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Visions of You
Chapter 11
by Tami
Annandale, Virginia
“What are the odds that this demon master person resides in one of the richest neighborhoods on the Beltway?” Seeley asked as he and the vampires walked up the sidewalk to a townhouse.
“You haven’t been doing your homework on demons have you?” Spike asked.
“Hey, I’m an FBI agent. I work with humans. The only time I ever had an opportunity to deal with demons is when I’m with you,” Seeley said defensively.
“You mean to tell me that you’ve lived in D.C. all your life and never noticed anything strange?” When Seeley shook his head, Spike released an agitated sigh. “Have you learned nothing from your stay with us in L.A.? Take a look at your politicians! Do you honestly think that the Kennedys survived as long as they did being the ‘Golden’ example of politics on just their good looks?”
Seeley turned and looked at Angel walking on the other side of him. “Is he saying the Kennedys are demons?”
“No, they signed a contract with Wolfram & Hart, who were lawyers for demons. Joe Kennedy, Sr. tried to get out of it once. Let’s just say, you would have never heard of Mary Jo Kopechne had Joe kept his end of the bargain,” Angel explained.
“The old man had a heart attack or a stroke,” Booth said.
“Of course he had a stroke, but it wasn’t a natural stroke,” Spike said.
Seeley turned back to look at the blonde vampire as they walked up the steps to the front porch of the townhouse. “You’re telling me that the stroke was caused by Wolfram & Hart?”
“Not saying anything of the sort, pet. That would imply that I know something when I don’t,” Spike said innocently.
Seeley looked at Angel and let out a distressed whine. The whole discussion was giving him a headache. “What exactly were we talking about again?”
“Demon masters and their penchant for being pretentious,” Angel replied.
“Guess you would know something about that, huh peaches?” Spike smirked.
“I never controlled demons,” Angel commented. “I just owned the mansion and a few minions.”
“Okay,” Seeley looked at the front door. “Do we knock or just break it down?”
“How about we turn the knob?” Spike said as he twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open.
They stepped into the foyer and looked around. There were rooms off to both sides and a long hallway that seemed to go on forever.
“Great, he’s an illusionist,” Angel grumbled.
“Maybe it’s just a really long hallway,” Seeley suggested.
“Don’t think so. The outside of the house isn’t that long,” Spike replied.
Angel glared at his body double as a butler dressed in a black suit stepped into the foyer.
“Gentlemen, may I help you?” the manservant asked.
Angel, Seeley, Spike and Drusilla exchanged looks. She hadn’t been in on the conversation due to being in her own little world. They looked at the man.
Seeley pulled out his badge. “Special Agent Seeley Booth with the FBI, we’d--”
“Enough with the niceties, Booth,” Spike cut in. “Where’s your boss?”
“I’m afraid he’s not available at the moment. Maybe if you came back tomorrowwww,” the man shrieked when Angel grabbed him by the collar and raised him up off the ground until his feet kicked the air.
“We’d like to make an appointment right now,” Angel said calmly.
“Yes, sir,” the butler said hurriedly. When Angel put him back on his feet, he ran into the next room. Angel, Spike, Seeley and Drusilla followed him.
“Do you think picking the guy up like that was a little overboard?” Seeley asked.
Spike shrugged. “It’s not like you can do it. For you, it’s police brutality. For Angel, it’s just another day on the job.”
“Who are you to invade my home and demand an audience with me?” a gruff voice asked.
Seeley looked in that direction and saw a dark-haired man with a goatee and trimmed sideburns. He was dressed in a suit and cape. This must have been what Angel referred to when he said that demon masters were pretentious.
“We’re the ones that killed your pet beast, mate,” Spike replied.
Drusilla turned a pout on him. “I killed him! You could barely hold on to him.”
“I know that, pet,” he said.
“Can we wait until we’re out of this before we start arguing over who struck the most blows,” Booth asked.
“It was courteous of you to come all this way to tell me you murdered my demon. This country does have generous hospitality. Now, if you’ll excuse me I have business to attend to. You can never rest when working for yourself.”
“I don’t think you understand,” Angel said, his voice deadly calm. “We’re here to kill you.”
The demon master looked at Angel’s dark expression for a moment and then laughed. “Hospitable and a comedian.” He looked at the others in turn. “Came here to kill me? Ha! Ha! Ha! You can’t kill me. I control the elements.”
