As Darkness Kills: As Darkness Kills
by Elf
"How do you know that she was serious? I mean, Xander and Willow can't be slaughtering all of Sunnydale, right?" Cordelia asked from the back seat.

Angel ignored her. His main focus was to get to Sunnydale as soon as possible. Who knows what was happening right now as they spoke, who was dying.

Doyle said, "Man, you couldn't have stopped her. No one's perfect. You save one person at a time and do your best. Her soul's already gone, she's not the Buffy you knew."

Angel thought bitterly, his hands curling around the steering wheel. He had two chances to kill her, to have it all done, and he didn't take it. His head hurt. Of all the things that had happened in the past week, all he could say was that his head hurt. There was a certain irony to that somewhere, but Angel didn't want to think of it right now.

Cordelia said, "This isn't right."

"What isn't right, Princess?" Doyle asked as he turned to look at her.

"Everything, it just doesn't feel right," she answered, lightly rubbing her arms like she was cold.

Angel could feel it too. Something was going to happen tonight, and he didn't know what. He looked at the sign that read "Welcome to Sunnydale" as they drove into the seemingly quiet peaceful town.

Buffy, Xander, and Willow watched as the classic convertible glided into Sunnydale. Willow whistled and said, "Cool car."

Xander did his male jealousy thing and grumpily replied, "It's not that great. It's just a car."

Willow snuggled into Xander's arms and nibbled on his ear. Buffy ignored them as she watched the black car drive away. Her bait had worked. Angel was back in Sunnydale where he belonged. With her. But first, a little revenge was on the menu.

She turned around to see Willow and Xander now necking against the oak tree. She rolled her eyes and asked, "Should I leave you two alone, or do you want me to watch?"

They turned to look at her. Willow's eyes gleamed mischievously as she said, "You can join us if you want."

Xander instantly agreed with her. He said, "Yeah, Buffy, it'll be fun."

"No thanks," she cheerfully replied. Even as a vampire she wasn't into that thing. Like she had said earlier, she only wanted Angel. She watched for a moment more as the Chrysler disappeared from view.

She turned to them again. She said, "Okay, the plan is you watch Giles. Nothing else, just let him know that your watching him. I've got other business to attend to now."

"With Dead Boy," Xander said in disgust.

"Jealous?" Buffy taunted, daring him to challenge her.

He said, "Look Buff, we don't need him. The guy's bad news, okay."

Buffy growled as she grabbed him around the throat and slammed him against the oak. It was one of Spike's key rules: Never let an underling challenge you like that. "I *need* Angel in ways you couldn't possibly understand, all right? If you got a problem with that, take it up with me. Do you have a problem, Xander?" she snarled into his face.

He looked afraid for a moment and then acted like nothing had happened. He cheerfully answered, "Me? Have a problem with Angel? You have me confused with someone else Buff."

"Smart boy," she said as she dropped him.

Willow rolled her head and said, "We could have so much fun together. We want Angel, don't we Buffy?"

Maybe Willow had a slight crush on him when she was alive, or something. Angel had that effect on women. Buffy smiled before she went to go follow Angel.

Angel thought they were being watched as he rang the door bell to Giles' condo. Oz answered the door, looking shocked to see Angel, Cordelia and Doyle standing there. Doyle rocked back and fourth on his heels and said, "Hello there, man. We've come to pay a wee bit of a visit."

Giles appeared behind Oz. His eyes widened in relief when he saw them standing there. He said, "Thank God that you're here Angel. It's been bloody since you left. No sign of Buffy, it was Xander and Willow. They have been feeding nonstop, and we can't stop them."

Angel nodded grimly. Damn her. He said, "I know. She came to me . . ." He couldn't finish the rest of the sentence. He couldn't tell him what he had almost done in his apartment when she visited him. How close he was to loose it all at that moment. Doyle looked over at him, a sympathy in his keen blue eyes.

Angel sighed and said, "I'll go look for Willow and Xander. I'll stop them."

Cordelia looked at him worrily, so did Doyle. She reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his duster. She said, "Be careful then. Don't do anything stupid, like getting yourself turned into a giant pile of dust. Because, you're my job security and all that."

