Didn't you read the tale

*

"...and the pavillion needs to be over there!" Like a conductor, Mona waved her instructions to the people who were setting up the decorations.

"Ma'am, the people with the pots for the flower arrangements are here."

"Thanks a lot." She turned around. "Wow... that's amazing... amazingly stupid!" she shouted. "I said I wanted silver ribbons to go with the roses, not gold! It looks so vulgar! Take them back to that useless flower shop and tell them to get silver ribbons, and I want the delivery today, and I mean today! I want everything done when the flowers arrive on the evening before D-Day!"

"Don't you think you're exaggerating a little?" Asmodis asked cautiously.

"No, I don't," Mona disagreed.

"Gold works fine for me as well," Asmodis explained.

"But not for me," Mona replied energetically. "All color arrangements must be planned, I don't want this to be a mess. I have to get this done. Especially as Tasha and Riley arrive this afternoon."

Asmodis sighed. "Would it be impolite to ask them to stay at a hotel?"

Mona smiled and pushed him in the side. Asmodis could hardly breathe from the pain.

"Oh sorry," Mona apologized, "I keep forgetting about these superpowers."

"That's okay," Asmodis gasped.

One of the housemaids approached her. "Excuse me, the man from the bakery is on the phone, he would like you to confirm if you wanted marzipan roses on the cake."

Mona sighed deeply. "Am I surrounded by idiots? I believe I have a good grasp of this language, but everyone seems to misunderstand me! Illiterates! I said persipan roses, not marzipan! If he can't manage, tell him to fuck off!"

"Yeah, that's what I call a grasp of our beautiful language," a voice came from the door.

Mona turned around. "Faith, I'm sorry. Come on in. What can I do for you?"

Faith looked puzzled. "It's Thursday. Our training."

Mona seemed desperate. "I had completely forgotten about that! I'm so sorry, all these preliminaries are driving me insane."

"You mustn't forget you have your duties," Faith reminded her.

"Well, you ought to know... Couldn't the Powers have chosen someone a bit younger than me?"

"Poor old woman," Asmodis remarked.

"No, seriously," Mona insisted, "Buffy was only 16 when she was called."

Faith shrugged. "There are no rules for a Replacement Slayer. There haven't been too many in the past. We all thought it was just a theory, nothing to worry about."

For an uncomfortable moment of silence, Mona thought of her friend Susan, the woman who would, to her, be the one and only Replacement Slayer for all times. Wish she could be here. Wish she could be my Maid of Honor. I miss her.

"Speaking of duties," Mona changed the subject, "As Maid of Honor... when is my bridal shower?"

Faith smiled enigmatically. "Who is telling you that you get a bridal shower?"

Mona grinned. "Okay, no details. So, as for the wedding, what are you going to wear?"

Faith looked down at her jeans and the old bleached top. "I think that'd be okay..."

Mona tried to refrain from having hysterics this time.

Asmodis grinned. "I told you we should have gone to Las Vegas."

*

"Let's get the hell out of here." We had got the hell out of there. Literally. We stood before the ruins of our dreams. And for me, there was no question who was to blame.

"What have you done?" I shouted at him angrily, "You've betrayed us!"

"I've saved us," he protested, "You should fall to your kness and thank me!"

"Yeah," I said sarcastically, "Thanks for working with the enemy, thanks a lot that we're ruined, thanks a lot that my lover's dead!"

"Why do you think you're still alive? If it wasn't for me, you'd be in there, you could be a pile of dust as well!"

"I'm not a vampire," I reminded him. I tried to suppress my tears of rage. "I really liked Spike."

"We'll find you another toy," he tried to console me.

I looked doubtful. "Promise?"

"Promise."

"We're gonna need a plan."

He shook his head. "There is no plan. We're outnumbered. First of all, we need shelter. And then, we need a plan."

I pretended to agree. But I already had my plan.

*

They were walking down the stairs. Her hair was tangled, her dress stained with blood, and yet her steps were light, as she was walking down to face her future, their future, with her head held high.

He could not explain what was going on. The feeling of guilt was overwhelming on his mind, yet there was something else, given that he now knew she would live... well, not in the sense of the word. He did no longer know what to do or how to go on, so he followed her like a shadow.

The grand hall was nothing but a battlefield. Slain foes, piles of dust everywhere, the air heavy with smoke. The battle was lost and won. What was more, it was over. At last.

The Master was standing on the stage, with his arms spread over his followers. "My children," he said calmly. "We are standing at the edge of tomorrow. The sacrifices of our brothers and sisters who lost their lives tonight to defeat evil shall not be forgotten. Let us remain silent for a few moments to honor their memory."

They all lowered their heads.

"He's here!" A scream broke the silence.

Incountable heads flew around, incountable eyes were staring at the couple half way up the stairs leading to the east turret.

Lindsey stared at them. The men and women of his unit were insecurely looking to their leader for orders. Lindsey looked resolved as he announced: "Kill him. Kill them both."

"Wait!" Darla threw herself in their way. "Susan's on our side!"

"What for?" Lindsey asked with contempt, "Look at them! She's holding his hand! And where's Dru, anyway? They probably killed her!"

"It's not the way you think," Angelus protested.

Darla approached them.

"Be careful!" Lindsey warned her, but the vampire did not listen.

"She's one of us now," Darla declared with surprise. Then she turned to Angelus. "And you are as well. Aren't you, my Childe?" she asked softly.

Angelus was unable to answer. He could not bring himself to show emotion before all these people, most of whom he knew because he had hurt them one way or the other in his past.

"You mean, they are both vampires, and they both have a soul?" Lindsey asked in disbelief.

"As it should be," Darla confirmed.

"You can't trust him!" Lindsey protested, stretching forth his artificial hand.

"I know this must confuse you," Darla replied gently, "But think how much it must confuse the two of them. I know what I know. I have no idea how, but the curse is broken."

"I'll only ask this once," Lindsey said, "Where is Dru?"

"She's in my world," Susan replied. "I was there as well."

Lindsey was not convinced. "You should've stayed there, you don't belong here! And why the HELL did you come back? Why did you trust yourself to that monster? Why did you let him do that to you?"

"I couldn't let her die," Angelus replied in a low voice.

"So you killed her, great idea!" Lindsey exclaimed with bitter irony.

Darla led the couple down to the others. She stopped so Angelus ended up standing next to Lindsey.

"I'm sorry, "Angelus said. "I know this doesn't make any difference, but I wanted you to know."

The young lawyer looked as if he was about to draw a stake.

Darla put a comforting hand on Lindsey's shoulder. "It's alright, my love. You need time. We will all need time."

"Apologize to me one more time," Lindsey whispered, "and you're dust."

*

As they entered the apartment, Angelus looked around as if he saw it for the very first time. It was dark and gloomy, frightening, but somehow sublime.

"I don't know if it was a good idea of Darla's to let us remain in our quarters for the beginning," he mentioned. "Too many old ghosts." It was in this bed Buffy died. It was in this room I plotted the destruction of the good side. It was in this room I betrayed Susan's trust in me.

Susan did not reply. She had not said a word since...

Why can't I face it? She hasn't talked to me since she died. "Susan."

At the sound of her name, she looked at him, questioningly, but again without a word.

"Susan, I'm not sure I can stay here. In this room, in this place. This way. I'm not sure I can handle it."

Susan nodded in silence.

"What Lindsey said to me... How they looked at me... at us. I understand they don't trust me, but for you it must be awkward. You used to be the Slayer, and now..."

Angelus waited for her to say something. Anything. But she did not.

His demon was about to lose his temper with impatience, rage at her silence. The soul was in a deep sadness. " I understand, I mean, I knew exactly what I was doing to you, and it didn't stop me. You must hate me," he added in a low voice.

For the first time now, Susan spoke. "No, I don't hate you," she said matter-of-factly.

He looked confused and vulnerable. "Why? Why did you come back? There was no way you could be sure about the curse. If it had still been there... I would never have turned you."

She expected to feel a chill at his words, but she did not. "I knew from the beginning that I would get myself killed in this mission. I guess I just wanted it to be you."

*

Tara anxiously held on to the small rat running in her cage. "I'll fix this, Willow, I promise," she whispered.

The door was thrown open.

Tara glared at Asmodis as he floated into the room, his feet not touching the floor.

"You cannot impress me with a little floating in the air," she hissed. "I'm not afraid of you, traitor."

"Traitor is such a hard word," Asmodis disagreed. "I just tried to limit the damage I knew would be done anyway. I had the best intentions. Angelus' empire was falling apart. But just imagine what magicians as mighty as the two of us could do. You should be grateful. With the old order, we were just assistants in the hierarchy, now we could rule."

Tara smiled contemptuously. "I have no ambition whatsoever to rule with you."

"Big lesbo still, huh?" He shrugged. "What a pity! Well, if you're not interested, someone else will. Just wanted to ask family first. Think about it. Buffy and Spike gone. And I got rid of Susan and Angelus at last. Without them, Darla and the Master are not as powerful."

"So you got rid of them," Tara mocked him. "You haven't heard?"

He looked at her suspiciously. "Heard what?"

"They are back."

"You're lying."

Tara's voice was cold and unemotional. "You know I'm not. They are back, and somehow, they are both vampires now, and they both have souls. And they're allied with the Master and Darla. Well done, indeed."

Asmodis' face went white. She's betrayed me! Susan, that was not the deal! You promised to go away with him... you've broken our agreement! "If it's true what you are saying, then..."

"...we're screwed, yeah," Tara confirmed sarcastically.

"She will regret the day she met me," Asmodis said angrily. "This means war."

Tara sighed. "You don't understand. They are back, more powerful than ever, shining saints, mighty warriors of light. She's a Slayer-Vampire now, no one can defeat her now. Her only vulnerable point was Angelus, and he will never betray her now – thanks to you, he loves her. End of story, you know. Happily ever after."

The black magician shook his head. "Happily ever after," he repeated thoughtfully. "Ask, and ye shall receive."

*

"So, that's it," Tasha declared solemnly, "You are finally following our good example and tie the knot. Congratulations."

Asmodis was puzzled. He had never seen Tasha that nice. "Tasha, you are almost friendly! Am I in a parallel universe?" Then he realized what he had said. "I'm sorry," he added quickly.

Mona tried not to think of Susan. "It's so sad," she whispered.

Tasha nodded. "Wish we knew what happened in that world." She tried to break the ice with a joke and added: "As the two of you are getting married, it would be logical if your counterparts on the other side should break up."

Mona shook her head. "Why should they break up? I see the logic, but... what choice do they have?"

*

"You again," Tara said angrily.

"Me again," Asmodis replied with a sadistic grin, "I won't bother you for much longer. Just give me what I need, and I'll go away."

Tara sighed. "What do you want?"

Asmodis looked around. "You've got a larger stock of magic items around here, I guess. I lost almost every tool I had in the rebellion. I need an Orb of Thessula. You do have one, don't you?"

Tara started chuckling.

"What's so funny?" he thundered.

"Soul magic, yeah? I knew you were stupid, Asmodis, but I underestimated you. You're just nuts! If you curse Angelus again, Susan will smash you to pieces. Do you really dare to cross her once more? There is a thin line between arrogance and stupidity, my dear friend."

"That's none of your business, witch," Asmodis replied. "Give me the Orb, and you'll never see me again."

Tara sighed. "If I were you, I wouldn't play around with magic I cannot calculate, while my girlfriend..."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Asmodis inquired suspiciously. "What do you know of Mona?"

"Oh, nothing," Tara replied innocently.

*

"How was that?"

"Great," Faith replied, "And if I'd been a vamp, you'd be dead now!"

"Why?" Mona asked displeased.

"Because you don't listen to what I tell you! Don't ever let down your guard. You're not concentrating."

"I'm getting married," Mona apologized. "I don't see anyway why you're making me go for training two days before my wedding!"

Faith smiled. "All right then, just a few more exercises in the gym, and then we're done for the moment."

Mona sighed. "I really don't feel like training. I'd prefer a shower!"

Then Faith opened the door.

Paper decorations, colored lights, a disco orb and a huge buffet were dominating the normally spartanic sight of the gym Mona and her Watcher used for training. Mona was thrilled to see all her friends gathered around a table that was almost breaking down under the load of presents. All her female friends...

"Ask, and ye shall receive," Faith remarked sarcastically.

"My bridal shower! Faith, thank you!" Mona entered the gym to greet her friends.

"Buffy! Willow and Tara! I thought you were arriving tomorrow!"

"Surprise," Willow said.

"Mona, have you met my sister Dawn?"

"Hi, nice to see you, Dawn."

"That's so exciting!" Anya cried, "It's my first bridal shower, I wouldn't miss that for the world! Well, maybe for the world, but they didn't forecast an apocalypse for tonight--- did they?"

"Thank you ever so much for coming." It did not take Mona long to spot a shy dark-haired woman in the corner. "Welcome back, Dru. How are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks. Congratulations."

"Thank you. So glad you could make the time."

The vampire smiled. "If there's one thing I have in masses, it's time. Though it's quite hard for me to relax in here, in the same room with three slayers."

"Hope you're not too uncomfortable. I'd like to say, grab a drink and feel like home, but I'm afraid that would be a bit odd as well."

"Well, I guess I'll stick to some red wine."

Mona nodded. "As long as you don't take cherry juice... I believe someone might oppose to that."

Tasha had left her children with a babysitter to take part.

Meanwhile, Faith took the opportunity to ask Buffy: "What about our surprise?"

Buffy nodded. "No problem at all. Should be here in no time." She was watching Mona opening Tasha's present.

Buffy looked sceptical. "You sure Tasha doesn't feel insulted when she sees..."

Faith grinned. "I don't think so."

The door flew open. "Sorry, I'm late!"

"Cordelia at last!"

"I'm the driver," Cordelia apologized, "Had to drop Wes and Angel off at Asmodis' bachelor party, and we left late. I hate men, it takes them incredibly long to look as always. First, they just couldn't decide what to wear, and then there was the hairdo – or, as in Angel's case, the hairdon't. Sometimes I think he just can't get used to mirrors!"

Buffy smiled inwardly. Depended on where exactly the mirrors were.

"Do you have any idea what the guys are doing tonight?" Tasha wanted to know.

Cordy had many ideas what they might be up to, Wesley had made some vague references involving a hyperdimensional chocolate cake with unusual ingredients called Jane and Liz, but Faith signalled her not to mention that to Tasha. "Having fun," Cordelia replied.

"I must admit I was a bit worried," Tasha explained, "Riley isn't used to drinking much alcohol, and you always hear such frightening stories about bachelor parties."

"Don't worry, it's all lies," Cordelia chattered, "Nobody's gonna eat Riley's brain!"

"Wouldn't be fattening anyway," Anya added.

Buffy had to make efforts not to burst into laughter.

"Very reassuring," Tasha said. "For a moment, I was afraid the bachelor's party would involve something immoral. I'm glad the guys are as settled and grown-up as we are."

Cordy lowered her voice. "Faith, you haven't told her about the stripper, have you?"

Faith shook her head in disbelief. "And take all the fun out of it?"

That moment, the door bell rang.

Mona went to open.

A policeman in full uniform was waiting outside. "Ma'am, we have reported complaints from your neighborhood about unbearable noise and loud music."

Mona looked at him suspiciously. "Come on, that's the oldest trick in the world. You had me going there for a minute, but you can stop the comedy now, I know you're a stripper!"

Behind the policeman, Kate was stepping out of the darkness. "I'm afraid this is an official visit."

Tasha almost fainted.

The girls fell silent.

Mona colored. "I'm so SORRY," she explained, "You have to know, I'm getting married, and..."

The policeman put on his strictest face. "Insulting a police officer on duty is a serious offence, Ma'am."

"I apologize, I promise this won't happen again, I mean, I hope this will be my only wedding anyway, and I certainly didn't mean to insult a police officer..."

The police officer nodded and threw his jacket into the crowd of women. "You're lucky I'm not on duty right now!"

Kate turned on the music. "Congratulations!"

Mona sighed with relief. "That is a surprise! For a moment I thought he was genuine."

"He is genuine," Kate confirmed, "That's Tom, he's in my unit. That party thing is just a hobby, but he's real' good at it, as you'll see in a minute!"

Tasha almost fainted again. "You don't mean he will take off his clothes???" she asked in a shock.

"That's what a stripper normally does," Buffy enlightened her. Then she turned to Cordy. "More champagne?"

"Thanks," Cordelia replied, "I have..." Her eyes opened wide, she held her aching head and cried, "...a vision." Struck by its force, she sank into the arms of Kate's colleague. The pictures were like a rollercoaster in her mind.

"Cordelia, are you okay?" Mona asked in a shock.

Buffy tried to steady her. "What did you see?"

Cordelia was still dazed, seemed to see the others through a veil. "Sorry to spoil your party, Mona. Would you mind calling Angel? I think something's wrong with him."

Buffy reached for her cellphone in alarm.

The seconds she dialled Angel's number seemed endless. Then there was the voice. "The person you are calling is not available at present. Please call again later."

"He's turned it off," Buffy said.

"Keep calm," Mona said, "I'll try Asmodis."

"The person you are calling is not available at present. Please call again later."

"This isn't very reassuring," Tasha said.

"Let's go," Buffy decided, "Cordy, where did you drop them off?"

*

"I cannot but admit the two talented young ladies provided some stimulation... in an exclusively intellectual way," Wesley added. "Jane told me about her studies in anthropology!"

"Of course," Xander insisted, "And you were against the strippers in the first place!"

Oz was sitting in a corner, quiet as usual.

"Are you having fun?" Asmodis asked, kind of concerned.

Oz looked up from his glass. "Sure."

"Then why do you sit here all alone? Don't you want to join us?"

Oz looked sceptical. "And distract your attention from the two young ladies? I'm okay, don't worry."

Asmodis suppressed a sigh. That was Oz. Not the most talkative guy on the planet. He decided to return to his other guests to make sure everyone was enjoying the party.

"Encore! Encore!" Riley was shouting. Obviously the only French word he knew.

The girls had been booked for the whole night, so they began to resume their dance.

Asmodis smiled as he watched Riley's enthusiasm. If Tasha knew...

"He's having fun," Angel remarked.

"What about you?" Asmodis wanted to know.

Angel smiled. "It's better than the last bachelor party I went to. The groom turned out to be a demon who wanted to eat my employee's brain... And the stripper wasn't quite that attractive." Angel suddenly seemed distracted. "It's strange..." His gaze drifted into emptiness. "I get a feeling..."

Spike nodded, still watching the girls. "Yeah, me too, definitely."

"Not that," Angel disagreed, "Something's wrong."

"O'course," Spike replied dryly, "If you don't get a feeling here, somethin' must be wrong with you."

"It's her," Angel said, ignoring him, "She's in trouble. I can feel it."

Asmodis frowned. "You might want to call Buffy to see if she's okay."

Angel shook his head. "Not Buffy. Susan. Susan is in trouble."

Spike looked sceptical. "If you call being dead in trouble, then, she probably is."

Suddenly, while Jane was still performing a lapdance with Riley, the door flew open.

"Look who's here," Spike said sarcastically.

Buffy rushed forward. "Angel, are you all right?"

Angel seemed confused. "Buffy. What happened?"

Buffy's voice was concerned. "Cordelia had a vision of you in trouble, and you didn't answer your cellphone."

His face all guilt, Angel looked at the display of his cellphone. "Low battery."

"What about you?" Mona asked Asmodis.

Asmodis shrugged. "My mom called seven times tonight, then I turned it off. But don't worry, darling, we're all right and safe, no demon attacks, we're fine."

Tasha stared at Riley, who still held Jane on his lap. "I guess so," she said sourly.

Mona looked at the huge artificial chocolate cake and the two girls. Then she glared at Asmodis. "So you're fine."

Asmodis shrugged helplessly. "Wasn't my idea! Spike ordered them!"

Mona turned to Spike. "Do you have any idea how sexist that is?"

Spike grinned. "About as sexist as the stripper Faith ordered for you?"

Asmodis seemed fully alert suddely. "I beg your pardon???"

Mona smiled. "Well, you should."

"Now we've all seen everyone is safe, why don't we have a party together?" Tasha suggested.

Dawn looked at Tom with regret.

Wesley cast Liz a sorry look.

Mona shook her head in apology. "I don't think so."

"Why not?" Tasha asked disappointedly.

"I guess it's a girl thing."

*

"What do you mean, you wanted it to be me," Angelus asked. "What exactly do you understand by 'me'?"

"You mean, cursed or not," Susan added.

Angelus cast down his eyes.

"The truth is, I don't know," she admitted. "Angel said I was mad because I wanted to go back."

"What is he like? The Angel of the other side, I mean."

"He's... hard to describe," Susan said helplessly.

Angelus turned away. "You'd better go."

"Why?" Susan asked.

"The sun will be up soon, you might want some rest in your quarters."

"I might," Susan replied. "I might as well stay."

He shook his head. "You have to get used to the new situation, being a vampire and all."

"Who's supposed to teach me being a vampire if not you?"

"I guess Darla will be glad to answer any question for you."

If he had expected Susan to content herself with this answer, he was wrong. "Like it or not, you are my sire. I understand you feel guilty, but you can't change anything now!"

Angelus' voice was low and quiet. "I don't think it's a good idea if I'm around you all the time."

This time, Susan did not allow him to draw back and forced him to look at her. "You mean, it's not a good idea if I am around you. And I have to know why."

The look in Angelus eyes was almost too much for Susan to bear when he replied: "I'm just not sure what to expect. Myself and... my counterpart on your side of the gate, we may have the same looks and everything, but we have totally different backgrounds, different experiences. The fact I have a soul now doesn't change who I am. I will never be him."

Susan frowned. "I know. What makes you think I would want you to be him?"

"Susan, it'll never work otherwise. If you set aside all your memories of your Angel and just think of those of me, and only of me, what remains is an endless history of violence and betrayal."

"And the fact that you saved me," she added.

"Yeah, when I ran out of options." Angelus hesitated. "I just don't want you to suffer. I just fear the change might be too much for you."

Susan shook her head. "No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are."

"Sounds sensible. Must be a wise person who told you that."

Susan shrugged. "Sort of. Did it help?"

He was doubtful. "I have no idea."

The sun did not rise that morning. The storm tore branches from the trees, turned cars over and destroyed the roof of the former headquarters. The rain was like a flood, seeming to wash away the traces of the past. The day was as dark as the night, the storm clouds hanging black over the city, keeping the sky shut out. The kind of weather that would add to depression, had there been any reason to be depressed. There wasn't. He loves the rain. Susan loved the rain as well. She had never been the first one in the morning to draw aside the curtains to let the sunlight in. She would have left her room in darkness with few candles anyway if there had not been the need for fresh air. Not having to breathe was an advantage. In every possible sense.

