FIC: Family Pack 3/? fandom: BtVS/AtS (Angel/Spike/Xander/Wesley, NC-17)
Masterpost, disclaimer/warnings
Previous chapters: ch 1, ch 2
Wesley’s tight grip on the door handle eased a pinch when they finally exited the freeway. He had no doubt they broke every speed limit in their haste to get to Sunnydale, not that Wesley was actually complaining, but driving at such speeds and arriving safe was indeed an astonishing accomplishment. Driving slower through the lit streets of Sunnydale, Wesley caught Gunn’s smug smirk, evidently Gunn was having similar thoughts of his success arriving well under the three hours that it normally took-not to mention relatively safely. Gunn stopped only after they pulled up in front of Giles residence. Piling out of the car, Gunn rushed over to help him with Angel. Together they half carried Angel's limp semi-conscious body up the steps to Giles apartment. The door swung open before anyone had a chance to knock.
Giles exclaimed, “Thank goodness you're here.” was nearly drowned by the wailing shrieks, as Giles moved aside and ushered them into the room and quickly closed the door behind them.
Excessively loud shrills pierced the air; in unison they moved toward the source of the sound as it continued assaulting their ears. Halting to gape dumbfounded at the collapsed figure bound in chains.
Chains rattled weakly in the wake of the blonds’ continuous wail. Astonished they continued to stare, each confounded that the figure before them was none other than William the Bloody, the normally obnoxious and loud rude childe of Angelus. The image before them was wrong; the creature before them was nothing but a pale reflection of the vampire they knew. The wrongness continued as Spike was held and comforted between Anya and Xander. They tried to offer some form of meager support to the fallen vampire. Though if someone else not of their group, that didn’t know who Spike was what they were witnessing, minus the chains, it’d be grievous parents offering the comforting solace to their child would appear more appropriate than the reality of two humans to a master vampire.
The LA crew watched transfixed, as a young girl moved forward and knelt in front of Spike with a wet cloth attempting to wipe away the tears that continued to fall. Wesley heard someone’s gasp, on closer inspection he saw the reason - the tears were blood tears.
Suddenly Angel broke free of the support and staggered a few steps before he fell to his knees. It was obvious a new wave of pain was crashing through his body. Staring at his childe, Angel howled in anguished protest. The atmosphere was thick in tangible sorrow hanging in the air as each human watched helplessly in morbid fascination.
Abruptly there was silence; long moments passed before Spike lifted his head looking about the room before his gaze settled on Angel; blinking several times before recognition set in.
Gently Spike pushed Dawn and the others away, and pushed himself up onto his knees before he bowed low until his forehead was touching the floor-prostrating himself in complete submission before he addressed his Sire, “Please, Please don't do this to me. Please let me go. Sire, I beg you… PLEASE, I need to be with her." Unneeded breath hitched then cracked as he continued to plead and beg for mercy.
They watched as Angel erratically shook his head; Wesley suspected it was more in response to Spike’s action than over his direct refusal to Spike’s request.
*~*~*
With utter sorrow, Angel lifted his head and spoke to his childe, "I can’t- no. I’m so sorry William; you wouldn't be able to reach her… I tried, I couldn't."
"NO! You’re lying! You just want to keep me away, make us suffer. To punish me."
A new level of pain sliced through Angel as he heard the harsh ring of truth. William truly believed that he’d do that. Maybe at times his soul had problems with his childer, but not now. Not at a time like this, he and Angelus were in complete agreement. If Drusilla were here, and they couldn’t save her from a final death, like Will he’d willing join them… but that wasn’t the case, and he promised Dru. "No, Will, I would never come between these last moments.” Angel wanted to say her name, but her name lodged in his throat. “She made me promise her, not to let you go. Will…she doesn’t want you to follow her."
Though visibly shaken, Spike straightened defiantly, then yelled accusingly, "NO, you’re lying! You Bastard! Then vowed, “Even if you keep us part I will join her, even you can't break our mating bond. Do you enjoy this Sire? Leaving us the first time wasn't pain enough, but now this last bit of torture on us, your childer… Didn't the embrace mean anything to you, you bastard fucking Bastard." The chains rattled as Spike pulled them in frustration and anger. At each pull the chains glowed confirming what Angel had suspected - they contained magic. Suddenly the rattling sounds were drowned out by Spike’s piercing shrill; the only means at his disposal of expressing his full anguish. Minutes later a defeated Spike sank to the floor. Xander and Anya scooted forward again and resumed their positions as they tried to offer Spike some comfort.
Buffy reached out gently and pulled Angel up drawing his attention. “Maybe this is a good time to let us in on what the hells going on?" Buffy asked.
Shaken out of his daze, Giles moved next to Buffy. "Yes, quite right. Wesley mentioned Drusilla was in her final death, and Spike is mated to her." Giles reiterated, "May I ask how you knew that she was is in her final death before Spike did?"
