Part 24
“Angel,” Wesley called to the lurking leather clad figure in the corner.
The vampire turned, glancing from Wesley to Gunn. “What happened? Do you know something?” Angel’s eyes went immediately back to Cordelia rehearsing dialogue on the stage set. “Should I get her out of here?”
“No. Angel, wait. Nothing like that- we’ve discovered that the miniscule hot spots have been frequently appearing here and at Cordelia’s residence.”
Angel swung around. “Explain.”
“That’s it.”
“That’s it? That’s what exactly?” Angel shook his head.
Wesley started to add more when his cell phone interrupted. Wesley listened and nodded rapidly to the voice on the other end. “There’s a hot spot forming now, here.” Wesley snapped his phone shut, looking around the area suspiciously.
Angel tensed only momentarily, then he swirled moving towards the sound stage. “Cordelia.” Angel ignored the shout of the director and pulled the young woman to him, leading her off the stage.
“Angel.” Cordelia pulled trying to resist the vampire.
“Not now,” he growled, keeping her close, nodding for Gunn too move closer.
“You can’t just…” Cordelia struggled harder. “I was in the middle of…”
“Not now.” Angel repeated his growl, tightening his hold. “Wesley?”
“Aggie can’t pin point the exact location, but it is here. Cordelia, where did the note you got here show up?” Wesley asked.
Cordelia fought the urge to kick the vampire that was maintaining a tight grip on her. “My dressing room.” She huffed angrily.
“Where is…”
“This way,” still growling. Angel pulled the woman behind him.
“Gunn,” Angel yelled, pushing Cordelia to the black man, once they reached the door with the star and Cordy’s name.
Gunn grabbed the woman. “Sorry,” Gunn danced, hopping from foot to foot. “Don’t kick, damn girl.”
Angel nodded to Wesley. The other man pulled out his small sword waiting for Angel. The vampire kicked in the door, thrusting his body into the room.
Angel stood in the middle. His head cocked breathing in the air, glaring into the corners of the room, his gaze stalled towards the crackling of air. “Wesley,” he called.
The one-armed man followed quickly, stopping in front of the small break in the atmosphere. “Gunn,” he called over his shoulder.
“Wesley.” Angel yelled.
“It’s not big enough for a person, Angel. I want Cordelia to see this.” Wesley reasoned.
“Why?” Angel growled.
“Shut up,” Cordelia smacked the vampire as she stared at the rippling air and the fluttering paper that shot through. She narrowed her gaze through the opening ignoring the paper for a moment. She stepped back. “Bit Tarzan but he’s buff.” She said as the fabric of air closed and become whole.
“Excuse me,” Wesley coughed as Angel growled “What?”
“The beefcake through the looking glass.” Cordelia shrugged.
“Beefcake, uh? I saw a ring of freaky- ass cloaked guys.” Gunn interjected.
“Yes.” Wesley agreed.
“What beefcake?” Angel stood in front of Cordelia.
“The guy standing next to the creepies- all leather and muscles. You didn’t see him?” She looked up at Angel.
“The idiot with big teeth and bad hair?”
“I wouldn’t go that far, sure he needs a fashion consultant…and a haircut…get rid of the animal skins…maybe with your type of leather.” Cordelia examined Angel’s leather coat.
“Please,” Wesley groaned, holding up the letter.
“Gimme me,” grabbing. The note a sufficient diversion from her imaginary fashion makeover, “Okay, idiot and creepy…and weird.” Cordelia handed the letter over her shoulder to the growling vampire.
Princess, the time will be soon, we will be together as it was meant to be…I will not let the beast confuse you as to your destiny. Remember and believe I’m your champion not the beast.
“Okay,” Cordelia threw up her hands. “Just who or what is the beast? Can someone tell me? Unless, he has horns and a tail, I’m saying I kind of like him, he’s unassuming and not at all presumptuous, not like ‘champion guy’.”
“Wesley, I’ll take Cordelia home. Lorne’s friend, Aggie, did she give you any indication on how to close the portals.”
