The Seventh Slayer

By Kantayra

Chapter Twenty Nine

“Get out, get out, get out!” Ajaya screamed.

Isabelle let out a little squeak as she was bodily shoved out of the door to their room. When she turned to try to force her way back in, four feet eleven inches of very brassed-off Slayer blocked her way.

“Jeez,” Isabelle decided to try the sympathy card, “I’ve only been out of the hospital for two days, and—”

“Not listening,” Ajaya informed her sternly.

“But all I did was—” Isabelle protested.

“Thump, thump, thump!” Ajaya screeched in exasperation. “There are training rooms to practice your Slaying moves in, y’know. How am I possibly supposed to work with all that racket?!”

“Racket?!” Isabelle exclaimed in disbelief. “I’m the one making all the racket?!” She gestured over to where Ajaya’s stereo was still playing hard-core techno music with the bass turned all the way up. “I’m not the one who’s about to shake the whole building down to its foundations!”

Ajaya’s arms crossed in front of her in a no-nonsense manner. “My extension only lasts until tomorrow,” she said calmly, “and I still haven’t triple-checked all my fuel ratios!”

Isabelle rolled her eyes. “They’re already perfect,” she insisted.

“Not necessarily so,” Ajaya said, steadfast. “I found a typo in my design schematic just yesterday!”

“Which would’ve docked what?” Isabelle retorted. “One tenth of a percent? Ooh, you’d better hurry and recheck, Ajaya,” she said sarcastically, “you might only get a ninety-nine otherwise!”

“I fully intend to get a one hundred,” Ajaya said with finality, slamming the door in Isabelle’s face.

Isabelle let out an annoyed little sigh and turned to where she heard snickering down the hall. “What?” she demanded of Dawn, who was peeking out of her room and laughing at the little scene Isabelle and Ajaya had just played before her.

Isabelle couldn’t help it; she started to laugh as well. What could have turned into an all-out giggle-fest was promptly interrupted by Ajaya’s yell.

“I didn’t kick you out so that you could make racket in the hallway! Some people are trying to work!”

Isabelle and Dawn both covered their mouths and tried to stop laughing so hard.

“Things are back to normal, I take it?” Dawn teased.

Isabelle rolled her eyes. “Frighteningly so,” she agreed before turning to look at the still-closed door at the end of the hall. “How are the Witches possibly missing this? I feel like I need more people to laugh at me.”

Dawn grinned at that. “They’ve been down in the drawing room for the past few days,” she explained. “Completely commandeered it as their new temporary temple.”

“So, what are they doing down there?” Isabelle asked curiously.

Dawn shrugged. “They won’t tell me,” she pouted, “but they’ve been working on it for months. Something for Christmas, I think...”

Isabelle’s eyes narrowed. “Do you need undercover investigators to look into it?” she asked. “’Cause Ajaya and I totally suck at it.”

Dawn laughed and shook her head. “Don’t bother,” she insisted. “We’ll all find out soon enough anyway...”

Isabelle left Dawn with those words, her feet seeming to move of their own accord toward the other wing of the mansion. Ever since she’d gotten back, a part of her just couldn’t stay away from Alex for long, despite everything that he’d done. Ajaya had informed her point blank that she had the worst taste in me in the world, and perhaps she did but...that little tingly feeling she got whenever she went to see him? That was definitely a good thing...

She took a second to straighten her hair in the hall mirror before knocking on his door. The room above was blissfully quiet. Alex had been complaining just yesterday that Buffy and Spike had become obnoxiously cuddly as of late. And, while it meant that their little sessions upstairs were quieter right now, watching the two of them practically try to crawl inside each other’s skin at every available opportunity more than made up for it. Isabelle hadn’t been able to stop laughing at Alex’ account of an entire conversation in which Buffy and Spike had both been talking to him through each other’s lips.

Apparently there had been some near-dust experience lately that had brought on the subtle change in the couple’s behavior.

