Faith watched the road pass her by. Not much had changed in the last few months or so. Not for her really. Just switched one version of hell for another. The driver of the car turned around. "Faith, is there something the matter?"
"Nah Wes, just thinking."
"Oh."
In truth Wes wasn't that bad of a guy, Faith reasoned, he just sucked at fighting and being anything other than overly British. But he was one of the few watchers left. And they were paired up to go 'fix the problem' in California. She would have rather had Kendra along for the ride, but Travers said that they needed her in reserve 'in case the worst were to happen.'
She chuckled. 'The worst that could happen.' Like life is a bowl of cherries right now.
"Are you sure you're okay Faith?"
She sighed and looked over next to her. Wes had his glasses on, staring at the road. He made a big whole deal about her not being old enough to drive. Yeah, like the cops were going to pull them over.
"Just peachy Wes. How much longer till the big ol' vampathon we got going on?"
Wes sighed as the sun began to set. "Well, I believe that-that the Hellmouth, which is situated in the city of Sunnydale, or rather under the city of Sunnydale..."
Faith rolled her eyes. "I meant like in miles or hours or something Wes, not in boring lectures."
"Faith! As I'm sure you've been told hundreds of times, the entire West Coast of the America's is under demonic rule, the rest of the Western Hemisphere is falling, it is only a matter of time until the demons are to spread to the rest of the world. It is our sworn and sacred duty to stop this from happening."
"And how are we supposed to stop it when even the incredible Mr. Giles and amazing Buffy Summers, couldn't?"
Wes shook his head. "I do not know, but we must try."
He turned back to the road and turned on the headlights. A little girl stood in the middle of the street.
"Wes, Look out!"
The car swerved out of control, barely missing the small child. The car skidded to a full stop twenty yards down the road. "You okay Wes?"
The watcher's air bag had deployed although he looked a little dazed. "I..."
He was interrupted when the car door was pulled open and he was yanked out.
Faith reached for her seatbelt. "Shit."
Faith jumped out of the car and knocked the vampire away from Wes. The vamp smirked and charged the slayer. She lifted her leg and smashed her heel into its abdomen. Faith readied her stake and slammed it into the child's chest. The vampire shifted back into its human form. The child's face looked back at her in innocent terror as it turned to ash. Wesley ran up to her. "Are you okay Faith?"
The brunette slayer simply turned around and walked to the car. "Five by five."
They both got back into the car. Faith looked out the window seeing the purple haze finish its retreat from the night sky.
"Just five by five."
Drusilla smiled as Angelus entered the room. Even after all these years, even when the 'not-Daddy' came and took her Daddy away from her, when he regaled her with a smile it was like a fire was lit inside her. She was so wanted and loved. Sure, Spike had helped, Spike was always there to make her feel loved, but Daddy took Spike away. She fingered the small locket that she put some of Spikes ashes in. Naughty Daddy took away her Spike and used most of the ashes as a litter box. But she was able to keep some of it.
Her grin turned into a scowl as she saw Daddy's new daughter come over to him and rub against him. That Buffy was no good. She was sure of it. The bad slayer made the 'not-Daddy' go away, but now he wouldn't pay any attention to her. She started to whimper to herself. Daddy never wanted to play with her anymore. Suddenly she got an idea and ran over to Angelus.
"Can I play with the puppy?"
Angelus rolled his eyes. "What have I been saying Dru? If you keep on breaking your toys, you can't enjoy them for long."
Drusilla shook her head. "But I haven't broken him Daddy, I promise."
Buffy smirked. "You mean I haven't broken him, yet"
"The puppy was sooo good when we made Miss Edith some green eggs and ham."
Buffy laughed. Angelus leered at his blond childe. "I thought I told you to keep the Dr. Seuss books away from her."
Buffy grinned mischievously. "I had nothing to do with it."
The master vampire turned back to his elder childe and held out a set of keys. "Sure Dru, just make sure you clean up after him this time. It was really hard for the minions to clean up the stains yesterday."
The insane vampire grinned and snatched the keys from her sire's hand. "Ohh I promise Daddy. I promise that I'll be good."
