Chapter Text
Angel and Lindsey had stopped in the garden surrounding the Mission San Carlos Borromeo, silently contemplating the building. Moonlight stretched the shadows along the stone walls, giving the place a more sinister appearance than probably intended.
— "Do you really think we’re going to find answers here?" Angel asked, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the entrance.
— "I hope so…" Lindsey replied. "I could also be completely wrong… Maybe he never meant ‘the song on the rock’…"
They stood there for a moment, listening to the cool breeze rustling through the trees, trying to imagine what awaited them inside.
— "Do you know the text by heart?" Angel finally said.
Lindsey nodded, determined.
— "In English and in the old language."
Angel smiled, a flicker of pride softening the worried lines on his forehead.
— "So, we’re ready?"
— "Ready!" Lindsey confirmed. "Let’s go grill our crazy snitch!"
Side by side, they entered the building and headed straight for the crypt, taking the same path they had followed about a month ago. Surprisingly, the torches that had lit the staircase last time were out tonight. They could only hope the vampire was still there…
— "Once we get downstairs, stay back a little, please," Angel requested, concerned. "I don’t want him mistaking you for a snack again…"
Lindsey let out a small laugh but nodded. After Dracula, he’d had his fill of vampire bites, and his neck was now Angel’s exclusive territory.
They reached the bottom. The crypt hadn’t changed. The vaults, the columns, the circle of stones—everything looked exactly as it had on their first visit. Even the smell was the same: a metallic, earthy blend that made Lindsey wrinkle his nose.
He was there. Crouched near the pantry that still held its assortment of unappetizing items, the mad vampire seemed utterly fascinated by the floor, as if reading a message only he could see hidden in the crevices, his fingers tracing invisible patterns on the ground.
Angel stepped toward him slowly, cautiously. When their host made no move whatsoever, he cleared his throat to announce their presence. Lindsey, as promised, had stayed a few steps back, his pocketknife in hand. He frowned when he noticed the vampire didn’t react. Getting information out of him was going to be even more difficult…
— "Hello!" Angel called out loudly, trying to get his attention.
This time, the mad vampire lifted his eyes and stared at his visitors as if only now realizing they were there.
— "You’re beautiful…" he said with an admiring smile, like he had never contemplated anything so captivating.
Angel exchanged a glance with Lindsey. This wasn’t exactly what he’d expected. Well… truthfully, he hadn’t expected anything...
— "Uh… Thanks," Angel replied, before trying to get to the heart of the matter. "We came to ask you for more information about…"
But he stopped mid-sentence. His interlocutor wasn’t listening. The vampire had stood up and taken a few steps toward Lindsey. His eyes were locked on his throat, shining with a strange light. Instinctively, Lindsey took a step back and tightened his grip on his knife.
The insane vampire advanced, slightly bent. He didn’t seem to see Angel, as though hypnotized by Lindsey.
— "You have such a lovely voice," he said, tilting his head.
Lindsey frowned, confused. He hadn’t said a single word yet… He was about to reply when suddenly the vampire straightened to his full height, looming and menacing.
— "Makes me want to tear your throat open…" he declared in a threatening voice. "Sink my fangs into it… and lacerate it!"
At these words, Angel immediately stepped in front of his husband, protective.
— "You’d better back off," he growled, his tone low and dangerous. "Or Angelus will gladly sink his own fangs into your throat… right before driving a stake through your heart."
He shifted to his vampiric features, making the threat more tangible. He hadn’t chosen that wording by accident. Last time, the mad vampire had seemed to show some respect for Angelus. At least, the name had stopped him back then. But sadly, that strategy didn’t seem to work this time…
— "Angelus?” the crazy vampire repeated, curious now. "Is that him?"
His face had taken on a surprised expression, and he pointed a finger at Lindsey.
— "Uh… no. It’s me," Angel answered, thrown off. "Well… sort of…"
The mad vampire stared at him uncomprehendingly for nearly a full minute, as if trying to solve an especially difficult riddle. Then suddenly, his brows furrowed and he exclaimed:
— "I hope you brought me a hummingbird! Or a leg! I’d like a leg for dinner, I haven’t got one yet…"
His voice brimmed with hope as he gestured toward the pantry, where limbs of all demonic species lay scattered among jars of various colors. Indeed, there didn’t seem to be any legs… or birds.
— "Uh… I’ve got chocolate…" Lindsey offered, with a tentative tone, handing him the same bar he’d picked up from this very place a few weeks earlier.
The crazy vampire seemed to analyze the gift, tilting his head from side to side, dubious.
— "I would’ve preferred a leg…" he murmured sadly, casting a covetous look at Lindsey’s right leg, sending a shiver up his spine.
But he took the chocolate anyway, his long pale fingers playing with the wrapper. He turned it over and over with a melancholy air.
— "The right leg is always the tastiest, you know? With a green olive sauce," he added with confidence, as if sharing a cooking recipe with friends.
Angel exchanged another glance with Lindsey, who nodded and stepped back slightly, staying alert, his hand tight around his knife.
— "We’d like some information… about the song," Angel resumed calmly. "You remember? You mentioned a song… and rock… The song on the rock? Remember?"
