1.3: Clearing the Air

However, getting some private time with her husband turned out to be a problem. Elisa was determined to keep her emotions under control, to not let the people down here see how upset she was, until after she'd talked things over with Goliath. But it soon became obvious that it would take nothing less than a screaming fit to get through to everyone else down here, who had started bustling about the awakened gargoyles as soon as they'd woken up. Those who weren't swarming around the newcomers to introduce themselves to Goliath and the others in the Manhattan Clan, were swarming around Adam to explain to him that they needed more time to prepare the feast and for everyone who lived 'in town' to get there, and in all the chaos Elisa couldn't get within ten feet of Goliath, let alone pull him aside for some privacy.

Adam himself finally bellowed for order and temporary silence, and once everyone else had gone quiet for a moment, he told those who were needed in the kitchen to get the feast ready, to go and do that. Everyone else would assemble in the ballroom, humans in order by age and gargoyles by rookery generation, and he would bring the Manhattan clan inside in a moment for more formal introductions.

Humans and gargoyles alike departed in one direction, heading towards the house, and Elisa seized the moment to grab Goliath by the arm and haul him in the other direction. She noticed Adam giving her a puzzled glance as she pulled Goliath away, but he was too busy talking to Rebecca—something about her wanting to stay with the Manhattan clan instead of going in to assemble with the others, since she'd already introduced herself—to ask Elisa what was up.

Goliath clearly noticed her unhappiness, and asked her what the problem was, but she refused to answer until they'd gotten a full ten yards away from the others. Then she said softly but with growing intensity, "Goliath, I want you to know that no matter what they say, I am not giving you up, okay? I said 'till death do us part' and I meant it!"

Goliath looked first puzzled, then outraged. He kept his voice down, but hissed in a tone of growing anger, "Who has dared to ask that we part from each other?"

"Well, no one has outright said it yet, but when the people down here don't consider us to be mates, sooner or later someone will!"

"What?"

But after several moments of back-and-forth confusion, Goliath finally figured it out. "Elisa, it's not that they refuse to acknowledge our mating; it's that they don't know about it! I had held off from telling the New Orleans clan members about our being mates until you arrived; it might have been inconsiderate of me, but I wanted it to be a surprise, for them and for you. Did you find out yet that Adam is half human? …But after you arrived, Fox interrupted us before I could formally introduce you to anyone, and then insisted we play those games all the way here. And Adam couldn't simply scent my mated marker, because his sense of smell is so poor! He told us so himself just before dawn, when he had to ask us if Angela had chosen a mate yet."

"Oh…" Elisa felt pretty foolish for a few moments. "But what about Rebecca; why didn't she notice your scent?"

Goliath glanced back over his shoulder at the golden female in question, who was once again staying within arm's length of Brooklyn, and murmured amusedly, "I'm honestly not sure she's noticed my color, let alone my scent."

Elisa half-chuckled. "Yeah, she's pretty wrapped up in Brooklyn, isn't she? …But Goliath, we need to let them know about us, before Adam starts introducing you as 'up for grabs' along with the others. And honestly, I'm still not sure about whether or not they'll tolerate us…"

She explained the rest of her fears of rejection to Goliath, and he slowly nodded. "It's true, Adam seemed quite reluctant to talk about his half-human heritage. What little he told us was clearly just his response to the most frequently asked questions. But I do still believe that we will be accepted here, my beloved. And I will tell them about us… but I ask you to trust me now, to let me tell it in my own way, and at the right time. Will you trust me?"

Elisa saw the slight twinkle lurking in his eye, and wondered what he had in mind… but she answered, "With my life, Big Guy."

"As I trust you with mine, my Elisa. But now we had best return to the others; Adam is looking in our direction and doubtless wondering what is the matter."

To Be Continued…