*

Asmodis caressed the Orb of Thessula in an oblivious gesture. "Happily ever after. Yeah, after all, you deserve some happiness."

The Orb of Thessula began to glow.

It was dusk again when he awoke. She was standing at the window, looking out into the approaching darkness. The storm had died away, leaving nothing but its traces in nature. Leaves scattered on the ground, broken wood, the ground soaked with the rain. And after the howling of the winds, there was silence. Velvet silence.

Angelus recalled the moment he had turned her. His instincts raging equally against the thought of losing her and the prospect of claiming her life for himself, of drawing her into the darkness that was his own existence. On this side of the gate, it happened time and time again that a vampire used the gift to give a future back to those who otherwise would not have one, the ill, the desperate, the dying. It secured their race. Yet she did not belong on this side of the gate.His own words rang in his ears: Don't say I didn't warn you! One could never be sure in what way the crossing affected someone. And when she realized the changes, would she blame him?

He watched her for a moment in silence.

Susan sensed he was awake and slowly turned around.

Angelus was not sure how to begin. "How do you feel?"

Susan felt strange. Her forehead felt as if it was growing, and her tongue suddenly touched her teeth, which had not been the case before. Her eyes seemed to see better in the darkness now. Her reactions, everything was faster, more extreme. She felt extremely fast, extremely tense, extremely beautiful. And she felt strong. Very strong. Susan realized that, for the first time, she had changed into her vampiric appearance.

"Don't do that," Angelus said in a low voice.

"Why?" Susan asked.

"It reminds me..." He broke off.

"It reminds you of what we are?" she replied. "How can that be wrong? We're vampires, it means we're good, doesn't it?"

He shook his head. "It reminds me of what I am. How I abused my powers. I imagine you're still feeling confused."

Susan approached the bed, still refusing to change back into her human guise. "No. To tell the truth, I feel hungry. How do vampires solve the little problem in this world? No, don't tell me. Probably like a vampire with a soul would in my world, there are animals, slaughterhouses, and, for the weak moments, occasionally a blood bank."

"You say this as if it were wrong."

"I'm not saying it's wrong," Susan replied, "It's just a bit against nature, I guess. And it will be difficult for you as well, I imagine, you've been feeding on human blood for a long time."

"That's over now."

"Is it." Susan settled herself on the bed, slowly running her fingertips over the tatoo on Angelus' back. For the first time, she noticed it was the mirror image of Angel's. "Couldn't we... just once?" she asked in a conspirative tone. "Wouldn't do any harm, we could take someone evil. Maybe Asmodis and Mona. And we needn't kill them."

Angelus caught her wrist in the movement. "You're scaring me."

Susan smiled. "Funny to hear you say that. Did you ever ask if you were scaring me?"

"Probably not," Angelus admitted.

"So what about my idea?" Susan wondered. "Just a little. I wouldn't take much."

Angelus decided he had to somehow distract her attention, she had to forget about the idea of taking human blood. Her instincts seemed much stronger than his own. But he had to be patient and show understanding, she had only been a vampire for less than 24 hours, without feeding properly, and she had been a Slayer, which might explain why her need for blood was so strong. He enfolded her in his arms and whispered: "Why not slow things down a little?"

"Agreed," Susan replied, "But same for you."

"Same for me?" Angelus asked, puzzled.

Susan smiled wickedly. "I'm not sure how to say this... last night just didn't work for me."

He frowned. "Sorry?"

Susan freed herself from his embrace and rose from the bed. "I guess you were right about the changes, must be the soul thing and all. Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing you or anything." Her eyes flashed. "It's just... it was all more intense when you were a bit... darker."

"Are you saying you prefer me being sadistic? If you want to wake up bruised and bleeding on a grave, well, that can be arranged," he added with bitter sarcasm.

Susan shrugged. "The male ego is so fragile. I begin to understand Will." Susan examined the closet, finding some things Buffy had left. She decided to try one of her outfits.

"You're certainly not gonna wear that?" Angelus asked in a shock. "Those were..."

"Buffy's? I killed her, so what?" Susan shook her head. "I'd never thought you that conservative. Excuse me now, I'll get myself a decent drink."

She headed for the door.

Angelus blocked her way. "I'm not letting you go if you think of human blood as a decent drink."

Susan was not impressed. "Maybe I should get myself a decent lay as well. Honestly, I liked you better when you were evil."

Angelus was too confused and too hurt to stop her.

*

Lindsey had listened to Darla's advice. He was trying to cope with his aggressions.

For hours now, he had been in the training room. His clothes were heavy with sweat, he looked as if he had spent the night outside in the rain, his face was red with heat, but he could not stop. He felt betrayed. All this time they had fought side by side. She had been there when the bastard had... He thought he might have killed himself after the loss of his hand, but she had been there, saved him, supported him, respected him ever after. Maybe he should have, but he had never proposed. Mixed marriages were still not too common, for the gentle nature of vampires went against the primal, evil instincts of the general homo sapiens. Lindsey had always boasted himself he was different. But the events of the 17^th night had made him realize he was not that different after all. He loved Darla with all his heart, but he would never understand her actions now. Anyway, who could know what truly was on a vampire's mind? Her relationship to Angelus dated back for more than two centuries, how could he even consider anyone could come between them? He should have burnt or staked him while he still could. Darla always talked about 'her son'... well, wouldn't be the first son in history to end up in his mother's bed.

Lindsey angrily grabbed a stake and attacked the dummy.

"When she said you should take some time, I don't think she meant that," he heard a mocking voice from the other end of the gym.

Annoyed, he let go of the dummy. "What do you want, Lilah?"

Lilah walked into the gym. "I was worried about you, Lindsey. You need to confront your fears."

"Who do you think you are, my shrink?"

She shook her head. "Your friend. You are like a brother to me. We're on the same side. "

Lindsey looked more than sceptical. "You're on my side. Sure. You're too devoted to Darla and the Master to see the mistakes they are making! You are the good girl, that's why they've put you in charge of the charity department at Wolfram and Hart! But I'm the lost sheep, of course, because I can't forgive the sinner to whom I owe my plastic hand, thanks a lot, praised be the Lord! I will rid the world of Angelus, and if I die in the attempt!"

Lilah approached. "You're full of hatred, Lindsey. I'm worried about your peace of mind. We have to trust Darla on this. You must understand Angelus poses no threat now."

Lindsey made a contemptuous gesture. "You're such a child, Lilah. What do you expect, you earn Darla's respect and she marries you to her 'son'?"

Lilah blushed deeply. "I never thought of such a thing!"

"Let's face it, sister, this is not gonna happen!" Lindsey turned from her. "Go away, Lilah."

Almost crying, Lilah rushed out of the gym.

Outside, the door fallen close behind her, she was no longer able to hold her tears back. Burying her head in her hands, Lilah was crying. She felt a hand close around her shoulder.

"Don't cry, it's alright, he'll understand," a voice was soothing her.

Lilah looked up to see Susan beside her.

"I didn't realize someone else was here, I'm sorry," she replied.

Susan shook her head. " We haven't met, but you have quite a reputation. Lilah, right?"

Lilah nodded. "And you're the Slayer. Everyone knows who you are. I'm sorry to bother you with my problems."

"You shouldn't be sorry. We mustn't be ashamed of what we feel. I know how much Lindsey means to you."

"I don't know what's come over him," Lilah cried, "He never talked to me like that!"

"It hurt you so much because there was some truth in what he said," Susan claimed.

Lilah looked up in surprise.

Susan smiled enigmatically. "I'm a vampire, I couldn't help it, I overheard your conversation, and I heard your heartbeat was going considerably faster when he mentioned Angelus' name. No, don't blush, I understand, we're all family here."

Lilah hardly dared to look at Susan. "You won't tell anyone, please? I couldn't live if anyone knew!" She lowered her gaze. "I wouldn't have had a chance anyway, I mean, you were the Slayer, and you're a vampire, you're sharing his and Darla's dynasty, and, anyway, you're so beautiful and elegant, but myself..."

Susan tightened her embrace. "You're beautiful as well, Lilah."

"You're not angry with me?"

"Of course not! There's just one problem. You girls never understand me. I told Buffy before, and now I'm telling you: I hate sharing." Susan quickly turned her head and sank her teeth into Lilah's skin.

*

Lindsey heard a scream.

He took the stake and ran from the gym. He almost ran past the body on the floor. The scream was making him deaf, it hurt in his ears, he wanted to run away from the scream... until he realized the scream was his own. "Lilah, no!"

*

Darla went ghastly pale. "You can't prove it was Angelus who did this."

Lindsey had never been cruel to Darla, however, this time, he shouted at her. "Are you so blind? All the blood was taken from her body, there were no traces in the corridor, and can't you see the holes in her neck? Looks like a vampire, doesn't it!"

Darla shook her head. "This doesn't make any sense. I saw his soul. I saw it in his eyes."

"Humans have souls. Yet there are lots of evil humans outthere."

Darla still refused to believe. "There must be another explanation. Angelus would never do that now."

Lindsey looked disgusted. "I don't know you anymore, Darla. Go, go to your precious son who just killed a woman who loved you like a daughter for all these years! But don't expect me to sit and watch." He took his jacket. "Where are you going?"

"If you won't act, I will!"

*

Riley Finn was returning to the room Mona had assigned to him and Tasha. He tried to be as silent as possible, but as he crouched into the bedroom, the ceiling lights went on. His wife sat upright on a chair next to the door, fully dressed. She had been waiting for him in the darkness. Her voice was like ice as she said: "Produce your explanation."

Riley shrugged. "We were having fun." As he saw the look in her eyes, he added quickly: "I mean, educational fun."

"You call a stripper performing a lapdance with you educational?"

"Hey, it wasn't my fault!"

"No, it never is," Tasha replied. "How could you waste your time with an exotic dancer?"

"Jane studies anthropology!" Riley defended himself.

Tasha nodded. "Wasn't that something with apes? Well, that'll explain why she picked you!" She threw a pillow at him.

"What's that?" he asked, puzzled.

"You're sleeping on the sofa tonight, and think about what you've done!"

*

A good book could work miracles. It had been months since Ethan had had the time to do any reading for leisure.

He had just settled down with a copy of DeSade – how he loved the romantic language and the gentle nature of the poet's novels -, when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in." He looked up and was surprised. "Susan. Haven't seen you in a while. Please, take a seat."

"Thank you, Ethan." Susan closed the door behind her.

Ethan held his breath. No matter how often he saw it, it always left him speechless how beautiful people became when turned into vampires. It did not happen too often. Joyce Summers was the last case he remembered. That fateful year when Buffy had killed Glory. Even her own mother was stunned and repelled by the cruel way the goddess had died.

Joyce had fled the headquarters where her daughter and Angelus ruled over their self-created hell, and had thrown herself at Darla's feet. She implored her to turn her when the brain tumor had threatened to kill her. Darla was too generous and forgiving to deny her. Ethan sighed as he pushed the upcoming nostalgia aside. The vampire who stood before him now even shaded Joyce's beauty. "What can I do for you?"

Susan looked at him with pleading eyes. "I'm so worried, Ethan. And you're the only one who can ever help me."

"Well, I'll do my best. What are you worried about?"

"It's Angelus."

Ethan sighed deeply. "There you're not the only one. Lindsey has tried to set up a hunt for Angelus. They've found Lilah, she's dead."

Susan's eyes widened. "No."

"I'm sorry I have to be the one to tell you. Lindsey thinks Angelus did it."

Susan shook her head. "No, Angelus didn't do it, he's good now!"

"That's what Darla says. Don't worry, she's on his side, she believes in the two of you, she trusts you."

Susan blinked back some crocodile's tears. "But I am worried about Angelus' soul! What if someone curses him again, like the gypsies?"

"Don't cry, Susan, please," Ethan took her hand. "It's not that simple. And we're all here to prevent that."

Susan cast him a grateful look. "Would you tell me why it isn't simple? That would help me so much!"

"Well, first of all, you need a powerful witch or magician. If every idiot could do it, we'd have millions of vampires without souls. Then, one would require an Orb of Thessula, which are hard to find nowadays. The exact spell is written down in a book very few people know, I have a copy locked safely away in my desk, and I have the key on me all the time. So, don't worry!"

Susan smiled. "Thank you ever so much, Ethan." Then she snapped his neck.

*

Angelus was deep in thought. He had to give her time. She had been faced with the decision to die or to be undead, and she had only a few seconds for that decision. She had returned to him without even knowing whether he was good or evil. It was understandable she was now struggling with the consequences. One could know as much about vampires as one wanted, being one was a different thing still. He had to be patient. It was surely just a phase.

I should get myself a decent lay as well. His old self would at that point have dusted her, but he had just let her go.

He would have preferred if she had staked him instead of saying this. He tried to persuade himself she did not mean it. She would soon be back an knock at his door.

Lindsey's unit did not even bother to knock. They stormed the quarters.

Angelus found that seven crossbows were aimed at him. Lindsey waited for a sarcastic opening line. Instead, the vampire just looked at him and asked: "What happened?"

"You know perfectly well what happened," Lindsey retorted, "Don't try anything, my people have nervous fingers." With unspeakable bitterness, he added: "Which is quite simple when you've got two hands."

"Lindsey, I told you how..."

Lindsey cut him off. "I don't wanna hear it! Follow us. Don't make things worse for yourself."

Angelus frowned. "Has Darla told you to... escort me like that?"

"Darla's judgement is clouded. I don't need her to authorize my actions. I won't say it again, follow us."

"Susan isn't back yet."

Lindsey looked at him in contempt. "She should never have crossed your way in the first place, she should have stayed in her own dimension. It's sad. What's done cannot be undone, however hard we try."

Angelus gazed at Lindsey's plastic hand. "Precisely."

Then he followed them in silence.

*

The clock was ticking. Time was passing, relentlessly, inexorably.

The room was furnitured with several comfortable armchairs. The walls were painted yellow against the white ceiling. There were few flowerpots, and a corner with toys for small children.

Tasha Junior and Riley Junior were too old for them.

To overcome her boredom, Tasha Junior was making giant bubbles with her chewing gum.

"Stop it," Tasha admonished her.

"What, is it against my religion?" the girl retorted.

Tasha shot Riley a reproachful glance. This is all your fault.

Riley sighed. Why wasn't he at the preparations for Mona's wedding? And why hadn't he been eaten by a demon before his own?

"Mr and Mrs Finn, and the little ones, please," the nurse announced.

They followed her in silence.

The woman next to the $ 250,000 desk was rather tall, with short blond hair, dressed in a last year's collection Versace étui costume. "Hellooo," she greeted radiantly, "I'm Doctor Trevan. You must be the Finns."

Tasha felt nauseous. The Finns.

Dr Trevan gestured towards the seats. "I suggest I address you by your first names, will help to ease the tensions. So, this is Natasha, and Riley, and the little ones..." She studied her file. "Ah, Tasha and Riley Junior, how original!"

Riley Junior raised a brow. "I prefer Baal, if you don't mind."

"And I prefer Isis," Tasha Junior added.

Tasha's face went red with scorn.

"Our Goth names," Tasha Junior explained.

"That's fine with me," Dr Trevan replied.

"Not with me," Tasha interfered.

The psychologist seemed suddenly wide awake. "Do I hear a potential disagreement between the lines?"

"Potential disagreement, if you ask me, that's World War Three," Riley remarked.

Dr Trevan shook her head. "I sense great internal inhibitions with you, Riley, and with you, Tasha. I would like to stress how important it is that we do not judge each other, but come to a mutual understanding of the diversity of lifestyles in our society, yes, even within the same family!"

"Tell mom not to judge, you can as well order the sun to go round the earth," Tasha Junior said.

"Yeah, like the sun, our mom's the center of the universe!" Riley Junior added.

Dr Trevan realized this would be a hard day's work. "Would someone please try to tell me from the beginning how the conflicts in your family started?"

Riley replied first. "I am almost a colleague, Dr Trevan, I studied psychjology at university, so let me cut this story short, so you can tell me in one session what I knew before I even came here, to give you my money to tell my wife things I've been telling her for ages! All right. Our kids are a bit rebellious..."

"They are satanists!" Tasha interrupted.

"Rule number one," Dr Trevan lectured, "We let each other finish our sentences."

"... and I was at a bachelor's party," Riley continued.

"He has an affair with a stripper!" his wife interfered.

Riley sighed. This would be a long day.

*

It had been a long day. Too long to do anything else now but to relax in a hot bathtub with a few candles and a glass of champagne. Too bad this was not gonna happen when you were a Slayer. A Slayer never knew what relaxation was. She chuckled. It was just as well nobody knew she was a Slayer. Clever to kill her Watcher before he could blab out her secret. They would find out soon enough. Hey, what would be that surprising? They all knew Susan had killed Buffy, and they all knew the prophesy. Whenever a Slayer dies, a new one is called. She would reveal herself to the world when it was about time. Not yet. She closed her eyes and sank back into the tub, sipping her champagne.

*

Darla was clothed all in black, her eyes were red and swollen. Angelus saw at once she must have been crying.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently.

Darla turned around. "At last you're here to shed light on this terrible misunderstanding." Her voice faltered as she explained: "This is a dark day for us. We lost Lilah tonight. And Ethan."

"I'm so sorry," Angelus began and tried to embrace her, but Lindsey stepped in between.

"Don't you touch her!"

Angelus' voice was calm, but his eyes were fiery with fury as he replied: "You will not prevent me from comforting her."

Lindsey held his gaze. "You can bet your unlife I will."

"Stop it!" Darla shouted. Then she addressed Angelus in a more gentle tone. "I'm convinced this is just a misunderstanding. You will help us to get this straight. My Childe, where were you around dusk?"

Angelus stared at her in disbelief. "Am I a suspect?"

"No, of course not," Darla explained softly, "It's just that..."

"We found Lilah with two marks, right above the aorta, and Ethan's neck had been broken," Lindsey said in a harsh tone, "Now, that reminds you of someone? What do you have to say to your defence?"

"Have I been accused that I need to defend myself?"

"I accuse you," Lindsey declared.

Darla shook her head. "No, nobody accuses anyone! We would just like to know where you were, that's all."

"I was in my quarters."

"With Susan, I suppose."

"No," Lindsey interfered, "Susan wasn't with him when we went there. He could have done anything since she left."

Had Angelus not been extremely pale anyway, color would have faded from his face. Or she could have done anything... Yet he had no explanation how... She was a vampire, she was good by nature... Why? Or did anything go wrong when I turned her?

"He's lost his speech," Lindsey stated with unconcealed satisfaction.

Darla put her hand on Angelus' arm. "Are you alright?"

Angelus nodded slowly. "I didn't kill anyone, Darla."

"Not for the last five minutes," Lindsey added.

Darla shot him a warning glance. "I won't tolerate your accusations, Lindsey. Well, my Childe, I believe you, don't worry."

"But I do," Angelus replied bleakly, "And I assure you, mother: if I should be responsible for this in any way, I will find a way to correct my mistake."

Darla looked at him in agitation. "What do you mean?"

"I wish I knew. I wish I knew." Then he turned to go.

"You give him leave???" Lindsey exploded. "Who knows what he's up to?"

The door fell closed behind the vampire.

"You are questioning my authority," Darla warned him.

"No, I'm questioning your sanity! The guy is a cold-blooded murderer!"

"Not any more," Darla replied. "Besides, Susan will have an eye on him."

"If he hasn't dusted her yet! Have you seen her for the last few hours?"

Darla fell silent.

*

Asmodis stormed into Tara's quarters – to find the witch dressed only in a black towel. "Wow," he said, "Never hoped I'd ever see you like that."

"Actually, I had hoped never to see you again," the witch sighed. "I should've known you never live up to your promises. I was just trying to take a quick shower, so what do you want?"

"Is it true?" Asmodis demanded, his words accompanied by rolling thunder and flashes of lightning emerging from his fingernails.

"What?" Tara asked innocently.

"Rumour has it that you brought Spike back for Mona! Say it's a lie!"

Tara shrugged. "If you like it thus, okay, it's a lie. She did it herself. I just helped a little with the preparation, the invocations and stuff."

"You are working against me," the magician threatened her.

"Hey, it's only fair, you turned my girlfriend into a rat!"

Asmodis shrugged. "You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs."

Tara pointed at the cage. "I swear, I'll find out how to break your spell, and then Willow will be VERY angry!"

"Okay, for the protocol, you've threatened me, I've threatened you, can we now please get back to business?"

"There will be no more business," Tara declared proudly, "Spike is human, there is no way to reverse the spell, and you don't need me, so leave me alone. You are quite capable to turn your revenge plans into reality without me. I've heard your soul magic was quite successful. They've found Lilah and Ethan dead, obviously vampire victims. I'm impressed. Too bad Susan won't let you live for long enough to enjoy your triumph."

Asmodis grinned. "You think you are so clever. And you believe I would cross a Slayer-Vampire? Do you think me that daft?!"

Tara walked towards Asmodis and looked at him in confusion for a moment. Then her face lit up. "You daredevil, what have you done?"

"Me? Nothing," he chuckled. "I just wanted my friend Susan to be happy."

Tara felt a chill. "The curse... bloody hell." She was so shocked she dropped her towel.

Asmodis gave her an approving look. "You sure you're a lesbian?"

Tara's voice was merely a whisper. "You are mad..."

As Tara for the first time was tempted to reconsider her attitude, the door to her quarters once again flew open.

"WRONG," Angelus said from the door, "He's a dead man."

Asmodis was utterly unimpressed by the raging vampire. "That makes two of us," he said matter-of-factly.

"I'm just asking once. What have you done?" Angelus demanded.

"Me?" Asmodis cast a small echo spell to make his voice resound impressively from the walls as he replied: "I see a man who can't control his girlfriend."

"Well," Angelus said coldly, "That makes two of us as well."

Tara chuckled.

"I asked a question," Angelus reminded the magician.

Asmodis faced the door. "You can ask as much as you like," he yawned, "You won't get any answers. You see, you have found our little refuge, but it's a pity you're a vampire, they have certain handicaps, don't they?"

Angelus wanted to attack, but, as expected, he hit an invisible wall over the threshold.

"No invitation," Asmodis said in a mocking tone.

Tara was still standing there, seeming to have forgotten about the towel. "This is still my apartment," the witch said viciously, "And I begin to find this amusing!"

Asmodis stared at her. "Tara, don't."

"Who wanted to give me a spell to release Willow?"

Asmodis shook his head. "Blackmail doesn't suit you."

Tara shrugged. "As you wish. Angelus, you owe me a favour.... come on in."

