Part 14
The service was done. It was over, but it wasn't. Still too much to think about. Too much to take care of. Buffy sat at her mother's grave fighting the depression that threatened to overwhelm her.
"Hey. . . Buffy. . .brought you. . . ." Spike felt awkward. Giving condolences to someone whose mother died was not something that vampires did on a daily basis. He handed Buffy the flowers he was carrying.
"Angel?" She looked hopefully around.
"Ahh. . . ."Spike debated with himself whether he should tell the truth or tell a lie that would make the Slayer feel better. "Kind of. . . ." Sucking in his cheeks while he searched for the right words. "Has some family obligations to take care of, but he'll be here tomorrow."
"Something wrong with your brother or uncle?" Buffy realized that Spike was alone.
"Nahh. . .well yeah." Crouching down by the young woman, Spike was finding that lying to the Slayer was not coming easy. A fact that amazed him. He normally could lie to anyone at any time.
"Spike." She looked at the vampire, feeling that the whole scene had a surreal feel to it. "This is a nice gesture. . . ." Holding up the flowers. "But you were told to get out of Sunnydale."
"They're from Angel too. . .both of us." Spike fudged a little. He had bought the flowers, but they were bought with money he had taken out of Angel's wallet.
"They're beautiful. Thank you. I'll thank Angel tomorrow." Buffy was puzzled. "But Spike, why are you here? Why do you care if my mother died? Or did Angel make you come?"
"Hey, I liked your mum. She was decent, didn't put on airs. And she always had a nice cuppa for me."
Buffy couldn't help herself as she smiled at the vampire. "You just went from being violently disliked to only mildly disliked."
"Movin' up, am I?" Spike was fighting the strange feeling of sympathy for the Slayer. Her total look of sorrow and hopelessness touched something deep inside him. It also brought back long repressed memories. "You know Buffy." He sat down on the ground beside her. "I lost my mum too. Saw her die. I felt so alone after that. So unwanted. And sometimes I think that I've never been wanted since her."
"But Angel. . . ?"
"He has never loved me like she did. No one has loved me like she loved me." Looking down at the ground, Spike remembered the despair he had felt. Watching her die, holding her hand.
Slayer and vampire. Mortal enemies. But in this moment each one found the presence of the other comforting. Peacefully, they looked at Joyce Summers' gravesite. Both with thoughts of their mothers. United in their grief and loss.
**
"I can't believe what you did." The vampire looked over his shoulder for any pursuers as his nephew hit the gas and they sped off. "Angelus is going to have an aneurysm over this. His orders were. . . ."
"The Ventrue Master lied. My Sire didn't know. . . ."
"Djoser, I know you weren't born yesterday. Of course the Ventrue lied. Angelus knew that, and he lied to the Ventrue. That's the art of negotiation. Even stupid humans know that. But Angelus had an objective. He wanted the Ventures to defeat Snow and the Council, and he wanted us to make sure that happened. And now you've fucked up god knows what. He's going to tan your hide for this." Settling back in the car seat, Nic pulled a cigarette out of his pocket.
"I got information on the poisons. That was the deal I made with the Toreadors. And the Ventrue Master could have gotten the same information for us, but he chose not to. He chose not to even try and help William. He and Snow can kill each other for all I care." Djoser's expression was dark as he looked at his uncle.
"You've got a cure for William?" Astonished, Nic sat up straight.
"No, but I've got the components of both poisons."
"Knowing what the poisons are made up of doesn't mean we can restore your brother to health."
"It's a start. And that's all I care about." Djoser muttered softly as he stared at the road in front of him. The road to LA. Back to his Sire and brother.
**
He was chained up with his captors using lighters to burn parts of his body. Hot flames blistered his skin. The bottoms of his feet, his genitals, his. . . .
"Spike." Buffy shook the vampire awake. "Spike. It's almost daylight. We better get you inside." The two sitting up against a tree had fallen asleep.
"Bloody hell!" Spike jumped to his feet. The sun was just starting to peek through the leaves of the tree. That was the burning he was feeling. Rushing to the car with the Slayer following him. "Goddamn!" Safe in the car, Spike was trying to gather his wits, shake off the nightmare. He hadn't had any nightmares for a couple of months, since the last time he had been in Sunnydale.
Buffy slid in the car on the passenger's side. "You ok?"
"Yeah. Just a little. . .damn, I wasn't suppose to fall asleep. Angel doesn't know where I am. Need to give him a ring."
"You came here and Angel doesn't know? Thought you told me that the flowers were from. . . ." Buffy was angry. Not so much at Spike, but at herself. Falling asleep in the cemetery was the ultimate in stupidity, not to mention her irresponsibility in regards to leaving her sister alone for the night. "Go to my house. I need to check on Dawn. You can call Angel from there. You didn't tell him that you were coming here? With all the trouble with Snow and you being poisoned. . .Spike, you're an idiot!" {And I'm not any better.}
"Yeah, my Sire is going to be calling me that and more." Starting up the car, for once Spike was a bit glad about being poisoned. It saved him from the beating he knew he deserved.
"Spike. . . ." Buffy quickly buckled herself in as the vampire floored the accelerator. "It was nice of you. . . ." Exchanging a quick look at her 'once hated adversary.' "Nice of you to come and give me your. . .support." A difficult admission to make to someone she had despised for so long.
He didn't bother to answer her as the look he gave her said it all. Neither would admit it, but the once deadly foes were starting to have friendly feelings toward each other. Tires squealing as Spike abruptly brought the car to a halt in front of the Summers' house.
"Do you need me to bring a blanket out for you?" Because of concern for her sister, Buffy was already half out the car door. She needed to check on Dawn.
"Nah." Taking off his brother's tunic, which Spike now wore in lieu of his beloved black duster, he covered his head. "This will do."
Racing to the house, the door was opened for them by a tearful Dawn. "She wasn't my mother, so why should I feel so bad that she's dead? But I do. I feel. . .awful."
"Dawn. It's alright." Wrapping her arms around her sister, Buffy held her. "I'm sorry I'm so late. I didn't mean to leave you. . . ."
"And why am I crying when I'm not even human? I shouldn't feel. I'm just this big blob of energy, so why. . . ."
"Dawn!" Buffy didn't want her to talk so, but she also didn't want Spike to hear any more. Even though her opinion of the vampire was changing, she still didn't want him to know about her sister being the 'key.'
