The Medici Queen

by Emily Bex

  Shade looked up at the moon and stretched, moaning a bit. "Padre would have never given up. Castello was all he had. But I have a lot more at stake, and I can’t lead them if I don’t show them. And you know as well as I do, this won’t be the last battle we face together by any means."

  Marco shook his head. "Fuck that, we better have one hell of a lot more slicing and dicing to come! This is one warrior who plans to go out with a sword in his hand."

  Throwing his arm around Shade's neck, they walked the muddy path back to the main house.

  "If you need reinforcements until spring comes and you get more recruits into camp, let me know. The Greek outpost needs a change-up. I want to move them around, let them see all that Medici owns."

  Shade nodded. "Right now, we are fine. We are still functioning."

  Marco grunted. "Well, you never know with Canton, he may piss off someone any day, and that means you will need more coverage."

  As they approached the house, Shade saw Aegis patrolling close, and she appeared agitated. He wondered what the hell that was about. "Well one thing for sure, if Canton does this president thing, there will be much more coverage required."

  Marco saw the wolf’s eyes as they glowed back at him in the dark and he was grateful for the queen and her gift of animalism. He’d already heard from the warriors in Florence that the news of the battle was spreading like wildfire in the vampire community, and Marco knew the power of Medici warriors, combined with her gift, made the Medici something to contend with in their world.

  "By the way, one of the original warriors who I sent over from Florence has requested to return. She came back to honor Fiamma, but she’s asking to stay. I sent her to your office, told her to wait for you.”

  Shade looked over at him. "She?"

  "It’s Olivia. I know her performance was a little weak on her first rotation here. She knows it too. When she came back to Florence, she really threw herself into her training. She’s made a lot of improvement. She wants a second chance. And let’s face it, in the spring you will have new female recruits. You will need a few females here that already know the ropes."

  “She was like a mouse when she was here before, Marco.”

  "I know, but listen to me. She’s got great potential. Let her stay and work with the squad in the Dead House under Theo. She will benefit from the street experience. And besides, you need as many as you can get right now. I gave the temporary assignment as acting Lieutenant to Aislynn. You need to decide if you want to make that permanent. She worked really hard in the camp after the battle. She takes orders well, does what she is told. Give her a shot."

  Shade shook his head as he headed into the house, knowing Kate would have detected the presence of another female under their roof. "Someday, brother, your ass is gonna burn for all the hell you cause in my life with my mate!"

  They both entered the house laughing like hell.

  142

  Shade headed straight to his office, fist bumping Marco as he started up the stairs to see Theresa one last time before going back to Florence. He’d have the conversation with Olivia, and then he needed to talk to Aislynn and make a decision about both of them. Stepping into his office, he found Olivia waiting for him. She was tall but didn’t appear as toned as the other female warriors. Olivia had always maintained a softness about her.

  "Olivia. Good to see you again. Please, have a seat."

  She bowed her head slightly to him as she greeted him. She had blue-grey eyes, and light brown hair that fell to her shoulders. Her complexion was peaches and cream, and she looked more like a feeder than a warrior. "Good evening, master."

  He could already see the difference in her as she held his gaze. She stood taller, and no longer tried to blend into her surroundings, trying to go unnoticed. He sat down in his leather chair and crossed his arms. "Marco told me you wanted the opportunity to work at Bel Rosso again. Tell me where this is coming from?"

  Olivia nodded. "I’m aware my performance wasn’t adequate when I was here before. It was my first real assignment, and I let it overwhelm me. When I returned to Florence, Marco spoke with me at length about where I was lacking, and he assigned me to a number of different outposts to gain more experience. I worked harder in the camp as well. I’d appreciate if you’d give me a second chance, master. I wasn’t ready before, but I am now. I want to work my way up in the ranks, prove myself to you and the other warriors. I know that Fiamma..."

