Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or anything else in this
story which may be copyrighted that I don't know of.
Authors Note: Thanks to Darklover and Amber Evans Potter for their reviews and continued support of my fanfic. Also thanks to everyone else who is reading. I hope you enjoy and please review. -Grace
Sebastian hadn't gotten in until just before sunrise, and angry as he was, immediately went to his sire to report on the previous evening's occurrences. He hated this town, there were too many damn demons and vampires that called it home to be comfortable in it. He was older than a lot of them and yet was treated far beneath most. Did no one respect the elders here? Did no one follow the laws and guidelines? Wasn't the lore important to anyone anymore? Were there even any true vampires left? Where he had come from things weren't nearly so chaotic. He couldn't wait to get home, he hadn't hidden that fact from his sire in the past and certainly wasn't about to start.
She had asked him to watch Spike, to keep an eye on him while she couldn't, and he always did what was requested of him. Watching Kendall had turned out to be completely the opposite. Sebastian couldn't exactly say that he hated Kendall, after all, he was his sire's childe, but something about him never clicked. Kendall it seemed always had some sort of insane plan of his own that always interfered with their Sire's own plans. Sebastian couldn't exactly say that Alethea had been easy on them over the years, because she certainly wouldn't take with any of her childer behaving badly or disobedience on anyone's parts but it never seemed that Kendall really understood. As far as Childer went, Kendall had been on the bottom rung of the ladder and so acted justifiably.
His sire was sitting in the appointed "throne room" as it were, quietly meditating with eyes closed and although he had much to say, Sebastian knew better than to disturb her. He had seen only a very few unlucky people interrupt her in the past and certainly would never do it himself. As her childe he knew better. It would certainly mean a strict punishment if that simple rule were broken. Alethea had been a practicing witch for as long as he had been around, always taking time out of any plan to rid herself of any bad mojo. Sebastian himself wasn't overly skilled in the craft, not knowing how to cast, or invoke; even simple spells were beyond him although he never doubted the power magic held in this world.
"Yes Sebastian?"
Alethea lifted her questioning eyes in his direction, hoping that he had good news for her. She hadn't always trusted Sebastian the way she now did, in the beginning, Sebastian was her one big mistake, making him a childe instead of a minion. Surprisingly in her almost four hundred years she had only sired three childer, but had created hundreds of minions, why she chose him to sire she never could tell. In the end she was rather surprised with how useful Sebastian had turned out to be. In the beginning Vera was the only one that she would trust with tasks of importance, and it probably still would only be Vera if only that bitch of a Slayer back in New York hadn't killed her a few decades ago. Since that moment Sebastian had taken his place as the next oldest member of the Orobas line, and rightly so became greatly involved in the happenings of the clan.
"Mistress, Kendall has been.I mean, Kendall was killed tonight."
The rage radiated from within her making Sebastian pull back in fear that it may be he who would be accused and punished.
"How? You were supposed to watch him, I gave you specific orders and you were not to disobey them! Come to me."
"But sire,"
"Now!"
Sebastian bent his head forward as he trudged slowly to Alethea, hoping that the pain of his failure would not be too great. Lifting his head finally he knew better now than to speak without being asked first to explain. He had disappointed her before, in ways much less significant, and could still feel the sting of slaps given a million and a half-hours ago. This certainly wasn't going to be pleasant. Finally she spoke, pulling him closer as she did so.
"I have lost two childer in my life, and all I have to show for it is you. I would trade you in one moment for the life of Vera, you surely must know that."
"Yes sire,"
"And tonight I lose Kendall, because for some reason you decided you need not protect him."
"There were five of them including William the bloody, I couldn't have done anything, I couldn't have saved him."
"He was drained two nights ago Sebastian! Something that you know full well about, do I need to teach you again how long it takes to recover from something like that?"
"But you sent him out last night, you knew he wasn't well and yet you sent him anyway!"
Immediately Sebastian knew what mistake he had made. In the vampire world there was no reason to ever accuse your sire of anything. Even if blame was due you just didn't do it.
"Are you saying that Kendall's death is my fault? How dare you!"
Immediately a blow to his jaw but he could not nor would he retaliate. He had broken a rule, he knew it, and he deserved whatever it was she would give him.
