Part Nine-
I was restless all night. I had persuaded Faith to take me slaying to let out some of the nervous tension I was feeling. It worked for awhile, but Angel called Faith's cell phone around one and demanded that she bring me home. She did and then yelled at him for berating her about 'putting me in danger'.
"Damn it, Angel, she can take care of herself!"
"I don't want her getting hurt! She cannot patrol without me, goddamnit!" Angel argued, his voice sharp and forbidding.
"Don't you dare talk to me like that, Angel!" Faith screamed, her face getting red and her eyes turning dark, "Don't talk of getting hurt and being 'safe', because we both know there's no such thing. Sheltering her will only make everything worse, in the long run."
I watched from the landing as they fought, circling each other, but never laying a hand on one another. Their stances were threatening and cautious to make anyone want to go near them. But, I could see that they would never hurt each other, for some odd reason.
"Don't worry 'bout them." A smooth voice purred behind me.
I tuned to see Spike watching them as well, "They always fight like this at least once a month. It's like an unwritten rule."
I sighed softly, because it was *me* they were fighting about.
"Don't worry. If they ain't fighting about you, they'll fight about something else. The chairs, me, magic, even bloody breakfast for Gods sakes. They're like brother and sister." He shrugged.
We just stood there for a moment and then I looked at him, he looked back. Should I...?
"Spit it out, blondie."
"What?" I asked.
"You wanna ask me something, ask away." He said, taking a drag of his cigarette.
"Ok. This Buffy girl, the one that no one will talk about.you know her, right?" I asked him, leaning against the railing.
He looked at me, his brows raised, "Yeah, I 'knew' her. Why?"
"Willow said something about bringing her back, what did she mean?" I asked.
Spike sighed and itched his head slowly, "Willow's a witch. Buffy and Willow were friends, best of, I believe. When Buffy died, Willow went off the deep end. She was obsessed with bringing her back, so she delved deeper and deeper into the black magic's. It got out of hand and all of us just ignored her. Thought if the bloody lot of us didn't notice it, it'd go away. She took advantage of that and she rose the dead. She brought Buffy back, but it wasn't Buffy. Fooled us for awhile, though. Acted like her, looked like her, hell, she was even bitchy like her. But, we all soon found out that she was nothing but a soulless shell of whatever she used to be. We had to kill her...it." He sighed, closing his eyes, "I'll never forget it, I was the one who found her. She was in the cemetery, *eating* someone. She was a goddamned zombie! Willow brought her back as a fucking zombie! Blood on her lips, flesh in her teeth. Her eyes were black, malicious." He shook his head hard, "Willow went over the edge that day. If she could do that to her bloody 'best-friend', no telling what she'll do to someone she hates." Spike murmured.
"Why Spike." A smooth, cold voice purred, "It isn't nice to air out other people's dirty laundry." The voice scolded.
We turned and saw none other than Willow standing behind us, her eyes angry and her lips stretching into a sneer.
"And, it ain't nice to eavesdrop either. Guess we ain't nice people, now are we?" Spike smirked, his ice blue eyes glittering dangerously towards the red head.
"Oh, but you shouldn't tell little 'Anne' such bad things like that. Might corrupt her pretty little mind." Willow hummed, reaching out to push my hair out of my face. Her nails scraped my cheek with a stinging pressure.
I jerked back and slapped her hands away, "Don't touch me." I snapped, glaring at her.
She scoffed, her eyes darkening and then said in a sickeningly sugar sweet voice, "Have a 'wonderful' day at school tomorrow." Then turned on her heel and left.
I sighed softly and noticed that the yelling from downstairs and I leaned over the railing and wondered aloud, "Did they kill each other or what?"
"It's a possibility." Spike mused, heading down to the lobby.
I yawned followed Spike. I thought that if I had gotten a drink of warm milk or something, that'd help me fall to sleep. Spike veered off in search of Faith. I jumped slightly when I saw Angel sitting at the table nursing a cup of coffee. He jaw was tight and his eyes slightly glazed.
"Don't mind me." I said softly, inching towards the fridge, "Can't sleep." I murmured nervously, glancing behind me, "Just trying to get some warm milk." I finished opening the fridge door and getting what I needed.
The silence was deafening. I could hear my own breathing and the rattling of the glasses and it was driving me insane. I sighed harshly, then blushed when it seemed to echo in the high ceilings. I heated my milk and leaned against the counter. Angel was looking at me with dark eyes.
"What?" I asked him.
