Title: Hand of Glory Author: Penemuel Posted: 7/31/01 Archive: Sure, just let me know where if other than list archive Part: 6/? (Work in Progress) [sorry about the confusing numbering -- the part number here is the actual number of posted parts; the part number below is the number of the story part after the "prologue"] Pairing: Angel/Lindsey Rating: R (this segment only) Warnings: language; references to m/m sex but no sex itself Notes: I try to be consistent -- I might slip up, though. *words* are emphasised, _words_ are thoughts. Song lyrics for "Behind Blue Eyes" used without permission, and slightly truncated. Summary: Angel/Buffy crossover alternate universe. The first part was written in February, but I figure I'd better start posting *before* they aired Dead End, before someone says I stole ideas... Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I'm just playing with them for a while and will give them back when done. They might be a little sticky, though. Hand of Glory by Penemuel Part 5 The sound of footsteps and a heated discussion outside alerted Cordelia and her guests to the group's return. They turned to look at the door as Angel entered first, followed by Lindsey, who was speaking to Wesley and Gunn behind him. "Don't you get it?" he asked angrily, "That *was* my private account! I've been transferring money there from the credit union for the past two years..." "Oh..." Wesley answered, subdued. "Angel! *So* glad to see you," Cordelia said, bouncing over to him and glancing back at Spike. Angel looked over her shoulder to see the blond vampire lounging on one of the couches, playing with a knife. Spike looked up at him and flipped him the bird, then went back to tossing the knife in the air and catching it. Then she looked past Angel to Lindsey and frowned. "Lindsey, are you okay? You look -- *hey*! Have you guys bothered to get him any *food*?" She glowered accusingly at Wesley and added, "Just because Angel doesn't have to eat doesn't mean you guys should let him decide the eating schedule, okay?" "Come to think of it, I'm *starving*," Lindsey said as if he had just realized it himself. Wesley looked apologetic and opened his mouth to say something, but Cordelia ran him over. "Good -- we got Chinese -- lots of it." She took Lindsey's hand, after making sure it was the real one and not the prosthetic, and led him over to the counter where Giles and Ethan were seated. "Lindsey, this is Mr. Rupert Giles, and his... associate Ethan Rayne. Giles, Ethan, this is Lindsey McDonald. Don't shake his hand." Angel, Wesley and Gunn walked further into the lobby and Angel said, "Giles, Ethan..." His voice flattened and he continued, "Spike." He smiled and lightened his tone again, then said, "Welcome to Angel Investigations. You know Cordelia, and now Lindsey -- some of you know Wesley, and this is my associate Charles Gunn." Gunn smiled slightly and nodded to them, then looked over at Spike and asked, "Another vamp?" "Wanna make something of it?" Spike challenged lazily, not even bothering to sit up. "Spike's *harmless*," Ethan said pointedly. "He's got a chip in his brain that won't allow him to hurt a human without causing himself serious pain." He smiled unpleasantly at Spike and added, "He's been *neutered*." Spike growled and stood up, his easy, loose-limbed way of moving automatically putting Gunn on alert. He spun and glared at Ethan. "Actually, I can put up with the pain if the payoff's worth it..." Giles sighed tiredly and put his chopsticks down, then removed his glasses and rubbed at the bridge of his nose in an attempt to stave off a headache. Glancing apologetically up at Lindsey, he was about to say something when Ethan slid off the chair he was perched on. _Why on earth is baiting Spike the only time you show any courage?_ he wondered, frowning at his companion. "I could kick your arse before you recovered from your first strike, you ponce," Ethan sneered. "Prove it, wanker," Spike snarled, trying to lunge at Ethan and finding himself suddenly lifted off the floor and held there, wrapped in Angel's strong arms. "Okay, kids, that's enough," Angel said, letting his vampire face show as he glowered threateningly at Ethan. "Giles, you're either braver, or crazier than I thought, putting up with the two of them during the whole drive..." "Yes, well..." Giles said quietly, looking up at Spike, who continued to struggle ineffectually in Angel's arms. "Keep behaving that badly, Spike, and you'll be back chained in the bathtub again." "He started--" "I did not! You had to have a pissing contest with Angel's young bloke there, and I was merely pointing out your shortcomings," Ethan said, trying his damnedest to keep a straight face. Wesley caught Cordelia's eye and mouthed, "Been like this all night?" When she nodded, he grimaced and whispered, "Sorry..." "Are you done now, Ethan?" Giles asked, trying not to sound like his father used to, and failing miserably. _Buffy and the rest of the 'Scoobies' were more mature the year I met them!