Lindsey´s Angels 17
***Warning – Major Character Death***
March 8, 2005
Hyperion Hotel
7.06 pm
MMMMMMMEEEEEP... MMMMMMMMEEEEP... MMMMMMMMMEEEEP....
~~Gotta get to the boy..gotta keep him safe..gotta get to the boy..gotta keep him safe~~
Running down the corridor, away from the hotel´s gym and towards the large flight of stairs that would take him to the fourth floor, Spike found that he was consumed by only two thoughts. His ability to protect Xander and the need to be as close to the young man as possible, the ongoing litany in his mind pushing the sound of the constant ringing of the tripped ward alarms to a place where he was barely hearing it.
~~Gotta get to the boy..gotta keep him safe..gotta get to the boy..gotta keep him safe~~
As he reached the top of third floor stairs, Spike saw someone coming down them towards him. Without waiting for the other man to speak, Spike gave the other person an almighty shove out of the way, sending them tumbling down the stairs, all the while refusing to give into the pain in his head that had him howling above the ongoing alarm. Piercing pain that was making a determined effort to cloud his mind.
~~Gotta get to the boy..gotta keep him safe..gotta get to Dru gotta keep her safe~~
With bright stars dancing across his vision, Spike snarled and growled as he was momentarily reduced to trying to crawl on his hands and knees to the first steps of the fourth floor stairs. Shaking his head in both frustration and pain, he felt his way up two of the steps even as the pain and stars started to dissipate. A flare of anger shot through him just as he managed to stand on his feet again. Barely pausing enough to regain his balance, Spike continued up the stairs, concentrating only on getting to Xander.
MMMMMMMEEEEP... MMMMMMMMEEEEP... MMMMMMMMMEEEEEEP...
~~Gotta get to the boy..gotta keep him safe..gotta get to Xander..gotta keep Dru safe~~
Turning into the fourth floor corridor on his right, Spike allowed his growling to evolve into harsh guttural snarling, his field of vision narrowing until it was focused on only one thing, Xander. With an ear splitting howl of triumph, Spike lunged as fast as his demon speed could take him towards the young man standing by the elevator door.
~~Gothimgothimgothimgothergothim~~
One hand wrapped around Xander´s tanned upper arm to the point of being almost painful, Spike tugged and pulled at the pliant figure until Xander was facing him. With his free hand, Spike turned the boy´s face upwards, forcing Xander to look at him even as his gaze slid away from Spike until he was looking at the floor again. In swift, precise motions, Spike found himself running his hands over Xander´s body. He had to make sure that Xander wasn´t hurt, had to check that nothing had happened to him in the few minutes they had been separated since the latest threat had revealed itself. As his hands descended to the lower part of Xander´s warm body, Spike´s growling quietened unconsciously as Xander thrust his pelvis forward the instant that Spike´s hands made contact with his crotch.
~~Gotta keep him safe..gothimgothimgothergothergothim..gotta keep him safe~~
MMMMMEEEEEP... MMMMMMEEEEEP... MMMMMMMMEEEEEEP...
Lifting his head for an instant, Spike looked at the bright smile that was decorating Xander´s face even as his hand rested lightly on the warmth of Xander´s crotch. A few sniffs of the boy and Spike resumed his growling as his game face sprang to the forefront of his normally human features, his scenting of Xander revealing nothing but fear no matter how much Xander was smiling.
~~Safe..must keep him safe..she´s gotta be safe..no–one else..me..only me..I gotta keep him safe~~
Without a word to Xander, Spike tightened his hold on Xander´s upper arm and whipped his hand away from the boy´s nether regions even as he started to break into a run and yanked Xander along with him, pulling the boy off his feet with the ferocity of the action. As Xander tripped and fell, the agitated vampire only growled louder and continued to pull on his upper arm. As a result, he ended up dragging Xander along the floor; Spike being unwilling to stop for the brief few seconds it would take Xander to pick himself up off the floor.
~~Must hurry up...gotta get the boy safe..must hurry...gotta get her safe...only me...only me..I gotta get him safe..no–one else..only me..me..me..me..me~~
MMMMMMMMEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMMEEEEEP... MMMMMMMMEEEEEP...
