Bloodlines, The Continued Existence, Book 3

Author: P'al Kwai

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~Prologue~

England, 1857

An easy parry, a countering thrust, and the vampire Ramose buried his sword in his opponent's shoulder.

"Ahh!" Staggering backward, Djoser gave a yelp of pain.

"You've been fighting like a weak human." Ramose gave his long time friend a questioning look. "You're giving me no challenge at all. What's wrong?" He asked, laying down his sword.

Throwing his weapon down, Djoser didn't answer as he put a hand up to stanch the blood flowing from his shoulder.

"Your mind is on our Sire's new Childe, isn't it?" The two vampires had grown up together as humans, were turned together, and had become inseparable as immortal companions. Thus it was never hard for one to know what the other was thinking.

"A short time ago, I felt a. . . ." Djoser groped for the words to describe the unusual feeling he had experienced. "A joining. The addition of another. And I knew that my Sire had turned the new Childe. I now have a brother."

"And that's a bad thing?" Ramose asked curiously.

"My Father loves this Childe." Feeling the blood flow start to ebb, Djoser pulled his hand away. Staring at his blood, he watched the red fluid drip to the ground. His blood was royal, traceable back to Caine, the Father of all vampires. "He continued a relationship with the Childe's mother even after she was impregnated. He was there for the human birth and would have even maintained the relationship with the human woman, except my uncles were becoming suspicious. He didn't want them to find out about his new Blood-Childe because, as you know, in our Clan before a Blood-Childe is turned, he has no protected status."

"And what? You're afraid that the new Childe will usurp your position as our Sire's heir?" Ramose asked. "Because I can't believe that this new Childe will be any threat to your position. His mother was a nobody, unlike yours, who was of noble birth. A Blood-Childe, yes, but half his blood is common, he'll not be exceptional like you."

"Perhaps, but my Sire has not stopped talking about this new Childe." Wound no longer bleeding, Djoser bent down to pick up the swords. "There was a time when he used to tell me how special I was but not anymore." Alone with Ramose, the vampire could lower his guard as he let the sadness he felt show on his face. "Now he's always occupied, rarely has time to give me any attention. And now with a fledgling Blood-Childe. . . ."

"Our Sire is a busy man with many responsibilities." Ramose made excuses for their Master. "He hopes to be named the Clan's Successor, so much of his time has to be spent serving the High Master, currying favor with ranking members of the Clan and keeping track of his rivals. If he is successful, and is named the Clan's Successor, then you'll be in line to one day become the High Master. He's still looking out for you and your future."

"Unless he decides to designate my new brother as heir over me." Carefully cleaning up and then wrapping the swords in oilcloths, Djoser said this with bitterness and embarrassment. It was humiliating to be having such petty feelings toward a brother he had never even met.

"I cannot think he would do such a thing." Ramose was adamant. "You, who were taught from human birth your heritage, your birthright. It is your destiny to one day become the High Master of the Tremere Clan. I will not believe otherwise!"

****

~Part: 1~

California, October 2, 2001

Feet up on the dashboard, Spike pushed back with his legs. He wanted to see if he could get the car seat to go back further than it was suppose to.

"Must you?" Djoser looked over at him. "You're going to break it."

"I'm bored, mate." Spike lied, trying to cover up his nervousness. The closer they got to Sunnydale, the more his stomach turned. For some inexplicable reason, he was uneasy about returning there.

"Since we left Mexico I've talked non-stop to keep you amused, and you're still bored?" Djoser was disgusted. "I should have saved my breath."

"You're a vampire; you don't have any breath, ya git."

"What's bothering you now?" Reunited since Djoser had rescued Spike from Elder Snow, the older vampire was beginning to understand his brother's moods and attitudes. Rudeness and anger were usually a cover up for anxiety and worry.

Squirming in his seat, Spike couldn't escape Djoser's perceptive stare. It unsettled him. "Just not exactly stoked about returning to Sunnyhell. Bad stuff always happens there."

"We won't stay long." Djoser reassured Spike. "Just need to speak to the Watcher, and. . . ." He broke off as the outskirts of Sunnydale came into view.

"What the hell?" Spike stuck his head out the side window, as if that would give him a better view. The town was in ruins. Cars on fire in the streets. Buildings and houses with their windows and doors busted out. "Hey, slow down a bit. Wanna see what the fuck is going on." Knees on the seat, half his body was now out the window. "Jesus Christ has this town gone to shit. Good thing we don't live here anymore, cause all the property values here just took a piss."

Pulling over, Djoser stopped the car and got out. From a distance his superior, vampiric eyesight allowed him to make out the demons who were destroying and looting the town. "Hellions. Road pirates." He commented to his brother.

"Yeah." Spike too got out of the car and sat himself down on the hood. "Guess they figured out that the Slayer's gone."

Watching the devastation, Spike could help but grin. Mass destruction was always fun. "Hey Djoser, there's no one around to tell us to behave ourselves. How 'bout we join the evening's festivities? It's been too long since I've caused some bloody mayhem." The last sentence was said softly to himself. Turning, he saw Djoser's look of revulsion. Heaving a sigh, he knew his brother would need more convincing. "Stop being so high and mighty. You're not a Prince anymore, remember?"

"But to associate with Hellions!" Djoser couldn't imagine anything more debasing. "They're a bunch of low life demons who. . . ."

"And we're just two Caitiff vampires." Spike interrupted him. "Sharing a bottom rung with them on the demon social ladder. "Turning back to watch the Hellions, he lit a cigarette. "Without a clan, we're nonentities. Hell, if we both died tonight, no one would even notice."

"I lived before as a Caitiff vampire, when our Sire abandoned us. But that didn't mean I lowered myself to. . .to the likes of *them* ." Djoser spat out with disgust as he watched the Hellions.

"You're such a Poof. Just like Him." Without turning his head, Spike peered sideways at Djoser to see how his brother took the insult.

The older vampire swallowed hard at the comparison. In the past, he had reveled in the similarities he shared with Angel, but now the thought of being anything like his Sire brought bile up his throat.

Taking a small step toward the marauding demons, Djoser tried to make himself go toward them, but his body would not obey. "I've killed Hellions for the simple reason that their appearance and ignorance offended me." A quick determination and the vampire decided that being a Poof was better than associating with demon scum. "We should just stick to our business. The Watcher might not be willing to help us if we take part. . . ."

He motioned toward the bedlam. "In this."

"Okay, Poof Junior." Sighing again, Spike jumped off the car. It never failed to amaze him how so many of his family members could be such killjoys.

**

Trying to keep in the shadows, a frightened Dawn was attempting to make her way to The Magic Box. When the demons had begun wreaking havoc on the neighborhood, she had instinctively taken flight, instead of hiding safely in her basement.

Peering around the corner, she saw a large group of demons blocking her path. Cornered, panic filled her, and the impulse to run overcame her good sense. Taking off, she looked for an escape. But there was no escape, and the Hellions were certainly not going to overlook a young, fleeing girl.

Dawn's flight was halted in the middle of the street, as groups of the demons advanced on her from all directions. Voice filled with pure terror, she screamed for Willow, Xander, Tara, anyone to come help her.

**

Unafraid of the road pirate demons, the vampires were driving through town trying to make their way to The Magic Box and Giles. Spike, always up for a challenge, wanted to see if they could drive through the entire town right under the Hellions' noses. And Djoser, so contemptuous of the inferior demons, continued to follow his original purpose for coming to Sunnydale. To do anything else would be to admit fear of them, and he'd rather fall on a stake than have anyone think he was afraid of Hellions.

Driving slowly, one hand on the wheel, the other armed with a 9mm beretta, which had been found at Nic's lair, Djoser calmly and coolly shot any Hellion who came too close to the car. Spike, again hanging out the window, was armed with a double-barreled shot gun, also found at the roadhouse in Mexico. Shooting at any demon that moved, he used the Hellions for target practice.

"Think we've got enough ammo to waste all of these Wankers?" Spike paused a moment to reload.

"Maybe." Djoser shrugged his shoulders. "If not, we've got a couple of good swords. We can start taking their heads."

"Don't know why I was feeling so grippy 'bout coming here." Eyes shining with excitement, Spike was enjoying himself. "The last time I had this much fun was. . .was. . . ." He couldn't remember the last time he had some *real* entertainment. "Hey. . . ."A slender figure of a young woman in the middle of the street caught his eye. "That's Bit! What the bloody hell is she doing out alone in the middle of a Hellion raid? Has Giles lost what little mind he had, leaving her out by herself?"

Seeing Dawn in danger, Djoser remembered his words to Buffy, 'I'll protect her against anyone who tries to harm her.' "Hang on." He yelled over to Spike as he stepped on the gas. "I'm going to head right for them. Get ready to grab her."

"I hear ya." Spike dropped the shotgun on the car seat, freeing both of his hands.

Voice hoarse from screaming, Dawn could only whimper as the circle of demons closed in upon her. She whispered a plea, "please, please don't hurt me," when the sound and the sight of a car caught both her and the Hellions' attention. Before any of them could react, Djoser plowed into the demons, taking out five of them.

"Come on pigeon, time to fly." Using his legs to brace himself, Spike leaned out of the car grabbing Dawn around the waist. "GO!" He ordered his brother.

Djoser didn't waste any time, tires squealed, engine roared as the vampires made their escape. Still hanging outside of the car, Dawn clung onto Spike for dear life, silently praying.

Wrapping his arms tighter around the young girl, Spike whispered reassuringly in her ear. "Don't worry, luv. I'm not going to let you down this time."

Making a sharp turn into an alley, Djoser brought the car to a screeching halt. "Quick, get the girl in the car." He ordered his brother who had already begun pulling Dawn through the window. She was barely inside when the car took off again, slamming both her and Spike down into the front seat.

"Uff!" Spike grunted, as Dawn landed hard on top of him. "You don't weigh much, but you sure got some sharp elbows." Giving the teenager a helpful shove, he aided her scramble into the back seat. "Head down." He instructed, grabbing the shotgun. Swinging himself out the car window again, he took aim at the pursing Hellions. "Time for some more target practice."

"Just shoot the closest ones." Djoser advised him. "Because they're not going to be keeping up." Accelerating, he made a sharp turn, causing Spike to quickly grab onto car roof, so he wouldn't get thrown out.

Flying down the street at an impossibly fast speed, Spike had to sit back down or lose his balance and fall out of the car. "Who taught you how to drive? Couldn't have been the Poo. . .Him because he drives like someone's grandma."

A quick glare behind him and Djoser was satisfied. "I think we lost them for now." Slowing the car down, he noted where they were. "But unfortunately the magic shop is in the opposite direction."

"Maybe we can go to the Slayer's. . . ." Spike threw a quick, apologetic look at Dawn. "Niblet's house and ring Giles from there."

"Giles?" Feeling the car decelerate, Dawn cautiously raised her head. "Giles isn't here any more. He just left for England."

"England!" Spike twisted around in his seat so he could face the teenager in the back. "Wot, did the old coot have some bloody, boring Watcher's conferences to go to?"

"No." Dawn shook her head as she carefully sat back in the car's seat. "He went back there to live. Without Buffy. . .the Slayer, he had no reason to stay here anymore."

"No reason!" Spike was outraged. "What about you? No wonder you were out alone. Fucking Giles!" Livid, he turned back to look out the car window, unable to even speak for a moment. "All those times Giles and. . .and Him were supposedly strategizing. In reality, He was giving that pissant Rupert tips on how to abandon your love ones. What a couple of Poofs!"

"But Giles isn't responsible for me!" Dawn protested. "And I'm not abandoned. Willow and Tara are. . . ."

"Right, he leaves you with those two airheads. They don't have an ounce of good sense between the two of them." Spike said this with disgust. "Hey. . . ." A thought occurred to him. "Why don't we take Bit?" He asked his brother. "We can take care of her." A solution for the guilt ridden vampire. It would be atonement for failing to save Dawn from Glory, for failing to keep his promise to Buffy.

Djoser swallowed hard, fighting the inclination to call his brother a total moron for coming up with such a lame idea. "The two of us! Two men who are not family, taking an underage teenager with them to live. We'll have every law enforcement officer in the country knocking on our door."

"Oh. . . ." Slouching in his seat, Spike couldn't argue with his brother's reasoning. The last thing they needed was problems with human law officers. "But we can't just leave her. We made a promise to the Slayer, you know. We promised to help protect her little. . . ."

"Stop!" A panicked shout, as Dawn interrupted. "Stop the car."

Stepping on the brake hard, Djoser quickly looked around. No Hellions. No humans. No one. Spike too made a quick survey and not seeing anyone was puzzled. "What's up? There's no one here."

"There! There she is." Opening the car door, Dawn slipped out before either of the vampires could stop her.

"Dawn!" Pulling on the car door handle, it took a second for Spike to remember that it was locked. Finally getting the door open, he half fell out of the car in his rush to go after her. "Dawn! You stupid twit. . .what the hell do you think you're. . . ." Catching up with the teenager, the words died in his mouth as he looked down at what she had found, the head and torso of the Slayer. "Bloody hell! It's. . . ."

"Just a machine, Spike." Kneeling down beside what was left of the Buffybot, Dawn felt her eyes tear up. She knew it to be nothing more than a robot, but it was the last link she had with her sister.

"What do the two of you think you're doing?" Coming up behind them, Djoser was angry. "The Hellions are just around the corner, we need to. . . ." Breaking off, the usual stoic vampire couldn't keep the shock off his face. "What the hell is that?"

"It's the Buffybot." Dawn explained to the two vampires. "Willow made her with the help of Warren, an ex-classmate of hers. We've used her so that people and demons wouldn't know that Buffy, The Slayer was dead."

The two vampires exchanged astonished looks. "Bloody witch has got some bollocks." Spike commented as he looked around and noticed Buffybot parts lying a short distance away. Nudging Djoser, he gestured toward them. "Think there's some legs over there."

Walking with his brother to retrieve Buffybot pieces, Djoser was trying to remember who Willow was. "Which one was Willow?" He had seen all the Scoobies, but being uninterested in 'insignificant humans,' had not paid attention to who was who.

"The red head." Spike answered, picking up a broken off leg. "Tsk. Look what those filthy buggers did. Don't think Willow can put this humpty dumpty back together again."

**

Still teary eyed, Dawn was not paying attention to what Spike and Djoser were doing. She reached with a gentle hand to close the Buffybot's eyes, when the robot's head suddenly turned and spoke to her.

"You're my sister Dawn."

Dawn smiled through her tears. Despite having the appearance of Buffy, the bot had always talked and acted with the innocence and ignorance of a young child.

The Buffybot looked around in confusion. "Where did I go?"

Now Dawn was also confused. "What?"

"Where did I go? I was here. Here. But then I ran away."

Straightening up slightly, Dawn tried to understand why the Buffybot was saying she ran away, when she was lying here in pieces. "I-I don't. . . ."
"No. Not me. The other Buffy."

Eyes widening in shock, Dawn could feel her breath catch in her throat.

"Yes. The other Buffy." The bot continued.

"Buffy?" Dawn whispered.

"I don't ... I don't ... know where she ran off to. Maybe. . . ." Freezing up, its power now totally drained, the Buffybot stared blankly, never finishing its thought.

Standing up, her mind a whirl of shock, confusion, and hope, Dawn gave one last look at the lifeless Buffybot before turning and running.

**

"That red head girl built a robot that could act and fight like the real Slayer?" Djoser was still trying to comprehend that a human, who he had dismissed as a nobody, could have accomplished such a deed.

"Yeah, pretty resourceful, that Willow." Picking up the second bot leg, Spike turned to yell over to Dawn. "Gonna gather up all the pieces and see. . . ." Breaking off, he noticed the teenager was gone. "Hey." The two vampires looked around in alarm. "Little Bit? Dawn!"

Grabbing Spike by the duster, Djoser pulled him toward their vehicle. "We'll track her from the car. She couldn't have gotten far."

**

Head again hanging out the car window, Spike sniffed the air, hoping to catch the scent of Dawn. "Can't smell a sodding thing over the petrol stench from those bloody Hellions burning the town down."

"Any signs of more Hellions?" Djoser asked as he looked down briefly at the beretta between his legs.

"Don't see any of them either." Spike's eyes swept over the wrecked and burning cars and buildings. Falling back in the car seat, he let out a frustrated sigh. "It's been almost an hour. How in the hell can one twit of a girl stay hidden from two vampires?"

"This is rather humiliating." Djoser admitted. "You better not tell anyone about this. I'll never live it down that I couldn't track one fledgling, human female."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, she's really not human." Spike consoled him. "Just tell everyone that you couldn't track one big ball of energy."

"Here's her house." Djoser pulled up to the Summer's residence. "Maybe she ran back here."

"She better be here!" Spike threw himself out of the car angrily and stomped up the front steps of the Summer's house. "And if she is, I'm going to kill her. DAWN!" He shouted as he flung open the front door with a bang. "Dawn, are you here?"

A moment passed before a voice called down from upstairs. "I'm here, Spike."

Relief flowing through him, the vampire continued to yell up the stairs. "Thank God. You scared me half to death. . .or more to death. You. . .I could kill you." Continuing to rant, he was not paying attention as Dawn came into view at the head of the stairs accompanied by another person. "I mean it. I could rip your head off one-handed and drink from your brain stem."

"Spike. . .Djoser." Dawn said this softly as she took her sister by the hand and led her down the stairs. "Look."

So focused on Dawn's stupidity, Spike didn't notice the human smell coming from Buffy. "Yeah? Another bloody bot. So Willow made two, did she? Wanted to have an extra for the times when something happened. . . ." His brother's hard grip squeezing his shoulder stopped his angry tirade, making him look closer at what he thought to be another Buffybot.

"It's not a robot, Will." Djoser released his grasp on Spike and took a step closer to Buffy. "It's her. It's the Slayer, alive again!"

****

~Part: 2~

Mexico, April 2001

"Para curar su hijo, hay que darle su sangre." The Mexican Curandero made his diagnosis.

Shirt off, sitting on a make shift table, Spike was one unhappy vampire after reluctantly allowing himself be poked and prodded by the Mexican Shaman. "What the bloody hell did he just say?" He asked Djoser angrily. "SPEAK ENGLISH. . .ya pillock." Now addressing the Shaman, the vampire's voice rose a couple decibels.

"He doesn't speak nor understand English, so shouting at him won't help." Djoser tried to sooth his brother. "But he says that you need to have my blood."

"Why would he say your blood. . .oh because we told him you're my Sire, so we wouldn't have a repeat of what happened with that uppity, poncy healer in LA." Sighing, Spike grabbed his tee shirt and pulled it on over his head. "So the cure is Sire's blood. Like I haven't heard that a million times before."

"Gracias, Senor." Handing the Shaman a couple of bills, Djoser then turned to Spike. "You, ok?" He asked, watching his brother who was slowly shrugging into his duster.

"I'll survive. Just having a bad day today." Letting his brother support him, Spike cautiously made his way out the door.

"So some days are good and some are bad? I wonder. . . ?" Djoser was thoughtful as the two vampires walked to their car.

"You're *not* thinking about looking for another Shaman, are you?" Reaching the car, Spike leaned up against it, waiting for his brother to open the car door for him. "A waste of time and money. They all say the same bloody thing." Speaking in a falsetto voice, he pretended to be a healer. "You need your Sire; you need his blood." Pausing a moment, his face twisted into a dark scowl. "Frigging idiots! I hate them. I hate our Si. . .Him. Hate everybody." Voice now sullen as he fell into the front seat of the car.

"Our Sire's blood is not possible, but. . . ." Getting into the driver's seat, Djoser turned to Spike. "I wonder if my blood would help you?"

**

Sunnydale, October, 2001

"Home, sweet home." Muttering this, Spike entered the dark, dank crypt, followed by his brother.

