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What sound does a heart breaking make?	By : chilli Category: AtS/BtVS Crossovers > Slash - Male/Male > Angel(us)/Xander > Angel(us)/Xander Views: 24007 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy, Angel or Blade. I make no money from this.

Chapter List
- 11
- 12
FANDOM: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel the Series
TITLE: What sound does a heart breaking make?
AUTHOR: Willie J
EMAIL: wmj166@yahoo.com
ARCHIVE SITE(S): http://parrot.nearheralways.com/index.php; http://www.brain-insane.com/beyondcanon; http://www.adult-fanfiction.org
PAIRINGS: A/X, W/S
RATING: R (language)
WORDCOUNT: 12,480
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any part of Buffy et all, nor Angel the Series.
FEEDBACK: Oh please send me feedback, privately or through the list
DISTRIBUTION: List Archives
SPOILERS: Blade I; Blade II
SUMMARY:
A/N: Those of Buffyverse are naturally Joss' creations, however, any and all other characters mentioned are my own.
BETA'D BY: James & Elaine (thank you)

Chapter 12
Several hours later, Angel woke up as his ears pricked slightly. He heard a slight noise come to his sensitive hearing. Peering about the room and feigning sleep, he surreptitiously pulled his slumbering exhausted lover closer to his chest and strained to identify what had invaded their room.
There!
He froze as he felt something climb into bed with them. Narrowing his eyes against the coming brightness, he stretched out an arm and slapped the bedside light on. Revealing the intruder.
Angel’s eyes widened, then he closed them le tle to comprehend exactly WHAT he was seeing. He opened his eyes again and carefully studied the small creature standing on the bed.
It was Connor.
...wiggling his hips at him...
...and he was starkers.
Nekkid as a jaybird. Nekkid as a pig in poke. Nekkid as in with no bloody clothes on!
Angel shut his eyes hastily, unable to bear the appalling sight any longer.
“Xander?! Xander?! Wake up,” Angel hissed quietly to his lover. Not getting the response he needed, he shook the boy gently at first, then more roughly. “Xander, wake up! Don’t be scared but Connor is in the bedroom with us and he’s nekkid.!” Angel exclaimed in a hoarse scandalized tone, his voice rising to a near high-pitched yelp. He peeked up at the boy again and his mouth dropped open at the grimaces distorting the tiny face.
“And something's wrong with his face! He's making faces at me. Xander, you gotta get up!”
“Angel, Connor’s not in the room with us. There’s nothing wrong with his face and he’s most definitely NOT naked,” Xander said in a sleep husky voice without opening his eyes or moving from his comfortable sprawl against Angel.
Connor smirked at Angel, then stuck his tongue out at the vampire and wiggled his hips again.
“But Xander, the boy’s starkers! Omigawd! See, he’s doing it again!”
“No, he’s not…cuz if I were to open my eyes and see that he was in this room with us, and naked then he knows he would be turned over my knee and given a couple whacks on his very bare behind. So therefore, Connor can’t possibly be in the room with us, you see?” Xander said with sleepy calmness. But there was an unmistakable firmness in his voice that abruptly stilled Connor’s shameless display of nakedness.
Angel slowly smiled at the little gaping pagan worshipper. “So, what you’re saying is that if I were to prop you up, force open your eyes and should you, ooooh, just happen to see a nekkid boy you would immediately wallop his little hinny?”
“Yep…”
Xander smirked at the muffled squeak he heard. The mattress bounced lightly, then he heard a thud and the patter of feet rushing swiftly away. He stretched slowly and opened his eyes to meat Angel’s amused stare.
“Morning…”
“Good morning to you…” Angel whispered huskily as he brought the sleep-flushed face up to his waiting lips and communicated just how good of a morning it was in a very non-verbal way.
“Sorry about that,” Xander apologized when Angel released his mouth. “He’s been having a tough time dealing with his mom’s death these past couple of months. His father says the doctors told him that it was just a phase that he was going through and to just give him a little time.”
“Should I be expecting a visit from Dawn as well?”
“Nah…”
“Good,” Angel retorted and tumbled them back down into the sheets and showed his warm, lovely human just how much he was adored.
For several days, the mingled crews of Sunnydale and L.A. enjoyed themselves. Re-establishing their distance strained tenuous connections and reaffirmed their solidarity as they got to know Xander's young charges. And in a burst of familial kinship, Cordy and Faith generously helped keep an eye on the three children. Although Wes was privately of the opinion that it was like the blind leading the blind. An opinion unknowingly shared by a very dubious Giles and Doyle, especially when they heard Faith and Cordy were going to be keeping an eye on the kids.
With the fashion maven even relaxing her hostile attitude towards Willow enough to take all the female members on a whirlwind shopping spree. Though she was visibly reluctant to ask Buffy. Seeing how Cordy was literally choking on the words, Xander stepped in and gracefully requested the fallen ex-Slayer to accompany the rest of the girls. However, his motives were not without self-interest. Because with the women gone, the men would have the hotel all to themselves.
To the men's secret glee, their presence was strictly prohibited with a scornful look when Angel asked humbly if they could accompany the females. Taking his cue from Angel, spurred on by Wesley treading heavily on his foot, Doyle yelped out that he needed a couple more shirts. For emphasis, he plucked at the garish, multi-hued shirt. Prompting the men to ‘oooh’ admiringly and ask eagerly where he purchased said shirt.
Even Buffy found herself in tune with the women as they all shuddered convulsively. They exchanged horrified, grim looks of resolve.
Preening at the attention he was receiving, the half-demon was about to answer when Cordy explained slowly and very carefully exactly WHY the men were not coming with them. Stating in a very kind and gentle voice just how bored Doyle and the others would be trailing behind them as they visited one lingerie shop after another. Then hastily, while the men were lost in a fond daydream of such a dreaded event, the women snuck out of the hotel to their menfolk’s eternal gratitude.
Racing with prenatural speed, Spike and Angel had the playroom set up. With Gunn’s help, they had already secreted video games, food, beverages and other assorted items that would insure that the dejected, crushed left behind men would find some measure of comfort in having a ‘fuckin’ good time without those silly bints’ as Spike put it.
Angel and Xander cuddled in an overstuffed chair, simply enjoying quality time amid bites of food and tender kisses. While Spike tried to sneer at the duo, he had to admit that it was a bit difficult what with, his nummy nibbling on his neck.
Gunn glanced one time at the four men and merely shook his head in disbelief. Turning his eyes from the disturbing sight of Angel SMILING.
Dawg was SMILING!
Damn, if that wasn't some creepy shit! Gunn shuddered and concentrated his attention on beating the pants off of Connor.
Then he mumbled under his breath as the snickering kid's video go-cart zoomed past him…again. Gritting his teeth, the big black man set his jaw determinedly. His eyes narrowed and set on whoopin’ the little hustler's butt.
Doyle eyed the closed expression on Mr. Giles’ face before sighing. Gesturing silently to the pool table, he watched as the man’s eyes traveled to it then back to him. Then giving a giving a nod of acquiescence, the older man grabbed a cue and they began playing cautiously. However, before the bitingly polite comments descended into outright warfare, thus revisiting the Irish vs. English battle on American soil, they were joined by Spike and Wesley. Though to be accurate, when the vampire meandered over to the pool table with a scowl of ill-temper it was really because he was interested in seeing if the feisty, Irish banty was capable of kicking ole Rupe’s ass.
However, at Wesley's urging Spike consented to play. The scowl on his face made everyone quite aware that he was doing this under duress. For his noble attempt to play nice, he was rewarded with a sweet kiss from Wes, and a whisper of thanks from Xander. He darted an irritable look at the entwined pair and smirked. By the look on Peaches face, he had a feeling the older vampire also wanted Rupes to get a right thumping ‘round his .
In this manner they managed to pass the time before the girls returned. Whereupon Giles, along with Buffy, made his excuses and disappeared upstairs. After some minutes, Willow quietly made her apologies, claiming tiredness and vanished from among the laughing crowd of females and cringing males.
