To Tame a Demon
A fic by: Jen & Vix
Rating: M
Pairing: Buffy/Angelus
Disclaimer: We don't own them...sadly, Joss does.
A/N: Thank you to Amber for beta reading this for us. You're awesome. Oh and hey if you haven't checked out Amber's fic, "You're No Mr. Smith" under the Buffy/Angelus part of this site, you seriously have to...it's AMAZING!
A/N-2: Sorry for the delay in posting on this fic everyone...I'm so sorry, I know I've been working on other fics, but musie is all excited about this one again, so I'm capitilizing on that and getting as many chappies done as I can. I'm more than half way through chappie 10 as we speak. So please forgive me...I know my musie is a fickle little creature and I wish I could MAKE her go where I'd like, but all I can do is write when I'm inspired. So...anyways, hope you like this chappie and thanks for all your support for this...we love you all bunches. :) :) :)
Jen & Vix
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Chappie 9
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Angelus pulled up in front of Buffy's dorm.
"So…I'll see you tonight?" she asked, leaning across the seat to kiss him goodbye.
He gave her a lingering kiss as he tried to come up with a way to get out of seeing her later. Tonight was the Festival of Champions. It was one of the most important nights of the entire Gathering. Every clan offered their fiercest warriors to do battle against all challenges. He was the Champion for his clan. he'd already missed last night because of Buffy, he had to be there tonight, yet he found himself nodding despite knowing he shouldn't.
Buffy grinned. "Okay, well…I guess this is goodbye." She grabbed the handle on the door, hesitated, and sighed, not wanting to leave. "Angel, I'll—"
He grabbed her and pulled her across the seat, almost into his lap. "I'll miss you too," he growled, and kissed her deeply.
Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck, and threaded her fingers through his silky hair as she returned his kiss with enthusiasm. After several long minutes, she pulled away, breathing hard. "Okay…that should keep me daydreaming through all my classes today," she quipped, placing a hand over her heart.
Angelus knew he had to let her go. He had things to do—one of which was placating Darla, but there was something happening to him that made him want to spend every second of his day with her. "Don't go yet," he said, and wrapped a hand in her hair. "You make me feel alive, lass," he murmured and kissed her again.
Several more long kisses later, Buffy finally drew away, panting. "Oh God…I—let's go back to your place," she blurted out. "I'll skip classes today."
He took several deep, unneeded breaths to calm his rising lust. As much as he wanted to do just that—he couldn't. "Don't tempt me," he said softly. "You need to go to class, and I have things to do as well." He kissed her quickly on the lips. "Go, hurry, before I change my mind and drag you back to my house and keep you in my bed for…" He smirked. "Well, forever," he said. The idea was tempting indeed. Had a Slayer ever been turned?
Buffy licked her lips and sighed. His offer sounded far more appealing than classes, but she had a huge Psych test today… She pouted. "Fine, but I will see you tonight, right?"
"Try keeping me away," he said and kissed her one last time before she hopped out of his car and walked off into the sunshine. He watched her go, knowing he couldn't follow. Her ass jiggled just right in her jeans and he licked his lips as he watched her cross the grass, heading for her dorm. He was about to pull away when her soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend stepped out of the building and grabbed Buffy by the arm. Angelus put the car in park to watch.
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Buffy was surprised to see Riley and stepped back. She glanced down to where he was holding on to her. "If you want to keep that hand, I'd suggest you let me go." He did and she glared up at him. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you, but you weren't there." He gazed over to the black Mustang. "Where were you?"
"I'm so not gonna answer that. We're over, Ri. Deal with it," she said and breezed past him.
"You think I'm gonna let you dump me—just like that?" He grabbed her arm again. "Think again, bitch!" he snarled.
Buffy winced. "Let go of me," she cried and tried to yank her arm back, but found she couldn't. Riley's strength was ten times what it used to be. "Someone got another dose of super juice, huh?" she snapped, biting back the pain.
