Something to tell you ch 8

Two Months Three Weeks after Birth

            Elisa watched the night sky as Demona once again left early, this time it was the feeling of not being free to roam about, feeling trapped, that sent her fleeing.  She didn't have to say it outright.  The story about the off limits parts of the castle during Princess Katherine's reign let Elisa know what the issues were.  Demona felt like a criminal here, and even though technically she was one, the clan could have spared her feeling like that while visiting.  Instead Elisa found that the clan walked past her rooms far more often than normal and not nearly as quietly.  They wanted Demona to know they were there, and it was probably just the males that were so overprotective, but it had ruined yet another visit.  The visits were down to twice a week if that and all of the closeness was disappearing.  Elisa was really afraid she was losing Demona before she even really had her.

            The knock on the door was quiet, almost timid.  Elisa just shook her head and went to answer it and let whatever gargoyle didn't trust Demona alone with her know that she'd gone.  It was Angela standing there in front of her without speaking.  Angela was just staring at her quietly.  "What do you need?"  Elisa asked wearily while rubbing her forehead. 

            "Can I come in?"  Angela asked and Elisa just held the door open wider so that she could.  "Mother left already."  Angela wasn't asking, she already knew.

"Yeah."  Elisa sighed.  "This place feels like a great big prison complete with prison guards patrolling my hallway every twenty minutes."  Her voice was harsh as she vented her frustration on the only gargoyle completely innocent of wrong doing.  "It's no wonder she doesn't want to stay."

            "I know."  Angela spoke softly drawing Elisa eyes up to actually look at the young female.  "They are being ridiculous."  Angela moved to sit down on the couch and patted the seat beside her to encourage Elisa to sit as well.  "How are you doing?  You haven't been yourself lately, and we are all getting worried."

            "I'm fine."  Elisa glared out the window towards the direction that Demona had fled.  Angela's eyes followed her gaze for a moment before turning back to her.

            "No, you aren't."  Angela wasn't going to back down, "You snap at us, you seem both angry and depressed, and it isn't like you at all."

            Elisa felt a wave of guilt at being so difficult to live with.  She just felt so trapped here.  This place did feel like a prison to her and she missed Demona.  Even when the gargoyle was in the room with her, she wasn't the woman Elisa had fallen for.  Her warrior mask rarely slipped while they were here.

            "I love you Elisa.  You are my clan."  Angela moved forward to take one of Elisa's hands in her own.  "Something is really bothering you and I want you to know that I care and I want to be there for you."

            Elisa gave Angela a small smile and stared down at the female's hand over her own.  "I'm afraid of driving Delilah to the mansion, but… the visits here just aren't working."

            "How aren't they working?"

            "She doesn’t come early anymore and she leaves well before the sunrise."  Elisa sighed.  "And when she's here, she's so tense and ready for battle."

            "You've driven around the city for years."  Angela's eyes held sympathy.  "It was one scare, but you could try again.  The car mother got you is better."

            "I can't drive her back and forth so much."  Elisa swallowed hard.  She really wanted things to return to the way they'd been before. 

            Angela tugged on her hand lightly until Elisa looked into her face.  "You don't have to."  Angela's face was very serious.  "You only need to drive her over there once."

            Elisa leaned back in her seat and stared at Angela with wide eyes as that comment hit her.  "What?"

            "I'm not blind.  I've seen how you two interact."  Angela sounded so very adult in that moment.  "You are miserable here, you are miserable without her and father walking around in his own depression isn't helping."  Angela scooted closer, "You are in love with one of my parents, and you need to move closer to that one."

            Elisa moved to get up and started pacing, "It's not that easy."

            "Why?"  Angela's tone was matter of fact and clearly sounded like no excuse would be good enough.

            "Well for starters we aren't together."  Elisa snapped at Angela hating to bring this up. 

            "And why is that?"  Angela just wasn't dropping it.  "It's not because you don’t love her, because I've seen the looks you give her."

            Elisa growled out her frustration.  "You just don't move in when you haven't even made love in a year!"

            Angela tilted her head a little and Elisa felt like she was being carefully studied.  "Well then don't move in.  Go for an extended visit.  Drive over for the weekend and get out of this castle.  One drive and stay a few days."  Angela leaned forward in her seat and her eyes burned.  "My mother loves you.  Don't give up now, not when the battle is almost won."

            "I'm not giving up."  Elisa looked away as she admitted that she was in fact after Demona.  "But she's so uncomfortable here, I'm just giving her space until she gets used to it."

