Penn followed behind Angelus and Drusilla as they cut through a local bone yard. Her little pet trailed behind him, scampering and happy to be included. He growled as the boy came too close. There could be no greater hell than this. His place as the leader of his own family was done. Sophie was gone. The twins were only allowed to attend him at Angelus' pleasure, which seemed to come only when he was broken and bleeding in his sire's bed. The years had eased the memory of the pain Angelus so enjoyed inflicting, but he remembered now with every movement of his body.
He hadn't properly fed in days and his tours in Angelus' bed had left him beyond sore and wounded. Rage bubbled with in him with no outlet. He glared as his sire kissed Drusilla and spun her about. Her elevation above him stung the most. He had never served below any female other than Darla, and he had only come to her notice once before his banishment. Drusilla was not inclined to ignore the opportunity to play with the lesser members of her clan. Her games were manic and frightening, the turns of her mind too twisted for him to follow.
Her new baby scampered to her, an eager puppy begging for attention. She smiled, all beauty and grace, and kissed the brat on the nose. Rage flooded through him at her gentle indulgence of the boy. He would be as bad as that no account William in no time at all, trying to rise above his place in the family hierarchy.
"Run along, my darling boy. We will be home soon." Her cooing sickened him as he watched the other vampire sprint off into the night.
"He's a good boy, Dru." Angelus smiled at her and pulled her close. "Our little family shall be quite intimidating when he's come into his own. It will be interesting to see what he brings back from his first solo hunt."
A feminine giggle drifted on the night air and the duo in front of him came to a halt. He could see his sire stiffen. The quick grin on Drusilla's face confounded him. Penn lifted his head and sniffed the air, hunting for some clue to their stillness.
"Buffy," Angelus exhaled the name like a benediction. The older vampire spun and headed toward the sound silently. Drusilla dropped back next to him and they followed their sire. Angelus stopped at the top of an old stone retaining wall. The ring of sword blades filled the sire's body jerked as if a blow had landed. Penn stepped next to him and watched in horror as William and Sophie fought beside a female he didn't know. The trio battled several black robed vampires. Drusilla hissed and Angelus grabbed her arm.
Penn looked at Sophie. It had been decades since she had looked so well. How had she overcome the curse? How did she dare to cavort with the enemy? He bit back a growl and dropped to a crouch. Angelus grabbed his collar and held him.
"I really like the body art. It screams behead me here, but these ooky robes have got to go. Really, I know you guys are fashion challenged, but this is ridiculous." Buffy grabbed the robe on the largest vampire and swung him up over her shoulder until the clasp broke and he flew into a tree above their heads. The large vampire's eyes widened in horror as he looked at the branch protruding through his chest. His dust rained down on the fighters below.
"Buffy, my love, can we please refrain from coating us all in dust. It mixes with the damn demon phlegm." William knocked one of their nine remaining opponents back with a swift kick.
"Slaying is messy, Baby. Get used to it. Besides, I told you to let me handle the slime demon." The petite blonde blew the bastard a kiss as she dropped low and sliced the legs from her opponent. What the hell was going on?
Buffy was the slayer. He knew it. He had heard the whispers around the mansion. She was cutting a swath through their clan. She was the slayer of his kind, yet William and Sophie were working with her? It made no sense.
He looked toward his sire, hoping to find answers, and saw fury etched on his features. Angelus in a rage was a problem.
The tattooed leader screamed and Penn turned back to see the slayer plunge the stake in one vampire while twisting and fighting another with her sword. Each movement blurred as the small blonde whirled. His body froze in agony. This was true terror.
Sophie battled with all the lithe grace he had forgotten, and William, his most hated rival, whirled with two swords, beheading a female vamp. The three worked so well as a unit. He had never developed the fighting skills his sire had expected. It seemed so pointless when humans were such silly, weak things.
"Down," William's voice rang out through the night. Sophie and the slayer dropped like stones. There was no hesitation. Penn swallowed as his old rival threw his last remaining stakes with accuracy. The last of the robed attackers fluttered to the ground, dust.
"You took away my fun," the slayer pouted as she hopped back to her feet.
"I'd rather go home and find our pleasure there." William smiled down at the petite woman and pulled her close for a kiss.
"You could both try to join those of us doing the research." Sophie said as she dusted her jeans off.
"No way." The slayer laughed. "Giles kicked me out last night. I'm hopeless and I drive him mad with my confounded tapping."
"You only tap on things to drive him mad, Love." William touched her cheek, examining a slight bruise.
"No, she only taps on things so Rupert will throw you both out." Sophie rolled her eyes as her companions kissed.
Drusilla stepped back and a small rock skittered down the wall drawing three pairs of eyes up to them. Their awareness of their audience didn't bother him, but the sudden sound of three hearts beating shocked him silly.