England, 1909
London
Spike and Drucilla, having terrorised the world and killed one slayer, had returned to the homeland of their mortal selves. For Spike the very city of his Vampirification. With Angelus…gone and Darla in the States with the Master, Drucilla was decidedly depressed.
"Don't worry hon. we'll find your sire."
Dru whined pathetically.
"What you need is someone to eat." Thus saying Spike searched the lamp-lit street for something resembling a meal. The scent of wine and coffee from a nearby café did nothing for his appetite. A lone member of the aristocracy sat in a black satin dress coat sipping red wine. Deep brown eyes met his own before turning to Drucilla with something akin to recognition.
"Drucilla darlin' is that you?"
Drucilla, drawn momentarily from her melancholy mood, shrieked with pleasure. "Oh Seth dear it has been too long. Have you been hiding from me too?"
"Hiding? Now why would you think that love? I just retired that's all."
"Retired from what exactly?" Spike asked, not entirely impressed.
The aristocratic vampire, who on closer inspection appeared to be in his early twenties-so only about three centuries out then-had brown eyes-as has already been mentioned-though not just any brown, Spike was forced to admit they were the deep, trusting colour most girls seemed to adore. More like some lost puppy than the feral creature he really was. He also had soft blond hair, which hung almost to his shoulders in loose tendrils. His wardrobe not so much hinted at opulence and wealth as shouted and screamed about it. Seth took a leisurely sip of his red wine before answering over the glass, "Oh pillage and plunder, the usual."
"What are you drinking Seth?" Dru asked.
"I have no idea, good year though…try some?" Dru smiled invitingly so the elder vampire dipped two fingers into his glass then held them out to Dru who delicately sucked the red liquid off.
"Oh please, I prefer something a little thicker to drink." Spike spat.
Seth laughed, "He don't half get jealous Dru, don't ever let him find out I'm no competition, it's fun watching him squirm. Who is he love?"
"The name's Spike kid, William the Bloody, now who the hell are you?"
The half smile never left Seth's face, "William the Bloody, well I am honoured. I heard you had fun in China recently?"
"We did have fun, such a tasty Slayer!" Dru replied proudly.
"I've taken a couple in my time, taste good don't they?"
"You've killed Slayers?" Spike asked disbelievingly.
"Only two."
"Oh…that Seth."
Seth grinned some more, "I told you, I retired. No more Slayer killing, no more sorting out vampire-or demon troubles for that matter. I'm being a more silent member of the Order of Aurelius these days."
"Talkin' of the Order, you haven't seen Angelus recently?" Spike asked, willing to put aside anything for his lover Dru.
"Angelus, Darla's boy? Now there was a kid with a talent for destruction if ever I saw one. I think he had some trouble in Romania a few years back."
"And here I was thinking you'd retired."
"Retired doesn't mean I've turned my back on the world. I like to know what my friends-and enemies-are up to. For now anyway. But if you want to find Angelus…I can't help." Dru whined pathetically, "But I do have a contact in Romania who might be able to help. She may be dead by now of course, I've not been to Romania for almost a century."
Seth told them where to go then drank the last of his wine. "Well it was nice meeting you again Dru dear, but now I really have to go. You see, like your dear friend Spike, I do prefer something a little thicker than wine."
"Enjoy your retirement." Spike said lifting Dru to her feet with a grin, only too happy to be seeing the back of this vampire.
"We have to find our werewolf." Dru replied apologetically.
Seth cocked a eyebrow, "You've lost your sire and your werewolf?" Dru pouted, "Well I'm sure you'll find them darlin', now if you ever need me I have a house in Mayfair under the name of Smith."
"Very imaginative."
Seth grinned, although as he had never stopped grinning it was more truthful to say he grinned more. "I know. Now I really have to go, good luck 'n' all." He gave Dru a quick peck on the cheek then-to Spikes utter surprise-did the same to him before leaving without a glance back.
Seth strolled along the streets of London humming quietly to himself. Now where to find dinner…
A woman walking her dog smiled invitingly at him. Her skin had that soft translucent quality of someone who hadn't done a days work in her life. He smiled back then moved on-not his type.
Two minutes later he walked into a fellow stroller, literally. "I'm dreadfully sorry sir." He said apologetic brown eyes staring. The man he'd walked into was a couple of years older than the vampire looked and was generally tall dark and hansom. Like the girl he was dressed in rich clothes and didn't look to have done a days work in his life.
"No problem I'm sure." Mr Tall-Dark-Hansom replied.
"Actually I was apologising more for what I'm about to do."
"If you intend to mug me I assure you I carry nothing of value."
Seth grinned, "It's gratifying to see that not all the aristocracy are snivelling idiots but you're wrong."
"What?"
"You could never carry nothing of value." Seth snarled, his face morphed as he did so, forehead swelling, fangs lengthening and eyes glowing amber.