            "This castle is the problem."  Angela got up from the couch and walked over to Elisa.  "The clan thinks they are doing the right thing, but they are the problem too.  Father is too wrapped up in the fact that he lost you to notice the unofficial patrols past your door when she's here.  He wouldn't approve.  It tears him apart, but he'll support whatever you want."

            Elisa's voice cracked, "I didn't want to hurt him."

            "He knows that."  Angela pulled Elisa into a hug and Elisa let her.  "We all know that.  You can't help who you fall in love with.  Father wouldn't blame you for that.  I think you would be so good for her.  I just want you both happy."

            "Maybe I can do a long weekend.  We need to get out of here, even for just a little while.  I feel like I'm in a cage."  Elisa's voice was soft, but she was starting to feel a little better just thinking about it.

            "Good."  Angela pulled back.  "It's almost dawn.  I need to go.  Oh, and if you do move, don’t tell the clan it was my idea."  Elisa walked her to the door and smiled at the female as she left.  Fox walked by in her robe with glass in hand and Elisa just smiled at her sleepy friend as she passed by, not noticing the nod Angela gave Fox or the answering half smile and nod Fox returned.

            Elisa went back in and pulled out the car seat while taking a deep breath.  Her heart pounded a bit too quickly as she strapped a sleepy hatchling in so that Delilah was ready for a drive tomorrow.  Her fear of driving Delilah around was costing too much, and that had been the only accident Elisa had been in for years.  They could do this.

            During her late breakfast Elisa sat alone, until Fox came in to sit quietly with her for a moment.  "David just cancelled another date."  Fox growled out.  "The great corporate machine apparently can't run itself for a single night so that we can go out."

            Elisa didn't know what to say.  He was really screwing up taking business appointments during the time he could be with Fox.  Fox's eyes seemed to burn with her irritation, and she wasn't a woman that anyone would really want mad at them.  Fox turned to stare at Elisa.  "Demona used to completely miss work to be with you, didn't she?"

            "Ah.."  Elisa felt like she was suddenly in the spot light and it wasn't a comfortable feeling.  Demona did put her and Delilah first, but saying that now wouldn't really help Fox feel better.

"Nevermind."  Fox grimaced, "That was an unfair question.  I'm sorry."

"Fox?"  David's voice was calling out and he was obviously trying to find the redhead that just glared at the fridge and didn't answer him.  He found her anyway and Elisa wished she'd learned one spell from Demona, one that could turn her invisible or teleport her out of the room without being noticed.  Of course neither combatants noticed her anyway.  "Fox, you didn't let me explain."

"What with promising me another night that you can cancel the day before?"  Fox snapped at him, her blue eyes burning into him.

            "No, I'm working overtime so that we can go away."  His voice didn't become desperate, he just explained himself steadily while moving closer to squat down beside Fox's chair.  "I thought we could take a vacation, just the two of us.  I just need to tie up some lose ends and we can go.  Owen will look after Alexander."

            Fox's tension started to melt as she allowed her husband to take her hand.  "I love you more now than ever.  I'm sorry if you thought that I was trying to brush you off."  He spoke softly to Fox and smiled gently at her.  "I was going to talk to you about it, but you checked my calendar first.  If you'd flipped the page you would have seen I took a week off to be with you."

"Oh David."  Fox sighed, obviously completely happy with that as she pulled him into a hug.  Elisa quietly released a breath she'd been holding as they both left together.

            Elisa was tense and just a bit pale as she drove past the intersection where she'd been in the accident last time but she kept driving.  Once she was halfway to Demona's mansion she pulled over for a moment and pulled out her cell phone.  It wouldn't do to visit and have Demona be working late, but the gargoyle wouldn't let Elisa risk it knowing how nervous it made her.  She had to be almost there before telling her about the visit or Demona would demand she not come.

            "I'm about a half hour away from the mansion."  Elisa told Demona as soon as she answered.  "Just making sure you are actually going to be home."

            "What?"  Demona sounded completely confused.  "But…"

            "We needed to visit you."

            "I'll be there."  Demona's voice was suddenly very business like and determined.

            "Good."  Elisa sighed.  Just a little further.  She could do this.  She hung up and carefully pulled out onto the road again.  She glanced back at the blanket covering her little girl.

            She felt like she'd run the entire trip when she finally was able to shut the car off in front of the mansion.  She just sat there and took a deep breath.  "Well we made it baby."  She called back to Delilah's stone form.

            Demona was out the door just moments after Elisa stopped the car.  Elisa hadn't even started to get out of the car yet, so Demona moved around to the driver's side door and opened it.

            "What were you thinking?"  Demona demanded immediately.

            Elisa didn't answer right away.  She got out of the car and turned to face Demona.  "That you'd like to see her when you weren't convinced the clan would break down the door and attack you."  She'd leave out how much Elisa missed the real Demona for now.

