Page 26 of Gargoyle Defender

“Good. That will help stabilize him.” Ezekiel stood, wiping his hands on a towel folded next to his work area. “Start him off with some juice and broth. His system still needs time to balance out.”

“Got it. I’ll get him some juice now. We’re about to meet in the conference room.”

“Have fun. I’ll be in here getting extra tinctures and powders ready, just in case.”

Ronen knew exactly what Ezekiel meant. He was there not only for Tanner but also preparing for the upcoming conflict.

“Well, thanks again, Zeke. I really appreciate it, and so does Tanner.”

The corner of Ezekiel’s mouth quirked into a smile. “My pleasure. I’ll be awaiting the announcement.”

Ronen was about to turn around but paused in confusion. “What announcement?”

“That you’re expecting a new addition to your little family.” Ezekiel lifted one eyebrow.

Ronen’s breath hitched, his heart fluttering at the thought of Tanner growing round with their child, a physical manifestation of their bond. A possessive satisfaction coursed through his veins from the vision in his mind. Suddenly, conferences and battles didn’t seem all that interesting.

“Are you all right there, buddy?” Ezekiel touched his arm, chuckling. “Remember, we fight to keep those we love safe. That way, when we’re without our families, we know we can return and enjoy the time together, right?”

Ronen gave himself a mental shake. “Yeah, of course. I’m doing my own share of adjusting. I was not expecting this to happen so soon.”

Ezekiel clapped his shoulder. “Trust me. I can relate.”

After thanking Ezekiel again, Ronen rushed back to the room he was sharing with Tanner. He needed to touch him, to ground them together before they were in the others' presence. A part of him wanted to squirrel his mate away, keep Tanner all to himself.

He shook his head. More than once, he’d privately thought that the mated pairs he’d interacted with were being a bit extra about their bonds, that the connection couldn’t possibly be that intense. Now he knew better.

When he entered the room, Tanner was perched on the edge of the bed, wearing only a towel around his waist. Ronen supposed it would be bad form to rip it free, flip Tanner over on his stomach, then drive his achingly hard cock into Tanner’s ass. Not that he thought Tanner would mind. Cassiel however…

Cassiel would definitely have something to say about keeping them waiting. But the thought vanished as he stared at Tanner's bare chest, still dewy from the shower. His mate’s skin glowed with a healthy flush that hadn’t been there before, and the sight made possessive satisfaction curl through Ronen’s belly.

“I brought your clothes,” he said, his voice grittier than he’d intended.

“Thanks.” Tanner smiled, the expression lighting up his face in a way that made Ronen’s chest ache. “I was starting to think I’d have to go to the meeting in a towel.”

Ronen crossed the room and handed over the bundle of clothing, allowing his fingers to brush against Tanner’s. Even that small contact sent a jolt of electricity up his arm. The mate bond was so new, still raw and demanding.

He cleared his throat. “We should get moving.” Ronen paused his forward motion. “Oh, I forgot to mention this. I ran into Ezekiel in the healing room, and he wants you to start with juice and broth to help your system recover.”

Ronen didn’t dare drop the possible pregnancy bomb on Tanner. The kid was overwhelmed enough as it was.

Tanner sighed. “I’d rather have a steak, but I suppose that makes sense.”

Once Tanner was dressed, Ronen led him through the winding stone corridors of the lair. He kept one hand at the small of his back, unable to completely break physical contact. The warmth of Tanner’s body beneath his palm grounded him, a constant reminder that this wasn’t a dream.

“This place is incredible,” Tanner whispered, his eyes wide as he oohed and aahed over the centuries-old paintings of saints and angels in gilt frames, along with carved wood tables with marble tops that supported bronze statues or priceless vases. “Where did you guys get all this cool stuff? It’s like I’m exploring an old castle in Europe.”

The antique objects he’d become so accustomed to seeing in various lairs around the world suddenly made Ronen see them with fresh eyes. Viewing them from Tanner’s perspective, the things he’d taken for granted now appeared extraordinary.

“We’ve been collecting and protecting these treasures for centuries. Some were gifts from grateful humans we’ve saved. Others were rescued from demonic raids.”

Tanner’s jaw went slack. “Wow. Demon raids? That’s wild.”

They approached the massive oak doors of the conference room, and Tanner’s body tensed beneath his palm. He paused, turning to face his mate.

“Are you ready for this?” Ronen laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Tanner swallowed visibly. “As ready as I’ll ever be to meet a bunch of supernatural warriors who fight demons.” He let out a shaky chuckle. “No pressure or anything.”