AUTHOR: Ophelia / Rainie
EMAIL: ophelia_rd@yahoo.com - rainee_sl@yahoo.com.au
DISCLAIMER: Joss, not I.
DISTRIBUTION: Let me know where it's going
CATEGORY:
RATING: M
PART: 2/4
FEEDBACK: Yes please!!!
VISIT ME: http://www.oocities.org/dra_gon_fly_er/
NOTE: Please be patient with the dyslectic and the seven and a half finger typist, we are trying - honestly!
Extreme Measures 2/4
He knew that she knew he was coming and very much appreciated the fact that she wasn't playing games with him or even worse, trying to cut of the connection altogether.
He felt the pull getting stronger the longer he headed down south.
Maybe it wouldn't be that difficult after all.
And maybe she'd forgiven him the uppercut over her Fungi Fuck?
He cringed by the mere thought of his sire's newest lover.
A Fungi Demon of all, how far could one possibly…
He viciously hit the brakes, causing a littler turmoil amongst the following traffic.
Horns blared and angry voices shouted - Spike, however, couldn't care less.
He'd found what he'd come to find!
He boldly parked the car on the walkway, right in front of the deteriorated old hotel.
He'd care about the fine later - or even better, let Angel care about it.
He burst into reception, listened inside himself for a second and hurried upstairs.
"Dru? Pet?"
He noisily thumped at the door.
"I know you're in there…!"
The door swung open, followed by a much annoyed:
"So what?"
"YOU???"
His lips moved but the words caught in his throat.
He blinked, rapidly, but the picture remained the same.
Right in front of him, a mocking smile on her lips, stood Darla, of all, his eternal nemesis.
"My Spike!"
Something small and pale with gentle dark locks threw itself at him.
"Dru!"
He breathed a sigh of relief, hugging his princess for dear life - purposefully ignoring the frowning blonde female.
"My Spike, you're here…, the stars were telling me you'd come…," Drusilla happily chatted, impatiently pulling him along and headfirst into the invisible barrier shielding their room.
He growled, when he heard a light giggle followed by a quick cough and an even quicker: "Come on in, William."
He shot the blonde vampiress a pointed look, although knowing perfectly well there was no way in hell she'd let him get away with it.
However…
Another giggle…
He frowned.
Something wasn't quite right here.
Wasn't quite the way it was supposed to be.
Right?
***
"I can't believe this creep's actually got the nerve to ask for a meeting."
Buffy viciously shook her head.
She was comfortably propped up against a whole stag of cushions, brooding over what Giles had announce as 'challenging reading material' and which in fact had turned out to be two weeks of collected homework.
"You're not planning on asking him in? I mean, the guy's a vampire!"
The watcher sighed, not for the first time since he'd arrived, a long unhappy sigh.
"What if you concentrated on your reading material?" He suggested wryly, knowing the answer beforehand.
"C'mon, Giles, its bloody homework and you bloody well know it!"
He sighed, once again, sometimes he hates to be right.
"You've been around Spike far too much lately," he stated plainly, postponing the inevitable for another few secs.
"Giles!!!"
The watcher gave up, having heard that kind of voice before.
"W-w-well, what do you e-e-exp-p-pect me to do? It's not that he left me a n-n-number," he gave her a stern look, silencing the protest she had on her lips. "S-s-sure I could l-l-look him up at 25 Draper Street, b-b-but that would be the -e-e-end of it. Then they'd know t-t-that we know…"
His eyes firmly held the slayer's wild gaze.
"So," all uncertainty all of a sudden fled his voice. "Yes, I will ask him in, because whoever is behind this - they'll have imprinted certain, explicit directions on him."
He waited, patiently, gave her some time for his words to sink in.
Would she believe him?
Giles wasn't too convinced.
God, he wasn't even convinced of his own theory.
He waited.
And waited.
Watched her scrunch up her nose and thoroughly chew her bottom lip.
Eventually the frown disappeared.
"Giles, where is Spike?"
The older man mentally congratulated himself.
Yip, she had bought it.
***
"Grrr…"
A steep frown on his face Angel carefully watched his fellow "Slayerettes".
"What is it, Angel?"
Willow was by his side immediately.
He let out a long, deep, this time inaudible groan.
