Part Seventeen
I walk right out of the Magic Shop, without word to anyone. And they just let me leave. I go straight to my apartment and start to shove things into my duffel.
"What the hell are you doing?" A voice asks.
I turn around sharply and see Angel behind me.
"What does it look like?" I ask, opening my drawer and shoving more of my things into it.
"You're leaving." He says.
"And, give the man a prize!" I cry sarcastically.
"Why?" He demands, grabbing my arm.
"Why not?" I retort.
"You were lying. You weren't kidnapped, you weren't tortured." He spits out at me.
I freeze and look at him menacingly.
"You don't know what you're talking about." I sneer.
"Oh? I think I do. If you would have been in a demon dimension, you would have their scent on you. You don't." Angel points put, taking a step closer to me with each word he says until I'm back against a wall, him looking down at me with hazy eyes.
I look him up and down, a smile forming on my lips.
"A scent, you say?" I purr, running my hands up and down his chest.
He stiffens, but I know he's reacting to my touch, he can't resist me.
He wants me.
He always will.
I shake my hair off of my shoulder, baring my neck in the process. He eyes travel down and lock on the scar he gave me. His eyes darken and he wets his lips.
"Maybe I *do* smell like them. Maybe you need to get closer…" I smirk, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him down to me, his lips resting on the throbbing vein, "To be accurate, of course." I whisper in his ear.
I can feel him change against my skin. He's fighting with his demon, trying to rebel against what he really wants. I pull myself against him tightly.
"Take what you want!" I demand softly.
His whole body stiffens and he pushes me against the wall with such a force that I think I black out for a moment.
When my eyes flutter open, he's staring straight at me, his eyes hard. He traps my wrists high above me, and presses his lips against mine roughly, with bruising force. I moan and completely melt against him. He pulls away and his razor sharp teeth rip my lips. I taste the blood and vamp out. We glare at each other, heaving harshly.
"Why?" Angel demands, his voice a loud growl.
"Why what?" I snap back, trying to catch my breath.
"Why, WHY are you changing!" He yells.
"I'm not." Is all I say.
"You are!" He yells, "Ever since you came back, you've been slowly changing, but this…this is different. You're not you." He ends in a whisper.
"Of course I'm me, no one else could get you as worked up as I do." I purr, trailing my hands further down.
He flinches and grabs my hands again.
"So you're gonna be rough this time." I taunt, my eyes blazing.
His growl turns into a roar and he slams me up against the wall again.
I laugh.
Oh, how much fun this is.
"This isn't you!" He yells, then turns deadly silent, "I'll find a way to get you back. Back to the way you were."
I just stare at him.
"Good luck. Whoever I was is dead. Gone to the point of no return!" I cry dramatically.
He glares at me for one long moment and I swear to God he looks like he wants to kill me. I think he might. But, no. He turns and is out the door faster than I've ever seen him walk.
But, he'll be back.
Oh yeah.
He'll be back.
*
I lay low the next couple days. I have too; at least that's what the seers say. So, I go to school and play college girl. I see Brett again. I laugh inwardly. Finally, someone to play with. I saunter over to him and wrap my arms around his neck.
"Hey." I purr.
He smiles and rests his hands on my waist, "Hey. You feeling better?" He asks.
I eye him, "What?"
"You said you went feeling good at the Bronze, then you haven't been here for awhile. You were sick, right?"
I smile, "Yeah. Bad sickness. Flu or something like that. But," I eye him up and down, "I'm feeling better now."
He smirks and leans down to kiss me. I deepen it, adding tongue and he seems surprised, but no complaints coming from him.
None at all…
I decide to have a little fun. I make a show of ravishing him and start to trial my hands lower. He moans in anticipation. I'm just about go lower when I pull away.
"Wh-what?" He stutters when I begin to gather my books.
"Time for class." I smirk.
He stands there, his mouth opening and closing, but no words come out. His face turns red and he starts to sputter at me.
I give an innocent smile and start to walk away.
"Don't wanna be late!" I throw over my shoulder.
He's still red and shocked when he runs into class. He gives me a questioning
look, but I ignore him and dutifully take notes. With my collage-girl face on, I
ignore him. It's quite amusing. He tries to get my attention, but it doesn't work.
He gets thoroughly pissed off.
Whoops.
My bad.
By the end of class, however, it's gotten a little more than annoying and I snap at him.
"What do you want?"
His eyes are surprisingly dark, with anger.
"We need to talk."
I shrug nonchalantly and he leads me to a small janitor closet. I eye him in the darkness and then look around.
"It's kind of kinky if you just wanna talk…" I say suggestively.
He pushes me into the wall forcefully and pins my hands to my side.
