Act 2: Healer of the Broken Heart
© 2003 by Chris Regan
Illumination
That next afternoon Wesley woke feeling disoriented then it came flooding back into his mind as to what had happened earlier that morning with Harmony. He sat up then saw he was naked took the sheet wrapped it around his waist getting up then looking around the bed room he found a pile of assorted clothing sitting on a chair, walking over to the chair. He heard water running as he touched his neck figuring that she had bit him, but felt no evidence of it.
After the water stopped he heard, "Wesley, your clothing is on the chair" said Harmony.
Harmony was standing in the doorway to the bathroom wrapped in a towel her long hair dripping as she towel dried it; Wesley was surprised at how beautiful she looks but then he remembers that she is a vampire and will never age, as he will.
"It's okay Wesley you won't age you will stay as young as you are now."
He said, "What have you done?" As he had he rechecked his neck, now looks at his wrists, and glances down to his ankles as she walked over to him, he saw a small puncher mark on his left arm.
"You won't find any bite marks on you Wesley I used an IV set up.
"I have been doing a lot of reading."
"What does that have to do with me?"
Nothing directly Wesley, you know what I found that to change one into a living vampire takes only a half pint of vampire blood and pint of human blood mixed. It's not necessary to kill the donor of the human host the vampire just gives him some of his or her blood which changes the blood chemistry.
In fear of what he will become he sat down on the bed putting his head in his hands then says "Harmony what have you done, I was a fool to trust you."
Harmony closed the distance between them, sat down then put her arms around him "Wesley its okay you won't turn I promise, you are just awakened, is all, you are a male version of the Slayer the records tell of such events happening you're as powerful as the slayer and just as formidable."
Wesley was confused "What are you talking about?"
She could see that he was totally out of his element, "Take your shower and get dressed I will get something ready for you to eat then I'll show you what I'm talking about I found the stories in the archives in vault V, Spike said not to try to create a morph but I…"
"But you couldn't resist the temptation."
"Yea"
She dressed then started breakfast for Wesley as she did it came to her that in all the years she had watched the servants in her fathers house make breakfast and even when the servants taught her to do it she had never enjoyed it as much as she did right now. By the time, he was done in the bath she had bacon, eggs, toast and coffee ready he sat down and ate.
It was dusk when the two of them left her apartment and headed for the office. Therefore, she could show him what she had found in the archives, she led the way down to vault V. In the dim light from the door, Wesley saw a switch and turned on the light, as she went to a filing cabinet and opened it then pulled a stack of folders out and took them to the only table in the room. Wesley sat down and started to read the files as he started another she put the one that he had finished away.
"Well what do you think?"
"These are histories on how the first Slayers, came into being, they were the off spring of a Werewolf Prince, and a half goddess, there are no names here for the people."
"NO Wolfram & Hart never found there names, at least I haven't found reference to them nor does the librarian know. I did find out the prince was not born a Werewolf but that it was a spell put on him by an evil sorcerer called Callan," said Harmony.
"Harmony this is of interest? But what made you read these records."
"Spike, I caught him down here, he had a file drawer open and had a file on this desk, when I looked at what he was so interested in I found all this stuff on were Slayers came from. There are other folders that tell that Wolfram & Hart knew about what the files call Love Madness and that it can strike any time between fifteen and three hundred and thirty five years with vampires. With slayers if they find there soul mate it can prolong there life up to two hundred years or more."
"That's a rather wide time span; most Slayers only live to twenty five."
"That is what the watchers directorate wants you to believe, but Wolfram & Hart have been tracking the descendants for four centuries. They say that the slayers that have mated with vampires and werewolves live a great deal longer and bear children.
According to some of the other records, Buffy is from the direct line of Gwenwyfar and the Werewolf Prince. In those records the only thing that kept Gwenwyfar from totally losing her mind after his supposed death was that she was Pregnant."
"Angel is from the family of Marcel the treacherous. Shuffling through the file she found what she was looking for "Here it is" she said starting to read the pages.
