The Blood Covenant: Book One of The Medici Warrior Series

by Emily Bex

  Shade takes his seat in the leather-bound chair and watches the nightmares and images replay over and over in the Senator’s head. Ralston begins to break out in a cold sweat. He rolls from side to side and then sits bolt upright in his bed, his hands shaking. The Senator opens the bedside table drawer, grabs several sleeping pills, and starts to reach for the glass of water. He pauses briefly before sliding from the bed and walking to his wife’s bedroom, returning with a bottle of Grey Goose. He pours the clear vodka into the glass, tosses down the pills and gulps down the alcohol. Shade watches as the Senator collapses back on the bed, surprised he caved so early. This assignment is going to be over in no time.

  Shade leaves him lying there, the Senator’s mind filled with failure and the impending, overwhelming victory of Senator Canton. Shade understands the allure of the addiction and has no doubt the Senator’s fall from sobriety will be full blown before he knows what hit him. Combined with the nightmares that will rob him of his sleep and the return of his alcohol addiction, the good Senator will become a bumbling, blithering idiot on the hill. He will need no help from Shade or Alec to lose it all. A week or two is all it will take to land the Senator right where he wants him. But until then, the never-ending hell of that nightmare will replay over and over in his head and no amount of alcohol would diminish it.

  Shade keeps up his routine of checking on Ralston every other night and finds him progressively turning to the bottle for relief. He knew the Senator was weak, but it only took a few weeks for the man to unravel. Shade had seen the man’s eyes become more blood shot and had viewed several Fox News and CNN clips where the Senator was seen at a few campaign fundraising events and in every single one, a drink graced his hand, his face was reddened, and he looked completely unsteady on his feet. The press was starting to make subtle comments about his drinking.

  Tonight, he finds the Senator awake in his bedroom. Wrapping himself in shadows, Shade walks in to see him sitting as his desk, his face in his hands, a half empty bottle of vodka sitting beside him. Watching this man slowly disintegrate is a sorry sight. Shade watches as Ralston slides right off his chair and plops limp on the floor, passing out. Shade walks to him, lifts him in his arms and lays him out on the huge bed.

  Walking back to the desk, he looks through the Senator’s itinerary for the week. Ralston has an exclusive interview about his Presidential campaign bid scheduled with Anderson Cooper that will be shot live and seen nationwide. Well, isn’t this just the perfect ticket for the old boy? Shade grins and walks to the bedside of the passed-out Senator as he lays in his drunken stupor, and places his hand upon his forehead, projecting an image of a nervous and fidgeting Senator responding in terror at the questions being fired at him. Shade leaves him with the distinct impression in his mind that with enough drink right before the televised interview, his nerves will be calmed, and he would appear in control. Shade lets the dreams repeat over and over, adding how important it is for the Senator to nail this interview to keep public opinion on his side. Shade exits the room, leaving the Senator tossing in a restless sleep, waking constantly in a cold sweat. That should give him a head start on looking worse for wear at his interview.

  The following night, in the Dead House, Shade gathers the warriors together for a briefing, letting them share what they are seeing out on the streets, hearing suggestions before he barks out grid assignments and instruction, and sends them into D.C. for the night. Tomas is on patrol as well tonight, as Shade stays at the command center. Checking his watch, it is almost time for the live interview. Shade flips the wide screen monitor from the surveillance feed over to TV and watches the Senator unravel on national television.

  The Senator’s face is blotchy and red, his speech is slightly slurred. He speaks in that slow, controlled, deliberate manner of so many drunks, trying to maintain control. Anderson asks him about his history with alcohol, and the Senator admitted he had a problem in the past, but he has been sober for years. When Anderson moves on to the specific issues of the Senator’s campaign, Ralston stumbled over his answers, forgetting key points, performing badly. And then Anderson asks him about the rumors of the boating accident that had occurred years ago. In a panic, the Senator pulls the microphone from his lapel, mumbling that he will not be subjected to this, and storms off the set.

