Title: The Beast Within Author: Calandra Ravenshadow Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me, nor am I in any way affiliated to the show. The story is mine however so if you want to use it, please ask. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Angel opened his eyes painfully. A bright light shone in his face. He tried to raise his hands to rub his eyes but they were held back by cold steel. He struggled against his restraints until sweat covered his bare chest. He winced as the droplets slid into wounds that he hadn't even noticed. His skin burned and his wrists were raw. Someone blew smoke in his face; the putrid tendrils caressed his cheeks. Chilled hands touched his equally cold skin with mock tenderness. "Careful my angel, I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself." There was a glint of metal and another voice, far less gentle but just as mocking. "That's my job." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Doyle tried to push through the mob without spilling the drinks that he held. The flashing lights and the loud music was disorienting but he finally spotted their table. He placed one of the glasses in front of the woman siting there. "Here you go princess." He said, sitting across from Cordelia with his beer. He took a moment to admire her; she was dressed in a tight red dress and her hair was tied above her head so that he could see all of her lovely face. She didn't notice his inspection of her, she was too busy searching the crowd. "Where's Angel? He told us to meet him here at midnight and he doesn't even have the decency to show up. I'm an actress, I need my beauty sleep." "No you don't, you're already…" he started to say with a smile but was interrupted as someone placed a hand on her shoulder. He jumped to his feet in alarm. "Cheer up milady," the young man said with a fake British accent and an exaggerated bow. "Xander's here." Doyle quickly placed himself between the two and pushed away the offending hand. "Leave her alone, bastard; I thought I told the lot of you, she's a secretary, not a prostitute." He gave him a good shove for emphasis. Xander watched the half-demon, a slightly confused air about him. He passed a hand through his hair but didn't leave. He was grinning as he said. "Cordelia Chase, you've finally hired a body guard to enforce our restraining order? I'm touched. So, prostitute?" "Don't listen to him, I'm an actress." She stood, her chin raised indignantly. Xander grinned, a playful grin that Doyle disliked immediately. He looked at both of them from head to toe. "You could have fooled me." He only got a punch the chest for his efforts but he didn't react, nor did he seem the slightest bit discouraged. He nodded his head in Doyle's directing. "So, who's your new friend?" Cordelia looked from her life-long nemesis and more recently, ex-boyfriend to Doyle. She shuddered at the sight of his big colared shirt but after a moment, admitted to herself that he was handsome. He was well built, had nice facial features and his eyes were to die for. She quickly made a decision. "This is Doyle, he works with me, we're, uh, dating." To prove her point, she pulled him towards her and kissed him deeply. He was flustered for only a moment before returning the kiss while gently holding her face in his hands. When she let him go, he was completely breathless. He slipped an arm around her waist and gave her a sidelong glance that was part surprise and part admiration. "Yes, well Cord is a special woman." He said after catching his breath and with far more sincerity than he'd intended. Xander looked down at his feet and Doyle thought he saw something disturbing in is eyes before they disappeared in the shadows, something jealous, angry. He didn't understand though he suspected it had something to do with Cordelia's triumphant smile. "What brings you to L.A.; did Sunnydale run out of monsters to run away from?" She asked, sounding much more comfortable now that she had the upper hand. "Ha, ha. Actually, I came here to find demons… well, Anya. But she said there was some big evil which probably means she wants a date." He was smiling again but there was something behind it that Doyle couldn't put his finger on; it seemed fake. Cordelia seemed to accept it as a simple, self-depreciating smile however and shook her head. "Really Xander, I don't understand why even a loser like you would want to date a demon. It's disgusting. I mean, you'd think you'd learn from almost being eaten by your two first girlfriends." Doyle swallowed uncomfortably and extracted his arm. Xander noticed and met his eyes knowingly. His only comment, however, was a slight tightening of his lips. He slammed both hands on the table suddenly and stood. "Well, as much as I'd like to stay and chat, Anya is waiting. Maybe I'll stop by tomorrow." "At three in the morning?" Cordelia asked, rolling her eyes theatrically. He grinned mysteriously. "We're not morning people." She rolled her eyes again and turned her back to his retreating form. Doyle watched him leave however. He frowned as he watched the young man's goofy gait transform into a confident swagger. After a moment, Cordelia moved away from her partner and sat across from him again. "I don't like him, there was something about him that was… wrong." He said as he tried to follow Xander's movements through the crowd. He lost track of him though, distracted by the removal of her added warmth. "You're telling me. He still lives with his parents. I mean, what a loser." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Angel simply let himself hang from the chains, completely exhausted. He didn't know how long he had been there, he didn't even know how he had gotten there in the first place. All he knew was that he felt very tired, very sore and that whoever was doing this to him would return. His thoughts were fuzzy and continuously interrupted by a woman's monotonous voice. She had stayed after his tormentor had left and hadn't stopped chanting since. It was a form of torture in itself. Suddenly she stopped. He followed her eyes towards the open window. A sliver of golden light appeared. She stood and backed into the shadows. He didn't see her face as she passed, he was too focused on the unhindered light. He heard the door open and close but he didn't look, simply clenching his teeth in anticipation of searing pain. It never came. Angel opened his eyes and stared at the direct sunlight that hadn't, astonishingly, burned his skin to a crisp. His tormentor's familiar chuckle filled the air. "Melissande did a good job didn't she?" Angel's head shot up in surprise and the woman retreated further into the shadows. The man's smile could be heard in his voice. "I see you recognise the name. Don't feel bad, this little Gypsy just came here to take away what you gave to her. It's not going to do you a lot of good of course, 'cause you're dead and all but there's also some good here. At least this time I get to watch you die with the knowledge that you brought a bunch of innocent people down with you with. I never did like you much, dead boy." Angel's eyes widened as his torturer stepped forward just enough to be seen without being harmed by the light. TO BE CONTINUED [Image] [Image]