He hasn’t killed us yet. Which either means that he’s in a good mood, or simply a playful one, drawing this out. But although my heart’s pounding and I’m damn near trembling with an overdose of good old ‘fight-or-flight’, my fear is coming full circle. So scared that I’m not afraid anymore.
Okay, less afraid. I’ve heard what this guy can do.
"My but your dance card's been full this evening," he observes, the very picture of casual power. I brush off the little shot of jealousy that washes over me and force a smile.
“Busy day,” I agree, wondering if I can distract him enough for Eve to run. Then again, I’m honestly not sure how she’d do on her own right now. I’ve got to get us both out of here intact. “Even busier day for Angel, I’ll bet. Especially once he figures out that we’ve escaped. See, we’ve got a bit of a grudge-match going on, Angel and me … hell, I bet he won’t even be able to focus on his job while we’re at large. Good thing he’s got a Liaison to steer the company in the right direction, huh?”
It has to be one of the most pathetic rationalizations I’ve come up with in my life, but there’s still that stupid little voice yammering away in the back of my mind. It doesn’t end like this. This isn’t the way I go down.
I glanced over at Lindsey and looked at him questionably. What the hell? I think he's been locked up for way too long, he's not making much sense and if it's one thing, Lindsey always makes sense. He was one of the firm's top lawyers, this really isn't like him. Something's up, something happened and I'm determined to find out, even if I am losing my own mind.
"You know Hamilton, you are wasting The Partners precious time sitting down here with us, best you go on and scurry away to be Angel's little manbitch." I smirked at him, the sick feeling twisting in my gut as I remembered how it felt to be under the partners thumb. Granted at the time all of the power and promise it held was nearly addicting, the freedom's it took away weren't right at all.
Turning to Lindsey I laced my arm in his and held his hand. "I think we should go, not like Angel could stop us anyhow. Unless he feel's like walking out in sunlight." A cruel smirk crossed my lips as I remembered something from Angel's file. "Then again he would only do that for Connor."
"Eve, Eve, Eve... Let's not resort to name calling. We're both professionals here." I pause, pretending to think about it. "No, wait... That's right. We aren't."
I lean back on the balls of my feet, hands in my pockets, the picture of casual interest. "Not since you sacrificed yourself for Mr. MacDonald, Angel's favorite new..." How did Wesley refer to him? As Angel's new "toy"? I watch MacDonald's face as I consider revealing that tidbit of information. Then settle for "...runaway." Let Eve think that I'm Angel's "manbitch". I can appreciate the irony. I lean forward slightly, smirking. "So what was that about walking in sunlight?" I let my smirk fade.
"If I were you, it wouldn't be Angel I was worried about." I straighten and take a couple of easy steps forward, encroaching upon the pair's personal space. I am just close enough to reach out and snap either one of their necks if I become inclined to do so.
Not that I would consider making such a move.
The Senior Partners don't send a human to the Wrath unless They are decidedly against granting said human such a quick and painless death. And Eve... Well, I suppose there isn't much that could be done to Eve that she hasn't already done to herself. But the Senior Partners might like to try.
"Angel has a great many concerns that take precedence over any...grudges he may hold against humans such as yourselves."
I watch with all the morbid fascination of a rubber-necker at a car wreck as the situation goes from bad to really, horribly, I-think-I’ll-just-cower-now worse. Damned if I know what’s gone down since Angel had me locked up, but my girl seems to have lost her mind. (Please, let her be all right…) I take her arm when she offers it, seriously considering shushing her if I didn’t think she’d get upset, and oh god, she’s smirking at the guy who could snap us in half like dandelion stems, and she really has lost it.
Hamilton bemused gaze drifts over to me, and if he decides to fill Eve in on Angel’s petty foray into bondage with yours truly, this could get seriously ugly.
