Hunger; it gnawed at his stomach from the inside out, forcing the souled
vampire to rouse from his deep slumber. Blinking the sleep from his dark
eyes, Angel peered about in cautious confusion. He was lying on the floor
of the mansion in a circle of white salt, which pulsed with a dim red
light. At the center of the circle a red candle burned in a wooden bowl;
the taper was nearly burnt out. Turning his head, the vampire encountered
a petite body sleeping beside him. Crimson hair fanned out around a pale,
pixie like face, sending waves of recognition through Angel's mind as he
glanced down at Willow's sleeping form. Images of the previous night
flickered behind his eyes, forcing the weakened vampire to relive his exit
from Hell. He bent forward, clutching his head as the visions assaulted
him one right after another.
His stomach growled once more, forcing Angel's thoughts back to the present. With Willow so near, her blood calling out to him like a siren, his demon struggled close to the surface. The vampire recoiled in horror and backpedaled; his hand encountered something plastic and squishy, causing him to look down in confusion. Bringing his hand up to his face, Angel realized he held a bag of blood, probably provided by the redheaded witch for just such a situation. Without pause he morphed into demon face, piercing the bag with his teeth and drinking it as fast as he could in order to avoid the cold, metallic taste of packaged blood. His hunger cooled, but did not fade, and the vampire glanced around at the floor, seeking more packages to sate his thirst. Two bags later he sighed in relief, the blood thirst dying down to a more manageable level.
As his human mask reemerged, Angel became embarrassingly aware of another problem; he wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing. Sheepishly he searched around for something that would be suitable to wear, so as not to frighten or embarrass his witchy friend when she finally woke up. He tried to move outside the circle, but the red glow acted like a force field, imprisoning him for the time being. Spotting Willow's backpack near the center of the circle, Angel moved to retrieve it and see if she had brought any spare clothing. A hint of a smile touched his lips as he pulled out a pair of black sweat pants, and a black tank.
'Sweet Willow, she sure does think of everything doesn't she?' Angel contemplated as he donned the clothing so thoughtfully provided for him. Making sure it fit, he padded silently over to the sleeping redhead, kneeling down to watch her for a few moments. Slowly he reached out, brushing a lock of hair from her forehead and whispering hoarsely, "Thank you.friend."
Suddenly Angel became aware of another presence in the room, one he had up till now ignored entirely. Just on the outer edge of the fading circles light, a dark form lay, eerily still. Frowning, Angel crept closer for further inspection. A faint animalistic scent touched his nose as he leaned forward to get a good look at the creature lying on the ground. Surprise and confusion drew his brows together as he discovered it was a large panther, black as midnight. Its side rose and fell as it slept; unaware of another predator looming uncertainly over its body, struggling to recall what it was doing there in the first place.
As Angel debated over his next action, he felt a slight stirring of air in the still mansion. Turning, he looked at the scarlet candle, watching as the flame at the end sputtered, then died out. As the light from the candle faded, the line marking the sacred circle flickered, fading away into nothingness. So intent was Angel on the disappearing protective barrier that he failed to notice the creature beside him stirring.and changing into something else entirely.
Turning his head back to study the panther once more, Angel sucked in an unneeded breath of surprise. The black cat was gone, and in its place was the body of a young woman. Tilting his head to one side, the vampire studied her face, searching for anything familiar about her. She was certainly attractive, with dainty features framed by thick, wavy brown hair. Nothing in her face suggested familiarity however and so his eyes traveled lower of their own accord, widening as he came to realize something about this young woman: she also appeared to be unclothed. Slightly embarrassed to be staring openly at a strange young woman's body, the vampire tried to move his eyes back to her face. The demon inside him didn't seem to agree with the idea however; it was perfectly content to ogle the delectable young morsel. Frowning, Angel struggled to control his demon.and his eyes. While he was trying to subdue his darker half, he failed to notice the young woman's eyes snapping open, green fire blazing from their depths.
The feeling that someone was standing over her brought Kat out of her pain- induced stupor. Her nostrils flared slightly as she inhaled the scent of the intruder; the hair on the back of her neck stiffening as she became aware of the strangers vampiric nature. Acting on instinct she raised her upper body in a blur of motion, her hand curling into a fist and flying in the direction of the vampire's unprotected face.
Angel barely had time to blink as the brunette lying at his feet suddenly moved, her fist rushing up to connect with his face. Bright light and fire burst behind his right eye as her fist made contact, causing the vampire to reel backwards in bewildered pain. Warily he took a step back, putting some distance between them as he watched the little spitfire bound to her feet, raising her arms and assuming a fighting stance. Admiration for her speed mingled with an appreciation for her strength, not to mention her beauty; the flush of anger that spread over her made for an interesting show in her naked state. Her eyes flickered between dark green and black, a fascinating trick of light that made him raise an eyebrow, before wincing as it intensified the throbbing in his eye.
