Disclaimer: I own nothing remotely resembling Buffy the Vampire Slayer nor do I make anything from writing this.
Alright, first things first, I know I haven't finished 'Good Pet' yet but don't worry, I'll be updating it soon. This came to me one day and thanks to the lovely help of Scyllablue, who you should definitely look up and read some of her stuff, it got done to the extent that it is. Normally I don't ask for help but with this I decided that I wanted someone to read it first and give me their opinion and what I could make better. I feel very fortunate that she did and my thanks goes out to her. Now then, thank you to those of you who are taking the time to read this, I appreciate it and would appreciate it even more if you took the time to leave a review. So, without further ado here's the first part.
Angelus was stubborn; years ago he had refused his sire the delight of seeing him kill a favored daughter of a gypsy clan, thus freeing him of the fate she would have made for him, burdening him with a cursed soul. He had subsequently rid the world of dear Darla, protecting his family from her manipulations. She never did like his childer, wanting to keep him for herself. His grandsire was none too happy with the act of dusting his favored childe and although he was trapped beneath Sunnydale, CA he made that fact well known. After the fifth time he had been forced to defend himself he had seemingly disappeared, leaving the world to its own path to stay off his radar. His childer had every intention of staying with their sire, or 'daddy' as Drusilla insisted on calling him, but Angelus sent them off, not wanting his grandsire to turn his attentions to them. They kept in contact, going off to torment the world before taking their fun to the Colonies.
Until 1985 he lived in Europe, moving from court to court to stay just out of reach of his 'pappy'. It seemed that none of the European courts cared for his grandsire and each welcomed him into their sphere of influence if only to anger the self proclaimed Master. After his time in the courts he found himself drawn to a small town in Iowa. He didn't like not knowing the reasoning behind something, especially when he was the focus of such an event and immediately sought out his childer for information. Through Drusilla's insanity she was wise, held knowledge that no one else did, and if she didn't know she could find out.
He always knew where his childer were, their bond ran deep. The moment he opened the door to the warehouse they had made base in Drusilla wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing close against him, "Daddy!"
Over her shoulder he could see the nighttime New Jersey shoreline across the Hudson through the warehouse's large windows. She was a picture of loveliness as always, dressed in a black and maroon velvet dress, her old fashioned tastes never changing. Brunette, nearly black hair, fell in carefully done ringlets over her shoulders, making her look nearly like the dolls she collected and spoke to.
"Hey, princess." He smiled, petting her hair, he went to speak again but she put a finger to his lips.
"Hush." Her eyes closed for a moment and William approached from behind her.
He was dressed in a pair of well worn jeans that hung low on his hips, complete with holes in the knees. What had once been a t-shirt adorned his torso, sleeves, neck, and part of the bottom had been cut off to show part of his well toned stomach. His blonde hair was wild, parts of it hanging in his eyes. He looked the picture of an '80's teen.
"Sire, what brings you here?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow, his hands falling on Drusilla's hips.
Angelus reached behind Drusilla and stroked his hair, "I have some questions I need answered." He replied, her finger still against his lips.
She scowled, "Hush daddy, no talking." William chuckled softly and received a glare for his trouble.
He held up his hands, taking a step back, "Sorry, love."
She swayed back and forth slightly, her eyes closing as she lost herself in whatever voices spoke to her. Neither male moved nor made a sound, not wanting to interrupt her, she didn't like it when that happened. Slowly her eyes opened and she smiled, petting Angelus' cheek softly.
"Daddy is being called." She purred, "A soul calling for the claim of our daddy." She looked at William then back at her sire, "Such a young little soul. It needs you daddy."
"Tell me more princess."
Her fingers drummed against her temples, "Nasty creatures would hurt it, so innocent." Her voice was a low purr, "Follow your insides." She put a hand over his heart, "Listen to what the spirit tells you." She kissed his ear softly, "Go on daddy, go find your little soul. You must nurture it, take it, own it." She pulled back spinning in a circle and laughing softly, "We will have a little star Will." She purred, pressing against him, "It will shine so brightly and our daddy will darken it, make it his." She smiled.
