Title: A Familiar, A Harpy, and Paladins. Oh My!
Summary: Angel finds himself with a familiar, and Harpy problems. What is he to do?
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. You can't even blame me for the story, a friend of mine gave me the idea. Oh, and the song used in Part 16 belongs to Celine Dion.
Timeline/Author's Note: It's not the traditional one after Season 2 of Buffy. Some of the aspects of Season 3 are there, while others aren't. I'll also be using other aspects and gained knowledge from further seasons on both Buffy and Angel -- and will be putting my own twist on 'em. You'll understand once you start reading this.
Notations: Inner-thought, "mind-speech"
Part 1: Dream's Warning
Pain.
Agony.
Screams.
Flames.
A coal-black horse with flaming mane and tail.
Escape.
A portal.
A soul crying out his name in sorrow, pulling him back to earth.
Darkness.
Angel gasped awake, shaken to his very being. In fear, he looked around wildly, sweat dripping off his bare skin in streams. Seeing that he was in his bedroom in the mansion, Angel groaned and put his face into his hands, shuddering.
A moment later, Angel threw back the blankets, and got out of bed. He quickly headed for the bathroom. In minutes, he was taking an extremely cold shower, washing off the heated and hated memory of Hell.
Fifteen minutes after Angel had awoken, showered, and had a quick meal, an urgent knock sounded at the entrance door to the mansion. Careful to stay out of the sunlight, Angel opened the door. He knew who it was before he saw her.
Buffy.
The Slayer gazed at Angel anxiously as he closed the door. He sighed wearily, as Buffy asked in a rush, "Are you alright? I had a feeling that you needed me."
Angel slowly raised his eyes from the floor, and looked into Buffy's eyes. What Buffy saw made her close the distance between her and Angel, and gently place a hand against the vampire's cheek.
"You dreamed again," she softly whispered as Angel nuzzled her hand, his eyes closed.
Silently, Buffy took Angel over to the fireplace, sat down, and had the souled vampire lay his head onto her lap. She gently stroked his hair as he at last slowly relaxed in the presence of the only safety and comfort he knew
The stars shone brightly with no moon to dim them. Within the shadows, a darker shadow moved. In the light of a passing car, a cat's eyes glowed.
Darkness seeking out darkness, the cat searched for the one it had come to find. In a graveyard, the cat found Angel waiting for Buffy.
The cat watched Angel for a moment, assessing him, and thought in disbelief, This is the guy that I'm supposed to get to help me! I could take him!
At that moment, Angel looked up from the grave he had been studying, and looked towards the cat.
Hell! the cat thought as he moved deeper into the shadows. Great job, Darkmoon, he must of sensed me... How'd he do that!
Light footsteps sounded in the cemetery behind Darkmoon. A female voice called out "Angel" as said vampire smiled faintly in relief. Buffy came into the cat's view.
Oh, great. This complicates matters. Women just get in the way, thought Darkmoon.
He watched as Buffy gave Angel a quick kiss and hug, before she started pulling him out of the cemetery. "Come on, Angel," Buffy said. "There's a party at the Bronze, and I don't want to be without a date."
Angel stopped instantly, and pulled his hand out of Buffy's, as he said in panic, "No. I'm not going there. The others will be there!"
Buffy frowned as she turned to look at Angel. Clearing the annoyance from her face, she said soothingly, "Angel. You have to face them eventually. They know you're back."
"Not yet," Angel whispered, his eyes pleading. "Please Buffy, I'm not ready yet."
Buffy blew out a breath in frustration, as she threw up her hands and exclaimed, "When will you be ready, Angel! At this rate, I'll be ready to croak when you say you'll face them!"
Angel looked down, away from Buffy's angry gaze. From the shadows, Darkmoon growled menacingly, tail lashing in rage.
How dare she! She can't boss him around. She has no right!"
Angel's brow drew down as he turned in Darkmoon's direction, and asked, "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what," Buffy asked, automatically going into Slayer mode.
"Something."
Damn, thought Darkmoon. He couldn't have possibly heard me. Gotta make sure he doesn't learn about me yet.
With a loud meow -- as if he had been startled -- Darkmoon burst out of the bush he had been hiding under, and ran between -- and past -- the Slayer and souled vampire.
Buffy and Angel looked where Darkmoon had disappeared, then at each other. After a tense moment, they burst out laughing. Buffy fell to the ground holding her sides, while Angel bent over in half with his hands resting on his knees.
A few minutes later, they calmed down. Angel helped Buffy to her feet, saying in a light tone of voice, "Now that I've made a fool of myself, I suppose I might as well go to the Bronze with you."
As Buffy and Angel left the cemetery, Darkmoon -- from where he now hid -- heard Buffy comment, "Talk about a black cat! But was it just me or did that cat have one gold and one silver colored eye? And what about that collar? I could of sworn that there was some sort of medallion on it."
As the sun neared rising, Angel walked towards the mansion, while an unseen shadow followed him.
He sure is a quiet one, thought Darkmoon. Not what I expected from a druid and warrior of his rank. I need to start getting him prepared for what's to come.
In sleep, Angel dreamt. Not of the darkness of his past, nor the horror of Hell, but of a cemetery in Sunnydale. All around him, a mist could be seen obscuring the headstones from his view, except for the one in front of him. He read the headstone, and felt fear.
Liam Kells, 1726-1753, Druid
Angelus, 1753-1898, Vampire
Angel, 1898- , Dark Warrior for the Light
As he gazed at the tombstone, a black cat that looked suspiciously familiar leapt onto it. Moonlight flashed on the medallion around the cat's neck, and Angel shivered. The medallion bore the mark on his back.
As the cat gazed at him with gold and silver eyes, a voice entered his mind. "The Harpy draws near, Master. You must be prepared."
The cat then leapt towards Angel, changing into a large panther with black wings. A fierce panther's roar echoed in his mind as Angel gasped awake, shaken to his very soul.