by Emily Bex
The Council members stood in unison and filed out of the room. Max stood, working hard to control his anger, as much at himself as at the Council and the Medici.
Shade nodded as the Council's decision was made, but he knew this was far from over. If Max decided he wanted him gone, he’d go to battle. He could feel Max’s anger as he stood, not pleased with the results. As they were dismissed, Shade took the lead and walked out of the chamber with Max on his heels. He walked outside and away from the building, lighting up a cigarette. He watched as Max did the same.
"Listen Max, you have nothing to fear from my presence. I do not threaten your coven, nor do I want it. I have enough to control and rule. I want to stay where I am, that is all. Master to master, I am telling you, I am no threat to you, and never intend to be."
Max drew deep on the much needed cigarette as he paced. Shade didn’t understand. Max must live up to the expectations of his new father-in-law and prove his rightful accession to rule as king of the largest coven on earth. How could he rule the East if he couldn’t even rule Virginia? How could he prove his ability to protect all that Fan Shen had built, if he allowed another master to encroach on his own turf? He had known the Medici for a very long time, and he wasn’t fooled. He’d watched him expand from Italy, and into Greece and France. And now he had a foothold in the States. He was clever in his land grabs, and Max had to stop this before it got out of control. Unfortunately, he was out of ideas right now. Tossing the cigarette butt to the ground, he stomped it out before glaring at Shade as he teleported out.
"This is not over, my friend."
Shade knew in Max’s eyes he was a threat. He watched Max teleport out, his words not gone unheeded. Max wouldn’t take this lying down and now, Shade must wait for his next move. And unfortunately, he had no idea what that would be. He knew one thing for sure; this situation was going to get ugly.
Teleporting out, he kept his own thoughts under control as he landed outside of Bel Rosso. He took a deep breath. There was no place for anger. This was what he was born to do and had done for centuries, protect and fight for what he wanted. But this time he had a mate and son to protect, so the stakes were much higher and he was more than prepared to win.
115
Shade walked into the house, greeted by Cory who was on the way out. He’d stopped back at the house for something to eat and was running back out, munching on a slice of pizza. He threw his hand up in greeting as he headed out the door.
Walking to his study, Shade paced, processing his thoughts. He needed to have a meeting with his ranking warriors, including Marco. They would be advised of the outcome of the Council’s decision, and Max’s response to it. His properties and his coven needed to increase security until they knew what the hell Max would do.
Flopping down in the desk chair, he picked up his cell and was about to call Marco when he stopped. There was one person in his life that needed to know about this situation long before his warriors. He didn’t want to scare her, but she needed to know what was at stake, and the potential for battle.
Kate was upstairs with Lorenzo when she felt the energy shift in the house and knew Shade had teleported back home from Florence. She could feel the level of agitation he fought to control and sighed. Did Council rule against us? "Theresa, take Lorenzo please."
Theresa took the baby. "Of course, my lady." Theresa had also felt her master's return. "Take all the time you need."
Kate left the nursery and headed down the stairs to his office. She found Shade at the desk. "Shade? Tell me what happened."
"The Council ruled in our favor. We are here to stay, but Max feels we are a threat to his coven by being here. He was pissed and his last words to me were, 'This is not over.’ We must be alert now. I have no idea when or where he will strike. This is going to get ugly. Masters do not play mind games. We need to be prepared."
Kate climbed into his lap, brushing his hair back from his furrowed brow. "What does this mean? Are you telling me he’ll battle for the property?"
"Si. Max now has access to his father-in-law’s warriors in the East, and he has something to prove to Fan Shen. He could strike any of my properties, including my coven in Florence. Or he may only focus here. He could set fire to the vineyards, or any number of heinous acts before actually waging a battle. So, we must prepare and be on guard. His approach could be designed to tire us out and wear us down. I will meet with my warriors here, as well as Florence, Greece, and France. They will all be on alert."
Kate felt her maternal instincts kicking in. "The baby! Lorenzo! He wouldn’t harm Lorenzo! We must tell Luca right away!"