Stopping just inside the doorway, Djoser looked around his new home. A wave of depression hit him as memories of a time long ago flashed before him. A time when he had been a favorite of the powerful High Master Heinrich Nest and had lived in luxury and comfort. How far he had fallen.

"William." Djoser found that his feet had a mind of their own as they refused to move. Neither he nor any part of his body wanted to enter the mausoleum. "This place is a. . . ." Looking around, words failed him. Never in his life or unlife had he lived in such a dump. "We could go and stay at the mansion. Since it hasn't been that long, I'm sure the demons here still remember that it's the property of Ange. . . ."

"Don't say his fucking name!" Whirling around, Spike shouted this at his brother. "Don't ever say his name again. We agreed, remember? We're nothing to him, so He's nothing to us."

A heavy silence hung between the two as Djoser stared at Spike, surprised at his emotional outburst. It had been six months since they had run away from Angel, and the vampire had thought that his younger brother had made peace with the fact that their indifferent Father was never going to change. "Our Sire *is* nothing to us now, but that doesn't mean we can't. . . ."

"He never even tried to find us, did He?" Despite the lump in his throat, Spike managed to ask the question. The question that had been gnawing at him since they had left the abandoned roadhouse in Mexico. "All it would have taken was for him to have issued a 'bounty' on us. But not one demon came looking for us. You were right; he probably still doesn't even realize we're gone."

"Will?" Voice curious. "How many times were you betrayed by Him? Why is this such a surprise to you?"

"Don't know." Shrugging his shoulders, Spike looked down at the dirt floor of the crypt, toeing the ground with the tip of his boot. "It's just that he told me how remorseful he was and promised. . .promised that this time was going to be different." The last part was a whisper as he blinked back his tears.

"I'm sorry." The words were inadequate, but Djoser didn't know what else to say.

Straightening his shoulders, Spike took control of himself. He wasn't going to cry like a nancy boy for his Poof of a Sire. "I'm *not* going to the mansion. The mansion was His lair, and I will not stay anyplace that He called home."

Djoser momentarily studied his depressing surroundings again and then sighed in resignation. Dropping the duffel bag in his hand, he turned to go back to the car. "I'll go and get your television. Is there electricity here, so you can watch it?"

"Djoser." Spike called out, stopping his brother's exit for a moment. "I'm sorry too. Sorry that you have to live in a place like this. Me. . . ." He looked around the crypt. "I've lived most of my existence in places like this and worse, so I'm used to it. As a human, I lived in the streets until. . .until He came and claimed me. After He abandoned us, Dru and I wandered around, living wherever we could. Every so often we got lucky and found a half way decent place to live, but it never lasted long. Sooner or later we'd get tossed out, or the place would burn down or something."

Djoser's face remained impassive, but the emotions in him raged hotly. Opening the door of the crypt to fetch the rest of their things, the resentment he felt toward Angel was rapidly turning to hate. Hatred toward a father who had never done right by his Childer.

**

Los Angeles, Oct 2001

Standing on the roof of the Hyperion, Darla looked down at the lights of LA. Her hand cradled her now very pregnant stomach.

"You always did love a view." Angel approached her quietly.

"Look at it. Listen to it. Can you smell it? This world. This horrible world. I've brought three Childer into it, and two are now dead. Perhaps it was a mistake to have. . . ." The vampiress looked down at her stomach. "Another one."

"Another Childe, another Pure Blood-Childe only enhances your status. Isn't that what you wanted?" Stopping a few feet from Darla, Angel too looked out over the city.

"I thought it was but not anymore." Turning away, the vampiress had come to an awakening. Things were not the same as they had been when the Old Master had lived. Her dreams of power, of once again commanding the Tremeren Clan, had just been an illusion. Their Clan was all but dead, and their High Master, her favorite Childe, Angelus didn't care. The Ventrues had all but taken over the other vampire clans. Judelin, the Venture's High Master, had asserted his power. Your choice was to subjugate yourself to him or be destroyed.

"His only destiny is to serve the Ventrues or be killed." She said with bitterness. "And you, his Sire, the High Master of our Clan, don't care. You've done nothing to try and oppose Judelin. To try and limit his. . . ."

"What would you have me do?" An equally bitter Angel asked her. "I have one minion. My Childer, my brothers. . . ." He closed his eyes. "Are all dead. And I would join them, except. . . ."

"Except what?" Darla whirled around to face him. "Except you feel responsible for me and. . .and. . . ." She caressed her stomach. "Well, don't do him or me any favors!"

"Darla." Angel whispered holding out his hands. She was the only family he had now. "I was not a good father to Djoser and William. This time I'm going to do it right. We're going to do it right. He's the future of our Bloodline. He's our only hope now."

"Why do I have the feeling that the only future this Childe is going to have is an ugly death?" Tears running down her cheeks, the vampiress allowed Angel to pull her into his arms.

"We're all that's left." Resting his chin on top of Darla's head, Angel whispered. "We have to stick together."

**

"Poked my head in the magic shop today." Spike informed Djoser as the two vampires made up their newly purchased bed. "The Slayer was there with all her super friends, exchanging a special moment. Made me queasy. But afterward the Slayer came out, and we talked a moment. She's not doing so well."

"Still recovering from the hell dimension?" Tucking the sheets between the mattress and box spring, Djoser looked up at his brother.

"That's just it. She wasn't in any hell dimension. Said she was in heaven and now is depressed because she was torn out of there. Torn out by her mates, no less." Spike looked with satisfaction at the freshly made bed. "Makes the place seem more homey." He commented. "Although, I always thought you were some nomadic warrior who didn't need comforts like a bed. . . ." Turning his head to look at their other new purchase. "Or a refrigerator."

"It's bad enough that we're two vampires living in a crypt." Gazing around his new home, Djoser was satisfied. The mausoleum was still a dump, but with the addition of a bed, refrigerator, and a few chairs, it was at least a more civilized dump. "But to also sleep in a sarcophagus! We'd be the stereotypical vampires. All the other demons would start doing their Bela Lugosi impressions whenever we showed up."

"And then we'd have to kill them." Spike agreed. "It would get rather old." Staring at his brother a moment, he did have to say. "You seem to care too much what other demons think. And I'm surprised you know who Bela Lugosi is."

"There isn't a vampire on this earth who doesn't know who Bela Lugosi is. And if that man were still alive, we'd all be fighting over who got to torture him. It's all his fault that people think we vampires sleep in coffins, wear long, black capes, and have weird looking eyes."

"Not sure you should blame Bela for that." Spike was thoughtful as he followed Djoser out of the bedroom area of the crypt. "I think he was just modeling himself after old Drac."

"Old Drac?" Djoser stopped and turned to look at his brother. "What do you know about Dracula?"

"Met the old man in England. And the poncy bugger still owes me eleven pounds. . .but if you think that Ventrue Poof or. . .or. . . ." Scowling, Spike stopped himself from uttering Angel's name. "Him were drama queens, you should have seen old Drac. Had his act nailed down to perfection." He waved his hands theatrically and opened his eyes wide in imitation of Count Dracula. "Used an old gypsy scam to make people think he had special, hypnotic powers."

Djoser couldn't help but grin. "So the Count really knew how to ham it up?"

Spike snorted. "That man should have been given an Oscar."

Still smiling, Djoser went over to the refrigerator. Taking out a bag of blood, he opened it with his teeth and began gulping down his meal.

Closing his eyes, Spike could feel his stomach roll. "Must you do that in front of me? I can't believe that you drink blood that's cold and congealed. Gonna make me heave. Ugh!" Eyes still closed, he fell down into a chair, shuddering. "We should have bought a microwave when we were out shopping. In fact, maybe we still should." One eye cautiously opened, hoping that his brother had finished his dinner.

"Can't." Djoser threw the empty blood bag into a wastebasket. "Our money has run out."

"It's gone!" Spike sat up straight in his chair. "All of it?"

"I've got a couple of bills left, but that's it." Djoser walked over to where their weapons were stashed. Cocking the beretta, he checked to make sure the chamber held a bullet.

"So we spent it all? But we found over a thousand dollars in our uncle's lair. Where the hell did it go?" Spike had never been good with money or finances.

"Gasoline, motel rooms, blood, bullets, and cigarettes and booze for you." Djoser told him matter-of-factly while shrugging into his black tunic.

"I've only been buying cheap booze, and I bought a stash of cigarettes in Mexico to save money. So you can't say I haven't been doing my part in trying to conserve some of our coin." Spike immediately became defensive. "So where are you going then?" Cocking his head, he gave Djoser an inquiring look. "Gonna go and look for a couple of posh gits to mug? Get us some more cash flow?"

"No, I'm going to see the Slayer."

"The Slayer? She never has much. . . ." Before Spike finished his sentence, the realization washed over him that his brother was looking for any kind of excuse to see Buffy. He couldn't help the satisfied smile that crossed his face. "Yeah mate, ask her if there are some jobs or some information we can get for her. She'll pay, you know. Not much, but something is better than nothing."

"All right." Djoser stared warily at Spike. "Do you want anything to eat before I go?" He asked holding up his wrist.

"Nah. Watching you eat took my appetite away."

Lowering his arm Djoser was half-worried, half-suspicious. He didn't much like the pleased smile plastered on his brother's face. "I do have some important business to discuss with the Slayer. As you know, the Ventrues have been gaining more and more power. If she is willing, perhaps a deal can be made. If the three of us ally, perhaps we can at least keep them out of Sunnydale."

"Sounds like a plan." Leaning back in his chair, Spike pulled out a cigarette. "But I thought we were just going to stay here until we located our uncle."

"We can still do that. In fact, if you feel up to it, why don't you go over and check out some of the demon bars. See if anyone has heard anything about Damon?"

"Gotcha. I'll look for information on Damon, and you'll go see the Slayer." Cigarette in his mouth, Spike stood up, patting down his Jean's pockets, looking for his lighter. "If I'm going to hit the streets, I'll need a few quid."

Frowning, Djoser pulled out his wallet. All that was left were two fifty-dollar bills. "Here." He handed Spike one of them. "It's half of what we've got. I'm not going to give you anymore, so spend it wisely."

Taking the money, Spike grinned sweetly at his brother. "I'm planning to double this." He said waving the bill in the air. "What are you planning to do with yours?"

**

It took the warrior vampire less than an hour to track down Buffy. After checking The Magic Box, Djoser found her in the second place he looked, The Bronze. "I need to talk to you Slayer." He said while taking the seat next to her.

Still depressed and disoriented, Buffy was in no mood to make small talk with a vampire. She also knew that Spike was incapable of keeping his mouth shut and had no doubt told Djoser about their conversation earlier. A conversation that she now regretted. "Listen, I heard how you and Spike saved Dawn from the Hellions. I'm grateful, and I told Spike that. But I think it's best if both you and Spike go back to LA."

"Can't, Slayer." Signaling for a drink, Djoser was not intimidated by Buffy's attitude. "LA is off-limits to us now."

"Oh, God!" Head falling down on the bar, Buffy knew she didn't want to hear the rest of what the vampire had to say.

"We've run away from out Sire, and. . . ."

"I don't want to hear this." She interrupted Djoser. "I already feel like I'm back in hell. Getting involved in your family issues would make the transformation complete. Please, just pack up your things and leave Sunnydale."

"He's reconciled with Darla. They're expecting a baby." Djoser continued like he hadn't heard anything Buffy had said. "Darla will bear the first Pure Blood vampire since my uncle Anton was. . . ."

"Angel? Angel's having a baby with Darla?" Images of her first love happily setting up housekeeping with the vampiress flashed through Buffy's head, making her feel even more depressed. She now knew with certainty that living on earth was in reality, living in a hell dimension.

"After the Council's and Snow's attempt to eradicate the Bloodline vampires, the birth of a Pure Blood is a sign to our people that the Bloodline cannot be wiped out. That it is still strong and will continue to rule."

"O-kay." Despite herself, Buffy couldn't help but be interested in what Djoser was saying. Sitting up, she faced the vampire. "That's very fascinating, but what does that have to do with me?"

"The Bloodline vampires have reasserted themselves. It's common knowledge that Judelin, the Ventrue High Master, has all but taken over your Council. After this Pure Blood is born, my Sire and Darla will also be given more status by all of our people. They will have power. Between them and Judelin. . . ." Djoser trailed off, watching Buffy closely as she processed the information.

"So we might have one consolidated vampire force that will want to. . .oh, god, not again!" She whispered, turning her head away. "And I'm the one who will have to stop them."

"My brother and I will help you." Djoser told her as he pulled out his last fifty to hand to the bartender. "You need to call your Watcher and tell him to return here. If he can help us track down my uncle, then perhaps. . . ."

"If the Bloodline vampires are taking back their power and uniting to take over the world, why would you and Spike help prevent this? Both of you are Bloodline vamps. You'd be. . . ."

"Not with Darla." Taking a sip of his drink, Djoser continued to stare straight ahead. He didn't look Buffy in the face. "That's why we had to leave LA. Darla doesn't want to share any of the power with my brother or myself. She wants it for herself and her new Childe. And to make sure of that, she's plotting to eliminate us."

"Eliminate you?" Buffy was puzzled. "And Angel? You're his Childer too. How can he allow this?"

"My Sire has always cared more for Darla than he has us."

Djoser said this flatly. No emotion sounded in his voice, but even so, something touched Buffy's heart, and she forgot about her own problems for the moment.

"Idiot fathers! My dad isn't much better. Too busy frolicking on some beach to. . . . " Sighing, she gave herself a mental shake. Her father was not going to change. "Giles has already been called and is on his way back now. When he gets here, I'll tell him everything you told me, and then we can discuss this some more. In the meantime, you and Spike can stay here in Sunnydale, but there will be *no* killing of humans. In fact, both of you can help with patrol. I'm not too proud to admit that I could use some assistance now."

"Deal Slayer." Djoser finally turned his head to look at her, eyes dark and unreadable. "But do you think that part of this deal could include some monetary payment? I'm down to my last dollar here." He motioned to his change, which was lying on the bar.

"Money?" Buffy made a face. "Anya was telling me earlier that my financial situation is on the critical list. So what do you know about finances?"

**

Arriving at the nearest demon bar, the first order of business for Spike was to buy himself something to drink. "One bottle of your finest, cheapest whiskey." He told the demon bartender, slamming down the fifty-dollar bill. "Any action tonight?"

"Back room." The demon nodded his head toward a door on the other side of the bar, while taking Spike's money.

"Ok, pigeons, be prepared to donate to William's charity." Spike said this softly to himself, while taking a swig from the bottle. "Oh. . . ." He turned back to the bartender. "Almost forgot. You have any info on a master vampire named Damon?"

"Never heard of him." The demon lied.

"Alright. . . ." Anxious to fleece some demons in poker, Spike didn't want to belabor the issue. "But if you hear anything about this Damon, make sure you pass the word to me." Comprehension dawned on him that a bribe would now be in order, but the money he had left was just enough for a couple of hands of poker. "I'll. . .I'll make it worth your while."

"Uh huh." Disbelief and disdain was evident in the demon's voice.

"Listen mate." Spike leaned closer to the bartender. "You don't know with whom you're dealing with here. I'm William, Blood. . . ." He broke off, angry with himself as he realized that he had just about been ready to use his birthright and his Sire's name to intimidate the demon into helping him. "Never mind, I'll talk to you later about this."

Walking away, Spike decided that after he had won some money in poker, he'd go back and have another 'chat' with the bartender. "And if that bloody bastard needs some convincing, I should have an empty bottle by then." A satisfied grin as he held up the whiskey bottle, imagining, once it was empty, breaking it over the demon's head.

~Part: 3~

Mexico, April 2001

"You feel well enough to continue our search? There's enough night left to check another bar." Tilting his chair back on two legs, Djoser eyed Spike from across the small tavern table.

"I'm feeling better." Raising the bottle up to his mouth, Spike downed the last of his beer. "Think your blood did the trick. Maybe I should start calling you Sire." An affectionate grin lit up the vampire's serious countenance. Since their departure from LA, he had had little reason to smile.

"You can call me Sire and kiss my hand." Djoser said in mock seriousness as he stood up, throwing a couple of bills on the table.

"Yeah, right." Grabbing the half finished beer that his brother had left, Spike snorted in scorn. "Don't even remember the last time I kissed. . .*His* hand. So don't get your hopes up." Standing, he began to follow Djoser to the exit. "So after we check every pub in Mexico for Nic, then what?"

"He's just lying low somewhere." Turning his head to look at Spike, Djoser was adamant. "We'll find him."

"Whatever you say." Spike was not as certain as Djoser that Nic was alive and hiding out nearby, but it didn't matter. His mind was made up; he would follow his brother anywhere, including hell. Tipping his head back so he could finish the beer in his hand, he wasn't paying attention and walked right into a Temhek demon.

Eight hours of drinking had put the Temhek demon in a foul mood. Inebriated and bad tempered, he pulled out a knife without thinking, nor noticing, that the two vampires standing before him had the marks of Blood-Childer. "Vampire, you will pay for your transgression."

"My fault, mate." Raising both hands up in a fake surrender, Spike, for once, used his head, as he tried to avoid a fight. A bar brawl was not what they needed now. "Wasn't watching where I was going."

To drunk to listen to an apology, the Temhek demon only snarled in anger. "You will learn to for the future."

Lunging knife first, the demon caught Spike by surprise, who had assumed that his show of submission would appease and prevent an attack. Crucial seconds lost because of being unprepared, he couldn't step out of the way in time. Reacting instinctively, he lowered a hand to defend himself against the oncoming knife. The blade did not hit its intended target, Spike's chest, but instead slid through the flesh and cartilage of his left hand.

Yelling in agony, Spike dropped the beer bottle he had been holding, but before he could counter attack, Djoser stepped in, grabbing the demon by the head. A swift and brutal twist of his powerful hands, and he snapped the neck clean.

Bent over in pain, Spike pulled the knife out of his hand. "Fucking Temhek!" He swore at the now dead demon, while giving the body a kick. "Wish you were still alive, so I could *rekill* you!" Another kick, while stabbing the bloody knife into the corpse's head, he continued to rant at the body. "Made me drop my beer too, ya bleeding nonce."

"William." Djoser spoke to his brother, trying to calm him, as he bent down and tore away part of the Temhek's shirt. "Let's get out of here. We've attracted enough attention." Every pair and set of eyes were focused on them, including a group of the Temhek's friends.

"Vampires." Another Temhek demon stepped over to them, backed up by six of his friends. "I see that you are marked Blood-Childer. But what I do not understand is why you are here without your Sire, or at least bodyguards. But no matter, I'm sure that your Sire and Clan will pay dearly to get you back. And we'll just call it. . .compensation. Compensation for the murder of a valuable ally of ours."

"Compensation?" Kneeling down, Djoser carefully wrapped the strip of the Temhek's shirt around Spike's injured hand. "You DARE to demand compensation from us, Blood-Childer of Angelus, Scourge of Europe and High Master of The Tremeren Clan?" Standing, the warrior vampire turned to face the demon. Dark eyes flashed with anger as he glared contemptuously at the Temheks. "After my Sire hears how one of yours attacked my brother, the only payment you'll be receiving is his vengeance."

Hearing the name Angelus, Scourge of Europe, the group of Temheks exchanged uneasy looks while taking a few steps away from the vampires. Muttering among themselves, they all knew the name Angelus.

"Come, William." Grabbing Spike's arm, Djoser took advantage of the demons' reaction to his bluff. "It's time to leave." Eyes never leaving the Temheks, he measured his step, trying to mask his anxiousness to depart.

"Fucking Temheks!" Hand burning with pain, Spike turned his head to yell more threats at the demons. It made him feel slightly better to give them more to worry about. "*He'll* have all your heads. *He'll*. . . ."

