Seize The Night (Pt.4/4)

by Inell
inell@aol.com

rating: nc-17


"Did Angel say who we were suppose to be meeting?" Rupert Giles asked again.
Buffy sighed, rolling her eyes as she looked at Xander, "No he didn't. He just said it was very important and that we needed to keep an open mind."
"An open mind? Why does that not give me a happy?" Xander asked.
Amy laughed, "Because it is a rather prophetic statement that usually leads to some horrible circumstance where having an open mind is almost impossible."
"Thanks...I needed that" Xander said dryly, smiling at the young witch.
"I so can not believe I am sitting here on a Friday night with you geeks." Cordelia said, making a face.
"There's the door" Buffy offered sweetly.
"Children!" Giles warned, running a hand through his hair. "I wonder why this must be so secretive."
"Because" a soft voice said, "they can't be seen speaking with you."
Buffy jumped slightly, glaring at the dark haired man, "Angel! You scared me."
Angel smiled slightly, "Sorry."
"Who is they and why can't they be seen with us?" Giles asked.
Angel frowned, "First off, there is something you really need to know about me."
"What?" Xander asked, leaning back and looking at the man.
Angel sat down, avoiding their gazes, "I don't really know an easy way to say this so I'll just come right and say it...."
"Get on with it already!" Cordelia demanded.
"Yes, Angel. Please. We'd really like to know who it is we're meeting" Giles expanded.
"I'm a vampire." Angel said softly. Seeing their disbelieving looks, he changed quickly and then slid back into his normal handsome features. "I have a soul, so please put the stake down. I'll explain everything"

Angel waited until the humans quieted down before he told his story. He saw recognition in Giles' eyes so he knew the watcher had heard of him. He finished, giving them time to ask questions.
"So..you're a vampire but you're good" Xander said, trying to understand.
Angel nodded, "Yes. I can't kill. Not innocents at least."
"But you would if you could" Amy clarified.
Angel shrugged, "Probably. There are some of us though that prefer to feed to survive. We just don't kill any human we come across. That usually comes with maturity."
"And this master....he knows you?" Giles asked.
Angel frowned, "He's my grandsire."
"Grandwhat?" Buffy asked, still trying to come to terms with the fact that this man that had been helping her for over a month was exactly what she had been trained to fight.
"My grandfather" Angel said patiently.
"Bloody hell" Giles cursed. "Yet, you choose to help the slayer. Why?" "Because, my boy is smart. The master is an ingnorant bastard who wants to control everything even though he isn't smart enough or strong enough to hold on to any of it. Typical man," an amused voice said, entering the library.
The humans looked up, surprised to see a woman standing there that couldn't be older than twenty one. Her blonde hair fell to her shoulders and she had an impish grin on her pretty face. Dressed in a pleated skirt and white shirt, she could have passed for a high school student. Knowledge and power burned in her eyes as she looked at them.
Angel laughed softly, "Mum, I see that you still love to make an appearance."
The humans gasped when they heard Angel refer to the younger woman as Mum. Giles asked quietly, "She's your sire?"
Angel smiled and nodded, "Mum, meet the slayer and her little friends. Gang, meet Darla."

