AUTHORS : dru & Evil Willow (Go worship the goddess that is EW!)
SERIES: Beauty & the Beast
PAIRINGS : Cordelia/Spike
RATING : NC17 (highly smutty with plenty of delicious yums!)
WARNING: a little violence,
bloodplay and death- as well mild female/female & spike/female
DISCLAIMER : We do not own these
characters.
NOTE : Takes place after season
three of Buffy, but before season four.
=====================================================================
THE
EMPIRICAL
The club
is practically empty when I enter.
I hope
she won't be so angry when she wakes alone- but she... lost a lot of blood
yesterday and needed the rest to heal her body so I can ravage her on the
plane. I *did* leave a note like a good human, though.
I walk up
to the bartender and ask, "You seen Emily?"
He shakes
his head. "Empirical hasn't left his chambers since last night."
Damn it.
"May
I request an audience with him?
"You're
*kidding*, right? *Asking* to meet with Julius? Two words- In. Sane."
Granted not the best response to get but...
"I
have to know, Mate. She's family- we're close. I need to know if she's
okay." I *do* need to know. I swear- if we lose *another* elder... the
clan will be a laughing stock. *The* laughing stock.
"You're
crazy if you even *think* about it," I hear whispered from behind me.
I turn
with a growl, "I said- leave. me. alone." I swear- I'll kill him.
Again.
"The
screams didn't stop all night long, Spike," Matt informs me.
"And
the human?"
"Dragged
her out about six in the morning. Orders were to leave her in the sun- but
Michael took her and fled."
God-
maybe mating *isn't* the way to go... maybe I'll buy Cordelia a nice diamond
engagement ring instead.
"Least
she got out," I comment. "No one's seen Emily? Abigail must be
completely terrified..." And I can sympathize with *that*.
"Don't
do it, Spike. Don't be next," he says before leaving.
Damn it.
Maybe I'll give Cordelia a quick phone call...
I
wake up and reach over for... paper?
I
open my eyes and pick it up. "Cordelia - gone to check on Em. Back soon.
Spike."
All
right. Not thrilled that he's gone, but I don't blame him for going to see if
Emily's okay. In fact, I'm hoping he brings back good news.
Actually,
I'll be more than happy with him just coming back. Because if he doesn't... No.
He will. He *has* to. He promised me he would protect me and he can't do that
if he's not *with* me.
But I
really hope he comes home soon. I don't want to be here, all by myself. I get
up and walk over to the door to make sure it's locked. It is. Of course Spike
would make certain of that. And at least it's daytime. If any uninvited guests
show up, I can just sit on the balcony until he gets back.
If he
gets back.
NO. No 'if.' WHEN. WHEN he gets back. It's going to be okay, I just
have to keep telling myself that.
I
need to think about something else. Or... shit, the more I walk, the more I
realize how sore I am. Maybe I'll take a nice, long bath. I'll just grab the
portable phone, in case he tries to call, and just soak for a while. That
should help my nerves *and* my aching muscles.
Okay-
I've decided- I'm going back there... through the 'door'.
I've
already instructed Anne and John on what to do with Cordelia in case... in case
nothing.
So- I
pick the phone up and dial the phone number.
I won't
tell her what I'm doing. I won't tell her that I might be next. I'll just tell
her that I love her and I'll be home soon. I'll tell her that I'm still lookin'
for Em and I think I have a few leads, which isn't a lie- since I *do* know for
a fact that she's behind the 'door'.
It's
ringing.
I
moan as I sink into the hot water. Damn. Phone. Which isn't bad, if it's Spike.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Luv. Miss me?"
I
certainly will miss- NO. Nothing's gonna happen. I'll be fine.
"Spike,"
I sigh, relieved just to hear his voice. "Did you find her?"
"Not
yet. I may have a good idea where she is though- I'll be a bit longer. Are you
okay there?"
Hm.
Good question. "I'm... I'm okay," I say. "I'd be better if you
were here, but I understand why you're not. Please be careful, though. I don't
want anything to happen to you. And I don't think she does either. I'm not
saying don't help her, just... be careful."
"Nothin's
gonna happen, Luv. I'll be home soon. Don't forget, we're leaving tonight... so
we gotta be packed and gone by five. Anne and John will help you later. How's
your cunny feel?"
"Sore,"
I moan. "I'm taking a bath, thought it might help. I think I might need
more of that powder... but I was hoping you might help me with that."
Hopefully that's an added incentive for him to hurry back.
"Perhaps,"
I say and then I see the 'door' guardian nod, signaling my passage. "I
gotta go, Luv. I love you."
