Backbeat, the word is on the street
That the fire in your heart is out
I'm sure you've heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now

Riley and Angel regarded each other in the doorway, equally surprised. Riley looked away first.

"Riley, I'm sorry," Angel began as Riley simultaneously said, "I left you a note..." They both trailed off. Finally Angel broke the silence: "You don't have to leave."

"I think it would be best," Riley said quietly.

"Where are you going to go?" Angel asked, afraid to dwell on the reason why Riley was going at all. Riley smiled and shrugged, looking past Angel out to the street. For a moment doubt seized Angel. Could he have been wrong about what he saw in Riley earlier? But something in the way that Riley would not meet his gaze told him he wasn't wrong. "Stay," he said simply.

Now Riley looked at him. "Why?"

"Because I want you to."

Riley's eyes slid away again as he set down his bag. He glanced at Angel, then turned his head, offering his bare throat to Angel. Angel stepped in close.

"No, Riley. That's not what I want." He reached for Riley's face. Riley's stomach knotted at the touch. He met Angel's gaze, and they stood looking into each other's eyes for a long moment. Then Angel leaned in and kissed him. At first Riley could only stand there. And then he was in Angel's arms, returning the kiss passionately with his entire body, open-mouthed against Angel, tongues dancing in that first awkward exploration and then finding a harmonious rhythm. Riley's hands were everywhere, caressing Angel's face and hair and the back of his neck, reaching lower to wind his arms around Angel. Angel pulled Riley to him completely, felt Riley already hard against him, sighed deeply into the kiss. Riley felt the kiss might leave him literally breathless, but not for anything would he move from it, the kiss going on and on as if it were the end of the world.

Angel was the one who finally broke the kiss, as he felt Riley trying to unzip his jeans. ~Why are the young ones always so impatient?~ he wondered in amusement. He pulled back and took Riley's hands in his own.

"Hey, slow down," he said gently with a smile. He picked up Riley's bag. "Let's get you settled in first." Riley followed him to his room, standing just inside the doorway and feeling relieved that he'd changed the sheets before packing. Angel set the bag down and then sat on the edge of Riley's bed. Riley went over and stood before him. Angel fell back onto the bed, pulling Riley down on top of him. Riley shifted to the side slightly, swinging his leg between Angel's, rubbing against him as they kissed. Angel rolled Riley onto his back without breaking the kiss, pulling Riley's shirt up so he could run his palm along the taut and oh-so-warm skin of Riley's stomach, sending shivers of ecstasy from his cool touch rippling through Riley's body. He began to trail kisses along Riley's jawline and down his throat, brushing Riley's nipples with his thumb, caressing his chest and abdomen, delighting in Riley's responsive moans, Riley going under his shirt, the contrast his warm hand on Angel's cold smooth back soothing and arousing. Angel reached down, unbuttoned Riley's jeans and just started to unzip them, when he felt Riley come. Riley turned his face to Angel's and apologized with that shy, beautiful smile.

"No worries," Angel whispered, kissing him, massaging the cum into Riley's stomach, his fingers lightly brushing the cockhead. Riley arched to maintain maximum contact. Angel felt his own cock hard and ready to erupt, he was that turned on just by how much he had Riley turned on. Nuzzling his ear, Angel thought ~o dia, I want you, Riley, I want to fuck you so badly...~

"Then why don't you?" Riley asked softly. Angel stopped, propping himself up with one hand while the other rested on Riley's stomach.

"I didn't mean to say that out loud."

"So you don't want to?" Riley questioned with a smile.

"Oh no, I want to..." Angel returned the smile.

"Okay."

"Are you sure?" Angel asked. Riley nodded. "Okay then." Angel bent down and kissed him before getting off the bed. "Hold on."

Angel went into Riley's bathroom, but of course Riley had cleaned it out when he packed. Angel stuck his head into the bedroom and lost his concentration for a moment as Riley pulled off his shirt.

"I don't suppose you have anything in there?" he asked hopefully, returning to the matter at hand and indicating Riley's duffel bag.

"Like condoms, you mean?"

"No, like a lubricant of some sort."

Riley actually blushed as he shook his head. "Oh. No."

"OK, I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

Riley smiled as Angel disappeared again. Where did Angel think he would go?