"He's right."
Another groan.
Only five minutes ago he would have sworn, would have bet his soul, he'd never - never ever - say the words.
Two pair of eyes questioningly searched his face.
Another groan, now he'd even had to explain…
"I mean, Xander is right," his voice got lost under the boy's deafening cheers.
"Well, see! What did I say?"
Angel all but buried his face in the heels of his hands.
"I meant the whole back-up plan idea, in general - not the let's-kill-the-new-slayer-and-wait-what-comes-next plan you've come up with!"
"What about custody? Protective custody?"
Xander still couldn't help the fat smile lightening up his face.
He'd agreed to one of his suggestions.
Angel had agreed to something he'd said.
He let out another cry of victory just for good measure.
After all in their almost six years of acquaintance…
"Yeah, I t-t-think we should do this…"
The dark-haired boy-s head swelled to a never seen extend - now even Willow…
Who would have thought…
"I-I-I mean, of course not the protective custody thing…, b-b-but we should definitely talk to the girl…"
***
"Rupert Giles?"
"Damian Bennett?"
Seemingly casually the older watcher extended his hand.
"Why don't you come…"
"Let's not talk here."
Much to his surprise the other man actually started to walk away.
He quite couldn't believe that Bennett had actually just turned down an all entry pass.
An icy chill crept down his spine.
If Angel was right and the new master indeed was Darla's first childe, he had to be amazingly powerful to dictate such strict behavior.
Bennett hadn't even tried…
It would have been so easy…
He just could have waited for his to finish the sentence…
His master wouldn't even have to know…
If Giles hadn't seen his vampire visage…
He never would have guessed…
"Well, what do you say?"
The questioning inflection of the other man's voice immediately brought him back to reality.
"Eh…, yes, very well…," Giles hurried to supply, hoping he hadn't just agreed to something…
Something like…
Something well….
Something horrible…
"Great," Bennett grinned with an approving nod. "I'm seriously dying for a Snakebite and Black!"
***
"So, what we gonna do now?"
A clueless look upon his face Xander turned around to face Willow and Angel.
They had agreed on staying away from the slayer - for now.
Why bother with the girl, if the much desired source of information quite literally was served on a silver plate.
So, flocked in the backseat of Xander's old man's rusty old car the three friends - in stunned bewilderment - watched the two watchers march towards Bennett's black motor-bike.
If not for his vampire companion it almost would have been funny to see Giles, of all, clumsily climbing on the back of said bike.
Well, obviously they weren't the only ones on their toes.
"Time for plan B."
Angel stiffly unfolded his hulking form, carefully stretching one limp at a time.
"Plan B?" Willow gazed at him questioningly. "I didn't know we had a Plan B? - Do we have a Plan B?"
The two teenagers focused on Angel.
"Well…," the dark-haired man took a long unneeded breath. "We're not going to kill her, or take her in custody," he shot Xander a stern look. "We'll talk to her, just talk - did I manage to make myself clear?"
On the boy's nod he let out an audible sigh.
"Great!"
***
//You have reached the voice-mail-box of 'Angel Investigations'. Your call is important to us. Please leave your name and number and we will come back on you shortly.//
"Angel? This is Cordelia."
"Cordelia, give me that phone! It is of explicit importance that…"
"Will you back off already! Angel, remember you told us about this CerJthag Demon…"
"Y-y-yes, we actually d-d-did some research…"
"Stop yelling at me, Wesley!"
"I wouldn't have to yell, if you just gave me that receiver!"
//Your call has been recorded. Thank you for calling 'Angel Investigations.//
***
//You have reached the voice-mail-box of 'Angel Investigations'. Your call is important to us. Please leave your name and number and we will come back on you shortly.//
"Angel? This is Wesley - about that CerJthag Demon… well…, according to my sources CerJthag Demons have a non-violent history, in the old days they were used for protection and entertainment…"
"What Wesley here is trying to say is that…"
"Cordelia!"
"…they are semi-evil, sorta like Spike, that's unless you actually make a move for their protectee…"
//Your call has been recorded. Thank you for calling 'Angel Investigations.//
***
"Giles!!!'
Buffy's face lit up like a flame, when she recognized the late visitor.
