Title: Total Eclipse: Angelus Ascendant Series
Date Posted:
Author: Buffywatcher
Feedback: Constructive comments always welcome: Deepkori@hotmail.com
Pairing: Primarily Angel(us)/Spike
Rating: R Possibly a bit of romantic NC-17’ish circumstances.
Spoilers: None this story takes place in an AU setting and will pretty much
ignore the current season of Angel.
Warnings: This story will contain instances of extreme violence, sexuality and
character deaths.
Disclaimer: Just borrowing them for a bit of harmless fun. All characters, recognisable likenesses are retained
by their owner and accredited license holders.
Writer’s Notes: This story takes place in an AU setting and includes a scene challenge
posted by Angela with some minor artistic changes. Connor has been born, Spike
has his Soul and isn’t chipped
as well and Angel and the LA.
Gang have taken over the running of Wolfram & Hart. For the purposes of
this story, Spike has only met Wesley to date, not Gunn, Fred, or Lorne and he
never knew Connor. However the incident with the first has not taken place.
Buffy died and has been resurrected. As always thanks are going out to GF,
MarieC, Luba, and Mera my most excellent group of Beta/Editors. Very special
thanks to Mera, she got in on the ground floor on this one and chimed in with
some big assistance so dedicating this one to her.
Distribution: If I’ve already been given permission to archive my work please
consider it yours if you want it. If I haven’t and you would like to archive it
please do, all I ask is that you email me and tell me where it’s going so I can
visit J.
Summary: The Powers That Be offer to release Angel from his destiny as a
Champion but they make a critical error that may well doom their cause forever.
*
The drive was pleasant, the night air was warm and the full moon cast a
lovely glow to the scenery. Then half an hour out of Sunnydale, it started.
He’s not really sure who started it but by the time they reach the city limits
a constant growl has started to rumble deep in his chest. He glances at the
dashboard clock and his eyes narrow and his hands clench on the wheel.
“So are we there YET?” Spike asks while the teenagers snicker in the backseat.
“No, Spike. For the hundredth time since we left Sunnydale, we are NOT
there yet!” Angel wonders what kind of masochist he must be; to have willingly
consigned himself to a road trip shut up in a confined space with Spike and two
teenagers. He must be a glutton for punishment to have done this on purpose!
Not even Angelus could have devised a torture to equal the sheer cruelty of two
teenagers and Spike!
“Are you sure we’re not there yet?” Dawn asks innocently but ruins it
with a half muffled snicker.
Angel glances at the clock again and grimaces, wishing he could bash his
head against the steering wheel. He swears they have a schedule going! Sure
enough five minutes later Andrew chimes up with his verbal offering and Angel
slams his foot on the accelerator.
“Uhhh Peaches, you may wanna pull over there, Mate.” Spike says with a
strangely stifled tone.
“Shut up Spike we’re almost there damn it alright?!” Angel growls
tightening his hands on the steering wheel again and forcing his eyes to stare
fixedly ahead of them.
“Well that’s fine by us, Pet, but I don’t think the bloke behind us is
gonna wait that long.” Spike says with a snicker.
Angel glances behind him and starts cursing in four languages,
fortunately for the tender ears of the children none of them are English. Angel
slows to a stop and pulls over and finally gets to bang his head on the
steering wheel as the flashing red and blue lights of the cop car slowly pull
up behind them.
“Play along.” Spike says quietly pulling a handkerchief from his duster
pocket he covers his palm; swiping his nails over his palm opening a deep gash
across his palm, muffling a hiss of pain. He presses the square of cloth over
the wound, nodding as it quickly becomes stain with blood.
At the scent of Spike’s blood, Angel hisses and grabs his hand pressing
the cloth tighter to the wound as the policeman walks up.
“Is there a problem here?”
“I’m sorry officer, I know we were driving too fast but I hurt my hand
and we were in a rush to the emergency room.” Spike says earnestly gesturing to
his hand. “It’s been bleeding for 20 minutes, I think
I nicked a blood vessel or something. We can’t get it to stop!” Spike leans
over and looks at the young policeman and gives a worried smile, feigning a
wince of pain and looking up at the Policeman through his thick eyelashes.
Angel has to choke off the snarl rising in him as the young Policeman’s
eyes dilate and the faint scent of arousal reaches his nose as the officer
stares into Spike’s eyes and he caves to the inhumanly seductive will of the
younger Vampire.
“Okay I’ll let you off
with a warning but please keep to the speed limit. The Hospital is only a block
away.” The officer says tapping the top of the roof.
“Thank you Officer.” Angel says as he starts the car and drives away,
careful to take the turn for the hospital, glad when the police car continues
down another street.
Dawn and Andrew cheer as Spike whips the handkerchief off and licks the
blood off his palm, like a cat cleaning cream off its paw. Angel shakes his
head realising that was a little
too practiced a routine to have been spur of the moment. He turns his head to
ask Spike how many times he’s used that particular ruse to get out of a
speeding ticket, when he sees Spike licking the wound closed on his palm.
