2 Chapter One

Modern Day

"What should we do?" Ann asked Elric as they both walked Dmitrei in his typical daily activity. "He's been like this for days."

Elric folded his arms over his chest and stared at the human version of the gargoyle he had most admired, back in their day. Some said Dmitrei was stupid for allowing himself to become interested in helping humans while the others had been more interested in pillaging. Elric, on the other hand, always thought it denoted an inner strength--to go his own way--if nothing else. Even if Elric had once thought humans weren't worth the trouble of saving. Now, however, with his arm around his human mate, happily adjusting to his new place in the new world, he knew better, and that made him respect the other gargoyle even more.

The problem, was at some point in the last century, Dmitrei changed.

Where once he had been compassionate, sharing long nights arguing with Elric over the issues with humans, everything had turned upside down sometime before they had gone into their deep sleep. The Dmitrei Elric saw before him was nothing like the man he had known. Cold. Closed off. Handsome, as all gargoyles were. Tall and strong, with no doubt some of his considerable powers, even with the collar around his neck, insurance humanity was safe from his full powers. Aside from his outer appearance--his blond hair, astonishing eyes that contained every shade of blue, his large build--nothing else was the same.

"D, you have to get out," Elric said kicking the back of Dmitrei's chair to get the other man's attention. Dmitrei had taken to sitting in a large, wingback chair facing the window. "The Oracle sent you out here for me to help you, and I am not going to just let you mope."

"That is not your choice to make, is it?" Dmitrei said in a low voice.

"You need to get out and meet humans. It's not good for you to be alone."

"Humans suck," Dmitrei muttered without looking at them.

"Hey," Ann protested.

Dmitrei shrugged, "Sorry."

Elric and Ann shared a concerned glance, unsure what to do. They heard a quiet mew and Peony walked between their legs over to their house guest. Ann was about to stop her, but Elric held out a hand for her to wait. They watched as the little black kitten walked over to sit in front of Dmitrei and look up at him with one curious yellow eye. Peony was an irresistible ball of fluff as far as Elric was concerned. No one could say no to her. Yet, as Peony put up a paw and Dmitrei made no response, Elric wondered what was really wrong with his friend if he could ignore such a cute kitten.

Peony's power finally won out. Dmitrei slowly patted his leg signaling for the cat to hop up, which she did, purring loudly. Elric smiled as he felt the energy in the room soften slightly. He could see Dmitrei's hand moving gently over the kitten's back making it arch, then over her face and ears. Peony rolled onto her side, marking Dmitrei with her cheeks and curling up into a comfy ball.

Elric heard a sigh from Dmitrei's direction. An idea struck him. He walked forward, leaning on the windowsill and facing Dmitrei, who paid him no attention, "Why don't we go to the shelter? Get your own?"

Dmitrei lifted Peony by the scruff, "One like this?"

"Yes," Elric said. "Put her down."

Dmitrei did gently and Peony snuggled in again. "She likes you," Ann told him.

Dmitrei shrugged, but as unaffected as he tried to be, Elric could tell the idea intrigued him. If he wasn't going out into the world and he insisted on staying alone, perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to get him a furry companion. Perhaps even melt his icy heart a little.

"I heard that," Dmitrei muttered.

Elric laughed, "I thought you were disinterested in reading minds."

Dmitrei shrugged, "Human minds are easy to ignore. Gargoyle thoughts are like shouting."

"Perhaps some of your empathy and healing are returning?"

Dmitrei didn't answer. Even the feeling around him wasn't the same as before. Being around his friend had always been somewhat calming, healing, unless he flew into an icy rage, but that was always temporary. Until now, where he seemed permanently chilled, at least inside.

"Stop thinking about me," Dmitrei said, annoyed. "I do not need, nor do I want, your pity. I need to be put back to sleep. If she would just give back my powers, I would go back on ice myself."

Elric shook his head, "If you would just give the world a chance, you may not wish to."

Dmitrei went silent again, and Peony's purr was the loudest sound in the quiet room. Finally, Dmitrei spoke, "You say I can find one of these? If I go to this shelter?"

