New Order

Here we go!!! So close to the end now!! Hee!! Only 5 chapters left!!



Thanks so much for the reviews. I love reading them!!



Special (and super exciting) Note: This story has been nominated at the Angel Without Wings Awards (http://awwa.creative-musings.com/nominees.htm) for Best Angst, Best Drama, Best NC17 and Best Slash!!!! The winners are chosen by popular vote so go on over there and check them out. I have 3 other stories nominated as well as being nominated for best author! *falls down in a faint*



It was also nominated at the Forbidden Awards (http://community.livejournal.com/forbiddenawards/)for Best Unsung Fiction.





Beta: carinas_carinae

Special thanks to my friend Ash for making sure my Dru voice was authentic.







New Order Chapter 45



“There’s really no decision. I choose Drusilla.”



Even though Spike knew what Angel would do, the words still struck him. Angel was prepared to bargain with Lucian, knowing he must have something to hold against Angel. Spike just hadn’t thought it would really be her. In fact, he hadn’t really taken the time to think much about what Lucian would gain from all this.



Now it all made sense though and the expression on Lucian’s face was truly priceless. Lucian wanted a seer and Angel had one that he wasn’t claiming. Once he found Dru, he tried to use her against them. She’d outwitted him, though, and he didn’t even know it. Spike couldn’t help the broad smile that emerged as he watched the other vampire sputter and try to figure out where he’d gone wrong. One thing he knew about his sire, Angel was a master at playing the game. He read the table and gambled well.



Spike wasn’t quite sure when Angel figured out that Drusilla might be involved. If he were honest, the thought had crossed Spike’s mind but he dismissed it as unlikely. He hadn’t considered that Drusilla might be held against her will. There weren’t many vampires capable of it. Looking at her now, held by a minion, Spike realized that she was weak and in worse shape than she’d been in back when they first came to Sunnydale. The thought made him want to hurt Lucian more. There was no way they could leave Dru here. The idiot obviously had no idea how to take care of her.



Lucian realized that he had to hold to his bargain and nodded to the minion. Angel stepped forward quickly and Drusilla was placed in his arms. She curled into him, barely opening her eyes to acknowledge him. Her whimpered “Daddy” nearly broke Spike’s heart but he forced himself to remain calm, knowing that Angel wasn’t finished yet.



Once Angel was back beside them, Spike reached over and guided Drusilla’s face into Angel’s neck. It was very important for her to get his blood into her as soon as they could. She whimpered and bit, drawing his strong blood into her. After only a few moments, Spike pulled her away again and she hissed at him. Angel growled and she settled back down and huddled into Angel’s arms.



Angel let her nuzzle into him, his eyes still locked with Lucian’s. “Well, it seems that our bargain is complete. I think it’s time we took our leave. Oh wait, I’m not quite finished yet.” He turned and handed Drusilla off to Spike and when he turned back to Lucian his eyes had gone completely black.



“I think you should tell me what you know about my claimed one, Lucian. I think you should tell me now.” Angel’s voice was strange, deep and powerful, and it sent shivers through them all. Spike slipped back into the group of minions, guarding Drusilla as he knew Angel would want him to. Angel didn’t need his help with this bit.



Lucian was puzzled by Angel’s strange appearance but still wasn’t willing to give up what he knew. He shrugged nonchalantly at Angel’s demand. “I met our bargain, Angel. Now it’s time for you to leave.”



Angel smiled. “I’m so glad you feel that way, Lucian. I was really hoping I could do this.” Angel heard Oz’s whispered, “Now, Willow,” and he felt the witch’s power soar through him. Lucian’s minions were engulfed in flames within moments and Angel laughed at the fear so apparent in Lucian.



“Changed your mind yet? ‘Cause I’m just getting started.” The dust from the burning minions began sifting through the room and more minions burst into flame. “I can burn everyone in this room. Hell, I can burn the entire room. I think maybe I will.”



Flames started climbing the walls and they could all feel the heat. The screaming minions were turning to dust all around them. Angel’s group huddled close together, unaffected by the flames or heat, although his minions were glancing at the fire nervously.



Lucian screamed in outrage as he watched his home and minions burning around him. Finally he screamed for Angel to stop. The flames slowly withdrew, leaving behind a smoldering ruin of dust and ash.



“Yes, Lucian?” Angel’s eyes remained black and he eyed the other vampire disdainfully.



“Dammit. What the hell have you done? You’ve ruined everything. I just wanted you to give up your claim on the seer. I wanted her for my own. I don’t know what the hell is going on with your human! I used information the seer gave to my advantage to weaken your hold.”



Angel glared at the other Master. “How Lucian? How exactly did you try to weaken me?” Angel let the flames start to creep up again and saw Lucian’s panic take over again.



“All I know is some demon is after the human and Drusilla has been spouting on and on about her William and how his poetry spoke of this. She put some spell on you a while back but said it didn’t work because the little tree was too powerful. And I had tainted blood sent in that she masked so it couldn’t be sensed. I was trying to reduce your numbers, not kill your claimed one! That’s it. That’s all I know. Leave now!!”



Angel turned and walked away and everyone who’d come with him followed. Spike wasn’t pleased. He waited until they were out of earshot before speaking. He had to fight to make his tone non-confrontational. “Angel, did he tell you what you needed? I don’t get it. Why are we leaving?”



Angel lifted Drusilla from Spike’s arms and let his hand squeeze Spike’s arm briefly. It wasn’t what Spike hoped for but let him know that Angel was confident in what he was doing.



Drusilla stirred once she was again held by Angel. “Daddy? Where’s my kitty? He’s going to be in such trouble and Miss Edith is so unhappy. She cries all night that the stars are working against Daddy’s little boy. They dance and spin and turn everything around in a pretty sparkly dance and poor kitty is so dizzy.”



Angel tightened his hold on Drusilla and picked up the pace. He wanted to get out of there, away from Lucian’s compound, and back to Xander. Something was definitely not right here, even more so than he’d originally thought.



Lucian wasn’t behind whatever was going on with Xander. Neither was Drusilla, though Angel suspected that she’d tried to help and had only made things worse. Maybe between Spike, Oz, Xander, and himself they would be able to make some sense out of Drusilla’s ramblings.



There had to be a clue there somewhere, something that would jump out at one of them, and give them some idea as to what was going on. They had nothing else at this point.



Back in the vans, the entire group was on its way to retrieve Xander when Drusilla stiffened again and started moaning and crying. “She’s come for him, Daddy. The kitty is screaming and the stars are dying. No one can save him now. The little dolly with her curly hair and bloody eyes, she can’t save the children now.”