Summary: A spell to uncover secrets unleashes something else as well.
*~*~*
After staying the night with Selena in his arms, Bobby didn't come back to the Denuo. Melissa and Wesley could both see that something was troubling the vampire more than usual. Wesley noted she was starting to imitate Angel.
He found her five days from that night in the small sitting area of the hotel alone in the dark, reading silently. Sitting across from her he removed his glasses. "What's wrong?"
She didn't even glance up. "Like you care?"
"Is it something Bobby did? I noticed he left here one morning from your room."
"Don't worry about it. I'm suffering so be happy." She shut the book and set it aside.
He cleared his throat. "I've been thinking and… I don't hate you."
She scoffed. "Thanks, I think."
"I've had time to think about things and the way that you handled the Nerraw led me to believe that you do care and that you wouldn't do what you did to Fred unless you thought she was a danger."
She nodded. "I thought she was."
"Then… to error is human, to forgive divine." He stood and closed his eyes. "I forgive you, Selena."
She looked up at him in disbelief. "You forgive me?" She forced a smile. "Thank you. You know that doesn't mean either of us will forget her." She sighed. "Bobby told me that we all deserve forgiveness."
Wesley sat across from her again. "What happened?"
"That's just it. I don't know. He didn't say anything before he left and he hasn't called."
"Did you and he…" Wesley trailed off.
"Have sex? No. He just held me. He had something on his mind. I mean he really looked troubled. But he just wanted to hold me, not talk. Then in the morning he left."
"Have you tried calling him?"
"I don't think I have the right. We've only been on one date and only killed one demon together, most of that he was knocked out for so I don't think it counts." She stood and paced. "I think he's hiding something but he won't tell me anything."
"He has that right."
"No he doesn't! It makes me worry and I don't like it! What could he possibly have to worry about me finding out? I'm a vampire! And I already know he's a demon. That doesn't bother me. He should know that I care."
"Well it's not as if you can just do a spell to make him say what's on his mind." Wesley stopped and looked to Selena. "Don't even think about it."
Her eyes were wide. "Wesley, that's brilliant!"
"Selena, you can't meddle in things like that. It's dangerous." He crossed his arms. "And I forbid it."
She did a double take. "You forbid it? Is that like a double-dare?"
"I mean it. Spells like that often have consequences you couldn't imagine. A slayer under my watch had the ability to read minds at one time and it almost drove her insane."
"But since it was temporary so it didn't." Selena seemed to ponder this. "If I could read his thoughts for a short time I could find out what's wrong. Then he wouldn't speak out where other people could hear!" She beamed to Wesley. "Thank you!"
"Selena, I…" He reached out to her but she was already out the door. "Oh bugger."
*~*~*
Melissa finished watering the plants and set aside the pitcher with a sigh. Business had been slow since the movie crew left. It gave her some time to explore the rest of the Denuo. It had its normality such as the lobby, the kitchen, a dining hall and restrooms. Then there were Selena and Wesley's offices and the guests' rooms. But since she moved in all that equipment, Selena said the wine cellar was off limits.
If Selena had been more cautious of her employees, she would have dug a little deeper into Melissa's record. For only being seventeen, Melissa Diane Greenwald had been arrested four times for robbery and twice for breaking and entering. A simple lock to a wine cellar was a cakewalk.
At the click of a lock, Melissa smiled. "Open says me." She stepped slowly down, quiet as a mouse. The cellar had been transformed into some sort of training room. She had expected something like this. But the items on the walls seemed like medieval devices that were no longer used. Carefully, she lifted a long slender sword from the wall and admired the blade. It was smooth, cool and sleek. She closed her eyes and held it with one hand, letting the sword lead her movements. She twirled and moved in a graceful yet lethal dance. Melissa had never handled a sword before but it came as second nature to her. In her eyes, a thousand images danced on her lids.
She didn't even notice Wesley at the top of the stairs. "What are you doing?"
Melissa gasped and dropped the sword, slicing her arm in the process. She cried out and held her hand over the wound that was happily gushing blood.
"Melissa!" Wesley was at her side in no time, removing his tie and using it to tie off the wound. "Come. We have to bandage this immediately."
"Please," she begged. "Don't tell Selena. I won't do it again." The pain wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Then again, the sharp blade made a clean cut.
Wesley steered her to the kitchen and pulled out the first aid kit. "Those swords are not toys, Melissa." Slowly, he removed the tie and began to tend her wound. "What were you doing down there?"
"I just wanted to see what was down there." She hissed in the pain as he applied anti-septic. "I'm sorry."