"During the same time Marcel the treacherous has gone insane, he has been killing women with the hair that radiates the sun glow. Marcel found another by the name of Rana the killings stopped dead with in a year after they met.
"How much would you bet this guy drank slayer blood and it saves him?"
"The Slayer loved him but in time, they grew apart, and in time it drove him over the edge."
"What made you…?"
When Giles called the last time I heard how worried he was about Buffy and her reaction to Spike's death that was when I remembered these files, I think she is PG, her reaction is classic of the Love Madness."
"How do you know about…?
"I listened in on your conversation with Angel and Spike!"
"Harmony!"
"I know I shouldn't have listened in but with Angel acting strange…"
Shaking his head, "What am I going to do with you?"
With a smile, "I have some ideas."
"Not now."
She pouted then said, OK."
Going back to the file she said, "It says the slayer moved on to another guy, a Werewolf named Alar. When this werewolf was gone, presumed dead the slayer found she was with child. She walked dark halls calling Alar's name it was about the same time Marcel stopped his random killing that Alar returned to the slayer and their child was born, he was their first born his name was Guillaume the gifted he had the sight. His younger brother looked human but he had an angriness to him, which drove him to miss treat his only son when that son was in his late twenty's a beast in human form killed him. Long after the young man's burial the family was killed.
He had a blank look on his face as if he might be digesting what she had read when she said with exasperation, "Hair that radiates the sun's glow"
Grabbing her own hair "Blondes!"
"Yes Harmony I see…"
"Buffy gave Angel her blood, out of love."
"Yes"
His loved caused the problem, later in Sunnydale, he turn into Angelus! After being changed back Angel left her in Sunnydale to save her and her friends can't you see that?"
He gets up and walks back and forth before the table "Yes, Yes Harmony I see he left, then she moved on to some one else and even if she still has special feelings for him things would be different."
"Think about it Wesley, what if they are connected. The other guy went after Blondes, if Angel is a descendent of his and the same pattern happened he could be the murders now."
"Oh my god you could be right, I've been so busy looking in other directions that I couldn't see it!"
She smile, "You have to hear the one about Prince Altair he was the one that started the Slayer line. His first known child was with a dark skinned priestess over in Africa after he thought he had killed his first wife.
January 20, 1600
"As I sit here on the in closed veranda I can smell the Jasminum polyanthos it took me back to a time long ago when I was in pain. I would have been happy to die but the gods had other plans for me my first love I believed to be dead.
I roamed being in grief over what I believed, I had done to my love mate and in a vampiric rampage killed everything I laid my hands and fangs on; then a woman with Chocolate brown skin wouldn't turned and run like the others she stood her ground as I raced toward her.
Her strength reminded me of Gwenwyfar, Gwen and I in the short time we were together had our heated discussions.
In that moment the pain in my hearts was immeasurable, I stumbled away to some caves. Being tortured would have been easier than having this soul for the pain I felt at sun up she saw him run to caves that were deep and dark.
She being a priestess had the ability to heal; she fallowing him into the caves, in the dim light of a deep dark cave he grabbed her and bit her. She dropped to the ground as he staggered back with eye that held shock then he clutched his chest as if his heart would burst. She sat up in a daze, and watched him as he growls and rolled around the cave floor.
They lived in the caves for many months as she healed him. They had become close over the months she nursed him so close they made love. It was her first child she was four months when he found out. The Prince stayed helped her tribe to rebuild there camp he taught the priestess and her people, how to fight his kind of person.
One night fifteen months after the birth of his child and two months before the birth of his second child a stranger came and talked to the Prince.
To the locals this stranger known only as White Wolf had visited the area several times over the years. He was known as a folk legend in the area. When bad people came to harm the land or the people he would show up.
