Thralls

Title: Thralls, chapter 25

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Angel sped along the landing of the third floor, looking over the rail, down all the way to the lobby. There was action going on way, way down there. He heard the blows as they landed, the grunts, smelled blood. And he needed to be there, to stop it, and to take control before something worse than a simple fight occurred. Before someone died.

He saw the fighting at last, when two bodies tumbled into view, Balthazar and someone else scuffling, grunting and growling. Then, he saw Xander, his brave, aggressive, possessive, beautiful Xander, streak across the floor, straight for another person, another stranger, who hastily dropped the snoring man he was carrying over his shoulder, taking care to cushion the fall as much as he could. Then the young man met Xander halfway, changing into a wolf in the blink of an eye, just as fast as Xander's transformation into a hyena. That fast they were a snarling tangle of limbs and flashing teeth.

Angel made the decision on how he would arrive in that moment.

There was screaming and yelling and swearing...in a very familiar voice. Angel almost let himself smile. That voice...well Spike always managed to land in the midst of trouble if it was possible at all. And this time, he was going to be rescued from it, from his own abysmally bad luck.

Angel grabbed the edge of the railing and launched himself over the top and towards the floor, three stories below, arms spread, feet together. His loose, bronze silk shirt billowed around him as he flew through the air, like glowing, metallic angel's wings. It took far less time than he'd thought it would, far less time than it felt like. He was suddenly *there*, landing with a thump, slamming into the tiled floor. Coming to rest on his feet and one hand, crouched down to absorb some of the impact, before he sprang up and jumped into the fray.

He caught Xander around the waist and heaved him away from the strange werewolf. Blood sprayed, and Angel was mesmerized for a dizzying second, the drawing, lingering, seductive scent of his thrall's rich, nourishing blood. It was momentarily disorienting. He was leaning in closer, his fangs extending before he caught himself, and drew his face and mouth away from Xander's pulsing throat.

Xander was screaming out wordlessly, a purely bestial challenge and rage. The sound of an alpha animal trumpeting a territorial imperative. Xander clawed frantically to try and get back into the fray, not hurting Angel, his master, much, giving him only shallow scratches, and a gouge or two. Xander wrenched himself side to side, wanting to escape the hold without doing more damage to his master. But, Angel was just that little bit stronger and prevented it, lifting his thrall up off of the ground. Still, it didn't stop the other fighter, and the wolf came at him. All claws and teeth.

Angel kicked it in the chest, sending it flying up against the far wall. Which made the vampire fighting Balthazar yell. Oh, that was interesting, Spike's protest had more of an edge than expected. It would take some looking into. But, first things first. Holding Xander up over his head, Angel turned and sucked in a deep breath, before letting it out in a great shout.

"Enough!" The command rang through the lobby, all the way up to the rafters of the old hotel. A deep, belling, ringing, shout that filled every ear. Balthazar struggled for an instant then fell to his hands and knees, moaning, grabbing at his head, as the command tore through him. The second vamp stopped, and stood swaying, then quickly turned and his blue eyes searched frantically for the wolf and the young man on the floor. He put one hand to his head, shaking it. He let out an odd whine.

Graham had cautiously knelt next to the young man on the floor, and was looking him over. "Riley! It is Nick Yee!" His fingers sought out the pulse point in the man's neck. As soon as he touched the man, a second yell filled the air.

"Don't touch him!" The platinum haired intruder shrieked. Graham blinked, there was power there, not as much as his master's, and there was not the degree of compulsion that Angel's words brought, but still, more than the other vampires in the house had. Riley was also kneeling, looking for injuries.

Angel moved, "Spike!" He shouted, pursuing the dark streak of his Childe as the black clad Spike headed for the young man. He smelled...Oh fuck! Angel figured it out a fraction too late. Spike had thralls. Graham was touching one. The other vampire was going to lose it, attack Graham and possibly Riley. Angel was too far away to stop it. Spike was going to get to Graham before he was, and who knows how bad the vampire was going to hurt him in the second before Angel could get there....

A blond streak, hit Spike just as he was reaching out to grasp Graham, Riley cringing back from the lightning fast advance, face twisted in horror and anticipation of the assault...that Alistair managed to avert by fractions of an inch. Spike's extended, hooked fingers, grasping only air, his face promising dire things.

The werewolf flashed to human, up on his knees, and grunting. "Shit, that hurts," his hands were at his chest. But he was breathing and mobile if a bit slow getting up. His red hair shone, sticking up every which way. Angel dismissed him for the moment, he wasn't agitated, wasn't aggressive. Then had to redirect himself.

Xander made a magnificent leap for the young man, and again Angel had to grab him, catching him in mid leap, stretched out to his full length, his hide rippling with primitive power. That was it. Angel drew in another deep breath. He looped his arm across Xander's throat and chest. Squeezed.