            They had all three moved to the kitchen and Elisa set Delilah down on the kitchen island.  Here was another tense situation.  “I was planning on staying all weekend.”  Elisa spoke quietly while watching Demona’s back tense up at her presumption.  The redhead might actually have plans for the weekend.  “I can’t do that drive very often.”  Elisa’s own fear showed through her words in the way her voice shook just a little.  She regularly used to get guns and bazookas aimed at her.  Elisa went up against creatures far stronger than her on a regular basis, both human and not, but driving Delilah around scared her more than facing Demona on the battle field ever did.  Then it had just been her own life, and maybe she really didn’t believe she was mortal or that Demona would hurt her, but now she was responsible for someone else and her courage had left her.

            Demona turned to look at her and Elisa could see the redhead softening.  “That would be fine.”  She then resumed her inspection of the cupboards, which Elisa could see were looking rather bare.  “I don’t have anything for dinner.  I wasn’t expecting…”

            “I’m sorry.”

            “No.  I’m glad you came.”  It was the softest Demona had spoken to Elisa since they stopped visiting here and it made Elisa feel a bit better about her decision.

            Elisa took the glass of juice Demona offered her.  “I’m going to have to order something to eat.  I was planning on dealing with ordering groceries tonight.”

            Once Demona got off the phone after ordering dinner to be delivered her eyes became more studying.  Elisa could tell Demona wanted to talk about Elisa’s decision to visit for so long because if it had been the other way around she knew she’d have questions.

            “Did something happen?”  The redhead tensed up a bit more, “Is the clan giving you a hard time about having me over?”

            “No.”  Elisa answered quickly but when Demona just stared at her unconvinced she added, “Well, not in so many words, but Brooklyn is still not thrilled with it.”  Elisa sighed.  “I just needed to get out of that place.”  She rubbed her forehead at the slight headache she had from the drive and slumped in her seat a little.  “God I hate it there.  I knew I wouldn’t like it, but I had no idea how much…”  She just trailed off and took a sip of the drink.  “I’m used to living alone.  I love them, but they are ALWAYS there.  They have no concept of privacy or needing time to yourself.  I feel like I have to beat it into them that I don’t want them dropping by just to make sure I’m okay on the days I want to be alone.”  Elisa’s voice took on a hint of a growl.  “They are constantly checking on me, like I’m some sort of child that can’t take care of herself.”

            “Well.”  Demona sat down across from her.  “Gargoyles aren’t used to privacy.  They never had a room of their own and as a clan we tended to do most things together.”  The look of sympathy in Demona’s eyes kept Elisa from grumbling.  Her temper had been running a bit hot lately.  “It will take a long time to get them used to the idea that someone would even want that on a regular basis.”  Demona sighed heavily, “I remember having to sneak away if I wanted to be alone.  It wasn’t considered healthy to want time to think alone.”  Elisa studied Demona’s eyes at that admission that she’d always been a bit different from the others.  Wanting some time alone wasn’t unhealthy, but being forced to be alone for a thousand years sure was.

            “So you’re saying it’s cultural.”  Elisa sighed.  She’d pretty much suspected that when she got such blank looks when she told them she wanted to spend a quiet night alone with Delilah.  The clan was baffled.  They did what she asked for the most part, but they really didn’t look like they understood.

            “You don’t crowd me like that.”  Elisa spoke softly while thinking of the fact that even when they were in the same room, Demona had a way of giving Elisa privacy to just be and not have to visit.  Those times were very comfortable.

            “I’m not like the others.”  Demona sighed.  “I’ve had a long time alone, and I’ve had a long time to watch how humans interact.”

            “That’s how you were able to become Dominique so easily.”  Elisa gave Demona a slight smile. 

            “No, it wasn’t easy.”  Demona sighed.  “But I managed.”  Demona moved to the car seat with Delilah in it.  “I need to change my clothes.  Business suits aren’t comfortable.  I’ll take her upstairs.”

            Elisa just watched Demona walk away.  Demona really wasn’t like the others, and it wasn’t just her hatred and anger.  It also wasn’t the immortality.  Demona just made more sense to Elisa than the others did.  She could talk to Demona and those cultural differences didn’t get in the way, and while Elisa hated to admit it she could understand Demona’s attitude towards humans a lot better now that she had a hatchling.  As a cop she did get to see firsthand the worst the humans could do, and there were many cops that ended up hating humans as well.  She hadn’t gone that far, but her overall faith in the race had been shaken a few too many times.  It was her that preached caution to the clan and tried to keep them as hidden as possible from humans because in the beginning they seemed so naïve about the dangers.

