FIC: Victorian Contention 1/?

[Carol.Clarke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Title: Victorian Contention
Chapter One: The First Time I Saw Her Face. 
Disclaimer: All BTVS characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
Summary: In an alternate world, Cordelia Chase, vampire and lady, lives or
unlives under the thumb or the Watchers Counsel. Cursed forever with her
soul. 
Thanks: Cheryl Hill, Alex who rocked on the knowledge research stuff. And
Sammy the Koala who gave me the idea to play with. 
Warning: Smut, strangeness & lesbians all in a story.


The First Time I Saw Her Face.


Thursday August 30, 1888

Sheila Zuimstein stepped into the carriage noticing the royal seal on the
side. 

"Herbert are you a member of the royal family?" the eighteen year old
Vatcherguise demon asked the 22 year old man. 

"The carriage belongs to the Watchers Counsel. Prince Albert arranged for
the counsel to have 3 such coaches at their liberty. After all you don't
want a carriage carrying the slayer stopped." Herbert Wells explained. 

"I thought there was only one slayer, why 3 coaches?" The young woman asked.


"The counsel has a lot of business, in the less than best areas of town.
Many of the members of the counsel are from the highest families. It simply
makes it easier for the members to do business." Herbert said with a smile,
trying to lean into Sheila. 

Sheila loved Herbert; she just didn't find him sexually attractive. Still he
was a good friend and always exciting. Her mother would kill her if she
found out about all the places that Herbert took her to in London. A
Victorian lady, even one of demon blood could not be seen in public without
an escort. Herbert was always fun to be with and he did work for the
counsel. Best of all Herbert wanted to be a writer, which made him want to
explore all of London as much as the 18 year Sheila did. 

"So I am going to meet a real vampire today?" Sheila said skeptically. 

"Yes the Lady Cordelia Chase," Herbert said switching sides and pulling
himself right up next to Sheila. The young Sheila might not find him
handsome, but he found her adorable. 

"I thought all vampires were soulless creatures out for blood?" Sheila said
pushing his hand to the side.

"Miss Chase is special. Sometime after she was turned she was cursed with
her soul." Herbert said sliding over but smiling at the young girl.

"Cursed with her soul?" Sheila asked sliding over more to look at him. 

"Apparently it really is a curse to live as a vampire killing and then
suddenly be given your soul, your conscious back. To feel remorse on such a
scale is hard to imagine. Ms. Chase felt so guilty she fled into a parish
church after she could stand the guilt no longer. The church brought her to
the attention of the counsel. The counsel takes care of her presently."
Herbert said very formally. Sheila could tell he was quoting William
Travers, the current leader of the aforementioned Watchers Counsels. All
Sheila really knew about the counsel was that they were responsible for the
Slayer and that her mother was in London working for them on a project and
that she generally hated them. Or maybe she just mistrusted them; Sheila
wasn't really sure which was closer to the truth. 

"So what does she do for the counsel? They would never leave a vampire
alive, soul or not, unless she could benefit them." Sheila stated. 

"She spies for them mostly. As a vampire she can wander the streets of
London freely getting information for the counsel." Herbert explained.

"And they keep her in a brothel?" Sheila asked as they pulled into the White
Chapel area. 

"It's a good cover, besides they keep the slayer in a brothel as well.
Granted a better one than they keep the lady Cordelia in but vampires seem
to be over running those areas of town. So many factory workers and poor in
general, not to mention the prostitutes, well it is a good vampire feeding
ground." Herbert explained as the carriage rounded a corner. 

"Here is the brothel in question." Herbert said pointing out the window at
one of the area's finer brothels. Still White Chapel was a poor area of
town. The carriage pulled around to the back of the brothel where there was
a kind of over hang and porch for carriages to unload passengers. 

"The Counsel can retrieve Ms Cordelia even in daylight hours from this back
entrance. Her private staircase leads straight down to the back entrance
without any sunlight reaching it. She can also be safely locked away during
the daylight. There is only one way in and out of her room via the back
staircase and her room is not accessible to any other room in the brothel."
Herbert explained. Sheila couldn't help but feel the counsel had very flawed
thinking. 

The two young people exited the carriage and moved on to the back porch.
Herbert took out a key and unlocked the back door. He picked up an oil lamp
and lit it. Holding out his hand he took Sheila's hand and began to climb
the stairs. 

"She lives on the top floor of the house." Herbert explained. After they
climbed the private staircase Herbert took out several more keys. "They keep
her locked up during the daylight hours." He explained.

"Because during Daylight hours vampires are more likely to be running loose
on the streets and killing the general public I would presume?" Sheila said
sarcastically. 

