Per Sempre Medici, page 57
Lorenzo's eyes never left their approaching enemy as he stood his ground. "Whatever you do, brother, keep your cool."
Vanni walked toward them with a swagger, flanked by two of his warriors. He couldn’t wait to get close enough for Lorenzo and Alfie to recognize him. He sneered at the sight of them both. They could never take on the force of the Borgia. But as long as they thought they could that was the ticket they needed to win the Medici territory and make Borgia the most powerful coven in all of Europe. As he came within yards of the dark-haired king, he sneered and spit on the ground. His legs were spread in a stance of authority, his arms hanging by his side, his stringy black hair blowing in the night breeze. "Umbria is now held by the Borgia. Seems that interests you, Medici."
Lorenzo stared back at the warrior who’d once bullied him as a young boy in the Medici camps. "There are many things that interest me, Vanni. You’re not one of them. You keep to your side of the border, and you’ll have no problems with the Medici. Umbria never belonged to us, nor would we have taken it. The Alizzi wasn’t our enemy, nor was she ever yours. I hope Donatella is safe." Lorenzo had long ago let go of any feelings he’d had for Dona, good or bad, but he never wished her harm.
Vanni looked down and kicked the grassy field with his boot, as he chuckled. "I should have known your first interest would be the Alizzi. She’s now the Borgia queen and is no longer interested in little boys. She’s chosen a true master." Vanni narrowed his focus onto Darius. "Still a Medici, Darius? Looks like you came up in the ranks, another one of his kiss-ass, cock-suckers." Shaking his head, "Sad, you could have become a Borgia, their wealth and power is more than Medici could ever provide."
"I prefer to be a warrior of honor and integrity, unlike yourself," Darius spit back at him.
Lorenzo nudged him, motioning him to be silent. Lorenzo looked hard at Vanni. "Does your master have a message for me, or did he just send you to be a pain in my ass, Vanni? I have things to do, and they don't include standing here listening to you yap."
Vanni casually reached up and drew a sword from the sheath on his back. He let it hang at his side as he gripped the handle. "I think you’re smart enough to get the message. We won’t be leaving any time soon." He turned to walk away but stopped. He pointed his sword at Alfie as he spoke to Lorenzo. "Don’t forget to take your bodyguard, Medici. You might forget where the border is." He turned back and walked toward his waiting warriors.
Lorenzo had to fight every fiber of his being not to lop off Vanni's head. “I hate that asshole. And I really hate he still gets under my skin after all this time."
Alfie took a deep breath. "I’ve never hated anyone in my life like I hate that punk. I think I actually hate his wicked ass more than the Borgia. If nothing else, confirmation was given that Donatella is mated. We need to increase our presence on this border, and all trips into Umbria will have to be halted. Let’s gradually switch out the warriors on duty now. Put Darius and another lieutenant in charge of the schedule."
Lorenzo nodded in agreement and motioned for Darius to start implementing their plan. "In the meantime, you and I need to get back to camp. We need to increase the threat level at Castello and increase the number of warriors on guard at your villa as well. I'll let Henry know. I don't think this will affect France or Greece, but he should be aware, so he can at least be alert for any changes. I'll need to let my dad know. He's not going to like hearing Dona mated Rodrigo. She’s betrayed our family again."
Alfie shook his head. "Brother, I don’t envy you that phone call. Piece of advice, turn the volume down, cause he’s going to blow the roof off Bel Rosso when he hears this." Throwing his arm over Lorenzo's shoulder, he laughed. "He may be my father-in-law, but he’s your dad, and I have faced his wrath for the love of your sister. That was enough for me!"
Lorenzo smiled despite the seriousness of the situation. His father's temper was legendary, although it had rarely been directed at his children. "Then I best be the one to break the news, I doubt anyone else would survive."
