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"I'll try," Vladik said. "And Kaspian? If there's any other excitement, call Aleksandr." He hung up before the other gargoyle could answer. He wanted his mate for as long as he could have her.
The gods only knew what the day was going to bring them.
29
Zori and Vladik flew back to Irina's when the sun was up again. Zori had wanted to stay in bed, but they had a warrior knocking on Vladik's door not long after dawn with a message that they were to go to Irina's for 'brunch and a briefing.'
They landed on Irina's roof, and Zori shifted seamlessly back into her human shape. It was so easy that she'd barely felt the twinge in her bones. Mentally, she was preparing for her grandmother to lose her mind when she saw Zori had mated with Vladik.
Deep down, Zori didn't care if she did. She'd had all the decisions made for her in life, and she was done with being bossed about. Mating Vladik wasn't something she was ever going to regret. It was the first thing she had really chosen for herself. She felt settled in a way she never had before, as if he was the anchor that kept her steady. Zori looked up at him, her heart about to burst. She loved him so damn much.
"She's going to be angrier at me more than you," Vladik chuckled, reading her mind.
She stood up on tiptoes, and he met her lips with his own. It instantly calmed the nervous flutter inside her. She leaned into him, making him growl.
"None of those games, puppy. I'm having hard enough time letting you out of the house," he said, giving her ass a firm squeeze.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied sweetly. Zori was already walking funny from the previous night and was so hungry she could have eaten a horse.
Zori opened the door to the house, and her stomach rumbled. She could smell coffee, pancakes, frying sausages, and eggs. They found Irina in the kitchen, setting out plates.
"I was about to send a search party," her grandmother said. She glanced between them and let out a low curse. "Really? You couldn't have waited so we could have a proper ceremony?"
"No," Zori said, straightening her shoulders and staring her grandmother down. "The attack last night makes me realize we were both at a higher risk not being mated. I need to be able to shift without using my cape, and Morana said I needed to be able to pull on Vladik's strength. Besides, it will be a way to get Maxim to think I'm vulnerable when I'm not."
Irina gestured for them to sit and stared pouring coffee. "You don't have to defend yourself to me. I just would have preferred to throw a proper party before you did it."
Zori glanced sideways at Vladik and grinned. "We had a private party, just the two of us. Clothes were optional."
"Okay, that's all I need to know. I'm happy for you both. I knew as soon as I saw you together that it was inevitable," Irina said. She put her hands on her hips. "Kaspian called and told me about all thevolhvand mercenaries gathering at the tower."
Vladik had caught Zori up on all the news when she had been in the shower, the big gargoyle soaping her back. She felt so sorry that Misha was still being violated. He had been through enough. Nausea clawed at her whenever she thought of her own blood that Maxim had taken.
"Aleksandr has thoughts he wishes to share if he ever turns up," Irina grumbled, checking the time on the carved pine clock hanging on the wall.
As if her words have summoned him, there was a heavy knock on the back door, and Aleksandr called out a greeting. He was in his human form and had two huge swords strapped to his back. Zori bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from making inappropriateWitcherjokes. He looked like he could be Geralt's dad.
"Busy already this morning, Alek?" Irina asked, noting the swords.
"Seems prudent to carry monster slaying swords when we could have monsters hidden in the city," he said, lifting the leather holsters off his shoulder. He sniffed. "What smells like sex in here?"
"They are mated," Irina said before Zori could.
Aleksandr looked at Vladik. "You're a brave male. I hope you're up for the challenge."
"I am," Vladik answered with no boast in his tone.
Aleksandr laughed deeply and chucked Zori under the chin. "Welcome to the family, blossom. I'm sure you could have done better than this one, but the heart wants what it wants, I suppose."
"It does, and I'm happy with my decision," Zori said sweetly and with just enough steel that Aleksandr's eyes flashed in amusement.
"Let's get the children fed, Irina. I'm sure they are famished after their busy evening," he said, sitting down opposite Vladik.
"Have you seen Misha yet?" Vladik asked, smoothly changing the subject.
"No. I figure we wait to tell him about the use of his blood afterward. If we tell him beforehand, he's going to drag his ass out of bed and get himself killed," Aleksandr replied, filling his plate with food.
Vladik nodded. "Probably for the best. He doesn't like feeling useless, and it would kill him to know his blood was used to attack Zori." Underneath the table, his tail wrapped around Zori's calf. Her need to touch him was worse than ever, so she pressed her leg into his.
