Sweet William – Part V

They finally managed to find a suitable place to settle. It was a medium sized town, striving to grow so fast that there was a constant stream of incomers and a lot of people barely had time to speak to their neighbours. Besides, there was an inherent belief in ‘civic duty’, which had produced violent internal schisms over every topic from the municipal sewage works to the colour of the bedding scheme around the statue in the main square; while the poor and friendless drifted uncared for on the fringes.

Such community spirit suited the vampires perfectly.

After three weeks of careful searching Angelus and Darla at last agreed that there were no other demons of any kind in the area, except for a small group of Troctal Beasts, who were irrelevant vegetarians, and three young vampires holed up in a disused mill. Angelus strolled off one night and came back with dust on his hands, and the family was ready to move in.

They took what was described, by Angelus, as a modest gentleman’s house; on the outskirts of town, with thick woodland all around and heavy shutters on the windows. It was convenient for the railway station. Angelus actually leased it, or so he claimed, though how he had paid for it was a mystery. Certainly though he went to a lot of trouble to get them securely established so no humans would cause problems for them. Autumn was well and truly upon them now, with such dark and miserable weather that even as hidebound a vampire as Angelus was prepared to do business during the day. Though he was crotchety about the early hours and took to drinking copious quantities of coffee. There was a continuous stream of agents, solicitors, tradesmen, and other busybodies coming to the house. And the paperwork started to mount up alarmingly.

Angelus tried to appoint William as some sort of secretary, but, after the third draft letter was shown back to him with the few places with legible handwriting revealing spelling to make Samuel Johnson turn in his grave, he began to regret it.

‘I thought you had had a good education. This looks as if a chicken stepped in a bottle of ink.’

‘Yeh, the masters at school were always saying that.’

Angelus engaged an elderly clerk to come in every second Tuesday.

They found a surly, unpopular man and installed him in the gate-lodge as keeper to patrol the grounds during the day. ‘You needn’t worry about after dusk,’ Angelus told him. ‘The dogs will be loose.’

The next thing Angelus did was have bars put in the window of William’s room, and a decent lock fitted to the door.

‘These, boy, are the rules,’ he said to the young vampire, who was standing in front of his desk in the study. ‘If you have any sense you will learn to remember them.

‘You do not speak to any humans I may happen to employ, or annoy them in any way. Tradesmen may call and the same applies to them.

‘You will appear clean and smart at all times and you will get up at an appropriate hour. If the doorbell rings I expect you to answer it properly, even if you have to get out of bed to do so.

‘You will be polite, respectful, and helpful to your elders. Respectful includes standing up when Darla or I enter a room, not pushing past us to get to your food, and not sitting down in our presence without our express permission. You will also stop this habit of alternating between babbling on about nothing and sulky silence: you can either hold civilised conversation or keep your mouth shut.

‘Do not interrupt me when I am talking. You will remember your place, boy.

‘Oh and you will bear in mind that you are to address Darla as Madam, which is something I’ve noticed you have been letting slide recently.

‘You don’t smoke in the drawing-room or anywhere near Darla, since it annoys her.

‘You know what will happen if you are unkind to Dru.

‘I expect you to put in at least an hour’s study of the ancient texts every night, and two hours’ practice with me.

‘Since we no longer have minions, from now on you are responsible for the household duties. I want the place kept clean, the lamps filled, and decent fires in all the rooms I use. This damn house is freezing.

‘If I don’t want you for the rest of the night then you may go out, but you will be back in by five o’clock every morning. The definition of in is the house and garden, not six fields away or halfway down the street. And you do not go anywhere without checking with me first and telling me where you are going. In the immediate area you will behave in a respectable fashion and be polite to the neighbours; if you want to kick up mayhem you can go into town to do it where nobody will recognise you, but you don’t do anything a human wouldn’t.

‘And this above all: you do not hunt on your own. If you find someone you like the look of then you may bring him or her home for Darla and me to meet, but you do not go any further until we have approved. You will not forget this.

‘And since we intend to be here permanently I don’t want you wrecking the house or leaving corpses rotting in your room.’ He drummed his fingers on the desk. ‘Stand up straight when I am talking to you.’ There was an almost imperceptible adjustment of the slouch. ‘Oh yes, and every evening, before I rise, you will polish these.’ He pointed to his expensive leather boots.

William cocked his head and looked at them. ‘Are you going to take them off first, or do I have to lie down to lick them?’

Angelus smiled grimly and stood up.

The belt was starting to look distinctly worn.

But so was Angelus’s forehead.

A few days later, Darla sought Angelus out in his study. ‘You gave the boy the evening off?’ she questioned.

‘Yes.’

‘And you let him go into town by himself?’

‘Yes.’

‘Was that wise?’

‘Why on earth not? He hasn’t still got the dirt under his nails, Darla. He knows what will happen if he misbehaves, and he is a young vampire with a lot of energy. If I go easy on him he won’t be such a nuisance at home. I can’t always be keeping an eye on him.’ He took in her expression. ‘Oh, come along. What can an ex-parson’s son from the suburbs possibly do with his evenings off that could cause trouble to a master vampire of the line of Aurelius?’

‘Angelus, this town is not as quiet as we thought,’ Darla said, looking up from the local newspaper.

‘Hmm.’ Angelus was struggling with writing a letter and not really paying attention.

‘Apparently some vandals smashed every single window in the shops along the high street, three nights ago.’

‘Yes dear. How do you spell residential?’

‘I don’t. There was also a very violent fight outside one of the pubs. An ambulance had to be called.’ She turned the page. ‘Most of those involved were arrested but one managed to knock out a policeman and make a get away.’

‘Snap!’ Dru yelled. She and William were lying side by side on the hearth-rug and he was attempting to teach her how to play bridge. But since there were only the two of them and they were using Dru’s tarot pack there was some uncertainty over the exact rules.

‘William, how do you spell residential?’

‘With an R, Sire. And two S’s.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yeh. No idea how other people spell it though. No, Dru, if you do that and that then you would have a… a Grand Slam. Are you sure you’re not cheating?’

‘Yes,’ she said crossly. ‘But I never understand your silly games. Like when you said it only counted if you smashed all the windows. I must have won.’ She preened herself. ‘You missed some of the pretty little ones above the shop doors.’

‘I did not!’ William retorted furiously. ‘I said those weren’t included.’

A pair of heavy-soled boots were propped up on the arm of the sofa. When Angelus and Darla entered they twitched slightly and then, with a low mutter, William stood up. Angelus stopped and smirked. ‘Well have you ever seen anyone manage to look so sullen!’ He crooked a finger and William came over. Angelus was smiling. ‘You are adorable when you pout like that.’ He brought up a hand and smoothed William’s hair, then lent forward slightly and whispered in his ear. ‘Is something wrong, Will?’

‘No Sire.’

‘What are you sulking about then?’

‘Not sulking, Sire.’

Angelus rubbed his face cat-like against William’s temple. ‘In my room, Will, is a brand shiny new cane that I’ve bought just for you. Why don’t you go and fetch it.’

William looked daggers but left immediately.

‘No blood on the carpet, Angelus,’ Darla said primly from her seat.

‘Oh, I wasn’t intending to go that far,’ Angelus said languidly.

‘By which you mean you are just bored.’

‘Well it might wake him up. He’s been lounging around for days.’

‘He’s been lounging around because you have barely found the time to speak two words to him. Perhaps you should consider actually setting him some useful work to do. And if you only want to play, then why not go and find yourself a street urchin or something, instead of tormenting the boy.’

‘Why do you mind?’

‘I don’t. I was simply commenting. You know me, Angelus, I never interfere.’

Throwing himself down into an armchair, Angelus waited. William came back and handed him the cane, his face carefully blank. Angelus looked up at him lazily. ‘Kneel down, boy. I’m getting a crick in my neck gazing up at you.’ William dropped to his knee, eyes lowered. Angelus pushed his chin up with the tip of the cane, still smiling. ‘Are you scared of this, little one?’ he asked kindly, tapping his finger against the cane.

William glanced at it. ‘It hurts. A lot, Sire.’

‘Ah.’ Angelus nodded in a pleased manner, then cocked one eyebrow. ‘And are you scared of me, Will?’

‘You’re my Sire.’

‘Oh, bright as a button my little boy is.’ Angelus set the cane down on a side table. ‘Come up and sit on my knee.’

William’s features didn’t even flicker as he stood up and sat as directed. He nestled up against Angelus’s shoulder as if it was the most comfortable place in the world to be.

‘And do you love me, Will?’