“We’re damn lucky that copy didn’t see you doing that.” Angel says
licking his lips hungrily before he forces his gaze back to the road.
“Huh? Why’s that?” Spike’s voice is muffled as his he draws his tongue
over his flesh, reclaiming every drop of blood staining.
“Because it’s probably illegal to do that in
public!” Angel growls, clenching his hands
tighter again and stifling a groan as he forces down the desire to be licking
the blood off Spike’s palm. He’s never been more relieved to see the Wolfram
& Hart office building in his life.
“If you could tell me where the kids we’ll be staying, I’ll get them
settled in and bring the gear up. It’s late and they should be resting.” Spike
says casting a glance at the teenagers that has their protests dying before
they can even start. “Is there a gym or training room anywhere in this
monstrosity that we can borrow while we’re here? I don’t want to disrupt the
kids’ training schedule while we’re here.” That bit of information seems to
mollify the pair and they quietly slip out and around to the back picking up
their duffle bags.
“I had one of the sub-levels renovated into a training and gym area,
there’s even a pool and spa facility down there for us allergic to the sun
types. You’ll be staying with me, the penthouse apartment has three bedrooms, so
I’m afraid someone will have to
double up. I’ll take you on a tour after you’re settled in, if you like. I’ll
need to check in briefly just to make sure everything is alright. When you’re
ready, come and join me in my
office?” Angel says grabbing a couple of bags and walking to the elevator and
swiping his key card he waves the kids inside and hands them a spare pass card.
“Just swipe the card in the reader there and push the button that says AP. I’ll
help Spike unload and get him started before I head to the office alright?” The
kids smile and nod as Angel set the bags down and goes back to help Spike. He
glances over his shoulder and nods as they easily start up for the penthouse,
before he joins Spike pulling some cases out of the S.U.V.’s cargo area. “Spike
what is all of this stuff exactly?”
Spike kneels and opens one of the cases to reveal a pair of
astonishingly well made Japanese Katana style short swords. “If we’re going to
be fighting some big nasty, I’d
rather have my own weapons with me.” He closes the case and opens another to
reveal a set of amazingly well crafted wooden long daggers. He closes the case
and opens another to reveal a double headed battle axe, a weapon that Angel
knows he is particularly deadly at wielding. He moves aside the velvet lining
at the top of the case to reveal a gleaming set of silver throwing spikes and a
matching number of wooden ones. “Watch this; Red did some nifty spell work for
me.” Spike slips a silver throwing spike free and flicking his hand with an
almost casual air, it flies from his hand and imbeds itself halfway into the
concrete of a support pillar ten feet away. Angel is impressed and starts to
say so but falls silent as he sees a brief green flash out of the corner of his
eye and turns to look and the spike is gone! He turns around to ask Spike if
he’d witnessed the same thing and his mouth drops open. He’s twirling the spike
around in his nimble fingers with an easy skill and chuckling at the look on
his bemused Grandsire’s face.
“Red’s got a way with the coolly mojo juice eh?” Spike slips the spike back
into the case and closes it.
“These are all amazing weapons; I’ve never seen anything like them
before.” Angel says impressed.
“You won’t find anything like them either. They’re all custom-made by an
old…acquaintance of mine. I spent some time training with him for a couple of
years before Dru and I hit Sunnyhell. When I decided to stay and watch over the
kids, I went back for a couple
of months and brushed up on some skills and learned a few new ones.” Spike
smiles fondly, not realising
that his hand has drifted out to caress the case in front of him as tenderly as
a lover.
Angel bites back a growl of annoyance at the obviously fond memories
that Spike has for this mysterious ‘acquaintance’ that can make him smile that
way. “Must be a good friend.”
“Duncan’s a good bloke, right fine to have at your back in a fight.”
Spike says brusquely as he stands and picks up several of the cases and heads
for the elevator, knowing Angel will lock up the car and pick up the other
cases and follow.
“We’ll have to spar while you’re here. I’d like to see how your skills
have improved.” Angel says and holds up one of the cases. “I’d like to see what
you can do with some of these toys too.”
“I’ll be taking the kids out on patrol while we’re here. You’re welcome
to come along.” Spike says with a shrug but he softens it with a small smile.
“You’re taking the kids out?!?” Angel says in surprise.
Spike chuckles and shakes his head. “You do realise that Dawnie is a year older than Buffy was when she
started right? Both Bit and Cub have been slaying for a while now but always
with Buffy, Red, or myself along. They’ve been training with me for almost two
years as well. Only wise you know, Mate. We all do live in Sunnyhell, the
vacation spot for every dark, ookie, kooky wannabe out there. Add that to the
fact that they live in the same house with a Slayer and Master Vampire;
considered a traitor by just about every Demon walking…teaching them to look after themselves is essential.”
