The Medici Queen

by Emily Bex

  "Si, my brazen and wicked seductress."

  Placing his warm oiled hands on her calves, he slid his hands slowly up her thighs and onto that beautiful ass. He massaged the oil into her cheeks, letting his fingers slip between her legs, teasing the swollen lips of her sex. He climbed onto the bed, straddling her, and clutching her hips, her body responding to his touch. His cock stood rigid, but he resisted the urge to take her.

  As he leaned over her, she felt his cock sliding along her ass and across her back, coating his cock in the oil. She’d forgotten the sweet agony of the tease. She remembered all the times she’d tempt him, and how quickly he could turn the tables. She felt his hands, covered in the oil, slide beneath her and cup her breasts, her nipples erect and tingling at his touch. She buried her face in the pillow to stifle the moan that escaped from her as she lifted her ass, pressing hard against him.

  Palming his cock, he moaned, his hand warm with the oil as the scent of roses surrounded them. Sliding the bulging tip inside her, she immediately responded, lifting her hips to receive him, but he held her steady, not fully penetrating her. He moved just a few inches of his steel slowly inside her, back and forth, teasing.

  "Let me hear how much my beast calls to you, mi amore."

  Kate gripped the sides of the pillow as she arched her neck and lifted her head. He teased her, penetrating slowly, and her fangs punched through, followed by a low growl deep in her throat. She raised her hips, shifting her weight to her knees to accommodate him.

  He watched as she rose to his call and he slide inside her. She took him fully, and he groaned, his body aching for her. Sliding his hands slowly up her back, he gripped her shoulders and leaned over her, nipping at her neck as he buried his face into her crimson waves. His hips found her rhythm, they moving together as one.

  Kate turned her head exposing her neck to him. Reaching up, she pulled her long hair aside as she waited to feel the sting of his fangs in her flesh.

  He could see the vein pulsing in her neck and it called to him, and he sank his fangs deep. He felt her heat rise as his cock was gripped in a tight, hot, wet cocoon. As he fed from her, her blood across his tongue fueled his desire as he moved faster, deeper. Her blood whistled in his veins, filling him with love and passion and an erotic song only he could hear. Unlatching, he licked the wound and moaned as his balls tightened, aching to fill her. "Cum, mi amore, cum with me!"

  The bolt of heat and desire that flashed through her when he fed pushed her to the edge, her hips moving faster to meet his rhythm, taking all of him with each thrust. His cock throbbed as he unlatched and begged her to cum. She felt her body ignite at its core, as the waves of pleasure extended out. He rode her hard, gripping her hips for leverage and she cried out, her hands clinging to the sheets. His body covered her, their skin sliding easily and seductively against each other with the warm oil.

  Panting, he rolled off her onto his back. Before she could catch her breath, he reached over and pulled her on top of him. She straddled him as he gripped her hips and slid inside her once again. She threw her head back, her skin pale in the candlelight, her crimson tousled and swinging behind her. Cazzo, she drove him out of his mind! Reaching up, he pulled her to his chest, rubbing her back, his hands seeking her ass.

  She slid her hands along the firm, hard muscles of his chest and lifted her face to him. His skin looked golden in the candlelight and glistened from the oil. His impossibly blue eyes stared back at her. Her love for him overwhelmed her and made her gasp. How could one person change everything, change her life, so drastically? There was no living without Shade now. She lowered her mouth to his, licking at his lips. She sucked at the tip of his tongue, nipping at him, before running her tongue over his fangs.

  He felt her emotions take hold of her heart and he loved her so deeply. He felt her tongue slide over his fangs and he arched his head back on the pillow, his heart racing out of control. His body responded, his blood screaming, his cock rock hard inside her and her muscles gripped and pulled at him.

  He closed his eyes and thrust his hips upward, gripping a handful of her hair. He was lost in the throes of passion when he heard Lorenzo cry out. He felt her pull away as she tried to escape him. He held her tight, not letting her go.

