Chapter 10

Shannon watched Angel pace, leaning against the headboard of the bed. He'd not come down from his room in the last three days, and she had come up, worried about him. "What was in the locket? You've been brooding in your room since you saw it."

Angel looked over at her, annoyance flashing across his face. "It's none of your business."

She snorted. "Excuse me, oh brooding one, for being concerned about you. You haven't come out of your room, even for meals, for three days, and you only let me in because I threatened to drag up your bad-ass alter-ego."

"I'm fine. Just concerned about having a demon like her on the loose."

"Bullshit." Shannon swung her legs over the side of the bed, stalking over to Angel. She grabbed his arm, swinging him around to face her. "You have all three of us worried..."

"Spike wouldn't worry about me unless his own life was on the line." Angel scowled, and Shannon's eyes narrowed. She reached out, and he felt himself get shoved into the back of his own mind, a helpless observer.

"Good evening, dinner." Angelus grinned at Shannon, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Dinner? I don't think so, Angelus."

He chuckled, stalking her across the room to trap her against the wall. "Really?" He leaned forward, dropping his voice to an amused whisper. "Than what do you think you are?"

"In charge." Shannon ducked out from under his arm, keeping him from moving while she did so. "You tell me what I'm trying to find out, and you'll get a nice little reward." She sat on the edge of the bed, watching him as he turned twoards her. "Kapish?"

"You're a demon caller." Angelus moved forward slowly, watching her with interest.

Shannon nodded her head. "Yes. Are you going to help?"

"Depends on the reward."

"Dinner, and dessert." Shannon raised an eyebrow at Angelus. "Sufficient?"

He chuckled, prowling towards her with a smirk on his face. "It's a deal. What did you want to know?"

"What was in the locket around the demon's neck that bothered Angel?"

"A picture of his sister. A delicious little morsel, she was. Never saw the end coming." Angelus shrugged, close enough to pull Shannon to her feet. "Was that all?"

"Was that all that was in the locket?"

Angelus scowled, his gaze fixed on the pulse point in her neck. "It was engraved. With his sister's name, and another name. Isobel Willow."

Shannon rested her hands on his shoulders. "Nothing else?"

"Nothing else." Angelus sighed, giving her an exasperated look. "Can I have my dinner in peace?"

She dug her fingers into his shoulder, tilting her head to one side to expose her neck. "Don't ruin dessert, Angelus."

Alexa paced the lobby of the hotel, occassionally shooting glances up the stairs. "What's taking her so long?" She headed for the stairs. "I'm going to go see if she's all right."

Spike caught her arm before she'd gone more than two steps up. "Leave them be, muffin. She'll come down when she has the information she's trying to get." He smiled devilishly at her. "How about a trip to a bar?"

Alexa raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me out, Spike?" She chuckled, tilting her head at the blond vampire. "What the hell." She turned, grabbing her jacket off the chair she'd left it slung over, and the two headed out the door. "Oi, Spike. You have keys to the car?"

He held up the keys with a grin.

"Coolness." She returned the grin. "How about a joyride, and we'll hit that bar later?"

Spike shrugged, and they headed for the car, neither one noticing the figure watching them as they got in, and sped off.

Natalie watched the car pull away from the hotel, her hood pulled up to hide her face as she stood on the roof of the Hyperion. "I'll deal with you later, William." She turned towards the door that led into the hotel. "Ready or not, Angelus, here I come."

Author's Note: There is a NC17 scene to go with this chapter. If you would like to read that scene, please email me at , and I will send you the scene.