Night Life

7

I walked the dark streets of Los Angeles, my boots tapped against the sidewalk. I played with the buckle on my gauntlet as I walked, the road was still loud with the roar of cars as they passed. I kept to the inside of the pavement as my grandfather had taught me. I reached a hand up to the back of my neck and my fingers landed on my chip, I huffed a laugh and took the thin knife out of my hair I stopped on the spot and cut the chip out of my neck biting my tongue. I whimpered as I ripped it out, I looked it over before tossing it into the road to be crushed by a cars tyres.

"Won't find me now," I chuckled. I kept walking ignoring the wolf whistles from a few guys and the blearing music from the clubs. I was suddenly stopped by a demon.

"You know Doyle right?" He asked.

"Who''s asking?" I inquired.

"A friend, he has a debt to settle," he said.

"You're coming to me why?" I asked.

"Because I know how close you two are," he said.

"That's nice," I tried to walk away but the demon stepped into my path.

"Which is why you're coming with me," he said and grabbed my arm.

"She's not going anywhere," Angel said. I turned to face him.

"How did you find me?" I asked.

"Nows not the time," he replied grabbing my arm and pulled me behind him. "How much does he owe?"

"A soul," the demon replied.

"Don't tell me this was at a poker game?" Angel asked looking at Doyle.

"No," he looked at his feet.

"Be honest with me," Angel demanded.

"Okay, yes it was," he answered.

"What have we told you?" I growled.

"But it was just one wee soul," he replied.

"One wee soul that almost cost Cassie," Angel said.

"So how about that soul?" The demon asked.

"Here's your soul!" Angel exclaimed thrust his hand into the chest of the demon and ripped its heart out. "We need to chat," he turned to face me as he dropped the heart onto the ground.

"About what?" I asked and tried to walk off but he locked his fingers around my arm.

"You chatting up random vampires," he replied.

"I slew him big deal," I said.

"What if you weren't strong enough?" Angel quizzed me.

"Then I guess I would either be one of the undead or dead now," I replied.

"You say that with such ease, you don't know what it is to be dead," Angel replied, a cloud of seriousness fogged over his features.

"Believe me Cas, this is something Angel knows a lot about," Doyle said.

"Shut up Doyle, my soul was nearly taken because of you!" I growled.

"Angel are you going to allow her to talk to me like that?" Doyle whined like a wounded child.

"Children let's not argue on the streets, let's save it for when we get home," Angel mocked us both.

"Let me make it easy for you, I'm going home now," he said and stormed off. Angel sighed and we headed back to his apartment. As soon as we reached the ground floor in the lift I tore out and was headed to my room, but he caught my arm again.

"Turn around!" he demanded.

"Why?" I whined.

"Just do it," he growled, I huffed and turned now facing away from him. He pushed the hair off my neck. "You cut out your chip again."

"I am not having it put back in this time," I said turning towards him and stamping my boot on the floor.

"Fine, next time I'll let the vampire kill you and I won't hunt you down again," he sighed and walked off to the kitchen.