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Angel and Stefan have a long chat, during which Erica realizes she has it easy compared to the broody ones.
4/24/2016 7:00 PM
Hyperion Hotel San Francisco
The Hyperion Hotel[]
The lights are on, illuminating the area.
The California-Spanish building known as the Hyperion Hotel was built in the 20s. Through the cast iron gates from the sidewalk is a small front courtyard with a rectangular fountain and a mythological figure holding a bowl from which water flows. Greenery frames the walls and a large set of glass double doors open into a high ceilinged lobby. Dark red carpet descends the four steps to the lobby floor and climb the two sets of stairways that lead to the second floor. The green marble floors are accented with wavy red inserts, as are the walls have a complimentary red border running their length. A set of doors identical to those of the entrance lead to a small enclosed garden.
Cream-colored pillars line two sides of the room, holding up the second-floor balconies that look out onto the lobby and creating arches. Underneath one of them is a large plate glass window that looks into the hotel office - now used as the office and nerve center of Angel Investigations. Nearby, there's a wraparound counter with dark wood paneling and a top the same color as the floor. Behind it are filing cabinets and a pair of desks pushed together. A navy blue circular couch harkening back to a 50s design sits near the back of the lobby. A large wooden, glass-doored cabinet pushed up against the wall holds a large assortment of weapons.
Outside, it's foggy and cool.
Angel hasn't had any clients this evening, so he's mostly brooding at his desk. Unfortunately, the lights have to be on for this, because a client could theoretically come in at any time. And he doesn't want to give the impression of being closed to those in need of help. So, he has to brood in lights much too bright ofr his taste.
Erica is not one for brooding. The blonde beta prefers retail therapy, or snarking and sassing someone until she feels better. Apparently that's just not getting the job done today. She's in snug jeans and close fitting v-neck shirt, wearing some plain sandals as she's not planning on leaving the building. Her hair is loose, but the makeup is minimal. She clearly is not in work or party mode, as she comes into the lobby, looking for the broody one.
One brooding one, brooding at a desk, contemplating all that he has done wrong and all that he must do right, to go! He notices Erica dressed in a fairly casual manner, and nods in her general direction.
Stefan Salvatore arrives soon after Erica carrying a leather bag. He places it on a desk, "Angel?" He takes out a bottle of bourbon and a couple of glasses, "I figured I'd stop by."
The blonde beta stops in her approach of Angel, stilling at the sight of someone she's not at all familiar with. Brown eyes dart to Angel, taking her cue from him, ready to unleash the claws if he seems to think it necessary.
Angel notices the way Erica and Stefan don't seem to know each other, and does the introductions. "Stefan, this is Erica. She lives here at the hotel. Erica, this is Stefan. He usually lives up in Beacon Hills."
Stefan Salvatore nods, "I'm Stefan as he says." He holds up a glass, "So Angel do you..? Drink?" He pours one glass but leaves the other empty until Angel responds.
There's a twitch at the name of the town, her eyebrows going up. She'll move closer to Angel while still giving Stefan plenty of space. "Really? Lived there long?" She'll find somewhere to perch, and no matter how odd or uncomfortable, she'll seem to be lounging.
Unlike many things, alcohol is a choice. While Spike chooses to indulge in such things, Angel does not. Probably from rotten memories of what alcohol turned Liam into, back when he was mortal. "No thanks." Spoken in the 'I could but choose not to' tone of voice.
Stefan Salvatore nods, "Well a couple of glasses of bourbon usually works wonders on a troubled mind." He glances at Erica, "You?"
"Unfortunately, I have to drink far too much to really enjoy imbibing." There's a quirk of a smile from the blonde. "But thank you." There's a glance at Angel, curious but patient... for once.
Angel shrugs, "I did that all the time, back then. Drinking enough of that lead me to become what I became." It was a drunken Liam that followed Darla into that alley, after all...
Stefan Salvatore is assured that Erica knows what Angel is, "So she knows about..?"
Erica lifts her eyebrows. "That Angel is the walking, adorable undead?" Her head tilts to the right, as brown eyes blaze golden for a brief moment. "We've all got our secret identities, honey."
Angel eyes both of the people next to him. "But it's not my place to reveal anything." For either of them. If they want to trust each other, they have to make that decision on their own.
