If you've been with me for a long time, you might remember this story. I found it and dusted it off. Let me know if you want more or it should go back on the shelf.

I was walking through the park, checking my facebook when something heavy hit my back. I fell hard, skinning my hands and sending my phone skidding across the paved path.

"What the hell?" I mumbled as I got to my feet. At first I thought a runner had collided with me. It happens sometimes at night if you're not paying attention. But when I looked around, I couldn't see anything.

I felt my heart rate increase. I had taken this path hundreds of times, and it never felt like this. I looked around desperately for my phone, but was unable to find it. I heard footsteps and hushed voices. My fight or flight kicked in and I ran.

I realized about 300 feet away that I was horribly out of shape. Breathing heavy and feeling beyond stupid, I slowed down and walked. I was almost out of the park, just a short trip through some apple trees and I would be on the street and almost home.

I was half way through the trees when something dropped down on top of my head.

"Owe! Jeez what is it with today?!"

I looked down and saw an apple a few feet away. I hauled off and kicked it. That's when I heard it. A growl that made all the hairs on my body stand on end. I turned around slowly, praying it was something little and not a rabid dog. Or person.

It was worse, so much worse. The first thing that registered was the sheer size of...It. I was 5'9, tall for a girl and carrying about 20 extra pounds. I was the real average American, but this thing. It had to be over seven feet tall. And muscular. With wings...and gray skin?

I ran. It was all that I could think to do. My messenger bag bounced as I put everything I had into the run. I knew I shouldn't, but I craned my head back to see where it was. It wasn't behind me, so I looked up.

Nothing. My side and legs were burning, and I swore to myself that if I lived through this, I would join a gym. I saw the street lights and felt a rush of relief. It was short lived. A strange 'thump, thump, thump' could be heard overhead. I looked up just as it swooped down. I felt something dig into my back as I was lifted off the ground.

I screamed bloody murder, both from pain and fear. I began struggling, seeing the ground moving further away.

"Hold still, unless you wish me to drop you."

I struggled harder. It tightened it's grip, which made pain shoot through my back and a scream tear through lips.

"Easy child. I do no wish to harm you."

It's voice was deep, and carried easily over the wind. What the fuck was happening? We were going back towards the heart of the park.

"Please! Let me go!"

"I..."

It didn't get a chance to finish. Something slammed into us, and it lost it's grip on me. I screamed as I plummeted to the ground. Twenty feet may not seem like a long distance to fall, but it hurt like hell. I slammed into the ground hard, getting a mouth full of dirt and blood.

I groaned and stumbled to my feet. My ankle hurt, but not enough to be broken. I spit out the blood and fished around in my bag for my Ipad. Maybe I could use Skype to make a video call. If it wasn't broken that is.

I heard growling again and moved just as two big things slammed into the ground.

"Run Magdalen!"

My mouth dropped. The thing knew my name? It looked up at me, and I was shocked to see it had a human looking face. Gray skin, but still human looking. I was frozen to the spot.

What the fuck is going on?

"Come here woman."

This was from the second thing.

"Do not test my patience, pathetic woman"

I watched as he slammed the other thing into the ground. I heard yelling coming from behind me, but I couldn't leave. That thing, the one who picked me up, it tried to protect me, I think. I was scared out of my mind, and my bladder was giving me some serious worries. But I couldn't leave. I looked around, and my eyes landed on a large stick. I ran over and picked it up. Better than nothing.

"What are you doing Beck?" I whispered to myself, as I moved towards the creatures. I choked up on the make shift bat, hearing my dads voice from all those years ago. 'Choke up on the bat Mag, and slam that ball out of the park.'

Odd timing to think about him. The bad creature turned to look at me. He had a clawed foot on top of the other one. It laughed.

"Are you going to hit me with that?"

"That was the idea."

"You are a foolish creature, that will not hurt me."

"I've been called worse."

"HEY!"

I heard a male voice behind me, and it took everything I had not to turn and see who or what it was.

