Vices of My Blood
Chapter 30
Author's Note: Warnings: Torture, Extreme Language, Sexual Situations, Violence. Spike/Buffy; Angelus/Drusilla
Chapter 30
A quarter-moon highlighted the streets of Sunnydale as Spike led Buffy through the shadows of the trees while they crossed town to the derelict section of town just beyond the Demon District. Having just started to hone her senses, Buffy didn’t resist Spike’s escort, trusting that he knew where Angelus and Drusilla had found shelter for the night.
Drusilla’s scent wafted the air in front of Spike leading him to his clan’s hideout. It was strong but fading gradually when he moved closer and closer to his destination. He was half-pulling, half-leading Buffy behind him, his eyes always on the alert to his surroundings.
Knowing how drafty abandoned buildings were, Spike was thankful that his mate gave off body heat to warm him in the night. He did feel sorry for her; however, because when they were forced to flee the mansion, they had left behind clothing items that would have kept Buffy warm when she was out of his reach.
Spike silently promised himself and Buffy that he would make it up to her when this was all over. When he had half an ear to Angelus’ plans in the car, he vaguely remembered that his grandsire had promised that the clan would be like they once were again. Hunting together, living in luxurious homes, dressing in the finest clothes and sleeping in the warmest beds. He missed the days of old when the foursome -- that had included Darla then – had lived as well as the rich and privileged did.
When Spike felt Buffy shudder beside him from the cool May air, he squeezed her hand in apology. “We’re almost there a few more feet and then you can rest and get warm,” he assured her.
Hopefully Angelus had searched the trunk of his car for the blankets and other items he had used to comfort Drusilla on the trip across the country when he first brought his sire to Sunnydale to heal her. Spike gave a huge sigh of relief when Drusilla’s scent didn’t go any further than the building in front of him. He turned to Buffy, gave her a wickedly handsome smile and led her inside.
The sight that greeted Spike and Buffy when they found the right room was actually endearing to them both. Angelus had made up a bed for them to at least be comfortable, it wasn’t much to sleep on, only relax in their current situation. What had floored them was the image of the elder vampire sitting with his back against the wall, cradling a sleeping Drusilla between his legs, her head resting o his chest. Neither Spike nor Buffy knew Angelus to be so affectionate with anyone before. Angel, yes. But Angelus?
Angelus’ demon-yellow eyes faded to chocolate brown when he recognized his childer as they came into the room. The couple sat down beside the dark vampire. Spike immediately wrapped a possessive arm around Buffy, still intent on protecting her from anything Angelus may have planned while they were gone. His grandsire may have accepted Buffy into the family, but that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t torment and physically hurt the girl if he wished to.
“So what do we do, Angelus?” Spike asked while Buffy became better relaxed against him.
“Well, knowing how scared the Council is of their own shadow, I would think they were heavily guarded, right?” Angelus looked over at Spike from his position.
“Yeah, Giles said they’d have guards and wards up to protect them from us or I would assume, anyone else,” Spike said in agreement.
“We could use me as bait,” Buffy spoke up. A thrill ran through her when Spike’s possessive growl rumbled his chest.
“The bloody hell we are,” Spike snarled at his mate affectionately.
Angelus’ eyes lit up with an idea. “Not really use Buffy as bait, just make the Council think it’s her. We can draw them out that way.”
Spike looked at his Sire quizzically. He had his doubts in the beginning of Angelus’ sanity since returning to the fold to reclaim Drusilla. It was like his grandsire wasn’t all there. But looking at the dark vampire now, imagining the gears turning in his elder’s head, he could see bits of the old Angelus come through.
Quentin, followed by Geoffrey and two other Council members, swept into the high school library intent on getting to the bottom of the strange message that was delivered to their hotel just a few hours before. Travers was furious. He was not at the beck and call of his employees.
The council members were stunned by what was going on in the library upon their entrance. A dark haired vampire was pulling an equally dark haired vampiress towards the back stacks on the second level as she screamed, "No, my Spike!”
Rupert and his young charges were valiantly fighting against two blonde vampires. The blonde female dusted first with the whistle of a crossbow arrow flying through the air. The male vampire let out a primal scream and launched himself through the air towards the redheaded boy who held the crossbow in his hands. The boy closed his eyes and waited, knowing he couldn’t get out of the way in time. He began to cough as the vampire's dust settled on him.
