Brooklyn woke up before sunset annoyed and hungry. He got up and went to the window balcony before remembering he wouldn't get his wings back till this evening. Sighing as he headed down the hallways he didn't hear any of his clan up yet. They must have settled in better than he did last night. After grabbing food in the kitchens he headed to the library. And was mildly surprised he wasn't the only one awake. Goliath and Elisa were there and talking with Derek, Elisa's brother and his girlfriend Maggie. Both once again fully human during the day.
"Brooklyn!?" Maggie called on on seeing him first. Her voice the same raspy quality as usual.
"Hi" Brooklyn replied. Really trying and failing to not stare at her in surprise, Maggie looked very pregnant. He hadn't been to visit the underground recently and didn't remember the others talking about that in particular. "Um congrats it looks like" he said feeling awkward.
"Thank you" Maggie rasped out. Beaming at Derek.
"Cordeila was coming over to see Fox again. And after her and Puck came up with the potion to turn you guys human during the day Maggie couldn't wait to talk to her." Elisa explained.
Brooklyn knew that Cora was bringing that book over, or a copy of it. He wasn't sure what else Fox and Elisa and wanted to talk to her about and asked.
"Well Fox does not particularly like Dr Corvo so much. And wants Cordeila to check up on her and the baby. Magic and medical degree apparently trumps just a medical degree" Elisa laughed. Before adding "And Maggie wanted to speak to her as well. Because she hasn't been seeing anyone for her own pregnancy yet and between Cordeila and any of her apparently very large extended family there are a couple of obs between them all."
"Kind of hard to when we are mutated gargoyles" Derek said with a half smile.
"You could drop the mutated part. You're just like the rest of us, before and after the potion" Cora explained softly. Taking all of them by surprise walking in right behind them.
Maggie and Derek had then thanked Cora profusely for the powdered potion. She said it was no big deal and that her youngling Colin had done most of the work with one of his friends. Brooklyn had to hide his smirk when she said friends. He saw the corner of her small pick mouth turn up as well. However at Derek's questioning she said it was most likely permanent. But if it wasn't she would have happy to help Colin brew up another batch.
Brooklyn almost laughed. She had her hair up in a bun again. With dark sunglasses. A different coat and jeans and sweater, a blue that he particularly liked on her tiny frame. It was a hint more fitted that her usual clothing. A bookbag of all things over her shoulder. The part that made him laugh was the very large take out cup of coffee in one hand and the bagel in the other. Not taking sunglasses off yet she glanced over at Brooklyn.
"Somebody is gonna have to teach him how to dress human. Its going to be harder for him that the others" Cora mused.
Brooklyn noticed that he was the only one wearing his old styled blue short and loincloth set. Even Goliath was dressed in some very simple and human styled clothing.
"Yes, well I hadn't gotten around to that yet but the..." Elisa murmured.
"The hair isn't exactly usual on a human of comparable age. The pointed ears don't help" Cora finished for her. Holding a coffee and a bagel up beside her own and gesturing.
"Yes" Elisa laughed. While Brooklyn felt uncomfortable and somehow out of place with everyone looking at him.
Setting down the breakfast fare Cora pulled open the bag. Revealing several books along with a sketch pad that had drawing and a few copied pictures taped in.
"These are for your clan. I am going to my cousins clan later and I was going to ask to copy some more out of their library. But you mentioned that Patrick and Clan Harker had already issued an invitation. So we might as well copy those then. This book in particular is about northern gargoyles. It was originally written in the early Victorian period. But it was a conglomerate of different texts and notes dating back thousands of years" Cora said.
"They don't look as much like my own clan. Perhaps a touch like Una and Griffs in London." Goliath said as he eagerly took the book from her and paged through. The feathered and fur lined wings were the norm, along with the stiffer feather fringed tails that Colin and Patrick had. With more humanoid faces than that of the London clan. None seemed to have the heraldic features at all.
"No, that's why I was thinking that your clan may have immigrated from elsewhere. You look a lot more like clans from France. And a little bit like a traditional Merrow to be honest. This book mentions that some Gargoyle clans tended to be nomadic. But those occasionally settled down if one place made them happy. This" Cora said pointing to a picture of Colins mother and her own mother. "Is a whole lot closer, save the feathered wings. And this" Pointing to a hand done drawing of a Merrow woman sitting beautifully on a rock on a craggy sea shore.