I’m allowed about half a second of relief as he opts for the less incriminating ‘runaway’, but Hamilton’s smile disappears as he moves forward, and my heart is back in my throat. My grip on Eve’s wrist is too tight, and I think I’m probably hurting her. "If I were you, it wouldn't be Angel I was worried about."
No sudden movements … don’t even breathe. If Liaisons can smell fear, Hamilton’s got to be choking on it. "Angel has a great many concerns that take precedence over any...grudges he may hold against humans such as yourselves."
“Then I guess it doesn’t make much of a difference one way or another if we leave, huh?” ‘Submissive’ doesn’t come easily to me, but I’m doing my very best. “Angel won’t care much, and I’m sure you’ve got no personal interest in Angel’s … in us.” My smile feels more fake than Spike’s hair color, but I offer it up just the same. “Hell, it certainly gives you an interesting memo to deliver.” His expression hasn’t changed a bit, not for all my desperate dancing, and I’m starting to feel like I’m facing off with a shark. “You should let us go.”
He was close enough to snap our necks and that made me nervous. For an instant I was tempted to find a way to tick him off just a bit more, let him end it for us both; maybe make the suffering and confusion go away. I hated seeing Lindsey like this and I hate feeling the way I feel.
I realized then - maybe it was me snapping to my senses - that Lindsey was still bound by contract and bound to the firm. Then there's me... Mortal, helpless, vulnerable...there was no coming back for me, no bound by contract, nothing tethering me to this realm...
The bleakness of that finally hit me and a small part of me snapped even more than I already had. My grip on reality was starting to slip again and I gripped onto Lindsey a bit tighter than I was before.
“Then I guess it doesn't make much of a difference one way or another if we leave, huh? Angel won’t care much, and I’m sure you’ve got no personal interest in Angel’s … in us. Hell, it certainly gives you an interesting memo to deliver. You should let us go.”
Keeping my smirk in place I nod and slowly smile up at Hamilton, tilting my chin to him. "We're leaving, I'm sure the memo will make front page news with the new goodies in charge upstairs. We all know that they can find us if they really want to." Well they used to, thankfully I've taken care of that before I came here. "Good-bye Hamilton."
I gripped onto Lindsey's arm a bit tighter and turned on my heel, pulling him with me as we started to make our way out to one of the cars. Just let us get out of here, I just want to be somewhere quite with Lindsey so I can finally fall apart.
I will give credit where credit is due. Eve's false bravado is proving itself to be not so false. Inexplicably foolish, of course - but not false.
Or perhaps it isn't so inexplicable. It's sad is what it is. What one will sacrifice in the name of "love". There is about as much reason in Eve's eyes as there is understanding of just what she's done to herself when she tilts her chin at me and announces her departure.
The step she takes around me, pulling MacDonald with her, has an instinctual effect on me. The Senior Partners did create their liaisons for doing more than office work, after all. Eve's casual dismissal is as provocative for that reason as MacDonald's obvious fear and paltry attempts at negotiation. It takes a moment's effort to hold myself still and say, "Oh, I don't think you want to be running off so soon."
We’re dead men walking. Well, one dead man and one dead woman … my point is that I stop in my tracks at Hamilton’s casual threat, taking hold of Eve’s elbow in a firm grip and stopping her as well. Something is wrong. I can see it in her eyes. She’s got her very best game face on, but underneath that mask, there’s straight up terror. And it’s not Hamilton that’s got her scared. Obviously.
“What’s happened to you?” I mutter fiercely, silently pleading with her to stay silent as I turn my attention back to Hamilton. She’s going to get us killed, and I’d rather not meet my end on the hood of one of Angel’s luxury cars, thanks.
“You’re the boss here,” I tell Hamilton, my stomach twisting when I notice how rarely the man blinks. Nice to know that non-humanity isn’t always a turn-on for me. “Plenty of ways you could turn this to your advantage.”
I hate this. It feels like begging, like cowering in the face of something bigger and stronger than me, and that’s something I promised myself I wouldn’t be doing anymore after I left Wolfram & Hart.
