Part 2
Faith followed the other two into the bar, her eyes everywhere, her slayer senses on full alert. But the reading she kept getting was 'mostly harmless.' Angel had explained that this place was a sanctuary for monsters, and she had been made to hand over her stake when they walked through the weapon detector at the entrance. Though she recognised some of the demon customers by species - even slayed a few of their kind - she could feel that no one was looking for a fight.
So she relaxed a little, and checked the place out like she would have any other club. She didn't know what she was expecting, having never been inside a demon hangout or a karaoke bar before in her life. The attempt at a vibe was dark and smoky but the blue curtained walls and bright neon fittings just screamed tacky. Not really her type of place. On the other hand, the decor wasn't really the main attraction.
"Well, if it isn't our favourite vampire with a soul and his seer sent from the Powers That Be." The voice came from behind them and Faith spun around to come face-to-face with a tall, green-skinned, red-horned demon. He looked down at her. "And who is the latest member of the ensemble cast?"
"This is Faith." The vampire's introduction was stark, direct, no unnecessary small talk.
The demon continued to watch her like a hawk and Faith began to feel uncomfortable under his piercing gaze. She could sense that there was more to this guy than what he wanted his clothes and club to say about him.
"So our boy Angel has found himself another Angel, hmm? Nice." The Host tracked his eyes lazily up and down her body. "You can come pose for me in a gold lamé bikini anytime."
"I'd watch it around her if I was you." Cordelia warned as she took a seat at one of the tables facing the stage. "She's a vampire slayer."
"Vampire slayer?" He leant in close, to say in a hushed tone. "Not the rogue vampire slayer?"
Faith gave him a grin that was all teeth and no warmth. "The one and only, baby."
"Oh, I've always wanted to get a slayer in here! All that teen angst coupled with the burden of superpowers. It'll just be like looking into my own Jackson Pollock. I've even got the perfect song all planned out... ooh, my fillings are shivering just in anticipation. Come, come." He gestured for her to follow him, without waiting to see whether she would. As the Host reached the centre of the stage, the lights suddenly blinked on. He took the microphone from the stand
"Boy, do we have a treat for the lunchtime crowd today! They call her the Chosen One, she who stands alone against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. But hey, why don't we just call her Faith. And Faith here is about to grace us with a little ditty by the Divine Miss M. Put your hands together and make her feel welcome!"
The lights brightened as they focused on the slayer standing in the middle of the stage,the Host having shoved a microphone into her hand. There was a hunted expression on her face, and she just had time to find Angel and Cordelia in the audience. She shot them a murderous look.
Then the screen in front of her flashed the title of the song that she had to sing and her eyes widened in panic. But it was too late to back out, the music started and she was forced to read the words running along the screen before her.
Ohhhh, oh, oh, oh, ohhh.
It must have been cold there in my shadow,
to never have sunlight on your face.
You were content to let me shine, that's your way.
You always walked a step behind.
So I was the one with all the glory,
while you were the one with all the strain.
A beautiful face without a name for so long.
A beautiful smile to hide the pain.
Did you ever know that you're my hero,
and everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle,
for you are the wind beneath my wings.
The vampire and the actress were staring at the stage; their mouths hanging open in amazement. Cordelia finally spoke up. "Oh. My. God."
"I know." Angel responded, his voice equally as stunned.
"She's really good. Really, really good. Way better than you."
"I've been practicing." Angel defended himself, sounding a little wounded. "But Faith... Faith is..."
"Really, really good."
They returned their attention to the stage as the song drew to a close, the slayer's voice effortlessly hitting the full notes.
Fly, fly, fly high against the sky,
so high I almost touch the sky.
Thank you, thank you,
thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings.
The whole club erupted into a long and loud applause. Still on the stage, Faith tried and failed to keep the grin off her lips, her expression a curious mixture of pride and relief.