Angel nodded, but looked over at Willow and the shy blond who stood by her side. Angel reached into his jacket pocket and handed her a small book, “Page 27, then you won’t need those chains this will force him to stay.”
Accepting the book, Willow flipped through the pages then glanced at Giles for conformation at his nod she quietly muttered the short spell that allowed Xander and Anya to quickly remove the iron chains that had held Spike in place.
Satisfied that William was being comforted, Angel forced himself to focus. "Earlier tonight I had a vision of her. Dru showed me, allowed me to see… what she was going through. She also told me who was behind it."
The young girl at William’s side stood, her body tensed in anger, planting herself between him and his childe her disbelief clear. "You knew?” Shaking that off her anger bubbling forward, “Then why is he still in pain? Do something, that’s why you’re here right? Buffy and Giles said you'd be able to help him because you're his father or something, well make the pain go away-Now!" She demanded.
Angel almost smiled at the girl’s defiance to stare him down on Spike’s behalf. She had Buffy’s bravado. He hid his smile as he realized she had to be Dawn, Buffy's sister. "Dawn right?” Without waiting for an answer, Angel continued, “I would if I had that option, but the connection he has-I am buffering some of the pain, but not enough - I can barely control..."
Looking at the others Angel knew he needed to make them understand, especially Wesley, and Giles. Their extensive study and knowledge and historic lore of vampires is colored through their source of the chronicles written by previous Watchers. The Counsel had extensive knowledge if not a narrow perspective of their available resources. "Drusilla’s not dead… at least not technically, for a vampire. But she's in extreme pain because of Cain, the master vampire who tortured and left her to drain. Her demon is still alive, lives on even without blood. Cain purposely wanted her and hers to feel every moment of her final death. Made her suffer to feel and share that pain with her mate and Sire. We will know, feel her death, when the sun hits her; she will die instantly-a final death."
Horrified, Dawn whispered, “You mean, you, and Spike will feel that moment”.
Angel nodded to confirm her words; she quickly reattached herself to Spikes side burying her own tears behind her long hair.
“Wait a minute you know who was behind all of this? Another Master vampire, right? Are you trying to say he’s more powerful than that whack job Buffy killed in high school?" Cordelia asked. Everyone stood silently waiting expectantly for the answer.
Frustrated, and weakened by the continuous spasms of pain, Angel tried to think of where to start. This was taking too long, but he had to explain. "Everyone take a seat we don't have much time, and there is lot to go over." Glancing over at Will, Angel concentrated on the embrace bond that he had once shared with his childer. Though it was a double-edge sword, Angel was able to find a limited amount of strength, by William’s nearness. It was through that same source of the embrace that he could also still feel more acutely both of his childer's pain; Drusilla's overwhelming doom as she approached her final death along with William’s excruciating pain, by being forced to endure without her. Angel blocked what he could, for himself and for Spike. In small measures it helped just being within arms distance of William. Williams’s physical presence enabled him to function, but the reverse wasn’t true. Sadly Angel knew Will was too embedded within the pain of his mate's death to gain any kind of strength from his Sire.
Hesitantly everyone took a spot from the furniture to the floor as they anxiously waited for Angel's explanation of what was happening. Angel took a deep unneeded breath before he continued. "Earlier this evening in my library, I fell asleep and had a vision of Drusilla. I could see that she had been tortured almost completely drained. Bound and hoisted up in chains to await the sun. She didn't know where she was. However it didn’t matter there’s not enough time for me or Spike to rescue her. She'd used the last of her strength to conjure magic… trying to save Spike. To warn me so I might be able to protect him from the mating bonds affects. It wasn't her only warning." Angel paused and looked directly over to Giles knowing he and Wes would put together the importance of his next words quicker than anyone else in the room. "His name is Cain; he was Darla's first childe. You might be more familiar with his more professional name Krocainus, the deliverer of death.” Angel waited watching Giles and Wesley, waiting for the name to register.
At their stunned silence he continued, “Cain wants the power; power he’d gain by being head of our clan, the Order of Aurelis, and is in effect starting a clan war. In our culture, to become the master leader of one’s clan, he’ll have to destroy all opposing clan members-the master then destroy all those before to include mates, minions, fledglings, and embraced pets."
“Good lord.” Giles stated then started muttering under his breath as he stood and walked over to his bookcase. Quickly scanning the section he found. Then pulled out another and handed the opened book to Wesley who had followed him. Together they quickly started to scan for more information on Krocainus
Aggravated Buffy said, "So, let him be leader of whatever, it's not like you’ve done the clan thing anyway. We'll just ride out Drusilla’s dus- passing, and help Spike deal with it." Sympathy and empathic pain echoed in the slayers next words. " I know how it is hard when you lose someone, but we'll be here for him."
"You don't understand Buffy, Spike's mated to Dru. When she dies her final death he will be compelled to do everything and anything he can to join her."