********

            Demona opened the door of the nursery for the first time since Delilah left.  It had just been too painful a reminder when she thought her daughter wouldn’t be coming back here until she could glide that far.

            Elisa had managed to do it again.  She’d surprised Demona.  The detective had an entire clan, and she preferred to be with Demona.  She’d been pale and obviously exhausted after that drive, but she’d done that to come here either because she was that miserable at the castle, missed Demona that much, or both. 

            “What am I going to do?”  Demona sat down beside the crib to ask her stone daughter.  Elisa was unhappy, and Demona hated that.  She sighed heavily and got up to go change.  She needed time to think about this one.  The clan didn’t listen to her, and she wasn’t sure she could explain it so that they understood that humans just needed more space.  Demona frowned.  Would Elisa take offense at Demona stepping in like that?  She didn’t want to make the human think she couldn’t talk to Demona about her problems without Demona spreading them around either.  She wanted Elisa to trust her.  Dammit, she couldn’t do anything.  She couldn’t stop the clan from harassing her human.

            “She’ll just have to spend more time here.”  Demona spoke softly to herself while pulling on some more comfortable clothes.  A slight smile graced her lips at that thought.  She may not like constant company like other gargoyles, but some company would definitely be nice.  Perhaps Elisa and Delilah should stay every weekend.  Demona started towards the stairs as she thought about it.  She could even take every Monday or Friday off so that they had more time.

            The visit was so relaxing Demona didn’t want the night to end.  She could just focus on Delilah and Elisa and didn’t have to listen for any potential attacks.  Elisa started to caress her arm without even seeming to be aware of it while Demona held their daughter and it felt nice, right.  Elisa was the only person that touched Demona like this.  Gentle caring touches that spoke of love.  Demona stared down at the daughter they’d made together and tried to think of what she should say.  She wanted to say something, to make it clear to Elisa that…

            “I need to use the bathroom.”  Demona handed the hatchling over and left quickly.  She felt just a little sick and was sure she was becoming pale.  She didn’t want Elisa asking what was wrong.  She’d come to the conclusion that it was okay to love Elisa even though she was human, so why was the idea of telling her human that so terrifying?  If she didn’t say something Elisa might give up and seek love elsewhere.  Demona knew that Goliath was probably just waiting for his chance to steal Demona’s mate.

            Demona became more tense as the night progressed to nearly sunrise.  Elisa went to start her shower a little earlier than normal.  The human was very tired.  Demona put Delilah to bed in the crib rather than the car seat and smiled as the little one grabbed onto her talon.  "You're going to be a strong little warrior aren't you?"  Demona spoke softly, while paying close attention to the sun.  She'd be clear of the little girl before she turned stone.  It wouldn't do to be trapped in a tiny stone hand. 

            After the sun rose Demona continued to sit in the nursery, feeling unsure of what to do.  She looked up when she heard the nursery door open a bit wider and Elisa was dressed in her silk pajamas smiling at her.  "Bathrooms free."

            "Thanks."  Demona got up and moved to get ready for bed quietly.  When she was done Elisa was already in bed.  She slipped into her side of the bed and turned out the lights.

            Demona had their meal ready when Elisa woke up and came downstairs.  She really had no idea what they’d do today.  Studying Latin could only take up so long, and Demona really didn’t want to spend the entire day teaching any more than she thought Elisa wanted to spend the day learning. 

            Elisa was starting to put the dishes in the dishwasher when there was a buzz at the gate.  Elisa looked around and Demona realized that Elisa had never heard it before.  “Groceries are probably here.  I’ll go check.” 

            The delivery driver came in and set the groceries on the kitchen island and left.  Demona made sure that he was the only one in the van and that no other humans were using this distraction to get in.  Elisa was left to watch out for that human while Demona manned the security camera booth and then turned the defense grid on as soon as he was out the gate again.  That was more tense than normal.  That human was in the house her hatchling was in and Demona had gone into battle mode without even thinking about it.

            When she got back to the kitchen Elisa was working on putting the groceries away.  “This is great!  I hate grocery shopping.”  Elisa smiled at her and the tension of having that male in the house started to melt.

            “I told you that you should do it this way.”

            “Well.”  Some of Elisa’s enthusiasm faded.  “I don’t do the shopping anymore.”  Demona moved to help with the bags, but she was puzzled as to why that would upset Elisa when she obviously didn’t like doing it anyhow.

            Demona was still trying to think of what to do with Elisa today when it dawned on her that if Elisa was going to be staying here more she should understand the security system and be able to operate it.  If something ever happened to Demona in the middle of an emergency the human shouldn’t be left to just fend for herself when the mansion itself could become a virtual weapon.

