Disclaimer: (see chapter 1)

Chapter 9

Tobias entered O'Ryans and moved to the corner booth as instructed. He was a bit apprehensive and nearly jumped a foot as a waiter came by to take a drink order from him. A simple glass of water was all he could stomach at the moment in his wait for his dinner acquaintance.

By the time said acquaintance finally arrived, Tobias had given in to his need for something stronger. The mysterious guest approached the designated table, taking note of the priests drink, "Hard liquor. I'm honestly surprised that priests drink such a thing. I thought your lot were wine connoisseurs."

Tobias snapped his gaze to the figure, "I wasn't sure you were coming."

"Surely now this was too good to pass up." The figure sat down after ordering a bottled beer from the passing waiter.

"Can we just get to business, Reece?" Tobias shot back, and then recoiled instantly as if he talked back harshly to his mother.

Reece chuckled, "Of course." He leaned forward, setting his elbows on the table. "When my minions called me and said you outright flushed them out and demanded a personal meeting with me…well, let's just say I am eager to hear you out Bennett." Reece made a motion for Tobias to explain himself now.

Tobias nervously coughed to clear his throat, "Ok, right to the point." He looked Reece straight in the eye, "I want in."

"Excuse me?" Reece blinked.

"I'll help you get her under one condition."

Reece sighed in annoyance, "Oh yes. My minions warned me about this part. But there's always a condition with these sorts of things." Reece returned the steadfast look, "What is it?"

"I am her ONLY servant."

Reece narrowed his eyes and appeared to be in thought about the priests' request. Perhaps maybe I should grant his request. It would certainly be nice to have a spy that can get easily close to her. And I would have one less resistance against my Plan A.

"Well?" Tobias was growing impatient within the silence.

"Don't try my patience." Reece growled. "I've made my choice. But if you even as so much hint at posing a threat to my plans, I'll have her drive you insane." Tobias meekly nodded. He was well aware that Angel could do that to him. Suddenly Reece tossed a few dollar bills onto the table. "I'll have someone contact you soon with details of my plan and how you fit into it." Without another word, Reece was gone.

A waiter came by and Tobias placed an order. He didn't seem to mind that he'd be eating alone.

When Erik and Angel finally awoke, they both realized how late it was. Slowly she sat up and caste her gaze over her shoulder at him and noticed the moonlight, "We slept through dinner."

"You were my dinner…so in essence, I had dinner early." He teased.

She playfully struck his exposed shoulder, "ER-IK!" Her stomach grumbled, forcing her to her feet. "Well, I hope we can scrounge something up. I'm starving!"

He chuckled at her, but followed suit. The entire household appeared to have already tucked in for the night. It was almost midnight after all. As they made their way down the stairs, Erik motioned for Angel to be silent. She struggled hard to stifle a giggle.

Angel reached the bottom of the stairs first and flashed Erik a 'come hither' sultry expression before disappearing into the kitchen. Come hither, indeed. Erik mused and charged after her. The moment he stepped through the swinging door, Angel pounced him. He growled again as his backside hit the wall with a thud.

"Oh shit!" Angel blurted before bursting into a stifled giggle. She hoped that her antics weren't disturbing those at rest. It was always hard to control herself when in Erik's presence.

"I see you want seconds on your…'dinner', Angel." He mused.

"No, I want real food." She caught his joke, but her empty stomach turned her serious. On the counter she noticed two plates wrapped up and labeled. "Marie must have done this." She grabbed one and gave it to Erik. "This one's yours."

After reheating two plated dinners, Angel and Erik finally sat down at the smaller table in the kitchen to eat. Angel attempted to continue her playful antics with her lover, but Erik suddenly seemed serious. She frowned at him as he pushed her roving hands away. "Erik?"

"Why did you do that?" He was vague and direct at the same time.

"Excuse me? Do what?" She set her fork down and stared pointedly at him.

"I would never in a million years have thought that you'd ever use your power on me!" There, he said it.

His reply was a slap in the face to her. She pulled away from him and stared at her knees. "I hadn't meant to, Erik." She sighed and put her head in her hands. "At work today, a fight broke out and before I could stop myself…" She didn't have to finish.Erik sat there with wide eyes. Quickly she shook her head to defend herself, "But I only used it a bit, Erik…on them and on you."

"You're getting too careless with this, Angel." He reached for her hand. "What next? Are you gonna use it against Marie? Against Meg?!" Angel didn't reply. She'd be lying if she said no. Erik softened his voice, "Angel…is this because of Reece's meddling in your life?"

Her eyes shot up to him then, "You think I'm losing control of myself?!" Her faced twisted at the horrid spoken thought.

