The Blood Covenant: Book One of The Medici Warrior Series

by Emily Bex

He pulls the soft nightgown over her head. As her body is exposed, his hands wander slowly over her delicate bare skin, as if exploring the map of her soul.

  He feels her hands tug at his leathers and watches her slide them down his legs. They are not easy to remove as the soft leather clings and molds to him, but her hands make easy work of their task. She is not innocent in the ways of sex, but sensual and soft. She heightens his arousal yet calms his inner turmoil at once. Her hand brushes against his cock and he moans with the warmth of her touch. There is nothing rough about her, she is all woman, all curves, all warmth and softness. And tonight, she takes the next step in truly becoming his.

  He steps out of the leathers and lets his hands slide down her back, cupping her sweet, tight ass in his own large, calloused, and roughened hands. Dropping to his knees, he kisses the inside of her thighs, licking and playing as he goes, her scent sweet and alluring. He feels her hands as they slide into his curls and she grips his hair softly in her fingers and it fires his blood. Nuzzling into the soft patch of crimson that surrounds her honey, he moans loud and feels his eyes flare into their fiery red, lighting the room in a soft hue. He raises his eyes to hers and flicks his tongue across that sweet nub between her legs and feels her shiver in anticipation.

  "Do not be afraid, mi amore."

  ***

  She feels the heat of his tongue between her legs and her knees buckle, his hands steady her as he stands and lifts her up and lies her down on the bed. She watches as he crawls over her, his eyes glowing red. There is a part of her brain that still sends out signals she should fear him, however, it is not fear she feels but desire. She wants him, needs him. She feels safe with him, protected, taken care of. She lies on her back beneath him, and watches as he lowers his mouth to hers, his fangs already exposed. His kiss is hard, urgent, demanding, and she wraps her arms around his shoulders, clinging to him. She slides her tongue into his mouth, across one of those fangs, and feels his body go rigid before he moans into her mouth.

  ***

  With each movement she makes under him, his body feels lit up by flames, she fires his blood and his passion, he aches to take her hard, feed until he has his fill, but he must have patience and lead her to a sexual bliss that will take away the sting of his fangs sinking into her skin. He feels her tongue graze his fangs and his whole body goes into overload. Touching or licking a vampire’s fangs creates the most erotic sensation, it is why the feeding is always accompanied by sex, and she does it without even knowing. How in the hell does she know, how does she push him into this state so fast?

  To Shade, it is another sign, bright and clear, that she is his chosen mate. Using his knee, he parts her legs, and feels her respond by wrapping her legs around his hips. He drives into her hard and deep and maintains a slow rhythm of riding her, letting her body once again adjust to him. He lets his tongue explore, sliding it over the sweat sheened white skin of her collar bone, leaving a trail of soft light kisses as he goes. He slides his tongue over the vein in her neck and can feel her pulse under his tongue and his cock pulses inside her.

  He increases the rhythm of his hips, taking her slowly to heights she can’t even imagine. He feels her body respond, her hips matching his rhythm, lifting to meet him. Her soft gasps and moans and the urgent response of her body tells him she wants release and he intends to make it last as long as he can. No easy task in his position.

  Nibbling her ear, he whispers, "What do you want mi amore, show me, tell me."

  Her hands slide down his back, gripping his hips. She pulls him toward her, wanting all of him. "Don't stop, lover...don't stop." She still feels him holding back from her and does not understand his reticence. She nips at his shoulder, unaware of how dangerously close she pushes the beast.

  "I need you!"

  ***

  He feels her nip at him, playing with his beast and that darkness rips through him. He feels his body shake with the restraint of holding the beast at bay and only one thing will satisfy him now. She has pushed that caged beast too far. He drives into her, thrusting hard. Her body moves with him in perfect rhythm and he nuzzles into her neck and feels his breathing go rapidly out of control. His body is perfectly molded to her small frame, the sweet muscles of her sex gripping him and sucking him deeper inside her and his cock is ready to explode, filling her with his seed.

