Shade eyed him closely and didn’t miss how he gulped down the Midnight. Alec never had a problem finding a source for feeding, but an exiled vampire wasn’t welcome in many venues. Swirling the thick ruby-colored liquid around in the tumbler, he cleared his throat. "Seems to me I have been helping you since the moment I landed in the States.”
Shade locked eyes with Alec, letting his statement hang in the air between them, as he let it sink in. He’d help his old friend, but make no mistake; he was the one calling the shots now. "Everything is gone, Alec, but as I see it, you have two options."
Alec laughed. "Really? Well, that's two more options than I see, brother. So please, tell me."
Sipping from his Midnight, Shade set the glass down, slowly spinning it round and round on the worn surface of his desk. "Your first option is Colin in Nevada. He roams the underground. He knows you, and I would say you might have a shot there, but to be honest, he is even more depraved than you are." Shade smiled, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly. "But there is another avenue I am willing to offer you."
Alec cringed. He’d hate to go begging to Colin. "Let's hear it. Anything is better than Colin."
"Smart decision. Besides, Colin was always more drawn to Rissa than to you."
Leaning forward, Shade poured Alec another Midnight. “You know California. I have warriors there, and an established base. Raven is my Second-in-Command. I will offer you refuge there, underground, of course. I’ll provide protection, up to a point. But let me make one thing perfectly fucking clear, brother. You get out of hand and I’ll deal with you, one on one. This is no game. You have one shot to get your fucking life under control. The underground network thrives there. It is up to you to make your own contacts, figure out where you go from there."
Alec swirled the dark liquid in his glass. How did he fall so far, so fast? "Deal, brother. There were always a lot of underground clubs in California. Rissa liked the clubs, but it was never my thing. I can make it work."
Shade opened his desk drawer, pulled out a pack of cigarettes and dug in his pocket for a light. He lit up and threw the pack to Alec. "You have to make it work. If you don’t, you are a dead vampire."
Shade took a few drags from the cigarette and stood, walking around the office. "I can tell you haven’t fed, I can offer you something before you head out, if you are interested. Feeder compound on the camp premise, I will give you a night there, if it’s what you need. “
Alec nodded. "I'll accept your offer. It will take me a while to get settled in California, so I should probably feed."
"I’ll have Aislynn escort you down. She is my Lieutenant at camp, and she oversees the feeder compound. Access requires fingerprint ID, so only authorized warriors can get inside. You will probably know the Matron, Velia from Castello."
Alec looked up. "I remember Velia. It’s been a very long time, but I remember her. Had no idea she was here with you. Listen, I get it, brother, your house, your rules. You'll get no trouble from me."
Shade looked at the broken master before him. "Do you miss her?"
"Yeah, brother, I do. But she fed from him, from Max. I miss her, but I could never forgive her for that."
Shade sighed. He knew Alec would never have destroyed Rissa without provocation. "Well, let’s just say, you got retribution for both of us on that count. Come on, let’s walk down to camp, get you set up for the night. You can leave whenever you’re ready. Medici stands with you, we remain allies. Be sure of that."
106
After walking with Alec to the camps and turning him over to Aislynn, he walked to the training field, observing this year’s new recruits. He was going to need them now more than ever, as his territory was expanding. He’d just sent a large number of his experienced warriors to set up a base in Connecticut. He watched the young warriors train, and could easily spot those who’d learn fast, and be able to rise within the ranks quickly. Normally, he’d take up his sword and join in; challenging some of the more skilled recruits, pushing them to their limits, but tonight, his head wasn’t in it.
Meeting with Alec had made him reflect on his own life choices, a surreal reminder of how much had happened in such a short time, and how quickly it could all disappear. He needed to clear his head, and the warm spring night called to him. He ached to be away from the burden of responsibilities that lay on his shoulders. He yelled out his orders to Marcello and strolled back to the house. The stars were clearly visible tonight, as they shone down from the cloudless sky.
As he approached the house, he stopped and looked up at the windows, lit from within in a soft, warm glow, inviting him inside. He knew he should go in, but his body ached to be set loose. He needed some time alone, a break from the chaos of being mate, daddy, master, and warrior. It only took a second to convince himself, and he detoured away from the house, and in the direction of the garage. He stepped around the area of new construction, where Kate had already ordered a section to be enclosed and remodeled to accommodate a room for Madison to place her potter’s wheel, with ample shelving to store the raw materials for her work, as well as the finished product.
He grabbed his helmet and straddled the Harley, eager to feel the fresh air in his face. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a Harley between his legs, and then the memory hit him and his chuckle echoed off the walls of the garage. Their life together had changed so much since that ride into Charlottesville. He strapped on his helmet, eased the bike out of the garage, and kick started the engine. The distinctive roar was deafening. He rode the bike down the long lane that lead to the entrance, and then hit the open road, quickly accelerating.
As the night air cleared his mind, he headed away from the city. As he hit I-64, he headed west, up the mountains. Reaching the top of Afton Mountain, he veered left down the Blue Ridge Parkway, the narrow two-lane road carved into the crest of the mountain that ran the entire length of the Blue Ridge Mountain range, frequently running parallel to the Appalachian Trail. The road ran through the national park, and remained largely deserted at night, allowing him to open the throttle, increasing his speed as he leaned into each curve. He pulled into a deserted overlook and switched off the engine. He removed his helmet, lowered the kick stand on the bike, and walked to the stone embankment that marked the sharp drop off. Sitting down on the wall, he lit up a smoke. Exhaling the smoke into the cool night, he inhaled deeply, drawing in the rich smell of the earth as it awakened to spring.
Looking out over the valley below him was the place he now called home, and in the distance, he could see the lights of Charlottesville. He was surrounded by the beauty of nature, and he’d never thought, six years ago, this would be where he’d put down roots.
He’d come to the States to work for Alec. At the time, he thought he’d be here a year at the most, although he was interested in exploring opportunities to expand his territory. Fuck, that seems like ages ago now. The States represented new ground for vampires from Europe. There were covens here, but not many and not well organized, with the structure and discipline like the covens in Europe. But then, he met her. He never saw it coming.
He’d stood against admirable opponents, many his equal, and walked away unscathed, but he couldn’t walk away from her. He’d avoided his obligation to mate for more than 500 years, but he was struck down, by a mortal no less, with crimson hair, and large doe eyes. She’d stolen his heart the first moment he saw her. She walked beside him now, as his immortal Medici Queen, and he cherished the ground she walked on. He’d shared everything with her, well, almost everything.