Title: "Bound"
Author: EA Karras and Magnes
Rating: A very hard NC17. Violencia, blood, vampirism to the nth degree.
This one's not for the squeemish. Pairings: A lot. Even some for you
people who keep telling us you want Ray/Calhoun. Notes: This be not pretty.
It was originaly longer. We split it into two beause there's a lot of
stuff going on and we don't want you missing any of it. We may do this
with a lot of the arc 3 fics. Disclaimers: Due South belongs to Alliance,
Tom, James, Dire, Von and all their original buds belong to Magnes and
Karra. 

---

Eloise sat with the Moloch courtesan, checking to make sure that his
connection to Wyrm was still severed. She smiled, her eyes lighting up
as she glanced at her sire. "I think he'll be all right," she whispered.

"What did you do?" Ray asked quietly and watched the man who looked so
much like his friend sleep. "He looks...peaceful. Damn near happy." 

"I brought forth some memories he'd pushed back into the recesses of
his mind." She stood up, her skirts ruffling at her feet. "He's doing
a little walking down memory lane." She cast Aja a bright smile, gave
him and Ray each a peck on the cheek, and left. 

Ray shook his head at the lorn-looking king. "You got it bad, dontcha?"

Aja smiled wistfully. "Raymond, she's at least four times my age." 

"That's all I'm sayin', Aja."

***

Vecchio yawned, crawling into bed with his wife...no, wives. He still
needed to correct himself on that point, six years later. He smiled,
and put his arms around the body they shared. "I love you," he murmured.

He heard a murmur back and smiled wider, falling fast asleep.

***

Tom curled tighter to James, fingers tangled in the Sabbat's hair. They
had gone up to the rooms the Primals had insisted on making for their
Higher. He'd used them only once or twice, when he'd been too knackered
from working to go home. "I missed you," he whispered, slowly pulling
the vampire's shirt out of his leather pants. God, how lucky was he to
have a lover that not only wore leather pants as a matter of course,
but looked hotter than hell in them, too? 

James eyed the leopard print sheets with distaste before returning Tom's
glance. It looked almost forced. "Missed you too...Kinky." He froze as
Tom kissed him then managed a smile. 

Inside his mind James was screaming as Lilith kissed Tom back, tangling
fingers in the Moloch's coarse hair. She shoved Tom onto his back where
he willingly opened his arms and pulled his lover close. James was shrieking
in horror as she nipped at Tom's jaw line and then his neck. 

He knew her. She'd been in his head for a decade or more. He knew how
she thought. 

Or he thought he did.

This wasn't the Lilith he knew and despised. This one wasn't quite as
insane as the one that had twisted him into a monster. 

This vampire queen could think logically, and the notion was terrifying
to the Sabbat. 

Tom gasped but didn't struggle as James bit him hard. He felt the heat
of his own blood at his throat and let out a growl as he ran his hands
up the Sabbat's back, reveling in the feel of cool skin against his fingers.
It looked as if James had missed him. The vampire had a tendency to get
a little rough when they were apart for any amount of time. Not that
Tom was about to complain. There was no denying they both liked to bite
and be bitten. He didn't so much as move until it started to hurt, until
he realized that this was no longer about sex. He could feel his heart
beating like a drum in his chest. 

"No...James...n-oh!" He groaned as his head was tilted back. For one
frightening moment he saw the look in James' pale eyes. There was no
love there. Only contempt. Even the other James, the mad version of his
Sabbat, had never looked so cruel as this creature of ice and leather.

He could hear the slurping, sucking as James fed off him. What was going
on? Why such a letting? Was this Amaranth? Had he somehow set James off
again that he would be this angry? Why was he doing this? What the hell
had happened to his James Calhoun that he would do this? 

"James...please..." He reached up, weakly trying to shove his lover away.
So much blood loss in so few days had weakened him. 

Ray.

Ray could help him. Ray would help him.

He closed his eyes and concentrated.

***

Fraser and Kowalski lay in bed, talking about what the American had seen
in the other universe and the Chicago that Adam had defeated when the
detective suddenly felt cold. Chilled. And very, very scared. 

The Canadian noticed immediately. "Ray?"

"Frase...something's wrong..."

"What?"

"I...I dunno...It's Cal, or something. I've gotta get up there!"

***

Tom squirmed as best he could as James tried to force him to feed from
the Sabbat's wrist. The blood couldn't hurt him like it could a vampire,
but he'd lost so much blood. He was too close... 

"No...please! James, don't...don't..."

He screamed as the Sabbat hit him in the chest and gagged as blood was
forced down his throat. He could feel his own blood soaking the sheets
beneath him as James returned to his own feeding, tearing at the flesh
in his throat. 

He could hear pounding, but whether it was his heart or the door he was
not sure. 

***

The demons in Hell were upset. A psychic tremor was passing through the
old prison and it frightened them. They hurried to the Primal's chamber
where he lay with Lupa Kilpatrick. They would be able to explain. 

Rupert looked up from his pounding on the Higher's door. The Prince and
The Mountie. Thank Primal. They wouldn't hesitate to act whereas all
the demons in Hell would shrink from disturbing their Higher and his
lupa. "He won't answer. Has something happened?" 

Kowalski shook his head. "Dunno..." He pounded at the door himself. "Tom!
Yo, Tom Cat, open up!" 

Silence. He listened quietly. He could hear frantic breathing on the
other side of the door. Squelching. Feeding. His eyes grew huge as he
realized what was happening. "Oh God...Oh, shit! Fraser! Bust the door
down!" 

It took three kicks to get the heavy door open, and even then the horror
of what was happening inside the room froze them in place for a heartbeat.