  She lowered her head and fidgeted with her hands as they lay in her lap, remembering what Fiamma had always told her. “Fiamma always told us that as females, we’d have to really put ourselves out there. We’d have to be outspoken, become our own advocates, and make sure people knew what our goals and objectives were. So, I’m asking. If you allow me to stay, I won’t disappoint you this time. I know what you expect of me. I’ll abide by your decision. If you send me back to Florence, I’ll go and serve you proudly."

  Shade hardly recognized this female before him. She was nothing like the Olivia that had been here only a year ago. Her confidence was greatly improved, and she had Marco’s endorsement. "Your sister taught you well. Fiamma was a great warrior, a true leader. Marco informs me you have done well in Florence and have shown improvement. That does not mean you won’t have a lot to prove to me. We didn’t have the camp when you were here before. So, let me go over the rules. The camp is divided into male and female quarters. We have a feeder compound inside the camp, and no one leaves this camp unless I direct them to. There is no hunting without specific approval by me, and I grant it rarely. When you were here before, I was at the Dead House almost every night, and Tomas was my SIC. Tomas was a mercenary, hired by Alec, and he has moved on. Theo is in charge now, with backup from Skelk. If I assign you to the Dead House, you will take orders directly from them.” He locked eyes with her and leaned back in his chair. “Any questions?”

  Olivia pushed her long hair behind her ears and stared back at him. “No, master.”

  He held her gaze. “Fiamma was right about many things. She learned how to navigate in a man’s world. I expect you to do the same, understood? I will cut you no slack because you are female. It does you no favors. You earn the respect of your brothers by fighting as hard and being as skilled. Show me that, Olivia, and I will let you stay. I will give you until Spring when we start the enrollment for the new recruits to prove yourself to me. Then we will talk again, si?"

  Olivia smiled and nodded. “Yes, master. Thank you. I understand your conditions, and I won’t disappoint you.”

  He stood and directed her to the door, "Then move your gear into the female barracks. See Aislynn for your work detail. Welcome back, Olivia."

  She almost ran out the door, shouting over her shoulder, "Thank you, Master Shade. I won’t let you down!"

  He watched her scurry out the door and wondered how many warriors he’d trained through the centuries, and how many he’d lost. He was rarely aware of the passage of time, and the concept of age was a mortal construct, but sometimes, he felt his age, and this was one of those times.

  143

  Shade poured himself a Midnight and sat down in the leather chair, one down and one to go. Fiamma’s loss had been great. She was his most experienced female warrior, and there were not nearly as many females as males in this profession. The females still struggled for recognition in a world where the ratio was about thirty to one. He didn’t have anyone of Fee’s caliber to take over leading the females. Aislynn worked hard, but she was still young. She’d caught his eye on her first day as well, standing out with her weapons skills, even among the males. He was glad to see his perceptions of her validated by Marco.

  Aislynn was in the camp when Olivia returned and let her know she’d be staying. Aislynn assigned her a bed in the barracks and said she’d set up a meeting with Theo to get Olivia’s assignments. She barely had Olivia settled in when she received a message to report to Shade in the main house.

  She quickly left the camp and headed up
the road. She knew her promotion had been a temporary one, made after the battle as a necessary means to keep things moving. She was pretty sure she was about to learn her fate. She kept her head up and went straight to his office, preparing herself to be demoted back to the rank of warrior. She walked in and Shade smiled and beckoned for her to take a seat across from his huge desk. She sat down, back stiff, and waited for him to speak.

  "Thank you for coming so quickly, Aislynn. My office gives us more privacy than the camp, si? A few things I wish to speak with you about. First of all, you had a very important role during the battle, and you did it well. Never think I did not notice. You are a good warrior destined to be a great one, if you keep this up. Marco assigned you temporary status as Lieutenant, and you have displayed excellent leadership skills. You performed well under the pressure of battle and in the chaos that followed. I have decided to make your promotion to Lieutenant permanent. You will assume Fiamma’s duties. I know we are light on females right now, but we will get more with the spring recruitment. What do you say to that?"