"William." Djoser hissed under his breath, as he pulled Spike out the front entrance. "Don't overdo it." Hustling his brother into the car, he threw himself into the driver's seat. Gunning the engine, he sped off, hoping the Temheks had been sufficiently intimidated by the name 'Angelus.'

Bloody hand resting in his lap, Spike stared out the car window. Tears of rage and humiliation slid down his face. Rage against the Temkeks, and rage against the man whose name he refused to say out loud. They were no longer His. They were nothing to Him, and He was nothing to them, but it was His name that they still had to use. . .use to save themselves from other demons.

**

Wrapping his arms tighter around Spike, Djoser found he had to use all of his considerable strength to hold his brother down. Feverish, the younger vampire was thrashing around with a violence that had already broken two of the motel lamps.

"William." The dark vampire whispered. "It's me Djoser. Wake up. Perhaps if you eat." Rolling over, he used his body to pin Spike down, while biting down on his wrist. His blood flowed, rich and noble. Although not equal to his Sire's blood, it was still powerful enough to be medicinal. Pressing his bloody wrist against Spike's mouth, he prayed that it would be strong enough to snap his brother's delirium.

The blood smeared on Spike's lips before trickling into his mouth. Familial blood on his tongue, the vampire stopped his thrashing. "Sire?" Barely conscious, fever raging, he thought himself back at the Hyperion with Angel. "Sire, I don't feel right."

Closing his eyes, hearing Spike call for their Father, Djoser felt both guilt and sorrow run through him. "Just eat, Childe." He urged his brother, playing along with being Angel.

"Alright." Hearing a voice he thought to be his Sire's, Spike calmed considerably. "But don't blame Djoser. The scrap at the pub was my fault. Bloody Temhek! I wasn't. . . ."

"Don't talk, just eat." Djoser imitated Angel's authoritarian tone, as he thoughtfully looked down at Spike. His brother's feverish mind was blending reality with fantasy, thinking he was in LA with their Sire, while also remembering the very real brawl the two of them had been in the night before.

Feeling suckling at his wrist and the body against him relaxing, Djoser loosened his hold. Letting his head fall down on the pillow, he lie there in the dark, contemplating if the road he had chosen for him and brother had been the correct one.

**

Sunnydale, October, 2001

" 'Fraid you blokes just can't beat this." With a satisfied smirk, Spike laid his cards down on the table. A straight flush. Leaning over, he began to pull in his winnings.

"Pretty lucky today, vampire." One of the demon players threw his cards in the middle of the table with disgust. "I'm beginning to wonder about this lucky streak of yours."

"Just what are you trying to say, mate?" Spike looked up from counting what he had won.

"That you cheat!" Angry that the vampire had out cheated him, the Tuun demon banged his fist on the table.

"Me?" Spike injected a false outrage in his voice. "I cheat? He's the one. . . ." He pointed to the Tenuma demon. "That's got X-ray vision."

Also using a faked indignant tone, the Tenuma demon tried to lie convincingly. "I'm not using it."

"I think. . . ." A floppy eared, loosed skin demon named Clem stood up angrily. "That there's only one cheater in this room and that's. . . ."

"Lose a card?" Spike interrupted, looking pointedly at an ace of spades stuck in the folds of skin of Clem's right arm.

"I. . .I. . . ." With a sheepish grin, Clem sat back down. "Had no idea that was there. I could have leaned on that days ago."

"Ri-ight." Disbelief was apparent on Spike's face. "And I'm the bloody king of. . . ."

"You better leave, vampire." The Tuun demon stood up, standing in front of Spike threateningly. "Leave your winnings and. . . ." Breaking off, the demon stared at Spike's neck. His Bloodline mark had been partially covered by the collar of his duster, but up close the demon could make it out. "You're a Blood-Childe!" He turned to the other demons in the room. "He's a Blood-Childe!"

Quickly grabbing their belongings, the demons began a mad rush to the exit, their money forgotten.

"Hey." Spike watched the demons' panicked exodus with bewilderment. "Where you going? I've got all your money. Don't you want a chance to win it back?"

"No, you keep it." Not quite out the door, Clem turned to answer the vampire. "And. . .and be sure to tell your Sire how we let you win all of our money."

"Let me win. . .pfft." Spike gaffed. "I won your money fair and sq. . .well, I won your money on my own. 'Side that, I have no Sire. I'm just a Caitiff vampire, trying to play a friendly game of poker with some demon mates."

"But your mark?" Clem took a step closer, squinting, trying to exam the symbol closer.

"A mistake. That's all it is. Nothing to worry about." Stuffing his booty in the duster's pockets, Spike felt an irrational need to have the demon stay and keep him company. "Listen, since my pockets are full now, why don't we go and buy us something to eat. My treat." Standing up, he held up a ten spot.

"Well. . .I. . .I don't know." Clem stammered. "If you're a Blood-Childe, then I'm sure your Sire would not allow you to hang around with the likes of me. And I don't want to be pissing off some master vampire."

"I told you." Grabbing Clem by the arm, Spike turned him toward the door. "I have *no* Sire. Just a clanless vamp living in a crypt at the cemetery. Would a Bloodline vampire be living there? Come on, let's go and get us some chow, and then I'll take you there. You can see for yourself."

**

"So explain to me why you and your mates won't play cards with a Bloodline vamp." Sprawled out on top of the sarcophagus, Spike was happily munching away on buffalo wings, nachos, and an onion blossom.

"There's no gain in playing with Blood-Childer." Sitting in one of the chairs, Clem was sharing in the feast. "We can't cheat. We don't dare win, even honestly, because if we won, their Sires would still accuse us of fleecing their precious. . .sons." Meeting Spike's eyes, the loose skinned demon still had reservations. "If you're not a Blood-Childe, exactly why are you marked as one?"

"An old man. . . ." Spike rubbed his fingers over the scars on his neck, remembering Judelin, the Ventrue Master. "Put it on me as a joke. But you know, I can see that this 'mark' is only going to cause misunderstandings in the future. Need to do something about that." Jumping off the sarcophagus, he went over to where the weapons were kept.

"What you going to do?" Putting his plate down, Clem stood up, curious.

Pulling out a long dagger, Spike smiled slyly over at his new friend. "Going to demark myself, and you're going to help me."

**

Parking the car at the cemetery, Djoser got out, mulling over the events of the evening. He had gotten what he wanted from Buffy: an agreement that they could stay, a promise that she would speak with her Watcher about the Ventrues, and a confirmation for himself that the Slayer still attracted him.

As his Father's son, he hadn't been allowed to pursue any kind of relationship with Buffy, but now the restrictions had been lifted. He was free. Free to do what he pleased, no longer controlled by a domineering Sire and his responsibility as a Blood-Childe. This sense of freedom was new. Letting it wash over him, he was surprised that instead of just feelings of relief and happiness from his new independence, there also was a feeling of loss. His identity, Djoser, Blood-Childe of Angelus, Tremeren Heir Apparent, was no longer his.

Opening the door of the crypt, the smell of blood was overpowering. Stepping in, the sight of his brother covered in his own blood stopped him in his tracks. "William! What the hell?"

Spike smiled despite his pain. "It's gone, brother. That bloody mark is gone." Turning his head, he bared his neck. His Blood-Childe mark had been excised, and in its place was torn flesh and blood.

"Have you lost your mind?" Two long strides and Djoser had one arm around Spike and a towel pressed up against the bleeding wound. "Don't you remember what happens to you after you've been injured?" Glancing around he took notice of Clem, who was shielding his eyes, looking rather woozy. "And who the hell are you? Did you do this to him?"

Already feeling wobbly from the sight of Spike's blood, Clem's knees began to knock. The vampire who stood before him was intimidating, dark and fierce looking. "I-I. . . ." He tried to stammer out.

"Don't go blaming him." Spike was now half lying on the sarcophagus with Djoser still holding a towel against his bleeding neck. "He only positioned the knife. Said he couldn't do any of the cutting because seeing blood makes him faint. Hey mate." He yelled over at Clem. "Better sit down before you fall down."

"Of course. Right you are." Grateful, Clem sank down into the nearest chair.

Worry now replacing his initial shock, Djoser took another look at his brother's injury. The bleeding had slowed. "William." He now spoke softly as he gently wiped away some of the blood. "Why would you do such a thing?"

"*He* doesn't own me anymore, so why should I have his frigging mark." Letting his head fall down on the sarcophagus, Spike suddenly felt very tired. The adrenaline rush he had while cutting himself had worn off. Eyes closing he whispered. "I'm free, Djoser."

Bending his head, Djoser began to lick Spike's wound. Pausing a moment, he spoke softly in his brother's ear. "Can the two of us ever really be free?"

**

The next evening Buffy found herself reunited with her beloved Watcher. Sitting on the couch next to Giles, more despair filled her as she realized his return hadn't dissipated any of her insecurities and depression.

Sensing her disquiet, Giles tried to reassure her. "Well, if it's any consolation, life can be. . .pretty overwhelming even for people who haven't been. . .where you have."

Staring straight ahead, she managed a weak. " I guess."

"Look." Giles interjected, an optimistic tone to his voice. "As far as your money problems, tomorrow morning, you and I will sit down together and we'll go through everything. Every bill, one by one. We'll work it out together."

Turning her head to look at Giles, Buffy did experience a sense of relief. Giles was back. She could lean on him, count on him to take care of things for her. "I'm glad you're back."

Smiling, he leaned over to put a hand on her shoulder. "Well, I'm glad you are too."

Standing up abruptly, Buffy evaded the comforting hand. "I also need to speak to you about. . .about. . .well, Spike and Djoser are back in town. They've run away from Angel. I guess Darla, who's expecting Angel's baby, tried to kill them, and. . . ." The words came tumbling out. It was a safe subject that allowed avoidance of her deeper issues.

"Buffy. . .hold on one moment." Giles was momentarily taken aback by the complete change of subject. "Spike and Djoser are here. Darla is expecting Angel's ba. . .a Pure Blood. " Taking off his glasses, he thought back to his recent meetings with the Council. "There's been much talk about a Pure Blood vampire being born. The vampires are claiming it's a divination that they will rise them up again. The Council is scrambling, researching different prophecies. Judelin, the Ventrue High Master, has. . . ."

"I need to talk to you about him too." Buffy interrupted him. "I've heard that Judelin and the Ventures have become quite powerful. Don't you think that we should be thinking about what that means for us? Spike and Djoser have agreed to ally themselves with me. . .with us against the Ventrues. They also said that if we help them track down an uncle of theirs, then we would also have another al. . . ."

"Against the Ventures?" Now Giles interrupted. "The Ventrues now have a temporary treaty with the Council. Together, they and the Council are going to unite all the vampires under Judelin's rule. With him as the lone High Master, the Council will only have one master vampire to deal with."

"Isn't that similar to the plan they had when they made their deals with Elder Snow? Help one vampire take over all the vampires, and then pull his strings." Buffy couldn't help but roll her eyes. In her mind, the Council was made up of imbeciles and fools.

"Perhaps." Giles agreed. "But this time I think it will be different. Judelin is no fool and has always been more open to treaties with the Council. He, more than any other master vampire, seems to understand the necessity of humans and vampires living together under mutually beneficial rules. Usually, I'm skeptical of any plans the Council has, but this time, I'm convinced that they've done the right thing. So contrary to what Spike and Djoser say, the Ventrues are not our enemy."

~Part: 4~

Sunnydale, October 2001

Sitting in a chair along side the bed, Djoser was keeping a close eye on Spike. There was no doubt that, despite his considerate caring, the younger vampire's body temperature was rising to a dangerous level. Hourly feedings of his blood had not staved off the delirium and high fever. It was Mexico all over again.

Sighing, Djoser stood up to look for some type of restraints. His brother would have to be tied down to the bed or what few possessions they owned would be trashed. Walking out to the main room of the crypt, he began to look through a bag of items that they had picked up at Nic's lair.

Pulling out a .38 special, he studied it a moment. Nice, heavy weapon but not as good as the 9-mm Beretta he had been using. The sound of the main crypt door opening had him spinning around, cocking the .38. Seeing the slight, blond figure standing in the doorway, the vampire expelled an unnecessary breath, lowering his weapon.

"Buffy." Djoser hissed softly. "Walking into a vampire lair without knocking could be hazardous to your health, even if you are the Slayer."

Looking at the vampire in surprise, the thought of knocking had never even crossed Buffy's mind. Shrugging slightly, she offered a quick but insincere apology. "Sorry, but I'm not in the habit of knocking before I enter any kind of demon lair. Kind of spoils the element of surprise."

Despite her rudeness, Djoser smiled. The Bloodline vampire understood that like himself, the Slayer was a superior being, and arrogance was her right. Tucking the gun into the waistband of his pants, he resumed his search. "So to what do I owe the honor of your presence? Is there some kind of weird Frankenstein monster that you need help with? Or a crazy goddess who's out to destroy the world?" Pulling out a hand full of long, leather straps, he turned back to face her.

"Actually. . . ." Buffy looked around the crypt, avoiding the vampire's eyes. Uncertainty now filled her. "I came. . . ." She paused again, trying to remember exactly why she had thought it so important to come see the vampires. "Giles is back, and I spoke to him about you and your situation. Told him about the deal you offered. Would you like to. . . ?" It was only a simple request to accompany her on patrol, but she was finding it hard to voice it.

"Would I like to what?" A lift of the eyebrows as Djoser gave her a suggestive look.

Now frowning, Buffy didn't like the vampire's provocative stare, even though she had been the one who had sought him out. "I thought you could come with me on patrol, and we could discuss what Giles told me."

"Normally I would consider it a privilege to patrol with you, but I can't leave William now."

"Why? What's up with him?" Now curious, Buffy followed Djoser to where Spike lay sleeping.

"He. . . ." Djoser considered a moment. Conscious of his brother's dignity, he decided not to tell the whole story. "He's ill. Running a fever. I need to tie him down." He held up the leather straps. "Or he'll destroy what little we own."

"What?" Buffy wrinkled her face in puzzlement. "Does a fever make him act crazy. . .crazier or something?"

"Something like that." Walking up to the bed, Djoser eyed Spike with worry. The younger vampire was thrashing around with violence, body covered with sweat, moaning and muttering under his breath. "Help me tie him down." He requested as he threw one end of a leather strap over his brother's body.

"Djoser." Buffy was shocked as she walked over to the sickened vampire. "He looks terrible!" She noticed the neck wound now scabbed over with dried blood. "Was he in a fight? Stupid question. He's always in some kind of scrap. Don't you think you should take him. . . ?" Breaking off, she realized that that her advice to take Spike to the hospital was both brainless and unhelpful.

"Take him where?" Bending down, Djoser was busy tying one end of the strap through the metal bed frame.

Thinking quickly, Buffy managed a feeble reply. "To some demon healer."

"He saw a demon healer both in LA and Mexico."

"And?" Buffy grabbed the strap to tie the other end down.

"And what?" Not wanting to discuss the subject, Djoser feigned obtuseness.

"And what did they say?" The word idiot hung in the air unsaid.

"That he's ill." Djoser's answer caused Buffy to sigh and roll her eyes. Now tying down the second strap, he knew that he couldn't evade the crucial issue anymore. "The demon healer in LA refused to see him because our Sire was not present. But the Shaman in Mexico saw him, and his diagnose was. . .Sire's blood." That was as much of an explanation as the dark vampire wanted to give as he stood and began to walk away.

"Angel." Buffy spoke the name that both Djoser and Spike refused to say. "He needs to go back to LA. Djoser." Stepping sideways, she blocked the vampire from leaving. "You have to take him back to Angel. You know that, don't you?"

Deep down a part of Djoser knew Buffy was right, but it was an issue he was not ready to face. Anger was his only defense as he irrationally lashed out at her. "This is none of your business, Slayer. Just keep your nose out of our affairs!"

**

"Just keep your nose out of our affairs." Repeating Djoser's words, Buffy angrily kicked a discarded soda can down the street, as she pushed down the feeling of rejection. "Brother's probably dying, and that's all he can say. Like I care if Spike croaks. Just one less vamp I have to slay."

"Hey Buff, been looking for you." An out of breath Xander came jogging up to her. "Got you a job working on my construction crew, starting tomorrow."

Stopping in her tracks, Buffy regretfully remembered her own problems. "A job? You mean a job equaling paycheck?"

"It's just a temp gig, Buff. Not sure how long it may or may not last. Since you're not union, I had to call in a few favors to get you on a crew."

"I appreciate it. Muchly. You saved me from having to accept Giles' offer to work at The Magic Box. I mean, retail? Yeee." Buffy shuddered. "I'd rather be dead. . .again."

"Not a problem. . .oh and there's one more thing." Xander reluctantly brought up the message he had been given by Willow to relay to Buffy.

"Something more? Please tell me it's not more trouble with the house. I still haven't figured out how I'm going to pay for my plumbing problems. And don't tell me that Anya found another unpaid bill."

"Angel called." Xander interrupted. "You know that Cordy is still the queen of the grapevine. Someone told someone who told someone who called Cordelia in LA. And she of course told Angel that you're. . .you're alive again." The two resumed walking slowly down the street. "Guess Deadboy still cares. . . ." He turned his head to look Buffy in the face. "A little."

"How strange." Buffy muttered more to herself. "We did agree that he's Angelus again, right?"

"I don't know." Xander found himself in the strange position of defending the vampire. "Word from LA this last summer is that he's been a model citizen."

"Except that he's reunited with Darla, and. . . ." Seeing the bafflement cross Xander's face, Buffy realized that he didn't know about the vampiress and her 'condition.' "Guess Cordelia is falling down on the job."

"What?"

"Never mind." Stopping, Buffy turned back in the direction in which she had come from. "I need to go and speak to someone again. You go on home." Heading back to the cemetery, she threw one last question back at a still puzzled Xander. "Pick me up bright and early tomorrow morning?"

**

Having forced more of his blood into Spike, Djoser was now wiping the sweat off his brother's shivering body. The blood combined with the cool sponge bath seemed to have brought the fever down.

Coming back to consciousness, Spike opened his eyes, vision blurry and distorted. Seeing a body looming over him, he addressed it. "Sire?"

"William, it's your brother Djoser." The vampire grimaced as he once again heard his brother asking for their Sire. "Do you remember where you are?"

Blinking his eyes, Spike tried to clear his vision and the cobwebs in his head. "I remember." He said flatly after a moment.

"Do you think you could try and feed again?" Djoser was interrupted by the sound of the main crypt door opening. "Goddamn it!" He swore while quickly picking up his Beretta. "I'm going to have to put a deadbolt on that. . . ." Stopping as once again Buffy came into view.

"I did knock this time." She quickly told him. "But you didn't hear."

"Slayer." Djoser couldn't hide the relief he was feeling. Demons had a knack of being able to smell out the weak and injured. He had half expected a company of hostile demons who, sensing a wounded vampire, had come for the kill.

"Hey, Buffy." Lifting his head, Spike made an effort to sound normal. Being sick in front of the Slayer was humiliating. "Still pissed off at your mates?"

"I am not pissed off at anyone" Pausing, Buffy realized that her lie did not sound real convincing. "They thought I was suffering in some hell dimension, so they saved me. They care. My friends care. It's just that. . . ." She struggled to put her feelings into words. "It seems like they're caring too much."

Too exhausted to keep his head up, Spike let it fall back down. "Don't think I followed you around that bend, luv."

"It's like. . . ." She groped for an explanation that would be semi reasonable. "I don't know. I just feel like I'm spending all of my time trying to be okay, so they don't worry. It's exhausting. And then. . . ."

"They just worry even more." On his back in bed, staring up at the ceiling, the perceptive vampire felt her frustration.

"Yeah." Smiling sadly, Buffy wondered how it was possible that two vampires understood her better than her Watcher and human friends. "Anyway, I came back because I just received a message. . .a message from Angel." Looking both at Djoser and Spike, she studied their reactions. "I'm supposed to call him. Someone told Cordelia about me being back, and. . . ."