89
Lorenzo and Alfie returned to the camp, leaving Darius at the border to assess the situation and coordinate an exchange of fresh troops. After a quick consultation with their lieutenants, Lorenzo left Alfie in charge of the camp and made his way back to Castello. Now that they had everything in motion, it was time to let his father know what was going on. He entered the old castle and made his way to his office. He could hear Chantal's voice, ringing with laughter as she encouraged Grace. Lorenzo rounded a corner to see Grace crawling in Chantal's direction. Lorenzo smiled at both of them. Grace had started to pull herself up as well and would be walking soon.
Chantal looked up and was surprised to see him back from camp so early. Despite his smile, Chantal could see the concern in his eyes. He was home early, and her worry for him felt valid as she looked at him. He was dusty and dirty and looked exhausted. As Grace reached her, she picked her up and walked to Lorenzo. Grace was already gurgling in the language only babies understood, her arms outstretched to Lorenzo. "Lorenzo, you are home early, I hope everything is all right." She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "It looks as if someone else wants a kiss as well."
Lorenzo took the baby in his arms and kissed Grace on her chubby cheeks. He praised her for crawling, and Grace cooed back as if she understood his words. He handed the baby back to Chantal. "She'll get dirty if I hold her. Can you have the nanny take her, please? I think we should talk."
Chantal felt her heart sink. Even his voice told her something had gone wrong, and this didn’t bode well. "Of course, let me get her settled and I will be right back, Lorenzo."
They exchanged a glance, and she knew this was serious. As she left the room, Grace began to whimper, her arms reaching for Lorenzo. The nanny appeared to take Grace, and Chantal composed herself before returning to Lorenzo, taking a deep breath. She would, one day, be the Medici queen and whatever had happened, she’d stand with him. As she returned to him, she took his hand and led him to the parlor. "Relax, let me pour you a Midnight, you look as if you need one." Pouring him a large tumbler full, she returned and sat beside him.
He accepted the glass and took a sip. He didn’t want to frighten her, but she needed to be aware. "I don't want you to be overly concerned, but you need to know the Borgia have assumed control of Umbria. For some reason I can't fathom, Dona has mated Rodrigo. Her territory automatically falls to him now. The Borgia has already moved his warriors to the border, and they’ve set up camp in Dona's villa. As I understand it, Dona is in Rome now. We’ll increase surveillance around the castle, and I’ll assign a few more to be inside as well. I'll do the same for Sophia and Alfie's villa. I don't want you to leave Castello, not even with Rene. You should warn your mother as well. I know you love having her visit, but I'm not sure it’s safe for her to travel here. I’m sorry, cherie. I don't mean to upset you with this news, but I think it’s for the best."
Chantal laid her hand over his as he spoke. She knew this was just the first of many changes to come. She was aware of Lorenzo’s history with Donatella. She’d met Dona and knew her relationship with the Medici family was a long and complicated one. Lorenzo had told her everything, and this mating seemed like one more betrayal. She didn’t answer him right away. She took a minute to process what he’d told her. This would slow down the progress of the orphanage even more now. They’d planned to be opening the doors soon, within weeks. "I understand, it is extremely dangerous for our families. I will inform Maman she may no longer visit. I am not upset, just..."
He set his glass on the table and took her hand. “What is it, cherie? You know I won't let any harm come to you. You and Grace are safe here. I’ll see to it."
"It is not that, Lorenzo. I am very confident in our safety inside these walls." She stood then, and took his glass, walking to the bar to refill it. "The orphanage is due to open within weeks. I wanted to be there when it opened. My presence is important, but I will do as you ask.” As she returned to her seat, she looked at him. "Does this mean that warriors will be taken from the orphanage?"
He leaned back against the sofa and rubbed his hands over his face. "Cherie, I know how important the orphanage is to you, and to our coven. I think we have to take it a day at a time. I don't know where we’ll be in three weeks’ time. Continue to have the builders work on completing the orphanage, and we’ll see what's going on as we approach the opening. I can't promise you I’ll let you go. We may have to delay the opening. I know the Borgia target the half-breeds, and I can only spread my warriors so thin."