"Oh My God, I killed William the Bloody," Xander shouted with excitement.
"But Buffy. Buffy's really gone," Willow cried as she slumped into one of the chairs. Oz quickly crossed the room to her and began to comfort her.
"Well, I didn't like her, but what are we going to do now?" Cordelia asked helplessly.
"The best we can," Xander answered as he took her hand.
"What's this all about, Rupert?" Travers questioned.
“Well, Quentin, it seems as though we’ve taken care of your demon-slayer problem,” Giles said as he straightened his glasses.
Angelus and Drusilla met their companions outside the school when they came out of the old cellar behind the library. The blond couple melted out of the shadows when they saw their elders coming. Buffy was looking at Angelus, nervous jitters shook her body as though she were cold. Spike, by all outward appearances, seemed calm and collected.
“So what’s the verdict, Angelus?” Spike asked with an even voice.
“Travers and his men arrived just as I was dragging Dru out of the library. They were just in time to see Buffy’s friends dust the minions,” Angelus said as he looked toward the school’s main entrance.
His companions turned in the direction he was looking expecting to see something, but nothing was there. A moment later, Quentin Travers came out of the school flanked by three council members. Angelus and Spike led the way as they skulked through the shadows following the men to their large luxury sedan.
The Aurelian clan stood back and watched as the council members got into the car. The moment they shut the doors, a low keening beep sounded that made Angelus’ lips curl into an evil smile. He snuggled Drusilla against his side at the same instant the explosion sounded and the car was nothing but a ball of stationary flame.
Inside the school, the explosion shook the windows so bad that it drew the attention of the Scooby gang and sent them running out of the library to see what caused the disturbance.
Giles came running out of the building with the kids behind him. They ran into him when he skidded to a stop and stared in awed shock at the display before them. The car was a huge fiery orange color. There was no break in the flame from which to see any damage to the vehicle.
Angelus appeared from the shadows to stand beside Giles. The watcher didn’t bother to look over at the vampire, his eyes still glued to the destruction. The ignorance was fine with him; he knew Giles would still hear him.
“That was just a warning, Rupert. It’s a warning to that Council to leave us alone. I’ve played nice thus far, even gone against my own nature and not killed you when I had the chance because it would upset my childe. Buffy will be safe and cared for with Spike and I, but you tell that godforsaken Council of yours to stop hunting us. If I so much as scent a member near me, the next explosion will take the whole fucking Council off this planet. Do you understand?” Angelus said in a low deadly voice.
Giles could only nod his head in the affirmative, still locked on the burning car. Angelus barely nodded to the Scoobies satisfied that he got his point across and disappeared into the shadows.
They had found a car trailer, pulled Angelus’ Plymouth convertible onto it and hitched the trailer to Spike’s Desoto. After cleaning out the mansion of the necessities and destroying the minions that were left, they drove out of Sunnydale.
As they passed the ‘Now Leaving Sunnydale – Come back soon! ’ sign, Drusilla looked at Buffy with her huge dark blue eyes. “Do you have any regrets, my sweet?” the vampiress’ voice was a purr.
Buffy was looking out the window when she heard the question posed to her. “Regrets? Not so much,” she said as she turned to Drusilla. “I know Spike and Angelus killed the council members, but I know that my friends and family are safe now. No Watcher’s Council to try to harm them or use them to get to me or my new family,” she said with a sad sigh.
She looked at Drusilla and continued in a resigned manner, “As much as I wish there was a way for it all to end with little or no bloodshed, I know that this is the way it had to go. They wouldn't have let us walk away, and the death of the four of us their only goal.”
Buffy turned to look at Spike seeing the love she had for him mirrored in his cerulean eyes.
“So, regret? No, I have none.” She moved closer to Spike and snuggled against his side as he drove to their new destination.
Passion.
It lies in all of us.
Sleeping...
...waiting...
And though unwanted...
...unbidden... it will stir...
...open its jaws, and howl.
It speaks to us... guides us...
Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have?
Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... and the ecstasy of grief.
It hurts sometimes more than we can bear.
If we could live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow.
Empty rooms, shuttered and dank...
Without passion, we'd be truly dead.