PREVIOUSLY On Gargoyles:
She saw she was strapped down onto a metal white table, the kind used in science labs, with thick leather straps that gave no comfort to her aching limbs. She roared, an animal cry of anger and pain. A sly yet dangerous voice from somewhere near silenced her rage.
"Shut your filthy mouth, beast." The smoothly sly voice snarled.
John Castaway.
The Quarryman Leader sneered down at his former prey, now his trophy, restrained to the cold table surface. Her eyes flared cherries. "Blasted Human! I will rip out your heart for this!" The infuriated gargoyle screamed.
John smirked nonchalantly. "You are helpless. You can't hurt me, demon…" He leveled a laser gun at her chest and smiled, an insanity dancing in his eyes. "…But I can hurt you…"
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He knew he had to do something. If he didn't, John Castaway would kill her.
Ethan watched, his mind racing back in time. His concentration suddenly materializing on the train rescue all those years ago, the train rescue that made Ethan realize that the Gargoyles were not evil after all. Simply misunderstood.
For the most part, the Quarrymen had disbanded after that night. But a few members still remained. Ethan had agreed to stay by John Castaway's side after the man had been released from prison, but secretly, he had switched sides. He hated John Castaway, and everything the group stood for. Enough was enough.
"Now the tables will turn, GLORIOUS LEADER," he thought sarcastically.
John smiled as he aimed the gun at Demona's chest, and fired. She jerked once, and then collapsed against her restraints. Dead.
Just then, the lights went out and neither of them could see. Then, suddenly, John felt something slam into the back of his head, and, for him, everything went even darker then before.
Startled, hearing John's pained yelp but unable to see anything in the pitch blackness, the Quarryman pulled a gun and was rewarded by a sharp stinging pain in his arm.
Quickly, he began to feel tired.
Sleep would be good right now…
Unstrapping the dead gargoyle, Ethan lifted her up, his strong arms forming a protective barrier under Demona's waistline. He hefted her to his car, which was parked in an underground parking lot.
He would take her to his home for the evening. Just long enough for him to get some sleep.
Tomorrow he would bury her.
It was a human. He had kidnapped her.
She decided that right then, she would kill him. Make the punishment fit the crime.
A New Beginning, Part 2
By King Cobra3 (kingcobra49036@yahoo.com)
Disclaimer: Demona and the Quarrymen belongs to Disney. Ethan Mueller is my property.
"You're alive?" Ethan asked in astonishment.
She lunged at him, fangs and claws bared and her mind set on drawing blood. Ethan, realizing his danger, leaped quickly out of harm's way. Demona spun to face him, eyes burning coals, and was rewarded with a sleepy feeling, courtesy of Mr. Tranquilizer Dart. Demona moaned, and the fury in her eyes faded as her lids forced themselves closed.
"Must…kill…the…Human!" Demona's mind screamed just before everything went dark and she fell asleep.
She hit the floor, unconscious.
Ethan sighed in frustration as the Demon slumped on the carpet, snoring softly. Her chest rising with each breath she took. Given the circumstances, he couldn't blame her for reacting the way she did, but how was he to know she was still alive? She had looked dead at the lab.
That sunk in his mind. How DID she survive, anyway? Castaway had shot a laser straight into her heart. By all logics, she should be dead. Yet here she was, fighting back a minute ago until he had put her out for a few hours. How was she capable of survival in that situation back at the lab?
Ethan pondered. He had many questions, but he knew the only way to get answers was to gain the demon's trust. Yet how could he accomplish her friendship after he had just put her out? She would be furious. Definitely.
Knowing he had no choice, Ethan got some straps and fastened Demona down to a bed in his guest room.
Sighing in morose annoyance, Ethan plopped onto his sofa and flicked the TV on. A man in a blue suit appeared on the screen, sitting behind a news desk.
"….This is Travis Marshall with an exclusive news account unfolding at Reynard Laboratories, formerly owned by multimillionaire Halcyon Reynard, and more currently, used by former Quarrymen founder John Castaway, a convict who recently escaped from prison…."
Ethan watched as the newsroom suddenly became the lab, where Castaway and his assistant quarrymen, both handcuffed, were being led to a waiting police car outside. John was looking composed, like he had no worries. In fact, he even sneered at the camera. "Filthy Gargoyles!" He screamed. "They will ALL die!!"
Rolling his eyes, Ethan flipped off the TV. "What a major psycho." Suddenly he heard weakened groaning, followed by a loud animal scream of anger. Demona was awake. ~Time to face the storm~ was Ethan's final thought before going into the guest room. Demona screeched again when she saw him. "HUMAN FILTH!" Ethan flinched in surprise, but recovered. "I'm glad you're awake."
The look on Demona's face could make a brave man wet his pants. "What do you want with me, you filthy maggot?!"
Ethan rubbed his temple. Oh, was this going to be a long day!!!
