Sera was already at the table when Catherine arrived loaded down with packages and a marvelous red cloak thrown over her arm.

It had been a fruitful day. Not only had she found many shops with wonderful things to purchase, but some amazing small galleries with new and emerging artists. She had also found a shop that remembered her sister even after all these months. It seemed Shannon had left something with them to be altered and never returned. They had found it odd that when they tracked her back to the hotel in which she’d told them she was staying, the hotel had no record of her ever having been there.

“I thought you were going to look at galleries?” Sera asked, her eyes glinting with humor.

“Me too... but that Ponte Vecchio is a dangerous place and deadly to one’s credit card.”

“That it is. I stay away from the place. Way too many talented artisans.”

Catherine picked up the menu and accepted the glass of wine Sera had ordered for her. “Seriously?” she said, eyeing first the wine and then Sera.

“Hair of the dog.”

Catherine giggled. “Ooh, the same vintner. Is this wine available in the States? I think it may be the best wine I’ve ever had.”

“It’s very exclusive and I don’t think widely distributed. They say the land has been in the family for over a thousand years and that the artwork in the villa itself is stunning—hand-painted murals, centuries-old tapestries and the like.”

“Do they do tours?”

“No. The DeMedici keep to themselves for the most part. Although the head of the family, Marco is well known in Florence and is a patron of the arts here.”

“DeMedici?”

“Yes, the De alludes to the story that they are the bastard side of the Medici family.”

“How interesting,” said Catherine as she perused the menu. “So what’s good?”

“Absolutely everything. I’ve never had anything I didn’t think was amazing. And their presentations are downright sexy.”

Catherine giggled. She then felt a chill run over her and realized that goosebumps had sprung up all over her arms. She thought it odd as the restaurant wasn’t that chilly. She couldn’t shake the chill so drew the red cloak over her shoulders, flipping her French braid to the outside of the cloak.

“Oooh,” said Sera, “and speaking of sexy... look what just walked through the door.”

Catherine turned to look and saw two of the most handsome men she’d ever seen. Both were tall and dark. One had more the build of a thoroughbred or Arabian racehorse, while the other was more powerfully built more along the lines of a quarter horse or warmblood. Both had an air of confidence about them that was unmistakable and very alluring.

“God, please tell me they aren’t gay,” whispered Catherine, turning her back on them.

“Hardly. The one on the right—the bigger one—is none other than Marco DeMedici himself. Not sure who the other one is.”

Catherine turned to look again more closely at Marco and gasped.

“Catherine, are you all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Catherine turned back to her new friend, not wanting DeMedici to see her staring. Unless she was very much mistaken, Marco DeMedici was the man from her dreams.

“It’s nothing. One of those moments when you feel like someone is walking over your grave.”

“Are you sure? We can go somewhere else if you want.”

“Don’t be silly.” Catherine settled herself back in her chair and tried to slow the rapid beat of her heart. It couldn’t be him. He didn’t really exist, and yet she’d seen him standing there, felt his pull.

Catherine and Sera ate their appetizers and tried to return to a normal conversation.

* * *

Marco and Griffin were shown to the best table in the house by a lovely hostess and then served by an even more beautiful server.

“I’d almost forgotten what it was like to dine with you in Italy. Best tables and women falling all over you.”

Marco chuckled. “Yes, but being the gentleman that I am, I will catch her and bring both of us great pleasure this night. You should find a woman and do the same.”

“No, I think I’ll just sleep. Right now I have little to offer.”

“Nonsense. If it’s because you fancy our server, I will step aside and go to work on the hostess. She too would make a lovely companion for the evening.”

Griffin laughed. “God, I hope your mate has a rampant, raging libido.”

“Not until I find and claim her, then I will set that wild beast in her free to run with mine.”

The two men enjoyed the meal. Marco knew that Griffin was enjoying watching his seduction of the waitress, which made it that much more fun. He was just getting ready to give the waitress his hotel room key and ask her to be there waiting for him when he caught scent of her. Not the waitress, but his mate. He had caught a subtle scent when they entered the restaurant. He had dismissed it as nothing more than his desiring the waitress, but there it was again. He inhaled more deeply and smiled.

