by Emily Bex
Kate slipped from her clothes, letting the sundress puddle at her feet, feeling the cool air of the dense forest on her skin. She unhooked her bra and lets it drop, peeled the thong from her hips and let it fall, stepping out if it. She spread the dress on the ground and laid down, holding out her hand to him as he stood over her like a Greek god, carved from marble. "Come to me, lover."
Shade took her hand. He ached to touch her. Every second with her brought a lifetime of happiness.
"Take me wherever you want to go, bel, I belong to you. Make me feel everything will be okay. That whatever I have to do will be okay."
She took his hand and pulled him down to her. He knelt beside her and she stroked his thigh, his cock thick and throbbing, begging for attention. He leaned over her, kissing her mouth as their tongues explored. He lay down beside her, rolling onto his back and pulling her over on top of him.
Kate stroked his face. "Whether you feed from Luca, or you feed from..." Kate paused, closing her eyes before she finished her sentence, "or you feed from someone else, we’ll be fine."
She had to believe they’d be fine. Any other outcome was unbearable. She leaned over him, letting her hair fall over his face as she lowered her mouth to his. She felt his hands on her hips, pulling, pushing, urging. She slid down his torso and mounted him, feeling his erection as it penetrated her, filling her, and she cried out with the pleasure he brought. She rode him slowly, lifting her hips so only the bulging tip of his cock remained inside her, before slowly sliding back down, relishing the feel of him.
He let her ride at her own pace and she teased him, as she brought slow pleasure to herself. He kept his hands tight around her hips until he could no longer take the painfully slow dance she led them through. He pushed his hands down hard on her hips as he impaled her fully and then sat up, penetrating her even deeper. His hands slid up her back, into that crimson and tangled there. He pulled her head back slightly, exposing her neck. His tongue traveled down that lily-white skin until he took an erect nipple into his mouth, letting his tongue roll over it, suckling like he was starved for her. He gave the other nipple its due, then pulled the nipple hard between his teeth as he heard her growl. Pushing her hair softly to the side, he slid his tongue up her neck and raked his fangs over her vein. His own growl was intense with passion and need.
"I cannot wait, mi amore, I need release now!"
Lifting his hips, he pushed his cock even deeper inside her, as he sank his fangs deep into her vein, his moan echoing off the mountain side. He heard a howl and then another answering the call and he knew it was Aegis and Night Stalker.
As his fangs sank deep into her neck, her own fangs punched through, aching for him. She felt the immediate explosion of heat between her legs as he drank from her, and her hips rode him hard. She clung to his shoulders, her head back, letting him drink his fill until her own bloodlust overcame her, and she tilted forward, sinking her fangs into his shoulder. His blood hit her tongue and it was like liquid sex. She felt her own orgasm wash over her, as she gripped hard with her hands, her nails digging deep into his flesh, her hips thrusting hard to take him fully. She felt his release, hot and wet inside her, the scent of their mingled sex hanging heavy in the night air. She drank deep and broke free, unlatching as she threw her head back, riding the waning waves of their orgasm before she collapsed in his arms.
He retracted his fangs and licked the wound, watching her riding out the orgasm. They lay back down on the soft moss as he cradled her on his chest. His hands caressed her back, keeping her warm as their heart rate and breathing returned to normal. "Ti amo, mi amore. I will do whatever I have to. I will accept if Shannon does not wish to let Luca do this. Just please promise me, you will help her understand this. Help her for us."
Kate laid with her head on his chest, listening to the beat of his heart. His voice rumbled deep in his chest. "Lover, I’ll speak with her. You know how I feel. It’s as important to me...maybe even more so. But I have to prepare myself for whatever the outcome will be. We’ll do what we need to do, for us, and for Lorenzo, and those that follow." She kissed him lightly, feeling the soft fullness of his lips. "I love you, Shade."
"Come, you are cold, we need to get you back to the house, the night air is still chilly yet."
