Gargoyle Redemption (The Gargoyle Redemption Trilogy)

by Bria Lexor

  “That’s the detective I told you about what’s been tailing us.” Abel said, frowning. “We had no idea he was a demi-god until Brooke blew his cover.” Drake and Cadman both walked out to the balcony to assess the situation. Not like Brooke needed any help, the chick could single handedly take out any Hunter like the bad-ass chick that she was. Now, Cadman was arguing with Trunks and we had to stop it before things turned ugly and Cadman went to jail for assaulting a detective.

  “Why are you even here?” Cadman asked and, out of nowhere, Kaitlin showed up with Erasmus and the situation just got that much more complicated. Abel pulled his necklace and it transformed into a sword and he stood in front of me and Wren to keep us from harm’s way.

  “Hello, brother,” Erasmus said, walking towards Abel. “I heard your mother is sick, so I came to see how she’s feeling...”

  Abel growled. “You stay the hell away from her!”

  Erasmus laughed evilly and Drake transformed into his dragon form, ready to attack him if he made a move toward where the Queen was laying. But Abel did not wait for Erasmus, he rushed him, and his sword caught in Erasmus’ nails.

  “You haven’t gotten any stronger since the last time, brother,” Erasmus laughed, making Abel angry even more. “I can’t believe we share the same father... you’re nothing but a half-breed who can’t fight to save his life!”

  “Shut up!” Abel shot and punched Erasmus in the face catching him off guard. Everyone was so caught up in the fight between the two brothers that no one was watching Kaitlin except for Brooke and she pulled a gun and aimed it right at me.

  “No!” Brooke yelled as she ran to Kaitlin and struggled for control of the gun. Drake moved me and Wren toward the door and stood in front of us blocking us from further harm. “Let it go, Kaitlin!” Brooke yelled but Kaitlin had somehow managed to take control of the gun even with Brooke’s hands on it. She aimed the barrel at Cadman’s chest and fired once.

  It was as if time stood still as I watched in horror as the bullet hit Cadman. “Ah!” Cadman screamed as he fell to the ground in pain.

  “CADMAN!” Brooke screamed her brother’s name as she ran towards his side. “Call an ambulance!” She was on the verge of hysteria and Trunks pulled his gun on Kaitlin and stared her down as Drake got on his cell and called 911. Kaitlin just smiled evilly at him and called Erasmus off.

  “Come on, Erasmus,” she hissed through her teeth. “Let’s get out of here before the cops come.” She laughed and Brooke watched helplessly as Erasmus picked her up flew off into the darkness leaving Cadman to die...

  Chapter Eight

  Trunks drove Brooke, me, and Drake to the hospital. Brooke was even more hysterical after the EMT’s would not let her ride in the ambulance with her brother. We had to move Queen Llewellyn into another bedroom, so the Police did not see her or the other gargoyles that had to fly to another area until they left the balcony. Trunks told the police Kaitlin came over and she shot Cadman then took off before he could arrest her. He made sure Abel was not involved even though it was clearly his house, but he stayed with his mother and Wren while we went to the hospital to be with Cadman. I called Kain and told him what had happened, and he put off recording because of a family emergency and I would keep him informed once we heard the results. I was so lost in my thoughts I did not realize we parked until Drake tapped me on the shoulder snapping me out of my daze.

  “Huh?” I blinked and looked at him.

  “We’re here, Shinka,” he said, and I nodded and stepped out into the cool air. I looked around and saw the parking lot was full. I shook the thoughts of people dying tonight out of my mind and walked into the ER after the others. The waiting room was packed full of sick people and their family members. I saw Trunks flash his badge at the receptionist and she directed him toward the back and the rest of us followed another nurse into a more private waiting room.

  I was surprised to find my mother sitting in one of the chairs. She looked up as we walked toward her, and she stood and wrapped her arms around Brooke, and she held her as she cried. She looked at Trunks but did not say anything; she just shook her head at him as if to say she was disappointed in him for ditching the Slayers as well.