_ Then he turned to glower at Spike, and asked, "What about you? Can you at least pretend to be housebroken?" When they both nodded, Angel let Spike go, then walked back to Gunn and took the guitar case from him. "Giles, I'm sorry to toss this at you right away, but this was the only thing they left in Lindsey's apartment -- I didn't say anything about it earlier, but I'd really like to have it checked for any booby-traps before we open it..." "Oh, yes, of course," Giles said, returning to his most 'tweedy' persona. "Although I can't really help if there's any physical kind of trap -- that's more Xander's skill, when he's remembering his short time as a soldier..." He stood up and cleared an area on the counter for Angel to put the guitar case down, then looked at Lindsey. "You should probably sit down and eat something, Lindsey. You really do look pale. I apologize for the floorshow..." "Yeah -- that's okay, though. Kinda took my mind off things for a bit," Lindsey answered, sitting down and pulling a container of Kung Pao chicken over in front of him. "Lindsey," Gunn said, joining the others but giving Spike a wide berth, "Let me know if you need anything, okay? I've got a friend who can help out a little." Cordelia cocked her head at him and asked, "Who? Oh -- you mean Anne? What were you guys talking about when you came in, anyway. Bank accounts?" Lindsey sighed and looked up, finding that he was suddenly the center of attention. Ethan was looking down his nose at him; the expression reminding him so much of the look people used to give his father -- or him -- on the streets that he had to forcibly restrain the urge to slug him in the nose. Giles was trying to look fatherly, but he'd caught a glimpse of 'Ripper' and knew there was far more to the ex-Watcher than met the eye. And then there was Spike... The blond vampire was studying him closely; staring, at that moment, at his throat and not quite drooling. He knew how good vampiric senses were; knew Spike could smell Angel all over him, and him all over Angel. He wouldn't be surprised if he could tell how many times they'd fucked, including the jerk-off session in the shower! And then Spike threw himself back down on the couch, stretched his long legs, and smiled at him. Everything about him was arrogance and insolence, and sexy as hell... Wesley pulled out a chair to join them all at the counter, and the sound brought Lindsey back to himself. "What? Oh -- sorry. Think I'm still a little shocky..." He smiled apologetically, then continued, "They took everything -- everything in my apartment, whether it was mine *or* theirs; my money -- everything. I was expecting that the money in the credit union was gone, and of course everything I put into my retirement account *and* my stocks, but they froze my other bank account, too! And if they got into the guitar, that's it..." "It's just money," Spike said quietly. "It's *not* just money!" Lindsey snarled, startling Giles with his vehemence. "Beyond the fear of what they could do to me, the money is the *only* reason I didn't leave them sooner! It was the only thing keeping me there when they started-- when they..." He stopped, breathing hard; tears of rage and frustration threatening to spill over. When he again had control over his voice, he growled, "I put up with hell there, and now I have NOTHING..." "Linds, that's not true," Angel said gently, knowing Lindsey wouldn't believe him at that moment in time. "Not anymore..." After a moment of silence, which began to stretch out awkwardly, Giles sighed and said, "You also have a guitar. I can't sense any traps -- Ethan, would you like to double check?" Ethan rolled up his sleeves and muttered something in a language Lindsey couldn't place, then closed his eyes and held his hands over the guitar case for a moment. When he opened his eyes again, he looked at Lindsey and said, "It's safe." "Then they didn't touch it," Lindsey whispered, relieved. "Thank you..." "May I?" Giles asked, reaching for the fastenings. Lindsey frowned slightly and nodded. "Yeah, go ahead -- I can't play it now anyway...Just one thing I need to know." He looked up to find Angel staring at his hand, guilt written across his handsome features. _Yeah, Angel, lover, *you* took this away from me, not them..._ Then he turned his attention to Giles, watching as he opened the case and gently lifted the guitar out. It was obvious to Lindsey that the man had a love