“Union?” Giles paused, flipped through his mental catalogue of vampire rituals, and admitted defeat. Still, he didn’t like the sound of that. “I believe I’m unfamiliar with that term.” 

Buffy shook her head, “Giles, I must admit, I’m disappointed. Well, no matter, it’s simple, really.” Wrapping her hands around the ones imprisoning her, she looked adoringly – was that emotion even possible between vampires? Yes, Giles supposed it was – at her lover, “Angelus?” 

“It’s fairly simple. The full moon is in four days, during its zenith we exchange a few words spoken in Aramaic and Babylonian binding our lives, blood, and since we now lack those pesky souls, our inner selves. Our progeny witness it, some magick ensuring the binding holds and cannot be torn asunder except with the death of one of us, mixing of our blood, and ritual sex.” 

“Ah, a-a-and you wish me to witness this?” It felt for a moment as if Giles had taken a drop too much acid during the sixties, the situation was that surreal. But considering his circumstances, his voice sounded incredibly calm. 

“Naturally,” Buffy agreed, already tingling with anticipation. Well, that and Angelus was moving his hands over her breasts, his long fingers circling the soft globes over and over until she thought she’d lose her mind. “What good would this ceremony be with out the man I consider my father?” 

“Right.” Right and he had taken a trip to this hellish twilight zone when? 

Dawn was afraid that she wasn’t going to be so lucky. Willow had been eyeing her since the other woman…vampire, walked through the door. And she was creeping closer, drooling over her as though she, Dawn, were a sheep and Willow the hungry wolf. Still, she was afraid to draw attention, well, more attention, to herself by speaking up. 

“And for this you have to make me a vampire.” It wasn’t a question; Giles already knew the answer to be yes. Was there really anything he could say to get himself – and Dawn – safely out of this situation? Nothing was coming to his frantically working mind, and as he looked around the converted basement, his options for escape were looking slim. 

How had this happened? Where had he gone wrong? Why wasn’t he panicking? 

Spike looked bored with the conversation, leering instead at Willow. Guess they decided to take their relationship public. Or whatever they considered it. Willow circled Dawn like a predator, eyeing her as though the girl was no more than a tasty morsel. Angelus and Buffy, involved in the conversation as they were, were only half listening, too busy with each other to notice anything else. 

It was…sweet in a heartbreakingly erotic vampire way. He always knew how the two, souls intact, felt about each other, but time and circumstances had previously prevented their being together. He finally got it, finally understood what they had each been trying to tell him in their own ways over the years. That without each other they weren’t whole, weren’t complete. 

Now, it seemed, no such thing stood in their way and eternity was looking bright – for them if no one else. A part of him, the part that was all father, was happy that she finally had the chance to be with her only love. The rest, a fairly good portion of himself, couldn’t help but feel that he had failed her in some way. That it was his fault she was like this and that the reason the light was about to lose their war – of that he was unconditionally sure – was all his fault. 

The last time he had faced Angelus, the vampire was concerned with two things, as far as Giles could see: Tormenting Buffy and viciously killing as many people as he could get his fangs in. Whenever he had heard Angelus refer to Buffy as ‘lover’ there had been a faintly mocking tone to it, almost as if he had wanted to call her that, but didn’t want anyone else to know of his feelings on the matter.

At the time, Giles thought that it was just one more way of upsetting the girl who had taught his souled self to love. Now, it seemed, it was something different. Something deeper and truer than that. And that thought disturbed Giles much less than it would have before, much less than his current – hopeless, helpless – situation. 

It proved that real affection ran between them. And that whatever happened to him, to the world, to anyone or anything, that Angelus would be there for Buffy. Oddly enough, that reassured the watcher. His girl had been without her mate long enough; she deserved some happiness in her life. Even if it was with a blood sucking fiend. 

Oh, wait; she was now one, too. Quiet soon he, Giles, would be as well. This world sucked. No pun intended. 

In the end, Giles didn’t care. He couldn’t escape, had no hope of resisting the change. Yes, he could withstand a large degree of torture, but he had a feeling that it wasn’t on their agenda for this day. They were talking to him, not beating the information in and/or out of him. He was trapped, taken completely off guard and had no ideas for release other than the one Buffy proposed…or, rather, was insisting upon. 

He was screwed. 

“I’ve never heard of a slayer turn vampire. I’m surprised it worked.” Information was always the way to go. ‘Knowledge is power’ wasn’t a saying for no reason. He doubted this particular information would ever be of use to him, but he was curious. 

“Seems ironic, no?” Angelus said, pulling himself away from Buffy’s neck. “The ultimate warrior for light being turned into her worst nightmare. The exact opposite – eternal darkness. I, too, was unaware,” Though he had high hopes when he first returned several years ago, “That it could be done. Maybe Belinda used some kind of magick.” He paused, gauged Giles’ reaction. 

“I can’t detect any on her and neither can Willow, but maybe I’m not looking in the right place.” It was as close as he’d come to admitting to anyone else that he was worried over the fact that she had been turned and he didn’t know if magicks had been used or not and what effect they’d have on her, long term. That he was scared Belinda had done something to her that might one day take her away from him. That he was afraid that there as something out there he couldn’t protect her from. 

Buffy smiled at her lover. She knew he was worried over this point that, to his knowledge, no slayer had ever been turned. But she didn’t care; it had given him back to her. “Eternal is right, lover,” She tried to reassure him with her words and touch. Then something struck her as odd. “Giles, you don’t seem that surprised. What gives?” 

Both Willow and Spike perked up at that question, their attention having been successfully snagged away from each other and into the conversation. The Watcher didn’t seem that surprised or upset or much of anything really, so much as…resigned. 

“Cordelia.” 

