Subject: [SpikesSalvation] Phoenix Dreams- Chapter 27
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2003 10:18:12 -0800 (PST)
From: Jerusha Hancock <enigmaticblue@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: SpikesSalvation@yahoogroups.com
To: SpikesSalvation@yahoogroups.com


Chapter 27


Emmie opened her door to find Angel standing in front of her. "Hey," she said, 
a little surprised by his presence. Ty was spending the night with Wesley to 
give both her and Will a little break, and she knew Angel was aware of that, so 
she couldn't figure out why he would be at her door.

"Uh, hi," he replied, a little nervous. "Are you busy?"

Emmie frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong," he replied quickly. "I just thought you might, you know, 
want to eat something."

Emmie blinked, not sure that she was hearing him right. Angel didn't eat people 
food as a general rule. Once in a great while, he'd take Ty out to eat, and 
then he'd have something for appearance's sake, but otherwise he stuck to 
blood. "You're hungry?"

"Yeah, well, actually, no," he admitted, looking down at the ground. "I was 
thinking you might be though."

Emmie stepped back and motioned him inside. "Do I need to change?" she asked, 
amusement coloring her tone. She was wearing baggy dark pants and a tight red 
shirt.

"You don't have to," he said. "Though, if you want to go somewhere nice..."

She grinned at him. "You offering to cough up the dough for a decent dinner?"

"Up to you," came the almost cheerful reply.

Emmie got a sly smile on her face and shrugged. "I'll be out in a minute then." 
She wasn't exaggerating. A few minutes after she disappeared into her bedroom 
she was out, now dressed in a criminally short black skirt, a hint of makeup on 
her face, and her red-tipped spiky hair mussed. She was absolutely drop-dead 
gorgeous. Even if Angel was typically a neck man, he knew how to appreciate a 
nice pair of legs. And she knew exactly the kind of impression she was making.

Angel held out an arm wordlessly, and she took it.

Later that night, after an incredible dinner, Emmie found herself sitting 
across from the quiet vampire. "What's this about, Angel?" she finally asked. 
"Don't get me wrong, this has been great, but—" Emmie broke off. Other than the 
guys she worked with, she had little good experience with men. And three good 
years weren't nearly enough to erase eighteen rotten ones, so there was no 
surprise that she was a little hesitant.

"I like you," he said softly. When she remained silent, he continued. "This 
isn't easy for me, Emmie. I have a tendency to have really bad luck when it 
comes to falling in love. But you make me want to give it a shot."

Emmie was silent for a long time. "What happened to 'this isn't going 
anywhere?'"

Angel shrugged. "I figured out that that wasn't what I wanted. I don't know 
where this is going, but I wanted you to know how I felt."

"Then you wouldn't mind if I told you that I think I'm falling in love with 
you?" she asked quietly.

And Angel smiled at her, looking as happy as she'd ever seen him. "I don't mind 
a bit."

"But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this 
extraordinary power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every 
way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted but not 
forsaken; struck down but not destroyed." 2 Cor 4:7-9

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