Armageddon SagaAngel dropped from the window onto the ground and moaned with the pain the jarring of
Chapter Twenty-two:
Battle With Raphael
By the Lady Sirona ladysirona@LadySirona.com
his wound caused him. He limped a few steps, then started to increase his pace as fast as
he could, toward where he knew Raphael was with the children. He knew that time was
of the essence in this case, if he wanted to rescue alive, sane, children.Anger stoked Angel's speed. When he ran the pack, Raphael wasn't allowed to play his
hideous games. It was one thing to feed on the young, quite another to do the things that
sick Raphael did. It even outraged the demon Angelus. It also enraged the humans and
made the local environment very dangerous.Angel kept the harsh pace until he arrived at Raphael's cave. He waited and rested a
moment gathering his strength before he entered. He was accosted by the horrible smell
as he entered. The smell repulsed him. The coy sickening sweet smell of rotted human
bodies, a common smell to a vampire's lair. Obviously, Raphael had been using the lair
frequently in the last 80 years. Angel realized how he had forgotten exactly how bad a
vampire lair could be, and Raphael's was worst than most.Angel walked quietly until he heard children crying. He walked quicker as he got closer
to the main area of the cavern. He could hear that there were two children. It sounded
as if Raphael was trying to interest them in some sort of a game, and they were having no
part of it, or him. Smart children.Angel knew a surprised vampire was a dangerous one, and Angel didn't have energy to
waste in useless battle. He figured just being out in the open would be best. "Raphael!"
Angel called as he entered the room, and stepped into view. He wanted him to know
right from the start he was there. He didn't want him killing the children in fear, thinking
it was humans seeking to rescue them"Angelus!" Raphael stood and greeted Angel and smiled. He reached back and grabbing
the child Angel recognized as Amina, he threw her to Angel. "Have a bite, let's talk!"Angel caught Amina, and looked into her eyes. She had a small smile for Angel. ~I knew
you would come and save us ~ She told him quietly. She hugged him and hid her face in
his neck.Angel gave her a quick hug. ~ Be calm. I need to get the other child, and then I need to
kill this vampire. It will be messy! ~ He whispered into her ear, and he felt her nod. He
slid her down his body, wincing as she brushed is bull's wound. She stepped behind him
and then peeked around him to watch."Now throw me the other one" Angel commanded with a sneer. He hoped Raphael would
think he was Angelus."Greedy aren't you?" Raphael laughed. "Why are you back but not with the pack?"
Raphael seemed to be thinking. "Wait a minute... Are you the one killing the Pack?" He
looked at Angelus in a new light. He knew that when some vampires got older, they got
territorial and started killing other, younger vampires. Had Angelus become a territorial
Elder? He knew Angelus was around 250... was he the killer?"Yeah, I am," Angel snarled his challenge. "And you, child molester, are next!" Angel
slid into Game face and growled as he advanced. Raphael threw the child he held away
from him and attacked. He knew his only hope was to try to surprise and hopefully kill
Angelus first.Angel met his attack with talons and teeth. They tore at each other's throats, and bit into
each other’s shoulders. Blood flowed down their chest and arms as they battled. Angel
knew he had to get away from his fangs so he swung his fist and struck Raphael across
the face, and it knocked him to the ground. He quickly kicked the fallen vampire in the
face, and smiled when he heard the facial bones crunch.Raphael screamed as his face collapsed. He kicked out and struck Angel in the abdomen
opening the wound, and dropped Angel to his knees in pain. He tried to kick at his head,
but Angel spun out of the way.Angel kicked out with a lightning quick kick and broke Raphael's left arm. Raphael
screamed as the bones ground together and dropped to his knees in pain holding his
injured limb. Angel followed it up rapidly with a strong kick to the ribs and felt the rib
cage cave in. Blood flowed from Raphael's mouth as he screamed in pain.Angel looked around for any wood items he could use to finish the job of killing his
opponent. Unfortunately, Raphael found stake first, and grabbing it in his right hand,
drove it into Angel's chest.Angel saw the move and twisted at the last minute. The stake missed his heart, and
broke off deep in his chest. Angel continued the momentum of the spin, and spun around
with a vicious kick to Raphael's neck. The impact broke his neck and he dropped to the
ground in a limp heap.Angel followed up immediately, and grabbed the broken stake remnants from his grasp,
and drove it through his chest and into his heart. He watched with great pleasure as
Raphael exploded into dust. *I should have killed that son of a bitch a hundred years
ago* Was Angel's only thought as he stood over Raphael's ashes. * He was an insane andsadistic SOB.*
Angel slowly became aware of his injuries. He stood swaying in extreme pain as his
blood flowed from his multiple wounds. *Why if it won't kill me, does it have to hurt so
much?* He thought to himself. He could feel the piece of wood grinding in his chest with
any movement, and he prayed it wouldn't work it's way into his heart.He became aware of Amina at his side pulling at his hand. ~ Angelus? Are you going to
take us home now? I'm tired. ~ he looked down in confusion, at the voice and saw that is
was indeed Amina. He had to concentrate but he slowly changed back to human face as
he nodded to her. He reached out his hand, and she boldly took it and held on for dear
life. The other child would barely come near him, instead hung on the other side of
Amina, as far away from Angel as she could get.~ Yes, little one, let us go home ~ He started to walk toward the entrance, the other child
followed at a slight distance. ~ We need to go quickly, I need to be home before the
dawn ~ Amina looked up at him with a smile and nodded.The young children couldn't keep up even with an injured vampire, and he had to get
home soon. Angel finally just picked them both up and carried them. He was severely
injured and his body was on automatic, and he prayed he would not run into any other of
the Pack that night.The return to the compound became a nightmare for him. He was rapidly loosing blood,
and was in excruciating pain. His thirst raged within him from his extensive blood loss.
