Two very evil authors

[winter]

Fic later. Now, recs for the people who are making me write it.

First of all, I've mentioned guede_mazaka's The Black Road before. Now she wrote an extra not-quite-epilogue that shorted out my brain rather neatly.

(In return, I owe her Van Helsing angelic party fic.)

And second, the usual suspect. In the Name of, the story that'll make you see just why adore the Tanz vampires so much. Because they can, in utterly plausible ways, kick anyone's arse. No, honestly - you really, really don't need to know anything about Tanz to read this crack. But I don't guarantee sanity afterwards.

(In return, I owe her Herbert ficlets galore, as soon as I come up with enough pretentious German titles.)

In related news, I still can't decide which is weirder as OTP: Dark!Harry Potter/Stockholm-syndrome!Lucius or Herbert von Krolock/Spike. H/S is way fluffier, though. And more blood. *gives up and ships both*

Comments

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

*struts a bit* That's the first time I've ever been credited quite that way :D

Also, methinks the Sarah chapter will also involve Dawn, a bubble-bath and a waterpistol...

[winter]

Ah, but used on whom? :> Mind you, Alfred also has a habit of (unwittingly) surprising a lady in her bath...

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

This is the point where I suspect VK will get a short, sharp shock ;D

Also, they kids are insisting that at some point, would-be vampires-killers show up and manage to lay a smackdown on Dawn by sheer numbers, during twilight because they think she's omgevol. Illyria hauls her butt back to the castle and she's bleeding and weakening all over the place and VK has to force himself past her mental barriers to make her use the mojo within to heal herself (because the dead can't heal the living)

[winter]

Lovely, lovely idea. And then terrible vengeance happens? :D

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

Oh yes! And it'll be all the more fun, because VK has deliberately not been getting inside her head until this point. He hasn't dared after she told him what she is, because he knows it would blow her mind so even touching on her mind, even just the human part, will be like sticking his arm into a nest of vipers. Plus, forcing her body to do what he wants is something he's long stopped doing, because hell no! That just isn't fun!

[winter]

Important step for them, I see. And angst! And possibly leaving instructions on what to do in case he doesn't survive it, just because he's thoughtful like that? :D

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

I can just see him standing outside Dawn's door, saying to Herbert "Look after William and the children", before kissing him on the forehead and closing the door.

[winter]

And Herbert nodding and being all icy calm, and then having VK's hide for that once everything turns out to be all right? :D

(That, or doing the jump-tackle-glomp thing. Or both.)

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

I suspect a bit of both :D Dad tackled onto the floor and Herbert actually sitting on his middle and glaring and saying "Don't you ever do that to me again, father."

[winter]

And Dawn and Spike looking at each other over their heads and going "Gah. But we love them anyways."

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

methinks we might see a Spike-ish facepalm :D

[winter]

Well, he knew what he was getting into :)

*poke?*

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

Just got it open (am officially researching :P) and will toss you some ASAP :D

Also, worked out why Illyria trotted off for so long: after Dawn arrived, she didn't fancy being around mortals anymore, so she went into lurking on the lands, because last time she spent time with mortals, she got attached and felt... uncertain emotions when said mortals died.

However, when she saw the explosions and suchlike from VK's smackdown, she was actually concerned for Spike's well-being and despite the presence of mortals, decided to come back and make sure that if he was not alive, then the ones who killed him would die.

[winter]

Cool :) I'll have to amble off to the post office in a few minutes, but it shouldn't take me long.

And oh, Illyria to the rescue :D I can't wait to see how she's getting along with VK and Herbert now.

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

H'okay! I'm hoping to get a bit more written in a few ;D Am officially on class time and if they only knew...

[winter]

And yes, let's keep here. Less confusing. I'll make another f-locked post tomorrow for when I'm at work...

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

Adjusting the strip of dressing, Buffy carefully smoothed the tape into place across her lover’s chest. She was kneeling in front of him and he was seated on the edge of the bed, his tattered shirt in a heap on the floor beside her.

Her own wounds were partially healed already, cuts closing up and bruises already taking on yellowish hues. Still, she had allowed him to dress the deeper ones, to tend her with his large, gentle hands, though neither of them had been able to find much to say to one another.