Minutes later it was over, Sebastian, a crumpled heap lying on the floor begging for mercy received it. He would not be allowed to feed for three days, he would not be allowed in her presence for three days, and most importantly, he would go out every night to continue his watch over Spike trying not to get himself staked while doing so.
Alethea left her childe to himself, hoping that he would think over why he had been beaten and how it could be remedied in the future. She was sick of having to do things herself, she needed another childe that would do what it was told and would cause no problems but until then, she would also keep an eye on both Spike and Buffy. One week was certain to go fast, but in the meantime, she didn't want anything happening that shouldn't be happening. Spike had killed Kendall, and that was fine, not because she had lost another of her childer, but because he was weak. Because she never like the way Kendall did things that she told him to do. He followed orders when they were given, but he always had too much of his own mind for things to really get done. He should have never have been drained two days ago. And Spike should have known better than to drain a vampire that he wasn't the sire of, but he didn't. Things were going to be a little bit more complicated if William wasn't going to play by the rules, and she seemed a little thrilled by the thought of a real game.
The one thing she didn't like though was the fact that Buffy had somehow mysteriously disappeared. Without knowing where her adversary was she most likely wouldn't be able to intimidate her, she wouldn't be able to follow her every move. Alethea wondered why Buffy would leave town this close to a prophecy, was she running away? Did she know something that she shouldn't? The way she and Spike had been it didn't seem that she would leave him for the world. Well, there was always time for those thoughts later, after paying a little visit to Spike. She hadn't seen him in a hundred some years, and thought that it was most likely time to pay a visit to an old friend.
Alethea retreated to her dressing room but was surprised to hear a soft knock on the door minutes later. She quickly dismissed the idea of it being Sebastian, called out for the caller to give their name and slowly opened the door once she had gotten it. It seemed that at least one of her informants had gathered some useful information and Alethea ushered the girl to sit.
"What have you discovered?"
"Buffy's gone on a little trip to London." The girl slowly brushed a stray lock of blond hair aside with her thumb.
"And?"
"She's gone to get Spike's soul."
A wide smile spread across the vampire's face and she gleefully clapped her hands.
"Spike's not going to like this," she laughed happy in her new found fact, "he's not going to like it one bit."
Authors Note: Thanks to Darklover and Amber Evans Potter for their reviews and continued support of my fanfic. Also thanks to everyone else who is reading. I hope you enjoy and please review. -Grace
Sebastian hadn't gotten in until just before sunrise, and angry as he was, immediately went to his sire to report on the previous evening's occurrences. He hated this town, there were too many damn demons and vampires that called it home to be comfortable in it. He was older than a lot of them and yet was treated far beneath most. Did no one respect the elders here? Did no one follow the laws and guidelines? Wasn't the lore important to anyone anymore? Were there even any true vampires left? Where he had come from things weren't nearly so chaotic. He couldn't wait to get home, he hadn't hidden that fact from his sire in the past and certainly wasn't about to start.
She had asked him to watch Spike, to keep an eye on him while she couldn't, and he always did what was requested of him. Watching Kendall had turned out to be completely the opposite. Sebastian couldn't exactly say that he hated Kendall, after all, he was his sire's childe, but something about him never clicked. Kendall it seemed always had some sort of insane plan of his own that always interfered with their Sire's own plans. Sebastian couldn't exactly say that Alethea had been easy on them over the years, because she certainly wouldn't take with any of her childer behaving badly or disobedience on anyone's parts but it never seemed that Kendall really understood. As far as Childer went, Kendall had been on the bottom rung of the ladder and so acted justifiably.
His sire was sitting in the appointed "throne room" as it were, quietly meditating with eyes closed and although he had much to say, Sebastian knew better than to disturb her. He had seen only a very few unlucky people interrupt her in the past and certainly would never do it himself. As her childe he knew better. It would certainly mean a strict punishment if that simple rule were broken. Alethea had been a practicing witch for as long as he had been around, always taking time out of any plan to rid herself of any bad mojo. Sebastian himself wasn't overly skilled in the craft, not knowing how to cast, or invoke; even simple spells were beyond him although he never doubted the power magic held in this world.
"Yes Sebastian?"