  Kate was momentarily distracted when she heard Lorenzo cry, but his cry was quickly silenced. She had instinctively moved to go to him when she felt Shade pull her back.

  "No, he is with Nita. Listen to him. He is fine, mi amore." He pulled her head to him and stared into her eyes. "No." His hips began to move and she responded, wanting more of him.

  "That’s it, mi amore, stay with your savage lover."

  Kate willed the sounds of Enigma to fill the room, drowning out any distractions as “The Principles of Lust” played, its erotic beat creating the rhythm she matched as her hips rode his cock until she screamed his name and collapsed on his chest.

  She felt him cum as he threw his head back, and she let go of her own orgasm at the same time. She bit into his neck, drawing his blood into her mouth as his cum filled her as well. She rode him hard, grinding against him as he thrust hard into her. She unlatched as the orgasm subsided and dropped her head on his shoulder. She felt his hands slide slowly up and down her back in a warm caress.

  He lay with her, sexually sated and his blood lust satisfied. His hands caressed as their breathing returned to normal. She was a precious jewel he held with great care. He never thought he could love her more, but with the birth of Lorenzo, his love for her had doubled. The darkness that held him for so long was long gone and he smiled, his heart full.

  "I have no words to tell you how much love I have for you, Kate. You have given me a son, and he is precious to us both. You have changed your life, given up much for me, for my warriors, and familia. I fell in love with this beautiful female with raving red hair. She did not respond well to my advances and made me work my ass off before I could have her. I knew you were the one. I could see this life together. Now it is here, unfolding for us, and I only want to share it with you."

  He willed the music to play for her, as the sounds of The Script filled the room, and Kate listened to the lyrics of “I’m Yours”. She clung to him, as they held each other in the warm afterglow of their love.

  110

  Shade looked at his cell phone after he hung up. Max was wrapping up his stay in the States and he wanted to visit Bel Rosso before he left. He would arrive the following evening with Lein in tow. He needed to speak with Kate about this visit. They’d need to be on the same page. Some things were never divulged or hinted at with another master, especially when Shade was sitting square in the middle of his territory.

  Walking to the living room, he willed on a blazing fire, poured two Midnights and telepathically asked bel to join him. Nita and Theresa had Lorenzo well in hand already, but he knew she spent every spare moment of her time with him, as she should. But right now, he needed to speak to her before heading over to the camp for the night.

  ***

  Kate had just finished giving Lorenzo a bath. She’d learned the hard way to strip down to bare essentials before bathing him, because Lorenzo loved nothing more than splashing. He’d slap his chubby little hands at the water surface, sending a spray of water in every direction, his laughter echoing off the walls.

  She washed his dark hair and dipped him back under the flowing water to rinse away the suds. His blue eyes widened as he stared up at her, and Kate laughed at his expression of surprise as the water flowed over his head. Lifting him from the tub, she wrapped him in a towel, just as she heard Shade ask her to join him. She called Theresa and passed off the squirming baby as Kate dried herself off and tossed her wet undergarments in the hamper, putting on clean, dry clothes. She let Shade know she was on the way while she pulled a sweater over her head and stepped into her shoes.

  Heading down the stairs, she could hear the crackle of the fire and turned in the direction of the living room to find Shade seated there, fire blazing
, and a most welcome glass of Midnight waiting. Kate lifted the glass to her lips, sipping at the rich elixir before curling up next to him.

  "Shade, I think as he gets older, we’ll need to add a pool. Lorenzo loves the water. I’m drenched every time I bathe him and he hates it when I take him out of the water."

  "A water baby. Well, we could have worse on our hands. I like the idea of a pool. Perhaps, you can expand the lower level and build an indoor pool as well as an outside pool, and the children can enjoy it year round, si?” He slipped his arm around her as he nuzzled into her neck, kissing her. "Mmm, what is that smell? It smells soft and clean."

  Kate threw back her head and laughed. “That’s baby shampoo. You know you’re really a father when the scent of baby shampoo smells erotic. But let me get this one on his feet please before we have another."