“No, just where they’ve been appearing.”
“There has to be a way to prevent them. The Portals need to be closed permanently.”
“Yes, I agree, we need to make sure that this ‘champion’ does not come through. I’ll start researching.”
“Hey, maybe Aggie, knows more. How about I go check. Probably be more useful there then reading dusty books.”
“Gunn, she didn’t have any other information.”
“Don’t remember you asking about closing the portals.”
“Gunn, I think you should go with Angel and watch Cordelia.”
“The vamp’s got it covered. If he gets a vision- Cordy will call. Right?”
“Of course.” Cordelia shrugged. Though she didn’t see why Angel wouldn’t be able to call. He couldn’t get so crazy that he couldn’t use a phone, could he?
“Gunn, I think…”
“Wesley, I’m fine.” Angel interrupted harshly.
“Now, Angel, but…”
“I don’t need a babysitter just yet, Wesley.” Angel growled through clenched teeth.
“Yes, but…”
“Come on, Wes man,” Gunn smacked him on the arm. “Let’s go find out important stuff.”
With one last concerned look, Wesley followed Gunn down the hall.
Cordelia bit her lip her eyes traveling from the departing men to Angel. Wesley seemed to be really anxious about Angel’s mental state, but Angel seemed perfectly fine, just really angry in sort of still-as-a-statue kind of way. She gave a mental shrug, if she remembered correctly, stuffy Sunnydale watcher Wes was always anxious about something or another.
He may be gruffier in a more hot way and missing an arm, but she didn’t see that he changed all that much. It’s not like she actually saw him use that small sword yet. If Wesley used it and didn’t scream like a girl, then maybe she’d be willing to completely upgrade her opinion of him.
Cordelia looked over to Angel. “After I go make nice-nice with the director for leaving everyone in the lurch, I’ll call my driver. What do you want for dinner? I’ve this chili spice packet I got when I was in Mexico last month. I thought I would actually try to make chili. It’s not store bought- the chef at this great restaurant mixed it up for me. Do you want to try it?”
“Chili?” Angel blinked, confused again by Cordelia’s ability to change subjects in a breath. Who was he kidding- Angel didn’t think the woman took a breath when she started on one of her verbal topsy-turvy trains of thought.
“The spices, dork, in your blood.”
“No.” Angel shuddered at his comprehension of what Cordelia was saying.
Cordelia pursed her lips. “Okay. I’ve got some Thai, it’s store bought though or I could make something up.”
“I’m not really hungry. The breakfast was very filling.” Angel gulped, curry blood sounded scarier than Mexican blood.
“Fine. But, you’re still cooking for me, right? I’m starving- only had some toast- didn’t even put peanut butter on it.”
Angel studied the young woman. “Why not?”
“Fattening.”
“Cordelia.” Angel said harshly.
“I’m over it now. It was just left over insecurity from the articles. Now I’m starving.”
“I thought I got rid of those.”
Cordelia blinked. She could’ve of sworn that the vampire pouted.
“Guess you’ll have to try harder tonight.” Cordelia teased grabbing his hand.
Part 25
“I’m beginning to think this was a waste of time.” Lilah sat on the edge of Lindsay’s desk swinging her legs.
“Don’t you believe in chairs? Get your ass off my desk.”
Lilah rolled her eyes and slid into a cushion chair. “Better?”
“It be better if you went to your own office and took up space. And it is a waste of time. Six portals- and nothing, except insight on how ugly some demons can be.” Lindsay grunted.
“Until you actually come up with an effective plan other than spreading mud, I wouldn’t be oh so judgmental. Have you checked the on-life stuff? The Internet fans and critics are ready to tar and feather your ‘paid’ reporter over his last article about their favorite ‘sweetheart’. Talk about a waste of time. At least, my suggestion is bringing some new information to the firm. Holland said that last demon maybe very useful to the situation on the east coast.”
Lindsay’s retort was stalled as his intercom blared. “What is it?” He barked into the phone.
“And?” Lindsay replied, suddenly more interested.
