*Characters belong to Joss Whedon, etc. This is Darla and Spike.



All the Queen's Children

by Tara Ann Stridh




The fire offered her just enough light for her sparkling eyes to read the pages of the leather bound book. A tiny whimper was muffled from underneath the white fur blanket on the huge bed. Beneath the purple silk lining the being stirred with a sniffle, and Darla turned to the sudden awakening. Her eyebrow arched as a head of satiny brunette emerged from the heat of the blanket at the foot of the bed. His dark eyes blinked at her, and she smiled warmly.
"Hello William." Her melodious voice purred.
"Where am I?" He spoke with a British accent. He sat up, his body slim and his chest bare. Darla closed the book, standing. Her violet eyes observed the author's name engraved upon the cover, her delicate fingers tenderly tracing the lovely script.
"The world is indeed changing when a woman is allowed to share her wondrous mind with all and be respected for it. I hope to meet this woman named Mary, creator of a nightmare world filled with science." After placing the book on the red velvet chair she walked towards the bed.
"You're home, little one." Her shimmering pale smile was friendly, and he yawned. "Do you remember the night before, William? You died, and you were born."
"It wasn't you."
"No, it wasn't me, but the one who made you still sleeps. They sleep together. But not for long. Soon she will be here to soothe you."
"Drusilla. She bit me, and I drank her blood. There was a man with her. He smiled as I died." A content purr.
"Yes. My Angelus." William wrapped the fur around his shoulders, bundling his naked body away from her searching eyes.
"And who are you, luv?"
"Darla. I birthed Angelus. He Drusilla. And now here you are in our cherry little home." She sat at the foot of the bed, smiling faintly as William moved away from her.
"They talk about you."
"Yes, I know. Behind my back. Not much for loyalty are they?" Her eyebrow arched again. William's dark eyes glistened upon her silent bosom gracefully uplifted by her blue silk gown. Lavender lace trimmed the high waistline directly beneath her breasts, and her blonde hair was softly curled.
"You don't look so mean to me. You look like absolute perfection."
"How sweet you are, William. And how sad it is that you are only two evenings old, and Drusilla has practically abandoned you."
"I was just looking for a tasty little trollop."
"You and she are much more now. You belong to her, William. Just as Angelus belongs to me. You and Drusilla are shared. And there is love between you, even though Angelus will argue with me over the matter, but I know. Darla always knows. Dru made you hers because she is in love with you. And I will be here to catch Angelus when she no longer wants to play with him." William moved towards her again, and she glided her hand along his silky white face.
"William the Bloody." Her voice adored him, and her fingers gently touched the scar intruding his eyebrow. "How beautiful you are. So young." His fingers twirled through her blonde curls, and he pressed his lips to hers, kissing her because he wanted to. She backed away from him, her eyes slightly narrowed, her lips parted.
"What are you doing? Don't."
"Why not, pet? You're a woman. I'm a man. Aren't we the same in terms of this whole undead thing?"
"No, you don't belong to me. And to take you so early would be wrong." His face leaned into her neck, his soft lips whispering kisses into her flesh. She felt his hand squeeze her breast, and he was singing words into her ear.
"I'm not asking you to steal me away, Darla. Darling Darla. Just to be my mother for a short while. Or long while. As long as you need." Her lips turned to his smiling ones. "Do you understand what you are?"
"You can tell me?"
"You are no longer who you once were, William. The love in your heart remains the same. The hate. The bitterness. The lust. Deepened and transformed into raw and beautiful power. We are above mortals. They cower under our footsteps, and we feed off their fear and humanity. Every little ounce of blood making us stronger." The white fur slipped off his shoulders as his hands gripped Darla's petite waist, his nose touching hers. His dark eyes twinkled at her.
"I won't tell Angelus."
"It wouldn't matter." He closed his eyes nestling his face into her blonde curls and inhaling their peach raspberry scent. In response she closed her eyes as she felt his cold fingers unfasten the tiny blue buttons of her silk gown. Immediately she began to pull at the sleeves at her wrists, helping him to undress her slender body. As she kissed his newborn lips, his tongue sensitive against hers she laughed like the stars glowing in the black sky.
"I won't tell him, either. And you're first lesson is that I am Queen." William nodded as he his slim body balanced above hers, his fingers pushing her blonde stands away from her lips.
"You think Drusilla would like me blonde? I think I'll dye it for you."
"If that is how you would honor me, then I encourage it." Darla smiled beneath him, relishing the secret they would share between each other.