Jack returned to the present moment, the raucous roar of the ballroom crashing over him like a bucket of iced water. Angelus was here, now, alive! He took a few steps towards him then stopped, Ira was there, Ira who terrified him even more than Dontan had, Ira whose charm magic had come close to snaring him. No, he couldn’t just barge in, he had to see what Angelus was doing here.

He pushed aside a couple who had stepped between him and his view and realised his hands were shaking. He wiped his palms on his pants and began threading his way through the crowd to get closer to the conversation. He could feel the pull of his blood, a painful yearning to be closer to Angelus. He stopped far enough away he could conceal himself within the crowd, but close enough to eavesdrop.

Angelus voice carried to him and his heart sped up.

“You are mistaken Ira, Gretchen is coming with me.”

Ira threw back his head and laughed dramatically then locked eyes with Angelus. “You think I will be that forgiving? I am still your master Angelus, you cannot defy me.”

The boy, who Ira had a firm grip on, arched backwards and started to froth at the mouth, Jack could feel the poison thundering through the slight figures blood. The look of terror on the boys face decided him, grabbing a large two pronged serving fork off the table he pushed past the crowd and slammed it as hard and far into Iras back as he could. Spinning past Ira he pulled the boy free, shoving him at Angelus.

“Follow me, Run!”

He dodged between dancers, headed for the nearest archway, feeling Angelus following him, their heartbeats syncing as he led them towards the caterers entrance and the kitchens.

“Jack?” Angelus voice was full of disbelief, but he didn’t have time to stop and explain as he threaded between the chefs and their underlings. The kitchens were hot and chaotic but the back door was wedged open as usual to let a breeze in and he charged towards it,

Outside two guards lounged, smoking, their guns propped against the wall several steps away.

Jack rushed past them, Angelus, carrying the still convulsing boy followed him and he led them into the formal gardens and the maze.

“Put him down, quickly, he doesn’t have much time left.”

Angelus laid the boy down in the damp grass and Jack used the knife he filched as he ran through the kitchen to open a vein in his arm, dripping the hot blood into the boys mouth as he concentrated, willing it to find and draw the poison out.

“She’s immortal Jack, you don’t have to.”

“I do, Ira’s been playing with alchemy, the kid will die horribly, only to wake and die horribly again, and again, I watched him test it.” A shudder ran through him.

“Nethers!” Angelus's voice held an equal mix of horror and revulsion.

Jack felt a wave of dizziness and then the warmth of Angelus's hands on his shoulders as he steadied him.

“What are you doing here Jack? I.. I thought you lost forever.”

He raised his face to stare into Angelus's eyes, “I thought the same of you, beloved.”

Angelus lowered his forehead until it was touching his, and he felt warmth and strength flow through him.

He let himself savour the feeling for a moment then pulled back. “We need to go, before he sets the Gwyllgi to hunt us.”

Angelus didn’t say anything, merely nodded and lifted the limp figure of the boy into his arms, following Jack silently as he threaded his way through the maze towards the cache he’d laid aside for his escape. Hefting the bag out from under some shrubs he shouldered it, quickly depressing the bricks that swung open the secret exit from the maze.

“Still ever resourceful my friend,” Angelus murmured, amused fondness colouring his words. Jack bit his lip, feeling the warmth and strength of having his blood-sworn so close to him.

“I’ve been waiting for the right moment to leave, Ira is not one to cross lightly.” He kept his words as carefree as he could, hoping Angelus wouldn’t use their shared blood to read him, he didn’t want him to know how terrified he was feeling right now. The great and mighty Jack, scared witless by the thought he could again lose someone he thought he’d already lost centuries ago. Scared that the bond they had wouldn’t mean as much to Angelus as it did to him. Scared that the boy Angelus was carrying was his replacement.

He led them at a brisk walk through the evening damp grass, headed for the outer walls of the mansions grounds. There were spotlights, dogs and human guards, but they were of little consequence, easy to avoid, what worried him was the Nethers that had been seduced into working for Ira, they were much harder to avoid.

“Jack,” Angelus’s voice was soft and intimate, magically thrown so it felt like he was breathing the words right in his ear. He shuddered, the warm tickle of his breath on the nape of his neck making him suck in his own breath and pause mid stride. Half turning he let his eyes take in Angelus, drinking in the sight of him, raising an eyebrow in question.

“I need you closer to me, I want to put a see-me-not veil over us.”