Stefan Salvatore hmms for a second before taking drink of his bourbon, "Then I take it that we are all aware of Mikhail? He's a mistake.. but I don't want to kill him, it's not my way of doing things. I think he just needs a guiding hand to show him how to survive without becoming a monster."
Erica just outed herself, as far as she's concerned. If someone's looking for a fight, she is probably the wrong she-wolf to muck with, in her latest mood. "I'm not briefed up on this Mikhail guy, no. I've been busy with a werewolf relocation program." Totally true!
Angel considers, "That's the guy that suicided to activate the blood? That actually worked? He's become a vampire that way?" It shouldn't have worked. "I don't know what his grudge against me was, but...it's apparently old." Old enough to be his alterego's fault.
Stefan Salvatore laughs nervously for a bit, "Yeah we're both vampires but.. the process is different apparently when it comes to other.. subspecies? That might be the only way to put it." He sighs, "With us all it takes is a drop of vampire blood in your system at the point of death to be turned. He knew what he was doing, that's why he asked me to heal him that night." Stefan doesn't seem phased about Erica's werewolf problems, "Mistake or not he can't be left alone. He needs us, at least me, if he's going to survive. If he refuses to control himself then... I am sure you know what to do. It can't be different with your strain."
"Wait, he... committed suicide, to become a vampire?" She looks between the two men. "That can't be at all psychologically healthy. No offense." She understands vampirism, but to kill yourself to do it seems.. extreme. "So new vamps, I'm assuming, have control issues like new weres?"
"That...depends on breed," says Angel. "Because with my breed, your soul typically gets ejected and you become a murdering psychopath with no hope of redemption. Except a highly unlikely one known as getting your soul back." Which is what happened to him. "With Stefan's breed....well, I'll let him tell you."
Stefan Salvatore sighs again, "We don't lose our souls, but the worst aspects of our soul, of our being, they become heightened. For me it was horrific. I don't know what was lying deep inside of Mikhail, but if he was anything like me, like you Angel, he has to be controlled by whatever means necessary." He takes another drink of bourbon, "If he can resist the darkness now inside of him, I will be more than happy to show him how to resist his instincts, but I think we both know that an out of control vampire who refuses to change is a danger to everyone. I'd gladly choose death than to go back to how I was, I am sure you would as well, we've all heard the stories.. about Angelus. Of course I had no idea that there were different 'strains' of vampirism, but you are well known. If the both of us can change, he can resist becoming what we were, there is still hope. I know that someone who chooses vamprism is probably not a saint but..."
Erica looks at Stefan from under lashes. "Unless they had a damned good reason. I'm sure there are the exceptions." That might be a touchy subject, a sore spot of sorts with the blonde beta. "Angel, you know if I can help.." Since Angel can't go out in the daytime, and she most certainly can.
Angel's other side..."I've spent years trying to atone for what I've done, and I've barely even dented it." Pause. "And I've had to give up a lot to keep...well, Angelus contained. He'll come back if I know a moment of happiness. It's...happened before." In a nutshell, why the guy's brooding all the time. Happiness leads to ultimate evil.
Stefan Salvatore nods, "Believe me when I say that I know exactly what that feels like. I am what is called a 'ripper.' As a vampire I have less control than most, I have a tendency to do more than just feed, I take my victims apart, I feed as as a glutton, and I always want more. It took the help of a devoted friend to convince me to turn my humanity back on. We have a switch inside of us, to let our souls in, or shut our souls out. If I hunt live human blood, I run the risk of becoming who I once was. I had to build up a resistance to human blood, I take my sustanence from blood bags, but I can never take blood from the vein again without risking everything that I am."
"Jesus, and I thought wanting to run and hunt under a full moon was rough." Erica slides to her feet out of her perch, hands pushing through her hair. "If you need me to do something, Angel, you know where to find me. Got things to do, you know?" Things that do not include learning way too much about her vampire company.
Angel nodded at Erica. "I'll text you if something comes up." He also considered what Stefan said. "All things considered, I think you have a better deal. Imagine if being with Elena is what triggered your Ripper state and you've got an idea of what I'm going through." Pause. "Speaking of which, you need to take better care of her. She got attacked a couple nights ago by vampires of my breed with a grudge against you. I happene to be there, so she's bruised but fine. But they wanted to kill her to hurt you."
