by Emily Bex
"Lead the way, Cory."
Cory took his mom into his large shop where bolts of leather lined the tables and the tools of his trade were spread throughout the large workshop. Cory explained the basics of what he did, as he walked throughout and pulled out some custom bright red leathers he was making for Fiamma.
"This is for Fee, she’s a female warrior. I custom fit everything. They need the flexibility, plus some custom features to accommodate whatever weapons they use."
Pulling out a leather chest-piece, he showed her the detail work he created in replicating the Medici crest for the coven. "This is the master's crest and it goes on their dress leathers. They have special events and wear only dress leathers for those times. Every warrior wants something different, so I work with them to come up with a design."
Just as Cory was about to show her some of the patterns, Raven stuck his head inside. "Cory, bro. Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt, just wondering if you have my shirt done? I might need it next week, if I get a night off."
Cory grinned at Raven. "This is my mom. Mom, this is Raven, one of the top warriors.”
Raven extended a dramatic deep bow to Cory's mom. "Nice to meet you, Cory's Mom.”
Cory turned back to Raven. “I have it done. I’ll bring it to you later when you get back from the Dead House."
Raven fist bumped him. “Oh man, that’s spectacular. Addio, bro!" Cory laughed as Raven disappeared out the door.
Rachael was overwhelmed with the scope of the workshop. It wasn’t some little hole in the wall but a business, fully stocked with high quality leather, and every piece of equipment for cutting and hand-tooling imaginable. There were industrial sewing machines for stitching together the leather garments, and large tables for laying out the leather and cutting out the patterns. Cory had finished garments hanging and ready, and several that were in various stages of completion. Her son had finally found a home. A place he fit in, more than fit in. A place he was welcomed.
"Cory, this is amazing! And your work is impeccable. These clothes could be sold in high-end stores."
Cory smiled at her. "It’s funny you say that because master's lady said the same thing. It was her idea to have me make the warrior’s clothes. I work very hard, and I love being here, having a purpose. This is my family now. I’m not exactly family, but we’re all treated like one big family and work together, and I like that. I feel like, for the first time in my life, I’m accepted. I think it might be safe now, to take you into the barracks where I live. Master said I could show you around, it’s really busy here right now. We have a lot of new recruits as the camp is just beginning. The one in Florence is well established and has been there a long time and is much bigger. This is a new camp master is just starting."
Cory led her into the barracks and showed her the main rooms filled with couches and comfortable armchairs. He explained they all lived in a barracks-type environment, but everyone got along like family. Several of the warriors threw up their hand in acknowledgement and then Marcello appeared.
"Cory! This must be your mother. It’s really nice to meet you. My name is Marcello and I’m Second-In-Command. Cory’s doing a great job here. We couldn’t manage without him, not even sure what we did before he got here.” Marcello turned to Cory. “You’re going to be busy. We made the final cuts, now the recruits will need new leathers.” Marcello bowed his head to Cory’s mom. “Enjoy your visit."
Cory grinned and fist bumped Marcello and led his mom into his living quarters. The building had emptied out now, as night was falling, and everyone was preparing to get to their duties.
"This is my bunk room. It’s simple, but I like it, I get to be part of everything that’s happening."
Rachael was struck by the size and scope of the building, and the camaraderie that he shared with all the vampires. Clearly, this master had the power to dictate terms to his coven. She’d learned throughout the years that half-breeds, like Cory, were rejected by the vampire community at large. She had no idea how this master would accept her presence here, but if nothing else, she hoped she could meet him to, at least, thank him for the life he’d given her son.
***
Shade made his way quickly to the camp, the time seemed to fly by very quickly of late, never enough hours to accomplish all his tasks. He walked through the high gates then stood back watching the new recruits on their first full night of becoming Medici warriors. He’d given Marcello and Fee the strict regimen he expected the new recruits to follow.
