Per Sempre Medici, page 17
***
Vanni walked into the bar and immediately felt the presence of other vampires. He scanned the bar as his eyes quickly settled on Lorenzo, the bane of his existence. He noted the ever-present Alfie, sitting across from him. He still blamed Lorenzo for ending his time at the Medici warrior camp, and for setting him on fire in front of the other warriors. His own father, a Medici warrior, had denounced him as his son, and made sure he understood he’d shamed their entire family. He’d been kicked out of his home and left to make his own way in the world. He had self-trained on the streets and now he was a mercenary warrior for hire, and a damn good one. He’d vowed to one day show Lorenzo he could rival his skills at any turn. He spent most of his time in Rome and Naples, seeking out any master willing to hire a mercenary. The Borgia had been extremely good to him, hiring his services whenever they were in a conflict. He still had a few contacts in Florence who hadn’t shunned him, so he’d visit on occasion. He never expected to see Lorenzo and Alfie here. It had been well over a hundred years, but his seething anger over how that bastard had taken away his life dream still ate away at him. He slipped onto a bar stool and ordered his drink, trying to ignore their presence.
***
Alfie shrugged. "I noticed Shade didn’t really seem to be bothered by it, so just thought I’d ask your thoughts." Alfie turned to get the attention of the waitress for another drink when he saw him. It wasn’t unusual to run into vampires in Florence at this time of evening, the city offered a ripe feeding ground, but he was surprised to see Vanni after all this time. "What the hell is he doing in here?" Alfie nodded towards the bar.
Lorenzo looked up from his drink and followed Alfie's nod towards the bar. He saw Vanni sitting there, occasionally casting a sideways glance in their direction. “Vanni, haven't seen him in years. No coven patch on his leathers, must be a mercenary now. Besides, what kind of asshole wears his leathers around mortals?”
Alfie looked at him with a scowl on his face. "Is that all you have to say? What the hell is he doing in Medici territory is what I want to fucking know. I thought he was long gone out of the country. Father threw him out. Just looking at him makes me want to smack the hell out of him."
Lorenzo shook his head. "Let’s not start anything inside the bar. I don't want to draw attention. Wait until he leaves. I'm not looking for a fight, Alfie. I just want him to move on."
Vanni took his time with his drink, checking out the female tourists that were milling about the bar. He was far from home and needed some company. He was keeping his eyes on the two Medici’s but knew Lorenzo would never confront him in public. Vanni huffed to himself. Lorenzo would always ride on his daddy's coat tails. After a good hour, he got up and retreated outside, wondering if they’d follow. He strolled easily through the night, keeping his eyes peeled for easy prey to relieve the ache in his stomach for feeding.
As soon as Vanni left, Lorenzo tossed some money on the table and nodded to Alfie. “Let's go." The two of them got up and followed him outside. They looked up and down the darkly lit street, and could see him nearing a streetlight where a mortal female stood alone. “Better move fast. Looks like he's out to feed."
Alfie agreed. "I’m going around the other side of the street, come up from behind the girl. Staying in the shadows, but if he makes a move, I got her."
Alfie looked around to make sure they weren’t being observed, then teleported over the buildings and landed quietly behind the girl about half a block away. She wouldn’t notice him, but he could still listen and see all that Vanni would do. Vanni looked like he was going for the kill, and not just to feed.
Lorenzo moved quickly, coming up from behind as Vanni approached the girl. “Hey, Vanni."
Vanni spun on his heels and faced Lorenzo. Bastard was going to ruin his night of fun! He wasn’t in the mood and decided to stand his ground. The spoiled king wasn’t going to thwart his plans. "Well, if it isn’t the spoiled little prince. Or should I say king? Slumming it?"
Lorenzo ignored the jab. "What are you doing in Florence? This is Medici territory. You run out of victims?"
The young girl’s attention was drawn to the two men who appeared confrontational, and she started looking around to see if anyone else was nearby.
