Elric hated the gargoyles across from him. What was worse, he hated himself for also liking them a little. Despite their many differences, there was something vaguely familiar. The kind of gargoyle swagger unique to their species. Yet they were also different, like a house cat compared to a feral lion. Or perhaps he flattered himself to think so. They were probably very powerful, but he had to assure himself he still had something to offer the world.
They had split genetic powers in odd ways between the modern gargoyles. He wasn't sure what to make of that information. Did that make the black haired, blue eyed gargoyle across from him truly, technically, his descendent? He certainly had some of his DNA. They had frozen one of each different gargoyle, and no other had his shielding power.
They pulled up to a private drive that lead to a beautiful old brownstone enclosed on all sides by land and heavy, wrought iron gates. A nice upgrade on the traditional stone walls. The limo pulled up a long, circular drive to the front of the house, and he was the first to step out, helping Ann behind him.
They stretched and looked around, enjoying the cool air. The gargoyles got out behind them. Elric was beginning to want to see his gargoyle form next to theirs, see how it all lined up. Why he was already getting competitive, he wasn't sure. It was odd to wake up and see others had supplanted him. Others who were made to be different from him.
Improved.
The thought rankled as he followed the pair into the beautifully appointed home they shared with their mate. His hand was in Ann's as they walked, making him feel calmer and less intimidated. He didn't belong in this world like they did, but he did belong with her. When the doors shut behind them, a small, curvy woman with brown, creamy skin and dark curls stepped out of a nearby room to greet them holding a toddler in her arms who had white-blond hair.
"Draven! Come to Daddy!" Kieran said stepping forward with open arms as the toddler let out a squeak and vanished in a poof of white smoke.
The next moment, there was a small, chubby silver-white baby with bat wings bobbing in the air away from them. Jurian sighed and Kieran took off after him, jumping in the air as the woman who had been holding the toddler joined them, putting her arm around Jurian's. They all watched Kieran attempt to catch the defiant toddler turned creature as he stayed just out of reach. Draven was the smallest, cutest, chubbiest little gargoyle Elric had ever seen, with tiny wings that barely supported him.
Draven perched on the bannister, holding on with his sharp talons and Kieran looked up sternly, "If I have to come up there, you aren't flying with me for a week."
The tiny gargoyle squeaked and jumped into Kieran's arms, turning into a toddler once more. Kieran gave him a hug before carrying him off to another room to get changed.
"How old is he?" Elric asked.
"Almost two," the woman replied. "My name's Michelle. Welcome to our home." She smiled brightly and held out her hand. He shook it gently, worried he could break it. Yet when he touched her, he felt power flowing through her. He looked at Jurian in surprise as he stepped back.
"Our mates are given some of our celestial power. It protects them, as well as us," Jurian said in response to Elric's shock. "It's the same reason we work in pairs. Gargoyles are hunted in this world. We can watch each other's backs."
Would he and Ann be safe alone? He looked over at her, seeing hesitation on her face. Was she wondering the same thing? Was it all a mistake to come back here and think the world was right for him? The world had moved on, selecting better traits and better gargoyles to protect it. Maybe he shouldn't have been awakened after all.
"Of course, they have to be a stone heart. Someone who is brave enough to risk everything for others, in order to be given power, but luckily, all the gargoyles in our regime were able to find one," Jurian explained, pulling Michelle tight against him.
"Don't you get jealous?" Ann asked.
Jurian shook his head, "Kieran and I are one unit in a lot of ways. We each can offer things the other can't. I like knowing there is always someone there to protect my mate."
Elric pushed back a shudder. Who would watch out for Ann when he was out fighting? How was that supposed to work? The Oracle hadn't said anything about that. Then again, she hadn't expected him to go out and find a human mate. She just wanted him to go out and see people weren't so bad. In selecting Ann, was he keeping her from another pair who could not only be twice the protection, but also give her unique powers of her own? He twisted his ring nervously.
Kieran came back into the room holding Draven, who was dressed in a tee shirt and shorts, looking at them with ice blue eyes just like Jurian's. Kieran handed him to Jurian and the big man seemed to melt as he walked off with his son to toss him in the air making him giggle.
"And you don't get weird about it at all?" Erin asked, watching them.
Kieran shook his head, "Any gargoyle young is a gift from God. We don't think of Draven as just his or mine or both. He is a gift we all protect. Us and Michelle. A special gift we get to raise to help the world in the future."
Elric's stomach twisted. They had it all figured out with their perfect house and their perfect powers and their perfect mating setup. And he was just a vagabond from another time, with not a thing in his pocket and an anger management issue that could come bursting out of him if his powers were fully unleashed.
He swallowed back the bile working its way out of him and put an arm around Ann, "So, what now?"
"Now, we need to talk to you about the wolves and other shifter things," Kieran said. "Ann, do you want to go with Michelle and get something to eat? You've been through a lot."
"I'd rather stay with Elric," she said.
Kieran sighed, "I'm afraid there are some things we need to talk about only with other shifters."
"Anything you say to me, you can say to her," Elric said.
Kieran raised a blond eyebrow, "If we have to erase her memory later, you know we can sometimes erase more than just what we're intending, right? Why risk it?"
