Serenity's POV
"Then it's agreed" Talon said as Demona's cell door was shut. Lately there have been thefts going on throughout the city and Demona was the culprit. Angela, Goliath, and Brooklyn captured her and the female gargoyle was fast asleep on a cot in her cell. "We will guard the prisoners during the day and you will stand watch at night"
Talon and his clan had a home in the subway he called the Labyrinth. Elisa contacted him and after Brooklyn helped Talon while we were away, Elisa's brother happily agreed to watch Demona. Two weeks passed since Oberon's kidnapping attempt and I was six weeks into my pregnancy. It would be another two months before I would start to show.
My unborn daughter was relentless at making her mother sick and I was looking forward to being out of the first trimester. Angela offered to the take the first watch and as expected Goliath was hesitant about that. Thankfully Hudson intervened but warned Angela to be wary of Demona.
I gave Angela a smile before we took our leave. Since I didn't feel good Goliath picked me up once we got outside and took me back to my apartment.
"It would be a good idea if you didn't go down to the Labyrinth" Goliath suggested. "You're pregnancy won't be a secret for long"
"I was just going to suggest that actually" I replied to my mate.
Goliath chuckled before coming over and kissing my forehead. He scooped me into his arms and walked me to my bedroom. It was late and I had to work tomorrow. After changing into my night clothes Goliath gave me a passionate goodnight kiss before pulling back the covers and tucked me in. It wasn't until I was fast asleep and no doubt Goliath didn't leave until it was close to dawn.
Two Months Later.
"Geez Serenity slow down on the meat" Michelle said as I finished eating a whole deer carcass. I was in my dragon form and the sides of my stomach were now slightly wider. I was now nineteen weeks pregnant and after the first trimester passed my appetite increased.
My moods swings did as well. I gave Michelle a fanged grin before licking my mouth free of blood and I returned to my human form. I was showing now and everyone around me was damn protective much to my dismay. Since I started to show Goliath would always be stroking, kissing, talking, or just simply lay his head on my swollen middle. Eden started to kick and each time it did made me smirk. She definitely had her father's spirit.
"Come on let's go the clock tower and see our mates, Hannah is already there with Lex"
"I'm glad she and Lexington are mates, he was sad when you became Brooklyn's"
Michelle smirked but her face suddenly frowned.
"Isn't that Goliath?" she nodded towers the sky. I looked in the direction where she was referring to and my eyes widened when I saw Thailog.
"No that's Goliath's clone, remember me telling you about him"
"Oh shit" Michelle said before making me get behind her.
"Well this is a nice surprise" Thailog greeted as he landed before us. "This is the first time meeting a phoenix shifter"
"What do you want Thailog?" I demanded.
"To collect what is mine" the clone purred.
"Over my dead body pal!" Michelle yelled and she shifted to her phoenix form. She then took flight and flew directly towards Thailog, but the clone simply fired a laser at her and Michelle shrieked as the laser beam hit her chest. The phoenix fell to the ground and as Thailog approached I placed myself between him and my best friend.
"Don't you come any closer or I'll kill you here and now" I threatened.
"My Little Ember due to your current condition, you won't shift for several hours" Thailog said. "I can see why Goliath and his clan have been keeping close to you"
His red eyes were glued to my belly and I growled dangerously placing my hand over the bump.
"I wouldn't stoop as low to kill a hatchling Serenity, but if you don't come with me now I will slaughter your friend"
To prove his point he placed the laser gun onto Michelle's feathers.
I growled before nodding.
"Good girl" Thailog purred before putting the weapon away and he picked me up into his arms. It wasn't long until he was in the sky and I remained quiet as he glided to wherever he was taking me. He took us to an abandoned amusement park. Nearby I caught Demona's scent and I growled as Thailog landed.
"Demona won't harm you when I'm around" Thailog reassured me. He didn't put me down and I said.
"I can walk"
"That hunt has made you tired my love, I'm pretty sure you don't want to sleep walk"
He was right and I simply growled as Thailog carried me into his hideout. He ended up taking me to a bedroom and he placed me onto the bed.
"Rest my Little Ember, I'll come back to check on you later"
Thailog stroked my hair when he said that and I simply was too damn tired to reply. I fell asleep and woke when I heard the door being opened.
