The Medici Queen

by Emily Bex

  He felt the death slumber crawl slowly over him and he whispered in a voice that was deep and yet soft. "I love her, Madre, I will always love her. She is all I have ever wanted. She is my light, she is my heart. No other will love me as she does. No other can comfort me as she does. No other can tame my beast as does my bel."

  He felt his eyes become laden with the clawing hands of his death slumber and heard the sweet voice of Madre as she sang softly the old lullaby from his youth, one hand still combing gently through his hair, the other splayed across his heart. He reached across the bed and lay his hand over Kate’s back and let the slumber take him. "Ti amo, Madre. Ti amo, mi amore."

  ***

  Kate felt Shade’s hand slide down her back, and she awoke to see him in his death slumber. It was so strange. Her sleep felt the same as mortal sleep. She didn’t know what she’d been expecting, but unlike Shade, she woke easily from this slumber, and didn’t feel pulled into it. She rolled closer to him, reaching out to him when she saw Portia sitting next to him on the bed and was startled. Kate gasped out loud before she realized who it was.

  His mother sat quietly, her hand stroking his hair, a soft smile on her lips. She had appeared to Kate twice before, here at Castello, but only in the mirror, and now she sat here looking as alive as she was. Or was she only dreaming?

  "Madre?"

  “Si, figlia, tis me. Did I frighten you? I did not mean to.” Looking down at her son as he was in his death slumber, she smiled, sliding her hand across his face. “He is so beautiful, si?”

  Kate watched as Portia’s hand stroked that face she loved. She reached out her own hand and touched his cheek. "He is more than beautiful. I think I call him distractingly handsome. He still takes my breath away, he always will."

  Portia chuckled. “He is much like his padre, they can make you do things you never thought you would ever do, by just looking at you. But this is good, si? That you find him this handsome? What else, mio figlia, do you find distractingly wonderful about my son?”

  Kate looked at Portia, as she had such adoring eyes for her only son. “I find him to be a gentleman, despite the leathers, and his warrior’s heart, he is, to me, always a gentleman. He holds old values dear, honor and integrity, fidelity, and loyalty. You don't see those things very often anymore. I love the way he protects me, the way he makes me feel protected, and takes care of me. I don't mean taken care of financially, I mean he takes care of my heart. He cares how I feel. We've had our struggles, but I guess you’ve seen that. It wasn’t an easy path for either of us to choose. I think he had a lot of fears about me becoming immortal, about whether I’d make it. I only had one fear, and that was losing him."

  Reaching out, Portia pushed the soft red tendrils from her face and smiled. “You cannot lose someone who holds your soul, mio figlia. He loves you with his heart and soul. He is immortal, and his heart will only be given to one, but there is one thing that does disturb me, something I must ask of you.”

  “Anything! You can ask me anything.”

  “We have a bond, and it is something that has never been broken between us. But he has never found anyone who has taken his soul and flown with him, who fills his heart to the brim with love and tenderness. You give him light and chase away his darkness. It was something I always tried to help him through. But now he has his love, his light. I only wish to know if you feel there is still room within his heart for me. I know, perhaps, you may find this odd, but I believe the first time you hold Lorenzo in your arms and comfort him, you will understand why I will not be able to let him go.”

  Looking down at her son, Portia kissed his forehead softly. “He is my only son, his struggles have been hard, and I wanted him to find the right mate, I wanted him to find what he deserved, to be loved for himself and nothing more. It is why I chose you, led you to his path. You have all of him and I only want a small piece left for me.” Raising her eyes to Kate, she almost begged. “He may never need me, he is so strong, and you give him everything he ever needs.”

  “Madre, you will always hold a place in his heart. You taught him those values he holds so dear, and I hope you’ll always be there for him, for our children, and for me. I left everything for him. I had to leave my mortal family behind in order to protect him, and I have no regrets about that, so you must be my madre as well. Guide us both. Look over our children.”

  Portia reached over her son and took the hand of his eternal mate. “Have no fear, little one, I will always be here for you, for the bambinos. He tells me they have come to you. They are beautiful but will be taxing on your heart. But you must not fret, they will be born strong, and Medici, and you will be a great mother to his children.”

  Portia looked about the room. “So many memories in this room, it is where Shade was conceived. Tune into your gifts, your skills. They will give you all the answers you seek. Protect your children, love them. There are many in his coven who need love as well, some of them so lost. You must be their madre as well. You give him enough, mio figlia, you must believe that, for it is true. Do not look at me so surprised, I know what you feel, and so does he.”

  Kate looked at Portia with wide eyes and asked the question she always held in her heart. “Do you know what I feel? Do you know my fear? That, somehow, I won’t be enough for him? That he’ll grow tired of me? My life as a mortal is a short twenty-seven years compared to him and all he has lived and seen and done. And I have no illusions about his past. I know there were many before me, probably more than I care to hear about. I know he has loved before, but no woman has ever been able to hold his heart. And everything happened so fast for us, even by mortal standards, it was fast. For me, I feel an eternity won’t be long enough to share all the love I feel for him. To watch our children grow, and their children. But then I fear this restless warrior who has seen so much, and done so much, will grow bored with me. I feel inadequate, and I feel jealous, even though he gives me no reason. He grows tired of my jealousy and gets angry because he gives me all and doesn’t understand. Doesn’t understand the weakness is not his but mine. My fear is he’ll find another more appealing over time. That’s my biggest fear, Madre. That he’ll grow tired of me and I’ll lose him to another.”

