by David Estes
Lifting her head slightly, Taylor saw a very different Gabriel standing in the tunnel. All rage having melted from his face, he looked mortified. His shoulders slumped in defeat and he sank to his knees, mental anguish taking all of the fight out of him. “What have I done?” he moaned, rhetorically. “Taylor, I’m so…I’m so…”
Chris said, “There will be plenty of time for apologies, Gabriel. For now, go and get some rest and Sam and I will take care of Taylor. Leave now, man. Just walk away.”
Gabriel tried to utter a protest, but Sampson grabbed his arm firmly and pulled him to his feet. “Let’s go, man.” Without further struggle, Gabriel allowed himself to be half-assisted, half-dragged by Sampson back to his room. For some reason Kiren followed after them.
Upon reaching his room, Gabriel sat on the bed, staring at the wall. Kiren thought he looked numb. Sampson started to leave, but Kiren lingered. “What are you doing?” he asked her. She raised a hand to silence him and went over to Gabriel, kneeling in front of him, submissive.
“Gabriel, I’m really sorry about Jonas. I really didn’t mean for all that to happen.”
Gabriel’s eyes were moist as he dipped his head to look at her. “No,” he said simply. “It wasn’t your fault. I was the one…I was the one who put Taylor in this position; I was the one who couldn’t stop it.” He looked on the verge of a break down.
“Yeah, you made some mistakes, some really BIG mistakes, Gabriel. But you made up for them, and you are still making up for them now. Things could have been much worse if they had sent someone else to get Taylor, someone other than you. You saved her, in a way. But now you need to focus on your future with her or it will disappear. You have to forgive yourself. You have to forgive us for anything we might have not done perfectly. Anything less, and I promise you, she will leave you. Maybe not today, but some day.” Kiren knew these truths would be hard for Gabriel to take, but he needed to hear them. There was still time for him to turn things around, and although he sometimes wore his heart on his sleeve, something told her that Gabriel Knight still had an important role to play.
Gabriel looked a bit shocked upon hearing the monologue by the demon he had just savagely attacked, largely unprovoked. His eyes were apologetic, soft. “I’m sorry for hitting you, Kiren. I’m really sorry,” he said. It sounded sincere.
“That’s a good start, buddy, and I forgive you, but tomorrow you will need to pander for Taylor’s forgiveness, and she may not be such an easy sell. Then you can move on and do what needs to be done in this war.”
“I will,” Gabriel said. “Thanks for understanding me, Kiren.”
Sampson had watched the entire exchange with wonder. He was typically not the type of guy to fall head over heels for a girl, like Gabriel or Chris had done, but his feelings for Kiren had been welling up inside of him since he met her, and hearing her now, he knew she was someone special. Hopefully, his someone special, he thought. He strode over and, standing behind her, put his arms around her neck. “Yeah, yeah, you’re welcome, man, but we’ll still have to vote on whether to invite you to our wedding,” he joked. “I can’t believe you hit my girlfriend!”
The tension on Gabriel’s face eased slightly. “I didn’t know it was official. Man, I didn’t even have a chance to warn her about you.”
Kiren looked back at Sampson. “I didn’t know it was official either,” she said.
“It is if you want it to be,” he replied.
“I’ll think about it.”
When the two new love birds left Gabriel to sleep, he managed to get undressed and under the covers without feeling sorry for himself. He was completely sober now—the emotions of the last hour were more effective than coffee in that regard. While mumbling, “Stupid, stupid, stupid,” he smacked himself in the head with his palm. “Okay, think,” he whispered.
First he needed to apologize to Taylor—that much was clear. But he also needed to give her a reason to forgive him. Wife beaters apologized for the black eyes, gambling addicts apologized for losing college tuitions, cheaters apologized for cheating. But those were empty apologies. He needed to be better than that, worthy of forgiveness. Before drifting off to sleep, the first steps of a plan began to form in his mind.
