Lycanthrope, Vampirism, and Magick

Lycanthrope, Vampirism and Magic Chapter Thirteen

Xander pulled on the sweatpants Angel had shoved at him, trying to be careful so his claws didn’t tear the fabric. He couldn’t help but growl, Kennedy had snuck out and anyone could have followed her back to the Hyperion. She was a security risk; but most of his problem still had to do with how the slayers had tried to leash him.

He had not had much time to talk to either of his lovers, but he knew that they would understand, Spike more than Angel.

He could scent Kennedy and what she’d been doing, and knew that Angel and Spike could as well, but he was interested in what the young slayer would say. Still the scent and taste of vampire dust spoke for itself.

“I don’t answer to you Angel, or your little pets.”

“Watch it Slayer, us pets have some nice teeth. Angel Investigations has a good dental plan you know.”

That comment at least got Xander’s attention away from hurtihe ghe girl that smelled of dust and death. Spike could come up with the most irreverent things sometimes. Still he played along and snarled his lip, making sure that all his fangs were visible. The flinch and scent of fear was reward enough, but hearing both vampires chuckle at the girl’s reaction was an added bonus.

Then Angel got serious. “Kennedy you are in my home, putting my family in danger by going out just to get your little jollies slaying. That means if anything, and I do mean anything followed you back here…well you’ll have more to worry about from us than anything Wolfram & Hart might do. Now go to bed, I’ll speak to your Watcher about this in the morning.”

He gave the girl a shove towards the stairs and she started to walk away. Then she turned. “You know, there are a lot more slayers out there now, and most of them don’t know anything about vampires thave sve souls. I’d be careful if I were you.”

“Hate to tell you this ducks, but quantity never made up for quality. And in the ends when it comes down the brass tacks, the majority of you are a bunch of little girls who are scared of the dark.”

She made a move as if to say something and he growled low in his chest. To his surprise he was not echoed by Spike but by Angel.

“Go. Now.”

Kennedy left, throwing a look over her shoulder that Xander didn’t like. Evidently Spike didn’t either because he was swearing most creatively; and Xander made a worried noise in the back of his throat.

“Fuck. Let’s check outside, after that I need a smoke.” Spike led the way through the hotel and Xander listened for any more unusual sounds.

He could hear pacing and figured it was one of the Sunnydale crew. Chris was fussing but Piper was singing a lullaby. Add to that the sounds of sleep along with other… bedroom activities all seemed quiet. Of course he may not be able to look at Fred the same way again.

They reached the lobby and the vampires paused to see what Xander would do. He tried to get his sweat pants back off neatly but his claws got in the way so he just ripped them off and changed to four feet again.

He’d have to be careful and eat more if he was going to keep shifting from one form to another. Changing forms always left him with the werewolf equivalent of low blood sugar, but the upside of it was that no matter what time of the month he could eat like a garbage disposal and not worry about weight.

Piper, Phoebe and Paige had all bitched at him about that talent, at one point or another.

They made their way around the building, neither vampire speaking. Xander had his nose to the ground, sniffing out different cents and searching to see if anything might endanger his pack. He loved being in the total wolf form, and he was able to walk down the street. The same attitude that let him play goofy Xander when he was in school let him play dumb dog now.

The streets around the Hyperion were nearly empty, which was worrisome. It was as if regular people could sense that the hotel was becoming the center of a showdown and didn’t want involved in it.


They came to the back of the hotel and there was a scent of otherness that made the hackles on the back of Xander’s neck rise. It was coming from a black car with dark window but before he could lunge for it Angel grabbed the ruff of his neck.

“We go in quietly. Spike try to circle around them; see if you can follow them.”

The blonde disappeared and Xander stuck close to Angel. The moved closer and all of a sudden the back window of the large sedan rolled down.

“Angel. Fancy meeting you here. Out to walk the dog? Funny I always thought of you as a cat person.”

“Cut the small talk Eve, what do you want?”

“What does every young mover and shaker ever want Angel? The opportunity for ncemncement with the Senior Partners. You had your chance and you turned them down. Shame really, you could have done so much good working to change things from within. So many problems may not have come up. By the way how is young Connor? Oh that’s right, he’s dead isn’t he?”

This woman sounded like sweetness and light but the words belied her tone, evil and vicious and there wasn’t anything Xander would love more than to jump through the open window and see just how much damage he can do before Angel pulled him off.

If Angel pulled him off. Right now he kind of doubted the vampire would have a problem with seeing what kind of damage he could do. But Angel kept a tight hold on him; instead he leaned against the vampire, trying to offer comfort.

It was no wonder Angel had a hard time coping with his son’s death with ees les like her around.

“You not getting the children Eve, they are under our protection. It’s only a matter of time and I’m sure the Halliwell witches will find a way to banish you, if not the entire Los Angelus branch office. And I’ll be there to help. Might even sell tickets, I’m sure there are plenty of people Wolfram and Hart have fucked over that would love to see you get what’s coming to you.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of yourself Angel. Pride always goes before a fall. Oh and make sure you clean up after your puppy there, it’s illegal to leave messes and as a duly appointed agent of taw Iaw I would feel honor bound to report you. Have a nice night.”

They watch the car pull away, till the red taillights can’t be distinguished from any other pain on the semi-busy street.

“I really, really hate her.”

****

Xander gathered up everything he would need and placed them on his tray before making his way to the stairs. It was now morning, and he hadn’t been to sleep yet. He might nap during the day but there was too much going on and he could get by without since it was the full moon. He always had extra energy then.