            A half hour later Demona led Elisa into the control center of the security system.  There were various access panels throughout the mansion, but this was the best place to be to show Elisa the extent of the system and how it worked.  She’d show her the access panels afterwards.  The door from the outside looked like a closet door but it was actually steel reinforced.  Computer monitors lined one wall of the twelve by twelve room that was hidden in the mansion.  Elisa looked at the system with a practiced eye and Demona felt a smile tug at her lips.

            “We have lasers covering the air and the ground.  There are motion detectors, heat detectors, and even anti missile technology.”  Demona moved into the room to sit at the main console with Elisa standing behind her.  “I use some of the project prototypes NightStone is contracted to build for the military to keep this mansion secure.”  Demona glanced at the human studying the views of the gates and various parts of the yard.  “You and Delilah are completely safe here.  Nothing short of a full military attack will get through these defenses and if that happened I do have escape routes.  I’ll show them to you.”

            “It’s like Fort Knox.”  Elisa seemed a bit overwhelmed by the security.

            Demona stared into Elisa’s eyes until the human looked at her.  “I upgraded when you gave me visitation rights with Delilah.  A lot of these toys are new.”  She wanted Elisa to understand that this wasn’t a system to protect Demona’s things, it was much more than that.  She looked back to the main computers and her voice became a bit less serious.  “It can run on automatic or manual and isn’t tied into the power so if someone actually thinks to shut down our power we aren’t defenseless.  There is a power source for this in the basement.”  Demona scooted over a little and motioned to the chair on the other side of the room in front of the other set of monitors.  “Grab a chair.  I’m going to teach you how to use this.”

            It was a complex system.  They spent most of the day going over how it worked and still hadn’t touched on all the capabilities.  Elisa asked very good questions and wanted to understand everything about a system before moving on to the next.  They stopped after six hours to go have dinner.

            Demona peeled potatoes quietly as she thought about the fact that she’d just handed over all the mansions defenses to a human, and didn’t worry about Elisa betraying her.  It was an uncomfortable feeling and part of her wanted to keep some parts of the system a secret just in case, but she couldn’t imagine a scenario where Elisa would turn on her.  She’d stopped her vendetta against the whole human race, at least for while Elisa was alive, so the battles with the clan should stop.

            “I also have magical protections.”  Demona sighed as she shared that last secret.  “It does nothing against the Fey, I still can’t find a spell to keep them away, but I had to put those in because MacBeth has been picking up a few spells over the years.”

            “How are things going with him right now?”  Elisa moved away from the stove and rested a hand on Demona’s arm.  “Is he being a problem?”

            Demona turned to see real concern in Elisa’s eyes.  “He seems to be out of his depression for now.  The job at the university is going well for him.  I keep track of him now, since he’s living in the same city.  It’s just better to know when he might want to attack again.”

            “I doubt you just call him up to make sure he’s having a good day.”

            “No, I’ve got spies.  Spies that take history as a major on my bill and spies that live in a home near his that I pay for, they shop at the same stores and run into him often.”  The look of concern merged with one of surprise and disapproval at the invasion of privacy.  Demona rolled her eyes.  “My mail clerk is one of his.  I’m sure he has a few others.”

            “You know who MacBeth has as a spy and you didn’t fire him?”          

            “It gives me an edge to know who they are.  If I get rid of one he’ll just replace him with someone else that might be better at it.”  Demona gave a small smile.  The spy game MacBeth and her were playing now was different from what they did in the past.  Change was sometimes good.  Spies meant that she wasn’t expecting a bullet in the heart anytime soon.  The Mail Clerk was someone Demona could feed information that she wanted MacBeth to get and she enjoyed taunting that old fool MacBeth with her position and her money.  What she’d taken from him had grown so very much under her care.

            Elisa returned to stirring, but she looked troubled.  Demona finished the last potato and moved closer.  “If anything happens to me I’ve made sure that you are taken care of.”  She spoke softly.  This was just a fact of life for Demona, not something that she’d chosen, just something she had to endure.  Some day MacBeth would kill her.  Not anytime soon if Demona had anything to do with it, but it would happen some day.

            “I’d rather Delilah know her mother.”  Elisa grimaced without looking over at Demona.  “I hate the spy games, but you have to do that don’t you?”

            “I have more to lose now than I ever did.”  Demona leaned against the counter and stared at the woman that stopped to stare at her.  “I have no desire to die anytime soon.  It’s just better to be prepared.”

            “I understand.”  Elisa gave her a weak smile, but Demona could see she’d upset the human.  Someone would miss her if she died.  Demona swallowed hard and looked away.