William reached up and slowly started to undo the top button of Angelus’s richly embroidered waistcoat. ‘You’re my sire,’ he said again, simply. Then he abruptly looked directly at him with dazzling blue eyes. ‘Course I love you.’

Angelus bent over and kissed him full on the lips. ‘Ah. My sweet, sweet, little boy.’

William slipped his cool hand down inside Angelus’s shirt. ‘You goin’ to beat me then, Sire?’ he asked casually.

Angelus gave a little gasp and tilted his head back against the high-backed chair. ‘Have you done anything wrong, my boy?’

‘Nah,’ William said. ‘Just wondering. You seemed awfully interested in that stick of yours.’

Angelus bucked and hissed, and then grabbed the back of William’s head, twining his fingers into his childe’s hair. ‘You do love skating along the edge, don’t you, little one.’

‘Nah.’ William trailed a sharp fingernail across cold stiff flesh. ‘I just know another rod of yours I’d rather be giving the attention to.’

‘I told you to answer the door.’

‘I did.’

‘And then you just stood and glared at Mr Peebles until he left.’

‘You said I wasn’t to talk to the humans you employed.’

‘I meant… for heaven’s sake, boy, I do not have time for this, you know perfectly well what I meant.’

‘Do I?’

‘Yes you damn well do.’

‘You told me I was a blithering idiot, last night. In great detail. You remember, it was when you were supposed to be showing me how to use a crossbow. But you’re my sire, you must have been right.’

‘Boy, I suggest you stop now before you talk yourself into more punishment than you can handle.’

William gave him a look that very clearly said he considered that a challenge.

‘He brought what home?’

‘A flock of geese.’

‘How did he bring a flock of geese home?’ Angelus didn’t even want to begin on the question of why he would bring a flock of geese home.

‘I have no idea. Herded them up the front drive for all I know. But they are currently grazing on our tennis court. Which will shortly be our slimy goose-green mud patch if you don’t do something.’

Just then Dru skipped up, looking as pretty as a picture in a white frock with yellow ribbons in her dark hair. ‘Grandmum, William said I was to ask you if you would make us some lemonade.’

Darla made a strange squeaking noise, which seemed to surprise Dru.

‘Where is William?’ Angelus asked darkly.

‘We’re playing tennis,’ Dru said brightly. ‘With the geese.’

It was no good, Angelus just had to ask. ‘How do you play tennis with geese?’

You held a goose by the neck and swung it wildly, so that the bird flailed its wings out in a cackling whirl of anserine indignation, and sometimes even hit the ball. Only by the third or fourth swing the things’ necks had a tendency to snap, which was why you needed an entire flock. It was merely a mild irritation that the more sensible reserve rackets had decided to make a bid for freedom through the rose garden, though since they had all previously been destined for the market it might be considered a display of gross ingratitude. William was after all giving them one last exciting outing and a sporting chance before they died.

William explained all this patiently to his sire.

‘Go and wait in my study,’ Angelus growled, wondering what on earth he was going to do with the pile of twenty-three dead birds abandoned along with a coat and some spare balls at the end of the net.

Angelus had never before considered his background to be a serious disadvantage. If anything the Irish accent was helpful – for lulling the prejudiced into a false sense of security, or for sweet-talking the gullible with an exotic air of the forbidden. But for the first time ever he found himself briefly wishing that he had been born English, because then he would probably have remembered about November the Fifth.

It wasn’t, in itself, a very large party. A couple of hundred people all told. Well, it was possibly three hundred, but there could have been more. And the bonfire, whilst it could undoubtedly have been better placed than right outside the drawing-room windows, might, when all was said and done, have caused far worse damage. The grass would presumably grow back, given time, and it was not as if the scorch marks on the house stonework were very visible after dark.

The badly aimed rocket that had shot through the window into Darla’s bedroom, and somehow ended up in her wardrobe, was another matter.

As was the wholesale raiding of the wine cellar after the beer had run out.

As was the stream of people barging through the house with muddy shoes and loaded plates of bonfire toffee and sausages, which they had dropped all over the carpets.

And as was the cheerful couple that Angelus had had to evict from the billiard-room when he arrived back at six in the morning.

‘You said I could invite people home,’ William said.

‘William, I was hoping you might find some possible prey. Not half the town for a party.’

‘But you also said I had to be nice to the neighbours.’

Angelus thumped his desk. ‘Damn it, boy, they tore the cloth on the billiard table!’

‘So I said I’d help him find out what it was like.’ William demonstrated with vigorous hand gestures.

‘From the top of the town-hall clock tower?’

‘It’s the highest place.’

‘Which you broke into?’

‘Yeh. Not a private residence, you see. That’s the beauty of it.’

‘And you then told him to jump off.’

‘Told him?’

‘So you are telling me that you in fact pushed him!’

‘Launched,’ William corrected. ‘He did say he’d always wondered what flying was like.’

‘William, he was drunk. You know this because you were the one who got him drunk; you bought him and everyone else in the pub seventeen rounds. The landlord arrived with a demand for payment this morning.’ Angelus stirred up the huge pile of correspondence on his desk and produced a piece of paper. ‘Couldn’t you have at least given a false name and address?’

William frowned.

‘For heaven’s sake, boy! Are you a complete fool? These are hardly the actions of a cunning vampire.’

Momentarily, William looked disconcerted. Then he abruptly dismissed Angelus’s words airily. ‘I had to lure them into a false sense of security. You taught me that. I was checking him out as possible prey.’

‘The son of the mayor?’

‘Yeh. All right, maybe he didn’t turn out to be the best choice. So? He was enjoying himself. He was shouting “wheee” as he fell. Anyway, it’s not as if he died.’

‘That is because he landed on the hood of the Post-Master’s new landaulet.’

‘There you are then. That’s what I was aiming for. If he weren’t so fat he would barely have dented it. And it didn’t startle the horses. Much. They only bolted for a mile or two.’

‘William,’ Angelus said tiredly, ‘what part of this do you consider as keeping a low profile?’

‘Well, he’s got concussion, so it’s not as if he’s going to tell anybody.’

The first snow of winter fell.

Drusilla made a row of snowmen and then cast an enchantment to make them dance a ballet. They all sat on dining chairs on the terrace to watch, dressed in evening clothes and sipping blood from crystal champagne glasses.

Every time Darla went out snow would mysteriously fall off some overhanging roof or tree branch and straight down her neck; but she could never quite catch him at it.

‘Would you say William’s stalking was improving?’ she asked Angelus.

Angelus considered carefully. ‘He did quite well last night. He can still be a bit clumsy sometimes.’

‘So he was with you all night?’

‘Yes. I haven’t been paying his education enough attention recently. But I’m trying to get him interested in catching miners. I think maybe I’ve been trying to push him towards the wrong social class, it is no wonder he has been bored: the upper sorts hold no interest for a lad like him. I’m sure that is all the problem has been.’

‘Hmm.’

It wasn’t until she had gone that Angelus remembered that William and he had become separated for half an hour or so. When they had met up again the young vampire had explained that he had been diligently following up a possible lead all by himself. Angelus had been rather pleased: it was the first time William had shown such initiative. Even though it had unfortunately come to nothing – apparently.

He wondered if he should go and tell Darla. But he couldn’t really see why it would matter to her.

‘What on earth are you wearing?’ If there was an answer then it was inaudible from where Darla was sitting in the hired carriage, impatiently tapping her foot.

‘You are not going out with me, looking like that. Go and put a collar and tie on. And don’t mumble to me or you won’t be going out at all for a week. No. Wait. Come back here. I said come back here, William. What is this?

‘Speak up.

‘Well you can’t take it with you.

‘I don’t care if it might prove useful: you are not carrying a shotgun to a supper party.

‘Well why do you think?

‘No you can’t just leave it in the cloakroom. Go and put it away.

‘What do you mean you promised? Whom did you promise?’

There was a lengthy pause.

‘Owl shooting! Nobody goes owl shooting.

‘You told him it was traditional where?

‘You’ve never even been to Albania.

‘Yes I have, as it happens, and I can assure you that they don’t hunt owls.

‘Wait a moment, is this the Lord Arbuthnot that I’ve been trying to get close to for the past three weeks? How did you meet him?

‘And what were you doing there last night, my boy?

‘Oh.’

Angelus appeared at last, looking cross, then abruptly disappeared back into the house again.

‘You may bring the gun. But you aren’t to load it in the carriage.

‘Because I say so.’

‘How did you get on, Will? Find out where they’re from?’

‘Yeh. Palburn Lane.’

