Discussions by Kudara

Monday, December 29th 1997

Very early in the morning - on the way back to Destine Manor, Forest Hills Gardens, Long Island

"She hugged me," Demona almost sounded as if she didn't believe it, even though it had happened only a few minutes ago just before they left.

Kendra, who was gliding beside her, looked over at her lover with a warm, gentle smile, "Yes she did, and she looked pretty pleased when you hugged her back."

"Well of course I did," Demona said, "She's my daughter and I love her. I don't know why she looked so surprised afterward."

"That might have been at how tightly you hugged her," Kendra teased gently, giving her a fond but amused look.

"Yes, well," the scarlet haired gargoyle admitted, sounding slightly embarrassed.

Kendra smiled at her mate; it had been heartwarming to watch Angela determinedly cross the distance between her and Demona to hug her mother and tell her that she loved her in front of the clan. The blue-skinned gargoyle had looked surprised for an instant before her expression softened and she had hugged her daughter tightly back, her eyes becoming suspiciously bright. "I love you too my daughter," Demona had declared ignoring the watching gargoyles, who, all except for Lexington, hadn't looked thrilled with what was happening. Kendra was certain she had heard a whosh of exhaled breath from Angela as her mother's arms tightened even more around the lavender colored female before finally releasing the younger gargoyle.

"Do you think she noticed?" Demona suddenly asked.

Kendra glanced over at her, she was fairly confident that she knew what her mate was referring too. "I think she noticed something. She was giving us some questioning looks as we glided over to Nightstone after seeing me holding you. She's got to get past believing Goliath's certainty that it isn't possible for you to be attracted to me first though."

"Humph," Demona made a scornfully dismissive noise that had Kendra chuckling in response. Changing the subject, Demona observed, "At least Brooklyn didn't attack me, nor did he spend the entire time glowering at me. That is an improvement," she said wryly.

"He acted about the way I thought he would," Kendra agreed with a shake of her head, "He's not quite ready to give up his grudge."

Demona sighed resignedly, "Hopefully in time he will realize that I'm not going to attack the clan again." She glanced down at the streets passing below them, checking where exactly they were in their journey home before glancing back over at her mate and asking curiously, "What do you think about this Illuminati society?"

"That they sound dangerous, and too much for you and I to handle by ourselves," Kendra stated, meeting her gaze and looking quite serious, "I think we should bring Wayne and the others in on this." In response to Demona's surprised look, she commented, her tone clearly disapproving, "They've infiltrated the government to promote their own interests and to manipulate it to give themselves more power and influence."

Demona first looked taken aback by the comment and then thoughtful, "The same charge could be leveled against us," she remarked, thinking of Wayne and undoubtedly other high placed chosen. Wayne's efforts to make sure her fake human identity would hold up under any scrutiny definitely weren't legal

"Yes, but you don't see us assassinating people so we can sell more weapons and make more money to buy more power while not giving a shit how many people are going to die in the process," Kendra pointed out tersely.

"True," Demona agreed, with a sideways look at her mate. It was clear that the Illuminati's self-serving purpose and lack of morals greatly offended Kendra. "Broadway mentioned Bluestone before Goliath could stop him, I think we should plan to have a talk with Elisa's partner, see what he's willing to tell us about them."

"That sounds like a good idea," the were-jaguar commented, looking thoughtful. "The way Broadway said what he did; I'd guess that Detective Bluestone isn't a fan of the organization even though he's a member. He might be willing to give us names we can turn over to Wayne for investigation." Kendra continued on a slightly different topic, "Xanatos was rather closed mouthed considering how high up in the organization he seems to be, and the look on his face when I asked him what would happen if he asked for help and then later refused to do whatever they asked in return because he objected was rather interesting."

"He's wary of them, perhaps even slightly afraid," Demona had seen the same signs of uneasiness in Xanatos' dark eyes. "He probably got involved with them a few years ago when all he wanted was more wealth and power and now that he has a family and seems intent on reforming his image he doesn't dare leave."

"Did you believe him when he said he was there for a meeting and heard about the gargoyle's capture?" Kendra asked as they left Manhattan and started gliding over the river that separated the city from Long Island.

"No," Demona responded immediately, "I think he knew something about it before it happened and was taken by surprise when they actually got caught. Then he had to act to free them and prevent Goliath from killing that human. With the gargoyles living at the castle he has almost as much to lose as they do from renewed public hysteria." Kendra gave her an inquiring look, so Demona explained further, "When the public first realized that the clan actually existed and rumors spread that they lived in the castle, the Xanatos' couldn't go out without reporters following them around and their limousine was even attacked one night by a mob of humans. He wouldn't want to risk that happening again."

"Hmm," Kendra didn't exactly sound reassured, "that's something at least."

"It doesn't exactly make me happy either," Demona admitted, "but I know Goliath, and he won't budge from that castle unless there's no other choice," she said sourly. She dipped her right wing just a bit to correct her flight path; they were just a few minutes away from home now.

"We need more information on them to determine how much of a threat they are, and we need to be extra cautious in how we investigate them," the winged were-jaguar remarked grimly. "I'd rather they never notice that it's occurring if at all possible."

"That's probably a very good idea," Demona concurred, thinking of the wariness in Xanatos' eyes, this was obviously not a group to cross lightly if he didn't dare do so, he usually thought such situations were challenges to be overcome not threats to be avoided.

Very early in the morning - Dining Hall, Wyvern Castle atop the Eyrie Building, Upper Manhattan

"Jalapena," Elisa couldn't help but swear as Goliath finished the tale of their rescue. "So Demona and Kendra know that the Illuminati exist and Demona is being taught some new type of magic by these spirits that allows her to manipulate objects and matter."

"Mother helped the clan escape and stopped father from killing that human," Angela countered defensively, looking at Elisa with a betrayed and hurt expression.

