CHAPTER 16
To hear Angel talk about the elevator at Wolfram and Hart, express elevators generally fell rapidly. However, the ride was steady and smooth. Faith stared determinedly at the three people in front of her, sweating skin chilling in the cool air. After an eternity, the car reached its destination and the door slid open. Filing out behind her companions, Faith let her senses roam the black stone corridors. The number of demons was immense, but scattered. One large concentration tingled somewhere to her left.
“Something wrong, Faith?” She snapped back to awareness, meeting Cole’s eyes.
Shrugging, she muttered, “Nah. Just surprised at the difference. The stops at W&H are all white and shit.” Faith forced a grin. “You don’t have any big cats around, right?”
White teeth flashed in the dim lighting. “No. No cats, I am afraid.” Cole walked down the corridor to the right. Faith followed. “Did Dru tell you her vision?”
“She did some mumbling about me and a witch and the Angel Beast. Wasn’t quite sure about the whole thing.” All the corridors looked the same. Faith was already turned around. There would be no finding the elevator again without an escort. “You going to fill me in on the real story?”
The corridor emptied abruptly into a large chamber. Faith sucked in a deep breath. An intricate design marked the stone floor. The room in Phoebe’s vision?
Luckily, her host hadn’t noticed. He strode across the room and Faith hurried in his wake. A raised dais, complete with throne-like chair, covered the back corner of the chamber. Cole draped himself into the chair, left leg thrown over the arm. “Dru’s visions are hard to unravel, but you won’t need to worry about that. Your job is to get close to this witch.” He thrust a photo into Faith’s hand. “Her name is-“
“Phoebe.” Faith flicked a glance at the altered picture. The jagged edges showed it had been torn in half, with Phoebe’s companion missing.
A cold smile touched Cole’s lips. “Just how do you know her?”
Thrusting her hips out slightly, Faith purred, “Met her in some bar a couple of nights ago. She took me back to her place for a little fun. Girl’s got wicked skills.”
All charm disappeared from the handsome face, and Cole’s eyes turned solid black. Power emanated from him as he ground out, “You expect me to believe you?”
Time to start name dropping. Faith knew Phoebe had been the witch in Dru’s vision. She had to have a plausible story to explain that… “You ever met Angelus?” Receiving no reply, Faith shrugged and went on. “He’s got this Seer in LA. She had some dream or something about me coming here and hooking up with this Phoebe.” Meeting the still midnight eyes, she smirked. “You need to see about recruiting Queen C. She’s way easier to understand than Dru.”
The energy surrounding Cole slowly dissipated. “I see.” He steepled his fingers. “This is unexpected news.”
“But, it all works out. I figure you want me to do a bit of spying or something.” Faith jumped up to sit on the altar. “This way, if the girls find out you’re around, I’m in the clear.”
“Perhaps.” Cole lapsed into brooding silence until Faith snorted.
Pulling her legs up and crossing them Indian style, the Slayer mocked, “You and Angel. Man, what’s with the grim and grumpy routine? You want me to make friends with Phoebe or not? And, if I do, should I just play spy or do I take her out of the picture permanently? I’m all done playing.”
Cole didn’t answer immediately. “Spy, for now. You might get the chance to kill later.”
“Now we’re talking,” Faith enthused. She clenched her hands, nails digging painfully into her palms. “I just need one more piece of information, and then we’re good to go.” When her almost-employer met her eyes, she refused to look away. “My fee. I don’t do charity work.”
“Ah, yes. The fee…” Cole flicked his hand and a scroll appeared. “I assume you know what this is?” he asked, waving the object.
“Standard Evil Employment Contract. The Boss uses them.” Sliding off the altar, Faith leaned back against it, arms crossed. “Do only as instructed…blah, blah, blah…Get the job done and get paid…Don’t get it done, lose my soul and burn in Hell. That about right?”
Cole laughed, head thrown back. Finally, he calmed enough to say, “Rough around the edges, but close enough.” He sat forward, sober. “You do this job, you’ll be set for life. Fail me and you will pray to merely burn in Hell.”
Rolling her eyes, Faith fought off a shudder. “So, set for life. Does that mean money only or are we talking houses, jets, and all the amusement I can think of?”
“Name your price.” Cole watched her intently.
Sensing a trap, Faith hesitated. Angel had warned her this might happen. “A million dollars, cash. Nifty recommendation for my next employer.” She tapped her lips, thinking. “And, if I don’t have to kill her, Phoebe.”
Cole’s eyes disappeared again. Black pools of evil glared at her. “Out of the question.”
“You sure?” Faith did flinch this time. Cole was really unhappy about Phoebe. “Whatever. Plenty of other good lays out there. But, if I don’t get to keep the girl, the price goes to two million and the good word.”
“Done.” Cole waved his hand and the scroll unrolled and floated to the surface of the altar.
Not bothering to read the lengthy document, Faith pulled a dagger and jabbed her index finger. Blood welled, dripping onto the signature line, sealing her to the deal. Sticking her finger in her mouth, Faith turned back to Cole.
“Any questions before you go?” The charming smile was back.
Examining her now clean finger, Faith considered that. “Maybe. How close do you want me to get? The occasional fuck and then search the underwear drawer or should I try roses and candlelight?”
“Make it more like friends with benefits for now.” Cole’s voice rumbled through the chamber. “Phoebe needs to get to know someone before she’ll let them into her life.”
“Got it.” Faith bounced in place. The set up wasn’t getting her a chance to run information to the good guys. Maybe, though… “I need a place to train. It’s not something I can do up top without a lot of questions. Pausanias mentioned his soldiers. Think he’d mind if I helped keep his guys in shape?”
She surprised Cole. Staring at her for a moment, he finally uttered, “You don’t really fit the Army’s recruiting standards.”
“Hey, I ain’t volunteering for a uniform and barracks life. Just a chance to work out some aggression while I’m making nice with the witch.”