"How will I know what this little soul is?" He questioned, hoping she wasn't lost for a time as often happened.
"You will know it when you see it daddy." She hugged him tight before moving over to talk to her dolls.
William shook his head, "It's good to see you sire."
Angelus embraced him, "Good to see you too childe. I wish I didn't have to cut this visit short."
"Hey, I understand, have to go find this little soul or whatever's got your demon in a bunch."
He laughed, "Interesting way to put it. Take care of the princess, yeah?"
"You know I will." He smirked, "Go on, get out of here, we'll come visit once you've found what it is you have to find."
With the knowledge that Drusilla had given him he set out to Huxley, his demon calling for them to make their way there. Having some knowledge of what he was after he kept his eye out, trying to find the young soul she spoke of. So when he saw the 5 year old towheaded boy he knew what he was seeking. Angelus could be patient when the situation presented itself and he knew that acquiring this gem would take all of his skill and he would have to bide his time. There was no point in taking a child, having to feed and take care of it while dealing with questions regarding its parents was something he had no desire to deal with. He would have to watch and manipulate the boy from the shadows, being careful to guide his life in the direction he wanted while not being discovered. The Watcher's Council didn't take kindly to demons in general, never mind the fact that he was going to control a human. If they found out, his plans could be ruined.
Riley Finn was a happy boy in a long line of Marines. The men in his family always seemed to join the service, it was his legacy and although no one had ever told him that he was going to join he had already made up his mind from a young age. Of course Angelus had no plans to let him carry through with that idea, he would not have him joining any form of militia. He would have to catch him right out of high school, prevent him from carrying out his plans for his future.
He was a relatively happy child, Angelus observed, and although he didn't get to see his father often he understood the reasons behind it and the time he did spend with his father he obviously cherished. His mother it seemed wanted a stable home for Riley and to give him that they didn't move with his father from post to post, remaining instead in their little home.
Angelus watched quietly from the shadows, his eyes taking in the boy as he slept, curled around a teddy bear. He would watch him grow, making sure no one else tried to take him, making sure he stayed safe, and then, when the time was right, he would possess him. The very few other vampires and demons in Iowa knew to stay away from Angelus' prize and most respected that knowledge. It was the rare few who threatened to undo all of his hard work in protecting the boy that angered the vampire.
A low growl escaped Angelus' lips as he watched the black skinned, flesh eating, demon eyeing the eight year old Riley as he slept, "What do you think you're doing?" His voice was a low hiss as he stood behind the creature. It let out a guttural grunt in response, "Oh, I don't think so." He growled, whiskey eyes darkening in anger, understanding what the creature was trying to say. With a quick movement he grabbed the creature by the throat and hurled it away from the window, "He's mine." As the demon was getting to its feet Angelus slammed into it, growling and forcing it back to the ground. Game face firmly in place he snapped at the demon, "You will be an example to those who would dare defy me." It made another incoherent sound as it tried to escape, struggling under the powerful vampire.
Angelus' grip tightened, his nails digging deep into its flesh. He watched in delight as black blood bubbled up around his fingers, dripped down onto the soft grass beneath them. He knew better then to drink the blood of demons and generally avoided contact with it all together considering the results some demonic blood had on whoever touched it but he also knew that this particular type of demon's blood was safe to touch. His fingers dug deeper, forcing more of the viscous fluid out. A wicked smile spread across his features as the creature struggled to breathe, grabbing at his wrist in a very human gesture. Easily he pinned it down, with every struggle his nails went in deeper and more blood flowed. Once the struggles ceased he pulled back slowly, his smile wicked and cruel as he looked down at the dead demon.
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust." He laughed, picking up the corpse and carrying it away, not wanting the body to mar the yard of the child he had chosen.