When he had asked why they had been fighting, she had admitted to striking the first blow and admitted that the Graf’s son had a good reason for assaulting her. When she had asked what had happened to prevent Herbert from cutting her to ribbons, he had admitted attacking the vampire himself with powers he rarely used, powers she didn’t even know he had.

And so, they had tended one another in silence.

“Is it all part of the Immortal thing?” she asked, finally laying aside the bandages.

“The magic?” Brown eyes gazed at her seriously. “In part, yes. Each Immortal has power of some manner.” He sighed, running his hands over his face. “The Graf taught me how to best use mine.”

Looking down at her hands, rather than up at him, Buffy frowned. “You gonna tell me that’s why he’s such a big deal to you?” she asked quietly, uncertainly.

“Bella...” Vittorio reached down and took her hands. “Bella, listen to me. He taught me so much. It would be impossible for me to say that he was not important. He was and I hoped he would continue to be so.”

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

Hazel eyes, edged with confusion, rose to him. “Do you still love him?”

Vittorio closed his eyes, as if she had struck him. “Even if I did, I think now that I was no more than a game for him,” he murmured softly, sadly. “I came to him to learn and he drew me with all his charm and power. When he ended with me, I could not understand why, but now, I know he never felt for me as I did for him.”

“So do you still love him?” Buffy repeated, her voice shaking.

“Do you still love your Angel?” he asked quietly, slowly opening his eyes and gazing down at her. “Despite ourselves, even when we have found another to bear our hearts, we will always love those we have had and lost.”

For a moment, she said nothing, staring up at him, then surged up into his arms, clinging to him and pressing her cheek against his chest. His fingers wove through her hair and he pressed his cheek to her crown.

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

“I should have told you, bella,” he whispered, holding her close.

“Damn straight,” she replied, her voice still shaking. It was taking all her effort to hold back tears of... of what? Frustration? Sorrow? Anger? Confusion? Exhaustion? Every emotion and then some?

“No more dishonesty, then,” he said, caressing the back of her neck slowly, gently, the motion soothing her, though there was still a tension running through her as if wired into her blood.

“Everyone else I’ve been with lied to me or hid things from me,” she said quietly, one hand curled into the fabric of his shirt. She drew back to look up at his face, her own expression saddened. “I thought you were different.”

Brown eyes held hers and were full of such sincere grief that she felt a tear splash down her face. “I never meant to cause you pain, bella,” he whispered, touching her cheek softly, capturing the tear.

“Never lie to me again, Vittorio,” she said, reaching up to clasp his hand. “If you do, I promise you’ll regret it.”

“I understand, bella,” he agreed, slipping from the edge of the bed to sit on the floor, facing her. “Too much had been hidden for too long already. I should have trusted you to understand.”

Sitting on her heels, Buffy wiped her face with her hands hastily. “Yeah. You should have,” she mumbled, then forced herself to look up at him, to pretend things were back to normal. “Did... did you speak to Dawn earlier?”

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

Vittorio’s eyes dropped to his hands which were resting in his lap. “I did,” he said quietly. “Bella, she and the Graf are lovers.” Buffy’s head jerked up and she started to laugh incredulously. Brown eyes sought hers and he shook his head. “No, bella. No joke. She admitted it herself.”

“But he... even Giles is wigged by him...”

“I know,” Vittorio said softly. “But Dawn trusts him and he had done her no harm.”

She stared at him in disbelief, shaking her head. “But Dawnie... she’s way too smart to get involved with a vampire...” she mumbled. “She saw what happened with Angel and Spike...”

“The Graf... he is unlike any other vampire...”

“Yeah, you said,” Buffy pushed herself upright, pacing anxiously across the room, a frown on her face. “What if... what if he’s just playing with her?” She didn’t turn, but she knew he would finished the question; Like he did with you?

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

Vittorio was silent for so long that she turned to look at him.

“What is it?”

Brown eyes rose to her slowly. “He cares for her,” he said simply and there was an undeniable sadness in his words. “Truly.”

Part of her ached looking at him, knowing a lover he had lost so long ago could still make him hurt so much, but the greater part was watching him in disbelief and not without some small measure of bitter pleasure that her sister had claimed something that even Vittorio wasn’t able to get.

“He’s still a vampire,” she said quietly.

“She knows, bella,” he said just as softly. “She knows exactly who and what he is and in spite of it all, she trusts him.” He lowered his eyes. “He has never deceived nor lied to her.”