Giles, because he missed the sense of camaraderie he had experienced in prison.
Buffy because she couldn't handle the sickening togetherness of the group of friends. All the while denying the intense jealousy she felt.
And Willow, because she didn't feel she belonged. At least not yet.
Unfortunately for Giles, Angel had found a deadly secret weapon to use against Giles. A weapon so powerful. So insidious that he hesitated before deploying it. He knew that if he unleashed it, there would be no going back. Then he shrugged carelessly and called Connor to him.
When the little boy came galloping up with a wide smile of joy, Angel smiled sweetly at the innocent tot. “How’s about me and you go upstairs and get Giles to come down for supper?”
Enough careful observation of the ex-Watcher had netted him the knowledge of Giles' secretive fondness for the boy. A fondness that he had no compunction about exploiting.
Connor's brow furrowed then cleared happily. He liked spending time with Mr. Giles. He always gave him candy. “Otay...”
Taking the boy's hand, Angel matched his steps to the child's slow, one-at-a-time rate of speed on the stairs. All the while listening with amused patience the breathless gasps about what 'him and Mr. Gilef'. What they did yesterday. The day before that. And what they were going to be doing next week. According to Connor, the boy and the older man were going to be hunting Bankty demons in a couple of days. A prospect that the child seemed to be looking forward to with fiendish relish.
A hunt which should be rather interesting, Angel noted. Considering that Bankty demons were all wiped out a little over ten thousand years ago.
Growing weary of the slow pace, he picked the chattering little boy up and strode to Rupert's room. Though he was a trifle dismayed at the rapid fire words that tumbled from Connor's mouth now that the boy didn't need to struggle to breathe and talk at the same time.
“And den...and den... me and him we hit 'em and...and...they felled down,” Connor exclaimed dramatically. He mimed the tremendous blow he gave his and Giles imaginary foes for Angel's benefit.
“Really...” the vampire said in an interested tone.
“Yup...and...and...den, uhm...one of dem, him got up...and...and...him turned inta a...a....”
“A wolf?” Angel helped the boy out.
“Yeah...a wolf! And den...and den...I kilt it!”
“All by yourself?!” Angel injected a suitable amount of amazement in his voice.
Connor nodded vigorously. Almost toppling over with the force of his agreement.
“You are such a brave little boy.” The vampire looked very impressed. He had been listening to the farfetched recounting of how Connor and Rupert fought, then killed several huge monsters.
Yesterday.
All before dinner.
One thing he could say for the boy, Connor certainly had a vivid imagination. Thankfully, they were at Rupert's door or he thought his ear would fall off.
Giles heaved an impatient sigh at the knock on his door. Flinging open the door, he was dismayed to see the sunny, bright face of Connor on the other side. And Angel.
“Hi, Mr. Giles...”
“Hello Connor,” came the grudging reply. Fortunately, the tiny tot remained oblivious to the tone of voice. However, Angel's eyes faded to gold. A clear warning in his eyes.
“Uhm, we's gonna eat and...and...you comin' down?” Connor whined with wide, pleading eyes.
Giles was on the verge of giving a 'No' when he made the mistake of looking into Connor's puppy dog eyes. He could immediately feel his resistance crumbling. Gritting his teeth, he fought against the power of those deadly eyes.
“please Mr. Giles...”
“Grrrrr....” the former convict growled at a smug looking Angel. “I'm not made of stone, you know!” He snapped irritably.
Angel smiled sweetly. “I know,” he replied cheerfully. Making sure he didn't meet Connor's eyes, “Mr. Giles will be joining us for dinner after all!”
“Yea!” Connor cheered. He wiggled to get down. Once on the floor he grabbed Giles' hand and looked up at the older man. “You know what? You know what? I know how babies get borned!”
Both Giles and Angel froze. They exchanged twin horrified looks before glancing tentatively down at the little boy.
“Uhm...wh...wha...what?” Angel stammered. Feeling the intense need to blush or better yet, go get Xander. Or Cordy. Or anybody but stay here.
“Spike...uhm...him told me dat dad daddies dey go and buy some seeds and...and...den the daddies put it some water and mommies drink it. And then her stomach get big and dats the baby.” Connor hunched his shoulders. There was an expression of disgust at the information that he had gotten from Spike. He was determined never to buy any seeds at all!
Angel and Giles subtly relaxed by degrees. “If it's not too much of a bother, would you mind punching Spike when we get downstairs?” Giles asked politely. But there was a glassy look on his face as if he didn't know whether to laughter or cry.
“Don't you worry about that,” Angel assured the man in a grim tone.
Later that night amid flashing lights, people hurrying to and fro, officers speaking in codes, Detective Kate Lockley was settled in a crouch as she examined the two bodies. Regarding the two victims sprawled in an untidy heap of limp arms and legs, it was easy to see that from the torn clothing that a struggle had taken place.
With a fine disregard of the mocking looks from her fellow officers, she gave a cursory look to the bloody knife wounds on the male victim's torso, her attention narrowing suspiciously on two tiny reddened wounds on the blonde female’s left breast.
“Ah, I see you noticed those unusual stab marks on Jane Doe’s chest,” Sergeant Pete Townsend remarked with officious solemnity. Though cool mockery given away in his pale eyes. “See, that's why we decided to call you. Seeing as how you sorta investigate all the…” he paused for effect, “…really different kinda murders and crime scenes.” He carefully made sure there was no trace of smirk in his voice. No need to get himself written up on charges for yanking her chain.
Kate swiveled on the balls of her feet to give him a cold glance of dismissal. Her attention flickered to the chortling officers behind him. Her glare instantly wiping the smirks off their faces as she rose to her feet.
“Actually, nothing seems even remotely out of the ordinary,” she lied calmly. After making sure to be seen making small talk with the investigating officers, Kate turned and headed for her car.
Now she had substantial proof to deal with Angel. Solid evidence that either he or some vampire he probably knew were operating in the city. And she sternly denied the thrill of excitement at the thought of seeing the dark brooding vampire.
Grabbing her cellphone, she called Dale Meadows. Another officer that had a brush with the supernatural and was just as interested in dealing with them as she was. Their feeling was that if demons were going to be living among humans, then they damn well had better follow human laws.
Once again Kate denied the nagging voice that insisted that the only reason why she was heading over to the Hyperion was to see HIM.
The party was in full force when Xander slid breathlessly over to Angel with an excitedly chortling Michael. The laughing baby wore such a wide almost toothless smile of happiness that Angel couldn't help smiling back in return. Distracted by the irrepressible grin on both Xander and the baby's face, Angel reached for the babbling tot.
Too late he saw the mischievous grin dancing in Xander eyes just as a most offensive odor came from the baby.
“Xander Harris, you get back here!” Angel yelped half-angrily. But all he received in return was a merry giggle as the boy danced back into the laughing crowd of friends.
Turning with Michael held at arms length, Angel cast a look around to see who he could dump the baby on. His eyes fell on Giles. The outcast man was standing cold aloofness as far away from the gyrating figures of Gunn and Faith, Cordy and Doyle, Spike and Wes. Even Robin Wood was busy laughing and dancing with the group. That and having a good time annoying the Protector by calling it Gramps.
Angel's eyes returning to the joyful face of his mate. The boy was busy doing a very energetic series of movement with Dawn that in an alternate universe may have been considered dancing. Whatever he was doing, it certainly had Dawn in fits of giggles.
Giles’ eyes widened slightly when he noticed Angel's attention turn speculatively towards him. He hurriedly looked away, pretending he didn't see the vampire gazing at him. Besides, he owed Angel for putting Connor on him.
Buffy quickly faced away from her ex-lover with a tiny evil smirk of her own. The smell of Michael’s poop must be killing him, she thought with cheerful viciousness. She wasn't in the least concerned over how Angel would treat the baby. She, just as much as Giles, knew Angel handled Michael with kid’s glove. Buffy felt a giggle almost escape her lips at her little joke.
Seeing he was on his own, Angel stormed carefully into the lobby, well away from the partying going on in the garden.
