Chapter Twelve
A Child in Man's Clothing

Tyson paused, his fork with a bite of the cherry pie he was eating halfway to his mouth, and then put the fork carefully back down watching his charge who seemed to have become suddenly alert. "They are here," Tyson said throwing some money on the table not bothering to wait for the bill before getting up and leaving the restaurant through the kitchen. Shawn hurried after his protector trying to ignore the looks and angry words from the kitchen staff as they headed out into the night.

Shawn watched quietly as two men appeared from the darkness immediately embracing Tyson and Shawn wondered if they were old friends. He reasoned that possibly it was them he'd felt and not his brother's and tried to contain his disappointment. He needed to see them again. He needed to hear that he was forgiven because despite his resolve he could not get the child's words out of his head. Feeling a hand touching his hair, Shawn turned to see Glen standing there looking at him as if he were some specter and behind him stood Marcus off to one side. "I missed you," Glen said softly and Shawn quickly found himself wrapped safely within both of his brothers' arms. "We both missed you," Marcus said thickly and Shawn found himself unable to speak because of the lump in his throat. Closing his eyes he simply nodded just hoping that this meant he had truly been accepted back into his family once again.

"So those are the brothers I assume?" Tyson inquired and Dave nodded as Sean spoke. "The red head is our leader and the eldest brother. His name is Marcus and the other is Glen." Tyson nodded watching the trio of brothers. "Are you all staying?" He asked guardedly not crazy about traveling with this large number of people or so many that he did not know. Dave and Sean exchanged smiled and this time it was Dave that responded. "No just Sean and I will be staying to accompany you and Shawn back to the farm house. Marcus and Glen just came to make sure that their brother was alright and see us off in case the enemy decided to attack right away."

Tyson shook his head slowly. "I don't think that the wolf will attack now. It is just him and the human and the child. When it was just Shawn and myself he stood a chance, but now…" Dave nodded his agreement. "He'll wait 'til he thinks that he stands a better chance." Quietly Sean separated himself from the group troubled by what he felt in contrast with what was being said by the others. He wanted to give his senses a better chance to feel for himself what was really out there in the darkness. After a long while he felt his brother and Tyson come closer as they noticed his absence from their discussion. They stopped a good distance from him however and did not interrupt his quietness as they respected his senses and did not wish to disturb him knowing that it could very well be important.

Finally Marcus, Glen and Shawn joined them, but Dave stopped Marcus when he would have ventured too close to Sean and Tyson shushed the blonde vampire when he would have spoken. "You must be silent," Tyson scolded and Marcus lifted an eyebrow but did not speak although he did look at Dave who explained slowly and at such a volume that the others had to strain to hear what he was saying. "If you speak or crowd him, you will confuse what he is trying to make out. He has sensed something and is trying to determine not only what it is, but if it is a threat or not."

Eventually Sean made his way over to the group and looked from Tyson to Shawn before speaking guardedly at first. "You are wrong Immortal," Sean chastised, and Tyson lifted an eyebrow, but did not feel offended well familiar with Sean's ways and used to the fact that on occasion Sean sensed things he could not. "There is not three but four out there. Three are together; the wolf, the child, and the human; but there is another hovering. Whoever it is it's large and alone."

Looking at the youngest brother intensely Sean wondered what they did not know about him and worried about how trustworthy he really was. He had a general feeling about the being out in the shadows and could not help but wonder how one such as this creature could have contact with this beautiful blonde vampire. "Who was in your old clan?" He finally asked and Shawn looked up at Marcus who nodded at him to speak before he looked back to the stranger who looked somehow unhappy with him. Easily he counted the people off on his fingers as he named them. "There was Kevin who is werewolf and the leader of our odd group. His soul mate was Scott, whom Tyson beheaded yesterday. Kevin recently added a human named Mike who seems to not only act as a babysitter for the child Lucian, but also his entertainment, errand boy, and now that Scott is dead I am guessing fuck toy. Lastly and certainly least there was Paul." Shawn made a face as he said the last name as if the sound of it alone disgusted him and Sean's acute senses felt a pang of pain in the strange being he seemed to be tuned into. "Tell me about Paul," Sean insisted and Shawn sighed dramatically only giving into the vampire he was quickly finding unpleasant after Marcus prodded him into speaking.

"He's a big muscle-bound hotheaded jackass Gargoyle half-breed bastard who used me to keep himself alive and paraded me around as if I was some fucking trophy because I was pretty and forbidden to him. He'll fuck anything that moves and… what the hell are you two laughing at?" Dave and Sean looked at each other snickering as Tyson rolled his eyes at his temperamental charge wondering what he had done to piss of the babe Gabriel to get stuck with this job. "Have you always been this stupid or did something go wrong when you were turned?" He asked and Shawn immediately hissed baring his fangs. When he would have lunged at the immortal and cut him with his claws, Glen held onto him although his eyes glowed in the darkness slowing his unhappiness with his brother's treatment by the Immortal.

