The Blood Covenant: Book One of The Medici Warrior Series

by Emily Bex

  Shade sets her down inside Castello, and brushes the hair from her face, leaning down to kiss her gently.

  "Open your eyes, bel. Welcome to Castello."

  Kate opens her eyes and looks around a massive hall of marble, with a wide winding staircase, and a ceiling that looks to be three stories high. Long wide hallways lead off in opposite directions, lined with chandeliers, and frescoes painted on the ceilings, framed in gilded gold leaf. It reminds her of the palace at Versailles, but not quite as large.

  "Where are we, Shade? Castello? I thought you were taking me to your home?”

  ***

  Shade throws back his head and laughs, the sound echoes and bounces off the long quiet walls and hallways of his castle.

  "Si, this is my home. This is Medici Castello, where I grew up as a boy, where I was born and raised. This is mine. It will belong to you as well. You are standing in the grand foyer. Ah, and here comes Gi."

  Turning his head, he smiles as Gi approaches and bows, welcoming him as Master Shade.

  "Gi, may I present my beautiful Kate, bel rosso.”

  Shade turns to Kate, “Mi amore, this is my manservant Gi, he has been with my familia a very long time, and if there is anything you need, he is the one you go to, si?”

  ***

  Kate knows her mouth is hanging open, even as she is being introduced to this elderly gentleman, dressed very formally in a black waist coat, starched white shirt and bowtie. He bows his head to her, and she starts to curtsy, but then realizes he is staff and that is inappropriate. She nods to him in return and then stammers, "I'm, uh, so glad to meet you, Mr. Gi.”

  ***

  Shade is amused as she stumbles on her words, not sure how to approach Gi and afraid of making a blunder. He wraps his arms around her waist and smiles at Gi, nodding to let him know he may go for the evening, as Gi informs him all of his requests have been seen too.

  "You may address him as Gi. Let nothing intimidate you, you are safe here and anything you want or need is yours for the asking, si? Would you allow me to give you a small tour?”

  “A small tour? I don't think there is anything small about this place, but please! I would love to see it!”

  Shrugging off his leather jacket, he throws it across a velvet brocade chair in the foyer and takes her hand, leading her through some of the rooms along the main floor.

  "This is the main floor. There is another floor above us, which is used for the privacy of the family, with bedrooms, bathrooms, dressing rooms and my private office, of course. On this floor are the formal living room and dining room, the kitchen, a family room, music room, a library, the ballroom, and many of the ancient paintings that are priceless to me and my familia."

  She takes in everything as he leads her through the rooms, her fascination with the castle delights him, she belongs here with him, he can feel it, and he knows she is his. It was destiny that he finally found her, and he can feel calmness in his soul as they walk together and there is no longer any doubt in his mind that this night she feeds from him, the only one to ever feed on his blood. As they enter a large hallway, known as the hall of ancestors, it is lined with many paintings of the Medici family through the ages, both mortal and immortal. He stops momentarily and lets her browse.

  ***

  Kate stops in front of one the paintings of a beautiful woman with blonde hair braided and wrapped on her head, her features delicate, dressed in a heavy brocaded gown from a period long past. The man standing next to her is clearly her husband as indicated by the protective placement of his arm on her shoulder. He looks a lot like Shade, except his eyes are brown. Standing in front of the handsome couple is a boy of maybe ten or twelve.

  "Lover? Is this... this man, he looks a lot like you, but clearly it is not you. Are these your parents? That boy, is that you?"

  "Si. That is my padre, Christofano and the woman is my madre, Portia. And that is me, about the age when I went to the warrior camp. This portrait was painted by Michelangelo and originally hung in the upper quarters of Castello. It was painted for my intended mate and her familia.”

  Did he just say Michelangelo? She remembers the history of the mortal Medici’s, and their patronage of the artist of the Renaissance.

  “Your what? Your intended mate? But... I don't understand. You are just a child in this picture. Was this painting given to them later? You were engaged to be with someone else?”

