Page 28 of Seduced by Moonlight (Gargoyles of San DeLain #1)

“SO YOU’D like to see that wing of the castle next?” Ward asked as Kayden practically tugged him along.

They moved quickly, almost in a sprint. His laughter echoed off the stone walls as Ward kept up with Kayden’s eager pace. He felt alive with the thrill of it, like teenagers sneaking out for the first time.

He barely noticed the world around them.

“I think it’s a pretty important part of any tour,” Kayden replied, glancing back at Ward.

They reached a long corridor lined with armor and paintings of landscapes. Kayden marched with determined steps toward the bedroom.

When they got there, Ward opened the door with a flourish. “The master bedroom,” he said, sweeping his arm to invite Kayden inside, as if Kayden had never been there before.

Kayden darted through.

Ward took a long look at the place. They’d been there earlier, but they’d been more concerned with talking. There wasn’t going to be much conversation taking place if he was reading Kayden right.

His bedroom was huge and had broad windows that let in generous moonlight. A massive antique four-poster bed dominated one wall, which was silly to have since he never slept here. Or in a bed, for that matter. Still, he’d liked it when he’d seen it years ago.

His wings trembled as he followed along behind Kayden.

“Nice,” Kayden said as he turned to face Ward, already moving toward the bed.

“I’m glad you approve.” Ward placed a gentle hand on Kayden’s arm to halt his movement. “But what exactly are we doing here? What is it you want?”

He searched Kayden’s face, seeking clarity and understanding, as the question hung in the air between them.

Kayden’s eyes were unfocused, and for a second, Ward worried he’d misinterpreted. The headlong rush to the bedroom felt like a blur. What if they weren’t wanting the same thing?

He didn’t want to mess this up, to leap too far ahead. Ward’s uncertainty went against his usual confidence, yet it was real enough to make him pause. He searched Kayden’s face again, seeking reassurance. The question lingered between them.

“You. I want to make you feel good. With my mouth, and I want to feel you hitting the back of my throat.” Kayden glanced at Ward through his lashes. “Is that clear enough? Will you let me? Is that okay in this form?”

Let him? Gods, he could die a happy gargoyle if Kayden did that. “I’m bigger than a regular human in my natural form.”

He felt like Kayden needed to be warned. But hell, he could probably look down and see that.

“Not a problem. At all. It’s good. Fine, even.” Kayden rubbed Ward’s dick. “More than fine. It makes me hot. You know I find you sexy in whatever form you’re in. But this? Your true form? Makes me fucking drip with need.”

Ward gulped, feeling as though flames licked at his skin from the inside out. His entire body was ablaze, a scorching heat coursing through his veins and setting every nerve alight with an intense, unrelenting burn.

Ward reached out, fingers brushing against the fabric of Kayden’s shirt. “May I undress you first? I want to see you.”

Ward needed to take in every detail of Kayden—the way the light from the table lamp shimmered in his hair, catching the golden highlights.

To see Kayden’s eyes before they closed with pleasure. To watch his lips stretch over his cock as he took him in his mouth. He wanted to explore every bit of his mate.

“Yes,” Kayden said teasingly as he kicked off his tennis shoes. “Please do.”

Please do what? Oh, right. Undress his mate. Desire coursed through him like a rising tide, an irresistible force that intensified with each heartbeat.

With a steady hand, he carefully worked open the button of Kayden’s jeans, feeling the fabric’s soft resistance give way beneath his fingers. He gently eased the denim down, just enough to free Kayden’s straining cock, which pulsed with its own eager anticipation.

The tension reverberated between them.

Kayden pushed his jeans and boxers away and kicked them off to the side. Then he yanked off his shirt. “I don’t want to take too much of your time.”

“Take all of it. Take it forever.” Little did Kayden know that forever was possible for them. The thought tightened Ward’s throat with yearning.

He pulled Kayden toward him, seeking his lips, needing to feel them on his own before they were anywhere else.

Kayden responded hungrily, trailing his hands over Ward’s shirtless chest. His wings moved restlessly when Kayden brushed against him, skin hot where it met skin, need building like a firestorm within them.

Then he went up in flames when Kayden undid his leather pants. It took some wiggling on his part, but the feel of the cool leather sliding down his legs made his breath hitch. He couldn’t get them off with his clawed feet, so he muttered a spell, and they disappeared.

“Oh, that’s handy,” Kayden said, looking Ward over. “Damn, you’re fierce and incredibly sexy.”

