March 7
“We are you arch nemeseseses…” Warren proudly boasted as he stumbled over the wording.
Faith and Spike watched them from the center of the street where they’d had a mild showdown. There were magicks, demons that weren’t there, a brief few hours as the invisible girl – and God, the sex was hotter that way. Faith didn’t know what it was about being invisible, but it was fantastic. Still, it was just as well Anya and Tara had restored her – Tara had said something about her molecules degrading, and while Faith wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, she knew it was extremely bad.
Then there was something about time shifting – she killed the demon, apparently, before the spell could go into effect, hence the revealing of the trio of geeky so-called baddies before her.
“Nemeses, you dolt,” Spike snapped as he lazily lighted a cigarette. “If you’re going to be something, get it right.”
“Shut up, vampire,” Andrew cried, standing tall next to Warren. Spike snorted.
“Ooh, scary.” He blew out a stream of smoke, glanced at Faith out of the corner of his eye and laughed. “So you’re after the slayer, why? To make her life even more hassled than the daily influx of real demons already makes it? To what…put her in danger or something?”
“We’re evil,” Jonathon insisted, then shrank under Faith’s steely black gaze.
“Didn’t Buffy save your miserable life a couple years ago? Didn’t she risk hers to make sure you didn’t suicide on everyone?”
Jonathon swallowed, but didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. Andrew patted him on the back in a condescending fashion and answered for him. “That’s why we’re evil!”
“You’re not evil,” Faith said in a quiet voice. “I know evil. You’re just annoying.”
“We are, too! We’re evil. We’re going to take over Sunnydale! Then the world!” He had the nerve to utter a malevolent laugh here, but Faith and Spike just rolled their eyes. “It’s because we were ignored in high school that we turned evil.”
“Great,” Spike crushed his cigarette butt on the ground, toeing it into the gutter. “Clichéd children trying to make a name for themselves.”
“Jonathon I remember, Warren – apparently you made a robot to boink because you couldn’t get any another way.” Faith slanted a glance at Spike – she’d heard about the Buffy-bot, too. “But who the hell are you?” Faith pointed to Andrew in question as he shrunk back.
“We’re evil,” Warren insisted. “It’s our job, as your arch nemeses to defeat you. And we will.”
“Whatever,” Faith blew them off, turning on her heel and walking away. “I got enough going on without you in my way. If you really want to be the big bad, try keeping the demon population down. They’ll cower in terror when you’re after them.”
Spike laughed once more before following his lover. Catching up to her, he pulled her onto a side street and backed her against the wall, kissing her before she had a chance to realize what was happening.
Caught between his cold, hard body, and the cold, hard brick of the building, Faith attacked him. Lips on his, hands tugged her own nipples because she knew it drove him wild when she pleasured herself. He growled, lifting one of her legs over his hip as her hot, nimble hands worked his zipper, pulling his hard cock out. His fingers were suddenly in her, cool in her wet heat, and Faith hissed in pleasure.
“Not here,” she insisted, though she had no qualms about being fucked in an alley. No, it was more that she didn’t want to be caught unawares now. Now that she was the slayer, now that she had all the responsibility. She needed to be aware of her surroundings, needed to know who was around her. At least in the mansion, Tara and Anya had erected a protection spell where only they, she, and Spike could get through without the proper magickal passwords.
“No…?” Spike’s fingers thrust into her, two, three, the fingers of his other hand twisting her aching nipples until she moaned his name.
“Come for me, Faith,” he coaxed. “Let yourself go. Let yourself feel.”
Their eyes locked, Faith shook her head once, admitted, “I can’t. Not any more.” But she needed him too badly, wanted him. Cared for him with an aching need that tore a hole in her heart and soul.
“Yes,” he whispered, mouth gliding along her neck. “Yes, you can; come on, baby. Scream my name.”
And then he pinched her clit, blunt teeth clamping down on her neck, and Faith did just that. Breathing heavy, eyes black with sated passion that ignited once more at his look, she kissed him.
“Spike,” she whispered this time, softly, almost reverently. Her hands framed his face, and she looked at him for long moments. Scared of the feelings – yes feelings – welling in her, she dropped her leg and released him.
“Let’s get home,” he said, doing up her zipper before taking her hand and leading her towards the mansion at the edge of town.
~~~~~~~~~~
Lilah rolled off Hamilton with a sigh. Wow, she’d never had a lover like him. He was strong, had stamina she couldn’t believe, and knew his way around a woman’s body. He was just about perfect. Inhuman, but perfect.