Then Tom made a tiny noise of suffering and galvanized them into action.
The Primal demons rushed in, pulling Lupa Kilpatrick off their Higher.
Restraining the struggling Elder, they dragged the barely-resisting Sabbat
to the floor as Rupert went to Tom's side. Fraser was already there and
Kowalski ran into the bathroom and fetched all the towels he could find
and passed them to his Mountie. 

The Moloch was barely moving. His throat a mess of bite wounds and jagged
tears. Blood soaked the bed and Kowalski had to fight to not throw up.
"Why?" he shouted at his retainer, tears threatening to spill over. 

His face was a mask of blood, his hands clawed, James Calhoun just chuckled
at their reactions. It was a hideous sound. Kowalski had only very rarely
seen this side of his retainer, the unstoppable killer, the animal that
lay just below the surface. Too often he forgot that the calm, reserved,
and prudish man he was used to was only one part of the whole. That Jamey
was just an aspect of the vampire that was an Autarkis Sabbat, despised
by all, and a killer on a scale Ray could not imagine. 

Why had he done this to the man he loved so completely?

James was grinning at him, at his confusion and horror. Kowalski knew
that grin. He remembered it on Fraser's face one awful night six years
ago. Lilith. "No..." 

Unaware of Ray's realization, Fraser looked up. "He forced Tom to feed."

Kowalski shook himself, dragging his eyes away from the Sabbat that was
letting the demons hold him. The Caanite prince wasn't fooled. Fueled
by Higher and Ancient blood, Elder James Calhoun could flatten every
person here in Hell and come back for more. 

"So? Tom's a demon. Demons don't vamp." Kowalski was fully resigned that
his friend was dying. Son of a bitch. He looked at Fraser and hoped swelled.
"What?" 

"Tom's half human."

Suddenly a cry of pure agony erupted from Tom's lips. He was dying. He
was going over. 

James looked positively triumphant as the demons dragged him out the
door. 

The turning would be just as painful as Kowalski's had been, he could
see that. He grabbed Fraser and Rupert, shoving them out of the room,
and nodded to the others. "Go. Get out. I'll help him, you find me a
vampire. And some blood. He's going to have to feed. Hurry!" 

He turned back, closing the door behind him. "Tom Cat..." He wrapped
his arms around his friend, holding the agonized Primal tightly. "It's
okay, I've got ya." 

Tom's voice was barely audible. "Ray?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you..."

"Shh..." He smoothed the Moloch's coarse hair. "Listen ta me, Tom Cat.
This is gonna hurt. There's no easy way about it. You've seen it. Yer
gonna puke and yer gonna feel crazy and cold and hot and yer gonna wanna
kill something. I'm not leavin' ya. Whatever ya need, I'll get it. I'm
stickin' right here fer the whole deal, 'kay?" He hesitated, then pressed,
"Tom, I...I don't think...That wasn't Dead Man. Remember when we killed
Lilith, she moved inta Fraser? Cal...Cal looked like Fraser did that
night. I don't think that was him." 

Tom slowly nodded. He knew his James would never...

His thoughts scattered as a wave of pain swept over him. A small cry
escaped his lips. The detective braced him, murmuring comfort. He looked
up as the door opened and Fraser entered, followed by the other Ray Kowalski
and carrying a thermos. 

Fraser stood beside the bed, biting his lip as he nervously. He gazed
at Tom's dying form, then at his lover, willing him to be safe. 

"Oh, shit," breathed the Gangrel vampire, taking in the carnage. He looked
as if he wanted to be sick. 

"Where's they put him, Frase?" demanded Kowalski of his Mountie.

"Maximum. They have guards on him. The Sabbat haven't been told yet.
We need to get a hold of Von." 

"Do it, Frase." He tensed as Tom twisted in his arms. "Lock the door,"
he ordered. 

The Slayer leaned over and kissed him deeply. "Be careful."

"You too."

***

Aja stared at the door of his father's chambers, shaking. He had followed
Fraser and Ray up, confused. He could hear the cries of pain coming from
the room and they frightened him. The smell of blood and fear was almost
overwhelming. He reached for the doorknob, jumping back when it pulled
open allowing Fraser to exit. 

"Benton." He watched as Fraser locked the doors and was shocked when
the large Mountie picked him up and started walking. "Benton, is my father
ill?" 

Fraser was quiet for a few strides of his long legs then he slowly spoke,
his emotions under tight rein. "There was...there was an accident, Aja.
Your father...Jamey attacked your father." 

"No. James would never..."

"We'll discuss it later." The tone of Fraser's voice was foreboding.
Aja nodded, then leaned in and hugged him. 

***

Tom shook in agonized pain as his body died. God, was this was James
had gone through? No wonder he'd gone crazy that first time, left alone
and ignorant of how to deal with the changes going on in him. He remembered
his friend's words of comfort and assurance. 

His Ray Kowalski had gone through this, as well. Thank god he was not
alone for this. He knew he would not keep his sanity if he had to face
this by himself. As the painful convulsions finally finished wracking
his body, he felt someone lifting him up and walking him into the bathroom.

Kowalski turned the showers on as his doppelganger Ray held Tom tightly.
They'd have to work quickly. Tom was a demon. There was no telling how
Tom's body would react...luckily, there was enough human in him to go
over, but god only knew what the end results would be. Only an Ancient
like Lilith or Caine could have done this. Cool water splashed down.
Tom's stomach churned, and with a groan he began to vomit. Kowalski let
him twist and writhe, trying to find a comfortable position as his body
purged. He felt gentle hands wiping his face, cleaning him, pulling off
his shirt to wash away the sweat and vomit and blood. The Moloch took
a deep breath, feeling his throat healing, smelling the vampire prince
that held him, the intoxicating scent of blood from a ghoulite with a
soul. 