“Well never really thought of it that way but you’re right.” Angel
concedes. “Why don’t we get these things stowed, I’ll show you around and we’ll call it a night?”
“Sounds great. I’ve heard a lot about this place, but strangely never thought I’d be
visiting it. You never did tell me what you need me for you know.” Spike says
glancing over.
“I promise, no apocalypse is looming.” Angel says with a laugh. “We’re just overrun with some fairly tough
cases that I’d rather handle personally to be sure they’re handled. Not sure I
really trust all the employees of this firm to be exactly honest.”
“Yeah honest evil lawyers…that’s real common
place.” There is a moment of silence and
then both men share a quiet laugh as the elevator opens and they step in.
The next evening, near twilight Angel is in the foyer area of his office
wishing he knew what Spike and the kids were up to. He glances around him at
his friends as each quietly offers an opinion of how to deal with Eve. A quiet
knock heralds Harmony’s arrival.
“Angel, security just called up there is a Lindsey MacDonald requesting
to come up and see you.” She imparts with uncharacteristic gravity.
Angel and his friends share a surprised look amongst themselves and
Angel goes over his options. While having Lindsey thrown out on his ear has
some appeal perhaps more would be gained from hearing what he has to say.
“Thank you, Harmony. Have security let him through.” Angel decides.
“You got it Boss. Oh Blondie Bear called down to say he and the kids would
be down in a few minutes. Something about finding a spot of
violence or something bizarre like that.” Harmony relays as she leaves
to return to her desk.
“Well this should prove interesting.” Wesley, the master of
understatement chimes up.
They all silently agree as their old adversary arrives and immediately
makes himself at home with his usual smarmy arrogance. Angel stares at the
haughty waste of skin until the man breaks and drops his eyes, causing Angel to
grin.
“What are you doing here Lindsey?” He asks without preamble.
“I’m here to offer my services to you and Wolfram & Hart once again.
I have certain valuable talents that I think you could make use of.” The
conceited prick starts to say.
“Oh my lord, who is THAT?” Fred squeaks and
everyone’s heads turn to see Spike stalk off the elevator. He is as always an
awe inspiring sight on any day but it seems that this night he’s gone to pains
to look incredibly even more desirable. Dressed head to toe in black leather
from his boots to the tight form fitting hip huggers to…
Angel has to bite back a groan as he realises that Spike has replaced his old duster with a newer model
that buckles at the waist with a collar that rises to frame his delectable neck.
He groans again as he realises
that the jacket has been carefully tailored specifically for Spike, the cut and
lay of the leather is just too perfect. The design of the jacket is wickedly
clever crossing the functionality of a coat with that of a tunic type top
allowing Spike to forego wearing a shirt if he wishes. This evening it looks
like he wishes. All eyes are locked on the man stalking his way across the
lobby floor. Stalking is a very good word to describe how Spike walks. No human
being walks that way; one muscle at a time weight carefully shifting in a
symphony of sinuous motion that only the great cats can match. He is all
predatory focus and deliberation. While he knows that too many he would be consider among the strongest and most
powerful Vampires, Spike’s powers are much more insidious and deadly. While
Spike may not be as physically powerful as some Vampires, there is no greater master of seduction among their kind. With
room to manoeuvre and the time to work his charms there would likely be no one
that could withstand his seductive charm for very long.
Seductive charm that is even now; stalking its way towards his office
with their sexy owner. Harmony is suddenly in front of him, stopping him with a
purring voice and a caressing hand stroking down his chest.
Angel grins to see Spike back up subtly so her hand is no longer
touching him as he stands there talking to her and shaking his head as he
lights up a cigarette.
“THAT Fred; is Spike.”
Wesley says, sounding slightly breathless. “He is one of the deadliest Vampires
in the world and one of Angel’s Childer.”
“Deadly or not, sign me
up for a ride on that blond
pony.” Lorne says making approving noises.
“That’s the one you told me about? Earned that nickname for the nasty
trick with the railroad spikes?” Gunn says surprised. “Wow…I thought he’d be
taller.”
Angel stifles a laugh at that comment. With the aura of presence and
power that surrounds Spike; it is easy to forget that he is actually rather
gracefully built. It has deceived many an opponent underestimating just how lethal
the lithe blond Vampire really
is. He knows that Spike deliberately gives the impression of being much less
intelligent and formidable than he actually is. He knows that it is the sheer
cunning brilliance of such a simplistic ruse that is one if the reasons that
holds the position in Vampire society that he does, being as young as he
is.
“He’s very…VERY.” Fred blinks unable to find the words she’s looking for
to describe the vision that stops in the doorway to lean on the jam and her
mouth drops open. It takes her several moments of opening and closing her mouth
to actually manage to get it closed and blushes and smiles shyly.
