Beastiality

The gargoyles all awoke, the moment that the last rays of sunlight
vanished over the horizon. They roared like wild cats, heaved their arms
towards the sky, and sent small fragments of stone skin flying in all
directions.
Brooklyn leapt from his perch upon a stone parapet, and took to
the early evening air, not even bothering to say anything to his clan,
or the police officer that had come to greet them.
“I haven’t spoken to Brooklyn in weeks!” Elisa protested, watching
him gradually disappear into the distance. “Where the hell is he going
every night?”
“I wish I knew.” Goliath replied with a low growl. “He says he’s
on patrol, but I don’t believe him.”
“We’re actually starting to miss him.” Broadway said sadly.
“Yeah! The trio is quickly becoming the duo!” Lexington added
sarcastically.
Goliath let out another low growl, as he walked down the castle
stairs with his daughter Angela to go and have breakfast. Lexington,
Broadway and Elisa followed close behind.
For some reason Hudson wasn’t as hungry as he usually was after a
day of sleep, so he decided to skip breakfast and go to the living room
to watch television. He walked down the stairs with his clan, but pulled
away from the group and headed for the living room. Hudson opened the
door and walked into the room, then sat down in his comfortable
reclining chair. He took the remote control from the nearby coffee
table, aimed it at the 29 inch screen before him, then pressed one of
the tiny buttons. The enormous rectangular screen lit up and the image
of Clint Eastwood gradually materialised. Hudson could tell it was one
of his more recent westerns, because of the digitally enhanced colour
and sound. But for some reason the clothing he wore was very similar to
the clothes he had donned for all of his other western films.
“Och!” Hudson retorted loudly. “I canna see what the boys see in
this human! What kind of a person never changes his clothes?”
He pushed the other button on the remote and changed the channel,
hoping to find something more to his taste. He continued switching from
one bad station to another, until he came to his favourite talk show.
“Finally.” he said, placing the remote back onto the coffee table
and leaning back comfortably.
The attractive human on the screen held a microphone, and dressed
in a green designer outfit. Next to Elisa she was one of Hudson’s
favourite humans. “Today on Claire.” she announced, as she always did.
“Gargoyles. Friend, or foe?”
Hudson leaned forward, and stared at the screen intently. The fact
that they used the word ‘friend’ was rather interesting.
Claire’s theme song and introduction played as it did every
episode, then the image of Claire herself appeared back onto the screen.
“Today we are talking about a recent discovery of a new species in our
midst.” Claire explained. “We know them as gargoyles and people fear
them to be monsters, but a few are saying that it’s all not necessary.
Today we discuss whether they should be feared, or befriended.”
“Goliath!” Hudson called, his voice to echoing throughout the
halls of the castle. “I think you be wantin ta see this lad!”
Goliath entered the room moments later, along with Elisa and
Angela. “What?” he asked, inquisitively. “Is something the matter?”
“Watch this lad!” Hudson replied, gesturing towards the television
screen.
Goliath looked at the screen, with a frustrated expression on his
face. He wasn’t to fond of the television after his incident with the
Pack.
The camera view changed from an image of Claire’s best side, to
two men, that were sitting a considerable distance from each other.
“Our guests today are, Quarryman spokesman Mr Alan Cable, and
Gargoyle sympathiser Jerimiah King.” Claire announced, walking towards
the two men.
Jerimiah King was a good looking man, who didn’t look much older
than 30 years of age. His neat brown hair was cut short to the sides,
and left at a perfect flaring length on the top, and his lightly tanned
skin was reminiscent of many hours in the sun. He was dressed very
informally, in a pair of long pitch black jeans, a lose fitting blood
red T-shirt and a pair of black leather lace up shoes.
Alan Cable on the other hand wasn’t nearly as attractive. He was a
enormous man, built like a gorilla, who appeared to be in his early
forties. The pale white skin of his close shaven face was covered in
blemishes and his long blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail in an
obvious attempt to make him look more presentable. He wore an expensive
looking brown business suit, with matching shoes. A pure white shirt and
dull grey tie were barley visible beneath his buttoned blazer. His
apparel didn’t really gratify his appearance as well as Jeremiah’s
casual dress.
Elisa and the three gargoyles watched the television screen
intently, as they all became very interested in the topic being
discussed. Goliath seemed especially intrigued by the human named,
Jerimiah.

***

“Mr King.” Claire asked formally. “Why do you sympathise with
these gargoyles?”
“Because of peoples hastiness to judge them.” he replied. “My past
experiences with them have proven them to be noble protectors.”
“Protectors?” Claire repeated, mockingly. “Protectors of what?”
“Whatever they chose to.” he replied simply. “They are born with
a…” He paused as he looked for the right words. “A genetic need to
protect.”
“Oh come on!” the quarryman said angrily. “If they’re such _noble_
_protectors_ why did they destroy that police station?”
“Is there any reliable proof, that they were the guilty party?”
Jerimiah retaliated.
“Of course you fool!” Mr Cable said smugly. “I saw them do it on
the television!” He looked to the audience gestured towards them as if
Jerimiah was unaware of there presence. “We all saw it!”
Numerous members of the audience nodded, or made other indications
of their agreement with the quarryman. The fact that fifty percent of
them were quarrymen, wasn’t helping the matter.
“So you saw them do it?” Jerimiah asked calmly.
Alan Cable nodded with an evil grin. “Yes I did.”
Jerimiah nodded with a thoughtful look on his face. “So you saw
them fly in with a state of the art military aircraft, and fire two one
thousand dollar sidewinder missiles into the clock tower, above the 35th
precinct house? Fascinating! And where do you suppose they would acquire
such weapons?”
Alan’s smile dropped from his face and he started to try and
figure out ways to explain himself. “They must have connections… I
don’t know!”
“Do you have any idea of what a gargoyle is capable of?” he asked,
starting to smile evilly. “They can dig _great_ _holes_ in solid stone
with their - their talons!” A numerous amount of the audience members
gasped with fright. “A decent sized clan could have torn that clock
tower apart in a matter of minutes. It wasn’t them who destroyed it.”
“Do you have any idea _who_ did it then?” Claire asked, for all of
the audience members who were dying to know.
“The Hunter.” he said, as if he was telling a ghost story. “A
family of psychopaths, with a tradition of killing gargoyles. And I do
believe that one of them is the quarryman founder.”
“How did you know tha..” the quarryman bit his tongue, to stop his
revealing words. “I mean that’s a lie!”
“Now, this is interesting isn’t it folks!” Jeremiah said to the
audience. “The main reason people join the quarrymen is because of the
clock tower incident, and it turns out that it wasn’t gargoyles, but
their own lead…”
“Lies!!” Alan shrieked in rage. “It was the Gargoyles! Always the
Gargoyles! We’re the only protectors here! We protect you all from those
monsters!”
Jeremiah’s calm facade vanished, and his anger overwhelmed him.
Gargoyles were all he had left, and to have them slandered by small
minded fools such as this one, was like pulling the pin to the grenade
that was his anger.
Jerimiah exploded.
“Gargoyles aren’t Monsters!! They are a noble race of intelligent
beings that have willingly protected, ungrateful humans for thousands of
years! There are so few of them left, and for idiots like you to hunt
down and [CENSOR] them in cold blood is…” He stopped and tried to calm
himself, but his anger just burned brighter, filling his soul with all
of the hatred he had bottled up for the entirety of his existence. His
breathing became deeper as he struggled to overcome it, but he was
unable to! He needed release, and he knew just how to do it.
His voice lowered to a threatening whisper. “To [CENSOR] them is a
heinous crime. Perhaps I can show you how they suffer… If you were one
of them yourself… Yes. You would know their pain!”
“One of them mysel… What are you on about?” The quarry man
demanded.
Jeremiah lifted his right hand and clenched it into a fist. An
unusual looking green ring with a realistic reptilian head was worn on
his middle finger. The pearl-like jewel held in it’s mouth, began to
glow with a dim green light. The light gradually glowed brighter, as
Jerry started chanting in Latin, and he could feel the arcane magic’s
flow through his body. Every syllable of every word echoed through the
entire studio, and everyone present except for Jerimiah remained
completely still and silent. As his chant ended the green light
radiating from his ring grew into giant ball of emerald fire that flew
like a meteorite from his hand, and moved at an amazing speed towards
the terrified Quarryman.
He ran from the oncoming fireball with a terrified cry, but he was
unable to out run it. The multiple gasps from the audience were drowned
out by a deafening explosion, caused by the fireballs impact with its
target.
Jerimiah doubled back in pain as the magic’s drained his strength
and electrical impulses stabbed at his most sensitive nerves. He fell to
the floor, but managed to remain conscious to admire his handy work.
The entire audience looked at the rising green smoke, that
engulfed the area where the Quarryman once stood. The green clouds
cleared and everyone except for Jerry gasped with shock, for instead of
were they expected to see the charred remains of a human body, stood a
very confused looking purple skinned gargoyle.
It looked at the audience with a startled expression, and then
noticed the way everyone was looking at him. “What is it?” he asked in
the Quarryman’s voice. He paused when noticed his taloned hands, and
lifted them before his terrified gargoyle face. His eyes then moved down
to his deformed, inhuman body, and he let out a cat-like shriek as he
fell to his knees crying, “NOOOOO!!”

***

The laboratory was filled with numerous items of expensive medical
equipment. It’s sterile surroundings made it look like a surgery room at
a hospital, but it served a much more sinister purpose. In the centre of
the laboratory was a enormous glass cylinder with something (someone?)
floating in the dark liquid it contained. Two scientists wearing white
doctors coats, that made them look at home in the laboratory, stood
around the large bulletproof tube.
“Doctor.” one of the scientists said, reading the notes in her
hands. “The subject is ready for a field test.”
“Excellent!” the Doctor replied, evilly. He walked to the large
tube and looked through the clear glass, were a sleeping man floated
upright in gallons of thick purple liquid.
“Our friend here is going to grant a lot of interesting research
possibilities.”
“Sir.” the assistant said nervously. “May I remind you that the
subjects DNA is very unstable and he could mutate at any time.”
“That Pauline, is the price of science.” the Doctor snapped. “If
he mutates we’ll just terminate him.”
“But Doctor!” Pauline protested. “We’ve both put a lot of work
into this project. And I’ve…”
“Don’t worry darling!” the Doctor interrupted boastfully, “I’m
quite certain that everything will go just fine!”
Pauline wasn’t remotely worried about the work she had put into
the project. She had become particularly close with the subject and
didn’t want to have him terminated. He was her creation. He was her son.
The doctor looked back to his sleeping man(?) and smiled evilly.
“Have you made all the necessary preparations?”
“Yes sir!” she replied, unhappily. “I’ve even arranged for a job
interview.”
The Doctor chuckled. “A very nice touch Pauline! A very - very
nice touch.”
“He should be ready for the field first thing tomorrow morning.”
Pauline said, looking back to her papers.
“Excellent!” The Doctor replied excitedly, as he walked towards
the exit to his laboratory.
After he was out of earshot, Pauline looked up the tube that
contained the sleeping man. His long jet black hair flared above his
head, like dark fire in the thick purple fluid. The mask that allowed
him to breathe hid his facial features, and a metal headband embedded
with dozens of wires and flashing lights embraced his head.
“Don’t worry.” Pauline whispered, to the sleeping figure. “I won’t
let him hurt you.”

