Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. Joss's, ME's etc.

Warning: None for this chapter

Summary: Angelus informs Spike about the baby and the team begins to close in on them.

Chapter 5

Despair

Spike awoke to darkness and then realised with an internal 'duh' at his stupidity that his eyes were crusted over and sticky with blood. He moved to scrub at them but found himself still bound. He didn't bother struggling or trying to tear his eyes open.

He had been hurt, beaten, tempted by love and then denied it. He doubted himself and his purpose. Perhaps he had been arrogant to ever believe he had one. In a short moment of perfection, he had believed in himself, and Angel had believed in him, but now? His sire was gone. All that was left was a body animated by a demon. He'd won the confrontation but lost something valuable, some sense of who he was. He felt unable to cope with much more, there was no fight left in him, as empty as the night sky, the nearest spark a million miles away and all was lost and without meaning. He let the darkness wrap around him and hold him close. He was a thing of darkness and darkness was where he belonged and all that he was.

"You think you're empty. You think there is nothing else to lose. You hide in there but you should know there is no hiding from me."

Spike felt the tap on the side of his head. He tuned it out and instead listened to old songs that turned in his head. They were pleasant, reminding him of simpler times and they drove the other voice away. He whispered along to them through cracked lips and parched mouth.

"I am an anarchist. I am an anti Christ."

Angelus smiled grimly. It was an old trick, mindless repetition of rhymes, figuring out sequences of numbers. Ways of not thinking about the pain and proof that, despite everything, Spike was still fighting. He was impressed. Nobody had ever defied him for this long. He put a hand to Spike's damaged cheek, thought for a second and decided that now was the time to play his wild card, aces high, winner takes all.

"I suppose I could always kill your child."

He raised eyes that were bright and alert as he paused and awaited a reaction. Oh yeah, that got a reaction.

"Kudos for effort, mate." Spike mumbled slightly and spat a mouthful of blood to the floor. "But I dunno, seems a little slow-witted, you should know I've never made a childe. Dru was always enough responsibility. Made a few minions in my time, if that's what you mean. So yeah, go ahead kill them, save me a task."

"Oh. She never told you about the baby? I wonder why not? I mean, she told Angel but hey, you know how those two are. Thick as thieves. Well thick at any rate."

Spike could sense some new horror brewing and desperately returned to his song, but he'd lost his place.

"Of course, she wanted Angel to be the first to know. Although, personally, I feel that was a little unfair to you, a kick in the teeth, I imagine, after all you two shared together."

"So I guess you have questions? Hell, I have questions so I'm sure you do. I mean, jeez Spike, why you? Guess she'd been feeling a little lonely. Her Mom gone, her pseudo family of freaks and misfits all split up, and little Dawnie flying the nest. She decided the time was right to have a bright bouncing, bonnie babe. Just as she's realising there's no one around to do the deed, she discovered you, all warm and human and potent."

Angelus almost lost himself in memories of a warm, human William before focusing back on the point he was making.

"She thought you were dying so you were her good deed. She confessed she'd been so determined to seduce you she wouldn't have let you get away if you'd wanted to. Poor Will, she put up with your inadequate fumbling because she wanted a baby."

Spike tried to let no sign of his apprehension escape. The circumstances of their encounter sounded so like the scenario that Angelus described that he believed Buffy had confessed all too Angel. Hell, he'd refused her, admitted he preferred men and she still wouldn't give up, determined little thing his Goldilocks.

Déjà vu, the pain, the taunting and the belief that he meant nothing. He wouldn't listen, wouldn't let the pain in. He couldn't remember his place, best to just start afresh.

"I gave my love a cherry that had no stone."

"What you thought it meant something to her? Love? Connection? Eternity? I'm the only eternity you'll ever have."

And that too was familiar. Angelus tugging his chin up and saying 'I may torture you but I'm the only one who cares enough to do it, the only one who cares enough to teach you. I'm all you have, Will. Your everything.' And he'd been right, his whole unlife, the only who'd never deserted him. His Yoda.

"I gave my love a chicken that had no bone."

"It meant nothing to her. You know that don't you? Nothing."

"I gave my love a baby…?" He whispered.

Angelus raised his eyebrows.

"Shall I tell you a story about the young vampire who became a real boy? The real story that so few know?"

Spike tried to ignore him but the music was becoming more muffled and that voice stronger.