He shrugged and shook his head, "Nothing.", his voice slightly curt and abrupt.
He was angry with me, again. I scoffed and rolled my eyes, pouring my milk into a glass and heading out. He wants to be an ass, fine with me.
"Good night, Angel." I said over my shoulder.
He gave a slight nod and I shook my head, walking to my room. The milk did the trick, it knocked me out cold. Which may or may not have been a good thing...
*
*The darkened sky was lit with horrifying screams and zapping bolts of lightening that killed and destroyed. Howls and shrieks of demons filled my ears and made my stomach twist in fear. The high winds blew my hair around and made it whip my face painfully. I could see the dead town from where I was standing, but, where was I? I looked around and saw a young girl strapped to the bars of the platform I was on and I could see she was bleeding. She moaned and said something to me, but I heard nothing except the screams and howling of the winds in my rushing ears. I felt myself step toward her and let her loose from the ropes that held her. A blazing light lay, blazing with buzzing energy, beneath us. I stared at it, transfixed. How could something so deadly look so inviting and alluring? I tore my gaze away from the portal and to the girl. She looked at me with pleading eyes, begging me to do.something. God, I don't know what she wants me to do! She started to run away from me and to the end of the platform.
She was going to jump.
I grabbed her and yelled, "Dawn, what are you doing?!"
I didn't know her name was Dawn. I don't know her. Why am I saving her?
"I have to jump, you know I have too." She sobbed.
I could here her voice this time, faintly in the din of screaming and screeching.
"You know I have too. It wants the blood, it has to have the blood." She moaned.
I flashed to what looked like Spike saying, "It's always about the blood."
And then me, "It's Summers blood, it's just like mine."
And Dawn, her arms cut and bleeding crimson red, "Is this real?"
I saw Angel, through a hazing glaze, his face deformed and his face covered in blood, my blood.
Some kind of realization came over me and I looked at the young girl in front of me.
I know I said something, but I don't know what I said. All I drew up was a blank, but, what I said made the girl cry harder, her eyes tearing and droplets streaking down her cheeks. She tried to stop me, but I pushed her slightly and started to run. Everything went in slow motion as I got closer and closer to the edge of the platform. My spread my arms out and gracefully leapt off of the edge, feeling the air and energy whoosh around me. The shining portal looks inviting as I fall closer to it. I can feel the energy calling out to me, tempting me with its beautiful glow. I am in it, can feel it. It courses through me and I scream.
Loud.
Painfully.
I think I'm dying.*
*
I'm cold and something is gripping me with bruising hands. I scream and thrash about, panicking. Cold air whips around me and I open my eyes to see the ground far beneath me. I scream again and hit the hand that's holding me. I start to fall and the hand catches me, with a grunt. It pulls me up and I land hard.
"Bloody fucking hell, what were you doing up there?" A voice demands and I raise my eyes to see Spike looming over me, his ice blue eyes glittering in the pale light.
"Wha...What?" I gasp through my hard breathing and look at my surroundings.
I'm on my balcony. I have no clue how I got here. I look into my rooms and see my French doors open wide and the sheer curtains billowing in the harsh breeze.
"I don't know..." I murmur, feeling so disoriented, "What are you doing out here?" I demand.
"I was out taking a smoke and I saw you from my room, standing on the ledge like a bloody idiot, about to jump off. You were murmuring something? Were you dreaming?" He asked.
"I don't remember..." I said slowly, trying to think of my horrifying dream.
I couldn't recall it. But, I don know that I did something, important.
Inside of my room, my alarm clock blared and I raced inside to turn it on. Spike flipped on the overhead lights and studied me.
"You're gonna catch your death, you know? Better put on something warm before you freeze your bloody ass off." He murmured, shaking his head, and walking out.
I look in the mirror and saw that I was deathly pale and my fingertips and lips were tinted blue. I shivered and dressed in kakis, a maroon shirt, and my pullover jacket. I was still cold though. I pulled up my unruly hair and put on some makeup to hide the fact I was very pale. I shoved my hands in my pockets and went downstairs. The kitchen light was on and I saw Angel feeding Connor a bottle. I walked in, went to the refrigerator, and grabbed a bottle of water and a made myself some toast. Connor cooed when he saw me and I smiled over at him.
"Hey baby." I smiled and kissed his cheek.
Connor cringed and wiped his cheek, murmuring, "Cold."
I smiled sheepishly and burrowed deeper into my coat, turning and grabbing a cup of coffee. It was horrible, but warm. Angel grabbed my hand lightly and turned me to him. He felt my fingers and brushed his other hand along my cheek.
