Hey guys!! I love you all!! Sorry it took me so long to update. Weeks been rough...blah, so glad January is almost over. Anyone agree with me on that one? Well, I'm really glad you're all enjoying this. Here's chapter five!! Hope you love it!
Disclaimer: I do not, shall not, and will never own Gargoyles.
Another Spell Broken
Chapter Five
The shadows of nightfall approached New York City, creeping their way through alley ways, over business men and women hailing taxis, casting couples in Central Park in shadow, and making their way up over the stone walls of Castle Wyvern to where eight stone gargoyles sat awaiting its coming. With a crack of granite and sleepy growls the Manhattan Clan greeted the night.
Brooklyn watched Audri, the newest addition to the clan, with interest as she stretched her arms high above her head, arching her back and flexing her wings she managed showing off an incredible amount of skin in the process. She gave a small shake of her head causing her long white-gold hair to wave enticingly and Brooklyn's mouth went completely dry. He itched to touch the silky strands, to run his talons through them. Before he could give into his urge, Brooklyn turned away and leapt off his perch onto the walk. A cold shower sounded like a very good idea right about now.
"Hey Brooklyn, when are we going to get going?" Brooklyn turned around at the at the sound of Lex's voice. "I guess we'll go whenever Audri's ready." he said, glancing up at Audri. He smiled, she blushed. "I'm actually a bit hungry. Could we eat first?" she asked tentatively.
"Of course we can. Broadway would never even consider going out on an empty stomach would you, my love?" Angela asked her mate in a teasing voice. Broadway smiled down at her and looped his arm low around her waist. "Wouldn't dream of it. I'll just go throw something together real quick."
"Thank you Broadway." Audri called out, watching the couple walk away. Lex scratched his head, looking back and forth between Audri and Brooklyn. "Well, that should take a while. I'll go check the news and see if there's anything we should know about before we head out." he said, also disappearing into the castle.
Feeling slightly self-conscious now that he and Audri were alone, Brooklyn turned back to Audri only to find that her attention was elsewhere. Still standing on her perch, she stood with her back to him, her face raised to the heavens. She whispered something he couldn't make out and bowed her head. "Audri...is everything okay?" he asked.
Audri smiled as the familiar feeling of warmth, caused by Brooklyn's deep and caring voice, rushed through her body. Oh, the things he could do to her. He could cause the most delicious sensations just by speaking to her. Knowing she would feel even better if she were closer to him, Audri leapt off her perch and landed gracefully on the walkway beside him. "I am fine." she assured him, laughing at his oh-so-relieved expression. "You worry too much." She tapped his beak lightly.
Brooklyn laughed softly and leaned back against the castle wall, taking in a deep breath of the crisp night air. "So what were you doing?" he asked. Audri relaxed beside him and tilted her head back to stare up at the stars. "I was just...saying good bye."
"To your parents?"
"My parents, my family...my previous life." she turned her gaze to Brooklyn. "I was thinking, if the situation were different...if it were someone else from my clan who survived that horrible night instead of myself, I would not want them to grieve over something they had no control over. I would want them to be happy." She looked down at the ring on her finger, brushing over it with the tip of her talon. Three bands entwined to form one. Her Father, her Mother, and herself. She would miss them dearly. "I promised them that I would never forget them." she said softly. "They...they would want me to be happy, I think."
Brooklyn took her ringed hand in his. "Of course they would, Audri." tilting her chin up, he stared into her beautiful azure eyes. "No one wants someone they love to be unhappy."
Audri smiled. "Aye, you're right. They would want me to be happy." Brooklyn returned her smile and brushed away a stray tear that had started to slide down her cheek. "No more tears Audri?" he asked. "No more tears Brooklyn." she promised.
Someone cleared their throat near the castle entrance and the two jumped apart. "Talk about killing the moment." Brooklyn grumbled, looking up to see who had interrupted them. Lex stood in the doorway, a mischievous grin on his face. "Hey guys. Sorry to bother you but Broadway said the foods going to be ready soon."
