Kate stopped what she was doing and followed Theresa to her bedroom where the TV was blaring out news about the sudden accidental death of the wife of Senator Canton. Kate's hand covered her mouth.
"Oh my god!" She sat down on Theresa's bed as Theresa sat next to her. They listened to the details, as the newscaster described the urgent 911 call in the middle of the night, and the EMT's finding Rissa's body at the bottom of the stairs where she fell, breaking her neck. Kate leapt up from the bed and ran to their bedroom, opening the door to where Shade lay deep in his death slumber. She crawled across the bed, shaking him awake. "Shade. Wake up. Please! I need you."
Shade heard her voice, as if it were coming from the bottom of a deep well, and he fought the pull of his slumber, pulling himself from the deep sleep to respond to her. Opening his eyes, he saw and felt her panic. "Bel, what's wrong? The baby?"
She shook her head and pulled at his hand to follow her. Grabbing the sheet and tying it around his waist he followed her back to Theresa's room where the images of a covered body being carried on a stretcher from the Canton residence and loaded in an ambulance flashed across the screen. The reporter's voice relayed the sad news about the young, handsome couple who were destined for greatness, and the Senator, whose future path was now in question. Would he continue his bid for the White House?
Shade's mind was in over-drive. The reporter was saying she fell to her death, but until he knew what was going on his first responsibility was to protect Alec. He hoped like hell nothing happened to Rissa while his warriors were on duty. He hurried back to the bedroom with Kate on his heels, and pulled on a pair of jeans before heading down the stairs to his office.
Kate rushed behind him. "What should we do?"
Shade called out to Mateo telepathically and told him to get to the Canton residence now. He heard the warrior respond and knew he’d be there in seconds. He grabbed his phone and called Theo in the Dead House. "Have you heard the news?"
Theo told him he was watching it now on his laptop. Shade told him to call in all warriors assigned to the Dead House and to stay on high alert, with special attention to the Georgetown grid. Theo said he was on it.
Marcello appeared in the doorway of his office, having heard the news through Mateo. "Master?"
Shade told him to keep the camp on high alert until further notice. Marcello nodded and said, "Taken care of."
Kate sat of the sofa, her feet curled under her watching as he gave out orders, and his warriors swung into action. "Lover, are we in danger?"
He sat down beside her, kissing the top of her head. "I do not think so bel, but until I know what is going on, we take no chances, si? I do not want Lorenzo outside until we have answers."
Kate nodded. "He’s with Enzo in class. I'll make sure he doesn't go out."
Luca stepped into the doorway, drawn by all the activity. Shade waved him into the room. "Rissa is dead."
Luca took a step back. "What? How?"
Shade shook his head and called for Hyde who teleported into the office. The warrior looked pale, his face drawn. He’d heard the news. Shade poured him a large Midnight and handed him the glass. "Sit down Hyde. Tell me what you know."
The warrior took a long swallow of the thick elixir. "Nothing you don't know already. They haven't been getting along. Rissa wasn't happy on the campaign, and she seemed to go out of her way to antagonize him. Braden has been pissed off for some time now because Alec is down in the polls, and it’s all because of her. There was definitely a lot of tension on the flight home last night, but Mateo and I were with them when Alto drove them home, and Alec told us we could both take off a few days."
Shade lit up a cigarette, trying to get as much information as possible before he put a call in to Alec. "So any chance this came from the outside?"
Hyde ran his hand over his face. "I mean, we can't rule it out, but it doesn't fit. Alto was near, he's not a warrior, but he's pretty formidable. Plus whoever got in would have to get past Alec. Santos wouldn't be much help in a battle, but he could at least call out, and I heard nothing. And Rissa, if she was in danger, she didn't call out to me." He shook his head. "It doesn't make sense."
Shade sat down on the desk, taking another drag on the cigarette. "No, it doesn't"
Picking up his cellphone he dialed Alec's number and listened as the familiar voice answered in a flat tone. "Brother, Shade here. I've sent Mateo, and the Dead House is on full alert, as is the camp."
Alec answered him, "Thanks, but no need. We're in no danger. It was just an accident. Just like what’s being reported. Braden is dealing with the press, and he’s called in a doctor, one of our own, who will oversee the autopsy, and make sure the report is consistent with the story. There won't be any questions."
Shade let his words sink in. "Why would there be questions Alec?" There was a silence on the other end of the phone as Shade waited for an answer.
After a long pause, Alec answered. "Aren't there always questions? Don't worry brother. What's done is done. Braden is coordinating the funeral arrangements. I'm sure it will be a circus. I don't anticipate any problems but you should probably have some security there just in case."
Shade looked at Kate who was watching him closely. He tried to imagine his own pain if he ever lost her. He knew he’d have to end his own life and follow her in death. A life without his bel rosso would be a living hell. Alec didn’t sound like a man who’d just lost his eternal mate. "Is there anything you need to tell me brother?"
Alec sighed heavily. "We've know each other a long time old friend. Do me a favor and don't ask questions, okay? Let it go, Shade."
Shade was silent as the words sank in. "Okay, brother." He laid the phone down on the desk and stared blankly across the room.
Hyde stared at him. "He did it, didn't he?"
Shade looked back at him without answering, and the two warriors locked eyes.
Kate sat upright on the sofa. "What? What are you saying?"
Shade looked at her and said, "It is not our problem bel. He is her master. We do not intervene."
She was staring at him with an open mouth when Lorenzo came crashing through the doorway. “I finished my class. Enzo was teaching me algebra, and then we studied Plato. Hey, why are you sad Mommy?"
Kate scooped him up in her arms, holding him close. "Miss Rissa died. She fell down some stairs. We’re all sad for Miss Rissa."
Lorenzo consoled her. "Don't cry Mommy. She was bad."
Kate shushed him. "Don't say that Lorenzo. I know she didn't appreciate being around children, but that doesn't mean she was bad."
Lorenzo looked back at her with wide, innocent eyes. "That's not what sleeping warrior says."
Kate flashed a look in Shade's direction, as he moved to join them on the couch. "What do you mean Lorenzo?"
The child continued, "He talks to me, when I visit the garden. The sleeping warrior talks to me. He says he died because she gave him poison pills."
Kate's mouth dropped open, as she shook her head no. How could Lorenzo know anything about the pills she’d taken? They’d never discussed her first pregnancy around him. Shade lifted his son from Kate's lap, and placed him in his own. "Tell me Lorenzo."