In demonstration, he pointed his finger at Seeley and the agent suddenly disappeared. The vampires looked around for any sign of their companion but saw nothing.
“Arf! Arf!”
Spike, Angel and Drusilla looked down to see a fluffy puppy on the floor amid a pile of clothes.
“Bloody hell, he turned Booth into a dog!” Spike exclaimed.
“Are you serious?” Angel asked in disbelief and not a little annoyance.
The puppy moved over to Drusilla and pawed at the hem of her dress.
“Oooh,” she cooed, reaching down to pick it up. She cradled it under her arm. Puppy!Booth licked her cheek and tucked his head under her chin.
Spike scoffed. “Even as a dog, he likes her. What are the chances of that?”
Puppy!Booth turned his head and snapped a bark at Spike.
“He still has the same opinion about you,” Angel said. Without warning, he punched the demon master. In the next minute, a brawl broke out between Angel, Spike and their opponent. Drusilla cuddled Puppy!Booth as she backtracked out of the path of the fight.
**************************
Washington, D.C., Seeley Booth’s Apartment, Later
Angel, Spike walked into the apartment, looking tired. Their faces were covered in bruises; their knuckles matched the condition of their faces. Spike was holding his ribcage. Drusilla walked in behind them with Puppy!Booth still cradled under her arm.
Angel went into the kitchen and collected a couple of ice packs from the freezer. After the fight, they had collected Booth’s clothes and made a quick exit to regroup before the demon master came around from being knocked out. He took the other ice pack into the living room where Spike had fell onto the couch like a sack of potatoes. He handed the ice pack over and the younger vampire placed it delicately on his ribs. Angel used his to nurse the bump on his head.
They sat there and watched Drusilla play with Puppy!Booth. She petted him and talked about the stars and how adorable he was and that he could sleep curled up against her in bed and . . .
“Think maybe we should find a way to get Booth back in his human form before she has designs on eating him,” Angel suggested.
Drusilla pouted at that. “I can’t keep him?”
Puppy!Booth pawed her hand, licked her fingers and tried to chew on her French-manicured nails.
“No Dru, it wouldn’t be fair to Booth to keep him as a puppy,” Spike said.
She sighed and pouted. “Okay.” She set Puppy!Booth on the couch between Angel and Spike and went to find the spell book she always carried with her aside from Miss Edith. Puppy!Booth sniffed the cushions, circled an area and curled up.
“Funny how he still resembles Booth,” Spike commented. Puppy!Booth looked at him. Spike reached out and tugged on a furry ear. The puppy growled and moved, resettling in Angel’s lap.
“Stop antagonizing the dog,” Angel said, absently petting Puppy!Booth.
“But he’s so cute,” Spike smirked. The puppy growled.
When Drusilla came back with her spell book, Angel set the puppy down on the couch again as he and Spike got up out of the way. Drusilla thumbed through the book until she found a spell she liked.
“Undo the magic acted here, reverse the spell so all is clear,” she canted.
Puppy!Booth morphed into Kitty!Booth. Drusilla’s brows furrowed.
“I don’t think that worked,” Spike stated the obvious.
“Undo the magic acted here, reverse the spell so all is clear,” she repeated.
Kitty!Booth became Rooster!Booth.
“Jesus Christ, Dru!” Angel sprinted away from the couch when he saw the rooster.
Spike laughed when he saw his Sire’s reaction to the bird. “Who knew – Ha! Ha! – That you were – Ha! Ha! – Afraid of birds!” He guffawed and held his sides. “Oh God! That’s priceless! My Sire, the Scourge of Europe, is afraid of birds!” Angel smacked him upside the back of the head.
“Undo the magic acted here, reverse the spell so all is clear,” she said, annoyed.
Rooster!Booth turned into an orangutan. Angel, Spike and Drusilla stared at it strangely. Orangutan!Booth heaved a big sigh and looked depressed.
“Dru, for fuck’s sake, stop playing around and change him back to human,” Angel growled.
“I’m trying, Daddy!” She shifted to a more determined stance and glared at the orangutan. It gave her an even broodier look. “Undo the magic acted here and give me back my Seeley!” she screeched.
The orangutan shape-shifted into human!Booth . . . Who happened to be very naked. When he felt the vampires’ penetrating gaze on his bare flesh, he self-consciously covered himself. “Can I please get some clothes?” He looked up at them. When no one moved, he prompted, “Pants at least?”