He sighed. "It's alright. I won't tell Selena. We'll just have to clean up any blood down there and put the sword back before she wakes up." He fastened the bandage to her arm and smiled to her. "You're lucky it's not a deep cut."
"I'm lucky you were there." She smiled back to him. "Thank you." She batted her long lashes up at him. "Maybe I could make it up to you, say, over dinner?"
He did a double take. "Pardon?"
She leaned on the kitchen counter and smiled to him. "I thought maybe you and I could go out to dinner. Just the two of us. What do you say?"
He swallowed. "Uh, sure?" For some reason he thought of Cordelia when he had first met her back in Sunnydale.
*~*~*
Selena tapped her fingers on the phone and sighed for the third time. "Jesus, just call him!" she urged herself. As she pressed the numbers on the phone, her hand felt heavy. Maybe it was because she knew she was going to trick him.
"This is Bobby." His voice brought a smile to her face.
"Hi, it's me." Her voice was quiet as a mouse.
"Selena! Is everything okay? Are you in trouble?"
"No. It's just that you haven't called since that morning and…"
"I'm sorry. I just got freaked out about something at work and I didn't want to bother you with it."
"So you're not mad at me?"
"God, no! And I never meant to make you think that." She heard hushed voices in the background. "What if I come over? I can be there in twenty minutes."
"Sounds good. I'll be in my room. Melissa has the drapes open during the day and I don't feel like getting a tan."
*~*~*
"Et en tara pox, pox o mini buss boney volun tatis." Selena spread out sand around the room as she chanted. The dark purple candles gave off a warm glow around her mingling with the smoke of the incense to give the room a surreal feel. "With this sand my border make, through the border, all lies shall shake." She jumped slightly as she heard the front door to the Denuo shut. She stepped out into the hallway and smiled as Bobby approached. "Hi," she smiled as she hugged him.
He hugged her back then looked to her room. "Candles and incense? Are you doing a spell?" His look was as questioning as his tone.
She plastered on a smile. "I'm not a witch." She stepped into her room and felt a wave move over her. "I'm a terrifying vampire."
Bobby stayed outside the room. "What?"
"I am what people have nightmares about. I killed indiscriminately. And I enjoyed it."
"Are you feeling okay?"
"No, I'm not. I'm feeling hurt. I'm feeling that you don't really care about me or that you're just using me. I feel like you're hiding something from me."
He scoffed. "You did a truth spell, didn't you?"
She wanted to lie but she was standing in the boundary. "Yes."
He crossed his arms. "So then tell me, what do you think of me?"
"I think I care a great deal about you. When I don't know where you are it hurts. I never know when you'll be coming back but I know that I want you to." She stepped out of the room. "Bobby…"
"Get back in there." It was definitely not a request.
She swallowed and stepped back in. "Bobby, I didn't want you to find out."
"Obviously. What do you think I'm hiding from you?"
"I don't know. There could be any number of things and this spell was supposed to get you to speak the truth to me."
"Why didn't you just ask me?"
She paused. Her voice shrank. "I didn't think about it."
He grinned. "Great. At least it's an honest answer." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Selena, you can ask me anything. Really. Without a truth spell." He stood right on the border. "Come closer." As she stepped forward he pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers.
A flash of bright light filled the Denuo, knocking out everyone inside.
*~*~*
Melissa awoke in Wesley's arms on the kitchen floor. She knew that her head was attached because of the simple fact it hurt. She sat up slowly, trying to avoid the spinning before her eyes. She felt Wesley's hand steady her back. "I think I'm going to be okay," she assured him.
"You look like you should see a doctor." He brushed some hair from her face. "You could have a concussion."
"So could you." She looked out to the kitchen window. "It's nighttime?"
He helped her up. "What happened?"
"I'm not sure." She jumped as she heard a loud growl shake the walls. "What was that?"
*~*~*
Selena eyes opened and focused on the red sand that she had poured. Only now the color of the sand was black, and she was hearing a growl shake the walls. "Bobby," she whispered, shaking him gently. "Bobby, get up."
He groaned and sat up. "That was some kiss."
"The sand is black. I think I might have messed up the spell." She stood and helped him up. The room looked the same but all the candles had burned down and the incense was ash. Time had passed. She could smell the night, sweet to her senses.
Bobby picked up his phone that had fallen out and flipped it open. "No signal. But this is Seattle. I always get a signal here."