"Buffy…, eh yes…, hello…"
The watcher heavily sat down on the white plastic chair next to the slayer.
"So eh…, how are you tonight…?"
The little girl fixed him with a baffled gaze.
"How am I???" She echoed in a bewildered voice. "Hel-lo-w, I wasn't the one dating a vampire!"
She frowned and thought about her statement for a second.
"Well, at least not tonight…"
She blushed.
"So, how was your eh… your… well… meeting? Yeah, meeting… how was your meeting? How was your meeting with Damian Bennett?"
"Very well, thank you very much."
He silently grinned at her growing frustration and clumsy attempt to change the topic.
"So, he didn't try to attack?" Buffy impatiently drilled into him.
The older man let out a heavy sigh.
"No, he didn't try to attack," he reached for the girl's tiny hand. "He didn't even try to make me ask him in."
On Buffy's puzzled expression Giles hurried to explain.
"Well, I mean…, if I hadn't seen him all vamped out and game-faced, going for the slayer… I never would have guessed…"
Her steep frown remained unchanged.
"So what have you been up to then?" She inquired impatiently.
"Well, we went to the pub and had a couple of beers…"
"You went to the pub - with this vampire???"
The former slayer's chin literally hit the floor, hard.
'My watcher's gone mental,' she quietly diagnosed.
She pulled away from the hand covering hers, trying to get some distance between them.
"Listen, Buffy," Giles hold on her tightened. "Nothing happened - we had some beers and a polite little chat, that's all."
The petite girl relaxed.
"So, what did he say?"
Yeah, what did he say? The watcher drew in a big gulp of much needed air.
"He expressed his condolence about your condition."
Buffy let out a very unlady-like snort.
"What else?"
"He basically suggested the same thing the CerJthag had told you - to back off and stay away from his slayer."
They exchanged a long unhappy look.
What else could he say?
"Her name is Jasmine…"
"Jasmine?" The slayer deliberately took the bait. "Sounds nice."
***
"Prepare to die, slayer!"
The tall black-haired girl furiously turned to face her attacker.
"Damian, why don't you fucking get a new line!"
A surprised frown ripped her forehead.
"And who the fuck are you?!?"
She angrily snapped at the hulking dark figure.
"My name is Angel and I think the two of us should have a talk - Xander!"
The young slayer never had a chance to react, when a second dark figure approached her from behind and efficiently incapabling her compliments to a smelly old linen sack.
"You bloody-rotten-god-damned-mother-fucking bastard, you just wait until…"
"Aaaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh…!!!"
The rest of her tirade got lost under the ear-shattering roar of a rapidly approaching royally pissed CerJthag.
"Willow!"
"WILLOW!!!"
Jasmine bucked and kicked, however, with her body dangling five feet above the ground, across somebody else's back there wasn't much she could do.
"Ouch!!!" She complained more annoyed than hurt when her head non too gently acquainted with a sturdy metal door.
'I'm in a car,' she realized seconds later. 'Dumped on the backseat.'
"Hurry, Wills!"
Doors noisily slammed shut and the car's unprepared engine violently screeched when ruthlessly forced into a blitz-start.
'Poor Sherlock!'
Despite her own misery Jasmine felt sorry for the demon.
Her vampire captor and his little friends didn't mean her any harm - so much she had sensed - Duncan, however, wouldn't be that obliging.
He'd probably have her guardian's scales, one by one, for the CerJthag's incompetence.
'Poor Sherlock!' She sighed thoroughly. 'And once again it wasn't even his fault.'
***
"Aaaaaaooooouuuuuaaaaahhhhh…!!!"
The massive CerJthag let out a long painful bawl.
The phrase; "Don't kill the messenger," seemed to bee an alien one to his master.
Alright, he was more than just a plain messenger, but still…
"One more cry and your vocal cords will be gone!"
The shiny little dagger playfully scraped along his larynx.
Chained to the floor, drenched in the rich purple of his very own blood, the CerJthag all but looked at his master.
Cries.
Pleading.
Eye-contact.
Were considered signs of weakness.
And there was nothing his master despised more, than weak and unworthy behavior.
He had seen him torturing, seen him punishing others many times before.
As well as he had seen him after others had had a go at him.