And they weren’t the only ones that had changed. Isabelle rolled her eyes at the loud gasps and moans that were coming from Nicky’s room. If Buffy and Spike had gone quiet, Nicky and Monica had done the exact opposite.

The huge flurry of activity after they had first announced that they were together had died down now. Isabelle could now understand why they’d put off the announcement for so long. They had both been trapped with her almost the entire time she’d been in the clinic, while Maddie ran a seemingly endless assortment of tests to make sure they were being ‘safe’.

When she’d finally come to the rather public conclusion that the active ingredient in were-jaguar saliva didn’t affect vampires in the slightest, Monica had been unable to stop blushing for hours. But Nicky had still appeared the nest morning with suspiciously feline bite marks on his throat. Monica had ditched the scarves and turtlenecks that had been her habit as of late as well.

Another loud growl, and Isabelle winced in sympathy for what Alex had to put up with. Finally satisfied with her appearance, she knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” Alex managed to call out in the most surly voice possible.

“Who do you think it is, dumbass?” Isabelle snapped right back. “Now open the damn door!” There was no doubt in Isabelle’s mind that they were a match made in heaven...

Alex was immediately fumbling with the chain of the door. He managed to restrain his eagerness when he opened the door, however, affecting a disinterested nonchalance.

“Hey,” he said casually, obviously trying to keep his cheeks from turning red. He gestured for her to come in.

Isabelle didn’t bother to hide her blush. “Hey yourself,” she agreed and stepped inside...to see another woman of things sitting on the edge of his bed! And she was pretty, too! Longs legs, and wavy blond hair, and—

“Have you met Melissa yet?” Alex offered introductions.

“No,” Isabelle said, gauging the other woman with a cold eye.

Melissa couldn’t help but laugh. “You must be Isabelle,” she said with a small, knowing smile. She extended her hand. “I’m Melissa, Alex’ sister,” she emphasized the last word with a little giggle.

Isabelle instantly flinched at her mistake and took Melissa’s hand with an apologetic smile. “It really is nice to meet you,” she reassured her, blushing horribly in embarrassment the entire time.

“Don’t worry about it,” Melissa whispered so low Alex couldn’t hear, giving Isabelle a conspiratorial little wink.

“Thanks,” Isabelle replied gratefully.

“Just keep an eye on my brother,” Melissa giggled again. “Keep him out of trouble...”

“I don’t know,” Isabelle was laughing as well. “I’ve been informed that I’m trouble...”

Alex approached them suspiciously. “What are you two whispering about?” he demanded.

Melissa and Isabelle both fought to stifle their laughter. “Nothing,” Melissa finally said with the most falsely-innocent expression Isabelle had ever seen.

Alex let out a resigned sigh. “I’m doomed, amn’t I?” he complained.

“Completely,” Melissa reassured him, sitting down beside him. She gestured for Isabelle to sit on the other side of him, and the Slayer eagerly did so, trying to hide the little twinge of excitement that went through her when their thighs brushed. Alex seemed a bit uncomfortable in his seat as well.

“Want a pillow for you lap?” Melissa whispered in hi ear.

He flushed a deep red in response. Isabelle gave them both a curious look, and he blushed even redder.

“What?” she demanded.

“So, er,” Alex shifted again, ignoring Melissa’s suppressed laughter, “it’s a good thing you came by. I’m gonna need all the support I can get...”

“Oh?” Isabelle raised an eyebrow.

“Today’s the fateful day,” Melissa said solemnly. “Alex finally has to face Willow and Aida.”

“What do they want?” Isabelle asked curiously.

“To make me feel as terrible as possible,” Alex stated sullenly. “It’s the only thing I can think of...”

* * *

“Very good then,” Fletcher typed in the last period in his report with finality. “You are hereby both released from your current assignments.”

“Mmm...good,” Spike said, obviously more fascinated with Buffy’s lower lip that with their meeting. “We can take off then?”

“Any time you wish,” Fletcher agreed, “although...may I ask what your plans are?”