"Darla?" Giles said, thinking of what he had read.
Darla smiled at the handsome older man. Watchers had definitely improved, she noted. She could see his mind working and found herself intrigued with him. Shaking her head, she glanced at Angelus. "Did you tell them anything?"
Angel shook his head, "No. I just told them about me...about the curse."
Darla moved beside him, her hand on his shoulder. She knew how difficult it was for him to speak of it. She squeezed him affectionately as she looked at the humans around the table. "I'm Darla. May I ask your names?"
Buffy found herself answering the woman immediately, "I'm Buffy...the slayer." She saw the way Darla was touching Angel and was reminded of her own mother. She had never imagined that vampires could care about each other. She'd always just thought that they were evil and wanted to kill everyone. Now, she found herself doubting her beliefs. This woman seemed to care about Angel. She was confused.
"Xander" "Amy" "Cordelia"
Darla smiled pleasantly at the children. She found herself looking at the watcher. He seemed baffled. "And you?"
"Rupert Giles. I must say that I don't recall a Darla listed in the diaries."
Darla laughed, "My dear boy" she saw him grimace as she called him a boy and her smile deepened, "I change my name often. I'm sure I'm listed as several different people in your silly journals. Can't have everyone knowing my secrets can I?"
Giles found himself nodding in agreement at her statement, "Yes..I'm sure it would make survival difficult. May I ask for some of those names?"
Darla just smiled, "If you're a good boy, I might give you one...."
Giles found himself blushing from her suggestive tone and the look of blantant attraction in her eyes. He stuttered, "Uh well...uh..."
Darla laughed, turning to Angel, "I like these humans. They amuse me. Shall we discuss my proposition?"
"Proposition?' Buffy asked, slightly wigged that a girl that looked her age had just flirted openly with her watcher. She glanced at the others then back at Darla, "What's the 411?"
Darla sat down, glancing behind her at the library doors. She frowned, "I wonder what is keeping Spike and Lovey."
Angel smiled, "She's probably giving him a tour of the school."
Darla chuckled, "Yes well...as long as they don't lose any more clothes."
Xander's mouth dropped open slightly, "You mean they're uh having sex in the school?"
Darla shook her head, "Probably not. They just like to play. Angel isn't around so the sex would have to wait."
"O.k...I'm confused." Cordelia said. "He has to what? Watch or something?"
Angel smiled, "Sometimes. But, what she means is that Lovey is my mate. Spike wouldn't play without my consent which he has not received for the evening. They are just playing around giving us time to talk to you before coming in."
"I am so glad I'm not a vampire" Amy said, making a face.
"I dunno. It's rather fun in ways" Willow said, walking into the library and sitting beside Darla. She ignored the gasps from her friends who believed her dead as she kissed Darla's cheek. "Felt you worry, Mum, so I came straight here."

"Will?" Xander said, his eyes disbelieving.
"Damn...death looks good on you" Cordelia said, taking in the redhead's casual dress and newly found glow.
"Cordy!" Amy hissed, rolling her eyes. She looked back at Willow who was ignoring them. She saw the way Angel's eyes lit up as they looked at her old friend. This was his mate.
"Lovey....you know everyone?" Darla asked, smiling at the girl.
Willow nodded as she turned her eyes to look at Xander. She smiled as she saw the look of relief and fear cross his eyes. "Xan. Sorry I couldn't see you before this."
"You're alive" Xander said, shaking his head slightly. "I mean, dead but not dead but damn, you know what I mean! They said you ran away but we thought you were dead...."
"And you said he was smart?" Angel said rolling his eyes. He looked at her, amusement in his dark eyes.
"He is...just misunderstood" she said defending her old friend.
"That's an understatement" Angel said, stopping when Darla glared at him. "Sorry mum."
Giles found himself almost laughing as the vampire smiled sheepishly under Darla's warning look. "Willow. I must say, this is a bit of a surprise."
Willow smiled. "A nice one, I hope. Have you met Mum? I've told her a lot about you...."
Darla rolled her eyes, "Lovey seemed to think you and I had a bit in common...well, besides the whole need to breathe and feed on blood differences, of course."
"Quit matchmaking" Spike said, moving to sit beside Willow. "Setting up Gran with a human.....a bleeding watcher at that. Makes me ill...."
"Ahem!" Giles said, clearing his throat. He knew his face had to be red. He was facing four vampires who were discussing his love life. "I do hate to interrupt"
"No you don't" Darla said sweetly. She could see that the man was getting embarrassed. She wondered how long he'd been without a woman.
Knowing the watchers that she had dealt with, it had probably been awhile. She had researched this one though...Ripper. Sudden delicious images ran through her mind. She heard Lovey snicker as she realized she was still staring. She gave the redhead a warning look before turning her attention back to what the watcher was saying.
"No, actually, I don't. Why are you here and what do you want?" Giles asked, irritation clouding his words. This was fast turning into a circus.
"Yeah...you mentioned a proposition" Buffy said, remembering. She smiled at Willow, glad to see that the girl was alive but wondering if she was one of the very things she was trained to kill now. Her head was starting to hurt. Too much to understand all at once.
"Oh, the proposition" Darla said. "Sorry, I almost forgot. I tend to get sidetracked."
Angel snorted, smiling innocently as she glared at him. He knew how his sire worked. She could play helpless and dumb with the best of them, but her mind was more agile than anyone he had ever met. She surrounded herself with intelligence and beauty. She was also the least forgetful person he had ever met. His eyes falling on Willow, he could easily see the many similarities between his sire and his mate. He had always been attracted to strong, intelligent women.
"Excuse my son." Darla said. "Now, the plan. That's where we are, I believe. It's rather like this." She paused, trying to think of how to phrase it. Finally, she decided it would be easier to just be simple. She started to explain her proposition.