Angel dashed to his own bathroom and made a quick but thorough search which turned up nothing. In a moment of desperation, he next tried the kitchen, rifling through the refrigerator and every cupboard, tossing cans and boxes and loose food items everywhere. He stood in the middle of the room with a stick of butter in one hand, regarding it pessimistically. It was something, but - he whacked it on the counter with a loud slap - not room temperature. And hardly ideal, anyhow. ~Come on, Angel, think. Think.~ Suddenly he recalled a "conversation" between his former employees, in which Wesley insisted that Cordelia not clutter up the office with her toiletries and Cordy had replied that if she was going to be handling paper all day she needed her hand-lotion in easy reach... So Angel practically ran to the office, praying that Cordelia had been so shocked at being fired that she hadn't had time to clean out her things.

When he got back to the bedroom with the lotion, Riley wasn't there. Angel's heart sank at the thought that Riley had reconsidered, had even left. But then he heard movement in the bathroom. He knocked on the closed door and called Riley's name. Clad only in a towel, Riley opened the door. His damp hair was sticking up at odd angles, and Angel couldn't help but reach up and smooth it down.

"Sorry I took so long."

"That's okay. I just," Riley glanced over his shoulder at the shower. "I just wanted to, um, be nice and, clean, for you." He tilted his head to the side and rolled his eyes in self-deprecation, feeling silly for having done it and like even more of a dork for having actually said it.

"But you're just going to get dirty again," Angel whispered as he stepped in close. He nibbled his ear as he pulled Riley against him. Riley relaxed into the embrace, winding his fingers into Angel's hair and twisting to kiss him on the mouth. Angel felt his erection fully revived as Riley pressed against him.

"If we don't go back in there," Angel told him, "I'm going to have to bend you over the sink and take you here." Riley kissed him again but as he started back to the bedroom, he felt Angel give a little tug on the towel: "I don't think you'll need this."

Slowly Riley unwrapped it and let it fall to the floor. He was acutely aware that he was completely naked whereas Angel was fully-clothed, but the way Angel was looking at him, he didn't feel embarrassed as he'd expected to. He hooked his fingers in Angel's belt loops and tugged him forward. "I like your style, Angel," he said, "but I think you're a little over-dressed for this occasion." He kissed Angel, sliding his hands under Angel's shirt and pulling it off over Angel's head. Then he undid Angel's jeans, his own cock jumping as his fingers brushed Angel's, and he knelt to pull the jeans all the way down. Angel stepped out of them obligingly, and then they were standing before each other, wearing nothing but a couple of grins. Angel kissed Riley and took him by the hand back to the bedroom.

Riley flopped onto the bed. Angel sat next to him and asked, "Have you ever done this before? With another guy?"

"No."

Angel slid down next to him, kissing him as he took Riley's hand and moved it to his own cock. He only allowed himself the slightest of movements as Riley began to fondle him.

"Are you nervous?"

Riley increased the pressure of his strokes. "No," he said, kissing Angel.

Angel felt the intensity building and twisted away, turning Riley over onto his stomach. He slipped one of the pillows under Riley's pelvis for support. Then he kissed the back of Riley's neck and all the way down his spine, Riley quivering beneath his lips. Riley bucked when Angel slipped his tongue between the boy's buttocks, but he relaxed into it as Angel began rimming him, moaning appreciatively. Angel stopped when he felt Riley shift to reach for himself, not wanting him to get too aroused too soon. This was it.

"I won't lie to you, Riley," Angel told him. "It's probably going to hurt at first. But if you can get through the initial pain, it'll start to feel good."

"Okay," Riley said agreeably. Angel rubbed his index finger lightly against Riley's lips, and obediently Riley flicked his tongue out to lick the finger before closing his mouth over it. Satisfied with the saliva coating, Angel carefully inserted the finger into Riley's rectum. Riley jumped but accepted the finger. Angel slid his finger in and out until Riley was accustomed to it. Then he withdrew the finger and coated his index and middle fingers with the lotion before fitting them both in Riley's ass. Angel took it slow, sliding his fingers first to the second knuckle, then all the way to the third, in and out until he felt Riley pick up a rhythm, pushing into the strokes and starting to breathe heavily.

Riley nodded when Angel asked him if he was ready, so Angel slathered the lotion on his cock liberally. He kissed Riley, then knelt between his legs and pressed the head of his cock between Riley's buttocks before starting to push in. When he was all the way in, Angel paused to ask Riley if he was okay. Riley nodded again, but he was clearly feeling the pain. He held himself very still as Angel took a couple of strokes. Angel told him it was okay to move around, and Riley shifted a little as he took a couple more strokes.

"Angel?"

Angel paused again. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No, but... could you," Riley was hesitant. "Do you think we could do it so I can see you? I mean, I think looking at you would help me relax."