“We’re staying for Christmas,” Buffy informed him just before Spike finally took a nibble of her lip. “Mmm...then we’re...ooh, mmm...going to head home, spend...ah!...New Year’s with the pack...” She broke off to give Spike a proper kiss.

Fletcher sighed and shook his head. “You’ll give my regards to the Osbornes?” he requested.

“Sure thing, twerp,” Spike managed to gasp out.

Fletcher watched them for a minute in pure annoyance. Finally, he just couldn’t help himself from breaking them up. “Keep that up much longer,” he commented wryly, “and you’re liable to swallow each other’s tongues...”

Spike broke away to give the Evil Glare of Death. Buffy, somewhat chastised, separated herself from her mate’s lap and returned to her slightly more respectable place on the arm of his chair.

Fletcher breathed a sigh of relief. “I approve of your staying for Christmas,” he began.

“’S only till the Witches can do their castin’,” Spike retorted suspiciously.

Buffy whapped him in the arm and gave him a look.

“Casting?” Fletcher repeated with one eyebrow raised.

Spike gave Buffy an apologetic look, and she smiled in response. “You might as well be the first to know,” she said enthusiastically. “That spell they did for Xander and Anya? Spike and I are having it done.” She had somehow managed to slip back into his lap during this speech and nuzzled his throat lightly.

Fletcher’s eyebrow rose further. “A curious choice,” he said thoughtfully. “You are, of course, both aware that you’re immortal?”

Spike gave him a ‘duh’ look. “Immortal only means we don’t age,” he countered. “There’s still ways one ‘f us could...” he trailed off at the thought, and Buffy turned his head into her shoulder comfortingly.

“We’re pretty sure we wouldn’t end up in the same place after d-dusting,” she said with a grimace. “So we want to be linked.”

Fletcher nodded slowly. “You probably won’t ever be allowed to return to heaven,” he commented to Buffy.

“It wouldn’t be heaven without my little Spikey anyway,” she cooed, kissing him right on the nose.

“OK,” Fletcher scowled, “now I know you two are just doing that to annoy me!”

Buffy and Spike simultaneously flashed him twin wicked smirks.

Fletcher sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Frankly, I’d rather the two of you go at it right here on my desk that do that irritating...cutesy thing!” he exclaimed.

Spike’s eyes instantly alighted on the piece of furniture in question, and he cocked his head to one side. “Really,” he began slowly, assessing the desk’s sturdiness, “’cause that could be arranged, y’know...”

Fletcher threw his head back in exasperation. “What does it take to get a little respect around here?” he asked rhetorically. He turned back to find Spike actually trying to convince Buffy to climb up onto his desk. “Stop it,” he demanded, annoyed.

Spike gave him an unrepentant grin.

“If you are going to be around for a while...” Fletcher began suggestively.

“A few days,” Spike insisted stubbornly.

“Yes, yes, of course,” Fletcher agreed, “but we do have two new Slayers out there, and...” he trailed off enticingly.

Buffy instantly pounced on the bait, turning away from Spike’s kiss and putting a finger to his lips when he tried to resume it. “We know where they are?” she asked Fletcher.

“One in Mexico and one in New Zealand,” he provided. “We’re still looking for active agents to track them down...”

Spike’s eyes yellowed, and he let out a low growl. “Knew you were tryin’ to lure my mate right outta my arms!” he accused.

Buffy turned to him. “It’s just two Slayers,” she informed him softly. “Shouldn’t take too long...”

Spike responded with the most pitiful Bambi-Eyes Fletcher had ever seen. “B-But you promised...” he sniffled slightly.

Buffy instantly caught him up in her arms and began cooing softly in his ear. “It’s all right, baby. You’re right, I promised. We’ll just go home, have ourselves a nice little vacation...”

Fletcher rolled his eyes. It wasn’t often one saw just how whipped Buffy was, but she was easily just as badly off as Spike was. How they ever managed to come to any decisions was beyond Fletcher. Perhaps it had to do with who started pouting first...