“Bunch of silly pansies,” he muttered softly to himself. Then with pure spite and malice, he defiantly laid the baby on Cordy’s desk. Though he did check to make sure she couldn't see what he was doing. Grumbling, he changed the stinky nappy. Dark sadistic glee danced in his golden eyes. He deliberately dropped the soiled diaper in Cordy’s garbage can.
“That'll fix her,” he murmured to Michael who waved and kicked his feet happily. Babbling as if he agreed with the vampire in the one-upmanship between the rich girl and the vampire.
Michael grinned winsomely up at his favorite floating head. Letting out a demanding cry, he waited for the funny face to appear. Screeching with delighted laughter, he waved his arms imperiously for the funny face to come close. Arching and wiggling with all his might, Michael grabbed the funny head when it came close, patting the intriguing folds of flesh. Batting at it with his hands. He broke out in fresh giggles as the ripples slid under his hands.
There. Not there. There. Not there. Michael chortled happily at the game his toy was playing.
Angel smiled a sharp-toothed grin at the wild screeching from the baby. Shifting back and forth between human and demon, strange as it seemed, amused the child to no end. But it was a game he made sure the others, especially Spike, never saw. He shuddered. He could just imagine the twisted pleasure his grandchilde would get out of seeing him act like this. Being called a pouf was the least he could expect to hear. He didn't want to ruin any more of his reputation. So engrossed in making Michael scream with laughter, he failed to notice the approaching humans.
But he most definitely heard them.
Kate entered the hotel and froze in horror at the sight of a demonfaced Angel bending over a baby…
“FREEZE YOU SUMABITCH!” She roared, her heart stuttering in fear at the savage visage that jerked towards her, a twisted snarl of rage on his face. The baby's cries increased in volume.
Angel's head jerked upwards in surprise at the abrupt shout. Recognizing Kate in front, with her gun drawn, he wondered if he looked as gobsmacked as he felt. And silently he cursed her as well as the others with a virulence that would have shocked Cordy and Xander. And make Giles and Spike smirk knowingly. When Michael’s cries turned into screams of fear, he tried to soothe the little tot. Stopping suddenly when looks of fear and disgust on the officer's face darkened ominously.
“Put your hands ups and step away from the kid,” Kate grated out. Her voice was icy, despite the boiling rage that was threatening to choke her.
“Kate if you would please…” Angel began to say. He was exasperated at her once again, unannounced visit.
“SHUT UP!”
Wisely Angel decided to hold his tongue. Besides, reinforcements were on their way. He smirked nastily at Kate but backed away as ordered. All the while he kept a concerned eye on the baby. Squirming and wiggling with fear on the desk. He just hoped he was fast enough to catch Michael if the boy rolled off. Several days of watching Connor and Michael had him convinced the two boys moved at near vampire speed.
“Jay, grab the baby,” Kate snapped over her shoulder. Never once removing her narrowed-eyed attention from the vampire.
“You make one move towards him and that'll be the LAST thing you ever do in this life,” Xander warned the approaching man coldly from the garden entrance. He gave an icy smile when several guns jerked towards him in surprise.
“Cordy…” Angel nodded at the screaming and fitfully crying baby.
Giving the police a frigid, scathing look of haughty contempt, Cordy hurriedly rushed over to take the wailing baby in her arms. Soothing him with quiet whispers of nonsense until his cries faded to hiccupping whimpers. Backing away to safety, behind Gunn, Doyle and Robin’s more solid forms, she contented herself with muttering dire threats in a soft, but audible, voice about the stupidity of brainless cops.
Kate snarled under her breath. She heard some of the nasty remarks the dark-haired girl was making. She couldn't help but flush at the smirks blossoming on the others faces. Especially considering most of the comments had to deal with her. And Angel.
“Contrary to your belief, I can find my ass.” Then speaking louder, “Hey Cordelia, I hear they're having a 75% off on Jimmy Choo’s at Bergdorf's.” Kate had a poisonous smile on her face.
“Ooooh, funny lady,” Cordy replied flatly shooting a scornful look at the blonde cop. With a haughty sniff she added, “Beside the store manager has ALL my numbers on speed dial for just such an emergency!”
“Cut the crap!” Dale shouted as he abruptly entered the conversation. His face writhing with disgust and rage at the closeness of the humans with Angel. Didn't they understand that it was a demon?! It needed to be destroyed! His mind flashed briefly on his former partner's face. The terrifying screams from Jo as she was dragged into a dark alley. One of those //things// fastened to her neck. And the terror he felt two days later when she arrived at his apartment. Begging to come in. Even though she had a key.
He had hesitated, a wrongness tugging at his senses. Then two strangers showed up. After an intense fight, the large black man distracted her and the other man plunged an object in her chest. There was a surprised look on Jo's face before she exploded in a cloud of dust. But not before her true face was revealed. As well as the man he later found out to be Angel. He saw its’ true face. The demon with the face of angel.
Golden eyes; sharp teeth with a thirst for blood...
...evil incarnate.
A vampire.
“I said cut the crap…” he repeated coldly, his gun unwavering on Angel. His mouth lifted in a sneer as he and the others stepped forward. “We caught your precious Angel,” he made the vampire's name a nasty slur. Imbuing it with all the hate and disgust he felt. “We found your friend...just about to have a kiddie-meal!”
Turning a contemptuous look on the vampire, no longer bothering to hide see seething hatred. This time they had him.
“I was changing his diaper…” Angel stated indignantly with an annoyed glare at the officers.
There was a stunned silence. Then wild laughter rang out in the lobby as the group of friends clutched at each other in mirth. Even Giles felt his lips twitching in amusement at the thought of Angel, the goody-two shoes consuming a baby. Especially Michael. His little Angelus.
The policemen glanced among themselves in dismay. This wasn’t going the way they imagined. They all had close encounters with the supernatural dark side of the city. That’s why whenever Kate or Dale called, they tried to be available to answer the summons. They were determined no more humans would suffer at the hands of demons.
These humans didn’t seem to be fearful of Angel. As a matter of fact, they were even letting their kids close to him. Something was wrong. For the first time, Kate and Dale’s followers felt uncertainty stirring in them.
Kate glared at the assembled group. Growing more angered at the seemingly unitedness among the men and women half surrounding Angel. Even the strangers were showing support for him. She ground her teeth in frustrated rage.
“He’s a evil demon for Christssakes!” she burst out. Hardly able to comprehend their sanguine about what Angel truly was.
“Hey, now!” Spike spoke sharply to the blonde copper. His amusement abruptly vanishing at her implied insult. “T’aint no call to be insultin’, like! Ya hear her?! Comparing that soddin’ pouf to the likes of me…I'm evil! He's just a wanker!” There was a world of vast indignation in his voice. “The nerve…” he muttered to Wes. He gave the loony bint a cold blue glare, followed up by a golden-eyed stare as he shifted into his demon form.
The various officers clutched their batons a bit tighter, their eyes darting nervously between Angel and the new vampire. With a quick glance downward, they insured their crosses were on prominent display, courage re-surging into them.
Kate smiled coldly, a victorious gleam in her eyes. “Well now, since there are two of you, I guess I’ll have to take both of you in. But I’m afraid the only cells we have available are on the east side.”
“In? In for what?” Angel regarded the triumphant cop with wary eyes. Feeling Xander pressing against his back, he drew support from his mate.
“Oh, there’s been a couple of murders in the past few days.”
Gunn sighed wearily. “Woman, there’s murders every friggin’ night in L.A. So, unless you got some victims with holes in their necks, and drained of blood, you’re looking at the wrong demons.” He regarded her with smug satisfaction.
Dale had a sly smile on his face. “Coincidentally, they do have two bite marks on their bodies. Nice, bloody holes. Now, I’m no physician, but they kinda look like teeth marks to me.”
As one Faith et all looked at Gunn accusingly.
“Well, we’re they drained?!” He exclaimed sharply, squirming uncomfortably.
“Angel, where were you last night? And what were you doing?!” Kate snapped in her most officious voice.
“I was here..” he replied steadily.