Cole nodded. “I’ll make the arrangements. Anything else?” An undercurrent of impatience ran through the smooth voice and Faith backed down.
“I’m good.” She raised her arms over her head, stretching. “So, you want me to check in when I’ve got something?”
“Someone will contact you.” He stood up and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “You need to be with Phoebe, not running back here all the time. Now, let’s get you upstairs.” The world wavered and disappeared while Faith screamed silently.
***
Phoebe rocketed downstairs, intent on contacting
“What’s wrong?” Piper trotted in, arms full of sheets.
“I can’t get an Internet connection.” She waved her hands at the computer. “Did Faith leave the actual phone number? For Cleveland or LA?”
A shaking head answered the question. “No, but I bet Leo has it.” The two shared a grim smile. “Is it me, or do you think this is all just a little coincidental?”
“Piper, you think…? The Elders?”
“You don’t?” Lips pressed tightly together, Piper stared at her younger sister. “Leo goes missing, Grams – or someone – gives us a magical hint about Cole, and now you can’t contact Faith’s friends. It all adds up, Pheebes. The Elders always seem to want to make things hard for us.” Bitterness edged the words.
Slumping forward, Phoebe nodded. “So, if we can’t contact
“Good way to work off frustration. Not so good for finding Faith or rescuing Paige.” Piper dropped the sheets onto a wicker chair and joined Phoebe on the loveseat. Wrapping an arm around Phoebe, she peered at the computer. “What we need is another rutabaga.”
Turning her head and frowning, Phoebe mumbled, “You want to marry Leo again?”
“No, sweetie, although after today he may need to make sure I don’t want to un-marry him. Remember the reason for the rutabaga in the first place?” Her smiled widened when Phoebe’s eyes widened. “Exactly.”
Phoebe slid out from underneath Piper’s arm. “You know, maybe the Elders are right.” She looked straight at her sister. “Faith’s a big girl, and they did say she had to pass a lot of tests.” The words slipped out between gritted teeth. “Elise has been pushing for me to come in and go through those letters piling up in my office.”
“Yeah, good idea. We can’t afford for you to get fired.” Piper closed the laptop. “I’ll just work around here. Just in case Cole is back, we’ll need to try a new banishing potion. Obviously, the last three haven’t been very effective.” She bared her teeth at Phoebe in a patently fake smile. “I’m sure Faith will be OK. I’ll let you know if she calls.”
“Right. Thanks.” Phoebe’s voice was husky, and tears glittered in her eyes, but she stood and headed for the entry hall. “Mind if I take your car? Faith has mine.”
Continuing the macabre playacting, Piper shrugged. “Sure. I won’t be needing it,” she commented, sounding like she was using cue cards. She shot an apologetic look at her sister.
“Thanks.” Phoebe grabbed the keys and sprinted from the house. Peeling out of the drive, she pushed the Jeep across town to the “Mirror’s” offices.
Making her way through the warren of desks, Phoebe grabbed her assistant. “I need your help. Now.” Ignoring the young woman’s wide eyes, she pulled her into her office and slammed the door. “OK. We’re going to clear these,” she waved at the monstrous stack of letters cascading off her desk, “today.”
“Are you crazy?” Melody wanted to know.
Smiling cheerlessly, Phoebe sat behind her desk and opened the first letter. “Yes. I think I am.” She scanned the letter. “We can’t use this one. Send the standard ‘we’ve done this already’ response.” The letter floated through the air, landing on the floor next to Melody. “Well, what are you waiting for? Start opening!”
The next several minutes were filled with sounds of ripping paper and terse comments. Finally, stacks of paper littered the floor. “Is it OK for me to put these on my desk?” Melody asked tentatively. She eyed her boss, noticing the tapping fingers.
“Yeah, then hurry back. I’m going to dictate some of my notes to you and then work on next week’s column.” Phoebe flicked on the computer and opened a blank document. Tricking the Elders required a deft hand. Eyes on the letter for her column, Phoebe started typing.
Getting some interference from the Higher Ups. Faith is
undercover. Can you get your gang and Faith’s friends from LA here?
Communication might be tricky. Hope to see you soon.
Phoebe
Melody reentered the office, notebook clutched to her chest. “Where do you want to start?”
“Let’s go through the ones marked as possibles.
Read them to me and we can talk about pros and cons.” Phoebe casually leaned
back in her chair, slowly sliding the mouse to her Internet icon. Pretending to
listen to Melody’s nasal voice reading about a philandering boyfriend, Phoebe
entered
CHAPTER 17
Melody looked up from the letter and stared at Phoebe. “You want to know what I think?”
“Um, yeah,” Phoebe replied in a distracted tone. Although her eyes were on her assistant, her attention remained riveted on her computer screen. Finally, the confirmation box popped up, telling her the email had been sent. “But, hey, if you’re not comfortable with that, why don’t you go ahead and start on the rejection letters.” Phoebe sprang out of her chair and scooped up the piles of letters they had decided to use. She smiled at the still shocked Melody. “Go on. I’ll take care of these. Thanks.”
Once Melody had gone, Phoebe dropped into her chair and resisted the urge to check her mail. She had to keep working or the Elders would know something was up. Shoving thoughts of Faith down deep, she began working her way through the letters, jotting notes and writing pieces of responses. When the stacks were depleted, Phoebe leaned back in her chair, rubbing her neck, and looked at the clock. She’d been working for almost four hours. One more task and she could legitimately call it a day. Phoebe once again resisted checking her email and typed her current column rapidly. Proofing it with an experienced eye, Phoebe smiled. Done. Now…she sent the column off to her editor and stared at her inbox.
Nothing. No new mail. With shaking fingers, Phoebe opened
her sent mail file. Her letter to
Now that she knew the time, Phoebe sagged with exhaustion. It was time to get home, crawl into bed, and try not to worry about Faith. Jingling the keys to the Jeep in her hands, Phoebe left the office and punched the elevator button. While she waited, she fished her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed home.
She counted four rings before a sleepy voice answered.