Buffy had completely given in to Spike’s demands by now. “Yeah sure, baby,” she responded to whatever he’d just whispered in her ear. “Take up off the active duty list for the month,” she instructed Fletcher. “We’re on vacation.”

“Year,” Spike retorted.

Buffy’s eyes narrowed at that. “Two months,” she countered.

“Nine.”

“Four.”

“Seven.”

“Six.”

“Seven.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “What’s wrong with six?” she demanded. “It’s a nice round number. Why do you need that extra month, anyway?”

He gave her a lascivious smirk. “You’ll just ‘ave to wait an’ find out, won’ you, pet?” he replied suggestively.

Buffy licked her lips. “Seven,” she instructed Fletcher.

“Done,” he said with a sigh, typing the changes into his keypad. “Now, may I strongly suggest that the two of you get a room!”

They were too absorbed in each other to notice his complaint. Fletcher rolled his eyes as they stumbled over to the door, trying to climb into each other’s shoes as they did so.

Spike cast one last longing glance back at Fletcher’s desk and whispered something in Buffy’s ear.

“Absolutely not!” she exclaimed. “It’s all kinky and...weird!”

“An’ that’s bad?!” Spike demanded. “Besides, ‘s always fun to thumb our noses at authority...”

Buffy shut the door behind them before he could finish his argument.

Fletcher made a mental note to have his desk sprayed down hourly. Just in case...

* * *

Melissa gave Alex’ hand a little, reassuring squeeze when Willow and Aida sat across from them, intently looking anywhere but at Alex. Alex wished Isabelle would take his hand, too. Seeing the two Witches again was harder than he would have imagined. It was a lot easier to think about hating and killing them when he didn’t have to see their faces.

“Well,” Willow finally broke the uncomfortable silence, “this is awkward...”

“We’re not quite sure what to say to you,” Aida added softly.

“The feeling’s more than mutual,” Alex agreed with a grimace.

“W-We get that you’re mad about your parents,” Willow began slowly, “but...I still can’t believe that you would do this to us...”

“I did it,” Alex admitted guiltily. “I know there’s nothing I can do to take it back, but...” He trailed off and ran a hand through his hair. “If is means anything,” he finally spoke again, “I didn’t want you dead...not really. I just needed to...lash out? I don’t know...”

Aida gave Willow a little nudge, and Willow sighed. “I know,” she agreed. “It’s not really personal. You just kinda...lose control...”

Alex ventured to give her a small smile.

“It’s rough,” Willow admitted, “seeing the next generation make the same stupid mistakes you did. You kinda hope you’ll be able to steer them away from all that...”

“It’s not your fault,” Alex insisted. “It’s mine.”

Willow bit her lower lip and looked down at her shoes intently.

“Actually,” Aida pointed out, “there’s plenty of blame to spread around. W-We saw what you were going through, but we didn’t— Not in time, anyway.”

“It’s not your job to baby-sit me,” Alex countered.

“No,” Aida agreed, “but we should’ve at least let you know we were trying to help...” She reached into the bag at her feet, removing a small object wrapped in a black cloth.

“It was supposed to be a surprise,” Willow grimaced, “for Christmas. But we decided you probably needed it now. We’re still working on yours,” she addressed Melissa, “and Elizabeth’s. But we rushed on this one...”

Alex removed the cloth to find what looked to be a hand-sized black crystal ball. He raised one eyebrow at the old Witches.

“It takes a while to start working after you remove the cloth,” Aida explained. “Just put it back on whenever you want to give them some privacy...”

Alex squinted and almost thought he could make out the slightest of movements within the globe.

“Just our way of saying ‘told you so’,” Willow joked before she and Aida turned to leave.

“What is it?” Isabelle stared intently at the sphere, finally noticing little ripples of motion deep inside it.

“It looks like some kind of seeing crystal...” Melissa commented.

“Mom!” Alex abruptly shouted out in alarm, and the two women leaned over his shoulders to see the scene now playing clearly before them...

