Bloodlines Book 2 - A Rebirth

Author: P'al Kwai

Dedication: Thank you to my beta readers, Red and Donna. And to Kirsty for all her help and inspiration.

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~Part: 11~

Germany, 1810

"You must be careful with the Ventrue Master, Angelus. He is quite insightful. Studies all people he deals with carefully. Tries to find their weaknesses, their strengths. It is most important that you keep your temper." Heinrich Joseph Nest, Master of the Tremere Clan, spun around to look at his favorite Childe.

"Sire, I remember all your instructions. I will not let you down. But why does the Ventrue Master concern you so? Our Clan is the more powerful. I need only to demonstrate our might. That should persuade him to our way of thinking." Arrogant and self-assured, Angelus was feeling his importance. He, not his brother Luc, had been chosen as emissary to the Ventrue Clan. The Ventures were the second most powerful Clan after the Tremeres, so the position of emissary to them was a prominent one.

Sighing, Heinrich Nest sat down on his throne. "You fail to understand Childe. Sending you is our show of power. You already have developed quite a reputation in the vampire community. So vicious. So cruel. You strike fear in the breast of human and demon alike. Your very presence sends a message, but...." The Master couldn't help but smile proudly at his Childe. "We must also show diplomacy when dealing with the Ventrues."

"Why?" Angelus watched his Sire with curiosity. He thought he smelled just a touch of fear in the Master.

"The Ventrue Master is shrewd. Nothing escapes him. So take care to always be in control. He knows...knows a lot. It is his age." Heinrich's thoughts turned inward, as he sank into his memories.

{His age?} "Surely he cannot be older than you Sire. After all, you are more than 400...."

"He is old Childe. Very old. And he has survived much in all the lifetimes he has existed. His experience makes him dangerous. He is a very old, very powerful vampire. Do not ever forget what he is when dealing with him. And never underestimate him."

**

Leaning up against the hotel counter, Angel made a conscious effort not to pace. The Ventrue Master was watching him with interest. Studying him. Trying to find flaws. "I WILL NOT put my William to death! And if you or any of your Clan so much as lays a finger on him, you will know my wrath."

"Angelus." Placating tone. "It is against our laws for anyone to harm a Blood-Childe except for the Father or Master of the Clan. I am a strong believer in the Bloodline and all the laws that protect us Bloodline vampires. I, nor any of my Clan, would ever raise a hand to your youngest. But...." The Ventrue Master stepped closer. "Are you truly willing to sacrifice your oldest and your brother, not to mention yourself, for William?"

"Ally with me. Help me. And I will help you and your Clan. In fact, I and my family will become part of your Clan. We will accept you as our Master." If Angel had a breath he would have been holding it, as he forced himself to keep eye contact with the Ventrue. Those hypnotic eyes devouring him, mesmerizing him.

Several long minutes passed as the Ventrue Master considered. "Your William is too much of a risk. I cannot endanger my people for such a lost cause. To order my Clan to protect a dying Childe, even though he is a Blood-Childe, would be poor judgment on my part."

"You still need me." Angel remembered his one trump card. "At peace with the Council for all these years, your Clan has become weak and soft. Even with the numbers your Clan has, you would not stand a chance against the trained fighters of the Council and Snow's minions."

"I am well aware of my weakness and my need for a warrior to retrain us. That is why I sent the message with your two Childer that I was willing to accept your proposal, but I guess...." The Ventrue's features relaxed in a slight smile. "the message was a little late in getting to you."

"You were willing to accept my proposal then? What is different now?"

"We did not know the true state of your son's health until a little later. My healers did some studies on William's blood and found out what Snow had done to him. But by that time, I already had sent your two Childer to L.A."

"You made a deal with Djoser who was acting as my agent. You accepted my proposal. That deal is binding."

"Desperate, are you not?" The older, wiser vampire couldn't help but put Angel in his place. More long moments passed, as the two men eyed each other appraisingly. "I will not help you with William, but give me Djoser and Nic."

"I will do no such thing!" Angel's eyes glowed gold as his temper began to get the best of him.

"Listen to me." The Ventrue was no longer interested in a show of power; he only wanted to persuade. "I will give them the same rank they hold in your Clan. They are Blood-Childer. They will be honored and have the protection of a Clan. In return, as skilled warriors they can teach us, lead us into battle against Snow and the Council. And when the Council and Snow are defeated, I SWEAR to you that one of my first priorities will be to see that one or both of them produces a Blood-Childe. The Tremeren Bloodline will continue, you have my word on that."

"And what makes you think they will not survive if they stay with me?"

"Perhaps they might with your uncanny skill at survival. But even you have to admit that the chances are slim. The four of you against the Council and Snow?...Give them to me Angelus, and if by chance you defy the odds like you have done all these years, then after Snow and the Council have been eliminated, you may come and reclaim them."

"Even with my son and my brother, what makes you think that you can defeat Snow? He, with the Council, effortlessly wiped out The Tremere Clan. Your Clan could suffer the same fate, and then they would go down with you. They are both Tremeren vampires, and they belong to me."

"When my people are once again ready for battle, I do not plan to just turn around and directly take on Snow and the Council."

"What is your plan then?" Angel couldn't help but be curious.

"I plan to take over the other Clans first. Unite all of us. And then how much of a chance will Elder Snow and the Council have? For many years now, I have tried to live peacefully with the humans. But now their insolence cannot be ignored. Killing our Blood-Childer. Destroying our Bloodlines. Bloodlines that date back to the beginning of time." The Ventrue's eyes radiated his emotion. "Think Angelus, we vampires could take our rightful positions. No more being subservient to the humans. But your dying Childe holds you back. You need to just accept that there is nothing that can be done for him. Put an end to his existence, and take your proper place with me. We could rule the world together."

**

"Gimme another fag, Nic." Lying in the back seat with his uncle driving, and his brother up in front, Spike was doing his best to be totally impossible.

"A WHAT?"

"He wants a cigarette." Living with his brother for more than a month now, Djoser was becoming quite adept at understanding Spike's wants and needs.

"I just gave you one. Don't you have any of your own?"

"No." Sitting up, Spike decided a wheedle was in order. "So why don't you stop somewhere so I can buy a pack?"

"What did the Watcher say? Your Father's order was for me to drive you and your brother straight to him. NO STOPS. So just suffer." Staring at the road in front of him, Nic muttered to himself. "Like I'm suffering."

"But I'm having nicotine withdrawal. And you know I'm ill. I haven't eaten!...So I would think that you could at least get me some smokes. Five minutes...."

"You know, that's why you're always in some kind of mess." Nic turned his head a moment to look at his nephew. "You don't think."

"Five bloody minutes, just to buy a pack. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that trouble finds you anywhere, boy. I never saw anyone as unlucky as you. I'm not stopping anywhere! I'm not risking anything else happening to you. I'm already in hot water with the injury to your eye, so just sit there and behave until I can get you back with Angelus."

Sighing, Spike drummed his fingers on the car seat. Two hours in a car was boring enough, especially when his friggin' uncle insisted on playing some ungodly music on the radio, but he was scared, despite the fact that he was on his way to his Sire. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. He could feel it in his bones. Giles had known something. Something Angel had told him. And it didn't take a rocket scientist to know that it was something about him. Deeply troubled, the only way he knew how to ease his stress somewhat was to act out. "I NEED A BLOODY FAG! AND COULD YOU PUT SOMETHING ON THE RADIO THAT AT LEAST RESEMBLES MUSIC?" Shouting loudly, right in his uncle's ear just to annoy him.

"JESUS FUCKING CHRIST." Nic swerved the car a little as Spike's yelling had startled him. "YOU are the biggest pain-in-the-ass...I swear. Here...." Fumbling in his pocket for his last three cigarettes. "Take my last...no...give me back one." Nic held his hand out. "I deserve one for having to put up with you."

**

"Giles, give me another option and I'll take it. They want us dead. All of us. I'm desperate! What would you have me do?...Alright..." Angel resisted the urge to slam the phone down. "Tell Nic to bring my two Childer straight here to the Hyperion. He is to make no stops and take no detours." Hanging up the phone, expression a mixture of anger and sorrow, he tiredly whispered softly to the Ventrue. "They are on their way now." It was getting harder and harder to control his temper. Between the Ventrue Master and now Giles, he could feel everything spinning out of control. He was in the middle, and everyone was pulling him in different directions.

"You must be careful now with any human allies, Angelus." Words gently spoken. Words that brought back a memory of his own Sire. The same words his Sire had used to warn him against the Ventrue Master.

"And WHAT do you know about it?" Growling, Angel could no longer control his demon side. "After everything I've done for them. I've spent years saving and protecting their kind. And now when I need their help, they kick me in the teeth...Goddamn them!" Snapping, he began breaking and throwing anything within arm's reach. Indulging in his temper tantrum, he didn't notice the Ventrue Master's face. A face filled with weary sadness.

**

"So, you gonna go and buy me some smokes now?"

To finally get Spike to shut-up, Nic had promised that as soon as they checked in with Angel he would go out and buy him cigarettes. Getting out of the car, the older vampire sighed heavily as he headed for the hotel entrance. "YES! Just let me deliver you to your Father, and believe me, any excuse at all to get away from you."

"Buy me a couple of cartons. And make sure they're. . . ."

"I know. I know. You've only told me what brand you smoke 1/2 a dozen times n. . . ." Breaking off, the three vampires stopped in their tracks. In the hotel foyer sat the Ventrue Master, with his bodyguards standing on either side of him. Standing apart, but no less stately, was their Master. The hotel foyer looked like a hurricane had blown through.

"Guess negotiations aren't going too well." Nic observed in a whispered voice.

"Sire." Spike only saw his Father. Starting for Angel, he was held up by Nic grabbing the back of his coat.

"This is a formal meeting between two Masters. Do you know the proper etiquette?" Nic hissed in Spike's ear.

"No." Spike looked over his shoulder at his uncle. "Do you?"

"Of course I...." Thinking a moment. "Well actually I forgot." Nic turned to Djoser. "You go first."

Giving his uncle a glare of disgust, Djoser entered the foyer approaching the two Masters. Kneeling first in front of Angel, he took his Sire's hand and kissed it. He then repeated the process with the Ventrue Master.

"That's what I couldn't remember, which one you were suppose to greet first." Nic whispered, as he and Spike made their way into the hotel lobby.

Following Djoser's lead, Nic repeated the protocol. But Spike never even made it to the first step. Standing in front of his Sire, anger quickly replaced his relief. "Bloody liar! You promised that you would come back to me. And...."

Spike wasn't able to finish the rest of the sentence as he was grabbed swiftly by arms that held him tightly. "William, my Childe, I'm sorry. So very sorry."

"I...I...." Anger dissipated quickly as Spike felt Angel's strong, sure embrace. "Sire...I...." Pushing himself away slightly, he looked at his Father's face. Something was very wrong. His Sire was trembling.

"What...what happened to you?" Up close, Angel now got a good look at his son. "Giles mentioned that there was some kind of incident, but he didn't mention that you were injured."

"We were attacked by some of Snow's followers. He needs the services of a healer." Djoser looked first at Angel and then at the Ventrue. Held hostage for so many months, he had a small level of comfort with the Master vampire. "Send for your chief healer."

"It would do no good, Djoser." Showing no emotion, the Ventrue answered the younger vampire.

Head whipping around to look at Angel, Djoser was becoming agitated. He too could feel that something was not right. "You have come to no agreement then?" He questioned his Sire.

"We have Childe, but there is nothing my healers can do for him." The Ventrue took a step closer to Djoser.

"How do you know, until they exam him? SEND FOR YOUR HEALERS NOW! I insist!" Voice getting louder as Djoser became more disturbed.

"Hey it's ok." Standing in the circle of Angel's arms, Spike tried to calm his brother. "Don't want the services of his friggin' healers. They don't know their arses from a hole in the ground anyway."

"Sire?" Djoser turned pleading eyes to Angel. At that moment, he consciously knew that something was very wrong. Why wouldn't the Ventrue Master, know for his protective stand for all Blood-Childer, send for his healers?

"Djoser." Angel found that he was having a hard time looking his eldest Childe in the eye. "You and Nic will go with the Ventrue Master. You will consider him your Master until I return for you. You will help him defeat Snow and the Council."

"Sire! And where will you and William be?"

"I will be with William. He is not your concern anymore."

"BLEEDIN' POOF!" Spike was once again angry as he pushed himself away from Angel. "Didn't you learn anything from the last time you sent Djoser away? He needs to stay here with us, with you. You're letting that...." He threw a look of scorn at the Ventrue Master. "Pissant tell you what to do? The bloody Queen of the Nancy Boy vamps? The one who allies himself with humans because his people fight like a bunch of namby pamby Benders."

Everyone in the room stared at Spike, speechless. Amazed at his audacity, as he had not just insulted the Ventrue Master, but had managed to insult him in three different ways with his little speech. The only one not staring at him was Nic, who was finding the ceiling quite interesting, as he concentrated hard on keeping a straight face.

"William! Watch your mouth!" Angel was truly humiliated. First he had lost control in front of the Ventrue Master, and now William. He and his family were making quite a notable impression on the sagacious vampire.

"I will not. You can't have Djoser." Spike tossed this out to the Master, not at all intimidated by the vampire's age and position. "He's suppose to stay with his Father. Isn't that the rule...law, whatever?"

To his credit, the Ventrue Master showed no loss of temper over Spike's insults, remaining impassive. "I am his Father now. He will have a high position in my Clan. He will be honored, respected, and mostly importantly he will be safe."

Studying the Ventrue, a frightening realization was beginning to make itself clear to Djoser. "We could all join your Clan. Why am I being separated from my Sire and my brother?"

"Your Sire refuses to leave your brother, and your brother...." The Ventrue turned to look at Spike with his hypnotic gaze and addressed him. "Childe, my healers found a second poison in you. I am sorry, but there is nothing that can be done for you."

"Bugger." Spike muttered as he looked down at the floor. He understood now why Djoser and Nic were being sent with the Ventrues.

Djoser too understood, but he didn't agree. Turning to Angel, he objected "Sire, don't send me away! I can. . . ."

But Angel, already feeling torn about sending Djoser and Nic away, didn't want to hear anymore arguments. It was just someone else pulling at him. "It's already been decided, boy! The agreement has been made. You and Nic will go with the Ventrues. You will work with them to defeat Snow and the Council while I search for a cure for William."

Djoser's rational side told him that the plan was logical, but his emotional side was still not ready to accept it. Falling on his knees in front of Angel, he pleaded. "Sire, I made a promise to William. A promise that I wouldn't leave him again. Don't make me go!"

"Djoser." Realizing his son's pain, Angel softened. Holding out his hand, he helped the younger vampire to his feet. "Childe, do as I say. With the Ventrues, find a way to defeat Snow and the Council. That's the best way you can help me and your brother."

"Yeah, Mate." Clamping on to his Sire's arm, digging in his fingers, Spike sadly realized that his brother needed to leave him. Being with him was only a death sentence. "Stomp on those Motherfuckers, and give Snow an extra good one from me."

"Come on Djoser. Let's go." Nic, knowing there was no arguing against an agreement made by the powerful Ventrue Master and his dominant brother, took a hold of his nephew's arm to lead him away. Looking over at Angel and Spike, he gave them a farewell salute. "Thanks a lot Angelus. It's one thing for me to do my duty for you, my brother, but now sending me to the Ventures...you have no idea how thrilled I am to be going with them." The last part he mumbled sarcastically to himself. "And William." His eyes met his nephew's. "Take care of yourself. Guess I won't be getting you those cigarettes after all."

~Part: 12~

"William." Watching his Childe closely, Angel stayed near to him. "Come. I know you haven't slept much. Let's take a shower and go to bed."

Since the Ventrue Master had left with his brother and uncle, Spike had been sitting on the hotel lobby's floor smoking cigarettes he had found in Angel's coat pocket. Not bothering to answer, he flicked more cigarette ash on the floor. This time the ash came close to some papers that had been scattered around the room. Seeing that, Spike tried again. Tried to see if he could set the papers on fire.

Angel observing what his son was up to, swept the papers up from the floor. "William did you eat the blood I left for you in Sunnydale? When was the last time you ate?"

"Ate last night." Spike rationalized to himself that eating Buffalo wings counted.

"And you finished all the blood I left?" Angel probed some more.

Shrugging his shoulders, Spike hung his head between his knees. He had been going over and over in his head what had just transpired with the Ventrue Master. Putting all the pieces together, he knew what needed to be done. "You should be with him, you know."

Sighing, Angel stacked the papers on the hotel counter. "If I could split myself in two Childe...but I can't. The Ventrue Master swore to me that Djoser and Nic would be protected like his own. And they have each other. William. . . ." Studying his Childe, Angel was not happy with what he saw. Lack of sleep, nourishment, and emotional and physical stress was taking its toll on Spike. Injured eyed more swollen, good eye red-rimmed and puffy from fatigue and tears that he was desperately trying to hold back. "Did Giles leave any instructions on how to care for your eye? It doesn't look very good."

"Gave me a bag with some herbs and shit in it. Said it was the ingredients for my cure. Maybe there's something in there." Spike waved his hand at the bag sitting by the entrance. It had been dropped there, when he had first arrived. Watching Angel go and retrieve the bag, Spike could see the outdoors through the hotel entrance. It was daytime. The sun was shining. An idea began forming in his head. An idea on how he could make things right again. Make it right for his Father and his brother.

"Childe, did he give you any verbal instructions? Because there are no written directions here at all."

"No. Just told us to get the hell out of Sunnydale." Angel had dumped out the contents of the bag on the hotel counter, and was standing with his back to Spike. Eyeing his Sire's back, Spike calculated his chances of making it out the front door before his Father could stop him. "Was bloody rude about it too. After all we did for him and his Slayer." Keeping up inane chatter to keep Angel from suspecting anything. Sliding up to a standing position, he measured the distance to the door.

"When this is all said and done, I think I should have another talk with Gi. . . ." Turning around to face his son, Angel was caught off guard as Spike brought a planter down on his head. The excitement of the moment gave Spike the extra boost of energy that he needed to bring a knee up to a groin and fist to a side of the jaw. Grabbing a heavy tome that lay on the counter, he slammed it across the side of Angel's head.

"Sorry about such a disrespectful good-by Father, but did you expect any different from me?" Small parting humor, as Spike bounced the heavy book one more time on Angel's head. Thinking that he had incapacitated his Sire enough for him to make his escape, the suicidal vampire turned to run out the hotel's front entrance. He made it across the lobby, but before he could make it out the door, he was brought down from behind.

'Damn! I miscalculated the Big Poof again!' was his last thought before he felt the sting of fangs in the back of his neck. A fog began settling in his brain as he was 'pushed' into unconsciousness. The fog turned to blackness as Angel used his power to take control.

**

Waking up on his own for once, two thoughts occurred to Spike; no horrible nightmare except of course if you count the sound of Jeopardy on the telly, and what was on his wrist? Raising his head, he took stock of himself. Naked, on top of his Sire who was comfortably half lying with his feet up on an ottoman watching the television. They were shackled together by the wrists.

"A little overkill, no?" Holding up his right wrist.

"I don't happen to think so." Angel hit the mute button on the remote. "Wait until you see what I have for you when we go out tonight."

"Out? We're going out? Don't wanna go out." Letting his head drop down on the bare chest beneath him. "Just want. . . ." {Want my brother to be alright.} "So where we going? Dancing?" Spike could help but be sarcastic as he held up his manacled wrist again.

"Well. . . ." Angel acted like he was considering. "People do dance there, so I guess if you wanted to. . . ." He trailed off as he lightly drew an imaginary line down the side of his Childe's face.

"I don't know how you can be so bloody flippant. You just adopted your firstborn out to some bleeding Old Man who's going to be declaring war on that fucker Snow and the Council. You should be with him! Djoser is special." Spike couldn't stop the tears anymore. "You're going to lose him if you're not careful, and over what? A flawed Childe who's dying anyways? You're a bloody fool!"

"Djoser is safe for now. The Ventrues need him badly, and Nic is there with him. He has a better chance of surviving than we do." Wrapping his unshackled arm around Spike, Angel held him in a hard embrace. "William, my Childe. My precious Childe. I won't leave you again. Never again. And understand me when I tell you that I plan on finding a cure for you, and then I will go and reclaim both Djoser and Nic."