Kat couldn't believe what she was seeing.a goddamn vampire ogling her! Growling low in her throat, she launched a spinning back kick at him, bringing her leg up and around aiming for the side of his head. As the vampire ducked under her leg to avoid her foot she changed tactics, planting her feet and aiming a back fisted punch at his throat.
Angel snapped out of his reverie as the angry young woman threw a kick at his head. He tried to dodge, but she kept pressing forward in a flurry of acrobatic and inventive movements. He blocked a series of well aimed punches as best he could, though he took a few hits to the chest and stomach area. He backed up in an attempt to get out of range of her fast flying attacks. His ire rose as she continued to press forward, her natural grace and style belying her skill. 'Oh yea, she's pretty alright,' he thought darkly, '.pretty fucking dangerous.' The dark-haired vampire tried to keep his movements defensive, but with each fist that flew at his body his demon edged closer to the surface.
Kat twisted, throwing a powerful side kick at the vampire. She felt it connect and watched as the creature flew backwards, sprawling on the ground before her. Her pleasure was short-lived, however, as she saw what he had tripped over in the process: the still form of one of her new friends, the redheaded hacker Willow. Her skin was so pale as to nearly be translucent; dark circles marred the translucent skin under her eyes, and she barely seemed to breathe. The odor of blood rose from Willow's body, causing the brunette to hiss under her breath. If possible, her eyes became even flintier as she scowled down at Willow's body, clenching and unclenching her fists. 'The bastard,' she thought angrily, struggling to control her fury, 'the bastard already got Willow!"
The taste of blood in his mouth made Angel growl, pain and outrage making his human mask slip. His eyes burned with golden fire as his demon struggled to be free of its imprisonment, its rage howling for the life's blood of its attacker. Licking the trickle of blood that had formed at the corner of his mouth, he watched the girl's expression darken noticeably as she glared down at Willow. An uneasy feeling overcame the angry vampire as he watched her struggle with her own anger; if her eyes expressed her thoughts and feelings at this moment, it looked as though she were wishing Willow a slow and very painful death.
'Over my undead body,' Angel vowed darkly, his protective instincts aroused and adding strength to his demonic side as he vaulted back to his feet swiftly and silently. Without waiting for the brunette to attack either Willow or himself he rushed her, slamming into the deranged woman and tackling her, throwing them both backwards to the ground. As he felt the breath rush out of her body he grabbed her by the nape of her neck as he would a cat and stood, dragging her to her feet before flinging her roughly against the wall. A rush of pleasure overcame him as his demon reveled in her groan of pain. Growling loudly deep in his throat he hauled her to her feet once more, twisting her around and picking her up by the throat with one hand. He slammed her against the wall, pushing her up a few inches so that her feet dangled above the ground. As she fought and struggled for breath he smiled evilly, his demon howling in its prison, desperately trying to take complete control of the situation.
Kat struggled in his grasp, feeling light-headed from a combination of dizziness, pain, and lack of air. She hissed and fought as hard as she could, scratching and clawing at his hands for all she was worth. His grip on her throat however was like a vise; the harder she fought, the tighter his grip became. Her breathing became shallower, and her vision started to blur, his demonic visage mocking her suffering as his eyes glowed with determined intensity.
Angel continued to hold the brunette against the wall, his demon reveling in her attempts to free herself and breathe. So caught up in her torture was he that the vampire almost missed the soft, melodic voice that called his name. Turning his head slightly, he watched in surprise as Willow got to her feet, eyes beseeching him softly.
"Angel please," she whispered, fearful tears brimming in her eyes as she watched her vampire friend try to choke the life out of Kat. "Please, let her go."
The softness of the plea, coupled with her teary gaze, had the effect of a cold bucket of water, dousing Angel's anger and bringing his sanity abruptly back to the forefront of his mind. Shaking with the effort to reign in his demon, he slowly lowered Kat to the ground, loosening his grip on her neck enough for her to breathe, but not to get away. Glancing back at the redhead, Angel wondered if she was going to explain just who this young woman was.and what she was doing here.
Suddenly, the door of the mansion burst open, letting the morning sunlight stream in. Luckily, Angel was out of its direct path and, though he winced instinctively, he kept his grip on his attacker. A tall, menacing figure appeared in the doorway and stalked into the room. Willow and Angel turned to see who this new intruder was. To their astonishment the threatening form was Giles.
"What in the SODDING HELL is going on here?" the furious man roared. As the librarian took in the scene before him, his face registered anger, fright, and confusion. Angel stood game faced with a very naked, very angry Kat gripped by the neck and pressed against the wall. Willow was walking slowly towards the vampire, her hand extended to him and tears filling her beautiful eyes.