"Why's she talking like she's barmy?" Brows furrowed together in a puzzled manner, Spike studied the teenage girl.
"She's just overwrought. Dawn. . . ." Buffy wiped the tears off her sister's face. "Let me put you back in bed. You need to. . . ."
"NO! I don't want to go back to bed. I just want her to come back. She wasn't my mother, but I WANT her back." Looking over at Spike. "I'm not crazy. Didn't you hear? I'm the 'key.' I'm what Glory is looking for."
"Glory?" The name rang a bell in Spike's head. "Glory, the demon we were researching?"
"She's not a demon. She's a goddess, and she wants me."
"DAWN, YOU'RE GOING BACK TO BED." Arm around her sister, Buffy led her toward the staircase. Halfway up the stairs, she turned to look down at the vampire. "Spike, it's important that you forget what you just heard here. My sister's life depends on it. And her life means more to me than. . . than my own."
"You don't have to explain yourself. I understand how you feel about your sister. I have a brother. . . ." Their eyes met. "Who I too would do anything for."
Smiling sadly at him, Buffy was fast coming to the realization that she had more in common with this enemy than she did her closest friends. "Shouldn't you call Angel?"
"Yeah, better get right on it." Face thoughtful, Spike turned to go and make his call. Trying to make sense of what Dawn had told him and feeling a fierce empathy for her. She reminded him of himself. He too had been that devastated when his mother had died.
No answer at the Hyperion, and since he had never bothered to find out Angel's cell phone number, Spike decided that his best course of action would be to just put his arse back in the car and drive as fast as he could back to LA. Yelling up the stairs that he was leaving, the vampire covered his head again, and readied himself to make a dash for the car.
Outside waiting for him were four of Glory's minions who had followed the two back from the cemetery. Sent to spy on the Slayer and find out who the key was, they mistakenly thought Spike to be it.
What the fuck, Spike thought as the four demons rushed him. "The Magnificent Glorificus will now have her key. The one who is precious to the Slayer." The goddess' minions found the vampire to be a relatively easy target as he, hampered by having to protect himself from the sunlight could not put up much of a fight.
Upstairs, hearing Spike yell something and the door slam, Buffy looked out her sister's bedroom window. Witnessing the scene, she dashed downstairs to help him, but was too late. By the time she got outside, the minion demons had tossed Spike into a van and had driven off.
**
It was late morning the next day when the three humans arrived at the Hyperion. Entering the lobby, they came across a weary vampire, just coming up from the sewers.
"Wesley. Cordelia. . . ." Happy to see them. Happy to see anyone who might help him.
"I. . .I. . .need your help." Embarrassed, but desperate. So concerned over his Childe that Angel was able to forget his pride.
"Yeah we know." Hostility radiating off her, Cordelia stood with arms folded. "The Host told us. We came to help, but just so you know we're not doing it for you. Just don't want to have to deal with an insane madman named Angel again."
"I. . .I see." Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, Angel didn't see at all. He was a little confused as to how the Host could have known about William running away so fast, and he had no idea what Cordelia was talking about. "But you're here to help, right?"
"Yes." Wesley looked up at the vampire from the wheelchair. "We've come here to help. But you must understand Angel; we're not your employees anymore. . . ."
"It's okay, Wesley. I don't want you to come back and work for me. Help me, and whenever there's a time that you need me, I'll return the favor."
"And how do we know we can trust you?" Cordelia was not ready to forgive and forget. "We've heard that you've now allied yourself with the Ventures."
"I. . . ." Angel was saved from answering by the arrival of his oldest Childe and brother.
"Sire, let me explain." Djoser approached Angel tentatively. In the past if Angel even suspected that his orders had been disobeyed, he had been quick to mete out physical punishment and ask questions later.
"Djoser! Nic! Thank the gods! You're just in time to help us look for William." So relieved to see more help, Angel wasn't even wondering why the two vampires were back in LA.
Surprised, the two men stopped in their tracks and exchanged glares with each other. This welcoming greeting wasn't the one they had been expecting.
"Excuse me, 'Look for William?' Angel what's going on?" Wesley looked at his ex-boss with bafflement.
"Well. . . ." Now Angel was perplexed. "You said you came to help. Help me find William."
"He's MISSING AGAIN?" Gunn was eyeing up the two new arrivals. He recognized Nic, but had never seen Djoser before. "You sure misplace this Childe of yours a lot."
"He ran away." There was nothing left to do but admit it. "Last night. I've been searching for him ever since, but no one here in LA knows anything."
"Ran away? Angel, he's not even been back with you a year, and this makes how many times he's run away? What did you do to him this time?" Wesley sighed. He might have known that anything having to do with Spike was never simple.
"Darla showed up. Said she would help. Said she could get information on the poisons for us."
"And he ran away because of THAT?"
"Then. . .she offered herself to. . . ."
"YOU SLEPT WITH HER!" Five sets of eyes. All accusing him.
"You're such a pig." Cordelia was disgusted.
"But she offered, and. . .and I needed. . .feeding William does take its toll." Stammering, Angel made his excuses.
"How much of your blood have you been feeding him?" Being a vampire, Nic was the first to understand.
"Whenever he'll eat."
"WHAT! Make him eat pig or cow's or whatever kind of blood you keep around here. You can't keep draining yourself like that!"
"Angel." Putting two and two together, Wesley was beginning to understand what they were talking about. "He's right. What are you thinking? Physically you just can't
continue. . . ."
"That's all he'll eat. That's all he can eat. And my blood is what's keeping him alive." Tired of explaining himself, Angel cut Wesley off. "So you see. . .when Darla showed up and made her offer, I took it. Now enough talk. We need to find him."
"I still don't get it." Cordelia was determined to understand. "What does having sex with Darla have to do with Angel feeding Spike? And by the way, those two pictures that are unfortunately at this moment running through my head, are grossing me out."
"Sex and blood. Both symbols of life. When Angel. . . ." Wesley explained to his fellow humans. "Had sex with Darla, he was able to take some of her blood. . .some of her power."
"And because she's of the same Bloodline, his Sire, there's even more power transferred." Djoser was reassured. His Sire had had a good reason for bedding his GrandSire.
"What is this? True confessions of a vampire? SHUT UP Djoser." Nic was giving his nephew a dirty look. "Humans aren't suppose to know anything about the Bloodlines."