At the promise of food, Audri's eyes lit up. She grabbed a hold of Brooklyn's arm and started for the castle entrance. "Thank the Gods!! I am absolutely starving. If Broadway can make a meal half as delicious as those deserts he made last night, I shall be in heaven!" she declared.
"Audri, you can slow down. The foods not going anywhere. Well...except maybe in Broadway's stomach." Brooklyn said as they entered the the gargoyle's large living room. Expecting her to slow down, he was completely taken off guard when Audri came to an abrupt stop. He ran into her and quickly wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her from falling forward. "What is it?" he asked.
"Wha-what is that??" she whispered, her wide eyes staring straight ahead at the TV "That is a big screen TV, compliments of the Xanato's family. You watch things on it like movies, cartoons...the news, stuff like that." Brooklyn explained.
It's like a moving tapestry, Audri." Lex said, coming to stand next to her. "There's not actual people in there. They're just images." Audri nodded but didn't look like she had understood one word that had come out of their mouths. Brooklyn chuckled and put his hands on her shoulders, giving her a gentle nudge forward. "Best thing to do is just watch. Don't try to understand it."
Audri laughed and sat down on the couch beside him. "Shall I just do that with everything I chance to encounter?" she asked. Brooklyn though her question over. He could just imagine how difficult it was going to be trying to explain things to her. Hell, he was still trying to understand this new world himself. "Can you read?" he asked.
"Aye, quite well actually."
"Great. They have books now on pretty much anything you can thing of. I could find some for you. It might help explain things better then any of us can. Would you like that?" Audri smiled warmly at him. "That is very kind, thank you." Brooklyn swallowed hard and nodded. "It's no problem."
She had to stop looking at him like that. When she looked at him the way she was looking at him now, her eyes bright with kindness and so inviting, it made him want to take her in his arms and kiss her until she was unable to remember her own name. He wanted to lay her back against the couch and watch her beautiful hair spill out around her, to cover her small body with his and-.
"Did you want a sub or not Brooklyn?" Broadway asked, effectively cutting off the direction his thought were running in. He looked up at his rookery brother who stood next to the couch waiving a plate in front of his face. "Oh! Yeah, thanks." he said, taking the plate from Broadway. "Any time." Broadway said, giving him a knowing look.
The gargoyles ate quickly, each eager to get out of the castle and do something else besides patrol. They watched TV and explained things to Audri when she had questions and before long were ready to take to the skies. With the trio taking care of cleaning up, Audri followed Angela outside, her wings twitching nervously behind her.
Flying. Lord, it had been so long. What if she couldn't remember quite how to do it? The air currents could be completely different from the ones back home. Looking over the side of the tower Audri found her view obstructed by wispy gray and white clouds that surrounded the castle, drifting silently along through the night. With a distressed sigh she spun away and started to worry her bottom lip. This was absolutely ridiculous. Since when had she ever been afraid of flying? Never. The sky had once been her home away from home. No one had ever been able to keep her from flying before.
"How far down is it exactly, Angela?" she asked the other female. Angela put her elbows on the ledge and rested her chin in her hands. Looking over she said, "You know...I have never though on it before. It's very far, that's for sure. Why do you ask?"
Audri turned to her new friend. "I think I may have forgotten how to fly." she whispered. Angela blinked at her. "That's impossible Audri." she said, smiling. She leapt up onto the ledge. Audri frowned and leapt up beside her. "It is possible. It has been centuries you know. And what if the air currents are different here?"
Angela laughed, laying a reassuring hand on Audri's shoulder. "Audri...we're gargoyles. Flying is our nature. Trust me, once you catch the wind underneath your wings you'll remember what to do."
Audri smiled and shook her head. "Oh...I know. I do not know why I am being so silly about this whole thing. I just...wish I knew where the ground was." She cast another look at the drifting clouds. Angela laughed again at Audri's convulsive shudder. "Just try and remember how exhilarating it is. The wind rushing over you...flying through the clouds with not a care in the world."