"Don't you DARE tell Him that we're here!" Anger gave Spike the strength to lift his head up again. "Not that. . . ." He remembered Angel's indifference. "The bloody High Poofster gives a rat's arse about us anyway, but still. . . ."

"Listen." Buffy cut him off. "What if I went and met with him privately? Explained to him face to face about Darla and her plots. I'll make him pay attention, because I don't believe that he truly doesn't care about you. He's just. . .just unaware of what's going on."

"His unawareness has been going on for more than two hundred years now." Djoser stated quietly. "And we, his Childer, have suffered for it." Eyes narrowing, he stared at Buffy suspiciously. "Why are you so concerned if we reunite with our Sire? Thought you agreed that we could be some help to you *here*."

Sighing, Buffy sat down on a nearby packing crate. "I can't do this! My own life is. . .is. . . ." The word shambles stuck in her throat. "And you two being here just complicates everything. Giles just told me how the Council and the Ventrues have come to some kind of an agreement. They don't see Judelin and his Clan as a threat. The Council says. . . ."

"They're fools, Slayer." Djoser's body was motionless, but even so, his intensity was palpable. "Judelin takes over the other vampire clans, and now is just going to meekly submit to your Council? He's a wise, old vampire whose patience is infinite. He's been waiting for this opportunity, and now he's taking it."

"Waiting for his opportunity to do what?" Standing up, Buffy stepped closer to the vampire. "And I didn't say he was going to submit to the Council. I said that he and the Council have come to an agreement."

"Your Council is made up of pompous humans who can't see beyond their own egos." Djoser's tone was contemptuous. "They believe that they can control Judelin, but no one controls a Pure Blood, High Master like him. Don't underestimate him like your Council." He warned Buffy. "My GrandSire, Heinrich Nest feared no one. . .no one except Judelin, The Ventrue High Master."

**

Germany, 1810

"Ah, my favorite GrandChilde." Sitting on his throne, Heinrich Nest watched the young vampire kneel before him. "I just sent your Sire to begin important negotiations with our most dangerous enemy, the Ventrues. While he is gone, you will stay here at Court with me. I will protect and see to your training until Angelus returns."

"GrandSire." Still bending down, Djoser leaned forward to take Nest's hand and kiss it. "I am honored to be here with you."

"Stand, Childe. Let me look at you." Heinrich ordered while scrutinizing the young vampire. "I would like more of your company, but your Sire finds many excuses to keep you all to himself. Why is that? Do you know?"

Standing ramrod straight, Djoser met his GrandSire's eyes. "I do not know." It was not a direct lie, as Angel had never discussed why he limited Djoser's time at Court to only the most necessary, but the young vampire had his suspicions.

"You are a beauty." The master vampire could barely keep the delight out of his voice. "Your Sire, a most vicious creature, has been one of the true pleasures of my existence. And that he, Angelus, blood of my blood has produced such a glorious Childe. . .well, it proves that our Bloodline is strong. Stronger even that that of. . . of. . . ." Breaking off, Heinrich stood up, turning away, pretending to look at a portrait on the far wall.

"Of whom?" Djoser couldn't help but ask when he realized that his GrandSire was not going to say more.

"Of him." The master vampire hissed out. "Judelin, the Ventrue High Master. My old enemy."

"The High Master who my Sire is having negotiations with?" Very protective of his Father, Djoser said this with some alarm.

"Do not worry, Childe." Heinrich turned back to Djoser, a reassuring smile on his face. "I gave Angelus specific instructions on what to watch for with Judelin. Your Sire is a smart boy. He will not fail me. And also, he is accompanied by your uncle Damon and one of my most faithful servants, Luke. Judelin would be a fool to try anything with those three. And believe me, Judelin is anything but a fool."

Like Angel a short time before, Djoser caught a hint of fear in Heinrich's voice when speaking about the Ventrue High Master. "This Judelin sounds. . . ." He carefully chose his words, so not to offend his GrandSire. "Like a formidable enemy."

"He is a very old, very powerful vampire." Nest used the same words to describe Judelin as he had with Angel. "He has experienced much in the lifetimes he has existed. His experience makes him dangerous. He likes to portray a deferential front to all his enemies, lulling them to believe he presents no danger. But trust me Childe when I say to you, he can be a most treacherous enemy. Never underestimate him."

**

Los Angeles, October 2001

"I can't believe that you're running off to see an old girlfriend while I'm sitting here in this. . . ." A very pregnant Darla motioned to her enormous stomach. "This condition."

"I'm not running off." Putting on his duster, Angel also grabbed a weapon. Although he was only meeting the Slayer, it never hurt to be extra careful nowadays, especially with what was happening with the Ventrues. "I need to speak with Buffy face-to-face. I need. . . ."

"Need to see your true love. Need to touch her to reassure yourself that she's alive again." Darla hid her hurt using a tone of sarcasm and derision.

Turning to face her, Angel held his temper. Making people lose control was one of the methods Darla used to manipulate, and he refused to have his strings pulled by her. "Yes, I would like to see for myself that Buffy is alive and well, but that's all. I loved her once, or thought I loved her, but that was a different time. I was a different person then."

"A different person?" Darla arched an eyebrow. "Oh, but of course. At that time you were a souled, spineless, sorry excuse for a vampire and a man. So pathetic that the only relationship you could handle was one with a teenage. A two hundred forty plus man screwing a high school girl."

"That's enough!" Good intentions forgotten, Angel felt his restraint slipping.

"Oh, but I don't think it is." The vampiress taunted him as she gave him a push. "A vampire cursed with a soul, atoning for his sins. That's how you atoned for them, falling into bed with the virgin Slayer, while forgetting your responsibilities to your family, your Bloodline? Trying to be such a moral man, but those acts weren't moral."

Standing stock still, Angel could say nothing. Darla had stripped away all pretenses, revealing the ugly truth. "You're right." He told her softly. "I've not only sinned against humans, but I've sinned against my only family, my blood. There is no redemption for one such as I."

Darla had won the argument but she felt no victory. "Don't go and see her." She pleaded. "Pretend for now that I'm the important one in your life. That I'm the only one who matters."

"Darla." Now understanding that the argument had been born from jealousy, Angel took the vampiress in his arms. "You are the only one who matters to me now. You and. . . ." He gently caressed her bulging stomach. "The baby. I'll call Buffy and explain to her that something came up, and I won't be able to meet her." Burying his face in Darla's soft hair, he held her tightly and dismissed the inner voices that had urged him to see the Slayer. Voices that had whispered that it was important that he meet with her.

~Part: 5~

Sunnydale, October 2001

Closing his eyes, Spike enjoyed the feel of the cool cloth running down his body. "I think the worst is over." He told his brother who was washing him down for a second time. "You can release me now."

"Praise the gods." Djoser muttered in relief as he threw the damp rag on the bed stand and bent down to untie the straps.

"Your blood heals me just as well as. . .*His* does." Spike spat the word his out. "Guess we really don't need that poncy pillow biter."

"My blood isn't curing you." Straps untied, Djoser sat on the bed, slowly wrapping them around his fist. "You know that, don't you? It's only maintaining you. You're not right, and you can drink my blood until the apocalypse, but. . . ."

"And your point is?" Eyes quickly opening, Spike gave his brother a questioning look.

"Perhaps our Sire will listen to Buffy. She is the Slayer after all." Leaning over, Djoser ran a gentle hand down Spike's naked chest, reassuring himself again that the fever was indeed broken. "And if he hears her, perhaps we can. . . ." He paused a moment as his eyes met those of his brother's. "Go home again."

"I can't believe my frigging ears." Spike made a conscious effort to stop himself from feeling any kind of hope. "Weren't you the one who said he'd never listen to our side, that he'd always continue to believe Darla's lies? And that as long as he believes her, we're in danger? Never figured you for one to be indecisive. What caused this change of heart?"

"You." Standing up, Djoser threw the leather straps on the floor. "Last year when I brought you to Sunnydale, you were ill and in need of our Sire. I ignored that need, and you almost died. I don't want to make that same mistake twice."

"I was the one who decided not to go back with Him, even though I was ill. It wasn't you mate. You're not responsible for me." Eyes still closed, Spike wanted to reassure Djoser. His brother had no reason to feel guilty.

"But you're wrong, Will." Unbuttoning his shirt, Djoser began undressing. "I've been bound to you, since you were born. I felt your birth even though I was not there." Clothes off, he slid into bed alongside his brother. "You were created from our Sire's loins, but in spirit you've been more my Childe than His."

**

England, 1860

Despite the danger of running into Penn and Lucien, William wandered around the mansion, trying to find out any information about his absent Master. Not hearing anything useful inside, he went out to the stables. There, the young vampire picked up a currycomb, making a pretense of brushing down a horse while trying to tune his ears to the whisperings of the minions. Seeing him, the minions immediately stopped their gossip. Although William had no formal rank in the household, everyone knew he was more than a common minion.

Hearing only silence, William heaved a quiet sigh. It was maddening. He had no standing within the ranked members of the family, yet he was not accepted by the minions either. Dropping the currycomb, his frustration turned to anger, as he approached the minions, attitude belligerent. "I need ter know sumthing, and yer gits are gonna tell me."

"My. . . ." Stepping up, one of the minions began to speak to William, but not knowing how to address the young vampire, he stopped and exchanged puzzled looks with the other minions. "And wot can we do for yer?"

"I want. . . ." Pausing a moment, William realized how humiliating it was for him to have to ask the minions where Angelus was. But he had to know. "Where's our Master?"

Seeing William's embarrassment, the vampires exchanged smirks. Demon or human, inferiors always liked to see their betters shamed. "I dinnah 'ave a clue, but. . . ." The minion began but was cut off as William grabbed him around the throat.

"I don't like your attitude, mate." Tone and speech changing, as William's pride took over. "Tell your mates to wipe those grins off their faces, or I'll wipe them. . . ."

"What the hell is going on here?" Entering the stables, Djoser had been searching the mansion and the grounds for his younger brother.

Throwing the minion down to the ground, William turned to face the Master's heir. "Nuthin', just 'avin' a mately conversation."

A quick examination told Djoser nothing, but he was no fool. Grabbing William by the back of his clothes, he pulled the younger vampire with him, while barking at the minions to finish cleaning the stable.

"Wotch the shirt!" Flailing around, William tried to escape Djoser's grasp.

"You are such a fool!" Stopping, Djoser kept a tight grip on his brother. "You know that when the Master is not here, Lucien and Penn torment you. So why are you wandering around outside, presenting them with such an easy target?"

"Was just. . . ." William realized he had no excuse for his stupidity. "Just tryin' ter find out where the Master is." He finally admitted with some embarrassment.

Releasing William, Djoser sensed his younger brother's longing. When their Sire was gone, it always felt like a part of them was missing. "He's in London. . . ." He prevaricated. "On business."

"Wot sort of business?" Eyes narrowing, William looked suspiciously at Djoser.

"I'll answer your question when you can ask it in a language I understand." Using William's native accent as an excuse to change the subject, the older vampire began to walk back to the house.

"Poof." William couldn't help but mumble as the two made their way back to the mansion, when out of the darkness a lean figure suddenly appeared.

"So you found him?" The vampire Ramose gave William a long, hard look. "Good, because Penn and Lucien are now out looking for trouble."

Muttering curses against the two sired Childer of Angelus, Djoser led the way into the mansion. "You will come and stay in my room until the Master returns." He told William in a rigid tone. "And you won't leave, until I tell you."

"Right, mate." William agreed quickly. Djoser was his only protection against Penn and Lucien when Angelus was gone. "And the Master?" He asked tentatively.

Leading the way up the stairs, Djoser turned slightly, first looking at Ramose, before answering. "He probably won't be back for some time. A new woman has caught his attention. Darla pointed her out to him a couple of weeks ago in London. He's been obsessed with her ever since."

"I heard she's special, has the sight." Ramose added. "When he returns, I don't doubt that he'll have her with him. His new Childe."

"Another Childe!" Djoser groaned. "Another Childe that he'll soon tire of and that I will have to care of."

With a heavy heart, William silently followed Djoser into the older vampire's bedroom. First brushed aside by his Sire, and now the cold, hard truth that his brother, the only one in his family who had shown him some bit of kindness, found him a burden.

**

Sunnydale, October 2001

Sitting on the sarcophagus in the vampire's crypt, Buffy quickly downed the shot glass of whiskey. Shaking her head, she couldn't help but pull a face as the alcohol burned down her throat. "Blaahh!"

Exchanging smirks, Djoser and Spike followed her lead, slamming down their shots of whiskey.

"Life is stupid." She muttered, thinking back on the horrible day she just had.

"And sometimes unlife isn't any better." One leg over the arm, Spike slouched back into his chair. Neck wound still painful, he felt tired and drained.

"Yeah, life and unlife sucks. . .err, that's probably not the word I should have used." Buffy held her shot glass out, signaling that Djoser should pour her another. "Anyway, just to let you know, I never ended up meeting with Angel. He called up at the last minute and cancelled. Said he couldn't leave LA."

"Did you tell him about us?" Spike asked, his body tensing at the mention of his Sire's name.

"I-I thought about it." Buffy admitted, still holding her shot glass up. "But he. . .he just said he couldn't come and then hung up. Never really gave me a chance to say anything." Shrugging her shoulders, she tried to act indifferent to her ex-boyfriend's dismissal of her, but inside the rebuff still stung. "Ah hum." Clearing her throat loudly, she waved her glass in front of Djoser. "Need a refill here."

"You sure you want another one?" Djoser questioned her. "Thought you wanted to do a patrol."

"A patrol? So someone can do more stuff to me? Conjure up new illusionary demons or make time stop and start again. Forget it." She watched as the vampire poured her some more whiskey. "I'd rather stay here and drink. . .fortify myself for tomorrow and my new career, retail at The Magic Box."

"You know, I don't get it." Head rested against the back of the chair, Spike gave Buffy a curious look. "You're the Slayer. You slay demons and bad guys for Mr. Watcher and The Council. In exchange, shouldn't they be paying you a ton of money? Why the bleeding hell do you have to work as shop girl too?"

"Giles just gave me a big check. Paid for new pipes and all my outstanding bills, but I still need some kind of income. And since I'm too dumb for college, and too strong for construction work. . .well, that leaves my only other choice. . .retail." Buffy shuddered, as the whiskey ran down her throat. "Blaahh."

"Frigging Giles!" Spike held up his shot glass for a fill up. "Gets a Slayer and a shop girl all rolled into one, for bloody minimum wage."

"You know Slayer, there is another option." Djoser stood up to refill both Spike's and Buffy's glasses. "Take out a couple of drug dealers. Steal their money, and both yours and our financial problems are over."

"You call that an option? You have had so too much to drink at this point, and I'm cutting you off." Drinking her third shot, her speech was beginning to slur.

"Slay. . . ." Djoser wanted to push his point some more, but Buffy wouldn't hear any more.

"No humans! That was the agreement. Now. . . ." She again held up her shot glass. "How about one for the road?"

**

"Do you mind if we walk?" Slightly tipsy, Buffy was blinking her eyes, trying to make the world around her stop spinning. "The fresh air might make me feel better."

"Feeling ill, Slayer?" Djoser asked, managing to keep a straight face.

"If everything doesn't stop whirling soon, I'm going to hurl my dinner." She proclaimed while stumbling her way through the cemetery.

Stopping, Djoser let Buffy walk ahead of him. If the Slayer was going to start vomiting, he wanted to have some space between them.

"Sucky night. Sucky day. Sucky life." Buffy grumbled as she found her way out of the graveyard, not noticing that Djoser was following her at a discreet distance. "My whole life is just one suckfe. . . ." Stopping suddenly, she noticed a black van parked ahead on the street. "That van."

"What about it?" Catching up to Buffy, Djoser made sure he didn't stand too close to her.

"I've seen it before." Starting to walk again, she slowly approached the van. "It was at the construction site this morning."

"There's probably a lot of black vans here in Sunny. . . ." Djoser broke off as a large, red demon jumped out from behind the van.

Hands on hips, the demon growled fiercely. "You have discovered me! But do not try to defeat me, for I have been testing you and I know your weaknesses. Ha ha ha."

"Okay." Buffy tried to focus her eyes on the enemy. "Know what kind of demon that is? Where should I hit him?" She asked Djoser.

"Never seen anything like that in my existence." The vampire couldn't believe that he was seeing a red demon with horns and wings. "Looks like the devil with angel wings."

The van starting up caught everyone's attention. The demon couldn't help but look dismayed as it began to drive away. Seeing him distracted, Buffy took the opportunity to attack. Alcohol affecting her coordination, her round house right missed, but her second attempt, a kick to the groin connected, causing him to double down in pain and her to lose her balance and fall to the pavement. Helping Buffy to her feet kept Djoser from immediately attacking, so the demon had time to maneuver his escape.

"I am well struck!" He announced. "I call on the misty portal to my demon dimension, where I will lay my head and gently die." Raising an arm, he threw something unknown on the ground, causing a shower of sparks and a cloud of smoke, which camouflaged his getaway.

Coughing and waving the smoke away, Buffy turned to Djoser. "Did you see that? He blew up."

"Yes." Peering into the darkness, Djoser swore he saw a short figure dressed only in a pair of jockey shorts running down the street. "I saw. He's gone."

Buffy too was staring into the darkness, but still half-drunk, she saw nothing unusual. "Gotta love it, you know." She shrugged with puzzlement. "One kick and he blows up. Makes me feel all-powerful. Strong and. . . ." Turning quickly away as her churning stomach finally got the best of her. "And kinda sick."

She managed to make it over to some bushes before losing her dinner.

**

"Mate, you are a life or should I say unlife saver." Opening the door, Spike welcomed his new friend Clem into the crypt.

"Not a problem." Clem entered the vampire lair, carrying a couple bags of snacks and rented videos.

"Still not myself. Feel too gippy to leave the crypt and my brother. . . ." Spike was happily pulling out the bags of junk food. "My brother doesn't approve of human food. Git doesn't know what he's missing." He muttered the last part more to himself.

"I need to ask you about him." Clem was enjoying his new friendship with the vampire, but he still wondered about Spike's 'mark.' "Now I've been thinking. You call Djoser brother, and he carries the mark of a Blood-Childe, so if the two of you are brothers, then you too must be a Blood-Childe. And where is his father because there's always talk among the demons here about a Bloodline vampire who used to make his home in Sunnydale. A vamp named Angelus. He wouldn't be by chance Djoser's. . . ?"

"His old man is dead." Spike lied quickly. "Dusted by that traitor Snow." Concentrating on ripping open a bag of cheetos, he wouldn't look at Clem. "And we call each other brothers, cause I was 'made' by his father."

"So your Sire was a Bloodline vampire? That's impressive." Clem mulled that fact over for a moment. "Now, Djoser isn't your Sire, is he? Because he acts like he is."

"Nah, he's just my brother, but he does take care of me. Has for a long time." Spike popped a couple of cheetos in his mouth. "So what kind of flicks did you rent us?"

"Rented different kinds, so you could have your pick." Looking around the crypt, Clem had one more reservation. "Speaking of your brother, is he around?" The loose skin demon was more than a little frightened by Djoser and hoped that the dark vampire was not in residence.

"Took the Slayer home because she had a few." Spike was now checking out the videos that Clem had brought. "Girl just can't hold her booze." He shook his head sadly at Buffy's inability to imbibe large quantities of alcohol.

"So we've got the place to ourselves." Clem smiled in relief. "Cool!"

**

"Fast forward through this. Don't care to watch all of this crap." Waving his hand at the television set, Spike wasn't interested in the commercials and previews.

