Lindsey´s Angels 8
December 21, 2004
Hyperion Hotel
6.17am
With a groan, the battered man allowed himself to recognise the fact that he was now conscious. Eyes still closed, Wesley lay as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake the vampire that was plastered to his back, one cool arm draped over the warm side of the human male. How did Wesley know Angel was still asleep? Simple, the larger brunette wasn´t fucking him again.
Daring to open his eyes just a smidgen, the weary ex–Watcher gingerly lifted a hand to trace a finger over the fang marks that decorated one side of his neck, just below his right ear. Nowhere subtle of course like the crook of his elbow or his inner thigh. No, Angel had wanted everyone to be able to see just who Wesley now officially belonged to. Another groan and Wesley realised that it was the throbbing of the bite marks that had woken him this time. At least he hadn´t woken to a cock trying to rip him in half again. A glance around the bedroom and the bruised man registered that Angel´s large solid oak bookcase was blocking the only door that led in or out to the vampire´s bedroom.
No wonder no–one had been able to get through the door way, it had taken both Angel and Spike to carry the bookcase up the main stairs of the hotel when it had arrived. Angel must have moved it across the doorway after Wes had passed out for the first time. Had Riley, Graham or even Joyce tried to come to his rescue? Yes..yes they had, dimly he could recall lengthy periods of something banging on the door, something that had caused Angel to snarl and growl all the more, effectively blocking out most of the sound.
Shifting his legs slightly, the human bit back a scream as the dull aching of his abused hips and backside increased, as his muscles protested their treatment over the past hours. Wesley knew that he wasn´t as strong as he had been before the disaster at the Magic Box, just thanking God that the vampire hadn´t decided to Claim him before his second stint in hospital. If Angel had, Wesley seriously doubted that he would still be alive. Unable to help himself, Wes let a smile drift across his face at the thought.
He was Claimed.
Claimed by a Master Vampire.
The Scourge of Europe no less.
He was Angel´s Consort.
And it had been one of the most painful things he had ever gone through. Angel had fucked him hard before but never had he kept up the punishing speed, the force of the thrusting and amazingly quick recovery time like he had during the initial Claim. Wesley knew that there was blood coating his thighs and buttocks, he could feel it flaking off him as he attempted to get up, gently moving Angel´s cool limb. Head spinning at the movement, the painfully thin man stopped moving as he felt himself tear inside, a wave of pain flowing through his body. With a barely disguised whimper, Wesley lay back down on the blood and cum stained sheets. He knew that Angel would get him to a doctor if Wes needed to go. Wes just wasn´t sure if he *did* need one, everything hurt so much.
He was proud that he was Claimed but he wished that it hadn´t been at Riley´s expense. God only knew what sort of condition the ex–soldier was in at the moment. Riley probably had concussion at least, if taller blond´s steadily purpling forehead had been anything to go by. His teeth and nose were another matter entirely. Both he and Joyce had been shocked when a snarling and gamefaced Angel had suddenly appeared in front of them, Angel just saying one word while shaking the barely conscious younger human. It had been a word that had frightened yet excited Wesley in an instant. That one word had made it patently obvious to the ex–Watcher just what had happened between Riley and Angel.
Although Angel had his soul, he was still a vampire and the demon instinct was strong and with Angel under such stress, the urge to warn off other possible challenges to what the vampire considered his belongings was overwhelmingly strong. Wesley knew that Angel would have felt betrayed by Riley removing Wesley from the hospital, going against the vampire´s direct orders. Never had he ever taken it into consideration that Angel had felt that his Alpha male status had been under threat and more importantly, his belongings. And he had known from the first time he had slept with Angel that the vampire considered Wesley his ´property´, something that Wesley certainly hadn´t objected to in the least.
