Breathing By Rote

Title: Breathing By Rote
by Scylla Blue
Rating: FRAO
Paring: Angelus/Riley, Spike/Xander
Disclaimer: Do not own.
Summary: When Xander and Spike get tossed back in time, Angelus gets clued in on his future and decides to do a few things differently.
Warnings: some implied twincest is the worst of it, I think, but if you’re still with me on this than that should be no surprise.
Author’s Note: OMG! An update! Keels over in shock. Very sorry this has taken so long, but sometimes I need to take a break. Wrote some X-Men, some Harry Potter, dabbled here and there until Riley called me back. To everyone who has reviewed and will continue to do, I treasure each one, no matter how short, because it lets me know I’m not just writing into a nameless, faceless void. Think of this as an early Christmas/Winter Holiday present.

Previous chapters can be found here: http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=scyllablue&keyword=Angel/Riley-+Breathing+By+Rote&filter=all

~*~

Chapter 14. Late August, 2000.

The summer after the Scoobies senior year Lanie left Sunnydale for “family problems”. She did not close the Tea Shop, though. Instead she pinned Xander with a manager’s badge. The teenager tried to refuse so much responsibility, but she would not hear of it. There was no one else she could trust her café to, who knew how to make her lemon bars just so and was trusted by some of her more, shall we say, esoteric suppliers (and how odd was it Xander knew the headaches of getting fresh dragon bile to season the holiday ‘Special’ snicker doodles with? Not any more so than knowing old bile would overwhelm the cinnamon, he supposed.) A smack to the head and Xander agreed, even to moving into her apartment over the shop.

The place was nice, if a little dark with the boarded up windows, and required no real heavy masculinization since Lanie wasn’t really a girlly girl. The utilities were paid along with the shop’s, which Lanie said the bank took care of automatically. One night they closed the café early and went out to buy Xander new sheets for the bed, towels, and anything else a young man needed to live on his own. All of which the eighteen year old proudly paid for himself. It really brought home to Xander how much like a big sister Lanie was to him and he suddenly realized what he was losing with her leaving.

“Lanie,” he started, handing her the new pillows after the redhead insisted on re-making the bed with letter fold precision, “I don’t want you to leave.”

The pillows went neatly into place and Lanie finished by smoothing away imaginary wrinkles in the new dark blue faux down comforter. Her own bedding, towels and clothes were in boxes and bags that had disappeared between one visit and the next, adding to Xander’s fear that Lanie was going to do the same, just vanish. “I’m not Mary Poppins, Xander,” she said affectionately and with no little irritation all the same, “I promise you, by this time next year we will be back together.” She stopped, glancing sidelong over at the boy standing in the corner of his new room. “Anyway, you still have your friends here, right?”

Xander fidgeted a little, not wanting to lie, but really not wanting to get into his Scooby problems. Not when he had so little Lanie Time left. They had talked a couple of times before about how he was at school and with his friends, but Lanie had never forced him to confront his behavior in his “normal” life. None of the Scoobies, not even Angel (especially Angel, the sanctimonious ass, grrr!) knew his best friend was a demon. It was hard sometimes, keeping his lives separated, but his fear of running into Lanie one night on patrol never happened. As far as he knew, she’d never even tried once to plunge the world into Hell. She existed here, at the shop, and the illusion of safety and normalcy was so painstakingly crafted he was easily able to imagine his Lanie, demoness or no, somehow existed above all of the usual demonic cruelty and violence he saw in Buffy’s company. She represented a far more equitable world than the one Giles and the Slayer espoused, one Xander was afraid of losing when Lanie left.

“They’re going to college, remember?” he said instead of the hundred of other things he could have. Instead of what he wanted to say.

“And you will be running the café full time,” Lanie shot back. Taking his hand she dragged him back over to the bed and tugged him down to sit next to her on the foot. “People change, sweetie, grow apart. Even those who were as close as family. You don’t think you haven’t changed to them, from working at the café?”