Lifting her from his chest, he gathered her dress and bra, and they both began to put their clothes back on. He gave a whistle and heard Impavido come crashing through some trees. "Damn, boy, if that was supposed to be a stealth move, you failed miserably!"
He watched as Impavido went straight to bel and nuzzled her neck and then looked back at Shade and snorted. Shade laughed and shook his head. "Damn traitor!"
Kate returned the affection to the large stallion, stroking his strong neck as she leaned her head against him. Shade mounted the horse and held his hand out for her. She stepped into the stirrup and grabbed hold of his hand as he lifted her effortlessly into place, seated in front of him.
They rode together back to the field where Bravado waited near the stables, grazing patiently, lifting her head as they approached. Shade reached out and grabbed her reins and she followed them back to the stables.
Angelo approached and took the reins for both horses and Shade dismounted and let Bel slide right into his arms.
"I want to stay at the house tonight. I do not want to go into camp. I want to be with you all night, mi amore."
"You’ll get no arguments from me, lover. Come on. Let's go sit around the house like an old married couple."
Throwing back his head laughing, he grabbed her hand and they ran toward the house, laughing as they went. They would never grow old, and their hearts would always return to each other.
50
Raven took control of the command post in the Dead House and had his warriors out on the streets. So far, this night had not presented any serious threats, and that meant less for him to report to the boss-man, and some much needed time for him to make his rounds and check out grid ten. He needed to feed soon and had found a section in D.C. that catered to the gay scene. He could have a feeder, but all feeders were female. He preferred males, and now master had given him the freedom to hunt. At least there’d be some release for him in that area.
He liked getting dressed up, wearing great styles and lots of jewelry. He’d always been different from the other warriors. He knew he was fortunate his vampire culture didn’t place the same stigma on his sexual preference as his counterparts in the mortal community faced. He teleported to "ZS", one of the gay clubs he’d found and decided, tonight, he was going inside. He’d been watching the clubs, seeing who was going in and out, and looking for males that reflected his style and taste.
Entering the club without fanfare, he didn’t want to draw attention to himself. He found a feast of tasty treats waiting for him as he walked from table to table, checking out the clientele. Some were blatantly dressed in drag, while others were dressed more similar to him. He saw men of every shape, color, and size. Raven had done his research, and D.C. had a very active and open gay community. It wasn’t New York, Miami, or San Francisco, but it would do until he could make his way to California. He knew, if he played his cards right, boss-man could eventually send him to protect their California estate and Raven could really rock it out there.
He made his way to the bar over all the flashing lights and loud music and ordered a whiskey. Of course, he couldn’t drink it, but it looked good in his hand and helped him blend in with the mortals. He found a seat tucked close to the wall where he could observe all the action. He’d begun the night in the Dead House with his hair pulled back in a man-bun, but he’d taken it down now. His fingers were covered in rings and his leathers were unique, skin tight, and designed by Cory.
The DJ started playing Adam Lambert's, For Your Entertainment.
Raven sat forward in his chair and began to really pay attention. Male dancers strutted out onto the floor, dressed in tight jeans, leathers and no shirts. They danced on poles located around
the dance floor and the entertainment began. As they performed, Raven couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He’d hit the fucking mother lode! He watched as a crowd of young men joined the professional dancers on the floor, the men gyrating against each other as they strutted across the floor, coming closer and closer and Raven's mouth was watering.
This was the perfect hunting ground and although he knew he couldn’t join in tonight because he was on duty, he’d finally found a place where he belonged, where he could dress as he pleased, be accepted and feed without judgment. He could cut loose in this place, and Raven loved to dance.
He stood from his seat and watched as one of the hard-bodied dancers slithered up to him. He moved sensuously around Raven and let his hand slide through his long black straight hair. Raven wanted what was in front of him, but he held back. He was on duty and if he screwed up, Shade would send him back to Florence with his dick rammed down his throat. Boss-man took no shit and Raven had no intention of throwing away this opportunity.