"He won his sweet princess and then gave up everything for a man he loved more than his own life."

His large hand moved gently through Spike's tangled locks and he sighed to see the sun dimmed.

"Yet this boy never knew how much he really lost in making his choice for he left not only his princess…"

Angelus noted that the toneless muttering had ceased. He picked up a cloth, dipping it into a basin of water and gently began to cleanse the blood away. Spike appeared not to notice his ministrations. Instead he strained towards the voice.

"But in due course his princess bore a child. The good witch cast a spell to ensure there would be a baby. His child."

"You lie!"

Angelus continued regardless.

"A boy child, with blue eyes. Demanding and attention seeking and she loved him all the more for being so like his father."

Spike no longer felt quite so dead. His brain was sparking and the scenarios it came up with were horrifying. Angelus cleansed his eyes until water ran down his cheeks like blood soaked tears. Spike finally forced opened his eyes and flinched backward from the parody of loving care that the older vampire was showing.

"The baby you tried to make me feed upon?"

"Not him. You know how I am, the artist in me demands a theme and the death of innocence seemed fitting."

"Are you going to kill him?"

Angelus said nothing but instead rinsed his hands in the slightly pink water.

"Would you stop me? What would you give to stop me? Your life? Your body? Your soul?"

"Can't be true…she would have said,"

"No, it's not true. The baby hasn't been born yet. Why do you think she's still alive? I want her to have that child as much as you do. You'd like to see your son, wouldn't you? And you will. I promise you, very shortly you will. We'll listen to his reedy little cries…do you remember how they cry?"

Spike examined the floor, he didn't need to look to know it would be stained a dull rusty red. All he could smell in this room was his own blood and pain. He wished his hands were free, if only to have a cigarette and hide in the fog of smoke that he exhaled. He shifted uncomfortably and then tried to hold still, knowing every gesture gave him away to the watching vampire.

Buffy was going to have his child and, despite Angelus's words, he knew the choice of father would have been incredibly important to her. The slayer had chosen him! True, she would probably have preferred Angel but that was impossible so she'd chosen him. How could she be so reckless? What chance would the thing have? The child of the last slayer, it would be a bloody prize for any enterprising demon wanting to make a name for himself. Hell, he'd have gone for it himself in the old days. And William the Bloody as the father, he probably had more enemies than Buffy.

However, his more immediate concern was Angelus and how long it would be made to suffer before he finally killed it.

"Angel fell asleep dreaming about it, its soft warmth and the scent of wet, bathed baby. It gets me right here," Angelus said, dramatically placing a hand over his dead heart, "how much he still misses his own little hell-spawn. He dreamed that Buffy would come to him, babe in arms, invite him to live with them, to join their little family. Then it entered his head, during those dark hours that maybe Buffy would meet with a fatal accident and you and he would have to bring the baby up together. Would you like that, Will? Me, you and baby? The games we could play. Shall Buffy meet with a fatal accident do you think?"

"Ok. I get the picture, yeah? Veiled threats, followed by not so veiled threats until we get to what you really want. What say you that we cut the crap and get straight to it? What do you want from me?" Spike asked tiredly.

"I like that about you Will, straight to the point. It's why I want you with me. You know, I tried to banish your soul. I consulted the most powerful sorcerers, the most potent of witches. I've leapt dimensions to discover arcane artefacts, fought the strongest, most vicious creatures of the darkness, all in an attempt to remove your soul. The outcome has always been the same. It's been bound too tight to your flesh. Trust you, William, to take it to such extremes. So after lengthy deliberation I decided to accept you back even with your putrid smelling soul."

He smiled at his own magnamity, the marvellous gift he had bestowed upon his favoured.

"I've made this offer before and I make it again, but this time I think it's an offer you can't refuse. So come to me, be with me. I won't insist on you drinking from humans, you may have your rancid pig's blood as long as you keep the sickening smell away from me, but in all other things you will be my vampire childe, you will travel with me, join me in hunts and you will be in my bed, as you always should have been. You will not betray me to your cohorts or your slayer lapdogs."

"So in return for leaving Buffy and child in peace all I have to do is stay with you, watch you hunt, kill and torture, become your plaything and not tell anyone?"

"That's all." Angelus' eyes darkened at the thought.

"Look inside yourself, find the memories of Angel and then remember, I'm a champion too, Angelus."

Angelus frowned as he considered this.