Lanie had a nice strong shoulder and Xander slumped into it, staring down at their laced fingers. “Yeah, but we still had school together. Bound in chains to the halls of mediocrity. Now we’re not going to have anything.”

“So maybe something new will come along?” the redhead quietly answered. “Would that be so bad, opening yourself to new friends? Buffy and Willow, they could really change in college. Jeez, my sister went completely bonkers and got knocked up! She was always something of a slut, but college sucked all her brains out. You never know what could happen.”

Xander grinned, knowing from other stories that Lanie’s older sister was anything but promiscuous. He didn’t want Lanie to leave, not now, not when his whole life was changing, but he knew what he wanted mattered little. Lanie was a force of nature and no matter that she dismissed being a magical nanny, Xander knew better. He remembered Mary Poppins, remembered wondering if she had a life she went home to. Now he knew.

“I don’t want you to leave.”

“Don’t be like that, Xan. Before you know it, your life is going to be completely different and you’ll forget all about me. Just wait, you’ll see.”

~*~

Coming into his dorm room at Lowell House Graham froze to see the room was already occupied. Sprawled out on his bed in just his boxers Riley was reading a textbook while methodically dismantling his gun. It was a bizarre studying habit, for certain, but it seemed to work. Though his CO had no previous college experience no one would know it from the way he tutored Walsh’s students. Frankly, Graham had thought it a little extreme, expecting Riley to shoulder both military command of the Initiative and actually work as a PhD Teaching Assistant, but Riley never made a complaint. It was a test, Graham knew this, and so far Riley had not failed Walsh yet. If he’d not already been impressed by Riley from reputation alone meeting the older man would have guaranteed it.

Graham Miller lived his life by very simple rules. Serve the Council in faith. Loyalty to his Lady. Do honor to the Corp. He understood he lived a blessed life, being a chosen for the New York Council and Louise Cortez in particular. From his birth he had known his destiny and had never had cause to question the discipline and stringency of his upbringing. His life was the Council’s and if he served well the day would come to him to eternally join his Lady’s service. Service, loyalty and honor. These were the rules Graham Miller lived by.

And then he met Riley Finn.

The Aurelius were being fairly closed mouth about the agenda of their House, but most Houses did not divulge the inner politics of their clans. Louise knew one of the other soldiers being recruited was chosen, strictly hands off. The vampiress could not stress enough the warnings that came out of Los Angeles. Graham personally thought it was all a little ridiculous, until he laid eyes on his commanding officer for the first time. The Finn name was known in the Marine Corp, so Graham had an idea what to expect: a thoroughbred soldier. He didn’t know how the Aurelius played into the family legacy, but he got a real good idea what they were after seeing tall, blond Riley fucking gorgeous Finn the first time. He was so beautiful it hurt to look at him too long; smart and unflappable when learning about the monsters they were going to hunt. The man probably couldn’t beat him in hand to hand, but he’d have a bullet between Graham’s eyes before he needed to. There was an edge to him that Graham had only seen in humans who’d shared blood with vampires, a grace that most living found too elusive to attain.

Riley didn’t look up at his entrance, but a smile quirked the corners of his mouth. “Hey, Grey.”

“Iowa.” Even when he was barking orders there was something open and friendly about his CO, an honesty that garnered everyone’s respect. More than that though, Graham was drawn to the air of innocence that hung about the blond. It was inexplicable, knowing he was a chosen for one of the most ruthless Houses, but equally undeniable. Maybe the Aurelius had not touched his life yet? Graham prayed they never would; that Riley would never have that core of innocence broken and ripped from him. It gave him nightmares, imagining what horrible, pitiable creature the Aurelius would remake him in to, because no matter his prayers, he knew the Aurelius would claim Riley in time. Otherwise they wouldn’t have warned Louise of his existence.