*

"Riley, you were not exactly a help, and I would like to remind you that our marriage hangs by a thread."

Once again, Riley thought, but he did not speak the thought aloud.

*

Asmodis thrust the fireball through the air. It stopped shortly before the vampire.

"Do you think your little tricks impress me?" Angelus asked, keeping his eyes fixed on the fireball to evade it any moment.

"Maybe they should," Asmodis suggested. "Arrogance can be lethal."

"Hear, hear," Angelus replied sarcastically. "You might have frightened Spike, but I'm much faster than your magic, and you know."

"Try me," Asmodis said.

"If it was any different, you wouldn't have needed Susan to get rid of me."

"Too bad she betrayed him," Tara commented.

"What do you know?" Angelus asked her.

Tara smiled. "What do I get if I tell you?"

Angelus looked at her. "Something to wear?"

Tara looked down and realized the towel was still lying at her feet. She quickly grabbed a dressing gown from a chair. "You are not helping your cause," she hissed at the vampire.

Angelus tried to use the distraction to make a move.

Asmodis was fast. He created a second fireball and let both of them circle around the vampire's head. "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen," he chuckled.

"Whatever spell you put on her, take it away," Angelus said.

Asmodis shook his head. "I think you're in no position to make any demands. And you know what? I'm getting bored with you!" He moved his hands closely together. The fireballs were closing in.

The vampire moved like lightning.

Over his head, the fireballs clashed.

The power of the explosion made the ground tremble and knocked Tara off her feet.

Asmodis leaped behind Tara's desk and stretched out his hand.

Tara's cupboard fell to pieces, sharp little pieces of wood. Asmodis whirled them in the air into the vampire's direction.

Angelus carefully evaded the stakes, but he could not avoid being hit, though none of them even came near the heart.

Asmodis realized he was not as easy to stop as he had hoped.

"You're gonna pay for the damage!" Tara howled.

Asmodis stared at the vampire. Angelus' eyes were flashing in a supernatural golden color.

Angelus caught Asmodis' gaze. The magician's eyes were pitch dark, black with the powers he was summoning. He had to be stopped.

Asmodis realized the vampire was getting too close. He rose to his full height and held his hands over his head. A small ball was beginning to form under the ceiling.

"More fireballs?" Angelus asked suspiciously.

"No," Tara whispered. She realized what was happening.

The reddish light from the small ball was getting brighter, and the ball was growing.

Asmodis basked in his triumph. He had been working on this for months. Slowly he began his incantation. "Here comes the sun..."

"GET DOWN!" Tara screamed.

Angelus was just in time to follow her order. The magic sunlight was beginning to burn him, his skin felt hot, and the room filled with smoke.

Tara had to act quickly. Without much thinking, she forced herself to stand up. Lightning flashed through the room, wind arose, all her papers were whirled around by the storm. Then the clouds came.

"Now, that's rude," Asmodis protested as Tara's clouds covered his sun. The thunder drowned his words.

Tara burst into laughter.

Angelus struggled to overcome the pain the sunlight had caused him. As soon as he got his hands on Asmodis...

But the magician was not defeated yet. He looked at the cloud, ignoring the vampire who was attacking him. "Iris, te invoco! Pluvia porta!" he exclaimed.

Angelus' Latin was not quite up to date. Yet he remembered Iris to be the Roman goddess of....

The clouds opened, rain was pouring down, soaking everything.

"My carpet! My books!" Tara cried, "I hate you!"

Angelus felt with the first drops that this was not normal rain. Blisters were forming on his skin where the rain hit him, a burning pain cut through his nerves, his body was aching. "Holy Water," he said in despair and headed for the door into safety.

Angelus stood at the door, watching the rain of Holy Water, desperately seeking a way to get through, as Asmodis stood in triumph, his hair and his dark clothes soaked with the water, but his eyes still shiny black and not of this world.

Tara was watching Asmodis with fear. This magic was beyond her own.

Asmodis moved a box through the air by telekinesis. "Watch closely, Angelus," he said. Then the box opened. A glowing orb was floating in the air. "Is that what you want?"

" An Orb of Thessula," Angelus whispered. So it was true. Susan had killed all these people because Asmodis had taken her soul. Despair and anger swept over the vampire. "I'm gonna kill you. Slowly."

Asmodis smiled. "If only Darla could hear you... It's difficult to break with old habits, isn't it?"

Angelus' voice had a dangerous tone. "I'll torture you to death for what you've done."

"What, are you going to sing?"

"Bastard."

"Please, no more compliments," Asmodis refused. He made the shining Orb float right before him, surrounded still by the rain. "Come and get it!"

Angelus was desperate. Holy Water could kill him. Then he thought of the Slayer. I knew from the beginning that I would get myself killed in this mission. I guess I just wanted it to be you.

It was her voice he heard in his mind as he darted through the rain.

Asmodis cast the Orb down to the floor where it broke into a thousand pieces.

"Whoops," he said sarcastically.

Angelus stood and stared, not knowing what was greater, his despair and the agony, or the wish to tear his enemy into pieces.

Tara's eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Then she grabbed a scroll from the shelf and tossed it over to the vampire, who picked it up.

"Only a Slayer can defeat a Slayer," she said.

The pain from the Holy Water did not leave Angelus any time to ask more questions.

"This isn't over yet!" Angelus shouted.

"Drop in again soon!" Asmodis exclaimed.

After he had made sure Angelus had indeed drawn back, he turned to the witch. "Why the hell are you helping him? He's good, remember?"

Tara sighed. "But he didn't turn my girlfriend into a rat! You've grown so strong, and it makes you think you're alone in the world! Don't you understand I have to be with her?"

Asmodis' eyes were glowing. "Ask, and ye shall receive!"

Tara's dressing gown fell to the floor.

Asmodis picked up the rat and put her into Willow's cage. "I'm so sorry," he added, "But I like your place so much better than my own."

Then he raised a sandstorm to get the apartment dried.

*

Angelus barred the door and leaned against it, sinking down to the floor. He was exhausted and in pain. His skin felt tight and was reddened and aching, his clothes made him feel like suffocating. He was not even sure if he would have the strength to reach the shower to get the remains of the Holy Water off his body.

Worst of all, he did not care.

He felt her presence even before he heard her steps on the marble, and he could smell Lilah's blood on her even before he saw the stains on her dress.

"Are you okay?" she asked gently.

"I'm sorry," Angelus whispered, "There was nothing I could do."

Susan bent down to touch him. She shrank back as if she had burnt herself. "Holy Water! What happened to you?"

"Asmodis," Angelus replied bleakly.

"I could kill him for you, the night has just begun," she whispered in a good mood, "Being a vampire is so much fun."

"You killed Ethan and Lilah."

Susan cast him an innocent look. "I meant to control myself, but I couldn't. I was just too caught up in the moment." Then she suddenly looked concerned. "You're not angry with me, are you?"

"It's not your fault," Angelus replied. Then he looked into her eyes. The emptiness he saw almost killed him. He made an effort to rise. "I'm going to fix this."

Then he became aware of the scroll. Only a Slayer can defeat a Slayer. Suddenly, he knew what to do.

*

*

Mona had just returned from patrol.

"Hard night?" Asmodis asked.

Mona shook her head. "It was all very calm, not even newbies. Almost as if they were taking into account that I need some rest before..."

"...getting married?" Asmodis finished her sentence.

Mona sighed. "We should have gone to Vegas. Do you realize how much trouble we have organizing the whole thing? I don't have time for anything, not even for slaying. Not a thought of writing, and my publisher is getting on my nerves about the novel."

"He'll have to wait till after the honeymoon," Asmodis replied.

"If it were that simple!" Mona threw her crossbow into the corner of her closet.

"I wouldn't throw it away," Asmodis warned her, "Maybe Tasha still needs it... for Riley..."

Mona chuckled. "That's not funny," she giggled, "The two of them are in serious trouble with their marriage!"

"Are they. Well, I guess the psychiatrist you sent them to will do a good job... or need a shrink herself when she's through with Tasha."

"You are nasty," Mona reproached him smiling.

Asmodis lowered his voice and embraced her. "I know..."

Mona shook her head. "I've been on patrol, actually, I wanted to have a shower."

"Can I come?" he asked innocently.

Then there was a knock at the door.

"Shouldn't we open?" Mona wondered.

"No, don't go," Asmodis pleaded.

"Maybe it's Tasha," Mona disagreed.

"That's what I fear!"

"Come on, two more days, and then you'll have a lifetime to be nasty!"

Asmodis sighed.

The knocking at the door persisted, now louder and more entreating.

"Okay, compromise," Mona said, "You go look who's there, while I'm having a quick shower."

"That's not a compromise," Asmodis complained.

Mona smiled. "You wouldn't argue with a Slayer, would you?"

Asmodis grinned. "There are many things I would do with a Slayer, though I hadn't thought of arguing."

"Incredible!" Mona closed the bathroom door behind her.

The knocking became annoying.

Asmodis approached the door. "Whoever this is, whoever has the nerve to disturb us at this hour, I'll kick his ass!" With these words, Asmodis opened the door... and froze in the movement as he saw...

"Angel." Asmodis shrugged. "Okay, maybe not whoever."

"I'm sorry, I know it's late," he apologized.

"Who is it?" Mona asked from the bathroom.

"It's Angel," Asmodis informed her.

Mona was surprised. Then she thought for a moment. If Angel came to see them at this hour, he probably wanted to see the Slayer. She sighed. No shower tonight, but a briefing with Angel instead. Maybe he could brief her in the shower... She pushed the thought aside and decided to go to the door herself.

Asmodis turned towards the unexpected guest. "What are you waiting for, com..."

Then Mona set eyes on the visitor. "Don't say a word," she said harshly, then added with a dangerous tone in her voice: "Go away from him, love. This is not Angel. This man is a vampire."

Please don't bet that you'll ever escape me
Once I get my sights on you,
Got a license to kill

(Gladys Knight - License To Kill)

"He is what?" Asmodis asked in confusion. "But how? I mean, he's immortal, nothing can kill him, not even a vampire!"

Mona drew a stake. "I don't know how, I just say let's be careful, and don't ask him in."

Angelus tried to remain calm on the outside, but he was tense ever since he had passed through the portal. A vampire could feel it in his blood when he was near a Slayer. He had been surprised when the feeling had led him to Mona's door. But after all, it was not that bad – with Asmodis supposedly a strong white magician, and Mona the Slayer, the odds weren't as bleak as they had been. Angelus lifted his hands to gesture surrender. "It's not the way you think."

"It never is," Mona replied coldly. "Angelus, I assume."

"Mona, please listen to me."

"I had the doubtful privilege a few years ago, remember?"

He shook his head. "That wasn't me. I can explain it. Just, please listen. And don't throw any fireballs."

Asmodis frowned. "Fireballs?"

"Can't we discuss this inside? I just want to talk."

"No," Mona said energetically, "Last time we talked, I ended up in a cage over a swimming pool in which you wanted to drown me." With a spur of pride, she added: "I wasn't a Slayer then."

"This isn't about me," Angelus entreated, "It's about Susan."

Mona's features hardened. "Susan is dead."

"Undead," Angelus corrected. "It's just... things didn't work out the way they should."

Mona began to understand. "So you're from the other world."

"Tara gave me the spell to open the portal. She's evil, but I guess she did it to annoy Asmodis. I need your help. Susan is a vampire, but the strongest one I have ever seen. She was a Slayer in life. Only another Slayer can be a match for her."

"A MATCH?" Mona exclaimed. "You mean... you are good and she's evil???"

"I mean I need you, Mona. I need you to save her."

Mona reflected about it for a moment. She shuddered when she thought about the arrogant, dangerous Angelus of her own world. She had no desire to have business with him again, regardless where he came from. She frowned. "So you're telling me you care about her."

"I understand if you don't believe me," Angelus replied in a low voice. "I can't lose her. It's as simple as that."

One question above all others was still on her mind. "Why are you coming to me and not to Buffy?"

He hesitated. "I don't know you or Buffy. But I knew her counterpart, and I know yours. If your Buffy is just a little like ours was, she will solve the problem like a Slayer. You will solve it like a friend."

Mona approached the door, however, without crossing the threshold, and looked into his eyes. "Angelus, who is the President of the United States of America?"

Angelus sighed. "I voted for the other candidate. But I'm afraid it's Harmony Kendall."

Mona nodded. "Come in."

Asmodis looked at her in disbelief. "Why did that convince you? George Clooney is President!"

"I know. But only in a nightmarish parallel world, someone like Harmony could be President, so I reckon his story is true." She smiled. "Just kidding. I saw his soul in his eyes. Slayer, remember?" Mona gestured to the sofa, but she kept the stake close, just in case. "And now, tell us what happened."

Asmodis sighed. He wouldn't get his shower tonight. His Slayer was back to business. Well, things could be worse. She could have invited their visitor into the shower.

*

Mona had listened. She had shuddered at the thought of Susan wandering through the mirror world, undead without her soul, killing off people. But she had listened.

Angelus watched her for an uncomfortable moment. "I know I cannot expect you to trust me," he closed, "Not that I wasn't used to people not trusting me."

Mona studied the expression on his face. Then she replied: "I don't exactly trust you. But I believe you. Excuse me for a minute." She left the room and went to her weapon chamber.

"What?" Asmodis asked in a shock as she returned with her best weapons.

"I'm going," Mona replied shortly.

"Pardon???? It's our wedding day after tomorrow!"

"I know, I'll be back in time."

"That's not what I meant! I meant I'd like you to live to see our wedding day! Susan's a Slayer gone vamp! Do you realize how powerful she is? Can't anyone else handle this? Buffy's a Slayer! Aren't you even calling her?!"

Mona shook her head in resolution. "Buffy has suffered too much. Can you imagine what it would do to her relationship with Angel and her peace of mind if I told her to go to a parallel world to help ANGELUS?"

"Sorry, I can't see your logic! This is dangerous, and Buffy's immortal --- you are not."

"I'm not going to fight Susan. I will help Angelus restore her soul."

Asmodis desperately sought for an argument. "Then call Willow before, consult her. Willow knows many spells, and she managed to restore Angel's soul, so why not Susan's?"

Mona smiled. "I couldn't call Willow. Angelus killed her fish, remember? No, honestly, love, I think this is beyond her capacity. Asmodis turned HIS Willow into a rat, I don't want to endanger ours."

"What about Faith? She's a former Slayer, and she's your Watcher! She's best suited for the job."

"No," Mona refused, packing her weapons into a bag. "I'm not telling Faith. She would tell Buffy and Angel, and I don't want them involved in this. They deserve the happiness they have found. Susan would want it that way."

Asmodis could not help but raise his voice. "Faith could be of help! Can't you see that?"

Mona put her hands on his shoulders. "I'm not going to risk anyone's life for my duty. I'm the official Slayer. This is my responsibility."

"So that's it," Asmodis suddenly said, "You want to prove you can do it without Big Sister watching you!" He freed himself from her touch. "All right, you have to go. But not alone. I'm coming with you."

"No," Mona said at once, "It's too dangerous! I can't do my job when I have to..." She bit her lip.

"...protect me?" Asmodis angrily completed her sentence.

"I wasn't gonna say that!"

"Fine," he replied.

"Fine," Mona said, "Because I'm going! It was Asmodis who was responsible for the whole mess, and Asmodis is, in a way, you. I must go there because I know you."

"So you're saying Angelus needs the person who knows me best."

"Precisely."

"And there's no arguing, no doubt?"

"No."

Asmodis grinned. "Okay. When are we going?"

Mona was puzzled. "WE? I said..."

"You said it yourself. You are going against Asmodis. And you need to know your enemy. Who would know him better than me? You said it! Now, will you live up to your word?"

Mona glanced to Angelus for support.

"We'll need all the help we can get," the vampire replied.

"Great," Mona said sarcastically, "Now the guys are ganging up against me! A hundred years of feminism, to no avail! Do you realize I could throw you out of this window if I wanted to?"

Angelus' face was deadpan as he replied: "Try."

Mona suppressed a smile. "Maybe later. Right now, we have more important issues to deal with."

When Asmodis thought about it, he really did want to come along.

*

Asmodis watched the two rats in their running wheels. However, the self-assured grin vanished from his face when Susan appeared at the threshold.

"Old ghosts," he murmured. Then he managed a smile. "Susan! How have you been? Apart from dead, I mean."

Susan returned his smile. "So we meet again, at last." She gazed straight into his eyes. "Don't you want to ask me in?"

Asmodis laughed. "No way!"

Susan shrugged and entered.

Asmodis realized in a shock that he was still in Tara's quarters. Obviously, the owner of a place did not have to be dead, it sufficed she was a rat.

Susan had changed. She no longer wore the bloodstained clothes, but a fresh dress of black lace.

Asmodis never saw her move, but she was right before him all of a sudden. She was better than Angelus. A lot better.

"How have you been?" she asked, "Must have been cold in my shadow." Her hand wandered up to his throat. "Don't even think of it, no fireballs, no other spells, I'd crush your larynx before you could do anything."

"Listen," Asmodis said, trying to win some time to summon a raincloud. Right now, a fireball or anything else would be too much of a risk, she was so close to him, he might hurt himself. "Hey, no money-back guarantees! I fulfilled my part of our contract. You never asked for anything besides the portal! I should be angry with you, you left me with a revolution, and you promised to leave for good!"

Susan looked at him grimly. "Yeah, but we hadn't talked about this soul thing."

Asmodis' smile returned. "Don't you feel better now?"

Susan grinned back. "Much better. I can see clearly now. So I forgive you."

"How generous," Asmodis replied sarcastically.

"We should really co-operate, my dear Asmodis. After all, we were a good team the last time."

"I need you to do something for me," she said in a seductive tone, "You have enlightened me... But... what about Angelus?" Without warning, her grip tightened, making Asmodis struggle for breath. "FIX IT."

"It's not that simple," Asmodis refused, "I need an Orb of Thessula for him first. And then I need to make sure the perfect misery clause is fixed, that'll take some research."

"You'd better hurry. And make it irreversible this time!"

Asmodis shook his head. "Impossible. I can make it harder to break the curse, but to prevent your souls from ever returning to your body..."

"Yes...?" Susan asked with anticipation.

Asmodis knew it could be very un healthy, but he would have to tell her the truth. "It's impossible! As long as someone has the knowledge and an intact Orb, they can always summon you back."

Susan's gaze drifted. "The king invited not only his kindred, friends and acquaintances, but also the wise women, in order that they might be kind and well-disposed towards the child. There were thirteen of them in his kingdom, but, as he had only twelve golden plates for them to eat out of, one of them had to be left at home."

"PARDON???" Asmodis did not understand a word. Who could know how the vampirism affected people? Had it driven Susan into madness?

Susan smiled enigmatically. "Never heard of Sleeping Beauty?"

"The fairy tale?" Asmodis wondered, now even more confused. "The Grimm brothers?"

"When eleven of them had made their promises," Susan continued, "suddenly the thirteenth came in. She wished to avenge herself for not having been invited, and without greeting, or even looking at anyone, she cried with a loud voice, the king's daughter shall in her fifteenth year prick herself with a spindle, and fall down dead."

"Do you want to tell me the whole story now?" he asked angrily, not knowing what this would be leading to. "This is utter nonsense!"

"It isn't," Susan insisted, "And if you didn't keep interrupting me as I'm telling you, you'd already know how relevant the story is to my cause.. to our cause. The king, who would fain keep his dear child from the misfortune, gave orders that every spindle in the whole kingdom should be burnt. And this is precisely what we will do. You said, as long as an Orb of Thessula exists, there is still the danger."

"So you want to smash ALL Orbs of Thessula???" Asmodis asked in disbelief.

"Precisely."

He chuckled. "Wake up, girl, that didn't even work in the fairy tale! Sleeping Beauty pricked herself with the spindle, bled and fell asleep."

"You will be more accurate," Susan replied, "Because if you make a mistake, I will shed your blood, and I assure you I won't need a spindle..."

Asmodis complied grimly, resolved to rid himself of Susan as soon as possible.

*

There was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Darla asked, "Is it you, Lindsey?"

"No, it's me," a female voice replied.

Darla's face lit up. "Come in, Childe, you know you don't need an invitation here."

Susan entered the quarters of the elder vampire.

"We've been worried about you," Darla said, "Lindsey and his people are looking for you. Where have you been?"

Susan smiled. "Just for a walk in the night. The night is much more beautiful now I see it with your eyes."

Darla looked at her with concern. "Are you getting on well with that, love? I mean, it is a change."

"Yeah, guess so."

"Have you met Angelus?" Darla asked anxiously. "I'm worried about him, about his mental equilibrium. I don't know if you've heard, darling, there have been tragic events. One of our brothers and sisters killed innocent people." With tears in her eyes, she added: "Lilah and Ethan are dead."

"No," Susan said, pretending a strong emotional reaction. "I'm so sorry, Darla..."

"It's making me so sad," Darla said, "We've been through so much together, and I thought it was over..." Tears showed in her eyes. "And Lindsey thinks it's Angelus..."

Susan embraced the other vampire. "No, no, it's not Angelus," she soothed her.

"I know," Darla whispered, "In my heart I know it cannot be Angelus."

Susan changed into game face. "It's me."

*

The Fugitive hurried through the streets like a hunted animal, his followers close behind him, he could hear them, feel them, as they chased him. And they were approaching. He felt the distance between him and them melting away, he would have to think quickly, act even more quickly... and lie well.

"Where is he?"

"I can't see him."

"Have we lost him?"

"No, we mustn't lose him. He must be here somewhere."

"Swarm out. Find him. Get him here immediately."

"Yes, Sir."

"We cannot afford any mistakes."

*

Mona looked around in awe. "THIS place is Sunnydale?"

Angelus nodded. "Welcome to my Hellmouth."

Mona realized that Susan had obviously not had any time to visit the outskirts of town on her first visit. Otherwise, she would have mentioned the huge skyscrapers and the darkness that seemed to hang over the place perpetually. Mona imagined that even in bright sunshine, there would have been something intimidating in the facades of the houses, in all this. "Wow," Mona just said.

"This is the result of what we call city planning," Angelus replied, "The former Mayor of Sunnydale tried his best to make this the place your Sunnydale, a seemingly idyllic country community, but the city council overruled anything with their building projects. Buffy and I controlled them. This way, I established the headquarters."

Asmodis watched Angelus with uneasiness. This did not sound too remorseful. Was Angelus PROUD of the accomplishments of the time when he was evil?

Mona gazed at her fiance. Give him some time, her eyes said, maybe he just needs to adapt to being good. However, she, too, realized that this was not the same person as their Angel, despite the fact that Angelus now possessed a soul.

