Chapter
Fourteen
The front page of the morning's "special edition" of the Sunnydale Press sent a chill through the whole of his being.
As was typical for the town, there were few witnesses to the killing - even though the area was most likely heaving with young people – but even the vague description that the police had pieced together for the media was enough for him to identify the culprit.
However much he wanted to deny it.
"Okay I'm here," Xander's tone sounded hard to his ears.
Giles checked his watch. "You're here early."
"Saw the news," Xander remarked. "I guess Willow's back huh?"
Giles removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I would say that there's no doubt," he said. "But you've addressed my first point."
Xander said, "You've lost me."
"You said 'I guess Willow's back.'" the Watcher got up from his seat. "Willow, the person you loved, your friend, hasn't returned from the dead. What killed that boy last night was the thing that killed her."
Xander remained still, without reply. Giles could only empathise with the young man. In his time as a Watcher he had lost a great many friends and colleagues - all too many of them to the demons that he had pledged to help combat – but the thought of any one of them being sired; of their lives being claimed by a demon soul was almost to abhorrent to contemplate.
Let alone experience in life.
Xander spoke up. "Alright, this is the second time you've tried to explain this to me but…"
Giles rubbed the back of his neck. "Xander, please try to understand. When a person is sired, or made into a vampire that person dies, their soul travels off to whatever afterlife we are meant to discover.
But once this occurs, a demon enters the corpse, possessing the human body. That demon then assimilates the contents of the host body's mind. It takes the human soul's place, steals its identity. The demon then needs to feed on blood to sustain itself.
The thing that killed last night wasn't Willow – it's a demon that is fashioning a sense of self or rather its personality from what was inside her."
"So you're saying it's like a Pod person or something, right?" Xander suggested. "A vampire steals bodies."
"Well, I wouldn't have made a film reference but yes…"
"That thing has got nothing to do with Will," Xander continued. "It killed because it's a demon."
Giles couldn't prevent himself from frowning. Essentially, Xander was correct – a vampire was a demon and so Willow was not responsible for murder.
But vampires – like so many things in life – weren't quite so simple.
"Hang on a second," he warned. "Willow has her part to play in all of this Xander, or at least her mind does. Every vampire goes through an initial stage during which they discover themselves."
"What are you saying?" Xander said sharply.
"Some vampires come through the confusion of their birth and essentially become carbon copies of the host, killing aside, but others are less recognisable, they become total perversions because they unlock things from within the host…things that the host would have hidden: thoughts, feelings…"
"No! I'm not gonna stay here and listen to this!" Xander said shakily. "Willow was no killer!"
"We all have a 'dark side' Xander, even if its never indulged," Giles said coldly.
Xander sat down. The message in the Watcher's eyes was received and understood. The past wasn't exactly a source of pride for the librarian but it had taught him lessons.
Grave lessons.
"So what happens next?" Xander asked.
"Angelus has a very precise pattern of killing," Giles informed him. "He either kills a person's immediate family and friends before he turns them or - "
"Let me guess," Xander interrupted. "He gets the new vamp to do it."
Giles nodded grimly. "My guess is he'll do the same with Willow. So I suggest you learn how to fend off a vampire."
"Great, I always wanted to know how to that," Xander sniped. "Does it involve crosses, holy water, garlic and stakes by any chance?"
Giles nodded his affirmation before he entered his office.
But lets
hope that they'll be good enough.
***
Willow was pining to leave the apartment, leaning against a wall, forever mumbling about how "unfair" it was of him to keep her locked in on such a sunny day. Were Willow still the girl he'd killed, it would have been cute.
But as it was she only managed to revile him.
"Sure thing kitten," Angel shrugged. "You go outside and enjoy a good old fashioned barbecue tan."
"I'm bored," Willow sniffed.
Angel gave her a sympathetic look. "Hey, you killed a man last night kid! That felt good didn't it?"
Willow's eyes lit up. "Fun. He was sweet."
"Yeah? Well as soon as nasty old Mr Sun goes down, you can do it some more eh?" Angel said wickedly.
Willow looked incensed. "I'm not a little girl, Angel! I'm smart, I'm a computer geek!" she said with a hint of self-loathing. "Eggggh! I'm soooo damn cute…sigh."