Chapter Thirty-Two
“How are you feeling, Tay?” Sam asked. She stroked her hair, like a mother tending to a sick child.
“I’m fine, I just feel a little bruised,” she replied, gingerly rubbing her chest.
“I should say so,” Chris said. “You took a hit from a pretty tough angel.”
“Thanks for the reminder that my boyfriend hit me.”
“It really was an accident, Taylor,” Sam said. “I saw the whole thing.”
“I know it was and I know that Gabriel would never intentionally do anything to hurt me, but the fact of the matter is, he was out of control and reckless. I really don’t need that right now, considering my entire life seems out of control and reckless.”
Taylor was lying on Sam’s bed, while her friends sat on one side of her. Concern continued to lace Sam’s expression. For a few minutes after Taylor had sustained the elbow to her chest, she was wheezing sharply, barely able to pull any air into her lungs. Initially, Chris had started to carry her to the medical wing, but changed his mind when Taylor’s breathing finally returned to near-normal. “I’m fine, no doctor,” she had gasped.
Taylor was worried that if she went to a doctor, hard questions would be asked and Gabriel would get in trouble. Also, given Gabriel’s history, the Elders might kick him out of the Lair for good if they caught wind of his attack on Kiren and his accidental elbowing of Taylor.
“I understand,” Sam said. “Do you want me to keep him away tomorrow?”
“No, I’ll talk to him. It’s not like I don’t love him anymore. I just hate him sometimes, too.”
“Ok, sweetie,” Sam replied. “Now, get some sleep, it’s been a long day.”
“And you have something to look forward to tomorrow—you get to see Rocky,” Chris reminded her.
At the mention of her scaly little friend’s name, her mood brightened. “I forgot about him. Before breakfast I’d like to go down so I can feed him, if that’s okay?”
“Of course. I’ll stop by at seven o’clock.”
Before the door had closed, signaling Chris’s exit from the room, and before Sam had curled up beside her, Taylor was already asleep, dreaming of her new pet gargoyle and all the fun they would have together.
Chapter Thirty-Three
His “safe” phone to his ear, Andrew waited anxiously for his friend to answer. After three rings he heard, “Yes?”
At three in the morning, it was not surprising that Clifford sounded groggy, having likely been awakened mid-REM cycle. It was difficult for Andrew to wait until now to call him, but he knew it was safer. For him. For his family.
“I have unfortunate news, my friend.” There was urgency in his tone that he could not disguise. “They will take her father. Good luck.” With the message delivered, Andrew ended the call. They had done this enough that Clifford would understand. Tonight would be a sleepless night for them both.
Chapter Thirty-Four
At first he had been angry at having been awakened at such an early hour. But after he was informed that Dionysus had requested his presence in his private chambers, he had been more than happy to go with the lowly guardsmen. Since his encounter with Gabriel during his escape, he had been itching to hear the six words that so casually rolled off of Dionysus’s lips: “I have a mission for you.”
When he heard what the mission was and how secret it was—being kept even from the other Archangels—he was ecstatic. Dionysus trusted him, and rightly so. He had a destiny to fulfill, which would almost surely entail playing a major role in ending the Great War. And it would all start with this one mission, a mission that would give him both professional and personal satisfaction.
Back in his apartment now, he was still licking his lips just thinking about
the opportunity he had been given. Thankfully, he wouldn’t have to wait long—the mission was to be carried out that very night. He had a lot of planning to do: selecting his team, coordinating the timeline, procuring supplies, contingency plans, etc.
His thoughts reverted to Gabriel—the traitor to his people, the human-lover, the demon-lover, the imbecile. Slamming his fist into the wall, he roared, “I WILL get my revenge!” The glassy, fluorescent wall smashed inwards, showering glass and sparks onto a table and two chairs. The light flickered and then went dark. Wrenching his hand from the wall, he gazed at the blood dripping off his knuckles. He watched as the flow of white blood slowed and then ceased entirely, the wound repairing itself in a matter of minutes.