"That's my friend you got your ugly foot on."

The things eyes left me to look at whoever was talking and I used the opportunity given. I swung the stick as hard as I could at him. It hit the spot between his shoulder and neck. The wood shattered, but did little else.

"I tell you hitting me will do no good and still you do it anyway. Humans truly are the stupidest of creatures."

"I didn't do it to hurt you."

"Oh, then tell me child, why did you do it?"

"To distract you."

"Distract me from what?"

"From this," the other creature said.

He whipped his head down just in time to see the a short spear looking thing be rammed into his thigh. He roared in pain, bearing large sharp teeth. I took the opportunity to run. I saw something red out of the corner of my eye, but I didn't stop.

The things looked like Gargoyles. Or dragons. To many video games Beck. Your having a seizure right now, in front of Gears of War 3 or something. This is all a hallucination. You'll wake up on the floor, in front of your tv, with a killer headache.

But I knew this was happening. The scrapes on my hands, the cuts on my back and even my twisted ankle were proof of that. I cried out of sheer happiness when I saw the street lamps. I slowed down to a fast walk as I reached the sidewalk. My ankle was now throbbing in protest, joining the chorus that had started in my back and meeting up for a trio with my hands.

I flagged a cab down and jumped in. The drivers dark eyes looked at me with interest, but said nothing as I told him where to go. Joys of a big city. Nobody gave a shit about anybody else. And they minded their own business.

20 minutes later and I was inside my loft, warm and safe. I bolted the door shut, and even used the chain. Being in a secured building, I had never bothered with either the dead bolt or the chain. I just used the regular lock. But not now. Not ever again. I looked over at the french doors that led to the small balcony with fear. Where they locked? Would it matter? I set my bag down and limped slowly over to them. I gave the handles a firm tug. Locked.

I sighed and limped back through the living room to my bathroom. I slowly and painfully took of my jacket. Every muscle in my back screaming at me as I did so. Next came the shirt. I peeled it off, hissing when it stuck to my back in places. My heart sped up when I saw the entire back of my gray tee ripped and covered in blood. Without the tight shirt their to hold it, my bra fell off easily. It had been sliced. I took a deep breath and turned around. I gasped when I saw the damage. Four long, deep gashes had been made into my back. I could see tissue under some of them. I needed to go to the ER. I quickly walked out of the bathroom and into my bedroom down the hall. I needed something light, something that wouldn't hurt. I grabbed a thin old flannel that used to belong to my dad.

I picked up my phone, debating on whether or not I wanted to get anyone else involved.

"Involved? Listen to you Beck, you sound like your old man."

I laughed and then realized I was talking out loud to myself. Probably not a good sign. Maybe it was shock? I dialed the number to a local taxi company. The car would be here in 10 minutes.

What was I going to say at the ER? That I was attacked by some winged creature, who was just trying to protect me from another winged creature. They would lock me away. No, definitely not.

Abraham Sapien's POV

"Come on blue, we need ta know where she went."

Emotions flooded through me. Fear was the most prevalent, next to pain.

"She has been wounded rather painfully. I suspect she will seek medical attention."

Red paced irritably. He was put out. He didn't save the girl, she had saved herself. Not a common place activity for us.

"I found her phone!"

I looked over to see Liz looking through a large cell phone.

"Is her name in there somewhere?" Hellboy snarled. He and Liz had not been civil since the breakup. I watched her shoot a glare at him, and him give it right back. I sighed and turned my thoughts towards her. She was a strange woman. I felt her fear, her panic and confusion. None of which was unexpected I suppose. It is not everyday a woman gets attacked by a Gargoyle and lives. No, that was to be expected. What was not expected were her actions. She had somehow gained an understanding of the situation. She realized Garish was trying to protect her, and for reasons I could not fathom, she tried to do the same by him.

"Garish."

The Gargoyle turned his head in my direction.

"Yes Abraham?"

"Did you speak with her?"

