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Wordsmith
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Despite the Englishman's distaste for him, Angel came close to hugging Giles when he found him waiting at the warehouse. The past thirty minutes, since Faith and Spike had emerged from the parking garage with not only the hellgod but Lilah Morgan, had been like something out of his worst nightmares.
Spike had shoved a limp Glorificus at him with an absent, "Mind her hands," and started back into the building.
Faith had stopped the vampire with a soft, "Xander said to go to the beta site." Amazingly Spike had stomped back to the waiting vehicle with nothing more than a glare
Angel spent the ride from the pick-up point watching his hyper Childe divide his glares between the hellgod and the lawyer, while Faith worried her blood-red lip between her teeth and mournfully watched the vacant expression on Glorificus' face. Finally she whispered to Lilah, "What's wrong with her?"
Lilah, whose drawn face had transformed to the set cast of a superior smirk the moment she had spotted Angel, said, "I'm not telling you anything."
Spike reached over, not even sparing the lawyer a glance, and squeezed the swelling fingers of Lilah's right hand. She shrieked and fell forward off of the bench seat onto her knees. Looking up at Angel she sobbed out, "Help me."
Angel had had it with Lilah. She wanted to dance with the devil but not pay the price. She was willing to do anything for her employers to maintain her career and her lifestyle, but still wanted to call on him to protect her when the monsters she chose to deal with became too dangerous and too threatening.
"He's a Master vampire in his own right. You chose to deal with him. Your
prime concern right now should be not pissing him off," Angel said. He
turned his attention to Faith. She seemed... concerned for the welfare of
the hellgod.
"She... when we collected her essence, the chosen host wasn't strong enough
to survive the spell. We knew that it would diminish the time she could survive
in this form, but we didn't anticipate this reaction," Lilah said. Spike
had released her broken fingers when she started to answer Faith's question.
The lawyer licked her lips and cradled her hand, holding it to her chest. "Feeding...
" Lilah's gaze flicked from the impassive face of the souled
vampire to the vacant look of the hellgod. "When she fed, there were unforeseen
results. She's been like this ever since."
~~~~~
Lindsey watched the van pull into the warehouse. Dawn hit the switch to lower
the door before it had cleared the entrance. The girl made as if to run to the
van and was stopped by a firm grip on her shoulder. Mr. Giles
seemed oblivious to her dramatic sigh and rolling of eyes. He absently sent
her to where Fred and Cordelia were preparing hastily acquired hibachis with
a mixture of magical herbs.
"Xander changed the plan, we're keeping her," Spike said as he stalked out of the van. He only lifted an eyebrow at the sight of the recently arrived Englishman. With a nod of his head he left the cargo with Angel and Faith.
Lindsey was shocked to see a battered and rumpled Lilah step down from the van. He was torn between prodding her for information and seeing if he could eavesdrop on the huddle Spike had pulled the little red-headed witch and Giles into. Since Lilah didn't look as if she were going anywhere he slipped closer to the vampire and his humans.
The musician had had no preconceived expectations on just what form the hellgod would take. His liked to think his tenure with the firm had made him unshockable. He wasn't, however, prepared for the sight of the stunningly beautiful woman who was carried across the warehouse by the souled vampire. With perfect posture, she sat where he placed her, like a living work of art, marred only by the vacant expression on her face.
"Oh, dear," Giles turned away from the vampire and walked slowly
toward Glorificus. He walked cautiously over to the hellgod and passed a hand
back and forth in front of her unfocused eyes. "Well, this changes everything,"
he said.
"Careful, she ate a lawyer while we were busting her out," Spike drawled. Then, turning to the witches, he added, "You lot get back to the hotel. Red, can you keep an eye on her? I'm going to get Xan."
~~~~~
Thankfully, Giles was the one who would be sorting out the reasons behind the change in Xander's plan, while Angel followed Spike back into the night. Angel had stayed only long enough to confirm that they would all be heading back to the Hyperion, and still his Childe had a wide head start. Scenting Spike's passing on the wind, Angel blocked out all other stimuli and ran through the night hunting his Childe.
