Title: Music for the Soul: Part XI
Author: Katherine Eve
Summary: Time to spill everything on the table, and oh yeah, face the big evil!!
Characters: Angel, Doyle, Eve, big scary demon
Disclaimer: Doyle and Angel are not my creations, Joss Whedon came up with them. Eve's all mine, and the big scary demon is inspired by many Joss demons.
Note: Doyle fans should be happy with the ending.
Chapter XI
Doyle sat staring blankly at the carpet. For the first time, he didn't know what to say. The silence between the three continued. Angel and Eve had said all they were going to say for the moment. It was Doyle's turn to speak.
"And, you didn't go after her?" The question had an obvious answer, but it was all Doyle could get out at the moment.
"I couldn't," Angel replied. "Not after I realized what I'd done."
"You know, I thought I knew everything about you, but I guess the Powers-That-Be didn't quite clue me in on this one. I can't believe you didn't tell me!" Doyle's thoughts and words were flowing freely now.
"Look, Doyle. You know I've sired before. Drusilla..."
Angel's lame attempt at defense was cut short by Doyle. "No! You can't compare your whacked-out-queen-of-the-dead to this. You were 'Angel` when you did this. The savior of mankind and all that!"
Doyle stopped suddenly, closing his eyes. He knew this wasn't the time or place for a moral debate. One important detail, however, had still gone unanswered through all this.
"You never did answer my question in the first place." He stared straight at Angel, trying to read those cold black eyes. "For a vampire, Eve's quite the polite hostess. I figured she'd be trying to rip my throat out or something. Not to mention the crosses."
"Let me answer this one, Angel." Eve stepped forward after being silent for the whole debate. "You know how becoming a vampire works?" she questioned Doyle.
"Pretty much. The demon blood flows into the human, along with a portion of the demon's essence. It takes over, while the human soul takes a holiday." Doyle's nerves were still calming as he spoke.
"The demon that enters your body is so powerful, few humans can resist it," Angel chimed in.
"I know all this already. Just get to the..." Doyle paused as he replayed Angel's comments in his head. "`Few' can resist it? Are you saying that some..."
"It's said that a soul of pure good can conquer the evil of the demon. Eve's soul was strong enough to remain inside her body and fight the demon that entered it." Though he knew the words he spoke were true, Angel stared at his child in amazement. He had always known the good inside her was strong, but this was something he never expected. He was as proud as a father could be.
"What I did was a mistake," Angel continued, now speaking to Eve. "It was a choice you should have been able to make, but I knew you wouldn't have accepted. I just couldn't loose you."
"So you've never taken a human life for blood?" Doyle asked Eve in wonder.
Eve shook her head. "Not that I don't feel the urge. Every night, a war rages on inside me. It's strong. It's hard not to doubt myself. That's why I put my faith in the crosses. In God. I glance in the mirror and I see nothing. I feel my neck and there's no pulse. I look inside myself and sometimes all I feel is the demon. Then I look to God, and I have the strength to fight."
"A vampire that prays. Now there's something Bram Stoker never came up with," Doyle shook his head. "So, just how often does this 'Anne Rice routine` play out? Is she the only one?"
"No. You can see traces of a soul in others. Full demons don't love, but we do. Spike, Drusilla, Darla. When we were all together, there was love. The human emotions are always there. Few are pure evil," Angel answered. Doyle was certain he saw a tear in the vampire's eye as he spoke, but it faded quickly back to Angel's familiar stoic face.
"But all this still doesn't explain why this thing is after Eve. Or does it?" Doyle pushed the topic back to the problem at hand.
"I don't know. But I have a feeling we'll find out soon enough. It's been aggressive in its attack pattern. There's no reason to think it won't come to us in the next day or two. Then maybe we'll find out what this is all about."
"And that's our plan? Just to sit here and socialize while it's lurking out there?" Doyle questioned. "Great! And there you have it. Angel, master-vamp-detective, at his best."
The trio didn't have to wait long. The three swung around as a deafening crash was proceeded by Eve's front door being torn from its hinges and thrown across the room.
"Well, that was unnecessary," Doyle commented as the door smashed into the far wall, destroying two guitars as it hit the floor.
