Disclaimers – I do not own any of the characters commonly
associated with
Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel: The Series; they belong to
others and
are used without permission.
No copyright infringement is intended.
Rating – NC-17
Feedback – Shadowlander1@gmx.net
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Chapter 1
The
Elders tell the story of the Vampire Prince who united the undead and most of
the demon world into a powerful confederation to retake the earth from the
tainted ones. They still whisper how
the Prince even brought the fabled Slayer into his army, taming her, as he marched
across the old world to end the rule of the tainted ones in what has become
known as the Great War. Not many
outside the vampire and immortal clans remember what the old world was like
before the tainted ones came, when the “humans” were the dominant species... or
so they thought. Now it is the Children
of the Night who walk the earth as its undisputed masters, not that the Prince
allowed the humans to die off, they still served a purpose, they are just as
much a part of the great circle as the other races are and deserve the right to
live. After all isn't that what the
Great War was all about? The rights of
humans and demons to exist... or so the elders say in their ancient tales of
the true Prince of the vampires and his chosen followers, no one but those
select few know for sure.
To the
rest of the new order, the Prince is a hero... a king... a god among the undead
who demanded that the stain of the tainted ones be removed from the earth. That this was their world long before
mankind every walked and would be long after man took its last breath. Then came the other war, the war that split
the Confederation, history had been forgotten and the Slayer captured by beings
calling themselves “The Council of Watchers” who spoke of a holy war between
humans and demons, rewriting thousands of years of history to serve their own
purposes.
Now the
Elders speak of the forgotten tales, how the Prince had been betrayed by the
Slayer who the Watcher had so carefully brainwashed, forever destroying the new
order and ushering in the age of Man, with all other races cast into the
shadows to live in fear of the Chosen One and the Council. However there are those who still remember
the truth, keeping alive the ancient confederation founded on the steps of the
Temple of Kybele at Ephesus so long ago as the last of the tainted ones were
driven from Mother Earth. It is the
Elders who still believe in the Confederation, pointing to the prophecy that
tells of the Prince's rebirth and rise to power once more, righting the ancient
wrong that took the Slayer from his side and scattered his trusted warriors to
the four corners of the world.
Me...
I'm not sure about the old stories or how true they are, I'm only concerned
with a dying Confederation and the growing threat of these creatures that have
been preying upon our people, claiming an ancient blood feud. Can they really be the tainted ones the
Elders speak of, returning to enslave the people of earth once more? Or are they something else that threatens
both man and demon? Either way I have
responsibilities to my ragged Confederation and even the humans that lost their
faith in the old ways. Can I ignore the
words of the Elders placing all my trust in my Advisors who preach caution and
the need to gather our warriors once more?
The immortal clans are little help, not wanting to enter a long drawn
out war that could bring unwanted attention to us all, not without hope of a
better future for us all.
There
has to be someway to protect all of our people without sacrificing countless
innocents in the process... maybe it is time to look up Anyanka, she is close
to the Slayer and would be the best among us to judge if the Chosen One will be
an asset or a threat to us in the war I know is coming. As for the Prince and his rumoured rebirth,
that too will be looked into... I cannot afford to allow this opportune to slip
away without at least trying to find him.
My continued rule over the Confederation is unimportant, it is hard to
be a king without subjects.
******************************
Los Angeles, California -
Office of Wolfram and Hart
“This
Angel... he is a vampire with a soul?”
the tall well-dressed man asked the senior partner seated opposite
him. There was something about lawyers
that the cultured demon didn't like, especially ones that would sell out their
own kind all for money and power. Maybe
he was too old, but he still believed that one's honour and self-respect were
more important then anything else.
'Humans, their always were a confusing lot,' he thought with distaste,
'and that is one ugly tie... wonder how he would look hanging by it?'
“Yes...
he's a do-gooder working on redeeming himself for his past crimes... has proven
to be quite bothersome to some of our clients and to our own business,” the
human replied almost tasting the promotion he knew he would get by taking out
the vampire in question.
“Really? Redemption is a powerful thing... especially
you have done the unspeakable,” the demon replied wondering how mad the
Proconsul would be if he ripped out the human's heart. 'The things I do in the service of my
leader,' he groaned to himself, wondering how much longer he would have to
stand the company of this lawyer before he could get back to more pleasurable
things. “Tell me... where can I find
this Angel?”