Elisa looked over at the younger female, catching sight of Goliath's concerned glance at his daughter as she did so. The detective's expression softened, "I'm not saying that she didn't Angela, I'm just thinking of what might happen if she decides to go after the Illuminati." Elisa left unsaid her worries of how the thousand-year-old gargoyle might use her new magical abilities. Demona was a firm believer in the adage that information was power and though Elisa didn't doubt anymore that the scarlet haired gargoyle had changed, in the past Demona had never been one to pass up an opportunity to get information about anyone she felt was an enemy or could be one in the future. "Stirring them up could be a hornets' nest that could get all of us stung."

Angela frowned in concern, "She's already waiting for the Weird Sisters to attack and taking on the Quarrymen to protect us," the lavender female stated looking more worried the longer she considered the possibility. "The Illuminati are even more dangerous than the Quarrymen are," she looked over at her father, "maybe I can talk to her."

"I will contact her and reassure her it has been two years since their last attempt and it is likely they will not make another attempt against us anytime soon," Goliath rumbled and Elisa wasn't the only one staring at him in complete astonishment after he finished. "Perhaps I can persuade her of the danger to us if she were to provoke them into an attack." He didn't need to specify that he actually meant the danger to Angela if Demona were to provoke them into more attempts to capture the clan. The lavender female blushed; she knew very well what her father actually meant.

"That's a good idea, Demona's obviously more concerned with the entire clan's safety now than she has been in a very long time," Hudson commented, sounding thoughtful. Elisa couldn't help but glance over at Brooklyn; she knew the older gargoyle was referring to Demona's disabling of the heating and cooling elements in the walls of the room where the beaked male had been imprisoned. The clan second had looked confused and baffled when he had learned that Demona had been the reason that the walls had quit heating up and freezing almost a minute before he was freed. Hudson added, "And she's got that young human, Robert, living with her now as well."

"True," remarked Goliath thoughtfully, "yet another reason for her to be cautious about drawing their attention."

"So we know for certain now that Kendra Canmore can transform into a were-jaguar with wings," Xanatos remarked to Owen and his wife as the three of them walked into the dining room from the hallway. He had gone to look in on his sleeping son about twenty minutes ago; evidently, he had also taken the time to fill Fox and Owen in on the events of the night as well.

"Mother can fly," Angela observed. Xanatos, Fox and Owen turned their attention toward her, as did the clan and Elisa.

"Kendra needs wings to protect Demona because she can fly, the humans didn't so the were-jaguar didn't have them," David Xanatos picked up on her meaning immediately.

"A logical conclusion," Owen observed, nodding approvingly toward the lavender female gargoyle.

"So Kendra is Demona's protector?" Broadway asked, sounding uncertain.

"Demona was letting her take the lead, I noticed that immediately because it surprised me," Hudson commented.

"I noticed that as well," Angela added her voice to the clan elders, "Mother mostly used her magic."

"Aye, she let Kendra handle the fighting," the elder male remarked.

Elisa stared at him, that didn't seem much like Demona at all…except, her mind reminded her, that Kendra had acted like a bodyguard the night the Quarrymen had attacked them coming out of the theater. This was not the first time that Demona had let Kendra take the lead, which implied that the human woman was now the acknowledged better fighter of the two of them. That didn't really jib with Kendra's comment before the kidnapping that Demona was the more skilled fighter.

"Intriguing," Owen commented thoughtfully, drawing everyone's attention.

"What is?" Xanatos asked him, his dark eyes narrowing on the blonde man. The clan also eyed him curiously wondering what had caught the fey's attention.

"Kendra Canmore's mother is from Brazil in South America," Owen stated. "The feys encounter with the were-jaguar was in what is now modern day Mexico, which is just north of Brazil in South America. There are several Mayan and Aztec legends of were-jaguar warrior shamans; they were reputed to be exceptionally skilled warriors and battle leaders. The Mayans and Aztecs were native tribes that lived in South America."

"You think they're related," Fox commented to the blonde man, "that the legends are referring to humans that were given the power to transform like Kendra Canmore."

Lexington questioned, "So the amulet Kendra was wearing could have been passed down from protector to protector?" Elisa noticed Owen grimacing at the way the web-winged gargoyle phrased his question, obviously, the idea of humans having protectors against the fey didn't thrill him.

"I wondered about that," Angela added, "if she were the first to use it."

"Maybe she inherited it from her mother," Broadway offered, sounding intrigued with the idea.

"Maybe, but we don't know, this is all conjecture," Elisa felt duty bound to point out that they had no evidence backing up their theories as interesting as they sounded.

"True we do not know," Goliath rumbled discontentedly, "and Kendra Canmore and Demona are not being very forthcoming about sharing such information with us." His expression turned thoughtful, "But perhaps there is someone that will answer our questions."

Early in the morning - Library, Wyvern Castle atop the Eyrie Building, Upper Manhattan

The library was definitely turning into their private discussion room, Elisa mused as she and Goliath walked into the quiet room with its book filled shelves lining the walls. "Macbeth?" she questioned as soon as he stopped and turned around to face her.

"Mmm," he rumbled, "It occurs to me that Macbeth knows more than he revealed to us."

Elisa inclined her head, that sounded reasonable, "He and Demona did talk for a long time that day before you went to visit him, time enough for them to agree what to tell the clan and what not to mention."

Goliath nodded, "What he told us that night was so surprising, and he was so furious at what the Weird Sisters had done, that I decided we should leave immediately after he threatened us if we cooperated with them again. Now I have questions for him."

He stared off into space, his expression a strange mixture of anger and frustration, "And I wish to speak with him about what happened tonight." The lavender male clenched his fists, his body tense with whatever emotion was tormenting him, "Tonight has given me an appreciation of how it feels to be compelled to do something against one's will, something against one's own nature." He focused on Elisa, "I would have killed that human if Demona and Kendra Canmore had not stopped me and destroyed the mind control chip." His eyes looked haunted and Elisa crossed the few feet of space between them to put a comforting hand on his muscular forearm. "Demona did not gloat," he said quietly, "she did not say anything about me being too weak to fight them. When she looked at me her eyes held only sympathy and understanding as she informed me that they had stopped me before I did anything."