Angel turned as an unexpected gasp came from Xander, "NO, you can't let that happen." Anya pressed herself closer to Xander's back trying to comfort him as he and Dawn continued to rock and comfort Spike.
With regret Angel sighed, "I don't plan on it, but it's complicated."
Buffy glared drawing Angel’s attention, "Angel, you'll just have to uncomplicated it. Spike's one of us now, he earned that right, and I'm not about to let even a childe of Darla's hurt him." Buffy waited to see if he'd deny her claim.
"What about this Cain, can't we just stake him?" Gunn, asked.
"Possibly, if we can get to him, and either way that won't stop what's about to happen to Dru, or stop Spike's compulsion." As Angel spoke he made a quick glance over to his childe.
"Can't you just tell him that he can have the clan title?" Buffy blurted out.
"It doesn't work that way Buffy. He'll be coming to kill me and all that is mine." Anger answered in frustration.
"We can stop him though-right?" Willow asked tentatively anxiously clasping Tara’s hand tightly.
Angel looked up in frustration then turned toward Giles trying to make him understand what was happening. Quietly Angel stated, "It won't be just him, it will be all that is his. All his childer, minions, embraced and pets-coming after everything that is mine." Wes open and closed his mouth as he dissected this news. Giles on the other hand, glared back, angrily as he got it, comprehended that Krocainus would think of him as a pet, his words heated, “Yes, yes, I get it.”
A moment later he saw Giles glanced around the room paling as the realization hit him that all of them would be considered Angel and Spike’s pets or some sort of property in one form or another. At Giles sudden intake of breath, Angel hoped he finally understood the magnitude of the problem. Before he could ask Cordelia interrupted.
"What's that mean-embraced I still don't get it?" Obviously annoyed that he wasn’t paying attention; Cordelia snapped her fingers in front of his face. “What?” Angel asked.
“Pay attention…now please explain, embraced.” Cordelia’s emotions quickly flipped from annoyance to confusion.
"It's hard to explain, but it's kind of like accepting one as family. The embrace between vampires has to be accepted both ways. I embraced with two of my childer Drusilla and Spike, but I never did with the others, or with the Master, and Darla. An embrace brings balance when it works and can be very potent and powerful. Almost as physically powerful of a connection to being mated. When Cain comes, he and his will kill and destroy all- even those who are only marked." Angel waited to see which Watcher would first grasp what he just said.
"Oh my, does that mean…" Wesley paled as he glanced from Angel to Giles. Giles was already nervously polishing his clean glasses. Wes swallowed as the unanswered question was answered.
"Ok, enough again with the half speak, Angel, just lay it out there in plain, simple, English." Frustrated Buffy stood and crossed her arms across her chest, waiting impatiently for an answer she could easily grasp.
"Fine, I'll put it very black and white terms, since we don't have the luxury of time on our hands. Spike will be compelled to die a final death soon after Drusilla does, unless he is re-bonded, and mated to over ride the affects. Cain was Darla's first childe and that alone makes him very powerful. Ironically he was also Darla's mistake, and one that the Master, despised."
"If he was a mistake why didn't she just dust him?" Curiously Gunn inquired.
"It was the Master's punishment. He said that her poor choice and flaw of a first childe was a blemish that she'd have to live an eternity with. Cain’s life was to be her punishment, to humble her. When Darla turned me, it was her answer to please the Master. She turned her back on Cain and left him to survive on his own. Contrary to popular belief vampires are not solitary creatures. We are more like animals in that we need to create a pack or family. We create connections through childe/Sire relationships, or we embrace/mark those we want or need. When I was cursed I became solitary not just because of my soul, but because I was afraid to embrace/or mark anyone. In isolation the need was lessened, that ended when I came to Sunnydale and met Buffy. The impulse, my need was there. I couldn't control myself and unconsciously I started to mark what was mine."
Xander interrupted then in a deadpan stated, "Don't you mean who, you started to mark who you felt was yours. You marked us, didn’t you?"
Surprised by Xander’s intuitiveness, "Yes, how did you…?"
Xander interrupted before he could finish. "The hyena, I understand packs. So this Cain is going to want to kill your entire pack."
Staring steadily at Xander, Angel didn’t bother to hide his reaction from Xander as he answered, "Yes." astonished that Xander actually understood exactly what that meant.
Neither turned as they heard Giles plop back down on the couch, as he muttered, “Bloody pets indeed.”
Unwavering Xander asked, "So what about Spike?"
Angel squared his shoulders as he held Xander’s gaze, "He needs to be re-mated a stronger bond."
"You're going to do that right?" Xander replied in a soft hopeful voice. Angel nodded and wondered for the umpteenth time since he walked in seeing Xander rocking his childe exactly what kind of relationship he had with his childe, Spike.