“Time to throw a pigskin?” No matter how effortless Riley made it all look, Graham knew the man barely had time to sleep between studying and the Initiative. He almost felt guilty asking, but then Riley looked up at him with a happy grin and Graham was absolved.

“Sure!” Graham watched him quickly and efficiently reassemble his sidearm before depositing it into its locked case, then close and neatly stack his books under his bed. He watched everything Riley did, practice making him unobtrusive. Hungrily, like the chronic diabetic who made a production of ignoring the triple layer espresso mocha double fudge chocolate cake because he knew all he could do was watch while someone else enjoyed the decadence. Yet still he yearned and Graham knew starvation was a cruel means to die. By some cruel twist of fate the Aurelius had found Riley before him and so all he could do was absorb and commit to memory every minute they had like this, in this innocent time. Maybe one day, after Graham had earned his Lady’s benediction, he could meet the corrupted Aurelian Riley and perhaps return these watched moments to him. Prove he had learned a new rule by which he lived his life: devotion.

~*~

“I don’t like this,” the dark vampire growled from his chair in the Blue Room, sprawled out while he watched the revelry about them. Most of his court was still here in Des Moines, waiting on their Master’s favor. Though the scent was years old his mate’s virgin seed still stained the cushions he sat on, teasing him of what he denied himself.

Slouched against the tall back William snorted. “And you think I do? Peaches?” Angelus growled at Spike’s nickname, but his childe just smirked. “Final act, sire. We’ve played along this far, be a shame to crap it out now. Did what I could but I still left my mate in that house to grow up with those parents, to not know any love but what came with a price.“

“And Lanie has now come home,” Angelus added apologetically. “If the risk of Riley running into her was not so great . . .”

“I know. I have to get chipped or all Xander’s survived will mean jack. He won’t let me close until he thinks I’m safe, ‘fangless’” Will grimaced.

“Then we fake it, like we faked the soul. There’s no need for you to be hurt, Will.”

The younger vampire stubbornly shook his head. “It won’t be as bad for me as it was for Spike. I’ll know what to expect and I’ll know later Riley will de-activate the chip. We can’t risk a detail this big, so close to D-Day. Just a while yet, sire,” he murmured, moving into Angelus’ lap. The master vampire accepted his weight easily, nuzzling the pale throat as his hands kneaded the strong back. Will purred and Angelus again thanked whatever force had sent Xander and Spike back in time, saving his sweet childe from becoming that scarred orphan. Saving himself from that crippled Angel his Will cried over. But they had spared themselves, using Spike’s memories he’d left to Will to pay lip service to the timeline and plan for the day time caught up to itself. So many sacrifices made and he reluctantly admitted Will was right. They couldn’t risk their future this close to the end.

Pulling back, Angelus studied his childe’s face. Will loved Xander as fiercely as Spike had, perhaps more so knowing the future as he did. For himself, his stomach still roiled that he’d slept with the Slayer Buffy Summers, bile choking him every time he’d made the pathetic puppy dog eyes and declared eternal love. Angel may have slunk off to L.A., but he’d fairly danced to freedom.

Thinking of his employees at Angel Investigations made him grin. Doyle and Cordelia were disrespectful, but they’d grown on him and he fully intended to keep them once the charade was over. He wondered if Wesley was still going to show up on his doorstep and then there was Faith. That Slayer had potential; just needed a little laying on of the whip to bring her in line.

The Sunnydale tots were due to start college any day. Little over six months to go. He and Will had monitored the Initiative’s quiet move into town, marking the occasional glimpses they’d had of Riley. Their bond, muted and buried as deeply as Angelus could push it and still exert control when needed, sang softly. His childe was happy. Excited, fresh from the mountains of the East and less haunted than Angelus remembered from their first meeting so long ago in London. But the boy had yet to meet Buffy or knowingly encounter his first demon. He was still the innocent Angelus had lovingly raised and trained, and it made him want to howl in rage that Riley was destined for the Slayer. Hers for less than a year, and he hugged his childe close, silently repeating the mantra while his court swirled around him in a worship of flesh. Hers till April.


