The Whimsical Notions Of A Desolate VampireBy Buddy
Willow smiled as Tara carried her booty into the lobby from the linen closet; instinctively Tara looked up in time to receive it. She smiled back at her warmly and Willow ran their earlier conversation through her mind for the third or fourth time. As soon as the introductions had been made, she had whisked Tara up to the second floor to dump her luggage and hopefully to get a chance to talk to her properly, face to face.
“Which room would you like? You could go next to me,” she grinned. “Dé jà vu!”
Tara looked confused.
“Don’t worry it’s nothing,” Willow rolled her eyes. “This is like a re-enactment of last night but with you and me instead of Xander and me, but before I found out it was Xander and Angel.”
“That sorta made sense, Willow sense … Xander and Angel? Really? I thought I sensed a vibe.”
“Yep, they’re vibey alright.”
Willow stopped outside her door. “This is me. This is next door to me.”
Tara ducked her head, a blush staining her cheeks. “I thought … no next to you would be fine.”
Willow’s face fell. “Ok, let’s check it out?”
She pushed the door open and led Tara inside, both of them automatically dumping the bags they were carrying on the bed. Willow put the light on and pulled the drapes and Tara stood by the bathroom door her mouth opening and closing a few times before she spoke.
“Willow do you really want me to stay in here? It might make it hard to snuggle if we’re in separate rooms.”
Willow’s eyes widened. “It would be hard, impossible even. You want to snuggle?” Tara was at her side in three strides and Willow was then mercifully folded into her strong embrace.
“I don’t want to take it slowly any more; I’ve missed you so much. You cured my echo Will. That ache that haunted me for years, I knew there was something I was missing, but I couldn’t understand it because how could I miss something I never had? Then I found you, and I knew it was you I’d been missing all along.”
Willow had cried then, tears of relief that she had barely noticed through the kissing.
Tara brought her back from her reverie. “You really think this ritual will work?”
“I‘m almost positive it will.” Tara raised her eyebrows.
“How do you know?”
“Let’s just say it’s based on some pretty solid evidence.”
~*~
Wesley stood in Angel’s office with the parchment in his hand and observed the panicked look on Fred’s face as she transferred the Orbs from the safe to Angel’s desk. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned, blinking rapidly when she realised how close she was to him. Wesley noticed too and he tried his hardest not to but the faint smell of her perfume filled his nostrils and involuntarily he closed his eyes.
“Wesley? Are y’all right?” She moved closer to him and unnerved he took a step back. He regretted it instantly.
“Yes, I’m just preparing. There isn’t much to say, but the entity I have to invoke … let’s just say I have to be focused. I also have to tailor it slightly to fit the circumstances. At least it isn’t in Latin.”
“Latin is a tricky one it being a written language an’ all. It’s a wonder the more complicated spells work considerin’.”
He looked at the runic signs that were apparently scattered around the edges of the page in a random pattern. He frowned and peered closer.
“Tagon. The Order of Tagon.”
“What? You can read that from runes? I thought they were symbols not letters.”
“No, there is some Latin here it just isn’t part of the invocation. They’re hidden amongst the runes. They must refer to the people who created the ritual. ”
“Really? I’ve never heard of them. They don’t sound a lot like the kind of people who can turn matter into living energy. In fact they sound kinda religious,” Fred’s eyes widened. “Ok, maybe they could.”
“No wait, I misread it. It’s the Order of Dagon, look it is in the main text; Dagon is the entity I have to invoke.”
“Do you think that’s important?”
“Could be, it’s a little late to worry about it now. If only I had gotten a hold of this sooner. But then things were …” Wesley trailed off; there didn’t seem anything else left to say.
Fred looked at him her eyes wide and when he saw her bottom lip quiver, he wondered if he was dreaming this; it wouldn’t be the first time.
“Fred … ” Wesley broke off as Gunn poked his head round the door.
“We’re ready Wes, Angel says its time to saddle up and get the hoss to the corral.”
Fred laughed, a little too loudly. “Sorry I just got a vision of Angel wearing a Stetson and spurs. Would you mind taking the Orbs out Charles? I’m terrified I might drop them.”
“Sure, no problem.”
Gunn scooped the case up in his hands as if it were fodder for the garbage disposal and for a moment Fred could have sworn her heart jumped into her throat. He grinned at her.
“The way I see it, the more careful you are the more chance you have of dropping ’em.” He breezed out still grinning.
Fred leaned her hands on Angel’s desk and took a deep breath. When she looked up again Wesley was staring at her as though he was about to say something she couldn’t bear right now and instinctively she reached for his hand to stop him.
“For luck,” she explained when she saw the look of surprise on his face.
He held it tightly. “Thank you. I needed that.”
~*~
Cordelia was distracted and missed the look on Groo’s face as she finished strapping her belongings to her back. He was watching her with resignation on his face and more than a little sadness but he plastered on a smile when she finally looked up.
“All set, could you hand me my crossbow honey?” Groo picked it up slowly and handed it to her.
“You are very brave Cordelia Chase. The women in my homeland do not take up arms.”
“Yeah well, they aren’t given much of a choice from what you tell me.”
“Even so, in your world it is not that customary. I thought you were a princess because of your demeanour and bearing ... I can see now that you are so much more than that. You are a hero.”
“No, I’m not! I just want to find Connor; I’m just as scared as everyone else is.”
“Yes, but you are going anyway. Come back to me safe and sound. I hope you will not be gone too long.”
“It will seem longer to me.”
“No. It will not.” Groo smiled at her and she kissed him.
“I do trust you, with my life I mean.”
“I will guard it with my own.”
~*~
Xander knew this was serious. Which was probably why he wanted to laugh so uncontrollably. The four of them sat in the circle facing their Anchors, wearing coats and carrying bags and weapons on their backs and looking for the entire world like lost boy scouts. Runes were scattered throughout the circle but for once, there were no candles. It seemed odd; there should be candles.
Wesley viewed them all solemnly, like he was the only one on earth who could guide them home. But they weren’t going home and the urge for simple laughter was almost overcome by a fit of the giggles. We are not ET’s my good man, we don’t need to phone ahead, but maybe you could keep the lines of communication open because once we get where we’re going, there are no flying bicycles.
He looked sideways, searched for Angel’s eyes and found no joy, just the back of his head. He looked the other side and was met with a glare from Cordelia. She leaned over and smacked the top of his arm.
“Hey! What was that for?”
“I might never get another chance to let you know how I really feel about you.”
She pulled a face at him but he could see that she was scared. Determined but scared and he smiled at her warmly.
“Right back atcha Cordy.”
Willow clasped his hand and the warmth was immediately soothing and calming.
“You ok?”
“Sure, if you class hysteria as ok, I’m good.”
“Wesley, I don’t know about these words,” Angel said. “Fred and Spike don’t know each other and …”
“Don’t get y’knickers in a twist Angel, I trust her well enough. She works for you, part of the mission to save your immortal ass or whatever.”
Angel stared at him for a moment and then his lips curled slightly and his nostrils flared. “When we’ve pulled this off maybe we can find a way to save yours.”
For once a retort refused to spring to his lips and Spike looked confused at first and then annoyed and then bewildered. Great, he’d be calling the big ponce, Sire next! At least he’d had the sense to snatch the bottle of Irish he’d found in Angel’s desk. A grin spread across his face before he could suppress it but Angel had already turned away.
Tara handed an Orb to every one. Standing outside the circle, she tipped the flask containing the portection potion so Angel could drink from it and then against his finger. He pressed it against his forehead as he started to speak.
“May this carry me through time and space,” he touched the Orb. “May this anchor me to this place.” He touched his forehead again and then Gunn’s forehead and then his Orb. “Through implicit trust, you ground me, you anchor me. I put my life in your hands.”
Tara tipped the bottle for Gunn and he pressed the potion against his forehead. “I serve as your Anchor and ground you here, your life in my hands through implicit trust,” he touched his Orb. “Through time and space,” he touched Angel’s forehead and then his Orb. “I serve to anchor you to this place.”
Tara repeated the process with Cordelia and Groo, Xander and Willow, then Spike and Fred. Angel went through it again with Lorne.
“What if it doesn’t work? It isn’t as if we can actually anchor Connor the same way …”
“Don’t worry Angel,” Willow said, “it will work, he’s of your flesh. You’ll just have to make sure you’re holding him when we bring you back.”