"Here," Angel said, pulling out and helping Riley turn onto his back. He bent Riley's knees to his chest, repositioned himself, and pushed in. "Is this better?" he asked as he started again.

Riley nodded, keeping his eyes on Angel's face. At first it was a sensation of relief when Angel was on the upstroke, pulling out of him. But gradually that relief was replaced by pleasure when Angel was all the way in, the head of his cock stroking Riley's prostate. And that spilled over into pleasure from the whole movement. Then Angel reached down to play with his cock, and Riley began to rock to a rhythm.

Angel kept a slow, steady pace at first. As soon as Riley's shifting changed to pleasurable wriggling, Angel started to really pump him with both his cock and his hand, thrusting solidly, desperately, to the rhythm he let Riley set. He held himself back as he felt Riley getting close, writhing ecstatically beneath him and crying out Angel's name. Only when Riley came did Angel give in to his own orgasm with a final plunge deep inside him. When he pulled out, Angel noticed a little blood on his cock and winced inwardly. He didn't think he'd been that rough. Lying back next to Riley, he smoothed back the boy's wet hair from a forehead damp with sweat.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "Was that okay?"

Blissed out, Riley smiled and kissed Angel ardently. "Words fail," he murmured contentedly as he turned onto his other side. Angel spooned with him, his arm around Riley's waist, as Riley fell asleep.

+++

Riley awakened the next evening, alone in his bed. He didn't know what he'd expected. He was sore enough to know the night before had not been a dream. But was it a pity fuck, just to get him to stay? He hardly dared to hope it was more.

When he turned on the light, he saw unfamiliar clothes laid out for him. Leather pants, a black stretch-fit shirt. At least his boots were still his own, and he was just tying the laces when Angel came to his door. Riley stood, looked down at himself, then up at Angel.

"I feel ridiculous."

"But you *look* mahvelous, dahling," Angel said with a grin. He crossed into the room and kissed Riley warmly. "Everyone's going to be so jealous of me."

"Everyone who?"

"I thought we could go out tonight," Angel said, watching carefully for Riley's response. He didn't mention the karaoke part right away. He knew Riley didn't like going outside much anyhow and didn't want to inadvertently dissuade him. He just thought a night on the town would do them both good. Although he looked a little apprehensive, Riley agreed.

A short time later, they walked into Caritas, L.A.'s finest demon karaoke bar. ~So the rumors about a human and Angel were true! Interesting,~ the Host thought, watching them together. Riley sat at a table against the wall while Angel went to the bar to order drinks.

"I haven't seen you in awhile, Angel."

Ever-forthcoming, Angel replied, "Yeah, I know."

"Your friends came in asking about you. They were worried."

"You can tell them not to worry anymore."

"Why don't you tell them yourself?" the host suggested pointedly. Angel met his gaze with a noncommittal noise, took his drinks and went over to his table.

A few drinks later, as they were laughing and having fun, Angel decided Riley should go up and sing. Riley refused point-blank. Angel even tried tempting him with a duet of "I Got You, Babe." Riley refused again, but Angel felt he was wearing him down and leaned in, openly flirtatious and physical with Riley, not caring who saw or what they thought. But then Riley shied away, the smile fading from his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Angel asked.

"Yeah," Riley said, getting the smile back on his lips. He was still leaning back from the table.

"Am I embarrassing you?" Angel asked sincerely, without judgement. "Are you ashamed?"

Riley seemed surprised. "No, of course not!" But he couldn't keep his eyes from sliding towards the bar. Angel followed his gaze and saw a vampire with slicked-back brown hair in a New Order t-shirt quickly turn away as if he hadn't been looking in their direction.

"What was that about?" Angel asked.

"Nothing," Riley replied with a smile.

"Do you know him?"

"Who?"

"That vampire who was just staring at you."

Riley barely glanced at the bar. "No." He downed his drink. "Do you want to get out of here?"

Angel knew Riley was lying, but he didn't know why. Then he noticed that Riley had taken his hand off the table and was hiding his wrist, pulling at the sleeve to cover it.

"Was that one of them?" he asked quietly. Riley became visibly nervous.

"No. What does it matter? Can we just go?"

"It matters to me," Angel said, standing up. He went over to the young-looking vampire, whom he knew was really around a hundred, and greeted him by name.

Jamie looked over and acknowledged him calmly. "Angelus."

"It's Angel now."

"Well. Angel. Good to see you." Jamie turned back to his drink dismissively. But Angel wasn't through.

