The Medici Queen

by Emily Bex

  Eager to be away from them, Rissa maneuvered Biondo away from the fence. "Well, I don’t want to hold you up any longer, I want some time to ride in the fields before I head back home. I hope you can ride with me sometime, Kate, even if it’s just for a short ride. It’s so beautiful and peaceful here. You’re lucky to live out here."

  Kate smiled and nodded at her. "Very lucky, Rissa. I’m grateful for this place every day. Enjoy your ride. We won't hold you up any longer. We both have things to do. Say hello to Alec for us."

  Shade lifted her down from the rail and they continued in the direction of the camp. Rissa watched them as they walked hand in hand. She looked over at Hyde, kicked Biondo in the sides gently and slapped the reins hard. "Let’s ride, girl!"

  Taking off like the wind, she took the last high jump in stride, Biondo clearing it easily as Rissa leaned down over the horse’s long neck. They rode like hell, full out into the fields. The night moon was rising, and Rissa let go of all the things bottled up inside her. Alec loved her, but he just loved her differently than Shade loved Kate. That’s all this was. She could come and go as she pleased, do as she pleased, and answered only to Alec when it concerned what he needed and nothing more. Spinning her head around, she saw Hyde riding up behind her and passing her in a cloud of dust.

  "Damn you, Hyde!" She pushed Biondo harder, trying to catch up, and it felt good to feel the wind in her hair. At least she had Hyde, and she enjoyed his company and his protection.

  69

  Shade stood in the large meeting room of the barracks, surrounded by his warriors and new recruits, as they waited for the beginning of one of the most vital ceremonies in any warrior’s life, The Blood Oath. This was where the new recruits would drink the blood of their master and pledge their loyalty and protection to the Medici Coven, becoming one with the master who led them. It had been a tradition since the birth of Medici warriors, his own padre continuing the tradition that each warrior must be able to bond with their master, to feel his emotions to better protect and serve.

  Shade saw Kate sitting on the high-backed chair that served as their makeshift thrones when addressing the warriors inside the camp. She was talking and laughing with Fiamma. He looked around for Luca and Cory but didn’t see either of them.

  Marcello gave out a whistle as the crowd settled down and Shade headed to the front of the room, taking a seat next to bel, hoping Cory wouldn’t forget to attend. The small side table sat next to Shade’s chair, holding the jewel encrusted chalice that bore the Medici crest. He’d lost count of how many warriors had drunk from this chalice, bonding them for life.

  Rows of chairs had been lined up in front of them, with a center aisle between them. The new recruits took their seats, while his tenured warriors stood at the back of the room to observe and witness. He turned to look at bel and the smile she gave him, reassured his heart. He had waited weeks before having the ceremony, making sure the recruits would work out and were willing and able to stay with Medici. He wanted no warrior bonded to him who wasn’t able to commit mentally and physically to his coven.

  The room suddenly became silent as Shade looked up to see Luca and Cory entering the room from the rear. Shade swallowed the lump in his throat as Cory walked down the center aisle, carrying Shade's ceremonial sword. To see his son carrying his sword was an emotional moment. Cory stood tall and proud as he lifted the sword in the air, crossed it over his chest, and then grasped it tight as he passed it to Shade. Their eyes locked as Shade put his large hand over the hilt of the sword, taking it from his son.

  "Grazie, figlio"

  Cory had spent the morning with Luca learning how to carry and transfer the sword properly. The damn thing was so heavy, Cory felt like his arm was falling out of the socket. But he was determined to make his dad proud of him and show the rest of them he was truly his son. Luca had explained the pageantry of the ceremony to him, and its importance to the warriors taking the oath. Cory developed tunnel vision, seeing only Shade and nothing else as he carried the sword to the front of the room.

  When Shade took the sword from him, he nodded to his son, then pulled him to his chest, hugging him tight. Cory beamed with pride and went to his seat beside Kate to watch something he was sure he’d see repeated many times in his future.