He caught up with Spike only because the younger vampire had stopped in the shadow of an abstract sculpture in a courtyard between three buildings. The business district was never deserted but usually quite subdued at this hour. Now, however, the area was painted with the flashing lights of police and EMS vehicles. Less than a block from the burning building, the vampires could have blended in quite well with the crowd of onlookers but chose to remain hidden.
The headquarters of Wolfram and Hart slowly sank into the ground. Lava churned in a perfect rectangle outlining the foundation of the building. The heat given off was tremendous, but suspiciously contained. Trucks parked only meters from the site didn't even have their paint bubble, but the amazed firefighters threw bricks and metal through the sinking windows over the site, only to watch the debris burst into flame at precisely sixteen inches above the foundation.
Angel tore his gaze away from the phenomenon. He turned to Spike and realized his Childe was paying no attention to the melting skyscraper but was concentration on one of the men holding back the crowd. Xander, still dressed as Wolfram and Hart security, was assisting in setting up barricades and taping off the area around the fire trucks and ambulances. Angel marveled as the young man slapped the back of a police officer and shook hands with several of the others.
Jumping the wooden horses used to cordon off the area, Xander strode toward the darkened court yard removing the shirt of his uniform as he walked. He headed straight for the vampires. Spike waited only until the human entered the shadows before pouncing and pinning him to the sculpture. The blond buried his face in his mate's hair and thrust against his thigh. Angel could have sworn he heard Xander whisper 'moonbeam' but dismissed it as unbelievable.Finally, Xander seemed to realize that they weren't alone and chuckled, "If I knew fire got you this hot, I'd destroy stuff more often."
Spike pulled back licking the brunette's neck and said, "I was worried about you, Pet."
Xander smiled softly and brushed back Spike's hair, "And you, Deadboy? Were you worried about me? " Xander asked turning a wicked grin on Angel.
"No, Xander," Angel said. "I was worried about L.A. Think you could leave some of it standing when you go back to Sunnydale?"
~~~~~
Lindsey was relieved that Lilah had given up trying to charm Wesley. Given
that efforts the ex-Watcher put into hiding his marked interest in Fred, Lindsey
reasoned Lilah didn't have the brains or the virtue that seemed appeal to Wes.
Lilah had threatened them with all manner of lawsuits until Lindsey pointed
out that she wasn't exactly making a case for them to let her live. When that
had failed, she had tried to appeal to Wesley's reason
by pointing out that any harm to her would affect Angel's redemption. Cordelia
had ended that line of attack by speculating out loud that they didn't really
have to harm her to put her in a Habitrail. Lindsey wasn't sure what the term
'Amyizing' meant, but it had brought a speculative gleam to Willow's eyes.
Although they had been overtly cautious around the hellgod upon her arrival, her inactivity had a hard time competing with the rest of the commotion in the lobby. In addition to Lilah's machinations, the witches and Watchers were huddled around the former reception area, dividing their attention between Glorificus and research. Fred had taken Dawn upstairs as the hellgod made the girl nervous. Lindsey was sure that there was more than even the girl knew, given some of the troubled looks exchanged by Giles and Willow. Lorne was called, although Lindsey was unsure how he could read the unresponsive hellgod. Faith was sitting across from Glorificus, looking frustrated. Lindsey was amused by Gunn's attempts to distract the troubled Slayer, wondering if anyone had filled the young man in on Faith's history with his friends.
His guitar remained propped against a nearby chair. He had been fetched as an afterthought when they were going to the warehouse and he hadn't had time to take it to the case he had left upstairs. He sat and absently ran through a few fingerings. He was tired. Tired of watching Miller shoot Faith hostile and suspicious looks. Tired of Finn looking drawn and whipped. Tired of caring what interest the firm had in a hellgod and just what kind of spin Lilah was planning to put on this situation. Lindsey was surprised that he actually wanted the pompous corpse to come back and take over this circus. He wondered why he didn't just head up to his room and use his music to shut out the world.