Stefan Salvatore sets his glass down, "No one told me.. I haven't even gotten a text from Elena since I got back from.. damnit. That friend I mentioned? The one who helped me.. I was helping her for a change. That was why I was away for so long and.. I trusted my brother Damon to look after her. I can't say that I should be surprised that he didn't even bother. But I thank you for watching out for her and.. I think we have a lot in common Angel. Not many vampires see the world like we do, they don't think there is any point in holding onto their humanity, they just give in, and give up. Some don't have a choice from the sound of it, especially your breed since the soul is expelled entirely, but there are those of us who have a choice. I've spent so long just surviving but.. I can't help but think that I should be doing more than that. I might be able to help others the way that I was helped."
Angel nods. "We do. There's a monster in us, kept bound by will. And with a key that's very easy to trigger. Through feeding in your case, or happiness in mine. And yeah. With my breed, it's a demon piloting the body around. My soul is basically keeping the demon leashed, but it's still inside me, all the time. Waiting for that one moment of happiness. That's all it taes." He considered something else. "I didn't go straight into helping people. After the curse that restored my soul, I spent 90 years or so deeply depressed and...not doing much of anything with myself. Wandering and lost. Eventually, a servant of the Powers set me on a course to meet a girl. She's a true hero...and inspired me to be something more. Unfortunately, she's also the source of that happiness, so I can't fight at her side anymore without risking the world."
Stefan Salvatore nods slowly, "The time might come when I too will have to give up the woman I love for the sake of all that is good. You know the worst part about falling in love? We're immortal, they are not, they will one day die, and we have to watch them age, get sick. I don't even know why I bothered with Elena but I could help it, it just happened. In many ways I feel selfish becaus eventually she will have to pass out of my life." He lifts his glass again, "I've not told anyone this yet Angel but I feel like you understand. The vampire who chooses to feel, who chooses to love, also choose to suffer."
Angel manages to go straight to broodland. "...It'll probably happen sooner then later. She fights every day, and she's already died twice. And...she was in Heaven the last time she was dead. So the next time she gets herself killed in a fight...there's no coming back. Nobody would pull her out of Heaven a second time." Pause. "Even so, love makes unlife worth living. It's fragile, and temporary...but we exprience such joy from it that it inspires us to be more then monsters."
Stefan Salvatore nods in agreement, "It's true, I can't say that I regret having loved, or that I will regret it when Elena eventually dies." He finishes his glass, "What separates us Angel, from most vampires, is that although we jump into love blinded from the inevitable loss, we still have the foresight, and the selflessness not to turn those we love into vampires."
Angel looks horrified at the thought. "Probably an easier thing to refuse for me. Buffy wouldn't be herself anymore with my breed. She'd be a demon wearing that face. And that..." Well, that's just sickening. "No. If...she loses a fight, she's earned Heaven. She already earned it once. What she's done since has earned it several times over."
Stefan Salvatore places his hands on the table, "Neither of us seem particularly eager to get involved in vampire politics, we both seem to have higher goals in mind, not just for ourselves either. But we both know that Mikhail needs to be contained, or else other vampires will step in, and we will have to deal with them in addition to our current problems. I know your breed might not be as.. worried but I know that my breed, and probably other breeds if they exist, will step in. I didn't intend to turn him, but he's my responsibility, but that being said I could use your help."
Angel knows vampire politics though. His alterego used to play them very well, after all. Supposed to sit at the right hand of the Master, and all that. But..."An uncontrolled vampire is like one without a soul. He'll threaten everyone around him, and probably kill some innocent people. If he seems about to kill, then...we'd have to stop him. I don't know everything about your breed yet, but in most types, childer respect their sires. Do you have anything that might help in that way?"
Stefan Salvatore shrugs, "It depends.. sometimes a sire bond is formed after the turning. If that is the case then he will be easier to teach, if not then I fear that his eagerness to become a vampire warns us of his nature, and of his intentions."
Angel considers everything going on, "Well...you've got two orders of business then. First, figure out if you have the bond, and use it if you can. If it's not there, let me know. Second...well, Elena did just get attacked. You should probably go to her. I can save her life, but healing her heart and making her feel safe is something you'll have to do."
Stefan Salvatore nods, "If she was attacked after I left then it means that the attack wasn't random, it was planned, which means that whoever was ultimately behind it may still be out there. It appears to have been an attack on me as you said. It would have been suicide to attack me while I was with my friend, while I was with Lexi, she's older than I am, more powerful. That means that this adversary is probably weaker than she is. The most obvious solution then is to ask Lexi to come to Beacon Hills right?" Same thought process as when he too cared for vampire politics.. different intentions.