Angel's smile was sad. He had a feeling that he was never going to smile again. He now felt what happened to all of his victims that he did this to. It was worse than the guilt that he had felt before, and that added even more to his guilt. Maybe after he had taken care of Buffy, *if* he could, he just might shut himself away for a hundred years.

He said, "Thanks Cordy. I'll try to be careful."

Cordelia rolled her eyes. She huffed, "Yeah, right."

Oz glanced over at him. He looked so lost, his tranquility that normally guided him gone. He said, "Angel, please, before you . . ."

Angel nodded and said, "I'll tell her, even though she wouldn't care."

"Thanks man," he said quietly.

Angel smiled smpathieicaly. They were going through the same thing right now. Giles asked, "You're not planning to go alone without a plan, are you?"

Angel looked the Watcher directly in the eyes and answered, "I'm gonna find each of them and kill them. That's my plan."

Parker. Buffy could smell him, the bastard. There he was, flirting with some unexspecting girl with coppery red hair. The Bronze was crowded tonight, more so than usual. She could feel the crush of bodies around her, smell the blood ripe in all of their so unexspecting vains.

The dark-haired boy started to kiss his redheaded companion. Poor girl, she didn't know what she was getting into. She would make a fine appetizer. Buffy slowly approached them, her body swaying seductively to the music. Parker looked up like a good boy. He would make easy prey. He deserved everything that Buffy was going to do to him.

She raised her arms to the air and swayed her body even more suggestively. Parker was captivated. Stupid human. He stood up from his latest conquest and moved to her. She smiled at him as he approached her.

He said, "Hi Buffy."

"Hello Parker," she half-heartily replied, keeping her body swaying in time with the music. She ignored him as she rolled her hips to the dance, making him want and watch her. She could smell desire on him. Well, guess she was better than more than one go around.

He asked, "Do you wanna dance?"

She shook her head. She wanted to feed off of him. She answered, "No, I wanna go somewhere a little more quiet, don't you agree?"

His face lit up as she took his hand and lead him out of the Bronze. She got him into the shadows when she vamped out. He took one look and cried out like a little girl. She rolled her eyes as she sank her fangs into his neck, drinking deeply.

She felt his life seep from him into her. Soon, his heart stopped. She dropped his cooling body and walked into the Bronze. She felt better now. Ready for Angel.

Angel entered the smokey den that was the Bronze. The crowding teenagers danced obvious to the danger around them, unaware that vampires moved among them at this very moment. He walked over to the bar and leaned against it, observing both levels of the Bronze. Then he felt a familiar presence at his side.

There Buffy was, dressed in a burgundy slip dress with her long blond hair cascading down her back. Burgundy was one of her best colors, one of the colors Angel liked seeing her in the most. He had never told her that, but maybe by the powers of female observation, she had known that. Damn her.

She was leaning against the bar, just as he was, observing all of the Bronze's patronage, just as he was. She mused, "I wonder if I could kill someone before you could get to me."

A muscle in his jaw twitched. He replied, "Well, lets not find out."

She smiled coyly at him and said, "I'll make a preopsition with you Angel."

"What?" he asked suspiciously.

"You dance with me or I'll start killing these stupid humans. I bet I could get at least five before you could get to me," she taunted.

Again, the muscle in his jaw twitched. That wasn't fair. He could do it though. He would have to. He straitened to his full highth and towered over her. He held out his hand and said, "Fine then. Dance with me?"

She chuckled as she took his hand. She said, "This should be fun." He ignored her as he led her to the dance floor and held her woodenly in his arms.

He sort of podded around in a circle when the music switched to from the sweet ballet it was playing to a seductive, velvety song. She started to sway in time with the music, her body lightly brushing against his. He tried to ignore it, tried not to feel it.

She looked up at him, trying to catch his eye. He looked above her head at a spot of paint on the wall. She traced her hand down to his waist, then back up to his shoulder.

Buffy could see that Angel was struggling for control now. She laid her head on his broad shoulder for a moment and traced her fingers down his back. She felt the muscles flex under his shirt, tensing up. He wasn't liking this one bit. Well, she was going to make him like this, or die trying.

"Quit that," he hissed.