~*~

Standing in the sterile, brightly lit subterranean hall Riley stared hard at the creature slumped unconscious in its cell. One of the other patrols had brought it in, found in one of Sunnydale’s numerous cemeteries. There was something familiar about it, some niggling memory that would not surface no matter how hard he pushed. A king . . . No, maybe a doctor from one of the soaps his sisters watched? Why did this man, no, creature look familiar? What was it about Hostile 17 that called to him?

“Sir?” Graham’s voice at the entrance to the cell block broke his concentration and he stepped back from the cage, sharply shaking his head. What did it matter if the hostile looked familiar? Why did it make his head hurt so much, trying to place that finely drawn face? “Dr. Walsh is looking for you, sir.”

“Thank you, Agent Miller,” Riley absently answered. He wanted to know, needed to know, but his confusion only increased the harder he tried. Dammit! He took a step back towards the plexiglas, determined to have his answers, when a cold touch swept his mind, eradicating his confusion and pushing the memories far beyond reach.

He unconsciously gasped, prompting Graham to stare at him hard in sudden concern. “Sir? Iowa, you alright?”

What kind of question was that? Riley smiled reassuringly at his subordinate and friend. “Everything’s fine, Grey.” He glanced back at the creature in its cell, amazed at how human like it looked. Unrecognizable to anyone he would know, but still impressive. Detachedly he wondered if the insides were as humanoid, but that was one of the questions Dr. Walsh was determined to answer.

~*~

With a baby bouncing on his hip Doyle splashed gin and whiskey into a tall plastic glass, near ready to go cross-eyed from the pounding of his head. Why the Powers That Be had saddled him with Angelus, the bloody Scourge of Europe he could only chalk down to a perverse curiosity to see if he truly meant to atone for denying his demonic side and all the gifts that came with. Every Champion needed his sidekick, his Voice of Reason when he risked straying, his Link to the Powers so that he might be properly Guided onto the Path of Righteousness.

“And no where did it say said Link was to be pawned off onto a bunch of half-baked loons who wouldn’t know a Righteous Path if they pissed on it!” Doyle erupted before tossing back his drink. It gloriously burned all the way down, but did little to calm his nerves when he spied a double image nervously watching him from the entryway of the kitchen. Thunking the glass down he shifted the baby to his other hip, automatically checking the bottle steaming in its pot on the stove before leveling his glare at his smirking audience. “I gave you a simple assignment: find damsel, kill demon, save damsel. No where in there did ‘shag demon and bring back to the hotel so it could try to eat one of your nephews for breakfast’ fit in!”

Patrick looked somewhat contrite, but Ian was the stubborn one, chin notching the air as he crossed his arms. “Suzie was hardly going to eat Liam. C’mon, Doyle, she’s had kids of her own, ya know. She was trying to feed him.”

“From inside her stomach, is that how?”

“Who’s to say?” Ian shrugged.

Indeed, who was, but that wasn’t the bloody point! “Do you think Angelus is gonna like you bringin’ unknown demons into his inner court? There are rules, you two, rules that hold up even when he’s gone a few days. Yer brother and sisters and nephews live here, this is their home, and you bring a bit of street trash into it? Is that what you think of them?”

“Of course not, Doyle,” Patrick quickly denied, white under his tan as the seer’s words brought home to him just what they had risked. And what the likely repercussions would be. “We didn’t mean anything, we just weren’t thinking. The victim is fine and Suzie’s left.”

“So everything’s okay then?” The quiet words spoken from behind them froze both boys until Ian suddenly stumbled. Moira shoved him again, tears streaming from her reddened eyes. Behind her Brigit and Elaine watched, with Alessandro standing grimly at their backs. “Suz-ie didn’t manage to eat my baby, no thanks to either of you, and now all’s forgiven?”