Normally, Angel would have possibly found a way to deal with the problem logically, but with Riley being another Alpha male himself, and even though Riley naturally deferred to Angel most of the time, the vampire had obviously felt the need to display and re–assert his dominance over Riley. As like some animals and nearly every demon species he knew, the vampire had beaten and then ejaculated upon Riley, forever marking the blond as a Beta to Angel´s Alpha. Neither he or Joyce had been unable to miss the gaping hole in the barely conscious males light wool slacks, the purpose for the opening only all too clear to them both. Wesley just hoped that Angel hadn´t gone all the way and raped the taller blond. However, given the display of dominance that Wesley himself had received, the possibility was only too real.
And what a display that had been as well. Wesley had been dragged up the stairs despite his best efforts to show Angel that he was going willingly. Clothes ripped off and torn into shreds, the smaller man had been scrubbed almost raw as the vampire had cleaned him while being held under the shower. Once the brunette had been satisfied that Wesley was clean, certainly, he had been to the point of almost sobbing, the vicious scrubbing had been that painful, the vampire had sniffed and snuffled at him until Angel could no longer detect any other scent than just Wesley´s. Barely two steps had been taken into the main bedroom before the dripping wet man had been shoved to the ground, onto his stomach. Yanked back by his hair into a hands and knees position, Wesley had been unable to stop the shivers of fear coursing through his body as a cool hand had rested for a moment on his trembling shoulder. That gentle touch had been all the tenderness he had received from that time on.
Buttocks spread an instant later, he had howled in agony as he was rammed into dry, his unprepared muscles forced wide beyond their capacity. Wesley hadn´t enjoyed it, he had shrieked and tried his best to tell Angel to go slower, to let him adjust before continuing. His strangled pleading had gone unheard by the snarling vampire who had continued to pump in and out of the shivering human as hard as the weaker life form could handle. No, Wesley hadn´t enjoyed it nor had he liked it all the times that had followed. Angel had cum over his body in certain points, some the Watcher could understand like his groin, his armpits and his face but other areas like the back of his knees and the crook of his elbows, Wesley couldn´t understand the reason for it. Wesley doubted Angel understood it either, pure instinct had driven the vampire to claim the human as his.
Wesley had been almost to the point of passing out again after what had been the sixth time when Angel had turned him onto his back, taking him for the first time while looking at his face. The ex–Watcher had at first been under the mistaken impression that Angel was going to take it slowly, indeed the vampire had entered him carefully enough. It was only when Angel had sunk his fangs into his neck that Wesley realised that the position was easier for the vampire to reach his desired position on Wesley´s neck.
Almost flinching from a cool hand running down his still prominent ribs, the cold human was in the process of steeling himself for another vicious fuck when he found Angel tenderly stoking the livid fang marks on his neck. Still too wary to relax into the caring gesture, Wesley wondered what was going to happen next. Having been a Watcher, Wesley had read all about the ritual for claiming a Consort and had known that the ritual was brutal, with the sex being akin to rape. It was only now that he had gone through it that he truly understood how brutal, yet ultimately thrilling it was. He ached from head to foot and he was sure that he wouldn´t be leaving the bedroom for a few days at least, not without help anyway.
"Mine"
With that, Wesley felt the comforter being wrapped around him as Angel took note of his shivering. Even though he was proud and excited to be a consort to his lover, there was still going to be the problem of an injured Riley. Riley who had to be made to understand that Angel had had no choice in the instincts that ruled his very existence. Unfortunately, Wesley wasn´t sure that the ex–solider would ever understand why Angel had assaulted him. Still, it was a matter to be dealt with later. Snuggling into the thick warm material, Wesley felt himself freeze in horror as a thought suddenly struck him.
Joyce.
She would have had no choice but to echo his screams and pleadings for as long as she had stayed within the ´voice´ radius to Wesley. His elation deflating as he imagined just how traumatised the poor woman was, he took advantage of her gift. Whispering as softly as he could, he garbled out sentences that were designed to hopefully soothe the older woman. He whispered that he was a bit sore but ultimately alright, told her not to worry about him and that Angel would take care of him for the next few days. Wesley told Joyce that none of them were to approach Angel in any way until he could explain what had happened, and certainly under no circumstances was anybody to come near him either, knowing that the vampires need to display dominance and keep his personal belongings close would last for a few more days. If Riley or even Graham confronted Angel or tried to touch or talk to Wesley himself, it could very possibly set the whole process into action again, something that Wesley really didn´t want to go through twice in one week. In a barely heard voice, he asked Joyce to tell Riley that he was sorry and that it had been out of his control.