"So how much longer do you think your brother will be gone?" Pushing the fast forward button on the remote control, Clem had already sat through one video and was starting to get antsy to leave. The less he saw of Djoser, the better.

"If he had his way, the whole night." Spike couldn't help the wicked grin that crossed his face. "He's got the hots for the Slayer, so I'm thinking he's going to stretch it out as long as possible."

"He likes the Slayer!" Clem was flabbergasted. "But he's a vampire, and she's. . .she's the Slayer."

"Yeah, go figure." Eyes glued to the fast forwarding video, Spike couldn't help but mumble. "Like Father, like son."

"What?" Clem heard what the vampire had said but didn't understand.

"Nothing. There. . . ." He pointed to the TV. "Hit the play button."

Hitting the play and then the pause, Clem still wanted to know what Spike had said. "What did you mean, like father, like son?"

"Nothing to concern yourself about, mate." Turning to look at the other demon, Spike realized he had said too much. His new friend still had his suspicions about him and Djoser. "By the way." He quickly changed the subject. "I've been wanting to ask your advice on something. Me and my brother are running low on funds. Know anyway we can make a quick packet?"

Flattered that the vampire would ask his advice about anything, Clem thought carefully. "I don't know anything specific, but I do know of a guy in town. He's a dealer, calls himself the Doctor. Guess he has odd jobs for anyone looking for a quick buck. Want me to introduce you to him?"

****

Author's Note: After writing this part, I realized that I was not following the laws of physiology. Loss of blood would have a negative affect on being able to have an erection. But after considering it for a while, I decided that vampires aren't subject to the same laws of physiology that humans are. . .err maybe I'm thinking about this too much. <g>

~Part: 6~

Sitting on the floor, head resting on the seat of a chair, Spike had fallen asleep in front of the television. The sound of the front door banging open woke him with a start.

"Were you asleep?" Stepping down into the crypt, Djoser was surprised. His brother was not one to sleep during the night.

"Was, until you and that herd of elephants came stomping in here." Spike griped, noticing that Clem was no longer present. "What are you doing home so early?" He asked between yawns. "Thought you and Buffy were going to make it a night."

"A night of what? Me watching her be ill?" Although slightly disappointed that no progress was made in the 'relationship' department, Djoser wasn't totally dissatisfied with how the evening had turned out. It wasn't every day that one got to see the Slayer in the undignified position of being on her hands and knees, retching her guts out.

"Being sick? You can't mean. . .she didn't drink that much?" Spike was dumbfounded. He couldn't imagine anyone having to throw up after drinking a measly four shots.

"Well, now we know the Slayer's weak point. Ply her with alcohol, and she'd be ours for the taking." Smiling over at his brother, Djoser was busy picking up empty bags, bottles, and discarded wrappers.

"Couldn't have told me that a few years ago." Grumbling, Spike struggled to stand. "Would have bought her a couple of drinks at the Bronze, and my troubles would have been over. . .hey, leave that shit. It's my mess; I'll clean it up."

"Go to bed." Looking over his shoulder, Djoser dumped a handful of trash in a wastebasket. "You're still unwell."

"Come with me." Spike tried to sound commanding, but failed miserably as everything he said was punctuated by yawns. " I'll scrub this place up tomorrow."

"Just go!" Djoser couldn't stand the thought of going to bed with such untidiness.

"Can't leave a little clutter? You're just like *Him*, you know, an anal retentive poof." Turning his back to his brother, Spike began a slow shuffle to the bed, sly smile on his face. He knew his insult would have an effect.

Standing up quickly, the dark vampire dropped the garbage in his hands back on the floor. "Stop saying that!" Following Spike, he was half angry, half worried. "I'm NOTHING like Him!"

**

Walking back from the kitchen, Giles returned with a glass of water. "Feeling any better?" He asked Buffy, handing it to her.

Sitting on the couch, Buffy looked pale and pitiful. "You know, I think there was a point when I actually turned completely inside out." Taking the water, she took a sip. "But yeah, better."

"So explain to me again." Taking off his glasses, Giles held them loosely in his right hand. "You were drinking with Spike and Djoser in their crypt, and afterward when you were walking home some unknown demon attacked you. It was red with horns and wings?"

"Err. . .yeah, that's pretty much how he looked." Wincing a little, Buffy didn't doubt that Giles thought a red demon with horns and wings was a figment of an alcoholic imagination. "I kicked him, and then he. . .blew up." She trailed off meekly, realizing that what she was saying sounded like the ravings of a drunk.

"He blew up?" Giles' question made Buffy wince again.

"You know. . . ." A thought occurred to her. "Djoser was there. He saw the whole thing. Ask him, and he'll confirm what I'm telling you."

"Buffy." Just saying her name, the Council Watcher was able to convey a quiet reprimand. "I don't need to verify what you told me. I'm just trying to get all the facts. I'm not familiar with the demon you just described. I'll need to research this, but let me ask you." Giles had not missed the fact that Djoser's name had come up a couple times in their conversation. "Was Djoser familiar with this. . .red demon at all?"

"No, he said he'd never seen anything like it." Looking up at her Watcher, Buffy didn't miss his intent stare but misinterpreted it. "He was telling the truth. He had no reason to lie about the demon."

"I don't doubt that he was telling the truth." Putting his glasses back on, Giles sat down in a chair, remembering all his suspicions about the warrior vampire. "So you say that Djoser and Spike ran away from Angel because Darla was threatening their. . .their lives. And what exactly are their intentions? Are they planning to stay here in Sunnydale? Because I would think that here would be the first place Angel would look for them."

"Err. . .they've actually been gone from Angel for some months now. Didn't I mention that?" Frowning, Buffy tried to remember what she had exactly told Giles, but it was hard to think with the throbbing in her head. "Which only proves that Angel doesn't seem to care about them. He hasn't made much of an effort to get them back."

"For some months now?" Giles was puzzled. Pondering over the information, he thought out loud. "But they're his Blood-Childer, and Blood-Childer are always cared for and protected. . .especially now. How strange."

"Now?" Buffy interrupted his musings.

"Yes. Yes." Turning back to Buffy, Giles had been remembering conversations he had had with the Council back in England. "Elder Snow and. . .and the Council were fairly successful in their attempt to eliminate all Bloodline vampires. The estimate is that at least two thirds of them were destroyed, which of course means that the ones remaining are now even more valuable. So valuable that Judelin, the Ventrue High Master, has demanded that the Council consider all Bloodline vampires to be protected. They are not to be killed."

"Not to be killed?" Buffy couldn't help but give Giles a you've-got-to-be-kidding look. "So if I'm fighting a vamp, and I notice a Bloodline mark, I'm suppose to what? Say, oh sorry, my mistake, you're a protected vamp, and let him walk away?"

"Judelin has demanded this as part of a treaty, but nothing has been totally agreed upon yet."

Sighing, Buffy stood up. "I can't make any sense out of anything right now. I need an aspirin and bed. You will research that demon, won't you?"

"Of course." Standing up as well, Giles watched her head for the staircase. "I'll get right on it. Good night, Buffy." He muttered after her softly. Turning to gather his books, the Watcher couldn't help but puzzle over the odd situation with Angel and his Blood-Childer. He wondered if he should talk to someone in the Council about it.

**

Waking up the next day, Spike's vampiric inner clock sensed the beginning of sunset. "Damn!" He whispered softly to himself. "Slept the whole frigging day away. I'm missing my shows. . .hey!" He tried to move out of the strong arms and legs that imprisoned him. "Djoser! Wake the fuck up. 'Passions' is over, but I can still catch. . . ."

"Will you lie still!" The rude awakening put the dark vampire in a bad mood. "The sun's not yet set. We're vampires, and vampires don't get out of bed until it's nighttime."

"We've been in this bed more than twelve hours now. My arse has bedsores on it." Spike struggled to break Djoser's hold. "You want to sleep your unlife away, that's fine with me, but I've got things to do, places to be, telly to watch."

"William!" Djoser tightened his hold on his brother. "Just lie here with me a few minutes longer."

The request was more of a plea, and it immediately stopped Spike's struggles. "What's wrong?" He didn't remember Djoser ever asking him for anything.

A grunt was the only answer given, as Spike turned his head to see his brother, now relaxed, eyes closed. "Hey." He poked Djoser with his elbow. "Talk to me. What's the problem?"

"What are we doing, William?" The vampire whispered. "Living in a crypt in Sunnydale. Asking the Slayer for sanctuary. That's not how vampires live, especially us, Blood-Childer of Angelus, descendants of Heinrich Nest. This is madness."

"And this surprises you?" Twisting his body, Spiked faced his brother. "We've lived in madness most of our. . .well, I have for most of my existence. What about you?"

"My life and then my unlife were orderly, until. . . ." Pulling himself away from his brother, Djoser turned onto his back. "Until the gypsies."

"I think your memory's gone bad, pet." Sitting up, Spike looked down at Djoser. "Even before the gypsies, our unlives were shaky. Remember being ostracized from the Clan? Remember trying to keep the household together while *He* was flitting around Europe with Darla?" Lying back down again, his shoulder touched his brother's. "I think madness is our normal way of life."

Reaching over, Djoser stroked Spike's cheek gently. "You're right. My memory is faulty. Our Sire was never a paragon of stability, but when he was exiled . . . ." He stopped abruptly, remembering that his brother had been the reason for their banishment.

"He became even more loony?" Spike helpfully finished Djoser's sentence.

"Yes." Djoser couldn't help but let out a short laugh. For the moment his brother made him forget all the black doubts that plagued him. "Did you know?" He asked, head now propped up on a bent elbow. "That I thank the gods that our Father had you. Without you now, I would be lost."

Wordless with surprise, Spike could only stare at Djoser. He never expected such a speech to fall from his brother's lips.

"You're the only family I have left. Everyone else is dead." The images of his deceased family members flashed through his mind: Ramose, Nic, Anton, Luc, Iltik, Victor, and even the departed High Master, Heinrich Nest. "And our Sire. He might as well be dead for all the good He ever did us." Bitterness tinged Djoser's voice.

Starting with a hard chest, Spike ran his hand over Djoser's body. "Is no one else left? You think that our uncle Damon is also dead?"

"Probably. The Ventrues most likely got to him too." Rolling up, Djoser held himself above Spike. "Do you want to eat? You didn't eat anything earlier."

"Is that all you can ask me? I swear you sound just like the Po. . .Him." Voice lowering to a whisper as Spike realized that telling Djoser he was similar to Angel was no longer humorous.

Taking no offense, Djoser just smiled. "We ask you that because you don't eat what you're suppose to. You never feed properly, just always eating that human garbage. No wonder you're always sick." Tilting his head, he offered his neck to Spike. "Take my blood, my brother. It's the same as yours, of the Bloodline. It will make you stronger."

**

Northern California, October 2001

"Sire." The fledgling vampire approached his father. "The scouts have returned. They say that our quarry has fled into Nevada."

"The hunters have become the hunted." The vampire Damon mumbled softly. Turning, he eyed his son affectionately. "Then we too will go to Nevada."

"And what of our High Master?" The young vampire who in life had gone by the name Christian shuffled his feet uncomfortably. Although only six months as a vampire, he knew that they were guilty of a serious breech of protocol by not reporting to their High Master that they had returned from Germany.

"Angelus has reunited with Darla. I don't trust her; I never have. I want to find out what she's up to before I go back to LA. In the meantime. . . ." A serious man, Damon did not smile often, but he couldn't help a small grin at his only Blood-Childe. "I can take out that bastard, vampire hunter Hawkins. As long as he lives, I fear for you, my Childe, and as your Sire, it is my duty to assure your safety. Hawkins must die, and I will see that he dies an ugly death."

"Won't Angelus be angry that we didn't at least tell him we've returned?"

"Possibly." Damon looked away, shrugging his shoulders. "But if he truly is back with Darla, then perhaps a change of allegiance is called for. My Sire forced me to bow down to her years ago, but he's dead. And there is no one on this earth, including Angelus, who can make me bow down to her again."

**

Fangs and fingers digging into Djoser's cool flesh, Spike held onto his brother tightly. The dark, rich blood flowed into his mouth, warming and nourishing him. Drinking deeply, the vampire pressed his body closer, using his weight to flip himself over on top. Rocking his hips, he rubbed their groins together. Pleasurable sensations ran from his cock to his brain and from his fangs to his brain, producing an euphoric high that ended all too soon when his brother's voice commanded him to stop. Reluctantly he withdrew his fangs from the bleeding artery but continued lapping at the blood until the flow stopped, and the wound began to heal over.

"First you don't feed, and then you almost drink me into a coma." Djoser whispered this into Spike's ear who was still nuzzling his neck. "Everything with you is always to an extreme."

"Never do something half-arsed is my motto." Raising his head, familial blood still coated his tongue and lips. "And since I can feel that I've started something. . . ." Spike once again rocked his hips, feeling Djoser stiffen against him. "I better practice what I preach and finish it."

Pulling a pillow partially over his face, Djoser groaned. "You've already drained me. I can barely move. I'm not up to any. . . ."

"Hate to break this to you, but you're *up*, mate." Grinning wickedly, Spike began to kiss and nip his way down the body under him. "Don't move. Just lie there, and I'll take care of you."

"You don't need to take care of . . . ." Brain disconnecting as Djoser felt his cock gripped firmly, and a cool tongue running around the crown and then flicking at the frenulum, the Y shaped web of skin on the underside of the head. "Ohhh, fuck." He groaned, stretching his arms above his head.

Tasting precum, Spike took just the cockhead in his mouth, sucking gently. Feeling the body beneath him begin to buck, he backed off, once again just using his tongue, prolonging the sensual torture.

"Goddamn!" The need to thrust was overwhelming, and Djoser couldn't help but grab Spike by the head, while pushing up with his hips.

"Have you no self-control?" Spike teased before giving in and taking the full length of Djoser's cock in his mouth.

A cool wetness engulfed him as Djoser slid in across a tongue to a back of a throat. Mouth and throat muscles tightened around him causing him to groan again, as he thrust up and down, his fingers clutching at Spike's hair and scalp.

Spike increased his suction, massaging the base of Djoser's cock with one hand, while fondling his balls with the other. Another moment or two, and he felt the body beneath him tense and the balls in his hand throb.

Djoser could feel his orgasm beginning. Hips raised off the bed, he thrust himself in as far as he could, feeling his cum boiling in his testicles, and then passing through and spewing out into the cool mouth that surrounded him. For a moment all troubles were forgotten as he lost himself in his sexual release.

Licking Djoser's cock clean, Spike was also contented. It gave him pleasure to relax his uptight brother. "You're breathing, pet. Guess you're not such a perfect vampire after all."

"I DO NOT bre. . . ." Djoser immediately began to argue, when he realized that indeed his chest was moving up and down with unnecessary breaths.

"You don't what?" Moving off his brother, Spike flopped down on the bed. "I didn't quite catch what you said cause you're panting too hard."

"You are. . . ." Djoser gasped out. "Such a fucking smart-ass."

Lying on his back, Spike stared up at the ceiling. "I think you've been living with me too long now. You're starting to have my foul mouth." He grinned widely. " Pretty soon, people will be saying how much alike we are."

~Part: 7~

A few nights later, feeling good enough to leave the crypt, Spike was out making the usual rounds. First order of business, badger Clem about introducing him to Doc. Their money situation had not improved. Second order of business, make sure he didn't get into any scraps or brawls. He had promised Djoser, who was out doing a patrol for the Slayer, that he would stay out of trouble. And for once in his existence, the vampire was determined to keep his promise. His brother didn't need any more worries because of him.

Whistling a tune, Spike was happy to be out. In his estimation, being cooped up was worse than having hot pokers skewered through him. Passing by a fast food restaurant named the Double Meat Palace, he glanced inside, and the sight of the Slayer, complete with outfit and hat, stopped him in his tracks.

"What the bloody hell?" Muttering to himself, Spike took another good look, just to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. "What the fuck is Buffy doing? She can't be working here?"

Buffy was finding her new job to be as unrewarding as it was humiliating. And what was harder still was the little voice in her head that kept whispering to her. 'You don't have to do this. Go find Djoser and Spike. Kill a couple of murdering drug dealers, and you'd never have to degrade yourself like this again.'

Sighing, she pushed down that tempting thought while walking over to a fellow employee. "Gina." She tugged at the woman's sleeve to get her attention. "Since it's slow, do you think they'll mind if I take another break?"

Turning to look at Buffy, Gina's expression was blank. "We're not allowed. Downtime robs us all."

"Mm, thus quoth Manny. But there's no one here."

"Sure there is." Gina pointed to the counter. "Look."

Frowning, Buffy turned to see Spike, studying the menu board intently. "This'll make my day complete." She mumbled softly. "What?" Her greeting came out bad mannered and abrupt.

Spike ignored her rudeness. "What's in the DoubleMeat nuggets?" He asked with an innocent tone.

"I'm working. Go away." She snapped at him. "And why are you here? You're supposed to be helping your brother."

Spike squared his shoulders and stood a little straighter. "I am helping Djoser."

"Spike." Quietly counting to ten, Buffy blew out her breath. "Djoser is patrolling for me, and you. . .you're suppose to be assisting him."

"Still too weak. I'd just be a handicap in a fight. . .do fries come with all the combination meals?"

"Spike!" Buffy resisted the urge to punch the idiotic vampire. "So how exactly do you think you're helping Djoser by bothering me?"

"Not getting in any trouble, am I?" Giving her a triumphant grin, Spike was pleased with himself. "What flavors do your shakes come in?"

Closing her eyes for a second, Buffy counted to ten again. "Order something or go."

"Would love to, but my pockets are a little empty. Don't suppose as a valuable employee of the Double Meat Palace you could slip me a few freebies?"

"Spike!" Buffy pointed to the door. "Get. Out."

"Ok, Slayer." Spike began to obediently back up toward the door. "Going to go out into that big, bad world. Probably end up in some kind of scuffle with some naughty demons, and then Djoser will have to stop his patrol and come rescue me."

Looking away for a moment, Buffy so wished she had a wooden stake in her hand. "Alright! I'll give you a couple of free hamburgers, but then you're to go back to the crypt, stay out of trouble, and make sure you don't bother Djoser or myself for the rest of the night."

**

Making his way through the cemetery back to the crypt, Djoser was busily pulling off his clothes. They were soaked with Foetor's saliva, blood, and the ungodly foul musk oil that the demons secreted. The vampire knew that his clothing was ruined. Everything would have to be burned.

Entering the crypt, Djoser stripped himself naked, leaving everything on the floor in a pile. He couldn't clean up fast enough. The makeshift, camping shower he and Spike had rigged up was not great, but if need be, he'd stand under it for the rest of the night in order to remove the Foetor's rank emissions.

Returning home, Double Meat Palace hamburgers in hand and Clem in tow, Spike kicked the crypt door open. "Ok, so did you arrange a meeting for me with this Doctor?" He asked the loose skinned demon, as the two stepped through the door.

"Not only arranged a meeting, but found out that Doctor's expecting a big shipment real soon. Needs someone to hold his merchandise for a bit."

"Hold some merchandise? That doesn't sound hard. . .Jesus! What is that fucking smell?" Making a face, Spike looked around.

"There." Clem pointed to Djoser's pile of reeking clothes. "Smells like someone tangled with some Foetor demons."

"Bloody bad stink." Kicking the pile of clothes into a far corner, Spike threw a clean blanket over them. "Almost takes away a bloke's appetite. Almost. . . ." The vampire grabbed the bag of hamburgers and threw himself into a chair. "But not quite." Handing a wrapped up hamburger to Clem, he continued his business. "So when can I meet this Doctor?"

"What is that awful odor?" Dressed in clean pants, Djoser came into the room, pulling a shirt over his head.

Spike gave his brother a funny look while gesturing toward the pile of clothes. "You tell us, mate. It was here when we arrived."