Taking Angela's advice, Audri closed her eyes, imagining back to when she used to fly through the clouds that swam above the moors. She could go so fast and no one would ever catch her. A wide smile split her face when she remembered the day she out flew every other hatchling in her clan.
"First one to catch em gets to keep them!"
"What?!" Audri's eyes snapped open in time to see Angela picked up by Broadway, her startled yelp swallowed up by the night as the large gargoyle dove off the castle with her in his arms. Audri turned quickly and saw that Brooklyn and Lex were coming at her at an alarming rate. One of them was going to grab her and do the same thing Broadway had just done to Angela. "Bloody hell." Audri muttered before she was swept up into Brooklyn's arms and carried off into the night.
Audri tightened her arms around Brooklyn's neck and watched the scenery blur past them, enjoying the exhilarating feeling of free falling until she realized that they were quickly approaching the ground...and Brooklyn hadn't slowed down yet. "Um...Brooklyn-."
"I know. Don't worry Audri." he said. And with that his wings folded open, catching a thermal and the two were carried up into the clouded skies. Once they were drifting lazily through the night, Audri relaxed against Brooklyn. Oh, how she had missed this. The wind whipped her hair around her face, the chill of it warded off by the strong arms that held her so close. She took a deep breath, filling her nose with Brooklyn's raw, masculine scent. Letting the world around them fall away, Audri concentrated only on Brooklyn, his strong arms, and the wonderful way he made her feel inside. She could not name the feelings that surrounded her senses, drugging her and making her feel so light hearted. They were so new and foreign. All she knew was that they felt so right and Brooklyn was the only gargoyle she had ever met that had made her feel like this.
Brooklyn looked down at the tiny bundle of female in his arms and wondered if Audri even realized what she was doing to him. Her hand had slid up into his hair and she was now twirling strands of it around her talons, her fingers gently brushing through it, causing small shivers to run down his neck and spine. It would be so easy to just lean down and claim her lips, make her want him just as much as he wanted her. If she would just turn her head their faces would be so close. So incredibly close, not even a breath apart.
As if Audri had been able to read his thoughts, she turned her head and their gazes locked. It was like someone had just punched him right in his stomach. The air left from his lungs in a sudden rush. Her expression was completely open and unguarded. She had just given him a direct passage straight into her soul where the emotions lay exposed for him to clearly see. 'Give her time Brooklyn, give her time.' his inner voice said. Damn inner voice. It wouldn't be saying that if it could see the way Audri was looking at him. He could see everything. Her sadness, her passion, lust, confusion....love?
Brooklyn mentally shook himself but could not manage to drag his gaze away from hers. "Did you...want to try flying on your own?" She smiled up at him, that brilliant smile that made him feel as if he were the only man she would ever look at like that. God, how he wanted her. "Oh, I would love to. It has been so long. I was afraid I had forgotten how until some rake swept me off the castle." she said, casting him rueful smile.
Brooklyn laughed and swooped low to land on a nearby rooftop. He set Audri back on her own two feet, her body sliding slowly down his. He took a sharp intake of breath at the intimate contact. Startled Audri looked up. Once again time stood still as the two were caught in up in a moment. Audri felt her breathing slow. She swayed toward him, guided by some unseen force, her hand sliding up his chest to where his heart hammered against his ribs. His hand came up and curled around her waist, the other one cradling the side of her face. "Audri..." he whispered in a ragged voice.
Brooklyn inched closer to her, feeling her supple body give to his touch. Her lips parted slightly. The sight was more then Brooklyn could take. He needed to feel her lips, know that he wasn't the only one falling under this wonderful spell. He groaned and leaned forward. Audri's eyes fluttered shut. It was the only invitation he needed. A moment later their lips touched. Passion washed over them and Brooklyn's arms went around Audri as her's raised and wound around his neck, her hands burying themselves in his hair. Audri moaned, her lips parting for his invasion.