Angel's eyes never broke from the demon entering the apartment. Its steps were heavy and powerful, yet its movements possessed a type of cultured elegance. At first glance the demon retained no unique attribute. Tall, broad, red and scaly; a typical demon. Its attire, however, was something to be noted.
A form of metal not known to earth covered its body from neck to ankle. Markings of some alien language filled every inch of the armor. No weapon was gripped in its claws or hung at its side. An omnipotent sense of superiority emanated from it, filling the room with its egotism. Whatever demon it was, it appeared to be of great importance.
"It is time." Its voice was not evil, but its lack of emotion made Doyle's skin crawl. It was clear the demon was sent to complete a mission, and would not stop until the job was done. "You have occupied that body long enough."
"I say someone sure has a overconfidence problem." Angel stepped between the demon and his child. "Call me crazy, but I get the feeling she's going to outlive you."
"You." The demon's voice was unexpectedly filled with malice as its eyes fixed on Angel.
"Have we met?" Angel asked. "I had the displeasure of visiting your part of town a few years back, but all that's a little fuzzy now. Sorry if I don't remember you."
"Everyone knows of the vampire with a soul in my dimension. All despise you. But that is not why I am here." Doyle could hear the dishes shake on the counter with each step the demon took toward Eve.
"Yeah, I know. But, you see, I've got a little problem with why you're here. Now, I'm willing to be cooperative. Why don't you tell me exactly why you want to kill my girl, and we'll see what we can do about it," Angel grinned as his face transformed.
The hell-demon stopped, glancing at Angel and pondering his offer. "Very well. I will tell you why I am here. A demon is being held prisoner inside this body. It is useless inside her. I have been sent to set it free."
"All this trouble for one demon? You guys have a strange way of running things down there." The demon paid little heed to Doyle's comments.
"Maybe their numbers are dwindling. They need all the active demons they can get. Even ones inside inferior half-breeds," Angel smiled.
"Oh, that's true. The Slayer has been busy the past few years. Sounds to me like they're starting to sweat in Hell these days. Getting desperate, are you?" Doyle cocked an eyebrow as he spoke.
"I'm just wondering, if it bothers you so much, why haven't you tried to release the demon inside me? He's been pretty quiet for awhile now, and I hear he can be a real nasty one when he's on top of his game." Angel's tone was sarcastic, but he was rather curious what the demon's answer would be.
"You are the worst of all. A very evil being lies beneath your skin as a prisoner. We have tried to free him many times and put him into a suitable host, but we have failed. You are strong, or something strong protects you. She, on the other hand, is weak. I can free the prisoner within."
"You're right about one thing. I am strong. Which means something strong protects her, as well. So why don't you go home and tell all your buddies that she's off limits." Eve couldn't help but let a smile come to her face as she heard her sire speak these words.
"Fool," the hell-demon laughed. "I cannot return to my realm until my task is completed. She will die, the demon will be freed, and only then will I return to my realm."
Angel stood solid, pursing his lips in thought. "Does your kind return home after you're killed? I hear some dimensions take their demons back after they've been decapitated. Because I'm thinking your headless corpse would be enough of a message."
"Stopping me will not be as easy as you think, vampire."
Doyle grimaced as he witnessed his boss's body being flung into Eve's piano. Before the demon could reach Eve, however, Angel was on his feet again and launched himself into battle. The demon was strong, and his armor was stronger. Again, Angel was thrown to the ground.
"Go!" Angel shouted to Eve as he stumbled to his feet. Eve quickly fled toward the door, stopping just as she reached the hallway. Eve couldn't bring herself to leave, but she didn't know what she could possibly do to help. The singer winced a little as Angel's body was flung into the wall, crushing her favorite guitar.
Angel struggled to his feet, but bent over in pain. The demon loomed over Angel's figure, no hint of emotion upon its face. Slowly it lifted its arm for a final blow, but deviated its swing to the left instead. Doyle, who had thrust himself forward, dodged the armor-clad arm but was sent flying onto the kitchen counter by a second powerful blow, scattering dishes across the floor.
"Freeing two trapped demons in one day. My master will be pleased."
The remaining guitars lining the walls fell from their stands as the demon collapsed to its knees, taking hold of the back of its head. A thick liquid oozed from the creatures skull as it went sprawling to the floor, revealing Doyle standing behind it with a large knife in hand.