Tom closed his eyes, surprised that tears were flowing down his cheeks.
Kowalski murmured something he couldn't understand, then gently pulled
him in close, stroking his wet hair and rocking him slowly. 

***

Aria hissed as the cage across from her and the demon child was shut
and locked. She tried reaching through the bars to claw at Calhoun. Rupert
watched her warily. If this had been anyone but the Lupa, he would have
allowed her access to their Higher's attacker. 

She could smell Tom's blood on him. She was afraid.

So was he.

Who knew what a Higher-Sabbat combination would bring? And why had Lupa
Kilpatrick, who clearly loved their Higher beyond words, attacked him
so savagely? 

He glanced at the Sabbat vampire. A faint smile twisted the fair face
into an unpleasant sneer, turning that pale, handsome face into a mask
of evil cruelty. 

***

Benton and Fraser were changing the sheets on the bed when the skinny
blond vampire finally came out of the bathroom. He was covered in blood
and looked exhausted 

"How is he?" Fraser whispered, tugging on the sheet corner.

"He's...he's crying. And sick. Ray...your Ray, Fraser, wants you to come
in there." 

***

Tom was unconscious, supported by Kowalski when Fraser made his way into
the bathroom. The detective was doing his best to clean his friend off
and looked as tired as his double. 

"Frase..."

"Ray?" He looked down as Kowalski took his hand, guiding it to Tom's
skin. Warm. The Moloch lying in his arms was still warm. "How...?" 

"You tell me. This is too weird. What the hell's up with Dead Man?  Frase,
I've seen that look before. That was Lilith. C'mon, Cal would never do
that ta Tom." 

Fraser crouched beside the bathtub, heedless of the water showering down
on them. "Ray, before I was abducted and taken to England, Tom and I
talked. He mentioned how Jamey and he were discussing the future a while
ago. Jamey is frightened of Tom's mortality. He's frightened of having
to watch Tom grow old and eventually die while he remains alone." 

"Ya don't think he did /this/ though, do ya?"

"No."

A thought struck Kowalski and he looked up, fixing his glasses. "Fraser?
Are you scared of that, too? Of me goin' over and you dyin'?" 

The Mountie smiled at this gentle creature he loved so completely and
leaned over into the spray of the shower to kiss the hybrid. "No. I'm
not frightened, Ray, because I would never leave you." 

The Caanite nodded, reassured. "Me, either, Frase. I love ya."

"And I you."

"Help me get him up. He's gonna need ta eat, then sleep."

***

Grissom sighed quietly and sat up in bed. Ray had left the baby with
him while he went to help with some task or another. He hadn't really
been paying attention. He looked at her sadly and picked her up, standing
up slowly. 

One-handed, he pulled a bathrobe around his clothes. He raised an eyebrow
in distaste. These had to be his counterpart's or something. Guy sure
liked his leopard print. Him, it was black. And lots of it. 

He held the baby close and walked sock footed down the corridor. He could
hear talking. The Seeker and Calhoun. He froze outside the door. His
Calhoun. Well...not his. He didn't want him. 

He wanted Alex.

The realization came as a shock. He'd buried the memories of Alex deeply,
away from prying eyes. Like his tryst with Ray, he kept Alex a secret
unto himself, hidden away from Cecil's petty jealousies and the prying
inquiries of the vampires. Alex was his and his alone, one of the few
points of light in his life. 

He sighed and felt a cool hand on his arm. Eloise. He smiled at her.
"Hi." 

"You miss him," she stated simply.

"Yes." He stared at her sadly, not even wondering how she knew.

"Well, then. Let's see if we can't find a way to find him, hmm?"

He gazed at her, still unable to get used to being treated like he had
some worth. He reminded himself that these people were unlike the world
that he had left. Even here, despite what he had done in his own world,
they regarded him as their peer. 

He bit his lip, losing himself for a moment in her cornflower blue eyes.
"Where shall we start, Lady Eloise?" 

***

Kowalski pulled the blankets around Tom, setting the empty thermos on
the counter. "Has someone called the Sabbat?" 

"Von's on his way," Fraser whispered, staring down at the sleeping Moloch.
"He'll be all right?" 

"Physically? Probably. I don't know about in there." He tapped his own
head, frowning. 

"Ah."

***

Von glared at the two Witch girls. They kept insisting on sticking with
him. It was seriously getting annoying. To the point where he was starting
to hope they were the type he could eat. 

He sighed and turned to them, glaring. "Do you want something?"

"We want to see Elder Calhoun," the blonde said, brushing her hair behind
her ear. 

"Fine."

Pain in the ass women.

He wondered if they had a place to stay, then wondered why the hell he
cared. 

***

They decided to confront James together.

Aja suggested it, disturbed by his son's idea that the Dark Queen might
be the one responsible for this attack. Dressed in the garb Warfield
had provided - another replica of the Mongolian traveling robes he'd
favored for centuries - the ancient in the demon child's body, his ghoulite
son, and his son's soul left word with their peers that they were going
to speak to their prisoner. 

The demon guards hung back a bit, giving them room. That the guards were
Swiss Fishies, one of the few creatures on the planet capable of stopping
even a Sabbat, made Ray nervous. He had quite a few negative associations
with the fish demons. 

The child Adam was the first one they saw. He stared at Aja, hate filling
his eyes that his counterpart should have freedom whereas he was confined
to a cell. The two children spent a moment looking at each other, Aja's
soft brown eyes filling with pity and pain at the sight of what might
have been. 

Aria was next, pacing her cage endlessly. At the sight of the familiar
group she calmed down enough that Aja was able to scratch her behind
the ears. They had yet to discover a way to reverse the effects of the
mirror smasher. 

And then there was the Sabbat Elder.

