CHAPTER THREE: CONVERSATIONS
(Stuff in brackets and italics is what's happening upstairs with the Fang Gang watching the monitor)
Connor looked between the small blonde girl and the dark vampire, his mouth open in shock. They'd been lovers? Angelus looked at him and smirked.
"Don't look so shocked Connor," Angelus said quietly. "It's not that uncommon for vampires to take human lovers."
"But…you're a Slayer!" Connor exclaimed, looking at Buffy.
Buffy just shrugged and kept her eyes on Angelus. It wasn't fair that he was still so attractive.
"You wanna leave me and the big guy alone for a bit?" Buffy asked softly.
Connor hesitated, desperately curious to see how they interacted with each other. He remembered the monitor upstairs and relented, racing up so he wouldn't miss anything interesting.
"So," Buffy began, stepping closer to the cage, stopping at the red line. "How ya been?"
"Trapped in soulboy for a coupla years. You?"
"Oh, y'know, getting my ass kicked by ancient vamps. Same old, same old."
Angelus looked at her closely, finally noticing the stiches adorning her cheek.
"Now that you mention you do look like someone took you down a peg or two. Who was it?" he asked.
She tilted her head to the side and regarded him curiously. "Someone who didn't know you very well might think that you were concerned."
"Maybe I just wanna shake the guys hand," Angelus replied, smirking sexily at her.
Buffy smiled and took a step back from the line. She sat down cross-legged and looked up at Angelus, leaning back against her palms to keep herself steady.
"That's an interesting position for you Buff. If you were on your knees and I were outta this cage, we could have a whole lotta fun."
"Ah, but neither of that's gonna happen Angie, so I'd suggest either sitting down so I don't strain myself, or shutting up so we can get to the Q&A portion of this little cage-filled fun-fest."
Angelus hesitated for a moment, but sat himself down, his hands touching the bars.
"So, did Wesley the Wimpy Weasel call and ask for help?" Angelus asked.
"Nope."
"So…why did you come?"
"To see you of course," Buffy replied casually. "So…what can you tell me?"
"I can tell you lots of things Buff, but…why would I want to?" he asked.
Buffy hadn't really thought about that. Angelus had no real incentive. She shrugged and just looked at him intently. "What would you want in return for information?"
Angelus just stared at her pointedly. "You."
(Cordelia seethed with jealousy. When she'd offered herself to Angelus he'd just laughed. She scowled at the monitor that the AI team were gathered around, hating that Buffy was being offered what Cordelia had begged to take.)
"Cages don't do much for turning me on," Buffy replied easily, not shocked by his answer. She'd known that Angelus was obsessed with her. She didn't like that he thought about her in that sense, but she knew it to be true. She'd forced it out of Angel even though he hadn't liked telling her about Angelus' sick and twisted plans for Buffy.
"We don't hafta be in the cage," Angelus said. "You could let me out."
"Yeah, that'll happen."
Buffy could have sworn that the Master Vampire was pouting. Angelus paused for a moment and held his arm though the cars of the cage, not stretching, just holding out his hand to her.
"Sit closer to me and I'll tell you."
"What's to stop you from killing me?" Buffy asked. "I don't trust you as far as Cordelia could throw you."
("Hey!")
Angelus laughed loudly.
"I swear, my intentions are…well, if not honourable, then they're not fatal to you."
Buffy shifted forwards and touched his hand.
("Is that safe?" Gunn asked, watching incredulously as Buffy slid forward towards the cage.
Wesley looked apprehensive, his breath caught in his throat.
"She knows what she's doing," Wesley replied, praying to whatever Powers on high that Buffy truly did know what she was doing.
"What if he kills her?" Fred asked nervously.
"That'd be a real shame," Cordelia whispered.
Wesley glared at her and turned his attention back to the monitor, stunned to see Vampire and Slayer seated calmly, their hands entwined.)
"Alright…I'm closer," Buffy stated. "So tell me."
