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A/n Many thanks to SpikesKat, the Beta Wonder Woman, for working on this chapter! And thanks, as usual, to Beanmommy, and Maidenro for being my plot guides and sounding boards!


 Chapter 21

Tendrils of fear swept along Spike's cool flesh, a sense of foreboding seizing him in a punishable grip the closer Spike got to Buffy. The tug he felt was too familiar to ignore, and he knew with sickening clarity, just who the "bad men" were. He rounded the last curve of the path he'd been sent on by his son, and slowed, ignoring the shocked looks thrown his way. He could feel Buffy closer now, and shook his head to clear the demon screaming in his brain, his face shifting back to its human form. The demon made him rash, and that recklessness would most likely get Buffy killed, something Spike would not allow to happen. The girl was his, and worse, she had wormed her way into his petrified shell of a heart. He couldn't lose her no. Or Joyce, for that matter. Resolve sharpened, mind clear and focused, Spike pulled out the cell phone that Buffy insisted he always carry. He found himself pushing the speed dial for Buffy's Watcher, with no other back up options available to him. Not knowing exactly what he was walking into, Spike needed to have someone aware of what was potentially going down. At the very least, there was Blake to consider, and he tried to push it out of his mind that he'd left his son with the piranha bint.

Spike kept the conversation short, merely alerting Giles that Buffy and Joyce were potentially in danger and he was checking it out, and in whose care Blake had been left in. Ignoring the sputtering on the other end, he ended the call and slipped the phone back into his duster.

Turning to the closed metal double doors that led to public restrooms, Spike quietly slipped through them, knowing instinctively that he didn't want his arrival announced any sooner than necessary. They'd know soon enough.

The hallway which Spike now found himself was in complete contrast to the loud bright mall he had just left. No frills or extras had been extended when this part was built, leaving it industrial and ugly. As Spike stalked down the silent hallway, flickering fluorescent lights lit up the beige walls that bled into the sticky beige floor beneath his feet.

The bathrooms had been located at the end of the long bleak hall, and Spike tread carefully. His apprehension grew as did the tingling tug that was too familiar to ignore, and things did not bode well. There was the faint residue of magics in the air, and that served to further increase the ominous tone.

Spike discovered the first victims in the ladies bathroom, throats ripped open, eyes wide and agonized, even in death. Buffy and her mum weren't among them, but Spike could smell their lingering scent in the air over the heady smell of freshly spilled blood. Again, Spike was able to push his demon back, knowing instinctively that if he gave in, Buffy would end up dead. The carelessness with which the bodies had been left bothered Spike. For self preservation purposes alone, this wasn't standard practice for vampires, especially the savage way the women had been left in the loo. Spike didn't know when he'd stopped thinking of victims as mere food and given them an identity, but he could only assume it was around the time Buffy, Joyce and Blake came into his life.

In the bleak hallway once more, Spike sampled the air through his nose, finding Buffy's scent once again. Tracing her essence, he followed it around the corner, now hearing the sounds of muffled sobs and evil laughter. Eyes narrowing with rage, Spike pushed through another pair of metal doors, finding himself in another long hallway. This part of the mall was not well used; the musty smell that lingered spoke of its disuse. Spike came to a door, forced a deep calming breath before twisting the knob to see what waited for him on the other side.

Intense, blue eyes immediately searched the room, sizing up the situation. Spike found himself in a large room obviously used for the occasional business meetings or training classes. There was a big rectangular table with plastic chairs pushed in around it. Spike wasn't surprised to note a lack of windows; this room had been chosen with care.

Seated in one of the chairs, sprawled unconscious over the table was Buffy, her mom tied up and gagged next to her. Joyce's eyes showed relief when she saw who the newcomer was and she cast another worried look at Buffy. Spike schooled himself to show no reaction to Joyce's silent plea, and confusion soon slipped its way in. For the first time since Spike had saved her life, Joyce looked wary of him.

"William, my boy. So glad you could join us." A voice boomed, and Spike turned his head, lip curling up into an instinctive smirk. His demon rejoiced, this was family. And again, Spike beat it down.

"Angelus! What are you doing in town?" Spike replied, trying to keep a handle on his anger.

Angelus strode over to Spike and clapped him heartily on the back. "Just checking up on my family. You don't write, you don't call."

"Yeah. Been a little busy. You know how time just slips away when you're all immortal like." Spike forced a friendly tone, casually looking around. "Where's mum and grandmum, they here?" He asked, already knowing the answer, the pull of kin being too strong.