The mad vampire stared at him, perplexed. He didn’t seem to understand what Angel was talking about.
— "Are you angels? God’s messengers? Or sorcerers?" he suddenly asked in a curious tone.
— "What? No, I…" Angel started before dismissing the digression with a shake of his head. "We came a few weeks ago. You told us the rock was important, and the song too. We’ve found it now: the song on the rock, right?"
With a gesture, he motioned his husband to recite the prayer. Lindsey obeyed immediately. First in English, then in the ancient language. His voice echoed through the crypt, giving the text a touch of mysticism.
— "You have a wonderful voice," the mad vampire repeated, admiring. "They will be pleased."
— "Who’s going to be pleased? Who are we supposed to recite this song to?" Angel urged, exasperation beginning to creep in.
But again, the vampire just looked at him, puzzled, as if the question made no sense at all in this context.
Angel ran a hand over his face. Conversing with someone like this gave him a headache. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying not to give in to irritation. He was about to ask his question again when suddenly, the insane vampire became agitated.
— "You talk too much!" he exclaimed violently, his arms rising frantically. "Too much, too much, TOO MUCH. The words fall to the ground and splatter in the circle of blood. Poof! Crushed."
— "Like the children!" he added, snapping his head sharply toward Lindsey, whose heart missed a beat.
He felt himself turn pale, but immediately, Angel was at his side, supportive and protective.
— "Back off. Now," Angel said, staring at their host with a low, threatening voice. "No one’s going to crush anyone."
But the vampire had already calmed. He was looking at Angel with interest now.
— "Wanna know a secret?" he asked, his tone childish.
Angel frowned, suspicious, but nodded.
— "The other side is waiting for you…" the vampire whispered in an almost inaudible murmur, forcing Angel and Lindsey to lean in closer to hear him. "You should run… run straight. Otherwise…"
He trailed off and glanced around, as if watching for something.
— "They’re going to catch you!" he finished, yelling, panic flaring in his voice as it echoed off the stone walls.
Lindsey jumped and instinctively backed away, his heart pounding.
— "Fuck!" he gasped, hand on his chest. "You can’t just scream like that!"
Out of breath, he leaned against the wall, trying to compose himself after the mini heart attack. Damn, this vampire went from whisper to scream in a split second, as if multiple personalities were fighting inside his tortured mind.
Beside him, Angel was at his breaking point. His patience having reached its limit, he grabbed Lindsey’s hand.
— "Come on, we’re not getting anything out of this. Let’s get the hell out," he decided, resigned.
But the mad vampire held Angel by the arm, his fingers digging into the flesh with force.
— "So, you don’t want it?" he asked, sounding innocently surprised, pointing toward the pantry where the chocolate still sat among the jars and scattered limbs of various creatures.
— "No, we don’t want anything. Let me go."
With a sharp tug, Angel freed himself and pulled Lindsey toward the exit.
They stormed out of the crypt at a fast pace, leaving behind the mad cackling echoing against the stone. Angel strode ahead, jaw clenched. Lindsey followed without a word, occasionally casting a sideways glance at his husband.
They crossed the building and reached the garden in silence. Angel stopped beside the car, his fists clenched and his gaze lost in the void.
Standing next to him, Lindsey felt a pang in his chest when he saw his husband’s gaze. It was disappointment. Raw. Total.
— "Are you okay?" he asked softly, even if he already knew the answer.
Angel didn’t respond right away. Then he shook his head, his eyes dark with frustration and a barely contained distress.
— "We have nothing, Lindsey! Absolutely nothing!" he burst out suddenly. "Just an incomprehensible song we don’t even know what to do with! I turned down Shanshu and… and now… now…"
Lindsey approached closer slowly and gently placed a hand on his husband’s arm.
— "Hey…" he murmured tenderly. "We can still explore other leads, my love. Don’t lose hope. We knew it wouldn’t be easy from the start…"
But Angel wasn’t calming down.
— "No! The truth is, there’s nothing! No ritual, no cure, nothing!" he shouted, pushing Lindsey away with a sharp, brutal gesture.
Having not expected it, Lindsey slammed against the car, thrown off by Angel’s vampire strength. Short of breath from the shock, both physical and emotional, he stared at his husband, stunned. He wasn’t used to seeing Angel like this—so lost in doubt and discouragement.
— "Angel…" he murmured, his voice a little shaky, leaning back against the car door.
Angel turned away, ashamed. His eyes closed for a moment as he tried to collect himself.
— "I’m sorry," he said at last, lower. "I didn’t mean to shout. Or push you…"
— "It’s okay…" Lindsey reassured him.
He lowered his gaze, feeling helpless. He stayed silent—a rare thing since he’d regained his voice. But right now, he had no idea what to say.
After several awkward minutes, Angel finally whispered, almost inaudible.
— "Can we just go, Lin?"
Lindsey’s head shot up, eyes widening.
— "I wanna go home," Angel repeated in a weary, almost pleading tone.
Without a word, Lindsey nodded. He took Angel’s hand, squeezed it tight, and pulled him into his arms for a moment before gently leading him to the car. They weren’t that far from Los Angeles after all. They could just as well head back home and figure things out there.