Most of all, he apologised to Joyce for her having to hear what had gone on.
January 3, 2005
Hyperion Hotel, Library.
11.47am
"Mummy, the sound will flow through you. London Bridge will be heard again. Legacy of the Tower will ring true and be forged by two. The green from the Isle of Erin was lost and will never again appear nor the red of the blue. The Sight was saved but is lost in the fields of memory. The twins of darkness are to reside in the halls of the ones who seek.
The star that is yet to be born is a mummy, the twins of darkness with her. Water surrounds them, ice flowing into the winter sea. The lonely tree is soon to be happy, love surrounding her after the endless winter, her leaves of red flowing like a river. Meow. Daddy? The man who isn´t will wander the pretty river again, joy radiating from him for all eternity.
The one with no voice will speak of might things to come, his voice shall echo through these hallways soon. The Miller´s son shall be companion to the advocate until both wither with love, her champion. A golden man once entangled with fates Chosen will offer sanctuary to all who are in need, refuge from all dimensions apart from this earth´s planes. His heart needed to be broken so that compassion would temper the desire to see two colours, a path already started but yet to be finished.
"The prince will be comforted and protected for all time by one who has fallen from the mighty but shall receive his redemption through these actions, the Twilight ruling all and keeping the prince from any other harm. The soul of blood will return, bringing chaos and ruin to all it touches. This cannot be allowed to happen. The sight and voice will find the path to deny the wolf. The echoes of ones mind is where the prince can be found, just follow the whispering corridors. The displaced ones will be taken by the brothers of Christ, into the arms of protection. Fear not, harm will not come to them again if they go by choice."
Thanking Graham for reading out the first section of what was now known as Dru´s Destinies, Angel turned his attention to his newly marked Consort, pride swelling as it did each time he saw the other man.
"So, tell us what you think Dru was on about?"
With a nod at Angel, Wesley gathered up the writings on Drusilla´s last predictions. Since being let out of his lover´s bedroom only a week and a half ago, Wesley and Joyce had spent most of their time going over the vampiress´ ramblings. They hadn´t had any progress until a random comment from a still sickly Doyle. He had made reference to his eyes while trying to re–learn the position of furniture in the hotel´s kitchen. A throwaway remark of how he would never be able to spook little kids with his red eyes again. Joyce had asked what he had meant by that, stating that she knew for a fact that his eyes had been green.
Wesley himself, hadn´t taken much notice of the conversation until Doyle had told the older woman that when his demon half used emerge fully, his eyes would change to red as his body turned blue and spiked out. It had taken only a moment for the ex–watcher to make sense of some of what Drusilla had written. Papers shuffled once again, the thin man cleared his throat, an action that was matched by Joyce.
"Well, surprisingly enough, once Joyce and I made sense of one bit, the rest was quite easy. Be warned though, we still haven´t made sense of everything but hopefully, in time, we soon will."
At the collective nod, Wesley forged ahead with his opinion.
"The first few lines are about Joyce and I. Clearly, we are meant to be working together in this but the reference about the Tower of London is remarkable. One of my distant relatives about two centuries ago was rumoured to have been born out of wedlock in the Tower. Joyce has told me that her heritage is English as well, one of her own relatives was shipped over here on the first or second fleet. He was also apparently from London but what the connection is with the Bridge, we really are not sure yet."
Sip taken from his cooling cup of Earl Grey, both Wesley and Joyce took a breath as they prepared to continue.
