Title:  Requiem for a Childe

Author: Janet Lynn (janet324@comcast.net)

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: S/A

Can I say wow?  I got such a great response from everybody about this story,
so I got this chapter off to my sis so I could post it right away as a thank
you to everyone for the great feedback.  More to come soon, I promise!

Thoughts indicated by <>

Flashbacks are in italics


Chapter 2

Giles was surprised by the honest revelation from the dark vampire in front
of him.  He and Angel had never really gotten on, especially after he spent
hours tortured by those beautiful, but deceptively strong hands.  But Angel
needed someone to talk to, and Giles decided he needed to listen.

The Englishman reached over and grabbed the bottle by the neck and refilled
the now empty glass.  Looking at Angel, he held up the bottle in question
and the man nodded minimally.  Giles filled his glass as well and settled
down for the next story.  He was shocked by the shear size of the portfolio
before him.

"Are all these portraits of Spike?" he asked.

Angel looked down at the pile in front of him and nodded.  Angelus had spent
a lot of his free time sketching anything that took his fancy, and many
times William had done just that.  "Vampires often have a lot of spare time"
Angel said, as if that was explanation enough.  He picked up the next sheet
of parchment and frowned at the sight.  He handed the picture to Giles and
waited for the response.

"And now he's a vampire" the watcher stated.

"This was two nights later, right after he rose" Angel explained, the pain
evident in his voice.

Angelus stood in the cemetery, fighting off the cold night air.  He hated
London.  Whenever he was here, he felt like he would never get warm.  And
yet he refused to move.  His childe was coming and he was going to meet him.
He knew it was weak, but he couldn't wait to see his boy.  Just thinking
about him was making him hard.

The dark vampire's hand unconsciously traveled down to mindlessly stroke his
erection through his trousers.  Slowly the ground before him began to stir.
Fingers breeched the dirt and grasped for purchase.  Angelus wanted to reach
down and wrench his childe from the ground, but he couldn't.  He had to find
his own way.

Inch by inch, the young Englishman worked his way out of his grave.  Finally
out of the ground, he knelt on the earth, panting harshly, not realizing he
had no need for breath any longer.  Raising his eyes, he saw the creature
standing before him.  The word came to his mouth and was released before his
brain could comprehend them.

"Sire" he whispered brokenly.

"Aye, childe" Angelus answered.  He was amazed at the beauty of the creature
before him.  Angelus had a difficult time deciding if this boy was more
glorious in his human guise or as he was now, in full vampiric visage. He
smiled down at the delightful creature and held out his hand to the boy.
William eagerly took the offered hand and allowed himself to be pulled
upright.

"I'm hungry" he complained, not understanding the need so ingrained in his
new body.

"Then feed" the master vampire commanded, pulling the boy to his neck once
again.  Angelus knew he should force the boy to find his own food as his
sire had done when he had first risen, but he longed to feel this boy
attached to him once again.

William had hesitated momentarily when his sire pulled him to his throat,
but he could not resist the temptation hidden there.  He leaned forward and
gently pierced the dark man's neck with his fangs.  As he began to pull the
addicting elixir into his mouth, William moaned in pure delight.  His moan
was matched by the man clutching him close.  Far too quickly for his tastes,
William was pulled away from the comfort of his sire's embrace.

"That's enough now, lad" Angelus chided.  "I think it's time for you to meet
yer new family."

Giles stared down at the picture in his hands.  It was William, very similar
to the previous picture, but in full game face with dirt clinging to his
hair and cheekbones and drops of London fog clinging to his eyelashes like
teardrops.  Even in his vampiric guise and dirty, he was stunning.  The
watcher understood the vampire's desire for such a creature.

"Amazing" Giles whispered, still staring at the portrait of the man he knew,
but could not recognize in this sketch.

"That's exactly what I thought" Angel whispered mournfully, quickly taking a
drink from his glass to hide the lump in his throat.  "Exactly."


Tbc.