Page 42 of Bearly Yours
Consort Mia looked a little deflated. “And I thought I’d been avoiding them all so well.”
King Draven kissed the side of her head, and she seemed to let it go quickly.
“Did Aiwin show you in?” King Draven asked.
I shook my head. “No, there was no one at the door, and it was cracked open a little bit. I hope you don’t mind, but we showed ourselves in. We were concerned something had happened.”
King Draven looked concerned as well, and started to excuse himself to check on his missing staff, but just as he was about to, Mateo nodded at the upper balconies above the ballroom floor. At least forty people were on the mezzanine, all leaning over the railing looking down at the games below them, and talking and laughing among themselves. It even looked like they had refreshments.
“I think they made it into a kind of movie night,” Consort Mia said, laughing. “What a great idea!”
“Yes, love, and obviously I don’t begrudge them their entertainment, but there should be at least one person manning the front door. And where are our guards?” King Draven said.
I shrugged my shoulders. “We haven’t seen any.”
“There’s one,” Mateo said, pointing with his chin.
“Oh, hey Mes,” Mia said, waving like a loon. The guard in question, whom I’d seen several times in town and a few times here at the villa, rolled his eyes slightly. I could tell, though, that he adored Mia because his eyes brightened a bit, and his lips tilted up at the corners. These two probably had a history. I’m guessing Mesmer was probably her primary bodyguard. I’d even heard a story last year that he’d saved her from a bomb while they were driving over the Moonhaven Cove bridge. Scary, and completely amazing.
Gargoyles often took jobs in security. Their large bodies and nearly impenetrable alternate rock forms kind of lent themselves to working in the security business, but they were also really good at it. Most of them had the right temperament for it, and between that and their natural gargoyle skills andobservations skills, most high profile paranormals hired them, and they usually ended up as the head bodyguard, in charge of all the other bodyguards.
I nodded to him as he joined us as we left the room, and I could see Mateo nod at him out of the corner of my eye.
“Mesmer, where are the guards?” King Draven asked.
“They’re around,” Mesmer said, in his gravelly, deep voice. “I asked them to run invisible today. We’ve got a lot of people in the villa because of the games, and I didn’t want them to make anyone nervous. There are a few in the satellite office bunch who are nervous nellies.”
“We didn’t see anyone when we came in.”
Mesmer nodded at me. “You were cleared to come in, and we saw you. I don’t know why the door was open. I think Zian’s been leaving it open.”
“He can open the door?” Mateo asked, surprised.
Consort Mia laughed. “All the time. I think we need to get him a kitty door.”
“They don’t make them that big,” Mesmer said.
Consort Mia shrugged, reaching for her hubby’s hand. “Then we’ll have it specially made.”
I raised my hand a bit, like I was in school or something, and broke in, “I can add that to my list. I can prioritize that first, if you’d like?”
She beamed and hugged me. Her spontaneous hugs never failed to surprise the crud out of me. It was like a sneak attack, but cuddly.
King Draven led the way into a small conference room with an oval table and a large window on the north side of the room that let in natural light. The sun wasn’t too bright today, considering we were at the end of January now, but the weak sunlight felt good on my skin. I probably needed more vitamin D.
Maybe Roarke and I could take a quick flight to somewhere warmer for a week or so when this library was finished. That might be a good time for us to consider planning our mating ceremony as well. I most likely wouldn’t have the time to do that before then because I would be swamped.
Mesmer came in with us, but stayed on guard near the door’s interior, while we spread out amongst the chairs. I laid out the blueprints so King Draven and Consort Mia could see them, and tried nodding Mateo to a chair, but he chose to stand guard by the window instead, which was probably wise of him.
Before I could get into any details, King Draven spoke up. “I suppose it’s not really necessary to say this, but I’m going to say it anyway. While you’re here, working in our home, you will have our full protection. I will make sure there are guards posted inside the library at all times, and you’re welcome to bring your own guards on the property.”
I nodded gratefully. “Thank you, King Draven. That would help tremendously. And I appreciate the added protection of your guards.”
“Please, Emrie, just call me Draven.”
“And please, for zany mushroom’s sakes, call me Mia.”
Draven chuckled. “That’s a new one. I like it.”
