You change the equation I add up to

[wickedslayer]

Days had been quiet at the Hyperion, with everybody pretty much doin' their thing. Soul Boy had himself locked up in his office, with Cordelia reminding me and probably him every five minutes that he was brooding again. I had a feelin' Angel was feelin' all guilty cause his best pal Doyle up and died on him. Hey, life was a bitch that way and Angel

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[wickedslayer]

Finally I stopped staring up at the huge estate before I glanced back at Wesley, still giving me just as weary a look as he had been before. I was never gonna be able to get him to trust me and I guess....I guess that was fair. I probably wasn't ever gonna be able to trust him either. But at least neither of us had tried to kill the other one tonight and hey, I even saved him from gettin' killed. Points for me.

Walkin' over to him and his bike I bit on my bottom lip givin' him a look before turnin' back around and glancin' at the house. Was he hurt? Was this a stupid idea? Only one way to find out.

"Awfully big place, don't ya think?" I asked idly. "I mean, why would only one demon live in a palace like this?" I turned around and gave him a pointed look as he started to consider what I was sayin' to him. "You sure there's no more in there?"

By the look on his face I could tell that he didn't wasn't sure about that. I wondered how he even knew about the original demon. The one that was supposed to kill him today.

"We could....we could go check." He gave me a dubious look and I only matched it with a determined one. "C'mon! It'll be fun."

[_wes_pryce_]

What was taking her so long? She kept looking back at the house and I wonder what she saw. It wasn’t like any of the houses I’ve seen before, even though it looked spooky enough to be the Wyndam-Pryce estate. The place where nightmares were born bred and kept alive. Even beyond death, I was certain about that. I was certain I was about to find out a few weeks ago.

“What?” I looked at her confused and then back at the house. What was she getting at? What was she up to? Good lord, was that ever not going to be included in my thoughts? What she was up to? I know I have my reasons, but I’m trying so very hard here to trust her even a little bit. But she did nearly kill me; it had been her plan to do so. Had it not been for Angel, I’d be dead now. I just cannot turn around and trust her like that, no matter how hard I try.

Was I sure there weren’t any more in there. That’s not what my contact had told me, but he could be a liar. So, no, I had no idea. It wasn’t unheard of that this particular demon lived in groups, clans. But we’d have seen them by now; they’re usually very protective of each other. She may have a point though. “Fun?” I gave her an even more dubious look. This wasn’t a game to me, I wasn’t a Slayer who’d just jump up, grin and cheer for more. I was only human; there was only so much my body could take at the moment. Still, we couldn’t risk having demons like that on the loose, endangering the innocents. Did I just say ‘we’? Good lord.

“Well, I s-suppose we could go look,” I muttered, turning around to rummage through my saddlebags again. Pulling out an axe, I turned around and gave her an expectant look. This was her show now, she thought there might be more, and the she could tell me where to look. Besides, I don’t think I’m up to getting tossed around a bit more.

[wickedslayer]

Did he have to stammer when he said that? Fuck me. Maybe he should just get on his cute little moped and pedal his ass all the way home with his gay pink helmet. I could go in get my slay on, then go home and let my girl lick my wounds. And by lick my wounds? I meant literally. That girl was hot. No one else out there like her and I knew that half the reason I'd even stuck around this long was for her. Vaguelly I wondered if I would've still gotten the visions if I'd left when I'd wanted to. Probably not. Cause I'd probably be dead.

Looked at Wes for a minute before I realized he was all geared up and in the game. Let's go kill some beasties then.

"This time? I vote not goin' in through the guest house cause ummm....hey, I got no problem slayin' demons but spiders kinda freak me out." I cursed myself inwardly for sayin' that outloud. Arachnaphobia? Could they think of something lamer for the slayer to be terrified of then spiders?

Before he could even reply to that I started striding purposefully back towards the house.

[_wes_pryce_]

Again with the long thinking. Now why didn’t she do that in Sunnysdale? I’ve always know she had a brain, she just needed to use it. Only not to try out the different techniques of torture. I think the world can do without those. Or, well, my world at the very least And I think Cordelia’s world as well.

When she finally spoke I raised my eyebrow at what she said. Admitted. What’s this then? Faith admitted a weakness? At least she’d see it as one. As it was I had to agree with her. I was terrified of spiders. Having being bitten enough by them in that damn closet. When I was very small, I was so scared of them, feeling them crawl around on my skin, underneath my clothes in the everlasting darkness of that closet.

