Page 7 of Seduced by Moonlight (Gargoyles of San DeLain #1)

WARD KNEW as soon as the construction crew, and Kayden, crossed his wards. A tingle shot through his body, alerting him. Which was not unusual in and of itself—he always knew when someone entered his land.

Emotions simmered within him—excitement, anticipation, and a hint of anxiety. It’d been some time since anyone had triggered such a response in him, and he wasn’t sure what to make of that.

Someone coming onto his land usually resulted in a prickling sensation at the back of his mind, like an itch that quickly disappeared. It caught his attention, but it wasn’t something he dwelled on.

However, this time was different. The presence of Kayden and his crew ignited a stronger reaction. It was as if his land welcomed them, which was weird. The land always let him know who was there, but this was….

Suddenly Ward slammed his fist down on his desk as he thought about that for a second. He always knew when someone entered his land.

Always.

His heightened senses allowed him to feel the slightest changes in energy and vibrations of the wards. He’d known immediately when Kayden and his crew passed through. He’d felt them both times.

So why hadn’t he felt those witches trespass? He should have. And why had he not thought about that sooner? Was it a spell? Or was it something else that had stopped him from thinking of that?

Concerned, he texted Tank and increased the guards near the borders. Tank had questions, of course, and Ward promised to answer them. But first he wanted to speak to Rihanna and Celine to see if they could shine some light on how such a thing could happen and how to stop it.

Only then could he and his council take steps to prevent it from happening again.

Getting to his feet, he went in search of Rihanna. He found Celine and Rihanna in the infirmary.

Celine looked up from typing on her laptop and greeted Ward with a smile. “Hey there, Ward. What brings you by this morning?”

“Good morning,” Ward replied. “And a good morning to you also, Rihanna. How are you feeling?”

Rihanna sat on the other side of the desk, sipping from a mug. She shrugged. “Pretty much the same, although I’m not quite as tired. Plus, I’m trying to adjust to your hours. Celine is relentless about me eating, though.”

Celine snickered.

Ward nodded. “Yes, she can be quite bossy toward clan mates who end up being her patients.”

“Are you feeling okay?” Celine asked.

“Oh. Apologies. I feel fine. I felt Kayden and his construction crew cross the boundaries just now,” Ward said. “Which made me realize I did not feel those witches trespass.”

“Shit, they had to have used a spell. A damn powerful one, too, to hide them from your wards. Shit. That’s not good.” Celine bit her lip. “Seriously not good.”

“A spell. I had wondered if that was it. Rihanna? Is there any chance you remember what spell they used to shield themselves from my wards?”

“I’m sorry, no,” Rihanna said after a couple of seconds.

Ward noticed she had been staring at Celine as Celine bit her lip. Huh.

“I was pretty much in and out of it on the way here and during the ritual,” Rihanna said, finally turning her gaze toward Ward. “But I can tell you they were strong. Especially their high priestess.”

“High priestess? Was she as strong as you?” Celine asked.

“No. I haven’t met a witch as strong as me yet.”

Very few paranormals were, Ward was willing to bet. But then how…?

“The four of them probably cast together, thus strengthening the spell to hide their presence from your wards,” Rihanna said. “That’s how they overwhelmed me.”

“That makes sense on both accounts, especially if there was a high priestess involved,” Celine added.

“Also, keep in mind that I may be strong, but even I can be overwhelmed if enough people are casting together,” Rihanna said.

“True. Could they have also cast a spell to make me forget about them trespassing?” Ward asked.

“Oh boy,” Celine said, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth.

Once again Rihanna appeared mesmerized by the action.

“I mean, if they could use a spell to shield themselves from you while on your land, there’s no reason to think they couldn’t also cast a spell to make you temporarily forget about them trespassing as a sort of fail-safe,” Celine said slowly.

“But you would think seeing Rihanna would kind of cancel that out, right?”

“In a way, it eventually did, Ward. You did remember,” Celine said. “And her presence probably prompted that remembrance a lot quicker.”

“That’s very worrisome,” Ward growled.

“I’m assuming Celine’s the one who cast the wards here. She’s very strong, but I can strengthen the wards if you’re comfortable with that,” Rihanna offered. “And to help you feel comfortable, why not have Celine go with us? She can see if I’m doing anything untoward. Not that I would, of course.”

“Thank you. We’ll do that as soon as Kayden and his crew leave. They shouldn’t be long since this is nothing more than a preliminary assessment, and I have increased the guards for now too.”

“Sounds good,” Celine said. “Just text me when you’re ready, and we’ll meet you in the grand hallway.”

“I will.” Turning, Ward left the infirmary.