Angel smiles as Spike shakes his head a final time, then simply steps around Harmony and
continues his stalking gait towards his office.
“I wouldn’t worry about that Fred;
I haven’t been able to come up with a descriptive phrase that has done him
justice in over a hundred and thirty years either.” Angel laughs quietly. “He’s
just SPIKE.”
He takes a long slow drag of his cigarette and exhales slowly as a
corner of his lips tilts up and he purses his lips slightly. “‘Ello Ducks.
Looking very modish this evening, Peaches; very flamey.” He says with a slow
wink that has Angel grinning.
Spike lifts the edge of his duster and flips it over his hip with an
impatient movement slipping the fingertips of one hand partially into the
pockets of his leather jeans. He lets his eyes run over the group, easily
placing names with faces from scattered phone conversations over the last couple
of years. He subtly extends his senses and feels the currents of emotions
flowing through the room and narrows his eyes on the arrogant prick staring at
him like he’s covered in chocolate and rolled in nuts. He sways forward, one
hip at a time, his eyes locked on the Lindsey, who is staring at him
enraptured.
Lindsey stares at the Demon
vision before him and licks his lips, fidgeting in his chair as his erection
threatens to burst in his tailored pants. He starts to pant as the Demon stops with his legs pressed
against his own and swallows heavily as the position places his nose
uncomfortably close to the button of those tight leather jeans. He can’t help
the chocked moan that escapes as those hips slowly circle as the Demon writhes into a graceful crouch
in front of his chair. He catches his breath at the sight of that beautifully
feral set of blue eyes framed so perfectly by those chiselled facial features
so faultlessly crafted by nature. He stares hungrily as those graceful hands;
hands he knows could easily rip him apart; settle lightly over his knees and
flex lightly. He wants to growl with jealousy as those beautiful eyes slowly
flick from his to some point above and behind him and smoulder with inhuman
emotion. He aches to have that look directed at him and he’s enraged that it is
being given to another.
“Why Peaches, I know you
promised you would buy me a souvenir of my visit to LA, but really a mug would have been just fine you know. Plus he’s
never going to fit in my luggage.” Spike says with his trademark smirk as he
slowly rises to step around the flummoxed man.
The sound of chuckling; and the sight of the vision slowly rising and
stepping around him; is enough to bring Lindsey back to reality and he snaps
out of the trance. He leaps out of the chair, chest heaving with anger and
spins around to stare at Spike. He feels his eyes narrow at the sight of Angel
standing next to Spike with a hand on his nape. The stance is clearly
possessive and it’s obvious that it is a message for Lindsey that the younger
Vampire is off limits.
Angel decides to ignore Lindsey as he smiles over Spike’s display. It
gave him a wickedly delightful tingle to watch Spike stretch his seduction
skills to enthral Lindsey. It is a display he hasn’t been privileged to witness
in over a century and it thrills him to have seen it once more. If anything, his Grand-Childe has only become
more seductive with time as amazing as that it to believe.
“Everyone this is Spike, one of my childer. My
favourite Childe actually. Spike,
you’ve already met Wesley.” Angel says smoothly.
“Nice to see you again Mate.” Spike smiles and reaches into his duster
pocket and pulls out a disk. “Giles asked me to be sure that you got that. It’s
a scanned translation of an obscure Pandemonius Demonicus text we’ve been
translating. He thought you might like a copy.”
Wesley smiles excitedly and takes the disk. Angel smiles wondering if
it’s the disk or the man delivering it that has prompted that excitement.
“Spike, this is Fred.”
Spike walks over and kisses the back of Fred’s hand. “You’re a very
lovely young lady for such a masculine name. It suits you though I think. It’s
nice to have a face to go with the voice on the phone finally.”
Gunn introduces himself and smiles as Spike shakes his hand.
“It is nice to meet you as well Gunn. Angel tells me you’re quite the
fighter as well as being an indispensable legal eagle around here. I hope we’ll
have the chance to go a few rounds on the training mat while I’m here.”
Angel smiles as Gunn actually looks flustered but manages to stammer out
an approval while Spike finds himself swept up into a dramatic embrace by
Lorne.
“Let me guess Scarlet O’Hara…you must be Lorne.” Spike says with a
chuckle as Lorne sets him down after an enthusiastic hug.
Angel laughs as does everyone else but only Spike notices as Angel
manages to carefully extract him from the big green hug machine’s range. Angel
does a comical double take as he pretends to have just noticed Lindsey is still
there.
“Oh sorry, I didn’t realise
that you were still here Lindsey. You can go now.” Angel says with an imperious
gesture of dismissal that has the man storming off much to the delight of
everyone in the office.
Spike watches him go then says quietly. “Not exactly a welcome visitor I
take it?”
“A very unwelcome one indeed.” Wesley says stiffly. “He’s a hold over from the old Wolfram & hart
regime. It seems he would like to try and rejoin the ranks.”