"Lorenzo is safe in this house. Luca will protect both of you. But there are going to be some rules for you. I do not want you wandering around outside much, stay close to the house. If you need to go anywhere, Luca or I must be at your side. Lorenzo will not leave the house for any reason unless he is in my arms. I do not want to frighten you, but until we know what is happening we must take this seriously. I know you fear for him. That is normal, but you need to trust me, trust Luca, and those that serve me. I also need you to keep your own warriors alert and watchful. They have been helpful in guarding the property and they can warn us of what is coming even faster than my warriors at times. I will need their help as well."
Kate knew Luca and Theresa would both lay down their lives for Lorenzo, and she wouldn’t stray far from him either until this was resolved. "I’ll follow your command. I never leave without Luca anyway."
Luca was in his suite next to Shade's office when he felt Kate's wave of panic. He tossed down the paint brush onto the tarp on the floor beneath the easel and left the suite. He heard her voice inside Shade's office and walked to the door. He saw Kate secure in his arms, but her heart still beat rapidly.
"Master? Is everything okay?"
"No Luca, it is not. Come in. Max wants Bel Rosso. As you know, he visited with the intent of buying me out or getting me to move on. It has not been resolved peacefully between us. I have just returned from Council. They voted in our favor, but Max is not satisfied. You know what this means. We have to prepare for the worst. We are about to go into battle preparedness mode. I am going to rely on you heavily. This is no game; we now put to use all we have been taught. Maximus will not give up easily. And while I expect the warriors to defend Bel Rosso, my number one goal is to protect Kate and Lorenzo."
Luca nodded to him. "You know I’ll go to my death to protect all that is Medici. I have one request. I feed solely from Shannon now. I hate to bring her into this, but it will be easier for me, and safer for all of us, if I don’t have to leave to feed. I know I could use the feeder compound if you demand it of me, but I’m asking for this favor."
Shade nodded in agreement. "The easiest thing is to have Shannon come here and stay until this is over. I have no idea what the hell Max will pull out of his hat, so we need to have all bases covered, and that includes Shannon. You will need to make her understand she cannot leave until this is over. We will protect her, she is familia now. I know she has a job in the mortal world, so let her know if this drags on, I will compensate her for lost wages. Can you make her understand this?”
Luca nodded. "Of course, master. I need to know she can commit to this life. This will be a good test for her. A chance to know, when this is over if she wishes to stay or go, it will be her choice. But she loves Kate, and the baby. She wouldn't do anything that would put them at risk. She’ll stay until the situation with Max is settled."
Shade nodded in agreement. "You will need to feed heavily to stay strong. That is a direct command! Make sure she knows if she does not want to be here, you feed elsewhere. I have no choice in the matter, Luca.”
"Understood, master. May I go to her now? I’ll bring her back to Bel Rosso with me."
Shade looked at him with a grin. "So, she is the one, is she? Get the hell out of here and bring back your female. Move!" He watched as Luca smiled and took off.
Shade’s sigh was heavy and his head was s
pinning. "I never wanted this to happen, mi amore. I never wanted you to see us go to battle, but to be honest, it is a test of who we are together."
Kate looked at him. "A test of us? Lover, we’ve already passed all of the tests. There’s no test of us. There’s nothing that could come between us."
"I am proud you are my queen.” He hugged her tightly, kissing her. "Now get that fine ass of yours upstairs to our son. Inform Theresa, Nita and Emma of our situation. Keep them as calm as you can. Theresa can help in that department. I will inform Gi. The old codger has seen a few battles in his time. I have a lot to do before I ever see my death slumber, and you may want to cue Theresa in that her male is coming in. That should make her happy. Where the fuck are we going to put him?"
Kate slipped from his lap to head up the stairs. "Oh, I think Theresa will make room for him in her bed. We can move Nita into the nursery until this is over, and Theresa can stay in her own bedroom with Marco when she’s not with Lorenzo. Besides, that places you, Marco, and Luca in the house. I rather like those odds.”