“…and he was doing me!” Xander shot out angrily. Then gasped in horror at speaking in front of the kids. He slumped, lowering his head against Angel's back in shame.
“Wh…wha…WHAT?!” Kate stuttered in shock.
“Ha ha!” Cordy snickered at the astonished look on the woman’s face. Doyle elbowed his lover none-too-gently in the ribs to shut her up.
“You…you’re GAY?!”
Angel rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Again with the gay question! What’s with you humans?! No, I’m not gay! I’m a soddin’ demon! We generally don’t question our sexuality.”
Recovering swiftly Kate’s glare increased tenfold. “Doesn’t matter anyway. You were about to chow down on that baby. I think we need to call Child Protective Services.” The last was drawled out. And quick, cop-eyes caught the immediate stiffening of Angel’s little boytoy. Her lip curled in disgust.
Giles started. He cast a surreptitious look around the room, searching for Connor. A silent curse on his lips at the sight of the boy creeping behind one of the policemen. His teeth bared in preparation to biting. The older man’s mouth opened in a shout, but he knew he would be too late.
“Connor NO!”
Dale yelped at the stinging pain that blossomed in his leg. Glancing down, he glared at the pair of vivid blue eyes of a vampire child. Terrified, he was aiming his gun at it.
Xander, backed by the power of the Protector, reacted. However, Giles was just as fast. Whipping out a small knife-like blade, he hurled it at the man to distract him. He was aiming to miss. But Dale, who jerked towards him in surprise, didn’t.
The gunshot was explosively loud in the hotel, even as a now frightened Connor was yanked away to safety.
Giles fell to the floor clutching at his shoulder. His breath harsh and ragged from the searing pain exploding in his wounded shoulder. “Bloody fool,” he grated out through clenched teeth. “He’s only a soddin’ baby, you smeggin’ idiot!”
Brief horror paled Dale’s face to a ghostly white before he half-heartedly rallied. “He attacked me! He bit me! What the hell did you expect me to do?”
“Stay the bloody hell away from us?” Wes suggested icily. A raging storm of fury surged behind the cool exterior he presented. With some effort he held a snarling Spike back from ripping out the man’s spine. A fact that a flinching Dale was very much aware of.
“If you had hurt him, I swear I would have made you beg for death,” Xander growled as Willow and Doyle saw to the wounded Giles.
“Is that a threat?” Kate said slowly with a half-smirk. Unable to quit, unable to stop the words spewing out of her mouth in conduct so unbecoming an officer. And a woman. “Are you threatening an officer of the law?”
“If you had harmed my son, I would take great pleasure in destroying you. Mind you, I would not kill you, I would simply make it inconceivably for you to live or find any employment in the world. First I would see to it that each and every one of you is fired. Then whatever dwelling you maintain, be it a house or an apartment, I will find a way to take it from you and toss you out on your ear. By the time I’m finished, you will be turning tricks on the street corners to survive. You will indeed beg for death as I will have seen to making your lives, your family’s life, hell on earth. You see, Xander will only kill you. I, however, would insure that you live to regret your actions this day. That, my dear, is a threat.” Came a frigid voice behind the police officers. A voice that seemed to come from the arctic regions of deep space it was so cold.
Jerod Thompson, one of the ten most richest men in the world, stood in the entrance of the hotel. A harsh, deadly ruthlessness was indelibly etched on his face. He gazed at the stunned men and women with the haughty arrogance of a rich and powerful man.
His five bodyguards surveyed the astonished cops with remote wolfish eyes silently marking the best way to kill them. Sending a shiver through Kate and the others. They had no doubt that with a word, those men wouldn’t give a damn about killing them. They weren’t cop-killers. They were just plain killers.
“Daddy!”
“Da!”
Came two screams of happiness. Then Dawn and Connor rocketed towards their father, ecstatic smiles wreathing their faces.
“Xander…” Cordy said thoughtfully as she stared at the now smiling man as he greeted his children. A look of love and devotion softening the hard lines of his face that almost overshadowed the look of grief deep in his eyes.
“Xander,” Cordy repeated, “Next time if you know someone rich and…and…rich you give me a heads up, okay?”
“Huh?” Xander gave her a puzzled look.
“Never mind…” Cordy sighed. How like Xander to hang around with THE Jerod Thompson. Hell, the man made Donald Trump look like a beginner. Rumor was that he owned almost all of New York City, a quarter of California's most marketable real estate and was worth over $900 billion dollars. He was every woman’s fantasy.
Rich…influential…rich…handsome…and really, really rich!
Prince Charming?! HA! Why settle for the Prince when you could get a king. And boy was he a friggin’ King…and single!
She cast a look at her oblivious lover in his ill-fitting garish clothes, kitchen chair haircut and smirked fondly at his startled look. Too bad she already found what she wanted. Doyle may be a frog to some, but to her…he was her Prince Charming.
Then another figure stepped past the bodyguards, making even them stiffen with wariness. A cold dark presence that had Gunn and Doyle looking for weapons. They silently cursed Angel for being such a cheap bastard not to afford bazookas and rocket launchers.
“Bade...” Connor breathed joyfully from his father’s arms. His eyes were wide with hero worship.
Spike instinctively slipped into gameface. While he heard about the Whelp and the Cheerleader’s little adventure, he wasn’t about to let down his guard. Especially not with the likes of him around. Word was that Blade liked to stake first then ask questions later.
“Blade, we're glad you two could get here,” Xander called out cheerfully to the impassive hard faced man. The older, grey bearded man merely grinned wryly at the irrepressible energetic young man before limping further into the hotel.
“Wes, Angel, Cordy, Faith….good ta see ya,” he nodded calmly to them. Blade allowed himself a slight nod in greeting. He didn’t want anybody to think he was enthusiastic about being here.
They were all coolly ignoring Kate and the nervous policemen. Something of which steadily infuriated her. Dale regarded the growing number of people uneasily. His eyes flickered over the amount of people that were tacitly supporting the vampire and he knew that if it came down to a firefight, him and the rest of his fellow officers were going down. And he had a bad feeling that they wouldn't be taking any of the opposing people with them.
“Everybody…freeze! This isn’t some kinda social event…”
“Actually it is. A social event, that is,” Faith quipped. Her lips were twisted in an amused smile at the puzzled expression on the cop’s face. But her tone held the sincere earnestness of one simply trying to be helpful.
Kate had an angry and confused look on her face.
“He’s been away from home for a couple of years now…” Angel silkily purred. A gleam of cruelty glittered in his eyes before being swiftly hidden.
Spike cast a look at his grandsire’s face and raised an interested brow. Blade tensed for a moment then relaxed with a subtle deliberation when the dark-haired vampire merely paced towards the angry blonde woman. He looked interested as well as he watched the predatory, yet graceful way Angel moved with an approving eye.
“After all, I haven’t seen my lover,” the word cut into Kate's secretive heart with the precision of a scalpel, “…for a good couple of years.” A smooth, seductive darkness threaded through his voice that held Kate paralyzed. There was a fluttering feeling in the pit of her stomach, a deep clenching of muscles in her abdomen that brought a startled gasp from her lips.
“So you can imagine just how…enthusiastic my greeting was.” All the women shivered at the liquid heat in Angel’s voice. It made them think of breathless, moaning, slap-my-ass-and-make-me-scream-your-name kinda sex.
Hot. Sweaty. Desire.
A nice, hard fuck that left you hoarse and feeling pleasantly achy for days.
“Ohhhhh, how I missed touching him. Kissing him…loving him." His voice was a breathy sigh of desire that plucked a nerve. She whimpered, feeling wetness beginning to seep into her panties. "Why I thought I would go out of my mind searching for something to distract me. Can you imagine it? The long nights, wanting your lover so badly that you find your hand sliding beneath the sheets. Touching yourself, wishing it was his hands on your body. Stroking you. Making your whole body quiver with longing. Need. And the fires of desire just keep getting higher... wilder...until you fell like you're burning up. Your hands are slickened with the dewy moisture of the passion that’s seeping from your body. And you wonder what or who can put out the fire that rages in you.”