He yanked her closer to him. "You have no idea, Buffy—let me show you what else was…um…enhanced." His eyes blazed. "Since you've been giving it up to that asshole you met a few days ago…" His face contorted. "I figured if you could play the whore for him, you could play the whore for me too. At least I earned it with all your fucking teasing!"
Buffy's eyes bulged. Riley was an ass, but he never talked like this. "What's wrong with you?' she asked, trying to tug her arm away again.
He slammed her against the building. "Nothing's wrong. You need a firmer hand, so I got an upgrade." He shrugged. "You know, since you fight demons…I was thinking…maybe you want some monster in your man," he growled and despite her struggles, he dragged her into the building. "So I'm going to give you some monster—a lot of it—all day long."
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He couldn't hear their words, but Angelus knew the boy was threatening her. Enraged, he jumped right out of the car—until his hand caught on fire and he was forcefully reminded of his extreme allergy to sunshine. He'd never make it to her. "Dammit!" he snapped and shut the door.
His eyes scanned the building looking for shade to park under. "Fuck," he cursed when he realized there wasn't any. His expression darkened further when he saw Riley slam Buffy against the building, then drag her inside, Suddenly, he didn't give a fuck about the sun—he had to get to Buff. He gunned the engine and peeled out, jumping the curb and driving the car right up on the grass and across the quad, almost up the steps of Buffy's dorm. He jumped out of the car, and rushed up the steps with his jacket over his head. He got to the doors, and snarled when he realized there was a code to get in. "Son of a bitch!" he snapped. He debated for all of a second before he kicked them in and rushed inside. He stopped when he got to the stairs. Where to now? Buffy's scent blended with so many others, he couldn't pin point which way Finn had taken her.
"Oh my God! What happened? Are you okay?" a voice asked from behind him.
Angelus turned and a slow smile spread across when he saw a woman standing there. "No lass, it seems I'm not, but maybe you could help me," he said, leveling his seductive brown eyes at her. "You see my girlfriend just got dragged into this building by her ex." He gave her his sweetest smile. "I need to find them, so can you tell me which room Buffy Summers is in?"
The girl felt disappointment crash down and scowled. "Figures…she always gets the hot guys!" She glanced at the broken glass on the floor and broken doors hanging from the doorway. "Did you do that?"
Angelus almost snapped her neck. He bit back his snarl and took her hand. "That's not important. What is important is that you tell me where Buffy is." The girl's eyes started to dilate. "That's right—you see it now, don't you?" She nodded and Angelus smirked at how easy some humans were to the thrall. "Okay, now think…which room is Buffy's?" he asked softly, rubbing his thumb along her palm as he stared deeply into her eyes.
The girl moaned softly and leaned forward. "She's in 117—up the stairs and to the right," she whispered, almost falling over when Angelus suddenly dropped her hand and took off at a run up the steps.
The girl watched him go with a dazed smile. "Wow…" she breathed.
Angelus could hear the scuffling inside the room, before he even got to the door. He didn't hesitate. He lowered his shoulder and slammed it against the wood, nearly falling into Buffy's room when the door burst inward. His eyes landed on Buffy lying on the bed, pinned beneath Riley. He was—Angelus' eyes went gold—thrusting against her. The only thing that saved Riley's life was that they were both still clothed. "Get the fuck off her!" he roared and grabbed the boy by the belt loop of his pants and his shirt and flung him across the room.
Riley flew through the air like a torpedo and slammed face first into the wall with a thud.
Angelus knelt by her bed. "Are you okay?" he asked, running his hands over her face and body, checking for any obvious signs of injury.
Buffy sat up, blinked and started to cry as soon as she saw him. "He tried to—he wanted to—oh God, Angel…thank God, you're here," she cried and threw her arms around his neck.
To say Angelus was stunned, would be putting it mildly. She was the Slayer. She killed things far more frightening than this human piece of shit. Why was she so scared? Then it hit him—'Soldier-boy' had intended to rape her. He cuddled her to his chest. "Sssh…he can't hurt you. I'm here." He glanced over at Riley who was just sitting up. The boy's face was bloody, and Angelus figured his nose was most likely broken. His dark eyes glimmered with malice. That was only the beginning to what Riley Finn would suffer for daring to defile what belonged to him.