"Are you serious?" Derek asked. "Mermaids are real?"
Laughing Cora answered "Of course they are. Merrow is Irish for mermaid. And that is just one kind. But note the claws and the ears"
"Fascinating" Goliath said looking over the drawings. "And this is?" asking about the family picture.
"My mother and Colin and Patrick's mother. She was a very very pretty Gargoyle, she even put my mother and aunt, the succubus's to shame." Cora said shaking her head slightly, though she looked amused.
Cora's own mother was dark haired like herself. But with brown eyes and creamy tan skin that looked a lot more like Antoni and Gio's tan than Cora's stark paleness. Colin's mother was a stunning purple and pink pointed gargoyle. With vividly blue eyes and bright blond gold hair. Her wings feathered in the same shade of gold as her hair.
Owen walked into the library then. A stern and disapproving look on his face. Mostly directed at Cora. A still human Angela and Katsumi behind him.
"Your mothers looks were nothing to be ashamed of. Nor anything else about her kind" Owen lectured.
All that got him was a roll of Coras eyes and a smirk.
"Oh you know exactly what I mean. Leave Puck and his attitude out of it" Cora teased.
"Fox is currently having her checkup upstairs. She asked that you come along. Dr Corvo says its unnecessary. But Fox is quite insistent." Owen said smoothly.
"Of course. But not without coffee" Cora stated. Picking up the to go cup and sauntering out the door in Owens direction.
Elisa and Maggie followed. Angela and Katsumi also joining in apparently. The latter gesturing to her clan sister about the bagel. It was apparently the second or third one Cora had on the way in. Maggie and Elisa laughing about that when Maggie joked that now she wanted a bagel as Elisa put an arm around her. Brooklyn, Derek and Elisa watching them go.
"You have no idea how weird that is" Brooklyn said out loud.
"Yes" Goliath agreed.
"Oh you mean all them looking very human while we really are anything but?" Derek asked.
"That and the fact that its more females in one clan, in one place than the trio has seen in a thousand years. They never got to meet the Avalon clan in its entirety. Even then most wholly gargoyle clans are more male than female." Goliath explained.
"Cora said that her family is the exception you know" Brooklyn mused.
"About?" Goliath questioned his second.
"Clan Macnamera is the only clan that was predominately male. More like our own. That the Befana's and Harker's had a fairly even mix. But almost every other clan of witches the females outnumber the males ten to one or more" Brooklyn said. Before adding "And usually its a female leader and her mate that are in charge, with their seconds being another younger pair."
That was wildly different than what Goliath and Brooklyn had grown up with. Not that a female couldn't be the clan leader. But it was just less often it happened because there were so few in the clan at any time.
"Their cultural nuances are as complex as humans as well I take it?" Derek asked.
Brooklyn barked out a laugh at that.
"Complex yes, you could say that. If by complex you mean weird." He retorted.
Else where in the castle Fox was finishing up her Checkup. Dr Corvo was still trying to convince her to have the baby at a hospital and Fox was not having it in the least.
"I do not understand why you are so insistent on having the delivery here. I have full hospital rights at three of the very best hospitals int he city. It would really be so much easier for you to deliver there." Dr Corvo insisted.
Fox was getting annoyed at this point and when the rest of the clan came in the relief on her face was immediate. Maggie and Elisa grew up human so they couldn't or just didn't sense and smell the tension and anxiety in the room right away. Then both slammed on the breaks and hauled back. Something was off and all of them could sense it.
"Im sure Fox would be much more comfortable and safe giving birth at home where she had her first baby. Its not like she can't afford the very best of medical care in her own home. And I am very sure if she if displeased with that care I can bring her a bakers dozen of the best and most highly skilled and experienced doctors from my own family" Cora stated. Keeping her voice barely above a snarl.
"How on earth you are old enough to be a doctor, much less have that many in one family is impossible" Dr. Corvo snapped back at her.
Cora gave him the oddest look.
"You know your employer is half fae. You need to remember that the rest of us age different than humans. Act different. Behave different when we live two to three times as long as a human can." She said. Not so subtlety edging foreword and standing in front of his line of sight to Fox.
Angela and Katsumi moved to flank her and also put themselves in front of Fox. Even human the way they walked and moved was different.
Dr Corvo looked extremely annoyed with them. Specifically Cora.
"What on earth are you anyways?" he asked in annoyance.