  Aislynn felt her heart hammer in her chest. He’d noticed her! And he was giving her the position permanently. She held her head a little higher and pushed her shoulders back. This was the opportunity of a lifetime. She was a young warrior, and to be a ranking Medici was no small task. She’d put her nose to the grindstone and remember all the lessons Fee taught her.

  "I’m ready and prepared to take on the responsibility and show you I can handle it, master. I’m honored you’d choose me. I had a great mentor in Fiamma. All of the warriors from Florence have taught me so much since I’ve been here, and I intend to be a great warrior under your guidance."

  Shade nodded. "You earned it, Aislynn. I give nothing without it being earned. Remember that. I want you to move into Fiamma's room, as it is yours now. So, move your things out of the barracks into that room. I will speak to Marcello so he will know what is going on. You met Olivia, si? I just sent her down to camp. She and the other females will be under your command. Olivia is here on a contingency basis. I will re-evaluate her in the spring, so work with her, and be prepared to provide feedback. You are also in charge of the feeder compound. Meet with Matron, go over the schedules. She will help fill you in on how Fiamma managed things there. In the camp, you report to Marcello, and then to me. Any questions, warrior?"

  Aislynn couldn’t believe it! She’d be in charge of the females! “No questions, master. Thank you, I’ll make you and Fiamma proud of me."

  Shade saw the emotions play across her face and he knew how much this meant to her. She was hungry and eager for more responsibility. He loved to see his warriors stretching to their full potential. It was what made him a good leader. He gave her a curt nod. “Dismissed, warrior.”

  Aislynn backed out of the room. “Thank you again, Master Shade. I’ll go move my things now.”

  She closed the door behind her before breaking into a dance. She sprinted back to the camp. She had her own room! She’d never had her own room before!

  144

  Aislynn returned to the camp, floating on air. She couldn’t believe her good fortune. She started gathering her belongings from the open barracks shared with the other female warriors and headed straight for the room that had belonged to Fiamma. She entered the room with mixed feelings, excited over her promotion, but sad that it came at her friend’s expense. She knew one thing, though, if Fee was here, no one would be cheering louder for her. Master had given her an opportunity to prove she could lead, help train the new warriors, and she was determined to show him she was up for the challenge. She wanted Fiamma to be proud of her, and she wanted her brothers to respect her.

  She made several trips back and forth between the open barracks and her private room, finally dumping the last of her things on the floor and flopped down on the bed. She noticed a red envelope lying on the pillow of the perfectly made bed.

  She picked up the envelope and looked at the name on the outside. It was handwritten in a beautiful script. ‘Marcello’. She recognized Fee’s handwriting as she flipped the envelope over to find it sealed. Aislynn felt caught off-guard. Was this something Fiamma had been planning to deliver to Marcello when she got back? Or was this a letter left for him in case she never saw him again?

  She felt the thickness of the envelope, and knew it was a letter. Would Fiamma want him to have this now? Should she deliver it? Standing up, she made her decision, and headed for Marcello’s private room. His door was open slightly as she tapped lightly. "Marcello, may I come in?"

  Marcello looked up to see her standing in his door. He wasn’t completely happy about the changes Marco and Shade had made. He knew Aislynn was a capable warrior, but Fee was not long dead, and they’d already replaced her. He understood the camp must move on, and there were jobs to be done, but he was finding Fee’s loss harder to deal with than he’d expected. "Come in."

  Marcello knew this was all new to her and he’d need patience. He was so used to working with Fee; they could read each other like a book, without ever speaking. "Is there a problem, Aislynn?"

  Aislynn shook her head. "No. I don’t mean to intrude, but I was moving my things into Fee’s room and well...I found this." From behind her back, she held out the red envelope. Marcello looked at the envelope and then her. "What’s in it? Why are you bringing it to me?"

