The Turning: Book Two in The Medici Warrior Series

by Emily Bex

  She led him outside to the staff quarters and around behind the structure.

  “You have opened Pandora's Box, mi amore, showing them where to roam. If they get out of control, I am making you reel them in. Where in the hell are you taking me?”

  She led him behind the staff quarters onto the open patio.

  “Well, don't underestimate my ability to reel them in. They all seem quite timid when they’re around me. Look... they always seem to want to drink when they return, and they all like being together, so I set up this area outside on the patio for them to sit. A long table, with lots of chairs, and I hung lights in the trees. The rest of the staff can use it as well, Gi, and the others, when the warriors aren't here.”

  “Whoa, mi amore! Look at this. Did you do this on your own?” His eyes scanned the table and chairs, and the lights strung overtop. “You will spoil them, bel, thank you.”

  “Come with me. I think they will like this even better. It’s another place for them to sit if they are here at night... a fire pit. What do you think?”

  She had had builders create a stone and concrete fire pit that was in an open field, and then leveled the ground and laid a gravel surface around the pit, and surrounded the fire pit with heavy Adirondack chairs.

  “Damn! Look at that! They are going to love this, mi amore. Now that will push me to get those dirt bikes for them.” Picking her up, he spun her around in his arms and kissed her face. “Grazie, mi amore, grazie! You do so much for me, for my family, my warriors. What can I do for you, anything you wish, it is yours.”

  “Anything I wish, lover?”

  “Si!”

  “Then take me back to our room and let me peel those jeans off you.”

  Throwing his head back with laughter, he pulled her into him and her legs wrapped around his waist and he snuggled into her hair.

  “Si, mi amore, you do not have to ask me twice... done!” Teleporting into the bedroom, he laid her on the bed and leaned over top of her. “Now what were you saying about peeling?”

  “Oh, in a playful mood this morning, are we?” She slid her hands slowly up his thighs, over the tight fabric of his jeans until they met at his crotch. She slid one hand between his legs where she cupped his balls, as the other hand reached to undo the snap and pull at his zipper. She could already see the increasing outline of his cock, as it stretched against the denim. “I'm good at peeling, lover, one of my many talents.”

  He moaned, shaking his mane as he pulled his sweater over his head, flinging it across the room. “Si, you have many talents, show them all to me, mi amore.”

  Kate sat upright between his legs as he stood spread leg before her and slid her hand along the outline of his cock trapped inside those jeans, feeling his heat through the fabric, before covering his cock with her mouth. She slowly lowered the zipper ̶ commando, as always ̶ and peeled back both sides of the jeans then slid them down his hips, freeing his erection from that cage. She ran her tongue from the base of his cock to the head, before circling the tip, then sliding the head of his manhood into her mouth.

  For Shade, watching her was erotic foreplay, her lips making love to his cock, tempting him, as she took him deeper into her throat. He slid his hands through her crimson locks, he massaged her head before gripping the silky red into his fists. His hips gyrated forward to push his penis further into her mouth, and he moaned with deep pleasure. “Cazzo, mi amore, your mouth, so hot, so soft. Please, mi amore, more...”

  “Oh, lover, I will give you more.” She pulled her lips from his erection long enough to drag him down on the bed beside her, and watched as he slid his jeans off and kicked them free. She started to remove her blouse and he hastily started helping with the buttons. They both laughed at their own eagerness.

  She slid her own jeans over her hips, and he pulled at them until they were free and tossed them to the floor. She felt his teeth at the string of her panties as he removed them with a bite. He grabbed at her bra and with one quick snap of his wrist, the fabric tore away, and they both lay nude, in each other’s arms, skin on skin, as his lips came down hard on hers.