***

Jerimiah walked through the main doors of the New York police
station with a smug smile. The police were unable to charge him for
anything because there wasn’t a law against casting magic spells on
unwilling individuals.
He reached up to his cheek where the deep gash he had received
earlier had totally healed. He remembered the enraged purple gargoyle
pouncing on him, and swiping at his face with his newly acquired talons
screaming, “TURN ME BACK!! TURN ME BACK!!”
Fortunately he had calmed down when he was assured that the spell
would wear off at sunrise. Unfortunately for the quarryman, there was a
law against assault and he was arrested.
Jerimiah laughed out loud, when he thought about the Quarryman’s
predicament. He stopped laughing after a few short chuckles then began
to worry about the consequences of his actions. Claire certainly wasn’t
happy with his outburst, even though it would probably improve her
ratings. He was lucky enough to be taken away quietly enough to avoid
being ambushed by a mob of crazy reporters.
Suddenly a gleaming black limousine pulled up next to him. “Oh
great!” he mumbled, expecting a gang of quarrymen to emerge form the
vehicle like clowns out of a little red fire engine. Instead a tall man,
with short blonde hair and wire rimmed glasses stepped out of the
drivers seat looked at him coldly.
“Jerimiah King?” he asked, formally.
“The one and only.” Jerimiah replied, with a warm grin.
“My employer and one or two of his - associates would like to meet
you.” The blonde man explained, without any change in his cold
expression. “Could you spare a moment of your time?”
“Of course.” he replied obligingly. “All I have is time.”
He opened the back door of the limousine to get in but before he
did so, he looked at driver again. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your
name.”
The driver looked back at him. “My name is of no relevance to you
Mr King.”
“Well I’m not going to get in a car with a complete stranger.” he
exclaimed, closing the back door and started walking back down the
footpath.
“If you insist Mr King.” the blond man said, before climbing back
into the drivers seat. “My name is Owen Burnett.”
Jerimiah walked back to the car with another smug smile, and
pulled the back door open to get in. “Oh, and one more thing Owen.” he
said, charmingly. “Call me Jerry.”

***

Jerimiah felt the blood rush to his feet as the elevator began its
ascent. He looked to his companion and shook his head. ~This Owen
Burnett is an strange man.~ he thought, perceptively. ~But there’s
something oddly familiar about him.~
Owen looked at him as if he could hear his thoughts.
The elevator suddenly stopped with a ding, and the door opened
before them. Jerimiah stepped out behind Owen, and beamed happily at the
sight of the waiting gargoyles.
Owen looked up to the largest one, then introduced them, “Jerimiah
King.” he exclaimed, coldly. “This is Goliath.”
Jerimiah smiled as he shook Goliath’s hand, but it diminished when
he noticed one absent member. “I counted seven Gargoyles on the video.”
he said, worriedly. “Where is the other one?”
Goliath frowned disapprovingly. “Brooklyn is out on patrol.” He
explained. “Or so he tells me.”
Jerimiah started to smile again. “Oh good.” he said, as he wiped
his brow in a relieved gesture.
Goliath smiled at him. “How did you come to know so much about our
kind Mr King?” He asked curiously.
Jerimiah smiled as he answered the question. “When you live for as
long as I have, you learn a lot of things. Though I have been close with
gargoyles for many thousands of years.
“You’re immortal?!” Goliath blurted, taking a cautious step
backwards.
“Is there something wrong with that?” Jerry asked, as his smile
again vanished from his face.
“I - apologise. We’ve had a lot of bad experiences with immortal
beings.” He exclaimed, giving Owen an accusing glare.
“Oh. Oberon’s children?” he asked, remembering his run ins with
the fey.
“Yes.” Goliath replied, angrily. “And various other individuals.”
“Do you all have names?” Jeremiah inquired, changing the subject.
“I’m Angela!” the attractive female said, walking up to Jerimiah
and offering him her hand.
“I’m Broadway.” a large gargoyle with a tub of ice cream said,
before turning towards a small yellow one next to him. “And this is
Lexington.”
An elderly gargoyle climbed out of a reclining chair and walked
towards Jerimiah. “I be Hudson.” he said, in a Scottish accent.
Jerimiah shook all of their taloned hands, ecstatic to see
gargoyles again after so long. When he felt something nuzzle against his
leg, he looked down to see the dog-like Gargoyle that he had completely
forgotten about. “Hello boy!” he said kneeling down and scratching him
behind the ear.
“That’s Bronx, Mr King.” Lexington said pointing to the friendly
beast.
“Please, call me Jerry.” he requested, happily.
“Um, Jerry.” Broadway said, shyly. “We all loved the way you
nailed that Quarryman!”
“Yeah!” Lexington added enthusiastically. “I like your style!”
“Jerry?” Goliath said, placing his hand onto his shoulder.
He looked up to Goliath and smiled. “Yes?”
“That ring you used. Could you tell me about it?”
Jerry frowned momentarily, then started to explain. “It was a gift
from someone very dear to me.” he explained, sadly. “It’s called the
Ring of Set.”

***

He woke up refreshed, as if he had slept for days. He removed the
bedclothes from himself, and stepped out of his bed. He walked to his
bathroom and looked in the mirror. “Mirror mirror on the wall.” he
chanted, as he caressed the stubble on his face. “Who needs a shave most
of all?”
He retrieved his electric razor from the cabinet behind the
mirror, switched it on, and began cutting the short hair from his face.
After quickly brushing his teeth and a splash of aftershave, he
walked back to his bedroom and donned the clothing set out conveniently
on a chair next to his bed. Dressed in a grey Armani suit, white
collared shirt and a colourful tie, he walked up to a pair leather shoes
on the floor and slipped his feet into them.
He looked into the mirror on door of his closet, and straightened
up his collar and tie, Then he tied back his long hair with a rubber
band from his top pocket, as he walked to his refrigerator. Opening the
door he found some leftover pizza and two cans of beer.
~I don’t drink.~ he thought. ~Who the hell put that there?~
He took a quick glance at his watch, and decided he had time to
get breakfast at a cafe. He walked through the front door to his
apartment, and as he locked it, he heard a female voice call out from
behind him.
“Hi! You must be my new neighbour.”
He turned around and saw a very attractive brunette wearing tight
blue denim jeans, a pitch black shirt and a trendy red jacket. The
moment she saw his face, her eyes widened and she stared at him in
astonishment.
“What?” He asked, feeling around his mouth. “Is there something on
my face?”
The attractive woman began to speak, with the shocked expression
still plastered on her face. “No. You just look like someone I know.”
“Really?” he asked curiously. “Who?”
“You wouldn’t know him.” she replied, suspiciously. “What’s your
name?”
“I’m Malcolm.” he informed, admiring her attractive features.
“Elisa Maza.” she replied, nervously. “I’ve - really got to get to
work! Maybe I’ll see you later. Tonight maybe?”
“I certainly hope so!” he replied, cheerfully.
“Well see ya.” she said, before bolting down the stairs.
“Whoa!” Malcolm gasped, wiping his brow with the back of his hand.
“I think I’m gonna like her!”

***

She held the wheel in one hand and rested her free arm out of the
open window next to her. Her partner sat in the passenger seat blowing
onto a cup of hot coffee, when she decided to speak her thoughts. “I
think we should tell Morgan.” she suggested, nervously.
“Tell him what?” he asked, before filling his mouth with the hot
beverage.
“Y’know,” she said placing her other hand on the steering wheel.
“About the gargoyles.”
Matt spat his mouthful of coffee all over the interior of her car.
“Are you nutsh?!”
“Come on Matt!” Elisa protested. “I trust him more than I trust
you!”
“Gee, thanks!” he retorted, sarcastically.
“He’s been one of my best friends, ever since I joined the force!”
she explained. “And the Gargoyles need all the friends they can get!”
Matt pulled a checked handkerchief from his pocket and started to
clean up the coffee from the dash board. “Okay,” he surrendered. “I
guess your right.”
“Of course I am.” she replied boastfully.
“You’re pretty full of yourself Elisa.” he commented, cheekily.
Elisa pushed him away playfully. “Just for that, I’m going to make
you pay to get my car cleaned.”
Matt just chuckled at her.
Elisa drove silently for a few moments, until she remembered
something important. “You wouldn’t believe who I met in the hall this
morning.”