Xander was dragged into the middle of his room and shoved into a sprawl upon the carpet, Spike running his fingers through the dark hair a few times, twisting the unruly ends gently as his growling eased a little. Cocking his head to the one side, Spike listened to Xander´s heart beating rapidly even as he noticed that the bright smile was still firmly in place. For the first time since the alarm had gone off Spike spoke, his speech intermittently broken with involuntary snarls and growls.
"S´alright Pet. No one´s getting to you."
~~Gotta keep him safe..gotta keep him safe...gotta keep her safe..gotta keep him safe~~
There was not a chance in hell that anyone was going to get through him to hurt Xander. Not a chance. Leaving Xander´s side, Spike paced up and down the length of the room, snarling and growling with almost every step. There was only one thing on his mind. He had to protect Xander at any cost.
~~Gotta keep him safe..no–one else..just me..always me..always..gotta keep her safe..no–one´s gonna hurt him..gotta protect him~~
MMMMMMEEEEEP... MMMMMMMMEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMMEEEEEP...
He paced the room, dividing his time between watching the open doorway and Xander. Spike´s driving need to protect Xander at all costs wasn´t allowing reason to enter his head. Not once had it registered that Xander hadn´t moved a muscle from the awkward position he´d been shoved into, not so much as an inch to make himself comfortable. As long as Xander was with him, then Xander would be safe. What had happened last time had been an accident. He had been distracted by what had been going on outside of the Magic Box training room but this time, Spike was once again going to do all he could to protect Xander. He had to.
Spike was ready. If something was going to come for Xander, then it might as bloody well step on up to the plate. He was ready and raring to go and not once did he wonder why each time he thought of Xander, an image of Dru was blending into Xander´s, essentially making them one complete image. Nor did he stop to wonder about his train of thought.
~~Nuthin´ and no–one gets the boy..gotta protect him..keep her safe..protect him~~
March 8, 2005
Hyperion Hotel
7.36 pm
MMMMMMMEEEEP... MMMMMMMEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMEEEEEP..
"Jesus Wes, shut this thing off already," muttered Angel, his head aching from the constant sounding of the alarm. With his gaze focused firmly on Lindsey, Angel made a snap decision. There was no way he was going to spend one more minute in the room with Lindsey and an increasingly nervous W´nth. Getting up from his perch upon one of the two hard metal tables that decorated the training room, Angel closed the distance between himself and the annoyed lawyer with only a few strides.
Gesturing at W´nth, he told the other demon to check all the rooms in the hotel and make sure that everyone was in the library downstairs. At W´nth´s nod, Angel relieved the demon of the shotgun and waved him towards the door.
"What are you gonna do Angel? Finish me off? Kill me? Blow my head off? You got what you wanted now, go on, just get it over and done with," sneered Lindsey. His earlier concern about using a bathroom was all but gone as he tried to figure out what it was that was making the vampire before him so worried.
Silently, Angel stood in front of Lindsey, both eyeing him intently and trying to ignore the annoying alarm. Should he just kill the lawyer now or should he wait and see if he could get any more information out of him. He had everything that he essentially needed. Once Wesley had gone downstairs, Angel had taken one of the lawyer´s hands and had twisted Lindsey´s little finger until the man had screamed in agony as the digit had been finally broken. Between breathy gasps of pain, Lindsey had given Angel all the phone numbers he had asked for including his private email address, bank account numbers and all the relevant passwords. Even though Lindsey was still under the truth spells influence, Angel had taken the liberty to break another two fingers. Just because he could.
MMMMMMMEEEEEEEP... MMMMMMEEEEEEP... MMMMMMEEEEEEEP...
W´nth had been the one to stop Angel from going any further, telling Angel not to rub himself along the same patch of grass as Lindsey. After a few confused moments, Angel had realised that the other demon was telling him not to lower himself to the Lindsey´s level. Angel hadn´t been able to stop himself from suddenly leaping at Lindsey, game face fully display and snarling for all that he was worth. The brief flash of pure terror that Lindsey had displayed had been worth the struggle to keep his blood lust under control. A struggle that Angel was afraid of losing if he stayed anywhere near Lindsey for much longer; already he could feel himself almost ready to give in to his desire to let Angelus out to work on Lindsey for a few minutes.