She asked innocently, "Quit what?" Then she traced her fingers down his spine and around his waist. She looped her index finger in one of the belt loops in his pants.

He answered shakily, "That."

She got closer and whispered in his ear, "Oh, *this*."

"Stop. It. Now," he forced out.

She smiled at him, at the flash in his deep brown eyes. He looked down at her and smiled. She suddenly was afraid. He wouldn't steak her in a crowd of people, would he? She knew he was armed, she could feel the racket mechanism under his shirt sleeve.

No. Instead he started to sway in time with the music as well, moving her with him. Never touching, he ran his hands down her back, then back up again, the second time around lightly grazing her back. He bent down and whispered, "It works both ways, you know."

She got his meaning, and she didn't care. Maybe it was too soon, but it would be worth it. He placed his hands around her waist and rubbed them upwards, stopping at her armpits and then moving back down.

She sighed, "I'm seeing that now."

He whispered in her ear, "I can tell."

Angel backed away after the song ended. They looked at each other, both taking unneeded shallow breaths. He snarled, "There, it's over."

She glared at him as he turned from her and walked out of the Bronze.

"Dammit." The curse came swiftly from Angel's lips. Again, too close. He leaned his head against Giles's door. The door opened, and Angel nearly fell flat on his face. He immediately straitened up and looked down at Oz.

The werewolf said, "No luck, huna?"

Angel shook his head and then he heard and sensed something. His head jerked upwards as he looked around the parameter. Oz said it, "Willow. It's Willow. I can smell her."

Angel looked over at him and asked, "Can you smell anyone else?" Then he lightly sniffed the air. He groped out with his senses to find two vampires, one male, one female. Then he saw them. Willow and Xander. Xander smiled at him and bowed, and Willow waved gayly at Oz.

"Oh my God," Oz murmured. Then his voice filled with unbearable pain as he moaned his beloved's name, "Willow."

Angel watched them, watching to see if they would do anything. Willow stroked her hair behind her ears and Xander chuckled at both of their discomfort. Angel gritted his teeth. Buffy was their sire, as he was Spike and Dru's. Damn it. She was copping him.

"Damnit," Angel snarled. He knew Buffy's game now. He knew what she was planning. He was her inspiration. "Damn it," he cursed again.

"What is it, Angel?" Oz asked as he watched Willow.

"Get in the house now Oz," Angel crisply answered.

Cordelia walked out to the poach. She asked, "Hey Angel, what's up?" Then she screamed when she saw Willow and Xander. "Oh, my God, Xander, Willow . . ." she stuttered.

Angel stepped in front of both teenagers and snarled at Xander. Xander called out, "Sounds like a personal problem to me, Soul Boy."

"Burn in Hell, Harris," Angel snarled in response. Oz and Cordelia exchanged startled looks. The boy had pushed his final button with that taunt.

Cordelia asked, "He just didn't, did he?"

Oz nodded and replied, "Yeah, he said the H-word."

As a rule, Angel never told anyone to go to Hell. He would never wish that fate on anyone, not even his worse enemy, unless they hurt Buffy of course. He knew what Hell was like, he had felt its torment for centuries, and he would never wish that fate on anyone. Until now.

Even Xander looked startled, Willow just giggled. Giles and Doyle walked on the porch. Angel was in vamp face now, and snarling at the other two vampires. He heard Giles say, "Oh my Lord. It's Xander and Willow."

Willow called out, "Hi Giles, do you got that spell book I wanted?"

Angel turned to see Giles's look of horror. "Hiya G-Man! How's it going?" Xander cheerfully replied.

Doyle leaned up and whispered to Angel, "Why don't you go return the favor that the boy gave you?"

Angel grinned just a bit. The thought was a good one. He replied, "Not now Doyle, I know what they are up to."

"What do you mean?" the halfling asked.

Angel answered, "I'll tell you later."

Giles told him, "If you have any information on their plans, it would be very helpful."

Angel ignored him as Willow and Xander smiled and waved at Giles, turned, and disappeared in the shadows. Angel spun around to look the Watcher in the face. He knew who Buffy's next target was, it only made since.