Angelus adored overcast days and especially Midwest winters. The snow and clouds made it easy for him to keep an eye on his boy even in the daylight. A thick blanket of snow covered the land and Riley was upset at having to go to school. An eight year old would rather stay home and play in the snow instead of going to school, if it had been up to Angelus he would have his way. Riley walked to school, sulking on the way, hands buried deep in the pockets of his jacket. The vampire followed quietly, watching as the young boy pouted, dragging his feet through the snow as he made his way to school. Angelus didn't mind the cold but he dressed warmly, didn't want to arouse suspicion as to his attire, and he kept himself fully covered in case the sun decided to peek out from behind the grey clouds. Riley was oblivious to his presence, wrapped up in his own thoughts.
"It's not fair!" He exclaimed, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, looking up at the grey sky.
"What isn't?" Angelus questioned, making himself known.
He turned quickly to see him standing there, "I don't want to go to school." He whined softly.
A low chuckle escaped his lips, 'He's so innocent.' He thought, looking down at him, "I know." He said sympathetically, "Who would on a day like this?" He smiled, "But, everyone needs an education. It's important and just think; when you get home you can do whatever you want." He was tempted to reach out and touch him, run his fingers over his cheek, but he wouldn't, didn't want to frighten the boy. He was perfect, even as a child Angelus adored his form and couldn't wait to see what he would look like when he grew, "You should really get going." Riley turned and ran, heading towards school. Angelus smirked, "He's so trusting, I'll have to work on that. Can't have someone trying to take advantage of him." He watched him go before following his trail to the school.
He watched quietly as Riley sat through class, watched him play at recess with the other children, and watched as he walked home. He hated having to be so patient but he wanted everything to be perfect. Riley didn't have many friends; he was a soft spoken boy who didn't care to be the center of attention. A very large part of Angelus wondered why he wanted to be in the military with his personality but he was strong, willful, and Angelus liked that.
By the time Riley was ten Angelus had begun sending him dreams. He wasn't as talented at manipulating minds as Drusilla was but he had a certain knack for it. He made sure Riley felt protected, sheltered in his dreams, even as he sent him visions of creatures that could only be found in legend. Through these dreams Riley began to develop an interest in the occult, reading vampire stories in the dark with naught but a flashlight to read by. Angelus found great delight in Riley's budding interests, discreetly maneuvering him deeper into the world of darkness. He was still unsure of how he would react when he discovered that everything he had been reading about was real. On top of his interest in books he began to show the desire to involve himself in sports and at the age of twelve he started playing baseball.
It was at his first game of the season that Angelus met his father; it seemed like every time Sergeant Finn was on leave Angelus had been dealing with other problems and had been unable to watch over Riley. It was an overcast day in spring and Angelus watched the game with interest. He had never been one for sports but seeing Riley play was something he could get used to. His father was on leave, had taken it just for this event. There was no greater joy in his life to be with his son, to see him succeed and enjoy himself. Angelus knew who he was the moment he saw him, sitting with Riley's mother in the stands as they watched their son play. His eyes narrowed dangerously as Riley was pulled into a hug after the game, his father proud of his only child. He didn't want anyone else in the boy's life but him. Of course he wouldn't kill his father, that was something that would ruin his boy and he wouldn't have that. He was jealous, jealous that they could have him when he couldn't. A low growl escaped his lips and he turned away, not wanting his emotions to get the best of him, he would not have his plans ruined.
