Chapter Two
The three discussed the situation back at the office.
"Well boss, what's next?" Cordy asked.
Angel hesitated, "I guess the next step is to find out from Ms. Lockwood what she knows about this. Cordy, can you see how she's making out upstairs?"
"Right on it."
It took quite awhile for Susan to get out of the tub. In fact she really wasn't sure she would be able to on her own, but the bruises and marks covering her body and limbs were not something she was anxious to show anyone else. She was combing her hair when Cordelia knocked on the door, "Everything okay in there?"
"You can come in if you like," Susan slipped into the robe, which smelled mildly of a masculine cologne. Cordelia slowly opened the door and poked her head cautiously around it until her sight came to rest on Susan's thankfully blue eyes. "You manage okay?"
"Oh, I'm a bit sore, but the bath felt good." Susan paused a second, "I was wondering though, why are there no mirrors in here? I guess it is probably better that I don't see myself, but it seems kind of strange in a bathroom."
"Oh that," Cordelia had to think quickly, "Angel is just the kind of guy that doesn't worry about looking at himself." Why would a vampire need a mirror? "The guys would like to talk to you. I put your clothes in the wash, looked like maybe you've been wearing them for a while. I'll put this gown in too," Cordy said grabbing it off of the counter, "still wet from your cold water shower - sorry about that."
"I should really be thanking you. That was the hardest sleep to get out of yet. Next time I probably won't be able to." Cordy cautiously put a hand on Susan's shoulder, but she pulled away with a shutter. "Sorry, I have a hard time with being touched right now."
"I'm sorry I don't have any clothes here I think you can wear. Wes and I live in other apartments so I put a shirt and jeans of Angel's on the bed. I see you are not the underwear type, but I put a pair, still in the package mind you, out just in case." Cordelia seemed a little embarrassed by the conversation. In fact, so did Susan.
"Actually I'm not much for going commando, but the last time I dressed was the time I was taken over ... taken is definitely the right word for it, I was a bit preoccupied. I'll probably have to tell the tale later, as much as I wish it was all a dream, and I could just wake up. I'll come down as soon as I've dressed."
It took a while for Susan to dress as moving was somewhat of a hardship. The clean clothes were very welcome, although not a great fit, but it made her feel a little bit closer to normal. Now, to find a mirror to check her hair ... no mirror in the bedroom either. Well, Angel is certainly not vain, but it seemed very strange.
Susan had to hang on to the railing as she slowly walked down the stairs, and the steps were taken very carefully.
"Oh my gosh," Wesley exclaimed when he saw the new black mark on her face. "We really do have a problem here that we best get right on to. You are certainly missed at the Salvation Army, you are sure the celebrity there."
"Lets go into the office so you can tell us what you know," said Angel, leading the way.
Susan sat down again in the soft leather chair, not much danger of nodding off this time, not with the story she had to tell.
"I came to L.A. four and a half years ago, mainly because you don't have to worry too much about the weather. I have no family so thought this was a good place to be. I didn't have much money either, so I stayed at the Sally Ann. I had planned on getting some kind of job but right from the start I found that by the time I got to know everyone my time was taken to listen to people, or help run errands, or sit with someone when they needed me ... just what ever. The Salvation Army was there for what I needed so I just continued that way. I know this doesn't seem very important, but I think that is why I was chosen to be the demon's host. Over the last four years I figure I've helped over two hundred people to know God, sometimes it was just in their last few hours. Since he, ah, entered me I haven't been able to go near a church without being violently sick, even when I see a clergyman. I guess that way he doesn't have to worry about an exorcism." The three listened very intently.
"Maybe I should record this, if it is okay?" Wesley asked, "In case we need some future reference." Susan nodded her consent.
"Please go on Miss Lockwood," Angel urged.
"Call me Susy, but the time we are finished this conversation you're going to know me too well to call me miss."
"How do you know that the demon is male, and how did it get into your body?" Wesley asked.
"This is the embarrassing part ... I invited him in. How stupid of me, when I have come to know God so well, and I invite a demon into my body."
"What do you mean?" Angel asked.
"I mean we had sex," Susy said putting her head down into her hand. When she raised it to continue a tear slid down over her cheek. "Almost three months ago I was at the Aids Hospice, sitting with a friend. He was one of the few people who refused to let God in. Even though he would die soon he just didn't want to know. He got very bitter the last couple of days. Even a friend of his was visiting and he ordered the both of us away. We went to have a coffee and talk about how things were going. That's how I met Sol. He seemed too good to be true, liked everything I did, liked those romantic movies. He seemed to have money, but he didn't flaunt it. At one point I thought he might be gay because he never even suggested any intimacy, rather unusual these days. He must have known I was celibate. Sol would hold my hand sometimes and I could feel this tingling. I thought I was getting it real bad. We had probably been seeing each other six weeks before he even kissed me. I couldn't believe it, this tingling felt like a surge of electricity. I thought I was falling in love. He wouldn't go to church with me, but he would go to people's homes or the hospice with me. About a week ago he asked me to marry him and of course I said yes. To celebrate we went out for champagne and supper at "The Red Tie". I figured that night was the night, that we would, umm, make the bond complete."
"I understand", Angel said to make it a little easier, "Were you a virgin?"
"At my age? I'd been celibate for about five years, seemed to make life easier, not to get too involved with anyone. But I let my guard down."
"This may be a little hard to talk about, but what actually happened when this Sol fellow took over?" Wesley asked cautiously.