Elric sighed and squeezed her hand protectively, "I shall return shortly, love. You will be fine with Michelle."
He let her go and turned to hide his wince at his own words as he followed Kieran. He called her 'love,' and he meant it. What was the world coming to? What was he becoming? He was too fierce to fit into this world, too soft to fit into the old one…
"I'm trying to be polite and not read your mind, but the sheer look of panic on your face is making me want to," Kieran said, observing him curiously as he opened a door to an office.
They had just gotten seated when the door opened and Jurian came in, flushed from playing with Draven. "Sorry, hope you haven't been waiting," he said.
"No, you're right on time," Kieran said, sitting behind a desk and pushing out a chair for Jurian to join him. For a moment, both gargoyles looked at Elric in silence. Then Kieran spoke, "So, what are your powers? I know the original gargoyles didn't work in pairs, so you must have been powerful."
Elric touched his collar, "Am powerful."
"So you say," Jurian said. "But how?"
"Why? Worried I will replace you?" Elric asked.
"Worried you'll cause trouble," Jurian said. "If you're on the right side, I'll be glad if you're powerful. We need all the help we can get."
"You sound like the Oracle," Elric said dully. "I told her the same thing, I am not sure what side I want to be on. Or if I want to be here at all." He grimaced, "Well, that was how I felt until I met Ann. Now… I truly do not know."
"You seem to know," Kieran said.
"I know I want her," Elric said. "I am uncertain if I fit in her world."
"Sounds like The Little Mermaid," Jurian said.
"The what?" Elric asked.
"Hans Christian Anderson. You know, mythical creature becomes human to try to be with a human?"
"I have never heard that one."
"You were probably asleep," Jurian said sardonically.
"How does it end?" Elric asked.
"Jurian…" Kieran warned.
Jurian paused, biting his lip, "Well, the mermaid ends up having to choose between her lover's life and her own and ends up jumping into the sea to turn into seafoam, leaving him to live his life."
Elric scowled, "Oh, and what is your point?"
"Nothing. Look, it just came to mind when you talked about belonging in her world," Jurian said, running a hand over his hair to the back of his neck as he sank back in his chair. "I don't know what to do with the situation anymore than you do. The Oracle did all of this without really telling anyone. We were aware you were out there somewhere, but we didn't even know you were in our area until this thing with the wolves."
Elric nodded, "I was tasked to blend in, stay low profile."
"Nice job," Kieran said grinning. Elric felt like swatting at him, but looking at the other man's smile, he couldn't help finding him likable. He slumped in his chair in defeat.
"So what do you know about these wolves?" Jurian asked.
"Just that their brother was harassing Ann. Attacked her sexually."
"Is she okay?" Jurian asked.
"Of course. I was there," Elric answered.
"But your power is restrained," Kieran said.
"Not all the way."
Kieran exhaled, "So, you took out ten wolves without any gargoyle power?"
"Just some of my strength and my stone skin."
"That's right. Earth manipulation."
Elric nodded but didn't say more. He was uncertain how much anyone knew about his powers and the less they knew, the better, until he trusted them.
"Anyway, what do you have to do to get your powers back?"
Elric shrugged, "Be good to humanity."
"You're lying," Kieran said lightly. "Try again."
Zach shifted in his chair. They could read his mind if they wanted to. "Fine. I can mate Ann."
"Ah, because that would link you inextricably to humanity?" Jurian asked.
Elric nodded.
Kieran folded his arms, "Mating a human, how does that work for your kind? Are you sure that's the best thing for Ann? Are you able to give her celestial power? What would you do when you're gone?"
Elric squeezed his hands into fists, hating the man for saying what he already thought of. Ann was precious. He detested the thought of anyone else protecting her, being with her. But if gargoyles were really that hunted in this world, what could he do to keep her safe once he was fully one and became a target?
"Stop it," Jurian said to Kieran. "We don't know anything about his kind. For all we know, they're fine as a single unit." He looked at Elric, "What do you think?"
"I think you need to back off. Before I get angry," Elric said.
"Too late by the looks of it," Kieran commented. "Look, I didn't mean any harm. Honestly, there were huge risks for us in mating, too. I won't go into them, but I get being afraid of what being with your partner will mean. But I also feel that means being honest with yourself. Just sharing what I've learned."
Elric huffed, "Well, keep it to yourself. Things between Ann and I are going just fine."
But were they?
Jurian stood and put out a hand, "I'm sorry. I get that this is confusing for you. We shouldn't have pushed in on something we don't understand. Forgive us and come have dinner?"
Elric eyed his hand, then sighed. Given none of his own kind were alive, and he wouldn't want to be around them if they were, this was the closest thing he would get to having kin. He took Jurian's hand and stood, "Fine. Dinner."
"Good," Kieran said throwing an arm around him. "We can talk about how to make you a gargoyle of the new world."
"Please, no," Elric said as they dragged him out.
Kieran shook his head, "A renaissance gargoyle. A gargoyle of the hour."
Elric finally had to laugh, "Fine, just keep it to yourself when my mate is around."
Despite their weirdness, it was nice to have people on his side. People who understood at least a part of him, if not all of it. Yet, he didn't see any of the viciousness he knew inside these gargoyles. Perhaps the Oracle had been right to breed that out.