The Turning: Book Two in The Medici Warrior Series

by Emily Bex

  Kate looked around to see Shannon using the big serving spoon like a catapult to fling a big glob of whipped cream right at Luca's face. Luca swiped his hand across his own face and flung the glob to the side, hitting Shade. Kate reached behind her to the counter and grabbed a handful of the strawberry shortcake and smashed it on Shade’s face. Shannon grabbed whole platters of food and started slinging it, screaming “Food fight!” The floor was soon covered in food. It was almost impossible to remain upright.

  Shade screamed, “This is war!” Slipping and sliding over the floor, he managed to get to his knees, and crawled forward, only to slip again, falling on his face. He looked up to see Gi standing back, and for the first time in about four-hundred years, the old butler was doubled over laughing. Music rang out through the halls and the castle was rocking. Shade saw the house staff appearing, one or two at first, and then the doorways were filled with faces of the staff, laughing as they watched their master uncharacteristically playing. Shade threw a pie at Gi in retribution and watched the old vampire duck.

  “Luca!” He watched as Luca started to stand and then did a split in the middle of the floor, trying to get to him. They both hurled themselves to the counter to have something to hang onto and started swinging anything they could at Gi, laughing their asses off.

  Kate was trying to walk to Shannon, but her feet were sliding out from under her. She kicked off her shoes and fell just as she got to her, grabbing Shannon to hold on to, but pulling both of them to the floor. Shannon squealed as they went down, hitting the floor hard, but they couldn’t stop laughing. Kate rolled off her and found a doughnut.

  “Oh look...a doughnut.” As she took a big bite, she dropped over with laughter. Shade and Luca were doing some kind of obscene mambo in the middle of the floor in an attempt to pull Gi into the food fight.

  Kate was sliding in the goopy mess on the floor and tried to crawl under the table to escape. She saw Shade crawl to join her under the table as Luca and Shannon continued the battle. She wiped the cake and whipped cream from his face, and he pulled a chunk of doughnut out of her hair before they exchanged a wet, sticky, sweet kiss.

  “Ti amo, bel. I love you so much right now. Holy hell, we need to get the fuck outta here!” Pulling her close, they lay under the table and looked out at the chaos around them. “We need an escape route. I think I can manage to teleport us out of here… you game?”

  “I'm game, but we’re leaving Luca and Shannon. Can't you send him a message or something?”

  He blew his hair out of his eyes and grinned at her. “Every damn warrior for himself. Hold on vixen, let’s get outta here.”

  As she clung to him, he teleported out of the kitchen and landed in the middle of their bedroom. He set her down and chuckled as he looked at her. “What the hell just happened?”

  They were both covered in food. Kate hated to move because she didn’t want to mess up anything else in the house. It would take the staff forever to clean up that kitchen. “Well, that was unexpected. Make a note, Shannon, Luca, you, me, and alcohol, not a good combination. Can you carry me to the shower, please? I don't know which one of us looks worse.”

  “Worse? You look beautiful, mi amore, like a beautiful dessert just for me. I will carry you to the shower.” Picking her up, he carried her to the bathroom where they slowly peeled away their soaked clothing.

  She laughed at him with whipped cream on his head. She peeled off the sticky top and watched as a strawberry fell to the floor. Her jeans felt like they were glued on, and she had to wiggle them down an inch at a time until they were free of her hips. She finally sat on the floor and held up her feet to him and asked him to pull the jeans off.

  He grabbed her feet and yanked on her jeans until she was free of them.

  She crawled to the shower and reached up, turning on the water, letting it wash away the sticky mess. “Get in here, lover.” He joined her in the large marble shower stall and into the falling water. She watched as the water poured over his face, his eyes closed. She leaned in and kissed him, the water falling over both their heads. They sat together in the middle of the elaborate mosaic tile floor of the shower, and she grabbed the bar of soap and began to soap him down with her hands. “I sincerely hope your mother isn't watching. Or worse, your father.”