"She does have some experience with it, and I'm not just referring to what happened on Avalon," Elisa commented softly, thinking of all they had learned the Weird Sister's had done to Demona in the past few weeks. A regretful expression crossed the tall lavender male's face as he nodded in agreement. The dark haired woman stared at him, wondering exactly what his feelings were toward his ex-mate now. She really hoped that he wasn't thinking about trying to win Demona back, because she suspected that Kendra Canmore might have some rather strong objections to any such attempt.

Elisa thought Goliath felt more than just friendship for her, she knew she felt more than that for him, but neither of them had spoken about it, or about the kiss she had given him after the night of the Hunter's Moon. Now that this was going on with Demona Elisa wasn't sure if Goliath felt the same way about her anymore. If it took so little to have him hoping that he and Demona could become mates again what did it say about the strength of his feelings for her? Not feeling confident enough to bring up the topic absorbing her thoughts, she asked instead, "What about the Illuminati?" They needed to discuss the possibility that the secretive organization might attempt to capture the clan again, no matter what Goliath had claimed in front of the others.

"I had thought they were not longer a threat to us," he rumbled unhappily, "it was a trap," now he looked angry and embarrassed.

"Do you really think they won't attack again soon?"

He grimaced, "I do not know," he admitted, sounding reluctant, "the two possible motivations for their actions that Kendra Canmore mentioned are troubling."

Elisa made a small noise of agreement, "I hate to say it but she's right you would make good soldiers or assassins for them to use." She grimaced unhappily, as the clan leader shuddered at the thought, she didn't blame him it wasn't a pleasant idea at all. She frowned, thinking of the other thing the woman had brought up, "As for the Quarrymen, we know they have funding from somewhere, but I can't see a reason for the Illuminati to be the source of it. I just don't see what they would get out of persuading everyone you're a threat…" her voice trailed off and she shook her head with a frown, it just didn't make sense for such an powerful organization to care about whether the clan was accepted by the city's humans population.

Early evening - Nightstone Unlimited HQ, Lower East Side Manhattan

Dominique glanced at her watch as she looked up from her computer monitor, it was past five o'clock and Macbeth had probably already picked up Robert for their night out together. She rolled her head from side to side trying to relieve some of the tension in her neck from sitting in one position for too long as she worked.

There was a knock at her door, "Enter," she called out wondering curiously if Candice was still here or if it were Margaret or Kendra. She smiled warmly as her mate entered the room and closed the door behind her.

The blue-eyed woman said, "How much longer do you need to work tonight?"

The redhead glanced at her computer screen, "Not very long, I just need to finish some notes." She rolled her head once again, first to the right and then to the left.

"Neck stiff?"

"Just a little," Dominique said with a hopeful glance, Kendra gave such wonderful neck rubs.

The black haired woman chuckled softly as she came around the desk to stand behind her. "What did you ever do without me?" she asked as her hands started kneading the stiff muscles in the redhead's neck and shoulders, pressing in gently with her thumbs and squeezing the tense muscles between palm and fingers.

"Snapped at my employees even more than usual and cursed the weakness of my human form," Dominique admitted sheepishly as she bent her head forward and groaned in appreciation of how good Kendra's massage felt. She heard her mate laugh softly once again and then her hair was brushed aside and soft lips pressed against the nape of her neck. This time her soft moan held a slightly different note and she felt Kendra still behind her for a second before her mate's lips returned this time brushing ever so lightly along the sensitive skin of her neck.

"Kendra," Dominique whispered uncertainly glancing toward the door.

"Candice is already gone for the night," the black haired woman breathed out huskily her warm breath stirring the sensitive hairs on the back of Dominique's neck. "And I told Gregory to not wait around any longer that I would take you home." The redhead's eyes fluttered closed at the feel and her hands gripped the edge of her desk as she felt her body respond to Kendra's tone and closeness. She sensed movement and opened her eyes in time to see an olive toned hand press underneath her desk; there was the audible click of the office door locking.

"Kendra," Dominique breathed out, not knowing herself if she were protesting or pleading. When the blue-eyed woman turned her chair around and claimed the redhead's lips in a possessive kiss Dominique threaded her hand through her mate's silky hair and pulled her closer.

"Rachael's at home," Kendra paused breath against her lips, "but the next room is soundproof enough for you to make as much noise as I know you've been holding back lately." The blue-eyed woman nipped gently at her bottom lip sending a shiver of arousal through the redhead's body before trailing kisses across her jaw toward her ear.

Dominique moaned, tilting her head to give her mate better access to her neck, she had been trying to be quiet during their lovemaking with both Rachael and Robert still in the house. "I love you my mate," Kendra whispered once she reached her ear, "let me love you," her lips began brushing delicately along the outside of the redhead's ear.

"Oh yes," Dominique breathed out.

Early evening - Wyvern Castle atop the Eyrie Building, Upper Manhattan

"So do you agree that my mother made the charm with the magic the spirits are teaching her as she said?" Angela asked Owen, her tone quite firm.

"Yes, I do," the blonde man replied stiffly.

"Then may I have my mother's Solstice gift," her tone clearly indicated that she thought it was well past time that she should have been given it.

"It is in the vault," Owen said after a moment's consideration, "I'll have to get it for you."

The lavender female looked triumphant, "I'll go with you."

Ten minutes later, Angela looked down at the golden dragon charm where it rested on her chest with satisfaction. Her mother's Solstice gift was beautiful, and knowing that Demona had taken the time to make it for her made it even more special to Angela. She took a wary look around as she crossed the main hall, she had second patrol later, but until then she really didn't want Brooklyn or her father to notice that she was wearing her mother's gift. It was too early for the first patrol to have left, and Brooklyn would look at her like she was crazy and probably follow her around in case she started doing something strange like shutting down the castle's defenses for her mother to attack. Goliath, who was leading the second patrol, would frown and insist that Owen should have cleared it with him first. Angela really didn't want to listen to either one of them right now.