He was hyper-aware of the children in his arms. They’re soft bodies, and their warm
skin. He was critically aware of their blood scent. He could hear their heart beats, and
smell their blood as it coursed through their arteries and in their veins...Angel felt his face slid into game face again. His fangs lengthened in his body’s demand
for the blood that was so close. He could almost taste it, their sweet blood...*NO! Not the children! * He bit through his lower lip to stop himself, arousing himself
from the bloodlust. He used the sharp pain to prevent himself from actually feeding on his
young charges... the blood flowed from his lip into his mouth and down his throat.He would do whatever it took to stop himself from stopping right there and draining the
children! The demon snarled and thrashed in his mind. It wanted their blood and their life
forces...! To be so close to the blood, and yet not to be allowed it!He kept on, one foot in front of the other. He focused his mind on Buffy... his reason to
exist ... he needed get to Buffy... He had to get to her… she would make it all right... She
would help him control the blood lust...He bit harder into his lip and increased the blood
flow down his throat to prevent killing... He had to have blood! NO! No more killing!Amina snuggled into his arms in total innocence. She felt safe in his cold embrace. She
had dreamed of this; her rescue from an evil vampire by Angelus. Her precognition was
accurate. She smiled over at her friend. Her eyes were wide with terror. Amina smiled
at her, but it did little to calm the other child. She was being held by a vampire... and she
was terrified. Amina knew however, they were going to be all right...Giles heard something, and was up and at the door and opened the door before Karl or
anyone else could. Buffy had stopped on the stairs, as she was coming down to check if
they had heard anything. Karl had glanced up, as did several of the other adults, and
everyone stopped everything at the startling sight in the doorway.Angel stood in the door, clothes ravaged and torn, covered in blood. He was holding the
two children, one in each arm, covered in blood also. He was in full vampiric face. His
fangs were buried deep into his lower lip, blood streaming down his face and onto his
chest and the children. He moaned a wounded animal sound and dropped the children as
he fell forward, his knees buckling.Giles caught him quickly and lowered him to the floor. The children quickly ran to their
adults and were whisked away. Giles heard Angel mutter "Their OK, the blood is all
mine."Buffy was at his side instantly, faster than any of the Gypsies thought it possible for
anyone to move. She was trying to figure out his injuries, they were too many to
catalogue quickly. She had no idea where to start. Karl walked over and looked down at
the bleeding vampire on his floor. Here was the vampire he had always been told was a
horrible monster... who now rescued children twice in one day, and loves the Slayer...Giles ripped open Angel's shirt, barring his chest and shoulders, showing the wounds
made from the talon and fangs of Raphael. There were many wounds Giles noted that heobviously received from his battle with Raphael. Giles noticed the bull wound was still an
angry, open bleeding wound, apparently re-injured in the fight. Scraps and numerous
lacerations and bites covered his shoulders and arms. A large skin flap was hanging loose
on his right shoulder where Raphael must have tore him with his fangs.Giles noticed there was a lot of blood coming from his back, and he turned Angel to his
side and found the stake wound on the left back chest. There was a large amount of
bleeding, and he thought he could see lung tissue. He looked more carefully, and saw
that there was a piece of wood splintered and imbedded in the wound very close to his
heart.Buffy was in shock. The damage Angel had sustained was incredible. Beyond anything
she could have ever thought possible to survive. How could he have carried the children
home while in this condition? Would he die? Would his body turn to dust in her arms?
He was unresponsive."Damn." Buffy heard Giles mutter to himself. Buffy looked up in fear. Giles *never*
swore! "He has a piece of wood in his back, I think it was a part of a stake. I know he
can't heal around wood, and I am afraid that if I try to dig it out, I may drive it into his
heart." Giles looked around and he found a Gypsy woman. "I am going to have to cut it
out, I need someone to find and give me a large, very sharp knife."Buffy looked down at Angel. *Oh my god, Giles is going to cut his chest open! * She
swallowed. She couldn't throw up now! She positioned her self in front of Angel, where
she could hold his arms and hopefully distract him... What would she do if he regained
consciousness? Would he hate her for holding him while Giles cut him?A woman handed Giles a wicked looking knife, and Buffy swallowed hard. "Buffy, hold
his arms and distract him." Giles told her as he centered himself and looked to exactly
where he would have to cut. Giles knew he had better do it in one slice. There was no
anesthesia or pain medicine for Angel and this would hurt like hell. He looked at Angel
carefully, realizing he was awake and aware. "Angel, I have to cut this wood out. Please,
don't hurt me."Angel knew what had to be done. He knew he was finally where he needed to be, in
Buffy's arms. If he was going to die, this was where he wanted to die, here in her arms.