  He chuckled. “I hope they were watching, mi amore. I hope they were laughing with us. My padre would have been shocked at such outrageous behavior from the staff, but I can almost hear my madre laughing at the fun. She would have loved that little episode. There were no such events when they lived here. There were banquets, of course, but nothing that got out of hand.” Closing his eyes, “I wish they were here, mi amore, to see you, to see how much I love you, and that I have found you. I wish madre could dress you tomorrow night in your gown before the turning. She would have loved that. Would you have liked that?” Taking the soap from her hands, he returned the gesture of lathering her up and letting his hands slide over her white skin.

  “I would have, lover. I’d have loved for her to be here to help me. I have to say, this isn’t how I expected to spend my last night as a mortal.” She felt his hands glide over her, slippery from the soap, as he washed away the last of the stickiness.

  “Mi amore, it doesn’t matter how you spend it, we are together, laughing and in love. We are surrounded by people who love us both, old and new. All that matters... or is there something more you wish?” He softly kissed her neck.

  “I have everything I need right in front of me, everything.” She stood up and rinsed the soapy lather from her skin and let the water run through her hair. She felt him stand up beside her, his hand running up her leg, her hip, her shoulder, before his lips found hers again. He rinsed off and together, they stepped out of the shower, grabbing oversized plush towels to dry themselves off. She walked into their bedroom and noticed a tray on the table by the bed with jars of honey, and she turned and looked at him.

  Shade cocked his head to the side and smiled. “Gi hears everything, mi amore.” Walking to the bed, he picked her up and laid her down softly. “Shh... relax, mortal.” Picking up the jar, he twisted it open and grinned at her. Walking to the end of the bed, he crawled up slowly and let the honey drizzle from the jar into her belly button and watched her hips arched upwards. “Patience, mortal...”

  “It’s not patience I need, lover.”

  “Ask and you shall receive, mi amore, si?” Firing up the music, he played Van Morrison’s Tupelo Honey, he set the honey aside, leaned down and twirled his tongue around her belly button, then dipped his finger into the small pool of sweet stickiness and brought it to her lips and watched as she sucked the honey from his finger. He moaned as her tongue swirled around his finger. Still on all fours, he moved back down her body, straddling her and ran his tongue along her stomach, sucking away the last of the honey, then kept moving down further. Grabbing her thighs, he spread her legs and gazed at the beautiful heaven in front of him He dove into her, his tongue probing her sweet soft paradise, feeling her hands grab his hair and her body respond instantly.

  He took her higher, his own beast and cock raging. Teasing her clit with his tongue, he heard her beg and he knew it was time. Pulling from her, he sat up and slid his hands under her arms and raised her to a sitting position and looked into her eyes. “Mi amore, I cannot be inside you, it is too risky. But we both need to feed for strength tomorrow. Please, take me in your hand, I will do the same for you, we will feed from each other, and give each other pleasure. ”

  She felt his hand between her legs and his teeth sinking into her neck. She slid her hand around his cock just as he took the first swallow. She was dizzy with pleasure, as she bit hard into him and felt that bolt of current hit her as his blood touched her tongue. She felt his fingers probing, tasted his blood, and listened to his moans as she stroked him... pushing them both to pleasures edge.

  With each draw from her neck, his beast screamed for release, and he was pleasured by the touch of her hand, the
sweet hard strokes, how her fingers glided over the tip, teasing him. The erotic sensual pull of her dull teeth on his throat drove him even further and his fingers stroked her, moving them inside her, faster, then slower, repeating and when he could feel they were both almost there, he slid his thumb over her clit and pushed his fingers deep inside her, feeling her cum violently as he spilled his seed into her hand, and threw back his head screaming for the world to know she was his.

  She dropped back on the bed and looked up at him, locked eyes with him, before she lifted her hand to her mouth and licked away every last drop of that salty goodness. “Better than honey, lover.”

  “Wicked vixen!”

