TITLE: Saviors (1/1)
AUTHOR: Rebecca Parker
EMAIL: Buffonian@aol.com or QueenOfCretins@aol.com
DEDICATION: To Charles...my inspiration for all things Angel Slash. Speaking
of...this is a challenge for his Angel/Oz list "Incredibly Pale" and also an
addition to the *excellent* fics at his other mailing list "Angel Slash"
(Charles...you're my Slash Hero :)
***
It was hopeless. Or becoming hopeless, Oz thought as he slammed shut what
seemed like the millionth book he had looked through tonight alone. He hated
it- the world they were living in.
As a member of the "White Hats" as the undead community of Sunnydale
liked to call them, Oz had two choices each night. He could either go out and
try to defend the helpless citizens from the vampires, which meant putting
your life on the line by running into the fray or you could sit in the
library milling through old musty books for something no one was sure
existed- an end to this Chaos.
Most of the original White Hats had opted to stay and study. They had
figured that was the safer course of action, until they were picked off one
by one as soon as the vamps figured out they were sitting ducks. After that,
a lot of students had quit the group once they realized that they were prime
targets as long as they were involved with the White Hats. Half of them were
dead now anyway. A lot of good quitting had done them, Oz thought, slamming
yet another book shut.
He got up from his seat in the library and looked over to Nancy. "Want to
make a few rounds? This is pointless. We never find anything in these books."
Nancy shook her head. "No. I'm going to stay here," she said, letting out
a deep sigh. "There has to be something in here somewhere or Giles wouldn't
have us look."
"I think Giles is doing what I like to call 'grasping at straws' There's
nothing in there that can fix this town. The only thing that can fix it is
this," Oz said, removing the stake from his right pocket and twirling it
around in his fingers. "I'm gonna head out. Will you be OK here by
yourself?", he asked, grabbing his jacket and slipping it on.
"Yeah," Nancy said, forcing a smile on her face. "I'm gonna call it a
night soon anyway."
"OK. Be safe," Oz said, turning and walking out of the library. He would
say a prayer for Nancy's safety if he thought it would help. But in this
town, the only thing that seemed to help was blind luck.
*************
An hour later and Oz was about to call it a night. He had staked two
vamps and it was getting late. The sun would be coming up soon and he needed
to get home and catch a few winks before school started.
He was walking past the Bronze when he heard a scream come from inside.
The scream, loud and shrill sent shivers down Oz's spine. Never before had he
heard such pain..such agony in a single scream. Oz's heart ached for the life
he was sure had just been taken.
But the screaming still hadn't ended two minutes later. Oz had to do
something. Someone was being tortured inside. By a vampire, no doubt. The
Bronze was a hotspot of vampiric activity.
Oz clung to the wall, hiding in the shadows as he made his way inside.
"Now be a good Puppy and roll over so I can color the other side too," a
female voice said.
"Please," Oz heard the male say. "Please. I..I cant take anymore," the
voice said.
"Aw Puppy. You know you only make me more frisky when you beg," she
said, striking a match and pressing it against the man's bare chest.
The smell of burnt flesh invaded Oz's nose as the man began to scream
again. Oz was about to reveal himself when the redhead stopped and got off
his chest where she had been straddling him.
"Playtime's over Puppy. I want to get in a snack before the pesky sun
comes out. I'll see you tomorrow," she said, her promise seeming more like a
threat.
Oz watched as she walked past him and he realized where he knew her from.
Willow Rosenberg. They had chemistry together the year she was killed- the
year she was turned apparently. She had always been so meek and yet now it
seemed she was one hell of a sadistic vampire. It never ceased to amaze Oz.
He stood there for a few minutes after she left, watching the man who had
been tortured. He was chained to the wall, his shirt torn open to reveal a
chest full of bruises. Once Willow had left, "Puppy" had scampered towards
the shadows, letting out a soft cry that made Oz's heart break.
