I took liberty by using some strong language in this chapter. I apology if any of you are offended, but I felt it was necessary to convey the correct tone for the chapter. Enjoy and don't forget to leave me a review.
Chapter 50 – Something Wicked This Way Comes
Angel had seen it all. After nearly two hundred and fifty years what could possibly be new? The modus operandi was always the same for every egocentric, domination hungry, maniac that coveted a position of power. The details of how and when such a creature takes form didn't vary much from fanatic to fanatic. Actually, the particulars were pretty much a bore.
First came 'the push' as boundaries were tested for strength. It was a childish maneuver that every two-year old knew well. How far could the reach be extended and how much could be claimed before someone notice and smacked you back into line. Then came 'defiance' when the normal reprimand no longer had an impact, when instilled values and morals began to seem trivial. It was at this particular stage of development when the infantile maniac would teeter on the very edge of right and wrong, one small step to either side would make all the difference in the world between rectitude and corruption.
Somewhere earlier on, Alex's husband had made the fatal error and stepped off on the wrong side, leaving his wife stranded on the opposite shore. Despite this mistake, there still might have been the opportunity and time to make things right, but now that Malachi was a vampire there was no going back.
Sadly, Angel knew that love would often endure after death and even the loss of a soul. The basic fundamental design of an individual would remain true after the transformation. Some elements of the personality would often be enhanced or subdued, but we are what we are even after dying and being reborn as a dark and unnatural monster. Malachi was a prime example of that theory, and his obsession with Alex was a train wreck waiting to happen. The wheels he had set in motion while alive he continued after death. The demonic element only added more fuel to his fiendish plan. From the evidence and activity Angel saw in the mine, that locomotive of destruction would be pulling into Tombstone any day now, unleashing hell itself over the residents of the town.
He never told Alex that he had encountered her husband long before they met and got married. Malachi had just been a fledgling Guardian when Angel accidentally crossed his path while passing through Philadelphia, Malachi's hometown. Thankfully, the meeting had been brief and uneventful. As soon as Angel realized he had come face to face with a Guardian, he simply fled. Not the most heroic thing to do, but definitely the smartest. Later on, he heard stories of how good of a slayer Malachi had become and he counted himself as fortunate that he had chosen to run rather than take a chance and fight.
But there would be no retreating this time. There was too much as stake. History, this town, and his new friend were all hanging in the balance. Malachi had created a very large and very dark storm that was ready to break at a moment's notice and Angel intended to stop him or die trying.
"What a fucking nightmare." Spike hissed under his breath so that only Angel would hear him.
"Keep a cool head and both your eyes open. At the first opportunity we make a break for it." Angel pull his hat further down over his head and checked to see if his upturned collar was still concealing most of his demonic face. He bent down once more and began to shovel more dirt into a wheelbarrow that stood to one side.
Spike set his jaw as he flashed a worried glance at Angel. "Well, it had better be soon. My internal clock tells me the sun will soon be up and I don't relish being trapped down here." He too began to shovel dirt as the wheelbarrow slowly filled.
Once again manic laughter echoed from tunnel to tunnel, causing several demons to stare wide-eyed into the dark openings as they wondered when and where their crazed leader would suddenly emerge.
Spike stopped and stared with the others. He shivered once before he turned back to his task. "That bloke has slipped his foundation."
"Reminds me a little of Drusilla." Angel replied lightly.
Spike lifted a large rock out of his way as he tossed Angel a dark look. "Bollocks. He's nothing like Drusilla." He replied strongly. "He's a hell of a lot worse. Actually, his vision reminds me of you when you were at your peak."
Usually, Spike's cutting remarks always warranted a smart comeback or a dark look, but his last observation was too close to the truth for Angel to reprimand. "Keep your voice down and shovel before you draw too much attention. When we take this load to the dump we'll try to make a break for it."
Spike nodded once and began to work faster.
She had only been asleep an hour or more when she felt a soft touch on her shoulder. Startled by the contact, she yelped and jumped to a sitting position. "Son of a bitch." Alex gasped as she peeled her back away from the headboard of the bed. "Don't ever do that again."
"Sorry." Angel replied meekly. "You were pretty out of it, even snoring a little."
She tossed him a scathing look. "Yes, so I've been told."
"Holliday?" He asked with a smirk.
"The very same." A jolt of pain sank into her heart but she did her best to hide it. Eventually, she would have to tell Angel about her break up with Doc, but for the moment she wanted to hear about his trip into the mine. "What happened? I was starting to worry?" She looked over at Spike who was standing by the wet bar downing a full glass of scotch.
