Chapter 3
Angel rubbed his eyes as he walked to his room. He slowed as he came upon Serena's closed door, but decided to let her cool off before talking to her. He walked into his room and sighed, exhausted from the night of singing and fighting. He pulled off his shirt and threw it onto the bed. He sensed a familiar presence in his room.
Without turning, he said, "So, are you waiting for me to take off all my clothes, or are you gonna stop hiding and come out?"
Fabric rustled, and a small laugh cut through the silence. "I don't know how you do it." A voice told him. He turned to find Serena standing there.
"I thought you would be asleep right now." He said and yawned.
"I've got too much on my mind. I can't sleep. I've tried." She sat on the bed and looked up at his face. "Do you believe me?"
"About what?" Angel asked, knowing fully what she was asking.
"For someone who seems to read my mind all the time, you should know." Serena responded, giving him a look, telling him she wasn't buying it.
"I don't read your mind. We just think alike." He corrected, avoiding the subject.
"So now you've taken up beating around the bushes. Answer my question, Angel." Her voice told him she meant business.
"I believe you saw something. I just don't know what." Angel said carefully.
"Oh, great. You know, I thought you, of all people, would believe me. But I guess I was wrong." Serena growled.
"Serena." Angel started.
"Forget it. I'll find out what's going on myself, without your help." Serena began to leave.
"Serena, wait." He caught her arm. She turned and glared at him. "Trust me, from the bottom of my heart, I want to believe you. We can go and look for whatever it is, together." Angel reasoned.
Serena's face grew even angrier. "From the bottom of your heart, huh? What good is that? Your heart doesn't beat, remember?" She pulled her arm from his grasp and ignored the hurt expression on his face. She stalked out of the room before another word was said.
*****
It was night again. Everyone else was back at the hotel, probably oblivious to her leaving. Serena's senses were in full blown effect, every sound, every movement being registered into her mind. She was determined to find her shadow monster.
Serena scolded herself for losing her temper with Angel and actually saying those cruel things to him. She knew she hurt him, although he didn't show it. He had acted a little more frigid than usual a few hours before, and barely said two words to her. She didn't mean what she said. She let her temper get the best of her.
I have to work on that. She told herself as she patrolled the alleyways around where she saw her creature. But something's going on. And I'm going to find out what it is. Even without everyone's help.
She had an eerie feeling that she was being watched, and it was beginning to creep her out. It wasn't the feeling of just being stared at, but the feeling that whatever that was watching her was penetrating her, violating her. She shuddered.
Serena saw a movement out of the corner of her eye, and used her power to throw it up against a brick wall as she turned to face whatever it was.
"Ow!" a familiar voice groaned.
"Wesley? Is that you?" Serena asked as she crept towards the wall.
"Yes, I believe it is." His voice cracked.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She hurried and helped the British man onto his feet. "You shouldn't sneak up on the Slayer." She scolded.
"Ah, yes. Perhaps you are right." Wesley nodded.
"Perhaps." She agreed, mimicking Wesley. "How did you know where I was?" She asked curiously, wrapping Wesley's arm around her neck.
"Oh, I'm alright. The back is a little sore." He told her. "I figured you would be looking for your shadow creature around the area where you saw it."
"Well, you were right. Let's get you back so you can sit down. I am sorry." She apologized again as they began to walk.
"Its quite alright. I shouldn't have snuck up on you." Wesley gave her a small smile. They walked a few blocks in silence.
"Let me ask you something." Wesley began, walking stiffly. "Do you feel like we're."
"Being watched?" She finished. "I've been having that feeling all night. I'm glad I'm not alone now. It's the eepiest feeling."
Wesley gave her a strange look. "Eepiest?"
"Yeah, a cross between eerie and creepy." She smiled. "That's the only word I could find to describe the feeling."
Something moved ahead of them. "Did you see that?" Serena asked, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling.
"I'm not sure. I saw something." Wesley trailed off, peering into the darkness. There was more movement as a shadow creature passed underneath a street light. "What was that?" Wesley whispered, as the creature disappeared in the darkness.
"Do you believe me now?" Serena asked, giving him a "I told you so" look.
"Uh, yes, I believe I do. Just go kill it, please." Wesley pleaded, feeling absolutely, uh, eepy.
