Anita left a note for the boys. Herself and Jason had dragged Asher and Jean-Claude into a nearby cave. Jason had changed back and passed out in a corner.
"We have to hurry" Angel ran round her ankles.
"This party isn't going to start without us. Relax, chew some tree"
"Change me back" Angel ordered. Anita didn't take well to orders. Especially from anything furry or vampire. At the moment, Angel was both.
"Or what?" she taunted, "You'll give me flees?"
"It's not that long until sunset. I need you to change me back" Angel gave her the full on puppy dog pleading eyes. Cosying up to the heavily armed woman.
"I've seen better" Anita stated, packing the backpack. "But you are right" she admitted begrudgingly.
Angel ran round in circles, barking. Happy. He realised what he was doing and stopped. "Could we just forget I did that"?
"No way." Anita smirked "I always need new blackmail material on the vampires I know"
Angel sat and brooded while she checked her weapons.
"Stay there"
"When did you become the boss of me?" Cordelia protested. Spike sighed and dragged her back into the room he had left.
"I'm the one with the strength, plan…"
"Big head?"
"Can't be killed by the demons with the guns?" Spike counted off on his fingers.
"Ok. I'll stay here then." She conceded "But it doesn't make you the boss of me"
"What ever you say there. Try not to get yourself killed. I would just feel awful." Spike said sarcastically. He closed the door behind him before he could see the one finger salute behind him.
The sun was getting low in the sky. Spike had surprised and disposed of three guards before he found Edward. There was a window in the door. Spike popped his head up. No one was looking in that direction. He watched, half amused as "Granny" tried to get information out of Edward jnr. He could see though the glamour but he could feel its effects deep in his old dead bones. Edward had held up so far. Tough, even as a kid, Spike thought. He was about to storm in and do the save the kidnapper bit when he saw Anita planning to do the same thing from the other side of the building.
Outside the night claimed the place of the day, as the sun went down.
"Woof" there was a scratching at the French window behind Cordelia. She grabbed a heavy paperweight from the desk. Walking carefully towards the doors, she held the blunt object high and pushed the handle down.
"Angel?" She whispered. "Is that you?"
"Woof"
Cordelia lowered the weapon and crouched down. "Come here." She cooed.
Asher came out of the shadows and stood with his waist at her head height. He looked down and smiled suggestively. "While you are down there?" She swept her legs round and knocked him to the ground. The fall knocked the wind out of him, but not the smile off his face. "I was going to ask you to tie my shoe." He grinned some more and lay where he was.
"Asher" a voice snapped.
"Ye-ess?" Asher answered sarcastically.
Angel came out from behind a bush. Cordelia mistook him for Jean-Claude to begin with. She smiled and was about to comment on the rather spiffy outfit he was wearing. The frilly shirt had no buttons and was tied with lace at the top. It was royal blue and stood out against the deep black skintight velvet trousers. Angel looked uncomfortable. It wasn't all black. How could he get the brooding done without the black? Cordelia looked him up and down for the twentieth time. "You say anything" he warned "and I'll …"
"You'll what?" Asher asked from the ground "Chew her shoes?"
"Get up" Angel stomped off into the house.
"Don't you need to be invited?" Cordelia said as she ran after him.
"Demon owns the house. Don't need a invite" He called over his shoulder.
"Wait for me" Asher got up and followed.
Just before Anita or Spike could storm the room, the demon gut punched a whimpering Edward and left the room. Anita watched Edward breath heavily as he hung from the chains. The lackey checked the chains and left the room. Edward didn't seem so scary as he whispered how sorry he was to his granny and how he was going to be a good boy.
"Follow the chanting." Asher could hear the voices coming up the dark corridor.