“Moira, we didn’t mean,” Patrick started, but his older sister’s hard slap shut him up. Doyle winced, turning away to pluck the bottle out and turn off the stove. Little Liam cooed at the sight of the bottle, distracted from his mother screaming feet away.

“I don’t give a shit what you ‘mean’ any more, Patrick!” Moira raged. “That bitch tried to eat one of my babies! Your nephew! This isn’t a game, this isn’t pretend! When are you two going to fucking get it!”

In the face of their sister’s tears even Ian bowed his head, shoulders slumping. “Sorry, Mo.” Doyle tested the breast milk on his arm before handing the bottle to the little tyke who was as stubborn as his uncle in doing things his way. The seer watched the drama from the corner of his eye, but was more concerned with Liam not seeing his mama crying. Doyle did not want to think what could have happened if he hadn’t been with Con when the wizard had felt a disturbance in one of his wards. In the time it would have taken the paralyzed youth to call for help . . . Doyle kissed Liam’s baby curls, sending up a silent prayer of thanks.
*

Moira took a deep breath, wiping her cheeks with her palms. “’Sorry’ doesn’t work anymore, Ian. We are the First Family in the House of Aurelius. Every breath in your body is a gift from our patriarch, our Master, and every one of those breaths should be given to the glory of this House. Both of you have obviously forgotten that. Angelus is working hard to see Riley home so Alessandro has agreed to mete out your punishment in his stead.”

Even when their master was in residence Moira saw to the day to day running of the court that lived in the hotel. Over sixty demons and a few chosen such as the Finns lived here and the eldest Finn took her responsibilities seriously. Patrick frowned at the formalized words, suddenly very afraid of just what their master planned for them.

“Moira?” he quietly asked.

For a brief moment hazel eyes looked on him sadly but then they hardened. “You both need to learn to respect the rules of this court and to understand they exist to protect us all. Elaine will be assuming your duties at Angel Investigations helping Doyle. For bringing a stranger into the heart of this court without first seeking permission you’ll each receive two hundred lashes. Alessandro says that is standard among his packs and he will administer the punishment.

“For endangering the life of a child of this court and failing to protect the lives of not only the entire court but your family you will both spend a year bound to wolf form. If you can act no better than an animal than an animal you both will be.”

Patrick froze in disbelief. Surely she didn’t mean it! A year for some harmless fun! Suzie had said she wasn’t going to eat Liam, but when he looked into his sister’s eyes he realized that wasn’t the point. They had let their family down, they who were supposed to be the first line of defense in protecting their family.

“No way!” Ian shouted. “This is bullshit! A fucking year because we brought a demon ho into the hotel? C’mon, Moira, that’s insane!”

“Shut up, Ian,” Patrick growled, knowing Angelus had gone light on them. A year was nothing when their mistake could have killed a helpless baby.

“Pat, don’t -”

“Shut up!” Patrick rounded on his twin, hazel eyes flashing yellow. Ian jerked back, but Patrick followed, slamming him up against one of the steel counters. “Liam could be dead right now! It doesn’t matter what Suzie meant by going into the nursery, the fact that we let her loose to do it means Liam and Dean both could have died! We took it too far, Ian, we took everything too far.”

For the longest moment Ian strained against him, against accepting the blame of their foolishness, but finally he bent his head. His twin slumped against him and Patrick pressed his mouth into the familiar smelling hair. For possibly these few brief moments he could feel his twin and lover pressed full length against him and he desperately soaked in every sensation, knowing it would have to last him a year. Finally, reluctantly, he shifted to lick the shell of his twin’s ear, sensing their moment was about to be interrupted.

“I’m sorry, Ian,” he whispered, closing his eyes to feel his lover’s arms come up to hug him tightly. Was Ian afraid of losing him? “I failed when I should have been strong enough for us both.”

