Broken Circles

By Larilyn

Larilyn1@hotmail.com

www.geocities.com/larilyn1975

Rating: R

Disclaimer: Buffy et al belong to Joss and ME. "I Know" written by Anna-Lynne Williams. No copyright infringement intended.

Summary: AU. What if Angel had never been cursed with a soul? How would that change Spike?

This takes place during the fifth season of B:tVS. Things in Sunnydale are very different without Angel & Spike’s interference. Answer to a challenge on Buffy/Spike diaries.

"Don't you get tired of fights you know you're gonna win?"

Spike to Angelus, Fool for Love

Broken Circles

by Larilyn

"Drusilla?" Angelus and his companion entered the alley way of the dark London street.

"Daddy? When will my playmate rise?" Angelus’s dark princess was dancing in wild circles around a bookish young man laying very still on the ground.

Angelus regarded the young man collapsed at Drusilla’s feet. "Dru? Did you remember to feed him?"

"Oh, my boy needs to be fed." She sang out, still twisting and swaying in her demented dance.

Darla commented harshly, "Its probably too late…"

Angelus quickly examined Dru’s prize. "No, I believe there is still time to turn him. It’s just… are you sure about him, Dru? He’s kind of scrawny."

"Oh yes, he is my boy."

Angelus sliced his wrist open and pressed it at the Englishman’s mouth. "Drink boy," he commanded.

***

"Welcome to Sunnydale," proclaimed Angelus as he pulled the black convertible up to the abandoned mansion. Loose stones were heaped on the garden floor and vines threatened to pull more loose from the structure as they wound their way toward the sky. "I must say, Dru, the lodgings are quite lovely. Shall we ladies?"

Angelus leaped out of the car. He strode like a bear across the grounds. His chestnut hair looked nearly black in the moonlight, making his skin seem even paler. Under his prominent brow his eyes twinkled mischievously and a sly smile played across his lush lips.

Dru was at his heels and she soon began spinning around like a child intent on making herself dizzy. Drusilla was enchanting tonight. She had left her black curls loose around her face and they bounced as if they had a life of their own as she spun around and around.

The flaxen-haired beauty in the passenger seat turned to look at the lean male sitting behind the driver’s seat whose eyes were fixed upon Dru. "We’ll have none of your nonsense this time, Spike."

"Don’t see why you give a damn, Darla," the vampire answered with his thick British accent.

"I mean it, Spike. This is your last chance. Angelus is at his wits end with you." Darla tossed her hair as she gracefully stepped out of the car. Even though it was late in the twentieth century, Darla still had the refinement and elegance of a lady of an earlier day.

"Poor baby," Spike mumbled as he climbed out of the convertible and lit a cigarette. It was a ridiculous car, really. All of Angelus’s talk about blending in and he buys this monstrosity. The car practically screamed, ‘notice me.’

Darla and Spike followed their companions inside and Spike watched as Angelus and Dru danced around the mansion. "Tell me it doesn’t bother you." He challenged Darla as they watched their lovers grope each other, Angelus’s tongue snaking out and capturing Dru’s earlobe in his mouth.

"He always comes back to me," Darla said with confidence. "But if you ever get lonely…"

She insinuated herself into Spike’s space and draped herself around him. Spike shrugged her hand off his arm and snapped, "Not in this un-lifetime, luv."

He stalked away from Darla and pulled Dru off of their sire, "C’mon, pet, lets go explore."

"Do you like our home, pretty Spike? I saw it in my vision." She warbled in her cockney accent as she bobbled away from the dark man that had sired her.

"Bleeding beautiful." Spike commented as he towed her away.

Angelus returned to Darla’s side and she wrapped herself around him. "Hello beautiful," she proclaimed as she met his kiss.

***

Spike was enjoying the night air, the intoxicating blend of night blooming jasmine and nicotine, in the mansion’s courtyard when he heard Angelus’s heavy footsteps behind him. Spike didn’t bother to turn around.

"I think you hurt Darla’s feelings, William." Angelus’s smooth voice echoed throughout the courtyard.

"She’ll get over it." Spike took another puff of his cigarette and blew it in Angelus’s face.

"You have strange tastes, my boy."

"Why? Because I don’t want your sloppy seconds?" Spike snuffed his cigarette out on the sole of his worn, black boot.