The headquarters building was impressing, no doubt about it.

So they had reached the parallel universe. The place where anything was possible and everything was different. Even the air smelled different.

Mona's Slayer Instincts were raging in her, feeling vampires and demons everywhere. She would have to learn from scratch to tell good from evil in this upside-down world.

Angelus led them into the building through a rear entrance.

"Does anyone know we're here?" Mona asked in a whisper.

"No," Angelus replied, "And I think it would be wise if no one knew too early. Remember, both of you exist in this dimension... though in quite a different way."

"I'm curious," Mona said, "How am I in this dimension?"

Angelus looked at her with a strange expression in his eyes. "I hope you'll never know," he replied.

Mona sighed. "So, where do we go from here?"

Angelus looked puzzled. "I thought you might tell me. You're the Slayer, after all."

"All right, what would we do at home?" Mona reflected.

"Do you have a library in here?" Asmodis asked.

"Well, Ripper used to," Angelus recalled, "And after the battle... I guess they put Ethan in charge of things."

"Fine," Asmodis replied, "So, let's go ask Ethan!"

"Susan killed Ethan," Angelus said in a low voice.

"Whoops."

"Maybe.. we can find evidence in his books anyway," Mona suggested, not wanting to think about whom else Susan might have killed by now.

They were walking through the corridors in silence, and Mona could not help but admiring the design of the corridors, the classic architecture combined with the cold elegance of technology had an apeal of its own.

They reached the library.

Or rather, what was left of it.

The smell of smoke still hung heavily in the air.

"There was a fire," they suddenly heard a sharp voice behind them. "Not that you didn't know before."

"Lindsey," Angelus sighed. The last thing he could use now.

"I need backup here!" Lindsey yelled into his walkie-talkie. "I see you've brought company. Turn around. Slowly."

"They're friends," Angelus tried to explain.

"Yeah, sure," Lindsey replied, and Angelus did not have to turn around to know a crossbow was aimed at him.

"Another crossbow?" he asked, sounding almost bored.

"Special edition," Lindsey replied, his tone equally cold, "One-hand model."

"Shouldn't we introduce us first?" Asmodis asked.

"Don't move," Lindsey warned. "You don't need an introduction, black magician and necrophiliac girlfriend."

He realized only seconds later he should not have said that. With a few skilled moves, Mona had knocked the crossbow out of his hand and had him pinned down on the ground. "That may work in Smallville, Superboy," she said sarcastically, "But we're in Necropolis, just in case you haven't noticed, so we'd better work together!"

"You're not Mona?" Lindsey asked in utter confusion.

"I am," Mona said, "but you could say I'm from where no one has gone before..."

Then it suddenly dawned on him. "You're from Susan's universe!"

Mona smiled brightly. "You have $ 32,000, the next question could take you up to $ 64,000!"

"From your fighting, I take it you're the Slayer..." Lindsey began.

"Yep," Mona replied, "But you still have your 50:50, and you can still phone a friend."

"So you're good... you're on our side?"

"As I said before, I'd rather you tell me what's going on here instead of forcing me to knock you out."

"All right, all right, I was just being cautious," Lindsey complied, "I'm sorry for the not so warm welcome. Unfortunately, almost all of Ethan's books have been burnt, but I could save some which he had not shelved yet, they are in my quarters... could I just get up now, please?"

*

Lindsey still could not believe it. "You believe SUSAN is responsible for the death of Ethan and Lilah? And you trust him?"

Mona did not reply directly. "He led us here," she said plainly. "And he has a soul."

"Which is no guarantee for a good person," Lindsey added, browsing the pages of the old books.

"No, probably not," Mona sighed.

"Neither is being a Slayer," Lindsey added suspiciously.

"Hey," Asmodis interrupted, "Got a problem? Fine, we can go home any time, plan our wedding and pretend this never happened, but that would leave you with a Slayer-Vampire-killer, so you'd better appreciate our help!"

Mona looked at Asmodis with admiration. She was used to him sometimes being very blunt, but this was something even she did not hear too often.

"Sorry," Lindsey apologized, "I didn't mean to..."

Mona smiled. "I understand."

"So," Lindsey turned to Asmodis, "Your theory is Susan's soul was taken by your counterpart with the help of a spell, and you intend to give it back to her, strong white magician as you are."

Mona frowned.

"You ARE capable of soul magic – aren't you?" Angelus asked, the concern evident in his voice.

"Well," Asmodis admitted, "I can try, but, I may be a little out of practice at spells."

"Spells." Lindsey's voice trailed off.

"What EXACTLY have you been performing so far?" Angelus asked. "I mean, are we talking fireballs, storm clouds, spirit summoning, metamorphosis...?"

"Magic barriers and protective spells," Asmodis replied.

"Great," Lindsey yelled at Angelus, "You brought me an amateur spellcaster, now, that is gonna save us!"

"Easy," Mona interfered, "I'm here as well, and we're a team. A good team, as you will see. We can handle that."

"You'd better," Lindsey replied.

Only now did Angelus saw how distracted and tense Lindsey really was. This was not the normal caution and suspicion with which the other man usually faced strangers – Angelus realized Lindsey was shouting and attacking to keep himself from going insane.

"What's wrong?" the vampire asked.

"Nothing," Lindsey replied.

Angelus jumped from his seat. "Tell me."

"Why should I, you're the major suspect!"

Angelus' face fell. "Who else is dead?"

There was some silence until Lindsey spoke. "Not dead," he said.

Mona straightened her shoulders. "It's time you trusted us a little!"

Lindsey's voice was rough and low as he admitted: "It's Darla. She's missing."

*

"Now, see what a nice toy I've brought you here," Susan purred like a cat.

"Well, it's only fair, you stole my last one," Asmodis remarked. He examined the creature before him with an almost scientific interest. "She's older than Sunday," he noticed.

"Yeah, and she hits like a little girl," Susan added, contemptuously regarding the unconscious vampire.

"That's a bit unfair," Asmodis said, "You're very strong now."

"I am," Susan said and let her cape slide to the floor. In the deeply cut black dress, on her skin, glistened a silver crucifix with blazing amethysts.

"Don't take this personal, but doesn't that hurt?" Asmodis wondered.

"Well, it did hurt this one," she said, pointing at Darla, "And Angelus wasn't too delighted either when I tried it on him when I was human. But, as far as I'm concerned, no, there's no pain."

"I'm impressed," Asmodis admitted. Then he approached Darla.

Susan stepped in his way. "Not so fast," she said, "What about my list?"

Asmodis handed her several sheets of paper. "Complete list of all places in which to find an Orb of Thessula on this Earth. Can I have a little leisure now?"

Susan studied the pages carefully. Then she nodded approval. "Good work, old man."

Asmodis frowned. "Strange to hear that from someone who's dating a 250 year-old vampire!"

She shrugged. "Your new toy is even older."

"You picked it! Maybe you have a weakness for antiques."

"Speaking of... how about my spell for Angelus?"

"All in good time," Asmodis said, again stepping towards Darla.

Susan vamped out and caught his wrist. "Hurry."

Asmodis' eyes went shining black, thunder accompanied his words, and the electric bolt coming from his hand made Susan stumble backwards as the magician replied. "I said all in good time."

Susan chuckled. "Now I'm impressed, but just a little."

Slowly, Susan turned to walk away. "Enjoy your game."

"Now, what are you up to?"

Susan's eyes were glowing as she replied: "Visiting an old friend."

"Good or evil?" Asmodis asked.

Susan smiled coldly. "Who cares?"

*

The Fugitive was racing through the night that would shelter him for a few more hours, but his captors were so close he hardly knew how to make it through the day. He knew he would be dead in an instant if they caught him.

Then he saw the shimmer in the distance. It was a gate.

Before he could wonder how the portal may have come into existence, he heard the voice of his adversary behind him.

"Raise your hands over your head and slowly turn around."

The Fugitive hesitated for a mere second. Then he made a run for the gate and vanished into the blinding light.

*

"Don't you think we should plan our actions more carefully?" Asmodis made a careful attempt as he was watching Mona and Angelus gathering and preparing their weapons.

"Shut up and do your tracing spell," Lindsey snapped from behind the books.

"I don't appreciate your tone," Mona interfered.

"Sorry," Lindsey said half-heartedly.

"If Susan really kidnapped Darla, we have no time to lose," Angelus tried to explain, "She's in great danger."

Asmodis sighed and let the crystal swing over the maps of the area and the room plans of the headquarters. "I don't know where else to look," he finally said, "I believe someone has cast a strong disguise spell to prevent us from tracing Darla magically. They don't want us to find their refuge."

Mona looked at Lindsey. "What about you?"

"I found several references," Lindsey explained. "But as far as I can see, we need an Orb of Thessula."

"Then let's get one," Mona suggested.

"You are not in your dimension," Angelus replied, "Orbs are very rare objects in this universe, only the most skilled magicians can get their hands on them."

Mona sighed. "Why do I get the feeling that Buffy's slayerettes were more successful? So, skilled magicians... whom do we have in this world? With Willow and Tara turned into rats, Ethan dead and Asmodis evil...we haven't got much choice, do we?"

Angelus hesitated. "There is one alternative... but you won't like it."

*

Xander Harris was enjoying life. His office, being on the floor of the highest building within a radius of a few hundred miles, had a magnificent view of the city of Sunnydale.

He was the only one who had not fled from the area when Angelus' empire broke down. He had enough bodyguards and security for not having to fear for his life.

He had thought about putting a bed into his office a long time ago, for it was his preferred place to stay, with all his framed diplomas on the walls.

That day, he wished he had, when the shadow of the vampire fell on the floor. But, as things were, this was a public office, an open invitation to any vampire seeking access.

"Nice office," Susan said.

"YOU?" Xander cried out. Then he looked at her more closely. "Something's wrong," he concluded.

Susan smiled. "I'll have to get used to the fact that things are different in this parallel world. You're not a carpenter, are you?"

Xander frowned. "Are you kidding? I made my PhD at the age of 16 after skipping several high school classes."

"Big difference to the Xander I know. That's why you sensed I'm different. Well, depends on how you define 'wrong'."

"How did you get past my security?"

Susan licked her lips. "They were delicious."

"You are..." Then the terror faded, and he grinned. "Hey, you're EVIL! That means you're one of us!" He gestured towards the desk. "Have a seat! What can I do for you?"

Susan sat down, crossing her legs and ignoring Xander's leering gaze. "I hear you got an Orb of Thessula."

"Yeah, Willow gave it to me as a paperweight last Halloween. Said these things were special and hard to get. But the design didn't match my furniture, so I put it away."

Susan smiled charmingly. "Can I see it?"

Xander returned her smile. However, Susan did not like his gaze or the tone of his voice. "Well... maybe. Y'know, there's something I've always wanted to know. Mona and Asmodis have this certain preference with the Undead... and I was wondering what that might be like..."

Susan fought back her revulsion. The thought of even getting nearer to Xander Harris than 5 yards disgusted her and made her regret she had fed so luxuriously on the bodyguards. The smile was frozen on her face when she walked around the desk and sat down on it.

Xander looked pleased. He reached for a drawer and took out a glowing Orb of Thessula. He put the cold crystal in Susan's lap.

She placed her hands on the sides of his head. "I'm so sorry we haven't met earlier, my dear," she whispered, "You share so many loving memories with our other friends. Remember when Angelus' curse was gone and he went mad and was suddenly good again? And then Willow made him evil once more? Wish I'd been there."

"Yeah," Xander replied in a moment of nostalgia.

Susan's face slowly neared Xander's. "When I was on patrol with Buffy, she told me how crucial the timing was. And she also told me you lied to her. You told her to kick his ass and said it was a message from Willow. Could it be you wanted to rid yourself of a rival?"

Xander, rapt in Susan's toxic scent and the anticipation of all his fantasies about to come true, smiled proudly. "I didn't know then that there are even more desirable Slayers than Buffy... yeah, they all start out with Angelus, and then they come running to me."

Susan heard his heart beating faster. "Well..." she added, "I'm sorry I have to be the one to break it to you, but... the PhD doesn't alter the fact that you're a fool." Susan weighed the Orb approvingly in her hand. "Actually, you were right, Harris – these Orbs are quite ugly." Then she smashed the Orb on the astonished Xander's head. Later, she could not tell what broke first, the Orb or his skull. And what was more: She did not give a damn.

*

Meanwhile, Tasha returned to her and Riley's apartment in anger. She had been looking for Mona for hours to tell her about the therapy session, and to inform her she was afraid her marriage might be at an end. But she had found Mona's and Asmodis' rooms deserted, and, what upset her slightly, Mona's best weapons gone. She tried to persuade herself the Slayer would not have gone on a bigger adventure two days before her wedding without telling anyone, but she was still worried and anxious to get near a telephone. She wanted to call Faith, just to make sure.

The smell in the house was odd.

It came from the kids' room.

Tasha opened the room. "Incense!" she cried out.

"Oh, come on, Mom, can't you knock before entering???" Tasha Junior complained.

"Yeah, you've spoiled the whole ritual, now we can start from scratch!" Riley Junior added.

Tasha felt nauseous. "You are NOT my children!" she shouted in anger, tearing open the curtains, trampling on the incense and the candles, spilling liquid wax all over the floor. "Satanists, in my own house!"

"Calm down, mother," Tasha Junior tried to save the day. "It was just a little love potion!"

"Don't you tell me what to do!" Tasha snapped at her. "As long as I am responsible for your actions, you'll do what I say, is that clear?"

"Perfectly," Riley Junior replied, "When you divorce, we're moving to Daddy's!"

Without thinking, Tasha slapped him.

Then she suddenly heard her husband's voice, trying to keep the anguish out of his words: "We have a lot to talk about."

Tasha looked puzzled. "You're not on their side, are you?"

*

Mona was hiding in the dark, moving slowly and cautiously so her steps would not betray her. Angelus had been right – she hated it. She hated being a shadow, sneaking in from behind to surprise her prey. She reflected on how weird it had to be for the vampire to have changed sides, that he now was betraying those he had lived and fought with for years. But one had to remember he now knew they were wrong, he knew they were now fighting for the right thing. Yet she understood Lindsey's attitude, following the old saying that the leopard never changed his spots. She wondered whether Angelus would keep pursuing his cause when things turned out more difficult than they expected, and as a Slayer, Mona knew things were never as simple as one hoped. Could they really trust him? After all, he was a vampire. She had to remind herself of the fact that vampires were the good guys on this side of the looking glass, and she trusted Drusilla, didn't she? Yeah, but I never met Drusilla's ugly side personally, it's something different, and Drusilla was good all her life on this side, whereas Angelus has a hundred years' history of being cursed and evil. Mona tried not to think about it. She moved on. Her target was close. Clever, hiding in the caves in the desert-like areas a little outside of Sunnydale. But having known this man for years, Angelus had guessed where his former ally would be heading.

She felt a little dizzy. Maybe it was the heat, maybe it was the side effect of Asmodis' protective spell. Mona followed the path until she reached a giant cave that seemed to serve as the living quarters. She was standing on a ledge of rock overlooking the cave. Carefully, Mona climbed down the ragged rocks, trying not to step on loose stones, which might have caught attention. She knew the others were right behind her, but taking a less obvious and less dangerous way down.

She looked around in the dark.

The cave was scarcely furnitured, it was clear that this man was determined to change refuge quickly if necessary. She spotted a weapon rack. From that, she had to keep him away. She also recognized a considerable amount of books for such a remote place. Did one of them contain information on an Orb of Thessula?

There was a narrow campbed as well, and the remains of a shortly burnt down fire.

This was not exactly homely. It was a warrior's hiding place.

Mona interrupted her study of the surroundings. There was a noise.

She crept back into the shadows to see if someone was coming.

She was right. Her target was returning to his improvised refuge.

He was walking past the weapon rack, tossing a hand axe at the side of it. Then he turned to the books.

Mona picked up the axe and threw it in his direction. It went right through the book he held in his hand and got stuck between the dusty pages.

Startled, Wesley looked up.

"Ain't got a TV in here, do you?"

Wesley dropped the book. "Mona!" he exclaimed. "I thought you were dead!"

Mona realized he mistook her for her alter ego.

To her surprise, Wesley rushed towards her and kissed her.

Mona began to wonder with whom else her counterpart had an affair.

[Asmodis was about to give up his hiding and secretly wished HE could throw fireballs.

Angelus shook his head when his own words returned to him: We're not too worried about things like that. We're all friends here, we're on the same side, so we share.Who could ever say such crap?]

"I thought I would never see you again!" Wesley began. "First they killed Buffy, and then in all this revolution chaos, I saw you running off with Asmodis, but I didn't think you had made it!" Then he broke off, staring at the book. "How did you...?"

Mona shrugged. "Whenever a Slayer dies..."

"Amazing," Wesley remarked. "Now we have a Slayer again, we can win our kingdom back!" For a moment, he regarded her closely. Too closely. "You've changed your hair..." He frowned and began to run his fingers through it. "It is not quite as bright as it used to... And your clothes... your whole style..."

Mona decided it was time to act before he drew conclusions and attacked first.

However, Wesley made no efforts to fight. "I like it somehow," he said, "It doesn't really matter. We had better celebrate our reunion."

Mona sighed. "Sorry, Wes, but I just don't see you like that!" Then she attacked.

As he fell into his bookshelf, sending some books to the floor, he stared at Mona in surprise. "You are not Mona!"

"Want me to show you my passport?" Mona whirled around and hit the bookshelf.

Wesley escaped just in time so he was not buried under the falling boards and books.

With a swiftness she had not thought he possessed he was at his weapon rack, grabbing a crossbow. As one of the bolts went right past Mona's shoulder, she dodged down to avoid being hit by further bolts and picked a few books, throwing them at Wesley. One of them hit the crossbow, the next one Wesley's head.

"Knowledge hurts," she commented, while Wesley attempted to fire the crossbow, but it had obviously been damaged.

His hesitation gave Mona the time she needed.

She knocked the crossbow from his hand and hit his chin.

Wesley stumbled back.

Mona stormed forward, driving her knee against his stomach. She threw her dazed opponent against the weapon rack.

With a last effort, Wesley heaved his broad sword.

But having lifted it up in the air, he realized in a shock he was unable to bring it down on Mona. Looking behind him, he saw Angelus holding the blade with one hand. "Nice try."

Realizing his former employer had changed sides, Wesley gasped: "I reckon it's over."

Asmodis stepped forward. "Not quite, English. This is for kissing my fiancée."

Wesley went down.

Then it was all dark.

"No falling asleep now," he heard Mona's voice when he came to.

He tried to move, but soon realized he was tied up on the campbed.

"Sorry about that," Mona said, "But you don't even have a chair in here."

"What do you want?"

"It's simple. We need an Orb of Thessula, you tell us where to find it and don't get in our way again, we let you go."

Wesley chuckled. "An Orb of Thessula? What makes you think I know?"

"Oh, please," Mona replied, "Someone who doesn't even think of a chair, but a bookshelf???!"

"You are correct, I know – but I won't tell you!"

Asmodis switched on the light. It was blinding. "Bet you will."

Mona walked over to the bookshelf. "We will find out without your help. So why not shorten this whole procedure?"

Wesley laughed with contempt.

Angelus was losing patience. "I agree," he said and turned to Asmodis. "Got a lighter?"

"I don't smoke," Asmodis replied. As he saw the disappointed look on the vampire's face, he added: "But I have a gas stove," and handed him the lighter.

"This is a non-smoking household," Wesley remarked.

Angelus looked very serious as he replied: "I don't smoke either." He switched on the lighter, moving the flame closer to Wesley.

"You're not going to torture me, you're one of the good guys," Wesley said.

In a cold tone, Angelus added: "Look if you can find some glass bottles and smash them, in case this doesn't work."

Mona was beginning to feel uneasy. This was a dangerous bluff. She desperately hoped he was bluffing.

"Okay." Asmodis decided he would support the bluff – if he interpreted Wesley's face correctly, the threat would be enough to make him talk. He turned around to look for the bottles and soon found some. Angelus would make quite a good poker pl...

A loud scream of pain made him turn around suddenly. It was Wesley.

It took less than a second for Mona to get hold of Angelus' arm. He tried to shake her off, but she forced him to drop the lighter. "What do you think you're doing?" she yelled.

"Saving Susan," he replied, without the slightest trace of regret in his voice.

"This is not the way," Mona disagreed.

"Why not?"

Mona was stunned. "Because it's wrong!"

"And his refusal to tell us isn't?"

"Of course it is, but if we are taking on their methods, we are no better than them! If that's your attitude, you're out of the team!"

Angelus held her angry gaze for a moment, then he walked away and picked up the lighter. "I will get my answers, with or without your help."

Mona stepped between him and Wesley. "Then you'll have to get past me."

"Got no problem with that."

Asmodis did not like the sound of this. "Please, don't get worked up," he told Mona.

Mona glared at him. "Once again boys versus girl?"

"No," Asmodis replied and addresses Angelus, "We will sort this out calmly, right? Violence is no solution!"

"Yeah, right," Angelus said sarcastically, "That's why you hit Wesley when he kissed Mona..."

Asmodis looked away – at the remains of bookshelf scattered on the floor.

Suddenly, a book flew through the room and against Angelus' chest.

Smoke rose from the vampire's body, as he threw it away violently, cursing in pain.

Mona stared at them, then at the book. HOLY BIBLE.

In disbelief, she looked at Asmodis. "How did you do that?" she whispered.

He shook his head. "I don't know. I was just upset, and... I thought it... and then it happened."

For a second, there was silence.

Mona broke it. "Do you think you can do it again? With another book, I mean," she added quickly as she saw the vampire's warning eyes.

Asmodis looked at the books.

Nothing happened.

"So it was a coincidence," Angelus remarked.

"I'm sorry," Asmodis told Mona. "Perhaps it'll come back to me. We should now concentrate on the Orb of Thessula."

Slowly, one of the books moved from the scattered piles. It floated through the air for a moment, then it came down on the floor.

"Maybe the book is a hint." Asmodis picked it up. "What language is that?"

Mona gazed on it quickly. "Looks like Romanian. Sorry, Latin would be no problem, but this is quite exotic, I haven't got a clue."

"Can I help?" Angelus asked quietly.

Mona smiled. "Of course you can."

Asmodis was relieved the tensions had calmed down a little. However, they had now realized that Angelus' good side had its limits.

As Mona gave Angelus the book, a piece of paper fell to the floor.

"It's an address," the vampire informed them.

"Of course!" Mona said. "You said the word Orb of Thessula, and then this book began to float! This address may be where we find the Orb! Let's go."

Asmodis pointed at Wesley. "And what are we doing with him?"

