As Gabriel drove himself, and his songbird back home. He couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. He had taken her there, to make a point. But instead she had taught him a valuable lesson. And lessons learned should always be rewarded.

He looked over at her, as he could hear her humming to herself. A smile soon crept upon his face, as he listened to her. It was her beautiful voice that had originally lured him under her spell, until she had captured his heart. So many woman had tried in the past, yet they used cheap bait. But the one who wasn't even trying, was the one who had actually been successful.

The little songbird seemed completely obvious to the fact, that some demon was enjoying listening to her beautiful melody. She was truly like a siren, who didn't understand that she had her own powerful gift. Her outer beauty was undeniable, but her singing brought it out even more. As he continued to smile at her, she seemed to not even notice. She looked as though she was lost in her own thoughts.

Just what is going through that pretty little mind of yours? He wondered.

All of a sudden, his smile began to fade. He couldn't help but worry. Was Rosy right? Would his angelic songbird be incapable of loving the monster that was a part of him. The very monster that he tried to deny most of his life? Or, the monster that had ended up unwilling running his family's empire? But the again she—

"Why do you have so many gargoyle statues?" She asked.

"Huh?" He replied, as her question brought his thoughts back to reality. "I'm sorry. Um, my mind was just preoccupied."

"Oh." She replied. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt your train of thought."

"No!" He laughed while feeling slightly embarrassed. "It's okay. What was your question again?"

"I was just wondering why you had so many gargoyle statues?" She asked again.

"Oh." He replied. "I thought that was what you asked. But I wasn't sure that I heard you correctly. My family has collected them for generations. Although it was my father, who took it to a whole new level. Why do you ask?"

"No reason." She replied. "They've always fascinated me. There was a cartoon when I was younger about them. After my parents were murdered, I always fantasized, that one day they would come and rescue me."

"I remember that show." He replied. "I liked it because it contained the only plot, at least that I can remember, where the gargoyle were not the villains."

"I've seen gargoyle statues before." She told him. "But yours are different. They all look afraid."

"Well, there is an interesting legend." He began to explain. "Although it is not well known. Apparently there is only one way to kill a gargoyle. You have to pierce his heart. Once you do that, the gargoyle turns to stone. So unlike the cartoon series, a stone gargoyle hasn't fallen asleep, the gargoyle was killed."

"Are you telling me that's why they looked terrified?" She asked.

"Well, Gargoyles are just mythological creatures." He replied. "But supposedly a statue would be of a terrified gargoyle, because his heart would have been pierced. He would know that his fate was sealed. The only other time, that a gargoyle might turn to stone, is if he had put himself in a long stasis. Which would be different than just sleep."

"I don't think I've ever seen a gargoyle statue where it look like it's asleep." She replied.

"Exactly." He told. "It was believed that mankind drove them to extinction. And that the ones in my family's collection, are what is left of the fallen. Those terrified faces, were the last faces they made, right before they died."

"So, then why are there so many statues of angry ones?" She asked.

"Because those are just statues carved from rock." He explained.

"Why aren't there any female ones in your collection?" She asked.

"Because there is no such thing." He told her. "I guess if you look at it from a scientific angle, the gargoyle gene is like a mutation. It can only exist within the Y chromosome."

His songbird had a surprised look upon her face. "You mean that gargoyle males mated with human females?"

"I assume they did." He told her.

"But wait?" She questioned with a look of confusion. "What if a gargoyle's human mate gave birth to a daughter?"

"Then the daughter would be one hundred percent human." He explained. "Even if a human girl had a gargoyle father, she would not inherit any one her father's gargoyle DNA, only his human DNA."

"Wow." She said as she looked even more surprised. "Well, that's very interesting."

"Who knows?" He said as he gave her a playful smile. "Maybe we all have a little bit of gargoyle in all of us, but we just don't know it. I'm just kidding of course. Everyone knows there's no such thing."

"Who know what existed?" She replied with a serious look in her expression. "Mankind tried to commit genocide before. Maybe, at least this one time, we were unfortunately successful? Maybe we succeeded in completing such a heinous act?"

"Maybe." He told her.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As the vehicle pulled into the garage, Cali couldn't help but feel disappointed. If his story was true, than gargoyles would be extinct. They wouldn't exist anymore. Than it would mean that her savior was all a dream. Maybe it had been her mind, trying to help her cope with having almost been raped. Maybe gargoyles, all this time, were just a fantasy side of own herself. One in which she would no longer feel afraid.

"Why don't you go upstairs, and make yourself pretty?" Gabriel said with a smile. "You can put on that red dress that Rosy brought over yesterday. I will arrange a special dinner for us tonight. Can you be ready in two hours?"

"Um, sure." She replied, giving a bashful, while she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. .

"Good." He replied as he continued to smile. He then placed a kiss upon her cheek, and pointed at her as he began to walk away. "I will see you in two, Songbird."

Cali made her way up the stairs, and decided to take another shower. She then did her hair and make, but decided to go for a more natural look. She didn't know exactly what kind of women he usually dated, but she knew he would not want her face painted up too much. And the truth was, she didn't like it either.

As she was finishing up, she put on the dress, and looked at herself in the mirror. Hopefully he would like the way she looked. She was still afraid of displeasing him. Eventually there was a knock on the bedroom door. Gabriel, of course, was right on time. As she opened the door, his face immediately lit up, as he was looking right at her.

"My god, Songbird!" He breathlessly exclaimed. "You look incredible! I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful!"

He was in a black tuxedo that suited his style to a T, simple yet elegant.

"You don't look so bad yourself." She told him as she shot him a coy smile.

"You almost look perfect." He said. "Almost, but what I have here will fix that, Here, a special gift for you." He handed her a large jewelry box. She was taken aback, as it was something that she had not been expecting. As she opened it, she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Oh my god!" She gasped. "This can't be-this can't be for real!"

"Oh I assure you it can be." He told her, as he gave her a coy smile. "That is a genuine ruby necklace, and it has been in our family for hundreds of years. Do you like it?"

"It's-it's beautiful!" She replied in astonishment. "I think it's incredible! But I can't accept this!"

"I assure you my dear, you can." He told her, as he removed the neckless from the box. Gabriel then went behind her, and placed it around her neck. As she looked down at the neckless, she was almost speechless. She had never worn anything so expensive in her life.

Gabriel walked back in front of her, looked at her and smiled. "Beautiful!"

"I-I don't know what to say." She said as she still felt astonished by the generous gift. "Th-thank you."

"You're welcome." He replied, as he offered her his arm. "Shall we?" She soon took it, wondering what other surprises he had in store for her. He soon lead her down the hall, but not to the stairs. We're they heading for an elevator? Did he really have an elevator? When they reached the elevator door, he took out a key, and unlocked the access.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"You'll see." He told her. He then pushed the button, and they got on. Wherever they were going, it seemed to be up. When they reached their destination, the door shot open to an amazing view. They were on the roof, but it had an impressive terrace.

There was a bandstand, a dance floor, and a special table set up for just the two of them, Ready for them to share an elegant evening. But there was also a pool, and a hot tub further on down. The space could have been used for either an elegant evening, or even a pool party.

"This is the outdoor ballroom." He told her.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed. "I've never seen anything like this!"

"This home is like the castle of my kingdom." He told her. "I am my own king. and soon Songbird. You shall become my queen!"