"Malachi's got the entire complex locked down. We had to fight our way to the surface. Killed six of them on our way out. He'll know we've been in there now but there was no other way to get out." He turned to except the glass Spike handed him and drank deeply.
"To make a long story short, love, your assumption was correct. We've got a big fucking mess on our hands and not enough fighting power to stop him." Spike summarized as he took a seat at the foot of her bed.
She shook her head. "Not true. The Guardians are here. I came across one a few hours ago."
"Just one?" Angel asked.
"That's all I saw, but I'm sure there are more." She began to scoot off the bed. "I'll get dressed and see what Father Martin has to report."
Angel reached out to stop her. "Alex, it's barely daybreak. Why don't you sleep for a few more hours. actually, Spike and I could both use a break. Then, after we've rested, we can talk about what to do."
She looked toward the window, nodded once and eased back against the pillows of the bed. "I'm glad you got out ok, Angel. Did you get a good head count while you were in there?"
"Yeah." He rubbed his hand over his weary eyes. "We're seriously out numbered He's got over a hundred working in those tunnels. Most of them are Mexican but there are quite a few town people as well. He's stocked with guns, ammunition, explosives and provisions."
"Cattle?" She asked slightly alarmed. "No prisoners I hope."
Angel shook his head. "No. Just cattle. But the situation is as bad as it can get."
"It's going to be a war then." She wasn't asking, she was only verbalizing her inner suspicions.
"Yes," he replied with a level tone, "and if he wins then the Western half of the United States is screwed."
The sun streaming through the windows hurt his eyes. Doc shielded his vision with one arm somewhat easing the pounding headache he had. He had almost drifted back to sleep when a soft knock on the hotel room door startled him, causing him to quickly lift his head; the sudden movement sent a bolt of pain across his blurry vision. He tipped his head back against the sofa again and moaned while lifting the bottle to his mouth to quench his thirst. After several deep swallows he forgot about the door.
But the soft knocking continued.
Once again he raised his head and stared at the two blurry doors the led to the hallway. When he squinted the two doors blended into one. The knock came again and his heart leaped for joy. Alex, he thought. She's changed her mind.
He brought the bottle to his mouth once more and rose from the sofa. The room swayed under his feet, and he stumbled sideways before he could steady his gate. Damn. Must be out of practice. Pushing forward he staggered to the door and tossed back the lock. He expected to see her remorseful and contrite face as he opened the door, but he was wrong.
"Hello Doc, honey. I'm back." Kate chirped cheerfully as she leaned in to kiss his cheek.
"Kate?" He asked with a great deal of confusion.
"Who else." She declared as she pushed by him and into the room beyond.
Doc leaned out into the hallway and looked up and down. Alex was nowhere in sight. He turned to face Kate and leaned back against the frame. "Why are you here?" He demanded as he watched her take off her coat and hat before she sat down on the bed.
"I knew you'd miss me, even if you don't think you do." She spread her legs in a suggestive pose and rested her hand on the inside of her thigh.
Doc squinted at her and shook his head. "Kate…" He began but she quickly stopped him in the same manner she always did.
"She dumped you didn't she?" She asked as she moved off the bed and gently closed the hotel room door before taking the bottle from his hand and drinking deeply. When he avoided her gaze that told Kate all she needed to know. "You don't have to explain it to me, Doc. I know you better than anyone. Better than she ever will." She handed the bottle back to him and helped him steady his hand as he raised it to his mouth, watched him drink again before she advanced further.
"No one takes care of you like I do." She purred while brushing her breasts against his arm. Before he could halt her movements, her hot little hand pressed firmly against his crotch and rubbed. When he began to harden she let out a warm seductive groan of approval.
She took the bottle from him again, drank once more and then placed it on the table by the bed. "You know I will never leave you. Not for long anyway. I always come back to you. I'm not like the others." She leaned in to kiss his mouth, as her hand movements got stronger, steadier. "Let me take care of you now. Let me make you feel better like I always do."
Unexpectedly, he found himself exposed and at the mercy of her skilled hand. Once more he tried to break away before things got much further. "I told you not to come back." He slurred, and made one last effort to shield his cock from her but she only laughed and pushed his hands away as she got down on her knees.
"You always say that, Doc," she took him in her mouth drawing a deep moan from him, "and I always come back. Let me take care of you now and then we'll see how you feel afterwards."
It was mid-afternoon when another knock sounded on the hotel room door only it wasn't Doc who answered it this time. "What the fuck are you doing here?" Wyatt growled as he glared back at Kate.