"I know what you are."
*
Ok, what?
"What the hell are you talking about?" I ask him.
"Don't play coy." He demands, "I know what the hell you are! Well, what and
*who* you are."
"I should think you know who I am, it'd be a bit insulting, if you ask me." I murmur.
His glare darkens, and I find myself wondering, just who…or what he is. I don't sense anything on him…or smell if you wanna be crude.
"No one asked you." He snaps, "I've been waiting for you."
"Great, care to elaborate?" I roll my eyes.
His grasp on my wrists tightens.
"You. You aren't human. Not really, not anymore. I can't smell it on you anymore." He murmured lowering his face to my neck and giving a quick sniff.
"God, what is *with* you people and scent?" I explode.
He glares at me for a moment, then goes on, "I am like you. Not quite human, but not demonic either, no soul."
"Um, see…that's where you're wrong. Then we're NOT alike. I, am, very much demonic." I mock him.
"No, you aren't. You have a demon in you, and no soul, but you aren't full vampire. That's what makes us different from them. They are full blooded demon, and are very strong. We, you and I, are enough human to keep us alive and enough demon to make us stronger than any humans, any humans."
"Are you done? You may be strong, but, I can guarantee that I'm stronger."
"We are equals." He interrupts.
"No, no, no. My dear boy, we're not equals, we'll *never* be equals. You see, I'm part Slayer, human, and vampire. Oh yeah baby, I'm much stronger than you." I purr.
"Slayer, huh? I thought they were good?" He asks.
"Why be a goody-goody when it's so much fun being bad?" I ask innocently.
"You're right." He thinks for a moment, "But I still think we're equal in power. I'm sure of it." He says.
"And, why would that be?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
"My Father was a Master Vampire." He answers, his voice edged with hate.
"But humans and vampires can't-"
He cuts me off, "Yes they can. Anything's possible, the kid from your ex and his sire's proof of that."
My gaze darkens and I feel rage flow in my blood.
I hate Angel for what he did, for Connor.
Then, I think.
Connor.
I remember when I met him, there was a certain something about him. He wasn't all there, like, he wasn't exactly one of the good guys, and he's still young. Very impressionable.
I think he and I should have a little talk…
"Get off me." I say, pushing Brett away.
"Where are you going?" He demands.
Oh no. He did not just act all possessive.
"Just because you and I on the same page with the whole no-soul thing *does not* mean that you are gonna start to control me and act all caveman like, got it?" I ask angrily and push my way out.
Time to take a little trip to the glorious City of Angels.
*
I take my time getting there, thinking over exactly what I'm going to do. I mean, what else would make Angel hurt as much as he had hurt the soul-carrying me than taking his son to the other side? I hate him for what he made me feel. How he reduced me to mush with a single look. I hate how I'm still affected by him.
Ugh!
I shake my head and focus on getting to that damn hotel. I pull up and get out. Walking in I see that brown haired girl with the boy's name… Damn, what's her name? I have no idea, but obviously, she knows me…
"Hi there!" She smiles this big-peppy smile that makes me want to puke.
"Um, hey." I say, waving a little bit.
"Buffy, right? Angel's not here… I though he was in Sunnydale with you." She asks.
"Not, with me!" I snap, then see the hurt look on her face and feel like I just shot someone's puppy.
Haha.
But, not really, because I still like puppies…
And I call myself evil.
"Sorry. Um, he didn't call?" I ask, looking confused, "He wanted me to come and pick up Connor." I lie.
"Oh. Um, why?" She asks.
"Well, more firepower. Besides, he'd feel better if Connor was closer to him. I guess it's the parent in him… So where is he?" I ask.
"Oh, he upstairs. Probably on the roof." She answers.
"Great, thanks. You're the best." I say smiling a big fake preppy smile.
I race up the stairs and find him staring out into the darkened city.
"You're different." He says as I approach."
"Aren't we all?" I ask.
"You're not you anymore." He says looking at me, his dark eyes gleaming, reminding me of Angelus, "What do you want?"
"How do you feel about Daddy-dearest?" I ask, coming closer.
He meets my gaze in a full stare that neither of us breaks, "I think he's evil." He finally answers.
"How would you like to beat him? Show him how much stronger you are?" I ask.
"I hate my Father. I hate what he is." He says.
"Then you hate what I am." I say.
"No, he should be dead. You, you are meant to be this. To destroy the world." He says.
"I'm flattered. How would you like to join me?" I ask.
"It would be my pleasure…" He smiles, and it's not a happy smile. No.
It's a smile of hate, anger, and pleasure.
It's the smile of a killer.
"Welcome aboard then." I smile and hold out my hand.
He shakes it.
And so the fun begins…