"There you guys are! We've been looking everywhere for you." came Broadway's voice. Brooklyn could not believe how bad their timing was. It couldn't have been worse. With a jerky sigh he backed away from Audri, ending the kiss. She stared up at him, her eyes wide and luminous. She was so beautiful. He regretfully released his hold on her and turned to watch Broadway and Angela gliding towards them. No smirks or comments. They must not have seen much. He turned back to Audri who was still holding her hand to her lips, looking dazed and completely adorable.
"Audri." he whispered. Audri looked up at the gargoyle who she had, quite by accident, just fallen in love with. His warm brown eyes searched hers and she felt a smile pulling at her lips. Who knew kissing could be that wonderful? She took a deep breath, still not trusting herself to walk. Her knees had gone completely weak as soon as he had touched her. "Brooklyn..." she said, her voice low and husky. "I...that was..." she faltered, unable to find the words to describe what had just happened between them.
Brooklyn's hand raised, softly caressing the side of her face, tracing the outline of her cheek and jaw bone. "I know." he said softly. The two sat staring at each other with goofy grins on their faces until they were joined by Angela and Broadway.
"Hey, where did you guys go?" Broadway asked. Brooklyn turned to his rookery brother with a lop sided grin on his face. "Oh, nowhere. I scared the hell out of Audri and then we landed here so that she would have a chance to spread her own wings." Broadway looked suspiciously at Brooklyn and then smiled. "Oh." he said simply.
"Audri, are you okay?" Angela asked, walking up to her friend. "Brooklyn didn't honestly scare you that badly did he?" Audri shook her head. "Oh no, I feel wonderful Angela." she said with a broad smile. Angela looked back and forth between Audri and Brooklyn. Something had happened between them. She turned to look at her mate. Broadway knew it too. She would just have to find out once she and Audri were alone. Until then she could let the subject pass. They had much more important things to discuss.
"You guys haven't seen Lex have you?" she asked Brooklyn and Audri. The two shook their heads in unison. Broadway walked up to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Angela's worried about the little guy. She thinks he'll get himself into trouble."
"Well, I suppose we'd better try to find him then." Brooklyn said. "You guys go on ahead, we'll be right there." He turned to Audri as the other two leapt off the building and started gliding in lazy circles in the sky. "Ready to try out your wings?" he asked, his voice was husky with emotion. Audri gave him a secretive smile and took the hand that he offered. "I am ready." she said. The two walked hand in hand to the edge of the building and launched themselves into the sky.
Ten minutes later Audri was soaring through the skies completely thrilled to be using her wings again. They had felt stiff at first but quickly adjusted to the new air currents and thermals and now she was able to fly with the ease she had known so long ago. Reveling in the feeling of wind whipping over her body and through her hair, Audri laughed at Brooklyn as he lectured her on the "new world slang" that he thought essential for her to learn.
"Take yes for example or, in your case, aye. That can also be yeah, sure, okay, right, yup and uh huh." he said, ticking them off on his talons as he went. "AND! One that I've noticed you like to grumble quite often...bloody hell." he said, imitating her accent. "That can translate into quite a few really bad words. So just stick to 'bloody hell' for now until you hear one of us slip up."
Angela came up beside her. "You'll be learning a ton of them you know? These guys sometimes have the worst language I have ever heard in my life." Audri turned the other female. "You mean like shit?" she asked, making sure that her voice carried over to Brooklyn. She and Angela giggled as a grimace crossed his face. "I didn't think you had heard that one." he said. "Of course I heard you." she said, gliding down beside him. "I do have ears you know." she teased. "If that is one of them, I cannot imagine what the others sound like."
"Get back hear you winged son of a bitch!!" A voice yelled from below them. "There's one." Brooklyn said grimly, looking down to see Lex running from three men. He motioned to Broadway and the other gargoyle quickly flew off, Angela following behind him.
He turned to Audri. "I need you to stay close to me, okay?" he said. Audri nodded, her eyes filled with confusion. "Of course. But Brooklyn, who are those men chasing Lex?" she asked. He looked back down to make sure that Lex hadn't been caught yet. "Those are Quarrymen."