Kate arched her brow at his absurd question. "What do you think, Wyatt? I'm taking care of my man like I always do." She gave him a languid smile as she glided one arm up the doorframe and stretched her body to flaunt her curves. "And he just took care of me, so to speak."
Behind Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan cursed in unison. Wyatt pushed his head through the open door and looked around the room until he saw Doc's naked form passed out on the bed. "When did you get into town?" He asked as he eye-balled her lacy underwear.
"Early this morning, and just in time I might add. Your bitch of a cook has been making mincemeat of my man."
Wyatt's icy blue eyes narrowed as he shook his head. "Not this time Kate." He said with conviction. He pushed her out of his way and walked into the room as he looked anxiously about.
"Not this time, what?" She snapped.
Wyatt wheeled about and raised one finger in her direction. "You're not playing with his head or his life anymore. That's what."
She laughed at his arrogance and his stupidity. It was obvious to Kate that Wyatt had no idea just how well coupled she and Doc were. "Fat fucking chance you'll have anything to do or say about that."
Wyatt only flashed her a dark look before he went into motion. He grabbed what clothing she had left laying about and shoved it back into her carpetbag.
"Just what do you think you're doing?" Kate screeched.
"What I should have done a long time ago. You've taken advantage of him from the last time." Before she could object further he had her by the arm and was dragging her out the door as Virgil and Morgan snickered loudly.
"Let go of me you fucking law dog." She tried to dig in her heels but with no shoes on it was hard to catch hold.
Wyatt set his jaw and pulled harder. "That's right, I'm a fucking dog. And this dog is going to fuck you all the way out of town." He continued to rant as he pulled her down the hallway and then down the flight of stairs. "For once in Doc's miserable life he has a chance at something decent and good. Someone that will bring him some peace and happiness, and I'll be God damned if I'll stand by and watch you feed him liquor while you ruin it for him. No! Not this time Kate."
When they reached the crowded lobby she began to scream louder. "Help me. He's hurting me. Help." But no one present had the nerve to cross paths with Wyatt Earp when he was this angry.
Once outside Wyatt tossed her into the nearest puddle of mud. After she landed on her backside he tossed her carpetbag on top of her. "Take my advice Kate. Get on the first stage out of town, because if I see you hovering around I'll ride you out of town personally, and trust me, sweetheart, you won't like where I leave your ass." As he turned to march back into the hotel he could hear her screams of indignation and her parting remarks.
"Fuck you Earp. Fuck you and all your fucking kin." She yelled to his back.
Wyatt stopped at the hotel desk before walking back upstairs. Unconsciously, the clerk took one look at Wyatt's dark face and grim expression and stepped back away from the counter. Wyatt hardly seemed to notice. "Send lots of hot coffee, eggs and toast to Mr. Holliday's room, and be quick about." As he walked back up the stairs Wyatt set his jaw in preparation for all the hell he'd have to go through to get Doc sobered up.
"What happened?" Wyatt asked as he held the hot coffee for Doc to take. After he had returned from kicking Kate out, he and Virgil had stuck Doc's inebriated form into a cold bath tub. When Doc's language got too abusive at their treatment, they would hold his head under the water until he calmed down. After several passes, Doc was too exhausted to fight. Finally, Wyatt washed him like a child and then rinsed him off with nice hot water.
Now for the last thirty minutes they've been pumping him full of hot coffee and toast. Their efforts were begining to show progress; Doc was finally starting to make sense. Again he asked, "Doc, after you were attacked walking back to the hotel what happened? Did you and Alex have a fight?"
Doc tried to shake his head but the movement sent a lighting bolt of pain through his skull. "No." He groaned while holding one hand against the side of his head. "It wasn't a fight, but I think the attack frightened her. As soon as we got back to my room she broke off our affair. I tried to talk some sense into her but she refused to listen."
"Did she say why?"
"She said she almost got me killed three times. That she had a job to do and it was too dangerous for me. She wants me to leave town and she wants you and your families to go with me." He sighed loudly as tears sprang to his eyes. "I can't… I can't even think what to do without her."
"Damn it, Doc," Wyatt snapped. "What made you think fucking Kate would help."
Doc scoffed. "Too damn drunk to stop her. Somewhere in between her sucking my prick and getting me into bed I passed out. If we fucked, I don't remember it."
"Kate said you did." Morgan groused.
"Kate's a fucking liar." Doc retaliated.
Wyatt looked at his friend thoughtfully before replying. "Can you get dressed so we can continue our meeting with Alex? I'm hoping her friends will be included in our talk. As much as I respect Alex for her expertise, I still can't see a woman fighting this alone. I want to put some manpower together. Virgil, Morgan and I have been talking and we've come up with a plan. "
"Yes." He moaned. "Just as soon as I vomit I'll be right as the mail."
