In my alternate universe, Angelus was never Irish; I need to do this for plot purposes. But I do picture Angelus as living as an upper classman; that's why Spike has such thoughts about speaking only proper English, and that his childhood dialect was forbidden.
The Gangel, the rootless wanderers, forever moving about and surviving by their wits.
Part 7
For the umpteenth time Angel went to check on his sleeping Childe. Running his hand lightly down his son's face, he assured himself that William was really alright. His skin was now cool to the touch, and he was no longer breathing.
Angel had held his son to his breast the whole night, not daring to let himself sleep. Every time that William had stirred, even just a little, Angel had held his Childe's head to the bleeding gash in his chest, forcing his son to drink more of his blood. He rationalized that if his blood could overcome the poison, than the more the better.
Watching his son sleep, Angel was in a quandary. He didn't want to leave William, but he needed to go see Wesley. Alex had called from New York. The Master there was now willing to grant him an audience. It hadn't been hard to stall Alex, as Angel just told her the truth. William was too sick to travel to New York right now.
But he needed to make a decision soon. A few days ago, his only goal had been to get to New York, to the Master, to the Clan, but now after careful deliberation he wasn't so sure. He was sure that Alex's intentions were sincere, but that didn't mean that the Master was of the same opinion. He didn't trust the Master. But he did trust the two former Watchers. He was pretty confident that he could talk Wesley into helping them. But Giles was another story. Would Wesley alone, without the assistance of Giles be able to help them? Or would he be better served to forget the mortals and concentrate on trying to get aid from his own kind? He couldn't delay making a decision. The window to the Master was slim, if he didn't show up within the next few days, the Master would change his mind.
Feeling torn, Angel woke his eldest son. He would have Djoser watch over William. Nothing should happen to the Childe with his older brother guarding him. "Djoser, wake-up. I need to go and talk to the Watchers. You will stay here with William. DO NOT LET HIM OUT OF YOUR SIGHT! If he becomes ill, I've left some of *my* blood here. Give it to him, and then call me. Here's the phone number at the Watcher's house. Use the cell phone."
Done giving instructions, Angel left the room. But he could not shake the feeling of foreboding that clung to him.
**
Spike awoke shortly after Angelus had left. The blood of his Sire still coated his mouth and tongue. Ambrosia! Feeling no pain, Spike sat up, looking around for his Sire. Not seeing him, nor detecting his scent, Spike began to panic. Deja vu, as the memory of Angelus' abandonment flowed through him. His brother's presence did not reassure him at all. "Where's our Father?"
Djoser, who had been reading looked up in surprise. His younger sibling referred to their Father with many different names, and Father was not usually one of them. But seeing his brother's alarm, Djoser refrained from answering in any kind of sarcastic manner. "He went to go see the Watchers. He'll be back later."
Slightly comforted, Spike scowled at his older brother. "Watchers? Wot's he want with those two sods?"
"Their help."
Spike snorted. "He's asking the wrong people. The Slayer is the queen bee around here. Those two nancyboys won't do anything, unless the Slayer approves." {And our Sire won't ever go to the Slayer.} Spike had heard the talk. Xander couldn't keep his mouth shut about anything, and his girl friend Anya wasn't any better. It seems that the two ex-love birds had done a complete 180. Buffy had paid Angel a visit in L.A., and from what Spike could gather, there had been some major fireworks. His Sire then had followed the Slayer back to Sunnydale, where he ended up in a brawl with her G.I. Joe boyfriend. Spike would have given anything to see that. Although at that time, he would have been hard pressed to know who to root for.
Djoser looked unconcerned. "We don't need the Slayer, or any of her human allies. The Master in New York has agreed to see us."
Spike began to feel nauseous again. He *didn't* want to go to New York. It frightened him. The Master there frightened him, although he didn't know why. Hiding his fear, Spike sarcastically retorted. "Yeah, the Master in New York will save me, because of the great love he feels for me." Narrowing his eyes at his brother. "You know what he wants, don't you? He wants to see our Father humiliated and degraded. He'll make Father beg and grovel. He'll probably want to fuck him, maybe have some minions fuck him too. And then we'll probably be thrown in for good measure. Is that what you want? Our proud Father, the one who should be the Master." Spike was guessing a little on that last part, but was rewarded by a tightening of his brother's body. {I was right. At one time Angelus was the heir apparent!}
Djoser was being swayed by his younger brother's arguments. He's was a proud man, proud of his lineage, proud of his Father. Seeing his brother's wavering, Spike continued his case. "Take me to the Slayer. It's Friday; she'll be at a place called The Bronze in a few hours. Let me talk to her."
"You're not to leave here. And why would the Slayer help you?"
"Oh, the Slayer owes me a couple of favors." Spike lied through his teeth. Actually he had no idea how he was going to convince the Slayer to help them, but figured he'd wing it when he got there.
Still undecided, Djoser stared at his brother trying to determine what he was up to. But William had changed a lot in the last century. He now knew how to hide his emotions. But his brother's arguments had validity. Not to mention the fact that Djoser remembered that the former Master had sentenced William to death. Djoser had not questioned his Father's decision, but had wondered why Angelus was so sure that the present Master and the Clan would be willing to save William.