"Go on Angel, break a few more. Come on, I´ve still got seven left you know? Start on my toes why don´t you?" said Lindsey snidely, unsure of what was going to happen next. With heart beating a rapid tattoo and his abused fingers radiating a pain that he was feeling up the shoulder, Lindsey waited for Angel to do something other than just stand and stare at him.
"Five. You´ve *five* fingers left. Two thumbs, eight fingers. I once made a simple finger breaking last for four hours. So slow. So very slow. Watch what you wish for Lindsey, you may just end up getting it," replied a grim faced Angel, closing the space between them rapidly. Putting the shotgun down, Angel allowed himself a small smile when Lindsey gulped in what was obviously relief. Content to just smile at the other man, Angel let Lindsey´s questions and remarks wash over him for a moment, allowing Lindsey to kid himself that Angel wasn´t going to kill him in the too near future.
MMMMMMMEEEEEEEP... MMMMMEEEEEEP... MMMMMEEEEEP...
In an action that was almost too swift to see, Lindsey caught a glimpse of the clenched fist flying towards him, aimed directly at his face. The force of the impact when it connected with his un–blackened eye was beyond describing, all Lindsey knew was that he *hurt*. Badly. Otherwise silent, Lindsey found he was trying to gulp enough air into his lungs to scream while his newly injured eye instantly started to swell. His head ringing from both the alarm and the pain exploding from his eye, Lindsey missed seeing Angel´s fist shooting towards him again. He felt it though, only a second after it made contact with his nose, shattering his favourite feature and reducing it to a rapidly purpling misshapen mess.
Growling in delight, Angel watched as both blood and displaced tissue ran from Lindsey´s destroyed nose, staining the man´s expensive shirt. His growling gave way to a short bark of derision as Lindsey finally let go of both his bowels and bladder. Content for the moment to look on as Lindsey choked and spluttered in agony, Angel drew his fist back one more time and after a brief consideration of where to punch him next, Angel put everything he could into the action.
Just as he drew a great shuddering breath, Lindsey felt a pain like no other he had ever experienced before, a heavy solid fist almost forcing his windpipe through the back of his neck. His chair rocking backwards from the force of the blow, Lindsey didn´t even notice as he finally ended up on his back on the floor, so intent was he on trying to force the air trapped in his lungs outwards.
MMMMMMMEEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMMMEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMEEEEEEP...
With a calm, serious look upon his face, Angel looked on as one of his most hated enemies lay writhing and gasping in what were his last few moments in the living world. Angel´s expression gave way to a slight weary smile when Lindsey, in a massive jerk of his body, managed to snap one of the chair legs from the seat base, the chair leg still being tied to Lindsey´s leg. Ever so slowly, Lindsey stopped jerking and twitching as his brain starved from lack of oxygen. Finally, he lay still, his eyes black and swollen shut, his mouth hanging open in the middle of a last desperate attempt to draw enough breath to survive.
Eyeing off the lawyer for a moment more, Angel slowly circled the pathetic figure before looking down at his hands. His smile slid into a grimace as he sourly noted that he had still given Lindsey a merciful death compared to the one that Spike had been wanting to give him for so long. While he had been recovering from his earlier horrendous injuries, Spike had passed the time by making lists of just how he wanted Lindsey, Randall and Tomas and anyone else connected with them, to die. Even though Spike had hidden them away from everyone, Angel had still managed to sneak a look at a few, worried at first that his Childe was planning some sort of trouble for the world weary friends. Ultimately, Angel had been a little relieved that Spike had been occupied in relatively harmless exercise; after all, his youngest Childe was harmless to humans.