***

“So it’s only as powerful as it’s wearer?” Goliath asked,
curiously.
“Not exactly.” Jerry replied. “The power of the ring varies from
the wearers physical condition. Like if I’m hungry or ill, I wouldn’t be
able to accomplish as much with it, as I would in perfect health.
“So that’s why you ate so much before!” Broadway said, remembering
the meal he had shared with the clan.
“Oh yeah.” Lexington said, cheekily. “To eat more than Broadway is
quite an accomplishment!”
“That transformation spell did take a lot out of me.” he admitted.
Goliath looked to the horizon and frowned. “It’s almost sunrise.
We’re going to have to continue our conversation tonight.”
“That reminds me!” Jerry said. “I have a gift for all of you!”
Goliath stared at him with a slightly surprised look on his face.
“Really? What kind of gift?”
All of a sudden another gargoyle surprised the whole group as he
landed nearby.
“You must be Brooklyn.” Jerry said excitedly. “Your just in time
for the gift I have for all of you!”
A surprised look appeared on Brooklyn’s face as he noticed the
unfamiliar human. “Who’s this?” He asked, suspiciously.
“This is Jerimiah King.” Goliath replied.
“Forgive my scepticism Mr King” Brooklyn growled. “But we haven’t
had many good experiences with strangers claiming to be our friends.”
“Brooklyn!” Angela snapped, defensively. “Don’t be rude!”
Brooklyn ignored Angela’s protest and looked angrily at the human
before him. “And what is this so called gift you’re talking about?”
Jerry did not reply, he merely raised the hand that his ring was
on, and started to chant in Latin. His every syllable echoed just as it
had in the Claire studio, but instead of a fireball appearing from his
ring, a green mist began rising from the ground beneath him. An
invisible breeze sent the magical mist floating slowly towards the
Gargoyles, and it passed through their bodies like an illusion, leaving
nothing more than an unpleasant chill. Jerry doubled back in pain, and
fell to the floor.
The Gargoyles were all rendered motionless, for the entire spell.
The emerald fog vanished as quickly as it had appeared and they all
regained control of their bodies.
“What exactly is that supposed to do?” Brooklyn asked,
suspiciously.
“My friends.” Jerry wheezed, as he lifted himself from the ground.
“I have granted you all one day to live!”
“WHAT?!!” Goliath shrieked. He lunged towards the unsuspecting
human, but missed when Jerry executed a skilful sidestep to the left.
Goliath moved like lightning, and in one fluid motion he turned around,
leapt on the traitor and forced him to the ground. “Betrayer!” he
growled, digging his sharp talons deep into Jerry’s shoulders.
“Please Goliath!” Jerry pleaded, wincing in pain. “You don’t
underst..”
“I understand perfectly!” He interrupted, the light emanating from
his eyes blinding his victim. “We accept you as our friend!! Trust you!!
And this is how you thank us?!”
He raised his hand and prepared to bring it down on Jerry’s skull,
but he froze when he felt rays of wonderful warmth radiate onto his
back. He turned and paused momentarily, Then stood off of Jerry, and
walked to join his clan who were looking at the sun in silent
astonishment.
“The sun!” Goliath gasped, in amazement.
“It’s so warm!” Angela added, hugging herself as if to hold in the
warmth.
Lexington leapt from the parapet he was standing on and glided in
the suns warm light for the first time.
Broadway just stood still, staring at it with a stupid look on his
face.
Brooklyn ignored it and walked menacingly up to Jerry.
Jerry took a cautious step backwards when he noticed the
approaching gargoyle, but his fear diminished when Brooklyn held out his
hand and smiled warmly.
“I’m sorry I doubted you.” he said, shaking Jerry’s hand.
“It’s understandable.” he assured. “Especially after your run in
with The Pack!”
“Goliath fill you in on all that did he?” Brooklyn asked.
“Yeah.” Jerry replied.
Goliath walked up to Jerry with a guilty frown. “I can’t think of
any way to apologise for that!” he said, gesturing towards his bleeding
shoulders.
“No problem! I heal fast! Very fast.” he replied, reassuringly.
“And saying, ‘you have one day to live.’ I mean how stupid was that?”
As he spoke his grievous wounds closed and only the blood staining his
already red shirt remained.
“This could be the start of beautiful friendship!” Broadway said.
Jerry walked with him, to go and speak to Angela and Lexington,
and when Brooklyn went to join them, but he was suddenly cut off by
Goliath who smiled down at him evilly. “Now.” he said, towering over his
second in command menacingly. “I think it’s time we had a little talk.”
Brooklyn looked up to his leader and swallowed hard. “Um - I -
uh… Sure - Goliath… What do you want to talk about?”

***

Morgan hated writing up reports, and so did most of his fellow
police officers. But like the rest of the officers, he knew it was a
compulsory chore. He was just about to start writing, when his friends
Elisa Maza and Matt Bluestone walked in and stood before his desk,
looking at him nervously.
“Uh, something wrong?” Morgan asked, casually.
“Uh… Elisa wants to tell you something,” Matt said, pointing to
his partner accusingly.
She scowled at him, then returned her attention to Morgan. “Well
you see,” she said nervously. “Um - we want to introduce you to a few of
our friends.”
Morgan smiled cheerfully, showing his pearly white teeth. “So your
finally going to introduce me to the Gargoyles?” He said smugly. “Well
it’s about time!”
Their jaws dropped in shock, and they were obviously lost for
words. “H - how did you know?” Elisa asked, in an astonished tone.
“Well duh!” Morgan exclaimed poking the side of his head with his
index finger. “It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out!”
“Well.” Matt said, looking to his partner and shrugging his
shoulders unknowingly. “I guess this saves us one hell of an
explanation.”
Elisa’s phone rang suddenly and she ran to answer it. “Elisa
Maza.” she said, into the receiver. “Oh hi Goliath!… Yeah it is a nice
da… Okay!” she snapped, angrily. “Who the hell is this?… Yeah
right!”
Matt and Morgan shared a confused glare.
“Isn’t Goliath one of the Gargoyles?” Morgan asked, remembering
the name that some nutty guy in armour had told him.
“Yeah.” Matt replied. “But it can’t be him ’cause the sun’s up!”
“The sun’s up?” Morgan repeated, unknowingly.
“Really?” Elisa said, in a shocked tone. “I’ll be right over!” She
hung up the phone then went back to Morgan’s desk. “You’re not going to
believe this but that was Goliath on the phone!”
“What are you talking about Elisa!” Matt asked, as if to question
her sanity. “How could Goliath be speaking to you after sunrise?”
“Hang on a minute… Sunrise?.. What are you two on about?” Morgan
demanded.
“We’ll explain on the way!” Elisa said heading for the office
door. She paused and looked at Morgan who was still sitting at his
desk. “You coming?”
Morgan didn’t hesitate. He had been wanting to meet these
gargoyles for a long time and here was his chance. He stumbled out of
his chair, retrieved his jacket then ran after his two friends.

***

When she arrived, they were all basking in the wonderful golden
warmth of the sun. Brooklyn lay on the steps wearing a pair of his dark
sunglasses, Elisa found much more appropriate during the day. Angela
and Broadway were both speaking to Jerry, and Hudson lectured Goliath
about trying to invade Brooklyn’s privacy again.
“Hi guys!” Elisa said, as she walked into the open with Matt.
“Nice day isn’t it?”
Goliath went to greet them but froze when he noticed the man that
accompanied them. The whole clan stared nervously at him, and he looked
at them in astonishment.
He glanced to Matt, then Elisa and they both nodded to him
reassuringly. He walked up to Goliath and offered him his hand. “Hi, I’m
Morgan… Uh - are you Goliath?”
He accepted Morgan’s hand and shook it in a friendly manner. “Yes.
It’s good to finally meet you Morgan.”
The other gargoyles introduced themselves then Morgan noticed a
familiar man nearby. “Hey! You’re that guy who turned that other guy
into a gargoyle on that Claire show!”
“Guilty as charged.” the man replied, throwing his arms up. “But
he asked for it.”
“I agree!” Morgan laughed. “It was a fine piece of work!”
“I think I’m going to like this guy.” Lexington said, patting
Morgan on the back.
Elisa walked to Brooklyn and smiled. “Haven’t seen you in a while
Brooklyn.” she said warmly. She was really happy to get the chance to
speak to him again after such a long time.
“Oh, yeah. It’s been a while.” he replied , removing his
sunglasses and looking to the ground.
“So… what have you been up to?” she inquired, hoping that he
would tell her.
Brooklyn scratched the back of his head nervously. “Nothing!
Nothing interesting anyway.”
“Oh.” Elisa said sceptically. She really wanted to know what he
was doing every night, but she decided to change the subject to avoid
making him angry. “Well… We have a little catching up to do, don’t
we?”
He looked to the ground with an unhappy frown on his face, then he
looked back up at her and his frown slowly changed into a warm smile.
“Yeah. I guess we do!”

***

Dominique Destine didn’t realise the majority of her workload was
taken on by her assistant, Candis. Only a few weeks earlier, the stupid
human had been crying pitifully at the thought of losing her job, only
to quit so she could move to Los Angeles with her new boyfriend.
Dominique had been working hard for weeks without an assistant,
even in her gargoyle form, she spent hours in the office. But Brooklyn
was always there to keep her company.
It had taken her a considerable amount of time to get all of her
office supplies stacked neatly on her desk after the previous nights
activities. When she cleared her desk so she could push her lover onto
it, and didn’t consider the time it would take to put everything back.
Not to mention the price of replacing the fax machine that was ruined
after it fell onto the floor.
Three sharp knocks on the large double doors of her office,
interrupted her pleasant memories, and she winced at the thought of what
kind of incompetent fool had come for the job of her assistant. She had
arranged appointments with several people, and all of them so far had
let her down. Hopefully this man had some brains in his puny human head.
“It’s open!” she called. A man with long jet black hair, opened
one of the doors and approached Dominique’s desk confidently. He wore a
grey Armani suit, a white collared shirt and he held a black briefcase
in his right hand, making him look very professional.
The moment Dominique caught a glimpse of his face, her eyes opened
wide and she pointed at him with disbelief.
“You’re the second person to look at me like that today!” the man
exclaimed charmingly, as he sat down in the seat before her desk. “Is
there something about my face, that shocks attractive women?”
“Who are you?” Dominique growled.
The man seemed confused by her angry tone. “My - name’s Malcolm.”
Her eyes narrowed sceptically. “I know that… Where are you
from?”
Malcolm seemed very confused with these questions she was asking.
“I’m from L.A. Why do you ask?”
She looked closely at him and examined his facial features
carefully. The resemblance was extraordinary. “I’m sorry.” she said,
calming down faster than she would usually allow herself to. “You just
look like someone I know.”
“Who?” he asked, curiously. She sat up straight and smiled at
him formerly. “You wouldn’t know him.” she explained, still suspicious
of this human before her. “Let’s just get down to business.”
Malcolm opened his briefcase and produced a neatly arranged
assortment of white sheets of paper. “My resume.” he explained, handing
the papers to her.
She quickly read over his qualifications, and had to admit it was
the best resume she had read since she had hired one Robyn Corey. “Very
impressive!” she commented. “So you speak several languages fluently?”
Malcolm nodded with a acknowledging grin.
Dominique wanted to assure this man was telling her the truth, so
she read over the list of languages in his resume and chose French, one
of her personal favourites. “Rappelez moi votre nom?” she asked, smugly.
“Mon nom est Malcolm.” he replied, in the foreign tongue.
“Finally!” Dominique said happily, dropping his resume on her
desk. “Someone competent!”
“Gee, thanks!” Malcolm replied, scratching an invisible itch on
the back of his head. “I think.”
She neatly arranged the papers of his resume, and handed it back
to him. “You seem more than qualified.” she exclaimed. “When can you
start as my personal assistant?”
Malcolm thought for a moment. “I can start immediately if you want
me to.”
“Wonderful!” Dominique said, clapping her palms together in a
satisfied gesture. “There’s a lot of work to be done. Your desk is right
outside my office Malcolm.”
Malcolm stood from his chair and nodded gratefully to Dominique.
“Thanks Miss Destine.”
She watched him walk out of her office, knowing that she had hired
him for more than his qualifications. She wanted to ensure that she knew
where this look alike was at all times. “I think I might have a talk to
Brooklyn about this.” she said, quietly to herself. “His likenesses are
far too similar for it to be a coincidence.”
Suddenly she heard her new assistants voice over the intercom on
her desk. “Miss Destine, you have an urgent call from some guy. Calls
himself Brooklyn.”
She looked calmly out of the exceedingly large window of her
office and glanced at the blazing sun. She wondered who would call her
in the middle of the day and pretend to be her lover. “Put him through.”
she said, as her curiosity got the better of her.
She picked up the receiver and pressed the button that a small
light was flashing next to. “Who is this?” she snapped angrily.
“It’s me Demona!” came Brooklyn’s voice.
“Well if this is you _Brooklyn_.” she exclaimed. “Tell me, how are
you speaking to me after sunrise?”
“Sorcery Demona!” he said excitedly. “I’ll explain it all to you
later. You’ve got to meet me somewhere private.”
“Oh.” she exclaimed, sceptically. “Why don’t you come here?”
“I would Demona!” Brooklyn replied, nervously. “But it’s very
difficult to glide anywhere without being seen, during the day.
Demona thought for a moment, then decided to give him a chance to
prove himself. “Very well.” she said obligingly. “But first I want proof
that you are, who you say you are!”
“How do you expect me to prove that?” He asked nervously.
She giggled childishly and rested her feet onto her desk. “Tell me
what I like about you more than anything!”
Brooklyn started to protest. “Aw Demona I..”
“Tell me lover!” she demanded, twining the telephone cable around
her little finger. “If that’s who you are.” She heard an almost
inaudible mumble on the other end and began to giggle like a school
girl.
“I can’t _hear_ _you_!” she said, cheekily.
His voice rose to a frustrated whisper and he told her what she
wanted to hear. “My beak… You love my beak.”
Demona smiled evilly. Only he could know that. “I’ll meet you at
my apartment building.”
Brooklyn was silent for a short while before he replied. “Okay! I
should be able to get there without being noticed.”
She hung up the phone, and the thought that crossed her mind,
caused her to shiver with excitement. She stood out of her chair, and
hurried eagerly through the door. “Look after the office while I’m away
Malcolm.” she said, to her new assistant.
“Sure thing boss!” he replied. “Where can I reach you?”
She turned to him and smiled evilly. “You can’t!” She then ran
into the open elevator nearby, and pressed the button for the ground
floor.