There seemed to be a collective intake of breath and Angel turned to see the grin on Xander’s face. “Can I say it?” He turned to Wesley’s questioning look. “Make it so Number One.”
“Nerd,” Spike muttered.
“Asswipe.”
“Poofter.”
“Jealous?”
Spike snorted in derision and his eyes flicked rapidly from Xander to Angel then to Cordelia and back to Xander again. “Why would I be? Looks to me like we’re all in for a bumpy ride.”
Tara put the flask of portection potion in a side pocket of Angel’s backpack and then grabbed the blankets she’d brought in earlier and threw one over Angel and Spike.
Xander started laughing.
“You look … you look … like overgrown canaries.”
Cordelia glared at him again. “Just be thankful that Tara thought of it, it avoids the whole ‘my vampire lover could be toast’ scenario!”
“Shush!” Willow scolded them.
Wesley charted to hum and the laughter bubbling up inside Xander died as fear crawled in and sat down next to it.
“Hmmmmmmmmmmm
Hmmmmmmmmmmm
Hmmmmmmmmmmm
I stand in subservience to Dagon
And make my plea
I entreat you; grant admittance to Quor--toth
To these Warriors of the Powers That Be
From living matter, make energy
From vessel, create the source
Recognise their Anchors
Keep them on their course
From natural state to natural order
Source becomes the vessel
I stand in subservience to Dagon
And make my plea
I entreat you; grant admittance to Quor--toth
To these Warriors of the Powers That Be
The air suddenly became charged and it felt like everyone’s hair was trying to creep off his or her scalp. As Wesley chanted, a hot breeze whipped round their heads and the space around him started to glow with blue light. The Orbs lit up like sea beacons and Xander thought it looked strangely familiar. He had time to look at Angel once more and then there was nothing.
~*~
It wasn’t until much later that Angel mused on the experience but it would strike him how close it felt to being switched off and then on again. It wasn’t the first time he’d experienced that particular feeling either; he just hoped to avoid unspeakable torture this time around.
His first reaction when he came into being again was panic because he couldn’t see and he felt claustrophobic. Then he remembered the blanket that Tara had thrown over him and he pulled it off his head. Belatedly he realised this wasn’t his most inspired move to date but at least when light filled his vision he did live to tell the tale.
There were no stars but a moon almost filled the horizon and to Angel it looked surreal like a still from a science fiction movie. The dimensions of it were so alien that he felt his mind trying to shut down in order to cope with it. He shook his head furiously and willed himself to get a grip; he’d seen far worse things than these.
It wasn’t as good as daylight but the eerie glow lit the place up like a football stadium, and the halogen shine leeched colour from everything in sight. Not that there was much to see from where he was standing. Mostly rock faces, dirt paths and sporadic bursts of foliage that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a Jurassic Park movie. Snow glistened on the tops of them and the path ahead looked glacial in places. Angel realised then that the wind whipping up around his head was very cold.
There was no sign of the others but he soon became aware of voices close by that seemed to be coming from behind a rock face on his left. It was slightly muffled but he could make out Cordelia’s shrill tones. He grinned in relief and amusement.
“Xander Harris get your hand off my breast!”
“I’m sorry ok, there’s no room in here. And where the hell is Angel?”
“Will you please stop moving? Every time you move my hip grinds against rock. I’m not exactly well padded in that area you know!”
“At least you’re covered in a blanket; we’re just freezing to death.”
“Could you please just pull the damn thing off me? I can’t see a blasted thing.”
“Neither can we, shift back a bit then I can … that’s it. Can you see now?”
“No. Wait. No, not a dicky bird.”
Angel immediately started to search for an opening but it appeared there wasn’t one.
“So much for enhanced vampire senses!”
The wall was actually part of a very huge mountain and there was no getting round it for at least a mile in either direction. He searched above and he couldn’t even see the top, yet he knew there must be a gap somewhere for there to be an oxygen supply in the space where they were trapped.
At least there was oxygen.
“Xander! Can you hear me?”
“Angel? Thank God! We’re trapped. I mean seriously lacking exits here and how come we can hear you?”
Angel’s foot slid into a hole underneath a large overhang of rock and he crouched down to inspect it.
“There’s an opening down here can you see my fingers?”
“We can’t see jack you idiot, it’s pitch black in here. Oi, get your tent out of my face or I’ll …”
“What? Pretend you have room to swing your fist and earn yourself a headache?”
“Bloody ’ell!”
Angel stood up and started kicking at the rock with the flat of his foot. It soon started to crumble against the force of his strength and then he could see boot clad feet and the bottoms of a familiar pair of jeans. He was immensely glad to see them.
“Spike, help me!”
“I’m trying to. You take the right side.”
“Ow!”
“Sorry Cordelia.”
“Get us out of here already. I’ll worry about my bruises when I can actually see them.”
Approximately two feet of rock collapsed and crashed to the ground and tiny shards splintered against Angel’s face. He automatically threw his hands up to cover it and when he looked up again Spike was grinning up at him.
“Hurry up and give us a hand then, I’m not that thrilled at being on m’knees in front of you.”
Angel clasped Spike’s hand and started to pull him forward but his tent got stuck. Spike lay flat on his belly and started to crawl like a wind-up GI Joe until Angel grabbed him under the arms and dragged him forwards like he was on an auto trolley.
Cordelia freed his gun strap when it got stuck and Angel yanked him the rest of the way out seconds before another sheet of rock fell. He stumbled backwards and they landed in a heap about ten feet away from the mountain. At least the Orbs were buried deep in their backpacks and they didn’t have to worry too much about them getting damaged.
When they looked up they could see Cordelia and Xander staring above them owl-eyed.
“Oh God. It’s huge. It’s …”
“Offensive?” Xander blinked.
“Better than street lamps. Come on before any more of this collapses.”
Cordelia grabbed Xander’s hand and they sprinted forward, steeling themselves against the cold. Cordelia let go of Xander’s hand and walked towards Spike and Angel, slipping and skating over the last two feet. Spike caught a hold of her before she could lose her balance and once again he was treated to the smell of her perfume and the feel of heat that was rapidly bleeding from her body.
“Thank you,” she said and looked at him oddly before freeing her arm from his hand and turning away.
Angel had his arms wrapped around Xander and the sound of Xander’s voice was muffled against Angel’s chest.
“We made it. We’re alive.”
Spike heard a shuffle to his left and his eyes widened at the sheer size of the thing charging at them.
“Look out!” He whipped the gun round and fired off a round of shots that didn’t even slow it down.
Angel dumped the stuff he was carrying on his back, drew his broadsword and leaped towards it. He lost his footing and skidded on his ass ploughing into it and only stopping when he reached its feet. It grunted a few times and then roared at him. He was pretty sure it wasn’t a roar of pain. A dart whizzed through the air before he could raise his arm. It embedded itself deeply in the hairy surface of its chest and its head whipped up in stunned surprise.
There were tusks protruding from the side of its mouth, dripping with snot and saliva. The rudimentary shape in the centre of its face looked more like a snout than a nose. Its eyes were red and lacked any sign of intelligence and what light there was apparent in them faded and then disappeared. Angel only just managed to roll clear before it toppled forward.
“Nice shot Cordelia,” Angel said.
“We’ve made enough noise to alert any others that might be in the area; we’d best get a move on.” Spike walked over and started picking up Angel’s belongings.
Angel stood up and regarded the creature for a moment. The back of its chest rose unsteadily a few times and then just quit.
“Which way do we have to go?” Xander asked him.
He was wearing a look that Spike and Cordelia had seen on his face many times. In fact, it was one that was as good as copyrighted to the Scooby Gang; they had all worn it at one time or another. It was an odd combination of fear, horror and a certain kind of resignation that sprang from the fact that no matter what you came up against, there was always something out there that was bigger, meaner and more evil.
“We need to head south, though I have no idea if this place follows the same natural laws as our dimension.” Angel grabbed the backpack that Spike held out to him and dug a compass out of the front pocket. The needle spun in a crazy pattern for a few seconds and then settled down.
“According to this we go that way. Let’s hope we can trust it.” He shouldered his bags and holstered his sword. He looked at Xander speculatively.
“I’m taking lead, Spike can bring up the rear. We’ll walk until we find somewhere suitable to bunk down for a couple of hours. Are you good for a while?” Xander nodded his teeth chattering. “Cordy?”
“Yes but let’s get on with it shall we? I’m freezing my ass off here.”