Cute? Well, that's a word, if not exactly the one I'd use, Angel thought miserably. She did have a point though, in a bizarre way Willow was Drusilla's little sister but she was also her own animal. She needed to be handled differently.
"You teenage girls really don't change through the centuries do you?" he commented. "Want new threads?"
"I'm too fuzzy," Willow complained fiercely. "I'm a vampire. I should be more…vampy!"
"Okay, we'll do a little shopping in between the bloodletting tonight," Angel said.
"Why are you being nice to me?" Willow raised an eyebrow. "You hurt me…"
Angel grinned. "Because I like you Will," he said reaching out to stroke the young vampire's face.
Willow cooed.
"I almost forgot," Angel added. "I want you meet an old friend of mine tonight."
"I like it better just us," the young vampire purred affectionately.
Angel flashed another smile.
Being a vampire meant that you got forced to do some pretty unpleasant things - killing and drinking blood? His new charge was having no problem dealing with either of them.
Sewers on the other hand were a definite source of discomfort.
Willow had just stole herself a pair of tight fitting leather pants, a small leather jacket, gloves and leather underwear from a hooker outside the 'Tank – she really didn't want to get her new gear dirty…
Angel gave his newborn a withering look. "Stop complaining," he kept his tone low. "We're almost there…I think."
In his efforts to avoid any of Darla's playmates, Angel had taken time to learn the flow of traffic through the sewer system and had almost been able to work out how to get to the church ruins the Master had used as his base. Unfortunately, almost was rapidly becoming 'not good enough'.
So much for surprising Darla…great work Angel…great work.
"Hold it!" a voice growled strictly.
Turning, Angel came face to face with two male vampires.
"Hi fellas! Nice night eh?"
The vampires remained steely eyed.
"What is your business?" one demanded. He was a broad man, thirties maybe, looked strong but his loud Hawaiian shirt hardly shouted tough.
Must be getting close.
"I'm looking for a couple of friends of mine," Angel said jovially.
"Then look somewhere else friend," the second spat, narrowing his eyes. Whoever he was, the guy looked more convincing to Angel's eyes. With his black silk shirt and matching denim jeans he wanted to say that he meant business.
"Hey, hey! Now wait a minute," Angel looked around as if he was in shock. "Take it easy boys, we don't want any trouble."
"Then leave!" the first vampire snarled.
"C'mon, we can talk about this like civilised folks can't we?"
The other vampires moved closer, taking special care to show off their fangs. "Leave," the first repeated.
Angel struggled nervously with his shirt collar. "Now, hey… c'mon…I'm not exactly big on violence…"
Willow spun and aimed a roundhouse kick into the side of the second vamp's neck.
Angel delivered a left hook into the first vampire. "But it doesn't mean I can't enjoy it!"
Alright,
lets take stock Angel. Teaching Willow to kill? Check. Getting Willow to listen
to and trust you…guess so. Teaching Willow how to handle herself in a fight?
No, didn't think so!
He'd taken time out to prioritise. Willow might have been good enough to get in the first hit but she was still unschooled when it came to combat.
There was only one thing to do.
Angel vamped out as his opponent knocked him to the floor, reaching into his jacket even as he fell backwards.
"You should have left friend," he coughed triumphantly, kicking Angel in the groin.
"Ditto!" Angel grunted as he rammed his stake into the other vampire's left eye. The creature wailed frenziedly, holding its hands to its face. Angel felt his face return to normal and reached back into his jacket, removing a second stake. "See, hidden pockets," he said. "Oh wait! Guess you can't can you."
The demon's body crumbled into dust.
Willow was having a lot of fun. Was being the appropriate word. Whoever this vampire was she didn't like him. Especially now that was ramming her head into a wall.
Repeatedly.
I'm going to give you such a hurt, she thought grumpily. It just wasn't fair. She was now a vampire; she killed and got her kicks like anyone else. What issue did these guys have with her and Angel?
I'm going to give you such a hurt, she repeated inwardly as her attacker swung her into a wall back first.