"What are you?" the soldier asked, wiping blood from his eyes and nose.
Angelus smirked. "You're worst fucking nightmare, boy. Now…before I decide to gut you right here—I'd suggest you take this opportunity to run." His eyes were filled with hate, but he held Buffy gently. "Run far… and run forever, because…" He smirked and Riley felt real fear strike him then. "If I ever see you again, I'll pull your guts out through your nose and play "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" with your innards! Got it?"
Riley scrambled to his feet, using a dark green bandana to wipe the rest of the blood from his face. "You can't threaten me. She's my girlfriend." He glanced at Buffy. "Tell him, baby. Tell him who—"
"She's mine," Angelus stated boldly. He narrowed his eyes "Go ahead…say she isn't and I'll skip the 'running for your life' part of this and go right to the 'me cutting your tongue from your mouth' part!"
Riley stuffed his blood soaked bandana in his back pocket. "I'm not scared of you," he bragged, puffing out his chest. "She's my girlfriend and I can—"
"She isn't your anything, boy." He cupped Buffy's tear stained face. "Are you okay? Do you want me to kill this piece of shit right now?"
Buffy finally came out of her stupor at the killing part. She shook her head. "No, he's not worth it," she said and got herself together. She glared at Riley over Angelus' shoulder. "Get out and if you ever come near me again I will beat you until you're unconscious."
"Buffy, you can't be serious," Riley said, but she just glared at him with a look that told him she was very, very serious.
"Fine, but when this guy dumps you for his next plaything, don't come crawling back to me," he snapped and stomped towards the broken door.
Angelus left Buffy to grab Riley before he was out the door. The soldier was taller and bulkier, but Angelus was scarier. "This isn't over," he whispered and tossed Riley out of the room. He manhandled the door back into place and got it to close, despite the hinges being shattered.
He turned and smiled. "There, at least you'll have some privacy." Buffy's lip jutted and her eyes welled with tears again. His smile faded as a sickening ache started to slither through his chest and gut. "Don't cry," he murmured, crossing the room to take her back into his arms.
He climbed on the bed, and pulled her back against his chest, spooning her. He held her like that, whispering nonsensical words of tenderness until her sobs had turned to sniffles and finally she fell asleep. His eyes were drooping too when a sudden pounding on her door startled them both. Buffy pulled out of Angelus' arms and went to the door. "Who is it?" she called through the door.
"Campus Security, Miss. Are you responsible for the broken doors downstairs and the car parked on the front steps?"
Angelus chuckled when Buffy gasped and turned to him with a questioning look. He shrugged and put his hands behind his head. "Yeah, you kind of are," he said with an unrepentant grin.
She wasn't mad at him—he'd saved her – but how was she going to explain this? "What should I say?" she whispered, wringing her hands.
He shrugged again. "Tell them your boyfriend is blind," he teased with a wink.
"And you drove here by Braille?" she said rolling her eyes at him. "You're so not helping."
He chuckled and got up from the bed. "Here let me talk to them," he said. Buffy gladly stepped back and let him go to the door. She couldn't hear what he said, but whatever it was it satisfied the guards and they left—smiling.
"What did you tell them?"
"I told them I was desperate to see you and that searching for a parking spot wasn't high on my priorities at the time."
"Please tell me you're kidding."
"Okay, I'm kidding."
"Not reassuring me here. Am I in trouble?" He started to chuckle and she pouted. "Angel, I'm serious…what did you say to them?"
He grabbed her hand and yanked her to him. "I told them I thought you were in trouble and I'm sorry for the doors and the parking, but that I'd pay for any damage and it won't happen again." He cupped her rear end and pulled her against him as his other hand slid up and stroked her face. That was close enough to the truth—she didn't have to know he'd also planted the idea that it was Riley Finn, while high on drugs, that had crashed through the doors, and that right now, the guards were heading to the boy's frat house to arrest him. Angelus had plans for the prick and he wanted him in a place he could get to him—jail would be fine. "Which reminds me, I have to move the car, baby," he said, leaning down to kiss her.