"The spell could have knocked out the waves for the phone." She picked up the phone beside her bed. "This is out too." Her eyes narrowed in thought. "Wait a minute…" She looked at Bobby. "I'm really thirteen years old." She smiled. "Well, the spell must have broken. That's why the surge."
Bobby smile began to fade. "I don't like you using spells like that." He sat on her bed. "Things could have gotten out of hand."
"I know." She looked at her feet. At least her toes looked good.
"And that hurt."
Her head snapped up. "What?"
"That you feel you have to use magic to talk to me. That hurt." He looked at his hands. "There are some things that I'm not going to tell you. But that's my choice. When I feel I can trust you enough, then I'll tell you."
Selena's retort was halted by a growl that shook the walls. "Oh, that's not good."
*~*~*
Bobby and Selena raced down the stairs and met Wesley and Melissa in the lobby everyone asked everyone else how they were doing, dispensing of the pleasantries quickly. Selena conveyed a look to Wesley to get Melissa out.
"Eh, Melissa?" Wesley began. "Why don't I take you home? It's late to be catching a bus now."
"Okay." Melissa hugged herself, shaking slightly.
"What happened to your arm?" Selena asked, motioning to the bandage that was beginning to soak through.
Melissa's eyes shot to Wesley in what Selena knew was a silent plea. "I cut myself moving some stuff when I was cleaning."
"Liar." It was a low voice that spoke. And it came from the walls.
Melissa swallowed. "What was that?"
Bobby shuddered visibly. "We need to get out of here. Now." But as he got to the door, he stopped. "It's sealed."
"What?" Selena joined him and looked at the doors that seemed to be welded. "Shit."
"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Melissa cried. "Why can't we leave?"
Wesley put his hands on her shoulders. "Melissa, please calm down."
"I will not calm down!" she screamed, ripping away from him. "Now who are you people? You have weapons and creepy guests and walls that talk and all I know is that I don't know what the hell is going on and I'm scared!" Tears were brimming in her eyes.
Selena approached her slowly. "Melissa, I am so sorry. I meant to keep you out of all this. You deserve to be normal. I shouldn't have hired you."
"This isn't sounding very good." Melissa sat down.
Selena sat beside her. "I guess you might have figured out I'm not normal." When Melissa nodded, she continued. "There are things in this world that only a few of us know of. One of which is vampires."
"Vampires?"
"Like me." To finish the statement, she let her demonic face show.
Melissa didn't move. Her eyes narrowed as she searched the ridged brown and yellow demon gaze. Her frail hand raised and came to touch a fang. "Why do I know this?" She shot her glance to Wesley. "Are you a vampire, too?"
He shook his head. "I'm a demon hunter."
"And Bobby?"
Selena nodded and Bobby let his human form slip. Once again, Melissa didn't scream and run. She stared in awe. "This is a dream, isn't it? I'm going to wake up. Just like I always do."
Wesley stepped forward. "You've seen this before?"
"Not exactly like him." She pointed to Bobby. "But like her." She pointed to Selena. "I just thought that it was nightmares from movies or something."
Bobby looked again at the door. "Hate to break this up, but we have a larger problem on our hands."
"Yes," Wesley agreed. "The fact that the walls are talking and the entrance is sealed poses a bit of problem. We need to find out the trigger."
Bobby rolled his eyes. "Selena did a truth spell. I think it backfired and released something into the hotel. And obviously it doesn't like lies."
She wasn't sure what prompted her to do it. The words just seemed to flow. "Wesley, do you really forgive me for what happened with Fred?"
She saw Wesley's eye twitch. "I told you already that I do."
"Liar." The walls rumbled.
Three sets of eyes rested on Wesley. He glared at the vampire and stormed off toward the wine cellar, slamming the door.
"I think that was a lie," Melissa noted.
*~*~*
Wesley punched furiously at the bag hung from the ceiling and began breathing heavily through his nose. Selena had carelessly used a spell and now was using the twisted results against him. Wesley picked up the sword he had seen Melissa using and headed back up the stairs.
*~*~*
Selena set the book for the spell out in front of Bobby and Melissa. "This book was a gift from a Hindu princess for helping her find a husband." She shrugged. "I didn't think it would do any harm."
Bobby thumbed through the pages. "The spell you preformed invoked the spirit of the Elim Nati, a demon that… ew." He scrunched his nose.
"What?" Melissa asked eagerly.
"Disembowels liars." He shuddered. "Well now, that's encouraging."
"We need to find a way to put back whatever it is I unleashed." Selena snatched the book and began to flip through the musty pages. "We're sealed in here. Why?"
"You asked for a border in the spell."