Quickly Dave stepped forward with his hands up as Sean, who was still snickering distanced himself from the group once more. "You don't know much about gargoyles do you?" Dave asked and Shawn shrugged indignantly not seeing what there was to "know" as Marcus shook his head at Glen signaling his brother to remain calm. Shawn's words had not settled well with him as they did not match what little he knew about the gargoyle race. He wondered how long his brother had known this creature to know so very little about him. "First off Shawn, he doesn't need you to keep him alive," Dave corrected quietly. "They live almost forever. The young ones are quite temperamental." Sean took over as he rejoined the group looking serious. "I would say he's about 300ish." Sean guessed and Shawn sneered. "Shows what the fuck you know," he spat. "Paul's 36."

Growing tired of the blonde's attitude Sean moved forward standing in front of the petty creature. "If he was 36 then he would be about 2 foot tall and trying to eat you alive. The newborns are quite cannibalistic and often eat their weaker siblings. Their patents often don't have much contact with them until they are about 100 and abandon then before they turn 200 even though they are not considered mature until somewhere between 500 and 600 years old when their wings and claws are fully formed. Just exactly how long did you know Paul?" Shawn shrugged carelessly biting his lip. "'Bout… 100 years give or take…" Dave blinked at Paul as Marcus growled and walked off a couple steps before coming back. "YOU HAVE KNOWN HIM FOR ALMOST 100 YEARS AND YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HIM?"

Tyson sighed as his charge winced at his brother's anger and moving forward pulled Shawn away from Marcus then looked down at him. "Your Paul was most likely 336 years old and I highly doubt that he was unfaithful to you. They are highly monogamous creatures. Even if he is some kind of… half breed as you say I still doubt any of the things you thought are true. Most likely he loved you very much." Sean sighed unhappily as he stared into the darkness. "He's also injured. I just hope to God the wolf didn't bite him."

Confused Shawn wandered away from the group slightly looking around in the dark. "How do you know he's hurt?" Sean studied the man he was to be protecting still not sure what to think of him. "Some of them have some minor cloaking powers, but I think the other part of him is some human mixed with vampire which has made his cloaking powers even stronger. The only reason I can sense him is because I can feel his pain… he's weaker than normal I would guess. Another problem with the young ones is that their powers are not at full strength so they are not made to be used for a long time. He's been using them too long."

Marcus frowned looking around. "Do you know what happened Sean?" The Vampire was silent before turning and looking at Shawn. "I would rather not say, but we need to find someone or some way to can heal him. If he's as badly hurt as I think… he's going to need it." Shawn sniffled softly still looking around into the darkness. "Why won't he come out now? Can't he hear us talking about him? Paul, please… we won't hurt you." Sean walked back to the group shaking his head. "Leave him be. As long as that goddamned werewolf is still out there is he better off unseen." Sean looked at Dave who located an empty bottle then slitting their wrists filled it with some of their blood. Sean took it up and walked into the darkness where he sensed Paul was. "It is alright little one," he said softly, "you will be safe just stick close to me."

Slowly Paul became visible for a moment and Sean sighed seeing the blood covering his side and the panicked expression on his face. "I… I don't know what to do! I couldn't… I couldn't let him… hurt Shawn. Hurts so bad." Paul whimpered softly and Sean sighed seeing the claw marks. Not bites, but bad enough on their own for someone as young as this one was. Sean reached out and brushed back Paul's blonde hair from his face. "You will heal I swear." Paul sniffled. "Why don't he love me?" Sean smiled softly before standing. "He does. Just give it some time and he will come back to you I swear that too little one." Sean stood and handed Paul the bottle. "You need to feed more. It will heal your injury. My brother Dave and I will protect you and the immortal will protect Shawn." Paul looked up at Sean wide eyed and trembling.

"Why are you helping me?" Kneeling back down Sean brushed back Paul's hair again and sighed once more. "Because little one I know that despite your grown up body you are basically just a child. The problem is that because you are only part gargoyle you were not ready to be alone. You needed more nurturing those around you. And as it works out I am more than happy to finish teaching you. That is if you think you can put up with my brother." Paul giggled shyly and drank the bottle then nodded yawning. "Tired," Paul said and Sean nodded. "We'll find a place to sleep and leave tomorrow evening." Leaning down Sean kissed Paul on the forehead before he disappeared again then headed off to give the others the news.

TBC...

On to Chapter Thirteen Sharing leadership