"Next time, you better wear a helmet with that get-up," Doyle sneered at the enormous body sprawled on the floor in front of him. "Sorry about your knife," Doyle turned to Eve who had cautiously reentered her apartment.
Angel brought himself to his feet and took the knife from his partner's outstretched arm. "It's not enough." The blade was weak and Angel found he had to saw through the demon's thick-skinned neck with all his strength. Eve stared in horror at the mess accumulating on her carpet. Doyle's eyes, however, were focused on the swirling portal that began opening behind the demon's lifeless body.
In a flash of light, both the body and head of the demon were drawn back into whatever hell they had come from, and the portal closed. Angel was the first to speak.
"I don't think they'll be sending anything else. You're safe."
Eve's arms wrapped tightly around her savior. "Thank you," she whispered.
Doyle rolled his eyes, knowing he wouldn't receive any hug for knocking off the demon. Demon goo dripped from his leather jacket as the Irishman wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead. Suddenly, an awful thought occurred to him as he stripped himself of his sticky jacket.
"Hey, Angel. How can you be so sure any of us are safe. I mean, maybe we just made them really mad and now a whole army is gonna come tearing out of that swirly purple thing in a minute," Doyle winced.
"He's right," Eve said as she released her grasp from Angel. "How do we know it's over?"
"Why don't you come back with us? Just to be safe. Angel'll protect you. Hey, maybe you can even work for him. I'm sure Cordy won't mind sharing her apartment or her job. It'll give her more time to go to auditions," Doyle suggested.
Eve's answer was clear by her face expression, but she spoke anyway. "No. I trust Angel. You are my protector, my angel. Ever since that night in the rain, you've been my guardian. I can feel you; inside me. I carry your strength within me. I'll be okay."
Angel couldn't bring himself to say anything in reply. Her eyes captivated him the same way they had when he had seen her reflection in the mirror of her bedroom. Filled with love, and no secrets. She had forgiven him years ago. But finally, he knew it was okay to forgive himself.
To Be Continued... sort of, just one closing scene to wrap things up.
Author: Katherine Eve
Summary: Time to spill everything on the table, and oh yeah, face the big evil!!
Characters: Angel, Doyle, Eve, big scary demon
Disclaimer: Doyle and Angel are not my creations, Joss Whedon came up with them. Eve's all mine, and the big scary demon is inspired by many Joss demons.
Note: Doyle fans should be happy with the ending.
Chapter XI
Doyle sat staring blankly at the carpet. For the first time, he didn't know what to say. The silence between the three continued. Angel and Eve had said all they were going to say for the moment. It was Doyle's turn to speak.
"And, you didn't go after her?" The question had an obvious answer, but it was all Doyle could get out at the moment.
"I couldn't," Angel replied. "Not after I realized what I'd done."
"You know, I thought I knew everything about you, but I guess the Powers-That-Be didn't quite clue me in on this one. I can't believe you didn't tell me!" Doyle's thoughts and words were flowing freely now.
"Look, Doyle. You know I've sired before. Drusilla..."
Angel's lame attempt at defense was cut short by Doyle. "No! You can't compare your whacked-out-queen-of-the-dead to this. You were 'Angel` when you did this. The savior of mankind and all that!"
Doyle stopped suddenly, closing his eyes. He knew this wasn't the time or place for a moral debate. One important detail, however, had still gone unanswered through all this.
"You never did answer my question in the first place." He stared straight at Angel, trying to read those cold black eyes. "For a vampire, Eve's quite the polite hostess. I figured she'd be trying to rip my throat out or something. Not to mention the crosses."
"Let me answer this one, Angel." Eve stepped forward after being silent for the whole debate. "You know how becoming a vampire works?" she questioned Doyle.
"Pretty much. The demon blood flows into the human, along with a portion of the demon's essence. It takes over, while the human soul takes a holiday." Doyle's nerves were still calming as he spoke.
"The demon that enters your body is so powerful, few humans can resist it," Angel chimed in.
"I know all this already. Just get to the..." Doyle paused as he replayed Angel's comments in his head. "`Few' can resist it? Are you saying that some..."