"Yes, we have talked enough." Thinking to himself, Wesley realized how important it was to find Spike and find a cure for him. The physical strain on Angel to continue to 'support' his Childe would push him into needing to feed himself more and more. Soon there would come a time when animal blood would not be sufficient, and he would be driven to human blood. Fresh human blood. "Gunn, could you check some of your contacts? Since he ran away just last night, the trail shouldn't have gone too cold yet."
"I'm on it." Gunn turned to leave.
"I'll come with you." Djoser was right behind the mortal, ready to follow him out.
"I don't think so!" Gunn did not like the looks of the dark vampire. "Do I look like I need help?"
"He's my brother. I promised that I would always watch out for him. I'm COMING with you."
"Listen. . . . " Toe-to-toe, human and vampire began facing off.
"Djoser." Grabbing his oldest Childe by the arm, Angel pulled him away. "You'll stay here with me. We need to consider if William might be trying to track you down. Nic, you'll go with Gunn."
Automatic response was to start to protest, but after a moment of thought, Nic changed his mind. He would help the human. Better that than stay and eventually have to explain to Angelus what happened with the Ventrues.
"I don't want him with me either."
"Gunn. . . ." Wesley pacified. "Having another person doesn't hurt. Consider him your back-up."
"Make sure nothing happens to him." Nodding toward Gunn, Angel gave instructions to his brother.
"AND DO I LOOK LIKE I NEED PROTECTIN'! Fuckin' vamps. I used to take lairs of yous out almost every night."
"Fine. Then you can protect me." Nic just wanted an excuse to leave for a while. "Cuz I got not only Snow and the Council after my ass, but now the Ventrue Clan is gunning for us too." Giving the room a wicked grin, Nic always did have a rather warped sense of humor. "Now aren't you humans glad that you offered to help us?"
**
"So now the Ventrues will be after you too." Sitting up in the front seat with Angel, Wesley was staring at the sheets of paper that Djoser had given him. Sheets of paper that contained basic information on the poisons. It was a starting point.
"Does the information look like it will be helpful to you?" Angel didn't feel well. He was tired and discouraged. Following the route back to the Ventrues. Trying to see if they could pick up any trace of William. Nothing. Turning back to LA because they couldn't risk getting any closer to the other Clan.
"Yes. . .yes, most certainly. This will save us a lot of time in research."
"And were they worth making an enemy out of a formidable Master vampire and his Clan?"
"Sire. The Ventrue Master could have helped us. Could have helped William. He chose not to, so why should I respect him? Why should I serve him in any way?" Djoser defended himself as he sat forward, leaning toward Angel from the back seat while half expecting a backhand across the face.
Not answering because Angel wasn't sure how to respond to his Childe. The information was certainly valuable, but his head pounded at the thought of now having another powerful enemy to be concerned about.
"We can hope that Snow and the Ventrues will kill each other." Wesley broke the uncomfortable silence.
"The Ventrues will have their hands full with both Snow and the Toreador Clan. They won't come after us." Djoser tried to sound confident as Angel pulled up to the Hyperion.
"My Childe, I hope you're right." Getting out of the car, Angel turned to look at his son when the pain hit him like a poker going through him. But in this case the poker had flaming fingers that scorched his insides. "AHHH." Falling to his knees he clutched his chest.
"Angel!"
"Sire!" Djoser crouched down beside him.
"I've been stabbed! It's burning." Shirt ripped open as both Djoser and Wesley bent to look. Chest and stomach were smooth, uninjured.
"You're not hurt. There's nothing there." At a complete loss, Wesley wondered if the pressure was finally breaking Angel.
Head bowed, fighting the pain and nausea, Angel felt the bond. So much of his blood running through his Childe had made their connection strong. He knew. He knew that his William was being tortured.
****
Chapter 15
Waiting for Willow and Tara to come watch Dawn, Buffy lost precious time to begin operation 'Save Spike.' But it couldn't be helped. Dawn couldn't be left alone in her state.
As soon as her friends arrived, she went on the hunt. Spike needed to be saved, not just because he was the Blood-Childe of her former boyfriend, but because he now knew about Dawn. Hopefully, he could be rescued from Glory's clutches before the beans were spilled.
Remembering her battle with Glory's key-sniffing snake, Buffy returned to the park where it had been killed. Her hunch paid off. After snooping around, she spied the van that the demons had kidnapped Spike in. It was parked by an apartment building on a hill overlooking the park.
"Bingo." She muttered as her Slayer sense confirmed that she had indeed found the enemy. This was Glory's lair. It was time to get back up.
**
"Shhh. What do you know, Precious? What can I dig out of you?" Straddling Spike, fingers digging in his innards, Glory was making him scream. "You had better start talking vampire because I'm fast losing my patience."
Hands tied behind his back, he could only cry in pain and anguish. This goddess was slowly putting him to death, and he couldn't stop it from happening. Agony overwhelmed him. But before he could mercifully pass out, Glory withdrew her fingers. A few blows to the face followed as she barked out commands to her minions.
"Chain him up. I flay this vampire like an apple until he talks. He hangs with the Slayer, so I just bet. . . ." Pulling Spike up by his torn shirt, she looked him in the eye, a frightening smile on her face. "You know where my key is."
**
Reaching the Magic Shop, Buffy burst through the door."Giles! Xander! Glory's got Spike. We need to. . . ." Breaking off, she noticed the four strange men.
"Spike? He's. . .he's here. . .he's here in Sunnydale." Taking off his glasses, Giles looked up at Buffy.
"Spike? Aka William the Bloody, Blood-Childe of Angelus?" One of the strangers was immediately interested. "And what's happened to him?" He walked over to Buffy, getting a little too close. The Slayer hated him on sight.
"He came to give me condolences on the death of my mother. We accidentally fell asleep in the cemetery, and Glory's minions took him. He knows . . . ." Breaking off, Buffy stopped her babbling. "We need to go save him."
"Save him?" The leader of the strangers was a thin man with a stringy strength. "The Slayer wants to save a vampire? How unusual." A condescending smile set Buffy's teeth on edge.
"Who are you? And what is your interest in what I do?"
"Buffy. . .this is. . .is Hawkins." Giles had an unhappy look on his face. "He's from the Council. He heads up the 'Search And Destroy' division of the Council."