Wyatt muttered under his breath and helped Doc to the bathroom.
Once again, Angel heard that soft knocking on his door. Let me guess, he thought, it must be prince charming. He looked briefly at Alex as she sat on the sofa sipping her coffee. She chewed her lower lip as she looked anxiously at the door. When they heard the knocking again, she nodded toward Angel but before he rose to answer the door he asked her once more for clarification. "Are we agreed? We make no mention of the silver in that mine."
She nodded once. "If you think it's best, then yes, I agree."
"Finally." He sighed with relief. "It is for the best Alex. I know you don't feel like that now but believe me in the long run it's better this way." There was another round of knocking, only this time it was somewhat louder.
After she woke from her brief rest, Angel and Spike had fully informed her on what they found in the mine. There was a short but intense discussion on exactly what Doc Holliday and the Earps should know about what was found inside. Obviously, the lawmen needed to know about the numbers of vampires and the preparations Malachi had made for the coming battle, but Angel had put his foot down on informing them about the silver strike.
"That mine has never been found. If you tell them you'll only be changing the time line again."
She had tried her best to change his mind. "But… it would bring them financial security. Why is that such a bad thing?"
"It's not about good versus bad, Alex. It's about changing the timeline!"
As usual, Angel was right so Alex didn't argue with him after that. Instead she updated her two friends about her meeting at with the Earp's and her breakup with Doc. She didn't expect Angel to have much sympathy for her heartache but he surprised her by placing a brotherly arm around her shoulders in a sign of comfort. "It never would have worked, Alex. There are too many years between your world and his. Victorian men have a completely different attitude toward women then men from your time."
She sniffed loudly and blotted her wet eyes again. "You and Spike aren't so different."
"Angel and I adjusted with the time, love." Spike explained.
"Besides," Angel added in a gentle tone, "You can't remain here, and the cultural shock would be too traumatic for Holliday if you brought him back with you. He'd never be able to adjust."
She adverted her eyes but nodded in agreement. "Yes, I know. There's no place for him in my world."
This last statement seemed to conclude the matter, and neither man brought up her conflicting relationships after that. Alex figured the well of tears she continuously wiped away kept Angel and Spike from upsetting her anymore than she was. She felt a little better after a hot bath before settling on the sofa to read Malachi journal. Between the three of them they managed to unravel her late husband's twisted plan. But when all of Mal's secrets were revealed the painful truth she found there only caused her to cry some more.
Both Spike and Angel were equally as shocked by what Malachi had done. "There are no words to make this any less painful, Alex." Spike had told her while rolling her another cigarette. "Don't hurt yourself anymore by mauling over the details. Take your anger and pain and use them as weapons. It'll will make you stronger."
Alex barely heard what he said. Reading Malachi's journal seemed to renew the pain she felt after she woke up in the mission hospital and they had told her of her husband's death. A single statement continued to travel around and around in her head. "Whenever God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window." She mumbled to herself.
"Huh?" Spike muttered.
"One of the sister's at the mission reminded me of that saying. Haven't you ever heard it before?"
"Whenever things looked bleak for me, my mum used to tell me that tomorrow is a new day, free from any mistakes and ready for me to mold it to my liking." He shrugged slightly. "It used to cheer me up."
"My mother used to make me warm milk with a little cinnamon sprinkled on top." Angel added.
Despite her sad mood she had to laugh a little at Angel's confession. "It's hard to imagine you drinking warm milk."
"Why? What's so funny about me drinking milk?"
She quickly shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. It's just that…." She looked over at Spike for support but he made a little gesture to let her know she was on her own. "milk's so white and wholesome and you're so…"
"I'm so… what, unwholesome? Gee, Alex you don't have to rub it in…"
She was quick to interrupt. "That's not what I was thinking." Alex remarked with one finger raised in his direction. "You're tall, dark, handsome and extremely dangerous, milk doesn't fit your profile anymore, that's all." She didn't get to elaborate on her comment. The soft knocking on the hotel room door ended their quite morning council.
When Angel opened the door Wyatt's face was the first to greet him. "Angel." He nodded. "Hope we didn't come too early.
Angel shook his head as he glanced over Wyatt's shoulder toward the other men standing behind him. As he meet Doc's eyes his felt a moment of pity for the other man's sour expression. Guess he hurts as much as Alex does. "No, it's not too early. We've been talking for some time now. Come in." He held the door open to let them pass.