Riley had matured well, was tall and lean. He had muscle from playing baseball and training himself for his future military career. He took good care of himself, ate right, exercised, unconsciously grooming himself the way Angelus desired. Riley was fifteen before Angelus had to intervene again. After killing the demon the others had stayed well enough away from Riley and his family. Riley had found other ways to get himself into trouble, his altruistic nature getting the better of him on more then one occasion and he was a protector, always looking out for the little guy no matter how hard Angelus tried to break him of it through his dreams. It was midsummer when he and a group of friends had taken a late night trip to Des Moines without their parent's permission. It hadn't been Riley's idea but he went along with it, wanted to get out of the house for awhile. The night air was warm as the four boys walked the streets, looking for something to spark their interest. Angelus kept a safe distance away so as not to be noticed, he didn't like Riley out at night even though other creatures knew better then to mess with him humans were another story.
Angelus ignored their conversation, he didn't care what they were talking about, his focus was on the shadows and every possible threat. Riley's voice broke his focus, "Hey, where's Devon?" He asked, a scowl on his face.
Angelus narrowed his eyes, yes; one of the four boys was missing. He mentally hit himself, how could he not have noticed? The teens looked at each other before glancing back toward the alley they had just passed. The vampire that was tailing them went down the nearest street, climbing up the fire escape to get to the roof so he could keep a look out from above, he couldn't afford to be noticed. The moment he got to the roof he wished he hadn't let them out of his sight, even for the few moments that it took to get there.
"Hey! Let him go!" Riley was shouting at someone or something causing Angelus to curse under his breath and move quickly to the edge of the roof so he could see what was going on. Devon was held against a dark form, his body limp, the front of his shirt stained red with blood. The vampire unconsciously licked his lips at the sweet copper smell of blood in the air. Riley shouted again, "I said let him go!"
Angelus growled as the figure caught sight of his boy, dropping the dying boy to the dirty ground of the alley. The other two boys were no where to be seen but Angelus didn't care, the only thing that mattered was stopping Riley from getting himself killed. Silently he moved to the edge of the roof that would put him behind the figure.
"Blood will spill, cover the land in darkness." The clearly deranged man spoke, voice cracking as he spoke through lips deformed by oozing sores. Spittle smeared his lips as he stepped into the sphere of a street light, "The holy one will come!" He raised his blood stained hands to the heavens. His hair was matted and greasy, falling into his face, wild blue eyes looked out from the blonde locks, "The holy one will come and the world will bleed! Drenched in crimson!"
Riley took a step back, "You're crazy!" He stepped back again as the man advanced.
"More sacrifices."
Angelus dropped down from the roof, snatching the man by the throat, "Run boy!" He growled at Riley, "Foolish child." He hissed, the man struggling against him.
"But…"
He glared at him, "Forget your friend, get out of here now!" He ordered, compelling him to obey. Riley shuddered at that voice before turning and running, "You messed with the wrong person." His nails dug into his skin.
The lunatic gasped, driving the knife he had used to cut Devon's throat into his leg, "Beast! Beast!" He cried, "You cannot interrupt the sacrifice!"
The vampire hissed in anger and pain, his nails digging deeper, his face shifting, "Bitch." He spat out, driving his fangs deep into the man's throat. He jerked back, spitting out the blood, "Disgusting." He jerked the knife out of his leg and dropped both it and the man to the ground, "Tainted by drugs, how can humans do that to themselves?" He spat on the ground before looking back at Devon. He was gasping for breath, barely alive, "I'm not turning you boy." Easily he wrapped a cloth tight around his throat to stop the blood, "I won't let your death hurt Riley either." He picked him up, carrying him out of the alley, moving a bit down the street before putting him down, hearing sirens blaring from a block away, "You'll live." He bolted down the street, heading back up to the roof so he could watch, knowing Riley had been the one to call and he would be back soon.
He didn't have to wait long, Riley ran to his fallen friend, taking his hand, checking his pulse. The other two boys weren't far behind him. When the ambulance arrived Riley tried to get them to let him go with them but they wouldn't let him since he wasn't family. Angelus wanted so badly to take Riley, to comfort him, assure him that his friend would live; he both hated and loved that forlorn look in his eyes. Once he had made sure that the three of them were back in their car and heading for the hospital he headed home, there were only a couple more years before he would possess the boy and he had to make sure he was prepared.