  He wants to taste her, feel her cum around him. He grazes his fangs along her neck, not breaking the skin but letting her feel their sharpness. His fangs ache, he is in pain from the aching need of her.

  "Cum with me, mi amore."

  He sinks his fangs into the soft flesh of her neck and draws deep, moaning like a wild beast at the taste of her. He holds her body down with his own and continues to drive deep, feeling her explode into a glorious orgasm as he drinks deep from her vein. Her blood bursts across his tongue and down his throat and he guzzles it like fragrant intoxicating liquor. His head spins, she is his cocaine, his addiction, and he has never tasted anything so pure and sensual and erotic, and it belongs to only him.

  ***

  She feels his fangs at her neck, and she has forgotten he is here to feed. She is distracted by the sweet sensations between her legs as he begs her to cum with him. She feels herself letting go just as she feels the sharp but sensuous sting of his teeth sinking into her neck. And with it comes an explosion of heat between her legs unlike anything she has felt before. She cries out as she claws at him, pulling him deep as he thrust hard into her. They both ride the waves of the orgasm together, and she gives herself up to the sensation of his feeding, the erotic and sensual sounds of his mouth at her neck, the fire released in her blood and between her legs that only he can now quench. This is feeding? He makes women feel like this when he feeds from them? Oh hell no, I will not be sharing!

  ***

  As their bodies unite in more ways than one now, he can sense her, feel her flowing in his veins, and he is careful not to take too much, but fuck, she tastes like heaven. He breaks from her vein and retracts his fangs, licking the wound so it will heal, and he throws back his head and roars, “Mine!”

  Looking down at her, his eyes have returned to their normal piecing blue color and he kisses her gently. He wants her to see that it is him, Shade, not a vampire, but him, her lover. Cradling her head in his hands, he rolls onto his back and pulls her onto his chest, letting his hands caress her softly, tangled in that beautiful tousled mass of crimson.

  "I love you. I will love you forever. Are you all right? Talk to me Kate."

  She lies on his chest, cradled in his arms. He asks if she’s all right. She giggles out loud, “All right? Lover, I passed all right a long time ago.” She rises on her elbows, so she can look at him. "So that...that feeling. What happened to me when you fed from me, is that... does that... happen every time?”

  "Oh si, my sweet bel rosso, every single time. As I feed more often, you will have a scent that is noticeable to other vampires. They will know a vampire is feeding from you. It will be a very distinct scent to them." Chuckling softly, he smiles at her. "You have me, bel, you have me heart and soul. I am yours. And I will never feed from another. Do you hear me?”

  ***

  She hears all he says, but she is stuck in the sensations that just rocked her body to the core. She places her hands on either side of his face and goes nose to nose with him.

  "So other women... the women you fed from... they felt that?"

  ***

  He sighs heavily, here it comes. "They do feel the sexual sensations that come with feeding. It is part of my world. Feeding is sensual to me, it comes with the territory.”

  “I understand. Just make sure no one else feels that from you ever again. And I don't understand the scent part. Will you smell different to me? Because, right now, you smell delicious.”

  “No, I will smell the same to you, but to other vampires, they will pick up your scent on me as well. The scent will be detectable on both of us. It is meant as a warning and becomes str
onger with each feeding. It lets other vampires know you are claimed. But enough of that, I need to apologize to you. I have been gone too many nights and left you alone, unattended, and I do not like that, but sometimes it cannot be helped. I want to make it up to you. What would you wish for mi amore? What would make you happy, anything you want. Tell me.”

  “What? Make it up to me?”

  “Si, you are upset that I have been gone for several days, so I am asking, how might I make it up to you? I can take you anywhere. We can do anything you desire.”

  “Anywhere, lover? You can take me anywhere?”

  “Si, bel rosso, anywhere.”

  ***

  She decides to tease him, give him an impossible request, “Then take me to Paris. You asked what my most favorite city was, and Paris is my most favorite city in the world. I want you to make love to me on a Paris rooftop, overlooking the City of Lights. I want a bed covered in rose petals, and champagne and strawberries. Can you give me that?”