"The next bit refers to Doyle. Ireland is sometimes referred to as the Isle of Erin, I´m surprised that Angel didn´t click onto that bit himself. It tells of the loss of Doyle´s eyes, in both his human form and his demon form. Also, how he was found by the Amish in one of their fields. ´Lost in the field of memory´. We also know that the visions from the PTB are still hitting with full force, obviously the ´Sight´ that Drusilla alludes to. The twins of darkness are more than likely Aiesha and Gonturan, after all they are dark skinned. I honestly don´t know what the halls are though. It´s more than likely that they are with Cordelia as we all know that before this happened, she was hell bent on being Hollywood´s newest star. She is the star that is yet to be born. Somewhere cold with lots of snow and ice, where though is again another question entirely, the same with Willow. ´The lonely tree.´"
Another sip of now cold tea and the bespectacled man continued, only to hastily apologise to Joyce who was spluttering words as she tried to drink some of her coffee. A few snickers went around the library as Wesley dramatically clapped a hand over his mouth until Joyce had managed to finish her beverage. On Joyce´s left, Graham leant over and offered the coffee splattered woman a few tissues from the box resting on the lamp table beside him. At the older woman´s watery hiccups, the ex–soldier allowed his smile to grow broader. A glance at Riley to Graham´s own left and the shorter man was thankful for what had occurred over a week ago.
Graham had been once again reassuring Joyce that Wesley was alright being left alone with Angel, after all, the ex–watcher had managed to tell Joyce that he was pretty much ok, when Riley had come back from his dentist appointment to fix his chipped front teeth. They had been about to sit down to the dinner the worried woman had made when Angel and Wesley had made an appearance. There had been silence for a minute and then all hell had exploded. Graham had found himself trying to restrain Riley from attacking Angel while Wesley had been trying to placate a snarling vampire, Joyce shrieking at them both to cut it out in–between speaking as Wesley. The voice of reason had been Doyle. He had felt his way from the second floor and to the kitchen without tripping down the steps as he had done on a few previous occasions.
Within five minutes, the short Irishman had had them all sitting at the table and taking turns at telling everybody what was pissing them off.
Angel´s drug problem had been brought up as had the results of the analysis. It had been revealed that the tablets and vials were a mix of sedatives and bovine hormones. Bull hormones to be precise. Something that had more than likely attributed to Angels stress levels even if they had at first helped him. Wesley had put it down to the vampire´s liver not being able to process the extra chemicals as a ´live´ being or animal would have been able to do, thus them staying in the body for longer than normal.
Riley had brought up the episode of Angel assaulting him, everyone including Angel wincing at the barely disguised disgust in the man´s voice. After a lengthy screaming match and both the vampire and enraged human having to be restrained again, Riley had eventually conceded that Angel could have done a lot worse to him. Riley had told Angel that he could understand why the brunette had felt the need to re–assert himself as the Alpha but needed time to get over the way it had been done and eventually forgive the vampire, something that had left Angel visibly upset.
Angel himself had apologized to Joyce for terrorizing her via Wesley. She too had told Angel that it would take time for her to forgive him, more for the fact that the vampire hadn´t seen fit to tell them that everything was alright with Wesley. Instead, he had left the four friends to worry themselves sick about Wesley´s state of health, let alone the bigger brunettes mood. She had told everyone about how stressed she was herself, not only had she lost her only daughter, been forced to sell her house and business, she now had a talent that she didn´t know how to control. She also told the group of how hard it was to be the only woman living in the hotel, there was no–one of her own age group or sex to discuss ´normal´ woman things with.
Wesley had piped up then, telling them all of the ritual he and Angel had completed while locked in the vampires bedroom. Once again silence had drifted down upon the kitchen until Joyce had given the two men her congratulations, everyone including a still pissed off Riley had followed. The ex–watcher had also apologized again for his actions in the previous months, sorry that he had been thinking only of himself. Both he and Doyle had expressed how bitter they felt over their mutilations, Riley and Graham agreeing with the two other men.
Doyle had informed the vampire and Wesley of the daily visions of Spike, telling the group that the PTB wanted the bleached blond found as soon as possible and that they really didn´t have any time to waste on ´fucking rituals´ if the PTB were panicking. The smaller ex–soldier had sat quietly through the whole discussion right until the early hours of the following morning, relieved to see the group grow a little stronger now that everybody had gotten what was worrying them off their chests. The splintered parts of the group starting to knit together again. He had thought that he was selfish. He had been a little pleased that Joyce had turned to him for support and comfort once she had started voicing Wesley´s screams and pleadings, Riley thankfully in hospital being treated for mild concussion and broken nose. Truly, it had been horrifying to learn what the thinner man had gone through. On more than one occasion, both he and Joyce had thought that Angel was just about to kill his ex–lover, the voiced agony had been that frightening.