Buffy gave herself over to their kiss. She looped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with all her newly awakened passion. The kiss got desperate quickly, and they were both panting when he pulled back.
He licked his lips, tasting her as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "As much as I want to stay here—I'd better go. Are you going to be okay?"
She nodded and gave him a tentative smile. "Thanks to you…" He kissed her once more and reluctantly, Buffy let him go.
"I'll see you tonight," he said, opening the door.
Buffy bit her lip and tried holding back the words that wanted to beg him not to go. "Angelus," she blurted out, unable to stop herself from delaying his departure.
He turned and raised a brow. "Yeah?"
She swallowed hard and whispered, "I love you."
He froze at her declaration. This was exactly what he'd planned so why did hearing those three little words send a paradox of fear and giddiness racing through him? "I—" He stopped and cleared his throat. "Buff, I don't know what I feel for you, but if it's love then I'm not sure I like it," he said honestly.
She frowned, and then gave a soft laugh. "Well, not exactly the declaration every girl dreams of, but…" She shrugged. "Hey, at least you didn't run out of the room screaming."
He couldn't laugh. The disturbing emotions she brought out in him weren't funny. He had no idea what was happening, but she was making him 'feel' things he'd never dreamed even existed and it was scaring the hell out of him. Was there a cure for this affliction? "I'll see you tonight," he said and shut the door.
Buffy stared after him. "Okay, well that didn't go exactly as planned," she said with a sigh.
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The Compound:
Angelus got to his room without running into anyone. He breathed a sigh of relief as he shut the door…until he heard the soft growl behind him. Dammit! He plastered on his most charming smile and turned. "Darla…waiting up for me, lover?"
"Where the hell have you been?"
He gritted his teeth. He was getting sick and tired of her leash. "None of your business," he replied with a shrug.
She leaped off the bed and had him by the throat in a blink of an eye. Her face shifted as she lifted him off his feet and pounded his head against the wall. "You missed part of the festival last night and I've lost my patience with you, darling…" she snarled.
"What are you doing? I don't breathe…remember?" he taunted and locked his hand around her delicate wrist. He squeezed it hard enough to break the slender bones there.
Darla cried out and dropped him. "You dare?" she growled, cradling her wrist. She closed her eyes and winced as she snapped the bone back into place.
He smirked as the sound of tendons and bone knitting back together sounded in the room. "I'll do more than dare if you ever try and manhandle me like that again." He brushed past her. "Are we really going to have another jealous tantrum, love?" He shrugged out of his clothes. "It's becoming a bore and so are you," he growled over his shoulder as he headed for the shower.
Darla narrowed her eyes in anger, yet she couldn't help but appreciate his beauty as he stripped and walked across the room naked. She almost hated him in that instant. He had too much power over her. Here she was…furious with him, and yet all she wanted to do was join him in the shower and make up...several times.
"Bastard," she snapped and followed him into the bathroom.
Angelus rolled his eyes when the shower door opened. "What?"
"Don't what me, boy," she said as she stripped to join him.
He turned off the water—without finishing his shower. "I'm not in the mood," he said, moving past her to grab a towel.
Darla yanked it out of his hands. "Well, you better get in the mood because you are my childe and I want you."
He pinned her against the wall. "I stopped being your 'childe' over two hundred years ago, lover. You were my mate—not my Sire."
She missed the 'were' part. "Yes darling, your mate and I still want you…" She pressed her naked body against his, and danced her fingers up his sculpted chest. "Even angry, I desire you above all others," she murmured, and she rose on her toes to kiss him.
He turned his head away, avoiding her kiss and snatched the towel back. He raked her with his eyes as he wrapped it around his hips. "Yeah…is that why I can smell Penn all over you?" She started to explain, but he held up a hand. "Don't bother—I don't care. If you want Penn…have him. He certainly lusts after you more than I do, anymore."