Spike sensing victory, quickly argued his last point. "Look mate. After last night, I've learned my lesson. I'll run like a true ponce if I see any trouble. Bring Ramose with us. With you two bad boys watching over me, what could possible happen?"
****
Part 8
1885
PAIN! Horrible black pain that consumed his whole body.
VOICES. Voices that floated above him.
"Perhaps he may live, but chances are, he won't. Stake him, and we can go back to the Master. We could still possibly undo this whole disaster. Make it right again with our Father."
"NO! The Master has now been cursed, cursed to forever be below ground. He's not going to forgive or forget that."
"That was Alexandra's doing. We'll put the blame on her. The Master never liked her much anyways."
"NO! We'll feed him my blood. That should...." The voices faded as he fell back into darkness.
**
William sat up in his little attic room horribly confused. He was in a different house, a different room, his body covered with fresh scars, and he couldn't remember what had happened to him! It was like someone had gone in and erased part of his memory. He was told that he had been captured and tortured by a group of Gangrel vampires who had wandered in the area. But that made no sense to him. Gangrel vampires would not attack a Tremere vampire. They would not risk retribution by one of the most powerful clans in existence.
Images floated in his head. A large room filled with vampires. A beautiful blond woman smirking at him maliciously. A tall lean man standing over him, mouth open screaming, but William couldn't hear the words. And PAIN...he tried to capture the memories, but they remained elusive. The harder he tried to remember, the more his head ached.
Hearing footsteps he hoped it was food. About once a day a minion would come up with a small bowl of blood. It wasn't enough, but William didn't want to risk going downstairs. Still weak, if Penn or Lucien decided to have a go at him, he wouldn't be able to fight them off. And vampires, predators that they were, could always sense weakness.
The door swung open, but instead of a minion, stood a fair man with the mark of a Blood-Childe. "Hey mate, feelin' better yet, then, eh? Uhh...nice room yer got 'ere."
He looked around in shock.
Speechless William stared at the visitor. He was speaking English, and not that fancy, prissy English that everyone had to speak in Angelus' presence.
"Name's Victor. Childe of Anton." The man sat down on the floor next to William. "Wot a bugger yor ol' man is. Makin' yer sleep 'ere."
{Old man?} For years now, Angelus had decreed that William was to be known as the Childe of Drusilla, Angelus' consort. "This room fits my status." Not a Childe of the Master, William's status in the household was just one step above the minions.
"Fuck. Yer dinnah need ter pretend wiv me. I know 'oo yer are. Childe of the bloodline, like I am. It's a pisser sometimes. Can't do wot yer want. Got blokes wotchin' over you all the time. More of a pisser for yer, since yor ole man is crazier than mine."
Still totally confused, but feeling like he had found a soul mate, William couldn't help but grin at his new visitor. Victor was speaking the English of William's past. An English that was now forbidden, but William couldn't resist and he too reverted back to his old, familiar vernacular. "How do yer know about me, eh? Angelus keeps it a big secret from evryone."
"Why I were at yor presenta..." Victor stopped abruptly, as William looked at him curiously. Then Victor grinned at him. "Yer know mate. Yer and I are 'ome now. Feelin' well enough ter have a few at a genuine English pub?"
{Home? When had they come to England?} William knew he had been unconscious for a time, but this was ridiculous! "We're really back in England?"
"The bloody one and only."
"Yer were born 'ere too?"
"Me mum were English, just like yors. Now, if yer're feelin' up ter it, I tink I found where we can sneak out of 'ere, so no one will spot us. And we can make the rounds, right, mate, yer and me."
**
William would never forget the short time he spent with Victor. It was probably the one and only time he had 'fun' in his entire human or vampire existence. Victor was in his element in the pubs, singing, dancing, dancing on the tables; he entertained everyone there. He also showed William how to feed a little on the humans without anyone being the wiser. Pretend to help one of the humans when they were on the verge of passing out or falling down. Feed on them a little, but don't drain them, because then who would you drink with the next night?
The two young vampires enjoyed themselves so much, that they lost track of time. With the sun up, they ended up sleeping over at the pub, and when the sun set again they just continued the party. So it was almost two days later before they made their way back home again. Arriving, they were met by two very angry Fathers.
Victor was dragged off quickly by his Father who, although irate, was somewhat relieved that nothing had happened to his youngest Childe. Victor was known for sneaking out against his Father's wishes, but that wasn't what infuriated Anton so. Victor insisted on going and getting inebriated with humans, putting him in a very vulnerable position. How easy it would be for a human to stake him when he was falling down drunk! A Blood-Childe such as him should not be taking such risks. Unrepentant, Victor could not resist giving William a wink as he was led away to face his punishment. Alone, William stood defiantly before his Sire.
"How dare you leave without permission." Angelus advanced slowly, toying with his prey.
Spirits still running through his veins, and some of Victor's rebellious attitude sticking to him, William wasn't going to back down. "I admit that I left without permission, but I'll take it up with my Sire, Drusilla."
