Prologue
Angelus stood bare-chested in front of the water fountain in the garden of his mansion. He was vigorously scrubbing his face, chest, and arms with the water that trickled out of the top. His nostrils flared loudly from the intense effort he was exerting, in order to rid himself of the dirtiness he felt, and from his rage.
I feel so… violated. No matter how hard I scrub… I still feel it… inside! It’s gonna make me sick. That thing made me… I felt… love… for the Slayer!
Angelus involuntarily shuddered with the thought. He suddenly began to scrub even harder.
"You might want to let up." Spike’s amused voice came from somewhere behind him. "They say when you've drawn blood, you've exfoliated." Angelus could tell by Spike’s tone that he was enjoying Angelus’ obvious displeasure… far too much.
Right now… I don’t care. Let him gloat. I gotta bigger problem to deal with. I was possessed by some friggin’ thing! I couldn’t fight it. I had no control! It manipulated me! I screamed inside my head and that… thing just kept doin’ what it wanted! I wanted to torture and kill the Slayer! I wanted her blood! Instead it made me feel… love and goodness and forgiveness!
Angelus shuddered again. He heard Drusilla cross the garden and walk towards him.
"What do you know about it?" Angelus shot back bitterly as he yanked his gray shirt off the side of the fountain. He took one look at the condition it was in and threw it at the ground. "I'm the one who was friggin' violated! You didn't have this… thing… in you!" He shouted angrily as his rage momentarily got the best of him.
I couldn't do a damn thing I wanted to! IT controlled me! IT had power over me!
Angelus fumed as he walked past Spike, who was in his wheelchair, and crossed the atrium to retrieve a new shirt he'd laid out.
"What was it? A demon?" Drusilla’s delicate voice questioned. Angelus turned towards her voice as he started to put on his crimson colored shirt. He watched her as she dabbled her fingers in the water of the fountain.
"Love!" Angelus spit the word out with contempt and seething hatred in his voice. He shrugged into his shirt while he was forced to remember the feeling.
Of all things to feel… for a Slayer! It’s bad enough that I’ve got these damn memories from when my soul was restored. The way she made me feel… for her… it’s revolting! I gotta get outta here. Killing makes me feel better.
It always does.
"Poor Angel." Drusilla drawled as she seductively brought her fingertips to her lips to taste the water on them. She gazed sympathetically at Angelus as he walked towards her. He paused at the foot of the stairs and picked up his black duster. He stared over at Drusilla.
"Let's get outta here. I need a real vile kill…" He gave a quick glance to Spike then his eyes fell back to Drusilla "…before sunup to wipe this crap out of my system." He glared back at Spike who evenly met his gaze. Spike's dark eyes followed Angelus' every move.
Of course… getting Spike all brassed-off makes me feel better. It’s so easy to goad him on… to get under his skin. I know his weakness…
Angelus turned his gaze to Drusilla.
…I sired her.
He pulled his jacket on over his still unbuttoned shirt. Drusilla immediately walked over to him and growled playfully. They stared at each other as she leaned in close to him. Angelus leered at her as he growled back.
Yeah, baby… we’ll play soon enough. What Spike doesn’t know… I’ll gladly fill him in on it later.
Just to watch him explode.
It’s so much fun.
Angelus tilted his head slightly to see if Spike was still watching. To his delight… Spike was. He had wheeled over towards the stairs near them so that he was only a couple of feet away.
And he didn't look too happy.
"Of course." Drusilla's breath brushed Angelus' ear and he couldn't help but turn to face her. "We'll find you a nice toddler." Her gaze was hypnotic as she stared at him.
Angelus, still catching his breath from venting his rage, leaned in very intimately and snapped his jaw at Drusilla. He saw her face light up as she recognized their old game. He turned to give one last taunting glare to Spike then he headed up the garden stairs that led outside.
"Want to come, pet?" He heard Drusilla’s innocent voice directed at Spike.
And now my fun begins…
Angelus quickly darted back down the stairs. He turned and stood in front of Drusilla while waving a finger at her as if she were a child. He purposely kept his back to Spike.
"No can do, Dru." First the poke. "I'm sure he'd be hell on wheels…" he peered over his shoulder to make sure that Spike was still watching "…but we don't have much time." He turned now to face Spike. And now the stab. "Gotta travel… light." Angelus walked over to Spike and rested his hands on both of Spike’s shoulders. He leaned in real close. And then the twist. "Sorry. Try to have fun without me." Angelus sneered, taking a moment to enjoy the look in Spike’s eyes. They revealed the rage, jealousy, and hurt Spike was feeling. He pushed on Spike’s shoulders and it sent him rolling back a little.
Gotcha!
Angelus smirked as he turned to face Drusilla. He headed back up the garden stairs and when he heard her follow closely behind, he smiled again in triumph.
To bad… Roller Boy.