Disclaimer: I do not, shall not, and will never own Gargoyles.
Another Spell Broken
Chapter Five
The shadows of nightfall approached New York City, creeping their way through alley ways, over business men and women hailing taxis, casting couples in Central Park in shadow, and making their way up over the stone walls of Castle Wyvern to where eight stone gargoyles sat awaiting its coming. With a crack of granite and sleepy growls the Manhattan Clan greeted the night.
Brooklyn watched Audri, the newest addition to the clan, with interest as she stretched her arms high above her head, arching her back and flexing her wings she managed showing off an incredible amount of skin in the process. She gave a small shake of her head causing her long white-gold hair to wave enticingly and Brooklyn's mouth went completely dry. He itched to touch the silky strands, to run his talons through them. Before he could give into his urge, Brooklyn turned away and leapt off his perch onto the walk. A cold shower sounded like a very good idea right about now.
"Hey Brooklyn, when are we going to get going?" Brooklyn turned around at the at the sound of Lex's voice. "I guess we'll go whenever Audri's ready." he said, glancing up at Audri. He smiled, she blushed. "I'm actually a bit hungry. Could we eat first?" she asked tentatively.
"Of course we can. Broadway would never even consider going out on an empty stomach would you, my love?" Angela asked her mate in a teasing voice. Broadway smiled down at her and looped his arm low around her waist. "Wouldn't dream of it. I'll just go throw something together real quick."
"Thank you Broadway." Audri called out, watching the couple walk away. Lex scratched his head, looking back and forth between Audri and Brooklyn. "Well, that should take a while. I'll go check the news and see if there's anything we should know about before we head out." he said, also disappearing into the castle.
Feeling slightly self-conscious now that he and Audri were alone, Brooklyn turned back to Audri only to find that her attention was elsewhere. Still standing on her perch, she stood with her back to him, her face raised to the heavens. She whispered something he couldn't make out and bowed her head. "Audri...is everything okay?" he asked.
Audri smiled as the familiar feeling of warmth, caused by Brooklyn's deep and caring voice, rushed through her body. Oh, the things he could do to her. He could cause the most delicious sensations just by speaking to her. Knowing she would feel even better if she were closer to him, Audri leapt off her perch and landed gracefully on the walkway beside him. "I am fine." she assured him, laughing at his oh-so-relieved expression. "You worry too much." She tapped his beak lightly.
Brooklyn laughed softly and leaned back against the castle wall, taking in a deep breath of the crisp night air. "So what were you doing?" he asked. Audri relaxed beside him and tilted her head back to stare up at the stars. "I was just...saying good bye."
"To your parents?"
"My parents, my family...my previous life." she turned her gaze to Brooklyn. "I was thinking, if the situation were different...if it were someone else from my clan who survived that horrible night instead of myself, I would not want them to grieve over something they had no control over. I would want them to be happy." She looked down at the ring on her finger, brushing over it with the tip of her talon. Three bands entwined to form one. Her Father, her Mother, and herself. She would miss them dearly. "I promised them that I would never forget them." she said softly. "They...they would want me to be happy, I think."
Brooklyn took her ringed hand in his. "Of course they would, Audri." tilting her chin up, he stared into her beautiful azure eyes. "No one wants someone they love to be unhappy."
Audri smiled. "Aye, you're right. They would want me to be happy." Brooklyn returned her smile and brushed away a stray tear that had started to slide down her cheek. "No more tears Audri?" he asked. "No more tears Brooklyn." she promised.
Someone cleared their throat near the castle entrance and the two jumped apart. "Talk about killing the moment." Brooklyn grumbled, looking up to see who had interrupted them. Lex stood in the doorway, a mischievous grin on his face. "Hey guys. Sorry to bother you but Broadway said the foods going to be ready soon."
