Chapter Thirty One

Angel sighed and turned her attention to Scott as Dave and Sean took turns yelling at her. She'd barely gotten her story out before they had started in telling her what kind of a risk she had put herself in. They had no way of stopping this demon from finding her at any time now. "Tell me what you are thinking," she said softly and Scott turned his eyes toward her. "Before or after I considered calling the state mental hospital?" Angel chuckled softly and leaning up kissed his cheek. "After, if you hadn't at least considered that we were all crazy I would worry about you. I know this is a little much for your… mortal brain."

Scott arched an eyebrow and Angel's lips twitched again. "I am wondering what is going to happen to me," Scott confessed and Angel lifted his hand to her lips kissing it. "I won't let anyone hurt you I swear. Sean will protect you as much as he will me." Scott frowned and opened his mouth then shut it. "I didn't mean that… although somehow I did momentarily feel offended until I considered the fact that there are monsters after me. Then I felt the urge to put on my jimmies with the footies on them then call my mother and tell her she lied." Angel smiled kissing his hand again and rested her head against his shoulder. "Then what did you mean?"

Scott sighed and turned his eyes from the pair of screaming men to the love of his life. "You obviously are not mortal. I don't know anything about this… world of yours. How long before I lose you?" Angel sat up and turned around putting her hands on the side of Scott's face. "It won't happen. I swear. You may just have to… share me… with Sean." Scott blinked and turned his head to look at the younger/older man then back to Angel. "Sean… share… I…" Angel sighed and shrugged. "It's hard to explain baby. Basically, he is more than my protector. He was… destined to be my soul mate. I can't deny him. He's already in pain because he thinks I will never love him. If I turn my back on him, then he'll spend eternity alone. I can't do that to him. I love him. Not the same as you, or more than you, but… just differently. I need him just like I need you." Scott sat silently for a long time before finally nodding. "Alright."

Thankful that one thing at least was worked out Angel turned her attention back to the bickering men then leaned towards Shannon. "Are they still yelling at me or are they fighting with each other?" Shannon leaned towards Angel watching the men. "Ain't sure. I think Sean's yellin at Dave, but I ain't sure who Dave's yellin' at."

Randy came over from his spot in the chair Angel had been sitting in earlier and perched on the arm of the couch. "Dave's yellin' at Sean about him and Angel at the same time." Shannon whistles. "How'd you figure that out!?" Randy smiles and shrugs. "I've known him for awhile."

Angel eyed Randy suspiciously. "How long?" Randy frowned and thought for a moment. "Like… five years maybe? I ain't ona you people if that's what you mean." Angel smiles and nods. "I didn't think so. You don't feel like them." Sean and Dave turned their eyes to Angel. "You are NOT SUPPOSED TO BE USING YOUR POWERS!" Sean shouted and Angel slowly turned her eyes towards him and arched an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Sean stomped over to Angel his face red. "DO YOU HAVE ANY FUCKING CLUE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?" Angel bit her lip looking up at Sean suddenly worrying about her choice. Bowing her head Angel worried about the decision that had seemed to seem to right earlier and couldn't help but start crying. Sean opened his mouth to yell again, but suddenly the room was filled with a cold chill. "Do you always treat your charge this way?"

The room suddenly stilled and everyone turned to see Ty enter appearing calm, but with blazing eyes. Sean opened his mouth to argue, but Dave stopped him watching his friend. Angel lifted her eyes unsure as the bald man came into the room and walked towards her placing himself between her and Sean and Dave. "Who the fuck…" Sean said angrily, but when Ty's eyes darkened Dave stopped him putting a hand over his mouth. "Dude I think you should shut the fuck up."

Ty glared angrily at Sean. "So, after all the years of your training and waiting, after all the time spent hoping, she finally finds her powers and you choose to begin your true duties by yelling at her, humiliating her, and questioning HER judgment? And you wonder why she turned to the mortal to love." Dave looked at his friend and sighed. "He's just worried."

Ty turned cold eyes on his friend. "What does he think she is? This morning she thought she was mortal. Now her entire life has been turned upside down and the man that is supposed to be protecting her and advising her is calling her stupid and treating her as if she has no brain in her head. Did it occur to you at any point that maybe there is a reason for what she did?"

Dave stepped forward putting himself slightly in front of Sean. "Who are you?" Ty lifted his chin. "I am an advisor to the… elders. It is my job to make sure he is doing his. She has been allowed to keep the human because we had our doubts that he could treat her as she deserved and apparently we were right. You will be replaced tonight and she will get a new protector."

Angel sat stunned watching as Sean paled shaking his head. She felt as if someone punched her in the stomach. Silently she wished that she could talk to the demon. "Of course you can talk to me," she heard in her head and smiled. "Can I stop this?" The demon sighed rolling a fireball around on his fingers. "They are incompetent. It is a good thing I really don't want to kill you." Angel chuckled softly. "I won't say I told you so." The demon chuckled softly. "I appreciate that. You can do anything you like, baby girl. That man is just there to make sure the boys do their job, but basically he works for you. Once you know everything you need to he can leave." Angel nodded slowly then seeing Glen walk in grunted. "You realize I am gonna punish you for what you did to poor Gleny." The demon smiled and nodded. "I am aware. I have to go. I will be found. Call me when you need me."

