2AN: - This story was inspired by 'Second Chances by Kionos', the story has been abandoned by the looks of it, so I decided to give it a go and write it myself. All credit for the original idea goes to them.
- Also, new chapters will come whenever there ready, which may take a while.
Chapter 1 – The Sacrifice
"Tell me why I'm here again," Angel called out even though the two people he was talking to were only on the other end of the phone.
He was ambling around an old warehouse at the edge of the city. Nothing and no one was there as his voice echoed in the large empty space. He was looking for a box, and that's all he knew as he searched high and low, not finding anything.
"Because Cordelia had a vision, and the only clue we had was that warehouse." Wesley's voice sounded from down the line.
"I also remember her saying something about a weird box full of darkness and that we have no idea what it does."
Before he could complain any further, the fast sound of footsteps came pounding from the other side of the room. Looking up, Angel scowled at the sound's origin.
"I'll call you back," was all he said before closing the phone and sliding it into his pocket. "What are you doing here Lindsey? Wasn't me cutting off your hand enough of a warning for you? Are you that much of a glutton for punishment?"
Lindsey stared up at the vamp from where his body was doubled over, panting for breath. "I came to warn you..." he stopped, choking on the words as he seemed to cough up a lung. His usually pin-straight hair was curling at the sides, small ringlets gently brushing his ears. Shaking out the soaking wet strands, he tried to stand up only to stumble over tired legs. "You need to leave now... before they get here."
"Who's they?" Angel asked with a voice that held very little interest as his right eyebrow quirked up, creasing his forehead.
"I think he means me." A voice called out from deep within the shadows.
Looking around, Angel soon saw a tall man in a dark green suit and gold tie strolling merrily into the room. His skin was pale and his face bone thin and slightly crooked looking. Two gnarled hands poked out of long dark sleeves, gripping a black cane with gold detailing. He looked confident just standing there, while the other two men argued in front of him.
"What's going on, Lindsey?" Angel pulled the lawyer by his sweat-soaked shirt, his blazer had long since been abandoned during the sprint.
"Yes, Mr McDonald. I too would like an explanation of what you are doing here? It seems we have a security breach with some of our more... delicate files." The man smiled as he spoke, but you could see the anger bubbling just below the surface.
"Angel, you need to run now. He has a box that will..."
"Enough, Lindsey!" The mysterious man interrupted him. He tutted whilst looking the lawyer up and down. "It seems like Mr Manners needs to keep better control of his pet."
"Pet?" The vampire was confused, first by Lindsey's sudden change in attitude, and secondly, by this conversation that seemed to be creating more questions than it answered. "Will someone tell me what is going on here?"
"Our Lindsey belongs to Mr Manners, as a sort of side project. Normally he is compelled to do his master's bidding, but recently he has started to disobey. It is a problem that we will soon have rectified, don't you worry."
"Angel, please just run. I don't know how long I can fight this." The lawyer's tone was pleading as he put his body in between the man and the vampire.
"It's too late, Lindsey." The man pulled out a large box, seemingly from nowhere. It somehow looked both alive and dead, with old twisted wood making up its sides and ancient lettering carved into its body. "Angel's fate is already set and there is nothing you can do about it."
With a few chanted words, the box opened and the pure darkness that lay trapped inside started to escape. Angel's eyes met with the lawyer's, seeing the fear in those shockingly blue irises. Lindsey was still stood between the vampire and the box, holding Angel back like it would actually do something.
"Lindsey, I would move out the way if I was you. You don't want to get caught up in this." The man goaded, as the purest black smoke filled the air.
At the centre of the growing cloud, was an eery green light, pulsing with dark energy. From what he could understand, someone needed to walk into that glow before the spell could be completed. And if someone didn't do it voluntarily, some poor soul would be picked from whoever was closest. It wasn't a pretty prospect, there was a smell that lingered in the air, so unique they had nothing to compare it to, but they were both certain that it was the scent of pain and misfortune, of ill content and evil desires. What kind of fool would happily waltz into that destiny?
More thick black smoke oozed out, so much so that the stranger was completely out of sight, all they could hear of him was a maniacal laugh as he toyed with their fates.
Lindsey looked at the vampire, unsure what his true feelings for the man were, wondering if things could have been different between them if only Lindsey had more choices in his life.
Whooshing winds surrounded them, pushing the pair closer toward the light. It was so loud it almost drowned out Lindsey's words.
"I'm sorry."
Before Angel could stop him, Lindsey's hand shoved the vampire back as he jumped into the box's core.
Angel was helpless as he stood there, watching the young lawyer scream as he was pulled roughly into the darkness. Bones snapped and contorted, groans escaped from tightly sealed lips, and the green glow faded as it engulfed the lawyer entirely.
Just before the box finally closed for good, a mighty roar echoed from inside.
"Lindsey..."