TITLE: Curiosity (2/?)
AUTHOR: Dannyblue
EMAIL: dannyblue2@yahoo.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please.
ARCHIVE/DISTRIBUTION: Anywhere, just drop me a note so I'll know where.
SUMMARY: A young couple sees something they can't quite believe.
SPOILERS: None really. Story takes place between "Dad" and "Waiting In the Wings".
PAIRING: Hints of A/C.
RATING: PG.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone or anything associated with "Angel" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".
"This sounded like a much better idea last night," Grant muttered. "And this morning." He took a deep breath. "I guess I'm more desperate for a book idea than I thought."
"Listen to this," Laura said. She sat slumped in the passenger seat, lost in the book that lay open on her lap. "Angelus murdered a baker, but left the wife alive. He stripped them both and tied them together, face-to-face. Then, he locked them in the pantry. Luckily, the woman was found before she could die of starvation or thirst. But, after staring into the eyes of her husband's corpse for 40 straight hours, her mind snapped."
"Geez." Grant whistled softly. If the story had been true, he would have been appalled. And a little worried about tonight's featured activity. But, since it was pure fiction, the writer in him was impressed.
Trying not to lose sight of the classic black convertible several cars ahead of them, Grant changed lanes. They'd been following the GTX since it left the old hotel—the Hyperion—with the dark stranger behind the wheel.
"And there's another one," Laura continued. "Angelus stalked this girl for months. He murdered her entire family. Finally, she joined a convent, where she probably thought she'd be safe. You know. Vampire. Holy place." Laura shook her head. "On the day she took her vows, Angelus came. He killed every nun in the place, and then 'turned' the girl. According to the story, she went insane and became a pretty notorious vampire herself." She started to page through the book. "I think she's in here somewhere."
When you took all of the stories in the book into account, Grant thought, following this guy wasn't the greatest of all ideas. But, since there was no way the stranger could be this Angelus person, what was the harm? Right?
Grant took his right hand off of the steering wheel, and rubbed his suddenly chilled left arm.
Finally, the convertible parallel parked. It was just dumb luck that there was another space several cars ahead.
Killing the engine, Grant turned to Laura.
"This is crazy, you know," he said.
"I know," Laura said.
And the two grinned at each other.
If there was one thing they liked almost as much as vampires, it was detective stories. And, at the moment, it felt like they were combining the two things they loved.
"When we're finished spying on this poor guy, who has no idea we've cast him as some sadistic, fictional character," Grant began, "let's grab a pizza at Gino's."
"I'm in," Laura said.
The Granger's waited for the stranger to walk by. Then, they got out of their car.
The street they were on was pretty busy. Packed with pedestrians out enjoying the mild weather. The scorchingly hot day had mellowed into a pleasantly warm night.
It was easy for Grant and Laura to get lost in the throng. To keep the stranger in sight. Follow him without *seeming* to follow him.
The writer in Grant came to life. Just a hypothetical, but what if this guy really *was* Angelus? Just think of *that*! Here he was, walking through a crowd of innocent, vulnerable people. None of them with the first clue what he was…or what kind of danger they were in. That walking next to them was a creature whose cruelty was legendary even among other vampires.
((Wow!)) Grant thought. ((It would make a great book.))
Pretty soon, the stranger approached a sidewalk café.
A woman sat alone at one of the outer tables. Since her back was to them, all Grant saw was sleek, chin-length hair.
The stranger approached her. And the way he moved, with a kind of smooth, natural stealth, Grant doubted the woman had any idea he was there.
And, suddenly, Grant felt this strange sensation in the pit of his stomach. Like he was watching a predator sneaking up on its prey.
It was a ridiculous notion, born from listening to Laura relate some of Angelus's more gruesome exploits. But it was a feeling he couldn't shake.
The man reached out and touched the woman on the back.
With a startled shriek, she spun around.
"Geez, Angel!" the young woman exclaimed. "You scared me!"