  She handed it to him, front side up so he could see his name.

  "Where did you find this?"

  Aislynn felt uncomfortable and doubted her decision to bring the letter to him. "It was lying on her pillow. I thought you’d wish to have it as soon as possible."

  Marcello took the envelope and stared at it. "Grazie. Close the door on your way out please."

  Aislynn left the room, turning to look at him one last time before walking out, closing the door behind her.

  Marcello felt the lump in his throat and his stomach dropped. He lifted the envelope to his nose and sniffed. He could still smell her. He sat at his desk, resting his elbows on his knees and got lost in his memories of her. A red envelope; it was her signature color. He ran his fingers over his name before carefully opening the seal and pulling out the folded paper. They’d been friends for centuries, and he’d have a hard time thinking of a world without Fiamma in it. He started to read, and as he did, his already broken heart began to shatter.

  Dear Marcello,

  If you are reading this, then I didn’t survive this battle. I can’t leave this world with words unspoken. There are things in my heart I need to let go. We’ve fought together, trained together, and you were always there for me, the one person I could always trust. We were warriors first, but I’m also female, with a female’s heart. We followed master’s rule about fraternization, as we should, and I’m sure it saved us many times over in battle.

  I remember the first day you walked into camp in Florence, so brave, so impatient, and so handsome. I have kept my feelings for you hidden all these years. But then our master found his mate, and for the first time, I felt I saw what real love is. How powerful it can be. It made me want to be loved in that manner. Marcello, I have loved you for so long. You never knew, or perhaps you did, and perhaps it wasn’t our destiny to know such love. If I live through this battle, I’ve vowed to myself to let you know my true feelings. If I don’t survive, you will know through this letter.

  I will always love you, Marcello. I have given my life to Medici, and I’d never change that. It’s who I am, who I was born to be. But know in my heart, had my life been different, it was you I craved to be mated to. My tears fall as I write this, hoping you’ll survive the coming battle, and find true happiness and love. There’s more to life, Marcello, than being a warrior.

  I always had your back, and I always will. Never forget me, Marcello, or that I loved you.

  Your forever love,

  Fee

  Marcello found it hard to see through his tears. They dropped onto the white stationery, marring her elegant handwriting. She loved him, she
had always loved him. He’d thought many times of being with her but knew it would have led them down a path that was dangerous for them both. Warriors needed to fight without distraction.

  He began to shake with emotion. He, too, had held back from being with her, from sharing with her how he felt. Now he felt guilt as well. While he couldn’t deny the attraction to her, there was something inside that held him back. He knew in his heart she wasn’t his eternal mate.

  He roared in pain over the loss of her in his life and all the things they both left unsaid as he teleported out immediately. He had to get out of here, escape this emotion, this place with its smell of her, memories of her, and his guilt, knowing he couldn’t save her. He’d not felt her go down. He didn’t feel deserving of her adoration, and he felt he’d even failed her as a friend.

  Aislynn heard his roar of pain and heard the footsteps of other warriors running toward Marcello's room. She jumped up quickly to join them, only to find him gone, the pages of the letter strewn on the floor.

  She immediately summoned Master Shade. She picked up the letter and quickly shoved it back inside the envelope, preventing anyone else from reading Fiamma’s last words to him. She spoke to the warriors who’d gathered there, holding up her hands. "Nothing to see here. I’ve summoned master. Please, return to your rooms."

  The warriors slowly exited as Skelk came to her side, encouraging her to leave as well.

  "Come on, master will figure it out."

  145

  Shade was wrapping up in his office for the night. Everything had been quiet and calm. He’d made his call to Council, informing them of the battle and the losses, knowing that news of the battle had reached them already. The battle would require another Council visit, as it involved a shift in territories, so the meeting was arranged. Besides, he had some unfinished business to attend to, and he’d take Kate and Lorenzo with him. They could use some time away after all that had happened.