  “Mom,” I said looking at an empty coffee cup she had placed on one of the side tables. “How is Cadman doing?” I asked her.

  “Not very well, I’m afraid.” My mother said sadly. “Cadman went into surgery twenty minutes ago and they’ll keep us updated.” She paused and pressed her lips together tightly. “There’s a chance Cadman might not...” her voice broke a little as she forced herself to finish her sentence. “He might not survive the night.”

  Brooke started sobbing harder and Drake took her aside and held her while my mother talked to Trunks. And when I say talk, I mean yelled, at Trunks. “How can you show your face around here after what you did to the Slayers?” She demanded; Trunks honestly looked like he had been expecting this talk from her for quite some time now.

  “No disrespect, Ma’am,” Trunks said with malice in his voice. “But the Slayers were against me from the beginning, and I did you guys a favor by leaving.”

  “No, Trunks,” my mother said, shaking her head at him. “You abandoned the Slayers because you were afraid...” she looked toward Brooke and Drake as she continued to talk. “You were afraid of hurting Brooke and you hurt her by leaving the Slayers for this.” She said pointing at his suit and tie business attire.

  Trunks grew angry. “I left to protect Brooke,” he yelled! “And this only happened because you put her, and her brother’s lives in danger to protect your daughter and her half-breed boyfriend—”

  I gasped as my mother slapped Trunks across the face like Brooke had done earlier that night. Her whole body was shaking furiously, and she was angry. “Don’t you dare talk about my daughter like you know her!” She hissed through her teeth. “I have done everything in my power to protect her and I put a plan of action into effect because it’s what I do, Trunks. I protect the people I love; do you understand that?” She walked angrily away. “I don’t leave them just because things get hard; I stay and go through the fire with them because I love them!”

  She stormed out of the room and I was in total shock. Sure, I have seen my mother angry plenty of times, just never to this extent. Whatever was going on with the Slayers ran deeper than anything I could ever imagine. And with me being an outsider, I knew I would not get any answers from any of them, especially now things were getting bad for them.

  But what could possibly have happened in the Slayers organization that could have led to this? I could not say. But all I knew was Cadman needed us to be strong for him and I prayed he would survive the night. I sat down in one of the chairs and watched Drake console Brook the best he knew how. I heard Trunks flick his lighter and I looked at him just as he lit another cigarette.

  “You know you can’t smoke in here, right?” I said as Trunks took a long drag of his cigarette and narrowed his eyes at me.

  “It’s not a real cigarette Shinka,” Trunks said blowing out smoke from his mouth. “It may look and smell real, but rest assured it’s totally not real.”

  “Oh,” I said feeling my face turn red from embarrassment. “My bad...” I looked down at my shoes and tried to wrap my brain around the night’s events, but I had no answers to any of it. I mean, how could I? I guess Trunks felt bad because the next thing I knew, he was sitting directly across from me and I looked up at him when he spoke.

  “I know all of this might seem crazy to you Shinka,” Trunks said putting the cigarette away in his jacket pocket. “But you have more ties to the Slayers than you realize,” he said, and I gave him a strange look.

  “What do you mean?” I asked and he sat back in his chair and placed his hands behind his head and looked at me with a strange smirk on his face.

  “They haven’t told you, have they?” Trunks asked and I shook my head at him.

  What the heck is Trunks talking about?...

 
“No, of course they wouldn’t.” Trunks laughed at something I was not privileged to know. “Shinka, you—”

  Just then, my mother returned with the Doctor and their faces looked grim. And I knew Cadman had not made it. “I’m sorry to inform you—”

  “NO!” Brooke screamed, falling to her knees in tears. “Please...”

  “I’m sorry...” The Doctor said and he looked at Trunks and he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

  “This just turned into a homicide investigation.” Trunks said looking at me. “And Kaitlin Franchot is the murderer...”

  Chapter Nine

  The next day felt like a bad dream. A dream I so desperately wanted to wake up from but could not. We stayed at the hospital until five in the morning. Brooke did not want to say goodbye to her brother. She could not believe he was gone. None of us did. I mean, Cadman was just there hanging out with us and now he was gone forever. I had not really had anybody close to me die before and this was the first time it happened, and it hurt, a lot.