Laura whipped her head around to stare at Grant. "Angel?" she whispered, eyes twice their normal size.
All of the hairs on Grant's neck stood on end. He finally knew what it felt like to have his blood go cold.
Angelus?
Angel?
Another coincidence?
____________________
Laura stopped in her tracks, causing some guy to bump into her. Laura didn't feel the collision, or hear his muttered apology.
Angel?
Last night, once she got over the shock of seeing a guy who looked exactly like a "fictional character" in a dusty old book, Laura had laughed at herself for freaking out over nothing. As she and Grant came up with the wild—but fun—idea of tailing the guy for a night, just to satisfy their curiosity, her fear vanished.
Well, it was back.
Boy, was it back!
A fictional vampire named Angelus, in a book written and illustrated over a hundred years ago.
A real guy, in 21st century LA, who looked like said fictional vampire and was named Angel.
The coincidence gods must be working overtime. This one was just too weird to shrug off.
As Laura's imagination replayed every story she'd read in that book, she took a step back.
"Give a girl a heart attack, why don't ya," the woman said, frowning at her companion.
The man—Angel—sat down across from her. "Sorry," he said…with the air of someone who had apologized for the same thing many times before.
Suddenly aware that her husband was tugging on her arm, Laura allowed herself to be pulled forward. It seemed they had three choices. They could stand there and gawk, being as conspicuous as possible. They could walk nonchalantly past the café, and the man who had bought them here in the first place. Or…
The Grangers sat at a table near the couple's.
"Here," Grant whispered. He handed Laura a menu. "And stop staring."
Realizing she hadn't taken her eyes of the couple since they arrived—how she got to the table without walking into, or tripping *over* anything was anyone's guess—she directed her gaze at the menu. But continued to watch out of the corner of her eye.
"You're late, you know," the woman said. She looked mildly annoyed. But there was a slight smile on her beautiful face.
"Couldn't help it, Cordelia. Something came up."
"Literally, as in 'digging its way out of the moldy earth'?" She seemed a little worried by this prospect. "Or figuratively?"
"Figuratively."
"Oh." Her slight smile morphed into a smirk. "Let me guess. Connor started crying, and you couldn't bare to leave the hotel until he settled down."
"Something like that," Angel reluctantly admitted. "Every time a took a step towards the door, I felt…"
"Guilty?" The woman—Cordelia—nodded her understanding. "I've been there. Just this afternoon, as a matter of fact. But you could've called me on my cell 'phone to tell me you were running behind."
"Cell 'phone?" the man said blankly. Then, a look of chagrin settled over his pale face. "I guess I forgot about that. You know. That y-you'd…have one with you."
The young woman rolled her eyes. "What is it with you and cell 'phones? Is there some reason you, one, like to pretend they don't exist and, two, refuse to learn how to use them?"
"Well," Angel said with a dry chuckle, "they weren't all that common where I grew up."
"Ha, ha." Cordelia leaned across the table and clasped her hands in a pleading gesture. She lowered her voice, and Laura had to strain to hear the words. "Angel, you've been around for over 270 years. You were there at the *dawn* of the electronic age. It's past time you woke up and smelled the technology."
Laura couldn't suppress an audible gasp. Her heart did this thing where it slammed against the wall of her chest, then started to thump around like a basketball on a cement court. Her throat locked, so she couldn't swallow if her life depended on it.
Across from her, Grant's eyes were twice there normal size. Laura could see the whites all around the irises. His Adam's apple bobbed madly; up, down, up, down. And his knuckles were white where they clutched the menu he was pretending to read.
((Damn!)) Laura thought. ((He's too afraid for this not to be real. I was kind of hoping he was pulling some elaborate practical joke on the old lady.))
While one part of her brain thought these very rational thoughts, another part of her brain screamed.
((Vampires are real! They're not just make-believe after all. And the most vicious, bloodthirsty, sadistic of them all is sitting at the next table!
((Talking about cell 'phones.))