"Yes, but not just me, I'm not strong enough anymore, and neither is Spike. We've both been living…well to put it bluntly as sub-vampires, not drinking the proper food source to make us stronger."
Buffy’s face started to scrunch up poised to ask what the hell did that was supposed to mean; before she could form the words Angel quietly answered the silent question. “Human blood.”
“So how then? You’re going to have to do something he can't take much more," Xander answered painfully
"I know Xander; we'll need a fourth mate to strengthen the mating bond; two mates to be our pomme de sang. Individuals we can mate and embrace with, who will tie us together."
Cordelia's mouth ran off before she could stop and think. “Pomme de sang, alright my French isn’t that great, but what the hell isn’t that mean, an apple of blood? And what do you mean a fourth, what happened to the third? And don’t skip on what the hell that means, exactly? Because my mind went to some weird vampire euphemism for you and Spike having sex with someone here-and can I say EWW” Turning she glared at Buffy, and muttered, “No offence.”
Angel sighed, pleased and frustrated that his assistant could cut right through the red tape. “Yes, a fourth mate, and yes, mating and sex would go hand in hand, but it goes beyond just sex-a lot more. A pomme de sang by itself is a stronger connection then if someone who is just marked or even embraced, but to mate with a pomme de sang it’d enhanced the bond tenfold. The pomme de sang is a giver of life, and strength. My status as Spike’s Sire, or embraced just isn’t strong enough, but together with two pomme de sang’s to mate with we might have a slim chance of survive."
Red-faced Cordelia stammered out. "Ah Angel, not a vampire here-and I'm not voting to be turned, or be vamp food. Remember it’s in my contract."
Willow blinked several times then asked, “Wait she has a contract on whether you can turn or feed off of her?”
"Let’s not digress, okay? Cordy, you can't-won't be turned. You’d have to be fully willing to become a pomme de sang. A pomme de sang is the gift of blood, they have special bond with the vampire that they're mated with, giving the gift of their blood joining in the ardeur in place of the hunt."
Buffy started to wonder if this was like what had happened to Riley; as screwed up as it was he definitely was freely giving his blood. "Like a thrall? What happened to Riley?"
Angel shook his head, "No, not exactly. A thrall isn't mated.” Angel turned away from Buffy, not wanting to hurt her, because she might not admit it now she loved Riley, but she had to know. Forcibly Angel continued, “A thrall is created by vampires with a weaker demon that lacked the skill of a fresh kill. To survive they discovered some humans would trade blood for the forbidden eroticism. On both parts, the need for a bite quickly becomes more of a compulsion, an addiction. Secondly, thralls become enslaved to a vampire’s bite not the vampire, and the vampire in return has no real concern for the thrall only to use them until they age into dry husks.” Turning his gaze back to Buffy, “A pomme de sang differs in that, first they are mated to the vampire, and only that vampire would ever feed from their pomme de sang. There would be a connected bond between the two -that vampire would die first before they would allow anything to happen to their mate. Second, they would continually share the ardeur. An ardeur is difficult to explain to put into words exactly everything that's involved; primarily it replaces a regular vampire’s cycle of a feeding frenzy with sex and blood. I've never been mated, or had a pomme de sang, but Spike mated with Dru shortly after they embraced, so their union was very strong. I'm not even sure it will work, but they didn't share or have a pomme de sang which could help us over-ride their bond."
Angel signed, and looked around the room at worried expressions of the young humans before him. People who had become his friends, his family. And that was the problem they were his family -marked, and because of it now they were all in danger.
"And if we don’t do the apple thing and we lose…" Buffy wasn't sure she wanted to hear the alternative. She had never seen or felt Angel be so bleak not when they were going to fight together.
"Then I've lost everything before it's even started." Angel looked pointedly at his childe before looking back at Buffy.
Buffy stepped forward. "Angel, don't say that. I'll do everything I can to save Spike, and we'll stop Cain."
"You have to know the truth. If I can't stop this; establish a new bond with Spike, there is no saving me, or…." Angel pointedly glanced around to everyone in the room than looked directly into Buffy's eyes.
Angel clasped Buffy’s hand, his thumb caressing her smaller hand before he looked down into her worried expression. “Buffy I don’t feed like a true vampire. I haven’t for nearly a century. Not even as, well as a fledgling, never mind a Master vampire. My strength that you’ve witnessed was more from my line, age and status compare to other vampires. Cain though originally cast out as a weakling has been training; gaining strength to win and beat Angelus and all that was his. Even if I lost my soul to give Angelus control we'd be in the same position- nearly hopeless. I'm not mated, the Master is dead, my Sire is dead, my oldest childe dusted they were, are of my line. Of my childer, one of the two I embraced with is going to die her final death. Angelus and I only have only a few pets marked-mainly those here in this room. Without a mate or ones I'm embraced with I'm nothing. I have no line, and Cain and his childer will have the power to destroy me and mine with no effort. Even with Spike surviving a new bond I still don't know, but in the time we have it’s our only chance."
