Page 14 of Seduced By Moonlight

King? He was the king? Of course he was the king. He was the most powerful, even if he wasn’t the biggest. But he was big enough. And holy hell, that voice was pure sex—deep and growly—and Kayden fought not to shiver.

The gargoyle king could give that actor Vin Diesel a run for his money, as far as voices went. And why was Kayden’s power suddenly fluctuating like it was being called?

Mentally, Kayden slapped himself.Snap out of it, dude.

“It was fine. Thank you for hiring my company and allowing us onto your property,” Kayden replied diplomatically as he walked to Ward and held out his hand. “I look forward to working with you, Your Majesty.”

“Please, call me Ward.”

“Thank you. Call me Kayden, then.”Shit. Shaking hands? Really, Kayden?It was a very human thing to do, and the male before him certainly wasn’t human.Get it together, dumbass!

Luckily, the gargoyle king didn’t take offense.

Although hehadglanced down at Kayden’s hand and the tattoos there. Kayden gritted his teeth. Oh well, if Ward had a problem with them, thatwasn’thisproblem. Thankfully, the handshake hadn’t lasted long.

The static electricity sure stung too.

Ward raised his gaze and smiled at Kayden. “As I mentioned on the phone, you come highly recommended. I’ve also heard you have a stonemason on your crew, or at least someone who is familiar with working with stone?”

“As we discussed, I do, yes,” Kayden assured him.

“Good.”

Kayden motioned to his people. “Let me introduce my crew. This is Mika Suppasit, my foreman. And this is Lance Smith. If you cannot get ahold of me or Mika, go to Lance if there is a problem.” Then Kayden introduced the rest of his crew.

Ward gestured to several of the gargoyles who stood behind him. “This is my council—Luna Simmons, Scarlett Owens, Emmett Crawford, Dean Woods, and Joel Ross.” After Ward introduced each gargoyle, he gestured for everyone to follow him inside. “Let’s discuss what I need done, then. Welcome to my home.”

“My crew and I thank you for your welcome,” Kayden said. “May my entire crew come with us, or would you prefer them to wait here?”

Kayden noticed that the other gargoyles left once they were inside, leaving just two behind. He wasn’t sure why they stayed. Protection, maybe? It was kind of weird.

“They’re welcomed. They’ll need to know how to get around the castle anyhow,” Ward tossed over his shoulder.

Which was a valid point, since Kayden was debating asking for maps as they trailed Ward through the endless hallways and stairs in the castle. Their feet echoed against the stone floors as they passed by towering tapestries and intricately carved sculptures.

Scenes of heroic battles and ancient lore adorned the walls, each telling its own story. With every step, it felt as though they were walking through time itself, surrounded by the rich history of the castle.

The rustle of fabric and the tapping of shoes on stone floors echoed in the high ceilings. The dim lighting inside the castle cast shadows on the stone walls and floors, giving a sense of depth and mystery to the space.

Which made Kayden think the entire castle needed to be rewired. Was the scenery lovely? Of course it was. His gaze darted to the creature next to him. Present company definitely included, but Kayden was there to work, not gawk.

But that ass. In those pants. Thoseleatherpants.

Nope, no gawking, even if that was a gawk-worthy ass, and he had to stop this shit before he got aroused and everybody around him smelled it. That was one of the curses of working with a bunch of paranormals—their sniffers were amazing.

But between that ass and that voice, he was in trouble.

Ward hesitated before a heavy wooden door, worn from years of use. With a steady push, he swung it open. Aged wood and old paper filled the room with an earthy, musty scent.

In the center of the space stood a massive oak table, its surface cluttered with an array of maps and architectural drawings. Kayden was pretty sure he’d never seen such a large table.

He and his crew entered the grand room. As they looked around, the sculptures adorning the space caught Kayden’s gaze. Each one depicted a gargoyle frozen in time.

Their features captured different expressions—some were fierce and poised for battle, while others seemed lost in deep thought. These silent watchers lined the walls, adding an eerie presence to the already extravagant room.

They were beautiful and terrifying, and he hoped to hell they were not real, because that thought was actually more disturbing than the statues themselves.

Ward stopped at the table and spread his large midnight-blue hands flat on the surface. Kayden stood next to him, and his crew spread out around the table.

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