"Sure boss. Whatever you say." She began to walk toward the street lamp where she last saw her monster when she was hit from behind. She fell onto her stomach, her chin scraping the sidewalk. A coppery taste filled her mouth. She realized her lip was cracked and bleeding. She cursed as she rolled over and flipped back onto her feet. She turned toward the street lamp and saw a massive shadow, at least 7 feet tall at the shoulder, standing beneath it. It was huge and cat-like. She lunged at it, but passed right through it.
"Wesley, these things aren't solid!" she yelled, hoping he would hear. The shadow creature rammed her right in the stomach. She squeezed her eyes shut as pain exploded throughout her body. The shadow drove her into the lamp post. It disappeared back into the darkness.
Wesley ran over to her and helped her up. She looked at him and noticed a gash down his cheek that wasn't there before. "Run." They took off, running toward the hotel. Serena could sense the thing following them. "Faster!" she called to Wesley, who was only a few strides behind her. They finally made it to the hotel where they dove inside and slammed the door shut behind them.
"Oh my gosh. Angel! Get in here!" Cordelia called rushing over to them. Serena collapsed to her knees and coughed up blood. Angel hurried out of his office and ran to Serena's side.
"What happened?" he asked, helping Serena up.
"Well, I have physical proof shadow creatures do exist." Serena mumbled.
"And a witness." Wesley agreed, sitting down in a chair.
"You still didn't explain what happened or why you disappeared on us." Angel told Serena. She sighed, coughed up some more blood, and told everyone what happened.
"So, I am playing with a full deck, Gunn." He gave her a embarrassed smile.
"How many were there?" Angel asked.
"I don't know. One or two, maybe. I know one attacked me. Wesley, did one attack you? You didn't have a cut on your cheek before." Serena commented, wiping the blood from her chin.
"Ah, let me think." He stared of into space, then snapped back into reality. "If I remember correctly, one was slamming you into the lamp post when one in front of me swiped a paw. One of his claws scratched me. It was so strange. It was right in front of me, and I couldn't see it until it moved."
"So there were at least two." Angel summarized. "Anything else you can remember?"
"I couldn't hit them. My fist past right through it, as if it weren't real. But when it hit into me, boy, it felt real. Angel, the thing was huge. It's shoulder was above me. Seven feet to the shoulder, easy." She shook her head.
"Okay, we'll find out as much as we can." Angel said. "In the meantime, we need to get you cleaned up. Both of you are injured."
"But I heal quickly." Serena objected. "We need to find these things and kill them before they injure or kill anyone else."
"But you are injured and we don't need you killed. You'll heal quickly, yes. First we need to find out as much as we can about this...this thing."
Serena nodded reluctantly. "Help me get upstairs." She leaned heavily against him as they walked to her room. She sat on the edge of the bed and Angel knelt on his knees. He touched her side. Serena winced.
"And you want to go back and fight shadows with a mean punch when you can barely walk by yourself." Angel shook his head at her, and smiled. "Let me take a look at that." He felt around, and then said, "You have a cracked rib or two. Not surprising since that thing rammed you full force."
She smiled. He went to go get some bandages and returned with a thick roll of gauze. He stared at her. "You're going to have to take off your shirt, so I can wrap your ribs." He said hoarsely, looking away.
"Okay, hold on." She tried to pull her T-shirt over her head, but was unsuccessful.
"Here, let me help you." Angel gently lifted the shirt over her head. He realized that she was pretty much topless, besides the bra she wore. "You're going to have to stand up." He told her, helping her up. He began to wrap the gauze around her ribs.
There was a silence. "Angel." She stopped him and stared at his face. He looked back at her with those beautiful, mysterious eyes. She looked down at the floor. "Angel, I didn't mean what I said the other night. I was angry. My temper got the better of me." She looked back up. He studied her face. "I know that the apology doesn't excuse it, but." He stopped her.
"It's okay. Don't worry about it." He began to work again. She grabbed his arm. "I am worried about it, because if someone said something like that to me." She paused to think. "It would hurt."
"I know it was through anger. I know you have a temper. I know you didn't mean it." He smiled at her. "Don't worry." He pulled her close and kissed her. "Now, I have to finish this, then go help Wesley with research."
"I'll help." She offered. "I can't sleep anyway."
He grinned at her. "If I didn't know better, I swear you're becoming the mind-reader!"
*****
A man watched the couple kiss, disguised by the darkness that surrounded him. He grinned as he stroked the side of each of the giant shadow felines on either side of him. "You have done well , my pets. We have wounded the team. Everything is going according to plan." He let out a low, evil laugh.
