Act 2: Healer of the Broken Heart
© 2003 by Chris Regan
Death's Mistress
It was a hot Friday evening in Los Angeles; But Wesley was in his air conditioned office finishing a report, he got up with the report in hand got into the elevator up to Angel's apartment leaning against the cool metal of the walls he held his pounding head which was killing him.
Angel was standing out on his balcony, when Wesley knocked on the doorpost next to the elevator.
"Angel, could I have a word with you?"
Angel walks back in the living room, sits down gestures for Wesley to sit. "Sure Wesley what is on your mind? Now that I think of it isn't it late for you to be up?"
"Yes it is but I thought you would want this report here are the details from the PI that was looking for Nia."
"Okay Wesley I'll look at them later. What about the killings?"
"The cops found another girl killed the way that first ones were that makes three now."
"It infuriates me that we can't find this vampire. Do they have any leads?"
"No but they suspect same person did all the killing they think they have a cereal killer on there hands."
"There is something else earlier tonight I had a meeting with Clem, he and Whistler are working for some English vampire by the name of Alden Smith, he is doing research on vampires."
"A vampire doing research on other vampires, what kind of research could he be doing?"
Clem said it has something to do with family trees, what we have found out is he is very old in vampire years. He was bad news in his day, killed a lot of folk then just stopped for some reason my team is looking into it in more detail."
Getting up Angel went and stood by the open patio door and drank in the night then said, "Thanks Wes."
"Angel, I have a question if Lindsey hadn't brought Spike back, would you have to save Buffy?"
With a look of jealousy on his face Angel said, "No, I wouldn't bring that lower class creep back, I love Buffy she deserve better than him.
"But she loves him Angel you're keeping them apart by having him work here."
"Yes I guess in a way I am but I need him here Wesley things are happening, I feel like I'm not in control I've been backing out and waiting in some of the strangest places lately. I don't like Spike he and I are rivals for Buffy but in this case I need him as much as she does."
"Angel that doesn't really surprise me it doesn't worry me."
"Good! I'm worried myself Wesley I can fight demons, evil human, unbelievable creatures. However, since I signed, that dam prophesy, in my own blood I felt different.
"Angel I don't know what to say."
With a puzzled look on Angel face, "When did the women turn up dead?"
"From My research it started a few days after the big battle. Why?"
"That is about the time the black outs started."
Looking down in thought for a moment then at Wes, "I think I'm the one that is killing these women."
"How or why would you do such a thing you know it would… Does Spike know?"
"Yes I know I told him. We were really drunk I don't know if he remembers."
"Knock, knock" said Spike.
"When did you come in and how long have you been standing there."
"Long enough to know you final told Wesley our little secret."
"Spike I wish you wouldn't skulk around here."
"I wasn't skulking I came up to tell you that there was another murder last night after I lost you at Broadway and San Fernando Road in Glendale. Another thing Angel the reason I stayed was that Buffy would have my head if I let anything happen to you."
"Yea right, you're scared of Buffy."
"Angel I didn't say I was scared of her it's just better to steer away from trouble. You haven't been under her gaze when she has been real pissed. Believe me you don't want to be there.
"Angel you haven't seen her when she is really pissed."
"Come on guys!"
Both look at him and say at the same time "Go home Wesley"
"Having her here, has caused pain for you, hasn't it Angel!" Spike yell.
"Yes, she on the other hand is obsessed with you.
"That's because she knows I love her with every fiber of my being Angel."
"Well I love her too Spike."
"You for get I know you Angel, the only one you love is yourself you might have loved Cordella at one point."
"Yes, well, she is dead!"
"Yea, well Buffy isn't and I'm not going to let you hurt her."
"Spike you're being a bit sharp."
"You were the one that sent your werewolf girl friend over to Europe so she would be out of harms way when the fighting started. Now we can't fine her or her family."
"What if I tell Buffy about you and Harmony?"
"Angel she knows how much I love her, why else do you think I stay here with you it's not for fun and games I would rather be in Europe with her."
Wesley got up shook his head walked over and pushed the button. They had forgotten that he was there when the elevator dinged they looked the doors opened as he stepped on the elevator.
He stepped out when it got to his floor he collected his things, from his office and was leaving when he met Harmony in the lobby.
Harmony had been staying late collecting medical supplies for the last week; it was just her luck that she would run into Wesley while she was carrying a bag of contraband.
"What's the matter Wesley you don't look good? Are you worried about something?"
"I have a headache."
"Is Angel okay, I notated Spike has been taking more of the case load, then there is this new killer."
"There is always a new killer in town Harmony."
"Yea but this one appears to be only attacking blonde females. And I'm blonde and female. Walk me to my place and we can talk I'll make some tea for you and heat a cup of blood up for myself."
"Okay."