"I thought I just made a boundary in my room."
Wesley spoke up as he approached, holding a sword. "All the walls in the hotel are connected. The boundary is now all the walls of the hotel."
Selena glanced at the blade. "There's blood. Did you cut yourself?" She went to touch his arm but he brought the blade to her throat.
"It's not my blood." His statement was cold as ice.
"It's mine," Melissa admitted.
Selena took a step back from the cool metal at her neck. "The cut on your arm. You were handling my sword." She glared. "You went in the cellar."
Melissa swallowed. "You were hiding something."
Bobby stood. "I think it's pretty clear we're all hiding something here." He motioned. "Let's just reverse the spell and get this over with."
"Will it really be over?" Wesley asked. "The lies are still here. The pain is still here."
"It's a part of life," Bobby said. "We deal with it every day. No one is ever completely honest and no one ever knows all of the truth." He turned from everyone. "Even love can't break that vicious cycle."
Selena swallowed. "Love?"
"Let's just do this."
She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Bobby, are you falling in love with me?"
He whipped to her, his eyes flashing their demonic yellow. "How dare you? You know that this demon will call me on any lie and so you take advantage of that?"
She took a step back. "Bobby, I…"
"There's a counter spell," Wesley interrupted. "It's fairly simple."
"Do it," Bobby commanded, not looking at Selena.
*~*~*
Even though the doors were unsealed, the spell broken, they sat in the lobby, Bobby pacing. "So it's done." He stopped. "Selena, I want to talk to you."
She stood and timidly made her way into her office, not really knowing how to feel. "Bobby, I'm so sorry."
He held up his hand. "Stop right there. I don't need your apologies."
She paused, a bit shocked. "You don't?"
"No. I want your trust." He took her hand and examined her palm. "I care about you, Selena. But I need to be able to trust you as well."
"Bobby, I didn't think about what I was doing. I just knew that something was bothering you when you came and held me that night. Then you don't come back? I felt betrayed." She swallowed. "I missed you and I wanted to help."
Bobby softened. "Selena…" He pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers. "I'm sorry, too." He kissed her again. "How about we try starting this from scratch? Sound good?"
She nodded. "From scratch."
*~*~*
Wesley changed the bandage on Melissa's arm and sighed. "It would be understandable if you decided not to work here anymore."
She helped him put away the first aid supplies. "Actually, I think I should stay. I mean, it totally didn't bug me when I saw Selena with the fang thing and Bobby's Barney skin didn't even bug me."
"Barney?"
"The evil dinosaur." She shrugged. "I have a pretty open mind. And besides, you'll have to show me how to handle the sword a little better."
"Melissa, those aren't toys."
"I know. But I also know that I was extremely comfortable with it until someone scared the pee out of me." She smiled to him. "So, either I'm going to break into the wine cellar and practice myself or I can have someone a little more experienced help me."
He shook his head. "I'm not kidding. That little scratch you got is just a sample."
Her face sobered. "Wesley, something about handling those swords was familiar. And I need to know why none of this shocks me. Now either you help or get out of my way."
He had to grin at her boldness. "How about twice a week?"
"How about Monday, Wednesday, and Friday?"
"Deal."
*~*~*
Selena swept up the last of the charred sand from her room and put the candles away. Everything was back to normal. The problem was, she didn't really know what normal was. Wesley still hated her, Bobby still didn't really tell her what was wrong and Melissa had criminal tendencies. Yeah, normal was an odd term.
"Selena?" Melissa's timid voice interrupted her thoughts. "Can I talk to you?"
She sat on her bed. "Of course."
The blonde stood in the doorway. "I wanted to explain about the sword. I mean, I know I'm not supposed to go down there and stuff but I knew that you had moved a whole bunch of equipment and I really…"
She held up her hand. "It's okay. This time. Wesley told me that he would be training you. I'm fine with this. But you are not to be in the cellar without either Wesley or myself. Is that understood?"
She nodded. "Thank you, Selena."
*~*~*
Mr. Harrington let out a puff of smoke. Bobby wasn't sure if it was from a cigar or Mr. Harrington himself. "So the vampire has access to spells and now their front desk clerk knows that you're a demon? I know I told you to get involved, but really."
"There's more. The girl's blood smelled familiar. I think she's mystical. I mean, she has power. She also didn't flinch when she saw Selena or my demonic faces."
