Page 8 of Seduced By Moonlight

Ward nodded. If the roles were reversed, he had no idea how he’d react, either. And unlike her, from sunup to sundown he was vulnerable.

“I can offer you sanctuary, Rihanna Norwood of another realm,” Ward declared formally, his voice resonating with both power and a tinge of warmth. “Clan Tywyll will protect you as long as you wish to stay and abide by our laws.”

“And what laws would those be?”

Ward quickly entailed what it would mean to be part of his clan, even temporarily. “So basically, those are the things that I would require of you.”

“Nothing more than any good guest would expect anyway,” Rhiannon agreed.

“But there are two things I am going to insist upon,” Ward said. “You shall refrain from performing any significant magic without supervision until we have confirmed it is safe for both you and us.”

“That’s fair,” Rihanna agreed swiftly. “And what about the witches? The ones who attacked me?”

“All dead except for the one. And I will deal with their coven accordingly if they dare to trespass on my land or against my people again,” Ward assured her. “I do not tolerate threats lightly.”

“Good.”

“This leads me to my second requirement,” Ward said. “I need you to swear an oath of loyalty to the clan. It’s a crucial element of the initiation process for every new clan member.”

“Not to you?”

“For now, no. This oath will be temporary. If you decide to stay, either because you wish to or because you’re unable to return home, then you will swear to me. But I will have my members protected. Usually when someone applies for membership, I do a background check on them, check references, and so on.”

“Something you cannot do with me.”

“Exactly.You are a complete unknown, and a powerful unknown. Plus, from what I understand, you have characteristics of a vampire, a were, and a mer, but I don’t know exactly what that means or entails. Which, we will need to discuss in depth.”

Celine stepped forward. “And do you seek vengeance?”

“Vengeance is tempting,” Rihanna confessed.

CHAPTER THREE–WARD

“UNFORTUNATELY, THE ones who were responsible are dead, and I do not mean the witches.” Ward quickly explained who Nox and Lennox were, the corporation they’d owned, and who and what hunters were. “You’re not the only person kidnapped and forced into this. But there were some who… were not.”

“I see. Then I guess it’s a good thing my primary concern is survival and adaptation. If those paths lead me back to those who betrayed me, then so be it.”

Ward was okay with that. “Then we will help you adapt.”

“Our world might differ from what you’re used to, but you are not alone anymore,” Celine added.

Rihanna nodded. The room fell silent until she finally spoke again. “When do you wish me to make this oath?”

Ward glanced out one of the windows. Dawn was quickly approaching. “Before I answer that, I should ask if you know what I am?”

“You said gargoyle. My realm also has creatures such as you. Was it you who rescued me then? Seems like I remember someone human-looking.”

“It was, yes. This is my human façade.”

“It’s unnecessary for you to hide your true form from me. The gargoyles in my world are deeply honorable beings,” Rihanna said. Then she glanced out of the window too. “Which means your time grows short. Tonight, then?”

“Yes. In the meantime, please stay here. Celine will most likely want to monitor you,” Ward said.

“Most definitely. I’m sure you’d like to have a shower too, and then I’ll bring you something to eat,” Celine said. “I think we’re about the same size. You can raid my wardrobe.”

“That’s very kind of you. Thank you. It would be nice to actually rest,” Rihanna said. “I would definitely welcome food. They failed to feed me adequately.”

“I’m sure,” Celine said.

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