"You're freezing." He murmured.
I found myself staring into his hypnotic eyes, "I left the terrace doors open last night, didn't know it'd get so cold." I whispered.
He left his fingers lightly tracing my cheek and I breathed softly. There was a moment going on here. I didn't know what would happen. Would he kiss me? Did I want him to kiss me? What would I do if he did? Oh my God, I think I forgot how to breathe. He seemed to be leaning down and I stood, nonmoving, waiting for whatever was about to happen.
Connor started to shriek in his chair and bang his bottle on the table. I jumped and stumbled back slightly. Angel turned to his son and I let out a whoosh of air. I felt light headed, which might be from the lack of air, and I could feel my heart thudding in my chest. I turned to the counter and grabbed my water, shoving it in my bag and going into the lobby, fleeing the tension filled room.
Angel had been about to kiss me.
And, I had wanted him too.
A lot.
*
The ride to the school was awkward and silent. I looked out the window and avoiding any contact with Angel. Something between us made the air hum with an electrical charge. As soon as the car was stopped, I jumped out and glanced over my should at him,
"Don't let Faith and Spike forget to pick me up." I reminded him, slightly in awe at the play of the early morning sun shining on his pale face.
*"I'm not the one who gets to see you in the sun."*
I shook my head slightly and shrugged deeper into my coat, walking briskly into the building, the clacking over my boots echoing behind me. I found the main office and got my schedule. I glanced at it and walked into my first class, which was English Lit. Not many people were in the class so it wasn't awkward. There was a small group of three girls in the back and the middle smiled at me, in a friendly way.
"You're the new girl?" She asked.
I nodded, setting down my things and leaning on my desk, "Yeah. My name's Anne." I said, giving them a small smile.
"I'm Jessa." She said, smiling brightly, showing a row of perfect white teeth. She had raven black hair and diamond blue eyes, which sparkled as she smiled. Her face was lightly tanned and she wore glittery makeup, accenting her high cheek bones, full lips, and elliptical eyes.
"Nice to meet you." I said politely, smiling back.
"You got a British accent?" The girl behind her asked.
She had a pale face, with full red lips standing out slightly. Her eyes were small and a pale hazel color. Her hair was a light brown with red streaks running through it. Her eyes were lined with black and her fingers sparkling with rings.
"Yes. I grew up in London." I said slowly, choosing how much to reveal.
"That is so cool. I wish I had an accent, what I would give." She murmured.
I chuckled a bit and looked to the other girl who regarded me with a with a shielded expression. Her hair was a shocking white blonde color, her eyes dark brown, what a deep contrast which highlighted her small face. She had a small nose, aslant eyes, and smooth lips.
"I'm Aurelia." She said in a smooth voice, her eyes gleaming with suspicion and curiosity, "So, why'd you leave London for LA?" She asked me, judging my reaction and response.
How was I to answer this?
I sighed slightly, smiling tightly, "Family problems." I answered softly.
"Huh." She said softly, seeming to mentally note everything I did and said.
"Who was the hottie you drove up with?" Jessa asked, her eyes glittering mischievously.
"Angel. Family friend." I answered shortly, wondering why they wanted to know about him.
"Where do you live?" The girl with the red streaks asked.
I stared at her, trying to remember her name.
She giggled softly and shook her head, "Sorry. Name's Lorraine. People call me Rain."
"You know the old Hyperion Hotel?" I asked them and I watched as their eyes clouded over, "I live there."
They were speechless for a moment and then they all started talking and vaguely reminded me of tittering birds fighting over a tiny bread crumb.
"You live there?!"
"Are you serious? I heard it was haunted."
"What about the vampires?"
The last question startled the rest of them to silence. It was Aurelia who had spoken, her russet eyes studying me carefully. I let a slow almost silly smile cross my face.
What could they possibly know about this?
"Vampires?" I asked, making my voice skeptical and disbelieving, "You're joking, right?"
"You don't know?" Jessa asked, her face twisting into a mixture of emotions.
"I don't know if we should tell her." Rain asked, twisting a strand of fire engine red nervously in her fingers.
"A lot of people around here like to live in their own little fantasy world, where nothing can touch them. All the unpleasantness doesn't reach them. Like when someone dies mysteriously, drained of blood, pinprick holes in their neck or wrist. But some people *do* see, we know. It's vampires, they're here. They stay underground and wait until sundown before they come up, killing and maiming." Aurelia said quietly, her eyes glittering.
