"Salute!” they shouted in a loud roar.
Shade held his daughter against his chest, puffed out with pride. "Please, let us all celebrate her arrival. Enjoy your evening."
As everyone began to chatter, the band began to play, and Shade sat down, holding his infant daughter. "They all think you are beautiful, si? But no one will love you like your padre."
Kate took a sip of Midnight. "Of that, I have no doubt. I pity the young man who comes to call on the daughter of the Medici."
Shannon laughed loudly. "Seriously? Who’d ever have the nerve?"
Luca smiled to himself but didn’t speak. He knew any vampire who wanted the hand of the Medici Princess would have a challenging maze of obstacles to overcome. Turning to Shannon, who looked resplendent in her gown, Luca asked her to dance. She graciously accepted, and he led her to the dance floor.
Cory saw Luca make the first move and turned to ask Madison to dance.
"Cory, it’s a waltz or something. I don't know how to dance like that!"
He laughed as he took her hand. "Just fake it. We'll just dance slowly, no one cares."
He helped her from the chair and led her to the dance floor, where others were starting to gather as well. Shade passed the warm bundle that was his daughter into the hands of Theresa, with Marco standing close by, as he turned his attention to Kate.
"And now, mi amore, before we are interrupted once again, may I have this dance?"
Kate smiled at him as they locked eyes, and he took her hand as she rose from the chair. He whisked her to the middle of the ballroom, where he held her close as they swayed to the music.
His hand slid down the bare skin of her back until it was resting at the base of her spine. Nuzzling into her neck, he breathed in the rose scent that had lured him from the beginning. "You are so beautiful, Kate. I am so proud of you. You are so loved by our coven. How did this happen?"
She looked back at those impossibly blue eyes and answered him. "You found me, as I recall, and stalked me, in fact, now that I think about it. You seduced me in my dreams and showered me with love. I think that's how it happened."
He laughed at her. "Si, you never stood a chance." He pulled her close, protecting the love he held most precious when he felt a hand on his shoulder. They stopped dancing as he turned to see who interrupted him and was momentarily left speechless.
Donatella stood before him, looking as exotic as he remembered. She was the vampire of royal blood his father had arranged for him to marry when he was still a child. "Donatella. Excuse me, I did not expect to see you here, but I am honored you have joined us to celebrate the birth of our Princess. Kate, this is Donatella, she is the female Padre had arranged for me to mate when I was young."
He could already feel the fires of jealously building inside of Kate. "Donatella, this is my mate, my queen, and the mother of my children, Katherine Medici."
Kate felt the smile leave her face as the woman stood close to Shade, her hand slipping around his arm. She was almost as tall as he was, her skin a golden bronze, her thick black hair tumbled around her shoulders, and her eyes so brown they were almost black. She looked exotic, with almond-shaped eyes, high cheekbones, and thick lashes. Her gown clung to her toned body, and her ample breasts were barely contained. The woman stared back at her with defiance, as if Kate was the intruder not her.
Kate felt her pulse race and tried to reel in her emotions. Making no attempt to hide her displeasure, she responded coldly, "Nice to meet you."
Donatella gave her a cold smile in return. "I'm sure it is. I've heard so much about you." Turning to Shade, she stroked his arm, feeling the familiar strength of him beneath the tailored suit. "And you. Who would have ever thought you would have been so domesticated. You were always such a proud warrior. Your father saw so much potential in our mating. I often wonder what my life would be like now had you not been so adamant about going against his will. You always fought him, you know? Resisting his direction when he only wanted what was best for you."
Shade felt the volcano boiling inside bel as Donatello stood proud beside him. She was the mistress of her own coven, a queen, the only child of a royal blood master, who was now dead and gone. She had always been conniving and sly in her younger days, and he saw not much had changed.
He removed her hand from his arm, where she had continued to stroke him. “You should not dwell on old times, Dona. That is ancient history for both of us. I am far from domesticated, still a warrior, master and king, you would do well to remember such. My padre knew nothing of my heart. He lived according to his times, but I chose a different path. This is my life.”
He felt a sharp pull on his coat tail and looked down to find Lorenzo. "Daddy, can we go now?"
Donatella immediately knelt down to the boy and ruffled his hair with her hand. "And you must be Lorenzo. What a handsome prince you are, so like your father. Are you going to be a fierce warrior too?"
Lorenzo nodded with enthusiasm. “I am! I already have a sword and I go with Daddy to the camps."
Donatella looked at him with sad eyes, thinking this child should be hers. "And I assume you will be coming here to train as well? It is what all the young Medici warriors aspire to."
Lorenzo grinned. "When I'm ten! Daddy says I will train with Marco."
Donatella stroked his cheek. "You are a most handsome boy, and I am sure you will live up to your father's legend, in more ways than one."
Lorenzo nodded as Donatella stood up and linked her arm through Shade’s. Still looking at Lorenzo, she explained. "I have known your father for many years. Our families go way back. We share a lot of history together." Turning her attention to Shade, she whispered, "Don't we, Medici?"
Shade ignored her whisper. "Lorenzo, this is Donatella, she is the mistress of a coven that borders ours, in Umbria. I have known her since we were children.” Turning back to Donatella, he once again disengaged from her clutches. “Now, if you will excuse us, I have a family and many guests to attend too."
Donatella nodded and leaned in, kissing him softly on the cheek, and he knew he was going to pay for that later.
Kate slipped her arm around Shade and gently pulled him away, indicating her desire to move away from this bitch. She took Lorenzo's hand and led him as well. "Come on, Lorenzo. We have a lot of people to meet tonight."
Kate was gritting her teeth, biting back her anger at the intrusion of the female. She’d known, for years, that Shade had been promised to another by his father, but Shade had never spoken her name. She was less than pleased to have this woman insert herself into their life.
Lorenzo walked with them. "She's a nice lady, isn't she?"
Kate looked down at her son's innocent face and closed her eyes. He shouldn't be tainted with her anger, which she knew was irrational. Whatever existed between Shade and Donatella was long over. "Of course, Lorenzo, I'm sure she's very nice." Turning to Shade, she gave him a look that said otherwise.
***
Marco watched closely as Donatello made her move on his oldest friend. He was well aware Dona was once promised to him, and everyone in the coven knew she’d never gotten over Shade’s rejection of the mating contract. "There’s going to be fireworks over this one, Terri. Look at our queen's face. Cazzo, she wants to rip her apart. I hope like hell she doesn’t call in her wolves."