At the promise of food, Audri's eyes lit up. She grabbed a hold of Brooklyn's arm and started for the castle entrance. "Thank the Gods!! I am absolutely starving. If Broadway can make a meal half as delicious as those deserts he made last night, I shall be in heaven!" she declared.
"Audri, you can slow down. The foods not going anywhere. Well...except maybe in Broadway's stomach." Brooklyn said as they entered the the gargoyle's large living room. Expecting her to slow down, he was completely taken off guard when Audri came to an abrupt stop. He ran into her and quickly wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her from falling forward. "What is it?" he asked.
"Wha-what is that??" she whispered, her wide eyes staring straight ahead at the TV "That is a big screen TV, compliments of the Xanato's family. You watch things on it like movies, cartoons...the news, stuff like that." Brooklyn explained.
It's like a moving tapestry, Audri." Lex said, coming to stand next to her. "There's not actual people in there. They're just images." Audri nodded but didn't look like she had understood one word that had come out of their mouths. Brooklyn chuckled and put his hands on her shoulders, giving her a gentle nudge forward. "Best thing to do is just watch. Don't try to understand it."
Audri laughed and sat down on the couch beside him. "Shall I just do that with everything I chance to encounter?" she asked. Brooklyn though her question over. He could just imagine how difficult it was going to be trying to explain things to her. Hell, he was still trying to understand this new world himself. "Can you read?" he asked.
"Aye, quite well actually."
"Great. They have books now on pretty much anything you can thing of. I could find some for you. It might help explain things better then any of us can. Would you like that?" Audri smiled warmly at him. "That is very kind, thank you." Brooklyn swallowed hard and nodded. "It's no problem."
She had to stop looking at him like that. When she looked at him the way she was looking at him now, her eyes bright with kindness and so inviting, it made him want to take her in his arms and kiss her until she was unable to remember her own name. He wanted to lay her back against the couch and watch her beautiful hair spill out around her, to cover her small body with his and-.
"Did you want a sub or not Brooklyn?" Broadway asked, effectively cutting off the direction his thought were running in. He looked up at his rookery brother who stood next to the couch waiving a plate in front of his face. "Oh! Yeah, thanks." he said, taking the plate from Broadway. "Any time." Broadway said, giving him a knowing look.
The gargoyles ate quickly, each eager to get out of the castle and do something else besides patrol. They watched TV and explained things to Audri when she had questions and before long were ready to take to the skies. With the trio taking care of cleaning up, Audri followed Angela outside, her wings twitching nervously behind her.
Flying. Lord, it had been so long. What if she couldn't remember quite how to do it? The air currents could be completely different from the ones back home. Looking over the side of the tower Audri found her view obstructed by wispy gray and white clouds that surrounded the castle, drifting silently along through the night. With a distressed sigh she spun away and started to worry her bottom lip. This was absolutely ridiculous. Since when had she ever been afraid of flying? Never. The sky had once been her home away from home. No one had ever been able to keep her from flying before.
"How far down is it exactly, Angela?" she asked the other female. Angela put her elbows on the ledge and rested her chin in her hands. Looking over she said, "You know...I have never though on it before. It's very far, that's for sure. Why do you ask?"
Audri turned to her new friend. "I think I may have forgotten how to fly." she whispered. Angela blinked at her. "That's impossible Audri." she said, smiling. She leapt up onto the ledge. Audri frowned and leapt up beside her. "It is possible. It has been centuries you know. And what if the air currents are different here?"
Angela laughed, laying a reassuring hand on Audri's shoulder. "Audri...we're gargoyles. Flying is our nature. Trust me, once you catch the wind underneath your wings you'll remember what to do."
Audri smiled and shook her head. "Oh...I know. I do not know why I am being so silly about this whole thing. I just...wish I knew where the ground was." She cast another look at the drifting clouds. Angela laughed again at Audri's convulsive shudder. "Just try and remember how exhilarating it is. The wind rushing over you...flying through the clouds with not a care in the world."
