So how many of you are ready to kill me for not being quicker with the updating? I apologize for the long wait but here it is! I know its been forever!! Thank you to all of you who reviewed. I appreciate it so much and I'm glad you're enjoying the story. By all means continue to do so! Thanks again guys!

Disclaimer: I own nothing of gargoyles. However Audri and Samantha are my own original characters……but the others? Yeah…right!

Another Spell Broken

Chapter Thirteen.

"Audri! Wasn't it amazing?!"

            So how many of you are just ready to kill me right now for taking so long with this? Well, I really hope it was worth the wait. Thank you to those of you who reviewed. It's good to know that you not only like the story but also are impatient for more! And far be it for me to deny you right? Here ya go guys. Hope you like!

            Disclaimer: I own nothing of gargoyles. I do lay claim to Audri and Samantha my own original characters…but the rest? Yeah right, I wish!

Another Spell Broken

Chapter Thirteen

The blond gargress laughed, catching the bubbly Samantha as she came plowing through the crowd and into her arms. "Aye darling. It was."

            "I like what you did with the wings," Brooklyn spoke up beside them. "Very dramatic."

            Overflowing with giggly excitement the tiny gargoyle pulled away from Audri, her jade green eyes sparkling as she performed a flawless pirouette on the balls of her feet. Her shimmering red skirts flared slightly around her legs. "Did you hear them gasp? That was great! Do you think the others saw? I didn't see them at all. Where are they?" The yellow gar-girl fired off her questions in rapid succession, never once pausing for breath. Brooklyn and Audri, after having been around her for a few days, were used to it but it would be amusing to see how the rest of the clan dealt with her vast amount of exuberance.

            "I'm sure they all saw Sam," Brooklyn reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. He turned her around slowly and a startled gasp escaped her lips as her eyes traveled up the massive chest of a gargoyle that loomed several feet above her with long black hair and kind dark eyes.

            "I assume there is an explanation for all of this," he said in a rich baritone voice, his gaze flickering briefly to Brooklyn. Beside the huge gargoyle stood a female of the same coloring wearing a gorgeous Egyptian gown and headdress. Her arm rested in the crook of another male gargoyles arm. This one was big. Not exactly fat….well, fat in a muscular way maybe. He was bald and a grayish sea green in color. Samantha was thrilled. A smile quickly replaced her look of shock and she took a confident step forward. "Hello Goliath. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said, holding out her hand.

            A brow ridge shot up in surprise and the tall gargoyle smiled. "I'm sorry but I do not know you're name." He clasped her tiny hand in his. "How is it that you know mine?"

            "Audri and Brooklyn told me about you. My name is Samantha or Sam for short. I've been hiding out in one of the guest rooms for the past four nights," she explained cheerfully.

            "In the guest room? Brooklyn-."

            The red gargoyle moved forward, hearing the note of warning in his clan leaders stern voice. "Elisa found about Samantha a few days ago through the web. She's an actress at the theater a few blocks away. That's where we picked her up and offered to let her come home with us. She was miserable Goliath."

            "And the hiding was my idea," Audri added, taking her mates hand with an encouraging smile. "I thought it might be fun to surprise you all while allowing her one last performance."

            They fell silent, waiting for a response from their leader. Goliath studied them both for a long tense moment and then chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Welcome to our clan Samantha. You are indeed a welcome addition and we are glad to have you here with us."

            Samantha whooped with joy, bouncing on her feet excitedly. "Thank you so much Goliath! You wont regret this. I'm a total blast to have around; well at least I think I am. And I've been looking for a family for so long. It's nice to finally belong somewhere. Can I keep my room though?"

            The three gargoyles that were not yet used to Samantha gaped at her, amazed that someone so small could talk so fast and with such enthusiasm. With that same zeal she introduced herself, all the while smiling. Every so often she'd look around, a curious glint coming into her sparkling eyes. Audri was the only one the action did not go unnoticed by. She pulled Samantha aside, excusing herself for coming between Samantha and Broadway's conversation about their favorite foods. "Is something wrong?" she asked once they were off the dance floor and away from the mass of gyrating bodies.

            Sam shook her head. "No….well…yes. I don't know. There's one missing isn't there?" She scanned the sea of bodies once more.

            "Aye, there is." Audri, having the advantage of height, looked around, easily spotting Lex at the bar. His back was to them, a long necked bottle sat on the bar top next to his elbow and his feet dangled inches above the floor. "There," she said, tapping Samantha's shoulder as she pointed straight ahead.

            A smile transformed the young gargress' face. "I'm going to go make a new friend." She moved back onto the dance floor, disappearing amongst the humans.