            “Elisa, I…”  Demona’s heart was pounding like she was in the middle of a battle.  She wanted to tell her… “Don’t know what vegetable you like.  Perhaps you should pick one out.”

            Dinner was relatively quiet, aside from various questions about the security system.  After they ate they went back to work on it.  Demona wanted Elisa to know this system just as well as Demona did.  She may need it some day, and if MacBeth did get lucky, Elisa was going to inherit this mansion.  Demona would call her lawyers Monday to arrange for that.  She’d added Elisa to her useless will after the, well, after the cave, but Elisa would need more than money.  She’d make sure Elisa took care of Angela as well.  Gargoyles couldn’t inherit anything directly, but Elisa wouldn’t ignore that Demona has a responsibility to both of her daughters.

            Why was she suddenly thinking about death?

********  

            Elisa was laying on her side while playing with the baby on the living room floor.  Delilah giggled when Elisa made faces at her and tickled her.  A movement out of the corner of her eye had Elisa turning to look up at Demona standing in the doorway to the kitchen just watching them.  The warrior’s mask was completely down and the blue female was smiling tenderly at them.  Something about Demona’s eyes made Elisa blush at having been caught making a fool out of herself for the hatchling.  Something about Demona was so intense tonight, like there was something she wanted to talk about but just didn’t.

            “You gonna stand there all night?”  Elisa smiled flirtatiously. 

            Demona moved to sit beside them and Elisa was surprised when the gargoyle reached out to caress Elisa’s hair.  Elisa’s heart started to beat faster when she looked into Demona’s eyes and saw something she occasionally only got glimpses of.  “You should be careful letting her play with your hair.  She could be strong enough to rip out a huge section of it.”  Demona spoke quietly while continuing to fix the mess Delilah had made of her mother’s hair.

            When Demona moved her attention to Delilah Elisa continued to stare at her.  Was that love she saw or did she want to see it so badly that she misinterpreted a friendly gesture?  Elisa tore her eyes away from the beautiful female and stared at Delilah so that Demona wouldn’t know where her thoughts were taking her.

            She needed to know.  Elisa sighed and stared at Delilah’s wiggling feet, completely missing the look of concern on Demona’s face when the gargoyle looked at her.  Elisa felt like her emotions were a yo-yo, making her think she had the female one moment and then convincing herself that they were just good friends the next. 

            When she’d sparred with Demona Elisa had been convinced that Demona wanted her, but the female did nothing even though Elisa was being blatant in her hints that she’d welcome any advances.  Elisa did everything she could to let Demona know she wanted more at that moment.  She’d used every trick she’d ever heard of to try and get a rise out of Demona and there were times that it looked like it had worked, but Demona did nothing.

            Elisa looked over at Demona while the gargoyle picked up their daughter so that Delilah’s wings could flutter free and gently lifted and lowered the little girl as if she were gliding.  God, this was exactly what Elisa had wanted for Delilah.  Demona was so very good with their child.  Demona glanced at her and smiled, so Elisa gave the female a small smile back. 

            Elisa only knew of one other person that had ever been with Demona.  Maybe Demona didn’t know as much about human interactions that she claimed to.  Maybe Elisa wasn’t obvious enough for her to catch the hints that Elisa thought she was hitting Demona over the head with.  Things were different for gargoyles, but they’d already gone through those rituals and still Demona didn’t seem to acknowledge this tension between them.  Elisa’s jaw clenched as the challenge became more difficult.  She wasn’t giving up, and Demona had to be the one to initiate things or the female might always feel like the human had taken advantage of her.  “These pants are a bit too tight to lay around on the floor.”  Elisa got up from the floor.  “I’m going to go change.”

            “Ah, okay.”  Demona sounded a little confused.  Elisa didn’t blame her.  They always sat on the floor and Elisa never mentioned a problem doing that before.  Elisa went upstairs with a determination that normally was reserved for battles.  She was probably going to feel ridiculous, but she was going to up the obvious factor.  Elisa was going to make it so painfully obvious that she would welcome an advance that even that single minded female playing with their daughter would get the hint.  Delilah was too young to remember how much of a fool her mommy was going to make of herself tonight.  Elisa grimaced.  Well, she didn’t remember anything from being that little herself.  Fox thought Demona loved her.  Angela thought Demona loved her.  Hell, even Goliath seemed to think that his ex did.  Elisa sighed heavily as she walked into the bedroom to change.  She just wanted something before they went back to the castle, some indication that it was real, and if she had to squeeze it out of Demona, she’d do it. 

