*Disclaimer: I own nothing except my original character Aislinn.

THE FAMILY AURELIUS: SPIKE'S BEST IDEA EVER

3 February 1885 – {Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, London}

Spike has been a vampire for five years. He is living in London with his new family, the Aurelian vampires Angelus, Darla and Drusilla. It had been Drusilla who found him but it was Angelus who sired him and made him what he is today. His sire is famous for being evil, the most vicious vampire in recorded history in fact, and has been training Spike to follow in the family tradition. Lately Spike had developed an independent, rebellious streak though. He spent a lot of time on his own and he knew it was mostly because Angelus allowed it. Tonight he was hunting early the sun had set an hour ago, in Kensington Gardens. This is where he first saw her.

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, more than Drusilla, more than Darla, more than Cecily. This girl made them all pale in comparison. She had raven black hair that fell down to her hips in thick curls and pale creamy skin with a natural rose hue on her cheeks. Her eyes were light in color but he couldn't make out which color they were. Her eyebrows had a perfect natural arch to them, her nose straight with a slight button on the end to keep it from being haughty, her cheekbones high but not sharp, her face was heart-shaped but not too delicate. There was sweetness and innocence in her countenance but intelligence and humor as well. She had hourglass curves but because of the corseted dresses women wore he didn't know if they were natural or not. Her bust was full and high she stood about five feet four inches and looked to be young and healthy. He couldn't smell any sickness or disease on her, no other men either. There was a sweet scent to her, womanly certainly, but something more, something else that he couldn't identify. It smelled like sunshine and fresh rain and grass and summertime. She wore a lavender and sage green brocade dinner dress and sat on a park bench.

He watched her a moment. Her attire and personage were clearly upper class maybe even aristocratic and yet here she was in the cold February early evening in her dinner dress, which had short sleeves, without a coat and shivering and – crying – on a park bench in Kensington Gardens. It was a strange situation indeed. Someone had to be looking for her. Young ladies like her did not just go off alone. Spike looked around for anyone nearby who may be looking out for her but found no one. She was shaking her head and muttering angrily to herself now, dashing away her tears with the palms of her hands. He stepped a little closer to hear what she was saying.

"They're mad, they're all bloody mad if they think I'm gonna marry that horrible man," she was saying. Spike was startled to hear an Irish accent to her voice. It was lilting, soft and cultured but there nonetheless. Apparently someone wanted her to marry a horrible man. Well he couldn't blame her for being upset by that. He took a step closer and cursed under his breath when he snapped a twig and caught her attention. She gasped and looked up at him with wide eyes. They were sea green, her eyes, and the most beautiful he had ever seen, framed by thick black lashes and almond shaped but not narrow or small.

"Hello there," he kept his voice light and friendly with a hint of concern. "I was just passing by and couldn't help but notice you were distressed. Do you need any assistance?"

"No but thank you," she stated politely. She was wary of him, though and he could tell. She was right to be of course. Not only was he was a dangerous vampire but he was also a strange man at night in Victorian London.

"Are you certain? I cannot but notice you have no coat and it's very cold out. I could escort you back to your house or if you have companions nearby -," he offered. He wasn't sure why he was offering but something about her spurned protectiveness in him. "At the very least take my coat."

He had it off and offered it to her before she could protest. She put it on reluctantly then he remembered something and stepped forward taking hold of the lapels before she could stop him. He smiled apologetically, inwardly reveling in their closeness, and took his cigarette case and lighter from the inside pocket then stepped back.

"Apologies but I couldn't forget these," he gestured to the items in his hands before putting them in his jacket pocket.

"Of course," she nodded. "I will have the coat returned to you tomorrow, sir. May I have your name so I know whom to send it?"

Spike smiled again and took one of his calling cards from his jacket and handed it to her. She took it and read it silently then gave him a polite smile.

"Thank you for letting me borrow it," she said. "I don't have any of my cards with me but my name is Lady Aislinn O'Callaghan, Mr. Aurelius."

"Please call me William," he told her. His new alias Spike would have been too odd to tell her. She blushed slightly but nodded in agreement.

"Then you must call me Aislinn." He grinned at that and her blush deepened a bit more. "I should probably get back now."

"Are you sure I can't escort you? It's not safe for a young lady out alone at night even in Kensington," he pointed out.

"The house isn't far. They're likely looking for me by now," Aislinn said regretfully.

"May I ask what had you so upset? Has someone harmed you?" She smiled at the concern in his voice but shook her head.

"I'm having a difference of opinion with my family on a personal matter," she explained. She looked as if she might say more for a moment then shut down and he knew he wouldn't get any more out of her tonight.

"Well, in any case, I'm afraid I could be of assistance. It is getting colder out, though so you should probably get home," he suggested. She nodded and began walking away. He followed her at a distance to make sure she got home safely because he knew Angelus was hunting nearby too. She was special, he could feel it. Spike wanted to get to know her better before he introduced his sire to her. He still wasn't sure what he wanted from her. Normally he would have killed her, maybe raped and tortured her a little, but she was different. Her beauty and innocence likely had a lot to do with it. It seemed an unforgivable sin to kill something that beautiful. He watched her enter a beautiful mansion in Kensington Palace Gardens, clearly upper class, and then turned around and continued his hunting for the night.