He was a man of steel.
Ruthless and without compassion.
Well, that was except for the little girl sharing his home.
To all the world he had done horrible things to her, too.
But behind closed doors…
"Aaaa-oops!"
Remembering his Lord's words the hulking man immediately clamped his mouth shut.
"Didn't I just tell you…," phosphorous eyes drilled into black ones. "Oh well, never mind!"
The razor-sharp blade soundlessly cut through his scales.
Blood welled from his throat, not too much since his master had spared major blood vessels though.
However, the pain…, the pain…
It was too much.
"Aaa…"
The scream quite literally died in his throat.
He felt the metal blade sliding back.
"Damian, find me someone to patch him up!"
There wasn't a trace of emotion in the vampire's voice.
Having witnessed his master's latest performance, the former watcher anxiously fled the room.
"Oh, and Damian," the Irishman placidly called after him. "Tell the boys to get me that punks! - No, wait, tell them to get me their families - yeah, tell them I want their mothers and fathers, alive!"
***
He pouted.
Displaying his best sire-fashioned pout.
Useless.
Dru wouldn't even notice.
And Darla…
He shot a quick glare at the sound asleep bitch.
Give, she had been polite - contrary to her usual charming self.
However…
Something wasn't quite right…
He hadn't yet worked it out, but…
The blowfish sure as hell wasn't her normal self!
Anyway, maybe he was simply reading to much into it…
After all, they were on their way to Sunnydale - flocked in a tow truck cabin - but on their way nonetheless.
The tow truck…
The peroxide blonde pulled a face.
Oh well, he'd let Angel figure out how to work the damned thing.
He shot a fierce look at the shiny convertible sitting in the back.
It must have been his lucky day today.
First, Dru had been genuinely pleased to see him.
Second, Darla had been…, well - Darla had been Darla.
And last but not least they had arrived downstairs just about in time to make a mad dash for the tow truck driver before their vehicle would have disappeared along with the truck.
However, unfortunately…
Another quick glance at the rear view mirror…
"Tell me again, William, why are we heading to Sunnydale?"
Spike let out a silent sigh, his hold on the steering wheel involuntarily tightened.
Why couldn't she just bloody shut up, the dumb shrink head!
"Tell me again, which part you didn't understand!"
He managed to keep his voice even, knowing this would only fuel her anger all the better.
"Ouch!!!"
He whined when the vampiress non too gently grabbed a fistful of peroxide blonde locks.
"Serves you right!"
He heard her grumble under her non existent breath and couldn't help the feeling of duh-hu?
This was Darla, for fuck's sake, his much-despised great-grand-sire, who'd have gutted anybody daring enough to risk a mock answer.
So what the fuck was wrong with the dimwit?
He'd sensed the difference the moment she'd opened the door.
However, with neither vampiress willing to provide a straight answer…
He groaned.
Why would Darla voluntarily stay with Drusilla?
After all, she had hated his duck!
And Dru, for decades the brunette had been petrified by her sire's sire, which was quite understanding after all the Darla along with Angelus had done to the girl.
So why???
"Ouch!!!"
He shot the fair-haired woman a murderous look.
"What was that for, you cunt?!"
He thoroughly rubbed his sore skull.
Lucky Darla, Dru was seated in between them.
He growled, once again, this time even louder - trying to keep an eye on the traffic while at the same time leaning over to smack the blonde bim in return.
Maybe not the smartest thing to do to ones elders, but that was something he would worry about at a later time.
"Ouch!!!"
He grinned.
Hit and destroyed!
"My Spike," a sleepy voice scolded him gently. "You mustn't tease your little sister like that."
+Oh yeah, I mustn't tease my little sister like that.+
He shot the blonde a dirty look.
+I mustn't tease my little…+
The dirty look turned into a frown.
+I mustn't tease WHOM???+
A delighted giggle was all the answer he got.
+I mustn't tease…, nah, can't be true!+
"Drusilla???"
He tapped his sire on the shoulder.
"Ducks, you didn't just say what I think you just said, right?"
Once again his only answer was a delighted snigger.
"Drusilla???"
Nothing.
"Drusilla??? - DRU???"
