10.) Bad Dreams: The Real DreamSnatcher
by Mooncalf
Disclaimer: Buffy The Vampire Slayer and related characters are owned by Joss Whedon, WB and Mutant Enemy. I can only take credit for the new main characters I have created and various other vampire minions which may wander into my stories. I created them, so they are mine. Don't sue as this is just pure fanfic.

*****Chapter Two – The Real Dream Snatcher*****

Esme stayed at Xanders house that night, after the movie as he was a little scared…nothing new there. She promised to watch over him as he slept, but she ended up sleeping too. He and Esme lay face to face, holding each other tightly and sleeping peacefully in his bed as midnight approached. The window was wide open and a soft, cool breeze moved the curtains gently. Slightly disturbed Esme shifted her head, resting it against Xanders and they both slept on.

The mysterious man in a dark raincoat and hat appeared at the bedside, the Anointed one stood beside him and watched the two sleeping figures with interest. The man glanced down at them and placed his hand gently on Esme’s forehead. After a moment of reading her dreams he removed his hand.

‘Interesting.’ He whispered to himself. Then he placed his hand upon Xanders head for a moment and whispered ‘See anything you like?’ He laughed quietly and huskily. Then he withdrew from the room leaving the pair asleep. The Anointed one stayed for a moment to watch what happened, but the man called him softly from outside the window. Reluctantly the Anointed one left. Xander began to dream…

“He was standing at the altar on Esme’s wedding day, he watched the ceremony begin but was unable to participate. Esme stood beside Angel, she looked beautiful in her flowing white dress, next to her stood Eve and a small blonde girl-both of them were wearing pale pink dresses, they were bridesmaids. Esme and Angel seemed to be looking into each others eyes, then Xander realised that Esme had a look of fear on her face…she staggered backwards and held her hand to her neck, she looked at her fingers and saw the blood…her blood. She fell backwards onto the altar, she could only watch as other vampires poured in on the screaming guests. From behind a pillar Darla appeared and headed for Esme’s parents. Eli tried to shelter Eve and the small girl from the vampires but Angel overpowered him. He fed on Eli and dropped his lifeless body to the floor; then he fed on Eve. He turned to Esme who was still sitting stunned on the altar.

‘I think these two should stay around a while to keep you company, as for her…’ he pointed to the small girl who was crying over the bodies of Eli and Eve. ‘…I think she’d make a nice snack, after all, she’s a little too young to become one of us.’ He grabbed the girl and brought her neck to his lips. Esme began screaming and trying to stop Angel from harming the child, soaked as she was in her own blood.

‘Elspeth! No! Elspeth!’ Darla grabbed her from behind and held her, making sure she didn’t interrupt Angel. Angel fed on the small girl and dropped her dead body to the floor, then he turned to Esme and advanced on her while Darla held her.”

Xander woke with a start; he pulled away from Esme who slept on. He wasn’t sure what to make of his dream, why had he seen Esme’s wedding day and who was the small girl? Although he was disturbed by the dream, tiredness overwhelmed him. He decided to figure it out in the morning and went back to sleep.

The man in the raincoat that now levitated outside the open window, held his hand towards the window as if sending some sort of power through his fingertips.

‘Oh no, it’s not over yet.’ He said. ‘It’s barely begun.’ He laughed again and slowly vanished from sight.

Xander began to dream again, this time he found himself watching Esme in her earlier days as a vampire, she was like a wild animal, feeding on everything in sight. He found himself confronted with visions of her victims, each one of them stricken with fear as she sunk her fangs into their necks. She ripped the throats out of everyone she met…men, women…children. With Angel, Spike, Dru, Darla, Eve and Eli at her side they made an unstoppable killing team…they worked together as a machine, night after night. Killing, feeding…enjoying it. Xander twisted and turned as he slept.

He awoke again, startled and felt something close to his neck, he looked down to find Esme sleeping with her chin on his shoulder and her lips by his neck. Was she really sleeping? Or was she lying in wait, ready for the kill? Images of her bloodlust came back to him from the dream. He jumped out of the bed causing Esme to awake. He had no idea what to do; he decided suddenly that she had to go. He pulled the sheet beneath her hard causing her to topple onto the floor; she stood up surprised, wrapping another sheet around herself.

