*****

North London, England, 1869

Angelus stood staring out into the open marketplace from the apartments he was sharing with his childer, William and Penn. Torches lit the large square, cutting through the darkness of the night like a thin ray of hope from a small child. Angelus laughed at the absurdity of it all. There was no hope for these pathetic creatures. He was their superior, and it being the time of harsh and petty patriarchs he must only follow suit.

"William! Penn! Come!" The tall vampire barked to his childer as he walked to the door. A scuffle could be heard from one of the rooms off the spacious entryway and William and Penn appeared. Penn slapped William upside the back of the head and stepped in front of his pseudo-sibling.

"Weıre ready, Angelus." Penn said properly as William stood scowling at Pennıs back. Angelus, noting the displeasure present on his favourite childeıs face, gestured for Penn to lead the way. Pennıs pomposity and love of power took hold; he didnıt notice Angelus put his arm around William. The scowl on Williamıs face turned into a petulant pout as they followed.

At the base of the grandiose staircase, Angelus held William back as Penn walked out. Brushing the chestnut hair away from Williamıs neck Angelus whispered something lewd in his ear, leaving a twinkle in the boys blue eyes and a smirk tugging at his lips.

Angelus squeezed Williamıs shoulder and led him out the door into the bustling, makeshift streets of the market. The streets were teaming with poor, but jovial, misguided souls. Penn walked proudly, arrogantly, before his sire and his sireıs favoured childe.

Like the predators they were they chose their prey carefully. Nobody likes a mouthful of blood from a vassal with scabies. Under Angelusı watchful eye they surveyed the crowd.

Penn chose the well-built son of a smith.

William chose the small, wiry daughter of a pastor.

And Angelus smiled.

"You have selected well my boys." Angelus said, lavishing praise upon his childer. Both younger vampires puffed up considerably.

"Penn, go. And bring me back a present from the corpse." Angelus directed, sending his eldest off to feed. Penn nodded and had it been the right era, would have clicked his heels together and saluted. Penn was that kind of man.

Angelus watched his childe saunter off before turning his attention to William.

"Alright, my William, you have chosen a pastor's daughter. What are the three main things you must remember?" Angelus asked, continuing the tutelage he had begun when William had first been turned. William gnawed thoughtfully on his lower lip.

"Sheıs most likely wearing a cross?" William ventured.

Angelus nodded.

"Umm...watch out for the rosary beads?" He said tentatively.

Again, Angelus nodded.

"Ahhhh...Pointy, stick like objects are bad?" William guessed, unable to think of the correct third point.

Angelus chuckled and ruffled Williamıs hair.

"Not quite, my boy. Not quite." Angelus put his arm around William and turned him to find their prey.

"Boy, youıve got to remember. One; The cross. Two; The Rosary. Three; Holy Water. Her faith can hurt you more than any sword or any stake." Angelus stated, grasping Williamıs shoulder tightly. William looked up at Angelus, confusion writ across his face.

"Her faith? How?"

Looking down at his boy, Angelus stopped.

"Sheıs a true believer. The hand of god has touched her. It wonıt matter what you do, her heart and her mind are pure."

William looked up at Angelus, in awe of his Sireıs vast knowledge and depth of insight. Angelus placed his hand on Williamıs shirt and grasped the material, steadily drawing tighter.

"Her faith will cut straight into your heart. You will burn slowly, inside to out. And all from one look of her innocent eyes. Pure innocence, my boy. Itıs a killer."

William stared in wide-eyed reverence at Angelusı passionate monologue. Angelusı face softened. Letting go of his shirt, he took Williamıs hand and led him into the night.

"Come my William. Tonight is for learning."

Shaking himself out of an awed stupor, William stumbled after Angelus.

They walked in silence to the small chapel on the outskirts of the market. The tall vampire stepped in front of William and placed his hands on the smaller manıs shoulders.

"This is your first solo kill, Will. Be careful." Angelus placed a kiss on Williamıs forehead and backed into the night.

William watched his sire blend in with the shadows and disappear from view. Leaning against a stone pillar, he waited.

She walked out of the market, head down and eyes darting nervously to the reveling crowd. William watched with needlessly bated breath. He stepped in front of her.