Kayden curled his fingers around Ward, stroking him deliberately slowly, silencing whatever Ward was about to say. His entire body trembled. Such a simple touch, and it made him feel like he was about to collapse on the floor.

He dragged Kayden over to the bed and, with a low growl, dropped onto the edge of the mattress, then groaned at the erotic sight as Kayden sank down before him.

Kayden didn’t break eye contact as he lowered his lips down— yes —right there. Ward shuddered at the wet heat enveloping him—at the soft slide of Kayden’s tongue and knowing lips. Ward leaned back on his hands as desire radiated through him.

Kayden’s actions were neither gentle nor tentative. There was urgency and hunger in every stroke and motion, and it left Ward breathless and beyond rational thought.

The realization that his mate wanted him with such fervor, that Kayden was driven to do this for him, filled his heart with happiness.

Kayden made a deep sound in his throat that sent sensations rippling through Ward’s cock. Gods, this was going to be over embarrassingly fast, but he couldn’t hold back any longer, not with such luscious friction drawing him relentlessly, impossibly deeper into oblivion—into completion—and then—

And then—

He cried out as stars exploded behind his closed eyes and spilled himself between Kayden’s lips, a sensation akin to soaring through the endless sky, weightless and unbound.

A wind roared past him, ruffling his hair. Actually, was that his wings beating frantically against empty air? He opened his eyes, and why yes, yes, it was.

Kayden kissed up Ward’s chest after swallowing everything Ward had to give, making his tail beat against the bed. Then Kayden stretched upward until their mouths tangled once more.

Ward tasted himself on Kayden’s lips.

The slickness of it, the salt and musk that was still on Kayden’s tongue, sent an unexpected thrill coursing through him. Ward pulled Kayden up, then tossed him on the bed, settling on top of him.

He relished the feel of skin against skin. His wings folded on his back, and Kayden panted against his throat, his hard length pressing into Ward.

“You’re amazing,” Ward murmured into the wavy mess of his hair. “Can I make you feel good too?”

Kayden made a desperate noise—somewhere between yes and please and now —and ground against Ward’s hip in helpless need. Ward reached over to the bedside drawer, yanked out a bottle of lube, then straddled Kayden as he went to work on Kayden’s straining cock.

The glide of his fingers was gentle but persistent. He wanted Kayden undone, but not too fast. He wanted to watch him come apart slowly and to savor it.

“Damn,” Kayden gasped. “You’re driving me insane.”

Ward chuckled breathlessly, reveling in the maddening power like a drug. He shifted his touch just slightly—that perfect angle—and Kayden bucked against him with a ragged moan.

“I need you,” Kayden said impatiently. “Ward, I need—”

Ward stroked Kayden hard and fast as they moved together with urgency. Kayden made another wild sound.

Ward admired the pale curve of Kayden’s shoulder against the dark sheets, his sweat-dampened hair clinging to his brow, his mouth twisted into a delirious plea for more as time slowed.

Ward kept them teetering at the brink where every breath felt like liquid flame. Then Kayden shouted and came all over Ward’s hand. It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

Kayden made a strangled sound as Ward licked his fingers clean.

When reality drifted back, Ward realized he was trembling violently. His heart thundered erratically in his chest. He exhaled a long shaky breath, then collapsed sideways onto the mattress, pulling Kayden snugly into his arms.

For several moments, neither spoke.

“I take it back.” Kayden panted against Ward’s neck. “You’re better than fucking fierce.”

Ward laughed hoarsely at that, curling himself tighter around his mate, feeling utterly sated. He never wanted to let go.

Kayden made a small, satisfied noise and shifted against him like a contented cat, and Ward’s heart filled with a sense of tranquility that was impossibly sweet.

He never used his bed—why would he?—but this was nice, laying together, lost in each other. Ward watched Kayden’s breathing slow into the deep rhythms of sleep, and a fierce protectiveness surged through him. He wouldn’t allow anything—or anyone—to endanger this.

He figured that such an intense night should have exhausted him. But instead, Ward felt more alive than he could ever remember being. It was a strange sensation for someone who’d endured decades of stony hollowness.

He enjoyed seeing Kayden in his bed. In fact, he wanted him there for all time. And of course his cell picked that moment to beep, and he glared at it. What now?

The temptation to ignore it was great, but there was information he was waiting on. When he saw who the email was from, he was glad he hadn’t ignored it. With a sigh, he got up and dressed. There were still some things he needed to do in his office, plus he doubted Kayden would sleep long.

