Chapter 6<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cHey, I wonder who that is?\u201d Cordelia peered around Angel trying to see the couple who got out of the white limo. \u201cHurry up,\u201d she moved past the vampire. \u201cDarn.\u201d She paused and waited for Angel. \u201cMissed them. But, they must have been somebody; they got their picture taken. Come on, maybe we can see some stars inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStars?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a premier, stupid. There\u2019s always stars at premiers.\u201d Cordelia scrunched her face up. She had made Angel wait outside the theatre, hopeful that she would catch a glimpse of one.<\/p>\n
But, the star power had been sadly lacking. Sure, plenty of beautiful people dressed up, but nobody she had ever seen in ‘People’. Maybe inside.<\/p>\n
Angel growled as looked at the crowd gathered around the theater\u2019s entrance and the large bright Marquis overhead. Never, ever had he thought that he would willingly sit through a showing of Dracula. The only thing that could be possibly worse would if Angel had to see the insufferable vampire rather than just an actor playing him on the big screen.<\/p>\n
Cordelia hooked her elbow in Angel\u2019s. \u201cOh, stop pouting and growling would you. You can sleep through the movie; I guess it\u2019s only fair since I did sleep through the ballet, well during the dancing part. But no drooling on my dress.”<\/p>\n
Cordelia paused then added. “At any time. But once the party starts, I expect you to party.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t party.\u201d Grumbling. He hadn’t drooled on her dress, it hadn\u2019t been on Cordelia long enough, his lips only touched skin and he hadn’t been drooling just tasting and kissing. Angel growled. Angel had told Cordelia the truth when he said he wanted to forget the possession encounter, but not because as she indignantly accused because he thought it had been gross. It had been definitely not gross.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, why did you come, if you were just going to be a big fat \u2018grr\u2019 stick in the mud?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s with you always calling me fat, am I fat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou called me a big fat hero when Fred\u2019s parents visited. Fat, why?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel, please, you\u2019re hot and you know it.\u201d Cordelia shook her head moving forward her arm starting to leave his.<\/p>\n
Angel caught her retreating hand. \u201cYou think I\u2019m hot? Hotter than Groo? Ruff, worthy?\u201d Remembering the cross between a growl and a bark that the young woman had used to describe Groo\u2019s physical attraction. Angel hadn\u2019t seen it. All he seen was bad hair and big teeth.<\/p>\n
Cordelia stopped and turned to stare at the vampire, really stare at him. Was Angel hotter than Groo? Was she supposed to seriously answer that loaded question?<\/p>\n
Groo had been hot in larger than life sort of way. Angel was just plain old mouth watering, stomach churning, skin burning sexy, with the most incredible mouth and hands. Cordelia felt her stomach drop. She couldn\u2019t go there. Cordelia had to stop remembering his hands all over her bare skin. They weren’t Angel’s hands.<\/p>\n
Okay they were but not operating under Angel\u2019s direction, just like hers hadn\u2019t been. Then why did her skin and hands still tingle at the memory? Cordelia shook her head. Angel had said he wanted to forget, adamantly and she wanted to forget the encounter, also. So why couldn\u2019t she?<\/p>\n
\u201cGeez, what\u2019s with you? Is it Dracula that\u2019s making you so dorky? What, did he beat out Angelus in the stalking and killing arena? You couldn\u2019t get compete with his erotic hypnosis. He drive more virgins crazy or something?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia stepped back as Angel\u2019s befuddled insecure expression turned into one of cold anger. Cordelia knew then that her babbling had gone to far. What was with her lately? She had Angelus on the brain. Cordelia knew that it made Angel uncomfortable, but she kept doing it.<\/p>\n
And now she made him very mad. \u201cAngel, I\u2019m\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n
The vampire stalked past her heading into the theater. She ran after him or the best she could in her 3inch sandals. Well, Cordelia was just grateful that he hadn\u2019t left and gone home. She wouldn\u2019t have blamed him. Her statement had been unnecessary, thoughtless and just possibly cruel.<\/p>\n
Cordelia knew what the memory of the things Angelus did to the now souled vampire. Why couldn\u2019t she keep her mouth shut?<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel.\u201d Cordelia bumped into his back. Angel suddenly had come to a complete stop in the lobby of the theater.<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s hand immediately caught her from falling back and pulled her to his side. Angel ignored Cordelia’s attempts at apologizing for her statement or running into him.<\/p>\n