***

“He looked just like me?” Goliath asked, curiously. “It’s probably
just a coincidence!”
“Come on Goliath!” Elisa snapped, starting to get very annoyed
with his insolence. “If he was a gargoyle, I would have thought he was
your twin brother!”
“Well - where did you meet this human?” he asked, in his baritone
voice.
“He moved in next door to me yesterday.” she explained. “I met him
outside my apartment.”
“Then it could be some kind of trap!” he said worriedly. “You had
better stay in the castle with us.”
“Yeah right!” she said, sarcastically. “I’ve already arranged to
meet him again tonight. I’ll take you with me.”
“Very well Elisa.” he said, without bothering to argue with her.
“But be careful.”
“Aren’t I always?” she asked boastfully.
“No.” he replied.
Elisa decided to ignore his comment and began to walk away. “I’d
better get back to..” she paused and started to survey her surroundings.
“Hey! Where’d Brooklyn go?”

***

Waiting patiently on the rooftop of Demona’s building, Brooklyn
began thinking seriously about his love affair. Demona was a fantastic
lover, but could she become more? A mate? A spouse? He shook his head
regretfully. What could possibly happen that would make it conceivable
to go beyond a sexual relationship?
He began to wonder if Demona wanted to be more than just lovers,
but his thoughts were interrupted when an unfamiliar human female
appeared through an opening in the roof. He looked around for a hiding
place, but he knew there was no chance of avoiding her glance. He faced
the human bravely and waited for a blood curdling shriek of terror, but
instead she smiled suggestively at him and started to approach.
“Hello lover!” she said happily.
Brooklyn hit himself upside the head as he remembered. “I forgot
you turned to a human during the day!” he said, recognising her face.
“This is taking some getting used t…”
Demona caught him off guard and kissed him passionately on the
lips.
Brooklyn pulled away nervously and pulled his eyes away from her.
~She tastes different.~
“What’s the matter Brooklyn?” she inquired, curiously.
“Well - you’re human!” he stammered.
She placed her arms under his, and started to massage the area
between his wings, sending tingles of sexual pleasure through his body.
“Is there a problem with that?” she purred, rubbing up against him, like
she had so many times before. “Don’t I still _excite_ you?”
Brooklyn became very nervous. He new it was Demona, but she was
different. The taste of her, the feeling of her rubbing up against him,
it was all different. But he was surprised to find those differences
extremely exhilarating.
Brooklyn’s tail moved up between her legs and beneath her short
red skirt and he could feel her dampness on the tip of his tail. He was
surprised that she wasn’t wearing panties, even though she had never
worn them in her gargoyle form.
She gripped Brooklyn’s shoulders and walked backwards, pulling him
with her, until she sat on the ledge and opened her legs wide. She
pushed down to his knees and guided his beak invitingly under her skirt.
Brooklyn obliged her by caressing her sensitive areas with his
tongue and beak. His arousal was heightened by her pleasured moans, and
he enjoyed exploring her new pleasures, and savouring her new flavours.
She ran her hands up the sides of face, then took great handfuls
of his ivory white hair and threw her legs over his broad shoulders
moaning sensually.
Moments later, Brooklyn was pulled away from her deliciousness by
the horns, and up between her legs until the two lovers faced each
other.
Demona kissed him passionately on the end of his beak, forcing her
tongue between his teeth. She reached down with one hand and
aggressively tugged his loincloth out of the way, then she clasped his
hard member and tenderly guided it to where his beak had been.
He carefully slid in to her, then let out a low moan as the
intense pleasure of her warmth flowed through his body. He rubbed
against her, careful to restrain himself, knowing that her human body
was fragile, and he didn’t want to risk hurting her.
She placed her hands beneath his tail and took a firm grip of his
backside, pulling him insistently into her. She clenched her teeth into
an pleasured smile, and placed her chin on his shoulder, stroking her
cheek against his. Her breathing gradually became faster a more audible
until every breath was a virtual scream of pleasure.
When he felt her muscles tighten around him, he closed his eyes
and aimed his beak to the sky, as his warm seed flowed into her.
She wrapped her arms and legs around him in a tight embrace, and
threw her head back releasing a loud orgasmic scream.
After a satisfied gyration of her hips, she released her lover,
and let him pull away from her. He staggered backwards, and nearly fell
over, but he managed to regain his balance and take a few steps forward
to slump down next to her. “Well that was definitely different!” he
commented.
Demona chuckled, and kissed the side his beak. She then stood up
and walked towards the opening in the roof. “I’m going to have a
shower.”
“But Demona!” Brooklyn called, as he watched her walking away. “I
wanted to talk to you!”
She turned around and smiled seductively at him. “Okay.” she
replied. “Why don’t you join me?”
“Sure!” he said, enthusiastically, running up to her, wrapping his
right arm around her waist, and walking into the building with her.

***

Malcolm stood from his desk and the pile of papers he was working
on, to stretch his aching legs. He yawned and stretched his arms
outwards trying to neutralise the need for sleep. This was hard work,
but he didn’t dare leaving his post until Dominique returned and told
him that he could do so.
Suddenly an excruciating pain shot through every muscle of his
body, like they were being tied into a knot. Falling to his knees, he
embraced himself unable to reach for all the areas of pain at once. It
was more than his body could stand and he cried out in agony, and fell
down face first on the soft carpeted floor, losing consciousness.
The phone on his desk suddenly started to ring, but it was not
answered or even heard by the lifeless man sprawled out on the carpet.

***

Demona slammed down the receiver angrily, then turned to Brooklyn.
“He’s not there!” she complained.
He shrugged his shoulders unknowingly, as dried himself off with a
white towel. “Then fire him.”
“Fire him?” she laughed. “I’ve only just hired him! And there’s so
much work to…” She suddenly paused as she remembered something she had
neglected to tell him. “He looks exactly like Goliath!”
“Who?” he asked, curiously.
“My new assistant, Malcolm.” she explained.
“What?” he blurted, dropping his towel to the ground. “_Exactly_
like Goliath?”
“Yes!” she replied. “The only difference is that he’s human!”
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” he snapped.
Demona didn’t say a word, but managed to answer his question with
a suggestive smile.
“Oh!” Brooklyn said, smiling at her stupidly. “Right.”
“I thought you could tell Goliath.” she suggested.
“Yeah right!” he replied, sarcastically. “I’ll just walk up to him
and say, ‘Hey Goliath! Demona told me you should meet this guy she
knows! Like I could really do that!”
She scratched her head, as she realised he was right. “That would
be foolish wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah Demona!” He chuckled. “I think it would! He’s most likely
one of Sevarius’ creations.”
Demona wasn’t particularly fond of Sevarius, especially after he
created that tramp, Delilah. She walked up to the window and looked
through the clear glass. “It’s nearly sunset.”
Brooklyn eagerly ran up next to her, forgetting about her
assistant. “I want to see this!” he said, excitedly. “My first sunset.”
Demona stepped back into the shadows, while her precious Brooklyn
admired the red, orange and yellow tones emitted by the setting sun.
He turned to face her and jumped with fright when he saw the
gargoyle maiden. “God Demona, you gave me a fright!”
She took him into her arms and held him tightly.
He returned her hug, then his eyes widened in realisation. “You
told me your transformation was painful!”
She suddenly let him go and looked to the floor nervously. “No I
didn’t.” she lied. “It doesn’t hurt at all.”
“You’re lying to me!” he said, with a shocked expression.
She reached for him, but he pulled away from her angrily.
“Brooklyn - I - I’m”
“You’re what?” he growled.
She paused nervously, then placed her hands over her belly and
looked up to him with fear in her eyes. Tears started to roll down her
cheeks as she turned away from him shamefully.
His eyes widened in realisation, and he stumbled backwards in
shock. “H - how long have you known?” he gasped.
She looked to the floor in shame. “Since our second night
together.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?!” he snapped angrily. “How could you keep
this from me?! Me!!”
Her back was still facing him as she began to cry. “I didn’t want
to lose you!”
He paused sorrowfully, then gently clasped her shoulders and
whispered into her ear. “Never!”
She turned to face him, with tears still running down her face.
“You’re not..”
“Did you think I would leave you?” he whispered, reassuringly.
“Leave my child?”
A feeling of pure happiness came over her, and her tears of grief
quickly changed to those of joy. She threw her arms around him and held
him, vowing to herself never to let him go. “Brooklyn.” she whispered.
He held her tight, rubbing his warm cheek against hers. “Yeah?”
Her warm tears flowed onto his shoulder, and the sweet sound of
her voice whispered three words into his ear. “I love you.”