“He doesn’t seem so cute and adorable anymore,” Spike mused with a hint of humor. “Change him back to a puppy, Dru.”
“I was never cute and adorable,” Booth mumbled. He stood up and, with his hands still covering his groin, walked to the bedroom with what shred of dignity he still had left. He felt the penetrating stares on his back as Drusilla and Spike watched his ass.
“You two are shameless,” Angel grumbled as he removed the icepack to feel the bump on the back of his head.
“Wot?” Spike asked innocently. Angel glowered at him and replaced the icepack. “Well, if he’s going to flaunt his nummy bits in front of us. There’s no shame in looking.”
“Nummy bits?” Angel raised a brow, scowled and shook his head.
Spike shrugged and glanced at Drusilla who looked ready to follow Booth into the bedroom.
“Don’t think about it, Dru. Last thing he needs is for you to distract him,” Angel said. Her wistful expression turned into a pout.
“So Booth, what was it like being a dog?” Spike yelled out. If Angel could kick him he would have, but Spike was too far away.
“It was great,” Seeley replied sarcastically as he came out in a pair of jeans and shoes, buttoning his shirt.
“You were so cute and adorable though. Dru still wanted to sleep with you and everything,” Spike teased.
“So I heard,” Seeley said sardonically.
“You and Angel are just alike,” Spike sighed. “You really ought to lighten up.”
“Easy for you to say, you weren’t turned into a friggin’ puppy Parker could cuddle to death!” Seeley snapped angrily. “So, what now?”
“Now? We reassess our options in killing him and end it,” Angel replied.
“I’ll get Cassidy on the phone,” Spike said. He pulled out his phone and hit speed dial.
“Seeley-Daddy?” Drusilla inquired as she stepped closer.
“I’m fine, Dru,” Seeley assured her. She pressed herself against his side. He hugged her.
Angel’s expression became a glower at the display. He couldn’t keep them apart forever. He just hoped Booth took his warnings about his baby girl to heart.
“Honestly Booth, are you okay? No side effects from being turned into various animals?” Angel asked in all sincerity.
“Yeah, Angel. No side effects. Just feel humiliated for allowing it to happen.”
“Nothing you could have done. He has black magic that he can use at will,” Angel gripped his shoulder in comfort.
“Yeah, Cass, we ran into a snag in that ‘killing the demon master’ plan,” Spike was saying. “Any ideas on killing a demon master who fancies himself soddin’ David Copperfield?”
“He has a crush on David Copperfield?” Cassidy asked.
“No, stupid bint,” Spike grumbled. “He thinks he is David Copperfield. He turned Booth into a bloody puppy!” Seeley grimaced at the reminder.
“Aww, was he a cute puppy? Wait, is he still a puppy?” Cassidy asked concerned.
“No, Dru managed to get him back to human form.”
“So how to kill a magician who can summon demons? Have you tried shooting him?”
“He turned Booth into a dog. I’m sure he can deflect a soddin’ bullet,” Spike said in agitation.
“Okay, okay. No need to get bitchy with me. Just thought I’d ask,” Cassidy said, then added under her breath, “Someone really needs to get laid.”
“I heard that, saucy wench,” Spike smirked.
“Can’t you distract him while Booth shoots him?” she asked.
“And be turned into a bloody hippo? Not likely,” Spike scoffed.
“And you said you got your soul by sacrificing yourself to save the world. Yet you won’t do it again?”
“I got my soul on some misguided notion of pleasing a girl. I sacrificed myself by burning up in a Hellmouth. Not doing that again. I’m not wearing any jewelry and not torching myself to save this God forsaken planet again. The next apocalypse that happens, let it burn.”
“Very chivalrous of you,” Cassidy said sardonically.
“So, got anything on how to kill that demon master thing?” Spike asked.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Cassidy answered flippantly.
“All that researching and that’s the best you can give me?” Spike sound indignant.
“Well, it’s not like I have a source book on killing demons and the masters who conjure them!” Cassidy said angrily.
Spike snapped the phone closed without as much as a goodbye. When he looked up it was to find Angel and Booth staring at him.
“What did she say?” Booth prompted.
“She hasn’t got a soddin’ clue. It looks like we’re going to have to play it by ear.”