Angel rubbed his eyes as he walked to his room. He slowed as he came upon Serena's closed door, but decided to let her cool off before talking to her. He walked into his room and sighed, exhausted from the night of singing and fighting. He pulled off his shirt and threw it onto the bed. He sensed a familiar presence in his room.
Without turning, he said, "So, are you waiting for me to take off all my clothes, or are you gonna stop hiding and come out?"
Fabric rustled, and a small laugh cut through the silence. "I don't know how you do it." A voice told him. He turned to find Serena standing there.
"I thought you would be asleep right now." He said and yawned.
"I've got too much on my mind. I can't sleep. I've tried." She sat on the bed and looked up at his face. "Do you believe me?"
"About what?" Angel asked, knowing fully what she was asking.
"For someone who seems to read my mind all the time, you should know." Serena responded, giving him a look, telling him she wasn't buying it.
"I don't read your mind. We just think alike." He corrected, avoiding the subject.
"So now you've taken up beating around the bushes. Answer my question, Angel." Her voice told him she meant business.
"I believe you saw something. I just don't know what." Angel said carefully.
"Oh, great. You know, I thought you, of all people, would believe me. But I guess I was wrong." Serena growled.
"Serena." Angel started.
"Forget it. I'll find out what's going on myself, without your help." Serena began to leave.
"Serena, wait." He caught her arm. She turned and glared at him. "Trust me, from the bottom of my heart, I want to believe you. We can go and look for whatever it is, together." Angel reasoned.
Serena's face grew even angrier. "From the bottom of your heart, huh? What good is that? Your heart doesn't beat, remember?" She pulled her arm from his grasp and ignored the hurt expression on his face. She stalked out of the room before another word was said.
*****
It was night again. Everyone else was back at the hotel, probably oblivious to her leaving. Serena's senses were in full blown effect, every sound, every movement being registered into her mind. She was determined to find her shadow monster.
Serena scolded herself for losing her temper with Angel and actually saying those cruel things to him. She knew she hurt him, although he didn't show it. He had acted a little more frigid than usual a few hours before, and barely said two words to her. She didn't mean what she said. She let her temper get the best of her.
I have to work on that. She told herself as she patrolled the alleyways around where she saw her creature. But something's going on. And I'm going to find out what it is. Even without everyone's help.
She had an eerie feeling that she was being watched, and it was beginning to creep her out. It wasn't the feeling of just being stared at, but the feeling that whatever that was watching her was penetrating her, violating her. She shuddered.
Serena saw a movement out of the corner of her eye, and used her power to throw it up against a brick wall as she turned to face whatever it was.
"Ow!" a familiar voice groaned.
"Wesley? Is that you?" Serena asked as she crept towards the wall.
"Yes, I believe it is." His voice cracked.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She hurried and helped the British man onto his feet. "You shouldn't sneak up on the Slayer." She scolded.
"Ah, yes. Perhaps you are right." Wesley nodded.
"Perhaps." She agreed, mimicking Wesley. "How did you know where I was?" She asked curiously, wrapping Wesley's arm around her neck.
"Oh, I'm alright. The back is a little sore." He told her. "I figured you would be looking for your shadow creature around the area where you saw it."
"Well, you were right. Let's get you back so you can sit down. I am sorry." She apologized again as they began to walk.
"Its quite alright. I shouldn't have snuck up on you." Wesley gave her a small smile. They walked a few blocks in silence.
"Let me ask you something." Wesley began, walking stiffly. "Do you feel like we're."
"Being watched?" She finished. "I've been having that feeling all night. I'm glad I'm not alone now. It's the eepiest feeling."
Wesley gave her a strange look. "Eepiest?"
"Yeah, a cross between eerie and creepy." She smiled. "That's the only word I could find to describe the feeling."
Something moved ahead of them. "Did you see that?" Serena asked, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling.
"I'm not sure. I saw something." Wesley trailed off, peering into the darkness. There was more movement as a shadow creature passed underneath a street light. "What was that?" Wesley whispered, as the creature disappeared in the darkness.
"Do you believe me now?" Serena asked, giving him a "I told you so" look.
"Uh, yes, I believe I do. Just go kill it, please." Wesley pleaded, feeling absolutely, uh, eepy.