  Shade flips the monitor back to surveillance mode and smiles to himself. He is pretty sure Alec would have been watching this performance as well. He smiles down at the list of Medici weaponry that he is ordering to be hand made in Florence and shipped here for their use. Alec’s bill is beside it and that makes him grin. There is something deeply satisfying about emptying Alec’s coffers. Hell, Shade didn’t need money, but he did need the vamps of his coven to be employed and making a fair living to take care of their families.

  Teleporting out, he makes his rounds over the Canton residence. He is making sure the area is safe when he hears Tomas inside his head.

  Two of his warriors have come upon a small group of rogues inside a club, they are preparing to move out onto the streets and they are within a few miles of the Canton residence. Tomas and the others are gathering to take them out as they leave the club and Shade knows he has to be there. It will take a few of them if the rogues split up, and between him and his crew, they will follow them until they can take them out. He much prefers killing rogues to dream-walking any day.

  At sunrise, he is teleporting home to Bel Rosso, and lands in the bathroom, stripping away the bloodied leathers before stepping in the shower. He can hear Kate in the bedroom. As he walks to her, wearing only a towel, his hair still damp, his beast calmed by the night of kills, he tells her there is something he needs to check before he comes to bed. He heads downstairs to his office and turns on the TV for the morning news. The talking heads are all in a buzz over last night’s interview with Senator Ralston, and his early morning announcement that he is pulling himself from the campaign race.

  42

  It has been several days since the dream-walking assignment, and Shade is back into his routine at the Dead House. As day approaches, he teleports home, and his sweet bel teases him. He feels the beast push to the surface, and he pulls away from her, watching the disappointment in her face.

  It is the discussion that never goes away, the one hurdle they can’t get past, and the wedge that remains between them--the beast. Shade still hides his true nature from her, still warns her about the beast that resides in him and pushes her away. She plays him the song by Kelly Clarkson, "Dark Side.”

  He listens but fears she does not understand the depths of the darkness.

  “Can you say that mi amore, can you truly say that? You have not seen the darkest of me and I am not sure you will stay afterwards. But si, this makes me fear that once you see the beast you will never love me again and I will lose you. I will lose all if that happens, for I cannot go on without you.”

  She runs her hand over his chest. “Shade, there is no way back for me. I am committed to you, heart and soul. Your darkness is the first thing I saw, and it’s what drew me to you. I do understand that you have shielded and protected me, but I promise you, the only thing that can break this mortal girl is for you to leave me, stop loving me. I can bare all else. How can I ever convince you? Until I do, I will not fully have your heart. You will not be able to love without reservation if you still have doubt, and I want all of you, lover. All of you, including the dark side.”

  It has become their eternal struggle. What he hides from her. He fears she will leave him once she sees the beast and understands his true nature. He fears the beast will hurt her or kill her and pushes her away when the beast lies too close to the surface. He feels frustration and anger, she feels hurt and rejection. There is no resolution and she falls asleep beside him as he slips into his death slumber.

  He wakes at sunset, getting dressed and leaving their bed before bel awakens. The night is slowly creeping in and he is restless as hell. This divide between them is eating him alive, the
fucking reality of what he is, and the struggle to keep the beast under control never leaves him. Slipping out quietly onto the patio, he leans against the side of the house, lights up a smoke and inhales deeply, his mind screaming. She is his, she loves him. But she has not seen the beast and that thought makes his heart go dark and black. She said she would stay, but she couldn’t possibly know, neither of them would until the beast was exposed.

  The beast ruled his soul and she would never understand that until they faced each other head on. Would the beast walk away the winner? He could love her with everything he had, but she didn’t know how twisted and sick he was inside when the beast took over, and it was getting harder to hold him back. She tempted him, lured him with her body, her words, and the way she loved him. She saw Shade the man, but she had yet to completely see Shade the beast. And her strength to tackle the beast was not near enough at this point, but Shade was losing control and the devil laughed every time she pushed him further to the brink.