Angel and Seeley looked at each other and said in unison, “Weapons,” before heading for Booth’s cache of artillery in the locked closet. Seeley unlocked the door and tossed it open, revealing a hoard of guns and ammunition.
“Are all of these registered with the FBI?” Spike asked as he joined them, grabbing a gun.
“I have permits. Do you have permits for yours?” Seeley raised a brow.
“Vampire, pet. Don’t much care.”
“What about my gun?” Drusilla asked.
“Don’t think a Derringer is going to do it,” Angel replied as he checked the barrels of a shotgun.
That got Seeley’s attention from checking his own weapon. “Do you trust her with anything more than that?”
Spike and Angel turned in unison to look at him. “She’s got fangs. Those are more dangerous than any gun,” Spike said casually.
Seeley grabbed a couple of weapons as did Spike and Angel. Drusilla didn’t get anything which caused her to pout.
“So, what exactly is the plan when we get there?” Seeley asked as he followed behind to lock the door.
“Don’t get turned into a puppy! You’re no use to us unless you plan on attacking his ankles,” Spike replied.
“Funny Spike,” Booth said contemptuously as he shut the door firmly and locked it. “Next time I’ll remember to make sure you’re blocking me. See how you like it.”
**************************
Annandale, Virginia
The foursome stood on the sidewalk contemplating the townhouse that was currently a lair for the master of the chasm demon they killed. So, far demanding to see the ‘boss’ had resulted in turning Booth into a canine. Their best bet now was to go in guns blazing, not allowing the master to build his defenses.
“So, do we shoot our way in this time?” Spike suggested.
“Do you have a better plan?” Angel asked.
“Anything that doesn’t get me turned into an animal is fine with me,” Booth offered.
“Okay,” Angel acknowledged. He took out an automatic revolver and clipped the safety off. Moving closer to Drusilla, he pressed the gun into her hands and wrapped her fingers firmly around the handle. “The safety’s off on this Dru, so watch where you aim it. Don’t shoot Booth. Don’t shoot me. Don’t shoot Spike . . . unless he asked for it.” That made her giggle and Spike scowl. “Otherwise, shoot anything else that moves.”
Drusilla gave him a determined nod as if she took her task very seriously and gripped the handle tighter until it cracked a little. Angel and Spike took the lead and headed up the sidewalk steps to the door.
“I’m the FBI agent. Why aren’t I in the lead?” Before Spike could make a flippant comment, Booth answered his own question. “Yeah, never mind.”
“Do you think he conjured a barrier after our last visit?” Spike inquired.
“Care to find out?” Angel raised a brow.
They both turned and used their shoulders to barrel into the door. The wooden panel gave away, splintering the doorjamb and swung open to bang
against the adjacent wall. The sound set off a mystical alarm and started a racket of barking and growling from inside the house.
“Do you remember seeing any signs up that say to beware of vicious animals?” Booth asked as they made their way down the long corridor to another doorway. They were brought up short by a three-headed dog.
“Oh great, he can conjure bloody Cerberus,” Spike groaned.
“Cerberus?” Seeley raised a brow.
“You know, Greek mythical three-headed dog that guarded the gates of Tartarus, the deepest part of Hades,” Spike said patronizingly.
“Yeah, I know what Cerberus is, smart ass,” Seeley snapped back.
“Who the hell is watching my back?” Angel growled.
“We are,” Spike said indignantly.
“Well, it doesn’t feel like it!”
Angel inched around the animal with his back to the wall. The three-headed creature tracked his progress and that of his three companions as they followed him. When the dog looked ready attack should any of them step forward, three weapons were cocked and pointed at the animal. The dogs didn’t react too much to the vampires. However, they smelled a human amongst the three vampires and salivated as they growled.
“Why don’t you jump out there, and when they go to attack you, we’ll shoot it,” Spike suggested.
“Why am I the guinea pig?” Seeley hissed. “Why don’t you throw yourself out there and I’ll shoot it?”
“Because it’s not my body heat that makes my flesh look good. They can smell you. Between the pheromones and the nervous sweat, I’d eat you if I didn’t have a soul,” Spike replied.
“Why do I get the feeling you’d do that regardless of your soul,” Seeley chanced a look at Spike before returning his sights on his target.
“We’re only going to shoot if it decides to attack, any of us,” Angel stated as he backtracked across the room with the gun trained on the dog.