“Yes,” I whispered in a quiet agreement. I looked up startled when she already moved out thought. Right. Checking to make sure there aren’t any other demons. Must do our job and all that. Though, when exactly it became *our* job, I’ve no idea. Sighing, I hefted my weapon and strode after her back into the house.

[wickedslayer]

This time? Burst right in through the fucking front door. Fuck this hidin' out with the cobwebs shit, it was time to get the job done right. My way. Okay, so maybe that didn't exactly go together but it sounded kinda cool in my head just then. "Honey, I'm home." I said sardonically and was relieved to see no massive spiderwebs drapin' all over the place. If I ever had to fight a giant spider demon? My ass was gonna be grass, no doubt. I'd probably find some place to hide.

Okay, enough thinkin' about what a wuss I was, time to slay some demons. Assuming that there were more. Something told me that there was though. With a shrug I glanced around before nodding at the rickety set of stairs in the main foyer. Knew Wes had my back, gun in hand (and how weird was that?!) as I made my way up the stairs. Every single one creaked and moaned under our weight and I grimaced every time. This really was like the set to some bad B horror flick.

"Anything else I should know about these guys besides the gigantic claws?" I whispered, glancing back at Wesley just as a giant screech filled up the top half of the house. My eyes widened and I glanced around tryin' to figure out where the source of it had come from. It was hard to tell with these acoustics. Everything was so echoey. But at least we knew there were definitely more of 'em now. Hopefully? Only one of 'em.

Fuck that. I could go for a whole nest. I was feelin' in the mood to kick a little ass.

[_wes_pryce_]

Honey I’m home? Ah, right. I had all but forgotten about the witty banter one is supposed to project while in the midst of a battle. Or right before it apparently. I never understood that urge. I think it must be an American thing. I most certainly wouldn’t be going around uttering these odd wordings.

Sighing, I rolled my eyes and just kept the grip on my gun and followed her deeper into the bloody house. If there are any more demons, I’m going to have a talk with Brad. For selling me incomplete information. Oh yes, I’ll have…err…words with him. Hard. Words. Hard words. I could have hard words with him.

Damn, I hope Dennis doesn’t forget to tape ‘Friends’

I blinked when the turned to me and asked me a question. Asked me a question. Not a taunt. Not a hit below the belt, not a sneer. No, a relevant question. One to which I of course hat the answers for. Only I never got that far. The was a sound that made my blood run cold and I shivered.

It was hard to tell where that had come from. The sound eerily bounced off against the walls before it reached us. I suppose it would be redundant to say that it didn’t look good.

“Well the-the same as I told you about the uhm, other demon.” I wonder if they’ve any salt in the kitchen. It’s amazing what a little salt can do at times.

[wickedslayer]

I was about to remind him that he hadn't really told me jack last time around but for the time bein' all my senses were perked up and I was ready for a smackdown. Pickin' a snark battle with Wes wasn't really high on my list of priorites. Actually I wasn't sure what my priorities were anymore. It used to be wicked easy.

#1. Find Buffy.
#2. Destroy Buffy.

Things got more complicated the longer I stayed in L.A. Well, things got complicated the minute I let Cordelia into my life. Not that I had a choice on that one, I mean yeah it was my choice to kidnap Queen C but it was her choice to force me to let her in.

Right. Stop thinkin' about Cordy and focus on the big bad beasties we were supposed to be slaughtering. Really wish I had a better weapon right about now. One that wasn't faulty like his stupid crossbow. Next time? Test it out before you go off into battle half cocked. Sheesh.

I heard another wail and this time it sounded less like something keening and more like a protective warning. Get the fuck out. Something about the intensity in the shrill voice that made me think they were hidin' something in here. Something they didn't want us to find.

I nodded at Wes and glanced around the hallway before finding a door all the way on the far right. Walkin' slowly up to it I put my hand on the knob makin' sure Wes was ready with that big ass gun. See something? Shoot it. A sound philosophy if you asked me.

Quickly I burst through the door and my eyes widened at what I saw. A whole host of nasty slippery slimy giant eggs, plastered to the walls and the ceilings and everywhere else you could see in the room. Now I knew what they were hiding and judging by the wail that was getting closer?

Mama wasn't very happy.