  Portia watched her face in worry and turmoil and reached out and pulled Kate to her chest, caressing her hair as she had for her son.

  “Shhhh, now you must listen to me. He is a grown man. They all have their time where they discover, explore, their time to figure out who they are, figlia. They hone their skills, decide where they belong, all so when they find their mate, they know and can give them everything. Si, he has had many women, but not always by his choosing. Some played with his heart, and he knew deep down he had chosen the wrong path. He was seeking something above and beyond what had been laid before him. He was waiting for you. He had given up, figlia, given up finding his mate. I needed to push you in front of him, for I feared he would give up totally on love. He had accepted the darkness, and followed a very dark path, accepted the loneliness he felt, and it was breaking my heart. His warrior is not restless, he just seeks release. He is warrior to his bone. He will always fight, he is Medici. But he will never leave you. It is normal at first to feel this way, but you will soon learn, he will always be yours, in every way.”

  Kate let Portia’s words wash over her, comfort her. Heartbreak and betrayal were her only experience with love before him. She too had given up on the dream of love.

  “Do you see our future, Madre? Do you see our children as clearly as I do? They come to me, so eager to be born into this world.”

  “If I tell you I see your future, you will ask it of me, and I will not tell you such. It is for you to learn and explore. But I will be there. I see your bambinos. Ah, there is one who is most eager.”

  Portia laid her head upon Kate’s. “She is the fiery redhead. She will bring you many smiles, and many heart breaks. He will fall deeply in love with her, figlia, give her more than she earns. But she will learn that pu
shing him too far will never win her his grace.”

  Kate looked at her. “You speak of Sophia. I feel her strongly, her spirit is willful and stubborn, and her temper a combination of the two of us. But she is also funny and curious and fearless. She will be a challenge, to channel what is best in her and try to keep her on the right path. To learn the Medici values of honor and integrity she must uphold for all, and to control the devilish imp without breaking her spirit, and everything that makes her so... Sophia. I dreamed she would break us, come between us…”

  Portia laughed softly. “She will be fine, but she will challenge you at every step, be prepared and just love her. She will learn, with some helping hands, that to be Medici is not a right but an honor she must earn. It will take her time, figlia, because this one,” kissing Shade softly on the top of his head, “will spoil her for far too long. But he will not put her before you, and he will see the ways of his willful daughter and take her in hand. He grew up so lonely, figlia. I feel that in him. And now, he will be surrounded by these children, who adore him, look up to him.”

  “I can feel his happiness, Madre. I feel the joy he will take in them, his pride for Lorenzo’s strength, his indulgence of Sophia, his joy in his sweet Natalia. They are each so different and will enrich our lives immeasurably. It’s such a blessing to me, to be able to give him these children, our children. I pinch myself, to remind me he’s real. That what we have together is real.”

  “It is very real, figlia. And it is the fate of our world that you belong to him and vice versa. Never doubt that, and you will always have us both to guide and help you.”

  Portia felt his presence and looked up to see Christofano standing in their room. “My sweet vampire love.”

  Kate saw his father as he appeared, they looked so much alike, he and Shade, and yet, there was sternness about his father's face that she didn’t see in Shade. She felt a wall, a barrier that he only dropped for Portia, and Kate understood why Shade felt such distance from him. And yet, he’d come to them in the chamber after the turning. “Padre.” She bowed her head to him. “You honor me with your visit.”

  “Figlia.” He nodded to her. “Portia, it is time you left them alone. They are no longer children, but adults, you will suck the life from them, mi amore. Now come, leave them to their life.”

  Reaching down, taking her hand, Christofano helped her up and kissed her softly. He looked down at his sleeping son and slid his hand through his hair and kissed his cheek as Shade remained in the grip of his death slumber.

  “You are the Medici, mio figlio, and it lies within your hands. Love her as you should, and all will be yours.”

  He looked up at Kate and softly caressed her cheek. “Love him, give him a son. You are queen, and all honor you now.” He kissed her softly and held Kate to his chest. “You are loved here, mia figlia.”

  Releasing her, he took Portia's hand and laughed as Portia said, "They will always be my children, Christofano, always."

  “Si, mi amore, si.”

  Kate watched as he took her hand and they walked away, disappearing before her eyes. She knew why Shade loved to come here, because he saw them here, felt them here. She used to wonder why he chose to stay in the States, when he had this grand home here. But now she knew why he’d chosen to make his home at Bel Rosso. It was a fresh start. It freed him from his past. It allowed him to make his own path, outside the shadow of his father. She laid her head on his chest, felt his arm envelope her, pulling her close in his sleep.

  “I love you, savage warrior.”