There was a hot, molten look of pure sex glowing in Angel’s demonic eyes. Kate’s breath was escaping her with tiny gasps of excitement. She flushed; her eyes dilated with desire before turning distant and inward. She gazed, enthralled at the erotic imagery Angel’s sensual words evoked in her mind.
Of her.
Them.
Crying out in passion as she soothed the painful need in the vampire's hungry eyes. A burning longing that he could only slake with her body.
Her breath came faster, the gun dangling from her nerveless hands. A heady shiver of unchecked desire rippled down her spine, curing around her stomach and below. Angel circled around the mesmerized woman. His words a cool, voluptuous caress against her neck and ears. His slightly twisted smile widened further at the arousal he could smell coming from her.
“And you know what?” He nuzzled against her offered neck as her fellow officers gaped at her.
“What…?” Came her soft sigh of bliss as she tilted her head even further back against his shoulder. Rubbing against him like a cat in heat.
“As cute as your ass may be, it doesn’t hold a candle to my sweet boy…” Angel strolled back to Xander. Standing almost protectively in front of the boy and cursing his nasty temper. But oh, it felt so good!
It took a few moments for his words to filter though the lustful daze in Kate’s brain. But when they did, they blasted away the sizzling desire he had inspired with his seductive words. Replacing it with the harsh cold reality. Her carefully hidden secret was revealed for all to see.
With a tortured cry of rage Kate took aim…
Xander’s eyes slid to a burning whiteness…
“Oh dear, I do hope we’re not intruding.” Came a mild voice from the garden entrance. Yet despite its pleasantness, there was a note in the voice that clearly indicated the owner really didn’t give a rat’s ass whether he was intruding or not.
Halfheartedly, the police officers swung in that direction. By now they were numb to the surprises that the seemingly straightforward mission contained.
Rejar surveyed the throng with calm eyes. His eyes lingered the hardest on an abashed Angel before continuing to look at the others.
“Ooooh, nasty, bad girl! You like Daddy but he doesn't like you, so there! Bad, naughty girl! Hsst! Daddy loves his dear, sweet Kitten!” Dru twirled from behind Pascal’s broad back, dragging a growling wolfOz by a thick chain. She dropped his chain to hook her fingers in imaginary claws. Allowing her face to shift to demon she hissed.
Xander turned red and squirmed in embarrassment at the smirk Spike gave him.
Dru glared at the astonished expression on Kate's face. “The stars said an angel of law was all curled up. Twisted about with ribbons of black and red. All knotted, and tangled and jangled inside.”
The vampiress' voice smoothed out into one of genteel politeness. Her head cocked to the side as if listening to a voiceless confidant. “Shall we have her for tea?”
Kate shuddered.
Without waiting for an answer, the charmingly, insane vampiress danced over to Angel and Xander. Dru smiled warmly at her daddy’s mate. A wide, incongruously fanged smile of happiness was on her face. Oh yes, how the stars whispered such wonderful things about the future. Such a bright shining future they would have. All of them. She frowned, peering at Willow, Buffy and Giles. Even those nasty girls and that mean, reading man. A scowl pulled her face into a fearsome mask, making her look even more demonic. Her face shifted, resuming it's human guise. It was like sunshine breaking through a cloudy day. A sweet, gentle smile graced her face, banishing her fearful visage.
She was once again, a beautiful Victorian young lady of means. Though slightly eccentric.
And quite mad.
Dru beamed happily up at Xander, her eyes on a distant future with him and daddy. Why even Miss Edith was excited. The silly thing…as if she intended to leave one of her favorite friends behind. Besides, her Daddy Kitten wouldn't dream of such a thing either. He had spoke quite sternly to Miss Edith. Now Miss Edith believed her! The mad childe of Angelus nodded her head in satisfaction. Now Daddy would never be alone again. And she had lots of daddies now! One to protect her, one to scold and love her, and one to laugh and play with her.
The young man’s face softened as he gazed down at his ‘daughter’.
“Hello sweetness,” he said gently, a small smile on his face as well. Maybe it was because when he finally stopped being afraid of her and really got to know her that he discovered that once you got past her bloodthirsty ways, her hankering for pain and suffering (hers as well as others), and her tendency to speak about what Miss Edith and the stars were telling her, Dru wasn't so bad. She was…he searched for a word…misunderstood. That, and nuttier than a fruitcake.
“Greeting , child of Angelus…” the Protector said gravely, nodding at the insane vampiress.
When Xander’s eyes flowed smoothly to white, Dru stepped closer. She rested for a fraction of time again the Protector’s bulk, feeling security wash over her. Safe.
“Daddy White-eyes…” Dru breathed. She leaned closer, her eyes half-closed. Her expression eased as some invisible tension flowed away from her. Spike and Angel glanced at each other uncertainly.
“Yes…”
“Dru…luv…” Angel said gently attempting to pull his disturbed childe away from his mate. He was rudely shocked at the savage growl she threw his way, before the long-haired female cuddled even closer to Xander. Her eyes wary and troubled.
Anger stirred in him at her attitude.
“Let her be…” came Xander's quiet voice. Angel looked at him in surprise, blinking at the compassion in his lover's gaze. “She feels safe. All beautiful princesses should feel safe with their daddies” He had a wry, crooked grin on his face as he spoke.
With a careless disregard of the many weapons pointing at them, Rejar and his people sauntered further into the hotel.
He looked at Xander, a hint of reproach on his face. “My dear boy, I thought we were supposed to be celebrating your homecoming. Yet, there are guns…” The older man gave a mock shudder of distaste.
A gentle smile played across his face as he watched the uncertain policemen glance at each other nervously, bunching together for strength and courage. Some of them, without even knowing, felt the eerie presence of an ancient predator among them. A creature that dined on their forebears with ruthless dispassionate hunger.
Dale recovered from Dru’s startling entrance. All these sudden arrivals had him feeling like he was sinking in quicksand and the only safety rested on a thick limb just above his head. While a huge carnivore watched him with patient, hungry eyes. Licking its chops.
Die a slow death or a painful death.
Gritting his teeth, Dale summoned the anger he had felt when they first stormed into the Hyperion. Seizing the initiative, he focused on the tall, imposing man. “Who the fuck are you?!”
Angel, Spike and the others winced; hurriedly, they drew away from the man.
Just in case.
Cordy groaned silently. Eyeing her brand new outfit, she mentally said a sad farewell to it. Long experience taught her that bloodstains were a bitch to get out.
Kate blinked at the alarmed expression that crossed Angel's face as he regarded the man. She briefly wondered if the newcomers were friend or foe. Wondered up until an extraordinarily beautiful, redheaded woman stalked from behind the men. Her breath caught at the pale, fine boned features of the woman. The prenatural way long legs moved; the faint hint of hunger in the wide emerald gaze.
Vampire.
At the scintillatingly, brilliant smile of malevolence directed towards them by the woman, she decided that foe would definitely be it.
Dale, on the other hand, took a step back in alarm. While the tall, elegantly dressed man still had a pleasant, polite smile on his face, something…changed in the quality of that smile. A subtle something that spoke loud and clear to his hindbrain. It reached all the way back to his primal instinct of fight or flight.
His inner caveman was jumping up and down, gibbering with fear. Not even when Jo appear at his apartment had he ever felt more terrified. For half a second he thought he would be faced with the indignity of pissing all over himself.
Fortunately, that disturbingly empty, rapacious gaze drifted away from him. Leaving him limp with relief. That, more than anything, made him abruptly decide to leave the hotel. Hell, maybe even the city itself. There was just too much weirdness going on. He brightened. A couple buddies of his mentioned what a cushy job they had. The town they worked in didn’t have the bright, charged atmosphere of the city, but that’d be a plus. Maybe he’ll see about transferring to Sunnydale Police Department. At least there he wouldn't have to worry about goddamn vampires. He nodded to himself. Already mentally filling out the paperwork.
“You are quite right, young man. Where are my manners?” Rejar murmured with another cool, polite smile. “As to 'who the fuck’, I believe that was the phrase you used,” cold, razor sharp eyes caught the man’s wince. Which he thoroughly approved. “…I am Rejar, Master of the House Aurelius.”