He glanced around at his surroundings. Angel had seen this before. London 1896. The Commodore Theater, right down to the well dressed beautiful people milling around. The renovators had taken more than just the old English theater\u2019s name. The interior was done up exactly like it\u2019s namesake.<\/p>\n
Which wouldn\u2019t be disturbing except that particular theater had been frequented by Dracula\u2019s circle of admirers prior to them giving elaborate decadent parties where there was always plenty of entertainment and refreshments in the form of unsuspecting humans. Angelus, Darla, Spike and Drusilla had gone. Darla and Drusilla had been admirers of the Count, Angelus and Spike just went for the food and games.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy, I\u2019ve seen this before.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia stopped her repeated apologizes in mid mumble. Angel\u2019s statement was reminiscent of the one he made at the Ballet, before everything went to hell and a hand basket and she lost her dress for a brief tantalizing time.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, Angel. I checked. There was nothing in this place\u2019s history, no supernatural weirdness, no dead tormented lovers, no nothing. It was just an abandoned theater. Boring, even, no scared in love\/lust prima donna\u2019s- just bad plays and B- movies before it went bust.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel stared. It could just be a coincidence. The Commodore had been a very stylish theater. Not unusual that someone would want to copy it. Angel nodded. But he didn\u2019t let go of Cordelia\u2019s arm as he led her to the usher at the inner door.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Angel and Cordelia headed up the stairs to the private rooms. The usher had taken one look at their tickets and pointed to the VIP section. The contestant winners were to be entertained with food and drink during the course of the movie.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, maybe we\u2019ll get to see some stars\u201d Cordelia smiled to Angel.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah.\u201d Angel grumbled. Angel really didn’t want to be there nor did he care if he saw any stars. And he sure in hell didn’t want to go up the stairs. It was getting way too much like the past. Upstairs in the private rooms was where Dracula had held court in the old ‘Commodore’.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrouch.\u201d She smiled wider, forcing Angel to return a slight one. Cordelia was relieved. Angel didn\u2019t seem to be mad anymore, just grumpy about being there. That was okay, though. Cordelia would make sure he had fun by the end of the night.<\/p>\n
\u201cTickets.\u201d The man at the top of the stairs said automatically not looking at the couple. Suddenly he looked up and stared at Angel. \u201cInvitation, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chapter 7<\/b><\/p>\n
“Can I help you?” Fred got up to face the blonde man that entered the hotel\u2019s lobby. Wesley was in his office and Gunn was in the basement doing routine weapons maintenance.<\/p>\n
“Do you need help? Possibly someone is missing or a demon is terrorizing you? We do that here, help I mean, not terrorizing\u201d Fred stopped her babbling and stared. The man had really blonde hair.<\/p>\n
“Damn straight, there’s a pint size lethal blonde bit with a touch of oddness terrorizing me, but no, love, you can’t help with that. Who are you? I thought the cheerleader was playing house with the poof. And not a bad house, either.” Spike took another drag off his cigarette and looked around. “So, where’s Peaches?”<\/p>\n
Fred kept staring. Cheerleader? Poof? Peaches? She needed Wesley. The man had an English accent. Not that it was anything like Wesley’s, but Wesley was really good at languages. “Wesley.” She called over her shoulder then turned back to Spike.<\/p>\n
“Um, can you please that put out,” Pointing to the burning cigarette. “No smoking, cuz of Connor, well, no one here smokes. It’s bad for you, can kill you. Not that Angel worries but he just doesn\u2019t smoke. Not on the floor.\u201d Fred\u2019s eyes got big as Spike stubbed the butt out with his boot.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I’m in the right place, where\u2019s Peaches?\u201d<\/p>\n
Fred pushed at her glasses again. Peaches, again. What? Did they look like a fruit stand? Where was Wesley?<\/p>\n
Wesley came out of his office, studying the man that just spoke, scrutinizing the almost white blonde hair, the black leather long duster over a red t-shirt, hearing his accent and last words. \u201cFred,\u201d Wesley pulled the young woman further back.<\/p>\n