Spike greeted Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan with a smile but it was Doc's hand he shook. "Glad to see you don't frighten too easily." He told the gambler. "Here, have a seat." He ushered Doc toward the chair across from Alex. "I'll fetched some more chairs from the other room."
As soon as Doc entered the room Alex met his gaze. He didn't think it was possible for anyone to look as bad as he felt at the moment, but she did. The dark circles under her eyes told him that she had gotten very little sleep and the redness he saw in them spoke volumes about the anguished tears she had shed. He also noted a nervous fidgeting in her hands as she played with a handkerchief, something he had never seen her do before. It suddenly occurred to him that she was rapidly reaching her breaking point, which only made her frantic ranting last night more valid. He wanted to take her in his arms and hold her until all the pain she felt passed away but he couldn't. Remember, he reminded himself, this is what she wanted. Keep your distance. He nodded once at her and took his seat and turned his attention toward Angel.
"I thought you might want to see this." Wyatt held up a copy of the local paper in his hand. "The fight at the Oriental made front page." He tossed the paper down on the table between them.
Alex reached for the paper and quickly scanned the news. "They're contributing the fight to drunk cowboys." She told Angel and Spike. "No mention of anything out of the ordinary, just that some of the men had weathered faces."
"We got lucky." Spike offered to which Alex nodded in agreement.
"Coffee?" Angel offered. He motioned toward the tray on the table between them. Wyatt nodded once as he reached for an empty cup.
Angel cleared his throat and began. "Alex has been filling us in on what she discussed with you, so I guess any further explanation is meaningless. To bring you up to date, Spike and I went to the ranch last night and found the situation was worse then we imagined. She told you about the freshly cut barn doors and the evidence of Malachi's excavation inside the mountain."
Virgil nodded as he took the chair Spike offered to him and grumbled softly while he rubbing his hand over his face. "What we don't know is what he's doing inside that mountain."
"We do now." Angel admitted. "Spike and I went inside last night to scope things out."
"You did what!" Wyatt exclaimed. "How the hell…"
Angel cut him off with a wave of his hand. "The details of how we accomplished this is not as important as what we found on the inside. Malachi is surmounting an army. He's already equipped with weapons and supplies to carry this out. So far, he's managed to recruit over hundred vampires all of which are hidden in that mountain behind the ranch. We're going to have a war on our hands, probably very soon."
"Holy shit." Morgan exclaimed with an edge of alarm in his voice. His eyes bounced back and forth between Wyatt and Virgil in an effort to gage their reaction.
Virgil gestured to him to remain calm as he continued his line of questioning. "How's he paying for all this?" Virgil asked.
"Probably with the money his recruits bring in and what they can steal from their victims."
"What does he want, Angel? What is his prime goal?" Doc inquired before turning to accept the hot coffee Wyatt passed him.
Angel stared back at the gambler with astonishment. His ability to decipher a situation is almost as quick as Wyatt's. "Alex…" He nodded toward Alex letting her know she should be the one to answer that question.
With a mental effort Alex stilled her twisting hands. Her answer was directed at Virgil, however, and not Doc. Whenever she looked at Doc it only seemed to increase the unease she felt inside. She didn't want to cry in front of these men, knowing that if she did it would only be interpreted as a sign of weakness. Her femininity would have to be placed on hold if she was going to maintain her position of authority in this group. Otherwise, they would dismiss her as easily as they do their wives when it came to making difficult decisions. "He plans on taking over the town first, after that he'll expand outward to occupy the western half of the United States."
Morgan let out a low whistle and Virgil's eyes widened as he leaned back in his chair. He glanced at Doc and his brothers and knew they were all just as shocked as he was. "Pardon me for asking this Alex, but how did you come to this conclusion?"
"He wrote everything down. Every dark thought, every dark design."
"So you read his journal?" Wyatt asked for clarity.
"Not completely, but quite a bit of it. But it was enough Wyatt, to break my heart all over again." She felt her eyes get hot and quickly looked away before he noticed.
"I guess you didn't get much sleep." Wyatt asked in an effort to analyze her state of mind and mood.
She chuckled softly. "No." She rose from the sofa and walked to the windows to look out. From behind her Wyatt continued his questioning.
"Why would he do this?"
"Greed. Stupidity. Ambition. Who knows?" She replied without turning around. "He betrayed us, our whole unit, even me. The attack in the jungle was planned."
Her voice broke as she talked and Wyatt expected to see tears, but when she turned back around what he saw was cold naked anger. She stood completely still with her arms wrapped around her for either comfort or containment, he couldn't tell.
"I suspected this, but hoped it wasn't true. There were events leading up to the attack that I noticed, but I wasn't able to make a connection until afterwards. By then everyone was dead, except me."
