In memory of Joyce Summers, her character will be missed…unless Joss has a surprise for all of us.
Buffy, The Vampire Slayer
William The Bloody, Chapter 4
"I Love LA"
Spike stood in the shadows of the bar, bobbing slightly in tune with the disco song blaring over the speakers, shaking his head and chuckling as the DJ called for everyone to get on the dance floor and shake their "booty". A lot of prime meat was in the club, even if they were throw backs that still desired disco, and Spike had decided that it would be as good a spot as any to let his brethren know that he was back.
He could sense at least three other vamps in the place, newbies from the smell of them, and he thought it high time he started recruiting a few bangers, establishing his new base of power. LA was a hard market to get into, but he'd be damned if he let that get him down. He'd be damned for a lot of other things, but not that.
Slipping through the teeming throng of dancers, groping the occasional quick feel of an attractive lass, Spike made his way up behind the closest of the vamps. Spike shook his head in dismay as he watched the young looking vamp make an ass of himself as he tried putting the moves on a shapely brunette, succeeding only in spilling her drink on her. Wondering why he was always finding the vampire equivalent to geeks for his help, Spike tapped the man on his shoulder and glared at him with all the menace he could muster without fully vamping out.
"Look, I need a few chaps to do, oh, just about everything I bloody tell them do," said Spike, drawing a surprised look from the man. "So, why don't you put your arse next to the door, and keep anybody from leaving."
"Who the hell are you?" demanded the man, his fear evident though he was trying to put on a show of defiance.
"William," answered Spike, taking out a cigarette and lighting it up. "William The Bloody."
"Hey, I've heard of you," said the man, shaking his head and smiling. "I heard you use to be a real bad ass, but now you're sort of…a pussy."
The two other vamps that Spike had sensed were suddenly there, standing along side the geek and letting their faces harden slightly.
"Problem here, Trevor?" asked the biggest of the three, a large black man that, Spike had to admit, looked a bit stylish. "You want me to dust this mother for ya?"
"You three make quite the trio," quipped Spike, eyeing the third vamp, a shapely blonde wearing red leather pants with a matching jacket, and pink halter underneath. "Sort of like the vampire mod squad."
"You got a pretty smart mouth for someone that's about to be dead," cooed the blonde, batting her eyelashes at him.
"Tell you what," said Spike, taking a drag from his smoke. "Let's step out back. I'll let all three of you take me on, and when I dust Link here…"
"Name's Tyrone," growled the black man.
"…you two can work me," finished Spike, nodding at Blondie and the geek.
"You've got balls," said Trevor. "Kind of funny since everyone's heard how you've been neutered."
"I've got the biggest balls of them all," said Spike, annoyed when none of them got his reference. "Let's just get this over with."
Spike shouldered his way between them, heading for the exit door next to the DJ's booth, and twitched his wrist just right, dropping his stake from its holder in the sleeve of his duster.
Pushing the door open, Spike stepped out into the alleyway, spinning and thrusting before Tyrone had even set one foot out of the building. The vamp managed to get out a gurgled cry in the second before he exploded into a cloud of brown dust, his companions instantly visibly behind him, and looking shocked as hell.
"Any one want to contest the point?" asked Spike.
Blondie and the geek just shook their heads no.
"Good," said Spike, stepping in and closing the door.
"You still want me to cover the front door, boss?" asked the geek, his voice quivering.
"This the only other exit?" asked Spike, getting an affirmative nod from Blondie. "Good. Yeah, you cover it, and Blondie here…"
"Sindi," said the girl, meekly. "With an S and an I."
"Cute. Okay, Sindi, you can cover this door."
"What are we suppose to do?" asked Sindi, looking apprehensive.
"Stop anyone from leaving, of course," replied Spike. "Then, after I've settled these ever hustling disco freaks down…we feast."
Sindi and the geek looked about the room in awe, turning back to face Spike with eyes wide.
"All of them?" asked the geek.
"We're going to feed on all of them?" asked Sindi, nearly mimicking him.
"Why not?" asked Spike in return. "I love LA. I love LA cuisine. I love my bloody self!"
"Cool," said Sindi, bobbing her head in appreciation.
"And this is only the beginning, my Luv," said Spike, smiling at her. "This is only the beginning."
Cordelia pitched backwards as the vision over took her, the mishmash of images rattling through her mind like a slide show set on warp two, and Angel grabbed her just a foot from hitting the floor. The images were gone as quickly as they had come, the waves of pain fading ever so slowly, and she started breathing normally again.
"Are you okay?" asked Angel, helping her set down in a chair.
"Oh, God," gasped Cordelia, rubbing her forehead. "It was… It was so bloody…so…oh, God, Angel, it was bad."
"What's going on?" asked Gunn, stepping from the backroom and noting that Cordelia had had a vision.
"There was blood everywhere," she said, her eyes distant. "And the people…they were dead…all of them."
"Where?" asked Angel, trying to sound friendly and demanding, knowing that they didn't have much time.
"A…a club…a disco club…" she murmured. "It was right of the seventies."
"I know a few places like that," said Gunn. "Can you narrow it down a little bit?"
"It was just one big room, with a dance floor and a DJ, and four of those giant, sparkly balls."
"Sounds like the Disco Inferno Room," said Gunn.
"You know this place?" asked Cordelia, amazed.
"A brother gets around," replied Gunn, defensively, heading for the door. "Sometimes you have to go to those hell holes for some info."
"Angel, there's something else," said Cordelia, grabbing his arm as he started to follow Gunn out the front door. "Spike was there."
"Spike?" asked Angel, looking surprised.
"And he was covered in blood," she said, her voice trailing off.
Angel stared at her for a moment, nodding slowly in understanding.
"Call Wesley," he said, turning towards the door. "Tell him to meet us there, and to bring some heavy weapons."
Angel was out the door before she started dialing.
To Be Continued…