When they came up against a door, Angel reached behind to open it and they all ran inside, slamming the door behind them. They rested against the panel for a moment before the dog barged into the door, clawing the wood and barking at them through it.
“That was bracing,” Seeley commented, catching his breath.
“Hold on then,” Spike said cautiously, “Looks like the ride isn’t over yet.”
“You got to be kidding me,” Angel groaned as a giant cobra slither out from a dark corner of the room. “What the hell does this guy own, a funhouse from Hell?”
“At least it’s not a rooster, eh? Otherwise you’d be incapacitated,” Spike teased.
“I hate birds,” Booth shuddered.
“I don’t think I can alter something that big, Daddy,” Drusilla said.
“I think we used all her powers in turning Booth back to human,” Spike added.
“Ideas on getting out of this?” Angel prompted. He gauged how far they were from the snake to the other door to get out.
Seeley cocked his shotgun and aimed at the reptile. The snake looked at the miniscule human and hissed at the offending weapon. Spike and Angel drew their weapons and aimed at the snake. Not to be left out, Drusilla aimed her weapon as well.
“After we shoot his head off, what are the chances that he’ll grow another one?” Angel asked, still sighting down the barrel of his gun.
“Just how many demons have you killed that regenerated?” Seeley asked.
“A lot,” the vampires replied in unison.
“Okay, now you’re just bragging,” Booth said petulantly.
“Can we get back to killing the giant snake before it eats us? I don’t fancy spending another bloody century of my immortal life stuck in this room, especially with you,” Spike snarled.
“In the other room, you wanted to eat me because I oozed pheromones. Now you can’t stand me? Make up your fucking mind, Spike,” Booth snapped.
“Damn it, Spike. Quit the foreplay with Booth and shoot the giant snake!” Angel cut in on the argument.
The snake had advanced on them during the argument and was now ten feet away and gaining.
“Now!” Angel yelled just before a riot of gunfire echoed through the cavernous room. The snake moved another five feet before dropping to the ground at their feet in an earth-shattering fall.
Angel kicked at the reptile to make sure it was dead. “Let’s get out of here before it finds a way to revive itself.”
Opening another door, they entered a candle-lit room with an altar along one wall. The foursome carefully stepped closer to the table. Angel picked up small bundles of incense while Spike and Seeley checked out the various implements lying on the top.
Picking up a skewer-like object, Spike asked, “What do you suppose he was going to do with this?”
Angel glanced at the skewer and then up to the tapestry on the wall above the table, “Eris gives him his power to control the demons he conjures. All this stuff is offering for her blessing.”
“Seems like Eris asks for a lot in helping warlocks,” Seeley observed while examining another weapon.
“The high price of power,” Angel replied.
“I see you found my . . . sanctuary,” a voice said behind them. They turned to see the demon master standing a few a feet away.
“Some set up you got here. Eris must be pleased with the havoc you’ve managed to reek on so many lives,” Angel said.
“Would have been more, but you killed my instrument. Do you know much energy is consumed in conjuring another Chasm Demon?”
“That’s a shame,” Angel said as he jerked the forestock on his shotgun, aimed and pulled the trigger. The bullet exploded against his opponent’s shoulder. Seconds later the wound started to heal on its own.
“Ow! That hurt,” the demon master said with little emotion.
“Dru,” Angel prompted.
Drusilla whispered a spell and a ball of energy formed in front of her. Floating it in her hand, she tossed it. The demon master stopped it in midair and, with more force than Drusilla used, threw it back at her. The power of it caused her to fly back into the altar and tumble to the floor. Out of habit of watching out for her, Spike rushed over to help her up.
Booth raised his shotgun, but before he could pull the trigger, the demon master waved his hand and ripped the gun out of Booth’s hands. Seeley grabbed one of the weapons off the table and tossed it. The demon master grabbed it out of the air and threw it back. Seeley yelled and fell to his knees in pain as the implement embedded in his shoulder.
Angel fired his weapon in rapid succession, hitting the demon master in the chest and stomach. The demon master tossed an energy ball at Angel that exploded and sent him flying back.
“Fuck! Spike! The altar. Destroy the altar! We’ll never finish this as long as he has a power source,” Angel growled as he clutched his chest in pain and struggled to sit up.