Swallowing my pride, I shoot him a winning smile. “So … what’s it going to take for you to let us out of here?”
My teeth clench when Lindsey grips my arm, wondering if he realized that now that I was mortal he couldn't handle me how he used to. I bruise easier now then I did before, things were a lot different before I was human. I didn't fear anything and I had everything at my fingertips.
“What’s happened to you?”
I turn and glare up at him, wanting to give him a piece of my mind but I refused to do it in front of Hamilton, I wasn't going to give him more ammo against us.
“You’re the boss here...Plenty of ways you could turn this to your advantage. So … what’s it going to take for you to let us out of here?”
There's nothing in the world that could stop my stomach from twisting at how easy Lindsey's bending to Hamilton, I have no words to say that won't get us into more trouble or get Lindsey madder at me.
It all came down to everyone but me having the upper-hand and I wasn't pleased with this at all. I wanted my life back...or maybe it was just the lack of life to begin with that I wanted. I wanted to be out from under someone's thumb.
Okay, less afraid. I’ve heard what this guy can do.
"My but your dance card's been full this evening," he observes, the very picture of casual power. I brush off the little shot of jealousy that washes over me and force a smile.
“Busy day,” I agree, wondering if I can distract him enough for Eve to run. Then again, I’m honestly not sure how she’d do on her own right now. I’ve got to get us both out of here intact. “Even busier day for Angel, I’ll bet. Especially once he figures out that we’ve escaped. See, we’ve got a bit of a grudge-match going on, Angel and me … hell, I bet he won’t even be able to focus on his job while we’re at large. Good thing he’s got a Liaison to steer the company in the right direction, huh?”
It has to be one of the most pathetic rationalizations I’ve come up with in my life, but there’s still that stupid little voice yammering away in the back of my mind. It doesn’t end like this. This isn’t the way I go down.
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"You know Hamilton, you are wasting The Partners precious time sitting down here with us, best you go on and scurry away to be Angel's little manbitch." I smirked at him, the sick feeling twisting in my gut as I remembered how it felt to be under the partners thumb. Granted at the time all of the power and promise it held was nearly addicting, the freedom's it took away weren't right at all.
Turning to Lindsey I laced my arm in his and held his hand. "I think we should go, not like Angel could stop us anyhow. Unless he feel's like walking out in sunlight." A cruel smirk crossed my lips as I remembered something from Angel's file. "Then again he would only do that for Connor."
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I lean back on the balls of my feet, hands in my pockets, the picture of casual interest. "Not since you sacrificed yourself for Mr. MacDonald, Angel's favorite new..." How did Wesley refer to him? As Angel's new "toy"? I watch MacDonald's face as I consider revealing that tidbit of information. Then settle for "...runaway." Let Eve think that I'm Angel's "manbitch". I can appreciate the irony. I lean forward slightly, smirking. "So what was that about walking in sunlight?" I let my smirk fade.
"If I were you, it wouldn't be Angel I was worried about." I straighten and take a couple of easy steps forward, encroaching upon the pair's personal space. I am just close enough to reach out and snap either one of their necks if I become inclined to do so.
Not that I would consider making such a move.
The Senior Partners don't send a human to the Wrath unless They are decidedly against granting said human such a quick and painless death. And Eve... Well, I suppose there isn't much that could be done to Eve that she hasn't already done to herself. But the Senior Partners might like to try.
"Angel has a great many concerns that take precedence over any...grudges he may hold against humans such as yourselves."
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Hamilton bemused gaze drifts over to me, and if he decides to fill Eve in on Angel’s petty foray into bondage with yours truly, this could get seriously ugly.
I’m allowed about half a second of relief as he opts for the less incriminating ‘runaway’, but Hamilton’s smile disappears as he moves forward, and my heart is back in my throat. My grip on Eve’s wrist is too tight, and I think I’m probably hurting her. "If I were you, it wouldn't be Angel I was worried about."
