Title: Music for the Soul: Part VII
Author: Katherine Eve
Summary: Eve's secrets are revealed
Characters: Angel, Doyle, Eve
Disclaimer: Angel and Doyle sprang from the mind of Joss Whedon, but I'm sure he doesn't mind my using them to my own liking.
Note: Hey, drop me a line if you're still reading it. I'm beginning to think I'm writing to thin air.
Chapter VII
No immediate response came after Angel gently knocked on the apartment door. As the two investigators waited, Doyle let out a breath and leaned against the wall. All color had exited the half-breed's face as he frantically waved his hand in front of his nose, trying to clear the unpleasant vapors that filled his senses.
"Wow. And she lives here? It's hard to image a sweet thing like that would be caught dead in a place like this. I know club singing doesn't pay a whole lot of cash, and I guess she doesn't have a day job to afford anything better, but come on. Cordy's old apartment wasn't as bad as this place!"
Doyle brought his comments to a close as the door knob turned. A burst of lilacs flooded his nostrils when the front door to the girl's apartment opened.
"Aah," Doyle breathed the welcoming scent in deeply. "That's more like it! I'm not big on air fresheners or perfumes, but that's much better."
"Thanks," Eve smiled as she invited the two into her apartment. "I don't get very many guest, but I'd like them to enjoy their stay while they're here."
"Yeah, and I'm sure it's a lot better for you too." Doyle's voice fell off at the end as he glanced curiously around the cramped living space. "You do a lot of cooking?" He acknowledged the counters piled with dirty dishes with a wave of his arm.
"It keeps me busy, and I seem to have a bit of a knack for it," Eve replied.
"Well, maybe when this whole thing is over you could whip something up for us. I'm not saying you have to, or anything, though it would be nice to eat a real meal once and awhile. I'm not the best cook in the world. Angel would back me up on that one..." Doyle quickly cut off and gave a slight smile as he read the expression on his partner's face. It had taken some practice, but Doyle had learned to interpret the changes on Angel's face. He had come to know the one that said "shut up, Doyle," fairly well.
"So what's this I hear about a stalker?" Doyle continued with a subject that seemed more to Angel's liking.
If it was possible, Eve's frame seemed to shrink even smaller as she nervously drew her shoulders and neck into her torso at the mention of the word "stalker."
"Like I told Angel, I don't know much about him."
"Him?" It was Angel that had picked up on the reference.
"Or she, or it." Neither Angel nor Doyle bought the sloppy recovery. Eve glanced at each, realizing her blunder had revealed too much. "All right. Maybe I know a littler more than I've told you.
"He, or it..." she struggled through each word, "we've met a few times. Not pleasant encounters, I assure you. I began to feel something watching me some time ago. In New York actually. I was planning on going to LA anyway, but the attack was a real good motivation. I managed to get away with only minor injuries. I didn't know why he was after me. I figured he was just some mugger.
"I thought I was safe. After about a week in LA, I sensed him again. Always there. Always hiding in the shadows. I knew I needed to keep running, but I didn't have enough money to go very far. Sunnydale was the farthest I could get.
"I knew it wouldn't help, and I was right. He followed me here, too. Just the night before you came, he tried again. I barely survived. Normally I can take care of myself, but he was just too strong. If he comes again, I don't think I can stop him."
Angel's face had not twitched during the story, but Doyle could see the concern hidden inside his eyes.
"Eve." The vampire's voice was soothing. "Was he human?"
No words came from the singer's dry throat. Instead, she was only able to answer by shaking her head side to side and staring at the carpet.
"Well, non-humans are our specialty!" Doyle cheerily chimed in, trying to ease the tension which had developed in the room over the past few minutes. The half-breed took a few friendly steps toward the uncertain figure of the girl and let a slight smile spread across his face. "You're going to be all right. I promise you that."
Eve glanced up at him, her electric blue eyes tinged with a slight bit of hope. With Angel and Doyle now deemed her protectors, she let her tense body relax a little and took a seat on the sofa. Doyle stretched his arms over his head while Angel remained stationary.
"Why didn't you tell me any of this before?" Angel asked.
"I didn't want you involved. He's after me, and there's no point in both of us dying. But you seem pretty determined to stick by me and protect me. I guess I should accept your help and hope for the best," Eve smiled. "You seem pretty confident."
After a moment of silence, Doyle casually asked, "So, you have a bathroom around here?"
Eve unthinkingly gestured toward the hall as she replied, "Yeah, it's back there."
Doyle started down the hallway as Eve's eyes widened with the fear of what she might have just done. Her acrobatic figure sprung up from the couch and swung around to witness which room Doyle would enter, but it was too late. His hand had wrapped around the handle of the unlocked left door and had pushed it opened.
"Uh, Angel? You might want to take a look at this." Doyle's eyes connected with Eve's as he gestured to Angel.
A hint of curiosity emerged on the vampire's face as he took Doyle's advice. His eyes widened as they fell upon the contents of the room. The small bedroom contained the necessities of any teenage girl. A bed, a dresser, and a closet with two sliding doors. No windows.
What the two detectives found interesting was the decor of the room. Crucifixes of all sizes lined the white walls. Crosses ranging from the colors of white, brown and black rested on the dresser, wooden floor and bed. Countless figurines were positioned in numerous scenes throughout the room which had taken on the image of a shrine.
"I know." Eve's voice came from behind the two figures frozen in the doorway staring in awe at the extravagant display. "Not what you would expect to find in a vampire's bedroom."
To Be Continued...the complete Angel flashback.