"The Council? I thought I told that Quentin Travers that I didn't want any of the Council here in Sunnydale. If we need you, we'll. . . ."
"Travers! That doddering old fool! I'm the one in charge, and guess what Slayer. . . . " Hawkins sneered at her as he silently communicated to his comrades. "I don't take orders from some whiny, snot nosed girl."
"Well there's always a first time for everything." Angry, Buffy went for the man. Pinning him down to the table with a hand around his throat, she was unaware of the signal Hawkins had given his men was to draw their firearms.
A true psychopath, Hawkins had no fear. Not even from the Slayer. Laughing, he taunted Buffy. "Look around Slayer. Even if you can bring yourself to kill a human, I still hold the winning hand." Guns were leveled at Giles, Xander and Anya. "Now tell me, why did Glory take the vampire?"
Letting the man up, Buffy stepped back. She knew she could snap his neck, but not before his associates blew holes in Giles and her friends. "Her minions saw him with me last night. I'm guessing they want information from him about me." Wary, Buffy was careful not to say anything about Dawn.
"So Glory has our boy." Pacing in a circle, Hawkins was thoughtful. He wasn't sure if this helped or hindered his plans.
"Giles." Buffy's eyes communicated to her Watcher. "Spike was at my house this morning. Happened to run into Dawn." Glaring over at Xander too, her eyes pleaded with both men to understand the implication of Spike running into her sister.
"We need to go save the vampire." Hawkins announced, surprising them all. "Watcher, call the vampire's Sire. He needs to be told that his Blood-Childe has been taken captive by Glory."
Buffy, Giles, and Xander exchanged uncomfortable glares. It was too good to be true that this Hawkins was going to help them save Spike. There had to be some ulterior motive that they knew nothing about, and it was making them all extremely uneasy.
"We'll stop by my house first and get weapons." Buffy gave the order, curious if Hawkins would follow it.
A sly smile. "Sure Slayer, but tell me, have you an idea where this Glory's nest is?"
"Why?" Guard up, she eyed him suspiciously.
"Got some men in the field. Need to let them know where they should meet us. Of course, if you have no idea, then I need to tell them what part of the town they should start their reconnaissance."
She couldn't argue with his logic so she reluctantly told him about the park. But not before she made one last point. Standing right in front of Hawkins, she gave him a long threatening stare. "Our mission is to save Spike. If you or any of your men try anything underhanded, you'll be eating soft foods for the rest of your lives."
Hawkins smirked at her. "You scare me Slayer. You really do."
**
"Good plan, Spike." Muttering to himself as he limped through the hall headed for the elevator. A few choice insults was all it took to push the goddess into losing her temper and giving him a strong enough kick to send him crashing outside the apartment. Now if he could just make it to the elevator.
Her minions chasing him, he ended up letting himself fall down the shaft onto the descending elevator. Opening up the hatch door on the roof of the elevator, another plummet onto the floor. "Ufff! Fuckin' goddess bitch. Guess that green demon didn't let her know that I'm special and suppose to be kept alive." Reaching the entrance level, the elevator doors opened as he struggled to his feet. Awaiting him again were Glory's minions.
"Vampire! You do not insult Glory by escaping!"
Panting for unneeded breath because of pain, Spike couldn't see a way out of the fix he was in. Considering his options, he decided that death by the minions' hands was better than torture by some wacko ex-goddess who could give his Sire a run for his money as far as dishing out pain.
Standing on rubbery legs, he lurched out of the elevator, swinging futilely at the foe. Within minutes, the minion demons had overpowered him. "NO!" Gasping the word out and trying to dig his heels into the floor as they began to drag him back into the elevator.
Too weak to fight, Spike could still make his body go limp. The demons were struggling with his dead weight when help arrived. Breaking through the door, a band of vampires charged in. No match for the bigger and stronger vampires, the minions were soon fleeing upstairs to seek refuge with their mistress.
Vision blurring, Spike could barely make out the vampires, but his abused body could not even attempt an escape.
"He has no mark."
"He had one. Look, it was cut out."
"Then he's the one?"
"Yes. We must get him back to our Sire."
Losing consciousness, Spike's last thought was, 'Bloody hell. Snow has me again.'
**
Reaching the park, Buffy and her friends saw that Hawkins had beaten them there. Talking to a group of his men they could see him ordering some of them away.
"What's he doing?" Xander asked from the back seat of Giles' car. "To battle Glory we need all available healthy bodies."
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." Giles hadn't even brought the car to a complete stop when Buffy was out the door. "Hawkins, what the hell is going on?"
Keeping his face from revealing anything, Hawkins turned to the Slayer. "Seems that our ally vampires have gotten to Angelus' Blood-Childe first. Sent some men to go get him."
"And he's alright?" Buffy suspected he was lying.
"You're awful concerned about a vampire, aren't you Slayer? What's your relationship with. . .oh, wait a minute. The vampire's Sire. His Father. You were involved with him for a time, weren't you? So I guess you've got some. . .what? Maternal feelings for this Spike? Cause after all, you were like his stepmother, weren't you?"
Buffy had never thought of that angle. An angle that was actually quite revolting. Even though she exchanged an I'm-so-grossed-out look with Xander, she played along with the vampire hunter. Better that than to betray Dawn.
"It would kill Angel if anything happened to Spike. And I'm also concerned about what information Spike may or may not have told Glory. She's a dangerous enemy to begin with. But if she knows all about me. . . ."
"Gonna get him back Slayer." Hawkins wouldn't look her in the eye. "Watcher, you told this Spike's Sire to meet us here, right? We'll wait. He shouldn't be much longer."
**
White lipped, Wesley could only hang on and pray that they made it to Sunnydale in one piece. Passing cars on the left, right, and squeezing between two, Angel hadn't let up on the accelerator since they sped out of LA after receiving Giles' call. Spike was in Sunnydale, being held prisoner by some 'goddess' named Glory. Out of the four men in the car, Wesley was the only one concerned as Djoser and Nic sat in the back seat, untroubled.
"Easy for them. If we crash, they're vampires with accelerated healing powers." He muttered crabbily to himself.
"Did you say something Wesley?" Hearing the mumbling, Angel turned to look over at his ex-employee.
"Yes. I said, is there any possibility that you could. . .AHHH. . ." Throwing his arms up to his face to cover his eyes. "WATCH OUT FOR THE BLOODY CAR IN FRONT OF YOU!"