Startled by Giles' entrance and subsequent outburst, Willow squeaked and stared at him, trembling like a rabbit caught in the headlights of an oncoming automobile. Angel, too, was distracted by the frantic librarian; so much so that he didn't notice the calculating gleam appear in Kat's eyes.
Kat, while shocked that Giles had managed to find his way here already, nevertheless recovered her composure rather quickly as she felt Angel's hold on her loosen even more due to this distraction.
A sound between a hiss and a groan issued from Angel's lips as Kat's knee connected solidly with his groin then again with his face. Stumbling backwards a step or two he fell to his knees, bending over and moaning as the fiery pain spread over him. He was dimly aware of the commotion that had been unleashed upon the hellcat's actions, but it was hard to hear through the roaring in his ears.
Kats renewed attack on Angel spurred the others to action. Giles flinched as Angel was kneed in the groin, but at the same time an unholy glitter appeared in his eyes. He started forward, gripping his stake tightly, intent on staking the man who'd caused him so much grief. At the same time Willow, seeing her friend go down ran to the vampire and stood over him like a mother lion. She saw both Kat and Giles heading for them, murder written clearly on their faces. Without even thinking the petite witch threw her arm out and shouted "PROHIBEO!"
The two did indeed stop; they seemed to freeze in mid stride, unable to keep advancing on the injured vampire. Angel opened his eyes upon hearing Willows command. He saw his attacker and the watcher frozen in place and looked up at his savior in astonishment. "Willow?" the dark haired vampire said, his tone questioning.
"Shhh Angel, I wont let them hurt you." Willow stated, her famous resolve face making an appearance. Her eyes never left Kat and Giles, but her free hand went to Angels head and pressed him gently to rest it against her tummy. She stroked his soft hair and began speaking to the frozen duo.
"Alright you two," Willow began, her voice ringing out with determined anger upon seeing the mutinous faces of the Watcher and the young woman. Raising one hand, she continued to stroke Angel's hair as she pointed accusingly at the two. "I have had just about all I can stand of you and your asinine attempts to kill Angel. I have worked too damn hard to rescue him from Hell and I will NOT let you two screw it up by sending him back!"
"Not ONE word!" she continued, sweeping her hand in a "silence" gesture as soon as Giles' opened his mouth to argue. "Unless you're completely blind or something, you've noticed that I haven't been sleeping well these past couple of months. I couldn't sleep because, when I did, all I did was dream about Angel, and how they tortured him in Hell.." Her voice softened in sadness as she remembered some of the things she saw Angel go through, and when he tightened his arms on her waist in surprise she hugged him back briefly. Taking a deep breath to compose herself and offering Angel a comforting smile, the redheaded witch continued in a more subdued tone, "It was driving me insane Giles. I knew how you and Xander would feel about this but I had no choice; I had to help my friend. Look," she paused, noting the dubious look on the librarian's face, "I know you don't believe me, but can't we please talk about this civilly? If you just give him a chance, you'll see that this really is Angel.and that I did the right thing."
To say the least, Giles was furious. Not only had his innocent little Willow brought back the worst demon the team had ever faced, but now she was standing over him, cuddling him to her and offering comfort while at the same time holding both Kat and himself off with magic. When the redhead started her diatribe the librarian was determined not to listen, to simply bide his time until the girl released him. But when she mentioned that her lack of sleep was due to dreams about the tortures Angel had received his heart went out to her. There was such pain in her eyes when she spoke the words, and she clutched the vampire tighter to her. 'He's a demon, he killed Jenny, and he tortured me.' Giles ran down a mental list of everything Angelus had done to him and to the rest of the scoobies. Even as his mind relived the torments he couldn't deny Willow the chance she was asking of him. Especially since, for the moment at least, she seemed able to control the vampires' instincts and soothe him into submission.
When the girl was finished speaking he felt the tension of the spell loosen so that he was able to speak. "Alright Willow. Let us go and we will give you a chance to explain your actions and prove to us that this really is Angel." The librarian capitulated.
Snorting, the dark-haired young woman glanced at Giles, then at Willow, in utter amazement. "You've got to be kidding!" Her voice rose in pitch and anger as she continued, "He's a vampire! I have no idea what you're talking about, if he's some angel or not: he's a fucking demon! You might as well keep me here till Hell freezes over, cause I am not going to wait for him to kill me first!" Her eyes promised to back up her words, ebony points of flint that glittered dangerously back at both Willow and the vampire she was holding to her.
The petite witch narrowed her eyes in response to Kat's words; true, Kat had no idea who Angel was.they hadn't exactly been forthcoming in information regarding Buffy's boyfriend, other than to say that she lost him due to the coming of Angelus. Still, that was no reason for Kat to be so unrelenting in her goal. A tiny part of Willow suspected Kat had deeper reasons for wanting a vampire dead, but now was not the time.