Buffy hissed at the name. She was so going to enjoy reducing the other woman to an unrecognizable pile of human flesh sometime in the very near future. “What about her?” 

Angelus smiled, knowing what she had planned for his former lover. And, enjoying the thought, pressed his erection into the soft flesh of Buffy’s ass even as he listened to the watcher. Restraint was always so difficult around her. 

“She…got in touch with me. When you disappeared, Angel…Angelus. Whatever.” The name thing was just a smidgen confusing, so Giles tried again. “When Angel vanished from the battle field, Cordelia became concerned. Not being able to locate you through your soul, she contacted me and informed me that there might be a problem. I told her about you, Buffy, and we both agreed that the soul that was Angel was gone and Angelus was back.” 

The conversation drifted back to him, Cordelia glowing white and gold talking to him like some holograph out of a science fiction movie. “We knew you were dead, Buffy, she couldn’t home in on your soul, either, but weren’t aware that you had been…turned; frankly, that never occurred to me. From what we knew about the bond between you and Angel, it was only a matter of time before something like this happened.” 

Giles almost laughed. “Although I suspected that you were dead and Angelus was looking for revenge on those who had killed you…it wasn’t this. I must say, you’ve thrown me for quite a loop.” 

Buffy smiled, disentangled herself from Angelus’ arms, and went to her mentor. “You knew he’d try to find those responsible. Knew he’d want revenge. How?” 

Giles just looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “Please. I may not like what I see going on around me at times, but I do see it. He couldn’t kill you last time, despite numerous attempts. You couldn’t kill him. No matter what you both tried to say to the contrary, even without a soul he loved you. And you still loved him. It was all very obvious. To someone who didn’t wish to see.” 

And so saying that just admitted everything he had never told her. That he had always known the bond, the connection between the two, but never, until this moment, acknowledged it aloud. 

Smiling, pleased with his response, she cupped his cheek. “See, you really are a father to me.” 

Walking back to Angelus, she smiled at Giles, a happy ‘Buffy smile’ that hadn’t graced her face in far too long. “Doesn’t change the fact that you’re going to die and rise again. But you’ll be with me forever.” She was feeling sentimental now, having heard Giles admit the truth about her and Angelus’ relationship. 

“Willow, stay away from Dawn. We still have time. We have all the time, now.”

Willow pouted but complied. Things still had a chance to work out in her favor. And they still had other friends to find and seduce. Maybe she’d start working on locating Oz. Her rather strong negative feelings about his departure had never really mended. Some good old-fashioned violence might take care of that. 

And Drusilla, too, the batty bitch. She didn’t like the fact that Spike loved the other vampire. Not that she loved him, wanted, craved, maybe, but love…hmmm. Still, Drusilla held a piece of him to this day. Maybe killing her would end that hold. Oh, and let’s not forget her parents, Ira and Sheila Rosenberg were in for a rude awakening regarding their daughter. 

Spike, for his part, just wanted to hunt. It had been so long that he'd forgotten, almost, the thrill of it, the sheer joy in stalking his prey, moving in for the kill, feeling the hot fear or passion laced blood flow down his willing throat. Then some wild sex with Willow and he’d be set. 

After his experiences these past years, chip, soul, he wanted to luxuriate in the simple things in life; being master of the world, or parts of it, was all fine and dandy, but at the moment he really needed to enjoy the simple life. 

And maybe some torture for a few of those commandos who had captured him, putting that infernal bloody chip in his head to begin with. Wondering where they were currently hiding, wishing that Buffy and Angelus would let he have a go at Riley and that the bitch Walsh was still alive, Spike decided to do a little investigating. Maybe if he found fish boy first… 

Buffy calmly walked back over to Giles, anticipation prickling along her skin. “Ready?” 

Giles snorted. “Of course, yes. Ready to meet my death by the fangs of my daughter. Just how I always envisioned it to be. Really Buffy…” He chided her as if she were still the girl who he had trained and taught all those years ago.

“There’s just one thing.” 

“Great, now there are terms for my own death. Is nothing ever simple here?” 

Buffy smirked. This was the Giles she knew and loved. “We’re going to rule the world. We’ll need you to help keep control over the various clans and whatnot. But I want no fighting between you and Angelus.” 

Rupert Giles actually laughed at that, “Naturally.” He looked at Angelus who was looking a bit disappointed, but resigned and his laughter stopped. Damn it, as much as he hated to admit it – and he really, really did – the vampire really did care for Buffy. Loved her, certainly, in his own way. If that was what Buffy wanted, then it seemed that Angelus was going to go along with it. 

Incredible. 

“Right. No fighting. And I get a choice in this?” Was this why he hadn’t been tortured? Because Buffy didn’t want Angelus to finish what he had started all those years ago? Wasn’t the world a strange place. 

Buffy smiled, “No, not really.” And vamping out sank her fangs into the soft flesh of his neck, drinking greedily. As she offered her wrist to Giles, who instinctively closed his mouth over the pulsing liquid and drank from it, she looked over at Dawn.

The girl looked positively petrified. Her face was white with fear and strain and escape plans gone awry. She was obviously trying to use her magick to free herself and try to save Giles before it was too late. Which it now was. Unbeknownst to her, Angelus had mixed another powder to hinder her access to the power flowing through her. 

She wasn’t getting out of there anytime soon.
***********  
As Buffy gently let Giles’ head fall foreword, resting once again on his chest, she turned to Dawn. Yes, the smell of fear permeated the air, arousing and hungering her. Licking her lips in anticipation, Buffy asked, “Well, Dawn? What do you think? Want to join us? Rule the world by our side?” 

Shell-shocked as she was, Dawn was not far enough gone to mindlessly agree. She was raised better than that. Grit (great, what was, she, John Wayne?) and passion and honor were things instilled in her from a young age. And while technically speaking her young age was thirteen years into her remembered life, they were things she had learned from the beings now standing before her. 

