End of the Bloody Line
Chapter 9
by MadRog
*****
Giles left, heading for the comfort of his library and the sympathetic ear of Dalton, whom he had no doubt would support his decision and opinions.
Inside the house on Revello Drive, the meeting was about to begin.
Holding onto his hand tightly, Buffy pulled Spike up short as he entered the living room. “We need to get Jenny away from Angelus fast…”
Spike tried to be the voice of reason—a task not that hard to achieve since he didn’t even know this Jenny. All he knew was that Buffy cared for her, and that was enough. “But, luv, we can’t go off half-cocked. We need to know what we are getting into and what everybody can do to help.”
Wringing her hands, Willow spoke up. “But…but Angelus could kill her.”
“No, that would be the last thing the poncy git will do.” Spike’s voice was comfortingly confident. “That would be way too nice on the lass. No, he’ll drag out the torture of her for his jollies and to hurt you white hats.”
Frustrated, Buffy turned and stormed into the living room. “So, what?” Her voice rose. “We just sit back and…”
Catching her up, Spike rubbed up his cool hands up and down her arms. “No, pet. We will act, but I’m not rushing in on his ground and comfort zone an’ risking your life.” Buffy was caught in his smile. “‘Sides, the only person who was supposed to kill you is me, and now I just want to keep you safe.”
As she watched Buffy rest her forehead against Spike’s chest, Willow spoke up. “But we have to do something…”
After placing a kiss on Buffy’s golden hair, Spike looked over Buffy’s head at Willow. “We will. Red?” Willow jumped at the sudden shift of focus onto her. “You dabble in magic, right?
Willow was back to wringing her hands. “Yes, I try, but I should warn you that sometimes my spells go a little wonky.”
Spike looked around the house. “Has Angelus been invited into this house before?”
Buffy nodded her head while Willow’s eyes widened as the implication clicked into place. Glad to have something to contribute, Willow spoke up. “I’m already on it. One uninvited spell coming up.”
“Red, that needs to be done before sundown.” Even though his voice sounded hard with authority, Spike gave her an encouraging smile. Then he looked down at Buffy. “I’m surprised that Angelus hasn’t taken advantage of the invite so far.”
Willow was bouncing on the balls of her feet with anticipation of helping out the cause. “That’s the plan. You can count on me.” Before anyone else could utter another word, Willow was out the front door.
Buffy brushed fictitious lint off of Spike’s shirt. “So, what do we do now?”
Spike ran his hand down Buffy’s hair before he answered. “Rest. Tonight might get…wild.”
As Buffy became lost in her thought that that was a whopper of an over exaggeration, Spike reached for Buffy’s hand and drew her down into what had become their basement.
He opened his arms and she stepped into what was fast becoming her home. She had her arms bent in front of him and nestled her face into the crook of his neck. Spike could feel her tears soaking his shirt.
Raising his shoulder and gently nudging her, Spike prodded. “Come on, luv. Talk to me. You’re breaking my heart.”
“I’m just so scared for Jenny-- for all of us. So much has happened in such a short amount of time.” Buffy gave the smallest of laughs and teased, “Besides, you’re heart is dead.” She kissed his neck to take the sting out of her words, make it the joke that it was.
Placing a finger under her chin, Spike raised her face so that she would look at him. He brushed a thumb across her cheeks, wiping away her tears. “Buffy, my heart will always beat for you.”
Their kiss was gentle but deeply felt. Their tongues met, not just exploring but also comforting. “Oh…God…that was just…” Putting her hands on his shoulders, she arched up on the balls of her feet and literally smashed her lips on his. It wasn’t the world’s most graceful, or beautiful of kisses, but there couldn’t have been more heart poured into it. In fact, Buffy thought that Spike could hear the pounding. The kiss was chaste but held great feeling for both of them.
Buffy spoke the first thing that came to mind. “I need to be with you.”
“I’m not going anywhere, luv.” Spike held her tighter to add power behind his words.
Moving back a step so she could look at him, Buffy was more specific. “I need a good cuddling.”
With a smile, Spike lay down on the cot then held his arms up for her. Each fell asleep quickly, but their sleep was fitful. Regardless, the night was made easier because each knew the other was there.