“What is it?” asked Griffin, trying to figure out what had caught the attention of his best friend.

“She’s here,” Marco said simply but in an extremely satisfied and peaceful tone of voice. “Finally.”

Griffin looked around. “Which one? There are a lot of beautiful blondes here.”

Marco scented the air again, his grin growing larger. “Over there. Bad table by the wait station. The short-haired dark girl can see us. My mate has her back turned—as if that would stop me from finding her.”

Marco heralded the hostess.

“Yes, Mr. DeMedici?”

“That table with the two lovely ladies over by the kitchen. The short dark hair and the blonde with the French braid. They are to get no bill for their meal. You take them the best bottle of DeMedici wine that you have on hand and find them something decadent for dessert.”

“Yes, Mr. DeMedici. I’ll take care of it. If they ask for their benefactor?”

Marco thought for a moment. “Just tell the blonde that it is a long-time admirer of hers.”

“Yes, sir.”

Griffin grinned and watched the hostess do as she was bid.

The two women looked around. Marco and Griffin continued on with their dinner with casual aplomb. They could overhear that the women were perplexed but not overly alarmed as the hostess assured them she knew their benefactor and they had nothing over which to be concerned.

Marco scented the air and frowned. “She is concerned. I didn’t mean to alarm her.”

“Of course you didn’t, Marco. If she is your mate, she should settle quickly.”

“Easy, my love,” said Marco under his breath. He scented the air again and smiled. “Her fear is abating. Interesting.”

“What?” asked Griffin.

“She’s not a shifter.”

“That could be a problem.”

“No, a minor inconvenience. It will require my explaining things to her and having her consent to be turned.”

Griffin chuckled. “You think that’s a minor inconvenience?”

“Of course. She will feel my pull. I will convince her I am right. It only means I cannot mark her as mine the first time I claim her. But I will claim her before we leave Florence.”

Marco watched his mate under hooded lids. When at last she turned and he could see her face, he whispered, “Bellissima.”

Marco watched as Griffin stole a look at the woman on whom Marco had focused his attention. “She truly is.”

Marco growled.

Griffin chuckled. “Easy, Marco. I mean your mate no harm nor am I willing to tangle with you to try to wrest her away from you.”

“You would lose in either event.”

“How long have we been friends? Have either of us ever not honored the other one’s claim to a woman?”

Marco shook his head and smiled ruefully. “You are, of course, right. Forgive me, Griffin. I fear my impatience in finding my mate and realizing I will have to wait to mark her as mine caused me to take my feelings out on you.”

“Perfectly understandable. If I had a mate who looked like that and had yet to make her mine, I fear I would feel much the same.”

“We will need to follow them when they leave so I know where to find her.”

“Don’t you think it would just be easier to walk over and introduce yourself? Or allow the hostess to tell them you paid for their meal?”

“Easier perhaps but I fear not as effective,” said Marco. “Tomorrow I will find a way to introduce myself to her with less prying eyes.”

They finished their dinner but Marco rarely took his eyes off the beautiful blonde on whom he’d set his sights.

Marco watched as the two women finished their meal and got ready to leave. There was a bit of consternation when they were told that like the complimentary bottle of wine and dessert, their mysterious benefactor had paid for their entire meal.

After realizing that the restaurant had no intention of giving her a bill, Marco’s beautiful mate stood and wrapped the beautiful crimson cape more closely around her in order to ward off the chill of the night air. He chuckled when she turned her back to retrieve her packages. Marco made note of several of the shops that she had visited earlier that day.

“What do you find so amusing?” asked Griffin.

“Do you not see my mate’s cloak? How appropriate that she dons that which makes her little red riding hood. After all, I as the big bad wolf, intend to gobble her up.”

The two women walked past their table. Marco’s eyes locked with those of his mate as she looked at him surreptitiously from beneath her hood. He growled softly and seductively and grinned when she shivered in response.

After she had left the restaurant, Marco looked over at Griffin. “Did you see? Even not knowing, she responded to my call.”

Griffin nodded. “That she did, my friend. That she did.”