Begin A New Day
Chapter 2
Angelus shifted away as the tire iron jabbed into his side again. Pain screamed across his body, and he moaned softly. Outside his cage, the other vampire laughed and jabbed at him once more.
The second fall from the top of the Sky Temple Club had hurt him even more seriously than the first time, the broken bones and blood loss barely leaving him the strength to crawl out of the sunlight as the Beast's magic died with him. He had crawled to his knees and fallen several times before he reached a shady spot.
He had lain as still as possible waiting for his injuries to heal. His head ached unbearably, and the slightest movement had made the world dip and spin. The explosion had ripped away his duster and left his clothes in tatters, allowing the sun to scorch his face and body.
Hearing movement, Angelus had carefully turned his head. Two vamps had crept up to him and looked him over. “Hey, guys. How’re you doing?”
“You’re Angel.” One of them had said.
“Angelus, actually.” He had grimaced when the second vampire grabbed his hair and turned his head to look at him.
“Yeah, that’s him.”
“Thought so.” The first vamp had nodded.
“Now that we’re all agreed.” Angelus had laughed weakly. “How about you let me lay here awhile. We’ll get together some other time – kill some lunch.”
“Morty still got that bounty?” Vamp One had asked Vamp Two.
“Last I heard.” Vamp Two had poked at one of the wounds on Angelus’ chest, making him yelp. “Angel broke up that sweet little business he had going.”
“Okay, I can see where the trouble is.” Angelus had tried to crawl away from them. “I’m not Angel. I’m Angelus. Say it with me now, Angelus.”
“Yeah well, you look like him to me.” Vamp One had grabbed one arm while Vamp Two took the other arm. “We’ll just let Morty sort it out.”
He had passed out even before they lifted him up and slung him into the trunk of a car. When he had awakened, he was in a cage that smelled of human sweat and blood.
“Angel, well, well! This is quite the honor.”
Blinking away the grit in his eyes, Angelus had peered up at the vampire looming over him. “There’s been a mistake.”
“Yeah.” The vampire had laughed, revealing yellowed fangs. “There sure was.”
“I’m not Angel.” Gripping the bars, Angelus had struggled to pull himself up. “See, there’s this whole business with his soul – this curse – fucking Gypsies – “
“Do tell?”
“I’m Angelus. Scourge of Europe? You might’ve heard of me?”
“Can’t say as I have.” The other vampire had picked up a tire iron from the floor and slammed it against Angelus’ fingers where they were wrapped around the bars.
Screaming, Angelus had fallen back, clutching his smashed fingers to his chest. His broken ribs and shoulder added their protests when he had hit the bottom of the cage.
“Never figured you for a coward, Angel.” Morty had peeled off his coat and handed it to one of his lackeys. “That may take half the fun out of this.”
He had jabbed the sharpened end of the tool through the bars and laughed as Angelus growled and tried to pull away. “But maybe not.”
Angelus had lost track of time as he was prodded and stabbed, drenched with holy water, and burned by Morty and his minions. Unable to move away or fight back, he had lain still and tried not to respond to their various tortures. He knew from personal experience that it was boring to play with an unresponsive victim.
Now, he barely moved as Morty stabbed him again. He hoped he’d be able to keep quiet tonight and ruin their big show. Screw you, Morty. I’ve been tortured by better scum than you.
“What’s the matter, Angel?” Morty shoved the sharpened point deep into Angelus’ side and twisted viciously. “Not too tired for the show, are you?”
“Fuck you.” Angelus gasped out.
“I’m sure we’ll get to that. Got a few clients that want your ass.” He chuckled at his own joke.
Rape? Angelus stifled a shudder. That was something he’d only dealt out, never been on the receiving end of.
“He looks weak.” Morty turned to the guard standing off to one side. “Go grab him a snack from the pen. We’ll let him feed first.”
Lovely. Angelus bit his lip to keep from crying out as the metal was jerked free from his body. Do I feed and heal so I give them a better show? Or not feed and not heal and still give them a good show?
A faint scent came to him, and he lifted his head from the filthy straw. Peering into the shadows, he saw nothing. His nose was broken, and it hurt to breathe through it, but Angelus forced in a deep breath. A hint of vanilla laced with fear and anger. “Buffy?”