“Hey, Piper. I finished up here. Any word?” she pleaded for good news.
A stifled yawn drifted over the connection. “Sorry, sweetie. No. She hasn’t called or stopped by.”
Head bowed at the response, Phoebe boarded the elevator and pressed the Lobby button. “Damn. OK. Any other news?”
“Nothing. I tried calling Leo again, but he’s still ignoring me.” Piper’s frustration was clear.
“I’m headed home now.” Phoebe exited the elevator and stalked through the lobby. She nodded to the lone security guard at the massive desk as she left the building. The Jeep sat under the meager glow of a street lamp, and Phoebe hurried to unlock the door.
“Ms. Halliwell,” a light voice spoke from the shadows surrounding the vehicle.
Phoebe jumped, keys clanging to the ground.
“Don’t say anything, and don’t turn around,” the voice
directed. “I have a message for you from
Hands shaking from the surging adrenaline, Phoebe bent over and searched for her keys. “Did you have any trouble getting here? We’re getting interference.”
“A bit.
Casually unlocking the door, Phoebe slowly scanned the area. She didn’t see anyone. “Protection? Why? What do you know?” Her voice echoed down the street. “Hello? Damn it!” Phoebe climbed into the SUV and slammed the door.
She was still angry when she parked in front of the Manor. Storming into the house, she hung Piper’s keys just inside the kitchen door and stomped up the stairs. “Try making a little more noise, why don’t you?” Piper sniped from her bedroom doorway.
“Fine. I will,” Phoebe called back, pounding her feet into the last few stairs. “Damn the Elders, Piper. Damn them!”
A small smile tilted Piper’s lips. “I already tried that. If you think you’ll have better luck…” She held out a hand. “Come on. Let’s go lay down for a bit. Maybe Faith will be back soon.”
Clasping the warm hand, Phoebe let her sister lead her to
the bedroom. Not bothering to undress, she simply kicked off her shoes and
curled up against Piper. Voice a mere whisp of sound,
she murmured, “Got the message to
“Wonderful,” Piper whispered back. “Any idea how many or when they’ll be here.”
Phoebe shook her head. “Conversations with invisible people aren’t the best way to get the details. Angel is supposed to be here tonight, though.”
“We need to get some sleep, sweetie.” Piper used full voice now. “It will make things easier to deal with if you aren’t out on your feet.”
“Right.” Not moving from Piper’s side, Phoebe closed her eyes and drifted off.
***
Faith and Cole reappeared outside the bar. Casually wiping at some dust on her pants, Faith tried to hide her shaking hands. “Give a girl some warning, next time.” She pulled away from her new boss. “We done? I got plans to make.”
“For now.” Cole bared his teeth in a cold smile. “Don’t disappoint me.”
Smirking, Faith lazily ran her eyes over Cole. “Not planning on it, Boss. You want to test the equipment first, make sure I’m talented enough for the witch?”
Cole’s eyes glittered in the dim lighting. “Some other time, perhaps.” He scanned the street. “Shall I get you a ride?”
“Nah. I got a car.” She gestured at the Beetle.
“That’s Phoebe’s.”
Goose bumps broke out at the glacial tone. “Well, I wasn’t bringing the company car down here. I can just imagine what the Jag would look like after ten minutes down here.” Faith grinned cockily, “Got Phoebe to loan it to me. Told her I had a big job interview and didn’t want to take the bus.”
Cole regarded her silently for a moment, while Faith leaned against the car. “It seems you’ve already made an impression on your target.” He strolled toward the bar, tossing over his shoulder, “Remember, Faith, I don’t like to be disappointed.”
Watching him walk away, Faith shivered. “What the fuck am I doing?” she asked herself. Getting behind the wheel, she pulled rapidly away from the curb and headed for the apartment. If Cole had her under surveillance, she didn’t want to blow her own cover. During the drive, Faith reviewed the job. Get close to Phoebe. Already done. Pass on information to the Bad Guys. Cole seemed very familiar with the sisters, Phoebe in particular. She’d have to be very careful to take believable facts. Unfortunately, working for Cole looked to be easier than working for the Elders. The only time she was going to be close to the Army was during her training sessions.
Growling under her breath, Faith parked and ran up the stairs, too wired for the elevator. Now that she was out of the relative safety of the car, she kept her senses fully extended. Only a few blips on the radar; none of them in the building. Entering the apartment, Faith paused just inside the door. She scanned the room, slowly creeping through the darkened rooms. There were no signs of a search, but she wasn’t going to take any chances. After an exhaustive look through the large penthouse, Faith dropped tiredly onto the bed.
Mind still whirring plans and plots, she half-heartedly called out, “Leo? You back yet?” No answer. “Of course not. Wonder what else I have to do?” Faith glanced at the bedside clock. Four thirty. They couldn’t wait too long on the planning, but she wasn’t up to anything else at the moment. Setting the alarm for seven, Faith closed her eyes, thoughts on Phoebe and Cole.
***
Phoebe woke with a start. Banging emanated from downstairs. “Piper, someone’s at the door,” she mumbled, poking her sister.
“Too early for visitors.” Piper rolled over.
The banging got louder, more insistent.
“Of for heaven’s sake,” Piper snarled, throwing off the covers and climbing out of bed. “I’m coming already.” Phoebe reluctantly joined her, and they hurried down the stairs. “Hey, you’re gonna wake the whole neighborhood. Stop with the banging,” Piper yelled at the unseen knocker.
The pounding stopped. “Finally,” Piper grumbled, wrenching open the door. She and Phoebe stared at the dark-haired man on the porch.
“You have to invite me in,” he said urgently.
“Well, not until I know who you are and what you want,” Piper fired back.
The man snarled, his face rippling into horrific ridges. Angry yellow eyes glared at them.
“Whoa!” Piper stepped back and Phoebe slammed the door. “Was that a vampire outside our door?”