He stood at the back of the cell, arms folded across his chest and a
cocky smirk on his handsome face. He was clearly enjoying every moment
of this. 

"Soooo," he sneered as the trio stood before his door. "How's the psychic
whore coming along?" 

"Where is James Calhoun?" demanded Aja calmly.

He spread his arms. "I'm right here, 'my lord.'"

"You are not. The James Calhoun known to us would never do the thing
you have done." 

He laughed. "Maybe you just don't know me too well, kiddo."

"Cease this childishness, Lilitu."

The smile grew broader. James then turned his gaze on the two men flanking
the boy. He undressed the pair of them with his eyes. 

"What did you do with my retainer, Lilith?" demanded Kowalski. He was
really in no mood for these games. 

"Retainer? Oh, you mean caddie, right?" Pushing off the wall, James glided
forward until he was against the bars of the cell. "What did I do to
him, Prince Kowalski? I am he. Maybe you should be wondering what I'm
going to do to /you/." 

His voice dropped to a seductive whisper. Kowalski felt nauseous. 

"You didn't enjoy that night much, did you?" goaded the vampire in the
same tone. His pale eyes roamed over to Fraser. "Neither did you, Slayer.
/She/ did. A lot. I've got all his memories right at my fingertips. And
guess what? Your precious retainer that you know so well would give anything
to do to you what she did." 

Ray held the evil gaze evenly, forcing himself not to react at the mention
of the rape. Lilith had possessed Fraser and used his body to force Ray.
It was an event they had dealt with and left in their past. 

"Liar," stated Kowalski evenly, his gaze never wavering. "You can't tell
me anything about Calhoun, Lilith, so give it up." 

He smacked himself with the heel of his palm. "Can't even tell you he
won't fucking stop screaming? He's putting up a good fight. Better than
that wuss Gangrel could have." A low chuckle emerged from the Sabbat's
throat. "He's not like the Calhoun I left. That one was like a child
by comparison. I can feel /you/ in him, Prince Kowalski. You too, Lord
Caine. Even you, Slayer, and that stupid Higher bitch. Pure power. He
doesn't even know the limits. You have no idea of what you're dealing
with, gentlemen! You have no...fucking...clue!" 

Suddenly it occurred to all three that Lilith was absolutely right. Before
they could even edge away, though, the Sabbat had seized the cell door
and twisted with all his might. The metal groaned and creaked and abruptly
ripped clean off the hinges. Kowalski dove back out of the way. Laughing,
James strode out the cell door to freedom. The guards rushed forward,
but all the Sabbat did was back fist one, snapping his neck in one blow
and knocking him into the other guard. 

"Run!" screamed Kowalski to his lover and his father. They were closer
to the door. They had a chance. 

"Oh, don't worry," chuckled James, ignoring the Mountie and the Ancient.
"You're the one I want, Prince Kowalski." 

Kowalski felt a clawed hand seize him by the shirt, yanking him to his
feet. 

"I'll take these," said the Sabbat, plucking off his glasses. The American
winced and tried to turn away. He could hear the door opening and Fraser
and Caine and the remaining Swiss Fish escaping. Moments later an alarm
sounded throughout the old prison. "Time to go, Sire," teased the vampire.
Kowalski struggled and fought, but Lilith was right - James Calhoun was
pure power. He didn't stand a chance. 

Adam clutched the bars of his cell. "Take me with you, Lilith! I can
help!" 

The vampire paused a moment to look at the little boy, then laughed.
"Fuck off, brat." 

Then Kowalski was dragged into darkness, the stinking, wet maze of cells
beneath the prison, depths so deep not even the original builders of
the place could have found their way through. 

***

Tom blinked rapidly and opened his eyes. His hand flew to his neck and
he stared up at Turnbull. "What...what's that noise?" 

"Lilith's escaped. In Jamey's body." Turnbull held a hand to Tom's shoulder,
trying to keep him from sitting up. "She's got Ray." 

Lilith?

He must have spoken the name aloud because the Seeker continued. "Yes."

"Isn't she...what is she?"

"It isn't our Lilith. This one hitched a ride to our world in the other
Calhoun." 

"Ohh...God..." He was hungry. Very hungry. He snatched a cup Turnbull
offered and drank down the blood quickly. He remembered now. Calhoun
had said she wanted him...oh, God...like Caine now had Calhoun, so Lilith
had taken his lover. /His/ lupa. /His/ James. "She did this to me? Not
James?" 

"Exactly."

Tom touched his neck and shivered. "I'll kill her."

***

Kowalski gave a cry of pain as he felt his arms being yanked up and secured
above his head. The vampire used the ropes he found on the ground of
the lower cells to bind his captive to the bars. Unable to fight effectively,
Kowalski opted to sneer instead. "What're you gonna do, Lilith? Huh?"

His only answer was a triumphant smile as Lilith slapped him.

Kowalski tried to roll with it but he still smacked his head on the bars
behind him. Hurt like hell. Dead Man was damned strong. 

"So," he said through a trickle of blood on his lips, "Whatcha gonna
do, bitch?" 

The vampire's pale eyes, barely visible to his sensitive eyes, were fixated
on the thin line of blood on his chin. Slowly James moved forward, graceful
as a panther. His expression was hungry, and suddenly Ray Kowalski was
afraid. Very, very afraid as his chin was lifted. Cold hands. He looked
into his friend's eyes. Dead Man wasn't home. He would never look at
his prince that way. Never. Slowly, the vampire licked the thin line
of red on his chin and mouth.  A sound escaped the Sabbat. He was getting
off on this. No, SHE was getting off on this. 

Oh, god, please, not twice in a lifetime...