‘Xander?’ She said, but before she could add anything he pulled open a drawer and took out a cross and a bottle of holy water.

‘Get out!’ He said holding the cross at her. She took a few steps backwards, towards the window, with a puzzled look on her face…she tried hard not to show her game face as he thrust the cross at her.

‘Xander, what is it? ‘

‘I said get out, don’t make me have to use these.’ He waved the cross at her; she took another step backwards.

‘I don’t understand…’ She said, still stepping backwards.

‘You don’t have to understand, you just have to get out!’ She looked completely and utterly confused, he opened the holy water. ‘GET OUT!’ He yelled, he threw the water at her, she turned away and it covered her back…burning her skin.

While her back was turned he pushed her, sending her tumbling out of the open window, she flipped over in mid-air and landed on her back hitting the ground with a loud thud. He threw her clothes out after her, then slammed the window shut; he closed the curtains and armed himself with another bottle of holy water. Sitting on his bed he rocked backwards and forwards, holding the cross and the vial tightly, he wouldn’t be safe until dawn…in which case he’d just have to stay awake, in case she came back for him.

Jesus! Even if I was a cat, I couldn’t land on my feet! She coughed once, then sat up. She flexed her shoulder and there was a loud clicking sound, the bone moved back into place.

‘I hate when that happens.’ She muttered. She reached behind herself and felt the burn marks on her back. ‘That’ll need some attention, and Eve’s not home.’ She groaned. ‘Well, it’ll have to be Angel then.’ She stood up, pulling the sheet around herself tightly, and then she gathered her clothes.

She gave one last confused glance towards Xander’s window and started walking. What the hell got up his nose? She wondered. Her thoughts were flippant and she knew it, but what else was there to say? The man she thought had loved her…even a little bit…had just deliberately thrown a bottle of holy water over her and then tossed her out of a window. It would take a while to sink in and even longer to figure out.

**********

In Buffy’s room Buffy was alone in bed, asleep. The man perched on the edge of the bed, the Anointed one sat beside him, looking down at the sleeping Slayer.

‘I hate that girl. Do something bad again, like you did to that boy.’ He said flatly, looking hopefully into the ominous shadow that was the mans face.

The man looked down at Buffy and placed a hand on her head.

‘Lets see what your worst fears are, Slayer.’ Buffy began to dream.

She had visions of the master almost killing her, then of Angel without a soul and finally Esme and Angel kissing passionately. He took his hand away as Buffy began to twist and turn in distress. ‘Well, well, well.’ He said. ‘You just keep thinking beautiful thoughts.’ He laughed to himself and faded away.

I hate when he does that. Colin thought to himself, before he too faded away to join his partner in crime.

Their next visit was the motel room in which Pierce was staying. Pierce was taking a shower and Cordelia was lying in the bed, fast asleep. Colin and the man stood in the doorway together, looking over at the girl.

‘I know that girl too…hung her upside down once, was gonna drain her blood…but blondie stopped me.’ His usually blank face showed a flicker of anger, before it returned to its normal unreadable stare…although in his spectral state it was more of an unreadable glow.

‘This, Colin, is how you make someone’s wildest dreams come true. Their wildest nightmares too, if they’re very unlucky.’ The man smirked and wandered over to Cordelia; he briefly touched her head.

‘Wanna think over your boyfriends life little girl? It’s not very interesting, or at least it wouldn’t be without my additions.’ He laughed enthusiastically, obviously enjoying himself. ‘I love my job.’ He muttered to himself as he stood upright and faded away, Colin sighed and faded after him once more leaving Cordelia to dream.

She began to see visions of Bonnie and Heidi, running from the biker gang in fear…strangely the gang was led by Pierce, not Blade. The sisters tried to lock themselves in a room, the gang members began to slowly break down the door, but it was Pierce who took the initiative and climbed in through the window. He grabbed a surprised Heidi, she screamed loudly as he threw her to the floor, then the rest of the gang burst in…

Cordelia awoke, startled by someone grabbing her arm.

‘Hey Cordy, you were having a bad dream.’ Said Pierce. She pulled her arm out of his grasp.