"Point blank asking is the equivalent of asking for nudes" She said turning red. Cora did not like getting asked that question. Especially by a stranger. She was not exactly comfortable in her own skin and culturally it was extremely rude for a witch to ask like that.
"I think its time for you to leave." Angela growled. Her eyes glowed red briefly before dulling again.
Cora noticed that amused. As she suspected the spell to make them look human was just skin deep in order for them to walk around. No matter the body form they were still a gargoyle. Dr. Corvo walked out in a huff. Leaving his bag by accident.
"What the hell is his deal?' Elisa asked. Maggie still close by her side.
"I have no idea. My previous doctor retired. But Corvo was highly recommended by her. And everything was fine for most of the pregnancy. And all of the sudden the past few weeks his bedside manner has gone to crap and he keeps insisting that I have to deliver in hospital." Fox replied. Sitting up and turning her legs to sit over the side of the bed.
"Gargoyles don't exactly go to hospitals. But not even all humans do either. Does your kind?" Angela asked Cora.
"No, usually clans are big enough that you have aside from many Doctors in the family, sisters, mothers, aunts and cousins to help. Infants or eggs are just born at the clans castle or lodge. Several other clans most definitely lay eggs, I think some Merrows even lay a whole clutch at a time. So modern human hospital is not a remote possibility." Cora explained.
"Do you know what kind of baby I am going to have, or am I going to lay an egg?" Maggie asked. Both excited and apprehensive, her face looked worried at the last part.
"May I? And be warned... my talents are gonna feel a little weird" Cora explained.
Maggie nodded. And with a gesture and then a slight touch that made Maggie gasp Cora paused and then smiled widely.
"Baby, not egg. You should feel it move soon. Dark featured like its father. Your eyes. And..." Cora paused again. "Magic potion or no already has the ability to switch forms from day to night. The magic feels extremely similar to Colin when he was little. He may have a more human appearance until he starts to reach maturity. Its a safety trait many of my kind have so younglings don't give themselves away to humans when they are tiny" Cora said beaming at her.
"He?!" Its a boy?" Maggie and Elisa asked excitedly.
Cora's face froze. Her eyes going wide.
"Shit I usually don't blurt that out without thinking. I'm sorry. And yes, I can sense life force in any being. By physical touch I can say I am never wrong" she answered embarrassed. Though Maggie wasn't upset by her blurting it out int he least but. Having a healthy child was fabulous news
"I... I thought that Gargoyles always laid eggs. It was why... Well Dr Corvo said that Goliath and I would never be able to have healthy children. And he recommended that I stay on birth control so I don't risk having a miscarriage that kills us both" Elisa said softly. Her emotions that ran across her face looked raw and resigned at the same time.
Cora made an awful face of disgust and anger. Her eyes flashing black quickly and then fading. Then Angela spoke up quickly.
"What is a miscarriage?" she asked. Worried about something happening to Elisa.
"You would probably only know it as a soft shelled egg. That is extremely rare for any of our kinds, but it can happen. Corvo has no idea what the hell he is talking about. Human, Gargoyle, Fae or Witch the female simple carries however her body is most comfortable. If one parent is human and the other not then the baby or babies take after that parent. Usually with the ability to shift to a human form. In my kind most frequently the male children take after their father and the females after their mothers" Cora explained.
"I am becoming more and more uncomfortable with the idea of having him attend this delivery at all. Even though at this point its going to be pretty hard to find, vet and get someone else to accept the job." Fox grumbled, then looked up quickly. "You know what my baby is too?" She asked in realization.
"Dr Corvo didn't tell you? And of course I do. Usually I am just better about not blurting it out" She answered. "I would be more than happy to give you several of my extended family's references."
"Well yes, but what is it?" Fox asked impatiently. Cora walked over to her and sat down. Pausing before touching Foxes abdomen very gently.
"Oh, girl. Red hair, but darker than Alexanders. I can't tell further than that because she absolutely has the fae's gift of shape shifting. Both of you are healthy. But your blood pressure is slightly elevated again. Likely due to stress. Hold on." Cora replied as she shifted the way her hand was held. There we go." She wasn't sure if anyone else noticed that she had ever so slightly healed Fox by touch. If no one else had known then Cora wasn't going to say a thing about it.
Standing up with more grace and agility than any human Fox looked pleased.