Angelus just stared at him.

‘What?’

‘William, you were specifically told to find out where they worked, not where they live.’

‘Oh.’ He shrugged. ‘It’ll have to wait. Can we go home now?’

‘No. You are going back in there to do what you were told.’

‘Oh, go on, Angelus. It’s boring.’ He tilted his head ‘Can’t you do it? You’ll only take a minute; I’ll be hours.’

‘Back in there, or you will regret it when I take you home. I will be across the street.’

William gave a melodramatic sigh and went back into the pub. Angelus slipped silently into the shadows and blended seamlessly into the night. The chill wind bit coldly into him but he gave no sign of noticing it. He watched through the window as his childe went up to the bar and fell back into conversation with the young miners. Despite his words he didn’t seem to be having too much trouble: they had greeted him with welcoming grins and someone had stood him a drink already. Angelus nodded with approval as he saw William crack some joke that sent them all off into laughter. The master vampire couldn’t take his eyes off his boy. He looked so beautiful, bathed in the warm cheerfulness of the pub, surrounded by unsuspecting humans, setting them at their ease, fitting in.

He did seem to be taking a very long time about it though.

The door moved so slowly, someone might think it was merely relaxing on its hinges. As the gentlest of balmy breezes might waft it on a summer’s day, it opened. And a passing mouse of the most timid disposition would not have started at the figure that slid in, so silent and flowing was his gait. He oozed across the floor soundlessly, reached the staircase, and began to ascend, one step at a time, each foot carefully placed on the very edge of the boards lest the slightest creak escape them.

Angelus grabbed his collar from behind, hoisted him off his feet and swung him like a kitten, held by the scruff at arm’s length. He carried his flailing childe twenty yards along the hall and plonked him down in front of the long-case clock. ‘What does that say?’

‘Half past three. I’m not late, Sire.’ William was trying to look innocent.

‘Four hours ago, William, I told you to kill a tramp in Ravenley Wood.’ He spun him round, still keeping a tight grip on his jacket. ‘The next I see of you, you are fighting with three tramps and a policeman half a mile away; and then you disappear at high speed, with them all in hot pursuit. Would you care to explain yourself?’

‘He was just an idiot,’ William said, very unwillingly.

Angelus brought a tired hand up and rubbed his brow. ‘Why, William, do you always have to do this when I’m feeling worn out? Now, either I can hit you until you tell me what happened, or you could be practical and tell me straight away. Because we both know that I can make you tell – it is simply a matter of saving time, and yourself a great deal of pain.’

‘Don’t know what you mean, Angelus.’

Angelus looked up at the ceiling, gritting his teeth. ‘Will you, for once in your damn existence, just tell me what you’ve done!’

William batted his eyelashes. ‘But, Sire, you’ve only got to say the magic word…’

Angelus snarled, his fangs springing out. ‘I may be tired, boy, but I am not that tired.’

‘Well, don’t get so upset over nothing. He was very rude. He said all Irishmen were stupid.’

‘Oh I see. You were defending my honour were you?’

‘Yeh.’ William gave an impish grin.

‘And why did you even speak to him at all?’

William looked wild. ‘Wasn’t I supposed to?’

Angelus cuffed him five times in rapid succession, and then abruptly wrapped him in his arms, holding him tight. ‘Damn it, boy. I was worried.’

‘Very well, you may stand up.’

William straightened up with a shake of his head, as if trying to cast the worst of the experience off. Angelus put the switch away then came over and threw an arm around his shoulder, giving him a quick squeeze. ‘All over.’

‘Yeh.’ William grimaced then leaned in slightly against his sire.

Angelus kissed the top of his head. ‘Sorry?’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Good boy.’

Angelus rolled up his sleeve and held out his wrist. William bit down at once, suckling with greedy slurps whilst Angelus purred. At last the master vampire tapped him lightly on the back of the head, and when he didn’t immediately stop prised him firmly off. Angelus licked over the wound then reached around and began to undo William’s collar.

William was looking down. ‘How long does all this go on for?’

Angelus didn’t answer but licked slowly along the length of William’s neck, breathing in the sharp youthful scent of his childe.

‘How long, Angelus? Until I’m not a fledgling any more? Until I’m on my own?’

‘A decade at least. Maybe two. Maybe ten. And not until I say so.’

‘What if I ran?’

‘You know the answer to that.’

William turned round sharply, which knocked Angelus off. ‘Would you kill me? If I really riled you, would you do it?’

‘I might. Though strictly speaking a sire can’t kill or maim his childe. One of those tiresome little vampire lores.’ Angelus grinned. ‘I also can’t sell you as a slave, hire you out for my own profit, or use two or three specific spells on you. Oh, or make you have intercourse with a Skung demon against your will.’

‘Couldn’t they have included not being allowed to beat me or making me polish your bloody boots on that list?’

‘Apparently not.’

‘And how long till I can hunt for myself?’

‘Not until I can trust you to get it right.’

William frowned, bringing up his hands to play with one of Angelus’s diamond shirt studs. ‘Can’t I get it wrong, for a bit?’

‘No.’

‘Why not? Why can’t I be slightly less than perfect, and—’

‘Because I say so.’

‘Sodding hell, Angelus.’ He glared up at him. ‘Can I at least choose? I only want to have some fun whilst I hunt.’ His expression changed to one of childish appeal. ‘Those miners: you made me check them out, an’ I found out what you wanted, so can’t I pick how?’

‘Maybe.’

‘Pleeeease. I’ve got this idea and it would work. I know it will work, Sire.’

‘What is this idea?’

‘Can’t I just try it?’

‘No. Tell me what it is.’

‘It’s… I haven’t worked everything out yet. I’m going to, but there’s still some things I need to get right.’

‘Well, Will, you plan everything properly: not get some man in a pub a couple of drinks, but go and do some proper research, work everything out in detail. Then come and propose it to me, and I might consider it.’

‘Can’t I just go and do it when I’m ready?’

‘No.’

‘Why not? Yeh, yeh, don’t tell me. Because you say so.’

‘You’ve got plenty of other things to be concentrating on. This for a start,’ Angelus said, teasingly undoing his fly.

William seemed thoughtful. ‘But we won’t kill them some other way yet? Not until I’ve finished my plan.’

‘No. We won’t kill any miners until you’ve come up with your brilliant scheme,’ Angelus said in a put upon voice. ‘Now kindly remember your other duties, before I loose my temper again.’

William rolled his eyes and then dropped to his knees with a smirk.

‘Come down this instant!’

‘Stop fussing, Sire. I can reach it easily.’

‘No you can’t. There is ice on that roof. Be careful!’

‘Well, stop distracting me, then.’

‘Daddy, will William fall off, do you think?’

‘Will, get down! Now! That’s an order.’

‘Stop fussing, I’m fi—’

‘Will!’ Angelus rushed over and caught him just in time. ‘You little idiot.’

William was laughing, draping himself across Angelus in a theatrical pose. ‘What do you think, Sire? Do I make a good pieta?’

Angelus swiped him across the back of his head. ‘Don’t ever do that again. And don’t make bad jokes about that sort of thing, either.’

‘Why not? Or don’t you like having to play the mother of a god?’

Angelus shook his head in resignation. ‘Get down.’

‘Nah. I’m rather comfortable.’ He settled happily in Angelus’s strong arms. ‘And I did manage to get your hat.’ Dru came up, brushing the snow off the hat, which William had managed to knock free as he fell.

‘Put him down, Angelus. You look ridiculous,’ Darla said crossly. ‘Perhaps you can explain, William, how my childe’s best silk hat got up there in the first place.’

‘How should I know?’ William said sweetly.

Angelus was trying not to laugh.

‘Oh God, boy. Yes. Lower. That’s right, that’s right, just there. Oh Jesus. Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Where did you learn to do that, you wonderful little weasel? Oh God yes.

‘William!

‘Aaaaah.

‘No you can’t.

‘Oh. Oh, oh, oh. Yes, yes, yes… Yes!

‘Because I say so.’

It was a cold evening in late December when Angelus placed a very expensive bottle of port wine on one side of the desk, then settled down in his leather chair in what he hoped was an authoritative manner. ‘Will!’ he called.

After a second he got up and quickly put the port in a more prominent position, before resuming his pose.

There was the sound of running feet, and then William sauntered in. ‘What?’ And after a moment’s glare, ‘Sire.’

‘I am expecting guests on Saturday night. The evening has been carefully planned and I am fully confident it will go perfectly.’ He rapped the desk. ‘Perfectly, William.’