‘Don’t touch me!’ She yelled, she was angry, afraid and stunned...but she still had time to think about how gorgeous he looked wearing only a small white towel around his waist and dripping wet from the shower.

**********

Inside Angels mansion Esme sat on a large table, still wrapped in the sheet. Her back was exposed and Angel was tending her wounds. Every time he touched her skin she winced. He stopped for a moment, then continued.

‘You never used to flinch when I touched you.’ He whispered quietly, he sounded sad and slightly regretful. She could tell that he obviously still felt a lot of guilt about his past…about her. She thought it better not to answer him, in case she said something that he didn’t want to hear. Something like ‘Well, last time I let you touch me, you bit me!’

She sighed deeply instead and winced again as he touched another wound. In a way she was trying to prove that she only flinched because of the wounds…but they both knew that wasn’t true. Even though she no longer loved him, his touch still affected her…in a way that no other mans ever would. It disgusted her.

‘So,’ he continued. ‘How’d this happen, getting a little clumsy aren’t we?’

‘It was Xan…I mean, he accidentally knocked a bottle of holy water on me…it was just a silly accident.’

‘An accident, huh?’ He didn’t sound like he believed her.

‘Well, anyway, thanks.’ She said cheerfully, anxious to get away she hopped off of the table and turned to face him; she accidentally knocked the first aid kit he was using off of the table. They both reached down to pick it up. Their hands touched on the box and they stood up together, still holding the box. For a moment they looked into each other’s eyes, and then they dropped the box and clasped hands.

Outside the window Colin and the man stood looking in at Angel and Esme. The mans so-called ‘face’ took on a quizzical expression and he looked at Colin for an answer.

‘So, you have the power to make them believe that they are still in love…but this helps us how?’ He asked, clearly confused. Colin sighed, he had been impressed by this mans power, but his ignorance now irritated him.

‘You see they both have souls…in a moment of perfect happiness they lose it…they can’t get that perfect happiness with each other unless they think they’re in love. See? And little miss virginal here has been holding out to stop it. But you can’t stop the inevitable, not when I’m around…’

‘But, why do we want them to lose their souls?’ The man asked. Colin sighed again and shook his head, he’d have to explain the whole story from the beginning…the Master, Spike, Dru, Blade and his gang…everything.

Angel and Esme kissed passionately and hurriedly at first, then slowly and gently. The kiss seemed to last forever, until they broke apart. Neither of them could look each other in the eyes. Angel bent down and picked up the first aid kit again, he placed it inside a cupboard and turned back to face Esme.

‘Well…that’s something I didn’t expect to happen.’ She said, still not looking at his face.

‘Yeah, kind of gives TLC a whole new meaning doesn’t it.’

She nodded, he stepped closer and put his hand under her chin, he lifted her head so that she was forced to look at him. She searched his eyes for any sign that the kiss hadn’t meant anything, she found nothing but a loving expression...and she was glad.

He ran his hands down the soft skin of her face, then her neck. With his eyes he took in the smooth curves of her body beneath the sheet; her shoulders, her breasts, her back and her hips. He gently pulled the sheet from her and stood back. As he looked at her, the scars seemed unimportant. Beneath the word ‘FREAK’ he could see the soft skin of her toned abdomen, the pale glow of the skin on her thin yet strong arms was clearly visible beneath the scratches and burns. She seemed nervous that he was staring at her, almost ashamed of her scars.

‘You’re beautiful.’ He whispered.

‘Angel, I…’ She folded her arms across her waist, hiding her scar.

‘It’s okay.’ He said smoothly, pulling off his shirt and stepping close to her. He pulled her towards his bare chest, and as they touched, bare skin to bare skin, something seemed to overtake them. He kissed her again passionately and hungrily, and then lifted her into his arms. They continued to kiss as he carried her up the stairs.