As he strolled through the corridors toward the kitchen his thoughts drifted back to Kayden again. The nonhuman was definitely sexy in a rough, blue-collar sort of way.

But Ward couldn’t label him as just another pretty face. There was a sharp mind under that shaggy brown hair. Brown hair that was streaked by the sun, something Ward had never seen in person.

And there he went again, daydreaming about Kayden.

He shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel the intrusive thoughts. Focus, he chided himself silently. Focus on the present dangers, not on daydreams.

As he entered the kitchen, he caught the scent of freshly baked bread and the rich aroma of brewing coffee—comforting yet ordinary breakfast scents. In the corner of the large, well-lit room, his chef, Manny, was instructing a younger apprentice on the finer points of pastry folding.

“Morning, Ward,” Manny called out without turning around.

Ward shook his head. His chef seemed to have eyes in the back of his head when it came to sensing anyone’s presence.

“Morning,” Ward replied automatically, his mind still half on his wards and half on Kayden.

Manny turned for a moment to give him a knowing look. “Well, you look awfully grim for someone who just got up. Coffee? I’ve got a fresh pot ready.”

“That’d be great, thanks.” Ward waited while Manny fixed him a cup.

Closing his eyes, Ward took a deep drink. Gods above and below, that was good stuff. He looked at Manny and grinned. “You are awesome.”

Manny winked at Ward. “So I’ve been told. The breakfast buffet is ready, by the way.”

“Thank you.” Taking his coffee, Ward walked out to the main dining area. The setup was buffet style with cafeteria seating, and he quickly went through the breakfast line.

Several of his clan members came there to eat, although not all. He ran his castle much like the wolves ran a pack house. Ward liked the community feel.

His clan lived in a working castle on the northern outskirts of San Delain on two hundred and fifty acres. There were forests, meadows, and ponds, along with a mountain range.

Ward shared the range with the dragons—and he built his castle into the side of the mountain. The castle measured around thirty-two thousand square feet, and many of his clan actually lived there.

“Care to share what’s got you looking like a thundercloud?” Tank asked as he sat down across from Ward.

“And a good morning to you too,” Ward said as he ate a plump strawberry. Gargoyles could eat anything and everything, although they required meat, since changing forms took a lot of energy. But Ward had a weakness for fruit.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Spill.”

Ward loved the other male like a brother, and Tank was definitely his best friend, but sometimes the grumpy gargoyle made him nuts. “I’m an idiot.”

Tank squinted at Ward. “It happens to the best of us. What did you do? Maybe I should ask who’d you do?”

“Don’t make me pour this very fine coffee over your head.”

“Manny would beat you.”

“There is that.”

“So, since you avoided my question, what did you do?”

“It just dawned on me this morning that when the witches trespassed, I didn’t feel it,” Ward said as he bit into a perfectly made omelet full of ham and cheese. “That was the reason for the increase in guards.”

Tank opened his mouth, then shut it. He frowned. “Well, shit.”

“It’s like we all forgot about that little tidbit,” Ward grumbled.

“Could those witches have done a spell to make us forget?”

“It appears they most likely did. They definitely did something so the wards wouldn’t alert me.”

“Then we definitely need to strengthen them. Immediately.” Tank huffed as he stood.

Ward waved Tank back down. “Sit, sit. We’ve already increased the guards, and I’ve spoken to Celine and Rihanna about the wards. I’m going to attend to that as soon as Kayden and his crew leave.”

“Should they even come here right now?”

“There’s nothing to suggest they know anything about Rihanna or the Power of Three, but we’ll keep an eye out. And speaking of them, they should be here momentarily. After they’re gone, I’m going to have Rihanna help Celine strengthen the wards.”

Tank whistled softly.

“She offered to strengthen them with Celine overseeing.”

“Nice of her.”

“I’m not sure nice has anything to do with it. Probably more like she doesn’t want to end up in the same situation she was in earlier with those witches.”

“Hey, whatever works. And you’re fine with her helping?”

“Yes, because Celine will be there too. But it worries me those witches dampened my wards. If someone found a way through once, they might do so again.”

“That’s a possibility, but I’m not sure what they’d hope to accomplish. I mean, if they’re after Rihanna, she hasn’t left the castle since she arrived,” Tank said, buttering a biscuit. “So they’d have to infiltrate us to get to her.”

“I know.”

“I hate to say it, but it needs to be said. It’s funny how that ritual took place, and then Kayden and his crew showed up.”

“Could be a coincidence,” Ward said, biting into a strip of bacon. “I had already made an appointment with Kayden before the situation with Rihanna ever happened. But I admit the timing bothers me.”

“The wards aren’t supposed to let anybody through who means harm to us,” Tank said. “Yet, they did. Are you thinking maybe one of Kayden’s crew could be involved, but Kayden is not?”