for music -- he treated the guitar as if it were something special, not "just an instrument" as others had -- Darla had even suggested he just throw it out... Lindsey stood up and leaned over to check inside the guitar case, while Giles checked to see if the guitar was still in tune. "You need any help?" Angel asked Lindsey, who was trying to reach into a small pocket in the case lining. "Yeah, this damned bandage is causin' me problems," Lindsey said, sitting back down again and frowning at his injured hand. Angel walked over to that end of the counter and checked the pocket, drew out an envelope and handed it to Lindsey. "Thanks..." Giles looked up at the young man and smiled slightly, then asked, "Are there any songs you *don't* want to hear?" "Anything by Barry Manilow," both Cordelia and Wesley said, turning to stare at each other after they did. "Hey, I'm *not* that bad," Angel protested, watching as Lindsey opened the envelope and peered inside, then let out a sigh of relief and folded it back up again. "Lindsey?" "Emergency stash," the young man explained, "I can at least buy *clothes*." "Well, that's a relief, Ducks. That sweater makes you look like Willow..." Spike muttered. Cordelia's eyes went round and she desperately tried to smother a laugh, earning herself looks from all except for Spike -- and Ethan, who felt no need to hide his chuckle. Giles paused in the warm-up he was doing and said, "I shouldn't even be suggesting this, but since your account was frozen for less-than-legal reasons in the first place; there's a slight chance that Willow may be able to help. She's gotten quite good at... acquiring information we would not normally have access to." "You think she could hack a bank?" Lindsey asked in amazement. "Hell, I'm willin' to let her try!" "It could be quite bad if they find out, or if she gets caught," Wesley cautioned. "And she'd have to transfer it to an account somewhere that Wolfram & Hart wouldn't think to look..." "Which immediately takes out any of you," Lindsey said thoughtfully, picking up a fork with his bandaged hand and finally digging into the Kung Pao. "'Scuse me a minute, if I don't eat, I'm gonna pass out." Angel looked over at Wesley and asked, "You think they'd go after her if they found out? Or do you think they would let it go, knowing that they stole his money in the first place?" "They'd go after her," Lindsey said between mouthfuls. "The money was money I earned from them, and they think of me as theirs, so the money was still theirs..." "Doesn't seem quite fair," Giles commented quietly. "No," Lindsey responded, "But this is Wolfram & Hart we're talking about." "I'll call her tomorrow and see whether she thinks it's even possible before we make any decisions," Giles said, turning his attention to the guitar while Lindsey dug into the Kung Pao. A few moments later, Lindsey realized Giles had finished warming up and was beginning to play the introduction to a song he recognized. He frowned, but kept his gaze locked on his food, determined not to show any kind of reaction as Giles began to sing. "No one knows what it's like To be the bad man To be the sad man Behind blue eyes..." Lindsey had to admit the ex-Watcher had a good voice -- he wouldn't mind singing with him. But not on this song... Not around Angel and his people -- somehow he didn't think the sentiment would be appreciated. "No one knows what it's like To be hated To be fated To telling only lies," Giles continued, and Lindsey could feel attention turn to him. All of the self-preservation instincts and intuition he had nurtured in order to survive at Wolfram & Hart had come to the fore even more since he left them, and now he could sense eyes burning into his back -- Spike? _No -- Ethan,_ he realized. Spike was staring at Giles, and he could practically *feel* the vampire's desire as he watched the man lose himself in song. It wasn't hard to imagine why Spike had accompanied them from Sunnydale... "But my dreams They aren't as empty As my conscience seems to be..." Ethan, on the other hand, *was* staring at him, sizing him up... He had seen the scar on Ethan's arm where he knew the sorceror had performed a do-it-yourself tattoo removal on the Mark of Eyghon; knew from Wolfram & Hart's files that he was quite adept at dark magic, especially of a chaotic nature. He had no idea what kind of price Ethan would want to exact for his assistance, but he'd just escaped being the plaything of one demonic sorceror and wasn't keen on becoming the same for another! Angel was looking at him, too; smiling slightly and enjoying the music. Lindsey had to smile a little himself as he realized there may be a few more people present who could truly appreciate the song than