Now Spike was about to attempt to bluff the sadistic vampire who practically invented the word deceit. Allowing himself another quick look around, he noticed three other bodies piled carelessly in the corner, along with five other live victims tied up in various locations around the room.

Spike walked forward and pulled out a chair, and threw himself in it. Leaning back in the chair, he tossed his feet on the table, and laced his fingers behind his head. "So what's with this little party? You've got my girl here, y'no that, right?"

Angel began walking around the room, the terror he inspired making him seem twice as large. "See, now that's a funny thing. We were actually going to try to catch up with the Slayer while we were here looking you up. But then we got a little hungry. Well, you know how that goes." Spike cast an evil smile, nodding conspiratorially. "So we thought we'd stop by the mall for a quick bite to eat. Only place to go in the daytime, you know, especially when they are so kind to have underground parking and everything. And so Drusilla.." Angel turned his head to the door. "Ah, speak of the devil. Dru, sweetie, look who's come to join the party."

"My sweet William!" Drusilla cooed, bursting into the room, two minions trailing behind with multiple gagged victims slung over their shoulders. The humans' fear practically flooding the air, and Spike tried not to be affected. At the sight of Dru, he felt... practically nothing. Here was his sire, his previous lover, and all he felt for her now was the vampiric pull of family. Calling on all of his years of poker, Spike faced Drusilla and engulfed her in passionate embrace. "Looking good, pet." He told her when they finally parted. Spike could practically feel the daggers Joyce was sending his way, stabbing him violently in the back. He was actually glad Buffy had been knocked out, not really sure if he'd be able to act with her watching.

Drusilla drew back and threw him a coy look. "My William has been a mischievous boy." She shook her finger at him as if scolding a child. "Too many secrets, my Spike."

"I have nothing to hide." Spike bluffed, shrugging nonchalantly. He threw himself back in his chair and reached in his pocket for his smokes. Lighting one up, he used the familiar motion to get himself under control. "Darla here?"

Drusilla waved her hand in a dismissing motion. "Oh, she is here and there. The great Queen has gone to the royal shops."

Spike lips curved up into a smirk. "Ah yes, that does sound like our Darla." Turning his head to Angelus, he commented, "Ya know mate, a bit careless leaving bodies in the loo for anyone to stumble upon."

Angelus smiled cruelly. "Yes, it would be, except our Drusilla here has come upon a certain enchantment spell that has become quite.... useful, right darling?"

"Shhh.. only naughty little girls share all their secrets." Drusilla remarked, her penchant for the bizarre not having waned during Spike's absence. Her face was full of mischief, and her dark innocent beauty was such a contrast to the profound evil that lived within.

"So Angelus, what were you spouting earlier? About blowing into town?" Spike prompted, keeping his eyes purposefully blank and praying that Joyce did nothing to give things away. He was taking his biggest gamble here, and he could feel its weight trying to crush him.

Angelus pretended to look thoughtful. "Yes, where was I? Oh yes. We stopped here for a bite to eat, the minions were a little restless, you see." Spike let his eyes trail around the room to account for the ten minions that stood quietly to one side, waiting for further orders from their master. "And so by chance we happen to come upon this girl who had your scent all over here, Spike. Now imagine our surprise at this discovery. You. William the Bloody. With a mortal."

Another shrug rolled off Spike's shoulders. "What can I say, I was bored. Nice change of scenery."

Angelus walked over to where Buffy was slumped over the table and grabbed a fistful of blonde hair, lifting her face off the table to get a look. Joyce gasped and bucked in her seat, trying to get to her daughter. Angelus turned and backhanded her savagely across the face, a gratifying smirk emerging at his actions.

Spike's hands were clenched so tight in an effort to keep himself in his chair, that he dug deep furrows into the palms of his hand. Angelus would pay for hitting Joyce, of that Spike would make sure. Seeing Buffy's mum sitting there sobbing, terror and horror etched into her face cut deep into Spike, drawing on emotions he never wanted to have. And seeing that his prick of a grandsire lay his dirty hands on his girl made Spike want to rip him apart piece by piece.

"So, Spike. What's so....... special about this one?" Angelus asked, grabbing Buffy's hair again, taunting Spike now.

"She's a bloody good fuck, that's what." Spike commented crudely, blowing out a cloud of smoke. "Her blood's not too bad either."

Angelus laughed harshly, before reaching his hand down to cup Buffy's breast, giving it a sadistic twist. Blind rage ignited, causing the tendons in Spike's neck to cord with the ferocity he was using to clench his teeth together. He was in danger of seriously losing it, and it took Joyce's pleading look to get it back under control. He couldn't tell if Joyce was on to his game or not, but it did serve to calm him down.

