Part 4
“The pituitary gland,” Wesley said with realization. “She needs it to survive.”
Reynolds nodded. “For some reason Lilith’s species is unable to produce several of the hormones it needs to survive. In her home dimension, she could simply take in what she needed from the food she would naturally eat. But in this world…”
“So she uses humans as a vitamin supplement,” Cordelia finished.
“Basically,” Reynolds answered.
Cordelia shook her head in disbelief. “In her own world, how often would she need to feed?”
“Every two weeks maybe.”
“She’s feeding much more often here,” she told Angel. “The murders are happening about every five days.”
“The ones you know about anyway,” Reynolds supplied. At the AI gang’s looks he continued. “Five victims over approximately a twenty-five day span, right?” Angel confirmed this. “She’s been here longer than that.”
“How long?” Angel demanded.
“Couple months,” Reynolds shrugged.
“I don’t believe this,” Cordy said. “This makes no sense.”
“Then I’m wondering whether this information will help or hinder your understanding. Wanna guess who runs ‘The Palace’?”
*****************
Lilith was bored and hungry. And that was not a good thing. She was tempted to ask Rebecca if she could take an appointment tonight. That would satisfy both needs.
Stretching elegantly on the Senator’s bed, she wondered where the hell John was. If he were here, then at least she wouldn’t be bored. He was probably still off worrying about that Reynolds dick. A look of disgust passed over the pretty brunette’s features. She didn’t like Reynolds. But even she had to agree with John that he was a necessary person to have around.
But she still didn’t like it. Because of Reynolds she wasn’t having fun now. Propping herself up on one elbow, Lilith wondered if John would miss the stupid looking bodyguard if she were to invite him in.
A sharp pain in her abdomen interrupted the demon’s moping. “Fuck!” she shouted. Even though a pleasant surprise, this was still a surprise nonetheless. This latest development might make her change her plans.
Stomach growling, the demon slipped on a robe and went of in search of food.
***************
“Excuse me?” Gunn said. “But the sister of a U.S. Senator runs a dominatrix shop that currently employs a serial killing demon?” Gunn shook his head. “This city is fucked up.” No one disagreed.
“It’s perfect for her. She gets to do her two favorite things. Feed and torture. But as I was saying before you so kindly interrupted me,” he glared at Gunn. “Rebecca hired her mainly because she thought John would like her. Only after she killed for the first time did they learn about her nature as a demon. But by then, John had become attached to her, so he decided he wanted to protect her and called me in.
“My job originally was to block the visions the PTB’s would send to their Seer’s. I only partially succeeded. The vision’s were being delayed a few days.” Reynolds laughed sarcastically. “I thought that would be enough.”
“So why would you help Martin cover this up?” Angel asked. “If the Powers discover what you’ve been doing, it’ll be your ass on a platter.”
“I know,” Reynolds sighed. “Believe me. I didn’t want to get involved with any of this. For trying to take the child I’m sorry.” He directed this last part to Cordelia, who was still shooting daggers at him. “But I owed him a favor. He helped me out a long time ago when he was Lieutenant Governor.” Reynolds thought a moment before reaching a conclusion. “I’ll help you bypass the security in Martin’s mansion if you want to go after her.”
The AI gang was surprised at the offer. Before Cordelia could decapitate the man who was about to kidnap her boy, Angel spoke. “Fine. But if I have any suspicion that you are lying to us, well, I saw many other invoices at ‘The Palace’.” Angel’s tone left little doubt what he meant.
Reynolds looked at the vampire with believing eyes. “Okay,” he agreed.
****************
“Hi baby,” Lilith purred when John finally came back to the bedroom that night. He was fully intent on ignoring her and just going to bed. That was before he saw what she was wearing.
The black leather covered only the most private of places. The shiny black material contrasted beautifully with her smooth, white skin. Playing aimlessly with a whip, Lilith smiled seductively at the man. Martin forgot all else as he approached the sexy demon.
