Fic :: God is Wearing Black
Title :: God is Wearing Black
Rating :: FR15
Word Count :: 1035
Disclaimer :: I do not own these characters and no profit is being made from the use of them.
Note :: Part 6 in the Lilith series 'Bled to Black.' This portion takes place during the episode ‘Underneath’ of Angel and now back to the plot…
God is Wearing Black
The room smelled faintly of sex and sweat, a heady mixture that seemed to hold Ruby in a perpetual state of arousal or perhaps it was the fact that her lover was currently seated across from her, tanned hands working over a bit of metal and wood. Her fingers dipped, twisted and a slow curl of warmth unfurled in Ruby’s stomach, snaked it’s way upward as she recalled just what those fingers could accomplish with her own body. Shaking her head, she shifted against the wooden stool and leaned forward. Refocused and studied, memorized the ruins Lilith carved into the flattened edge of the blade with a small, heated pick.
The markings flared with light, sealing their power into the metal much like the glyphs she had painted onto her lover’s form only hours before. Pale green eyes narrowed, watched Lilith flipped the blade and began the final ruin to grace the bottom of the narrow handle. With a finite twist of her wrist it was complete and the air around the blade and Lilith’s hands iodized, sparked. The flash was brilliant and the shock of power tightened Ruby’s chest as she struggled to breath through it and the scent of brunt ions.
Lilith’s head inclined as she stared down at her blackened flesh, “That was almost painful,” her words were hollow and she laid the blade in the center of the island between them. Her hazel gaze rose, caught Ruby’s concerned stare and smiled, “I am fine.”
“You’re made of tougher stuff than us.”
A perfectly shaped brow rose. “We share the same creator.”
“But not the same ingredients.”
A low chuckle crawled its way from Lilith’s throat and fell past her lips before she leaned forward and pushed the dagger closer to her child. “You understand the markings? The order in which they are placed?”
“Yes,” a sharp nodded accompanied the quick answer.
“Then you’ll be able to repair the colt. Keep him safe.”
Ruby’s lips thinned, “I don’t like us separating.”
“Neither do I,” her lips quirked, “But I require Sam Winchester-alive.”
She leaned forward, braced her arms on the island and shook her head, “He’s not the most trusting of humans.”
“Then offer him his heart’s desire.”
Ruby’s eyes widened, “Dean?” Her nails began a repetitive rhythm against the tile beneath her palm. “How am I supposed to break a contract with a soulkeeper? They’re nasty things on the best of days.”
“You’re not.” She smiled, “I’d never risk you.” That smiled wilted and all warmth left her tanned face as Lilith’s features began to pale, “But I, on the other hand, am more than capable of rendering those beasts to ash.”
Her fingers stilled against the island as she watched the rage build across from her, “Why do soulkeepers always bring on the hate with you?”
Lilith’s mouth tightened, lips darkening along the edges as her gaze grew vacant and she redirected the conversation. “An Old One has been awoken.”
Ruby blinked at the sudden and abrupt topic change and then paused, eyes widening. “How is that possible? Their bindings go beyond hell, beyond death. They are more powerful than the magicks that held you.”
“They are,” her brow rose as she corrected, “Were. I am uncertain of the how this came to past and how I am able to sense them from this great a distance.”
“You are the mother of the Slayer line.”
Lilith’s shifted, met Ruby’s gaze. “Explain.”
Her lips quirked, “Slayers have an inherent ability to sense and track demons. An Old One is as powerful and demonic as it gets. I’d think that would set off your radar just a bit.”
Lilith’s gaze darkened, “They use to call to me. A whispered caress that brought my deadened body, left for rot by that which created me, back to life and now…” Her voice lowered, became pained. “Now their call is a shriek that slips through to the heart.” Her blackened lips dipped and she turned her gaze downward. Stared at her hands, raised them to be glared at. “My child has tainted me.”
“No more than you allow her too.” The riddled words drew Lilith’s perusal from herself back to Ruby, who offered her a slow smile. “Maybe this Old One is the reconnection to your past that you need.”
~~*~~*~~
“The war’s here, Angel and you’re already two soldiers down.”
A hesitant knock interrupted the silent moment that followed Lindsey’s big revel and Angel turned, ready to take the head off of the well dressed Hamilton only to see Harmony standing in the doorway to his office. A scrape above her right eye and an evident favoring of her left side was the only indication she had scuffled with his new liaison to the Senior Partners earlier in the night.
“Boss?”
The uncertainty in her voice drew his brows low and he tried-really he did-to keep the bite from his as he asked, “What is it Harmony?”
“Rupert Giles is on the phone.”
Spike shifted from his place beside Lorne and leaned forward, dug elbows into his jean covered knees and caught Angel’s gaze with a raise of his scarred brow. “He’s a little late.”
He nodded and turned back to Harmony, “Take a message.”
She swallowed, “But boss-”
“Harmony!” Anger flooded his voice and he rose from sitting in front of Lindsey and Eve to move toward the blonde crowding his doorway. “Take a message. Or better yet tell him too little, too late and to go to he-”
“It’s Buffy!” Her shout silenced the room and Harmony shifted, ignored the tightening of her stomach and stated, her voice softening. “It’s Buffy she’s-well, boss…she’s…” Harmony trailed off and lowered her head curled hair slipping forward to block her features, block the look on Angel’s face.
Lindsey’s laughter broke through the tension and drew Angel, drew his rage and his frustration as Harmony’s words-or lack thereof-began to sink in for the rest of the room. “I stand corrected.” He met Angel’s glare with one of his own as he rose painfully to his feet and out of Eve’s comforting embrace. “You’re not down two soldiers. You’re down three.”
The End.