After he was sure Willow had gone, Oz stepped out, walking towards the
cage where "Puppy" was kept.
"Hello?" Oz spoke out, his voice as soft and non threatening as possible.
Angel looked up at Oz, past the shadows and took in this boy. He was
human. That much was apparent. He could smell the boy's humanity and Angel
was jealous more than ever. If he was human, he would be dead already and not
forced to live through this torture. For the last year, Willow had visited
every pain upon him and Angel had grown weary. Never before had he wished for
death so strongly as when he saw this boy emerge from the shadows.
"Are you...are you OK?", Oz asked when the man did not answer. "I saw
what she did to you. I think we need to get you to a hospital."
"A hospital?", Angel finally said, looking at the concern on the boy's
face. And then it dawned on him. The boy thought he was a human. Of course.
It wouldn't make sense to him for a vampire to be chained up and tortured by
another vampire. Not that anything made sense anymore. "A hospital cant help
me," Angel said, a plan forming in his mind.
Angel stepped out of the shadows slowly. "Help me out," he said. "The
cage. It's locked. I need to get out of here," he said, looking the boy over,
noticing the stake sticking out of his pocket. This was going to work, Angel
thought. He was sure of it.
Oz stepped closer to the cage, examining the lock. It actually wasn't as
strong as he expected. "Hold on," he said, spotting a railroad spike nearby.
He picked it up and ran back to the cage. "This should work," he said,
quickly hammering it against the lock. It took a few tries but it finally
broke open.
Oz let out a sigh of relief as he swung the door to the cage open. "Come
on," he said, looking at the man. "Lets get you out of there."
Angel couldn't believe it. Freedom. The door was open and he could
leave...go anywhere he wanted. But Angel knew it. It wouldn't last. She would
find him. Bring him back here and torture him worse than she ever had before.
He had to end it now.
"You fool," Angel said, letting his face transform into his true nature.
"You just let one more vampire walk free in this town." Angel smiled. "What
are you going to do about that?" he asked, stepping closer to Oz, trying to
look as threatening as possible.
Oz stepped back quickly, the stake already removed from his pocket. He
was more confused than ever before. What was going on here? Why was a vampire
being locked in a cage and tortured by another vampire.
"What are you doing man?", Oz said, staying in his place, his head
swimming trying to figure out exactly what was going on.
"What do you think?" Angel said, stepping closer. "I'm a vampire. I'm
going to do what comes naturally to me."
"Does it?" Oz asked, lowering his stake and at the same time wondering
what the hell he was doing. "I don't think it does. Something's...off here,"
he said. "I don't think you want to kill me."
Angel stood glued to his spot, looking at this boy, frowning as he noted
the stake was now pressed against his side. This wasn't working. Damn it all
to hell, Angel thought. The boy wasn't going to kill him. Angel's face
transformed back into its human visage.
"Please. Just get me out of here," he said, falling to the ground.
Oz nodded, sliding the stake back in his pocket and walked over to where
Angel had collapsed on the ground. He bent down, supporting Angel under the
arms and bringing him back to his feet.
"Now put your arm around me and I'll get you out of here," he said. Angel
slid his arm around Oz's shoulder and the two walked out of the Bronze
together, Oz's eyes darting around nervously to make sure that Willow had not
returned.
Oz walked over to his van, quickly opening the passenger door and helping
Angel inside. "My name's Oz," he said, slamming the door shut and walking
over to the other side.
Angel leaned over and unlocked Oz's door, his fingers shaking as he
realized for the first time in a long time Angel was free. He watched as the
boy...Oz...climbed in his van and Angel felt the urge to hug him. He had
saved him...taken him from the hell he had been living and Angel was more
grateful than he could admit.
"I'm...Angel," he said, his voice low. "Thanks....for saving me. The
things she did to me," he said, his whole body shaking with convulsions.
"She..."
Oz rested his hand on Angel's leg. "I know...you don't have to say it.