To his credit the aristocrat didn't scream-although this may have been more due to terror than bravery as his eyes widened fearfully. He stupidly tried to outrun the vampire. Seth caught him with one hand about his neck and drew him closer. "I prefer somewhere a little more private for occasions such as these, don't you?"
Mr T-D-H let out a strangled cry, brown eyes staring up at the vampire as he clawed pitifully at the hand that held him. The vampire meanwhile-ignoring the pathetic attempts at defence-dragged his victim into a darkened ally and forced him up against the wall.
"What are you going to do?" Mr T-D-H managed.
Seth sniffed deeply the heady scent of fear and snarled, a sound closer to a purr than a growl. Then he met those deep brown eyes-not unlike those of a rabbit caught in a bright light-before running a talonned finger down the smooth pale cheek leaving a blood-red trail. "Don't worry I'm not going to rape you. Actually I was planning on eating you." He ran his tongue up the cheek tasting blood laced with adrenaline. With one last snarl he sank his teeth into Mr T-D-H's neck pinning the writhing aristocrat with his own powerful body.
A snarl sounded from behind the vampire disturbing his meal. Seth lapped a trickle of blood from his dinner's neck and paused to listen. Mr T-D-H's laboured breathing filled his ears so he backed away letting the aristocrat slump to the ground.
"Can't a vampire feed in peace any more?" He asked the world at large.
"Hungry." A voice replied from the night.
Seth turned slowly, maintaining his vampiric features. Amber eyes examining the darkness and the creature it held. The 'creature' appeared to be human, but then so many of them did. He looked to be about 5'10, shorter than Seth, definitely shorter than Mr T-D-H. His clothes were a mess, loose fitting black trousers, bare feet and a mostly white shirt open down the front to reveal heaving chest and taut muscles. His skin was lightly tanned-so not a vampire then, or at least not for very long-and a few scars were visible here and there. The creature's hair was slightly longer than Seth's falling just past his shoulders in thick dark waves. As he stepped forwards-with all the grace of a panther, but with a slight shake in his limbs as if they were barely under his control-his eyes caught the moonlight with a feral glint-the palest silver/blue eyes the vampire had ever seen-fangs filled his mouth and he snarled again, a far darker snarl than the vampire's own.
"Well who the hell are you?" Seth asked, not expecting, or getting, a reply.
A scuffling behind him told the vampire that dinner was trying to escape.
"Hungry!" the apparition snarled again before darting past the vampire with the speed of some wild animal. Now Mr T-D-H screamed as the creature set upon him, tore those expensive clothes from his chest and ripped his heart out. The creature, hunched over its prey more animal than human now, continued to devour his organs as the vampire watched.
"I see you found our werewolf." A voice floated out of the darkness.
"Spike, Dru, I didn't expect to see you again so soon." Seth replied smoothly without glancing away from the feeding creature.
"Did he steal your dinner darling?" Drucilla asked wrapping one slender arm around the elder vampire's neck.
Spike snarled silently as Seth continued to watch the morbid display before him oblivious to Dru's attentions. Once finished the creature sat up and licked blood from its face and paws turning a rapidly morphing face on the vampires. A wolven mussel seemed to mould back into a human face, feral eyes and fangs fading back to normal until only a nineteen-year-old boy with ruffled clothes and mussed hair remained.
"Did you enjoy the meal boy?" Seth asked companionably.
The werewolf licked his lips removing the last trace of blood before replying, "Yes." In a dull unaccented voice.
"Good. My, my Dru, haven't you been feeding him?"
Drucilla practically purred at the attention, "Wolfy gets hungry with the moon…very hungry boy."
"Are you hungry pet?" Spike asked determined to draw attention from the other vampire who was really beginning to annoy him now.
"Hmmm, bright moon…very hungry!"
"We should find someone to eat then." Spike prompted taking his lover in his arms.
"Yes, you do that kids, leave the werewolf with me." Seth replied eyes still on the ruffled figure before them.
"Hungry." Said ruffled figure put in.
"Hungry." Dru agreed with a dark smile.
"Right," Said Seth, "Let's go." And hope we never see this vampire again.
Seth laughed as if hearing the other vampire's thoughts-though it was easy enough to read his face. "Don't worry Spike, I'm no competition to you." He grinned more watching the panting werewolf, "She's not my type."
The park was silent this late at night but Seth knew nothing was ever as silent as it seemed. For example there was a secluded spot down near the river where couples liked to go to avoid attention. With the werewolf in tow he made his way to the water front. As predicted a young couple were taking full advantage of the seclusion. Seth smiled hungrily.
"Hungry!"
"I know pup, why don't you eat that nice little girl there?" The werewolf snarled.