Angelus laughed at him. "Poor Spike, always in Daddy’s shadow."

"Is there something you want?" mumbled Spike, "Cuz if your just out here to…"

"Do you remember the last time we were in California, Spikey? You ate that nice young man…"

"You mean that lunatic that called himself the Zodiac?"

"That boy had potential."

Spike sighed, readying himself for another lecture. "Do you have a point?"

"You have strange tastes, Spike. You like the taste of evil."

"As opposed to the oh- so- original- vampire who prefers virgins." Spike mocked.

"Was he worth it? All of the work you put into finding him… How’d he taste Spike? How do they taste? The rapists, the murderers, the pedophiles…"

"I’m a hunter. I prefer dangerous prey."

"How about the pig’s blood Spike? How’s it taste?"

"I’m not in the mood for another of your lectures. What in the hell do you want?" The peroxide blond mumbled.

"Spike, Spike, Spike, I’m here to offer you what you’ve always wanted."

"And whas’ that?"

Angelus smiled another of his evil grins, "Dru. Free and clear. All yours."

Spike scoffed, "And why would you be so generous?"

"Oh, she’s not a gift, Spike. She’s a prize. Darla wants you gone. So, when we leave Sunnydale, you aren’t coming with us."

Spike couldn’t identify the feeling inside him. Relief? Anger? His reaction would depend on one thing, "And Dru?"

"Dru? Well, I’ll make a little wager with you Spike. You win, Dru’s yours. I win. She comes with us."

"All right then, what’s the bet?"

"The Slayer. She lives here, but you probably knew that." Spike nodded. "The bets simple, Spike, first to kill her wins the prize. And lets do it with style? For once? "

***

Dawn & Joyce Summers were on their way out the door when Buffy came up the sidewalk. The young brunette was laughing at something her mother had said.

The older Summers woman greeted her daughter, "Buffy, Dawn and I were just heading to the mall for some shopping. Care to join us?" Mrs. Summers allowed a hopeful smile at her oldest daughter.

"Love to, but I have a date."

Dawn answered her older sister, "No you don’t. Riley canceled." Buffy didn’t look all that surprised or even a little disappointed but Dawn added a quiet, "Sorry."

Buffy put on a fake smile and replied, "S’okay."

"Wanna go with us?" Dawn re-extended the invitation.

"That’s ok. Hey, I haven’t seen Cordelia’s show in a few weeks."

"Rerun." Pouted Dawn.

"Oh. Well, Willow said she was going to the Bronze tonight with Tara, maybe I’ll meet her there."

"Your loss." Muttered Dawn.

"Are you sure Buffy?" Joyce’s voice was bubbling over with empathy.

"Really, I’m fine. Go." As Buffy entered the residence she fought off the disappointment and loneliness that were threatening to overwhelm her. Riley had been physically and emotionally unavailable for weeks so she shouldn’t be surprised that he had canceled on her yet again. She should probably call him and rip him a new one but she couldn’t seem to muster up the energy to care.

She was absorbed in her thoughts until she entered the kitchen and felt a presence there.

***

"Hey kid."

Buffy reflexively gripped the stake in her pocket even though she knew that the man in her kitchen wasn’t a vampire. "Who are you and what are you doing in my house?" she asked in her most authoritative voice, then, after taking in his attire she asked, "And what’s with the hat?"

The man examining the fruit bowl on the counter was short, even by Buffy’s standards. He had a round face smattered with freckles. He was dressed in gaudy clothing topped with a bowler hat.

"The answer to the first question is: I’m Whistler. The answer to the second would be that I’m here to help you, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. "

"And you can help me how?" Disbelief tinged her voice.

"There’s someone coming to town. Someone with a real knack for evil."

Buffy sighed and explained, "If you mean the bitchy hell god, I already got this message."

"I’m talking about a vampire."

"Whistler, who ever you are, this is Sunnydale, home of the hell mouth. Vampires here are a dime a dozen."

"Like I said, this one has a real knack. He’s more evil than most. He travels with two women, both vampires."

"Let me guess, you want me to kill him." She droned.

"It’d be a bonus but, he’s not as important to me as companion number three."

"Another vampire?"

"Yeah. This one, though, is on a special path. A mission of redemption. He just don’t know it yet."