A Master rarely dealt with the Childer of other household members. It was the responsibility of a Sire to discipline a Childe. He then began to walk past Angelus who now was beyond furious. Grabbing William by his arm, he wrenched hard, dislocating it. Throwing William over a nearby table, he yelled orders to a group of minions. Two came and held William down, while another one brought the Master his cat-o'-nine-tails. Ripping William's shirt off, he proceeded to beat his Childe mercilessly.
William had been beaten many times before, but this time it was different. Angelus didn't stop until William's back was a bloody mess, flesh almost completely gone. He was then thrown upstairs to his little attic room to suffer alone.
**
William lay on the floor, since he was not given a bed, his back on fire, his arm throbbing, blood running from his nose and mouth. As the door swung open, he hoped and prayed that it wasn't Angelus coming back to dish out more punishment, or Penn and Lucien who literally liked to rub salt in his wounds. But for once his prayers were answered as it was Victor again who stood in his doorway. This time he held a bowl with food in it for William. Only Victor would dare to bring food to William against Angelus' orders.
"Cor, wot did the bleedin' old fucker do ter yer, then, eh? Christ, Will yor ole man is a real nutter. Here, got sumting for yer. It's just wot the bloody doctor ordered." Victor then pulled out a silver flask, and proceeded to pour a healthy amount of gin into the blood he had brought for William. Holding it to William's mouth, he helped his cousin drink the blood concoction. "I'm gonna find a way ter leave me Sire. Dinnah wanna live under 'is thumb anymore. Wen I do, I'll come find yer. We'll drink our way across Europe. And wen we're done, right, we'll go ter the Colonies and drink our way across them, too."
Finishing the blood and gin mixture, William lay his head down, feeling very tired. Victor sat down on the floor, drinking the rest of the gin and regaling William with the time he had snuck away and had partied at Oktoberfest. It would be the last time the cousins would ever be together.
****
Part 9
Romania 1898
Sitting in the window staring outside, William contemplated his future. For the last twelve plus years, his life had gone from bad to worse. Angelus had become crueler and even more abusive toward his youngest Childe. William kept trying to screw up the courage to either leave or take a walk into the sunlight, but lacking the nerve he still hadn't been able to do either. But now something had happened. He had received a message from Victor. According to Victor he was emancipated now, and he had kept his word and had come for William. He would wait for Will tonight only at the local pub.
William found it difficult to believe that Victor was truly emancipated. Blood-Childer were too rare to be left on their own, without guidance and protection. Most probably he had just run away again, and it wouldn't be long before Anton showed up to claim his wayward Childe. But even so, William decided to go with his cousin. A few days of having 'fun' was better than nothing. And when Victor was gone, William would just go it alone. Probably get staked by a Slayer, or killed by another vampire, but he had finally decided that being dust was better than his present existence.
He would still have to follow protocol and formally request and be granted permission to leave by his Sire. Making his way to the Master's bedroom, William wondered if Victor had been watching the house, and had waited until Angelus left before sending his message. Because Victor's timing was perfect, since just earlier Angelus had been called away. Threatening some minions with bodily harm, William had found out from them that Angelus had been summoned by his maternal Sire, Darla.
{Darla?} William found that to be very puzzling, because as far as he could ascertain Angelus had been ostracized from the Clan for some years now. He knew no more, since he was always kept in the dark about everything, and the whole subject was very taboo; anyone caught discussing it would be severely punished.
Receiving permission to enter, William found the Master's consort, Drusilla dancing around the room, whispering to her dolls. Briefly kneeling before her, he made his formal request. "My Sire, I humbly beg your permission to leave our home. I feel the time is right for me to be granted my independence."
Drusilla stopped her twirling, looking at William with large eyes. "Miss Edith says that the moon isn't as high as it used to be. It's slowly falling. When it falls..."
Standing up slowly, William shifted from one foot to the other, listening to Drusilla's rambling with half an ear. He'd wait a respectable amount of time, and then leave. Whatever she was saying sounded close enough to granting him permission. Waiting another few minutes, he knelt again, interrupting her. "Sire, you will not regret your decision. I will forever honor you as my Sire and Creator. I will not be an embarrassment to your name." Formalities done, William did a fast exit, not hearing Drusilla's final words to him. "Daddy doesn't want you to go. Daddy will never let you go."
Throwing his meager possessions in a pillow covering, William decided to go out a side door. Technically he could leave freely, but still he didn't want to tempt fate. Angelus wasn't here, but Djoser was. Minions might buy that he had his Sire's blessing to leave, but Djoser certainly wouldn't. Circling around the stables, William's cursed luck stayed true to form, as he ran right into Angelus who was just stepping out of his carriage. Surprised, William came to an abrupt halt. Mind racing, he knew he couldn't say he was just taking a stroll around the grounds. The pillow covering was a dead give away.
"Boy! Where do you think you're going?"
Pushing down his fear, William decided that this time he wasn't going to back down. "*Drusilla*, my Sire has given her approval for me to leave."
Dismissing the minions who were watching the scene unfold with total fascination, Angelus stared at William with dark, penetrating eyes. "I am the Master here. No one leaves without my permission."