I forced a laugh and smile, "Vampires don't exist."
Aurelia looked at me, her eyes boring into mine, her bottom lip quivering ever so slightly, "You want a piece of advice, don't go out after dark. Crazy things happen in that old hotel, I'd be careful if I were you." She warned, her voice full of pain and knowing.
I just looked at her, wondering what had happened to make her so wise and scared at the same time. What had happened to scar her eyes? To make them marred and stained?
The thought haunted me all thought class and after, where she carefully avoided me and rushed to the door.
Jessa and Rain just stared at me from a distance, wondering what I was thinking and what I knew.
I felt for them, but I couldn't help wonder what they would think themselves if they heard my story?
*
I went through the motions of school on automatic the rest of the day, until the last hour. Which was Art, actually painting. I glanced skeptically around the room. I had never painted in my life, except with Quentin made me finger paint my thoughts. Weird, I know. I sipped my Pepsi and gazed in awe at some of the beautiful paintings on the walls.
"Are you Anne?" A voice asked me.
I turned around and saw a friendly looking man standing behind me. He had blue eyes and dark blonde hair that just brushed his ear tips. He smiled at me and I saw he was gazing at me, as if in a trace.
"Yes, are you the teacher?" I asked him.
"Hm? Oh, yes. I'm Mr. Finnegan, Rye Finnegan." He said a bit nervously.
Maybe he was shy.? But, then I wondered why he had introduced himself with his first name.none of the other teachers had done that.
"It's nice to meet you." I said, the looked around, "Do we have assigned seats or what?"
"Sit wherever you like." He offered, smiling slightly.
When the rest of the class had filed in, he explained that the project we were to be working on was painting something within our mind. I cringed at that. But, it wasn't hard or confusing. All I had to do was close my mind and let thought come to me. I saw the shadow of a mother that I had never known, the ghost of a love that I could almost touch, but was always too far away, and a past that was such a fog of confussion and pain. Before I knew it, I had a canvas placed before me, a paint brushe dipped in black paint clutched in my hand. Within the hour, I came out of a trance when someone placed a soft hand on my now bare shoulder, I had shed my coat sometime while I had been drawing.
I saw Mr. Finnegan standing beside me, gazing at me work so far. I was shocked to see what I had done. In the top right corner, I saw an outline of a women, just there enough to make out the barest features of her. It suggested a full figure, bouncy hair, and two children clinging to her hands. In the middle, there was some kind of.portal, a man in the middle, his features agonized and tormented. I could see something protruding from his abdomen, and a demonic face behind him. There was something hauntingly familiar about him, and the situation. I could feel vauge terror throbbing in my chest.
"What is this?" Mr. Finnegan asked, his blue eyes clouded by something wheil his gaze ticked from me to the drawing.
"I-I don't know." I murmured, studying it.
In the bottom corner, I could see the beginning of some kind of structure, high in the clouds and seeming to loom out of the canvas.I knew what that was, I knew that platform. It was what I had dreamed about last night. For a moment, I was taken back there where I could feel the chilling wind and hear the high screams of demons and humans alike.
What in the world was going on in my head?
Oh God, what's happening to me?
"I don't know!" I snapped, my voice edging on hysterical, at Mr. Finnegan who still stood there.
I grabbed my things and rushed out of the room, pushing the doors open and practically running to the parking lot where Faith and Spike sat on the hood, bickering about something.
I didn't say much as we pulled out, just stared outside where seagulls flew overhead, searching for food and crumbs.
*"Mommy, they're hungry. Can I give them more?"
"Sweetie, eat your sandwich, the birdies will find more food.
In my mind I could see a man with sandy blonde hair walking in front of me, he turned and smiled at me.
"I'll race you." He teased and started to run. I went after him, as fast as my little legs would go.
"Hank, stop it! She'll fall!" The women yelled behind us.
I tried to go faster, to catch up with him, but I couldn't. I felt something scrape my legs and all I saw was the hard ground rushing up to meet me.*
I could feel hysteria growing inside me as I snapped back to reality and sunk into my seat with despair as I thought I was truly going insane.
*
Transmission Status: Signal Connected-
Name-:Q. Travers ID Number-:19-12-1-25-5-18 -Have you any word?
Codename-:Lilac ID Number-:6-9-14-14: -I have made contact. She is as you described, very cautious and suspicious.
Name-:Q. Travers ID Number-:19-12-1-25-5-18 -Weave yourself into her trust circle, eliminate her allies and make her turn to you, General.