he had originally thought... "No one knows what it's like To feel these feelings Like I do And I blame you..." _And then again, maybe not..._ Lindsey could feel the colour rising in his cheeks as Giles sang that line. He could *feel* Angel watching him closely now, wanted desperately to be somewhere else at this moment in time -- except that he couldn't be rude and cut Giles off, especially when he really did sound that good... He focused on finishing off the Kung Pao, his intuition still alerting him to the curiosity and stares coming his way but his attention centered on eating and making a dent in the ravenous hunger he realized had been gnawing at his insides since sometime shortly after he woke. When he finished, he looked up and smiled at the others, then listened as Giles completed his song. Before anyone else had a chance to speak, he said, "That was excellent, Mr. Giles; you've got a very nice voice. And speaking of voices, Angel, I have to go to Caritas tomorrow." "Caritas?" Giles asked, then as an aside to Lindsey, said, "Just call me 'Giles', Lindsey. Everyone else does..." "It's a Karaoke bar," Angel explained, somewhat reluctantly. Ethan smiled and added, "It's run by a demon who can read people when they sing." All of Angel's people stared, surprised by his knowledge of their own haunts. He shrugged, seeing their looks, and explained, "I've been to LA before..." "Somehow, a Karaoke bar doesn't seem your kind of place," Spike said, cocking his head at Ethan. "The owner allows both humans and non-humans, but not violence," Angel explained, smiling humourlessly. "It's a good place to meet with demons and guarantee that you won't be attacked or interrupted." "Except by painfully bad singing from certain patrons," Cordelia said with a grimace. "Lindsey, you're not going to let *him*--" "No," Lindsey answered before she could finish her question. "I need to talk to Lorne and find out what the fuck to do about this whole mess." "Lorne?" Angel asked, puzzled. "Lorne," Lindsey answered, looking at Angel as if he were insane. "You know, tall, green, flamboyant..." "That's one way to put it," Wesley muttered. "You mean you've been talkin' to him for the better part of a year and you didn't even know his *name*?" Lindsey asked, frowning up at Angel. "Man. I knew you were a little wrapped up in your own world, but come *on*, Angel!" "Green?" Giles asked softly, hoping to defuse the potential situation. "Yeah, green -- he's a--" Angel stopped, realizing he didn't know *what* the Host was -- beyond 'not human'. "He's not from here," Lindsey supplied. "And, as Ethan said, he reads people when they sing..." "Ah." "I also have to get some clothes -- since Caritas isn't open that early, I'm gonna go shopping..." "You shouldn't go to any of your usual stores," Gunn suggested. Angel nodded and said, "He's right, Lindsey -- they may have alerted them to keep an eye out for you, or they may actually have posted people there. They know you need clothes since they stole all of them..." "Right," Lindsey answered with a nod. "Makes sense." "You should take someone else with you, too!" Cordelia answered eagerly, "That is, just in case they are waiting for you, or they find you. Would you mind stopping into a couple of other stores, too?" "Sure, no problem," Lindsey answered, praying he wasn't getting himself into more trouble -- he could far too easily envision himself walking along carrying a stack of boxes piled higher than his head. "Well," Giles began, "If all of that's settled, I think it might be a good idea if we took a look at that hand, then called it a night..." "Uh..." Cordelia hedged, "Maybe you should do that somewhere more private." Giles blinked and looked closely at Lindsey, seeing his nervousness. "Ah. Yes. That would be a good idea." He put the guitar carefully back in its case and snapped the fastenings shut, then stood and looked at Angel. "Angel, I realize this is a hotel, but I don't know how many rooms you have set up for visitors..." "Oh -- there are a couple made up," Angel answered, his gaze darting from Giles to Ethan, and then to Spike. "Uh... How many do you need?" "Three," Giles answered diplomatically. At the same instant, both Spike and Ethan said, "Two," and then glowered at each other. "I'll give you three, and you can decide on your own how you want to deal with it. I'm going to put my foot down on this, though: no violence while you're under this roof, got it?" "You wound me," Ethan said insincerely. "I'm not that lucky," Spike muttered quietly enough that only Angel heard it. "And don't think I'm not going to hear you, just because I might be distracted," Angel warned. Then he turned to look at his friends and asked, "Wes, Gunn, Cordy, do