{Bloody hell! According to him, I'm not his Childe, but he's sure always watching my every move.}
"Our law states that a Sire's permission is all that is required." William insisted stubbornly.
Angelus remained silent, eyes darkening with rage.
Throwing down the pillow covering, William readied himself. He was going to fight back this time. Fight back so hard that Angelus would be forced to kill him. Although slight of built, William's body was tough from all the beatings he had endured. He also was a skilled fighter, having to routinely defend himself against Angelus' other Childer, especially those who knew the truth about him. Quick and agile, William figured he'd be able to give his Sire a decent fight, before being overwhelmed by Angelus' superior strength.
Unfortunately William failed to take in consideration that he was dealing with a master manipulator. Angelus, reading his Childe's body language and sensing his determination, reversed his plan of attack. Advancing on William, he let his son score a few punches, before grabbing the younger vampire by the front of the shirt. Pulling William up against himself, he plundered his Childe's mouth with his own, biting his own tongue so that his son could taste his blood. A Childe could not resist his Father's blood!
Shock and surprise rendered William immobile, and then the taste of his Father's blood rendered him helpless. Feeling his son's body relax against him, Angelus knew that he had won. His Childe's slim form pressed up against him, Angelus felt a stirring in his loins. {It had been too long!} Swinging William up easily into his arms, he began making his way to the bedroom.
**
Half-conscious William could still feel when his Sire left the bed, as a great emptiness engulfed him. Trying to arouse himself, William had to speak to Angelus before he left, but the need to sleep was overwhelming him. Before William lost total consciousness, he felt a cool hand on his forehead, and heard a quiet voice above him. "I'm going to get something to eat. I'll be back soon."
But Angelus never came back. The next memory William had was being awaken by his brother Djoser, asking him if he knew where the Master had gone. Angelus never came back that night or the next. They waited every night hoping he would return. Djoser organized search parties, and they were able to track him to a Gypsy camp, but there the trail ended. They could not pick up any more of his scent.
At first Drusilla had been in hysterics, screaming continually that her daddy was no longer her daddy. No one understood what she meant. Days later she calmed down to almost a trance. Stroking her doll's head, she kept repeating over and over that daddy was gone and would never be coming back.
Almost two weeks had gone by without any sign of the Master. Desperate, Djoser finally decided to go and seek out his Father's maternal Sire, Darla. The night he disappeared Angelus had gone to see her. Returning hours later, grim-faced and tight-lipped, he ordered that the household be disbanded. The Master would not be returning, and he, the Master's Blood-Childe would not take charge of any of them. He and Ramose would be returning to their birth country.
Left with Drusilla, because no one else would take her with them, William sat in the window looking out. He had gotten what he wished for; he was free. But watching his brother leave, he couldn't help but feel a total sense of abandonment.
****
Part 10
Eyes burning, Wesley stopped a moment to rub them. He had been doing research for more than a day now. The spell had worked; Adam was now dead. But their victorious spirit was short-lived, as they shortly realized that they had another problem to worry about. Djoser.
He had obeyed Angelus' order to help them. And help them, he did. With an efficiency that scared them all, he had dispatched Adam's minions like they were toddlers. Afterwards, without even discussing it, the group knew that they needed to find out any and all information about this dangerous vampire.
The current text that Wesley was trying to decipher was supposedly a translation of a historical piece written by a vampire! First, Wesley had a hard time picturing any vampire sitting down and recording historical chronicles of vampires. Second, even if one did, how did a human translate the works. As far as Wesley knew, no human ever spoke or read the vampire's ancient language. Nowadays one could hardly find a vampire who could remember the old language. So intent was Wesley on the book in front of him that he never noticed the tall figure with the duster over his head come noiselessly through the door.
"Interested in my off-spring, Wesley?" That familiar quiet voice made Wesley jump. Startled he looked up to see Angel studying an open text close by him.
Feeling like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Wesley stammered and stuttered. "Well yes...after seeing him...he was quite efficient with Adam's minions, so we were...curious about him."
"More than curious, I'm guessing." Angel looked over the pile of books that were all laying either open or closed with pages marked.
Wesley decided that the best defense was simple honesty. "He makes fascinating reading. And I'm getting the impression here that he's his father's son from his looks to his capacity for viciousness and violence."
"Oh he is the perfect son. An obedient, loyal, brutal killer. I couldn't have asked for more. Of course, the gods did have to even the scales for me by giving me a second son such as William. Djoser has never given me a moment's trouble, while William has given me nothing but trouble."
For a brief moment Wesley wondered if he was losing his mind, sitting here discussing Angelus' sons like they were just two average American college kids. Not sure how he should respond, Wesley wondered if perhaps he should ask him how they were doing in school?
But Angel was no longer interested in discussing his Childer. "Wesley, I've kept my promises. What more do I need to do to persuade you to help me?"
Blinking, Wesley thought that Angel's tone changed on that last question, but then dismissed it as his imagination. "I help you cure Spike, and then...?
"Whatever you desire."
{OK I didn't imagine it.} "Whatever I desire? You mean money, fame, power..."
"Look into your heart, Wesley. What is it that you most long for?" Angel had stood up and was leaning close to Wesley.