As Angelus walked around the side of the mansion Drusilla came up beside him humming and twirling in a circle. He paused halfway to the street to turn and watch her. After a moment she stopped turning circles and stood in front of him. She looked up into his eyes.
"I like to hunt… and play." Her voice was petulant and inviting. She ran her hands up his bare chest then took hold of either side of his loose shirt. She leaned in and growled at him. Angelus couldn’t help but preen.
"Yeah, baby… you do. Don’t I know what ya like?" He murmured as he reached a hand around the back of her neck and grabbed a handful of hair. He pulled her closer to him and roughly turned her face to the side. He growled as he leaned down then snapped his jaw as he neared her neck.
He heard her softly moan.
Don’t know what Dru ever saw in Spike. Now that I’m back… she doesn’t need him anymore. These last few months have proved that well enough.
"Come on, Dru. Time to hunt." He whispered in her ear. He let go of her and started for the street.
"Oh, goody! I like this part." She laughed as she fell in step beside him.
Angelus thought back to when Drusilla had received her vision of the Slayer dancing with death. He’d used the opportunity to flaunt his intimacy with Drusilla in front of Spike. The look on Spike's face had been priceless.
He imagined Spike had that same look now.
Angelus meant what he'd said to Spike about Drusilla after she had the vision. He wanted to focus his undivided attention on her. For one thing, it enraged Spike to realize he couldn’t do a damn thing about it. For another, ever since Spike became Special Needs Boy, Drusilla just wasn't getting the proper attention she needed or deserved.
Of course… I'm taking care of that.
Angelus smirked.
Truth be told, ever since the night the Slayer set me free.
Drusilla had welcomed him back… into her open arms. They were, after all, old lovers reunited after a century of separation. He considered her to be his other half, his sadistic evil twin. They were two sides of the same dark coin. In his eyes, she was his greatest accomplishment.
And, despite all the time that's passed between us, she's still my obsession.
Our fire… it never died.
All he had to do now was to get rid of the Slayer and Spike. Then Drusilla and he would be free to roam the countryside together. They would kill and drink to their heart's content. Or at least until he was bored again. Then he would make a new toy.
I gotta figure out a way to get the Slayer and Roller Boy to kill each other off. Soon… but not too soon.
I’m still having fun with them.
Angelus grinned evilly to himself as Drusilla and he hunted the streets of Sunnydale.
Spike angrily watched as Angelus and Drusilla walked out of the garden. He exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized that he'd held. He could hear Angelus' mocking words echo in his head. ‘Try to have fun without me.’ Spike glared at the stairs.
"Oh, I will." He whispered vehemently as he realized he'd had enough.
Then he decided to test himself.
Slowly he lifted his right foot from the footrest of his wheelchair and placed it on the ground. He did the same with his left foot. Cautiously he stood up.
And… it was done.
There was no pain. He stood tall, reeling from the joy of his recovery. But it was short lived. The thought of Angelus and Drusilla came back to him.
The way he… touches her! And she lets him! She's my girl… my sire! I took care of her when the bloke was prancing about with a bloody soul! I protected her when he was trying to kill us! I’m the one who bloody well cured her when she was ill! Blimey! I spent the last bloody century taking care of her!
Frustrated, he turned and kicked his wheelchair, which flipped over as it was sent backwards. He turned back around and stared at the garden entryway.
Oh… I'll have my fun…
"Sooner than you think." He uttered the threat as his gaze settled where Angelus had taunted him.
I thought I’d like having the old Angelus back. Now, I really prefer having the Slayer whipped `Angel’ version instead. At least then… Dru was mine. I bloody well refuse to share her with anyone.
Especially Angelus.
Those two have a history.
The thirty years we ran together was a constant battle for Dru's attention. Even for the short time Darla ran with us. Angelus gave them both his `affections’. And now it’s bloody well happening again!
Who the hell does he think he is anyway?
Of course, when Angelus had gotten in his face… he'd known it then. Angelus wasn't like any ordinary vampire. In the height of his day he had been known as The Scourge of Europe. He was the culmination of all things that Spike wanted to be as a vampire. Angelus executed a level of cruelty, ruthlessness, and barbarity that Spike admired.
Unless it was directed at him.
Which it was… at the moment.
He remembered the look in Angelus’ eyes. He'd seen everything in them.
He doesn’t try to hide a damn thing! The bloke flaunts it right in front of me! Me…Spike!
He walked past his wheelchair still in a rage.
Blimey! What the hell can I do? Dru's so wrapped up in him I can't hardly say two bloody words and she goes and rattles on about ‘Angel’. It makes me sick to my stomach! A vampire can only take so much. I've got to figure out a way to win Dru back. I'll show Angelus. You don’t mess with William the Bloody and get away with it!
"This time… it’s for keeps." He vowed to himself.
For the first time that evening, Spike smiled.