"I-"
He hung up. He sounded... I don't know. Like he knew something he didn't want
to tell me.
God,
I can't think like that. I have to believe he's okay and he's getting Emily and
he'll come home to me. I can't let myself even contemplate anything else.
I walk
down the long corridor toward the main door. I'm not sure I really wanna do
this- but now I have no choice. He's
expecting me. I knock on the door tentatively. I swear- this could be it for
me.
The door
opens slowly and there's a big, snarly looking demon standing there.
"Yes?"
"I
request an audience with the Empirical of Aurelius, please, on behalf of Clan
Nest."
"Denied,"
he spits back at me.
"PLEASE?!"
I look at him. "Please- just… tell me if the vampiress is well.
Please."
"DAVID!!"
A rumbling shakes the foundations of the room. "Let him pass," comes
the deep voice from within.
I walk in
and see her- chained to the bed, covered in bruises and bite marks and- oh god.
She's bleeding badly.
"Will?"
She whispers hoarsely, barely making a sound.
Ohgod.
Ohgod. Ohgod. "May I, please our master?" I ask him.
"William
the Bloody," he says and suddenly he's standing behind me. "Quite the
reputation precedes you, and still we've never once spoken." I feel his
talon slide up my spine. Shit.
Grin and
bear it. Grin and bear it.
"Yes-
unfortunately, we've never had the pleasure."
"Ah,
yes… such pleasure from the mighty Nest clan." He walks toward the bed and
points to Em. "Take *her* for example. Do you *know* that she offered
herself as the tool with which to punish the other?"
Oh no… I
look over at her again. Oh no.
"She
screamed much of the night away and still- she never refused. Even while she
gained no pleasure of her own."
"Has
she served her purpose so that I might take her to her sister?" I ask
hopefully.
"And
would *you* take her place? William the Bloody?"
Something's
wrong.
God I
wish I would STOP thinking like that! It's fine. He's fine. He's strong. He can
take care of himself. I saw that, myself, last night.
But
Julius is -
NO.
Shit. I'm going to drive myself crazy if I keep wondering. I get out of the
bathtub and dry, quickly, formulating a plan. I just hope it works. I pull on a
pair of black slacks and a dark blue blouse, and then make a call. He left Anne
and John's number. "I want you both here," I say, and then hang up.
And
there's something wrong. That phrase keeps nagging at me, and I don't know how
I know. I just do.
I go
to the door when I hear the knock, and check the peephole, before opening it. I
let them in and then shut the door and turn to them. "You know where he
is, don't you?"
The
way they look away is my answer. "Look, maybe I'm about to waste my time,
here. Maybe he doesn't mean anything to you, and you don't care what's going to
happen to him. But I have to at least try, because he does matter to me and I
have this horrible feeling that-"
Something's
wrong.
SHUT
UP!
"He's
been good to us, better than any other master," John says. "We don't
want anything to happen to him either, Mistress."
I let
out a sigh of relief. "Okay, then. I'm not going to ask something stupid
like for you to take me to him. I imagine he left you very strict orders to
keep me safe. But I am going to ask you to think, really hard, in the next
thirty seconds. Then I'm going to give you this phone," I hand it to Anne,
"and I'm asking you to spend the next few minutes contacting every other
vampire who might care about helping him. Tell them where he is, and that he
needs backup. That's all I'm asking. Do you think you can do that for me? For
both of us?"
"Yes,"
I answer quickly and honestly.
"Knowing
what you see here is *your* fate as well? Perhaps even worse as you've not fed
and you have half her years?"
"Yes."
I watch
as he unchains one of her legs and she whimpers in protest and pain. "I've
been Empirical for quite some time and the *one* thing that has always been
true is that of the Nest Clan. Always ranked the top clan of Aurelius, even
when others wish to knock it down."
He
unchains her other leg and then turns to me, "Take her."
"What?"
"*Take*
her- right here, in front of *me*, William the *Bloody*. Show me your namesake
and take her. Take her or face death."
"No.
I won't," I state. There's no way- Anne will explain it to Cordelia.
She'll explain that it is my *duty* to Emily to defend and help her. She'll
explain a vampire's devotion to the clan and their elders.
"You
won't?" He asks and is suddenly
right. in. my. Face. "No, I don't suppose you will."
"Do
what you will and be done with it. Stop torturing her," I order.
"I
have barely even *begun* to torture her, William Sweet." He unchains one
of her wrists and then looks at me. "Dignity and loyalty. They are the two
characteristics prevalent in *all* true Nests and *should* be in every
Aurelian. You would follow me blind into the pits of Hell if it meant sparing
your elder?"
"Yes.
Without question," I answer and he *knows* I'm telling the truth.
