"The Books of Aurelius" The history of a Vampire: Twelve
The games vampires play
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Angelus paced his room. Darla had not yet returned from the Master's Chambers and he knew from past experience that she could be kept there for days.
Somewhere within him the desire to be the alpha male was making his blood boil at the way the Master had treated him and his lover. He was being sent to a Newly Borne for training like an ordinary dumb fledgling and his fighting skills were being publicly questioned.
Angelus may not be interested in Order politics, but he knew very well what this would do for Darla's position once this hit the rumor mill. He would be the current laughing stock and she would be thoroughly compromised because she took a weak lover. And all because the Master wanted to play with his minions some more.
"Arghhh" he exclaimed while whipping Darla's dressoir free from knickknacks. No matter where he went or who he killed there was always a man telling him he wasn't performing up to the standards.
Well 2 can play that game! He may be a framer's son from Ireland, but that did not mean that he had no intelligence and living with Darla for the last few decades had certainly taught him a few things. It's time to inject some life in this group of old maids.
~*~
Buffy had spent the majority of the afternoon reading Charles's correspondence for the day. Most of the letters were simple requests and rapports. That's what you get when you can't make a phone call. How long until that Bell dude again? She had started to create a system of archiving and prepared a list of what Charles needed to read along with a summary of the rapports. Who knew I'd be good at this secretary thing? She even made a balance of the budget requests. Feeling very accomplished she grinned: And I didn't kill a thing!
The knock at the door pulled her out of her elated feeling. Damn, sunset already? Buffy had evaded thinking about what to do with Angelus this evening. She just had no idea how to act around him. He looked like her Angel but he wasn't. Even Charles had warned her about getting too much involved with him but this was at the Master's 'request' and she did not feel like ruffling his feathers already.
However, the object she had been ignoring or rather trying to ignore, walked into the study looking decidedly yummy. He wore a pair of loose fitting silk pants just like the ones she wore but in black instead of her brown. His feet were encased in sturdy house slippers and his torso held a black button-down shirt. Typical! He forgot to close the upper few buttons. Now I have to look at that bit of skin and concentrate at the same time. Hrmpf. Buffy grumbled in her mind while she rose from her bureau to meet him halfway.
Angelus on the other hand was having a good time walking towards her. She wore a wraparound brown silk shirt and the same house slippers. He was impressed both by her lovely appearance and by his ability to keep his arousal non physical. It wouldn't do to give her that piece of information. At least not yet. He mentally smiled.
Take the bull by the horns, Buffy. That's what you are good at.
"Hello Angelus! Shall we get started right away? First off I would like to know what kind of weapon skills you already have."
"Are you always this straight forward? Not that I mind though. I just thought we could get to know each other first." He said throwing her a charming smile.
Buffy couldn't help but smile. There was the Angelus she knew, always trying to charm women into taking him at face value. Had she been a few years younger and less experienced especially in dealing with Angelus she might have fallen for this trick but this Buffy had his number.
Alright, I'll play your game with you. We'll go where you want us to but don't think you're in the driver seat, BUDDY!
"I just figured you were eager to get back to Darla instead of staying down here with little old me." She finished the sentence with a coquettishly smile.
"No" He said while walking around the large room looking at books and other objects. "I have no problems with my current lovely company. How about you? Knowing Charles he would hardly be enthusiastic about these developments."
Oh, nice try buddy! Okay, that information is not classified. "He doesn't want me in Order politics but that's not what you are here for or is it?"
Angelus turned around to regard her. Well, well, the lady knows how to throw a pun. Maybe it's time to see how she throws a punch. A knowing little smile crossed his face. "In answer of your first question. I know knifes and light swords. Recently I have had some nice experiences with lances. "
Buffy walked up to the practice area of the room giving him a look indicating for him to follow her.
"I thought we could begin with some hand to hand combat to get some feel of your natural abilities."
He gave her a scrutinizing look as she started to loosen her muscles. She was in one word petite and looked like she could be blown away by a good Irish storm. It wasn't that she had no curves or lacked muscle tone. She was just small.