He winced when suddenly James' cold lips covered his own in a caress
that was no more a kiss than the emotion they shared right now was love.
Hungry, cruel, and selfish, the vampire's hands roved over his ribs,
down towards his groin even as Kowalski's mouth was invaded by the vampire's
tongue, seeking the cut inside his mouth. Somewhere inside his mind,
Kowalski screamed, fully aware that his retainer screamed with him. 

***

Grissom was sitting with Eloise when the vision hit him. He took in a
sharp breath. This felt different. It didn't feel like his visions usually
did. They usually felt good. Wonderful, even. 

Not this one. This one hurt. Agonizingly.

He brought his hands to his temples, eyes tearing up. He managed to get
out to Eloise. "The others. Find the others...Ah!" 

He fell back on the bed, screaming in agony as the vision ravished his
mind. 

He could see Ray. This world's Prince Kowalski. This world's Tom. Oh
God. Their power...it would destroy the world if they weren't careful.
He felt hands all over him, trying to steady him as his writhed on the
bed, trying desperately to escape the pain. 

He could see...

Oh God...

He could see...

He screamed, throwing his head back and screamed some more. Blood ran
in rivulets out of his nose. 

He could see everything.

***

Aja stared down at the man that could be his father, watching Eloise
and Benton try to calm him down. He was in such pain, this creature.
He'd caused such pain. He frowned, touching the man's face gently. "Show
me. Show me what you see..." 

He saw several images. The man his pater had stolen for a body. His double.
Blood. Rivers of blood. He heard screaming. 

Was he seeing the future? Or the past?

***

Fraser ran down the hall to Tom's room, determination written on every
line of his face. He knocked and entered without waiting for an invitation
and he found Turnbull talking to the Primal Higher. They both turned
to him in surprise. 

"Can you move, Tom?" demanded the Mounted Slayer. "We're leaving momentarily."

"Let's go," said the Higher and newly made Sabbat. "Where are they?"

"Somewhere beneath the lower levels."

"That's where they kept the Spiritus Sanctii. James would remember the
area." As he spoke, Tom struggled into some clothes. Basic black.  This
was the most reasonably dressed any of them had ever seen Tom Grissom.
"Who's going?" 

"Me. You. Both Diefenbakers, the other Ray is waiting for us in the cell
block." 

"And me," added Turnbull.

"Let's grab Rupert and Ignatz, too," said Tom.

"Ray Vecchio has been contacted," continued Fraser. "Stella and Ma will
watch the children. Ray Vecchio is on his way in to act as backup and
he's bringing Constable Dire. Jay and Lucia are on their way, too, and
I've contacted Von. He's sending Ted and Joan to keep an eye on D'Hoffryn
and he'll be here in a little while." 

"Where's Adolph?"

"In the library with Benton, Eloise and the other Tom." He hesitated,
stumbling on his own thoughts. Pain. Fear. Confusion. Revulsion. 

//Ray...//

Tom winced. He felt it, too.

Oh, god.

Eyes wide, he looked to Fraser desperately.

He knew the feeling. So did Fraser. So did Ray.

Oh, god. Oh, no. Oh, please...

A scream rose unbidden in the Mountie's mind, screaming for his lover,
for his pain. Screaming for his friends. 

//...love...you...//

"RAY!"

***

Oh...God...

He felt the shiv Lilith had gotten out of the bunk run up his arm, the
rough metal strip slicing into his arm. The Sabbat's lips locked onto
the cut, draining for all he and she were worth. 

"No...no..." It hurt. It hurt a lot. He groaned, his head tilting back
and hitting the bars hard enough to make him see stars. "Stop..." 

"Not on your life," Lilith grinned, lips dripping with Kowalski's blood.
His fingers brushed inside the prince's thigh, producing a small sound
as he tried to squirm away from the touch. 

"No!" A powerful grip on his leg, lifting it slightly, then teeth replaced
the fingers. He screamed as the fangs bit down, tearing into his leg.
Feeding. He kicked out, trying to land a blow on the Sabbat, trying to
shove him away. It was like trying to push a tank. 

He felt rather than heard the amused chuckle from the vampire's throat.
He? She? paused in the feeding to breath him in. He felt the touch on
his groin, a slow motion, trying to stimulate him...oh, god... 

//Focus. Focus, Ray. You've fought them before. Ohgodithurts. Think.
Forget about what she's doing to you - ohgod!// 

Another scream escaped him. Or almost a scream. He felt her - for it
was clearly no longer him - slide up his front, pressing close. A smell
of leather and blood as his lips were parted for another kiss... 

//You don't fight Dead Man. He's too damned strong. You fry his brain//,
Kowalski reminded himself. He concentrated. //Louis, help me here...//

Another chuckle as he let out a small cry.

***

James' mind continued to scream, raging against the woman that would
do this to his Prince. His friend. 

And Tom. Oh God. Tom. What he had done! Was he dead? Alive? He couldn't
feel him...maybe...maybe he could... 

***

Tom was halfway to Ignatz's hole when his mind erupted full of screaming.
Absolute agony and frustration and fury. He recognized the emotions instantly:
James. Somehow, the Sabbat had gotten through the barrier. Too overwhelmed
by what he was being made to do, all he could manage was this endless
scream. 

The noise lasted almost two minutes and when it was done he was on his
back in the library, covering his ears. 

"James...?"

Aja stood over his father, blinking. "Are you all right?"

"Uhhmm..." How on earth had he gotten back here?

"You feel different..."

Tom blinked, not sure how much to tell Aja at this moment. "I..." 

They both looked up as the other Tom Grissom, the Moloch, came into the
library carrying Livia. He watched them, curious and wary as a deer,
but said nothing. The two Toms had yet to talk, really. 

Adolph pushed away from the wall where he'd been waiting and watching,
hovering over his own father. Aja and Tom eyed him carefully, both completely
aware of what their own Adolph had done in the past and ready to run
for help if need be. 