"He's not the champion you think he is. He has always put the ones he loved first. He'd have let the whole world go to ruin to have his baby brought back safely to him. He should have killed you when you were trying to kill the slayer, but he could never bring himself to do it."

"Maybe that's true, but I was tutored at the knee of a slayer, one who destroyed her lover to save the world. How could I do anything less?"

"Jeez, you would give up your beloved and your own child to save a few anonymous people! And they call me soulless."

He paced the floor a few times. He always had backup plans but he had thought that Spike would at least consider this one.

oooo

Giles worked quickly to arrange the flight and the medical attendants. He really wasn't happy subjecting Buffy to the stress of such a long flight, in her delicate condition. But he looked on the bright side, she still had slayer strength and she would endure, as always.

"We leave in the morning at daybreak. Besides being excruciatingly tired and jet lagged, I'm not willing to risk you being kidnapped by Angelus or his cohorts. Tonight we stay put. You, Buffy, are not to step outside the door until morning. A car will pick us up tomorrow."

"Yes, Giles." She agreed meekly.

He regarded her ready agreement with some suspicion.

"I'm serious, Buffy."

"So am I. Look at me. I could maybe break into a fast waddle but then what? I can't risk injuring my baby in a fight and if I try to hide, my way overgrown bump peeks around corners and waves at the bad guys. Bad Bump." She told her stomach crossly.

"All well and good then. Uh, I don't suppose you have anything to eat?"

She shook her head.

"I wasn't exactly prepared for guests. But I'll order something in? What would you like?"

"Roast dinner with yorkshire puddings?"

Buffy frowned.

"It' alright, right now, anything would be lovely, thank you."

"So tell me. How is everything going?"

"It's hard to say, but I can't deny that I'm extremely anxious about Spike. He's been in at Angelus' mercy for over a week. Then there is Angel, of course. How will we get him back without Willow? And if he does come back can you imagine what he will have to cope with, all this new blood on his hands. God Buffy, the destruction of a world! And then whatever he's inflicted on Spike… Even if this all ends well, there is still so much damage left. But I'm sorry I shouldn't be burdening you with all my fears."

"It's ok. It's nothing that I haven't thought about myself. Do you remember after the battle? They were so happy and it lasted a day or two. Don't they deserve more than that, after all they've done?"

"I can't answer that. Except to say that life is rarely fair."

"I know. I'm not a child anymore."

"I should certainly hope not. Especially since you're about to have one yourself."

She smiled and her hand returned to her stomach.

"Sometimes I'm looking forward to it so much I can hardly think straight and other times I wonder what the hell have I done bringing another child into this insane world."

"Maybe it's a way of making the world less insane? Children are our hope for the future, after all."

"Spike's child making the world less insane? He'll have it upside down and inside out by the time he's five."

"He?"

"Well they can't be 100 certain, but that's what they think. If I'm like your daughter, then this will be your, grandson."

"Buffy…" He gave a rare smile of genuine pleasure. Then it began to fade.

"What's the matter?"

"William the Bloody is my bloody son-in-law."

"I'll have to point that out to him. He's sure to want to call you Pops."

"Oh God…"

The buzzer went.

"Pizza."

She released the front door.

"You stay there, I'll get it." Giles said, reaching for his wallet.

He answered the knock and took the pizza. He was ravenous and tried to work out when he had last eaten. Sorting through the unfamiliar Euros took a while and in the end he settled for a note.

""Grazie." He reached out with a smile, putting the note into the surprisingly cool hand. He looked up to the face, which looked just a little like Spike's. The boy smiled and grabbed his hand.

"Buffy! Get to L.A . in the morning." He shouted as the hand tugged him through the threshold.

Suddenly Buffy was there and had caught his shoulder before he was dragged completely through the doorway.

"Don't do this. Please, Buffy! Get back in." He struggled out of her grasp but his struggle caused Buffy's hand to fall outside the protective barrier of the doorway. The vampire grinned, let go of Giles and caught Buffy. Giles pulled a stake from one of his pockets, stabbing the vampire from behind. Then a blow on the back of his head sent him reeling. Buffy emerged, standing a protective guard over him.

"Buffy, please…" He was trying to beg her to get inside but his head was whirling and unconsciousness took him.

The remaining vampire grinned at her, nodding at the ashes.

"I always disliked him. He was an idiot."

"Are we going to fight?"

"I don't fight pregnant women."

