The Blood Covenant: Book One of The Medici Warrior Series

by Emily Bex

  “Listen up you bone heads. Head your sorry asses down to the lower level. I have some targets set up. You will earn your keep this night and I am going to give you a few lessons on shurikens. It is a vital weapon of choice for my warriors. You need to learn how to carry them in your leathers, how to throw them with precision and speed, the proper grip and how to aim for the kill. Now move!”

  Alec’s warriors grumble under their breath but head down the stairs to the large open space where three targets have been set up. Two standard bulls-eye targets and one life-size human target. Each target was placed about fifty feet apart. He wanted to see the warriors throw and evaluate their technique. Shurikens, or throwing stars come in many shapes and sizes, and some were specifically designed to open while in the air mid-throw and could do great damage. These were Shade’s favorite. When thrown with vampire speed, the enemy never sees them coming until it is too late. Shade asks Tomas to step forward and demonstrate the proper technique for throwing the stars. Once Tomas has shown them the basics, Shade steps up and challenges Tomas to a little competition.

  "Tomas, let us have a little battle of our own."

  ***

  Tomas nods his head and smiles, whipping out his shurikens as Shade does the same. Asking Tomas if he is ready, he nods his consent and they both throw their weapons at their respective targets. Shade and Tomas watch the stainless steel, razor-sharp stars fly through the air, knowing both of them are taking it easy so the warriors can see how they hold and throw them. Shade shouts, "Again!"

  Nodding to Tomas, they both pull more shurikens from their leathers and their boots, picking up the speed, holding nothing back this time. The warriors watch in silence. The only sound anyone can hear is the swishing speed of the blades as they whistle through the air and the small thud when they hit the target. When they are done with their demonstration, the warriors give up a cheer and Shade knows this display will pique their interest to learn this skill.

  They progressed through the night, he and Tomas working one on one with each warrior, teaching the proper technique in holding and throwing the stars. Shade teaches them points to target on the human outline target, emphasizing that when thrown with enough speed and accuracy, a star can sever arteries and kill their opponent.

  After working with the group, he splits them into two teams, one assigned to Tomas and the other he keeps for himself. Shade decides they are going to take it to the streets. This is the ultimate test, a learning exercise in survival and awareness on the highest level. They pit one team of warriors against the other, the only instructions, to go for a strike but not a kill shot, unless they encounter a rogue. Shade knows from his life as a warrior the best way to test a skill is on the streets when your ass is on the line and it is kill or be killed.

  He and Tomas take their teams and head in separate parts of downtown D.C., and then the hunt is on. He and Tomas have agreed there will be no communication between them. They want the hunt to be as real as possible. The war is on and may the best team win. They hunt each other, and the only weapon allowed for the exercise is throwing stars.

  ***

  Scouring the rooftops and then dropping down to street level, Shade takes his group into their assigned grid and works as a team; watching, stalking, feeling, and smelling anything they can find. Before long, Tomas' team is upon them. Shade’s team encircles them, flanking them from both sides until they are cornered in an alley with no outlet but up. The shurikens begin to fly. Shade is impressed with how quickly some of them picked up the skill with just a single night of training. They are nothing but gypsy vampires looking for a buck and a place to be useful, and he had to not only teach them new skills but get them to work as a team.

  The battle continues, and Shade has his opponent in sight. He feels him ready to pull his shuriken and aim straight at him, but Shade leaps well above them all, and waits for the star to follow. Concentrating on the sound of it spinning, he is able to gauge that he is the ultimate target. He can hear the whistling getting closer, and he has no intentions of returning fire, but showing this fucking young pup how to flip and avoid its deadly aim. Watch and learn.

  Just as Shade spins into a back flip out of its path, another sound whistles through his brain. It was no shuriken, but something heavier and just as deadly. The arrow sped past his ear from behind him, blowing through his raven hair it was so close, and hit the shuriken midflight, knocking it off course.

  Shade turns to see one of the warriors holding a crossbow. It is the mercenary known as Skelk. Skelk hires out wherever and to whoever would take him in. He nods to Shade as he holds up his crossbow. He has no fucking care that in the game they play this night, shurikens are supposed to be the only weapon in use. Skelk will play by his own rules and show him the skill at which he already excels. The precision with which Skelk uses the crossbow impresses Shade. He earns his keep here, but he is strange to say the least.

  Skelk hates working ground level and stays on the rooftops. He is the most anti-social fucker Shade has ever met, but he knows how to survive on the streets. Shade returns the nod and watches him fly over the rooftops and disappear. Shaking his head, Shade knows this is going to be a long road to bring this band of renegades into something he can work with. Each night he assesses their skills, their strengths, and weaknesses, taking into account what he can use them for and what they bring to the table. Tonight, Skelk made sure he is well aware of his value to this legion of Alec's warriors.