He picked up the phone, pressed a button, and then demanded, “Send someone up to repair my wall immediately.” He returned the phone to its cradle. Being chosen by Dionysus really did have its perks, Lucas thought.
Chapter Thirty-Five
As promised, Chris, along with Sam, knocked on Taylor’s door at seven in the morning to take her to visit the gargoyle dungeons. This time they utilized the speedy transporter to get there, cutting the travel time in half, which would allow Taylor to spend more time with her new friend. During the ride, Chris continued to warn her that gargoyles were strange creatures and that they were subject to sudden mood swings and personality changes.
“How’s that any different than us? Remember last night?” Taylor asked, rubbing her sore chest as a reminder.
Sam and Chris looked at each other and laughed. Clearly, they had been avoiding the subject, but Taylor was more than ready to face it head on. “What are you going to do, Tay?” Sam asked.
“Nothing. I’ll just listen to what he has to say and then talk it through with him. That’s what couples do, right?” Not that she knew. She had barely dated anyone in her life. But it sounded logical.
“I don’t know, I normally just break up with my boyfriends if they act like jerks,” Sam said.
“I guess I better watch my step,” Chris replied. “I didn’t realize it was one strike and you’re out.”
“Well, I guess for you I can make an exception. I’ll give you two, maybe even three strikes.”
“Wow, thanks, babe. I feel honored,” he said.
“I think Gabriel will need quite a few more than three strikes if this is going to last,” Taylor said.
Upon exiting the transporter, Chris led them straight through the security doors. First room on the right, Taylor remembered. She preferred to think of it as a room, rather than a cell, despite the bars over the door.
They passed Freddy, from whom loud snores could be heard in the otherwise quiet dungeons. Before they even reached Rocky’s family, they heard a snort and then a scurrying of feet across the stony floor. A small head popped out between the bars and looked towards them. While it was hard to label expressions on the face of a gargoyle, Rocky actually looked like he was excited.
“Wow, Tay, he looks happy to see you,” Sam remarked.
Chris said, “I’ve never seen anything like it before. Gargoyles are typically quite shy and never really get attached to anyone, not even their parents. He must have remembered your smell from yesterday and then come to greet you when he picked up the scent.”
“I do not have a smell, or a scent,” Taylor said.
“I didn’t say a bad smell,” Chris laughed. “Just a smell, in general.”
Ignoring her demon escort, Taylor knelt down and said, “Hey, Rocky. Did you miss me, buddy? I definitely missed you. There’s a certain angel upstairs that I’d like you to take care of for me, can you do that for me, Rocky?” She laughed when he tickled her hand with his long, wet, forked tongue, which snapped in and out of his mouth quickly, like a snake.
“Hmm, maybe it would be useful to have a pet gargoyle,” Sam said. “You know, to help keep boyfriends from misbehaving.”
“I heard that,” Chris said, returning from the storeroom where he had gone to obtain some food.
“I’m just sayin’,” Sam said.
Chris handed a tray to Taylor. It had various meaty-looking treats on it. Unlike the previous day, the meat was raw. He also gave her a padded glove. “What’s this for?” she asked.
“A fire-retardant glove. Just in case,” he explained.
“Oh, little Rocky won’t hurt his Aunt Taylor, will you, buddy?” Despite what she believed, Taylor donned the glove before holding the tray out for the mini-gargoyle to munch on. She nearly dropped the tray when a ball of fire burst from his mouth and licked the food, causing it to sizzle and pop on the metal surface. The long glove was instantly warm from the heat.
“What the hell was that?” Taylor yelped.
Chris looked at Rocky curiously. “I don’t know, but I think…”
“What?” Sam asked, looking at her boyfriend quizzically.
The tiny meat-fires died slowly and then Rocky opened his jaws wide and began scarfing down the food, barely even chewing. “I think he prefers the meat to be cooked,” Chris guessed.