They fell in line and walked as quickly as they could and still remain on their feet. The wind got steadily worse as they walked and Cordelia’s back started to ache with the force of her shivers. They didn’t run into any more Grunts though and after about an hour of seeing nothing but the same type of landscape Angel spotted an opening in the side of a mountain. It was small but big enough for them all to squeeze through. The question was where did it lead? He fished a high-powered torch out of his duffle bag and switched it on.
“Stay here, I’ll just check it out.”
He was only gone for about five minutes but Xander was starting to get anxious, until he poked his head back out.
“I think this is it. There’s a narrow passageway in here that leads to a cave. There’s no sign that anything else has been in here and once we’ve dumped our stuff I can come back out and try to find something to block the hole.”
Xander followed him, grateful to get out of the freezing wind even if it was into a cold dank tunnel that he couldn’t see down very well. Angel switched his torch back on and light bounced unsteadily across the interior until he trained the beam ahead and it ate up the darkness. There wasn’t much room but it was better than the small space he’d arrived in.
“There’s something on the walls, drawings of some sort,” Angel said. “I saw them the first time I came down here. Here’s one.” He stopped and Xander piled into the back of him.
“Oomph.” Cordelia put her hands out to stop herself following suit into the back of Xander.
“Sorry Guys.”
Spike switched his torch on and played it across the ceiling. “Er … perhaps you should check this lot out.”
Hieroglyphics almost covered the interior of the passageway and continued on into the cave proper. It was obviously some kind of testament to the existence of the host species. Humanoid creatures resplendent in tall hats and robes stood before a huddle of what looked like nurses surrounding a woman looking heavily pregnant.
“”Crap!” Cordelia said in fear and disgust. “Now we know it’s true they exist but still not how they actually do it.”
“We don’t know anything,” Spike said. “It’s just a bunch of pictures; they could be a memorial for all we know.”
“This isn’t a memorial Spike, Lilah’s report was adamant about their continued existence. This is some kind of worship or scripture maybe.”
“Are we safe in here?” Xander asked, hoping they really were at least for a while.
“I think so; these are old and the only fresh smells in here are our own. Besides there isn’t any other way in or anywhere to hide. Spike and me can block the entrance with a couple of those rocks.”
They dumped their belongings and Spike used his torch to survey the cave, which proved to be big and uncompromising; the surface of the floor was mercilessly uninviting. Xander shivered and Angel plastered the length of his body up against him and rubbed his back briskly, his torch bobbing up and down like special effects in a bad B movie. Xander’s teeth still chattered and he pressed closer to Angel trying to steal back the warmth he appeared to be leeching from him.
Spike looked at Cordelia speculatively.
“Don’t worry,” she said quickly. “I’m not that cold.”
“Don’t flatter yourself pet, I wasn’t offering.”
He grabbed Angel’s torch and balanced both of them on a rough outcropping of rock so that the beams lit up the centre and the width of the cave.
Angel glanced at the two of them over Xander’s shoulder. “For now the best thing to do is to grab the sleeping bags and try to get some sleep. We’re all tired and even I can feel the cold.”
“Me too it’s … exotic.” Spike smirked at Cordelia’s disgusted expression.
“Yeah well I’d like to hear you say that if your teeth were threatening to dance right out of your mouth.”
“Don’t knock it love, it is keeping Harris quiet, s’gotta count for something.”
Xander flipped him off and reluctantly let Angel go so he could haul out the sleeping bags. They made short work of the sleeping arrangements, Angel grinning like a kid on Christmas morning when Xander took their sleeping bags over to the other side of the cave from Cordelia and Spike and zippered them together. Spike scowled at them.
“Have a heart yeah? No funny business.”
“Relax fangless, I’m too tired for anything but sleep.” Xander yawned widely as if to emphasise the point.
“It will be a miracle if you get any sleep; that floor is hardly a Craftmatic.”
“Rough housing builds character an’ all that. Makes the luxury of your own bed that much more special when you get home.”
“And you know this how exactly? I mean considering that you lived in a crypt for that last God knows how long.”
”Didn’t always live like that, ask Angel. It was only the best that was good enough for …”
“Shut up Spike,” Angel said testily, he wasn’t in the mood for a rehash of Angelus’ glory days.
“Well there’s no need to get shirty, I was only trying to tell Cordelia here that Darla had style.”
“I don’t know about then,” Cordelia said seriously. “But she went out in style.”
Her face crumpled for a minute that thought reminding her of exactly why they were here and what they had to do. Spike’s face softened at her expression and she bit her lip against the sudden need to cry.
She rolled her bag out and slipped into it about six feet away from where Spike had shaken his out.
“Come on Spike,” Angel tossed another torch over to him. “Let’s block that entrance.”
They made short work of it and Xander was grateful that it wasn’t long before Angel was in the bag at the side of him.
“Hit the lights,” Angel called over to Spike and Cordelia. “We need to save the batteries. Goodnight guys.”
“Good night Angel, night Xander,” Cordelia said softly as she clicked off the lights.
“Night Cordy, Spike.” Xander said his voice muffled.
“Goodnight John Boy,” Spike replied in falsetto, breaking the maudlin atmosphere and causing everyone to chuckle.
Xander snuggled up to Angel as soon as he joined him. He willed himself to relax, which wasn’t easy whilst wearing his coat and shoes. He felt like ‘puffy’ Xander for a moment and then realised that he would be so much warmer if he were wearing that outfit. This led to thoughts of Buffy and Dawn and he wondered how they were coping sans Slayerettes. His teeth had stopped chattering but he was shivering like it was a new Olympic category.
“Do you really need to sleep with your coat on?” Angel whispered close to his ear.
“Well I figure if I’m going to die out here, it should be a hero’s death as opposed to the embarrassing hypothermia; it just doesn’t have the same panache,” Xander whispered back.
“Stop being overdramatic, you’re not gonna die of hypothermia. I’ll keep you warm.” Angel’s lips tickled Xander’s ear and he squirmed a little before turning slightly so he could press his own lips against them. They shared a slow satisfying kiss and Xander forgot to shiver for a moment.
“No, you’ll steal every last drop of heat from my body,” he managed eventually.
“No I won’t … take your clothes off.” Xander stared up at him incredulously and then realised it was a wasted expression because Angel couldn’t see him.
“And how will that help exactly? Unless you have a sudden urge to fast-forward my sad demise.”
Xander suddenly grinned next to Angel’s cheek and snaked out his tongue to follow his jaw line to his ear lobe, which he nibbled on briefly. He could hear the murmur of Spike and Cordelia’s voices although he couldn’t hear what they were saying. Cordelia talking to Spike was … almost as bizarre as the fact he was in a sleeping bag with Angel.
“I could take my clothes off too,” Angel suggested softly. “There’s no reason to die unhappy.”
He peeled the Band Aid off his bite mark and licked it lazily. It was exquisite torture for both of them, knowing how good it would feel if Angel just sunk his fangs in and tasted him.
Xander groaned. “What are you trying to do here? Winding me up is a full-time job for Spike, there’s no room for anyone else; not that it normally stops Cordy or Willow.”
"Do I really need two remind you two that there's a thick wall of absolutely nothing protecting my ears from your slobber?"
“Shut up Spike … I’m trying to take your mind off the cold … is it working?”
Before Xander could form a coherent response, cool lips found his and parted them roughly. Xander lay still, his heart thudding in his chest whilst Angel curled his tongue around his and drew it into his mouth. Angel shifted until he was lying half across his torso, deepening the kiss and gathering the sleeping bags close around Xander’s shoulders.
Xander relaxed into it, all his muscles loosening and his rigid joints unlocking under Angel’s ministrations. Finally, he let him up for air.
“Warmer?” He whispered, his lips tickling Xander’s cheek again before he rested his head on Xander’s chest.
“Definitely warmer.”
“Sleep now.”
“I will. Love you.”
Angel opened his eyes at the jolt of pleasure and fear that went through him. Would he ever get used to hearing that without expecting a fire-bolt to strike him? Would it ever feel natural to say it? He wanted to but the words were stuck in his throat. Xander’s breathing slowed down and he realised that he was asleep. He held him tighter for a moment and then murmured the words he knew Xander couldn’t hear.
“I love you too.”
~*~
Cordelia didn’t really believe she would sleep at all. She lay for a few minutes trying to peer into the total darkness and realised it was far less unnerving to simply close her eyes. She wondered what Groo was doing; what all of them were doing and then realised they would all probably be tucked up in bed except for whoever had drawn the short straw and first watch.