From the main hall, she took the spiral staircase leading up into the western tower, her favorite place to get away from the rest of the clan and look out over the city. She had more than a few things to think about tonight, Angela thought as she settled into her favorite window casement. She knew the clan was concerned about what Demona was able to do with her new magic, and she wasn't unconcerned herself, but right now her thoughts were more focused on what she had seen before her mother had melted open the glass of the window and afterward as Angela clung to the side of the building. The way Demona had looked tenderly at Kendra Canmore for being concerned about her, the way Kendra Canmore held her mother so close to her as they flew past, and then her mother's embarrassment when she realized Angela had witnessed the way she and Kendra were flying together.

Angela knew her father and Hudson believed that gayness didn't exist in the gargoyle race, but what if they were wrong? First, there had been the night they had watched the broadcast of her mother and Kendra Canmore fighting the Quarrymen. After checking to see if Kendra was injured, the way her mother had hugged the human woman had been her first hint that Demona and Kendra were friends. Then there had been the newspaper articles linking her mother's human persona romantically with Kendra Canmore after they had gone to Nightstone's Christmas party together. Goliath had completely ignored it, but she had noticed how David Xanatos had taken it as confirmation that he and his wife were right. Third, there was the night she had called her mother and had overheard Macbeth make a comment about Demona needing to mind her own love life and let him mind his. Angela had realized that night that it implied that her mother had a love life, but had dismissed it later because she knew there weren't any other unattached male gargoyles in the city except for Lexington and Brooklyn, and neither of them would become involved with her mother.

The night that Kendra Canmore came over and talked to the clan, Angela had seen how much a warrior the human woman was and had started to understand how her mother might have overlooked the blue-eyed woman's humanness to become friends with her. Last night…last night they had discovered that Kendra Canmore was like the were-jaguar Owen had told them about, and evidently her mother's protector. The question was, was she more than just her mother's protector? Were the Xanatos' right and Kendra Canmore was her mother's new mate?

Angela stared out over the city somewhat blankly, her mind trying to grapple with the strange idea. She wouldn't have even seriously considered it if it hadn't been for last night and the look her mother gave Kendra. That hadn't been a look one gave a friend, or even a clan sister. She cared for her rookery brothers and sisters but she wouldn't look at any of them in such a…loving way. And the way Kendra held her mother, even Goliath hadn't carried Elisa that way, at least not that she had ever seen, and Angela knew her father and the human woman were attracted to one another.

The lavender female sighed, frustrated, she knew the easiest way to get an answer to her question was to call her mother, but what if she were wrong and Goliath were right? Her mother would...Angela shook her head, she didn't know what her mother would say, but if she was wrong and they were just friends, Angela cringed slightly, Demona probably wouldn't be pleased with the suggestion at all.

Evening - Nightstone Unlimited HQ, Lower East Side Manhattan

"Change for me," Kendra whispered as she raked her teeth across the top of one shoulder, pausing to bite down briefly at juncture of shoulder and neck and elicit an aroused gasp of breath from the redhead as her hands stroked up and down Dominique's now bare back. The redhead's jacket, shirt and bra were draped across her desk atop the reports she had been working on earlier, and her black heels had been carefully placed underneath the desk.

The gargoyle in human form shuddered, knowing how much better this would feel in her true form, "I need to take the rest of my clothes off."

"Mmm," the blue-eyed woman murmured, "stand up love," as she moved back enough to give Dominique room to rise from her chair.

The redhead ran her fingers through Kendra's black hair as her mate knelt in front of her brushing kisses across the smooth skin of her stomach as she slowly unzipped and lowered the skirt she was wearing. Dominique steadied herself with one hand on Kendra's shoulder as she carefully stepped out of it. The black haired woman folded it in half and then laid it with the other pieces of clothing before turning back to her and nuzzling the sensitive skin of her hip, right above the line of her lacy briefs, a quiet growling purr resonating from between her slightly parted lips. Dominique felt herself grow more aroused at the sound. She loved hearing the various growls and purrs Kendra could make now, and she suspected it was because the jaguar and human spirits within her mate had merged even more.

With deft fingers, the blue-eyed woman carefully undid the redhead's garters and then rolled each stocking down her legs, pausing frequently to press kisses and brush her lips along the newly exposed cream-colored skin of Dominique's thighs or trail her fingers down the length of the redhead's calf. Eventually Dominique was left with only one remaining piece of clothing, lacy black briefs. Kendra rubbed her cheek gently over the soft material, eliciting an indrawn gasp of breath from her mate before finally slipping a finger underneath the material at either hip and dragging the flimsy piece of clothing downward. Before Dominique could step out of the cloth now around her ankles, the blue-eyed woman ran her hands back up the back of the redhead's legs to her cup her rear and then pressed her lips against the soft red curls she had just uncovered. Kendra inhaled deeply and then made the same growling purring sound she had made earlier.

Dominique arched against the black haired woman's mouth, "Kendra," she pleaded, though she suspected it wouldn't do much good, as her mate seemed to be in a mood to be both teasing and intense. Not that she really minded that… she thought on a shaky indrawn breath as the blue-eyed woman's lips moved from where they had been teasing her to her upper thigh and began suckling on the skin there. "Yes," Dominique hissed, pressing her thigh against Kendra's mouth and holding her lover to her in silent encouragement. She didn't know why, but her mate marking her in this way felt so very good. The small pain of the reddened mark on her thigh seemed to radiate into her and Dominique closed her eyes and concentrated on the sensation, feeling desire rise within her hot and swift as Kendra began brushing her lips tenderly over the now sensitized skin. "Kendra," she pleaded once again.

The possessive sounding growl in response was deeper, slightly louder and Dominique couldn't help the shudder that ran through her body at the sound. Then the black haired woman rose from her knees and pulled the redhead into an embrace while claiming her lips in a long deep kiss. "You have too many clothes on," Dominique whispered when her mate's lips finally left hers.