\u201cFred, go get Gunn, please. Have him bring up the biggest axe or stake he can.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo I know you?\u201d Spike said at Wesley\u2019s obvious protective motion. \u201cWait, the disapproving stiff upper British lip, the clear eyes peering through book worm specs and of course the requisite book clutched to your breast as if it were a tasty bit of skirt. You the Watcher\u2019s by-blow from an indiscretion between the sheets? Didn\u2019t think the wanker had it in him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, Spike, but Rupert Giles and I were colleagues for a time in Sunnydale.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve heard of me, I\u2019m flattered.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be, I believe I was first made aware of your existence when given a list of the top five vampires to kill on sight and described you as a hold out from the punk period.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll have you know that I only hung with Sid and Nancy for a bit and got nothing pierced. I like my look, it screams confidence, danger and sex.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOr in Cordelia\u2019s words a blind hair stylist.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow\u2019d I miss your bright wit in good ole Sunnyhell?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou had run away after your failed attempt to aid the Master in bringing forth the anointed one and other various attempts to kill the slayer. I left before your return as the spurned lover bent on revenge.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSee what you know, the annoying one got there without my help, I just quickened the brat\u2019s journey to dust. I’m a vampire, blondie the slayer, what’d you expect? And Dru wounded me. \u201c Spike paused, thinking.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, you\u2019re the wimp watcher that let his slayer go psycho.\u201d Spike said in sudden realization. \u201cHow\u2019d you end up with Peaches? Still not sure how the cheerleader did. She was mouthy, but what a body, thought she had better sense\u2026and taste. Then again, seemed to remember her fiddling with moron boy a lot in dark places. What, you taking the Irish demon\u2019s place or something. Heard he got fried.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSpike, why are you here?\u201d Wesley ignoring the vampire\u2019s comments and questions.<\/p>\n
“Hey, keep your weapons in your holster. If you know who I am, then you know I\u2019m family. I’m here to see Granddad, where is he?”<\/p>\n
“If I remember the account accurately, the last time you came to visit Angel you tortured him. And honestly, I’m very tired of Angel’s old family coming to visit; the visits never turn out pleasant. Fred, please go.”<\/p>\n
Fred still wasn’t sure what was going on but the blonde just said he was a vampire and part of Angel\u2019s old family. She had read about Spike. And appearances by Angel\u2019s vampire family had never been a sign of good times ahead.<\/p>\n
She got that from the files and from her brief association with Darla. Fred hurried to the basement. She looked back once. “Um, Wesley.”<\/p>\n
“Go.”<\/p>\n
Fred headed back towards the door. Fred considered the situation. Wesley seemed to be wary but not preparing for immediate trouble. Still, she better hurry, she didn’t want to leave Wesley alone with the vampire. Wesley really was just too brave sometimes.<\/p>\n
“Dru mentioned that Darla was back from dust, crooning about her baby. Wouldn’t have believed it but it seems that death isn’t as permanent as it was once thought to be. Slayers, vampires no one stays dead anymore. Waste of time killing them. “<\/p>\n
“Darla\u2019s dust again. Has Drusilla also joined you in this plea to reconnect with Angel?”<\/p>\n
“The dark princess came and went, the love was gone. Just a bit of fun and games, before the torture and threats.”<\/p>\n
“But not dust?”<\/p>\n
“Hell mate, she’s my dark princess -or was. Just couldn’t have her killing the slayer, now could I?”<\/p>\n
“So, it’s true. You’ve been helping Buffy.”<\/p>\n
“Not that she would admit it. Selfish tease.\u201d<\/p>\n
“Hey man, what’s up? Who’s the vamp? Can we kill him?”” Gunn came up the stairs with a large axe. Fred followed with a bunch of stakes in her hands.<\/p>\n
Wesley was saved from trying to interpret Spike’s last comment about Buffy. Which he was grateful for, Wesley felt it better not to travel down that road, god only knew where it led.<\/p>\n
“Spike, aka William the Bloody, grandchilde of Angelus, by way of Drusilla. They’re not close. Again, Spike why do you want to see Angel?”<\/p>\n
“Can’t a bloke come visit his family?”<\/p>\n
“Considering every member of Angel’s so called family has tried to kill him or us at differing points of time. No.” Wesely crossed his arms.<\/p>\n
“Hey, when did you get balls? The stories I heard said you would scream like a girl when confronted with a vampire.\u201d Spike showed his game face.<\/p>\n
“I\u2019ve also heard about the chip. The communication between Sunnydale and LA has been neglectful on some things, but not on others.\u201d<\/p>\n
“Sure, that news gets around. Bloody embarrassing. Look, Buffy’s driving me nuts, it was leave or kill her. I heard about this party in LA, thinking about crashing, thought I’d stop by.”<\/p>\n
Fred looked over to Gunn. “How come he can say her name? The dead\/alive again girlfriend? Not Darla. I don’t think she can be considered Angel’s girl friend. Nope, just don’t. The other one.”<\/p>\n
“Got to agree with that one, love. Darla and Angelus were never boyfriend and girlfriend, not ones for the more delicate emotions. Just lots of sex, blood and death.”<\/p>\n