“Just like the ones in my vision,” Phoebe answered. The banging started up again. “We can’t just let him do that. Someone will call the police, and I don’t want to have to explain it to Daryl.”
“Oh, all right.” Heaving a sigh, Piper opened the door again. “Look, I don’t know what you want, but I’m not letting you in here.” She narrowed her eyes. “Did you know you were smoking?”
“I’m going to be on fire if you don’t let me in,” the vampire snarled. “I’m Faith’s boss, Angel. You have to invite me in. Now!”
Still hesitant, Piper noted the smoke increase as the first rays of sunlight lit the porch. “Oh, come in. But if you try anything, I’m gonna blow you up.”
Angel dashed across the threshold. “Thanks. It was getting a little warm out there.” He flapped his leather duster, putting out the few flames still sluggishly burning. “Sorry about the dramatic entrance. We’ve had some trouble contacting you through normal channels.”
Phoebe waited until he looked up. “I’m going to ignore the fact you’re a vampire for the moment, but, just so you know, we’ll be coming back to that later. I think the communication problems are the Elders.”
“The Elders?” Angel parroted.
Piper walked between the two poised in the hallway. “Hey, you two, less with the mistrust and more with the quiet talking. I’m fixing breakfast. Let’s take this to the kitchen.” She swung open the door with her two shadows at her heels. “Angel, can I get you anything?”
“No, thank you.” He smiled slightly, perching on a stool at the island. “You were going to tell me about the Elders, um…?” the words trailed off as he tilted his head at Phoebe.
“Phoebe,” she said helpfully. “I’m Phoebe and this is my sister Piper. Faith called them something else. The Powers?”
Angel nodded. “The Powers That Be.” He frowned. “They don’t usually involve themselves in human affairs.”
“Well, here they do,” Piper jumped in. “The bigger question is, if they are going to keep your people from helping, how do we get our sister back, keep Faith safe, and beat an army?”
CHAPTER 18
“I’ll answer almost any question you have,” Angel said with a wry smile, “as long as you cover the windows first.” He eyed the profusion of glass in the airy kitchen, noticing the sunlight creeping into the room.
Phoebe cocked her head, but didn’t say anything as she began pulling the curtains closed.
The amount of sunlight dimmed, but it wasn’t going to be enough. Angel carefully maneuvered until he was in the far corner, pressed against a closed door. “Thanks.”
“Do you like standing there, or did you want to visit the basement?” Piper cracked eggs against a large bowl.
“You have a lovely kitchen.” Angel avoided a direct answer. “Very bright and cheerful.”
Carefully measuring flour, the older Halliwell raised an eyebrow. “Yes, it is. You wanna tell us what’s with you and the windows? Because I’m not happy with the lack of information you’re giving so far.”
Releasing an unneeded breath, Angel nodded. “Sunlight and vampires are a bad combination.” He pressed him lips together. “Unless, of course, you want the vampires to go away – permanently.”
Phoebe sat at the kitchen table, fingers tapping at the surface. “Was that why you were on fire on the porch?”
“Yes.” Pale lips lifted in another smile. “Too much longer, and I would have been a pile of ash.”
“Why cut it so close, then?” Phoebe focused more intently on the conversation. “It’s not a long drive from LA. You could have been here hours ago.”
“That was the plan.” Impatience hummed in the words. “Every time we tried to leave, though, Cordy had a vision or the car broke down.”
Beginning to beat the mixture in the bowl with a wire whisk, Piper responded smartly. “Ah, the Elders. Don’t you just love them?”
“No.” Phoebe’s voice was verging on hostile.
“Calm down, sweetie. Angel did manage to get here.” Pouring the now-smooth ingredients into muffin pans, Piper continued, “Although, that begs the questions of how and why you?” Seeing two confused looks, she tried again. “How were you able to get out of LA when the rest of your team wasn’t? And why you? If the Elders are really behind the communication and transportation lockdown, why were you able to get here?”
“I don’t know.” Angel frowned, hands deep in the pockets of his coat. “You two seem really used to the interference, though. I take it this has happened before?”
Both witches laughed. “Oh, you could say that.” Phoebe stood and started pacing in front of the island. Arms wrapped across her middle, she tried to burn off some of the nervous energy coursing through her. She flicked a glance at the clock on the wall. Eight fifteen. Where was Faith and why hadn’t she called?
***
Faith growled and slammed a hand on the beeping alarm clock. Despite her exhaustion, sleep hadn’t been easy as Faith had run through nightmares chased by life-sized versions of Miss Edith. “Gonna have to get rid of that damned doll,” she muttered, trudging into the bathroom and turning the taps.
The water was blissfully hot, and Faith let it soothe away the lingering tension from the meeting and the freakish dreams. By the time she stepped into clean clothes, her focus had returned. It was time to get the ball rolling. Phone in hand, she paced back and forth in front of the living room windows. Despite an overwhelming need to call Phoebe and reassure the witch she was fine, Faith had to assume she was being watched and monitored at all times. She couldn’t play both sides of the fence without a lot of thought.
She dialed quickly and then bounced in place until a familiar voice answered. “Wolfram and Hart, how may I direct your call.”
“Hey, Harm. It’s Faith. Is Fang or Wes around?”
She could almost see the airheaded blonde gazing blankly at her computer screen. “Angel left last night on some business trip. You know, he wouldn’t even tell me where he was going?” Petulance crept into the words. “It was like he didn’t trust me, can you believe it?”
“Harm!” Faith barked. Normally, the babble didn’t bother her. But today…”Look. I’m sorry if Angel’s going all broody and stuff, but I got some things going on here. Is Wes in yet?”
Faith ground her teeth at the sudden silence.
“Well, I think he may have come in a few minutes ago,” Harmony hedged.
“Is…he…in?” The phone creaked under the pressure as Faith clenched her hand.
A huffy sigh sounded. “Yes, he’s in.”
Another silence. Faith wondered if this was one of the Elders’ little tests because Harmony was so close to waking the Dark Slayer.
