Free The Shades of Time by Diane Nelson Page B

not perform a
second time, the blood and angry marks a testament to his brother's
well-deserved reputation as a cruel and violent man, one to be
feared and respected.
    What threatened
to consume Stefano's soul was the knowledge that he had wanted it,
desperately, the pain, then the slick, smooth feel as he commanded
her body and drove his own relentlessly to explode with a roar, an
ecstasy of release even his beloved Veluria had only begun to
awaken in him. He recognized it for what it was, a perversion, and
he desperately wanted to embrace it, own it, to call it up at his
every whim. The stray wisps of memories set his blood boiling and
his cock aching with need.
    In the deepest recesses of his mind he pleaded, Antonio, help me before I am
lost .
    Cosimo chewed
idly on a piece of meat and observed the play of emotions on the
young man's face. Tonio's man, Eduardo, had apprised the capo della
famiglia of events as he had observed them, leaving no detail,
however small, unmentioned.
    " Hai fatto bene, figlio
mio ."
    " Gracie, Papà." Stefano mumbled. In another time, another place, such
praise, a simple 'you did well,' would have burst his heart with
pride. Now a cauldron of doubt and shame and desire threatened to
bury him in darkness from which there was no escape. A darkness
Antonio knew all too well. He did not wish to join his brother in
the living hell he dwelt in every day of his tortured
life.
    Stefano bent close to his father, concentrating hard on the
old man's intonation of events unfolding on the continent. Carlos
had inherited Burgundy and Castile-León
and stood next in line to inherit Aragon from the ailing Ferdinand,
placing the young man in the enviable position as effective ruler
of all of the area known as Spagna.
    "You understand what this means, do you not?" Cosimo queried
his son.
    "I think so, Papà. When Carlos'
father, Phillip, died ten years ago…" Cosimo nodded encouragingly,
"…that left Maximillian with no direct heirs other than
Carlos."
    Stefano sat up
straighter and rubbed his left hand over his brow, the implications
now clear. No wonder his father worked so diligently to secure the
favor of the man who would rule Spagna, and eventually most of the
continent.
    Cosimo
continued, "Carlos has indicated a certain … willingness to
consider my, and Leo's, proposal in exchange for our support when
the time is right."
    "But the
French…"
    "Will not be a
factor, of this I am assured from a trusted source." Cosimo grinned
and patted his son's knee. "You, my boy, will have an integral part
to play, never fear."
    Stefano cringed inwardly. That was exactly what he feared.
    Cosimo
interpreted his son's discomfort to the injuries his increasingly
out-of-control older brother had inflicted. He opted not to pursue
the matter of the woman, Veluria, as he was assured by Eduardo that
Antonio was 'on the hunt' and Cosimo knew exactly what that meant.
The woman would be in their custody soon enough. They could make
the proper determinations and proceed as planned whatever the
outcome of his interrogation.
    "Rest, my boy.
We will talk more on this later."
    " Gracie , Papà,
sleep well."
    Stefano lunged
to his feet, willing the pain away. With mincing steps he hastened
from the small room and made for the stairs to his quarters. Once
in the safety of his private chambers, he stripped quickly and
gazed with horror at the purplish bruising and oozing cuts on his
cock. He wished for nothing more than a soft pillow and the pliant
flesh of his beloved, his Veluria.
    Where was she?
Why could he no longer feel her tender presence?
    In silent
supplication, he began his evening prayers for salvation of his
soul.
     
    ****
     
    Andreas allowed
his shadow-self to mold onto the stained gray stones. Distracted by
the powerful energies channeling through his aura, he failed to
triangulate the respective locations of the woman and her pursuer.
The sound of footfalls striding relentlessly toward him startled
him into breaking the