Next
Previous chapters: ch 1, ch 2
Wesley’s tight grip on the door handle eased a pinch when they finally exited the freeway. He had no doubt they broke every speed limit in their haste to get to Sunnydale, not that Wesley was actually complaining, but driving at such speeds and arriving safe was indeed an astonishing accomplishment. Driving slower through the lit streets of Sunnydale, Wesley caught Gunn’s smug smirk, evidently Gunn was having similar thoughts of his success arriving well under the three hours that it normally took-not to mention relatively safely. Gunn stopped only after they pulled up in front of Giles residence. Piling out of the car, Gunn rushed over to help him with Angel. Together they half carried Angel's limp semi-conscious body up the steps to Giles apartment. The door swung open before anyone had a chance to knock.
Giles exclaimed, “Thank goodness you're here.” was nearly drowned by the wailing shrieks, as Giles moved aside and ushered them into the room and quickly closed the door behind them.
Excessively loud shrills pierced the air; in unison they moved toward the source of the sound as it continued assaulting their ears. Halting to gape dumbfounded at the collapsed figure bound in chains.
Chains rattled weakly in the wake of the blonds’ continuous wail. Astonished they continued to stare, each confounded that the figure before them was none other than William the Bloody, the normally obnoxious and loud rude childe of Angelus. The image before them was wrong; the creature before them was nothing but a pale reflection of the vampire they knew. The wrongness continued as Spike was held and comforted between Anya and Xander. They tried to offer some form of meager support to the fallen vampire. Though if someone else not of their group, that didn’t know who Spike was what they were witnessing, minus the chains, it’d be grievous parents offering the comforting solace to their child would appear more appropriate than the reality of two humans to a master vampire.
The LA crew watched transfixed, as a young girl moved forward and knelt in front of Spike with a wet cloth attempting to wipe away the tears that continued to fall. Wesley heard someone’s gasp, on closer inspection he saw the reason - the tears were blood tears.
Suddenly Angel broke free of the support and staggered a few steps before he fell to his knees. It was obvious a new wave of pain was crashing through his body. Staring at his childe, Angel howled in anguished protest. The atmosphere was thick in tangible sorrow hanging in the air as each human watched helplessly in morbid fascination.
Abruptly there was silence; long moments passed before Spike lifted his head looking about the room before his gaze settled on Angel; blinking several times before recognition set in.
Gently Spike pushed Dawn and the others away, and pushed himself up onto his knees before he bowed low until his forehead was touching the floor-prostrating himself in complete submission before he addressed his Sire, “Please, Please don't do this to me. Please let me go. Sire, I beg you… PLEASE, I need to be with her." Unneeded breath hitched then cracked as he continued to plead and beg for mercy.
They watched as Angel erratically shook his head; Wesley suspected it was more in response to Spike’s action than over his direct refusal to Spike’s request.
*~*~*
With utter sorrow, Angel lifted his head and spoke to his childe, "I can’t- no. I’m so sorry William; you wouldn't be able to reach her… I tried, I couldn't."
"NO! You’re lying! You just want to keep me away, make us suffer. To punish me."
A new level of pain sliced through Angel as he heard the harsh ring of truth. William truly believed that he’d do that. Maybe at times his soul had problems with his childer, but not now. Not at a time like this, he and Angelus were in complete agreement. If Drusilla were here, and they couldn’t save her from a final death, like Will he’d willing join them… but that wasn’t the case, and he promised Dru. "No, Will, I would never come between these last moments.” Angel wanted to say her name, but her name lodged in his throat. “She made me promise her, not to let you go. Will…she doesn’t want you to follow her."
Though visibly shaken, Spike straightened defiantly, then yelled accusingly, "NO, you’re lying! You Bastard! Then vowed, “Even if you keep us part I will join her, even you can't break our mating bond. Do you enjoy this Sire? Leaving us the first time wasn't pain enough, but now this last bit of torture on us, your childer… Didn't the embrace mean anything to you, you bastard fucking Bastard." The chains rattled as Spike pulled them in frustration and anger. At each pull the chains glowed confirming what Angel had suspected - they contained magic. Suddenly the rattling sounds were drowned out by Spike’s piercing shrill; the only means at his disposal of expressing his full anguish. Minutes later a defeated Spike sank to the floor. Xander and Anya scooted forward again and resumed their positions as they tried to offer Spike some comfort.
Buffy reached out gently and pulled Angel up drawing his attention. “Maybe this is a good time to let us in on what the hells going on?" Buffy asked.
Shaken out of his daze, Giles moved next to Buffy. "Yes, quite right. Wesley mentioned Drusilla was in her final death, and Spike is mated to her." Giles reiterated, "May I ask how you knew that she was is in her final death before Spike did?"