Buffy and Angel had the forbidden love of all time yet they still managed to care for, to love one another despite things, horrible things, done in the past. Angelus, death, destruction, stalking, Acathla, Hell, loss, betrayal. They fought long and hard to win the battles that plagued them, knowing that while they could never finally win, that by fighting, they could balance the outcome. Forgiveness. 

Willow had been kind and sweet and even after she – along with everyone else – had lost some of that, she was still the one Dawn could identify with most in those areas. Spike had become her friend, caring for her long after he had to, long after she needed protection as the Key. He had listened to her, talked with her as an adult, helped her and guided her. Especially during those months Buffy had been gone. 

Giles, her father more than Hank Summers, who never knew and would now never know that his second daughter’s existence was all a lie. The man who helped her through some of the worst things in her life, who held her as she cried for a mother lost to human ravages of illness and a sister taken in her place to save a world that never knew it was in danger. 

What had her world been reduced to? A month ago they had been on the verge of winning, of driving back the forces of darkness to the point where the balance would most decidedly be turned in good’s favor. Then Buffy had died, but even the loss of their greatest fighter hadn’t hindered them too much, she had trained her troops well and they all knew that each day they awoke might be their last. 

Cordelia had arrived or whatever it was that she had done, telling them that Angel was also missing and that Angelus was suspected to make an appearance some time soon. Then Xander, and Willow and Spike. Now Giles. Was she to be the last, then? Was her death, her conversion to a vampire state to be the deciding blow for their side?

That was something that Dawn could not allow. She missed her family, missed them terribly and doubted that she could win against them should she have had the opportunity to fight. But she’d not allow herself to be one of them. Buffy, Angel, Giles…they’d all hate it that she had voluntarily agreed to such a thing. And since Buffy was clearly giving her the choice for now at least, she’d have to refuse.

These beings standing before her were not her family. 

They were strangers wearing their faces, talking with their voices, moving with their bodies. They weren’t them, weren’t the ones she loved. 

“Is this a choice? You’re giving me the choice to join you or not?” 

Buffy laughed, walking back to the ever-waiting arms of her lover. Sighing when they automatically wrapped around her, molding her body to his. “Naturally, Dawnie. You’re family, my sister. I want you with us when we enslave the world. It’ll be great fun.” 

Silence from the restrained girl, even her tears had stopped. And the scent of fear had dissipated, too. Very disturbing and not a little disappointing. Looking back at Angelus she saw that he sensed it too. He shrugged at her, indicating that he didn’t care one way or the other what happened. 

“We’ll leave you alone for a bit, Dawn. Let you think it over. Then the fun’ll begin.” 

Willow moved closer to Buffy and whispered. “We could always…persuade her.” 

She really wanted her power, but was a little fearful that by taking it she’d end up like she had last time. She didn’t want those feelings again, all that pain and anger and suffering and suffocating and …she wasn’t sure she could deal again. Willow was afraid she’d self-destruct before she had a chance to do so to the world. 