Wesley’s expression when he had said ‘hello’ to her arose unbidden in her mind’s eye and refused to leave. Opening her eyes again made no difference, it just reminded her how dark it was so she shut them again. There he was looking two parts kicked puppy and one part … it eluded her for a moment and then she realised it was the same stubborn look Angel sometimes got when he had to do something that he knew everyone else would hate.
Cordelia realised they’d all worn that look at one time or another, AI members and Scoobies alike. It was that quality that made it possible for them to do their jobs but also the people most likely to break your heart. She felt a sharp stab of guilt; would she have acted the same way and made the same choices that Wesley had under those circumstances?
She loved Connor and would do anything to save his life, and Angel was her dearest friend, so how would she have dealt with the knowledge he could be the greatest threat to his son? Certainly different to Wesley; she would have trusted Angel enough to share her concerns with him. On reflection, she now believed that Wesley’s motives were good and however bad his plan was executed she no longer thought his heart was in the wrong place.
She sighed heavily, she’d never been given to heavy introspection it made her head hurt, but that didn’t stop her being observant. Wesley was angry and hurt and she would talk to him when they got back; presuming they all did get back. She wiggled her thawed out toes; she’d warmed up without realising it.
She heard the scrape of a match and there was a quick flash of light whilst Spike lit a cigarette and she suddenly became sharply aware of the fact that he was lying close by. The small illumination only lasted a few seconds but it was long enough to throw his features into stark relief and for them to become etched on the back of her eyelids. Was Spike a good guy now? Or did everything he said and did have an ulterior motive?
There must be something there; Saint Buffy would never have gotten her hands dirty without some room for self-righteousness. The tip of his cigarette cast a lone orange glow that moved around the air like a lazy firefly burning brighter each time he drew on the filter. Was he thinking about Buffy right now? Despite the softly spoken words Cordelia still jumped when she realised he was talking to her.
“Angel’s right Seer. You should get some sleep. If you keep brooding like that you’ll only wake up later with an overhang and it would be a shame to spoil that lovely face,” he whispered.
“I’m not brooding, I’m thinking and trying to get warm. Also, I think I might be lying on a boulder.”
Spike bit back the retort that sprang to his lips. He didn’t know what it was about Cordelia Chase exactly but she made him almost ashamed of his natural tendency to leer. Well almost.
“You could always …”
Cordelia interrupted him. “One word from you about vampire’s making comfy mattresses and …”
“And what? You’ll stake me?”
“Oh please! I’m not that prosaic. I’ll steal your hair bleach.”
Spike let out a low laugh, mindful of the fact that Angel and Xander were sleeping not far away. Cordelia heard the restraint and wished she could see the expression on his face. Where did he get off acting so … personable?
“It isn’t so outlandish an offer you know. Despite the generated belief in the CC hype, I can control myself around you. All I’m saying is why be cold and uncomfortable if you don’t have to be?”
“What hype?”
“Oh you know, the whole beauty queen, body beautiful syndrome. I’m immune to such nonsense,” Spike snorted. “Ok, I’m lying but I can be a gentleman.”
“Lame. And tacky.”
“I don’t have a problem with that and thankfully the chip can’t punish me for it.”
There was silence for a while apart from the sound of Xander’s sleep-heavy breathing and the words that Angel muttered that neither of them could make out. To Cordelia it sounded as though he was arguing with someone but to Spike it sounded like he was begging. It was a strange thought that he dismissed but not before grinning at the image.
“Missing your man?” Spike ventured.
“What? No. Yes. But I wasn’t thinking about him, I was thinking about Connor … I’m tired, goodnight Spike.”
“Yeah, night.”
Spike quelled the urge to flick his butt end over in Angel’s direction and docked it out on the floor next to where he lay instead. He lay on his back on top of his sleeping bag, his rolled up duster supporting his head and his hands hooked into the belt loops of his jeans.
What were the chances that Buffy was missing him? He bitterly acknowledged that it was a possibility if Dawn got into trouble or the Hellmouth spat out something the Slayer couldn’t manage with her depleted ranks. He pushed the unwelcome truths away, but not before they’d wrung a physical pain from him in the space where his heart used to beat. He turned over angrily, disgusted with himself.
At least the pain was comforting in a way; it filled the void and reminded him that it had potential to be filled with something else. For the first time in a long time, he missed Drusilla. He didn’t want her back but he would happily shave a few years of his near immortal life to go back to the days when he was her sunset, the Slayer was merely blood sport and Angel was little more than an echo occasionally blipping on his radar.
It suddenly occurred to him that he didn’t miss Buffy. In fact, he felt oddly free and an immeasurable sense of relief there was a dimension between them. Angel may be many things but a patronising git wasn’t one of them and Spike had only been here doing this for five minutes with him and he … fitted. Maybe Buffy was simply a bad habit he had to break.
He heard Cordelia’s breathing pattern change as she fell asleep. Despite the latent Angel crush - you only had to look at Groo to realise it existed - he was curious about her. She wasn’t gripped by the sad cynicism that afflicted Xander or the haunted look that always seemed to grace Red’s features lately. She had the determination necessary to do her job and her heart was firmly in it. Luckily for her, she had escaped having her heart torn as badly as the other two. Bruised maybe, but nothing life-threatening. Oh, he knew she’d faced demons but it was the personal stuff that was ultimately the killer. He guessed she managed to remain aloof with her involvements if Groo was any indication, and he wanted to know if that was merely about survival; to him the two couldn’t be mutually exclusive and why the hell would anybody want them to be?
Risk the pain there’s much to gain he’d always said and even now, feeling the way he did about Buffy, he couldn’t regret the chance he’d taken because he’d experienced the good stuff and he was willing to wager, whatever the cost, that for some of it she had been there too.
Like countless others the world over, Spike fell asleep without being aware of it. He had no idea that the warm flesh that pressed close to him wasn’t real, or that the lips that parted in willing anticipation on his were merely a plot twist in a vivid dream. Ultimately, it didn’t matter; it tasted sweet and welcoming and he moaned in protest when it ended. Moans that turned to pleasure when the same lips fastened on a taut nipple and the rapid flick of a tongue across the surface defied physical laws and sent all his blood south, making him impossibly hard.
Miraculously it wasn’t long before lips were sliding over rigid flesh and sucking greedily as he jerked his hips up for deeper penetration. Tongue lashing out greater friction brought him to a satisfyingly long and drawn out climax and when he was able, he opened his eyes and looked not into to Buffy’s face but Cordelia’s. He wouldn’t remember it in the morning but he would feel a deep satisfaction and an odd sense of familiarity every time he looked at her.
~*~
Angel tried to recognise the expression on Darla’s face; it was alien to her and he couldn’t place it at first, then with shock he realised it was fear. Even Holtz hadn’t managed to instil fear in her despite his determination to pursue the two of them wherever they went. The Master had come closest but she had never truly feared him so much as wished to please him, until Angelus had come on the scene.
“What’s wrong Darla?”
“I tried to warn you. There’s nothing I can do to stop it, I can only warn you again.”
A fire blazed in a clearing and she sat huddled in a blanket near to it but not really close enough to feel the benefit of the heat. Angel tried to encourage her to sit closer but she resisted him.
“This is close enough to the fire. You know what happens if you play with it.”
“Yes, Xander will leave me for Spike.”
She laughed, some of the old malice shining in her eyes. “Don’t be obtuse, you know that dreams aren’t that literal. But they will need each other before you return.”
“Before we go home?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“If you’re gonna talk in riddles I think I should just go.”
“It isn’t me talking in riddles, I’m not even real. All of this is just you talking to yourself; you’ll get the answers when you’re ready to listen to them. Think hard Angel; what’s the one thing that can screw this up now?”
Angel looked at her with a pained expression. “Me?”
“You’re gettin’ close honey. The thing you most need is the thing you have to fear. He’s coming bearing gifts and heartache and you have to protect our son.”
“Is Connor still safe?”
“He’s still alive; it’s going to take all of you to keep him safe. Now … it’s time to wake up, you have to get moving.”
Angel sat up with a gasp, instantly wide-awake and automatically feeling next to him to make sure Xander was still there. He was actually still curled around him he realised after a few seconds and snoring softly. Angel shook him urgently.
“Xander wake up, we have to go now.”
“I’m up … what?”
He got up unsteadily and smiled at Angel in that naked way grown-ups only usually manage when they’ve been sleeping. Angel couldn’t decide if he wanted to ruffle his hair or fuck him into the ground and then he realised he was hard; no competition.
