Chapter 4

Cain glared at John as he stood up from the bedside, his eyes narrowed. "You are an idiot, MacInnis," he hissed, shoving the demon out the door, and locking it behind him. "You could have damaged her permanently with that fool stunt of yours! Get it through your thick skull that she is to be left alone except for meals." He looked at the guards to either side of the door, guiding John away, his voice quiet. "And hire humans for her guard. The less temptation she has to use her abilities, the less chance there is of her breaking out."

"And humans are more likely to talk. Word of where she is could leak to her friends."

"And?" Cain raised an eyebrow. "If they find out where she is, they find out where she is. It doesn't matter to Mariam. Or have you forgotten what I told you when the demon-caller was first brought here?"

John scowled. "I have not forgotten. But I do not intend to make it easy for them to locate or rescue her. I already told you that."

Cain simply nodded, heading for the door. "I will expect that there will be no more problems like you caused today, MacInnis. If I am dissapointed, you will find yourself in a very unenviable position."

John watched the wizard leave, his jaw tightening at the parting remark. "Oh, you won't find any more problems like today's, Cain," he said softly. "And if Mariam's precious prize is damaged, so be it. After all, she is letting that bloody little witch get away with stealing one of my baubles."

She curled on the corner of the couch, watching the others around her. They were keeping a wary eye on her, and a guard with her all the time, and she didn't understand why. Unless they were trying to keep Liam away from her. Katie shivered, wondering what had happened to her older brother.

Angelus paced the halls of the Hyperion, frustrated over the fact that he couldn't leave the building. He was hungry, and his mood was growing fouler and fouler. He gazed over the balcony of the second floor and a slow, vicious grin slowly appeared. "Hello Natalie."

The demon didn't even look up, watching the others. Alexa frowned, poking at the demon. "Hey, you. He's talking to you."

The demon looked up, her eyes holding confusion. "Liam? What do you want?"

Angelus looked at the others, his eyes settling on Wesley. "Well, bookworm? Don't you have any wonderful ideas to impart to me?" he asked sarcastically as he pointed to Natalie. "Any other time you do, so how come you're speechless now?"

Wesley looked up from the book in his lap, annoyance in his gaze. "If there were any references to Natalie, I would. As it is, all I know is that she appeared about the same time a witch named Isobel Willow, who was rumored to have a demon-lover, dissapeared. And only a few years after you were turned into a vampire."

"Lovely." He turned on one foot and looked at Natalie, tapping his finger on his lips. He knealt before her. "Katie, me luv, where ye been?" he asked softly.

Katie shook her head. "I don't know where it was, Liam. It was dark, and there was a strange woman." She shivered. "She wouldn't let me out. Until someone else..." She trailed off. "A man came and snuck me out. He said he would take me home, Liam, but he didn't. I don't remember what happened after that."

Angelus studied her. "Did the man have a name, lass?" He was trying to be patient, doing his best to help them find Shannon.

"I don't know. He didn't tell me." She paused. "But I know what he looks like," she said brightly.

Angelus smiled. "There's me girl." He glanced at Spike. "Get me that drawing pad." When Spike returned, he handed the pad and pencil to Natalie. "Give it a go for me, luv. Show your brother Liam who's been tormenting ye and I'll go show him some manners for ye."

Katie smiled, taking the pencil in hand, and slowly sketching out a figure that could easily have come from someone's nightmares. Pupiless eyes stared out from the face, and the fingers were tipped by razor-sharp claws instead of fingernails. The demon appeared to be covered with body armor as black as his eyes. And beside it, she drew another face, less distinct, of a human man. "He looked like that most of the time," she pointed at the demon, "but not when he came to sneak me out."

Angelus!

Shannon's vopice was so loud in his head that it sent him sparwling backwards. "His hands flew to his head. "All right! All right!"

That's him! That's the man that has me!

Katie looked worried when he was sent sprawling. "Liam? What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing, me pet. Just a little jolt, that be all." He took the hand Spike offered and patted Natalie's head. "Ye just stay here and relax."

She nodded. "Where are you going, Liam? Are you going to find the man, and take care of him?"

"Aye, pet." Angelus jerked his head towards the office, indicating that Spike should follow. "Ye stay there and be a good lass, aye?"

She curled up on the couch again, nodding absently.

Spike perched on the desk in the office, raising an eyebrow at Angelus in question. "You don't want the others to hear what you want to talk about." He made it a statement, not a question.

"Precisely." He thrust his hands through his hair. "How can that woman be my sister? And did you recognize the man she drew?"

Spike shook his head. "No one I've run into. And if you want to ask how she could be your sister, you're asking the wrong person. The geek is probably better help." He shook his head. "I don't see how she could be related to you."

"Her soul," Wesley replied from the doorway.

Angelus looked at him. "But how? How could that woman, who looks nothing like my sister, possibly be her? And who is the Darth Vader wannabe that 'snuck her out'?" he asked in genuine concern.

Wesley set his laptop on the desk, turning it so the two vampires could see the screen. "I don't know who he is, but he's not one of a kind, though these demons are rare, and there hasn't been one seen in centuries."

Angelus snorted and pointed to the date. "Huh. Is this the same date that's in that reference to Isobel Willow?" He looked at Wesley.

Wesley frowned, going back for the book he'd been looking in earlier. "Yes, it is." He looked up. "And the last sighting was in Ireland."

"Somehow, I really don't think this is a coincidence." Angelus tapped the book. "And this bastard has my dinner."

Wesley looked over the entry he'd been looking at again. "They mention a name breifly in connection with Isobel, though not her lover's. She was employed by the household of someone called Cain Marcus."

Angelus waited for a reaction from Shannon, but none was forthcoming. "Cain Marcus. Cain Marcus. Why does that sound familiar?" He glanced at Spike. "Ring a bell with you?"

Spike frowned a moment. "I don't know where, but I might have heard of him. I don't remember what I heard, though."

"I think we've crossed paths with him before," Angelus growled. "We need to find him. And Shannon. And figure out what kind of mess we have ourselves in."