Asmodis was still holding out his hand when suddenly a crossbow bolt swifly cut the air and penetrated his palm. He tried to suppress a cry of sheer pain. Then he almost froze. He could not believe his eyes as he recognized the attacker.

On the ledge where Mona had climbed down into the cave, there stood a female figure, dressed all in white, her long blond hair curling around her shoulders. Like a war goddess, she towered over the scene. Half her face was hidden by a white mask.

"LET HIM GO," her voice thundered through the hall.

And though he had a vague idea of who the woman was, through the veil of pain coming from his hand, Asmodis asked: "Who the hell are you?"

The woman removed her mask. She looked at him, being whore and saint, stranger and lover at the same time, as she replied boldly: "I am Mona – the vampire slayer."

"I gave you my music,

(The Phantom of the Opera)

Buffy was rolling over to the other side of the bed. She knew Angel was awake. During the first few days of their eternity, she had always wondered why he was silently leaving the bedroom around five in the morning even when he could have slept and went back to bed about an hour later. She had thought he just had difficulty adapting to the new rhythm of his days. By now she knew he was watching the sunrise. Each and every one since he had become Shan-shu.

"What time is it?" Buffy asked sleepily. She opened her eyes to see Angel lying next to her.

"Seven. You can still sleep if you like."

"When is the wedding rehearsal?"

"Not until ten."

"Very sensible." She sighed. "Still time. It's still so weird, having literally all the time in the world... what was the sunrise like?"

"I don't think there's a word to describe it. It's more than simply beautiful. And at this hour of morning, there is not a single soul, it is all quiet and silence."

"OPEN UP!!!!!!!!!!!!" The yelling was accompanied by loud knocking at the door.

"So much for silence," Buffy commented.

"Hey! Open up! It's important!"

Buffy sighed deeply as she recognized Faith's voice. "I hope so," Buffy said. Then she went to open the door.

Faith was wearing her dress as Mona's Maid of Honor. "Sorry about my outfit, B, I went to see the tailor about a few changes," Faith explained.

"Nice," Buffy commented, desperately trying not to burst into laughter, seeing Faith dressed up in a long pink creation of silk and chiffon with tiny white pearls and little pink ribbons in her hair.

"We have a situation."

Buffy was still staring at Faith's dress. "Yeah. Definitely."

"This is serious, B," Faith replied.

"Sorry," Buffy said and began giggling like insane. "You just look so... different!"

Angel was leaning at the door, trying to maintain a neutral expression and absolutely failing.

"Don't stand there grinning like an idiot," Faith complained, "Mona suggested I wear that! And that brings me to the problem. They're gone!"

"Who?" Buffy looked puzzled.

"Mona and Asmodis! They have disappeared! They were meant to meet with me for breakfast to discuss the rehearsal, and they didn't show up. I went to their apartment. The bed was untouched."

Buffy reflected that did not necessarily mean there was a situation, then another thought occurred to her. "Maybe they've gone to Las Vegas, after all." Her eyes assumed an enthusiastic glow. "Can we go there and look for them?"

Faith shook her head. "Don't think so. Mona's weapons are gone."

"Now, don't jump to conclusions," Angel suggested, "We should just wait until the rehearsal, I'm sure they'll show up! Maybe they were just retained on patrol."

Buffy's eyes widened. "You don't think they're cancelling the wedding???!"

Angel shook his head. "No, they wouldn't do that. Faith would be inconsolable if she didn't get to wear this." Then he could no longer hold back the laughter.

*

"Where the hell are they?" Riley wondered.

Tasha cast him a mortifying look. "Don't curse," was all she said. In fact all she had said to him for the whole morning. She hated the dress. She hated being there at all. "I should not have come," she murmured. After all, it was just a compromise. She had only come because Mona had insisted, and Riley had basically dragged her there. This would not be a decent wedding.

Faith looked around with concern. She had gone back to wearing casual, like the others.

The wedding planner and her team were clueless. "Well," the wedding planner finally said, "We have a very narrow schedule, so if bride and groom do not show up for the rehearsal, we will have to start without them."

"Sorry?" Cordelia asked, baffled. "Wedding rehearsal without the couple?"

The wedding planner shrugged. "It's their own fault if they don't know where to stand and what to say later. So, let's first get straight who has got official functions. Would all bridemaids please step forward?"

Tasha remained where she was. She had refused to have any part in the rituals, as a passive attender, no one could reproach her. Buffy, Dawn, Anya, Dru, Cordelia, Willow and Tara stepped forward.

"That's seven, not a very good choice. Why can't it be six or eight, would be much easier to arrange!" The wedding planner returned to her list. "All right, who is Maid of Honor?"

"That'll be me," Faith said.

The wedding planner nodded. "Good. Who is Best Man?"

Spike held his hand up.

Cordelia was shocked. "They asked him???"

Wesley shrugged. "Well, they wanted it that way."

Meanwhile, Spike was addressing the wedding planner. "I have a question – being Best Man doesn't involve wearing a suit, does it?"

Cordelia raised a brow. "Being at a wedding involves wearing a suit," she remarked. "But the way I see it, this wedding is gonna be a fashion catastrophe anyway!"

The wedding planner made a note on her list.

Cordelia lowered her voice. "Why on earth didn't they ask Buffy and Angel?"

"I don't know," Wesley admitted, "Maybe they wanted to make sure that their Maid of Honor and Best Man were not retained by an apocalypse."

"Still... I mean we're talking about Spike!"

Wesley sighed. "We all know even Buffy and Angel would have been second choice for these duties. But no one can change now."

*

Asmodis was regarding his new toy with pleasure as Darla came to.

"Oh, good, you're awake," he remarked. "I was afraid we would have to delay all the fun till tomorrow."

Darla was dazed. "Where am I?" Then she realized she was chained to the floor. Slowly, the realization and the memory of her surprise fight with Susan came back to her. She knew who the man talking to her was. All too vividly she remembered Sunday's horrifying report of what had occurred to her while being his prisoner. She tried to keep the panic out of her voice as she said: "They'll be looking for me."

Asmodis chuckled. "Waiting for the cavalry, huh? Well, whom do we have? There is Lindsey. Are you serious, Lindsey? Well, honestly, I hope he'll come for you, will be a pleasure ridding him of the other hand as well. Then, there's the Master. What a name! A crucifix won't help, I guess, even Susan's figured out how to get past that by now. But, let's face it, he's too old, he won't come for you, if anything he'll send someone. Oh, and I almost forgot about Pseudo-Batman. Angelus, what a pathetic name, but, well, women seem to go for it, what d'ya think? Yeah, he's gonna try again. The last time I would've dusted him if that bitch-witch hadn't been. This time, she's a rat. What does that tell us?!"

He approached Darla, a veole of Holy Water in his hand, a silver crucifix hanging from his neck. Darla had to think quickly. She had to act.

Darla vamped out and fixed him with a glowing gaze from golden sparkling eyes. With an hypnotic incantation in her voice, she said: "Hear my voice."

Asmodis looked in her eyes. "I hear you."

"You will listen to my commands."

He stared at her hypnotic eyes. "I will obey you."

Darla looked deep into his eyes. "Asmodis, listen. Set me free."

Asmodis dropped the veole and knelt down beside her, unable to look away from her burning gaze. "I will obey," he said and freed her from the chains. "I am setting you free."

Darla smiled. She still hadn't forgotten about everything. She was about to get up. Then she realized she could not get up. She was still chained to the floor, unable to move, and Asmodis bent over her with a self-assured grin, the veole still in his hand. "You see, I'm also quite good at illusions, dear Darla. Now, can we start playing?"

*

The wedding planner looked up. "All right, all bridemaids over there, please. The Maid of Honor is walking in right behind them, and before the bride. The groom and the Best Man will be standing there at the front waiting."

"Excuse me," Spike said, "I hate to break your concentration, but bride and groom are not here!"

"No problem," the wedding planner said, "For the rehearsal, we will find a replacement."

"I can't hear this word any more," Buffy whispered.

The wedding planner cast her a whistful look. "No chatting during the rehearsal!"

"Sorry," Buffy apologized.

Then the wedding planner's face lit up. "I'll give you a job, since you obviously don't know what to do with yourself. You'll play the bride!"

Buffy looked puzzled. "Me?"

The woman with the incredible haircut turned to Angel. "You're just standing around anyway, you might as well play the groom."

Spike grinned. "Sounds like fun."

While Buffy made every effort not to blush, and Angel looked as if the whole thing did not concern him at all, the wedding planner pushed everyone in place. "And ready, steady, go!"

The music set in.

Buffy frowned. "That doesn't sound alright."

"The organ hasn't been mended yet," Faith explained. "The guy who'll do the job is coming in the afternoon."

The remaining bridemaids were slowly walking down the aisle, taking their positions.

Then Faith followed them. Weddings were so old-fashioned, and this whole thing was ridiculous... and she felt her voice was hoarse, and she would have a hard time not to cry during the genuine ceremony.

Faith arrived at the front.

The wedding planner pushed Buffy. "Go!"

The music changed.

Buffy was walking down the aisle, half expecting she would stumble over the carpet any minute and give them all a good laugh.

Angel was looking at her like enchanted. For a moment he could see her, veiled and all in white, walking down the isle in the most beautiful dress he had ever seen.

Then she came to a halt. Angel took her hand.

For a moment, they just stood there, time stopped.

"Okay," the wedding planner broke the illusion, "Then we hear the blabla, we have assembled here blabla, will you take this man to your lawfully wedded husband till death do you part?"

There was total silence. One could have heard a pin falling.

"No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Cordelia cried.

Angel and Buffy turned around abruptly.

Cordelia had fallen to the floor, holding her head, being almost torn apart by the vision.

Angel rushed to her side. "Cordy!"

When Cordelia raised her head, her face was wet with tears. "There might not be a wedding at all," she gasped, "They are in trouble. In REAL trouble."

*

Thoughts were racing through Mona's head. The woman up there was... herself. Her evil self. And, more important, a Slayer like herself. She had known this could happen when she entered a mirror universe, yet at that moment it came unexpectedly, and she could not but stare at the other Mona on the ledge. And her first thoughts were: She is not me. She had her face, but her eyes, her smile were different. Mona caught the gaze her counterpart was casting Asmodis, and the way Asmodis and the vampire were staring at the other woman in awe.

The other Mona cast her a look saying, Yeah, watch them, look at me – I am everything you will never be, I'm beautiful, sexy and incredibly dangerous.

Mona's first impulse was to fight this woman, to shut her gaze up, to show her she was the original and that other creature but a shadow of herself – but she remembered too vividly how she had seen Susan get killed by her counterpart. These people had the knowledge of all their weaknesses, and what was more, they had no scruples to use them. The truth was simple: If she fought her here and now, she would die.

So Mona turned to Angelus. "Release him."

"WHAT???"

"You heard me. Release Wesley, and then let's get out of here, we got what we came for, so there's no need to provoke a fight. Not now."

For a moment, Angelus hesitated, then he decided to release Wesley.

"Thanks," Mona said, "Now let's get the hell out of here."

"Sensible woman," the other Mona commented, "So unlike me..."

"Oh, shut up," Asmodis hissed.

Mona was determined not to lose her temper this time, though that bitch had hurt her fiance. She would pay for that another time. "She's right," Mona said, "I'm not like her. I've got style."

*

"Does it hurt a lot?" Mona asked with concern.

"Only when I laugh," Asmodis replied, "And, honestly, I do not feel like laughing at the moment."

"Neither do I," Mona admitted. "But I'm gonna quarter her for that, I assure you."

Angelus was driving the black convertible, heading for the address on the note from the book. "I can't believe you let her get away with it."

"It wasn't an easy choice, but I decided I'm of more use alive," Mona replied sarcastically. So many things needed consideration: Asmodis' new powers, Angelus' loyalties, Susan's soul, the new Slayer... and there was absolutely no time to think about anything.

Asmodis lowered his voice. "Is it just my pain or is this car not going straight?"

Mona realized he was right. The car was moving in slight serpentines. She frowned. "Angelus, are you alright?"

The vampire looked as if she had caught him red-handed. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said and brought the vehicle under full control again.

Mona looked at him closely. He was sweating and looked even paler than before. "You sure?" she asked back, wondering if something was wrong.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Hey, don't try to be a hero, I can see something's not normal."

"I'm okay."

"Yeah, and I'm Madonna."

He looked at her sceptically. "Who?"

"Whoops.. she's not famous here?" Then she realized he was just trying to change the subject. "You look sick, and you're almost falling asleep while driving. Don't tell me you feel well."

"I'm just a little tired, that's all."

"Do you want me to drive?" Mona asked with concern.

"Jesus, no," Asmodis remarked.

Mona frowned. "What was that?"

Asmodis was saved by the bell.

"It's here," Angelus said.

Mona stared at the building. "Buffy told me this building had exploded before we ever came to Sunnydale..."

"It's the old high school," the vampire explained, "In this reality, it didn't explode, but it was shut down after some strange events in the area. City planning, you see... The city council has been discussing for several years what to do with these buildings. And so they are slowly decaying."

"All right, let's take a walk around," Mona said.

"We should split up," Angelus suggested.

"We're three," Mona remarked, "Let me call Lindsey first, so we can have two teams."

"You don't expect me to go on any mission with Lindsey, do you," Angelus replied.

Mona sighed. Men! Didn't make a difference if dead or alive. "All right, you take the east wing, and we're going for the west wing. But do call me if anything comes up. I really mean that!"

"Sure."

Mona was not convinced, but she did not want to argue. If she was completely honest, she was not too eager to know exactly what the vampire was doing all the time. After the incident with Wesley, she wished she had indeed informed Faith.

*

Angelus was walking through the corridors. He was aware that Mona had given him the east wing deliberately, knowing that the library had been in the west wing, and she supposed the Orb of Thessula in the library, the room built above the Hellmouth.

But once more she had forgotten they were in a mirror universe.

Without hesitation, Angelus headed for the library, being in the east wing in this world.

The bookshelves were empty now and covered with the dust of years and incountable cobwebs.

The windows were boarded, allowing no light in.

He felt her before he saw her.

"Haven't seen you in a while." Susan's voice was low and soft. This time, there was not the scent of blood about her, she was just as he remembered her. Before all that had happened.

"I hear you have met the other Slayer," Susan said, rather a statement than a question.

"These news traveled fast," Angelus replied.

"Yeah, and so did those of your betrayal."

"I didn't betray anyone."

"I guess Wesley would see things differently."

As she was walking closer, he could see her face, her fierce eyes, the cold in her expression.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, "I'm going to fix this. I promise."

She shook her head. "No, don't be sorry. I'm quite alright."

Angelus looked at her in terror. "You've killed again. Who..."

"Oh, you can be proud of me, I was a good girl," she said, approaching him. Angelus wanted to step back, yet he could not, as she was whispering in his ear, "I avenged you.. I killed Xander."

He closed his eyes. Xander had been evil. He was not sure whether that was good news or bad news. Good that she had not said Darla's name, or the Master's. Bad news because she seemed to lose track of who was supposed to be her ally and who her enemy. She had begun to kill as her whim took her. And that was the most dangerous turn events could possibly take.

"Hey, thought you'd be pleased."

Angelus looked at her, endlessly grateful for Mona's decision to split up. Trying to make his voice sound firm and determined, he asked: "Susan... where's Darla?"

Susan smiled. "I left her with a friend. I'm sure they'll get along well. She's safe, don't worry – she's odd, but I wouldn't harm my mother-in-law, would I?"

Angelus could not help but let the relief show. Susan felt him tremble under her touch and embraced him.

"You don't feel well, love, do you?" she asked softly.

Angelus had to close his eyes, but it did not ease his tension. "No," he admitted.

Susan touched his face. "You look tense and tired. You need some rest. Just relax."

"I can't."

"I know you're confused," she said, "We can still be together. You've been fighting it, I know, but to what end? That darkness is still in you, Angelus, all you have to do is give yourself over. Trust me, I know what I am doing. And I trusted you with my life, didn't I? I'm still the same person. You alone can make the pain end, my angel. Give in to your darkness. Give in to me."

For a few moments he just stood there, kissing her, holding her, surrendering to the illusion. However hard he tried, he could not get her out of his mind as she was in the last moment he consciously knew he had last seen her, and he wanted to believe it did not matter, he wanted to believe if only he gave her enough time, things would turn out fine, and she would again be like that, if only he tried hard enough, and he felt his instincts crying out for her, claiming her, and Susan triumphed silently, realizing she was winning him over, holding on to his body, clawing into his skin, as she made her final move and whispered: "I will love you for ever."

He felt like falling down as the illusion broke. This was not Susan, it was a soulless, calculating, evil being talking with her voice. He realized in despair that Susan would not have said that, not there and then, if ever it might have taken her years to say it, but she would not have said it at the spur of the moment, this was pure calculation, an attempt to make him forget all he knew.

He clasped her shoulders. "Nice try." Then he threw her back and ran out of the library.

Susan sighed. "He's so cute... but he definitely does have intimacy issues."

Mona and Asmodis had reached the computing lab. There were no computers now except for an old tower with a broken monitor on the teacher's desk.

"A 486," Asmodis remarked. "Hey, might still work, that one. Or at least have spare parts. Do you think we could take this with us?"

Mona cast him a mortifying look. "Keep searching," she ordered.

"Okay, okay. Do you really think we can find anything here?"

"I don't know. All I know is that the computing teacher at Buffy's highschool had an Orb of Thessula."

Asmodis shook his head. "Why on earth don't we get one from home? They sell it as paperweights!"

"I know, but we have to be careful about the energy of interdimensional hotspots, you know that. I don't want to waste portals for unnecessary trips home, we must be able to return any time and not run the risk we can't return if we must."

Asmodis nodded. What she said made sense. "Granted. But nevertheless, if we go on like that, we'll be here for weeks. You keep looking here, I'll take her office."

"I don't think we should split up," Mona said carefully.

Asmodis shook his head. "Well, you thought it a good idea when Angelus suggested it! Have we come that far, Angelus can take care of himself and I can't?"

"No," Mona disagreed, "Angelus is a vampire!"

"I'm a wizard, SO WHAT?"

"A hobby spellcaster," Mona corrected, "And that didn't keep you from getting wounded by my other self. I'm just worried about you!"

"Are you? In the car you seemed more concerned about Angelus' well-being. I was shot in the hand, not him!"

"Listen, I just can't use this discussion right now. We'll have enough time to quarrell when we're married." Mona had wanted to sound humorous, but Asmodis reacted differently.

"I want to marry you, not the Slayer!"

"I am the Slayer!" Mona did not understand this. Why was she starting to have arguments with Asmodis? It had to be this dimension. It was somehow affecting them. She decided to fight the impulse to deepen the discussion. "I'm sorry," she said, "Of course I trust you can take care of yourself. Please, take the office and the corridor, I'll continue the other way, and we meet up at the library – if we should ever find it."

Asmodis was still not entirely convinced. His hand hurt like hell, and he would have preferred the mission to be over soon. Something was wrong here, terribly wrong. He would not normally have got that mad with Mona for asking Angelus three times if he was alright.

Angelus was running in desperate flight. He felt weak, weaker than ever, that was true, and he knew if she decided to pursue him, he would not stand a chance.

It was then that he heard the steps behind him. He was struggling to increase his speed, but he could not. He felt his legs would no longer carry him, the easiest thing was to let himself fall and give in to her, let her do whatever she had in mind.

Then he heard the sound of his name, spoken by a female voice. He turned around.

It was not Susan.

"Angelus, what the hell is going on here?" Mona asked angrily. "Why are you running from me?"

"I'm sorry," the vampire replied, his voice shaking, "Thought you were her."

"Hey, you look awful, like you've seen a ghost!"

Angelus' face was an expression of pure terror. "Guess I have."

Then the running was taking its toll. Gasping, he leant against the wall.

"You can't tell me this is normal," Mona insisted, "A vampire should have more stamina than this!"

"I'm okay, leave me alone," Angelus refused vehemently.

"So you saw her?" Mona asked, shivering at the thought of Susan being on the very premises.

"She's gone now," Angelus replied, "But I have important information. About Darla. I think I know where she is. I think she left her with Asmodis."

Mona nodded. "We must hurry."

"Are you sure you're ready for this kind of confrontation?"

"I'm okay, leave me alone," Mona replied with angry sarcasm. "Let's just go. Hope we're still in time."

Then she heard Asmodis calling her. "Come! Quick!"

She ran down the corridor. "What?" she asked, worried.

As she opened the door to Jenny Calendar's former office, she held her breath. On the floor lay a smashed Orb of Thessula.

*

Darla lay in the dark. The pain was gone. She felt Lindsey's hands on her body, shivering at the very touch, giving in to the moment, and she sighed silently, whispering his name.

"Wrong line," Asmodis remarked and withdrew the vision.

The reality hit Darla. Lindsey had never been there. It had been a suggestion, and her skin was burning from the torture. She began to cry.

"Don't you get bored?" Susan asked sceptically.

Asmodis shook his head. "It's kinda fun."

Susan smiled viciously and placed a box before him. "Got a better idea! Look what I've brought you. Thought you could use a little inspiration... for my spell! Sorry these things don't come with a gift wrap."

"A present? For me? Now, that's so sweet!" Asmodis opened the box curiously. He frowned. "I don't go in for tatoos. So why did you get me an electronic tatooing needle?"

"It's not for you," Susan replied enigmatically, "It's for our little friend here. The motive and the color are its secrets."

Asmodis unwrapped the paint and smelled it. "Ugh! What the hell is that? Smells like..." Then his face lit up. "Garlic???"

"Now I want to hear a Thank You Susan, I had to kill three people at the tatoo studio and a greengrocer to get these colors made!"

"Thank you, my dear," Asmodis replied absent-mindedly, delighted at the possibilities this could offer.

Susan sighed. "Gotta go. There's still work to be done."

*

Cordelia had emptied the third glass of water until she could speak again.

"Better?" Wesley asked with concern.

Cordelia nodded.

The wedding planner was annoyed. "Anyone else of the bridemaids planning to collapse? If so, please BEFORE the wedding!"

"Oh, shut up," Buffy snapped. "Cordy, what did you see?"

Cordelia shuddered as the images flashed before her mind's eye once again. She straightened her shoulders and replied: "Please, Buff, don't get me wrong now. But I think I have to talk to Angel about this – alone."

Angel looked at her with surprise. "Me? I don't keep any secrets from Buffy." But her eyes were so pleading he could not refuse her. "All right. Maybe we should walk a few steps. Can you?"

"Guess so." Cordelia nodded and got up, still a bit shaky, but determined.