The door slid open and Sheila could see a very beautiful brunette girl
cleaning her paintbrushes next to her easel and canvass. Sheila also saw her
smile and heard a slight giggle coming from the girl.

"I have tried to point out to the counsel how silly it is to lock me up
during the daylight and set me loose at night but have you ever tried to
reason with Mr. Travers." Cordelia said letting herself giggle even louder. 

"My mother says the same thing." Sheila said entering the room and walking
around to look at the painting. 

"Sheila Zuimstein, Cordelia Chase." Herbert said in way of introductions. 

"Nice to meet you." Cordelia said moving away from her painting to let
Sheila look at it, and over to Herbert. 

"Thank you for bringing me a visitor. It means a great deal to me." Cordelia
whispered in Herbert's ear. "I promise to behave." Cordelia added. 

"Please don't behave just for me." Sheila added from across the room. "Your
landscape is wonderful, Yorkshire country, correct?"

"Yes, it's of my home. Well my home before...ah you heard me?" Cordelia said
looking at the young woman. "You're not human," she added, stepping in front
of Herbert rather protectively.

"No, but neither are you." Sheila said then added, "I think I know this
area, it's near Chase manor." 

"You have been to Chase manor... and you still haven't answered the whole
'not human' bit." Cordelia added still standing protectively in front of
Herbert. 

"I'm a Vatcherguise demon. My mother is here working for the counsel, I
don't really have a clue what she is doing, I only know she can't wait to go
home. And yes I went to Chase Manor for a party there last year. Wait,
Herbert said your name was Cordelia Chase, I thought the whole Chase family
was killed off tragically about 150 years ago in some massacre." Sheila said
looking up from the picture.

"They were, I'm a vampire I wouldn't say I was exactly alive." Cordelia said
almost rudely. She hated thinking about what happened to her family. Even if
she sometimes liked thinking about the good parts of her childhood before
she had died. Before they had all died. Before Darla had turned her. 

"Herbert says you have a soul. Is that true?" Sheila asked coming from
behind the picture and over to the couch. She took a seat across from
Herbert. Sheila was almost amused by Cordelia's clearly protective pose in
front of Herbert. 

"Yes I have a soul, you're not dangerous are you?" Cordelia asked the second
part like a little child. In some ways she was still very much like the
seventeen-year-old girl Darla had decided to turn instead of just kill. 

"Hardly. But lets face facts the counsel would never let Herbert bring a
human girl to visit you." Sheila said flatly. 

"The counsel doesn't know you're here." Herbert said quietly.

"Yeah right." Both Sheila and Cordelia said together. 

"Herbert the theater tickets you have, where exactly did you get them?"
Sheila said smiling at the young man. 

"Richard gave them to me." Herbert said before hitting his head with his
hand in realization that the tickets must have come in some way from the
counsel. 

"Killing two birds with one stone." Cordelia said in a grumpy tone.

"How so?" Herbert asked.

"First the counsel wants you to keep me busy and out of my mothers hair."
Sheila replied.

"And second I asked if I couldn't have some more company than dusty old
watchers who talk of nothing but books. If I couldn't please go to the
theater or do other things that humans do, anything that would help me keep
my soul in tact." Cordelia said sadly. She still was embarrassed about going
to Travers and the counsel and begging them to let her do something other
than hang out with vampires. She had been in tears and crying when she
begged them to let her at least be near humans part of the time. Being
around demons scared her. She just wanted to be around someone normal. 

Their answer was to send Herbert to spend time with her. She was extremely
grateful. The collection of dusty ridged watchers she had been expected to
work with was trying at best. Herbert was at least human and kind. 

"You have theater tickets?" Cordelia suddenly asked excitedly. 

"Yes for a play called Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The counsel has heard
stories that real demons might be used in it." Herbert said excitedly.

"If that were true they would have sent the slayer not us." Sheila said,
"Still it sounds like fun."

"I love the theater." Cordelia said smiling. "I am sorry I don't have any
tea for you" the vampire added.

"Which reminds me, after the sun goes down and before we go to the theater I
am to take you to the butcher shop on Berner Street. The counsel has hired a
new shop to keep you in blood." Herbert said cheerfully.

Sheila looked at Cordelia as she took in the information. "Your blushing, I
didn't think vampires could still blush."

"Well I am not like other vampires, Herbert how could you bring that up with
a new person here?" Cordelia said pouting at him.

"I agree, truly bad form." Sheila added ganging up on Herbert. It was clear
both women liked each other a great deal. 