            Audri watched on with an amused smile, smoothing her hands down the cool soft fabric of her skirt. Lex was in for a shock alright. He had been the only gargoyle to not notice Samantha's grand entrance, too lost in his own thoughts to pay attention too much else. "Well lad, it appears as if your time has finally come," she mused softly.

            Lex rolled the half empty beer bottle between his hands, back and forth, back and forth, watching the condensation roll down the sides and pool onto the gleaming black surface of the bar. This sucked. He should have gone out tonight and found his own party. One where he wouldn't have to watch all of the sickeningly happy couples twirl around the wide dance floor. Then again he could have wished for it to be like it had last year during Halloween when Brooklyn was the only one being depressed and Lex was just having fun. He hadn't care for females last year like Brooklyn had. But this year? Well, this year was different. All it took was a few females and two happy brothers to make him realize just what he was missing out on. He sighed, lifting his bottle and draining it with one long pull.

            "Excuse me," a soft female voice called behind him. He ignored it, figuring it was a woman calling for the bar tender…..or someone that was not him. "Excuse me," she said again, lightly tapping his shoulder. "Lexington?"

            At the sound of his name he put down his empty bottle and spun around on the barstool. Standing before him, dolled up in a shimmering red dress that stopped inches above her knees and revealed slender golden legs was the most enchanting female gargoyle he had ever laid eyes on. Stray bits of curly auburn hair framed a heart shaped face with wide green eyes and a generous mouth. Her wings, a dark, dusty green color, were covered by thin gossamer fabric that had been sprinkled with tiny red rhinestones. She was short. Maybe about his height. She smiled and his heart thumped wildly.

            "Hi. My name's Samantha," she said. She had a voice like sunshine, soft and warm. He was thinking about how nice his name sounded coming from her when the melodious notes of a slow song drifted around them as the lights dimmed to a romantic glow. She moved closer to him. Her eyes sparkled. "Would you like to dance?"

            "Uh…..yeah," he breathed, briefly wondering if he had fallen asleep at the bar and was now dreaming. He slid off the stool and walked beside her to the middle of the crowded dance floor. Moving in a daze he placed his hands carefully above her hips, surprised when she moved into his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck. Doing what came naturally he circled her tiny waist with his arms and pulled her close. "When….how-."

            "Audri and Brooklyn found me. They brought me here to live with your clan a few days back." She rested her head on his shoulders. "I'll tell you more later."

            Lex didn't argue with that. Instead he pressed his cheek lightly against hers, inhaling the sweet strawberry scent that clung to her silky hair. Her arms tightened around his neck. They moved slowly together, small secretive smiled curving their lips as they shut out the world around them.

            "Damn, that was fast," Brooklyn murmured as he pulled his mate closer to him.

            Audri smiled, nuzzling the sensitive spot just below his ear with her nose. "If I remember correctly you moved pretty fast yourself." She lifted her head, looking at the young couple in the middle of the floor. They made such an adorable couple. "I'm just happy Lex has someone now."

            Brooklyn heard the relieved note in her voice and pulled back. "You felt bad, didn't you? For not giving him a chance?"

            Chewing lightly on her full bottom lip, she lowered her gaze to Brooklyn's shirt clad chest. Did she feel bad? In a way yes although she thought it was more a feeling of guilt. She really hadn't giving him much of a chance at all really. She had fallen for Brooklyn without a second thought towards the smaller gargoyle. Of course the outcome would have been the same but still-. "I'm not sure how I feel," she admitted softly. "I guess for the most part I feel guilty." She sighed and dropped her head onto his shoulder. "Ever since Mr. Xanatos broke that spell all I seem to be doing is dealing with countless emotions. It gets so tiresome. I never even thought about how my being with you would affect Lex until it was too late. It gets…..it gets so tiresome sometimes. For one moment I wish I could just stop time and have everything be silent….including my own thoughts," she added with a short, humorless laugh.

            Brooklyn stroked the soft skin above Audri's wings, silently allowing her to vent. A while after she fell silent an idea popped into his head. Smiling, he moved away from her and took her hand. "Come on," he said as he pulled her off the dance floor and away from the mass of swaying bodies.

            "Where are we going?"

            "Just trust me Audri."

            The graceful female ducked her head to hide and indulgent smile. "You know I do Brooklyn."

            He led her into a darkened hallway, the sound of music fading until it was nothing. Stopping once they were concealed in the shadows he pulled the decorative red bandana from his pocket. "Turn around."