***

She knocked on his door several times, but there was no answer.
She then placed her ear up against it, and she heard nothing.
“Malcolm?!” she called loudly. Still, no reply. She swore to
herself, and walked to the nearby stairwell. She climbed down several
flights, then emerged from the main doors at the bottom.
She reached for the device in her ear with her right hand, and
clasped another one worn around her neck with her left. She spoke into
the transmitting device as if it were a person.
“He’s not home Goliath.” she informed.
“Not home?” Goliath repeated, in a frustrated tone from the roof
of Elisa’s apartment.
“No.” she said, sounding equally frustrated. “You had better get
back to the castle. We can try again first thing tomorrow night.”
“Very well Elisa.” he acknowledged, with a disappointed growl.
“Will you come back with me?”
“No, I think I’ll stay home tonight.” she replied, hesitantly. “I
gotta feed Cagney.”
There was a long pause before he answered her. “Very well Elisa.
Will I see you tomorrow night?”
“Yeah Goliath.” She replied, walking back into the building. “Of
course you will.” She reached to the box shaped device on her belt and
pressed a button on it that caused the static sound coming from the
receiver in her ear to cease.
She had been avoiding Goliath for over a month. Ever since they
had admitted their feelings and kissed each other, she had felt
withdrawn.
She had often wondered what might of happened if he didn’t turn to
stone that morning and shivered. She was more exited at the thought than
scared and that’s what worried her.
Even when the others were around them, she found herself enjoying
the flights with him. His strong arms wrapped around her legs and back
made her feel warmer than she had ever felt before. She had rested her
cheek on his chest many times before, but lately she had liked it more
than she should have. The wanting she felt was not only forbidden, it
was also all consuming.
She walked up the stairs, starting to sweat nervously. When she
finally reached the floor that her apartment was located on, she ran to
her front door and fumbled with an assortment of keys from her pocket
that she eventually managed to unlock her door with.
She ran from the front doorway, and into her living room, slumped
down onto the sofa and lay back panting feverishly. God she wanted him
so badly she could almost feel it. She unwillingly started to picture
the two of them together, and her need became to much than she could
handle. She started tugging at her clothing to attempt to satisfy
herself.
Unbeknownst to her, someone (something?) watched her intently
through her apartment window. It chuckled to it’s self and stayed
hidden, watching Elisa relieve herself.

***

Jerry looked at the unusual creatures before him with fascination.
They ignored him, intent on watching their old model television set.
He looked up to Goliath with a smile. “So these are the clones?”
“Yes.” Goliath replied, with an angry growl. “Abominations of
human science!”
“Goliath, please!” Jerry protested. “They can’t help what they
are!”
Goliath growled again, then turned away from him. “You sound just
like Elisa!”
“So this Talon you tell me of.” he said, trying to change the
subject. “He is teaching them?”
“Yes I am.” Talon said, walking through an archway with a large
meat sandwich in his hand. “But aside from Delilah, they’re all
hopeless! I just can’t teach them!”
“I could!” Jerry said, eagerly.
“Really?” Talon asked.
“How?” Goliath inquired, gesturing towards the six clones who
still weren’t paying any attention to anything but their television.
“I told you Goliath.” Jerry replied, with a smile. “When you live
as long as I have, you learn a lot.” He walked up to the clones, then
looked to Talon. “What have you been teaching them?”
“The alphabet seems to be their strong point.” Talon replied,
sceptically.
“Okay!” Jerry said, using his ring to pull the sandwich out of
Talons hand with an invisible force.
“Hey!” Talon protested, angrily.
Jerry ignored him and held the sandwich up in front of the clones.
“Who wants a sandwich?”
Talon scowled at Jerry angrily.
Jerry continued to ignore him, keeping his attention on the
clones, who were looking hungrily at potential meal in his hands.
“You all know the alphabet right?” Jerry asked, waving the
sandwich in front of their faces.
The five gargoyles nodded eagerly.
“And you know what sound all the letters make?” He continued.
They took a brief look at each other, then turned back to Jerry
and nodded again.
“Okay.” he said walking closer to the five clones. “The first one
of you to tell me what letter the word ’sandwich’ starts with can have
this.”
They all began scratching their heads, and started to look like
school children, eagre to learn.
“Z?” the small blue one asked.
“No.” Jerry replied. “But that was a nice try Brentwood.”
“S!” The large Broadway clone announced.
“Very good Hollywood!” Jerry said, throwing him his reward.
Hollywood beamed proudly as he shoved the entire sandwich into his
mouth and chewed it thoroughly.
The other clones looked hungrily at Hollywood as he swallowed the
bread and meat and then stared disapprovingly at Jerry.
“Don’t look at me like that.” Jerry protested with a frown. “Gee,
my teaching skills are probably a bit rusty. I’ll have to learn a be a
bit more careful. I’ve never had students with the capability to rend me
limb from limb.”
“Don’t worry guys.” Talon said, pointing to the doorway he had
come through. “Claw made a whole pile of those sandwiches! He’s in the
kitchen with Maggie.”
All of the clones tumbled over each other as they bolted towards
the kitchen. Jerry smiled smugly at Talon as he approached him.
“Would you be interested in teaching them full time?” Talon asked
hopefully.
“All I have is time, Talon.” he replied, shaking his hand. “I’d be
happy to teach them.”
“Why do you care so much for our kind?” Goliath inquired.
Jerry’s smile quickly turned to a frown. “It - It’s a long story.
I’d rather not talk about it.”
Goliath looked at him curiously but didn’t pry. “Very well
Jerimiah.” he said reassuringly. “I will ask no further questions on the
matter.”
Jerry walked sadly out of two giant metal doors, exiting the
labyrinth. “We should get back to the castle Goliath, it’s nearly
sunrise.”
Goliath followed him out of the doors after bidding his friends
farewell.

***

Dominique pressed the button for the top floor, then leaned
against the back wall of the elevators interior. She wore a wide smile
that lit up her usually nasty exterior. She felt the sensation of the
gravity increasing as the elevator began to ascend to the top floor. It
stopped with the ding of a bell, and the double doors opened obligingly.
She stepped out into her assistants office, and immediately
noticed the lifeless figure lying on the floor.
“Malcolm!” she called, with an unusual worried tone to her voice.

Dominique pressed the button for the top floor, then leaned
against the back wall of the elevators interior. She wore a wide smile
that lit up her usually nasty exterior. She felt the sensation of the
gravity increasing as the elevator began to ascend to the top floor. It
stopped with the ding of a bell, and the double doors opened obligingly.
She stepped out into her assistants office, and immediately
noticed the lifeless figure lying on the floor.
“Malcolm!” she called, with an unusual worried tone to her voice.
She ran up and knelt worriedly next to him. She held his wrist
between her thumb and fingers, to check his pulse. She felt the blood
pumping through the artery on his wrist and sighed with relief.
She froze when she came to a terrible realisation. “What am I
doing?!” she snapped, to herself angrily. “Why should I worry if a
worthless human dies?! One less to worry about!” She rolled Malcolm onto
his back and growled angrily to herself. “Brooklyn is making me soft!”
Malcolm’s eyes opened slowly and he sat up off the floor. He
noticed his employer kneeling next him and smiled warmly. “Sorry about
sleeping on the job Miss Destine.” he apologised.
“What happened to you?” she inquired, trying to sound angry with
him. “Did someone break in?”
“I don’t think so.” he replied, blankly. “I think I passed out!”
“Has it happened before?” she pressed, as she helped him to his
feet.
“No.” he replied thinking back. “I don’t recall a history of
excruciatingly painful full body cramps!”
“A full body cramp?” she asked, curiously.
“Well that’s what it felt like!” he exclaimed, starting to
shudder. “Every muscle in my body went into some kinda spasm!”
“Sounds painful Malcolm.” she observed, compassionately. “Maybe
you should go home and get some rest.”
“No thanks Miss Destine!” he replied, with a grateful smile. “I
feel much better, and I’ve already had a full nights sleep!” He gestured
to the thick carpet. “This floor is really comfortable!”
She smiled back at him and then looked to his desk. “It looks like
you’d gotten a lot of work done last night.” she commented, as she
looked over the papers set in two neat piles at either side of his desk.
“This is very impressive!”
“Thanks Miss Destine!” he replied, gratefully. “I do my best.”
“Then be sure to keep it up!” she ordered, walking into her
office. She turned and looked back at him with a happy smile. “One more
thing Malcolm.”
He turned and looked at her curiously. “Yeah?”
“I wont be _Miss_ Destine for much longer!” she explained, walking
to her desk. “I’m engaged.”

***

Matt walked out of the Eyrie building, and he noticed Morgan on
pedestrian patrol. “Hey Morgan!” he called, waving his arm wildly.
He looked over to Matt, and jogged up to him. “Something the
matter Matt?”
“Just wanted to know, what you thought of the guys.”
“Who? The gar..” He was interrupted by Matts hand being slapped
over his mouth.
“Geez Morgan!” he fretted, angrily. “Don’t broadcast it across the
city!”
He pulled Matts hand away from his mouth. “Sorry Matt. I guess I’m
just not used to keeping them a secret yet.”
“I know the feeling!” he said, looking back to his first encounter
with them. “When I first met them, it was really hard to keep my mouth
shut!”
Morgan nodded. “And now that those nutty quarrymen are all over
the place, it’s probably even more important.
“Let’s get back to the precinct.” he suggested, wanting to talk
about them somewhere more private, than a busy New York Street.
“No can do Matt.” Morgan replied, walking away from him. “I’m
still on duty. I’ll see you at the castle tonight.”
“You still haven’t answered my question Morgan.” Matt pointed,
before Morgan could leave. “What did you think of them?”
Morgan turned and walked back to him. “They’re okay Matt. I
especially liked Goliath.” He paused, and started looking around
carefully. “Where’s Elisa?”
“She stayed at the building to talk to Mrs X.” he replied. “God
knows why!”