Friday August 31, 1888

Walter Stephan unlocked the door to Cordelia Chase's rooms on the top floor.
He always hoped to get her in some state of undress even though he knew her
vampire hearing would prevent that likelihood. It didn't stop him from
trying though. He wanted the vampire. Wanted to do things with her, take her
forcibly. She was just a woman after all. A woman who lived in a brothel.
That should have made her all the more willing to accept his advances. But
no, she actually thought of herself as a bloody lady. 

She was Darla's lover for almost a century. She really should treat him
better, he thought as he entered her room. 

"Cordelia?" He called as he closed the door.

"I'm here." She said from the couch where she had been waiting on him. She
hated spending time with him but he was her guide. The man the counsel had
assigned to take her around at night on her spying missions. 

"You're still over dressed. You need to look more working class." He stated.
No matter what she wore he always made her change. Then he would stand
behind the door trying to peek in on her. Cordelia had tried to voice her
opinion about his behavior only to have Travers tell her he was staying and
she needed to just get used to it. She was a vampire not a high society lady
and she needed to learn to act like one. 

"How should I dress?" She asked from the couch not making a move. He had
whipped her more than once for angering him. Never badly. The counsel would
only allow so much from him; still he had beaten her. 

"More like a whore." He said out loud and then to himself he said, 'the
whore you are.'

"I am dressed like a whore." She said quietly.

"Fine just go down to the coach." He said frustrated. With the Wells boy
hanging around he didn't want to risk bruising her again. And she was
dressed like a common whore; he had just wanted a chance to see her without
those clothes. 

"Is Herbert coming?" She asked hopefully, Walter had given in to easily. 

"No Wells is busy with his girl friend." He said to rub salt into the wound.

"With Sheila?" She asked far too excitedly. 

"He's told you about her?" He replied a little defeated.

"Herbert does like too talk." She replied deciding not to say anything about
her theater trip the night before. If Walter didn't know then it was
probably for the best. 

They walked down the stairs and got into the carriage. Walter never helped
her enter the carriage as gentlemen of the time normally did; Walter
normally treated her as poorly and condescendingly as possible. 

"So what is the plan for the night?" She asked quietly. 

"We are going in to the Ten Bells first to have a drink. I want you to
wander all of route A; the slayer is going to be patrolling Route D. You
will meet her on Goulston Street at ten thirty. William, her watcher will
meet you there as well. Then you will finish up the route and I will meet
you near Buck's Row." He explained.

She knew he would spend the whole of the night at the Ten Bells getting
drunk while she roamed the streets. She was just glad Herbert left her with
a lot of blood. Sometimes Walter didn't feed her for days and still expected
her to roam freely on the streets. Worse she would spend the near dawn hours
fighting off his advances while he was drunk. 

Nine PM August 31, 1888

Walter entered the Ten Bells pub with Cordelia on his arms. Most of the
clients of the pub recognized the very pretty young prostitute and her pimp.
They were regulars of the pub. There was always gossip about the two who
traveled in a coach with a royal seal. The speculation about who the young
girl's customers were was always on the lips of the patrons. Walter kept
Cordelia close as he made his way over to a table. 
He wanted it known the beauty was his property. 

As they moved to the table Cordelia accidentally bumped into one of the
working girls in the bar. "Sorry" She said looking into the prostitute's
eyes. 

"No problem girl." The forty-year-old woman said.

"Polly Nichols give her back her purse." Walter said grumpily. Mary Ann, or
Polly as she was known, was a nice girl except when she needed a drink then
you needed to watch your purses. 

"Walter what would you know." She replied back defensively. Walter just
grabbed her roughly and took Cordelia's change purse back. He handed it back
to the vampire and said, "I should just keep it, it's clear you can't handle
money girl." 

"Thank you." Cordelia whispered to Walter. She felt sorry for the woman. She
knew how rough most of their lives were and she honestly understood why the
woman was trying to steal a little change from some one like her. 

Walter forced her down in a chair and got himself a drink. She normally just
sat with him while he had his first round. Sometimes she sat with him
through the second or third round. She never left him until he gave her his
permission. One of the worst beatings he had given her was for leaving him
in the pub before he gave her permission. 

After his first beer was drunk and he had refilled his glass, Walter
announced loudly, "Go earn me some money girl." She hated when he did this
but she couldn't do anything about the problem. The counsel wanted it this
way. 

Cordelia left the bar to go on her designated rounds of the city. She was to
look for vampire hot spots and see what news she could gather about demon
activity. 

10:30 PM August 31, 1888

Cordelia Chase hid in the shadows on Goulston Street. She hated waiting for
the slayer. Partly because slayer's died. She didn't want to be there until
sunrise waiting for the girl. And slayers scared her. She was always afraid
they would just stake her. Sometimes she would welcome it, which scared her
too. 

