The Blood Covenant: Book One of The Medici Warrior Series

by Emily Bex

  He can see the sky lighten as the sun begins its slow rise across the landscape that holds forests, mountains and vineyards. It is so beautiful here, so peaceful and isolated from mortal view, yet close enough for him to continue his work for Alec in D.C.

  She definitely needs to be here, permanently, and no doubt, she will be. He refuses to have it any other way. He wants to come home to her at the end of every night and have her in his arms, protect her, and feel surrounded by love as he enters his death slumber. He will have Luciano and some other staff here shortly, they will be able to protect her during the daylight hours. The house will be a bustle of activity with the house being remodeled, and the property landscaped, the vineyards fruitful and productive, and Kate at the center of it all, making it home.

  There is staff quarters already established on the premises. The building is in fair shape but needs a female’s touch. Hell, everything around him needs a female’s touch, including him. He could bring her here for a visit, a date, show her the place, tell her his long-term plans for expansion and ask her to help him. He will find a way to get her to leave the city life and her job and live here while she makes this place a home. He has endless funds, he can give her the world, and he needs for her to discover that. All he knows is she belongs here, he belongs here, and the sooner the better for them both.

  The death slumber pulls him, trying to take him down, as he quickly teleports back to the penthouse. He walks to the window before the sun starts reflecting off the buildings and frying his heart to dust. He can see her preparing for work, dressing and scurrying around, gathering her papers and laptop. It convinces him even more she needs to be the hell away from here and some place where he can hold her, touch her, love her and have the comfort of knowing she is safe. He pulls the blackout drapes across the window, and bars the door, then walks to the bed and flops down, his mind made up. He will take her to the Virginia house, and it is going to be damn soon.

  20

  It is early Saturday evening, the sun is on the horizon, but the moon is on the edge of taking her turn in the sky as they move into shorter days, and longer, colder nights. He decides it is time to take Kate out to the Virginia property. Shade wants to call her and make it an official date. Hitting speed dial on the phone, he is hoping she has nothing planned for her evening.

  ***

  Kate has still not shared any news with Shannon about Shade. She had not told her she has slept with him, or that he is a vampire, and he feeds from her. She and Shade had not discussed it, this small issue of what he is, but she instinctively knows this is a secret she would be expected to keep, for his own safety. His secret is already isolating her from other mortals.

  She laughs out loud. She actually just referred to herself and others like her as "mortals", his word for her world. Besides, who would even believe her? They would drag her off in a straitjacket if she started talking about being teleported off to Paris by a vampire who shows up in the night to drink her blood and have hot sex with her. Her cell phone rings and she checks the ID, it is him, and her heart soars.

  "So, where are you taking me tonight? Somewhere I can enjoy a little longer than Paris, I hope."

  ***

  He loves how quickly she answers his call and is ready to be with him for the evening. Yeah, Shade old man, you still got it. Good fucking thing, cause this one is a keeper for all eternity.

  "Well now, I do have plans for this evening, if you are willing to take a little drive with me. Si, I did say drive. I thought, perhaps, we would go the old-fashioned way, if that pleases you?”

  “Lover, I threw the rule book out the window after the first night. I'm along for the ride by whatever means you choose. What time would you like me to be ready?”

  “How soon can you be ready, mi amore? And I will give you a heads up, this is not a very elegant date, so dressing casual is appropriate, jeans and walking shoes may be a good choice as well, a sweater, and a light jacket. Can you handle that?”

  ***

  Kate looks down at her jeans and sneakers, and the oversized sweater that falls from one shoulder she is already wearing. "Yeah, I think I got that covered." She runs to the bathroom mirror to touch up her make-up while she talks, and to spritz on the rose fragrance he loves.

  "Don’t cover too much. I will see you in thirty."

  Hanging up the phone, jamming it into his jeans pocket, he teleports down to the garage and sits and has a smoke for about ten minutes, stalling for time so she is not aware of how close he lives. It takes him another twenty minutes to drive through Arlington traffic around the fucking block and park inside her garage.

