Parts: 41-45
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~Part: 41~
October 15, 1888
It had taken a little over a week, but Virginia had finally gained a small amount of Jack's trust. Tonight, she was asked to feed a few of his . guests. The first three rooms held women who were so close to death, even she was surprised they were alive. She'd thought Angelus was good at torture; Jack was truly an expert. When she reached the third victim, she found her, at least she was assuming this was a woman, hung from chains. There was not a place on her body that was unmarked. It was almost as if he had practiced what he would do on the streets on these women. There was a crusty black hole where her nose should have been. Her breasts had been removed. Her ear hacked off. She drew her eyes away from the poor creature and headed to the final room.
This room had locks on the door and not just the physical kind, magical ones too. She was about to go look for Charleston when he appeared. "This one needs attention," he murmured quietly. "Master wishes you to tend to it as well," he told her as his keys clanked against the pad lock.
Virginia nodded and entered the room once the wards were disabled. She glanced back to see an empty doorway; Charleston had probably raced back to his masters side. The young vampire turned back to the bed and managed to contain herself at the flash of red hair. She didn't know if 'Jack' was watching her or not, but she could not take the chance that he was.
She approached the redheaded figure and sat the tray she carried down, lifting the washcloth and beginning to clean the dried blood from her face. It was Willow; she was healing, slowly, from the beatings she had taken. It seemed that she'd been left alone. Her wounds had barely been tended to, but they were healing.
She finished cleaning the unconscious girl the best she could, then left bread and water on the floor, gathered her tray and quietly left the room. Now she just had to let Angelus and William know that Mistress Willow was alive. She walked down the hall toward her room.
"Soon, I'll be ready to use the witch soon." It was her new Master; he was probably talking to Charleston.
Or perhaps not, she amended, as Charleston stepped out of the room just down from Willow's. "Is it alive?" he asked nodding toward the witch's room.
"Yes," she replied, watching as he hurriedly rushed to the door, cast the wards and fastened the locks.
He returned to her and smiled. It was wrong somehow, the smile. It seemed out of place. "Master wishes to speak with you."
Virginia fought the urge to shudder and swallowed hard. "Now?"
That same twisted smile made her gut clench as he replied, "A few more moments. He is . occupied."
"I'll go to my room and change into a clean gown." She nodded and glanced at the bloodstains that she had gotten from the victims in the rooms.
Charleston gave her a curt nod and turned on his heel. There was a glare at Mistress Willow's door as he passed it. Virginia frowned and hurried to her room to change and quickly wrote a note to Master William telling him that Mistress Willow was alive, then hid it under her mattress. She would hand it off to one of Master Angelus' minions when she went out to feed later.
Taking a deep breath, she headed out to Master Jack's rooms. Who had he been talking to? And the witch; was he speaking of her Mistress? There had been whispers that she was a witch but it wasn't a fact known to her. If it was Mistress Willow, what use would he possibly have for her? As the questions in her mind bred more questions, she reached his door and hesitated. Before she could even raise her fist, the door opened.
"Are you going to stand there all night?" Jack's gravelly voice asked from across the room.
~Part: 42~
Jack smiled as she entered, "My witch. Is she healing?"
Virginia was surprised by the question. "The girl with red hair?" He nodded his reply and she swallowed, "It appears so. She would heal faster if she was bathed and her wounds properly cared for."
Jack frowned, "Charleston is, unfortunately, too frightened of her. He's been one of us so long that he has little memory of how to care for a mortal. I ." he paused, and mockery of a smile lit his face, "I never knew, or cared." He turned away from her and went to the window.
Silence. Silence stretched on for what felt like forever. After she was certain he had even forgotten she was there, he whirled toward her. Before she could think, he had his hand wrapped in her hair, forcing her head back and baring her throat an instant before he tore into it. She struggled against him as he drank, snarling when she fought against him. She stopped fighting and let him feed from her. Then, just when she thought she would crumble to dust, her tossed her to the floor. "Go, feed. Tomorrow you will be taught the wards and will care for my witch. I want her as healthy as can be in about three weeks."
She didn't move, afraid he would attack again. He didn't seem particularly angry; he just suddenly was on her. She watched as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at the blood on his face.
"In a few days I would like you to bring me a few more . guests."
"Yes, Master," she whispered, and then slowly picked herself up off the floor and cautiously made her way to her room. With trembling hands, she cleaned the wounds and changed clothes so that she would not attract unwanted attention. Gathering her note and heading into the streets, she hoped to find one of Master Angelus' minions. They needed to be aware of the Mistress' situation, in case the next time Jack turned on her, she *was* dust.