She sighed with a bit of relief. There was still hope and she was determined to have this orphanage completed. She took his hands in hers. "Thank you." She curled into his chest. "Please do not worry about Castello. Rene has told me of all the plans if anything happens. I have had the house staff preparing the lower levels with makeshift beds, blankets, and supplies. Everything is ready for whatever happens. But I do worry about you, Lorenzo. Let me have a hot bath drawn for you, you look exhausted. You need to feed."
He ran his hand through her thick hair as she rested her head on his chest. “Thank you, cherie. I’ll gladly accept your offer, but first, I must call my father and let him know what's going on." He kissed the top of her head. "For a female who wasn’t raised around warriors, you have learned quickly how to adapt."
She smiled at his words. "I have loved you always, Lorenzo, and I will do whatever is necessary to keep you." She kissed him before standing to take her leave. "Go, call your father, and I will be upstairs waiting for my warrior."
He watched her leave the room before standing and making his way to the office, taking his glass with him. He poured himself a refill as he looked at the time. The sun would be rising here soon, so it was still night in the U.S. He spoke to the computer system to connect him to his father, and heard the big screen come to life as the connections were made. He took a seat in his chair and saw Gi's face appear on the screen. Lorenzo raised his glass. "Gi! Is my father about?"
Gi nodded. "It is good to see you, Master Lorenzo. Hold on, I will find your father for you."
As Gi stepped out of the line of vision, Lorenzo could see the office his father occupied in Bel Rosso, its surroundings so familiar. Lorenzo took a big swallow of Midnight, as he waited for his father to appear.
***
Shade was making his way down to his office. The house had been a flurry of activity lately as they all prepared for the All Covens Ball. He’d pull a tuxedo from the closet and be done with it, but the females had been planning for weeks about what they’d wear. Between Kate, Shannon, and Aislynn, it had become a three-ring circus, as they tried on gown after gown, and discussed hairstyles and jewels. He felt the need to escape all the estrogen. As he hit the landing on the stairs, Gi almost ran into him. "Master Shade, Master Lorenzo is on the phone for you."
Shade felt a shiver of dread and hoped this was nothing serious. "Grazie, Gi." Walking into his office, he saw his son’s image on the screen. He looked worried, and Shade could see his exhaustion. As he sat down in his chair, he looked his son in the eyes. "Good to see you, son. By the looks of you, this is not a social call. What has happened?"
Lorenzo saw no reason to drag this out. "I just got back from the border. The Borgia has claimed Umbria and has already taken control. It seems Dona made a choice to mate Rodrigo. It didn't take the Borgia long to move in. They have several regiments stationed along the border and have set up a camp in Dona's villa. I've been told Dona has moved to Rome already, and now lives in the Borgia palace. Alfie, Darius, and I went to the border just to check things out. We're already increasing our numbers there, and I’m going to increase coverage here at Castello and at Sophia's. They haven’t made any move of aggression, so right now, we’re just in a standoff. Our warriors know they aren’t to provoke. Is there anything else I need to do?"
Shade showed no emotion. Rodrigo’s interest in Dona now was crystal clear; she’d been a pawn in his plan to get closer to the Medici. He sat thinking before he replied to his son. He reached inside the top drawer of his desk and lit up a cigarette, taking long drags. "Do you have enough warriors? We have the over-flow here at Bel Rosso, as well as California. If you need them, we can send them to you. Greece and France can spare warriors as well. I prefer you take warriors from Greece. It will leave Henry with a full house if anything erupts in France near the Valois."
“I think we're good for now. I'd rather save the backup troops in the event we go to war. That way, Borgia never knows our full capacity. By the way, we saw Vanni on the border.”
Shade leaned back in his chair. "Well, it seems he is pushing us in stages. You make me proud, son, you have done a good job. Remember, do not goad him. Keep the warriors well informed of his tactics, and by all means, keep the females in total lockdown. You look a bit worn, Lorenzo. Do you need your old man to come for a while, take some of this load off you?"
