by Emily Bex
Lorenzo cooed and Marco laughed, trying to juggle him in his arms. He sent a message to Theresa. “Terri! Help me! I have the baby!”
In an instant, Theresa appeared, and she was biting her lip not to laugh. As she took the baby, she looked toward Kate and Shade. Marco scoffed, "Old man is falling apart. He needed a moment. Handsome little thing, though, isn’t he?"
Theresa slapped him on the arm and led him in the opposite direction, away from Kate and Shade.
As Kate approached Shade, she touched his arm gently. "Lover? Are you okay?"
Shade took her in his arms. "I am so overwhelmed. I don’t deserve this, or you, Lorenzo, or my coven. It is like feeling the warmth of the sun."
Kate wrapped her arms around him, his head nestled against her. "I feel what you feel. The baby opens your heart to everything, making you feel things you didn't know were possible. But we deserve what we have fought for, and Lorenzo. We have struggled to get here, to find each other, to fight through the obstacles. We will face new challenges with Lorenzo, I’m sure. But never doubt you deserve this, my savage lover.”
He locked eyes with her. She was all to him, forever his walking sin. She would always be his greatest strength and deadliest weakness. "My lily white, I need you. I am your humble master. I praise the love you give with such abundance. No greater love has been given, than the love I give to you."
Lifting her in his arms, he carried her to their bedchamber. His son was safe in the arms of his nanny, and the only warrior he knew who was as strong as himself. They needed this time to be alone, to ignite the fires that would forever burn in his heart.
99
They’d been in Florence almost a month, and Kate was anxious to get home. Lorenzo would have to learn what it felt like to sleep in his cradle, because with Theresa, Emma, and the massive staff at Castello, Lorenzo had been passed from the loving arms of one female to another. Nita, the wet feeder who’d been chosen for Lorenzo, had arrived and she’d be flying back to the States with them as well.
Kate wrapped Lorenzo in the soft blanket to ward off the chill. The old castle had been modernized with heat and plumbing, but its huge size made keeping it warm a challenge. Kate lifted Lorenzo to her shoulder and went in search of Theresa. They needed to finish packing everything, so their luggage could be taken to the plane. As she stepped into the hallway, she saw Theresa in an embrace with Marco. She stopped in her tracks, as she watched the intimate kiss exchanged between them before Marco turned and left.
Theresa turned around and spotted Kate, and turned bright red. "My lady!"
Kate gave her a sly smile. "Something I should know about, Theresa?"
Theresa approached, looking down at the marble floor. "We’ve decided to try again. I can't imagine my life without Marco, and apparently, he didn’t seek out another female either, other than the feeders, of course. We both think we can manage a long-distance relationship. At least, we're going to try."
Kate beamed at her. "I think that’s wonderful. You know how often we’re here. And I know it’s important to Shade that the coven is exposed to Lorenzo. He wanted them to see him grow up. So, I imagine we’ll be here several times a year."
Theresa nodded. "We discussed that. We think we can make it work."
Kate reached out and took her hand. "I’m happy for you, for both of you."
”Were you looking for me?"
"I was. We need to finish packing everything, and I needed your help. Lorenzo frets when I lie him down. He’s been so spoiled here. He thinks he’s supposed to be held at all times."
Theresa laughed as she followed Kate back into the bedroom.
***
Finishing up the paperwork related to his businesses in Europe, Shade met with his lawyers and Luciano to address some of the expenses that needed his attention. Hauling his ass back to the bedchamber, he knew they’d be leaving Florence soon.
He walked into chaos in the bedroom as Theresa and Emma were both running around the room, helping bel pack. He shut the door quietly and watched. Kate was laughing as she teased Theresa about Marco. Did he miss something? Clearing his throat, it sounded like a hammer falling and everyone stopped and turned to stare at him, their faces red.
"Please ladies, resume your duties or whatever you want to call this. Where’s my son? Which one of you has him?"
Kate carried Lorenzo to him, swaddled in his blanket, his eyes wide open, taking in all the activity around him. She slipped him into Shade's arms. "Your son is here, being spoiled as usual. He’s going to have culture shock when we return home and I lay him in a cradle. Lover, have you spoken to Marco?"