"It's said that a soul of pure good can conquer the evil of the demon. Eve's soul was strong enough to remain inside her body and fight the demon that entered it." Though he knew the words he spoke were true, Angel stared at his child in amazement. He had always known the good inside her was strong, but this was something he never expected. He was as proud as a father could be.
"What I did was a mistake," Angel continued, now speaking to Eve. "It was a choice you should have been able to make, but I knew you wouldn't have accepted. I just couldn't loose you."
"So you've never taken a human life for blood?" Doyle asked Eve in wonder.
Eve shook her head. "Not that I don't feel the urge. Every night, a war rages on inside me. It's strong. It's hard not to doubt myself. That's why I put my faith in the crosses. In God. I glance in the mirror and I see nothing. I feel my neck and there's no pulse. I look inside myself and sometimes all I feel is the demon. Then I look to God, and I have the strength to fight."
"A vampire that prays. Now there's something Bram Stoker never came up with," Doyle shook his head. "So, just how often does this 'Anne Rice routine` play out? Is she the only one?"
"No. You can see traces of a soul in others. Full demons don't love, but we do. Spike, Drusilla, Darla. When we were all together, there was love. The human emotions are always there. Few are pure evil," Angel answered. Doyle was certain he saw a tear in the vampire's eye as he spoke, but it faded quickly back to Angel's familiar stoic face.
"But all this still doesn't explain why this thing is after Eve. Or does it?" Doyle pushed the topic back to the problem at hand.
"I don't know. But I have a feeling we'll find out soon enough. It's been aggressive in its attack pattern. There's no reason to think it won't come to us in the next day or two. Then maybe we'll find out what this is all about."
"And that's our plan? Just to sit here and socialize while it's lurking out there?" Doyle questioned. "Great! And there you have it. Angel, master-vamp-detective, at his best."
The trio didn't have to wait long. The three swung around as a deafening crash was proceeded by Eve's front door being torn from its hinges and thrown across the room.
"Well, that was unnecessary," Doyle commented as the door smashed into the far wall, destroying two guitars as it hit the floor.
Angel's eyes never broke from the demon entering the apartment. Its steps were heavy and powerful, yet its movements possessed a type of cultured elegance. At first glance the demon retained no unique attribute. Tall, broad, red and scaly; a typical demon. Its attire, however, was something to be noted.
A form of metal not known to earth covered its body from neck to ankle. Markings of some alien language filled every inch of the armor. No weapon was gripped in its claws or hung at its side. An omnipotent sense of superiority emanated from it, filling the room with its egotism. Whatever demon it was, it appeared to be of great importance.
"It is time." Its voice was not evil, but its lack of emotion made Doyle's skin crawl. It was clear the demon was sent to complete a mission, and would not stop until the job was done. "You have occupied that body long enough."
"I say someone sure has a overconfidence problem." Angel stepped between the demon and his child. "Call me crazy, but I get the feeling she's going to outlive you."
"You." The demon's voice was unexpectedly filled with malice as its eyes fixed on Angel.
"Have we met?" Angel asked. "I had the displeasure of visiting your part of town a few years back, but all that's a little fuzzy now. Sorry if I don't remember you."
"Everyone knows of the vampire with a soul in my dimension. All despise you. But that is not why I am here." Doyle could hear the dishes shake on the counter with each step the demon took toward Eve.
"Yeah, I know. But, you see, I've got a little problem with why you're here. Now, I'm willing to be cooperative. Why don't you tell me exactly why you want to kill my girl, and we'll see what we can do about it," Angel grinned as his face transformed.
The hell-demon stopped, glancing at Angel and pondering his offer. "Very well. I will tell you why I am here. A demon is being held prisoner inside this body. It is useless inside her. I have been sent to set it free."
"All this trouble for one demon? You guys have a strange way of running things down there." The demon paid little heed to Doyle's comments.
"Maybe their numbers are dwindling. They need all the active demons they can get. Even ones inside inferior half-breeds," Angel smiled.
"Oh, that's true. The Slayer has been busy the past few years. Sounds to me like they're starting to sweat in Hell these days. Getting desperate, are you?" Doyle cocked an eyebrow as he spoke.