Finally, the usually chirpy receptionist queried, “Would you like me to transfer you to his office?”
“Yes.” It came out a little louder than absolutely necessary, and Faith took a calming breath. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Harmony was all smiles again.
Muzak droned in her ear for several seconds. “Wesley Wynd-“
“Wes,” Faith interrupted the smooth voice.
“Good morning.” She could almost see the polite half-smile on his face. How are-“
Faith interrupted again, needing to make sure neither of them gave anything away to potential listeners. “Whatever. I ain’t got time for chatting. Just wanted to let you know I picked up a job in San Fran. Can you make sure Angel doesn’t try to hook me up with anything for a while?”
“Well, I…um, of course.” He cleared his throat, confused, but following her lead. “Will you be in the Bay Area long? I believe we have several clients who could use your particular talents whenever you’re available.”
“Don’t know. This looks like it might be kinda long-term.” Faith hesitated, thinking rapidly. “I just signed the contract last night, but I can ask my new boss the next time I see him.”
“Wonderful.” A strained silence fell for a moment. “If you don’t mind my asking, Faith, what type of work will you be doing?”
Faith bit back a smile. Good question, Wes. Letting a little hesitation enter her voice, she offered, “Don’t think I should be telling you about it. Let’s just say I’m doing something a little different.” She took a deep breath, praying Wes would understand. “I’m not sure how much free time I’m going to have, but if you need something while I’m here, give me a call, OK?”
“Of course.” Wesley sounded distracted. An act or was he not paying attention? “It’s really too bad you’ll be on the job all the time.” Faith grinned, relaxing. “Angel always liked to visit the Bay Area, you know. Oh, well, perhaps another time. I’ll let Angel know you called. Is there anything else I can do for you, Faith?”
“No, thanks. I’m good.” Faith dropped onto the couch, head back and eyes closed as they ended the call. Still clutching the phone, she contemplated her next move. If she’d understood correctly, Angel was in town. Maybe Piper had taken her advice and called for backup.
She needed to get the information from last night to the sisters. Cursing her personal inexperience with dating, Faith surged off the couch and resumed pacing. It was too early for a call, wasn’t it? She still had the car; maybe a lunch date so she could return it? Faith nodded to herself. That would work, but she still needed a way to ask Phoebe out and give her all the information…
Faith smiled slowly. Flowers. She’d send flowers and a very personal, hand written card. Trotting through the apartment, Faith entered the fully stocked office. She had no use for the computer and other electronic equipment, but rifling through the drawers cadged her a notepad and pencil. Sitting in the large office chair, feet resting on the desk, Faith scribbled the information she remembered from last night.
Moonbeam-
Think I’m being watched so don’t expect a lot of quality
time. Met the big players at the bar. Head guy is Cole Turner. Wants me to
seduce you and pass info to him. Maybe get fatally rough later. He’s got an
army of vamps. Met one of them – Pausanias. Don’t think he’s in charge, though.
They’ve got a psychic on the payroll. Weird vamp chick with a doll. Dru and Miss Edith. I didn’t understand a lot of what she
said, but here goes. There was something
about her daddy and his dark mistress, bloody Slayers watching. Check with
Angel. Vamps sometime call their Sire Daddy. Maybe he’ll know who Turned Dru. Pretty sure the bloody Slayer is me. Dru also said her Daddy would be pleased about a pet
ignoring a warning from an Angel Beast, and that you were a gift.
Faith
***
“Let’s just say the Elders take a very big interest in what we do. It’s frustrating,” Piper deadpanned, “but we cope.”
Angel frowned, “Coping is one thing, but we might be on the verge of an all-out war with this army. Their interference puts us at a disadvantage.”
“Faith is our ace in the hole,” Phoebe said. She stopped
pacing and leaned against the counter, staring at the phone, willing it to
ring. “Maybe she’ll get enough information so we don’t have to take on an army
all by ourselves. Besides, I think
“Really? How many?” Angel asked intently.
Still mostly focused on the silent phone, Phoebe murmured.
“I don’t know. Someone showed up when I left work early this morning. All they
said was that they were from
“That’s not much. I guess we just sit tight until we hear from Faith, or-“ Angel broke off as the kitchen started to shake. “Earthquake?”
It seemed like a logical explanation until a roar sounded outside the kitchen door. Pushing away from the counter, Phoebe ran for the living room. Wind whipped through the room, forming a funnel cloud right in front of the French doors. An indistinct shape formed in the center of the disturbance. “Piper! We’ve got visitors!” she shouted. Taking a defensive stance, Phoebe waited.
A loud crack shattered the air, and the wind stopped. The shape solidified and turned around.
CHAPTER 19
“Phoebe, right?” The slender redhead grinned and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you in person. Where’s Faith?”
Slowly straightening from her crouch, Phoebe clasped the outstretched hand. “She’s not back from her meeting yet.” She hesitated. “I thought there’d be more of you. A lot more.”
“Whoa! Time out.” Piper stood behind Phoebe, hands raised and ready to freeze. “What’s with the big wind and breaking of cups?”
“Sorry about that.”
Dropping her hands, Piper grunted. “Whatever. Next time, try the front door.” She turned around and headed back for the kitchen. “Muffins are ready if you want some, and Angel’s in here, too,” she called over her shoulder.
“Don’t worry. Piper’s wound kind of tightly.” Phoebe smiled, and waved a hand toward the kitchen. “Now that you’re here, maybe we –“ A knock at the door interrupted. “Hold that thought,” Phoebe instructed, raising her index finger. Trotting through the debris-strewn entry hall, she opened the door.
An overalled delivery man holding a long, narrow box waited. “Phoebe Halliwell?” At her surprised nod, he thrust a clipboard at her. “Sign here.”
Phoebe scribbled a signature on the form and gingerly took
the box from the brusque man. “Who would be sending me flowers?” She looked at
a mystified
The invitation was unnecessary. A high-pitched “Angel!”
shattered the air.
