Page 9 of Seduced by Moonlight (Gargoyles of San DeLain #1)

CHAPTER NINE – K AYDEN

REACHING THE grand hall, Ward found Celine and Rihanna already waiting for him.

“Thanks for coming so quickly,” he said as he approached them.

“No problem,” Celine replied.

Rihanna gave him a small smile. “Let’s see what we can do about those wards.”

Together, they walked toward the eastern boundary of Ward’s land, where he felt the wards were the most vulnerable due to its proximity to dense forests—an ideal hiding spot for anyone wishing to avoid detection.

As they walked, Rihanna used a ball of light to help lighten their path as she explained her plan to enhance the wards using a combination of her unique powers blended with some old protective runes that Celine had researched recently, along with modern day technology.

“To really seal it off,” Rihanna said as they reached their destination, “we’ll integrate these enhancements directly into existing lines of power running below.”

Celine opened her laptop, the ball of light drifting over, and showed them a map she had created of ley lines intersecting across their land. “If we boost here and here”—she pointed out specific spots on the map—“it should maximize coverage.”

Ward nodded in approval, observing how effectively both witches were handling this crucial task. A sense of pride swelled within him—not just for their skill, but also their dedication to safeguarding the clan’s territory.

They began their work under the dim glow of the moonlight and several glowing balls of light, Rihanna chanting softly as she drew symbols in the air and Celine configuring the digital map to guide their efforts.

An hour slipped by, marked only by the rhythmic sounds of their activities and the occasional rustle of wildlife in the distance. By the time they finished up, Ward could tell a difference.

“There. Done,” Rihanna finally announced, her face flushed. “The new wards are in place.”

Celine closed her laptop with a snap. “This should hold. The ley lines will bolster the wards continuously, and I’ll keep monitoring the energy fluctuations remotely to make sure everything holds up for a little bit.”

“Thank you both.” Ward looked at the strengthened wards, feeling a renewed sense of security wash over him. “Let’s head home.”

After he escorted both ladies back, he swung by the kitchen and raided the refrigerator for a quick snack before lunch, then made his way to his office.

He had a file on his computer with castle décor he’d been reviewing. Still, he’d do some more looking around and add pictures and links of anything he found he liked.

He set an alarm on his phone so he wouldn’t miss lunch.

THE STEADY vibration of his cell startled him, pulling him out of searching the web.

“Time sure flies when you’re spending money.” After clicking the save button, Ward stood from his desk and made his way back downstairs.

The aroma of freshly cooked food wafted through the air, making his stomach grumble in anticipation. With lunch already laid out, Ward plated his food. He nodded to some of his clan members as he made his way down the buffet line.

Seeing Luna and Tank, he joined them.

As lunch progressed, the conversation naturally drifted toward the recent enhancements made on the property. His clan was curious about the changes, and this was as good of a time as any to mention the upgrades made to the wards.

“Well,” Ward began, clearing his throat slightly as all eyes turned toward him, “thanks to Rihanna’s and Celine’s hard work earlier, our boundaries are now reinforced with more powerful wards.”

The table’s occupants exchanged nods of approval. If anyone had objections to Rihanna’s involvement, they wisely kept it to themselves.

“As many of you also know, I’ve been working on some upgrades for the castle itself—both functional and aesthetic improvements that will make our environment even more secure and inviting,” Ward said.

There were murmurs of agreement all around. As he spoke, Joel, Emmett, and Scarlett joined him, along with a few elders.

“There has been a construction crew here recently. I vetted them, of course. The owner is Kayden Lancaster, if anybody is interested,” Ward added.

“I know that name. He’s a nonhuman, right?” Elder Graymore Ross, Joel’s father, demanded.

“Yes, he is. His crew is mainly paranormal, and the few humans they have are in the know.” Ward clenched his jaw.

He was annoyed at the disrespect he saw on the elder’s face. He’d certainly made his feelings known with his wrinkled nose and voice laced with disdain.

While he got along with most of the elders, Elder Graymore was not someone Ward particularly liked. He was a bit too traditional for his taste—not to mention a snob—but Ward was stuck with him.

A hush fell over the group. The sound of silverware clattering against plates was loud in the suddenly quiet room.