Angelus smirked. "No Dru, be just the opposite, do your worst."
Drusilla squealed and ran away.
Drusilla frowned playfully as she walked into the basement of the Bronze. "Bored now."
She stilled and waited for an answer. After a second she continued walking. She stopped at a wall with whips, chains and other instruments of torture hanging peacefully.
"Daytime's the worst." She ran a hand over her black leather outfit. "Miss Edith and I get cooped up for hours. Can't hunt."
She looked at all of the items before taking a pair of iron shears. She walked over to a cell in the corner of the room. She took the shears and clinked it along the bars.
Drusilla smiled and nodded her head. "But the Daddy said I could play. Oh you like it when we play. I know you do."
Again the silence was her only reply.
She wistfully looked up at the ceiling. "You make sure wonderful noises when we play."
Inside the figure began to stir.
Drusilla grinned and looked back into the cell. "I cant wait to play today. Miss Edith told me all sorts of new games we can play. I can be the top hat and you can be the shoe. Doesn't that sound like fun, Puppy?"
The figure raised a hand and gave her the middle finger salute as its answer.
"Oooh, that's a bad, naughty, feisty puppy."
She unlocked the cell door and swung it in.
"Mommy likes it when you're feisty."
The vampire walked along the inside of the cell. She waits for an answer. After a couple of seconds she walks a little closer "Aw... Puppy's being all quiet. Come on. Don't be a spoilsport."
She lunged and the figure and slams him chest first against the floor. He resisted a little but was chained to the floor and walls. The man groaned as she straddles him. She grabbed him by the hair and jerked his head up.
Xander coughed up some spit and a little blood and spoke softly. "Damn Dru, is deadboy still not giving you the news?"
Drusilla frowned and ran the tips of the shears down along his chin and his throat. "Soo sad, Daddy used to play all the time. He used to play with you too, I miss him, but he's always with that bad horrible Buffy."
Xander coughed some more. "Yeah, I'm just crying away the time."
Drusilla smiled. "Aww my poor puppy, I know what'll cheer you up!"
She licked him from the base of his ear to his forehead and ran her sharp fingernails along his neck.
She grinned and threw his head forcefully back onto the floor. "You remember I told you about Daddy's plans? About how we are going to swim over the pond and bring everyone in the world some happy coats?"
She flipped him over onto his back and straddled his stomach. He let out a painful moan.
Drusilla smiled seductively. "That's right, Puppy... Mommy's gonna make you bark."
He cried out when she ripped open his shirt to reveal several very deep and bloody wounds on his chest. She touched them softly. "Oh... Perhaps Mommy went too hard on you last time."
A voice interrupted Drusilla's rantings. "Too hard? No such thing."
Drusilla turned back. Buffy walked into the faint lighting of the room. "Oh hello, did you want to join our tea party?"
Buffy grinned and leaned up against the bars from the outside. "Yeah, I know how much you like to share."
Drusilla growled and squeezed on Xander's arm. Xander cried out in pain. Dru smiled sheepishly and turned back to him. "Sorry Puppy, Mommy got a little distracted."
She squeezed his arm even harder. Xander screamed. Drusilla smiled. "That's better."
She turned back around to Buffy. "Did you want to go first? He's a bad puppy, always wetting the carpet."
Xander's voice meekly peeked through. "Well, maybe if you let me out every now and..."
Drusilla frowned. "Bad Puppy. Shush!"
Buffy smiled and walked into the cell. Drusilla stood up and walked over to her. "Why not? Its been a while since I've let you have any fun, now hasn't it Xander?"
The only surviving Scooby crawled as far back as he could as the two vampires walked into the darkness of his cell.
Xander sat alone in his cell. Motionless. Restless. Staring at the same dark spot on the other side of the room. It captured his imagination. The only light in the room was just outside his cell and what Drusilla called the 'happy rack.'
Xander looked over to where the rack sat on the wall and cringed. He shook his head and looked down at his feet.
Still, something about the other side of the room always captured his imagination. He turned his face up and stared at the darkness with curiosity. What was on the other side? Was there even another side to this damned room? Would there be another set of torture instruments, another cell, or the bodies of his dead friends? Oh the excitement never ended.