  “Si, you have made a simple request.”

  “Simple? Wow, really?”

  “Are you ready, bel? Are you ready for me to take you to Paris?”

  She looks at him, surprised, “Now? We’re going now?”

  “Is that not what you asked of me? And do not forget, they are six hours ahead of us, so it is well into the night there. If you wish for me to make love to you under the stars in Paris, we must leave now.”

  She looks down at her naked body. “I need to dress. I need to pack.”

  He chuckles as he lifts her from the bed, pulling the nightgown back over her head and putting his leathers back on.

  “No time for changing and packing, bel rosso. Now come here, place your arms around me and hold tight. I will teleport us. You may feel dizzy, but you will be completely safe.”

  Wait? He’s going to teleport me to Paris? Is that even possible? Her heart is racing as she clings to him for dear life. She feels his arms around her when suddenly they are surrounded by the darkness. She feels like they are moving at warp speed, but it is completely dark, and very disorienting. She has no concept of time passing, but she would guess only a few minutes have passed and he is setting her down. His arms still holding her, he gently turns her around, so she is facing away from him, and says, “Tell me what you see.”

  She looks out across the rooftop, and she blinks her eyes in amazement. “I see… I see a mattress draped in white satin sheets, and covered in red rose petals and champagne… and strawberries.”

  “What else, mi amore? Tell me everything you see.”

  “I can see the city spread out below us, and I can hear the traffic, and the voices of the people below. I can see the Eiffel Tower, and over there, I can see La Sacra Coeur on the hill in Montmartre.”

  ***

  He takes her hand and leads her to the bed. As they stand there together, he slowly undresses her, dropping her gown to the rooftop.

  “You are beautiful Kate, your crimson hair and your fair skin. You are my lily white. Now lay down for me.”

  He holds her hand as she lowers herself to the mattress and stretches out on the satin sheets, feeling the cool silkiness against her skin. She watches him as he disrobes, removing his leathers. He crawls onto the bed, his dark hair hanging forward, his blue eyes locked on hers. He is suspended over her, his weight on his arms, as he leans down and kisses her; little kisses, teasing kisses, followed by deep kisses. He breaks the kiss and sits back on his knees, reaching for the champagne.

  “Is this real?”

  “Si. Quite real.”

  He pops the cork, and then pours the cold liquid on her breasts and down her abdomen. She gasps as the cold hits her skin, and she can feel the tingling sensation of the bubbles. Then she feels his tongue, like fire against the cold of the champagne, as he licks at her breasts, flicks each nipple, and then runs his tongue down to her naval, where his mouth covers her as he drinks the champagne from her skin. She places her hand in his hair, and she moans with the sensations he is sending through her body.

  “Is this the Paris you had in mind for tonight?”

  “Yes, lover,” she manages in a strangled whisper.

  He picks up a strawberry and holds it to her mouth, rubs it across her lips, before slowly running it down her chin, her neck, and between her breasts, across her belly and through her patch of tight red curls.

  “Open your legs, bel.”

  ***

  Her breathing is ragged, and her heart is racing, she wants his touch, and not this teasing, but she slowly parts her legs for him. He runs the strawberry across her thigh, and then places the tip of the strawberry inside her wet, swollen sex. She gasps with the sensation, and the unexpectedness. The desire to have him inside her is unbearable.

  “Cazzo!” He jumps to his feet. “My brothers summon me. I must return. I am so sorry, bel. There is trouble and I must respond.” He is putting his clothes back on as she raises herself to her elbows.

  “What? We just got here.” He’s leaving me?

  “Get dressed. I must take you back home.”

  He reaches his hand down to her and helps her to her feet. She is still reeling from the sensations of champagne and strawberries on her skin, and he is helping her put on her gown and dragging her barefoot across the rooftop.

  “Hold on to me, bel rosso”.

  Before she can even contemplate what is happening, they are once again surrounded by the darkness, and the speed, and then they are back, back in her bedroom. She is looking around like she has never seen this place before. What the fuck just happened?

