Disclaimer etc.: see prologue

The Breton: chapter 17 - Coercion

The voices drifted upstairs, and Luc awoke to find the other side of the bed empty.

"It's not even like I really liked the guy. He annoyed me somethin' awful."

"Angelus is back," Darla said, standing by the window looking out.

Luc sat up, and ran a hand through his hair. "He's brought that boy."

"And we're going to have fun," Darla said, turning around. "Shall we go down?"

Throwing back the covers, Luc stood up. "Perhaps I'd better dress," he said, meeting Darla's eyes.

"Mmmm," she returned. "Well, you could ."

"I'll get dressed," Luc said.

They wandered downstairs together five minutes later. The murmur of voices still continued, and as they came into the lobby, Angelus' companion wondered aloud, "but what about his family?"

"What about them?" Angelus said. He sounded bored.

"Did Wesley have any family?" the young man with him repeated. "'Cos if so, shouldn't we tell them . that he's dead?"

"I don't think he was on good terms with his family," Angelus said, looking up. "Ah." He slipped into French. "Did you have a good afternoon?"

"Wonderful, thank you," Luc returned with a smile. "And you?"

"Oh, tiresome as could be," Angelus said. "I'm hoping we can liven it up a bit now. The question is, do we turn him?"

Charles Gunn had turned to face Luc and Darla.

"Who's the lady, man?" he asked, grinning widely.

"She's Darla," Angelus said sharply. Gunn raised his hands.

"Are you . and her . like, an item?"

"We were once," Angelus replied, obviously making an effort still to play the ensouled Angel after his momentary slip. "Now she's asked me for help."

The young man shrugged. "Your call. But I am sure I've seen him before," gesturing at Luc. "He's that vamp who you went off to stake the other night. What happened?"

Angelus smiled, slowly. "He trapped me. Played a trick on me. Used all the skills I'd once taught him. He bespelled me. Took my soul away."

"He did what?" Charles Gunn said, already backing away. "No . wait . I don't want to hear this. I really want to be runnin', now, don't I?"

"You could try," said Angelus. "I always like a good chase. But I've a proposition for you, Gunn."

Gunn, by the door now, paused. "And what would that be? Nice cosy grave next to Wes? I've seen your like before, and I ain't never forgotten it. I never trusted you, never bought the friendly vamp routine. You're never gonna surprise me."

Darla, who had sat down on the sofa in the centre of the lobby to watch proceedings, shook her head. "You've never seen his like before, boy. There's never been his like before. When I chose him, I chose well. I'd waited and waited, and searched Europe and America, I'd killed hundreds of handsome young men and pretty girls, looking for someone to make me proud. And finally I found him." She exchanged smiles with Angelus. "And, apart from that century when he had that nasty soul, I am proud."

"En plus," Luc added, "Darla's reputation is also something extraordinary. You're in the presence of legend, monsieur."

Charles Gunn shrugged. "Yeah? Well, let me tell you somethin'. All I see is three of your standard vampires. Never met one yet who ain't conceited as hell. Now, you gonna kill me or bore me to death?"

"Actually," Angelus said, "I wondered about giving you the chance for immortality. You have many of the qualities one looks for - sure of yourself, courageous, prior knowledge of what could kill you ."

"Tall and good-looking also," Darla put in. "After all, who'd want to preserve ugliness forever?"

"You want to turn me?" Gunn said, incredulous. "And you want me to agree? You're crazier than I thought. No way, man."

Shaking his head, he pushed open the door at his back still facing them, and then turned and ran, disappearing with the thud of his boots on the sidewalk. Moments later, they heard the growl of an engine turning over.

"Are we chasing him?" Luc asked, hesitantly, wondering what his sire was thinking. Angelus glanced at him.

"No. I punctured his tyres." Angelus held up a small, thin dagger with a carved hilt. "He'll be back, in a moment, raging."

"All that anger ." murmured Darla.

"Bubbling inside him," Luc agreed. For a moment, he felt like dancing in the elation of the moment. "Can I go and fetch him, sire?"

Angelus nodded, indulgently, running his finger along the blade of his dagger. "If you must. Still such a youngster, Luc. I'd mistake you for a fledgling sometimes."

"Only in the right company," Luc said, and went out in search of the van.

Charles Gunn was bent over a wheel, examining it with a torch held in his teeth.

"Problem?" Luc said. The young man jumped, and turned, whipping a stake out from somewhere. Luc, impressed with the agility of the other, held up his hands appeasingly. "I came to see how you were doing with your getaway."

"No, you came to bring me in," Gunn said flatly. "I ain't no fool, vamp."

"Call me Luc, please," returned Luc, eyeing the stake. He lowered his voice. "If I were you, I'd come now. This way, you play into his hands. He enjoys la chasse. We all do. It's the feeling of power, the smell of the fear as you get close - you must know of it. Now imagine that, and multiply each sensation."

Charles Gunn bent, and continued to run his fingers around the wheel, but distractedly now. Luc carried on.

"The night before I was turned, I was terrified. Mort de peur. I was working for him, you know, when I was still human."

"And you knew what he was?" Gunn asked, straightening up. "Puncture."

"Dagger," agreed Luc. "Oui. He gave me no choice - work for him or die, and die anyway at some point. Yet I betrayed him, confessed to a priest, and he caught me."

Luc rather thought he had Charles Gunn fascinated. "Bad news, huh," the young man said.

"Whilst I was still alive, yes. Very bad. But it ended well, better even than I had ever hoped." Luc smiled at Gunn. "So you see. You have my choice, without the night of torture ahead, or so I believe. I could be wrong. If you walk away now, I know there will be pain."

"And you'd enjoy that too, wouldn't you?" Gunn said. "I've had this offer before, and I didn't accept it then. I ain't gonna accept it now."

"Then run," Luc said, "as fast as you possibly can. Set up all your traps, gather around all your people, and prepare to watch them die. We'll enjoy that best. Then it'll be your turn, and it'll be a night that may drive you crazy. Then you can spend eternity as a madman." He turned away, and threw over his shoulder as a parting shot, "or, you could come now, and be one of the best."

Behind him, as he walked back into the hotel, Luc heard a muffled curse and the clatter of a wooden object hitting the ground.

"Well?" demanded Angelus, now seated close to Darla.

"I give him three minutes to come inside," Luc said, feeling pleased with himself.

"I hope he does," Angelus said, an edge to his voice. Luc sat down, trying to be casual about it, and hoping fervently that Charles Gunn would walk through the door. A minute passed; then two. Then the door opened.

"I do this," Gunn said, stopping at the top of the steps, "you promise not to hurt my crew. You get me."

Angelus stood up fluidly, and smiled one of his crooked smiles. "All right."

"All of you," Gunn said, looking hard at Luc and Darla. Angelus glanced over his shoulder and nodded.

"If I must," Darla shrugged.

"Promis," Luc added.

Gunn took a deep breath, and crossed the lobby. "This had better be worth it," he said.

Angelus let his features change, and, fangs hovering above the young man's jugular, said, "oh, it will be," and bit.