"Did he try to kill you as well?"
"No. My fall down that embankment was an accident, and thank God I did, or I'd be in the same condition he is now."
"A vampire?" Doc asked.
"Yes. A vampire." She sighed loudly and walked back to the sofa to sit down.
"There was no way you could have known what would happen." Virgil told her in a firm voice. His strong-warm hand reached out and covered hers in a brief show of affection. "There ain't no sense in beating yourself up over it."
She nodded and swallowed hard. The fidget in her hands was back but she seemed unable to help herself. Idle hands, she thought and quickly picked up her coffee cup, winced when the cold coffee touched her lips, before placing the cup back in the saucer.
The men looked away uncomfortably at the obvious pain Alex was going through. Only Doc continued to focus directly on her. After a moment she realized he was staring and looked up to meet his gaze before quickly looking away.
But Doc wasn't that easily put off. He reached out for the coffee pot and poured the steaming brew into her cup. His thoughtfulness surprised her. She gave him a grateful smile as she picked up the cup again to sip the hot liquid.
"Better?" He quietly inquired.
Again she glanced at his face, and saw only warmth and affection there. She swallowed past the pain in her chest, nodded briefly and looked away. When Morgan interrupted she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alex, I'm curious… in the few years you were married, didn't you ever look in his journal? I mean… Well, most women would. Shoot, I know my wife would have."
She smiled at him and shook her head. "I trusted my husband, Morgan. Besides, it's against the Guardian rules to snoop in another's journal. Not once during my years as a Guardian have I broken a rule. Not until I came here. In the short time I've been here I've broken so many I've lost count. My relationship with you, Doc, was the second biggest one. Healing both you and Virgil will be grounds for my dismissal or worse."
Doc frowned at her blatant summary of the time they spent together. "So now that you've broken a few rules you decide to walk the straight and narrow path of righteousness and all at my expense?"
Alex flashed him an irritated look. Did I just think he was thoughtful? "Do you imagin you're the only one who hurts right now? If you do, you're wrong. But like I told you earlier, I have a job to do and you are getting dangerously in the way."
"That's a piss poor excuse Alex." He barked.
"Your impending death is no excuse. It's the damn truth."
He leaned in closer to sneer at her. "Nothing is going to happen to me, darlin. I fully intend to stick around to make sure you're good and guilt ridden if you ever attempt to leave me."
She continued to glare at him before jumping up from her seat and walking toward the window again. "I'm not going to discuss this now. There are bigger things happening here that I… no, that we need to be concerned about." She replied in an even tone.
Doc started to argue with her but Virgil quickly stopped him. "She's right Doc. Any personal feelings you two might have for one another need to be set aside. You can't keep a level head during a fight if you're emotionally wound up about something else, and we all need to keep a level head now. Either you stick to the game plan or leave. It's as simple as that." He paused as he waited for Doc to decide.
Reluctantly, Doc nodded as he looked away and down at his coffee cup. When Alex saw she was not going to be cornered into an argument she returned to her seat on the sofa.
Virgil watched as the two lovers curtailed their personal feelings and concentrated on the matter at hand. "How will he come at us?" He asked Angel.
"At night. I suspect he'll try to surround the town. There will be some loss of life but his main objective will be recruiting."
The word recruit made them pause. It wasn't just life and death they were fighting for but their humanity as well. "How do we stop him?" Wyatt asked.
Angel looked to Spike hoping he would be the one to initiate the Earps and Doc into their army. But Spike just shrugged and looked away. Angel could have spit with anger when he realized Spike was purposely letting him take the heat for Alex's impending anger. Reluctantly, he turned to Alex and waited for either her approval or flash of temper. She didn't take long to give him answer.
"No. Absolutely not." She declared firmly.
"Alex…" Angel started to plead but she abruptly moved off the sofa and walked to the center of the room.
She pointed one manicured nail in his direction and continued her rant. "No, Angel I don't want them involved. There has been too much loss of life already."
Angel's lips thinned with irritation. Finally he tossed up his hands and lobbed the ball back to Spike. "You talk some sense into her. She never listens to a damn thing I say anyway."
"You're not being reasonable, pet." Spike crooned. "Take a moment and think about who you're turning down."
"That's exactly what I am doing, Spike."
"Alex, you're not seeing things from their perspective." Spike continued. "These are not the type of men to sit around and let others do the grunt work. You're applying modern stereotypes in an age when women stayed home and sewed. You can't expect them to let you, a woman, call all the shots."