Swerving sharply into the right lane, Angel narrowly missed the car. Still not letting his foot off the gas pedal, he steered around the car. "It's ok Wesley. Vampire reflexes, you know."
Life passing before his eyes, Wesley could only whisper incoherently. "Vampire reflexes. Saved by vampire reflexes."
With no more cars in front of him, Angel stepped on the gas harder. Almost there. His Childe's voice called out to him the closer he got to Sunnydale. Their connection grew even stronger.
Getting off the freeway, Angel ignored the stop sign at the end of the exit ramp. Still driving at a high speed, he reached the outskirts of Sunnydale where he jammed on the brakes, throwing Wesley forward in the process.
"Nic and Djoser. Out. Sweep the town. Find out what you can. If you discover something, call me on my cell phone."
"Angel." Wesley protested. "Didn't Giles say they knew where Spike is being held? We'll need them with us."
"Giles referred to my Childe as William."
"Well that is his name. . . ."
"All of you who have known him by Spike, call him by that name only. Something is not quite right." Looking out the car window at his brother and son. "GO NOW!"
Neither vampire had any argument with the plan, so they respectfully bowed their heads and ran off while Angel stepped on the gas again and headed for the park where Giles had directed him.
**
His nightmares gripped him like a vise. Tossing and turning, he attempted to escape his enemy, but the movement only caused him more pain. Panting and groaning, he still tried to fight.
Strong arms wrapped themselves around him to keep him from thrashing. "Eat Childe." A bleeding wrist was held to his lips.
In a half waking, half dream state, Spike could make out a blurry face close to his. Trying to focus his eyes, he wanted to know who the man was that held him. The voice was quiet, similar to his Sire's.
"Eat. You've been wounded quite badly. My blood will help you." A wrist was pushed in his mouth. Drops of blood dribbled into his mouth. It had a strong, rich flavor. Again comparable to his Sire's.
Sucking slightly, more to appease the man holding him than to appease a hunger he didn't feel, Spike took a mouthful of blood and then stopped. Turning his head away, his voice just a hoarse croak. "My Sire."
"Some minions have been sent to LA to fetch him. He'll be here soon."
Relief and the mouthful of blood calmed his spirit and body. His instinct told him that the words of the unknown man were true. Giving in, sleep once again took over him.
**
"Hang on." Grabbing on to his uncle's arm, Djoser held him up.
"What?"
"It's them!" Pulling Nic with him behind a building, the dark vampire sought concealment.
"Who?" Peering around the corner, Nic saw a small group of armed men. "Vampire hunters."
"Council vampire hunters. Ran into them last year here in Sunnydale." Djoser recognized one of the men. He had been one of the three men who had attacked them at the Slayer's house last May.
"SNOW! He's here with his Council allies! Gotta call Angelus and let him know." Nic pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.
"Going to get closer. Want to hear what they're saying." Hunched down, Djoser began creeping around the corner.
"Djoser will you wait a fuckin' minute." Phone to his ear, Nic reached to grab his nephew, but only came up with air. Djoser had already left.
**
Reaching the park, Angel saw them immediately. Buffy, Giles, Xander, and Anya, surrounded by a group of men with guns drawn. Stopping the car, he went to put it in reverse, but he was too late. They had spotted him.
"Vampire. We've been waiting for you. Come join the party." The obvious leader, while not a big man still conveyed menace.
"This does not look good, does it?" Wesley observed as he studied the men. He immediately recognized them as Council vampire hunters. He also recognized Hawkins.
"Can you get out Wesley, or should I carry you?" Surveying the scene, Angel was trying to get a sense if William was anywhere close.
"I. . .I can manage." Weak from his injury, Wesley had given up the wheelchair, but was still shaky.
Approaching the group slowly, Angel gave the impression of indolence, but his body was tense, ready to attack. Looking over at Buffy and Giles, he addressed them. "And my Childe?"
"Got away from the goddess from hell. We've got him now." Hawkins answered before anyone could speak. "And I'm ready to make a deal for him."
Stopping, Angel could feel his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. He knew it was Nic, but he couldn't answer it. These men didn't know that Nic and Djoser were here in Sunnydale with him, and Angel wanted to keep it that way. They were his ace-in-the-hole.
"I want to see William." Quiet voice belying his anger.
"All in good time vampire. You'll see him when I say so. Now here's what I want from you first."
**
Using the dark and some shrubbery, Djoser knew how to remain unseen. He was close enough to see and hear what the Council hunters were doing and saying. They were torturing some small warty demon for information.
"So the vampire got away. Thought you said that your mistress had tortured him. Wasn't he wounded? How was he able to get away?"
"Yes. Yes. My mistress, the goddess I worship, the great and powerful. . . ."
"Cut to the chase shorty." A thrust with a heel of a hand, breaking the demon's nose. "We don't give a rat's ass about your mistress. We just want the vampire."
"His friends came to rescue him. Other vampires." Blood trickled from his nose down his chin.
"Did those vampires have a white streak in their hair?"
"What?" The demon didn't understand such an odd question.
Two cuffs to the head and a punch in the stomach. "What word in that sentence didn't you understand? I said, did they have a white. . . ."
"NO! No, they didn't." The minion answered quickly, hoping to avoid more blows to his body.
"So Snow doesn't have him." The Council hunter muttered to his comrades. "In what direction did they take the vampire? And you had better have some useful information for me, or your head will soon be separated from your shoulders."
"Gronx. Gronx saw them leave. It appeared. . . ." Interrupted by another blow to the face as his tormentor didn't like his uncertainty. "We think that they headed north out of town."
"Think? But then you demons can barely do that." Lifting the diminutive minion up by the throat, the hunter pulled out a gun, intending to blow out the demon's brains when a fellow hunter caught his arm.
"We may still need him. Don't kill him yet. Wait until we have the vampire. Then he can be dispensed with."
A long moment while the human considered, and the demon clasped his hands in prayer. Perhaps praying to Glory. "Alright." Shoving the minion at his colleague. "Throw him in the boot. I'll call Hawkins, and then let's go track down the vampire."
"Hey." Nic crept alongside Djoser. "I swear. . . ." He whispered so the mortals wouldn't overhear him. "Ever since the gypsies cursed Angelus with a soul, he's getting stupider and stupider. The dumb ass tells us to call him on his cell phone if we find anything interesting and then doesn't turn it on. The soul must have pushed out a good portion of his brain when it was put in him."