  Shade’s biggest worry with mercenaries is that none of these bastards stay any place for any amount of time. And if things really blow up, he will have to pull in Medici Warriors. Alec has paid a high price to have him here, and Shade isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Shade has plans of his own, and they include expansion of his territory here. Medici would roam and protect these streets at some point in the future and he is beginning to see that future much clearer now. It includes a vibrant crimson-haired vixen, and her scent suddenly overwhelms him with just the thought of her. It is time to head back to the Dead House, call it a good night’s work and head home, back to her.

  34

  Shade teleports to Bel Rosso with little time to spare before his death slumber takes him. He seeks out bel but hears the familiar buzz of his cell. It is Luciano, saying Cory had returned after only one day and was ready to go to Florence. It was time Shade made a call to his Second-in-Command in Italy, his oldest friend and comrade, and his best warrior, Marco. He and Shade had grown up together in the camp, fought together, and as Shade was an only child, he loved Marco like a brother.

  ***

  Marco ruled the warrior camp in Florence, and basically, was in charge of everything in Shade’s absence. They shared the same values and discipline as warriors, and when Shade needed advice, Marco was his go-to man. He was not born Medici, but he might as well be, in Shade’s mind. And right now, he needs to give Marco a heads up about Cory. He trusts no one else to get Cory settled into his new life, giving him some protection since he is a half-breed. Dialing up Marco from his cell, he knows Marco will be just about ready to rise from his death slumber.

  On hearing his phone ring, Marco sees the number and laughs as he answers. “Old man, your ass is missed here. What the fuck do you need?”

  Laughing as he hears Marco answer, running his hand through his hair and then lighting up a cigarette, Shade grins from ear to ear.

  “I love you too, you old coot. Damn, it’s good to hear your voice! I got some news, so sit your rough ass down. Listen brother, I got a new one coming in. Luciano is bringing him over. He is American, young, real young. And he is no warrior.”

  Listening to Shade, Marco is wondering what the fuck he is up to now. “Not a warrior? What in the hell am I supposed to do with his ass? Picked up another stray, I see. Cazzo, brother, how many times you going to send me strays to bust into shape?”

  ***

  Shade takes a deep breath and lowers his voice, knowing his brother will understand, once told, that
this is serious and must be handled with caution.

  “His name is Cory. Frequented a club in California, he was a street-feeder there, sold his body and blood for money. Homeless kid, no coven, but he has talents. He has been abused, in more ways than one, Marco. I have contracted with him to make the leathers for the warriors, all custom design. He has mad skills with stitching and leather. Luciano has the complete list of supplies of what he will need and where I want him to be set up in the camp. And one more thing, brother. He is a half-breed. Father was vamp, mother was mortal. Kid hasn’t had it easy. I want him off the streets and into a structured life. He is going to need protection. He has some vamp skills, but he is small and not as strong, and you know he will take shit from the pure bloods. He eats mortal food and drinks blood. Warriors are going to know soon enough. Hook him up with my boys Luca and Marcello. Get him settled in and acquainted. I want this kid to succeed, Marco, is that clear brother?”

  ***

  As Marco sighs loudly, he knows whatever Shade sees in the kid is something valid. He never sent him strays before that didn’t turn out to be successful in the Medici coven. “I fucking hear you, brother. If Luciano knows what I need to do, it’s done, so relax, I got this. But son of a bitch Shade, a half-breed? The vamps hate the half-breeds! Just once, you could give me an easy assignment. But I will make sure he gets settled, and Luca will look after him as well. You’re getting soft in your old age, picking up every stray pup.”

  “Thanks Marco. I’ll owe you one. And once Cory starts making their leathers, the warriors will accept him into the fold.”

  Marco pauses a beat before proceeding, “So, when were you planning on telling me the big news?”

  ***

  Shades snubs out his cigarette and sits up straight. Marco has heard the news already about bel. Word of his mating is moving faster than he expected.

  “So, you have heard. It’s true brother, I am mated. Don’t ask, I will explain as soon as I have some time to get over there, and you will meet her as I get things settled down a bit more, here in the States. Just know one thing brother, I love her with my heart and soul, no one like her in the world and she is mine! From the first glance, there was no going back. How is my boy Luca?”

  ***

  Marco listens to his old friend speak of being mated, and notices he left out one small detail, that he mated a mortal.

  “She must be some damn female if you fell that fast. Casanova nailed in the States, this should rile some Council ass brother! But to answer your question, Luca is doing well, misses you, but hell, so do I. I am thinking of sending Marcello out to Siena to polish his leadership skills. Boy has a knack for it. He can get the warriors to move ass and take command. Thinking of putting him to the test, any thoughts?”

  ***

  Thoughts of Luca roll through Shade’s mind, he watched him grow into a warrior of high standard and it makes his heart fill with pride. Shade misses him and wishes he was here with him to help build his territories in the States.

  “Sounds like a plan, keep an eye on Marcello. He has a tendency to get a little wild with the females. Give him a post where he is more remote but has responsibility for a small group of warriors, test him there first and then move him on to bigger things. Don’t push him too fast, he will fuck it up, give him a fighting chance. He is going to be useful to us, brother.”