  He wraps his arms around her and sits his chin atop her head as they both stare at the ancient canvas.

  "In those days, arranged matings were common, especially among royal blood. My padre was doing his duty, to ensure the royal bloodline, but I would have none of it. It became a serious sore point between us. I refused to be mated to someone I did not love. My parents’ mating was arranged and although they loved one another deeply, that is not always the case with arranged matings. It was my madre who stood behind me, supported my decision when I refused to honor the custom. I left Florence once I finished my studies and training as a warrior to travel and live among mortals and learn how to survive on my own as a vampire. Standing up to him was not an easy task for me. My padre was powerful and had a strict hand with me. Madre was the softness in my life. She also knew how to get around him."

  Kate has more thoughts in her head than she can process. She knew arranged marriages were very common in past centuries. Had he not resisted, had he not stood up to his father, she would not be standing here now. He would belong to someone else. But his parents, she never thought about having to meet his parents! He never mentioned that!

  "So, your parents... they live here then? In this castle? Is that why you brought me here? To meet them?"

  "No, mi amore. They no longer exist on this mortal plane. They reside in the spirit realm."

  His mind whirls and he holds back all of the emotions he still holds inside him. The anger long gone, but the guilt resides in him still and he has come to acknowledge and accept that it will forever be there.

  “So, both of your parents were vampire?”

  “Oh si, I was born from two immortals, a royal master and warrior vampire and his mate. My madre was also royal blood, descendant of the Lombard family. I am the only child born to them; royal blood. I am born a master and a prince and destined to be a warrior. I became a king only after my padre’s death.”

  “But, if they are both vampires, I thought you were immortal? You said they could live thousands of years. How could they be dead?”

  Letting go of her, he slides his hand through his hair and takes a deep breath, thinking how to explain their untimely and brutal death. The death of many immortals is usually a violent one. Turning to her, he takes her hands within his and for the first time, he gives voice to this event to someone. Most here know the horror or lived through it. Those in his coven know the legendary tale of the death that befell his parents and how all of this became Shade’s, much quicker than he ever could have dreamed. The few women who he had allowed to get inside his heart were vampire, and warrior, and knew of the event.

  But before him stood his mate, the future Queen of Medici, and it was only fair to let her know the legend she would now become part of. He and his bel rosso would make a new beginning, a new legend that was far more powerful and long lived.

  "Mi amore, you have heard of the Bonfire of the Vanities, si? It was a tumultuous time in Florence, in the late 1490's. There was a Dominican Priest named Savonarola. He preached that all things of opulence could only lead to sin. He led his parishioners in collecting and publicly burning thousands of objects such as art and books, objects of beauty, like jewels, and fine dresses, even mirrors and musical instruments. They were all seen as vanities, the devil's tools.

  “The Medici family had long been patrons of the arts, supporting many artists from the Renaissance. Artists like Botticelli, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and Vasari. If you walk through the halls of Castello, you will find art from all of these artists still here. Murals on the walls and ceilings, oil
paintings, even sculptures.

  “The townspeople turned on the family, raiding the Medici homes, including Castello. The mortal Medici's were able to flee to the Tuscan countryside and all of our day-walkers here at Castello were also able to flee. I was a young warrior then, fresh out of camp, and my padre had sent me out into the world, to learn how to live among the mortals, to hone my skills as a warrior.

  “But Madre and Padre, as well as all the warriors who lived here, were attacked by the hordes of townspeople. They were dragged from their beds in their death slumber and into the sun where they tossed into the bonfire. The townspeople did not know they were vampire. They would have died in the sunlight anyway. It is a very painful death, mi amore, to be burned alive.

  “I could feel my madre's fear, and my padre's anger as he tried to fight back, tried to save them both, but it was no use. Even with his strength, he could not fight off the angry mob. I could not respond until my own death slumber ended, and the sun had set. When I returned, it was all over. There was nothing left of my madre and padre except ashes on the ground in the garden. Many warriors who had trained with me, fought with me, all ashes.

