91
Lorenzo sat on the floor outside the closed door of his parents’ bedroom. His pony had arrived, and he’d waited all day for his father to wake. The sun would set any minute now, and as soon as he heard any sound from the other side of the door, he’d knock. He laid his head against the door, his ear pressed tightly against the wood, straining to hear anything.
Theresa stood in the hallway, holding Sophia and shook her head. “Lorenzo, that won't make your father wake up any earlier."
Lorenzo whispered, "I know, but I need to be ready."
Shade moaned softly as he slowly woke from the depths of his death slumber and heard the soft whir of the electronic blinds. He felt her body, soft and warm, curled up next to him and he slid his hand through her tangled silken tresses of crimson. He fisted the softness gently in his hand and smiled. It felt good to have her sleeping with her head on his chest again, having her blood energize him and his cock. The thought alone made him hard and instantly, he felt bel’s hand around his steel. "Good evening to you too, mi amore."
Kate giggled as she snuggled into his neck, running her tongue along the pulsing vein. He responded to her advances when they heard a tapping at the door.
Kate dropped her head down on his chest. "Really? I got up with Sophia twice today because she wouldn't stop crying for Theresa or Gita, and now, Lorenzo’s already at the door. I'm wondering if we'll ever be alone again."
Shade growled in agitation at the interruption, but quickly switched gears to concern for his children. "Is she all right?"
"She’s fine. She’s just a child who’ll demand what she wants, and right now, she wants me over her nanny or feeder. She’s been hard to wean. I need to learn to just let her cry, but it’s difficult."
They heard another round of tapping at the door and a small voice calling. "Hello? Can you hear me?"
Shade looked at Kate and winked, and in a louder than usual voice responded, "Mi amore, did you hear something?"
Kate rolled off of him and pulled the pillow over her head. Her voice muffled by the pillow. “I didn't hear anything. I'm going back to sleep."
"Back to sleep, you say? Oh, si. Good idea.”
Lorenzo tapped on the door again. "Hello! It's your son, Lorenzo. I can hear talking. Can I come in now?"
Shade sighed as he gave Kate one last cuddle. It felt like the nights spent waking up with her in his arms, followed by hours of love making, were a thing of the past, at least until the children were grown. “What is the problem, Lorenzo?"
Lorenzo heard his father speak out to him. "Daddy, you said Zeus would be here today, but I had to wait till you were up before I went to the stables. I waited all day!"
Shade chuckled to himself at the image of his son sitting outside the bedroom door, waiting for some sign his parents were awake. "Come in, little warrior.”
Lorenzo opened the door and threw himself onto the bed shared by his parents, landing in a heap on top of them. His mother squealed as Shade began to tickle the boy, and watched as he collapsed in laughter.
Theresa appeared at the door, holding Sophia wrapped in a blanket. "Excuse me, master, but as long as you’re awake, this one is getting restless again too."
"Ah, my Princess, give her to me, Theresa, she just misses her padre, that is all, si?" Taking Sophia into his arms, he smiled down at that beautiful, sweet face. "You miss me, don’t you?"
Sophia let out a loud coo.
"They think you are fussy. My princess is not fussy, she is cooing like a sweet dove." Putting her on his shoulder, she nuzzled into his neck and gripped a handful of his curls, yanking hard. "Ouch, okay, okay, I know you are hungry."
Kate lifted the baby from him as she kicked her small feet, her tiny hands fisted and waving in the air, her face scrunched up, ready to cry. Kate shushed her and laid her on her shoulder, where the baby immediately rooted for her neck and started to suckle. Sophia relaxed instantly, as she clung to her mother. Kate stroked her back. "Sophia, you’re breaking all the rules already. What am I going to do with you?"
Shade watched as Sophia instantly stopped flailing once she nestled in and fed from bel. "Mi amore, Sophia should not be taking from you so often, this is not normal, I think, perhaps, we need to call Doc Bonutti. Have him come check her out. I’m concerned. Do you think she needs my blood?"
“I think it’s just her preference. But yes, she does need to feed from you as well. She feeds often, from both Theresa and Gita, but she prefers to feed from me and she’s very willful, even at this age."
Sliding from their bed, Shade picked Lorenzo up in his arms. "Once we’re back from the stables, she should be hungry again, and I will feed her before my death slumber, perhaps it will help. Did you want to come with us to see Zeus?"
Kate stroked the silky, soft red curls on top of her daughter's head as she continued to feed. “You go ahead, Shade. I have my hands full with this one."
Lorenzo jumped from his father’s arms, running to the door, impatiently hopping from one foot to the other.
"Lorenzo, I need to get dressed, and you need your boots. I’ll meet you in your room, go."
As Lorenzo took off, Shade began to get dressed, pulling on his jeans and lacing up his boots. As he pulled the shirt over his head, Lorenzo barreled back in the room. Shade ruffled his son’s hair and gave bel a kiss. "Your warriors will be in the stables if you need us."
Kate leaned over the side of the bed, kissing Lorenzo, who grew taller every day. "Have fun, you two."
"Let’s go, little warrior, we have a pony to attend to."
Shade took the boy’s hand and led him outside and across the field to the stables. Lorenzo kept running ahead, pulling his father by the hand. “Faster, Daddy!”
Shade laughed and teleported across the wide expanse of Bel Rosso, holding tight to Lorenzo’s hand. Touching down in the stables, Lorenzo landed with a thud and quickly picked himself up, running for the stall that housed Zeus. The pony had been fed and brushed and given time to acclimate to his new surroundings. His stall was only a few spots down from Impavido's, who didn’t look the least bit impressed with this miniature impostor. Lorenzo quickly clambered over the gate and dropped down inside the stall, startling the pony, who backed away a little wild eyed. "Zeus! It's just me, Lorenzo."
"Easy, little warrior, Zeus is in new surroundings, he is a little scared still, and he is not used to you or your scent yet. Why don’t you get him a carrot, make friends with him, let him eat from your hand, you know what to do."
Lorenzo went for the carrots as Angelo approached, leaning over the stall beside Shade.
"Any problems getting him settled?"
Angelo shook his head. "No problems, master, the pony has a good temperament. But I was told to give this to the Prince."
He handed Shade a sealed envelope with Lorenzo's name on it. He could pick up Dona’s faint scent on the paper, and wondered what in the hell that was about. Tucking it in the back pocket of his jeans, he’d give it to Lorenzo later. "So, little warrior, what do you make of this Zeus, so far?"
Lorenzo climbed up on the gate and extended his hand, palm up, with the carrot, while the pony sniffed, then accepted the offering. “I think Zeus is the best pony ever. He’ll run as fast as Impavido. Maybe faster!"