“Angel’s not here, so no reason for you to be.” Wesley paused in the wiping of his glasses. “This party, the party you heard about-What kind of party is it? Is it one that we should be concerned with, the type that humans end up dead at?”<\/p>\n
Spike shrugged. “Yeah, sure. I know, boring for me as I can’t hurt humans, but what the hell, they usually have great blood wine and a good bit of entertainment to watch.”<\/p>\n
“Where’s this party?”<\/p>\n
Spike rolled his eyes. “I ain’t going. Don’t really care for the host.”<\/p>\n
“I don’t care.”<\/p>\n
“Oh, the humans. Sure, why not? Like I said never got on with the Count. Though, Granddad had even bigger problems with him. That’s another reason I’m here, to tell Peaches that Drac is in his town. See, I’m not such a bad bloke. He’ll appreciate the warning.”<\/p>\n
“Count Dracula?”<\/p>\n
“That’s what I said. Whoa, back up.” Spike moved as the humans approached.<\/p>\n
“This party when and where?” Wesley said urgently.<\/p>\n
“Tonight, at an old theater made up like the original in London. Dracula always had his parties there. It’s his birthday; the party is being thrown by his youngest childe to go along with the new movie. It’s sickens me how that charlatan’s ego keeps getting stroked year after year, its not like Drac wasn’t an arrogant bastard before that damn book. Have you read it? Bats, mind and other parlor tricks, disgusting.\u201d<\/p>\n
“That’s where Angel and Cordelia are.” Fred said nervously.<\/p>\n
“The Poof got an invitation? Son of a Bitch! Dracula couldn’t stand Angelus. How come I didn’t get one, Peaches got a soul that\u2019s worse than the chip. Who wants too party with that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought you said you had an invitation?\u201d Wesley asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot mine. Damn, I was always more fun than Angelus. He always wanted to cause trouble. Me, I was a good party guest.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou heard about this party in Sunnydale?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cInvitation came for the Master. Willy gave it to me, since I was sort of family, in that great, great grand childe way. The Master being Darla\u2019s sire and all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Master has been dead for years.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, the Count\u2019s crowd doesn\u2019t cross the water much or pay attention to the changing times or gossip not involving their crowd. Sort of inbred. Snooty, high flying. Didn\u2019t really like the Master cuz he wasn\u2019t \u2018beautiful\u2019 but he was old, older than Drac, so they gave him respect. That was the problem with Angelus and Drac, Angelus didn\u2019t give a flying frig about Drac\u2019s advanced years. Obviously, Drac didn\u2019t bother to check things out when he came to Sunnydale. I sure didn\u2019t see him, would\u2019ve got my money back if I had. I didn\u2019t know until he left. He came quietly and left just has quietly, but that was probably only cuz he wanted the slayer to think she killed him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBuffy fought Dracula?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, finally after he did his mind mojo on her, the beginning of the end for her and soldier boy. Not that I wasn\u2019t sorry to see him go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wesley wanted to ask how a vampire was able to enthrall a slayer. The Council had always thought it was impossible. Angel may have denied that most vampires could manipulate human\u2019s conscious, but Wesley had read enough to know they could if they developed and desired the talent.<\/p>\n
Though, admittedly that talent only seemed to be attributed to vampires of a certain age and power. Wesley shook away his questions, Angel and Cordelia were more important then his quest for more knowledge.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel does not know that Count Dracula is in LA, much less at the theater. He would\u2019ve told us and he would never have taken Cordelia to such a party as you\u2019ve described.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure he isn\u2019t reverting or just plain trying to be the \u2018hero\u2019, the friggin soul seems to do that to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel would never put Cordelia at risk.\u201d Fred and Gunn nodded in confidently in agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe loves her.\u201d Fred added.<\/p>\n
