TITLE: Blaze of Glory by: freerose28
Email: freerose28@hotmail.com
Rated: R
Spoilers: No
Feedback: Please?
Disclaimer: These aren't my characters-and this story is probably not what really happened.
Summary: Angel and Spike meet for the first time.
Thanks to :AVARICE for help with the dialouge. And to all the people who gave me such nice, encouraging feedback. And to some other people for convincing me to change my mind about "Human Spike."
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Los Angeles ,California, USA, 2000.
Offices of Angel Investigations.
"What's wrong with Angel?" Wesley whispered, gesturing in the direction of his employer, who was sitting with his head in his hands.
"Probably brooding about some horrible thing he did way back when." Said Cordelia. "I think it's better not to ask. We most likely don't wanna know."
Angel hadn't even remembered what day it was until he went into the office and saw Cordelia's calender. He had mixed feelings about this particular day. On the one hand, he felt like any father, proud to have such beautiful and smart children-on the other hand, filled with shame and disgust at the things they had done. At the things he had told them, encouraged them, to do. That he had made them, knowing full well what monsters he had created, and not caring.
Angel sat at his desk and stared at the piece of sketch paper that had fallen out of his sketch book. The book was one of the few things he had managed to rescue from the fire, and it held centauries of drawings. He traced the outlines of one picture and murmured to himself-
"Happy Birthday, Spike."
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London, England, 1870.
A pale, angular face in the shadows, blue eyes peering out from under dark lashes. A dark haired boy, too thin, with the haunted eyes of someone who'd seen too many horrific things in his short life. His clothes were a size too big and looked like cast offs. He was lounging against the brick wall, smoking a cigarette. He was staring at Angelus, making the Scourge of Europe oddly aroused and very uncomfortable at the same time. He dropped the cigarette on the cobbles and ground it out with the heel of his booted foot.
"Looking for some company?" He asked abruptly.
"I might be." said Angelus, giving him the once over. The child was handsome, if not conventionally so. "Would you be offering?"
"You do know that anything between me 'n you would be downright dirty and illegal, doncha?" *shrug*
"How much are you?"
"50 pounds. Take it or leave it. "
"Expensive." Angelus raised an eyebrow.
"I have my dignity."
"How old are you anyway?"
"How old do you want me to be?"
"What are you called?"
""Whatever you want. Look d'you mind hurrying it up a bit? I'm freezing me bollocks off, here"?"
"We'll go back to my rooms."Angelus said.
The boy smirked.
"Money first." He said calmly.
"I don't believe that is the traditional way."
"Just protectin' meself. Do you honestly think I'll take the money and run?" The boy looked at him without betraying the slightest sign of dishonesty in his eyes. "How far would I get?"
"Not very far." Said Angelus. He handed him the money and moved to walk out of the alley, expecting the younger man to follow him. Suddenly he felt something heavy strike the back of his head and the world went dark.
"You were wrong." William laughed as he dropped the 2x4 and ran away. If things kept going his way, he could save up enough money to rent a room for the winter.
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Angelus awoke several minutes later with a sharp pain in his head. He hauled himself to his feet and snarled. How dare that little street urchin steal from him! He obviously made
a habit of doing this-He was probably far away by now. Angelus felt a fool. No one made him feel like a fool, especially not apparently demented human children. Well, even nobodies had friends, and people willing to sell them out for a tidy sum or not having their throats ripped out. He'd get his money back, and teach the little bugger a lesson about conning vampires in the process.
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"Aren't we a busy beaver?" Angelus said casually.
The Wyndam Pryce mansion was dark, its owners had gone out for the evening to see the ballet. While they were gone, six youths were passing their furniture and valuables through a broken rear window and loading them onto a cart. The boy from the alley was directing them.
He turned at the sound of Angelus' voice.
"A person's gotta eat." He walked over to Angelus, but kept a slight distance between them even so.
"A person should also hold up his end of a bargain. "
"What bargain?"He asked, grinning back at his friends.
"I'm not going to kill you. Keep trying my patience and I might, however. Give me back my money."
Angelus steered him around the corner, with an iron grip on his upper arm. There he slammed him against the wall.
"William the Bloody, hmmm?"
"You've been asking about me."
"How many do you have to kill to get a name like that?"
"Lots." He said proudly. Angelus could smell the lies and the fear underneath his puffed up bravado.
"Well then, Master William,"Angelus growled, showing his true face."How many do you think I've killed?"
"You're a vampire? "William sounded bored by the idea.