He sighed and continued boring a hole into the darkness with his eyes. It would be feeding time in a while. He hoped Ed would bring his food this time. All of the other minions would make fun of him, taunt him, and yell at him, while he ate his food. Ed would just give him his food, stand over by the door, and wait until he's done.
He rubbed his face and lay back down. He needed to do something new today. Something to keep his brain occupied. Every time that his mind wandered images would flash through his head.
-Giles' beaten and mutilated body.-
-Cordelia's lifeless eyes as her body slumped to the ground.-
-Buffy's face as she vamped out from pleasure.-
-Angelus' smirk watching from the near left corner of the room the first time he let the two vampires 'play' with him.-
Xander shook his head and started beating on his temples. The images burned into his brain continued to play out one by one.
He had to think of something. Something new, something new. What had he done already?
He squeezed his eyes shut and started concentrating. He had every inched of his cell memorized and mentally recounted everything. He had twenty-seven rungs on each chain that connected his wrists to the wall and eighteen rungs for the chains on his ankle. There were a total of one hundred and fifty-eight vertical bars on his cell separated by three horizontal...
"Human, your food is ready."
Xander snapped out of his count and looked over at the doorway. A large baldheaded vampire walked over to his cell in game face with a tray of food. The vampire unlocked the door placed the tray a few inches inside.
"Eat."
Xander sighed, knowing where this was going. "I can't reach that far."
The vampire rolled his eyes and pushed the tray an inch further into the cell. Xander raised his eyebrows and sighed, "Scared of little old' me?"
The vampire growled. "Watch your tongue filthy meat bag. Master Angelus has ordered that no one lay a hand on you."
Xander groaned and started picking up his food. "I guess no one told Buffy and Dru."
The vampire cracked his knuckles and bared his fangs. "Do you want to die?"
Xander shrugged his shoulders. "Not really, but its better than the alternative."
The vampire growled and snapped out his hand at the sixteen-year-old's neck. "If it were not for my loyalty to my sire, you would be in a boneless heap at my feet."
Xander grinned and latched on to the vampires arm with his hands. "I'll have to thank old fang-face next time I see him."
The vampire's face dropped as Xander twisted the undead creature's arm around and flung him to the ground. The vampire growled and charged the human. Xander pulled back his arm and had one thing to say before he went to work. "Tell them to send Ed next time."
Angelus frowned as he saw two of his lieutenants pull a minion before him and dropped the vampire at his feet. Angelus dismissed them with a wave of his hand and looked down upon the minion. "I thought I told you better James."
James lifted his head up, revealing multiple bruises and cuts along his face. His left eye was completely swollen shut. "I am sorry master."
Angelus got up from his throne and walked down to where the minion kneeled. He smirked as he walked around the pledgeling. "I gave you my orders not to touch the human and yet you did. Why is that?"
James shuffled on his knees. "The human, sire, he..."
"IS ONLY HUMAN!" Angelus grabbed James by the neck and lifted him into the air. His cold eyes burned as he watched the fear in the young vampire. "You are a VAMPIRE, a CREATURE of the NIGHT. They are our FOOD! Are you saying that FOOD beat you?"
James couldn't manage a response as Angelus squeezed his throat tighter. The Master vampire smirked and dropped him to the floor. The minion rubbed his throat. "It will not happen again Master Angelus."
The master vampire turned around to watched the dust settle from James' remains. "I guess it wont."
Buffy smiled as the dust settled infront of her. "Aww, is the help bothering you again Angel?"
Angelus vamped out backhanded Buffy across the face. "NEVER CALL ME THAT NAME!"
Buffy smiled as a droplet of blood ran down her cheek. She slowly wiped it off with her index finger and carefully caressed her lips with it. "Mmnn, harder baby, you know how I like it."
Angelus shook his head and smiled. "Buffy, how many times do I have to tell you...Don't...." Angelus punched her in the chest.
"Call."
Buffy grinned in pain and ecstasy as she bent over from the blow.
"Me"
The Master vampire grabbed her hair tightly and pulled her into his chest.
"ANGEL!"