He smiled at her. "I saved you. Brought you here."
Demona sneered. "You have not saved me. Merely transported me."
"Um, John had almost killed you. Because of me, you escaped with your life."
"Foolish human. I cannot die. I am immortal. It seems your heroics were for nothing."
"I wouldn't say that."
Demona's fury faded as curiosity arose. "Why not?"
Ethan shrugged in complete and innocent casualty. "I have a guest to keep me company. A loud bitchy guest, but still a guest." Demona laughed, her sarcastic chuckles piercing into Ethan's soul. "You have no visitor. You have a helpless captive. A prisoner."
Ethan stared in surprise. Helpless. What a strange word for someone like the Demon to use.
Could her and her kind have human emotions and human thoughts after all? Were they a peaceful species, downsized by the ludicrous hallucinations of a madman and his blinded followers? Were the Quarrymen wrong all this time? Ethan had doubted the validity of John Castaway, believing that Gargoyles meant no harm, but he didn't know that they were almost human-like.
What had the Quarrymen been doing all these years?
He felt a wave of sorrow. Anguish. For the wrongs he and his follow accomplices had done over the years. Why hadn't he done anything before now? Ethan could only offer Demona an unspoken apology. A feeling of repentance.
Demona stared at her assailant. Why had he done this? Why had he brought her here? Suddenly something caught her attention. The human had a haunted expression on his tanned face. Was that…guilt she was seeing? Was he feeling ashamed? Even, anguished?
But why would he feel such emotions unless he was telling her the truth?
Demona had no idea, but intended to find out.
The shadowy figure lurked outside the bedroom window, a malicious snarl on his face. He gazed at the crumpled form of MacBeth, who was unconsciously lying at his feet. Attacking and beating MacBeth had not been simple, but it was well worth it. Part one of the plan had been accomplished.
He had followed the human and his…guest…from the lab, watching from the roof as Ethan's car had sped away, after seeing the battle rage inside through the lab window, and then he had followed, gliding among the trees to escape notice. The human had very cleverly led him to this house. Right after, the shadow had gone to MacBeth's castle and knocked him out to bring the timeless king back with him. Now both the human male and the female gargoyle inside the house would die. He had every instinct, every moment of his current life, set on it.
Resting on Ethan's roof, the clone began to laugh.
Soon.
Very soon.
The next morning, Ethan had awakened rudely.
Demona's howls of pain had been enough to get the former Quarryman on his feet and running into the bedroom. Was the demon in pain? Ethan had expected the demon to be stone right now; why (HOW) was she screaming like someone had slipped a tub of scorpions into her bed?
But Ethan did not see a gargoyle. He saw a human.
For a minute, instinct took over his mind and he groped for the phone resting on the wall in the corner of the room. Then he realized what he was doing, and mentally scolded himself. What the hell was he doing? Returning the phone to the cradle, Ethan addressed the woman still tied to the bed.
"I thought you gargoyles became statues after sunrise."
Demona regarded him. No anger. No resentment. Just amusement.
"Mostly, we do. I'm the exception."
Ethan nodded. After what he had seen, such a statement did not surprise him.
However, he was still curious.
"How did that happen?"
Demona smiled uncharacteristically. "Sorcery, my human…friend."
Ethan blinked. ~My human FRIEND?~ his mind echoed. Last night, the demonic creature had screamed and ranted and raved like a lunatic. Now she was smiling and being mellow and treating him with courtesy. What had happened to change her mood?
He decided he had to ask. "Why are you being nice to me?"
Demona looked at him again, and smiled. "I've had all night to think. You told me you saved me from the quarrymen, and I believe you. You must have, since I am here and not there. You yourself are a quarryman, yet show no fear or hatred to me. Such a charlatan like yourself must be high in moral character."
Ethan smiled. "I am highly trained, and was raised, to believe in fair chances. Everyone deserves a second chance. A new beginning. No matter what they have done, or how severe their past actions."
Demona nodded. "I agree."
Ethan extended a friendly hand. "Ethan Mueller, of Manhattan."
Demona took it. "Demona, of Wyvern, Scotland." She shook his hand.
They smiled.
Ethan put his hands in his pocket and suddenly looked nervous. "Do…you want to have breakfast with me?"
Demona smiled. "Of course," was her only answer.
Ethan unstrapped her from the bed, allowing her to stand and stretch.
Demona was surprised at herself. After all these centuries of persecuting the vile creatures known as humans, now she was beginning to feel compassion for one? What was wrong with her? Was she beginning to LIKE this human?
Then she realized something horrible.
Yes.
She was getting fond of this human.
Ethan left the room to get his breakfast, and Demona was alone with her doubts.
Were all humans this way? Was this why Goliath defended them? Because of humans like Ethan?
Demona looked into her heart.
But it was only filled with questions.
To Be Concluded…