6.8: Worth The Price

Back at the estate, Elisa turned off the cell phone, then just stared at it for a few moments with a troubled expression. Goliath came walking into the room, noted her expression and asked, "Is something wrong back in Manhattan?"

"Nothing besides the usual crime rate," Elisa absently assured him. "I couldn't speak with Matt; he was out of the precinct, on another case. But if they're still there at all, the pieces of the Praying Gargoyle have been lying in the ruins for almost two months now; another night won't matter much."

"Then something else troubles you," Goliath observed quietly. "What is it?"

Elisa sighed. "Davis—one of the rookies on the GTF that I told you about—he answered Matt's phone while Matt was out, and before I could tell him not to he'd handed it over to Captain Chavez. And I had to lie to her about the chicken pox again…"

Goliath nodded slowly. "And that upsets you…as it should, of course. Chavez is the leader of your police clan, and no decent clan member would want to lie to her leader."

"She's more than just my leader, Goliath; she's my friend. As much of a friend as any boss can be, though we try to keep it strictly professional while the guys are around. She was there for me when I broke up with Mark, my last boyfriend before you came into my life—and don't ask me any questions about that; you know I don't ask you about Demona, okay?—anyway, she was there for me, and I was there for her when she and her husband divorced and he got primary custody of their daughter, because of her more dangerous occupation. For years while I worked my way up through the ranks, we were there for each other… but for the last two years…"

Goliath enfolded her in a hug of arms and wings, and she relaxed into his warm embrace. After a few moments, he rumbled, "Perhaps the conflict can be ended soon. For a long time you were reluctant to entrust Matt Bluestone with the secret of our existence, but he has proven a loyal ally to the clan. You could simply tell your captain about us…"

Still wrapped in her husband's embrace, Elisa miserably shook her head. "Then I'd just be passing the headache of keeping you safe on to her, and with her it would be even worse because she has to deal with the press and city officials all day long. I'd be asking her to lie constantly, not just sometimes but all the time whenever you're mentioned, which is pretty darned often these days. And if one day she decided she couldn't lie anymore…"

Goliath stroked her hair as he sighed. "And so you continue to lie, for her sake as well as ours. I fear sometimes that being one of us is a crushing burden to you, beloved."

"Hey, it's worth it," Elisa murmured. "Every time you hug me, and every time Angela or Hudson or one of the Trio smile at me and call me clan, I know it's worth it."

After a few more moments of simply embracing, Goliath suggested, "Would you like to go for a glide over the bayou? After the last three nights inside this cottage, I feel the need to stretch my wings."

Elisa leaned back in his embrace so she could smile up at him. "Big Guy, when have you ever known me to refuse a glide with you? I'd love to go! After the last month of chilly New York weather, it'll be nice to go flying in warm air again."

"Yes, delightfully warm air," Goliath said with a smile, one that showed a wicked glint of fang. "Air that's so warm, perhaps you can wear less clothing than usual; perhaps only that little black silken dress, the one that's so short it shows your rump when you--"

"Why, Goliath!" Elisa purred, tapping him playfully on the chin. "Are you saying that you have more in mind than just a simple glide?"

"Well, we never did have a proper mating flight after the wedding…"

to be continued…