The blond vampiress grinned as the blood smeared her lips from the impact. Her eyes danced hungrily and forcefully as she kissed her sire. In the background a lone figure walked back into the darkness.
Drusilla sat on the bed and played with her dolls. Nobody else wanted to play with her. Daddy and the naughty girl were off somewhere having fun without her. The minions were a little restless since Daddy punished the puppy's new friend.
She sighed wistfully thinking about her puppy. He was the only one that would play with her when no one else would. He would sit and stay and do all of the wonderful tricks that a good puppy should do. Oh she really wanted to play with the puppy. But he was being such a bad boy, hurting one of Daddy's babies like that. She giggled as a small voice began whispering to her.
"Oh Miss Edith, that's such a naughty thing to say."
Drusilla's frown etched into a grin as Miss Edith told her some new tricks she could teach her brown-eyed puppy. She would always be a good little girl and listen to what Miss Edith told her. Miss Edith liked the puppy too. She would always say when the puppy needed a little lesson or when the puppy was being a bad little thing.
Drusilla sighed. There was only one thing wrong with the puppy. The puppy wasn't Daddy.
Miss Edith nodded and smiled. No one could take the place of her Daddy. No one could take her Daddy from her, not even the horrible Buffy person. Daddy would get tired of her soon enough. She should just play with the puppy for now.
After all, she did like the noises he could make.
Drusilla smiled. "Oooh, Miss Edith, do you wish you could play with the puppy."
Miss Edith only bared a steel wire of a smile. No, it was just fun enough watching her play with the puppy.
Silence ensued for several seconds as Drusilla looked into the eyes of her small brown haired doll.
"I really do miss my Daddy Miss Edith, the puppy is fun, but I wish I had my Daddy back."
Drusilla smiled in wonder as the lovely Miss Edith told her about the shape of things to come.
Xander sighed and looked back into the darkness of the other half of the room. The darkness was his only real friend left he supposed. It didn't ask anything of him. It listened to him as he yelled and screamed at it for the first few months. It watched him and felt sad with him when he couldn't take any more of the beatings, of the torture. He found an odd comfort in the darkness.
"Well, I guess it's just you and me again."
Xander chuckled as he realized what he was doing and put his head in his hands. "Oh God, I'm talking to myself."
A small voice from inside the darkness whispered back. "You're not talking to yourself if someone's really there."
Xander shot up like a bullet and growled into the darkness. "Who's there?!"
He looked back and forth across the room. "Come on, show yourself!"
Silence ensued for several minutes as Xander stared at the Darkness.
"Hello?!"
And the Darkness stared back.
"Faith, I believe that maybe I should take you up on your offer."
The brunette slayer purred and rubbed her hand on the Englishman's shoulder. "Why Wes, I thought you said it was improper."
The car swerved on the road as Wesley was able to regain control of his motor functions. "No-nnn-not THAT offer!"
Faith pouted and whispered into his ear. "Aww come on."
The car screeched to a stop and Wesley pushed his hormonal charge off of him. "I meant to say that I've been driving since dawn and I need to rest a minute. Would you mind taking over driving for a bit?"
Faith grinned evilly. "Why Wes, why didn't you say so?"
Wes glared daggers at the young girl. "Faith, this is neither the time nor the place for such foolish and childish antics. You are the slayer, you are to act accordingly and respect your elders."
Faith remained quiet and stared off down the highway. "You done yet Wes? We need to get going, we only got a couple more hours of light out."
Wesley put his hand on her shoulder. "Faith, I know that I might not have be the best company on this endeavor..."
"That's a mild understatement."
"...But I need to know I can trust you. I need you to trust me in return. We are in this situation together. The Watchers have given us this duty because we are the only ones that can handle it, no one else."
Faith groaned her acceptance and looked out of the window. Wesley sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Do you have the map?"
The brunette slayer nodded in response.
The watcher sighed and put his forearms on the steering wheel as Faith handed it to him. "We should be only another day's worth of travel from the city of Sunnydale. We should probably look for another deserted gas station or another car soon enough because I do believe that we only have half a tank left."
Faith only stared out the window and waited for the Englishman to finish talking.