"Why don't we go outside?"

"I'm fine here," Jamie said looking straight ahead.

"I'm not asking." He pulled Jamie off the stool backwards by his collar.

"This is a safe haven, Angel," the bartender reminded him.

"We're just going to talk," Angel promised.

With a firm grip, he escorted Jamie outside and threw him down. Jamie righted himself.

"Stay away from Riley," Angel warned calmly.

"Who?"

"I saw you looking at him."

"Look, Angelus - Angel," Jamie corrected himself. "You got no worries. I don't want anything with him."

Angel stepped in close. "Leave him alone. I know what you did to him."

Trapped against the wall with the other vampire staring at him, Jamie became alarmed. "I didn't do anything to him!"

"You fed from him. You left marks on his wrist." Angel's voice was ice cold.

"But I stopped as soon as I realized he was yours!" Jamie protested. "I didn't know! How was I supposed to know?" He shrank back as Angel moved in even closer, looming over him.

"From now on, assume they're all mine." Jamie nodded to acknowledge his understanding and acceptance of the terms: This town isn't big enough for the two of us. Got it. No problem. But Angel didn't move away. He just stared at Jamie, boring a hole through Jamie's skull with his eyes. Jamie squirmed a little but couldn't really move. The moment got longer and longer, and the only thing that penetrated the fear clutching Jamie's senses was the relief that he didn't have to breathe. Small consolation.

Then someone called Angel's name. He turned and they could both see Riley standing uncomfortably in the doorway. "I just wanted to let you know I'm going home now."

Angel released Jamie, who remained frozen to the spot. "No," Angel said, taking Riley's hand. "*We're* going home."

Even after they left, it was a long moment before Jamie could move from where his trembling legs barely held him up.

+++

When they returned to the hotel, all rage had subsided from Angel's body and he just wanted to make Riley feel better. At first Riley was responsive to Angel's kisses and physical ministrations, but when Angel unbuttoned Riley's shirt, Riley squirmed away. When Angel asked him what was wrong, he said he was just self-conscious.

"About what?" Angel asked playfully. "I've already seen you naked."

"No, I know," Riley said. "It's just... it's just stupid. Never mind."

Angel moved closer to Riley. "Is it about this?" he asked, pushing up a sleeve to rest his fingers on the scarred wrist. Riley jerked his arm away and made an ambiguous sound. "Tell me, Riley. You can tell me."

Riley shifted uncomfortably. "It's just that, when I see these," he flashed his arm, "or when I touch them, or when you touch them, I remember the." He stopped, searching for the word he wanted. "The ones, who did them, who did each one of these." They were both quiet for a moment, neither knowing how to continue. Riley shook his head in embarrassment and started to button his shirt, but Angel stopped him, kissing him as he undressed Riley.

"It's okay now," Angel said, bending his head and softly kissing the scars on Riley's wrist. "Because now this one is mine. And so is this one." He pressed his lips gently to the next set. As he made his way up Riley's arms taking "ownership" of each scar, Angel's butterfly kisses turned from merely tender to tenderly passionate, so that by the time he was tonguing the puncture marks on Riley's throat, Riley was beyond relaxed to fully aroused, murmuring Angel's name, supplicating, begging to be fucked. And Angel was more than happy to oblige.

Standing in the shadows outside the hotel, the figure watching through the window smiled darkly.

*****
Part 5:

Angel had to close his eyes when he fucked Riley. Riley was always so responsive, always wanting Angel - and Angel loved it, not just the physical pleasure; Angel loved the way he made Riley feel and the way Riley made him feel. He loved it so much, he was afraid he might love it a little too much. He was afraid that one time the rapturous joy on Riley's face would push him over the edge, into a moment of horrifyingly pure happiness. And so he couldn't look at Riley when they made love. He was afraid his soul couldn't stand it.

For although he'd been wavering, Angel found he really did want his soul. When he went out at night, he still wandered - but now he stopped to help any troubled person he might come across, went to fight any demons he might hear about. He was alone on these ventures because he wasn't ready to call the others back yet, and he couldn't get Riley to come out with him. But it was okay because Riley was always there when he came home.

+++

Then something else started to worry him. Something having nothing to do with Angelus. It was like Riley was trying to hide something. At first he thought it was the addiction, that Riley wasn't really over it. Maybe it wasn't that Riley didn't like going out; maybe Riley waited for him to go on patrol and then slipped away to get himself sucked.... Angel didn't want to jeopardize the trust they had built, couldn't think of how to ask without sounding like an accusation. So instead he scrutinized Riley's body thoroughly by touch when they were together, and he knew there were no new or reopened wounds. So if Riley was jonesing, he wasn't giving into it. Yet there was *something*.