"Well, this would be a good time to make a fresh pot of coffee," Cordelia excused herself from any more uncomfortable talk.
Susan took a deep breath before she started. "After supper we took a walk and ended up down by the bay. I thought it was so romantic because Sol must have found the perfect spot for us earlier. He had covered this large rock with a thick red blanket and had placed seven red candles around it. There was also a very old looking bottle of wine sitting in an ice bucket, and two glasses waiting for us. Everything he did made me want him more. I thought it was my imagination but when he held my hand or kissed me the tingling seemed so much stronger. I could hardly wait to make love because I was so sure that is what it was. He lit the candles while I sat on the blanket... even it felt so warm. He poured us each a drink, which was an odd orangey yellow colour for wine. Sol said that it was made of mangos, a favorite of mine, of course. Even though the wine was cold, it felt so warm as I drank it and it seemed as if I could feel it travel through my body, especially to ... well, it made me want him more. I had on the red nightgown under my sweater and skirt. Sol had bought it for me too. I wore it when I lay on the blanket waiting for him. He drank the wine, too, and it looked to have the same effect. It seemed like he couldn't wait either. He seemed to remove his clothes in an instant. He lay on top of me quite ready, yet he waited. He asked me what I wanted and I said "for you to come into me' and as he did he said, 'til death us do part'." Both Angel and Wesley shifted in their chairs; the room seemed to be getting very warm. "I could see the candle flames in his eyes and the desire was immense. I've never felt like that before, and I am sure I never will again. It was so intense, and I think that I passed out because it seemed like suddenly we were standing facing each other. He said, "I'll be with you until you die, you'll never get rid of me." Then he took something like a branding iron and held it on my stomach. The pain was unbelievable and it made me wake up. Sol was gone. There was no evidence that he had even been there except that his clothes lay on the blanket beside me. I started shouting his name, but there was no answer. There were no footprints in the sand leaving the blanket. I couldn't find him, so I put on my skirt and sweater and just started walking. After awhile I noticed a burning feeling on my stomach so I went into a public washroom and found a fresh burn. I knew this was really bad so I headed for the nearest church. I couldn't even go up the steps; I got dizzy and very nauseous. I just started walking and I've been walking ever since."
"What about the brand," Wesley asked leaning ahead in his chair.
"I guess you would like to see it," Susan slowly stood and unzipped the jeans. Both men rose to see the burn, a septagon with what appeared to be a seven-pointed star inside, measuring about two inches across. It seemed to be intentionally placed exactly beneath her navel, right over the uterus. Wesley absently touched it, but Susan pulled away bending at the waist as if from pain.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to ... ahh ... I better go see if I can find any information about this symbol, of if there are any records of anything similar."
Cordelia delivered the coffee just in time to witness Wesley's embarrassment. "I'll go with you," she said quickly, "two heads are better than one."
Angel poured two cups of coffee and placed one into Susan's hands. The warmth felt so good. "What do you take in your coffee?"
"Just black is fine, stronger that way. Hope that you have lots."
"As much as you want. Sorry it is not the best." Angel sat facing her from the edge of his desk.
"It's just fine. I'm really sorry to get you involved in this. I really have no way of paying you, especially if we are not successful. Sol did say he has never been defeated."
"We will do what we can, it is far from over yet."
"Yeah ... but the way I feel, I don't think I'll be able to last too much longer."
"What else can you tell me about this. You haven't told us how he can beat you this way. I've seen how he cut you. How is that anyway?"
"It's sore, but no worse than any other part of my body. It seems that the only time he has control over me is when I am sleeping. It is like I am dreaming and I can't get out of it. I can't run away because it feels like I'm in thick water and just can't move fast enough. He looks the same as before, except that his eyes look so evil and red. I don't know how but he has whipped me, cut me with knives, slapped, punched, bit and raped me." By this time Susan couldn't hold back the tears and started to weep uncontrollably. Angel pulled a chair next to her's and held her as she turned and cried into his shoulder. He felt comfortable and cool to the touch, not the burn she felt when others touched her. Maybe he could help her. He seemed to be her only chance anyway. As the sobs slowly eased she noticed the scent of the cologne she recognized from earlier on the robe. As Susan straightened up in the chair she apologized for loosing control.
"It's a really tough circumstance to be in. You are holding up amazingly well, considering." Angel continued, "Do you mind if I take a look at your injuries?"
Susan stood up and turned her back to Angel and removed the t-shirt, moving slowly and stiffly, then held it with both hands covering her breasts. Angel was silent, very silent. For a second he had a feeling of deja vu, but couldn't place where it came from. The marks were absolutely unbelievable. The whiplashes must have met her skin thirty times or more and on her left shoulder blade were what appeared to be human bite marks. He very gently touched her back, as if the feel of the injuries made them more real. Bruises and bite marks seemed to cover almost everywhere else. Susan kept her eyes closed, not out of embarrassment, but more out of guilt for allowing such a thing to happen to herself. She slowly turned around, still holding the shirt, to show more bite marks and of course the cut from earlier. She opened her eyes after a few minutes to find herself looking into Angel's almost black eyes, which showed how concerned he was for their new client. A knock came at the door and Wesley came in carrying two large books. Susan quickly turned around and put the shirt back on, as quickly as the aches and pains allowed.
Noticing her back Wes made a low deep groan and said, "Hmm, we best make short work of this.