"I am sure Charles choose you for the clan with a certain purpose." He said in a tone of voice that indicated just what kind of purpose he thought of. "But fighting me was not part of it I am certain. I wouldn't want to hurt you or do anything to bruise that beautiful face."
Buffy looked up at him to see if he was joking. She knew people thought Angel as well as Angelus had no real sense of humor but she had learned to recognize a twinkle of laughter buried deep within his eyes. It wasn't there.
She laughed at him and motioned with her hands for him to rush her. He merely rose an eyebrow.
He's not going to let this go! She thought with a sigh.
"Alright, I'll make a deal with you." That peaked his interest and he waved his hand vaguely for her to continue.
"We'll bet on the outcome. We'll each state what we want from the other if we win."
"You are really serious about this. I can state anything I desire?"
"nope" She said popping the 'p'. "Not anything you desire but I'm sure we can come to mutual agreeable terms." This made him do that half smile again and there was that twinkle she had been looking for.
"In the very likely event that I win, you will have to give me a back massage as a forfeit." He stated smugly.
Buffy shook her head in disagreement and motioned for him to try again.
"How do 20 questions sound?" Buffy looked intrigued. "If I win I gain the right to ask you 20 questions that you are bound to answer truthfully."
Oh, that can be fun. Buffy hadn't picked up much from Psych 101 because of all the Riley drooling but this she remembered. Questions reveal as much as answers. "Agreed!"
She stood in the center of the rooms padded area and waited for him to join her there. "There are only 2 rules. One, no weapons except fists and fangs. Two, no other rules. The loser is the first person with one of their shoulder blades on the ground. "
With that they began to circle each other slowly.
Angelus figured that a well placed slap to the face should send her to her ass after which he could proceed to pin her down. He moved into her personal space but kept the distance necessary to put some weight into his slap. She might be small but she was still a vampire with all the strength benefits.
The distance was all the clue Buffy needed to anticipate his move. With his arm rising to the side preparing for the slap, his chest was wide open. Buffy turned towards his slapping arm blocking it with her own arms. Meanwhile she kicked him square in the chest, sending him to the floor on his butt. The look of surprise was almost comical on his face.
"We will have to work on your defensive abilities." She said not being able to keep certain extend of glee from her voice.
Instead of pinning his shoulders to the ground, Buffy extended her hand as an offer to help him up.
Soon they were back to circling each other. Buffy could clearly see him sizing her up seriously this time. Time to put his skills to the test. She erupted in a series of blows which he tried to block but he only managed to catch a third of them. Not only that but she was leading this dance to wherever she wanted him. He has been relying on his strength and privileged place within the Order for his survival. They had been dancing around on the matted area and when they returned to the middle Buffy threw a mock punch to the left side of his head. Angelus dodged the blow easily by moving his entire body to the right. By then, however, Buffy had put her left leg behind his right one and Angelus went to the floor in a flurry of limbs. This time she launched herself after him and set herself on his chest, locking his shoulders in place on the ground.
She waited for him to figure out what had happened and then looked him square in the eye.
I WIN
He looked at her with a combination of embarrassment and amazement. Standing up, he accepted the towel she offered him. She is not gloating, she didn't throw her obvious abilities in my face but ended this game swiftly even after I so blatantly underestimated her. She's strong and swift and elegant and intelligent. Who is she?
"You have not yet stated your prize but you did come out the victor of this game. With what can I settle our bet and restore my honor?" Angelus said in his serious tone of voice.
Surprised Buffy turned around. She was expecting mockery, flattery and especially sexual innuendo but certainly not honesty. Am I getting to him like I used to? Maybe I can help Angelus try to be a better man? Oh, don't be crazy he is the Scourge of Europe and you are not going to get caught up in his affair with Darla. That didn't end well the last time you did. What should I ask for? I wonder… "Do you know what Ice Cream is?"
"A Venetian treat. They sell it at the Covent Garden market."
"I would like a pint of that tomorrow night. For after our next training session."
And with that request the mask that was Angelus returned. "Your wish is my command, your loveliness."
The door at the end of the circular stairs opened and Charles entered reading a newspaper.