He couldn´t deny that he liked the way Joyce had snuggled into him, trying to catch sleep every time Wesley had lapsed into silence. God only knew how he would have coped with it if he had been in the older woman´s position. Things were still raw after the yelling session but he was hoping that they would settle down soon, especially with Joyce. He wanted to ask her out to the movies, maybe start the ball rolling on a possible relationship. That is if she would have time in–between casting sessions with Wesley. After the long discussion, once everybody had calmed down a little, it had been decided that they were all going to start pulling their weight.
The half demon was going to take over for Joyce in the office, getting training from David Nabbit on how to work a computer for the blind. The other man had already agreed to provide the agency with a voice computer with a Braille keyboard, David just happy to be involved with ´saving the world´ no matter how small his part in it was. David had already started teaching Doyle Braille, the billionaire informing them that his father had been blind so he was pretty familiar with it all, his inspiration for developing a computer for the visually impaired.
Angel had agreed to dispose of his hidden drugs, flushing the tablets down the toilet and emptying the vials down the sink in front of everybody while Riley quietly told Doyle what was happening. The vampire promised never to touch them again, embarrassed to find himself agreeing to therapy with Dr Sawyer. Technically, she wasn´t a therapist but so far, Evangeline Sawyer hadn´t been threatened or killed off even after treating a still colourful Doyle. Everyone was pretty sure that their mysterious employer was allowing the good doctor to live just in case one of their numbers were seriously injured and needed a doctor in the ´know´ about certain things. Joyce had agreed to start training properly with Wesley, even if it was found that she couldn´t get past the basics of spell casting. Riley and even Graham had decided to re–train for automatic weapons using their opposite hands.
All in all, a lot of issues had been cleared up that night and Graham couldn´t help thinking that it was about time. He acknowledged that he was frustrated by the lack of progress in finding the still missing friends as well as being wary of Doyle´s visions of Spike. If, as Doyle was insisting, the PTB were panicking about them not finding the bleached vampire soon, then things were seriously wrong somewhere. Things that Graham knew from experience, couldn´t be good for them.
Jerking out of his Angel–like broodiness, the ex–soldier listened as Wesley/Joyce informed the group of what they thought Drusilla´s Destinies meant. Willow was thought to find love again after a lengthy period of despair, her hair growing long, ´flowing like a river.´ ´The man who isn´t´ was thought to refer to Christopher, the words indicating that the boy/man would live at the hotel again one day and be happy to do so. It was a thought that had them smiling, Christopher was a favourite with them all. It was also possible that the words referred to Spike, a demon in a man´s form. ´The one with no voice´ obviously referred to Wesley himself, his voice was already being heard in the hotel via Joyce.
With a suddenly serious expression, Graham tensed as he was referred to. His surname was Miller so everyone was presuming he was the ´Miller´s son´ that Dru had talked about. He was apparently going to find love and be a champion to a woman who was yet to be named. As Wesley continued to dissect the vampire´s words, the smaller soldier found himself trying to hide a grin as he tried to avoid looking at Joyce.
"Well, the ´Miller´s son´ is obviously Graham. Lucky you, *you* get to find love with the advocate, a woman and be her ´champion´. In other words, you will defend this woman with your life until you both die or at least grow old. Umm, just bear in mind that this is not a proven theory yet, ok? Good. The advocate is Joyce. Yes. An advocate is someone who speaks for those who are unable to speak for themselves and by what Joyce is doing at the moment, I think it´s pretty clear that she is the one Drusilla is referring to."
There was a moment´s silence as everyone absorbed the new information. Still trying to hide his cautious delight, Graham risked a quick glance at the older woman only to find that she was already giving him a smile. Joyce was unable to hide a giggle as the younger man gave her a wink, Angel and Riley both raising their eyebrows at the sound while Wesley and Doyle smiled quietly. Graham found himself suddenly eager to give his input to the conversation.