**********

The next day Giles walked into the library in a happy mood, knowing that everyone would be there on a Saturday, ready to discuss ‘Slayer stuff’, but today he wanted to talk about something else. He had a spring in his step and a large smile plastered across his face. Dinner with Eve the previous night had been wonderful. They had talked about everything…art, literature, her past, his past, they’re memories of their home country…admittedly she hadn’t eaten a thing, but he hadn’t found it awkward. In fact, he’d hardly noticed; he’d been so swept up in conversation that he hadn’t cared who she was anymore. After the meal she had walked him home, deciding that the opposite was unsafe. After kissing her good night he felt light headed and hadn’t been able to sleep. He wanted to tell the gang, especially Buffy, all about his ‘date’.

His hopes of a nice, polite discussion were dashed when he found Buffy, Cordelia and Xander sitting in moody silences and Oz and Willow fighting; the argument was the most disturbing as Oz seemed almost agitated, which in itself was a phenomenon.

‘Willow, I don’t understand what you’re saying, of course I care about you!’

‘Oh really, so much so that you’d try and eat me!’

‘You know I’d never eat you, werewolf or not…I just wouldn’t!’

‘What about the first time you changed…do you remember…you jumped out from behind the sofa at me!’

‘Oh come on Willow, I didn’t jump on you, I jumped past you! What’s brought all this on?’ He sighed.

‘It’s just a dream I had last night, that’s all…’

‘Oh, a dream, I see.’ He said sarcastically.

‘Yes, it brought everything into perspective…now I’ve figured out what I have to do!’

‘Oh really, and what’s that?’

‘Dump you, before you kill me!’ She headed for the door.

‘What? Oh come on, that’s ridiculous and you know it!’ He headed after her.

‘Or maybe I should just get some silver bullets and shoot you myself!’ She left the library.

‘I don’t believe this…Will?’ He followed her out the door. Giles’ happy mood faded.

‘Well, isn’t this…erm…nice?’ He said. Cordelia and Xander shot him poisonous looks and Buffy ignored him.

‘Nice to see you too Giles, how was your date last night Giles, what’s the slaying update this morning Giles…’ He muttered, heading into his office. From inside he said ‘Well if anyone’s prepared to listen I’ve found out about some new vampires that arrived recently…hello?’ He poked his head out of his office and saw that the library was empty and the door was swinging violently. ‘Very Well then.’

**********

In Angel’s mansion he and Esme were lying in bed together. She lay with her back to him, she was awake and her eyes were wide open. There was something different about her eyes. They weren’t just empty with loss; they were cold and cruel, glancing around the room as if they were hunting. His arm rested on her hips as he lay asleep behind her. He twitched twice, then opened his eyes.

‘Hey.’ He whispered groggily. ‘How’s the back this morning?’

‘Fine.’ She said tightly, and lying.

‘Good, I thought it might need bandaging and…’

‘Angelus, we shouldn’t have done it.’ She interrupted suddenly.

‘Done what?’

‘You know what! We shouldn’t have spent the night together like that, it’s not right…’

He pulled her shoulder until she lay on her back, then he ran his hand down her cheek. ‘It felt right.’ He said. He tried to kiss her but she resisted. He looked into her eyes and realisation struck him like a blow from a hammer.

‘You…you’re not…oh god…’ He stuttered.

‘I’m not what?’ She asked worriedly, her eyes darting round the room, then finally resting on his face again...they seemed to have grown less and less cruel as she stared at him, awaiting an answer. ‘Angel? What’s happening to me…I feel different…I feel…’ She stopped as a wave of pain washed over her, she clutched her stomach tightly and almost fell out of the bed. She began shaking violently and Angel tried to restrain her, but she was too strong. He knew what was happening…she was losing her soul. Not like he had done after his first night with Buffy, but slower…her soul was simply fading away right before his eyes.

She stopped shaking at last and lay flat on her back, tangled up in the sheets that she had twisted around herself. She turned to him, her eyes were no longer empty…they were full of fear. A tear escaped from the corner of her eye and ran slowly down her cheek.

‘Angel?’ She whispered. ‘Help me…’ He wanted to help, but he couldn’t. At that moment he felt his own soul being torn from him again. There was nothing to help either one of them now. Nothing.

**********

That same night at the circus camp everyone was arguing, fighting, and weeping, some were going mad.

‘Stop tormenting my mind!’ Yelled one of the performers as he ran past the main van, Seth caught hold of him as he passed and shook him roughly.