The dancer was clad in tight leathers. His cock was huge and straining against the soft material. He wore sunglasses inside the dark club, and his hair was short and spiked. Raven could barely stand still, it had been a long time since he’d fed from a man and he knew if he made a move, he could have this one easily. The dancer moved around Raven and slid his body along Raven's ass, tempting him, and Raven's beast wanted out to play. The dancer leaned into his neck, and Raven knew he was mortal and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could contain his urges.
The man whispered in his ear, "Don’t be nervous, gorgeous, just dance and let go."
Every cell in his body screamed to just go with him, dance and find a quiet dark corner to feed and let his beast have some fun. But Raven shook his long mane in the negative. "Not tonight. I need to leave, but I’ll be back another time. Will you be here?"
The dancer grabbed his hand and licked Raven’s palm. "Pretty much every night. Until we meet again, gorgeous."
The hard-bodied dancer slipped back into the crowd, as the beat of the music seemed to be slamming harder and harder. Raven made a mad dash for the door and headed around the building into the alley. He leaned against the brick building, sucking in deep gulps of cool night air. "Cazzo!"
Once under control, he teleported back to the Dead House and as far from the temptation as he could get, but soon, very soon, he’d have a night off and he knew exactly where he was going, straight into the bowels of that temptation.
51
Luca paced on the patio outside his suite, smoking a cigarette while holding the cell phone in his free hand. He was caught in the middle, once again, between Shade and Kate. He knew his allegiance to Shade was unbreakable that he’d sacrifice everything for him. But he understood the conflict and what he was putting at risk. This wasn’t something he’d ever discussed with Shannon, and he knew Kate's own loyalty to her friend, and to him, would leave her riddled with guilt if Luca's choice resulted in the end of his relationship with Shannon.
Luca already knew his choice. He loved Shannon and wanted her as his mate. But she’d have to adapt to this. She’d have to understand that, in his world, his allegiance would always be to Shade. Luca sighed then dropped the cigarette on the ground and put it out with his boot before hitting dial. He heard her sweet voice on the other end of the phone. “Mia belleza, tell me you have no plans for the evening.”
Shannon purred, “Well, it sounds like I do now."
He chuckled then told her he was coming over. "We need to talk, Shan. There are some things going on I need to keep you informed of.”
Shannon’s tone changed as her concern bled through the phone. “Is something wrong, Luca?”
“Nothing wrong, mia belleza, but things we need to discuss.”
Shannon felt confused but welcomed any reason to be with him. “Of course, babe, come now. We'll talk, and you can sleep here with me. I've missed you."
Luca told her he’d be there shortly. He sent a message to Shade telepathically that he was leaving. He felt Shade's acknowledgement, and knew he was wrapped in his own turmoil.
Within minutes, Luca teleported out and landed inside Shannon's condo in Alexandria. Shannon greeted him with a kiss that left him stunned and staggering for his breath. His fangs ached with need, and he’d feed from her while he was here, unless this conversation went badly.
"Mia belleza, as much as I’d like to take you to your bed right now, I feel we must talk first."
Shannon sighed and plopped down on her sofa. "Luca, you’re such a buzz-kill. Sit down next to me and spill the beans."
Luca smiled at her as he sat down, taking her hand. "So, we haven’t talked to each other since you heard the news of Kate's pregnancy. You’re pleased to hear this, yes?"
Shannon beamed at him. "Of course! I think it’s awesome. Will this make you an uncle of sorts? Maybe I’ll be an unofficial auntie. Kate has always felt like a sister to me."
Luca smiled at her enthusiasm as she curled into him. "Don’t get any ideas, mia belleza. There will be no babies in our future for a while."
Shannon laughed. "Oh, don't worry! I'm not ready for that in my life yet. Although, I’m very happy for Kate. She told me briefly about the loss of their first baby. I know this is what she wants, what they both want, so really, I couldn’t be happier for them. You don't think there will be a problem, do you? Is that your concern? Is that why you’re here?"
