by Emily Bex
Kate laughed. “Where have I seen that expression before? Oh, my sweet boy, you are more like your father every day.”
118
Max teleported into the Virginia mansion, smashing a large vase to the floor. Lein scurried into the room. She could feel his anger rolling off him and knew the meeting with Council hadn’t gone well. She wished the matter could’ve been settled by the Eastern Council, where her father had more pull but the land, and the masters involved, fell under the domain of the European Council. His butler appeared with a glass of Midnight and Max angrily knocked the crystal glass from the tray, its contents spilling across the floor as the delicate glass shattered.
Max paced and muttered, "Even the drink that soothes me fills his coffers."
Lein cautiously approached him. "How can I be of help to you, master? Surely, there’s a way."
The house staff responded immediately, cleaning up the broken glass and wiping away the wine. Lein asked the butler to bring him the sake blend with blood that was more popular in the East. When he returned, she took the glass and handed it to Max.
"Drink this please. It will calm you."
Max downed the hot wine and put the glass down on the table. He dropped into a chair and Lein knelt on the floor at his feet, slipping the shoes from his feet.
"Talk to me, master. I can't help you if I don’t know the details."
Max grumbled, "What’s to tell? The Council ruled in his favor. The land is his, free and clear. They wouldn’t even restrict him from opening the warrior camp. I have no leverage over him."
Lein massaged his feet and ankles. "Master, there is always leverage. We have only to find it. You have looked at the obvious. Now it’s time to look for the less obvious."
Max laid his head back on the chair. "Lein, I’m in no mood for your cryptic Eastern philosophy. If you have an idea, let's hear it."
Lein smiled at him. “You have approached the problem like a man. Now it’s time to approach it like a woman. This Master Shade, he has made a fatal mistake. It is the reason my father forbade me to marry for love. He said marriage was a business deal, quite possibly the most important business deal of all. A master cannot afford the luxury of love. It makes him weak, vulnerable."
Max grunted. "If you’re thinking about attacking Kate, think again. I tried that tactic once only to have it blow up in my face. Granted, it was Cuerpo's ego that got the best of him. He never expected a mortal to fight back. And she’s immortal now. He has a whole fucking army at Bel Rosso. I’d never even get close to her."
Lein smiled. "Master, you are still thinking like a man. I didn’t say anything about attacking his mate. This love Master Shade has for her, and her for him. That is the weakness. It makes people do foolish things, makes them crazy with jealousy. Find a way to drive a wedge between them. Make one doubt the other. He fights for her, and without her, he crumbles."
Max let her words simmer in his brain. He knew only too well that love was a weakness. He remembered his pain after Rissa's betrayal and his own pledge to never give his heart again. He’d made stupid mistakes. He knew there was wisdom in Lein's words. Now he just had to come up with a plan.
119
Shade and Marco walked into the warrior camp. A great hush settled over the crowd and the tension was running high. Everyone knew the outcome of the Council meeting, and Marco’s presence here emphasized the seriousness of the situation. With all of them assembled, the room was ripe with anticipation. He and Marco took their seats, and he looked up to see he had the warrior’s full attention. Shade looked across the room at the warriors, some of them battle tested, others still green, before speaking.
“I ask that you hold any questions until we are done. Also, I want all my Lieutenants and SIC's up front…now."
Raven, Marcello, and Fiamma elbowed their way to the front and took their seats.
"We are officially on Yellow Battle Alert. For my new warriors, you’ll find there is a yellow packet with your name on it. There is also a second packet labeled "Red Battle Alert”, should it come to that. Inside, you will find the protocol that must be followed. It details the overall plan for defending Bel Rosso as well as my other territories and includes your individual assignment. Memorize that fucking packet! Don’t ask another warrior, fucking learn it!"
Shade stood and paced in front of the warriors, never breaking eye contact with them.