  It felt like a piece of your soul had been taken away and it left you feeling alone and confused wondering why God had taken that person away from us. All of us were crying. Well, all of us girls I should say, my mother included. Trunks called the Homicide team in and they went back to Abel’s house with us and went through the scene of the crime again. Abel luckily transformed back into his human form and joined us downstairs in his living room playing it like this was all new to him.

  He was shocked when we told him about Cadman’s passing and he looked as gloomy as the rest of us felt. Wren also emerged from her bedroom and joined us as well. I had forgotten my mother had not met Wren yet so when she saw her, she eyed her suspiciously but did not say anything. Wren on the other hand did not seem to care what my mother or anybody thought of her she just kept to herself this morning but knew her grandmother was keeping a close eye on her.

  “I’m pulling us from Fusion Academy, Mrs. Fox,” Abel said to my mother who nodded curtly at him.

  “I think that would be the best thing to do Lapis,” My mother said looking at me. “I’ll go with you and see to it that the proper protocols are taken and—”

  “I was going to stay behind and keep an eye on Kaitlin.” Drake said but my mother was not having it.

  “No, Drake,” She said pulling out her phone, she dialed a number and waited for the person on the other end to answer. “I’m pulling you as well, we can’t jeopardize any more of—”

  She stopped mid-sentence and started talking to someone. Drake frowned but knew she was right. There was no point in him being at Fusion Academy if Kaitlin were a wanted fugitive, she defiantly would not be at school if she was on the run from the Police. I saw Brooke sitting on the couch by herself and she looked terrible. I sat next to her and put my arm around her she leaned on my shoulder and stayed quiet.

  “How are you doing?” I asked. Of course, I knew she was doing terrible. But I did not know what else to say to her.

  “I can’t believe I’ve lost everyone,” she whispered, and I looked at her surprised she even spoke at all. “First my mom and now my brother... I’m all alone now...”

  “That’s not true,” I said, and she looked at me. “You have us and as far as I’m concerned, we’re a family and...” I frowned trying to find the words to say. “Okay, we’re a dysfunctional family but we’re family nonetheless and—”

  “Thanks, Shinka,” Brooke said, forcing a smile. “I’m gonna miss you when you’re gone, too.”

  I am gonna miss you when you are gone, too...

  I was not even thinking about me and honestly, I was terrified of dying. Was I next? I hoped not, I still had a lot of living to do before death came knocking at my door. I quickly shook the thought from my mind and stood leaving Brooke to be with the thoughts of her brother.

  “How’s she doing?” Abel asked me and I shrugged.

  “She’s taking it pretty hard.” I said biting my lower lip. “I feel bad for her, you know?”

  Abel nodded and watched Brooke for a moment before looking back at me. “We just have to take the Hunters out before they can do any more damage to anybody else.” I agreed and I saw Trunks walking towards us with a scowl on his face.

  “There’s more bad news for us?” Abel asked and Trunks sighed heavily.

  “I’m afraid so,” Trunks said, looking around the room. “Harlow got an arrest warrant and went to the Franchot house to arrest Kaitlin, and wouldn’t you know it, Kaitlin’s not there.”

  “The Hunters took her into hiding.” Abel said clenching his fist angrily. “I’ll get the clan together tonight and we’ll form a search party and bring her to you Trunks.” Abel said and Trunks looked taken aback by Abel’s suggestion.

  “Why are you helping me?” Trunks asked and Abel and Abel looked fiercer, the kind of fierce I have seen in him only when he fights with Erasmus and defending me.

  “Because this happened on my grounds and that bitch needs to know she’s responsible for her actions,” Abel said extending his arm to Trunks who looked at it strangely. “I promise to bring Kaitlin back so the Slayers can do whatever they see fit as justice for her taking a Slayer’s life.”

  Trunks did not know what to say to Abel. Trunks took Abel’s wrist and shook it. It was a promise Abel would see followed through on for Trunks to stay a detective and to redeem himself as a Slayer, sort of. My mother came over to us and put her cell away.