            Elisa moved almost regally back down the stairs, clad in that nightgown that Demona seemed to like and a black silk robe.  She’d taken the time to double check her make up and her hair.  She also spent that time trying to think of everything she’d seen in movies and what other women had done when faced with a particularly clueless potential lover.  Elisa had never had to work so hard for it in her life, but Demona was worth so much more than the few lovers Elisa had had in the past. 

            When she entered the room Demona turned with the hatchling in her arms and Elisa smirked at the surprised look on Demona’s face.  She didn’t try to disguise the hint of a challenge in her voice when Elisa addressed Demona.  “I felt like getting into something more comfortable.”  Was all she gave in way of explanation as she moved to sit on the floor while leaning her back against the couch.  One leg she placed straight in front of her and the other she bent at the knee, exposing more of her legs, but not quite all the way to expose her underwear. 

            “If you get cold let me know.”  Demona seemed to be swallowing as she watched Elisa play with the silk of her nightshirt by caressing it slowly.  “I’ll turn up the heat.”

            Elisa let a wicked smirk cross her lips.  It was Elisa that was turning up the heat and Demona wasn’t completely unaffected.  The sense of power that knowledge gave Elisa was exciting.  Demona wanted her.  Elisa lowered her head while using her eyes to look up at the standing female and gave Demona the come hither look that she’d shown Fox so long ago.  “I’ll let you know if you need to warm me up.”  She spoke in a bit of a purr that had Demona’s eyes widening in surprise.  Good, she was finally getting the hints.  Elisa picked up her glass and started to sip at it while battling the embarrassment that such obvious come ons made her feel.  If this is how obvious she needed to be, she could do it.  Hanging around with Fox was a sort of boot camp for blatant sexuality.  Elisa had learned a few things.

********

            Demona slowly lowered a sleeping hatchling into the bassinet they had in the living room.  Elisa was acting strangely and she just didn’t know how to talk with the woman.  She clenched her fists when Elisa moved up very close behind her to stare down at Delilah for a moment.  The heat of Elisa’s body was easy to feel since it was almost touching her.  Dammit, Demona’s eyes burned in anger.  She thought that there was something serious between them, something permanent, but Elisa was acting like a cat in heat.  Elisa was acting like all she wanted was sex, and Demona was good enough to fulfill that need.

            Demona hadn’t risen to the bait yet, but she felt used anyhow.  She had wanted to give Elisa her heart, and all the ex-detective seemed interested in was her body.  This was nothing but a game to Elisa, and Demona had never once thought this human could be that cruel.  Not even when they were enemies did she think Elisa capable of this sort of thing.  She’d thought Elisa had more honor than to use someone for just sex… to use Demona for just sex.

            “Well, now that she’s taking a nap, what should we do with ourselves?”  Elisa whispered seductively while moving close enough to actually touch Demona from behind her.  Demona hated that she wanted to melt into that touch.  She respected herself too much to do it, but she wanted to.

            She flared her wings out forcing Elisa to step back from her.  This had been going on for an hour.  An hour of innuendo and teasing looks.  An hour of Elisa’s exhibitionism and come ons.   Demona spun around and growled quietly so as not to wake up their little girl.  “You have so little respect for me… for yourself… that you would act in this manner?!”

            Elisa’s jaw dropped and she looked stunned, but Demona marched towards her making the human back up to the wall.  “You are acting like a slut, a common whore.  What is wrong with you?”

            Elisa looked completely shocked that Demona called her on her behavior.  “I… I just…”

            Demona’s eyes burned red, “What, just needed an itch scratched?  Isn’t that what you humans call it?”  The sneer in her voice made it clear how little she thought of people who did that.

            “No.”  Elisa’s skin was reddening and her eyes flashed with anger.  “Dammit, why the hell are you so difficult!”

            “What, you want me to just lie back and let you use me?”  Demona’s growl got a bit louder, but Delilah slept through it.  “I’m not a whore, no matter what you may be.  I don’t just…”  Demona gritted her teeth.  “I thought better of you than this.”  Her voice cracked and she turned away from the human.  God this hurt.  This is why one shouldn’t fall for a human.  Demona started to walk away.  The desire to lash out was too strong and no matter how badly Elisa hurt her, she couldn’t do that.  She’d lose Delilah if she did that.

            “Demona wait.”  Elisa’s voice was soft and pleading.  “You don’t understand.”  Demona didn’t stop her retreat towards the stairs and Elisa’s voice rose, “I didn’t know what else to do.  Please, we need to talk.”  Demona moved faster before her tears could fall and bound up the stairs heading for the balcony so that she could glide away.