Angel nodded, but looked over at Willow and the shy blond who stood by her side. Angel reached into his jacket pocket and handed her a small book, “Page 27, then you won’t need those chains this will force him to stay.”
Accepting the book, Willow flipped through the pages then glanced at Giles for conformation at his nod she quietly muttered the short spell that allowed Xander and Anya to quickly remove the iron chains that had held Spike in place.
Satisfied that William was being comforted, Angel forced himself to focus. "Earlier tonight I had a vision of her. Dru showed me, allowed me to see… what she was going through. She also told me who was behind it."
The young girl at William’s side stood, her body tensed in anger, planting herself between him and his childe her disbelief clear. "You knew?” Shaking that off her anger bubbling forward, “Then why is he still in pain? Do something, that’s why you’re here right? Buffy and Giles said you'd be able to help him because you're his father or something, well make the pain go away-Now!" She demanded.
Angel almost smiled at the girl’s defiance to stare him down on Spike’s behalf. She had Buffy’s bravado. He hid his smile as he realized she had to be Dawn, Buffy's sister. "Dawn right?” Without waiting for an answer, Angel continued, “I would if I had that option, but the connection he has-I am buffering some of the pain, but not enough - I can barely control..."
Looking at the others Angel knew he needed to make them understand, especially Wesley, and Giles. Their extensive study and knowledge and historic lore of vampires is colored through their source of the chronicles written by previous Watchers. The Counsel had extensive knowledge if not a narrow perspective of their available resources. "Drusilla’s not dead… at least not technically, for a vampire. But she's in extreme pain because of Cain, the master vampire who tortured and left her to drain. Her demon is still alive, lives on even without blood. Cain purposely wanted her and hers to feel every moment of her final death. Made her suffer to feel and share that pain with her mate and Sire. We will know, feel her death, when the sun hits her; she will die instantly-a final death."
Horrified, Dawn whispered, “You mean, you, and Spike will feel that moment”.
Angel nodded to confirm her words; she quickly reattached herself to Spikes side burying her own tears behind her long hair.
“Wait a minute you know who was behind all of this? Another Master vampire, right? Are you trying to say he’s more powerful than that whack job Buffy killed in high school?" Cordelia asked. Everyone stood silently waiting expectantly for the answer.
Frustrated, and weakened by the continuous spasms of pain, Angel tried to think of where to start. This was taking too long, but he had to explain. "Everyone take a seat we don't have much time, and there is lot to go over." Glancing over at Will, Angel concentrated on the embrace bond that he had once shared with his childer. Though it was a double-edge sword, Angel was able to find a limited amount of strength, by William’s nearness. It was through that same source of the embrace that he could also still feel more acutely both of his childer's pain; Drusilla's overwhelming doom as she approached her final death along with William’s excruciating pain, by being forced to endure without her. Angel blocked what he could, for himself and for Spike. In small measures it helped just being within arms distance of William. Williams’s physical presence enabled him to function, but the reverse wasn’t true. Sadly Angel knew Will was too embedded within the pain of his mate's death to gain any kind of strength from his Sire.
Hesitantly everyone took a spot from the furniture to the floor as they anxiously waited for Angel's explanation of what was happening. Angel took a deep unneeded breath before he continued. "Earlier this evening in my library, I fell asleep and had a vision of Drusilla. I could see that she had been tortured almost completely drained. Bound and hoisted up in chains to await the sun. She didn't know where she was. However it didn’t matter there’s not enough time for me or Spike to rescue her. She'd used the last of her strength to conjure magic… trying to save Spike. To warn me so I might be able to protect him from the mating bonds affects. It wasn't her only warning." Angel paused and looked directly over to Giles knowing he and Wes would put together the importance of his next words quicker than anyone else in the room. "His name is Cain; he was Darla's first childe. You might be more familiar with his more professional name Krocainus, the deliverer of death.” Angel waited watching Giles and Wesley, waiting for the name to register.
At their stunned silence he continued, “Cain wants the power; power he’d gain by being head of our clan, the Order of Aurelis, and is in effect starting a clan war. In our culture, to become the master leader of one’s clan, he’ll have to destroy all opposing clan members-the master then destroy all those before to include mates, minions, fledglings, and embraced pets."
“Good lord.” Giles stated then started muttering under his breath as he stood and walked over to his bookcase. Quickly scanning the section he found. Then pulled out another and handed the opened book to Wesley who had followed him. Together they quickly started to scan for more information on Krocainus
Aggravated Buffy said, "So, let him be leader of whatever, it's not like you’ve done the clan thing anyway. We'll just ride out Drusilla’s dus- passing, and help Spike deal with it." Sympathy and empathic pain echoed in the slayers next words. " I know how it is hard when you lose someone, but we'll be here for him."
"You don't understand Buffy, Spike's mated to Dru. When she dies her final death he will be compelled to do everything and anything he can to join her."