            She gave him an odd look but obeyed, slowly turning. Brooklyn carefully tied the bandana around her head, covering her eyes so that she couldn't see. With that same caution he picked her up, maneuvering around the folds of her large skirts and cradling her slight weight in his arms. "This should only take a little while so just hang on okay?"

            "Alright."

            He went back to the gargoyle's living room, holding a finger as close as he could to his lips as he passed by Bronx and Hudson. Hudson shook his head and smiled, turning his attention back to his television. Beside him Bronx snuffled, laying his head on his massive paws and watching Brooklyn carry Audri out onto the parapets.

            Once out in the cool air of a clear early fall evening, Brooklyn leapt up to the ledge, chuckling when a startled gasp escaped Audri's lips. "Hang on huh," he warned seconds before he jumped from the ledge.

            Audri's arms tightened around his neck as they plummeted towards the busy streets below. Felling the winds shift, Brooklyn spread his wings, catching a thermal and soaring back up into the star-studded sky. His precious cargo hummed softly causing a fond smile to spread across his face. He loved it when she hummed. It was such a soothing sound, soft and lilting, much like her voice. She had a tendency to do it after they had made love. She would stroke her fingers gently through his hair, press her lips to his cheek and then hum him into a drowsy state of near slumber.

            As he lost himself in her haunting tune he turned towards the Hudson River, lazily scanning the riverbanks for the place he wanted to land. It shouldn't have been too hard to find. He could remember catching glimpses of it on patrol, lying on the outskirts of the city; it's splendor barley noticeable from the altitude in which he normally flew. He dropped lower, moving quickly and silently above the river that sparkled from the blue glow of the moon. Then he found it, a splash of color amongst the flawlessly kept green lawns. His smile widened and he went to land.

            Audri's tune ended on a questioning note when they touched ground and Brooklyn laughed softly, placing her on her won two feet before moving behind her to untie the bandana.

            "Brooklyn?" his mate questioned.

            "Hang on Audri. I want you do to do something for me. Clear your mind and relax okay?"

            Her shoulders dropped and she took a deep breath, releasing it slowly and allowing the tension to ease it's way from her being. "What are you up to?"

            Brooklyn let the bandana flutter to the ground. "I'm making time stand still."

            With the piece of cloth gone Audri was able to see once more and what she saw stole her breath away. They stood in a large garden filled with exotic flowers in bright colors that she had never seen before. Tall, ivy covered walls of stone surrounded the area, muting the noise of the city. Before her stretched a pond lit from the bottom and littered with bright green lily pads, each graced with their namesake. In the middle was a fountain, bubbling tranquilly. Audri took a step forward, noticing for the first time the mossy walkway that curved around the garden, leading to a secluded area surrounded by a circle of aged columns and curtained off by long hanging vines of ivy.

            When Brooklyn pulled at her hand, gently leading her towards that very circle she was too lost in the breath taking beauty of her surroundings to even notice that she was moving until the ivy curtain floated down in front of her, casting the garden into colorful silhouettes. Smiling, she turned to face her mate. "Brooklyn, this place is beautiful."

            "Isn't it?" he stated, looking quite pleased with himself. "I remembered it when you said that whole thing about how you felt back at the castle. Come here Audri." Still holding her hand he led her to the chaise style stone bench in the middle of the pillared circle and they sat down. Audri adjusted her skirts before turning her full attention to the handsome gargoyle beside her. "You brought me here for a reason then?" she asked, her lilting voice carrying on the fragrant breeze to his ears.

            "Yeah." Brooklyn shifted his position so that he faced her more. "I love you Audri and I hate seeing you stressed out. I know this has all been really hard for you but-." He took both her hands in his. "You have to let go Audri. At least let some go of some of it," he quickly added upon seeing the brief anger that flared in her eyes. "It's not good for you. You're going to burn yourself out hun." Cupping her chin in one hand he gave her a lop-sided grin. "Then what good would you be to me?"

            She smiled but dropped her gaze to where their hands lay between them. "You're right," she whispered. When she lifted her head again her eyes were clouded over with a mixture of sadness and trepidation. "But Demona-."

            Brooklyn gently laid his talons over her mouth to stop the flow of words and shook his head. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." He moved his fingers from her mouth, caressing her cheek and moving his hand to the back of her head where it rested, cradling the base of her skull. "For now lets just focus on being happy okay?"

            Audri started to nod, then thought twice about it. As the sexual muse in her took over she grinned up at him. "Oh I don't know Brooklyn. Maybe instead of focusing on this happiness," she lifted a finger, dragging it slowly down his neck, over his chest and letting it rest on the quivering muscles of his stomach just above the waistline of the pants he wore, "you should try to take my mind off things instead."