Angel listened as Ty yelled at Sean threatening him with things she wasn't sure was even possible for him, until she couldn't listen anymore. "Stop. I will not let you take him from me." Ty sighed and turning looked at her. "He is a pain in the ass. Don't contact him again unless it's important. People you don't want to find him can track him through you." Angel nodded and Ty moved to the side allowing her to see Sean again.

"I know who it is Devil Man and I know he would never hurt me." Sean Waltman frowned from the chair he was sharing with Jay and Chris. "HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT? Look what he did to Glen?!" Angel eyed Glen who was blushing lightly. "What did he do, Seany? He didn't kill him even thought he could have. Yes he was in his head, but then mates often are. I mean they had only been together for… what Glen 200 years before you met Sean?"

Glen nodded slowly. "Something like that." Seany frowned looking from Glen to Angel as Dave frowned. "You say that like you know this man." Angel chuckled softly. "I should. He's like a daddy to me." Sean rubbed his hands over his face. "How can you be so sure he won't hurt you?" Angel got up and crossed the distance between herself and O'Haire. "Because if he had wanted me hurt he would have let Kevin do it. He would have done it when he had me earlier. Hell he could have done it years ago before I even met you. Not to mention he killed Kevin for me."

Jay cocked his head confused. "I thought glass from the patio door did that." Angel nodded and smiled softly. "Yes it did, but I have a hunch that it had some help from someone… say… tall… red… Texan." Sean's eyes got big and he hung his head. "Jesus Christ. We're doomed."

Sean sighed deeply then looked up at Angel and saw the hurt in her eyes. His intentions had been good. When He'd heard that this demon now that the power to reach his Angelface at any time, all he'd been able to think about was that he was going to loose her and there was no way for him to stop it. He'd dreamed about the moment when she's finally become his for so long, and after all his heartache and loneliness and despair there was finally an end in sight. Then to find out that she could be taken from him at any moment had been more than he'd been able to bare.

He needed her. He needed to touch her and taste her and hold her in his arms knowing that he'd never be separated from her again. He more than craved it. Some part of him felt as though he were slowly dying without her. Daily his pain grew until it reached the point where he knew that he could not live any longer without her. He'd tried dulling it by trying to care for someone else, but obviously that hadn't worked either. The bastard demon stole his boyfriend… another reason that he was pretty sure he didn't wanna trust him. When he'd heard that he could lose her, he'd completely lost it. In hindsight he knew that he'd approached the situation completely wrong, but at the time he'd been so filled with panic he couldn't think about anything beyond her.

Dave had drawn her into the position where she was vulnerable to outside attack without either of them telling her what to do if she found herself in that position. His instincts should have alerted him to be cautious when she not only had not immediately moved to protect herself, but had made sure that this vile demon was protected. While it was true that she didn't have any formal training, if she had been in danger, her instincts would have kicked in and her sense of preservation would have taken over 'til he'd reached her. But instead his panic triggered his temper and he'd let lose his anger on the one pure thing he'd ever had. It was his job to protect her and love her, to make sure that she always felt safe and secure with him, to know that he believed in her and trusted her even if all others thought her a fool; but instead he'd shattered their relationship before it had barely begun.

"How long will it be before you trust me Devil Man?" She asked softly studying him and he jumped slightly then sighed remembering she could read his thoughts. "That ain't nice," he muttered and slowly she arched an eyebrow at him crossing her arms. "Oh really? Ya don't say." Sean had the decency to blush as Shannon giggled at him behind her. "And for the record…" She said turning and walked back to sit with Shannon and Scott on the couch. "John was never meant to be yours anyway." Angel patted Shannon's leg smiling sweetly and Sean frowned again looking from one to the other before throwing his hands in the air. "I give up," he grumbled and Dave patted him on the back sympathetically as Ty nodded. "Probably the first good decision you have made all day long."

Angel laid her head on Scott's shoulder then started giggling. "Will someone please go down to the dungeon and let Jay and Chris out? They have managed to lock themselves on one of the cells." Ty muttered under his breath but hurried out and Angel smiled as the men started to chatter again. Yawning she closed her eyes and tried to pretend she didn't feel the cold hovering around her.

Later that same evening they were all hanging out in Angel's spacious living room watching Tears of the Sun and playing cards, when Sean got up and moved to the patio door looking out quietly. Uncurling her legs from the Indian position she had been seated in, she quietly stood and moved to his side. Stopping just slightly behind him, Angel reached out placing a hand on his back and felt him shiver beneath her touch. Looking up she saw him watching her intensely. The darkness of the night outside had turned the glass of the patio door into almost a mirror and she found herself staring back at him as her hands ran over his back and her mind worked.

Signing softly she stepped closer again and wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against the cotton material of the t-shirt that he wore. Relaxing and clearing her head she smiled to herself when the image of him appeared in her mind. She felt him shiver again and brought herself into the image naked except for a long purple silk robe that hung open exposing her most private areas to his sight. When she heard him moan softly her smile widened and her hands began to move over his hard stomach. "You're going to make me embarrass myself here in front of everyone," he growled softly and she couldn't help but laugh softly at him before stepping back catching one of his hands in hers.

Turning slightly she scanned the room seeing Scott watching them and she almost stopped, but suddenly her lover found his lap occupied by Jay as Chris wrapped his arms around Scott's neck from behind and suddenly she could tell that she and Sean were the furthest things from his mind. Satisfied that he would be taken care of for the evening Angel headed out of the room pulling Sean behind her as she made her way to her bedroom for the second time that day.

The Next Chapter is Coming Soon... Hopefully!