He picks
her up and drops her into my arms. "Such blind loyalty from fellow
vampires and sacrifice for your clan have been noted by myself and the Council,
Mistress Amelia Hart."
He then
looks *directly* into my eyes and says, "Perhaps when you bring *your*
beautiful creature for the mating ceremonies you will be representing the Hart
Clan- although either way- I *do* expect a personal audience with you *and*
your gorgeous intended."
"Mistress--"
"KEEP
CALLING!" I yell, trying to fight back the tears. None of these supposedly
fearless vampires, some who *owe* Spike, will even contemplate confronting
Julius.
"I...
I don't know who else to call," John replies, giving me this helpless
look.
"Well,
then keep thinking!" I say.
"Mistress
will you please try to eat something?" Anne says, indicating the lunch she
ordered for me. She's been packing for us, pretending like she still thinks Spike
is coming back. But she doesn't. I see the way they're looking at each other.
They think he's dead.
I
don't think *that*. I'm pretty sure he's alive, but I'm not sure he's okay. But
I suspect I would know if he were gone. The same way I know he's in trouble.
Even
though that feeling has lessened, but maybe it's because I'm so upset and I
don't know what to think.
"Mistress?"
"I
eat when I'm hungry," I tell her. "And I'm *not* hungry."
She
sighs and puts it on the bed next to me, and then resumes her packing. I look
over at John, and he's just staring at the phone. "What about other
members of ou- his clan?" I wonder. "Isn't there anyone else like
Emily who likes Spike?"
He
shakes his head. "Our clan isn't as close as it should be. Perhaps that's
because there's no leader. But also... Master Spike... a lot of them look down
on him because he's a direct descendant of Angelus. And since he abandoned the
clan, rather than take his place as leader... his childer are... not the most
popular clan line."
"So
it's hopeless then?" I ask, looking from him to Anne. "Get out."
"It's
not hopeless, he'll come home," Anne says.
"I
said, get OUT!" I scream. And I can't deal with them anymore. I feel like
I'm suffocating, under their worried looks. I get up and walk out onto the
balcony. At least here, I'm somewhat alone, even if they won't leave.
I just
stare at him. Yeah. Right. Empirical or not… he can SOD. OFF.
"I
noticed how pleased you looked with her," he says. "It'd be nice to
meet the one who *finally* got William the Bloody's attention."
"Yes…
well- can we go now?" Shit! I *knew* *that* was the wrong thing to say.
He grabs
my cock and squeezes HARD. "I should think you grateful for my generosity
and graciousness in this matter, William. Next time, I may *not* be so
generous."
And then,
in an instant, he's gone and they're shuffling me out the door with Em in my
arms.
I
look through the sliding glass doors, and they're not gone. Of course not.
They're my shadows now that they think I'm having a nervous breakdown. I sigh
and sit down on the balcony floor.
And
so what if I *am* having a nervous breakdown? It won't matter if Spike is
really gone.
I
don't think he is... but maybe I was fooling myself all along in thinking I
know either way. Maybe he got staked - or worse, two hours ago. And I might
*never* know that for sure.
"Thank
you *so* much, W-Spike. Thank you!" She kisses me again, deeply before I
feel her hand down my jeans again. "Are you *sure* there is nothing I can
do for you, Dear?"
"Yes,
yes, I'm sure!" I say, pulling Abby's hands away. Grateful for her
sister's return is nice- but I think she's just a bit randy as well.
I look
down at Em and then kiss her forehead softly. "Get well, Luv," I
whisper.
She
weakly grabs my hand and says, "The very *first* mating I approve as rep
will be yours, *Spike*."
That's
the first time she's called me that…
"Thank
you," she says.
"Anything
for you, Luv. You *know* that." And with that, I leave. I've got a mate to
ravage.
"Mistre--"
"GO
AWAY!!!!!" Damn, they're going to *drive* me to that nervous breakdown.
And shit, the sun's on the other side of the building now. Which is why he
could open the door to talk to me.
At
least he has the decency to leave when I tell him to. I wish I'd asked him what
time it was, though. How long has it been? An hour? Two? More?
Shit,
Spike, where *are* you? I really, really need you to come back to me, and all
in one piece, too.
I open
the door quietly. I'm hoping she went… back… to sleep-
But apparently
by the vigil that Anne and John are keeping- she is not well. However they are
both ecstatically happy to see me and *both* kiss me, which is nice.
I walk
over and stand just inside the last of the sun's rays that barely fall on the
floor.
"Mind
coming in, Lover? Rumor has it- vampires get *wicked* sunburn. And I don't
fancy testin' it."
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