The Angel Investigations crew was not having a good time. It had been over twenty four hours since they had last heard from Angel. Odd ships had appeared over the Hellmouth in Sunnydale early the previous morning and then with the crack of dawn, the Hellmouth exploded upwards into pillars of flame visible a full two hours away. Then the earthquake struck and had done major damage to the city. And of course, Angel had to go gallivanting off to the rescue to try and save Buffy and the others in the town. Despite the chaos of the situation though, it was unlike Angel to not check in. Something was wrong.
Wesley knew it. He KNEW it. He had been trained to try and handle any eventuality, but this was beyond his training. He was frightened by the enormity of the situation. His fear was further magnified by the small form of Connor in his arms. He had sworn to protect Angel's son no matter what. He would hold to that promise.
Cordelia Chase wasn't well off either. She had a vision the previous night of her mother and father dying in flames. At the time she was unsure if it was just a dream though. But the Hellmouth's eruption proved it hadn't been. If she had been more sure, then maybe Angel could have stopped it. Or called Buffy and have her stop it. At the thought of Buffy, Cordy began to remember everyone else that had been in Sunnydale when it went up in flames. Buffy's little sister whom she had always liked. Shy, mousy Willow. Xander.
"Oh God Xander….the last time I saw you I was so mean to you. Oh God I'm sorry. I'm so sorry now." Cordelia wept inwardly as she took another drink of the whiskey bottle before passing it over to Gunn.
Mentally, Gunn was holding up better than anyone. Physically, well that was a whole new ball game wasn't it? A beam had fallen on him at the Hyperion when the quake hit. He couldn't move much at all. His ribs were broken and he might have a concussion, but he was stable. The whiskey helped to deaden any remaining pain.
Fred was a wreck. Any progression the girl had made from her five-year ordeal in the dimension of Pylea had gone to the wayside. The whole world has just come crashing down around her, literally. She was afraid and wanted nothing more than to be alone. She wanted to crawl into a closet or under the bar and into a fetal position and just stay there. But she couldn't leave Gunn. Her feelings for him had grown too strong. She had to stay there with him. She had to.
The green skinned demon Lorne came walking in from the backroom with a cell phone talking on it. If it were at all possible, he looked greener than usual.
"You're sure he's in the city? Positive? Oh well that's just great. The Pestilent gods are just smiling down on us today aren't they? …No don't find a medium and have them find out. That was a figure of speech sweetheart. Yeah, yeah. Well you call me back if you find anything else new okay? Okay good. And hey, keep safe." Lorne said before hanging up the phone.
"What's happened now? From the sounds of things you'd think the Antichrist just walked into town." Cordelia commented.
"Well you're not far off. Just got off the phone with an associate of mine, a sporax demon downtown, and he says that a whole mess of vamps came into town just before sunrise. We're talking an army hiding in the sewers here. And when night falls, guess what great American city becomes an all you can eat buffet." Lorne explained
"That's horrible." Wesley grimly commented.
"God, I hate vampires. I spend three whole years nearly getting snacked on by them and then "oh look, the fangy population just experienced a boom". Great." Cordelia commented sarcastically.
"It gets worse." Lorne said.
"How could it get worse?" Gunn asked.
"Well my associate said that the Master was there leading them." Lorne explained.
"Huh? No that can't be right. Buffy killed the Master when we were in high school." Cordelia said.
"Yes, I read Mr. Giles's Watcher diaries quite extensively. Buffy killed the Master. She threw him through a skylight and impaled him on some large piece of wood at the high school some six years ago." Wesley said as he rocked the sleeping Connor in his arms.
"Well all I know is that's what my pal told me. The guy was big, ugly, a vampire, and called himself the Master." Lorne repeated.
"Well I hope y'all excuse me for not being up to date on my vampires, but who's the Master?" Fred asked
"Yeah, I've only heard Angel mention the guy once or twice. Wasn't he Darla's sire?" Gunn asked as he sat up in pain.
"Yes. The Master is an exceptionally powerful vampire. He's old, ancient. Some believe him to be only six hundred, but in all likelihood that's simply a story he concocted himself in order to make his opponent's unaware. I mean you use different tactics on a six hundred year old than you do on a vampire that's over a thousand. He's very powerful." Wesley explained.
"Yeah, the guy's reputation was so bad that he had vamps here in L.A. shake at the mention of his name. And that's when he was all sealed up in his own little prison back in Sunnydale." Lorne added.
"But he couldn't possibly be alive, so to speak." Wesley said, his brow furrowing.
"Yeah, Buffy even smashed his bones a few months later when this freaky little kid vampire tried to bring him…back…to life." Cordelia said with realization sinking in on her, "Come to think of it, the Master killed Buffy and she came back. Then she died again last summer. Then Angel killed Darla back in high school too and she came back. God, that's so tacky. If you die, just stay freaking dead. I swear."