Buffy nodded. “Let’s give her sometime, Will. There’s always tomorrow.”
~~~~~~~~
Angelus was lounging across the mattress watching his lover as she readied for bed. Usually vampires required very little in the way of a bedtime ritual, but Buffy had this thing about personal hygiene. She’d brush her teeth after they fed, wash her face of any makeup – little though it was, hard to apply cosmetics without a mirror – and brush the tangles from her hair. Angelus could understand the first two, personal grooming was a preference that he also adhered to, but he didn’t understand the third.

They’d only tangle her hair back up with their rather vigorous daytime activities. 

“I have something for you.” He said as she walked back into their room, fresh and clean and looking much like the girl with whom he had first fallen in love. 

“A present? Excellent.” Bouncing onto the bed like a child, Buffy leaned over and kissed him. It amazed her, this addiction she had for him. Then again, maybe not. Buffy clearly remembered that first year with Angel; they spent as much time together as possible, never getting enough of the other’s presence, company. Love and attention. 

“Hmm…this is nice.” 

“What is?” 

“Being here with you. It’s like this lifelong dream has finally been realized. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted. And it was just my luck that you were the only one I could never have.” She raised a hand, caressing his cheek. 

“You could have always had me. I was always yours.” He smiled at her, wondering in a small part of his mind when he had gone so damn soft. It was depressing. “But if you repeat that I’ll deny everything and make you wish you had kept your mouth shut.” That mollified him, but only slightly. 

Buffy smiled, knowing him well enough not to take him seriously…and yet knowing him well enough to take him seriously. They never talked about it really, this thing between them. The tenderness that he showed her, the love and passion. She intrinsically understood that it was something he may have been loath to admit, but was powerless to control and instead accepted. So instead, she stretched over him, nuzzling his neck before moving to his bare chest. 

 “Hmm, not a word, love, promise.” She licked his flat nipples to hardening peaks, hands moving across his shoulders, down his arms and to his hands, clasping them with her own. 

“So, this present…” Her tongue drew a path back up his chest, outlining his lips before plunging inside his cool moist mouth. “What is it?” 

Drawing back to look at her, Angelus smiled in appreciation. She was everything to him, anything he could possibly want or need. Her passion easily matched his, her capacity for painful pleasure/pleasurable pain; her lust for the hunt, her love of torture and anguish …everything easily matched him, in every way imaginable. 

Bringing their joined hands to his mouth, he kissed the backs of each hand before sitting up fully. Pulling a box from behind his back, he said. “It’s your human birthday. Usually I’d say let’s wait until your year vampire anniversary, but I wanted you to have something to mark the occasion.” 

Shocked that he remembered, would even care enough to do so, Buffy could only look at him. “Wh-what?” Tears of love and appreciation gathered in the back of her throat, but she refused to shed them, annoyed at her all too human reaction. Swallowing them back, she opened the box, touched that he would get her something for a date that held no love for either of them. 

Nestled inside lay a heavy gold diamond and ruby necklace, about an inch thick and stunningly beautiful. Holding it up to the lamp, Buffy gasped as light flashed through it, sparkling off the stones and creating a prism effect inside them.

“Angelus, it’s…it’s beautiful. Stunning, I, I don’t know what to say.” She unlocked the clasp, turning her back to him. “Put it on?” 

With pleasure, he did so, enjoying the way her pale skin lay as the perfect backdrop for the jewels. He kissed her bare shoulder and turned her to face him, “Perfection, my love. Absolute perfection.” But he was looking straight at her, not at the necklace. 

“You don’t have to give me gifts for my birthday, love. I don’t need them. Gifts, yes, I love everything you give me.” She laughed, as a hand drifted up to play with the stones. “But in celebration of this day? I’d rather celebrate you and me, the day we reunited.” 

“Good. Still, I’d like to see you in the gifts I give.” He brought the hand still caressing her necklace to his lips, again kissing the knuckles. “Strip for me, darling. I want to see you.” 

She did so, slowly, teasing him with every scrap of clothing, teasing them both.  Buttons were undone one at a time, instead of ripped open. Patches of skin exposed in excruciating degrees, as her fingers stroked her own flesh. Once the top was open and her perfect unbound breasts visible, she quickly discarded the now useless scrap of material. 

Running her hands in slow circles over breasts and belly, Buffy pulled on her already hard nipples, sending a shot of lust straight to her core before beginning work on her pants. These were harder to take off in any manner considered graceful while still retaining their seams. Usually Angelus ripped them off her, intent on claiming her as fast as possible, or teased them down, tasting every inch he uncovered. 

Still, she slowed her movements to accommodate their tightness, wondered briefly if skirts may be the way to go after all, and turned so her back was to him and wiggling her ass out of pants. 

Gasping as his hand made contact with the soft roundness of her hip, Buffy looked over her shoulder as the pants went the way of the shirt. Straightening, turning back around, she stood in all her glory before her lover. Moving her hips in a rhythm that beckoned to him, one that matched the fire burning through his body, Buffy stayed where she was, awaiting his next command. 

The dim light could hide neither the glow of her skin nor the gleam of the necklace. Yes, perfection. Still sitting on the bed, Angelus commanded, “Come here, Buffy.”

She did so without hesitation, swaying her hips as she walked the few steps back to their bed. Her hands dangled at her sides, her unneeded breath caught in her throat at the look in his eyes. Power and passion and lust and want and need. They clashed together, making his eyes stormy and volatile. 

And aroused her that much more, knowing that it was she that cause this. She that held the power over the most vicious vampire ever to walk the planet. 

His eyes raked her head to toe, lingering here and there, absorbing everything there was about her, everything that made her Buffy, made her his. He had decided on slow and soft for the morning, showing her how much he cared, though why it should matter he didn’t know and was loathe to analyze. 

But watching her slow striptease, he could no longer wait. He wanted her and now. And since he wasn’t a man to ignore his wants and needs, he took. 

Pulling her towards him, tumbling her on the bed under him, Angelus attacked her mouth with his, tasting, plundering her sweetness, her coolness. As if sensing what he wanted from her, her total obedience and surrender, Buffy lay there, allowing him to take what he wanted. 

If he wanted to ravage her mouth until her lips were swollen from his kiss, then that was his right as her mate. If his lips wanted to roam over every inch of her body, starting at the top and meticulously working his way down, only to work back up as she lay on her stomach, writhing in ecstasy, moaning his name in pleasure, then he did so. Dominance with him wasn’t so much about showing domination, but as expressing something with, to, her. 