William ignored the gesture. ‘What’s perfectly?’

Angelus took a deep breath. ‘You are to play the role of butler. I will provide the necessary costume. All you need do is let the people in, take their coats, and then hand round drinks. Not this, this is a rather fine port I’ve got for us to have as a celebration afterwards, if the evening goes well.’ He hurried on, trying to ignore William’s expression. ‘You have spent enough time in polite society to know what is required and,’ he tried to sound jovial, ‘there should be good fun, and an enjoyable meal for us all at the end of it.’

‘Who’s the scrumptious feast, then?’ William asked sarcastically.

‘Damn it, boy, you will show me some respect!’ Angelus almost sighed out loud with relief when William ducked his head and put his hands behind his back, but he managed to catch himself in time. He did allow himself a small smirk though. ‘The daughter of Mr and Mrs Hatherthwaite. He is newly come into money, and wishes her to have a bit of polish before he puts her on the marriage market. Our story is that Darla and I are shortly to leave for an educational grand tour of the continent, and Darla is willing, for a fee, to take a young female companion with her on the trip. They’re all coming over to meet us.’

‘What about Dru?’

‘Dru stays in her room for the evening.’

‘That’s hardly fair. You should let her be the one taking a companion. I can play the head of the household, since they’re more likely to trust someone with my accent. You can be my cousin or something. And Darla would make a very convincing parlour-maid.’

‘Enough! You just reached your limit, boy.’

After William had gone, Angelus started to wonder if he should have offered two bottles of port instead of only the one.

‘Did I hear you shouting at William, again?’ Darla asked.

‘You did.’ Angelus smirked. ‘Just bringing home to him the importance of behaving himself when the Hatherthwaites are here.’

‘By which you mean that you have made it perfectly clear to him how much he can annoy you by doing something to ruin the evening.’

‘I have no idea what you mean,’ Angelus said lazily. He was lounging in the centre of their large bed, smoking a cigar and watching with an appreciative eye while Darla undressed.

She stopped unbuttoning her clothes and turned round on him. ‘No you don’t, do you, Angelus. That is the worst thing about this, you have absolutely no idea.’

He flopped over onto his back, and sent a stream of smoke up to hang in a spiralling blue cloud over his head. ‘If you want me to contribute to this conversation, you are going to have to tell me what you are talking about.’

‘I am talking, Angelus, about the fact that that boy is twisting you round his little finger, and you don’t seem to have even noticed, let alone care.’

‘He’s twisting me!’ Angelus said in a tone of amused derision. ‘I think you’ll find, Darla, that I am perfectly capable of managing a nine-month-old fledgling.’

‘Well I don’t see much sign of it, Angelus. Remind me what his purpose in my family is.’

‘Purpose? Well we do find it useful to have someone to carry the coal in.’ He laughed at his own joke.

‘His purpose is to keep Drusilla occupied. That is the only reason I permitted him to be made. So perhaps you can explain to me why it is that you spend every spare minute you have either playing with that boy, or yelling at him?’

He frowned. ‘I’ve got to train him, love.’

‘Why? What are you training him for?’

‘I would have thought that was obvious.’

‘And how long is it going to take? It takes years under normal circumstances, and you actually teach him something he needs to learn once a fortnight if he’s lucky. Besides which, he is a useless fool. The boy is a damn nuisance, Angelus, and I want him gone. Drusilla will cry for a bit, I have no doubt, but we will soon find her a new one.’

He rolled over and carefully stubbed out his cigar. ‘What’s brought this on?’

Darla had turned her back and was unfastening her dress again. ‘It will have to be a formal collective decision, I suppose. He is too old to just quietly dispose of. Too many people know about him. But between us we shouldn’t have too much trouble with Drusilla; she will agree if you tell her it is for the best.’

‘Darla, I’m not staking Will.’ He got up and came over to her. ‘Why on earth would you think I would agree?’

She froze, staring straight ahead and not looking at him. ‘Well, what do you intend to do with him, then?’

‘Why do I need to do anything other than what I already am? Which, believe me, is not light work!’

‘You see!’ she wailed. ‘You still don’t understand! He came home late for that pointless five o’clock curfew you’ve set him, three nights in a row last week, and you didn’t even notice you were so busy pounding him into the carpet. All you both do is dream up more and more elaborate games to get each other’s attention. And I can’t stand it any longer. Why can’t you just stop him! He’s doing it deliberately, Angelus. Why are you letting him? Why?’

He shook his head at the mystery of the female. ‘You’ve got the wrong idea about Will. He’s mostly simply showing off in front of Dru. That’s why—’

‘Why are you even making excuses for him?’

‘I think I’ve worked out what I’m doing wrong,’ he said quickly. ‘He just needs more discipline. I’ve been letting him run around too much.’

‘Well it is about time.’

‘Very well.’

‘And?’ Darla asked pointedly.

‘And I’ll… give him a talking to. Impress on him that he must pay more attention to his work. Not let him out of my sight for a month…’

‘Angelus!’

He frowned. ‘Well I’ve got that leather cat-o-nine-tails I used to use on Dru, somewhere…’ He went and rummaged around in a drawer, producing the implement at last.

‘For heavens sake! That is the last thing you should be doing.’

‘Are you saying, he’s getting like Dru?’ he asked, confused. ‘That he likes the pain?’

‘Angelus, stop treating him like a child. He isn’t a child, he is a vampire; and if you treat him like one he will behave like one.’

He looked at her blankly.

‘Go on, start treating him like a vampire.’

‘Er, yes.’

‘You chose to be his sire, Angelus. Call him in here, and remind him of the fact.’

He looked away and muttered something.

‘What was that?’

‘I said, he hasn’t come home yet.’

Darla took out her petite jewelled watch and examined the dial. The hands pointed to a quarter to six. She raised her eyebrows to Angelus, and planted a hand on the middle of his chest; before he had time to realise what she was doing she had propelled him out of the room, and slammed the bedroom door. In the echoing silence there was the death-knell snick as she turned the key.

Angelus hurled the whip to the floor with an angry snarl.

‘Darla!’ He hammered on the door. ‘Let me in!’ No response. ‘Come along, Darla. Don’t play games.’ He stopped hammering. ‘I could break this door down.’ He waited. ‘Love?’ There was no sound for a long time, and not even the rhythm of breath or heartbeat to measure the silence. ‘Sire?’

‘I can’t bear it, Angelus. He’s making a complete fool of you. And you’re letting him!’

‘He’s not. I’ll deal with it. I’ll deal with him. I promise. Only let me in, love.’

‘Why can’t you see it! Why of all people do you not understand? You’re making exactly the same mistakes as you did with that imbecile Drusilla.’

It was his turn to be quiet.

‘Angelus?’

‘What am I doing wrong then?’

He heard the rustle of skirts through the door, and her voice came from closer to the thick wood. ‘Darling, you’re doing what you always do: you’re being inconsistent.’

‘So I just have to be firmer—’

‘You can’t rely on hitting him harder and harder!’

‘What?’ He leaned his forehead against the cold wood. ‘Let me in love: so we can talk properly.’

‘No! Go away. You are a master vampire, Angelus. Go and think. Go and bite him, beat him, squash him into a bloody pulp, do whatever it takes – but then leave him alone! If you go on giving him more attention after you’ve punished him than before, he is going to get worse and worse. A fledgling vampire doesn’t need understanding, or love, or friends, or a father. He needs a sire. A strong dominant master that he can be respectful and obedient to, nothing else is required of him. Give him rules, Angelus, simple, clear rules.’

‘I did.’

‘No. All you did is make up a list of arbitrary things to try and get back some sense of control over him. Treat him like a minion vampire should be treated. It is hardly difficult. If he can’t hunt for himself then he should go hungry. Or let Drusilla feed him. And you, Angelus, must be his master. You have got to stop letting him get a rise out of you and you have got to stop babying him. I thought I’d taught you all this, Angelus. I thought you could be in control.’

‘I am! I can!’

‘You could train a puppy better than you are training him. You disgust me.’

Angelus slammed his palm against the implacable door. ‘Let me in. I’ll do it, Sire. I’ll start tomorrow. And I’ll be consistent, I promise. Now let me in.’

‘Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Angelus. I want action, not words.’

‘Darla, I promise—’

‘Deal with him. I want to see him behaving properly from now on. You either show me he is worth the time and effort you are wasting on him, or I put a stake through his heart myself.’

‘Sire, please…’

He heard her hard little heels click away across the floor, and however much he beat against the door and pleaded, she would not answer.