(TO BE CONTINUED)
AUTHOR: Dannyblue
EMAIL: dannyblue2@yahoo.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please.
ARCHIVE/DISTRIBUTION: Anywhere, just drop me a note so I'll know where.
SUMMARY: A young couple sees something they can't quite believe.
SPOILERS: None really. Story takes place between "Dad" and "Waiting In the Wings".
PAIRING: Hints of A/C.
RATING: PG.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone or anything associated with "Angel" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".
"This sounded like a much better idea last night," Grant muttered. "And this morning." He took a deep breath. "I guess I'm more desperate for a book idea than I thought."
"Listen to this," Laura said. She sat slumped in the passenger seat, lost in the book that lay open on her lap. "Angelus murdered a baker, but left the wife alive. He stripped them both and tied them together, face-to-face. Then, he locked them in the pantry. Luckily, the woman was found before she could die of starvation or thirst. But, after staring into the eyes of her husband's corpse for 40 straight hours, her mind snapped."
"Geez." Grant whistled softly. If the story had been true, he would have been appalled. And a little worried about tonight's featured activity. But, since it was pure fiction, the writer in him was impressed.
Trying not to lose sight of the classic black convertible several cars ahead of them, Grant changed lanes. They'd been following the GTX since it left the old hotel—the Hyperion—with the dark stranger behind the wheel.
"And there's another one," Laura continued. "Angelus stalked this girl for months. He murdered her entire family. Finally, she joined a convent, where she probably thought she'd be safe. You know. Vampire. Holy place." Laura shook her head. "On the day she took her vows, Angelus came. He killed every nun in the place, and then 'turned' the girl. According to the story, she went insane and became a pretty notorious vampire herself." She started to page through the book. "I think she's in here somewhere."
When you took all of the stories in the book into account, Grant thought, following this guy wasn't the greatest of all ideas. But, since there was no way the stranger could be this Angelus person, what was the harm? Right?
Grant took his right hand off of the steering wheel, and rubbed his suddenly chilled left arm.
Finally, the convertible parallel parked. It was just dumb luck that there was another space several cars ahead.
Killing the engine, Grant turned to Laura.
"This is crazy, you know," he said.
"I know," Laura said.
And the two grinned at each other.
If there was one thing they liked almost as much as vampires, it was detective stories. And, at the moment, it felt like they were combining the two things they loved.
"When we're finished spying on this poor guy, who has no idea we've cast him as some sadistic, fictional character," Grant began, "let's grab a pizza at Gino's."
"I'm in," Laura said.
The Granger's waited for the stranger to walk by. Then, they got out of their car.
The street they were on was pretty busy. Packed with pedestrians out enjoying the mild weather. The scorchingly hot day had mellowed into a pleasantly warm night.
It was easy for Grant and Laura to get lost in the throng. To keep the stranger in sight. Follow him without *seeming* to follow him.
The writer in Grant came to life. Just a hypothetical, but what if this guy really *was* Angelus? Just think of *that*! Here he was, walking through a crowd of innocent, vulnerable people. None of them with the first clue what he was…or what kind of danger they were in. That walking next to them was a creature whose cruelty was legendary even among other vampires.
((Wow!)) Grant thought. ((It would make a great book.))
Pretty soon, the stranger approached a sidewalk café.
A woman sat alone at one of the outer tables. Since her back was to them, all Grant saw was sleek, chin-length hair.
The stranger approached her. And the way he moved, with a kind of smooth, natural stealth, Grant doubted the woman had any idea he was there.
And, suddenly, Grant felt this strange sensation in the pit of his stomach. Like he was watching a predator sneaking up on its prey.
It was a ridiculous notion, born from listening to Laura relate some of Angelus's more gruesome exploits. But it was a feeling he couldn't shake.
The man reached out and touched the woman on the back.
With a startled shriek, she spun around.
"Geez, Angel!" the young woman exclaimed. "You scared me!"