Vanni laughed in his face. "Just traveling through, thought I’d stop and see if your ass had any control over here. But then again, I guess Daddy makes sure you do a good job. What are you going to do about it, spew some fire at me?"
Alfie watched closely as Lorenzo kept Vanni occupied and Vanni's back was turned to the girl who seemed paralyzed with fear. He stepped out and made his presence known to the girl as she turned, looking back at him with fright. Holding up his hand, he spoke in a calm voice. "No need to be frightened. I mean you no harm, but it looks like things could get ugly between those two, so go on ahead and move down the street, don’t look back and go quickly. I won’t let anything harm you."
The girl glanced back at the two men who appeared to be facing off against each other, then back at Alfie. She had no idea what was about to go down but was smart enough to take advantage of an opportunity to leave. As she quickly skirted down the street, Alfie stepped out in the light of the streetlamp. He took a stance that clearly communicated he was taking no bullshit from anyone.
Vanni turned his head and saw him standing in the halo of light cast by the streetlamp. "So, I see you still have your lap dog protecting your ass."
Alfie growled. "That would be Prince Medici to you."
Vanni stood facing Lorenzo once again. "Yeah, I heard the rumor that you were banging his redheaded sister. Good move, Alfie. That’s one way to advance your career.”
As Alfie stepped forward, Lorenzo held up his hand. “No need to let things get out of hand here. Just move on, Vanni. Not a request."
Vanni sneered. "Yeah, that’s what I thought. Still more mouth than action. I’m done dealing with your two lame asses." He lifted straight up, teleporting back out to Rome. He was done with Florence, for now.
Alfie kicked the street with his boot. "Damn, I want to throttle him, he’s one mouthy bastard."
Lorenzo laughed. "I could see you frothing at the mouth for a fight, but I've got a two and a half million-dollar bracelet in my pocket that is vintage Cartier. Chantal would have my ass in a sling if I brought it home broken."
Alfie chuckled. “Okay brother, I’ll give you a pass on that one. But now that I’m all worked up, it might be a good idea to get back to camp, so I can take out my anger on some young warriors."
Lorenzo slapped his back. "Good idea, brother. My sister thinks I get you in too much trouble as it is."
"Well, she’d be right!" As they both took off back to Castello, their laughter was caught in the night wind, traveling in the air over Florence.
27
It had taken Natalia several months to get the Council members to agree to change the bylaws regarding the care of half-breeds. The new law stated the half-breeds could no longer be destroyed by Council, and any vampire who sired a half-breed child could relinquish the child to Council, where the child would be raised and educated in safety, and returned to the respective coven, if known, when they reached maturity, to become a contributing member of the coven. Once the U.S. Council adopted the new law, the European Council followed suit. The Eastern Council in Asia had not agreed and remained with their original law.
Natalia had been busy overseeing the development of the orphanage, and hiring the staff of nanny's, wet feeders and tutors. The Council communicated the new law to the covens, and they’d barely opened their doors before the first children were dropped off there. Sometimes, the mother stepped forward, brought by the male vampire that had impregnated her, and they relinquished the child together. Other times, the child was left at their doorstep. Regardless of how they arrived, the Council had agreed, there could be no punishment or admonishment for the vampire or the mother, or it would discourage them from coming forward.
The facility was built to accommodate ten children, with the capacity to expand. There had been no records of half-breed births, and they really had no idea what to expect. They had seven children already, ranging from infants to adolescents. The infants were the easiest, because they could work with them from birth to integrate them into the vampire culture. The adolescents were more difficult, as they had grown up trying to fit into two distinct cultures, neither of which had accepted them before. The older children were often angry and sullen and took extra attention.
Natalia had already ordered that the expansion of the orphanage begin and had added some therapists to the staff to assist the older children, but all in all, she was quite pleased with how things had evolved. Of course, until the children had grown to be adults and integrated into a coven, they wouldn’t really be able to judge the success of the program. Natalia had a unique perspective, having grown up with a half-breed brother, she felt confident the program would work. She’d call her mother at least once a week to give her an update, and both Kate and Shannon had let her know if she needed any volunteer staffing to help with the children, they’d both be available. The European Council was following her model and duplicating her methodology in their orphanage.