Spike was on his feet in seconds having slept on the top of his bag the whole time. He searched blindly until he found the torches and then switched them all on.
“Ow! It’s in my eyes.”
“Sorry Cordelia, we have to get going.”
“I know and the worst thing isn’t the having to get up part, it’s the needing to pee.”
Spike threw her an amused look.
“Does being half asleep mean you always share that much information?”
“Too much huh? Sorry.”
She wrinkled her nose at him, climbed out of her bag and stretched as soon as she was standing. She was covered head to toe in quilted fabric but Spike could still appreciate the way her breasts pressed against her clothes as she threw her arms back over her shoulders.
“Close your mouth Spike and whatever you’re thinking, don’t.” Spike closed it with a snap and tossed an annoyed look over at Xander.
“Fag off!” He said, clearly pissed that he’d been caught out. “Are my thoughts public property all of a sudden?”
Xander ran his hand over his jaw and forehead. He felt crappy and he hoped the blind spot that had appeared in his vision as soon as the light had gone on was more to do with poor illumination than any indication that a migraine was imminent.
“Sorry, just ignore me and hopefully I’ll go away.”
“Thankfully something easy to do.” He grinned at Xander, all the tension leaving him and the grin widened when he saw that Xander was answering him with one of his own.
Cordelia and Angel had studiously ignored the exchange and started picking up belongings and rolling them ready to be carried. Spike pulled the cooler out of his backpack and handed a sealed cup of blood to Angel. They both made short work of it and he handed out cereal bars and bottled water. Angel refused the bars and Spike shrugged and claimed them for himself.
“Come on Cordy,” Xander said after they had eaten and drank something.” We can be look-out for each other, I need to go too.” Xander said.
“Take your weapons with you. The rocks will be easy to move, they’re more to disguise the opening than to seal it. We’ll finish packing, be careful.” Angel quelled the need to go with them and protect them; they wouldn’t appreciate it at all under the circumstances.
The two of them left, Xander carrying his axe and Cordelia her crossbow. They looked like a couple of kids about to re-enact scenes from Robin Hood.
“What’s the hurry Angel, did you hear something?”
“No.”
“Sense something?”
“Not exactly.” He stopped what he was doing and looked at Spike. “Darla told me to get a move on.”
“Don’t you think … Isn’t Cordelia meant to be your link to the guys upstairs?”
“She is my link, just maybe not the only one. Trust me, we need to get going.”
“It’s just like Darla to make guest appearances in your dreams; she never could stand being upstaged.”
“True,” Angel couldn’t resist a smile. “But I’m not ignoring this.”
“What else did she say?”
Angel’s eyes wavered slightly and Spike knew it was a lie before he opened his mouth. “I don’t remember.”
Spike stared at him for a long time and then without another word gathered the rest of Cordelia’s belongings.
~*~
“I thought Angel said they weren’t heavy!”
“They’re not, it’s just that this one is stuck, hang on.” Xander pulled at the last rock with all of his weight and it slid out of place suddenly spilling him to the floor, the rock landing in his lap.
Cordelia trained the torch on him when he cried out. “Oh God are you alright?”
“You have no idea how close that was to seriously quelling all sexual urges forever.” He pushed it off and stood up, peering outside in amazement. “It’s still dark out here; well at least the moon is still pretty much invading the sky.”
“Any sign of any thing?”
“No, come on.” Cordelia snapped the torch off and followed Xander out of the passageway. The wind had died down considerably but the air was still cold and the thought of taking down her pants was almost enough to make her hold it.
They walked a short way until they came to a pile of rocks that were level with Xander’s chin.
“You first,” Cordelia said and walked away to give him a little privacy.
She had her crossbow cocked and loaded and her eyes peeled for the slightest movement. Xander didn’t take long and they changed places. Xander’s eyes darted this way and that and they kept returning to the tracks they’d made on the way here. There was something wrong with them. Then it hit him; there were four sets of tracks instead of two.
“Be quick Cordy, I don’t think we’re alone.”
“Great, how am I supposed to go now you’ve said that?”
“Well I don’t think there’s anyone here, here now, but they were, in the n … while we were sleeping maybe.”
Cordelia appeared after another minute. “Oh this part’s fun; I think it’s the humiliation that really sells it.”
“They heard movement behind them and both of them raised their weapons.
“Relax, it’s us,” Angel said as he dragged Xander’s load over to him. Spike followed closely behind with Cordelia’s.
“Two extra sets of prints in the snow, something’s been here Angel and I’m thinking it wasn’t the sandman.” Xander raised both eyebrows to emphasise his point and Angel looked in the direction he was nodding.
“Shoes,” Angel said. “Whoever it was they were wearing shoes so at least we know it wasn’t Grunts.”
They started walking once they were all loaded up again, the cold quickly pervading Xander and Cordelia’s body and chasing away the warmth so quickly that Angel could see it rising from their faces. This was a worry; extreme changes in temperature would lower their immune system and leave them open to infection. He didn’t want to consider what type of infection inhabited this world at all.
“Angel, wait up,” Xander broke the ranks of safety after about an hour to catch up to him.
“Xander you should fall back in line we don’t know what’s out here,” Angel said, irritated and torn between wanting a time out so he could show Xander exactly what he meant to him and the ever increasingly urgent need to get to Connor.
“I know I’ll only be a minute. Do you think it’s always dark here? I mean that moon is humungous and we don’t look like we’re any further away from it that we were when we arrived.”
“I’m not sure but I figured that a day here is longer than a day back home, maybe twice as long, which has advantages and disadvantages. It’ll be easier for me and Spike to move around for longer but also once day breaks we’ll be limited for longer. There’s also the temperature to consider; expect to get really hot when the sun comes up.” Xander looked at him oddly.
“What?”
“Have you any idea how big the sun’s going to be? I’m thinking we’re all gonna be toast.”
Angel stared at him horrified. He suddenly felt very vulnerable despite the fact that it was unlikely the sun would just appear without warning.
“We might be ok, natural laws don’t seem to apply here. We can only hope and get a move on, now would you please get back in line?”
Xander grinned at him. “Ok, but only because I don’t mind the view.”
Spike’s ears pricked up at that and he smirked, time for a bit of fun. “S’not so bad from where I’m standing.”
Cordelia rounded on him and he put up his hands before she could speak and then pointed ahead on the left. The path forked and fell away down a deep slope leading to a huge lake that was frozen over. It cut away south through the mountains in the direction they were heading and it was hard to tell from their vantage point if they had to actually cross the lake, which looked virtually impossible, or if there was a path beside it.
It was beautiful; the moon reflected off it in a brilliant mirror image that was hardly bearable to look at. Cordelia’s cheeks burned with embarrassment, which at least afforded her some warmth. This was ridiculous, it was Spike for goodness sake, how come he could rattle her so much, enough to make her react to his insinuations like a schoolgirl?
She had no doubt he’d done it deliberately to provoke her and she was furious with herself. She started to walk quicker, temper making her forget to tread wearily and before she realised that Xander and Angel had stopped to admire the view, she had bumped into the back of Xander and landed on her ass.
“Dammit!”
She tried to get up hastily but merely slid about on the icy surface. A firm hand slipped into her gloved one and she looked up to see Spike looking at her with concern and with no hint of mockery in his eyes. She smiled at him sheepishly and allowed him to pull her to her feet. Maybe she was wrong.
“Alright love?”
“Let’s just say my ass isn’t looking forward to a granite chair anytime soon,” she looked at him, one eyebrow raised. “Next time we stop maybe I will consider sitting on something a little less inflexible.”
Spike looked at her blankly until the implication of her words hit him. Before he could utter a sound Xander and Angel were crowding around them.
“You ok Cordelia,” Angel asked her.
“I’ll survive, nothing that a hot soak and a massage wouldn’t cure.” She watched Spike’s double take and stifled a smile. If he was playing … well two could play at those games.
“Ok,” Xander pointed his index fingers at her. “You’re not allowed to mention home comforts out loud, I figure there’s enough torture to be endured here without you adding to it. Things like LA sunshine and indoor bathrooms, not to mention hot food and …”
“I get your point, you can stop now.”
Cordelia winced whilst she rubbed her ass and acknowledged with some measure of satisfaction that Spike was watching her intently. She rubbed longer than necessary and then looked at him directly. He blinked rapidly, startled by her frank look.