Instead of the razor-sharp retort, Buffy came up with a very businesslike tone. "Be ready for our next session tomorrow at the same time. Goodbye Angelus." She dismissed him. His eyes shone with understanding and mischief. You don't want Charles to know how much you enjoyed your afternoon with me. He was about to expose her little ice cream 'fantasy' when he noticed a small plea in her eyes. Maybe it would be a good idea to keep that little something just between the both of them.
Are we a 'them' after just one sparring match?
He mentally shook his head and quickly answered her so not to give any speculation to other connections between them than the one the Master ordered. "Until then, Miss Buffy" He acknowledged Charles with the barest hint of a nod and left with a small frown that was not there because of what it appeared to be.
~*~
Buffy and Lissane were waiting for Mitch in the hall of the Order headquarters to go out for a night in town. They had spent the late hours of the evening afternoon dressing and making themselves look as beautiful as they could possibly be. Jessie had a field day choosing colors and creams for their faces and styling their hairs in the latest trends. They made quite a picture standing there in the hall and the gaze of every male passing lingered longer than normally. Lissane wore a soft brown dress with light blue lace at the bodice. Her hair was loose, only held back by a few diamond studded pins. Buffy wore her favorite soft camel colored silk dress and her hair was swept up in to a massive curl running down her head. A few locks lined her face and neck which held, just like Lissane, a diamond chocker to hide her bite marks.
Buffy was just telling Lissane that she didn't have much experience in the London nightlife but that she was very curious as to what mysterious restaurant Mitch was taking them, when Roland descended one of the two master staircases in the hall.
"Look at the beautiful bounties of the Order. Where are you two off to, dressed so immaculately?" He interrupted Lissane's answer to Buffy; instead she turned around to face him and answered him in her most condescending voice.
"I assume you inquire after our plans out of interest for our well being but rest assured, we leave for a late night supper but we will be properly escorted." She turned her gaze from Roland to the staircase behind him and said: "And our escort is just arriving." Mitch walked down the last couple of steps and walked around Roland to join the ladies.
"Of course I was only concerned with your well being, my ladies. I am sure Mitch here will make an agreeable escort. Should you be interested in a safer ally and a protector of a higher, how shall I put this, standard, I would be very honored to escort you to any venue you would want to visit. I am sure that my attentions will be very rewarding." Roland spoke with a smile on his face that made both ladies in question shiver to their toes. As a response they each took one of Mitch's arms and hooked one of theirs into it. Before turning her back to Roland completely, Lissane returned his remarks.
"Where your credentials as an escort still remain to be proven, Mitch has one credential already. He does not need to sing his own praises but let's his actions speak for him." With that she turned and started walking. Mitch turned his head an gave Roland a smug look before opening the door to a waiting carriage.
~*~
Arriving at the restaurant they settled at a beautifully decked table for a nice meal and some bonding time.
"Which of our menu's would you like to look at?" the waiter asked Mitch. Buffy and Lissane shared a puzzled look and then gazed at Mitch expecting an answer.
"This place has a menu especially for those of our kind and their rather unique diet." Then he turned to the waiter to order both menus.
Lissane started to fidget and obviously could not stay still any longer. "I think we have been behaving ourselves tremendously well by not bringing this up in the carriage but I for one can not wait a moment longer. Tell us all about your first session with Angelus. Did he try to seduce you? Ramona confided in me that he is an excellent lover and that his body is quite the sight for sour eyes. Is it true that the Master ordered you to teach him to fight because he has poor fighting skills?"
Buffy grinned at the assault of questions Lissane fired away at her. Although she did file a few observations away in her mind, to ponder at a later date. Like the fact that Angelus obviously shared his bed with other order members besides Darla. Or that the Masters' orders were still a rumor instead of a fact. She also saw this as a good opportunity to gain a little of Angelus's trust and she wanted to keep some of that afternoon for herself.
"The Master did order me to train him but I don't think it was because he has poor fighting skills. He did fine in hand to hand combat." So, I stretched the truth a little. "And he did survive the inauguration. I think the master wants me to enhance his natural fighter abilities to make him a formidable leading figure in the Order." Sure that was rat face's first objective. It had nothing to do with the mayhem it causes for both Darla and Angelus. Now all she could hope for was that this version would become a well established fact and that Angelus knew she was the source. Luckily both Lissane and Mitch were very social creatures and they had a lot of friends and acquaintances throughout the order already. This would spread like a bonfire. Maybe I can do some good while I'm here. Keep the Scourge of Europe occupied and a lot of humans alive.
