Chapter 15 Face Off
December 22

Murder's bad for business. It doesn't take long for word on the street to get to people. The club was as empty as my daddy's grave.

Security was tight at the front. The Slayer had picked up a few Domovoi and a pair of F'Yarl's. She was taking the threat seriously. The security guys were tense and anxious, their eyes flickering constantly. The band was playing desultorily, and Harry was doing the crooning, hanging onto the microphone like it was a lifeline with a wide mechanical smile on his face.

There was a crowd around one of the front tables and a cloud of pungent cigar smoke fogged the atmosphere. I squinted and focused in on the main attraction. Of course it was Krevlorneswath, his red eyes focused in on Anyanka's slim figure where she was curled in the chair next to his. My Anyanka, crooning something low in his pointed green ear, her white gloved hands trailing seductively through her auburn hair. She was draped in a heavy lace dress that pooled in creamy drifts around her ankles. The bracelet I'd brought her sparkled on her slender wrist. It looked kind of pathetic next to all that glamourous Hollywood style. She was practically crawling into the producer's lap.

On the outside of the crowd, the Slayer watched the room warily. I caught her eye and she stepped over to me. Anyanka didn't even notice I was there.

I talked to Clement.

She seemed relieved not to have to drag out all the old memories again. I suspected she kept them locked away with good reason. The black and whites I'd seen had nothing on being there. I wondered how she could make it from day to day with those kinds of pictures in her head. I hated to do it, but I drew her away, down the black painted hallway to her office.

Xander, I really don't think... Buffy said as she waved away her security detail.

Have you found Spike?

she answered abruptly, I'm not even sure if I still want to.

She looked fragile, the black silk shantung of her dinner gown emphasizing her pale skin. A slash of bright red decorated her drawn mouth and the pearls around her neck were the same color as her flesh. She looked sick, really ill. The horrors were taking a toll on her and she deserved a rest before she broke down Maybe that's what this Angel's plan was. Eat away at her until she disintegrated.

I understood what the problem was and I wanted to help her. There wasn't much of anything I could say, though. Just be her pal, I guess, help her find her vampire, help her kill whatever might be pretending to be her dead lover. We were just outside her office when she stiffened abruptly and swiveled to stare into the shadows.

Hello lover, purred a low voice from the shadows. I looked up at the huge silhouette backlit in in the blue glow of the wall scones. A heavy hand reached out for the Slayer. Did you miss me, lover?
Her head turned abruptly and she shoved me up against the wall behind her. She was instantly on guard, a Boadicea in Balenciaga.

Get out of my club, Angelus, she snarled, You're not invited.

But darlin', I thought you and I were going to run the club together, he stepped closer to her, into the blue light, Just like we talked about. You remember how we talked about it, don't you?

I tried to push past the Slayer, Leave her alone. He ignored me. Buffy shoved me back against the wall again, hard.

She reached into a hidden placket in the front of her dinner jacket and pulled out a foot long ash stake, polished and ground to needle sharpness. She was poised on the balls of her feet, looking deadly and slightly ridiculous in her little black heels. All of the anger focused in a tight point on the creature that stood in front of her. I got a good look at him. Big, muscular and striking looking, he had a lopsided grin quirking his clear porcelain skin. It was clear what he was, the faint hint of Ireland told me definitely who he was. Not a ghost, the real thing.

He kept talking, and smiling in a way that made me wish I had a stake myself. Don't you remember what good times we had in Los Angles? You, me... my boy William. She clenched her jaw and remained silent, We were gonna be together, baby. You and me, running the Stake together after we got rid of Giles.
I was going to divorce him, not kill him.
Didn't work out quite that way, I hear.
No, it didn't.
And now there's William.
She faltered at the mention of the other vamps name, Where is he? Angelus gave a sarcastic little chortle and raised an eyebrow.

How long did you wait before you took him to bed, Buffy? I could see how it was with the two of you. Was is it with you and demons? Can't get enough of the cold comfort?

Shut up.

Why should I? Do you have any conception of what I went through for you?

Angel, I'm sorry for what you went through...

he laughed incredulously, Sorry! You stupid ungrateful little bitch. How dare you stand there and tell me you're sorry.

Her hands were trembling and the stake in her hand wobbled. He was the master of pain, wasn't he? He knew just where to hit the hardest. Tears glittered on her black mascaraed eyelashes.

I did love you, Angel. I did. But I loved my sister more. He had Dawn. I had to do what he wanted.

Dear little Dawn. So sweet and... tender, he smirked and moved closer to her. That was always it, wasn't it? I can't leave him, he might hurt Dawn. I can't, Dawn might...always some excuse! He was snarling the words out and a thought occurred to me. I might be able to get reinforcements if I could get past the combatants. I started creeping sideways toward the main floor. Angel ignored me like I was a spider and kept on ranting, unleashing more of his venomous words, I think you would have actually gone through with everything if he hadn't kept you on the leash with fresh, juicy little Dawnie. Like a peach. I could see a horror run through the Slayer at the thought of something happening to her sister.

He was on her in the space of a single breath, grasping the stake and wrenching it from her nerveless finger, pitching it into the black hallway. He slammed her against the wall opposite, crushing her mouth beneath his, grinding his lips into hers until she bled. Then in an instant, he was gone.
His voice drifted toward us, Be seeing you around.

She stood there, a trickle of blood on her smeared lips and her face drained of life. She didn't speak, just opened her office door and went inside, locking it firmly behind her. I was left standing there wondering what the hell use I was. Angelus had ignored me completely. I wasn't great shakes at slaying. I decided to earn the money she was paying me.

tbc

Music: Harry Connick, Jr. Cry Me A River