Swallowing hard, Wesley now knew how Faust felt when the devil was bargaining for his soul. Standing up quickly, he moved to put some distance between himself and his former employer. "I want...I want to continue the fight against evil, against the demons that roam the earth." The words were no sooner out of his mouth, then Wesley realized how ridiculous they sounded. Talking about fighting evil and demons to one of the most evil demons that had ever walked this earth.
"We'll go back to LA. . .together. We'll fight side-by-side again. We'll be a team again."
"And what about Spike? Djoser?"
"They'll fight with us. Imagine Wesley, three vampires on your team."
{My team? Didn't he tell me not too long ago that our relationship was one of strictly employer/employee. } "Those two killers will fight against evil? " Wesley couldn't hide his disbelief.
"They will do what I say. I am their Father."
"Ah yes. I saw how Spike obeys your every command."
That did make Angel pause for a moment. "William has been running wild for over a century now. I admit that I need to rein him in again. With his weakened condition, my options are limited. But once he is cured, believe me I will bring him back in line."
"Bring him back in line? How pray, do you bring him back in line?"
'We're vampires, Wesley. You've studied our kind long enough. I don't think I need to draw you a picture, do I?"
"So I'm suppose to help find a cure for him, so that you then can break him into submission?" Wesley was outraged.
Angel smirked at him. "He's an evil vampire. If I must dominate him, so that he'll help you in your crusade against evil, why should you care? <pause> I'll keep my word to you, but don't ever think about interfering with what I do with my family. That part of my life is none of your business."
{Yes, why indeed should I care?} But Wesley did care. It was somehow so wrong. So twisted. So perverted. So unAngel. {Of course, it's very unAngel like, because he's not Angel. He's souless now. He's...} A thought quickly crossed into Wesley's mind. "I'll do it. I'll help you, but I have some conditions of my own. Once Spike is cured; you must agree to allow yourself to be resouled again. And your two sons must also allow themselves to be souled. And to prove your trustworthiness, let us soul Djoser now." {There, that would take care of the Djoser problem.}
Angel remained silent, face unreadable. Wesley held his breath waiting. Finally Angel responded. "I will agree to your demands, but only after I hear that Rupert and the Slayer will help in my cause too. And then I want to see some tangible evidence that any of you can even do anything about William's condition."
"Agreed." Wesley silently breathed a sign of relief.
"But Wesley. Are you sure that's what you want? As my souled self, I took a vow not to bed any more humans. You know, after that whole Slayer incident. But soulless I have no such compunctions." Angel's voice had lowered to almost a whisper.
Swallowing hard, Wesley wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed when Giles came through the door.
****
Sancho Panza - Sancho Panza is a character from Miguel de Cervantes, "Don Quixote." He's Don Quixote's squire and loyal sidekick who often ignores his own practical good sense to follow Don Quixote faithfully throughout his adventures.
Part 11
As soon as the sun set, the three vampires began making their way to find the Slayer. Spike, cockily whistling a tune was flanked by his two self-appointed bodyguards. Before they had left, Djoser had insisted that Spike drink the blood their Father had left. He rationalized like Angel; the more of their Sire's blood they could pump down William, the better. What the two failed to take into consideration was with Angel's blood flowing through him, Spike felt better, but the better he felt, the shorter his memory became in remembering his weakened condition.
Djoser with serious misgivings running through his mind, kept his eyes straight ahead. He didn't even want to look over at Ramose, who to the casual observer was expressionless, but not to Djoser. The two immortal companions could read each other like books. Ramose was giving Djoser a look that clearly said, have your completely lost your mind?
Spike had no misgivings running through his mind. Happy to be unchained from the bed, happy to be getting out of the house, and happy to see the sight in front of his eyes! At the edge of the mansion's grounds was a pike topped with the head of the demonoid Adam. The minions had put it there. An old custom used by vampires and humans alike to express victory and to intimidate other enemies. "Yeah, mate so which one of us lost their head, eh?" Spike grinned at the head while walking by it.
**
Sitting alone at the Bronze on Friday night, Buffy felt humbled. Xander and Anya were together, 'enjoying each other's company' , and Willow and Tara were together, also probably enjoying....Buffy stopped her thoughts. Hey, each to their own, but that didn't mean she wanted *that* picture going through her head. Sighing, Buffy reached down to get her purse. She had promised her mother that she would stop by tonight. Might as well go there now. With Riley still gone, Buffy was odd man out.
"Hey luv. Bought you a drink." Spike set the coke in front of Buffy, looking at it distastefully.
Ok she had been desperate for company, but not that desperate, especially when she saw that Spike was accompanied by Djoser and another dangerous looking vampire who Buffy recognized from three nights ago. He, too had been with Angel the night they had all come looking for Spike. She didn't want to be socializing with these three vampires, but how could she leave them here at the Bronze with this unsuspecting crowd of people? "What are you doing here?" She rudely asked Spike, eyeing the other two vampires who were casually leaning on the very next table.
"Need to talk to you."
"And those two?" Gesturing over at the two dark vampires.