Luca shook his head. "No, her first pregnancy came when she was mortal. It’s not impossible for a mortal to give birth after mating with a vampire, but it’s very rare. The infant rarely survives, and often, the mother will die as well. We all feared for Kate during that pregnancy. But now, as an immortal, she’ll be strong, and the baby as well. So, no, to answer your question, there should be no issues with this pregnancy. In a few months, Shade will be holding his new son, the heir to the Medici dynasty."
Shannon was beaming at him. "I’m so excited for her. How long have they known?"
Luca shook his head. "It was only just confirmed by the doctor, and the only people who’ve been told are Council and the people at Bel Rosso. But it’s also why I’m here, Shan. Why we must talk."
Shannon could see his mood shift as he became more serious. "Okay, so what do you need to tell me? That you’ll be protector to her children as well? You’d already mentioned something about that. Are you saying your time with me is going to be even more challenging?"
Luca looked away from her as he gathered his thoughts. "Yes, I’ll be protector to her children, along with other warriors who’ll be assigned, but that’s not what I need to discuss. It’s about the feeding."
Shannon creased her brow. "I don't understand. What does Kate's pregnancy have to do with your feeding?"
Luca bit at his lip. "This is complicated, Shan. I want you to listen to everything I have to tell you before you react, please."
Shannon sat up straight, bristling a little in anticipation of what he was about to say. "Okay, Luca, I don't know where this is going, but I've managed so far."
Luca was wishing he had a glass of Midnight, but took a deep breath, instead, before starting his explanation. "During her pregnancy, just like for a mortal, the baby grows fast and takes his nourishment from the mother. Kate will need to feed more often from Shade to sustain herself as well as the baby growing inside her."
Shannon nodded her head. "Yeah, okay, that makes perfect sense."
Luca took her hand, rubbing his thumb gently over her hand as he continued his explanation. "However, because the baby needs everything from her to grow and be healthy, Shade won’t be able to feed from her. No male can feed from his female while she is pregnant. They must all seek another source to feed."
Shannon tilted her head. "Okay, I can see why that would be the case. So, he has to go to a feeder then? Like you were using before me?"
Luca looked down. "Normally, that’s what’s done. The male goes back to a feeder during the mate's pregnancy and for a short time
afterwards while the female feeds the newborn, until the baby is weaned to a wet feeder."
Shannon shook her head. "A what?"
Luca looked up at her, glad for a chance to slow down the inevitable. "A wet feeder is a special breed of feeder, young, virginal, androgynous. They are selected to feed an infant and remain with them until the infant reaches puberty, which doesn’t occur until they are between eighteen and twenty. Neither the child nor the feeder feels any sexual attraction during the feeding. It is nourishment only."
Shannon screwed up her face. "Seriously? Why wouldn't they just feed from the mother?"
Luca explained to her, "Because the female’s first obligation is to her mate, not her child. I know this is strange in your culture. If the female continues to feed the child, she can't feed her mate, and her mate is at his strongest when he feeds only from her. Also, if the female has more than one child, she can't possibly feed both. The wet feeders are bred specifically for this function, just as feeders are bred for the non-mated adults. This has protected and preserved our culture and limits the frequency that vampires feed from mortals. It protects us from exposure and has preserved our race. Do you understand?"
Shannon nodded. "Yeah, it sounds very strange to me, but yeah, I get it. So, what does this have to do with you?"
Luca paused. "Not unlike you, Kate has always objected to feeders. During the first pregnancy, she asked Shade to promise he wouldn’t seek out a feeder, and he promised her he wouldn’t."
Shannon shook her head. "I don't understand. You just said males go to a feeder. He has to feed, right?"
"Yes, he has to feed, or die. Kate didn’t want him with another female, because as you are aware, with adult vampires, it’s not just feeding but sex. She couldn’t get past the image of that in her head, Shade with another female. He could, of course, hunt, look for unsuspecting male mortals. But with hunting, the blood you find is not always pure. There are mortal diseases, drugs, other contaminants. So, it’s not always a good option. It will keep the vampire alive, but not at their strongest. And Shade is a warrior, he must always be strong."