"So. . .you know a mystical healer who's close by? You heard the Ventrue. They found a second poison. Why can't you just accept the fact that maybe it's my time to die? Stake me. Then I will at least die with honor. Staked by my Sire. And you can go and do what's right for you, for Djoser, and for any other Tremeren vampires who might still exist out there."

Raising his head to look Angel in the face, Spike was taken aback by the look in his Sire's eyes. Angel had that crazed, determined look in his eyes. The eyes of his demon side. Eyes that said that he would have his way, and that he would stomp on anyone who tried to deny him.

No words came out of Angel's mouth, as his only answer to his son was to run a sharp nail across his breast, opening a wound, letting the blood flow. "Eat Childe. You will not die. Not today, not tomorrow, not for many years to come. Eat, and then I will take you to someone who can help us. Someone I know here in LA."

But Spike was not tempted as he turned his head in refusal.{Asinine Poof. Won't kill me, won't let me kill myself, so I guess I'll just starve myself.}

"William!" The Master vampire was not happy at his son's defiance.

"Not hungry." Clumsily separating himself from Angel. "Not going to eat today. Not going to eat tomorrow. Going let myself wither away to a skeleton, and then my skin will turn black just like Victor's did."

"How do you know about how Victor died?" Narrowing his eyes at Spike, Angel was contemplating how he could force his Childe to eat.

"Heard the whole sorry tale from Alex." Sitting back on the couch because that was the furthest he could go with the chain on his wrist. "You're not doing me any favors, you know. Victor died a slow horrible death because his Sire wouldn't stake him. And you're going to curse me to the same type of death. Bloody Idiot! JUST STAKE ME. It's something you know you should do. Something you should have done a long time ago because you knew back then. Knew that I wasn't fit to exist."

**

Germany, 1857

Slamming the newest addition to his household against the wall, Angelus was livid. Rage at the young vampire he was beating. Rage at himself for feeling something for this pathetic creature. This creature who had sprung from his loins. The dark vampire could hardly believe it. That he, the Pure Blood-Childe of Heinrich Nest, could have created such a disappointment. Such a disgrace!

Picking up the small, broken body of his youngest Blood-Childe, Angelus snarled in his face. "You are an embarrassment to me, and I deem you unfit to continue your existence. You will be disposed of." Holding his undersized son by the front of his torn shirt, Angelus started for the front door. It was morning hours, and the sun shone brightly. "It will be quick though. I will grant you that. Because you do after all carry my blood in your veins. It is your right to die mercifully."

But surprisingly enough, the fledgling, hearing that he was about to die, still had some fight in him. Screaming and clawing, trying to grab on to something so he couldn't be thrown out the door. "Please Father. Wot 'ave I done, then, eh? Dinnah kill me. Just tell me wot I did, and I won't do it no more." Slender fingers now digging into Angelus' chest, trying to hold on. Blue eyes desperate, shimmering with tears.

Reaching the door, all Angelus had to do was to open it, and with his superior strength throw his Childe into the sunlight. But when the moment came, he found he could not go through with it. He could bring himself to destroy this wretched Childe. So deplorable, but yet so beautiful. A moment's hesitation, and the young vampire named William was slammed hard against the wall.

Growling with fury, fury at himself for being weak and fury at his Childe for making him weak, the Master of the household threw the smaller vampire over a hall table. "DON'T MOVE!" He couldn't kill him, but he would show this dismal excuse for a vampire his position. Tearing William's trousers off, Angelus positioned himself and with one savage thrust, he ripped into the boy's body. Hands gripping the back of a neck, holding a face down into the table, while the rest of his body punished and brutalized.

Fingers gouging the finish of the table, William almost bit his tongue off trying not to scream. He could feel himself tearing and bleeding as the thick cock inside him continued its assault.

A few more strokes before Angelus buried himself into the body beneath him. Grinding pubic bone into tender flesh, while he emptied himself completely. Hissing softly to himself as physical pleasure warred with dissipating rage. "Boy, for now I will allow you to live. Your tight body pleases me, but your status here in the household will be only slightly above that of a minion. And you are to address me as Master. I never want to hear the words Father or Sire on your lips again when you address me. Is that understood

. . .Sklave?"

**

"Is this really necessary?" Dragging his feet as he walked behind his Sire, Spike felt like a complete fool. He was fettered to his Sire by waist shackles. "You know, if we're attacked by any of Snow's boys, we'll be at a disadvantage being chained together like this."

"If we're attacked, I can separate us quickly." Turning to Spike, Angel opened his coat slightly to reveal the sharp ax he was carrying. "But I'm not taking any chances. It seems that as soon as I turn my back on you, something happens. You'll stay here by my side until you're cured, and it's safe for you again."

"Yeah, well after this I'm going to have to leave this city, cos I'm soon to be the laughing stock of LA." Spike grumbled to himself as he followed Angel into the nightclub. "Wot is this place anyway?"

"A Karaoke bar." Eyes scanning the crowd, as Angel looked for the Host.

Sighing, Spike looked around. A typical demon nightclub, except for the awful caterwauling coming from the stage. "So what powerful mystic healer hangs out in this dump?"

"An Anagogic Demon." Spying the Host, Angel pushed his way through the crowd.

"A huh?" Spike tried to remember if he had ever crossed paths with such a demon.

Half listening to the demon who was screeching off-key, while laughing and joking with a diverse group of demons, the Host was in his element. "And so, I just happened to be telling that blabber-mouth Francois about Ramon, and. . . ."

"You need to do something for me." Reaching the table, Angel made his demand while giving the rest of the demons at the table a look of 'get the hell away from here.'

And the demons, knowing Angel and his reputation, and seeing his ill-humor scattered quickly.

Heaving a melodramatic sigh, the Host signaled for another drink. "Did anyone ever tell you what a killjoy you are? Can bring down a party in seconds. Is that a god given talent, or did you have to work at it a bit? Because I would guess that you might have had to practice it. . .oh maybe a 1/2 hour or so?"

"You need to read his aura. You need to tell me how to save him." Ignoring the Host's banter, Angel pulled an uncooperative Spike up to the psychic demon.

"What kind of powerful mystic healer is he?" Spike couldn't help but be belligerent as he stared at the green demon.

"Cute. . . ." The Host gave Spike the once over. "What's with the chains? Always did read you as a bondage type." Giving Angel a wink as he took a fresh drink from an employee. "So what's the big emergency?"

"This is William. He's my Blood-Childe. He's. . . ."

"Blood-Childe!" The Host almost spat his drink. "You mean I've been in the company of royalty all this time, and I wasn't even aware? A Bloodline vampire." The Host was impressed. "I never suspected. Never read it on you."

Angel continued, ignoring the interruption. "He's been poisoned. He's dying. . . ."

"He's dying too! First Darla and now your Childe. . .Man, you and your family are better than any soap opera on TV." Shaking his head, the Host looked Spike over again. "Speaking of Darla, I do see a family resemblance between her and Billy here."

"HEY!" Spike's sulkiness turned to anger. "I DO NOT LOOK ANYTHING LIKE THAT BITCH! Take that back, or I twist your horns off. I look like my mum, my human mum. Tell him. . . ." Elbowing Angel in the ribs. "Tell him how I look like my mum."

Knowing that he better back Spike on this issue to avoid a tantrum, Angel never missed a beat as he lied through his teeth. "He looks like his mother. Now get that. . . ." He looked up at the stage where the demon was still warbling. "Thing who calls himself a demon off the stage. William here will sing, and you can. . . ."

"If you think I'm going to go up and sing, guess again. . .Bloody Poofster." Muttering the last part because Spike had caught on that Angel had answered too quickly. Answered without even thinking. His Sire didn't remember what his mum had looked like.

"Kids." The Host gave Angel a sympathetic look. "No respect for their parents anymore

. . .but I think I have a solution." The Host stood up. "Take those silly chains off, and Billy and I will have a nice quiet chat in the corner there, while you try and. . .unbend slightly over by the bar."

"The chains aren't coming off. Whatever you have to say to William will be said in my presence, so. . . ."

"Boy, talk about your over protective parent. You need to lighten up a little. You'll give yourself a coronary." The Host signaled to a passing waiter. "Give our friend here a drink on the house. Listen. . . ." Turning back to Angel. "You want me to read your Childe's aura, then we're going to do it my way."

**

"Normally I won't do a reading without the person singing a little tune for me, but in your case I'll make an exception. I suffered through your Father. I don't want to listen to Junior too." Together at a small table in a corner, the Host sat with a morose Spike. Across the room, Angel stood over at the bar watching the two like a hawk. "Now I'm going to make this fast because I'm sensing that your I-got-up-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-bed-today Sire will be stamping over here within minutes." The Host leaned closer to Spike. "You need to change your attitude. You've lost your fight, your will to live, and that can't happen."

"Wot's it to you? I'm dying, and there's nothing that can be done for me. And my idiot Sire won't stake me. Meanwhile, my brother is left to fend for himself."

"An apocalypse is coming." The Host was serious as he took a sip of his drink. "A big one. And how it finally plays out depends on Angel-Cakes over there."

"An apocalypse is always coming." Spike heaved a huge sigh. "I'm dying, so why should I care?"

"Because you do." The Host stared on the vampire. "You always have. A few years ago, you teamed with a Slayer to stop one. . .You're like me. You like this world. Like the way it is. Music, television, booze." Holding up his sea breeze. "Listen to me, I'll put it simply. You're so important to Angel Daddy that if you were to die, he would go mad and help the dark forces to bring the world to an end. You live and well. . .he stays sane and happy; the world doesn't end, and we all continue on our merry way."

"And again I say, like I give a shit. I'm dying, and what the hell do I care if the world ends or. . . ."

"But you care about your brother, don't you? Do you want to know what an insane Angel does to your brother?"

Now the Host had Spike's full attention. "My brother? My brother is destined to rule at the right hand of my Father."

"Not if Daddy is insane. You know what he's like insane, when he's trying to suck the world into hell. Just remember him like that, but magnify his insanity one hundred times over. And you do remember that when his goal is to end the world, he tends to lose all paternal feelings."

Looking down at the table, Spike thought of Djoser. "My brother has been watching over me now for more than a century. I'll do anything for him. Just tell me what I have to do."

"You need to live." Words quietly spoken.

"Alright, so you've read his aura. Now tell me what I need to do. Go and do a trial again. What?" The Host had been right. It had only taken Angel five minutes before his patience ran out.

"Look for a cure." The Host had gotten up, and catching sight of some new friends coming through the door, was looking to leave the vampires.

"WAIT A MINUTE!" Angel had him by the lapels of his jacket. "What the hell kind of guidance is that? I NEED a name. Someone who can give me a cure for William."

"You already have people who can help you with a cure. That one employee of yours

. . .tall, cute, although kind of a tight-ass. . .what's his name. . .Wally. . . ."

"Wesley? I fired him."

"Well, unfire him. I'm guessing. . . ."

"DON'T GUESS! I don't know whether Wesley can come up with a cure for my Childe, or if he can come up with one in time. I want something NOW!"

"There's no fire here, you know. Your Childe isn't dying immediately." The Host pulled Angel's hands off his jacket. "Think of him like a human diabetic. Needs his insulin, or in his case, his daily dose of Sire's blood. Needs to take care of himself, but if he does overdo it, then he just needs an extra dose of. . .Sire's blood. If he follows those guidelines, he can live indefinitely, which gives you ample time to find a cure."

"THAT'S YOUR ANSWER!" Face and eyes flickering, Angel grabbed the Host by the front of the jacket. "I'm not liking it very much, so why don't you try tuning in again, and see if you can't come up with something bet. . . ."

"Sire." Spike was pulling at Angel's coat. "I'm hungry. Don't suppose you could give me something to eat, could you?"

~Part: 13~

"William! You said you were hungry and wanted to eat. What the hell. . . ." Angel, in his impatience, hadn't even waited until they made it to the car. Pulling Spike with him into an alley, he had torn open his shirt. He knew his blood was the only answer they had for now.

But Spike, instead of latching on to his Sire's chest, fell to his knees. Working on a trousers' zipper, he looked up at Angel, giving him a brash grin. "I'm planning to eat." Pulling out a cock that was already starting to harden. Using a hand to stroke and caress first, then using lips and tongue to apply pressure to all the right spots.

Head thrown back against the brick wall behind him, Angel's hands found the back of Spike's head as he drove himself in deeper, hips pumping, hands pushing. Shaft growing harder as his Childe's talented tongue ran over and around the head, stopping a moment at the sensitive spot. "OH CHRIST!" Brain shutting down as all focus was on that one area of his body.

Suppressing his gag reflex, Spike let his Sire's cock push in farther. He could tell that Angel was close. Deep-throating until he felt his Sire tremble, and the cock in his mouth began to pulse. Pulling his mouth back quickly, he bit down on the head just as cum began squirting out.

Blood and seed of his Sire. An ambrosial nectar that he fed upon, despite the knot in his stomach.

**

The new year, February, 2001.

Roles reversed as this time, it was Angel who couldn't sit still as he wore a path in the hotel floor, while Spike sat quietly on the counter watching him pace back and forth.

"Wesley's out of the hospital now, but he still refuses to talk to me." Time had passed with Angel trying to communicate with his ex-employees, but they refused to see or talk to him.

"Really holding a grudge against you for firing them. Wot you do to them? Literally throw them out on their ears?" Lighting up a cigarette, Spike looked over at the clock. Almost time for 'Passions.'

Angel halted his pacing for a moment to look at his Childe. A Childe who now had been feeding regularly on Sire's blood. Wounds that Snow had inflicted on him finally close to healing. Injured eye, still slightly black and blue, but open, not swollen shut. "I think that Giles must have talked to them. Told them about my meeting with the Ventrues. They're scared and suspicious."

"But we're obviously not with the Ventrues. And the humans wouldn't necessarily know that you sent Djoser and Nic with them. So why would they be suspicious?"

"Years ago our two Clans were close to joining together. For a time I acted as emissary for the Old Master, so I know how it almost came to pass. Together, we would have been an unbeatable force, and the Council knew that. They were scared, really scared. Since then, you just have to whisper Tremere and Ventrue in the same sentence and the Council gets anxious. Giles and Wesley know the history. Just the fact that I met with the Ventures would make them nervous and apprehensive."

"Oh." Spike was fascinated, despite himself. Consciously stopping the questions that almost fell out of his mouth, he faked a yawn. He didn't want his Sire to know that their history was of any interest to him.

Resuming his pacing, Angel was trying to decide if he should continue to try and work on Wesley, or if he should try and find someone else to help them.

"Angelus." She had come in up through the sewers and had noiselessly made her way to the hotel lobby.

"Darla." Arms fold across his chest, Angel's body language signaled to her that she was not welcome. "You've never been stupid, so I am curious why you would come here

after. . . ."

"All anyone can talk about is the supposed alliance between you and the Ventrues. And how the Ventures are gearing up for a war. How they plan to take over the other Clans and then go and defeat the Council." Approaching Angel cautiously, the vampiress continued. "So what holds you back here?"

"Why are you here, Darla?" Face stern, Angel didn't want to hear it. Darla always had had her ambitions for him.

"It's this Childe, isn't it?" For the first time Darla looked over at Spike, acknowledging his presence.

A low growl rumbled in Angel's throat. "You've got five seconds to get out of here."

"He's ill and dying. But I can help him, and then we could join the Ventrues and . . . ." Taking a risk, Darla walked right up to Angel, brushing her body against his. "And take our rightful places again."

In a movement so quick it even took the vampiress by surprise, Angel had his hand wrapped around her throat. "You want to help my Childe? How? By impaling him again?"

"He had already been condemned to death by the Master. My requesting his impalement gave you time to save him. Think about it. If they would have staked him, he wouldn't be sitting here today." Darla always had been good at twisting a situation so that she came out looking better.

"Don't try to manipulate me!" He hissed at her, as his hand tightened.

"I can get a cure for him." Pulling herself away from Angel's grip, Darla finally showed her hand. "There are connections. . .connections between Wolfram and Hart and the Council. Between Wolfram and Hart and Snow. In fact, if you were to dig deep enough, you'd probably find that Wolfram and Hart has been the financial backer of Snow. Nowadays pure strength just won't do it; one needs money."

Pulling back his attack, Angel couldn't help but be interested. "You know this? You know this for a fact?"

"Got the information straight from Lindsey. You know he'll do anything for me." A smug smile. "And if I ask really pretty, I'm sure he can find out what we need to cure . . . . " Turning once again to look at Spike. "your Precious Childe."

"And why would you help him?" Angel remained impassive. A fact which was unnerving Darla a little. She couldn't read him, which gave him the upper hand. In the past, she had always been the one in control.

"He was condemned because of his humanness, but . . . ." She now addressed Spike. "You've changed, haven't you boy? You're no longer an embarrassment. Killed two Slayers, gained a reputation for torturing with spikes. . .in fact that's how you're known now. . .Spike."

"His name is William." Angel growled out.

Eyes rolling, Spike couldn't help but snort.{The Poof still fantasizes about how he named me at birth.} "I may have changed, but have you?" Sliding down from the counter, he stood leaning up against it. "You always were such a jealous bitch. Hated Djoser too, and no one ever said that Djoser was flawed."

"I never . . . . " The vampiress looked over at Angel who was looking even more menacing over what his Childe had just asserted. "Djoser is a progeny of my bloodline. He's special and so like his Father, vicious and cruel. How can I hate someone who is so much like my favoriteChilde?"

Said so convincingly that Spike even had to reconsider. Maybe he didn't remember those conversations correctly. After all he had been so young and hadn't really understood everything. Wistfully wishing that his brother were here to ask him.

"You would do that then? You would convince Lindsey to get the information regarding the poisons, and whatever info he could get on any possible cures?" Grabbing his Sire by the shoulders, Angel's eyes burned into hers.

"Of course." Her arms winding around a strong neck, Darla smiled. "You are now the Master of our Clan, and I. . .I have always tried to be a loyal subject."

**

Spike turned up the volume on the telly as loud as he could stand it. "Don't want to have to hear Mr. and Mrs. Poofster shagging." He muttered to himself as his vampiric hearing couldn't help but catch an occasional groan. "Think I'm gonna heave."

Angel and Darla were upstairs in one of the bedrooms, while Spike had stayed downstairs with only the TV to keep him company. He didn't completely trust his GrandSire but for once, he was going to leave the decisions in his Father's hands, because of what his brother had once told him, 'Listen to our Sire. He knows what's best for us.'

"You bloody well better know what you're talking about Djoser." He spoke to a brother who was not there. Sighing to himself when the phone rang. He considered not answering it but then reconsidered. Maybe if it was something so direly important, he would have an excuse to interrupt the two lovebirds upstairs.

"Yeah." Picking up the phone.

"Spike? It's Willow. Is Angel there?"

"Yeah. . .kind of busy now, but if it's world ending important, I could go and disturb him." He couldn't keep the hopefulness out of his voice.

"Well . . . ." Willow considered a moment. "It's important, but there's nothing he or you or anyone can do about it. I guess you could give him the message when it's convenient."

Moments passed as Willow tried to hold back her tears and find the right words. Spike impatiently shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "You gonna tell me what it is Red, or just sit there and breathe in my ear?"

"Yes. . .of course. . .I. . .I just. . .didn't know. . .just wanted to let Angel. . .and. . .and you

know. . . ."

"Spit it out Red. My program's starting." Cigarette now in his mouth, Spike was searching for a light.

"Joyce. . .Buffy's mother. . .you know . . . . " Willow had to stop, as she choked up with tears. "Just wanted to let. . .you guys know that she died."

"The Slayer's mum died?" Surprise and shock made Spike forget that he had been looking for a match or a lighter.

"The service just ended. Didn't call sooner. . .well. . .we were so. . . . " More tears as Willow gave in to her grief briefly. "It was outside, so you or Angel wouldn't have been able to attend anyway."

"Yeah Red." Memories of Joyce flashed through his head. One of the few people who had ever treated him kindly. Treated him as a person, not a freak. "Thanks for calling." Hanging up the phone, Spike pondered on whether he should go and tell Angel the news. But when another moan reached his ears he decided against it. Decided instead to go and pay his respects to Buffy and the deceased. He'd take a quick run to Sunnydale, give the Slayer his sympathies, and then come back. By then his Sire and GrandSire should be done doing the horizontal mambo, and he could give Angel the news.

**

Her clothes off, her legs spread open to him, he pushed himself in brutally not caring if she was ready or not. He didn't care about her pleasure, only his own. Pumping hard, he sank his fangs into a breast. Drinking her blood. Sire's blood. Relishing in the power it gave him.