He came from the Red Indian race; he always wore a dark three pieces suit that had dirt and dust on it. With a white shirt that looked like it was white but now was brown. Dirty scuffed Black lace up ankle boots and a dirty black wide brimmed hat that had eagle feathers tied to the hat band when he took it off he had two braids of long silver hair one to either side of his face and in it were eagle feather.
This person made the priestess unease she felt that her time with the Prince was ending. She was in her eighth month and dreamed of another woman morning the loss of a creature that was half man and half beast she knew this creature and woke with a start, feeling her stomach cramp thinking she needed to go to the bathroom. She got up and walked to the waste area then found herself on the ground the cramps came again she got up and squatted a flood of liquid came she felt the area moving then she was on the ground.
By this time the prince was worrying, he went looking for her. When he found her and saw blood coming from her he called the midwife. He was there when she woke: "I dreamed last night of a woman with hair of flame she holds a child she cries. I said, to her why you crying?
She said, "My man-beast is dead they killed him."
"I said to her "No he is a live he comes to you. She is the one you told me about"
"But she is dead."
She reaches up to touch his hair "No she is like I am a daughter of the gods, you must go to her."
"No not until the baby is here."
She smiled "As you wish" then her face went pale as a wave of pain crossed her face and she started to push. It wasn't long before the head delivered then the shoulders.
Lateefah said, "It is a boy."
"The Priestess said, "He is Gamba for he and his antecessors will fight with she that keeps the balance between good and evil."
The Prince and the stranger left after the priestess gave birth to her second child. They stayed in many places on there trip all were human associate of White Wolf, his only request was that there was a bed reserved for him underground. Their descendents are loyal to him to this day 23 July 1870. Aiden Smith"
"So the Prince did not kill his first love."
"No, the sorcerer Callan had told the prince he had killed her; but she was alive in one of his towers. Some friends of the prince rescued her and her handmade they had them hiding in Britain some were.
"You may have something Harmony is there other accounts?"
"Yes"
"Could you get me the file, Please?"
"Sure" she went and got it from the other end of the table.
"Spike and I figured that it happening every five hundred years."
"Yes"
"Wesley there is something else I think I've seen that Indian guy when I was at the Bucket of Blood. It was the night of the Battle, I was drinking there was a guy of that description sitting alone at a table in the dime light of the bar I saw his longs braids of silver hair I thought it was strange for he was watching Angel and Spike argue. Then he nodded at me as he got up and walked passed he said, "Keep and eye on them for me" then left, it gave me the willies.
"Have you seen any more of him?"
"Yea the week after the first body turned up and once a week since. I'm thirsty; I'm going to get some blood, you want some or would you prefer coffee?"
Looking back at the book, he said "Sure" as he picked up a large plain leather bound book she had sat down. She looked at him then shook her head and left the dark room with its one ceiling lamp that was over the table as he sits reading.
Wesley turned the pages of the leather bound book the he got to the first entry.
I had been watching the castle and gathering information on the man. It was a dark night when I dared to cross the threshold where Gwenwyfar had been for the last two and a half years.
I slipped in through the veranda doors that stood open. When I crossed the stoop I was greeted by lines of book-cases full of books and scrolls, I have always had a fondness for them I was looking at the books when a man came in with a lit lamp, at first I didn't recognize him then it hit me could it be Arzhel. He was in his late twenty's. Has it been so long since I saw him?
He sat the lamp down on a table collected a book then sat in a big leather chair and read for a bit then without looking up he said "Altair I took your advice and did a lot of reading. Sit rest yourself, while I finish the passage I'm reading."
I sat feeling like; a pupil caught coming down stairs for the cookies and milk he wasn't suppose to have.
The man finished the passage he was reading then put elaborate bookmarker in the book and laid it on the table next to the lamp. Getting up saying, "I'll get us some mulled wine to sip at while we talk" he was at the door when he stopped, turned and said, "You might want to let our friend in he tarries out side the French doors" then turned and left the room.
"White Wolf comes in."
He came in without a word and started looking at the books "How did he know you were out there?" I said.