"You look better rested" Thailog purred coming over to the bed. "Come I have a surprise for you my love"
"I'm not your anything clone" I hissed but I took his hand and he helped me stand up. Thailog led me out of the bedroom and into a fake torture chamber where every member of my clan was either chained up or in shackles.
"Serenity!" Goliath exclaimed. When he saw that Thailog was holding my hand his eyes lit up and he roared out. He struggled to get free but he couldn't since his wrists were in bound..
"What is she doing here?!" Demona demanded glaring at me. She then saw my stomach and her eyes turned red. She pointed the laser gun at my belly but Thailog quickly wrapped his wings around just as Demona fired. The laser bounced off his armor.
"She is to become mine" Thailog hissed at the female gargoyle.
"You bastard!" Michelle roared out. She was next to Angela and her wrists were also bound above her. Hannah was next to Lexington with shackles around her wrists as well.
My eyes widened when I saw the clones of everyone from my clan.
"Ah I see you noticed my clan" Thailog purred to me. He then told me each of their names and I shuddered. "And soon after this is over I will claim you as mine Serenity, Goliath's child will be mine to raise"
"Get away from her" Angela hissed dangerously. "She isn't yours"
"Don't speak up for her, she's a half breed!" Demona told her daughter firmly. "I am your mother"
"Leave her out of this!" I snapped at Demona. "If you truly loved your daughter you wouldn't side with Thailog"
"Easy my Little Ember" Thailog said placing a hand into my shoulder. I shoved his hand off of me and growled. The purple gargoyle chuckled darkly before approaching Angela.
"It's time to get rid of all of you, starting with her" Thailog pointed the laser gun at Angela. I snarled and Demona rushed forward and placed herself before her daughter and Thailog.
"No! She belongs to me!" Demona protested.
"My dear" Thailog answered shaking his head. "You've known she was your daughter before we staged your capture and still you were unable to turn her"
"You knew the whole time?!" Angela demanded at her mother not believing her ears. Demona turned to her daughter.
"I had to make you understand"
"I had understand perfectly, all of this was a charade to turn me against my father, to trap and destroy my clan, for him" Angela nodded at Thailog. "To capture Serenity who cares about me like I was her own child! You even dared to kill her while she carries my sibling! You aren't capable of anything, I hate you"
Angela's eyes glowed red and Demona backed away. She looked hurt that Angela said those harsh words to her and the female gargoyle backed away.
"You see your better off without her" Thailog said to Demona and he pointed the gun once more at Angela.
"No!" Demona yelled as stopped Thailog from firing the weapon at Angela. Thailog pushed me away as lasers were shot out. Parts of the ceiling broke thanks to the lasers being fired. Demona struggled to keep hold of Thailog, but he simply elbowed her away and Demona fell to the floor.
"You've disappointed me" Thailog told the female gargoyle. "Fortunately I've prepared for such an event, Hestia!"
I shot Thailog a WTF look and a hidden trapdoor opened to reveal a woman who looked like Michelle and Hannah. My jaw dropped when I realized she was a clone of the two shifters. Hestia had Michelle's and Hannah's chestnut hair but her eyes were gold. She wore a dark red one shouldered dress with black boots underneath.
"You made a clone of a phoenix shifter?!" I exclaimed.
"Your sick!" Hannah snapped.
"What the f**k?!" Michelle finished.
"Indeed I have Serenity" Thailog answered turning to me as Hestia came to a stop before him. "I combined the DNA from Michelle and Hannah to create Hestia, she's fiercely loyal to me and will be your bodyguard my Little Ember"
Thailog then nodded to my clan behind him.
"Destroy them Hestia"
"As you wish milord" Hestia complied and she took the laser gun from her master. The phoenix clone approached Angela and was about to use the gun when Demona hurriedly got to her feet. She then rushed over to a hidden switch and opened it.
"Goliath! Save our daughter and your mate!"
She activated the switch and Goliath was freed. He was quick to push Angela aside before the laser gun was fired at him and Angela. Hestia was about to fire the gun again but Goliath used his tail to send the weapon flying from the clone's grasp. I used that chance to find the switch that held my clan in shackles and pressed it. Everyone became free and Demona chose that moment to throw herself onto Thailog.
They both went crashing through a wall creating a large hole. Goliath immediately went after the two gargoyles and I followed after my mate. The others started to duke it out with their clones and already Michelle, Hestia, and Hannah were in their phoenix forms fight amongst one another. Feathers went flying all over the place and Angela went aide the phoenix sisters.