  Shade waited for Cory to be seated and gave himself a moment for his heart and mind to settle. Everyone he needed was in the room, and the expansion of his reign in the States was official. Raising the sword high in the air in his right hand, the new recruits became deadly quiet and all eyes were on him.

  "Today we bring into our ranks new warriors who will serve and protect in the name of Medici. This is the first Blood Oath that has ever taken place outside of Florence for the Medici coven. Today, you take my blood and we become as one, brothers and sisters. You take this Blood Oath as your official acceptance into my coven. An honor dealt to few. I am your master, your leader, your brother, and you will now follow."

  Each warrior stood and in unison recited the words that had lived long in the history of this coven. "Per sempre Medici!"

  Shade took his seat in the high back chair and the warriors seated themselves once again. Placing the sharp-hooked scoring ring on his right index finger, he picked up the chalice. Scoring his left wrist, he let his blood pour into the chalice, filling it. Licking his wrist, it healed immediately.

  He lifted the chalice in the air. "Per sempre Medici! Let us begin."

  Aislynn was the first warrior to approach and went down on one knee before him, head bowed. He noticed all the female warriors were in the front row, and he appreciated that Fiamma had seen that the females were given first opportunity ahead of the males.

  "Drink and become Medici."

  Aislynn reached out and took the chalice, taking a small sip and feeling the immense power of her master’s blood course through her, almost knocking her over. It was the most powerful thing she’d ever felt in her life and she believed she could conquer the world single-handedly. Her veins surged, as his blood rushed into her. Handing back the chalice, her eyes locked with his and she repeated the words drilled into them, the pledge.

  "I am Medici Warrior. I protect, honor, and serve this coven with my life. Medici is my familia, my master, my king, his mate my queen."

  As she bowed her head once more, Shade raised the sword in the air and lowered it to her right shoulder, touching it slightly and then repeating the process to her left shoulder. Taking the tip of the sword he gently slid it under her chin and raised her head up, never once breaking her skin. Their eyes locked and there was deadly silence, a defining moment for any warrior.

  Lowering the sword, Shade’s voice carried through the room. "Rise warrior and be presented."

  Aislynn felt her heart beat like a drum, her strength felt as though it had tripled with his blood. Turning, she faced the throng of new warriors.

  Shade's voice boomed out as he presented her. "Aislynn of Medici, warrior of Medici coven."

  All the warriors recited again, "Per sempre Medici."

  Aislynn walked back to her seat, filled with pride as she tried not to shake. She was now an official warrior of Medici and she knew this was a rare moment in any warrior’s life, but to be a female and part of this prestigious coven was more than she’d ever imagined.

  The procession was repeated with each recruit, until each had been sworn into the coven. As Shade stood before them, they all rose, standing at attention, every warrior in this room now belonging to him, his responsibility, and his coven here in the States. He couldn’t help but look back at the changes that had taken place in the past year.

  His bel had changed him from the hardened cold warrior filled with darkness to this, the leader and master of a coven rivaled by none and becoming more powerful every day. When his parents died, something inside him died as well. But he’d been renewed with her love and light, helping him to be the master he’d always wanted to be.

  He walked to her and went down on one knee befo
re her. "My beloved queen, I give to you our warriors, to protect and serve our coven. They give their life for you, as do I, your king. They are my gift to you as my mate, my queen, the mother of my children. Ti amo."

  Shade handed her a perfect long stem red rose as he kissed the swell of her abdomen where his son grew strong inside her. Standing, he kissed her on the lips, his hand sliding gently across her cheek. Taking her hand, he helped her from her chair and watched as Cory joined them, and they walked down the center aisle as the warriors stood at attention. As they passed hand in hand, each warrior dropped to one knee to show their allegiance and servitude.

  As they reached the back of the room, his warriors from Florence dropped to one knee before them, their swords held high in the air, their heads bowed. Today, Medici was on course to rule the world and nothing would stop him, with his queen and his son at his side.