you want to stay the night, too? It's pretty late..." "That might be a very good idea," Wesley said, yawning and standing to stretch. "It's been a pretty eventful night." "Nah, I think I'll head on out," Gunn said. "I'm pretty used to running around at this time of night. I'll see you guys tomorrow -- and Lindsey, really, if you *need* something, lemme know. I know what it's like to lose everythin' you got, y'know?" "Yeah -- thanks..." "Cordy, what about you?" Angel asked, glancing up at the clock and realizing it was nearly three in the morning. "Staying or going home?" "Are you kidding? I don't have any clothes to go shopping in *here* -- I *have* to go home..." "Do you want me to--" Gunn cut in before Angel could finish, "I'll go with her. You oughta stay here in case something goes wrong with Mr. Hand, there..." "Angel, while you get them set up, I'm going to get some things out of my car, before that disappears, too..." "Good idea," Angel said, looking at those who needed rooms. "Let's go get your rooms ready." As Angel led the four of them upstairs, Gunn, Cordelia, and Lindsey headed out to the cars parked in the lot behind the hotel, Lindsey walking to his SUV and unlocking the passenger door. He reached in and pulled his briefcase out from under the blanket Angel had hidden under during their drive from Wolfram & Hart, then set it on the seat and opened it. Then he opened the glove compartment and emptied it, packing the items into the briefcase. Next he tugged the parking permit hang-tag off his rear-view mirror and his sunglasses from the sun-visor holder; tossed the hang-tag into the briefcase and slid an earpiece of the sunglasses into the collar of the sweater. He pulled his briefcase out and set it on the hood, then shut and locked the door and walked around to the back of the SUV. He unlocked and opened the door and lifted out a small duffel bag and a travel garment bag, then locked and shut the door, walked back to the briefcase, and picked it up with some difficulty. As he turned to head back to the hotel, Cordelia drove up next to him and said, "Call me when you're ready to go shopping!" He nodded, then watched as she drove off, Gunn trying to fold himself comfortably into the front passenger seat. Wondering idly if Gunn was intending on spending the night at her place, Lindsey walked back into the hotel and headed for Angel's room. When Angel returned to his room, he found Lindsey hanging up the garment bag in his closet. "Extra suit?" he asked quietly, watching Lindsey move and realizing the young man seemed exhausted. "Yeah -- in case something ran so late I didn't have time to get home and change. Couldn't stand when that happened 'cause then I'd have to skip a good shower, too." "Ah," Angel said, realizing what kind of 'something' Lindsey was referring to. "So, you ready for this?" "No, not really," Lindsey said quietly. "Not really sure I want Spike or Ethan there when I react to this thing..." Angel frowned -- he had been about to reassure Lindsey that they wouldn't hurt him, when he realized the humiliation was his main concern. "It's the curse, Lindsey -- it's not you. Don't let anything they say or do get to you; you'll just give them more to use." "Yeah." "Don't worry, I'll be there." "You'd better -- and bring a sword or axe or something -- just in case they manage to summon something unpleasant. I still have no idea what the fuck the side-effects of this are -- beyond the obvious one, that is." "Good idea," Angel said, pulling a small battle-axe out from behind the dresser. "Come on, let's get this over with." "Uh -- maybe we don't really have to do this," Lindsey hedged nervously, although he walked along with Angel. "Maybe we're blowing this all out of proportion -- it never happened at Wolfram & Hart..." Angel stopped and looked down at him, then asked, "And did anyone there ever touch it?" Lindsey frowned in thought, then hesitantly answered, "Well, no. I guess not. Matter of fact, everyone seemed to go out of their way to avoid... Oh. Everyone knew, and they were all laughing at me behind my back... Shit. Let's go." "Wesley was too wiped to be any help," Angel commented, realizing Lindsey might be concerned about his reactions, too. "I told him to go to sleep and he could help research anything they might find, tomorrow." "Thanks," Lindsey answered softly, glad he didn't have to deal with the ex-Watcher's jealousy as well as anything else that might arise from this. When they arrived at the room Angel had given Giles, they found the door shut and sounds of a heated discussion between Spike and Giles going on inside. Angel rapped on the door and the discussion stopped suddenly. A moment later, the door opened, and Giles greeted