Wrapping her legs around Angel, Darla squeezed, not minding his roughness. It had been a long time. Too long. But now her Childe would be hers again. Running her hands down his back she enjoyed the feel of him. The feel of him inside of her, on top of her, around her.

Ramming into her, savoring her blood, Angel was enjoying the intercourse. Pure gratification for himself. He could simply enjoy the taking because the woman beneath him meant nothing to him anymore.

**

"Take it all the way." Applying gentle pressure to the woman's head, the vampire wanted her to take all of him. Resisting the urge to push himself in further, he held up a moment. Didn't want to hurt her. Tangling his fingers in the human's hair, he massaged her scalp lightly while pushing up with his hips. Throwing his head back, he was close. Could feel his balls tightening, could feel. . .someone coming through the patio doors.

"Djoser! What the hell. . .NO DON'T STOP!" The entrance of another vampire had caused the woman break off what she was doing, and caused Nic to be hanging in limbo, on the edge

"I'll wait until you're done but hurry up." Djoser was unmoved by the scene.

"Christ!" Nic could feel himself softening. How the hell did his idiotic nephew expect him to perform when the stupid brat stood there watching? "Djoser. . .could you go out on the balcony or at least turn your back. . .oh fuck!" Pulling the woman off his now flaccid cock, he began calling his nephew every obscenity he could think of. "Take a break sweetheart." He winked at the human. "Just let me get rid of my. . . ." He never finished his sentence as Djoser, walking behind the woman, swiftly knocked her unconscious with a blow to the head.

"What the fuck did you just do? I was planning to get to know that woman. . .inside and out, and. . . ."

"We can't afford to have anyone know what we're doing." Looking down at the unconscious woman. "Do you think you impregnated her?"

"Do you take me for a dope?" Pulling on his pants, the vampire looked over at some condoms on the nightstand. "Give that asshole Ventrue one of our Blood-Childer? He'd claim the Childe as his, you know. Use the old argument that possession is nine tenths of the law. . .So how'd you sneak up here?" The Venture Master was no fool. Still very wary of the two Tremeren vampires, he had kept them separated. Although housed in luxury and given young women and men for sex and or feeding, Djoser and Nic were in fact prisoners of the powerful Master. He had not exactly been honest when he had promised Angel that 'they would be treated like his own.'

"While the Ventrue Master has been using us for his own purposes, I have been making my own plans. And now we need to leave. We need to leave NOW."

Pulling a shirt over his head, Nic could feel warning shocks spark inside him. "What's going on? What did you do Djoser?"

His nephew's black eyes never blinked. "I've committed treason against the Ventrue Master. I've just helped the Toreador Clan take one of his Blood-Childer captive."

**

Standing outside on the balcony in the rain, Angel was shrugging on his shirt, thinking about his Childer, thinking about the future. He had almost forgotten about the woman in the next room. Stepping to the balcony railing because he thought he saw his car driving down the street, and stubbing his toe. "Jesus Christ!"

"Don't fight it my love." A smug Darla stood in the open door, wrapped in a sheet. Just let it happen. It'll only hurt for a minute."

Puzzled for only a moment, before Angel understood. Throwing his head back, he began laughing hysterically. It felt good. He had had too few opportunities to laugh in the last year. "Sure of yourself, aren't you Darla?" He couldn't help but sneer a little. "But if you really want to know, you weren't that good."

"Not good?" She let out a short laugh of disbelief. "Well, I don't accept that. You cannot tell me that wasn't perfect. Not only have I been around for four hundred years, but I used to do this professionally. And that was perfect." Grabbing Angel's arm, she tried to drag her Childe back to bed. "We'll go again."

Pulling Darla against him, Angel held her in an embrace, but the embrace was painful as he squeezed her hard. "We're done. I may at sometime decide to bed you again, but it will be when I decide."

"When you decide? You seem to forget who I am. . .your Sire. Now Childe. . . ."

"And you seem to forget who I am. I am now the High Master. The Master of the Clan. I can order your death. Now. . .if you want to continue to exist, you'll bring me that information you promised."

"And if I don't?" She tried to pull away, but Angel refused to let her go, gripping her harder, close to breaking a few ribs.

"Then I will kill you."

**

Singing to the radio, Spike had to admit that he was enjoying himself just a little. Screeching around the corner, he thought about the paradox of being back with his Sire. Happy to be back with Angel, but still, at times it was hard to be so under his control again. Spike had lived for more than a century on his own and now as his Father's Blood-Childe, Angel guarded him closely. Lost in these thoughts, it took a few miles for him to realize that the top was down on his Sire's car, and it was raining!

"Bugger all." He muttered to himself as he pulled over to the curb. Surveying the wet upholstery as he put the top up, he was pretty sure it would dry out by the time he got back to LA.

Next stop a petrol station. Along with Angel's car keys, Spike had also 'borrowed' the money in his wallet. Wondering if they also sold flowers at the petrol station, although he was pretty sure they didn't, so he'd have to stop somewhere to buy flowers. Starting up the car again, he continued on his way. Spike's intention was to just go to Sunnydale to give his sympathies to Buffy and Dawn. He had no idea that he'd soon be embroiled in their fight against a goddess whose quest to go back home would cause the walls between the dimensions to break down. Once again, he would be fighting alongside the Slayer to prevent 'hell on earth.'

**

"You sure you feel up to this?" Helping Wesley out of the car, Gunn got him settled in the wheelchair. "You know me and Cordy could have just come and . . . ."

"And what? We don't even know why The Powers That Be sent us here." Wincing in pain, Wesley settled himself into the wheelchair.

"You don't think it has anything to do with Angel?" Head still pounding from her recent vision, Cordelia dug around her purse for another aspirin. Her latest vision had them all puzzled. It directed them to the Caritas. There was a sense of urgency in the vision but no danger. Dwelling on such a mystery was causing her headache to worsen, making her wish even more that she was laying on her couch at home with her feet up and an ice pack on her forehead. "If part of this deal is that I'm going to have to sing, I swear, I'm going to throw up on the stage."

"Well, tell us again about your vision. . . ."

"Wesley how many times do I have to tell you about it? Is your pain medicine starting to affect your brain?" The three co-workers/friends were edgy as events from the year before had not made the new year look promising. Fired and estranged from Angel. Wesley shot by a renegade zombie cop. Visions becoming more and more painful for Cordelia. A new business started but on shaky ground.

"I know. It's just that . . . . " Wesley didn't voice what he knew they were all thinking. That the odd vision that Cordelia had was somehow connected with Angel. Anger, resentment, fear. All emotions that arose in them when his name was mentioned. But Angel was not a person one could just walk away from without looking back. He still loomed larger than life in all of their thoughts.

And to complicate matters further, Giles had called them with the news about a possible alliance between Angel and the Ventrues. The three had then refused to see Angel or take any of his calls, while they tried to investigate that possibility. It seemed that perhaps their worst fear was being realized; they were now, not only on the opposite side of the fence from Angel but would be soon fighting enemies.

"Well, now what?" Gunn asked impatiently as the three entered the demon nightclub. "Do we just start knockin' heads together until we find the one that knows why we were sent here?"

"Real subtle Gunn." Rolling her eyes, Cordelia looked for a waiter who could give her something to wash the aspirin down.

"My guess is that he's the one who probably has an answer for us." Wesley spotted the Host who was now making his way over to them.

"Oh man, we are going to have to sing then. . . I need to get another life." Cordelia muttered the last part to herself.

"Hey kids, so where's the Big Guy?" The Host was as effusive as always.

Three sets of eyes met, while the three groaned softly in unison.

"We have no idea where Angel. . .where that back-stabbing traitor is. Haven't seen him since before Christmas." Finally getting a glass of water, Cordelia was washing down the aspirin.

"Since before Christmas? But I told him to get help from. . .you." The smile left the Host's face.

Again the three humans exchanged looks. "Well, Angel has been trying to communicate with us, but we haven't been taking his calls. Word is that he's allied with the Ventrues. And the Ventrues are now the Council's number one enemy." Wesley watched the demon closely for his reaction, hoping to learn something.

"Well. . .I guess they came to a small understanding but hot off the presses, I just heard that that small understanding is about to explode into a HUGE misunderstanding." Grinning broadly, Lorne always did love juicy gossip, but the three faces that stared back at him did not have looks of encouragement. Sighing, he wondered to himself if everyone connected with Angel was just as humorless as the vampire. "Listen kids, it really is quite important that you get in touch with Angel. He needs your help."

"Mr. Big-Bad-I-Don't-Need-Anyone-And-You're-All-Fired-Vampire needs our help? Hah, that's a laugh." Cordelia was now holding the water glass with ice up to her forehead. The blessed coolness gave her some relief.

"It's already been prophesized that there's going to be an apocalypse. Angel's role in it is still unknown, although we know he plays a big part in it. Which side he'll be on is up for grabs. Wolfram and Hart know that. And they're trying to push him over. . .well you kiddies have probably figured out what side they want him on. One sure way to get him fighting for the dark side would be to kill his Childe."

"His Childe? Doesn't Angel have a lot of Childer? So which one we talking about here?" Gunn was remembering Drusilla, and also the stories that Wesley told him about Djoser, Ramose, Spike, and Lucien.

"Blood-Childe." Lorne enunciated the word in Gunn's face. "His youngest Blood-Childe. His favorite. . . ."

"Spike." Wesley finished the Host's sentence as his mind was putting all the pieces of information that the Anagogic demon just gave them. "He's the key to whether Angel turns to his dark side. And Giles mentioned to me that Snow poisoned him with a second unknown toxin, so now the cure that we had come up with is no. . ." Wesley now understood why The Powers That Be sent them to Caritas, to the Host. "We'll go see Angel right now." Determination was in his voice as he looked up at Lorne.

"WHAT?!" Gunn and Cordelia were both stunned.

"We need to help Angel. We need to help him save Spike. Not for his sake or Spike's sake, but for all of our sakes."

~Part: 14~

The service was done. It was over, but it wasn't. Still too much to think about. Too much to take care of. Buffy sat at her mother's grave fighting the depression that threatened to overwhelm her.

"Hey. . . Buffy. . .brought you. . . ." Spike felt awkward. Giving condolences to someone whose mother died was not something that vampires did on a daily basis. He handed Buffy the flowers he was carrying.

"Angel?" She looked hopefully around.

"Ahh. . . ."Spike debated with himself whether he should tell the truth or tell a lie that would make the Slayer feel better. "Kind of. . . ." Sucking in his cheeks while he searched for the right words. "Has some family obligations to take care of, but he'll be here tomorrow."

"Something wrong with your brother or uncle?" Buffy realized that Spike was alone.

"Nahh. . .well yeah." Crouching down by the young woman, Spike was finding that lying to the Slayer was not coming easy. A fact that amazed him. He normally could lie to anyone at any time.

"Spike." She looked at the vampire, feeling that the whole scene had a surreal feel to it. "This is a nice gesture. . . ." Holding up the flowers. "But you were told to get out of Sunnydale."

"They're from Angel too. . .both of us." Spike fudged a little. He had bought the flowers, but they were bought with money he had taken out of Angel's wallet.

"They're beautiful. Thank you. I'll thank Angel tomorrow." Buffy was puzzled. "But Spike, why are you here? Why do you care if my mother died? Or did Angel make you come?"

"Hey, I liked your mum. She was decent, didn't put on airs. And she always had a nice cuppa for me."

Buffy couldn't help herself as she smiled at the vampire. "You just went from being violently disliked to only mildly disliked."

"Movin' up, am I?" Spike was fighting the strange feeling of sympathy for the Slayer. Her total look of sorrow and hopelessness touched something deep inside him. It also brought back long repressed memories. "You know Buffy." He sat down on the ground beside her. "I lost my mum too. Saw her die. I felt so alone after that. So unwanted. And sometimes I think that I've never been wanted since her."

"But Angel. . . ?"

"He has never loved me like she did. No one has loved me like she loved me." Looking down at the ground, Spike remembered the despair he had felt. Watching her die, holding her hand.

Slayer and vampire. Mortal enemies. But in this moment each one found the presence of the other comforting. Peacefully, they looked at Joyce Summers' gravesite. Both with thoughts of their mothers. United in their grief and loss.

**

"I can't believe what you did." The vampire looked over his shoulder for any pursuers as his nephew hit the gas and they sped off. "Angelus is going to have an aneurysm over this. His orders were. . . ."

"The Ventrue Master lied. My Sire didn't know. . . ."

"Djoser, I know you weren't born yesterday. Of course the Ventrue lied. Angelus knew that, and he lied to the Ventrue. That's the art of negotiation. Even stupid humans know that. But Angelus had an objective. He wanted the Ventures to defeat Snow and the Council, and he wanted us to make sure that happened. And now you've fucked up god knows what. He's going to tan your hide for this." Settling back in the car seat, Nic pulled a cigarette out of his pocket.

"I got information on the poisons. That was the deal I made with the Toreadors. And the Ventrue Master could have gotten the same information for us, but he chose not to. He chose not to even try and help William. He and Snow can kill each other for all I care." Djoser's expression was dark as he looked at his uncle.

"You've got a cure for William?" Astonished, Nic sat up straight.

"No, but I've got the components of both poisons."

"Knowing what the poisons are made up of doesn't mean we can restore your brother to health."

"It's a start. And that's all I care about." Djoser muttered softly as he stared at the road in front of him. The road to LA. Back to his Sire and brother.

**

He was chained up with his captors using lighters to burn parts of his body. Hot flames blistered his skin. The bottoms of his feet, his genitals, his. . . .

"Spike." Buffy shook the vampire awake. "Spike. It's almost daylight. We better get you inside." The two sitting up against a tree had fallen asleep.

"Bloody hell!" Spike jumped to his feet. The sun was just starting to peek through the leaves of the tree. That was the burning he was feeling. Rushing to the car with the Slayer following him. "Goddamn!" Safe in the car, Spike was trying to gather his wits, shake off the nightmare. He hadn't had any nightmares for a couple of months, since the last time he had been in Sunnydale.

Buffy slid in the car on the passenger's side. "You ok?"

"Yeah. Just a little. . .damn, I wasn't suppose to fall asleep. Angel doesn't know where I am. Need to give him a ring."

"You came here and Angel doesn't know? Thought you told me that the flowers were from. . . ." Buffy was angry. Not so much at Spike, but at herself. Falling asleep in the cemetery was the ultimate in stupidity, not to mention her irresponsibility in regards to leaving her sister alone for the night. "Go to my house. I need to check on Dawn. You can call Angel from there. You didn't tell him that you were coming here? With all the trouble with Snow and you being poisoned. . .Spike, you're an idiot!" {And I'm not any better.}

"Yeah, my Sire is going to be calling me that and more." Starting up the car, for once Spike was a bit glad about being poisoned. It saved him from the beating he knew he deserved.

"Spike. . . ." Buffy quickly buckled herself in as the vampire floored the accelerator. "It was nice of you. . . ." Exchanging a quick look at her 'once hated adversary.' "Nice of you to come and give me your. . .support." A difficult admission to make to someone she had despised for so long.

He didn't bother to answer her as the look he gave her said it all. Neither would admit it, but the once deadly foes were starting to have friendly feelings toward each other. Tires squealing as Spike abruptly brought the car to a halt in front of the Summers' house.

"Do you need me to bring a blanket out for you?" Because of concern for her sister, Buffy was already half out the car door. She needed to check on Dawn.

"Nah." Taking off his brother's tunic, which Spike now wore in lieu of his beloved black duster, he covered his head. "This will do."

Racing to the house, the door was opened for them by a tearful Dawn. "She wasn't my mother, so why should I feel so bad that she's dead? But I do. I feel. . .awful."

"Dawn. It's alright." Wrapping her arms around her sister, Buffy held her. "I'm sorry I'm so late. I didn't mean to leave you. . . ."

"And why am I crying when I'm not even human? I shouldn't feel. I'm just this big blob of energy, so why. . . ."

"Dawn!" Buffy didn't want her to talk so, but she also didn't want Spike to hear any more. Even though her opinion of the vampire was changing, she still didn't want him to know about her sister being the 'key.'

"Why's she talking like she's barmy?" Brows furrowed together in a puzzled manner, Spike studied the teenage girl.

"She's just overwrought. Dawn. . . ." Buffy wiped the tears off her sister's face. "Let me put you back in bed. You need to. . . ."

"NO! I don't want to go back to bed. I just want her to come back. She wasn't my mother, but I WANT her back." Looking over at Spike. "I'm not crazy. Didn't you hear? I'm the 'key.' I'm what Glory is looking for."

"Glory?" The name rang a bell in Spike's head. "Glory, the demon we were researching?"

"She's not a demon. She's a goddess, and she wants me."

"DAWN, YOU'RE GOING BACK TO BED." Arm around her sister, Buffy led her toward the staircase. Halfway up the stairs, she turned to look down at the vampire. "Spike, it's important that you forget what you just heard here. My sister's life depends on it. And her life means more to me than. . . than my own."

"You don't have to explain yourself. I understand how you feel about your sister. I have a brother. . . ." Their eyes met. "Who I too would do anything for."

Smiling sadly at him, Buffy was fast coming to the realization that she had more in common with this enemy than she did her closest friends. "Shouldn't you call Angel?"

"Yeah, better get right on it." Face thoughtful, Spike turned to go and make his call. Trying to make sense of what Dawn had told him and feeling a fierce empathy for her. She reminded him of himself. He too had been that devastated when his mother had died.

No answer at the Hyperion, and since he had never bothered to find out Angel's cell phone number, Spike decided that his best course of action would be to just put his arse back in the car and drive as fast as he could back to LA. Yelling up the stairs that he was leaving, the vampire covered his head again, and readied himself to make a dash for the car.

Outside waiting for him were four of Glory's minions who had followed the two back from the cemetery. Sent to spy on the Slayer and find out who the key was, they mistakenly thought Spike to be it.

What the fuck, Spike thought as the four demons rushed him. "The Magnificent Glorificus will now have her key. The one who is precious to the Slayer." The goddess' minions found the vampire to be a relatively easy target as he, hampered by having to protect himself from the sunlight could not put up much of a fight.

Upstairs, hearing Spike yell something and the door slam, Buffy looked out her sister's bedroom window. Witnessing the scene, she dashed downstairs to help him, but was too late. By the time she got outside, the minion demons had tossed Spike into a van and had driven off.

**

It was late morning the next day when the three humans arrived at the Hyperion. Entering the lobby, they came across a weary vampire, just coming up from the sewers.

"Wesley. Cordelia. . . ." Happy to see them. Happy to see anyone who might help him.

"I. . .I. . .need your help." Embarrassed, but desperate. So concerned over his Childe that Angel was able to forget his pride.

"Yeah we know." Hostility radiating off her, Cordelia stood with arms folded. "The Host told us. We came to help, but just so you know we're not doing it for you. Just don't want to have to deal with an insane madman named Angel again."

"I. . .I see." Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, Angel didn't see at all. He was a little confused as to how the Host could have known about William running away so fast, and he had no idea what Cordelia was talking about. "But you're here to help, right?"

"Yes." Wesley looked up at the vampire from the wheelchair. "We've come here to help. But you must understand Angel; we're not your employees anymore. . . ."

"It's okay, Wesley. I don't want you to come back and work for me. Help me, and whenever there's a time that you need me, I'll return the favor."

"And how do we know we can trust you?" Cordelia was not ready to forgive and forget. "We've heard that you've now allied yourself with the Ventures."

"I. . . ." Angel was saved from answering by the arrival of his oldest Childe and brother.

"Sire, let me explain." Djoser approached Angel tentatively. In the past if Angel even suspected that his orders had been disobeyed, he had been quick to mete out physical punishment and ask questions later.

"Djoser! Nic! Thank the gods! You're just in time to help us look for William." So relieved to see more help, Angel wasn't even wondering why the two vampires were back in LA.

Surprised, the two men stopped in their tracks and exchanged glares with each other. This welcoming greeting wasn't the one they had been expecting.

"Excuse me, 'Look for William?' Angel what's going on?" Wesley looked at his ex-boss with bafflement.

"Well. . . ." Now Angel was perplexed. "You said you came to help. Help me find William."

"He's MISSING AGAIN?" Gunn was eyeing up the two new arrivals. He recognized Nic, but had never seen Djoser before. "You sure misplace this Childe of yours a lot."