“I do so enjoy these little activities,” Hamilton admitted as he trailed a hand down Lilah’s leg.
“Good,” she breathed. “Always nice to know you’re appreciated.”
He chuckled, pinching her hip. “Tell me of Ms. Summers’ progress.”
Sighing, this time in real regret over the change of subject, Lilah watched him out of the corner of her eye. She didn’t mind shop talk, sharing her knowledge, her plans with Hamilton, but once in a while – once in a while – it’d be nice to just bask in the afterglow. Oh, well.
“The shamans are at a loss,” she admitted. “I’ve had two of them killed, but it hasn’t made anything better. Apparently, ensouling a person is harder than the gypsies made it seem. Still working on that.”
“And the diversion?” He pulled her to him, mouth on her breasts as he asked, “Is Angel sufficiently…preoccupied?”
“Hmmm, yes. The son was a brilliant idea, my compliments to the Senior Partners for that trick. Angel is hopelessly devoted to the child, will do anything for him. So much so that in the past month, he’s barely pestered us for information on his dear slayer.”
“Good,” Hamilton approved, fingers teasing her wet curls. “And Sahjhan? Is he being taken care of?”
“Yes,” she moaned, hips moving with his fingers. “The urn is in place, Holtz is prepared to use it at the end of our plan. He’s leaving with the kid.”
Rolling her under him, Hamilton kissed her hard and deep, watching her through hooded eyes. He loved dominating her, and knew she loved it in return. Letting that hard woman go and have him tie her to the bed had Lilah screaming his name. She was one of the best lovers he’d had in a long time, he had to give her that.
“And the betrayal? Will Angel lose it enough to either let the demon take over, or go after the kid?”
“You mean leave LA, head for the wilds of,” she snorted in derision, “Nebraska after the kid? No, it’s not going to work like that. You made sure of it.”
“Yes,” he smiled, nipping her shoulder. “But then we want Connor older sooner than he normally would be.”
“Mind telling me why?” she asked, not really expecting an answer. “Why you want Connor older? What do the Senior Partners need him so badly for?”
“We have plans for the child of two vampires. He’s needed for our ultimate plan.”
Lilah narrowed her eyes at him, wondering at the answer Hamilton had and had not given. Ultimate plan? What plan? The apocalypse? But then he entered her, and all thoughts of Angel were gone.
~~~~~~~~~~
Where the hell was he? Always gone, he was always off someplace, and she couldn’t get to him. She needed him to complete her transformation, to complete her destiny. She’d specifically returned early from her vacation, sending Groo off to Pylea where he belonged, and she would one day rule, and Angel wasn’t even there to welcome her back! Of all the nerve…
What was it with that damn vampire? God, didn’t he know the role by now? He fell in love with her, he was close, she knew it. Angel was supposed to love her, make love to Cordelia’s body and bring about the transformation from demon-seer to goddess. He was the key because of the constant flux of his powers.
Good, evil. Soul, demon. Strength, tenderness. She needed that, the pinnacle in paradox, the ultimate irony, the strongest magicks.
But no, Cordelia huffed as she tapped her foot, waiting while he went off to confront Lilah over whatever. Connor’s blood, big deal. So he was chowing down on his son’s blood, it made him more susceptible to her magicks. It made him love her, want her, forget the brat and that stupid slut, Buffy.
“Damn it,” she muttered in the silence of the lobby. “What the hell changed to make him leave me? I know it was working, I know he was simply biding his time to take me. And where,” she glared at the ceiling as if she could see his room. “Did those stupid flowers go? There was enough magick in those to seduce him for a month! How they hell did he throw it off in a week?”
“Milady,” Lorne bowed. “How fare you this eve?”
Smiling at her devoted servant, her slave, Cordelia held her hand out for him to kiss. Too bad Lorne wasn’t worthy enough for her transformation, she’d use him. At least he was willing and able, if not desirable – and certainly not worthy. “Very well, my dear Lorne. Tell me,” she paused, made sure no one else was about. “As a loyal worshiper of your Powers, how do you feel about the prophecy regarding Angel?”
“His Shanshu, milady?” At Cordelia’s nod, Lorne frowned. “A vampire to a human? I think Wesley got the translation wrong.” Cordelia cocked her head, listening for Wesley’s return. He was taking Connor tonight, was packing even now as Angel went off to do only he knew what. With the brat gone, she planned on putting the next stage of her plan into action. With or without the magickal flowers to help her along.