Defeated, he turned away with a snarl. He threw open the door to Drusilla’s room, which was the closest, and flung himself on the bed. Banks of gagged and bound dolls glared down at him, and beside the bed was a silver tray with a row of ivory handled instruments, all lovingly polished. He shot back up and stalked out.

Angelus prowled the house. Every room held some reminder: the billiard-room, the study, every spare bedroom. In the drawing-room was the half finished chess game he and William were playing, in the kitchen there were scratches on the table from where they had made love all night once. Outside Darla’s room was the whip.

He couldn’t bear to be in any of them. Finally he grabbed a decanter of whiskey and went right upstairs into the attics, to the cold north facing room furthest from where Darla was. He pushed the door shut behind himself, and sank down to the floor with his back against it, staring dully at the plain whitewashed walls. And the last weak rays of light reflected sidelong off the setting moon, which is as close to sunlight as a vampire can ever come, seemed to show that the Scourge of Europe was in despair.

There was a muffled noise from downstairs, and the sound of voices whispering. Angelus stiffened.

‘Watch where you’re going, Dru. Careful!’

‘I feel all swimmy in my head. Was it that man we had for supper do you think?’

‘’Spect so. That, or the bottle of Whisky later on. Shhsh!’

‘Why shshshshsh?’ She made it sound like the wind in the trees.

‘Because if he hears we’re back he’ll make me go and read some stupid demonology book or something. Let’s just go and…’

‘Ow, ow, get off!’ A suppressed snorting sound came, and the noise of feet running up the stairs. ‘Such a bad dog!’

‘Well call me Spike and tickle my tummy then.’

She giggled. ‘Spike!’

‘Come here,’ he growled playfully. ‘I’ll make you roll over.’

There was a squeak of pleasure, and then a scuffle.

‘No! Bad dog!’ Angelus could almost hear the pout. ‘Go away. Not playing any more.’

‘Aw, Dru.’

‘Brr. All cold. The Queen has made the King say goodbye tonight. When are you going to light the fire so we can play at mouldy warps?’

‘You do talk nonsense, Princess. I expect there’s a fire in the drawing-room, we can go and sit there, if you like.’

‘What about Daddy?’

‘Where is he do you think? The study?’

‘No.’ She sniggered. ‘Daddy doesn’t like the dark. All good boys and girls are in bed by storytime.’

‘Yeh. But it’s not storytime.’

‘Yes it is.’

‘No it’s not.’

‘It is. The moon told me.’

There was a pause. ‘Bloody hell.’

‘What does the grumpy clock face say?’ Dru had a problem with time, normally only ever managing to grasp the fact that she should be home by dawn.

‘Twenty past sodding six. Oh sweet bloody God, he’s going to kill me. Couldn’t the moon have told you it was this late a bit earlier?’

‘My little William,’ she said tenderly, ‘have you been wicked?’

‘No I haven’t. Least I didn’t mean to be. I was goin’ to come home early tonight an’ all. Why can’t I ever do anything right?’

‘Because of the fish,’ she said, as if it explained everything.

‘Do you think there’s any chance he hasn’t noticed?’

‘Come to bed, William.’

‘I can’t, Dru.’ He sounded miserable. ‘I’ve got to… because he’ll know—’

‘Are you going to ask Daddy if I can watch him hit you?’

‘No, I’m bloody not!’

‘Then you shall not have any supper,’ she said crossly.

‘Dru…’

Angelus heard light footsteps retreating, and the sounds of Dru going to bed alone. William seemed to have gone back downstairs.

The master vampire slipped noiselessly from the attic and went to the head of the main staircase, peering from the shadows down to the darkened room below.

William was standing in the middle of the hall, both hands fiddling awkwardly with a button on his jacket; he was frowning and staring at his feet. He kept casting a quick glance at the study door, then back at the floor again. Eventually he straightened up, put the familiar defiant look on his face, and went over and knocked firmly. He took a pace back, chewing his lip. After a while he frowned and knocked again, even louder. Then cautiously he tried the handle and pushed it open a crack. He peered round into the darkened room, and then stood looking into it in confusion. Eventually he shut the door, and went and repeated the performance outside the drawing-room instead. He tried several other places; though at the door to Darla’s private sitting-room Angelus was surprised, but pleased, to see that he listened carefully but did not try to enter. The elder vampire slid further back into the shadows as his childe came and looked speculatively back up the stairs.

He was heading for the staircase when he stopped and looked at the hall table. There was nothing special on it. Just a few bills, and a pile of gloves and hats that nobody had bothered to put away. Angelus was astonished when William picked up one of the hats and hurled it furiously away from him, smashing his hands down onto the table and standing with head bowed. He kicked angrily at the table leg.

When he’d calmed down he went and retrieved the hat; brushing it off and putting it back in its place.

William produced a cigarette and sat up on the table. He seemed to be thinking again, staring down at the floor. Finally, when he had finished his smoke, he jumped off and disappeared towards the back of the house.

Angelus came out of his lurking place and slowly walked back up to the little attic room, with head bowed in thought. He stood in the middle of the room, looking around. He had barely been in there before that night. It was high up under the eaves, with a low sloping ceiling and only a single dormer window. Against one wall was a tarnished brass bedstead with a rather battered chest of drawers opposite it. There was little other furniture. But an odd collection of other things that had made their way up there, most of which were stored haphazardly on the floor. An old copper kettle; a threadbare rug; a stack of what looked like his own empty cigar boxes; a little bundle of various newspaper cuttings; an old shawl of Drusilla’s. And a glass display-case, containing two stuffed squirrels, dressed in dolls’ clothes and locked in furious immobile battle with needle length swords.

He had brought that home a few weeks ago, from lord knew where, and Angelus had assumed it was intended as a present for Dru. But he had kept it for himself it seemed, cleaning the case so its rigid inhabitants showed bright in their glass prison, and setting it carefully on the chest of drawers. The rays of moonlight, cut into stripes by the thick bars Angelus had had installed across the window, glinted on the silver sword points and made their beady glass eyes shine. Dead, but so alive.

Angelus was still staring at the squirrels when William came in and visibly jumped when he found his sire in his room. In a second Angelus saw his childe’s demeanour change from sleepily distracted, to surprised, through to arrogantly challenging.

‘Come to give me a good night kiss, Sire?’

But in that fleeting instant of change the moon had shown something to Angelus that William could not hide in time: hope.

‘You’ve been a long time coming up, Will. Your curfew must have been hours ago.’

William gnawed at his lip, watching his sire cautiously. ‘Yeh, well, I’ve been doin’ things, er… in the garden. The nights are long now. Might as well not waste them.’

‘True enough.’

‘Um, is something wrong?’

‘No. Why should anything be wrong?’

William shrugged.

Angelus put his hands in his pockets and wandered over to the window, gazing out. He could feel his childe’s eyes boring into his back, could almost hear the wheels of his mind turning.

‘We went to the park earlier,’ William abruptly volunteered. ‘That big one with the bandstand. Dru wanted to dance.’

‘And did you?’

‘Yeh. But I trod on her toes apparently, so she just danced by herself in the end.’ He laughed ruefully. ‘I can’t really dance when I can’t hear the music.’

‘That’s my Dru for you.’

‘Yeh.’ William rocked back and forth on his heels for a second. ‘So… d’ you have a good evening then?’

‘Unusual.’

‘Oh. That’s good. Isn’t it?’

Angelus didn’t answer.

‘Sun’ll be up soon.’

‘Yes.’

‘Goin’ to be a nasty day. It’s cold out, hard frost.’

‘Yes. I can feel it.’

‘Yeh. Bloody cold this room.’

Angelus looked around, as if noticing it for the first time. ‘Why did you choose it? You could have had any room you fancied. Why this little one?’

‘Don’t call me that. Or don’t only do it when you’re cross with me.’

‘I’m not cross. Call you what?’

‘Little one.’

‘Little room. I meant little room.’

‘Oh.’

‘What do you want to be called then? Spike?’

He frowned because he’d forgotten about his earlier remark. Then he shrugged. ‘I dunno. Anything’s better than boy. Woof-woof. Me name’s Spike, watch out fer yer bones.’

Angelus smiled. ‘Come here.’ He held out his hand and William came and leant against him. After a while he let his head tilt to rest just comfortably in the crook of Angelus’s broad shoulder.

‘Are you really not cross?’

‘No.’

William gave a big contented sigh. ‘Because I like it up here.’

‘Fair enough. Anything you want for it: you know you only have to ask.’

William grinned. ‘I could get used to this being rich.’