"Alright fine. So the man's abilities are not in question but the angelic one does have a reputation for enjoying the 'company' of other vampires." Mitch said while raising his eyebrow suggestively at the word company. "And with a creature as beautiful as you, I can not imagine that he did not make any proposition."
And that was the part she wanted to keep to herself. Sure he made with the sexual innuendo and the flattery but he had not tried to outright seduce her. The request for a massage as forfeit was a half assed attempt at best. She knew he must be playing some game or he would not have shown any interest at all. The waiter arrived with their menus and by the time all the orders were taken she had come up with a perfect diversionary tactic.
"So Mitch, do you take all the ladies to a demon restaurant or is it just something you save for us?" She joked. He told them how he had heard of this place that served the best chardonnay/blood mix in London and the three of them lapsed in a conversation that went from the London hotspots to clan gossip and from there to foreign affairs.
~*~
Leonard Yourdon sat at a table in one of the more expensive and well known demon establishments. He was doing what he was so meticulously trained to do. Watch A few of the patrons were vampires but tonight the crowd was mainly human.
His current interest was a group of three well dressed youngsters. Obviously rich and beautiful but also pale and both the women wore chokers around their necks. The man wore a silk scarf tucked neatly into his collar like the new trend set. He didn't need to see them order from the second menu to know that they were vampires.
Extracting a little black book from his dress coat pocket, Leonard started to write down details of this sighting of new vampires. Flagging down one of the waiters he bribed him into gathering information by eavesdropping on their conversation. The waiter came up with all kinds of interesting information and was well compensated for his efforts. That evening Leonard wrote a report that would probably put him in the spotlight for a new promotion.
~*~
When Angelus returned to his chambers he found Darla sitting on their bed wearing only her robe. "Hello, my darling boy. Help me wash away the grime of my day?"
Angelus needed to remind himself just who was his Sire and companion. Soon they were submerged in a warm bath with sweet scented bubbles. They reacquainted themselves with the other's body in a unusual show of tenderness. Almost like they were both trying to deny their true nature and all that it entailed. In the afterglow Darla spoke into his neck while her body was draped over his under the waterline.
"If we were mated he could not claim me so easily and you would have more rights to stand up to his decisions regarding you or me. At this moment we are but two of his subjects but if you were my mate that will have precedence in certain matters." She tensed up waiting for his answer. The issue of mating was a delicate subject, one he rarely reacted to in a quiet manner.
Pushing her aside with a shove, Angelus left the bath displacing huge amounts of water. "Darla, I explained this already. Are you deaf?" He said while he roughly dried his body. She followed him into the bedroom.
"Explain it to me again, humor me!" She knew she was unable to keep the beginnings of desperation that she felt away from her voice. Pulling all her wits together and with a much more steady voice she asked: "please?"
"Woman!" Angelus exclaimed and threw his hands in the air. He pulled her to his naked frame and held her upper arms so strongly that they bruised. He whispered straight into her face. "Should I choose a mate to spend eternity with, I will do so because I desire to. Not because of political reasons or because it will make you feel more safe. When you turned me I became my own man and therefore I will make my own decisions. Do you get it now? Do not bother me with this again, woman! I warn you. Dou ya understand ma?" He spat the last words at her raising his voice that was thick with his native language. She nodded her head and returned to the bathroom to give him some space to cool down.
~*~
Charles had joined Charia in her rooms for a few glasses of her illegally acquired red port. "How does it feel, Charles? Having a Childe again? Is she as free spirited with you as she was at the banquette?"
His face lit up with a slow smile while thinking about his girl. "Yes, she does have a free spirit, does she not? She is everything I could wish for in a new Childe. Strong, intelligent, organized and social. Do you know she's having supper with that new boy of yours? What's his name again?"
"Mitchell? Did you know that he is quite taken with her?"
"Is he now? Well tell me more about him then." As Charia sang her new Childe's praises, a plan began to form in Charles' mind. Angelus might not be a problem after all.
