Angel of Music: Nightmare By Dracona Dragillin Gargoyles isn't mine but the rest is. Please send e-mail! Angel of Music: Nightmare Eric sat alone in the appartment. He had cleaned the place up, made dinner, and done all of the chores he could think of. All he had to do know was wait. Soon Hannah would trudge in and almost collapse. He'd run her a bath. No matter how tired she was, Hannah always took a bath to get rid of the smell of cigarette smoke from her skin. After the bath, he'd carry her to bed were she slept until the late afternoon. Then she'd eat the dinner he'd made the night before, without tasting it. And then she'd leave to play at another club. On the rare nights when she didn't have to work, Hannah didn't want to do anything. She'd eat mechanically and just sit there. Sometimes she lock herself in the bedroom. Eric would then hear very soft crying noises. But the sadess thing for him was to look into her eyes. In her eyes he saw the despair that was created by fighting with club managers for money, playing horrible music that was liked by these people, being rejected by company after company, and just being treated like dirt. It had been fourteen months since they started the band. And Eric wasn't sure how much more Hannah could take of it. Eric wanted to help but how? Hannah plodded into the apartment. She sank onto the couch and began to cry. Eric hurried over and wrapped his wings around her. "Beloved, what's wrong?" After a few minutes of listening her weeping and trying to talk, Eric got the message. When Hannah was trying to get paid, the manager made a rather rude proposition her, verbally and by putting his hand on her breast. Hannah had just run away without her money. Eric held onto her and let her sob. Eventually she slipped into sleep. Eric bathed her face with cool water and put her to bed. He then called up Janelle on the phone. "Eric, where's Hannah? She deserted us at the club." "Hannah had a rather bad experience. She was propositioned and fondled by the manager. She's been crying most of the evening but I managed to get her to sleep. Janelle, could you name me a record producer from a famous company? One that's used to be big but is slowly slipping. "That would be Freddie Taylor. He was really big in the seventies and eighties. But now it seems like he's losing his touch." "OK, thanks. Bye." ------------------------------------------------------------------- Freddie Taylor grabbed the dark haired woman's behind. "Oh Freddie!" she giggled, "You're so clever. Did you give a listen to my tape yet?" "Not yet baby. Why don't you go take a shower?" The woman gave him a grin and walked out of the room, swinging her hips. Freddie sighed. This one was turning out to be a pain in the ass. All she did was bitch about her music. It's not like she had any talent. At least he was getting what he wanted. Later he watched her get dressed and leave. Slowly he started to drift to sleep. And was quicly jerked out of sleep. Something grabbed him and was holding him in the air. Freddie's feet dangled in midair. He then looked into the face of his attacker. It was a green monster with glowing white eyes. "Are you Freddie Taylor?" it growled. "Yes," he stammered. "I am a dream demon and this is your nightmare!" it roared, "If you don't do what I say then I will kill you and you will really die." "I'll do whatever you say," he sobbed. The demon then threw a handful of tapes and a piece of paper on the table. "Listen to the tapes, little toad. Then give the group, whose name and address are on the paper, a contract. You will agree to anything that they ask and not ask questions. If you what I said, you will live happily for the rest of your life. If not, then I pity you. You are to keep our meeting a secret. And if I hear anything about you treating this band badly, I will come back and put you in eternal torment." The demon then dropped Freddie. It gave him a long cold stare as Freddie cowered on the floor. It then jumped out of the window and flew away on wings as dark as night. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Eric flew back toward the apartment. He still felt horrible about what he did. He had literally degraded himself. 'I've always wanted humanity to see my kind as something better,' he thought, 'and here I go and act like a monster. But we've gained so much. He'll listen to the tapes and hear how good Apollo's Lyre is. If all goes well, Apollo's Lyre will become famous and the greedy little twit will become rich.' But Eric still wasn't convinced. He arrived at the apartment and let himself in. Carefully, he checked on Hannah. She was sleeping but her face was tear-streaked and her pillow damp with tears. 'All of this will be worth it,' he thought, 'just to see her smile again.' A few moments later, dawn broke and Eric turned to stone. ------------------------------------------------------------------- "You've gotta listen to this group, Mr. Xanatos. They're spectacular." Freddie then hit the play button on the tape. David Xanatos listened to the tape and received a surprise. This band was great. They flowed together. The female lead singer had a voice like an angel. And the male back up had a beautifully rich tenor. The music was a delightful mix of many different styles. Xanatos only said two words, "Sign them." "There's a slight problem. It seems like the piano player and male back-up singer is a recluse. He won't do concerts and all recording sessions have to be done at night and in secret. That's why I came here. The Chairman says that he won't put up with that and that we shouldn't give them a deal. But you've heard them. They're great and if we don't take them some other company will..." Xanatos looked Freddie straight in the eye. "Sign them at their terms and let the Chairman deal with me." ------------------------------------------------------------------- A few weeks had passed. Today they finalized and signed the contracts. That night Hannah and Eric had celebrated with love. Eric held Hannah cherishing the feel of her body against his. Hannah looked up into Eric's eyes. "Thank you," she simply said. "What for?" he asked uncertainly "For staying with me a supporting me through such a bad time. I must have been a pain to live with." "Eric kissed the top of her head. "I love you and would never leave you, my beloved Hannah." He held her tightly remembering what he did for her. Eric drifted off to sleep with his heart full of love. The End