"That will have to wait. I need you down at the site. Construction is almost complete." The chair squeaked. "It's almost time, Bobby my boy. And don't think my friends won't be rewarded." His voice dropped. "And my enemies will tremble…"
*~*~*
After staying the night with Selena in his arms, Bobby didn't come back to the Denuo. Melissa and Wesley could both see that something was troubling the vampire more than usual. Wesley noted she was starting to imitate Angel.
He found her five days from that night in the small sitting area of the hotel alone in the dark, reading silently. Sitting across from her he removed his glasses. "What's wrong?"
She didn't even glance up. "Like you care?"
"Is it something Bobby did? I noticed he left here one morning from your room."
"Don't worry about it. I'm suffering so be happy." She shut the book and set it aside.
He cleared his throat. "I've been thinking and… I don't hate you."
She scoffed. "Thanks, I think."
"I've had time to think about things and the way that you handled the Nerraw led me to believe that you do care and that you wouldn't do what you did to Fred unless you thought she was a danger."
She nodded. "I thought she was."
"Then… to error is human, to forgive divine." He stood and closed his eyes. "I forgive you, Selena."
She looked up at him in disbelief. "You forgive me?" She forced a smile. "Thank you. You know that doesn't mean either of us will forget her." She sighed. "Bobby told me that we all deserve forgiveness."
Wesley sat across from her again. "What happened?"
"That's just it. I don't know. He didn't say anything before he left and he hasn't called."
"Did you and he…" Wesley trailed off.
"Have sex? No. He just held me. He had something on his mind. I mean he really looked troubled. But he just wanted to hold me, not talk. Then in the morning he left."
"Have you tried calling him?"
"I don't think I have the right. We've only been on one date and only killed one demon together, most of that he was knocked out for so I don't think it counts." She stood and paced. "I think he's hiding something but he won't tell me anything."
"He has that right."
"No he doesn't! It makes me worry and I don't like it! What could he possibly have to worry about me finding out? I'm a vampire! And I already know he's a demon. That doesn't bother me. He should know that I care."
"Well it's not as if you can just do a spell to make him say what's on his mind." Wesley stopped and looked to Selena. "Don't even think about it."
Her eyes were wide. "Wesley, that's brilliant!"
"Selena, you can't meddle in things like that. It's dangerous." He crossed his arms. "And I forbid it."
She did a double take. "You forbid it? Is that like a double-dare?"
"I mean it. Spells like that often have consequences you couldn't imagine. A slayer under my watch had the ability to read minds at one time and it almost drove her insane."
"But since it was temporary so it didn't." Selena seemed to ponder this. "If I could read his thoughts for a short time I could find out what's wrong. Then he wouldn't speak out where other people could hear!" She beamed to Wesley. "Thank you!"
"Selena, I…" He reached out to her but she was already out the door. "Oh bugger."
*~*~*
Melissa finished watering the plants and set aside the pitcher with a sigh. Business had been slow since the movie crew left. It gave her some time to explore the rest of the Denuo. It had its normality such as the lobby, the kitchen, a dining hall and restrooms. Then there were Selena and Wesley's offices and the guests' rooms. But since she moved in all that equipment, Selena said the wine cellar was off limits.
If Selena had been more cautious of her employees, she would have dug a little deeper into Melissa's record. For only being seventeen, Melissa Diane Greenwald had been arrested four times for robbery and twice for breaking and entering. A simple lock to a wine cellar was a cakewalk.
At the click of a lock, Melissa smiled. "Open says me." She stepped slowly down, quiet as a mouse. The cellar had been transformed into some sort of training room. She had expected something like this. But the items on the walls seemed like medieval devices that were no longer used. Carefully, she lifted a long slender sword from the wall and admired the blade. It was smooth, cool and sleek. She closed her eyes and held it with one hand, letting the sword lead her movements. She twirled and moved in a graceful yet lethal dance. Melissa had never handled a sword before but it came as second nature to her. In her eyes, a thousand images danced on her lids.
She didn't even notice Wesley at the top of the stairs. "What are you doing?"
Melissa gasped and dropped the sword, slicing her arm in the process. She cried out and held her hand over the wound that was happily gushing blood.
"Melissa!" Wesley was at her side in no time, removing his tie and using it to tie off the wound. "Come. We have to bandage this immediately."
"Please," she begged. "Don't tell Selena. I won't do it again." The pain wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Then again, the sharp blade made a clean cut.
Wesley steered her to the kitchen and pulled out the first aid kit. "Those swords are not toys, Melissa." Slowly, he removed the tie and began to tend her wound. "What were you doing down there?"
"I just wanted to see what was down there." She hissed in the pain as he applied anti-septic. "I'm sorry."