"He ran away." There was nothing left to do but admit it. "Last night. I've been searching for him ever since, but no one here in LA knows anything."

"Ran away? Angel, he's not even been back with you a year, and this makes how many times he's run away? What did you do to him this time?" Wesley sighed. He might have known that anything having to do with Spike was never simple.

"Darla showed up. Said she would help. Said she could get information on the poisons for us."

"And he ran away because of THAT?"

"Then. . .she offered herself to. . . ."

"YOU SLEPT WITH HER!" Five sets of eyes. All accusing him.

"You're such a pig." Cordelia was disgusted.

"But she offered, and. . .and I needed. . .feeding William does take its toll." Stammering, Angel made his excuses.

"How much of your blood have you been feeding him?" Being a vampire, Nic was the first to understand.

"Whenever he'll eat."

"WHAT! Make him eat pig or cow's or whatever kind of blood you keep around here. You can't keep draining yourself like that!"

"Angel." Putting two and two together, Wesley was beginning to understand what they were talking about. "He's right. What are you thinking? Physically you just can't

continue. . . ."

"That's all he'll eat. That's all he can eat. And my blood is what's keeping him alive." Tired of explaining himself, Angel cut Wesley off. "So you see. . .when Darla showed up and made her offer, I took it. Now enough talk. We need to find him."

"I still don't get it." Cordelia was determined to understand. "What does having sex with Darla have to do with Angel feeding Spike? And by the way, those two pictures that are unfortunately at this moment running through my head, are grossing me out."

"Sex and blood. Both symbols of life. When Angel. . . ." Wesley explained to his fellow humans. "Had sex with Darla, he was able to take some of her blood. . .some of her power."

"And because she's of the same Bloodline, his Sire, there's even more power transferred." Djoser was reassured. His Sire had had a good reason for bedding his GrandSire.

"What is this? True confessions of a vampire? SHUT UP Djoser." Nic was giving his nephew a dirty look. "Humans aren't suppose to know anything about the Bloodlines."

"Yes, we have talked enough." Thinking to himself, Wesley realized how important it was to find Spike and find a cure for him. The physical strain on Angel to continue to 'support' his Childe would push him into needing to feed himself more and more. Soon there would come a time when animal blood would not be sufficient, and he would be driven to human blood. Fresh human blood. "Gunn, could you check some of your contacts? Since he ran away just last night, the trail shouldn't have gone too cold yet."

"I'm on it." Gunn turned to leave.

"I'll come with you." Djoser was right behind the mortal, ready to follow him out.

"I don't think so!" Gunn did not like the looks of the dark vampire. "Do I look like I need help?"

"He's my brother. I promised that I would always watch out for him. I'm COMING with you."

"Listen. . . . " Toe-to-toe, human and vampire began facing off.

"Djoser." Grabbing his oldest Childe by the arm, Angel pulled him away. "You'll stay here with me. We need to consider if William might be trying to track you down. Nic, you'll go with Gunn."

Automatic response was to start to protest, but after a moment of thought, Nic changed his mind. He would help the human. Better that than stay and eventually have to explain to Angelus what happened with the Ventrues.

"I don't want him with me either."

"Gunn. . . ." Wesley pacified. "Having another person doesn't hurt. Consider him your back-up."

"Make sure nothing happens to him." Nodding toward Gunn, Angel gave instructions to his brother.

"AND DO I LOOK LIKE I NEED PROTECTIN'! Fuckin' vamps. I used to take lairs of yous out almost every night."

"Fine. Then you can protect me." Nic just wanted an excuse to leave for a while. "Cuz I got not only Snow and the Council after my ass, but now the Ventrue Clan is gunning for us too." Giving the room a wicked grin, Nic always did have a rather warped sense of humor. "Now aren't you humans glad that you offered to help us?"

**

"So now the Ventrues will be after you too." Sitting up in the front seat with Angel, Wesley was staring at the sheets of paper that Djoser had given him. Sheets of paper that contained basic information on the poisons. It was a starting point.

"Does the information look like it will be helpful to you?" Angel didn't feel well. He was tired and discouraged. Following the route back to the Ventrues. Trying to see if they could pick up any trace of William. Nothing. Turning back to LA because they couldn't risk getting any closer to the other Clan.

"Yes. . .yes, most certainly. This will save us a lot of time in research."

"And were they worth making an enemy out of a formidable Master vampire and his Clan?"

"Sire. The Ventrue Master could have helped us. Could have helped William. He chose not to, so why should I respect him? Why should I serve him in any way?" Djoser defended himself as he sat forward, leaning toward Angel from the back seat while half expecting a backhand across the face.

Not answering because Angel wasn't sure how to respond to his Childe. The information was certainly valuable, but his head pounded at the thought of now having another powerful enemy to be concerned about.

"We can hope that Snow and the Ventrues will kill each other." Wesley broke the uncomfortable silence.

"The Ventrues will have their hands full with both Snow and the Toreador Clan. They won't come after us." Djoser tried to sound confident as Angel pulled up to the Hyperion.

"My Childe, I hope you're right." Getting out of the car, Angel turned to look at his son when the pain hit him like a poker going through him. But in this case the poker had flaming fingers that scorched his insides. "AHHH." Falling to his knees he clutched his chest.

"Angel!"

"Sire!" Djoser crouched down beside him.

"I've been stabbed! It's burning." Shirt ripped open as both Djoser and Wesley bent to look. Chest and stomach were smooth, uninjured.

"You're not hurt. There's nothing there." At a complete loss, Wesley wondered if the pressure was finally breaking Angel.

Head bowed, fighting the pain and nausea, Angel felt the bond. So much of his blood running through his Childe had made their connection strong. He knew. He knew that his William was being tortured.

~Part: 15~

Waiting for Willow and Tara to come watch Dawn, Buffy lost precious time to begin operation 'Save Spike.' But it couldn't be helped. Dawn couldn't be left alone in her state.

As soon as her friends arrived, she went on the hunt. Spike needed to be saved, not just because he was the Blood-Childe of her former boyfriend, but because he now knew about Dawn. Hopefully, he could be rescued from Glory's clutches before the beans were spilled.

Remembering her battle with Glory's key-sniffing snake, Buffy returned to the park where it had been killed. Her hunch paid off. After snooping around, she spied the van that the demons had kidnapped Spike in. It was parked by an apartment building on a hill overlooking the park.

"Bingo." She muttered as her Slayer sense confirmed that she had indeed found the enemy. This was Glory's lair. It was time to get back up.

**

"Shhh. What do you know, Precious? What can I dig out of you?" Straddling Spike, fingers digging in his innards, Glory was making him scream. "You had better start talking vampire because I'm fast losing my patience."

Hands tied behind his back, he could only cry in pain and anguish. This goddess was slowly putting him to death, and he couldn't stop it from happening. Agony overwhelmed him. But before he could mercifully pass out, Glory withdrew her fingers. A few blows to the face followed as she barked out commands to her minions.

"Chain him up. I flay this vampire like an apple until he talks. He hangs with the Slayer, so I just bet. . . ." Pulling Spike up by his torn shirt, she looked him in the eye, a frightening smile on her face. "You know where my key is."

**

Reaching the Magic Shop, Buffy burst through the door."Giles! Xander! Glory's got Spike. We need to. . . ." Breaking off, she noticed the four strange men.

"Spike? He's. . .he's here. . .he's here in Sunnydale." Taking off his glasses, Giles looked up at Buffy.

"Spike? Aka William the Bloody, Blood-Childe of Angelus?" One of the strangers was immediately interested. "And what's happened to him?" He walked over to Buffy, getting a little too close. The Slayer hated him on sight.

"He came to give me condolences on the death of my mother. We accidentally fell asleep in the cemetery, and Glory's minions took him. He knows . . . ." Breaking off, Buffy stopped her babbling. "We need to go save him."

"Save him?" The leader of the strangers was a thin man with a stringy strength. "The Slayer wants to save a vampire? How unusual." A condescending smile set Buffy's teeth on edge.

"Who are you? And what is your interest in what I do?"

"Buffy. . .this is. . .is Hawkins." Giles had an unhappy look on his face. "He's from the Council. He heads up the 'Search And Destroy' division of the Council."

"The Council? I thought I told that Quentin Travers that I didn't want any of the Council here in Sunnydale. If we need you, we'll. . . ."

"Travers! That doddering old fool! I'm the one in charge, and guess what Slayer. . . . " Hawkins sneered at her as he silently communicated to his comrades. "I don't take orders from some whiny, snot nosed girl."

"Well there's always a first time for everything." Angry, Buffy went for the man. Pinning him down to the table with a hand around his throat, she was unaware of the signal Hawkins had given his men was to draw their firearms.

A true psychopath, Hawkins had no fear. Not even from the Slayer. Laughing, he taunted Buffy. "Look around Slayer. Even if you can bring yourself to kill a human, I still hold the winning hand." Guns were leveled at Giles, Xander and Anya. "Now tell me, why did Glory take the vampire?"

Letting the man up, Buffy stepped back. She knew she could snap his neck, but not before his associates blew holes in Giles and her friends. "Her minions saw him with me last night. I'm guessing they want information from him about me." Wary, Buffy was careful not to say anything about Dawn.

"So Glory has our boy." Pacing in a circle, Hawkins was thoughtful. He wasn't sure if this helped or hindered his plans.

"Giles." Buffy's eyes communicated to her Watcher. "Spike was at my house this morning. Happened to run into Dawn." Glaring over at Xander too, her eyes pleaded with both men to understand the implication of Spike running into her sister.

"We need to go save the vampire." Hawkins announced, surprising them all. "Watcher, call the vampire's Sire. He needs to be told that his Blood-Childe has been taken captive by Glory."

Buffy, Giles, and Xander exchanged uncomfortable glares. It was too good to be true that this Hawkins was going to help them save Spike. There had to be some ulterior motive that they knew nothing about, and it was making them all extremely uneasy.

"We'll stop by my house first and get weapons." Buffy gave the order, curious if Hawkins would follow it.

A sly smile. "Sure Slayer, but tell me, have you an idea where this Glory's nest is?"

"Why?" Guard up, she eyed him suspiciously.

"Got some men in the field. Need to let them know where they should meet us. Of course, if you have no idea, then I need to tell them what part of the town they should start their reconnaissance."

She couldn't argue with his logic so she reluctantly told him about the park. But not before she made one last point. Standing right in front of Hawkins, she gave him a long threatening stare. "Our mission is to save Spike. If you or any of your men try anything underhanded, you'll be eating soft foods for the rest of your lives."

Hawkins smirked at her. "You scare me Slayer. You really do."

**

"Good plan, Spike." Muttering to himself as he limped through the hall headed for the elevator. A few choice insults was all it took to push the goddess into losing her temper and giving him a strong enough kick to send him crashing outside the apartment. Now if he could just make it to the elevator.

Her minions chasing him, he ended up letting himself fall down the shaft onto the descending elevator. Opening up the hatch door on the roof of the elevator, another plummet onto the floor. "Ufff! Fuckin' goddess bitch. Guess that green demon didn't let her know that I'm special and suppose to be kept alive." Reaching the entrance level, the elevator doors opened as he struggled to his feet. Awaiting him again were Glory's minions.

"Vampire! You do not insult Glory by escaping!"

Panting for unneeded breath because of pain, Spike couldn't see a way out of the fix he was in. Considering his options, he decided that death by the minions' hands was better than torture by some wacko ex-goddess who could give his Sire a run for his money as far as dishing out pain.

Standing on rubbery legs, he lurched out of the elevator, swinging futilely at the foe. Within minutes, the minion demons had overpowered him. "NO!" Gasping the word out and trying to dig his heels into the floor as they began to drag him back into the elevator.

Too weak to fight, Spike could still make his body go limp. The demons were struggling with his dead weight when help arrived. Breaking through the door, a band of vampires charged in. No match for the bigger and stronger vampires, the minions were soon fleeing upstairs to seek refuge with their mistress.

Vision blurring, Spike could barely make out the vampires, but his abused body could not even attempt an escape.

"He has no mark."

"He had one. Look, it was cut out."

"Then he's the one?"

"Yes. We must get him back to our Sire."

Losing consciousness, Spike's last thought was, 'Bloody hell. Snow has me again.'

**

Reaching the park, Buffy and her friends saw that Hawkins had beaten them there. Talking to a group of his men they could see him ordering some of them away.

"What's he doing?" Xander asked from the back seat of Giles' car. "To battle Glory we need all available healthy bodies."

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." Giles hadn't even brought the car to a complete stop when Buffy was out the door. "Hawkins, what the hell is going on?"

Keeping his face from revealing anything, Hawkins turned to the Slayer. "Seems that our ally vampires have gotten to Angelus' Blood-Childe first. Sent some men to go get him."

"And he's alright?" Buffy suspected he was lying.

"You're awful concerned about a vampire, aren't you Slayer? What's your relationship with. . .oh, wait a minute. The vampire's Sire. His Father. You were involved with him for a time, weren't you? So I guess you've got some. . .what? Maternal feelings for this Spike? Cause after all, you were like his stepmother, weren't you?"

Buffy had never thought of that angle. An angle that was actually quite revolting. Even though she exchanged an I'm-so-grossed-out look with Xander, she played along with the vampire hunter. Better that than to betray Dawn.

"It would kill Angel if anything happened to Spike. And I'm also concerned about what information Spike may or may not have told Glory. She's a dangerous enemy to begin with. But if she knows all about me. . . ."

"Gonna get him back Slayer." Hawkins wouldn't look her in the eye. "Watcher, you told this Spike's Sire to meet us here, right? We'll wait. He shouldn't be much longer."

**

White lipped, Wesley could only hang on and pray that they made it to Sunnydale in one piece. Passing cars on the left, right, and squeezing between two, Angel hadn't let up on the accelerator since they sped out of LA after receiving Giles' call. Spike was in Sunnydale, being held prisoner by some 'goddess' named Glory. Out of the four men in the car, Wesley was the only one concerned as Djoser and Nic sat in the back seat, untroubled.

"Easy for them. If we crash, they're vampires with accelerated healing powers." He muttered crabbily to himself.

"Did you say something Wesley?" Hearing the mumbling, Angel turned to look over at his ex-employee.

"Yes. I said, is there any possibility that you could. . .AHHH. . ." Throwing his arms up to his face to cover his eyes. "WATCH OUT FOR THE BLOODY CAR IN FRONT OF YOU!"

Swerving sharply into the right lane, Angel narrowly missed the car. Still not letting his foot off the gas pedal, he steered around the car. "It's ok Wesley. Vampire reflexes, you know."

Life passing before his eyes, Wesley could only whisper incoherently. "Vampire reflexes. Saved by vampire reflexes."

With no more cars in front of him, Angel stepped on the gas harder. Almost there. His Childe's voice called out to him the closer he got to Sunnydale. Their connection grew even stronger.

Getting off the freeway, Angel ignored the stop sign at the end of the exit ramp. Still driving at a high speed, he reached the outskirts of Sunnydale where he jammed on the brakes, throwing Wesley forward in the process.

"Nic and Djoser. Out. Sweep the town. Find out what you can. If you discover something, call me on my cell phone."

"Angel." Wesley protested. "Didn't Giles say they knew where Spike is being held? We'll need them with us."

"Giles referred to my Childe as William."

"Well that is his name. . . ."

"All of you who have known him by Spike, call him by that name only. Something is not quite right." Looking out the car window at his brother and son. "GO NOW!"

Neither vampire had any argument with the plan, so they respectfully bowed their heads and ran off while Angel stepped on the gas again and headed for the park where Giles had directed him.

**

His nightmares gripped him like a vise. Tossing and turning, he attempted to escape his enemy, but the movement only caused him more pain. Panting and groaning, he still tried to fight.

Strong arms wrapped themselves around him to keep him from thrashing. "Eat Childe." A bleeding wrist was held to his lips.

In a half waking, half dream state, Spike could make out a blurry face close to his. Trying to focus his eyes, he wanted to know who the man was that held him. The voice was quiet, similar to his Sire's.

"Eat. You've been wounded quite badly. My blood will help you." A wrist was pushed in his mouth. Drops of blood dribbled into his mouth. It had a strong, rich flavor. Again comparable to his Sire's.

Sucking slightly, more to appease the man holding him than to appease a hunger he didn't feel, Spike took a mouthful of blood and then stopped. Turning his head away, his voice just a hoarse croak. "My Sire."

"Some minions have been sent to LA to fetch him. He'll be here soon."

Relief and the mouthful of blood calmed his spirit and body. His instinct told him that the words of the unknown man were true. Giving in, sleep once again took over him.

**

"Hang on." Grabbing on to his uncle's arm, Djoser held him up.

"What?"

"It's them!" Pulling Nic with him behind a building, the dark vampire sought concealment.

"Who?" Peering around the corner, Nic saw a small group of armed men. "Vampire hunters."

"Council vampire hunters. Ran into them last year here in Sunnydale." Djoser recognized one of the men. He had been one of the three men who had attacked them at the Slayer's house last May.

"SNOW! He's here with his Council allies! Gotta call Angelus and let him know." Nic pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

"Going to get closer. Want to hear what they're saying." Hunched down, Djoser began creeping around the corner.

"Djoser will you wait a fuckin' minute." Phone to his ear, Nic reached to grab his nephew, but only came up with air. Djoser had already left.

**

Reaching the park, Angel saw them immediately. Buffy, Giles, Xander, and Anya, surrounded by a group of men with guns drawn. Stopping the car, he went to put it in reverse, but he was too late. They had spotted him.

"Vampire. We've been waiting for you. Come join the party." The obvious leader, while not a big man still conveyed menace.

"This does not look good, does it?" Wesley observed as he studied the men. He immediately recognized them as Council vampire hunters. He also recognized Hawkins.

"Can you get out Wesley, or should I carry you?" Surveying the scene, Angel was trying to get a sense if William was anywhere close.

"I. . .I can manage." Weak from his injury, Wesley had given up the wheelchair, but was still shaky.

Approaching the group slowly, Angel gave the impression of indolence, but his body was tense, ready to attack. Looking over at Buffy and Giles, he addressed them. "And my Childe?"

"Got away from the goddess from hell. We've got him now." Hawkins answered before anyone could speak. "And I'm ready to make a deal for him."

Stopping, Angel could feel his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. He knew it was Nic, but he couldn't answer it. These men didn't know that Nic and Djoser were here in Sunnydale with him, and Angel wanted to keep it that way. They were his ace-in-the-hole.

"I want to see William." Quiet voice belying his anger.

"All in good time vampire. You'll see him when I say so. Now here's what I want from you first."

**

Using the dark and some shrubbery, Djoser knew how to remain unseen. He was close enough to see and hear what the Council hunters were doing and saying. They were torturing some small warty demon for information.

"So the vampire got away. Thought you said that your mistress had tortured him. Wasn't he wounded? How was he able to get away?"

"Yes. Yes. My mistress, the goddess I worship, the great and powerful. . . ."

"Cut to the chase shorty." A thrust with a heel of a hand, breaking the demon's nose. "We don't give a rat's ass about your mistress. We just want the vampire."

"His friends came to rescue him. Other vampires." Blood trickled from his nose down his chin.

"Did those vampires have a white streak in their hair?"

"What?" The demon didn't understand such an odd question.

Two cuffs to the head and a punch in the stomach. "What word in that sentence didn't you understand? I said, did they have a white. . . ."

"NO! No, they didn't." The minion answered quickly, hoping to avoid more blows to his body.

"So Snow doesn't have him." The Council hunter muttered to his comrades. "In what direction did they take the vampire? And you had better have some useful information for me, or your head will soon be separated from your shoulders."

"Gronx. Gronx saw them leave. It appeared. . . ." Interrupted by another blow to the face as his tormentor didn't like his uncertainty. "We think that they headed north out of town."

"Think? But then you demons can barely do that." Lifting the diminutive minion up by the throat, the hunter pulled out a gun, intending to blow out the demon's brains when a fellow hunter caught his arm.

"We may still need him. Don't kill him yet. Wait until we have the vampire. Then he can be dispensed with."

A long moment while the human considered, and the demon clasped his hands in prayer. Perhaps praying to Glory. "Alright." Shoving the minion at his colleague. "Throw him in the boot. I'll call Hawkins, and then let's go track down the vampire."

