Her Guardians - A Paranormal Reverse Harem Romance(11)

He closed the door. I leaned back against the cool brick wall staring at the nearly empty parking lot. More than ten minutes had gone by before the door finally opened .

“Come in. She will see you,” the man said .

“But you didn’t even give her my name,” I said glancing up at the camera pointed down where I’d been standing .

The man didn’t respond. I followed him into the temple and looked around the area with my mouth practically hanging open. The whole place must have been redone. It looked nothing like I had been expecting .

The floor was a dark stained wood, polished to a perfect shine. There were beautiful portraits of men and women, with realistic landscape paintings mixed in .

There weren’t any pews or alters like I had imagined there would be. It was more like a home. Or maybe more like a hotel. It was a strange combination of many things .

“This way,” the older man said as he gestured toward a long hallway. He turned into the first room and pointed to a chair in front of a mostly empty desk. “She’ll be with you momentarily .”

Meeting the high priestess was already extremely different than my encounter with Marcus had been. Meeting the high priestess was rather pleasant in comparison .

When she finally walked into the room, the temperature changed. I shivered at the abrupt chill. She looked me up and down carefully before smiling .

“You know my dear brother then?” she said sticking out her hand .

“I do.” I shook her hand, and everything quickly warmed back up. Strange magic .

“How unfortunate for you.” She gestured at the chair. “Please, sit .”

I sat down and watched as she glided across the floor over to the other side of her beautiful wooden desk. Her hand glided across the glossy wood as she lowered herself into the chair. She folded her hands together and leaned forward slightly .

“Gage, is it ?”

“Yes, ma’am, that’s right .”

“Thought so.” She tapped the desk with her index finger. “What can I do for you, Gage ?”

I crossed my legs and looked right into her eyes. “I bet you already have a pretty good idea .”

The high priestess smirked at me and stifled a laugh. She raised her eyebrow and nodded once .

“That I do. I guess I just wanted to hear you say it .”

“I need work .”

“How can I trust you?” She hadn’t hesitated. Not even a little. “Give me your hand .”

The high priestess wrapped both of her hands around mine and closed her eyes. The light in the room dimmed .

“You’ve met my daughter .”

“I have .”

“There’s a connection there .”

I held still. I didn’t even blink. Her daughter had stunned me with her beauty so much so that I’d had trouble looking away from her. In fact, I hadn’t been able to get her out of my mind .

“Mmmm-hmmm,” she said as if she had been reading my mind. “You helped her .”

“Of course,” I said. It suddenly felt as though I could feel her moving through my body. I wriggled uncomfortably in my seat .

It wasn’t that I had a lot to hide, but there were definitely things I’d done that I would have preferred to keep to myself. Marcus had me do a lot of things to people he hadn’t cared for .

“I think you’d make a wonderful one. OK.” She dropped my hand, and I managed to stop it before it flopped down on her desk. “I have a very special position for you .”

“Perfect. I look forward to working with you .”

“Don’t you want to know what it is? What it pays? What you’d be required to do?” She arched her perfect eyebrow .

I shook my hand. “No need. I’m sure I’ve done worse, and I know I’ve been paid worse .”

“You have .”

“Any money is better than the no money I currently have .”

“I’ll feel better if I tell you,” the high priestess smiled at me .

I bowed my head slightly. “As you wish, high priestess .”

“Please, call me Lorne .”

“Lorne.”

“I want you to be my daughter’s fourth guardian .”

My mouth dropped open. I stared at her, my heart pounded against my chest. That was an incredibly prestigious title, not something that was given out to just anybody .

“You’ve heard the term, have you not ?”

“Indeed. I just didn’t expect something so… important .”

Lorne cocked her head to the side. “I believe you will be perfect .”

“Will this include everything a guardian typically does?” I already knew that guardians typically allowed their masters to pull energy whenever they wanted or needed. I’d be at her daughter’s beck and call. If she needed me in the middle of the night, I’d be required to go. It sounded too good to be true .

“Whatever my daughter requires. You will do everything to protect and serve her .”

I swallowed hard. “Why me? You don’t know me .”

“You were already there for her once. I can feel the connection you shared with her. I have absolutely no doubts,” Lorne said folding her hands in front of her body as she stood .

“She didn’t seem all that interested in me… in fact, she seemed a bit suspicious,” I said taking a step toward the door .