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A Paler Shade of Green	By : Rina76 Category: Angel the Series > Slash - Male/Male Views: 3532 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Angel fandom or any of the characters from the show. I am not making money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 14
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By the time Lorne gets to his club (Wesley driving them there at breakneck speeds), it's too late to do anything to save it. Caritas is a mess inside; broken glass, liquor bottles and smashed furniture everywhere. There are holes in the walls and all his mirrors are cracked. It's devastating for Lorne to see his beloved bar in ruins but it's all covered by a great insurance policy and he will replace and repair everything, as he always does. Thanks to the anti-violence spell in place, the Drokken couldn't hurt anyone whilst inside the building, only when it went outside. The portal is still open above the stage, crackling and sending out little bolts of lightning. It won't close until something goes back through it, or someone forces it shut.

Angel and Connor are in the rear parking lot. Angel's shirt has Freddy Krueger-type slashes in the front of it while Connor's arm has been clawed, his sleeve shredded. The father and son duo are battling a large, roaring male Drokken that's jumping from car to car, crushing the tops and hoods of them. It's a bald, hairless grey brute with tiny eyes, pointed ears, a hunched back, razor-sharp claws and a pig-like nose. It also has a small turtle tail. It's big, ugly and hostile. Bits of raw human flesh are stuck to its curved tusks from where it has already fed. It's bleeding from the throat, Angel having struck a fatal sword blow already. He is the only one with enough strength and dexterity to pierce the Drokken's only weak spot. He and Connor are circling and tracking the wounded beast as it leaps around the parking lot, blocking its attacks and keeping the Drokken occupied until it dies so it can't gallop away and maul anybody else.

The second Drokken is nearby. It is a smaller, pregnant female, judging by the distended belly and breasts. Kylar was right – they are a breeding pair. They are crazed and confused and do not know where they are. It's clear to him that the pair did not come here to kill deliberately. They wouldn't have even known what the portal was and just got too close in curiosity. Using his Empath skills, the green-skinned teen has connected with the snarling female and is trying to convince her to go back to Pylea for the sake of the calf. He tells her that she doesn't belong here. She is angry and doesn't want to leave her mate but Kylar telepathically tells the creature that she has no choice. She must leave and go home or she and her calf will be killed. Not by Kylar, though. He throws down his sword to show he's not a threat, and urges her to come with him. He will lead her to safety. Seeming bewildered, the female beast takes a lumbering step towards him.

"Kylar, be careful!" Lorne calls out anxiously from where he's standing behind a dented car, safely back away from those toxic claws and teeth. If he gets bitten, or Kylar does, they will get poisoned and the only antidote lies back in Pylea. The poison is fatal to Lorne's race. Wesley is also there with an axe, the steely-eyed Englishman ready to jump in and help if needed.

"It's okay. I got this," Kylar calmly returns, maintaining eye contact with the pregnant Drokken. If he breaks it, she is liable to turn on him and attack. Possessing talons like a brown mountain bear, the Drokken would easily tear Kylar's slim figure apart. He would get gutted and ripped to shreds in an instant. But if he keeps her under his trance, he can draw her away from her mate and get her back inside the club.

Knowing what Kylar is doing, Lorne is nevertheless worried to death. He'd much prefer it if Kylar just speared the other Drokken with a blade dipped in Thromite and destroyed it altogether but he knows the boy won't attempt to kill a creature that's with child. His heart is far too soft. But his ability to charm and control creatures is strong, Kylar slowly walking backwards into the rear entrance of Lorne's karaoke club with a hand outstretched, the Drokken reluctantly following. Quickly scooping up the sword, Lorne and Wesley trail after her, making sure she goes back inside and that she doesn't touch Kylar in any way.

Pulling at the female's will like a puppeteer with strings, Kylar gets her to cross the floor and climb up onto the stage, near the portal. Her knuckles drag on the ground. As he concentrates his power, the young man's crimson eyes never waver, his face focused and determined, every bit the champion that his clan scorned him for not being earlier. He's so regal and powerful, like a warrior angel, and Lorne is overwhelmed with loving pride at how magnificent the eighteen year old youth is as he does what he was born to do.

Suddenly, the portal flickers unsteadily and Lorne yells to Kylar, "Get off the stage!"