"Hey." Nic crept alongside Djoser. "I swear. . . ." He whispered so the mortals wouldn't overhear him. "Ever since the gypsies cursed Angelus with a soul, he's getting stupider and stupider. The dumb ass tells us to call him on his cell phone if we find anything interesting and then doesn't turn it on. The soul must have pushed out a good portion of his brain when it was put in him."

"Thought you said that he doesn't have a soul now."

"Christ if I know what your Sire is. He's a vampire Jekyl and Hyde. One moment acting like the vicious, mean son-of-a-bitch who the Old Master so loved, and the next, acting all feely and souly. I just know he's doing it on purpose too. Just to keep us off balance. So. . .what's going on here?"

"Snow and The Council don't have William. Some other vampires got him away from the goddess."

"Other vamp. . .OH FUCK! THE VENTRUES!"

"The Council hunters." Djoser motioned toward the men. "Are going to track down William. And I'm going to follow them."

"NO YOU AIN'T!" This time Nic was successful as he made a grab for his nephew. "You're going back to tell Angelus what's going on here."

"You go and tell him. I'm. . . ."

"DJOSER! Use your thick head for once. You're one of the Heir Apparents. Angelus would skin me alive if I let you go off by yourself to follow a bunch of vampire hunters who are tracking the clan of vampires whom you committed treason against."

"I. . . ." Djoser opened his mouth to argue more, but was cut off as he uncle spun him around. "Do as I say for once. I'll follow the humans. And when you get back to Angelus, tell him to turn on his fuckin' phone and call me. I'll let you guys know where I am. NOW GO!"

~Part: 16~

Surveying the situation, Angel considered his odds. The Council hunters were armed with Tec 9's, mini machine guns, and even with his superior speed, he could not take all of them out before they began gunning down his human allies. Perhaps even taking out the Slayer in the process.

"Your brother. Your brother took a good friend' of mine." Hawkins studied Angel with interest. He had never seen the infamous Angelus, Scourge of Europe in person.

"And I want him back. Give me my friend back, and I'll return your Childe."

"My brother? My brother took a friend of yours?" Angel had no idea what the human was talking about. Nic had been with the Ventrues for the last two months.

"YES!" Hawkins turned away to pace a few steps. "A VERY special friend. And vampire. . . ." Stepping back, to glare intimidating at Angel. "If I don't get my friend back, you'll never see your Blood-Childe again."

"Don't threaten me!" A growl as Angel fought to control an irresistible urge to club the much shorter man on top of the head. He would have liked to see if he could hit him hard enough to pound him into the ground. "If my brother 'took' your friend, then your friend is either dead or with the Ventrue Clan, because Nic did not bring any. . . ."

"I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT NIC. Your brother Damon. Damon took Chris. And you as High Master can order that he be given back to me."

{Damon took Chris?}"I have no fucking clue what you're talking about." Angel snarled through clenched teeth. "I haven't seen Damon for more than a century, and I don't know who this Chris is."

"Chris. Christian Shelton." Wesley exchanged a look with Giles. They both knew who Hawkins was talking about.

"Yeah. And who the hell is he?" Not breaking eye contact with the council hunter, Angel's expression was hard.

"Christian Shelton. In the few short years he's been a Council vampire hunter, he has already become quite renowned. Hunted and killed more vampires than many do in a lifetime. He had just started with the Council when I. . .I was sent here to Sunnydale to become Buffy's new Watcher." Holding an arm around his stomach, Wesley was wishing for something to sit down on.

"He's special. So special that the Council took him in as a child. More or less raised him." Giles quietly added the information that he knew. Christian Shelton was a well-kept secret. No one but a very select few knew the man's background and why the Council found him to be so exceptional.

"That's right! Chris is special. He's my best man, and I will KILL every fucking vampire I have to until I get him back!" Hawkins fervor bordered on madness.

Scrutinizing him closely, Wesley could swear that he was starting to foam at the mouth. "Excuse me. You say he was 'taken' by this Damon. Why are you so sure he's even alive. . . ?"

"HE'S FUCKIN' ALIVE!" Voice now raised with a touch of hysteria. "AND YOU VAMPIRE!" Hawkins now had a stake in his hand and was poking it in Angel's chest. "ARE GOING TO GET HIM BACK FOR ME!"

Hawkins and his cohorts' attention was so focused on Angel that they didn't notice a dark figure move stealthily closer to the group. But Angel knew. He had smelled his Childe coming some time before. A slight change in his stance communicated to Buffy to get ready.

Pulling out a dagger, there was no hesitation or uncertainty in Djoser. Targeting the human furthest from his Sire or the Slayer, the vampire let his weapon fly. The blade caught one of the hunters right in the head.

Before the scream could even leave the dying man's lips, Djoser sprang from behind taking out a second human. Hawkins and the one other remaining Council hunter's attention was diverted for a split second by Djoser's attack, giving Buffy and Angel the opportunity they needed. An elbow to the face and a knee to the groin and Buffy had disarmed the third, leaving Angel to knock the stake out of Hawkins' hand and grab the man around the throat.

Letting his demon come forth, Angel squeezed a windpipe. Squeezed so hard the hunter's eyes bulged. "NOW! I'm tired of playing patty cake with you humans. YOU WILL TELL ME WHERE MY CHILDE IS."

"Sire." Djoser had snapped the second human's neck and was moving toward the man who Buffy had incapacitated. His intention was to execute that human too. "They don't have William. The Ventrues do. But some of his men." Djoser pointed to a choking Hawkins. "Are tracking the Ventrues now. Nic is following them."

"No!" Stepping in front of the injured hunter, Buffy held a hand up to Djoser's chest. "I cannot allow you to kill an injured. . . ."

"These were the men who came to your house last May, Slayer. They beat up your mother. They were in on poisoning my brother, and they now threaten us. All of us." Black eyes that were not crazed nor filled with sadistic pleasure. Only a matter of fact sincerity was reflected in them.

After a few seconds of an inner struggle, Buffy stepped aside. Watching the vampire kill the man, she felt more of her innocence fly from her body. The bad guys were no longer black, and the good guys were no longer white. Everyone was becoming gray.

"Angel, perhaps you should let him live." Wesley watched Hawkins' face as it went from pale to red to now purple. "He holds a high position in the Council. He may have valuable information, or you may be able to trade him for. . .perhaps for a cure."

The mortals watched the demon Angelus enjoy himself by slowing choking the vampire hunter. Not even Buffy dared to interfere with him. At the last possible second, Angel let go of Hawkins' throat, but before the man could recover, a strong fist hit him directly in the collarbone, breaking it. Falling to the ground, Hawkins would have screamed, but he had no breath. The only sound that came out of him was a strangled gurgle.

Watching the man wither in pain on the ground, the two vampires found the view entertaining while the humans weren't sure what they felt. Hawkins was a vile human being. Were they repulsed or delighted by his pain?

Uneasiness began to grow in all of them, so it was a relief when Angel pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and answered it.

"Nic? Where are you? And what the hell is going on?"

**

"Master, he thrashes around so much that he's hurting himself more." The healer tried to hold the delirious vampire still.

"Soak some of the imperial linens in blood water and then wrap him up them. Wrap him up tightly so he can't move." The Master was a charismatic figure, not conventionally handsome, but with an animal magnetism that most, demon, human, male or female, found irresistible.

"We have no human blood at the moment. Would animal blood do, or should I request that one of the hunters go and. . . ?"

"No. You can use some of my blood. This Childe is an Heir Apparent. He deserves nothing less."

"Sire." One of the Master's turned Childer entered the room. "A group of humans is approaching. I sent a scout, and he reports that they are Council vampire hunters. They are small in numbers though. Only five. But perhaps more are coming."

"Surround and take them quickly. I don't want them reporting our position."

"Sire." The vampire fell to one knee briefly before quickly leaving to carry out his orders.

"They're looking for your Blood-Childe." The healer was concerned. "We should leave now."

"My Blood-Childe cannot be moved until he reawakes. And this Childe. . . ." The Master of this small band of vampires looked down at a sleeping Spike. "Needs his Sire. A few more hours and Angelus should be here. We need to wait for him."

"And if more Council hunters are on their way?"

Shaking his head, the Master vampire could only sigh. "Then we run. Just like we've been doing for months now. Run like rabbits with the foxes nipping at our heels. Run until they've finally cornered us and we can't run any more." The two vampires exchanged sad, but weary glares. They both knew they could not escape the inevitable. Sooner or later, they were fated to die like the rest of their Clan.

**

"Praise the fuckin' gods. You made it." Relief was evident in Nic's voice. Lying on his stomach, keeping himself hidden, he had watched the vampires take the Council hunters captive while praying to a higher power that the vampires would not discover him. He could only imagine what the Ventrue Master would do to a treasonous traitor if caught.

"What's going on?" Crouching down beside his brother, Angel studied the lair. The vampires had converted some caves for their temporary hideaway.

"The Ventrues captured the Council hunters. Wait for it. . . ." Cocking his head, Nic listened for the screams. Humans being tortured. An unmistakable sound.

"Sire." Ever vigilant, Djoser had spotted the slight movement in the foliage. "We've just been discovered by their scouts."

Lithely jumping to his feet, Angel knew what he had to do. Grabbing a stake out of Xander's hand, he hid it in his coat pocket as he begun to walk toward the vampire lair.

"ANGEL! WHAT ARE YOU. . . ?" A loud whisper, but Wesley was too late, Angel had already stepped out into the clearing. "Are there enough of us to take the Ventrues?" Wesley turned to the rest of the group.

"Here. . .this might help." Djoser handed Wesley one of the Tec-9's he had appropriated from the dead Council hunters.

"I want one." Xander grabbed another one from the vampire, eyes lighting up with excitement. "But I thought bullets don't kill vampires."

"Council vampire hunters soak their bullets in holy water." Giles snatched the gun away from Xander. He was more afraid of Xander armed with a Tec-9 than he was of the Ventrues.

"Give me one." Nic held his hand out his nephew.

"This one's mine." Djoser held the gun away from his uncle. "Take a crossbow."

Sighing, Nic took a crossbow from Buffy and readied it, while giving Djoser a dirty look. "Just don't shoot your Sire. . .and if we ever get out of this alive, I'm going to have a long talk with Angelus about your disrespectful attitude."

Shifting to his demon visage so there would be no mistaking who he was, Angel approached the vampire guards. "I am Angelus, High Master of the Tremere Clan. I wish to speak to your Master."

Hand in his pocket, it curled around the stake as he tightened his body, preparing to counter any attack. But to his great surprise, the guards upon hearing his name immediately fell to their knees in supplication.

"Wow!" Xander exclaimed, no longer talking in a whisper. "That was easy."

The group exchanged puzzled looks as Nic observed. "Hmm. . .those guards are older than they look. Must be old enough to remember Angelus, 'The Scourge of Europe' to have such fear." A hint of jealously colored his voice. No one had ever feared him like they did his brother.

Cautiously, they made their way over to Angel as he, getting over his surprise, ordered one of the guards. "Go and fetch your Master. I wish to. . . ."

"Angelus." The Master had heard the noise and had come to investigate.

But it wasn't the Ventrue Master who came out of the cave where the band of vampires had set up camp. He was of medium height and muscular. But what Giles and Wesley immediately noticed was the mark on his neck. He bore the mark of a Blood-Childe. Surrounding him were various bodyguards and minions. One of whom Buffy, Djoser and Nic recognized immediately. The vampire at the bar. The vampire who had helped them with Snow's minions and the Gargorus demons.

"On your knees before your Master." He ordered all vampires present while approaching Angel. "My brother. High Master of Our Clan. I greet you. I am sorry that I am late in getting to you, but I ran into a few problems along the way."

The Master was Damon, half-brother of Angel.

**

Germany, 1793

"Angelus, I have a small task for you." Heinrich Nest immediately stated the reason he had summoned his favorite Childe.

"Sire." Bowing his head, Angelus noticed that beside the Master's usual bodyguards and servants, there was one other person in the room. A newborn, a fledging, but an important one. He was the High Master's newest Blood-Childe.

"You have met your new brother, have you not?" Heinrich Nest pointed to his new son.

"We met briefly." Angelus made eye contact with his brother and was not at all pleased that instead of lowering his eyes submissively to him, the younger vampire of lower rank met his gaze head on.

"He is a prize." Heinrich was extremely pleased. "He reminds me of you, Angelus. Tough, strong, and with a cruel streak. . .well it just warms my undead heart to have another Childe of my loins come out so vicious."

Remaining silent, Angelus had nothing to say. He cared very little how this new Blood-Childe was. The Childe was a product of a human mother, which immediately made him inferior to the three Pure Blood-Childer. He presented no competition for the position of Heinrich Nest's successor.

"I want you to take him under your wing. Teach him. Guide him. Show him what it means to be a Blood-Childe of the Tremere Clan."

"SIRE! I do not have the time nor do I want to be troubled with having to school some fledging. . . ." Angelus broke off. Despite his higher rank, he knew the Master would not be pleased if he insulted the younger vampire. After all the new Childe was also of the Master's Bloodline.

"Angelus! This Childe has great potential. One day he will be a strong, powerful Bloodline vampire. He is your brother and could, in the future, prove to be a valuable ally. If you are to become the Master of the Clan, you must learn to think in terms of the future. You must cultivate the people who will be of use to you and destroy those who will hurt you."

Sighing to himself, Angelus knew there was no getting out of his Sire's request. And because of having to tutor his new brother, he would now have to change his plans with his maternal Sire, Darla. Since it was already well known in the Clan that she was in a jealous rage over, in her words, the Master's new 'Blood-Bastard'. He was certain that when he saw her again, he would have to deal with a resentful, furious vampiress.

"Master." Bowing his head and kneeling, Angelus showed his obedience.

"Childe." Heinrich motioned to the young vampire, who he had renamed Damon. "Go with Angelus. Keep your mouth shut and learn from him. It is my command."

As the two vampires began to leave the room, Heinrich had one more thing to say to his favorite son. "Remember my words, Childe. They will serve you in the centuries to come."

**

"Damon." Angel couldn't help but smile at the other vampire. Another brother backing him up.

Kneeling in front of Angel, Damon took his hand and kissed it. "Angelus, High Master of Our Clan, I am at your service."

"You accept him as High Master? Just like that?" Nic snapped his fingers. "He was ostracized by our Sire. Did you forget that or. . . ."

"I had always been loyal to our Sire, but he is now dust. When Luc took over the Clan, I was forced to leave New York because I dared to raise objections to him becoming the High Master. Angelus was always the one destined to succeed the Old Master. Even our Sire couldn't change that. The Anointed One was his feeble attempt at trying to alter what was preordained." Damon still found it hard to believe how much his once powerful Sire had declined since the splintering of their Clan.

Standing up, Damon looked over his brother's allies. If he was surprised to see five humans, one of which was a Slayer, he did not show it. "Your William is with me." Turning to two minions, he barked out a command. "Bring the Master his Blood-Childe."

"How is it that you knew Spike. . .err William had been taken prisoner by Glory?" Buffy was curious.

"I keep people strategically placed throughout Sunnydale so we can constantly keep track of who comes and who goes. We caught wind of a vampire being taken prisoner by some new demon minions in town. When we found out his description. . .well. . ." A slight smile cracked Damon's usual serious countenance. "I was pretty sure who he was."

A minion with a football build brought out an unconscious Spike. He was a colorful sight. Face covered with purple bruises while the rest of his body was wrapped in a red cloth. Or as he got closer the humans realized it was a white cloth that looked like it had been dyed red. The three young people immediately noticed that he was naked underneath the cloth. A fact which flustered Buffy, embarrassed Xander, but fascinated Anya. She always liked to compare and contrast different male bodies.

The minion handed the new High Master his sleeping Childe. Angel immediately clutched Spike to his breast while falling down on one knee. Running a hand gently over a forehead, he found himself shaking with emotion. Outrage conflicted with heartbreaking distress. It seemed that it was his son's lot in life to forever be abused physically.

"Master." The healer who had been caring for Spike addressed Angel. "He needs your blood. He was severely injured. He has wounds that indicate that the person torturing him actually tried to dig out his insides."

The healer's words brought Angel's head up with a jerk. "Digging out his insides?" Turning to look at Buffy and Giles. "What the HELL was this Glory looking for? What did she want from my Childe?"

"Information. She wanted information about the key she's looking for." Taking a step toward her ex-lover, Buffy was fascinated. Angel had bent his head downward. At first glance she thought he was whispering in Spike's ear, but on a second glance, she saw that he had nipped at Spike's neck.

Just a tiny sip of blood, but it was enough. Enough for Angel to 'push' into his son's consciousness, bringing him into a partially awakened state. "Wake up Childe. You need to feed."

Mind fuzzy, it was only with great effort that Spike made his mouth work. "Sire." Voice shaky and weak. "I tried to ring you, but you wouldn't answer the phone."

"Shhh. Don't speak." Angel was struggling to get his arms out of his coat while still holding his Childe tightly to him.

"Spike." Buffy couldn't wait any longer. She needed to know what Spike had told Glory. "What did you tell Glory? Does she know who Dawn is? Does she know that Dawn is the. . . ."

"BUFFY!" Angel hissed at her coldly. "You never think beyond your own selfish wants. Can't you see that he is too ill to help you?"

Eyes flashing yellow, hostility so tangible that Buffy could feel it blow over her like a hot wind. But she, so steeped in concern for her sister was not about to back down. "I AM NOT JUST THINKING ABOUT MY SELFISH NEEDS! Glory is a threat to us all. She. . . ."

"Angel." Giles quickly interrupted. A confrontation between Slayer and vampire was not what they needed now. "If Spike told Glory who. . .where the key is, we must know. With the key Glory will be able to bring the walls between the dimensions down. Hell will be unleashed on this world. Every living creature in this and every other dimension imaginable will suffer unbearable torment and death."

"Perhaps that wouldn't be so bad. It would take care of Snow and the Council. Keep the Ventrues busy too." Angel was feeling antagonistic. The humans were always putting their own concerns first and expected him to back them up without question. But when he was in need, they remained rather indifferent.

"Angel." Wesley interceded. "This Glory sounds very dangerous and. . . ."

"I didn't tell that bleedin' bitch anything!" Rousing himself, Spike raised his head from where Angel was cradling him against his chest. He felt Buffy's urgency. "Wouldn't want anything happening to Little Bit. Wouldn't want you to feel how I felt when I thought my brother was dead. Would have let Glory kill me first. Nearly bloody did."

"Spike. . .I. . . ." Buffy was dumbfounded. She realized that Spike had a soul. Had more of a soul than many humans. "What you did for me and Dawn. . . I won't ever forget it."

"Glad to hear you say that, Slayer." Nic, with a couple of minions, had gone back to fetch Hawkins who had been gagged and tied to a nearby tree. "Cause some scouts just reported that more Council hunters have arrived in Sunnydale. They'll probably be tracking us here shortly. Soo. . .gonna stay and help us?"

~Part: 17~

Mind scrambling for a solution, Buffy hesitated before answering. She was torn. She wanted to help, but how could she afford to involve herself in other people's problems when she had Glory to worry about?

"We don't have to concern ourselves with their. . . their affairs. " Giles whispered to her.

"What? We just walk away from them? After what Spike did for me and Dawn." Looking around, her eyes once again sought out Spike. Head resting in the crook of Angel's neck, the injured vampire was feeding while Angel quietly conferred with his brothers and Djoser. Buffy hastily averted her gaze. For reasons unknown, she found the act of Angel sharing blood with his Childe unsettling.

"How can we not help them? Look at Spike. . .he's so thrashed." Glancing over at Spike, Xander found that he too had to look away. The humans found themselves consciously avoiding looking in the direction of Angel. They found that they couldn't watch the vampire Childe feed from the Father. The act seemed too private, too personal, and it embarrassed them to watch. With the exception of Anya, who continued to stare intently at the pair. She had no discomfort, perhaps because nothing embarrassed her, or perhaps because once being a demon herself she was able to more readily accept the vampire ways.

"Giles, there is something else we need to consider." Wesley got up from the rock he was sitting on. "Recently a. . .seerer demon informed me that if Spike were to die, Angel would revert back to his evil side and help the dark forces bring down an apocalypse."

A few moments of silence followed as they processed the latest bit of news. "Soo. . .If Spike dies then. . .then Angel would help Glory get the key?" A logical conclusion in Xander's mind, but it still caused both Giles and Wesley to heave huge sighs.

"What? What'd I say?" Xander was making his protest when two minions came out of one of the caves, carrying a body on a wooden bier. The figure was that of a young, slim man, unclothed except for a white cloth wrapped around him.