Laura whipped her head around to stare at Grant. "Angel?" she whispered, eyes twice their normal size.
All of the hairs on Grant's neck stood on end. He finally knew what it felt like to have his blood go cold.
Angelus?
Angel?
Another coincidence?
____________________
Laura stopped in her tracks, causing some guy to bump into her. Laura didn't feel the collision, or hear his muttered apology.
Angel?
Last night, once she got over the shock of seeing a guy who looked exactly like a "fictional character" in a dusty old book, Laura had laughed at herself for freaking out over nothing. As she and Grant came up with the wild—but fun—idea of tailing the guy for a night, just to satisfy their curiosity, her fear vanished.
Well, it was back.
Boy, was it back!
A fictional vampire named Angelus, in a book written and illustrated over a hundred years ago.
A real guy, in 21st century LA, who looked like said fictional vampire and was named Angel.
The coincidence gods must be working overtime. This one was just too weird to shrug off.
As Laura's imagination replayed every story she'd read in that book, she took a step back.
"Give a girl a heart attack, why don't ya," the woman said, frowning at her companion.
The man—Angel—sat down across from her. "Sorry," he said…with the air of someone who had apologized for the same thing many times before.
Suddenly aware that her husband was tugging on her arm, Laura allowed herself to be pulled forward. It seemed they had three choices. They could stand there and gawk, being as conspicuous as possible. They could walk nonchalantly past the café, and the man who had bought them here in the first place. Or…
The Grangers sat at a table near the couple's.
"Here," Grant whispered. He handed Laura a menu. "And stop staring."
Realizing she hadn't taken her eyes of the couple since they arrived—how she got to the table without walking into, or tripping *over* anything was anyone's guess—she directed her gaze at the menu. But continued to watch out of the corner of her eye.
"You're late, you know," the woman said. She looked mildly annoyed. But there was a slight smile on her beautiful face.
"Couldn't help it, Cordelia. Something came up."
"Literally, as in 'digging its way out of the moldy earth'?" She seemed a little worried by this prospect. "Or figuratively?"
"Figuratively."
"Oh." Her slight smile morphed into a smirk. "Let me guess. Connor started crying, and you couldn't bare to leave the hotel until he settled down."
"Something like that," Angel reluctantly admitted. "Every time a took a step towards the door, I felt…"
"Guilty?" The woman—Cordelia—nodded her understanding. "I've been there. Just this afternoon, as a matter of fact. But you could've called me on my cell 'phone to tell me you were running behind."
"Cell 'phone?" the man said blankly. Then, a look of chagrin settled over his pale face. "I guess I forgot about that. You know. That y-you'd…have one with you."
The young woman rolled her eyes. "What is it with you and cell 'phones? Is there some reason you, one, like to pretend they don't exist and, two, refuse to learn how to use them?"
"Well," Angel said with a dry chuckle, "they weren't all that common where I grew up."
"Ha, ha." Cordelia leaned across the table and clasped her hands in a pleading gesture. She lowered her voice, and Laura had to strain to hear the words. "Angel, you've been around for over 270 years. You were there at the *dawn* of the electronic age. It's past time you woke up and smelled the technology."
Laura couldn't suppress an audible gasp. Her heart did this thing where it slammed against the wall of her chest, then started to thump around like a basketball on a cement court. Her throat locked, so she couldn't swallow if her life depended on it.
Across from her, Grant's eyes were twice there normal size. Laura could see the whites all around the irises. His Adam's apple bobbed madly; up, down, up, down. And his knuckles were white where they clutched the menu he was pretending to read.
((Damn!)) Laura thought. ((He's too afraid for this not to be real. I was kind of hoping he was pulling some elaborate practical joke on the old lady.))
While one part of her brain thought these very rational thoughts, another part of her brain screamed.
((Vampires are real! They're not just make-believe after all. And the most vicious, bloodthirsty, sadistic of them all is sitting at the next table!
((Talking about cell 'phones.))
(TO BE CONTINUED)