  Once parked, he decides to take the elevator to the 7th floor and ring her doorbell like a gentleman and maybe he will shock her, for once, with mortal customs.

  ***

  The doorbell? She giggles. He's ringing the doorbell? That's a first. She heads to the door to greet him, wondering what adventure he has in store for this night. She opens the door to find him in jeans ̶ tight jeans ̶ and a hooded jacket. His hair is tousled, and his eyes always drop her to her knees.

  "The doorbell? How conventional of you."

  ***

  As she swings open the door he takes her in. Her crimson locks hang loose around her shoulders, just as he loves them, and she wears a black sweater that drapes off one shoulder, exposing her sweet soft lily-white skin. Grabbing her up in his arms, he kisses her hard and passionately, and he can hear a gasp as someone exits the condo across the hall.

  He breaks the kiss and grins. "Are you inviting me in? I must warn you, if we step inside, you will not be wearing that sweater much longer."

  “Mr. Medici, if that is supposed to be a threat, I must warn you, it is not a very effective one. If removing my clothes is on your agenda for the evening, then by all means, be my guest.”

  "Be careful what you wish for. Are you ready? We have a bit of a drive."

  “You lead, I follow, lover. Where are you taking me? Or is that a secret?”

  Grabbing her hand, he leads her to the elevator. "Well, it is not a secret. Are you familiar with White Hall?"

  As the elevator door opens, he leads her in and hits the garage floor button as the doors slide closed. He backs her up against the wall and lets his hands go to her ass and nuzzles her neck. "I missed you."

  ***

  Before she can answer, he has pushed her against the wall of the elevator as his hands grab her ass. She feels his breath on her neck and then she hears Aerosmith singing “Love in an Elevator”, and it makes her laugh. Did he do that?

  "I missed you, Shade,” she answers between kisses. The doors open as they reach the garage level, and the couple getting on the elevator gives them a cold stare as Kate and Shade uncouple and exit into the garage.

  "Prudes," he mutters. Hearing her giggle, he walks to the Hummer, pointing it out to her. "This is me right here."

  Walking her to the passenger side, he takes her hand and helps her into the monster vehicle, letting his hand stray to her backside as he gives her a boost in. "Seat belt, mi amore!"

  Slamming the door, he walks around and jumps inside and fires it up. "There are about fifty CDs here in the hatch, choose whatever you like. If you don’t find anything you like, tell me what you prefer, and it is yours, si?"

  ***

  A Hummer? She can barely climb in the thing. She feels his hands on her ass as he gives her a shove into the seat. She laughs as she rifles through the collection of CDs. “You know you can stream this stuff now, right?”

  She pulls out Nickelback, remembering he was listening to heavy rock music over the phone and slides the disc into the player. It seems like an appropriate CD for a ride in a Hummer.

  "Where did you say we were going? White Hall? Just outside of Charlottesville, right?"

  ***

  Shade makes his way out of Arlington, heading for Highway Rt. 29 as Nickelback starts playing, nice choice.

  "White Hall is in wine country. It is where my V
irginia home is located.”

  Laying his hand on her thigh, he hits the highway and kicks it into gear in the fast lane. She best learn right from the start, any vehicle he drives, he drives hard and fast, speed is his game, the faster the better.

  “I’ve been to Charlottesville before, but not White Hall. So I know where Charlottesville is. Right near the mountains. It's beautiful there. When I was at Georgetown University, Shan and I would drive down there. We went to a few football games at UVA, some great tailgate parties, hung out at some of the fraternities on Rugby Road. I'm very familiar. So, White Hall is where your property is?”

  “Si. I hope you don’t mind, but I would really like to show it to you. I need some advice on the place. I want to share with you as much as I can. Are you up for that tonight?”

