The Mighty Belthazor

Angela had cried herself to an exhausted sleep, woken up, cried some more -- and then started to get angry. She was cold and hungry and mostly wished she had never heard of Martin Blank.

But her tone was largely controlled as she lifted her face from her chest when she heard someone enter. "You again."

From:

"Good morning," Bel said cheerfully. "Have a good night?"

From:

Part of Angela wanted to spit at him, but a larger part was afraid of what that would make this new Marty do.

"Cold," she said finally. "I didn't have anything to eat, but I'm not really hungry."

From:

"Well, you won't be cold or hungry for very much longer," Bel said. "I've decided I'm going to have to kill you."

From:

"You wouldn't!," Angela protested.

She reached for a sofa pillow, holding it in front of herself. "Seriously, let me go, and I won't tell anyone."

From:

"You're not going to accept me for what I am now," Bel said, shaking his head. "And I won't let you leave me, either, so if I can't have you, no one will." He held out his hand and conjured up a sharp-looking athame.

From:

Angela looked at the blade. "People will find me," she jabbered. "You'll get caught, they'll find you -- they'll kill you, Marty. Parker or Angel or someone."

From:

"Nobody's going to find you," Bel said. "Nobody has any idea where you are right now. And by the time anyone does find your body, I'll be long gone. That is, if I even leave a body. I could just incinerate you with a fireball. But that takes the fun out of it."

From:

Angela's mouth opened and closed, and she couldn't find anything to say.

She threw the pillow at Marty hard, then dashed for the door. It felt like her only chance, and she knew it was a slim one.

From:

Bel disappeared and reappeared in a blaze of fire between Angela and the door. "You always hurt the ones you love," he said, then took a lazy swipe at Angela with the athame.

From:

Angela managed to dodge the blade, but barely. She reached to grab his wrist. "This isn't love."

From:

"They say evil can't love," Bel said. "I guess they're right." He looked down at Angela's hand on his wrist. "You're putting up more of a fight than I thought you would. I thought you'd just lie down and take it. It's more fun this way, isn't it?"

From:

"This is fun to you?" Angela said, disgusted, pulling her hand back as if it burned her -- what was she going to fight him? "Please. Just let me go. Please."

From:

Bel shook his head. "Sorry, I can't do that. Well, I'm really not sorry, but how about this? I'll give you a fighting chance." He tossed the athame across the room. "Go get it," he said.

From:

Angela gave him a look of utter disgust, then realized this might be a chance. She turned and ran for the blade.

From:

Bel had been waiting to sense someone coming into the cabin area so that he could time this perfectly. He knew his expected guest was here now, and once Angela's back was turned, he dropped the wards on the cabin and flamed out of the cabin.

From:

After getting the mysterious message, Marty had only stopped briefly to pick up one of his 9mm at the weapons locker before racing over to the cabins.

Just in case someone was trying to ambush him he entered the room quietly.

"Angela?"

From:

Angela turned, crouching, from where she had picked up the knife. "What else do you want?" she asked wearily,

From:

[ <----- ]

From:

Relieved at the sight of Angela, Marty didn't quite register the knife or what she was saying. "Are you okay? What happened?"

From:

"Quit fucking with me!" Angela burst out. She hid the knife behind her back a she sidled to the door.

From:

"What are you talking about?! I've been looking all over for you!" Marty shouted, the strain of not sleeping all night finally getting to him.

From:

Angela stared at him for a moment through confused green-grey eyes. "Demons lie," she decided. "What, are you hoping I'll just forget what you said? What you did?"

Her grip on the athame tightened.

From:

"I didn't do anything!" Marty shot back. "I'm the one who got stood up! Not you!"

From: