Angelus slipped surreptitiously out of the Rosenburg house as he heard the front door close.
Fish would never be as much fun as puppies, to be sure, but he knew that this warning would shake them all, punish them for thinking they could be his friends.
They had trusted him, invited him into their homes, and now he was always welcome...
The next order of business was the watcher. What little token to leave on his bed? The normally stoic man wouldn't be easily shaken-- little drawings and pet fish weren't going to do the trick.
As Angelus passed a nearby cemetery he felt... what? Remorse? Nostalgia? Something sickly and sweet and disgustingly Angel-like. This was where he and Buffy had patrolled together on numerous occasions, kissing against the mausoleums and crypts like a couple of teenagers-- the type he used to kill especially slowly for their arrogant stupidity.
The vampire veered into the cemetery, hoping to find two such foolish children there tonight.
He sometimes felt as if his soul had not been completely expunged when his curse was broken, small vestiges of his old feelings constantly making themselves known in the most unpleasant ways. He knew that it was only natural for him to retain some of his basic personality-- much like when he was first turned. But then he had just killed all the people he'd cared about as a human. Now... now he was so much wiser, now he was equipped to really make the people he had cared for suffer.
He heard a low groaning off to his left, and stalked around a few trees to see... a bright pink Dulaar demon bent over a low tombstone by a large Hummahk. The hummahk was beautiful, his skin was pure black and smooth like onyx, his body rippled with layer over layer of flexed muscle. And the happily squealing Dulaar-- though not Angelus's type with all those tentacles-- had a pretty, feminine face, her two tongues flicking out to wet pale purple lips, formed into a perfect 'o', as if she were waiting for someone to...
Angelus shook himself, not certain that he could beat the hummahk in a fight, should he take offense to the idea of a threesome. So the vampire remained skulking in the shadows, enjoying a little slice of Sunnydale nightlife.
***
Eve wasn't asleep, though her eyes were shut and she was lying still in the dark. Her radio played softly and Angelus switched it off as he entered the room, noting the jump in her heart rate as she realized he was there.
He walked over to her bed, stopping at the head to just study her. As usual, she was wrapped in just a towel, her hair still damp from a shower. Her skin glowed an unearthly yellow from the streetlight coming in the window, and Angelus wanted to see his brand glowing like that.
Eve did not move when she realized Angelus was in her room, did not move when he gently pulled her towel off, but she couldn't hold back the shiver as he ran rough fingertips over the completely healed brand on her side. Hoping to conceal the involuntary shudder of revulsion, she rolled over to face her master.
Angelus's face was beautiful and calm in the dark, but unmistakably evil; the caring that Eve had once seen in her friend's eyes was now permanently replaced with malice. Still, the vampire did not seem particularly inclined to harm her tonight, so Eve asked, "How may I please you, Master?" Remembering her formal education in slavery from when she had just been claimed.
Angelus sighed, frustrated and angry and... lonely. He missed Darla. If she was still around, he was certain he wouldn't miss the companionship of his old humans so much. He let one hand trace Eve's soft lips, elegant cheekbones, badly broken nose (it had healed, but not well-- he thought he ought to break it again and set it properly). Angelus wondered if he should turn Eve tonight, how hard would it be to train her to be like Darla had been-- wicked and cold-hearted and merciless. The girl had potential... ah, but right now he didn't need the aggravation of training another new childe, and besides, Eve was still far too young.
So he just pulled the slave upright on her bed, stroking a hand through her hair as he ordered softly, "Suck me."
And Eve obeyed, appreciating this rare gentle moment, and not wanting it to end too soon.
==Wednesday Afternoon==
Dru had the vision less than an hour after Eve went out. Spike knew Eve was going off to talk to the Slayer and her little band of merry men, so he was naturally worried when Druscilla whimpered that someone was trying to destroy their 'happy home.'
Apparently, some school-teaching gypsy had found a way to restore Angelus's soul. Wasn't that just dandy; Dru would go back to hating the flaming pouf, and hopefully Angel would be so wracked with guilt over all the nasty things he'd thought about doing to the slayer that he would just do himself in and spare Spike the bother. Yeah.
Spike hoped that teacher got her shit together and did the spell quick though; else there would be bloodshed tonight.
***
"You can't tell us anything useful?" Giles asked Eve incredulously.
"Well, I'm sorry," the girl shrugged, "but I don't really know anything."