Scarlett glared at the elder. “Oh gods, that’s what you’re going to latch on to? What he is? Listen, he’s more than just a—”

“I have a great respect for Kayden,” Ward said. “He comes highly recommended from both Hudson Redmond, the dragon king of the Fire Court of San DeLain, and Kage Dargon, the Elder of the San DeLain Daemons.”

Elder Graymore huffed as he looked down at his plate.

“As I was saying, structural repairs are being done to our home, as well as upgrading the electrical systems. And, of course, we are also modernizing the castle while maintaining its original aesthetics,” Ward continued, happy that the elder was finally keeping his thoughts to himself.

“First this strange witch and now a damn teek let loose in our territory,” Elder Graymore mumbled.

Ward growled. Looked like he was wrong.

“Dad.” Joel’s face flushed as he shot a look toward Ward.

“Elder? Tread carefully,” Ward snapped. “Rihanna gave her oath, and I accepted it.”

Elder Graymore’s lips flattened.

“And as far as Kayden goes, I have welcomed him and his crew into my territory to do the work that is needed. I will not tolerate any actions or words that make them feel unwelcome. They are our guests and should be treated as such. Do I make myself clear ?”

The atmosphere shifted. There was a tension now present among the group gathered before him, but Ward remained firm in his stance—a silent warning to anyone who might have thoughts of causing trouble.

There were quick mumbles of agreement from the gargoyles sitting around them, along with several horrified looks toward Elder Graymore.

“Elder? I didn’t quite catch your response,” Ward said, leaning in closer to hear over the rustle of wings and muttered conversations from the rest of the group.

“Of course, Alpha King. I understand.”

“Good. Then I will assume everything will go smoothly with Kayden and his crew,” Ward said. He spoke calmly, but his eyes flickered with a slight reddish light as he fixed them on Elder Graymore. “Because if anything does go wrong, I will not be pleased.”

The elder quickly ducked his head.

Satisfied he’d made his point, Ward took one last bite of his lunch, then wiped his mouth. He’d barely dumped his trash when Celine approached, looking slightly apprehensive.

“Ward, do you have a moment?”

“Of course,” Ward replied. Celine’s voice held an urgency that immediately put him on alert. “What is it?”

“It’s about the wards,” she said. “I set my laptop to monitor the energy levels remotely since they’re so new, and there’s something odd.”

Ward frowned. “Define odd.”

“The energy—it spikes unpredictably in certain areas.” Celine pulled out her laptop. “See here? These spikes aren’t normal fluctuations. They’re too sharp and too frequent.”

Ward studied the graph closely, noting how the lines jagged dramatically at intervals. “Could it be an external breach? Someone trying to test our defenses?”

“That’s one possibility,” Celine agreed. “Or it could indicate that something from inside is trying to manipulate or disrupt the wards.”

The implication hung heavily between them. Perhaps something or someone on his land was trying to escape. He’d known that might be a possibility, given the spell that kept him from realizing his wards had been breached, but already?

“We need to investigate this. Now. Tank? Luna? Emmett? I need you three to come with us.”

“Yes, Sire.”

While they hurriedly finished eating, Ward faced Celine. “Celine? Please find Rihanna and bring her here immediately.”

“Will do,” Celine nodded before exiting promptly.

His castle needed to be an impenetrable fortress now more than ever. A few moments later, Celine returned with Rihanna in tow.

“Celine explained,” Rihanna said.

“Excellent. And ladies, remember, if you feel threatened, do whatever is necessary to defend yourselves—even if it means using magic.” Ward locked eyes with Rihanna.

Rihanna nodded slightly.

He’d requested that she refrain from using her magic until they had a better understanding of its capabilities, but he wouldn’t have her handicapped either. And depending on what they found out there, she might be the best weapon they had.

“Where are we going, Celine?”

“The woods. Right where we strengthened the wards earlier, in fact.”

Ward led the group swiftly down the castle’s ancient corridors, each step reverberating against the stone with a sense of urgency, and then outside toward the woods.

The trees loomed overhead, and an unnatural silence hung over the dense foliage. Ward led the way, Tank right behind him, his large stature almost obscuring the moonlight. Celine and Rihanna walked together, then Luna and Emmett brought up the rear, keeping watch as the group ventured deeper into the forest.