The change wasn’t without controversy, and there were many who still looked down on the half-breeds and thought this was a waste of time. Natalia knew she had a lot riding on this. As she made her way back to her private room, she felt bone tired. She was caught off guard when she entered her room to see Marcello waiting for her. "Marcello! What are you doing here? Did anyone see you come in?"
He chuckled as he stood to hug her. "Now what kind of warrior would I be if someone saw me enter? You don't sound very sure of my skills, Natalia."
She allowed herself to be enveloped in his hug, his muscular arms enfolding her, pulling her tight against his hard chest. It felt good to be comforted, instead of the one always giving comfort. "Mmm, this feels nice."
He kissed the top of her head. "I can make it feel much nicer."
She laughed as she broke free. "Can I take a rain check on that? I need to call my mother."
He kissed her mouth, with the promise of what was to come. "A check I plan to cash, and soon. I'll be back after next rounds." He winked at her and left as quietly as he’d entered. Natalia fell back on the bed, releasing a big sigh. She’d never planned to mate and yet, she had the love of her life with her every day. She’d never planned to have children, and here she had an orphanage full of them. It’s funny how life worked out sometimes. She got up and splashed some cold water on her face, and looked at her image in the mirror, noting the dark circles under her eyes. Her death slumber would pull her down soon, so she rushed to the only conference room with a phone and asked the sole monitor there for some privacy. He exited the room as she sat before the big screen and spoke to the computer to call her mom. She listened to the soft trill of the phone, and within minutes, her mother's face appeared on the screen. "Mommy!"
Kate beamed back at her. "You look tired, Natalia. Are you getting enough rest? Are you feeding enough?"
Natalia laughed. If her mother only knew how often she was with Marcello. "Mommy, I'm fine. I never appreciated how much work this would be, but I love it. We got another infant today, bringing us up to seven. I'm glad I’d already ordered the workers to start on the expansion."
Kate shook her head. "Seven! Natalia, that’s wonderful. That’s seven children who would probably never have survived their childhood. I’m so proud of you, daughter. Do you need my help?"
Natalia nodded. "Yes, please. Maybe if you and Auntie Shannon could help with some of the older kids. They don't adapt as well, and they have a lot of anger. Maybe if you had a regular schedule where you visit?"
Kate smiled back at her. “Of course, we’ll be happy to. I'll talk to Shannon, and we'll work out what days work best for us, and I'll get back to you."
Natalia's smile spread across her face. "Thanks, Mommy! Oh, and how is Grace doing?"
“She’s fine. Growing like a weed. She’ll be walking soon."
Natalia nodded. "Give them all my love. I have a lot to do, but I wanted to check in. Tell Daddy I love him."
Natalia blew her a kiss, and Kate caught it. "I love you, Nattie. Get some rest!"
As the image faded from the screen, Kate sighed. Shade would be in the camp a little longer, so she headed downstairs to find Shannon and Luca, so they could pick what days they could go together to the orphanage.
***
Shade had left the camp in Christoph’s hands. Spring always brought new recruits and busy nights at camp, but over the years, he’d tried to step back and let his SICs and lieutenants take command, so they too could gain more experience in leading. Tonight, he’d decided to make a few rounds in D.C. He’d do this every few months, making sure things were running smoothly and Theo had everything under control. He flew low over the bustling life in Georgetown, and then further into the heart of the capital. They hadn’t seen a skirmish in D.C. in a very long time. He changed his route and headed over to the Dead House, entering the old Victorian building. The house had served them well throughout the years, and they had modernized the command center to provide them with the latest in surveillance technology. He walked to the control room and found Theo busy on the computer, as his eyes scanned the numerous screens. "Well, I am glad to see you are so damn busy."