He sighed. "It's alright. I won't tell Selena. We'll just have to clean up any blood down there and put the sword back before she wakes up." He fastened the bandage to her arm and smiled to her. "You're lucky it's not a deep cut."
"I'm lucky you were there." She smiled back to him. "Thank you." She batted her long lashes up at him. "Maybe I could make it up to you, say, over dinner?"
He did a double take. "Pardon?"
She leaned on the kitchen counter and smiled to him. "I thought maybe you and I could go out to dinner. Just the two of us. What do you say?"
He swallowed. "Uh, sure?" For some reason he thought of Cordelia when he had first met her back in Sunnydale.
*~*~*
Selena tapped her fingers on the phone and sighed for the third time. "Jesus, just call him!" she urged herself. As she pressed the numbers on the phone, her hand felt heavy. Maybe it was because she knew she was going to trick him.
"This is Bobby." His voice brought a smile to her face.
"Hi, it's me." Her voice was quiet as a mouse.
"Selena! Is everything okay? Are you in trouble?"
"No. It's just that you haven't called since that morning and…"
"I'm sorry. I just got freaked out about something at work and I didn't want to bother you with it."
"So you're not mad at me?"
"God, no! And I never meant to make you think that." She heard hushed voices in the background. "What if I come over? I can be there in twenty minutes."
"Sounds good. I'll be in my room. Melissa has the drapes open during the day and I don't feel like getting a tan."
*~*~*
"Et en tara pox, pox o mini buss boney volun tatis." Selena spread out sand around the room as she chanted. The dark purple candles gave off a warm glow around her mingling with the smoke of the incense to give the room a surreal feel. "With this sand my border make, through the border, all lies shall shake." She jumped slightly as she heard the front door to the Denuo shut. She stepped out into the hallway and smiled as Bobby approached. "Hi," she smiled as she hugged him.
He hugged her back then looked to her room. "Candles and incense? Are you doing a spell?" His look was as questioning as his tone.
She plastered on a smile. "I'm not a witch." She stepped into her room and felt a wave move over her. "I'm a terrifying vampire."
Bobby stayed outside the room. "What?"
"I am what people have nightmares about. I killed indiscriminately. And I enjoyed it."
"Are you feeling okay?"
"No, I'm not. I'm feeling hurt. I'm feeling that you don't really care about me or that you're just using me. I feel like you're hiding something from me."
He scoffed. "You did a truth spell, didn't you?"
She wanted to lie but she was standing in the boundary. "Yes."
He crossed his arms. "So then tell me, what do you think of me?"
"I think I care a great deal about you. When I don't know where you are it hurts. I never know when you'll be coming back but I know that I want you to." She stepped out of the room. "Bobby…"
"Get back in there." It was definitely not a request.
She swallowed and stepped back in. "Bobby, I didn't want you to find out."
"Obviously. What do you think I'm hiding from you?"
"I don't know. There could be any number of things and this spell was supposed to get you to speak the truth to me."
"Why didn't you just ask me?"
She paused. Her voice shrank. "I didn't think about it."
He grinned. "Great. At least it's an honest answer." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Selena, you can ask me anything. Really. Without a truth spell." He stood right on the border. "Come closer." As she stepped forward he pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers.
A flash of bright light filled the Denuo, knocking out everyone inside.
*~*~*
Melissa awoke in Wesley's arms on the kitchen floor. She knew that her head was attached because of the simple fact it hurt. She sat up slowly, trying to avoid the spinning before her eyes. She felt Wesley's hand steady her back. "I think I'm going to be okay," she assured him.
"You look like you should see a doctor." He brushed some hair from her face. "You could have a concussion."
"So could you." She looked out to the kitchen window. "It's nighttime?"
He helped her up. "What happened?"
"I'm not sure." She jumped as she heard a loud growl shake the walls. "What was that?"
*~*~*
Selena eyes opened and focused on the red sand that she had poured. Only now the color of the sand was black, and she was hearing a growl shake the walls. "Bobby," she whispered, shaking him gently. "Bobby, get up."
He groaned and sat up. "That was some kiss."
"The sand is black. I think I might have messed up the spell." She stood and helped him up. The room looked the same but all the candles had burned down and the incense was ash. Time had passed. She could smell the night, sweet to her senses.
Bobby picked up his phone that had fallen out and flipped it open. "No signal. But this is Seattle. I always get a signal here."
"The spell could have knocked out the waves for the phone." She picked up the phone beside her bed. "This is out too." Her eyes narrowed in thought. "Wait a minute…" She looked at Bobby. "I'm really thirteen years old." She smiled. "Well, the spell must have broken. That's why the surge."
