Page 59 of The Dragon Shifters' Enemy
“I will make sure that King Valerius does not eat everything before you get back,” Marban said.
“You willtry,” Valerius said.
Valerius filched something off the grill directly.He, of course, was fireproof.He dipped the beef in some soy-wasabi sauce.There was a burn from the wasabi paired beautifully with the umami of the soy.
“It’s okay.I should see my parents too and maybe have a meal with them,” Caden said with a nod.
“There is always a refrigerator full of meat for you and Iolaire.”Valerius kissed his forehead.“Do you want me with you when you go speak to Wally and Rose?”
“No, it’s okay.You should stay here with Marban.Fill him in.Maybe his people will have seen some of the walls,” Caden suggested.
Again, Marban’s “ears” perked up but he turned peppers and onions so they did not burn.
Valerius nodded.Caden needed to do this on his own.He leaned down and kissed the young man’s forehead.
“I’ll bring you down a robe.Don’t want any of the sensitive bits getting burned in the fire,” Caden told him.
“Fireproof, remember?”Valerius chuckled.“But I appreciate the thought.”
Another kiss and Caden was bounding up the stairs two at a time.Valerius snagged himself a jalapeno pepper that was stuffed with cream cheese and cheddar.Though the seeds had been scrapped out--where most of the heat resided--it still had a hot bite to it.Marban offered him a piece of sweet Italian sausage that was wrapped in crispy bacon with the tongs.
“Bacon.Caden will be bereft if I eat all of these,” Valerius murmured as he popped the fatty, juicy, crispy bit into his mouth in one piece and chewed.“But it is so hard not to.”
Raziel’s eyes were closed almost to slits as it enjoyed the sausage too.Iolaire was flickering its ears at Raziel, wanting to know what that tasted like too.
“What did you discover in the mountains?”Marban asked after handing him a mushroom cap stuffed with crab and cream cheese.
Valerius strove not to moan in pleasure.Marban was an incredible cook.Now, he wouldn’t mind seeing the Swarm Shifter by his grill.Though, truly, they had come a long way from loathing seeing the old man to potentially tolerating him.
“This.”
Valerius logged into his tablet and went to the secure server where all information was being kept.He cast it to the large screen on the wall.It showed a walk-thru of the cave to the wall where humans and Shifters were caught in the potentially eternal embrace of stone.
Marban watched it silently as he explained what was being shown. The Swarm Shifter’s black eyes flickered all over the screen and Valerius knew that he missed nothing.It was comforting to know that Marban washisCouncillor now rather than on the opposite side of him.When he heard Caden coming downstairs, he turned off the cast.Caden did not need to see that again.
Caden bussed his cheek as he handed Valerius a red silk robe that he pulled on.Caden was dressed in some ripped jeans that cupped his ass perfectly.Valerius had quite the view of that ass as Caden leaned over the grill to snatch several of the bacon wrapped sausage pieces and a stuffed pepper.
He then turned and said to the two of them, “I’ll catch you a little later.”
Valerius nodded, but found his heart twisting a little as Caden disappeared out of the doors.Raziel looked equally bereft as it laid its chin on top of its front legs and let out a puff of smoke.
“May I see the video again?”Marban asked.
Valerius played it once more as he devoured steak, sausage and peppers.He also slid some of the caramelized onions into his mouth as a chaser. After wiping his fingers clean, he went over and took out some of his rich, berry-forward zinfandels.He poured a large glass for himself and Marban.Marban took a large swallow of the wine.
“I don’t know whether I am relieved or worried that you need a drink after seeing that,” Valerius replied dryly.
Marban took a more moderate sip of wine before setting down the glass firmly and going back to cooking.“How many of those walls do you suppose there are?”
“At least two, one in Anwar’s territory and one here,” Valerius explained.“But I am certain there are more.Caden was right that we need your people’s eyes and ears to find others.Of course, I will be sending out the Claw, but the--”
“More eyes the better,” Marban finished for him. He took off another steak.Valerius licked his lips. But Marban said, “Let it sit.”
Valerius grunted and went back to sausage and bacon along with several stuffed peppers and mushrooms.
“Do you think the Behemoth comes through these walls?”Marban asked.
“I do.I think that they are doorways,” Valerius said.