Taking Angela's advice, Audri closed her eyes, imagining back to when she used to fly through the clouds that swam above the moors. She could go so fast and no one would ever catch her. A wide smile split her face when she remembered the day she out flew every other hatchling in her clan.
"First one to catch em gets to keep them!"
"What?!" Audri's eyes snapped open in time to see Angela picked up by Broadway, her startled yelp swallowed up by the night as the large gargoyle dove off the castle with her in his arms. Audri turned quickly and saw that Brooklyn and Lex were coming at her at an alarming rate. One of them was going to grab her and do the same thing Broadway had just done to Angela. "Bloody hell." Audri muttered before she was swept up into Brooklyn's arms and carried off into the night.
Audri tightened her arms around Brooklyn's neck and watched the scenery blur past them, enjoying the exhilarating feeling of free falling until she realized that they were quickly approaching the ground...and Brooklyn hadn't slowed down yet. "Um...Brooklyn-."
"I know. Don't worry Audri." he said. And with that his wings folded open, catching a thermal and the two were carried up into the clouded skies. Once they were drifting lazily through the night, Audri relaxed against Brooklyn. Oh, how she had missed this. The wind whipped her hair around her face, the chill of it warded off by the strong arms that held her so close. She took a deep breath, filling her nose with Brooklyn's raw, masculine scent. Letting the world around them fall away, Audri concentrated only on Brooklyn, his strong arms, and the wonderful way he made her feel inside. She could not name the feelings that surrounded her senses, drugging her and making her feel so light hearted. They were so new and foreign. All she knew was that they felt so right and Brooklyn was the only gargoyle she had ever met that had made her feel like this.
Brooklyn looked down at the tiny bundle of female in his arms and wondered if Audri even realized what she was doing to him. Her hand had slid up into his hair and she was now twirling strands of it around her talons, her fingers gently brushing through it, causing small shivers to run down his neck and spine. It would be so easy to just lean down and claim her lips, make her want him just as much as he wanted her. If she would just turn her head their faces would be so close. So incredibly close, not even a breath apart.
As if Audri had been able to read his thoughts, she turned her head and their gazes locked. It was like someone had just punched him right in his stomach. The air left from his lungs in a sudden rush. Her expression was completely open and unguarded. She had just given him a direct passage straight into her soul where the emotions lay exposed for him to clearly see. 'Give her time Brooklyn, give her time.' his inner voice said. Damn inner voice. It wouldn't be saying that if it could see the way Audri was looking at him. He could see everything. Her sadness, her passion, lust, confusion....love?
Brooklyn mentally shook himself but could not manage to drag his gaze away from hers. "Did you...want to try flying on your own?" She smiled up at him, that brilliant smile that made him feel as if he were the only man she would ever look at like that. God, how he wanted her. "Oh, I would love to. It has been so long. I was afraid I had forgotten how until some rake swept me off the castle." she said, casting him rueful smile.
Brooklyn laughed and swooped low to land on a nearby rooftop. He set Audri back on her own two feet, her body sliding slowly down his. He took a sharp intake of breath at the intimate contact. Startled Audri looked up. Once again time stood still as the two were caught in up in a moment. Audri felt her breathing slow. She swayed toward him, guided by some unseen force, her hand sliding up his chest to where his heart hammered against his ribs. His hand came up and curled around her waist, the other one cradling the side of her face. "Audri..." he whispered in a ragged voice.
Brooklyn inched closer to her, feeling her supple body give to his touch. Her lips parted slightly. The sight was more then Brooklyn could take. He needed to feel her lips, know that he wasn't the only one falling under this wonderful spell. He groaned and leaned forward. Audri's eyes fluttered shut. It was the only invitation he needed. A moment later their lips touched. Passion washed over them and Brooklyn's arms went around Audri as her's raised and wound around his neck, her hands burying themselves in his hair. Audri moaned, her lips parting for his invasion.