~~~*~~~
She headed for Whitechapel and wandered the streets feeding off the thieves and other criminals that frequented the area.
"You look like hell, pet," William announced from the darkness as she dropped her third body into the rubbish-filled alley. "And so messy," he admonished.
"Mas-William?" she breathed in shock. "I've seen her," she continued quickly. "She's healing, but she's been badly beaten and--"
"You've seen her," he interrupted, "Why the bloody hell didn't you get her out?"
She lowered her eyes, "I couldn't. Master, he is planning something," she whispered. "I-I've been asked to care for her. Tend her wounds. I have three weeks. They use wards on her room." She hastily explained all that she had seen and heard since her arrival.
He frowned, "I'll tell Angelus. Do what you can." He turned and walked away leaving her in the dark alley with the body.
Continuing on her way, she tossed the note into a fire someone had lit to keep warm. She fed until she felt she had the strength to protect herself and Mistress Willow. After that, she headed back to Jack's lair. She needed to come up with a plan, in case she was unable to meet with her true Masters again.
~Part: 43~
William calmly left Virginia in the alley. Outwardly, he appeared composed and collected. A gentleman out for a stroll. Internally, he was raging. Willow was alive! She was hurt and he couldn't reach her. He knew he couldn't just storm in and take her from Jack; it would be suicide. The master probably had enough minions to either take him out, or at least slow him down enough that he would never reach Willow in time. The more he thought about it, the more angry he became.
Crossing the street and entering a pub, he glared about as he ordered a pint. He caught sight of a sailor pawing at one of the barmaids, a slim thing, pretty enough with reddish brown hair. He crossed the room in a heartbeat, pulling her away from the seaman and snarling as he began to pummel the man. He flung him out the door and into the street. The patrons ignored the brawling pair once they were out of the pub.
The demon emerged once they were away from the bar, and William took out all his frustrations on the man. When he was finished, there was little more than a bloody patch on the street. Feeling only slightly less angry, he headed home. He snorted at the thought that when the remains were found, Jack would probably be blamed.
The young vampire entered the residence they had claimed and headed for the study. Angelus was going over some paperwork with a lawyer; William waited impatiently for them to finish. When the nervous mortal glanced his way he snarled. Angelus glared over his shoulder as he closed the door.
"Give me one reason I shouldn't chain you to the wall and flay you alive."
"Willow."
Angelus paused, frowning, "What about her?"
"Virginia has seen her." He told his maker of his meeting with the young minion and ended his tale with the bloody brawl in the street.
"That explains why you look like you slaughtered a debutante ball."
"Debutantes are messier," William mumbled.
"So, now we begin to plan and wait for word from Virginia." Angelus announced. Settling into the large chair behind the impressive desk and propping his feet atop the polished surface, he thought for a moment. "Three weeks. what happens in three weeks?" he murmured steepling his fingers under his chin.
"We'd bloody well better have my witch back before then."
Angelus chuckled for a moment, and then grew serious. "We will, boy, and Jack the Ripper will disappear."
October 17th, 1888
Willow groaned as rough cloth grated over open wounds. "William," she murmured, voice hoarse from disuse. The hand holding the cloth stilled. "William," she tried again.
"No," a familiar voice replied, then the voice became a whisper in her ear, "Do not let on that you know me, Mistress, or we may both die." The hands resumed their gentle movements, "My name is Virginia."
The redhead nodded and tried to open her eyes; even the weak candlelight stung her eyes. "Where?" she managed.
Virginia remained silent, then just when Willow was certain she would not receive an answer, the vampiress was whispering again, "Jack. Master Jack took you from the watcher. Ma-William and Angelus had been searching for you from the night you left, but Jack found you first."
Tears welled in her eyes and her body shuddered. William had been looking for her. He had simply been beaten. Pain and fear made her giggle at the direction her thoughts took. She had never known Spike to lose at anything he set his mind to, except the one time she truly needed him not to lose. Virginia lifted a cup to her lips and a cool bitter liquid slid down her throat.
"That should help you rest," Virginia murmured and stroked her hair. "I'll be back tomorrow."
Willow began to slip into drug induced sleep as she listened to Virginia's shoes tapping on the wooden floor as she crossed towards the door.
~Part: 44~
"Master, the newest minion. This Virginia, she is not to be trusted," Charleston reported as he knelt at his Masters feet.
Jack turned slowly from the window, "Send her to me. I shall. talk with her. Perhaps you should test her obedience if you find her so untrustworthy. Though. I do wonder why."
"She take such care of the human. As if she has feelings for it."