“You know I still think lawyers must be some form of Demon.” Spike says half-jokingly and apologises to Gunn who just laughs.
The elevator opens and Spike grins as Dawn and Andrew step out and he
strides to meet them with a quiet request to be excused. Angel has to grin at
the image that stands before him. Andrew is living up to his nickname as ‘Baby Bad’. He is dressed much as Spike once did and Angel grins
to notice that the young man seems to have inherited Spike’s old duster to
complete the image. Dawn is a bit of a surprise in black boots, red leather
jeans and matching bolero style jacket over a simple black top. A wide golden
choker style circle covers much of her throat and a matching headband circles
her forehead taming back some of the shorter hair around her face. It is
obvious that the two teenagers are more than accustomed to their attire and
well adjusted to their lives on the fringes of society. For a moment Angel
despairs over their loss of any kind of real childhood but it is a very brief
grief. He knows that Sunnydale is not the town to raise children in. It’s the
Hellmouth and it spawns Warriors
or Demons. Or Angel thinks; as
he glances at his Grand-Childe; it very rarely, is the proving ground for the
rarest of the rare; a Demon born
to be a champion.
“The Childe has followed in the Sire’s footsteps.” The words from his dream
once more return to replay in his mind as Angel watches Spike walking back to
his office with an arm around each of his kids. The Hellmouth has shaped them
both into what they have become but Angel isn’t fooling himself.
He knows that Spike has always been rather atypical for a Vampire and what he
has become is due in much larger part to his own desire to be different.
Spike steers the kids into the office and introduces them to everyone.
“This is Dawn Summers and my boy Andrew. Kids these are Grandpa Angel’s
friends, Fred, Wesley, Lorne, and Gunn.”
“Your boy?” Wesley says surprised after the rounds of hellos and handshakes.
“My parents abandoned me and now Spike looks after me.” Andrew says
proudly.
“My Mom passed away and my sister is pretty busy being the Slayer and
all so Spike looks after me too.” Dawn says just as proudly.
Spike takes a deep breath and braces to give the speech he’s been
practicing since Giles spoke to him about some Wesley’s concerns. “Giles has
told me about the Shanshu Prophecy.” Everyone stops talking and looks over at
him with varying degrees of anticipation. “I think I can clear up any questions
you may have. You’re concerned over the fact that there is now two Souled Vampires right?” Wesley and
company reluctantly nod while the two kids share a knowing look. “Well that is
truly not a concern as I have no plans to ever become human.”
There is dead silence in the room
and then Spike and kids watch as everyone else starts talking at once. After a
few minutes of this Spike whistles shrilly startling everyone into silence.
“I have no intention of ever being in contention to solve the Prophecy.
I made my peace with what I am a long time ago. While I didn’t choose to become
a Vampire, it long ago ceased to be what I am and became who I was always
supposed to be. I am a Vampire and I will always be until my time comes to lose
to someone having their real good day. I could not protect those I love as a
human, not as well as I can as a Vampire so a Vampire I will always remain. I
don’t seek to atone for the past I have lead or the things I have done. I NEED
that past and the things I have done to keep my family safe, I use it to my
advantage. I have lived too much and for too long to ever go back to being
‘normal’ again. Giles and I have discussed this at length and we have it on
good…authority…that I am NOT the Vampire spoken of in the Prophecy. I thought
it would relieve a lot of anxiety to just get that out in the open and set some
minds at ease. I’m going to take the kids out for a bit of training and
slaying, we’ll be back later.” Spike puts out his cigarette in a nearby ashtray
and steers the kids towards the elevator.
“Wait, I’ll go with you.”
Angel says grabbing his jacket and following.
As the quartet disappears into the elevator Fred giggles. “Anyone else
suddenly feel like having a cigarette or a cold shower?” Three hands go up
amidst nervous laughter.
Spike ahead at Angel’s back and marvels at the changes in his Grandsire. He lifts a hand to the back
of his neck and touches it lightly. It still tingles from the weight of the
possessive caress Angel rested there. As this town is Angel’s home territory it
was decided that he would take the lead while he took the rear guard position
with the two teenagers in the safer position of being between them. A low hiss,
lower than any human could hear, sounds like a shout to his sensitive ears. He
makes a low chuffing sound deep in his throat but it is a sound the teenagers
know well and react to instantly, splitting up and seeking out the concealing
shadows on either side of the street. At the same moment Angel and Spike split
right and left, joining their charges in the shadows, obeying ancient cues of
the hunt that neither has ever forgotten from their many years together. Spike
grabs the edge of his duster and whips it around Dawn, concealing her beneath its protective folds, as he moves them
silently into the deepest of the black shadows.
Angel nods pleased that his Childe has forgotten nothing of their time
together. In truth of fact, it feels as though no time at all has passed
between them though his heart is shouting that way too much time has passed
them by. A Soul is such a small
thing to keep two Soulmates apart after all. He should never have left Spike
when Darla forced him to leave. He should have been strong enough to admit; if
even in his own mind; the truth of what he really wanted to do. He should have
staked Darla and Dru and every other Childe he’d ever made. Every one but one;
he thinks as he looks across the alleyway; the only one that has always been
the exception in his long existence. So many times through the years he has
wanted to return to the side of his Childe. Here in the darkest of shadows he
can finally admit that and regret that his insane Childe had the good fortune
to stumble on the sinful banquet that would become Spike first. Now here in
this place, perhaps now he can reclaim his Soulmate once more.
Angel casts off his maudlin thoughts as a group of Vampires moves
through the alley towards them. He casts his glance across the way and catches
the flash of amber in the shadows as he locks eyes with Spike and a silent
message is exchanged. Two sets of amber eyes watch as the group of Vampires
turns down another side street and after several moments Angel steps out into
the alley, meeting Spike and stalking down the street with Dawn and Andrew
following silently. The reach the end of the street and cautiously glance
around the corner and spy the group of fledglings milling around. There are a
good twenty of them and instinct tells Angel that with so many minions in one
place their Sire is surely nearby. Within moments four other Vampires arrive
and he grins at being right. A Sire
and what looks to be three Childer.
He gets no real sense of power from any of them so they must be fairly young
and from a minor bloodline. He meets Spike’s gaze and he sees the knowledge
that he has read the scene the same and he nods.
He watches with stunned amazement as Spike turns to the two teenagers
and ‘speaks’ to them quickly and silently in a complicated form of sign
language that was once used in the golden age of the Vampire clans. It was
rarely used by anyone outside the major clans but Angelus took great pride in
drilling all of his Childer in the ancient forms. He is both shocked and
pleased that not only has Spike remained fluent in the ancient code, he has
preserved it by teaching it in turn to Dawn and Andrew; much as a Sire would to
his Childer. It suddenly blindsides him; Spike is raising Dawn and Andrew as
human Childer, imparting the lessons learned in his own fledgling youth, only
modified to account for their weaker human bodies.
Spike completes the last motion of his hands chuckling inside at the
look of surprise on Angel’s face. He wonders if Angel will be angry once he
gets over the shock and realises
that Dawn and Andrew have been raised according to Childer tradition. Much of a
Childe’s early education consists of survival skills like hunting and fighting
and other practical matters. Certain mental disciplines are instilled early,
like respect for one’s Sire and devotion and obedience without question. He has
taken pains to drill his young ones until they react instinctively without
question when it is necessary and it is a trait that has saved their lives on
several occasions. He smiles as wooden daggers appear in Dawn and Andrew’s
hands and their eyes focus and lock on their objective. He nods to Angel as he
pulls his own set of wooden daggers out and readies himself.
Angel rises and straightens his shoulders and throws his head back as
Spike and the kids step into place as naturally as water slipping over a rock.
Spike steps to his left and slightly behind him as Andrew does the same to his
right and Dawn slips in slightly behind him. From that position she is afforded
the cover of their bodies and will pick off anything that gets by the frontline
pointmen as well as watch for any attacks from the rear. Angel is pleased to
see that Spike remains a formidable tactician as well as a fighter and that he
has drilled that knowledge into the young ones.
They follow as a unit as they turn the corner silently and stop waiting
to be noticed. It doesn’t take long for the other Vampires to feel the presence
of two elder Vampires of their strength and the comical scrambling they do
amuses him no end. It has been a long time since he has instilled this level of
fear and intimidation and truthfully he’s enjoying it. A quiet chuckle from his
left tells him that Spike has noticed and agrees.
“Well, well what have we here? A gaggle of geese have escaped their pond
and are trespassing in my territory. We can’t have that now can we Spike?”
Angel growls menacingly.
“Poor form that, Angelus. I think perhaps we should just kill them all
though as stupid as they are to cross our territory without presenting
themselves to you, I’m sure they would have died soon enough anyway.” Spike
says smoothly dropping into a fighting crouch.
Several of the Vampires back up, while a few actually run off when they realise who they’re dealing with.
Arrogance however stops most of them from fleeing.
“We don’t care who you are, you’ll die all the same.” One of the
Master’s Childer says boldly.
It’s the last word she says as she explodes into dust as one of Spike’s
daggers is cast with deadly accuracy into her heart and the battle begins.
Despite their greater numbers most of the minions are rather weak and for the
most part predictably feebleminded and they’re taken out fairly easy.
Spike’s keen ears pick up the sounds of running feet; realising that the minions that ran
off may have overcome their fear and are returning to try and out flank them.
He scans the surroundings and smiles. He pivots smoothly and grabs Andrew by
the back of the coat and spins hurling him with easy strength towards a fire
escape. He smiles as Andrew catches the edge and easily vaults over the railing
and lowers the ladder as Dawnie leaps and catches it and climbs up before he
pulls up the ladder.
Angel watches the whole thing with half an eye; he’s amazed at the
skills the two young people displayed and their easy camaraderie with their
much older
“Duck Spike,
With the assistance of the youngsters the fight is over fairly quickly
and with little bloodshed on their part. Angel finds he’s overcome with the
adrenaline and shifting into his Demonic
Form he roars a victory cry;
that is instantly echoed by Spike and surprisingly enough two human voices.
Spike is stunned back into human form as Angel grabs him by the
shoulders and yanks him into a deep tongue thrusting kiss that seems to last
forever. By the time Angel releases him from the kiss, his brain is mush. It
takes him a few seconds to realise
the kids are clapping and cheering good naturedly from the fire escape at the
display their elders put on. Spike realises
his arms are clinging around Angel’s neck as he leans over and realises that Angel has picked him up
clear off his feet and is holding him several inches off the ground and he
chuckles.
“Miss me did ya, peaches?” He says jokingly as he carefully releases his
arms and pushes off Angel’s chest to land lightly on his feet. He doesn’t wait
to hear Angel’s answer as he stalks over to stand beneath the fire escape. He
grins and claps his hands and crouches wiggling his fingertips and Dawn and
Andrew laugh and climb up on the railing. Dawn leaps into a simple summersault
into a pike and laughs as Spike catches her perfectly balanced across his arms
while Angel laughs and cheers.
Spike’s smile turns into a grin as he yells. “Hey Angel, CATCH!” And he
tosses Dawn easily the ten feet to Angel who catches the hilariously laughing
young woman with ease. He claps his hands again and Andrew swan dives off the
fire escape twisting into a pike position and Spike catches him easily and
laughs as Andrew squirms around like a wiggly eel until he’s riding his back.
Angel laughs as Spike walks over carrying Andrew like a human backpack. He
grins and flips Dawn around to his own back and the Vampires stroll down the
alley and head for home, carrying their precious burdens.
It is at that moment that the man and the Demon that make up the whole of his being realise what they have truly been missing from their shared life.
The simple pleasure and joy of having a family to complete their lives is
within their grasp.
As they’re walking, they talk softly, in tones so deep they sound like
little more than purrs to their happily chatting passengers who are having a
ball and enjoying the ride.
“Would…could you tell me about you and Buffy?” Angel asks hesitantly.
“Ah yes my grand folly as I like to call it. I’m still not sure what I
really saw in her if I were being honest. I think it was a combination of her vulnerability
and her unassailability. She was just so wounded when she came back and she
needed an outlet for that and I guess my years with Dru instilled a need in me
to help her. I realised right
away that of course it was a totally ridiculous situation but somehow once it
started I just couldn’t seem to find my feet again. When I left for
Angel’s ears perk up at Spike’s words. It sounds like his Childe has
solved a mystery that has long baffled him and he waits for him to continue.
“I was 26 when I was turned, for the time in which we lived I was well
into my adulthood. Buffy is a child compared to me; not for the hundred plus
years I have lived but because of the life I once lived. In those 26 years I
had seen much of the world as had you, in a world where 45 was considered a
rather old age over half our lives had been lived already. Buffy is a child,
every thing about her is child-like. She’s an excellent Slayer but frankly
she’s pretty useless at living any kind of a day to day life. I want the one I
love to be my partner, not someone I have to baby sit or worse practically
raise like a child. I am a Vampire and I actually ENJOY it. It’s who I am and
Buffy will never truly accept me for what I am because of that very fact. Also
I can admit this now, she’s just damn annoying!” Spike says with a wince.
Angel has to laugh as he realises
that Spike is right about everything. She just IS that damn annoying. “Truer
words my boy, truer words.” The pair shares a quiet laugh.
“So care to tell me why you REALLY brought us here? Was it so Wesley
could solve the whole Shanshu conundrum thing? If so I could have put your
minds at ease over the phone ya know, Peaches.”
“Well I’m sure that probably featured into Wesley’s reasons for asking
you here.” Angel says embarrassed. “What you said back in Sunnydale…that wasn’t
true you know. There has never been anyone that meant as much to me as you did…as
you DO.”
“You are lying to yourself Angel and you know how I know that you are?