*****
At dusk, Spike found Willow in the kitchen. He thought back over the last twenty minutes as he carefully closed the basement door behind him. His body instinctively had known when the sun was setting and it woke the vampire out of his slumber. Unable to pull himself away quite yet, Spike had leaned on his elbow and watched the Slayer sleep. Buffy. Her name was Buffy, and she was his. He itched to touch her face, even something so little as stroke the eyelashes resting on her cheeks. She was beauty itself, and he thanked the Powers That Be for this opportunity to know her. Yes, he had loved Dru, but this was vastly different. His very being called out for this slip of a girl.
And somehow he would have to keep her alive. He had no doubt that Angelus would be gunning for her and getting away from that bastard was next to impossible. But he would find a way so this enchantress could stay by his side, was his thought as he got out of the cot without waking her.
As he stepped into the kitchen, Willow spun around, startled. “Oh…hi, Spike.”
Spike looked to see what she was doing. “Red, looks like you are packing away your magic supplies. That mean you are done with the spell?”
“Yep. This is now a no Angelus zone. Oh, and I guess that means Drusilla, also.” Willow thought for a moment. “Does than mean you, too?”
“No, Red, much to the Whelp’s and Watcher’s disappointment. Since I was in the house when the spell was done, I can still come and go.” Spike walked over and retrieved some blood from the refrigerator. After pouring it into a mug, he heated it up in the microwave.
Willow looked back at the basement door. “Where’s Buffy?”
“Still sleeping, and I hope she does for awhile longer.” He walked over and washed out his mug. “But I do need a favor, Red?”
“Uh…sure.” Willow didn’t know what to expect.
Spike shrugged into his duster, obviously preparing to leave. “When Buffy does get up, tell her all is right as rain. I just had a bit of business to take care of and tell her to meet me at the library at 8:00. You, too. We need to talk about a spell to use on Angelus and his flighty soul. Got all that, sweets?”
He didn’t wait for Willow’s answer, just assumed obedience. Willow was left nodding at his leather clad back.
*****
Spike enjoyed slamming the library door back against the wall as he came sauntering into Giles’ domain. He found the Watcher pouring over a book with Dalton. The pair jumped at the sudden intrusion. “Ah, a little tete-a-tete between traitors.”
“Spike.” Giles felt more than just a little bit of fear. “Er…where’s Buffy?”
“Safe from you for the time being. I thought we needed one of those manly talks that we Brits try to avoid.” He turned his sights on the vampire. “Dalton, Dalton, Dalton. First you were in the master’s pocket, then the anointed brat, next me, and now you are bandying about with a watcher. What next? Santa?”
Dalton’s eyes were wide behind his glasses. “No, master. I am still your servant. I am just…” He never got to finish because Spike threw him into the library’s cage and locked it.
“Shut your gob. My business is with the Watcher first.” He slowly walked back until he was standing only a few feet from Giles. Giles was taller than the blonde vampire, but there was no doubt who held the power. “So this is what a Watcher that betrays his slayer looks like. Not only that, you conspired with a vampire to betray her.”
Giles took a couple of steps back. “But you are a vampire and she is certainly getting way too close to you.”
Spike poked Giles in the chest in time with his words. “And a lowly vampire isn’t good enough for your Slayer, eh?”
“No, certainly not.” As he quickly stepped back several steps, Giles was feeling a little more balanced again.
“Who are you to talk, Ripper? With your background in black magic, you dare to touch a woman like Jenny Calendar--who I have heard nothing but good things about? Were you good enough for the lass? Did she mind what you were?” Spike tilted his head. “Or did you even tell her? At least Buffy knows exactly who and what I am.”
“Precisely. You are a killer and more specifically, a killer that prides himself in killing slayers. Pray tell how is she safe from you?”
“Because I gave my word, and I stand by it.” Spike turned to take a couple of steps away before turning back. “Besides, you should be thanking me. Not only have I given up trying to kill her, but I will give my unlife to keep her alive. I would think you would want someone supernatural watching her back. I plan on seeing that she is the longest lived Slayer – ever.”
Giles adjusted his eye glasses, unnerved by the vampire’s words of devotion. “But how do I know you are telling the truth? It has been my experience that vampires are not to be trusted.”