Lorenzo leaned back in the chair, a crooked grin on his face. "Nah. We got this. Alfie is an excellent SIC, and our warriors are ready. The Borgia have always been cocky and in your face. Let's just see how it plays out."
Shade nodded. He was pleased Lorenzo had this well in hand. "Relax a bit yourself, son. Rodrigo will draw this out and try to wear you down. There is no doubt in my mind he will throw down the gauntlet at some point, but he isn’t ready yet. The All Covens Ball is coming up. He always wants to show his power and prowess at this event, no doubt with Dona on his arm this year. He won’t make a move before this. There would be too many masters gathered in one place. He is not stupid, by any means. So, relax and take care of your mate. How is my angel doing?"
Lorenzo smiled. "Crawling, and soon to be walking. I remember those years with Henry and Christoph. Chantal will be chasing her through every room of the castle soon."
Shade grinned. "I remember those days well. Make sure you are a part of it, son, they grow up fast. Get your ass to bed and feed. Call me if anything changes. I love you, Lorenzo."
Lorenzo returned that love and the screen went blank. Shade stared at it for a long time. He knew the Borgia’s were scheming, but so were the Medici’s.
90
Natalia was about to leave the data center when a runner approached to let her know she had a call. She thanked him and headed for the communication center, where the staffer had Malachi on hold. She asked the staffer to leave so she could speak privately. As soon as the door closed behind him, she took the seat in front of the large screen and removed the mute option. “Hello, Malachi. I hope all is well.”
He pushed the green hood back ever so slightly so he could see her better on the screen. “I am fine, thank you, child. I did want to speak with you before you went to your slumber. I have had a vision.”
Natalia sat up straighter in her chair. “About the battle?”
He shook his head, “No child. I have not seen anything further about the battle. Have you?”
Her face reflected her concern. “No, and I don’t know whether that’s good or bad.”
Malachi’s face remained emotionless. “It is neither good nor bad, it just is, child. We will see only what we are meant to see, and nothing more. But that brings me to the reason for my call.”
Natalia pushed the hood from her head, wondering what he’d seen. “You look… upset.”
He frowned slightly. “Do I? I think I am feeling more confused than anything. In my vision, I saw you as mated.” He watched her face closely for her reaction.
Natalia was caught off-guard and didn’t have a ready response. She felt her face grow hot and knew her blush would be visible to him. She was wishing she hadn’t removed her hood. “I don’t … mated?” She was struggling for words. She didn’t want to lie to him, and if he’d had a vision, she had no idea how much he’d seen. She cast her eyes downward, unable to maintain eye contact. “I don’t know how to answer that.”
He looked back at her, his face betraying nothing. “Then I suggest we just stick to the truth, si?”
Her head was filled with all the possible outcomes at once, but foremost in her mind was that he’d ban her from Council. She looked up at him, and she knew he could see the guilt in her eyes. Not able to bear his rejection, she closed her eyes as she answered. “It’s true. I’m mated.”
He nodded once. “To Marcello.”
She answers softly, “Yes.”
“I don’t understand, Ivory. How is this possible you have mated, and it has gone undetected? It is the part of my vision I could not decipher.”
She looked up at him. “My father had access to a potion he’d acquired years ago that blocks a vampire’s scent. He met separately with both Marcello and me, to understand the nature of our relationship, and then he encouraged me to mate. I do love Marcello, and were I not born to Council, he is the male I would have chosen. I didn’t do this for my father, I did this for myself, but I can tell you this mating was extremely important to my father. I’m afraid, Malachi. I’m afraid to acknowledge what this might mean, and why my father felt this was an important path to take. I was afraid Council would find out, and I’d be banned. In the end, my love was greater than my fear. So, what happens now? Will Council meet to decide my fate?”
Malachi sighed heavily. “I have been thinking about this for a few days now, ever since I had the vision. I have told no one.”