The warning snaps the Drokken out of its hypnotic state and as she glances towards Lorne the eye contact she shared with Kylar is broken. Disoriented and perplexed, she roars through a double-tusked mouth and lashes out with a clawed hand and muscular arm, going for Kylar. Her arm stops in mid-swing, halted by the sanctuary spell as if she hit an invisible force-field around Kylar's body. Even though she can't harm anyone in here, Kylar drops to the floor and trips her with a sweep of his leg, wanting her away from this place. The heavily-pregnant creature sprawls backwards and falls into the open vortex, just as Kylar dives off the stage.

There's a burst of bright light, wind and noise as the portal closes. Lorne and Wesley duck, momentarily blinded. When they look up, blinking, the doorway between two worlds has shut and the Drokken has disappeared with it.

"Way to go, my talented little Empath!" Lorne cheers jubilantly. "You did it!"

He glances the around his trashed club, not seeing the kid anywhere in amongst the rubble.

"Kylar? Where are you hiding, cupcake?"

There's no response. Exchanging an alarmed glance with Wesley, Lorne rushes over to the stage, checking behind the blue curtains. Kylar's not there. He's not anywhere inside the building. He's gone. Lorne whirls around, his pulse racing.

"Please, no. No, no, no," he frantically stammers, staring at the space where the portal used to be, realising what must have happened to Kylar. The brave teenager must have gotten sucked in as the inter-dimensional gateway was closing.

Sucked back into Pylea.

Back into slavery, torture and torment.

"Oh God." Lorne drops to his knees in sickened horror, whispering, "Not again…"

…

Kylar falls down in a field. It's daylight, two suns burning brightly in a blue-grey sky. As the dizziness of portal-travel dissipates, he comes to realise that he knows this area very well. He remembers its scent of earth, cattle and wood-fire smoke. He remembers the colour and texture of the grass, the hum of insects flying through the air and the sound of baying hounds and farm animals in the distance. This is his home world, the place where he was born, the place where he never fitted in. He spent years wishing he was anywhere else but here and now, due to unfortunate circumstances, he's back again.

When he gets to his feet and pushes the hair out of his face, he sees a group of green-skinned demons standing nearby, surprised by his sudden appearance out of nowhere. Kylar realises with a sinking feeling that one of them is his older brother Mordwan. The rest are from his village, part of the group that regularly used to bully him. Though he isn't wearing the same clothes as the locals, they still recognise him, nudging each other and glaring at him with narrowed eyes. They know what he did, how he murdered his 'master' and shamed his clan. That is a crime punishable by death. Kylar has no sword or any other kind of weapon and there are too many of them for him to fight alone. When the other young men start coming towards him, he does the only other thing he knows how to do, his survival instinct kicking back in with a charge of adrenalized fear.

He runs. He runs like hell.

Despite his quickness, they catch up to him and circle him from all sides, cutting off his escape route. Trapped, Kylar stands there in a defensive pose, warily eyeing them off, wondering who is going to attack him first. His brother saunters up, contemptuous arrogance in his expression. He is bigger and taller than Kylar. He has a mean look with his rat-like features and long, stringy brown hair that needs washing.

"How dare you show your face around here, pig-spittle," Mordwan sneers, looking Kylar up and down with open disdain. "You look even uglier than you did before. What's that thing in your mouth? Some kind of slave ring?"

Anger rises in Kylar's gut but he refuses to answer. Mordwan wouldn't understand anyway. The older boy steps up and rips the piercing out with a cruel jerk. Kylar gives a jolt of pain, resolutely gritting his teeth as blood begins trickling into his mouth and down the centre of his chin. Mordwan laughs mockingly and the other boys join in.

"Aw, did that hurt?"

Again, Kylar doesn't answer. He is not going to make a noise or show any signs of weakness in front of these bullies because he knows they feed off it. Thankfully the ring wasn't a complete closed circle, the little ball connecting the two ends having popped away onto the ground when it was jerked out, saving Kylar's lip from being ripped completely in half. Mordwan brings the ring up to his eye, closely inspecting it to see if it's worth any money. Apparently deciding it could be, he stuffs the gold piece of jewellery in his pocket.