"Yes, Ann and I will go with you. If you are going to mope around, you might as well have something to warm you." He narrowed his eyes, "And Peony is mine."

Dmitrei gently set the kitten down so she could toddle over to Elric and rub against his legs, weaving in and out of them. Elric grinned and lifted Peony into his arms, pressing his cheek into her soft fur, "Well, let's go get you one. None will be as great as mine, but--"

"Elric," Ann interrupted as Dmitrei stood and stretched looking apathetic, as usual. "Not the time."

"Right, to the shelter," Elric said.

***

Dmitrei continued to feel dead inside, as he had since he had woken, as they walked into the shelter. When he first awoke, there had been a small measure of excitement as he had gotten used to technology, but that had quickly worn off when he realized, compared to magic, nothing was that astounding. He was still figuring out the whole internet thing, but had yet to find much use in it. Not that there was any point, he was only waiting for the Oracle to give up on him and put him back to sleep.

He had tried to help humans before. Fought for it with other gargoyles. Been a bastion of compassion and aid. And look where that had gotten him. Frozen inside and out.

The shelter was a small building with a sign out front with a cat and a dog on it. Animals that were not too different than when he had bee alive before. He had never particularly liked animals, mainly because he had never been around a lot of them. However, if Peony were any indication, they had a lot on people in the character department.

He felt a touch of nerves as he followed Ann and Elric up to the double doors that lead into the building. There was a small but clean waiting room with a front desk behind a counter that separated a room of office workers from the main space where people could wait. He sat on one of the hard benches as Elric and Ann spoke with the person at the front desk. He had no interest in talking to any human and would wait until they were ready to present him with options for pets. At least something to hold might make his time here a little more bearable.

He was sitting there, minding his own business, when a wave of white hot pain shot through him. He bolted straight up, looking around the room. No one was in visible distress. He blinked in confusion. It had been a long time since he felt pain strong enough to reach past the walls he erected around his heart. He realized, long ago, that he could only take so much of it and it didn't do much good in the end. Yet, for some reason, this person's pain was reaching out to him. He shuttered his expression, sticking his hands in his pockets and walking up to the front desk to join Ann and Elric.

A soft-spoken, curvy woman with long, dark red hair and gray eyes that almost looked silver when they caught the light gave him a warm smile, "Is this the adopter?"

Elric and Ann nodded warily. They needn't be, Dmitrei knew how to be polite--he wasn't a monster.

"I'm looking for a pet," he said, but he wasn't thinking about that. Instead, he wondered if she might be the one sending him pain. He no longer felt it at the moment, as she handed them paperwork and continued smiling and talking. He braced himself knowing it might happen again. He looked at the other two women in the shelter--one on the phone, arguing with someone about a bill, the other busy on the computer. He felt another wave slice through him as the woman speaking to them stood and came out to join them through a side door. A pleasant smile lit her face as she waved for them to follow.

"Let's go meet the animals," she said turning to walk away with the slightest uncomfortable roll of her shoulders and hips that probably once was a full limp.

He was ready this time and closed himself off to the pain so he wouldn't feel it. Now that he knew where it was coming from he didn't need to continue enduring it. He knew someone needed healing, but he also knew he couldn't do it.

What baffled him was the easy way she spoke, how well she hid what she felt, how pleasant she remained as she walked them slowly down rows of caged animals, explaining how each was special and who would make the proper owner.

She stopped and glanced over at him, waiting for his input, and he took the time to truly look her over. She was short and rounded, with the type of figure that men, and gargoyles, of his day adored. Everything about her was soft, her arms, her round shoulders, her curved stomach and hips. She wore a soft gray sweater that set off her eyes and made her look eminently huggable. As well as soft black pants that probably make it easier to cope with her injury. Watching her wince as she reached into a cage to show them another option, he wanted his powers back. Now. Whatever her pain was, he wanted to end it. It was odd that this woman made him feel that again.

He stepped past Ann and Elric, who were cooing over a possible kitten, and walked to the cages on the far side. One particular cat sat in a cage with no one around him. He was missing a lot of his fur, his blue eyes huge and curious, his ears tipped with extra fur and looking too big for his mangy body. Even at a cursory glance, Dmitrei knew something was wrong. The cat wasn't acting like the others.