Gently Ian pushed him back. “No, I think it’s I who failed you. Suzie may have made for an awesome threesome, but protecting you has always been my first priority. I should have been thinking and now you’re going to suffer with me.”

Yes, it had been Ian’s interest that halted their attack on the demon and it had been at Ian’s insistence that they brought her home instead of a cheap hotel. But Patrick could not blame him, not now. A last kiss then, chaste before their sisters, and Patrick smiled at Ian’s pout when he wouldn’t be drawn any deeper. “I would have insisted in sharing the punishment anyway. In everything, right?”

“In everything,” Ian softly avowed.

~*~

“Press 1-7-0-0 and the chip will deactivate,” Graham instructed, handing the blond Aurelian the palm sized remote device. “Each chip has its own scrambled frequency so you shouldn’t have to worry about someone’s cellphone turning it on.”

“And if I wanted to turn it back on for a bit?” The vampire asked, a small smile twitching his mouth as he seemed to lovingly stroke the small gray box.

Graham almost opened his mouth to ask why the hell the man would want to turn the control device back ON, but just shook his head. He’d tried to get the Aurelian switched to a control group so he’d be spared, but the little blond had actually refused. For whatever his reasons, he’d chosen to have his head cut open. Louise had warned him about the insanity that haunted the Aurelius and here was evidence of it.

“1-7-0-9.” He wanted to ask if the Aurelius knew Riley was dating the Slayer, but if they didn’t then Graham wasn’t going to be the one to bring that grief onto his friend. If they didn’t know, it was their own fault anyway, keeping Riley ignorant of his chosen status. “Walsh is on schedule with her experiments, but she hasn’t discovered anything potentially dangerous.”

“An she won’t,” the blond winked. “Any demon who’d giv’er a thrill has been invited to make house elsewhere. Hellmouth is chock full of rogues an’ the like to keep you boys and the Slayer happy.”

Graham knew that, they were on the Hellmouth, but he couldn’t believe how blasé the slender vampire was about a mortal experimenting on his own kind. “She’s working on something, something I cannot get any information on. None of the soldiers are allowed into the lower levels.”

The vampire slipped the remote into an inside pocket of his newly acquired black trench coat. “Walsh won’t be a concern for much longer. Just be sure to keep yer eyes on Finn.”

The soldier mechanically nodded and quit the crypt, careful to make sure no one saw him until he safely made it back onto campus.

~*~

Starving and desperately in need of protection Spike, the Big Bad, threw himself onto the Scoobies for help. Xander had supported Buffy in just wanting to stake him, but Giles had overruled them all. Since Spike could no longer hurt anyone thanks to whatever the soldier guys had done to him then Buffy had no justification in staking him. Which meant they were all ready to toss him out on his ear until he swore he had information they could use. Xander was certain he was lying, but didn’t have time to argue with the ex-Watcher. If Giles wanted to keep the bleached wonder as a pet then that was his headache. Xander had a café to run.

Running inventory through his head the teenager dismissed the entire episode from his mind. Ever since Lanie had left he barely had time to attend Scooby meetings, doing what had been a two person job on his own. He was starting to wonder why he bothered coming at all. Buffy had her new boy toy boyfriend to patrol with and Willow had Tara. He had croissants and mini-muffins. Somehow, it just didn’t work out, but the teen refused to entertain such words as “lonely” and “jealous”.

Then came The Day. The day Giles rang him up to ask him to come over. The day insult was added to injury. Giles had a hot date. Giles Had A Hot Date. And he needed Xander, the slaving stiff, to take the bleached wonder for a couple of days. Xander adamantly refused, which really didn’t explain how Spike wound up tied to a chair in his living room.