  70

  Gi informed Kate the new matron for the feeder compound was arriving today from Florence. The compound was located inside the walls of the warrior camp, and the construction of the compound was finally completed, including the underground tunnel that connected the compound to the camp, the stables, and the staff quarters, so all of the coven could freely access the feeders. There was no tunnel connecting the main house to the feeder compound.

  Each warrior had specific security clearances for the various underground tunnels allowing them to move about the property from building to building without exposure to the sun, but also to protect them in an ambush. Shade had been allowing the warriors to continue to use the compound located just outside D.C., which wasn’t too bad for Raven's crew, but inconvenient for all the warriors based in the camp.

  Kate had asked Fee to join her for this meeting with the matron. They’d take a tour of the facilities, so Matron could see the layout. Fee had already gone over the floor plans with Kate and made suggestions, and now all they needed to do was complete the furnishings and bring in the feeders. Fee arrived at the main house wearing red leathers and Kate just shook her head.

  "If your intention is to distract your opponent, then just let me say, that outfit screams 'mission accomplished'!

  Fee flashed her megawatt smile, a weapon in itself when needed. "What, these old rags?"

  As they both laughed, Fee got serious. "You know Cory made these for me. That kid’s a magician. I hate calling him a kid, he’s really not a kid, but he knows how to measure, so your leathers fit like a glove. Sorry if my leathers offend you, but they become a weapon themselves. We sisters have to use every weapon we have at times."

  Kate shook her head. "It doesn’t offend me at all, and you look great in them. I don't think I could pull off a leather bodysuit in my current condition, so I’m just jealous of your figure. Are you ready to head to the compound? Gi says he took Matron there."

  Fee chuckled. "Your figure is perfectly fine. Have you not realized yet Shade cannot take his eyes off of you? I just wish...oh never mind. I’m more than ready, are you sure you’re okay with all of this Kate? I know he asked you to do it, but are you comfortable with the process?"

  Kate sighed. "Yes, sort of. Well, not really. I mean, I understand his logic, and from that perspective, I totally get why he wants the compound on the grounds. It makes perfect sense. And I understand more than ever the need to feed, the hunger. Maybe if I’d been born immortal, or if we hadn’t had that incident with the feeder Rissa brought here, then I’d have no reservations. You know I trust him. But I’ve seen the effect the feeders have on the men. Their reaction to the feeder comes unbidden, like it’s out of their control. And I understand feeders were bred to create that response. Does it affect you that way? Do female vamps have the same uncontrollable desire to be with the feeders?"

  Fee nodded. "Yes and no, but it’s not as intense for the female. The feeders secrete a female pheromone. The female vamps respond to it, although it’s much more intense for the male. I asked Cory about this, he’s like a lab rat for us, unfortunately, because none of us has ever associated with half breeds. He says he feels an attraction to the feeders, and it comes unbidden, but his sense of smell isn’t as great as a full-blooded vampire, nothing like what the other warriors tell him it feels like to them. I wish I had the words to describe it. It’s just a natural part of our system as immortals. It’s part of our survival instinct. If we’re not mated, we may sometimes wait too long before we respond to the hunger. If we wait too long we can become violent, our beasts respond, and we lose control. That’s the reason for the feeders, to protect our kind, to encourage us to feed and provide a source to feed that limits our exposure to mortals and controls the beast. Come on. Let’s get over there. I’m anxious to meet this matron."

  Kate walked with Fee over to the camp. "We’ll have to use the tunnels, the door and windows you see in the feeder compound are for visual effect only. There’s no way to enter except through the tunnels. We can test the security access with your fingerprint."

  As they entered the warrior camp, Fee took Kate to the barracks and the stairwell that led to the long tunnel. As they approached the doors made of steel, thick and intimidating, Fee pointed out the security access panel.

  "Okay, here we are, according to Marcello we just place our hand inside this small opening, it lights up when it reads our hand print, and if you’re authorized to enter, it records your identity and a time stamp, and automatically opens the door."