"About the Beast?"
"No, about global warming," Buffy retorted sarcastically. "Yes about the Beast."
Angelus hid his smile. He'd forgotten how cute she was when she was mad. He didn't think it would be too wise for him to tell her that though.
"Alright. It was 1789. I was in Prussia, on my way to Vienna. I get this feeling like someone's stalking me," Angelus explained.
"Well at least now you know how it feels," Buffy commented.
Angelus smirked and continued. "There were troops around. I'd run into them every now and then. Not as nice as the girls by the way." Buffy grimaced but didn't interrupt him. "But, the little massacre I ran into…seriously lacking in military precision. Bodies, bodies everywhere, and not a drop to drink. So, I followed the trail, and there was our friend. The one the morons upstairs so cleverly call 'The Beast'. Idiots."
"So, Mr Stalks-a-lot wanted what?" Buffy asked.
"Well, we had a lot in common."
"With the lurking and the stalking and the killing," Buffy finished.
Angelus nodded and shrugged dismissively. "He staged the carnage to impress me."
"Hmm, the demon equivalent to flowers and chocolate hearts. How romantic. But why? He must have wanted something."
The Vampire was vaguely impressed. The Slayer knew nothing about the Beast, but she was asking the right questions. He'd obviously either grossly underestimated her when they'd last fought, or she'd grown up in the last few years. Angelus suspected that it was a combination of both.
"Ever heard of the Svea Priestesses? They're big into the banishing," Angelus replied.
("Vanishing?" Lorne asked.
"Banishing," Fred replied.)
"Let me guess, these Svea Priestess girls could banish Mr Big Bad. He couldn't do anything about it due to some sort of funky mojo. But you could," Buffy surmised.
Angelus nodded. "I'm impressed."
"A favour for a favour, right?"
"Something like that."
Buffy looked at her ex-lover's demon and studied him carefully. Their hands were still touching and he hadn't once tried to hurt her or even pull her any closer. He just seemed to want the contact, and she wasn't protesting it at all. She'd missed him more than she'd realised.
"So…what did you say?" Buffy asked.
"What do you think I said?" Angelus questioned.
Buffy thought about it, thought about what she knew of Angelus and decided on her answer.
"You turned him down."
Angelus nodded. "And he didn't ask twice. I probably could have been more diplomatic with my refusal, but I'm not big with teamwork. Not with demons anyway. I thought that was going to be the end of me, but…those Svea Priestesses showed up."
"They did their mojo and he was banished I take it," Buffy finished.
Angelus nodded.
"Did you see anything else?" Buffy asked.
"Nope. Was a bit too busy with the passing out."
Buffy shuddered. If the Beast was strong enough to be knocking Angelus out with a single blow, then she could only imagine what the demon would be able to do to normal human beings.
"And that's it?" Buffy asked.
"That's everything."
Buffy nodded and stood up, Angelus matching her movements, not letting her hand go. He tugged gently so that she stepped towards the cage, her free hand coming up to the bar. She looked up at him, painfully aware of how close they were. She was just grateful that there was a cage between them or else she didn't know if she could have controlled herself.
"You sure I can't talk you into joining me in here? There's a great view."
"Sorry Angelus. I've got my hands full back in Sunnydale," she replied.
She went to pull away but Angelus kept a grip on her. To anyone else it would have been painful, but to the Slayer, the pressure was almost comforting. She sighed and lent her head against the bars on the cage, her forehead touching his chest as he pressed himself against the bars. He brought his other hand up and ran his fingers gently through her hair.
"You sure I can't…convince you?" Angelus whispered seductively, his chest rumbling as he spoke.
Buffy shivered and knew that if she didn't walk away now, she wouldn't be able to. She pulled back regretfully and yanked her hand away from him. He looked at her sadly before his face shifted back to the inscrutable mask that he'd worn earlier. He watched her walk away from him and Angelus slammed the bars in frustration.
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