AN:I own nothing, Joss is God. Plain and simple. I want to thank bookfreak25 for the review. LOVE LOVE.
With eyes still closed Angel tried to assess his surroundings. No sound except for his harsh breathing and a heart beat...his heartbeat. He opened his eyes with a start and sat up giving himself a head rush, clutching his chest his felt the steady thumpa thumpa under his hand.
"So soul boy, what are you doing here?" His head whipped to his right and what he saw made his heart skip a beat. Angelus was leaning against a well arms crossed, pissed.
"I have no idea, the last thing I remember is taking a potion from Breena..." Angel said shakily standing and stumbling a little, his equilibrium was all messed up.
"So it's all your fault I'm here..." Angelus said walking toward him, anger breaking through, he grabbed Angel around the throat and slammed him against the wall. Angel brought his hands up and tried to claw Angelus's hands away from his throat, he couldn't breath.
"So maybe if I kill you," He growled. "I can be free finally."
"Nooo." Angel gasped out. Angelus only squeezed tighter when all of the sudden there was a bright light and a bang. Angel was released and slumped down the wall coughing. When his eyes stopped watering he looked in front of him to see a jean clad pair of legs standing in front of him, legs spread apart, he followed the legs up to a nicely rounded backside and a green tank top to the back of a head with short cropped hair. Breena sighed once and turned to Angel offering him her hand. Grasping it with his own he let her help him up. Rubbing his throat with his hand he stared past her and saw Angelus on his ass against the far wall, shaking his head groggily struggling to get up. Angel looked back at Breena.
"Okay I give, what the hell is going on?" He asked moving to stand next to her he met her eyes which were black. She reached up and placed a hand around his throat, gently clasping it. He felt a warmth spread under her hand and all of the sudden, he could breath easier and could talk without feeling as though Angelus's hand was still around his neck.
"This place is neutral. The two of you can work out your problems, before the merge and then we all go back and the real fun begins." She said calmly, walking over to Angelus she bent down and placed a hand on his forehead. He watched as a soft white glow seemed to seep out from her hand to disappear into his better half's head.
"Is that going to make him smarter?" Breen snorted.
She stood and waited till Angelus acknowledged her, holding out her hand he clasped it and she yanked him roughly to his feet, scowling at him. He watched her warily as she walked back to the middle of the room and looked back and forth between the two men.
"So what the fuck his going on?" Angelus asked walking towards Breena. Angel got ready to rush forward to defend her, but before he could even move Breena held up one hand just before his chest and stopped Angelus.
"This is going to take a minute, so bear with me." And she began to explain.
After parking the car out back, Cordy shut off the engine and pocketed the keys. Shutting the driver's side door she stepped to the door behind it and opened it reaching in she grabbed the bag Breena told her about, it was leather, old and scarred and quite heavy. But nothing she couldn't handle. Swinging it onto her shoulder she began walking towards the back entrance to hotel and met Lorne halfway there.
"Hey Cordycake, hows it going?" He asked walking in step with her and opening the door for her.
"Oh ya know, spells, magic mirrors and I think witches." Cordy said nonchalantly walking past Lorne and into the hotel's cool interior.
"Okay I'm color me confused, which is not as gorgeous as my green." Lorne said batting his eyes prettily and following her towards the stairs that lead to the rooms above.
"Well this woman Breena showed up..."
"Wait what?" Lorne asked her stopping her with a hand on her arm.
"You know her?" Cordy asked brows furrowed and hopeful.
"Goddess yes." Lorne sighed reverently, Cordy's eyebrows disappeared beneath her bangs.
"Care to enlighten? In the dark here, and so needing a flash light." But it seemed as if he hadn't even heard her he was staring off past her lost in thought.
"Where is she?" He suddenly asked clutching her arm.
"Upstairs with Angel, shes doing something to make his soul permanent." Lorne smiled suddenly and seemed to relax instantly and smiled the widest smile she could ever remember him wearing.
"Serious Lorne. Dark. Flashlight please." Cordy said becoming impatient. "I have to take this to her." Lorne shook himself.
"No honey, she won't be needing that till later, best to leave her alone till she comes down on her own." He gently turned her around and led her back downstairs.
"Lorne if you don't tell me what the in the furry hell is going on I am going to have to hurt you." She said menacingly, he just laughed and took the bag from her shoulder and placing it on the counter of the lobby's desk. Taking her hand in his he lead her over to the couch that client's sat on sometimes to talk to her or Angel. She couldn't understand why he seemed so calm.
"Let me tell you story," Lorne began smiling softly and patting her arm. "Once upon a time, when the world was in great chaos, the Gods created a being called the Soul Reader. A being so powerful that the Gods themselves feared her if she ever were to turn against them."
"Breena..." Cordy whispered eyes widening, Lorne nodded eyes twinkling.
"The Soul Reader was made to ween out the good from the bad, the truly bad. Demons, killers, and the like were taken out and over the span of a few years the world was set to rights. With occasional bursts of War and chaos, and they would only end..."
"Because she ended them." Cordy said.
"Yes. No one really knows what her exact abilities are but we do know, she is immortal, is stronger than a God, fights like hell itself has been unleashed and can read a person past, present, and future like we read the classifieds." Lorne finished sitting back and smiling looking once more lost in thought.
"So she won't hurt Angel?"
"As I have said before Miss Chase, I am here to help." Breena said from the stairs, both Cordy and Lorne jumped and stood quickly. Breena walked towards the duo, and as she drew nearer to the couch she swayed. Lorne jumped forward and grabbed her helping her sit.
"Breena Angel, are you all right?" He asked kneeling before her resting his hands on her thighs as she sighed and let her head fall back.
"Oh I am all right, just exhausted. Angelus is an ass." Cordy shrieked and jumped up.
"I knew it, he's loose!" She dashed over to the counter and yanked open the drawer they used for pencils and random things they couldn't find a better place for and pulled out a stake. But before she could even come out from behind the counter a large hand grabbed the wrist that held the stake. Cordy looked up into Angelus's eyes and screamed.