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Living Vengeance by Ariel Dawn
 
Moving On
 
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Author’s note: Thanks once again to the fab BTL who beta’d this chapter. Also thanks to everyone who’s been reviewing this story. I’m really happy that people like it, I was a little worried at first, but all the fab reviews are encouraging! Thanks!

Disclaimer: Joss made ‘em, I play with ‘em.
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Chapter 5: Moving On

Erixel, the Vengeance Demon, was having a productive day.

Buffy twisted her fist into the mangled remains of her latest victim. The man before her was scum, pond scum that even cows wouldn’t drink from. Removing her hand from the bloody remains Buffy looked around for something to wipe the blood off her hands.

Buffy reached over and grabbed a towel from the man’s washstand. Looking down at her dress, which was now splattered with the man’s blood, Buffy sighed. Another dress ruined. This job was worse for her wardrobe than slaying had been.

Without even a thought, Buffy teleported back to her own apartment on the Champs D’Elysée. She’d been in Paris for a month now, seeking out parents and guardians for her brand of vengeance. Only last week she had struck down the entire staff of an orphanage with small pox. Buffy threw back the doors to her wardrobe and inspected the dresses that hung there.

It had been a whirlwind couple of years since her elevation to demonhood. In all that time she had been trained by D’Hoffryn and Anyanka, and was set on her way to being feared and revered in her profession. Despite her busy schedule Buffy had taken time to keep up with the important people from her human life.

Reagan had gone to the university, just as she said that she wanted to. She was now a full fledged Watcher and about to be married to an equally new Watcher, a man by the name of Arthur Price. Buffy had been invited to the wedding.

And she was actually considering going. A Vengeance Demon at the wedding of two Watchers. The truth was that Buffy felt like her friend was leaving her behind. Reagan, who couldn’t very well hold dinner parties every time Buffy was in town, was carrying on with her life. Someday, Reagan would have little Wyndham-Prices running around the house, something that Buffy would never have.

Reagan was her last human friend. Her friends now included those beings that, only a few years ago, she had been sent out into the night to slay. She had found that there was a whole world out there that wasn’t defined by good and evil. She certainly didn’t think of herself as evil.

Giles did though. He had married, and was expecting his first child soon. Or so Reagan had written in her last letter. Giles was a sore topic with Buffy. He had refused to keep in touch with a Demon. He had agreed to keep her secret, that she was a Slayer turned Demon. He had merely passed on the news of Elizabeth Underwood’s death at the hands of the demon D’Hoffryn.

Buffy imagined that there had been a collective sigh of relief from the surviving Watchers that night.

But Buffy missed her Watcher. He was a father figure that she had learned to count on, and despite his propensity to deliver her into the clutches of her mortal enemies, she loved the man.

The other being she kept in touch with was William. It was hard not to. His exploits as William the Bloody were legendary. He was a member of the Scourge. That alone brought fame. She had run into him in York, and again in Amsterdam. They had exchanged pleasantries, updating each other on items of interest in their lives. Sadly, this also meant that Buffy had to listen to William prattling on about the wonderfulness of Drusilla.

“She isn’t so wonderful,” Buffy thought aloud, shaking out her new dress.

Drusilla was a thorn in her side. Drusilla was why William wasn’t with her now. And oh how she wanted him. Buffy understood how the Scourge worked. Angelus, Childe of Darla, would never ever share his women with the fledge. William was hanging on the fringe, occasionally getting attention. He was Drusilla’s nursemaid, pet, and bed mate when Angelus was with Darla or grew tired of her. William had moved on from her and it hurt.

Buffy sighed and began to unbutton her dress. Yes it was frustrating, but she didn’t have time to contemplate this now. She was going to meet Anyanka for dinner and some after dinner vengeance. Anyanka had found a man who was not only cheating on his wife, but was abusing his daughter as well. Miracle worker that she was, Anyanka had gotten invitations to the man’s house for a dinner party.

Buffy marvelled at just how brilliant Anyanka was.
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“We really must do this again sometime,” said Anyanka holding up a glass of champagne.

