Chapter seven - Magnus

The bar we were walking towards seemed a little more run down the rest on the street. Several places in front were sporting boards instead of windows. Trash sat around the outside in heaps. More than a few colorful people lounged around against the boards or the beat up cars that were parked there.

There was no bouncer at the door, so we walked right in and I followed Angel through the crowded room to the old wooden bar in the back.

I wanted nothing more than to pull at least one of the stakes out of my pocket so that I could feel it in my hand to reassure me. My danger sense was screaming at me. An apparently diverse amount of vampires and other nastiness sat around at the small tables scattered around the tiny front room. As my eyes scanned the crowd I saw several demon type creatures that I had never encountered before and more than a few very human looking creatures that I knew without a second thought were not. There seemed to be more vampires than anything else here, which made a certain amount of sense considering that Angel had brought us here and he was one of them.

Unfortunately, in a place like this being human makes you stick out rather badly and I was getting more than a couple of hungry looks from the crowd. I felt like grabbing Angel and holding on to him, just to let everyone know I was with him. From what I knew of them, vampires rarely stepped on each others toes in such matters. So I was thinking Angel was the only reason I hadn't been harassed so far.

We walked up to the bar and grabbed a couple of stools at the end. The bartender glanced at us at first then went back to doing what he had been doing, which was nothing. He was making a pretty big show of letting us know he wasn't in any hurry to get to us. When he finally did come up, he stared at me with a hateful glare.

" We don't want her kind in here. It's not safe for the little girl. " he told Angel.

Angel's face remained impassive and he stared back at him. " The little girl is with me and if there's any trouble, I'll handle it. " he announced in a voice loud enough that it carried across the crowd so that most of those around us heard him.

The bartender nodded, " I don't want no fighting in my place. If there's something to handle, take it outside. "

Angel nodded back. " You won't have any problem from me. " he answered.

Angel ordered a glass of blood for himself and for lack of anything better to drink for me, a water. I looked away as he downed his glass quickly, but turned back to him when he made a noise and sat the glass down.

" What the hell is this shit ? " he asked the bartender. " I figured you'd have something better on tap than this. "

" If you don't like the refreshments, leave. " he told him.

" I need to talk to Magnus. " Angel said.

The bartender blinked and a few of the vamps that had been standing near us moved a bit closer.

" I don't know who you're talking about. " he answered, his face blank.

Angel lowered his voice and said something to the guy I couldn't really hear, but it must have worked because before I knew what was happening, we were being escorted by the vamps to a door in the inner room of the bar.

This room was a little more crowded than the front had been. I was feeling more nervous by the second, knowing without looking that our exit had been cut off. Now if we needed to get out in a hurry it would be a bloodbath. I just prayed that it wouldn't be mine or Angel's blood.

We walked through the door with two beefy looking vamps in front of us and two more taking up the rear. Somehow they had managed to sandwich us between them. I really didn't like that.

The door opened to a long dimly lit hallway that had one door leading off to the left and another at the end. We passed the first door and continued on to the one at the opposite end of the hall.

One of the vamps rapped on the door and a gruff, graveled voice called from inside.

" What is it ? "

" Someone here to see Magnus. " our escort announced.

" Magnus isn't in the mood for visitors. " the other called.

" He'll be in the mood for this one, Charlie sent them back. "

There was a few minutes pause before I heard the sliding of bolts and the rattle of chains. Apparently this Magnus guy was more than a little paranoid.

The door opened to a green skin, body builder type with enough muscle he probably could have thrown Angel and I both with one hand. I instinctually took a step back from him, but the vamps behind me gave me a push and I was moving forward.

We were lead to the outside of yet another door. Then everyone stopped moving and looked at us.

" You can leave your weapons here. " Green-skin told us.

I throw a look to Angel but he was already taking the gun from his holster and handing it to one of the guards, so I followed suit.

When we were done, I noticed that Angel seemed to have been missing one of the stakes he got earlier and the crossbow. It made me feel a little better knowing that he still had something up his sleeve, because I was feeling very, very vulnerable at the moment.

The vampires patted us down, mine managed to cop a feel in the process. But they still missed the stake and the bow. We were still looking good.

Then after a head shake from Mr. Touchy feely, Green skin opened the door.

The office was not at all what I would have expected from looking at the outside of the place. It was roomy and comfortable. An oriental rug laid out, covering a hardwood floor. White walls were covered in various dark theme art work. A huge solid oak desk sat in the middle of the room, with two leather chairs in front of it, and a plush black leather couch sat to the side. The couch was currently occupied by two repulsively flashy female vampires with way too much hair and not near enough clothing.