Riley Finn graduated with honors, was on the varsity baseball team, and was about to be kidnapped. Angelus had contacted his childer and formed a plan, was ready for grad night. Riley was happy to finally graduate, he had put off enlisting, having too much to do but now that he was finished with High School he was going to sign up first thing in the morning. Right now though he was more interested in getting out of the suit and tie he was wearing and into something more comfortable.
"Hey, Riley, you coming?" Devon asked, breaking him from his thoughts.
He smiled, "Yeah, be right there." He turned from the door of the gym where they had graduation and headed over to his friend.
Devon bore a scar across his throat as a reminder of his near death experience and both boys had always wondered who it was that had saved them. It didn't matter that much to them at the moment though, they were far more interested in going out and having fun. Angelus growled softly from his perch on the hood of Devon's car. The two boys would be coming back to it soon so they could get going but they were taking too long. He had taken great care in his appearance, wearing a pair of black slacks, Patten leather shoes, and a blood red dress shirt. His hair was smoothed back, tamed with a generous helping of gel. William and Drusilla were leaning against the cars on either side of them, waiting far more patiently then their sire was. Drusilla's taste in attire hadn't changed at all and she was wearing the same dress she had been when she informed daddy of the little soul. William on the other hand had changed with the times and was dressed in a similar fashion to his sire, deep blue replacing red, and his hair was smoothed back in the same fashion. He had been tempted lately to bleach his hair but the moment Angelus found out his intentions he had vetoed that idea, refusing to have his childe look like some high school reject. Finally they came out, Devon in a pair of baggy jeans that were a little too big for him, held up with a thick black studded leather belt. Riley wore a pair of nearly skin tight black jeans, a white button up shirt hung open over a black tank top. He wore no belt and his boots were carefully polished to a shine. Much to Angelus' chagrin Riley had already had his hair cut to military standards in preparation for his departure. Angelus smiled when he caught sight of them, his smile fading to a frown when they stopped.
"Hey, get off my car!" Devon shouted, the pair moving towards them, scowling.
Angelus smirked darkly, "And what happens if I don't want to?" He questioned, stretching slowly, "You know, a little gratitude is always appreciated."
Riley's eyes grew wide, "You're the one…" He looked at Devon, "He's the one that saved your life."
Angelus clapped, "Bravo, I knew I was right about you." He hopped off the hood of the car.
Riley scowled, "What are you talking about?" He was trying for tough, but at eighteen it came off more petulant and Angelus decided he couldn't wait to hear that voice make some of the more carnal sounds he had in mind.
"Thank you." Devon said sarcastically, "But that doesn't explain why you were on my car."
"You're right, absolutely right, it doesn't." He paused, approaching the two teens, "Actually, I'm here for one reason." He flashed a wicked smile, "Riley."
"What do you want?" Riley asked slowly, narrowing his eyes.
Angelus moved closer to them, "You." He replied simply, "Just you." With a quick, greedy movement he picked the boy up, tossing him over his shoulder, holding him there easily while William and Drusilla moved to restrain the other.
Drusilla purred, catching Devon's eyes with her own, "Forget." She purred, "Forget about the child Riley Finn, forget about what happened. Sleep." She ordered, watching him collapse in William's arms.
"Devon! No!" Riley struggled, trying to jerk himself free of Angelus' grasp, fists uselessly pounding his back.
"Put him in his car." He growled at William, "Dru, knock him out."
She smiled, petting Riley's face to get his attention, catching his frightened gaze, "Sleep pretty soul." She purred, letting him slump in Angelus' hold.
"Thank you, princess. Let's go kiddies. I want him trapped when he awakens, there's a lot to reveal to him, I can't wait to see his reaction." He laughed, carrying his prize away, William and Drusilla following after, her songs of happiness about her daddy and his little soul echoing through the deserted lot.
Next Chapter: Riley wakes up.