It felt good to be back in his element, in the camp, training warriors. Shade saw Raven blow him a kiss on his way out to the Dead House with his team of warriors, and Shade flipped him the finger. Damn runt was going to be the death of him yet, but Raven was taking his responsibilities and new post well. Raven was a good scout. He had street smarts and hadn’t disappointed him in his new role.
He walked the perimeter and spotted Skelk with Aislynn. Shade stood in the shadow, watching her perfect her stance under Skelk’s direction. She was going to be a damn good asset to him. She was young, with a natural talent, and he could mold this one, like he had with Fiamma.
He walked further into the camp when he picked up a scent of a mortal female and his head snapped up. He saw Cory walking out of the barracks with an older woman and then he remembered Cory's mother was arriving today.
Cory escorted his mom outside onto the huge training field, the lights now on, illuminating the space. "These are the master's new warriors. The ones wearing the leather, those are the older warriors who came here from Florence. They will teach the new recruits."
"Cazzo! I had forgotten. Damn, maybe I am going daft," Shade commented.
Shade made eye contact with Cory, watched him say something to his mother as Shade moved across the training field to the other side of the camp to welcome her. Cazzo, he needed to get them the hell out of here. These were new warriors on the field, and it was a dangerous place for a mortal to be. These young skins were learning new weapons, and ammo tended to travel in all directions.
Cory could feel his mom shaking, and he wasn’t sure if it was from fear or excitement. Not many mortals would ever see this sight and it made him feel special that master would allow him to do this. He felt eyes on him and looked across the field to see Shade making his way over to them. Shade was easily spotted anywhere with his height and confident walk. He even walked like a warrior and vampire of high importance. Cory knew he’d never be like him but ached to have his approval. Shade had been the only male role model who’d ever given him the time of day.
Rachael saw him as he walked across the campgrounds in their direction. His height caught her eye as he stood taller than the vampires around him, and those raven locks hung in loose curls around his face, those long muscular legs, and his cocky, confident stride. It couldn’t be!
She glanced at Cory who was watching him with adoring eyes, then back at the tall, handsome vampire walking right to them. He was close enough to them for her to see his eyes now, those piercing blue eyes that had melted her nineteen-year-old soul. She could feel her body shaking as she reached out to Cory, taking his arm to steady herself.
"Cory...that man...is he your master?"
"Yes, that’s Shade Medici. Don’t be scared, Mom, he’s very nice. He knows you’re coming."
Rachael's knees buckled. Shade! She never knew his last name, but she’d never forget his first name. She closed her eyes. Would he even recognize her? She looked nothing like the pretty nineteen-year-old girl who’d eagerly climbed into bed with this man. The years had not been kind to her, and they showed on her face, making her appear much older than her thirty-nine years. Her face already bearing deep wrinkles around her eyes, her hair carrying a little grey, making her look closer to fifty than forty. What if he rejected her, threw her out of the camp when he realized who she was? What if he rejected Cory? Taking away the only good thing to happen to him in his life.
Rachael felt her stomach churn. She felt ill. She
knew enough about the vampire culture, in her search for a solution for Cory all these years, to know that half-breeds were never recognized in the vampire community. If her presence here cost Cory his only shot at a decent life, she thought this would be the final straw, for both of them.
Shade smiled as he approached but noticed Cory's mother looked a bit sick and he knew this was more than most mortals could comprehend. Walking up, he slapped Cory on the back. "I see you made it back from the airport without incident."
Cory beamed up at Shade as he felt his mom leaning more of her weight onto his arm. "Master, this is my mom. Rachael Robbins."
Shade gently took her hand and squeezed it lightly. "Welcome to Bel Rosso. I am Shade Medici, Master of the Medici Coven. I am Cory's master and I am honored to have the pleasure of your acquaintance. You have a fine son. Please, you are shaking, let us go into the main house and sit down. I think you would feel much more comfortable and Cory can get you something to drink."