"Oh, you mean Poof Junior, and Sancho Panza, his faithful sidekick? They're joined at the hip, you know. They're here to make sure I stay out of trouble."
"Is Sancho Poncho a Blood-Childe, too?" Buffy squinted in the dim lighting, trying to see if said vampire carried the mark of a Blood-Childe.
"Who?" Spike looked at Buffy in amazement. {How could this Slayer be so unbeatable, when she was such a ding-dong sometimes?} "Sancho Panza is a character from Don Quixote. He's Don Quixote's devoted serv..." Stopping at Buffy's blank look. "Don Quixote, the book by Miguel de Cervantes."
"Never heard of it."
"Cor, Slayer," Rolling his eyes, "What the hell do they teach you at that college?"
"Plenty. So, Professor Spike, how many degrees do you hold?"
Sensing her mounting anger, Spike backed down. After all he was here for a favor. "Never went to a formal school, but Angel brought in tutors for me." {Yeah, how many did I go through?}
"Tutors?" Buffy looked at him with interest. "You had tutors? He made you...study?"
"All the bloody time. Bloody Wanker." Spike swore softly to himself. How many beatings did he endure, because he just couldn't sit still through the lessons? "We're evil vampires, but we're educated evil vampires. Angelus wouldn't have it any other way."
{What a paradox! Demons who believed in an education!} Buffy couldn't help but look at Spike oddly. "So what do you want to talk to me about? And make it fast, my mother is expecting me."
"Your mum? You're going to see your mum?" A picture flashed through Spike's mind. A picture of Joyce Sommers offering hot chocolate to those two bloody bores with him. He couldn't resist. "Wouldn't mind saying hi to your mum. Maybe she'll make some hot chocolate. I'll walk over with you, and we can talk on the way."
"Are you out of your mind? You're not going with me to my mom's house, especially not with those two." Gesturing again toward Djoser and Ramose.
"They haven't ever been invited in. They'll stand outside. Although," Spike leaned over and whispered to her, "picture the two of them in your mother's kitchen with her serving them hot chocolate. That, Slayer would be a Kodak moment."
**
Spike didn't even give Djoser a chance to argue with him, just announced that they were going to walk the Slayer home, and hurried out after Buffy. Trailing William and the Slayer, Djoser was trying to figure out how to drag his brother home without doing any bodily harm to him. William had promised him: they would find the Slayer, talk to her, and then go back to the mansion. It certainly wasn't in the plan to walk the Slayer home. Djoser was getting a bad feeling about the whole situation. He probably was in for a severe punishment already for disobeying his Sire, but if anything were to happen to William...Djoser didn't even want to contemplate those consequences.
"Spike, I'm the Slayer. You're a vampire. If you die, that's a good thing for me." Buffy couldn't believe what Spike had just asked of her.
"Tell me Slayer." Djoser had caught up to the pair, and was now walking alongside Buffy. "Will you still think it's such a good thing when we hunt down your family and friends and kill them all?"
Stopping abruptly, Buffy felt her anger rising. "Is that a threat?"
Standing nose-to-nose Djoser looked down at Buffy. "You and your boyfriend were the ones who set William up. If he dies, we will certainly avenge his death. Our Sire has promised that."
Spike looked at his brother in surprise. {When had his Sire made such a promise?} "Listen Slayer." Grabbing her arm and pulling her away from Djoser. "My tactless brother does have a point. Do you really want to go up against the soulless Wonder again? Help me, and afterwards I'll convince Angel that we should leave the country. We'll be out of your life forever. "
"Boy, deja vu Spike. It seems I remember you making that same promise a couple of years ago. And here you still are making my life miserable."
Sighing, Spike eyed Buffy for a moment. "Without a soul, you know that Angel only plays with half a deck. If he goes on a vengeance rampage with these two Sods <jerking his thumb at Djoser and Ramose> backing him up, how many people will die before you're able to stop him? If you're able to stop him."
"I'm not afraid of him. I'm not afraid of any of you. Or have you forgotten that I've defeated him and you before?" Buffy knew that she was being incredibly stupid by antagonizing the three vampires. She was outnumbered three to one, but both Djoser and Spike were rubbing her the wrong way. {What was it with that family?}
"You talk pretty big, Slayer." Djoser was staring at Buffy scornfully. "Would you like to see if you can get *lucky* three times and beat me also."
"Oh fer Christ's sake! Shut your gobs, both of you." Spike stayed between the two while the foursome continued to slowly walk to Buffy's house. If his stupid brother started a brawl with the Slayer now, that would just about kill any possible deal with her. {What the fuck was wrong with him? Didn't he know the meaning of diplomacy?} Then Spike smelled it. Arousal! The Slayer was having an effect on Djoser! {Fuckin' A. Old Stiff-Ass has feelings after all!} For the first time Spike could identify slightly with his brother. How many times had he felt the same about the Slayer? That contradictory feeling of wanting to shag and beat her face in at the same time.
Rounding the corner, approaching the house, the four stopped dead in their tracks. A group of about eight vampires were standing on the front lawn. All eight had a band of white running through their hair.
"You set me up!" Buffy turned furiously at Spike.