“Which would you rather do? Be Buffy’s watcher and be of some help, or let your distrust of her boyfriend come between the two of you?” He walked up close, within a foot of Giles, and stared into his eyes. “I only want what is best for the Slayer. Just look me in the eye and see the truth.”
Brown eyes gazed into blue and got lost there. He could see the killer that Spike was, but truth also shined back at him. That much was clear. Giles stepped back, lowered his head and nodded his agreement. If nothing else, he needed time to think.
Spike returned the Watcher’s nod, but he wasn’t done yet. “But make no mistake, Watcher. If I decide that I need to-- if you try to come between me and Buffy and/or put Buffy in danger, I will rip your eyes from their sockets. You’ll live but you’ll never see another one of your precious books again.”
Spike turned, his attention now on the vampire that was currently in the cage. He opened the metal door, stood in the doorway, and stared until Dalton was actually squirming. Then Spike suddenly struck. Pulling a metal spike from his coat pocket, he picked the short vampire up and raised him off the ground with the strength of one arm. “I made a little detour on the way here to pick up some of my name sakes.” The master vampire proceeded to stake Dalton into the wall, leaving him spread eagle with a spike in each hand and each foot. The young vampire howled in pain. Giles had to look away from the spectacle and blessed the Powers That Be that Spike hadn’t done the same to him.
As he started to quiet down some and bear the pain, Dalton was able to think again-- and he hadn’t known what to expect. Spike’s moods were mercurial, and he had given no indication of how he was going to react to Dalton’s betrayal until that last moment. Oh, Dalton was still furious with whom he had hoped would be his lover, the traitor of their kind had chosen the whore slayer over him. But even through the veil of pain, Dalton still looked at Spike in love. This discipline had just been necessary.
Spike was pleased with his handiwork, and now he became deceptively calm. He needed to know the vampire’s motives. Was he working for Angelus? Could he possibly have the nerve to work for himself? Was he just flying by his own seat of his pants, trying to save himself? Was he mistakenly and foolishly going against him? “So Dalton, finally got some stones, did you?”
Dalton’s eyes implored the irate vampire for mercy. “Master Spike, I didn’t know that the Watcher was trying to kill you. I would never…”
Giles interjected, “No, it wasn’t just me…”
Spike whipped around and pointed his finger at the watcher. His eyes conveyed his silent command for Giles to shut up. Once Spike was satisfied with Giles compliance, the master turned back to the vampire now shaking in fear. “You would never what?”
Dalton would have wrung his hands if he could. “I would never even think about injuring you in any way.” Dalton prayed that his lies would get him through this tortured but alive.
In a second Spike back handed Dalton, leaving his lip bleeding. “You betrayed me, you fucking pillock. You dared to conspired with that scum,” Spike pointed again at Giles, “to kill me.”
Dalton shook his head so fast that it was almost comical. “Master Spike, I never intended to sacrifice you. That was just what I told the Watcher. I just wanted you away from the Slayer’s clutches.”
Spike could smell some deception in Dalton’s words coming off of him in waves, but he still needed to know Dalton’s motive and who he was now serving. If it was Angelus, they could use that to their benefit. “Let’s start back with Angelus.”
Not understanding what Spike wanted to know, Dalton started babbling. “Yes, I’m responsible for Angelus. I changed the spell so that Angel was released back into this world and would claim Drusilla as his own. I just hadn’t expected him to lose his soul.” He could see a tick in Spike’s jaw. “I did it for you,” Dalton pleaded. “Drusilla wasn’t good enough for you, either.”
“Drusilla was good enough for anyone. You just made me lose her.” The back hand Spike delivered this time snapped Dalton’s head to the side and opened a cut on the young vampire’s cheek.
“No, she went to Angelus as soon as he was back. She wasn’t a fit consort for you. And the Slayer isn’t fit to lick your boots.” He took another back hand, but Spike still had to understand that all was done for him. “You were meant for a better kind of love.”
Spike got up into Dalton’s face. “The Slayer licks boots? How dare you say such rubbish.”