Aja was shocked when this Adolph wrapped his wings and arms around Grissom
and tried to sooth him with gentle words and a loving hug. Aja looked
at his father, glad to see he wasn't alone in his shock. He was about
to speak when Fraser's rescue party came into the room. 

"Lord Caine, please, go upstairs," said Fraser. "Tom, are you all right?
We're going down now." He barely spared the other Grissom a glance, caring
at this moment only about his Ray. 

Tom struggled to his feet. "James...James is screaming. He's..."

"Are you coming or not?" demanded the Slayer impatiently.

Tom nodded, touching Aja's shoulder affectionately. "Yes. Let's move."
He turned his gaze on Adolph. "Take care of them. And your sister..."

Adolph nodded, holding his trembling father closer.

***

Louis' attack finally hit when Lilith had James biting down on Kowalski's
ankle. The ghoulite was making noises of agonizing pain that'd he'd never
heard pass anyone's lips. Ever. 

God. It hurt so much. He was almost weeping with joy when the familiar
pain of a flash hit him. 

And then from horror when he saw that the Sabbat didn't even blink. 

It didn't work. Somehow, she blocked it.

"No...noo..." He stared down at his retainer, slumping in his awkward
positioning. 

Lilith glared up at him using James' ice-blue eyes. "Do I have to gag
you?" 

Ray screamed as she sank her fangs into him again.

***

Von ran ahead of the girls, running smack into that damned sewer rat
the consort had brought back from Sunnydale. "What happened? Where's
Elder Calhoun?" 

"Lupa Kilpatrick?"

"Whatever!" He seized the thing by its collar. "Where is he? What's happened?
You tell me now, or I swear to God!" He bared his fangs, hissing. 

"Lupa Kilpatrick has a twin. The twin infected him with the Dark Mother.
The Mother turned Higher Grissom, then Lupa Kilpatrick kidnapped Prince
Kowalski and took him into the Pit." 

Von stared, amazed that he managed to follow this senseless rambling.
He shook his head then tightened his grip. 

"Show me how to get there, sunshine! Now!"

***

The two werewolves lead the way unerringly. With no effort, they worked
as a team and found the trail in just a few moments. Ignoring Adam and
Aria, they plunged into the darkness. Instantly the Gangrel Ray took
the point, able to smell the blood even from here. Jay and Lucia covered
the rear. Tripping, stumbling, they wove downwards into the very bowels
of the prison, into a region that had never seen the light of day. 

Tom shuddered at the memories. He had frozen James here during their
battle with D'Hoffryn. 

"Shh!" ordered Ray. He listened intently. They had been moving for almost
half an hour, ignoring the cold, the stench, the refuse blocking their
way. Nothing mattered beyond saving Ray Kowalski. 

They were close enough to hear his screams. Fraser fought to keep his
calm. Beside him, his double, Benton, tensed as well, just as affected.
Either they were close, or Lilith was in a place where the sound could
travel far... 

***

"Cal...please...stop...stop, please. Jamey. Oh, god, please listen to
me, Cal!  Stop this, please..." He was begging. He hated begging anyone
but Fraser. 

A voice right by his ear. "He can hear you. I won't let him do anything
about it, but you're getting through, Prince Kowalski. He's finally getting
his dream come true, Ray, why does he think I'm a fucking bitch?" Another
kiss, this one at his throat. He barely felt the fangs graze his neck
anymore. He felt the press of the Sabbat's body against him, pressing
him into the bars. Oh, god, it hurt... 

"Enjoying it, Prince Kowalski? Want to feel what he's always wanted to
do to you?" teased Lilith. She concentrated, digging in the Sabbat's
memories for a moment of sheer, psychic ecstasy she could inflict on
the unwilling ghoulite. 

"...jamey?" he slurred. "S'okay. S'not yer fault...don'...you didn'...do..."

Then his mind exploded in a climax of psychic energy.

***

"Tom?"

"He's screaming louder. Ray's dying."

***

Kowalski breathed in deep as Lilith pressed against him once more and
bit down. He could feel the bitch murmuring something against the neck
as she bit, draining him. This felt different. He felt a pulling in his
mind. 

And then a shoving. Something was there. It was like...it was like Louis
or Irene but ten times, a hundred times worse. God, was this how Dead
Man felt? 

No. Not like Cal. This thing...whatever it was entering his mind...Not
Lilith. Definitely not this darker version of Lilith. He felt a mad chuckle
burst from his lips. 

It was insane. Completely and totally insane.

It was Eloise.

Not his Eloise. Definitely not. But /an/ Eloise.

//NO! Nonononono! Oh, god, no! Fraser!//

He fought to keep her away. He failed miserably. He was defenseless against
the sheer magnitude of her insanity. 

He was sure he screamed when it finally took control.

***

She watched the detective go limp under her host's body, and waited,
still pressed full-length against him. Finally he took in a breath. Then
another. Eyes opened and stared up at her madly. 

She smiled back and quickly pulled off the restraints.

"Hi."

A smile back. As mad as the gaze. "Hi..."

***

Tom was beside Fraser when the Mountie suddenly slowed, then stopped.
He was stricken and the psychic didn't have to ask why. His Ray was gone.
If not dead, then worse. 

Fraser swayed, paler than death as he tried to collect himself. "Keep...go.
We...he needs us...he's...oh, god..." 

"Move it!" ordered Tom, plunging into the darkness. No time. They had
no time. They had taken too long... 

***

He was still present. It was like being crushed within his own mind.
He could see, he could hear and feel and think, but he was no longer
master of this house. He knew why Dead Man was screaming. 

***

"Tch."

She ran a finger along the edge of Kowalski's teeth. "How come you get
to have fangs?" 