"He has the gift one of his distant ancestors was a demon," said, White Wolf.
The door opened an the man pushed in a cart that held a coffee pot on a warming rack that had steam coming out the spout, gold wine glasses, and a plate of cakes. "I see you let White Wolf in Altair."
"Yes, I did, but how do you…"
A smile came on the man's face "Has it been so long that you forgot the thief that hid at your forge so many years ago."
"Arzhel is that really you!"
"Yes Altair it is I."
"How is it that we were able to enter with out being invited?" You know what we are," said Altair.
"Yes, I know what the two of you are but as your friend most likely told you I'm part demon so you didn't need an invitation from me but I invite you to stay here all the same my old friend. I see you found where she has been hiding after that night."
"Yes"
"What happened after I ran?"
"The short version is that Callan told all your subjects that you had killed the Queen and her hand maids. Afterward Friar Hugo kept and eye on him he saw, Callan and his monks take rolled carpets to a tower. He watched and saw the monks take food up to a tower. After the monks, left he crept up the stairs and saw thought a small window in the door the Queen and her four handmaids, they appeared to be drugged.
I was out of the country in Britain when a post came by messenger I left the country and came to help. The three of us joined forces and set-up their escape I arranged for one of my ships to bring us to Britain. While the other two kept and eye on Callan and his monks.
Yes, Friar Hugo, Father Gabriel and I were just a few hours a head of Callan and his monks. She has been here with me ever since as my cousin. When we found she was with child. I told that her husband was a rich merchant that travels a great deal and she wished to stay here while he was dealing with business."
"You are very clever, so I gather you were looking for me!"
"Yes, Altair White Wolf is an old friend, the Queen needs you, she is strong but her love for you is stronger. For the child's sake we had to lock her in her room she kept wanting to wander the cave under the castle which would have normally been of no real problem but in her condition I didn't think it wises to let her roam down there.
"Why is it dangerous?"
"How do I explain?
"Just lay it out!"
"There are beasts that come to the lower chamber wanting peace but when scared they can be dangerous."
"Thank you for watching over her my friend."
"It was my family's pleasure."
"White Wolf, it's been a long time since you've been here."
"Yes, my brother it has been, it took me longer than I thought to find him."
"Ah that is why you miss the birth of the children."
"Yes, how is Nona?"
She and my twin sons are doing well."
"How is the Queen?"
"She and her daughter Ana are doing fine.
Arzhel poured the warm wine into the glasses, he handed a glass to each man they each took a glass."
White Wolf asked, "Have you considered my offer to creating a group that has connections all over the world."
"Yes White Wolf, It is a good idea, I have a few other holding that house folks. First Altair and Gwen should re-make there acquaintance. Then we will sit and discuss it in more detail over a warm drink."
"As you wish"
"How did you know I was here?"
"Gwenhwyfar has felt your presents for the last few nights. Would you like to see your child?"
"Yes"
We left White Wolf sipping his wine looked at a book.
As we walked into the hall then turn to go up a set of stairs, he opened a door and we stepped in. It was a sitting room connected to a nursery, we walked into the nursery and there the child lay in the crib.
"My friend I'm sorry to say it is a girl child."
I looked at her. The child was quiet, but awake."
"I will send her mother to you."
"Sure"
I wanted a boy for my first child but she was so beautiful. I heard him close the door as he left us together.
I thought about attacking the child, it would be so easy, however, for some reason I couldn't. Maybe it was her smile as she looked up at me. I watched her lay there cooing and reaching up to me as she makes her baby noises. She reached up and grabbed my finger her strength was unbelievable for her size the child had dark hair, my eyes, her mothers' lips and delicate hands.
She started to fuss, I picked her up and sat down in the rocker that was in the room, I sang softly to her some song my Mom had sung to me when I was small she snuggled into my chest as she floated off to sleep.
A short while later the door opened, "She has your strength and stubbornness, you know!"
I turned to face the voice, "She has your beauty, and she will break hearts when she is older."