"Okay," Buffy nodded, all business, "how about: What time did Angel get in last night? Willow got home *right* after sunset, and she was in her house the whole night, so when did Angel get the chance to sneak into her bedroom?"
The slayer was *not* pleased about this truce with Eve, and the fact that the slave seemed totally unable to provide any useful information just made Buffy more suspicious of the girl's motives. But the core scooby gang had gathered in the library to hear what Spike's-- no, *Angel's* slave had to say, so Buffy was trying to be patient-- not an easy task when your boyfriend has just turned into a mass murderer.
Eve was equally uneasy around Buffy, and feeling a little belligerent towards the slayer. She understood that Buffy's brusque attitude had a lot to do with stress, but Eve was feeling pretty damned stressed out herself, so she wasn't particularly sympathetic to Buffy's plight.
"Angelus got in pretty early last night," Eve recalled.
"What time, exactly?" Buffy insisted.
Eve thought for a long moment, answering, "I don't know... The Who were on the radio, so it must have been around nine."
Buffy's face scrunched up unattractively. "The Who?" She asked.
"Yes," Eve replied.
Buffy shook her head in confusion. "Wait, who?"
"No, *The* Who," Eve tried to explain.
"*The* Who what?" Buffy asked, almost completely befuddled. Xander and Willow just looked on blankly while Giles sighed sadly and shook his head.
"What?" Eve asked, not understanding where the miscommunication happened.
Buffy looked to her friends, wondering if it was just her, or if Eve was making no sense. Their faces reassured Buffy, and she asked more forcefully, "What?"
Eve smiled suddenly, realizing Buffy had never heard of The Who. Annunciating slowly, she said, "No. Who. The who."
Buffy ground her teeth in exasperation. "The who what? What are you talking about?"
Eve barely restrained a smirk. "What are you talking about? The who?"
"That's what I'm asking you," Buffy responded.
"What?" Eve was really starting to enjoy herself.
Buffy sighed loud and long sufferingly, "I just wanted to know what time it was! Make sense!"
"I've never heard of them..." Eve continued to play her part.
"What? Huh?" Buffy had no idea where this conversation had gone, but it was clearly out of her control.
Eve shook her head in mock confusion. "Not them either. Are they like The Who?"
Now Buffy was starting to get pissed. "Who!?!?" She demanded.
"Who?" Eve asked innocently.
Talking through her teeth, Buffy insisted, "If you are messing with me, I *will* kill you."
"In that case, I have no idea what time it was," Eve immediately replied.
Buffy threw up her hands in total defeat. "But you said it was around nine!"
Eve nodded, "Yeah, 'cause The Who were on the radio, and they only play that stuff from eight thirty to nine thirty."
Buffy closed her eyes, desperately trying to rein in her temper. "Who?"
"KGRR," Eve answered. "The classic rock hour?"
"You listen to classical?" Buffy knew she was veering off topic, she just couldn't do anything to stop it.
"No," Eve shook her head. "Well, yes, sometimes, but I was listening to C L A S S I C *R O C K*."
"Oh," Buffy said, still confused. Turning to whisper in Willow's ear, she asked, "Is that new?"
"No. It's old. It hasn't been new in decades," Eve replied, even though the question hadn't been for her.
"So it is new," Buffy said, finally understanding.
Eve shook her head, "No, it was new. It's old now."
Buffy frowned, "Then why'd you say it was new?"
Eve shrugged. "I was messing with you."
"Did I not clearly state that I would kill you if you messed with me?" Buffy stepped menacingly towards the slave girl, though of course she had no intention of hurting her.
Eve held out her hands in the universal sign for 'don't hurt me.' "I'm sorry, it was just too easy."
Buffy took a deep breath before saying as calmly as possible, "Okay. Tell me again. You think it was around nine."
"Yeah, it had to be between eight thirty and nine thirty, 'cause The Who were on the radio, and they only play that stuff during the classic rock hour," Eve answered.
Buffy turned desperately to her friends, "Now I'm confused again. Who are you talking about?"
"The radio station?" Eve asked, not understanding why the slayer was still confused, "Or The Who?"
"Argh!" Buffy threw her hands up and stormed out of the room for a much deserved bathroom break.
Eve turned to the remaining scoobies. "She can't honestly be that stupid, right?" She had to ask.
Xander frowned. "Wait, what's a who?"
"Oh!" Willow exclaimed, "Like the guys in Dr. Suess!"
