Lorenzo hadn’t yet learned to teleport and yelled out, "No flying, Daddy!" He ran twice as hard, trying to win the race as the wolf kept pace.
"No flying!" Shade slowed a bit, knowing he was still running way faster than he needed to. He waited until Lorenzo got closer to the house then sped up until he was right on his heels. Shade had no intentions of catching him but wanted to give Lorenzo the thrill of winning.
Lorenzo crashed hard against the back door, shouting, "I win!"
Aegis danced at his feet and they could hear Warrior barking from inside the house. Kate heard the commotion and rushed to the door, opening it suddenly and Lorenzo stumbled in face first. She caught him before he hit the floor as the boy, unfazed by his near fall, was still shouting, "I win! I win!"
Shade saw the door open, and before he could stop himself, ran straight into bel. The dog, the wolf, his mate, and son landed in a tumbled, tangled mess in the foyer. They were laughing as Warrior was jumping on him, and Aegis realized she was actually inside the house and tried to get herself back out the door.
Kate laughed as she lifted Lorenzo to his feet, as Aegis and Warrior both danced about the narrow hallway. Smiling back at Shade, she responded to her son, "And what exactly did you win, Lorenzo?"
He was bouncing in place as he answered her. "The race. I beat Daddy in the race. Now we're going camping in the woods, in a tent. I'm going to stay up really late. Can Warrior come too? I need my teddy bear, and my blanket, and my pillow too."
Kate looked at Shade and bit her lip. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Before Shade could answer, Lorenzo spoke up, "Course it's a good idea."
Shade nodded to Lorenzo. "Course it’s a good idea, Mommy." He winked at bel. "Lorenzo has been practicing his gift with Skelk. I was impressed and thought we would go camping on the mountain just until sunrise. Give you some time to rest."
Grabbing Lorenzo, Shade let him climb on his back, his little arms clinging around his neck. "Come on, son, I have gear stored somewhere, a tent and a sleeping bag. You won’t need a blanket or pillow. It will be warm tonight. As for Warrior, I am sure Aegis and Night-Stalker will be close by, so we probably won’t need Warrior, but if you think you must have your teddy bear, we can take that along."
Lorenzo cast a worried look at his mother when he heard he wouldn’t be taking his blanket and pillow. "But I might need my blanket, Daddy."
Kate shushed him and told him she'd gather up his blanket and pillow along with his teddy bear while he went with his father to get the tent and other camping supplies. She knew he wouldn’t need the blanket for warmth in the tent, but for the comfort of the scent it carried. She followed them up the stairs and headed to Lorenzo's bedroom, letting Theresa know she could take the night off as she gathered the soft blanket from the bed and rolled the bear and pillow inside.
Carrying Lorenzo on his shoulders, Shade took him into the bedroom. Lowering him to the floor, he nodded to the closet where the tent and sleeping bag had been carefully rolled and stored in the duffle bag. Shade intended to teleport them both most of the distance.
Lorenzo squealed and ran for the gear.
"Everything we need is in that pack, Lorenzo, so I can sling it over my shoulder, hold you in my arms, and we can teleport up to the mountain and then set up the tent. How does that sound?"
"Good, Daddy. But don't forget my bear okay?"
Kate entered the bedroom with his blanket rolled tight and handed it to Shade. "Your bear and pillow are rolled inside."
Squatting down, she took him in her arms. "Now you be good, and look after Daddy while you're out there, okay? I need my two best warriors."
Lorenzo returned the hug and asked her. "Who will look after you, Mommy?"
She brushed his hair from his face and told him Uncle Luca was here and all the warriors in the camp. "I'll be fine, Lorenzo."
He nodded but looked skeptical. She felt his energy and knew he was both excited and nervous at the same time.
Shade watched them together. Lorenzo was so concerned for her. It made his heart leap in his chest. "We will be fine, we are warriors. As for your madre, Uncle Luca would never let anything happen to her, and Cory is here as well. So, you need not worry about your mommy. Now, I want you to go downstairs and wait for me, I will be right there, but I need to speak with Mommy before we leave. No misbehaving, sit on the couch and wait. I promise we will not be long."
Lorenzo hopped out of the room. "Okay, Daddy. Don't be long!"
They could hear him as he hopped down the steps. Kate turned to Shade and slipped into his arms. "He's excited to be with you, but he's a little nervous about this too. Are you sure you want to do this? He's so young."
He snuggled into her crimson, breathing deeply. "Si, I want to do this, mi amore, but you don’t sound too sure. Are you all right with this? Seriously, you are much too soft with him, bel, a pillow, and blanket? He is a warrior. He needs to learn comforts are not always something he will have."
"He's just a baby. He's never slept anywhere except his own bed here or at Castello, with Theresa in the same room, and both of us down the hall. Even then, he’ll still climb in our bed when he’s had a bad dream. He’ll have all eternity to be a warrior. I don't want him to grow up so fast, or to feel like he has to put on a brave face just to make us proud. It's okay for him to be afraid sometimes."
Kissing her softly on the cheek, he could feel her angst, the worry deep inside her. "I would never let harm come to him. I will die protecting him. I am teleporting us up there, I will be with him every second. He has to feel fear to conquer it, master it.”
Kissing her with more passion this time, she moaned in his arms, their lips locked, when a small but loud voice was heard from the lower level. They both broke the kiss and laughed.
"I think Lorenzo has lost his patience already. We will return before sunrise. If you need me, I am not far away. Luca is in the house. I want you to rest, take advantage of this time. Ti amo."
With reluctance, Kate let him go, knowing this was just the first of many times she’d have to relinquish any control over her child.
45
Shade teleported out to the mountain with the duffle bag slung across his back, and Lorenzo held tightly in his arms. Lorenzo held his small package of teddy bear, pillow and blanket cradled tightly against his chest. Shade landed softly on a mossy green clearing with trees surrounding them. Sitting Lorenzo down, the darkness was all encompassing. The only light provided for them was from the moon and stars. Lorenzo was excited but also a little intimated. Shade felt his son’s emotions.
"Don’t wander off, Lorenzo, it is dark out here, use your senses to help you. Listen for sounds and movement. There are many animals out here tonight. Can you hear or see Aegis or Night-Stalker?"
Lorenzo stood stock still, and that alone was a miracle. As he began to unpack, Shade quickly retrieved the flashlight.
Lorenzo picked up the scent of both Aegis and Night-Stalker and looked deep into the darkness and could see the glint of moonlight reflecting in their eyes. He pointed them out to his father. "Yep. They're here all right."
He watched as his father removed the camping gear from the pack and Lorenzo laid his blanket on the ground and unrolled it, retrieving his bear. Tucking the bear tightly under one arm, he slipped a thumb in his mouth, a habit he hadn't indulged in since he was one.