This was Dalton’s chance to show Spike that love between men was infinitely superior. He quickly leaned forward and kissed his love. Their lips met and Dalton put his everything into it. When Spike’s mouth and eyes opened in shock, Dalton’s tongue darted out and gained entrance into Spike’s mouth. Just as tongue touched tongue, Spike broke away.
Spike shot back so fast that he looked like he had just touched fire. Dalton had completely caught him unawares. He just stood still, frozen to the spot.
Dalton kept talking. “You and me. We are the same. We have intellect beyond our demon. The books that you read, I pored over in hopes of discussing them with you someday. The poems you wrote are beautiful. I have memorized all of them. Master Spike, two men together far surpasses any woman. Give me a chance. You’ll see. I can please you better than a lowly woman.”
As disgusted as he was with the young vampire, one part of what Dalton said really caught Spike’s attention. “How did you know about my poems?”
“I was thinking of you, only you, when I left the factory after Angelus took over.” Dalton tried his best at this opportunity. “I smuggled out your journal while the animal was killing the minions.”
Giles listened to all that was said, soaking up the information. He was starting to suspect there was more to Spike, William the Bloody, than what he saw on the surface. Giles’s first instinct had been to not give any credence to the idea that Spike felt something for Buffy. But after Spike had lined him out, he decided to wait to pass judgment on the whole issue of a vampire looking out for a slayer. But this now. This was different. A vampire that was known for being one of the fiercest of his kind in history read novels. A vampire that wrote poems, and a vampire that seemed to care for his mortal enemy. Amazing. In the last few days, all had changed. Angel had been the good guy, and Spike public enemy number one. Now there was a one hundred eighty degrees swap. And to be honest, Giles had to look at himself. He had let himself be manipulated by Dalton all for some perverted unrequited love and vengeance. Good lord, he needed time to think and a stiff drink.
Spike felt desperation over his poems being read by Dalton but fought hard to not show it. “Where is the journal?”
Dalton nodded to his left. “It is in my coat pocket.”
Digging around, Spike pulled out a medium sized book and pocketed it into his own coat. He instantly felt relieved. Then he heard the doors of the library open and looked to see Buffy and Willow walk in.
Buffy took in the scene quickly. Giles looked disheveled and somewhat frightened. Then she looked at Spike as he turned to look at her. She could see the fury in his face, and the look drew her to him. He was standing in front of the cage, and she understood his fury when she spied Dalton hanging from stakes in the wall. “Spike?”
Unsure of how Buffy was going to take the torture, Spike tried to plow through, but in actuality, he worried that she would be revolted by what he had done. “Had to practice a little; reminding the ponce here of how I got my name.” Tentatively, he snaked his arm around Buffy’s waist, and immediately felt better when she leaned into his side. He was VERY thankful that she hadn’t come in earlier and seen the kiss. “Your watcher and I had a little chat, also.”
“So what do you intend to do with the…?” Buffy hurt just looking at Dalton, but she felt no sympathy.
Spike pulled Buffy’s stake from her waist band. “I have no use for traitors.” Dalton’s eyes bugged out as the knowledge that he was at the end of the line sunk in. Spike threw the stake and it hit home, causing dust to shower down. Without giving it a second glance, Spike leaned down and kissed Buffy on the lips. “Hi, pet. Have a good sleep?”
“No,” her lower lip jutted out. “I woke up alone.”
“Sorry, luv. I had a few things to do.” He leaned down and nibbled her pouting lip until she was smiling. Spike looked up at Willow. “Red, where is the whelp?”
“He’s at his house. We can get him on the way.” Again, she is in hospital.
“Good. Glad someone glad someone will be there with you even if it is the whelp. Ready to get down to some more hocus pocus?”
*****
The slayer. That was Angelus’ target. He didn’t know how, but he led Drusilla straight to the slayer’s home. They crept around the house and watched the windows carefully. He could see the man, the girl and the boy from the night of the burning church.
Neither were problems. The problem was how he felt around this house. He was sure that he had never been here, but a little voice inside of his head told him that he had, and that he had looked inside often. When Angelus and Drusilla-- dancing to her a tune only she heard--rounded the house to the back yard, he gravitated to a tree beside the house. He was drawn by his own scent. It was all over the tree. How could that be? Puzzled but following his personal signature, he climbed the tree, and it led him to a window. When he looked through the glass, he saw the room of someone young. Somehow he just knew that it was the Slayer’s room. He had spent time in a tree, looking in on the Slayer? No fucking way. But he reached out and placed his hand on the window and was bomb barded with emotions. Wanting, caring, concern, protectiveness, and most of all, love. He drew back as if he were burned.