All around them were the dead bodies of those that hadn’t run in fear. The man of the house, his mistress, his other mistress, the maid that he had a thing with on the side on top of all of that. In the corner of the room, the scorned wife was huddled with her daughter.

“What a glorious mess,” continued Anyanka. “My work here is done.”

“I really wish that they wouldn’t wish for such messy and ultimately short forms of vengeance though,” said Buffy, trying to wipe out a spot of blood off her glove.

“Oh my dear Erixel, they are French, it’s all off with their head and stuff.”

“Then I think I’ll go back to England, or maybe America, I’m sure that there are a lot of Vengeance opportunities in America,” said Buffy.

“Sure there are,” said Anyanka putting her glass of champagne down. “But you won’t go, not until William goes.”

Buffy turned to face her friend, a frown on her face.

“What?” exclaimed Anyanka. “It’s true, isn’t it? You love him. You always have, and he’s a vampire. I don’t understand why you don’t do anything about it.”

“I...”

“Erixel, I admire your work ethic, but I think it’s time you took some time for yourself. Men are pigs, we have blood on our hands that proves it. But really, take William the Bloody to bed already and get him out of your system.”

Buffy stared back at her friend, her brain contemplating what she had said.

“I... I couldn’t do that,” said the former Slayer.

“And why not?”

Buffy exhaled before continuing. “Setting aside the fact that I’ve never done anything like that before...He...He doesn't love me anymore.”

“He doesn’t have to love you,” said Anyanka, “Love is for the weak. Love is for her.” Anyanka pointed to the woman still cowering in the corner of the room. “You don’t want to be like her Erixel. Demons are better and you know it.”

Buffy nodded. “I know it.”
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Buffy tried to take Anyanka’s advice to heart. She knew that her friend was right about her. Even now, as they parted ways, Anyanka to Transylvania, something about wanting to meet Dracula, and Buffy to Rome to see some place new, Buffy didn’t know what to do about it.

Buffy decided she wanted to see the countryside, so she took the train. Her luggage was packed, with new, non bloodstained dresses, fresh gloves, and the latest fashion hats. She set out, with her new lady’s maid, Annette, an orphan from one of those horrible orphanages that she cursed.

Annette was small and dainty, and reminded her of her dead sister. The small girl didn’t know that her benefactress was a demon, but then it really wasn’t important, as long as the girl did what she was told and helped Buffy up with her corset every morning.

The roads were quiet as they departed Buffy‘ fashionable apartment, still a few hours before dawn, Buffy hired a cab, heading towards La Gare du Nord.

“Madame Erixel?” inquired Annette once they were in the cab. “Why to Rome? Why not to your own country? I should very much like to see England.”

Buffy patted the girl’s head and stared out the window.

“Because Anyanka is right as always,” Buffy admitted with a sigh. “William is in Rome.”

“How do you know?”

“Because, silly, my friend keeps tabs on him for me.”

“Madame Anyanka?”

“No, Madame Reagan.”
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Buffy sat primly in the first class lounge debating on teleporting to Rome instead of waiting for the train to come. Teleporting would mean that Annette and all her stuff would have to travel on the train without her, and also revealing to Annette that she was not exactly human. That she really didn’t want to do. But she really hated sitting still. It reminded her too much of when she had been confined in that bed in the Watcher’s Council.

Buffy began to fidget.

Buffy wanted to do something, slay something.

“Watch the bags,” ordered Buffy, casting a glance at Annette who was darning a sock or something and walked out onto the platform.

The platform was dark, quiet, the only sounds coming from the coughs of other passengers who too had arrived early, and from the station staff who were moving trunks around. The million little things that humans did to prepare for a journey the she still did.

In so many ways she was still a human, dressing like them, keeping their traditions and social norms. Anyanka refused to act as a human after a vengeance job was complete. She went back to Arashamahar or to be with some demon friends.

Buffy’s only real demon friend was Anyanka. And William.

Always William.

Her thoughts turning to William didn’t really surprise her. They frequently did. However as she walked the platform she could see in the distance the very vampire she was thinking about. Walking directly in her direction, a bag over his shoulder. Suddenly, he stopped, grabbed a porter that had been working at that end of the platform and casting his bag aside for a moment, he sunk his fangs into the man’s neck.