  Hugging her tight, he smiled. He knew she’d be a wonderful mother and he wanted her to have the time to enjoy each of them. “I agree we should wait a bit. Plus, I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed. On a separate matter, I wish to speak with you about something before I go to camp. Can you sit with me a bit?"

  "Lover, I can sit with you all night."

  Chuckling, he took a sip of Midnight. "Mi amore, I wish I had all night, but after last night I think it wise for me to spend some time at camp, si? Max called and he and Lein will be arriving tomorrow. There is no protocol we need to follow, but the Midnight will flow freely. I want to show them our home, but the camp is off limits. I will not show him that, and I ask that you not discuss it with Lein, should she ask. We must be careful of what we reveal. I expect Lein will be quiet, so feel free to engage her in conversation, but keep to general topics like children or running the household. Do not discuss our business.”

  "I’ll be careful around Lein. I’ve already seen two sides of her. At the table during the wedding reception, she barely spoke and kept her eyes downcast. In the ladies’ room, if she’d had access to a knife, I swear she would have cut Rissa's throat. I'm not sure what's going on between those two, but I want no part of it. I can keep the conversation light."

  "Si. That’s what I mean. I expect no problems. But Max is not visiting to be social, I can guarantee you that. He is a powerful master in his own right. Add her into it, we need to have all senses on alert. Two other things. First, I wish for them to see our son. He is heir to the dynasty and is an important symbol in our culture. I do not think it is necessary to have him join us the entire time. Tell me your thoughts. Do you have concerns about this?"

  His hand slide easily up and down her thigh as she sat curled soft and warm next to him. He had the life he’d always dreamed of, and he intended to keep it just like this.

  “That’s not a problem. I can bring Lorenzo down, let them see him, and then Theresa can take him back upstairs after a short visit. I’ll ask Luca to stay close as well, in case he had plans to visit Shannon. With you here, as well as Luca and the warriors, I have no fear of letting them see Lorenzo."

  He kissed her softly. "One more thing. I need for you to keep Aegis and the others out of sight. I do not want your gift revealed to Max. If he sees the creatures patrolling the perimeter, he may put two and two together and figure out it is your gift. Until we both understand your power, and you have learned to master it, it is better we not expose it.”

  Sighing heavily, he pushed the hair out of his face. "I need to have him here, feel him out, read his body language before I can judge where he stands on this matter. I need this territory thing settled and I intend to do it peacefully, if possible. I can’t do that if I can’t get a read on him and what he intends to do. Keep your warriors close, but out of sight. Can you relay that to them?"

  "Of course. I’ll tell Aegis to stay on guard but completely out of sight. I’ll let her know we have guests, and they’re expected. She’ll listen, and she’ll instruct and control the others. I know you don't completely understand this gift, nor do I, but I feel their intent, and it is clearly singular. They’re here to protect all that is Medici, not just me. Aegis won’t fail me."

  He nodded. "Good. Together, we will learn how to leverage our power. I will take Max aside, see where his head is, and you keep Lein entertained. Now let me go, we both have warriors to attend to. And once you are done, there is a present in the armoire, just for you. I expect to see them tomorrow night, si!"

  "A present? I love presents!" She stood as he prepared to leave, reluctantly letting him go. She kissed him as he easily lifted her into his embrace before setting her back down and heading to the camp. Kate watched him leave before returning upstairs and opening the armoire to find the gift he’d stashed there for her. She found a pair of shoes, beautiful dark brown suede heels with a mink ankle strap. “Lover, you know the way to a girl’s heart.”

  111

  Max was in his Virginia mansion on the James River outside of Richmond as he finished tying his tie while Lein was putting the finishing touches on her make-up. He looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was a rare beauty, and she’d proved to be a powerful mate, expanding his territory a hundredfold. But it was a marriage of convenience, arranged between two masters, Max and Fan Shen. Fan had one child, a female, who was not born warrior and her only gift being the common one of day-walking. As much as Fan loved her, he knew she’d have trouble defending a coven the size of Fan's.