"A vampire doesn't care for a human. It is not possible. She will hurt it if told to. You can test her if you wish. Just do not damage my witch beyond use to me. Now. go."
He watched as Charleston hurried to his feet and left the room, then turned back to stare out the window. He frowned when he heard the light hesitant steps of Virginia enter the room.
"You asked for me?" her soft voice murmured from the doorway.
A servant from a neighboring home walked the dog of the master of the house. Jack watched silently; he didn't know how long he'd watched the canine and its handler but he heard the nervous shuffling of the young vampire behind him.
~~~*~~~
Virginia was growing concerned when Jack still didn't answer her. She glanced behind her and when she turned her attention back, Jack was inches from her. "M-master?" she breathed, bracing for the strike she was certain was coming. But he just . smiled, and somehow that terrified her more than anything she had ever imagined.
After an eternity of silence he spoke, "I have .a task for you. For today, you will obey Charleston as if he were me."
~~~*~~~
Willow heard the door open. It had been several days since she'd learned where she was and who had her. With Virginia's care, she was actually feeling better. She didn't dare ask her questions about William, but she knew the vampires were planning a way to get her out.
There was a barely audible sound of footsteps crossing the floor. Willow struggled to sit up. "So what do I get to pick at for dinner?" she asked with a slight grin as the vampiress crossed the room with a tray draped with a white cloth. There was a strange, frightening set to her mouth as she knelt and placed the tray on the floor. "Virginia?" she whispered.
"I'm sorry," the young vampire breathed as she tossed the cloth off the tray.
The tray didn't hold food, it held an assortment of instruments that could only be useful to a doctor. or to someone with plans of torture. Virginia was no doctor. As Willow opened her mouth to speak, the door opened again and the man Virginia had told her was called Charleston stepped into the room. The redhead stilled; something has changed. No one but Virginia had been into her room in almost a week, maybe longer.
"Use the scalpel first," Charleston directed from his place at the door.
"No. No," Willow pleaded, her eyes boring into the woman she had called friend. "Please don't hurt me," she begged as the scalpel was lifted. All other pleading was interspersed with screams of pain.
~Part: 45~
Angelus grumbled as William stumbled out of his room and into the elder vampire. It was bad enough that he'd been awakened just after he got settled into his bed for the day. He came to a stop when he saw Virginia sitting in front of the fire sobbing.
"Willow," William gasped, shuddering as he stepped past Angelus.
"Sit down, boy," Angelus growled, shoving the youngster into a nearby chair, ignoring the angry snarls as he passed.
"I didn't want to," Virginia sobbed, turning to face them. Her face was covered in purple and black bruises as well as an assortment of cuts.
William lurched to his feet, roaring, "What the hell did you do?!"
Angelus stepped between the two when he saw Virginia cringe back toward the fire. "William, sit down," he snapped, then turned flashing eyes on the minion, then in a softer voice continued, "What did you do?" He listened as Virginia told them the details of the night. She ended with Charleston's subsequent attack, because she had refused to kill the girl.
"Jack doesn't want her dead. He would have killed me if I had."
"He wouldn't have had the chance," William added from his seat, the one that now possessed ten holes where his fingers burst through the leather.
"I couldn't!" she exclaimed, "I would never have hurt her if he hadn't. he'd have killed us both!"
Angelus growled and began pacing, "How will you explain your absence?"
Virginia stilled a moment, then smiled. Her bruises were already growing lighter and her cuts beginning to heal. "I feared what Charleston would do. I went out. I knew the Master wouldn't want her harmed and--"
William flew out of the chair then, straight for her, "You did harm her! You cut her. Tortured her!"
Angelus tossed the youngster across the room, slamming him into the bookcase on the opposite wall. "Sit down, William." He once more turned his attention to his spy. "That's a good plan, if Jack will believe it."
"He will. Last week Charleston attacked me. I was-it wasn't good," she whispered dropping her eyes then looking back up at him. "Jack knows Charleston isn't. stable."
"I should think he would have a first hand knowledge of what instability is." Angelus remarked with a smirk that faded quickly. He glanced back at William; he'd thrown him harder than he had realized and the boy lay unconscious in a heap. "We must get her out of there before something worse happens to her."
"I think there is a way. Including me, Jack only keeps five others in the house. The others are near, but ." She began to lay out the defenses and weakness of Jack's lair.
Angelus smirked, "I believe we can work with this. Tomorrow evening go back to the lair, tend to Willow, and pretend nothing has changed. " He stalked over to William's unconscious body, "Now to control the boy long enough to save his witch."
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