Spike was suitably impressed by Xander’s apartment, snarking that he’d expected to find the whelp living in his parents’ basement. When he found out Xander ran a tea shop he howled in laughter until the brunette shoved a dirty sock in his mouth. The vampire didn’t eat that night. The next day he was grudgingly contrite, poorly masking his curiosity over the smells that drifted up from the café. He so did favor a properly made scone, though they were hard to find in America. Still upset Xander flatly refused to answer the hinted challenge until the next day. Elaine had made a production about her dry baked goods and Spike was from the homeland of scones. On Sunday he came up to the apartment with a mug of warmed pig’s blood and a single chocolate chip scone. Spike consumed both eagerly and his greed for the small pastry went far in mollifying Xander’s pride. To thinking of what it felt like to have that agile pink tongue lick every crumb from his fingers.

Monday came and Giles’ female friend did not leave with it, which meant Xander’s reluctant houseguest also stayed. Xander grumbled a bit, but not too loudly. He wasn’t willing to admit that he had actually enjoyed watching television with the Big Bad, but it was nice to have someone to talk to. Even though his parents had largely ignored his existence at least he hadn’t been completely alone. The teen couldn’t put into words the emotion he’d felt telling his dad that he was moving out into his own apartment before the asshole could kick him out like he’d been promising for as long as Xander could remember. Being independent was awesome but it was also, well, when Spike spilled his dinner Xander didn’t think much of untying him. Giles did say the vampire couldn’t hurt him and he felt a little silly hand feeding a full grown man. Yes, that’s right, silly.

Freed from his comfortable chair Spike did not make off with the television, though he did drift in and out of the apartment as he was inclined. Xander assumed he picked the lock. Occasionally he’d come down into the shop to help himself to a scone and tea, neither of which he ever paid for. He’d perch himself out of the way, often at the very booth Xander had once claimed. On those times he’d read the paper or a book he’d bring, staying until closing. Considering the clientele no one really noticed that Xander could tell, so he let the vampire do what he wanted. After Xander closed the café at three Spike would follow him up the stairs to the apartment, hands full of pastries that hadn’t sold. Blood and desserts was a horrible diet, but what sent Xander fleeing to his bedroom was the errant musing if all that sugar made Spike taste as sweet.

TBC.
Reviews:
Kage: I’m hoping to show Cordy next, dealing with wolfie breath and take charge Elaine. Have a feeling these two girls are not going to mix well. Hope you liked pious Graham.
Nelson: Spike is finally making a move! Poor Xander won’t know what hit him.
St. Remy: I like Louise too. Can’t say whether she will appear again or not, but she is an important part of Graham’s life, one day possibly becoming his sire.
j: I’m blushing, here, but thanks. I really like writing Riley’s sibs, especially since I mentally cast Paul Walker as the twins. Can’t you just see it? Rowl. ;)
CammyKat: you’ve already read this chapter over on LJ a few days ago, but yes, Moira named one of her babies after Angelus and the other after her mortal father.
Rngrdead: yes, they are lovely. As I ended their scene I wondered if they’d still get it on doggy style. Knowing them . . .
Chibifae: yeah, I might use the Yellow again. Still liking Graham?
Purple Mist: convert to Riley worship, convert! Glad you like my trying to make Angelus a multi-dimensional guy. Still bad, mind you. An anti-hero who can be down right villainous.
Alice: Okay, I guess it would be good to recap the siblings. First, Angelus has shared blood with ALL of them, so they are all bonded to him in some way. Riley just got the most and Elaine shared with Spike before he turned her. Which brings us to the twisted family tree: Moira, human, being courted by Werewolf King Alessandro and has two boys by unknown college boy who may not have survived Angelus’ wrath; Patrick and Ian, werewolves turned by Alessandro but given to Angelus’ service; Elaine, Spike’s first childe who Xander knows as Lanie; Riley, human, chosen as Angelus’ future childe and mate; Connor, human, wizard, currently still alive because Angelus wills it through their bond until he can learn the magic to heal himself; and finally Brigit, human. Gonna have to think of a way to torture that girl. Can’t have someone normal in the family, can we? As for Dru, she might very well be dead. We’ll see.