Alethea lifted her questioning eyes in his direction, hoping that he had good news for her. She hadn't always trusted Sebastian the way she now did, in the beginning, Sebastian was her one big mistake, making him a childe instead of a minion. Surprisingly in her almost four hundred years she had only sired three childer, but had created hundreds of minions, why she chose him to sire she never could tell. In the end she was rather surprised with how useful Sebastian had turned out to be. In the beginning Vera was the only one that she would trust with tasks of importance, and it probably still would only be Vera if only that bitch of a Slayer back in New York hadn't killed her a few decades ago. Since that moment Sebastian had taken his place as the next oldest member of the Orobas line, and rightly so became greatly involved in the happenings of the clan.
"Mistress, Kendall has been.I mean, Kendall was killed tonight."
The rage radiated from within her making Sebastian pull back in fear that it may be he who would be accused and punished.
"How? You were supposed to watch him, I gave you specific orders and you were not to disobey them! Come to me."
"But sire,"
"Now!"
Sebastian bent his head forward as he trudged slowly to Alethea, hoping that the pain of his failure would not be too great. Lifting his head finally he knew better now than to speak without being asked first to explain. He had disappointed her before, in ways much less significant, and could still feel the sting of slaps given a million and a half-hours ago. This certainly wasn't going to be pleasant. Finally she spoke, pulling him closer as she did so.
"I have lost two childer in my life, and all I have to show for it is you. I would trade you in one moment for the life of Vera, you surely must know that."
"Yes sire,"
"And tonight I lose Kendall, because for some reason you decided you need not protect him."
"There were five of them including William the bloody, I couldn't have done anything, I couldn't have saved him."
"He was drained two nights ago Sebastian! Something that you know full well about, do I need to teach you again how long it takes to recover from something like that?"
"But you sent him out last night, you knew he wasn't well and yet you sent him anyway!"
Immediately Sebastian knew what mistake he had made. In the vampire world there was no reason to ever accuse your sire of anything. Even if blame was due you just didn't do it.
"Are you saying that Kendall's death is my fault? How dare you!"
Immediately a blow to his jaw but he could not nor would he retaliate. He had broken a rule, he knew it, and he deserved whatever it was she would give him.
Minutes later it was over, Sebastian, a crumpled heap lying on the floor begging for mercy received it. He would not be allowed to feed for three days, he would not be allowed in her presence for three days, and most importantly, he would go out every night to continue his watch over Spike trying not to get himself staked while doing so.
Alethea left her childe to himself, hoping that he would think over why he had been beaten and how it could be remedied in the future. She was sick of having to do things herself, she needed another childe that would do what it was told and would cause no problems but until then, she would also keep an eye on both Spike and Buffy. One week was certain to go fast, but in the meantime, she didn't want anything happening that shouldn't be happening. Spike had killed Kendall, and that was fine, not because she had lost another of her childer, but because he was weak. Because she never like the way Kendall did things that she told him to do. He followed orders when they were given, but he always had too much of his own mind for things to really get done. He should have never have been drained two days ago. And Spike should have known better than to drain a vampire that he wasn't the sire of, but he didn't. Things were going to be a little bit more complicated if William wasn't going to play by the rules, and she seemed a little thrilled by the thought of a real game.
The one thing she didn't like though was the fact that Buffy had somehow mysteriously disappeared. Without knowing where her adversary was she most likely wouldn't be able to intimidate her, she wouldn't be able to follow her every move. Alethea wondered why Buffy would leave town this close to a prophecy, was she running away? Did she know something that she shouldn't? The way she and Spike had been it didn't seem that she would leave him for the world. Well, there was always time for those thoughts later, after paying a little visit to Spike. She hadn't seen him in a hundred some years, and thought that it was most likely time to pay a visit to an old friend.
Alethea retreated to her dressing room but was surprised to hear a soft knock on the door minutes later. She quickly dismissed the idea of it being Sebastian, called out for the caller to give their name and slowly opened the door once she had gotten it. It seemed that at least one of her informants had gathered some useful information and Alethea ushered the girl to sit.
"What have you discovered?"
"Buffy's gone on a little trip to London." The girl slowly brushed a stray lock of blond hair aside with her thumb.
"And?"
"She's gone to get Spike's soul."
A wide smile spread across the vampire's face and she gleefully clapped her hands.
"Spike's not going to like this," she laughed happy in her new found fact, "he's not going to like it one bit."