  He kissed her hard, pushing his tongue deep into her throat where his cock had just been. He broke the kiss and nipped her chin, nipped her neck, and slid his stubbled face over her already erect nipples, teasing them more. Letting his tongue circle one nipple, he pinched and pulled the other, playing her like a fine instrument, and felt her body respond, her hips moving, and her moans calling to his beast. She wanted more, and they needed no words. He suckled the taut nipple before moving to the other and buried his face in those glorious soft orbs. She had no idea how he craved her softness. Growling, his hand slid down her curvaceous body, and lay on her hip. Fuck, she is so beautiful. He slid his hand over the curve of her ass, then found his way to that patch of soft curls between her legs. He slid two fingers inside her. She was so wet for him, always needing him as much as he needed her. “Mi amore, I need to fuck you, deep, hard, feel you surround my cock.”

  With her lips against his, she begged him, “Fuck me, lover, please, fuck me hard.”

  She knew what he wanted, she always knew, and he wasted no time satisfying their needs. Sliding his hands under her head, he cradled it and felt her hips lift, as he slid between her legs, letting his rocket tease her sweet jewel. He shifted his hands to her hips and lifted her up slightly and she moved to accommodate him, like instinct, and wrapped her legs around his waist. He slid his cock in hard, in one stroke, looking deep into her eyes. He licked his lips, then hers. Sliding his hands under her back, he cradled that sweet ass and started thrusting into her slowly, watching as she threw back that beautiful head of crimson, spread across the white sheets and he started slamming into her harder and harder. She whipped her head up and gripped handfuls of his hair, and he turned his neck to expose to her what she needed, his blood, her life. “Drink, mi amore, drink and cum for your savage lover. Let me make you cum when you take of me.”

  Kate matched his rhythm, lifting her hips to meet him, taking all of him. She felt his weight on her, and his hands beneath her, pulling her against him so they molded together into one. She had begged him to fuck her hard, and he was giving her what she asked for. He was pushing her to the edge when he exposed his neck and asked her to drink. She nuzzled her face into his neck and bit hard, feeling that jolt of electric current hit her body as his blood ran across her tongue, followed by the explosion of heat between her legs that pushed her hips hard into him, and right over that cliff into the free-fall of an orgasm that rode over her in wave after wave, with each swallow of his blood as it trickled down her throat.

  He felt his own release he had been holding back and let go, as he growled so loudly the bed rumbled beneath them. He released his grip on her and felt her body relax as he slid down her figure, leaving a hot, wet trail with his tongue, circling her belly button, burying his face into that now soaked patch of curls, he moaned and growled. ”Far from done, mi amore.”

  Her body felt like it was in a free-fall back to earth after spiraling out of control, and she was trying to catch her breath when she felt his tongue burning a path between her breasts, across her belly and between her legs.

  Nuzzling his nose down further, he sucked hard on her clit, curling his tongue inside her and feeling her squirm, her body still tingling from the last orgasm. His tongue circled her clit, teasing and playing and hearing her scream his name, that’s all he needed. His tongue explored deep inside her once more, then withdrew and quickly moved to the inside of her thigh and sank his fangs deep into her tender white flesh and drank as she came again.

  Her back was arched, legs locked around his shoulders, one hand gripping the sheets and one hand gripping his hair, before collapsing, their bodies both covered in sweat, gasping for breath, listening to their pounding hearts.

  He laid his head on her thigh, catching his breath. Cazzo, she was all he had ever wanted or needed. “Mi amore, I love you.” Rolling over, he moved back up beside her
and pulled her into his arms, across his chest as his hands rubbed her back. He kissed the top of her head. She was like a rag doll and he smiled. “I think we both will have no trouble slumbering this day, si?”

  She heard him speaking but his words didn’t register in her brain. All she could think was, Is it possible to be fucked stupid?

  Chuckling softly, he closed his eyes. “No, mi amore, not stupid, sated. Sleep, my minx. I am here, surrounding and protecting you.”

  Drifting off, he felt her even rhythm of breathing, soft and warm across his chest, and nothing in this world felt more real to him than this moment.