Angel said, "I know who they're gonna be after next." He waited until he had everyone's attention. The Watcher waited expectantly. They had a strange bond, not quite teacher and student, but not quite friends either. Angel knew that he owed the Watcher a lot, and he wasn't going to let him get killed. Not on his watch anyway. He looked directly in Giles's eyes and told him, "You."

"Why would they wanna kill Giles?" Cordelia asked.

Doyle shrugged and said, "He's a Watcher, he knows stuff that could kill them. So, it's a safety precaution."

Angel realized with a tightening in his stomach. He watched Giles' surprised expression. The Watcher took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose to relieve some of the pressure there. None of them wanted to attack Buffy, exspecaly not Angel and Giles.

He looked at Giles and asked, "Now what?"

Buffy was angry. It was a usual state of having anything to do with Angel. Anger. Love. Hate. Passion. Kinship. Closeness. Frustration. All these emotions were mixed up with being in the general vicinity of him. Even now, as a demon he still had that effect on her. Well, at least she had the same effect on him, and there was the whole plus of killing Parker.

She leaned up against the tree. She had told Willow and Xander to meet her at Weatherly Park, but they hadn't shown up yet from their mission of stalking Giles. She wondered if they had ran into Angel and he dusted them. Not good. Then she saw the demonic pair emerge from the shadows. She straitened up and called out, "So, how did it go?"

Willow shrugged and answered, "I think Angel knows now."

Xander asked, "So, we're gonna go after G-Man now?"

Buffy smiled and answered, "Yep, time for Giles to bite the dust. Come on, we've got stuff to plan." It was almost like old times as the three disappeared into the shadows.

Spike couldn't believe it. That was just wrong. Some bloody wanker had turned the Slayer. That couldn't happen. Slayers didn't become vampires. They just died. Well, at least he could kill her now without a splitting migraine. Maybe Angel could use some help. The white-haired vampire took a drag of his cigarette and turned into the darkness.

"Okay Willy, one more time. Where the hell is Buffy?" Angel calmly asked the shady bartender.

Willy went even paler and stuttered, "I don't know man, and her little pals haven't been here either. Besides, Angel, it's broad daylight."

Angel slammed the human's head into the bar. Blood oozed from where the skin had broke on his forehead. Angel smiled and whispered, "I haven't eaten in days, Willy, and . . ." Angel smiled at his fear. He was going to crack, and Angel could sense it.

Willy whimpered, "Angel, man, I love you like a . . ."

SLAM! Again, Angel slammed his flat head into the bar. He pulled Willy up by the lapels and held him in the air easily with one hand. He told the wormy human, "Willy, I'm not a very patent person right now. And, I will enjoy kicking your ass even more than I normally would."

"Angel, man, I'm helpless . . ."

Angel rolled his eyes and slammed Willy's body into the mirror above the bar. The weasely bartender fell to the ground and looked up at Angel with fear in his eyes. Angel bent over the bar and calmly asked, "Willy, what have you heard?"

"It's wrong," a gravely voice came from the back of the room. Angel stood up, spun around and looked for the person who spoke. It was a chaos demon in all of its slimy, tinticaled glory.

Angel asked it, "Have you heard anything about the Slayer?"

"Don't you mean the Slayer who is now a vampire?" the foul demon rasped.

Angel glared at it and felt like asking, "Do you have any idea who the hell I am, you slimy bastard?" But, like usual, he was silent and waiting for the demon to finish.

The demon went on, "She chased everyone out of the sewers around two days ago. Exspecaly those near that old mansion that Spike and you use to reside that, and near the home of the Watcher. They are after the Englishman."

Angel approached the demon and asked, "Do you know what they're planning?"

The demon looked up at him and smiled, or what would pass for a smile under those tenticals and needle teeth. Angel felt the urge to smash its face in so he wouldn't have to look at it anymore. The demon answered, "I won't tell you, Angelus."

"Stupid move," he told the demon before he was in motion. He slammed the demon into the table and pulled a knife from the holster in on his wrist. He pointed it at the creature's slimy, scaled throat and lightly scraped the skin to show that he was serious. He calmly asked, "What is she planning?"

"Tonight, the Watcher. She plans to lure him to the sewers. I don't know how, but she will," the creature rasped.