Lilith took his hand and led John to their ‘special area’. Along the wall near the bed was a pole jutting out horizontally seven feet above the floor. She placed his wrists in the manacles on the pole giving her full access to his spread-eagle body. With a teasing kiss, the demon slowly began to remove his clothing, stopping every so often to bite and lick her favorite parts.
John’s moans were easily heard in the hallway outside. Slightly annoyed, the guard pulled his Walkman from his jacket pocket and turned up the volume. He really didn’t need to hear that.
Martin was quickly lost in the attention Lilith was giving him. After experiencing the electric nipple clamps and choke collar, Lilith moved on to her favorite toy.
It didn’t take long for John’s screams of pain and ecstasy to fill the room. The cracks of her whip left angry red welts on his back. Lilith whispered confessions of love in his ear between strikes. She wiped away his tears and kissed his shoulder sweetly.
Stepping behind her lover, Lilith’s face began to slowly contort. The proboscis emerged from her mouth in a deadly arc toward the back of John’s head. Absorbed in his own sobs, he never realized what happened as the proboscis shattered his skull.
*****************
The routes Reynolds told to approach the mansion from proved to be effective. Working in two pairs, the AI gang was quickly able to knock out any guards that tried to put up opposition.
As Angel and Cordelia neared a side door, his demon senses became confused. Noting his expression Cordy asked what was wrong. Instead of answering, Angel just simply snapped the lock to the door. Cautiously he stuck his hand across the threshold.
“No force field,” he told his Seer.
“Shit,” Cordy moaned. Angel quickly led them to the main staircase where they met Wes and Gunn.
“Angel, how…?” Wes started. Suddenly it dawned on him. It didn’t take long to remember from Reynolds description to find Martin’s bedroom. Inside, they found the US Senator hanging limply from manacles attached to a pole above. Blood poured from a wound in the back of his head.
“It’s a fresh kill,” Angel said. “I can smell the blood’s warmth.” Wes was the only one to come near the body, but still he didn’t touch it.
“So what now?” Gunn asked.
“We get out before the police show up. Then we find Lilith,” Angel said simply.
The AI gang had just driven out of site when the first police cars arrived on the scene.
*****************
Lilith watched the television with vague interest. She didn’t like this place. After several months of living in luxury, it was a tough adjustment to living in a shitty motel. Taking a sip of her soda, she remembered that the plans had changed. She would simply have to make do.
When a story about John’s death came on, Lilith fumbled for the remote and turned up the volume.
“Last night, the body of United States Senator John Christopher Martin was found in the bedroom of his mansion in the foothills of LA. Police say the cause of death has yet to be determined, but several sources would indicate foul play.
“The California Democrat easily won re-nomination in the primary held only a few months ago. Senator Martin was seeking his third term in the United States Senate. The Senator is survived only by his sister who has yet to be located. As many may remember, Senator Martin lost his wife Janice and son Christopher in a fatal car crash only months after his first election to the Senate.”
Lilith flicked the television off after that. She had no interest in that whore and the child. What did interest her was finding a safe place for the time being. She remembered John telling her of a small house he owned someplace outside Los Angeles. With a little research, Lilith thought it should be easy to find.
**************
The AI gang had set up a television in the lobby. They were all watching news reports of the Senator’s murder, all except Wesley, who was busy flipping between a medical book and a demonology tome.
“This is insane,” Cordelia said. She turned to glare at Reynolds. “I thought you said she cared about Martin. Why would she kill him?” Cordy accused.
“I don’t know,” Reynolds snapped back. “I thought she did.” It was apparent that he was just as confused as the rest of them.
“I may be able to account for Lilith’s increased killings,” Wesley said. All eyes turned to him. “The pituitary controls many vital functions. While this could be merely interpreted as bloodlust on her part, I think it’s something different. What if she’s taking in all these hormones because she’s not the only one who needs them?”
“What do you mean?” Gunn asked.
“What if she’s pregnant?”