“The soul needs rest, and the demon is your eternal mate. He’s the only one worthy of your magnificence because he’s the only one the Senior Partners want for themselves.”
At the mention of those who put her into this mess, who forced her into stasis in that forsaken plane, who forced this long wait, this ages-long plan, she snarled. “Never mention them again,” she threatened, stepping towards him, the power within her making her glow golden white. Lorne hastily took a step back, dropping to his knees.
“Please, milady, I beg your forgiveness.”
Just then she sensed Wesley’s approach, and bade Lorne to rise. As he did, she smiled beatifically at him. “Lorne, I’m going to head home.” For now – once everything was in place, she planned on returning and getting Angel; she had several hours to finish the preparations for the ritual, at least. “If you guys need me, call, okay?”
“Sure, cupcake,” he nodded, once more not realizing that Cordelia had used his worship of his Powers, the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart to further her own agenda. It was all too easy with a mind that was already bent in that direction. Sure, Lorne prided himself on being neutral, but everyone was corruptible. Everyone.
Lorne watched Cordelia leave as Wesley walked down the stairs, Connor in his arms. The child looked sad, unbearably so, and scared. But then Lorne blinked, and Connor looked like a baby once more, fussing in Wes’ arms and trying to crawl over his shoulder.
“Taking the little tyke for the night? Man,” Lorne shook his head. “Angel’s not going to take that well. Maybe I’ll head home before he gets back and realizes how quiet it is here without his kid.”
“Yes,” Wesley agreed as Connor began to cry. “Good idea, Lorne.” Humming to Connor in an effort to get the child to stop his fussing, Wesley at first didn’t realize his mistake.
But then he remembered. Lorne said nothing, did nothing to give himself away, but Wesley knew he’d read what was inside him, what his plan for Connor was and cursed. He carefully placed Connor in the playpen before turning to face the green demon.
“Why are you going to destroy Angel’s only happiness?”
Wes didn’t answer, but moved towards the green demon, ready to keep his secret a secret.
“What are you doing, Wes?” Lorne demanded, stalking forward, already red eyes blazing with fire and anger. His hands came up, claws elongating and ready to attack. Lorne wasn’t a violent person, so unlike the rest of his people, but this was beyond the pale; this was something that Angel would never forgive – that no one would ever forgive. “You’re kidnapping Connor? Why? Why betray Angel like that? Why take his son?”
“The Father Will Kill The Son,” Wesley said. “It’s the Prophecy, the one I’ve been working on. That’s what it says. It says that Angel will kill Connor.”
Lorne snorted in disbelief, closer now and ready to strike. “Angel would never hurt that kid, Wes. You’re out of your mind, and I’m going to tell Angel.” Changing directions, he moved towards the stairs, where Angel had sequestered himself after agreeing that Wesley could take Connor for the night.
“No, I can’t let you do that.” With that, Wes tackled Lorne to the floor, sliding him across the lobby and away from the stairs. With luck, Angel hadn’t heard that.
Struggling back up, Lorne was immediately attacked by Wes again, as the former watcher used all his newfound skills, learned working with the man he was about to destroy, to incapacitate another friend. In the end, it was pure dumb luck that caused Wes to claim victory. Lorne fell over the desk – Wesley’s desk – immediately followed by Wes beating him with an eighteenth century statue he’d bought several months ago…with Angel’s money.
It was all with Angel’s money, the company Wesley ‘ran’, the books he purchased, the electricity he used, the desk he had, it was all bought with Angel’s money. Angel Investigations didn’t make enough money to support itself, let alone three employees. So they used Angel. And now Wesley was going to destroy him by kidnapping his son.
Making sure Lorne wasn’t visible from the lobby, buying him enough time to escape, Wes hurried back to a crying Connor.
“Here, all right. That’s a boy. That’s a boy,” he soothed, bouncing a fussing Connor in his arms. He needed to leave. Now. Turning to again make sure Lorne wasn’t visible, Wes came face to face with Angel. Shit.
“Angel.” Had his voice betrayed anything? Could the vampire tell he was taking his son and handing him over to Holtz?
But Angel’s eyes were riveted on Connor, and he only asked, “Where is everybody?”
