EMAIL: [email protected]
URL: www.geocities.c o m/coda_spikez/
DISCLAIMER: Amazing to think that we can play with some characters owned by Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy/Fox with just the inclusion of this little line. Yay!
RATING: R
PAIRINGS: B/S (*sigh*)
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Inspired by an OLD B-Grade flick that's still one of my favourites of the same name starring Helena Bonham-Carter. Only remember the beginning of the movie so where this leads is anyone's guess. 
TEASER: AU, Earl Summerly a compulsive gambler wagers the hand in marriage of his daughter Elizabeth Summerly to the evil Lord Angelus. Can Lord William Ripper rescue Elizabeth?

CHAPTER 1

The darkened room filled with an air of anticipation. Like vultures to the impending slaughter, they watched as the dice rolled and rolled. the face of the thrown die gleaming disastrously in the dull light. Earl Henry Summerly stared at the die in horror. Beads of sweat rolled down from his forehead to join the rivulets that flowed to his soaking shirt and his askew cravat. Henry's gray eyes looked nervously at his opponent.

'Surely Lord Angelus would not ask for the bill of wager to be upheld? Everyone knew of Lord Angelus's propensity for cruelty but God help him, he had wagered everything he had on the table tonight.'

Fuelled by the goading of false supporters, Earl Summerly had given in to his two main vices: Alcohol and gambling. As his glass was refilled, the stakes were raised. Already dangerously in debited to this man and a disappointment to his daughter, Henry had foolishly thought that he could win it all back. He had been advised the stars were in his favour. The dice could not be faithful to one man for so long. Tonight was to be his night of redemption. But it was all in vain, as 'Angel' again had the devil's luck.

Lord Angelus' eyes danced in triumph. The dull light glinted in their black depths as if they were burning black coals. He was a handsome man by the standards of many a lady at court, but his tall broad frame, dark features and moustache hid the heart of a monster. He was self-serving to his own whims, uncharitable to his tenants' pleas for extension and cruel to his servants. Long used to the power tied to his wealth and position, he demanded his due and everything else as well.

Angel glanced at the pathetic excuse for a man in front of him, and limited his smile to a wry one. The conquest was not complete yet. Henry now was completely at his mercy. In the last throw Angel had won Summerly Estate in its entirety. However, the bricks and mortar had not been Angel's aim, but he was so close that he could smell it. The fear emitting from Henry was also a nice accompaniment to his approaching victory. Dejection was the key to victory in Angel's book and he intended to claim his prize in full.

"Well Earl Summerly, it seems my luck holds firm. I can't explain it. I thought for sure this would be your round. However never fear, I am not hungry to claim your estate. I merely participated tonight in the spirit of the game," Angel said with a guileless tone.

Henry breathed a sigh of relief and patted his forehead with the already damn 'kerchief. He smiled a weak smile. As much as he hated being thankful to this man, at this moment, he could kiss his feet. Angel had at last shown humanity and taken pity on the product of his vices.

"However, I'm afraid that a wager is a wager, and with all these witnesses, I believe I acted within his Majesties' regulations. Isn't that right gentlemen?" Angel gestured to the pack assembled at the table. They all nodded their heads dutifully and murmured amongst themselves.

Henry looked around him in distaste. Not one among them willing to help him in his hour of need. Them, his so-called friends and lackeys that had gathered around him in the days when Joyce, god rest her soul, and he were the toast of the town, they abandoned him now. 

"Well, unless you have something more interesting to offer to this table, I'm afraid that I will be forced to enforce the bill of wager," Angel leaned back in his seat sipping the red wine. The knife was plunged and being twisted for maximum pain.

Henry stared at his hands. What else could this man want from him? He had already given him all that he possessed, his ancestral home, his properties, his entire world in fact. Except for one thing it seemed……..

"Earl Summerly, if I might be allowed to speak," Wesley Wyndham-Price one of Lord Angelus's sycophants spoke up.

Henry looked in his direction briefly before returning again to the contemplation of his palms. Wesley took his glance as a confirmation, however transient. He cleared his throat self-importantly and patted his cravat to assure himself if it was still there perhaps.

"As you might know Earl Summerly," Wesley began, "Lord Angelus recently lost his wife, Lady Darla, in childbirth. May God rest her soul. The Lady left behind her son, Conner, in lieu of her sacrifice. Lord Angelus has been at a loss, I imagine, with an infant and the demands of his estate." Wesley paused and looked expectantly at Henry as if the matter was understood. However the man in front of him was shell-shocked at the recent events and unable to understand the pretentious babble.