She started swaying on her feet.

"What have you done?"

He opened his hand and revealed a small dart.

"The idiot had one as well."

Buffy looked to the hand that had been grabbed and finally noticed something sticking out of it, before falling forward into the arms of the waiting vampire.

oooo

"I'm curious. If I kill Buffy and the baby, what would you do?" Angelus frowned as he contemplated this. "You know Angel went insane when one of his pets stole the golden child. Would you hunt me down through eternity?"

Spike blinked and eyed him warily. He licked his lips in anticipation of this game they could play across their wide expanse of forever.

"Would you dog my every step, until I saw your face staring back at me from every dark corner? Chase me across the world? Track me through dimensions? Become your obsession, your every waking thought, your nightmare and your dream. Would you lose yourself in the chase, the challenge of defeating your Sire? Until you finally cornered me. What would you do to me, Spike? Chain me up? Lay your hands on me in torture?"

He ran a hand almost caressingly along the taut length of Spike's bicep.

"Could you lose your soul in my flesh as you find new ways to make me scream? Use your pokers and your stakes to penetrate, to tease out the agony?"

He closed his eyes lost in the pleasure of imagining the scenario he was painting

"You could maybe try to break me, but remember I've been to hell, you'd have to recall everything I've ever taught you."

Spike raised his eyes from the small patch of earth he had made his study, he twisted around and Angelus laughed in delight when he saw the irises sparking with gold.

"You're still demon, Spike. I understand that better than Angel ever did. You can let your demon come out to play, it's only me. So tell me what you would like to do to me, Childe."

Spike shook his head as though he could shake off temptation and that voice, seducing him into a world of blood and violence and pain.

"You don't enjoy the artistry do you? But you enjoy words. You could carve out the words in my flesh. Betrayer. Destroyer. Adversary."

"Reach into my body and brand their names on my heart. The one you loved. The one you could have loved. Names wrapped in scar tissue and carved on a heart of ice. Break the heart and gather up the shattered pieces, thrust them back inside and let the skin seal over. Let the smooth exterior disguise the rattling damaged fragments. No rage, no false sorrow to well the tears, and your head full of thoughts so aberrant, skewing your sight as you traced on eternal skin those hidden words that none would ever see. Secret words of enchantment. The power of true names tangled with words of magic like 'sire' and 'childe', 'lover' and 'forever'."

His arms stretched out and his hands closed over Spike's, his lips tracing a cool trail over the sensitive neck, tasting pain, defiance and all the good things that made up Spike. Angelus smelt of power and arousal and Spike's face had changed, demonic fangs straining towards that power, attempting to swallow up the world he offered.

"I would break for you." Angelus whispered and allowed razor teeth to penetrate his skin, holding one hand protectively around the blonde head as fangs tore ferociously and painfully into his muscled chest.

Spike finally had what he needed, the rush of blood, the high, the feeling of power as he dreamt the dream of the avenging hero, standing in dominant triumph over a cowering Angelus. The demon would become his boy, his pet, his plaything. They could drown themselves in blood and pain and power. They could cut a swathe… The ecstasy of feeding ebbed away and the dream of triumph turned into the reality of a dark cellar, chains and a bloody earthen floor.

Having all his childe's desire and intense hunger focused on him and then the violence of the feeding called directly to his demon. The feeding hadn't been part of any plan but, hey, improvisation is at the heart of every successful campaign. He gently pushed the blonde head backward and Spike's fangs retracted reluctantly as he sucked on the remaining gobbets of flesh still hanging from now human canines.

"So tell me what you have planned for our dance across the centuries." Angelus breathed into his ear. "Shall we touch destruction, as we touch each other, with neither ever able to find the motivation to end the whole shebang? Share with me, Spike. Tell me your dreams."

Reluctantly Spike allowed the dream to shatter.

"If you killed Buffy and my child, I would walk into the sun. No touching scenes or last waltz, you would waken and put your ear to the shell of our bond and hear only emptiness roaring back at you. I would no longer be your partner in this dance. It would be over, Angelus. I would leave.

"Gods, Will. It's so good to have you back. We understand one another. I honestly think that one day you could break me, boy."

"Yeah? I'm touched by your confidence but you've never managed to get close to breaking my spirit, so either I'm better at something than you or maybe you're just weaker than me."