"Because I'm a vampire."

She looked down at the gashes, the blood staining the slim body she now
inhabited. "If I bleed out much more I may have to be. Hmm. You get the
leather, too." 

Lilith chuckled. "Listen - let them find you. We'll meet up later." 

"I'll be the one with the screaming man inside me."

"***

Fraser was the first to see him. He was collapsed on the floor of a cell,
his body smeared with blood. He was barely conscious and muttering to
himself. Loose ropes were tied around his wrists. "Ray!!" 

With Tom at his side, he shoved into the cell, the two of them working
as a team to get Ray on his back and straightened out. 

He wasn't murmuring.

He was laughing.

***

They had him on transfusions all night, locked in the same room in which
Tom had been attacked. He wouldn't stop laughing. Mina was sure it was
just hysteria, but when she'd looked into his eyes that theory went out
the window. 

All she saw was madness. Lunacy. Tom had seen in too, she knew. And he
would know it. 

Neither of them shared their thoughts with Fraser, though the Mountie
guessed. He knew his Ray and he knew what he had felt in that awful moment
and this...creature was not who or what it pretended to be. They had
been fooled before. Fraser would not allow then to be fooled again. 

***

Aja sat with Turnbull and Benton and Ray, all of them trying to fathom
what had occurred, when Calhoun approached them. There was a serenity
the Seeker recognized in those pale eyes, only he was used to it being
reflected in large, brown eyes. 

"My Lord," greeted Turnbull. "Elder."

"One or the other, Turnbull," corrected Calhoun. "You can't offend either
of us." 

"Join us, please," invited Aja, rising. "You have heard about my son?"

"Yes."

"The Primals are scouting, as are the clans, trying to find Elder Calhoun.
I fear their search will be in vain. Bloody Mary will show herself when
she so chooses." 

"Yeah, but meanwhile my twin's elevator is not stopping on all floors.
That, or he's got a stowaway on board," said Ray. 

Aja was still for a moment. "I believe a reading is in order, Son of
Rachel." 

"Indeed, Lord Caine," agreed Turnbull.

***

Von entered Tom's second set of rooms in Hell and stared down at the
rather depressed-looking Moloch. "What's wrong with you?" 

"What?"

"You look like death warmed over. What's wrong with you?"

"Look in a mirror lately, Von?" Tom replied sarcastically. He was sick
of this. Sick of Von and the rest of James' clan treating him like shit
just because James hadn't chosen one of them as his consort. They could
go to hell and take Lilith with them as far as he was concerned. 

Well. He was one of them now. Whether they liked it or not.

He certainly didn't like it.

"So what's the word? I got here after the dust settled."

Tom glared. "The word is, Prince Kowalski is a total nutter and your
boss was subject to a hostile take-over by Lilith. Oh, and I'm a Sabbat
now, too." 

That hit home. Von hesitated. "What?"

Tom bared his fangs. They were different, smaller and whiter than the
fangs he acquired as a Moloch. "What the fuck do these look like, you
moron?" 

"What the-fuck!"

"Now what the hell's your problem, Von?" demanded Tom impatiently. 

"You've got no fucking clue, do you, you moron?" demanded the Sabbat
second in turn. 

"Clue about what?" he demanded. "No. Don't tell me. I don't fucking want
to know." He stood up, shoving his way past the shocked Sabbat. "I'm
going out. Tell the others." 

"Alone?"

"I'll take Ignatz..."

Von shook his head at the retreating figure. "Oh, yeah, a three-foot
rat is going to do soooo much...Shit!" 

***

For once the cards read nothing. It was almost as if someone didn't want
them to know what was to occur. Aja let that thought shiver down his
spine. "There has to be some way we can..." He paused in thought. 

Calhoun smiled brightly. "The Oracle."

"Would he?"

"I'm sure he would. You just have to ask nicely."

***

"No. I won't." Grissom shook his head, turning his back on them. "I won't..."

"Thomas," Calhoun started, Caine predominant. "Thomas, you must. We must
know." 

"I can't! Not here."

Aja was quiet. "You did it before. In the chapel."

"I..." The Moloch stared at the floor. "It's beginning to hurt."

"I'll do my best to ease any discomfort," Calhoun assured him.

"No...it's not pain. It's...agony. It's agony. Torture."

Calhoun smiled. "Thomas..."

"I said no!"

Then Ray Kowalski, Gangrel vampire and former Knight of the City, got
in his face. 

"You fucking little coward! Oh, it hurts, does it? Oh, it's agony? It's
torture? Awww. Whaddya think Prince Kowalski and Elder Calhoun have gone
through? Huh? Think it tickles to have a vampire tryin' to suck ya dry?
Think they're havin' fun here? Think they like havin' some psycho bitch
queen in their heads? First ya lied ta me, then you hide back here in
a corner and let everyone else fight and get hurt tryin' ta keep yer
ass safe! Even that weenie Cecil has more moxie than you! Worst part
is, I liked ya. I trusted ya. Is this how ya pay back everyone that goes
out on a limb fer ya?" 

He looked at Calhoun. "He fuckin' started a clan war fer yer sorry carcass.
Elder!" He addressed Calhoun. "Quit wastin' yer time and yer love on
this piece of chicken shit! He ain't worth it! Won't even put up with
a little pain to save a Caanite Prince and a Sabbat Elder! Guess he thinks
they're dime a dozen commodities." 

Turning back on the speechless Tom Grissom, Ray poked him in the chest.
"You don't deserve to have my Elder. Ya don't deserve their suffering
or their protection. And ya fuckin' don't deserve ta be loved by anybody
that's got their head on straight." He fixed his glasses. "C'mon, Ben,
let's go find Fraser. I don' wanna hafta look at this creep again." 