As dangerous as Glorificus was reputed to be, she certainly wasn't hard on
the eyes. He wasn't sure what Spike had meant earlier when he said that the
hellgod had eaten a lawyer. Feeling as if he were tempting fate Lindsey
started to play the song he would have had he been alone, and sang softly.
Call you up in the middle of the night
Like a firefly without a light
You were there like a blow torch burning
I was a key that could use a little turning
So tired that I couldn't even sleep
So many secrets I couldn't keep
Promised myself I wouldn't weep
One more promise I couldn't keep
It seems no one can help me now
I'm in too deep
There's no way out
This time I have really led myself astray [1]
Lindsey stopped abruptly at the sound of Faith's gasp. He looked up, not into
the nearly violet-blue eyes of the hellgod, but to warm hazel eyes of a pretty
young woman. She blinked slowly and then looked directly into his
eyes. She smiled, a small hesitant smile, before turning a confused look on
the rest of the lobby. Her lips parted, as if she would speak and then Glorificus
shimmered back into place, still gazing vacantly.
The others had crowded around. They stared unbelievingly at the hellgod.
"Dear God. Spike told us... I just couldn't..." Rupert Giles slowly approached Glorificus.
As he came close, Faith said, "Be careful, Giles. One of the lawyers fell, practically into her lap, and she slipped her hands into his head. He died."
"He died?" Giles looked sharply at Faith.
She nodded and said, "It hurt. He screamed. She screamed too. I think... she was in pain, and Buffy came back, but she didn't stay long. Shortly after Xander went back in, she was replaced by her." Faith finished by nodding at Glorificus.
"What's going on?" Angel's voice came from the entrance.
Lindsey looked over to see the vampire, flanked by Spike and Xander, stepping
down into the lobby. Giles and Wesley took him into the library. Xander stopped
to talk to Willow before saying he was going up to check on
Dawn. Spike sprawled on the stairs, positioning himself between the hellgod
and where his mate was.
~~~~~
Xander came out of the bathroom, the towel slung loosely across his hips gaping wide on the side. Willow averted her eyes and he stepped back, blushing.
"I... uh, I... you seemed like you were in a rush to get away," she said, turning pointedly to address the wall.
"I just wanted to check on Dawn," Xander said.
"Well, I just wanted to check on you," she said. Willow shot a quick
look over her shoulder at the sound of Xander pulling on his clothing only to
catch sight of his ass as he pulled up a pair of silk boxers. "Erp... I...
Xan, what is it? You're all nervous and it's not the naked thing 'cause you
were anxious as soon as you got here and you weren't naked then."
"Officially not naked now," he said. She turned to face him. He held
his arms out demonstrating his attired state. He wore an incredibly large, bright-blue
short sleeve shirt over a black tank and khaki shorts. He looked
very Xander-like as he looked down at his clothing before peering up through
his long bangs at Willow.
"Xander," she said, crossing her arms and meeting his hesitant gaze.
"Will... I," he said as he started to bite his thumbnail.
"It's not the plan. That came off without a hitch, except for the not being able to ditch Glory because it's Buffy. But I thought you would be... Xan help me out here," she said.
"He loves her," Xander whispered.
"He loves you," Willow said.
"I know that... really, more than anything, I know that. But... he loved her first," Xander looked away.
Suddenly he held a warm Willow clasped to him. She squeezed tight and murmured, "Don't be such an ass."
"You tell him, Red," Spike said.
Both humans' reaction proved the Big Bad could do stealth with the best of them. Willow wiped her damp eyes and said, "I'll just check on Dawn. We'll need you both downstairs soon." She shot them a meaningful look before leaving their room.