He glanced at each of the human law enforcers with a raised brow. “And you might be?” he gently inquired.
It was surprising just how unenthused the policemen were to give the crea…the man their names. They had a bad feeling that if they did, they soon wouldn’t need to use it themselves.
“We ask the questions here!” Kate snapped, her tone almost arrogant. She ignored Dale’s frantic hand signals. Determined to make life as difficult for Angel and anybody that he associated with. Her eyes briefly rested on the tall young man leaning against the vampire; her lip curled.
Those acquainted with the senior vampire glanced at each other before carefully withdrawing even farther. They moved with the exquisite care one used in a roomful of venomous, bad tempered vipers.
Rejar’s face lost all expression at her tone. He generally did not have a problem with arrogance. Just as long as it was he that was being arrogant.
Demons and humans had long since found the swiftest way to get on Rejar’s less pleasant side was adopting a superior or arrogant tone of voice with him. The vampire corrected them by gently ripping out their throats.
The Master’s eyes narrowed fractionally. Those that breathed, held their breath. They wondered which direction the cold, implacable vampire would go. A quick, painless death or a slow, infinitely painful death. Because they all knew that Kate was a goner.
Cordy found herself almost sympathetic to the coming agony that the brainless, stupid cop would be facing. Not too much, of course. The only reward for that kinda stupidity is to swift ejection froe gee gene pool. Pronto. No telling what kinda dumb, ignorant nutcase would start cropping up if Kate was allowed to breed. She shivered in quick horror at the thought.
Kate belatedly recognized the extreme danger her hasty words put her in. But with the suicidal fearlessness of the doomed, she faced him. Chin lifted, she struggled for a look of defiance. A look she was pretty much sure was a spectacular failure. What with the fear she just knew was pouring off her. She was probably drowning the room in fear, Kate thought with glum fatality.
There came a gentle chiming sound of a cellphone that broke the deadly silence that spread outward from Rejar. Kate looked down in dumb surprise.
Oh, phone. My phone! Fumbling it out, she hesitantly answered.
The vampires eavesdropped shamelessly.
“Hey Lockley...you'll never guess what we found?” Townsend exclaimed cheerfully. “We found the murder weapon and the murderer. Seems some poor geek had been stalking this girl. He said he was only trying to protect her from, now get this, a vampire. But it seems the girl and the 'vampire' were really good friends, ya know? Our boy didn't figure that into his calculations. So he killed the girl with this weird looking knife. Claims he killed the vampire, too. Anyway, I'll finish up the report and make a copy for your files.”
Numbly, Kate slowly closed the phone. Her breath shuddering in her throat at just how fucked she was.
Rejar regarded the now terrified woman with the cool interest of a panther for a mouse trapped between its’ paws. Not quite a meal but it may be amusing to play with.
He stepped closer to the trembling officer, his eyes intent on her fearful, yet defiant eyes. “You are brave and almost fearless. However, that is swiftly being eclipsed by your almost boundless stupidity. Lost it.” With those simple words, conveying all the inhuman charm of a black mamba, he stepped past the shaken young woman. Already dismissing her from further consideration.
Everyone, except Cordy, Spike and Gunn, breathed a sigh of relief. The young dark haired woman gave Rejar a speculative look beneath lowered lashes. Wondering if she whined enough, would he kill Kate for her?
“Don’t even think about it…” Angel warned the girl in a low, quiet voice as he slipped up beside her. Cordy started. Whirling around, an innocuous expression on her face, totally at odds with the smirk reflected in her wide eyes, she tried to brazen it off.
“Angel? Think about what? About the new fashion line that Alessandro Dell'Acqua is coming out with this summer? Or maybe about those…” she faltered to a stop at the grim amused look in his eyes. Cordy tried out a sulky look and when that didn’t work, she pulled out her most devastating weapon…the almighty Pout. Useful for all sorts of things. Most notably, bringing strong men to their knees.
Angel regarded her levelly. “May I remind you that while I am fond of you, I most definitely am not in love with you. So that look just doesn’t work on me.”
She grinned cheekily. “Well, ya can’t blame a girl for trying.” Before he could respond, Cordy sauntered off. Making a bee-line for MaryAlice, the two exchanged delighted screams at the other’s outfit.
It was a few seconds before Angel realized that he never got Cordy’s agreement to leave Kate and the others alone. A dark look chilled his eyes to almost obsidian chips of ice. They belonged to him…especially Kate.
Buffy shivered as she watched a cruel smile play on Angel’s face. For the first time, she wondered which side of the vampire was present: Angel or Angelus? And if Angelus, how long had he been free? Was that who Xander had been sleeping with all this time?
“You always misunderstood what truly divided Angel and Angelus,” Wesley spoke softly to the tiny blonde ex-Slayer. Buffy whirled around with a gasp, her eyes wide in fright at how silently the older man moved.
“Wha…what do you mean?”
Wesley eyed her dispassionately. His face cool and remote as he spoke. “I mean the line that divided Angel and Angelus was as fine as a spider's thread. Angel did good because he wanted to. Not because he was forced. Angelus acted like a sociopath because he reveled in his dark deeds. Or perhaps because he was bored.”
“Angel was good! He IS good!” Buffy’s voice was low and fierce. Her mouth twisted in an ugly smile. “Or at least he was before the rest of you got to him.”
The older man shook his head, his eyes chilling to subzero. “No matter how saintly a human is or seems, there's a dark side to their personality. There have been many humans that have behaved with such depraved indifference to life, it literally shocked the world. Men and women that held the value of human life meaningless. Adolf Hitler, Idi Amin, Haile Megistu, Aileen Wuornos, Jeffrey Dalmer to name a few. Peter Kürten was a sadistic killer around the late 1920's in Düsseldorf, Germany. He wantonly murdered several dozen people. Men, women...even little girls. He also raped quite a few of his female victims before he killed them. Stabbing, bludgeoning, strangling were some of his favorite ways of dispensing with his victims. He also set fire to quite a few of the bodies. He seemed to have gotten his 'jollies' out of these dark, sadistic attacks.” Wes had a cold smile on his face as he gazed down at the shaken young girl.
“As I remember what was written about him, I am reminded so very much of Angelus. Peter Kürten was reputed to be a pathologically over-sexed man, with extreme psychopathic impulses. He was an individual so incredibly self-centered that, in a word, no other human being mattered. Does his characteristics sound familiar to you? Yet you, in your almighty wisdom, dare to suggest that Angel is or was somehow morally superior to humans? Do you honestly think that Angel, with his pure and noble ‘soul’ is any better than humans at controlling their dark sides? Far more capable of exercising restraint over his darker impulses especially with a demon like Angelus riding his back?”
He leaned closer to her, smiling with icy menace almost worthy of Rejar . “Do you know what Angel was doing during the 80 plus years he said he was redeeming himself? I don't. It is one of the few things that Spike will refuse to speak to me about. When pressed, even Xander got upset and walked away from me. He wouldn't talk to me for days.”
Buffy recovered her tongue. “I thought you were supposed to be his friend.” She tossed out, even though she knew her defense was weak.
Wesley straightened. He looked down his nose at her, drawing the tattered remnants of the haughty pride of his forebears over him like a cloak. The tall, dark-haired English man gave Buffy a look one of astonished wonder of a duke cheeked by a grubby stableboy.
“I am his friend,” he retorted stiffly. His eyes narrowed. “But I am also no fool.” He turned and left, ending the conversation on a harsh note.
Buffy trembled slightly. Her worldview, veiled through which she saw events of her past that related to her was beginning to shake and thin out. Everything that she held onto so fiercely throughout the 'bad times', what she called her imprisonment, was showing definite signs of corrosion. Creeping like a black stain across her concept of reality. Revealing the sordid, ugly truth underneath. A truth that she stridently denied. Her rejection was a primal shout emanating from the depths of her soul.