Ward’s senses were on high alert, the metallic taste of magic hanging subtly in the air. It was sharp on his tongue, a warning that danger was near.

He scanned his surroundings, searching for any signs of a disturbance or threat. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, a primal instinct urging him to be cautious.

But he didn’t sense anyone.

As they approached the location Celine had pinpointed on her laptop, there was no mistaking the magical disturbances.

“Stop,” Ward commanded softly as they reached a small clearing. He scanned the area, looking for any signs of tampering or anomalies.

Celine set up her laptop on a fallen tree trunk, booting it up to cross-reference their current location with the energy spikes she’d recorded. She frowned deeply as she worked, her fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard.

“It’s right here.” Celine pointed at a specific location on her screen and then to a spot just ahead in the clearing. “Whatever is causing the disturbance should be directly in front of us. It’s almost as if something or someone tried to open a portal through the ward and couldn’t.”

Emmett, who had been quietly surveying the perimeter, suddenly stiffened. “Do you all hear that?”

Ward frowned. “It sounds like—”

The sudden caw of a raven split the air, echoing through the trees, reverberating with a strange, unnatural cadence that set Ward’s nerves on edge.

Everyone glanced up, following the sound. The bird, large and black as a patch of night sky, perched on a gnarled branch above them. Celine gasped softly, and Rihanna instinctively stepped closer to her, swearing softly.

“A bird set the wards off?” Emmett asked, scratching his head.

Luna sighed heavily. “That’s no ordinary bird. Feel that magical marker? It’s a shifter. But it’s a shifter who hasn’t shifted in quite some time, based on what I can sense.”

“It feels cursed,” Celine whispered.

“How the hell did it get trapped in here then? Was it just… what? Hanging around?” Tank asked.

“The wards let it in, apparently, but once we strengthened them, it got trapped, I guess.” Luna glanced at Celine. “Is that possible?”

Celine’s fingers flew over her keyboard. “It’s been a bird for some time, so maybe the wards mistook it for a natural bird?”

“Huh,” Luna said.

“The old wards allowed anyone in who didn’t mean us harm, but then we strengthened them. It is a shifter, and it didn’t have permission to be here, so I guess the new wards trapped it? But I’m guessing here.”

“Well, it can’t get out now. That much is obvious. And why is it trying to get out?” Emmett asked Luna.

“Um, because it’s stuck in here?” Luna guessed. “Don’t they usually have a pretty big territory? Maybe it belongs to a flock of ravens? Hell, why are you asking me like I have the answer?”

“So, are we letting it out?” Tank asked.

“I don’t see why not,” Celine said.

“Even though it’s cursed?” Tank stared at the bird. “Someone cursed it for a reason, don’t you think?”

“We don’t know that,” Celine said. “And I said it feels like it was cursed. I’m not sure, though.”

“Rihanna? Do you sense anything malevolent about it?” Ward asked.

“No. It’s a shifter who has almost lost himself in his raven form. That’s all I get from it.”

“Celine? Same question,” Ward said.

Celine shook her head as well. “I don’t sense a threat from it, so I agree with Rihanna.”

“So do you think it’s safe to let it go?” Ward asked.

“I honestly can’t think of a reason not to,” Celine said.

“Then fine. Let it out.”

Celine nodded as she raised her hands. “No problem.”

Ward watched as Celine basically carved a hole in the ward, and the raven quickly flew through it. With another wave of her hand, she closed the hole.

“It can’t open that hole you just made to let it out, can it?” Ward asked.

“No reason to think that it could,” Celine said. “It’s a shifter, not a magic user.”

“Well, that was fun,” Luna said. “At least now we know the new wards are strong.”

Emmett made some stupid sexual joke about the wards not being the only thing strong. Luna groaned as Tank snickered. She bumped Emmett with her wing, sending him stumbling, then playfully punched Tank on the shoulder.

Ward walked beside Celine and Rihanna, asking questions about what they thought happened to that shifter. Rihanna glanced over her shoulder as they left the area.

Once they got back to the castle, Ward said goodbye to them and returned to his room so he could keep searching for inspirational pictures.

Just before daylight, he realized the usual restlessness he’d been feeling had disappeared.