Giving his head a hard shake in an effort to relieve the discomfort from the constant alarm, Angel wondered just how much abuse he was going to cop from everyone once he told them that Lindsey was no longer a threat to them. As he ventured to imagine the huffy little hissy fit that Wesley would throw once Angel had told him, let alone what both Cordelia and Joyce would say about the rapidly staining carpet and vile odour in the training room, he growled as the alarm rode roughshod right over his one remaining nerve. In a swift about turn, Angel left Lindsey´s side and with out a glance backwards, strode towards the solid door. Just as he reached out to punch in the security code so that he could open the door, the door was opened by someone from the outside.
MMMMMMMEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMMEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMEEEEEEEP...
Last of the security code punched into the keypad beside the solid door, Graham realised that his gums were throbbing in time to the increasingly annoying alarm that continued to echo through the Hyperion. The alarm, however, was currently the least of his concerns. His normally expressionless face displaying a rare frown, he glanced to his left side, looking down at the far end of the corridor. As the security pad displayed the all clear, Graham started to push the door open even as he tore his gaze from Riley trying to get past a rabid Spike and to help a downed W´nth, just outside Xander´s room.
With a violent shove, Angel pushed past Graham and stared down towards Xander´s room as a vicious growling reached his ears. Groaning to himself, as to just what else could possibly go wrong, Angel cursed quietly as he wryly thought that he had probably just wished more bad luck upon both himself and his friends. Ignoring Graham´s questions about Lindsey for the moment, Angel strode swiftly down the hallway.
The first thing that had captured his attention was Spike. His youngest Childe was in full throes of the Twilight Instructions, growling and snarling at Riley for all he was worth, even as he paced up and down the width of the corridor just in front of Xander´s doorway. Riley was trying to both placate Spike and edge closer to a stricken W´nth. Robin´s former owner was lying a few feet in front of a game faced Spike, on his side, facing Riley and with both eyes closed. Thankfully, it looked like all his limbs were still attached, so far. Whether W´nth was unconscious or not, Angel was unable to determine at this distance. From what he could see, Spike more than likely had Xander holed up in his bedroom and had probably attacked W´nth after identifying the other demon as a possible threat to Xander´s safety, the alarm ringing through the hotel was what had probably triggered the Twilight Instructions into full force. Poor W´nth wouldn´t have stood a chance against an enraged Spike, the demon was as passive as a demon could possibly be and probably hadn´t even known what had hit him.
MMMMMMMEEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMEEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMEEEEEEEP...
Shaking his head in both frustration and annoyance, Angel watched as Spike took a step closer to W´nth, matching Riley´s own movements. Each time that Riley made a little progress forward, towards W´nth, Spike did the same thing and each time he did, the growling got a pitch higher. As Angel struggled to keep his human visage, he told Riley to get back and leave it to him.
"Angel, do something?"
"W´nth alright?"
"Far as I can tell. No blood or anything," replied Riley as he slowly backed up, his gaze focused firmly upon the agitated vampire even as he walked backwards until he felt a hand between his shoulder blades indicating that he should stop. His nose wrinkling at a foul odour that was drifting his way, Riley tried to ignore it as he told Angel about the latest events.
MMMMMMMEEEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMEEEEEEP... MMMMMMEEEEEEP...
"Only got back here a few minutes ago, heard this fucking alarm the moment we stepped through the doors so we headed up to the library. Wes told us to come straight up and get you to handle Spike. Guess W´nth tried to handle him first huh?"
"No, it´s my fault. I told W´nth to make sure that everyone was in the library. How does Wes know about Spike? He went down well before W´nth left," enquired Angel as kept his eye on his pacing Childe. As soon as Riley had backed off from W´nth, Spike hadn´t moved back but he also hadn´t gone nearer to the downed demon. Hopefully, Spike wasn´t going to start trying to rip apart W´nth in the near future. Then again, this was Spike and that meant anything was possible. With that thought in mind, Angel slowly made his way down the red carpet, towards Spike and W´nth. Gesturing discreetly to Riley and Graham, he indicated that the two men should follow him but stay well behind.
"Spike sort of pushed Wesley down the stairs on his way up here," answered Graham, walking next to Riley, a few yards behind Angel.
"What... But the chip. It is... right?"