"Stop!" He shouted. And his will flowed out, over all of them in the room. Xander struggled, then went limp, scratched a bit, then stopped. Doyle stood, where Angel had not seen him, at the base of the stairs, having run down them, rather than try the jump Angel had made. He froze, stock still, eyes locked on the vampire, mouth open, gasping, awaiting an order that would permit him to move.

Spike and Alistair stopped fighting, standing in each other's grip, unmoving. Balthazar sat on the floor, staring up at Angel's face, his eyes, dark, burning pits. Wesley was panting in the doorway of the office, holding on to the frame to stay on his feet, his gaze finding Balthazar and staying on the seated vampire.

Riley and Graham were kneeling next to the human who lay sprawled on the floor, Graham's hand resting on the man's arm, Riley, not touching him, having drawn back when Spike leapt at them. The unknown werewolf was rigid, upright, white as a sheet, swaying. He looked sick. Verging on collapse.

Spike let out a grunt, and took a step, jaw knotted. Then another, fighting Angel's order, struggling, making it to the red-head's side just before he fell, catching him. Angel was seriously impressed that Spike could move. That would make the boy on the floor and the werewolf his Childe's thralls with absolute surety. He scented the air. Yep. No mistaking it. His Childe had *two* thralls. Interesting. Now, Spike wasn't a weak vampire, and he was tenacious, but he could not have made thralls. No doubt, more of the meddling of Walsh. The woman was a menace.

"Graham, Riley." Angel said. "Move away from the thrall. It will only agitate Spike if you stay near him when he is hurt. Or," Angel sniffed, made a face, "drugged. I can hear his heart, and his breathing, he will be well." Angel was pleased when his thralls stood and obeyed him without any hesitation. Good, last thing this volatile situation needed was a bit of defiance. And it would escalate again into full fledged physical conflict.

Angel's thralls obeyed him, moving close to his side, then behind him when he waved them further back. Xander squirmed a bit, growled half-heartedly. Angel kept a good grip on him. Stroked a hand through his rough fur. Spoke low, to the were-animal. "You, my beauty, have reached the point of no return. You must be claimed. Your defiance of me must end." Angel petted Xander again. The hyena stared at him, rapt. Then licked his hand.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Alistair." The blond vampire lifted his eerie gaze to Angel's. His hair was tumbled loose around his face, having fallen from the clasps that usually held it. "You and Balthazar will maintain order. No fighting unless it can not be avoided. I have seen enough of it for one day. We should save it for others, not for those who are mine. This..." Angel pointed to the platinum haired vampire, "..is *my* Childe, William. He prefers to be called Spike now." Angel indicated the werewolf and the slumbering man. "These two, are his thralls. You will not touch the thralls without his permission." Then he clarified his order. "His thralls, his permission. My thralls, my permission."

Angel turned to Spike. "And you, no more fighting, either. This is my home, these are my people. I want them to remain healthy and able to serve. Take a room on the third floor. Go inside, lock the door and stay there. I will speak to you later. There is something I need to take care of. I will be very unhappy if I am disturbed." Angel let them all see his expression and see how serious he was.

Spike frowned. It was better than he thought it would be. He knew it would be tough getting to see his Sire. But really, just a quick scrap and he was in. Not bad. He grinned, one of his more devilish ones. "Whatever you say, Peaches." Angel let his Childe get away with the small act of defiance. He had missed Spike in some ways since they had parted company. But, not in all ways.

"William, I would be pleased if you call me by the name I have chosen to use. Call me Angel. Out of respect for your Sire, hmmm?" Angel waited for Spike's nod. Then he spun to head up the stairs with his own thralls, Xander tucked under his arm. Only to find Doyle in front of him.

"Angel!" It was Wesley, on his knees next to Balthazar, who was studiuously ignoring him, still in obvious pain. "Please, Angel." The former watcher begged. The vampire sighed.

"Balthazar. You may speak to him, politely. Wesley you may touch him. Nothing more." Angel then refocused his attention on the next person he needed to deal with. The dark haired, half-demon. His friend. Green eyes met his.

Doyle took a step forward. His own expression bordering on desperation. Angel met his gaze. They looked hard into each other's eyes. Doyle's urgency was easy for Angel to see, and hard for him to dismiss. He almost gave in, almost told Doyle to come up with him and talk, until Xander started struggling again, trying to get loose. Angel shook his head. He had no choice, this had been put off too long already.

"No, Doyle. I must to this first. Then we will talk." He turned and carried Xander up the stairs. Graham and Riley followed. They were getting used to this particular kind of exit. Doyle watched them go, fisted knotted at his sides, his heart aching.

ne'ichan
neichan22@gmail.com
I'd love to hear what you think of this fic.