********       

            Elisa stared after the gargoyle in shock.  She’d screwed that up so incredibly badly.  “Oh God.”  She was about ready to try and chase after Demona when Delilah started to cry.  Elisa’s yell for Demona had woken the hatchling up.  Elisa moved reluctantly to pick Delilah up and took a few deep breaths to push away some tears of her own.  She could hear the balcony doors in the bedroom being slammed open and knew that Demona had left.  She didn’t even give Elisa a chance to explain.

            Elisa sighed shakily.  This was Demona’s home.  She’d have to come back eventually and then they needed to talk.  She started to rock Delilah gently while pacing.  It took a while to get Delilah to calm down and go back to sleep.

            Demona still wasn’t back when Elisa put the hatchling back in the basinet.  She moved to limply sit on the couch.  “I don’t know what to do baby.”  She addressed the only person she had to talk to, not that Delilah would have any words of wisdom to give her.  “I just need her to say it first.”  Elisa took a shuddering breath.  “I’m so tired of having to do all the work.  I’m tired of having to chase her.”  Elisa had never had to pursue someone like this.  Normally it didn’t take long to either realize it was hopeless or to get some sort of response.  “Maybe she just doesn’t want me.”  For all of Angela and Fox’s comments, they didn’t know Demona as well as Elisa did.  They could be wrong.  Demona may just not be able to get over Elisa’s being human.  Demona was attracted to Elisa, there was no mistaking that, but maybe she hated herself for it.  That wouldn’t build a very healthy relationship.

********

            Demona stared at Elisa from her hiding place in the darkness.  She’d just snuck in to see if the human was still there and what she was doing.  She hadn’t expected to find this out.  Elisa wasn’t playing games with her was she?  Her human looked so hurt.  Elisa’s eyes were red and she looked utterly defeated.  The seductress that had been tempting her mercilessly was gone and in her place sat a hurt and confused woman.

            Demona had been ready to renegotiate visitations.  She had been ready to tell Elisa that she didn’t want the human staying, she just wanted her to deliver Delilah and go away.  She’d been ready to completely push Elisa away because she’d assumed that she’d finally found the human failings she’d spent years looking for.

            It wasn’t failings.  Elisa was lost because Demona hadn’t let her know how she felt.  Elisa just wanted to hear what Demona had been having such a hard time saying and went about trying to get those three words in a very odd way.

            Demona quietly backed up and moved upstairs.  She needed time to figure out how to deal with this.  She also didn’t want Elisa to know that she’d heard her.  This time she slipped out of the mansion quietly for a less angry glide around the neighborhood.  There was still an hour and a half until sunrise.

            It took her forty minutes to glide her circuit around the neighborhood.  During that time she thought about nothing but Elisa.  She touched down gently on the balcony and slide inside quietly.  She walked down the hall and looked into the living room as she came down the stairs.  Elisa was laying on the couch, and Delilah wasn’t making any noise.  Demona checked in the basinet and their little girl was sleeping.  She then moved around the couch to see that Elisa was just quietly laying there staring at the fire.  The human’s eyes shifted to look at her and Demona moved to squat in front of the couch.

            “Demona, I…”  Elisa started, but Demona looked into her eyes tenderly and Elisa stopped talking.

            Demona kept her voice soft as she stared into Elisa’s brown eyes.  “I need to speak.  Just let me go first.”  She reached over and smoothed out a stray hair in Elisa’s face.  “I love you.  I don’t know when I fell in love with you, but I have.”  She continued to caress Elisa’s hair.  Her heart was pounding and she wouldn’t have noticed an invasion if it happened at that moment.  “You’ve become so important to me, and it isn’t just because of Delilah.  You were important to me before her.  There is no just breeding.  Gargoyles don’t do one night stands.  In my heart you are my mate and have been for almost a year.  I tried to fight that.  I tried to avoid you in the hopes that these feelings would go away.”  Demona’s eyes took on a pleading quality.  Hopefully Elisa could understand why she’d fought so hard.  It was so hard to admit this, to accept this, but her mate needed her too.  This not knowing was hurting Elisa, and Demona found that she didn’t want anything hurting her human.

            Elisa’s eyes were just a little wider as she stared into Demona’s lightly glowing eyes.  “I love you too.”  Demona gave Elisa a soft smile and leaned forward to gently kiss Elisa’s lips.  This moment was perfect.  She trailed tender kisses along Elisa’s lips and her jaw.  She had finally told Elisa, and Elisa’s small pleased whimpers as Demona trailed her kisses down Elisa’s neck were the most beautiful thing she’d heard in a very long time.

            Elisa grabbed her head and pulled her back up to kiss her more passionately and Demona moaned into the contact.  “Oh God I love you.”  Elisa whispered breathlessly in Demona’s ear before moving to gently nibble on it.