Faith looked at Buffy in disbelief. "What could be so important as to keep it from us? I mean, I'm Mona's watcher, and if she and Asmodis are in trouble, I have to know first!"

"Cordelia is sure to have good reasons," Wesley replied.

Faith seemed unconvinced still. "B, what do you say? We are the only Slayers around!"

"Slayers off duty," Buffy corrected. "I trust Angel. If we have to know about the vision, he'll tell us." She watched them walking away. She tried to sound cheerful, but she was worried. She knew: whatever Cordelia was just telling Angel, he would try to protect her from it, whether he could handle the news alone or not. And this gave her more worries than she would ever be able to admit before Faith or any of the others.

"So, what did you see?" Angel asked.

Cordelia looked around, making sure they were out of everybody else's hearing distance. "I really don't know how to say this," she began. "But I saw a flower bouquet."

Angel tried to sound matter-of-factly. "Another funeral, then."

"Hey, we don't know that," Cordelia disagreed.

Angel did not hope fool him. "Do you know who..."

Cordelia took a deep breath. She could not look at him as she added: "I saw Mona --- being bitten by a vampire. I can't tell if he killed or turned her."

Angel nodded. "Rest assured, Cordy. I won't let this happen."

As Cordelia raised her head to face him, her eyes were so full of despair that even Angel shivered. "You do not understand," she said, "The vampire was you."

5

(Alfred Lord Tennyson)

The Fugitive lacked orientation at first. He was lying on green grass under a clear blue sky, the air was fresh, and it felt like spring.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over him. "Are you the delivery guy?"

He blinked. "Pardon me?" Then he tried to sit up, blinded by the sunlight, only to realize the gate behind him had closed.

"We're still waiting for the flowers for my friend's wedding," the woman explained impatiently, "Now, are you the delivery guy or not?"

The Fugitive rose to his feet and faced the woman. After all the darkness in his life, she seemed to him the most beautiful and gracious being he had seen in a long time, maybe ever. "I'm sorry to disappoint you," he said, "I'm from out of town, I've only just arrived."

She smiled. "You must be a friend of the groom then, I think I know all of Mona's friends."

He nodded. "I've come a long way." Again, he looked around in wonder.

"Is the place you're from very different from this one?"

"It is... like another dimension."

She extended her hand. "Pleased to meet you. My name's Tasha."

He took her hand and kissed it.

Tasha was flabbergasted. Her heart was pounding wildly, never had any man courted her like that, not even Riley. So she asked the incredibly handsome man, with a faint smile and a careless whisper: "And who are you?"

The Fugitive returned her smile. "Jonathan."

*

Cordy looked at Angel insecurely. "But that's impossible, right? You're Shan-shu, you're immortal. To become a vampire again, you would have to die, right? And, that's impossible. RIGHT??? God, Angel, say something!"

Angel did not reply for a long while. Then he said: "To be honest, I don't know."

"WHAT?" Cordelia exploded, "How come, you don't know?"

Angel's voice sounded strange, like from far away. "Are you familiar with the hen-egg-paradox?"

"The WHAT?"

"What came first, the hen or the egg."

Without thinking, Cordelia replied: "Then hen of course! The hen laid the egg!"

"And where did the hen come from?"

"Why..." Cordelia fell silent. "You mean... in the beginning, the first vampires weren't...? But how... who turned them? Or what?"

"No one knows. I'm just saying... it might happen again."

Cordelia looked at his neutral expression. "But we'll prevent that. Right?"

Angel did not reply.

Cordelia turned away to walk back to the others.

Angel caught her arm. "If you say one word to Buffy, I'll never forgive you."

Cordelia nodded. "Acknowledged. But what will we do about Mona?"

"I will ask Willow to trace her. We'll find them."

*

"It's here," Angelus said.

"Are you sure?" Mona asked doubtfully. "I don't think any Asmodis would be so stupid as to remain in Tara's dwellings, knowing you can find him there any time."

"I feel she's here," Angelus replied. "Besides, we're not talking stupidity here, he's proud, and he knows he can defeat me, so he has no reason to hide."

"So let's go," Lindsey pushed, "We must rescue Darla!"

Asmodis grabbed a weapon.

"No, you're not going," Mona refused, "If the other Asmodis sees you, he'll know everything, where we're from and what we want. Besides, you're wounded."

"You can't get past his minions without me," Asmodis reminded her, "I tell you I'm going!"

Mona sighed. She hated when he was right.

She hated walking through shadowy corridors.

On their left and right, the minions bowed and gave way, murmuring "My Lord" and "Master."

"Hey, I could get used to that," Asmodis whispered.

Mona tried to give him a cheerful smile, but she could not deceive over the fact that she was tense, and every instinct told her this was a trap and they were late already.

Angelus led them to a narrow staircase. "It's down there."

"Stay behind." Mona stepped past him and descended the stairs first. The stairs led to a door which was sure to have creaking hinges, reminding her of any B movie the horror genre had produced in the last few decades. "This isn't right," Mona kept saying, more to herself than to the others, "It's unreal, like a movie, like some morbid fairy tale."

Then they heard it.

Lindsey would have preferred a scream.

But what they heard was a whining that chilled them to the bone. A whining of despair. The cry of someone who had given up.

"Darla!" Lindsey exclaimed.

"Shut up, you'll betray us!" Angelus tried to silence him, looking around for minions.

"That is Darla?" Asmodis asked with surprise. "Sounds like an animal."

Mona shook her head. "No. That isn't the sound of an animal. That's Death. Lindsey, we shouldn't open this door. I think it's a trap, and Darla is as good as dead."

Lindsey stared at her as if she was mad. "She's in there!" he protested, "And I won't let you decide who lives and who dies!" He stormed forward, wielded his axe, and the lock sprang from the door. Angelus assisted Lindsey to push the door open.

Asmodis whispered a spell of protection.

It would turn out they needed it badly.

First, Mona could not see anything in the dark, the only thing she perceived was an odd stench.

"What's that foul smell?" she wondered, unable to identify it in any way. Though it seemed familiar in a way. Her eyes were slowly getting accustomed to the dark.

"What's that?" Angelus gasped.

It looked like a fine cobweb, dyed in blue, but not as soft as a cobweb, more stiff and like a fragile grid, like the computer graphics of a virtual character in its early stage, mere lines, without flesh or face, a pattern hanging in the air, forming the body of a woman.

Then, he saw Lindsey, Mona and Asmodis showing up, and realized he was looking at a mirror.

His head flew round, away from the illusion of the looking glass and towards its reality.

What he had seen was a vampire. Her body was invisible in the mirror, it was just the color he had seen, the color of the fresh tattoos covering her whole skin.

"Darla!" Lindsey cried out. As he rushed to her and touched her, she cried in pain. His hand was covered in blue paint and dark blood.

"I knew you would come," Darla whispered, staring with empty eyes, seeing right through them.

"I'm here, it's over," Lindsey whispered back.

The others stood like stone.

"Help me!" Lindsey yelled, "We have to unchain her!"

Whatever color there had been, it had left Angelus' face entirely. "She's dead, Lindsey," he replied.

"Are you insane?"

"It's the paint," the vampire explained with a trembling voice, scarcely able to hold himself. "Don't you smell it?"

Mona did. The stench had struck her when Lindsey had first forced the door open. And she saw the disgust, the pain in Angelus' eyes. "The paint's made of garlic," Mona whispered. "The tattoo!"

"It's killing her. Slowly," Angelus confirmed.

Darla's head sank back on her shoulder as she replied deliriously, "You know, I'll never forget you."

"No," Lindsey protested, tearing at the chains, "We'll help you! You're not dying!"

"Do you remember... when we first met..."

"Of course," Lindsey replied, fighting both the chains and his tears.

Darla's eyes were closed, as if she could see the scenery on their lids. " You were always the one I loved most. Promise me you'll remember."

"No," Lindsey refused, "Don't say good-bye, you're not going anywhere!"

"I loved you, even then..."

"Darla, I love you, I..."

"Even then, when you were born... when I saved you... back in that dark alley. And I always will, my Childe."

Lindsey's face went pale.

"WATCH OUT!" Mona shouted suddenly when an arrow fired from nowhere cut the air. Her warning came just in time for Lindsey to evade. "I knew it was a trap!" the slayer cursed silently. Then she realized the arrow was burning. And she realized why she had not bveen able to recognize the stench of garlic at first... for it was mixed with the smell of gas.

Within seconds, the room was filled with fire and smoke.

"We must draw back!" Mona yelled, trying to find her way in the sudden brightness of the blazing flames around them.

"I'm not going without her!" Lindsey protested, pulling at the chains, to no avail. "What's so funny?"

Mona frowned. Then she heard it. Laughter. Contempting laughter. It seemed to come from everywhere. It chilled her blood as she recognized it was her fiancé's voice... and it was not. Asmodis was still by her side, fighting their way to the door through the fire, coughing from the smoke. And yet his laughter seemed to resonate from the walls, drowning even the sizzling of the flames. Did the other Asmodis see them? Where was he? Did he know who they were?

"Cover your face!" Mona instructed, pulling her cape over her own countenance, equally to hide her features and to avoid breathing the smoke.

Asmodis could hardly see her in the grayness of the impenetrable smoke. With a desperate prayer to any Powers that might watch over them, he waved his hand. And through the suddenly waning smoke, he saw his own face.

Painfully distorted by the forces of evil working in him, the other Asmodis was descending upon them, floating in the air. He must have clung to the ceiling that we did not notice him before. Then he held his breath. In the left hand of his Shadow, there was a glowing, shining, life-saving Orb. Asmodis tried to focus on the Orb – if his newly discovered telekinesis could only do his bidding and move that Orb...

"Yeah, then you'd all be saved!" The Shadow laughed even harder than before, "but as things are, you're doomed!" He raised his hands, and the flames rose even higher, smoke welling up around them.

"The forces need a strong vessel! You can't defeat him!" Angelus shouted, "Let's get out of here!"

Then Angelus realized that their fourth companion still clung to the motionless form of Darla, tearing at magically wrought iron chains he would not even possibly be able to break. "LINDSEY!"

Mona saw it as well. "Lindsey, we don't have time!"

The young lawyer shook his head. "For God's sake, help me!" Lindsey shouted. "Angelus, she's your mother! Don't you think you owe her one?"

Through the fire and smoke, the flames getting so close the vampire could feel his skin would burst into flames itself any moment, Angelus perceived their adversary's laughter, making the ground tremble with the same black magic that gave power to his words.

Angelus nodded. "You're right." He drew a stake.

"No!" Lindsey threw himself at the vampire, but even in his weakened state, Angelus pushed him away. Lindsey howled in pain and despair.

Angelus set the stake straight over her heart. "I haven't forgotten."

Darla dissolved into a cloud of dust.

Asmodis was almost overwhelmed by the shock of what had happened. But he was still aware enough to see that his counterpart fared no better.

"I'll need a new toy. Again."

Asmodis was outraged and desperate. And then, before the mind's eye, he formed a channel, which became, all of a sudden, the channel of his outburst. With a mighty blow of mental energy, through the inferno raging around them, the grip of his Shadow's fingers around the Orb of Thessula was forced open, and the shining ball fell several yards down towards the floor --- right into Asmodis' hand.

Asmodis ran.

*

Angel looked at Cordelia angrily. "You made a promise!"

"Hey, I didn't tell Buffy!" Cordy defended herself, "You didn't say anything about Lorne and Spike!"

Angel's eyes were pleading. "And there's no other way?"

Lorne shrugged. "Someone has to make a microphone test before the band for the wedding arrive. And we haven't even checked if the karaoke engine Asmodis ordered works at all."

"You're really enjoying this," Angel observed.

"Hey, don't blame me, you want answers, and the stupid room of mine doesn't even have cable tv!"

With a sigh, Angel grabbed the microphone. "Which song?"

Spike grinned. "My pick."

"Yeah," Spike remarked, "Bloody hell, I always thought he couldn't get any worse!"

"If only he had," Cordelia whispered sarcastically.

For life is quite absurd,

The Host could not but agree.

There, he had to disagree.

"For God's sake, end it before the next chorus!" Spike blurted out.

The Host nodded and raised his hands. "Thank you, Angel, the mic's working fine!" Under his breath, he added: "Better than I'd HOPED."

Cordelia watched him anxiously. "What do you have?"

"Apart from pain in my ears, I have had a warning."

Angel waited impatiently. "What did it say?"

"Vampire."

*

Mona absorbed the clean air of the night like a drowning person. The only light in the starless darkness was the shining Orb. "Are you okay?" Mona asked, concerned.

Asmodis nodded. "A bit shaky still. Didn't know I had this much magic in me."

For everything this Orb meant, Angelus could not seem to rejoice. He looked at Asmodis with a pressing question. "Is the Orb intact?"

"It is," Asmodis confirmed. "At least your sacrifice wasn't in vain."

"HIS sacrifice?" Lindsey burst out. "HIS SACRIFICE? What about Darla's? What about mine?"

Blind with tears and hatred, driven by the courage and strength of a man with nothing left to lose, Lindsey lunged at the vampire, bringing him down to the ground.

Mona realized in a shock that Angelus hardly resisted as Lindsey managed to wrestle the stake from his hand. This wasn't right. Lindsey would not normally stand any chance against Angelus.

"C'mon, kill me," Angelus challenged.

"My pleasure," Lindsey replied grimly, placing the stake above the heart.

Then he was violently pulled away from the vampire, back on his own feet, the stake knocked from his hand with no effort. Mona tossed the stake in Asmodis' direction.

Mona hit Lindsey straight in the face. He stumbled back, his face burning with humiliation and rage.

"Have you lost your mind?" she yelled.

"I could ask you the same question," he murmured.

"She's got common sense, so unlike you," Angelus said.

Mona turned around with burning eyes and slapped him hard. "This wasn't your decision! So will you shut up!"

Angelus' first impulse was to hit back, but he had enough sense to know it was not the best moment to get involved in a fight with a slayer. He felt nauseous and burnt out.

Lindsey was staggering a few steps away from them.

"Where are you going?" Asmodis inquired.

"I don't have to answer to you."

"We're a team," Mona disagreed, "You can't just run away now. We have things to discuss. What about us?"

Lindsey looked straight into her eyes, with a gaze that gave terror even to a slayer. "To hell with you all."

*

"He'll get over it," Asmodis tried to convince everyone, including himself.

"No, he won't," Mona disagreed, shuddering at the reality of what was happening. Angelus did not look at anyone and seemed even weaker than before... broken.

"Are you wounded?" Mona asked.

"I'll survive, just forget about it."

Mona cast him a questioning look. "It's the garlic, isn't it? But you're over 250 years old, you should be beyond this by now! What is the missing part of this puzzle, Angelus?"

Instead of an answer, the vampire replied: "We should get ready for the ritual."

*

The running of water in the shower ceased. Buffy prepared to start the unpleasant discussion as soon as Angel left the shower and entered the room.

"I don't assume you're going to tell me what upset you so much, or why you locked yourself up in Asmodis' study with Willow for an hour, I mean, before she ran upstairs crying." Buffy had meant to make her voice sound demanding and angry, but instead, she just sounded hurt and worried.

Angel sounded pleading and placating. "Buffy..."

"No!" Buffy refused, "Cordelia has seen something, and Willow has seen something as well, and I'm tired of you all trying to protect me as if I were an ignorant child!"

"I know how strong you are, Buffy. That's not it. Honestly."

"Then why can't you be honest with me?"

"I will, I promise. Just... not right now."

"And when?" Buffy asked, now furious. "Angel, I need you to trust me! It's the only way this can work," she added in a low voice.

He walked to the window, looking out over the landscape, where the sun was just about to set. He sounded very tired and sad as he replied: "Buffy, this morning, at the rehearsal... when you were walking down the aisle, I imagined... no, I saw how this could work. Remember you once told me, when you thought of the future, all you saw was me?"

Buffy felt her voice failing her. "And what do you see in your future?"

Angel turned around and clasped her shoulders. "If what I saw this morning was just a glimpse of that future, then, does anything Cordelia saw matter?"

Buffy felt herself melting away in the embrace. She decided she would delay further questioning. She felt as if her bones were crushed by the force of his arms as he lifted her and thrust her against the wall, needless to say she made a mental note to pick up her shredded dressing gown before the cleaners came. His hair was still soaking from the shower, and Buffy felt drops of water falling on her skin. The water had cooled down, and the wall against which he was steadying her was cold as well against her bare skin.

"Bed," Buffy managed to gasp between two kisses. Angel did not seem to listen. At first, Buffy thought there was a breeze in the room that made her suddenly feel chilled. Then she realized his touch made her shiver. Buffy giggled. "Next time use a towel before you do that, I'm freezing, your skin's so cold!" As Angel brought his head against her shoulder, Buffy felt water running down her neck. "And the water's running down on me as well!"

"That's not water, my dear."

Buffy froze. The liquid was warm. And his whole body was not just chilled from a shower. It was icy cold. Buffy's hand went up against her neck. Hesitating at first, she finallylooked at the red liquid on her fingers. And then at his full game face.

Buffy wanted to scream, but the scream stuck in her throat.

Instead, she sat up in the bed.

Angel pushed the door closed silently.

Then the whole room lay in a cold, blinding light as the ceiling lamps were switched on.

"Buffy," he said with surprise, "I thought you were..."

"Stupid?" Buffy asked with bitter irony.

"Sleeping," Angel said gently.

"How about dreaming?" Buffy asked. "Sometimes I can hear the Powers speak."

"You know...?"

"I know what Cordelia saw. That you're going to become a vampire. Again."

Angel was not sure how to ask the question. "Did you see anything about... the wedding?"

Buffy frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure," Angel blocked the question.

Buffy assumed a more considerate tone. "You worry about them. So do I."

"Willow couldn't find them. She couldn't find Susan either when she..." He could not finish the thought. "What if Mona and Asmodis are... there?"

"Mona's a Slayer," Buffy reminded him.

"True," Angel admitted, "But if they were separated... Asmodis is just human. He would not stand a chance."

*

Asmodis' eyes were pitch dark, the blackness completely eclipsed his normally bright eyes, as magic flowed through him, the current carrying him away. His voice was that of a stranger, deep, echoing with the forces that had taken his possession.

The candles were flickering.

He was talking in a strange, long forgotten tongue, commanding spirits beyond his own comprehension, shining with the dignity and greatness of a full mage, as he rose he almost seemed too tall for the room. The forces need a strong vessel. He would prove he was. He clung to the power that had come over him, a storm was raging in the room and within his own soul. Papers and paperweights alike were whirled around the room, brushing him as he stood in the center of the magic. And he could feel the darkness reaching out to him. He felt the pressure around his head like iron circlets, his body shook with the effort.

The Thessulan Orb glowed briefly.

The ground was trembling. He heard glass breaking, shelves being turned over, the wind within the room tearing at the shutters of the windows, blowing out the candles.

Then the Orb exploded, burst into a thousand pieces, thrusting Asmodis down to the floor with the power of the blow.

The storm ceased.

"Are you okay?" Mona rushed to his side.

Still dazed and exhausted with the experience, Asmodis signalled he was fine.

Angelus looked around the room. It was completely devastated.

Mona gazed at the broken Orb. "Did it work?"

Asmodis shrugged. "I have no idea." He looked at the vampire. "You tell me."

Angelus closed his eyes, feeling for the blood bond, calling out to the former Slayer whose fate was eternally intertwined with his own.

Then he fell to the floor, unconscious.

As he opened his eyes again, he looked at Mona's stern face.

"You owe me an explanation," Mona claimed. "It is not normal for a vampire to pass out."

"How's Asmodis?"

"The Master allowed him to get some sleep in Dru's former quarters, but don't even think you could change the subject!"

She looked so demonstratively serious Angelus had to smile.

Mona shook her head. "Sorry, this won't work with me! I need an answer. Now."

"The bond between Susan and myself is very strong," Angelus apologized, "Just too much pressure. I'll try again, it'll work."

"It's not just that," Mona insisted, "You lost track of the car, you looked really weak in your fight against Lindsey, the garlic almost knocked you off your feet, and, sorry if I hurt your pride, but when I hit you, you didn't look your best either. What is wrong with you?"

"Don't waste your time on me," Angelus replied, "Your... hobby spellcaster restored Susan's soul, and I'm grateful, but that was all I asked. Don't interfere with things you are not even asked to comprehend."

Mona glared at him, using a little Slayer trick to look impressive and tall to a vampire. Thank you, Faith! "Hey, you don't expect us to leave Susan in your care without even seeing if you are up to it! And, honestly, to me you don't look like a reliable companion for her!"

Angelus shook his head. "We don't need your blessing!"

"Probably not," Mona snapped, "But you don't want my curse either, I grant you!"

Seeing through her little trick, Angelus vamped out and snarled: "Go away."

Mona could be as stubborn. "You don't trust me, do you?"

He looked sceptical. "Well, you and Asmodis don't trust me either!"

Mona laughed with open sarcasm. "We don't trust you? Can't think why – you tortured Wesley, and you killed Darla. This is an evil world, and you seem to have adapted pretty well!"

He shook his head. "This is not your world. You don't know what's going on here."

"I know bloody well what's..." Then Mona broke off. "That's what this is all about!" she exclaimed, "I've been so stupid! It's the blood. You're so weak because you need blood, and you need it soon."

He looked more embarrassed than she had ever seen anyone before. Her anger faded a little. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"What would I have said, hey, can we stop by at the house with the big golden M so I can have a large blood shake?"

"Why not, for a change? A chicken burger with a large coke, that's what they hear every day, right?"

Mona's lips had not moved. And it was not her voice.

Angelus turned around. Had he been alive, his heartbeat would have stopped. As things were, he just felt tension.

"What happened?" Susan asked softly, "I remember falling asleep, and then, there's nothing..." She frowned. "I woke up wearing something strange, it looked like some dress of Buffy's, and I wasn't in your bedroom, but in the old highschool... Did I dream?"

"Yes," Angelus whispered, "It was just a bad dream." He sank on his knees and closed his eyes to blink back the tears.

Susan walked up to him , his arms went up against her waist and drew her close.

With an expression between bliss and confusion, Susan lowered herself until she was face to face with Angelus.

"I didn't mean it," Angelus finally managed to say.

"Didn't mean what?" Susan wondered.

"When I said I didn't want you around. I was just trying to protect you."

"I know," Susan whispered, "Whatever that dream was, it's over now, it's over."

*

Spike had had a very pleasant day. And now the perfect day was getting even better.

"You should have seen their faces!" Mona told him enthusiastically. "When I removed the mask and told them dramatically, I am Mona, the vampire slayer! It was so funny! And it was also fun to pierce Asmodis' hand with the crossbow bolt. Though I would have preferred if it had been our Asmodis, and not the pathetic copy from the parallel universe."

