Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios. This story is not meant to infringe upon anyone's rights, only to entertain.

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Chapter 18 - Choose


“Slayer!” Angelus mouthed with a slight growl. He looked at his grandchild in disbelief with a slight hint of jealousy. “You've been keeping a Slayer from me? How dare you?"

Spike started chuckling. "Finders keepers!"

Angelus gave out an irritated growl. "Are you insane? You’ve sided with the Slayer?”

Spike ran his fingers through his hair then smirked. “I’m hurt Peaches. I thought that after all this time you'd at least know a little more about me. I don’t choose sides.”

“But you’ve …. with her ... How can you?" he said trying to hide the curiosity in his eyes.

“And tasted her. Sweet ambrosia, just like the others. … No. Better. Better than the others.” He said licking his lips and closing his eyes for a second remembering the taste of her blood on his tongue.

“You’re pathetic.” Angelus spat on the ground.

“And you want her." he said with a grin. "What she freely gave to me, I can see you yearn for.”

Angelus lashed out at him angrily and they danced once more.

Buffy felt two more vampires approach the parking lot. Darla and Drusilla lazily walked closer to the commotion. They looked at Angelus and Spike somewhat bored, not the least bit surprised that the two were at each other’s throats.

The Slayer knew that it was only a matter of time before they would notice her if they haven’t already. She held her stake tighter and tried her best to keep her heart from racing. She watched Spike and Angelus battle it out, but a part of her kept cautiously checking if Darla and Drusilla were interested in her. She caught Darla giving her a vicious look but she made no attempt to come near her.

Both kept on fighting, their clothes almost reduced to shreds now as pale skin was stained with their blood. Spike seemed to be gaining the upper hand but a well placed kick sent him flying against the wall, his body slumping like a rag doll on the ground.

Buffy felt her heart race in concern, her body moving forward wanting to go to him until she saw Angelus turning to face her. She stopped in mid-stride, eyeing the master vampire. He didn’t look as impressive with the cuts Spike had inflicted on his face and chest. But she knew better. He was healing and though his body looked tired, each second that passed meant that his body was slowly knitting itself together. She could only hope that the same was true for Spike. She saw Dru walk over to where he had fallen, cradling her former lover tenderly. Buffy felt a pang of jealousy at their closeness, wanting to be the one to sooth the blond haired vampire like he had soothed her before. She felt Angelus move closer, her Slayer senses bringing her back to the problem at hand.

Angelus looked at Buffy from head to toe. He wanted her, more now than he did months ago when he first saw her in the Bronze. She had an air of confidence around her, a sense of power that he wanted to control. Months ago, it was her innocence that called to him. He wanted to take it and corrupt it. And he was close until that one day when Spike marked her for his own. He could have taken her back, eradicated the mark with his own. But Darla thought otherwise. She was obviously jealous and he knew better than to go against his sire.

Things are different now. Buffy is a Slayer and surely Darla wouldn't mind if he took her now as his. Taking her would bring glory for the Aurelius clan. Furthermore, Spike had hidden this tiny little fact from his family. Destroying the Slayer and taking her away from his grandchild was imperative now.

“Time for you to come home Buffy” Angelus said, his hand outstretched to her, his demon fading away. “You know deep down you belong to me. I can make all your pain go away.”

Buffy shook her head, her hand gripping the stake securely. “You lie.”

“Do I? I can give you peace. The life of a Slayer is hard and lonely. Now, I know you don’t want that.”

“You know nothing of what I want.”

“Did I not take care of you when you were under my protection?"

“You call that taking care of me? Taking me away from my family, treating me like property, parading me in front of your clan like a toy?”

“What family? Your mother who couldn’t see how much you were hurting inside? The same mother who cared more about her own pain rather than her child’s? That is what you told me when we first met.”

“You ... you took her away from me!” she screamed, burying the guilt she felt with her anger. He was right, she did tell him that. But that was then, when she was foolish and hated the fact that her parents just got divorced.

“I did, didn’t I?” Angelus said with an evil smile. “But I thought that was what you wanted. I guess I was mistaken. If you want her back, I can do that. I can make her all better."

“And what price do I have to pay for such a gift?”

“All I want is you, Buffy. By my side.” he said so sweetly as he moved closer to her. “I can give you a family. I can give you anything you want.”

She bit her lower lip nervously, taking a step back as he moved closer. She saw Spike, now standing against the wall, nursing his wounds as Drusilla pressed kisses on his face. She closed her eyes not wanting to see. Just illusions, that’s all they are. But no matter how many times Spike reminded her and no matter how many times she told herself, she knew she was done for. She needed him and now it seemed like she was going to lose him.