Shade chuckled at her. "Marco won’t be staying, mi amore, just a night or two. I need him back in Florence. But we have a lot to plan. And don’t be too excited about his visit. He makes a lot of noise; he is not house trained!"
Kate laughed as she headed up the stairs. "And you were?"
"I heard that, woman!" Shade chuckled and picked up his phone. It was time to get some warriors in line and a plan laid down.
116
Luca waited for Shannon in her condo. He’d sent her a text and told her he’d be waiting for her when she got home from work. He could hear her as she stepped off the elevator and hurried to the door. She flung herself at him, covering him in kisses.
"I don't know the reason for the unexpected visit, but I'm glad you're here."
He returned her kiss but not her smile.
"What's wrong, Luca?"
Luca held her in his embrace. "I’m here to ask a favor, mia belleza…more than a favor, actually. There’s a conflict brewing, a potential battle between masters, between Shade and Master Maximus. Shade is preparing now. I need you at Bel Rosso."
Shannon nodded as the concern showed on her face. "Of course, I'll come to Bel Rosso."
Luca lifted her chin. "Let me restate that. You’ll need to stay there until the battle is over, if there is a battle. I can't protect you here, and I can't leave to feed."
Shannon stepped back. "For how long? I have a job—"
Luca shook his head. "I don't know how long, Shan. It could be days, weeks, or months. Nothing may come of this. It’s a territory dispute, and Maximus may accept the Council's ruling, but we doubt it. I can't protect your job. If you have time off, then take it, and hopefully this will be resolved quickly. If not, Shade will make sure all your expenses are met. Your bills will be paid so your home is secure."
"Wow, Luca...you ask a lot."
He nodded. "I know it’s a lot to ask. I wouldn’t ask if I thought there was another way."
Shannon looked around her condo. "So, when would I need to go?"
"Now, mia belleza. Tonight."
"Well, Luca, I have to say dating you is never boring." She turned and headed to her bedroom, pulling a suitcase from the closet.
"I’m sorry, Shan. But this is my life. You wish to be a part of it. You need to understand what that entails before we make anything irreversible."
Shannon pulled clothes from the closet and the dresser, folding them into the suitcase before heading to the bathroom to pack her toiletries.
"Oh, I'm in, Luca. Let me make a few phone calls. I'll take vacation, and if this drags on, maybe I can make up some kind of medical leave of absence or something. Wait, where will I be sleeping?"
Luca gave her a sly smile. "With me, mia belleza, always with me."
Shannon flashed her megawatt smile. "See, Luca, there's always a bright side."
117
The minute the blinds rolled up, letting in the soft glow of early dusk, Shade was up and moving. He’d been awake for some time, just lying there, restless, his head filled with the plans he’d need to put into action.
He dressed quickly and found Marco waiting for him with several of his Lieutenants and SIC's from his other territories. It was the first time Marco had been to Bel Rosso and unfortunately, this wasn’t a social visit. Shade gave him the grand tour of the warrior camp and the property after which, they teleported across Virginia so he could show Marco Max’s territory to give him an idea of the scope of what they were dealing with. He took Marco around D.C. as even though Shade didn’t feel Alec’s territory would be impacted, he wanted Marco to see his operation there and the setup at the Dead House, just in case.
As they returned to the camp he called forth his leaders and had them return with him to the house. They’d be meeting in his study and away from the listening ears of the other warriors. They’d settle what needed to be done and later, he’d return to camp to convey their final plan. Marco would relay the same plans, once back in Florence, to his other territories and warriors in Europe. He wanted the input of his key leaders, and their years of valuable experience in developing a plan to protect them all.
As they sat discussing details he watched with pride as Fiamma, Marcello, Raven, and Luca all joined in the discussion, sharing their ideas. Marco was encouraging and said he doubted they’d see any trouble in Europe but they’d be prepared for anything and if necessary, he could always send backup to Bel Rosso. They spent the best part of the night getting things in order.