Wesley opened the map and verified their position. "Yes, probably another day or so, we should find a secluded place away from the main city and rest up there while we gather information. Do you agree Faith?"
The slayer didn't respond.
"Faith?"
Wesley sighed and took off his glasses to speak with his young friend.
"Faith. I need you to be serious and talk to me. If we ever are to have a chance of..."
Faith mumbled something unintelligible and undid her seatbelt before exiting the passenger side door.
Wesley sighed and got out of the car to switch positions. He had noticed Faith's reluctance to communicate unless it was either for him to get out of her way or to make him extremely...uncomfortable. Wesley shook his head trying to get the images of the last time Faith had found it funny to try and seduce the elder watcher.
The young woman had a hard upbringing and seldom listened to authority. Now just to throw her into the maelstrom on the North American continent and expect her to defeat Angelus was mildly preposterous to say the least.
He hunched into the passenger seat and adjusted it for his legs. He looked over to his slayer to find her holding a predatory smirk as she gripped the steering wheel.
"Hey Wes?"
"Yes Faith?"
"You got your seatbelt on?"
"Of course, why?"
Faith raised her eyebrows non-committally as the engine roared to life.
"No reason."
Buffy smiled as the golden streams of light surrounded her body. The warm rays soothed and caressed her skin. The sensual heat from the sun brought her moaning to a low growl. The flames danced alongside her waist and ran kisses down her spine. Suddenly the light turned hard, solid. She could feel them eat away at dead flesh. Small amounts of ash softly sprinkled down to the floor as she danced in the sunlight. She fell to the floor as the rays of light grew brighter and brighter. She screamed out in pain as she felt her body wither away. She cried out for Angelus. She cried out for her master, her sire.
A small shadow peered over her and covered her from the light's punishment. She smiled as the pain receded and her body called out in near ecstasy from the relief of the golden flames.
Two frozen brown eyes stared accusingly down at her prone form.
"You're going to die and I'm going to be there."
She screamed in pain as she felt the stake plunge into her chest.
Angelus groaned in pleasure as Alcatha called out to him. The statue stood infront of him pulsating with power. It was barely noticeable to the naked eyes. The shifted breeze swirled around the statue felt as a stale wind. It was subtle and unique. The low roll of raw magic that emanated from the statue fed through his own vampiric demon, making the demon inside Angelus snap at the bit, reaching for more.
The demon that had slept inside the statue was no longer dormant. When the hell dimension slipped out onto the next, the small slivers of power awoke a small part of the demon. Angelus had summoned the great Alcatha's power, but not the demon Alcatha himself. With each passing hour, with each passing day, the demon grew stronger. As he dropped to his knees from the euphoria a high-pitched scream careened through the halls. Angelus opened his eyes revealing pitch-black irises.
"Buffy."
"Your turn."
The vampire known simply as 'Ed' gave his counterpart a condescending glare.
The vampire in charge of the minions rolled his eyes.
"Don't even, just go and feed the damned creature. Master Angelus wants the filthy thing alive. And for some reason it takes a preference to you."
Catcalls and whistling erupted from the other various minions in the area. It was considered a punishment to have to feed the lowly human. To regularly be assigned the task was an insult. Ed merely grabbed the tray of food and walked down to the cellar of the mansion, but it was his sire's wish that he personally do it after the last couple of minions assigned the task weren't...compatible with the lowly job.
He really loved his sire. He had been lucky and fortunate that Mistress Drusilla had chosen him. But for some reason, there were only a few of her childes most of the minions were either from Mistress Buffy or Master Angelus himself. The two of them had killed and turned hundreds since Master Angelus had first turned Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The two of them together were and incredible force to be reckoned with. His sire, Drusilla had only been a footnote in their success. He rarely even saw his mistress. But when he did, she would reward him with a smile and a quick pat on the head before skipping away.
If only she hadn't cut out his tongue, he would profess his undying loyalty to her.
She told him that it was necessary that one should never tell a secret that doesn't belong to him...
Lest the penguins eat his entrails.
He did not believe that penguins would come to Southern California simply for that reason, but he still never questioned his Mistress.