  “Shade, I would love to see it. Shan and I always said we were going to go visit some of the vineyards, but then we never had the time. You have a vineyard there, right?”

  He chuckles, “If that is what you want to call it. At the present, it needs a lot of attention, but I am told by my vintner Luciano, this can be accomplished with some time and money. I have a house there, some of my cars, a lot of land, mostly just forest land and fields. But some of those fields will be converted into vineyards with what already exists. The property needs some work, so don’t expect anything too great. Does that disappoint you?”

  “Of course not! It sounds exciting. I mean, you probably have a vision, right? For what you want it to look like? This way you create what you want. It sounds exciting. Having a concept and bringing it to fruition. I can’t imagine you buying something and leaving it as is, not putting your mark on it in some way. Am I wrong?”

  Smiling at the excitement in her voice, he turns to look at her. "I do have a vision, somewhat, at least for the vineyards. The house, well, I haven’t put much thought into it. It is small. But it has a great old feel to it. I like it simply because it feels like Tuscany, almost feels like home and I think that is what draws me to it so very much. The land is workable, so there is much that can be added to increase the property value. I wonder if... hell, is this the damn exit?”

  “Is that where you're living? You have never told me where you live, not that you have to. I understand you need to protect yourself. But I want you to know, we haven't talked about this, but I have told no one. I will tell no one. I would never put you in jeopardy.”

  He looks over at her, “I know you won’t tell anyone, mi amore. I trust you, I have tasted you, your blood runs inside me now and there is much I can tell about you from that. It is a good idea to keep what you know of me to yourself, for your own safety. At least until I can manage to arrange something where I can have you protected around the clock. But to answer your question, I have been staying here and in D.C. I travel to and from both. But I would prefer to make this Virginia property my permanent residence.”

  “You would live in central Virginia and commute, oh, never mind. I forgot for a moment, you can avoid that whole commute thing. But you think I need protection because I'm with you? I feel safe with you, Shade.”

  “You are safe when you are with me, Kate, but during my death slumber I cannot protect you. You remember my death slumber, si? But there is one advantage to all of this, the more I feed from you, the more I can tune into you, feel you, hear your thoughts, detect your locale. It becomes very strong and if you would ever need me and telepathically call for me, I would awaken from my death slumber. If I could not come to you, I could send someone to your aid.”

  ***

  She stares at him as he maneuvers the Hummer around the traffic on Rt. 29, maneuvering through Charlottesville to exit onto Rt. 250. He was already able to pick up on some of her thoughts, but this new revelation comforts her. “Can you hear me now, lover? Do you know how much I love you?”

  Shade smiles as she talks to him telepathically and it makes him so fucking happy to hear her voice inside his head. “Si, I can hear you, mi amore. I know how much you love me.”

  Turning his head, he grins wickedly at her and winks. He takes the Hummer off Rt. 250 onto rural Rt. 240, leading her further out into the countryside.

  She leans over and kisses him, restrained by the seat belt he makes her wear, and smiles knowing he can read her thoughts, but then realizes the implications. He can read my thoughts, all of my thoughts.

  "Will I ever be able to read your thoughts?"

  “Someday, you will be able to do that, but only after you feed from me. You will also learn how to block your thoughts, and your emotions, so others cannot pick up on them.”

  He takes the Hummer down Rt. 810, a narrow two-lane road barely wide enough for the massive vehicle.

  “I think the road that leads to the house is just ahead. I am sorry it is dark, but I think you can still see the layout easily enough. Does any of this seem familiar to you?”

  He slows the Hummer down as he looks for the private entrance off the main road. She looks about at the rolling hills of the Virginia countryside, the mountains in the background, silhouetted against the night sky. What did he say? That she would feed from him? But she is not vampire. Do mortals feed? This is too much to take in right now. She sticks with what she knows, looking at the landscape.

  "No... I have never been out here."