She looked seriously at him for a moment before passing her eyes over Angel and the other four men in the room. "Ah, bloody hell. Are you telling me I'm out numbered? Six male chauvinistic pigs against one woman?"
Spike shrugged again before giving her a smug smile. "Yeah, I say that's a pretty fair summary."
She looked hard at him. "And if they get killed, William, can you live with that?"
The use of his Christian name didn't have the impact she hoped. His chin rose a notch in defiance. "If I make it out of here alive, I'll remember with pride that I fought along side the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday and I hope they'd do the same." There were several grunts of approval issued as Alex looked on with an air of horror.
"You're all fucking nuts." She threw up her hands and went to pour herself a drink. Once the poison of her choice was chosen, she raised the full shot glass in his direction. "But let me remind you, that my brethren are here and they may have a very different opinion on how this fight should be handled. Until I speak to them I would prefer if all of you took defensive positions." She finished her speech by tossing back her drink.
After several more arguments it was decided that Virgil would issue an early curfew on the grounds of an aggressive form of smallpox that had been reported in a neighboring town. Wyatt would see that an announcement regarding the epidemic was published in the local newspaper, the Epitaph, while Morgan and Doc would post written announcements at the town businesses. They hoped the result would be fewer people on the streets especially at night and perhaps the rest would be motivated to stay closer to home.
Alex was pleased with the results. With less people roaming the streets, it would make it harder for Malachi's vampires to claim victims. Until her late husband made his move against the town, Angel and Spike would be on patrol during the evening hours in an attempt to hold the vampires at bay as long as they could. While the men did what they could Alex would go speak with the other Guardians and Father Martin.
Now that the most serious part of their meeting was over, Morgan approached Alex and asked to see her cell phone again. She smiled at his child like enthusiasm over a device she took for granted. "Sure, Morgan. I guess it can't hurt anything if you see it again." She retrieved the phone from her bag, turned it on and handed it to him.
"You explained the cell phone to them?" Angel asked in an irritated tone.
"Just vaguely. Besides, I didn't have much of a choice."
"It's wonderful!" Morgan announced. He picked up the small oval object and opened the lid the way Alex had shown him. "I can't believe you can talk to other people on this and hear music too. It's just wonderful!"
"So much for vague." Spike mocked with raised brows.
"Ah, Alex you didn't…" Angel growled as he geared up for another screaming fit.
"Yeah, I did." She confessed. "Don't get your panties in a twist, Angel. After watching me heal Virgil's arm and explaining time travel, the cell phone is commonplace."
"Which song did you play for them?" Spike asked with interest. "Some Ramones or Talking Heads? Oh, how about some Rolling Stones. Yeah, that's what they should hear. Play 'Sympathy for the Devil' the timing makes it almost poetic."
"It was a song about a guy asking a girl to knock three times on a ceiling if she wanted him. It was a good song." Morgan said.
Spike gaped at her with a look of repulsion. "You played Tony Orlando and Dawn? That's sick!"
Alex smiled at his comical expression. "I figured it was mild enough."
"You should have played them some Stones."
Angel did his best to ignore Spike as he continued to question Alex. "I guess you'll be giving Holliday your toothbrush and mouthwash next." He replied sarcastically.
Alex shushed him with a glance and helped Morgan play 'Knock Three Times on the Ceiling' again. As the cute happy tune floated through the air she leaned back in the sofa and tried to relax. "I always did like this song." She remarked to no one in particular.
Her moment of contentment was short lived as Doc continuously stared at her. So, she stared back and noticed for the first time how sick he looked. "You got loaded last night, didn't you?" She asked.
He gave her a slight grin. "I did indeed, and pay the price for my indolence today."
"You should stay off the juice, Doc."
He chuckled softly. "Thank you, Miss Montgomery. You're advice is duly noted."
"Come here." She requested in a soft tone while patting the empty cushion on the sofa. "Sit next to me."
His heart gave an eager jump at her request. Once he was seated next to her she immediately reached for his hand. Doc felt a subtle pulse of energy with her caress and then he realized what she meant to do. Quickly, he withdrew his hand. "No, Alex."
"Why? It won't hurt and will only take me a minute. You'll feel so much better when I'm done."
"And then you'll feel worse. You already look like death warmed over and I don't want to contribute to that. No. My hangover will pass."
She could only shake her head. "I don't understand you at all."
He smiled softly and reached up to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Yes you do. You just don't want to come to terms with it."
Now that a plan was developed the Earps departed to begin their tasks, but Doc chose to stay behind and have a quiet word with Alex.
"Can't we talk, darlin?" He asked as he closed the door to the adjoining bedroom giving them a moment of privacy.
