Part 1: Gratitude
A loud scream echoed through the night, and Angel immediately responded. Pacing the silent cemetery with nothing to do had made him a little jumpy, and he sprinted off in the direction of the sound. His advanced senses led him to a dark alley in the centre of town, where three vampires circled a helpless young girl. At full speed he charged in, attacking viciously left, right and centre until nothing but dust floated. He turned to the girl, who was staring at him with wide eyes.
"You should go home," he mumbled before turning away.
"Can...can I ask you a question?" she stammered, unsure. Angel stopped, and nodded. "Why do you fight your own kind?" At this he span on his feet in bewilderment.
"What?" he choked out.
"I'm a demon, and I can tell that you are too. Why do you fight them?" she swept her hand about at the ashes on the floor.
"I...I'm cursed," he murmured, not sure why he was telling her. She closed her eyes in deep concentration, before opening them again with a smile.
"A soul," she stated. "I'm sorry. I was just searching for the reason you were so strong, I didn't sense the humanity in you." Her smile was soft and kind, almost sympathetic. "How can I repay you for saving my life?" Angel shrugged and turned to leave. "I know!" the girl exclaimed suddenly, making him stop once more. "I have the perfect way to make it up to you, if you want of course." Angel nodded for her to continue. With a grin, she taunted, "Does humanity interest you?" Angel stared at her, dumbfounded. Even his unnecessary breathing halted.
"Are you saying..." he began.
"I have this uncanny ability to access magic that only the most powerful mortal witches can reach. Admitted, I don't usually use this power, but I can make an exception in your case," she smiled again.
"What...what do I have to do?" Angel whispered, scared to speak louder lest he wake up from this dream. The girl shrugged.
"Nothing, I think. Just stand there," she replied. Angel did as he was told and the girl closed her eyes again, and lifted her arms to the air. In a language even Angel didn't recognise she chanted a small spell. The air in the alley began to churn and heat up, making Angel's skin feel tight. With a final whispered line, a small white light appeared in front of Angel and touched his heart, before disappearing again. With a choke he fell to the floor, breathing heavily as his lungs kicked back into use. Every part of his body hurt as foreign blood was moved through his veins, and his heart ordered more of his own. He felt dizzy, and wavered on hands and knees on the filthy alley floor. Slowly he regained his bearings and stood up to thank the girl. But she was gone. In a daze he wandered home, thinking about what it all could mean.
A loud scream echoed through the night, and Angel immediately responded. Pacing the silent cemetery with nothing to do had made him a little jumpy, and he sprinted off in the direction of the sound. His advanced senses led him to a dark alley in the centre of town, where three vampires circled a helpless young girl. At full speed he charged in, attacking viciously left, right and centre until nothing but dust floated. He turned to the girl, who was staring at him with wide eyes.
"You should go home," he mumbled before turning away.
"Can...can I ask you a question?" she stammered, unsure. Angel stopped, and nodded. "Why do you fight your own kind?" At this he span on his feet in bewilderment.
"What?" he choked out.
"I'm a demon, and I can tell that you are too. Why do you fight them?" she swept her hand about at the ashes on the floor.
"I...I'm cursed," he murmured, not sure why he was telling her. She closed her eyes in deep concentration, before opening them again with a smile.
"A soul," she stated. "I'm sorry. I was just searching for the reason you were so strong, I didn't sense the humanity in you." Her smile was soft and kind, almost sympathetic. "How can I repay you for saving my life?" Angel shrugged and turned to leave. "I know!" the girl exclaimed suddenly, making him stop once more. "I have the perfect way to make it up to you, if you want of course." Angel nodded for her to continue. With a grin, she taunted, "Does humanity interest you?" Angel stared at her, dumbfounded. Even his unnecessary breathing halted.
"Are you saying..." he began.
"I have this uncanny ability to access magic that only the most powerful mortal witches can reach. Admitted, I don't usually use this power, but I can make an exception in your case," she smiled again.
"What...what do I have to do?" Angel whispered, scared to speak louder lest he wake up from this dream. The girl shrugged.
"Nothing, I think. Just stand there," she replied. Angel did as he was told and the girl closed her eyes again, and lifted her arms to the air. In a language even Angel didn't recognise she chanted a small spell. The air in the alley began to churn and heat up, making Angel's skin feel tight. With a final whispered line, a small white light appeared in front of Angel and touched his heart, before disappearing again. With a choke he fell to the floor, breathing heavily as his lungs kicked back into use. Every part of his body hurt as foreign blood was moved through his veins, and his heart ordered more of his own. He felt dizzy, and wavered on hands and knees on the filthy alley floor. Slowly he regained his bearings and stood up to thank the girl. But she was gone. In a daze he wandered home, thinking about what it all could mean.