The couple froze as the feral sound reached their ears. "What the dickens is that?" The toff asked, his girl shivering in his arms.
The werewolf snarled again and stepped out of the shadows. The girl screamed, her toff boyfriend tried to place himself between the creature and his girl. This didn't really work as she ran screaming for safety leaving him protecting nothing. The werewolf growled and, seeing the fleeing girl did what most canines are likely to do when presented with a running target. He gave chase.
Seth watched happily as the girl was run down, the semi-human monster ripping her throat out before tearing at her chest to remove the now silent heart. The girl's lover stared in terrified silence as her blood slowly soaked into the grass.
"He is a little over zealous isn't he?"
"Who in God's name are you?" More than a touch of terror laced that voice hinting at the adrenaline flavoured blood now pounding through his veins.
"Now I could say something memorable like; 'I'm your worst nightmare!' But as you're not going to live long enough to remember it I'll stick with Seth. I'm a vampire by the way." Seth snarled and morphed whilst his intended victim shook with fear. "Shhh, this won't hurt…much." With a purr the vampire sank his fangs into the toff's throat. The toff meanwhile screamed.
"Hungry." The incessant voice snarled.
"I can't take you anywhere can I?" Seth licked the last of the blood from the deceased toff's throat before throwing the body to the werewolf to finish. "This full moon thing don't half give you an appetite, don't it? And I thought werewolves were supposed to be all wolven for the full moon." The werewolf snarled, "Not too talkative are you…it doesn't effect anything else does it?" The werewolf tilted his head, a silent question. Seth stepped closer, ran one finger down his cheek, "I have to say you are the hottest thing I've seen in years." Seth lent in closer, till he could touch the werewolf's lips with his own. The kiss deepening quickly into something more…
Seth woke the next morning in his opulent bed in Mayfair. Probably all a dream then, Spike, Dru the cute werewolf, all of it. He rolled over and found himself face to face with said cute werewolf.
The werewolf looked much more human now, so young and vulnerable Seth almost felt bad for jumping him the night before, Could a vampire even feel bad? Apparently so, it was good to think that conscience didn't go out the window the moment your soul did-as far as love, or at least lust, was involved anyway. Although he knew he'd be feeling a lot worse about this if he did have his soul.
The werewolf began to stir; he stared blankly at the opulent room he found himself in for a moment before turning a guarded look on the vampire beside him.
"Good morning."
The werewolf's pale eyes met Seth's own dark stare as he mumbled a reply.
"I was hoping you'd be more talkative out of the influence of the full moon."
"I normally am, just not when I wake up in a stranger's bed."
It happens often? Seth was surprised to find he felt a little jealous. So he laughed, "Well if you play your cards right we might not be strangers for long."
"Forgive me if I'm not entirely thrilled."
"Do you remember last night?"
"No."
"Then I forgive you, if you could remember you'd certainly be thrilled."
"I'll take your word for it. Whose word is that by the way?"
Seth laughed again, "I don't think we were ever properly introduced." The vampire raised himself up on one arm, "The name's Seth." He leant over catching the werewolf a kiss full on the mouth, the kid was so shocked he didn't resist even when he felt the vampire's tongue rake the roof of his mouth. "I'm a vampire."
The werewolf looked a little awestruck for a moment and Seth worried he might have gone too far.
"Order of Aurelius?"
"Yes." Maybe he hadn't gone too far…
"Killed two slayers?"
"Wow, I really have made a name for myself haven't I? Pity I've retired."
"A vampire retired? I didn't think you could."
"And I didn't think werewolves remained human on the full moon."
"I'm Nathaniel, Nate. I was born a werewolf, I turn when I least want to, when I get angry mostly. But the moon still has some effect on me."
"Just a little."
"So how does a vampire retire, and how did we end up in bed together?"
Seth grinned, "By retired I mean I no longer kill for the Order. Unless someone attacks me I leave them alone. Except for feeding of course."
"Of course."
"As for last night I think we can put your behaviour down to the moon. And me, I was just unable to resist you. In fact I'm finding it hard to resist you now…"
Nate's pale eyes glittered with pleasure, "Maybe you should stop trying…"
Seth grinned some more, "Maybe I will." The vampire ran one hand up Nate's leg under the silk sheets. He leant forward catching the werewolf's mouth with his own. This time Nate returned the kiss, twisted his fingers in the vampire's pale blond hair. He moaned softly as Seth's hand reached between his legs. The vampire straddled his lover, letting his mouth stray down the werewolf's throat to where he could feel his pulse beating steadily more and more rapidly. He ran a tongue over the hot skin tasting the salty-but not unsavoury-flavour of sweat. As he took the werewolf again he sank his teeth into the boy's throat, savouring the metallic tang of fresh blood as he thrust harder and deeper. Nate screamed his name as he came clawing at the silk sheets.