  Hearing the electronic blinds go down, he knew it was time they slept. The next few nights would be the longest of their lives. He knew this was the last time she slept with him as a mortal. His fears were calmed, she was strong and as prepared as she could be. Somehow, deep inside, he knew she’d fight the darkness and come back to him in the turning. Lying on his back beside her, he pulled her onto his chest, her head resting beneath his chin and let his hand rest in that beautiful crimson he adored.

  “This is your last time, mi amore, to sleep next to me as a mortal. I want you to know, I want nothing more than for you to become my true mate. It is a marriage of eternity to me. But even at the last second, if you change your mind, please tell me. Rest, for we have a long few nights ahead of us. They will be the most important we ever experience together. Trust in me, believe in me... use everything I have taught you and you will be fine. Just come back to me.”

  “Shade, as long as you’re with me, I’ll get through it. I’ll come back to you. Nothing will change my mind.”

  “Ti amo. Now sleep, tomorrow night we rise and begin the journey of eternity.”

  87

  The night of the turning came quickly, as Shade stood in one of the many guest chambers of Castello, his thoughts were filled with Kate. Gi helped him get dressed. He didn’t need assistance, but it was customary in his royal lineage to do so for such occasions. He wore white, as would she, as she would return to him a virgin of his kind, immortal, and they’d mate and feed as two immortals for the first time.

  The house was silent, and Gi remained quiet as he moved about the room. Shade concentrated his mind and spirit on the task that lay ahead of him, for tonight would be the most important night of his life. This night, Kate began the process of becoming his true mate. It was something he’d dreamed of since the moment he first saw her. He’d never turned a mortal, but he’d read enough books on how it was done.

  He must perform the turning in the birthing chamber. All Medici royalty were born in these underground chambers of Castello, a chamber created especially for these occasions, providing safety and privacy to carry out their customs. It was the chamber where he’d been born, and his father before him. But this was an event the Medici coven had never seen before, the turning of a mortal and entering the royal bloodline of their people. His mind was heavy with what was to come, and he was well aware of the risks.

  There had been a temporary Lady in Waiting to assist Kate here in Florence. Her name was Emma, and she’d been hand-picked by Theresa, so Theresa had free time to stay with Marco. But tonight, Theresa had come to their bedroom to assist Kate in dressing. She brought with her the long flowing white gown Kate was to wear. Kate bathed and washed her hair. Theresa added oils to the water she said were necessary to prepare her body for the turning. After her bath, Theresa dried her skin, rubbing briskly with the plush white towel. Kate sat at a vanity while Theresa dried her hair and brushed it out until it shined. Kate did her make-up and sprayed on her rose scented fragrance as Theresa helped her into the gown.

  “It's almost a wedding dress, Theresa.”

  “Si, my lady, it’s a wedding, of sorts. I know master drinks only from you and you from him, but until you are immortal, that mating cannot be sealed. There. All done. You look beautiful, my lady.”

  Theresa stepped back from her and Kate looked at her reflection in the huge mirror, the mirror that belonged to Shade's mother. This dress was beautiful, and she knew Shade loved her hair worn down like this. As she looked at her reflection, she saw a transition taking place, something changed before her eyes. The image of another woman, dressed in clothes from an era past, appeared in the mirror. She had blonde hair, blue eyes, fair skin, and was wearing a heavy velvet gown of deep burgundy. Kate stepped back from the image, looking over her shoulder to see Theresa busy picking up items in the room. Does she see this? Kate turned back to the mirror to see the woman looking at her, holding her gaze.

  Portia stood regal in her gown and watched Kate prepare. She’d been observing her son’s choice for a mate for some time now. She was beautiful, small even by mortal standards, but with strong character and a heart of gold. She’d make him a good mate, a good mother to his children, and give him the life he never allowed himself to dream of. Portia had found her long before her son had, had picked her out for him, and placed her in his path. She knew her son had been reluctant to start this journey, had taken great pains to avoid it, and she understood why. He’d carried the burden of the curse, and it couldn’t be avoided, but securing the Medici legacy took precedent over everything else. Portia could tell Kate was frightened by the image of what appeared before her, but this was Portia’s only time to speak with her before she became an immortal.