"I don't mean that." Approaching Spike and Clem, Djoser sniffed at the hamburgers in their hands. "How can you eat something. . . something that smells like spoiled meat and bad eggs?" The warrior vampire turned and glared at Clem fiercely. "You brought these in here, didn't you? He's a bad influence on you, bringing you all kinds of rotten, human food. " He addressed this to Spike.

"I brought the hamburgers in." Spike defended Clem. "Got them from Buffy."

"The Slayer?" Surprise tinged Djoser's voice. "Since when does the Slayer buy you dinner?"

"Didn't have to buy them." Spike mumbled this out while chewing a mouthful of hamburger. "She works there now, so she was able to give me a handout without any skin off her nose."

"Works where?" Frowning, Djoser wasn't happy with what he was hearing.

"At the Double Meat Palace." Holding up the hamburger bag with the restaurant's logo, Spike couldn't believe how stupid his brother could be at times. "Where do you think?"

"At the. . . !" Not bothering to finish his thought, Djoser left in crypt in a hurry, obviously angry.

Watching him leave, Clem had to ask. "Is he always so bad tempered?"

"It's the Slayer, mate." Spike wiped his mouth with his shirtsleeve. "She has the ability to make him. . . ." And my Sire, he said to himself. "Act like a cranky fruitcake. Guess it's a talent she was born with."

**

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Buffy couldn't believe that only ten minutes had passed since she had last looked at it. Here at the Double Meat Palace minutes seemed like hours. "I'm not reliving the same hour again like I did at The Magic Box, am I?" She whispered quietly to herself, while quickly taking a look around her.

The elderly woman she had waited on a short time ago was still seated at a booth, finishing her meal. "Nope." Buffy continued her muttering. "Time's not stuck, but maybe. . . ." A worrisome thought struck her. The minutes are passing like hours.

Her contemplations were interrupted by a tall figure entering through the front doors.

"Slayer." Stopping in front of the counter, Djoser gave Buffy the once over. "What is that on your head?" He couldn't help but ask, eying the Double Meat Palace cap which was adorned with a cloth cow's head .

"A hat. I'm still working, but come back. . . ." She glanced again at the clock. Only five minutes had passed. "In forty five minutes. I'm off then, and you can take me home and tell me what happened on patrol tonight."

Hands on the counter, Djoser leaned forward. "I will not return later. Come with me now. You don't belong here. This whole situation. . . ." He made a gesture toward her Double Meat Palace uniform and hat. "Is ridiculous."

"Djoser." Buffy said the vampire's name quietly. "Please don't make this harder. Just go, and I'll meet you in forty-five. . . ." Another glare at the clock. "Forty-four minutes."

"Buffy." Djoser addressed her in a tone equally as quiet. "You don't belong here. You're better than this. No superior being such as yourself should be working. . . ." He glared around himself contemptuously. "At a place like this."

"I need the money."

"I can get money. Come." The dark vampire held out his hand. "Walk with me now."

Hesitating for a split second, temptation screamed at her. Using all of her will power, Buffy fought the vampire's lure. "I. . . I need to go help Gary with the fries." She lied, turning away. "Meet me back here later. I'll talk to you then."

**

"I. . . ." Closing his eyes, Giles leaned up against the wall, phone held between his ear and shoulder. "I have no idea why he would ask for me? But yes, I agree that negotiations with him and his clan are of the utmost importance for everyone concerned. I'll make my arrangements and catch a flight to England as soon as possible. I shall see you shortly."

Hanging up the phone, he was so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed Dawn, who had come into the room and heard the last part of his conversation.

"You're going back to England again?" The teenager asked him.

"Dawn!" Giles was startled out of his thoughts. "I. . .the oddest thing has happened. Judelin, the High Master of the Ventrue Clan, has stopped discussions with the Council. It seems that he will only reopen talks. . .if I'm present."

"Oh." Not having a true understanding of the Council or its current state with the Ventrues, Dawn was not too impressed, but she was smart enough to catch that Giles being asked to help with negotiations was of some importance. "Wow. . .or should I say congratulations? You must be pretty important if this Judelin has specially asked for you."

"That's the puzzlement." Sitting down at the dining room table, Giles was mystified. "Judelin has never met me. How would he know who I am, and more importantly, why has he asked for me?"

"Maybe you're famous in vampire circles and don't even know it." Grinning at the Watcher, the solution was simple to Dawn.

"But of course." Smiling weakly back, Giles played along with the teenager. There was no need to cause her or anyone else more concern on his account. "That must be it."

**

Shoving her hat in her coat pocket, Buffy exited the Double Meat Palace with a sigh of relief. It had been a never-ending evening. A paper bag with Dawn's dinner in one hand, she spied Djoser, who was leaning up against his car waiting for her. "So what happened on patrol tonight?" She asked as she approached him.

Ignoring her question, the vampire motioned for her to get into the car.

Feeling the tension, Buffy hesitated. A part of her already knew that an argument was brewing. Too tired to cope, she took the coward's way out. "You know, I'm beat. I'll check in tomorrow with you, and you can tell me all about tonight's patrol." Turning quickly, she began to walk away, hoping that Djoser would take the hint and just leave.

"Slayer." A hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. "We'll talk tonight."

Sighing, Buffy realized that avoidance wouldn't work, so she'd try the 'all business' approach. "Alright, so what kind of demons did you come across on patrol?"

Djoser, again did not answer her, but instead had his own questions. "You're the Slayer. Why are you demeaning yourself like this? The people in this town should be bowing down to you and making you their queen for all the lives you've saved. Since they don't appreciate you like they should, perhaps you should go somewhere where they do."

"It's my duty, my calling to save lives. It doesn't make me a. . . ."

"You are superior!" Djoser snarled this out angrily. "So save the humans' worthless lives, but since they don't see fit to reward you properly, then at least take what is rightfully yours."

"Djoser!" Everything the vampire was saying had already crossed Buffy's mind. The ideas were seductive and tempting, but she knew, knew that such ideas could push her onto a dark path. A path that was destructive and harmful. A path that already had been taken by one Slayer, Faith, a few years ago. "It seems like I remember a certain conversation last Friday where I was told to keep my nose out of your affairs. Well, the reverse is also true, none of this is any of your business, so butt out!"

Turning to leave, she again was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. "Buffy, forgive me. It's just that. . . ." Removing his hand, Djoser took a step back. "I'm finding everything hard now. My whole existence has been turned completely upside down. I'm a Tremeren Bloodline vampire. Years ago, my people knelt down before me. Other demons and humans feared me, and now. . .now I am nothing. A Caitiff vampire who lives in a run down old crypt. And you, the Slayer." He eyed her intently. "The Slayer, who even Bloodline vampires respected and feared, a being equal to us is also humiliating herself by working in a place called the Double Meat Palace. What has this world come to?" He whispered softly.

"The world has moved on, Djoser." Buffy began to walk away, but her tone was softer, gentler. "And you need to move on with it."

**

Nevada, October 2001

"Well, I'm sure glad you could fucking make it." Approaching the vampire whose expression was hidden by a pair of dark sunglasses, Jack Hawkins tried to put the usual swagger in his step. He needed to hide his fear, if he wanted to have any kind of standing with his old ally.

"I got your message." Elder Snow stood up slowly, flanked by two bodyguards. "But traveling is difficult what with having to evade the Council and the Ventrues."

"Yeah, well you can add the Tremerens to that list of people to avoid."

Snow's body tensed ever so slightly at hearing the name Tremeren. "Angelus?" He whispered with hate in his voice.

"No, but just about as bad." Hawkins paced a bit, back and forth. "Damon. That son-of-a-bitch Damon. Should never have gone with the Daywalker plan. Should have just kept Chris as he was and then sent him to dust his old man. Now the motherfucker is after me." Despite his resolve to hide his fear, Jack couldn't help the trickle of sweat that ran down his face. Although not the Scourge of Europe, Damon still ran a close second to Angelus' viciousness.

"You pose a threat to his Blood-Childe." Snow couldn't help but smirk contemptuously at Hawkins. "And it's the duty of all vampire fathers to eliminate any dangers to their precious sons."

"You need to help me." Jack stopped his pacing to stand in front of the vampire. "Separately we're weak, but together we have a chance against our enemies."

"And Angelus? Where is he?" Elder Snow knew that even if he allied himself again with the human vampire hunter, it would be pure suicide to go up against both Angelus and Damon.

"Still in LA." Hawkins shrugged his shoulders. At this moment Angelus didn't concern him. "For some odd reason, Damon has not gone to see his brother in LA, and we don't know why."

"Hmm. A falling out, perhaps?" Stroking his chin, Snow was thoughtful.

"Have no fucking clue. But the big news, as you probably have already heard, is that the famous Darla is pregnant with Angelus' Pure Blood-Childe. So despite the fact that we managed to kill four Tremeren Blood-Childer, they've already managed to replace two of them, and one of them is a Pure Blood. Fucking Tremeren Bloodline vampires." Hawkins swore loudly. "They breed like fucking rabbits, even though reproducing is supposed to be a problem for you vampires."

"So Darla is in LA with Angelus, and Damon chooses to keep his distance." Snow remembered his Clan's past, its players, and all the bad blood and feuding. "My guess is that Damon still has some old grudges against Darla, and the fool is letting his emotions override good sense. He doesn't realize that apart from Angelus he's much more vulnerable. Vulnerable enough that I think you're right, human."

The vampire's smile sent chills down Hawkins' spine, reminding him that he better never turn his back on his so-called ally.

"Together, you and I can defeat our enemies."

****

Walking back to her house, Buffy was surprised to see Djoser drive past her. The crypt was in the opposite direction. Curiosity and some unknown feeling pushed her to follow him. Throwing the Double Meat Palace bag with Dawn's supper into a trashcan, she hoped that Giles, Willow, or Tara had already fed her sister dinner.

Quickening her pace to keep the car in sight, Buffy wasn't too surprised to see it stop in front of Bronze. Following the vampire into the club, she watched him dig into his pockets, searching for money to buy a drink.

"My treat." Walking up to Djoser, she slapped a five-dollar bill on the bar.

Head turning, the vampire's dark eyes glittered at her for a moment before looking away to take his drink from the bartender. "Thank you, Slayer."

"Consider it payment for patrolling for me tonight, but it's all I can afford." Sitting down on the barstool, Buffy smiled weakly. "So you might want to consider looking for a different job. One that pays more."

Still staring straight ahead, Djoser took a sip of his drink. "If I were to go and hunt some murdering low life, and take his money, would you stop me?"

Folding her hands on top of the bar, Buffy stared down at them. "Yes I would." She answered softly.

"Even if I gave you half of everything I stole?"

"I told you before, and I'm telling you again, no *humans*." Looking up, she stared at Djoser's face which he had finally turned to face her.

"Then I guess I need to find another way to make us money, without. . ." He quickly added. "Hurting any humans."

"Us?" Buffy gave the vampire a questioning look.

"Yes, us." Stepping closer to her, Djoser reached out a hand to brush some loose hairs away from her face. "You and I."

"I don't think. . . ." Standing up, Buffy began a weak protest, but quickly decided that flight was her better option. The vampire was too tempting. Heading for the exit, she never made it out of the building, but instead allowed herself to be pulled into a secluded spot under the stairway. Cool lips meet warm as Slayer and vampire stood, locked in an embrace.

****

Dedication: To Elisabeth, my lovely beta reader whose grandmother passed right before the holidays. Hope you start to feel better soon and return to fanfiction. I miss you.

Thanks to DarkCharm for the emergency beta and for being one of my most loyal supporters.

Author's Notes: German translations courtesy of my German born husband who would be the first to admit, his native tongue is no longer so native. So for any of you German speakers out there, please feel free to send any and all corrections.

Afreet = An Arbian myth, a powerful evil demon or monster.

~Part: 8~

A week later, still working at the Double Meat Palace, Buffy was back by the grill, busily flipping hamburgers, while half listening to her co-worker, Todd.

"And that's where even your best political minds can drop the ball." The young man told her while biting into a hamburger.

"Ah huh." She courteously mumbled back, not exactly sure what he was talking about since she hadn't been paying attention.

"Zeitgeist! You're not taking the pulse of the public, the next thing you know you're LBJ handing the house keys over to Nixon."

"Yeah." Buffy muttered another polite reply, not really hearing what Todd had said as her mind was thinking over the events of the past week: an encounter with a wannabe Broadway star demon named Sweet, her confession to her friends that they hadn't saved her from a hell dimension, but had pulled her out of heaven, the discovery that Dawn had developed a bad habit of stealing, and the departure of Giles to England to aid in negotiations with the Ventrues.

Sighing, she flipped another burger, wondering to herself, why in all the commotion, there had been no sign of either Djoser or Spike. "You'd think that at least William the Annoyance would have shown his face to try and mooch more hamburgers off me." A quiet mumble to herself as she tried to pretend that her pride wasn't just a bit wounded by the fact that Djoser hadn't come to seek her out again after 'the incident' at the Bronze.

"Did you say something?" Having finished his hamburger, Todd had returned to work, checking out supplies.

"No." Looking over her shoulder at her coworker, Buffy quickly answered him. "Just thinking out loud."

"Al-right. . .oh man, we're out of special sauce." The young man said with exasperation.

"I'll get it." Turning off the grill, Buffy was happy to do something else.

"No, no. Your turn up front. I'll deal back here. You take the customers."

Inwardly making a face, Buffy was less than thrilled. Walking up to the front, her mouth automatically began to recite the speech. "Welcome to the Double Meat Palace, how may I help. . . ?" Stopping abruptly as she realized just who was standing in front of her. "Riley!"

A harder and tougher looking Riley stared back at her. "Sorry to just drop in on you like this, Buffy, but I've been up for 48 hours straight tracking something bad. A Suvolte demon, rare, lethal, and now it's come to Sunnydale."

**

"Hey!" Using a squirt gun, Spike sprayed a stream of water in Djoser's face. "Wake up, already. It's way past sundown. You planning to sleep the day *and* the night away?"

"Goddamn it!" Raising his arm, Djoser protected his face from the flow of water. "Stop it now, or you're getting your assed kicked, even if you are still weak."

"Yeah, right mate." Spike snorted with scorn. "Weak or not, if you want to kick my arse, you better go get the Slayer to back you up. You're lucky." Dropping the squirt gun on the floor, he sat down on the bed. "I was just about ready to fill the gun up with holy water."

Lying on his back, Djoser used his hands to wipe the water off his face. "So what's the big emergency?"

"No emergency." Spike settled himself at the head of the bed, back against the wall. "Just seeing if you were dead or undead. You've been mostly comatose this last week."

Djoser only grunted in reply, as he slowly sat up, trying to shake the cobwebs out of his brain.

"So what's the matter with you. . .brood boy junior." Spike couldn't help the insult. "You've been moping around for a week now. How come you haven't been patrolling for Buffy? In fact where has Slutty been lately? She's usually finding any kind of flimsy excuse to hang around here." He gave his brother a leering look. "That night that you went to look for her, you came home with her scent all over you, but I didn't smell any signs that you two were shagging. So what happened? Did you give it a shot and get your face slapped?"

"No." Giving a one-word answer, Djoser grabbed a towel and headed for the camping shower.

"Alright." Jumping off the bed, Spike followed his brother to the shower. "So why have you been hiding and sulking here in the crypt, if everything is fine between you and Buffy?"

Turning on the shower, Djoser waited a moment for the water to heat up.

Leaning up against the wall, Spike could only roll his eyes. "We don't have any hot water, remember? Will you tell me what the bloody hell is the matter with you? You usually don't act like such a brainless plonk."

"We kissed." Djoser finally gave his brother an answer, as he willed himself to step into the cold shower.

"O-kay, and?" Spike gave Djoser an expectant look, waiting for the rest of the story.

"And that's it." Quickly lathering his hair and body, the vampire was anxious to be done with his icy shower.

Sighing, Spike rolled his eyes again. He could hardly believe that he was going to have to give his nob of a brother lessons in courtship. "So you kissed her, and now you're hiding out here? Trying to play hard to get?"

"You just don't get it, do you William." Shutting off the shower, irritation was evident in Djoser.

"No, I don't." Spike followed his brother back to the bedroom area. "So explain it to me."

"I was told, no ordered to stay away from the Slayer." Answering curtly, Djoser turned away to look for some clean clothes. "I think our Sire still see her as his, and. . . ."

"Wait a moment!" Interrupting, Spike could hardly believe his ears. "Who gives a bleeding shit what He thinks or doesn't think, and why don't you try passing along this theory of ownership to Buffy. For sure you'll get your face beat in because there is no way that she considers herself belonging to him or anyone."

"It doesn't matter what she thinks. It's what our Sire perceives that counts."

"Why are you so hung up on what He thinks?" Totally exasperated, Spike's voice rose a notch. "We're not His anymore."

"But we are." Dropping his clothes on the bed, Djoser turned to look at his brother. "Oh, we can run away. We can cut out our marks. We can pretend to the world, but that doesn't change a thing. It doesn't change who we are. We're Blood-Childer, His Blood-Childer, and by our law we are morally bound to Him. It is our duty to serve him."

"And doesn't he have a duty to us?" Spike took a step closer to Djoser. "He's suppose to care and protect us, but he rarely fulfills that responsibility. Darla threatens us, and he's oblivious. We run off, and does he come after us? No, doesn't bloody care. In fact he's probably relieved because we're not there to bother him, and he can live happily ever after with his one true love and their Pure Blood-Childe. A frigging fairy tale ending." Sitting down on the bed, he stared up into his brother's face. "It was your idea to leave Him, so why are you now having these doubts?"

"I was angry with Him." Djoser whispered softly. "And I thought. . .thought that I could just. . . ." The dark vampire shook his head sadly. "For all of my existence, more than two hundred years, it's been beaten into me that my whole reason for living is to do my duty to my Sire and to my Bloodline. I remember my mother. . . ."

"Your mum?" Spike's eyes widened in surprise. "What things did your mum tell you?"

"That total obedience was due my Sire, and anything less would be disgraceful." Djoser paused a moment as he pulled on his pants. "And I've been hearing her voice, and the voices of my other ancestors telling me how I have shamed them."

Shocked, Spike could only wonder if his brother was losing his marbles. "I wouldn't pay too much attention to any voices in your head; it's probably just all the pig and cow's blood talking back."

"William." The vampire could only stare at his younger brother sadly. "You just don't understand."

**

Egypt, 1778

Staring arrogantly at the assembly of human warriors lined up in front of him, Angelus felt no fear, only contempt at their ignorance. "Die haben keine Idee was wir sind." He whispered to his younger brother Anton who stood next to him.

"I must humbly differ with you." An older man, face creased with age and the elements stepped forward. "We know exactly who you are, Afreet."

Narrowing his eyes, Angelus stiffened with surprise at being addressed in English and by the term afreet. "If you know who were are. . . ." His tone was dangerously quiet. "Then you must also know that even if you think of yourselves as warriors, you are no match for us." He made a point of looking around at the vampires who stood behind him, his bodyguards and minions.

"We do not wish to do battle with you, Afreet, but to respectfully ask you and your. . . ." The old warrior's eyes swept over the group of vampires. "Followers to leave our land."

"And if we chose not to?" Temper beginning to rise, Angelus could hardly believe the impudence of the human.

"Please, Afreet. We do not wish any more trouble. Your seed has already been planted. We know that already." The old man's posture conveyed both respect and dignity. "We will honor you by raising your offspring to be worthy of his heritage. When the time is right, you may come for your son, and at the time, we will also present you with a companion for him. Both will be raised as warriors, according to our traditions but will also be schooled to be your obedient children. In return you and your people will leave now and cause no more trouble."

"Wovon spricht er?" Anton looked at Angelus questioningly, not having any idea what the human was talking about.

