Chapter 4

"Ah there's nothing like a night time glide over the city," Brooklyn said while banking right... riding the breeze.

"Yup," Broadway voiced from where he was gliding along side of Angela. "One more sweep of the area and we can head back to the castle."

"Oops! That reminds me, I have to make a quick stop at the Doughnut King, and pick up some goodies for Delilah and Tammy," said Argent.

"You want someone to go with you?" Angela asked.

"Thanks, but I can handle a doughnut run on my own," Argent answered. "Besides, if there's any trouble I can just..." A faint blue glow surrounded him for a second, then he vanished.

"Show-off," Brookyln said with a grin.

"Make sure and bring back some cream filled ones too!" Broadway called out.

"I don't think he can carry that many bags of doughnuts back with him," Brooklyn shot back at his rookery brother. "Besides I don't think Mrs. Perez bakes enough in a day for what you call a snack!"

"Oh yea!" Broadway made a playful dive towards Brooklyn, who dodged away.

Angela watched for a few moments as the two of them burned off some steam. "When you two hatchlings are finished playing, we do have a last sweep to make."

Brooklyn and Broadway looked at each other and grinned sheepishly, as two males who have just been scolded by a female usually do, and continued on their patrol.

Outside the Doughnut King.

Argent landed near the back door of the Perez family's Doughnut King franchise, letting his heightened senses reach out to make sure there wasn't anyone unfamiliar in the back part of the store. When he was sure that everything was clear he reached for the doorway and called through it. "Knock Knock!! Anyone home?"

"Tio Argent... Tio Argent!" Little Espiranza came rushing towards Uncle Argent, and leaped... knowing, like only a trusting child would know, that she would be caught.

After catching the little bundle of energy, he hugged Espiranza close. "Hello little one, have you been a good girl?"

"Oh yes," she said. "I even got a gold star in school yesterday for my drawing!"

"That's great!" he said.

"Si, we are all proud of our little artist," said Espiranza's grandmother Luisa as she came through the door, and hugged Argent. "And just where have you been hiding? It's been at least a week since you last visited."

Argent put Espiranza back on the floor. "Well the patrols around the city have been keeping me busy, and there's Tammy's studies to help with."

"And Delilah too," Luisa said with a smile.

Argent was glad for the first time he had a covering of fur, so Luisa couldn't see him blush. "Yes, well we try to spend time together when we can, We're... friends."

Luisa turned on a dough mixer. "Is that all she is, is she just a friend?"

Argent sat down, and thought for a moment. "We get along together really well. She makes me feel... well she makes me feel special."

"And you are," Luisa told him. "You are a very special person. Each night you go out and try to help people, you make a difference in their lives... as you did in Rosa's and ours as well."

Argent grinned. "And just where is Rosa tonight?"

"She is out on a date," Luisa informed him.

"Oh? And who is the lucky young man?"

"One who hasn't been taken in by all the neighborhood gossip about the Lobo Blanco that watches over her," Luisa said with a hint of a smile on her lips. "He's a nice young man that lives just down the block, and is in her algebra class at school."

"Just so long as he stays nice," Argent said. He then looked up at the clock on the wall. "Oops. I had better get going. I promised the others I'd be gone only a short while before we head back home."

Luisa handed him a bag full of doughnuts. "Well, just make sure it's not so long till the next time you come and visit."

"I promise," said Argent. "I'd better get going before Broadway thinks I'm eating these all by myself."

"Bye bye Tio Argent!" little Espiranza said as he made his way back outside to the ally. He looked around to make sure He couldn't be seen and leaped into the air. His wings beat, carrying him up past the rooftops on either side of him but he turned as the night breeze shifted and carried what he thought was a familiar scent to his nostrils. <Dee?> He banked and landed on a nearby rooftop where the scent was strongest. "Delilah?" He called out. "Dee, is that you?"

Demona had staked out a roof near where her mercenaries had reported that Argent had gone on more than one occasion. She had reviewed the material, and had determined that this place would be her best chance of catching him alone... and had seen him enter and after a few minutes he exited with a bag. She was prepared to try and follow him, but was caught by surprise when he turned in mid flight and came towards her hiding place. What shocked her even more than being discoverd was that he called out the name of Thailog's cloned play-toy... Delilah. Her eyes flared red for a brief moment, but then she calmed down and decided to make a move. She stood up and moved towards him. "I'm not Delilah," she said as she stepped out to meet him.

Argent watched as the figure of a female gargoyle stood up, and began to approach him. The scent of Delilah was there, but it was different, older somehow. His eyes pierced the gloom and saw her coloring, her red hair, and manner of dress. He saw something of Angela in her features... and then it all fell into place. "I take it that you are Demona?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"Yes, I am. I'm not going to attack you, if that's what you're thinking."

Argent considered for a moment. "Well from everything I've been told about you, that was what I thought when I saw who you were."

Demona gave him a wide, non-threatening, smile. "I hope you're not the type that believes everything your hear?"

"All right then, you say your not going to attack me... then why are we talking?" Argent asked cautiously.

"I wanted to thank you for saving Angela when she and Broadway were being attacked by that group of humans," Demona told him. "She is my only daughter, and I wouldn't want to see her come to harm... especially from any humans!"

"You saw that?"

"Yes, I was coming to her aide... when you showed up and defeated her attackers." She slowly began to circle him. "I was very impressed with your fighting skills, and your other talents as well."

Argent began to feel a little nervous. "Is that all?"

"No," she said. "I would like the opportunity to tell you my side of what ever Goliath has told you about me. He hasn't been living with humans as long as I have. He doesn't know what they're really like."