Angel turned as an unexpected gasp came from Xander, "NO, you can't let that happen." Anya pressed herself closer to Xander's back trying to comfort him as he and Dawn continued to rock and comfort Spike.
With regret Angel sighed, "I don't plan on it, but it's complicated."
Buffy glared drawing Angel’s attention, "Angel, you'll just have to uncomplicated it. Spike's one of us now, he earned that right, and I'm not about to let even a childe of Darla's hurt him." Buffy waited to see if he'd deny her claim.
"What about this Cain, can't we just stake him?" Gunn, asked.
"Possibly, if we can get to him, and either way that won't stop what's about to happen to Dru, or stop Spike's compulsion." As Angel spoke he made a quick glance over to his childe.
"Can't you just tell him that he can have the clan title?" Buffy blurted out.
"It doesn't work that way Buffy. He'll be coming to kill me and all that is mine." Anger answered in frustration.
"We can stop him though-right?" Willow asked tentatively anxiously clasping Tara’s hand tightly.
Angel looked up in frustration then turned toward Giles trying to make him understand what was happening. Quietly Angel stated, "It won't be just him, it will be all that is his. All his childer, minions, embraced and pets-coming after everything that is mine." Wes open and closed his mouth as he dissected this news. Giles on the other hand, glared back, angrily as he got it, comprehended that Krocainus would think of him as a pet, his words heated, “Yes, yes, I get it.”
A moment later he saw Giles glanced around the room paling as the realization hit him that all of them would be considered Angel and Spike’s pets or some sort of property in one form or another. At Giles sudden intake of breath, Angel hoped he finally understood the magnitude of the problem. Before he could ask Cordelia interrupted.
"What's that mean-embraced I still don't get it?" Obviously annoyed that he wasn’t paying attention; Cordelia snapped her fingers in front of his face. “What?” Angel asked.
“Pay attention…now please explain, embraced.” Cordelia’s emotions quickly flipped from annoyance to confusion.
"It's hard to explain, but it's kind of like accepting one as family. The embrace between vampires has to be accepted both ways. I embraced with two of my childer Drusilla and Spike, but I never did with the others, or with the Master, and Darla. An embrace brings balance when it works and can be very potent and powerful. Almost as physically powerful of a connection to being mated. When Cain comes, he and his will kill and destroy all- even those who are only marked." Angel waited to see which Watcher would first grasp what he just said.
"Oh my, does that mean…" Wesley paled as he glanced from Angel to Giles. Giles was already nervously polishing his clean glasses. Wes swallowed as the unanswered question was answered.
"Ok, enough again with the half speak, Angel, just lay it out there in plain, simple, English." Frustrated Buffy stood and crossed her arms across her chest, waiting impatiently for an answer she could easily grasp.
"Fine, I'll put it very black and white terms, since we don't have the luxury of time on our hands. Spike will be compelled to die a final death soon after Drusilla does, unless he is re-bonded, and mated to over ride the affects. Cain was Darla's first childe and that alone makes him very powerful. Ironically he was also Darla's mistake, and one that the Master, despised."
"If he was a mistake why didn't she just dust him?" Curiously Gunn inquired.
"It was the Master's punishment. He said that her poor choice and flaw of a first childe was a blemish that she'd have to live an eternity with. Cain’s life was to be her punishment, to humble her. When Darla turned me, it was her answer to please the Master. She turned her back on Cain and left him to survive on his own. Contrary to popular belief vampires are not solitary creatures. We are more like animals in that we need to create a pack or family. We create connections through childe/Sire relationships, or we embrace/mark those we want or need. When I was cursed I became solitary not just because of my soul, but because I was afraid to embrace/or mark anyone. In isolation the need was lessened, that ended when I came to Sunnydale and met Buffy. The impulse, my need was there. I couldn't control myself and unconsciously I started to mark what was mine."
Xander interrupted then in a deadpan stated, "Don't you mean who, you started to mark who you felt was yours. You marked us, didn’t you?"
Surprised by Xander’s intuitiveness, "Yes, how did you…?"
Xander interrupted before he could finish. "The hyena, I understand packs. So this Cain is going to want to kill your entire pack."
Staring steadily at Xander, Angel didn’t bother to hide his reaction from Xander as he answered, "Yes." astonished that Xander actually understood exactly what that meant.
Neither turned as they heard Giles plop back down on the couch, as he muttered, “Bloody pets indeed.”
Unwavering Xander asked, "So what about Spike?"
Angel squared his shoulders as he held Xander’s gaze, "He needs to be re-mated a stronger bond."
"You're going to do that right?" Xander replied in a soft hopeful voice. Angel nodded and wondered for the umpteenth time since he walked in seeing Xander rocking his childe exactly what kind of relationship he had with his childe, Spike.
"Yes, but not just me, I'm not strong enough anymore, and neither is Spike. We've both been living…well to put it bluntly as sub-vampires, not drinking the proper food source to make us stronger."