-Transmission Status: Signal Cut-
I was restless all night. I had persuaded Faith to take me slaying to let out some of the nervous tension I was feeling. It worked for awhile, but Angel called Faith's cell phone around one and demanded that she bring me home. She did and then yelled at him for berating her about 'putting me in danger'.
"Damn it, Angel, she can take care of herself!"
"I don't want her getting hurt! She cannot patrol without me, goddamnit!" Angel argued, his voice sharp and forbidding.
"Don't you dare talk to me like that, Angel!" Faith screamed, her face getting red and her eyes turning dark, "Don't talk of getting hurt and being 'safe', because we both know there's no such thing. Sheltering her will only make everything worse, in the long run."
I watched from the landing as they fought, circling each other, but never laying a hand on one another. Their stances were threatening and cautious to make anyone want to go near them. But, I could see that they would never hurt each other, for some odd reason.
"Don't worry 'bout them." A smooth voice purred behind me.
I tuned to see Spike watching them as well, "They always fight like this at least once a month. It's like an unwritten rule."
I sighed softly, because it was *me* they were fighting about.
"Don't worry. If they ain't fighting about you, they'll fight about something else. The chairs, me, magic, even bloody breakfast for Gods sakes. They're like brother and sister." He shrugged.
We just stood there for a moment and then I looked at him, he looked back. Should I...?
"Spit it out, blondie."
"What?" I asked.
"You wanna ask me something, ask away." He said, taking a drag of his cigarette.
"Ok. This Buffy girl, the one that no one will talk about.you know her, right?" I asked him, leaning against the railing.
He looked at me, his brows raised, "Yeah, I 'knew' her. Why?"
"Willow said something about bringing her back, what did she mean?" I asked.
Spike sighed and itched his head slowly, "Willow's a witch. Buffy and Willow were friends, best of, I believe. When Buffy died, Willow went off the deep end. She was obsessed with bringing her back, so she delved deeper and deeper into the black magic's. It got out of hand and all of us just ignored her. Thought if the bloody lot of us didn't notice it, it'd go away. She took advantage of that and she rose the dead. She brought Buffy back, but it wasn't Buffy. Fooled us for awhile, though. Acted like her, looked like her, hell, she was even bitchy like her. But, we all soon found out that she was nothing but a soulless shell of whatever she used to be. We had to kill her...it." He sighed, closing his eyes, "I'll never forget it, I was the one who found her. She was in the cemetery, *eating* someone. She was a goddamned zombie! Willow brought her back as a fucking zombie! Blood on her lips, flesh in her teeth. Her eyes were black, malicious." He shook his head hard, "Willow went over the edge that day. If she could do that to her bloody 'best-friend', no telling what she'll do to someone she hates." Spike murmured.
"Why Spike." A smooth, cold voice purred, "It isn't nice to air out other people's dirty laundry." The voice scolded.
We turned and saw none other than Willow standing behind us, her eyes angry and her lips stretching into a sneer.
"And, it ain't nice to eavesdrop either. Guess we ain't nice people, now are we?" Spike smirked, his ice blue eyes glittering dangerously towards the red head.
"Oh, but you shouldn't tell little 'Anne' such bad things like that. Might corrupt her pretty little mind." Willow hummed, reaching out to push my hair out of my face. Her nails scraped my cheek with a stinging pressure.
I jerked back and slapped her hands away, "Don't touch me." I snapped, glaring at her.
She scoffed, her eyes darkening and then said in a sickeningly sugar sweet voice, "Have a 'wonderful' day at school tomorrow." Then turned on her heel and left.
I sighed softly and noticed that the yelling from downstairs and I leaned over the railing and wondered aloud, "Did they kill each other or what?"
"It's a possibility." Spike mused, heading down to the lobby.
I yawned followed Spike. I thought that if I had gotten a drink of warm milk or something, that'd help me fall to sleep. Spike veered off in search of Faith. I jumped slightly when I saw Angel sitting at the table nursing a cup of coffee. He jaw was tight and his eyes slightly glazed.
"Don't mind me." I said softly, inching towards the fridge, "Can't sleep." I murmured nervously, glancing behind me, "Just trying to get some warm milk." I finished opening the fridge door and getting what I needed.
The silence was deafening. I could hear my own breathing and the rattling of the glasses and it was driving me insane. I sighed harshly, then blushed when it seemed to echo in the high ceilings. I heated my milk and leaned against the counter. Angel was looking at me with dark eyes.
"What?" I asked him.
He shrugged and shook his head, "Nothing.", his voice slightly curt and abrupt.