"Thanks," Angel told it before he stabbed the creature in its throat, killing it. He rose up and everyone in the bar cleared a path for him. He turned and looked at the various vampires and demons that watched him, wanting to attack but not because of their fear. Their smell was thick in the air and it made Angel sick to think about it.

He turned from them and headed for the sewer exit when they attacked.

Cordelia looked at the three men before her. She crossed her arms and glared at them. She snapped, "Okay, it's dark and Angel isn't back yet. Shouldn't we be, um, *worried*?"

Giles took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Doyle looked around nervously and said, "Well, maybe he got caught up somewhere."

Oz supplied, "Maybe he needed sometime to himself. You know how Angel is."

Cordy whirled on Doyle and poked his chest. She sneered, "Yeah, or maybe Angel wound up on the wrong in of a wooden steak! Or, Buffy could be cutting off parts right now!"

Doyle flinched and his brilliant blue eyes widened in shock as he backed away from Queen C. She pulled on her denim jacket and turned to face the menfolk. She sneered, "I'm gonna go save Angel, anyone wanna come with me?"

Oz and Doyle looked at each other and followed her out of the condo. Leaving Giles alone.

Angel threw the demon over his shoulder. The black, scaley thing hit the mirror behind the bar and shattered it in a storm of glass and aluminum. He snarled and displayed his fangs at the other vamps and demons. He took up another stance as two vampires charged at him.

Giles heard a knock on his door. He grabbed his crossbow and opened it. Buffy was standing at his door and asked, "Geez, Giles, what took ya so long?" Then she grabbed the crossbow and spun him out of the house.

She took the advantage and kicked him while he was down. Giles rolled out of the lithe vampire's way and looked up at his former protégé. Buffy, or rather, the demon that was in control of her body, picked him up and slammed him into the fountain in his courtyard.

Giles flinched and groaned in pain as he slammed into the heavy concrete slab then slid into the stagnated water. He looked up and saw Buffy standing before him, still not wearing the feral visage of the vampire. She reached down and grabbed him by the lapels. She hefted him out of the water one handed. He reached out and tried to grab her wrist and spin her arm around her, but she caught his wrist and started to crush the bones beneath the skin. He grunted as he felt them pulverize under her grip. She then threw him farther away from the house.

Giles struggled to his feet and prepared to fight his former Slayer. She smiled and quipped, "Poor, pitiful Giles, always getting the living shit beat out of him. Just think though, Ripper, that it will be all over soon."

Giles cursed, "Bloody hell." He took one last look at Buffy and began to ran. He heard her laugh as he sprinted away.

Angel snarled helplessly as the two vampires, a glamor demon, a winged gargoyle-type creature, and another chaos demon held him against the bar. Willy looked at him from where he was hiding behind the bar and holding a cross in front of his face. One of the vampires twisted Angel's left arm behind his back and snapped the bone at the elbow.

Angel snarled in pain as the bone shattered. He reared his head back and slammed it into the other vampire's. The moment's disorientation was all Angel needed to break out of the grasp of the demons who held him. He kicked the chaos demon in the ribs, back handed the other vampire, and head-butted the winged creature. He jumped on top of the bar and then to the pool table, giving him some distance between his attackers.

He stomped on a pool Que and sent them flying to his hand. An instant weapon. He spun it around in his good hand, with his left arm lying limply at his side. It would be healed in a very short time, but he needed to get out of here first. He slammed it into the other vampire who had him pinned.

The one who had broken his arm snarled at him. The gargoyle told it, "You don't want to kill him and tick off the ex-Slayer. She will torture you if she fount out. She wants him alive, and I don't want to piss her off." It's voice sounded like scraping gravel, and Angel didn't like it.

He kicked a pool ball off the table, strait into the other vampire's face. He flinched and the gargoyle demon charged at him. Angel spun gracefully out of it's way and flipped over the table. He tested his left arm. It still needed to heal. Damn it. All he needed was a moment's distraction and he could get the hell out of here. No help for him, though.

Giles saw Willow and Xander flanking him from the side. He hadn't seen Buffy in the last five minutes. His lungs were starting to burn, he wasn't as young as he use to be. Then, Willow was in front of him and Xander was behind him. He stopped and looked for a way to escape.

