before wandering up to the gate, leaving her to follow.
The gate itself has a lock on it, but I easily break it and toss it away before pushing it open and walking in like I own the place. I see his cameras turn and lock on me, the bright LED lights flashing to let me know they are recording.
“This place is spooky, I love it,” she whispers, and when I look back, she’s stroking a blade at her side.
“No stabbing him, we need him,” I remind her, just as the sound of chains unlocking reaches us. The front door swings open, and standing in all his naked glory is the Librarian.
“I wasn’t expecting company,” he snaps as he looks at us.
“You just walk around naked all the time?” I sigh.
“My castle. If I want to walk around dressed as the fucking Easter Bunny, I will. I’m guessing you’re here for a reason, better fucking come in,” he snarls and storms back inside.
“I like him,” Remi comments as I wrap an arm around her shoulders.
“You would, amore. He’s grumpy and insane… Matches you perfectly.” I get a punch to the dick for that one.
He has finally put something on. It’s a navy silk robe with flowers across it, but it’s better than nothing. I do catch Remi checking out his chest, and when he’s leading us to the library, I lean and warn her if she gets any ideas, I’ll kill him.
She rolls her eyes at me, and I want to give her ass a spanking for her sass, but I leave it this once, not wanting him to see me with my girl. We wander down the pitch-black corridor. The fucker doesn’t even have electricity in this part of the castle. He’s holding a fucking candelabra in his hands and wearing his silk robe like some kind of divorced widower who killed his rich ex.
I know the path, even though I haven’t been here for a while, so I walk beside my girl until we reach the large, spelled double doors. Not even the council is supposed to come here. This is a neutral area meant for records and history. The Librarian is never supposed to take sides or involve himself, and when he turns, I can see he’s struggling with that.
To let me in, he’s breaking his code.
“If I allow you in here, are you going to stir up shit?” he asks, his bright blue eyes locking me in place. His long blond hair is now to his waist and plaited in a Viking style. His face is square, but has more wrinkles than when I last saw him. No one knows who the Librarian really is, or I should say what he really is. He was here before us and will be here after us. Many believe he is an entity of the gods, of the Fates…and some think he is a god himself.
I asked him once, but he just laughed and walked away. The cocky fucker.
“Probably.” Remi grins, and his eyebrows rise as he booms out a deep laugh.
“I like her. Fuck it, fine. I don’t like those council bastards anyway. Always on my back, do this, do that… Like I have nothing else to do,” he snipes as he turns to the doors.
“You don’t have anything else to do,” I tease.
He turns to me with a narrow-eyed look. “Boy, don’t test me. I still have hobbies like everyone else.”
“Hobbies? Like what?” Remi asks curiously.
“I like to knit. I’ve also gotten really into watching crime and serial killer TV shows.” He shrugs, and she grins wider.
“I think we just became besties.” She nods seriously. “Okay, Book Daddy, let’s do this.”
“Book Daddy?” he repeats and looks at me. “Yes, I like that better than the Librarian. Call me that from now on.”
“I’m not calling you Book Daddy,” I snap, and he sighs as he pushes open the door.
“These gods, so serious all the time. It’s not the end of the world yet, face changer, so lighten up,” he mutters as he walks inside. As soon as he does, he snaps his fingers and we hear the whoosh as all the candles and lights flicker on around the room, illuminating the hundreds of rows of bookcases, from floor to ceiling, with old wooden ladders placed on each. It spreads out in a spiral from the middle, where a circle for the Librarian is placed. It’s an area for him to write and work with one chair just for him,