Cold hands grasped the handle of the sword, gripping the leather-bound base tightly. Eyes fixed on the empty space before him, waiting for it to come forward. A sudden movement flashed before the vampire's eyes, and instinct took over him, a split second after a swoosh cut through the air, a thump was heard. A stray light cut through the thickness of the darkness, and the 242-year old vampire saw the headless body, a pool of blood gathered around the dismembered demon. A few feet away laid the head. Spikes protruded from the skull, a thin blanket of white covered it's eyes, the skin was rough and seemed to be the quality of dry dirt.
"Hmm," Angel said, touching the tip of the sword tentively with one finger. "Nice sword."
"Figures," a voice replied. Angel whirled around to see one of the Tang twins leaning against the wall.
"Kelly," Angel said, surprised to see her.
"What gave it away?" She asked, approaching the tall, handsome vampire.
"Your scent," Angel smiled. "It's a thing I can do."
"You can do a lot of things," Kelly remarked. "Yet I'm only human."
The two 16-year old twin sisters watched as Lorne, the friendly horned demon, and Fred answer the endlessly ringing phones all day. Angel was brooding in his office, as always. Then they had the pleasure of watching Connor fall all over Sara, who was interested in him as much as she was interested in a rat's ass. Kelly was practicing her fighting stances, punches, kicks, blocks and maneuvers.
No later than nine O' clock everyone retreated to their living quarters.
"Hey, Sara," Kelly called from the washroom where she was brushing her shoulder length brown hair. "What's with Connor? I think he likes you, the way he totally hangs all over you."
"Nothing ain't gonna happen," Sara replied from the bed.
"So you broke it off?"
"No, I told Angel to."
"What!" They both cracked up, trying to imagine Angel explain the situation to his son, who was easily confused.
"He's not gonna do it," Kelly remarked.
"Will too."
"Wanna bet?"
"Five bucks."
"You're on." Giggling, the two girls went to bed, unaware of what was going on outside the hotel...
"Master," a demon with a small, short body said. "We must plan carefully. One wrong move and—" The demon was cut off by a THWACK across the face.
"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" A large, hostile demon bellowed. Spikes protruded from his skull, his face the color of dry dirt. It held resemblance to the demon Angel killed. "I've been planning this for months, you ignorant ASS!"
"Yes, Master," the smaller demon cowered before his master. "When shall it start?"
"Soon," his master replied. "Very, very, soon." He chuckled deeply, and turned to see thousands of horned demons—smaller versions of the Beast—lined up in straight rows.
"We will rule this world," the Master announced to the army of demons. "But first, we must call Angelus to our side." Here the demon turned to the opening in the ceiling. "He is trapped in Angel's body, doing good."
"Doing good?" Repeated one of the demons in the front row.
"Impossible!" Cried another.
"I played pool with him," grumbled one to himself. ""He was the one who shoved an eight-ball up my ass." Murmurs rippled throughout the crowd, like a wave in the ocean.
"Don't worry. We'll get him back," the Master assured. "By extracting his soul."
Morning came, and the Hyperion Hotel was awake. And not buzzing with noise, might I add. Angel came from his basement, looking tired and unrested.
"Morning," Gunn greeted, yawning while he descended the stairs.
"Look at the enthusiasm in here," commented a bright and cheery Sara. Kelly accompanied her, also groggy. She couldn't shake the feeling of sleep from her mind.
"Are you the only one around here who got a decent night's rest?" Kelly complained, rubbing her eye.
"Rise and shine, sleepyheads!" Lorne sang out happily as he entered through the front door.
"Obviously not," grumbled Fred as she leaned over her cup of coffee on the counter.
"I might as well go back upstairs and practise my martial arts." Kelly started up the stairs. Sara nodded and began to follow.
"Need any help?" Connor appeared in the lobby, looking at the girls hopefully.
"Er...no thanks," Kelly replied, running up the rest of the stairs. Sara followed in agreement.
"Think Angel told him yet?" Sara asked when they reached their room.
"Eager to lose?" Kelly remarked.