"When you put it that way, it would seem probable that with all that's happened lately that the Master could have been returned to life. Perhaps when the Hellmouth was ruptured, the Master and many other vampires could have been spewed forth and back to earth. However that would mean that all other things that have died and been sent to hell would return as well. That would mean countless vampires, demons and even humans who were incarcerated there are back." Wesley continued
"So in other words, good ole' mother earth is looking at a big population problem." Gunn stated.
The room was grim.
"Vodka on the rocks coming right up." Lorne replied, sighing.
Back at the Hellmouth crater, a horror among horrors was crawling out. Fingers tore into the rock making handholds as the unholy abomination climbed upwards. Anger was within its heart and it growled gutturally. Slowly one hand reached the top of the crater, followed by another. The creature pulled itself to its feet and put its hand in front of its eyes recoiling from the sunlight.
"Ow! I forgot how much the sun fricking hurts your eyes when you're meat." Glory said adjusting to the light and looking around the area.
"Well this place is a total loss. Shame really. Nice boutiques on the Hellmouth. Well just one place to go then. L.A. here I come." Glory laughed as she kicked a rock into the crater.
The rock rebounded off the crater walls down further and further until it hit the bottom. The ground stirred for a moment. It was not time yet. But soon it would awaken. And then the world would scream.
Deep in the bowels of the Los Angeles sewer system, an army of vampires laughed and exchanged ideas on what sick things they could inflict upon the surface once night fell. Among them were many creatures of infamy.
There was Tectare Gortch, a vampire who was just aching to raise hell with his brother Lyle once he could get in contact with him. There was the insane Zachary Kralik who was talking about his mother and periodically feeling intense pain. On occasion, he had to be put down by the Three to keep him from going berserk.
Frankly, he scared the hell out of the spectacled Dalton. Dalton was more of a research type vampire anyways. Sunday on the other hand was not. She was an upstart and wanted to get away from all these morons and do her own thing once it was all said and done.
And most frightening of all was a quartet of vampires so evil that even the others shied away from them. Two were actually quite unassuming. The first of them was little more than a child, but behind his innocent looks hid a devious mind. He was Colin, the Anointed One. To the front of him stood a diminutive and attractive looking blonde woman. She was sly, cunning, manipulative and to say the least, a bitch. She was Darla.
At her side was a huge male. He wore his demonic features, as did all the vampires, but his very presence was unsettling. He would often cast gazes to his sides when he walked by, freezing any vampire in their place at once. Luke expected absolute reverence from every vampire there, and he got it. However, that reverence was not for him. No, it was for his master, THE Master.
If Luke was unsettling, then the Master was a nightmare given form. He was just as tall as Luke, albeit thinner. He was a gaunt creature who moved in an elegant, and slightly eerie, air. He wore black leather that made him appear all the sleeker. His fingers ended in long claws that made even more vampires wary. But his face, his face was the most frightening aspect. He wore his demonic features with pride. He had no place for human ones. That was not befitting on someone of his station. No, he wore his demonic features permanently.
Most vampires kept a semblance of humanity, with only their brows, eyes, and teeth changing. The Master's entire head was changed. He was totally bald, which made his pointed ears all the more noticeable. His brow was changed of course, but so was his jaw. In many ways, the Master resembled a bat. His teeth protruded from his mouth, and the area around his lips was stained red with blood. His very appearance shook every vampire within view into attention.
"My people, my oh my, it's been a long time hasn't it? A long time since we have the luxury of feasting upon humans. Too long were we caged in that backwater dimension that called itself "Hell". Too long were we denied what we are destined. To feed, to feed and to have dominion over this world. OUR world. For if not ours, whose is it? The humans? Please, they don't even acknowledge our existence. But all that changes tonight. Tonight we will go out to the ruins of Los Angeles. Tonight, we will make the streets run red with blood. Tonight we will lap up that blood and take our place at the top of the food chain. This is to be our night. Our dominion begins and it will be glorious!" the Master spoke elegantly.
"Humph. You still talk too much Nest." a large, scarred vampire said leaning against a wall.
"Bite your tongue infidel! The Master does not brook such insolence from anyone!" Luke shouted
"It's quite alright Luke, we're old friends. It's good to see you are among our number Kakistos, even if it is just to criticize me." the Master smirked.
Kakistos growled and walked up to the Master and stared at him eye to eye before laughing.
"Good times are here once more." Kakistos laughed.
"Indeed they are little brother." The Master said laughing as well
"Brother?" Luke asked gaping.
"Luke, don't deign that even you know everything about our Master." Darla said smirking. The Anointed One likewise smiled.
"Quite the family reunion." he offered.
With that Darla looked down slightly. Her look had not gone unnoticed.
"Excuse me Kakistos, I need to speak to my favorite." the Master said putting his hand on Kakistos's shoulder before walking past Darla. For four hundred years, Darla knew what that gesture meant. It plainly stated, "Follow me".