He was angry with me, again. I scoffed and rolled my eyes, pouring my milk into a glass and heading out. He wants to be an ass, fine with me.
"Good night, Angel." I said over my shoulder.
He gave a slight nod and I shook my head, walking to my room. The milk did the trick, it knocked me out cold. Which may or may not have been a good thing...
*
*The darkened sky was lit with horrifying screams and zapping bolts of lightening that killed and destroyed. Howls and shrieks of demons filled my ears and made my stomach twist in fear. The high winds blew my hair around and made it whip my face painfully. I could see the dead town from where I was standing, but, where was I? I looked around and saw a young girl strapped to the bars of the platform I was on and I could see she was bleeding. She moaned and said something to me, but I heard nothing except the screams and howling of the winds in my rushing ears. I felt myself step toward her and let her loose from the ropes that held her. A blazing light lay, blazing with buzzing energy, beneath us. I stared at it, transfixed. How could something so deadly look so inviting and alluring? I tore my gaze away from the portal and to the girl. She looked at me with pleading eyes, begging me to do.something. God, I don't know what she wants me to do! She started to run away from me and to the end of the platform.
She was going to jump.
I grabbed her and yelled, "Dawn, what are you doing?!"
I didn't know her name was Dawn. I don't know her. Why am I saving her?
"I have to jump, you know I have too." She sobbed.
I could here her voice this time, faintly in the din of screaming and screeching.
"You know I have too. It wants the blood, it has to have the blood." She moaned.
I flashed to what looked like Spike saying, "It's always about the blood."
And then me, "It's Summers blood, it's just like mine."
And Dawn, her arms cut and bleeding crimson red, "Is this real?"
I saw Angel, through a hazing glaze, his face deformed and his face covered in blood, my blood.
Some kind of realization came over me and I looked at the young girl in front of me.
I know I said something, but I don't know what I said. All I drew up was a blank, but, what I said made the girl cry harder, her eyes tearing and droplets streaking down her cheeks. She tried to stop me, but I pushed her slightly and started to run. Everything went in slow motion as I got closer and closer to the edge of the platform. My spread my arms out and gracefully leapt off of the edge, feeling the air and energy whoosh around me. The shining portal looks inviting as I fall closer to it. I can feel the energy calling out to me, tempting me with its beautiful glow. I am in it, can feel it. It courses through me and I scream.
Loud.
Painfully.
I think I'm dying.*
*
I'm cold and something is gripping me with bruising hands. I scream and thrash about, panicking. Cold air whips around me and I open my eyes to see the ground far beneath me. I scream again and hit the hand that's holding me. I start to fall and the hand catches me, with a grunt. It pulls me up and I land hard.
"Bloody fucking hell, what were you doing up there?" A voice demands and I raise my eyes to see Spike looming over me, his ice blue eyes glittering in the pale light.
"Wha...What?" I gasp through my hard breathing and look at my surroundings.
I'm on my balcony. I have no clue how I got here. I look into my rooms and see my French doors open wide and the sheer curtains billowing in the harsh breeze.
"I don't know..." I murmur, feeling so disoriented, "What are you doing out here?" I demand.
"I was out taking a smoke and I saw you from my room, standing on the ledge like a bloody idiot, about to jump off. You were murmuring something? Were you dreaming?" He asked.
"I don't remember..." I said slowly, trying to think of my horrifying dream.
I couldn't recall it. But, I don know that I did something, important.
Inside of my room, my alarm clock blared and I raced inside to turn it on. Spike flipped on the overhead lights and studied me.
"You're gonna catch your death, you know? Better put on something warm before you freeze your bloody ass off." He murmured, shaking his head, and walking out.
I look in the mirror and saw that I was deathly pale and my fingertips and lips were tinted blue. I shivered and dressed in kakis, a maroon shirt, and my pullover jacket. I was still cold though. I pulled up my unruly hair and put on some makeup to hide the fact I was very pale. I shoved my hands in my pockets and went downstairs. The kitchen light was on and I saw Angel feeding Connor a bottle. I walked in, went to the refrigerator, and grabbed a bottle of water and a made myself some toast. Connor cooed when he saw me and I smiled over at him.
"Hey baby." I smiled and kissed his cheek.
Connor cringed and wiped his cheek, murmuring, "Cold."
I smiled sheepishly and burrowed deeper into my coat, turning and grabbing a cup of coffee. It was horrible, but warm. Angel grabbed my hand lightly and turned me to him. He felt my fingers and brushed his other hand along my cheek.