No sudden movements … don’t even breathe. If Liaisons can smell fear, Hamilton’s got to be choking on it. "Angel has a great many concerns that take precedence over any...grudges he may hold against humans such as yourselves."
“Then I guess it doesn’t make much of a difference one way or another if we leave, huh?” ‘Submissive’ doesn’t come easily to me, but I’m doing my very best. “Angel won’t care much, and I’m sure you’ve got no personal interest in Angel’s … in us.” My smile feels more fake than Spike’s hair color, but I offer it up just the same. “Hell, it certainly gives you an interesting memo to deliver.” His expression hasn’t changed a bit, not for all my desperate dancing, and I’m starting to feel like I’m facing off with a shark. “You should let us go.”
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I realized then - maybe it was me snapping to my senses - that Lindsey was still bound by contract and bound to the firm. Then there's me... Mortal, helpless, vulnerable...there was no coming back for me, no bound by contract, nothing tethering me to this realm...
The bleakness of that finally hit me and a small part of me snapped even more than I already had. My grip on reality was starting to slip again and I gripped onto Lindsey a bit tighter than I was before.
“Then I guess it doesn't make much of a difference one way or another if we leave, huh? Angel won’t care much, and I’m sure you’ve got no personal interest in Angel’s … in us. Hell, it certainly gives you an interesting memo to deliver. You should let us go.”
Keeping my smirk in place I nod and slowly smile up at Hamilton, tilting my chin to him. "We're leaving, I'm sure the memo will make front page news with the new goodies in charge upstairs. We all know that they can find us if they really want to." Well they used to, thankfully I've taken care of that before I came here. "Good-bye Hamilton."
I gripped onto Lindsey's arm a bit tighter and turned on my heel, pulling him with me as we started to make our way out to one of the cars. Just let us get out of here, I just want to be somewhere quite with Lindsey so I can finally fall apart.
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Or perhaps it isn't so inexplicable. It's sad is what it is. What one will sacrifice in the name of "love". There is about as much reason in Eve's eyes as there is understanding of just what she's done to herself when she tilts her chin at me and announces her departure.
The step she takes around me, pulling MacDonald with her, has an instinctual effect on me. The Senior Partners did create their liaisons for doing more than office work, after all. Eve's casual dismissal is as provocative for that reason as MacDonald's obvious fear and paltry attempts at negotiation. It takes a moment's effort to hold myself still and say, "Oh, I don't think you want to be running off so soon."
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“What’s happened to you?” I mutter fiercely, silently pleading with her to stay silent as I turn my attention back to Hamilton. She’s going to get us killed, and I’d rather not meet my end on the hood of one of Angel’s luxury cars, thanks.
“You’re the boss here,” I tell Hamilton, my stomach twisting when I notice how rarely the man blinks. Nice to know that non-humanity isn’t always a turn-on for me. “Plenty of ways you could turn this to your advantage.”
I hate this. It feels like begging, like cowering in the face of something bigger and stronger than me, and that’s something I promised myself I wouldn’t be doing anymore after I left Wolfram & Hart.
Swallowing my pride, I shoot him a winning smile. “So … what’s it going to take for you to let us out of here?”
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“What’s happened to you?”
I turn and glare up at him, wanting to give him a piece of my mind but I refused to do it in front of Hamilton, I wasn't going to give him more ammo against us.
“You’re the boss here...Plenty of ways you could turn this to your advantage. So … what’s it going to take for you to let us out of here?”
There's nothing in the world that could stop my stomach from twisting at how easy Lindsey's bending to Hamilton, I have no words to say that won't get us into more trouble or get Lindsey madder at me.
It all came down to everyone but me having the upper-hand and I wasn't pleased with this at all. I wanted my life back...or maybe it was just the lack of life to begin with that I wanted. I wanted to be out from under someone's thumb.
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