  38

  Luca paced in his suite. Master wanted to meet Shannon before he made his final decision, and Kate had suggested they all go out together on the bikes. At least it would not be the four of them sitting in a room while master interrogated her. Luca was sure he would never see her again after that. Not to mention, trying to explain to her why his ‘employer’ was putting her through the wringer. Kate said to call her and set it up for this weekend, and to not leave it until the last minute because Shannon would think it was a ‘booty call’. When he asked her what that meant, she laughed and said, "Call early." Learning to navigate this world of mortals seemed loaded with minefields. No wonder they relied on feeders. As he picked up his cell phone, his palms were already sweating again, and he dialed her number.

  Shannon heard the familiar sound and pulled the buzzing phone from her jeans pocket and saw the number... Him! Her heart skipped a beat and she took a deep breath as she answered, “Hello, Luca.”

  “Ciao, mia bellazza. You said I could call again for a date. Well, this is that call. Are you still interested?”

  “Of course, I'm still interested. I was getting worried. It’s been a few days since I heard from you. I thought maybe you’d changed your mind.”

  “No, I think of you often, but as I explained, my schedule is not my own. If you are free this Saturday evening, we were planning to take the bikes out... mas, uh, Shade and me. And we thought you and Kate would like to ride along? Kate suggested we go into Charlottesville, walk the mall and listen to the band. How does that sound to you?”

  “Wow... that's... that sounds great. Bikes? I mean, like what kind of bike are we talking about?”

  “Uh, Harley's probably.”

  “Probably? You don’t know what we’ll be riding?”

  Luca laughed. “Well, there are many to choose from, but Shade will probably want the Harley's.”

  “Well, yes! My answer is yes, Luca. I would love to go out with you. So, I’ll see you Saturday?”

  “Saturday, mia bellazza. Fino ad allora.” He ended the call and dropped the phone back onto the table. Done. He took a deep breath. No turning back.

  Shannon looked at the phone as she ran his last words through her head. Fino ad allora. She immediately entered the phrase into Google to translate, ‘until then.’ She sighed and wore a smile that covered her face.

  39

  Max had been counting the days since Rissa was here. It had been three days. He knew she was torn, but most of her resistance was from fear. Fear of what Alec would do if he found out. By now, she knew that with both of them taking the potion, Max’s scent was not detectable, and she was safe to come back. He had watched her every day, and she knew he was watching. It was time. He picked up the cell and called her.

  Hearing her cell buzz she grabbed her phone, saw it was Max and her heart skipped a beat. “Max.”

  “Free schedule, my angel?”

  She almost laughed, he paid more attention to what the hell she did than Alec. “You knew that before you called, you have eyes everywhere, do you not, Max?”

  “Only for you, my angel. I know everything about you.”

  She sighed. “You know too much. I was just heading to the gym. What are you calling about?”

  Max smiled to himself. “The gym? Oh, I think not, my angel. Come see me. If it’s exercise you need, I have an activity in mind that is guaranteed to get your heart racing.”

  She laughed out loud. “I’m sure you do! I don’t have... do you have more potion? I can’t...” She sounded like an idiot blabbering in incomplete sentences. Get it together, Rissa! “Just for a little while, Max. I could use a break, and a drink, but only if you have the potion.”

  “Of course, my angel. I would never risk seeing you without the potion. Yes, come for a drink, or two. And you let me worry about the potion.”

  Biting her lip she said, “I’m not driving, Max, I’m teleporting. It’s easier and not such a risk. I’m leaving the car at the gym. If anyone sees my car there, they won’t think twice about it.” Hanging up, she added a few touches to her make-up and headed to the gym, going to the private underground parking. She looked around, locked the car and teleported to Max’s penthouse. She landed outside his door and watched as the door was flung open and she smiled. “Max.”

  “Well, my angel, what a pleasant surprise. Your speedy arrival didn’t allow me time to dress. But that will just save us a few steps. Come in, Rissie. I have the Midnight waiting for you on the table.”

  She checked him out from his toes to the top of his head. He was bare-chested, muscled and those damn jeans, hanging low on his hips, delectable. Walking past him, she went to the table and picked up the decanter and filled the glass to the very brim and drank it down, feeling safe.

  Max followed her. She wasn’t so timid this time. No fear. Good. He sat next to her on the couch, turned slightly toward her. His knee touched her leg as his arm slid behind her, his fingers playing in her hair.

