Chapter One

Kathy looked around the room they were waiting in. 'They' was Lord Wolframs entourage. She sighed quietly though she had no breath and slumped down to sit on the floor. She had... existed for almost 250 years now. It couldn't be called living. Living meant growing, changing. She had done neither since she had awoken in this Hell on Earth. And yet... she still didn't know why. Why would Wolfram expend so much magical energy to bring her back to a semblance of life? She had no special abilities he might crave, no powers. All she knew of her purpose, at least as he saw it, was that she was to be a weapon against a warrior of good. And how she did not know. She didn't understand anything.

Kathy felt tears prickle against the backs of her eyelids and viscously beat them back. She wouldn't give in to self-pity, she told herself angrily. She 'wouldn't.' She looked around the entourage again, taking them in. They had been chose, she knew, to impress and inspire fear. Some had been with him for centuries, as she had been. The others, two humans and a witch, were recent. Two wolves lounged on the floor like huge dogs, until you saw their eyes. No dogs had eyes so utterly neutral. Amber eyes that said they could, and would, kill you without a moments thought if it was needed. Except for Wolfram. Wolfram was their Master, their Alpha Male. That was his power. The ability to call and control wolves, to command them, even against their will. He spoke, and they had to obey, as did their human cousin, the werewolf.

Kathy's gaze settled on the newest addition, of just a few months ago. He was small and slight, his hair brown. And he was young, at least physically. But his eyes were old. He was a werewolf. From rumours and whispers Kathy had learnt that Wolfram had drawn him in with promises of learning how to control his beast. And he had taught him how to do so, to an extent. The pull of the full moon was no longer needed to unleash his beast.

Kathy wondered who he had been until he had become entangled in the web that Wolfram and Hart had woven. Had he had family? Sister? Brother? Had he had a girlfriend? When had he learnt that vampires and demons and the creatures of the night were real... and when had he become one? She couldn't ask him. Talking was frowned upon within the entourage.

From listening, Kathy had learnt that they were now in the New World, though it wasn't so new any more, in a city called Los Angeles or L.A And that here, at this place and in this time, Wolfram and Hart posed as the founders of a respectable Law Firm. At least, that's how they would appear to Human eyes. Kathy knew they would be repeating what had been their practice for decades. Serving Demons and the Forces of Darkness.

She felt eyes on her and glanced up to see that the young werewolf was watching her. Their eyes caught and he gave her a small smile. She returned it gladly. There had been too few that she could even begin to call friends since her... death.

A beep alerted her to the fact that someone was entering. She stood up, bringing her hand with the cuff and chain around her wrist up in front of her. There was various shifting through out the entourage as they prepared for the coming of their- her mouth twisted into a grimace- master.

The door opened... and Wolfram stepped into the room. His presence filled it till you almost wanted to back away to give him more space. The two wolves whined and stood up, padding over to their master. He held his hand down for them to lick, his black eyes sweeping over all of them. His eyes settled on her and he held out his other hand.
"Kathy," It was a command. She took a deep breath and stepped forward to him, handing him her chain. His fist closed around it and he turned and exited, knowing, with the arrogance that comes with supreme command, that the others would follow

Kathy walked just behind him as they made their way down the corridors of the building, hating him silently. Wolfram knew that she found the little ritual of handing her chain to him insulting and degrading, so he made sure to repeat it at any time possible.

They stepped into a large audience hall where three lawyers waited for them. As they stepped in, they bowed deeply.
"Lord Wolfram," the oldest man stepped forward. "Welcome," Wolfram nodded regally and sat down in the throne like chair that had been set ready. Kathy stood at his side as he kept the chain in his hand. The entourage arrayed themselves behind him and the wolves slumped at his feet before turning their amber stare on the lawyers who remained standing in front. The woman began to look nervous while the younger man remained impervious.