Spike glanced over just in time to see his Sire go airborne across the room. When Angel mentioned the altar, Spike looked at the table and the effigy sitting on it. The demon master noticed what caught the blonde vampire’s attention. He conjured another energy ball and threw it. Spike jumped out of the way, dodging the object and rolled to the wall of medieval weapons on display. Grabbing a bludgeon club off the wall, he swung it like a baseball bat and smashed the statue to pieces.
The demon master screamed in agony as his power source was shattered. Everyone closed their eyes and covered their heads when the room filled with blinding light then flashed out like a lightning strike.
“How dare you come in here and destroy my home!” the demon master cried.
“You were using it to summon demons to kill people,” Angel snarled, gaining his feet and helping Seeley up.
“You may have taken away my source, but I still have a few tricks up my sleeve,” the demon master said menacingly. “You may not be human, but he is.”
Hearing the threat, Booth pulled his service piece and aimed it at the demon master.
“I thought we demonstrated that nothing can affect him? And you’re pulling a gun on him?” Spike hissed at Seeley.
“He wounded me and I’m not a vampire. So, it’s pretty much all I got left to defend myself,” Booth replied.
“I’ll do more than that, human.” The demon master held a hand out towards Booth and clenched his fist. Booth’s eyes squeezed shut in pain. His insides felt like they were being held in a tight grip and yanked out through his stomach.
Angel and Spike both shifted to their demon visage and charged at the master. While they were occupied with that task, Drusilla dashed over to Seeley to help him. She said a few words under her breath and the demon master let out an anguished cry as his hand turned into one huge burn blister. The pang caused him to release his mystical hold on Seeley and the agent sank back against the wall, panting for breath.
“Seeley-Daddy?” Drusilla inquired.
“I’m fine, Dru,” Booth said, though the look on his face told her different.
“I’m going to try and get this out of you so you fight the great beast.”
“Great beast?” Seeley squeaked. He must be delirious. He didn’t know there was a beast. All he saw was a madman of a warlock bent on destroying anyone that got in his way, which included him.
“Shh, Seeley-Daddy. The wound is deep. I don’t know if I should remove it now.” Drusilla was worried that she would hurt the human version of her daddy. What if she pulled it out and caused interference with Angel fighting the evil warlock.
“I hurt all over, Dru,” Seeley whined as he tried to breathe through the ache in his chest. “I can bear through it. Just get me up.”
“But . . . Seeley-Daddy,” Drusilla started to protest.
“Drusilla,” he said sternly. “Help me to my feet. This is my case. I’m not letting Angel and Spike take credit for my collar.”
Drusilla moved to his good side and helped him to his feet. Booth swayed a little as he moved over to the destroyed altar. He ripped an ornate cross off the wall of the altar and determinedly walked across the room to where Spike and Angel were fighting the demon master.
Spike spared a glance at Booth holding a cross in a threatening manner. The implement the demon master threw at him was still embedded in his shoulder. It would have been a laughable sight had the situation not been so serious. Just as Booth got close enough, the demon master used Spike’s distraction against him and mystically threw him to the side against the wall.
The demon master returned to fighting Angel. Booth’s brows furrowed as he stepped up behind the demon master. With one swift move, he stabbed the man in the neck with a sharp edge of the cross.
The demon master screamed in pain as he tried to pull the offending object out of his neck. Booth ducked out of the way of the spraying blood from a ruptured jugular. Drusilla and Spike joined Angel as they watched in surprise as the demon master sank to his knees and collapsed on the floor.
Booth looked at the body and then back at the vampires. “He won’t be conjuring demons anymore now will he?”
“What the bloody hell possessed you to use a cross?” Spike asked.
“Well, he was impervious to conventional weapons. And, although it was funny to see you being flung around the room like a rag doll, you guys couldn’t take him down. So, I had to improvise.”
“Booth, are you okay? You’re looking a little peaked,” Angel said concerned.
“I’m fine . . . I’m--” Booth started to say before he collapsed on the floor.
“Well, wasn’t that a slap and a tickle. He fainted,” Spike commented flippantly.
“Shut up, Spike,” Angel growled as he crouched over Seeley and felt for a pulse. “Booth? Can you hear me?”
“Think he’s in shock, mate,” Spike said.
Angel glared up at him. “I can see that. Now get down here and help me pull this object out of his shoulder.”
“Don’t you think we should take him to a hospital and let them do that?”
“Would you want to be in pain all the way to the hospital with that weapon stuck in your shoulder?” Angel challenged.