  “Yes, my angel. You’re safe.” He leaned his forehead against the side of her face, nuzzled his nose to her ear, and let her feel his breath against her skin. “Drink up. You’re always safe with me.”

  She took another sip and tried to relax. Carefully setting the glass on the side table, she turned, and he was right there, his nose against her ear. She shivered as his facial hair tickled her face, something she wasn’t used to with clean-shaven Alec. They were eye to eye, their lips almost touching, and she whispered softly. “It is you... you’re Angel. You’re the one.”

  Her eyes held him captive, and he could almost taste her lips, she was so close. He brushed the hair back from her face, then slid the backs of his fingers down her cheek, and under her chin. Lifting her face slightly to his, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips, followed by another, and another, the taste of the wine still on her tongue. “Are you asking me, Rissie? Or only stating the obvious? Yes. It is me. My warriors know me only as Angel. And I’m here for you.”

  She stayed perfectly still, and his kisses melted her. She couldn’t breathe. She suspected it all along, but she needed to hear him say it. He had come for her. He would take her away from Alec, he would protect her, love her, and all of this was for her. “For me, Max? All this hell you have brought down on the city is for me? I know you say you love me.”

  “It’s all for you, my angel. I could care less about a power grab from the mortals. That’s Alec's game. Is that the life you want? Living in constant hiding among mortals? Your every move examined and open for interpretation? Do you have any idea of the kind of restraints he will keep you under as First Lady? Oh yes, I know his intention. I know what his goal is. Nothing will interfere with his plans, my angel. And that includes you. You have a role to play. He needs to appear as a mortal man, with a mortal wife, and he has chosen you to play that role. That is all you are to him, and never forget it. I want you as my mate, and you will not have to hide it. You will not have to pretend to be something you are not. You will live as a vampire, among vampires, and be recognized as my mate.”

  He kissed her lips again, before sliding his hand to the back of her head and shifting his lips to her neck where he nipped at her, licked and sucked at the soft skin, and watched as the goose-bumps appeared and he felt the shiver run through her body.

  Rissa processes his words. Would Alec really do that to me? Use me? No! Alec loves m
e… in his own way. But here she sat, betraying him with another master. She told herself she was doing this for Alec, getting the potion for Alec. Feeling his nip at her neck, her body shivered, responding to her need for attention. Her hand slid up behind his head and grasped that beautiful mane of hair, those long soft brown locks. Somewhere deep inside of her, the craving couldn’t be denied and the sound that erupted from her was half moan, half whisper, “Max.”

  He felt her conflict, but he also felt her desire. She was his. He would make her his. He slid his hand down the front of her blouse, letting the backs of his fingers brush against her breasts lightly, and he felt her nipples respond to the touch. He covered her mouth with his and he kissed her slowly, deeply, letting their tongues play. His hand drifted to her hips, where he grabbed her tightly, squeezing, then releasing and letting his hand drift to her thighs, where he slid his hands along that firm, smooth skin, upward, under the hem of her skirt and stopping short of her panties.

  She slid her hand across his tight muscled abdomen, and ran her fingers through his chest hair. Alec’s chest was smooth. She snuggled into his neck, his smell musky and male. Sliding her tongue down the pulsing vein in his neck, her body rumbled in remembrance of his taste. She nipped hard at his neck, and a bead of blood pooled there. She ran her tongue over it and moaned, not able to stop herself as she committed the ultimate betrayal. His blood was like sheer fire to her veins.

  ”My angel.” He slid his arm under the backs of her knees and around her shoulders and lifted her as he stood, carrying her to his bedroom. He set her on her feet at his bedside, where he ran both hands through her hair before sliding them down her neck and to the front of her blouse, where he unbuttoned each button, and pulled the blouse free from her waistband, sliding it over her shoulders and letting it drop to the floor. He gently kissed each shoulder before he reached behind her to unbutton and unzip the skirt, and let it slide to the floor where she stepped out of it. “You are beautiful. This is like opening a present. A long wished for present.”