A small satisfied smile as Angelus suddenly knew who the man was. Nodding his head slightly at the old warrior, a surge of pride and pleasure flow through him. He had impregnated the young woman. He would be the first of the High Master's sons to produce a new generation of Blood-Childer. "I will leave, but not before I receive a guarantee that your promises will be kept regarding my coming son."

"As leader of my tribe. . . ." Pulling out a long blade, the warrior stood, arms spread wide. "And grandfather of the Afreet's son, I swear on my own life." A swift movement and the old man buried the dagger in his own heart. Blood spilled out, turning the sand under him a dark red.

**

Sunnydale, Oct 2001

It had taken all of Spike's ingenuity to convince Djoser to stop listening to the voices of his ancestors and go find the Slayer. "Christ, my brother is getting as nutty as Him." He said this out loud as he opened the door to his friend Clem.

"Your brother is what?" The loose skinned demon looked into the crypt fearfully.

"Don't worry, mate." Spike signaled for Clem to come in. "My deranged brother is not here now. I finally managed to get rid of him."

"That's good." Clem sighed with relief. "Because the doctor has seen him hanging out with the Slayer, and he might not be too willing to do business if he sees your brother around."

"Yeah, I figured it's better that Djoser not know anything about this deal. He's been kind of stressed lately. He's hearing voices now." Spike made the circular motions of 'he's out of his mind' at his head.

"Hearing voices?" Already afraid of Djoser, Clem was not happy to hear that the intimidating vampire was going crazy. A mean vamp was scary enough, but a mean, crazy vamp was even scarier.

"Yeah, and you know what that means don't you?" Spike turned to face Clem. "It means I'm in big shit because he's just another example of the battiness that runs in my Bloodli. . . ." Abruptly stopping, the vampire remembered that he was playing the charade of being just a turned' vampire. "Never mind." He changed the subject. "So will this doctor and his merchandise be here soon?"

**

"I didn't mean to put you on the spot." The tall, attractive woman named Sam walked beside Buffy through the cemetery. The two were hunting for the Suvolte demon nest. "There's no bad guys in this one. The only thing that helped Riley work it out was time. Lots of time. Took him a year to get over you.

Although saddened, Buffy tried to be happy for her ex. "I'm glad he's over me. I'm glad he's got you now."

"So. . . ." To cover the awkwardness, Sam quickly changed the direction of the conversation. "Seeing anyone new? Someone special?"

The other woman's question immediately brought up the image of Djoser in Buffy's mind. "You know, I just want to take my time. I don't. . .don't want to jump right into anything, don't want to. . .you know. . .be defined by who I'm with."

"Yeah, better no guy than the wrong guy that's for sure."

Those words cut deep into Buffy as she thought again about what had happened between her and Djoser and the Bronze. "How right you are." She mumbled out loud to herself.

"I'm sorry." Sam's smile was genuinely open and friendly. "Did you say something?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Buffy caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure. "You know what?" She stopped and turned to the other woman. "I think we should split up now."

"Oh, I'm slowing you down." Sam was apologetic. "I knew I would, this was just selfish of me."

"No, it's not. . . ." Body tingling, Buffy knew that the dark shape half hidden in the shadows was Djoser. Uh. . .there's this guy, an informant, but he's twitchy. I show up with company, and, and we'll get nothing."

"Ok." Turning to leave, Sam spotted a black SUV pulling up to the edge of the cemetery. "Well, look who just showed up." She commented, watching her husband, Riley Finn get out of the vehicle. "I'm guessing Finn needs me about now." She flashed another friendly grin at Buffy as she began to walk away. "Don't worry about Rye and me, we're good."

Watching the woman leave, Buffy whispered a quiet, envious mutter. "I noticed."

**

Watching Buffy approach him, Djoser could feel the anger simmering in him. He too had seen Riley Finn get out of the black SUV, and although he had already decided that a relationship with the Slayer wasn't possible, he didn't like that her ex boyfriend had suddenly made an appearance.

"Slayer." He hissed harshly at her.

Stopping in her tracks, Buffy couldn't help but feel the hostility in the air. "I need information." Her manner became all businesslike.

"Boyfriend back?" Djoser taunted her. "The boyfriend who likes to visit vampire whore houses."

"Riley is not the issue here." Controlling her temper, Buffy kept her voice calm. "The issue is a guy who they call the doctor. He's a dealer, a dealer in demon Suvolte eggs."

"I don't know anything about any Suvolte eggs, but I do have a vivid picture in my mind of your soldier boy getting the juice sucked out of you by some undead whores." Life so out of control, the usually disciplined vampire was letting his composure slip.

"Will you focus for a moment?" Her own control slipping, Buffy's voice began to rise. "We don't have much time. If those Suvolte eggs hatch, Sunnydale will cease to exist, and then where will you and Spike hide out?"

"We don't need you to hide us out, Slayer." Djoser sneered contemptuously as he moved to walk away from her.

"Wait a moment." Grabbing the vampire by the back of his tunic, Buffy spun him around. "We had a deal, remember? I give you and Spike protection from Darla and the Ventrues, and in return the two of you help me with any troublesome demons. I need your help now."

"What? Your military boyfriend doesn't have what it takes to back you up? Too weak from all his drug use and whores? Should have thought of that before you spread your legs for him." Not knowing how to deal with the fear and jealously that flowed through him, Djoser lashed out irrationally.

The vampire's unjust accusation was the last straw for Buffy. Letting her temper get the better of her, she lashed back with her fists. Punching Djoser hard in the face, she split a lip.

Tasting his blood, Djoser didn't bother to wipe it away. A slight smile crossed his face. "I always said Slayer that you were just lucky when you defeated my Sire and my brother, but you're not going to get lucky for a third time." Letting his tunic slip down his arms and onto the ground, the vampire raised his fists. Nothing like a good battle to help him feel more like himself.

****

I say: Know your enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are sure to be defeated in every battle. -- Sun Tzu, 5th Century B.C. general and philosopher

~Part: 9~

Cocking his head, Spike studied the newly delivered merchandise that he had been hired to safeguard. "Ugly little buggers, aren't they?" He commented to Clem who stood next to him also examining the demon Suvolte eggs.

Nodding in agreement, Clem handed Spike a folded up piece of paper. "The instructions on how to care for them. One of the deliverymen handed it to me as they left."

"Instructions?" Spike studied the paper for a moment before tossing it on the floor. "Pfft, don't need any instructions on how to take care of a bunch of demon eggs. Just let 'em sit here until the buyers come. What kind of idiot needs instructions for that?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Clem didn't argue as he turned to follow Spike up the ladder. "And how are you going to explain these. . . ." He gestured back at the Suvolte eggs. "To your brother?"

"Djoser usually doesn't ever come down here." Spike grabbed on to the ladder leading up to the main floor of the crypt. "So I'm hoping they'll be sold before he even realizes they were here."

Smiling, he envisioned the happy surprise on his brother's face when he handed over the wad of cash that would be made on this deal. "Then Djoser will know that I can be useful, and he won't leave me like he did before, and like all the others did." Spike whispered this softly to himself as the faces of family members who had abandoned him in the past flashed through his mind. Angel, Djoser, Ramose, Drusilla, and Alex. "And I won't ever be alone again."

**

There were no other sounds in the cemetery except the grunts and groans of two people locked in vicious combat. Slayer and vampire kicked and punched all their frustrations, all their sorrows out on each other.

"I thought you were this super tough Slayer." Djoser taunted Buffy as he blocked an incoming blow and countered with a right cross. "But you fight no better than a lowly minion."

"Oh, really." Buffy responded as she in turn blocked Djoser's second punch and grabbed his arm while turning her body so she could toss the vampire over her shoulder onto his back. "So your minions must routinely throw you to the ground then." Pulling back a foot, her intention was to give Djoser a hard kick in the ribs, but he quickly seized her foot in a strong grasp, yanking up, causing her to fall.

"Minions would not dare to lay a hand on me." He snarled as he scrambled to get on top of Buffy to keep her from regaining her feet. "I am a Tremeren Bloodline vampire. They risk losing life or limb by touching a Childe of the Bloodline."

"Well, goody for you." Using all of her strength, Buffy knocked Djoser off of her while at the same time flipping herself on top of him. "It must be nice to be so privileged." Tightening her thigh muscles, she held the vampire down by the hips. "But news flash for you, you're not in your Sire's kingdom. You're here in my territory, and in my territory all vamps are equal."

"All right, Slayer." Lying perfectly still, Djoser did nothing to try and throw Buffy off of him. "If I'm just another vampire to you, then stake me. Stake me right now."

"Maybe I will." Pulling out a stake from under her clothing, Buffy raised it, hoping to spark some fear in the vampire, but his dark, hopeless eyes stared fearlessly back at her. "Maybe I'll just. . . ." The words died in her throat as the stake fell from her fingers. Grabbing him by the front of the shirt, she pulled him up, her own desperation spilling over as she crushed her lips to his.

**

England, Oct 2001

Using all of his will power, Giles tried to tear his eyes away from the mesmerizing figure in front of him but was unsuccessful. He just couldn't stop staring at the Ventrue High Master.

"Rupert Giles." The vampire's voice was as seductive as his looks. "I have heard so much about you."

"I-I. . . ." Opening his mouth, the Council Watcher wanted to respond in a civil but stately manner but found himself unable to form a complete sentence. "Yes, I. . .it. . .I'm surprised. . . " He finally managed to stammer out. "That you have heard of me."

"You are one of the Watchers who has had extensive contact with Angelus and his family. Angelus, Pure Blood-Childe of Heinrich Nest and now High Master of the Tremeren Clan."

"Yes, that. . .I've. . . ." Giles turned his head to look puzzlingly at Quentin Travers. "I have been acquainted with Angel. . .Angelus for about four years now."

"The Tremeren Clan, the Clan that through out our history has been the Ventrues' greatest enemy. And I, like a famous human general and philosopher. . . ." Judelin's eyes swept over the occupants of the room, the human Council members and his vampire advisors and bodyguards. "Always make it my practice to *know my enemy*."

**

Sunnydale, October 2001

There was nothing tender or loving about her kiss. Buffy smashed her mouth against Djoser's as if her lips were her fists, brutal and hard. And the vampire gave as good as he got, returning the punishing kiss with his own hidden violence. Two unhappy people giving into a sexual attraction with the despairing hope that it might make them feel better.

Djoser felt sharp teeth nipping at his already split lip, but the sting was exhilarating because it made him forget everything else. Wrapping his arms around Buffy, he held her in a tight, painful embrace while continuing to grind his lips and teeth against hers.

Seeing Riley happily married had merely added to Buffy's misery by emphasizing the total emptiness of her life. Physical attraction and lust overcame good sense, as her only need was to feel a strong body in and around her. Without breaking contact, her hand reached down, feeling for a snap and a zipper. Opening the vampire's pants, she felt for his manhood, pulling it out and stroking it to hardness. "Tell me you want me." She whispered against his mouth.

"I've wanted you for a long time." He whispered back while pulling up Buffy's skirt and tearing the elastic band of her panties.

Closing her eyes, those were the words she wanted to hear. Positioning the hard flesh in her hand against her opening, Buffy pressed down while staring down into Djoser's dark eyes. His body was hard and cool, bringing a flash of memory of another vampire she had made love to. Suppressing the recollection quickly, she rocked her hips, rubbing her sensitive pelvic area against the hardness inside of her.

Buried deep in Buffy's heat, for a moment all of Djoser's troubled feelings and doubts disappeared. His only coherent thought was how hot she felt around him. It had been many years since he had taken pleasure with a human female. "Slayer." A very faint hiss that only he and Buffy could hear.

A soft groan sounded in her throat as Buffy tore Djoser's shirt open, satisfying the need to see and feel more skin. Her small, but strong hands caressed the hard chest beneath her. Her hips continued to move back and forth. The world around them ceased to exist as Slayer and vampire took pleasure in each other.

**

Despite the television blaring, Spike heard and sensed the humans coming a split second before Riley and Sam burst through the crypt's main door. "Well, looky here, tin soldier boy is back, and I thought we ran you out of town, mate." His welcome greeting was accompanied by a cocky grin. "Who's the bint?" He made a point of scrutinizing Sam thoroughly.

Ignoring the question, Riley raised his weapon to point it at Spike. "Where are they. . . Doctor?"

The expression on Spike's face was innocent, as he responded. "Where are what? And the name's Spike. But you should know that. We've met before." He gave Riley another cocky grin as he remembered the last encounter the two had.

"This is William the Bloody." Riley turned to Sam. "A.k.a. Spike, a.k.a. Blood-Childe of Angelus, a.k.a. the Doctor. Where's your Sire? Does he know you're dealing in illegal demon eggs?"

Eying the gun in Riley's hand, Spike considered his odds. In his weakened state, the vampire knew that it was chancy to try and take on two armed, trained soldiers. "My Sire will be along any minute now, so if I were you, I'd leg it while I can. He's not been in a good humor lately." He lied blatantly.

"Interesting." Riley called Spike's bluff. "The nice thing about being back in Sunnydale is that all the locals speak English, and I know who to beat for information. And they tell me that Angelus has been gone for more than six months now, so I know. . . ." He took a step closer, weapon still pointed at Spike. "That you're lying. So I'm going to give you one more chance before I get unprofessional. . .Where are the eggs?"

"Don't know what eggs you're talking about." Spike continued to lie.

Stepping up, Riley touched the barrel of his gun lightly to Spike's abdomen. "Okay. We can do this the hard way, or we can do this the fatal way."

"Riley!" Buffy entered the crypt with Djoser right behind her. "Riley!" Turning quickly, she grabbed onto Djoser, preventing him from attacking her ex. "Riley, you need to take Sam and leave here now."

Spike glowered murderously at Riley. "Yeah, take your bint and shove off, mate."

"The local demons all pointed me here to this crypt, saying that the Doctor was here." Riley turned to address Buffy. "Spike has been using the alias Doctor with his illegal dealings. The eggs are here. I know it, and I plan to take this place apart until I find that nest."

"Over my dead body." Growling, Djoser tried to escape Buffy's grasp, so that he could launch himself at Riley.

"Riley!" Gripping Djoser tighter, Buffy held him back. "This Doctor, it can't be Spike. He-he's too incompetent." She glared over at Spike angrily. "It's just Spike."

"Right, Buffy." No longer enamored with the Slayer, Riley was able to remain calm."A Blood-Childe of the deadly Tremeren Clan, known for being vicious and opportunistic. . .or have you forgotten?"

Buffy had no answer for Riley. Still holding tightly to Djoser, she looked up at him. "Let them search. They won't find anything, and then the issue will be resolved."

Not trusting himself to speak, Djoser reluctantly nodded his head. It galled him to permit mere humans access to his lair, but he recognized Buffy's logic.

"Hang on!" Quickly stepping in front of Riley, Spike protested. "I'm not going to allow you to. . . ."

"Let them be, William." Djoser commanded softly as he looked down at Buffy. "The Slayer is right. After their search turns up nothing, they will be on their way and won't bother us again."

"But this is. . .unconstitutional, is what it is!" Brain working furiously as Spike tried to decide whether he should quickly fess up to his brother, or not. "Hey!" He watched as Riley, followed by Sam, Buffy, and Djoser started down the ladder leading to the basement of the crypt. "There's nothing to see down there!" Rushing after them, he realized that it was now or never to confess. "I can explain."

"William." Reproach was evident in Djoser's voice as he and the rest could only stare at the sight of the Suvolte eggs.

"You see, I have this friend. . . ." Spike swiftly began his explanation, but was cut off as Buffy punched him in the face, sending him sprawling.

"You promised that you would behave! And now. . . ." She began but the sight of movement among the demon eggs cut her off.

"We're going to need more weapons." Riley slowly stepped backward from the eggs. "Spike screwed up." He turned to the vampire. "You didn't keep them frozen, did you. . .Doctor?"

Spike had no idea what Riley was talking about, but he was never one to be intimidated. "You can stop calling me that any time, crew cut, and as-a-matter-of-fact I was just about. . . ."

"William." He was interrupted by Djoser grabbing him by the back of his shirt collar. "We all need to get out of here. *Now*. Those eggs are about to. . . ." The vampire never finished his sentence as the eggs began bursting open and tiny Suvolte demons came screeching out.

Riley and Sam tried to raise their weapons but were unable as they were swarmed by the baby demons. "We have to pull out!" Riley shouted as he swatted a Suvolte off his shoulder.

Vampires, humans, and the Slayer scrambled up the ladder with a horde of baby demons after them.

"We have to find a way to contain them." Riley desperately looked around the crypt for something heavy to cover the opening, but Buffy was one step ahead of him.

Grabbing a hold of his military belt, she yanked it off of him and pulled the pin on one of the grenades attached to it. Tossing it down the ladder, she yelled a warning. "Get down!"

Everyone threw themselves on the floor and covered their heads as a fireball shot up from the basement of the crypt causing an explosion and setting the room on fire.

"Out, William." Hauling Spike up with him, Djoser threw himself out of the crypt's entrance followed by Buffy, Riley, and Sam. Lying on the grass of the cemetery, the vampires watched as the place they had called home went up in flames.

**

Looking around the burnt out crypt, Spike glanced over again at Djoser. His brother had not spoken a word to him since the explosion, and his hostile silence was becoming unnerving. "Djoser, I'm sorry for not telling you about the Suvolte eggs, but I wanted to surprise you with all the money I was going to make. . . ." He trailed off lamely. "On the deal."

"You do realize." Djoser couldn't keep the bitterness out of his voice. "That you now owe the cost of the demon eggs that were destroyed."

Nervously rubbing the tip of his right boot on the back of his left leg, Spike found he couldn't meet his brother's eyes. "Each egg was worth more money than I've ever had, and there was a doz. . . ."

"You Don't. . . ." Djoser harshly interrupted him. "Have to say anymore. I've already done the math."

"Should we skip town?" Spike asked meekly. That had always been his solution in the past when he found himself in a bind that couldn't be fixed.

"We don't even have enough money for gasoline for the car." Hands balling up in fists, Djoser so wanted to hit something or someone. He now had a small understanding of why his Sire had always been punishing Spike. His younger brother had a knack for making one lose control.

"Oh." Was all that Spike could say as he kicked a piece of rubble. Barely anything salvageable. They didn't even have anything to hock.

"I have to. . . ." The need to get away and let his anger cool overwhelmed the vampire. He had to put some distance between himself and his brother and what was left of their lair. "I have to go." Turning abruptly, Djoser left the crypt in a hurry.

"Wait." Spike called out, but instinctively knew that he shouldn't follow his brother out. "You're not going to leave me, are you?" His voice lowered to a whisper. "Because you promised me you wouldn't."

**

"Hey." Opening her front door, Buffy couldn't help but stare nervously at Djoser. She already regretted about what had happened with him in the cemetery, and having him on her doorstep made her uncomfortable. "Sorry about the crypt." She told him awkwardly as he brushed his way past her into her the house.

"Where's the. . .boyfriend?" Stopping in the entranceway, Djoser checked around.

"Riley and his wife left a short time ago."

Taken aback, Djoser was left speechless for a moment. After a few seconds of awkward silence, he just came straight to the point. "I need your help."

"Listen." Deciding that it would be better if the vampires left Sunnydale, Buffy was not about to do any favors for them. "I'm not going to bust Spike's chops over his stupid scheme, but perhaps it would be better for all involved if both of you left."

"Lend me some money." Djoser continued as if Buffy had not spoken.

Eyes widening in disbelief, Buffy couldn't believe what the vampire had just asked her. "I don't have any money, and did you hear what I just said?"

"Lend me just enough for gasoline, so I can drive to Nevada. There's a job there. After I make the money, I'll give you half of what I earn. You'll be well compensated, and all you need to do is give me gas money, and watch William while I'm gone."