Anger burning once more in her veins, Willow retorted, "So what if Angel's a vampire? You don't know anything about him; he's not like other vampires you know." Another snort from the brunette made Willow grit her teeth, forcing her next words out slowly. "Angel was cursed with a soul, once by gypsies, then recently by yours truly. Basically, he's still a vampire, only now he has a conscience." From the dubious looks Kat was throwing her, she didn't think the young woman would believe her.
Kat raised an eyebrow, not sure she heard the fiery redhead clearly. 'A vampire with a soul; does she really think that would stop someone like him from killing anyone?' Sighing, Kat shook her head. Or tried too at any rate. This paralysis spell really annoyed her. "And that's supposed to make me trust him, a fucking soul?" Laughing, Kat smiled wryly. "Oh Willow, don't you know there are tons of people out there, with souls, who do things that are regarded as monstrous? What makes you think a soul is going to stop Mr. Fangy there from killing?"
Still clutching Willow's waist, Angel growled in the back of his throat. His demon raged just below the surface at her words, his head and lower regions still throbbing from the hellcat's last assault. As he muttered something about naked bitch cats and their occupation in hell, he felt Willow tighten her hand in his hair in warning. Glancing up with golden eyes, his demon visage already slipping back into place, he saw her frown at him. "Don't you start," the redhead admonished him, causing Angel to glare at Kat once more before closing his eyes and leaning his head back on Willow's stomach. As she continued to stroke his hair he relaxed slightly, his human face reappearing.
Once satisfied that her vampire friend had calmed down, Willow fixed Kat with a penetrating stare. She waited several moments before responding to Kat's questions, and when she did, it was with a question of her own. "How can you speak to me of trust; you don't even trust us enough to tell Xander, Giles, or myself about who you really are?"
Kat bit her lip and looked away from the redhead, staring off at a spot on the wall. Damn, but she had a point there. When put that way, Kat was no better than the rest of them. 'In other ways.I guess I'm no better than the vampire. He isn't acting like any vampire I know, that's for sure,' she mused, contemplating Willow's ability to calm him. Sighing, she continued to glance at the wall as she finally spoke up. "Fine, I won't kill your vampire just yet. But," she added, her eyes moving to meet Willow's determined ones, "I promise you.if he is just another vampire, I will kill him."
"And I can promise you," Willow stated, her tone as cold as Kats eyes were hot, "that it will be over my very dead body." With that promise made, Willow released the two from her hold. They both stumbled rather comically before righting themselves.
"Perhaps we should take this discussion to the living room where we can all sit down." Giles commented. Willow nodded. "That sounds like a good idea, but maybe Kat should go upstairs and find something to wear first. Angel, would Dru have left anything behind when she and Spike left?" the petite girl asked.
Nodding into Willow's stomach he leaned back just far enough to talk without sounding muffled. Clearing his throat, he pointed behind him, in the direction of the stairs. "Up there.to the right. Spike and D..Dru's room." The vampire winced momentarily as he thought about his childer, pain and sadness melting the gold from his eyes and returning them to their usual chocolate shade.
Willow went back to running her fingers through Angel's hair as Kat moved in the direction of the staircase. She bit her lip to keep from giggling as she saw Giles trying unsuccessfully to keep from staring after the dark- haired young woman. Feeling movement against her waist, Willow assumed Angel was also trying to get a peek.
Clearing her throat, Willow tapped Angel on the head to get his attention. As the vampire looked up at the redhead she raised an eyebrow. "Think maybe you two could take your eyes away long enough to move to the living room?" She looked at Angel as she spoke, but her statement was obviously for both men.
Angel smiled somewhat sheepishly, while Giles managed to clear his throat uncertainly. "Yes. Um.perhaps we should move while Kat.uh.makes herself presentable," he stammered, face flushing as he studiously avoided looking in the brunette's direction again. Willow bit her cheek to keep from laughing at their faces as she helped Angel to his feet; they looked like little boys who had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Somehow she managed to help Angel move towards the living room without giggling at their reactions, Giles trailing behind them.
Meanwhile, Kat found the room that she supposed had belonged to this Spike and Dru. Glancing around at the dark décor, she raised an eyebrow at the row of dolls that lined one of the walls. Picking one up, she stared at it for a moment before shuddering. "I.don't think I want to know," she muttered, putting the doll back down and moving away from the creepy things. Spying the closet nearby she moved closer to it, opening the doors and searching through the clothing for something suitable. As she pulled out something light and airy she wrinkled her nose.