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The games vampires play
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Angelus paced his room. Darla had not yet returned from the Master's Chambers and he knew from past experience that she could be kept there for days.
Somewhere within him the desire to be the alpha male was making his blood boil at the way the Master had treated him and his lover. He was being sent to a Newly Borne for training like an ordinary dumb fledgling and his fighting skills were being publicly questioned.
Angelus may not be interested in Order politics, but he knew very well what this would do for Darla's position once this hit the rumor mill. He would be the current laughing stock and she would be thoroughly compromised because she took a weak lover. And all because the Master wanted to play with his minions some more.
"Arghhh" he exclaimed while whipping Darla's dressoir free from knickknacks. No matter where he went or who he killed there was always a man telling him he wasn't performing up to the standards.
Well 2 can play that game! He may be a framer's son from Ireland, but that did not mean that he had no intelligence and living with Darla for the last few decades had certainly taught him a few things. It's time to inject some life in this group of old maids.
Buffy had spent the majority of the afternoon reading Charles's correspondence for the day. Most of the letters were simple requests and rapports. That's what you get when you can't make a phone call. How long until that Bell dude again? She had started to create a system of archiving and prepared a list of what Charles needed to read along with a summary of the rapports. Who knew I'd be good at this secretary thing? She even made a balance of the budget requests. Feeling very accomplished she grinned: And I didn't kill a thing!
The knock at the door pulled her out of her elated feeling. Damn, sunset already? Buffy had evaded thinking about what to do with Angelus this evening. She just had no idea how to act around him. He looked like her Angel but he wasn't. Even Charles had warned her about getting too much involved with him but this was at the Master's 'request' and she did not feel like ruffling his feathers already.
However, the object she had been ignoring or rather trying to ignore, walked into the study looking decidedly yummy. He wore a pair of loose fitting silk pants just like the ones she wore but in black instead of her brown. His feet were encased in sturdy house slippers and his torso held a black button-down shirt. Typical! He forgot to close the upper few buttons. Now I have to look at that bit of skin and concentrate at the same time. Hrmpf. Buffy grumbled in her mind while she rose from her bureau to meet him halfway.
Angelus on the other hand was having a good time walking towards her. She wore a wraparound brown silk shirt and the same house slippers. He was impressed both by her lovely appearance and by his ability to keep his arousal non physical. It wouldn't do to give her that piece of information. At least not yet. He mentally smiled.
Take the bull by the horns, Buffy. That's what you are good at.
"Hello Angelus! Shall we get started right away? First off I would like to know what kind of weapon skills you already have."
"Are you always this straight forward? Not that I mind though. I just thought we could get to know each other first." He said throwing her a charming smile.
Buffy couldn't help but smile. There was the Angelus she knew, always trying to charm women into taking him at face value. Had she been a few years younger and less experienced especially in dealing with Angelus she might have fallen for this trick but this Buffy had his number.
Alright, I'll play your game with you. We'll go where you want us to but don't think you're in the driver seat, BUDDY!
"I just figured you were eager to get back to Darla instead of staying down here with little old me." She finished the sentence with a coquettishly smile.
"No" He said while walking around the large room looking at books and other objects. "I have no problems with my current lovely company. How about you? Knowing Charles he would hardly be enthusiastic about these developments."
Oh, nice try buddy! Okay, that information is not classified. "He doesn't want me in Order politics but that's not what you are here for or is it?"
Angelus turned around to regard her. Well, well, the lady knows how to throw a pun. Maybe it's time to see how she throws a punch. A knowing little smile crossed his face. "In answer of your first question. I know knifes and light swords. Recently I have had some nice experiences with lances. "
Buffy walked up to the practice area of the room giving him a look indicating for him to follow her.
"I thought we could begin with some hand to hand combat to get some feel of your natural abilities."
He gave her a scrutinizing look as she started to loosen her muscles. She was in one word petite and looked like she could be blown away by a good Irish storm. It wasn't that she had no curves or lacked muscle tone. She was just small.