***

Spike gathered his things and after informing Angelus that he would be back to collect his prize, he set off for a cemetery to find a respectable tomb to take up residency in. The one he found was perfect. It not only had a cemetery entrance but it also had a lower level, complete with sewer access.

First thing on his agenda was to find the Slayer before Angelus did. Not that his sire would challenge the girl right away, it wasn’t his style. Angelus would probably set out to torture her psychologically or put on his brooding routine that worked on all the doe-eyed virgin types.

Angelus was a lousy excuse for a vampire in Spike’s estimation. What kind of hunter picked on little girls? Spike preferred the danger of hunting prey as dangerous as he was. And if it ticked off his sire and the chippy, well that was just a bonus.

A crowd of teenagers hustled past his crypt, yammering at the top of their lungs. Spike decided to follow them. Where teenagers were, vampires were, and where vampires were was where the Slayer was likely to be.

***

Buffy let herself into Giles’s apartment and found him on the phone. He was typically dressed in sensible tweed but tonight Giles had let his hair down and was wearing blue jeans and a sweater. ‘Quite handsome,’ Buffy thought. ‘For an old guy.’

"No, I think its wiser for Kendra to stay in your care. I do appreciate the warning though. Yes thank you. And a pleasant evening to you as well."

"Let me guess, Kendra’s watcher?"

"Um yes." Giles absently wiped his glasses.

"Big evil brewing, blah, blah, blah? Already got the message. Creepy dude in my kitchen told me all about it. Three big bad vampires. And one vamp on a mission of redemption. I mean, way lame, right?"

"A mission of redemption?" a feminine voice asked from the couch. Buffy again marveled at the woman’s beauty. Her eyes looked like melted chocolate against her fair skin. The word exotic always leapt to Buffy’s mind when she saw Jenny.

"There’s an old Gypsy curse," explained Jenny, "Restores a vampire’s soul."

"A vampire with a soul?" Giles questioned.

"Whistler didn’t say anything about a soul."

"Did he at least give you a name? Something to work with?" asked Giles.

"Nada," asserted Buffy, "he said redemption boy would find me."

***

Once Buffy had briefed Giles she decided to head to Sunnydale’s only real night spot and join her friends. Willow and Tara had grabbed a table near the dance floor. Willow’s eyes shone brightly as she chatted with her girlfriend. Her red hair alternately appeared green or blue, depending on the club’s strobe light.

Her mousier companion possessively kept her hand on Willow’s arm as they spoke to one another, leaning in to hear over the music. Tara smiled at something Willow said and all hints of plainness disappeared under her devastating smile.

Buffy reluctantly joined them, feeling like a third wheel but her friend’s grins eased her concern.

"Buffy!" Willow beamed, "We didn’t expect to see you tonight. Where’s Riley?"

"Riley who?" kidded Buffy.

"Poor Buffy," soothed Tara, "He canceled again?"

"Yep same old, same old." Buffy laughed the situation off.

"You know Buff," Willow said, "I like Riley and all but sometimes I want to kick him in the spot where I shouldn’t. You know?"

"It is beginning to be a habit," Tara said.

"I know. I think we’re on the road to Splitsville."

Buffy filled her friends in on her visit with the mysterious stranger in her kitchen.

"A mission of redemption?" questioned Willow, "I mean is that even possible?"

"I think its romantic," Tara quietly replied.

"Its just one more thing to worry about." Buffy slumped in her chair, cupping her face in her hands.

A popular song began to blare over the speakers. "C’mon, Buff, we’ll dance the blues away," Willow insisted as she pulled her two companions across the dance floor.

***

He watched the crowd from the balcony. His piercing blue eyes spotted her as soon as she began to dance. The saffron headed girl moved to the music like it owned her. Her movements weren’t conscious, they were pure reflex. Her frame was petite but her presence was mammoth. The way the girl moved, commanding the attention of every male in the room, that had to be her. The Slayer.

Spike wanted her like he’d wanted no one since Drusilla.

When he pulled his eyes from the sight of her, he saw that he wasn’t the only one watching the Slayer tonight. Angelus was stalking the girl.

And where his sire was…

"My pretty Spike. Your eyes are burning."

***

Buffy was being watched. Her Slayer senses didn’t need to tell her, her feminine intuition was doing the work. She caught his eye as she swayed to the music. It was exciting, the way he watched her, while Willow and Tara were none the wiser.