            Brooklyn grinned, knowing exactly where she was going before she had even made the request. "Oh I know exactly how I can do that," he said in a low seductive voice as he leaned into her, kissing her deeply and forcing her body back onto the chaise. She answered with a delightful giggle, which promptly turned into a low moan. Brooklyn wasn't going for taking her mind off of things…..he was going for making her forget in the best way he could possibly think of.

*~*~*

            "So you were an actress huh?"

            Samantha smiled, her eyes scanning the heavens. "Yup. Up until recently."

            "Up until you came here," Lexington said. He took a cherry from the stainless steel bowl they had brought with them to the sprawling balcony. Samantha had stolen them from the bar, giggling in her attempts to be stealthy as Lex kept the bartender distracted all the while throwing her odd looks. Now they sat on the ledge, slowly disappearing as the two feasted upon them. "Sounds like a pretty painful life Sam," he remarked softly.

            She only smiled, turning her bright green eyes on him and causing his heart to skip a beat. "I try to think about the good in life. Every cloud has its silver lining Lexington."

            He returned her smile with a shy one of his own. "I think I just found mine," he murmured. A deep red stained her cheeks and a feeling of success filled him. For once he had said something right to a woman and she had responded! Not only that but she had responded just the way he hoped she would.

            "I've never been anyone's silver lining before," Samantha admitted softly, leaning closer to him. She plucked a cherry from the bowl and contemplated it for a moment before holding it up between them and lifting her brow ridges.

Lexington hesitated only a moment before leaning down and taking the cherry in his mouth. He intentionally grazed her small fingertips with his teeth. Her eyelids drooped and she drew a quick breath. Mission accomplished. Lex knew this girl was as good as his and could not be happier. Although Audri was beautiful, Samantha was enchanting and he couldn't help but be thankful that the older female had gone for Brooklyn. "Did you want to be mine?" he asked, treading cautiously. He was, after all, new to this whole relationship thing.

She leaned even closer. Her arm brushed his in a warm caress. "I could do that," she almost whispered, tilting her head up. Their faces were now an inch apart and he could feel her hot breath on his skin, smell the sweet scent of cherries. He was willing to bet it would taste even better. Eager to find out he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips lightly to hers. She was sweeter then he expected and much more responsive then he could have ever guessed. Her arms were immediately around his neck only seconds after the kiss started. He returned the favor, wrapping his own arms around her tiny waist and pulling her to him as he relaxed against the railing. To say it was unlike anything he had ever experienced was an understatement. It was better then that. It was heaven. And he told her that when they broke apart, staring at each other with a mixture of awe and desire.

Samantha laughed and leaned against him, rubbing her brow against his neck. "So now I'm a sliver lining and heaven?"

"Little bit of both," Lex replied, lazily wrapping his wings around her.

Protected from the chill of the wind by Lex's wings, Samantha sighed softly and decided that she had never been so content before. There was something about being in the arms of a man. It felt so deliciously good. She could only wish for one other thing and that was to have Lex as her mate. But there was no need to rush what was sure to come. Sure as she may have been about them being meant for each other she was a patient gargoyle…..when it came to certain things.

"What are you thinking about?" Lex asked, gently stroking the exposed skin of her shoulders.

            Samantha leaned backing his embrace and gave him a thoughtful look. "Just thinking about how nice it is to finally belong somewhere," she murmured.

            "And belong to someone?" came the next hopeful question.

            She smiled, remembering the kiss they had just shared. She would like more of those. She wanted a lifetime of his kisses. "Belong to who?" She gave him an innocently curious look. "You Lexington?"

            Now it was his turn to blush. "Well……ah…..yeah. I mean…..if that's what you want," he stammered nervously.

            Samantha laughed and gave the tips of the bandana covering his head a playful tug, then moved her hand down to cradle the side of his face in her palm. "I think I might want that," she said softly, tilting her head to the side. She brushed her lips across his once, almost experimentally. "Yeah…..I do." With that she pressed her lips fully against his, opening them in fervent invitation. He tightened his arms and wings around her and she tucked her own webbed appendages under his, the sparkling red rhinestone covered fabric covering her wings a vibrant contrast to the black leather jacket he wore. The moment they each silently decided to take the kiss just a bit further the loud and obviously intentional clearing of a throat interrupted them. The roaming hands came to a halt and they broke apart, breathlessly turning towards the source of the sudden noise.

            Angela and Broadway stood in the massive arch that allowed entrance back into Xanatos' billion-dollar estate where the party was still in full swing. Both gargoyles stood with their arms crossed over their chests, smug grins firmly in place.