Just a couple of hours ago, she belonged to him and a part of him was hers, but now she was alone. "The life of a Slayer is hard and lonely. ". Angelus’ words echoing in her mind. If she accepted this, she would be with Spike. She would at least see him and perhaps comfort him when Drusilla would fancy another. Or perhaps it wouldn’t matter. She would be the undead and all the pain in the world wouldn’t matter. Her gaze still rested on the blond vampire. She could hear Angelus’ honeyed voice but her eyes were fixed on the one that had been her savior.

She felt Angelus move behind her, his hands rested on her waist as he pulled her roughly against him. He bent closer to whisper sweet words in her ear. “Be by my side, Buffy. I’ll take all your pain away.” His hand caressed her right arm, making its way to her hand to loosen the stake she had held tightly.

The sound of wood hitting pavement didn’t even register to her, as she continued to watch Spike and his Dark Princess. She would be part of his family soon. She would finally get what she had been asking for months ago, before she became the Slayer. She could feel her heart racing, her stomach twisting in knots. The Slayer in her was telling her to move, to fight back but she couldn’t find a good reason to listen. To fight back meant a life of responsibility, of saving the world and for what? For college? For a career? Slayers die young. No time for family, no time for love. Even if her mother did come back from the coma, would she live long enough? Or would her mother bury her anyway?

She heard Angelus growl angrily, as his fingers traced the scars that marred her neck. “Spike”, she said softly.

Angelus roared at the sound of his grandchild’s name, his hold now forceful as he tilted her head to the other side. He wrinkled his nose in disgust seeing that Spike had marked her there as well. He turned her around to face him, shaking her roughly then hitting her forcefully on the cheek for daring to speak another’s name when he is master.

A growl erupted from behind her, as she picked herself up from the ground and backed away. She turned her head cautiously to see what was going on. She saw a ticked off Spike spewing obscenities at Darla who had planted herself between the blond vampire and the Slayer.

Angelus eyed his grandchild sternly vowing silently to teach him a lesson for his insolence. He moved two steps closer to the Slayer, watching her look desperately at Spike. “Come now.” he said extending his hand once more to her. “It will only hurt for a second then I will wash everything away. Come to me and I’ll make everything better. I’ll let you be with my grandchild if you wish as long as you know you belong only to me. That is what you want isn’t it? I can see it in your eyes. I can make him yours.”

Buffy knew he was right. And that was when she realized how truly different they were. Spike never forced anything on her. He was patient with her despite his brash and headstrong behavior. He could easily have turned her if he wanted. She was more than willing, but he always said that he liked her the way she was. That she was special that way. But Angelus obviously hated who she was, wanted to change her to fit his mold. No. If she let him turn her, then everything will change. Spike will be less hers than he is now. Despite Angelus’ talk of freedom and peace, she knew it wouldn't be any different from what it was like when she was his slave. He’ll dangle her in front of the rest as the Slayer that he made his pet.

Buffy bore her eyes at Angelus and shook her head. “No more lies Angelus! I’ve had enough.”

Angelus gave her a cocky look. “Oh, we’ve just started.” he said lunging at her, knocking her down and pinning her body with his.

Buffy tried to break free, twisting her body to catch him off balance. Her eyes frantically looking for her stake but it was out of her reach. She heard a loud growl and felt Spike’s vampire signature register loudly. Knowing that she wouldn’t be able to throw the master vampire from her, she curled her hands into fists and tried to aim at his nose. It afforded her some freedom as Angelus loosened his hold to tend to his face. She bucked around, trying to slide from underneath him, using her arms to pull herself backwards. She was able to get one leg loose and used it to kick him square in the chest.

She stood up quickly, her vision spinning somewhat when she felt the wind knocked out of her causing her to stumble backwards. She felt like she was going to fall again, but cold hands gripped her tightly. It was Spike and she smiled warmly until she saw up close the cuts and bruises that were on his body. In the background she could hear an angry Darla vehemently cursing and a confused Drusilla wailing at the moon. Angelus looked over at his sire and daughter in disgust, not looking forward to what he had to do tonight to calm them down. He could smell their blood in the air. It seemed like his grandchild had bared his claws at them.

He looked at the scene before him, his grandchild holding the Slayer protectively. A thought crossed his mind and an evil grin formed on his lips. “Enjoy her as much as you can William because I doubt your Dark Princess will take you back now.” He turned away from them and walked towards his sire. “The Slayer will unmake you and you will destroy her. And on the day when your blood calls to rip each other to pieces, I will be there.”