‘Once you’ve been poor you never forget to appreciate money.’

‘Ain’t that the bleedin’ truth.’

Angelus looked down at him, slightly puzzled. ‘Ain’t?’

‘Eh? What?’ William blinked. ‘I think I’m about ready for my bed, Sire,’ he said in his normal voice, if rather sleepily.

‘Go on then. Fledglings need their rest.’

‘And that’s the bleeding truth too. Well certainly for this fledgling.’ He yawned, and started to undress. Angelus leaned back against the window frame and watched him. The copper kettle turned out to have washing water in it; and an ornamental Chinese box contained his soap, razor, and other personal things. ‘You goin’ to check I wash behind my ears?’ William joked, around a mouthful of toothbrush. Angelus only smiled.

When he was done, William bounded onto the bed and sat with his knees drawn up. ‘Tell me a bedtime story, Sire. Pleeeease.’

‘Why on earth would I want to tell you a story?’

‘Well… it’s nearly Christmas.’

Angelus grinned. ‘What has that got to do with it?’

‘I’m a vampire, I’m strong and powerful and can have anything I want.’

‘Oh, you’re telling me what a vampire is, now?’

‘Yeh. Cos you’re terribly old and stuck in your ways.’

‘What, like having daft notions about a childe showing respect to his sire?’

William lowered his head in a perfect display of deference, but for the cheeky grin playing over his face.

Angelus shook his head and came over to the bed. ‘And what do you want this story to be about?’

William wrinkled his forehead theatrically. ‘Hmm. Fluffy kittens and pretty flowers and flutterbys in the garden, of course.’ He lounged back and put his hands behind his head. ‘About you killing things, please Sire.’

‘Ah.’ Angelus gazed at him for a while with an unreadable expression, then he abruptly glanced around the room ‘Just let me set the mood right.’ He went and closed the solid shutters against the imminent dawn, lighting a single candle instead. In the flickering light the squirrels on the far side of the room seemed to shiver and move.

‘I’ll tell you a story from when I was a fledgling, not much older than you,’ Angelus said, returning to the bed and settling down beside William, who was now curled up with his nose just peeking out above the eiderdown. Angelus fished under the covers and, after two or three false starts that made William squirm with pleasure, he pulled out his childe’s left hand and placed it on his own thigh, splaying the fingers out.

‘Once upon a time there were four pretty daughters of a miller,’ he said, touching each finger in turn. ‘A sturdy practical one who was the eldest, a tall elegant skilful one, a strange romantic one, and a little thin baby on the end.’

William waggled his little finger to show he got the point. ‘And the miller?’

‘Was powerful and off to one side and not relevant to this story. Now be quiet and listen. The little one,’ he joggled the tip, ‘wasn’t as strong as the others, or as useful at doing important things.’

‘What sort of things?’

‘Things like picking out which sacks of grain should be milled first, or where they should steal their woollen stockings from,’

‘They stole their stockings?’

‘Yes. All millers and their daughters are thieves.’

‘I’m starting to like them more and more.’

‘Good. Then perhaps you will pay attention. So sometimes that made the little one very, very sad. Because the little one wasn’t always very patient, and wanted to be big and grown up like the others. And sometimes the little one would do very silly things in order to get the other three’s attention; and then the little one got shouted at and told off, and that made the little one feel even less happy. Until sometimes the little one would even pretend not to like the others, just to feel better about not fitting in.’

William didn’t say anything. His pale blue eyes were looking solemnly down at his hand.

‘And the eldest one was sad about this,’ Angelus went on.

‘The eldest one?’ William said in surprise.

‘Yes, the eldest one.’ Angelus was watching his reactions carefully. ‘Because although she was furthest away from the little one, she was still sturdy and practical and the eldest, and felt she was responsible for all her family, and she cared a great deal about what happened to them all.’

‘Oh.’

‘But the little one,’ another little joggle, ‘was too wrapped up in being wicked and sad and trying to get their attention, to even notice how much the others already cared, and that they didn’t actually need to be reminded all the time that he was still sitting there on the end.’

‘Oh.’ William frowned. ‘The end of what?’

‘Eh?’

‘The end of what? These are supposed to be miller’s daughters.’

‘They were miller’s daughters. And sitting on the end of the bench where they all sat at the big table in their kitchen every night. All in a row to eat their supper. Who’s telling this story?’

‘You are, Sire.’

‘Good. Otherwise someone’s going to find that his squirrels have been confiscated.’

‘You wouldn’t!’ One glance up met a raised eyebrow that told him the answer to that. ‘Do please go on.’

‘I intend to. Now, the tall elegant one… who appears to have a black ink mark on it— What have you been writing, William?’

‘I’ll tell you later. Go on with the story.’

Angelus abruptly got up and headed for the glass display case.

‘Sire!’ William squealed, and dived after him, wrapping his arms round Angelus’s legs.

‘Get off, you little clown!’

‘No!’

Angelus limped across the room, dragging William with him. ‘Have I at last found a way to keep you in line? Now, if I ask a question, I expect an answer.’

‘I was writing a letter.’

Angelus stopped. ‘To whom?’

William hesitated. ‘You’re goin’ to be angry.’

‘You think I’m not angry already?’

William snorted. ‘Yeh. Course you are.’ He rolled over so he was looking up at the other man. ‘To the charity kennels. I’ve asked them to come and take me away. Find a nice family to take me in for Christmas.’

Angelus bent down and swiped him across the head. ‘What makes you think anyone would have you, Spike?’

‘They will find my dashing good looks and winning ways irresistible.’

Angelus scooped him up and tossed him back on the bed. William was laughing and trying to get away across the mattress, so Angelus grabbed him from behind in a bear hug. ‘Who?’

‘Alice.’

‘Who’s Alice? And if you say something about Wonderland I’m sending you downstairs to fetch my squirrel gun.’

‘My Alice. My sister.’ William had gone very still. Angelus slowly released him and sat back on his heels. William turned to face him. ‘I said you were going to be angry.’

‘But you told me. You could have lied.’

William looked down. ‘Yeh.’

‘How long has this been going on?’

‘It’s the first time. And that’s the truth.’

‘But you’ve posted it already. That’s why you were slow coming up.’

‘Er, yeh. It’s posted. What do you mean slow? I—’

‘Never mind about that. What did you tell her, Will?’

‘Just things. That I was busy and happy and she wasn’t to worry about me. Nothing specific. Just, you know… stuff.’

‘Did you tell her where you are? What had happened?’

‘No and no. I’m not stupid.’

‘So what made you so upset you wanted to write to your sister?’

‘Why do you think I’m upset?’

‘Because I know you, Will. When you are most scared, you are most likely to play cheerful or directly challenge me. When you are trying to cover something up, you stare at your feet and bluster. And when you are really upset, you hit things and shout, calm down, smoke, then talk about anything but the subject. And tonight is the first time you and I have ever been reduced to discussing the weather.’

‘Well you’ve never come to my room before. I was thrown.’

Angelus ignored the evasion. ‘Why are you upset, Will?’

William flopped down on the bed, half turning his back on Angelus. ‘It’s not important.’ He started to kick his legs childishly. ‘So what do vampires do for Christmas then, Sire?’

‘Will, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.’

‘Help me! That’s rich.’

‘Of course I want to help you.’

‘Why?’ William turned on him, flaring up. ‘Why would you ever do anything for me?’

‘Because I’m your sire,’ Angelus said calmly. ‘Now tell me about Alice.’

William shrugged. ‘Nothing to tell. She’s my sister.’ Angelus just watched him. There was a heavy sigh. ‘She is my last link, the last little bit of the old me that’s left. And it’s nearly Christmas and… I don’t know why I did it. I just wanted to.’ He looked up at Angelus miserably. ‘What are you going to do?’

‘Where and when did you post it?’

‘The box on the corner.’

Angelus took out his fob watch and examined it, then pushed it back in his waistcoat pocket with a click of his tongue. ‘Some things, William, are beyond the control of even a master vampire, and one of those is the Royal Mail. We’ve missed stopping the collection, so it looks as if Alice will get her letter after all. She doesn’t know where you are?’

‘No. I promise I didn’t tell her.’

‘And what about the fact that she knows you are dead?’

William shrugged. ‘I didn’t actually mention that part.’

Angelus laughed. ‘Sometimes, William, you can totally astonish me. The rest of the time you’re merely a commonplace puzzling enigma.’ He shook his head resignedly, then shuffled over to sit back against the bed head, still laughing. ‘Come over here, Will.’

‘Why?’