“Daddy?”
Angelus looked down to see that Drusilla had stopped dancing and was now swaying with her hands not touching but poised over her ears. Angelus dropped down to the ground and walked over to her, thankful for this distraction. “What is it, babe?”
Drusilla continued to sway. “It’s the puppies.”
“Dru, it’s the stars that talk to you.” Angelus began to walk back towards the house. Drusilla was even more insane than usual.
Drusilla grasped his arm as he passed. “Yes, the stars are shining down on all the little puppies. Whoof, whoof. Daddy, they want to help us set the table.” She rose up on the balls of her feet and whispered into Angelus’s ear. As she talked, his evil smile began to grow.
*****
After Willow and Giles gathered up what books they thought they would need, Spike and Buffy escorted them to Revello Drive. Since the house had been secured to keep any vampire other than Spike out, it was decided that everyone would stay there for the time being. It would become command central instead of the school library, which was public and fair game to vampires.
Willow was first up the steps to the front porch and she screamed, turned around and threw up in the bushes. The other three rushed up the steps.
“Mother of God.” Giles placed his handkerchief over his mouth to keep from following suit.
Spike and Buffy seethed. Spike read the horror out loud. “Dinner.”
“Those are…were… dogs.” Tears in her eyes, Buffy could hardly comprehend the carnage. “Angelus wrote ‘dinner’ out in the mutilated bodies of dogs.”
“Just letting you know that this house contains dinner. The sick bastard.” Spike wiped a hand over his face. “So it has begun. This is just a taste of what is to come, pet. Let’s get these two into the house in case Angelus or some of his minions are hanging about, and then we can clean up.”
*****
After the clean up, Buffy and Spike were off on a recognizance mission. As they got closer to the warehouse, the more fledglings they encountered. It was obvious that Angelus had been making more minions. The slayer and her vampire made a trail of dust all the way to a window that looked down on the main room of the warehouse.
They looked in the window and spied Jenny hung from the rafters of the warehouse. Her clothes were in tatters. Both Angelus and Drusilla were there.
Spike pointed out the other features of the room: the doors, windows, and stairs. Last, he pointed out the way to Angelus and Drusilla’s bedroom.
As Angelus began to move, their eyes were drawn back to Jenny and the two vampires. Spike sensed Buffy’s revulsion with the scene. When he wrapped an arm around her, he could feel her shaking.
Using a leather whip, Angelus was taking his time striking Jenny on the legs, stomach, and breasts-- leaving thin cuts on her skin. He would pause between every few whips to let Drusilla lick the dripping blood. Then they would kiss, smearing the blood on their faces. Their laughter floated up to the window Buffy and Spike was spying the scene.
Buffy was horrified when Angelus let his demon come forward, and he sank his fangs into Jenny’s neck. In fact, Spike had to restrain her from charging in there to save the gypsy. But Spike gave her a squeeze, and pointed out all of the minions in the shadows of the room, watching the show. Buffy reluctantly nodded her head in understanding.
Then came the last straw. After drinking from Jenny-- not enough to kill her-- Angelus turned to Drusilla and initiated a deep kiss, both with their fangs extended, nipping at the other. Buffy and Spike watched as Angelus drew up Dru’s skirt-- displaying for all to see that the vampiress did not wear any underwear-- before he grasped her sex. Drusilla threw back her head in ecstasy when Angelus penetrated her with his fingers. The vampire picked her up using his hand in her sex and his arm around her waist and carried her in the direction that Spike had pointed out to be their bedroom.
Tears streaked down both Spike’s and Buffy’s faces, and she gratefully turned into his open arms. After a few moments of trying to calm and control the tears, Spike pulled back and tilted her face up to his. He placed a kiss on her soft, welcoming lips. “Tonight, luv, we’ve said our goodbyes.”
Buffy nodded and gave him a watery smile. “Now, together, we only look forward.”
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