Beauty
England – 1880
William slowly opened his eyes, cold seeping into every bone in his body. He shivered slightly as he tried to focus. He felt strange, everything seemed different, somehow more intense, all his senses seemed heightened. He groaned slightly as his blurry vision cleared enough to reveal a rough textured ceiling. His mouth was dry and he couldn’t quite place where he was. Why, oh why hadn’t he listened to Christian and stayed home? No, no he was a fool and had to go to that party. He closed his eyes again as the events of the night before slowly came back to him. He could still hear Cecily’s words ringing in his ears.
“You’re beneath me.”
William whimpered as the pain of it crept through him, his heart breaking yet again. Beneath her. She thought he was beneath her.Well, why not? He turned on his side, bringing a hand to rest over his eyes. Why wouldn’t she think he was beneath her? Everyone else did. Only Christian thought he had any worth. Only Christian.
“Did you sleep well?”
He bolted upright as the low voice pierced the haze of his recriminations. Fully awake now, he realized that he was sharing the bed with another man. He scrambled out of the bed, feet catching in the blankets, causing him to fall to the floor. He pushed himself up and flattened himself against the wall, terror creeping over him. The dark haired man on the bed just propped himself up on one arm and watched, never losing eye contact with William.
“Yes, I, I suppose so.” William stared back, trying to remember what happened. He was fully clothed, as was the man on the bed, so that ruled out the most obvious explanation. He eased his way off the wall, the calm expression in the brown eyes watching him serving to ease his tension slightly.
“I’m glad to hear that.” The voice was silky smooth and fit the man well. William started as the man sat up, then patted the bed next to him. “Come, sit, we have much to discuss.”
Unwillingly, William sat back on the bed, pulled there by some invisible force. There was something about the man’s voice and eyes that compelled him to obey.
“What do you remember about last night?” A large hand moved to cover his and William trembled at the touch. The hand was so cold against his own. He dropped his head and sighed. He didn’t know why, but he knew he had to answer.
“I, well, I was at a party. And then,” a nervous swallow, no need to go into details. “Then I had a, a disagreement with a young lady there. I left,” William’s forehead crinkled as more details of the night came back to him. “I left and ran down the street, I just needed to get away. And then I met a young woman,” William gasped as the rest of the night’s events suddenly came back to him. “I met a young woman and she, she,” he stopped, having no idea how to continue.
“She offered you a solution to your pain.” The hand tightened its hold as William began to shake. “I know.I was there a few moments later.”
“She, she bit me.”William pulled away, stood then began to frantically pace the length of the room. “She bit me and then,” He stopped as shudders racked his body, his mind desperately fleeing from the memory of what happened next.
“Then she gave you her blood.” The man came over and gently grasped his shoulders, stilling the desperate motions. “Her name is Drusilla and she is your Sire.”
“What?” William tried to pull away, but the hands on his shoulders were too strong. “What do you mean my Sire?” His head was spinning, he was dizzy, tired and terrified.He was lost and confused and a strange hunger was building inside him.
“Please, sit. I will explain it all to you.” William felt himself being lowered onto the bed. He sank down gratefully, content to let someone else guide him. He was so lost.
“As I said, her name is Drusilla, and she is your Sire. It was she who turned you.” The words sounded in his mind, confusing him further.
“Turned me? What, whatever do you mean?” William drew himself together, trying to reclaim some composure. “Whoever you are, sir, this is not amusing. You cannot keep me here you know. I will be missed. My family shall be looking for me shortly.” He tried to sound as threatening as possible, but the tremor of his voice gave him away.
“This is no joke, William.” The steel in the man’s voice caused him to automatically flinch.
“I’m sorry, you seem to have me at a disadvantage, sir. I fear we have not been introduced.” Ah, the blessed refuge of formality. Perhaps that would help settle his frayed nerves. He ran a hand through his hair, startled by how cold his fingers were.
A low chuckle greeted his words. “Ah, yes, where are my manners. I am Angelus.” The man swept a mocking bow.
“Angelus.” William repeated the name, his mind still reeling. “And what might your surname be?”