"Excuse me, Miss. Donıt mean to be a bother, but could you show me the way to Shaftsbury Lane?" The young vampire asked.

The dark haired woman, barely more than a girl, looked up at him, startled. Her frightened, pure eyes burrowing into his very being. William broke eye contact and cleared his throat.

"Itıs down that way and to your right, mılud." She said softly, gesturing with her hand. William nodded slowly and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Would you be able to show me? Iım new to these parts and all the lanes look frightfully similar." William explained, leading her away as he spoke.

"I-I-I canıt. Papa will be terribly mad if Iım late." She said, pulling out of his loose embrace. William latched onto her arm.

"Anı it please thee, milady. I would be awfully grateful if one so kind hearted as yourself would take the time to show a man, as myself, weary from his travels to his lodgings on this night." He said, drawing on every bit of knowledge heıd gleaned from Angelusı silver tongue. The woman looked to the ground and chewed on her lower lip.

"I will do this for you, kind sir. On the grounds that you tell me your name, so I may include you in my prayers." She said, looking back up at him with her clear eyes radiating purity. William flinched and choked back a laugh at her words.

"Many thanks, milady. My name is William St. John." He took her hand in his own and pressed a gentle kiss to the back, smelling the blood that ran through the main vein in her arm. His eyes drifted up to catch a glimpse of the rosy hue her cheeks had turned.

"Mr. St. John, if youıd follow me." The dark haired woman took her hand away from his grasp and walked away at a quick pace.

William smiled maliciously at her back before following her towards the darker end of town. The woman walked faster, so fast that William had to trot to keep up.

The streets got darker, as the lanterns lighting the way were placed further apart. William waited, watching the young womanıs hair flap gently in the cool breeze. Reaching a particularly dark section of laneway, William let his true, vampiric features slide into the fore. He moved behind the woman and brushed her dark hair away from her neck.

"You never did tell me your name." He whispered close to her ear.

The woman gasped at the closeness of his voice.

"D-D-D-" She stuttered.

"Doesnıt really matter anyway."

William sunk his fangs into the womanıs neck, her cry muffled by his hand clamped over her mouth.

Deeply he drank. Her blood flowing down his throat like ambrosia. Her purity filling him with an immense power. His veins pumped the stolen blood through his body. Her sweetness filled his ears as it sang to him. Harder he sucked, desperate to get more of the sweet nectar. Colours danced before his eyes and with her last drops of blood, he knew heıd been changed.

He dropped the lifeless body to the ground and stared at it, his mind whirling.

A sudden clapping startled him and he jumped into fighting stance. Angelus walked out of the shadows.

"Youıve done well my boy." Angelus said, smiling down at his young protege. "Very well indeed."

William relaxed and let his features slip back to their normal handsome plains. With glittering blue eyes, he saw Angelus in a new light. Smiling, William walked towards Angelus and hugged him. Angelus grimaced, but hugged William back.

"Enough, Will." The older man said, pushing William away. William only nodded and released his Sire from the impulsive embrace. Angelus looked down at the smaller man and raised his hand to Williamıs cheek.

"So beautiful." He said softly, running his thumb over his boyıs high cheekbone. William closed his eyes and leaned instinctively into his sireıs hand. Licking his lips, the older vampire leaned in and pressed his lips to Williams. His tongue crept out and slipped lazily along the full lower lip of the lad. Williamıs lips parted and two tongues met, dancing a slow tender dance.

No kiss of theirs could ever be compared to that, Angelus being the dominant had always taken what he wanted, never before had he given such as this.

Angelus pulled back and watched as William stood still, eyes remaining shut.

"So very beautiful." He repeated softly. William opened his eyes, licking his lips, eager to taste any remnants of his sireıs masculine flavour.

"Dannielle!" The shout rang through the silence. Both men jumped to look where the sound had come from, their vampiric countenances prominent.

The pastor knelt beside the body, tears streaking his face.

Angelus grabbed William and ran back towards the crowded market place. Williamıs dead heart pumping the stolen blood through his body. Faster they ran through the uncrowded dimly lit streets. Angelusı hand gripped Williamıs tightly as he pulled the shorter man along.