"I know my love. What happened to you?"
"Got drunk at the faire and took the long road home?"
With a smile she said, "That sounds like you."
"I have felt your presents here for some nights now, I had been wondering if I was going out of my mind, but there you are in the robes I saw you in last we met. It is tatter and torn and you look like you could use a bath.
With a smile, I look in the mirror then said, "Yes I must look a sight."
"No worse than the first time I saw you dirty sweaty working with your adopted Uncle in the smithy's shop. I will get the nurse and some clothing and you may bathe."
Being a little surprised all I could say was "Sure." She was acting as if I had been on a long trip and just got home. Did she know about Faizah?
When Gwenwyfar returned, she had a nurse with her, "Bunny watches the baby, while I take our guess to bathe."
"Yes mum"
"I handed the baby to the nurse, Gwenwyfar guiding me thought a dark passage with just a lamp for light. Down deep into the bowels of the castle where I felt the warmth of an underground spring, I could see the water run down the wall and hear as it splashed softly in a pond at its base.
We stopped, she undressed me slowly and washed every dirty inch of my body after I was clean her mouth-touched mind, my mind swam as I undid the laces of her clothing her warm skin was the sent of jasmine as my mouth caressed her body and the scent of gardenia was in her hair. Our bodies were like one blaze out of control, as we made love she bit my neck and drank from me then I drank of her with our bodies intertwined, we laid on the hardened rock floor of the cave all that day and into the next night.
By this time, I had bedded many women before her and after her but none had a place in my heart as she did. I felt like I was a prince again, I will never forget the way she felt in my arms, the way her body clung to me, to think of it raises my manhood it was as if we were the last two people on earth."
#Present day#
Harmony walked up behind him "It reads like one of those Romance novels" Said, Harmony as she hand him a cup.
"Yes it does."
"Doesn't that sound like what is going on with Buffy and Spike?"
"Possibly, but you know them better that I do" said Wesley.
"Yes I guess I do."
"There's other mating in other files Werewolf or Vampire it doesn't matter they seam to have the same out come the guy goes nuts, the chick goes nuts unless she is PG.
"Yes, so far it looks that way."
Taking another sip, "Wesley, I've seen Angel down here he is jealous of the people in the stories. "He growls and pounds on the cabinets, Come I want to show you," she led the way to a cabinet in the far back of the room.
"Radella she is the librarian for this floor I and became friend, I was down here helping he put files away when we heard a loud banging there Angel was just beating the hell out of this file cabinet. I heard him "Screaming about how it wasn't fair he saved the world a bunch of times and Spike gets the live girl and how he got a corpse."
"I see, Does he know."
"No that was before the murders started. I started keeping and eye on him after that, he doesn't I know how stuck he was on Buffy or how much he loved Cordy. He has no idea how much Cordy loved him.
"My,my!"
I would bet that Cordy is watching him and sees the same stuff going on with him as we do. My guess is that if she could swing it she would come down here and put him in his place."
With a smile as he said, "Knowing her, he would get an ear full and never hear the end of it."
They laughed, "Yea that sounds like her."
I have seen him late at night calling Cordell's name and in the next breath cursing Spike for having been able to win his soul back."
"Harmony what does that have to do with what you did to me?"
"Everything if it works, it means you're alive but you won't age as fast, it means that you will be able to watch Angel's back for eternity.
"Let's deal with one thing at a time, first there is Angel's jealousy over the relationship Spike and Buffy.
"Wesley he is so jealous of Spike's involvement with Buffy and the fact that Spike doesn't turn when he is with her. There is something else I notated Angel appears to be dependent on Spike, even to the point of keeping him here in Los Angeles."
"Yes I've noted that"
"I am worried that he will turn back into Angelus because of his jealousy."
"Jealousy isn't his trigger."
"I know it is supposed to be when he has a pure moment of true happiness but he has been different since the signing of prophesy."
"I'm sorry to say, I have seen it too."