‘Just do as you’re told.’ Angelus patted the bed invitingly.

‘Why? What are you going to do?’ William asked warily.

‘Stop being so suspicious and come and sit beside me.’ He finally came, though very cautiously. Angelus pulled William against himself, and rested his chin on his childe’s shoulder. ‘Now, Will, what on earth is going on in that head of yours? What’s the matter?’

‘Absolutely nothing. Just go ahead and hit me, as bloody usual.’

‘No, I’m not going to hit you tonight.’

‘Oh.’

‘Well don’t sound so upset about it. I sometimes think you’re getting like Dru.’

William didn’t notice the slight edge of a question in his sire’s tone. ‘No I’m not,’ he said crossly. ‘But if you’re going to leather me I’d rather get it over with.’

‘I am going to leather you, as you put it, but not for writing to Alice. I am however going to punish you, both for coming in late and for then going out again to the post-box; and since I need you for the Hatherthwaites you can consider it part of your punishment to wait until I feel like doing it. If you behave yourself I might even let you off.’ There was a very heavy stress on the suggestion that he behave. Angelus settled his arm more tightly around William, letting his fingertips brush against his upper arms. ‘Feel the muscles on you now, boy. And you were such a scrawny little thing, the night I brought you home.’

William was looking blankly into space. After a while he smiled quietly and said, ‘You never finished the story. What happened to the miller’s daughters?’

‘Them? Oh for heaven’s sake.’ Angelus ruffled his hair in an exasperated manner, then kissed him fondly on the top of his scruffy head and took hold of his hand again, splaying out the fingers as before. ‘So, big grown up Master William, one night the pretty miller’s daughters were all four sitting in a row at the big kitchen table, when there came a rap, rap, rap at their door.’ He knocked the edge of the bed to make a rapping. William settled back against his shoulder, and with his other hand fished out Angelus’s watch and started to play with it.

‘Don’t over-wind it; the spring is weak. It’s terribly old and decrepit like me. Now the four miller’s daughters—’

‘Pretty miller’s daughters.’

‘The four pretty miller’s daughters, all sat bolt upright, and said, “Lawks! Who on the dusty earth can that be at this time of night?” Because they were very stupid and couldn’t tell where a story was obviously leading.’ William sniggered. ‘And a deep manly voice came from outside saying, “Oh elegant ladies, I am a beautiful wandering stranger. Come and invite me in.” ’

‘Bound to work.’

‘Well I wouldn’t put you past trying it. But fortunately these miller’s daughters were densely stupid, so they let me in and I ate them all up.’ He kissed William. ‘Now give me back my watch.’

William started to unhook the other end of the long watch chain, with a little frown of concentration that made Angelus kiss him again. ‘Remind me, when was it, exactly, that you became such a baby?’

‘The three-hundred-and-forty-seventh time that you called me boy,’ William said pertly. He suddenly froze. ‘You kept it.’

Angelus followed his gaze and saw the bar end of the chain, which he had just taken out. From it, encased in a little golden band, dangled William’s tooth.

‘Yes, I kept it.’

William’s tongue went automatically to the place where his new fang was just beginning to peek through. ‘You bastard, you evil bastard.’ He hurled the watch onto the floor and tore himself away from Angelus, spitting curses – every hint of childishness abruptly vanished. The master vampire moved like lightning, grabbing him before he could get off the bed and pinning him to the mattress with his full weight.

But then Angelus did nothing, just holding him down while William raged and fumed, until he dropped into frustrated silence. When the young vampire was quiet at last, Angelus moved again, very slowly straddling him, both hands still on William’s shoulders, keeping him firmly in place.

‘So, Will, what am I going to do about my naughty little one?’

William scowled into the mattress. ‘Why don’t you leave me alone. I’m not naughty, and I most certainly am not your little one.’

‘Oh you’re not naughty. You’re obedient as they come, are you?’

‘Fuck you, Angelus.’ He bucked and writhed futilely again.

Again Angelus waited.

When William had once more subsided with a whimper, Angelus lifted up a hand and stroked his childe’s hair. ‘Come along, Will. Do you take me for a fool? We both know you have been deliberately acting the mischievous imp for weeks now. Take tonight: you came in late, several hours late, although you know perfectly well that you shouldn’t. And I don’t much care if it was deliberate or an honest mistake, because either way you’re at fault. I set the rules and it is your business to ensure you keep them. But you don’t. And I want it to stop. Because we can’t keep on like this, Will, can we? This isn’t making anybody happy. You must know that. You’re not stupid.’

‘Yes I am,’ William said sullenly. ‘I’m the stupid little one on the end, remember, old man.’

‘Careful.’ Angelus growled, before William really did go too far.

‘I always have to be careful. You’re a bleeding master vampire.’

‘Oh you do actually remember that sometimes, do you?’

‘Course I do. You’re… you’re all I think about, Sire.’

Angelus blinked and then stooped to kiss him again. ‘William, I know you are afraid of—’

‘I am not afraid,’ William said furiously.

‘Aren’t you? If you’d written to this Alice and then tried to hide it I might believe it was just because you were unhappy. But to do it and then tell me? That is the action of a naughty little fledgling who wants more attention than is good for him. And I think it’s because he is afraid of being ignored. Am I wrong? Why don’t you tell me what the matter is, then.’ Then Angelus carefully moved off, and returned to his place at the head of the bed.

William instantly turned his back on him, but didn’t try to leave. After a while he pushed himself up onto his elbows, and began to study his own thumb very intently. There was a ragged flap of skin where he had worried at the nail. He brought it up to his teeth and tried to nip it off cleanly; then he looked at it, and suddenly turned his hand over and held it palm out to his sire. ‘See that: that little scar on the edge of my baby finger. My father gave me that. He hit my hand with a ruler once. Well, three times. And the third time, he split the skin. Want to know why?’

‘Enlighten me.’

‘I ran away. Went for a whole day and half the night, because… actually I can’t remember why. Something important at the time. I was only eight. And I stayed out until it had got really dark. It was freezing cold and pouring with rain and I was terrified of the dark. But I was too scared to go home, or to go on, so I just sat there and felt unhappy, and wished Pa would come and find me and give me a hug and make everything all right.’ He flexed his hand, watching the little white ridge of the scar swell and retreat. ‘Then he turned up. Don’t know why it took him so long, cos I hadn’t got far. And I was so relieved. I thought it would be all right. I thought he’d lecture me a bit, and then he’d take me home and everything would be forgiven. Only it wasn’t like that.’

Angelus was listening carefully, studying his childe with a small curious frown.

‘He wrapped me in his coat,’ William went on. ‘And that was nice because it was very cold out; and he put his arm around me to steer me home. He hadn’t actually said much, just a few words about how he’d found me. Nothing complicated. And he walked me home like that. He had one of those bulls-eye lanterns, I remember. Like policemen have. And there was this smell of the hot tin. You know that smell? Like old dry blood. I hate that smell.

Well he got me home. Mama wasn’t there. I don’t know where she was. Away I think. And my sisters. They weren’t part of it; it was just him and me, that night. And I was so tired and miserable, and I kept hoping he would pick me up and carry me up to bed like he sometimes used to. That was what I was most worried about. Was he so upset that he’d send me up to bed on my own? Because I didn’t want that. I wanted him to carry me upstairs, or at least come up with me. Only he didn’t. He took his coat off me and hung it on the hook in the hall. We had this fancy coat and hat stand, with a mirrored back, and he always used the top peg on one side, while I used the peg on the other side. There was a special stool for me to stand on so I could reach it, when I was small.

Only he hung it on the wrong peg. I can remember saying, “Daddy, you put it on my peg. That’s wrong.” And then I looked up at him, and I think that was when I understood just how cross he really was; because he didn’t make any answer, he just looked at me with this look of contempt and sorrow all mixed up, and he wouldn’t say anything.’

William chewed at his thumb again. ‘I burst into tears. I’d been trying to be brave up till then, but that was too much.’ He examined the tiny red gash where he had torn the skin off, a little blood oozing out. ‘I just went on sobbing while he took me into the study and he hit my hands, three times on each one, with the ruler. And on the last stroke, he broke the skin.’

‘Then what?’ Angelus asked.

‘Then he sent me to bed, and he never mentioned it again. A few weeks later I was sent away to school for the first time. It was the only time he ever hit me.’

‘He sounds like a soft fool.’

‘By your standards, maybe.’ He swung round and sat on the edge of the bed, still with his back to Angelus. ‘Do you know why I cried?’