"Yeah, yeah. Still working apparently. Wes said that Spike clutched at his head, was in pain," Riley muttered as he felt a twinge of guilt at being a once hearty advocate of the chipping of all demons. Now however, he wasn´t too sure how he felt about it, just that in the light of recent events, he was determined to find some way to help Spike defend himself against humans. How though was the million–dollar question.
MMMMMMMEEEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMEEEEEEP...
"Why the hell didn´t he buzz me and tell me? Fuck! Lindsey, that´s why. Jesus, I didn´t even hear a thing, even when W´nth opened the door to leave. Too busy with that prick."
"Well, he´s something that we don´t have to worry about now, right?" stated Graham calmly as he gave a thumbs down gesture in answer to Riley´s questioning look, frowning when Riley shook his head and glared at Angel´s back.
"Christ, I really hope so. Okay, just stay here and let me handle things. All I´m going to do is get W´nth, make sure Xander is ok and then leave them to it. Spike´s just doing the right thing and we are not going to start challenging him on that. Okay?" asked Angel, taking a step forward towards a still snapping and snarling Spike. Walking slowly, Angel tried to establish eye contact with his irritated Childe in an effort to display dominance. The alarm ruled out any attempt of making the usual sub vocal soothing noises that Sires sometimes used with upset Childer.
As he concentrated upon Spike´s face, Angel stopped a few yards away from the downed W´nth and felt a surge of pride as he watched Spike´s tightly wound body release some of its tension as they both made eye contact. "Childe."
"Grrrrr...snarl..Sssiiirre..mmrrggg"
MMMMMMEEEEEEP... MMMMMMEEEEEEEP... MMMMMMEEEEEP...
MMMMMMEEEEEEP... MMMMMMEEEEEP... MMMMMMEEEEEP...
With his chest beginning to ache from the strain of his heart beating in the rapid tempo of pure panic, Xander sat on the stiff carpet and waited.
Waited for his next abuser to find his room.
Someone was coming for him again. They had to be. That could be the only reason for Spike to drag him into a room and then proceed to attempt to defend him. W´nth was probably doing the same thing with Robin right at that very moment, the Moorlyndat demon trying to ensure that Robin wasn´t going to be taken again without a fight.
Spike would do his best, Xander knew that and he appreciated it but there was only so much that Spike would be able to do against humans. Spike may not love him anymore but Xander was very glad that Spike at least liked him enough to offer up some resistance on his behalf. Xander wouldn´t be able to put up a fuss when his new owners came for him, not that he didn´t want to, it just wouldn´t be right. Maybe Angel and the others would be able to help Spike again. After all, they helped last time.
MMMMMMMEEEEEP... MMMMMMMEEEEEP... MMMMMMMMEEEEEP...
His breathing coming in short sharp gasps, Xander rocked himself back and forth in an unconscious attempt to calm himself down before he broke one of the rules and started crying. He wasn´t allowed to cry, they didn´t like it. Crying made his face splotchy and a splotchy whore was an unattractive whore and one that would find himself being ´talked´ to by his current owners if he wasn´t careful. Xander prided himself on being careful.
Back and forth, back and forth, Xander rocked all the while acknowledging the fact that he was pretty relieved that he was being taken so soon again. It was a small mercy that he hadn´t started to settle back down into a regular life again. This time, he knew that it was going to be easier to adjust to the career that Fate had chosen for him. Maybe he was going to get a nice Master this time. Maybe he would even get a Mistress like Aiden and Ashley had been sold to. Maybe he should just go out into the hallway and get it over and done with.
MMMMMMMMEEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMMEEEEEP... MMMMMMMMMEEEEP...
With a shuddering breath, he continued to bring up reasons of why it wasn´t going to be so bad this time. It wasn´t as if he wasn´t used to it. Not every demon was out to hurt him, in fact, some he would have liked to call friend if it hadn´t been for the barrier between their different social standings. Thinking that he would have hit the jackpot if he was taken by a demon like W´nth, Xander grinned a little only for it to turn into a gut wrenching dry retch as his mind flashed a brief glimpse of some of his most hated clients. Clients that had involved him in sessions that he still had trouble believing had actually physically and sexually taken place, the acts themselves being so far fetched he sometimes thought that they were just a product of an overly intense dream.
