AN: Back with our vampires, William is searching for his own place in the
world.
The Choice: Chapter 12
As the years went by the relationship between the three vampires became strained. William wanted his freedom, he hated the confines a coven brought although it felt safe at certain moments. Angelus loved him in his own way, but Darla hated him. She had looked and waited until Angelus got tired of his new toy and killed William or tossed him aside. But for some reason the vampires kept his Childe close, even when he had taught him everything he knew. One evening they sat together when William made his announcement.
"I'm leaving tomorrow."
Darla smiled triumphantically, but Angelus was not so happy about his Childes decision.
"Why would you want to face the world alone? It's a lonely existence, certainly if you live forever."
"I have everything I need. Since my mother died of grief I am a rich man. I'm not learning anything when I stay a good boy, Angelus. I'll come back, but in my own time."
"It's time for you to grow up, I agree. Let him go, Angelus."
The vampire didn't like the idea, but he couldn't deny William anything.
"Alright lad, you can go. Why would I stop you?"
William knew that his Sire had difficulties with his decision but didn't care.
The next evening he went to say goodbye when he found Darla in tears. The whole room was shattered.
"What happened?"
"None of your business! If you're looking for Angelus, he's not here. He went hunting, he didn't want to see you."
William nodded and made his way to the door. He didn't take anything with him. There was nothing in this world he couldn't buy. Just before he left Darla came up to him.
"Angelus didn't want you to leave. . . But you made a good choice. I advice you to stay away."
"I'll not get in your way, don't worry. Tell him. . . Who am I kidding, you wouldn't tell him any way."
*** He left to visit the rest of Europe. He had never been outside of Britain and he had always loved history. The ancient Rome was the first city that caught his attention. For days he wandered through the Colosseum, trying to understand the way of living of the old Romans. He sat on the stone benches and tried to imagine what it was like for gladiators when the Caesar could decide over their life and death.
He didn't meet other vampires often but sometimes they had news to tell him. He didn't keep count of the victims he killed but choose them carefully so that nobody would miss them and he could stay in the city unnoticed.
He had set up his lair in one of the old abandoned cemeteries, together with a hotel room he used now and then, where he would have a little peace and quiet. That peace was disturbed when Darla suddenly stood in front of him.
"Darla. You were the last person I expected."
"Believe me, this is the last place I want to be. Do you have any idea how long it took me to find you?!"
"What is it you want, Darla?"
"Angelus is gone."
"You have little faith in your Childe. You know he'll always return to you, he's bound to you."
"No, he. . . he has a soul, William. That night you left he was very angry and said he needed a vicious kill. He choose a young gypsy girl and her family cursed him with a soul."
"What do you want me to do?"
"It's your fault! I want you to look for him and make him a vampires again! It's the least you can do."
"Are you out of your bloody mind?! I'm not spending my time on a souled vampire! And saying it's my fault doesn't work, remember? I'm not the souled one."
"You. . . you. . . aargh!"
It seemed like she wanted to attack him, but at the last moment she changed her mind and disappeared. For a moment he believed it was all a dream. The perfume that still hung in the air convinced him it had all been real.
The Choice: Chapter 12
As the years went by the relationship between the three vampires became strained. William wanted his freedom, he hated the confines a coven brought although it felt safe at certain moments. Angelus loved him in his own way, but Darla hated him. She had looked and waited until Angelus got tired of his new toy and killed William or tossed him aside. But for some reason the vampires kept his Childe close, even when he had taught him everything he knew. One evening they sat together when William made his announcement.
"I'm leaving tomorrow."
Darla smiled triumphantically, but Angelus was not so happy about his Childes decision.
"Why would you want to face the world alone? It's a lonely existence, certainly if you live forever."
"I have everything I need. Since my mother died of grief I am a rich man. I'm not learning anything when I stay a good boy, Angelus. I'll come back, but in my own time."
"It's time for you to grow up, I agree. Let him go, Angelus."
The vampire didn't like the idea, but he couldn't deny William anything.
"Alright lad, you can go. Why would I stop you?"
William knew that his Sire had difficulties with his decision but didn't care.
The next evening he went to say goodbye when he found Darla in tears. The whole room was shattered.
"What happened?"
"None of your business! If you're looking for Angelus, he's not here. He went hunting, he didn't want to see you."
William nodded and made his way to the door. He didn't take anything with him. There was nothing in this world he couldn't buy. Just before he left Darla came up to him.
"Angelus didn't want you to leave. . . But you made a good choice. I advice you to stay away."
"I'll not get in your way, don't worry. Tell him. . . Who am I kidding, you wouldn't tell him any way."
*** He left to visit the rest of Europe. He had never been outside of Britain and he had always loved history. The ancient Rome was the first city that caught his attention. For days he wandered through the Colosseum, trying to understand the way of living of the old Romans. He sat on the stone benches and tried to imagine what it was like for gladiators when the Caesar could decide over their life and death.
He didn't meet other vampires often but sometimes they had news to tell him. He didn't keep count of the victims he killed but choose them carefully so that nobody would miss them and he could stay in the city unnoticed.
He had set up his lair in one of the old abandoned cemeteries, together with a hotel room he used now and then, where he would have a little peace and quiet. That peace was disturbed when Darla suddenly stood in front of him.
"Darla. You were the last person I expected."
"Believe me, this is the last place I want to be. Do you have any idea how long it took me to find you?!"
"What is it you want, Darla?"
"Angelus is gone."
"You have little faith in your Childe. You know he'll always return to you, he's bound to you."
"No, he. . . he has a soul, William. That night you left he was very angry and said he needed a vicious kill. He choose a young gypsy girl and her family cursed him with a soul."
"What do you want me to do?"
"It's your fault! I want you to look for him and make him a vampires again! It's the least you can do."
"Are you out of your bloody mind?! I'm not spending my time on a souled vampire! And saying it's my fault doesn't work, remember? I'm not the souled one."
"You. . . you. . . aargh!"
It seemed like she wanted to attack him, but at the last moment she changed her mind and disappeared. For a moment he believed it was all a dream. The perfume that still hung in the air convinced him it had all been real.