"You wish." Both girls dropped to a karate stance, sizing each other up. Eyes met, faces set straight. Sara made the first move, a quick fake right jab, Kelly held up her arm to block, instead receiving a kick in the stomach. Soon followed a flurry of fists and impressive moves. Grunts and groans were the results in bad timing. Both concentrated so hard they didn't notice Connor standing by the door. He noticed Kelly was the stronger of the two, and grinned as he stepped in between.
"Hey!" The twins cried out in unison, stepping back.
"Hey," Connor replied, and nodded to Kelly. "I'll take you." Without warning his hand flew out at her face, catching her in the chin. In the moment in which Kelly took to recover from the sudden blow, Connor had already knocked her to the ground. His eyes intensified, his hits became more direct, frequent, and constant.
"Connor!" Angel appeared at the door. With vampire strength, speed, and reflexes, he grabbed Connor and held him back. "What the Hell do you think you're doing!" Connor glanced back at his father, struggling from his grip.
"She brings evil."
"Guys?" Sara asked. She pointed to the open window where Kelly climbed out in a hurry. A worried look crossed over Angel's face as he released Connor. He was about to go after Kelly, but Sara held him back.
"She'll be okay."
Tears brimmed Kelly's eyes as she limped down the sidewalk, keeping to the shadows. Everything had hurt like never before. Connor's strength was greater than any human, his reflexes faster, his timing better. He had never let Kelly hit him once, giving her no time to recover from the previous assault. At long last she collasped on the sidewalk, defeated and out of energy.
The man peered into Kelly's face a short while later. He was of the short, stocky, type. Chubby cheeks and sweatly palms.
"Miss? Hello, Miss?" His voiced echoed through Kelly's head, then stopped abruptly. "I'm sorry, Miss, but orders are orders." He picked up the unmoving body, grunting with the effort, and hurried off.
When Kelly didn't return to the hotel after dark, Angel grabbed his sword and left to search for her, leaving orders to the rest of the gang.
"Lorne, Fred, stay here and tend the phones. Gunn, Wesley, get a move on. Split up; it'll be much faster. Meet back at the lobby in two hours. Call the cell if anything." The three of them ran off in different directions, while Connor watched from the doorway, eyes hateful.
"Master, I have brought what you've told me to get."
"Already?" The demon grunted, truning to look.
"She was unconcious when I found her, Master."
"Perfect. Leave her in the cage."
"Yes, Master." The man wobbled over to a large steel iron 12 by 8 cage. He placed Kelly on the floor and locked the cage. The Master chuckled, turning into his human form.
Angel, Gunn, and Wesley returned to the hotel two hours later, hopes fallen.
"Nothing," Wesley reported.
"Same here," Gunn agreed, launching himself on the sofa.
"We'll have to keep looking," Angel said as he turned to put his sword away.
"Looking for her?" Everyone turned to see a tall, brown-haired man in the doorway. He held up a picture of Kelly.
"How did you know?" Fred asked, startled. Her eyes were glued to the guy's face. He's not bad-looking, Fred thought. Doesn't look too dangerous. At least not to me.
"Angelus, come with me, eh, buddy? I'll bring you to her," the man continued, ignoring Fred.
"Angelus?" Sara narrowed her eyes at the man. "I don't care what you say. Angel and him are different."
"He's not human," Angel commented, a dark look formed in his eyes. "Why are you here?"
"Well, neither are you, pretty-boy!" The man responded. He extended a hand. "Name's Boris, buddy."
"I don't care who you are, and I'm not your buddy." The next second Angel had Boris by the lapels. "Why are you here?"
"Calm down, a'ight?" The man cried out. "I ain't here to hurt you. I told you, I'll show you where she is, honest!" Angel let him go with a push that made Boris fall to the ground.
"It's a trick, Angel," Wesley warned him.
"I know." Angel paused. "But he knows where she's at. I can tell he's telling the truth."
"Well, then," Boris smiled. "Let's get to it." He began to walk towards the door, then stopped and turned. "Only you, Angelus. No one else."
Angel followed Boris while thoughts rambled into his head. His senses sharpened, prepared for a fight. Angel knew there was some kind of trick to it, yet he had no other choice but to follow.