Theresa shushed her from across the room, and Kate giggled.
Taking Lorenzo in his arms, he smiled down at his handsome face and ran his hand over his raven curls. "Marco? Why the hell would I want to speak to that old ass grouch? Is there something you wish for me to speak to him about?"
Kate laughed. "You mean other than being an old ass grouch? I don't know, maybe you should ask about his love life."
Theresa's eyes were wide open, as was her mouth. "My lady! I can't believe you said that."
"Seriously, Theresa? You don't think guys talk?"
He looked from one to the other. "Are you telling me what I think you are telling me? Oh, this calls for some major dressing down. I’ve taken more of his bullshit about mating and having bambinos in the past year to last me all of eternity.
So, tell me, Theresa, what torture tools did you use to make this happen? Give it up because I need all the ammo I can gather."
Theresa looked at the floor and shrugged. "No tools. We just really missed each other. I assumed he’d move on after we broke it off. And you know Marco, probably better than anyone. There’s no shortage of females he could have chosen. But he only went to feeders. We’ve talked about it at length and we both decided to commit to each other. I hope you won't make him change his mind."
Shade turned serious. "Theresa, he loves you. But I feel conflicted. I need both of you in very separate parts of the world. We chose you as Lorenzo's nanny, no one else. I trust no one with him as I do you. And I need Marco here. If I ever lost an arm, he would give me one of his. Did you wish to remain here with Marco?"
Theresa shook her head. "No, master. My place is with Lorenzo, and the others that will follow. And Marco knows his place is here. Besides, Marco can only be domesticated so much. He loves his life in the camp, surrounded by the warriors. We will be together when I come here."
"I never thank you enough for all the things you have done for us. We would have been lost without you, Theresa. I will keep him in line, I promise you. Just love him. The devil knows loving a Medici warrior is not an easy task. And you tell me if you need to return for a visit. If we can manage it, we will."
Theresa nodded. "Of course, master. Thank you."
Turning the baby over to Kate, he got ready to leave. “Now, I need to see my brother before I go. Finish packing and I will go see Marco."
He teleported out and landed at Marco's barrack’s door. Pounding hard on the door, he called out to his friend, "Marco!"
Marco stood up slowly, grunting as he walked to the door, opening it to his oldest friend. "What's the matter, old man? You need a break from baby care already? Too much estrogen up there in Castello? You better get in here while you still have your balls."
Shade chuckled as he entered Marco’s room, dropping into a chair. Marco admonished him. “You’ve been around the women too long, my friend. It has made your brain soft."
Shade punched him lightly. "I heard you were back with Theresa. Who has a leash around his cock now, brother?”
Marco stood with his hands on his hips, looking at Shade. He shook his head. "Life is not as easy for those of us not born with a crown on our head. You might do well to remember that. You have never known a life of servitude. You issue orders and they are done. You buy what you want. Take the women you want. Your life is your own. The rest of us? We find solace where we c
an. I let Terri go because I didn't want to hold her back. Doesn’t mean I don’t care. Or that it doesn’t hurt."
Shade grabbed the half empty bottle of Midnight and swigged it down. He handed the bottle to Marco as he slid the back of his hand over his mouth. "I have a lot to lose and you know that, even more now, brother. Don’t mess with her mind, or her heart. I will beat you ten feet under the ground. But, I feel it, you love her. Now you know what I feel inside, you need to come to the States for a visit soon. You need to see everything I have built there. It is for Lorenzo, and those that follow him. My purpose is different now, my whole life is different."
Marco tipped the bottle back, swallowing down large gulps. Drinking with Shade, just like the old days. "I know you have a lot to lose, because I've spent my life protecting it. You've been a good master. Now make sure you raise Lorenzo to follow in your footsteps. We don't need some whiny ass spoiled kid who thinks he's better than us just because he was born royal. And don't worry about Terri and me. We'll be fine. We both know our place in this world, and how to carve out time for us."
Shade grabbed the bottle and threw back his head, swallowing down the last drops. "Cazzo! You always have to empty the bottle.”