Buffy had no doubt that in the past he used it as a means to subserve others to his will. Used whatever means necessary on them, until they called him master and meant it, willingly or not, with their dying breath. She would never call him master; they were equal by his own words and actions. By the union they were to perform, by their strength and passion.

But if he felt the need to occasionally reinforce this…then she’d willingly submit. And remind him later, that she wasn’t the only one to weaken to the will of the other. 

He was hers; she was his. Nothing and no one could change that. And she wouldn’t wish it any other way. 

“Yes, Angelus!” She cried as his lips closed over her clitoris, sucking hard on the engorged nub. Her hips ground against his face, urging him to suck harder and he did. Morphing into his true face, he scraped his fangs over her, and when she came, bucking her hips against his face, he licked at the combination of her blood and juices. 

Grazing teeth over her belly, he lapped at her breast, plunging into her in one hard thrust. Lightening quick, he drove into her welcoming wetness, her clinging walls surrounding his throbbing cock. Her nails dug into his ass, drawing blood and drawing him deeper inside of her. 

He growled in pleasure and slipped his fangs into the soft flesh of her breast, sucking avidly. At the first drop of her delicious blood, Angelus came hard and fast, throwing back his head and shouting her name. He felt her wet walls clench around him as the sweet pleasure of release flooded through her again. 

Collapsing on top of her, Angelus tried to regulate his system. Giving up, he tiredly lay his head on her breast, licking at the blood just beginning to stop.  They had the entire morning to indulge in each other; a little sleep now wouldn’t hurt. Besides, he so loved it when her cool mouth and quick little hands woke him. 

“Go to sleep, love. We have all morning.”
**********  
“We need to begin consolidating our power base, love.” Angelus said, after long hours of feasting off her body and blood. He shifted slightly, moving his head on the pillow to look down at where she rested on his chest, eyes closed, arms wrapped around him in utter satisfaction. 

“Hmm, you’re probably right.” Flinging her long hair over a shoulder, she kissed his stomach, not moving her head. “Where do you want to begin? And how does one solidify a power base anyway? I have experience in gathering troops for battle, but not for mutually economic and militaristic ventures. Not to mention world domination.” 

“You start small and local. Spike and Willow already announced our arrival. Well, my return. No one really knows about you yet except Damon and I doubt he’ll announce to the world that Angelus has taken the slayer as mate. You’re my trump card, the means with which we shall subvert the entire city, the entire world.” 

He was waxing poetic again and Buffy couldn’t help but smile. Death and destruction weren’t a means to an end for him so much as an art form. A craft to perfect and brandish like a fine meal to a chef or priceless painting to a collector. He had made his reputation on such things and he was about to augment that reputation significantly. 

“So we start here in LA. Sunnydale being so close, we’ll need someone there all the time, making sure no one opens the Hellmouth without our permission. Which I’m not inclined to give, I want to rule the world; sucking it into hell is your area. How about Willow and Spike for that? Let them start small, work their way up to half the globe.” 

“Hmm, yes. But I really want a go at Damon. We have an old score to settle…and I didn’t like the way he looked at you. The man’s eyes may be the first to go.” A soft growl escaped him at the memory. No one looked at what was his and lived. 

“Okay, then we’ll start here in LA. Nice place to begin, all those rich and famous waiting to be taken. Just out of curiosity, since I’ve never actually wanted to destroy the world before, what happens to the humans? We can’t kill them all; we’ll have no means of food. Can’t turn them all, either, same problem.” 

“We leave most of them alone, kind of like Vichy France during World War II. There’ll be collaborators to do our dirty work and dissidents to fight. People will, for the most part, be happy to go on with their lives so long as they’re guaranteed a measure of peace. Plus there will be the ever looming threat of someone’s dinner to keep them in line. First, though, we’ll need to rule the underworld, then work our way to the humans. It may take a while.” 

Angelus couldn’t wait to begin. His reputation preceded him, true, but his actions a century previous had been geared towards death and destruction not world conquest. This time it was different. He had his mate by his side who saw things the same way he did. Darla was only interested in fucking, feeding, and fashion. Buffy wanted it all and wanted it with him. 

“We’ll have to regulate the amount of fledglings turned. Can’t have too many, but we’ll have to keep the population expanding or the humans will think us weak and begin to uprise in earnest.” 

“Tell me about the vampire community here. I’ve been out of LA a while, last time I did any damage here was way before I’d ever heard of the Hellmouth. I think I missed something, something even Merrick didn’t know.” Buffy had no doubts her former watcher had kept things to himself, but she was even more certain that there were things the haunted man hadn’t even been aware. Giles was a much better man and as such a much better watcher. 

“It’s pretty much the same here as in most major cities. The demon community has its own rules and systems, hierarchy and the like, but a few have their fingers in human ventures. For instance, that club on Sunset we saw the other night, as we followed those young kids…? That’s owned by Paul Stewart, turned in the sixteenth century with connections everywhere in the city. And once an acquaintance.” 

Angelus closed his eyes as Buffy’s hands began to stroke his penis, fondling him lightly as she licked his stomach. “I’ve generally steered clear of him, or rather Angel did. People go there voluntarily, most knowing what lies inside and not caring. Those foolish enough to wander in without the facts…well; let’s just say they didn’t live to tell their tale. Soul boy had enough problems without adding Stewart to his list. Paul is powerful and smart.” 

Buffy migrated downwards, enveloping his erect penis in her cool mouth, distending her fangs to scrape over his flesh, causing Angelus to gasp at the pain, so intricately mixed with pleasure. His hands tangled in her long hair, wrapping the golden locks around his fists as she licked him from base to tip, encircling the head with her tongue, before beginning over again. 

She loved the taste of him, loved the power she held over him as she stroked his cock, tasted the velvety hardness, the pre-cum. Tasted herself on him. Relaxing her throat, Buffy took him as deep as he would go, running her nails over his balls as she did so. 

“Ahh, Buffy!” He shouted as he came hard and fast inside her mouth. As she sucked him dry, swallowing his cold seed, Angelus fell back against the bed, exhausted. She was insatiable and exhausted him every morning, every day. 

