Chapter 2

John opened the door to the room with a flourish, leaving his men to guard the door as he took breakfast into his unwilling guest. He wasn't going to risk her harming one of his guards again, and escaping. "Morning, lovely." He smiled at her as he set the tray down on the small table against the wall. "I hope you slept well?"

Shannon glared up at him icily. "As well as can be expected with your hands tied behind your back and your feet handcuffed to the bed," she snapped nastily.

John shook his head. "If you would behave, none of that would be neccessary, my dear." He set out the breakfast tray, uncovering a plate of bacon and eggs. "Now, can I trust you merely to eat your breakfast, instead of trying to escape, of do I have to feed you?"

Shannon simply smiled at him. "You tell me."

"You realize you aren't going to escape, my dear, so this resistance is pointless." He smiled at her, lifting a forkful of eggs to her mouth. "Eat up."

Shannon was hungry and she opened her mouth, letting him shovel the eggs in. She figured if he took the time to feed her then maybe she could get some information out of him. Like who he was. And why he was after Angel and Spike. "Why you doing this?" she asked between bites, studying the man before her.

"Because you're not being cooperative," he replied, deliberately misunderstanding her question.

"I'm not talking about myself, imbecile, I'm talking about Angel and Spike." She paused, studying him. "But then you knew that." She took another bite of eggs, her eyes boring into the man.

"Ah." John paused, his eyes meeting her gaze. "Angelus and William the Bloody. They have items that belong to me. I want them back. But if you had my Isobel, you already know that."

Shannon shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not." She grinned for a brief moment. "Who was she? Cause her reaction to that pretty necklace of hers springing open at Angel's touch would definitely fall into the mystery department."

"She was, and is, my Isobel. Other than that, you don't need to know anything about her." His voice had gone hard, and his expression closed. "As for that locket, if they want it from her, they can have it. It's of no use to her or me."

Shannon shifted as much as she was allowed to on the bed. "Wow. I struck a nerve. Score one for the demon-caller." She leaned forward. "What makes you so sure you can get what you're after from the boys? You're not dealing with fledglings here, mister, you're dealing with two men who have walked this Earth longer than the United States has been a country." She tilted her head. "Two vampires who, in their time, were the biggest and baddest."

"And?" John gave her a derisive look. "Isobel was made to deal with the worst that anyone can throw at her. They can't kill her, they can't use her, and they can't break her." He kept the thought they could turn her to their side to himself. He didn't like to think of the weakness that was inherent in his creation. "And she's walked the earth almost as long as Angelus. She's more than a match for him, and definately better than the mother's boy William."

Shannon took a bite of the toast he offered. "Well, anyone is more than a match for Spike. Let's face it, he's a bit of a sissy." She couldn't help the grin that spread on her face as her mind churned over his words. "I mean, come on. How tough can you be when you were a poet as a mortal, right?" She winked at McInnis, wondering if her blood bond to Angelus would allow her to talk to him. It was not something they ever covered in the television show, and all of this was new to her. Her reality didn't have demons, at least, not supernatural ones, and she was still feeling her way through her powers.

"I wouldn't know. I never was mortal, or a poet." John shrugged. "But I'm sure you see the futility of him trying to keep Isobel from retrieving the soul that was stolen from me, and given back to him." He smiled slightly. "How are your abilities this morning, my dear demon-caller?" he asked, abruptly switching the subject.

"Beats me. I haven't had the need to use it today," she remarked in a bored tone.

"I surprised you haven't tried to use it yet. Or have you?" He raised an eyebrow in question, offering her the mug of coffee.

Shannon took a sip of the coffee, surprised by the fact that is was made just the way she liked it. "Oh, I've tried. How the hell do you think I managed to get as far as I did last night, hmm?" She laughed. "You really shouldn't hire demons, even half-demons, to watch a demon-caller." She took another sip. "I really expected you to be smarter than that."

John chuckled. "Oh, so you think they're demons, my dear?" He leaned in closer. "If you really think you can control demons, try controlling me." He let the human form he kept most of the time go, his coal-black eyes meeting hers. "If you can."

Shannon always enjoyed a challenge and she knew that if she didn't try, McInnis would know she was still learning to control her abilities. She licked her lips. "Unchaine my feet and give me my hands first," she countered.

He tilted his head, going to close and lock the door first, then he unlocked her chains, and slashed through the ropes holding her wrists with one razor-sharp claw. "Try your best, demon-caller. I doubt you're as good as they claim."

Shannon stood up, her hands raised, and immediately took a hold of McInnis' mind. They stood there, face to face, eyes locked in a silent duel. She searched his mind for what she could only describe as an archway that allowed her access and the power to control, but she couldn't push past it. She tried over and over and managed to budge it, but by the time she pushed through, she was too weak to hold the link. McInnis felt her fight for control, but she let go almost immediately, sinking to the bed in an exhausted heap. She stared at him, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

John smirked. "Was that all? Not very impressive."

"I'm just...tired..." Shannon lied. "And you caught...me...off guard," she stammered. There was a loud ringing in her ears and she slapped her hands over them as she curled into a ball in pain. She felt the stickiness of blood on her palms and squeezed her eyes shut. Something was desperately wrong.

John came over to the bed, his form shifting back to human lines. He peeled her hands away from her ears, frowning at the sight of blood. Taking two strides to the door, he barked out a command, sending one of the guards to call Cain.

Shannon lashed out at McInnis, managing to roll of the bed. "Don't touch me!" she yelled, trying to get to her feet. Her head swam, her equilibrium off and she fell into the table, clutching it to keep upright. "Son of a bitch!" she screamed.

John backed away from her, a frown on his face. "You're not looking well, my dear. Why don't you sit down, and let me have someone who can help come look at you."

Shannon glared at him, her nostrils flaring as she whirled around. "Why don't you fuck off?" she snapped. "Fucking leave me alone!" She pushed at McInnis, shoving him into the wall. Their eyes locked briefly before she slid to the floor shaking.

"As you wish," he replied, stepping out of the room, and closing the door behind him, the lock clicking. "I will have someone coming to check on you later, though, my dear. And perhaps you can let him help you."

Shannon pulled herself into a ball, her hands and arms covering her head. She wanted the ringing to stop. She couldn't think, couldn't concentrate. And, unconcsiously, she did it again, her voice a whisper across the night to the Hyperion. Angelus, help me.