The young woman sighed softly, her body relaxing its tense posture as her worldview re-settled itself. Resuming its' fractured path though her mind, seemingly unchanged. Planting a patently false smile on her face, she headed for the wall. Steadfastly refusing to join the laughing, chattering crowd. Spitefully hoping that her presence was enough to bring Xander's little party down. However, without her noticing, a change HAD occurred in her self-deluded vision of reality. A subtle, yet significant, alteration. The misty veil that she viewed life was a little less opaque.
Across the room, Xander sighed and shook his head. Both he and the Protector thought they had broken Buffy's self-absorbed mindset.
//“Okay, what are we going to do now?”// the young man asked of the Protector.
//“Why ask me? You're the human...plus you were friends with her. You'll figure something out,”// it responded. There was a certain...note in its' mental voice that had Xander's eyes narrowing suspiciously.
//“You know, for a emotionless, Spocklike being, you sound remarkably smug,”// he replied accusingly.
//“Whatever.”//
//“That's it! No more talking to Cordy!”// Xander exclaimed heatedly. He was ready to start a good old-fashioned argument with his inner roommate when Angel touched his arm, drawing his attention back to the outside world.
The cops, deciding discretion was the better part of valor, made a hurried, nonchalant beeline for the door. All except Kate. She found her arm firmly restrained by the iron grip Rejar had on her upper arm. Looking up, her mouth opened to blast him Kate fell into his magnetic eyes.
“Why don't you stay? It is so rare for me to meet any interesting people.” He murmured softly to her, allowing a bit of warmth to come into his eyes. “You manage to intrigue me. Stay...”
“okay...” Kate squeaked out weakly, her eyes wide with heady pleasure. He escorted her to a place against the wall, saying that he would return with something for her to drink. Leaving, he coolly rejoined Kyle and Pascal. He knew his power over women, and men. The human would remain in place.
Blade sauntered towards the older vampires. Stepping casually around the gyrating figures of the dancers with effortless grace. No emotion disturbed the sleek impassivity of his face as he drew closer. His eyes flicked over the gathering crowd. However, a hint of relief shone briefly in his dark amber gaze when his eyes fell on Whistler casually talking to Wesley. He still didn't feel easy seeing the old man gallivanting around. They both had had a hard time over the past few months. Though recuperating at Xander's place did have its advantages. A hard smirk touched his lips. That kid's playroom was almost as nasty and dangerous as his.
He joined the ancient men as they stood idly talking. Although his motionless silence usually had the effect of having people become nervous and agitated, these men were made of hardier stuff.
If the boy wanted to say something, then he needed to damn well open his mouth was the unvoiced consensus.
“Are you really interested in that woman?” Blade stated abruptly, growing tired of their refusal to comply with his unspoken rules.
Rejar raised his brows, looking momentarily puzzled. His expression cleared. He glanced over his shoulder at Kate's hopeful face then returned his attention to the boy. “Certainly.” He raised a glass of bloodwine to his lips and took a sip. “MaryAlice has put us on a diet. She says we are getting fat.” He regarded the dark vampire hunter levelly over his glass.
Blade studied the senior vampire with a dispassionate gaze as Rejar 's words filtered through his mind. His eyes shifted to the blonde woman, then back to the older vampire's cool eyes.
And he dismissed the woman's potential fate from his mind. If she was ignorant enough to come in here without sufficient protection, then she deserved what she got.
Rejar smiled faintly. He slid a look to Kyle then said, “Gentlemen, I think I will do as Cordy's requested and go 'shake my thang'.” Ignoring their dumbfound looks, he glided away and was instantly surrounded by the laughing children. All claiming that they would 'show' him how to bust a move. Rejar threw a mock, panicky look back at Pascal and Kyle before following Cordy's outrageous suggestion to wiggle his hips. Dawn shrieked with laughter at the sight. Even Buffy and Willow found their lips twitching in amusement.
Darting a quick look around, Connor slipped up the stairs without anyone noticing. He had a surprise for his hero.
“He acts so differently with them,” Blade spoke quietly. At first, he was hardly aware the words had slipped out of his mouth. His expression immediately shut down. Fearing that Kyle or Pascal would take advantage of his momentary lapse.
“How many young people do you know?” Kyle regarded the dark warrior. His expression as blank as the other. “When Rejar became Master of the House, he made it an automatic death sentence should any of our House Turn a human under the age of 21. There are no 'young' vampires within the House.”
“But he acts protective of them,” the young hunter replied. A subtle look of annoyance glinted in his dark eyes at the unfathomable behavior of Master Rejar.
“Well, d'uh,” Kyle responded sarcastically. Pascal gave his friend a bland look. But inside he was jumping for joy. He won! He finally won a bet with Rejar ! So enthused, he couldn't resist giving a slight smile of superiority at the young vampire hunter. He had bet the older vampire $500 that Kyle would start getting sarcastic within five minutes of being within Blade's presence. Whoohoo! However, he was a bit taken aback at the disgruntled look that Kyle shot him.
Damn! Why did he ever bet Rejar $10,000 that Pascal could refrain from giving Blade that superior look, Kyle groused silently to himself. “Think about it, you little...” he bit back what he was going to call the boy at the warning glitter in the young man's eyes. “Xander and the Protector are virtually one being. You harm Xander, you'll have a world of hurting coming at ya. And there won't be a fuckin' thing you can do to avoid it. Xander thinks of Cordy and Faith as his sisters. And they think the world of him. So what do you think Xander would do if somebody hurt one of his sisters?”
Blade nodded in understanding. That made perfect sense. Then he hesitated, looking carefully at Rejar laughing. Seemingly enjoying himself with the kids. “But all he needs to do is simply avoid them,” he said in protest, now back to being confused.
“Yeah, he could do that.” Pascal shrugged his broad shoulders as he entered the conversation. “But I think he still wants to Sire both Faith and Cordy even though the Protector says No.”
“So he's wooing them?”
“My ears are tingling. Someone must be mentioning my name,” Rejar said mildly as he came up silently behind Blade. To the dark warrior's credit, he didn't jump and start flailing about with his weapons.
But, oh how he wanted. Especially at the visible laughter in Kyle and Pascal's eyes as his extreme non-reaction screamed louder than a reaction.
The older vampire regarded the still figure of the dark child with an approving nod. Someday soon, Blade would make a formidable member of the House Aurelius. However, that was a thought he never voiced to his three trusted lieutenants. He was well aware of their distaste for the hunter. He needed to ease them into accepting the child. Otherwise, Blade would be instantly dusted the moment he became vampire. But with three nursemaids looking after the newest childe, he would have a most dangerous trio of nursemaids that only an insane vampire would dare to challenge.
Xander strode energetically to the foursome with a crooked half-smile. “Hey guys, enjoying the party?!”
Blade wanted to roll his eyes. He had long suspected the kid was an energy vampire. Every time he so much as looked at Xander, he felt drained at the bouncy enthusiasm the boy greeted life. He eyed the young man with a carefully bland expression. Even the kid's hair was bouncing, he silently grumbled. And Xander was standing still!
After the chorus of assents from Kyle and Pascal, Xander lost his cheerful smile. He regarded Blade's shuttered face as if searching for some imagined injury. A look that puzzled the dark hunter immensely. He slid a look at Rejar . His eyes narrowing suspiciously at the bland look that was returned.
“How are you really doing, Blade? I...uhm...heard about what happened to Whistler and...and...those Reapers. I...I...wish you would have called me. I would have helped.” Xander said in a breathless rush, his eyes wide and earnest as he gazed at the imposing tattooed man.
Pascal and Kyle groaned silently, though their faces were as impassive as Blade's.
The tattooed warrior studied the young man with bland curiosity. “And how did you come to hear about what happened to Whistler and the Reapers? I certainly don't remember saying anything. Nor, I'm sure, did Whistler.”
“Oh...oh! Did I say Reapers?! I meant...uhm...,” Xander stuttered in panic. His eyes widened even further. “Oh, look Angel's calling me!” Before Blade could grab the boy, Xander ran away.