"You're freezing." He murmured.
I found myself staring into his hypnotic eyes, "I left the terrace doors open last night, didn't know it'd get so cold." I whispered.
He left his fingers lightly tracing my cheek and I breathed softly. There was a moment going on here. I didn't know what would happen. Would he kiss me? Did I want him to kiss me? What would I do if he did? Oh my God, I think I forgot how to breathe. He seemed to be leaning down and I stood, nonmoving, waiting for whatever was about to happen.
Connor started to shriek in his chair and bang his bottle on the table. I jumped and stumbled back slightly. Angel turned to his son and I let out a whoosh of air. I felt light headed, which might be from the lack of air, and I could feel my heart thudding in my chest. I turned to the counter and grabbed my water, shoving it in my bag and going into the lobby, fleeing the tension filled room.
Angel had been about to kiss me.
And, I had wanted him too.
A lot.
*
The ride to the school was awkward and silent. I looked out the window and avoiding any contact with Angel. Something between us made the air hum with an electrical charge. As soon as the car was stopped, I jumped out and glanced over my should at him,
"Don't let Faith and Spike forget to pick me up." I reminded him, slightly in awe at the play of the early morning sun shining on his pale face.
*"I'm not the one who gets to see you in the sun."*
I shook my head slightly and shrugged deeper into my coat, walking briskly into the building, the clacking over my boots echoing behind me. I found the main office and got my schedule. I glanced at it and walked into my first class, which was English Lit. Not many people were in the class so it wasn't awkward. There was a small group of three girls in the back and the middle smiled at me, in a friendly way.
"You're the new girl?" She asked.
I nodded, setting down my things and leaning on my desk, "Yeah. My name's Anne." I said, giving them a small smile.
"I'm Jessa." She said, smiling brightly, showing a row of perfect white teeth. She had raven black hair and diamond blue eyes, which sparkled as she smiled. Her face was lightly tanned and she wore glittery makeup, accenting her high cheek bones, full lips, and elliptical eyes.
"Nice to meet you." I said politely, smiling back.
"You got a British accent?" The girl behind her asked.
She had a pale face, with full red lips standing out slightly. Her eyes were small and a pale hazel color. Her hair was a light brown with red streaks running through it. Her eyes were lined with black and her fingers sparkling with rings.
"Yes. I grew up in London." I said slowly, choosing how much to reveal.
"That is so cool. I wish I had an accent, what I would give." She murmured.
I chuckled a bit and looked to the other girl who regarded me with a with a shielded expression. Her hair was a shocking white blonde color, her eyes dark brown, what a deep contrast which highlighted her small face. She had a small nose, aslant eyes, and smooth lips.
"I'm Aurelia." She said in a smooth voice, her eyes gleaming with suspicion and curiosity, "So, why'd you leave London for LA?" She asked me, judging my reaction and response.
How was I to answer this?
I sighed slightly, smiling tightly, "Family problems." I answered softly.
"Huh." She said softly, seeming to mentally note everything I did and said.
"Who was the hottie you drove up with?" Jessa asked, her eyes glittering mischievously.
"Angel. Family friend." I answered shortly, wondering why they wanted to know about him.
"Where do you live?" The girl with the red streaks asked.
I stared at her, trying to remember her name.
She giggled softly and shook her head, "Sorry. Name's Lorraine. People call me Rain."
"You know the old Hyperion Hotel?" I asked them and I watched as their eyes clouded over, "I live there."
They were speechless for a moment and then they all started talking and vaguely reminded me of tittering birds fighting over a tiny bread crumb.
"You live there?!"
"Are you serious? I heard it was haunted."
"What about the vampires?"
The last question startled the rest of them to silence. It was Aurelia who had spoken, her russet eyes studying me carefully. I let a slow almost silly smile cross my face.
What could they possibly know about this?
"Vampires?" I asked, making my voice skeptical and disbelieving, "You're joking, right?"
"You don't know?" Jessa asked, her face twisting into a mixture of emotions.
"I don't know if we should tell her." Rain asked, twisting a strand of fire engine red nervously in her fingers.
"A lot of people around here like to live in their own little fantasy world, where nothing can touch them. All the unpleasantness doesn't reach them. Like when someone dies mysteriously, drained of blood, pinprick holes in their neck or wrist. But some people *do* see, we know. It's vampires, they're here. They stay underground and wait until sundown before they come up, killing and maiming." Aurelia said quietly, her eyes glittering.