Darla warily followed her sire as he walked away from the rest of the vampire congregation. When they were far enough away, the Master turned to her and ran a claw down her hair and onto her cheek.
"My dear Darla. My favorite. How I have missed you." The Master said smiling at her.
"And I you father." Darla said keeping her eyes on the ground.
"Then what troubles my dear?" he said stroking her hair and pulling her into a fatherly embrace.
"It's nothing." she said muffled against his chest.
He pulled back her head by the hair.
"Darla, you know my policy on lying, to me anyway." the Master growled.
"I'm sorry, Master." Darla pleaded.
The Master's grip slackened and went back to a gentle caress.
"Then tell me my dear. What's wrong?" The Master asked again
"It was when Colin mentioned family. I need to tell you something. Something that I only told Trick before we captured Angelus." Darla said apprehensive.
"And that is?" the Master cooed
"I was returned to earth once before. I was with Angelus as well. We…. we had a child. An actual child." Darla said closing her eyes to prepare for the blinding pain to come, but it never did.
"I see." was the Master's simple response.
"I have no idea why it happened. It just did. Master, it made me…. Feel. It actually made me feel things I thought were long buried. It shamed me." Darla nearly sobbed.
"Darla, love is not unknown to our kind. The swell of love and pride in something is nothing to be shamed of. I feel it when I look at you. You're my favorite. Your union with Angelus, while completely devoid of taste, is no sin. Embrace love, but don't let it cause you to make mistakes. I don't tolerate those." the Master explained.
"Master, I don't want to feel these things though! They shouldn't be so damned important. I just want to kill the child and be done with it but when I think about harming it, this feeling wells up inside me and I want to cry. But I don't cry Master. I haven't cried in years, but I want to and it hurts me Master, it hurts." Darla said with tears starting to form.
"Silence." the Master ordered, "The bond between a parent and a child is much like that between a sire and his child. It is unique and bigger than both involved. It is special. It is no sin. I give you this choice. Kill the child if you wish. I could care less if you throw that bond away. Given time you will heal inside and be your old self again. Or you can take the child, and raise it as one of our own. After all, your blood flows through its veins. Either way it makes no matter to me. Do what you have to, but don't whine if you decide you've made the wrong choice. I won't abide whining."
Darla smiled affectionately at her sire.
"Thank you Master." Darla said hugging the larger vampire's torso.
"Oooooh grand mummy is seeking penance from the king. The moon says that he forgives her, Miss Edith. Ooooh there will be cakes today." a new voice cooed in the darkness.
Darla and the Master both instinctively looked at where it was coming from and in the dark saw a beautiful young lady in a Victorian era dress holding a doll. She had striking features, pale skin, long ebon hair, and the deepest eyes one could ever hope to look into.
"Drusilla?!" Darla asked dumbfounded
"Yes grand mummy. I've come to your party, with the streamers and the dances.", Drusilla said as she waltzed gracefully to Darla and the Master.
"Darla, who is this?" the Master asked curiously.
"This is one of Angelus's children, Drusilla." Darla explained. The Master looked from Dru to Darla again and cocked his head, "He drove her insane."
"Ah. That explains it." the Master said examining Drusilla
"Daddy didn't drive me insane silly thing. He let me see all the pretty things that no one else sees. He gave me the moon. He let me see the things that won't be, and will be. There like that, then gone in a vapor. Ssssph." Drusilla demonstrated by waving her hand.
"She sees the future eh?" The Master smiled.
"Sometimes. Other times she sees burning fish swimming in the air. She's hard to decipher." Darla explained.
"Are you my great grand daddy? Will you take me on walks in the park and buy me raspberry jam when I'm a good girl?" Drusilla said looking up to the larger vampire.
"Perhaps, but tell me young lady, how did you get past my lookouts?" the Master asked
"Not looking out anymore. All dust. I just walked in." Drusilla answered
"You killed them?" Darla asked as Dru began to giggle.
"Silly grand mummy, of course not. I saw a dirty man do it with a naughty crossbow. Oooooh someone might lose an eye and will be scolded." Drusilla laughed
"The dirty man?" Darla asked
"You know him. The one who hurt daddy until you rescued him long, long ago." Dru replied fiddling with her doll.
"Holtz?!" Darla exclaimed, remembering that the vampire hunter, Holtz was indeed alive in this century.
"Mmmhmmm. Time's all twisty around him, like taffy. He's been killing any demon he can find up above and down here since the fire started playing and all the dead things walk again. Oh it will be such a party. The dirty man, and us, and daddy, and the big snake, and oooooh the bad thing down in the hole. If only my Spike were here to see it. He's gone all PFF and somewhere else now. I miss my Spike. He was meant to be my playmate till that nasty slayer took his heart. Dreadful girl. I shall tear her hair out and eat her eyes." Drusilla continued.
The Master cocked his head then laughed.
"I like her. She makes me laugh."