“Makes sense to me,” Sam agreed. “I hate bloody meat. I’ll take well-done every time. Except for sushi, of course.”
“Is that strange?” Taylor asked.
Chris scratched his head. “Actually, very strange. I have never seen a gargoyle do that. Typically, they’ll just gobble up whatever you put in front of them, like a garbage disposal. It seems Rocky here has very refined tastes.”
“That’s not surprising. Rocky is a very special gargoyle,” Taylor remarked.
“It sure seems that way,” Chris replied.
“Hey, where are the parents?” Sam asked. “Belinda and Prince.”
Taylor looked up quickly; she had forgotten that Rocky even had parents. The back of the room was empty. Rocky looked even smaller in the bare room.
“Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you guys. Apparently, after we left yesterday, the parents wanted nothing to do with their baby. They were making all kinds of noise, refusing to look at him, or go anywhere near him. So they moved them out. At this age, most gargoyles are very dependent on their mothers to care for them, but not Rocky. It seems he was too independent for them and they didn’t like feeling useless, so they left him. When they left, he reacted positively, running around his cell and putting on quite a show for the gargoyle-tenders.”
“You are special, little one,” Taylor cooed. He had finished the food and now looked up at Taylor, who was stroking his head with a gloved hand. He appeared to be smiling, his mouth wide open, displaying rows of sharp teeth. But he didn’t look threatening. Instead, his mouth looked comical—just a toothy grin from a playful pet. Taylor’s hand drifted down his neck and onto his back.
“What are these?” she asked, her fingers lingering on two raised bumps on Rocky’s upper back.
“That is the very, very beginning of his wings. Despite the fact that he is only three-days-old, he is already starting to mature, which is completely normal for them. We track the growth patterns of all of the gargoyles, from birth to death.” Chris pulled a chart from a clipboard attached to the wall. Taylor hadn’t noticed it previously, as her attention was fully focused on Rocky. Reading from the chart, Chris said, “As of this morning, he’s three feet tall and was born at only two feet, so he’s grown a foot in three days. In a week, he will be as tall as me, and in a month, he will be about as tall as his parents were and his wings will be ready for him to use.”
“Wow,” Taylor said, genuinely in awe of the facts she had just learned. “I guess you won’t be my little Rocky much longer.” Rocky made a sighing sound, as if he understood what she had said and wished it didn’t have to be that way. “But I hope you’ll always be my friend.” He smiled at her and swished his little tail from side to side, like he was using it as a broom to clean the floor.
“We better get going, Taylor, we can come back later if you want to,” Chris said.
Taylor scrambled to her feet and said goodbye to the always-happy Rocky, promising to
visit him again soon.
When they stepped off the transporter, they all agreed that a nice, leisurely breakfast would hit the spot and then Taylor could have her “talk” with Gabriel. However, when they walked into the café, Gabriel jumped up from his seat, where he was sitting with Sampson and Kiren, and rushed to Taylor’s side, in a panic. “Where have you been?” he growled.
Taylor frowned, the blood rushing to her face. “Listen, I don’t think you have any right to be asking the questions right now. Not after what you did.”
Gabriel cut her off. “No, you don’t understand, there’s some kind of an emergency. I think it affects you.”
Taylor’s face wrinkled in confusion. She said, “What the hell are you talking about?”
“There’s an unscheduled Elders meeting in ten minutes.” He looked at his watch. “Make that five minutes. They’ve been looking for you guys. We’ve been summoned and they said that most importantly, you needed to be there. I’ve heard a rumor that it has to do with your father, Tay.”
Taylor’s confusion turned to shock. “What does my father have to do with anything?”
“I don’t know, but we will soon find out.”
While Chris loaded up a bagful of almond croissants and berry muffins for them to eat on the way, Taylor’s mind raced. How could her father be involved in anything that had to do with angels and demons? He was just a regular, boring old human.
Unconsciously, she followed Chris and her friends to the transporter, ignoring the constant looks from Gabriel. They arrived five minutes later.