Darla's mouth opened, but nothing came out. She felt physically sick and bit her lip so hard it bled as she clutched her stomach, horrified as the image of herself vomiting up her last victim flashed through her mind. Her knees buckled and she grabbed the counter to steady herself.
"Darla?" He instinctively reached for her to keep her on her feet, but she avoided his touch, grabbed her robe and stumbled away from him as she struggled into the silk garment. "Darla, what the hell's wrong with you?" he barked, following her into the bedroom. His jaw dropped when her chest heaved and she looked at him like she was about to cry. "Are you going to cry?" he asked.
She turned away, sickened. "No," she snarled, wiping at the strange moisture that was coming from her eyes.
She was breathing too. Darla never gave in to such human emotions—it was one of the things she had tried and failed to get him to stop doing. "You are," he said, stunned.
"No, I am not!" she screamed and backed away from him. She tripped over the hem of the robe and would have fallen if he hadn't grabbed her arm.
"Cool the dramatics, Darla. You're acting like a jealous shrew, something you've always professed to detest, by the way."
She yanked her arm from his grasp and shoved him hard enough to send him tripping over his own feet. "Bastard! It's her—it's the fucking Slayer, isn't it?" He didn't say anything and her eyes bulged in anger. "Get out! Get out right now, Angelus or I swear I'll rip you apart then I'll kill that bitch of a Slayer and make you watch as I gut her and strangle her with her own intestines!"
He grabbed her arm again. "You're overreacting as usual—and what the hell does Buffy have to do with this?"
She laughed bitterly. "Oh…so now it's Buffy is it? You dare to call that bitch by her name?!"
The venom in her voice made it clear he'd made a serious mistake rejecting her so early in the game. "Darla," he cajoled, but she brushed him off.
"Touch me again and I'll have the flesh peeled from your hide." She paced, her silk robe flapping behind her. "I need to see Nest—obviously you're enamored with the Slayer and can't complete this mission," she muttered more to herself than him.
Fuck! That was the last thing he needed. "Are you crazy?" he snapped, grabbing her arm to stop her frantic pacing. "I'm not enamored with her," he said, leaning down into her face. Her eyes narrowed, blue sparks were practically flying and he purred at the anger he saw there. It was exciting to get her so worked up. "I'm just so sick and fucking tired of you nagging me!" He grabbed her face. "I still want you, darlin'" he whispered, and ironically her rage and the danger of this situation aided him in proving that statement. He was hard. He grabbed her hand and dragged it down his belly to his crotch. "Does that feel like I don't want you?" he purred, pressing her hand against his erection.
Her eyes fluttered as desire washed over her and warred with her fury. Darla wavered. "But you—"
"I told you—I hate it when you drill me like I'm a fledge on my first hunt. It has nothing to do with my mission. I'll take out the Slayer when it's time and then you'll be by my side when I take over Aurelius," he whispered to her, leaning down to nip at her neck. "Isn't that what you want, lover?"
"What I want…" she whispered in her baby-doll voice. "Is you…" She raked her nails down his chest. "Always you…" she said softly. This time when she pulled his towel off, Angelus let her. "My darling boy…" she said, eyes traveling over him. "So beautiful..."
Guilt nagged at him, but he closed his mind to Buffy's image when Darla's hands roamed his naked body, fondling him intimately. Swallowing his distaste, Angelus allowed her to lead him to the bed.
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Nest was reclining on his throne when La'ehah, the leader of the Order of Sargatanas was announced. He waved her in. "Lea, declaring defeat already?"
She chuckled huskily as she gracefully sat on the chair next to his. "Not quite. I'm here to strike a bargain."
Nest leaned forward, pouring her a glass of wine. "Really? A bargain? Do tell…"
La'ehah inclined her head and accepted the wine. "I want Angelus," she said, boldly. "If my clan wins the Festival tonight, I will pick him to join with me and become a member of my clan."
His eyes widened before he laughed. "And what makes you think I'd allow that?"