As Rachael made eye contact with him, her heart pounded with fear he’d recognize her. His impossibly blue eyes locked with hers, and she was flooded with the memories of the two weeks he’d spent with her. He stayed in her apartment in the Haight, seeking his death slumber in the day. She used heavy quilts to cover the one dingy window to block out the sun for him. She recalled the nights and felt a rush of blood to her face. He fed from her as they’d had the kind of sex she’d only read about, his appetite insatiable for both the blood and the sex. She remembered how empty she’d felt at his sudden departure, and then she never saw or heard from him again. She took the hand he offered, and she felt the same jolt she felt in the club the first time she saw him.
In a shaking voice, she answered, "I'm so happy to meet you. And I can't thank you enough for what you have done for my son." In her head, she was screaming, Our son! He is our son!
"Miss Robbins, please, I have done little for your son. I only gave him a chance to make a life worthy of his incredible talent. He made those changes himself. And I may add, very well. He is part of my familia now. I take care of my coven and those that serve me. Cory has proven to me, and to those you see around you, he deserves to be here, he is a talented vampire within my ranks."
Shade looked at her closely, there was something familiar about her, but he shook it off. He’d met so damn many people in his life. "Please, let’s go inside. Cory, go on ahead, get your madre some water or wine, no Midnight. If you will allow me to escort you inside, we can sit and relax, it tends to get quite noisy out here."
Shade took her arm, entwining it with his so she didn’t fall, and led her inside, helping her sit down in a comfortable chair in the living room. She seemed so frail and he had pictured Cory's mother to be much younger than the woman sitting across from him now.
"Rachael is a lovely name. Have you always hailed from California?" Shade smiled politely at her. He could feel her nervousness, and her voice, there was something about her voice. Cazzo, he was losing it! Throwing one leg over his opposite knee, he ran his hand through his hair trying to relax, and in doing so, hoping to help her relax.
Rachael heard his questions and tried to focus her attention. "California, yes, I grew up in Southern California, but then ran off to San Francisco as soon as I got out of high school. I couldn't wait to get out on my own. I got a little apartment in Haight-Ashbury. I used to frequent the underground clubs. That's where I met...where I ran into Cory's father."
Rachael looked around the beautifully decorated room, crossed and uncrossed her legs, trying to get comfortable. She’d worn her best dress to meet Cory, and she tugged at the scarf she always wore around her neck, feeling a little warm here in the South.
Shade watched her closely. She was quite nervous. She pulled at her scarf, a tick he found charming. He caught a glimpse of a tattoo on her neck, hidden by the scarf, and he smiled. He knew, from Cory, she’d paired with a vampire in one of the underground clubs, so she wasn’t new to the vampire club life and its incessant sex and feeding.
He nodded at her. "San Francisco had a few clubs back in the day. I visited there a few times. I now own some vineyards north of there. That is my business, producing wine. I do not mean to be rude, Miss Robbins, but did you know Cory's father well? Would you know his name? I may be able to help Cory find him and let him know he has a son in this world. I am not unaware of how half-breeds are treated in our culture, but it goes against the code of honor I was taught growing up in Florence. I hope I do not speak out of line here. It is none of my business, but it does annoy me that he abandoned you. Please understand he may perhaps have had no clue you were pregnant. Did you try to seek him out?"
Cory walked in with a glass of wine and handed it to his mother. Rachael took the glass offered and fought the impulse to chug it down. She took a large sip from the glass as he was asking her if she’d looked for Cory’s father. Clearly, he had no memory of her, and she was somehow relieved and disappointed at the same time.
Rachael smiled at Cory as he took a seat on the sofa near Shade. It almost broke her heart. All those years...lost. She hadn’t eaten on the plane and the wine went straight to her head. She felt the flush of heat again and tugged once more at the scarf she wore to cover the tattoo. That foolish tattoo she’d gotten in her youth, written in Gothic script across the side of her neck, 'We Are Not Angels'. The tattoo, those underground clubs, the indiscriminate sex, so many mistakes, and both she and Cory had paid the price for them.