  "Well, I hope you like it, it’s very quiet, the property edges a park, so there is not much human activity out here, something I rather prefer. Here we are, this is the lane, have to drive back here for a while, it’s off the main road a ways, one of the reasons I have this Hummer." As they drive closer, he watches her sit up straighter in her seat as the house becomes visible through the trees.

  ***

  The private drive is probably a good two miles long and has a fork, one road leading to the vineyards and the other to the house. He rounds a curve as the house comes into view. The lights are on inside, and the exterior lighting is lit as well. She sits forward in her seat. It is an old house, built in the style of a Tuscan villa with aged stucco walls and a red tiled roof. There are large arched windows and wrought iron banisters encircling small patios off the second floor windows. Old ivy creeps up an exterior wall and lush plantings surround the base of the house. She feels like she is back in Italy. It is a large house, a winding twisting house, not built like the modern open floor plan structures today. And yes, it needs some work, but oh how beautiful.

  ***

  "Shade...this is your home?"

  “Si, this is it. I told you it wasn’t much, small."

  Throwing the Hummer in park, he turns off the engine and gets out and opens her door, taking her hand to help her out of the vehicle. "Would you like to get a tour inside, I am afraid it is rather empty but that is the main reason I wanted to bring you here tonight."

  Small? Did he say small? If this is his idea of a small house, then what does large look like? She has already fallen in love with it. She loves its uniqueness, and she can't wait to see inside.

  "I would love a tour!" She stands on the running board as he lifts her down to the ground.

  He leads her to the main entrance of the house while trying to explain some of the area they can see to her.

  "This is the main entrance. There are several entrances and patios off the first floor rooms. From the main drive, you cannot see the other building that sits around the back. That is where the staff quarters is located. Right now, I only have one staff member residing here and he comes and goes, he is my vintner, Luciano. He oversees all my vineyards and helps manage that business. He will be here for a while getting the vineyards in shape, hiring workers on the premises. I will give you a small tour outside once we walk through the inside. Please remember, don’t expect much and this place needs extensive renovations."

  ***

  Opening the heavy wooden door, he holds out his hand grandly for her to enter and waits for her reaction, praying it is a positive one.

  She steps into a foyer with the original terra cotta tiled floors, the wal
ls are all Venetian plaster. The plaster has chipped away in some places, exposing old handmade bricks beneath. No one builds like this anymore. He leads her to the left into a large living room with a beautiful European style fireplace, and French doors that lead out to the rear of the property. There are dark wood plantation shutters that could be closed over the large arched windows to block out the heat of the mid-day sun, not that he would ever see that. There are exposed beams on the ceiling, and an old chandelier that has seen better days, easy fix. She is in love with this room.

  He can read her thoughts and feels a touch of her excitement. "So, I can tell you like this interior already. Care to keep observing the rooms?"

  “Shade! This is... I love this room. I can already see...” She stops talking suddenly, realizing she was decorating in her head, and this is not hers to decorate. She moves forward through an arched doorway and into a connecting corridor that leads past a powder room. She sticks her head in. It needs new everything, but good bones. She heads through the arched entry into what she assumes is a dining room. She is making mental notes−plaster repair, new lighting−before walking into the kitchen. The kitchen is old, outdated. Like the bathroom, it would need a complete overhaul, but then, why does a vampire need a kitchen.

  There is a sunroom attached on the back of the house, with double doors leading out to a patio. She retraces her steps back to the main foyer, Shade on her heels, smiling at her as she runs from room to room, and heads to the other side of the house.

  There is an alcove with stairs leading up, and down. She will explore that later. There is a large room off to her right. A family room? There are a lot of built-in bookshelves, a library maybe? The room has heavy dark beams on the ceiling, and even unfurnished, feels masculine. She steps back into the hallway and heads to a closed door at the end of the hall. It opens to a small suite of rooms, like a downstairs master suite perhaps? Bedroom, sitting room, and a very large bath with a walk-in shower stall.