“Fred and Gunn,” he said, relieved, “Went for food. Lorne…” don’t look over there, don’t look, don’t look… “He, ah, he had to go out, he said. I packed up some overnight things,” Wes held up the diaper bag to prove his point. “And yes, I bathed little Connor just as you asked.” He paused, swallowed. “I know this is hard, Angel, but remember how we talked about me taking Connor to the park?”
Angel didn’t answer, just stared at his child. Connor was staring back, and Wes wondered if this was it. Was Angel going to kill his son now? Was this what the signs meant? The look the vampire had in his eyes was longing, Wes would bet his life on that – he looked like he wanted to devour his son right here and now. He had to get out of here, the sooner the better. The way Angel was just looking at Connor was unnerving, though Connor seemed relaxed now; he wasn’t crying, fusing, nothing.
“The park across from my place is...” he cleared his throat, moving a step away from the no doubt unstable vampire. Angel wasn’t acknowledging a word Wesley was saying, and Wes knew this was a bad sign. He just kept staring at Connor! Staring at him as Angelus would, wanting to consume the child, wanting to snack on him just as he had on hundreds of other children in his terrible reign.
“It’s, um, it’s always full of kids. I thought we could go there in the morning, it’s supposed to be a really nice day.” To belie those words, thunder cracked in the distance, and Connor jumped. If Wes didn’t know better, he’d say that the boy tried to jump into his father’s arms. But that was just ridiculous. As was the fact that Connor’s hands were stretched towards Angel.
“That’s – okay,” he nodded, much to Wesley’s relief. “Okay, you might be…that’s probably a really good idea.” But he sounded far from convinced, and even Wes could hear that above his own fear for his plan. But it was for the best…Angel was going to kill Connor, and while losing him now was going to hurt, at least Angel wouldn’t have to live with the knowledge that he’d killed his own son.
Letting out a deep breath, Wes smiled, offering Connor to his father. “You want to say goodbye?”
Angel took Connor, whispering to him in a language Wes couldn’t understand; he had a feeling it was Gaelic, it sounded familiar, but Angel’s tone was too low for Wes to really hear the words and translate them. Drawing back, he smiled down at his son. “Okay, Connor. Hey, there, my boy.”
Connor was smiling at his father as if he hadn’t a care in the world, knowing that Angel would always be there to keep him safe, and that nothing could ever touch him. He giggled and grabbed Angel’s nose, bumping heads with his father as if this was something they did every day. But Angel’s eyes were still golden-brown, and Wesley knew, he knew without a doubt, that he wasn’t the same Angel from before.
“He-he, yeah, we’re going to miss you, too. Sleep tight, big guy, okay? Daddy will see you real soon, we promise.” Raising his voice, he told a confused Wes, “Just keep an eye on him, okay? Uh…I check on him a lot during the night. You have his pediatrician’s number, his baby formula?”
“I’ve got all that, yes of course.” ‘We’ what was this ‘we’ business? Angel really was losing it; God, Wes had to get out and soon. He was acting crazy now, and that look in his eyes…it wasn’t the Angel Wesley had known the past two years, no. It was something else. More than that Angel, more than he was prepared to deal with. Wesley was deathly afraid – deathly certain – that that look was Angelus.
Still holding Connor, Angel asked, “You ever hear of a time-traveling demon by the name of Sahjhan?”
“No.” Angel was stalling now, and Wes had places to be. This wasn’t going at all as he’d envisioned when he’d first concocted this really crazy plan.
“He’s the guy that brought Holtz here. He thinks I’m his sworn enemy; but I don’t know him from Adam.” Connor gurgled in his arms, and Angel smiled down at him. “Can you hit the books before you go?”
With something akin to horror, Wes watched as Angel sat down on the settee in the lobby, completely at ease, Connor in his arms. Terrified for the child, but more for his friend, Wes desperately tried to think of a way to get the hell out of the hotel before Angel killed his son. Just then, the doors open, and Fred and Gunn, ladened with bags of food, entered.
“Hey,” Gunn smiled, looking around the room. “Where’s Lorne? He better show his green face pronto, or Fred’ll eat his hoagie.”
“I will not!” She protested, smiling up at her lover, but then looking at Angel, too. He was so handsome, holding Connor like that. But he wasn’t looking at her, no. He was whispering to his son in a language she couldn’t understand. She’d have to ask Wesley what it meant later; he’d know what language Angel spoke, what he was saying to Connor.
And it never occurred to her that what Angel said to his son wasn’t any of her business, that it was between father and son, and that she was prying into things that she had no right in knowing.
“I already had two…unless he’s really not here?”