He grabbed two more bottles as the two of them settled in on the floor. Shade looked at him. "If I stayed here all night, you think she would notice?"
They both laughed as Shade continued to talk. "She would rain hell down on this shack. You and I both would be delivered to the devil, our cocks shoved up our asses. Cazzo, brother, I love her! Lorenzo, he is so vulnerable. I fear for him. She keeps telling me I can be a good padre, but damn, I have never been more scared in my life. I want him to grow up differently than I did. I want him to understand he needs to be the best warrior, the best leader for Medici, but I also need to show him I love him. Fucking Padre would never give me points for any damn thing. I can’t do that to Lorenzo, brother."
Marco took a long draw from the bottle. "I’ll protect you from many things, brother. Lay down my life if I need to. But I’ll not stand against that redhead for you. You're on your own there."
Marco swigged back the bottle, letting the wine slide down his throat. "Don't worry about Lorenzo. Well, yeah...worry about Lorenzo. He’ll know he is loved. You’re a different man than your father. Just don't be too soft. Lorenzo is warrior. He needs to be raised as a warrior. Like it or not, old friend, that is what your father did. You were his only son. It all rested on you. He had to make sure the Medici coven would survive. Look at how many of the old covens have not. We depend on you, and now we depend on you to make sure Lorenzo can handle all that will be required of him as well. Our queen will keep you in line, I think. She’ll protect him. But she’ll push him as well. And you."
Shade grunted. "She could push a mountain over if she had a mind to. You seem to have changed your mind about her since you first met her. You two were like oil and water. So, you are like my blood. If something happens..." Slamming his head back against the wall, closing his eyes. "Promise me you will help take care of Lorenzo, you and Theresa."
Marco shrugged. "I misjudged our queen. I will admit. I thought you were making a mistake by taking a mortal. She has proved me wrong. Don't get all maudlin on me. You two aren't going anywhere. But you have my word. If anything happens, you know Terri and I got your back. She will raise him like her own. And I will make him the best damn warrior this camp has ever seen."
"You fucking better or I will haunt your old leather ass for eternity!"
Standing up, Shade reached down and grabbed Marco’s hand and helped him to his feet. He hugged his friend, pounding his back.
"We head out before sunrise. I hate flying! Talked to the lawyers and accountants today, huge raise for you, spend it on her, will you?”
Shade headed for the door, turning before he walked out. "He will grow up sooner than I can imagine, he will rule this place. When he does, you retire. That’s the law. Cause I said so! We will be back soon, brother. I want Lorenzo to know this place, know those I love. Take care of our Theresa. Just let her in, brother, you just need to let her inside, she will give back more than you can imagine."
Leaving Marco behind, he decided to walk back to Castello. This was where it all began for him. And tomorrow, he’d show Lorenzo where it would begin for him.
100
Kate and Shade sat in the back of the car, Kate holding Lorenzo, as Dante drove them back to Bel Rosso. It had been a long flight, and the jet was full with Gi, Theresa, Emma, and Nita in tow. Luca had teleported home the day before, eager to be back with Shannon.
Their luggage was unloaded when they landed, and the staff headed back immediately in a separate car. Lorenzo was sleeping, and Kate laid her head on Shade's shoulder. She sighed, glad to be home. They’d been in Florence for almost a month and she’d missed Virginia. It was winter now as they moved into December, and the town of Charlottesville was lit in the festive lights for the Christmas holidays. It brought back memories of her life as a mortal. The vampires didn’t celebrate the traditional holidays, and yet, they straddled both worlds.
"Shade, did you celebrate Christmas as a child?”
"No, mi amore, we never celebrate the mortal holidays. For most vampires whose lives intersect with the mortal world, we would, of course, appear to celebrate these activities so as not to arouse suspicion. Our children will need to understand the mortal culture. We have survived through the centuries because we have learned to adapt and integrate ourselves into the mortal world. We have learned to not draw attention to ourselves. It is why the rogues are such a threat to us, they risk exposing us all, and must be eliminated for the survival of our kind. So, it’s not so much a celebration of mortal holidays as it is an education, although for a small child, it is hard to understand the distinction."