"So I do," Kendra's tone was an invitation, one that the redhead was only too happy to take. Once the last piece of the black haired woman's clothing had joined the pile on top of Dominique's desk, Kendra lifted her in her strong arms and carried the redhead into the secret room behind her office.

Evening - Wyvern Castle atop the Eyrie Building, Upper Manhattan

Angela growled softly, she had thought and thought again about what she had seen, and then thought more about her father and Hudson's staunch insistence that such a thing was simply impossible. Perhaps a glide would clear her mind; she still had a few hours before her patrol. It only took her a few moments to open the window, slip through it and then close it again from the outside before leaping off the tower and catching the night air with her wings.

As she flew over the city below, her altitude gradually decreasing from the castle's height, the lavender female thought about the way Kendra had been holding her mother the night before. Angela could think of no reason why, even if Demona had needed Kendra's support as she was concentrating on closing the window, that her mother would have needed to be carried away from the building. No reason except for her mother had wanted Kendra to hold her, which would definitely explain the way her mother had acted after she realized that Angela had seen them.

The lavender female frowned; there could be other explanations for their behavior, even if she couldn't think of what those reasons could be right now. She glanced down, noticing that she was now gliding over Central Park. Well even if it wasn't her patrol time there was no reason why not to keep an ear out for any trouble, Angela thought as she dove and then leveled out to glide above the trees. She would hate to find out there had been a mugging or even worse a rape that had occurred because she wasn't paying attention. She made it all the way to the other side of the park without hearing anything but the sounds of the few animals still active in the cold.

As she angled her wings to gain altitude after gliding low over the park, Angela looked ahead and spotted her mother's building, Nightstone. She hadn't really taken the time the night before to really see where her mother spent her time during the day, Angela thought, staring at the building with rising interest. She might even be able to figure out which of the offices her mother worked within, if Demona were anything like Xanatos, it would be near the top of the building and be one of the windowed rooms. A quick glide around the building wouldn't take much time, Angela reassured herself even as she glanced around to make sure that the current patrol wasn't anywhere nearby to see her exploring this particular building. She could imagine what Brooklyn would say about her interest in Demona's company and the fact that she was wearing her mother's Solstice gift.

Evening - Secret Room, Nightstone Unlimited HQ, Lower East Side Manhattan

Demona had no sooner taken a quick look over herself and flexed her wings after her transformation than her mate's warm body pressed up against her back and Kendra's arms wrapped around the redhead's slender waist while her lips trailed up the blue-skinned gargoyle's neck toward her ear. Demona arched back against the black haired woman, and tilted her head to the side to give Kendra's lips better access. Thankfully, the change from human to gargoyle barely hurt at all, so it did not take very long at all for the caressing hands on her breasts and the lips and teeth nibbling and brushing along her neck and ear to have Demona in the same state of arousal that she had been in before her transformation.

As much as she loved what Kendra was doing to her, Demona wanted to hold and wrap her wings around her mate for a little while. She carefully grasped her lover's hands and pulled them away long enough for her to turn around and wrap first her arms and then her wings around the human woman.

"Mmm," Kendra murmured in appreciation, "I hope this never feels any less wonderful to me, not even when it's the hundredth or thousandth time," she commented with a pleased smile.

"So do I," agreed Demona pulling the black haired woman tighter against her, and nuzzling her neck. The flame haired gargoyle drew in a deep breath of her lover's uniquely musky scent.

"Do I need to use more or a different deodorant?" Kendra asked, amusement clear in her tone, "You've been sniffing at me a lot recently."

"No, I just love how you smell," Demona admitted, lifting her head from Kendra's neck and looking into her blue eyes.

The black haired woman grinned, "You do?"

"Yes, I do," the statement was made with quiet sincerity.

"That's good," Kendra replied softly, "because I'm rather partial to how you smell as well," the black haired woman tilted her head and nuzzled at the blue skin of the gargoyle's shoulder before quite deliberately biting down firmly on it long enough to almost cause Demona's knees to buckle at the almost mating bite. The gargoyle whimpered unabashedly as Kendra released her and brushed her lips softly over the small reddened area. "Especially at certain times," the black haired woman whispered her tone deeper as she drew in a second deep breath. Kendra growled softly and her hands moved from Demona's waist up her back to gently begin caressing her wing joints.

"Oh yes," Demona whispered as her mate began kissing her way down across her chest. "Kendra," she cried out softly as the delicious torment began and she was torn between arching into the sweet caresses along her back or the warm mouth on her breast.

Evening - Outside Nightstone Unlimited HQ, Lower East Side Manhattan

Angela's eyes widened as she noticed the ledge running around the outside of approximately half the western side of the top floor of her mother's building. She had already flown around the other sides, so she knew this was the only place where there was a ledge such as this on the entire building. It was about a foot wide and ran along the outside of only two rooms from what Angela could discern from one fast glide around that side of the building.

She tilted her wings and came back around, this time landing on the roof as she had the night before. Angela crossed over to the west side of the building and cautiously looked down. Lights shone brightly from one of the rooms and from what she could see from this angle, the lavender female thought it might be an office. No lights were on at all in the large room next to it with the curved window that protruded outward, and with the distortion of the thick glass, Angela couldn't see into the dark room at all. The lavender female went over to the corner of the building and carefully lowered herself over the roof's edge. She made her way down the side of the building and then paused, hanging from the side of the building by her talons, as she realized from the marks in the concrete that she was hardly the first gargoyle to take this route.

"I knew it," she whispered to herself, the ledge only made sense if her mother used it to get into and out of the building, but how did she open the window? A small keypad set in the concrete answered that question when Angela stepped carefully down onto the ledge. Cautiously, because she wasn't quite certain that this was her mother's office or that there might not be someone else in it if it were; the lavender female peered through the glass into the well lit room on the other side.

Lushly green plants leaves obscured the rest of the office from her sight. Angela frowned; she hadn't realized the plants she had seen from above were so tall. Still they offered excellent camouflage incase someone was in the office, thought Angela, as she peered through different open spots between the plant leaves until she was sure there was no one in the office. She moved further along the ledge until she was past the row of potted plants on the interior side of the window and looked inside. She hadn't really realized her mother liked plants so much, Angela thought as she looked into the office and noticed that besides the plants at the window there was another one by the desk and two more large potted trees bracketing a short couch along one wall of the office.