***
//This is the answering machine of Rupert Giles, I can't come to the phone right now but if you leave your name and number I'll call you back as soon as I can.//
"Mr. Giles, this is Duncan O'Connor. I will give you five hours, sharp, to return my assets - else, I'll unfortunately have to destroy Mrs. Summers and Mr. And Mrs. Harris and Rosenberg!"
***
"Okay, just for the protocol, my name is Jasmine St. Pierre-O'Connor and you'd be well advise to let me call Duncan and explain the whole thing."
Five stunned faces stared at the girl.
In lack of option Willow, Xander and Angel had taken her to the first place to strike their minds.
So, here they were, at Sunnydale General Hospital, in the confined space of Buffy's small room, a downright pissed off slayer in tow, facing a thoroughly perplex watcher and an even more perplex former slayer.
Much to their surprise, their captive had behaved amazingly well.
No more bucking or kicking although no signs of participation either.
"Well?"
The back-haired girl held up her bound hands all the while gesturing towards Angel's cell phone.
"Oh c'mon, people, this is getting stale," she went on when her counterparts failed to comply. "It's not like I'd be going anywhere anytime soon."
He five friends simply kept staring at her in dismay.
Xander, Willow and Angel because of her calm, in-hostile behavior and Buffy and Giles…, well they still couldn't quite believe who their comrades had kidnapped.
"You!"
The raven-haired girl sternly focused on Angel.
"You said you wanted to talk - well, here is your chance, let's talk, for Christ's sake!"
So she was angry, despite her smooth surface.
The surprised vampire shied away from the blasting green look.
"Why do you live with this monster?"
In the end it was Buffy, who unceremoniously fired the sixty-four thousand dollar question at her.
"He wouldn't appreciate me discussing private issues with strangers. " The other girl replied with a smile. "but I can assure you that," her eyes darted from Buffy to Angel and from Angel to Giles. "I can assure you, that me living with Duncan doesn't in the least interfere with my obligations as the Slayer."
Once again silence followed the girl's even statement.
Her offhanded way of referring to the new master was shaking them to the core.
How long had she been living with this monster to actually look at him as a friend?
By now they all had consumed enough background material to know about Duncan O'Connor and the terrors he'd inflicted on just about everybody - human or not - unlucky enough to cross his path.
For some reason he'd kept a lower profile than most other master vampires, but the details that eventually had seeped through the grapevine…
The man was a monster!
A demon through and through.
Whatever Angel had done to Drusilla paled in comparison to Duncan O'Connor.
And recalling how brutally he had hurt Dru in order to archive her total and unconditional obedience…
Angel shivered.
His long dead heart involuntarily went out for the valiant young woman.
He couldn't make out any visible injuries, but then again with a history like O'Connor this sure, as hell didn't mean a thing.
After all, his very own demon had been a specialist in breaking bones without outside evidence or breaking the skin.
"Hel-lo-w?!" The girl's crystal clear voice cut through the silence. "Get this ties off of me, now, so I can call home and let them know I'm alright."
Her quiet authority involuntarily made Xander obey.
"Xander, no!!!" Willow shouted a warning, however, too late.
"Thank you - Xander?"
To their all surprise the girl remained calm and didn't even try to escape.
"Buffy?" She quietly approached her spellbound predecessor. "I must apologize for my guardian's behavior. He was never meant to attack you…"
"You…!!!" The former slayer's hazel eyes lit up in surprise. "…you…, I took you for a vampire…"
Her face drained of all color.
"…if not for…"
"…if not for my guardian I'd say you would have pierced my heart." The other girl finished with a laugh. "Don't worry, I would have assumed the same thing had I caught you chatting up Damian - by the way, he is my watcher."
She gave the five friends an apologetic shrug.
"Oh, and before I forget, I've already grilled Duncan about a portion or spell - anything to fix up your legs…, he says it's possible but the person who's be able to help is somebody he'd rather forget…"
This was big news.
Tears of hope and dismay welled up in Buffy's big eyes.
But before the tiny blonde had a chance to verbalize her surprise, Giles had already grabbed the other girl by the hand and dragged her outside.
"I need you to tell me exactly what you know about this portion…"
They heard him questioning her before the heavy hospital door fell shut behind watcher and slayer.