"Are you?" He countered. Again she was tight-lipped. "I haven't forgotten that kiss with Andrew." More horror gripped her.

Angel wanted to leave the room now…to get away from him. She vaguely dismissed the sensation of needing the arms of another—or more specifically, Reece. Angel shook her head to rid herself of such thoughts. "Look, Erik…I'm sorry for luring you to bed with my power. But never EVER insinuate that I willingly want another. Do you understand?!" She was suddenly livid, so eager to make him see that he was all she wanted. "You're all I desire Erik. Please don't take away the opportunity to unite my future with yours!" She was near tears now.

Erik felt truly monstrous for causing her tears. "I don't remember saying anything of that nature." He couldn't sit there idle as she shook with sadness from the horrid thought. "Please don't cry." In a forcefulness that left no room for protest, Erik had pulled her right into his lap. Her sobbing ceased as she felt his left hand pressured against her lower back for support. Angel watched intently as he undid his mask. She lifted her hand in time to catch it.

A sigh of contentment escaped her lips as she rested her forehead against his now exposed one. "God, how I love you." She breathlessly mumbled, yet he heard her clearly. Erik closed his eyes as he briefly breathed in her scent. The scent of honey and roses don't often go together—but on her it was the greatest combination he ever discovered.

"Sit up." He softly whispered. She obliged, but only out of curiosity. Erik slid his finger in his pile of mashed potatoes and gently slipped both into her mouth. The erotic gesture made their argument forgotten. Angel breathed heavily as his finger slid out, now moist. He saw in her eyes just how much he meant to her. And in that moment, he forgave her for ever using her power on him.

Erik was surprised when he realized that she shifted in his lap, only to repeat the gesture in return. Her finger slid through his mashed potatoes, then rose up slowly colliding with his awaiting mouth. Her whole figure trembled in pleasure as her skin rubbed against the deformed half of his lips. Angel slid her finger from his mouth and gently wiped her hand dry before running her fingers over his monstrous, taut flesh.

"Oh, Angel." Erik languidly closed his eyes when he felt her lips replacing her fingers, trailing the same path. He turned his head slightly and his lips found hers. The hand slipped from her lower backside, only to reach around her and clutch tightly to her arm, rubbing it with his thumb and index finger.

Angel twisted her head slightly, breaking from his lips. "Dare to take me right here, right now?" Her whisper in his ear sent shivers straight to the heat of his loins.

"Don't tempt me." He roughly responded. Her soft, sultry chuckle made him tremble again. She already had tempted him, working him to just let go and do it. To hell with the priests in the other room! In a swift motion, the table was cleared, though he was unaware of how at the moment, and she was on it, facing him—completely open for him to advance fully inside her.

"So you got invited to dinner last night?" Reece glanced over his shoulder to Claire as he stood at the breakfast cart that she wheeled in.

Claire nodded, "You were right about Meg."

Reece chuckled, but drove straight to what he really wanted to know, "Was she there?"

"Unfortunately, she had slept through dinner. So I didn't get the chance to meet her." She sadly reported.

"No doubt with that monster she thinks she's marrying." He mused. Reece returned to his seat across from her with his desired selection. "And don't worry, you'll meet her soon enough." Claire nodded as she stared at her plate, wondering if she had room for seconds.

"Do you think this engagement will ruin your plans?" She was curious.

He shook his head, "When my plan is completed, she will want nothing to do with that monster." Reece set his drink down. "Oh, that reminds me. I had a meeting last night with one of her guardians. Seems he wants to join us."

Claire's face fell in amusement, "You're kidding?!"

"Nope, I'm not."

"Which one approached you?" Claire wondered if she would be working along side of him.

"Bennett. He's just so eager to help me get her. This only helps my plan, though." Reece eagerly answered. "The bloody fool demanded that he gets to be the only servant for her."

"The nerve of him." Claire commented. "What did you tell him?"

"It doesn't matter what I told him." Reece shot back in reply. "I have a feeling that my dear Angel will want to pick her servants personally." His lips curved into a broad grin, "And who am I to deny her desires?!" Claire giggled at his rhetorical question. He grew serious again, "Later today, I want you to contact him and give him brief details of my plan. He only needs to know the parts that he'll be an asset to." Claire nodded and they finished breakfast with nonsense conversation.

"What do you mean 'cut off all ties'?" Angel's teen voice was flushed with anger.

"Don't raise your voice at me, young lady!" Araphim's stern voice sliced through her.

"Or do you mean just him?" She still defied him. "Forget it. I'm not going to stop dating Christian! I love him!" Angel attempted to end the argument there, but as she tried to stomp out the door, Araphim clutched her shoulder.