"Thought you said that he doesn't have a soul now."
"Christ if I know what your Sire is. He's a vampire Jekyl and Hyde. One moment acting like the vicious, mean son-of-a-bitch who the Old Master so loved, and the next, acting all feely and souly. I just know he's doing it on purpose too. Just to keep us off balance. So. . .what's going on here?"
"Snow and The Council don't have William. Some other vampires got him away from the goddess."
"Other vamp. . .OH FUCK! THE VENTRUES!"
"The Council hunters." Djoser motioned toward the men. "Are going to track down William. And I'm going to follow them."
"NO YOU AIN'T!" This time Nic was successful as he made a grab for his nephew. "You're going back to tell Angelus what's going on here."
"You go and tell him. I'm. . . ."
"DJOSER! Use your thick head for once. You're one of the Heir Apparents. Angelus would skin me alive if I let you go off by yourself to follow a bunch of vampire hunters who are tracking the clan of vampires whom you committed treason against."
"I. . . ." Djoser opened his mouth to argue more, but was cut off as he uncle spun him around. "Do as I say for once. I'll follow the humans. And when you get back to Angelus, tell him to turn on his fuckin' phone and call me. I'll let you guys know where I am. NOW GO!"
****
Part 16
Surveying the situation, Angel considered his odds. The Council hunters were armed with Tec 9's, mini machine guns, and even with his superior speed, he could not take all of them out before they began gunning down his human allies. Perhaps even taking out the Slayer in the process.
"Your brother. Your brother took a good friend' of mine." Hawkins studied Angel with interest. He had never seen the infamous Angelus, Scourge of Europe in person.
"And I want him back. Give me my friend back, and I'll return your Childe."
"My brother? My brother took a friend of yours?" Angel had no idea what the human was talking about. Nic had been with the Ventrues for the last two months.
"YES!" Hawkins turned away to pace a few steps. "A VERY special friend. And vampire. . . ." Stepping back, to glare intimidating at Angel. "If I don't get my friend back, you'll never see your Blood-Childe again."
"Don't threaten me!" A growl as Angel fought to control an irresistible urge to club the much shorter man on top of the head. He would have liked to see if he could hit him hard enough to pound him into the ground. "If my brother 'took' your friend, then your friend is either dead or with the Ventrue Clan, because Nic did not bring any. . . ."
"I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT NIC. Your brother Damon. Damon took Chris. And you as High Master can order that he be given back to me."
{Damon took Chris?}"I have no fucking clue what you're talking about." Angel snarled through clenched teeth. "I haven't seen Damon for more than a century, and I don't know who this Chris is."
"Chris. Christian Shelton." Wesley exchanged a look with Giles. They both knew who Hawkins was talking about.
"Yeah. And who the hell is he?" Not breaking eye contact with the council hunter, Angel's expression was hard.
"Christian Shelton. In the few short years he's been a Council vampire hunter, he has already become quite renowned. Hunted and killed more vampires than many do in a lifetime. He had just started with the Council when I. . .I was sent here to Sunnydale to become Buffy's new Watcher." Holding an arm around his stomach, Wesley was wishing for something to sit down on.
"He's special. So special that the Council took him in as a child. More or less raised him." Giles quietly added the information that he knew. Christian Shelton was a well-kept secret. No one but a very select few knew the man's background and why the Council found him to be so exceptional.
"That's right! Chris is special. He's my best man, and I will KILL every fucking vampire I have to until I get him back!" Hawkins fervor bordered on madness.
Scrutinizing him closely, Wesley could swear that he was starting to foam at the mouth. "Excuse me. You say he was 'taken' by this Damon. Why are you so sure he's even alive. . . ?"
"HE'S FUCKIN' ALIVE!" Voice now raised with a touch of hysteria. "AND YOU VAMPIRE!" Hawkins now had a stake in his hand and was poking it in Angel's chest. "ARE GOING TO GET HIM BACK FOR ME!"
Hawkins and his cohorts' attention was so focused on Angel that they didn't notice a dark figure move stealthily closer to the group. But Angel knew. He had smelled his Childe coming some time before. A slight change in his stance communicated to Buffy to get ready.
Pulling out a dagger, there was no hesitation or uncertainty in Djoser. Targeting the human furthest from his Sire or the Slayer, the vampire let his weapon fly. The blade caught one of the hunters right in the head.
Before the scream could even leave the dying man's lips, Djoser sprang from behind taking out a second human. Hawkins and the one other remaining Council hunter's attention was diverted for a split second by Djoser's attack, giving Buffy and Angel the opportunity they needed. An elbow to the face and a knee to the groin and Buffy had disarmed the third, leaving Angel to knock the stake out of Hawkins' hand and grab the man around the throat.
Letting his demon come forth, Angel squeezed a windpipe. Squeezed so hard the hunter's eyes bulged. "NOW! I'm tired of playing patty cake with you humans. YOU WILL TELL ME WHERE MY CHILDE IS."
"Sire." Djoser had snapped the second human's neck and was moving toward the man who Buffy had incapacitated. His intention was to execute that human too. "They don't have William. The Ventrues do. But some of his men." Djoser pointed to a choking Hawkins. "Are tracking the Ventrues now. Nic is following them."
"No!" Stepping in front of the injured hunter, Buffy held a hand up to Djoser's chest. "I cannot allow you to kill an injured. . . ."
"These were the men who came to your house last May, Slayer. They beat up your mother. They were in on poisoning my brother, and they now threaten us. All of us." Black eyes that were not crazed nor filled with sadistic pleasure. Only a matter of fact sincerity was reflected in them.
After a few seconds of an inner struggle, Buffy stepped aside. Watching the vampire kill the man, she felt more of her innocence fly from her body. The bad guys were no longer black, and the good guys were no longer white. Everyone was becoming gray.
"Angel, perhaps you should let him live." Wesley watched Hawkins' face as it went from pale to red to now purple. "He holds a high position in the Council. He may have valuable information, or you may be able to trade him for. . .perhaps for a cure."
The mortals watched the demon Angelus enjoy himself by slowing choking the vampire hunter. Not even Buffy dared to interfere with him. At the last possible second, Angel let go of Hawkins' throat, but before the man could recover, a strong fist hit him directly in the collarbone, breaking it. Falling to the ground, Hawkins would have screamed, but he had no breath. The only sound that came out of him was a strangled gurgle.