Wolfram leaned back in his chair, surveying them, knowing that he held their lives in his hand, and that they knew it too.
"So," he said "I believe it was you three that were present at the Ritual of Resurrection, was it not?"
"It was, My Lord." The oldest man said nervously.
"And, I believe the ritual was a success?" The man now looked visibly relieved.
"It was, my Lord," he said, "And she is recuperating as we speak."
"But it might not have been," Wolfram said, his voice going suddenly dark. "It could very easily not have been," His gaze swept over the lawyers, pinning each of them in turn. Only the younger man seemed unaffected. That either meant he was extremely foolish, or he truly believed he had nothing to fear. Which might just be another way to say he was foolish. "The Warrior has come to this city, this 'City of Angels' that we strove to make a 'City of Demons'. He stole the Scroll from our very vault, his connection to the Powers remains unsevered, and he... how do they say it in this age? Ah yes, he 'crashed the party' during the Ritual of Resurrection and seceded in slaying Vachnor!" The older man and woman had paled, but the third still remained unaffected.
"But of course," Wolfram said, he voice suddenly calmer, "There most also be recognitions of achievement. Lindsey." The younger man stepped forward. "You succeeded in completing the ritual, and though you lost the Scroll of Aberjian once again, still. I am very impressed with your sacrifice." Lindsey bowed low, murmuring,
"Thank you my Lord," Kathy's eyes were suddenly riveted on his hand. Or rather, were his hand should be. All that was left was an ugly stump. She swallowed, feeling sick. So that was his sacrifice she thought queasily.
"And what would you wish for your reward?" Wolfram leaned back in his chair/throne, smiling benevolently at the young lawyer. Lindsey's eyes seemed to flash angrily suddenly.
"All I wish," he said, his voice low and hate filled, "Is Angel's pain." Wolfram smiled, genuinely delighted.
"Then look upon what will be the source of his greatest torment," He proclaimed, gesturing sideways at Kathy. Lindsey moved so that he was standing directly over her. Kathy looked up into his eyes... and suddenly knew fear. His eyes were filled with a dark lust as he gazed up on her. His eyes flickered over her as if she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Kathy swallowed hard and tore her gaze away. She felt his gaze remain on her for a few more seconds before it moved away and she dared look again. Lindsey was once more standing in front of Wolfram.
"All I ask," he said again, "Is Angels torment." He bowed low and returned to his place next to his fellow lawyers. Kathy followed him with her eyes, watching him as one might watch a deadly animal.

Wolfram stood in one smooth movement.
"Now," he said, "I believe there was something planned?"
"Of course, My Lord." The older lawyer, the spokesman, said. "A banquet has been planned in your honour, if you wish too..." Wolfram smiled.
"I believe I do. If you would care too..." he gestured for him to lead the way.

Kathy followed behind the rest, still shocked by what she had seen in Lindsey's eyes. They stepped out into the sun, except for the two vampires who remained inside. Kathy blinked and resisted the urge to cower away. She could survive the sunlight, unlike vampires. A fact for which she was eternally, literally, grateful. She didn't know if she could survive without seeing the sunlight. But, it made her uncomfortable, and she instinctively wanted to return to the shadows, to safety.

Suddenly there was a noise, something like a cross between a howl and a yell, and all the bodyguards turned instinctively outwards, searching for the source of the threat. But the attack... came from within. The young werewolf, already beginning to change lunged into Wolfram's back, knocking him to the ground... and tearing Kathy's chain from Wolfram's hand.
"GO," The werewolf yelled at her, voice still intelligible. "GO!" He turned and knocked down a guard approaching him from behind. "Get to Angel! To A-" He yelped as one of the wolves flung itself at him; Kathy turned and ran.

She ran, tears streaming down her face trying to block out the cries of pain coming from her saviour, she ran, sobbing, repeating like a mantra,
"I'll come back for you, I'll come back for you," the only thing that kept her running, that stopped her from turning around and running back to help him. She fled, deep into the alley s of L.A