***
"Well, enlighten me, oh master, what are we doing at Sunnydale Hospital?"
Darla pointedly glared at the blonde.
"Dru, tell her to shut up, if you're planning on keeping her around!"
He grinned, thoroughly sated.
After his initial shock about his latest sibling Spike hadn't just adapted but downright started to enjoy their new roles.
After all, he was Drusilla's first and therefore respectable childe!
Moments like this were what made decades of suffering through ancient laws and vampire hierarchy worth a while.
After an eternity of Darla making his unlife a living hell it now was finally his turn to be in control.
"Shut up, D, if you know what's good for you!"
He told the vampiress gleefully, since Dru - as usual - chose to not interact.
Oh, it was like birthday Eastern and Christmas in one day!
"Well, ladies, here we are!"
Figuring nobody would be dumb enough to tow away a tow truck, Spike boldly parked the vehicle right in front of the sign reading 'Keep clear at all times - emergency staff'.
***
"Why don't you go home?"
Angel quietly suggested to the two half-asleep teenagers.
Almost two hours had passed since Giles had disappeared with the new girl.
Xander glanced at her watch, trying to suppress a big yawn.
A quick glance at the sound asleep slayer told him Angel was right.
There was nothing they could do here.
"you sure you want us to leave?" Willow, nonetheless, had to make sure.
The dark-haired vampire gave her what he hoped to be a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, Willow," he nodded. "I'll be fine. You just go home and get some sleep"
In the end tiredness won over the redhead's concern.
"Good night, Angel."
"Good night, Willow." The vampire's dark eyes focused on Xander. "Make sure you get her home save."
"Will do."
For once the boy concurred, immediately and without a fight.
One last look at their sleeping friend before the padded door quietly clicked shut.
***
"Hey, slayer, you're awake?"
Like a flash of lightening Angel flew across the room to grab the late visitor.
"No she is not!" He growled, having long since recognized the low voice. "But feel free to come in, since there are a couple of things I've got to say to you moron!"
+That's him, selfish bugger through and through.+
+No; "Hello Spike, welcome back, how was your trip?" but; "Hey there are a couple of things I've gotta say to you…!"+
The peroxide blonde let out an angry snort.
He had a pretty good idea of what was just about to come, and it all came down to one word - Corvette!
+How could you take my car?+
+How dare you didn't ask me first!+
+How…+
"Daddy!"
The door almost crashed into Angel's face when Drusilla unexpectedly put and end to their mal bickering.
She swiftly walked up on the huge man, hesitated for one second before she settled for patting his hand.
"You have been an very nasty daddy, my Angel!"
She proclaimed with a scolding frown on her beautiful face.
"Drusilla!"
The dark-haired man sighed.
+May just as well be over and done with it…+ He decided.
"Well, why don't you ask Darla to join us?"
Out of the corners of his eyes he could see Spike's mouth fall open.
Served him right!
When nothing happened, Angel audibly cleared his throat.
"You may just as well show yourself, Darla, I know you're waiting outside."
Another few seconds went by, then his sire's pretty heart-shaped face peered around the corner.
"Hi Angelus!" She giggled.
Now it was his turn to stare.
"Eh, Spike…, Drusilla? There wouldn't, by any chance, be something you think I should know?"
Another girlish giggle and then - the dark-haired vampire didn't believe his very own eyes - his hard-core sire actually blushed and nervously shied away.
"Spike?"
+Oh no!+ Angel groaned when Buffy's sleepy voice cut through the silence.
"Slayer!"
The peroxide blonde was by her side in an instant, leaving his grand-sire to deal with the vampiresses.
"What's wrong with her?"
Darla curiously eyes the blonde slayer.
Sure, Spike had said something about the girl being injured, but since Drusilla had ordered her to be a good girl, which of course meant no eavesdropping on their conversation, she'd simply curled up with her head resting in her sire's heavenly lap. And with Dru finger-combing and braiding her hair - who cared about Sunnydale, or the slayer.
Surely not Darla.
Nope, definitely not her!
However, seeing her rival helplessly tucked in a hospital bed…
The fair-haired vampiress couldn't help the fat smile curving her lips.
+Slayer!+
+Weak slayer!+
She purposefully inhaled and… dithered!