“Do you have something in your eye Spike?”
He blinked again, a slow smile lifting his lips. “I do, it’s relatively painless though. I don’t feel the need to remove it just yet.”
“What are you talking about?” Angel said looking at the two of them in confusion.
“Nothin’, let’s go,” Spike said quickly.
“Wait.”
Angel pulled the compass out and checked their bearings. He pointed to the lake and sighed theatrically. “That is the way we’re headed; of course it is, the trip wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t have to risk breaking our necks getting down there.”
He walked to the edge of the path they were on and scanned the area to see where the best place to start the descent was.
“We can keep walking this way for a while, it looks like it’s easier to climb down a couple of kilometres ahead through that forest.”
His foot suddenly slid out from under him and he pin-wheeled forwards. He mentally kissed goodbye to Xander and then felt a strong grip on his ankle pulling him away from the edge.
If Spike had been taller than Angel he would be dangling clear but his hands scraped across the surface of the ground until Spike figured it was safe to put him down. The handle of Angel’s broadsword dug into his shoulder, he tried to roll off it but only succeeded in getting tangled up in the strap of his scabbard and then the tent fell forward and hit him in the face.
“Fuck! Sorry Cordelia.”
“No, please feel free to curse for America. Are you ok?”
“I‘m fine, a little pissed off but …”
“You have to be the clumsiest git to ever call himself a Master Vampire Peaches, d’ya know that?”
Angel was about to snap a string of abuse Spike’s way until he saw the look on Xander’s face. He was at Angel’s side and his knees buckled, one hand over his mouth and the other reaching for him.
“Say thank you,” he managed finally before pulling Angel close to him and gripping him with a strength Angel hadn’t known he possessed.
“Thanks,” he muttered looking up at Spike over Xander’s shoulder.
“Don’t mention it, I’m sure you’ll get plenty of opportunities to return the favour. Now if you two have finished acting out your Greek tragedy we have a lake to skate across.”
They carried on walking, the journey getting increasingly difficult as the ice thickened on the path ahead. Xander and Cordelia were soon miserable with the cold and neither of them paid much attention to their surroundings so they didn’t notice at first that the foliage lining the path was getting thicker and the path was getting narrower. The right side was mostly sheer rock face with the occasional gap that revealed little more than darkness, a total contrast to the right side where the moon still illuminated everything as though it were waiting for the players to run on pitch and the game to start.
The wind started to whip up around them again and Spike slipped his hand in Cordelia’s, his face brooking no protest and his expression letting her know this was only for comfort and to help keep her on her feet. His grip was strong and Cordelia felt oddly reassured by it. He had his rifle in the other hand; the trees and plants offered too much opportunity for ambush and he wanted to be prepared.
Angel drew his sword and Xander was already holding his axe, in fact, he was pretty sure it was frozen to his hand and that it would need to be removed surgically. Angel soon became aware of a low drumming that sounded like it was coming from the direction of the lake. He couldn’t see anything that might be making the noise and he glanced back uneasily.
“Can you hear that Spike?”
“Angel, even I can hear it,” Xander said looking worried.
“What do you think it might be?”
“Oh I’ll take a wild guess and say … drums.” Spike wanted a smoke but he didn’t want to let go of Cordelia’s hand; just in case she fell that was.
“There’s no need to be sarcastic,” Cordelia said to him.
“Sure there is, it breaks the monotony. Although I can think of better ways.”
The noise level seemed to go up considerably and Angel was just about to suggest they look for shelter when it stopped.
He glanced sideways at Xander. “That was peculiar.”
“Don’t you think it sounded a bit ritualistic? Maybe they’ve done with the virgin sacrifices for tonight and now they’re off to catch some zees.”
“That’s not funny Xander.” Cordelia glared at him.
“I know but it’s probably true. Don’t worry; at least we’re all safe.”
“Except I doubt virgins are in abundance here, this being hell an’ all.”
Spike’s stomach growled impressively and he realised then how hungry he was. The thought of his fangs buried in a gushing jugular flashed in his mind and was almost too much. He shook his head violently and Cordelia involuntarily squeezed his hand tight.
“Are you ok?”
“Fine. I’m fine let’s go.”
“Are you sure because you changed, just for few seconds but you changed.”
“I’m hungry.”
“Oh.” Cordelia’s eyes widened but she didn’t let go of his hand. It didn’t even occur to her to do so.
The path veered sharply into a right fork that disappeared into a clump of heavy foliage ahead. The good news was that the ice thinned on the path ahead and walking became much easier.
“Thank God! My back’s rigid with shivering and locking my knees so I don’t fall.”
“You can let go now pet, the way’s clear so you’ll be surer footed.”
Cordelia stared at their entwined hands and snatched hers away when she realised that she really didn’t want to. Damn him, why did he have to make such a show of it? She walked ahead and missed the surprised look on Spike’s face.
He wished he’d kept his mouth shut. He might have made a point but now they weren’t holding hands any more. Oh well, the flirting was fun whilst it lasted. Except the handholding hadn’t been flirting, if he was honest he didn’t know what the hell it was and his interior voice should just shut the fuck up!
At least he could smoke now.
The woods were creepy and after a few minutes of not realising that even the moon wasn’t penetrating the branches that entangled overhead they all switched on their torches. For the first time they could hear the hoot of what sounded like an owl and the scramble of some type of small animal scurrying about the undergrowth.
“I really hate this,” Cordelia said with fake cheer after they had been walking for about half an hour. “When we get back to LA I’m handing in my notice.”
“I guess now isn’t the time to tell any campfire tales then.”
“You just want me to hold your hand again.”
“You got me pet, I’m so transparent … did it work?”
“Shush, listen!” Angel gestured to them wildly. The drums had started up again but they were much louder and nearer than previously.
“How much longer are we going to be in the forest?” Xander whispered to Angel.
“”We have about another kilometre and a half, about thirty minutes should clear it barring unwelcome encounters.”
Xander had barely registered the squeal or the hoof beats before he was on the floor and a grunting snout was snuffling his neck. There was another squeal, this time of protest as the beast was dragged away, and it was cut off abruptly with the sharp crack of its neck snapping.
“You had to say it didn’t you?” Xander wiped snot off his neck and retrieved his axe off the floor besides him. The axe that he had dropped like a big wuss before he’d even registered that he was in danger.
“You’re welcome,” Angel’s grin looked sinister in the torchlight, “though I think it was more likely to lick you to death than actually make a meal of you.”
Xander heart started to beat with its usual rhythm again and he took a deep breath. “That was the warthog from … hell,” he finished lamely. “Thanks.”
Angel gave him a hand up and took the opportunity to embrace him tightly. “Couldn’t have you dying just to be something’s dinner. I …” he trailed off when he realised what he’d said. “Not these days anyway.”
Xander kissed him, totally ignoring the snorts of disgust from Cordelia and Spike. When they finally broke away Spike and Cordelia had walked ahead a short distance.
“You’re very kissable when you’re flustered did you know that?”
“I am? Only when I’m flustered?”
“No, you’re pretty much kissable all the time. Angel can we set up camp away from them when we stop again? Maybe we could take it in turns to keep watch or something but I want you and it works better for me if we don’t have an audience.” Xander slid his hand between Angel’s legs and cupped his growing hardness. Angel closed his eyes, had it really only been hours since the last time?
“Get a move on! The drums are gettin’ louder you know and if we get captured because you pair are too busy playing tonsil hockey to notice an ambush, I’ll make a deal with whoever it is and hand you over so me and Cordelia can go free.”
“We’re coming Spike, keep your voice down.”
They walked through the rest of the forest without incident. The path started to widen as the trees started to thin and the ice started to get thicker the closer they got to the lake. The temperature dropped sharply and Xander and Cordelia started to shiver again. Angel wasn’t positive but the moon didn’t look as huge as it had before they entered the forest. He decided the best plan of action was to cover as much ground as they could but to take the first offer of shelter they came across.
They got to the mountains that flanked both sides of the frozen water before they found any possibility of shelter and by this time Xander was almost crying with the cold. Cordelia had started to cry about twenty minutes previously, until her tears had frozen on her face. She wiped them away and refused to give into them again.
Spike grabbed her hand and pulled her close to his side. “Don’t worry pet, there’s bound to be somewhere we can shelter soon. Grab hold of Harris, not that you’ll get any warmth from him either with the look of him but do it anyway, I’ll scout ahead.”