The darkened laneway opened up into the brightly-lit market place. Bodies jostled together as the two men fought their way through the now crowded streets. Fear built in Angelusı throat. The last pastor had not gone down well.

Their feet thumped heavily on the ground as they ran closer and closer to the rented apartments. Needless breaths were taken as memories of the last time resurfaced in Angelusı mind.

**********

Cashel, Ireland, 1831

The air was cold and the night was silent. Silent but for the soft sounds of struggle coming from the corner of the small church. Angelus swallowed the blood of the priest. His mind racing with memories of the sin acted on by the man of the cloth.

Sin. Pure Sin. The vilest evil of all. Acted out in the face of god, yet hidden from sight. So many. Preachers, pastors, clergymen, monks. Men of the cloth. Men favoured in the eyes of our lord. Men with a taste for the forbidden.

Angelus dropped the body and stumbled to the statue of Mary. Her eyes looked down on him with a sad pity. Angelus stared up in awe at the statue. Heıd seen her statue before, but the blood and memories of his recent kill made the significance of her presence much more palatable. Angelus hunched forward with a choked off sob as the memories assaulted his senses.

//Hail, Mary, full of grace!//

//The boy stands before the priest, eyes wide and innocent. The priest moves forward, placing a hand on the boyıs shoulder, silently urging the boy to remove his robes. The boy looks up at the priest with adoration only given to a much-loved father figure. One more soul corrupted.//

//The Lord is with Thee. //

//The priest stands in front of a congregation. People crowd the pews, spilling forth into the aisles on either side of the church, and compacted into the back. The priest lets his eyes roam the gathering, silently appraising each and every female member. His eyes come to rest on a buxom blond. His eyes gaze upon the ample cleavage. The folds of his robe shift behind the dais. Sunday mass was rousing.//

//Blessed art Thou amongst women,//

//A woman stands in front of the priest, her bare back showing criss cross marks from the cane in his hand. A barrage of misogynistic insults flow from his mouth. The cane rains down again and again, desecrating the house of the lord with blood. Blood falls thick on the plush red carpet of the priestıs inner office, leaving macabre patterns. Our sins are punishable at the hands of god.//

//and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus.//

//The priest sits in the confessional. A pregnant woman is on the other side of the barrier weeping. She tells a story of a tawdry affair, a love that never should have been. The priest sits in the dark, making an occasional noise of disapproval. His hand drifts to his lap as her voice wafts to his ears in a melancholic song. His hand moves back and forth in the dark, gaining pleasure from the womanıs obvious pain. Itıs a fine line....//

// Holy, Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,//

//The priest kneels in front of the crucifix. Praying for his own corrupted soul. Daring to try and atone for his past discrepancies. Assuming that in the eyes of the lord his own sins are minute. He looks up at the form of Jesus hung on the cross. Our lord Jesus who died for our sins. Died so that the sinners could keep sinning.//

//now and at the hour of our death.//

//The priest stands at the side of the church. His breath catches in his throat. The man with the face of an angel laughs at him. Fear rushes through the priest. God has sent his death in the form of this man. And this man will show no mercy. Mercy is lost on they who have sinned.//

//Amen.//

//The man with the face of an angel sucks the life force from his body. He feels the flow and ebb of his being. He flails his arms, vainly struggling against the man who holds his life in his angelic hands. The priest tries to grab onto anything to keep him in the mortal realm, but soon his struggles slow and cease. His arms fall limply to the ground, and it all goes black. Even in death sinners are sinners.//

Angelus raised his head back to the representation of Mary. Her eyes seemed to glow. He stared in awe at the luminescence emanating from the sad eyes of the Lord's Mother. Angelus tilted his head to the side as he watched her eyes glisten. A silver-white glow began to flow out from behind her. The sound of a choir divine filled his ears. The glow in the Virgin Maryıs eyes grew. Angelus stumbled backwards, falling back on his hands as he stared up at the holy object.

A bright light shot from the statues eyes straight at Angelusı chest. The statue turned towards Angelus and looked down upon him, eyes no longer sad and piteous.