Wesley gasped in shock as he got a look at the dead body on the wooden bier. "Chris!" He knew the man having met him briefly in England. The notorious vampire hunter, Christian Shelton.

Bending down, Damon gently took the dead man's hand while frowning up at Angel. "My new Blood-Childe. I've been waiting for his reawakening, but perhaps now he will never have that chance. My plan was to present him to you in better circumstances. I wanted to say that with his rebirth, our Clan has renewed hope, but now. . .those Council hunters. . .they hunt us down. They won't rest until our Bloodline is completely eradicated."

"NO!" Buffy had now made up her mind. "I won't allow that. At least for today. Nic. . . ." She turned to the vampire. "Lend me your cell phone. I just need to check on my sister. And Angel. . . ." Looking over at her ex-lover, her eyes were apologetic. She understood that his problems were just a real as hers. "Have your. . .have Spike and the new Childe put safely in one of the caves. I have a plan."

**

Northern California, May, 2000

The fighting was brutal. The Council hunters had attacked the small band of renegade Tremeren vampires during the day, thinking then that it would be an easy kill. But mother nature had decided not to cooperate. Shortly after the attack started, the sun disappeared behind some cloud cover, and the hunters were left to face the enemy without their biggest weapon.

With no sun and a lot of wooded coverage, the vampires countered the attack with everything they had. And the slightly overconfident Council hunters soon found themselves barely escaping with their lives.

Fleeing out of the woods, the hunters collapsed near a stream. They knew they were only safe while it was day light. As soon as it was dusk, the vampires, without the fear of the reappearance of the sun, would attack without mercy.

Christian Shelton, one of the Council's most valued vampire hunters sat by himself. Usually calm and collected, he was so worked up that he didn't trust himself in front of his comrades.

"Hey, chin up. Those motherfuckers won't escape us forever." Shelton's boss and mentor, Jack Hawkins, walked over to the young man. He was one of the few who knew Chris' secret.

"We almost got ourselves killed today. WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED? If there had been any doubt about the weather. . . ." Voice raising, Chris could no longer hide his anger.

"Hey, mother nature in an unpredictable bitch. . . ."

"We attacked prematurely. We should have waited." Taking in a deep breath, Chris couldn't shake the feeling that the whole attack had been planned with the goal of them failing.

"We can't afford to wait. We've already determined that Damon is trying to get to Angelus. And that CAN'T happen. The two of them together would be. . . ."

"Would be what? What are you so afraid of, if the two of them reunite?"

"Damon is more of a threat than Anton and Luc ever were, despite the fact that he had a human mother. He's smart. He's powerful." Hawkins sat down next to Chris. "Records say that although being only a half-brother to Angelus, he was the most like him. So much so, that Heinrich Nest himself ordered that part of his training be done by the Scourge of Europe. So that's why we're worried. If Damon ever gets to Angelus, we could be in some serious shit."

"So. . . ." Standing up, Chris looked down at Hawkins, giving him a mocking smile. "I guess that makes me pretty special. Not only was I fathered by a Tremeren vampire, but I was fathered by one of Heinrich Nest's favorites."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Standing up, Hawkins stood face-to-face with his protege. "You're not to think of him in that way. EVER."

"You can't fight blood, Jack." Using Hawkins' first name, Chris showed his disrespect. "My father's blood flows through my veins. Can't escape it. It's my destiny to. . .to become his."

Hawkins grabbed Shelton by the front of the shirt. "What the HELL is the matter with you? Why are you talking so crazy?"

"I'm the one who's crazy? I'm not the one who planned this bloody fiasco today. I'm not the one who had me assigned to go after Damon." Coldly looking his boss in the eye, Chris was not intimidated by Hawkins' hold on him. "Since childhood, that's all I've heard, how I should be careful of him. How I need to be protected from him. Because if he were to get a hold of me then. . .I become his and become one of them." Holding his ground, Chris wasn't going to back down from his superior. "And what do you Council people do, but make sure I'm put in his path. I'm beginning to think that that's what all of you want. You want him to claim me, to turn me."

"Jesus, Chris I honestly. . . ." Letting go of the younger man, Hawkins began to dissemble. "What kind of fucking bullshit has got into your head? We. . .we have you here because I thought you should see that fuck Damon die. See the bastard who's made your life a living hell. When he dies and becomes dust, you'll be free. I thought you should experience that moment. And believe me, I've been personally making sure that he gets nowhere near you."

Chris stared at the man who had been such a big part of his life. The man who he had admired and aspired to be like. The man who was lying to him now, who was using him as a pawn in some game that he knew nothing about.

**

"There's a concealed area in the back of the main cave." Damon motioned for two minions to take his Childe back into the cave. "We can hide the Blood-Childer there."

"Djoser, take your brother and stay there until you're told to come out." Angel handed the now sleeping Spike to his eldest.

"Sire! I. . . ." Djoser started his protest. He wasn't used to not being part of the action.

"DON'T START! Just do what I say."

"Yeah Djoser, do what you're told for once." Nic had grabbed the Tec-9 that Djoser had set down in order to take Spike. "See how disobedient your oldest is becoming?" He addressed this to Angel. "He's been hanging around William too much. Starting to take on his obnoxious ways."

"You go with them too." Angel quietly told Nic as he looked around. Damon had everything under control. His minions were well trained. They, quickly and obediently did what they were told.

"ME? You're the one that should go back with them. You're the Master here. The one who's indispens. . . ."

"Since when did this become a democracy? The next person who questions my orders will be disciplined." Voice raising, Angel was fast losing his patience. Giving his brother a forbidding glare, he continued. "I'm naming you Sponsor for both my sons. If worse comes to worse, and the Council hunters defeat us, it will be your responsibility to try and save them."

"Me. . .I. . .OH FUCK!" Nic knew the implications of being named Sponsor.

"Angel." Stooped over, Wesley approached the vampire. He couldn't stand up straight from the pain of his injuries. "Buffy wants all of you to stay out of sight. And

we. . .we. . . ."

"You'll go back in the cave with the Blood-Childer, Wesley. You're in no shape to stay out here."

"But I. . . ."

"Are in no shape to do any fighting. You'll just be a handicap to us." Dark eyes stared at Wesley. "And I can't risk you. You're the only hope I have now for my William."

"But of course. . . ." Looking down at the ground, Wesley prayed that Angel could not read his expression of disappointment. For a moment, he had actually thought that Angel was concerned about him, but naturally that wasn't the case. He was important to Angel as long as he could serve him some way, nothing more.

"Welcome human." Nic was giving Wesley an unreadable look.

Looking into Nic's dark eyes, eyes similar in color to Angel's, Wesley saw something flicker in them. Something that made him look quickly away.

**

"So this plan of yours. . .it's the plan to end all plans, right?" Xander watched Buffy as she moved some big rocks to act as a barrier.

"No." Buffy admitted to her childhood friend. "I'm not even sure exactly what the plan is." Dusting her hands together, she quickly grabbed the Tec-9 from Giles before Xander could respond. "Ok, to get this thing ready to fire I. . . ."

"Pull the bolt back, and then you need to release the safety." Xander too, was now armed with a Tec-9 as Wesley had given him the one he had been carrying. "So. . .is your plan to shoot them all?"

"That's the last resort. Hopefully, we won't get to that."

"Uh huh." Xander was not liking what he was hearing.

"Buffy." All the vampires were in place, and Angel too wanted to know the plan. "Everyone is ready. What are you. . . ."

"Just tell them to be ready, but no one should do anything unless I give a signal." Pulling the bolt back on the gun, Buffy was as ready as she'd ever be. "Now. Everyone get ready for the biggest bluff of the century."

**

Hidden deep in the main cave, Wesley studied Christian Shelton. It gave him something to do. He had met Shelton a few years ago, and the man's appearance had not changed much. "And now it never will." Wesley whispered quietly.

"Who you talking to human?" Nic was studying Wesley with interest.

Turning his head around, Wesley couldn't help but snap at the vampire. "My name is Wesley Wyndham-Price. I would appreciate it if you called me by my name."

"Better sit down before you fall down, Mr. Wyndham-Price." Nic could smell Wesley's pain. "Quite a handle you got there. Ever start to sign your name and then run out of room on the paper?"

"I really. . . ." Annoyed, Wesley stood up too fast. He could feel something in his stomach pop, and then pain combined with a warm, sticky feeling. Looking down, he saw blood soaking through his sweater. "I. . .I. . . ."

Smelling and seeing the human blood, Nic instantly had Wesley by the shoulders leading him to a rock ledge. "Lie down human."

"I. . .I guess. . .an ambulance is out of the question right now." Panting from pain, Wesley could feel sweat break out on his brow. Something soft was shoved under his head, and he could feel his sweater being lifted up. "What. . .what are you doing. Stop. . . ." Trying to brush the hands away, he struggled to pull his sweater down as well.

"Just want to take a look. Stop fighting me." Nic motioned to Djoser to give him some help. The dark vampire immediately grabbed Wesley's arms and held them above his head.

"And what? Don't tell me you're a doctor." For some illogical reason, Wesley didn't like having his stomach and chest exposed. It made him feel vulnerable.

"No, but in all the years I lived, I've seen a lot of bullet wounds."

"WHAT. . . ?" Wesley could feel a cool tongue running over and around his wound. "STOP THAT!" Struggling, but getting nowhere in Djoser's strong grip. "I SAID STOP THAT THIS INSTANT. . . ."

"I needed to clean away the blood to see what's going on. You've popped some stitches." Nic looked around for something he could use to act as a pressure bandage. Not finding anything, he ripped away some of Wesley's sweater.

"BLOODY HELL! This sweater was a gift from. . . ."

"WILL YOU STOP YOUR COMPLAINING AND HOLD STILL!" Using the piece of sweater, Nic pushed down, putting pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding. "I'm going to get the bleeding stopped, and then you need to lie here perfectly still. And when this situation has been resolved, I will personally take you to the hospital."

Finally realizing that the vampires were only trying to help him, Wesley ceased his struggling. "I. . .thank you." Letting himself go limp, Wesley concentrated on slowing his breathing down and trying to relax.

Djoser, seeing that Wesley was now cooperating, slowly released his grip, while Nic continued to hold the sweater over the wound tightly.

Minutes went by, and then Wesley finally had to ask. "Was it really necessary to lick the blood away?"

"Yes, I couldn't see the wound clearly." A roguish grin as Nic looked down in Wesley's face. "But. . .I must say it was a bonus treat for me. . .And human, just so you know, you have the richest blood I've tasted in a long time. Can't wait to taste it again."

**

The Council vampire hunters knew where to go. Their associates had given them detailed instructions. What worried them was that since then, no one was answering the cell phones. Coming upon the caves, the hunters were greeted by the sight of the Slayer standing behind some large rocks, holding a Tec-9. Standing a few feet away from her was a young man, also holding a Tec-9 and a young woman and the Slayer's Watcher, both holding crossbows.

"That's far enough." Buffy ordered them, holding up the gun.

A man named Daniel Walters, second-in-command, held up his hand, signaling the men to stop. "What's going on Slayer?" He looked over at his boss, Jack Hawkins, whose unconscious body was tied standing to a stake.

"I was quite clear with Travers that you Council people were to leave Sunnydale and not come back unless I requested your presence. Now. . . ." Aiming the gun at the men. "Are you going to leave nicely, or do we have to start playing rough?"

"Looks like you've already started." Walters eyed his boss pointedly. "And the rest of the men?"

"They came to my town. Threatened me. Threatened my friends."

Seconds passed as Slayer and Council men stared each other down. "That makes you guilty of murder, Slayer."

"Something you Council hunters know a lot about."

More seconds passed as the showdown continued. "We know that there are some dangerous vampires here. . . ."

"Sunnydale is my town. I'll take care of any problems here. If, and I did say if, there ever comes a time when I need some help, I'll call you. But in the meantime, none of you are welcome here." The last sentence Buffy said through clenched teeth.

Looking around at the men, Walters was given a slight signal. The Slayer was not alone! There were vampires present. "Ok, Slayer. But we're not leaving without our boss."

"Take him." Buffy didn't care about Hawkins. "And then GET OUT!"

"NO!" Said under his breath as Damon lurched forward. He and Angel were hidden on the other side of the caves away from the hunters' sight. He didn't want the humans to take Hawkins with them.

"STOP!" Raising his arm, Angel barred his brother from moving. "You're going to blow our cover!" A quiet snarl, he barred his fangs, showing his dominance.

"He wants my Childe. He's a crazy fucker, that Hawkins. Dangerous. We should have killed him." Regaining control, Damon watched the hunters untie Hawkins. "He'll be back for us. I can guarantee that."

"We need to get a cure for William, then we can all disappear." Angel watched the Council hunters slowly take their leave. "I believe the Slayer just bought us some time."

"Yeah, but how much?" Damon met Angel's eyes as the two vampires slowly made their way over to their human allies. They both knew that the hunters would be back for them.

Expelling her breath slowly, Buffy gave Giles and Xander a look of relief.

"Way to fake those bastards out of their shoes." Xander congratulated her.

"I'm. . .I'm proud of you." Filled with fatherly pride, Giles could only smile at her.

Buffy turned to Angel and Damon who were approaching her. "You're safe here. . .at least for a little while."

"Buffy. . .thank you." The gratitude shone in Angel's eyes caused her to look away. He still affected her.

"Giles." Angel was all business again. "Wesley will be working on a cure for William. Please help him. In return, I and my Clan will help you and Buffy with this Glory."

Looking at each other, the humans didn't even need to discuss Angel's proposal. It was one they couldn't refuse.

**

Awakening, his nose told him who he was with. Angel's unique smell enveloped him, while strong arms embraced him. Snuggling closer, Spike sighed with contentment. 'Heaven on Earth.' He was home again, back where he belonged.

"Go back to sleep Childe. It's still early." A soft whisper in his ear.

"And the Council hunters?"

"Buffy scared them away. For a little while anyway."

"She's a luv." Eyes still closed, Spike had a smile on his face.

"A what?" Angel's eyes opened in surprise. His Childe never referred to the Slayer as Luv.

"Having a tough time, you know. Her mum's dead. Gotta protect Niblet from that cow Glory. . .we should help her, you know."

"Already been arranged." Stroking a head, Angel studied his son's bruised and discolored face. No improvement from the night before. The poison was still affecting his healing power.

"And Snow? I saw that Djoser and Nic are back. Did they and the Ventrues stake his sorry arse?"

Tightening his arms around the slim body, Angel didn't answer right away. His William just needed to concentrate on recovering from his injuries. He didn't need to be worrying about Snow, the Ventures, and the Council. "Sleep, Childe. You need to heal yourself." Carefully sliding his incisors into tender flesh, Angel used his power, putting Spike into a deep slumber.

~Part: 18~

The next afternoon found Wesley sitting on the hospital bed, studying his tattered sweater. He had just been released by the doctor and was trying to figure out what he could wear. The sweater was a lost cause. He'd have to call Giles for a lift anyway. He'd just ask for a shirt loan at the same time.

"I'm just going to ring my friend." Wesley found that he had to explain himself to the nurse, as her impatience for him to leave was obvious. "As soon as he arrives, I'll be out of your way."

Giving him a puzzled stare, the nurse was in a hurry. "Your friend is already here. He's been waiting for you."

"He's here? Giles. . . ." Breaking off as Nic came strolling into the hospital room.

"They told me that you're free to leave now. So. . .ready to go, human?"

Wesley didn't have a chance to argue or complain as the nurse hustled him into the wheelchair. As usual, the hospital was short nursing staff, so they were always anxious to get rid of any discharged patients as soon as possible.

"Here are his discharge instructions. They've been explained to him, but you, as his family, should read them over too. Any questions?" The nurse was brusque as she hurriedly began to wheel Wesley out of the room.

"Nope. No questions." Nic answered the nurse, grinning as he took the paper from her. Wesley opened his mouth to protest that the vampire was no family of his, but was interrupted by the nurse.

"He shouldn't be left alone for a day or two. Are you going to be staying with him?"

"He's n. . . ." Again Wesley opened his mouth to tell her that Nic was not family, nor would he be staying with him, but this time was interrupted by the vampire.

"Yeah. I'll be watching over him. And you don't have to worry, I've had some experience caring for injured hum. . .people."

"Great!" The nurse was relieved. Problem solved. She could write in the patient's chart that he had been discharged in the supervision of a family member who assured her that the patient would be cared for.

Heaving a sigh as the nurse wheeled him out the hospital entrance to Nic's car, Wesley decided that it wasn't worth arguing about. He'd have the vampire drive him to Giles' house. Save Giles a trip to the hospital.

Letting Nic help him into the car, Wesley felt ridiculous. Dressed in trousers and shoes, he still wore the hospital gown on top while holding his ragged sweater in his hands.

Not bothering with the seatbelt as it would hurt too much to buckle it around him, Wesley found himself ill at ease with the vampire. For some reason, Nic made him extremely nervous. He began to make small talk to cover up his unease. "Spike? How is he?

And. . .Christian? Are they both quite all right?"

"William. He's with Angelus." In Nic's mind that translated to William is fine."And Christian? Who the hell is he?"

"Christian Shelton. The vampire hunt. . .the. . .your brother's new Blood-Childe." Tired and irritable, Wesley was short with Nic.

"His name is Christian? What kind of fucking name is that for a vampire? Jesus. . . ." Starting up the car, Nic pulled away from the curb. "His mother must have known that she was impregnated by a vampire and named him that thinking it would do some good." He smiled mockingly. "Stupid, fucking humans with your superstitious, religious bullshit. Think it will protect you." Pausing a moment, Nic then added. "Yeah, I noticed that someone tattooed crucifixes on that Childe's neck. Lot of fucking good that did too."

"He was raised by the Council." Wesley muttered as he thought about the mysterious Christian Shelton. It all made sense now. The Council had known all along that Shelton was a dhampir, a mortal child fathered by a vampire. It also explained the young man's amazing vampire hunting ability. Because according to legend, a dhampir who hadn't been turned had great powers for detecting and destroying vampires.

"Raised by the Council?" A raised eyebrow as Nic gave Wesley a surprised look, before snorting with laughter. "Oh, he should be a prize! The next generation of Blood-Childer, the future hope for our Clan rests with William and a Childe raised by the Watcher's Council. The only one with any potential at all is Djoser, and I'm starting to have some doubts about him."

"You know. . . ." Wesley found himself illogically defending Spike. "The Watcher's Council considers William the Bloody to be a highly dangerous vampire. He's fought two Slayers in the past century and killed them both. He's been recorded as having tortured his victims with railroad sp. . . ."

"Trying to make his daddy proud, that's all." Stopping at a traffic light, Nic put his arm out, making sure that Wesley didn't jerk forward. "William kills out of necessity only, not because he has a passion for it. If you were to ask him what he would rather do, watch one of his soap operas on TV or go for a kill, what do you think he would say?"

"We-ll. . . ." Wesley considered. "Since I've known him, he has been hampered by the poison in his system, so. . . ."

"Tell me human, have you ever met a vampire like William? Laughs, cries, watches TV, eats human food. That Childe's demon is weak. Always has been, always will be."

"And how is it that you know so much about Spike and how weak or strong his demon is? My understanding is that you've been estranged from the Clan for what. . .a century or. . . ."

"168 years." Staring straight ahead, Nic's jaw was clenched tightly. He remembered to the day how long it had been since his exile had begun.

Wesley said nothing for a moment, feeling the vampire's emotion, but then curiosity got the best of him. "May I ask for what reason you were. . .banished?"

A small, dejected smile. "Because I too have a weak demon. That's why I understand William so well. He and I share the same flaw; we stayed too human."

**

It was late afternoon when Spike awoke again. The sun was already setting because of the short winter days. Wrapped up in his Father's strong embrace, he felt warm and wanted. Lying half on top of Angel, he could feel something hard poking in him the stomach. Moving his hips, he began to grind and hump, wanting to feel the hardness grow.

"WILLIAM! STOP THAT!" Awakening, Angel could feel the hard friction of his Childe's body rubbing against his.

"You've got a stiffy, Sire." Spike stated the obvious.

"STOP MOVING, and it will go away." Head falling back, Angel gritted his teeth, trying to master his desire. Willing his cock to deflate.

"Go away? Why would you want to waste a perfectly good stiffy?"