It was wonderful. 

“So,” Buffy said, licking her lips clean of his seed in appreciation; she was as addicted to his taste as she was to his body. “We start here? Sounds like a plan. When do we begin?” 

Angelus lifted his head, opening eyes that were just now beginning to focus. “As soon as we feed, darling.” 

And leapt foreword, pinning her underneath him. His mouth attacked hers, tasting not only himself on her, but her own unique flavor and their combined essence as well. At this point their bonding union was merely a formality, they were so intricately entwined with each other, their blood so mixed with the other’s, that they were, indeed, almost one. 

They went to hunt later…much later.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Heard a rumor the other day.” A vampire said as they stalked the streets of LA. He was not the smartest ever turned, but he always kept his ear to the ground, so to speak, listening for anything that could maybe someday be of use. He liked to think that he was an information broker. Others liked to think of him as a nuisance if they bothered to at all. 

“Oh?” His companion asked, a Texas twang evident in his voice. California held no real love for him, but he was getting antsy with the way the battles had been going. Figured Sunnydale might be ripe for the taking…and hoped that pesky slayer was still about; he owed her, big time.

“Yeah, Angelus is back.” 

“Really?” Interest sparked in his voice, “Now isn’t that interesting. Last I saw him, he and that slayer chick were making eyes at one another.” Lyle Gorch couldn’t have been happier. Maybe he could use Angelus to get to the slayer. 

“Which slayer?” 

Momentarily jolted from his revenge reverie, Lyle looked to his companion. “What?” 

“Which slayer? Last I heard there were two of them.” Bob Johnson had heard things about that, but never had the chance to see for himself the truth in those rumors. 

“Oh, yeah, right.” A flash of memory made Lyle growl. Damn slayers. The blonde one had killed his brother, and a year later with that damn the brunette, his wife. It was time for payback. “Doesn’t matter. I owe the both of them.” 

While they were talking, they had been unaware of being followed, too intent on searching for food and the latest gossip on Angelus. The Gorch Brothers may have made their reputation by massacring an entire town before ever being turned, and Lyle may have been the proverbial brain behind the duo, but there were still some missing marbles up there. Thus, when laughter floated from behind them, the two vamps were taken quite by surprise. 

“You think you can take her?” A deep voice mocked, causing the two to turn. “You can’t even tell when you’re being followed by her. It’s a wonder you’ve lasted this long.” 

Lyle scowled, recognizing Angelus immediately. Then the blonde slayer stepped next to him in the pool of lamplight and Lyle howled with rage. “You killed my brother! And my wife!” 

Angelus turned to Buffy. “You killed his wife, too?” 

Smirking, she shook her head. “Homecoming dance, Slayerfest ’98, Cordelia. You missed a fun time, baby. As for this loser,” She turned back to the seething but unmoving Texan. “He ran off when Cordelia threatened him. She wasn’t even the slayer.” She informed him in a scornful tone. 

Buffy had missed the thrill of the hunt, stalking, chasing, fighting her enemy, and winning. She was good at it, indulging in the excitement and stimulation it provided. Sure, sex with Angelus worked off a lot of that tension, in a way poor stupid, deluded Riley could never understand nor succeed in accomplishing, but there was always something more to her, some residual slayer. Not to destroy what she now was, but to destroy something. 

And this night may provide some of that stimulation. She could feel the same thrill flow through Angelus. He, too, was used to a more…active lifestyle. Again, their passion went a long ways towards relieving it, but there was certainly something to be said for the simplicity of the hunt. Or, more importantly, the simplicity of a prey that was worth hunting. 

“What do you say, lover? Head start? It’s no fun if they just stand still.” Angelus shifted into his face, smiling at the angry vampire and his confused and just a little bit afraid companion. “Oh,” he added, “Yes, the rumors are true. I’m back. And the fun has just begun.” 

Bob took off running, firmly believing in that old adage, ‘Live today, fight when someone else can do the fighting.’ 

Pouting, Buffy began to circle Lyle and then smiled. And that movement of her lips, sharp and feral, scared her opponent. “Babe, you scared him off. Now Lyle here has no one to hide behind.” 

Laughing, Angelus walked over to his lover, ignoring the other vampire, dismissing him as not even worth the effort of watching his back. “Enjoy yourself, love. Make me proud.” And kissed her before settling on a low stone wall, comfortably folding his arms in front of him and preparing to watch the show. He loved it when Buffy fought; made him ache for her, made him so turned on that he almost couldn’t wait until she finished. 

Looking around as Buffy launched herself at the stupidly standing vampire – he had not attacked when he had the chance while Buffy and Angelus were otherwise engaged – Angelus decided that this place would do nicely. His senses picked up no one but the two fighters in front of him. And whom on earth had they been tracking in the desolate park, anyway? 

Buffy’s laughter rang out and Angelus watched as she flipped high over Lyle’s attacking form. Obviously the slower vamp hadn’t bothered to update his hand to hand education since his human days and barroom brawls. Shaking his head as Buffy taunted Lyle with his brother’s stupidness and his wife’s trashiness Angelus hoped she’d wrap things up soon. His erection was getting uncomfortably hard in his tight leather pants. 

As Buffy’s laughter rang out again, he watched her arms fly faster than the normal eye could follow, beating Lyle hard and painfully until he flew backwards and landed square in the back, against a conveniently protruding branch from a tree a hundred yards away. 

Screaming in death, Lyle Gorch exploded into a pile of ash. 

Grinning happily, she loved to win, Buffy ran over to Angelus, jumping in his arms and fusing her mouth to his, still in vamp face. “That was way easy. I’d forgotten how fun it can be when they fight back.” She gasped as her aching core came in contact with his bulging erection. “I’ll give Faith this…she had it right when she said hunting makes you hungry and horny.” 

Ripping Angelus’ shirt open, she attacked his chest with tongue and fangs, moaning his name as he spun, setting her on top of the wall he’d been leaning against. Fast and frenzied they assaulted each other, leaving trails of blood and need. Shouting his name as he drank from her breast, she came hard against the clever fingers riding her wetness. 

Even the birds silenced as the couple continued to ravish each other under the bright not quite full moon of the deserted park. Locking her legs around Angelus, Buffy dragged him close enough to sink onto him with a hiss of fulfillment. 

“Now, love, now, now, now.” She chanted, then screamed his name again as he pinched her engorged clit, sending her over the edge once more. 

Steadying her against the wall, Angelus pounded into her, fastening his mouth on her neck, sucking on the dead artery. Her naked back scraped the stones, drawing blood as his movements grew faster and harder. Buffy encouraged him, begging him for more. 