Her gaze focused upon the large desk that dominated the room, besides a computer monitor like the one Xanatos had in his office, there were papers and folders and piled on top of those, red and black clothing. What looked like a pair of black slacks, were hanging on the back of the chair. Angela frowned, had her mother perhaps changed into her night clothes and left her human clothing here and gone gliding? She turned around and looked over the city, she hadn't seen any other gargoyles earlier and she didn't see any around now.

She turned back toward the office, her gaze sweeping over it again, searching for some clue as to her mother's whereabouts. A small piece of lacy black material on the floor behind the desk caught her attention and she stared at it, tying to make out exactly what it might be. Her eyes widened slightly and she flushed as she finally realized what she was looking at, human female underwear. Well neither Demona nor Kendra were here, but there was still the room next to her mother's office.

Evening - Secret Room, Nightstone Unlimited HQ, Lower East Side Manhattan

"Oh Kendra," Demona's legs felt shaky as her kneeling mate continued to tease her with her mouth and tongue without actually touching her where she ached to be touched most, "I can't stand much longer," she panted.

The black haired woman pulled away, "Give me a second," she murmured. Demona watched curiously as her mate bounded up to the second level, pulled the cushions off the couch and chair there and then quickly returned with them stacked in her arms. The raised area of the floor bordering the large curved window was right behind them, and Kendra tossed the cushions in a row on the floor, "It's not as nice as our bed at home, but I think it will do."

Demona smiled, the floor would have been fine if hard, but her mate was right this would be much more comfortable.

Evening - Outside Nightstone Unlimited HQ, Lower East Side Manhattan

Angela crouched down, pressed herself against the concrete side of the building and remained motionless, her heart beating slightly fast as she stared into the curved window of the room next to Demona's office. She had thought there was no one in the room, but only a few seconds before what looked like seat cushions landed on the floor next to the window startling her. In the next instant, her eyes widened as her mother laid down upon the cushions, her distinctive red hair brilliant against the grey leather covering them. Her mother was here but…Angela stared in shock as another figure appeared, she didn't have to see the human woman's blue eyes to recognize the athletic build, black hair and olive toned skin of Kendra Canmore. The human woman's hands were braced on either side of her mother's shoulders and then the black haired woman leaned down and their lips met in a decidedly unsisterly kiss. Neither one was wearing any clothing, and her mother's hands upon the human' woman's waist were not pushing her away.

It was one thing to suspect and another to have one's suspicions confirmed in a completely unmistakable way. Angela stared unmoving at the couple for a long moment her mind grappling with the fact that her mother had a human lover, a human lover that was a woman. It was almost unthinkable except for the evidence literally in front of her eyes. Demona's wings moved, startling Angela as they wrapped around the human woman now lying on top of the azure blue gargoyle, pulling her even closer. The lavender female turned her head, blushing profusely, and began backing away until she was certain that she could no longer look into the room. She flushed even more, embarrassed that she had actually stared at her mother and her new mate as they were mating for several seconds because she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

David and Fox Xanatos had been right all along, and her father and Hudson were wrong. Her mother was with Kendra Canmore and apparently had been ever since they both returned from Canada, or perhaps even before. Angela shook her head bemused at the thought that had passed through it; surely not, her mother had only known the human woman for a week or so before they had been kidnapped by the Quarrymen.

A slight sound caught her attention and Angela frowned listening, in the next moment, her expression clearly showing her shock and embarrassment, she turned and leapt hastily from the building her wings opening and catching air and glided away as if someone were chasing after her. Angela knew she had to be blushing more than she had ever blushed in her entire life, she felt horribly embarrassed that she had overheard what she had heard. Who would have thought that the thick glass in the window would have picked up her mother's voice so well? She just wished she could unhear what she had heard only too clearly before she had left, "Kendra, my love, my mate, I need you so much, take me, claim me." The words were shocking enough, but even more shocking had been her mother's pleading tone and the depth of emotion with which she spoke leaving her daughter in no doubt that she meant every word.

Evening - Macbeth's Castle, North of Manhattan Island, New York

"Hmm," Macbeth stroked his beard as he contemplated the chessboard between him and Robert, "not a bad move at all." The curly haired young man's face brightened at the praise and then he frowned in consternation as the older man moved one of his rooks to block Robert's queen. While Robert examined the board and figured out his next move, Macbeth studied him.

The former king of Scotland had bluntly asked Demona why she was so intent on throwing the two of them together. Her answer had surprised him. Robert needed a male elder to look up to, someone to guide him in the proper ways of being a man in human society. Now that he wasn't obsessed with finding and killing her, Demona had smirked at him as she said it, she thought he was the perfect choice to be that role model. Even though he was certain that Demona knew very few males well enough to ask them to take the boy under their wing, Macbeth was flattered that she thought so well of him.

The sound of the perimeter alarms ringing interrupted Macbeth's thoughts, "Come with me," he ordered Robert as he pushed himself away from the table. He would never forgive himself if something happened to the young man, and he didn't even want to think about what Demona would do to him if so much as one curl on the boy's head were harmed. She was very protective of Robert, and Macbeth suspected it had quite a lot to do with the young man reminding her of his son. He knew that Demona still anguished at having contributed, however unwillingly, to Luach's death.

Striding over to the fireplace, Macbeth pressed on one particular brick. The painting above the mantle rotated revealing a small selection of laser rifles and pistols. He grabbed a rifle for himself and a pistol for the young man before closing it again. Turning to Robert, he showed him the pistol. "This is the safety," he showed the young man the slider on the weapon's side, its markings clearly indicating that the safety was currently on. "Switch this to safety off and point and fire." He placed it in Robert's lap as the young man stared at him, looking shocked, "Do not aim it at anything or anyone you don't intend to shoot. Now follow me to the control room."