"What about your copy?" Spike wondered.

"Oh, she's all sweet and innocent, you wouldn't like her," Mona assured him.

Spike was not too sure. Two Slayers, and two identical Slayers, that sounded like something he could like. "Do you think you'd consider inviting her around for coffee?" Spike replied absently.

"I don't think so," Mona said. "Caffeine is bad for your health."

*

Mona let her breath out. They'd done it.

It was only then that Susan acknowledged her presence. "You're not your evil version," Susan said.

"Good to see you again," Mona replied.

"So," Susan added, "I take it you've got my job now. You're getting by?"

"I'm still training," Mona admitted.

Susan grinned and walked up to her. "Just like Asmodis with his magic, huh? Just hope you're more successful."

Mona frowned. "What do you mea..."

Mona never got to finish the sentence, since she was violently knocked off her feet. A leg went up against her face, a shoe hitting her eyes so hard she felt them burning and was unable to look up, crying out in pain, as another blow came, and another one. She struggled to keep conscious and get ready for combat.

"A replacement's replacement," Susan said triumphantly, "is just a fake, after all."

Mona was overcoming the pain and struggled to get back on her feet. "I guess it didn't work, then," she replied and hit back.

Susan stumbled, then she returned the blow. "What would you have given him had he told you? Not even a doggie, I guess. A rat?"

Mona managed to get her leg behind Susan's, pulled hard and made her lose balance. "A cat," Mona retorted.

Susan attacked again.

Angelus ignored the drowsiness and tried to come to Mona's aid. Susan tossed her cape away, and he faced the crucifix on her chest. Weakened, he stumbled back.

"Sorry, love, this is a girl thing," Susan remarked sarcastically.

Mona managed to block the attack – too late to realize it had been a mock attack.

Suddenly, Susan was behind her, grabbed her and threw her against the wall. Bricks were raining down from the insecurity of the decaying building.

One of the bricks was hitting Mona's head.

Everything before her eyes went pitch dark. She heard voices from far away.

She struggled, but could not do anything to prevent Susan from forcing her body to her iron girp.

Susan walked towards Angelus, holding the now barely conscious Mona firmly. "You need blood, you get it, but not the crap they're willing to give you. You deserve better than that. Slayer's blood, Angelus. All yours."

The vampire hesitated.

For an instant too long.

With a flash of lightning, the surroundings exploded.

Susan stared at her empty hands, then at the empty room. "That's so unfair!" she complained to the naked walls around her.

*

Mona smiled faintly. "I appreciate your timing."

"Are you all right?" Asmodis asked at once.

"That wasn't my best performance," Mona said, "The Slayer has to be rescued by her fiancé, what a blow for feminism!"

"Okay, you are all right," Asmodis remarked.

"I'll survive," Mona replied, looking now much better than only seconds ago. "Slayer's healing. I'm just sorry it didn't work."

Angelus looked around in confusion. They were in the Master's quarters, and Susan was gone.

"Spell of teleport," Asmodis explained with a self-assured grin. "Hey, you didn't think I wouldn't watch my fiancée while you were anywhere near her?" He pointed at the bowl of water before him. "A trick I got from Willow. Our Willow, I mean." The smile vanished from Asmodis' face. "And I was right."

"I tried to help Mona!" Angelus disagreed.

"Yeah, sure, and you wouldn't have taken her blood had I not interfered!" Asmodis replied sarcastically.

"No, I wouldn't!"

"I don't trust you any further than I can throw you!"

"YOUR spell didn't restore her soul, you failed," Angelus reproached him.

"There's work to be done," Asmodis admitted.

"No," Mona said.

As they looked at her expectingly, Mona walked over to the chest which contained her weapons. "We've tried to restore her soul, and we've failed. It's time for other options."

"We've tried, we've failed, we'll try again," Angelus replied.

"And fail better? When we tried to restore Susan's soul, Darla died in the process. Lilah and Ethan are gone already. I don't want to accept any more killing. The... thing I fought was not Susan."

"You mean you're giving up?" Angelus said in disbelief.

"I mean I'm a Slayer. And if I run out of options, I have to act like a Slayer. That's all I'm saying. Of course we'll try to help her first. But if we can't, and if I have to battle her again, I need to be prepared. Have I expressed myself clearly?"

*

Deep in thought, Riley was fixing the last decorations. "Do you think they will show up?"

"It's the night before their wedding, their last party! They will be here," Buffy tried to convince him. She looked at him with a questioning gaze. "How are you, Riley?"

"Not so great," he admitted.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Curious you should be the person to ask. After all that happened..."

Buffy smiled. "I should be grateful you left me for Tasha... I mean... not that I should be grateful to be rid of you, but..." She decided she'd better shut up.

"I see," Riley sighed. "You know, Buffy... do you sometimes wonder what might have happened if you hadn't been hurt in that fight, all those years ago, and if I hadn't met Tasha, and if Susan hadn't come to make Angel Shan-shu...? Angel might be with Cordelia now, and we might have got married."

I might as well have sent you off to the jungle because you just weren't the man for me? Buffy laughed nervously. "Who knows, Riley? But aren't you happy in your marriage?"

Riley looked around anxiously, as if to make sure they weren't being watched. "I think Tasha's seeing someone else!"

"I don't think so!" Buffy burst out laughing, then she tried to get herself under control again. "Sorry, Riley, I don't think that's probable. I mean, being married to you, who'd want someone else?"

At that moment, Tasha was entering the scene ---- not alone.

"I hope it's okay if I bring a new friend," Tasha said and cast Riley a triumphant look. "This is Jonathan, a friend of Asmodis. Jonathan, this is Riley Finn, my... ex-fiancé... and Buffy, his... okay, that's complicated!"

Jonathan stared at Buffy for a moment. He went ghastly pale. "That's impossible!" he shouted.

Buffy frowned. "Sorry?"

"It can't be," Jonathan gasped, "You are dead!"

Buffy smiled in amusement. "I'm dead? Gee, I'm always the last one to know!"

Jonathan's face did not relax, the tension was still there, and he almost hid behind Tasha's back. Fear was clearly written across his face.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? That's just Buffy!" Tasha assured him.

"Please," Jonathan whimpered, "Please don't kill me!"

Buffy frowned. "Excuse me?" She could not remember for the very life of her where she had seen the man's face before.

Jonathan appeared more confused now. "But you are Buffy Summers, The Slayer... aren't you? Now, THIS is where I am!" he exclaimed.

Now it was Buffy's turn to be astonished. How did he know??? "Have we met?" she asked.

"Yes. I mean, no." Jonathan shook his head. "Not in this life." He let out a sigh of relief. "That means I'm safe, and they're not gonna follow me." Jonathan nodded. "I need a drink. Or better two."

"What a brave man you've found yourself," Riley addressed Tasha with contempting irony.

"Oh, shut up!" Tasha replied snappishly, darting after Jonathan. "Jonathan, are you all right?"

Buffy cast Faith a questioning look.

The Watcher's face spoke volumes. "He must have come through an interdimensional channel," she said.

"The parallel universe..." Buffy gasped. "Angel was right."

A shadow fell on Faith's expression. "If they are there... may the Powers have mercy on them."

Jonathan was about to empty his second glass, courageously aided by Tasha, when his glass was seized from behind.

Jonathan whirled around. "Hey!"

"I think that's enough," Angel replied.

Jonathan stared at the immortal, who was at least two heads taller than himself. "Oh, okay."

"You didn't go to Sunnydale High, and you didn't try to walk into your school with a gun if Buffy hadn't prevented you, and you didn't put a spell on the town so everyone would fall to their knees and pray to you as their saviour?" Angel challenged him. "And why not?"

Jonathan frowned. "Because I'm a normal person?"

Angel thrust the glass down to the floor violently. "Because you just don't belong in this world, right? You came from a parallel universe!"

Jonathan raised his hands in submission. "Hey, I never denied that!"

"Why are you here?" Angel thundered, sounding very much like his evil counterpart.

"It was too dangerous... they were after me..."

"Who are THEY?"

"Can't you ask politely...?" Tasha began, but a look into Angel's furious eyes silenced even her.

"Mistress Susan's minions," Jonathan said hesitantly, raising his hands even further as if to protect his head.

"Susan's..." Angel did not say any further.

"Yeah, hey, listen, I'm just a normal guy, minding my own business, and I hate changes! I mean, everything was fine until... until Mistress Susan came back from the dead. Personally, I don't care if someone's good or evil, as long as they leave me in peace. But she had a good heart. Then everything changed, Mistress Buffy died, and..."

"We know this part of the story," Angel interrupted him impatiently.

"What are you TALKING about?" Tasha complained in a whining tone.

"Shut up," Angel cut her off.

Jonathan shrugged helplessly. "I've never truly understood politics. Well, isn't it always like that, good wins, and evil wants to share in its glory? Well, Master Angelus wanted to play for their team. I'm just a minion, you know, never kinda revolutionist. Could've lived under Mistress Darla's rule as well. But things didn't quite work out. People say Mistress Susan came back through that beautiful glowing gate. I haven't seen it, but they all say it's beautiful." Jonathan sighed. "And she's lovely, too. Would've had many suitors, yet there seemed but one she wanted. Could've been end of story, happily ever after and such." He lowered hisvoice to sound creepy, like any good storyteller would. "But she had changed... her good and caring character had turned into something..." His eyes flashed. "...darker. People say --- people say Master Angelus made her what she became. They say he corrupted her and made her walk the world as a harbinger of death for eternity." Pleased with the rapture he had inspired in his audience, Jonathan fell silent with these dramatic closing words.

Angel nodded. "I've heard enough."

"You don't BELIEVE that?" Tasha exploded. "That's children's stories!"

Cordelia looked disgusted. "I don't know what YOU tell YOUR children."

Wesley nodded. "Personally, I do not think I would care to know."

"I knew it!" Faith exclaimed, "I knew something was wrong! Mona and Asmodis have heard this story, and they've gone to end the madness!"

Dawn stood and stared. "They are true heroes," she said admiringly.

"They are true idiots," Spike corrected.

The beautiful dark vampire lady had not said a word. Now she stepped at Spike's side with gentle movements. "If they went there," Dru added, "They are dead."

"No," Angel said and turned around to leave the room.

"Where are you going?" Buffy asked sharply.

Angel looked at her for a long moment. "I'm sorry, Buffy," he said, his voice silent and heavy with regret. "This is something I owe her." Then he walked out the door.

"You can't go there!" Buffy yelled after him. "Susan will know immediately who you are!"

The door fell close.

"He can't!" Buffy whispered, trying to fight her tears back, "She'll know he's alive and can't be Angelus! Ask Cordelia! Ask the Powers That Be, they'll confirm! He's immortal! He breathes!"

Cordelia stood back and did not say aloud what she thought. Not if he asks them to turn him back.

*

Angel threw a few things into a bag, weapons, regardless of whether they would serve him at all. He had got Susan into that situation, and the sooner he faced the fact he would be the one to correct this mistake, the better.

He tried to ignore the pain of leaving Buffy again after he had sworn to her never to do so again. His destiny was not yet fulfilled. He would ask the Powers to turn him back. Not that this was new. It's not enough time... No, it never was.

*

6

Mona seized her weapon. "All right, your turn, Angelus. Where would she go?"

He hesitated.

"We're going to rule out every other option first," Mona promised. "But to help her, I have to know where to find her."

The vampire nodded. "There is one place she might go. We went there the first night I patrolled with her. The night before she killed Buffy. I used to be there with Susan a lot. With the... deceased Susan, I mean."

[With the one you killed, you mean.] Mona pushed the thought aside. "And where would that be?"

He cleared his voice. "I will tell you. Under one condition. Let me go first. Let me talk to her alone."

*

Susan came in. As she saw him, she began to smile. "Have you waited for me, my love?" She did not expect an answer. Instead, she closed her arms around his neck and kissed his brow. She knew the kiss electrified him, and every time they touched, she felt the chemicals between them as well, human or not. "Now I'm here, sorry it took me so long. Yes, I've missed you, too." She ran her fingers through his hair. "They've taken care of you, haven't they? But no one cares as much as I do. You know, they want to hunt me down, but you're gonna help me, aren't you? Like it or not, my fallen Cupid, you can't exist without me. Yes, I understand." She gently caressed him with her hands as she pressed her body against his, like in an embrace with an old love. She knew he understood her without words. And suddenly, she felt the desire to do what she had come for. Susan flung herself on top of him, leaning down to his head.

His body responded to her familiar movements at once.

He turned his head, and his lips brushed her hand.

Susan giggled. "Sorry, love, I don't have any sugar for you."

Fallen Cupid neighed in disappointment.

*

As Angelus saw the gates of the stable wide open, he knew they were late.

Followed by Mona and Asmodis, he stormed into the stable.

"She was here," he said, "She's taken Fallen Cupid."

"Whom?" Asmodis wondered, puzzled.

"That's the name of her horse," Angelus explained, "The Susan of this universe formed the idea to get ourselves some horses and have a stable built. Buffy never liked horses, she was somehow afraid of them."

"Understandable," Mona commented.

Two Slayers, afraid of a harmless horse? Asmodis grinned.

"What?" Mona asked, "They're BIG!"

"I guess the horses were her way to bind herself to me even before she was a vampire. When I told Susan about the stable on the night of that first patrol, she wanted to see it. So I guessed she might return here now."

Mona frowned. "I didn't think evil vampires had any hobbies."

Angelus shrugged. "When you become a vampire, your passions stay the same. I've always enjoyed riding."

"I bet you have," Asmodis remarked, and was cast a mortifying look by Mona.

At that moment, a noise came, from one of the other boxes.

Angelus rushed to the box.

As he entered, the horse startled with recognition.

The black mare looked so frail no one could possibly be afraid of such a poor creature, her mane tangled, and clearly she had not been fed for several days - she must have been neglected for quite a while.

Angelus shook his head. "What have they done to you, my girl? What have I done to you?"

Mona gazed at the name on the box. BLEAK DAWN. A fitting name.

Mona now dared to take a closer look at the horse. With the right nutrition and a bit of care, she would not only make a dangerous adversary in racing, but also quite a beauty, dark and shining.

Mona reached out her hand to touch her. "She must be freezing," she said, "She's as cold as ice. And so excited..." Mona broke off and stared at Angelus. With all the excitement, the horse's heart must be pounding, but as she touched her, there was nothing. No pulse. Color faded from her face. "Bastard," she whispered breathlessly.

Asmodis was equally shocked. "Do you mean... the horse is a vampire???"

"She's undead. I turned her."

"Is that all you have to say to your apology?" Mona asked in a dangerous tone, but Asmodis heard her voice trembling and knew she might start to cry any moment if she were dealt one more verbal blow.

"What do you want to hear? It was Susan's idea, we were drunk?" Angelus put a blanket over Bleak Dawn's back, as if that could bring back the warmth to her body. "What's done cannot be undone," he said matter-of-factly.

Asmodis still seemed fascinated by the thought somehow. "Undead horses... how do they feed? Do they vamp out? Do they drink blood?"

Angelus voice was low. "Demons don't usually enter horses' bodies. Bleak Dawn and Fallen Cupid are not vampires. They never shrank from crosses, nor feared Holy Water. Only fire and sunlight can kill them. They are just dead horses, walking around in confusion about what has happened to them. They are frightened, restless creatures. They need blood, but they don't hunt. They depend on us. If we don't feed them, they die." Angelus looked at Bleak Dawn closely. "Susan fed her, only a short time ago. If we hurry, we can still catch up."

Mona still looked shocked. This was too much, even for a Slayer. An innocent animal drawn into all that darkness, condemned to be forever dependent and confused. Susan outthere, riding a ghost horse that would carry her faithfully to her next victim. Or rather victims. And Angelus was so cold and dispassionate. She could not believe he was truly on their side. Maybe it's just his way of not going insane.

Angelus looked at her. "Can you ride?"

Mona shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere near that... thing again."

"You don't have to. We have some living horses around here, too." He attempted a faint smile. "As I said, I was very drunk. So, do you know how to ride?"

Mona turned round to Asmodis. "Shut up!"

Asmodis grinned innocently. "I didn't say anything!"

"Not yet," Mona replied. Then she addressed Angelus. "Last summer, Tasha and Riley tried to teach me at their farm, but I was just hopeless at it! Can't we take the car?"

"The area is very hostile, there are no through roads. Sorry, Slayer. It'll have to do." Then he asked Asmodis: "What about you?"

Asmodis put an arm around Mona's shoulders, grinning. "As you said before, Angelus, I've always enjoyed riding."

Mona ignored the childish remark and shook her head. "Whatever you say - no way I'm gonna trust my life to a horse!"

"I could try to give you better riding skills with a spell," Asmodis suggested.

Mona sighed. "Why do I keep getting the feeling you guys always flock together? All right, what's the name of my horse?"

*

Mona was feeling sea-sick as they were chasing through the rain. Rain again. Even the skies were against them. Not even Asmodis' little spells could not make her feel safe, or even as much as protected. Asmodis could almost read her mind: I could be home in a hot tub, or on my pre-wedding-party, and instead I'm chasing a mad Slayer-vampire, ten times my strength, to help a vampire who kills horses when he's drunk and bored, my Watcher has no idea where I am, and above all, I'm as wet as a drowned rat. Yeah, that's how I've always imagined the night before my wedding!

And there, on the horizon, they saw the dark figure of a woman on a horse.

"All right, then, we'll see if you can beat a dead stud." Mona increased her speed, clinging to the mane of her mare, wondering whether Angelus had been drunk as well when he chose to name the poor thing Blood Raven.

Susan heard the horses behind her before she saw them through the mist and the pouring rain. "They can't catch up," she told Fallen Cupid, "Mona can't even ride, and Bleak Dawn is too weak to follow."

Asmodis' spell was working better than expected. Mona was getting along with Blood Raven so well it had to be magic. She soon saw the men falling back.

"Wait!" Asmodis asked her.

Mona shook her head. "Sorry, guys," she shouted over her shoulder, "It's a girl thing!"

Angelus' face went white with rage. "We had an agreement!"

"Exactly," she returned coldly, "We had."

Then she forced her horse into a speed that made it impossible for them to follow.

Susan felt the rain clashing against her face, heard the wind's howling around her, and suddenly knew it would be just the two of them. Knowing her own horse superior in stamina and herself more skilled with the reins, she pushed her horse to his limit.

Mona was increasing the pressure of her thighs against Blood Raven's body. Fallen Cupid may be undead, but she had magical support as well, and slowly, but steadily, the distance between the two riders was melting.

"Get off!" Mona shouted against the storm.

Susan turned around. Her face, marred by her vampiric appearance, was set ablaze by a sudden bolt of lightning from the raging sky. She looked ghastly pale, as she cast her an icy look from cold eyes. And though her voice was low and had to fight the noise of a thunderstorm, shaken by the movements of the frantic horses, Mona read from her lips [or her mind?] the question she flung at her: "Do you wanna die?"

Susan grinned as she perceived the unspoken reply. If I have to.

Mona's horse caught up with Blood Raven. Stretching her muscles to the limit, she bent over to the other horse, a stake in her hand.

Susan caught her wrist and forced Mona's grip around the stake open.

Mona's hand hurt like it was broken, yet she felt she could still move it, at the cost of an agony that lowered all her defences.

Susan reached under her cape.

Mona saw something black shining in the blaze of another bolt of lightning. As she realized it was a gun, her first instinct was to jump over to Susan's horse and try to overwhelm her, but with just one hand, the odds were quite uneven. And she realized she had lied. She was not ready to die.

"What was that?" Asmodis yelled.

"Just the thunder," Angelus replied, failing to see through the dim vision despite his overly acute senses.

"No!" Asmodis was sure what he had heard. A gunshot.

Mona felt hot liquid all over her hands, blood stained her clothes. Then the horse under her gave way, falling to the ground stone dead, and sent Mona down with her, from about two meters of height. Later she would only remember the agony in her leg at the place where Blood Raven's weight would have crushed her bone had she not been the Chosen One, and the swaying black coat of a figure riding into the night at top speed.

She knew she was risking the whole healing process of her hand as she seized the crossbow, biting back the tears of pain swelling in her eyes. She had one shot, if she missed, Susan would be out of reach.

The expression on Susan's face was almost comic as she saw the horse under her had dissolved into ashes. The grotesque dust image of a once proud stallion fell apart where it stood, and Susan fell into the mud below. Her gun sank in the muddy water immediately.

As she got on her knees to rise from the sluice, a shadow fell over her. A sound of crashed wood told her her wooden weapon was broken by boots stepping on them. She chuckled. "So you missed."

Mona aimed the crossbow at her heart. "Not exactly. An eye for an eye, Susan."

"And a lover for a lover?" Susan's self-assured grin gave way to a dispassionate mask of hatred. "Do you think he'll ever listen to your commands? He'll be here in a minute, I can feel him in my blood, and we both know he feels bound to me, not to you."

Mona shook her head, which was not as easy as always with her hair soaking. "I trust Angelus, which is more than I can say about you. But you're right, I'd better fire BEFORE the others arrive." She was about to add a sentence, but could not bring herself to form it. Sorry I couldn't do any better --- for a Slayer, and for my friend.

Susan raised her hands submissively. "But Mona... We're friends."

Mona was too much of a Slayer to go for that one. "My friend died long ago."

Susan stared at them. " You can't do that."

Mona's finger began to loosen. "A last wish?"

"Just one," Susan replied, grinning devilishly, "Superperforator."

For a moment, Mona was stunned at her provocation in the face of death. Was nothing holy to her, not even death?

Susan's face was back to her human guise. The rain was falling down on them, being the only sound, besides the thunder rolling beyond the hills. And Mona's hands shook as Susan looked at her, trying to deceive her, as Mona knew, but she looked at her with those caring eyes of the sister she had never had, and Mona saw in them a glimpse of the human being she had known.

The clatter of horses, muffled by the wet earth under the hooves, was approaching.

Angelus jumped from Bleak Dawn's back.

Mona stood like stone, not even acknowledging his presence. [HolyGodwhatshallIdo?]

"What? The words stuck in your throat?" Susan said calmly. "Nothing at all to say?"

"I have something to say," Angelus said.

Susan raised a brow. "What would that be?"

"RUN!" Angelus caught Mona's arm and turned it away, surprising Mona with the unexpected move. The shot failed and gave Susan enough time to clutch Bleak Dawn's mane, pull herself up the ghost horse's back and escape with a hysteric, triumphant laughter that cut the night.

At that moment, Asmodis arrived. He panicked as he saw the dead horse on the ground, and the face of his fiancée distorted with pain, but besides that, she seemed unhurt.