‘What the hell is it? Get a hold of yourself man!’ The man stood still, with a panicked look on his face and his eyes nervously darting around. ‘Now, tell me what’s wrong.’ Seth said quietly.

‘I…in my…dreams, I thought I would fall from my trapeze and impale myself on a spike…then I would die…I would explode…’ his voice became a startled whine. ‘There’d be nothing left of me!’ He pulled out of Seth’s grasp and ran with the others, going nowhere in particular, just round in circles. Gina ran to Seth cradling a small blonde in her arms. The blonde, Mary-Beth, was crying.

‘Seth, it’s just like with the others…she says she had a dream of something bad that happened…or would happen, it’s hard to tell as she’s so distressed.’ Mary-Beth whined as she was pushed into Seth’s arms.

‘The whole camp’s gone mad!’ He said. Sven, Charlie and Tecumseh ran over to them. ‘What’s the word?’

‘We’re not sure, everyone’s been running around and screaming out stuff that hasn’t happened or stuff that didn’t happen to them…I don’t know what’s wrong.’ Said Charlie.

‘Here, take Mary-Beth.’ He thrust the weeping figure into Charlie’s open arms. ‘Tecumseh, what do you think?’

‘Demons Seth, evil spirits.’

‘What?’

‘My forefathers had a saying that nightmares could drive even the bravest man to insanity, to tears and perhaps even to death. There is an ancient legend that these bad dreams can be controlled and even made by someone, a demon. I fear that one such demon may be walking the earth as we speak.’

‘Well your fear won’t save you now.’ Said a voice from behind them. From amid the chaos the man in the hat and coat stepped forward. ‘Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Dechorrus…the Dream Shifter.’ They all stared at him in horror. ‘That’s right, you heard me…I said Dream Shifter, didn’t I? The one with the power to change your dreams into nightmares and let you see another’s deepest fears and darkest desires. Oh come on…Tonto just described me perfectly.’ The group frowned at the stranger and Tecumseh growled defensively. The Anointed One stepped out from behind Dechorrus, glowing happily at the chaos they’d caused. ‘Oh yeah, this is Colin.’ He pointed at the child. Not exactly the introduction that Colin had hoped for, but it would do. These people weren’t important anyway.

‘Well what the hell do you want with us?’ Said Gina, stepping forward bravely. He reached forward and placed a hand on her head. ‘What I want my dear girl, is what is in your head…I’m a mischief demon Gina…and I want to ruin your life…well, your afterlife anyway.’ Seth stepped forward and slapped the demons hand from Gina’s head, she seemed dazed and fell to the floor asleep.

‘What have you done?’ Seth demanded.

‘Oh, nothing much, just given her the darkest desire of Paolo over there’s.’ He pointed to a dark man sitting on the floor, rocking backwards and forwards. ‘He’s always had a crush on her…oh the stuff that wet dreams are made of.’ He laughed, Seth went to punch him but he disappeared before their eyes. The Anointed one chuckled, maybe this guy wasn’t so bad after all…he did have a sort of evil charm, a certain malicious charisma…yes, he’d do for now. Colin faded away too, leaving the stunned vampires alone.

Seth pulled Gina to her feet as she struggled and screamed out in a fitful sleep.

‘What can we do about this, if we don’t stop him he’ll kill us all…or make us kill each other.’ Seth said.

‘We can’t fight him by ourselves, we need help. And you know who to turn to when demons are concerned.’ Said Tecumseh.

‘The slayer.’ Seth said through gritted teeth, sick at the thought of siding with a mortal hunter. ‘But where is there one now?’

‘Right here.’ Said Buffy from behind them. They turned round shocked. ‘I hear you have a demon that needs taking out.’

‘Yes.’ Said Tecumseh gravely. ‘Will you help us?’

Buffy seemed surprised by the question. ‘Yes, I will. But not because I like vampires or anything, cuz I don’t, I just slay em, but because he’s been getting at me too.’

‘I suppose it’s too much to ask that you have a plan.’ Said Seth. What the hell, if she’s got a plan…we really need a plan.

‘Yeah, I don’t, but I know a man who does. First you guys had better introduce yourselves.’

**********

Buffy led them into the library where Giles and Eve were sitting drinking coffee and discussing the poetry of John Donne.