Leaning against the edge of the dresser, Buffy folded her arms over her chest, staring down at her feet. “And he’s the soulless monster, huh?” she murmured, watching her sock-covered toes curl against the carpet. “Gotta appreciate the irony.”

New one :D

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

“Sure this is the place, G?”

“These were Willow’s exact co-ordinates,” Rupert Giles replied. After a flight from Turin to Sibiu, they had been met by an acquaintance of Vittorio’s, who had lead them straight to the helicopter they were presently descending in.

Below then, green land unrolled, tinted gold by late-afternoon sunlight, looking far too warm and friendly to be vampire-land.

While Giles didn’t doubt Willow as a powerful force, this time he had chosen to make the journey to seek out his wayward Slayer himself and, if need be reclaim her body and avenge her.

Landing on open meadow close to what looked like a manor house, he and Faith - the Slayer second only to Buffy in rank and experience - climbed down onto the grass, the propeller still beating rapidly overhead.

Strapping a crucifix to her thigh and a sword onto her back, Faith pulled a hefty crossbow out of the cabin. It was a monstrosity which could fire half-a-dozen arrows at once, which often proved useful when outnumbered by a faster foe, although it only usually served for one shot before hand-to-hand combat became necessary.

“Charming,” Giles said dryly. His own crossbow was lighter, efficient and deadly with a single bolt.

With a nod to the pilot, they made their way across the ankle-length grass, towards the house. Only when they were closer did it become apparent that this was no discreet manor in the middle of nowhere.

For one thing, the windows above the front door looked like they had been blown outwards by some kind of explosion and the gravel of the driveway was scorched and blackened by what looked like it had been a firebomb.

“Call it a hunch, G,” Faith said from beside him, her voice dripping sarcasm. “But I think we’re in the right place.”

Re: New one :D

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

Glancing at the young woman, he could see the fire in her eyes, the energy already tensing her body, ready for the fight. Her finger was curled around the trigger and she was grinning in an altogether wicked way.

Approaching the front door of the building, which was hanging ajar on its hinges, the Watcher motioned for her to be quiet, pushing the door open with one foot. Peering into the shadow, he could see nothing, but that wasn’t enough for the battle-ready woman beside him.

Uncaring of surprises, she pushed past him, into the building, crossbow held out in front of her.

“Faith!”

“S’clear!” Her voice rang back to him out of the darkness. “Jesus H Christ! Someone went to town here!”

With a roll of his eyes, Giles warily stepped into the shadowy doorway after her, his eyes taking a moment to adjust. His brows drew together at the carnage that Faith was standing in the midst of, the once-elegant lobby littered with shattered glass and broken woodwork.

There were scorches and cobwebbed splinters spreading on the polished wood of the walls, all marks of a battle with magic. Even the air was heavy with the scent of it, though it looked like hours had past.

“You know,” a voice spoke from the top of the staircase, “Some would consider it good manners to knock at the door before entering.”

Faith whirled around, crossbow raised, her eyes on a shapeless figure in the shadows above her. “Door was open,” she replied. “Just here for the clean-up.”

Re: New one :D

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

Whoever he was, the speaker stepped out of the shadows. Tall and striking, he had long gold hair drawn back in a loose ponytail. Wearing a suit, he looked impeccable save for the cut that scored one cheek.

“Shipping in cleaners from America?” he inquired pleasantly. “My, my. Father really does spare no expense.” He inclined his head slightly. “We’ve been expecting you.”

“Indeed?” Giles moved closer to the Slayer.

The vampire smiled. “Of course,” he murmured, walking down the staircase with a slow, smooth tread. “Your charming young witch must have been quite beside herself when your Slayer vanished off her radar.”

Levelling her crossbow at his chest, Faith gazed at him. “You gonna tell us where B is or do I gotta ruin that fine-lookin’ suit for you?”

With a casual gesture with one elegant, white hand, the vampire sighed. “Oh, I really would prefer it if you didn’t,” he said lightly. “Have you any idea how tiresome fittings are?”

Giles saw the grin cross Faith’s face and laid a hand on her shoulder. “Where is she?” he asked, his voice firm and quiet.

Fair eyebrows rose marginally. “What’s this? Someone from the Watchers Council with something akin to manners?” He laughed, halting halfway down the broad staircase. “This is, indeed, an occasion.”

Re: New one :D

[winter]

BTW, f-locked post for today?