  7

  Rissa was busy trying to figure out how to get her new purchases packed into her existing suitcases when Alec decided to amuse himself by exploring Castello. It had been a few years since he’d been here, and his previous visits were for far different reasons. It was definitely a different time in their lives, for him and Shade both. He went down the staircase and wandered down the grand hall. Somewhere down this hallway, there was a door that led to the area underneath the castle. He knew the chamber used for the turning was down there, but that wasn’t what had him curious. He kept opening doors that led to one grand room after another until he found the door to the caverns.

  He started down the stone stairs, the air musty, the lighting dim, until he reached the bottom. He let his memory guide him as he walked through the tunnels in search of that room. Surely, it was gone now. Surely, he had sealed it off. He took the final turn in the cavern and saw the door. He turned the door knob expecting it to be locked, but it opened. He reached inside the dark room and flipped on the light switch and stared in disbelief. It was all still here, the room for the Gorean Sex Cult. How many nights had they spent in this room? How many women? He walked past the rack, the shackles, the stockade, the whips, and paddles. Everything was here, exactly as he remembered it. So, my brother, maybe things aren't quite as innocent with you as you pretend. Why else would you keep this room? He ran his hand over the assortment of toys... Toys for very bad boys and picked up a collar. He ran the leather through his hand before slipping it in his pocket, leaving the room, and returning to their bedroom for Rissa.

  ***

  Trying to cram as many things inside the suitcases as possible, Rissa had figured out a method and it seemed to be working. She had three empty cases brought in on the plane just for this purpose. There were a few items she’d shipped directly to G-town. Excusing Rosa, she took a long last look around the glorious room. They’d be leaving early tomorrow. The coronation ceremony last night was beautiful but, her wedding would be the talk of Washington, and she’d make damn sure the precious almighty queen was in attendance. Where the hell is Alec? Bending over to adjust the strap on her shoe, she heard him enter the room, and she purposely remained bent over longer than necessary.

  Alec saw her with her ass in the air, the sheer fabric of her skirt riding up, showing a hint of the lace thong. He walked up behind her, sliding his hands beneath the skirt and cupping his hands over those smooth firm cheeks. “I brought you something, darling.”

  She moaned softly and smiled, turning her head to look up at him, her hair hanging down around her face. “Something for me? Do tell, I love surprises!”

  How convenient. She wanted to play games. He slapped her ass hard and heard the resounding crack of his hand as he saw the red imprint appear on her bare ass. “Stand up, take everything off.”

  Her mouth watered and she felt the sting of his hand. She stood and flung back her hair, letting it cascade down her back. She did as he commanded and stripped slowly, letting his eyes take in every curve and well-toned muscle. She slipped her feet from the heels and kept her back to him.

  He pulled the collar from his pocket and stepped behind her, feeling the curve of her ass as it pressed against his cock. He lifted her golden tresses, and slipped the collar around her neck, securing the buckle. He let her hair drop, then grasped her shoulders, turning her to face him, sliding one finger into a metal loop on the collar and giving it a sharp tug. “Now, what is this collar called? Refresh my memory, darling.”

  “Slave collar, daddy.” Her voice was soft and sultry.

  “Slave collar. Very good, baby girl. Now, just to be clear, you know what it means when I want you to wear a slave collar.” He tugged hard at the ring again as he spoke.

  She felt her neck jerk. His lips were so close she could feel his breath on her face. “Yes, daddy, I’m your sex slave. I’m at your command, and I’ll obey or be punished.”

  “Here are the rules, baby girl. Don't fuck up. Don’t speak. If I ask a question, you may answer, otherwise, do as you're told. Now put on a robe and follow me.”

  She nodded and ran to the bathroom. She dropped her clothes to the floor and grabbed one of the long silk robes Kate had ordered to be made available for her and slipped it on. Sliding on a pair of heels, she looked in the mirror. She pulled up the collar of the robe to cover most of the slave collar and walked back out. She saw him head for the door and she followed. Where the h
ell is he taking me? Her curiosity was piqued along with her sexual appetite.

  As they started to leave the room, he came to an abrupt halt, grabbed the collar, and pulled her face close to his. “A problem already, baby girl? Did I say shoes? I think I distinctly said, put on a robe. That means robe only. Remove the fucking shoes. Now!”

  She kept her eyes lowered and quickly kicked off her heels. Her blood was pumping so hard, needing him, and wanting to feed. She took a deep breath and tried to relax and listen to his commands.

  “Good girl. Now follow me.”

  He took her hand and led her down the hall to the staircase as they descended together to the grand foyer and then down the hallway with its opulent chandeliers. They reached the door to the underground and he pushed it open, turning to her. “Normally, I’d say ladies first. But I think it best you follow me, baby girl. And watch your step.”

  She followed behind him as he entered, and at first glance, it was dark, but her eyes immediately adjusted as they began a trek down stone stairwells. The smell was musty and old, and she wondered what in the living hell he was doing. They had to be underneath the palace by now and she kept following him when she felt something run over her bare foot. She jumped and started to squeal, but remembered his demand for silence. As they keep going further and further down, she stepped on something wet and felt it squish under her foot and she made a small sound of disgust and quickly bit her lip.