It wasn´t going to be like that this time. Maybe he would be sold to a demon that actually knew how to take care of a human, unlike his previous deceased owner. Someone who wouldn´t have to bring one of its friends around to translate on Xander´s behalf when the Master is puzzled as to why Xander has been sick for three days straight when only given a diet of raw potatoes and bananas. Then again, his previous Master had only followed Randall´s translated instruction, plenty of fruit and vegetables each day. It wasn´t going to be like that this time, not all demons were that ignorant.
MMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMMEEEEEEP... MMMMMMMEEEEP...
Xander gulped down a sudden sob as the snarling and growling outside of his room got louder, Spike´s warning almost overriding the continuing alarm. His latest kidnappers were only down the hallway it seemed. Xander hoped that Spike didn´t get too hurt this time if he attacked one of the owners and he hoped that it wouldn´t reflect badly upon himself if it did manage to happen. In a swift movement, Xander ground the heels of his palms into his eyes as he tried to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. It was all right; it wasn´t going to be so bad this time. He was going to be fine. Xander was going to be in pain, he was going to be frightened at times but he was going to be fine.
He knew that he would be all right just because he was Hellmouth born and bred and that fact made him valuable. The fact that he was also experienced made him an all the more sought after possession. Randall had often told him so and even Adam had screamed it at him on more than one occasion, stating that he should count himself lucky that he was Hellmouth bred otherwise he would have been starring in a snuff flick after only a few months of being picked up in Sunnydale.
With the realisation that the inevitable was about to happen, Xander shakily rose to his feet, managing to suppress the sobs that were threatening to emerge. He was going to get taken. There was no doubt about it, even with Spike doing his best to keep the new owners at bay, Xander could just make out a few other voices over the continual snarling of the bleached vampire and the sounding alarm. Shoulders slumping in complete acceptance of his lot in life, Xander pulled his long sleeved top straight before bending down to re–tie an errant shoelace. With swift steps, he walked to the bathroom to check that he was looking presentable. Hands washed and hair quickly brushed, Xander smiled at the reflection in the medicine cabinet mirror, his training holding fast as he unknowingly avoided looking into his reflection´s eyes.
He looked good. He looked better than just good, he looked attractive and Xander knew that he was beautiful. With a last look at his hands, Xander´s bright smile slipped for a mere second as he took in the sight of his ragged cuticles. Maybe his new owner would let him have the occasional manicure session or at least provide him with accessories so that he could keep himself presentable?
MMMMEEEEP... MMMMMMMMMEEEEEP... MMMMMMMMMEEEP...
As he walked towards the bedroom door and Spike, Xander took a long look around the room before berating himself for being so stupid. He wasn´t going to be looked for again and Xander had probably only been found by accident. It was no use in trying to remember a room that he would never see again. People that he would never see again, Angel and the others wouldn´t come for him again, Xander was just too much of a waste of time if he was going to keep getting taken. At least Xander wouldn´t have to worry about how uncomfortable he had felt since returning to the Hyperion, he could forget about how Spike had broken his promise and of how much everyone had changed since the last time he had seen them. He could forget about how much it hurt to think of Spike lying to him and how stupid he felt to have lost his heart to someone who only cared for himself, someone who as far as Xander was concerned, played with people´s lives emotionally only because he couldn´t do it physically anymore.
He was going to be fine and this was for the best, he wasn´t going to need any retraining, only being back in general society for a few days so his new owners would more than likely be happy about that. Stopping just before he stepped out into the hallway, Xander took a few deep breathes in order to relax himself enough so that he would appear more pleasing to the eyes of his new owners. First appearances always made for the best ones and it was time to get it over and done with.
If he went now, then no–one would get hurt trying to defend him and he won´t have to listen to Spike lie when he´s told that Spike is going to come looking for him again.
"M–m–my name i–is S–s–s–scott."
He whispered to himself and with that, Scott stepped out into the hallway.