As he reached the door that lead to the cells, he heard hushed whispers. Believing it to be another prisoner that had arrived, he rolled his eyes and made a mental note to check to see whether or not Master Angelus wanted this one fed or simply killed.
Ed hadn't killed anyone in a while.
As he turned the doorknob the whispers ceased. The creaking sound of the door itself was usually enough to make the human cop out some indulgent remark, but as he walked in only silence greeted his ears.
As he walked to the cell the human occupied, he saw the pitiful being crouched in a corner crouched into a tight ball with his knees brought up to his chest and his hands covering his ears.
Ed furrowed his brow and kicked the cell bars.
The human looked up and immediately tried to scurry back some more, but looked up at the tall black vampire.
"Oh, hi Ed."
Ed breathlessly growled at the 'familiarity' that the boy showed towards him, but convinced himself to ignore it as he placed the tray inside the cell door and kicked at back to the human without spilling any of the food.
The human shook his head and tried to chuckle before grasping the few crumbs of bread.
"That's why I like you Ed. You're smarter than the average blood sucker."
Ed brought his upper lip into a menacing snarl but found it did not have the desired effect without the snarl itself.
Ed stood by the door as the human ate. The mortal's eyes were continuously scanning the room, as if looking for someone. Ed raised his eyebrows and continued to watch the filthy insect eat.
When he was done, the human slid the tray back to the front of the cell where Ed picked it up and began walking out the door.
"Hey Ed."
The human's small voice barely registered in the vampire's ears as he turned around and glared daggers at the creature for forcing him to stay there longer.
"You wanna stay and chat for a while? I know a few good knock-knock jokes. Have you heard the one where..."
Usually the human would say things like that in jest, trying to egg a response or simply annoy the vampire. Normally he would call for others and they would take turns beating the human for his insolence. Ed noticed a small amount of pleading registering behind the human's eyes as he continued to speak. The human tried to hide it well, but Ed smirked as turned around and exited the door. His smiled growing as the voice behind him began to quiet before the human gave up talking.
Ed walked out the entrance and closed the door behind him. A small whisper floated under the door as he walked away.
He smiled as he reached the stairs and walked up.
Not his secret to tell.
The demon formerly known as the vampire slayer lay in a pit of her own sweat. The red silken bed lay still in the middle of the room, dividing its occupants. The lieutenants in charge of security and the armies of Alcatha stood at attention on side of the bed in nervous silence. On the other side, the Master vampire of the West Coast growled menacingly. The vampires dared not look Angelus in the eyes. None tensed a muscle nor moved in fear of the swift retaliation.
Angelus snarled and looked down upon the labored breathing of his childe speaking only three words. "Who did this?"
One of his lieutenants opened his mouth to speak "Th-"
Angelus suddenly appeared infront of his lieutenant and in a flash of motion held him high against the wall be the neck. "Was it you? Did you hurt her? NO-ONE hurts her!"
The vampire grasped his sire's arm and struggled for air. "N-no, my sire, I-."
Angelus snarled and whispered into his ear. "Then speak quickly my childe, for time does not bode well for you."
"The troops, my sire. They hear rumors, whispers that it was one of the demon lords."
Angelus smirked and squeezed harder. "The demons follow Alcatha. Alcatha has chosen ME as its champion."
The vampire interrupted, fearing for his life. "They do not believe that a vampire should be the champion of the demons. That we are weak. Tainted blood."
"And what do these 'demon lords' call themselves?"
"The Scourge, my sire."
"What do you suggest we do then?"
"A demonstration..."
Angelus smiled and turned back to face his other lieutenants all of which still wisely kept their gazes forward and away from their master. "A demonstration, you say."
The lieutenant gasped and pulled on Angelus' hand. "Yes, to show all of the demons that you are the vessel of Alcatha. That you are the one to lead the demons across the earth. Kill the leaders of the Scourge and show your true power."
Angelus smiled and looked into his eyes. "And who are the leaders of the so called 'Scourge?'"
The lieutenant felt the bones in his neck at the breaking point. "I-I don't know."