“Your girlfriend ain’t coming to save you, Angel.” Morty snapped the tire iron down onto Angelus’ broken knee, making him cry out despite his efforts to hold it in.
“Told you.” He ground out past clenched fangs. “Not Angel.”
“Yeah, sure. You’re Angelus now. Right.” The other vampire circled the cage. “Even if you aren’t Angel, you still killed the Beast and brought back the fucking sun.”
Angelus laughed. His ribs ground against each other but he laughed again in spite of the pain. “She’s here, and she’s going to kill you.”
“Nice try.” Morty laughed. “Like I’ll fall for that old trick?”
Buffy tapped him on the shoulder. When he spun around, she smiled brightly. “Hi. I’m Buffy.”
Morty’s jaw dropped. “The Vampire Slayer?”
“That’d be me.” She stepped back as he exploded into dust.
Angelus struggled to sit up as Buffy came to the side of the cage. “Buffy, hey, baby.” Reaching out with his less broken hand, he clutched at her arm.
“Angel?” Tears blurred her vision as she looked at him. Lifting his mangled hand to her lips, she kissed it gently. “Angel, oh my God.”
Wes pulled her away, breaking Angelus’ weak grasp on her hand. Taking a pair of manacles from his coat pocket, he snapped one on the vampire’s wrist.
“What are you doing?” Buffy demanded as Wes pulled Angelus against the bars, making him whimper in pain. “He’s hurt.”
“He’s still dangerous.” Holding Angelus against the bars, Wes waited until Gunn had unlocked the cage and crawled inside.
Gunn took the chain from Wes and pulled Angelus to the edge of the cage door. He grimaced as he saw bone sticking through the skin in places. “Man, he’s hurt pretty bad.”
Coming around the cage, Wes turned to Buffy. “Once we have him at the hotel –“ He staggered back as Angelus lunged at him.
Grabbing the loose cuff, Gunn used it to jerk Angelus around. There was an agonized howl of pain as the vampire collapsed to the floor.
Giles held Buffy's shoulders as she tried to go to him. “We have to get him out of here as quickly as possible, Buffy.”
“I know.” She watched Wes wipe the blood from where Angelus’ fangs had sliced across his cheek. “I know.”
Angelus was mercifully unconscious while they carried him to the car. Gunn and Wes carried him slung between them as they trotted through the dark shadows alongside the warehouse.
“Oh man! He’s busted up bad!” Leo jumped out of the Plymouth. “Is he gonna die?”
“No.” Buffy glared at him.
Willow looked at the car and then at the group that had to fit back into said car. “Um… where are we putting him?”
“We could put him in the trunk.” Gunn took a step back as Buffy turned on him. “Kidding! Kidding!”
“Just get in.” She growled. “I’ll put you in the trunk.”
At the hotel, they carried Angelus up to Angel’s room and laid him on the bed. He hadn’t moved or made a sound since they had put him in the car back at the warehouse. Carefully, Buffy cut off what remained of his clothes. Tears ran down her cheeks at the sight of his broken and twisted limbs and the cuts and burns on his pale skin.
“He’ll be okay.” Willow rubbed her back in soothing circles. “He’s strong.”
“He’s not strong enough.” Wes shook his head as he finished chaining Angelus’ wrists to the metal bed frame. “The spell could kill him.”
“Is it that powerful?” Willow chewed her bottom lip.
“We’ll feed him.” Buffy pulled the sheet up over Angelus’ body. “The blood we brought – “
“I didn’t keep it cold.” Willow flushed guiltily. “We didn’t think – so we had to throw it out. I’m sorry.”
“Then we’ll get some more.” Getting a basin of water, Buffy sat down next to Angelus.
“Buffy, with all the injuries and accidents, there’s bound to be a shortage.” Giles said. “I’m not certain we’ll be able to – “
“Then we feed him ourselves.” She began to carefully wash the blood and dirt from Angelus’ face. “There’s seven of us; we can feed one vampire.”
“Not Willow. We need her at full strength for the spell.” Wes looked thoughtful. “And you go last, Buffy. Your blood is very powerful. I don’t think we should give it to him unless we have to.”
“Well then, now that that’s decided.” Giles rolled up his shirtsleeve. “I’ve never fed a vampire. How do we go about this?”