Disclaimer time. I don't own the gargoyles. Raina is mine as is her
dad and brother. I'm making no money so don't sue me. If anyone has the urge
to borrow Onyx, Raina, or their friends please ask me, I'm very generousJ.
This is the third story in my Wyoming series. Special thanks to my clan and
especially DJ for her encouragement. Feedback and blind adoration can be
sent to me at waffle@micrord.com ,Flamers will be read and/or ignored. This
is my take on dealing with roommates. J Enjoy!

		Simple Pleasures by Montanna of Moonsong

	He was huge, a massive beast with a heart of gold. His size
terrified people. They couldn't see the gently soul that lay beneath his
eyes. Raina reached over and stroked his sleek back. Muscle rippled in
pleasure at her touch. Power radiated from him. His intelligent eyes begged
for her caring hands. He was perfect for her needs...
	"Well Miss Raina, I still don't see what you want with this great
beast. I mean I have a lot of nice geldings and mares you can buy. Why do
you want this outlaw?"
	Raina looked away from the Medicine Hat stud leaning into her touch
to smile at Mick O'Shea. He was old school and didn't think a young woman
had any business around a stallion, let alone buying one.
	"Well Mick, he's just right for my needs. I need a good herd
stallion, and he's always thrown gorgeous foals. How much do you want for
Sand Dancer?"
	After a few minutes of gossiping with the old hand, Raina had Dancer
loaded into the trailer and headed home. She hadn't lied to Mick; she
really did need a good stud. She also needed a horse big enough for Onyx to
ride. He had often expressed a desire to go with her on her evening rides
rather than glide above her. Dancer was a well-mannered horse. But when you
throw a highly intelligent animal in a pasture alone, with nothing to do,
it will get into trouble. Dancer had a reputation for getting out and being
a pain in the ass. Raina figured that a herd of 15 brood mares and 60 acres
would keep him happy. She just hoped that the easygoing stud would get
along with her warrior.
	When Onyx woke that evening, Raina was sitting on the battlements.
She smiled at his approach. 
	"Good evening Rainy, how was your day?"
	"Pretty good, I have a surprise for you."
	Leading Onyx to the restored stables, she motioned him towards a
large stall. Looking into the stall, he was greeted by a nicker. Inside the
stall was a massive Medicine Hat stud. He hesitantly reached a taloned hand
towards the horse's elegant muzzle. 
	Onyx felt his throat close up. No one had ever just given him
anything. There had all ways been strings attached. He felt love well up
within him. Raina had such a huge heart. 
	Raina smiled at the expression on his face. One of the greatest
pleasures she had was giving things to him. She honestly couldn't understand
how callous his "father" could have been, to foster such wariness.  She
grinned up at him. "I've got an ulterior motive for giving you Dancer, I
want you to ride with me, not glide above me."
	They saddled up and joined Cade and Jake in the pasture. Then they
began their first real ride.
	Demona shrank back into the shadows, Once she had killed Thailog,
she would deal with the humans with him. She waited until the woman and the
two men had passed by and the hefted the laser to her should.
	Raina had just turned to Onyx, intent on telling him of her
deepening feelings for him when she glanced to her left. The sight of a blue
skinned, red headed gargoyle confronted Raina. The gargoyle shot Onyx out of
the saddle and turned to aim at Jake. 
	Raina didn't stop to think. She stood up in the stirrups, pulled her
rifle up to her shoulder, and began firing round after round at point black
range into Demona's chest. Demona felt the impact of each bullet as it hit
square in the chest. This human had excellent aim she thought as the world
went dark.
        Raina didn't even stop to see where Demona had fallen. She rushed
to where her brother Cade and her father knelt beside a half conscious Onyx. 
        "We have to get him on Dancer and get back to the keep now." Jake
looked at his daughter and said, "We need to bind his wound first hon,
besides I don't think Miss Congeniality is gonna be any more trouble..." 
        "That's just it dad... She's immortal and I don't know how much time
those 15 rounds bought us!" 
        Hearing that the two men helped Raina get Onyx back on his horse as
she mounted behind him. They made record time reaching the Keep.  
        Some where in the darkness Demona sat up.... 
        Jake watched his daughter fuss over Onyx. He had accepted this
warrior's place in his little girl's life; now he saw something else. The
way they watched each other, the shy looks that passed between the two, his
baby girl was in love with a gargoyle. He remembered what his grandmother
Night Storm had said... 
        "The heart sees no color... only the it's soulmate..." he sighed, it
looked as though when he finally walked Rainy down the aisle, Onyx would be
waiting at the other end. No matter, Onyx had proven himself a trusted
friend. That decision made, he left them alone together. 
        Once they were alone Onyx gently pulled Raina across his lap. She
buried her face in his powerful neck and shuddered... "I could have lost you
Onyx, she almost killed you." 
        "Shhhh, Rainy, I'm alright. The sun will heal me. You know that. But
be careful, Demona becomes human with the coming of the dawn, she'll kill
you if she gets the chance..." 
        "Let her try. She doesn't want to mess with me. I know these
mountains better than anyone alive does. AND I don't play well with others." 
        They held each other till the dawn greeted them.... Raina carefully
extracted herself from Onyx's stone arms. She turned to see her brother
standing in the doorway. 
        "I suppose this is where you tell me it's stupid to love him as much
as I do?" 
        "Naw... this is the part where I say there had better be a wedding
or Dad and me will skin him out for a throw rug", Cade laughed. He sobered a
little. "What are we going to do? This chick is MAJOR bad news..." 
        "I'm not sure... What about your friend Rowan? Can she help us?" 
        "Well, Big Daddy Oberon can't tell her what to do... let me check
and see."

        Rowan looked up as the phone rang. She would never get over how far
humans had advanced their science during her exile. As she reached for the
phone she felt who was on the other end. 
        "Hello Cade. How are you?" 
        "That creeps me out when you do that Ro. Ummmm, what do you know
about an immortal female gargoyle with a chip on her shoulder?" 
        "I know of two, you'll have to be more specific." 
        "Blue skin, screamin red hair, likes lasers, REAL cranky?" 
        "Demona, is she bothering you?" 
        "She just tried to vaporize my sister's garg. Rainy's real fond of
Onyx. What should we do?" 
        "Nothing, I'll be there soon." 
        Cade set the phone down and rubbed his forehead tiredly. Rowan was
as wild as any child of the Third Race came. She would keep Demona off their
backs.

Rowan's story will be told in Immortal Souls