As she was waiting she felt the point of a stake on her spine. "Come out of
the shadows." The slayer said. Joyce Miller snuck up on her more than half
the time. Cordelia really did lack in spy skills. Once her soul was returned
she became more like her seventeen year old self than her evil vampire self.
She was far more helpless now than she was as a human. 

"Joyce you scared me." Cordelia said stepping out of the shadows and turning
to face the fifteen-year-old slayer. "Wear is William?" She added in
question.

"Trying to catch up." The girl said smiling at the vampire. Regardless of
what her watcher said she liked Cordelia. 

"How is your mom?" Cordelia asked with real concern. Typhoid and Cholera
were rampaging among the working class. Not to mention Syphilis. Joyce may
have had slayer healing ability but her working class parents were not as
lucky. 

"About the same, I don't want to talk about it. What did you learn?" The
slayer asked changing the subject. Both women stopped as they heard the
breathless approach of William. 

"Oh jolly good, you're here." The older man said seeing Cordelia.

"Hello William." She replied.

"He is fine, what is the vampire situation?" The slayer asked hurriedly.

"About the same as always. I wrote down a few addresses with visible
activity. Most I think you should check out in daylight. Lots of nest. No
word on that Kal whatever thing, but word has it that some heavy guns are
looking for a few good vampires to be body guards for someone coming in to
the east side docks next week. Who and what I couldn't get. Sorry." Cordelia
said handing over her notes to William. 

They talked for a few more minutes then Cordelia left to meet up with
Walter. 

11:30 PM August 31 1888. 

Cordelia waited on Buck's row out of sight for Walter to arrive with the
carriage. The street was far too quiet for her taste and she could smell
blood in the air. Blood in the air wasn't that uncommon a smell in London;
still it was only making her remember her hunger. She seemed to always be
hungry. 

Walter pulled up and she started to get in the carriage only to have the
drunken man push her out the door and on to her butt. "We are going to get a
few things straight." He slurred jumping out of the carriage and onto the
ground next to her.

"Walter you're drunk." She said trying to stand back up. He was taking off
his belt. She saw what he was doing and started to back up the street.

"I am going to beat you until you never embarrass me again." He screamed.
Looking at his eyes she continued to back up the street and round a small
brick wall she had been hiding behind waiting for him to come and pick her
up. 

"Walter please I haven't done anything thing to you." She tried to plead.

"That's right, you are going to learn to spread those legs of yours when I
tell you to, and you are going to learn now." He screamed as she continued
to walk backwards up the street away from him. 

As she was backing up the street walking over the bricked road she tripped
over a body. Landing in a puddle of blood, her face slipped and her vampire
face popped out. She scrambled in the wet blood to get back on her feet.
Walter was by her side in a second.

"My god girl what have you done, that is Polly Nichols." He screamed.

"Help me!" was the only thing she could think to say to him. She was
horrified at what she saw, and horrified that her demon was thrilled. She
quietly reached out to the man she had been running from only minutes
before. 

He pushed her away hard saying "What have you done demon?"

"I... I.. PLEASE HELP ME." Cordelia begged in fear and confusion, her demon
face showing as she tried to grab hold of Walter. She was terrified. As she
reached out to him he drew back and slugged her with all his mite knocking
her across the ally and back into the puddle of blood coming from the body.
He had already reached into his pocket and pulled out his stake.

Cordelia struggled to her feet in the slippery blood closing her eyes so she
did not have to look on the mangled body of Polly Nichols. She was trying to
stand up and turn away from the sight when Walter pinned her to the wall,
slapping her across the face and punching her wildly in the gut. She could
feel the stake in his hand as he punched and beat her. And all she could do
was pray for her own death. She could feel the vampire face slip and her
real face return as he slammed his fist into her body over and over. Then
she saw him bring the stake back to thrust into her heart. 

A single gunshot fired in the background shooting the pointed end of the
stake out of Walters's hand. 

"Mr. Travers will want to talk to the girl before you kill her Mr. Stephan."
The carriage driver David McKinley said quietly as he kept his colt six
shooter aimed at Cordelia. David was an ex Calvary officer and sharp shooter
from America. He had come to London with Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show
and almost been turned into Vampire food but the slayer had saved him. He
left the show and became a carriage driver for the counsel. Sometimes
driving the slayer and sometimes the vampire Cordelia in one of the 3 royal
marked carriages the Counsel used for business. 

"Fine shoot her for now, until we can get her back to Travers." Walter
replied stepping out of the way. David unloaded the rest of his colt into
Cordelia's chest. They both knew the bullets wouldn't kill her but they
would slow her down. Somewhere between the 3rd and 4th bullets she passed
out. 






Trust No One, Deny Everything, because All Lies Lead to the Truth.