  Shade hears bel stirring and needs to get back to her. “Bro, I got business to attend to, so take care of my boy Cory, keep me updated on the situation. Get to your post. I love your fucking old ass.”

  ***

  Marco’s laughter rings loudly in his ear as Shade hangs up the phone and goes in search of bel. He will only have a short time with her before his death slumber takes him.

  35

  Returning from another night at the Dead House, he gets home early. It had been an easy night training the warriors, nothing unusual. But Shade is restless, too restless, and it is all about one problem, actually two problems, his beast and Kate. The sex between them is hot and heavy and leaves him sated beyond comprehension. She fills his every need, but the beast is not sated, and he is being held down. The sheer willpower it takes to keep the beast under control is exhausting and frustrating. The tension hanging over Shade is so thick he could cut it with a knife, the smallest thing could set off his temper without provocation, and that is very dangerous. If he told her of this darkness, the sexual deviate his beast could be, she would surely be terrified, and he wasn’t sure his other traits and his love for her would be enough to keep her mated to him before he could get her turned.

  She is so petite, the most beautiful female he had ever laid eyes on and this old beast had seen some beauties, and he wanted a taste of his red-haired vixen and to claim her for himself.

  Teleporting to Bel Rosso, he doesn’t want to enter the house. She is in there waiting for him and he knows he has to settle down and get himself in a calmer frame of mind, build his strength in order to keep that black bastard at bay inside him. Walking around the empty fields, things are always so quiet at this time of the early morning. The sun is still below the horizon and he watches the house from a distance. He is thinking of all the things he has already put her through and the biggest one was still unknown to her. He sits down on a fence rail that was in great need of repair, running his hands through his hair and lighting up a smoke. The fence railing gives slightly under his weight, the creaking of wood the only noise interrupting the early morning.

  Looking solemnly at Bel Rosso, the outside of the house still needs some work, but the inside was taking great shape. She is fucking amazing, and he is beginning to wonder what in the hell he ever did before he met her. Memories of his past are fading fast, that heinous, horrible existence is beginning to feel far behind him and no longer hovers on the edges of his mind every moment of his fucking life. They have made passionate love everywhere in that damn house, and yet, the beast wants to do it all over again, his way. Bastard! A soft light emerges from one of the upstairs windows and his eyes can’t stray from the silhouette of her standing there, staring out into the dark. Bel is waiting on him, and his beast sits up and growls. He recognizes every move she makes and wants to counteract every move with one of his own. Throwing his head back, he stares at the moon and curses the darkness that lives inside him.

  His eyes drift back to the window. He feels helpless against the demands of the beast, and when she is around, he has less and less control. Yet, she holds him like an angel and soothes the demons. He has never met anyone who can hold him like that. She makes him weak. He is never able to take his eyes from her, and even now, they immediately focus in on that silhouette of her standing at the window, her shape so small and delicate, yet fully feminine and filled out. Her breasts and ass are perfection and that face, a damn lily-white beauty that is all his. His breathing begins to increase, his blood pumping harder and he can feel her blood running through his veins. Her body calls to him and he wants to feel her beneath him. He picks up on her thoughts as she thinks of him. She knows he is close. It is almost time for his arrival home. She worries for him, and he has yet to let her know the full extreme of his warrior life. He is aware she has a superficial understanding of what he does, but not the details of the death he deals. He shields her from that side of him. But every sunrise he comes home to her, she is his to protect and love, and nothing is going to keep him from her, not even the beast.

  Jumping down from the fence railing, he feels restless, and the only thing that can calm him down and thrill him at the same time is standing in the window of their home, waiting. His eyes turn a brilliant red that match the hues of the sky as the sun begins to rise across the horizon. Running slowly, he begins the journey toward the house, and the closer he gets, the faster he runs.

  Leaping on the side of the house, he crawls like a lizard up the wall to the window, careful not to startle his bel. He stops beside the bedroom window. She doesn’t know he is there, and he doesn’t want to scare her,
but he can feel inside him that she knows he is close to her. She is beginning to learn how to feel him, know when he is near.

  ***

  Kate is watching for the sunrise. He is usually home by now. She stands in the window and looks out across the rolling hills of their estate, waiting to see those first tinges of pink in the sky. She opens the window to let in the brisk cold air of winter, and she can feel he is close, when his face pops around the window, catching her by surprise and making her laugh.

  Her hand grasps a fistful of his hair and her lips attach to his and the world aligns itself and his cares drop away, all he can feel is her love pouring through him.

  “Ti amo, mi amore. Miss me?”

  ***

  As she giggles, he sees that look in her eyes. She could devour him in one mouthful. He grins at her, and winks as she pulls him by two fistfuls of hair and he half falls, half climbs through the window as they fall to the floor laughing, the kisses turning to something much more.

  He lies on top of her, his weight pinning her down, and she offers no struggle. She has him exactly where she wants him.

  "That was an unexpected entrance."