‘Guilt, I imagine. You had a soul then. Maybe fear.’

‘No. It was because that was the moment I realised that he wasn’t all-powerful. Can you remember that moment? When you first felt let down by your father.’ He wasn’t looking, so he didn’t see Angelus’s frown. ‘He’d been everything to me up till then, omnipotent if you like. Everything. But when I’d needed him, he hadn’t been able to find me, and when he did, he was just cross.’

‘And he broke your trust.’

William swallowed and nodded. ‘After that I could love him, I could even admire him as I got older, but I could never worship him again. And I would never entirely trust him.’ He glared at Angelus, not daring to say it outright but willing the message to get across.

‘Do you know why I keep your fang?’

William shook his head sullenly.

‘It may not be what you think. I keep it because that was the time you really, truly trusted me. And when you are being a real nuisance I like to remember that moment, when you turned to me and trusted that I was right when I told you to change back.’ He came forward carefully, and put his arm around William. ‘Was I right? Did it hurt less when you changed?’

‘Yes,’ William said, in a very small voice.

‘Do you know how I knew?’

‘No.’

‘Because someone once did it to me.’

There was an awkward silence.

‘Sorry,’ the vampire whispered. ‘I am so sorry.’

‘You won’t ever do it again, will you?’

William shook his head vehemently. ‘No, Sire. I’ll never bite Dru again. I swear. I really do swear it.’ It was a promise he was to keep for over a hundred years.

‘That’s all right, then.’ Angelus kissed him once more. ‘Nothing left to be sorry about.’ He quickly picked up his watch and the little fang, and tucked them out of sight.

William leant back, gazing at the ceiling. Then very quietly he said, ‘I feel… I sometimes feel so scared that I can’t move. And then the only way I can cope is to sort of ride it, because then it’s as if I’m not there any more, I can hide in the feeling of rage and excitement, and I don’t have to think about being frightened any more. I don’t have to think about anything.’

Angelus was listening carefully. ‘Ah,’ he said, as if something had just become clear to him at last. ‘Do you want to know the moral of the story?’

William shrugged.

‘The moral of the story is: Darla is always right, just not always for the right reasons.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘Quite a lot to me. So you should simply accept it.’

‘But I can’t!’ William wailed. ‘I must never just accept everything you say. Don’t you see that? I’ve got to fight you. I’ve got to. It’s the only way I can still be myself. Because otherwise I feel I’m not here anymore. That it isn’t me, it’s just some toy you’ve made, some animal you’ve trained; and when you say bark, I do.’

‘Not an animal, William. A vampire.’

‘I hate it.’

Angelus was silent. William was chewing at his thumb again, little sharp snips that sounded loud in the quiet room.

‘I can’t turn the clock back, Will. I can’t say it’s all over, and make you human again. This is it now. And even if your sister would have you, you would tear her throat out within a month. However hard you tried, sooner or later you wouldn’t be able to stop yourself. You would grow hungry and forgetful, and all you would see was a warm moving meal in front of you, and you would bite.’

‘No I wouldn’t. Alice is my sister.’

‘She was his sister: William’s. The dead William’s. Not yours.’

‘Well who am I, then?’ He looked at Angelus with pleading grey eyes. ‘Spike? Your spaniel vampire, who comes when you call, and cringes when you beat me, and then fawns against your hand because it is the only chance of affection I’ve got left. Is that who I am?’

Angelus looked at him steadily. ‘Yes,’ he said simply.

‘No,’ William said, in desperate pleading.

‘Look at me. Whose are you?’

‘Yours Sire.’

‘Mine. Do you still not understand what that means?’

‘Yeh. It means you own me.’

‘No. It means you belong to me. And that means I hold you closer than any father, any lover, any human could dream of. If you’ll just let me I can be the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to you. And all you have to do in return is trust me.’

‘What you’re never going to lay a finger on me again!’

‘Stop being naive, boy. That’s not what I mean. I may school you, William, I may hurt you even; but I will never ever, while it is in my power to prevent it, let any harm come to you.’

‘But you killed Allwood, you…’ He clenched his fists. ‘You’re a demon.’

‘I’m your sire. Trust me.’ He hugged him very tightly. ‘You only have to trust me. Can you try to remember that?’

‘Yes Sire.’

‘Good. But remember one other thing.’ He leaned forward and whispered in William’s ear. ‘You may be my dog, Spike, but I do love my pets.’

William stared at him in astonishment. Angelus let him be for a while. William had turned away; he abruptly dashed his hand over his face, and Angelus could feel his body stiffening as he fought with his emotions.

‘You’re still fighting it, Will. You told me once that the only bit of being a vampire that you liked was being able to show your emotions.’

‘You taught me, remember, you taught me how to control my face.’

‘Oh, little one, you don’t have to hide it from me. I’ll love you whatever you do.’

William’s body began to shake.

‘Come along,’ Angelus began to purr, stroking his hair with long smooth strokes. ‘You know I love you. And you love me. Don’t you?’

‘How can I?’ William sobbed. ‘How, Angelus? You frighten me so much! I’m so scared all the time I just want to curl into a ball and hide.’

‘But you’re supposed to be scared of me, Will. And you aren’t scared of anything else, are you?’

‘No.’

‘Exactly. And you must like that.’

‘Yes.’

‘What else do you like?’

‘I dunno. Dru. Hunting, sometimes. You, sometimes. When you’re in a good mood.’

‘And that’s not enough?’

William shrugged. ‘I like being strong an’ fast. Fighting’s fun. The night can be so beautiful it makes me want to cry. But…’

Angelus put his hand lightly on William’s head, turning him back to face him. ‘But you miss the sun. You miss your old friends and family. You miss having a place in the human world. You miss being free and able to do what you want.’

‘Yeh.’

‘You hate always having to do as you’re told. You hate the fact that you have to be my servant. You hate the fact that I can catch you and dominate you any time I choose. You hate the fact that as soon as the Hatherthwaites have gone I’m going to tan your hide for your various crimes and there is nothing you can do about it.’

‘Yeh.’

‘Hardly surprising, you’re a vampire. Tell me, when you were alive, what was the worst time you ever had?’

When I was eight, I suppose. My first few terms at school.’

‘And what would you say now to an eight-year-old who was complaining that they couldn’t stand it and life was unbearable?’

William sighed. ‘Buck up and sit it out, it does get better.’

‘Exactly. You’re barely nine months old. It does get better.’ He smiled. ‘You may be a puppy, little one, but I’m going to make sure you grow up into a big, strong mastiff, not a spaniel. Now what did I once tell you about not spending too much time in your head? Stop worrying about what is going to happen tomorrow.’

‘How?’

‘By concentrating on the soon-to-be-Christmas present.’ Angelus kissed him then again, but not a feather-soft brush on the forehead or cheek this time, a hard bruising kiss that drove against the thin skin of his lips, to the blood and the bone underneath. Forcing the way in, Angelus pressed his own tongue up against the tip of William’s fang, until a single drop of blood welled up and trickled down the young vampire’s throat. Blood laced with power, and the promise of the might of a master vampire, while still the kiss penetrated deeper. A kiss William began to return as strongly.

Then frantic young hands came round to tear away the cloth and words and thoughts that came between them, while Angelus’s fingers twined into the back of William’s hair, holding him firmly, mouth against mouth; searching and pressing in.

Neither drew breath. Silent as dead things their icy bodies tangled together. Angelus pushed William down against the rough horse-hair mattress, never breaking contact, feeling every movement through his skin as much as seeing it, knowing that the young demon was spreading his legs wide. And without pause, Angelus entered, smooth, cold flesh slipping in so William arched and pounded the mattress with his fists.

Again and again Angelus thrust, William driving up to meet him each time, chest rubbing against chest, lips, tongues, and fangs grazing one against the other. Sparks of fire flying yellow behind their eyes, as their locked gazes never broke.

Angelus tilted his head, exposing his neck, and William bit down, seizing what was being offered. Suckling off the heady potency that had given him new life, revelling in it, burning up all sense but the fervent immediacy of energy. Then Angelus bit too, so they were joined inside and out, and the rich, hot scent of blood filled the air. Understanding of his own potential flared up in William. Knowledge of what he was and what he yet could be, slick and bright as quicksilver, hard as iron. Speed, and strength, and power beyond human imagining; with the lust for life of the demon in a mind that would live and grow forever, forged anew in the devil’s furnace to cut the night like a sword. A red flame blazed through both vampires as they came together with a victorious howl.

And when Angelus finally slid out he pulled his sweet little William securely against him, as they slumped together into sleep.