Blood Price
 
Author: Lilithangel
 
Email: abchainey@xtra.co.nz
 
Website: www.livejournal.com/users/lilithbint
 
Fandom: BtVS
 
Genre: action, slash
 
Characters: Spike, Ripper, Angel, others
 
Warning/Rating: PG13 for references to violence and sex between males.
 
Summary: sequel to Always Faithful and continuing the universe I began in Ripper and Prague.  (find all stories here http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=lilithbint&keyword=Ripper&filter=all )  Basically I am working through BtVS Season 3 with Ripper by Spike's side instead of Drusilla.  Will take a major shift from canon at a later date.  This takes place around Innocence. Some dialogue is from the episode as well.
 
* * * * *
 
Ripper stood by the bed.  Spike had not moved for the two days since Drusilla's passing.  Ripper had fed Spike like a baby in a desperate attempt to keep his sire from fading away opening Ethan's willing throat to pour fresh human blood into the slack mouth.  He had begged and yelled and cajoled without success.  Now he simply stood and watched pleading silently for his sire to come back to him.
 
In the silence he found he was letting his mind wander and the voice he was hearing was his own.  He had begun talking to Spike about what was happening with the slayer and her friends.
 
"Sire please," Ripper dropped to his knees and placed his head against Spike's arm, "I need you."
 
Slowly fingers move to entwine his hair.  Ripper stays completely still at the touch frightened that it would stop.  The fingers pulled sharply at his hair dragging his head up.
 
Spike stared at him with a dazed empty expression, "she was my world and they took her from me.  We will take their world from them in return," he said tightening his hold on Ripper's hair.
 
Ripper smiled at the pain and smiled at the awareness returning to his sire, "we have all the pieces except one, we will bring back the Judge and they will all burn."  He promised Spike with a matching snarl.
 
Spike pulled Ripper close and kissed him, "I won't leave you pet.  We'll watch them burn together.  Sorry for scaring you."
 
Ripper climbed into the bed and curled up beside Spike who absently combed his fingers through the soft tussled hair.
 
 
Standing back from the large blue demon Spike listened to him drone on with satisfaction.  Here was fine revenge for his Dru and a fine party that she would have adored.  Ripper had done well reassembling the Judge and everything was ready for the death price he would exact on the slayer and his ex-sire.
 
"What will happen to Angel?" Ripper asked concerned that the vampire would be trouble.
 
"Well he moves to New York and tries to fulfil that Broadway dream..."
 
At Angel's voice Ripper moves protectively in front of Spike, "you're not welcome here," he said.
 
"Well that's just to bad cause here I am," Angel mocked.
 
"What do you want?" Spike said.
 
"My big break, a Republican president, puppies for children," Angel replied.
 
"Turn around and get out," Ripper said with a snarl.
 
"Cute little puppy you've got here Spike.  Didn't think you had it in you."
 
"It's none of your business.  Did you even feel it when she passed you bastard?" Spike asked.
 
The mocking grin slipped from Angel's face, "Oh I felt it alright."
 
"Feel it again then," Spike said as the judge stepped up behind Angel.
 
"Hurts don't it?" Spike asked as the judge laid a hand on Angel.
 
"Yeah well it kind of itches," Angel said.
 
"Don't just stand there, burn him."
 
"Gee maybe he's broken?"
 
"What the hell is going on?"
 
"This one cannot be burned, he's clean there's no humanity in him," the judge replied walking away.
 
"I felt her go Spikey and the damn soul wouldn't even let me mourn her but I'm back now and things are going to change."
 
Spike grinned and clapped Angel on the shoulder, "about bloody time.  Fair made me sick to see you playing the slayer's lap dog."
 
"Made me sick too."  Angel caressed the side of Spike's face, "I need to purge the taste of her out of me."  He pulled Spike in close and kissed him hard.  "Now introduce me to your boy here," he said when they came up for unneeded air.
 
"This is Ripper," Spike pulled his childe over, "Ripper this is your real grandsire."
 
Ripper stood still as Angel moved around him and refused to jump when Angel bit hard into his neck.
 
"Mmm," Angel licked his lips, "he tastes strong and full of magic."
 
"That he is," Spike pulled Ripper over and hugged him possessively, "Angel we're going to destroy the world for Dru, figure it's her blood price wanna join us?"
 
"I'm more interested in the slayer," Angel said pulling out a cigarette, "give me a night to play and then you can have your party."
 
Spike pouted and didn't look inclined to agree.
 
"I guarantee that when I'm finished with her she won't be anywhere near the threat to your plans she is now," Angel lit up.
 
 
They stood in the mall staring out over the humanity.  It was too bright, too human in there and their demons wanted to gorge until they brought darkness there.   The minions spread out to feed off the panic and the judge reached out turning a man into dust as he fed off the humanity.
 
Spike watched with satisfaction at the sight, "let them all burn," he said in a whisper that only Ripper heard.
 
Spike stood to the left of the judge with Ripper beside him.  Angel was standing to his right eyes scanning the room drinking in the fear.
 
Both hands extended the judge's fire leap from person to person seeking out the humanity, the souls that so disgusted him.  The thwack of a crossbow bolt into the judge's shoulder broke the fire and the mall erupted in screaming panic.
 
Standing on the concession counter across the mall the small blonde slayer dropped the crossbow as her allies handed up a large box.
 
Ripper heard the witty exchange but discounted it as he assessed the area for the escape route he knew they would need.  He didn't care what happened to Angel but regretted leaving Ethan all trussed up in the warehouse since the extra magic would have been useful.
 
When the slayer placed the rocket launcher on her shoulder Ripper took his sire's arm and whispered a charm to conceal them in shadows and protect them from harm.  Spike opened his mouth to protest when the blast threw Angel over the balcony and turned the judge into small pieces.
 
Spike grinned at the carnage even as he cursed the failure of his plan.  Ripper saw Angel get to his feet and the slayer chase after him.  He suppressed his desire for the girl to finish off his grandsire knowing that Spike would not handle losing another family member, but chose not to do anything except keep his sire safe. 
 
Ripper watched the slayer's minions pick up the pieces of the judge assessing each of them for worth and weakness.  The small male was not completely human and that intrigued Ripper and the last remnants of Rupert inside him were drawn to the watcher.  The smaller female smelt of magic and frustration that made Ripper's fangs itch to drink it down.  The two dark headed ones smelt of lust and loyalty despite their vocal protests and Ripper could almost taste their fear.
 
As they slipped away from the confusion Ripper began planning how he could use the slayer's allies against her and enjoy them at the same time. 
 
 
 
"Well that was a complete waste of time," Spike complained sounding more like his usual self than he had in weeks.  Ripper looked over hopefully but before he could say anything Angel limped in face like thunder.
 
"This time we do things my way," Angel said with a growl and Ripper watched the beloved craftiness fade from Spike's eyes.  He hated how much Spike had turned to Angel.  Ripper knew it was because of the loss of his princess but it still hurt that Ripper wasn't enough.  At least Spike still kept him in the bed and denied Angel access to him.  Ripper was happy to admit an attraction to the dark vampire but did not trust Angel not to hurt him beyond what his sire would do.
 
Ripper was happy that Angel seemed to like tormenting Ethan when he wasn't stalking the slayer.  Ethan could take anything Angel dished out and beg for more leaving Ripper to worship at his sire's body the way he wanted to.
 
As Angel plotted his next attack on the slayer Ripper kept trying to bring his sire back from the madness of grief and continued his own plans to protect his family from what he could only assume was Aurelian insanity.  He would do whatever it took to keep his family safe.
 
TBC
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