'It's a dress,' she frowned at the dainty garment. 'I don't think so!' Shaking her head violently, she thrust the offending outfit back into the closet, her search becoming more determined. "I'll be damned if I'm going to.aha!" Further back in the closet Kat discovered an entirely different style of clothing; stuff that looked like it belonged to the other former occupant of the room. A sigh of relief escaped the brunette's lips as she reached in, drawing out a couple of items.
"Now THIS is more like it!" Her lips twitching into a smile, Kat began to get dressed, relishing the feel of leather and silk as it caressed her body.
His stomach growled once more, forcing Angel's thoughts back to the present. With Willow so near, her blood calling out to him like a siren, his demon struggled close to the surface. The vampire recoiled in horror and backpedaled; his hand encountered something plastic and squishy, causing him to look down in confusion. Bringing his hand up to his face, Angel realized he held a bag of blood, probably provided by the redheaded witch for just such a situation. Without pause he morphed into demon face, piercing the bag with his teeth and drinking it as fast as he could in order to avoid the cold, metallic taste of packaged blood. His hunger cooled, but did not fade, and the vampire glanced around at the floor, seeking more packages to sate his thirst. Two bags later he sighed in relief, the blood thirst dying down to a more manageable level.
As his human mask reemerged, Angel became embarrassingly aware of another problem; he wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing. Sheepishly he searched around for something that would be suitable to wear, so as not to frighten or embarrass his witchy friend when she finally woke up. He tried to move outside the circle, but the red glow acted like a force field, imprisoning him for the time being. Spotting Willow's backpack near the center of the circle, Angel moved to retrieve it and see if she had brought any spare clothing. A hint of a smile touched his lips as he pulled out a pair of black sweat pants, and a black tank.
'Sweet Willow, she sure does think of everything doesn't she?' Angel contemplated as he donned the clothing so thoughtfully provided for him. Making sure it fit, he padded silently over to the sleeping redhead, kneeling down to watch her for a few moments. Slowly he reached out, brushing a lock of hair from her forehead and whispering hoarsely, "Thank you.friend."
Suddenly Angel became aware of another presence in the room, one he had up till now ignored entirely. Just on the outer edge of the fading circles light, a dark form lay, eerily still. Frowning, Angel crept closer for further inspection. A faint animalistic scent touched his nose as he leaned forward to get a good look at the creature lying on the ground. Surprise and confusion drew his brows together as he discovered it was a large panther, black as midnight. Its side rose and fell as it slept; unaware of another predator looming uncertainly over its body, struggling to recall what it was doing there in the first place.
As Angel debated over his next action, he felt a slight stirring of air in the still mansion. Turning, he looked at the scarlet candle, watching as the flame at the end sputtered, then died out. As the light from the candle faded, the line marking the sacred circle flickered, fading away into nothingness. So intent was Angel on the disappearing protective barrier that he failed to notice the creature beside him stirring.and changing into something else entirely.
Turning his head back to study the panther once more, Angel sucked in an unneeded breath of surprise. The black cat was gone, and in its place was the body of a young woman. Tilting his head to one side, the vampire studied her face, searching for anything familiar about her. She was certainly attractive, with dainty features framed by thick, wavy brown hair. Nothing in her face suggested familiarity however and so his eyes traveled lower of their own accord, widening as he came to realize something about this young woman: she also appeared to be unclothed. Slightly embarrassed to be staring openly at a strange young woman's body, the vampire tried to move his eyes back to her face. The demon inside him didn't seem to agree with the idea however; it was perfectly content to ogle the delectable young morsel. Frowning, Angel struggled to control his demon.and his eyes. While he was trying to subdue his darker half, he failed to notice the young woman's eyes snapping open, green fire blazing from their depths.
The feeling that someone was standing over her brought Kat out of her pain- induced stupor. Her nostrils flared slightly as she inhaled the scent of the intruder; the hair on the back of her neck stiffening as she became aware of the strangers vampiric nature. Acting on instinct she raised her upper body in a blur of motion, her hand curling into a fist and flying in the direction of the vampire's unprotected face.
Angel barely had time to blink as the brunette lying at his feet suddenly moved, her fist rushing up to connect with his face. Bright light and fire burst behind his right eye as her fist made contact, causing the vampire to reel backwards in bewildered pain. Warily he took a step back, putting some distance between them as he watched the little spitfire bound to her feet, raising her arms and assuming a fighting stance. Admiration for her speed mingled with an appreciation for her strength, not to mention her beauty; the flush of anger that spread over her made for an interesting show in her naked state. Her eyes flickered between dark green and black, a fascinating trick of light that made him raise an eyebrow, before wincing as it intensified the throbbing in his eye.
Kat couldn't believe what she was seeing.a goddamn vampire ogling her! Growling low in her throat, she launched a spinning back kick at him, bringing her leg up and around aiming for the side of his head. As the vampire ducked under her leg to avoid her foot she changed tactics, planting her feet and aiming a back fisted punch at his throat.