"There you guys are! We've been looking everywhere for you." came Broadway's voice. Brooklyn could not believe how bad their timing was. It couldn't have been worse. With a jerky sigh he backed away from Audri, ending the kiss. She stared up at him, her eyes wide and luminous. She was so beautiful. He regretfully released his hold on her and turned to watch Broadway and Angela gliding towards them. No smirks or comments. They must not have seen much. He turned back to Audri who was still holding her hand to her lips, looking dazed and completely adorable.
"Audri." he whispered. Audri looked up at the gargoyle who she had, quite by accident, just fallen in love with. His warm brown eyes searched hers and she felt a smile pulling at her lips. Who knew kissing could be that wonderful? She took a deep breath, still not trusting herself to walk. Her knees had gone completely weak as soon as he had touched her. "Brooklyn..." she said, her voice low and husky. "I...that was..." she faltered, unable to find the words to describe what had just happened between them.
Brooklyn's hand raised, softly caressing the side of her face, tracing the outline of her cheek and jaw bone. "I know." he said softly. The two sat staring at each other with goofy grins on their faces until they were joined by Angela and Broadway.
"Hey, where did you guys go?" Broadway asked. Brooklyn turned to his rookery brother with a lop sided grin on his face. "Oh, nowhere. I scared the hell out of Audri and then we landed here so that she would have a chance to spread her own wings." Broadway looked suspiciously at Brooklyn and then smiled. "Oh." he said simply.
"Audri, are you okay?" Angela asked, walking up to her friend. "Brooklyn didn't honestly scare you that badly did he?" Audri shook her head. "Oh no, I feel wonderful Angela." she said with a broad smile. Angela looked back and forth between Audri and Brooklyn. Something had happened between them. She turned to look at her mate. Broadway knew it too. She would just have to find out once she and Audri were alone. Until then she could let the subject pass. They had much more important things to discuss.
"You guys haven't seen Lex have you?" she asked Brooklyn and Audri. The two shook their heads in unison. Broadway walked up to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Angela's worried about the little guy. She thinks he'll get himself into trouble."
"Well, I suppose we'd better try to find him then." Brooklyn said. "You guys go on ahead, we'll be right there." He turned to Audri as the other two leapt off the building and started gliding in lazy circles in the sky. "Ready to try out your wings?" he asked, his voice was husky with emotion. Audri gave him a secretive smile and took the hand that he offered. "I am ready." she said. The two walked hand in hand to the edge of the building and launched themselves into the sky.
Ten minutes later Audri was soaring through the skies completely thrilled to be using her wings again. They had felt stiff at first but quickly adjusted to the new air currents and thermals and now she was able to fly with the ease she had known so long ago. Reveling in the feeling of wind whipping over her body and through her hair, Audri laughed at Brooklyn as he lectured her on the "new world slang" that he thought essential for her to learn.
"Take yes for example or, in your case, aye. That can also be yeah, sure, okay, right, yup and uh huh." he said, ticking them off on his talons as he went. "AND! One that I've noticed you like to grumble quite often...bloody hell." he said, imitating her accent. "That can translate into quite a few really bad words. So just stick to 'bloody hell' for now until you hear one of us slip up."
Angela came up beside her. "You'll be learning a ton of them you know? These guys sometimes have the worst language I have ever heard in my life." Audri turned the other female. "You mean like shit?" she asked, making sure that her voice carried over to Brooklyn. She and Angela giggled as a grimace crossed his face. "I didn't think you had heard that one." he said. "Of course I heard you." she said, gliding down beside him. "I do have ears you know." she teased. "If that is one of them, I cannot imagine what the others sound like."
"Get back hear you winged son of a bitch!!" A voice yelled from below them. "There's one." Brooklyn said grimly, looking down to see Lex running from three men. He motioned to Broadway and the other gargoyle quickly flew off, Angela following behind him.
He turned to Audri. "I need you to stay close to me, okay?" he said. Audri nodded, her eyes filled with confusion. "Of course. But Brooklyn, who are those men chasing Lex?" she asked. He looked back down to make sure that Lex hadn't been caught yet. "Those are Quarrymen."