  He teleports back to D.C., into a crowded part of the district. He stalks and paces inside the alleyway. He has no intention of hunting or killing, but his restless heart refuses to let him stay still for long. The night calls to him and he feels better out here under the moon, the cold air clearing his head. This is where he can release the beast without hurting her. Maybe he does need a fight, someone to rip apart, someone to hunt.

  Suddenly, he feels the air change and he picks up a scent… vampire. Crouching down, he lets all his senses go into overdrive as the sounds get closer. That scent, it is familiar, and it is definitely a warrior. His blood begins to rush. This is not a vampire from the D.C. territory and it isn’t one of his Medici. Whoever it is, they are deadly and mean business. The scent is strong, and it is getting closer and it slams him hard.

  Female! Slowly pulling out a blade from the sheath at his waist, his whole body is tense and warrior mode kicks in. He sees her as she strolls toward him like a fucking member of the devil’s own brigade. Her raven black hair cut short from the last time he had seen her. Her eyes shine, the stars above reflect in their beauty. She stands tall, sleek, and trim, just as he remembers her. She fills out that leather with her every honed, hard-muscled curve. Her boots are noiseless. She is all warrior. The moon graces her moves like a halo. She walks without fear… Sabine.

  Standing tall, his legs are spread as he asserts his alpha male position over her. He can feel her and knows she means him no harm, but his mind begins to wonder what in the hell she is doing here.

  “Sabine.”

  He never takes his eyes off her as she walks up and stands like a hellcat only inches in front of him. Her height almost equals his as his eyes lock with hers and her voice is like pure fire burning through his veins.

  She purrs out her greeting. “Shade, did you think you could defend yourself with that weapon? Tsk. Tsk. Big bad warrior, you are losing your touch. Tell me you miss your pussy-cat.”

  Same smart mouth, nothing has changed about Sabine. Sheathing his knife, he steps back away from her and tilts his head.

  “Well, you haven’t changed, except your locks, you cut them. What in the hell are you doing here, Sabine? This is far from your territory.”

  She moves in fast, and slides her hand down his cheek, her lips close to his.

  “Shade, my deviant lover…what is that stench? Mated?”

  He watches as the look of shock flashes across her face. She quickly pulls her hand away from him. She steps back, looking at him as if he is some creature from another planet and he hears her begin to laugh and pace around him.

  “Shade, you have mated? Well, well, well, haven’t we come a long way? I had heard rumors you had mated but dismissed them. When I heard your sweet ass was based in D.C., I thought maybe you would want a little company. But mated? Who is she? I can’t imagine she quenches your beast better than me?”

  Growling like a wild animal, he stalks toward her, his beast angered and fired up from her words.

  “You damn hellcat, she is my mate! And it is none of your business who I mate or why I am here. You and I go back a long way Sabine, but you no longer have rein over me or my soul. I will remind you, I am mated. You will not tempt me, and I am no longer interested. What we shared is in the past. You dragged me to the depths of hell. You found the darkest parts of me. I discovered more evil in myself than I even care to acknowledge, then or now. I finally found the strength to break free, and you moved on to other warriors to tend to your unending appetite for depravity. It took me a long time to climb out of that dark hole. So, do not come here and judge where my heart has gone. This is none of your business, Sabine. Go home and tell all the covens in Europe all is well in D.C., report back to whoever has sent you.”

  Turning his back on her, he strolls angrily from the alley, her words ringing through him.

  “Shade, wait.” He stops and stands still, waiting to hear whatever is coming, when he feels her lay her head against his back.

  “You love her deeply, she has given you something, changed you inside. Something I could not. But there is turmoil. I feel it rolling off you. Talk to me Shade, as a warrior, not a lover. I did not come here on anyone’s order, but for my own peace of mind, to find you, check on you.”