"I am Mordwan of the Muthwok clan," the bullying Pylean announces pompously, even though everyone here already knows his name. "As your oldest brother and next in line as head of the family, you should bow down at my feet, Kylarkmar. If you do that and profess your obedience to me, I might not kill you. Although, you should be punished for what you did to your master, you murdering, snake-throwing, lice-ridden piece of offal."

"You're right, brother," Kylar meekly returns, bowing his head after all those insults. "There is something I need to say to you."

"So, let's hear it," Mordwan prompts expectantly, leaning in closer. "What have you got to say, slave?"

"I'm NOT a slave anymore," the younger Muthwok member growls lowly, lifting his head back up and staring his elder sibling right in the eye with angry pride. "I shall never bow to you, Mordwan, or anyone ever again, so you and our entire clan can go jump off a cliff into the Sacrificial Valley for all I care."

While Mordwan is blinking in surprise at that unexpected answer, Kylar quickly swings his arm back and smashes the point of his elbow into Mordwan's mouth, feeling teeth shattering and dislodging, before the other boys wrench him away and wrestle him to the ground, slamming his head into the dirt.

"That's for everything you fucking did to me!" Kylar screams, furiously fighting against his brother's friends, letting out eighteen years of abusive resentment and not caring who hears him swear. "You treated me like shit and I hate you for that! Fuck you, Mordwan! FUCK YOU ALL!"

After spitting out broken front teeth, Mordwan stands there stunned and gaping, blood dripping down his face and neck, not expecting that kind of violent response from his formerly weak, timid little brother. Then his face fills with rage and he advances on Kylar with a toothless snarl. Panting, Kylar struggles on the ground and bucks his slim body with all his might trying to get away but the other village-boys have him securely pinned down, holding his arms and legs. Mordwan bends over, picks up a rock and coldly cracks it into the side of Kylar's head.

That's all Kylar remembers.

…

The male Drokken finally dies of blood loss. Angel and Connor take the massive, heavy body down to the docks and throw it in the ocean before returning to Lorne's club. Gunn has shown up, having been out vamp-hunting with his former gang. As soon as he heard Kylar was missing, he raced straight back here to help. The only people not present are the girls. Angel has not told them that Kylar is gone. He doesn't want Fred or Cordy anywhere near the unpredictable portal in case they too get sucked back in. Pylea is no place for women. The guys, however, are prepared to go back in with swords swinging. They realise Lorne's home dimension is an unpleasant, primitive place full of danger and barbaric brutality but they have to rescue the youngest member of their group, especially since they all know how horribly Kylar was treated there in the past. They're all armed and ready to go but no matter how many times Wesley says the specific words, the portal in Caritas won't open again.

"Battery's gone flat," Gunn declares in disappointment. "That bitch ain't opening anytime soon."

"We'll have to try another hot-spot. Library or movie studio gates?" Wes asks, referring to the two other locations they have successfully opened portals in previously.

"Library's closer. Let's go," Angel announces, his face resolute. "We're not leaving Kylar in that place any longer than we have to. Unlike Cordy, it's highly unlikely he'll be crowned a princess."

Even without being psychic, Lorne knows this to be terribly true. There are a hundred ghastly things that could happen to Kylar if he is caught over in Pylea and since the child is a deserter of his clan, a traitor, just like Lorne is, he will not be treated favourably by anyone who sees him. In fact, the only thing he'll be crowned with is an axe to the neck and the thought of his darling boy being beheaded is enough to make Lorne turn around and sickly throw up into the nearest corner. His stomach cramps convulsively and he retches again, this time puking up the remains of his last cocktail.

Sympathetically, Wes lays his hand on Lorne's back. "You don't have to go back to Pylea again, Lorne. We can go get Kylar for you."

"No," Lorne mumbles, wiping at his mouth and turning to Wesley. "I'm going."

"Are you sure? We understand how difficult it is for you to return to your home world. Nobody will judge you if you don't go."

"I'm going," Lorne repeats grimly. "I'm Kylar's guardian. It's my job to protect him. He needs me."

Wes nods, seeing the demon's determination. "All right. We'll get him together."