Angel snapped out of his reverie as the angry young woman threw a kick at his head. He tried to dodge, but she kept pressing forward in a flurry of acrobatic and inventive movements. He blocked a series of well aimed punches as best he could, though he took a few hits to the chest and stomach area. He backed up in an attempt to get out of range of her fast flying attacks. His ire rose as she continued to press forward, her natural grace and style belying her skill. 'Oh yea, she's pretty alright,' he thought darkly, '.pretty fucking dangerous.' The dark-haired vampire tried to keep his movements defensive, but with each fist that flew at his body his demon edged closer to the surface.
Kat twisted, throwing a powerful side kick at the vampire. She felt it connect and watched as the creature flew backwards, sprawling on the ground before her. Her pleasure was short-lived, however, as she saw what he had tripped over in the process: the still form of one of her new friends, the redheaded hacker Willow. Her skin was so pale as to nearly be translucent; dark circles marred the translucent skin under her eyes, and she barely seemed to breathe. The odor of blood rose from Willow's body, causing the brunette to hiss under her breath. If possible, her eyes became even flintier as she scowled down at Willow's body, clenching and unclenching her fists. 'The bastard,' she thought angrily, struggling to control her fury, 'the bastard already got Willow!"
The taste of blood in his mouth made Angel growl, pain and outrage making his human mask slip. His eyes burned with golden fire as his demon struggled to be free of its imprisonment, its rage howling for the life's blood of its attacker. Licking the trickle of blood that had formed at the corner of his mouth, he watched the girl's expression darken noticeably as she glared down at Willow. An uneasy feeling overcame the angry vampire as he watched her struggle with her own anger; if her eyes expressed her thoughts and feelings at this moment, it looked as though she were wishing Willow a slow and very painful death.
'Over my undead body,' Angel vowed darkly, his protective instincts aroused and adding strength to his demonic side as he vaulted back to his feet swiftly and silently. Without waiting for the brunette to attack either Willow or himself he rushed her, slamming into the deranged woman and tackling her, throwing them both backwards to the ground. As he felt the breath rush out of her body he grabbed her by the nape of her neck as he would a cat and stood, dragging her to her feet before flinging her roughly against the wall. A rush of pleasure overcame him as his demon reveled in her groan of pain. Growling loudly deep in his throat he hauled her to her feet once more, twisting her around and picking her up by the throat with one hand. He slammed her against the wall, pushing her up a few inches so that her feet dangled above the ground. As she fought and struggled for breath he smiled evilly, his demon howling in its prison, desperately trying to take complete control of the situation.
Kat struggled in his grasp, feeling light-headed from a combination of dizziness, pain, and lack of air. She hissed and fought as hard as she could, scratching and clawing at his hands for all she was worth. His grip on her throat however was like a vise; the harder she fought, the tighter his grip became. Her breathing became shallower, and her vision started to blur, his demonic visage mocking her suffering as his eyes glowed with determined intensity.
Angel continued to hold the brunette against the wall, his demon reveling in her attempts to free herself and breathe. So caught up in her torture was he that the vampire almost missed the soft, melodic voice that called his name. Turning his head slightly, he watched in surprise as Willow got to her feet, eyes beseeching him softly.
"Angel please," she whispered, fearful tears brimming in her eyes as she watched her vampire friend try to choke the life out of Kat. "Please, let her go."
The softness of the plea, coupled with her teary gaze, had the effect of a cold bucket of water, dousing Angel's anger and bringing his sanity abruptly back to the forefront of his mind. Shaking with the effort to reign in his demon, he slowly lowered Kat to the ground, loosening his grip on her neck enough for her to breathe, but not to get away. Glancing back at the redhead, Angel wondered if she was going to explain just who this young woman was.and what she was doing here.
Suddenly, the door of the mansion burst open, letting the morning sunlight stream in. Luckily, Angel was out of its direct path and, though he winced instinctively, he kept his grip on his attacker. A tall, menacing figure appeared in the doorway and stalked into the room. Willow and Angel turned to see who this new intruder was. To their astonishment the threatening form was Giles.
"What in the SODDING HELL is going on here?" the furious man roared. As the librarian took in the scene before him, his face registered anger, fright, and confusion. Angel stood game faced with a very naked, very angry Kat gripped by the neck and pressed against the wall. Willow was walking slowly towards the vampire, her hand extended to him and tears filling her beautiful eyes.
Startled by Giles' entrance and subsequent outburst, Willow squeaked and stared at him, trembling like a rabbit caught in the headlights of an oncoming automobile. Angel, too, was distracted by the frantic librarian; so much so that he didn't notice the calculating gleam appear in Kat's eyes.