Harmony, I want to know what possessed you! You violated my trust in you by changing me without asking."
Putting her hands up "Okay Wesley but if I had asked would you have said, yes.
"Well…"
"I don't think so."
"Harmony…"
Holding up her hands again "Wesley, I know you love Fred and probably always will, but I had to try, we have to have some one stronger than me to handle Angel, if he goes over the deep in. I'm strong but I'm not strong enough to deal with him, on my own.
"Yes but there is Spike and Illyria, they can help you.
"Yes and what if he's not here and she is off with Gunn killing big bad, Wesley it will take all of us to take Angel down that is if he doesn't expect it."
"Maybe"
Wesley went back to thinking about what Harmony said in side he realized that she was right, it wasn't if Angel went over board that would be the big problem but when. He was staring at a page; When Spike walked up then said, "I don't want the drama queen falling off the wagon and blaming me that he bit Buffy.
Wesley jumped then turned.
"Well are you in or aren't you?" asked Spike.
He realized he had heard Spike walk up, "Spike I wish you wouldn't sneak up on me and yes I'm in." said Wesley.
"Good to hear you're on board Wesley now for the others."
"Spike, I called this morning while Wesley was in the shower and set the meeting up for tomorrow night at Griffith Park, ten PM, at the Kiddies train."
"While Wesley was in the shower what have you two crazy kids been doing?"
Harmony with a look said, "Is that really any of your business Spike?"
"I guess not," said Spike with a smile.
"Better let Robin, Faith and Connor know, Faith knows about Buffy but not about Angel," Said Spike.
"I want some action I'm tried of playing the office boss while Angel skulks around, as Wesley hit a few cabinets."
"Yea I know I do too but…"
He said, to Harmony, "He is throwing quit the hissy fit isn't he."
"Not any worse than some of the ones you use to throw when we were together." He got a dark look to his face.
The librarian came running in, "Stop, stop, stop that right now Mr. Price!"
He didn't even hear her at first then he looked at her took a breath "Okay Radella"
"It's alright I'll take care of it Radella."
"As you wish, but I don't want a dent or scratch in my file cabinets," she said in a much-ruffed way, she left.
"You should get him some blood, he will need it!"
"Yea some nice vole will do the trick for all of us."
"Yea Harmony that would be great" said Spike.
He waited until the door was completely shut "OK Wesley you can stop the act."
He turned panting, "How did you know"
Spike smiled, used it a time or two plus I can tell when you're pissed."
"There has been another one killed night before last."
"Dam where was it?"
"Around San Fernando and Broadway on one of the side streets she was a student coming home from a night class."
"Dam! Dam! Dam! That is the area that I lost him in."
"Spike if Harmony is right this behavior has happened before."
"Yea but how many have to die to feed what ever is in him."
"Maybe it isn't feeding maybe it's filling a void in his life."
"NO he gave up his soul to take down the Thorn, thinking that they were the senior partners what if they aren't.
"What if it is some one else."
"But who?"
That is the question isn't it, maybe the answer is in this vault some were?"
"It is possible."
They hear Radella talking as Harmony comes in "Thank you Radella I did need the help, I know how you like the spiced Vole blood, take one!"
"I couldn't you know my weight."
"Come on Radella."
"Okay"
Harmony had a tray with a coffee pot and cups, and a tray of sandwiches "Well we have a lot of files to go through between now and tomorrow."
Wesley sat down.
"Are you done with your tantrum?"
"Yes"
"Good what you have in front of you is only the tip of the iceberg these records go back all most to the dawn of time if you will excuse the cliché." Said Spike
"Wesley you read, that way you're up to speed. Harmony you get us more drinks when need and help me, I will bring the files and make copies for the rest of the group.
"I hate to admit it but it sounds like a good plan," said Wesley.
"But…"
"What Wesley?"
"Why didn't the Watchers have this information?"
"Don't know the good guys don't always wear white hats."
"That is true."
91