"You're new aren't you?" the vampire said coolly. "A pity -"
Willow smiled as Angel pulled the vampire away from her. In her mind it was like the first time all over again. The vampire swung a punch before Angel blocked and countered. It wouldn't be long now – Angel had delivered a straight kick to the ribcage and was kneeing the other vampire in the gut, bringing him down.
Angel tossed his stake from hand to hand. "Willow," he beckoned to her with his index finger. "Come 'ere."
"Thanks," she purred. "He made me all sore!"
Angel smirked, tossing her his stake. "He's all yours Will."
Her eyes lit up as her hands gently stroked the wooden shard. It was time for her to have a little payback. She raised the vampire's head up by its hair. "Oh, did Angel hurt you?"
Willow cut into the demon's cheek with her stake. "Because I'm going to hurt you some more."
Willow sighed. Her Angel had made it all better. She could have fun again…
Darla hated waiting around. Patience might have become virtue for Luke and the holier than thou boot lickers that had surrounded him for the last few centuries during their search for the writings of Arulius, yet to her to wait for time to pass amounted to growing old, or as was the case with her kind, feeling as old as you actually were.
Wistfully, she had contemplated running off to join Angelus; it was seven in the evening, he would be awake by now. But, Luke had requested her presence and for all his hard headedness she was honour bound by The Master to obey him…
Until he rises…she thought contentedly. Her sire had always appreciated her independent nature.
"Brethren!" Luke's cry was thunderous.
Finally.
At last it would begin. Chanting for seven days and seven nights wasn't strictly on her list of 'to do's' but at least it would start to bring things to a close. By the end, her sire would awaken from his long slumber, "ready to take the throne of the mortal realm"
He would be free.
"Until he wakes," Luke shouted joyously. "We shall not feed again. But, come the night of glory that shall be the harbinger of his return to us, we shall rejoice for then shall come The Harvest when the Old Ones will walk and all this earth shall be The Master and the blood of man shall run like rivers! And…we…will...DRINK!"
Darla sighed while the others cheered their still beating hearts out. Their continued confidence in Luke was becoming ever more pathetic.
For decades her 'brother' had made the promise that he would free their leader so that he might hold his "rightful dominion over the Earth"
And for decades he had failed to keep it. Clearly the nineties would prove no different. Yet still she had to suffer this pointless ordeal night after night.
Darla grinned. Luke must be getting nervous, she thought with relish.
"WE WILL DRINK, DRINK OF THEM ALL!" Luke continued boldly.
"Well its nice to know that you haven't changed Luke. Once a drama queen, always a drama queen."
"Who dares?" Luke roared, furious.
Darla already knew the answer.
"I dare!" Angel returned, mimicking the older vampire's voice.
"Angelus," Luke's tone was low.
"So, The Master isn't awake yet huh?" Angel remarked. "Say Luke have ya tried tickling him under the nose with a feather?"
"You're not welcome here," Luke said icily.
"Beg to differ ole buddy," Angel replied smugly. "Darla passed on an invitation. I'm back in the game now, oh and I hope ya mind but I brought a friend along!"
Luke looked like he was ready to blow a fuse when the girl appeared dragging the body of Andrew behind her. He'd been a good fighter yet one look at his weeping cuts and the blood drying on the girl's hands…
"Oh, c'mon Lukey boy," Angel said brightly. "Sending your attack dogs to kill any visitors? Not exactly neighbourly!"
Luke gave no response aside from a glare. It had been a long time since he and Angelus had last crossed paths but it was if nothing had changed in Rumania. He could still get under his skin.
Just like his 'mother'.
"Welcome back Angel," Darla said lovingly. She took a sideways glance at Willow. "Interesting."
Angel looked pleased. "She's one helluva girl," he gestured to his companion. "Willow, meet your grandma, Darla. Darla, this, well, this is Willow…sorta."
"Hello," Willow said, apparently uninterested. She turned to her sire. "Bored now."
Angel frowned disapprovingly. "Now, Will Darla has invited me to stay with her and her friends here," he whispered. He grinned and raised the volume. "And hey, if your Uncle Luke doesn't screw up again, may be you'll get to meet the guy who's gonna rule the planet eh?"
Again Luke did nothing.
Darla felt her grin broaden. Her darling boy was back where he belonged. He was home.
Ready to take his place at The Master's right hand.
Forever.