“He had to go out,” Angel said, not looking up from his giggling and drooling son who clapped his hands over his father’s prominent nose.
“Where?”
“Where did you say he went, Wes?” Angel asked his friend, but he still looked at his son, smiling at the child’s obvious joy. “Yes, Connor,” he bounced the boy on his knee smiling at him.
This wasn’t how his plan was supposed to go at all. Not at all. Why did these things happen to him? “I, ah, I don’t know, sorry. He didn’t say…exactly. I think he had to see a client. You know, Angel, I’ve got better reference materials for your demon search at home…there are some things there that can help better, I’m sure of it. And Connor is getting sleepy. Why don’t I look into it in a bit, once I settle Connor in?”
Looking up from his son, slowly to Wesley, Angel nodded. But made no move to relinquish the child. He looked, to Wesley’s mind, like he was having an internal debate over it. How odd…but it simply reinforced his belief that Angel was losing it. That the prophecy was going to come true; that Angel was going to kill Connor. Holding out his hands, Wes waited.
Slowly Angel stood, holding the baby close. With an audible swallow, he let Wesley take his child; one hand smoothed the tufts of hair on Connor’s head as his son looked at him with wide blue eyes. “Ah, okay.” He nodded again, but didn’t look convinced. “Just, um. Just call me if you find something, okay, Wes?” but again, his gaze was on his son.
“Of course,” Wesley agreed with a smile and a nod. Turning to the rest of the group, he said, “I guess, ah…I’ll see everyone tomorrow, then. I’m sure I’ll find something on this Sajan.”
Angel just nodded, but then suddenly took a step forward, just as Wes turned away with his child. “Hey, Wes?”
Caught. Crap, was he caught? “Yeah?” He didn’t turn all the way around, certain his acting skills had been tapped and that if he looked at Angel once more, the vampire would know. Worse, what really scared Wesley, was that Angel didn’t seem to already know. What did that mean?
“What’s the closest emergency room to your place?”
His heart calmed slightly, and he remembered to breathe again. “Drew Medical; one minute away.” No more questions, please. I can’t take it, he thought, hefting the diaper bag once more and settling a fussing Connor higher in his arms. “Top-notch infant care center. Don’t worry, Angel…I’ll take care of your son for you.”
Angel watched their son leave, the stark look in the child’s eyes tearing a hole in their heart, his whimper doing things to their insides that they hadn’t realized possible. And this was only for the night. What would Connor be like during sleepovers and school parties? What about them? Could they handle that?
‘Did you notice something off with the watcher?’
‘Yeah, he seemed distracted. Apparently, he’s been working hard – wish we could remember on what. But he mispronounced Sahjhan; that’s so unlike him. And…Connor.’
‘I know,’ Angelus agreed with a heavy sigh. ‘But we have to figure out what happened to us during the last week. This is more than a little mysterious, and I don’t like it. Connor’s in danger, and its from us. Damn, I wish we could remember what happened.’
‘No, neither do I.’ They raised their head scenting the air for a moment. ‘There’s heavy magicks in the air tonight. Do you think…?’
‘Of course I do,’ Angelus laughed, hard and menacing. ‘We were interrupted with Lilah before we could get anywhere, but that’s not going to stop her from fucking with us.’
‘And Sahjhan?’
‘We’ll call Spike and Faith. Make a nice weekend of it.’
“Agreed,” Angel said aloud, chuckling at the thought as he walked to Connor’s playpen. His empty playpen. Their first night, they thought. Alone….but there was something else in the air, heavy with enchanted tales, magickal and enthralling. They needed to see what that meant. And what Lilah knew about Her.
Wesley taking Connor for the night was a blessing in disguise, they thought. With Connor out of danger, they could interrogate Lilah to their hearts’ content.
“What?” Fred asked. “Agreed what?”
But Angel didn’t hear her. “Well,” they said to the couple, finally realizing Fred and Gunn were there. “This is my first whole night without Connor.” They put Connor’s stuffed toys into the bassinet, knowing the couple watched them with wary expressions.
‘Just what the hell did we do the past week?’
With a sigh, Gunn walked closer to Angel; Wes had warned him to be wary of the vampire, that he wasn’t the same as he once was – personally, Gunn thought that it had more to do with his soulmate dying than anything else, but no one listened to him. “We’ll stay with you,” he offered.
“Of course!” Fred chirped with a smile.
‘Can we eat her?’ Angelus demanded.
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