…

On the way to the library where the next portal is situated, Angel is behind the wheel of his sleek black Plymouth GTX, Wes is in the front passenger position and in the back seat are Lorne, Connor and Gunn respectively. The roof of the convertible is down and Connor's shoulder-length auburn hair blows back out of his face as they're headed towards their destination.

Lorne turns to the teen, who is staring ahead silently as they travel, a large double-sided battleaxe – his preferred weapon of choice – resting across his lap, the boy's slim fingers absently trailing across the blade, no doubt eager to put it to good use and chop some demon heads off. Normally, Connor never looks worried or anxious about going on a hunt but he does tonight, because he's hunting for his best friend.

His only friend.

Kylar has never judged Connor for being what he is, for what he does or has done in the past and this total acceptance means a lot to the lone slayer. Anyone can see how concerned Connor is for the long-haired teenager he's been spending so much time with and it's quite obvious to Lorne how deeply Angel's son cares for Kylar and his safety.

Lorne clears his throat before speaking to the young hunter. "Connor, about what happened earlier...Kylar explained everything. I completely got the wrong idea about you and I apologise."

"Forget it," the teen replies impatiently. "We got bigger problems now."

"No, I need to say that I'm sorry," Lorne stresses. "Truly sorry. I know you wouldn't use Kylar or hurt him in any way. I realise that now."

"Yeah, well. So you should," Connor returns stiffly.

Even when Lorne caught them kissing and was consumed by jealous fury, he could still tell that Connor was being especially gentle and careful with the pretty Pylean, as if touching something precious and fragile that could easily break, and this is exactly how Lorne feels about Kylar too. Only a thousand times more strongly.

"I need him, Connor. I need to get Kylar back." Lorne gazes imploringly at the aloof youth beside him, the distraught demon's red eyes brimming with tears. In a desperate whisper, he says, "I can't…I can't live without him."

Realising how close Lorne is to losing it, Connor softens, reaching over and grasping the green-skinned male's shoulder in a gesture of support. "It's okay, Lorne. I'll help you find Kylar. We all will. We care about him too, you know."

Nodding appreciatively, Lorne swallows, unhappy about breaking the truce he only just formed with Connor not so long ago.

"Hey, kiddo…" He glances hesitantly at the blue-eyed boy. "Are we still cool?"

"Yeah." Connor nods in a forgiving fashion. "We're cool."

They've stopped at some traffic lights, allowing a truck with a semi-trailer to go past. The lights go green. Just before the car is about to take off, a shadow darkens the entire vehicle, making all the occupants of it look up in bewilderment. The Ho'kio twins are there in mid-flight, large black wings flapping in slow sweeps.

"Let us come with you," the bigger one demands. "We can help."

"Who and what the hell are these guys?" Gunn exclaims with round eyes.

"Don't ask," Connor mutters, narrowing his gaze at the pointy-eared brothers who evidently have been watching them from above, addressing them both in an irritated tone. "Go home, you two. And stop spying on us!"

"We weren't spying. We were simply passing overhead and happened to hear your words." The girlish demon twin is looking at Lorne. "Your boy is missing, Host. We want to help you find him."

"We don't need your help," Connor growls.

"Wherever you're going, we can scan the ground from the skies," the bigger brother says. "We can search for him in places you are unable to reach."

"Lorne?" Angel questions uncertainly, knowing that these pale-skinned twins aren't exactly Lorne's favourite people right now. He's heard all about them and what they did.

Mumbling, Lorne replies, "They're right. Pylea is a big place. We need all the eyes we can get."

"But there aren't any seats left in the vehicle," Wesley points out in a very British manner.

"That's all right," the smaller twin assures. "We can squeeze in. My brother and I are used to getting extremely close with others."

Wes raises an eyebrow, shooting Angel an inquisitive glance. Angel just coughs awkwardly, telling them to get in wherever they can. Reluctantly, Connor and Gunn scoot over closer next to Lorne to create a gap, the larger Ho'kio dropping into the back seat first, followed by his feminine-faced sibling, the two of them folding up their bat-wings and making them disappear back into their bodies. The scent of musk swirls around the car's interior, all the humans noticing it.

Settling in his bulkier brother's lap and crossing a pair of slender, leather-banded legs with high-heeled boots, the womanly twin smiles interestedly at Gunn sitting beside them, displaying small fangs and a flash of silver tongue-ring.