Shade sat in one of the office chairs and propped his feet up on the desk. "Just made a few rounds over the city and found it crowded but boring."
Theo nodded, keeping one eye on the screens. "Weather is getting warmer. That always brings out more tourists and things start to pick up this time of year. Haven't had any problems, so far. How are the new recruits? You get a good batch to work with this year?"
Shade answered him as his eyes moved from screen to screen. "It was a slightly smaller turnout this year, but it is the very first year that the camp took in more females than males. I have to tell you; I think half of it has to do with my grandson. The word gets around, the camp is being run by a new generation of Medici, and he’s unmated. That worries me sometimes, but so far, he hasn’t shown any favoritism." Shade shrugged and shook his head.
Theo laughed. “Well, there’s something about that Medici charm that definitely appeals to the females." He picked up a pack of cigarettes and pulled one free with his teeth before tossing the pack to Shade. As he lit up and exhaled, he looked around the room to make sure they were alone. "So, how’s that orphanage thing working out?"
Shade took the offered pack of cigarettes and lit up his own before shifting his eyes to Theo. It seemed an odd question for him to ask. "Nattie has it up and running and they already have about six or seven children in there. The expansion is still in the works. I am really proud of her, and Lorenzo, they have made a big difference for the half-breeds. It is long overdue, in my opinion."
Theo nodded then leaned his head back and exhaled the smoke slowly. "So, there are no consequences for the vampires? I mean, if they bring in a half-breed, they can just, you know, leave the child there, and... walk away?"
Shade looked at him quizzically. "None. The point of all of this is to stop this ancient belief that the half-breeds must be destroyed." Shade paused a moment, taking a drag on his cigarette, to see if Theo responded. When he was silent, he continued. "I would hope that any vampire who knew he had sired a half-breed would want to take responsibility."
Theo avoided his eyes. "Well, I'm not sure what you mean by take responsibility. I mean, a warrior without a mate can't very well bring home a child, like you did." He held up his hand. “You know I have no ill feeling about half-breeds. We have all had Cory in our lives too long not to see that the half-breeds can be an active part of the coven. So, when these kids are grown...they join the coven then, assuming you know where they came from?"
Shade stood to his full height and stretched his arms over his head, before leaning down, placing both hands on the desk and looking at the screens. He wasn’t sure what the hell this was all about. "They will be well educated and raised in a safe environment. They will have clean feeders and learn how to survive in our world. And yes, it is my hope that they will be able to return to the original coven from which they were sired. If the coven refuses them, then Kate and I will take them into Medici." Shade glanced over at Theo. "So, which one of my warriors has a half-breed?"
Theo nervously shuffled some papers on his desk, afraid to look his master in the eye, not wanting to disappoint him. He answered in a voice barely above a whisper. “I do, master."
Shade stood up slowly. Theo? He knew he had to set the example for every master and acknowledge the courage it took for any vampire to step forward. He sat down and spun the chair, so it faced Theo. "Look at me."
Theo turned in his chair and locked eyes with him. Theo had been an honorable and trusted warrior. "It is okay. I think no less of you. Actually, I would expect nothing less from you. We will help you. How old is this half-breed and where is he?"
Theo shook his head. "I just found out. I met this girl in one of the clubs, and she used to show up a lot, and she was willing, so, you know, I kept going back to her. Hadn't seen her in a while though, and then, this week, I saw her in the club. She came up to me and told me she had a baby...my baby. She was already overwhelmed. Asking me questions about what to do."
Shade could feel the uneasiness inside Theo, but he felt something else as well, a need to know that his own flesh and blood would be taken care of. Shade laid his hand on his shoulder. "Relax, we are going to take care of this right now. Get whoever you need back in here to take over command. No explanation is needed. Then you and I are going back to Bel Rosso. We will call Natalia and see where she guides us. You know how to contact your girl?"
Theo nodded. "Yeah, I put her number in my phone. I told her I’d figure out something and get back to her. Not sure she believes me."