  “I am sorry, bel. This is not what I planned for us this night. Now it appears as if I have something else to make up to you. I must leave now. My brothers are in danger. Ti amo, mi amore.” And with that, he is gone.

  She looks at the clock by the bed. Two hours have passed since they teleported from the bedroom. She looks down at her nightgown. Am I fucking insane? Did this even happen? She starts to undress and feels the sticky champagne on her skin, the tell-tale trail of a light pink stain from the strawberry down her torso, and the taste of the strawberry on her lips.

  She looks at herself in the mirror, her hair is tousled. “What are you doing, Kate Reese?” she asks her reflection. “What path of madness are you following?” But she knows if he showed up again right this minute, she would go to him.

  She reluctantly climbs in the shower and washes away the memories of this night that clings to her skin. She puts on a clean gown and slides between her sheets, alone. And all she can think about is him. I love you, my savage lover. She knows she will follow him into the madness.

  19

  Walking through the many empty rooms of his Virginia house, Shade takes stock of all the needed repairs. He has brought in Luciano, his vintner, to survey both the Virginia and California vineyards, and oversee whatever changes necessary to get the properties at full production. He and Luciano had spent the night planning and talking, walking the vineyards, checking out the wineries, looking at production history, and tasting the yield from previous harvests. It was clear that to make both properties fully functional it would take some time.

  Luciano oversees all his vineyards worldwide. Italy, France, Greece, and now in the States, including hiring and managing the vineyard staff. After their assessment of the Virginia property, Luciano had put some things in motion, and moved on to inspect California.

  Alone again, Shade casually walks from room to room. He feels such emptiness here. It is a shell of a building, it is not a home. He wants to move here, live here. He feels like he has recently found something he had been searching a lifetime for, his eternal mate. She would fill this place with love and laughter, and together, they could reside here.

  He hates that she lives in that damn city alone, especially during the daylight hours when he is in his death slumber. He wants her away from the hustle of the city, away from the dangers there. That lone episode with the mugger at the Metro station was enough for hi
m to want her out of that condo and living here with him.

  There are warriors to train and the D.C. area to protect, along with Alec and Rissa. It is his job. But now, he has something much more important to him. It is Kate he wants to protect and love, and he wants her here. He already knows deep inside she is his mate. She is the one for him. There is no doubt. His body craves her in a way he has not felt before, the taste of her, to feed from her only, and enjoy their eternal life together. The fact she is mortal will be enough to put his ass in one fucking hellish heap of controversy. Immortals did not usually mate with mortals. It was only slightly more common here in the States but is something the European culture of immortals and the Council rejected. He is not just a master, but the Medici King, royal blood. He has ruled his coven for centuries in Europe, and now, expansion is well within his grasps in the States, and along with it, his mate. To hell with the European Council of Ruling Vampires, he is the Medici and he will make them see she is worth her weight in gold to him and his coven.

  He has lived his life by the centuries old customs established by the Council, with strict rules and old ways, as had his father, and grand-father, and all the Medici before him. But the old values didn’t always fit the modern times, and he needs to straddle both cultures, juggling and molding them to meet the changing times.

  He can almost see Kate here, taking over this house, making a home for them both. He has staff in Florence, and he can easily transfer some of them here. He wants her to make this a dream house, something she could only have imagined for herself, a place she loves, feels comfortable and safe in. This house could be something they share together right from the start of their relationship. That damn penthouse is nothing but a torture chamber for him, only able to view her from a distance across the way. He wants bel to come here, plan with him, make a life for them here and his mind goes to work on how to pull this off.

  He doesn’t want to push her too fast. So far, she has been responsive to him. She is no longer frightened of who and what he is, and she is willing to explore this life of immortality. There is still much for her to learn, in particular is the violence of being a warrior, but that knowledge will come in time. He needs to take this slow, control her exposure to his immortal world. He will have to turn her into an immortal if she is to be his mate, but that is something far in her future.