Buffy

Buffy stared after Giles in disbelief. He was going to let Kendra die.

“Giles if there is no real prophecy why is the council going to allow Kendra to die? She’s a slayer.” Buffy grabbed his arm to make him look at her.

“We don’t want Kendra. She is insignificant. Stopping another cycle of debauchery by Angelus is our only goal.”

“Even if it cost Kendra her life?”

“Evan if it cost Angel his.”

“but his soul…” Giles cut her off.

“Is lost.”
            “Then get him another one.” She stepped in front of Giles. “You can’t just let him die.”

“He is dead and your little roll in the hay assured a lot more people would die.”

“So two good people die?”

“So that hundreds, maybe even thousands can live.”

Buffy walked out of the house knowing there was only one place she could go.

“They’re going to allow Angelus to kill Kendra, and then they’re going to kill Angel.” Buffy throw herself against the gypsy woman’s breast.

It hadn’t been that long ago when Jenny was her worst enemy. It was Jenny’s secrets opened the door for Angel’s and Buffy’s love. She never told anyone that Angel could lose his soul if he experienced one moment of true happiness he would revert to Angelus.

The monster had tormented Sunnydale for more than a year before disappearing with Kendra. No one had been safe. Her friends Cordelia, Xander, and Oz had been murdered. He didn’t just murder them he tortured them.

They had all been beaten and rape repeatedly. He allowed them to heal before beginning the torment again. Cordy had been missing for more than two months before her body was found nailed to the giant oak tree in her parents yard. Xander had been gone for six months and Oz four before they were discovered hanging from the flag pole at the school. Their lips had been sewn shut. When they were autopsied each had the others penis in their mouths. The coroner explained that Xander had raped Cordy and he and Oz had rape each other. 

After the funerals Buffy had begun receiving pictures of the attacks with the message “You’re next”. Now Giles was turning on one of the few good guys left.

“Giles…” Jenny brought her into the house.

“…Says the prophecy is not true but he and the council are wrong.” Jenny said walking to a nearby desk. Opening it she pulled out an orb containing a bright, glowing essence. “There is a great evil coming Buffy and Kendra’s baby is humanities only hope of survival. There are provisions to the prophecy. Angel will not willingly create a child not even to save the world but Angelus in his greed and hatred would. If such a child were to come into existence…”
            “Angel would give his life to protect it.” Buffy finished.

“Yes, I was coming to you soon. We have five days to get this soul to Mexico where Angelus has a compound. I will need help.” She held Buffy’s gaze. “I will need your help. Yours and Willows.”

“What is he doing to with Kendra?”

“Torturing her.” Buffy closed her eyes against the unwanted images of her fallen friends.  “Kendra is not a fool. She will survive this Buffy.”

“She was sick.”

“She was sick because Giles made a deal with Angelus to save you and Willow. The amulet holds great power.” The amulet Kendra wore had been a Christmas gift from Giles when she had first arrived in Sunnydale. “It drains her of her slayer strength.”

“Giles.”

“Buffy will you help me?” Buffy nodded. “Good, have Willow help you hunt tonight. I’ll pick you up and we’ll leave from there.”

“Jenny what if we fail?”

“We won’t.”

Kendra

It had been four days since Kendra and Angelus entered into their agreement. He hadn’t tried to harm her again. He seemed content to allow her to beat and torture him. It all turned her stomach.

She chained him to the wall and beat him with a bamboo cane. Then she poured salt into his wounds and cleaned them with lemon juice. Twice he brought in two human girls and watched as she tortured them. He made her watch him as he raped them and drained them of their blood afterward.

Each night she slept in his bed with him wrapped around her. The room began to smell of sweat and his dead semen. Angelus didn’t seem to mind but she needed fresh air. Yesterday his servant Frank walked with her in the hot sun. Angelus said it was her reward for doing such a good job.

It was getting harder to stay focused on the task at hand. If not for the routine Frank set she would have broken.

Every morning he brought her a foul concoction to drink. Angelus would add his blood and watch as she drank it. Then Frank would bring him a virgin, both male and female, and he would drain them.

Angelus was gentle with her. He kissed and hugged her. He would read to her from his favorite books. A few times he talked about keeping her alive after their child was born. As long as she fulfilled his need for pain and sedition he didn’t hurt her.

One more night. It became Kendra’s mantra. Then the act would be done and Jenny would be here with Buffy and Willow and they would get Angel back.

Two witches and a slayer

            The three women took turns driving to Mexico. They only stopped for gas and food. Jenny taught Willow the spells needed in case something happened to her. Buffy closed her mind to everything except getting to Angel before the Council murdered him.

She would not admit it to anyone but she hated that Kendra would carry his child. More than just an extraordinary child created from a vampire and slayer but a child to be shared and nurtured by both Angel and Kendra. Angel would put his whole heart into raising his child. Kendra would become a special part of his life. Buffy envied her for that.

In her heart she promised her fallen friends that she would protect Kendra and her child. She learned from the youngest slayer that her duty came before her own desires.

Buffy did hold out hope. Jenny purposely omitted the section of the spell that denied Angel true happiness. A smile played on her face as she thought of it.

“Buffy.” Jenny whispered from her place in the driver’s seat. “He will want Kendra. That was why I removed the clause. He may be buried in Angelus but he knows everything that his alter ego is doing. The bond is already there. You cannot interfere with it. It will only break your heart.”

“I was just dreaming.” She looked out the window wishing this journey was already over with.

Angelus

He would let her rest tonight. The ceremony would begin at day break and she would need her strength.

He looked at her as she lay in the copper tub. She hadn’t moved in more than an hour. Frank kept coming in and draining the cold water, refilling it with hot water.

A cool breeze washed over him. He had finally had Frank clean the chamber. He loved the smell of his semen coming alive. Kendra couldn’t smell it but he could sense the change.

Frank finished changing the sheets on the bed and a little Mexican girl brought in her dinner. Angelus walked over to the tub and lifted her naked body out.

Her head fell to the side and she snored softly.

This slayer, taller and thicker than any other, had found a place in his heart; if he had one. He considered turning her after she had the child. She was an artist. She knew just how to torture him. Without a soul she would be unstoppable.

Her sedition matched his and Angelus was lonely for someone whose skills could match his own. He would train her while she was pregnant then turn her. How many months did human women remain with child? He couldn’t remember if he ever cared to know. 

Kendra

She was lost in a premonition. She saw so much so fast it was hard to sort out.

She became aware of Angelus feeding her, then cuddling her body to his. He cooed soft words in her ears.

She saw an anguished look come over his face before it crumbled and he bared his fangs. In her haze she became aware of him chanting ancient words and made her repeat them.

 “You are mine.”

“I am yours.”

“I am your master.”

“You are my master.”

“You will serve me and honor me, forever.”

“I will serve you and honor you, forever.”

“I will protect you with my life. You are mine.” He smiled and sank his teeth into her neck. She cried out at the invasion.

She closed her eyes at the wonder of it all.

Her eyes opened wide. Angelus was claiming her. She had become his everlasting bride. She had not seen this.

Why? If he planned on killing her why would he claim her?

Angel, she thought. Angel was influencing him. It would be harder to kill someone you claimed. It would be like killing yourself. It was why Darla could not defend herself when Angelus attacked her. She would rather die than harm him.

She reached up and stroked his face.