“Hey, Will, been a long time.” Angel smiled down at the redhead.
Piper rattled the muffin tray onto the wooden surface. “He explained, but he wasn’t being very forthcoming with answers. Let me get breakfast out, and I’ll find something heavier to cover the windows.” Hands ensconced in mitts, she dumped the muffins out before arranging them in a basket. “Are you going to finish opening those, Pheebes?”
“Oh, yeah.” Hastily going back to the box, Phoebe pulled it open. “Wow!” A dozen long-stemmed red roses nestled in the tissue paper. She lifted one out, showing it to the others. “Do you think they got the name right? Why would anybody send me something like this?”
“Phoebe,” Piper’s voice was impatient, “read the card.”
Ignoring
Phoebe
You were amazing the other night. Want to discuss a
repeat at lunch? 11:00 at Home?
I’ll be waiting
Faith
“What’s wrong?” Noticing her sister’s frown, Piper hurried over to the table. “Phoebe?” She plucked the card out of the younger woman’s hand and turned back to the island.
“Put it down.”
Eyes wide, Piper tossed the note onto the floor and stepped back.
Hands held out from her body, fingers pointing at the paper,
“Trouble?” Angel leaned as far out of the corner as he dared.
“Maybe.”
The room grew quiet.
“What does it say?” Piper grabbed the muffins and silverware for the table.
Watching Angel,
Piper and Phoebe clustered behind
“Yeah.” Angel rubbed a hand over his face while
“OK,” Piper said briskly. “I don’t know how you work normally, but here, we share information. It keeps us alive and the demons dead.” She plunked the cutlery onto the table. “Breakfast is served.”
Sliding off the bar stool,
“Stop, Will.” Angel’s deep voice interrupted. “You don’t have to whitewash this. There’s a really long and very unpleasant back story to all of this, ladies. If we make it out of this one alive, I’ll tell you all of it, if you want.” He stood erect, hands in the pockets of his duster. “Faith’s note says Dru’s vision included her Daddy and his Dark Mistress.” He sucked in an unneeded breath. “I’m her Daddy, her Sire.”
***
Faith leaned back in her chair, senses on high. Something tingled through her. Not a demon or a vamp. Another Slayer. Frowning, she sifted through the new Slayers she’d met over the last couple of years, but didn’t recognize this one. Her eyes scanned the area restlessly. No one looked out of place, and she couldn’t pinpoint the signature.
“Hey!” Phoebe stood on the other side of the patio dining area, waving enthusiastically.
Even with nothing on her Slayer radar, Faith made sure to play it safe. She kept her smile contained. Happy, just not showing the sudden joy working to put her dimples on display. “Glad you could make it, Phoebe,” she greeted when the witch got to the table. Playing the gentleman, she hopped up and pulled out Phoebe’s chair.
“After the other night, how could I turn you down?” Phoebe sat down, tipping her head back and smiling up at Faith.
Getting into the flow of the game, Faith smirked. “Coulda been too much for you.” She returned to her seat, staring hungrily at the other woman. The Slayer growled deep inside, demanding to be let out. Her eyes closed as heat flooded through her. When her lids drifted up again, Faith knew her eyes were orange. Energy pulsed through her, and a voice inside screamed Mine every time she looked at Phoebe.
A provocative smile appeared on the witch’s lips. “Never too much, Faith.” Phoebe stroked the back of Faith’s hand, never looking away. “In fact, I may prove to be your match, sweetie.”
The hand being stroked tightened into a fist. Sweat beaded Faith’s face and slicked her skin under her muscle shirt. “Fuck, Phoebe.” Her voice was a husky whisper. “Not here. Not now,” Faith mumbled. She fought the Slayer back. There were too many eyes, too many chances to slip up.
Phoebe sat back, nodding. “I got your flowers. And the card.”
“Good. I’m not much with words, you know.” Faith, too, leaned back in her chair. “I hope you understood what I was trying to say.”
A wink answered her careful probe. “Loud and clear.” A small hand reached up, playing with her earring. “In fact, I wanted to talk to you about that. Negotiate, set some ground rules.”
The waiter interrupted before Faith managed to say anything
to that. Once they had placed their order and were alone again, Phoebe leaned
in closer, whispering something that sounded like Latin. “
“Thank God.” Faith slumped in her chair. “You know how fucking hard it is to talk in code?”
Phoebe laughed. “I bet. You ready to get down to business? I mean, the flirting is fun. If you want, I’d be happy to continue.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
The Slayer flared again. “Damn.” Faith gritted her teeth, fighting for control of her own mind and body. “Gonna need to stop with the teasing, Moonbeam, unless you want me to toss you on the table and take you right here and now.”
Eyes wide, Phoebe shook her head. “I can do without the public part of that scenario.”
“Right. So, what did you find out about that shit Dru was babbling?” Faith took a gulp of her water and pulled at her jeans, trying to cut down on the way they rubbed against her swollen clit.
“Piper and I didn’t find anything.
Smiling wryly, Faith commented, “It rarely is, Moonbeam. What’s the sitch?”
Phoebe linked their fingers before continuing. “Angel and Dru have history. He’s her Sire.”
“Fuck.” Faith shot forward in her chair. “You’re shittin’ me, right?” At Phoebe’s headshake, the Slayer rubbed her hands over her face. “Not good. Not good at all. Dru’s vision had her Sire at the main event.” Fear twisted her stomach. Please, don’t let Angelus come back, Faith begged silently. “What else?”
“The rest we’re working on. Angel doesn’t have a clue about the Dark Mistress you mentioned; although, he’s pretty sure he’s also the Angel Beast, too.”
Faith dropped her hands back to the table. “So Fang and I have starring roles. Red’s working on the rest?”
“Yep. She and Piper are poring over the Book of Shadows and
some magical texts
So it had been a Slayer she’d felt earlier. One squad wasn’t much, but it helped, a little. “Better than nothing.” Faith stared blankly over Phoebe’s shoulder. “What about the rest? Pausanias and Cole?”