***

“I don’t believe what you’re your telling me!” Elisa said, looking
at Fox Xanatos as if she were crazy. “You must be going funny in the
head!”
“Oh come on detective!” Fox replied calmly, stroking the hair of
the infant in her arms. “What explanation have you and Goliath come up
with?”
“Well… none!” she replied, hesitantly. “But he wouldn’t be going
out every night to have sex! Not Brooklyn!”
Fox chuckled knowingly. “Why not Brooklyn? I mean for a gargoyle
he’s pretty good looking! A fine catch for any female!”
“But there are only three female gargoyles in the entire city!”
Elisa argued, not wanting to believe fox. “We’d know if it was Angela,
and he hates Demona! And Delilah, well she… she…” Elisa froze with
shock. “You don’t think that he and Delilah…?”
“That was my first guess.” Fox replied, egotistically.
“Ever since Thailog died she has been pretty quiet.” Elisa
observed. “But the past few weeks she has been happier! I thought she
was just getting used to living with Talon and the others!”
“Mrs Xanatos.” Owen said, Interrupting their conversation.
“Yes, Owen?” she replied, watching him magically change into a
cheeky looking elf. “Or should I say Puck?”
“It’s time for little Alex’s lessons.” The little imp explained,
levitating several inches off the floor.
“Oh great!” Elisa retorted sarcastically. “What are going to teach
him today? The Terrible eye beams of death?”
“Don’t be ridiculous Miss Maza!” Puck replied, with an innocent
expression. “I’ve already taught him that!” He turned to the baby in
Fox’s arms and beckoned for him. “Come on Alex.”
Alexander gave a childish cry of excitement, levitated out of his
mothers arms then flew over to Puck.
“What a student!” Puck announced, proudly. “He learnt to fly
before he could walk!”
“No more of your tricks Puck!” Elisa warned, worrying about her
precious clan. “Or I’ll have to arrest you.”
“Aw, you don’t let me have any fun!” he replied, cheekily.
“Just keep away from the gargoyles!” she snapped, menacingly
patting her gun holster.
“Does that include Demona?” he asked, glaring at her
mischievously.
“I don’t care what happens to Demona!” she answered, angrily.
“You should.” Puck said, flying with Alexander out one of the many
windows of the castle.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” she inquired, starting
to feel more curious than angry.
“Nothing.” Puck replied, looking down at her from the window pane.
“I’m just saying, you should care!”
Elisa shared an unknowing look with Fox.
Fox shrugged her shoulders innocently. “Don’t ask me!”

***

“Miss Destine.” Malcolm said, over the intercom. “That tycoon
David Xanatos, wants to talk to you.”
Dominique paused nervously, but she was relieved when she
remembered that Xanatos didn’t know Demona and Dominique Destine’s
unique relationship. “Put him through Malcolm.”
One of several small lights lit up on her phone, and she pressed a
button next to it and picked up the receiver. “Mr Xanatos.” she said, in
a welcoming tone. “How can I help you?”
“Well Miss Destine, your organisation is growing larger, and more
productive by the day.” he explained. “And I make my business to keep
people such as yourself close.”
“And your point is?” she asked.
“I wish to arrange a merger.” he explained, formerly. “I want to
incorporate Nightstone Unlimited and Xanatos Enterprises into one
organisation.”
“Sounds inviting Mr Xanatos.” she replied, with a great deal
scepticism. “But Xanatos Industries is far larger, and much more
successful than my organisation. Why don’t you ask Cyberbiotics, they’re
a much safer investment than my little company.”
“Miss Destine. Do you think I got were I am today by being
careful? Your company is quickly growing, and we will both receive a
significant advantage over the competition by incorporating.”
“This isn’t like you Xanatos!” Dominique snapped, forgetting that
he wasn’t supposed to know her.
“I see that you read up on your competition.” Xanatos commented.
“I’m impressed.”
“It’s a necessary precaution.” Demona replied, relieved by
Xanatos’ apparent failure to recognise her voice.
“I have been trying to come to an… agreement with the manager of
Cyberbiotics.” He explained. “But Halcyon Renard has been less than co-
operative. You and your company have great potential. I would much
rather be your colleague than your rival.”
“Forgive my audacity Mr Xanatos, but I really don’t trust you.”
Dominique growled, suspiciously.
“Then how about a meeting?” he requested. “You and me, perhaps
over dinner?”
“Over dinner Mr Xanatos?” she asked, cheekily.
“Don’t misunderstand me Miss Destine!” he said, nervously. “I’m a
happily married man!”
Dominique was pleased at the way her comment affected him. She had
found his weakness. “I’m more of a morning person Mr Xanatos. And I’ve
made a prior engagement for dinner tonight.”
“How about lunch tomorrow? At my Eyrie building. About twelve?”
She wasn’t to keen on giving him the home advantage, but she knew
his wife would probably be there as well. “Very well Mr Xanatos. Twelve
O Clock will be fine.”
“Excellent!” he said, with satisfied whisper. “I’ll look forward
to it! And please, call me David!”
“Very well David.” she said, purposely neglecting to give him a
similar offer. “Until tomorrow then.”
She replaced the receiver on the phone and chuckled, before
reaching for a large leather diary on her desk. She wrote a short note
into it, to remind her of her appointment with Xanatos, not that she
could forget it.
She looked out of her large window’s and noticed the suns descent
over the horizon. She pressed the button on her intercom machine and
spoke into it. “Malcolm?”
“How can I help you Miss.. I mean _Mrs_ Destine?”
Dominique giggled playfully. “It’s time for you to go home.”
“You sure Mrs Destine?” He asked. “There is a lot of work to do.
I could stay late if you wa…”
“I never work nights Malcolm!” she interrupted. “And neither do my
assistants!”
“Need your beauty sleep huh?” he inquired, casually.
“You could say that.” she replied.
“You don’t need any.” he said, flatteringly. “And I’m sure your
fiancee would agree with me.”
“Go home Malcolm.” she ordered. “Get some rest.”
“Okay Mrs Destine.” he replied, obediently. “Have a good night.”
She chuckled again, and pulled the pin out of her hair, letting it
fall over her shoulders. “I will Malcolm.” she assured. “Believe me. I
will.”

***

“You must be going funny in the head!” Talon snapped. “She
wouldn’t be going out every night to have sex! Not Delilah!”
“Why not Delilah?” Elisa retaliated. “She was programmed as
Thailog’s bimbo love slave, why wouldn’t she go for Brooklyn?”
He jumped through his sisters window, and landed with a thump on
her carpet. “She has been taking off on her own, a lot lately.” he said,
worriedly. “I thought she was just exploring.”
“Well it looks like Brooklyn’s little secret has been discovered.”
she said, unhappily.
“Don’t jump to conclusions sis!” Talon snapped, taking a few steps
toward her. “We still don’t know if it’s the truth yet.”
“Oh come on Derrek! All the proof is there!”
“Elisa.” Talon said, calmly. “Your a cop. And you know the saying.
Innocent till proven guilty?”
“Your right Derrek.” Elisa replied, sorrowfully.
He turned back to the window and climbed out onto the balcony. “I
have to get back to the labyrinth. The clones will be awake now.” He
spread his bat-like wings, and prepared to leap but stopped when his
sister called out to him.
“Don’t tell Goliath about this Derrek.” she said. “I don’t want
him having one of his fits.”
“Okay sis.” he replied, with a smile. “See ya.” He jumped from her
balcony, and she watched him glide away until he was out of sight.
Elisa turned away from her window, only to hear the familiar sound
of wings cutting through the air. She turned back, and smiled at her
visitor. “Hi Goliath.”
Goliath smiled warmly back at her and jumped through her window.
“Good evening Elisa. Was that Talon I saw leaving?”
“Yeah.” Elisa replied, looking to the timepiece on her wrist.
“I’ll go and see if Malcolm’s home.” She walked briskly to her front
door. “You fly around to his window.” she said, before opening her
door, walking across the hall to her neighbours, and knocking three
times.

***

He heard three sharp knocks on his door and looked to his watch.
It was pretty late for a visitor, but he wasn’t the slightest bit tired
so it didn’t really bother him.
He walked to his door and opened it. “Hi Elisa!” he said warmly,
recognising her from their meeting the previous day. “It is Elisa isn’t
it?”
“Good memory.” she replied. “Can I come in?”
“Sure.” he said, stepping aside and letting her pass. “What brings
you here?”
“I want to introduce you to a friend of mine.” she replied,
looking around his apartment.
He looked back through the doorway and saw no-one. “Where is this
friend?” he asked, curiously.
She looked at him and smiled hesitantly. “He’s - um - outside your
window.”
“Outside my window?” he chuckled. “What, is he one of those
gargoyles?”
“Your powers of deduction are admirable.” a giant lavender
gargoyle commented, as he jumped through Malcolm’s open window.
Malcolm gasped when he first lay his eyes on the monster, and took
two steps backward, preparing to run away.
“Calm down Malcolm!” Elisa fretted. “This is my friend Goliath.”
Goliath nodded in a friendly gesture.
Malcolm stared at the enormous creature, and noticed that his
facial features were identical to his own, aside from a few brow ridges
and pointed ears. He walked hesitantly up to the gargoyle and offered
him his hand.
Goliath took Malcolm’s wrist and shook his arm.
“Hi Goliath.” Malcolm said, nervously. “You’re a really good
looking guy! Are we related?”
Elisa chuckled. “This is the friend I said you reminded me of.”
“Yeah I figured that.” he replied, charmingly. “I’m Malcolm.” he
said to the enormous gargoyle in front of him.
“Where are you from Malcolm.” Goliath asked, plainly.
“Until yesterday I lived in L.A.” he replied. “Why?”
“Your resemblance to me is extraordinary.” he replied,
suspiciously. “A human named Sevarius has used science many times, to
duplicate me and my clan. I suspect you to be one of his creations.”
“You think I’m some kinda - mutant freak?” he laughed. “I’m
Malcolm Thomas. My parents are Pauline and Anton Thomas. Is that enough
proof..”
“Anton?” Elisa interrupted.
“Yeah.” Malcolm said, turning to face her. “Is there a problem
with my fathers name?”
“Anton is the given name to the man Sevarius.” Goliath growled,
seeming to become very angry. “No more lies!! Who are you?!”
Malcolm fell onto his back, and tried to crawl away from the angry
monster. “I told you! My name is Mal…” He was unable to finish his
sentence. His every muscle seemed to fold, causing unbearable pain.
“Not again!” he gasped breathlessly.
“What’s wrong Malcolm?!” Elisa asked, kneeling next to him
worriedly.
Malcolm couldn’t answer her question. The pain had disabled his
ability to speak.
He squirmed around on the floor crying out in pain. He looked up
to the woman and the gargoyle standing over him, when their images
slowly faded to black. The darkness seemed to dull his pain, so he
surrendered to it and fell into a soothing unconscious slumber.

