Angel felt so strange. He was in a place that was unfamiliar and he couldn't remember how he got there. He had wandered around Sunnydale all evening and then found a crypt to get some sleep in. When he awoke the next evening he ventured out to find the bus station. He knew that he needed to find out what happened to him and the only way to do that was to go to LA and talk to a seerer. He had heard of several demons that lived in LA that specialized in just this situation.
He reached the bus station and scraped up enough cash to buy a one way ticket to LA. The bus didn't leave for a few hours, so Angel had some time to kill. He walked around a little and found himself in the parking lot across from the mall. That's when he noticed the people exiting from the mall in a panic. A short time after, he saw a girl coming out and head towards a van. It was the same girl he had woken up in bed with the day before. She looked so sad. He could feel the power coming off of her and it was then he finally realized that she was the slayer. He knew that he felt that same feeling when he was near her in the apartment. He wanted to run over to her and ask her why he was here, what he was doing in that apartment, and why they were in bed together. He thought it was strange that she felt so familiar to him and the sad look on her face made him want to run over, put his arms around her, and comfort her. It was wrong to feel that way, he was a vampire and she was the slayer and if he didn't watch what he did she would turn him into a pile of dust. She was so beautiful; he couldn't help but stare at her. He tried to stay in the shadows so he was not seen but he couldn't shake the feeling that she knew he was there. She began to look in his direction and at one point he thought she saw him as he ducked behind some bushes. He guessed she gave up when she and her friends got into the van and left the mall. He felt relieved and sad at the same time. He wanted so much to talk to her but he was scared of overstepping his boundaries. He figured he would go to LA and see what he could find out first. He turned and headed back for the bus station feeling like he may miss this girl he did not know.
Angel slept almost the whole ride to LA, and in his slumber he saw that same blond haired girl. He dreamed of walking with her thru cemeteries and parks, and kissing passionately. He woke up just before the bus reached LA. He got off the bus and began to wander the streets of LA not knowing were he was going or who to talk to. He thought of the dream he had on the bus, he remembered kissing and holding the beautiful blond and it felt so real, like it wasn't a dream at all but a memory. He wandered for hours until he found himself in front of a bar. He watched several demons enter, so he thought why not.
He was surprised to see that it was a karaoke bar. Demons of all kinds were sitting around and some were up on stage singing. There were three razorback demons singing the Pointer Sisters and the sound of their voices was making him sick to his stomach. Well, it was either the singing or the nagging gurgling of hunger. It had been days since he had eaten and in fact since his memory was gone he really couldn't recall the last time he did eat. He started checking his pockets for some cash to get a drink, but then he remembered he had spent everything he had on a bus ticket. He wondered over to a table in the back and sat down. He had no idea what he was doing here but at the moment there was no where else to be. He hoped the next act on stage would be better as he sat down at the table. He noticed a demon approaching him and hoped that it was going to the table next to him. He had no money and was in no mood to talk to strange looking demons, especially ones dressed like this one. First of all he had on a bright blue suit with a red shirt, and the brightest orange tie he had ever seen. Most demons wore dark clothing so as not to be noticed. Stealth and cunning came hard to a demon sporting a bright orange tie and a red shirt. This guy wanted to be noticed and by the look on his green face, he wanted Angel to notice him. He approached Angel's table with a smile on his face and two drinks in his hands.
"Hello gorgeous, I see you're here all alone. I figured since this is your first time visiting I would buy you a drink. They call me The Host here, what might your name be?" The demon asked him as he set the drink down in front of Angel.
"Angel. I heard the music from outside and I thought I would check it out. What is this place?" Angel asked the strange looking demon. He noticed after he had sat down at the table with him that he had green looking skin and small red horns on his head.
"Why this is Karatos, it's a sanctuary, and it's also a karaoke bar. I built this place a few years ago. Demons come from all over to sing for me and find their path. Maybe that's why you're here; something has brought you to this place. How's about you grace us with a number sweet cheeks?" This guy was crazy, Angel thought. "Listen Angelcakes, I can see you are nervous about the singing part, don't sweat it not everyone has the pipes to sell records. Case in point, the pointer sisters over there on stage" The Host pointed to the three razorback demons on stage. "Thing is, I can't read you if you don't sing. Tell you what; I will leave you this book to look over. If anything jumps out at you, let me know. I will be over at the bar; since this number is almost up I need to talk to the triplets. I know you don't have any scratch, I saw you digging dust from your pockets when you came in. Drink up the O'pos. Is on me tonight, ok tall dark and handsome?" With that said the demon walked back over to the bar leaving Angel feeling somewhat confused. Who was this demon and why was he being so nice to him?
Angel began to look through the book and downed the first drink the host had brought him. He didn't realize until he picked up the glass again that the host had sent another drink over to the table. He downed that one and was finally feeling a little better. He hated the fact that he had been treated like a charity case but his hunger outweighed his pride at the moment and he just enjoyed the free feast he had been handed.
He kept tossing through the pages of the song book as other demons came up on stage to sing. Hours passed and the bar began to filter down to just a few demons. Angel finally found the page with Barry Manilo on it. He knew some of these songs and figured if he was going to sing, it should be something he knew the words to. He told the Host the song he would sing, then downed one last glass of courage and ventured up on stage. As he began to sing, he kept looking over to the host to check his reactions. He finished the song Mandy, and stepped off stage and over to the host. He sat down and waited. "Well, tell me something."
"Okay, I see you are very confused. Also, I think you have been screwed by love and a curse. What I don't understand is why you left to come here? Didn't you feel like you belonged there?" He was asking Angel the question, but he knew that Angel didn't have the answer. "Lets back up a century shall we. Can you tell me anything about the curse?"
Angel didn't know what to say. How did this guy know about the curse? Man is he good, "Not really. About a hundred years ago, I killed a girl, gypsy. She was favored among her clan so they decided to curse me, and it was a good one too, gave me a soul. You have no idea what it's like to do the things I have done…..and care. These people cursed me to walk around forever reliving everyday the torture and death I reaped as a vampire. As for the curse itself, I really don't know much."
"Well muffin, I can tell you this, the curse is a doosey. Its looks like they not only wanted you to suffer, but also never feel any happiness at all. I think the best thing you can do is go back to where you were. What you left behind was love my friend. I think that you may need her help to find out more about your curse." The Host was telling Angel this with all the sympathy he could muster. He laid his hand on top of Angel's in a friendly gesture of support. "Go back to her, she will help you."
"You don't understand this girl is the slayer. I am a vampire. Vampires and Slayers don't fall in love, they kill each other. There is no way she would be willing to help me." Angel thought the host had flipped his lid.
"No sweet cheeks, this Slayer is special, and so are you. You are unique, a diamond in the rough so to speak. Yes, a vampire, but with a soul. The love is already there all you have to do is go back and try to find it." The Host felt so sorry for this man, or vampire. He knew that there was love in his life but it had been stripped from him. A hundred years of repenting for his past sins and one moment of true, pure happiness and he is sent back to square one. "Look, I don't know how this girl feels about you but I do know this, you love her. No curse or spell can erase the burn marks of love in someone's aura, it's always there in the back were spells can't reach. If you want to know what happened to you and your memories you need to seek out the girl. You have a great future ahead of you but unless you are willing to face your past and find out what happened your going to be very lost and lonely. Your path lies with this girl. That's all I can tell you, the rest is up to you." The Host got up from the table and walked back to the bar. Angel sat there for a few more minutes thinking about what was said before he got up to leave. He thanked the host and walked out the door.