Disclaimer: I own nothing; Joss is God, etc..

Spoiler: everything concerning Spike/Dru/Angelus/Darla is fair game.

A/N: I originally started this little One-Shot Series back in 2007/2008 and somehow never went further than the 1st three chapters. Shouldn't be a problem though since the pieces are in fact based on each other, but all completed in themselves; only chapter 2 & 3 are coherent. Again this is a translation from my german original writing. However, I might actually pick this up again at some point seeing that I always planned to and have actually already written some chapters for later on..

Dedicated to Natasa again, because she motivated me to do this and b/c her reaction to the last dedication was so cute. ;D

I. To Revere A Queen

London, England – 1880

He felt light-headed and strange; disoriented and recovered at the same time. As if he'd just endured the best sleep of his lifetime. It was bemusing like nothing he had ever experienced and yet not bad in a classical sense.

Anyway, it didn't matter. There were more urgent questions then the one about his condition now. For example, where he was. Or what had happened last night.

The last thing he remembered clearly, was that young woman who'd addressed him after he nearly bumped into her on the streets. Quite a presentable lady, that she was. She'd drawn him into a conversation, much to his surprise, and then… He wasn't exactly sure. Didn't she kiss him at some point? But then, maybe that had only been his imagination.

Well, he couldn't remember, so he postponed the thought for now and instead turned his attention to the other question at hand by, somewhat hesitantly, opening his eyes. After all, who knew if he really wanted to see what he was about to look at?

And indeed, what came to sight actually astonished him, though not in the way he'd thought of.

It was out of question that he was in a bedroom; a pompous master bedroom no less. Lying on his back he recognized the navy blue velvet of a canopy on a baroque four-poster bed above and oversoft down beneath him. The remaining room was in no way less striking. Costly wood panelling adorned the light-coloured walls; thick rugs displayed themselves on the matching wooden floorboards and sparsely placed, exclusive furniture emblazoned the space.

"William. So you awoke. Delightful."

The high, clear voice suddenly emerging from a far corner of the room was enough to have him bold upright in bed. Hectically his eyes scanned the surrounding; leaving him quite amazed at what came to sight.

A young lady was seated on one of the costly, red velvet coated armchairs, casually gazing in his general direction. The open fireplace to her right offered just enough light for her eyes to have wandered over the pages of the leader-clad book she was still holding. She was delicate and in her emerald green eyes an indefinably blaze was noticeable; her intricate dress reminded him of a noble woman.

It was an undeniable truth, for William that is, that all the pomp he had admired moments earlier paled in comparison to the beauty and elegance; the dignity radiating of this woman.

"Where am I?" His voice carried a thick British accent that immediately grew to her.

She closed the book and rose, but her eyes remained on it, lazily grazing the authors name engraved in the leather, her fingers following.
"The world must actually be in change when a woman is allowed to share her wonderful thoughts and earn the proper respect. I think I would like to meet this Mary, creator of a world of nightmares."

A small smile tugged at her lips during her musings and finally she put down the book and strolled over to the bed.
"You're home, kiddo." Her pale, enigmatic smile seemed decent enough. "Do you remember last night, William? You've died.. and you were born."

"You're not her." Stating the obvious like that made him feel like an idiot, but as much as he tried nothing else came to mind.

"No, I'm not. Drusilla is still asleep. They're sleeping together.. She will be here soon enough though - to care for you."

He was surprised by the hard edge to her voice he wouldn't have thought her to be capable of. Soon enough he would find out, that in this new world of his, appearance was meaningless. In this very moment on the other hand his memory remained his foremost concern.

Slowly the pictures crept back into his mind. "Drusilla .. She bit me, and I drank her blood. There was a man with her, smiling as I died."

She almost purred. "Yes, my Angelus." Then her voice changed again, a busy note to it now. "Do you understand what we are?"

It took him a moment to process. "Can you tell me?"

"You are not who you once were any more, William. The love in your heart remains the same. The hatred. The bitterness. The lust. Deeper and changed into row strength. We are above the living. They cower under our feet and we feed on their fear and humanity; invigorated by every single drop of blood. And you can feel it, don't you? This craving… Your heart, not beating any more. The dispensability of breathe. The way in which all your senses sharpen and let you notice all of a sudden all the things you never paid attention to."

She was observing, not asking – and she was right. Even though he sensed it only in this very moment.

Suddenly he was aware. Of the subtle scent of her skin, bringing a delicate mixture of jasmine and honey to mind.; the muffled sounds of the night, pouring in from the outside, even though all the windows were closed. He knew she had probably detected it by the look on his face already and yet he nodded slowly.

Once more she rewarded him with an almost innocent smile, though at this point he already suspected this impression of her to be a deceiving one.

"And who are you, luv?" He sounded much calmer now. Funny, when what he just heard should have probably had an opposing effect on him.

Her soft laughter interrupted his train of thought. "Oh, impolite me. My name is Darla. I sired Angelus, just as he did with Drusilla.. and now here you are, William."

She lowered herself down at the end of the bed, a faint smile crossing her lips when he backed away slightly.
Darla. He pondered on it. Yes, it suited her. "They talked about you."

He couldn't tell how much time had passed since his awakening; it probably didn't matter anyway. If he understood everything she'd told him correctly, than time was clearly the one thing he did have now.

"Yes, I know.. behind my back. Not much for loyalty, are they?" Her eyebrow raised every so slightly at the question.

William however missed out on it; his ocean blue eyes occupied with admiringly roaming over her. Her chest only sparsely covered by the light blue silk of her dress with it's white lace clinging to the neckline; her golden hair falling onto her shoulders in gentle waves.. "You don't seem so mean to me. More like absolute perfection."

"You're very sweet, William. It really is a pity that you're so young and all claims lie with Dru." Something like regret clouded her voice and she sighed ever so silently.

Astonishment and confusion stole themselves into Williams features. "Pardon me? If at all, I was only lookin' for some.. enjoyable company."

"Oh, you're much more than that now. You belong to each other, William. Just like Angelus belongs with me. Drusilla and you, you're connected now. And there's love between you, even though Angelus would argue with me on that, I know there is. Dru sired you, because she wanted you to belong to her – and I will be here to break Angelus' fall when she no longer wants to play with him."

He listened to her words carefully, unconsciously moving closer and she lay a hand on his cheek; tracing her fingers over his pale skin gently. An instant later he felt a pang, short and bittersweet and a few lonely drops of blood tripping from where her fingernail had sliced the soft tissue. "William, the Bloody." Her voice flattered and her fingertips traced the small track on his cheek. "How charming you are. So young.."

His fingers played with her blonde curls while he leaned closer and captured her lips with his own. He kissed her, simply because he wanted to. She pulled back though – eyes narrowed, lips slightly parted. "What are you doing? Don't!"

"Why not, luv?" He just gazed at her blankly. "You're a woman, I'm a man .. and anyway, isn't it all the same with this whole vampire-thing?"

"No. You don't belong to me. Intervening so early would be a mistake." An almost inaudible sigh left William's lips, but he let go of her nevertheless and leaned back onto the cushions. "Fine. So what happens now, luv?"

"You learn – and your first lesson is that in this mansion I am queen.", she explained not without the proper amount of pride chiming in her voice and a confident smile gracing her lips. At first his eyebrow wandered up in surprise and slight confusion, but then a smirk came to his lips. He already had an idea. "Whether Dru would like me blonde? I think, I'll dye it for you."

Darla's smile widened contentedly. The thought of sharing this little secret with him clearly to her liking.
"If that's the way in which you want to honour me, I support the idea."

The End