\u201cFred.\u201d Wesley shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe does, it\u2019s Kyerumption, that Groo person only set things back a little, I tell you. And she loves him, she\u2019s just confused and\u2026.really blind. Do you think it\u2019s the visions, they caused a lot of neutron damage, all that cold space in her brain before she got better, maybe that\u2019s why she\u2019s so dense. But the damage has been repaired and the visions don\u2019t hurt, so now\u2026\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFred, what I meant was be quiet about Cordelia and Angel\u2019s relationship in front of unwanted guests.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Cheerleader has visions? Not good, with her looks and the gift, she\u2019s a goner if Dracula sees her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d The humans turned on Spike. Then again Wesley decided that the answer wasn\u2019t as important as figuring out what to do about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cGunn, try Angel\u2019s cell phone, if they don\u2019t have it on, beep him. We have to let him now what he\u2019s walking into. Fred, please pack\u2026.\u201d Wesley turned to Spike. \u201cDo you have any idea how many vampires we can expect?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDracula likes to travel with an entourage when he socializes. Fifteen, Twenty, but the numbers won\u2019t be your problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wesley just stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe doesn\u2019t keep young ones around him, there won\u2019t be one under two hundred max, and probably not many of them. He likes aristocrats and they aren\u2019t that many left in the world that he feels have class. And while they\u2019re painfully uptight about they\u2019re so called high flying status, they\u2019re powerful worth two or three of your standard vamp in the street, so triple the number.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey still explode in dust, don\u2019t they?\u201d Gunn said roughly.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, but you have to get close to them and that ain\u2019t easy for a human or for other vampires that don\u2019t have their power. As Angelus, the Poof couldn\u2019t beat Dracula. Dracula couldn\u2019t kill him either, but Angelus didn\u2019t win, he ran dragging us all to Romania, and that\u2019s of course the start of our really dysfunctional family saga.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, if Dracula sees Angel, he\u2019ll kill him.\u201d Wesley said.<\/p>\n
Spike shrugged. \u201cProbably not, not if Angel doesn\u2019t go all soul boy on him and ruin his party. Hell, Dracula will probably even let him stay and enjoy if Angel remains respectful; problem is Angelus couldn\u2019t do it and somehow I don\u2019t think the Poof will either, especially if Drac get a gander at the Cheerleader. Long dark hair, long legs, a body to bite for and visions. He\u2019ll have her for breakfast, play, lunch, play, dinner, play for a very long time.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s his type and he really likes humans. That\u2019s what took Angelus and Drac\u2019s dislike up a notch. It was before my time, but the way I heard it, Drac saw Dru first and wanted her for his new human pet, Angelus interfered. He knew that Dracula wanted her, but Angelus didn\u2019t care in fact the way Darla told it, if Drac hadn\u2019t had a hard on for Dru, Angelus would never have bothered with turning her. Don\u2019t know about that. Dracula felt that Angelus should back down cause the count was the elder and marked her first. Angelus blew him off and proceeded to turn Dru in the most bloody and violent way. A sort of in your face thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy has short hair.\u201d Fred said quickly. \u201cShort and it\u2019s not that dark. Damn, she got rid of the highlights, didn\u2019t she? Well, still it\u2019s short.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the long legs and body\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStill there.\u201d Wesley said. \u201cAngel will not be polite. We have to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll go.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you I came to talk to Peaches, if he gets himself dusted I can\u2019t, can I? Also, can\u2019t help thinking of the slayer\u2019s face when I tell her that I saved the Poof and that he\u2019s all gooey over the cheerleader. And then there is the fact that Drac owes me money. I\u2019ll go up to the party, I\u2019ve the master\u2019s invite and the Baroness always had a soft spot for me, youngest childe to youngest childe thing, so she won\u2019t kick me out. Poof and I will take care of the vamps, but the humans are your deal. We won\u2019t be able to play both rescue hounds and fighters of truth justice and the white hat way.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWill humans be in the room or will they come later, sort of like after show treats.\u201d Gunn said paging Angel again. He grabbed the hotel\u2019s landline as soon as it rang.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? Is it Connor? Gunn, what is it?\u201d Angel said hurriedly as Gunn picked up.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, the theater it\u2019s a front\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cKnow about it. Get the weapons but before you barge in figure out a way to empty the theater of the humans. Oh, and I want you or Wesley up here, we\u2019re in the private rooms upstairs, I want you to get Cordy the hell out of here, I can\u2019t start anything until I know she\u2019s out. Understood? Ow. Stop it.\u201d Gunn didn\u2019t get the impression that the last part had been directed to him.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you knew, why didn\u2019t you call and\u2026 Ow what? And stop what?\u201d Gunn said then looked at the phone. The sounds of two low voices one in a whine, one in complaint coming through the receiver, the volume increasing and decreasing as if the phone was being jerked around.<\/p>\n