"As most of you have heard, Maximus wanted me out of Bel Rosso. We went to Council, and Council found in my favor, but Max is not satisfied. He has issued a veiled threat, letting me know it is not over. I have no idea what his next move will be, but trust me when I tell you, he will do something. He has recently mated and now rules over Fan Shen’s Eastern warriors. They can rival us in skill, knowledge, and training. Fighting against Fan Shen’s army would be like facing an army of Medici. The yellow packet includes everything we know about Maximus, including his photo, and everything there is to know about his territories as well as the Shen Dynasty. Read and learn!"
Shade glanced at Marco who sat on the stool, his arms crossed over his chest and he nodded back at Shade.
"I have no idea where he will strike, what he will strike. For that reason, all of Medici is on yellow alert right now. I have met with my other SIC's and leaders from Europe. They are, as we speak, putting this same plan in place on all Medici owned territory. We expect Bel Rosso to be the target, but we must plan for the unexpected. We are covering all bases. You are expected to have a weapon on you at all times, which includes when you sleep. For my new warriors, this is where it gets real.”
He scanned every face, looking for doubt or hesitation. He was proud when they all returned his stare with determination.
"I like our odds. We will continue our routine and perform as normal but be on guard for anything unusual. Keep your senses honed and alert. We roll as if there is no threat. As far as this camp goes, it is business as usual. The same goes for the Dead House. We are still obligated to protect Master Canton's territory. This situation has nothing to do with him."
He scanned the warriors as they sat in their seats, their attention not waning. This was what he needed.
"Florence and the other territories in Europe are well manned and ready to roll. If they are not attacked, Marco will keep the warriors in Europe on standby to respond to us. Marco will release those warriors as needed to teleport here. We are having a mass of weapons brought here and the weapon’s bunker inside the camp and inside the main house will be battle ready. We will not run out of supplies. If you need armor, leathers, you need to see Cory. Cory will stop whatever he is working on to focus solely on getting us prepared. My household, your queen, your prince, and my son Cory will be protected above all. You will fight to your death to save them, leave me lay dead in my tracks if you can save them first. That is an order!"
He stopped his pacing and watched their faces, some of them a bit surprised. "You heard me right. My queen and my sons are my life. They can’t fight or protect themselves as you can, so do your job. Luca will be in charge of the house. He is their primary protector and you will not see him on the battlefield. So, don’t even think about contacting him. If you have a problem, you see anything suspicious, have concerns, you see Marcello. Marcello remains in charge as the SIC here at the camp. Raven is being sent to California to head up that territory. He will remain there in the event the California property is attacked, and he will lead my warriors there. In the event we go red, he will return to Bel Rosso. Theo and Skelk will rotate at the Dead House as SIC's while Raven is in California."
He looked at Raven who shook his head in acknowledgement, without a smile or a smartass remark, and that’s when Shade knows they felt the seriousness of this threat.
"Fiamma will assist here with Marcello. If we go into battle, Aislynn will be in charge of the feeder compound because I will need Fiamma on the battlefield. Master Maximus knows the compound is here. But no one knows of the tunnels. Aislynn, your chief objective if we
go red is to get everyone out of the feeder compound through the tunnels and into the barracks. Fast! Since the feeders are totally helpless, Aislynn will protect the feeders. If we go to battle, we will need the feeders for emergency feeding, there will be life-threatening injuries, and having immediate access could be the difference between life and death."
He smiled at her and she looked back at him and nodded. There was no fear in her eyes, and he knew he’d chosen well.
"For those of you who had permission to feed outside the compound, that changes now. You will remain inside this camp, and only use the feeders until further notice. You leave camp for assignments only, no roaming. When moving around Bel Rosso, you will only use the tunnels from now on. We will still use the training field, but the tunnels make our movement invisible to our enemy.”
Shade looked to Marco. "Did I forget anything?"
Marco chuckled. "For right now, no, but damn, old man, if you have to ask me, you need a battle to refresh your memory!"