  Turning, he looks at her and something inside him finds her no longer attractive, he knows her darkness. She has no damn heart for him, nor does she care, she only wants to play with him, as she did from day one. Looking at Sabine, she is now just a joke, a bad memory of a female who never cared nor understood him. The darkness consumes her as it once did him, but his eternal love has given him light and that is something Sabine will never understand.

  “You know Sabine, my mate is mortal, and you could never understand the love she has shown me. Even though you are immortal, you can’t compare. I will love her until my dying day. She is mine for all eternity and you, just a speck in a dark and tortured part of my past.”

  As she slowly backs away from him, Sabine fully understands he is in love and her jealousy and hatred for his mate is evident in her eyes. He doubts Sabine will ever touch her, she knows his strength is much greater than hers, and he would kill her without provocation if she started any trouble.

  “Go, Sabine! And take a message with you. She is mine! You and yours come anywhere near her, I will kill you dead where you stand. I taught you all you know hellcat, and I know where you are weakest. I will take you down, without a backward fucking glance, and let you burn in the sun. Never let me see you again!”

  Watching as she teleports from the alley, he sees her crouched above him on the tower across the street. She shouts to him, her words ringing clear in his head.

  “She will never tame your beast as I did, she is a mere mortal female, she will be terrified of the beast and she will run from you Shade, if the beast does not kill her first.”

  As she teleports away, he stands stock still, his worst fear spoken out loud from his former immortal lover. She knows him too well, for she can feel the fear that still lingers inside him, his greatest weakness. He falls to his knees and covers his face with his hands. You are my strength Kate, and my greatest weakness.

  He has no idea how long he knelt there before he finally comes to his senses, still struggling with all that has happened so fast with bel, and teleports back home. It has been a night of self-revelation, cleansing of the old, and fear of the future. He only knows he loves bel, and he is nothing without her and somehow, he must trust that her love for him is enough for her to stay.

  ***

  Kate wakes with a start and knows the bed is empty. She can feel his absence.

  “Lover?” He does not respond, and the house is still and dark.

  “Shade?”

  There is still no answer as she slips from their bed and wanders from room to room, making sure the house is empty, an unnecessary process because she can literally feel his absence. She checks outside on the rear patio for that tell-tail glow of his cigarette, but she sees nothing. She walks
back upstairs to their bedroom and stands in the middle of the floor as panic rushes through her. This is not like him, to leave her with no explanation. They argued again this evening, him pushing her away. What was their last conversation before she fell asleep?

  The song, she played him the song about loving his dark side. But he has doubts, serious doubts that she will not stay once she sees the full extent of his darkness. What if he has left for good? What if his doubts about her are so strong, he feels like the pain of ending their relationship now will be easier than waiting until they are even closer? Oh please, lover! Please give me the chance to show you. How do I reach you? You said you would always be here! Tears flow down her cheeks as sobs wrack her body. I am losing him.

  She wipes the tears from her face and takes a deep breath. How do I fight for him? How do I get through? She stands still and clears her head, allows herself to reach out to him as he has instructed her, tap into him, feel him, find him, and when she quiets her mind, she can sense him. He is troubled. But he is not alone. She hears him talking. He is talking to someone, but she can't hear their words. Vampire. He is talking to another vampire, she is about to sigh with relief when she is hit with another image. Female! He is with another female. Is this what he wants? How does she compete with an immortal, when his biggest fear is to show her that side of himself? How does she reach him?

  She moves from fear to anger in sixty seconds. Beast? You want to see a beast?

  ***

  Teleporting back to the house, Shade is hit full force with her pain, and he wants to rip something to pieces knowing he has hurt her. This is his fault, she can feel him, and then his heart feels her jealousy and that redheaded anger flares up and just about consumes her. Damn it, Sabine! He is shocked that she can feel things so clearly. It is a reminder to him that she has taken his blood more than he realizes, and her strength is quickly coming to her.