  Lein's mother had died in childbirth. A very rare occurrence among vampires, and Lein had been a delicate child, born prematurely. She’d been raised in the traditional Asian culture and had learned to be submissive and demure. But Fan was no fool. He’d also taught his daughter that men rarely paid attention to the presence of women and she could learn much by keeping her ears open. Fan had attempted several times over the years to arrange matings for her. There were many who showed an interest, but not all would have made a good match for Lein, or for the coven. He’d always wanted her mated to a European or Western master.

  Was it fate that brought them together? Max smirked. Lein was the only good thing that came from his obsession with that hateful bitch, Rissa. He shuddered every time he thought of her name.

  He was back in the States to show Lein his coven when he’d heard about the Canton wedding. Invitation or not, he’d decided he’d be at that wedding. He’d eagerly anticipated the look on Rissa's face when he showed up mated, and her reaction didn’t disappoint!

  While he was here, he’d teleported over the property Shade had acquired. He was still in shock, although in hindsight, he realized he shouldn't be. He could handle the renovations to the house and the staff quarters, the expansion of the vineyards and the addition of the stables, but the warrior camp was a step too far.

  He’d like a peaceful settlement with Shade. A battle between warriors was costly in lives lost, and most masters of modern day would go to all costs to avoid it. But Max couldn’t ignore the blatant slap to his face of the warrior camp built right in the middle of his territory.

  Max went to Lein, placing his hands on her shoulders as he leaned down and kissed her neck. "You look beautiful, my angel. Are you ready?"

  Lein smiled at him and nodded, and Max took her hand.

  "We’ll teleport out. I want to take one more look at the warrior camp before we meet. Shade has built such high walls around it that it’s not visible from the ground. The walls look old and covered in ivy. They look like they’ve been there for years, even though the camp is newly constructed. It’s not visible from the main road, so it wouldn’t draw the attention of mortals. And if a mortal were to wander down that drive, he has enough security to intercept them and make the mortal turn their car around, erasing their memory of anything that might have made them curious. Ingenious, really, hiding it in plain sight. I need you to do what you do best, my angel. See what information his mate is willing to share. She was a mortal, not born to our ways. She should be easy to manipulate."

  Lein gave him a sly smile and bowed her head to him. "Of course, master. It will be as you wish."

/>   Max slide his arm around her waist as they teleported out together. It wasn’t a long teleport, and he took his time as he hovered over the Bel Rosso estate before landing at the front door. He straightened his tie and gave Lein a minute to straighten her dress before he knocked on the massive old wooden door.

  ***

  Shade took his time dressing, his Italian made light wool suit was made for cold climate. His designer shoes gleamed. He brushed out his hair as he stood in front of the full length mirror, trying to tie his black curls back in a loose ponytail. He was struggling to gather the loose strands into a tidy ponytail and was cursing under his breath when he caught her reflection in the mirror.

  As always, she left him speechless. She was beautiful when she dressed casually in her jeans and sweaters, but when she slid into a dress and heels, her hair and make-up perfected, he was always awestruck and remembered the first time he saw her across that crowded room. She had no competition.

  Their eyes met in the mirror, his hands stopped fidgeting with his hair as they shared that moment, exchanging love in a glance.

  "You look stunning, mi amore. And the shoes? Do you approve of your lover’s gift?"

  Kate was wearing a cashmere sweater dress in ivory that showcased her soft curves and red hair.

  "The shoes?" She bent at the waist, tightening the ankle strap on the brown suede heels accented in mink. With her ass in the air, she looked up at him through the mass of red hair that fell forward around her face. "Love the shoes."

  His eyes locked on the curve of her ass. He’d kill a million men for that ass. He chuckled. “Can you help me with this damn hair? You have a way with my hair. Even Madre could not handle this mop! Is my son ready?"

  Kate laughed as she walked to him, pulling his hair back, then combed it with her fingers as she deftly tied the leather string. "Well, I don't know if your son is ready, but our son is."