The master vampire slowly regarded the being at his mercy. Suddenly the younger vampire dropped to the floor. Angelus pursed his lips and nodded. "Fair enough."
The vampire wheezed and got to his knees. "Thank you sire."
Angelus smiled and leaned down to help him up. "What was your name again?"
The vampire smiled and nodded. "James, master."
"Think nothing of it James."
Angelus smirked as he watched the dust from James settle down to the floor. He put the stake back him his pocket and turned to face the rest of his lieutenants that were still standing at attention. "Find out who the Scourge is. I want their heads NOW!"
The vampires nodded in unison and started walking out of the room. Angelus rested his hand upon one of his minions and smiled. "Jonathon. I need you to do something for me."
"But I can understand that. It didn't show what he wanted at all."
A snort snuck out from the darkness of the cell as the vampire danced back and forth recounting her story.
"Daddy had a vision."
The other occupant of the room, a worn rag doll with its black hair in curls, looked past Drusilla's head as she relayed the events.
"Oh yes I know, his visions aren't as fun as yours and mine." The vampiress pouted and shook her head. "Naughty Buffy. Daddy saw the naughty Buffy in a swirl of light and fire. And now..." Drusilla giggled and twirled around dancing and smiling. "Now the naughty Buffy is gone. Locked away in her dreams. Gone for all the world to see and hear. Gone for Daddy to play with."
She cooed and hugged the doll. "He was so upset. I don't see why. The naughty Buffy is bad. Bad for Daddy, bad for us, bad for the little elves that take my shoes."
The black haired doll sat limply in her arms as the insane vampire coddled her Miss Edith. "Oh yes Miss Edith I know how to make it better, but..." She huffed in disappointment and frowned. "Why do you say such foul things now Miss Edith. I swear you wont get any tea and cookies if you insist on saying such bad words."
Drusilla smiled and continued talking for several minutes about all of the glorious things of the day until a small voice creaked out of the darkness.
"Hey Drusilla?"
The black haired vampire cocked her head to the side. It wasn't like to puppy to back unless she was playing with him. He usually kept very quiet while she ranted about her latest conversations with Miss Edith. Everyone else usually walked away, it was nice to have a captive audience once in a while. She knelt down with a concerned look on her face and held her face close to the iron bars. The young man inside the cell sighed and looked deep into the vampire's cold dark eyes.
"How do you know that you're crazy?"
Drusilla smiled and fought the urge to reach inside and pinch the poor boy's check. "Why does the puppy say such things, you're almost as bad as Miss Edith." The vampire smiled and held up her doll. "Isn't that right?"
After several seconds of silence Drusilla frowned and turned back to her captive. "I guess she's being shy right now, she doesn't really like to talk to strangers."
A small smile almost escaped Xander's lips as he realized the futility in the conversation. "Thanks Dru. Now I don't feel as bad."
Dru returned his smile. "Do you know what Miss Edith says?"
The last human alive for miles, save for the 'cows' that were being used to feed the undead armies sighed. "I believe the last thing was either 'when hell is full, the dead shall walk the earth' or 'there's no such thing as too much ketchup.'"
"She says that I should leave you here."
Xander's head immediately shot up to face the vampire. The word 'no' almost escaped his lips, but he forced the scream back down his throat into the dark pit of his stomach.
Drusilla smiled and faced the doll, stroking its hair. "She says that it could be good for you. That you deserve to be alone for alllll of your sins."
She turned to him in a blank stare and for an instant sounded almost lucid. "I don't know what could have happened to make Miss Edith so mad at the puppy. But I know what she is planning for you..."
Xander shook his head and curled back up into a ball in the corner of his cell, preferring to remain the saner of the two beings in the room by taking himself out of the conversation.
Drusilla frowned and placed a hand on her chest. "Oh, did I say something wrong puppy?"
The human felt the familiar twinge in her voice and paled. Drusilla smiled as she felt the rag doll whisper into her ear. "You hear her don't you?"
Xander froze as the cold words crept up upon him from across the room.
"Miss Edith says that you can hear them now. You can hear their thoughts and fears."
A single bead of sweat ran down the young boy's forehead as he slowly began to whisper. "Get out."