Kat, while shocked that Giles had managed to find his way here already, nevertheless recovered her composure rather quickly as she felt Angel's hold on her loosen even more due to this distraction.
A sound between a hiss and a groan issued from Angel's lips as Kat's knee connected solidly with his groin then again with his face. Stumbling backwards a step or two he fell to his knees, bending over and moaning as the fiery pain spread over him. He was dimly aware of the commotion that had been unleashed upon the hellcat's actions, but it was hard to hear through the roaring in his ears.
Kats renewed attack on Angel spurred the others to action. Giles flinched as Angel was kneed in the groin, but at the same time an unholy glitter appeared in his eyes. He started forward, gripping his stake tightly, intent on staking the man who'd caused him so much grief. At the same time Willow, seeing her friend go down ran to the vampire and stood over him like a mother lion. She saw both Kat and Giles heading for them, murder written clearly on their faces. Without even thinking the petite witch threw her arm out and shouted "PROHIBEO!"
The two did indeed stop; they seemed to freeze in mid stride, unable to keep advancing on the injured vampire. Angel opened his eyes upon hearing Willows command. He saw his attacker and the watcher frozen in place and looked up at his savior in astonishment. "Willow?" the dark haired vampire said, his tone questioning.
"Shhh Angel, I wont let them hurt you." Willow stated, her famous resolve face making an appearance. Her eyes never left Kat and Giles, but her free hand went to Angels head and pressed him gently to rest it against her tummy. She stroked his soft hair and began speaking to the frozen duo.
"Alright you two," Willow began, her voice ringing out with determined anger upon seeing the mutinous faces of the Watcher and the young woman. Raising one hand, she continued to stroke Angel's hair as she pointed accusingly at the two. "I have had just about all I can stand of you and your asinine attempts to kill Angel. I have worked too damn hard to rescue him from Hell and I will NOT let you two screw it up by sending him back!"
"Not ONE word!" she continued, sweeping her hand in a "silence" gesture as soon as Giles' opened his mouth to argue. "Unless you're completely blind or something, you've noticed that I haven't been sleeping well these past couple of months. I couldn't sleep because, when I did, all I did was dream about Angel, and how they tortured him in Hell.." Her voice softened in sadness as she remembered some of the things she saw Angel go through, and when he tightened his arms on her waist in surprise she hugged him back briefly. Taking a deep breath to compose herself and offering Angel a comforting smile, the redheaded witch continued in a more subdued tone, "It was driving me insane Giles. I knew how you and Xander would feel about this but I had no choice; I had to help my friend. Look," she paused, noting the dubious look on the librarian's face, "I know you don't believe me, but can't we please talk about this civilly? If you just give him a chance, you'll see that this really is Angel.and that I did the right thing."
To say the least, Giles was furious. Not only had his innocent little Willow brought back the worst demon the team had ever faced, but now she was standing over him, cuddling him to her and offering comfort while at the same time holding both Kat and himself off with magic. When the redhead started her diatribe the librarian was determined not to listen, to simply bide his time until the girl released him. But when she mentioned that her lack of sleep was due to dreams about the tortures Angel had received his heart went out to her. There was such pain in her eyes when she spoke the words, and she clutched the vampire tighter to her. 'He's a demon, he killed Jenny, and he tortured me.' Giles ran down a mental list of everything Angelus had done to him and to the rest of the scoobies. Even as his mind relived the torments he couldn't deny Willow the chance she was asking of him. Especially since, for the moment at least, she seemed able to control the vampires' instincts and soothe him into submission.
When the girl was finished speaking he felt the tension of the spell loosen so that he was able to speak. "Alright Willow. Let us go and we will give you a chance to explain your actions and prove to us that this really is Angel." The librarian capitulated.
Snorting, the dark-haired young woman glanced at Giles, then at Willow, in utter amazement. "You've got to be kidding!" Her voice rose in pitch and anger as she continued, "He's a vampire! I have no idea what you're talking about, if he's some angel or not: he's a fucking demon! You might as well keep me here till Hell freezes over, cause I am not going to wait for him to kill me first!" Her eyes promised to back up her words, ebony points of flint that glittered dangerously back at both Willow and the vampire she was holding to her.
The petite witch narrowed her eyes in response to Kat's words; true, Kat had no idea who Angel was.they hadn't exactly been forthcoming in information regarding Buffy's boyfriend, other than to say that she lost him due to the coming of Angelus. Still, that was no reason for Kat to be so unrelenting in her goal. A tiny part of Willow suspected Kat had deeper reasons for wanting a vampire dead, but now was not the time.
Anger burning once more in her veins, Willow retorted, "So what if Angel's a vampire? You don't know anything about him; he's not like other vampires you know." Another snort from the brunette made Willow grit her teeth, forcing her next words out slowly. "Angel was cursed with a soul, once by gypsies, then recently by yours truly. Basically, he's still a vampire, only now he has a conscience." From the dubious looks Kat was throwing her, she didn't think the young woman would believe her.