  “Do not be frightened, mia figlia. I am Portia, Shade's madre. Theresa cannot see me, nor hear us. I walk among you silently, giving only you this vision. Do you have questions for me?”

  Kate heard the image in the mirror speak to her. Am I going crazy? She reached out and touched the mirror, touched her face. She recognized Shade’s mother from the large oil painting. She was even more beautiful than the portrait, regal in her bearing, standing straight and proud.

  “Tell me you approve. Tell me you see how much I love him, how much I’ll sacrifice for him, and that I’d die for him.”

  “Si, mia figlia. I led him to you, you are his destiny. He was born from a love such as you speak, inside my body, he grew and became the warrior of his people... our people. This night, you take my only son to become his true mate. Do not be frightened of what you will see, nor feel, nor hear.” Leaning closer, her hand reached through the glass and her long, slim fingers stroked the cheek of her son’s mate. “Fight for mio figlio. Fight hard! The turning will not be easy, but you become Medici when you return to him.”

  Kate listened to her words of encouragement. She knew she’d need them for what lay ahead. She could feel Portia’s hand as she stroked her cheek. “I’ll always fight for him. Always.”

  “You are his light, his comfort and his strength. You will bear him a son and two daughters who will carry forth our bloodline, so we will walk forever amongst this land he has fought so hard to retain. He would die for you, and he would die without you. So, do not take him from me this night. You must fight to the end. I know him. I know his heart. If you do not return to him, he will follow you in death. Listen for him, mia figlia, he will call you. You must listen to his blood singing within your veins. Let it fill your heart and let your soul go to him. He will always love you and no other. He will always give you what you seek. He is the darkness seeking your light. Give it to him, for no other can. You are loved here. Love him in return and he will be the king he dreams of becoming.”

  Turning, she slowly dissipated into the fog inside the mirror, to return to her eternity and her king. Tonight, her son becomes the king her Christofano always wanted him to be.

  Kate stood stunned before the mirror as Portia disappeared. She looked again at Theresa who moved about the room as if nothing had happened.

  “Did you hear that, Theresa?”

  “Hear what, my lady?”

  “Nothing... never mind.” Was she real? Or just my imagination running wild, knowing what lies ahead of me tonight. I hope she was real.

  As Gi finished dressing Shade, he stared out
the window. High above the grounds he looked out, knowing after this night, everything in his life would be different. She’d finally be his for all eternity. Gi advised him Kate was ready and waiting in their bedroom. Shade nodded and walked silently down the long hall to their door. He opened it quietly and walked in to find Theresa. She smiled and told him Kate was ready and waiting, and he watched as she left the room, closing the door behind her.

  Shade walked to the middle of the room and the sight of her made his knees weak. Theresa had dressed her in a flowing white gown that was backless. It clung to her bodice then floated away at the hips, trailing behind her on the floor. It was made of the softest silk and delicate Italian lace and she looked stunning. Her hair shone and cascaded down her back like crimson fire and stood out against the white dress and her pale skin. She looked like an angel, and this night, she was going to hell and back for him.

  “You look beautiful, mi amore, more beautiful than the stars and moon. Are you ready to proceed?” He stood back and didn’t approach her. He wanted her to come to him, with an open soul, to join him for all eternity.

  She turned to face him. He was also dressed in white. Soft white linen pants, and a loosely constructed white jacket with no shirt. His dark hair was hanging in loose curls, his olive skin looking even darker against the white, and those eyes... always, those eyes. She walked to him, her arms extended to him. “And you, lover... your beauty makes the sunlight pale by comparison.”

  Taking her in into his arms, he looked deep into her eyes and said nothing. There were no words needed this night. He kissed her deeply and passionately. “Then let us begin our journey, si? We must have your death come at a specific hour. We must soon begin. The walk is long, mi amore, but I will not teleport. We must walk to the chamber under the castle. From this moment on, I will not leave your side.”