"If she's so good, think I'll give her a try." Angelus announced, reaching for Buffy's other breast.

"I don't think so, Angelus. She belongs to me." There was a lethal precision in Spike's voice that caused Angelus to look up sharply. Wrenching Buffy's neck to the other side, he inspected it for the mark that branded her as property. With a wry shake of his head, Angelus looked at the younger vampire and smiled.

"Well, this IS a surprise, Spike. You, claiming a human." Angelus leaned his dark head towards Buffy and licked at Spike's mark. With an amused smirk, he commented, " And you just took a little bite of her didn't you, my boy? Well, good for you."

Spike kept the indifferent look glued to his face, his eyes dead and expressionless while forcing his body language to scream boredom. Internally, he had a battle on his hands. Angel wouldn't dare taste something that belonged to Spike, but he wasn't about to take any chances. If he found out she was the slayer, they were all dead. He just had to keep things up until Buffy woke up and would be able to help out, knowing he wouldn't be much good against all of them.

"What about this one?" Angelus walked behind Joyce's chair, smiling broadly at the indignant glare Joyce threw at him. Spike wished he could tell Joyce somehow not to antagonize the older vampire, that it just turned him on, but she would soon learn that first hand.

"That's my girl's mum." Spike said it with a sneer in his voice. "She doesn't much like me. Thinks I'm a bad influence on her little girl." He cockily got to his feet and rounded the table. "Isn't that right, Joyce? Treats me like I'm a monster, like I'm beneath them." Spike stopped right behind Joyce and ripped the gag out of her mouth.

Joyce tipped her head up to glare at the two vampires above her. "You bastard." Joyce bit out, her eyes full of venom.

"Got that right, Joyce. I'm a right bastard." Spike agreed, an amused smirk on his face.

"So why didn't you just kill her, Will? Not like you to put up with that. Especially when it's so easy to just crush the life out of her." Angelus commented, crossing his arms over his chest as he regarded the other vampire.

"That's easy. I found my girl was more... let's just say, responsive and enthusiastic, when I didn't have to use a thrall on her. If I killed her mum, it would have jacked her right off, and then I'd be forced to use more persuasive measures in dealing with her. Didn't want to do that."

Drusilla sidled up next to them, her long skirts billowing behind her. "Think I'll make me a nice snack of this nasty lady, Spike. Think she needs a few lessons in manners, this one does."

"You're right about that." Spike commented, but grabbed Drusilla's arm as she closed the distance to Joyce. "But I get to be the one to teach her those manners, Dru. I'm the one who's suffered from her poisoned tongue, after all."

Drusilla drew back, granting him access. With a sneer plastered across his face, Spike hauled Joyce up out of her chair, and spun her around to face him. A multitude of emotions were warring in her gaze, and Spike wished he could drop this pretense. He slipped into game face and an evil, toothy grin emerged. He was rewarded by a sudden deluge of fear flying off of Joyce, and hoped it'd be enough to fool the other two.

Crushing Joyce against his chest, he locked her in his familiar deadly embrace as she fought against him. It was tough to ignore the crying pleas rolling off her lips as he wrenched her head to the side. "Not so quick with the nasty comments now, are ya, Joyce?" He sneered before burying his head in the exposed column of throat.

An anguished cry was ripped from Joyce's throat as razor sharp fangs were sunk into her neck, and she closed her eyes in resolute terror. She could feel the blood leaving her body, passing easily into Spike mouth and wondered how she could have been so wrong about him.

Spike tipped his head so his face was buried under the cover of Joyce's hair and he allowed his teeth to pull out of her skin. "Joyce, " he whispered so softly, he didn't know if she'd be able to hear, even though he was speaking right into her ear. The sudden tensing of her body was his answer. Speaking as loudly as he dared, Spike revealed, "I have to drain you a bit, I'm sorry. Pretend to pass out and I won't have to kill you."

He heard the anguished sigh that was her reply, and as gently as possible, bit into her again. Spike tried to ignore the call of fresh human blood and concentrated on draining her just enough to satisfy the others. He felt when Joyce slumped against him, hating himself for what he was doing to her.

Gruffly, Spike released Joyce and she tumbled to the floor. Allowing his human features to come back, he wiped the blood from his mouth. "Thanks. I needed that."

"You didn't kill her." Angelus announced coldly.

"Why would I want to kill her when I get to torture and torment her again when she wakes up? The evil bint doesn't deserve a quick death." Spike replied.

tbc...
A/n- Angel much? Yeah, I know. but hey, it's the way it wrote itself.





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