Part 21

The plan was for Spike to escort Willow and the Giles to the opening of the new Gilbert and Sullivan opera. The journal hadn't said where Malcolm would see Willow just that it was on his way to the theater district.

Willow allowed her power and darkness to come closer to the surface, which turned her eyes darker. She wanted Malcolm to get the full effect of her as bait. They knew that he wouldn't try for her tonight. He would just see her and want her. Angel was going to drop hints in the demon community about a powerful witch in the area. They were all hoping he would take the bait or at least Ethan would seek her out.

Albert, Hannah and Willow were to meet Spike in the public gardens a block before the district. As they entered the garden on a well-lit path Willow spotted Spike up ahead. When he walked under a lamp, Willow stopped and stared. It was the first time she had ever seen him dressed formally and he was breathtaking.

When Spike saw Willow approach, he stopped under a light and stared. She was dressed in an off the shoulder midnight blue silk dress. Her hair was upswept in the style of a Gibson girl and it showed off her long neck. He couldn't wait to put his mark on her and claim her. He wanted every vampire, demon and human to know that this witch belonged to him.

Spike and Willow continued to stare at each other. Neither one taking their eyes off the other. Albert and Hannah just smiled at them. He put his arms around Hannah in a tight embrace and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Do you remember what it felt like when we thought we were the only two on Earth?"

Hannah leaned back into his embrace and turned her face for a kiss, "What do you mean, do I remember? We're still the only two on Earth."

"I hate to break this up but we need to get to the opera." Albert said.

Albert's words broke Willow and Spike out of their stupor. Spike offered Willow his elbow and they followed the Giles out of the gardens. He leaned in to whisper, "You look beautiful. Too bad we have to bait Malcolm, I'd like to have you all to myself."

Willow leaned up and nipped him on the ear, "Mmmmm, later."

Spike thought it was good thing the overcoat he was wearing was long. His pants were getting tighter by the minute.

~~~~

Ethan watched as Malcolm left the lair. He remembered tonight was the night Malcolm would see Willow and become obsessed. He had waited until this moment to investigate Ripper's newest trophies.  He didn't want any chance of Ripper returning while he was there. He had followed Malcolm home the other morning but he couldn't make out what he had taken.

He slowly made his way into the deserted building and towards the shelf that held the prizes. As he got closer he noticed a kidney that had been cut in half.  Ethan had heard rumors while he was healing that George Lusk had received half a kidney and a letter from Jack the Ripper. Setting the jar down he moved closer to where the newer items were.

He heard Mary Kelly's room had been very bloody with body parts strewn all over the room.  He couldn't understand why Malcolm had mutilated the body more than the others. From the description of the scene Ripper had been in a fine temper. Since the body had been so badly mutilated he didn't know what Malcolm would have taken as a trophy. In the corner of the shelf was a box. Hmm, that's new, he thought. Ethan opened it with shaking hands and hoped it contained a heart.

~~~~

Malcolm decided to target the West End of London next. He knew they felt safe in their homes and in their lives. Jack the Ripper had targeted the women of Whitechapel he wouldn't come to their area. He smiled in anticipation of finding his next victim among them and upsetting their lives. The thrill of the hunt and the fear in the air was just as intoxicating as the kill itself. Sometimes more so if a worthy opponent could be found.

He thought the theater district would be a good place to find a victim. They would feel safe attending the opera and there was a new Gilbert and Sullivan opera opening tonight.  There would be a lot of women to choose from. Maybe he would target an innocent next. A nice young girl would be a good contrast and shock to the police.

As he approached the district he felt power . . . a lot of power. He scanned the crowd surrounding him but couldn't find the direction that the power was coming from. Malcolm closed his eyes and concentrated on the location of the power. His eyes popped open. Vampire. He felt another vampire near by. He saw a small group of four walking towards him. As they approached he felt the power radiating off the beautiful red head being escorted by a vampire. He had to find a way to meet her and take her away from the vampire by her side. He smiled in anticipation. She would soon be his.

~~~~

As they walked towards the opera building Spike stiffened and leaned down to whisper in Willow's ear, "He's close. It's the same feeling I got the night at the Workmen's Club."

Willow's hand tightened on his arm, "Ripper?"

Spike scanned the crowd to see if he could spot where the feeling was coming from. He saw a short, stout, dark haired man watching them intently. Looking at him Spike knew this was Ripper. He saw the madness just below the surface. He also saw the arrogance, which he could exploit.

"We're just passing him now. The short dark haired man with the bowler."

Willow turned her head back to scan the crowd and her eyes lit briefly on Malcolm. That's him? He's a little nondescript man. She always imagined Jack the Ripper to be tall and ruthless looking. That vampire didn't look like an insane amoral psychopath. But then again, Angel didn't look like the torture loving Scourge of Europe either.

~~~~

Malcolm discovered to his joy that the red head sensed his presence. She knew he was there watching her. She would be a worthy companion not like the pet that had left him. He abandoned his need for a victim. He had found something better. He walked back towards the wharf reliving the sensation of her power and darkness. It was a heady combination and he couldn't wait to harness it. The vampire at her side was inconsequential. He was young and could easily be taken care of. Malcolm dismissed him from his thoughts except to wonder why such a powerful witch would align herself with a young vampire.

As he entered his lair he felt that someone had been there recently. He stopped at the entrance and allowed his senses to take over. He felt the presence of his pet. He entered the lair and wondered why his pet had come but not stayed. He must have wanted something that Malcolm had. He knew that Ethan had been up to something earlier but since it didn't involve him it hadn't really bothered him. Now, it involved him and Malcolm wanted to know what Ethan had been after. He searched the building but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

He walked over to his shelf and looked at his trophies. They were all there so that hadn't been what Ethan had been after or if it was he hadn't taken any of them. Sometimes he liked to just look at his trophies and relive his memories of the events each one evoked. His hand gently caressed each jar as the scenes flashed in his mind's eye.

Malcolm reached for the last item on the shelf. It was a box that contained one of the many prizes he had taken from the last victim. That night had been glorious and he had celebrated by taking many prizes. There had been so many to choose from. He had laid her out like a buffet. He had taken his time deciding what the prizes would be that he would take. He had finally decided to put her eyes in this small box for his trophy shelf. He sometimes imagined the eyes still contained the fear that he had put there. As he opened the box to look at her fear filled eyes he remembered celebrating the night by dining on a delicacy. Malcolm smiled at the memory of all the blood that her heart had contained.