"Thou darest to stand in the house of the lord, demon?" The idol said lips barely moving.

Angelus let a choked off sob out as the blinding light from the statue's eyes seared into his chest.

"The divine right of thine death hath been placed upon me." The stone figure continued. Angelus stared up in horror at the statue.

"No!" He gasped out hoarsely.

The likeness of Mary looked down at the pained vampire with hard eyes.

"There is no question, your existence is an affront to the Lord. Your death is my responsibility. However, there is still purpose in this *un*life for you yet."

Angelusı mouth formed a perfect ŒOı as the searing pain of complete and utter purity burned his flesh from the inside out. The unearthly being watched on with a look of disinterest on its face.

"You shall be set free on this day. But, demon, you are bound to something much greater than you could ever comprehend."

Angelusı eyes began to roll back in his head, as the pain became unbearable.

"Leave here now, creature of darkness. Destiny awaits." The statue said, before the changes began.

The bright light rushed back into the statue and the glow dissipated. The choir softened til naught was left but silence. Angelus, gasping for unneeded air, stared at the statue.

He tried to stand, but to no avail. Slowly he dragged himself, hand over hand, out of the church, swearing that he would never again eat of the priesthood.

Their families on the other hand....

**********

Angelus and Williamıs feet thumped a heavy, irregular beat on the cobblestones as they reached the rented apartments. Fear rose in Angelusı throat as the memory of the statue's ominous words resurged in his mind.

Angelus grabbed William by the scruff of the neck and dragged him bodily up the stairs. He threw the boy into the room and slammed the doors shut behind him. Angelus began frantically locking all the doors and windows.

William watched in terrified silence.

He huddled close to the wall as Angelus ran past him to shut the curtains. Williamıs thoughts were a maelstrom of emotions.

Anger.

Pity.

Fear.

Mostly fear.

William looked up to the door opposite him to see Penn tentatively poke his head out. The question was obvious in the older vampires eyes. Yet William could only stare at him, fear rendering him silent.

Penn crept out of the room and knelt behind William. The brotherly relationship they held serving as comfort as their mentorıs fear became their own. Penn rested his head on Williamıs shoulder and snaked his arm around the younger mans waist. William relaxed slightly in Pennıs tight embrace, knowing that his fear was mirrored in the older vampire.

Something crashed in the drawing room, causing both men to jump. Penn stood up and held his hand out to William. The younger vampire took it and grasped it tightly as he followed Penn to the source of the sound.

Their jaws dropped with an audible 'thunk' as they entered.

Angelus was curled up amidst the wreckage that once was a beautifully carved divan. Rocking back and forth, his voice wavered, as he repeated softly, "Not again. Not again. Not again."

William squeezed Pennıs hand tighter.

"A-A-Angelus?" William asked softly, trying not to let the fear in him become evident in his voice.

Angelus looked up and reached for his youngest childe. William let go of Pennıs hand and knelt at Angelusı side.

Jealousy flared in Pennıs eyes, but was quickly stifled by the look of complete and utter fear displayed in Angelusı eyes.

Angelus held his other hand out to his eldest. Penn rushed to Angelusı other side, casting a furtive glance at William as he knelt.

The shaking vampire wrapped his arms around his childer and buried his face between them.

"D-D-Donıt let them come, boys. Please. They canıt. Not yet." Angelus stuttered fearfully. Silent tears spilled down Angelusı face, the irrational fear surfacing and clouding everything in his mind but his boys. His nails dug into William and Pennıs flesh as he grasped onto his last threads of sanity.

Despite their fear, the younger vampires did their best to soothe their terrified Sire. Their hands rubbed at Angelusı back, anxiety rising at the compromising position their sire had put himself in. Penn looked worriedly at William. Their faces mere inches apart. Hands rubbed soothingly as Angelus whimpered. Slowly William moved in front of Angelus and lifted his head.

"Angelus." The young man said, hoping he sounded courageous. "Angelus. You need to tell us what's wrong. We can't help you if we don't know."

Angelus' eyes darted between Penn and William. Breaths needlessly caught in their throats as they waited fir Angelus to speak. Angelus moved out of Penn's hold and took his boys hands in his own.