"I am sure Charles choose you for the clan with a certain purpose." He said in a tone of voice that indicated just what kind of purpose he thought of. "But fighting me was not part of it I am certain. I wouldn't want to hurt you or do anything to bruise that beautiful face."
Buffy looked up at him to see if he was joking. She knew people thought Angel as well as Angelus had no real sense of humor but she had learned to recognize a twinkle of laughter buried deep within his eyes. It wasn't there.
She laughed at him and motioned with her hands for him to rush her. He merely rose an eyebrow.
He's not going to let this go! She thought with a sigh.
"Alright, I'll make a deal with you." That peaked his interest and he waved his hand vaguely for her to continue.
"We'll bet on the outcome. We'll each state what we want from the other if we win."
"You are really serious about this. I can state anything I desire?"
"nope" She said popping the 'p'. "Not anything you desire but I'm sure we can come to mutual agreeable terms." This made him do that half smile again and there was that twinkle she had been looking for.
"In the very likely event that I win, you will have to give me a back massage as a forfeit." He stated smugly.
Buffy shook her head in disagreement and motioned for him to try again.
"How do 20 questions sound?" Buffy looked intrigued. "If I win I gain the right to ask you 20 questions that you are bound to answer truthfully."
Oh, that can be fun. Buffy hadn't picked up much from Psych 101 because of all the Riley drooling but this she remembered. Questions reveal as much as answers. "Agreed!"
She stood in the center of the rooms padded area and waited for him to join her there. "There are only 2 rules. One, no weapons except fists and fangs. Two, no other rules. The loser is the first person with one of their shoulder blades on the ground. "
With that they began to circle each other slowly.
Angelus figured that a well placed slap to the face should send her to her ass after which he could proceed to pin her down. He moved into her personal space but kept the distance necessary to put some weight into his slap. She might be small but she was still a vampire with all the strength benefits.
The distance was all the clue Buffy needed to anticipate his move. With his arm rising to the side preparing for the slap, his chest was wide open. Buffy turned towards his slapping arm blocking it with her own arms. Meanwhile she kicked him square in the chest, sending him to the floor on his butt. The look of surprise was almost comical on his face.
"We will have to work on your defensive abilities." She said not being able to keep certain extend of glee from her voice.
Instead of pinning his shoulders to the ground, Buffy extended her hand as an offer to help him up.
Soon they were back to circling each other. Buffy could clearly see him sizing her up seriously this time. Time to put his skills to the test. She erupted in a series of blows which he tried to block but he only managed to catch a third of them. Not only that but she was leading this dance to wherever she wanted him. He has been relying on his strength and privileged place within the Order for his survival. They had been dancing around on the matted area and when they returned to the middle Buffy threw a mock punch to the left side of his head. Angelus dodged the blow easily by moving his entire body to the right. By then, however, Buffy had put her left leg behind his right one and Angelus went to the floor in a flurry of limbs. This time she launched herself after him and set herself on his chest, locking his shoulders in place on the ground.
She waited for him to figure out what had happened and then looked him square in the eye.
He looked at her with a combination of embarrassment and amazement. Standing up, he accepted the towel she offered him. She is not gloating, she didn't throw her obvious abilities in my face but ended this game swiftly even after I so blatantly underestimated her. She's strong and swift and elegant and intelligent. Who is she?
"You have not yet stated your prize but you did come out the victor of this game. With what can I settle our bet and restore my honor?" Angelus said in his serious tone of voice.
Surprised Buffy turned around. She was expecting mockery, flattery and especially sexual innuendo but certainly not honesty. Am I getting to him like I used to? Maybe I can help Angelus try to be a better man? Oh, don't be crazy he is the Scourge of Europe and you are not going to get caught up in his affair with Darla. That didn't end well the last time you did. What should I ask for? I wonder… "Do you know what Ice Cream is?"
"A Venetian treat. They sell it at the Covent Garden market."
"I would like a pint of that tomorrow night. For after our next training session."
And with that request the mask that was Angelus returned. "Your wish is my command, your loveliness."
The door at the end of the circular stairs opened and Charles entered reading a newspaper.