Spike knelt down on the other side. Wrapping his fingers around the hilt of the weapon, he immediately yanked it out of Booth’s shoulder. Booth yelled in searing pain.
“Drusilla? Come here,” Angel ordered gruffly. When she got closer, he ripped a good portion out of the hem of her skirt and used the material to stem the blood.
“God, kill me now,” Seeley groaned.
“I’d feel the same way if I were in your position,” Spike empathized.
Seeley clutched his arm and looked at him through a haze of pain. “You ripped that thing out of me. You saw how useless I am as a human. Turn me.”
“I wouldn’t say useless, pet. You got him good with that cross,” Spike said, pointedly ignoring the request.
“He’s delirious,” Angel said as he pulled his cell phone out and dialed 9-1-1.
“Damn it. Drusilla . . . honey . . . you wanted to turn me first didn’t you? You’ll do it right? I’m dying here. You’ve been after my blood for months,” Booth said hoping to entice her into following through.
“I would but . . .” Drusilla started to say.
“You’re not dying. We’re not going to turn you. Do you realize what being turned would mean? You’d have to give up your son. Do you want him to grow up without a father? You’re an Army Ranger for fuck’s sake. That wound was near the heart, but you’ve been through worse,” Angel stated bluntly.
“How the hell do you know what I went through,” Booth demanded angrily through the pain.
“You think I wouldn’t research your background after the first time we met up? I know all about your history as a sniper, a Ranger, an FBI agent. I don’t care what we have to do: transfusion, whatever. You are staying human and raise Parker.”
“That’s underhanded using my son that way,” Booth said gruffly.
“It’s just a deep flesh wound. Find the best surgeon in this soddin’ city and you’ll be good as new,” Spike said.
Just then the door burst open and two EMT’s walked in with equipment. “Did someone call for an ambulance?”
“Yeah, over here,” Angel called out.
The EMT’s rushed over and bustled the vampires out of the way. They were more worried about the patient surviving than the danger of three vampires in the room. While the first EMT worked on Seeley the second one checked on the dead man a few feet away.
“This one is deceased,” he told his partner. When he touched the body, something strange passed through him. He felt a little woozy, but the feeling passed quickly. He shook his head and went back to his task.
The first EMT nodded and without looking up from his task, asked, “What happened here?”
“We’re private investigators. We were checking out a lead with him,” Angel gestured to Seeley.
“Who’s he?” the EMT asked.
“Seeley Booth, he’s an agent with the FBI. Anyway --”
“We were checking out a lead when that pillock over there decided to attack us. There was a fight and he ended up dead while Booth here ended up with a deep shoulder wound. He’s delirious and thinks he’s dying, such a drama queen,” Spike filled in.
“What was he shot with?” the EMT asked.
“He wasn’t shot. He was stabbed with that weapon,” Spike replied as he pointed out the weapon.
“And you pulled it out here? He could have died from blood loss,” the EMT said angrily.
Spike turned irritated eyes on his Sire. “I told you we should have taken him to the bloody hospital first!”
“I was more concerned about whether he was in pain or not than protocol,” Angel snapped back.
“He wanted to be turned! I would say that a sign of near death,” Spike retorted.
“He was delirious. He didn’t know what he wanted!” Angel growled.
“Daddy!” Drusilla yelled. “The men in the blue outfits left with Seeley-Daddy.”
In the course of their argument, the EMT’s had packed up Seeley and wheeled him outside as they radioed for a coroner to come and retrieve the dead man on the floor. They went outside to see Booth being loaded into the back of an ambulance and rushed towards it.
“We’re going with him,” Spike insisted.
“There’s only room for one of you,” one of the EMT’s said.
Angel and Spike looked at each other. They glanced at Drusilla and decided she couldn’t be trusted near another human. She’d kill the EMT if he did something with Booth to upset her. Spike dug a quarter out of his pocket. “Heads or tails?”
“Heads,” Angel replied.
Spike flipped the coin in the air and caught it. Opening his hand, it was revealed to be tails.
“Sorry ponce, looks like I’m going with him.” Spike slapped Angel on the shoulder and hopped in the back of the ambulance just as the doors slammed shut.
Angel grabbed Drusilla’s hand and led her back to his car. He opened the driver’s door and she climbed in over the seat to sit in the passenger seat. He climbed in the driver’s seat and followed the ambulance when it drove off with its sirens blaring.
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