“I don’t know. The witches would’ve had to hurry to get someone on Kayden’s crew to flip or to get someone new on his crew, and as far as I know, Kayden knows nothing about Rihanna. No, that scenario just doesn’t work.”

“But it’s not out of the realm of possibility.”

Ward shrugged. “Pretty close.”

“I didn’t notice if there were any magic users when Kayden and his crew were here last time. For that matter, I don’t know we’ve even met them all,” Tank admitted. “But I do feel like we definitely need to monitor them.”

“Agreed. Just to be safe.”

“So the first thing we’re going to do is strengthen the wards when they leave?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Between Rihanna’s strength and Celine’s oversight, you’ll shore up those defenses in no time.”

“I hope so,” Ward murmured into his coffee.

After another sip and a deep breath for fortitude, he set down his mug firmly. Kayden and his crew had passed through the ward closest to the castle. “The construction crew is almost here. I’m going out to meet them.”

“Would you like me to come with?”

“Are you finished eating?”

“I am.”

“Then sure. And pay close attention to his crew but be subtle about it.”

“Subtle is my middle name.”

Ward had to laugh at that. There was nothing subtle about Tank. At all. He was a huge, muscular gargoyle with an intimidating look about him in his natural form.

When Tank transformed into his human form, though, he still kept his large, muscular frame, but he also had a long beard and close-cropped hair.

The intricate tattoos covering both of his arms and back were only visible when he took on that form. He had enlisted the help of a tattoomancer named Willow from Eternal Marks to create them.

Hell, in both forms, Tank looked much more intimidating than Ward, which they both found highly amusing. But looks meant nothing. Ward’s power was unmistakable.

Ward kept pace with Tank as they walked back toward the grand hall, where he would meet Kayden and his crew. But he had questions. Countless questions.

That didn’t sit well with him. The more he poked at that feeling, the more it bothered him, like a splinter that just wouldn’t come out. Thinking in such a way caused a slight discomfort.

However, he couldn’t ignore the possibility that Kayden or one of his crew members might have had a hand in the security breach. He also couldn’t push aside the undeniable chemistry, and he didn’t even know where to start with all the potential problems that could arise from that .

For one thing, Ward had never been attracted to anyone who wasn’t a paranormal. Secondly, the elders were on his ass about having sex with a female and producing eggs. Never mind that females didn’t attract him. It didn’t seem to matter to the elders.

Some even wanted him to take a female mate. Granted, he didn’t have to mate in order to lay eggs—even if he could get past the attraction issue—but some of the more traditional elders believed that as Alpha King, it was his duty to have a queen.

No thank you.

And frankly, he always assumed if he ended up in a long-lasting relationship, it would be with another gargoyle. A male gargoyle. Surrogacy was also an option, thanks to human ingenuity.

And why in the world was he even thinking about eggs and mates?

He didn’t know if Kayden found him attractive, and if he did? Well, they could hook up a few times, and Ward could scratch this damn itch. Simple.

Why did he always have to overthink things and make them more difficult than they were?

He walked down the corridor with Tank, mind made up. If Kayden was interested, they could fuck and then go their separate ways, once he was sure he could trust Kayden. After the job was through, though. Ward didn’t mix business with pleasure.

There. A perfect solution to his little problem.

Opening the door, he saw Kayden, and his perfect solution flew right out the window.

Kayden was already directing his crew, his voice carrying over the clang and clatter of tools and equipment being unloaded. He was every bit the charismatic leader, his gestures sure and decisive.

There was a magnetic quality to him that drew the eye, something raw and vital that made it hard not to watch him. Especially in the moonlight. Ward felt a pang of something—attraction? Lust? Need? He forcefully pushed the thoughts aside, reminding himself of the important task at hand.

He had to concentrate on the preliminary assessments, not on how Kayden’s movements were so fluid and graceful—did he move like that in bed?

No, no, Ward did not need to go there. But try as he might, he couldn’t resist stealing glances at Kayden, his mind consumed with a burning desire that threatened to distract him from his duty. Gods above and below, this had to stop.

“Kayden!”

Kayden turned, a smile breaking across his features. “Hey! Good to see you again, Ward.”

Ward noticed that Kayden’s gaze lingered just a moment too long on his body, and Ward was pretty sure it was not because he was in his true form.

Kayden had already seen him without his human glamor and remained unaffected. Actually, Ward was sure he saw a spark of heat in that gaze.

“Kayden? This is Tank. I introduced him last time,” Ward said.

“I remember. Hey, Tank.”

Tank nodded. “Hello.”

“I see your team is making quick work of setting up,” Ward said, looking around.