She kept her back toward him as she donned her patrolling gear. "This conversation will end badly for both of us, and you know it."
"I know of no such thing." He said softly while passing his fingers slowly through the depth of her hair. "What I do know is you want me as badly as I want you. Why shouldn't we both enjoy one another?"
Alex closed her eyes tightly against the tears that threatened to spill. His seductive manner of speech and soothing touch was pulling at the naked need she felt whenever he touched her, but the result he hoped to achieve was having the opposite effect. For just a moment she let herself enjoy his touch as she closed her eyes and tried to remember every aspect of this moment with him. His long, soft fingers sinking deeply into her hair to rub firmly against the nape of her neck. The smell of his aftershave and underneath that fragrance was the aroma of his masculine scent that would only get stronger as the sexual energy between became more stimulating. The timber of his voice enriched by his soft Southern accent that was uniquely Georgian. And of course the weight of his body as he pressed hard against her was telling her what words were insufficient to convey.
All those aspects of this man made up a sum of everything she loved about him, but they were still inadequate when compared to the original. There was so much more to John that she cherished. His insight and wisdom. His intelligence and his loyalty. His quick temper and dry wit. His ego and yet his sensitivity to others. His exquisite manners and his contrasting pompous attitude. His kindness and his barbaric spirit he kept tightly chained until he had cornered his enemy as he prepared make the kill. She would mourn all of him until she breathed no more, and that was why she chose the path she followed. He had just dipped his head to skim his soft full lips against her neck when she moved her final chest piece into position. The warmth of his mouth against her cold skin almost changed her mind. Almost.
"You have a cousin back home, do you not?"
"Hmmm" He murmured against her neck as he continued to nuzzle.
"It has been theorized by many historians that the two of you developed a close romantic attachment for one another."
"Huh?" He stuttered.
"I want you to promise me you'll return home to marry this girl." She replied without turning to face him.
He jerked stiffly against her before he took a step back from her body, grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and forced her to turn and face him. "Are you talking about Mattie?"
Alex tried to project a calm and serious composure. "Yes, your first cousin, Mattie Holliday. She became a nun some years after you went west."
"Don't be an idiot, Alex." He snapped somewhat confused by her abrupt line of questioning.
"Is it true?"
His lips thinned sharply as he considered how to reply. Finally, "Yes, it's true. When we were very young we played at being lovers, but it was never brought to fruition. Besides, her family objected to our union and Mattie always felt a need to serve God. In light of these obstacles, we went our separate ways."
"Has she yet taken her final vows?"
"No." He snapped. "Alex, what …"
"Why does she linger then?"
"I haven't the faintest fucking clue?" He yelled. "Perhaps she can't abide the idea of cutting her hair, or maybe she feels she doesn't look good in black. How the fuck should I know. What I do know is she refused my offer of marriage, surprisingly similar in the same manner you did."
He stepped back further, bumped up against the bed and sat down abruptly. The sudden motion seemed to take all the fuel out of his anger. When he continued his tone was considerably calmer. "Why are you bringing this up now?"
Alex took a deep breath and advanced. "Because I want you to go home and ask her again. She's waiting for you John. Waiting for you to give up your anger and return home to marry her."
She reached into her black bag and pulled out the silver music box. "You asked me to think about your proposal and I have. I can't accept your offer. I'm sorry." She presented the box and felt a moment of exquisite pain when he reached up to take it from her hand. "You're not sick anymore, and you have no more excuses to linger in the west."
His face became a monument of stone with only his eyes revealing his inner feelings. "Why are you asking me to do this?"
"Malachi was right when he said I'm not good enough to beat him. This will be my last mission, John. I don't want you grieving over an affair that would never have gone any further than what we had."
"Alex, you must know I'll protect you with the last breath in my body. I would never let him hurt you, nor would Wyatt or his brothers."
"You'll never be able to stop him." She said with finality. "I'm asking you again to pack your things and leave town."
"Never." He replied firmly.
She sighed loudly. "I can't force you. But I can keep my distance from you and that is what I intend to do. How you choose to spend your time is up to you."
"And if I chose to spend it with another woman other than Mattie? Perhaps with a redheaded whore for example? What have you to say about that?"
"Kate's back in town?" She asked with narrowed eyes.
Doc took aim and fired as he prepared to hurt her as much as she had hurt him. "Arrived at my room early this morning and perfectly willing to pick up where we left off. " He replied with a smirk.
She turned away from him and continued to check the supply of weapons in her bag. "If that is how you wish to spend your time then so be it." She kept her back turned until she heard the sound of her bedroom door open and then sharply close, only then did she let her tears fall.