            "Lexington, you're keeping our newest addition to the clan all to yourself," Angela scolded lightly as she made her way across the sprawling balcony, Broadway in tow.

            Lex smiled and gently pulled Samantha to his side, keeping his arm wrapped loosely around her slim waist. "Sorry," he said, sounding anything but. "It was for a good reason."

            Beside him Samantha laughed, dropping her head onto his shoulder. "A really good reason."

            Angela started to smile at the two when a movement in the sky caught her attention. "It appears as if Audri and Brooklyn have returned," she said as she went to the railing beside Samantha and crossed her arms upon it. Broadway came up behind her, placing one of his large hands on her hip and using the other to gain his rookery brother's attention.

Seconds later Audri and Brooklyn landed on the stone balcony, each looking slightly disheveled and wearing reticent grins. "Hey guys, what's up?" Brooklyn asked.

Broadway shot a smirk in Lexington's direction. "Oh not much. Just caught our little brother makin' out with Samantha."

Brooklyn's brow ridges shot up in surprise. "Damn Lex!" he yelped, surprised that the little gargoyle had it in him. He received a slight jab in the ribs by Audri for his choice of words and the loudness in which he stated them.

"Well what did you expect me to do?" Lex shot back, irritation edging his tone. "You guys both have someone. You and Audri bring Samantha here and-." He paused to look down into Sam's gorgeously bright eyes. "And she's beautiful and sweet…..and she can stop my heart with one smile."

"Oh Lex," Samantha sighed, draping her arm around his neck and leaning into him.

Well, if there was one thing definitely noticeable about the new couple it was that they complimented each other perfectly and looked adorable together. None of them could argue with that. None of them actually wanted to. For the first time since they had been ripped from their worlds, taken away from the life they had known and forced to learn how to live in a different time…..they were all happy.

Having a sudden though, Broadway placed a soft kiss on Angela's cheek. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Angela asked with a tiny pout.

He started walking away from her and back towards the entrance to the ballroom. "You'll see. Brooklyn, help me out, will ya?"

"Yeah, sure," Brooklyn replied, disappearing inside with Broadway. They returned several minutes later with six fluted champagne glasses and a bottle of champagne.

"What's this?" Audri asked in an amused tone. "Are we celebrating?"

Brooklyn smiled and gave her a lusty wink. "Sure are babe," he answered as Broadway handed out the glasses. The white haired gargoyle worked at the cork, muttering under his breath and muffling a startled curse when the cork came flying out, arching into the night and disappearing over the ledge of the balcony. "Is there a reason why we didn't grab one of those things that does this work for you?"

"Because its not as fun as watching you try to do it," Broadway said laughingly, holding out his glass for Brooklyn to fill. Once all glasses were filled and each man with his respectful woman Broadway raised his glass and smiled down at Angela. "I think tonight deserves a toast."

"A toast to what?" Audri asked, swirling the sparkling fluid around in her glass and pressing herself closer to Brooklyn.

Broadway thought for a moment, placing the words together in his head until they sounded just right before voicing them. "When Lex, Brooklyn and I came to this new world we had no one but each other. No women to call our own and no hopes of ever having one. Yet here we stand, years later…..and beside us the women we could once only dream of. So I propose a toast…..to the women who love us."

"Here here!" Brooklyn immediately agreed, tightening his arm around Audri and drawing a giggle from her full lips.

Broadway smiled. "And to us."

"To us," the rest chorused, lifting their glasses to Broadway's heartfelt words.

*~*~*~*~*

"So it's there then?"

Mac Beth tapped his foot impatiently; reclining in a plush leather office chair and watching the woman before him pace restlessly back and forth. "Aye, it's there. I don't see why this should surprise you. The man has everything."

"Curse him for that," the woman hissed. She paused in her pacing; stopping before a window and watching the sun sink with agonizing slowness into the horizon. "And the clan? What of them?"

"They're…..relaxed enough I suppose. It seams there is a larger number of them. My eyes playing tricks perhaps. It was difficult to tell what with all of the people at the party."

The woman let out a snort of disgust. "I shall teach them to relax their guard while I'm still alive." Her body tensed, the last rays of the sun clinging to her amber skin before disappearing completely. Silence stretched for one long moment before being shattered by her tormented scream. A distinctive ripping noise filled the room and Mac Beth himself cried out in pain, cursing her, cursing himself for even bothering with her when he had. Finally, after what seamed like hours the pain subsided and the woman released a maniacal laugh. Demona's eyes blazed blood red as she spread her wings wide and tossed her long mane of scarlet hair. "I think, Mac Beth, that it is time I paid Goliath and his clan a visit. They need to be reminded that I am still….very much alive."