+++

Touch my skin and tell me what you're thinking
Take my hand and show me where we're going
Lie down next to me, look into my eyes
And tell me, oh tell me what you're seeing
So sit on top of the world
And tell me how you're feeling
What you feel now is what I feel for you

One evening as they sat on the sofa channel surfing, Angel finally mustered the nerve to ask. "Is something wrong, Riley?"

Riley looked at him, eyebrows raised. "No." He kept clicking the remote control.

"Let me rephrase that. What's wrong, Riley?"

"Nothing." Riley turned his attention back to the television. Angel took the remote out of his hand and turned the t.v. off.

"Something's bothering you."

"No."

As Riley reached across him for the remote, Angel leaned over and kissed him, softly at first, letting his tongue tease Riley's lips, slipping between them into Riley's warm mouth, until Riley relaxed and began to kiss him back. Finally, Angel pulled back and looked into Riley's eyes.

"Talk to me, Riley. There's nothing you can't say to me." Riley started to shake his head, but Angel touched the back of his fingers to Riley's cheek. "Nothing can be that bad."

Riley looked away from him. "It's stupid."

"Not if it's bothering you. It's okay. Nothing you can say will change how I feel about you," Angel assured him.

Instead of being reassured, Riley seemed to crumble. Angel felt ill, a sudden and inarticulate dread seizing him. He steeled himself for whatever Riley was going to say.

Then Riley swallowed and turned to Angel. "Do you think about Buffy when you're fucking me?"

This was so *not* what Angel was expecting, he could do nothing but look at Riley dumbly.

Riley turned away again. "That's what I thought."

Angel was almost nauseous as his mind was thrown into disorder. First, just the mention of Buffy's name caused his stomach to turn over. Memories of her, of being with her - of what he'd become with her, the way he'd lost himself - assaulted him. Then there was the panic that Riley was going to leave, and he might lose himself again. Or that Riley would stay, and he'd lose himself anyhow....

"No!" Angel finally found his voice. "Riley, look at me." Riley turned back to him, emotionless. "Why would you ask that? Why would you even think that?"

Riley shrugged. "She'd pretend I was you, so," he shrugged again, "I just figured maybe you did the same. That's why you don't like to look at me."

The words tore through him. He'd been a fool to think Riley hadn't noticed. ~Oh, Riley, I *love* to look at you.~ Angel fought the dread in his thoughts to focus on what Riley had said. Deal with the concrete problem, stave off the abstract. He did not for a moment believe that Buffy fantasized about him when she was with Riley. Why would she? But Riley had fixed his mind on the idea and wasn't about to let go. And anyhow, that wasn't what really mattered right now.

"I only think about *you* when I'm with you, Riley."

"Okay," Riley said. "Can I have the remote?"

Angel pushed Riley back gently, swinging his leg over to straddle him. Riley shifted and tried to push him off, but Angel was too strong.

"I'm looking at you now."

Riley sighed loudly, looking down as he let his hands fall back to his lap. "That's not," he started to mutter under his breath, but didn't finish the sentence.

"I know that's not what you meant." Angel leaned in, but though Riley closed his eyes and accepted his kiss, he didn't return it. When Angel sat back, Riley didn't move. Without Riley's gaze upon him, Angel studied his face. Was this what Angel had really wanted? Sex with a joyless Riley? ~Take a risk. You can control yourself. You *can*.~

"Hazel," he said softly.

Riley still didn't look at him, but at last he spoke. "What?"

"Your eyes are hazel. They change color sometimes, like when you're turned on the blue takes over and gets darker. At first I thought it was a trick of the light, but it's a physical phenomenon."

After a moment, Riley looked at him. Light brown dominating, flecks of green, blue, grey around the iris.

"Your body is hard and soft. Every time you move, every time you take a breath, the firm muscles in your arms and chest and stomach ripple under your skin, as silken to my eyes as it is to my fingers," Angel continued in a low voice. He pressed his lips to Riley's lightly. "And sometimes your nipples get hard just from anticipation." He pulled Riley's shirt off over his head, let it drop behind the sofa. "See?" he said with a slight smile, brushing one erect nipple with his fingertips before bending to take the other between his teeth, flicking his tongue over it. His mouth on Riley, Angel braced himself on the sofa as he lifted himself off Riley's lap and swung one leg over to part Riley's legs with his knee. As Angel slid onto the floor, kneeling between Riley's legs, he began to kiss and lick his way down Riley's body, his cool tongue leaving a wet trail along the warm smooth skin of Riley's chest and abdomen, down to the waistband of his jeans. Resting his hands on Riley's thighs, he looked up at the eyes watching him, blue inflected violet. Lips parted slightly, Riley didn't speak.