"Hey, those ponces don't belong to us. We don't have any minions that look like skunks."
"Slayer," The lead minion hissed at Buffy as he drew near to them. "You'll make a nice present for the Master." Standing in front of them, the vampire then took notice of the three Childer of Angelus. Immediately he observed Djoser and Spike's marks. "Blood-Childer!" He smirked. "The old ways mean nothing to us; our Master has shown us that. And Blood-Childer. This is what we think of Blood-Childer." To show his contempt the minion spat in Spike's face.
Moving quickly, Djoser was able to grab on to his brother's coat collar before Spike launched himself at the minion. "William, you need to get out of here now."
Temper flaring, there was no way that Spike was going to let any minion get away with treating him like that. Deftly slipping out of his duster that Djoser had a hold of, he grabbed the minion by the throat, squeezing hard. His attack was the catalyst, as the battle royal began. These minions were well-trained fighters, but still could not compare with a Slayer and three vampires who grew-up under the tutelage of the Scourge of Europe. And Spike, although reckless, was not stupid, as he fought a defensive battle, making sure that his opponents didn't put a scratch on him.
Staking the vampire she had been tangling with, Buffy had a moment to do a quick assessment. She needed to get into the house. She needed to see if her mother was alright. As if Joyce could hear her daughter's plea, she suddenly appeared in the front doorway, bruised and battered but alive. Surrounding her were three men, faces human, no white streaks in the hair and one of them with a gun to her head! Buffy froze, mind working furiously. Nothing must happen to her mother! In that microsecond of hesitation, the enemy with the gun turned and fired straight at Buffy. Djoser, finishing off another minion, looked up and saw the shot being fired. Instinctively he latched onto Buffy from behind, gripping her around the waist, and pulling her down to the ground. The bullet missed Buffy because of Djoser knocking her out of its way, but found a target in Spike who busy with a minion of his own, never saw it coming. The bullet caught him from behind, in the right shoulder; its impact throwing him to the ground where he lay bleeding and unmoving.
****
Part 12 is a flashback expanding on Angelus and William in the cellar of a burning building in Saber ShadowKitten's fic 'Little One' from her Absence Diminishes Little series. I've had many different scenarios running through my mind regarding that snippet ever since I read that fic, and when an opportunity presented itself to ask SS permission, I seized the moment. Many thanks to her for saying yes. This part seems a little out of content, but there are events that happen in it that are impacting present events. Some are obvious, and some are rather obscure. But I promise to tie it all up in future parts.
The Ventrue Clan, the aristocratic elites, possessed of rare good taste and sophistication.
Part 12
1859
William studied the man in front of him, a bored look on his face. Another tutor! William snickered to himself. {Wonder 'ow long this one is gonna last?} Although this teacher was different, he was a vampire. The others had been humans. A resourceful man, his Sire, to find a qualified vampire teacher.
The human tutors had never lasted long. They either quit in disgust and were then eaten, or they were fired by Angelus who either ate them or gave them to someone else in the household to eat. Not one of the tutors had had much success in teaching William anything. They were living in Germany, but William still could not speak one word of German, so English had to be used in his presence. And the English that Childe spoke grated on Angelus' nerves like fingernails on chalkboard. Highly educated, Angelus had no patience for ignorance. Since William had never gone to school as a mortal, he was truly ignorant, and Angelus was determined to change that.
Their relationship already strained, the battle of wills began. It wasn't that William was stupid; quite the contrary, he was clever and quick-witted. He just couldn't stand to sit still for any length of time. Angelus beat him almost on a daily basis for ripping up books, locking the teacher in a closet, or completely destroying the classroom. But the beatings had no effect on William, as he found them less painful than sitting still for any lesson.
Refusing to allow a mere Childe to get the best of him, Angelus sought help from his sister-in-law who was an expert on who's who in the vampire community.
"There's a vampire from the Ventrue Clan who as a mortal had taught at Oxford University. He was turned by one of their first generation Blood-Childer, so he's above a minion, and he kept his intellect and his scholarly ways after being turned. A rarity, but perhaps not so rare for that Clan."
Angelus looked in amazement at the vampiress. {How did she always know about everything and everyone?} Being that she was a practitioner of the black arts, Angelus sometimes imagined her sitting in a darkened room watching everyone in a crystal gazing orb. But that of course was ridiculous, he was just being paranoid. "The Ventrue Clan. Will he be willing to come and work for me?"
Alex shrugged her shoulders. "There is no open hostility between our two Clans right now, and being that he's a Ventrue vampire, he probably needs money. He hasn't been turned for very long, and he wasn't rich as a mortal. Being cultured is expensive, you know. By the way, what is the name of this new Childe of yours?"
Stiffening, Angelus wondered if it had been a smart move coming here to see Alex. She tended to know too much about everything, and he couldn't afford for anyone outside his household to know about William. "Goes by the name of Samuel."
"Samuel... and when do you plan to present him to the Master?" All Childer, Blood and Turned were presented to the Master and the Clan.
"Oh not for a little while yet. He's very coarse, that's why I'm looking for a tutor for him. The Master would be most displeased if I presented him now. Refine him up a bit, before I bring him to Court." Angelus had no intention of ever presenting William. Give it a little time, and if Alex inquired again, Samuel will have had a misfortunate encounter with some Canopus demons.
