Angel cursed the phone as it began to ring. He hated giving out the number but it was necessary to let a couple of employees deal with his various businesses. He met them about twice a year to pretend that he was interested in what was going on. If he didn't need money, he wouldn't have bothered. While other vampires could simply dispose of those people who got suspicious about their ability never to age, he was forced to let them know at least part of the truth. Realising that his thoughts were about to take a trail that he would never admit he considered to anybody he answered the phone.
"Hello, who is it?" he demanded.
"Well your telephone manner leaves a lot to be desired," said the voice. It belonged to a woman and it reminded him of the way Darla used to speak to her prey when they hunted together. Unsure of who or what the thing speaking to him was or how it had got hold of his number Angel began to feel very uneasy.
Trying again he said, "Who are you and what you want?"
"Oh, and here I was hoping for a warm welcome, or at least a more line, but then from what I've seen you're not very talkative."
"Just answer me," he snarled.
"Oh touchy, seems you're not so keen on people not giving you straightforward answers but really that's no excuse. You should be nicer to me after all, I might be someone important."
Giving up on verbal duelling with the voice, and wondering why everyone had chosen today to accuse him of being cryptic, Angel sighed. "Just tell me who you are or I'll hang up."
"Tut, tut, fancy forgetting your manners to the point where you can't even be civil to your own daughter."
Angel held the phone for a moment before realising that the girl on the other end of the line, the girl he'd just threatened, was just some poor child phoning her father. Ashamed of himself for his over reaction, even living on a Hellmouth assuming the worst of every body was a bad trait, he tried to soften his voice when he spoke next.
"I think you have the wrong number, I don't have a daughter."
A laugh that had the same eerie quality as a wolf's howl came through the phone. "Angel, dearest father, I have exactly the right number and you have out dated information. What does it feel like knowing you have a daughter, after all, I'm your only living family? Then again I wonder if you would class me as living."
Too startled to process the information that was being given to him Angel could only managed a startled, "What?" in response.
"Work it out daddy dear I won't let you forget me.
Returning to a couch in the Bronze Aira smiled happily to herself as she sat down. Everything was working out perfectly. Her plan had begun and she felt in control. Remembering an old saying from her childhood, she smiled. "Secrets can be used for many a thing, knowing a secret hurt or healing can bring." That was what her mother always used to tell her. Feeling a little sad, she started to wonder what advice her father may have given her. Shaking her head, she dismissed the thought. It was no use worrying about the past. All her decisions had been made and there was no place for regrets in her plans.
Looking around she wondered what her next move was. How many secrets did she know and how was she going to use them. There was no margin of error in her plots and schemes. They had to be perfect and they had to be quick. Time was precious and once she finished here she wanted to enjoy her unnaturally long life to the full. After all, if she were lucky, at the end of this adventure there would be no slayer.