  Fiamma slid her hand into the space, laying it flat against the glass plate. A green light scanned her hand, and the door opened quietly without a sound. "Well, that was ingenious. After you, my lady."

  Kate entered the corridor and Fee followed, as the door automatically closed behind them. Fee noticed the camera mounted in the entry and knew they were on the security feed monitored inside the camp, as well as inside the main house. Fee pointed out the hand scanner panel mounted on the inside. The vampires must use the scanner to exit the building as well, which would record the time they left. The feeders wouldn’t have security clearance to exit.

  Kate and Fee walked up a flight of stairs into the main hallway of the feeder compound to find Gi and an attractive older woman, dressed very professionally.

  Gi nodded to Kate and Fee. "My lady, this is Matron. All matron's go by their title of matron, and not their names. It is considered impolite to inquire about the name they used when they were feeders."

  Kate shook the older woman's hand. "I'm very pleased to meet you. Thank you so much for coming. You come highly recommended. But I apologize, I had no idea you were once a feeder as well."

  Matron bowed to her as she took her hand. "It is true my lady. Feeders are bred as you know to attract our kind, entice them to feed, but as we age there are chemical changes that come as a result of allowing so many to feed. Eventually, the feeders no longer exert the same power to attract. Once that happens, they are released from the feeder compounds and can live among the immortals. Some choose to find mates among those who have fed from them. Feeders are not allowed to feed from their clients. But once they are freed from their service they’re allowed to mate. Others, like me, choose to stay in this life. It’s a much-protected environment, and it’s where I feel safe. I have served the Medici family for centuries, servicing the warriors in the camp in Florence, back when Shade's father was still alive. When my time came to be released, I chose to stay on, to oversee the new feeders, and I have been a matron ever since."

  Kate listened carefully. The matron was discreet, and she gave no indication Shade had fed from her. Kate had a feeling she’d not get an answer if she asked, but the matron clearly recognized Fee as they exchanged a greeting.

  Fiamma wasn’t surprised when she saw who’d be matron at Bel Rosso. She was highly sought after by masters of Shade's class, but she never strayed from Medici. Fee had heard the young feeders speak of her and shared stories of her beauty, her elegance, and her power as a feeder. Fee liked Kate’s response to her, she got a good feeling that Kate was comfortable with her and that w
as vital. Fee knew Kate needed to feel comfortable with everything that happened here.

  Fee reached out and took her hand. "Matron, I’m so happy to see you again, it’s been a long time. Welcome to the Medici at Bel Rosso. I’m Lt. of the warrior camp here, and in charge of the female warriors. I’ll be working alongside our queen to help her in any capacity, so I hope you’ll feel free to let me know if there’s anything you need."

  Gi excused himself and said he’d return to the main house, and to let him know if Matron needed him. Matron gave him a warm hug and Kate raised an eyebrow. Gi? Really? She smiled to herself.

  Kate turned to Matron. "If you’d like, we can tour the compound. We had contractors from Florence help on the design, and then Fee also had some input. Shade said it wasn’t necessary to make it opulent, but I had a different plan in mind. We can talk about it as we walk through."

  Kate looked around the main hallway. "This is the main foyer from the front door, but as you know, we built a tunnel system to connect to the other buildings. All of the coven will use the tunnels. The front door is not fully operational and can only be accessed by a special code in the event we need service personnel that we hire from time to time, or it needs to be used as an emergency exit. If you'll follow me…"

  Kate took Matron by the elbow and led her into the main parlor. It was a massive room with Venetian plaster walls and a huge fireplace.

  "This room is where the feeders can gather when they’re not with a client, or when they’re off-duty and don't wish to stay in their room. There’s another room off of this one, where the warriors will enter and choose which feeder they wish to be with. Both of these rooms will be lavishly furnished. I want the feeders to be comfortable here, and I want the warriors to have a place where they can escape."