"Tell me about this one," he said bluntly, stopping in front of the crate.

The woman who had been helping them made her way over. "You could say please."

He turned to look at her in shock only to discover she was teasing him. "Oh."

"My name's Elena. I met your friends, but since it's your pet we're picking out, I'll need to know more about you as well."

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "I like this one," he lied. It wasn't so much that he liked him as he felt something was off. He pitied him.

"Oh," she said, her face unable to cover the tinge of sadness as she reached out to touch the cage, letting the cat sniff her hand. "He's not adoptable."

"Why not?" Dmitrei asked peering in closer.

She let out a breath and opened the cage, letting the slinky cat crawl into her arms, immediately it curled into her neck and shoulder purring, "Maine coons are different than a lot of cats."

"Ugly," Elric commented and Ann slapped his arm.

"I think they're interesting. They're so big and sweet," Ann said.

Dmitrei though Elena was kind of interesting. The way she made animals relax in bliss, like the purring cat in front of him. For a moment, he wanted to be the one relaxing in bliss in her arms. The thought nearly made him jump back it was so foreign. He had never thought like that about a human in all of his life. Maybe an occasional shifter, long ago, but never a human. He blinked at her and tried to tune in to what she was saying as she lifted one of the cat's legs, showing a grotesque bulge. She had a pert nose and full lips that pursed as she looked at it.

"He has cancer," she explained. "Unfortunately, an aggressive kind that doesn't respond well to treatment. In his case we found out it already spread and can't be removed through surgery. It's a rare reaction to immunization. Unlucky little guy," she sighed and put him back in the cage.

"So, what will happen to him?" Elric asked with a frown.

"He's not in a lot of discomfort. So, we'll keep trying to make his life good until he's in pain, then we'll help him go."

"You mean kill him?" Dmitrei asked in shock.

"Yes," she said flatly.

Dmitrei looked at her confused. He was unable to fathom this angelic women killing anyone or anything. She turned back to the cat with soft eyes, "We give them the best lift we can, and then we let them go gently. It's the last gift we give."

Dmitrei felt another wave of attraction toward Elena. It was more than her cute face or pretty body. It was the spirit emanating from her. Caring. Brave. Courageous, even. He was getting involved with humans again. Maybe this had been a bad idea. He turned to make a run for it, but something stopped him. Perhaps it was the purr of the cat stopping abruptly as he stepped away. Maybe it was the thought of not seeing that beautiful, gray-eyed lady again. Whatever it was, he couldn't simply walk away. Then he took notice of the sign posted on the wall.

Volunteers needed. Hmm.

"So, can he not be fostered?" Ann asked sadly. "Just to give him somewhere comfortable?"

"I don't know," Elena replied. "It's against policy simply because we need to be able to treat him, as much as we can."

Dmitrei walked over to the cat, who started purring again. He raised an eyebrow and lifted his hand to stroke along its head, and its eyes closed in relief. Perhaps he still had some of his power after all. He examined the lump on its leg. Perhaps if he just had a little time…

"What does it mean, volunteer?" he asked, pointing at the sign.

Elena, who had been looking at him with an odd expression as he stroked the cat in her arms, snapped back to attention. "Oh, right. It means people to come in and help out around the shelter. Help with the animals." She bit her lip, "Without pay."

"Interesting," he said softly.

Perhaps that would enable him to stay around the cat longer. See if he could help him. Maybe that would fill something inside him. The emptiness was killing him. Being able to heal again would soothe his soul. That was, if he could do it while he powers were restrained. He eyed Elena. He needed to be careful with humans. He couldn't allow himself to get involved with them at all. If he started healing again, caring again, it would all go wrong. It was best if he went back to sleep before that could happen. But maybe he could help the cat first. Maybe even the human a little, too.

"What is his name?" Dmitrei asked.

"Sebastian," she said, cocking her head.

"And if I volunteer here, I can see him?"

She nodded and her scent wafted toward him. Violet and vanilla, soothing and soft. Would it really be so bad to get close to just one human? For just a little while?

"I accept the position."