Wesley huffed in annoyance and looked towards Angel, who raised an eyebrow pointedly and grimaced at the man. So taking a deep breath Wesley continued on.

"Well it seems we could find an agreeable point of wager in the next round that might solve both your problems. Lord Angelus obviously requires a new wife to take care of his home and you have a daughter of a marriageable age." Wesley again paused and glanced at Angel. Finding whatever sign he was looking for, he continued with a swiftness to be finished in this role.

"Perhaps if Lord Angelus agrees, you can exchange bills of wager for all your losses of tonight for the hand of your daughter, Lady Elizabeth?"

Henry finally roused from his stupor of self-pity looked with anger at Angel. Elizabeth detested Lord Angelus, his advances at every instance since he had seen her at Summerly Court had been refused by her. She had long declared to her father her abhorrence for the man.

'He couldn't do it; he couldn't give his only child into the arms of such a monster. She would never forgive him. She would rather die than to become such a man's bride. But what would he have to announce to her instead, was sure to break her heart. She loved Summerly Court. She'd been born there and had spent her whole life there, just as he and his forefathers before him. He was worthless now. Not a penny to bless himself with now that Lord Angelus was through with him.'

Angel leaned forward and placed the collection of papers in the centre of the table. "I am a generous man Earl Summerly, so I agree to Mr. Wyndham-Price's suggestion. You have my word that all your losses will be yours again in this final wager." Angel smiled again, and returned to his wineglass, watching the indecision on Henry's face grow.

'He had given him the promise of salvaging his pride and property for the hand of his daughter yet the man was still hesitating.' Angel thought angrily, being careful to remain aloof and unaffected by the battle of wills that was unfolding. 'He was finally going to get what he wanted for so long. Elizabeth Summerly had been a thorn in his side ever since he had caught a glimpse of her at Summerly Court.'

Her golden tresses, green eyes and her English rose complexion made her the classic English beauty. However the passionate mouth and the angry eyes had shown Angel that this was no ordinary debutante. Her generous curves encased in the empire dress only added to the appeal. From first sight he had wanted her. His usual rigmarole of seduction however had not worked on the girl. She refused to be swayed by gifts or compliments. In fact she had shown him nothing but contempt for his efforts. In spite of or because of it Angel's obsession with her grew. When one method failed he turned to another. Threatening her father and his debts to him in exchange for her virginity also proved fruitless. So in a fit of anger he had taken to her little redheaded friend. The poor girl hadn't stood a chance against his advances and had given in quickly unlike her friend.

Angel smiled cruelly at the memory of the sweet strawberry girl. He had his fun with her, taking out all his anger on her. Afterwards she had begged him for help, disgraced for her mistakes. Ceasing to find a use for her, Angel discarded her as he did his injured horses. They had found her floating in the river one cold morning assumed to have ended the shame she brought on her family.

What he hadn't been able to accomplish with honey, he was now getting with poison. He would drink from those haughty lips and plunder that sweet mouth. She would be his.

Henry deliberated,. He was between a rock and a hard place. All avenues filled him with anxiety. Yet despite having reached this fork in the road, due to his vices, Henry was unable to resist the chance to regain his losses.

"I agree," Henry breathed with defeat.

Wesley smiled smugly and glanced at Angel. His job was accomplished and the trap was set. Now it was up to the roll of the die. Devil only knew what gave Angel his run of luck tonight. Perhaps it was the evil purpose of his cause that fuelled it.

Angel's face showed no reaction, to him it was inevitable. His desire would be fulfilled. He carefully picked up one dice and then the other, and placed them in front of Henry. "Your throw Sir"

Henry picked up the die and weighed them briefly, sending up a small prayer to help him in his hour of need. Lowering his hand he released his fate onto the table. With bated breath Henry waited as time slowed down to the infinite seconds, the die rolled and rolled, finally settling on their result.

Five and five. Henry was jubilant. It was his highest throw of the night. It was an impressive tally of ten and surely the Devil himself could not do better.

Angel pursed his lips and stared at the die before raising an eyebrow to regard Henry. "It seems that luck finally favours you tonight Earl Summerly."

He picked up the die and rolled them in his fingers once, twice as if to instill in them obedience to his cause and rolled them onto the table.

Henry watching again as the rules of the universe again disappeared and time extended unnaturally. The die stopped and the result was revealed to the shocked audience. Six and five. It was unbelievable Lord Angelus had done it. Elizabeth Summerly and the entire Summerly Estate was his.