Lilah looked up studying the other lawyer’s change in posture.
“How many security? Get more- we’ll be right there.” Lindsay hung up staring at Lilah.
“Well.” Lilah perched on the edge of her seat.
“Jack pot”
“Hot damn and you owe me lunch.” Lilah jumped to her feet.
***
“Well?” Lindsay asked one of the many security guards in the basement as he stared at the bound unconscious man.
“Fighter, has real skills, took out half a dozen of my men before we could even pretend to do damage. Finally, I was able to stun him with a tranquilizer dart.”
“Human?”
“Seems like it.” The guard shrugged.
“What happened?” Lilah asked.
Again the guard shrugged. “The mystics, who you will have noticed ran, garbled some mish-mash of words and equations- the air vibrated, a portal opened, almost sucked us all in, this guy popped out, the shimmering stopped and poof, portal gone along with the cloaked figures watching from the other side. He,” the guard pointed to the unconscious man, “started yelling for his princess, then noticed us and started fighting.”
“Jack pot,” Lindsay and Lilah said together.
Part 26
Angel looked at the counter with dread. Curry or chili powder- it was tough but the sight of sour cream and cheese was leaning him towards curry. He tried one more time. “Cordy, really, plain blood is fine.”
He could’ve sworn Cordy’s earlier ‘fine’ meant she’d given up on the idea of tampering with his blood. Something deep in his gut told him that he had been stupid- that he should’ve known better.
“Angel, you just made me a sumptuous pasta dish, I can’t let you have boring yucky blood. Hey, I can do this. I might not be able to cook regular food, but I can do this.” Cordelia beamed.
“Cordy, I can teach you how to cook, no reason to waste your obvious need to spice on blood.”
“You don’t like it.” She pouted.
Okay, when did he turn pathetic? Angel winced, giving in. “Curry.”
That’s when he turned pathetic, Angel decided watching Cordelia’s pout transform into one big beautiful smile. A little spice in his blood was worth that sight.
Cordelia jumped as rapid knocks on the front door interrupted her cooking endeavors.
Angel immediately strode to the door.
“Angel.” Gunn called.
“What?” Angel stood by as the black man ran in.
“Aggie sensed a major as in major shift in dimensions, the same as before but as in BIG…”
“Here?” Angel moved towards Cordelia.
“No.” Gunn shook his head. “Wolfram & Hart, I called Wesley, he’s on his way there.”
“Wolfram & Hart?” Angel growled as Cordelia squeaked.
“Gunn, stay with Cordelia.” Angel ordered, grabbing for his coat and sword.
“Angel,” Cordelia said.
“I’m sick of hearing that firm’s name.” Angel growled.
“Okay so am I and Wesley shouldn’t be alone, but you haven’t eaten.” She held up the carton of blood and mixture of Thai spices.
“No time for gourmet,” Angel said snatching the plain blood. “Gunn.”
“I’ll watch her.”
Cordelia stared as the vampire stormed out. “I think he did that on purpose. I don’t think he likes my cooking.”
“He’s a blood drinker, but I think it smells great. Whatcha make?” Gunn looked around.
“Me? Nothing,” she looked at disgust at the packet of Thai spices. “Angel cooked the pasta. He made tons. Hungry?”
“The vampire cooks?” Gunn followed Cordelia towards the source of the appetizing smells.
***
“Were you planning to go in alone?” Angel leaned into the driver’s side the truck.
Wesley jumped. “Angel.”
“Well.”
“I was assuming either you or Gunn would appear.” Wesley huffed getting out of the vehicle. “Actually, I was hoping for Gunn.”
“I’m fine, Wesley.” Angel growled.
“Yes, I can see that, but I also can see that the lobby of the firm,” he nodded to the glass windows surrounding the first floor of the multi-rise building that was Wolfram & Hart,” is full of what can only be vampire detectors.”
Angel studied the hunched wrinkled cloak figures scattered around the front entrance.
“I’ve an idea, be back in a minute.” Angel turned and in an instant disappeared into the night’s darkness.