Finally, Angel was back. \u201cI\u2019ve been busy, did you see what she\u2019s wearing tonight, no you didn\u2019t, it\u2019s like a red flag for every vamp in the room. Ow, Cordy stop it and give back the phone. Vampire hearing, stop. They\u2019ll hear us, stop talking. Yes, it is, it\u2019s the buttons, and blood red, what were you thinking? Now stop you\u2019re supposed to be my love slave, now start acting like it and give me the phone. Ow. Give me the phone.\u201d Angel\u2019s voice and whine came clearly through the phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cGunn, don\u2019t worry about me, just get your asses here. The movie has started and Dracula said something about mid movie snacks. Bye. \u201d Cordelia said quickly as she hung up the phone.<\/p>\n
Gunn looked from the dial tone to the questioning looks directed to him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey know, they seem to have it\u2026Cordy\u2019s supposed to be Angel\u2019s love slave, what\u2019s that about? A something about buttons, red flags and getting our asses there. And Angel was whining \u2018ow\u2019 alot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spike broke out laughing at the others perplexed looks. \u201cThe Poof figured it out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSpike?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLove slave. He must have claimed the cheerleader as his property. Angelus wasn\u2019t big on it, but Dracula\u2019s all into tradition and etiquette, he won\u2019t go after the chit at the party, not when another vampire has claimed her, even Angelus. It would be impolite. Dracula must be pissed with Angelus throwing his rules in his highbrow face. So, the cheerleader and Peaches are shagging now are they? That will make my discussion with him a little less violent.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey aren\u2019t like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReally, the chit just let him bite her for the hell of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBite her?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure, how else do you think that a vampire claims human property, chain and collar? Well, actually that is used as an added touch in some circles, but not the Count\u2019s, he finds that to be a vulgar display, he\u2019s actually quite the prude.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m dusting him.\u201d Gunn said.<\/p>\n
\u201cUm, Charles, who?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of them, starting with the blonde freak and ending with soul biting boy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGunn, calm down. Spike has a reputation as not being entirely truthful or helpful. How can we trust you?\u201d Wesley asked.<\/p>\n
Spike shrugged. \u201cThe Slayer does, when she\u2019s not threatening to kill me or call me a dead evil monster.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m reassured.\u201d Wesley rolled his eyes and looked at Gunn. \u201cAnything else.\u201d Gunn was fidgeting, but not making any more threatening statements or movements.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel wants us to figure out a way to empty the theater of humans and one of us to get Cordelia out of there. Then he\u2019ll do his vamp thing which he better not have done on Cordy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGunn, first things first, please.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, right.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFred, Cordelia was looking up the theater on the computer earlier, can\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHere it is,\u201d Fred said. She had already gone to her computer as soon as she realized what Wesley wanted. Fred smiled at Wesley\u2019s thank you. She looked up to Gunn. She looked back to Wesley.<\/p>\n
Fred and Gunn had started a tentative relationship ever since the night of the ballet. It was amazing. Gunn made her feel so special, always saying she was cute and pretty. And Gunn was so strong, brave, sweet, fun and so hot. She had learned that word from Cordy and it was appropriate. Fred was happy.<\/p>\n
But sometimes she couldn\u2019t help but wonder what it would\u2019ve been like if it had been Wesley that had kissed her at the ballet. She shook her head and smiled again at Gunn.<\/p>\n
Wesley never had looked at her like Gunn had, never said that she was pretty, well he had that night, but in the same way he told Cordelia. Fred would catch him looking at her sometimes, but she never understood his look, almost reverent, like she was some rare mystical find, but that didn\u2019t make sense or was it true.<\/p>\n
She was just Fred, the babbling refugee from Plyea. Gunn made her laugh. Wesley made her nervous, like he expected her or wanted her to be answer to something.<\/p>\n
But she could never figure out the question.<\/p>\n