Chapter Text
Los Angeles 2011
The slayer Rebecca Hargrove manned the front desk of the Hyperion Hotel. Chandeliers hung from the galleria ceiling of the main lobby, art-deco marble surfaces and columns with dark wood furnishings harkened back to the 1950's. Main double doors stood in the middle of twin staircases leading up to the exposed walkways on the second level.
Rebecca had guard duty for the rest of the week and it was starting to look like some downtime at the Los Angeles headquarters of the New Watcher’s Council. The low buzz of the workday went on as people began arriving or waking up, and eventually passed by her station to get started with their day. Wicca researchers were in the back office discussing their current tasks, watchers and potentials did menial chores, like cleaning and cooking, and fully ranked slayers trained wherever space was available.
Rebecca got her full rank only just last month. Gone were the days of being considered still in training, a potential, now she was considered disciplined enough to help fight the forces of evil. Being the dutiful slayer she was, Rebecca surfed the web to pass the time, distracting her enough to let a vampire approach the desk without her notice. Angel cleared his throat and Rebecca jumped in her seat.
“Holy crap, boss! Why would you sneak up on me like that?” the brunette gasped. He was in all black as usual but the fabrics were soft linens and looked comfortable.
“To remind you that I shouldn’t be able to. Being on guard literally means to pay attention, Becca.” the ensouled vampire lightly admonished her. She was new around here having only transferred last month from the Summer’s Academy, the Council’s main school for training potentials, but he had a soft spot for her.
She was eager and cheerful, her face was youthful and spritely. Her hair was short in a boy-cut and the smattering of freckles on her nose and cheeks were a cute contrast to the tactical vest and blades she had secreted all over her body as well as the large battleaxe on the desk before her. But her smile was big and along with her well-meaning attitude simply added to her likeability.
“Well, yeah but between the wards and the shields the Coven set up in here, if someone did make it all the way here in front of me I’d have noticed by now.”
“And if those wards and shields fail?” Angel asked.
“Ms. Rosenberg and Mr. Giles performed those rituals themselves. She's the most powerful witch in the world and he’s the most educated watcher to date.” Rebecca made a face as though the ensouled vampire should have known this.
“There’s always someone out there stronger and smarter.” Angel told her knowingly as he relaxed and leaned against the front desk.
Rebecca rolled her eyes as she leaned back in her chair and stretched as she spoke sarcastically. “Pfft, I’d like to see that.”
Angel only raised his eyebrows, in a challenging manner, as if to say “Would you really?”
Some clarity came over Rebecca and her usually bright disposition suddenly darkened and she straightened up in her seat, her eyes wide with realization. She covered her mouth with her hands but only too late. Angel watched on.
“I shouldn’t have said that.” A paranoid look came over Rebecca. She grabbed her axe and clutched it close. “You should go, I'm supposed to be on guard.” Her eyes darted back and forth, scanning for danger.
Angel nodded in agreement and walked away wordlessly with a smug look.
The dull thud of something falling in the rear offices made them both turn. Angel turned and saw one of the witches had collapsed. He was at the closest one’s side before Rebecca even registered his motion and crouched next to the fallen Wiccan.
Inside the room Angel saw two other young women convulsing on the floors around the table, same as the one before him. Screams were heard all over the hotel, and Rebecca died a little inside thinking somehow, this was all her fault.
Wide eyed and shaking while muttering gibberish, the Wiccan Angel crouched over made motions as though she was trying to get his attention.
“What is it? Can you speak?” The ensouled vampire asked. She grabbed his shirt to pull him close.
“He’s here.” And the witch passed out.
He had arrived.
The sensation of the world on his skin was exhilarating. A breeze came westward carrying the smell of salt, filling his nose with the ocean as his ear heard waves crash on the sands close by. He smiled wide and carried on towards a small crowd.
Tall, dark and handsome wasn’t just the description of him, but more like it was a prime example of the cliché. Charm spilled from his smile as he strolled by the people, his face split wide with his grin as he made his way down the sidewalk. The white suit he wore, though outdated, matched the bright feelings he exuded and his cheeriness was obvious to anyone who saw him.
He preened and pranced as he strolled. This day was one for the history books and nothing was going to ruin his mood. A conversation with a buxom young thing reinforced those feelings and soon debauchery followed.
It all should have been that simple. Of course reminders of why he abandoned his station were made plain while he was trying to just enjoy himself. All the responsibilities he never asked for, all the assumptions that came with it, and the punishments undeserved. These were the things he thought he shrugged off.
Amputated wings, laying bloody in the sand, was him shedding the rest of that he did not ask for. The pain of Maze slicing through him was nearly as exquisite as knowing this was him finally spitting on his Father’s plan. He’d cry more for their aesthetic, he lied to himself.
A final task is all he needed before he could truly settle and add fallen to this city's population of angels. He rose to his knees again hearing the waves crashing behind him and beckoned for his demon.
“Find something to put those in for me, Maze.” Lucifer wagged his finger behind him in the direction of his bloody severed wings and she did so without question.
“What’s the plan?” She scowled and she walked away with Lucifer ignoring her till she returned with fabric ripped from nearby beach umbrellas.
“We are going to find the guardian of this realm and announce ourselves to them.”
“Why bother? We could stomp anything that tries to even come near us if we wanted to. There ain’t much here that could match us.” Maze pointed out with a scoff while placing the wings in the thick colorful cloth.
“Don’t underestimate this plane, Maze. Even Jasmine tried her method of conquest here and was vanquished. Easier to simply not ruffle feathers as it were.” He eyed his wings in Maze’s hands, divine blood soaking into the material it was bundled in.
The demon made an unimpressed sound. “Jasmine’s a little bitch. I could kick her ass in a minute. Well, maybe a few minutes if she’s got her dumb fanatics all over her.”
"There’s a lot of mundanity here,” Lucifer continued. “A bureaucracy that seems to have been designed by the worst of demons. And that bureaucracy is what we need to sort out on how to retain earthly services. They may have access to that as well. Besides, we can't just go traipsing into someone else's home without at least a polite how-do-you-do. I'm not some boorish goon. I'm the King of Hell!” He gave her a broad smile and flourished a hand to the air while walking in no direction. “Me announcing myself is one of my favorite things to do!"
Maze rolled her eyes but followed loyally.