"All of them. The Last shall be First and the First shall be Last. All in-between, above, and below. They dance around in bright colored corsets. Making the earth shiny and new."
Xander felt his voice getting a little louder as the vampire continued to rant. "Get out."
Drusilla smiled and caressed the face of the dark haired rag doll. "They cannot see it as we see it and that is why they talk to us. They want us to listen about the trees and sand, about how we-"
"I SAID GET OUT!"
The vampire turned up to see a yellow eyed Xander Harris inches from the iron bars of the cell door, straining against the chains tearing into his wrists and ankles. "GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!!!!"
The door to the room burst open with several minions rushing into the room. As they began to subdue the prisoner, one of Angelus' aides walked over to the vampiress.
"Mistress Drusilla."
The young vampire had heard rumors about the insane female master vampire. She was the topic of jokes and many idle conversations among the ranks. The insane childe of Angelus. The only dark stain on the great Master's history not counting the curse. Some had wished to merely kill the wench and be done with it, but harming any of Angelus' childes was an extremely dangerous offence punishable by death. Which was why he was sent. 'Reprimanding' the prisoner was simply an added bonus.
The male vampire straitened himself and did his best to sound forceful. "Master Angelus has called for you."
Drusilla smiled and sauntered over to the young minion. "Yes, Daddy wants to see if I've been a naughty little girl hasn't he? He wants to know what I know, what Miss Edith knows. Yes. Daddy would want to see us."
Angelus stood at the window of the mansion on the hill, overlooking the gathering army of demons and vampires. The cool night breeze flowed into the room, gently caressing the dark black curtains. Overall the hordes of darkness had come to pledge allegiance to Alcatha and its champion. The one that would lead the undead across the world of man and unleash the wrath of the demon Alcatha. Some came only to pledge their lives to Alcatha. Most came to pledge to Angelus himself. What the fools didn't realize was that they were one and the same.
A voice from the door interrupted his musings.
"Master Angelus."
The master vampire snarled and turned around. "What?"
The young minion had the intelligence to realize that he should have knocked before coming into the room. "You-"
"Oh hush now, pretty boy, Daddy was just being a little grumpy."
Angelus smirked as he saw Drusilla saunter around the minion, gently brushing her hand against the side of his face. The vampiress pouted and turned the minion's face to look at her. She pinched his cheek and sighed. "Oh he's so cute when he's scared."
Angelus was not amused. "Drusilla..."
She turned and smiled brightly at Angelus. "Can I give him to the puppy? It's been so long since the puppy had a treat."
The master vampire of the west coast growled and stared his childe in the eyes. Forcing her to keep her ramblings to herself for the time being. He spoke to the minion. "You may leave us now."
Jonathan decided to take his master's advice and leave.
"Dru. Tell me what you know."
Drusilla's expression became scared as she felt the demons Alcatha's power flow through her sire. "Daddy. I don't-"
The candlelight in the room flickered slowly as the slowly breezing wind came to a halt. Drusilla resembled a deer in headlights as her sire slowly walked towards her. "I know that you know something. Dru."
The female vampire smiled nervously and started to back away, her instinct for self-preservation winning out over her compulsion to talk. A small amount of heat emanated from Angelus as he walked closer to his frightened childe.
"Alcatha must have done this for a reason. Tell me what it is."
From the shadows, Ed stood back in silence and watched as his mistress walked out of Angelus' bedroom and down the hall. Her feet barely touching the floor, she floated across the ground, while the rest of the vampires trudged upon the dirt and dust of the mansion. There had been screaming. He had heard it down the corridor and came running to his mistress' defense only to find that she was in Master Angelus' private room. That had been only seconds before Drusilla walked out of the room smiling broadly.
Ed was a childe that truly and deeply loved his sire. He watched her at all possible times. He followed her around the mansion, staying in the shadows, watching from afar. But he always knew that she could tell the he was there. He dared say that he might know her better than Master Spike did when he was still around. But as the Mistress of Angelus walked by him without so much of a glance, he knew that it wasn't his sire.
Ed growled in confusion and sadness as he slinked back into the shadows. The mute vampire would find what was wrong with his Mistress.