He knew she could keep the others safe from him and his blood lust. He loved her and
trusted that she would hold him. *She loves me. * Angel looked over his shoulder at
Giles, and nodded.Giles focused himself and then quickly made a large cut along the left rib cage in one
move, filleting Angel's chest open to the stake in one long cut, exposing the wood.
Angel let out a blood curdling scream and sank his fangs into his left forearm, The pain
was incredible. Buffy held him tightly, and Angel fought his first response...his impulse
to rip Giles's heart out of his chest. Angel continued to moan in small whimpers as Giles
proceeded to dig the splinters out.Buffy kept a hold of Angel’s arms. His fingers were digging into her arms and she knew
she would have his hand prints imbedded in her skin as bruises for a long time. She
continued her talking of nonsense words and phrases to Angel. She had no idea what she
was saying... but she knew he needed to hear her voice. He didn’t seem to pay attention,
but he hadn't hurt Giles. She kept telling Angel she loved him, she was there, and he was
good.The Gypsies watched the whole operation in shock. There on the floor was the infamous
Angelus, the supposedly scourge of their tribe. Now he had rescued the children… again,twice in one day at great cost to himself. They couldn't believe that he had lain there,
and tolerated being sliced open without hurting anyone! They watched amazed as Giles
finished, replaced the lung tissue and then put the ribcage back in position. He then tried
to align up the borders of the other wounds.Angel lay on the floor, His body awash in pain. His head was in Buffy's lap, his teeth
buried in his left forearm. He didn't care what happened. He just wanted the pain to
stop. Drive the damned stake through his heart. He didn't care anymore... just stop the
pain!Buffy watched him carefully, with tears streaming down her face. She ran her fingers
though his hair in soothing motions, she was sure he was entirely unaware of her touch.
Angel remained unmoving."We need to get him upstairs" Giles looked at the Gypsies. "Can you help us?" They all
appeared hesitant to come anywhere near Angel until Karl bent over and started to
assist. Then the rest decided to help. As a group, they lifted him carefully, but still
causing him to cry out, and then carried the moaning Angel to his and Buffy's room.
Buffy and the
other's followed after him.Xander had the two containers of blood in the bedroom, and he met Angel with a large
liter glass of blood as he was laid down on the bed. Angel was deep into the blood lust and
was far beyond being shy... he was famished! He leaned forward and drank from
Xander's offered liter glass. Buffy smiled and held him tenderly as he drank, cradling his
head on her breast.The Gypsies who had carried him in the room looked on, feeling ill, as they watched the
blood in the glass go down Angel's throat. They were amazed at the large quantity bloodhe was able to take down at one time. It also was a reminder he was a vampire, and at
one time he had fed on their ancestors in this very house, and the blood he drank 80 yearsago was human!
Xander looked at Buffy as Angel finished the blood in the glass. Xander quickly refilled it
and handed it to Buffy for her to feed him. She cradled him tenderly like a child as he
drank. The Gypsies quickly had more than enough, and left.Buffy held Angel as Xander kept refilling the glass for her. Giles and Willow watched
glad to see him taking the blood. Willow was amazed at the large amount of blood Angel
was capable of putting away. She knew the bucket held five gallons, and at the rate he
was taking it in, he could easily finish it!With very little left in the first bucket, Angel finally didn't drink any more. He seemed to
just slide into unconsciousness. Buffy continued to hold him and stroke him, as much to
reassure herself he was still there in her arms as to calm him. Giles motioned to Xander
and Willow to step into their room. They closed the door giving Buffy and Angel privacy."Get her some towels and a basin of water. She needs to clean his wounds, and clean him
up. Then get her fresh linen. Xander, make sure he has enough blood when he awakens
again" Xander nodded. Willow and he scampered off to complete their tasks.Giles went down stairs. The adults were all at the dining room table. No one was talking.
Giles went over to them and addressed Karl. "I thank you, ah, I know it, ah, must be
difficult to deal with him, especially, ah, with your tribes history with Angelus."Karl looked at the Watcher. He thought irreverently how he never stammered once
during the crises. Interesting when pressed he was all there, and looked somewhat
foolish at other times."Yes, it is hard." Karl looked back at the stairs leading to where he knew the vampire
lay in the arms of the Slayer. "But burying the children would have been harder.” All
Giles could do was nod in agreement.
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