Her smile was arrogant. "Oh please, every Clan in the Council is aware of the bad-blood between you and Angelus. I'm sure you would like nothing more than to be rid of him." She took a sip of wine. "Especially since members of your own clan as well as the other Masters of the Council prefer him to Luke." She smirked over her wine glass, "You fear him, Heinrich, and you detest his power over your favored childe, Darla."
Nest sprung up, knocking over the flask of wine. "I do not fear that whelp! I—"
La'ehah waved him back down. "No need for this display of temper, my friend. We are old ones…" she said softly. "We've lived over a thousand years…you know as well as I that you have reason to fear him." Nest sat back and scowled, but she went on. "He will succeed your throne whether you wish it or not. There has been talk…" She motioned to Nest's ridged face. "You've allowed yourself to lose touch with the outside world. You cannot control your features anymore because you haven't assumed your human guise in over five hundred years." Her face shifted from human to demon and back to human. "You've forgotten we must be able to blend with humanity if we want to hunt and feed. You rely on your childer and minions to supply you with food." She raised a brow. "When was the last time you actually hunted?"
Nest glowered and shrugged. "Why hunt when I can have it delivered?"
"That's my point exactly—you've become complacent." Her smile was cunning. "I can assure you, the Council will choose him over you when the Gathering is complete."
Nest's eyes blazed and he sat forward with a scowl. "They can't—"
"Oh, but they can and will. I've already been approached as to where my vote lies." She smiled at him. "Let me help you," she said laying a hand on his arm. "I can make this entire situation go away for you."
"Why?" he asked, putting his elbow on the arm of his throne and resting his chin on his hand. "Why do you want him?" He scowled. "Trust me he's more trouble than he's worth, despite his pretty face." His eyes narrowed. "Or do you want to kill him?" he asked, leaning forward in excitement.
La'ehah smiled and took another sip of her wine. "You'd love that wouldn't you?" she asked with a raised brow. She laughed at his disgruntled expression. Nest was so easy to rattle now-a-days. "No. I don't want to kill him. Why would I do that?" she chided. "Look at him. A better question would be… why wouldn't I want him?" She leaned back in her chair and sighed. "My friend, I've ruled Sargantanas for over six hundred years. I tire of the constant politics and I'm ready to step down. I need a strong mate to hand the reigns of my Order to. Angelus is perfect." She licked her lips and winked. "Not to mention the fringe benefits of having such a fierce creature in my bed every night. I may not like your Darla, but she does have marvelous taste—Angelus is beautiful and I want him." Nest made a face and she laughed. "Do not pout, Heinrich. It's beneath you. Now do we have a deal?"
"And if you choose him as your mate—you'll take him with you, is that it?" She nodded and he mulled it over for a second before clinking his glass against hers. "Lea, my dear, you have yourself a deal."
She smiled slowly, and took another sip of her wine. "Now, the only problem is…how to arrange his loss without him losing face with the Council…"
Nest leaned over the arm of his chair. His voice lowered and he smiled with a cunning malevolence. "I have an idea that should satisfy both our desires."
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Buffy was having a completely boring patrol. There was nothing. No vamps. No fledglings rising—nothing.
"What…did evil take a vacation?" she grumbled as she made her way through yet another very quiet cemetery. She glanced at her watch. Maybe because it was still early, barely eleven o'clock, but she had a date with Angel later, and she wanted to get her patrol out of the way.
"Oh come on," she sighed when she went to the next grave on her list and realized there was already dust there. "Who's doing my job for me?" she wondered out loud.
Darla, Luke and six minions came out from behind a mausoleum.
"Well, we didn't want you distracted sweetie, when we captured you," Darla purred.
Buffy got into a fighting stance. "Do I even know you?" she asked the female vampire.
"No, but we do have something—or someone in common."
Buffy's eyes raked the other woman taking in the low cut dress she was wearing. "Really? Well it obviously isn't our personal shoppers." She gave Darla a sarcastic grin. "Sweetie, I think you're a bit behind…the 'skanky whore look' was last season."