“Ahh...
he's recently had to move his offices, his former place of residence went up in
a huge fireball,” the human began eager to help out the demon and, more
importantly, get that new corner office he could see in his very near future.
“No
bother... I will find him,” the demon replied having grown bored with the
conversation, “our business is at an end... your firm is to leave the vampire
and his people alone... we will deal with him.” He directed dismissing the
mortal almost immediately as he headed for the door. 'Even if he isn't the one we seek, he deserves to find his
redemption,' the demon decided leaving the office without second thought.
******************************
Hyperion Hotel
Same time -
Cordelia Chase gripped her head as a massive pain shot through her skull followed closely by one of the visions TPTB had decided to thrust upon her in order to help Angel in his quest for redemption. Slowly sinking to the floor, mentally cursing the sorry s.o.b of a higher power that decided that she really needed to be a seer, she waited for the vision to pass so she could break into her stash of painkillers.
“Cordelia!”
the small redhead called out in alarm as she stepped off the staircase and ran
to the taller dark-haired woman.
Sliding to her knees beside her one time nemesis and current... friend?
No that wasn't it, over the years Delia had become so much more to her, but she
really didn't want to think about that now.
First she had to get some Tylenol into the seer and get the details of
her vision... then she could worry about her confusing feelings for the
indomitable Cordelia Chase later, after they saved the world.
Behind
her she could hear running feet as the rest of the hotel's occupants came into
the room alerted by Willow's cry.
“Delia... what did you see?” Angel said in a low voice crouching down
beside the two. It had been much too quiet lately he told himself, absently
wondering if Wesley's paranoia was rubbing off on him.
After
swallowing two extra strength tabs dry, Cordelia took a steadying breath, “We
got big trouble... real big trouble and we are going to need lots and lots of
help.” She said in a shaky voice
leaning against the redhead for support.
******************************
Sunnydale, California
A few hours later -
“Dear god,” Rupert Giles said more to himself then anyone else as he felt his heart drop to his stomach and his blood run cold. 'This can't possible be right,' he told himself re-reading the prophecy a third and fourth time, but the words refused to change. “Anya,” he called out, finally glancing up from the book to find his employee deep in a whispered conversation with a tall well-dressed man with dark features and graying hair.
Looking
up from his conversation with the former vengeance demon, Harrington Creed
calmly regarded the ex-watcher standing before him book in hand and a pained
expression in his eyes. “Ah... you've
discovered the prophecy... good that will save me the trouble of having to
explain things to you,” the Proconsul said taking a little peek into the
human's mind.
“P-prophecy,”
Giles stuttered, completely thrown at the stranger's words.
“About
the rebirth of the Vampire Prince and coming of a great evil... I am here to
stop it and want you're help.”
“It's
okay Giles... he knows all about the Watchers and the Slayer...doesn't like the
Council very much but he's here to help,” Anya offered helpfully, her mind
still on Creed's offer to get her powers back in exchange for her help. If Harrington Creed was asking for favours
something big was about to happen and she would be insane not to help, not to
mention wind up died if she didn't do everything with her power to keep the
prophecy he was so worried about happening from actually occurring. 'I can't have orgasms with Xander if we are
both dead,' she reasoned.
“Yes...
well we do have a lot to talk about, perhaps we should get to it and you can
judge for yourself,” Creed said after a moment, shaking his head at Anya's
thoughts of naked orgasming Xanders.
'Will wonders never cease? The
former man hating vengeance demon has discovered sex.' He thought pushing aside
the almost absurd thoughts.
End Part One.
Author’s Notes:
Okay
I'm still feeling this one out, not sure where it is going or who the pairings
are going to be. Okay shoot me, I'm
bored and this is occupying my mind today.
::big grin:: So pairing
suggestions are welcome, even from the mad Brazilian prowling in the corner
humming a love song to Ms. Edith and trying to talk Harmony into wearing more
leather.
Also
the Temple of Kybele at Ephesus is also known as the Temple of Artemis and is
one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Did I mention that I've been bored out of my skull all day?? So help me out here... questions and
suggestions are welcome.