Bobby smile began to fade. "I don't like you using spells like that." He sat on her bed. "Things could have gotten out of hand."
"I know." She looked at her feet. At least her toes looked good.
"And that hurt."
Her head snapped up. "What?"
"That you feel you have to use magic to talk to me. That hurt." He looked at his hands. "There are some things that I'm not going to tell you. But that's my choice. When I feel I can trust you enough, then I'll tell you."
Selena's retort was halted by a growl that shook the walls. "Oh, that's not good."
*~*~*
Bobby and Selena raced down the stairs and met Wesley and Melissa in the lobby everyone asked everyone else how they were doing, dispensing of the pleasantries quickly. Selena conveyed a look to Wesley to get Melissa out.
"Eh, Melissa?" Wesley began. "Why don't I take you home? It's late to be catching a bus now."
"Okay." Melissa hugged herself, shaking slightly.
"What happened to your arm?" Selena asked, motioning to the bandage that was beginning to soak through.
Melissa's eyes shot to Wesley in what Selena knew was a silent plea. "I cut myself moving some stuff when I was cleaning."
"Liar." It was a low voice that spoke. And it came from the walls.
Melissa swallowed. "What was that?"
Bobby shuddered visibly. "We need to get out of here. Now." But as he got to the door, he stopped. "It's sealed."
"What?" Selena joined him and looked at the doors that seemed to be welded. "Shit."
"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Melissa cried. "Why can't we leave?"
Wesley put his hands on her shoulders. "Melissa, please calm down."
"I will not calm down!" she screamed, ripping away from him. "Now who are you people? You have weapons and creepy guests and walls that talk and all I know is that I don't know what the hell is going on and I'm scared!" Tears were brimming in her eyes.
Selena approached her slowly. "Melissa, I am so sorry. I meant to keep you out of all this. You deserve to be normal. I shouldn't have hired you."
"This isn't sounding very good." Melissa sat down.
Selena sat beside her. "I guess you might have figured out I'm not normal." When Melissa nodded, she continued. "There are things in this world that only a few of us know of. One of which is vampires."
"Vampires?"
"Like me." To finish the statement, she let her demonic face show.
Melissa didn't move. Her eyes narrowed as she searched the ridged brown and yellow demon gaze. Her frail hand raised and came to touch a fang. "Why do I know this?" She shot her glance to Wesley. "Are you a vampire, too?"
He shook his head. "I'm a demon hunter."
"And Bobby?"
Selena nodded and Bobby let his human form slip. Once again, Melissa didn't scream and run. She stared in awe. "This is a dream, isn't it? I'm going to wake up. Just like I always do."
Wesley stepped forward. "You've seen this before?"
"Not exactly like him." She pointed to Bobby. "But like her." She pointed to Selena. "I just thought that it was nightmares from movies or something."
Bobby looked again at the door. "Hate to break this up, but we have a larger problem on our hands."
"Yes," Wesley agreed. "The fact that the walls are talking and the entrance is sealed poses a bit of problem. We need to find out the trigger."
Bobby rolled his eyes. "Selena did a truth spell. I think it backfired and released something into the hotel. And obviously it doesn't like lies."
She wasn't sure what prompted her to do it. The words just seemed to flow. "Wesley, do you really forgive me for what happened with Fred?"
She saw Wesley's eye twitch. "I told you already that I do."
"Liar." The walls rumbled.
Three sets of eyes rested on Wesley. He glared at the vampire and stormed off toward the wine cellar, slamming the door.
"I think that was a lie," Melissa noted.
*~*~*
Wesley punched furiously at the bag hung from the ceiling and began breathing heavily through his nose. Selena had carelessly used a spell and now was using the twisted results against him. Wesley picked up the sword he had seen Melissa using and headed back up the stairs.
*~*~*
Selena set the book for the spell out in front of Bobby and Melissa. "This book was a gift from a Hindu princess for helping her find a husband." She shrugged. "I didn't think it would do any harm."
Bobby thumbed through the pages. "The spell you preformed invoked the spirit of the Elim Nati, a demon that… ew." He scrunched his nose.
"What?" Melissa asked eagerly.
"Disembowels liars." He shuddered. "Well now, that's encouraging."
"We need to find a way to put back whatever it is I unleashed." Selena snatched the book and began to flip through the musty pages. "We're sealed in here. Why?"
"You asked for a border in the spell."
"I thought I just made a boundary in my room."