"William. . . ." Exasperated, Angel lifted his head to take a look at his son. No difference. Face, black and blue, eye swollen shut. "Your injuries still look terrible. You need to rest."

"Tired of resting. Feel like being poked. 'Sides, having a good shag with you always makes me feel better."

Tightening his arms around Spike to stop him from moving, Angel looked at him thoughtfully. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind he remembered a conversation from long ago.

**

Germany, 1793

Sated and satisfied, Angelus dropped the body he had been feeding on. Looking over at his fledgling brother, Damon, he now understood why his Sire was so high on this new Blood-Childe. His brother was not only extremely strong, but had a cruel streak that rivaled his own.

Stepping over the mutilated bodies, Angelus made his way over to the other vampire. "Do you see now why playing with them first makes the blood all the more sweeter? Fear just adds to the flavor."

Nodding his agreement, Damon stood up, throwing the body he had been feeding on aside. "You're right, brother. I can taste the difference."

Inclining his head approvingly at the younger vampire, Angelus was surprised to note that even though his brother's human face was back in place, the eyes still had a crazed, wild look in them. His Sire had been accurate in his assessment of this new Childe; he was a prize!

"We'll go back to the lair now. I'll report to our Sire your progress. He'll be pleased. But

first. . . ." Angelus turned back to look at the bodyguards who were standing apart from them. Surveying the dead bodies, they were salivating, but dared not touch them without permission. "Go ahead, but be quick about it. I'm in a hurry."

Watching the minions finish off their leavings, the two vampires stood side-by-side in silence. Damon was not a talker, a fact that made Angelus like him even more.

When the minions had finished, the group began to make its way back to the lair. "At the rate you're learning, your training will be complete soon, and you can then be presented and marked as a Blood-Childe." Angelus looked over at his brother with appraising eyes. "You do understand what it means to be a Blood-Childe of the Clan? Has our Master explained to you your duties and responsibilities?"

"Yes brother, I under. . . ." Halted in mid sentence, as they were attacked suddenly and unexpectedly by a vengeful mob of villagers. So contemptuous of the humans who lived in the area, the vampires had developed a careless attitude and were caught not paying attention.

Greatly unprepared for an organized attack, Angelus found himself surrounded, his bodyguards dusted, and his new brother seriously wounded. Holding an injured Damon against his chest, snarling and growling, he was able to temporarily keep the attackers at bay. Surveying the mortals, his eyes lit upon their leader. A man he had seen before. A man relentless in his pursuit of him. A man named Holtz.

Victorious smirk on his face, the vampire hunter finally had Angelus, Scourge of Europe, where he wanted him. "Careful!" He held his arm up, warning the villagers not to get too close. A trapped beast was the most dangerous. Holtz knew that better than anyone, but he was enjoying the thrill of the capture. Enjoying it so much that he stalled another moment to savor his triumph.

And that moment was all that Angelus needed. Moving at a speed that caught the inexperienced villagers off guard, he knocked a few of them to the ground as he took flight, brother in his arms. Running toward the lair, he tried to calculate the distance. Could he make it there before the human mob cornered him again? He could hear and feel the footsteps, the racing heartbeats of the mortals chasing him. They were closing in, and he was still too far from the lair and sanctuary.

Leading the pack, Holtz knew that it was imperative that they bring down the vampire quickly. Soon they would be in his territory, and then it would be too late. Pushing himself a little more, he could feel the prize within his grasp.

"Put me down!" Gasping for air, the newly turned Damon thought that breathing would somehow give him more strength and stamina.

Dropping Damon to his feet, Angelus never broke stride as he now dragged his brother along with him. Feeling desperate, he knew that they wouldn't be able to get to safety before being caught again by their pursuers. Hearing and sensing the arrival of many more, he glanced back at his pursuers, thinking that more villagers had come to join the chase. But to his surprise and relief, it wasn't more humans he had heard. It was a group of vampires who had seen the hunt, and had intervened, attacking the villagers.

Falling to the ground with Damon at his side, Angelus closed his eyes, offering up a small prayer to the vampire gods. Perceiving the presence of someone approaching, he looked up into the beautiful, mesmerizing eyes of Judelin, High Master of the Ventures.

"Angelus, Blood-Childe of Heinrich Nest." Silky, smooth voice. "I have heard of you, and it surprises me that you would be so careless. Especially when you have charge of. . . ." The Ventrue eyed Damon. "The newest Blood-Childe of your Clan."

"And you are Judelin, High Master of the Ventrue Clan." It was more a statement than a question. Angelus knew who the stranger was. He had seen drawings of the Ventrue.

"Yes, I am here to congratulate your Sire on the birth of another Blood-Childe. That makes four for him. Quite. . .impressive."

Narrowing his eyes, Angelus stood up. He didn't quite believe that that was the reason the Ventrue Master was here in their territory, but since the Ventures had just saved his and his brother's lives, he remained silent.

Arm around Damon, Angelus began to slowly walk toward the lair with the Ventrue Master walking alongside of them. Looking down at his younger sibling, he saw that the other vampire's clothing was soaked in blood. There would be no way he'd be able to hide his brother's injuries. He was in for a beating for his negligence.

"Your Sire will be occupied with me for a few hours. Go feed him some of your blood, and then bed him. He will be recovered by the time your Father looks for you." The Ventrue Master had an uncanny ability to read people. More often than not, he knew what they were thinking and feeling.

"What do you mean, bed him? He's in no condition. . . ."

"The sharing of blood and the sharing of bodies is the Bloodline vampire's strength. Share your blood, share your body, and you will share your strength. But it only works with family. The humans call this incest, and many of their religions forbid it. But for us, incest can be a source of power." Peculiar words coming from a curious stranger who was their longstanding enemy.

Staring at the Master, Angelus didn't know what to make of his words. He understood the purpose of blood sharing. And sex among family was expected and sanctioned. That familial sex had a purpose, other than being a means for receiving enjoyment or showing dominance, was a concept he had never heard before.

"Judelin! To what do I owe this. . .unexpected pleasure?" Standing in the main entrance to the lair, Heinrich Nest had been informed of the Ventrues' presence and had come with a large contingent of bodyguards to greet his rival.

"I have heard the news of your latest accomplishment. Four Blood-Childer! I honor you." The Ventrue Master bowed his head slightly to the Tremere Master. The gesture was submissive, but the Ventrue looked anything but humble.

Sparks of tension filled the air as Nest eyed his adversary with mistrust. "Angelus! Take your brother to the healers." The order was made with Nest never taking his eyes off Judelin. "Then go to your quarters. I will deal with your debacle later."

Leading his brother away, Angelus took one last look at the Ventrue Master. It would be another 17 years before he would see the Master vampire again and then it would be as emissary for the Tremere Clan. He would remember the Ventrue's words, but being Heinrich Nest's son, he would be taught to view anything that Judelin said with skepticism and disbelief.

It would take Angelus another two centuries to finally come to the realization that His Sire had not always spoke the truth to him, and perhaps the words of the Venture Master were not total lies.

**

"Alright. In the interest of science we'll have a. . .shag." Turning over on his side, Angel rolled Spike face down on the quilt they were sleeping on. "But we're going to do it my way." Getting up on his knees, he began to unwrap the blood soaked linen that was bound around his Childe.

"And when don't we do it your way?" Spike grumbled, raising his hips to help Angel. "And what do you mean 'n the interest of science'?"

"A long time ago an old. . .enemy gave me some advice. Going to see if what he told me has any merit." Parting the slender buttocks, Angel used a bloody tongue to begin lubricating Spike's sphincter ring.

Despite the wonderful sensation of being rimmed, Spike still couldn't help but complain. "Friggin' ground is hard. Why the hell are we still in these bloody caves? Should be shaggin' in a bed like civilized people."

Sighing heavily, Angel stopped what he was doing. Lying down on his back, he tapped Spike on the hip, signaling the younger vampire to straddle him backwards. Pulling hips toward him, until the body on top of him was in position, and then using both tongue and finger, Angel lubricated and loosened his Childe's ring, while teasing his prostate.

Eyes closed, hands steadying himself on a hard chest, Spike could only groan as he felt himself stiffen. His Sire had zeroed in on his 'hot' spot and was giving it a good working over. "Fuckin'ell. Can't stand it anymore. Need to have you inside of me." Turning himself around so he was straddling face-to-face with Angel, he pushed his hips down until he felt a hard cock between his ass checks. Positioning his body, he just wanted to impale himself hard and fast.

"Easy." Grabbing onto hard hipbones, Angel slowed his Childe's movement. "Careful."

"Don't wanna be careful. We're vampires. We like it rough." Objecting, Spike tried to shove Angel's hands away while he pushed down with his hips.

"WILLIAM!" It was taking all of Angel's self-control to not give in and take his Childe fiercely and brutally. "I can see your injuries. NOW. . .I told you we would do it my way! GO SLOW!"

"Go slow." Griping in a falsetto voice but obeying, Spike began to lower himself little by little onto Angel's shaft. "You treat me like such a nancy-boy."

Angel couldn't help but grin. "Grow your hair out again, and you'll look the part."

"Funny man." Bent at the waist, forearms now resting on a broad chest, Spike closed his eyes, concentrating. He could feel more of his Sire filling him up, stretching him. Pushing down some more, until he felt his bum pressed down into Angel's pubes. It felt so good having his Sire inside of him.

Moaning the word yes, Angel closed his eyes, bucking his hips gently. He could feel his Childe's tightness around him, his Childe's cock rubbing against his stomach.

Spike couldn't help but move faster as the cock inside of him was rubbing back and forth over his prostate. Enjoying the friction of Angel's stomach on his own cock, he began panting. He could feel himself reaching the end, feel his cock swell as he began ejaculating semen onto his Sire.

Angel felt the sticky fluid spew out on him. Felt his Childe's ring contract around him. Groaning, he thrust himself in deeply as his cock bucked, spraying Spike's insides with his seed.

Head now resting on Angel's chest, Spike was taking deep unneeded breaths. He couldn't help it. Always breathed heavily when he was in pain or after sex. "Bloody hell. . . . " He gasped. "Gotta teach me how to not breathe. So bloody embarrassing."

Embracing his son tightly, Angel smiled while burying his face into the short, wavy hair. "It's you. You don't need to change that."

Pulling away slightly so he could see Angel's expression, Spike was taken aback by his Sire's beautiful smile; it was so rare to see him smile. "You never used to say that. Said that it was unseemly for a vampire to breathe like those inferior humans."

"I was wrong." Angel took the opportunity to once again study the wounds that Glory had inflicted on his Childe. He could swear that they looked slightly better than before. "You're perfect the way you are. You don't need to change anything."

"How can I be perfect when I was reborn so flawed? Too human. Not demon enou. . . ."

"Perfect." Angel interrupted him firmly as he drew his son back into the circle of his arms.

Nestling into the embrace, Spike opened his mouth. The words were on his lips. He wanted to say them, but at the last possible moment, he stopped himself. There still was that tiny seed of doubt in his mind. That nagging reservation that his Sire would do another about-face. Love him today, reject him tomorrow.

Closing his mouth, he didn't tell him. Didn't say the four simple words, 'I love you, Father.'

~Part: 19~

Waking up with a start, he felt the pain of a terrible hunger. The craving was like a fire in his stomach that spread from the very pit, through his intestines, and up his throat. He WANTED. NEEDED. HAD TO HAVE.

Along with the craving, there was a part of him that still held onto his humanity. He was so ashamed of this hunger. This hunger for blood.

Body telling him to seek out the blood, while his brain screamed that he couldn't allow himself to become 'one of them.' The body and the brain warred, making him feel like he was splitting in two.

He had to stop it. Stop the craving. Stop the hunger. He waited for the right moment, using all his discipline to lay motionless, pretending to still be lifeless.

The healer who was watching over him did not realize that the new Blood-Childe had awakened. Turning his back, he busied himself with some herbs and potions, and that's when Christian took his opportunity.

Leaping up, he ran for the cave entrance. Day. Night. He didn't know which, and he didn't care. He just needed to make it end.

Taken by surprise, the healer could only shout, hoping that someone could stop the Childe before he made it outside into the sunlight.

Fortunately Damon, who knew that it close to the time for his Childe to awake, was staying close. Tackling the fledgling before he made his escape, Damon found himself in a wrestling match. His son, although much smaller and weaker, was desperate. And desperation gave strength.

Snarling and growling, the two vampires grappled on the ground, until Damon was finally able to get on top of Christian, pinning him down. "You're hungry, Childe. That's all. Let me feed you."

Leaning down, Damon tore open his own flesh, letting the blood flow and entice.

The scent and the sight of blood stopped Christian's struggles. Lying still, the bleeding wrist was close to his face. So tempting. All he needed to do was to open his mouth and taste it. Rich, smooth nectar.

"NO!" Using the last of his self-control, Christian bucked his body, trying to throw off the man on top of him. {Not going to give in.}

Chanting to himself while still thrashing about, he didn't feel the sting of the bite. Eyelids became heavy; struggles became weaker as he was pushed' into unconsciousness.

**

After dropping Wesley off with Giles, Nic stopped off at Willie's. He needed a few. He had just spent a night waiting for a human to be released from the hospital, and did he get any compensation for his thoughtful gesture? A handshake and a thank you.

"A fuckin' handshake! Wanted a blowjob." Nic muttered to himself, signaling Willie with a folded up double sawbuck. "Ungrateful human!"

"And what can I get you?" Willie was nervous. He knew who Nic was. A ranking Blood-Childe with the Tremere Clan. And the Tremeren vampires, with their aggressive ways, usually meant trouble.

"A shot of tequila. Actually, make it two. And don't go too far." Picking up the shot glass, Nic raised it to his lips while he turned to survey the room. An Aleator demon stood a few feet from him.

"He owes me money! You gonna pay up for him, or do I have to take my payment out by smashing a few skulls?"

"Don't know what the fuck you're talking about. And don't fucking care!" Horny and disappointed, Nic was in no mood to take shit from anyone, including an Aleator demon.

"Your good-for-nothing nephew, William the Bloody or Spike as he calls himself, owes me big time. And I'm tired of waiting for my money. You're his family, and I heard you've got some cash. Pay up for him!" A couple of the demon's friends stood up, adding more weight to the Aleator's threat.

"Listen. . . ." A growl. Nic didn't like being intimidated.

"Guys, guys. Not here. I run a respectful business. If you. . . ." Willie never finished his sentence as Nic threw a punch, hitting him square in the face.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Nothing like a good fight to take the edge off his horniness. Nic turned back to the Aleator demon. "I ain't paying you shit. You want your money. Go see his Fath. . . ."

He never finished his sentence as the Aleator demons attacked. Known for their toughness, and outnumbering him three to one, Nic would come to regret that he hadn't handled the situation with more tact.

**

Using the excuse that he was exploring the caves, Spike made his way to where the new Blood-Childe was being kept. He had been told about the newborn, and being naturally nosey, he wanted to see the Bloodline fledgling for himself.

Entering one of the smaller caves, he was immediately met by the Clan's one and only healer. "My Prince. The new Childe is not to be distur. . . ."

Ignoring the healer, Spike pushed his way over to his new cousin. "Hey Mate, all right?"

Christian's head jerked up in surprise. Born in Australia, then raised by the Council in England, it astonished him to hear someone speak to him in familiar tones and words.

Surveying the baby vampire in front of him, Spike lit a cigarette. The Childe had been chained to the cave walls to prevent him from running again. "Want something to eat? Want me to tell them to bring you some food?"

"Food? You mean some poor murdered soul." Breaking off, Christian was still fighting his demon, trying to push down the treacherous hunger that gnawed at him.

"We-ll. . .actually no. I was in fact thinking about. . . ." Spike exhaled, blowing out cigarette smoke. "Buffalo wings. I figure if you want them too, I probably could get permission to send a couple of minions for some. Course, if you don't feel like buffalo wings, they got this onion thing. . . ." Cupping his hand to demonstrate the circular shape of the onion blossom. "That's real good."

So indoctrinated by the Council on the evilness of vampires, Christian could only stare at the slim, bleached blond man standing before him. With the suggestion of food, he had expected an offering of a dead or dying person, not buffalo wings and an onion blossom.

"Food? You're offering me normal food, not the blood of an innocent or a baby?"

"We-ll. . . ." Spike considered again. "Not sure what you mean by an innocent in this day and age. And babies. . .don't give you but a couple of mouthfuls. Not worth the effort. But right now, we're allied with the Slayer so eating humans is strictly off limits."

"What did you just say? We're. . .you're allied with the Slayer? How is that possible? We're. . .you're vampires. The Slayer doesn't ally with. . . ."

"We've allied ourselves on and off with her for more than four years now. Nothing new for us." Sitting down by his cousin, Spike offered him a cigarette.

Taking one, Christian was trying to digest the startling news that these vampires could be allied with the Slayer. "And you. . . ?" He tried to remember all the ranking members of the Tremere Clan. "You're. . . ."

"Spike. I'm called Spike."

"Spike? You were named Spike? Like a dog?"

"I WASN'T NAMED AFTER ANY BLOODY DOG! I took the name because I have a fondness for torturing my victims with railroad spikes."

"You took the name. But what is your real name?"

Sighing, Spike ground out his cigarette butt with the toe of his boot. It was bad enough that his family insisted on still calling him William, but he wasn't going to have some wet-behind-the-ears fledgling calling him that too. "I'm called Spike. You will address me as. . . ."

"WILLIAM!" A beat-up, bloody, and steaming mad Nic came tearing into the cave.

"Wot happened to you?" Unruffled, Spike placidly stared at his uncle.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO ME? Does an Aleator demon ring any bells with you? An Aleator demon who you owe money to?"

"Oh fuck." Spike mumbled quietly.

"Oh fuck is right! But enlighten me." Nic stared at his nephew out of swollen eyes. "For what dire reason did you have to borrow money from an Aleator demon? Did I just take a beating because you needed money for blood, clothes, shelter? Tell me it was for a good cause."

"Ahhh. . . ." Spike considered telling a lie, but the mood his uncle was in, that could only make matters worse. "Ten to one."

"Huh? Ten to one what?"

"He was giving ten to one odds on Manchester United. And. . . ."

"GAMBLING! I just got my ass kicked because you were betting on a soccer game?"

"We-ll. . .yeah. But. . . ."

"JESUS FUCKING CHRIST! If you don't take the cake." Nic paced angrily. "Pinhead! Dealing with a fucking Aleator demon. Don't you know that they're the loan sharks of the demon world?"

"Of course, I knew that. But ten to one odds on Manchester United! Couldn't walk away from that."

"You know. . . ." Giving Spike a glare that spoke volumes, Nic couldn't believe that his nephew was even more of an imbecile than he had ever been. "If you ever become High Master of our Clan, I'm going to cut my own head off."

"What you mean, Master of the Clan." Spike gave a snort of disbelief. "Djoser is the Successor and. . . ."

"We're at war here, boy! Haven't you figured that out yet? The Council, Snow, the Ventures. It wouldn't be out of the realm of plausibility that both your Sire and your brother would be killed and then, may the gods have mercy, you would be the High Master."

"I--I. . . ." In his wildest dreams, Spike had never considered that possibility.

"And again I say, if you become High Master, I will. . . ."

"What the fuck is going on here?" An angry Damon entered the cave. "I gave strict instructions that my new Childe was not to be disturbed in any way. So what the hell are all of you doing here?" Noticing Nic's appearance, Damon paused for a moment. "What happened to you?"

"Ask the'Heir Apparent." Nic gestured furiously over at Spike.

Damon was no fool. He felt the tension between his nephew and his furious brother and knew that the moment called for the two to be separated. Nodding his head to the healer, he silently communicated his wish.

"My Liege." The vampire healer gently took Nic's arm and led him over to a chair. "Come sit here, and I'll take a look at your injuries."

Turning to a visibly upset Spike, Damon used Angel as an excuse to get the younger vampire to leave. "I do believe your Sire is looking for you, Childe. You need to go to him."

**

Nic's words had brought up all of Spike's old insecurities and doubts about himself. To cover his feeling of inadequacy, he used his usual defense of belligerence and anger. If Angel were looking for him, he'd just make sure that he couldn't be found.

Exiting the cave, Spike immediately started to leave the area. Reaching the outside boundary of the lair, his way was instantly blocked by two minion guards.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll get the fuck out of my way!" Despite his injuries, Spike let his demon side out. He was ready to start bashing some heads in.