Author: Katherine Eve
Summary: Eve's secrets are revealed
Characters: Angel, Doyle, Eve
Disclaimer: Angel and Doyle sprang from the mind of Joss Whedon, but I'm sure he doesn't mind my using them to my own liking.
Note: Hey, drop me a line if you're still reading it. I'm beginning to think I'm writing to thin air.
Chapter VII
No immediate response came after Angel gently knocked on the apartment door. As the two investigators waited, Doyle let out a breath and leaned against the wall. All color had exited the half-breed's face as he frantically waved his hand in front of his nose, trying to clear the unpleasant vapors that filled his senses.
"Wow. And she lives here? It's hard to image a sweet thing like that would be caught dead in a place like this. I know club singing doesn't pay a whole lot of cash, and I guess she doesn't have a day job to afford anything better, but come on. Cordy's old apartment wasn't as bad as this place!"
Doyle brought his comments to a close as the door knob turned. A burst of lilacs flooded his nostrils when the front door to the girl's apartment opened.
"Aah," Doyle breathed the welcoming scent in deeply. "That's more like it! I'm not big on air fresheners or perfumes, but that's much better."
"Thanks," Eve smiled as she invited the two into her apartment. "I don't get very many guest, but I'd like them to enjoy their stay while they're here."
"Yeah, and I'm sure it's a lot better for you too." Doyle's voice fell off at the end as he glanced curiously around the cramped living space. "You do a lot of cooking?" He acknowledged the counters piled with dirty dishes with a wave of his arm.
"It keeps me busy, and I seem to have a bit of a knack for it," Eve replied.
"Well, maybe when this whole thing is over you could whip something up for us. I'm not saying you have to, or anything, though it would be nice to eat a real meal once and awhile. I'm not the best cook in the world. Angel would back me up on that one..." Doyle quickly cut off and gave a slight smile as he read the expression on his partner's face. It had taken some practice, but Doyle had learned to interpret the changes on Angel's face. He had come to know the one that said "shut up, Doyle," fairly well.
"So what's this I hear about a stalker?" Doyle continued with a subject that seemed more to Angel's liking.
If it was possible, Eve's frame seemed to shrink even smaller as she nervously drew her shoulders and neck into her torso at the mention of the word "stalker."
"Like I told Angel, I don't know much about him."
"Him?" It was Angel that had picked up on the reference.
"Or she, or it." Neither Angel nor Doyle bought the sloppy recovery. Eve glanced at each, realizing her blunder had revealed too much. "All right. Maybe I know a littler more than I've told you.
"He, or it..." she struggled through each word, "we've met a few times. Not pleasant encounters, I assure you. I began to feel something watching me some time ago. In New York actually. I was planning on going to LA anyway, but the attack was a real good motivation. I managed to get away with only minor injuries. I didn't know why he was after me. I figured he was just some mugger.
"I thought I was safe. After about a week in LA, I sensed him again. Always there. Always hiding in the shadows. I knew I needed to keep running, but I didn't have enough money to go very far. Sunnydale was the farthest I could get.
"I knew it wouldn't help, and I was right. He followed me here, too. Just the night before you came, he tried again. I barely survived. Normally I can take care of myself, but he was just too strong. If he comes again, I don't think I can stop him."
Angel's face had not twitched during the story, but Doyle could see the concern hidden inside his eyes.
"Eve." The vampire's voice was soothing. "Was he human?"
No words came from the singer's dry throat. Instead, she was only able to answer by shaking her head side to side and staring at the carpet.
"Well, non-humans are our specialty!" Doyle cheerily chimed in, trying to ease the tension which had developed in the room over the past few minutes. The half-breed took a few friendly steps toward the uncertain figure of the girl and let a slight smile spread across his face. "You're going to be all right. I promise you that."
Eve glanced up at him, her electric blue eyes tinged with a slight bit of hope. With Angel and Doyle now deemed her protectors, she let her tense body relax a little and took a seat on the sofa. Doyle stretched his arms over his head while Angel remained stationary.
"Why didn't you tell me any of this before?" Angel asked.
"I didn't want you involved. He's after me, and there's no point in both of us dying. But you seem pretty determined to stick by me and protect me. I guess I should accept your help and hope for the best," Eve smiled. "You seem pretty confident."
After a moment of silence, Doyle casually asked, "So, you have a bathroom around here?"
Eve unthinkingly gestured toward the hall as she replied, "Yeah, it's back there."
Doyle started down the hallway as Eve's eyes widened with the fear of what she might have just done. Her acrobatic figure sprung up from the couch and swung around to witness which room Doyle would enter, but it was too late. His hand had wrapped around the handle of the unlocked left door and had pushed it opened.
"Uh, Angel? You might want to take a look at this." Doyle's eyes connected with Eve's as he gestured to Angel.
A hint of curiosity emerged on the vampire's face as he took Doyle's advice. His eyes widened as they fell upon the contents of the room. The small bedroom contained the necessities of any teenage girl. A bed, a dresser, and a closet with two sliding doors. No windows.
What the two detectives found interesting was the decor of the room. Crucifixes of all sizes lined the white walls. Crosses ranging from the colors of white, brown and black rested on the dresser, wooden floor and bed. Countless figurines were positioned in numerous scenes throughout the room which had taken on the image of a shrine.
"I know." Eve's voice came from behind the two figures frozen in the doorway staring in awe at the extravagant display. "Not what you would expect to find in a vampire's bedroom."
To Be Continued...the complete Angel flashback.