Page 29 of Seduced By Moonlight

He also didn’t bother to point out that he had several shifters on his crew who were more than capable of heavy lifting, not to mention Kayden’s own ability.

But that didn’t matter. The gargoyle king insisted on having one of his people oversee their work for some unknown reason, so that was what was going to happen.

The night progressed with continuous work and intermittent discussions between him and Ward about the findings and their implications. As time passed, Kayden lost himself in the chill of the stone under his fingertips, the echoes of his crews’ voices bouncing off the ancient walls, and even Tank’s silent but steadfast presence.

Around ten, everyone took a break. The crew assembled in a makeshift break area where large lamps cast a warm glow against the darkness, and Ward joined them.

“Is this all of your crew?” Ward asked nonchalantly, standing next to Kayden.

“This is all who came with me tonight. Why?” Kayden asked, noticing that Ward looked over each individual of Kayden’s crew.

“Tank told me that our chef made doughnuts, and he’s gone to get them. I just wanted to make sure everybody got at least one.”

“That’s nice of you.” Yes, it was, and Kayden had some oceanfront property for sale in the middle of the country. He wasn’t buying what Ward was selling. “Yes, this is everybody here tonight.”

“Good, good,” Ward said, continuing to study each individual.

Then he relaxed. It was very subtle, and if Kayden hadn’t been staring right at Ward, he wouldn’t have noticed, but those broad shoulders dropped, and Ward’s huge wings lowered just a tad.

What the entire hell?

Kayden didn’t doubt that there were doughnuts being brought out to them, but there was more to the story than Ward was letting on, Kayden was sure of it.

He didn’t know what was bothering Ward, but whatever it was, it appeared to no longer be a problem.

After what felt like an eternity, Tank came back carrying multiple boxes of doughnuts. Needless to say, Kayden’s crew ravaged them.

“Holy smokes.” Lance bit into another. “These are some of the best I’ve ever tasted.”

“Our chef made them,” Tank said.

“That I can absolutely believe.” Lance licked his fingers. “These definitely do not taste like store bought.”

Sighing, Kayden handed Lance a napkin he had wet down with a bottle of water. “Here, you heathen.”

Lance just grinned at him like the heathen he was.

As the crew indulged in their snack—everyone got at least two—Kayden’s mind wandered back to the earlier conversation with Ward and the gargoyle’s subtle relaxation.

There was a chess game being played here that Kayden wasn’t fully privy to, and that bothered him more than he cared to admit.

Somewhere in the forest, a raven called, its call echoing across the castle grounds.

Frowning, Ward looked off into the distance.

As Kayden munched thoughtfully on a doughnut, Tank approached him quietly. “If you need anything, just let me know,” he said gruffly.

“Thanks,” Kayden replied, noticing that Tank avoided eye contact, as if embarrassed by the offer.

Was oddness a gargoyle thing? As he ate, he and Ward discussed lighter topics—movies seen recently, books read, strange foods tasted during travels—and the tension between them relaxed considerably.

It was during these moments that Kayden saw another side of Ward. Beyond the king and guardian of his clan, Kayden saw a man who laughed warmly and spoke passionately about protecting history.

And somewhere between refilling their coffee cups and sharing anecdotes about misadventures, Kayden felt Ward’s wariness ebbing away. Confirming the identities of those present momentarily calmed his suspicions and fears, it seemed.

The team wrapped up their break and resumed their stations around the site. Kayden could feel Ward’s gaze on him occasionally. The heat was still there, but now the wariness was missing.

ABOUT AN hour later, Kayden noticed his crew finishing up. “Ward? We’re done.”

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