He was a bear of a man, taller than even Riley, every movement disclosed the power in his body. His hypnotic eyes pulled at her from across the room, just as the music changed to a slow haunting melody.

Drusilla slid her hands down across Spike’s shoulders and his solid chest while she whispered in his ear, "You’re turning to ashes."

"What do you mean, pet?"

Drusilla’s hands snaked lower, causing Spike to inhale sharply as she cupped his crotch.

"She’s sunlight. And you are darkness. Come into the dark with me, pretty Spike."

Spike spun around and grasped both of Dru’s wrists firmly. "Don’t tease, luv."

Drusilla smiled insanely at her sometime lover.

It was if her body no longer obeyed her commands, because she was moving toward him, and he didn’t appear to be surprised. Before she could register what was happening, Buffy realized that they were dancing.

Words came out of her mouth before she could process them, "Who are you?"

"What am I?" he teased.

I know I go in circles I know that window panes bring only rain and not your face

"I know what you are. Give me a reason why I shouldn’t do something about it."

"Because I’m not what you think I am. I’m Angel." Buffy felt her power slipping even farther away as the vampire dragged his hand across her arm, up her shoulder, across her neck and reached up and cupped her chin. Buffy was too shocked to react when the vampire placed his cool lips on hers and tenderly kissed her. As he released her he said, "I’ll be around, Buffy the Vampire Slayer." She watched as he disappeared into the crowd.

"Come with me, Dru." Spike begged, "Lets leave this place. Just you and me."

"Leave my Angel?" She purred, pressing herself against Spike.

He closed his eyes in pleasure with her touch. When she pulled away, his eyes snapped back open. Dru looked near tears. "You can’t kill her, Spike. You’re going to burn me with her light. Why are you burning me?"

Not understanding, Spike reached out to take her back into his arms. Instead, she lashed out at him, raking her nails across his cheek.

"You’re going to burn us all. Burn us with her light." She hissed, before she ran away from him.

Angel’s smile was so seductive and he was so handsome. Her knees felt weak without his support and Buffy felt a little hazy when Willow and Tara approached her.

"Buffy? You ok?" asked Willow. "Was he…?"

"Spider senses definitely screaming, ‘vampire’."

"Maybe he’s the one you’re supposed to be looking for." Suggested Tara.

"God, I hope so."

***

Buffy was lost in thought as she walked down the alley behind the Bronze. Lost in thoughts of Angel. He was so beautiful, his kiss so tender. Why had she let a vampire kiss her? And she had a boyfriend!

"Don’t tell me you fell for his Anne Rice routine, Slayer."

Buffy didn’t turn to acknowledge the vampire that she knew was behind her.

He continued in his lower class English accent. "I mean you’ve managed to stay alive for what? Five, six years? Figured you’d be a bit smarter than that."

She finally turned to face her tormentor. "Let’s see how smart I am." She raised the stake that she always carried with her.

"Don’t want none of that, Slayer. Just wanted to warn you. You’re dancing with danger with that one."

She took in the vampire. He was handsome with sharp cheekbones that gave his face a sculpted look. A jagged scar raced along his eyebrow, giving him a dangerous aura and drawing attention to his crystal blue eyes. His hair was bleached blonde and it stood out sharply against the black attire that adorned his lean frame. "Who is he?" Buffy asked while mentally comparing this man to Angel.

"Name’s Angelus. Stay away from him, Slayer. He’s the most dangerous vamp you ever came across."

"He’s on a mission of redemption," she asserted. Inwardly she cursed herself. She was jumping to conclusions. ‘All a vampire needs is a handsome face now? What’s wrong with me?’

The vamp before her began to laugh. Loudly. She gripped her stake tighter. "Angelus? A mission of… whaddya call it? That’s rich, Slayer."

Buffy pursed her lips and refused to answer him.

"Mind what I told you, girl. If you want to live." The vampire snuffed his cigarette out and began to walk away from her, bravely showing her his back, as if he wasn’t afraid of her.

Momentarily mesmerized by his black duster swinging back and forth while he walked she came around in time to ask before he disappeared from view, "And you are?"

He rotated his shoulders slightly and smirked at her, "Have your watcher look under Bloody, William the."

End Chapter One