Shade slapped him across the back. "Marco is in charge of everything in Europe. And believe me, I would want no other but my brother."
They fist bumped each other. This was a routine they’d both faced together many times.
Shade looked to Raven. "Reynaldo and Mica have been notified, so have the warriors stationed in California. For now, just keep your ears and eyes peeled. If California is not attacked, and we go red, get your ass back here pronto!"
Raven nodded. "No problem, boss-man."
"I don’t have to tell you what this means for all of us. We cannot lose anything that belongs to Medici. We fight until death for our coven. This is not just my home now, it is yours as well. This is where my bambinos will grow up, and if one fucking master thinks he will take it from me, he gets all of Medici full force. That is how we roll!"
A huge cheer rattled the windows as they all shouted, "Per sempre Medici!”
Shade nodded his head. They could do this, and they would. This was his home and his warriors. Bring it, Max. I am more than ready to move your fucking ass right out of Virginia. "Okay. We’re done here. Move out!"
He watched the group as they all stood and took off, implementing their assignments. Shade looked at Marco and shook his head. "I hope to hell they get how fucking serious this is. Let’s get our asses back to the house. I think the women are waiting."
Marco laughed. "No one gets any more serious than the Medici. They will be fine; you trained them the old way, so let them earn their keep now. Son of a bitch, I need to feed and have my female under me!"
Shade laughed as he threw his arm over Marco's shoulders and they headed back to the house. He’d done all he could for now. The next move was up to Max.
120
Shade and Marco returned to the house after the meeting and Marco took off to spend time with Theresa. Shade returned to the study and began going over all the details for battle preparation. He’d run them through his head over and over until he’d practically memorized them, making sure he hadn’t missed anything.
He heard Luca return through the patio entrance. The electronic blinds would be closing within a half hour, yet he felt there was still much he needed to attend to. He walked outside, lit up a smoke and watched the sky lighten. This was as close to daylight as he’d ever get. He could feel the rays of the sun about to pop over the horizon, so he walked back inside as the blinds came down.
His mind was still working on what he’d need to do if Max decided to go to battle. He couldn’t afford to miss anything. Not this time. He opened the packets for both yellow and red battle status and ran through the protocols again.
***
Kate had settled Lorenzo down for the day, leaving him to the care of Nita. She told Theresa to go join Marco, and to enjoy whatever time they had together before Marco returned to Florence. Luca had arrived with Shannon last night. They’d sat up and talked while the men were in the camp. But eventually, the hours grew too late for Shannon and she’d returned to Luca’s suite to sleep.
The sun would be coming up soon, and Kate would spend those hours with Shade in his death slumber. She returned to their bedroom and took a hot shower, hoping Shade would join her but wasn’t completely surprised when he didn’t. He’d been meeting with the warriors, making plans to respond to Max. When she emerged from the shower, the electronic blinds were closing and still, there was no sign of him. Kate slipped a silk gown over her head as she stood still and focused her attention until she felt his energy in the study. She headed down the stairs to the open door of his study. He was alone, hair disheveled, looking tired and yet, filled with a nervous energy, as he shuffled through the mound of papers on his desk, glancing every few seconds at the images that flashed across the security monitors.
"Lover? It’s daylight, and you look tired."
Shade was so preoccupied he hadn’t heard her approach. "What? I apologize, mi amore, I did not feel you come in. I am a little busy, a lot to do. Go ahead and rest, I won’t be long. Need to get some details in order. Go on. Go to bed. I need you to be rested for Lorenzo."
Looking back at the monitors, he spun around in his office chair, whipping open a file drawer. He pulled out a stack of file folders and began foraging through them.
Kate stood still for a moment. The house was quiet in the early dawn hours, Shannon still slept next to Luca and Theresa had crawled into bed with Marco.
"Shade, I know the pull of your death slumber and the toll it takes when you resist it. You need to be rested as well. Now come with me."