"It-...It all began when I was mortal.." Angelus said, his demon blanching at the long repressed memories of mortality. "My father...He-...he was a righteous man, He went to mass every Sunday. Confession every Tuesday. Father Dougal would come around for dinner every second Thursday. It's needless to say that he was the perfect picture of a religious man. I despised my father. He loved his religion more than he loved me."

Angelus paused, staring at the polished wood floor in front of him. William squeezed his hand. "Go on." The smallest of the trio said gently. Angelus cleared his throat and looked back up at William's face.

"Inside of me grew a hatred for religion. Catholic. Protestant. Anglican. All of these. And the hatred was magnified after my death. I began killing off members of the priesthood at every turn. I left town after town bereft of 'moral guidance'. In my wake I left nothing but despair. Until Darla and myself stopped in Cashel. I-I...I fed off a priest in a church." Angelus stopped again and looked into the wide eyes of William. His voice dropped to a whisper as he continued.

"A higher being spoke to me, Will. It wanted to kill me. It looked at me and it was so-...so pure. It burned, Will. Oh Christ how it burned." Angelus fell forward and sobbed into William's chest. William wrapped his arms around Angelus and did his best to comfort his weeping Sire.

Neither of them noticed a dejected Penn leave the room.

Angelus wrapped his arms around William's lean frame and tried his best to fit his larger, bulky form into William's lap. William cooed reassuringly into Angelus' ear, for it was all he could do.

Penn returned to the room and knelt beside his sire and his sire's favoured, waiting for Angelus to calm. William stared at Penn, trying to convey his worry with his eyes. Penn simply shut his eyes and nodded.

Slowly Angelus' sobs began to subside. He wearily lifted his head to look at William. His favoured boy with chestnut hair smiled softly and placed a gentle kiss to Angelus' forehead.

Penn cleared his throat quietly to get his Sire's attention. Angelus looked up at William; eyes alight with unshed tears.

"Thank-you." He whispered hoarsely, before turning his head to look at Penn, not once letting William from his grasp.

"You asked that I bring you a gift from the body, Sire." Penn stated, reaching into the pocket of his tan breaches. From the pocket he drew out a small chain with a glittering medallion hanging from it. He held the charm up to the light for Angelus to see. Flat silver and intricately crafted, it was the shape of the sun, and yet at the same time was not. Three circles were present on the charm surrounded by intricate silver flames.

"It was around the lads neck. In my studies I have read about this symbol. It pertains to Bardic Philosophy. The three circles you see each represent something." Penn began. Angelus reached a hand out to take the charm for closer inspection.

"The innermost circle is called 'Abred' and represents the struggle and evolution of humanity. The next is the circle of 'Gwynford' which represents purity-" Angelus flinched, but motioned for Penn to continue. "The last and outermost circle is called 'Ceugant' and represents infinity." Penn paused and drew in a deep, unnecessary breath.

"They are called the circles of being, and I believe this holds true. For humanity and purity are the innermost circles, they were with us once, and may always be a part of us. But now we are infinite. Infinity surrounds humanity and purity, we will always be there, even as their struggles continue. In the end we, as the infinite, will encompass all."

Angelus turned the amulet over in his fingers, gazing at the beauty his eldest had enlightened him on. Carefully he extracted himself from William and drew Penn into a tight embrace.

"Thank-you, my boy. Your words are true spoken. And in my darkest hour, your insight has helped light the way." Angelus placed a hard kiss on Penn's temple. William watched the scene silently as tears glistened in his eyes.

In mere hours his unlife had made a tremendous change. The blood from the pastor's daughter had given him the ability to love, to accept joy, to feel. He had witnessed his Sire go from the strong, reliant mentor he was used to seeing, to the frightened boy he had just beheld. Somehow it made him feel stronger, more able to cope. For if a mighty man such as Angelus were able to feel fear, wouldn't it also be fair to assume that he could also feel love.

William felt his heart tighten. He loved Angelus; he knew that to be true. But now, finally, it may also be possible that Angelus could love him back.

The boy with the chestnut hair smiled. They had made it through. And he knew...Love can triumph over fear, even in hour darkest hours.

~Fin~