The strain and the cold water seemed to get the better of her. She was trembling.

Before Asmodis had a chance to get off the horse [he could not help thinking Angelus must have given him the lamest one he possessed], the vampire had taken off his leather jacket and was trying to drape it around Mona's shoulders.

Mona overcame her surprise, tossed the jacket away violently so it fell into the mud, and hit hard. Angelus felt blood trickling down his lip.

"Do you have any conception of what you've done?" Mona yelled at Angelus.

"Offering a jacket because I'm not feeling the chill?"

"You don't feel ANYTHING, and that's my whole problem! Why did you help her get away?"

"You wanted to kill her!"

"I wanted to stop her! That's what you asked of me, didn't you?"

"No," Angelus protested, "I wanted you to find a way to make her the old self again."

Asmodis almost got scared as he saw the expression in Mona's eyes. He had never seen her that cold and determined, and it frightened him as she said: "Have you ever considered that might be impossible? That she's changed irrevocably? We've done our best to turn her back, and that wasn't good enough."

"Then we must try harder!"

"Do you think this doesn't hurt me? Believe me, it does, but I can't let her go on killing innocent people! It's my job to protect them! I'm a Vampire Slayer, Angelus, that's what I do, and if you're on our side, as you claim, you will understand. Deep inside you know I'm right."

Angelus looked at her with cold eyes."Not knowing friends or lovers, can that be fair?"

Mona held the gaze. "Maybe not fair. It's what we call good."

"What's the point of being good when it is all suffering and punishment?"

Mona tried to choke back a harsh reply. She couldn't. "If you prefer evil, then... feel free to leave."

Angelus nodded slowly. "Thanks for your time." He did not even bother to pick up his jacket, but walked out into the stormy darkness, though all wet, untouched by the rain.

Shocked, Mona watched him go.

"You know he's not coming back," Asmodis reminded her.

"He won't have to," Mona replied melancholically. "It's his nature, his soul, that will tell him what to do. Sooner or later, he will realize my way is the only one, and he's gonna have to kill her."

"Losing her will drive him insane."

Mona shook her head. "He's lost her already. He just doesn't know."

"So what happens now?" Asmodis asked in a low voice.

She sighed like a woman who knew she had shed all the tears she possessed in her life. "I don't know... we could cry... or mourn... or we could go home and get on with our own lives."

Asmodis nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me." He tried to look at least a little cheerful. "You know what? I'm looking forward to playing the hero's part in this story again."

Mona cast him a warm look. "Do you truly think there was ever a time when you didn't?"

Asmodis closed his arms around Mona. He knew in his heart he would follow this woman to the end of this world or any other. But he prayed he would never have to see that other side of hers again.

*

Angel headed for the door.

Buffy blocked his way. "You're not going!"

"Buffy, don't make this harder."

"You're the one who makes things complicated!" Buffy shouted, "It never matters what I want! You're trying to be the hero, sacrifice, always sacrifice, and you think people love you when you get yourself killed for them! It's always you!"

Angel seized for the door handle.

Buffy fell into his arm. "It's always you!" she repeated.

"Always," Angel whispered back. He embraced her, felt her tears against his skin, knowing he had won. Again. He was sick of that kind of victory.

He gently pushed her aside and began to walk down the stairs, towards the main entrance --- or exit.

Their loud row and Buffy's sobs had awakened all the house. Everywhere, doors opened, wedding guests preparing for the party were looking who on earth produced such a noise.

This was torture. Angel had to get out as soon as possible.

As he reached for the knob, a sharp voice prevented him.

"Hey, you're not gonna miss our wedding, are you?"

Angel turned around.

The couple who had entered the house through the side entrance made a pity sight – disarmed, for they had lost all their weapons in that last fight, hair tangled, clothes wet to the bone, dirty, stained with sluice and blood, strained, worn-out faces... but there was no doubt who they were.

"Mona... Asmodis... HOW did you MAKE it here?????!"

Asmodis grinned. "Through the door."

"If I'm not mistaken, there's a party tonight. And where are you going at this hour?" Mona asked with a wink. "Buying our wedding gift?"

Angel dropped the bag with the weapons. "I think you can have those. I probably won't need them now."

To be continued...

7

The pictures were still on her mind. There were just the four of them now, everyone else had gone to the party they had insisted on. All their friends had come from far away, it wouldn't be fair to postpone party or wedding, or both, just because... because NOT all their friends were there. Mona buried her head in her hands. "And I still wonder if there had been another way. I should've killed her when I could! Now he'll have to do it. And it'll break him."

Buffy looked at her with astonished eyes. "You PITY him???? If I think of what he did to me.... to us..."

Angel shook his head slightly. "What I did to us."

Buffy looked up and faced him. "That's not what my heart says."

Mona was regarding them for a few moments. Then she corrected Buffy. "I do not pity him. I just wish I could've spared him to kill the only person he ever loved in his life."

Buffy shrugged. "Happens to the best of us," she said with so much bitterness and revenge in her voice that Asmodis almost shrank back.

Mona frowned. "From your point of view, that might be divine justice, but..."

Buffy shook her head. "No. It is divine justice."

"Don't," Angel said quietly. "It's all over now." Then he looked at Mona. For a moment, he seemed to see something in her eyes that upset him, as if the case was not over for her yet, but then it was gone. If it had been there at all.

Mona felt slightly unconfortable under his examining gaze, but she held it. "Yes, Angel. It's all over now."

Buffy felt excluded somehow. She got up. "Hey, you guys don't exactly look like having a pre-wedding party? I don't know how you feel about it, but I feel like celebrating, letting all the pressure out."

Mona nodded. "You're probably right."

Asmodis glanced at Buffy briefly. As if to say: What is it they don't tell us?

*

"I have something to say----- RUN!!!!!" The last word was drowned in a hysterical giggle.

Susan walked into the lab like someone on his favorite drug.

Asmodis raised a brow sceptically. "Killed a Slayer?"

"Better," Susan replied, taking the astonished mage's hand and whirling him around in a crazy dance, "Defeated her!"

Asmodis freed himself of her grip. "Ugh, you smell of horse shit," he remarked, sounding deliberately disgusted.

"No," Susan contradicted him, "I smell of his horse, don't you understand? He's mine, he's won over, the bond he shares with me has separated him from the enemy, they'll be returning through the gates, and our magnificent reign will begin."

Yeah. Sure. And you thought I didn't realize you mean ours, as in Angelus and yours, not yours and mine? Asmodis kept his thoughts to himself and grinned obediently. "Whatever you say, my friend. You'll be pleased to hear everything's prepared for the ritual. Tell me when you're ready, and... we will take his soul."

*

"Sod off," Spike said, sounding as bored as could be.

Angelus raised a brow. "You're... alive. Nice change. Actually, I came to see... the mistress, not the slave."

I decided to ignore the insult in the tone of his words. I walked as close to the threshold as I dared, in a light dressing gown without any weapons but my own hands. I made my voice sound as arrogant and cold as they all were used to from Mona the Vampire Slayer. "You know I'm not gonna invite you in. Sorry, but my apartment's too much of a mess."

Angelus made it very clear he was not in the mood for verbal duelling or sarcasm. "We need each other, Mona."

I smiled, but it was a bitter and ironic smile. "Yeah. Sure."

"I'm serious. We could be of use for each other."

Now my eyes were glowing with rage. Whatever the trick was, did he really think he could make me go for it? I wasn't a fool. So I just looked at him with displayed condescension. "What do you take me for?"

He looked at me with unreadable eyes. His voice was dark and determined as he said coldly: "My enemy's enemy... You can send me away, but if you do, I promise you we'll have a new Slayer in a matter of hours. Susan is ganging up with Asmodis, against anyone who crosses their way, and the way I see it, you're on top of their list."

I shrugged. "I'm a Slayer!"

"Yeah, right. Will help you lots when Asmodis sends a firestorm over your house and a Slayer-Vampire with Susan's abilities challenges you to combat. Sometimes even a Slayer needs support and protection. Our William here may be of use as a sex toy, but in a real fight he won't serve you, mortal and inferior as he is."

"Hey!" Spike complained.

What Angelus said made sense. I wanted, no, I needed to hear more. I tried not to show how the shivers went through me. I thought my ribcage must burst with the beating of my heart as I said: "Come on in."

He was walking towards me, eyes glowing. Yet his steps were not as secure as they had been. I wondered why I hadn't noticed long before. He reminded me of a drug addict at the sight of his drugs. Then I knew what it was he wanted. My whole thinking now concentrated on how I could possibly prevent him from taking it. I was a Slayer, after all. "You can't possibly assume I would let you... make any demands," I said.

"If you want an ally, you won't have a choice. If you want us to beat Asmodis, we will have to be at our best. This could help us both, Mona. You know how strong a vampire becomes... under certain circumstances." Then he lowered his voice. "C'mon, Mona, we both know nothing comes without a bill."

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice no more than a whisper, for which I couldn't help but hate myself. I knew what would be the price.

I would force him to name his price. "What do you want?" I repeated.

His voice was calm, but I noticed his hands were shaking slightly. "You know what I want."

"Spike hasn't been human for too long," I said evasively, "Feel free to plunder our fridge."

"Don't try to play games with me," he replied, "We should be beyond this."

"I think we are," I said. "Forgive me if I'm being difficult, I just don't trust someone who worked with my enemies!"

"You'll simply have to trust me. I wouldn't kill off my allies, would I?"

"Who tells me you won't try to kill me, or turn me, or lose control?"

Spike stepped from the shadows, holding a stake. "I do."

I turned around.

Spike nodded reassuringly as he stepped behind the vampire, pointing the stake at his back right behind the heart. "If he makes one false move, he's dust."

Now there was no way I could get out of this. I leant back comfortably and replied: "So be it, then. My enemy's enemy is my friend."

He grinned. "You don't suppose our William could protect you, especially now he's human. Be honest, you're scared out of your wits."

"I will get what I want," I answered, trying to sound as realistic and sensible as possible, "We both will."

"I don't believe you." He vamped out. I had seen it several times, I had stopped counting how many vampires I had sent beyond the great river, however, I had always been safe then, I had been the Slayer, and none of them nearly as old or powerful as Angelus. He did not even touch me, merely his eyes forced me to sit down.

I could have triumphed. If Asmodis learnt of this, he would be mad. But there was no reason to cheer. This wasn't about me, not even especially about my blood, it was about the blood of a Slayer, any Slayer. I was a Slayer, I had lived in a cold, dark world, and I had adapted. People say a vampire's bite was intoxicating and arousing, yet I felt nothing but pain and nausea as I felt my magic flowing away from me and into the behated vampire's body, as his fangs tore my skin and I doubted the scars would ever fade. So I clung to a body that was immune to any mortal woman's touch, eyes wide open, fully conscious I was in the hands of a creature that was at any time able to kill me --- and the only thing that kept me from shouting out my pain into the world and moving the stars to pity with my tears was the fact that I knew: if Susan knew I had given him the blood she could no longer give him, she would turn white with rage.

*

The Orb of Thessula was glowing, promising.

Asmodis noticed with deep satisfaction the effect his magic had on the seemingly invincible Slayer-Vampire.

"Not black. Not white. Spirits of the interregnum I call."

He turned and smiled. "Not much longer now."

*

Tara looked crestfallen.

"I'm so sorry," Willow whispered compassionately, "But I can't see what else we could do."

"I feel it. And it drives me mad," Tara admitted.

"It's the date, Tara," Willow replied soothingly. "It's natural for a wicca to be restless at Beltane."

"It's not just Beltane," Tara refused. "Y'know, they're returning from a mission, and they'll simply go on with their lives, while there would still be a chance... if only Asmodis' magic had been stronger, he could have restored her soul!"

Willow sighed. "It's not that simple."

"You've done it before!"

"No," Willow corrected, "The Powers That Be have done it before, THROUGH me. If it can be done, then only if the hands of the mage are guided by destiny. Mine were, on that fateful day. I wasn't that much of a wicca to restore a soul then."

Tara's eyes were sparkling. "But you are now."

"We're running out of time, we don't know what expects us there... I don't wanna end up as a rat, Tara."

"Asmodis knows everything he needs to know about that world. And Susan. If you..."

Willow hesitated. "If we fail..."

"No," Tara cried defiantly, "If we don't try at all, THEN we'll have failed."

*

I lay in the dark, shivering, hearing voices whispering to me.

My eyelids fluttered briefly, then I looked at them.

Angelus' expression was terribly changed. He now looked more like the formidable enemy he had been, and nothing like the shadow of a vampire who I had invited in. He grinned. "My compliments to the chef."

I turned my head in his direction. "If you're done with demeaning me, can we PLEASE get down to business?" My skin ached, burnt. I chose to ignore the paralysing pain.

Angelus rose. "I'll call you."

"WHAT?" I exclaimed. "I'll call you, that's it?"

He nodded. "After I killed Asmodis."

I prayed he'd be unable to read my mind... or my betraying eyes. "What about Susan?" I inquired.

He shrugged. "I'll claim her as mine... or slay her."

I shot up from the bed, despite of myself. "Thought we'd do that together."

He smirked. "To be honest, I don't think you're her type."

"You know what I mean," I hissed.

Angelus shrugged. "Of course. Too bad I don't care."

He walked away, his coat floating in the air.

"I hate it when he does that," Spike said. Then he turned to me. "And now, let's talk clearly, pet. I know there's something you don't tell me! You don't want Asmodis killed, do you?"

"I just don't think Angelus can," I said evasively.

"Oh, come off it," Spike complained, "When he said he'd kill him, you were SHOCKED! You, the Slayer! Admit it, you're still in love with him!"

I shook my head. "No, I don't feel anything for Asmodis now! He betrayed his allies! He worked with Susan against us!"

I could see he did not buy it. My love for Asmodis shone from my eyes like blazing sunrays in the dark. My mind was flooded with phantasies whether I would have any difficulty in knocking Spike out if I had to. I was the Slayer, and he was human. Now. But I was weak. It drove me mad to know Angelus was out there, the traitor to my cause, with my own strength.

Spike clasped my shoulders. "The truth, pet. Now."

I shook my head and forced a few tears from my eyes. "I love you," I said helplessly.

He looked at me closely. Then he let go of my shoulders. "I understand. Excuse me now, I have places to go, someone to see," he said enigmatically and walked away from me. I didn't know where he was going, nor did I care, for I was slipping into the darkness I needed for my slayer's healing to work.

*

Asmodis voice was deep and dark as he chanted the ritual's verses. Susan stood watching in awe. Listened to the ancient Romanian.

The Orb would begin to glow soon.

"Stop," Angelus voice interrupted the silent incantation.

Susan turned around. "Just a minute," she whispered, "Then it'll be alright." She walked into his direction.

"Stay!" Asmodis commanded. "You cannot trust him now. Let me finish."

Susan glared at the magician impatiently.

"You don't want him with a soul, do you?" he reminded her.

Susan hesitated.

Angelus raised his hands. "I offer you my unconditional surrender."

Susan smiled. "I knew it when you saved me from the cursed Slayer."

His eyes were full of pain and desperation as he knelt on the floor before her. "Soul or no, I belong to you, and I always shall, so if I have to be evil to be with you, I will."

"No," Asmodis protested, "Don't listen to him! It's a trap! Want me to burn him to dust?"

Susan touched Angelus' cheek. "He's gonna fix it, he's gonna take your soul, and then we'll be together. Right?"

Angelus clasped her hand tightly. "The fact I have a soul now doesn't change who I am."

Susan remembered him telling her so before, on the night she had truly understood what it meant, being a vampire. He had been so brave, so ready for battle. If you want to wake up bruised and bleeding on a grave, well, that can be arranged. She smiled. Now he was even better: he was defeated, throwing himself at her feet. She gestured him to rise. "I don't think we need your service any more, Asmodis," she said gently.

"Big mistake," Asmodis protested.

Angelus held Susan in a firm embrace, eyes glistening wet.

Susan giggled with relief and triumph. "You just couldn't lose me, could you."

"No," he whispered and tore her dress open with a violence that surprised Susan. Then he turned his head, face fully vamped out, snarled at Asmodis: "If you wanna live, get you out!"

Asmodis cast Susan a final glance. "BIG mistake." He floated out of the hall on a cloud of fire, doors banging behind him by invisible hands.

"Oh, I guess he's angry," Susan whispered.

Angelus shrugged and tore at his own silk shirt till it was no more than shreds.

"And you're impatient," she noticed, returning his demanding kisses, her fingernails driving bloody furrows into the other vampire's skin.

He chuckled. "Still afraid of the dark, little Slayer?"

Susan closed her eyes and felt as he threw her down on the stones, reminiscient of the gravestone in Shady Hill Cemetary, and again their skin was wet, now not with rain, but the heat of the moment, and it did not hurt half as much as it did that night, now her Slayer's senses were strengthened by her immortality. Lightning flashed before the windows. "Like a moth to the flame," she whispered, speaking aloud the thought she had drowned that night. Once again she felt him move above her, but now in full consciousness, not half-dead and clinging to a worthless life, but an incredibly strong vampire deriving pleasure from the pain.

He forced her into game face, driving even her body to the limit.

"Let go," she heard his voice.

She almost got carried away. Almost. Then she felt a powerful thrust... the pain was insufferable. She stared at him and at the stake in her chest. For a terrible moment, Angelus saw in that astonished look a glimpse of the woman she had been. "WHY?" she managed to say.

"Because you taught me." Angelus looked broken, images of blood and the corpse of a blond woman in his bed.

Then Susan dissolved into a cloud of dust under his hands. His whole body was covered with ashes. WHY WHY WHY? Because you did the same to Buffy? Because evil people deserve a death like that? Because I had to betray you thus to do justice to the mirror universe? Because seducing you was the only way to get you defenceless? Because I had to, because my soul drove me to do it? Because I had the damned Slayer's blood in me that worked me like a drug? Because? No.

The vampire closed his eyes. "Because you were right, my love. I couldn't lose you."

He felt something tiny, something cold, under his palm. As he looked at it, he recognized the claddagh she had worn till the last.

He made no attempt to leave. He felt the ashes burning into his skin, knowing phoenix would not rise from them, and he shivered, not from the cold, but from the impalpable deed he had done, had to. And right then he swore he would make war on the one who had caused his misery, their misery.

*

Mona untied the knot that held her hair. Her hair was covering her shoulders in soft waves. The wind coming in from the open window played with her nightgown.

Asmodis contemplated her in silence. Then he approached to kiss her.

"No," Mona said softly, "It was a long day, and I need a good night's rest. Besides, we're getting married tomorrow."

"Just thought we could both use company, after what happpened today," Asmodis suggested. "Hey, I could sleep here, couldn't I?"

"No way," Mona said, smiling, "We both know we wouldn't sleep. Besides, it would be against tradition if you saw the bride in the morning. You can sleep downstairs, love. Just for tonight. We'll have a lifetime, from tomorrow on."

Asmodis was a little disappointed.

Mona touched his cheek tenderly. "Sleep tight."

Asmodis nodded in resignation and walked towards the door. He turned on the threshold. He regarded her closely. As if he saw something he had never noticed before.

Mona smiled uneasily. "What?"

"I was just thinking... next time I see you, you'll be walking down the aisle."

"I love you." She hurried a kiss on his brow. "Dream of something beautiful."

"Why, that'd be you."

Mona pushed the door closed.

Asmodis strolled down the corridor, somewhat disappointed. But, after all, Mona might be right, it was their wedding tomorrow, she had to send him away if they did not want to sit there like zombies.

"Sh!"

Asmodis turned around. A door had opened.

"Willow?"

"Sh," the witch gestured him inside her room, "Do you have a moment?"

Asmodis sighed. "Will, it's late, and I---"

"Please," Willow insisted, "It's important!"

"All right, but just for five minutes."

The witch clasped Asmodis' hand and pulled him into the room. Both of them were oblivious to the shadow that was watching them.

Tara sat on the bed. "Sorry for the secrecy," she apologized. "We're worried about Mona."

"So am I," Asmodis admitted, "She's still got the feeling she failed as a Slayer, and she's somehow changed since we came back. I mean, it is confusing. We couldn't help Susan, Buffy and Angel are arguing because he wanted to go to the parallel universe, Tasha and Riley's marriage is in a crisis... at best... I thought of postponing the wedding, with all the bad vibrations round here, but... would be unfair to all of you who made the long journey just for us."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Tara admitted, "There might be a way for us to save the magic of the wedding still. Do you know what day it is?"

Asmodis shrugged. "Pre-wedding?"

"Think again."

"Whitsun?"

"Yes, in the Christian calendar. But in the Celtic one, it is Beltane. A day on which magic works like on no other. If we put a spell on everyone... a spell to the Great Godess, that she may relax everyone a little... it might heal the wounds caused by the events of the past hours. I just wanted to ask your permission first."

Asmodis nodded. "Whatever you think fit, you have my blessing."

*

Tasha was shocked. She quickly closed the door to the room assigned to her and Riley. "It's the night before his wedding, and I saw him walking into Tara's room!" she exclaimed.

"They're probably discussing the wedding ceremony," Riley tried to assure her.

"Sure, Riley, I wasn't born yesterday!" Tasha protested. "I always knew he was bad for her, immoral!" She stalked towards the door.

"Where're you goin'?"

"I will warn my best friend, I will beg her not to marry this unfaithful man!"

Riley clasped her wrist. "You shouldn't jump to conclusions."

"Let go of my hand."

"No."

Tasha scratched him.

Riley was so surprised he let go of her hand. "You're mad!" he exclaimed.

"No," Tasha cried, "I'm the only sane person here!" She walked to the door.

"What are you doing, ruining your best friend's wedding because you saw her boyfriend walking into a lesbian's room?"

"Willow had a boyfriend before she met Tara!"

"Yeah," Riley sighed, "And I had a life before I met you."

*

Mona turned the key in the lock and walked back into the bathroom. She took an extended shower before she returned to the bedroom.

She drew back the curtains about the large bed and was about to lie down when two arms clasped her waist from behind.

"How did you get here?" Mona exclaimed in surprise.

"I get anywhere I want."

Mona giggled. "I said I wanted to sleep alone!"

"Oh, you can sleep alone."

"You seem to have figured it all out, love."

"Wasn't too hard to guess, pet. Things are never quite the way they seem." He grinned. "May I kiss the bride?"

Mona pushed him towards the bed. "Hope that's not everything you have in mind!"

"It was a long day, and I need a good night's rest," he chuckled, "Hey, that was your best! Oh bloody hell, bloody traditions!"

Mona drew him down to her. "Do you wanna talk all night or get laid?"

"What about both?"

"Oh, shut up, Spike!"