Angel's fingers rested on the waistband before skimming along the seam of the fly, the heel of his hand coming to rest at the crotch of the jeans as his hands slid to cup the bulge to the left. Riley's hands gripped the cushion on either side of him. Eyes locked with Riley's, Angel gently squeezed and was rewarded by Riley's sharp intake of breath, his cock hardening under Angel's touch.

"And your cock has this vein along the underside," through the denim Angel began rubbing the length of it slowly with his middle finger, "that Buffy's doesn't have."

On the brink of becoming fully aroused in spite of his resolve, Riley was startled. His brow furrowed in confusion. But Angel just smiled and pressed the heel of his hand against Riley's crotch.

"And your balls are way less hairy than Buffy's." He kept smiling.

Riley tilted his head. "Angel - are you, making a joke?" Raising his eyebrows and still smiling, Angel nodded once. Riley chewed his lower lip before returning the smile. "Well, I told you it was stupid...."

"No," Angel said without breaking eye contact. "Nothing about you is 'stupid.'" Keeping his gaze on Riley's face, Angel slowly undid the boy's jeans and took him out. Then he bent his head to kiss the tip. He moved down to mouth Riley's balls, then licked tantalizingly up the shaft. He paused only long enough to pull Riley's jeans and boxers off entirely. As he flicked his tongue over the head, teasing the slit and tasting Riley's precum, Angel felt Riley's fingers wind through his hair, urging him on wordlessly. He closed his lips over the head and began suckling, bobbing up and down, one hand wrapped around the base while his other rested on Riley's hip.

Angel had never taken him in his mouth and Riley had never asked him to, but he'd certainly fantasized about it. And oh how sweet the reality was! Exquisite sensations radiated from the cool mouth on his fiery cock and flowed through him, his hips thrusting, his hand on the back of Angel's head urging him on. Even as the physical tension built in his cock and spread throughout his body, Riley felt his heart ease. Then Angel plunged all the way down, deep-throating him. Being inside Angel like this almost felt like love. In the moment he came, crying Angel's name, Riley thought it was close enough.

+++

From her vantage point in the building across the way, Darla leaned back from her observation and licked her lips.

Things were going well for her. She and Drusilla had Lindsey to replace the impotent Spike, and if she could just get Angelus back.... It had been very promising that he hadn't interfered with her plans for Wolfram & Hart, so she'd gone to gage the situation. She'd been watching Angel for weeks now.

First he had sent his human friends away. She hadn't wanted to push things just then, preferring to wait and bide her time - let Angelus come to her. Then he'd brought someone home one night. A human at death's door. Darla had felt sure Angel was going to make himself a new companion. When one of Angel's stupid humans came back, Angel turned her away and Darla had become more confident of Angelus' imminent return. But the boy he'd taken in lived on. Darla couldn't figure out what Angel was waiting for. Then the Slayer showed up, only to get the same treatment as the other human girl. Before the night was out and much to her surprise, Spike had shown up. What the hell was going on? Angel talked to him longer than he had to the human girls, which was promising, but explained nothing. So when Spike was turned away, Darla had followed and confronted him.

"William," she called, stepping out of the shadows behind him. He turned at once, gave her a quick up and down with a wolfish grin.

"You're looking well, Darla."

She smiled an acknowledgement - she knew she looked as damn good as she felt! "What's going on with Angelus?"

Spike snorted. "Angel, you mean." He squinted at her. "What's it worth to you?"

So in exchange for a taste of her blood, Spike told her what he knew about the boy - that he was the Slayer's ex-boyfriend, that he'd been part of the group responsible for neutering Spike but had helped disband that group, that he had developed a suckjob addiction and fled to L.A., and she knew as much as Spike did about the rest.

But everything she learned only confused the situation. She had decided to risk getting closer, to see if she could learn anything by spying into the hotel.

Now, as she watched Angel going down on the boy, she smiled. Oh yes, Angel had taken a new companion, indeed. She was certain she could use him or go through him to get Angelus back. As she looked at Riley in the throes of passion, she decided he was really quite attractive. Perhaps if she couldn't have Angelus back, she'd take this boy instead.

*****