~ ~ ~

Anyike flinched back as the human’s blade nicked her arm. She clutched it to her and glared at the three ruffians that had waylaid her. However, she didn’t dare use her powers against them, not this deep into human territory. The penalty for a such a grievous border violation would be painful death... Although is might just be worth it to turn these three into worms...

“Pretty, isn’t she?” one of her attackers gave her a wicked, toothless leer. “For a demon, that is...”

“Might have some fun with this one first,” a second agreed.

Anyike scrunched her nose up and decided there was no way she was going to allow this, consequences be damned. However, before she even had time to compose a good curse, an arrow whizzed through the trees, catching the first robber squarely in the chest and sending him slumping off of his horse.

The second’s horse reared up in fright, and its rider clutched at it desperately, trying not to fall off.

The third raised his own bow, aiming for the source of this latest attack. He didn’t even get a chance to aim for his target. He let out a little gurgle as Anyike’s dagger pierced him right in the side.

“That’s what you get for threatening my money!” she proclaimed proudly.

An amused chuckle echoes through the forest, and the last of the highway robbers feel to the ground with a thud, an arrow in his chest.

Anyike sulked at the fact that she wouldn’t get her vengeance on another of her attackers, but quickly turned her attention back to the woods. “Whoever you are,” she shouted out, “I’m prepared to defend my money with my life! And it takes more than an arrow to kill me...”

“I don’t want your money,” a voice said right behind her.

Anyike squealed in surprise and spun around...to find the most gorgeous pair of brown eyes looking back at her. “Oh, um...” she began, a bit flustered, “good. I won’t have to kill you then,” she informed her savior with a bright smile.

He gave her one in response and began digging through the dead robbers’ pockets. “You’re far from the road,” he commented.

“So are you,” she countered, crossing her arms in front of herself.

“I live just over that hill,” he gestured to his right. “Little cabin. Don’t get visitors often.” He turned back to look at her and noticed the wound on her arm for the first time. “You’re injured,” he said in alarm.

She shrugged and held her arm out for his inspection, noticing his large, strong hand and well-built forearms in the process. What was that old rumor about men with large hands...?

“I can fix you up,” he offered, “back home.”

“I’ll need to know your name before I agree to go home with you,” Anyike said matter-of-factly, checking out the rest of him just to make sure. Very nice...

He blushed. “Um, it’s Sandros,” he said, ducking his head. He’d never seen a woman – demon, whatever – that he’d been this attracted to in all his life. But something with this woman...was just clicking.

Anyike blushed as well and tried to figure out why his name sounded so familiar. “I’m Anyike,” she offered.

He also seemed to recognize the name but shook it off. “Pretty name,” he commented. “It suits you.” He gestured over to his home, and she led the way.

“You live alone?” she asked.

“Ever since my dad died,” he agreed.

“Do you like money?” she demanded, waiting on his porch while he opened the door for her.

He laughed. “As much as the next guy...”

“You don’t have any pet rabbits, do you?” she asked nervously, looking around cautiously before she stepped inside.

“No...” he replied, slightly confused. He shut the door behind him.

“Good,” Anyike declared, turning around to face him. “I trust you don’t have any objections to fornicating with demons?”

His jaw hung open in disbelief and awe.

“Remove your clothes,” she instructed...

~ ~ ~

Isabelle blushed a deep maroon and looked away.

Alex and Melissa both burst out into hysterical laughter before Alex covered the globe once more.

“That’s Mom all right,” Melissa couldn’t stop giggling.

“ ‘Courtship merely delays enjoyable orgasms’,” Alex quoted, still in hysterics himself.

“Those were you parents!” Isabelle insisted, still mortified.

“Trust me,” Melissa insisted, “we’re used to it.”

“Yeah,” Alex said softly, still cradling the covered globe in his hands. “Will someone tell the Witches for me,” he said, suddenly serious, “that I’m sorry and...thank you?”

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