the bunker. ”Everything is ready, lover.”
Shade heard her voice in his head. “Mi amore. We shall return tomorrow night. I bring with me eight of the finest of my legion. Prepare yourself, woman, you will have more protection than you can handle. I am anxious to be home. I am in need of you, bel, desperately in need of you! Ti amo, mi amore.”
Kate left the staff quarters to return to her own bedroom. She had stayed up long into the day hours, trying to tire herself out to the point of exhaustion, so she could sleep. This was the longest period of time they had been separated, and she missed him in her bed, his booming voice in the house, and his undeniable presence.
Kate climbed into their bed, pulling the sheets over her, grasping his pillow and holding it to her chest.
He sent a small warm whisper to blow across her neck. ”Soon, mi amore, I will be there, holding you, loving you, with all my heart. Sleep, mi amore. Feel me there, my arms around you, protecting you.” He let her feel the strength of his arms surrounding her. He sent his scent to her, letting her know he was there.
She felt a light breeze across her neck and then felt his arms around her, inhaled his scent. She relaxed into him, quieted her mind. ”I can feel you, lover.”
”Rest, mi amore. It will not be long now. Lay your hand across your heart and feel me there. We beat as one, bel, always and forever as one. Ti amo.” He surrounded her with his scent, with his presence and she heard his soft voice in her head. ”And I love you.”
She felt herself drift into sleep.
21
Walking to the conference room, Shade could hear the low rumble of the warriors, as they prepared to leave. He had asked Marco to gather them all before they headed to the States. There were a few things he needed to make damn sure they were aware of, before they got there. He stood outside the door and closed his eyes, feeling the presence of his padre, and knew he had walked this road many times before him. Entering, his warriors stood at attention and he bid them all sit down.
Marco passed out an agenda to all the warriors. Shade remained standing as he browsed through the material, until all eyes were on him. He was their leader, their master, ultimate commander, and their lives were in his hands.
“You have been given the maps with the coordinates for arriving at my property in Virginia. My home there is situated directly in front of the staff quarters where you will be housed. The property is large, not as big as Castello, but you will be away from mortals. Arrangements have been made to accommodate you in the staff quarters. If you have issues, don’t go bitching to Gi, or any of my staff there, you will bring them to me or Luca. Is that clear?”
He looked at some of his warriors for acknowledgment.
“There is a well-equipped bunker and conference room in the main house below ground, you will need to access it through the first floor. The upper floors of my home are off limits. I have a mate, most of you know she is mortal. You will show her respect, honor, and try to act like gentlemen and not a pack of gorillas, for hell’s sake.”
Hearing a few chuckles, he kept his face stoic, letting them know the fun ended in this room tonight. Looking up and staring at a few, he saw they understood his message damn clear.
“There will be grounds to practice on within the confines of my estate. We do not wander, nor leave, without distinct permission. You do, your ass belongs to me, and you just bought yourself a one-way ticket home, disgraced. This is business, warriors, not a fucking vacation.”
Glancing at one warrior in particular, Shade knew he heard him loud and clear.
“The battle we fight is not my own, but one I was hired to manage and therefore reflects on me, personally. You have in front of you, folders containing graphs, grid layouts, and maps of D.C. This is where the battleground lies. I expect results and visible ones. I am master here in Florence, but we fight in another’s territory and domain, while protecting my own as well.” Looking up, he scanned the room. “Don’t fucking get your swords in a twist, you will take all orders from me and report to me only.
“As I said, I have a fully supplied bunker, filled to the brim with every weapon we could possibly want. Use whatever you need. My weapons are yours, brothers, but I will command them to be cleaned and put inside in the bunker in their proper place before each sunrise. No weapons are to be left lying around. If you are bringing your own swords, as most of you will, do not carry them with you when you are not on duty. You may leav
e them in your living quarters. Do not strut your bad ass selves in my home, carrying a sword bigger than the fucking Excalibur itself. That does not happen in my house. Understood?”
Shade could feel how restless they were, and he knew they were pumped and ready, wondering what lay ahead for them.
“And along those same damn fucking lines... wear some fucking clothes. You look like a bunch of damn barbarians. You are not in the warrior camp. Keep your cocks in your pants and your fucking attitudes locked down. That’s a fucking order!
“My rules are the same there as here, females are off limits in the quarters. You are warriors of the highest level, act like it. I do not expect angels, and believe me when I tell you, your sorry asses will be too damn tired by sunrise to even think about screwing anything but that fucking bed. One simple thing, warrior, do your job, do it Medici style and we rule the night. You know the situation we fly into. Use every damn thing I or Marco has taught you, concentrate on the job at hand. All I can ask of you.”
Shade stood tall. He was the ultimate alpha male in a room full of alphas, proud as hell at what he saw before him. My warriors! Born and bred right here.
“I chose each of you, hand-picked. Give me what I need, and you will be rewarded highly. I am a master of my word, and you know I am good for it. Show me who you are, show me what you have learned, put it to use. Give me a reason to walk proud. We leave in an hour. Be in the courtyard, I wait for no warrior. I am anxious to be home with my mate, and I do not like keeping her waiting. Are there any questions before we leave?”
Shade watched as Marcello stood to speak. Now how the hell did I know he would be the one to speak for this mob?
“Marcello, speak. It appears you are the representative for this group, brother?”
“I am, master. We have held council and I have been chosen.”
Marcello waited as the master nodded to him, his signal to speak his mind on behalf of his brothers.
“I have one question that plagues our minds. If we’re not allowed to leave the grounds, and we’re on duty in the city through the night, will there be feeders provided for us?”