"I..IlikeJoycealotsothisisgreatasfarasI´mconcerned."
"Uhhh, I don´t think any of us understood what you just said Graham but I think that we all get the jist of it and I for one, think that you two will make a great couple should you both choose to explore *that* avenue in your relationship."
Joyce knew that she was bright red from what Wesley had just said and from looking at Graham and Riley, she could see that she wasn´t the only one. Angel just sat next to Wesley looking slightly aghast at what his lover had just uttered, Doyle grinning widely while he looked towards the couch that Joyce and Graham were sitting on. Fighting the urge to start giggling like a schoolgirl, she almost slapped herself as she found her mind throwing visions of a naked muscle bound soldier to the forefront of her thoughts. Distracting herself with a bite of an almond wafer, the older woman almost choked as she wondered if the ex–soldier was well hung. As Graham rubbed her back, Joyce waved madly at Wesley in an effort to tell him not to speak for a minute or two, sure that if he spoke, she would just continue to cough and splutter all the more. Eventually, after a few sips of the cool water from Wesley´s glass, she huskily told Wesley that he could continue.
"Sorry, it really wasn´t meant to turn out like that....I meant to say it with just a tad more subtlety. It´s Angel´s fault, his lack of it has rubbed off on me. What? Stop looking at me like that, you know it´s true!"
Not even bothering to smother his laughter, Doyle snickered at the thought of what the brunette vampire´s face looked like, feeling the ever present sadness surge for a moment before it calmed slightly. He concentrated on Joyce´s voice as Wes continued with Drusilla´s last words. Idly, he wondered if either of them had noticed that they were now breathing together in the same pattern.
"Where was I? Oh yes. Now, ´the golden man´ is more than likely Riley as he was in a relationship with Buffy whom we all know was the ´Chosen´. I´m not really sure about this part but from the looks of it, you are going to start a halfway house or a refuge centre for aliens/demons/people maybe even animals from other places than on this planet. I´m assuming that in the Military, you were trained to follow orders regardless of personal feelings or political leanings. Basically only seeing the black and white of the world, the ´two colours´. When you started seeing Buffy and left the Initiative, you started seeing the grey that fills civilian life, something that you are apparently not yet finished discovering. Your mind is to be opened up to yet more than you can currently imagine."
"Yeah, and my heart was broken when Buffy died...still is."
Awkwardness filled the room as Joyce vacated the couch to go and sit down on the arm of Riley´s chair, rubbing the taller blonds arm in a soothing manner. A few rubs at his eyes, Riley cursed as his hand knocked the tape holding his broken nose into place. Shooting a glare at the brunette vampire opposite him, the ex–soldier was grimly satisfied as Angel squirmed a little in embarrassment even if he did keep eye contact until Riley dropped his gaze. He was the Beta, he knew that. His place had been painfully re–enforced and he knew that he had gotten off lightly as well.
"I´m sorry Riley..Joyce. Ah, ´the prince´ I think is Xander and from what I can decipher, Spike will once again be looking after him and even get his ´redemption´ from these actions. What Spikes actual redemption will be is really anybody´s guess. We all know that Angel´s is to be given human life again, I mean, it *is* possible that Spike will also be given human life. The ´soul of blood´ is something I have no idea about....anybody else know? No...no? Ok, the rest of it, I have no idea about either except for the ´displaced ones´. The kidnapped boys will more than likely be going to stay at the same Christian Hostel that Jason was staying with. ´The brothers of Christ.´"
"Ok, anybody disagree with that...no? Bloody Hell, thank Christ for that! I´m exhausted!"
At Wesley´s cue, Graham read out the last of Drusilla´s Destiny´s, skipping the part about Dru´s own role in the whole destiny game.
"This is your war Angel. The final battle for your redemption. Do not fail, you will not get a second chance and hell will be taking you back. Soul and all. Your legacy shall be bred from the missing. Fail in your mission and there shall be none to replace you should you fall. Many will be denied their full achievements should that occur. The fate of millions rests on the outcome of this war. Do you understand?