Luke turned his head away and coughed to hide his chuckle. Darla shot him a venomous glare. "Well…? What are you waiting for—get her you imbecile!"
Luke and the minions rushed Buffy. She fought well, dispatching of three of them before Luke landed a powerful blow to the back of her head, knocking her unconscious. Darla smirked as he tied Buffy up and slung her over his brawny shoulder.
"The Master will be pleased," he said.
"Yes, he will and so will I once she's dead—now can we go?"
"You are not in charge here, Darla—though you like to think you are."
She laughed softly. "Yeah, whatever,' she said flippantly. "Tell yourself whatever makes you happy, brother dear, but we both know if it was up to our Sire—I'd be taking your place as head of this Order, so don't tell me I'm not in charge," she snapped and walked away, leaving Luke no choice, but to follow after her, growling all the way.
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Later that evening:
Angelus dispatched his latest opponent without even breaking a sweat. He wiped the blood off his face as they dragged the body out of the ring and grabbed his jacket. He got his cell phone out and checked it again…Still no messages. Where the hell was Buff? He'd been talking to her all night in between bouts and his campaign to win over the Council leaders, but now he couldn't reach her. She hadn't answered her phone once in the last hour and she hadn't returned any of his text messages. He dialed her number again as he waited for his next challenge. When he got her voice mail, he growled and hung up. If that prick Finn had her… but no, that was impossible. Soldier-boy was in jail. He'd checked himself, just to be sure. He frowned, so where the hell was she?
Darla stood off to the side, watching him with a cynical eye. He may think he'd fooled her with his about face and the mind-blowing sex, but she'd seen something in him tonight she'd never seen before…love. Her boy was falling in love and it sickened her. She saw him pick up his phone for the umpteenth time and knew he was trying to reach the Slayer. She smirked. Well…let's see how he reacted when he found out she had his precious Buffy!
Spike couldn't help but notice his Great-Grand-sire seemed more sneaky than usual. He glanced at Penn and pointed to Nest. "Any idea what he's up to?"
Penn shrugged. His eyes on Darla. "No, but she went out a while back and word has it she brought back the Slayer."
Dru hissed. "Slayer! Why ever would Grand-mummy want to bring home a nasty old Slayer?"
Spike glanced down to Angelus and a sickening thought began to form. "Bloody hell...the shit's gonna hit the fan tonight."
Penn nodded. "Let's make sure we're on the winning side."
Spike shot him a look. "Which side would that be, mate?"
Penn shrugged. "I'm gonna go with Angelus on this one...'mate'. Nest is old--he's lost touch with what's going on around him. Word around the blood-bar is the Council's gonna ask him to step down."
"Ask?" Spike said, raising a brow.
"Politely, unless he says no."
Faith came sidling up just then and plopped herself in Penn's lap. "Oooh you two look serious. What'cha talking about?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Spike rolled his eyes. "Nothing."
Penn grabbed her hips. "Daddy's either going to die tonight, Trouble, or he's going to have the whole enchilada...guess we'll just have to wait and see..."
Drusilla and Faith snarled at him for that comment, but Penn just refused to answer any more questions and directed them back to the ring to watch Angelus fight.
Across the room:
Nest sidled up to Darla. "He's in rare form tonight. Can I ask if that's because of you, my dear?"
She plastered on a smile before she faced him. He was too crafty not to realize how upset she was, and despite her threats, she had no intention of allowing Nest to kill Angelus. "Well, we did spend several amazing hours in bed, but Angelus is such an animal—maybe I didn't spend quite enough time seeing to his needs," she quipped, taking a sip of her wine.
His ridged brow drew down. "Yeah, he's the 'Stallion'. I get it. I've heard it more times than I care to and I think if I listen to another word about how wonderful he is one more time tonight I might…" He broke off suddenly, reached out and grabbed a passing human. With a snarl, he tore into the man's neck and drained him dry. He wiped his mouth and dropped the body. "Ahh, that's better," he said, smiling again. He'd almost given up the game. He motioned to another slave. "We need a cleanup over here." The human glanced at the dead body, shivered and bowed several times before racing away to get help removing the body.