"Good point. Always were quick, weren't you little one? I hate to be pedantic but I haven't broken you yet, is probably the strictly correct answer. I know which strings make you dance and very soon... Put it this way." He brought his face close to Spike's. "I wouldn't bet against me."

Spike held his tongue. He knew the odds were well and truly stacked.

"So I'm not to touch the sow or the whelp?"

"Swear to me that they will be safe, Sire."

"Such humility, little one. I like it. Are you expecting me to put them under my own protection. Honestly, Spike, she's the slayer, although I suppose the child is almost family."

"You killed your family,"

"There is that."

"I meant, swear that they are safe from you."

"More than that, William, I do put them under my protection. Can you imagine the outrage in the demon world? Angelus and William the Bloody standing guard over a weak and birthing slayer, it's a statement, it has artistry. It would upset the order of things and every eye will be watching us with suspicion. It would mean we'd have to fight, William. Every damned one of them. Your idea of fun eh?"

"You're insane."

"No, I'm Angelus."

It was the grin from the old days. It was Angelus from the old days, when a hunt was going well. When he felt pleased and exceedingly clever and the whole family would benefit from his expansive goodwill. Unfortunately, if the hunt was going well then Spike knew he must be close to being brought down, for he was under no illusion as to who the prey was.

Yet demon and soul were in agreement, it might be good to have Angelus' protection for the mother and the baby, whilst Spike was caught between them trying to figure out the inevitable catch.

It was the smell of the decaying body of the baby, mouldering in the darkness that reminded him. Placing any sort of hope or trust in Angelus would be foolish. When Angelus was hunting, everything he said, every action, had artistic significance. There was a reason why he chose a baby when tempting him to feed, perhaps it was just artistic symmetry or perhaps it was to give the prey a sporting chance, reminding them he was evil and not to be trusted. He'd said his theme was death of innocence. Thus that poor anonymous child, merely a splash of colour on his palette, and his own loss of innocence as Angelus poisoned him with doubt. Two examples did not make a theme. Spike knew the crowning moment for Angelus would be to either kill or corrupt his yet unborn child.

Angelus watched the emotions as they passed over his face and felt that he had somehow lost ground again. He realised that Spike had been scenting the air and followed suit…ah, the baby. That could have been a mistake. The boy was too bright to miss such an obvious clue. He placed himself in front of the other vampire demanding attention with his silence. When Spike deigned to acknowledge him, he gave a nod, took out his cellphone and punched in a number.

"Tell me again." He demanded and then placed the phone to Spike's ear.

"I've captured the pregnant cow. She's unconscious and on her way to you."

Spike sagged forward as his worst fears were confirmed. He wondered how much longer this would go on for. How many times must he show that he was strong just so that Angelus could again show him how he was beaten down?

oooo

Four slayers, Wesley and Andrew flew into Seattle to join the other two. They had all exits on the building covered. Wesley and Andrew were in a car, coordinating the operation. Chris and Erica had been questioning the vampire all night and had now secured her with less than their normal rigour. They too were poised and ready.

A tentative movement and a slightly harsh, breathy voice burst through their radios.

"The prey has been sighted she is moving north and moving quickly. She is returning to the nest. I'm tailing her."

"Ops one, two and five flank her. Three and six back to base we'll attempt to get ahead." Andrew told them.

Two slayers immediately jumped in the car and Wesley took off, moving north.

"I'm following from the rooftops. She's slowed… she's entered a building. An all night café. It's called Munchies."

"There it is." Neesha pointed it out and Wesley pulled up on the other side of the street.

"We have it. Ok, we need to secure all exits from the cafe."

"Already done." Chris reported. The silence dragged out. "What the hell is the vamp doing in there? Snatching breakfast?"

"Oh hell and damnation." Wesley swore. "Tell them to kill it. Now."

Neesha and Kirsty didn't need further instruction, they'd spotted the problem and were out of the car. A fist through the café window, a smash that echoed agonisingly in the silent street but the task was completed, the stake struck home and dust swirled to the floor. A telephone handset hung down and swayed in the aftermath of violence.

"What…?" Andrew began to ask.

"She was calling someone. I'm such a bloody idiot! Angelus isn't stupid he knew we'd catch up with him eventually. He properly had all sorts of contingency plans prepared."

"You think she's warned him?"

"He wouldn't be stupid enough to allow one of his crew to lead us to his lair. She'd been instructed to call in if circumstances were unusual or suspicious."