Shade laid his head back on the seat. "It is complicated, mi amore. There is much we still don’t understand about our species. The Council keeps a record of all vampire births and deaths. Ivor records our genealogy, and we can see where we have roots in the family trees of the mortals, just as my family evolved from the mortal Medici's of Florence. We don’t understand our origin, only that we are not the undead as portrayed in the mythology. The Council thinks we are a mutant form. Some aberration in our DNA that gives us an extended life, and demands we feed on the blood of others. Our records document there were immortals in the time of Christ. We are aware of your religions and beliefs. But your Jesus died for mortal man, not for the immortals. There is no heaven for us. We live until we are destroyed, sometimes for centuries, hundreds of centuries. But once our physical bodies are destroyed, our souls are forever earth-bound, like Madre and Padre.
“Our children will have a tutor, and will be educated in the customs and beliefs of both worlds. Lorenzo must know all things and understand all people, to be a great leader of the coven. Look at the changes I have faced in my five hundred years. I can’t imagine what challenges lie ahead for him, but he must have a strong foundation to adapt to the demands of the future. We are his greatest teachers."
Dante turned the car down the long lane that led to Bel Rosso, and Shade sighed with a relieved heart. "We’re home, mi amore. Welcome to your world, figlio. Wake up and see where you will grow up."
Kate leaned over and kissed him. "I’m glad to be home, and glad to bring Lorenzo home."
Dante exited the car and held the door open for them. Shade got out first, so he could help Kate from the car, as she clung to the warm bundle in her arms. The cold wind whipped down from the mountains, and caught her red hair, blowing it around her face. Shade slid his arm around her and hustled her indoors to the warm welcome of Luca and Shannon. "Damn that wind is cold! Next thing will be the snow."
Looking up, he saw Luca exit the door of his suite, and his grin was huge. “Welcome home!”
The two men hugged. Shade heard Shannon squeal with delight, as she ran to Kate and he rolled his eyes. Here we go again with the oohing and aahing!
&n
bsp; Kate pulled the blanket away from Lorenzo's face. Lorenzo was awake, his big blue eyes staring back at Shannon as she squealed.
"Oh my god, look at him! He looks just like Shade. Can I hold him? Please?"
Kate laughed and shifted the baby into Shannon's arms. She rocked and bounced him. "Look at him, Luca. He’s gorgeous!"
Luca walked over to her, sliding his arm around Shannon's waist. He rested his head against hers. Lorenzo stared back at them, his eyes moving from one to the other. Luca reached down and took the tiny hand, and Lorenzo gripped Luca's finger. "Nice strong grip there, warrior."
The words were barely spoken before Lorenzo lifted Luca's finger to his mouth and chomped down hard, drawing blood. Luca yelped and pulled his finger back. Shade laughed and Kate looked horrified.
She admonished the baby, “Lorenzo! You can't bite."
Shade held his sides laughing. “What the hell, Luca? My best warrior flinches when a tiny bambino nips his finger? Cazzo, that is priceless!" Shade glanced over at Shannon and her eyes were as big as saucers.
Shannon looked up at Kate. "He has teeth? He's only a few weeks old!"
Kate laughed. "He is vampire. How do you think he feeds?"
Shannon looked at her with wide eyes. "I never thought about it. But, how?"
Kate shook her head. “The same way Luca feeds from you. He just takes smaller amounts, and needs to be fed every few hours, just like a mortal baby. So, I guess you shouldn't put him near your neck.”
Luca placed his lanced finger in his mouth and it quickly healed, then pulled out his finger and looked at it. "Fuck! Little bugger has sharp fangs. I definitely think you need to keep him away from mortals until he’s old enough to understand the difference."
"Mi amore, remember when you were turned? Your hunger was intense, that’s why I kept you hidden in the chamber for a while. But Lorenzo is different. He is too small to attack, but he will make no distinction between mortal and immortal. When did he feed last? I suspect his wee beastie is beating on his chest yelling for blood.” He looked to Shannon and smiled. "Careful of your neck, he is my son, after all."