"You know of our kind?"
"I meet a lot of monsters in my world."
"Are you afraid?"
William stepped closer to him, so close that the vampire could feel his breath and hear his heartbeat.
"Once bitten....." He pulled aside the collar of his shirt, exposing two ugly red scars.
"Go on. "William said. "Do your worst."
Angelus looked at him, trying to decide where to start. *What can I take from him that hasn't already been taken? It's not any fun if they ask you to hurt them.* He began to have an idea.
"How about you follow through on your part of the deal? "
"Alright. "said Will quickly. His face looked relieved almost. "Just let me go tell my mates to meet me later."
"I'll even buy you a meal. You have to keep your strength up after all. " He looked down at Will with his trademark smirk.
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When the food arrived, Will clearly tried to pretend that he wasn't as hungry as he really was. He ate and drank slowly and deliberatly. If Angelus happened to catch his eye, his face had a challenging expression, as if he were daring the vampire to accuse him of bieng grateful.
"What's your tale? " William asked some time later, when they were both more relaxed and a little bit tipsy. "You're from Ireland, aren't you? " His brow furrowed. " They have-Irish people-There. And things."
"You don't want to hear my story. But I'd like to hear yours."
"Not much to tell. Born here, raised here. Lived with me mum until she died of syphilis when I was ten. I never knew me dad. I always thought he might be one o'them rich blokes. See-Mum was a whore like me. "He pointed with his fork at a well dressed, middle aged man sitting by himself ."It could be that man over there."
"It's not polite to point at people."
"You're funny. "Will grinned and raised his voice drunkenly. "Scoldin' me 'bout my manners and such. Like a Dad. "
"Use your indoor voice, William. "
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A darkened room, with only the faint glow from the oil lamp illuminating the two bodies that glistened with sweat. The walls of the house were thick and none of the neighbors could hear the muffled screams. When it was over, Will lay on his back, looking up at the
demon who had made him feel the way no one else ever had.
"You're a sick bastard. "He mumbled.
"I've been told I am."
Will fumbled with the box of matches, his hands were shaking.
"BLOODY HELL!"
"There, There, mustn't lose our temper."
Angelus struck a match and touched it to the end of Will's cigarette. The boy sat up and pulled his knees to his chest. He was flicking ashes all over Angelus's bed linens. Still, the picture was charming and the vampire found himself reaching for his sketchbook.
"What are you doing?" Will asked suspiciously.
"Capturing the moment."
"Well, don't." He looked away, blowing a ring of smoke out the open window.
"I'm not going to sell the picture, if you were wondering. Nobody will see it."
"I wasn't wondering." Will snapped. Angelus put down his sketching and looked at him.
"How would you like to never have to worry about money again?"
Will raised an eyebrow.
"I can make it happen for you." said Angelus. "I can make all of this go away. No more sleeping in alleys, no more fighting for scraps, no more selling yourself."
"I've heard promises like that before. You'll want something in return."
"My little girl needs a playmate. Poor mite's as mad as King George the Third, she requires care and attention that frankly-I'm tired of giving her. Come with us and you'll never have to worry about money or food or your future again. "
"No." Will said flatly, reaching for his pants.
"Where are you going?"
"We're done here, aren't we? You did your thing, I did mine, now I get to leave."
"That is not what I meant. You're about 20?"
"Yeah." He continued slowly and methodically dressing himself.
"Where do you see yourself in the future?"
"I see myself with a pretty blonde wife and three beautiful babies. We live in a semi detached and I have a respectable job at the bank. " He said sarcastically.
"Answer me back like that again and I'll rip your head off. " The vampire warned. "You're dying, aren't you? Not from any particular disease, but you know you'll be lucky if you last another ten years. "
"How would you know?"
"Your death will be quick and violent most likely. No one will mourn you, no one will even notice that you're gone. Some charitable soul will bury you in a pauper's grave with only your name and date of death. Is that the way you want to live? "
"Don't got another choice. "
"I asked you to come with me, be one of us. "
"And be damned for all eternity?" He looked at Angelus seriously. "I can't read or write but I ain't stupid. When I die, I'll die on me own terms, "He made two fists with his hands and punched the air. " I'm goin' out fightn'. Like a man. "
"I admire your tenacity. "
"Huh?"
"I'll be around if you change your mind, Will. "
Angelus watched him walk out the door and heard his cheap leather boots on the stairs. A heavy rain had begun to fall. Angelus moved to the window to close it and saw Will trudging away, shoulders slumped in his stolen overcoat.