Buffy’s face started to scrunch up poised to ask what the hell did that was supposed to mean; before she could form the words Angel quietly answered the silent question. “Human blood.”
“So how then? You’re going to have to do something he can't take much more," Xander answered painfully
"I know Xander; we'll need a fourth mate to strengthen the mating bond; two mates to be our pomme de sang. Individuals we can mate and embrace with, who will tie us together."
Cordelia's mouth ran off before she could stop and think. “Pomme de sang, alright my French isn’t that great, but what the hell isn’t that mean, an apple of blood? And what do you mean a fourth, what happened to the third? And don’t skip on what the hell that means, exactly? Because my mind went to some weird vampire euphemism for you and Spike having sex with someone here-and can I say EWW” Turning she glared at Buffy, and muttered, “No offence.”
Angel sighed, pleased and frustrated that his assistant could cut right through the red tape. “Yes, a fourth mate, and yes, mating and sex would go hand in hand, but it goes beyond just sex-a lot more. A pomme de sang by itself is a stronger connection then if someone who is just marked or even embraced, but to mate with a pomme de sang it’d enhanced the bond tenfold. The pomme de sang is a giver of life, and strength. My status as Spike’s Sire, or embraced just isn’t strong enough, but together with two pomme de sang’s to mate with we might have a slim chance of survive."
Red-faced Cordelia stammered out. "Ah Angel, not a vampire here-and I'm not voting to be turned, or be vamp food. Remember it’s in my contract."
Willow blinked several times then asked, “Wait she has a contract on whether you can turn or feed off of her?”
"Let’s not digress, okay? Cordy, you can't-won't be turned. You’d have to be fully willing to become a pomme de sang. A pomme de sang is the gift of blood, they have special bond with the vampire that they're mated with, giving the gift of their blood joining in the ardeur in place of the hunt."
Buffy started to wonder if this was like what had happened to Riley; as screwed up as it was he definitely was freely giving his blood. "Like a thrall? What happened to Riley?"
Angel shook his head, "No, not exactly. A thrall isn't mated.” Angel turned away from Buffy, not wanting to hurt her, because she might not admit it now she loved Riley, but she had to know. Forcibly Angel continued, “A thrall is created by vampires with a weaker demon that lacked the skill of a fresh kill. To survive they discovered some humans would trade blood for the forbidden eroticism. On both parts, the need for a bite quickly becomes more of a compulsion, an addiction. Secondly, thralls become enslaved to a vampire’s bite not the vampire, and the vampire in return has no real concern for the thrall only to use them until they age into dry husks.” Turning his gaze back to Buffy, “A pomme de sang differs in that, first they are mated to the vampire, and only that vampire would ever feed from their pomme de sang. There would be a connected bond between the two -that vampire would die first before they would allow anything to happen to their mate. Second, they would continually share the ardeur. An ardeur is difficult to explain to put into words exactly everything that's involved; primarily it replaces a regular vampire’s cycle of a feeding frenzy with sex and blood. I've never been mated, or had a pomme de sang, but Spike mated with Dru shortly after they embraced, so their union was very strong. I'm not even sure it will work, but they didn't share or have a pomme de sang which could help us over-ride their bond."
Angel signed, and looked around the room at worried expressions of the young humans before him. People who had become his friends, his family. And that was the problem they were his family -marked, and because of it now they were all in danger.
"And if we don’t do the apple thing and we lose…" Buffy wasn't sure she wanted to hear the alternative. She had never seen or felt Angel be so bleak not when they were going to fight together.
"Then I've lost everything before it's even started." Angel looked pointedly at his childe before looking back at Buffy.
Buffy stepped forward. "Angel, don't say that. I'll do everything I can to save Spike, and we'll stop Cain."
"You have to know the truth. If I can't stop this; establish a new bond with Spike, there is no saving me, or…." Angel pointedly glanced around to everyone in the room than looked directly into Buffy's eyes.
Angel clasped Buffy’s hand, his thumb caressing her smaller hand before he looked down into her worried expression. “Buffy I don’t feed like a true vampire. I haven’t for nearly a century. Not even as, well as a fledgling, never mind a Master vampire. My strength that you’ve witnessed was more from my line, age and status compare to other vampires. Cain though originally cast out as a weakling has been training; gaining strength to win and beat Angelus and all that was his. Even if I lost my soul to give Angelus control we'd be in the same position- nearly hopeless. I'm not mated, the Master is dead, my Sire is dead, my oldest childe dusted they were, are of my line. Of my childer, one of the two I embraced with is going to die her final death. Angelus and I only have only a few pets marked-mainly those here in this room. Without a mate or ones I'm embraced with I'm nothing. I have no line, and Cain and his childer will have the power to destroy me and mine with no effort. Even with Spike surviving a new bond I still don't know, but in the time we have it’s our only chance."
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