Willow sat next to Darla, looking at her sire seriously. "Will this work?"
Darla got a pensive look on her face as she thought about it. She knew what Willow was really asking. "We won't die, lovey."
"Will we be able to defeat him?" Willow asked.
"With the slayer on her side?" Darla said. "Easily."
Willow smiled, "Good. He won't expect an alliance with her, will he? Not from you."
"No, he won't. That gives us the advantage. He knows my thoughts on slayers. A silly waste of time. He'll never imagine that I would offer a deal to one..OR that she would accept."
"Do you trust her?" Spike asked, coming into the room, Angel behind him. Both sat opposite Darla and Willow.
"Strangely, I do. She's not too bright, but her watcher is. He knows this is the safest way to keep things calm here" Darla said.
"Uh oh....mummy has a crush" Angel taunted, hearing the softening in his sire's voice as she mentioned the watcher.
Darla's eyes flashed yellow as she glared at him, "I do not have a crush on some silly pathetic human that believes a fun evening is sitting at home in tweed and reading a stuffy book."
"Haven't given his nightly activities a lot of thought, huh, Gran?"
Spike teased, exchanging a knowing grin with Willow. The two had caught sight of Darla outside the watcher's apartment two evenings earlier, a day after the meeting with the slayer.
"Fuck off" Darla said, anger in her voice. "I am going out. Have to set the plan into action. And, there will be no comments about the damn watcher!"
They watched her leave and then looked at each other. Their laughter drew Drusilla into the room, who took a seat next to Willow. She smiled, "She burns for the human."
"We know, princess. It's the most amusing thing I've seen lately." Spike said.
"Who would have imagined the great powerful Darla getting a silly crush on a human...a watcher no less" Angel said, shaking his head at the thought. At least he knew that Giles was a good man. His sire had chosen an intelligent man that had an edge around him that most watchers did not. He could see the attraction, for her point of view. His taste ran much more cocky and less stoic. Look at Spike for lord's sake.
"I think it's sweet" Willow said, walking over to sit on Angel's lap.
"She seems happy."
"Eh, she will be after we dust the damn master." Spike commented, running his hand over Willow's leg.
"Not much longer" Dru said. "The stars danced for me. Soon."
"Good...then we can concentrate on getting things in this damn town straightened out" Angel said, his mouth on Willow's neck.
"Do we hunt tonight?" Willow asked, looking at her lovers.
"Nah...we can stay in. Darla is setting things up for the slayer. Don't want to interfere" Angel said.
Willow nodded, settling back into his hard chest. She was glad that Buffy had agreed to Darla's proposition. She would have hated having to kill her old friends, though she would have without a moment's hesitation. She wasn't exactly normal according to Darla and the others, but she knew she would kill to protect her family. She was, after all, a vampire.

"Are we ready for this?" Buffy asked no one in particular.
"I hope so" Xander remarked, giving his girlfriend what he hoped was a confident grin.
"Why am I here?" Cordelia asked.
"Because, you know we need you" Amy said, rolling her eyes. She wished she had a dollar for everytime Cordelia asked that question. After only three months, she knew she might be a millionaire already.
"Whatever" Cordelia said, smiling slightly. Someone needed her. It was a rather nice feeling actually. She looked at the others. "So, when do we meet the undead ones?"
"Darla said to give her some time then go in. Angel and the children will be removing any unwanted elements from our path. Should be a straight shot into the main hall where the master will be" Giles said.
"And when did Darla tell you this?" Buffy asked grinning as her watcher reddened slightly. "I don't remember all those details that night....."
"Yeah, GMan. When did you and the Mistress of the Dark get together?"
Xander asked, laughing as he was glared at.
"Why do I put up with you children?" Giles asked, muttering to himself.
"Cause you love us?" Buffy suggested, smiling at him. "Hey...Darla was cool. She's smart and she scares me, but in a good way. I trust her.
Now, she is a vampire so that might be a problem for you later on, but go with the flow for now."
"She did seem interested" Amy said helpfully.
"She's a hottie...for an undead vampire" Xander added.
"She does need to do something about that whole Catholic girl thing though. Puhleez...that look is so outdated" Cordelia said.
"God give me strength" Giles begged, rolling his eyes as the kids continued to give him unwanted advice on the pros and cons of dating a vampire.