Once Goliath and I were outside I shifted to my dragon form. Together Goliath and I took flight and we flew past Talon and Claw who were duking it out. Demona came into sight and she was thrown into the roller coaster railing. Thailog hovered over her and was quick to land. He placed a foot over her shoulder and taunted her. I roared and Goliath quickly body slammed into his clone separating him from his former mate.
Both males crashed down deeper into the roller coaster structure and Demona suddenly got to her feet.
"Can you fly me to Thailog?" she asked.
I nodded and she opened her wings and glided to the end of my tail. I shrieked before flying towards where Thailog and Goliath were. Thailog threw my Beloved of Night off of him and his back met with part of the structure.
Demona screeched and using my tail I threw her towards Thailog. The female gargoyle came upon her opponent and grabbed him. She flew high above the roller coaster structure and released Thailog. He went crashing down into the structure and he yelped in pain. The fire that had started earlier was getting worse. Goliath glided forward and I followed. Demona told Goliath to butt out of her fight with Thailog and return to Angela. Thailog got back to his feet and he hurled himself at Demona.
The structure started to give way and I flew over to Goliath and grabbed him with my claws. It was too late to help Demona and I knew she would want Goliath alive to keep Angela safe. I flew us to where Talon was and landed on my hind legs. I released Goliath and once he was out of the way I landed onto all fours.
Angela came out of the flames with an exhausted Hestia who was bound up. Michelle and Hannah were with her in their human forms. Goliath rushed over to his daughter to make sure she was alright. The others rejoined us and at seeing their mates, Michelle and her sister rushed over to Lex and Brooklyn. Brooklyn took Michelle into his arms and held her close. Hannah and Lex shared a brief hug before the olive toned gargoyle pointed ahead.
Demona and Thailog were still locked in combat when the structure finally gave way. It took both gargoyles with it and Angela buried herself against her father. Goliath hugged her for a few moments before letting her go. I shifted back to my human form and walked over to my stepdaughter. She was on her knees and I got to her level. Angela suddenly buried her head against me and I wrapped my arms around her.
I kissed her forehead and rubbed her back giving her comfort. Goliath came over and was on one knee and Angela turned to her father.
"Is she really gone?"
"I don't know" my Beloved of Night answered.
"The last thing I said to her was I hate you, but she sacrificed herself for me, for Serenity even, how can it end this way?"
Goliath placed his hands onto his daughter's shoulders.
"She knew how you truly felt and Demona's love for you was the first goodness she's shown in a long time, for her it may have been a new beginning, a new beginning for us all"
Afterwards.
"I don't smell like smoke anymore thank god" I said coming into the living room where Goliath was. I was in a maternity nightgown that was silver. It had straps on the shoulders and it wasn't see through.
"You fought well tonight my love" Goliath said walking over to me. He then brought me into a hug and wrapped his wings around us.
"Whoa Goliath what's?"
But I was cut off by a passionate kiss from the gargoyle. I felt tears slide down my face and I closed my eyes as I wrapped my arms around my mate's neck. Goliath gently pushed his tongue into my mouth and our tongues danced with our love for one another.
Our kiss ended when we broke apart so we could catch a breather.
"I came close to losing you tonight" Goliath said to me as he caressed my face. "Losing you would kill me inside Serenity, you are my light, my soul, my fierce Warrior of Flame, my mate for life, and the mother of my second daughter, I love you more than you will ever know"
That got more tears to slide down my cheeks and Goliath kissed them away before kneeling down to my protruding middle. He pressed a kiss against where ha sensed Eden was and proceeded to lay his head against the baby bump.
Suddenly the gargoyle jerked his head back.
"What just?"
"She kicked that's all" I told Goliath. "She's been making a habit of doing that"
I placed Goliath's hand to where Eden was and I felt my daughter kick once more. A smile came to my Beloved of Night's lips.
"She's strong like her mother and feisty"
"What do you expect? She's also stubborn like you" I added.
Goliath chuckled before getting back to his feet and he caressed my face once more.
"I don't regret the night I met you Serenity"
"Hey don't get me crying again you romantic" I scolded.
Goliath kissed my forehead and he stayed with me the rest of the night and into the next day even in his stone form.
