Archive ~ Writing ~ Links ~ Extras ~  Site ~ Home

Angel: If I were you, I’d start thinking strategy.
Eve: And here I am, thinking revenge.
-- “You’re Welcome”

“It’s good of you to come.” Eve opened the door to her apartment. The other woman stood there, unmoving.

“Oh! I’m sorry. Please, come in.”

She did. She was dressed in black lace, a gauzy skirt swirling around her ankles. She carried a clutch purse -- also black -- in one hand. The hands themselves were something to see, with long dark red nails.

“You called me. On the telephone. Your voice -- it echoed in my ears.” Drusilla tilted her head to one side. “I hear it still.”

“Yes, I called because -- well, I need your help.”

“With my boys.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Your boys?”

“Angel. And Spike.”

“Yes. Well, Angel in particular. You see -- he hurt me. And I want revenge.”

Fifteen minutes later they were sitting in her living room talking, Eve with a glass of iced tea in her hand and Drusilla with a mug of blood. It was human, and very fresh. Eve knew where to get the good stuff.

“So you see,” Eve continued, squeezing a slice of lemon into her iced tea, “Lindsey’s gone. And it’s Angel’s fault. And I want him to pay.”

“You want to hurt him,” Drusilla said. “Like he hurt you.”

“So here’s what I had in mind.” Eve leaned in closer. “Angel only functions with his little coterie around him, his group of friends. I’m thinking you turn them. Not all of them, not if you don’t want to. Just -- perhaps Wesley. Or Fred.

“I have the resources of the Senior Partners at my disposal. You would be generously compensated.”

“Don’t need a purse,” Drusilla said. “Sounds like a good game.” She clapped her hands together, three times.

“You’ll do it, then?”

“I will.”

***

They spent a few days spying at Wolfram and Hart, Eve flattened against the wall and hoping no one would notice. She got an odd look or two, but mostly everyone went about their business.

Eve wasn’t afraid of Drusilla. It was funny; in some ways, she supposed, she should be, but Eve worked closely with the Senior Partners and had thus learned to reconsider her definition of “monster.”

Drusilla seemed positively gleeful at getting to spy on Angel and Spike. “My boys,” she said. “They bicker.”

“That one’s Fred,” Eve said, pointing. “I think she’d make a good vampire, wouldn’t you?”

“She will be blue,” Drusilla replied. “The Old One is coming.”

“Blue?”

“The god-king,” Drusilla said. She started giggling, and said nothing more. Eve could tell this was going to be a long week.

***

It was Valentine’s Day. Eve missed Lindsey fiercely. And she was surprised to find she wasn’t the only one lonely on the holiday.

“Angel brought me a heart,” Drusilla said.

“A heart.”

“Still warm. Mmm.” She licked her lips.

“I’ll see what I can find.” Eve got on the phone but couldn’t find a fresh heart. Evidently they were in demand for Valentine’s Day. She did find a liver, although the vendor wasn’t one hundred percent sure it was human. Eve decided it would be best to stick with blood. She poured Drusilla some.

“My vote is for Wesley. It’s up to you, of course. You could just kill him -- but I think it would be so much more satisfying to turn him, don’t you, sweetie? I think he’d make a great vampire.”

“I’m going to be a mummy,” Drusilla replied. Eve grinned. Then winced, as Drusilla’s teeth were suddenly closing around her throat. Eve picked up the steak knife off her table and stabbed Drusilla with it. It didn’t do much damage, but it startled her enough that she released Eve. Drusilla changed her bite to a kiss, pressing her lips slightly against Eve’s throat.

“I brought you here to turn *them*,” Eve said angrily. “Wesley and Fred, and whoever else of Angel’s little gang you think look tasty. Sweetie, this is not part of the plan.”

“I’m going to be a mummy,” Drusilla said again, and swayed in place, her eyes closed. Eve wasn’t sure what this meant, but it seemed like the immediate danger was over.

“I’m going to take a shower,” Eve said, weary. It was hard, Valentine’s Day without Lindsey.

She got in the shower to discover the hot water wasn’t working. Ugh. She took a shower anyway, with cold water, washing her hair as hurriedly as possible. Her twenty-dollar shampoo spilled down the bathtub drain. Eve got out, shivering, and wrapped herself in a thick red towel.

***

A week later, Eve thought Drusilla had had enough time spying and ought to be ready to make her move. Drusilla hadn’t made a move toward *her* since Valentine’s Day. She’d been staying at Eve’s apartment, and seemed at least to be keeping it neat.

“OK,” Eve said, “it’s time to go after Angel.”

Drusilla collapsed in a fit of giggles. “He’s a *dolly*,” she said.

“A what?”

Sure enough, when she came to Wolfram and Hart later that day she discovered Spike wrestling with a small, fuzzy puppet that bore a strong resemblance to Angel. A crowd of Wolfram and Hart employees had gathered to watch; Eve was pleased to see she didn’t attract attention at all.

“Yes, I'm a puppet,” Angel said to the crowd. “Doesn't mean you don't have work to do.”

The crowd dispersed.

Drusilla slunk in behind Eve. She headed for Wesley’s office. Eve tiptoed behind her, eager to see what would happen.

Really, she thought Wesley would make a fine vampire. He was strong, and cunning. The last two years had demonstrated that.

There was a crash, and then Drusilla ran out of the office, whimpering. Eve hid behind a door, peeking out through the crack as best as she could.

Wesley ran out, carrying a bottle and a cross. Holy water, Eve guessed. That explained Drusilla’s whimpering.

Drusilla ran out of the building, and Eve followed. Sure enough, the vampire looked a bit singed.

“This isn’t a fun game anymore,” Drusilla proclaimed.

“And there’s a sure bet they’re on to you now,” Eve said. “No chance of sneaking up on them anymore. Maybe if I managed to capture Fred, and bring her to you?”

“No, no, no!” Drusilla whined like a young child. “This isn’t a fun game. I want to go back to Prague.”

“Fine! Go!” Eve was out no money, after all. She hoped Drusilla would want to participate, as she’d been willing to turn Darla for Wolfram and Hart a few years back. Spotting that in Drusilla’s file is what made Eve think of having her come turn some of Angel’s buddies. But she was growing tired of the crazy vampire, and wanted her place to herself again.

That night, Eve took her sleeping bag and headed to a nearby park. She lay down and gazed at the stars above her. It was a beautiful night. Something bad was going to happen to Fred, and Angel was a puppet.

It wasn’t what she’d planned. But it was a start.

Fics by author ~ Fics by rating ~ Fic by pairing