Spike quietly shut the door and crossed to Xander. He stood right in front of his mate, pinning Xander with an unblinking stare. "So that's what has you clenching your jaw and grinding your teeth," he said softly.
Xander looked away, swallowing uncomfortably. Spike grasped Xander's stubborn chin and gently forced him to maintain eye contact. "You know I can hear it when you're tense. Gonna have to turn you just to keep your teeth from wearing down," Spike whispered.
Xander chuckled, relieved that Spike was willing to tease. He wasn't proud of his jealous nature. He knew his possessiveness had caused more than a few awkward moments with Buffy and Willow. He knew Spike was his. More than the lack of the chip, more than the mark on his neck, the fact that his lover was here, now, sensing his need for reassurance, told him that. He kissed Spike and leaned into him.
Taking a firm grip on Spike's denim clad hips, Xander rested his forehead against the vampire's. "It's just," he said, "she's here, now. I know how much she means to you," Xander started, only to be cut off.
"Us, luv. I loved her. You loved her. She's pack, eh?" Spike offered a wicked smile and ground his pelvis into Xander's. Peppering teasing bites across his lips and nibbling down the human's neck, he paused over the mark. He licked tentatively at first, then struck suddenly, sinking his fangs into the scarred flesh.
Xander moaned and pushed back against his lover until they both thudded against the wall. He swore as he fumbled with the fasteners on Spike's jeans, causing the vampire to chuckle and push back against him until they were both sprawled on the bed. There was a ripping sound as Xander's shorts tore along the zipper. "What is it with you and my clothes? They were neutral, not bright. "
"It was an accident," Spike said. He pulled Xander's shirt off over his head instead of attempting the buttons.
"Yeah, yeah," Xander hissed, reaching for the lube. "It's always an accident - but it's always my clothes."
"Take you shopping, I will," Spike murmured, lifting Xander's knees and positioning himself between the tanned, well-muscled legs.
"Oh, God!" Xander gasped. "Anything but that."
"Anything?" Spike leered.
~~~~~
"Dawn's with Fred. She really needs to get some sleep, but this has her, well..." Willow said, coming down the stairs.
"Xander and Spike?" Angel asked.
"They're... talking," Willow sat next to Tara. "They... might be a while."
"Is everything okay?" Tara asked.
"With them? I think so. What's going on with... Glory?" Willow nodded to the still-seated hellgod.
"Well, while you were gone, we noticed a pattern," Tara said
"Pattern?" Willow asked.
Tara said, "Lindsey. Do it again."
"Pardon?" Lindsey seemed distracted by the fact that Angel was looming over him.
"Sing. Please?" Tara stood up and crossed the lobby and sat next to him. "I just want to test something."
Can you help me remember how to smile
Make it somehow all seem worthwhile
How on earth did I get so jaded
Life's mystery seems so faded [1]
Once again Glorificus blurred and was replaced by the young woman. Her hair was darker and straight, her eyes warm, human and focused on him.
I can go where no one else can go
I know what no one else knows
Here I am just drownin' in the rain
With a ticket for a runaway train
And everything seems cut and dry
Day and night, earth and sky
Somehow I just don't believe it. [1]
"Well. That's... interesting," Giles said.
"Very interesting," Lilah added. She lifted her eyebrow and stood. Instantly, she was flanked by Miller and Finn. "Listen, boys, I know you're not going to kill me and you know you're not going to kill me, so you're wasting both our time with the menacing routine."
Willow looked at Angel and said, "I didn't get her name."
"Lilah. She works for Wolfram and Hart. I'm not sure why Xander... kidnapped her," Angel said.
"Because she is going to tell us everything about Glory, why she was brought back, and what this law firm from hell intended to do with her," Willow said.
"And why would I want to do that?" Lilah asked archly.
"Oh, I didn't say you would want to," Willow replied with a small, self-satisfied smile.
[1] Runaway Train - Soul Asylum
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