“About that…” Faith brought her attention back to Phoebe. The witch was playing with her lunch and avoiding eye contact.
“What about it, Moonbeam?” She shifted uneasily, sensing something was very wrong.
Phoebe still didn’t look up. “Cole and I…we know each other.”
The tension continued to rise. Faith waited for more. When Phoebe didn’t say anything else, she prodded, “I figured that might be the case. He got really freaky whenever I mentioned you and me together Did you and your sisters go up against him before?”
“Yes.” Phoebe took a deep breath. “We’ve tried to vanquish him several times.”
“This time we’ll get the job done, Moonbeam.” Faith grinned, dimples flashing. “He ain’t faced a Slayer before.” The smile faded. Phoebe still looked like she had something to say. “What else you got for me?”
“Remember when I said I was married to the Source?” Faith nodded slowly, and Phoebe went on. “Well, Cole is the Source - and my ex-husband.”
CHAPTER 20
“You wanna run that by me again?” Faith’s voice was sharp. She leaned forward, staring at Phoebe.
Dropping her eyes, Phoebe cleared her throat. “Cole was my husband. He is – or, he was – the Source of All Evil.”
Faith laughed; although, the sound was devoid of humor. “You got any idea how close I probably came to dying because I didn’t know who he was?” She wiped suddenly damp hands on her jeans. “Fuck me.” A slow, deep breath helped with the sudden nausea. “I kept pushing, ya know? About you and me together and how good you were in bed.”
Phoebe’s eyes widened. “Ooh, boy.”
Forcing herself to relax a little, Faith sat back. “Guess I’ll be more careful next time.”
“You’re planning on seeing Cole again?” Phoebe sounded worried.
“Got to, Moonbeam. I work for the man now.” She grabbed Phoebe’s hand, linking their fingers. Faith glanced at the other woman, struggling with conflicting needs. She’d never cared about getting hurt or even killed. Now… “I promise I won’t take any big chances.” She grimaced. Damn, that really wasn’t her style. “Um, well –“ Faith ground to a halt.
A warm hand covered hers. “That’s good to know.” Phoebe pulled their hands away from the table, lightly kissing Faith’s knuckles. “I expect you to be in one piece when this is all over. The Elders owe us at least one,” she nipped a knuckle, “long,” another nip, “weekend away.”
A low rumble tore from Faith’s throat. “Damn it, Phoebe,” she rasped. “It’s too soon. I’m supposed to be trying to date you. Think our first lunch is a bit soon for a nooner.”
“Hey, I’m just sitting here having a little lunch.” Phoebe smirked at the desire dark eyes across the table.
Shivering at the feel of skin sliding against skin, Faith drew her hand back. “I can’t believe I’m saying this,” she mumbled. “We need to focus, Moonbeam. After we finish here, I’m going to take a little trip underground. Do a little sparring and see if there’s info to be had.”
“What about the information you’re supposed to be passing on to Cole?” Phoebe accepted the change of subject with no protest. “I mean, he already knows all about us – the Charmed Ones. He’s got Paige. What is he looking for?”
“I don’t know.” Faith frowned. “Maybe he just wants someone on the inside.” Her leg bounced nervously. “He did say I might have to get a little rough later on.”
Phoebe snorted. “Yeah. He’s sent demons after us in droves. They’ve all ended up dead. You must be his new secret weapon.” She threw her napkin onto her plate. “This is like a bad repeat of history.”
“What do you mean?” Faith asked, confused.
“It’s how Cole and I met. The Triad sent him to kill us.” Phoebe hunched her shoulders. “He pretended to be a District Attorney, and we started to date.”
Faith watched Phoebe fold in on herself. This wasn’t the confident woman she’d met in the bar. Leaning back in her seat and smirking, Faith offered her own brand of comfort. “You’ve got good taste in the looks department, Moonbeam. Cole’s hot. You might want to work on doing a better job picking smart dates, though.”
Straightening her shoulders and looking mildly insulted, Phoebe asked, “What do you mean?”
“Well, Cole may be the Source and all, but he lacks something in creativity. It’s like he’s only got one plan. Maybe he thinks you’ll be more trusting with me since I’m a woman.” Faith shrugged. “We need information. I don’t like not knowing all the players in the final game, and I hate like hell being in the dark about why I’m supposed to get close to you.” She frowned, restlessly moving the food around on her plate.
“Piper and I’ll keep working on the research.” Phoebe reached out, touching the back of Faith’s hand. “Are you sure we can’t go somewhere together? It doesn’t have to be a bedroom, you know,” she said, trying to lighten Faith’s mood.
A grin twitched Faith’s lips. “You make a good point, Moonbeam.” She linked her fingers with Phoebe’s again. “Unfortunately,” she continued softly, “us painting the town doesn’t help with the info gathering.” Staring at their joined hands, Faith blinked back sudden tears. Her throat felt tight, and her stomach twisted. “Hey, I don’t wanna…the thing is…” Damn it. Why does this have to be so hard?
“What is it, Faith?” Phoebe scooted her chair around the table until they sat pressed together. “Sweetie?”
Meeting Phoebe’s eyes, Faith forced the words out. “Phoebe, we both know this probably isn’t going to end good.” She shook her head to stop the words the witch started to say. “Be honest, Moonbeam. That vision you had showed me hurt. We don’t know if that’s wounded or dying. I don’t know how much time we’re gonna have before that all happens. When we’re doing the dating bit, after we pass along the information we got, do you think maybe we can just be us? Not Slayer and Witch. Not some kind of tools for the PTB.”
“Oh, Faith.” Phoebe’s voice broke. She held their hands against her cheek. “Of course.” She made an impatient sound and sat up. The waiter walked over.
“Can I get you ladies anything?” He smiled, eyes dropping to peer at the cleavage Phoebe was showing.