Now Eve was lost. "Who?"
Willow nodded encouragingly, "Yes! The whos!"
"Okay, so this is retribution?" Eve asked no one in particular.
Xander tried to explain, "No, the Whos. From Dr. Suess. The Grinch? Whoville?"
Willow added, "Oh, and the cute little who-girl..."
They both burst out laughing, and Eve turned to Giles in disbelief, "The fate of the world rests on this group?"
Giles polished his glasses, a slight smile on his face. "I'm afraid so," he answered.
==*Very* Early Thursday Morning==
Angelus gloated about killing the teacher who had been planning to restore his soul.
Druscilla was cooing happily at her sire, but Spike was just barely restraining himself from leaping out of his wheelchair and killing Angelus right then and there.
The older vampire had *finally* made a real move against the slayer and her gang. But really, it was at the worst possible time for Spike. Eve was having trouble gaining the slayerettes' trust, and with one of their own murdered... Well, the 'ally yourself with the enemy' plan was right out the window. Spike was fuming.
Then suddenly, Spike was nearly on fire. It was a bit disconcerting. Druscilla pulled him away from the flames as the librarian made his grand entrance, looking for a bit of revenge for the gypsy.
When Druscilla attempted to aid Angelus, Spike held her back, enjoying the sight of his sire finally getting what he deserved.
***
A loud crash downstairs woke Eve up. She glanced around, sure that she was alone in her bedroom, but something wasn't right...
She smelled the smoke before she saw it.
A thousand scenarios ran through her head-- all the things she had been taught since grade school-- but she forgot everything she knew she should do, and leapt out of bed, rushing to her door and flinging it open.
The fire was just outside her room though, and Eve screamed in shock as the flesh of her palm sizzled against the hot doorknob. She dove out of the way as the flames poured into her room, quickly blocking her exit and eating up the rotting floorboards of the warehouse that should have been condemned long ago.
Eve crouched on the floor, watching the fire spread over everything. She couldn't believe that she could die like this, and the indignant anger at that thought forced her to her feet.
The smoke was overwhelming, filling Eve's lungs, nearly crushing her. Coughing uncontrollably, she picked up the desk chair, partially ablaze but nearby, and swung it as hard as she could at her bedroom window, which she always closed before going to sleep, being slightly fearful of rolling right out while she slept.
The glass shattered and the chair fell through the opening, but at that moment the fire surged forward, climbing over Eve's naked skin, and tearing another scream from the girl before she finally passed out.
***
Spike grumbled out in the alleyway where Druscilla had rolled him after the slayer showed up. His home and all his possessions were burning up because of *Angelus*, dammit.
He shook his head in disgust as the older vampire made his way to them; apparently he'd escaped an enraged watcher *and* the slayer.
"The minions're all trapped inside," the dark-haired vampire panted needlessly, relishing the adrenaline rush of his near escape from that thing he feared most in the world: fire.
Spike opened his mouth, undoubtedly to make some snide remark, when a terrified scream broke the air.
Druscilla bounced excitedly, laughing in the back of her throat. "Ooo, Evie's on fire. Pretty..."
Spike and Angelus both froze, though for different reasons.
A few seconds later another scream rang out from the slave's bedroom, and Angelus was leaping into the air. It looked to Spike like the older vampire was bouncing off the walls of the alley as he nearly sailed to the roof.
Angelus only hesitated for a second before diving into Eve's window; he was damned if he was gonna let another one of Buffy's little groupies hurt *his* slave more than he could.
The girl was passed out on the floor right by his feet. Angelus scooped her up neatly and dove out the window, landing in a somersault so as to shield Eve from the impact.
Angelus carried the slave over to the alley where Spike and Dru waited anxiously.
Eve's heartbeat was slow and her breathing was labored, raspy. Angelus didn't hesitate to tear open his own wrist, offering the slave his healing blood, but she needed more help than he could give her.
Spike surmised, "You need to get her to a hospital."
Angelus barely restrained himself from knocking Spike down-- he didn't need lessons on how to take care of *his* slave from Druscilla's brat. But there would be time for violence later. Right now, the sun was about to rise, and Eve was about to die.
Angelus briefly considered wrapping the girl in his jacket, but then decided not to bother, throwing her limp form over his shoulder as he yanked a nearby manhole cover up. He dropped down into the sewer and dashed towards the local hospital, knowing Dru was capable of taking care of herself and Spike.