There was a seething silence left in his wake. Rejar flicked a glance at his two lieutenants, silently telling them to leave him and Blade alone. They refused with narrowed-eyes. His eyes hardened. Kyle and Pascal suddenly discovered that Angel was also calling them as well and made a hurried departure.
“So, my young friend...” Rejar began mildly.
“I'm not your friend,” Blade shot back tightly. His hands slowly clenching into a fist.
Rejar had a look of calculated interest on his face. “Ahhhh, then that means you are my enemy?” He waited politely for the answer with inhuman patience.
Blade glared at the vampire but remained silent. He knew if he answered that he and Rejar were enemies, then he would be cut down in a heartbeat. The only enemies the older vampire had swiftly became dust or powerless.
“What have you learned since we parted, young Blade?” Rejar inquired softly.
Blade paused, his words halted in his throat as memories of everything he had experienced since he had met Xander cascaded through his mind.
Meeting his father. Finding out his mother was still alive. Killing both his mother and father. Losing the man he considered his true father. Rescuing Josh, finding Whistler then helping the older man recover from his own bloodthirst.
Finding Nyssa.
There was momentary softening of his obsidian expression that only keen eyes could spot. Rejar was rumored to be able to detect a flea taking a leisurely stroll on a brocade couch.
Blade’s eyes had a slightly distant cast. All his life, he hated vampires with a virulent passion. For the vampire that 'killed' his mother. For being born...different. And everything he had done since then only reinforced his belief that vampires were evil creatures. Worthy only to die. But Nyssa Damaskinos, a virtual princess of vampiric descent showed him that there were vampires that believed in honor. In justice. In a strange way, even Jared, the carrier of the Reaper strain that mutated vampires into horrible caricatures of what they were. Changing them into something that threatened even the vampires.
For the first time, the nightwalkers were prey along with the humans.
Vulnerable.
Terrified.
Infected with the virus by his own father, the prince hunted down his father and killed him. Jared showed him that some Nostrafus had a strong sense of what was right. And what was not. Though the man lost a lot of points when he tried to kill him, Blade wryly admitted.
He met Rejar's calm, remote gaze with a coolness that almost matched the vampire. “That even vampires have their own version of honor.” He paused, then replied slowly, holding the vampire's eyes. "To keep your friends close; and your enemies even closer."
“Ahhhh...”
Blade turned to go with an arrogant swirl of black leather. He stopped at Rejar 's next casual words.
“Next time, make sure you study the blueprints. Had those Reapers escaped through the side tunnel, I fear we would be hip deep in those nasty things.”
“We had all the exits sealed and covered.” Blade whirled around to protest in a hard, stonecrushing voice.
Rejar said nothing. He merely took another sip from his glass. He made a mental note to have a couple of case of vintage bloodwine delivered to Angel. That should please the childe; if Angel was pleased, Xander was happy. A pleased Xander was a pleased Protector. A little more stroking on his part and he would hopefully have Cordy as a childe.
His childe.
With a couple of centuries under her belt, she would make a wonderful Master of Aurelius. The corners of his lips turned up in a tiny smile.
He turned his attention back to Blade at the younger man's plaintive question.
“Didn't we?” Blade repeated his question a little louder when the vampire didn't answer immediately.
Rejar was pleased at the uncertain note in Blade's voice. Children today always thought they had all the answers. But he relented at the glimpse of hidden terror in Blade's eyes. “You had almost all of them covered. Once Whistler informed me of your plan, I decided to provide additional backup. Just in case you needed it. I had wondered at your lack of foresight in sealing off that tunnel.”
Blade hissed in sudden anger. His eyes darted to his oblivious friend's head as a shattering sense of betrayal raced through him.
“Your friend cares deeply for you,” Rejar snapped. He stepped closer to the angry young man, blocking Blade's view. There was cold disapproval glowing in his eyes. “His only fear was that you were simply following after Nyssa like a dog after a bitch in heat. He thought you were blindly walking into a trap. His actions were that of a friend. He only sought to protect you.” He carefully watched the young man swallow and think past the rage that gripped him. And saw weary acceptance in the darkened eyes.
“You are the closest thing to a son he has...he is very much loath to lose you,” he added softly.
Blade just sighed. “I know.”
Then Xander came back, hesitancy in his dragging steps. “Uhm...Blade...I...I mean, the Protector said that your cure for Whistler's bloodthirst is only temporary. It'll come back without warning. And....here...” the young man thrust a vial at Blade.
“What is it?” The vampire hunter studied the vial suspiciously, turning it this way and that.
“It's something the Protector made. It said that it'll cure Whistler's bloodthirst.” Xander shook his head slowly at the unvoiced question in Blade's eyes. “It said that if it attempted to cure you, you would...” his eyes slid to a brilliant uncanny whiteness.
“Cease to be.” The Protector came to the foreground. “Your condition, while unnatural, however it is essentially natural to you. To cure you, I would have to eliminate the very thing that makes you...you. Your condition is embedded in your bones. It is contained right into your DNA and every atom of your body.”Blade was like a statue as what the Protector said washed over him. With a quick shifting of his shoulders, he threw off his bitterness. It was enough that Whistler would be cured. For that he would be grateful. And continue looking for a way around his vampiric condition.
The Protector and Rejar watched the dark figure of the hunter cut through the laughing, dancing crowd with ease.
“He will never stop hunting for a cure...” Rejar said quietly.
“Only time will cure him,” spoke the Protector.
“He will die?” Rejar asked in alarm. Peering down into the white-eyed gaze, he looked for some clue.
The Protector hesitated slightly. “Yes. If he continues like this, eventually he will become a true vampire. Then he will be worse threat than the Reapers. Any child born naturally from his seed will be like him. Monsters. Evil. Predators.”
Rejar blinked, reeling under this new information. “You've faced one of him before?”
“I've faced an army of them before.” The Protector said calmly. “And I eradicated them from the face of the earth. As I will do with Blade should he become one of them.”
“How long?”
“He has about 50 years before he begins to change.” It then allowed Xander to return. The young man gave the older vampire a sympathetic glance before darting away.
Rejar's face was hard at the decision the Protector put before him. Turn the boy or kill him.
He knew Blade.
50 years wasn't nearly enough time to convince the stubborn child that being a vampire was a good thing.
Then his attention was drawn by a shout of wild, hysterical laughter. Curious he looked up, wondering about the mirthful giggles from everyone. His face froze in astonishment. And the crowd of partygoers were treated to the rare sight of the remote, haughty Master of Aurelius giggling like a loon.
Stopping mid-way down on the stairs, Connor frowned at the laughing crowd. His tiny face reflecting his injured feelings at the laughter coming from his family and friends.
Blade came out of his frozen horror. Walking calmly up the stairs, he approached the little boy. “C'mon kid. They're just jealous of us. They know they can't pull off the look of black leather and tattoos.” Taking the child's hand, he escorted the boy down the rest of the stairs. Cutting through the snickering onlookers, he glared at them all. Manfully choking down his tendency to howl with laugher as well. He aimed an evil stare at Xander. He just knew the boy had something to do with this. But all Xander gave him was an innocent stare.
Connor looked up at Blade, then back down. The child stroked his miniature leather pants, vest and duster with pride. He even had a black turtleneck on. “I paint da tatoo on all by mydelf!” he confided proudly. Blade could only wonder at the mess the kid made upstairs.
Tugging his hand from Blade's, the boy fumbled in his coat eventually managing to pull something out of the pocket. He regarded the item with deep satisfaction.
The dark warrior closed his eyes in dreaded wonder. The kid even had a pair of sunglasses! He was gonna find the maker of his sunglasses and pound the little turd into a pulp. One of a fuckin' kind, my ass!
This was all Xander's fault. He just knew it.
“Blade and Blade-lite...” Xander rasped to Cordy. His sides were hurting from the strain of trying not to laugh. She pounded on his arm weakly, struggling to breath as tears of mirth continued to roll down her face.
Pascal turned to Kyle with a horrified face. “Dude, that was just evil.”
“I know...the demon made me do it,” Kyle replied with a wicked smirk. This was his greatest prank yet.
- 11
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