Cordelia nodded numbly and then before she had time to take another breath she had an armful of Xander and Angel either side of her. Angel took her crossbow and put his arm around her waist and Xander slipped his arm around the other side of her. Spike sped up and away from them.
“Be careful Spike,” she called after him.
Spike raised his hand over his head to let her know he had heard but didn’t break his stride. Cordelia had already noticed how graceful he walked but he negotiated the treacherous route like a cat, barely slipping even when the path narrowed to the point he was actually walking on frozen lake. The mountain on the right of them curved sharply and he disappeared from view.
He was back within ten minutes and Angel noted with some concern that he was looking paler than usual but at least he was smiling.
“I’ve found another cave. It’s been inhabited before but not lately. It’s not perfect but beggars an’ all that.”
“Good job Spike,” Angel said his teeth beginning to chatter.
They followed his lead and shortly came to a recess in the rock wall that had an opening in it big enough to drive a family sized car through. The passage inside was much wider than the previous one and let in enough moonlight for them to see where they were going at first. Angel switched a torch on when they turned a sharp corner that left them in near total darkness.
They’d only walked about six feet before the passage widened into a much larger area and despite Cordelia’s extreme discomfort she couldn’t help the gasp of delight that escaped her lips when the torchlight played across the stalagmites and stalactites before them. They were like giant elongated pearls, opaque with pastel colours running through them. She wondered how wonderful they would look in natural light.
It would have been easy to just stop where they were and sit with blankets and sleeping bags around them but Angel urged them on so they could get away from the mouth of the cave. Once it was lit-up by four torches, the room looked to be fresh out of a fairytale. The river was seeping in, in a small trickling stream that cut across the cave next to the wall nearest to them. It was proof of how much warmer it was inside than out and Xander and Cordelia soon started to feel the throb of hot-aches in their fingers and toes.
“It doesn’t make any sense, how can it be this much warmer?” Cordelia said.
“Hot underground springs, benign volcano, who knows? We’re only staying here long enough to get some rest and then we’re off again,” Angel said.
He hopped up a couple of rudimentary steps and claimed a space that was enclosed by a rock wall and a row of stalagmites. Xander followed him and managed to hook the bags together and crawl in, shivering uncomfortably whilst his extremities throbbed.
Angel stood still for a minute, and his expression looked quizzical to Xander who was the only one taking any notice of him. Spike and Cordelia were busy trying to find somewhere reasonably comfortable to settle themselves.
“There’s air coming from over there,” Angel pointed south. “If I’m right about this we may be able to continue some of the journey inside the mountains.”
“And if you’re wrong, we’ve lost valuable time.” Spike pointed out reasonably.
“I know it’s risky but it’s an acceptable risk; Xander and Cordelia won’t survive outside in that cold for much longer without getting sick. And just in case you’re interested you look exactly like you did when you woke up after I Turned you.”
“You didn’t Turn me, He did.”
“You know what I mean. Get some rest all of you, I’ll take first watch.”
“Angel …”
“Don’t argue with me Spike, you’re no use to me unless you’re a hundred percent.”
Spike nodded. “Alright then. Call me when you want to turn in … you should at least eat something, we all should.”
Cordelia was already curled up inside her sleeping bag and on the verge of sleep by the time Spike had grabbed them all something to eat and drink. He put hers down at the side of her and hesitated before reaching down and softly smoothing the hair back from her face.
“Cordelia,” his tone was low and he tensed his back and shoulders involuntarily against the possibility he had an audience. “Wake up love; you need to eat something.”
“Huh? Spike?” She opened her eyes reluctantly and smiled at him, totally disarmed by exhaustion.
“I know you’re tired but if you go to sleep without eating something you’ll feel crappy when you wake up.”
“I could use a drink at least,” she sat up and held her hand out for the bottled water he offered. He pressed a large foil wrapped rectangle in her hand too. Her eyes widened in appreciation.
“I’m still dreaming aren’t I?”
“No, keep your voice down or you’ll have to share it,” he smiled at her and hunkered down at her side. She broke a hunk off the chocolate and offered it to him.
“You can share it; Xander has his own stash if I know him at all. And Angel …”
“Is a wanker who doesn’t appreciate the finer things in life.”
“I heard that,” Angel said. Spike jumped, he hadn’t heard him come over to them; it wouldn’t do to get that distracted again. “I didn’t hear you questioning my taste when you pilfered the whisky from my office.”
“Bollocks! How did you know?”
“I always know … ” Angel faltered for a moment. “I remember ... you always used to take stuff. Either for yourself or Drusilla.”
Spike looked nostalgic but it was gone so quickly that Cordelia thought she must have imagined it.
“You never said anything.”
“No.”
Angel actually looked indulgent for a moment and then his expression hardened. “This is my watch, get some rest Spike.”
Spike grinned at Cordelia, took the proffered chocolate and without another word sauntered back over to his own sleeping bag.
~*~
Angel watched Xander’s chest rising and falling and wished that his face wasn’t covered by hair and blanket. He liked watching him sleep and now he could do so legitimately, without fear of reprisals so it was shame he couldn’t indulge his whimsy. He wanted nothing more at the moment than to get in beside him and he would do so when he thought Spike had had enough rest.
He’d thought about his dream on and off for the last two hours and his unease had grown the more he tried to understand what Darla had been trying to tell him. Who the hell would bring gifts and heartache? Holtz? An uneasy thought flitted through his subconscious but escaped before he could grasp it. He raised the bottle of Irish to his lips again and relished the burn of it slipping down his throat. Then he drew on the cigarette he’d liberated from Spike’s pack, the nicotine making him dizzy for a few seconds before bringing the calm he craved.
After looking at the map again and satisfying himself that they had about another ten hours on foot before they hit the area he expected to find Holtz and Connor, he’d explored the cave interior methodically and found another cave and more tunnels. He hadn’t lingered because he hadn’t wanted to leave the others unwatched for long but even a rudimentary appraisal had led him to believe that access to the south from inside the mountains was a strong possibility.
He finished his smoke and washed the taste out of his mouth with another mouthful of whisky. Then he went over and shook Spike awake. He was up and alert within seconds and he grabbed his smokes from his duster pocket and the bottle from Angel.
“Right then. I’ll call you in a couple of hours shall I? Unless anything decides to have pop o’ course.”
“Keep your eye on that corner over there. There’s access to another cave and more tunnels …”
Angel had an insane urge to ruffle Spike’s hair; sleep had left him looking as innocent as a choirboy. He doubted that Xander or Spike would understand or appreciate the impulse and then Spike dispelled the myth by scowling at him.
“What you lookin’ at?”
“Don’t drink it all.”
He left him to it and was thankfully stretched out beside Xander in under a minute. Xander instinctively reached for him and Angel snuggled into his embrace, realising for the first time how much his bones ached. Then Xander’s hands were on him everywhere soothing, exciting; pushing aside fabric, searching for bare skin whilst he kissed him thoroughly. There was no particular skill attached to what he was doing; he was simply driven by the need to be close to his lover. Yet somehow, before long, he held both their cocks in his hand, and Angel’s hand closed around his as he teased at the bite mark on his neck.
Xander hissed at the torturous sweep of tongue and lips and came with a low moan when Angel sank his fangs in and drank from him with ease. The taste of blood and the hitch in Xander’s throat was enough to send Angel over the edge after him. He retracted his fangs with care and licked the wound clean, bringing them both slowly down from the rush.
They embraced one another tightly and Xander whispered in his ear, “That was fucking lovely.” Angel failed to stifle a chuckle but he figured that as Spike had just been subjected to sensory overload, it was a moot point. Uncharacteristically Spike didn’t say anything and Angel was immensely grateful.
The two of them kissed until Angel’s eyelids started to close and he began to drift in and out of sleep. When he finally nodded off, his sleep was blissfully dream free.
~*~
Four and a half hours later Xander and Cordelia were far too grateful for being in the relative warmth to complain about the fact that sometimes it was rough going. They had to climb at one point and after transferring the Orbs, and some supplies to two of the backpacks, they had reluctantly left the other two and the tents behind. It wasn’t ideal, but then Angel had reminded everybody they weren’t on holiday.
Angel and Spike carried the other two packs and the going was much easier for Xander and Cordelia with only their weapons and sleeping bags to carry. The drums had also started up about fifteen minutes previously and they sounded ominously loud on the inside. The problem was no one could tell if they were nearer or if the sound was simply amplified by the caves.