  “There’s a limo outside waiting to take us to Fusion Academy,” she said, instructing us to follow her outside. Abel waited until everyone was outside to lock the door. We held back a minute or two as we watched the Homicide Unit leave and we knew we were safe to talk a little more openly about our situation. Everyone filed into the back of the limo as Trunks lit his cigarette.

  “I’ll meet you guys there.” Trunks said turning he was about to start walking towards his unmarked Police car when my mother stopped him.

  “Detective Bradshaw,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’ve called your superiors and have gotten permission for you and your partner Harlow Parcell to escort me and my family until Kaitlin Franchot is brought to justice.”

  Trunks thought my mother was joking until Harlow pulled up behind us and joined her partner. Trunks did not look pleased with how she had gone behind his back and forced him to and Harlow to follow us around like they were a couple of cops protecting two famous celebrities. They were a couple of cops protecting a couple of celebrities but that was only partially true... seeing that Trunks was an ex-Slayer and all.

  “You must be Harlow Parcell.” My mother said to, and Harlow was star struck to say the least that my mother knew who she was.

  “Yes Ma’am,” Harlow said, shaking her hand politely. “It’s a huge honor to be protecting you and your family Mrs. Fox.” Harlow poked her head inside the limo, and I forced a smile as she

  looked at me and Abel.

  Great Mom... Harlow does not even know what you have gotten her into, awesome...

  “Well,” my mother said clapping her hands together. “Shall we go?”

  “Absolutely,” Harlow said stepping aside to let my mother into the limo, she followed, and Trunks climbed in un-enthusiastically behind her. She looked at Trunks and elbowed him hard in the ribs. “This is going to be great, Trunks!” She said, smiling at him, but Trunks said nothing as he closed the door and the limo headed toward Fusion Academy. I looked at Brooke and she just stared out the window lost in her own world.

  Do not worry, Brooke... Abel is going to find Kaitlin and she’s going to pay for killing Cadman... You can count on that...

  Chapter Ten

  We sat in silence as we neared Fusion Academy to un-enroll from school. Well, mostly in silence. And for some reason unbeknownst to us, Wren kept messing with Abel in the most annoying of ways you can imagine. Wren kept messing with Abel’s spikes at the tips of his hair, he would slap her hand away and she had come back and do it again.

  “Knock
it off, you little brat!” Abel yelled angrily at her. Wren finally settled into her seat and put on a fresh coat of lip-gloss. “You’re like the annoying little sister I never wanted you know that?”

  “I thought she was your little sister?” Harlow asked and everyone looked at Abel.

  Oh man! ... Wren does not have a cover story... I sure hope Abel can pull something out of the air on this one or we are all screwed! ...

  Abel snorted. “She is,” he said glaring at Wren who did not seem to care who was looking at her. “Wren was living with her father until she got suspended from school and we got stuck with her.” Wren just giggled and I just wanted to disappear under the seat and hide until we got to our destination.

  “She seems like a sweet girl to me.” Harlow said and Abel and I exchanged nervous glances hoping Wren did not blurt out she was our daughter from the future like she liked to tell people. “Well,” Abel said shoving Wren away from him again. “Looks can be deceiving Detective Parcell.” Abel said glaring at Wren again.

  “We’re here, kids.” Trunks said to us and once the limo stopped moving, I pushed open the door and hopped out trying not to feel embarrassed by my company as we headed into the academy as one big group. Everyone stared as we passed them, and I acted like I was used to all the attention when I really was not. I mean, I did not understand how anyone could ever get used to being gawked at all the time, and I didn’t know if I ever would get used to it. We were met by the Admissions Director Mrs. Adele Zabinski, a tall woman, with blond hair and incredibly beautiful.

  “Our condolences are with you and your family Mrs. Fox,” she said to my mother and my mother forced a sad smile as she shook Mrs. Zabinski’s hand. “I understand you are pulling the girls out of Fusion Academy this morning—”