Shade ran his hand through his hair and closed his eyes. "Mi amore, I will only say this once more. Go to bed, I can handle this. I have done this more times than you know. Preparing for battle takes all of my time and energy. I must be ready. No one is going to take Bel Rosso from me. Just go, leave me in peace to do what is necessary. I will make it to my slumber soon enough, si?"
He glanced again at the monitors and saw Night Stalker and Aegis patrolling the perimeter, both relaxed, not picking up anything significant.
Kate looked hard at him. He’d only recently started to feed from her again, and not as frequently as he should. He knew Lorenzo still came to her on occasion, and he denied his own need. She saw the strain in his face, and knew he needed to give into the pull of his death slumber.
"It doesn’t rest on your shoulders alone. Your key warriors are here, and they’re all prepared. They stand guard even now. Aegis, Night Stalker, and Riparo, they all walk the grounds. Danica and Poe watch the skies. Nothing will get inside the perimeter without being seen well in advance. Please, don't fight me. You’re a stronger warrior when you’re rested."
Pushing back the chair, he stood and paced the room, his body tired but his mind overly alert. He took a deep breath, clenching his fists at his sides.
"Why is this bothering me? Why? I have done this so many times. Why now do I feel as though I am not prepared? Let them earn their keep, says Marco! How can I do that if I am not there at first strike? I must lead them and show them how it is done! So many are young and new to this, they have battle experience, but nothing like what we may be facing! Cazzo, Max! You will fucking rue the day you thought you could take what is mine!"
His anger spiked, his heart rate accelerated, and it only served to feed his nervous energy.
"I have weapons coming in tonight and I need to make sure it is enough, that they are distributed according to where I will need them. I need to make sure Marco's last orders from me are prepared and he knows them. Cazzo!"
Kate watched him becoming more agitated. She stepped away from the door and went to Luca's suite, tapping lightly. Luca answered quickly, wearing pajama bottoms only. Kate could see Shannon still curled under the covers, wearing the matching pajama top.
"Luca, I’m sorry to disturb you, but I need your help. The sun is up now and Shade’s still awake, still insisting there’s much to do. Please take over at the monitors and let me try to get him upstairs.”
Luca was nodd
ing, grabbing a shirt and sliding it on as she talked. "Of course, give me a second and I'll be right there."
Kate returned to the study and walked to him, taking the papers from his hand and laying them down on the desk. “Marco has fought many battles with you. He knows the drill. He knows what you expect, and he’s a day-walker. Luca will be here in a moment. He’ll keep an eye on the monitors. You worry because of me, because of Lorenzo. But you’re no good to us if you’re exhausted. You need to sleep, Shade. You know you’ll wake if there’s any danger. Now stop this and come with me."
Luca stepped into the room. "Master? Let me take over now. I've got this."
Shade’s eyes were heavy with sleep, as he flashed a look from Kate to Luca. "I am fucking Master here! Since when do others dictate to me?”
He walked to the desk to sit down as he felt a wave of slumber roll across his body. He stopped and leaned on the desk. Taking a deep breath, his head down, he rolled his eyes up to bel. She was giving him that 'I told you so’ look. "Don’t say it! Just don’t fucking say it! Medici blood can sustain me for longer than either of you!"
Kate felt a flash of anger at his stubborn refusal. She walked over to the desk and yanked the plug on the security cameras, the images immediately fading from view. "You forget, I’m a Medici too. You can't protect me in this state, nor can you protect Lorenzo. Now stop this before I call Marco down here and have him and Luca both haul your ass to bed."
Luca chuckled as Kate’s anger flared. "I’d suggest, master, you follow her lead. She still has that crossbow tucked under the bed."
Shade sighed as he reluctantly gave in to the demands of his body. "Lead the way, woman. And if you have a mind to, feed me as well. Time to tuck your savage lover into bed; his demons are calling him home."