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Disclaimer: I don’t even own myself, much less these characters.

Chapter 1: Attacked

Even though many of their clients were nocturnal, the offices of Wolfram and Hart were quiet at this time of night. Illyria stood frozen in the lobby of the offices on the top floor. She studied the marble floor below her trying to studying all of the molecules that made up the marble below her.

Not far away in his office Wesley slept on the Forgotten Scrolls and other rare texts he had found, trying to gather as much information as he could on the Old Ones. His eyes had been tired and had closed of their own volition pulling him into sleep. However, even this rest forced on his body was not peaceful as images of Fred haunted his dreams.

Illyria was aware the moment Wesley succumbed to sleep. Even though he claimed to understand that there was no more Fred, he just continued to research hoping deep inside there was a way to get her back.

Illyria knew this.

Illyria also knew that if he didn’t stop pushing himself and start resting regularly and ingesting sustenance he was going to make himself sick.

What Illyria couldn’t understand was the emotion that rose up inside of her at the thought of Wesley sick.

Firmly pushing down the emotion the she knew did not belong to her, Illyria noticed something. There was something very primal and powerful within these walls tonight. It seemed very familiar to her, but at the same time it was completely unknown.

And it was moving closer.

Deciding that Wesley should be made aware of this, Illyria turned and headed to his office.

As she had known he was asleep with his head in an old book he had purchased from an auction he attended the day before. It was written several thousand years ago and was supposed to have more information on the Old Ones. Illyria had looked through it and found most of the information incorrect. Almost to the point of amusement.

Amusement. She was familiar with this emotion, but before she was housed in this shell it only occurred when she was involved in torture or warfare.

“Wesley.” She did not speak loudly, but the sound of her voice woke him immediately. He bolted upright and Illyria could see Fred’s name form on his lips, but he swallowed it quickly when he looked up to see Illyria standing in front of him.

Illyria wondered if she appeared to him as Fred just as he was waking up if she could have the opportunity to explore the ‘love’ that ran between the two. She cast that thought aside knowing how much that would anger him.

“Illyria.” Wesley addressed her. His eyes were still bleary from the small amount of rest, and his voice was rough.

“I do not believe your saliva is good for those ancient texts.” She stated.

Wesley looked down to see the text on the page he had fallen asleep on was now smeared in a puddle of drool. Wesley wiped at his face where the smudge was, but only succeeded in spreading the black ink.

“Yes, well, its not like there’s any information in these, anyway.” Wesley muttered.

Illyria cocked her head to the side as she tried to decipher all the meanings his words and tone implied.

How the humans complicated even the most simple things, even communication. Words couldn’t be taken at face value with these beings; one also had to interpret tone, stance, and numerous other factors.

“Illyria, did you come here for a reason?” Wesley asked tiredly, interrupting her thoughts. She would have had him tortured for that at one time. However, his impertinence did not anger her as it should have.

“There is something within this building.” She informed him.

“There is always something within this building, Illyria.”

“No. There is something very powerful and dangerous within these walls. And its here to hunt.”



In the suite above his office Angel slept, Nina curled up next to him, as she had every night since his return from Italy.

Afterwards Angel couldn’t accurately describe what had awakened him. But some instinct had him waking and rolling off the side of the bed just as a wooden stake hit the center of the mattress. As he hit the floor he kicked his legs out behind him before turning, hoping to knock his attacker down. Unfortunately, the attacker was one step ahead of him jumping over his legs and onto the bed. Angel was in vamp face, his golden eyes trying to make out the threat in the darkness, but all he could make out was a black shape with no details.

The movement on the bed woke Nina. She called out for him and Angel could hear her fumbling for the light next to the bed. Then there was a loud smack and a loud crash against the far wall as Nina went flying, then she lay silent.

Angel growled and leapt up at the dark figure, noticing for the first time that the attacker smelled vaguely familiar.

The figure didn’t even let Angel reach him, just batted him back down to the floor easily and jumped on top of him. He wrestled Angel to the floor, pulled another stake out and promptly drove it down towards his chest.

Just before the stake pierced his heart, his attacker toppled off of him as Nina hit him on the back of his head with the lamp.

“Angel, are you…?”

She didn’t even have time to finish her sentence before the attacker was back up and pummeling her. Angel jumped to his feet to pull him off of Nina.

Before he could reach them Nina was crying out in pain and Angel could hear bones within her body breaking and smell the blood she shed as she was beaten down.

Angel pulled the attacker off of her and threw him across the room, putting himself between the two.

Cursing the lack of light preventing him from seeing more clearly, Angel again tried to make out the person or thing standing before him. All he could see was a dark human shape.

As the two faced off, sizing each other up, Angel growled menacingly and was slightly surprised when his attacker growled back.

Suddenly, there was noise as people approached, a lot of them. Angel knew they could both hear the reinforcements coming and allowed himself a small grin. He knew there was no way out for this creature.

Suddenly, moving like a blur, the shadow figure ran straight at the wall of windows and jumped through them; just as the door to his bedroom flew open and the lights came blaring on.
Angel turned and dropped to Nina’s side, instantly.

Wes, Illyria and several of the security team came rushing in.

Tears formed in Angel’s eyes at the sight of his girlfriend beaten, bloody and unconscious on the ground.

“My god.” Wesley breathed. “What happened here, Angel?” Behind him the security team was calling up the firm’s paramedic team.

“We were attacked.” Angel’s voice was tight and angry. He turned his head to glare at the security team. “Does someone want to tell me how we were attacked? How did they get all the way up here and INTO MY BEDROOM?!?”

The security team just looked baffled as the paramedics arrived with a gurney and started seeing to Nina.

“Where did they go?” Wesley asked looking around.

“I believe down.” It was Illyria who answered standing by the broken window. Wesley and Angel moved to the window and looked down hoping to see some sign of the attacker. “Its gone now, its power got fainter until it disappeared.”

“It will be back.” Angel said grimly. “That thing was after me.” The paramedics had Nina on the gurney and were taking her to their medical wing. “Get everyone together, Wes. I want to be ready before that thing attacks again.” He walked over to Nina and took her hand tenderly. “I want to make it pay for this.” He finished coldly.





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