To the right of the chair behind the desk stood another female, but this one was different, she was dressed like I was. A pair of black slacks, a modest blue shirt and a suit jacket. Her long black hair was secured in a utilitarian braid and she regarded us both with vibrant blue eyes.

The man behind the desk was the one that held my attention though. He was lounging in his chair, face relaxed and smoking a cigar, which he held in long slender fingers. His black hair was pulled back at the nape of his neck in a ponytail which gave a slight flip letting you know that the hair was wavy. A neatly trimmed, black mustache and goatee covered the lower half of his face. His shoulders were broad as was his chest. But it was his eyes that really got me. They were intense, observing everything around him and old. They carried a weight to them that said he had been around longer than any of us and he had seen and done more than we could imagine.

He tossed a glance over my shoulder and green-skin and the other vamps disappeared taking the two women from the couch with them, leaving just him, us and the other woman alone.

" Angel, " he said, looking me up and down in a way that made in profoundly uncomfortable. " You have a lot of nerve bringing a human into my place. "

Angel stood his ground, leveling him with a look that showed nothing. " I need some information. " he told him, ignoring his comment.

Magnus drew his eyes away from me and landed them on Angel.

" Information is a very valuable commodity."

Angel went to the chair in front of the desk and sat, I followed him and took the other. Then realized I may have made a mistake when both the vampires behind the desk stared at me.

" You're human is very bold. " Magnus told Angel, still not taking his eyes from me.

" She isn't my human and she has every right to be as bold as she wants. " Angel informed him.

Magnus blinked and looked back to Angel. " Really ? Why is that ? "

" She's the slayer. "

I flashed a look at Angel but he was still looking at Magnus. The two men just sat there staring at each other.

" From what I'm hearing that isn't all that impressive anymore. There seemed to be more slayers about than you can count all of a sudden. " Magnus said.

" That maybe true but this is the original. " Angel announced.

I shifted uncomfortably, then immediately tried to still my pulse which had started racing. I wasn't sure what the Hell Angel thought he was doing but I knew without a doubt everyone in the room could hear how nervous I was.

Magnus was staring at me now, regarding me with those eyes. " Now that is a bit more impressive. " he said. " What is it that you want from me ? "

" I need information. " Angel repeated his earlier statement.

" And in exchange ? " Magnus asked. " Did you bring me the slayer as a gift ? "

Angel smiled. " That's not exactly what I had in mind. "

The other man shifted his attention back to Angel. " You didn't come into my place of business to threaten me, now did you, Angel ? That would not be a very good idea. "

" I'm not threatening. " Angel said, his voice still unchanged. " I just want to know about the new Big Bad that's risen over the last few weeks. "

Magnus smiled at him slyly. " What about him ? "

" Whatever you know that will help us get to him. " Angel informed him. " I understand he was been giving you some problems. "

" It's nothing I can't handle on my own. "

" The slayer has her own problems with him. Why not tell us what you know and let her take care of it for you ? "

Magnus sat back in his chair and thought about that for a second. " What kind of problems do you have with him, Slayer ? " he asked, looking at me.

I wet my dry lips and tried my best to put on my tough girl face. " He has something that belongs to me. " I answered. " I intend to get it back. "

Magnus smiled. " You must be referring to Spike. "

I blinked. " Yes, I am. "

" My, my Spike really has moved up in the world. I knew he liked doing slayers but to get one so fired up that she would fight to get a chance to kill him herself, that is something. " he said.

I wasn't sure if I should correct him or not, so I decided to keep quiet unless I needed to talk.

" Are you going to tell us what you know ? " Angel asked, bringing the conversation away from me.

" How could I not ? I mean this looks like a win - win situation to me. If you manage to kill this guy, he leaves me alone. If he kills you, there are two less vampires to deal with and most importantly, one less slayer. " Magnus told him.

Angel smiled. " I thought you'd see this my way. "

" Unfortunately, all I really know about him is that he isn't a vampire. He is a demon. He's power hungry and ambitious and he calls himself the Avenger. Other than that all I can tell you is that most of his attacks that involve my territory are concentrated in the Haskel Docks District. "

Angel rose and I followed suit. " Thank you. I appreciate your cooperation. " he said.

Magnus nodded, " Anytime I can help the slayer. "