‘He’s definitely one of the greatest poets and…Buffy? Who are these people?’ Giles asked.

‘This is Seth, Charlie, Tecumseh and Sven. They’re vampires from the Circus of Horrors.’

‘Of course, the new vampires that arrived in town, the ones I was trying to tell you about this morning.’

‘Yes, them. They need our help with something, the same something that’s been bothering us…well, me at least. He’s a…’

‘Demon, Dechorrus the Dream Shifter, yes?’

‘Yeah, but how did you…’

‘Evelyn and I looked this up this evening. You were all acting strangely, Willow had a dream, Pierce came by and said that Cordelia was acting “kinda weird”, then Xander came equipped with a cross and stake looking for Angel and Esme, so…’

‘We put two and two together and came up with Dechorrus.’ Eve finished.

‘Well, great, so how do we stop him?’ Asked Seth.

‘I’m sorry, I’m having trouble figuring out why you’re here.’ Said Giles.

‘We don’t want to fight, we just want to help get rid of this Dechorrus guy, he’s driven our whole camp mad. We’re all that’s left, except Gina and Mary-Beth. Basically, we just wanna nail this sucker and then we’ll be on our way.’

‘Right, well, okay. Buffy, have you experienced any strange dreams of late?’ Giles asked.

‘Only of the master…but then I keep getting visions of Angel’s victims, what he was like before and worst of all, him with Esme.’ She looked down at her feet for a moment, then looked up with refreshed enthusiasm. ‘Okay guys, let’s give this guy a taste of his own medicine.’ Oooo, corny movie line or what? She even tried thinking cheery thoughts, but the vision of Angel and Esme together was still too much. Maybe she hadn’t moved on as far as she thought she had…

**********

In Angels mansion he sat in his bed propped up against his pillow with Esmerelda leaning against his chest. He had his arm placed around her protectively. They both stared off into space, sitting in sullen silence; their eyes no longer seemed empty or cold. After feeling the first pains of losing their souls they had been thrown into peace once more. Now they could only sit quietly, waiting for the last shred of humanity to fade away…the last parts of their souls would soon be gone. Then once again they would be Angelus and Esmerelda…completely.

‘Did you ever think we’d see each other again after that day in the gypsy camp?’ He asked suddenly, he was surprised by his own question…surely they had more important things to worry about? But he had to ask her, had to explain himself to her properly before his guilt was lost.

‘No. I hoped we would, then I could finally get my revenge.’ She said wistfully, almost as if what she said had no bearing on reality at all. ‘I wanted to kill you.’ She said simply, he could tell that any compassion in her soul was almost gone…her soul was all but extinguished.

‘Why? Why did you ever want to kill me?’

‘I could ask you the same question.’ There was no bitterness in her voice.

‘But I asked you first.’

‘Because of what you did to me, and my family. Eve, Eli…Elspeth.’ Silence descended upon them as
Angel took in what she’d just said.

‘I didn’t mean to do what I did.’ He said slowly. ‘I never meant to hurt you, and I promise I never will again.’

He kissed the top of her head gently, knowing that this was probably his last chance to apologise…he didn’t know how he knew, he just did. This time there’d be no going back. This time he’d lose his soul and he’d die. Another silence ensued. This time Esmerelda broke it.

‘Do you think we can ever forgive each other for what we did and be happy?’

‘We’re happy now aren’t we?’ He asked, almost as if he wasn’t sure himself.

‘Yes.’ She said. ‘I suppose we are.’ She hugged him briefly and closed her eyes. He took one last look around the room and closed his eyes. They both held each other tightly, not out of love, and not out of fear…just out of the need for friendship.

Together they waited for their souls to be lost forever, both knowing that things would never be the same again. As hard as he tried Angel couldn’t shake off his sense of dread. He’d made peace with Esme, he had been freed from guilt by her but he wouldn’t exist long enough to obtain forgiveness from anyone else that he had hurt in his life, from Jenny Calendar…from Buffy. He knew that in a few short hours he’d never be with Buffy again...would never be able to apologise and give her the life she deserved without ultimately ruining it.

Just thinking about it was killing him.



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