"Is the sound an alarm?" Robert finally asked as he wheeled his chair down the hallway behind Macbeth.

"The perimeter alarm and I'm not expecting any guests tonight," the older man said grimly. "Demona knows I have a defense system and would call me before coming over, so it's not likely her."

"Goliath," Macbeth sighed a few minutes later, looking at a monitor that showed the dark night sky above the castle and the distinctive outline of a single male gargoyle gliding just out of the range of the castle's defenses, but close enough to trigger the sensors. "I guess he has more questions for me."

"The leader of Demona's former clan?" Robert asked, watching the monitor curiously.

"Aye, and her ex-mate," Macbeth answered as he reset the castle's defenses to ignore Goliath's approach.

Robert nodded his expression thoughtful, "She doesn't talk much about the clan except for Lexington and Angela."

"Not surprising," Macbeth commented, thinking of all the things Demona had done to the clan over the years because of the Weird Sister's spells. He hefted his rifle, "Guess I won't be needing this," he held out a hand and Robert quickly handed over the pistol the former king had given him. "Speaking of Lexington, I understand you and he are talking to each other by email," the older man said as they left the castle's control room.

"We are," the young man's tone turned more enthusiastic, "he knows a lot about computers and robotics, and he even has a lot of the same computer games as I do."

"That's good, you and he aren't that far apart in age," Macbeth commented as they made their way back to the living room.

"I'd like to meet him someday," Robert confided as they walked back into the room and the young man's grey eyes widened as he saw they were no longer alone.

Macbeth glanced over at the large lavender colored gargoyle now standing in the middle of the room, "I'm sure that could be arranged," he commented. "Goliath," he greeted the Manhattan clan leader, who was eyeing the weapons in his hands warily. "I wasn't certain who was coming calling," Macbeth explained as he put the weapons away.

"I did not mean to alarm you," the big male rumbled, turning his attention from Macbeth to the younger human in the wheelchair behind him.

Macbeth shrugged, "Just being cautious." He turned away from the fireplace as the hidden weapons cache rotated and recessed into the wall, hiding behind the innocent looking landscape painting once again. "Goliath meet Robert McKenzie," he introduced his young guest.

The young man wheeled his chair forward until he was only a few feet away from the big lavender male. "Pleased to meet you," Robert said, craning his neck to meet the seven-foot tall gargoyle's gaze and politely holding his hand out.

A brief expression of surprise crossed Goliath's face before he carefully grasped the young human's hand in his own and shook it, "I am pleased to meet you as well Robert."

Macbeth cleared his throat, "What did you need Goliath," he asked bluntly.

Macbeth followed Goliath's gaze as the big lavender male glanced uncertainly toward the younger man in the wheelchair. "Somehow I feel there's not anything you could ask that would surprise Robert," he commented dryly.

A red tinge colored the younger man's cheeks as he smiled and quietly agreed, "Probably not."

The lavender male stared at Robert appraisingly for a few seconds, "Very well," he finally rumbled, turning his attention to the former king. "I have questions about these spirits that broke the Weird Sisters spells upon you and Demona," he hesitated a moment before adding, "and I wish to know why she seems so different now even from how she was long ago."

"Mmm," Macbeth stared at him for a moment, "I suspect last night has something to do with your being here as well."

"She spoke with you about it," Goliath's eyes narrowed, he didn't look pleased.

"Demona wanted to know if I had heard anything about a secret organization called the Illuminati," Macbeth replied. "I told her what I knew. That I first heard of them several hundred years ago and that everything I'd heard since indicated they were very powerful, very dangerous and definitely not to be trifled with."

The annoyed expression on the lavender male's face shifted into a more thoughtful one, "I hope that she listened to you. Even Xanatos is wary of provoking them, and the clan cannot afford another enemy at this time. Not with the Quarrymen stirring up the humans of this city against us."

"She's aware of that," Robert commented, causing both Goliath and Macbeth to look over at him in surprise. "She doesn't want them as an enemy at this time for the same reason." The younger man's tone was quiet, but also carried an assurance and confidence that was unexpected considering his age.

Macbeth stared at the young man for a second before grunting out, "Good," and turning to face Goliath once again. "I don't remember much about the spirit that showed us the past and revealed how the Weird Sisters had manipulated us," Macbeth looked lost in memory. "Only that he was noble, kind and compassionate to Demona and I," he said his voice growing softer as he spoke, "at times he was stern, but even then he was never unkind."

Goliath stared at Macbeth, surprised by both the description and the emotion evident in the former king's voice. Out of the corner of his eye the lavender male noticed the younger human male looking at Macbeth, the boy's expression was gentle and understanding. It reminded Goliath of the clan's suspicion that all the humans Demona was befriending had also been tormented and saved by the spirits, and the expression he was seeing now on Robert's face seemed to support that idea. Obviously, this spirit made a strong impression on everyone who met him.

"He had an aura of majesty around him that I have never before felt the like of before," Macbeth's next words startled Goliath, who turned his full attention back to the former king, "not even Arthur came close." Macbeth smiled crookedly as he noted the lavender male's surprised reaction, "I guess you weren't expecting me to say anything like that?"

Goliath frowned thoughtfully, and it was a moment before he responded, "I am not certain what I expected to hear," he finally admitted. "What did this spirit look like?" the lavender male asked curiously.

"Mmm," Macbeth mused, "I can't really remember a definite shape, just an indistinct form and my sense of what he was like. Perhaps you should ask Demona," Macbeth commented, "I know she's still in frequent contact with him so I've no doubt she knows much more about him than I. She seems very fond of him whenever she mentions him and she's commented more than once that she trusts him." The former king met the gargoyle's dark gaze, "And trust, even with what we've learned recently, is not something that Demona gives lightly."

Goliath had been startled by Macbeth's description of the spirit, now he was dumfounded by the silver-headed man's description of his former mate's attitude toward the spirit. As soon as he got over his surprise, Goliath agreed, "No, I would not imagine so."