As they walked, she talked "There are times where I want to add a draft of Belladonna to Angel's blood if that would kill him."
"What?"
"He just has the look of a vampire that was ready to jump out the twentieth story window at sun up… I just have never seen him be this worried about anything. I'm at a loss as how to help. I wish Cordella were here she would understand him and know what to do."
With an odd look "I know what you mean Harmony, her being a girl and all."
As they walk he thinks "She knows something about the killings I'm sure of it."
Harmony's apartment building was tan stucco with a brick front or face; it wasn't very old, built around 1990's. The trim was a forest green but in the street lamps it looked like an off shade of black.
The halls where cream the elevator dinged a new neighbor a Mrs. Beal was coming out to walk her cat ginger.
"How's the night my dear?" said, Mrs. Beal.
"Dark and lovely, Mrs. Beal as ginger rubbed against Wesley's legs."
"Harmony, who is this strapping lad with you."
"This is Wesley, he and I work in the same building."
"OH"
Mrs. Beal laughed "Sorry I know things have changed. In my day you were considered the office slut if you where socializing with males from the office." Then she and ginger walked off into the night.
"She is a character."
"Yea, to look at her no one would guess that she is half demon."
"Interesting!"
They got in, when they got off Mrs. Forest a sweet woman stuck her rather large nose out side her door with her she was carrying a bag of trash.
"Harmony, I picked up a pint of vole blood also I found a great apothecary where we can get herbs and roots.
"You did! Were?"
"It was at the in the Glendale Galleria.
"Yea"
"Do you know were the old Broadway is?
"Yea"
It's in a shop on the second floor out side there door."
"Oh thanks"
"Sure dear." Mrs. Forest walked to the stairs and disappeared.
After watching her go they turned and made there way to her apartment, Wesley walked into Harmony's apartment he looked around as she took the coats there was a couch and a over stuffed chair sitting in front of and entertainment center and a large screen TV on the wall. He fallowed her into the kitchen to watch her make the drinks. She handed him one of the two steaming mugs of liquid, she opened a cabinet and took out an envelope.
"Thought you could use these."
He looked at what she was handing him it was an envelope.
"Pain killer, Harmony your sweet!"
"Thanks"
She got this look of pleasure on her face as he opening the envelope and taking out two pills.
"This has been a long ruff day. We had more reports of bodies being found the cops think they have a cereal killer on there hands."
"Yea I heard that buss around the office today. How is Angel taking it?"
"Distant, Spike is running the place more and more over the last few weeks which was when the killings started."
"Could one of them be doing it?"
"My contact at the morgue said, it was a canine for sure but they where not sure whether it was male or female yet.
"Angel is going though one of his tests, I feel the rest of us are going to have to save him from himself."
"I'm afraid you maybe right Harmony."
"There is something I have to show you. Harmony gets up goes to the closet, pulls out a large brown paper bag, and brings it back to the couch.
"Wesley I found these in Angel's apartment after the second girl was killed."
He pulled the clothing out the shirt looked like it was splattered with something. He smells it "It's splattered with something but I don't smell anything have the lab test it."
"I had the lab do a report on the stain" She pulls an envelope out of the bag and hands it to him he reads the report.
"Its human blood Wesley, he has been out killing humans and he tells us not too."
"I guess Spike should be told!"
"I told him he wasn't surprised. He wants me to call a meeting and let the rest in on what is going on."
"Do you mind setting up the time, and place?"
"No I don't mind, how does Griffith park ten PM Thursday at the Kiddies train at Los Feliz Blvd. and Griffith Park Drive I know all of them have free time that night."
"Thanks Harmony I better go."
Harmony got up then straddled Wesley's legs with the sound of a little girl that wants her way said "Why?"
"Because you need your rest," said Wesley
She started kissing him and licking his neck then unbuttoned his shirt before he saw it coming she had him hypnotized and he was doing the same to her feeling her cold flesh over him. Her tongue caressed him as his arms encircled her he kissed her lips. She moaned as his hands rubbed her bum and she said "don't stop Wesley don't stop."
They had just enough energy, left to leave the living room clothing forgotten, both crashed on the bed and in each other's arms, when Wesley was a sleep.
Harmony took out needles, ends caps, tubing, a one-inch wide rubber band three feet long and a clean bag from the blood bank.
She took the pieces out and assembled them setting up a stand for the bag to hang from; She put the needle in Wesley's arm, hanging it from a hook at the bed side and drew half a bag of blood flipped the little switch. Putting a new needle on the tubing stuck it into her arm, filled the bag the rest of the way took out the needle that came from her arm. Bandaged her self took and shook it to mix the blood, put it on a higher hook flipped the little switch it put the blood back into Wesley. When it was finished draining back into him she took it off him bandaged his arm then went to sleep.
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