He left him a note on the end table telling him where he’d gone and invited Kayden to join him if he wanted, then he slipped out of his room. Hopefully, Kayden would come to him when he woke up.

There were still several hours until daylight.

When he got to his office, he opened the email from Axel, the alpha of the Crimson Fangs pack, detailing advantages and disadvantages of their kind.

It was pretty much what Ward expected for paranormals in general: longer life span, increased strength, speed, stamina, and immunity to diseases. They could also shift whenever they wanted.

Werewolves possessed the ability to howl for various purposes, such as making enemies feel fear, detecting life, or summoning allies.Huh. He needed to ask Rihanna if she could howl like a wolf.

Disadvantages were silver and wolfsbane allergies, the need for lots of calories because of shifting, and the full moon made them shift whether they wanted to or not.

He still hadn’t heard from Fenton, the Merchieftain of the Golden Reef Colony, and he probably wouldn’t until the next time he came on land.

Ward sent a text to Rihanna letting her know he’d heard from one of the packs and to drop by when she had time. A few moments later Rihanna walked in with Celine right behind her.

“Hey. Rihanna and I are going out to the woods to do some practicing. Well, I’m going to attack and see how well she can defend herself.” Celine grinned. “Which means I’m probably going to get my ass handed to me.”

“But gently,” Rihanna said, rubbing her hand up and down Celine’s back. “I will hand your ass to you gently.”

Ward watched Celine blush as the two ladies stared at each other.

“Can’t wait,” Celine said softly.

Ward cleared his throat, and two startled gazes shot toward him. Yep, there was definitely something going on there.

“Yes, well, I hear you have news?” Rihanna asked as she flipped her long hair over her shoulder.

Ward quickly told her what Axel had said. “Maybe while you’re out there, see if you can howl. And shift.”

“I doubt the second one is a possibility. As I’ve said before, I don’t feel another entity within me like a shifter would. But I will see if I can howl. Also, I don’t think silver will be a problem,” Rihanna said, holding up her wrist that had a silver bracelet around it.

“That’s good. Probably need to check about the other allergy just to be safe,” Ward said. “Have you noticed if you have enhanced senses?”

“To some degree, yes. But I already had improved senses as a witch, so I don’t know if those abilities are even more improved now. I guess we’ll just have to see,” Rihanna said.

“I understand. I haven’t heard from Fenton and probably won’t until he has a reason to come on land. He’s the Merchieftain of the Golden Reef Colony.”

“I see,” Rihanna said.

“But I should definitely hear from him in a month. The next leaders’ meeting takes place then,” Ward said. “I will certainly let you know.”

“Thank you,” Rihanna said.

“We’re off. We’ll see you later,” Celine said.

Ward watched them leave his office. He was happy that Rihanna was settling in nicely. It made sense that one of her first friends would be another witch. Surely, if she left someone behind, she wouldn’t already be flirting with Celine.

He made another mental note to ask, since he kept forgetting. Or maybe he should just leave it alone. It really wasn’t any of his business, and if Celine was worried, then she could be the one to ask. He liked that idea better, actually.

Shortly after they left, Kayden entered the room. “Hey, I woke up, and you weren’t there,” he remarked with a playful pout.

Ward stood and pulled Kayden into his arms. “Just tying up some loose ends. Plus, I didn’t want to wake you. You looked very comfortable.”

“Hmm.” Kayden buried his face in Ward’s neck and inhaled. “You smell good.”

“Amusement or sarcasm?”

“Neither.” Kayden brushed his lips softly against Ward’s jaw. “Seriously. You smell like frankincense, the ancient and earthy aroma of stone, and the delicate fragrance of roses. It’s a wonderful, unique scent.”

“You can actually scent me?”

“Um, yes. Is that strange?”

“Quite the opposite. Mates can recognize each other’s scent.”

“That’s so fascinating. Do I have a scent too?”

“Yes, you do. It’s an enchanting mix of the crispness of fresh-cut grass, the vibrant aroma of blooming flowers, the salty breeze of the ocean, the creamy hint of sunscreen, and the sweet, tangy essence of ripe citrus and berries.”

Kayden laughed quietly. “So, California beach boy?”

Ward smiled, tightening his embrace. “Absolutely. By the way, I have some errands to run around the castle. Do you want to go?”

“Can I?”

“Sure. It’s just some things I need to check on, a couple of people I need to talk to. Nothing big.”

“Then yes, I’d love to,” Kayden said.

“Great. By the time we’re finished, it should be dinner,” Ward said. “Ready to go?”

Kayden snickered and waved at the office door. “I’m following you.”