With a cry of her name, Angelus sank his fangs into her neck, tasting her passion and hunger, her love and fulfillment. As his orgasm crashed over him, sending him flying and falling simultaneously, Angelus collapsed against her, crushing her between the wall and his hard unyielding body. 

“Wow,” Buffy said once she had regained the ability to speak. “We’ll have to go hunting more often.” 

“We go hunting every night, love.” He said, straightening and standing her on none too steady legs. 

“You know what I mean. I miss the chase, the fighting back part. Terrified humans don’t appreciate a perfectly executed pun.” 

“We’ll see what we can find you. But I’m sure you’ll have plenty of opportunities once we start on our plan. Some vamps just don’t go for that whole change thing.”
************  
Buffy had a problem, a conundrum of massive proportions. Normally in situations such as this she’d go to one of the two people she trusted most in this world. Unfortunately this quandary involved them both.  

How was she to keep Angelus and Giles from killing each other?  

Giles held Angelus responsible for Jenny Calendar’s death and his, Giles, subsequent torture for information on awakening Acathla. Actually, Giles held Angel responsible, so naturally, when faced with Angelus, he was bound to freak even more.  

Other than the fact that Giles had not only mocked him while under torture but had survived, Angelus really had nothing against the former watcher. Except the place he held in Buffy’s heart. And maybe that whole ‘test’ the council had put her through on her eighteenth birthday, purposely making her weak and helpless. 

Buffy was positive that since Angel took issue with that, Angelus’ reaction would be even more so. 

Still, there was really no love lost between the two. The only thing they had in common was their love for Buffy and their need to inflict pain on those who had wronged them – and her. 

Yes, Buffy thought as she watched the fat moon begin its descent from her float in the pool, Giles as Ripper was indeed something to behold. A part of himself that he carefully hid until and unless one of his family was put in danger. Then the darker side of his soul emerged, reaping vengeance on all. So it only fit that once his soul was gone then Ripper would fully emerge. 

Buffy had no doubt that even lacking a soul Giles would care for her as a daughter, no that wasn’t the problem. The problem was whether or not he could be controlled. Maybe Angelus was right; maybe they should leave him in charge of some territory, letting him use his brains and rage to further their own ends. 

And their ends just got a whole lot bigger; Alexander would have wept with jealously had he known their plans. 

Hearing Angelus walk onto the patio, though he made no discernible noise, Buffy looked towards the doors. Willow and Spike were still hunting, enjoying themselves and each other far more than Buffy ever would have guessed, leaving their visitors alone for the time being in the basement. 

Giles still had not yet risen and Dawn refused to voluntarily join their little band. Buffy had grown tired of her games and whipped the girl until her blood ran freely and her screams reverberated off the ceiling. Sure, they could always take the choice from her, but Buffy felt she wasn’t as important to her life as Giles. 

And she had always been a little whinny little brat. And she did promise Willow. But as a minion…that was an option. Maybe they could get her to clean the house, it certainly needed it. Hmm, Dawn as a slave, it had potential. 

Angelus walked down the pool stairs, magnificent in his nakedness. Moonlight gleamed off his pale skin, sparkled in the bottomless depths of his brown eyes, his erection standing rigid against the coarse hair of his hard stomach. He brought two crystal flutes and a bottle of wine with him; setting the bottle on the flagstones and carried the glasses to where Buffy drifted, equally naked and aroused. Still without a word he helped her off the canvas raft and handed her a flute. 

“What were you thinking, my love?” His words were soft, soothing almost, as he guided her to the submerged ledge running the length of the pool. 

Buffy took a sip of wine before answering truthfully, “You and Giles.” At his scowl, she laughed, a low sultry sound that went straight to his groin. “Hmm, don’t be jealous, beloved, not like that.” 

She floated across him, straddling his lap and set her glass on the ground behind him, winding her arms around his neck. “I know you have no real love for him and his feelings for you are equally clear. Still, I don’t want you fighting each other as we overthrow the world.” 

Angelus chuckled as his mouth nibbled along her jaw. “I gave you my word that I’d not harm him. Trust him is something else entirely, but I’ll not fight him. I can’t say the same for him.” 

Buffy gasped as he licked her mark before moving to play with the sensitive outer shell of her ear.  “I don’t want to kill him. I can’t. He’s been with me for years, stood by me through everything. Held me as I cried when you left.” 

His hands tightened on her momentarily but he said nothing. He knew that, until he had said the words aloud, promising never to leave her, she still had doubts about him that stemmed not only from his first appearance, but from Angel’s leaving as well. 

The first was his own fault, he could admit that he’d handled it all wrong; instead of trying to drive her mad with taunts and games; he should have showed her how wonderful it could have been between them. He had one crazy childe in Drusilla, he really hadn’t needed another. But he’d had a lot on his plate, Dru and Spike, that damn gypsy woman, solidifying his place within Sunnydale…Buffy. 

The latter, however, he’d not take responsibility for. Except to reassure Buffy that they’d never be separated again. 

Buffy leaned closer into his embrace, aware the path his thoughts were taking, but as he said nothing, she didn’t either. Still, she understood enough about his moods to know that his promise from before, about never leaving her, held…and always would. 

Now, back to Giles…he was her father in every sense of the word, her mentor and friend. She couldn’t give him up. And yet… “And yet, if it came to a choice between the two of you, I’d choose you. Every time.” She couldn’t not choose Angelus; he was her very life. But she hoped that it wouldn’t come to that. 

“I know, love.” He said and kissed her, letting his hands drift down to tease her core, stroke her clit. Molding her breasts, he pinched the nipples into hard peaks before clamping blunt teeth around them each in turn. 

Entering her suddenly, Angelus steadied her as she cried out, arching into him as far as the limits of flesh would allow. Her fingers gripped the edge of the pool as she let his hands guide her faster and faster over him. As he closed his elongated teeth over the mark on her neck, Buffy exploded with a shout, head falling foreword, lips attaching to his neck to drink long pulls of his blood, powerful in itself, feeling herself spiral out of control again and again as his blood flowed through her and his seed shot into her.
~~~~~~~~~
The night before the night of the full moon Giles arose. It was sometimes hard to determine when a newborn childe would rise; each was different. And with Giles, though he didn’t remember any of this and no one could have guessed, there was a fight going on inside of him. 