***

“Hello my love!” Demona said, throwing her arms around Brooklyn’s
neck in a loving embrace.
Brooklyn returned her hug happily. “My love? You’ve never called
me that before!”
“I like to call you that.” she replied, running the tip of her
talons between his shoulder blades. “Especially now that we’re engaged.”
Brooklyn started to chuckle. “I can’t believe you were the one who
proposed! I thought you would be against the idea.”
“It’s necessary.” she explained. “Mainly for the day, when I’m in
my human form. And if… _When_ the clan finds out about us, they will
see that our relationship is more than just wild animal sex.”
“But that is a large part of our relationship isn’t it?” he
chuckled. He started to wonder what Angela’s reaction would be. Only a
few month’s earlier he had been fighting for her affections and now..
“My god!” Brooklyn laughed, as he came to a realisation. “I’m
going to be Angela’s stepfather!”
Demona smiled as she continued to stroke the sensitive area on his
back. “Your going to be the father of her brother or sister as well.”
He gently placed his hand on her belly and stroked it tenderly.
“What do you think we should name it?”
“If it’s a girl, I’d like to name her Angelique.” she replied.
“And if it’s a boy?” he asked, stroking his cheek against hers.
“Why don’t you chose?” she suggested.
“Me?” he asked, with a chuckle. “I don’t know what I would name my
son… I never thought of it.” He paused for a moment, and remembered a
name that he had chosen for himself long ago. “Azrael.” he whispered.
“That’s a nice name Brooklyn.” she said, happily.
“Azrael it is then!” he announced. “If our child is a girl we will
call her Angelique, and if it’s a boy we will name him Azrael.”
“I’m so happy Brooklyn.” she exclaimed.
“Me too Demona!” he agreed, running his hands from her hips, down
to her thighs.
She took his hands away from her legs, and pulled them up to her
face, kissing his knuckles. “Not here Brooklyn.” she whispered.
“Why not?” he asked, impatiently. “We’ve always made love were we
meet. Why not now?”
“Because my love, I want to take you to my home.”
“Your home?” he repeated, starting to become intrigued. “I didn’t
think you were ever going to take me there! What’s it like?”
“Oh it’s very nice.” she replied, smiling suggestively. “It has an
enormous bed, and; various other items of furniture.”
Brooklyn’s face lit up, and he eagerly pulled her towards the
nearby ledge. “Let’s go then!”
Demona laughed happily as they both leaped off the rooftop.
“Making love where we meet has it’s drawbacks Brooklyn.” she
explained.
“How so?” he asked curiously.
“Don’t you remember the night we made love in the park?” she
giggled.
“How could I forget?” Brooklyn chuckled, looking back to the night
she was talking about.

Flashback — Central Park.

Pleasure was all there was. Him, her and the amazing pleasure,
that seemed to flow through every fibre of his being. They had met over
Central Park and were far to eager to glide to any of Demona’s buildings
as they usually did, so they landed in the park and she had pulled him
on top of her. Now they were making love behind a large bush, and she
had embraced his waist with her legs and tail, refusing to let him go.
Her breathing quickened, and Brooklyn’s hips started to move in a
fluid circular motion into her. She lifted her hands, and ran the tips
of her talons down his chest.
A touch from her, no matter how slight was enough to drive him
insane. So making love to her was an unbelievable, addictive experience.
Demona reached down grasping the back of Brooklyn’s thighs,
pulling him firmly into her. The fantastic pleasure caused him to lose
control of himself, bringing him to a point of no return, where even the
_thought_ of stopping was out of the question.
Suddenly an unfamiliar human, wearing a light grey tracksuit and
an “I love N.Y” baseball cap, jogged from out the shadows and spotted
the two gargoyles. He froze with fear, and gaped at the two mating
creatures.
Brooklyn started to pull away from his lover, but Demona pulled
him back insistently. “NO!” she moaned. “Go away human!”
The human took a cautious step backwards but didn’t flee.
Brooklyn took two deep breaths, then shrieked at the terrified
man. “GET LOST!!”
The human gathered his wits, turned around stumbling over his own
two feet as he sprinted away from the two inhuman lovers.
With the perpetrator gone, Brooklyn and Demona put all of their
energy into pleasuring each other. Their hips gyrated in perfect
synchronisation, and combination of red and white light emanating from
their eyes lit up the bush they were hiding behind like a Christmas

tree, as they climaxed in a symphony of orgasmic screams.
After a brief rest, they pulled away from each other, climbed a
nearby oak tree and took to the air.
“Let’s not make love in the park again.” Demona giggled.
Brooklyn chuckled, took her hand into his and the two lovers
glided into the night together.

***

They laughed together for a long while as they reminisced.
Brooklyn knew that he was really falling in love with her. He
looked at her face, and the mere sight of her made him smile. Demona was
his angel now, and he was happy with that fact.
Demona clasped his hand, and pulled him down to the balcony of an
old castle-like house. “Welcome to my home.” she said, gesturing towards
an open window.
Brooklyn examined the house, wondering why she would chose such a
depressing sanctuary. “Very homey.” He lied.
“Don’t lie on my account, my love.” she said. “I’ve been having
workers over here to repair it, so the interior is much more inviting.”
Brooklyn followed her through the door into a very well furnished
room. Artifacts of many shapes and sizes were on the various shelves and
glass cases within the room. Portraits of both Demona, and a human with
silvery white hair hung on the walls of the darkly painted room.
Brooklyn walked into the room and examined the various paintings.
“Why do you keep those pictures of Macbeth?” he inquired, curiously.
“Decoration.” she replied, walking towards him with an evil smile.
“Nothing more!”
After spotting the green leather sofa, he walked over to it and
took a seat. He looked up at his approaching fiancee and smiled. “This
room is really cosy.”
She pounced on him like a wild cat to it’s prey, and pushed his
back against the cool leather. “Let me show you how cosy it can be.”
Although tempted to start immediately, Brooklyn pushed her away
from him, and sat up straight. “I want to talk to you about something
first.”
Demona looked blankly at him, slid off his body and got back onto
her feet. “What?” she asked, with a warm, but impatient looking smile.
He scratched his head nervously. He really didn’t want to confront
her with this, but he knew it was necessary. “It’s - um - about Elisa.”
Demona’s smile fell from her face, and it was replaced by a
disapproving frown.

***

“This is uncanny!” he said, to the nurse in front of him. “I’ve
never seen anything like it! It’s as if his..”
“Excuse me doctor!” a nurse interrupted, from the doorway to the
room. “There’s a man outside who wants to speak with you!”
“Not now!” he snapped, angrily. “I’m examining this patient and I
don’t want to be disturbed!”
“But Doctor! He says that he’s the patients personal physician!”
the nurse explained.
“Oh good!” the doctor said, walking to the nearby door. “Maybe
_he_ can shed some light on what the hell happened to this guy!”
The nurse stood aside, and let the doctor walk by, then he pointed
to the red headed man in the white doctors coat. “That’s him doctor.”
“I’m Doctor Stuart McCallister.” he said to the stranger. “Could
you tell me what happened to your client?”
“Sorry Doctor McCallister!” the red haired man replied. “Patient
doctor confidentiality. You know!”
“Don’t give me that!” he hissed. “Something really weird happened
to that guy, and I want to know what it is!”
“I’m afraid that is impossible Doctor McCallister.” he replied,
calmly. “I have come here to take my patient to my medical laboratory.
Its facilities somewhat more capable of taking care of his needs.”
“There’s no way I’m going to let you take that guy out of here
without the proper authorisation!” Stuart growled.
The stranger reached into his pure white coat, pulled out a single
piece of neatly folded paper and handed it to him. “I think you’ll find
everything in order.” he said, smugly.
“Shit!” the doctor scolded silently, as he read the piece of
paper. He returned his eyes to the strange man and scowled at him. “Who
the hell are you?”
“Thomas.” he replied, waving his hand for two large men to go into
the hospital room and take the patient. “Anton Thomas.”

***

Elisa took a right turn, off of the footpath and walked into a
dimly lit alleyway. She walked onwards, not thinking that it could be
dangerous. Having a guardian angel had made her careless.
“Hello pretty lady.” a man said, as he walked out of the shadows.
He was a bald headed man, whose long black trench coat concealed any
other items of clothing he might have been wearing.
Another man with long messy black hair, seemed to appear out of no
where as he walked up behind her. “What are you doing on our turf,
pretty?”
“Um.. just passing through.” she replied, looking around for a
possible escape route.
“You need to pay tax to come through here!” the bald man informed.
“And we would be glad to take that payment in sugar!” the punk
behind her continued, pinching her buttock.
Elisa spun around and elbowed the perverts head with incredible
force. He fell to the ground without so much as a moan.
“That was a big mistake lady!” the bald man said, looking down to
his unconscious friend.
She was about to reply, but she was rendered speechless as at
least a dozen more punks appeared out of windows, alleys and doors, all
holding various types of knives and clubs.
“You’re dead!” the bald man growled.
Elisa was relieved when she heard the familiar sound of a
gargoyles wings cutting through the air.
“A monster!” one of the punks cried.
“It’s one of those god damned gargoyles!” the leader announced.
“Waste it!!”
Several of the perpetrators were sent hurtling over Elisa’s head,
and the rest could be heard screaming in either pain or fear. The ones
that could stand, ran away as fast as their feet could carry them.
Elisa walked up to the shadowy gargoyle figure and recognised it’s
feminine features. “Geez Angela! Where’d you learn to fight like that?”
“It’s hereditary.” the gargoyle replied, as she walked into the
light, revealing that she wasn’t who Elisa thought she was.
“Demona?!” she gasped. “Why… what are you up to?”
“Up to?” Demona asked, innocently. “What makes you think I’m up to
something?”
“Come on Demona!” she hissed, pointing to her accusingly. “You
wouldn’t save my life, out of the kindness of your heart!”
Demona jumped onto the wall and dug her talons deep into the
brick. “You’re right human.” she growled, in a low angry tone. “I have
my reasons. I’m calling a truce.”
“A truce?!” she retorted, as she watched the gargoyle maiden climb
up the wall. “What’s your game Demona?”
Demona stopped climbing then turned her head and smiled at Elisa.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
Elisa watched her pull herself up onto the rooftop, leap into the
air and glide out of sight.