Exchanging looks, the poor minions were in a quandary. They had been ordered that no one was to leave the lair without direct permission from the Master, but the vampire who stood in front of them was an Heir Apparent and didn't look like he was going to take no for an answer.

"My Prince." One of them tentatively began. "Just let us get the Master so we can clarify with him."

"Get out of my way NOW, or you'll find yourselves having to take your blood intravenously because I'm planning to rip your throats out!"

"William!" Djoser had heard the commotion and had come to investigate. "You can't leave the lair. Sire's orders." Walking up to the group, he waved the minions back to their posts.

"WHAT? We're bloody prisoners here? I might as well go back with Glory. At least I was housed better." Spike rolled his eyes toward the caves.

"You're certainly out of humor. Is it because you missed 'Passions'?" A half smile as Djoser tried to tease Spike into a better mood.

"Maybe. What you got there?" Spike questioningly eyed the Tec-9 that his brother was holding up proudly.

"She's a beauty, isn't she?" Djoser admired his new acquisition.

"It's just a gun." Spike shrugged indifferently. "But I suppose to a backward, desert nomad like yourself, it's impressive." Still smarting from Nic's comments, Spike took it out on his brother.

No expression crossed Djoser's face; but Spike, who was beginning to know him well, saw the slight stiffening of the body, and the face tightening. His insult had wounded and hurt. Repentant, Spike apologized. "Err. . .sorry Mate. Just. . . ." He wasn't sure himself why he had lashed out at his brother.

Stoically, Djoser turned to walk away.

"DJOSER!" Grabbing his brother's arm, Spike stopped him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I'm just. . .just confused about something. Tell me. . . ." A vague idea had begun to form in Spike's mind. "What would happen to my position as Heir Apparent if you were to have a Blood-Childe?"

"If I were to have a Blood-Childe?" Djoser repeated Spike's question. "You don't need to worry. I'm not going to have, nor am I planning to have one. Your position is safe."

"My position is safe?" Now Spike repeated Djoser's words. "What do you mean by that?"

"If I were to have a Blood-Childe, and it was deemed worthy, then the Line of Succession would revert to my offspring and me. You would be cut out."

"Deemed worthy? What does that mean?" Spike needed to get all his facts straight. His hazy idea was becoming less hazy.

"It means. . . ." Now Djoser was starting to become suspicious of all of his brother's questions. "Why are you so interested in this topic all of the sudden? And besides, you're supposed to know this. Didn't that Ventrue teach you anything?"

"He tried." Spike grinned at Djoser, his affection for his brother overcoming his bad mood. "But I didn't always listen. Now. . .deemed worthy means. . . ?"

"Any Blood-Childe who is in the Line of Succession has to first be deemed worthy. Meaning. . . ."

"He has to be special. No flaws." Spike's brain was in overdrive. "Hmmm. . .so why am I an Heir Apparent? I shouldn't have been deemed worthy."

"Our Sire considers you more than worthy. In fact, I think he even toyed with the idea of naming you as the one to succeed him as. . . ."

"HAS HE LOST HIS FUCKIN' MIND? He was going to pick me over you. You know, I think you're right. Alex did resoul him cause that bleedin' soul always makes him a stupid sod. Think I can get him to change his mind and deem me unworthy?"

Speechless, Djoser could only stare at Spike. He couldn't believe his ears. First at his younger brother's total disrespect by referring to their Sire as a stupid sod' and then by his illogical desire to be deemed unworthy.

"Naww. . . ." Spike was still thinking hard. "He won't change his mind. Would mean that he would have to admit that he was wrong, and when was the last time that happened? Guess that means that. . . ." A sly smile. Spike's idea had just developed into a plan.

"William, what are you cooking up?" Djoser could almost see the gears turning in Spike's brain, and whenever that happened, it usually meant trouble.

"Me? Cooking up? I'm poisoned and still injured from that bint, Glory. I'm too ill to be cooking up anything." Ten minutes ago, Spike had been ready to take down a couple of minions, and now he was doing his best to look sickly. He didn't want his brother to start asking too many questions.

"I think it would be best to take you to our Sire." Taking Spike by the arm, Djoser began to lead him back to the caves. In the older vampire's mind, if his brother were up to something, it would be nipped in the bud, if he were being supervised by Angel.

"Whatever you say, Mate." Going submissively along with Djoser, Spike smiled to himself. Now all he needed was to talk his Sire into taking him to see the Slayer. Because the Slayer was a key player in his plan.

~Part: 20~

After listening to the minion, Angel wanted an aspirin. It had been only an hour since his Childe had left his bed, and in that hour, Angel had already received news that: Nic had gotten in altercation with some Aleator demons because of William's gambling debts, Damon was upset because he had disturbed the new Blood-Childe, and now a minion was reporting that his youngest had threatened the guards when they had stopped him from leaving the lair.

"And this is what he's like when he's slowed by poison and still wounded. What's he going to be like when he's one hundred percent?" Mumbling to himself, Angel stood up. "Go find my Childe and tell him to. . . ."

"Sire." Djoser entered the cave, Spike in tow.

"WILLIAM! What the hell were you thinking? Leaving the lair when. . . ."

"I know Sire." Looking at his feet, Spike tried to appear contrite. "I realize that I was wrong. I won't try to leave again on my own." Pausing a moment to let his apology sink in before he made his request. "So-o. . .since I can't leave by myself, can you take me to see the Slayer?"

"EXCUSE ME?" Angel was fast losing his temper. "Why must you go see the Slayer?"

"Wanna say hi." Spike appeared casual. "See how she's doing. See how little sis is doing. Say thanks for helping us. Don't you want to say something to her? After all, she was your lover at one. . . ."

"William!" Angel was now grinding his teeth. "What is this about you owing money to an Aleator demon?"

"We-ll. . . ." Spike thought fast, trying to find an angle that excused himself. "When I was down in South America with Alex, I was real depressed because. . . ."

"Never mind!" Angel knew when he was being snowed. "How much do you owe the Aleator?"

"Ah-hh. . . ." Looking up at cave's ceiling, Spike pretended to be thinking. He actually had no idea. "Do you want the amount in reales or dollars?"

"You don't know." Sighing, Angel rubbed his forehead while turning to a minion who stood at the cave entrance. "Go get something from the healer for a headache."

"Hey." Spike defended himself. "I made the bet in South America, so if you want to know the amount in American dollars, I would need to know the exchange rate and then convert it. And for an accurate figure, I would also need to compute the interest. Can't do all of that in my head. Need a bloody calculator."

"Djoser." Staring straight at Spike, Angel addressed his oldest. "Go ask Damon for whatever money he's got. And then tell him I want three of his best fighters. We're all going to take a little ride."

**

Top down, driving his beloved Plymouth convertible again, Angel felt himself regaining his equilibrium. His youngest Childe, who was now sitting next to him, angelic expression on his face, always did have a knack for trying his patience.

"Djoser." He addressed his firstborn who was also sitting up front. "I'm taking you to Willie's. If the Aleator demon isn't here, get Willie to tell you where to find him. Pay the demon his money and get proof that the debt was paid." Pulling up in front of the demon bar Angel stopped the car, and motioned a big, burly minion sitting in the back seat to get out. He was to act as Djoser's back up.

"And then give the Aleator a message from me. He is not to come near any of my people, especially William. If he does, I will be paying him a visit personally, and it won't be a social call."

Inclining his head submissively, Djoser got out of the car. He was still carrying the Tec-9.

"Yeah, and if he gives you any lip, just use your new gun." Spike leaned over the passenger door to shout this piece of advice to his brother.

Grabbing Spike by the back of his shirt, Angel pulled him backwards.

"WOT?"

"If. You. Don't. Start. Behaving. Yourself." Angel enunciated the words slowly. "I'm going to drain you into a comma." Starting up the car, he could feel his headache coming back.

"I'm a disgrace, aren't I? Such a disgrace that maybe you should be rethinking your decision of deeming me worthy to be an Heir Apparent."

Angel could feel his headache spreading downward, stiffening his neck and shoulders. Looking over at his troublesome Childe, he sighed. {Now what is this about?}

"Should disinherit me again. I'm not marked anymore as a Blood-Childe, so it would be easy enough to just start telling everyone again that I'm the Childe of Drusilla." Spike figured it wouldn't hurt to try and talk Angel into disowning him. Save him all the bother of trying to convince the Slayer over to his way of thinking.

Angel thought carefully before he answered. He had no idea where this odd conversation was headed. "William, what is this all about? I've given you your rightful place. Something I should have done from the very beginning. You're one of my Heirs. It's your. . . ."

"Would make a piss-poor High Master. You know me, no follow through. Have a good plan, then get bored, and the whole plan goes out the window."

"Being an Heir Apparent doesn't automatically mean that you'll be a High Master. Djoser succeeds you, and in all probability when he produces a Blood-Childe, you'll be. . . ."

"IF he produces a Blood-Childe. That might only happen if you can find a magic user who knows a spell that can render a machine gun capable of having a baby."

"WHAT?" Angel couldn't believe that the conversation was getting even odder.

"I think he's in love with that soddin' gun. You need to have a chat with him 'bout the birds and the bees. Has the man ever even had a woman?"

"Of course Djoser's been with wome. . . ."

"When was the last time?"

"Well. . .I-I. . . ." Truth be told, Angel didn't know Djoser anymore. Had no idea who he was, what he liked, or what he had been doing for the last one hundred plus years.

"If you want your Bloodline to continue, you'd better have a talk with him. After all he's what? 'Bout 200 years old? Past time for him to have a Blood-Childe. You were how old when you had Djoser?"

"About 50. . .but times were different then. And besides, I had the advantage

of. . .it's not been easy for him or you. And I admit, it's been my fault." Angel thought about his Childer's lives. The constant upheaval, the instability.

"So-o, you gonna talk to him? It's one of his duties, isn't it?" Smiling to himself, Spike knew he was planting the seeds.

"William I. . .now is not the time to be thinking about more Blood-Childer. First, we need to take care of. . . ."

"There never will be a perfect time. You know that. There'll always be some disaster, some terrible enemy, some apocalypse. But with so many of our Clan's Bloodline vampires killed by Snow and the Council, we need to be thinking 'bout our future, 'bout replacing them."

"And you were saying that you wouldn't make a good High Master?" Pulling up in front of the Magic Shop, Angel put the car in park while turning to smile at Spike."Worrying about the Clan, its future. Do you realize that it's one of your duties too? If you were to have a Blood-Childe before Djoser, that could move you ahead of your brother as Successor. Did you think about that?"

Spike couldn't help the startled look that crossed his face. He had never thought of that angle. Getting out of the car, Angel turned to the two minions who were respectfully awaiting their orders. "Recon the area, and if all is clear, then I want you to guard the perimeter. Any problems, bang the front door. I'll be right inside."

"Guard the perimeter. Heard that phrase a couple of times before." Spike spoke quietly to himself as he followed Angel into the Magic Shop.

**

Los Angeles

"FUCKIN' INCOMPETENT FOOLS!" Forgetting himself for a moment, Hawkins sat forward. "GODDAMN-SON-OF-A-BITCH!" The movement jarred his broken collarbone, causing intense pain. Swallowing a couple of times, Hawkins closed his eyes waiting for the pain to subside.

"Jack." Hawkins' second-in-command, Daniel Webster was going over what had happened in Sunnydale. "You were tied to a stake, unconscious. The Slayer said that the rest of the men had been killed. Told us to leave town or suffer the same fate."

"And you fucking believed her? She was bluffing! Fuckin' idiot!" Carefully reaching for a glass of water, Hawkins took a couple of sips. "We NEED to get Chris back. Every day that goes by, his demon gets stronger. Might not be able to bring him back to us."

"The Slayer ordered us out of Sunnydale. And since the Council reinstated her, she has some pull. We can't just go against her command without. . . ."

"I'll talk to Snow. See if he can have some of his 'boys' go into Sunnydale. Although he's our ally, he's not bound by the same rules and regulations that we are."

"Why would he help us get Chris back? He never bought into this whole 'Daywalker' scheme. His goal is to kill all Bloodline vampires, not save them."

"Yeah, but if I dangle a certain Blood-Childe in front of him. . . ." Hawkins carefully and slowly sat back in the chair. "Both of Angelus' Blood-Childer are in Sunnydale. Now we need Djoser. His blood is still untainted, but William. . .Snow's already fucked up his blood. He's no good to us anymore. Snow can have him now. Can do whatever he wants with him." Satisfied smile on his face, Hawkins contemplated. "Our vampire ally will send us an army if it means he can get his hands on Angelus' favorite Blood-Childe again."

"And the Slayer? What if she interferes?"

"The Slayer." Hawkins closed his eyes, concentrating. "What did Travers' report say? That there's this hell god in Sunnydale looking for a key. The Slayer has been deemed the protector of this key. And. . . ." Hawkins' eyes snapped open. "Didn't Travers mention something about some order whose purpose was to destroy the key?"

"Yes. It said. . . ." Webster grabbed the report and began paging through it. "Here it is. 'The Knights of Byzantium. An ancient order whose purpose is to destroy the key. We've discovered that these Knights still exist and are deliberating how we should proceed with them'."

"So since the Slayer is the protector, the Council debates whether these Knights are friend or foe." Looking up, Hawkins gave Webster a satisfied smile. Their Slayer problem was solved. "I think a message needs to be sent to those Knights, letting them know where the key is and who's protecting it." Forgetting his pain, Hawkins sat forward. "They should be able to keep that little bitch busy."

**

"Angel. Spike." Giles and Wesley, looking up from the books they were poring over, greeted the two vampires.

"Any progress?" Walking over to the two Watchers, Angel picked up a couple of the books, checking out their titles.

"Well the Council found some information on this Glory in the Book of Tarnis, so we've been. . . ."

"Gonna go say hi to Buffy." Spike could hear and smell the Slayer working out in the back room. Moving fast before they put a book in his hand.

"She. Kicked. My. Ass." Buffy was taking out her frustrations on the punching bag. "She kicked my ass without even tensing a muscle, Xander!" A final punch sent the bag and Xander, who had been trying to hold it steady, flying.

"Talking about that twat, Glory?" Entering the back room, Spike walked over to a prone Xander, giving him a 'you're such a loser' look while reaching down to help the young man up.

"Hey Spike." Taking the vampire's hand, Xander pulled himself up to his feet. "You're looking. . .less thrashed."

"The sure cure, Sire's blood and a good shag. . . ."

"We DON'T want to know." Buffy interrupted. Part of her knew what Spike was going to say, but she still didn't want to hear the words spoken out loud.

Grinning, Spike picked up the punching bag and hung it back up. "Soo, have another close encounter with that skank, Glory?"

"Yes. Three encounters and I've not been able to hurt her even slightly." Resuming her work out, Buffy began pummeling the bag once again, this time with Spike holding it.

"Buffy." Spike spoke quietly and seriously. "Stop fretting. You've got my Sire, my brother, uncles and the whole bleedin' Tremere Clan backing you up now. There's no fuckin' way that even a so-called god' gonna beat you with that kind of team."

Pausing for a moment, Buffy did have to smile. "I am feeling better now, knowing that I've got. . .all of you behind me."

"Course you feel better. Even a Slayer can't do it alone. Which brings me to another point. After we send slag goddess back to wherever it is that she came from, have you thought about the fact that that won't be the end? Since kid sis is this magical, mystical key, there'll be others who will be after her. Want her power. You're going to have to protect her the rest of your life."

Buffy gave Spike a startled look. So concerned with the now, the death of her mother and the protection of Dawn, she hadn't even thought as far as the then.

"The way I figure it, you need some permanent help. Someone who can help you with platelet and your Slayer duties."

"You think that Angel would consider staying?" Buffy couldn't help the flash of longing that shot through her.

"Don't start pinning your hopes on my Sire. Notoriously undependable. But then I don't have to tell you that."

"So just exactly who or what are you thinking, when you say permanent help?" Xander asked.

"A husband. What you need is a. . . ."

"SPIKE!" Buffy gave the punching bag a good shove, knocking the vampire backward. "I DON'T have time to be listening to such garbage. A husband is the last thing I need. Besides how would a husband be a solution to. . . ?"

"I'm not talking about a husband like your last boyfriend, Captain Goody-Two-Shoes. I'm talking about someone who's strong. Someone who has bite."

"You're not, by any chance, thinking of yourself, are you?" Xander couldn't help but say that with a smirk. {Spike with Buffy. That'll be the day!}

"Pfff. . . ." A scowl at Xander and then a disparaging look at Buffy. "Like I fancy spending the next fifty years getting my nose broke every time I leave a towel on the floor. No. . . I was thinking about my brother, Djoser."

"Spike! You are such an IDIOT!" Glaring daggers at the vampire, Buffy was wishing that he wasn't poisoned, so she could break his nose. "I'm a vampire Slayer. I slay vampires, not marry them."

A snort of contempt. "Right Slayer. So where was that philosophy when you were shagging my Sire's arse off?"

"Do vampires marry?" Xander's curiosity was aroused.

"I guess when it's a Slayer, we do." Spike grinned at Xander. "No seriously. Djoser is not so different from my Sire. Tall, dark, and boring. The way you like 'em. And he. . .he'll be there for you. Always. He wouldn't ever let you down. Help you with niblet. Help you slay the big nasties. And you know what else? He's a Bloodline vampire, so you could have a family with him."

"WHAT!" Buffy couldn't believe she was still having this discussion. "A family! You're talking about a family when I can barely look after Dawn, and I've got. . . ."

"I'm not saying that you'd have a. . .family right away. But come on. You've thought about it. Thought. . .maybe someday."

Looking down at the floor, Buffy didn't answer right away. She had considered it. A Slayer's life span was short and dangerous, so a family was something that she could never have. So she had thought about it a lot, wistfully, with longing. Looking up, she met Spike's eyes. "This ridiculous conversation is closed."

Opening his mouth, Spike started to say something more but was cut off.

"CLOSED, Spike." Eyeing the punching bag, Buffy began beating it. Wishing it were either Glory's head or the moronic vampire who was standing in front of her.

Watching the Slayer, Spike knew that he had hit a nerve and was trying to figure out how to continue the topic when luck gave him a helping hand as Dawn and Djoser walked in.

"Hey guys." Jumping up to sit on the pummel horse, the teenager greeted the room's occupants.

"Dawn. How come you're not with Willow and Tara?" Stopping a moment, Buffy was curious why her sister was here. The plan had been for Dawn to stay with her friends until her workout was done. Afterward, she was to swing by and pick up her sister at Willow's.

"They decided they wanted to go to the fair, so they brought me over here. On the way we ran into. . . ." Dawn gave Djoser an admiring look. "Him. And he walked with us the rest of the way. And while we were walking, my friends Marcy and. . . ."

"I guess we should go home then." Buffy interrupted her abruptly. She was uncomfortable enough after the nonsense that Spike had spouted about her and his brother. But now she wasn't liking the schoolgirl crush eyes that Dawn had when she looked over at Djoser.

"Already? So you're ready to take on Glory?" Dawn looked at Buffy with skepticism. "After she's beaten up on you now three. . . ."

"Having some problems, Slayer?" Djoser was staring at Buffy with a gleam in his eyes.

"I'll figure something ou. . . ."

"Punching a bag won't sharpen your skills." Djoser gave the bag a slight push. "You need an actual opponent. Someone to challenge you. To give you a real fight."

"Offering your services then?" Spike was elated. His brother showing up, calling out the Slayer. He couldn't have scripted it better.

"Yes." Turning to look at Buffy again, black eyes unreadable. "I'll give you a battle you won't forget."

"I don't think that I want. . . ."

"Scared, Slayer?" Voice deliberately taunting.

"Oh, come on sis. Fight him!" Dawn chimed in, not helping Buffy's position.

"She doesn't want to fight me because she knows that she just got lucky with you and with our Sire. But the third time will be no charm for her." Leaning close to Spike, Djoser said this in a low voice, but not low enough so the humans in the room couldn't hear him.

"I think that Glory has taken all the Slayer's stones." Spike played along with his brother. He knew sooner or later they would hit the right button.

"ALRIGHT!" Buffy knew that the two vampires were intentionally provoking her, but she couldn't walk away from the dare. "Fifteen minutes. In fifteen minutes, you'll be feeling all the pain that both Angel and Spike have felt at my hands."

"You're sure of yourself, Slayer. Let's see if you can put your money where your mouth is." Handing Spike his new gun, Djoser gave his younger brother a stern look. "Watch the fingerprints."

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