This wasn't right. After all they had faced together, this was how it was going to end. he asked himself. He sighed and then looked down. A manhole cover. It would buy him some time at least.

He opened it and slid down into the dark sewers.

Angel was slammed into the thick brick wall. He swore he heard a rib crack, or something. He coughed up some bloody spittle and wrapped his arm around his wounded side. He rose as high as he could and snarled. His vampiric face was cut and bloody in several places, and he was seriously disoriented. They might not kill him, but they were going to make sure that he was going to hurt first.

Then the doors opened and Cordelia, Doyle and Oz walked into the bar, armed with crossbows loaded with both silver and wooden bolts. They took aim at the vampires first. They were dusted in a matter of moments. The demons looked at the silver arrows that they were loading and then at each other. The gargoyle demon took another shot at Angel before they fled.

Angel slumped to the ground, needing a moment to heal and orient himself. They were automatically at his side. Doyle was inspecting him and asking, "Angel, boyle, are you alright?"

Angel shook his head and spit up some more blood. Cordelia moaned, "Ewwww, gross. That's just nasty."

Oz drawled, "Well, Cordy, you wouldn't feel so hot after you had been in a fight with a shindig of vampires and other nastys."

Doyle helped him up. Angel felt his body starting to recover and heal. He would like nothing more at that moment to lie down and go to sleep. Then Doyle started to twitch. Angel placed his friend to the ground.

Oz asked as Doyle started to convulse, "What's wrong with him?"

"He's having a vision, hussh," Cordelia harshly answered as she bent to Doyle's side.

Angel asked as soon as the halfling stopped twitching, "What did you see?"

Doyle rasped out, "Your friend, the old Brit, he's in trouble."

Angel was frantic. "Where is he?"

Doyle shook his head and managed, "In the sewers, I don't know where."

Angel stood up and walked out of the bar. He wasn't paying any attention to the pain anymore; he had other things to worry about.

It was dimly lit in the tunnels. Giles was cautious as he tramped through the muck. The smell was awful, and his lungs were already burring from his fifty-yard dash. Then he heard the voice, "Giles!" Buffy. She called out his name again, this time taunting him. Giles started to run.

Then he ran right in front of her. She held the crossbow at the ready and grinned at him. Giles spun around and started to run in the opposite direction. Then, a sharp pain ripped through his left shoulder. He cried out when he saw the bolt sticking through his arm.

Buffy asked, "How did you think Angel felt when you shot him?"

Giles kept running as fast as he could. He ran to a drain. There was no escape. He looked down, then behind him. Buffy smiled at him and took aim. Giles took one look at her and leaped into the green muck below him.

His shoulder dulled to a throb as he hit the cold, filthy water. He plunged into its green depths, not realizing that it was this deep. He began to swim despite his limbs were starting to go numb. He staggered out of the water, gasping for air, only to find Buffy smiling down at him with Willow and a smoking Xander beside her.

For a moment Giles thought of Angelus, Spike and Drusilla. That was just what they were like. She was pattering herself off Angel. And that was what Angel was trying to tell him last night, except that she wouldn't get to that point, they hoped. Here she was, taunting her victim and torturing him just for pleasure.

Buffy smiled at him and said, "Sorry, Giles, this was fun, but, it's time to grow up." Then she aimed the crossbow.

Was Rupert Giles's last thought before he spun into eternal darkness.

"NO!" The scream tore Angel's throat ragged. Buffy, Xander, and Willow looked up at him. Giles's body floated on top of the water with two crossbow bolts stuck in him.

He jumped down into the stangnet water. He snarled and let his face transform. Buffy dropped the crossbow. He knew that she wouldn't kill him, not yet anyway. He snarled, "You bitch."

Buffy raised an eyebrow at him and taunted, "This isn't anyway to treat the girl whom you claimed to love, Angel."

"That girl is dead!" Angel snarled. Then he sprang. He didn't notice that Willow had the tranq gun that they used on Oz in her hands until the dart hit him in the stomach. He fell to his knees as the drugs took affect on him.

Buffy stood above him and smiled. She waved at him and said, "Nighty, night, Angel."

Then the last thing Angel felt before he passed out was the coldness of the stagnate water as he fell face first into it.



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