The Host waited for the applause to die down slightly before he joined the slayer in the spotlight, taking the microphone from her as he theatrically brushed tears away from his eyes with his other hand. "I'm weeping. I'm weeping! And this from a demon without tear ducts. Whilst I'm backstage having a little chat with the Divine Miss F, Lenny the Draathak will be the brave soul who follows her with a little Unchained Melody about the day he lost his horns. Make him feel at home!"
As a shaggy little monster shuffled forward, the Host handed him the mike then stepped down into the shadowy wings of the stage. Faith followed, still a little flushed from her performance. But she pushed it aside, wanting to know what the demon read in her soul. "What did you see?" she asked impatiently.
The Host turned and looked at her. Then he sniggered.
"What?!"
The chuckles turned into outright laughter.
Faith growled and advanced on him, the impatience quickly veering into full-blown anger. "I'm only going to ask this once more. What. Did. You. See?"
"Oh my..." With a last wheezing laugh, the Host finally composed himself only to flip his hand dismissively at her. "You don't scare me, little missy. You're a good girl now."
"I'm a good girl?" She never expected to feel such a sense of relief at hearing those words come from a green demon wearing a powder blue suit, a pink shirt and a cravat. "So my future... it's good?"
"Oh honey, it'll be very good. Almost as good for you as it was for me. But I'm not going to say any more because if I know you - and I just read your soul so I think that I do - you'll baulk at the path that the Powers have set for you."
"No. No... 's cool." Faith felt a stupid grin appear on her lips. "I'm good with just knowing that they've still got something planned for me." She cleared her throat, a little awkwardly. "Um... thanks..."
The Host gestured again, waving away her gratitude. "No problemo. Just don't be a stranger now, you hear? In fact, why don't you come back on a weekend? I can see the fliers now... 'Slaying Me Softly Saturday...'"
Still talking about promoting her as a ticket, he led her through the curtains and over to where the vampire and the actress were sitting. "Everything's A-OK, Angel-cakes. Nothing to worry your pretty little head about." Strangely, it was Cordelia that he was looking at when he spoke. His gaze suddenly snapped up and he walked away, addressing one of his bar attendants. "Elian! Didn't I ask for my sea-breeze an hour ago? When I said that I wanted the grapefruit fresh, I didn't mean that you had to grow it yourself..."
Once he left, Faith slid into a spare seat at the table. Cordelia and Angel continued to stare at her. Faith stared back at them for a moment, before she growled "You two are so dead."
They inched back slightly.
"Joke. Geez, lighten up."
"Never quite sure when that's an idle threat with you." Cordelia quipped, stirring at her drink.
A barperson came up to unobtrusively slip three menus onto their table and Faith took one, eager for her first non-prison meal in over a year. Angel stopped her before she could open it, as he leant forward to look at her intently. "What did he tell you?"
Faith shrugged. "Nothing. He said my future would be good, but he wouldn't tell me anymore because he said I would do stuff to not make it happen. And I think maybe he's right." She looked up at him, her eyes wide and child-like, her expression suddenly completely serious. "I've kinda always fucked it up when I knew I was on a good thing. I... I think just knowing that I've got a reason for being here is all I can handle for now."
Angel nodded and sat back in his chair, but he continued to watch her.
Faith stared right back at him, letting him know that all the attention was starting to piss her off. She didn't mind being the centre of things, but she wasn't some fucking lab specimen. The vampire dropped his gaze first, and Faith sighed. He never was much of a challenge. She looked down at the menu in her hand, when Cordelia suddenly spoke up.
"So where did you learn to sing? I thought all superheroes were lousy singers. Isn't that like, your one fatal flaw?" She turned to Angel. "Were you a better singer when you were evil?"
"Cordelia..."
It came out as a long-suffering sigh, and Faith knew that Angel must have said the exact same thing in the exact same way, millions of times before. She smirked a little. In the past, it would have pissed her off, but now... it still kind of pissed her off. But it was also sorta soothing, in a twisted, sick fuck sort of a way. Maybe listening to them bitch to each other was the penance that she had to pay in exchange for not having a longer jail sentence.
Jail would have been easier.
Continued in Part 3