"I'm just wondering, if it bothers you so much, why haven't you tried to release the demon inside me? He's been pretty quiet for awhile now, and I hear he can be a real nasty one when he's on top of his game." Angel's tone was sarcastic, but he was rather curious what the demon's answer would be.
"You are the worst of all. A very evil being lies beneath your skin as a prisoner. We have tried to free him many times and put him into a suitable host, but we have failed. You are strong, or something strong protects you. She, on the other hand, is weak. I can free the prisoner within."
"You're right about one thing. I am strong. Which means something strong protects her, as well. So why don't you go home and tell all your buddies that she's off limits." Eve couldn't help but let a smile come to her face as she heard her sire speak these words.
"Fool," the hell-demon laughed. "I cannot return to my realm until my task is completed. She will die, the demon will be freed, and only then will I return to my realm."
Angel stood solid, pursing his lips in thought. "Does your kind return home after you're killed? I hear some dimensions take their demons back after they've been decapitated. Because I'm thinking your headless corpse would be enough of a message."
"Stopping me will not be as easy as you think, vampire."
Doyle grimaced as he witnessed his boss's body being flung into Eve's piano. Before the demon could reach Eve, however, Angel was on his feet again and launched himself into battle. The demon was strong, and his armor was stronger. Again, Angel was thrown to the ground.
"Go!" Angel shouted to Eve as he stumbled to his feet. Eve quickly fled toward the door, stopping just as she reached the hallway. Eve couldn't bring herself to leave, but she didn't know what she could possibly do to help. The singer winced a little as Angel's body was flung into the wall, crushing her favorite guitar.
Angel struggled to his feet, but bent over in pain. The demon loomed over Angel's figure, no hint of emotion upon its face. Slowly it lifted its arm for a final blow, but deviated its swing to the left instead. Doyle, who had thrust himself forward, dodged the armor-clad arm but was sent flying onto the kitchen counter by a second powerful blow, scattering dishes across the floor.
"Freeing two trapped demons in one day. My master will be pleased."
The remaining guitars lining the walls fell from their stands as the demon collapsed to its knees, taking hold of the back of its head. A thick liquid oozed from the creatures skull as it went sprawling to the floor, revealing Doyle standing behind it with a large knife in hand.
"Next time, you better wear a helmet with that get-up," Doyle sneered at the enormous body sprawled on the floor in front of him. "Sorry about your knife," Doyle turned to Eve who had cautiously reentered her apartment.
Angel brought himself to his feet and took the knife from his partner's outstretched arm. "It's not enough." The blade was weak and Angel found he had to saw through the demon's thick-skinned neck with all his strength. Eve stared in horror at the mess accumulating on her carpet. Doyle's eyes, however, were focused on the swirling portal that began opening behind the demon's lifeless body.
In a flash of light, both the body and head of the demon were drawn back into whatever hell they had come from, and the portal closed. Angel was the first to speak.
"I don't think they'll be sending anything else. You're safe."
Eve's arms wrapped tightly around her savior. "Thank you," she whispered.
Doyle rolled his eyes, knowing he wouldn't receive any hug for knocking off the demon. Demon goo dripped from his leather jacket as the Irishman wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead. Suddenly, an awful thought occurred to him as he stripped himself of his sticky jacket.
"Hey, Angel. How can you be so sure any of us are safe. I mean, maybe we just made them really mad and now a whole army is gonna come tearing out of that swirly purple thing in a minute," Doyle winced.
"He's right," Eve said as she released her grasp from Angel. "How do we know it's over?"
"Why don't you come back with us? Just to be safe. Angel'll protect you. Hey, maybe you can even work for him. I'm sure Cordy won't mind sharing her apartment or her job. It'll give her more time to go to auditions," Doyle suggested.
Eve's answer was clear by her face expression, but she spoke anyway. "No. I trust Angel. You are my protector, my angel. Ever since that night in the rain, you've been my guardian. I can feel you; inside me. I carry your strength within me. I'll be okay."
Angel couldn't bring himself to say anything in reply. Her eyes captivated him the same way they had when he had seen her reflection in the mirror of her bedroom. Filled with love, and no secrets. She had forgiven him years ago. But finally, he knew it was okay to forgive himself.
To Be Continued... sort of, just one closing scene to wrap things up.