Darla's trilling laughter followed. "Did you have to scare him half to death?"
Nest shrugged. "It's one of the small pleasures I still have…"
The crowd got silent and Nest smiled. "Oh, you don't want to miss this darling, I think it's about to get interesting," he said softly.
Darla's attention was immediately drawn to the arena. "Why don't I like the tone of your voice?" she asked, raising a brow at her Sire.
"Oh, I think you might like this…" he said with a broad smile, motioning to the minions carrying in a large duffle bag.
Darla noticed the bag moving and quickly realized what Nest had planned. "You're going to make him fight her?"
"Either he kills her or he loses—it's up to him my dear."
"But...you can't do this." He simply smiled that cunning smile that told her he not only could, but would do exactly what he pleased. She stomped her foot. "This isn't the plan you described when I told you I wanted to capture the Slayer."
He shrugged. "I changed my mind." He gave her a wicked grin. "Don't tell me you doubt his ability to kill her?"
Darla turned away, refusing to allow him to see how worried she was. "Not at all…" She bit her lip. "It's not his ability I doubt," she said under her breath.
"What was that, love?" Nest asked, too sweetly for Darla's piece of mind. He was up to something. Something even worse than Angelus being forced to fight the Slayer…she knew it.
"Nothing," she muttered. "I said I never doubt Angelus' ability. He's more than capable of taking care of one skinny little blond!"
Nest grinned. "I think that's what bothers you," he said with a smirk. "Now watch—this should be amusing to say the least."
In the arena, Angelus felt the tingle in his belly before he actually saw her. His head whipped towards the entrance and a frown formed as he watched several minions carrying a squirming bag into the ring. His stomach was doing flip-flops and his eyes shot up to where Nest was standing with Darla. One look at their faces told him that the person in that bag was Buffy.
"Shit," he snarled, not at all surprised when the minions dumped her out of the bag and onto the floor of the 'Challenge Ring'.
At the Aurelious table.
Spike, Penn and the girls all leaned forward, stunned at how this was playing out.
Spike shot Penn a look. "What the bloody hell does he do now? You know he won't kill her, don't you?"
Penn shrugged. Angelus was falling for the Slayer, they all knew it, but did he? That was a better question. "He'll think of something," he said. He glanced over at his Great-Grand-sire. The Master was grinning. "This is a pretty bold move by Nest, though. He must know the Council is gunning for him."
"Lovely," Spike growled and held on to Dru when she made a move to jump into the ring. "Un-uh, pet, Daddy woul not be pleased if you were to interrupt his party. You sit here...he'll be fine, Dru. I promise."
"But I want to help him--I'll scratch her eyes out and tear her limbs off." Dru turned to Spike and her lip quivered. "Spike I don't want the mean Slayer to kill my Daddy!"
"She won't love. Angelus will come out on top...doesn't he always?" Spike glanced at Penn and shook his head. "I mean, really have you ever seen anything like it? The bastard could land in a soddin' pile of shit and still come out smelling like the proverbial rose?"
Penn laughed, but Faith glared at them both. "Wow, jealous much, Billy?" Spike flipped her the bird and Faith flashed her fangs back at him. "All I know is...if that blond bitch stakes him--I'm staking both of you!"
Spike simply rolled his eyes at that.
Penn chuckled. "Yeah, you can try or maybe I'll 'stake' you again, huh?" he said with a sarcastic grin, and turned his attention back to the ring.
In the Arena:
Buffy glanced up and gasped at the sight of Angelus standing there bare-chested and beautiful. "Angel?" Her Slayer senses were howling and when her eyes adjusted to the bright lights glaring down on her, she realized why—she was surrounded by vampires. Hundreds of them were standing or sitting above her and she was in some kind of fighting ring. "What the—?" She bit off her words as two and two quickly became four in her head. Her eyes flew to Angel and her eyes bulged as she realized the tingles she was feeling from him. "No-no-no-no…" she said, scrambling to her feet. "You're a vampire?"
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