them. "Come on in, gentlemen." Lindsey entered the room first, with Angel right behind him. Spike was sprawled in the chair, looking as if he had just thrown himself into it; Ethan was lounging on the bed, although when Giles looked over at him, he sat up. "Okay, so what do you want me to do?" Lindsey asked, looking nervously up at Giles. "First, you need to relax. Spike, let him sit in the chair. If something goes wrong, there's less chance of him falling and hurting himself." "Right," Spike said, surprisingly cooperative suddenly. "Here you go, Ducks." Lindsey sat in the chair, then tugged the overly-long sleeve up to expose his arm. "Okay, now what?" Giles looked from Angel to Spike, then asked, "Could you two stand by in case something unpleasant happens? You're the strongest ones here, and Ethan and I may have to deal with a magical attack... Ethan, I need you to monitor -- I've got no idea what kind of safeguards this thing comes with." "Right," Ethan said, standing up and walking over to kneel near Lindsey's right side. He began muttering a chant, holding his hands up as if to feel the air around Lindsey. A moment later, he nodded to Giles to indicate he was ready. "Okay, Lindsey, I'm just going to touch it and try to read what kind of spell or curse it is. I apologize for what this is going to do to you..." "Yeah," Lindsey said uncomfortably, swallowing hard and nodding. "I'm ready." Giles reached out and grasped the hand, noting the shudder that ran through Lindsey's body, the sudden flush of his skin and swelling of his cock inside his trousers. He looked at their joined hands, looking at the magickal energy swirling around it; seeing his own aura being drawn into its darker, more malevolent cloud. Lindsey moaned and arched back in the chair, his left hand awkwardly sliding down to rub at his cock as his legs spread. He tried to thrust his hips in Giles' direction, sudden need overtaking his mind and body. Giles heard Lindsey's moan, felt his own body trying to react to the younger man's hunger; the deep red and purples of the energy pulsating around the hand growing brighter as Lindsey became more aroused. There were words Giles could *almost* sense -- an ancient language from a land of heat and wind that awoke a deep, unnameable dread within him. They teased at the back of his mind, half-recognized, half-understood; he had to probe deeper to try and reach them... And suddenly Ethan was pulling him bodily away, easing him down to the floor and muttering a protection spell as he wrapped his arms around him. His subconscious registered Angel hauling Lindsey out of the chair and the two of them hurriedly leaving the room, while Spike stood indecisively near the door; finally making up his mind and shutting it, leaving the three of them alone in the room. He leaned back in Ethan's arms; sudden weakness pulling him down, his arms and legs leaden and even the smallest movement a chore. He tried to wet his lips, found his throat parched and his tongue dry. "What happened?" he managed to whisper, looking up at Ethan and Spike, who had come to kneel at his other side. "Damned thing tried to drain you," Ethan said tersely, stroking Giles' hair out of his face. "Spike, get him some water, please. He can't even swallow..." Spike left his side, and Giles whispered, "I could *almost* see it -- could almost sense the spell..." "Yes, and it sucked you deeper as you tried to look," Ethan responded. "It was draining you even as it was turning him on -- I think the only thing that's saved Angel from it so far is that he's already dead; it can't get a grip on his energy." He looked up as Spike held out the glass of water, took it gratefully and tried to help Giles up enough to drink it without spilling it all over himself. "Here, sip, Love," he coaxed, trying to hide the concern in his voice. "Spike, help me get him into the bed -- we'll need to watch him..." "Here, let me," Spike said quietly, gently lifting Giles and carrying him to the bed where he waited for Ethan to turn the covers down. He put Giles down just as gently, then the two of them quietly stripped the dozing man, stopping briefly when hands bumped as they both reached for his belt buckle. "Truce, for the night," Spike suggested, meeting Ethan's skeptical gaze. "Agreed," the sorceror answered, far more worried about Giles at the moment. As they finished stripping Giles' helpless form, he asked, "Can you tell if Lindsey's okay?" Spike stopped for a moment and sniffed the air, his forehead wrinkling slightly as he caught the scent of Lindsey's overpowering arousal and what Angel was doing about it. "Yeah," he answered flatly, "He definitely caught the better side of this..." "Figures..." To be continued...