Instead of the razor-sharp retort, Buffy came up with a very businesslike tone. "Be ready for our next session tomorrow at the same time. Goodbye Angelus." She dismissed him. His eyes shone with understanding and mischief. You don't want Charles to know how much you enjoyed your afternoon with me. He was about to expose her little ice cream 'fantasy' when he noticed a small plea in her eyes. Maybe it would be a good idea to keep that little something just between the both of them.
Are we a 'them' after just one sparring match?
He mentally shook his head and quickly answered her so not to give any speculation to other connections between them than the one the Master ordered. "Until then, Miss Buffy" He acknowledged Charles with the barest hint of a nod and left with a small frown that was not there because of what it appeared to be.
Buffy and Lissane were waiting for Mitch in the hall of the Order headquarters to go out for a night in town. They had spent the late hours of the evening afternoon dressing and making themselves look as beautiful as they could possibly be. Jessie had a field day choosing colors and creams for their faces and styling their hairs in the latest trends. They made quite a picture standing there in the hall and the gaze of every male passing lingered longer than normally. Lissane wore a soft brown dress with light blue lace at the bodice. Her hair was loose, only held back by a few diamond studded pins. Buffy wore her favorite soft camel colored silk dress and her hair was swept up in to a massive curl running down her head. A few locks lined her face and neck which held, just like Lissane, a diamond chocker to hide her bite marks.
Buffy was just telling Lissane that she didn't have much experience in the London nightlife but that she was very curious as to what mysterious restaurant Mitch was taking them, when Roland descended one of the two master staircases in the hall.
"Look at the beautiful bounties of the Order. Where are you two off to, dressed so immaculately?" He interrupted Lissane's answer to Buffy; instead she turned around to face him and answered him in her most condescending voice.
"I assume you inquire after our plans out of interest for our well being but rest assured, we leave for a late night supper but we will be properly escorted." She turned her gaze from Roland to the staircase behind him and said: "And our escort is just arriving." Mitch walked down the last couple of steps and walked around Roland to join the ladies.
"Of course I was only concerned with your well being, my ladies. I am sure Mitch here will make an agreeable escort. Should you be interested in a safer ally and a protector of a higher, how shall I put this, standard, I would be very honored to escort you to any venue you would want to visit. I am sure that my attentions will be very rewarding." Roland spoke with a smile on his face that made both ladies in question shiver to their toes. As a response they each took one of Mitch's arms and hooked one of theirs into it. Before turning her back to Roland completely, Lissane returned his remarks.
"Where your credentials as an escort still remain to be proven, Mitch has one credential already. He does not need to sing his own praises but let's his actions speak for him." With that she turned and started walking. Mitch turned his head an gave Roland a smug look before opening the door to a waiting carriage.
Arriving at the restaurant they settled at a beautifully decked table for a nice meal and some bonding time.
"Which of our menu's would you like to look at?" the waiter asked Mitch. Buffy and Lissane shared a puzzled look and then gazed at Mitch expecting an answer.
"This place has a menu especially for those of our kind and their rather unique diet." Then he turned to the waiter to order both menus.
Lissane started to fidget and obviously could not stay still any longer. "I think we have been behaving ourselves tremendously well by not bringing this up in the carriage but I for one can not wait a moment longer. Tell us all about your first session with Angelus. Did he try to seduce you? Ramona confided in me that he is an excellent lover and that his body is quite the sight for sour eyes. Is it true that the Master ordered you to teach him to fight because he has poor fighting skills?"
Buffy grinned at the assault of questions Lissane fired away at her. Although she did file a few observations away in her mind, to ponder at a later date. Like the fact that Angelus obviously shared his bed with other order members besides Darla. Or that the Masters' orders were still a rumor instead of a fact. She also saw this as a good opportunity to gain a little of Angelus's trust and she wanted to keep some of that afternoon for herself.
"The Master did order me to train him but I don't think it was because he has poor fighting skills. He did fine in hand to hand combat." So, I stretched the truth a little. "And he did survive the inauguration. I think the master wants me to enhance his natural fighter abilities to make him a formidable leading figure in the Order." Sure that was rat face's first objective. It had nothing to do with the mayhem it causes for both Darla and Angelus. Now all she could hope for was that this version would become a well established fact and that Angelus knew she was the source. Luckily both Lissane and Mitch were very social creatures and they had a lot of friends and acquaintances throughout the order already. This would spread like a bonfire. Maybe I can do some good while I'm here. Keep the Scourge of Europe occupied and a lot of humans alive.