Henry slowly stood up and turned. Pushing away from the clawing crowd, he paused at the doorway long enough to hear the congratulations of the hyenas before stumbling out into the dark night.

As soon as he departed, another figure separated from the crowd. Glancing back once in horror at the scene, Alexander rushed out to the front exit.

Angel finally abandoned his expressionless face and celebrated his good fortune by shaking hands with all the congratulators. His mind was already filled with images of what awaited him in the virginal halls of Summerly Court.

William, Lord Ripper, had watched the tail end of the melodrama unfold in front of him in the past hour. It was not his norm to frequent the mindless society gatherings that often led to extreme torment of the unfortunate gamblers or unexpected riches for the victors. He preferred the fresh country air running through his hair while he rode along the plains or even the brainless chatter of Cordelia and her companion Harmony. Actually scratch the last remark. Nothing was better than listening to the conversation when those two were together.

Tonight, though had been certainly been worth the curiosity value. He had a brief acquaintance with Lord Angelus in social events. Both were in the high echelons of English society, and Lord Angelus had often come across his path. However, tonight was the first time William appreciated the apprehension that peers felt for Angel. He was without a doubt the most merciless predator William had knowledge of. Earl Summerly, for all his vices could not appreciate how cleverly he had been trapped tonight, but William in his prime seat was all too aware.

Looking towards the bills of wager lying in front of Angel which he was happily shuffling through, William felt a strange pang of emotion. It was not often that William was distracted from his own path, but this strange night seemed to be having an effect on him. Perhaps it was the full moon that made the valiant knight within William stir, but whatever it was, he was empathic to the situation of the unknown girl that had fallen sight unseen into the arms of this brute. Without giving his brain time to reason, he crossed the room and stood before the table of wager.

 "Lord Angelus, it seems you have had a good evening. Is this a private affair or is anyone free to join?" William smirked down at Angel.

Angel looked up at Lord Ripper standing before him. William, the fifteenth Lord Ripper was well known for his strange behaviour. He thumbed his nose to convention and flaunted his affairs and mistresses to society, separated himself from social customs, and basically marched to his own band. The advantage of position and wealth afforded him this luxury. William had a dashing air of mystery about him too. His dark blond curls worn short and natural, impossibly high, chiseled cheekbones and ice blue eyes that seemed to be impervious to penetrate were at odds with a sardonic mouth.

Angel disliked him on principle as what he didn't understand he didn't like. Perhaps, also, in part due to the fact his wealth and power outranked his own. It was also due to this that Angel smiled and amused a friendly face to William.

Angel gestured to the recently vacated chair opposite him, "Lord Ripper, my dear friend, come join us. You are welcome at any table of mine."

William took the offered seat and leaned in, "It has been an exciting night and perhaps the bug has bitten me too. I would like to join your game."

"Of course Lord Ripper, but I must warn you. My luck tonight is unparalleled even by your charm of the dice," Angel said all the while preparing the die smugly. His luck had made him think of himself as invincible tonight, and he was ready to take any challenge.

"Well, how about a wager?" William placed his hand forward towards the pile of papers on the desk. "Your winnings of tonight for my ship Cecily. I know you have had your eye on her."

Angel's eyes could not conceal the spark that flashed through them at this proposition. The Cecily was the finest trading ship on the Kings' harbour. To possess it would be a great coup for him. Without hesitation, Angel pushed the bills of wager won from Henry Summerly to the centre of the table.

The wager set, Angel once again began the ritual of rubbing the die and rolling them. Six and five. It was close to perfection once again. Angel could almost feel the rush of victory under his skin. This wager was an unforeseen development but a welcome one.

William picked up the die. Glancing at them fleetingly, he rolled the die. Looking away from the centre of everyone's attention to the face of his opponent. He wasn't sure how he knew but he knew that he would win. But the victory was not a victory for the rewards on the table, but rather the expression on Angel's face.

William couldn't control his smirk as he watched Angels' face turned gray with shock then black with anger. Molten eyes flashed up at him. "It seems that I was wrong. Your luck on the table prevails Lord Ripper"

William smiled, "Yes it seems so Lord Angelus." He stood and collected the bills without breaking eye contact. Finally with a mock bow to Angel, William turned and left the party with the hand in marriage of one Elizabeth Summerly.

As the room remained stunned at this sudden turn of events, in a distance the sound of a pistol shot followed a few moments later with a horror filled scream. A valet rushed into the room. "Is there a doctor here? Earl Summerly has shot himself".

Chapter 2 ...>