"Only to ask her to hold still when I was flying, and that I wished her no harm."

I nodded. An enigma indeed.

"I nicked her with my talons when I picked her up."

That would explain the pain she felt.

"She will seek medical attention."

"You are sure?"

"Any rational human would."
"She tried to kill a gargoyle with a stick. That sound rational to you, blue?"

Hellboy was puffing on his third cigar of the night. I took a deep breath of water into my gills and sighed. This was going to be a long night.

Magdalen's POV

"And you said he had a knife?"

"Yes."

I heard commotion and sighed. Storming down the hall was my uncle. And about half a dozen officers in blue. The family had found out.

"Sir you can't, oh, Frank. What? That's Henry's girl?"

I made a face as the officer stepped aside to let my uncle by. He leaned over my laying form to see the doctor's work on my cuts. Then he crouched down until we were eye level.

"Jesus Beck, why didn't you call me?"

"It happened so fast."

I hated lying to my uncle. But I couldn't tell him the truth. I couldn't tell anybody.

"What did he look like? Did you get a piece of him?"

I shook my head.

"I didn't get a good look. It was dark in the park and..."

"The park?! Dammit Beck, how many times do I have to tell you not to go in there at night? You read the papers, listen to us talk. Women are going missing from their all the time. You need to think girl."

I gasped in pain as the doctor hit a spot not numbed by a shot.

"I'm sorry."

He sighed and pulled a chair over.

"I didn't mean to yell at you Beck, but you need to think. Your dad taught you better than that."

That stung. I nodded my head and closed my eyes. The drugs they had given me to dull the pain were making me sleepy.

"You have to finish giving your statement to Kevin, before the drugs kick in and you forget things."

Yeah, like it was going to be that easy. Frank motioned for Kevin to come back in. I answered everything he asked, and kept it as close to the truth as I could. It seemed plausible. Tackled from behind, explained the hands. The fake mugger carrying a knife explained my back. Everything else fell into place. And they ate it up like candy.

I had never felt more guilty in my life. I was lying to my family.

"Frank, you don't think this could be related to all the missing woman do you?"

I perked up at that. I didn't want them chasing some phantom I invented when there might be a real killer on the loose. But based on what I had experienced earlier, I had a pretty good idea what was making all the women disappear.

"Maybe."

"Your a lucky girl Miss Beckett."

"Thanks."

"Alright, all stitched up. I'll just go fill your prescriptions while you get dressed."

I nodded, as I sat up.

"Those are some nasty cuts. Your going to have to keep them really clean."

I slipped the flannel on and looked at my uncle over my shoulder as I buttoned it.

"They hurt worse then they look."

He gave me a sad smile.

"I'm sorry this happened to you. But remember.."
"It wasn't my fault, I'm a survivor, not a victim. I know Uncle Frank."

He shook his head. Sometimes it scared me how much he looked like my father. But he wasn't. He wasn't half the man my father was.

"You sound like him, ya know that."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"It was. Come stay at the house for the night. Your mom's worried sick."

"I'd rather be alone thanks."

He nodded and motioned to the curtain.

"I'll just be out here, give ya a ride at least."

I nodded and watched as he pulled the curtain. I knew I shouldn't blame them. But I couldn't help it. Six months after my father died my mom started seeing his brother. And then she married him. It was wrong on so many levels for me.

The doctor walked in, snapping me out of my brooding.

"This is for the pain, this will help relax your muscles, and this is to fight off any infections you may or may not get."

I nodded, taking the bag he held out to me.

"If the pains gets worse, or you see any reddening around the wounds. Any puss, anything like that, come back."

"I will. Thanks."

"Be careful Miss Beckett. I don't want to see you back here again."

I smiled at him as I walked through the curtain. I saw my uncle down the hall talking to an elderly man, and a nervous looking man. He seemed familiar. When he saw me, he pointed and said,

"Ah, there she is. Miss Beckett! May I have a word."