Watching the man wither in pain on the ground, the two vampires found the view entertaining while the humans weren't sure what they felt. Hawkins was a vile human being. Were they repulsed or delighted by his pain?
Uneasiness began to grow in all of them, so it was a relief when Angel pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and answered it.
"Nic? Where are you? And what the hell is going on?"
**
"Master, he thrashes around so much that he's hurting himself more." The healer tried to hold the delirious vampire still.
"Soak some of the imperial linens in blood water and then wrap him up them. Wrap him up tightly so he can't move." The Master was a charismatic figure, not conventionally handsome, but with an animal magnetism that most, demon, human, male or female, found irresistible.
"We have no human blood at the moment. Would animal blood do, or should I request that one of the hunters go and. . . ?"
"No. You can use some of my blood. This Childe is an Heir Apparent. He deserves nothing less."
"Sire." One of the Master's turned Childer entered the room. "A group of humans is approaching. I sent a scout, and he reports that they are Council vampire hunters. They are small in numbers though. Only five. But perhaps more are coming."
"Surround and take them quickly. I don't want them reporting our position."
"Sire." The vampire fell to one knee briefly before quickly leaving to carry out his orders.
"They're looking for your Blood-Childe." The healer was concerned. "We should leave now."
"My Blood-Childe cannot be moved until he reawakes. And this Childe. . . ." The Master of this small band of vampires looked down at a sleeping Spike. "Needs his Sire. A few more hours and Angelus should be here. We need to wait for him."
"And if more Council hunters are on their way?"
Shaking his head, the Master vampire could only sigh. "Then we run. Just like we've been doing for months now. Run like rabbits with the foxes nipping at our heels. Run until they've finally cornered us and we can't run any more." The two vampires exchanged sad, but weary glares. They both knew they could not escape the inevitable. Sooner or later, they were fated to die like the rest of their Clan.
**
"Praise the fuckin' gods. You made it." Relief was evident in Nic's voice. Lying on his stomach, keeping himself hidden, he had watched the vampires take the Council hunters captive while praying to a higher power that the vampires would not discover him. He could only imagine what the Ventrue Master would do to a treasonous traitor if caught.
"What's going on?" Crouching down beside his brother, Angel studied the lair. The vampires had converted some caves for their temporary hideaway.
"The Ventrues captured the Council hunters. Wait for it. . . ." Cocking his head, Nic listened for the screams. Humans being tortured. An unmistakable sound.
"Sire." Ever vigilant, Djoser had spotted the slight movement in the foliage. "We've just been discovered by their scouts."
Lithely jumping to his feet, Angel knew what he had to do. Grabbing a stake out of Xander's hand, he hid it in his coat pocket as he begun to walk toward the vampire lair.
"ANGEL! WHAT ARE YOU. . . ?" A loud whisper, but Wesley was too late, Angel had already stepped out into the clearing. "Are there enough of us to take the Ventrues?" Wesley turned to the rest of the group.
"Here. . .this might help." Djoser handed Wesley one of the Tec-9's he had appropriated from the dead Council hunters.
"I want one." Xander grabbed another one from the vampire, eyes lighting up with excitement. "But I thought bullets don't kill vampires."
"Council vampire hunters soak their bullets in holy water." Giles snatched the gun away from Xander. He was more afraid of Xander armed with a Tec-9 than he was of the Ventrues.
"Give me one." Nic held his hand out his nephew.
"This one's mine." Djoser held the gun away from his uncle. "Take a crossbow."
Sighing, Nic took a crossbow from Buffy and readied it, while giving Djoser a dirty look. "Just don't shoot your Sire. . .and if we ever get out of this alive, I'm going to have a long talk with Angelus about your disrespectful attitude."
Shifting to his demon visage so there would be no mistaking who he was, Angel approached the vampire guards. "I am Angelus, High Master of the Tremere Clan. I wish to speak to your Master."
Hand in his pocket, it curled around the stake as he tightened his body, preparing to counter any attack. But to his great surprise, the guards upon hearing his name immediately fell to their knees in supplication.
"Wow!" Xander exclaimed, no longer talking in a whisper. "That was easy."
The group exchanged puzzled looks as Nic observed. "Hmm. . .those guards are older than they look. Must be old enough to remember Angelus, 'The Scourge of Europe' to have such fear." A hint of jealously colored his voice. No one had ever feared him like they did his brother.
Cautiously, they made their way over to Angel as he, getting over his surprise, ordered one of the guards. "Go and fetch your Master. I wish to. . . ."
"Angelus." The Master had heard the noise and had come to investigate.
But it wasn't the Ventrue Master who came out of the cave where the band of vampires had set up camp. He was of medium height and muscular. But what Giles and Wesley immediately noticed was the mark on his neck. He bore the mark of a Blood-Childe. Surrounding him were various bodyguards and minions. One of whom Buffy, Djoser and Nic recognized immediately. The vampire at the bar. The vampire who had helped them with Snow's minions and the Gargorus demons.
"On your knees before your Master." He ordered all vampires present while approaching Angel. "My brother. High Master of Our Clan. I greet you. I am sorry that I am late in getting to you, but I ran into a few problems along the way."
The Master was Damon, half-brother of Angel.
**
Germany, 1793
"Angelus, I have a small task for you." Heinrich Nest immediately stated the reason he had summoned his favorite Childe.
"Sire." Bowing his head, Angelus noticed that beside the Master's usual bodyguards and servants, there was one other person in the room. A newborn, a fledging, but an important one. He was the High Master's newest Blood-Childe.
"You have met your new brother, have you not?" Heinrich Nest pointed to his new son.
"We met briefly." Angelus made eye contact with his brother and was not at all pleased that instead of lowering his eyes submissively to him, the younger vampire of lower rank met his gaze head on.
"He is a prize." Heinrich was extremely pleased. "He reminds me of you, Angelus. Tough, strong, and with a cruel streak. . .well it just warms my undead heart to have another Childe of my loins come out so vicious."
Remaining silent, Angelus had nothing to say. He cared very little how this new Blood-Childe was. The Childe was a product of a human mother, which immediately made him inferior to the three Pure Blood-Childer. He presented no competition for the position of Heinrich Nest's successor.
"I want you to take him under your wing. Teach him. Guide him. Show him what it means to be a Blood-Childe of the Tremere Clan."
