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"Amazing," Wesley said softly. He looked from Xander to Xand, and back to Xander. "They look just alike. Well, except for the minute changes that Xander has gone through the last four years, as his body has matured. . ."
Xander shifted uncomfortably. "Wesley, you are making me feel like a biology project."
Wesley had the good graces to look mildly embarrassed. "I. . .I am sorry, Xander. I am still. . .I am fascinated by this, by your doppelganger." He leaned towards Xand hesitantly. "And you are a vampire. . .do you bite?"
Gunn glanced up at Angel. "He's like a stupid kid sticking his hand in the cage of a hungry tiger," the young man chuckled.
Angel crossed his arms. "A very annoyed hungry tiger," he agreed.
Xand playfully snapped his blunt teeth towards Wesley's neck, causing the Rogue Demon Hunter to stepped back quickly. He fell over the coffee table landing on flat on his backside. He blinked, a deep red tint spreading across his cheeks. "Now, that was *not* funny," he said angrily, glaring at Xand.
Willow and Cordelia exploded, having to hold each other up they were laughing so hard. "Oh, goddess," Willow said, wiping her tears away. "I'm so sorry, Wes, that we are laughing, but that was just too. . .I mean, they are people, not experiments! And of course Xand can bite! He has no soul, and no chip."
Both Wesley and Gunn allowed that thought to settle in their brains. They turned to glare at Angel. "You *brought* him here?" Wesley cried, standing up. "Are you *insane*? He will kill us, Angel!"
Gunn shook his head. "I've learned that you usually know what's right. I don't think I've ever really seen you make a mistake. However, this is really *not* a good thing, Angel. He is a vampire. *Vampire*. Spike, I can deal with. Cordelia told me all about the chip thing, no bite, and not to get too close to him cause he's an evil bastard. . ."
Spike turned to Cordelia with a smile. "Thanks, Cordelia."
She glanced up at his amused grin. "Yea," she sighed. "You are welcome."
"*Anyway*," Gunn continued, "I can handle Spike. But this. . ." He waved his hand at Xand. "He's an animal."
"And I'm his Master," Angel said. "He won't do anything that I don't want him to do."
"You can't seriously think. . ." Wesley started.
Angel took a deep unneeded breath, calming the demon down. He was practically ready to rip the bars off his cage at the implied suggestion that he was not a good enough Master to tame Xand. "Wesley," he said, his voice as smooth as he could manage, "I am a Master Vampire. I am *Angelus*. Hell, Wes, I'm half of the Scourge of Europe! And the other half is right there," he motioned to Spike, "and would be glad to help me if his help is needed. You think you know about me, that the Watcher's Journal gave you the lowdown on Angelus? I don't think so. The Journals can't possibly contain even *half* of what I've accomplished in my long bloody history of being a vampire. When they said I was a Devil with an Angel's Face, they *weren't* lying. I could very possibly be one of the closest things to the Devil this world has ever seen. I excelled at making people suffer and bend to my will." Angel didn't realize it, but his demon visage had slid on as he talked. His yellow eyes burned into Wesley's, who was paling moment by moment. "So if you think, Wesley Wyndam-Price, that I cannot tame this whelp of a vampire, this mere child in my eyes, then perhaps you should find somewhere else to live. I'll be glad to give you the extra money if it makes you that uncomfortable."
Wesley swallowed. This was the second time he'd *really* seen the demon, as he knew that it was the demon speaking. The first time, he was scared, but he wasn't frozen in his place. He knew that he had to save Cordelia. However, this time, as he knew that Angel wasn't going to kill them, he was terrified. With horror, he realized that the Watcher's Journals never did
justice on the vampire that Angelus had once been. "No, no, I have faith in you, Angel," he said softly.
"Good," Angel replied, his face smoothing out. "I didn't want you to leave."
Willow pulled away from Spike and went to Angel. She wrapped his arms around him, as if to further show the newer members of the group that she trusted him. He smiled, wrapping his arms around her. He leaned down and said softly in her ear, "You will be so good for my childe."
She giggled, hugging him tighter. "Thanks, Daddy."
Cordelia blinked, feeling the prickling in the back of her neck signaling a new vision. She inhaled deeply, trying to prepare herself. She glanced around, seeing Spike standing about three feet away from her. "Spike," she groaned, stepping towards him. With a shriek, she was hit head on by the vision. Spike instinctively reacted, grabbing the woman when she fell toward him.
Spike looked up at Willow and Angel in horror. "I didn't do it!" he cried. "I swear! I bloody didn't hurt the chit!"
Angel rushed over to them, taking Cordelia from Spike. He went to the couch and sat down between Xand and Xander, cradling her to his chest. She was holding his shirt in a death grip, crying in his neck. Xander frowned, reaching out to stroke her hair.
"It's ok," Willow said softly. "That's a vision. That's how the Powers That Be send Angel messages."
Spike frowned. "Poor chit." He blinked, then glanced at Willow. "Did I say 'poor chit'? I meant, 'oh, goody! When's the next vision going to be here?' "
Willow chuckled and playfully slapped Spike's arm. "Come on, pay attention. We are going to get roped in to helping, I'm sure, so we might as well know what it is we are doing."
Cordelia was sobbing. "Nightmares," she whispered. "Demon, big, purple, icky scales. . .his victims, those he touch. . .they are plagued constantly with their worst nightmares, until they either go insane with madness, or kill themselves." She sobbed. "I saw Willow," she whispered. "He had Willow."
Willow frowned. Spike pulled the witch closer to him, eager to rip the head off of any demon or human that dared threaten her.
*~*~*~*
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