He made almost no noise as he walked. Like a shadow clad in black, Angel moved quietly though the Sunnydale night. The vampire had been out patrolling since just after dusk, but an eerie calm had settled over the city. For whatever reason, it seemed that the forces of darkness had decided to stay at home tonight.
    This, much to his dismay, had given Angel a lot of time to think. He'd spent much of tonight's lonely hunt reflecting on his brusque treatment of Buffy the night before. And his dream about Mara.
    "What's happening to us?" murmured the vampire as walked down a quite suburban street near Sunnydale High. Things between him and Buffy had been less than stellar of late. Angel sensed, in the way that only someone who had lived as long as he had could, that his relationship with the Slayer was going to come to a head of some sort soon. And when that did happen it wasn't going to be pleasant for either of them.
    Angel pushed those thoughts away and tried to focus on the task at hand. Earlier Buffy gotten word to him about the meeting at the library. Dropping by would give Angel a chance to apologize to Buffy and find out if Giles had learned anything about Mara.
    As he made his way though the back parking lot of Sunnydale High a strong gust of wind came up from nowhere. As the wind battered him Angel instinctively drew his coat close and raising a hand to shield his eyes. The gale abated moments later and Angel took a second to run a hand though his slightly mused hair. "By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes," recited the vampire as resumed his walk to the school.
    He only managed a few steps before he slammed into the air. Angel stumbled back, cursing, as the air in front of him briefly flared bright blue and an electrical sound filled the night. Once he'd recovered Angel cautiously put out a hand in front of him and probed the air. In seconds it touched something where there seemed to be nothing. As he pressed the barrier, blue light again flared, showing the wall before him.
    "A force field," assessed Angel. "That's a new one." The vampire then turned back the way he'd come hoping to find a quick way around. He made in all of two steps before he hit another barrier. A few seconds of angry, frantic searching confirmed what Angel had feared; he was trapped from all sides and above in a area of about ten feet square.
    A burst of staccato laughter suddenly filled the night. Angel jerked his head toward the source of the laughter to see Mara floating calmly in the air near him. "You have no idea how right you where, Dead Boy," mocked Mara as she floated to the ground. "Something wicked this way does indeed come." As soon as her feet touched the pavement, she struck a cheesecake posse meant to accent her body and the leather outfit that had become one of her trademarks. "Something wicked and dead sexy!"
    "Let me out, Mara!" demanded Angel as he vamped out.
    "Right. Like that's going to happen," mocked the demon. An inquisitive looked then filled Mara's eyes. "I see that you know my name. Looks like someone has gotten some of their memory back. Have you remembered the first time we met yet, my little fallen angel?"
    Angel remained silent.
    Mara shrugged. "Oh well, I'm sure it will come to you sooner or later. Right now I have business with your ex paramour and her little friends."
    "Mara, if you hurt her I'll--" began Angel.
    "Do nothing!" interrupted the blonde demon, icily. "Or have you not noticed that you're stuck in an invisible box like a lame street mine? And you're going to stay in there until I've taught those brats and the limey a lesson about what happens to people who stick their noses into my business."
    A sick smile then spread over Mara's face. "I only wish I could see the look on your face when you see what I've done to your friends knowing that you were helpless to stop me. Think of it as a little taste of the fun you had back in Hell. Trust me, Dead Boy, ol' Mara has plenty more Hell in store for you and your pals."
    "Damn you, Mara!" howled Angel as he futilely punched at the walls of his prison.
    "Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt," snickered Mara. She then vanished.
    "Buffy!" shouted Angel as he keep trying to escape. Sadly, unbeknownst to him, Mara's spell was keeping his voice trapped in the box as well.
    As Angel continued to shout another strong gust of wind blew though the parking lot. In the shadows someone watched and smiled.

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