"Alright fine. So the man's abilities are not in question but the angelic one does have a reputation for enjoying the 'company' of other vampires." Mitch said while raising his eyebrow suggestively at the word company. "And with a creature as beautiful as you, I can not imagine that he did not make any proposition."
And that was the part she wanted to keep to herself. Sure he made with the sexual innuendo and the flattery but he had not tried to outright seduce her. The request for a massage as forfeit was a half assed attempt at best. She knew he must be playing some game or he would not have shown any interest at all. The waiter arrived with their menus and by the time all the orders were taken she had come up with a perfect diversionary tactic.
"So Mitch, do you take all the ladies to a demon restaurant or is it just something you save for us?" She joked. He told them how he had heard of this place that served the best chardonnay/blood mix in London and the three of them lapsed in a conversation that went from the London hotspots to clan gossip and from there to foreign affairs.
Leonard Yourdon sat at a table in one of the more expensive and well known demon establishments. He was doing what he was so meticulously trained to do. Watch A few of the patrons were vampires but tonight the crowd was mainly human.
His current interest was a group of three well dressed youngsters. Obviously rich and beautiful but also pale and both the women wore chokers around their necks. The man wore a silk scarf tucked neatly into his collar like the new trend set. He didn't need to see them order from the second menu to know that they were vampires.
Extracting a little black book from his dress coat pocket, Leonard started to write down details of this sighting of new vampires. Flagging down one of the waiters he bribed him into gathering information by eavesdropping on their conversation. The waiter came up with all kinds of interesting information and was well compensated for his efforts. That evening Leonard wrote a report that would probably put him in the spotlight for a new promotion.
When Angelus returned to his chambers he found Darla sitting on their bed wearing only her robe. "Hello, my darling boy. Help me wash away the grime of my day?"
Angelus needed to remind himself just who was his Sire and companion. Soon they were submerged in a warm bath with sweet scented bubbles. They reacquainted themselves with the other's body in a unusual show of tenderness. Almost like they were both trying to deny their true nature and all that it entailed. In the afterglow Darla spoke into his neck while her body was draped over his under the waterline.
"If we were mated he could not claim me so easily and you would have more rights to stand up to his decisions regarding you or me. At this moment we are but two of his subjects but if you were my mate that will have precedence in certain matters." She tensed up waiting for his answer. The issue of mating was a delicate subject, one he rarely reacted to in a quiet manner.
Pushing her aside with a shove, Angelus left the bath displacing huge amounts of water. "Darla, I explained this already. Are you deaf?" He said while he roughly dried his body. She followed him into the bedroom.
"Explain it to me again, humor me!" She knew she was unable to keep the beginnings of desperation that she felt away from her voice. Pulling all her wits together and with a much more steady voice she asked: "please?"
"Woman!" Angelus exclaimed and threw his hands in the air. He pulled her to his naked frame and held her upper arms so strongly that they bruised. He whispered straight into her face. "Should I choose a mate to spend eternity with, I will do so because I desire to. Not because of political reasons or because it will make you feel more safe. When you turned me I became my own man and therefore I will make my own decisions. Do you get it now? Do not bother me with this again, woman! I warn you. Dou ya understand ma?" He spat the last words at her raising his voice that was thick with his native language. She nodded her head and returned to the bathroom to give him some space to cool down.
Charles had joined Charia in her rooms for a few glasses of her illegally acquired red port. "How does it feel, Charles? Having a Childe again? Is she as free spirited with you as she was at the banquette?"
His face lit up with a slow smile while thinking about his girl. "Yes, she does have a free spirit, does she not? She is everything I could wish for in a new Childe. Strong, intelligent, organized and social. Do you know she's having supper with that new boy of yours? What's his name again?"
"Mitchell? Did you know that he is quite taken with her?"
"Is he now? Well tell me more about him then." As Charia sang her new Childe's praises, a plan began to form in Charles' mind. Angelus might not be a problem after all.
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