"SIRE! I do not have the time nor do I want to be troubled with having to school some fledging. . . ." Angelus broke off. Despite his higher rank, he knew the Master would not be pleased if he insulted the younger vampire. After all the new Childe was also of the Master's Bloodline.
"Angelus! This Childe has great potential. One day he will be a strong, powerful Bloodline vampire. He is your brother and could, in the future, prove to be a valuable ally. If you are to become the Master of the Clan, you must learn to think in terms of the future. You must cultivate the people who will be of use to you and destroy those who will hurt you."
Sighing to himself, Angelus knew there was no getting out of his Sire's request. And because of having to tutor his new brother, he would now have to change his plans with his maternal Sire, Darla. Since it was already well known in the Clan that she was in a jealous rage over, in her words, the Master's new 'Blood-Bastard'. He was certain that when he saw her again, he would have to deal with a resentful, furious vampiress.
"Master." Bowing his head and kneeling, Angelus showed his obedience.
"Childe." Heinrich motioned to the young vampire, who he had renamed Damon. "Go with Angelus. Keep your mouth shut and learn from him. It is my command."
As the two vampires began to leave the room, Heinrich had one more thing to say to his favorite son. "Remember my words, Childe. They will serve you in the centuries to come."
**
"Damon." Angel couldn't help but smile at the other vampire. Another brother backing him up.
Kneeling in front of Angel, Damon took his hand and kissed it. "Angelus, High Master of Our Clan, I am at your service."
"You accept him as High Master? Just like that?" Nic snapped his fingers. "He was ostracized by our Sire. Did you forget that or. . . ."
"I had always been loyal to our Sire, but he is now dust. When Luc took over the Clan, I was forced to leave New York because I dared to raise objections to him becoming the High Master. Angelus was always the one destined to succeed the Old Master. Even our Sire couldn't change that. The Anointed One was his feeble attempt at trying to alter what was preordained." Damon still found it hard to believe how much his once powerful Sire had declined since the splintering of their Clan.
Standing up, Damon looked over his brother's allies. If he was surprised to see five humans, one of which was a Slayer, he did not show it. "Your William is with me." Turning to two minions, he barked out a command. "Bring the Master his Blood-Childe."
"How is it that you knew Spike. . .err William had been taken prisoner by Glory?" Buffy was curious.
"I keep people strategically placed throughout Sunnydale so we can constantly keep track of who comes and who goes. We caught wind of a vampire being taken prisoner by some new demon minions in town. When we found out his description. . .well. . ." A slight smile cracked Damon's usual serious countenance. "I was pretty sure who he was."
A minion with a football build brought out an unconscious Spike. He was a colorful sight. Face covered with purple bruises while the rest of his body was wrapped in a red cloth. Or as he got closer the humans realized it was a white cloth that looked like it had been dyed red. The three young people immediately noticed that he was naked underneath the cloth. A fact which flustered Buffy, embarrassed Xander, but fascinated Anya. She always liked to compare and contrast different male bodies.
The minion handed the new High Master his sleeping Childe. Angel immediately clutched Spike to his breast while falling down on one knee. Running a hand gently over a forehead, he found himself shaking with emotion. Outrage conflicted with heartbreaking distress. It seemed that it was his son's lot in life to forever be abused physically.
"Master." The healer who had been caring for Spike addressed Angel. "He needs your blood. He was severely injured. He has wounds that indicate that the person torturing him actually tried to dig out his insides."
The healer's words brought Angel's head up with a jerk. "Digging out his insides?" Turning to look at Buffy and Giles. "What the HELL was this Glory looking for? What did she want from my Childe?"
"Information. She wanted information about the key she's looking for." Taking a step toward her ex-lover, Buffy was fascinated. Angel had bent his head downward. At first glance she thought he was whispering in Spike's ear, but on a second glance, she saw that he had nipped at Spike's neck.
Just a tiny sip of blood, but it was enough. Enough for Angel to 'push' into his son's consciousness, bringing him into a partially awakened state. "Wake up Childe. You need to feed."
Mind fuzzy, it was only with great effort that Spike made his mouth work. "Sire." Voice shaky and weak. "I tried to ring you, but you wouldn't answer the phone."
"Shhh. Don't speak." Angel was struggling to get his arms out of his coat while still holding his Childe tightly to him.
"Spike." Buffy couldn't wait any longer. She needed to know what Spike had told Glory. "What did you tell Glory? Does she know who Dawn is? Does she know that Dawn is the. . . ."
"BUFFY!" Angel hissed at her coldly. "You never think beyond your own selfish wants. Can't you see that he is too ill to help you?"
Eyes flashing yellow, hostility so tangible that Buffy could feel it blow over her like a hot wind. But she, so steeped in concern for her sister was not about to back down. "I AM NOT JUST THINKING ABOUT MY SELFISH NEEDS! Glory is a threat to us all. She. . . ."
"Angel." Giles quickly interrupted. A confrontation between Slayer and vampire was not what they needed now. "If Spike told Glory who. . .where the key is, we must know. With the key Glory will be able to bring the walls between the dimensions down. Hell will be unleashed on this world. Every living creature in this and every other dimension imaginable will suffer unbearable torment and death."
"Perhaps that wouldn't be so bad. It would take care of Snow and the Council. Keep the Ventrues busy too." Angel was feeling antagonistic. The humans were always putting their own concerns first and expected him to back them up without question. But when he was in need, they remained rather indifferent.
"Angel." Wesley interceded. "This Glory sounds very dangerous and. . . ."
"I didn't tell that bleedin' bitch anything!" Rousing himself, Spike raised his head from where Angel was cradling him against his chest. He felt Buffy's urgency. "Wouldn't want anything happening to Little Bit. Wouldn't want you to feel how I felt when I thought my brother was dead. Would have let Glory kill me first. Nearly bloody did."
"Spike. . .I. . . ." Buffy was dumbfounded. She realized that Spike had a soul. Had more of a soul than many humans. "What you did for me and Dawn. . . I won't ever forget it."
"Glad to hear you say that, Slayer." Nic, with a couple of minions, had gone back to fetch Hawkins who had been gagged and tied to a nearby tree. "Cause some scouts just reported that more Council hunters have arrived in Sunnydale. They'll probably be tracking us here shortly. Soo. . .gonna stay and help us?"
****