Angel agrees, "By all means bring her, if you trust her. They recognized me when I showed up, but they weren't planning on me being there. And they called me Angelus." Which means they must've not known about his name change. "That, and cowardly types usually go after those who can't defend themselves." That's why nobody goes after Angel through Buffy...far too much power there. But they could and did attack him through Cordy, or even Wesley and Gunn and Fred. Hmmm. "By the way, does Elena have a twin sister?"
Stefan Salvatore raises a brow, "Not to my knowledge but.." His eyes widen, "Twin may not be the right word there. It's more like an act of God because.." He sighs, "My sire Katherine looks exactly like Elena." Stefan grows more serious, "At first it was why I was attracted to her, but that has changed even if my brother believes that my feelings are mere transference of emotion. Elena is not Katherine however, she is perhaps who Katherine would be under different circumstances, but she is her own person. If Elena has met her then I can only hope she doesn't know that Katherine was my sire, she too might believe that my feelings are not genuine, I would rather tell her myself."
Angel actually looks a little confused. "The first time I met someone who looked like that, she claimed to be Katherine...but she didn't seem to be a vampire. Then again, I did meet a Katherine who was a vampire...shortly after I became Angelus." Pause. "...She didn't have my gift for cruelty, but she taught me a couple things about mind games. The world was very sorry I learned those things." On the other hand..."But she learned from me how to be cruel and harsh...and firm with what she wanted."
Stefan Salvatore sighs, "Oddly that doesn't surprise me, Katherine tends to get around, always has. It would make sense that she met you while you were Angelus.. however if she learned from you then that doesn't bode well for us does it?"
Angel remembers back then, "Katherine was good. She wiled me away from Darla for a while, even as my lover and my sire WAS not happy about that. Still, Darla wasn't the manipulator your sire is, and she was unable to get me back. She hadn't sired either of you yet, though." Probably not what Stefan wants to hear, but he doesn't want him to be surprised later. "Eventually she left because the 'Sourge of Europe' was too high profile, and the level of cruelty I engaged in was bringing too much attention her way. Darla got me back then, she didn't mind the attention so much."
Stefan Salvatore nods, "Better we know now, although Damon might resent you for it, especially considering how he still feels about Katherine. We don't have to tell him though, however he will probably figure it out eventually. But my brother is best not knowing for now, it's best for everyone if he stays confined to smaller scale plots. The more he knows, the higher he aims."
Angel remembers something else. "Speaking of which. I caught Damon terrorizing a couple random people in the park last week. A nerd and his girlfriend. Even went fangs out on them. Erica and I...and Jake, who you havn't met yet, I think...more or less ran him out of town. We didn't hurt him, though Erica and especially Jake both wanted to."
Stefan Salvatore sighs, "Doesn't surprise me I'm afraid.. Damon doesn't share my views or my beliefs. He sees vampirism as his fate, and in fact he takes great pleasure in living his life in complete disharmony with mine, it's his eternal purpose: To make my existence a living hell. He knows how I feel about losing control, he does it to spite me. Once he even wrecklessly fed on people out at night to draw the suspicion of vampire hunters, just to make my life difficult. He can be wreckless at the best of times, near suicidal at the worst of times. I hope that one day I can help him change.."
Angel frowns, wondering whether to mention this last part. "...This...might hurt to hear, but when I brought your name up, he said he never heard of you. He was obviously lying, and I could tell, but..." Well, it might hurt to know that his brother would deny knowing him like that.
Stefan Salvatore shrugs, "Doesn't surprise me. We aren't on good terms, if he can save himself by denying he knows me, he will. Trust me when I say that this has been going on for over a century now, I'm used to it."
Angel sighs. "Well...however much of a pain in your ass he is, he's still your brother. But if he feeds in my town, I'm going to have to stop him." Because that's not kosher. "He said he'd never come back when he left. Not entirely I sure I believe that."
Stefan Salvatore nods, "If he thinks he can get away with it, he will be back, but I will do what I can to convince him to stay away. Now that I'm back in Beacon Hills, I am sure he will be spending most of his time there, if only to continue to torment me."
Angel nods. "I have allies up there, so I will head up that way now and then. And I'll help you finish off the nuisances that attacked Elena." After that? Well, time would tell. Neither vampire's running out of that anytime soon.