Ripper embraced the change, accepting that there were things he could no longer do but not really caring. Rupert fought it, knowing what would happen should he lose. But in the end Rupert was too tired to last, the promise of peace too tempting to ignore. The change irresistible. 

And Ripper was reborn. 

Buffy sat on Angelus’ lap in the throne chair, her back to his front, head resting against his shoulder, as his hands made slow circles under her silk top. They were watching Dawn squirm as fire ants crawled over her nude body. It had been Angelus’ idea to use them, and while there weren’t a lot of ants – they didn’t want Dawn dead – there were enough to see the red spots scurry over her creamy skin, digging into her wounds and making her scream all the louder. 

Angelus laughed as they gathered near her eyes and mouth, angered by her noises. “Too bad they hadn’t yet made their way to Europe a hundred or so years ago. They’re a wonderful torture device.” The fact that the insects were extremely harmful to plants and livestock was unimportant to the vampire. 

Buffy twisted her head, looking behind them as the chained prisoners renewed their struggles for release, frightened that the ants would somehow find them, too, not realizing that Willow had erected a shield to ensure the ants stayed only near Dawn. They had gathered several unlucky volunteers in the event Giles woke this night and Dawn agreed to join them. 

At this point, Buffy was loathed to make Dawn immortal; she was just too damn annoying. Why on earth would she want her around for eternity? And Giles… 

Even as Buffy settled against Angelus again, winding her arms back up and around his neck, leaving her torso all the more exposed to his roaming hands, Giles stirred. 

His head shot up with a roar and he turned to Dawn, growling, “Quiet!” 

Dawn, not used to withstanding torture of any kind unless it was a lecture from a teacher or Giles, ignored him, as her ears became invaded by the tiny creatures. She may have had the power of the Key flowing through her, but she was an untried warrior. And she had survived two days worth of torture, gentle though both Buffy and Angelus considered it. 

Buffy laughed, delighted with Giles’ response. “Well, Good Morning, Giles. It’s about time you joined us.” 

Giles’ eyes focused on the couple, yellow and glowing. “Ah, right.” He gave his arms a shake, rattling the chains as memory returned. “Well? Am I going to stay here all night? I’m a little hungry.” 

Buffy rose and walked towards him as Angelus unlocked the chains of a man unfortunate enough to have fought with his wife the previous night. He had gone for a walk, clearing his head when Angelus had suddenly appeared in front of him, the embodiment of solicitation and concern. And when Buffy had joined them, distracting the man for mere seconds, Angelus had knocked him flat and chained him. 

Another case for missing persons. 

“We brought you breakfast.” They were silent as Giles attacked the man’s neck, drinking quickly and deeply, draining him in a matter of moments, still hindered by his chains as he was. When he was done and Angelus dropped the corpse to the floor, Buffy stood by his side and addressed Giles. 

“We’re going to take over the world. Join us?” She had thought of a long speech, planned it out, all her arguments, but decided on the simplicity of truth. 

“What do I get out of this?” 

Angelus shook his head as he absently played with the ring Buffy wore. “You mean besides the chance to spend eternity with Buffy? To never have to watch her die again, sacrifice herself to save a planet that doesn’t even know she exists? To indulge in your magick and research? To rule over those who have no appreciation for the sacrifices you’ve made?” The elder vampire shrugged, “What more do you want?” 

Giles looked at the vampire, the being, who had caused him so much pain, who had used several means of torture on him and had killed the woman he loved. Revenge? It sounded sweet and if Angelus had been fighting Buffy as well, the vampire who was Rupert Giles would have unhesitatingly planned on it. But even without a soul Giles wanted Buffy by his side. 

And seeing what they had accomplished thus far, taking out the top leaders of the Light, turning Willow and re-corrupting Spike, he understood their power. Understood that if anyone could subjugate the world, the two before him could do so. Could he put aside his feelings of rage and revenge, work with Angelus? 

Yes, he supposed he could. And there were so many others to take his anger out on, starting with the Watcher’s Council. Quentin Trevors was still alive, through some strange set of occurrences, and would make a perfect victim. 

“All right.” 

Buffy beamed. “Excellent. Now, just one more thing: I want no trouble between you and Angelus.” 

Giles nodded again, “I shan’t cause any trouble. But I think it’s best if we’re on opposite sides of the world. Things will go much better for everyone that way.” 

Buffy raised an eyebrow. This was going well, much faster and better than she expected. “Okay, that’s fine.” She looked to Angelus who nodded in agreement, then nodded again at her unspoken request and unlocked the chains binding Giles. “First, though, we’re going to destroy Wolfram & Hart, then move to Angelus’ army in Russia. You’ll stay for that?” 

Giles smiled around his fangs, homing in on the struggling sacrifices still chained to the far wall. “Wouldn’t miss it,” He said, walking to where the three remaining humans hung. “But I get the Watcher’s Council. Or, specifically, Quentin. I owe him…” 

Angelus nodded in agreement and unchained the closest woman, shoving her in Giles direction. “Yes, you do.” 

And the way he said it, fervently and with absolute conviction, Giles paused in feeding off the now quietly whimpering woman. The look that passed between them reinforced Giles opinion of the situation. Angelus would do everything in his power to protect Buffy, and that included hunting down and destroying those who had caused her harm in the past. 

Maybe eternity with Angelus wouldn’t be so difficult after all. 

Dawn, however, had resumed her screams and was becoming a bit of a problem. “Can’t we do something to shut her up?” 

Buffy smiled, chanted the spell that would release the magickal shield and another to gather the ants into a large container for dispersal later. They had no intention of letting the six-legged creatures free, not with so many more beings to torture. Once this was accomplished, Buffy backhanded her sister several times until the blood ran freely from her mouth. Licking the corner free from the blood that pooled there, Buffy smiled at her sister when the screams finally changed to whimpers. 

“Yes,” Giles said as he finished draining the last victim. “That’s much better. What have you planned for her?”

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