"I had my eye on him the entire time and he still managed to pick my pocket! And why haven't I killed him yet?"
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Drusilla had written Angelus a letter. Written in flowing script with her I's dotted with hearts, it stank of lilac perfume. She wanted to know how her suprise was coming along. Well, mostly. She also rambled on about the weather, various birds, her wardrobe, and
potatoes. She was sweet but she was also starting to annoy him, hence his trip to London to find her a new "friend". He addressed and sealed his response as he heard Will's knock on the door.
They had a standing appointment now, out to dinner in the nicest restauraunt, and then back to his room. Will always refused Angelus' invitation to spend the night, he was still wary of letting his guard down. And with good reason.
*******
Angelus sat on his bed and watched the boy undress, dropping his clothes randomly wherever they landed. His body was covered in fresh bruises and cuts.
"Been in a fight?" Angelus asked casually.
"Me mates an' I got pissed an' 'ad a tiff with a gang."
"Did you win?"
"Yeah."
"Good job."Angelus stripped off his own clothing and turned down the lamp. "Come over here and let me show you just how proud I am."
A long time later, they lay side by side, Angelus listening to the sound of Will's pounding heart. Wanting to take him again. Wanting to taste his blood.
*If you do it now, you'll want to turn him. And he's not ready for that yet. Although he should be soon enough.* He had to want it. And if he didn't, he had to be at the point where there was no other choice for him. No other way out.
"Can I go now?" Will asked in a bored voice.
"You don't have to leave."
"Gonna pay me extra?"
"No." He watched Will dressing , and reached out to button his shirt for him.
"I can dress myself !" Will snapped, jerking out from under his larger hands. "I'm not a child!"
The vampire laughed.
"If you say so."
Will's normally pale features were flushed. He moved just a little too quickly toward the door.
"Why the sudden rush?"
"I got places to be."
"Drinking away your shame?" Crossing the room quickly, Angelus put one hand against the door, trapping the young man inside.
"Huh?" He tried to sound tough.
"All the bad, wrong, terrible sins you keep commiting in the name of survival."Angelus said in mocking tones.
"Stop it!"
"You like it, don't you? That is what frightens you more than anything else, am I right? You like pain. You like to hurt people, and you like to be hurt. And you're afraid that you'll lose control one of these days."
"Let me go."
"There's evil inside of you. And it will out. You can't forestall it, ignore it or stop it. "He murmured seductively.
"That's not true!"Will cried. Angelus could see the struggle taking place inside his head,
"It is and you know it. You like robbing houses and fighting. You like it when rich older men fuck you. You enjoy bieng hurt and demeaned. And you want to hurt others. You think that makes you sick but it doesn't. It's your nature. Some people are born twisted. The world threw you away the day you were born. Why should you try to be good for them, when they don't even want you?"
"What can I do? " Will whispered, his face growing paler.
"Let go. Embrace your darkness. " Angelus stroked his cheek, taking his hand and leading him back to the bed. " Make them pay."
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Angelus was a skillful and persuasive teacher. Three days later, William shot two people and beat a third one to death. The police were called, the suspect escaped from custody and several helpful bystanders volunteered to hunt him down. He wouldn't be able to get far, a shot from the gun of one of those helpful bystanders had wounded him. The mob instinct had taken over, they were out for blood and no one was even sure what was going on. Angelus found the whole situation highly amusing. He knew exactly where to find the young murderer. He followed the crowd for some time, ducking into a
certain alley which might not seem to be there, unless you were looking for it.
Will was crouched in the cold, wet darkness. One trembling arm clutching his stomach, tears of panic and terror running down his cheeks.
"I'm evil, I'm evil. " He moaned. More running feet, doubling back.
"I told you it would come out. " Said Angelus soothingly. "You are evil and there's no going back now. I told you it was inside of you."
"They-shot-at me. "
"See how quickly and easily they turned on you? Your friends, neighbors. "
"It hurts." He gasped, looking down at the slow, spreading red stain. "Dammit!"
"I gave you an option."
"No. No. "
"Let me do it, Will. If you let me do it, you'll be stronger, faster. Instead of dying in this dirty alley, you'll live forever. No one will ever hurt you again. " The boy shook his head weakly. He coughed and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. When he knew the
young man was too weak to resist, Angelus sank his fangs into the skin of William's neck. He cut his own hand and forced the boy to drink. The very last shudder of life wracked William's body, and Angelus cradled his limp form until his movements stilled.
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THE BEGINING
The End