Spike had retuned in the early morning hours. He had followed Eve uptown to Wolfram & Hart’s building and then to her own home in Westbridge. Evidently being an evil lawyer got one a good bonus. She had met up with a man, dirty blond hair and a southern accent. Angel knew him because he started swearing up a storm and then stomped off to brood.

At first he and Spike tried to talk to him but finally, sometime after dawn they decided they’d let him do his thing and corner him later. After a big breakfast they had entertained each other and Xander had left Spike sleeping in the room.

He balanced the try on one hand and knocked. He could hear Paige and Phoebe inside with Cordy.

“Who is it?”

“Room service for Ms. Cordelia.”

Phoebe opened the door and ushered him in. “Did you think to bring anything for us?”

“Nope, this is all for Cordelia. Fred and Gunn have started the second round of cooking downstairs, you should hurry though. Fred could beat me in an eating competition and she doesn’t have my biology to thank.”

“Come on Paige, let’s leave these two to talk and make sure we get our fair share.”

They leave and it was just Xander and Cordelia and a huge elephant in the room. He really wasn’t sure what to say.

“Xander are you going to stand there all day or do I get breakfast?”

“Oh, sorry. Breakfast. Umm, I asked Leo and he said they were able to heal you enough so you could have real food.” He carefully set the tray on her lap. It was evident that Paige and Phoebe had been in to help her get cleaned up and looking decent. He knew Angel said he was welcome earlier but he sure as hell wasn’t going to chance it.

He let her eat mostly in silence. Small talk and nonsense things that people who hadn’t seen each other in years would say to each other. Finally she was finished and he cleared the tray away, setting it by the door and returning to her bedside.

“So, coma. Not so fun. You okay with everything?”

“What part? The part where some Thing took over my body and no one noticed? The part where I gave birth to a Satanic version of June Cleaver? Or the part where my ex-boyfriend is not only werewolf but fucking two vampires he hated before?”

“Umm, any of it, or all of it. Come on Cordy, we may have fought but I though we had made up there at the end of school. You’re not close enough to Paige and Phoebe, and you’re too close to the guys and Fred. So if your gonna talk to anyone it’s me.”

She pulled at her hair and made a face, either at Xander or her dead ends he wasn’t sure and wasn’t going to ask.

“The you being a werewolf is freaky but I can deal as long as you don’t pee on my Prada shoes. Assuming I still have Pradas somewhere. I’m not gonna go all weird on you like the others did.”

“Wait… how?”

“I’ll get to it here in a second, it will freak you out I promise. The you and Angel and Spike thing I can deal with even better. Angel had his head up his ass and Spike was really there for him, but they’re too alike, they need you to buffer them. Weird I know.”

“Thanks Cordy, that means a lot to me. Now spill, something is bugging you; I can tell.”

Her scent was off, not a sick smell but one that said she was very sad, almost depressed. He didn’t want to tell her how he knew; because he had a feeling that depression of not if she found out he could smell her that closely she’d clam up. Cordelia was never one for sharing her real feelings.

“Of course I’m upset, some skanky ho carjacked my body! Wouldn’t you be pissed as hell?”

“Yes, but I think I’d be even more pissed at my friends who didn’t notice I had changed. That couldn’t tell the real me and the a copy apart from each other.”

His old girlfriend seemed to collapse within herself, the pale blue of her robe making her look sickly. “That’s it isn’t it? It’s okay Cordy, you can tell me; unless it’s life or death I won’t tell the guys, promise.”

“Oh god Xander it’s so much worse than that. I was there the entire time, out of body but watching as this thing tricked my friends. Made sure I wasn’t there for Wes to turn to so he kidnapped Connor; made Angel fall in love with her so he wasn’t thinking straight and spent three months in the Pacific for that. So many things Xander, and I got to watch it all. They never even noticed that she barely had any visions at all, and there were people that needed help and didn’t get it and it’s all my fault!”

Xander wrapped her up in his arms and tried to comfort her. He couldn’t help but feel that must have been so hard, watching someone mess with your life and your friends and not be able to do anything about it.

Once she had calmed down a bit he lifted her face to look into red-rimmed eyes. He’d never really seen her cry before, it was somewhat daunting and proof at how much she had changed.

Cordy, even the faker thought she was you for a long time, that’s how good a copy she was. You can’t blame them for not knowing. You should talk about it, get it out into the open and then forgive them, because they really missed you. Hell I missed you out on the road, I just didn’t realize how very much till I came here and couldn’t talk to you.”

“I might be persuaded to admit missing you. Just a little bit though. Not much.”

“Of course not.” They smiled at each other and Xander hoped that Cordy would be okay. Of course this revelation would lead to even more brooding by Angel, and possibly the other AI team members.

What fun.

“So you got to go around watching everyone while out of body. Hmp. See anything good?”

“If you mean that little porn show you and the fang bstarstarted on the roof the other night yes I did.”

“Cordy!!”

“Oh don’t even bother saying you wouldn’t look! Gods I’m surprised I’m not blind, I couldn’t hear very well as an astral projection and I’d keep running into Wes and Fred for the last month or two and now you three. I think I need Angel to pay for therapy. Besides you three look good together.”

Okay statements like those needed retribution. “Umm, thanks. Now that everyone else has a special friend we need to find you one too. Three people are available, you have a good pick.”

“What?”

“Well Lorne isn’t dating anyone right now, and neither is Paige. I really don’t think you and Buffy would get along that well but you could always try…”

“Have I ever mentioned that I hate you?”

“Once or twice. A few times you even meant it. Come on, Lorne isn’t that bad and once you’re on your feet again you can get him to be your agent. And Paige is great. Maybe you could get together with both of them, give your own threesome a whirl.”

“I really hate you.”