  “The day-walkers returned the next day, Gi, Theresa and a few others. They pledged their loyalty to Medici, but I had to start over, start from scratch to rebuild the Medici legacy. I pledged to make the warrior camp bigger, better, to make the Medici coven the strongest coven, to make sure it could never be destroyed again.”

  Kate feels how surreal the moment is, listening to this event in ancient history, from someone who lived it.

  “I remember learning about the Bonfire of the Vanities. I knew the people burned everything that was deemed a vanity, the books, and the art. I had no idea people were killed as well. I'm so sorry! I can't imagine how hard that would be, to lose both of your parents in such a violent way. And the Medici name… I don't know why I never made the association. I have been to Florence before, and I am aware of its history. It just never occurred to me.”

  ***

  Leaning down, he kisses her with so much love and passion. He lets her know she is all he wants for the rest of eternity and she will be a Medici before this night is over.

  "Mi amore, you will now be a Medici as well, I promise you this. Before you, I stand, the master of this realm and coven, there is no greater coven in all of Italy. Now, enough of this! Let us venture to the upper level and have a browse, si? My bedroom is up there.”

  He takes her hand as they walk back to the grand foyer and up the wide marble staircase, with banisters gilded in gold, the sound of their footsteps echo in the emptiness. As they reach the second floor, there is a wide hallway branching out in both directions, with many closed doors, leading to countless bedrooms. She follows him to his room as he opens the doors for her to enter.

  The room is large, like everything else in this castle, and very masculine. There is a massive four poster bed in a dark, hand-carved mahogany, and the room is decorated in a deep burgundy color, much like the wine he produces, with accents of ivory. It suits him. She walks around the room, which includes a sitting area with a heavy leather sofa and chairs, a desk, his dresser. There are boots tossed in the corner, and she smiles. It is just like home.

  Over the dresser is another oil painting, this one a dark-haired beauty and definitely not his mother. Kate feels a flair of jealousy, even though she can tell from the dress in the portrait this painting was done in another era. But he kept her picture hanging in his bedroom. She is important to him.

  "Shade... who is this?"

  Shade steps in behind her and stands back as she peruses his room. Before he can even think, bel discovers the oil painting above the dresser and she is asking questions. Just looking at the portrait brings him great pain.

  "Her name was Adriana. Si, before you ask, she was a lover. That romance was a long time ago, mi amore. Adriana lived here with me at Castello for a time, but our relationship did not survive. She was a warrior like me, we were together a long time, but she wanted to have children and at that time, I could not make the commitment she sought. It is nothing for you to be concerned about. I will have it removed, I assure you."

  “She lived here? So... she was mated to you?”

  He is shaking his head violently in the negative. "No, bel, you must understand something. No one has ever been mated to me. No one has ever taken my blood, fed from me. The blood covenant is only made once, and the bond is eternal. It is why we choose so carefully. Si, I did feed from Adriana, as I do you, but we were never mated. I choose you, bel!"

  “But I have never fed from you. So, we are not mated?”

  “Do you not wish to?”

  “You have called me your mate. I thought I was your mate. Of course, it is what I want. Does feeding from you seal that bond?”

  “Si, the blood covenant seals your bond to me, and it becomes known to other vampires. They smell my blood inside you. It will make you stronger. You can use telepathy with me much clearer. I can feel everything you feel, I can read your thoughts with more clarity, and you will be able to do the same with me. Once you take my blood, you will begin to crave it. Until you are turned, you can always make the choice to leave me, mi amore, but once you take my blood, I will always feel you for the rest of my life, even if you leave me and are never turned. Make sure you wish for this and understand its permanence. It is not the final step, as you must still be turned, but once you take my blood, my bond to you is eternal, and the covenant can’t be broken. Make sure it is what you want. I can tell you already have a craving for my blood when we make love, si?”

  ***

  Kate listens to him talk as she moves through his room, running her hands over his things, walking to the desk, covered in papers, books stacked on the side.