What about that distinctive slayer scent?
How come the girl smelled plain mortal?
Ignoring Angel and Spike, even her sire, Darla curiously took another step closer.
Her long-harbored aversion swiftly flashed up, but was just as quickly overruled by her lasted character-extension, namely respect, courtesy to Dru.
When she finally opened her mouth her words didn't only surprised herself.
"Tell me, slayer, what happened to you?"
"What the fuck… Spike?!?" Buffy wide-eyed stared at the woman she'd met ages ago. "How…? What…? Darla…?"
And just as though to make a bad thing worse, Jasmine - follow by two very pale teens plus a nearly panicking watcher - chose this very moment to burst through the door.
***
"Slayer!"
With a snarl, the two vampiresses launched themselves at the new girl.
"Darla! Dru! Get off of her now!"
Angel ordered just about in time to prevent Drusilla acquainting herself with the pointed end of a stake.
+She's good!+ He had to admit, involuntarily.
+No showing off, no mock bickering - goes for the plain straightforward kill!+
"Sorry about that," the dark-haired man quickly stepped in front of the girl, keeping the vampiresses at arm's length.
"You two, back off!" He barked, angrily, before he turned towards the sorrowful teens. "Xander, Willow, tell me what's wrong!"
***
+Families!+
+The bastard had gone for their families!+
Not that his demon wouldn't have done the same thing.
So why hadn't he thought about such possibility in the first place?
Even after the new girl - he still couldn't get himself to think of her as the slayer - even after she'd warned them about Duncan…
Duncan…
"Why don't you just let me call him and we'll see from there?"
Not waiting for a reaction, the black-haired girl reached for Angel's cell phone.
"Answer phone!" She huffed, waiting for the digital voice to finish. "Duncan? Hi, it's Jas, would you do me a favor and please call me back."
"Duncan?" Darla's eyes uneasily searched out her grand-sire.
"Yes, Duncan!" Spike rushed to fill in. "And yes again, it's him!"
The fair-haired woman visibly paled.
"Excuse me," Buffy demonstratively cleared her throat. "You either start the big explaining thing now, or get the hell out of my room!"
Nobody volunteered.
"Okay, let me try."
It was Jasmine, who in the end acted in response.
"Well, in a nutshell," she shot them a bemused grin. "Your buddies here took me in for a chat but instead of going for the may-I-have-a-word-with-you routine they made it to all the world and my guardian seem like a humble abduction… am I right so far?"
Three said buddies couldn't get themselves to meet her eyes.
"So, to even the odds Duncan must have made the boys go for your parents."
The natural certainty in her voice set their nerves on edge - vampire as well as human nerves.
For a human so readily to accept vampire law and to actually place it above her whole upbringing, she must have lived amongst their kind for a fair bit of time.
The question hovered on the tip of everybody's tongue.
"I don't know about them," the girl seemingly unruffled gestured towards Spike and Drusilla. "But if she is who I think she is…" Her green eyes drilled into Darla. "oh well, better check with Duncan first…"
With that she sat back signaling this was the end of her unfinished speech.
"Eh, well…, Miss St Pierre…," Giles stammered unhappily. "T-t-this still doesn't, doesn't solve the s-s-situation we've got on our hands…"
The dark-haired girl frowned.
"What about me going home?" She suggested after a moment of thinking. "Duncan is a man of honor."
She knew it was a strange thing to say about the man having hijacked this people's parents, however, it was the truth nonetheless. As long as she knew him, Edward Duncan O'Connor had always had his very own code of honor.
"But…?"
"…we still haven't talked yet?" The girl gave them a cheeky smile. "What about some tea at my place - believe me, it gets pretty boring there during the daytime."
With this she was gone.
***
"Darla - spill!"
Angel fixed the blonde with an authoritative glare.
He vampiress, however, pretended no to have noticed.
"Darla!"
Her only reply was a pout.
"Bloody hell!!!"
Cursing a blue streak, Spike grabbed his newest sibling by the arm.
"Will you already tell him what you know!"
He shook her, hard, for good measure, however, the stubborn female still wouldn't cooperate.
He quickly stepped back, when he saw the old murder flashed up in their grand-sire's usually chocolate brown orbs.