"He's a little coarse? Since that's not your type, why would you turn someone of that kind of breeding?"
"Couldn't resist his beautiful face." {That part was true at least.}
Raising an eyebrow Alex gave Angelus a look he didn't like. "How interesting. You must be sure to inform me when you plan to present him. I don't want to miss it. I'll have to be there to welcome the new Childe of Angelus. I must see this Childe whose beauty caught the attention of the reigning heir of the Tremere Clan."
**
1864
"Bloody hell!" William swore softly to himself. He was running out of hiding places. The Master and his heir had been called away to court. With neither of the two at home, Penn and Lucien had free rein. Free rein to torment him. Both had already been 'reborn' and part of Angelus' household when Angelus had brought William home, so they were part of the small group that knew the truth about William. Angelus' secret was known only by his Childer, one blood, Djoser and three turned, Ramose, Penn, and Lucien. Perhaps Drusilla knew the truth too, but no one was really sure.
Knowing the truth, Penn and Lucien were envious of him, even though their Sire never gave William his due status as a Blood-Childe. And now with both Angelus and Djoser gone, the two took full advantage, ganging up on William and beating him to a bloody pulp. But when they tried to rape him, they were taken by surprise. Stronger than he looked, he had been able to fight them off. Searching for him now, the two knew he couldn't hide from them indefinitely.
Bruised and bloody William found his way to a guest cottage on the property. Housed there was his teacher for the last five years. A Ventrue vampire, he was more scholar than demon. He had succeeded where many others had failed. Years later, William who then would be known by the name of Spike, would remember his old teacher, grateful for his teaching, because knowledge certainly had its advantages.
William's new teacher had succeeded, not just because he was a vampire, although that certainly gave him some advantages over his human predecessors, but he succeeded because of the astute insight he possessed. He realized that William was bright, but to teach him one had to make allowances. Give him space, let him fidget, keep lessons short, let him read laying on the floor with his legs draped over a chair. The scholarly vampire's methods worked, and William's underused mind began to soak up knowledge like a sponge.
Spending so much time together, teacher and student bonded, and teacher soon became the only friend William had in the household. A lonely soul, since his Sire played hot and cold with him, Djoser and Ramose, although not cruel toward William, largely ignored him, Penn and Lucien shunned him out of jealously, and Drusilla was only interested in her daddy and her dolls.
So now desperate, William went to the only ally he had. He wasn't sure if his teacher's cottage would give him sanctuary. It was unusual to have an outside vampire as a paid employee, so the Ventrue vampire's status in the household was ambiguous at best, but he had run out of other options.
On the look out, Penn and Lucien saw William enter the cottage. Frustrated because they had failed in their latest attempt to truly humiliate and dominate their Sire's unwanted whelp, they took things too far. Whether they had planned murder, or they just got caught up in the moment, was unknown, perhaps even to themselves. First making sure that all possible exits were blocked, they then set fire to the cottage.
Panicking, the two trapped vampires wasted precious time by trying to open the blocked door before remembering the cellar. Alarm and concern for his protege caused the Ventrue to became careless. He got too close to the flames, as he moved the furniture off the top of the trap-door. Hair and clothes caught on fire; shrieking, the vampire went up fast. Shocked, William could only watch as his mentor burned up before his eyes. Too traumatized to think clearly, William began to rush towards the dead man's ashes, with the mistaken notion that he could still somehow save him.
Returning home earlier than expected, Angelus saw the smoke and fire. He was quickly informed of what was happening by a group of minions who were eager to tattle on the much hated Penn and Lucien. Racing to the cottage, he surprised Penn and Lucien who swiftly fell to their knees in fear. Ignoring them, he crashed through the barricaded door, grabbing William before he too walked into the flames. Roof about to collapse, he stumbled down into the cellar holding William tightly to him.
Tears running down his face, William struggled. His teacher was upstairs and needed saving! Pinning him to the floor with his superior weight, Angelus used a method of control that all vampire Fathers had over their Blood-Childer. Because a Blood-Childe is of the flesh and of the blood of the Father, a Father, by virtue of drinking his Childe's blood can push into the Childe's consciousness. After drinking from William, Angelus then pushed' into him, calming him. Then settling down into a corner, he held his Childe tenderly. "William, Little One. I'm here now. I won't let anything happen to you."
Licking away William's tears, the princely vampire wrapped his body around his Childe's, as if to form a protective barrier between him and the fire that raged upstairs.
**
Saddened by the loss of his teacher, and baffled by his Sire's behavior, William moodily kicked some of the charred remains of the cottage. Angelus had continued his protective ways toward his Childe by severely punishing Penn and Lucien. William knew he wouldn't be bothered by them for awhile.
For the next thirty plus years, Angelus would continue to alternate being cruel and punishing one day, and then loving and protective the next. In a constant state of confusion, William never knew if he hated or loved his Sire. For all the beatings and abuse Angelus would inflict on his Childe, his paradoxical behavior would be the greatest abuse of all.
****