It was too much for Faith. Emotions teetering between bittersweet regret at the short time she’d have with Phoebe and a need to mark her territory for this interloper, Faith sprang from her chair. “You might want to keep those eyes somewhere else, pal.”
Before the wide-eyed waiter could respond, Phoebe jumped in. “Leave the check and go.” She glared at him until he threw the requested item on the table and hurried away. “Faith,” she murmured, “sit down. We can’t afford for you to end up in jail for assault.”
The words froze Faith. Fuck. She was already failing, letting her anger rule her actions. “I need to get out of here.” She spun and stared at Phoebe. “I’ll call you tonight, set up another date. Work with Fang and Red so I can take information back to Cole the next time.” Faith tossed Phoebe’s keys onto the table. “The car’s around the corner. See you later, Moonbeam.” She brushed Phoebe’s cheek with trembling lips before almost sprinting from the restaurant.
***
Faith didn’t even wait for the cab to pull away from the curb before stalking toward the demon bar. Shoving her way through the crowd, she headed to the bar. “Where’s Pausanias?” she demanded.
The bartender gave her a long look. “What? Is this your new home now? Go find someplace with humans in it if you want a drink.” He never saw Faith move, but suddenly, he was across the bar and dangling in the air.
“Answer the fucking question. Where’s Pausanias?” Faith growled.
“He ain’t here,” the demon choked out.
Faith threw him across the bar and into the rows of glasses lining the wall. Glass rained down. “Get him here, and get me a drink. Jack and coke.”
Her actions earned her a glare but no comment. Brushing off the shards of glass, the dark-skinned demon grabbed a glass and poured Faith’s drink. “We’ve got rules in here. Even for you. The next time you decide to get pushy, you’re outta here.”
“Whatever.” Faith took the drink and tossed it back. “Get me another.” She scanned the room, not recognizing any of the demons. “And what’s the word on Pausanias?”
“The word is, he’s not coming.” Cole materialized at her elbow. “I thought I told you we’d contact you.” The smooth voice held a clear warning.
Faith merely shrugged, ignoring the way her body erupted in chills at the tone. “You did. You also said you’d arrange some training for me, and I ain’t got any messages today.” She turned, making sure to maintain eye contact with Phoebe’s ex. “I need to work off some energy, Boss. I played First Date with the witch this afternoon. Since I didn’t think you wanted me to hop in the sack with her again so soon, I’ve got a lot of energy to burn.” She waited for a response, knowing she was pushing Cole hard.
“A date already?” His eyebrows shot up. “Moving a little fast, aren’t you?” He held out a hand, and Faith’s hesitantly took it. The skin was warm. For some reason, Faith was surprised by that.
“I needed to give back the car.” Faith followed her escort toward the back of the bar. “Didn’t seem right not to take her to lunch as thanks. Besides, if I’m gonna be playing the love interest, taking her out was a good first step.”
Cole didn’t answer. He pulled Faith through the crowd and passed the table where she’d met Dru and Pausanias. The elevator doors were already visible, and they slid open when Cole approached.
The ride down was silent as well. Faith’s stomach churned. Had she pushed too hard? Despite the hot and humid air around her, she shivered. “Got a question for you.”
“Only one?” Cole sounded amused.
“For the moment, yeah. You said you wanted me to get close to the Charmed Ones, do a little spying.” Keeping her voice casual, Faith asked, “What exactly am I looking for? Some kinda spell? Where they go?”
Cole straightened his jacket, tugging the sleeves of his shirt free of the cuffs, before answering. “For the moment, just keep me apprised of their whereabouts and any plans they make.”
“Awful lot of cash for a schedule, Boss.” Faith scuttled out of the elevator ahead of Cole. She could feel his glare. The skin on her back burned even through her shirt.
“What I pay for your services is my concern.” He laid a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. “Unless, of course, you think you can’t uphold your end of the deal.”
Faith pulled away. “Watch the groping, Boss. You’re paying me to spy. You want to add some fringe benefits for yourself to the deal, we need to talk compensation. I don’t play for free.”
The smile that greeted her words was cold. “I’m afraid I’m immune to your charms.” He raked his eyes over Faith.
“Too bad.” Faith smirked, returning the visual once-over. “Like the way you look, Boss.” Her heart pounded, making it hard to maintain her cool appearance. “Where’s the training facility. This chat isn’t doing much to relieve my tension.”
“This way.” Cole led her through the twisting stone corridors until they reached a large arena.
Faith leaned against the stone entryway while Cole continued over the sandy floor to Pausanias. Her eyes swept the room. Armored vamps sparred or swung weighted practice blades at wooden pells. She took a quick head count. Over a hundred vampires. They looked pretty bad, though. Clumsy blade work and a lot of hesitancy against their undead opponents. Fuck. Are these just the recruits?
Her thoughts were interrupted when Cole and Pausanias joined her. “Looks like you got some work ahead of you,” she commented.
The vampire smiled, fangs protruding. “They lack experience. Would you care to provide them with a demonstration of your skills?”
“Sure. You might want to send for a few of your better fighters, though. Otherwise, you’ll have to open the recruiting center again.” Faith grinned, adrenaline flowing. This was more her style. No intrigue, just plain, old-fashioned ass kicking. She ambled across the arena, ignoring the looks she received from the soldiers, and started stretching. Behind her, Pausanias barked a few orders, and the floor cleared.
“Recruits, I’d like to introduce Faith the Vampire Slayer.” Faith bowed mockingly at the boos and hisses her title garnered. “She’s doing some work for our employer, and stopped by to help with your training. She was very unimpressed with your work. Are there any volunteers who would like to demonstrate just how much better you can do with some motivation?”
Dozens of arms and weapons shot into the air. “Now, boys, don’t all of you speak at once. Pausanias might get mad at me if I kill too many of you today.” Faith glanced around, looking for a stray weapon. There were none. Shrugging, she paced over to a tall, thin recruit. Not bothering to ask to borrow his spatha, Faith knocked him to the ground with a brutal right, pulling the sword from his limp hand.