Xander could see a flicker of colour in the corner of his right eye and wondered if eating something now would stave off the inevitable attack. He fished out a cereal bar and a couple of Advil, knowing full well it was probably too late. He carried on gamely for as long as he was able but when the auras appeared he knew it was useless.
“Angel we’ll have to find somewhere to stop.” Alarmingly his voice had started to slur already.
“What’s wrong?”
“I have a migraine coming … soon as the auras have gone, it’ll be like the Four Horseman of the Apcl … Apoca … you know what I mean, are galloping around in my brain.”
Angel looked at him worriedly and without caring that Spike and Cordelia were in earshot he blurted out, “It’s my fault isn’t it? You’re sugar levels are down and it’s my fault. God I’m so selfish, I didn’t think …”
“It’s not … anything can trigg …”
Xander stumbled and Angel caught him and helped him to sit down. “What can I do to help you?”
“Need to lie down.” Angel looked down the tunnel they were in.
“We can’t stay here, can you walk a bit further.” Xander nodded and then winced as a heavy thud started up in his head.
“Why is it your fault?” Cordelia asked Angel.
“It isn’t his fault …”
“Then why did he say it?”
“Not now love, ok?” Spike’s expression was so earnest that she found herself shutting up just to appease him; at least for the time being.
Angel helped Xander to his feet and Xander leaned on him heavily, despite the fact there was hardly enough room for the two of them to walk side by side. Xander went limp and tripped over his feet almost tumbling them both to the ground. Angel realised he fainted immediately and managed to recover his footing and hoist him over his shoulders in a fire fighter’s lift.
Mercifully the tunnel wasn’t that long and it soon widened out into a small cave. Cordelia quickly rolled out hers and Spike’s sleeping bags, one on top of the other, so that Angel had somewhere to lie him down.
“He could be out for a while.”
A definite minus but then if Xander hadn’t fainted at Angel’s feet in the first place they might not have ever gotten together and he certainly wouldn’t be here searching for his son. He rubbed his brow thoughtfully; acutely aware that the drums were getting louder and they were probably heading directly to the source. He couldn’t risk going outside, he could smell the sun and it was getting warmer inside the caves by the minute.
“Why are we waiting here? We can take it in turns to carry him you know.”
“Good point, we’ll just keep going until he wakes.” Angel lifted him back up over his shoulders and waited for Cordelia to stash the sleeping bags again.
They walked for another thirty minutes and then Spike offered to take over. He carried him for about ten minutes and then Xander groaned; his eyelids fluttered open and the reversed view of his surroundings caused the gorge to rise up in his throat.
“Put me down!”
He did and Xander was overcome almost immediately by an attack of dry heaving. Cordelia passed him some water and he resisted the urge to gulp, instead taking several spaced-out sips.
“My head feel like the Dingoes took up permanent residence in it and opted for nightly practise.”
“That’ll be the drums,” Cordelia said dryly.
“You mean they’re real? Thank God, and also ouch.”
Angel wanted to comfort him but he knew that the last thing Xander wanted when he felt this way was to be fussed over. He looked terrible; he was pale, his skin looked clammy and his eyes were bloodshot and unfocused. Angel knew it was his fault no matter which way he looked at it, and he was filled with self-loathing.
“Angel, stop it ok? Consenting adult here. I’m the one suffering and I’d still do it again. Just pass me something to eat, no not chocolate, ugh!”
Xander ate his cereal bar slowly and silently vowed that if they ever got home he wasn’t eating cereal ever again. He could feel the weight of Cordelia’s eyes on him and against his better judgement he looked up at her. She sat down next to him.
“Guys, find an elsewhere to be, I need to talk to Xander.” Her expression was extremely frosty and neither Angel nor Spike felt inclined to argue with her.
“Come on Spike, we’ll look for the next exit. Cordelia …”
She held her crossbow up and Angel couldn’t tell for sure if it was meant to threaten or reassure him. “We’re good, go.”
Angel looked at Xander and Xander nodded; he could handle Cordelia, even with a migraine.
“Ok; we won’t be long.”
As soon as their backs were turned Cordelia reached over and pulled Xander’s jumper away from his neck. He didn’t attempt to stop her but held her gaze without wavering when she looked at him in shock.
“God, I thought I was wrong … I hoped I was. Why?”
“It’s a sex thing.”
“Are you outta your mind?”
“Ok it isn’t just a sex thing, it’s a commitment thing.”
“Oh for goodness sake, get married already. I can make sure you have the full works, streamers, confetti, maybe not a honeymoon in the sun but … Do you have any idea just what the hell you’re doing?”
“Cordy, don’t.”
“Did he make you …”
“God no! You do know Angel don’t you? I’ve already told you it’s mutual consent.”
“And suicidal, for both of you. Not to mention that you’re putting the rest of us in danger.”
“Don’t be such a hypocrite.” Cordelia’s mouth fell open.
“What?”
“I’ve seen you and Spike … flirting.”
“Since when does flirting equal ‘please bite my neck and drink my blood‘?”
“Since you chose to flirt with a vampire. If you think it won’t become an issue you’re in for a great big surprise. I don’t know, maybe what you’re doing is harmless; I mean you do have Groo waiting for you back home. But don’t kid yourself Cordelia, if you carry on with this, the chances are you’ll let him if he even can with the chip. More importantly, you’ll want him to and you’ll like it.”
Cordelia stood up suddenly and started pacing. What the hell had she been doing? It didn’t matter that Spike had been kind to her and had seemed … different, like a human being.
“I’m not saying he’s bad guy Cordelia, but he doesn’t march to the same beat as you. He’s a demon and he doesn’t have soul.”
She stopped her pacing for a moment and looked at him.
“Does that matter? I mean he’s been doing right by Dawn, unless you think that was just to get in Buffy’s good books.”
“I think that might have been apart of it in the beginning, but no he really does love Dawn.”
“See! And I don’t know why the hell I’m having this conversation. It wasn’t even serious; I’m with Groo. Except I think Spike’s changed and you’re being unfair to him.”
“No, you’re the one being unfair. If you don’t mean to follow through with it you should just quit right now because he won’t understand and an obsessive Spike isn’t funny.”
Cordelia sat down again, her hand over her mouth. Xander reached for her other hand.
“Are you attracted to him?” She nodded, her face a picture of complete misery. When had it gone from harmless fun to serious soul-searching?
“Do you ever think it could be anything more than that?” She shook her head quickly. “Don’t dismiss the idea out of hand, and don’t shake your head it makes me nauseous.”
“You know a person with a brain, might think you’re trying to take the heat off your own back here pal. ”
“I‘m safe then.” Cordelia punched his arm.
“Ow! Sick person here. I’m not trying to do that. I just want you to know that it’s not that sinister. Relationships progress. I bet you do things with Groo you never thought … what?”
“I don’t love him.”
“Well duh. I had that one figured since we got here.” There was silence for a while and then Cordelia tightened her hold on his hand.
“Xander, I’m serious. What good can come of letting Angel feed from you?”
Xander gave her lecherous grin. “No, don’t hit me again please. If it helps we’re working on a way to anchor Angel’s soul when we get back to LA.”
“It isn’t just that that worries me. What if it gets out of hand and he Turns you?”
“I don’t think that’s gonna happen. Angel likes me warm.”
They both looked up when they heard footsteps expecting to see the other two returning. Except Spike was alone and there was blood streaking his face. His shirt was torn and his duster had a massive rip from the shoulder to the elbow.
“Move now, we have to hide!”
“What … where’s Angel?”
“He’s been taken. I tried to fight them off but there was too many of them. I’ll go back when we find somewhere for you to hide. What’re you waiting for?”
“Who got him? Spike we can’t just leave.”
“You’ll do what I bloody well say unless you want to go the way he’s gone.”
He grabbed both of the bags and urged Xander to his feet.
“The host species have him. He’s no good to them anyway so he should be all right. As long as they don’t stake him for being useless that is.”
Xander started to head in the direction Spike had come from as soon as he was on his feet. Spike grabbed him.
“What good can you do? Barf on ’em? Unlike Angel you are useful to them, so let me get you hidden and then I’ll go back.”
~*~
Angel was tied to a wooden wheel and strapped to the floor of a huge cave. He thought the creatures surrounding him were the most beautiful things he’d ever seen in his entire existence. Until the one who was chanting over him leaned forward and it’s face split in half, revealing a huge proboscis. It plunged it into Angel’s chest and he screamed.
To Be Continued...