Wesley spoke up as he approached, holding a sword. "All the walls in the hotel are connected. The boundary is now all the walls of the hotel."
Selena glanced at the blade. "There's blood. Did you cut yourself?" She went to touch his arm but he brought the blade to her throat.
"It's not my blood." His statement was cold as ice.
"It's mine," Melissa admitted.
Selena took a step back from the cool metal at her neck. "The cut on your arm. You were handling my sword." She glared. "You went in the cellar."
Melissa swallowed. "You were hiding something."
Bobby stood. "I think it's pretty clear we're all hiding something here." He motioned. "Let's just reverse the spell and get this over with."
"Will it really be over?" Wesley asked. "The lies are still here. The pain is still here."
"It's a part of life," Bobby said. "We deal with it every day. No one is ever completely honest and no one ever knows all of the truth." He turned from everyone. "Even love can't break that vicious cycle."
Selena swallowed. "Love?"
"Let's just do this."
She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Bobby, are you falling in love with me?"
He whipped to her, his eyes flashing their demonic yellow. "How dare you? You know that this demon will call me on any lie and so you take advantage of that?"
She took a step back. "Bobby, I…"
"There's a counter spell," Wesley interrupted. "It's fairly simple."
"Do it," Bobby commanded, not looking at Selena.
*~*~*
Even though the doors were unsealed, the spell broken, they sat in the lobby, Bobby pacing. "So it's done." He stopped. "Selena, I want to talk to you."
She stood and timidly made her way into her office, not really knowing how to feel. "Bobby, I'm so sorry."
He held up his hand. "Stop right there. I don't need your apologies."
She paused, a bit shocked. "You don't?"
"No. I want your trust." He took her hand and examined her palm. "I care about you, Selena. But I need to be able to trust you as well."
"Bobby, I didn't think about what I was doing. I just knew that something was bothering you when you came and held me that night. Then you don't come back? I felt betrayed." She swallowed. "I missed you and I wanted to help."
Bobby softened. "Selena…" He pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers. "I'm sorry, too." He kissed her again. "How about we try starting this from scratch? Sound good?"
She nodded. "From scratch."
*~*~*
Wesley changed the bandage on Melissa's arm and sighed. "It would be understandable if you decided not to work here anymore."
She helped him put away the first aid supplies. "Actually, I think I should stay. I mean, it totally didn't bug me when I saw Selena with the fang thing and Bobby's Barney skin didn't even bug me."
"Barney?"
"The evil dinosaur." She shrugged. "I have a pretty open mind. And besides, you'll have to show me how to handle the sword a little better."
"Melissa, those aren't toys."
"I know. But I also know that I was extremely comfortable with it until someone scared the pee out of me." She smiled to him. "So, either I'm going to break into the wine cellar and practice myself or I can have someone a little more experienced help me."
He shook his head. "I'm not kidding. That little scratch you got is just a sample."
Her face sobered. "Wesley, something about handling those swords was familiar. And I need to know why none of this shocks me. Now either you help or get out of my way."
He had to grin at her boldness. "How about twice a week?"
"How about Monday, Wednesday, and Friday?"
"Deal."
*~*~*
Selena swept up the last of the charred sand from her room and put the candles away. Everything was back to normal. The problem was, she didn't really know what normal was. Wesley still hated her, Bobby still didn't really tell her what was wrong and Melissa had criminal tendencies. Yeah, normal was an odd term.
"Selena?" Melissa's timid voice interrupted her thoughts. "Can I talk to you?"
She sat on her bed. "Of course."
The blonde stood in the doorway. "I wanted to explain about the sword. I mean, I know I'm not supposed to go down there and stuff but I knew that you had moved a whole bunch of equipment and I really…"
She held up her hand. "It's okay. This time. Wesley told me that he would be training you. I'm fine with this. But you are not to be in the cellar without either Wesley or myself. Is that understood?"
She nodded. "Thank you, Selena."
*~*~*
Mr. Harrington let out a puff of smoke. Bobby wasn't sure if it was from a cigar or Mr. Harrington himself. "So the vampire has access to spells and now their front desk clerk knows that you're a demon? I know I told you to get involved, but really."
"There's more. The girl's blood smelled familiar. I think she's mystical. I mean, she has power. She also didn't flinch when she saw Selena or my demonic faces."
"That will have to wait. I need you down at the site. Construction is almost complete." The chair squeaked. "It's almost time, Bobby my boy. And don't think my friends won't be rewarded." His voice dropped. "And my enemies will tremble…"