***

“C.” the green gargoyle announced.
“Very good, Malibu!” Jerry praised, as he stroked the pure white
kitten that was asleep on his lap. “You’re all doing very well, I’m
proud of all of you.”
The four clones all beamed with pride. Malibu walked up to Jerry
and gently stroked the cat in his lap.
“Okay Malibu.” Jerry said, proudly. “What do you want to name
her?”
Malibu turned to his companions and then looked back to Jerry.
“Jemima.” he replied. Jerry handed him the kitten, and he held it like
it was his daughter.
“Be careful Malibu!” Jerry warned. “She is very fragile.”
Malibu looked blankly at him. “F.. fragile? What that mean?”
“You might hurt her if you’re not careful.” he explained.
The Brooklyn clone looked worriedly at the purring animal in his
arms. “I be careful!” he assured, stroking her fur.
He took his new pet over to the other clones and the all stroked
her smooth white fur affectionately.
“What’s this?” Talon asked, as he appeared through the two
titanium doors of the labyrinth. “A new member to our clan?”
“This Jemima!” Malibu announced.
“Have you seen Delilah?” Talon asked, casually. “I need to talk
with her.”
“She’s in that tunnel there, practicing her reading.” Jerry
informed, pointing towards an archway. “Thailog programmed her with
quite a few basic skills.”
“Thanks Jerry.” Talon said, as he ran through the archway leading
to the living room.
“Where finished for today guys.” Jerry announced, with his eyes
still on the archway Talon had gone through.
They all walked away from him and headed for the television.
Malibu sat on a tattered easy chair and placed the sleeping kitten on
his lap, and the rest of the clones sat together on an enormous sofa.
Jerry walked towards the two giant metal doors, to exit the
labyrinth. “You guys had better look after that kitten!” he ordered,
without turning to face them.
“Yes Jerry.” Malibu replied, reassuringly.
Jerry walked through the doors and entered an abandoned subway
tunnel. The icy air chilled his skin as he started to walk up the
tunnel. As he moved passed a leaking water pipe a strange feeling made
the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He froze briefly then
began surveying his surroundings nervously.
“Who’s there?” he said, into the emptiness. “Who’s watching me?”
He began to sweat nervously. He sensed something. Something
familiar. Something evil.

***

“What do you mean someone took him?” Elisa shrieked in disbelief.
“Who?”
The doctor before her scowled angrily at her. “He said he was his
personal physician.” he informed. “His name was… Doctor Thomas.”
Elisa’s eyes widened. “Anton Thomas?!”
“Yeah.” the doctor replied, unhappily. “How’d you know?”
“How could you let Sevarius take Malcolm?!” she shrieked. “You
moron!”
“Hey!” the doctor protested, defensively. “He had all the proper
papers! And who the hell is Sevarius?”
“Doctor Anton Sevarius.” she hissed. “Professional creep!”
“You mean those papers weren’t genuine?!” he gasped.
“I wouldn’t bet on it!” Elisa replied, walking to a nearby pay
phone.
“God dammit!!” the doctor cursed, angrily. “I can’t believe I was
so stupid!!”
“Neither can I.” Elisa said, quietly to herself as she picked up
the pay phones receiver and inserted several coins into the slot. After
a few short rings she was answered.
“Eyrie Building. Owen Burnett speaking.”
“It’s Elisa!” she said, hastily. “Get Goliath! Now!”

***

He woke up and immediately realised he was chained to a chair. He
struggled with his bonds and then noticed the two people in doctors
coats, standing before him.
“Mom? Dad?” he asked, nervously. “What’s going on?”
“Isn’t that cute?” the red headed man said, sarcastically. “He
thinks I’m his daddy!”
The brunette next to him, didn’t seem to like the situation as
much as her companion.
“Why am I chained to this chair?” he asked, worriedly. “Mom?”
“Time for our charade to come to an end, don’t you think Pauline?”
the man said, looking to the lady next to him. “Malcolm code,
3.8.5.4.8.”
The meaningless words and numbers puzzled him, until the flashes
of bright light began. A virtual flood of forgotten memories seemed to
appear with every flash. Pain, experiments and gigabytes of project
information were all recalled, like forgotten dreams.
His eyes closed as weeks of information flooded into his mind. He
opened his eyes and looked on the two individuals in a whole new
perspective.
“Sevarius!” he growled, angrily. “I remember everything now!”
“That is, what the code is supposed to cause.” Sevarius said,
smiling smugly.
Malcolm looked to the attractive woman and his expression changed
to one of sadness. “Pauline? What is going on?”
She frowned unhappily. “The pain you have been going through is
caused by accelerated cell mutation.” she explained. “And the Malcolm
projects parameters order that your mutation will result in… in..”
“Termination.” Malcolm finished, with a terrified whisper.
“Such a shame.” Sevarius said, sarcastically. “But that’s life!
Just not in your case.”
“Pauline?” Malcolm said, pleadingly. “Don’t let Sevarius hurt me.
I know you’re different! You were always good to me!”
A tear ran down her cheek as she bent over and kissed Malcolm on
the lips. “I’m so sorry!” she whispered. “I can’t do anything!”
Malcolm looked at her unhappily. “I - I understand.”
Sevarius rolled his eyes. “Really Pauline! You shouldn’t get so
attached to your work! Your like a scientist who gets attached to her
lab rat.”
She gave Malcolm another kiss and then walked towards the door of
the lab sobbing sorrowfully.
Sevarius walked up to a large, box shaped device with a timer and
keypad on the front of it. “Now let’s see.” he said, pretending that
Malcolm couldn’t hear. “Five minutes should be enough.” He typed onto
the keypad and then pressed a large red button. He walked away from the
box and towards the door.
“I’ll be seeing you Malcolm.” he said, with a chuckle. Then he
laughed evilly. “Oops! No I wont!” He walked out of the door laughing
maniacally.
“SEVARIUUUUS!!!!” Malcolm shrieked angrily, tugging on his bonds
with all of his might. “YOUR NOT GOING TO GET AWAY WITH THIS!!!!
SEVARIUUUUS!!!!”

***

“There it is!” Goliath said, to the police officer in his arm’s.
Elisa looked up to Goliath worriedly. “Do you really think that Sevarius
would be stupid enough to take him to GEN-U-TECH?”
“I know how he thinks.” Goliath replied, knowingly.
Elisa was about to reply, but stopped when she heard the distant
shouting of an enraged man. “Sevariuuuus!! Your not going to get away
with this!! Sevariuuuus!!”
“That’s Malcolm!” Elisa announced.
Goliath increased his speed by diving downwards, towards the GEN-
U-TECH building. He could still hear Malcolm’s enraged screams.
A sudden bright flash illuminated the sky as the entire building
erupted into a deafening, fiery explosion. Elisa and Goliath both gasped
with shock as they watched, what was left of the building burn.
Malcolm’s screaming had stopped and the only sound audible was the
crackling of the fire.
Goliath landed in the GEN-U-TECH parking lot, and looked
sorrowfully to the ground.
Elisa’s eyes were glued on the remains of the building, as she
felt a single grievous tear run down her cheek. She broke the silence
when she whispered, “oh no.”

***

“We didn’t even know who he really was.” Elisa said, sadly.
Goliath had taken her straight from the car park to the balcony of
her apartment. He hated to see her in pain, and wished with all his
heart that he could do something to ease it.
“I shouldn’t have left him alone with that stupid doctor!” she
cried.
“You couldn’t have known what was going to happen!” Goliath
argued, in an attempt to reassure her.
“I - I just want to be alone.” she whispered, as she climbed into
her window. “Please go home.”
He saw her tears and decided that the best way to relieve her pain
was to let her grieve. He turned from her window, and leapt from her
balcony planning to do some grieving of his own.
He began to glide towards the Eyrie Tower but stopped in mid air
when he felt a cold feeling run down his spine. “Who’s there?” Goliath
called. He turned his head and body aimlessly, in all directions. “Who
are you?” he growled. “Why do you keep following me?”
Something was watching him. He could feel it. And although he
unable to see who or what it was, he could sense something. Something
evil.

***

Owen put the sleeping infant into his warm crib. He wasn’t
sentimental about many things, but this child always managed to bring
his emotions to the surface. “Good night Alexander.” he whispered.
“Is that you in there cousin?” a vaguely familiar voice asked.
Owen turned to face a figure, who was hidden in the shadows. He
squinted to try and make out it’s dark features, but realised that he
wasn’t hidden in shadows but _was_ a shadow. At least a humanoid form
with it’s features hidden by pure blackness.
Owen scowled at the shadow suspiciously. “Forgive me for asking
but who are you?”
“Surely you have not forgotten me.” the figure said, in a deep
whispered inhuman tone. “Don’t you recognise my voice?”
Owen’s eyes narrowed, then his body began to spin until it was a
blur. His rotation decelerated and the stone fisted man was replaced by
a cheeky looking elf.
“I wish I could say I’m happy to see you.” Puck explained. “But if
I remember correctly, I hate your guts.”
“Come now cousin!” the figure said, cheekily. “We’re the same! All
we want to do is to have fun! We were partners once, remember?”
“Yeah until you sunk that continent!”
“I just like to have a bit of fun at the mortals expense!” the
figure said.
“You call what you do fun?” Puck chuckled. “That’s a laugh!”
“You just don’t have a sense of humour!” he said defensively.
Puck laughed hysterically waking up the infant in the crib. “If
there’s one thing I _do_ have, it’s a sense of humour!”
“Your idea of fun is just so boring!” the intruder complained.
“Trickery, deception? Where’s the fun in that?”
“I take responsibility for my mistakes!”
“Like saving that gargoyles child, by taking away the pain caused
by that transformation spell? You’re getting soft.”
“If your being here has anything to do with Alexander..” Puck
warned, changing the subject.
“Come now Puck.” he retaliated, Boastfully. “Oberon would destroy
me if I were to harm a hair on that child’s head! But even if I was
planning on doing something, you’re no match for me.”
“What makes you so sure?” Puck asked.
The intruder walked up to the crib and looked at the child. “You
never were! Not even the sisters could stand up to me!”
“You over estimate yourself cousin!” Puck chortled. “You may be
stronger than I, but the sisters power is unsurpassed among us children
of Oberon. And I’d bet good money that this little tyke will be able to
waste you too. Eventually.”
“You’re right Puck..” He said, as if to agree with him. “You do
have a sense of humour.”
Puck frowned at him. “You still haven’t found one, I see.”
“I don’t have to take your insults.” he announced, angrily.
“But you’re sooo good at it!” Puck replied.
Alexander levitated out of his crib and flew up beside Puck. “He
friend?”
“Impressive.” the figure said, before Puck could answer Alexander.
“A child that talks at such a young age is rare.”
“He’s gifted.” Puck explained, proudly.
“I must be going now cousin.” he said smugly, as he waved his hand
and magically caused a nearby window to swing open. “I have work to do.
Mischief to make.”
He jumped through the window and fell down hundreds of stories.
Puck heard his maniacal laughter, fading into the night as he fell.
“Who dat?” Alexander asked, curiously.
“Big trouble.” Puck replied.
“He bad?” he pressed.
“Yes Alex.” Puck said, without his usual wit. “And he’s up to
something. I can feel it.”

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