"Sure boss. Whatever you say." She began to walk toward the street lamp where she last saw her monster when she was hit from behind. She fell onto her stomach, her chin scraping the sidewalk. A coppery taste filled her mouth. She realized her lip was cracked and bleeding. She cursed as she rolled over and flipped back onto her feet. She turned toward the street lamp and saw a massive shadow, at least 7 feet tall at the shoulder, standing beneath it. It was huge and cat-like. She lunged at it, but passed right through it.
"Wesley, these things aren't solid!" she yelled, hoping he would hear. The shadow creature rammed her right in the stomach. She squeezed her eyes shut as pain exploded throughout her body. The shadow drove her into the lamp post. It disappeared back into the darkness.
Wesley ran over to her and helped her up. She looked at him and noticed a gash down his cheek that wasn't there before. "Run." They took off, running toward the hotel. Serena could sense the thing following them. "Faster!" she called to Wesley, who was only a few strides behind her. They finally made it to the hotel where they dove inside and slammed the door shut behind them.
"Oh my gosh. Angel! Get in here!" Cordelia called rushing over to them. Serena collapsed to her knees and coughed up blood. Angel hurried out of his office and ran to Serena's side.
"What happened?" he asked, helping Serena up.
"Well, I have physical proof shadow creatures do exist." Serena mumbled.
"And a witness." Wesley agreed, sitting down in a chair.
"You still didn't explain what happened or why you disappeared on us." Angel told Serena. She sighed, coughed up some more blood, and told everyone what happened.
"So, I am playing with a full deck, Gunn." He gave her a embarrassed smile.
"How many were there?" Angel asked.
"I don't know. One or two, maybe. I know one attacked me. Wesley, did one attack you? You didn't have a cut on your cheek before." Serena commented, wiping the blood from her chin.
"Ah, let me think." He stared of into space, then snapped back into reality. "If I remember correctly, one was slamming you into the lamp post when one in front of me swiped a paw. One of his claws scratched me. It was so strange. It was right in front of me, and I couldn't see it until it moved."
"So there were at least two." Angel summarized. "Anything else you can remember?"
"I couldn't hit them. My fist past right through it, as if it weren't real. But when it hit into me, boy, it felt real. Angel, the thing was huge. It's shoulder was above me. Seven feet to the shoulder, easy." She shook her head.
"Okay, we'll find out as much as we can." Angel said. "In the meantime, we need to get you cleaned up. Both of you are injured."
"But I heal quickly." Serena objected. "We need to find these things and kill them before they injure or kill anyone else."
"But you are injured and we don't need you killed. You'll heal quickly, yes. First we need to find out as much as we can about this...this thing."
Serena nodded reluctantly. "Help me get upstairs." She leaned heavily against him as they walked to her room. She sat on the edge of the bed and Angel knelt on his knees. He touched her side. Serena winced.
"And you want to go back and fight shadows with a mean punch when you can barely walk by yourself." Angel shook his head at her, and smiled. "Let me take a look at that." He felt around, and then said, "You have a cracked rib or two. Not surprising since that thing rammed you full force."
She smiled. He went to go get some bandages and returned with a thick roll of gauze. He stared at her. "You're going to have to take off your shirt, so I can wrap your ribs." He said hoarsely, looking away.
"Okay, hold on." She tried to pull her T-shirt over her head, but was unsuccessful.
"Here, let me help you." Angel gently lifted the shirt over her head. He realized that she was pretty much topless, besides the bra she wore. "You're going to have to stand up." He told her, helping her up. He began to wrap the gauze around her ribs.
There was a silence. "Angel." She stopped him and stared at his face. He looked back at her with those beautiful, mysterious eyes. She looked down at the floor. "Angel, I didn't mean what I said the other night. I was angry. My temper got the better of me." She looked back up. He studied her face. "I know that the apology doesn't excuse it, but." He stopped her.
"It's okay. Don't worry about it." He began to work again. She grabbed his arm. "I am worried about it, because if someone said something like that to me." She paused to think. "It would hurt."
"I know it was through anger. I know you have a temper. I know you didn't mean it." He smiled at her. "Don't worry." He pulled her close and kissed her. "Now, I have to finish this, then go help Wesley with research."
"I'll help." She offered. "I can't sleep anyway."
He grinned at her. "If I didn't know better, I swear you're becoming the mind-reader!"
*****
A man watched the couple kiss, disguised by the darkness that surrounded him. He grinned as he stroked the side of each of the giant shadow felines on either side of him. "You have done well , my pets. We have wounded the team. Everything is going according to plan." He let out a low, evil laugh.