"I am going to go find David and talk to him... Are you staying here at the castle for a while so I can ask you about a different Doctor for reference?" Fox questioned.
"Of course. However I think I am going to go have a nice little chat with Dr Corvo before he leaves. He can't have gone too many floors down and he left his bag besides. Ill be ever so kind as to bring it to him" Cora said. Her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I think I'll come with you. Angela, Kat... would you mind walking Maggie back down to the library and telling Goliath and Derek I'll be there shortly?" Elisa asked the young gargoyles.
Cora and Elisa made their way quickly to the elevators. But Cora deciding that Corvo might have gotten too far ahead of them reached a hand out to Elisa.
"The spell words are cadere lentemente" Cora said quickly. Pulling Elisa up to the edge and over one of the ramparts she jumped taking Elisa with her. Elisa falling quickly until Cora reached and held her arm more firmly. Landing softly several floors below they then took another elevator down.
"Warn me next time" Elisa chuckled. "I'm only human."
"The only full biological human here is Xanatos. And he thinks and acts so Fae its no wonder him and Fox got together. Like birds of a feather. Your family carries a trace of Fae. The coyote trickster used your father as a host for a brief time when he was young... Puck told me. And that means a bit of Fae was passed down to you and your siblings. It's actually the tricksters clever way of having mortal children and not getting caught and getting in massive amounts of trouble with that dick Oberon" Cora told her.
Elisa paused, almost fuming.
"Are you frigging serious?" She asked turning to stare down at tiny Cora in the elevator.
"Like a heart attack. Which coincidentally don't have one of those if I use my umm... talents on Corvo. I really want to find out what his dam deal is." Cora replied before adding. "You were part of this world long before you were even born. You and Goliath getting together is not anything new or big or weird. Don't let anyone else tell you different."
"Why do you think that anyone has said something?" Elisa asked somewhat defensibly.
As they walked out of the elevator at the lower floor Cora gave her a sidelongs glance.
"I would be shocked if his clan, your family, your friends haven't said something. Or hadn't at the start." Cora stated firmly.
Elisa's reply would have to be cut short. Up ahead Dr. Corvo was in the lobby talking to another man. Cora wouldn't have known him so she looked to Elisa for an indication. Elisa kept her face blank and emotionless. Her cop face Cora would speculate. So Elisa thought something was odd as well.
"Dr. Corvo! You forgot your bag upstairs. I thought I'd be so kind as to bring it to you. Save you the trip" Cora called out as she walked to him. Her voice soft and enchanting.
No that wasn't right Elisa mused. Strutted over with her hips rhythmically swaying in time to her steps. Both Dr. Corvo stopping and staring at her. Even she could feel the pull of Cora's magic now. And it wasn't even aimed at her.
"So I was wondering, where are you going? And who's your friend" Cora asked. Her soft and enchanting voice tipping to be seductive and alluring. Corvo looked absolutely enthralled, with a half lovesick grin on his face.
"I'm going back over to meet up with some of my collegues from the hospital and then my other employer...ooohfff" Corvo said as his friend elbowed him hard in the gut.
"We need to leave, now" The man hissed out quickly and aggressively.
That made Cora and Elisa both turn their attention to him. Cora's features and her tone of voice changing.
"Just who the hell are you?" Cora snarled. All bets were off and she dropped the very human visage. The breath taking beauty only marred by the jet black eyes.
"Oh hell its a sucubus" the man said, startled and stepping back away from her while reached for something holstered at his hip.
"Freeze!" Elisa yelled. Pulling her gun and training it on him. If he knew exactly what Cora was by sight... then it was a good bet he was either a hunter or not human.
The stranger pulled a gun as well. Barely knowing which one of the women he should train it on. At the same time Corvo pulled something out of his coat and while Cora was distracted by the gun and stabbed her with it. Feeling the prick of the needle she turned and back handed him so hard he flew across the room and slammed his body into the granite inlay of the wall. Hitting it with a crack and sliding down comically and landing in a ungraceful pile at the bottom of the wall. It looked like whatever was in the syringe was making Cora unsteady on her feet. But not unsteady enough to stop her from pushing her sleeves up and drawing up crisp crackling balls of fire in each hand. Causing the stranger to swing his weapon and train it on her again.
"No! We have to bring her back in alive. She's gonna be worth so much more than Fox or the newborn. Kill the cop, shes seen you!" Corvo said sputtering and coughing as he tried to drag himself up from the pile he landed on the floor of the lobby.