We're just gonna get you cleaned up. I guess now the hospital's out," he
said, turning the key in the ignition and pulling the van out of the
alleyway. "I can bring you back to my place I guess. My...well..my boyfriend
Larry is out of town for the week so there shouldn't be a problem with you
staying there."
"Your...boyfriend?", Angel said, looking at Oz, his eyes wandering down
to the hand still on his leg. "Um..Ok. I just don't want to be a bother," he
said.
"You're no bother," Oz said, smiling as he turned his van onto his
street. "It'll be nice to have some company around."
Angel and Oz didn't speak as Oz pulled into the driveway. He quickly
climbed out of the van and walked around to Angel's side, where Angel was
staring up at the sky, his mouth open and a look of amazement on his face.
"What is it?", Oz said, stepping close to him, his arm reaching out and
holding Angel's arm. "Are you OK?"
Angel nodded. "Yeah. Its just been so long since I saw the stars. You
take things like them for granted, you know?", he said, shifting his gaze
back to Oz. "Thank you again. I don't know how I can ever repay you for what
you've done for me."
Oz shoved his hands in his pockets, smiling. "Don't worry about it.
Listen lets get you cleaned up OK?", Oz said, his eyes traveling over Angel's
chest and Oz had to fight the desire to run his hands across it. Something
about Angel had Oz on edge and with Larry gone, he had no outlet for his
passion.
Angel nodded. "OK," he said. "Just be gentle," he said, smiling weakly.
Oz laughed. "If that's what you want," Oz said, turning and walking
towards the door, not looking back to see what Angel's reaction was.
Angel followed Oz, frowning as he realized he was following this boy
around like a...puppy. But Angel was drawn to Oz. He wasn't sure why but he
couldn't deny it.
Oz opened the door to the house and stepped inside, quickly flicking on
the lights and heading for the kitchen.
Angel stood outside the doorway, knowing he could not yet enter and not
wanting to speak up. As much as he hated it, Angel was broken now...a total
submissive creature.
"Oz...", he said, unable to say more.
Oz walked back towards the door when he heard Angel. "What's wrong?", Oz
said, looking at Angel. "Oh," he said. "I'm really sorry. Please. Come
inside," Oz said, and with that Angel stepped in.
"Thanks," he said, his eyes taking in the apartment.
"Stop thanking me," Oz said, walking closer to Angel, his eyes once again
taking in the sight of Angel's bare chest. "Let me get you cleaned up," Oz
said, his hand reaching out and connecting with Angel's chest.
They stood there like that for a few minutes; Oz's hand connecting with
Angel's cold flesh. Oz didn't know what to do. He felt this strange sexual
attraction towards the vampire and wanted to act on it but was afraid.
"Angel?", Oz said, his eyes looking up into Angel's.
"Don't," Angel said, leaning down and pressing his lips against Oz's. His
hand snaked out and made its way around Oz's waist, pulling the boy towards
him.
Oz relaxed into the kiss, all worries fleeing from his brain. This kiss
was so perfect that he hadn't even noticed that their bodies had shifted
towards the bedroom.
"Are you sure?" Oz said, breaking out of the kiss reluctantly as they
entered the bedroom, the bed calling to them, begging to be filled with their
bodies. "Are you sure you're up to this? Physically? And mentally too. I
mean, you've been through a lot," he said, praying to every available God
that Angel didn't back out now.
"I'm fine," Angel said, taking Oz's hand and bringing his fingers to his
lips. "How could I not be when I'm kissing someone like you," he said.
"Please. Stop worrying about me. You've saved me enough tonight. Now's my
turn to save you," he said.
"Save me?", Oz said, smiling. "And how do you plan on doing that?"
"I'm going to take you to the stars and back," Angel said, moving Oz over
to the bed and lying him down. "I'll just have a hard time deciding which is
more beautiful."
Oz could feel himself blushing but as usual, couldn't find the words to
describe how he was feeling. Instead, he pulled Angel down to him and used
the rest of the night to show him instead.
***