Kat raised an eyebrow, not sure she heard the fiery redhead clearly. 'A vampire with a soul; does she really think that would stop someone like him from killing anyone?' Sighing, Kat shook her head. Or tried too at any rate. This paralysis spell really annoyed her. "And that's supposed to make me trust him, a fucking soul?" Laughing, Kat smiled wryly. "Oh Willow, don't you know there are tons of people out there, with souls, who do things that are regarded as monstrous? What makes you think a soul is going to stop Mr. Fangy there from killing?"
Still clutching Willow's waist, Angel growled in the back of his throat. His demon raged just below the surface at her words, his head and lower regions still throbbing from the hellcat's last assault. As he muttered something about naked bitch cats and their occupation in hell, he felt Willow tighten her hand in his hair in warning. Glancing up with golden eyes, his demon visage already slipping back into place, he saw her frown at him. "Don't you start," the redhead admonished him, causing Angel to glare at Kat once more before closing his eyes and leaning his head back on Willow's stomach. As she continued to stroke his hair he relaxed slightly, his human face reappearing.
Once satisfied that her vampire friend had calmed down, Willow fixed Kat with a penetrating stare. She waited several moments before responding to Kat's questions, and when she did, it was with a question of her own. "How can you speak to me of trust; you don't even trust us enough to tell Xander, Giles, or myself about who you really are?"
Kat bit her lip and looked away from the redhead, staring off at a spot on the wall. Damn, but she had a point there. When put that way, Kat was no better than the rest of them. 'In other ways.I guess I'm no better than the vampire. He isn't acting like any vampire I know, that's for sure,' she mused, contemplating Willow's ability to calm him. Sighing, she continued to glance at the wall as she finally spoke up. "Fine, I won't kill your vampire just yet. But," she added, her eyes moving to meet Willow's determined ones, "I promise you.if he is just another vampire, I will kill him."
"And I can promise you," Willow stated, her tone as cold as Kats eyes were hot, "that it will be over my very dead body." With that promise made, Willow released the two from her hold. They both stumbled rather comically before righting themselves.
"Perhaps we should take this discussion to the living room where we can all sit down." Giles commented. Willow nodded. "That sounds like a good idea, but maybe Kat should go upstairs and find something to wear first. Angel, would Dru have left anything behind when she and Spike left?" the petite girl asked.
Nodding into Willow's stomach he leaned back just far enough to talk without sounding muffled. Clearing his throat, he pointed behind him, in the direction of the stairs. "Up there.to the right. Spike and D..Dru's room." The vampire winced momentarily as he thought about his childer, pain and sadness melting the gold from his eyes and returning them to their usual chocolate shade.
Willow went back to running her fingers through Angel's hair as Kat moved in the direction of the staircase. She bit her lip to keep from giggling as she saw Giles trying unsuccessfully to keep from staring after the dark- haired young woman. Feeling movement against her waist, Willow assumed Angel was also trying to get a peek.
Clearing her throat, Willow tapped Angel on the head to get his attention. As the vampire looked up at the redhead she raised an eyebrow. "Think maybe you two could take your eyes away long enough to move to the living room?" She looked at Angel as she spoke, but her statement was obviously for both men.
Angel smiled somewhat sheepishly, while Giles managed to clear his throat uncertainly. "Yes. Um.perhaps we should move while Kat.uh.makes herself presentable," he stammered, face flushing as he studiously avoided looking in the brunette's direction again. Willow bit her cheek to keep from laughing at their faces as she helped Angel to his feet; they looked like little boys who had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Somehow she managed to help Angel move towards the living room without giggling at their reactions, Giles trailing behind them.
Meanwhile, Kat found the room that she supposed had belonged to this Spike and Dru. Glancing around at the dark décor, she raised an eyebrow at the row of dolls that lined one of the walls. Picking one up, she stared at it for a moment before shuddering. "I.don't think I want to know," she muttered, putting the doll back down and moving away from the creepy things. Spying the closet nearby she moved closer to it, opening the doors and searching through the clothing for something suitable. As she pulled out something light and airy she wrinkled her nose.
'It's a dress,' she frowned at the dainty garment. 'I don't think so!' Shaking her head violently, she thrust the offending outfit back into the closet, her search becoming more determined. "I'll be damned if I'm going to.aha!" Further back in the closet Kat discovered an entirely different style of clothing; stuff that looked like it belonged to the other former occupant of the room. A sigh of relief escaped the brunette's lips as she reached in, drawing out a couple of items.
"Now THIS is more like it!" Her lips twitching into a smile, Kat began to get dressed, relishing the feel of leather and silk as it caressed her body.