As the meeting wrapped up, his group from Florence teleported back out, ready to implement their part of the plan immediately. Marco decided he’d stay behind for another night. Shade knew he and Theresa needed some time together and he knew Marco wouldn’t be back until this issue was settled, and he had no idea how long that would be.
Shade could feel Shannon was in the house, so he knew Luca had brought her back and he was pretty sure she was already holed up with Kate upstairs. He’d requested that Kate not interrupt him unless there was an emergency. He needed to focus and make sure they overlooked nothing.
With the plans in place, he asked Marcello to start gathering the warriors in the camp. They still had some time before sunrise and he’d meet with most of his warriors, keeping a scab crew at the Dead House, leaving Theo in charge there so he could communicate to them what lay ahead. Raven could then fill in the warriors on duty at the Dead House when they returned to camp.
Grabbing a bottle of Midnight, Shade drank from it without the use of a glass. He propped his feet on the desk and Marco did the same. They exchanged a glance, both of them rehashing in their minds all that had happened this night. The Medici coven was at stake. Shade knew Max could strike anywhere, or everywhere, and none of them would know the time or place. Max was counting on that.
"It’s been a long time, old friend, since we needed to be battle ready. This time, the battle is very different for me. I have never had so much at stake before. I need to make sure we win."
Marco grunted, taking another swig of Midnight. "You keep swilling that juice you won’t be any damn good to anyone, including your mate. I’ve seen you so damn drunk on blood and Midnight you didn’t know your own fucking name. So now you need to be responsible and warrior up. I do not envy your position as master with the responsibility for the coven, old man.”
Shade laid his head back on his high-backed leather office chair, closing his eyes. "Marco, being a king is like being a padre. My coven are like my children. I feel responsible for them. Hell, we watched most of them grow from punks to men. We made them who they are. I cannot help but be proud of them, and I cannot do this without you. You know that, brother. If you were not with me, I would never be able to stay here, make my life here. I do not trust anyone else with Florence. But I know you have some damn good Lieutenants coming into the ranks. I like what I see so far. You have done a damn good job. I know sometimes I forget to tell you that."
Marco dropped his feet to the floor and sat forward in his chair, shaking his head. "I already know your ass would be dirt without me. But I got your back, brother. You go down, I go with you. Nothing has changed. We’re tight, like brothers. Anything happens, she’ll be taken care of. So will Lorenzo. You get your ass killed, you need to know that. You cannot let her, or the baby, become a distraction, Shade. You need to keep your head in the game. We could sit here all night pumping up each other’s ego, but we have outgrown all those things. We are the ancient ones now, for Hell’s sake. They will need to look to you for guidance. I don’t doubt you and I know you won’t be standing on the sidelines, shouting orders, but will be in the fucking thick of it. Just keep your head in the game, brother."
Shade stared at him and knew he spoke the truth. "I never ask my warriors to do what I will not do myself. I must be the first to enter the battle, to lead with pride and honor, if I expect them to follow. It is how it will be done. But heaven help me, I love her. I love Lorenzo. Her love encourages me, gives me strength, and makes me want to battle for them. I will die for them both and for this place we call home. There is nothing for me without them."
Shade sat up and set the bottle, now almost empty, onto his desk. "I guess we need to get our asses over there, it will be daylight soon. But I sure as hell do not feel like I need sleep."
Marco grinned. "It will come eventually, you know it will."
Standing up, stretching, Shade decided he needed one thing before he went before his warriors. "Have you seen Theresa yet?"
Marco laughed as he stood as well. "For about five fucking minutes!”
Shade slapped him on the back. "Grumpy in your old age! I have a mind to see my woman and my son before we head over. I will ask Theresa to come along as well."
Shade telepathically asked Kate to bring Lorenzo and Theresa to his study. He wanted to see her before he left for the meeting at camp.
Kate heard his message and excused herself from the conversation she was having with Shannon. Finding Theresa in the nursery with a sleeping Lorenzo, she shared Shade’s request. Theresa headed down as Kate scooped Lorenzo up in her arms. Lorenzo made a face, showing his displeasure at having his sleep disrupted.