The one you hate so much was also pre–destined to be born soulless. Be warned, if he should regain his soul, Angelus will be insignificant to what will occur if he should be loosened upon the world." Once again, Wesley/Joyce took up with the translating of the vampiress´ words.
"Right, the first bit is pretty self–explanatory. If you fail Angel, you get sent back to hell, no second chance and no two hundred dollars and you don´t get to pass ´Go´. What? Monopoly.. never mind Angel, I´ll explain it later. The next bit is a bit iffy…I´m not sure about this really. From what I can gather, everyone who is missing will have children who will then continue on with Angel´s work once he is gone. Of course, if he fails to find everyone, then quite possibly, a person who has an upcoming major role to play in the future might never be born thus condemning the world. Our legacy."
"Cordy wants four kids...I´ll be bloody happy with one. Christopher as well....if…when we find him. Gonna twaddle the papers, make him ours legally if he wants. Shit! What am I even going on about? Good fucking chance that he won´t be a child anymore even if he does come back to the hotel?"
"Doyle, I´m sure that Christopher will be more than happy to be included in your family once we get everybody back. Even if he isn´t in child form anymore, you can always start a new relationship as equals...you know?"
Hand rubbed over his face, the half demon knew that he was wilting fast and needed to go back to bed for a few more hours sleep even if he didn´t want to. What he really wanted was to go out into the daytime and feel the sun on his skin but he couldn´t until his demon side receded totally and he was no longer a greeny–blue shade. He refused to contemplate on what Cordelia would think of his eyes let alone if he remained blue. Finger just skimming over his destroyed eyes, he flinched inwardly as he took in the hideous damage he felt from just that one moment of contact.
"Thanks Angel but I´m kinda attached to Christopher as a kid. Cordy and me...we were gonna start trying for a kid of our own on the wedding night...What´s the next bit Wes?"
"Mmmm, well...we are all fond of Christopher as a child but we *do* have to take into account that when we get him back, he may not be a child both physically and mentally but that is something to deal with when we find him. Now, the one Angel hates so much is more than likely Spike, he was re–born as soulless once he was turned by Angelus. And Spike is, who the PTB is having kittens over, what is really worrying me. It´s that I can´t imagine anybody worse than Angelus. To have the Oracles state that if Spike regains his soul, that The Scourge of Europe will be insignificant compared to a souled William.... is just beyond imagination. Angel, what do you know of Spikes life before you turned him?"
"Nothing. Like I told you before, I just grabbed him, took him home and turned him. I´ve never sat down and had a conversation with him about his life before being turned and lets face it, we all know how much he lies...yes, I know that *one* of his lies proved to be real but that doesn´t mean everything out of his mouth is the truth."
"So, you just grabbed him off the street? Just like that? But, he´s your Childe...aren´t Sires supposed to stalk their intended Childer for weeks, months even, learning everything they can of their victims lives before finally doing it?"
"Yeah Doyle, that is the done thing but Spike was a special case and I didn´t have time to do dither around with questions. I saw, I wanted, I turned. All I know is that I saw him in a poor section of London in the early hours of the morning, close to dawn actually. He was coming out of a hovel wearing what looked like to me, a baker´s uniform. I think that maybe he was an apprentice but I could be wrong, he would have been the oldest apprentice in London."
"It might not be Spike...Angel is there anyone else that you *really* hate?"
"Is there some way to prevent a person from cursing Spike with a soul?"
"What are the Twilight instructions that Drusilla mentioned?"
"Why did you just grab Spike...why was he a special case?"
Angel groaned aloud as the questions were fired at him almost simultaneously from all corners of the library. Hands held up in placating gesture, the suddenly weary vampire suggested another round of tea and coffee before he answered the questions. As he watched Riley and Wesley leave the library to venture down to the kitchen, the large brunette found himself fighting the urge to slip into a dreamless sleep via a few tablets or an injection. Unable to stop himself drooling a little at the thought, Angel wiped one hand across his mouth.