Listening to Corvo's orders the man pivoted and fired at Elisa. Cora stepped directly in front of her with speed that far surpassed that of a human. Five then six shots rang out. Hitting her in the chest and face. The latter being the most damaging. Her snarl of anger cut off mid pitch by the shot. She still balled up a vicious ball of fire and chucked it directly into the face of the stranger with the gun. The sizzle of skin ending as quickly as his screams. The fire and security alarms both ringing out. Corvo watched in horror and he scrambled and then slid to Cora. Reaching to help her and stop the bleeding. Her jaw barely hanging on by a thread.
"Get away from her" Elisa screamed, bolting foreword and kicking Corvo away from Cora.
She brought a hand to her face and started a low burn of fire. Melting the skin and muscle together before flopping on the floor for a few seconds. Elisa could see a glow of magic and watched as the melted skin knit itself back together and the smear of blood and gore disappear. Little metal tinking noises rang out as the bits of metal bullet lodged elsewhere in her skin were pushed back out and the holes closed. Her head snapped up as the glow receded, eyes pitch black and face full of rage.
"That. Was. Stupid." Cora snarled. Leaping and pinning Corvo to the wall with his arms over his head against the granite wall. Pulling up more of her intense fireballs and keeping her hands clamped over Corvos. Melting the skin and pushing down into the flesh until he howled in agony. Snarling though the blood Cora dropped his appendages and turned back to Elisa.
"Are you ok?" Cora managed to hiss out. Walking unsteadily to her for a few steps before slumping down to the floor again.
"I'm fine. What the hell was that?! How are you ok?" Elisa asked quickly as she crouched beside her. Knowing that the security teams would be bursting onto the lobby any second now.
"I'm not, or well I wasn't starving. So I will heal very quickly. I am am more worried about whatever it is that he stabbed me with. I do not feel right." Cora said as her voice was starting to slow down and words slur together.
"The security teams are coming, but I think the rest of the clan is coming down as well" Elisa told her.
"Ok... good... but I need to stay away from the clan... but especially the humans" Cora managed to struggle out saying. Her eyes closing and opening with effort to stay awake.
A noise from a few floors up made both women turn and look slightly to the elevators. It was not sundown yet. But whichever gargoyle was headed this way sounded pissed. Elisa laughed a little at the sounds.
"Elisa... I'm serious." Cora said struggling as she rolled over and tried to push herself up. "If I go unconscious and then wake up hungry I don't want to go after anyone if I wake up starving."
Pulling back from Cora Elisa looked worried. "Would you?" She asked.
"Never on purpose. But... I'm not human. I've never been drugged. And I was just injured. I don't know how I'll act." Cora answered with a huff. "It would be better if you called one of my clan to come bring me home... Or just dump me in a room, shut the door and leave me alone."
Whatever Elisa was going to say was interrupted by the elevator doors opening and Goliath, Xanatos and Brooklyn stepping out. Human forms still. Xanatos however had changed from a power suit to a literal suit of powered armor.
"What happened?" Xanatos asked gasping at the scene in front of them, furious that once again his home and the people in it had been attacked. A Burnt crispy pile on the floor that was formerly the angry stranger. Elisa and Cora still on the ground. Cora covered in blood and splatter. Dr. Corvo a half crispy pile on the floor. Alive, but moaning in pain.
Goliath quickly scooped Elisa up off the floor and into his arms. Looking around in disgust and then down at Cora in surprise.
"What is wrong with her?" Goliath asked warily. Setting Elisa down on her feet and leaning like he was going to help Cora up.
"Stop! She said not to touch her and leave her alone" Elisa said warning him.
"What the fuck happened?" Brooklyn grunted.
Ignoring Elisa's warnings and crouching to kneel beside her. A hand gently on her side that she tried to push off. He could instantly feel that she was hungry, but not totally with it. She had some still healing injuries and the wound on her face was the worst. He tried to top her chin over to see better and she growled at him. A human sounding growl however and he didn't take it to heart.
"We stopped Dr. Corvo down here in the lobby. He was talking with that man... now the pile of burnt over there. The man was not affected by Cora's magic like Corvo was and he knew what she was right away. I saw he start to pull a weapon. I pulled mine. Corvo used the distraction to stab Cora with something. I think its a sedative. The stranger tried to shoot me and Cora stepped right in front" Elisa told Goliath quickly.