I forced a laugh and smile, "Vampires don't exist."
Aurelia looked at me, her eyes boring into mine, her bottom lip quivering ever so slightly, "You want a piece of advice, don't go out after dark. Crazy things happen in that old hotel, I'd be careful if I were you." She warned, her voice full of pain and knowing.
I just looked at her, wondering what had happened to make her so wise and scared at the same time. What had happened to scar her eyes? To make them marred and stained?
The thought haunted me all thought class and after, where she carefully avoided me and rushed to the door.
Jessa and Rain just stared at me from a distance, wondering what I was thinking and what I knew.
I felt for them, but I couldn't help wonder what they would think themselves if they heard my story?
*
I went through the motions of school on automatic the rest of the day, until the last hour. Which was Art, actually painting. I glanced skeptically around the room. I had never painted in my life, except with Quentin made me finger paint my thoughts. Weird, I know. I sipped my Pepsi and gazed in awe at some of the beautiful paintings on the walls.
"Are you Anne?" A voice asked me.
I turned around and saw a friendly looking man standing behind me. He had blue eyes and dark blonde hair that just brushed his ear tips. He smiled at me and I saw he was gazing at me, as if in a trace.
"Yes, are you the teacher?" I asked him.
"Hm? Oh, yes. I'm Mr. Finnegan, Rye Finnegan." He said a bit nervously.
Maybe he was shy.? But, then I wondered why he had introduced himself with his first name.none of the other teachers had done that.
"It's nice to meet you." I said, the looked around, "Do we have assigned seats or what?"
"Sit wherever you like." He offered, smiling slightly.
When the rest of the class had filed in, he explained that the project we were to be working on was painting something within our mind. I cringed at that. But, it wasn't hard or confusing. All I had to do was close my mind and let thought come to me. I saw the shadow of a mother that I had never known, the ghost of a love that I could almost touch, but was always too far away, and a past that was such a fog of confussion and pain. Before I knew it, I had a canvas placed before me, a paint brushe dipped in black paint clutched in my hand. Within the hour, I came out of a trance when someone placed a soft hand on my now bare shoulder, I had shed my coat sometime while I had been drawing.
I saw Mr. Finnegan standing beside me, gazing at me work so far. I was shocked to see what I had done. In the top right corner, I saw an outline of a women, just there enough to make out the barest features of her. It suggested a full figure, bouncy hair, and two children clinging to her hands. In the middle, there was some kind of.portal, a man in the middle, his features agonized and tormented. I could see something protruding from his abdomen, and a demonic face behind him. There was something hauntingly familiar about him, and the situation. I could feel vauge terror throbbing in my chest.
"What is this?" Mr. Finnegan asked, his blue eyes clouded by something wheil his gaze ticked from me to the drawing.
"I-I don't know." I murmured, studying it.
In the bottom corner, I could see the beginning of some kind of structure, high in the clouds and seeming to loom out of the canvas.I knew what that was, I knew that platform. It was what I had dreamed about last night. For a moment, I was taken back there where I could feel the chilling wind and hear the high screams of demons and humans alike.
What in the world was going on in my head?
Oh God, what's happening to me?
"I don't know!" I snapped, my voice edging on hysterical, at Mr. Finnegan who still stood there.
I grabbed my things and rushed out of the room, pushing the doors open and practically running to the parking lot where Faith and Spike sat on the hood, bickering about something.
I didn't say much as we pulled out, just stared outside where seagulls flew overhead, searching for food and crumbs.
*"Mommy, they're hungry. Can I give them more?"
"Sweetie, eat your sandwich, the birdies will find more food.
In my mind I could see a man with sandy blonde hair walking in front of me, he turned and smiled at me.
"I'll race you." He teased and started to run. I went after him, as fast as my little legs would go.
"Hank, stop it! She'll fall!" The women yelled behind us.
I tried to go faster, to catch up with him, but I couldn't. I felt something scrape my legs and all I saw was the hard ground rushing up to meet me.*
I could feel hysteria growing inside me as I snapped back to reality and sunk into my seat with despair as I thought I was truly going insane.
*
Transmission Status: Signal Connected-
Name-:Q. Travers ID Number-:19-12-1-25-5-18 -Have you any word?
Codename-:Lilac ID Number-:6-9-14-14: -I have made contact. She is as you described, very cautious and suspicious.
Name-:Q. Travers ID Number-:19-12-1-25-5-18 -Weave yourself into her trust circle, eliminate her allies and make her turn to you, General.
-Transmission Status: Signal Cut-