He had a voice that boomed. It seemed louder than it was. I waited for him to come to me.

"Miss Beckett my name is Tom Manning."

He held his hand out and I took it gently. He pumped it a few times, causing me slight discomfort in my back.

"And back there is my associate Professor Trevor Broom."

Where was he going with this?

"We would like to talk to you about the attack you suffered this evening."

I felt my heart speed up. Who was this guy?

"Who are you?"

"Tom Manning."

"Yeah, I get that. I guess I'm just confused. Who do you work for?"

"The government."

I felt a pit open up in my stomach. I knew where I recognized him from. He was on the late night talk show, discussing secret government sections or something. He must be their PR person or something.

"Got a badge?"

"A badge? Of course, of course." He flashed a gold badge at me quickly and then put it away. I didn't even get to see it.

"Beck, don't say another word."

My uncle came storming down the hallway, the elderly man trailing slowly behind him. My uncle put himself between me and Tom. He started rattling on about using the proper procedures, and calling supervisors. Tom raised his voice and soon it was a full out argument.

"My dear, why don't we sit down while they work it out."

I nodded and walked back down the hall with him. We took seats at the small waiting area. I grimaced as I sat, feeling the stitches pull at my flesh.

He noticed my face and patted my hand.

"I know what you saw tonight must be a heavy burden for you."

I looked at him sharply. Was he trying to trick an answer out of me?

"Gargoyles can be nasty creatures when they want."

My mouth fell open, how did he know?

"I know a great many things my dear. Including what you saw tonight."

I didn't know what to say, or if I should even say anything at all. He seemed to be reading my mind.

"Do not be frightened Magdalen. We will not put a black bag over your head and steal you away in the middle of the night."

The thought hadn't crossed my mind until now.

"If you know all this, then why are you here? What is this about?"

He smiled reassuringly at me.

"I believe you may still be in danger. We did not catch the Gargoyle who attacked you, and I have it on good authority that you gave his ego quite the blow."

I looked at him, really looked at him. Was he senile? He was rather old, but his appearance gave me the impression of a very well put together person. Not someone with Alzheimer's.

"Gargoyles are vain creatures. They consider themselves superior to humans."

That explained the affliction in the bastards voice. Wait, what was I saying? That I believed him?

"That is why I do not think Delcan will leave well enough alone."

"What?"

I felt like the dumb kid out. Delcan? The thing had a name? And an ego?

"In short Miss Beckett, you embarrassed him in front of everyone. And he will kill you for it."

I felt a wash of fear pass over me. I pissed off a Gargoyle and now he's coming after me?

"Is he the one who has been taking all the woman?"

Professor Broom smiled softly at me.

"We believe so."

"What is he doing with them?"

He looked away. I didn't like what that implied.

"Gargoyles have a long history of stealing beautiful woman away. I trust that I do not have to go into detail about what a man wants from a woman."

I felt the bile rising in my stomach. I reached the trash can just as the vomit flew out of my mouth. There were things I could handle and things I could not. Implying that I was almost the victim of rape was not one of those things.

"Easy my dear."

I felt his warm hands pulling my brunette hair away from my face. I was almost raped. By a mythological creature!

"Will that thing really be able to find me?"

"Yes."

"What do I do?"

"Come with me. We can keep you safe."

"For how long?"

"However long it takes my dear."

I nodded and got slowly to my feet.

"What do I tell my uncle?"

"Tom will handle that. I'm sure it will be something like witness protection. I've already sent an agent to gather the necessary things from your home."

I felt like I was in a daze. I let the professor lead me toward the doors of the emergency room. This was way beyond my comprehension, my brain was reeling.

"What about my store?"

"We will take care of everything."

I had some doubts about that. I had a very specific clientele.

"Are you sure?"

"Your bookstore will be fine Miss Beckett."

"Beck, call me Beck."

"Why Beck?"

"It's what my friends call me."

He smiled and opened the door to a black sedan. I took a breath and slowly climbed inside.