“That is not important.” The bed squeaked as Angelus’ heavy weight settled next to him on the bed. “Things like that no longer matter. You are one of us now.”
“One of us? What are you babbling about, what is all this about Sires and blood?” The strange craving was starting to grow and William was beginning to feel lightheaded. The events of the previous night combined with the strangeness of the current conversation was making his head spin.
“William,” now Angelus’ hand began to slowly rub up and down his back. “Please, just stay calm and listen for a few moments. I know this is very difficult,” both hands moved to his shoulders and began rubbing out the tension knotting the muscles. “There is no easy way to tell you this.” The hands pressed down firmly, holding William to the bed. “You are now a vampire.”
“What, no, that is impossible, this is madness, madness,” William tried to tear himself away but Angelus’ grip was too firm for him to move.
“No, not madness, the truth. William, look at me.” A low growl accompanied the words and William felt himself turned around, coming face to face with Angelus. A scream ripped through the room as William threw himself backwards off the bed, terror giving him the strength to pull away from the monster now staring at him. All he could see were fangs and ridges and an inhuman face. The room began to spin as reality tilted around him. All that he knew and all that he believed were suddenly, horribly wrong. Demons did exist. There was one before him. One claiming that he was now a demon as well.
“No, no, it’s not true, it’s not.” William glanced around desperately, finally seeing the mirror hanging on the wall. He scurried over, needing to look, needing to see that this wasn’t true. He stepped in front of the mirror and stared. Stared at nothing. He reached out and touched the mirror, feeling the surface. It was definitely a mirror. He moved back in front of it, raising a hand, praying that he would see himself this time. Nothing.
Angelus caught him as he fell, easing him down onto the floor. “Careful, childe, I know, I know, it’s a shock.” He gathered William’s quivering body into his arms, murmuring soothing words as he ran his hand through the tangled hair. “Don’t worry, I have you.”
“What have you done to me?” The plaintive cry tugged at Angelus’ heart. Oh how he remembered the desperate confusion when he first woke to his new life. At least Darla had been sane enough to take care of him.
“As I said, you have been turned. Drusilla made you a vampire. She took you as her childe. She is your Sire. Usually that means that she would be responsible for teaching you. However, Dru is not really, well, stable enough to do so. As her Sire it becomes my responsibility to teach you.” Angelus slowly leaned William back, brushing away some of the tears that traced down the pale cheeks. He let his fingers linger on the high cheekbones. William was such a lovely man.
“Teach me what, how to kill?” William pulled away from the arms encircling him, needing the distance.
“Among other things. There are things you need to know.” Angelus stood, then settled back onto the bed.
“Like what, not to go into the sun, avoid crosses and garlic, how to turn into a bat?” William spat out the words, even as the truth of the words sank into his bones. He knew that Angelus was speaking the truth. It explained things. Like why he no longer could feel his heart beat.
“Not all of what you have heard or read is true. No, you cannot turn into a bat. Or fly. But going into the sun will kill you, holy water will burn you and being staked through the heart by wood will kill you as well.” Angelus watched William closely. There was more to him than first appeared. Angelus could smell something deep and feral underneath the civilized exterior.
“Must I drink human blood to live?” The question was so quiet that Angelus almost missed it.
“Yes.” The simple truth was the best.
“And I have no soul.” Again the words were barely audible.
“Yes.” There was no point in lying. If Angelus did not tell him, Darla would. And in the cruelest possible manner.
So I am truly damned.” William yanked open the bedroom door and sprinted down the hall, barely registering how quickly he could now move. He had to flee, he could not remain there a moment longer. He had to leave. Had to go. Had to find Christian. That was all that that he could think.
Angelus followed him to the door, then watched as the pale form disappeared into the night.
“Daddy, why did you let him go? He is my childe, I want him back.” Dru’s petulant voice sounded behind him. Angelus sighed, then turned and gathered her into his arms.
“Don’t worry, luv. He’ll be back.” Angelus closed the door, then pressed his palm to the carved wood. “He’ll be back.”
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