***

Ignatz strolled beside Higher Grissom, watching him carefully. He was
worried about his elder. The attack by the Lupa seemed to have driven
a wedge into his mental well-being. Like most Primals, Ignatz was very
direct in his emotions.  The complexities of the Higher's and Lupa's
relationship were beyond his experience. He was pondering that when the
dart hit him in the back. 

Later he would blame himself. His own distraction had caused this, he
was sure. 

He saw the Higher watch him fall and then look around like a deer caught
in headlights. Then Tom's hand went to his neck. 

Another dart.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to Tom before blacking out.

***

He woke up to darkness and a constant stroking on his arm. His head hurt.
A lot. "James...?" He was having trouble thinking. 

"Shhh." James' voice was barely a whisper, close to his ear. "Ellie will
be here soon. Then we'll have a party." 

"James." He gazed into the pale blue eyes, trying to find any trace of
the passionate, loving man he so adored in those twisted depths. 

"Jamey doesn't live here anymore, Tommy," whispered Lilith before kissing
him with cruel intensity. 

***

"How could you lose him?" Von demanded, staring Ignatz down. "You were
only gone a half hour!" Turnbull was at his side and they were mightily
annoyed in unison at the Sewer Rat. 

"I...he...we were hit. With darts..." Ignatz held up the tiny pin dart.
"When I woke up he was gone. I could smell the Lupa." 

"Lilith," Turnbull sighed.

"What the fuck does she have planned now?" Von stared up at the ceiling.
Life sucked. So did undeath. How much more messed up could things get?
Why the hell hadn't he listened to his mother and gone to West Point
instead of Woodstock? Life would have been...well, life. None of this
undead dealing with demons crap. 

Fraser ran down the stairwell, shaking hard. "Ray's gone!"

***

Tom moaned as he felt movement next to him. "Ellie," Lilith whispered
happily. "You look much better...hungry?" 

"Very..." Ray. Oh God. Ray?

***

"Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ!"

The Constables blinked in surprise at the outburst from Von. He caught
their looks. 

"So my Elder served in World War II. Lay off!"

They had called a war council in the library: Fraser, Ben, Ray, Aja,
Vecchio, the three Mounted Slayers, both werewolves, Von, Adolph, and
Calhoun. Ignatz was hiding somewhere under the tables, afraid to come
out and Fraser Sr. was perusing the fiction section. 

"How did Stan just up and walk out?" demanded Vecchio. "From what Turnbull
tells me, there were only pieces left." 

"Indeedy!" agreed Dire as if on cue.

"Shut up," grumbled Von.

"Whatever possessed my son was powerful enough to animate him in his
weakness," said Aja. "I fear for him, for his body is far from healed
and in no way equal to the tasks being demanded of it." 

Almost sick with anxiety, Fraser sighed and bent his head, feeling Dief's
arms wrap around his middle in a tight hug. 

"Remember, Constable Fraser, have faith," said a lilting accent as Eloise
joined them. Aja immediately was on his feet, offering her a chair. Despite
the situation, it was charming and sweet to see how completely smitten
the Ancient was by this lovely young woman. "Your Ray knows you're looking
for him. He knows you won't rest until he's safe." 

"Lilith needed my body as a host," said Calhoun calmly, and they could
tell by the change of accent that it was the Gangrel speaking, not Caine.
"Prince Kowalski is equal in strength to Elder Calhoun, if not greater."

"Stan?" gaped Vecchio, voicing their mutual disbelief.

"Yes, Sir Vecchio. Clearly he doesn't know it."

Aja looked a bit guilty, as did Turnbull. "We have not told him, Elder.
He is an innocent." 

Calhoun's look softened, glancing at his own Ray Kowalski. "He is indeed,
Lord Caine." He collected his thoughts. It was easier to do now that
the Ancient possessed him. "I think Lilith drained Prince Kowalski to
weaken him and build her own strength, so that whomever took him over
would not be her equal. It may be just as well Prince Kowalski isn't
aware of his strength - whomever is in him knows his every thought and
memory." 

"So where do we go from here?" asked Ben.

"We can only assume the three of them are together right now," said Vecchio.
"We have to track them." 

"Dief and I tried it earlier," said Fraser. He shook his head. "There
was no trail." 

Adolph, perched up on a bookshelf, raised his voice. "I may be able to
find them. Or, at least, the Higher. His scent is very similar to my
own father's." 

"You won't need to, Adolph," said a new voice. They all turned to see
the Oracle standing in the doorway. He was pale and shaken, he held a
bloody cloth to his nose, trying to stem the bleeding and clearly looked
quite dazed. "He's going to show up any moment now. Be ready." 

And with that, his eyes rolled back and his knees went out. Eloise barely
got out a cry of alarm before the Oracle fell to the floor, unconscious.

***

Tom groaned through the gag as his arms were yanked above him and handcuffed
to the ceiling. Then he screamed a muffled scream as he felt both James'
fangs and Ray's ghoulite ones pierce the flesh on either wrist. He could
feel the blood running slowly down his arm and it hurt. A lot. 

This. This was Amaranth. Tears ran down his cheeks as he realized it.
He would go mad, he was sure of it. Amaranth, on a demonic vampire. 

//James...James, please...Ray...stop...//

Someone...one of them was licking his way down his left arm. He nearly
choked on the gag as fangs tore into his neck. He felt fingers tearing
the gag away, and he was finally able to scream. 

He could feel them pressing on either side of him, James's cold form
at his front, Ray's relative heat at his back. He screamed again as fangs
dug deeper. "Stop...please stop please..." 

James was moving downward now, and he could hear his lover screaming
inside his head. It did little good to ease his quickly loosening sanity.

"James...please..."

He thought he felt him hesitate before biting deeply into his ankle.