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Banner by katsa_db_lover
Previous Parts
A/N: I must say yet another congratulations to the wonderful Kitty Kat who made the banner for this story for me. It won an award for Best Fic Art at the Forbidden Awards. Then I must say, sorry for the horribly long delay. I haven't forgotten this story, I'm just easily distracted. But never fear, a certain little birdy *cough*Tak*cough* has been after me to keep posting and since I can't deny him anything, here's another part.
Angel made it into the lobby and came face to face with Faith. She nodded, knowing that he wouldn’t want to say much with the threat of eavesdropping lawyers. Oz ran past, heading up the stairs and to the opposite end of the hotel. Angel realized he was trying to put as much distance as possible between himself and Michael.
Spike followed Oz, also heading up the stairs, although at a much slower pace. He looked over his shoulder a couple times and Angel realized that he was watching his back. Selene and Michael’s presence added strain all around.
Now though, Angel had to explain them to Faith. He knew she’d pick up on Michael’s power, if she hadn’t already. From the tense way she was holding her body, Angel assumed she knew something out of the ordinary was going on.
They all did a sweep of the hotel, finding the usual assortment of cameras and listening devices. It was stupid of them really. Every time, Angel and his team looked for the devices and it wasn’t like they spend the time to conceal them well. The whole thing was ridiculous, almost making Angel miss the days of Lilah and Lindsey, when he at least knew his opponents weren’t desperate. No, Lilah and Lindsey had been calculating and wouldn’t waste their time with multiple attempts to bug Angel’s hotel. They would have come up with something much more interesting by this point.
However, the remaining members of the Wolfram and Hart team didn’t know how to do anything so clever as come up with a real threat. Yet. Angel wasn’t so naïve to believe that they wouldn’t think of something challenging eventually.
Spike sauntered into Angel’s office, dropping his collected bugs onto Angel’s desk. “Oz okay?” Angel was worried about the wolf and his reactions to Michael. They would have to figure out something to do about that sooner rather than later. Angel had a few ideas but none of them would go over well with either Spike or Oz. He had a sneaking suspicion that Selene and Michael wouldn’t like them either.
Faith propped one hip on the corner of Angel’s desk as the remaining devices were destroyed. “So, you ready to tell me what the fuck is going on here?”
Angel and Spike shared a quick glance. “We have visitors. Powerful visitors.”
“The ‘I need to sharpen my stake’ kind of visitors or someone we actually don’t mind having around?”
“The latter, I think. Spike, why don’t you go get Selene and Michael.” Spike walked out and Angel turned to Faith. “They’re both very powerful. Michael is a hybrid, a combination of vampire and werewolf. They’re here to try to convince me, as Master of the Aurelians, to return to
Faith scowled. “Yeah, right. Like you’d actually leave. You aren’t going to leave, are you?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
Faith hopped off the desk when Michael and Selene grew closer. Her fingers itched to grab her stake. Angel wasn’t kidding, they were both very powerful. After introductions were made, Faith moved back to the corner of Angel’s desk and resumed her perch. “So, you’re trying to take Angel here out of
Selene looked Faith up and down before turning to Angel. “What is she?” Selene could tell that there was something very powerful about the other woman, but it wasn’t something she’d encountered before.
“Faith is a slayer. She’s also a friend.” Angel and Faith shared a look that Selene didn’t quite comprehend. She did understand that this woman was very powerful and should, by all rights, be an enemy of a master vampire and not his friend. Her confusion surrounding Angel continued to deepen. He was a mystery, and Selene didn’t like mysteries.
Faith sauntered over to Selene and stuck out her hand. Selene glanced at it a moment, puzzled, before taking it in her own. After a quick shake, the women separated and Faith returned to Angel’s side.
“So, Soul boy, you really aren’t planning on going with them, are you? Seriously, man, after all the shit that’s been going down here, we need you.”
Angel was silent and Faith didn’t like it. She’d expected an immediate denial and for him to send the hot vampire chick and her freak boyfriend packing. That he wasn’t, that he was actually considering their offer, bothered her on several levels.
Michael was pacing around the lobby, his power rolling off of him in waves. It was annoying Angel but also making him realize that Selene was right. Michael was in no position to assume a role of leadership of a centuries old Vampire Coven, much less a coven at war. He was, as she said, a powerful weapon to have on your side however and if he could harness his abilities, he would be nearly unbeatable.
“Faith, would you go get Spike and Oz? I’m going to escort Selene and Michael to a room and I’ll meet you back here. I think we have a lot to discuss.”
Faith arched a brow at him but moved for the stairs. Angel gestured to Selene and Michael and they followed. He helped them settle in and returned to his office. As expected, Faith, Spike, and Oz were already waiting for him.
“So, Peaches, you want to tell me wot the fuck we have to discuss? Send the stupid bint on her way. No way in bloody hell you’re going to be their little god king.”
“Actually, Spike, I am considering it.”
He sat back and stared at their stunned faces and waited for the explosion. He was pretty sure it wouldn’t take long. He wasn’t expecting it to come from Oz.
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