Basil jumped down from the open hotel window and stalked across the room. He scratched the heavy door open and padded gently into the room, leaving a single ray of sunshine to fall unguarded in the vampire's bedroom.
Angel instinctively threw himself to the other side of the room when he felt his back begin to smoulder. Gasping for unneeded air, he surveyed the room.
"Sorry," said Basil as he perched on a small table licking his paws. "Didn't realise your bed was there."
"Anyone can make a mistake." Angel absolved as he sat in the armchair next to Basil's table.
"I'm surprised you see it that way," Basil commented as he moved to sit across from Angel, in the sunlight.
"What do you mean?" Angel sniffed the air slightly.
"Well, you made a mistake but you're not willing to let it go just like that." Basil paused for a moment to let his words sink in and then moved on. "But that's not what I'm here to talk about,"
Angel sniffed the air again.
"Do you smell that?"
"Smell what?" Basil asked.
"I don't know." Angel said, leaning lightly forward and sniffing again. "It smells a bit like charred meat."
Basil moved out of the sunlight.
"No, no. I don't smell a thing," he said hastily.
"Oh," Angel settled back into his seat.
"Anyway," Basil said, trying to get back on track. "The reason I'm here."
"Yes, why is that?" Angel asked.
"Well, I'm trying to tell you!"
"Sorry."
"It's okay…its…well…it's just…its Darcy."
"What about her?" asked Angel, snapping to attention.
"She bit someone last night. A boy."
"No way man." Said Doyle, pushing the door open further and coming into the room.
"I'm afraid so." Basil confirmed. "It's worse than that."
"How much worse can it get?" Cordelia yawned, "I can't believe you woke me up," she hissed to Doyle, hitting his arm.
"Hey! I thought it was important okay."
"The reason Darcy bit someone last night is that she was turned yesterday. Somehow, Ramiculus found her and made her into a vampire. He has all of the basic components for the ritual now…all he needs is me."
"What are you going to do?" Angel asked.
"I know a few houses I can lie low in until this is all over but I'm not really essential. I've been permanently displaced so, technically, Ramiculus doesn't need me."
"Huh?" Cordelia asked.
"Ramiculus can do the ritual without him because Basil's a cat. Its just whimsy that makes Ramiculus want to include all of the members of his family." Doyle whispered to her.
"Oh." Cordelia said. "That's bad."
"We need to stop Darcy from getting to the ritual." Basil said. "I can take you to her but then I've got to hide. Ramiculus will be looking for a replacement."
"So we'll be babysitting the trained-to-kill vampire with in-depth knowledge of the occult whilst you do the manly thing and go hide?"
"Hey!" Doyle protested.
"Basically," confirmed Basil.
"Just checking," Cordelia said and turned to Angel. "She is so gonna be bound and gagged."
Doyle raised his eyebrows suggestively.
"Ew!" Cordelia said, hitting him.
"Guys?" Angel said patiently, waiting for them to give their attention back to the task at hand. "When do we take her?" He asked Basil.
"It would have to be the night of the ritual otherwise they'll become suspicious." Basil justified.
"Sounds fair enough. Where do we nab her?" enquired Cordelia.
"I don't know." Fabricated Basil. "She keeps moving around, as though she doesn't want to leave tracks. I probably won't know until the actual night so I'll just take you to her. She seems uncomfortable in large groups so it'll probably be somewhere quite isolated."
"And you know all this after just one night?" queried Doyle.
"She is my sister." Basil said, obviously expecting them to accept it as an explanation. "I have to go. I need to talk to my sources, see if they've discovered something new. I'll see you tomorrow night."
"Basil," Doyle said as the small cat stalked past him.
"Bye Basil!" called Cordelia.
Angel smiled and nodded slightly to the cat as it passed through the door.
Doyle followed the cat out and shut the window and curtains behind it.
"Did any part of that ring false to you?" He asked Angel as he walked back into the room.
"Only most of it," Angel said and rested his thumb and forefinger on his chin as he thought about the conversation they'd just had.
"Great!" Cordelia exclaimed, "Angel has brooding face and thinks Basil just lied to us! The cat's twin sister just became a vampire for Christ's sake! He was probably choking back the tears!"
"Cordy's probably got a point." Doyle said to Angel.
"Maybe…I'm not sure," said Angel.
"He still has broody face!" Cordelia pointed to Angel. "And I, am going back to bed!" She walked out of the door.
Doyle followed her. "Sounds like a terrific idea princess, I'll join you."
"In a pig's ear," Cordy scoffed.
Angel's door closed and a small smile appeared on the vampire's face.