"You must!" He shouted back. When she attempted to yell back at him and twist free from him, his other hand came hard across her face. Her now numb jaw dropped in shock. "When are you going to understand, Angel!? Reece kept you from socializing for a reason! And not just so that you'd grow up totally dependent on him, but so that you wouldn't prematurely unleash your power on the world!"

That revelation sunk deeply into her thoughts. Angel rubbed at her tender jaw as she lost all of her defiance. "I…I'm a danger to Christian, aren't I?" She looked pleadingly at him.

Araphim sadly shook his head, "Not just to him, Angel. Anyone you encounter…and that includes everyone here." His eyes were extremely apologetic to her and he moved to his mini fridge and pulled out an ice pack. "Here…this will ease the pain and stop most of the swelling." Angel took it from him. "I'm sorry for hitting you."

"No, it's ok." She slunk down into a chair.

"Take the rest of the day off from your studies." He tried to get in her good graces. Angel nodded, got up and left the room.

"Oh my god…ANGEL!" Meg had walked into the kitchen that morning to discover her two friends asleep under the kitchen table—completely nude, sans for yesterday's clothes covering the needed areas.

Angel had just snapped awake from another nightmare, when Meg's shout had startled her. She shot up only to collide with the underside of the table. "Ow, shit!" The nightmare was forgotten for the moment. Her cursing alerted Erik, who had planned to remain still as to fool Megan and anyone else that he was still asleep. Immediately he was up to check the damages. "No, Erik, no…ouch, it hurts…don't touch it!" He did so anyways and she winced in pain.

That's going to leave a noticeable mark. "Well have to see to this right away." Having something to distract him from the whole 'Meg had walked in on them' made him appear confident. "Meg, fetch us an ice pack!" He glanced over his shoulder to see Meg's feet move to the fridge.

By this time, the other occupants had barged into the room from the screaming. Angel timidly tried to hide behind Erik, "Oh for heaven's sake!" Andrew, Tobias, Finn and Marie skidded to a halt behind Meg. Sheepishly, her guardians walked right back out—respectfully giving their young charge her privacy. "MEG!" Angel's flustered protest fell on deaf ears, but at least Marie knew enough to get her daughter out of the room.

"Well that certainly was amusing." Erik spoke. Only then did he try to ponder how they wound up under the table. He turned to leave his spot, only to have his hand slush into her pile of day old mashed potatoes. "Shit."

She glanced up to see what upset him, "My potatoes…" She then burst into laughter, fully remembering last night.

"I'm glad you find my misfortune funny." But he couldn't help smirking at her.

Angel stifled her laughter, hoping she didn't appear in as much pain as she felt. "You started it." She defended.

She had him there. Erik sighed and managed to get to his feet. He then helped her, careful not to move her too roughly. "And I gladly ended it." She knew what he meant by that and nodded in agreement. Erik began looking around for his mask, only to find it cracked and ruined by the food. "Well, at least I have a spare." He flopped the mask onto the table.

"Pity. And here I hoped that you'd be forced to quit those hideous things." She absently commented.

He turned to her in surprise, despite that he knew she HATED those masks. My stubbornness to hide the very thing that calms her, yet it horrifies others. He still couldn't get over how ironic that was.

Angel glanced over at the mess on the floor, "Guess I didn't want real food after all." And Erik burst into laughter. Quickly, Erik gathered their clothes and led her out the back exit to the stairs and up to their room.

"So, Skywalker opens in less than three days?" Andrew glanced over to Meg.

"Yeah, that gives us less than three days to pull everything together." She sighed.

"I have confidence that it will happen." Finn comfortingly patted her arm.

"Yeah, I thought you were just awesome at rehearsals." Tobias complimented and made her blush.

"Thanks, Father Bennett." Meg was startled as Marie rose to her feet.

"Speaking of rehearsals, you'll be late if we don't leave now." Marie then mumbled something about having a quick breakfast on the way.

After Meg and Marie left, Angel trotted down the stairs—alone. Finn looked up as she entered the room. "Where's Erik?"

"He shooed me from the room after I got dressed. Said he had work to do, and that I was a distraction." She was somewhat sad yet curious.

"Don't you have filming today?" Tobias asked.

"Not until tonight. It's a night scene and Pierre wants it to be as realistic as possible." She replied as she plopped onto the couch next to Andrew. "So I thought I'd spend the day with my guardians."

Andrew nodded, "Sounds like a marvelous idea, Angel."

"How bout we go to breakfast together?" Finn suggested.

"I like that." Angel replied.

"Then it's settled!" Andrew finished as they all rose up.

Angel dashed to the desk and scribbled something on the paper. "I'll leave a note for Erik."

"Good thinking." Finn replied. In a matter of moments, they were out the door.

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