"As for your second question…," the former king stared at the lavender male for a long moment, his expression quite serious. "Goliath even though Demona and I have learned that certain events in the past were not what we thought at the time, and it's changed our view of each other and her view of humanity, both of us have still lived for a thousand years." He sighed unhappily, "If Gruoch were to somehow reappear before me, she would feel as if she didn't know me any more either." Macbeth gave Goliath a moment to let that sink in before he continued, "Living as long as we have has changed us Goliath, she's not the gargoyle you knew anymore just as I'm not the man I was nine hundred years ago. There's really no way we could be, not with what we've experienced, seen, and lived through over the centuries."

Late Evening - Wyvern Castle atop the Eyrie Building, Upper Manhattan

Angela pushed open the door stared nervously into Lexington's computer room, as she had suspected the web-winged male was busy typing away at the computer's keyboard. The green colored male looked up as soon as the door opened, and his taloned fingers paused in their typing, "Angela?" he didn't exactly sound welcoming.

She stared at him in surprise, "I'm sorry," she apologized not quite certain why he was acting this way, she didn't think she had done anything to upset him.

"No, it's ok," his tone softened, "just give me a second," he turned back around to the computer and typed a few lines and then the computer's screen cleared. He turned back toward her, "What did you need?"

Angela shifted uncomfortably, trying to push the image of her mother with Kendra Canmore away from her mind. She was finding that thinking that her mother might be with another female was quite different from knowing that her mother was with another female. Now she had so many questions and no idea where to find the answers. "You said that you had done some research after we saved those men, I was wondering where you found it."

"Curious because Kendra Canmore is gay?" Lexington asked, he had already turned back to the keyboard and was typing away at it.

"Yes," Angela eagerly jumped on the excuse, "especially since she is mother's friend," the lavender female fought to keep from blushing, "I just have some questions." The human woman was much more than that to her mother, but she didn't want anyone to find out about that, not yet.

The web winged male glanced over at her curiously, "Like what?" When she didn't immediately answer, he stared at her intently for a moment before explaining, "It will help me know what sites to pull up for you to look at if I know what questions you want answered."

"Why" Angela answered quietly, "I want to know why someone is gay, what makes them decide that they are instead of being attracted to someone of the opposite gender."

Lexington's eyes widened slightly, "Alright," he turned back to the computer and began typing. After a moment, he said quietly "From what I've read you don't decide to be gay, you're either born that way or you're not. The only decision you make is whether you accept that you are or if you try and hide it and pretend to be someone you aren't." He pushed away from the desk as a web page loaded, "This is a good place for you to look at," and got out of the chair so that she could sit down in it. "There are also some people who are bi-sexual as well," he commented as she took his place, "they're attracted to both sexes to one degree or another. I know that Xanatos keeps saying Demona is gay and with Kendra Canmore, but I think he really means that they think she's bisexual since she was with Goliath and then Thailog."

That made more sense to Angela than thinking that her mother was gay, she looked at the web page Lexington had chosen PFLAG it declared at the top of the page and then underneath explained the acronym Parents and Friends of Gays and Lesbians. "Gays and lesbians?" she questioned puzzled.

"Gays are homosexual males, lesbians are homosexual females," the green male explained, "though most people use gay to refer to either, like Kendra did the other night when she told Brooklyn she was gay."

"Oh," Angela replied, absently already more interested in the web site than his explanation, especially the link marked 'Frequently Asked Questions about Gays and Lesbians'. She was uncomfortable exploring the site too much with Lexington watching, but this seemed like an obvious and relatively safe place to look first.

"I was thinking about getting something to snack on before our patrol, would you like something too?" the web winged male asked after a few seconds.

"That would be nice thank you," Angela replied. She sighed in relief as he left the room. There were other links she wanted to look at, but not with someone else in the room with her.

Thirty minutes later Angela was back up in the tower, she didn't have very long before second patrol, but she wanted some time and privacy to think over what she had learned. One of the most helpful and reassuring statements she had read was the reminder that that one's family member or friend was the same person they had been the day before, you just knew more about them and who they were today than you had yesterday. Her mother was still the same gargoyle that had dropped everything to come help her daughter find Goliath, Broadway, Brooklyn and Lexington, and who had looked as if she were about to cry when Angela had told her she loved her in front of Goliath and the others.

Before reading the information on that web site, Angela hadn't really thought about how difficult it had to be for gay people to acknowledge to themselves that they weren't attracted to members of the opposite sex, that they were different in that way from almost everyone else around them. The fact that Goliath and Hudson believed that there were no gay gargoyles because they had never heard of one before, implied that it was incredibly rare for a gargoyle to be gay. Demona must be feeling terribly alone right now, wondering if there were any others like her. Kendra at least had the knowledge that there were other gay humans, but her mother didn't have that reassurance.

Angela had also never considered how frightening it must be to risk rejection by your own clan if they could not accept you. She wondered how it had been for those two men they had rescued that night. Had their father and mother accepted them or had they cast them out because they wanted another male as a mate instead of a female human? Angela knew she didn't want to be like that. Seeing her mother and Kendra together had been unexpected and terribly embarrassing, but she would have felt almost the same way about stumbling upon her father and Elisa mating as well. Angela knew she would rather that her mother was with a gargoyle male, but she wouldn't reject her mother for choosing Kendra Canmore. She remembered all too well her mother telling her that she was happy now, and Angela strongly suspected that the human woman who had defended Demona so passionately and loyally to Goliath and Brooklyn was a large part of the reason why.

The PFLAG web site clearly stated that it was not a good idea for her to ask her mother if she was gay. She would have to wait for Demona to decide to tell her. In the meantime, the only thing she could do was figure out a way to let her mother know that she wouldn't reject her or think that something was wrong with her for taking Kendra as her mate. Then Angela would hope that her mother would tell her, because she had so many questions for her mother, and the first one she wanted to ask was if Demona had ever loved her father or if she had only chosen him because she thought she had to take a male as a mate.

Continued...