"Excuse me, but I have my own sister to take care of. I don't need a delinquent vampire as well."

"After this latest escapade, William should be on his best behavior. He knows he screwed up, and I won't be gone long, a week at the most." Having made his own arrangements with the Doctor, Djoser only needed Buffy to agree.

"What's the job, Djoser?" Buffy gave the vampire a serious look.

"To pay the Doctor for the Suvolte eggs we destroyed, I need to go and bring back a couple of demons for him. He'll then cancel out the debt we owe him, plus pay me some extra cash. Normally in a situation like this, the one hiring will pay some upfront expense money, but the Doctor considers the exterminated demon eggs enough of an outlay. He won't give me anything more."

"I just received my first paycheck from the Double Meat Palace. You can have that." Buffy began to make her way up the stairs to her bedroom. "But after you've made your money, I think it would be best if you and Spike left Sunnydale."

~Part: 10~

"Are you off your nut?" Spike was fuming. It was the following afternoon when Djoser came back to the crypt. Though relieved at his return, the vampire couldn't believe his brother's moronic plan. "There's a word for what you're about to do; it's called bounty hunting. And a Childe of the Bloodline such as yourself, doesn't lower himself to such an activity."

"It's the only way I can make it right with the Doctor." Djoser was busy checking to see which of their weapons had survived the fire. "It will erase your debt to him, and I figure I'll make enough actual cash to pay Buffy back, plus have enough to stake me for another job with this Doctor. With the money from the second job, we can start over or search for our uncle Damon. We can decide that when the time comes."

Heaving a sigh, Spike sat himself down on the floor. All the chairs had been destroyed. "I'm the one who owes the Doctor. If the only way we can square things with him is to hunt down a couple of demons, then I should be the one to do it. You're not responsible for me."

"Don't push me, boy!" Spinning to look at Spike, Djoser snarled at him, sounding eerily like Angel. "You know I've been responsible for you since your rebirth, and when I had you run away from our Father that in essence made me your Sire. I *will* take care of you, but in turn you *will* obey me. I'm going to take you to Buffy's. She'll watch over you while I'm gone. You *will* behave and take care of yourself, so that when I get back, you'll be strong again. If you do that, then I'll take you with me on the next job."

Sighing again, Spike knew that he had driven Djoser to his limit. His brother would not listen to any more of his arguments. "Okay, mate." He grumbled quietly. "But bad things have always happened when we've been separated."

**

A forlorn Spike sat on a made up couch in the living room of the Summer's house. On his lap sat a paper bag that held his few belongings that had survived the fire. Sniffing the air, the vampire checked for any signs of the humans. No scents, the coast was clear. Opening the bag, he pulled out his one cherished possession, the jar with Elder Snow's eye. Wistfully thinking of Angel, he so wished he could call his Sire and ask for help.

"Hey, Spike." Entering through the front door, Dawn greeted the vampire. "Whacha lookin' at?"

"Nothing." Spike quickly hid the jar back in the paper bag. He was supposed to be behaving himself, and showing the Slayer's little sis a vampire eye floating in liquid formaldehyde would probably not rank high on the 'best behavior' scale. "Nothing at all. Just sitting here. . .err, thinking."

"Don't you want to watch TV?" Her own situation, absent father, dead mother, and overwhelmed, older sibling was so similar to Spike's that Dawn could empathize with the vampire's emotional pain.

"Not in the mood." Sighing, Spike clutched the paper bag tighter to him.

Smiling widely, Dawn tried to convey a sense of cheerfulness. "'Friends' will be on shortly. Want to watch it with. . . ?" Stopping, she realized that Spike wasn't buying into her act. "I'm sorry about what happened to the crypt, and I hope your brother comes back real soon."

"Yeah." Spike stared into space, thinking about Djoser. A part of him wondered if his brother would return for him. 'Now that he's gone, he might decide that his unlife is a lot easier without me.' He thought to himself. 'He might not come back for me, just like my Sire.'

**

Northern Nevada, October 2001

A couple of nights later, Djoser had tracked the Ahji demons to the Great Basin Desert. Pulling to the side of the road alongside an abandoned car, the vampire smiled grimly to himself. The two fleeing demons were leaving a trail that even a human could follow. Getting out of his own vehicle, he sniffed the air. There was no mistake; the car belonged to the two Ahji demons.

Sticking his head into the deserted car, Djoser checked it out, trying to determine why the demons had abandoned it. "Fools." The vampire whispered, as he noticed the gas gauge on empty. Straightening up, footprints in the sand flashed before his eyes like a neon sign that said, 'come get us'.

Going back to his own car, Djoser grabbed a sword and a shotgun out of the trunk. 'And they call themselves demons.' He thought to himself contemptuously. 'Finding them is going to be child's play. The easiest money I'll ever make.'

**

Watching their new recruits savagely kill a couple of unlucky Ahji demons who had accidentally stumbled on their camp, Jack Hawkins turned to his vampire ally, Elder Snow. "Satisfied?" He asked.

"They'll do." Snow answered abruptly. Amateur human demon hunters and Caitiff vampires escaping the Ventrues was not his idea of ideal followers. But there were few other options for him and Hawkins with the Ventrues closing in on them.

"Master." One of Snow's few minions who had survived the battle with Angelus and the Tremeren Clan in Sunnydale came running up to them. "Someone is coming - a vampire."

"Ventrues!" Hawkins exclaimed with alarm. "What the hell are they doing here in the middle of fucking nowhere?"

"I don't think so." Still speaking to Snow, the minion was never sure how to address his master's human partner. "He's alone, and I believe I recognize him."

"Who is he?" Snow turned to look at his minion with interest.

"An Heir Apparent of the Tremeren Clan, Angelus' oldest son, Djoser."

**

Following the demon tracks into the desert, Djoser paused a moment to look around at his surroundings. The Great Basin Desert reminded him of his birthplace. Memories of his childhood home flowed through him, and for a moment the vampire wished time could be turned back. That he could return to a period of his existence when life was easier, when he was loved, wanted, and cared for.

It was a mere whisper of another presence, but it raised the hair on the back of Djoser's neck. He was not alone. Raising his shotgun, the vampire stood perfectly still, using all of his senses to determine who or what was following him. A moment of calm before the storm, as seconds later they attacked, vampires and human thugs.

Riding up in a Jeep Wrangler, Elder Snow stood in the passenger seat. He wanted a good look to satisfy himself that the vampire they were about to capture was indeed Angelus' oldest Blood-Childe.

Sitting in the driver's seat, Jack Hawkins couldn't help but admire Djoser's battle skills. "Motherfucker can fight." Pulling up the handbrake, he waved his hand at a couple of Snow's minions, signaling them to ready the winch. "Lasso the bastard before he kills any more of our new men. . .Christ." He turned to Snow. "That son-of-a-bitch just slaughtered more than half of our trainees."

"They were expendable." Snow smiled with satisfaction as he watched his minions throw the steel cable that was attached to the Jeep winch around Djoser. "But that Childe is not."

**

"So after we kill Hawkins, are we then going to go to LA?" The question had already been asked, but the young fledgling felt the need to make conversation. Looking over at his Sire, his eyes were filled with adoration. Since being claimed by his father, he had never been happier.

"Perhaps we will go to LA, but I'm in no hurry to. . . ." Damon was interrupted by the arrival of two of his minions.

"Master." The head minion addressed him. "We scouted the area ahead like you ordered. There's a camp about five miles due west of here."

Damon's lips curled up in a small smile of satisfaction. "Hawkins." He hissed. "Ready the rest of the minions."

"Master." The second minion now spoke up. "We also saw and smelled evidence of other vampires. The Ventrues wouldn't be way out here, would they?"

"Vampires?" Damon was surprised. "No, reliable sources told me that the Ventrues have taken over California and are just starting to spread out into Arizona, but haven't gotten to the other western states. It must just be some Caitiff vampires who. . .Snow!" The thought of the renegade vampire struck him suddenly. "I bet he reunited with his human ally."

"Going to kill him too?" Damon's Blood-Childe asked curiously.

"No killing them right off would be too merciful." Eyes beginning to flicker gold, Damon could feel himself salivating. "I plan to torture them both. They attacked Tremeren Blood-Childer and will now pay the price for their crimes."

**

Sunnydale, November 2001

"If you would just stake me some money, I could go to Nevada. Something happened to Djoser, and I need to check it out." Spike continued his argument as he unenthusiastically followed Buffy through the cemetery. Two weeks had passed since Djoser had left for Nevada, and he knew that his brother was not coming back. But the question that nagged him, did Djoser abandon him, or did something else happen?

"For the tenth time, Spike." Buffy turned to face the vampire. "I already gave your brother money I couldn't spare. I don't have any more money to give."

Sighing in frustration, Spike looked around himself. "Then just let me mug one person, one bad person." He amended. "And I'll leave, and you'll never be bothered by me again." The last part was thrown in as an enticement.

"Ah huh." Twirling a stake in one hand, Buffy was skeptical. "Like I haven't heard that before. Listen. . . ." She resumed walking. "I made a promise to Djoser that I would look after you. So besides the fact that I really don't have any money, I sorta feel responsible for you. You and your brother kept your promise to me regarding Dawn, so I should return the favor."

"The situation isn't the same." Rolling his eyes, Spike once again trailed after Buffy. "I'm not some helpless teenage twi. . .teenager. I can take care of myself, and if you want to pay us back for saving Dawn's life, then help me find Djoser. He could be in real trouble, you know."

"I know." Pretending that she was totally absorbed in her patrol, Buffy was in reality, pensive. It had crossed her mind that Djoser could have met with some real danger, but she didn't know what do to about it. "He's somewhere in Nevada, another state. We have no idea exactly where, and do you know how long it would take to search the whole state of Nevada? If he is in some kind of mess, we'd be too late to do anything about it anyway."

"Oh, you're bloody cold about it!" Anger was beginning to replace frustration in the vampire. "If it were your sister instead of Djoser, I think someone would be having a whole different attitude."

"Spike!" The vampire had touched a guilty nerve in her, but even so she had no idea how to resolve the problem. There was no way she could leave Sunnydale, her sister, her job, and the trio of nerds that were beginning to annoy her. "I understand your need to find your brother, but. . . ." Buffy paused. "I just don't think it's a good idea for you while you're not one hundred percent, to go galloping off when you don't even know where you're going. If Djoser is in trouble, then he'll just have to find a way out of trouble. He's a big boy."

"Oh that's right." Quickening his pace, Spike stepped alongside Buffy. "Just dismiss him, cause after all, he's just a vamp, and. . . ."

"Did you hear that?" Interrupting him, the sound of a woman screaming stopped Buffy in her tracks.

"Hear what?" Spike's vampiric hearing had not picked up anything unusual.

"There." Buffy pointed ahead to a woman being chased by two figures. "Over there." She yelled as she broke into a run after the pursuers.

Still looking wildly around, Spike didn't see anything. "Over where?" He called back in confusion as he ran after Buffy.

A flying leap and Buffy tackled one of the pursuers dressed in a robe. Jumping up, prepared to do battle, she suddenly found herself alone. "Huh." Checking around herself, there was no one there, not even Spike.

**

Northern Nevada, November 2001

"Halt!" The sentry yelled out to the lone figure who was approaching their camp. Well trained, the minion immediately began a sensory sweep of the intruder. "Who are you, and what is your purpose. . . ?"

"Don't you recognize me?" The vampire interrupted with a snarl. "Fucking moron! I'm going to tell that idiot brother of mine that his fucking minions aren't so fucking perfect."

"My Liege." Dropping to their knees, the two sentinels realized that the vampire who stood before them was Nic, another son of the Old Master. "We couldn't see clearly. . . ."

"I don't want to hear any fucking excuses." Alone and on the run from the Ventrues since March, Nic was in a foul mood. "I'm hungry, tired, and I need the healer to look me over, so take me to him, pronto."

"Of course." Standing up, one of the guards immediately went to Nic's side to offer assistance. "Are you alone? Where are your minions?"

"You can see I'm fucking alone!" Leaning on the other vampire, Nic allowed himself to be supported. "Fucking Ventrues took out my entire lair. My minions. My. . . ." He stopped, closing his eyes as he regretfully thought about his now dead consort.

"Nic." Always alert, Damon had heard the raised voices and had come to investigate. "My brother!" Taking a hold of Nic by the shoulders, the vampire studied his younger sibling thoroughly. "You don't look well. Come." Putting a supportive arm around his brother, Damon began to lead him toward the camp. "Since I arrived back here in America, I looked for you but was told that you had perished in a Ventrue raid."

"Almost fucking did." Nic limped alongside Damon. "I'd really like to know what happened to that fucker, Judelin. Thought his philosophy was that *all* Bloodline vampires were to be protected. It seems that he's forgotten that and is now finishing what that bastard Snow started. . .And what the hell are you doing out here in the middle of fucking nowhere? Do you know how many markers I had to call in to find you." Griping was how Nic showed his relief at being reunited with his brother and the other Clan members. "What was our High Master thinking to send you out here? Oh, and by-the-way, did Angelus tell you that he and I parted on rather bad terms? But since the Ventrues wiped me out, I've got no other place to go. Do you think you could put in a good word for me with our *Master*?"

"I haven't seen nor spoken to Angelus." Damon answered in a clipped tone.

"What?" Stopping, Nic looked at his brother in surprise. "Now I know I was never good at remembering the proper protocol, but aren't you suppose to be reporting to our High Master that you've returned?"

"Haven't you heard that he's back with Darla? And that they're expecting a Pure. . . ?"

"I've heard the talk." Nic abruptly interrupted Damon. "Even some of the Ventrues are saying that this new Childe is a sign. Leave it to our esteemed older brother to be the father of the next vampire messiah. Fucker's a prolific bastard. Wonder if Darla made some kind of pact with a fertility goddess because. . . ."

"It's all bullshit." Damon broke off his brother's ramblings. "The Childe may be a Pure Blood but that doesn't necessarily make him special." Gripping Nic tighter, he began walking again. "I haven't reported to Angelus because of Darla. She's always hated us who were not her progeny. I don't trust her, so I was biding my time, waiting to see what she's up to. And I wasn't wrong because look who I found out here." The vampire led his brother over to the back of a cargo van where a prone body lie on top of some blankets. "He had been captured by Snow and his cohort." He motioned over to Hawkins who was gagged and chained up to another of the clan's vehicles.

"Djoser!" Leaning into the van, Nic studied his nephew. Comatose, Djoser was skeletal. Signs of torture covered his entire body. "What the fuck? So where the hell is Angelus? How could he have allowed this?"

"That, my brother is the million-dollar question." Damon signaled for the healer. "And I'm not going anywhere near LA until I have some answers."

**

Sunnydale, November 2001

Confused, Buffy looked wildly around herself. "Spike." She yelled out. "If this is your idea of a joke?" The sound of whimpering made her whirl around. "What the. . . .?" She couldn't help but exclaim at the sudden appearance of a young woman, lying on the ground crying. "It's okay. I'm here. I can help. . . ."

A feeling a vertigo passed over her as suddenly the young woman disappeared and sinister voices began chanting to her. "What did you do? What did you do? Buffy. . .Buffy. . . ."

Putting her hands over her ears, Buffy felt the world spinning when suddenly a demon in a blue robe was in front of her. Reacting instinctively, she threw a punch. The world spun again as the demon disappeared and before her, sprawled on the ground was Spike.

"Ow! Bloody hell, what did you do that for?" Scowling at her, Spike wiped his mouth with his hand. Buffy had split his lip just like she had Djoser's.

"Spike? What the hell is going on?" The words were hardly out of her mouth when Spike began to shimmer, dissolving into a demon. With a blow to her face, the demon snapped Buffy's head back, and she retaliated, throwing punches and kicks. A hand on her shoulder alerted her to a second opponent and she whirled, backhanding the enemy. The air flickered and suddenly she was watching the body of the young woman Katrina roll down the hill.

"Buffy!" Spike's voice called after her as she ran after the rolling body. "Buffy, what the bleeding hell is going on?" The vampire rushed down the hill after her.

"My God, Spike." Now kneeling beside Katrina, Buffy looked up at Spike, eyes wide with horror. "She's dead, and I killed her!"

**

Northern Nevada

Drinking deeply from their prisoner, Nic sighed with contentment. It had been a long time since he had fresh, human blood.

"Careful." Damon warned him. "Don't kill him. I want to keep him alive for a while. By the time I'm done with him, he'll find hell to be a picnic."

Fangs retracting, Nic stepped back to study the pale, limp human. "So this is the great vampire hunter, Jack Hawkins. If he's so great, why does he cry like a little girl?" The vampire couldn't help but grin as the moans and cries of Hawkins were still clearly audible, despite the gag in his mouth.

"I don't know." Even though his body movements were calm and measured and his human visage was in place, Damon still conveyed a sense of menace. "But they're starting to become quite irritating." Stepping up, he ripped off Hawkins' gag. With one hand he held the man's mouth open while the other grabbed Hawkins' tongue. Stronger than even most other vampires, he had no problem ripping the human's tongue out.

Mouth filling with blood, Hawkins couldn't scream, but the pain and agony burned through his whole body as his knees buckled and only his shackles held him up.

"Master." The last surviving Tremeren healer cautiously approached.

"Oh good, you're here." Damon turned to the healer while throwing the human tongue over to some minions. "Make sure he doesn't bleed to death." He motioned toward Hawkins. "I'm not done with him yet."

"The Heir Apparent has gained consciousness." The vampire healer spoke softly. "But he's very weak so be careful not to overtax him."

"Well, now we can get some answers." Damon was relieved as he made his way over to the cargo van where Djoser lie. He hated this not-knowing-waiting-game.

"You do realize. . . ." Following Damon, Nic could feel the human's blood flow through him, speeding up his healing rate. He was beginning to recover his old strength. "That we should be taking Djoser to LA *now*. He's needs his Sire, and if he were to die because we delayed taking him to Angelus, we can kiss our asses good by."

"Perhaps." Despite his younger and lesser status, Damon feared no one, including his older brother, 'The Scourge of Europe.' "But I'm beginning to wonder about Angelus. That his oldest and heir is out here in the middle of nowhere with no minions or bodyguards, tells me that our High Master lacks responsibility."

"Maybe." Nic shrugged his shoulders. "Or maybe Djoser is pulling a fast one. Some of William's ill-discipline has been rubbing off on him."

"Childe." Approaching the back of the van, Damon greeted his nephew.

Djoser responded by blinking his eyes. Anything more was too much of an effort.

Climbing into the van, Damon bit his wrist and held it up to Djoser's lips. "Tell me, Childe." With his free hand, he stroked his nephew's hair. "How is it that you were captured by those humans and vampire traitors? Where is your Sire?"

Letting Damon's blood dribble into his mouth, Djoser closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the strong, rich flavor of his uncle's blood. He rested another moment before making the effort to speak. "Darla." He croaked out. "She. . .William and I threaten her new Blood-Childe."

"And Angelus?" Damon grimaced inwardly. His suspicions had been correct.

"We left him back in the spring, and he. . .has made no effort to repossess us." Head falling back on a pillow, speaking took every bit of Djoser's strength, but he still managed to rasp out one more word. "William."

Body coiling up, Damon felt fear flow through him. "Did. . .Snow and those bastards kill William?"

"No. . . ." Gasping, Djoser knew he needed to give his uncles one last bit of information. "In Sunnydale. Slayer is taking care of him."

Rolling his eyes, Nic couldn't help himself. "You left William in the Slayer's care? How idiotic was that."

"Go to sleep, Childe." Damon pressed his bleeding wrist once more against Djoser's mouth. "I think I need to go and have a talk with our High Master." He looked over at Nic. "And you, I think you need to go to Sunnydale and retrieve the Clan's other Heir Apparent."

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