It’s because you’ve SHOWN me differently, more times than I care to think about
actually, just where I stand in your life. First it was Dru who you frankly had
little time for until she made me and then you couldn’t keep your bloody hands
off of her! You killed my entire family and brought me their heads, their HEADS
Angel because I dared to defy you and slept with Dru after you ordered me not
to! You made me love you and you abandoned me with the same crazy Vampire YOU
created and punished me for daring to touch. You did everything you could to be
sure I would never forget just who I belonged to didn’t you!? Then you were gone,
all Soul having and boohoo’ing
over having a Soul and I
belonged to what? YOUR crazy Childe that would have
staked me in a minute to be with her precious Daddy that’s who! Let’s not
forget about your obsession with Buffy that almost landed the planet in HELL,
while you shagged Dru and left me CRIPPLED in a bloody wheelchair! Yeah I am feeling the love Angel in our history,
mostly not! I know exactly where I fit in your sanctimonious life Hero of the
people. I’m just the rest stop that you pull into once in a blue moon, shit up
my life for a while, and drive on down the way to whatever Chippy is your new
obsession! Don’t tell me that I’m the great love of your life, Angel because we
both know I am anything but that to you. I don’t know what you hoped to accomplish
with this little family get together and frankly I don’t care. We’ll stay the
few days we agreed to then I am taking my children back to Sunnydale and you
can get over whatever trauma is your brooding subject of late.” Spike’s tone of
voice, though quiet and below the range of the kids happily chattering away,
it’s clear that he considers the subject closed.
Angel lets whatever words of denial that were forming die as Spike
narrows his eyes and glares and the trip back to Wolfram & Hart is without
further incident.
A few days later Angel is staring as the only man he has ever loved with
his whole being; Soul and Demon alike; walks away from him and
into the home he shares with the Slayer.
As the door closes behind Spike all of the emotions that he has pent up
over a century; suddenly flood through him. A million images of his boy and the
countless ways he had hurt him or worse allowed others to hurt him all
cascading through his consciousness. The first cracks begin to show, the
tendrils of the deeper dark that he has always fought to keep at bay, he now
welcomes. Light and dark begin to merge slowly as the darkness curves and coils
around the light briefly eclipsing it before snapping back to embrace it. The
man and the Demon intertwine as
they finally reach out after a century of fighting. If they are going to
reclaim that which has always been theirs it will take a united front. After
several nerve wracking minutes slumped over his steering wheel Angel lifts his
head and slowly a smile curves his mouth up. From the ashes of Angel’s
dissention and Angelus’ contention a new being arises that is both and neither.
He is simply Angelus and as the moon ascends to its rightful place, it shines
its benediction down upon a newly born being and smiles.
Angel slowly reaches over and picks up his cell phone and dials a number
from memory.
“This is Angel; you’ve still got an agent on her trail? Good, have her
bagged and brought to
Spike is growling about the injustices of the world as Manchester U is
bumped from the finals as Giles yells at him to shut up and see who’s knocking
on his bloody door. Spike wrenches the door open and for a minute he just
stands there and stares. He leans back inside intending to say something to
Giles but he closes his mouth and leans forward and just stares dumbfounded at
the sight of his Grandsire and
Sire standing outside Giles’ front door.
Angel stares hungrily at his blond
Grand-Childe and tightens his arm where it’s banded around Dru’s throat, a cold
smile curving his lips as she struggles but fails to break his hold. He slides
the arm he’s been holding behind back around front and he twirls the stake in
his hand with easy skill.
“I do believe you mentioned a little something about there always being
someone between us.” Angel says smoothly. “Now you see her…” Angel plunges the
stake into Dru and tosses the useless bit of wood aside as her ashes rain down
and his hand sinks into Spike’s shirt yanking him out of the doorway. “…Now you
don’t.” And he pushes the catatonic Vampire against the side of the apartment
and lifts him off his feet.
Spike finally realises
just what he saw and starts to struggle but curses as he realises that Angel has effectively
removed his leverage. As he opens his mouth to shout for Giles, he finds his
mouth taken in a hard passionately brutal kiss that steals his will away, even
as the logical part of his mind screams the truth at him. Angelus is back and
he’s likely going to die.
Angel moans as Spike gradually returns the kiss and he pulls back and
buries his fangs into the ivory perfection of Spike’s throat; gulping the hot
rich blood that fills his mouth with hungry purrs of satisfaction.
The draining attack has caught him by surprise and Spike is weakened
before he realises what is
happening and is unconscious within moments. The last image to fade from his
darkening vision is the golden brown eyes of his Grandsire staring into his with naked want.
Angelus carefully sets his unconscious prize down and arranges him
comfortably against the side of the apartment’s wall and strokes his hand down
that flawless cheek and purrs.
“I told you that there was never anyone between us. You didn’t listen to
me, my deliciously stubborn boy so I’m going to have to show you. You’re going
to realise yet my lad just what
your place truly is in my world. You’re going to come to me because you’re
going to realise that you’ll
never be complete without me, US. I’m going to remove each and every doubt you
have, by whatever means necessary.” Angelus presses an amazingly tender kiss to
the Spike’s still lips and wrapping his duster around him and climbs the steps
up from Rupert’s apartment whistling a jaunty tune and vanishes.
TBC
In Part Three: Angelus’
campaign to win back Spike steps into full gear as the Scooby gang tries to
save Spike from his campaign of stalking and seduction. Only does Spike really
want to be saved?