"Yes, I did try to find him. I went back to the club. People remembered him, but he wasn’t from the States." Should she tell him? She looked at him directly, holding his gaze. "He was from Europe, from Italy...like you."
Shade listened carefully, this vampire was from Italy? He had to know who the hell he was. Cazzo! Who could it be? He watched as she downed the wine quickly and pulled again on her scarf . As she did, her scarf slipped from her neck and drifted to the floor. He quickly reached down to pick it up and leaned forward to hand it to her and saw the tattoo on her neck.
He made a noise deep in his throat, sounding strange even to him. Images flashed through his head as he remembered that tattoo, San Francisco, and Haight-Ashbury...Rachael!
Shade almost fell to his knees with the memories that flooded his brain. The several weeks he’d spent with her, in her dingy one-room apartment, feeding from her often, lying with her. He slid his hand over his heart and shook his head. His head snapped around and looked at Cory. How the fuck did he not see this before? The dark hair, the high cheekbones, and full lips, but he carried her dark eyes, and his features were softer. His world began to crash around him. Cory was his son. His son! Quickly getting up, he turned his back and walked away from the couch.
"Cory, I need you to... Please, could you leave us alone for a while? I wish to speak with your madre alone. Go!"
Cory looked at Shade who appeared rattled as he asked him to leave the room. He looked to his mom, the color draining from her face. She nodded at him, encouraging him to leave.
"What’s going on, Mom?"
Rachael looked at him with sadness. She could only hope the outcome of this visit didn’t mean the end of Cory's chances for a better life. "Please, Cory. Just give us a minute."
Cory stood and reluctantly left the room, walking toward the back door that led to the patio. He stepped outside and plopped down in a deck chair, confused and hurt by the events playing out inside.
Shade tried to breathe. This changed everything. Everything! And he had no idea where to begin. She looked so old. Nothing like the beautiful young woman he’d made passionate love to and fed from for weeks. He’d been in the States on business, only there for a short period of time to make some contacts. So many things began to churn in his mind. He couldn’t comprehend them all at once. What had he done?
"Rachael."
She looked at him, her eyes filled with sorrow. "I'm so sorry, Shade. Cory never said your name. In all the times he spoke to me about you, he called you master. I had no ide
a. I did look for you when I found out I was pregnant. The vamps at the club remembered you, but they said you weren't a regular. The pregnancy was hard. I was sick the entire time. He was born prematurely, and I wasn't even sure he’d live. He’d take formula, but it wasn’t enough. I went back to the club, tried to find someone to help me. But they said he was a half-breed and not worth their time. One of the female vamps there did tell me he’d need to feed. That he’d eat both human food and blood. He’s had a hard life. I tried to homeschool him, but he was so angry, so confused. He didn't fit into my world, and he didn't fit into yours. He kept running away, living on the streets. As he got older, I knew he was hanging out in the underground clubs, trading sex for blood. I cried myself to sleep almost every night. I couldn’t reach him, and I couldn’t help him. Then he called to say a master had hired him and he was moving to Florence, and he never seemed happier. Please, I beg you, don't punish him because of me. If you don't want to tell him you’re his father, I’ll understand, just don't send him away. It would kill him!"
Shade felt his heart breaking. He’d done this. His foolish life of sex and pleasure had produced a child that suffered and a woman who suffered even more. He remembered the pills, the guilt of his selfish love for bel, and their child he killed with his own hand. Did this mean bel would have survived that pregnancy as well as Cory? Shade stood with his back to her, her words like knives ripping at him with every stroke of her tongue. He turned slowly and looked at her. He saw the ravages of her suffering. Her face and body bore every moment of grief and agony he’d laid on her. He walked to her, crouching down at her feet, taking her hands in his.