"Come my childe"
Darla steeled herself, looking into the master's eyes as she walked closer to him. "Father."
He studied her, his eyes distrustful. "I have heard that Angelus is back. Why has he not visited me?"
"He's been occupied" Darla responded, her smile giving no doubts to her meaning.
"Ah...he and the redhead? A good match. Very strong...very powerful. I also hear that William and Drusilla are in town. Is that true?"
"Yes Father. They came to visit" Darla said, not looking towards the entrance that she knew the slayer would be coming through shortly.
"Darla...my childe. My favorite. Why do you deceive me?"
"I know not what you mean, Father" Darla responded.
He lashed out, his hand hitting her face and sending her into the wall.
She steadied herself, moving to her feet, ignoring the pain and the blood that was dripping from her head. "Do not insult me childe. I hear things. You and your children are powerful. Very powerful. You want to take over Sunnydale. I know how you think, Gabriella. You forget, I am the one that broke you all those centuries ago."
Darla stiffened, hearing her name. She looked at him, the anger in her body. "You never broke me, Father. Just a few dints that took some time to heal."
"I gave you life and this is how you repay me? Go behind my back with your family..my own grandchilder...and plot my demise at your own hand?"
"Actually, ugly. She's not going to kill you." A youthful voice said, "I am."
The master turned, his eyes narrowing. "Slayer" he hissed.
He moved quickly, the force of his blow sending Darla into the wall again. She heard the bones crack as she slid to the ground. She tried to move, but the force had done some damage. She instead was forced to watch. Buffy was good, she grudgingly admitted. Not as good as she was, nowhere near that level, yet. She saw her children and smiled. They were fighting a good fight, but you could clearly see who was going to win. She felt her bond cut as the master found himself facing Buffy's stake. Darla's head fell slightly forward as the bond that was over eight hundred years old was permanently broken.
Willow looked around them, a small smile on her face. She looked at the humans, glad to see them all still standing. Several had cuts that were bleeding, the blood beckoning her. She resisted the urge, her eyes finding Angel. She moved into his arms, her head on his chest. "It's over."
Buffy stood, her arm cut and her face on fire. She had been slapped down, her face hitting the hard rock before she could kill the master.
Xander's arms went around her. She leaned back into him, surveying the dust and damage that had been left. "Damn, that was tiring."
Darla felt a warm hand on her face and she looked up into soft eyes. "You ok?"
She nodded, strangely touched by his concern. What was it about this human that drew her to him? "Just a bit dazed. He didn't break me, though."
"Good" Giles said, helping her to her feet. She leaned against him, her small cool body flush against his. "Is everyone ok?"
Spike joined Willow and Angel, his arm going around her neck as he nudged them and motioned to Darla standing with Giles. He winked knowingly before speaking, "We're still dead. Things are fine here."
Amy finished cleaning Cordelia's wound and nodded, "All of us are still alive."
"Good. The master is gone. It appears that we have taken out his supporters" Giles added.
"There are still some. But, not enough to matter" Angel said.
"Not bad for a good night's work" Buffy said, hobling slightly as Xander helped her back out of the cave.
"I so know that this dress is ruined" Cordelia complained. "Blood never comes out of silk."
"Why am I here?" Amy asked her, smiling as the brunette laughed. "It will come out. If it doesn't, I'll find you a spell, ok?"
"So Lovey" Darla asked, moving over to Willow's side with Giles help. "I just have to know...Do you still hate the night?"
Willow shook her head, looking around the cave at her friends...her family? "No mum. You were right. The night can be fun."
"Let's go home" Darla said, smiling at her children. She leaned back against Giles, his arms supporting her as they left the cave.

*************THE END*************