For a moment Buffy forgot to breathe as she watched William drink. Then just as suddenly, William cast the corpse aside, grabbed his bag and continued his path to the main part of the platform.

Unconsciously, Buffy preened, tucking a stray hair back into place and biting down on her lips to make them appear redder.

“The station staff usually don’t allow people to arrive from this direction,” said Buffy as he walked closer towards the platform.

Without giving her another glance, William flashed Buffy some fang before continuing on his way, onto the platform and past her.

“Oh no you don’t,” said Buffy hiking her skirts a bit and following after him. “William Fairchilde you come back here this instant.”

His real name ringing through the station, William turned to face the woman he had thought merely another silly bint.

“Cecily?” he inquired, pushing his wavy brown curls out of his eyes.

“It’s good to see you William,” she said with a bob of a curtsey.

“Demon now pet, you don’t have to go on with the human platitudes.” His eyes raked over her, taking in the little changes that she’d acquired since their last meeting.

“Perhaps not, but they are familiar. I like the familiar.”

“Why are you in Paris then?” he asked setting down his bag with a thump.

“Business, you?”

“Angelus.”

Buffy nodded.

“Can’t stand the wanker anymore though, not without Dru to be a buffer. Just me and him, he’s a buggering git, and if he weren’t my grandsire...”

“Yes?” asked Buffy, eagerly awaiting a vengeance wish against the vampire that killed her father.

But William stopped. “You won’t get me there pet, hard as you try. I’ve heard about your work. Good stuff too, reminds me of my fledgling days.”

“You still are a fledgling William,” she reminded him with a tiny smirk.

“No, I’m not, only a fledge until your Sire decides you can get on without them. Drusilla’s not even in Paris I’ll have you know.”

“Really?” Buffy asked with interest.

“Ya, Darla and Dru up and left for Rome two weeks ago, leaving me with Peaches.”

“Are you on your way to Rome then?” she asked. “To get away from Angelus?”

“Ya, heard Dru took up with the Immortal...I’m going there to get her back.”

“William...” said Buffy sadly.

“I’m going by Spike now.”

“Spike.” Buffy smiled. “Why would you want to go back to Drusilla if she’s taken up with another man?”

Spike exhaled. “The ponce doesn’t love her, like I do, he’ll only grown tired of her, and then cast her aside.”

“Like she cast you aside?”

Spike was quiet for a bit, then smiled. “I see what you’re doing. It’s not going to work.”

“And what am I doing Spike?” Buffy asked.

Buffy walked closer to the vampire, and ran her hand down his arm.

“Cecily...” he growled, warning her off.

“Not Cecily, Spike.”

“Buffy...”

Buffy smiled. “Would it be so bad, Spike, to indulge in something both demons and humans find so pleasurable? Drusilla’s cheating on you, couldn’t you cheat on her for a change. I bet you don’t get any attention at all when Angelus is around.”

Buffy let her hand explore lower on his body, cupping the bulge in his trousers before taking his hand and placing it on her breast.

“Bloody hell woman.”

Buffy laughed. “Not interested?” she asked, pulling away from him, only to have her hand caught by his forceful grip.

“I’m interested,” said the vampire, pulling her close and sniffing at her neck.

“Demon, Spike, I don’t taste good.” She surprised herself with the sudden sultriness of her voice.

“How do you know?” he asked. “I’ve never had a Vengeance Demon before.” Spike licked a long slick trail from her ear lobe down to the top of the high lace collar of her dress.

“I’ve never had a Vampire before,” she added, earning a surprised look from Spike.

He looked like he was searching her eyes for something. Buffy stared back at him with equal intensity. “I’m going to today though,” she whispered into his ear before biting down gently on his lobe, causing a growl from the vamp.

Buffy took Spike’s hand and led him away from the side of the platform. Suddenly before her there was a black portal through which she walked, leading Spike along. As soon as they were through, the portal closed, leaving only burn marks on the pavement of the platform.
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tbc...
 
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