"And she is?" Goliath asked. Wondering if he misjudged how badly she is injured. He could feel the alluring pull towards her. And wisely edged away and stayed with Elisa.
"She seemed to heal the worst of it with magic. But whatever Corvo injected her with is working. And she is worried if she goes the whole way unconscious that she could hurt someone... She asked to be left along and someone call her family" Elisa told Goliath and Xanatos. The later was now talking with his security detail.
"Ill take her up to the castle. Call her younglings. And see if Puck can use any more magic to clear the sedatives out of her system faster. Its not like we have a doctor on call any more." Brooklyn growled out. His eyes glowing white.
Brooklyn was just barely holding his shit together. Even in his day time human form he wanted to tear Corvo limb from limb. He had more control and strength than his brothers. A good part of why he was second in command. But if Cora had been any more injured, or not been able to heal he was pretty sure he would just kill the dr for good measure. Picking up a protesting Cora her struggling did help alleviate a wee bit of the anger. She looked like a drunken slinky trying to get away from him.
"Put me down big bird" Coras slurred words came out.
Grunting in annoyance Brooklyn scooped her up. Heading back to the elevators and up to the castle.
"When you get around to interrogating Corvo I want to be there. Cora is just lucky she wasn't starving, tired or already injured. Otherwise she wouldn't heal so fast and she'd be dead." Brooklyn gritted out between his teeth. His protective instincts surfacing even in his human form. He wondered if he should really call the rest of her clan. Or just take her someplace and hide her until she was ok. He had had fucking enough of her getting hurt while trying to protect everyone else. Busy talking to the security personal no one else noticed his eyes glow or the anger in his voice.
"No fair. I wanna melt his face off. It goes squish. He was gonna steal Fox and the baby." Cora added. Her voice sounding younger while she was drugged.
Xanatos, Goliath and Brooklyn all looked up sharply at that.
"I think that the stranger with a gun is a hunter, Corvo must be working for them. Cora sensed something wrong with him right away. And she was going to get Corvo to blurt it she hadn't stepped in front of me... I can't heal like she can" Elisa supplied. Looking both angry that the stranger hurt Cora and grateful that neither of them were dead.
Brooklyn nodded to Goliath and then turned and hit the elevator button. Waiting until the doors closed and they had a moment of privacy.
"What the freakign fuck Cora. Don't ever do that again" Brooklyn snarled at her.
"Do what? My job?" Cora asked. Her head rolling slightly and bumping Brooklyns chest.
"Nearly get yourself killed" Brooklyn snarled again.
"Brooklyn..." Cora said slowly. "I wasn't going to die, I had uhhh... We have been... doing that recently. So I heal. Elisa canna uvvv."
"What's wrong?" He asked quickly.
Reaching her hand up she rubbed her chin and jaw line.
"Face hurts" she answered.
Huffing in anger Brooklyn shifted her in his arms. Able to hold her up with just one because she was so small. He could feel hunger... desire floating off her in waves. Along some other sensations he couldn't quantify. He guessed whatever sedative or cocktail of drugs was still rushing through her veins. Dulling her senses and quieting her down. He couldn't imagine that she wouldn't have been up and threatening and more likely killing Corvo if she was able. Especially after she said that he was after Fox and the baby.
"If I kiss you will you heal faster?" Brooklyn asked suddenly.
"I dunnoa plushy face. Ive neir been drugged afor" Cora told him.
Rolling his eyes at her Brooklyn gently turned her chin up to him and awkwardly pressed his human lips against hers. Pulling his head back in surprise when their noses bumped. That was new. He gently tried again and was worried that she couldn't use her ability's for a second until he felt the slow pull. He had his eyes closed otherwise he would have seen hers snap open a coal black. Reaching up with both hands she pulled his head down close and tilted her mouth on his. Oh god, human mouths and lips were so soft he thought as the washed over feeling hit him like a ton of bricks. Then as suddenly it was gone.
"Hey" Brooklyn said. Nuzzling her with his nose. That was new too and he almost snorted in surprise.
Cora buried her face in his chest in embarrassment. Then the elevator doors dinged. Softly growling Brooklyn knew that she had sensed they were getting close and didn't want for them to have to explain themselves. Shifting her in his arms he got ready for the barrage of questions the rest of the clan was going to have.