  "You know I crave it, lover. I have felt the desire to feed from you for some time. I don't understand how it works, but yes, to answer your question, I want it."

  She sees the edge of a photo sticking out from the papers and pulls it free. This is her Shade. He is dressed in a sports jacket and tie, with a woman...always with a woman. She is almost as tall as he is, with coal black hair, and a slinky black dress. The woman leans her back against his chest as his arm protectively encircles her waist, and her hand is on his thigh. It is a very intimate pose. She can tell from the dress style, this is a more recent photo, something taken in the last few years. Looking at them together is like a knife through her heart. He has been honest with her, told her there were many women, and explained his need to feed in order to survive. In her head, she understands it, but to see him holding someone else, knowing he held her, kissed her, made love to her.

  "Lover, and this one? Who is this?"

  Cazzo, Sabine! How in the hell does she manage to find things that pertain to my past with females?

  "Mi amore, I have told you there were many, too many to name. But that is Sabine. Cazzo! I do not want to talk about every damn woman I have been with. I am here with you. Sabine is in the past.”

  Kate holds up the photo to take a closer look when he reaches out and takes the photo from her hands. Ripping it into small pieces, he lets it float to the floor as the torn paper bursts into flames and turns to ash.

  "You see, she is nothing, gone, ash. Dust in the wind to me. There is no one I love more than you, nothing I want more than you. There is only one light in my darkness. I have never seen it with these females, none of them. But I see it with you and what I see is the purest love to ever touch my heart. You give me everything. You care for me. You do not care about who I am, what I am or how much I can give you, how my status will elevate you to. You love me for me. Without you, bel, I would still be lost, for I have found what I was seeking my whole life, my eternal mate. I sought the world over, had given up ever finding you."

  Lifting Kate in his arms, he carries her, cuddled against him, to the bed and lays her down softly. "Ti amo, mi amore!"

  As Kate lies on the bed before him, he gets on his knees, straddling he
r. He slowly unbuttons his shirt as her hands slide up and spread across his broad, muscular chest, releasing in him a growl and sexual moan. The beast inside him is aching for release, but Shade pushes him down. This night has just begun, and it does not belong to the beast. Her hands slide across his shoulders, pushing his shirt off, before sliding down his rock-hard abs and working the buttons on his jeans, one by one, as his cock grows with each undone button.

  The outline of his cock stretches the cloth of the jeans and he can feel the heat of her small delicate hands through the worn and faded material.

  "Take what you want, bel, I am yours this night, we belong to each other, and only each other. Show me you belong to me and crave what I crave in you."

  Kate runs her hand over the expanding shape of him beneath those jeans, feeling the heat through the fabric. She pulls at his jeans, peeling them down his hips as she frees his cock from the constraints of the denim. She sits up on her elbows and runs her tongue up the length of the shaft and flicks her tongue over the head of his cock and listens to the sharp intake of his breath. She slides the head of his cock into her mouth, and runs her tongue around him, before dropping back down on the bed.

  "Remove those jeans, lover...and then remove mine."

  ***

  Her tongue is like fire on his cock. It throbs and aches to be deep inside her. Sliding off the bed, he slowly removes his jeans, as she watches with anticipation. Climbing back on the bed like a beast stalking its prey, his head is low, and he growls as his fangs punch through and his eyes light up, casting a red glow across her lily-white skin. He slides between her legs and nips at her inner thighs through her jeans and before unsnapping the snap and sliding the zipper down with his teeth.

  Moving his hands up her thighs, he grasps the waistband of her jeans and jerks them off in one quick motion and pitches them behind him. She is left wearing a pair of black lace panties, in stark contrast with her alabaster skin. The thin strip of black silk lies in the crease of her sex. Nuzzling his nose under the silky fabric, the scent of her sex takes him places he has never been. She is the heaven in his hell. He flicks his tongue over the satiny softness of the panties and watches as her hips lift to meet him. He feels her aching need, his eyes lock with hers.