Wesley got out of the car and wandered into the café. An employee had finally appeared.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? You better not try anything. The police are on their way."

"I'm sorry. The young lady fell heavily and smashed the glass. We will pay for any damages. Here." Wesley produced a card. "Send the bill to me."

He wandered over to the phone and picked it up, about to replace it on its cradle."

"Wesleeey." A voice sang out. "I hear you, you know. I could never mistake that pissy, uptight tone."

Wesley held still, he felt his throat tightening in distress at hearing that familiar voice.

"Have you missed me? I know you have; you and the bitches. Talk to me, Wes, I know you're there, I can hear you breathing. Aw, come on, stiff upper lip old chap. I'd love to meet but unfortunately we're just leaving. But hey, I'll give you my address and maybe if you're really quick you might catch me. How fast can the slayers move? I'm at a warehouse on West Marginal… Oh too late car's here. Maybe you'll catch up with me in the next city. Maybe Spike will still be alive then. Who knows?"

The line went dead and Wesley hung up and blinked.

"He's gone. We've lost them both."

oooo

"Come on, Spike. Your little friends have come calling but unfortunately we won't be home. Time to leave."

He unchained Spike. The lack of muscle use made Spike crumple to a heap at his feet.

"Loving the position but sorry, no time to play. Another time though, eh?"

He lugged Spike up and suddenly found himself on the receiving end of a violent head butt.

Spike managed a slight chuckle as Angelus reeled backwards,.

"Called a Glaswegian kiss back where I come from."

"And now you wanna kiss…" Angelus raised an answering grin before smashing him in the stomach and, as he doubled over in pain, brought a knee to his face in a shattering blow. Blood sprayed out and Angelus tugged him up. His boy's tenacity never failed to astonish him but he had no time to applaud, the slayers were on their way.

"Tired of playing yet, William?"

Spike growled and Angelus swung at him again. He reeled away but Angelus sprang across the room landing with the full force of his body weight. Spike's head snapped backwards, striking a concrete step and was dazed enough for cuffs to be clicked around his wrists and then to be dragged to the waiting car. Angelus ordered two minions in and drove away, leaving the rest to fend for themselves.

"I've told the remaining minions that we're heading East. Wesley should find the place soon and with a bit of luck the slayers will torture them badly enough that they spill their guts, so to speak. Although literally is good, as well."

"So where are we going?" Spike asked listlessly.

"Somewhere we won't be discovered."

"Oh. Great." Spike fell silent and shut his eyes.

oooo

"It's me. Giles."

Wesley rubbed a hand across his forehead.

"Giles! Thank God you called. We've lost Angelus. He got wind that we were on his trail and he's left. All we've got is an empty lair."

"Oh. That is bad news. Was there any sign that Spike might still be alive?"

Wesley hesitated.

"Angelus indicated that he was and the vampires that we found trapped their confirmed it. For the moment he's alive. Also there was a basement. Manacles. Torture instruments. Blood."

"I see." Giles sounded immeasurably tired.

"Mr Giles… Rupert, is everything ok?"

"I'm afraid I have even more bad news. Buffy has been kidnapped by a couple of Angelus' lackeys."

"This is awful! Just two? I mean, how…?"

"Wesley, she's heavily pregnant. With Spike's child."

"Oh Christ!"

"I'm on my way back to L.A. but it takes the best part of twenty hours. I imagine that Buffy and her captor will already be on their way back to the new lair."

"New lair? But if she's already on her way then surely she'll end up here at Seattle. Oh sorry, I'm tired and I'm being stupid again. There will be at least one stop between Rome and Seattle. Whoever has her is certain to check in with Angelus and it'll be a simple matter to alter the route. I suppose the one positive thing is that there's a good chance Spike will be kept alive for a while. What's the point of staking him before he's been tormented with threats to Buffy and the child?"

Giles gave a bitter laugh.

"And that's the good news? Bloody hell! We have to find them."

"We will."

Wesley hung up. Sure they'd find them. He just didn't know how.

"Oh God, this is such a bloody mess."

Somewhere across the city a dark haired vampire drove through the night and he echoed those words in his thoughts. He reached out and lightly touched a smaller hand, the knuckles which were permanently skinned from fighting, stubby nails, which never seemed to grow. He smiled, some things would never change and this hand was one of those things. He sighed, part of him longed for another way, but this was the only way he knew and he'd see it through to the end.