"Hello there, handsome," he/she greets with a flutter of lashes, grazing a long nail teasingly down the back of Gunn's hand. "What's your name?"

Leaning over the seat, a confused Gunn whispers to Lorne, "Hey, is your hot Goth friend a girl or a boy?"

Lorne sighs. "Both."

Frowning, Gunn digests this information for a moment. Shrugging as if that's good enough, the black man smiles back winningly at the sexy demon and answers. "I'm Gunn. Charles Gunn."

"Ooooh," the Ho'kio purrs, admiring the large crossbow he's holding. "Are all your weapons that big?"

Curling his lip, Connor rolls his eyes as the car takes off, hoping his father drives fast and gets to the library quickly so he doesn't have to hear more of this disgusting inter-species flirting.

…

"All right, we're here," Angel proclaims, the black convertible skidding to a stop out the front of a big old building. "Plan of action?"

"Open the portal," Lorne announces, hopping out of the car. "Then jump into it."

"Wait. We're coming with you," Connor states, also leaping out of the vehicle, axe in hand.

"No, we can't all run through at once," Wes insists, remembering the dangers from their previous portal-jump. "We'll get split up or worse, get spliced together."

"Oh no, I'm not gonna get mushed up with all you dudes, like some fourteen-legged freak," Gunn exclaims, stubbornly staying in his seat, arms crossed over his chest. "We gotta go in the car, like last time."

Wesley affirms, "He's right. The metal will shield us. It's the only way we can all stay safe and together. But how do we get the car into the library?"

"Through the wall?" Gunn suggests. "We could smash our way in, ram-raid style."

Angel looks aghast at the idea. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there, cowboy. Do you know how valuable this vehicle is and how much it costs to repair?"

Gunn shrugs, not really caring. "You're rich, aren't you? You should be, after two hundred years of Grinchin' and saving all yo' pennies."

"I don't have enough saved up to treat collectible cars like battering rams, thank you very much." Thinking of ways NOT to destroy his beloved Plymouth, the vampire muses, "Maybe we should go to the gates outside the film studio. At least it's an empty, clear street and we can drive straight through without any damage to the car or to us."

"Screw this," Lorne says decisively. "I'm going through the library now. You guys head over to the other portal and meet me in Pylea as soon as you can."

He starts to run off, changes his mind and runs back.

"You got another one of those?" Lorne indicates to Connor's axe, feeling as though he shouldn't appear in his own blood-thirsty dimension without some sort of protection.

Knowing the axe would be too heavy for Lorne to handle, Connor offers, "Here, take this," sliding up his pants leg and de-sheathing a sharp commando-style knife with a jagged edge.

Accepting the blade, Lorne nods his thanks and sprints off towards the library.

"Watch your back!" Angel calls out. "You're public enemy number one over there."

"Tell me something I don't know," Lorne mutters, heading for the front door. Using the knife, he pries the lock open, slipping inside and hoping no alarms go off.

The inter-dimensional gateway lies towards the back of the novel-filled institution, in the musty-smelling Foreign Language Books room, behind some tall shelves. Lorne has memorised the vowelless chant which opens it. This time when the words are spoken, the vortex appears straight away, strong winds sucking books off the shelf and into its whirling maw. Without hesitating, the world-hopping club owner steps into it, ready to face his demons and save the love of his life.

.........

A/N: Yes, I know it's a terrible cliffhanger, and I know it's cruel leaving it there, and I know you hate me for stopping Lorne and Kylar from having sex but I hope you can appreciate what I'm trying to do with the story. This fic is not just an excuse to do Lorne-smut. It's so much more than that. It's a tribute to Lorne, and to the wonderful, delightful, beautiful, complex character that actor Andy Hallet played so very brilliantly.

I'm finally giving Lorne a chance to be a HERO, okay? To save someone that he loves. That's something he never really got to do on Angel so I want to show that Lorne has a champion inside him and I can't do that if nothing bad happens! That said, I truly hope you've enjoyed these 3 new chapters and please don't forget to review because your kind words mean the world to me. Thank you for sticking by me, my lovely readers! :)

~Rina
- 14
- 15
- 16
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A Paler Shade of Green